Európa Kiadó concerts – 28, 29 and 30 May
Európa Kiado, that often put performing on hold for a shorter or longer period gave a concert in Gödör Klub a few years ago being the last show of a 2 year’s long tour. Many things happened since. Jenő Menyhárt “musical director” for example published a book with the title Agitator. This book shows the reader the importance of environmental protection through the eyes and the thoughts of the author and telling the stories of his times spent as a Greenpeace street activist. The story continues on the 28th 29th and 30th of May exactly where it stopped: on the stage of Gödör Klub!
The message of the once critical and society appraiser underground music bands could not stay the same after the fall of Socialism in 1989. But the insightfulness remains the strength of those, who’s it used to be: still there are a lot of things to change. It is understandable that those who used to be punk rebels are now heading towards environmental protection and global thinking raising their voice for the coming of a better new world!
These concerts, therefore, are not going to be only about music and healing but can be referred to as real civil revolutionary events where the audience will be introduced to the goals of Amnesty International, Greenpeace, Védegylet, World Fair Trade, Budapest Korzó, Levegő Munkacsoport, and Tilos Rádió.
The story of this band with 29 years’ of history started with the foundation and almost immediate breaking up of UHR in 1980. Soon after one of the founders, Jenő Menyhárt brought together his new band the Európa Kiadó. In September, 1981 they already presented songs that are still famous hits these days. László Kiss, one of the former members of UHR is the permanent bass guitarist, at the keyboard after Ákos Dióssy D. and Ágnes Kamondy the final members are the professional musician Orsolya Vargha and musical adventurer János Másik. At the guitar beside the frontman there has been a rotation of names such as János Gasner, Spenót or Dönci till Péter Kirschner took his final position in this role. The only change compared to the last set will be in the drummer’s post where János Gyenge who is also known from Hobo Blues Band will be taking the role. But the original guitarist Péter Magyar will also participate in the concerts.
From 1983 the band was on hold for two years after 2,5 years of concerts and 2 albums of songs (Love 82’ and Jó lesz…) but a movie shooting (Városbújócska) finally brought them back together and after this they presented new concerts in every year. In 1987 they recorded their new album Popzene (Pop Music) and two years after in 1989 another one: Szavazz Rám (Vote For Me). Ten years after Love 82’ came the sequel: It Kísértünk – Love 92’ (Here We Haunt – Love 92’). They also published the live recording of the Európa Kiadó concert in 1994 in the Katona József Theatre that contained a selection of their songs from the oldest to the newest times.
After this both founders (Menyhárt, Kiss) moved to abroad leaving the new generation behind. Those who knew and loved their songs had no chance to hear the Európa Kiadó for ten long years, until Hungary joined the EU. After the return in 2004 two more years passed with concerts in Budapest, in festivals and in a country tour of wich a DVD was also published. After the last concert in Gödör in 2006 another 4 years of pause came that ends now.
On 28th May before Európa Kiado would get on the stage, the legendary Balaton will give concert. The night will be closed by the Szilvási Gipsy Folk Band.
On 29th May Ági Bárdos Deák’s band the Bárdo will start the evening and after the Európa Kiado concert the Tecsői Banda (UA) will get on the stage.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for the 29th and for the 30th for 3000 HUF in the Café of Gödör. On the day of the concert on the spot tickets cost 3500 HUF.
