“Positivus Festival” in Lucavsala
The loudest and most noticeable annual event in the life of Latvian folk music, the “Positivus” festival took place this time in mid-July in a new venue in Lucavsala, where it moved after 13 years spent in Salacgrīvā. The important thing is that it happened, because the two years of covid downtime led to fears that the ′′ positives ′′ might give up everything.
The territory of Lucavsala is very large, and the maximum capacity of large events held there, such as concerts by Ed Sheeran or “Rammstein”, was 40,000-50,000 visitors. “Positivus” was expected to attract up to 20,000 people a day, so the event currently has enough room for physical growth. In relation to “Positivus ‘2022”, two aspects aroused the greatest reflections: 1) the visitors, however, saw much of the magic in the fact that the festival took place immersed in unspoiled nature, where they could experience the rhythm of city life it was conditional (much like going to Salacgrīva gas station for cigarettes); 2) so far “PF” has been dominated by alternative and wild music style, but this year it has been completely “hiphopized”. It should be remembered that A$AP Rocky and Megan Thee Stallion were in the lead roles. Both of these points did not cause any complications, however, despite this, it seems that the decisive year for “Positivus” may be precisely the year 2023 – how much listeners will vote for it with their wallets even after getting to know Lucavsala this year, how many parents will save money for tickets for their children to buy again for next year’s festival, where Sam Smith has been confirmed as the first of the “headliners”, the event will look quite enticing for overseas listeners up close and from afar, etc., etc. We will see.
“Rhythms of Riga” in the garden of the Riga Cathedral
From June 29 to July 2, the 22nd international improvisation, jazz and global music festival “Rīgas Rhythms” was held in Riga, which probably underestimated by many, because jazz is a more elite music genre. The main concerts took place in the garden of the Riga Cathedral, where the performance of the large jazz supergroup “Modern Standards Supergroup” should be noted. “It will hardly be possible to see Billy Cobham, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Linley Marthe and Nils Lan Doky together in one concert,” announced the artistic director of the festival Māris Briežkalns, who formulated the program of these five jazz legends as ” the new jazz standard that, perhaps many years from now, will be played in schools as teaching aids.” Those who have seen this live performance will agree that what Briežkalns said was not an exaggeration. “Rīgas rhythms” (and the competition “Riga Jazz Stage”) have long led the capital of Latvia into the waters of international jazz and, moreover, to stay there.
“Brainstorming” in Mežapark and elsewhere
After a four-year break, the song festival “Prāta vētras” took place again in Latvia – the band went on the “Year Without a Calendar” tour, during which they blessed fans in Jelgava, Valmiera, Ventspils and Daugavpils , performing its final chord at the Mežaparka Grand Stage. After the reconstruction, the stage can no longer “break” attendance records, and the “intellectuals” had to settle for “only” 40,000-45,000 instead of 60,000 listeners, but the “lakes of light” directed by Jānis Jubalt were still Pretty impressive.
At the end of November it was possible to attend the recording of the tour “Prāta vētra. A year with no concert calendar in Mežapark” (you can currently find it in the video section of the band’s website). “When autumn came, I just wanted to go back to the warm August evening when we met at the concert in Mežapark. With this concert recording, we remind ourselves and the audience of the lakes of light all over Latvia, of singing together and of the joy of meeting again at concerts after a four-year break”. Also in 2023, “Prāta vētra” will be seen and heard live – July 22 in Liepāja, “Daugava” stadium.
“Iron Maiden” and “The Cure” in the arena
Although the visitors of Sting, “Imagine Dragons”, “OneRepublic” and other big concerts in Riga are sorry, the reviewer will still rank the events he liked the most.
On June 2, the most important “hard & heavy” concert in Latvia of this year and maybe even the last decade was held in Arena Rīga – British heavyweights “Iron Maiden” performed. Each song and its performance as a separate story, it was very impressive! “Our fans are waiting for a show of fire and flamethrowers, and that’s exactly what we will give them,” the group’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson promised in an interview before the concerts, and kept his promise. On the other hand, on October 6, the cult group “The Cure” held their first and only concert in the Baltic States at “Arena Rīga”, who performed their best repertoire during the approximately two and a half hour concert, as well as new song from the upcoming album. “It is no exaggeration to say that for more than 40 years the creative work of the formation led by the charismatic Robert Smith has become a source of joy, inspiration, imitation, encouragement or even consolation for several generations of listeners, musicians, artists, designers and other creatives To thousands of people around the world, Robert Smith is much, much more than the tousled chignon, colored eyes and red lips that have become a trademark,” concert agency representatives “L Tips” pointed out accurately. Agency” before the concert.
The return of Gustav. With a sequel in mind
With a couple of strong new singles, rapper Gustavo, formerly of Gustavs Butelis, who is now known as Arstarulsmirus Arsujumfus Tarus on his passport, announced his resurrection. The first return piece “We need Gustavo back” was “tearing off the roof”, the second (“Between the lines”) – perhaps less memorable, but better explained the reasons for this return (the text has always been the point of Gustav’s strength). “I know the way back / It leads to the big stage”, but “At the same time I keep in mind / That it’s just a stage”, because “As soon as it becomes a shrine / It’s already sad”.
