Ailsa Dyson photo
Review and photos–Haydamaky at West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, July 28
– text by eugene osudar/photos by Ailsa Dyson and Patrick Boggs
the idea
of experimentation
and the do it yourself
punk rock ethic
came up frequently
as i chatted with
Haydamaky’s
lead singer
Oleksandr Yarmola
shortly
after their blistering 80 minute
set at the WECC
Wednesday night
before 160 delightfully
dancing,
sweating,
celebrating,
singing
Ukrainians
(some “innocents”
in the bunch, aka
non-Ukrainians,
this band needs
more and more
non-Ukrainians
to hear them
see them
feel them)
www.myspace.com/haydamaky
Yarmola’s speaking voice is a deep
rrrrrrummmmmmmmble
his body is hard and lean,
and cut
from the dancing
the passionate performance,
(his gaze is steady
his words carefully
chosen and
crafted
in the moment
and he is truly
excited to talk about
punk rock)
total effort
is given to
every song,
every tempo change
within each song,
and the
maximum
punk rock
emotion of every
set.
Haydamaky at the West End Cultural Centre, July 28. Ailsa Dyson concert photo
Nothing is left
in reserve
Everything is
given
the bow after
the set
is deep,
prolonged
and
heartfelt
they’re exhausted
they’re done
the band arrived late in the afternoon
tired and hungry
but on stage
they were all energy
all movement.
all passion.
always
involving the audience,
in the dance
in the party
offering the mike
to the Ukrainians
to sing along.
Haydamaky at the West End Cultural Centre, July 28, 2010. Ailsa Dyson photo
Hii-dah-mah-ki(d)
from Ukraine.
Yarmola explains,
in 1973, Kobza, a Ukrainian band
experimented with modern
rock music set to Ukrainian
traditional folk songs, along
with Braty Gadiukiny
and VV, these bands
set out to find a new
music path in The Ukraine
and
the young Yarmola
listened, and
imagined…
he joined the Veriovoka National Folk Choir
and learned how to sing,
interpret music
In Soviet times,
the Western music
that caught his ear, AC/DC,
Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple,
Nazareth. No more.
it was the “allowed” Western
music. That was then,
Now, he knows The Clash
and Elvis Costello,
(when i told him Elvis was my
first concert in 1978), punk
rock and Bob Marley.
He and some friends formed
Aktus and his own experimenting
began.
from the ashes of Aktus,
social activist
punk rock emerged
and that is the experiment
that is now,
Haydamaky.
Haydamaky at the West End Cultural Centre, July 28, 2010. Patrick Boggs photo
In The Year 1946
still cannot be played
in certain parts
of
Asia and Eastern Europe.
whereas
Gogol Bordello is now
a very choreographed
live band.
Haydamaky still
experiments and
has freedom to
do. to be. in the
moment. wild
on stage.
sensing the audience.
involving them.
Haydamaky at the West End Cultural Centre, July 28, 2010. Ailsa Dyson photo
Dance, split jumps.
a “sword” swinging
dance.
Clanging tools.
Drums and flutes.
Like The Pogues,
Like Tom Waits,
Like crazy circus
music.
and always
new ways
(e)merging
mashing
Ukrainian folk music
with punk and reggae
Ace Of Spades
Get Up Stand Up
Smells Like Teen Spirit
drove the set to a final
reggae punk
dancing
orgasmic
climax
in the encore, a folk traditional
mash up
with Satisfaction
of The Rolling Stones
hmmm, i wonder if
Yarmola knows Devo’s version
of Satisfaction?
Haydamaky at the West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, July 28, 2010. Ailsa Dyson photo
Eastern Europe is now
exploding
in one great musical experiment
traditional songs
mixed and mashed
smashed apart and
re/shaped as
progressive,
contemporary
punk and dance
music.
With bands like Haydamaky and
Gogol Bordello showing the way,
a city of so many Ukrainians
has its own experimenters,
Zrada.
Haydamaky concert photo 7
www.myspace.com/zradaculturalacademy
their set was the best i’ve
seen and felt from them,
it felt like a punk dance blur…
like 16 minutes
when in fact, it could have been
30, or more…
Now Your Song
About The City Lviv
Enchanted Mirror
were simply amazing
and i had to dance
to begin the dance…
Rituals
Majury
Fast Water
While I’m Alive
completed the breakneck
reggae/Ukrainian/punk
set/
Andriy Michalchyshyn, lead vocals, trumpet, guitar
Taras Babiak, bass
Dobryan Tracz, guitar
Mikhas Chabluk, violin
Andrijko Semaniuk, accordion
Nick Luchak, drums
are Zrada.
Haydamaky
is hyper
fueled on polka punk,
whip/like percussion cymbals,
lightning accordion riffs
and blasting
horns
all adrenaline music energy
and changing speed/
tempo flow within
the song
but it’s the Polka Punk
that i dance to
just the way The Minutemen’s
D Boon explained
punk rock, it’s just
polka and he hopped around
stage like a wild
Polka King.
the songs,
Bohuslav
Music
Bila Bila
No Bread
Gates
Malanka
The Kozak was Riding
Haydamatsica
Heavenly Trompita
Ace Of Spades
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Get Up Stand Up
Kozak System
encore
Dolyno
Old Romania
Satisfaction
in the year 1946
the first 7 songs are relentless
dance polka punk
all hot
and then they (finally)
slow, it, down,
allowing us to catch
our collective
breath
wiping the (profuse) sweat
away
reggae
and (punk) ballads
and rap
experiments…
and i’ve never
heard a better
Smells Like Teen Spirit
cover.
Oleksandr Yarmola, lead vocals
Ivan Leno, accordion
Volodymyr Sherstyuk, bass
Oleksandr Dem’yanenko, guitar
Oleksandr Charkin, trombone
Sergii Solovii, trumpet
Sergii Boryenko, drums
i wonder if The Winnipeg
Folk Festival knows
the power and the fury
of
Haydamaky
(?)
they could close
any night and give
Michael Franti
and Spearhead
a run for the best
main stage show
Ever.
i saw and danced
their Winnipeg show
back in September.
This one was better.
The Sound and The Fury
clearer
less distorted
and
very So
intense
passionate.
finally
profuse
(reggae)
punk
as if
Bob Marley
and
The Clash
visits
the Ukrainian folk
music tradition
and the social
activist party
truly
begins,
and we’re all invited!
to the great experiment.
Haydamaky
WECC
July 28.
Winnipeg.
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