Pantera returned to the stage in Kraków, delivering a powerhouse performance at Tauron Arena on February 4, 2025. With Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown leading the charge, joined by Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante, the band paid tribute to metal legends Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The electrifying setlist featured classics like ‘Walk,’ ‘I’m Broken,’ and ‘5 Minutes Alone,’ with fans roaring in unison. A night of heavy riffs, fiery visuals, and raw emotion—Pantera proved their legacy is stronger than ever.

As 2024 draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on a year that has been nothing short of extraordinary for Kraków Music. This year has seen the city come alive with a dazzling array of events and initiatives that showcased the power of music to inspire, unite, and transform. Kraków Music has been part of a plethora of projects ranging from intimate concert series to larger festivals, groundbreaking socio-cultural projects, to heartfelt charity concerts, and has reaffirmed its role as a promotor of artistic expression and agent of community spirit.

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on another remarkable year of live music brought to life by Songbirds Kraków. Rooted in the singer-songwriter tradition, this initiative has once again elevated Kraków’s music scene with its warm atmosphere, diverse talent, and thoughtful programming. Hosting concerts in the cozy confines of 2 Okna Cafe in Kazimierz, Songbirds continued to showcase the intimate, raw, and heartfelt performances that define the genre.

The Ablaye Badji Band performing in Kraków at Klub Zaścianek as part of the POD BAOBABEM Festival 2024. This is the album premiere concert and ADUNA (Life) is already streaming. Senegalese multi-instrumentalist Ablaye Badjis is one of the best exponents of world music in Kraków.

A trailblazer in the world of progressive rock and metal, TOOL is comprised of vocalist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor, and drummer Danny Carey. The band has consistently pushed the boundaries of music, blending complex rhythms, dense lyrical themes, and intricate instrumental work. Over the course of their career, TOOL has released five studio albums, each one showcasing their evolution and mastery of their craft. Albums like "Ænima," "Lateralus," and "10,000 Days" are considered milestones in the genre, celebrated for their innovative approach and depth. Their performance at Tauron Arena in Kraków last night was a testament to their enduring impact and the powerful connection they have with their fans. Kraków Music was there throughout the lens of collaborating photographer Norbert Burkowski. Characterised by its complexity and depth, their music often incorporates elements of progressive rock, art rock, and metal. Their songs are known for their lengthy durations, intricate time signatures, and philosophical lyrics that explore themes such as spirituality, consciousness, and personal growth. The band's distinctive sound is a result of their collaborative writing process, where each member contributes to the elaborate, multi-layered compositions. This unique approach has earned TOOL a dedicated following and critical acclaim, making them one of the most influential bands in modern rock music. Their influence extends beyond their musical innovations. TOOL's visual aesthetic, largely shaped by guitarist Adam Jones, who has a background in visual arts and special effects, plays a crucial role in their identity. The band's music videos and live shows are renowned for their artistic and often surreal visuals, which complement the thematic complexity of their music. Tool's commitment to artistry and their refusal to conform to industry norms have cemented their legacy as pioneers, inspiring countless bands and artists across various genres.  Photos by No.Photos for Kraków Music & Live Nation

