Musicians bring Greek music back to the former Alexander the Great Club in Sydney

·

Folk tunes from the regions of Thrace and Macedonia filled The Great Club, formerly known as the Alexander the Great Club, in Sydney on Friday, February 26 as part of the Greek Fringe‘s ‘Thraki Showcase.’

The performance by Sydney based group, Banda Politika, was the first time a Greek band had played in the newly renovated club and the music was a huge hit with the large audience which gathered.

“I was blown away by the response we had on Friday. This experimental hybrid event attracted 150 patrons and was The Great Club’s first large scale live music event which sold out!” Co-Founder of Greek Fringe, Christina Bacchiella, tells The Greek Herald.

Credit: Sofia Yiannikas.

“It was particularly great to see lots of young people at this event from different backgrounds getting a dose of Greek culture! The owners expressed that they couldn’t think of a better way to inaugurate the space than with a Greek gig that paid homage to the Club’s former identity.”

READ MORE: Greek Fringe: The inter-continental movement showcasing Greek diasporic artists.

Banda Politika, a project put together by Mihalis Platyrrahos, played traditional instruments on the night such as the Laouto, Lyra, Gaida (bagpipes) and the Daouli. This was accompanied by powerful Thracian songs which embodied the interaction of cultures from the region.

This band was the perfect interlude to a live cross to Greece for a performance by Evritiki Zygia and renowned vocalist, Katerina Douka.

These musicians brought the traditional sounds of Greece to the showcase as they played near a river in Evros – a place which not only borders Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, but is also of great geo-cultural significance to the folklore of Thrace.

“Greek Fringe was set up as a platform to showcase underrepresented artists that fall outside the mainstream and to give the diaspora a connection to the contemporary art scene in Greece. I firmly believe that traditional music has a place in the contemporary scene and that’s why we featured Evritiki Zygia and Katerina Douka – some of Greece’s top Thracian musicians,” Christina says.

It’s clear the showcase was a successful hybrid event which was enjoyed by all who attended!

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

GOCNSW holds fruitful first meeting with new Consul General George Skemperis

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW hosted the new Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Georgios Skemperis, in a productive meeting.

Silent heroes and bright futures: Supporting Greek language education in Victoria

Over the past month or so a few articles have appeared discussing the current and future state of the Greek language in Victoria.

Archbishop Makarios pays tribute to Elder Vasilios Gontikakis, influential Athonite theologian

Elder Vasilios Gontikakis, former Prior of the Iviron Monastery (1990–2005) and the Stavronikita Monastery (1968–1990) on Mount Athos, died.

Greek basketball stars bring Panathinaikos spirit to Melbourne’s Stalactites

Melbourne’s iconic Greek restaurant Stalactites hosted Panathinaikos stars Nikos Rogkavopoulos and Jerian Grant on Wednesday, September 17.

Australian Championship secures landmark multi-platform broadcast deal with SBS

Football Australia and SBS today announced a landmark multi-year, multi-platform agreement to broadcast the Australian Championship.

You May Also Like

Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney receives $5,000 donation to buy an authentic Greek costume

The Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney held a “Meet & Greet” event with The Daughters of Penelope AHEPA Australia this week.

Cyprus Community of NSW to get into festive spirit with annual Christmas Markets

The Cyprus Community of New South Wales returns this Saturday, December 16 for their annual Christmas Markets from 8 am to 3 pm.

Kon Karapanagiotidis named 2023 Melburnian of the Year

The founder and CEO of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM has been named the 2023 Melburnian of the Year.