A rockin’ Balkan good time

Pub date December 2, 2009
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By Megan Gordon

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Brass Menazeri play this weekend’s Kafana Balkan.

Kafana Balkan is part sweaty dance party, part traditional Serbian cultural event, part circus show, and part night at the bar – all benefitting a worthy cause. Though the event — held next at Blue Macaw on Saturday, December 5 — may be hard define, it’s probably even harder not to have a good time when attending.

There’s always dancing, there’s always a variety of folks coming together to celebrate the vibrance of the Yugoslavian culture, and organizers try to have the traditional Rakiya liquor on hand. The ever-talented Brass Menazeri is the resident house band. (Specializing in gypsy powerhouse music, their Web site states, “the energy is infectious—toes tap, bodies slam, sweat flies as vital energy radiates from the dance floor.”) How could you go wrong?

The event was the brainchild of Zelijko Petkovic and Boban Djurkozic, both Serbs who conceived of the gathering as a way for local Yugoslavians could come together and celebrate. Then Joe Mama of the Humanitarian Circus got involved, helping with promotions and marketing and eventually stepping into the driver’s seat.