You're reading: Kyiv bar bands ready to entertain all over

Young people fuss around the small stage to set up drums and guitars for a show.

However, the hall of Porter Pub in Kyiv’s Poznyaki neighborhood is mostly empty. Two waitresses and the club’s art director are the only audience this cover band gets, as they perform along with seven other bands during an audition, a regular event for Kyiv bars that feature live music shows.

“Hello, we are the Ginger band, sorry for the long set-up,” says the vocalist, a red-haired young woman, as she smiles from the stage and the band begins to play.

In Porter Pub, such auditions happen twice a month, and consist of several bands that perform several songs, followed by a discussion with the venue’s art director. Ginger was lucky to be approved at once, but many bands get denied or receive suggestions for improving their repertoire before they are booked for entertainment.

The art directors with whom the Kyiv Post spoke all agree: the bar band scene is growing in Kyiv, and offers a good choice for both music lovers and clubs.

“I have a list of hundreds and hundreds of bands. Of course, not all of them are very active or really good, but even a top list includes several dozen,” says Anton Shtefaniuk, art director of the Porter Pub chain, showing several pages of names and phone numbers.

Anastasia Larionova, 24, the lead singer of the Ginger band, says she’ll perform this season at Porter Pub, Golden Gate Pub and Lucky Pub. “We started auditioning in clubs too late this season, but so far people like us and we try hard,” she says.

The four Ginger band members charge just Hr 1,500 for a single performance. That includes three sets, each 45 minutes long.

The price is average for cover bands that perform in the capital. It may differ depending on the band’s experience and popularity, the day of the week, the style of music and the club, but usually is within the Hr 1,000-2,500 range.

The art manager of Docker Pub and Docker’s ABC Andriy Gulyk says there is one main criteria for a good bar band – getting an audience to dance on the tables.

“Of course, a moderate price and high quality is important, but the main thing is to keep the audience in the bar, so that people would drink and bring us money,” he says.

Stage experience is another advantage in getting show time in a bar.

“It’s risky to work with the newly emerged bands,” says Volodymyr Kuharev, Bochka’s art director. “They do a good job on one night and then change the lead singer and you can no longer guarantee the quality.”

Experienced cover bands like Red Rocks, The Magma, Marihuana and Crazy Train still top the list of best bar performers in the opinion of all bar managers contacted for this story. But many club managers say the trend is moving towards original songs or at least offbeat cover hits, like the ones performed by Bangladesh Orchestra, known for their original interpretations of old hits.

Auditions of beginner cover bands took place in Porter Pub in Kyiv’s Poznyaki neighborhood on Nov. 6.

“If a cover band doesn’t change its repertoire and does not maintain the quality, then it is just a live version of a CD and it can get boring just like a CD,” Gulyk explains.

Art Club 44 and Divan exclusively give stage time to these ingenious bands and boast of being the gateway for young talent.

“There are 30 percent new bands each month in our club,” says Galyna Kudrina, art director of Art Club 44 and the lead singer of Diversanty bar band.  “If there is something in it, the audience will notice. Believe me, the audience is very difficult to fool.”

According to Kudrina, many bands have both cover and original projects, “for earning money and self-expression.” She says that the cover band Dyadya Vasya has an original project, Vasya Club. “They perform in our club with both projects,” Kudrina says.

Kyiv art managers ensure it is not that difficult to create an original project.

“Earlier you had to have a lot of money and a lot of luck to lead a band to success, but not now,” says Andriy Rogalsky, art secretary of Divan. “Now, with all the social networks, you just need talent and a strong will.”

However, only a couple of performers have graduated from cover band status and made it to the big stage.

“Gaitana started from the Unity cover band 10 years ago, and Natalia Gordiyenko also started at the bar stage,” Kudrina recalls.

Kuharev from Bochka adds lead vocalist of Gorchitza, Olya Dibrova, to the list.

Roman Fedorenko, the founder and guitarist of Red Rocks cover band, says his team lacks a leader or the fire to start something original. The band formed in 2007, when most of the musicians were part of original projects. But they gave them up to play covers. Since then, Red Rocks has earned a reputation for reliable cover songs while improving their finances.

“We make enough to play computer games and drive Toyotas,” Fedorenko says, laughing.

“But I picked up a guitar to play at Wembley,” he adds with a bitter smile, noting one career goal still unattained.

Top 10 cover bands playing in Kyiv

Editor’s Note: The following are the top 10 bar bands in Kyiv, based on an informal survey of managers in clubs that regularly offer live music. The bands are listed in alphabetical order.

Animals’ Session
animalssession.com

Bangladesh Orchestra
bangladesh-orkestr.ru

Crazy Train
crazytrain.com.ua

Jeam Beam
vk.com/jeambeam_band

Magma
www.magma.in.ua

More Huana
more-huana.com.ua

Red Rocks
redrocks.com.ua

Rockfour
vk.com/rock_four

Wake Up
vk.com/wakeupcoverband

Whistlin’ Dixie
vk.com/whistlin_dixie

Kyiv Post staff writer Daryna Shevchenko can be reached at [email protected].