Namena Lala, the solo project of Natalia Orkisz, showcased songs from her new album LALA to a packed Klub Re in Krakow on March 22. There’s plenty to admire during this live set: innovative vocal loops build, while clever, deft digital percussive touches and subtle shades of other instrumentation add to a creative palette bursting with lyrical verve. A classically trained cellist, she has put down her bow for this project, and much of her repertoire could be categorised as joyful experimentations in building disparate sounds on top of each other, low-fi folk electronica – soulful, trip hoppy, thick with striking imagery and melodic hooks. Yet it’s her astounding falsetto vocal that is the real showstopper throughout, like a child raised by wolves, in startling elfin gasps and yelps, she gives a human voice to the unfiltered ambience of the forest. All photos  by Adelina Krupski Photography for Kraków Music and Namena Lala Namena Lala – also the name of a Fijian volcanic islet – was decimated by Cyclone Winston in 2016, flattening all the human constructs, leaving only a wild bird reserve in its wake. A fitting metaphor for a world on the verge of environmental collapse, many songs have a sensitivity borne of the fragility of the planet and those we share it with. An urgency flows out in some of the songs as well as a profound sense of disappointment. Expectations Expired starts like the call of a witches’ coven – part Kate Bush and Agnes Obel – its ethereal incantation bemoans short attention spans in a reality boiling over with injustice – social and environmental – and our flailing impotence to mitigate it. You should forget me as soon As the end of this tune I won’t have anything said against it As surely you’re aware This world just isn’t fair And there’s nothing you can do to fix it To fix it The bewitchingly evocative Foki begins with what could be the sounds of a hammock swinging in the breeze but more than likely is a wooden boat creaking its way merrily downstream. She sings of a pristine world – Eden-like and untouched – the seals that frolic in these calm, clear waters catch the singer by surprise. Living on a planet in the throes of upheaval and change, she is comforted by the fact that some things transcend impermanence – at least she hopes that is the case. Spokojna, że nic tu się nie zmieni Not shy of collaborating, she is joined on stage by plenty of other artists, including bandmates from Box Anima – Tomek Idziak on guitar and Wiktor Machowski on Cajon, as well as Ukrainian composer Ira Lobanok and guitarist Dominik Plebanek. Poppy single Children of Possibilities, laments a world driven by hyper-individualism and self-interest that has lost its spiritual compass. Eyes wide closed ..we are the only God we need …But why the world keeps crumblin’ down? Jak w korcu maku, another single from the new album, is a touching ode to her parents, composed around a poem penned by her father before she was born. There’s a love and longing here so real you can almost touch it. It’s a place where nostalgia, gratitude and beauty coalesce. Natalia’s stage presence is remarkable, her charming banter pulls each member of the audience into that zone where they are mere putty in her hands – encouraging them, confiding in them, soothing them, prompting them, inviting them to submerse themselves in her kaleidoscopic audio-visual adventure, an uplifting celebration of nature’s benevolent magic. They don’t need to be asked twice. If Namena Lala was a high-priestess preaching the word with this kind of vocal delivery, it’s a church I would sign up to in an instant. Her new album LALA is out now.

New Model Army took Kraków by storm with an electrifying performance at Klub Kwadrat on Friday, March 8th, as part of their tour promoting their latest album 'Unbroken.' Led by principal songwriter and singer Justin Sullivan, the band showcased their signature blend of raw energy, powerful lyrics, and politically charged anthems. Their new album, 'Unbroken,' delvs into themes of confinement, claustrophobia, and anti-colonial rage that when performed live result in an introspective and emotionally delivery. From the infernal madness of 'Reload' to the anti-colonial fervour of 'Legend,' the band's lyrical prowess and political anger were on full display. While the instrumental experiments showcased the band's musical versatility, it was the poignant vocals and heartfelt lyrics that truly stole the show. Songs like 'Idumea' stood out for their expansive soundscapes and powerful choir elements, offering a glimpse into a world of hope and resilience. In 'Unbroken,' New Model Army seamlessly navigated between justified anger, despair, and wide horizons of hope, leaving the audience uplifted and inspired. It was a night to remember, as New Model Army once again proved why they are one of the most influential bands in the alternative rock scene. Photos by No.Photos for Kraków Music & Live Nation

Spięty delivered a mesmerizing performance last Friday, March 1, at Klub Studio in Kraków, Poland. As part of a concert tour showcasing his third solo album, Hubert “Spięty” Dobaczewski, known for his work with the acclaimed band LAO CHE, took the audience on a journey through his latest musical creations.

Kraków’s vibrant music scene was electrified last night as Swiss extreme metal pioneers SAMAEL took the stage at HYPE PARK. The event, titled “Passage to Mystic Festival 22024,” served as a tantalizing teaser for the upcoming Mystic Festival, set to unfold at the historic Gdańsk Stocznia.

Songbirds Kraków Festival & Showcase is the new music movement in Kraków focused on the singer-songwriter scene and featuring a plethora of local and international talent.

Kraków Music was at the Cavalera Conspiracy concert at Klub Studio through the lens of collaborating photographer Norbert Burkowski (No. photos), who captured the essence of death/trash metal on and off stage.

An avant-garde music festival in Kraków, SACRUM PROFANUM blurs the boundaries between classical and alternative music and explores the fringes of 20th century contemporary music, avant-garde and indie classical.

Formed in 2001 in Warsaw, Poland, Riverside is a rock band known for their distinctive and atmospheric music characterised by its fusion of progressive rock, metal, and alternative rock, creating a unique and captivating sound that has gained them a dedicated international following.

Far away from the hills of Appalachia, stumbling down the stairs into a cavernous Kraków cellar bar is the last place you’d expect to uncover the southern musical harmonies and black hill banjo finger-picking joys of a bluegrass band belting out exceptional covers with a Pole, an Irishman and an Italian among the members.

