By Christina Savopoulos
The Zeibekiko Festival has returned for its third year this month with a lively Rebetika performance in Melbourne by renowned Greek singer Areti Ketime.
Her last visit to Australia was in Adelaide in 2017, and she has returned to share her distinctive voice with Melbourne and Sydney audiences.
Areti was joined by Greek Australian band Omados & Friends, and maestro violinist Dimitris Stefopoulos who was visiting from Greece.
Areti’s angelic and powerful voice, and her delicate movements effortlessly brought together the sounds of Asia Minor and traditional Greek folk music. The performance saw attendees clapping and singing with smiles on their faces. Each song also gave Dimitris a spotlight to showcase his talent on the violin, with his performance amplifying the energy of the evening.
The talented Omados & Friends band featured Joseph Tsombanopoulos (percussion/vocals), George Athanasakos (clarinet), Maria Antara-Dalamagas (accordion), Paddy Montgomery (lute, guitar, oud), Wayne Simmons (bass), and Jacob Papadopoulos (bouzouki). Areti was also accompanied by three Sydney-based backup singers: Fotini Stavridis, Nola Haitidis, and Hara Koutsikoudi.
Attendees were also treated to dance performances from Florina Aristotelis, Greek Community of Melbourne Dance Group and Pegasus Dance Academy, along with a musical performance by the Nestoras College band. The dancers helped bring extra kefi to the evening to create a fun atmosphere.
Areti, the musicians and dancers delivered a seamless show. The most enjoyable part of the evening was the passion from the performers who were beaming with happiness. You could tell their love for the rebetiko genre was genuine.
The collaboration between Areti, Dimitris, local musicians and Melbourne dance groups created a heartfelt community space to appreciate their music. A memorable moment of the evening was when two audience members spontaneously walked on stage to dance a zeibekiko.
Maria Aivaliotis attended with her two daughters and shared her love for the music with The Greek Herald. This is my first time at the Rebetika, I like it a lot. I remember Areti from when she was young on television… We’re having a great time.”
Her daughter Betty Gannas added, “I found that it was really nice to see all of our parents’ generation get emotional and connect with the whole night… It made me feel their generation a little bit more.”
Zeibekiko Festival organiser Sophia Ventouris told The Greek Herald how when she first founded the festival.
“Not many people believed in this, and a lot of people didn’t want to be part of it because they thought Zeibekiko… [was] for [drunks and] magkes,” she said.
Her solo direction of the festival and the leap she’s taken to curate a festival honouring and celebrating zeibekiko is to be applauded. Sophia has “understood the culture from the depths of history and how it’s connected music, song and dance. How everything we do even our religion [relates to] the zeibekiko”.
Looking ahead, Sophia wants to celebrate and showcase Zeibekiko dancers, music and their roots in Asia Minor. She said, “I want to… show the connection of the past, that zeibekiko is not just one dance where everyone puts a glass on the floor and… kicks their leg.”
The Zeibekiko Festival continues this week with workshops led by folklorist Dr Christos Theologos and a final performance by Areti Ketime this Friday 10th October in Sydney.