On November 25 “Arena Rīga” held an ambitious grand concert by Gustavo, dedicated to the rapper’s debut album “Beidzot!”, released in 2004. The concert featured the brightest tracks from Gustavo’s early works, as well as from albums “Pa pars pantim/Viesības hôtelu” and “Thirša elpa”. However, a couple of jobs remained unfinished. The rapper’s fifth studio album with ten new songs was supposed to come out at the end of November, but Gustavo admitted that he couldn’t make it. The book with his lyrics written between 2001 and 2011 was also not seen (it was planned to include stories about the context in which the songs were written, as well as unpublished images from personal archives), but Gustav keeps his promises – means that the comeback story will also have a sequel.
The Hobos are back too. With Ralph Eiland
On May 27, a long-awaited event took place all over Latvia – the reconstruction of the legendary Liepāja concert stage “Pūt, vējiņi!” opening with the concert “Return”. There was another comeback – the band “The Hobos” took to the stage. This time with Ralph Eiland on the mic.
It should be remembered that the beginnings of “The Hobos” can be traced back to the end of the last century, when such “golden foundation” albums of Latvian rock music as “Numbvision” (1999) and “Perfect Solution” (2001) were released and almost all of Latvia knew the hits “She Sounds Like A Little Child”, “Christian (I’m Gonna Be)” and others. The core of the group consisted of three professional musicians: guitarist Egons Kronbergs, bassist Mārtiņš Burkevics and drummer Vilnis Krieviņš, as well as the absolute “child of nature”, genius and talent Rolands Údris or Údritis. The end of this story came on the tragic January 17, 2016, when Údri was hit by a car. Since then, the musician has been in a wheelchair, but “The Hobos” as a living, functioning musical entity has essentially been erased. Fortunately, it was too early: the remaining trio decided to continue, but instead of the charismatic and boisterous Udra, the no less charismatic and no less boisterous (in the musical sense) Ralph Eiland was invited to the microphone. “The original lineup is the original lineup, which always feels like it couldn’t be better. But – it can be different! And it doesn’t always have to be better, sometimes just being different is enough. I think it will be like this. But – who knows, maybe it will be better!” wondered Egon Kronberg. What came out of all this is for the audience to judge.
Svetlana Loboda a Ukraine
Events in Ukraine left their mark even in such an entertaining sphere as folk music. The most famous Ukrainian musicians and bands visited us (Svetlana Loboda, “Okean Elzy”, etc.), several Ukrainians found like-minded people here (Edgar Vilcans, Shakima Garunts, Anastasia Vasilenko, etc.), but Katrina Gupalo and her spouse became the standard-bearers of this movement to strengthen national unity Andreju Osokina – if only the Andreja Osokina Open Air Festival (late May / early June) organized by both was worth a medal.
A special story about the Ukrainian superstar Svetlana Loboda, who practically moved to Riga after the start of the war in her homeland. Since the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you have publicly and sharply criticized the aggressor country’s military activities in Ukraine, as well as being involved and doing much to help refugees from your homeland. On August 14th Svetlana Loboda performed in Andrejsala and in this concert she clearly demonstrated why she has star status: a perfectly performed performance, everyone in their place, no unnecessary movements, nothing artificial, nothing fake! At the end of the year, Loboda embarked on an ambitious tour around the world and included many of our musicians in her backing lineup.
Eurovision is not dead
In conclusion, we must also mention the most watched event of the year in Latvian popular music – Eurovision. At least from the point of view that in 2022 the attractive group “Citi zēni” made a dizzying flight: at the beginning of the year it could be called a relatively little-known group, already in February it was followed by the second place in the respectable poll “Muzikālā banka ” (with the song “Limuzīn uz krītas” they conceded only to the super tandem of “Prāta vētra” and “Tautumeitus”), almost immediately with the song “Eat Your Salad” they won in “Supernova” , but in early May they have already traveled to Italy, where the international Eurovision Song Contest was held in Turin from 10 to 14 May.
Even if the flight of “Other Boys” over great distances was cruelly slowed down there (Latvia did not go further than the semifinals), the group’s achievements are still noteworthy. On the other hand, those discussing the need to participate in this “eurobalagan” must remind the lead singer of the group, Jānis Pētersons, what he said in an interview with “Neatkarīgajai” before going to Turin: “It is necessary for us – for us as a Latvian music industry. We need opportunities to export the music we create here. Latvia has really a lot of good music and talented artists, but there are not many ways to showcase it outside your country. Eurovision is one of these streets. 200 million people watch this contest. 200 million! It’s even hard for me to grasp this number, it’s like imagining Latvia, correcting it by a hundred and adding a few more to Latvia! These are unimaginable cosmic numbers! Globally , I don’t even know, maybe the football World Cup or the Super Bowl in America has such an audience. Eurovision is an opportunity to show what you are capable of in three minutes. Unfortunately, they are only or three minutes, that’s all, so you have to do everything you can with them.”
The “other guys” didn’t make it, but maybe one day they will. But you will definitely fail if you don’t try.