TV Girl is an American indie pop band was live in Kraków at Tauron Arena. Known for their dreamy, sample-based sound and clever lyrics. The band was formed in 2010 by Brad Petering and Trung Ngo in Los Angeles, California. Their music often incorporates samples from pop culture sources, including movies, TV shows, and vintage recordings, creating a nostalgic and whimsical atmosphere.

Berlin avant-garde four-piece, HOPE, have plenty of admirers – from Bauhaus, Idles and Algiers to US producer Gordon Raphael. Depeche Mode are also fans and they were recently supporting the English synth-pop legends in Tauron Arena, Krakow.

Depeche Mode live in Kraków at Tauron Arena on August 4, 2023.

Karl Culley showcased songs from his new album Stories Save Our Lives (Loose Wire Records) on May 20th – in Krakow’s Strefa Otwarta. Live, he’s always a treat, his voice’s hushed tones the perfect backdrop to the cauldron of percussive sounds he coaxes from his instrument. The collective result is intimate, barely amplified, yet somehow cinematic, spacious and grand.

Tegnaputan’s new interstellar prog-space-rock opera aims high. Combining cosmic concepts and musical aplomb, the live show is a conceptual extension of the album and a visual extravaganza, musically elaborate and hugely theatrical.

Tangible and enchanting modern relics, concert posters on paper are the old windows to the world of live music. Like a fleeting melody, their era is gradually fading into obscurity giving way to digital media and online promotion. The once ubiquitous charm of physical posters has been overshadowed by pixels and screens. Just think of the poster board inside Pasaż Bielaka connecting ul. Stolarska and Kraków's Main Market Square (background image) or the plywood board that used to be by the entrance of the now gone Bunkier Cafe. As the artistry and craftsmanship that once graced the streets is slowly confined to digital realms, Kraków Music, together with long-standing art-rock band Crodad & 100 Years, have decided to pay hommage to these old paper treasures (ironically on a blog). We had the pleasure and privilege to plunge into the physical annals of their gig history in Kraków and rescued a collection of posters that go back to their beginnings in 2004. As we sat in a cafe in the Old Town perusing the sketches and illustrations of nineteen years of music, the nostalgia kicked in and even felt as if we were unearthing artefacts of a bygone era of live music. Every crease and smudge on a the weathered paper bore witness to the passage of time, telling tales of unforgettable performances and cherished memories. We knew then, we had to share them with you. Crodad & 100 Years is celebrating 19 years in the Kraków music scene with a concert at STREFA on Tuesday 30 May. This instalment of the series "The (Recent) Archeology of the Kraków Music Scene" is also part of the celebration. Take your time and enjoy. You might find a poster of a concert you went to. JOIN US! GET TICKETS NOW ➞ NO YEAR IDENTIFIED 2004 2005 2006-2008 2011-2017

Revered prog-rock icon, 73-year-old Peter Gabriel, started his new i/o tour in Tauron Arena, Kraków, last night. His music since leaving Genesis in ’75 has rarely been predictable, and his 4-decade-long solo career has always been required listening: genre-defying, experimental, musically diverse and ambitious, bristling with political/social commentary and wry wit.

NANGA is the project of LAO CHE’s keyboardist and percussionist Filip Różański and Maciej Dzierżanowski featuring keyboardist and saxophonist Karol Gola also from Lao Che and vocalist Magda Dubrowska (Gang Śródmieście, Utrata Skład). They released their first album “Cisza w Blok” in November 2020.

It’s not that they haven’t been there, in fact, women musicians, singers and composers abound and their work speaks for itself. At times we wonder if we should wait a whole year to underline that fact with a blog post as this one.

One of the most important hip-hop and electronic bands in Poland today, Fisz Emade has carved a niche in the Polish music industry with their unique approach to hip hop by blending it with jazzy grooves and samples. Since 2001 they have release 9 albums with “Mamut” counting as one of their major achievements.

This last weekend Hańba! celebrated 10 years of musical career at Klub Gwarek. The Polish conceptual, folk-punk, four piece has been re-inventing the sound of punk by transplanting it to interwar Poland in the 1930s. If you don’t know them, this is your chance to join their cause.

Check out the roster of bands that participated in the Live Wire Concert Series in 2022. Thank you all and we look forward to 2023 with more music!

