Balkanarama, the place to be in Glasgow

Balkanarama, the place to be in Glasgow

Balkanarama puts together Central European music and dance club nights with typically 20-30 musicians performing Gypsy, Klezmer and Balkan music. The performances are full of energy and audiences dance along to the high quality music.

Urszula Kretowicz attended one of their evenings.

It was just after half past ten on a Saturday in April and I had just arrived at the Make Do club in Glasgow’s Hope Street. The queue outside was very long and it was growing quickly. Not knowing what to expect, I followed the friendly crowd inside. At the doors everyone could help themselves with a shot of home-made rakija, a plum brandy that’s very popular throughout the Balkans - a very nice taste although a little bit too strong for me. Feeling fortified, my next step was to go into a clothes store, where you could borrow colourful, ruffled, gypsy dresses and skirts, as well as scarfs and feathers. This is a very good idea for people who, like me, never know what to wear on a night out. The first performance was a spectacular gypsy belly-dance show. I was lucky to be standing very close to the band and the dancer, so I could see it well. Very impressive. By the time the Trans-Siberian Marching Band came on stage, the dance floor was full, with hardly any space. But that didn’t seem to bother anyone. People of different ages and nationalities, and with different outfits, were all happily singing and dancing to this very original music. It was brilliant - a loud mixture of punk and folk. This was a great experience. I’m definitely returning with a group of friends to the next Balkanarama.