Pidżama Porno celebrated 35 years of music career in Kraków at Klub Studio with a powerful performance featuring guests such as Jacek Jędrzejak, Swiernalis & Bajzel.

Danish producer and musician Anders Trentemøller was live in Kraków at Hype Park as part of his MEMORIA Tour promoting his eponymous album. Check out this photos and listen to his music.

Jozef Van Wissem provides a night of Baroque wonder and macabre delight in Klub RE’s medieval cellar. Van Wissem looks fittingly otherworldly, like a shaman, the kind of soul who might guide you through a rather troublesome psilocybin journey, but who also might, given the wrong circumstances, make that trip even worse; he emanates pure serenity and calm wisdom.

The Ablaye Badji Band live at Klub Alchemia in Kraków. One of the best performances of the five-piece band so far in Kraków, this is the first collaboration between the legendary Alchemia and Kraków Music.

The bastard child of the pandemic, social media and the all-encompassing boredom we experienced in 2021, Ninja Episkopat is a fusion of electronica, contemporary and improvised music. Listen to their EP and read the review of their summer debut concert at Klub Baza.

Text by Jakub Marszałek originally published on FB at Nieobiektywnie i nieregularnie.  READ IN ENGLISH HERE All photos by Norbert Burkowski (No.Photos) for Kraków Music & Follow The Step Niestety wiele wskazuje na to, że H.P. Lovecraft miał rację i za stworzenie świata odpowiada byt pokroju Azathotha. O co chodzi z ową istotą? Jest to ślepy „bóg-idiota”, który powołał do życia kosmos poprzez granie na flecie. Sęk w tym, że przez cechującą go niedoskonałość i bezmyślność, oberwało się także jego dziełu — dlatego też przyszło nam egzystować w tak nieciekawych warunkach. Jednakże jestem pewien, że gdyby zamiast Azathotha za wszystko odpowiedzialny byłby Shabaka Hutchings i dźwięki jego saksofonu, to żylibyśmy w kompletnie innej rzeczywistości. “ Te dźwięki po prostu brzmią jak muzyka kosmosu. Wystarczy zamknąć oczy, wsłuchać się w kolejne nuty dobiegające ze sceny i wówczas z łatwością przenosimy się w inny, lepszy wymiar… A to wszystko bez jakichkolwiek środków wspomagających! “ Zwłaszcza gdzieś około trzydziestej minuty show, kiedy to obok siebie zagrano rewelacyjne „Summon the Fire” i „Blood of the Past”. Cóż się tam wtedy działo! Chyba każdy z (ku mojemu pozytywnemu zaskoczeniu) naprawdę licznego audytorium poczuł w sobie chęć pląsania, kiwania głową, czy beztroskiego tańczenia. Był to doprawdy wspaniały widok, który pokazał, jak wspaniałą rolę może pełnić muzyka w życiu człowieka. The Comet Is Coming zawitało do Polski w ramach trasy promującej ich najnowszy album, czyli „Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam” – prawdę mówiąc, słuchałem go tylko raz, w dzień koncertu, nie mogę więc powiedzieć, bym był dobrze obeznany z tematem. Tak się złożyło, że setlista składała się w całkiem sporej mierze z najnowszych kompozycji. Czy stanowiło to dla mnie jakikolwiek problem? W żadnym wypadku! Sztuka Komety to specyficzne wydarzenie, w którym mam wrażenie, chodzi wyłącznie o to, co dzieje się w danej chwili. Tutaj nie chodzi o odegranie kompozycji zgodnie z albumowym schematem, a o wytworzenie atmosfery, dzięki której wszystko staje się jednym. Nie bez powodu swe wypociny zacząłem od kryptognostycznych refleksji na temat natury wszechświata – od dawna twórczość The Comet Is Coming kojarzy mi się z „czymś więcej”, czymś nieuchwytnym i na swój sposób podniosłym. Na żywo również miałem takie wrażenie, jednakże poczułem je w formie spotęgowanej. Te dźwięki po prostu brzmią jak muzyka kosmosu. Wystarczy zamknąć oczy, wsłuchać się w kolejne nuty dobiegające ze sceny i wówczas z łatwością przenosimy się w inny, lepszy wymiar… A to wszystko bez jakichkolwiek środków wspomagających! Coś podobnego spotkało mnie chyba tylko przy niektórych dziełach Jana Garbarka, choć odbieram je w nieco inny, bardziej stonowany sposób. Natomiast Kometa wręcz tętni życiem, swego rodzaju pierwotną energią, dającą początek wszystkiemu i wszystkim. Mimo wszystkiego, co powyżej, nie powiedziałbym jednak, że koncert The Comet Is Coming można określić mianem misterium. To raczej zderzenie z potężną dawką witalności, ale przejawia się ona w różny sposób. Na pewno nie spodziewałem się momentu, w którym genialny wręcz klawiszowiec Danalogue postanowił rozkręcić mini rave’a po to, by… Shabaka mógł wspomóc się kilkoma buchami Marysi. Było to zdecydowanie ciekawe przeżycie, gdyż kontrast między tym, co miało miejsce kilka minut wcześniej, a nadzorowaną ze sceny dyskoteką był całkiem spory. Choć tak naprawdę odprężający klimat koncertu czuć było przez znaczną większość wieczoru. Zwłaszcza gdzieś około trzydziestej minuty show, kiedy to obok siebie zagrano rewelacyjne „Summon the Fire” i „Blood of the Past”. Cóż się tam wtedy działo! Chyba każdy z (ku mojemu pozytywnemu zaskoczeniu) naprawdę licznego audytorium poczuł w sobie chęć pląsania, kiwania głową, czy beztroskiego tańczenia. Był to doprawdy wspaniały widok, który pokazał, jak wspaniałą rolę może pełnić muzyka w życiu człowieka. Z Kamiennej wyszedłem bez żadnych złudzeń: cokolwiek by się nie działo, bilet na kolejny gig Komety kupię tak szybko, jak to możliwe. Niezwykle chciałbym przeżyć to wszystko jeszcze raz, ponownie zanurzyć się w tych dźwiękach i czuć, jak rozchodzą się po całym moim ciele. Takie wydarzenia nie zdarzają się szczególnie często. Nie marnujmy więc nadarzających się okazji i korzystajmy z nich, jeśli tylko możemy! Wielkie dzięki Kraków Music za wejściówkę. The Comet Is Coming · Summon The Fire Sign up to Kraków Music Newsletter to receive information about our concerts, competitions, news and more. Concert organised by   The Comet is Coming: Something Elusive & Sublime Unfortunately, there are many indications that H.P. Lovecraft was right, and an entity like Azathoth is responsible for creating the World. But who is this deityt? He is a blind, "idiot-god" who brought the cosmos to life by playing the flute. The problem is that due to his imperfection and thoughtlessness, he was also struck by his own work - which is why we had to live in such uninteresting conditions. However, I am sure that if instead of Azathoth, Shabaka Hutchings and his saxophone were responsible for everything in creation, we would be living in a completely different reality. I discovered The Comet Is Coming sometime in the summer of 2019. Getting to know "Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery" was undoubtedly a shocking experience. On the one hand, I heard elements known to me from other jazz releases, but there was no doubt that I had come across a new vein in the genre. I missed the concert at the beginning of that horrible 2020. I did not have time to buy a ticket and I was not lucky enough to find a resale. No wonder that I was really happy when I heard about the next performance in Krakow. It may seem strange, however, that (this mood hasn't completely vanished) I am not in the mood for concerts and I would've simply let the performance of TCIS go. Fortunately, life does not always completely such, and thanks to winning the competition for a ticket, I was able to visit the premises on Kamienna Street again. And it happened! The Comet Is Coming came to Poland as part of the tour promoting their latest album, "Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam." In fact, I listened to it only once, on the day of the concert, so I cannot say that I am very familiar with the subject. It so happened that the

The 2022 edition of the Kraków Live Festival had a purely pop vibe. It featured electro-pop, hip-pop, neo-pop and rock-pop artists from abroad and Poland. Check out the Polish segment of the programme and see how up to date you are with Polish pop music and culture.

Bogdan Markiewicz plunges into the heave music scene in Kraków and shares his account of what went down in PAON as part of the concert series Fellowship of the Riff organised by label and booking agency Galactic SmokeHouse.

On Saturday night in Indalo Space, Luiz de Oliveira (guitar, vocals), Wojtas “Śwital” Świtalski (percussion) and Ethan Smith (bass) tore into energetic and bombastic blues covers of BB King, Muddy Waters and John Mayall to name but a few. This is blues for the 21st century, it’s musical medicine administered in the depths of a snowy mid-winter’s night. Fu•k it – this is a blues revival – and it’s here and now.

On 12 December 2021 the Villa Decius Cultural Institute hosted a unique performance which brought together for the first time two sons of Africa: Ablaye Badji (Senegal) and Ethan Smith (South Africa). Their first collaboration in Kraków, it captivated an audience eager for live world music.

Born atop the Beskid Sądecki mountains, the Grajdół Festival made its way to the urbanscape of Kraków for a one-off show at PAON. Bogdan Markiewicz reviews the eclectic lineup headlining stoner doom four-piece Moonstone and featuring Ignu, Makiwara (both from Warsaw) and DJ Szoszana XD (Katowice).

Polish-Norwegian guitarist, Nicolai Stensland Szewczyk talks about his musical path and experiences with Kraków Music in a new instalment of the interview series Against the Frets. Listen to some of his musical influences and current listenings.

An eclectic, blistering three-band finale with Trupa Trupa, The Band of Endless Noise and Why Bother? kicked off the last night of the Green Zoo Festival at a packed Klub Re on Saturday Nov 20th.

In this review of the Oneiric Dunes concert at the Sukiennice, Bogdan Markiewicz tells us about his overall experience at the Gallery of 19th Century Polish Art housed in the Cloth Hall on the Main Market Square in Kraków. A fine description of the performance including his general impressions.

Listen to the new single by 2 Cardigans & Bowtie, a South African-based five piece blending hip-hop and jazz. Read the review and the commentary by compatriot, alto-sax Ethan Smith.

The music video of “FIRE” by non-essential workers (n.e.w.) gives you the impression that you’re in for a dark synth-pop ride into an unnamed dystopia in the not-too-distant future. The band has more social commentary to make. Listen and watch the video.

A gift for melody and a charming penchant for live impromptu jams in legendary Kraków watering dens, founding member Phil Soanes reminisces on the collaborative songwriting project The Sunday Sessions, still fondly remembered by anyone lucky enough to have caught them in their element – live – in 2009 and 2010.

The new Live EP from Wrocław-based The Fake is a tour-de-force of brooding psych-rock energy. Recorded in the late Summer of 2020 just before lockdown in Klub Buda, Kraków, it doesn’t actually sound like a typical live recording.

A prolific songwriter, Luke Treble arrived in Kraków in 2014 armed with songs, his trusty 12 string Simon and Patrick, a somewhat healthy liver and a bulging hernia. He has released two digital albums and is also the guitarist and singer of The Arc & Tech Arrows.

Meet the winners of the Art and Violence International Composition Competition 2020 organised by the 2Act Foundation in Kraków. Read the interviews with the composers and get to know about their musical careers, influences, likes and interests.

It’s been one year since Kraków Music was launched. We have been busy growing our community and engaging with the local music scene. Check out the highlights of our projects, collaborations and initiatives.

Read about the genesis of this staple band in the Kraków music scene. CroDad & 100 Years combines a unique style of avant-rock with outlandish stage performances by their lead singer Chris, aka CroDad.

On the occasion of his fiftieth birthday, listen to a selection of music by Poland’s most famous contemporary jazz pianist, Leszek Możdżer. You can’t just ignore his music.

On International Women’s Day, Kraków Music celebrates and thanks women in music for their inspirations and aspirations, their paths and principles, their roles and resistance, their strength and grace, their creativity and influence. We encourage you (our readers) to listen to their music, but above all, to listen to their voice.

A UK-based jazz guitarist, Giles Barratt has been living in Poland for some time now and leading his own quartet. In this interview for Kraków Music he discusses technique and feeling, the local music scene and talks about his musical likes.

Follow up on Luc’s socio-cultural experiment involving university students and a sample of 10 albums spanning 5 decades of Polish popular music. It’s not about the ranking, it’s about negotiating meaning.

Bartek Borowicz opowiada o swojej nowej książce wydanej w czasie pandemii, a także o swojej pracy i doświadczeniu jako menadżera agencji koncertowej Borówka Music przez 15 lat.

David Rocks, the first vocalist of Püdelsi, reminisces on his time spent in Kraków in 1985 when he met and played with the late Andrzej Püdel Bieniasz.

Shaun ONeill opens the blog series “The (Recent) Archeology of the Kraków Music Scene” by reminiscing on his Polish musical adventure and revisiting the first two bands he played with: Too Pretty for Porn and Dust Bunnies.

An overview of the Nordic Jazz album “Vodjanoi” by Finnish improvisational jazz trio Hot Heros and EMC pianist Iro Haarla.

Rhythm for Refugees, a charity concert in Kraków at Klub Alchemia. Full performances.

When I was invited by the editor of Kraków Music to prepare a column under a title which would sound like ‘The 10 Polish albums that…’, my immediate answer was: ‘Yes, but no!’.

The mature debut album from Finnish songstress Paula Wolski is powerful and playful in equal measure. Recorded in an old barn turned bar-slash-music venue in the Bieszczady mountains, LATO means barn in Finnish as well as summer in Polish. Listen to the first two singles and read the full review.

non-essential workers (n.e.w.) release their first single, PEOPLE, a call to action, a call to change in times of social, economic and political turmoil. Check out the video, their lyrics and a review of the song.

Colour & Movement, Painting & Dance, Body & Music A fantastic synesthetic experience, the Art Color Ballet under the direction of Agnieszka Glińska blurs the boundaries between dance, painting and music creating a sui generis spectacle that engages both the eye and the soul. Their shows are a choreography of dance and painting strokes that gradually dye the backdrop of their own performance and turn the body into both canvas and brush. The end result is a colour-saturated mise en scène enveloped in music and imbued with kinesthestic theatricals. Colour plops at every swing, drips at every curl and splashes at every jump: a contemporary palette of movements and contortions and a chromatic ballet of juxtaposed tints and shades, notes and nuances. © All photos by Adelina Krupski Photography for Kraków Music + 1 Live Stream 3 Promotional Clips 2 Photo Coverages 1 Concert Online Transmission of Tabula Rasa @ArtSfera MNK Ethan Smith & Grzegorz Kosowski @Body Art Gallery Backstage and Bodyart Installation Tabula Rasa (without original music) We met Agnieszka Glińska at their first appearance in ArtSfera MNK, which consisted of a bodyart installation inspired by Polish painter and sculptor Maria Jarema and the performance Tabula Rasa. She was all over the place coordinating all the backstage "dance," taking photos, setting up the stage and talking to co-organisers and hosts. An indisputably creative and busy, she likes to be in control of every single detail before, during and after the performance, and rightfully so. A perfectionist of sorts and a pioneer of bodypainting art in Poland, she holds credentials as a dancer, choreographer, art director, photographer, scenographer and visual artist. Her team of dancers and artists is equally talented and make up the ideal culture troop for all the artistic endeavours of the Art Color Ballet. As for the music, they gave their audience a taste of three of their last productions during "Żywe obrazy Art Color Ballet" on September 20, 2020. Amber Tree "A music and ballet spectacle inspired by the prehistory of peoples crossing Europe, being the ancestors of contemporary inhabitants of Polish lands, will address issues related to our origin, formation of the native community under the influence of other cultures, as well as the spiritual and material values that are shaped in this way." Slavic Prelude "An inspiration for the script and music for the show were nature and Slavic culture, religion ad rituals. The story is recounted by the music, dance and the symbolism of nature accursed in four seasons." Kryptonim27 "A musical performance inspired by the œuvre of Zdzisław Beksiński." The show was a three-part performance which developed throughout almost four hours and in which dancers and artists engaged in action painting varying the palette of colours at each instance. The result was a powerful and colourful backdrop canvas, which was later used as a main feature in the ephemeral Body Art Gallery at the Hotel Cracovia. Ethan Smith & Grzegorz Kosowski's concert at the Body Art Gallery was an impromptu initiative that sprouted from the collaboration between Kraków Music and the Art Color Ballet. The space at the Hotel Cracovia was the perfect continuation and brooch for the events that had taken place at ArtSfera MNK. The final action painting from the Art Color Ballet's performance featured as the backdrop for the duo and contributed to a unique atmosphere of the concert. Read about it and listen to some of the music here.

An invitation to improvise and keep a certain looseness of mind in times of crisis from Adbusters Media Foundation co-founder Kalle Lasn. Play jazz and move on!

South African saxophonist Ethan Smith tells us the story behind the Moving Out concert series, as well as anecdotes about how he met each of the musicians, friends old and new, who agreed to be a part of it. A window to a very personal experience of Kraków and a showcase of the talent on the local music scene.

What does it really mean to “support” the arts & culture? We need to be more conscious about the music market and how it has developed, as well as what and how we consume live music.

Art & Music in tandem, a project by Kraków Music and Artful PL. Soundscapes is a unique audiovisual project bringing together one musician, one artist, one work of art, one instrument.

An avalanche of ambient dreamscapes, Vangelis-inspired rapture, and shoegaze-esque introspection by Ethan Smith & Grzegorz Kosowski at the former Hotel Cracovia.

A World Music concert series: an overview and retrospective on the collaboraton between Kraków Music and The National Museum in Kraków.

Classical music at the National Museum in Kraków on the occasion of International Music Day. A difficult piece by Lera Auerbach, perfromed for the first time in Poland by Cracow Singers and the Silesian Quartet.

An audio feast for connoisseurs of eclectic genres and free-style improvisations, this explosive quartet came together during the Moving Out concert series hosted by Ethan Smith and organised in collaboration with Kraków Music.

Klub Buda: A place with history and soul!One of those places you wish you would've had known of before, Klub Buda has been carving its own niche in the Kraków music scene! Tucked away on ul. Czapskich 2 (just around the corner of ul. Jabłonowskich or ul. Piłsudskiego depending which street you're coming out from Planty), this music venue has been operating since autumn 2018. The history of the place, however, goes back to the early '70s as it was the seat of the Kabaret Pod Budą, a bohemian collective of young students from the University of Agriculture in Kraków who counted in its ranks artists such as Andrzej Sikorowski and Bohdan Smoleń. In October 2018, under the University's administration, the running of the bar was taken over the Kraków School of Brewing and started operations as a craft beer pub with a selected offer of Polish microbreweries and their own house ales. Soon, however, its clientele dictated a new direction. With one of the best music stages in the Old Town, they rapidly adjusted to the demand of live music and started hosting both, local and touring bands. The Dry White Bones performance, on April 1, 2019, was the first of many music events including concerts, jam sessions and open mics. An Online Comeback with Kraków Music!With less than a year of keeping up a programme of events and live music, Klub Buda as every other venue in town had to close its doors. One of the last concerts took place in February and saw a vivid crowd dance to the ethno-funk beat of The Badji Band. A difficult time for the entertainment industry at large, the lockdown also proved to be a catalyser for new formulas and projects, mainly the live streaming of music events. As soon as general health restrictions eased and the University allowed operations during the weekend, Klub Buda made a comeback with a series of five live and online concerts organised in collaboration with Kraków Music. Over the course of five weekends, Klub Buda saw a modest and steady inflow of loyal and new clients, which helped them gather momentum to continue with their music programme: Thursday jam sessions, Friday concerts and Saturdays karaoke nights. With small audiences hungry for night outings and live music, and bands with an avid appetite for stage time, each concert turned out to be more of an intimate gathering amongst musicians and friends. Even the setup of the videography team besides the stage created an aura or backstage exclusivity. In times of social distancing, proximity is more of a mood achieved through a setting: Persian rugs, sound gear and cables, warm lights and cool music all enveloped by the woodwork of the venue. Check out our videography, live streaming and marketing services. Arbuz Dust live & online @Klub Buda (5.06.2020)A Polish-Scottish folk-rock band, Arbuz Dust just released their first album. Listen to it and get a copy! Get to know them better in this interview conducted by Kraków Music just as the lockdown kicked in in Kraków. The song is Drunk’s Tune from their new album, Never Trust A Monkey: "It’s supposed to be a fun song about when you’re a little bit drunk and you feel invincible and nothing will stop you from getting to the one you love!," — says Brian (guitar and vocals) Helaine Vis live & online @Klub Buda (12.06.2020)A relatively new talent in Poland, Helaine Vis is a singer-songwriter based in Kraków with an amazing voice. Her lyrics are a window to her life and her sound is mostly acoustic. She's about to release her new album, which was fully crowdfunded. The Arc & Tech Arrows live & online @Klub Buda (19.06.2020)One of our favourite local bands, The Arc & Tech Arrows rocked the audience at Klub Buda with a two-hour+ set full of energy and jazzy improvisations. One of their best performances in Kraków. Bodo Tanga live & online @Klub Buda (19.06.2020)A Kraków-based jazz quartet, Bodo Tanga covers classics of the genre. PapugaZu live & online @Klub Buda (19.06.2020)A truly international music squad, PapugaZu brings together musicians from Poland, The Netherland and Brazil. A feast of Latin rhythms to dance your socks off!

Fatherhood changed my music listening habits and led me to discover hidden gems on albums I thought I knew, and find that old favourites shine all the more when alongside their album mates.

Quarantined at its genesis, Kraków Music developed to the beat of Covid-19 during the lockdown. A brief account of how an idea grew out of necessity and a big thank you to everyone who helped from the beginning.