Forbidden freedom: Rock music in the USSR and Soviet Lithuania (Part 4 of 5)

LITHUANIAN ROCK BANDS, ILLEGAL ROCK FESTIVALS AND ROCK CLUBS

“March of Rock over Lithuania” wasn’t the only festival in Soviet Lithuania. “Lituanica” was famous and very important festival as well. It was held in 1987-1988 in Vilnius and Kaunas.

On 7^th-8^th of March a new rock club in Vilnius was opened. This was very important event; to celebrate it, a brochure about the club was released. There was a lot of information about various bands and concerts as well.

On the opening day of rock club in Vilnius, a lot of bands from many countries were playing.

According to the brochure, the first club of rock was stated in Leningrad (now: Saint Petersburg) in 1981. “Back in those days, everyone was arguing about the need of these clubs, but they all have proven to have the right to exist: musicians participate in concerts, communicate much more, rock musicians don’t feel homeless and needless – they finally felt as a part of cultural life.”

The first rock club in Kaunas was opened officially on 6^th February, 1987. On this year, rock club in Vilnius had already had 28 bands.

cover of the brochure

one page of the brochure

“Today we hear Lithuanian rock again. Started with “Kertukai” (Slashers), “Gintarėlių” (Ambers), “Antanėlių”, “Gėlių Vaikų” (Children of Flowers) and others; rock which was unallowed, oppressed with instructions and limitations, which was hiding in basements and attics, which was burning in our hearts and thoughts, which made rebirth...”
One interesting fact is that all Lithuanian rock bands' names were inspired by old mythological stories, creatures or by pagan gods.

Vocal-instrumental ensemble (the name "band" was forbidden to use in USSR) "Kertukai" (Slashers). They were the first guitar collective officially accepted In Lithuania (1967 )

Lullaby by Kertukai

Kęstutis Ignatavičius, frontman of band "Aitvarai" (Brownies), with
self-made guitar. At that time in Lithuania it was able to get only
seven-stringed guitars in Russian  style.  Musicians were  redoing
or even making own new guitars. (1967)

Nuogi Ant Sleksčio (naked on Treshold) performing. They made covers of  songs by The Doors, Black Sabbath, Emmerson Lake and Palmer, Deep Purple, etc. They were called as avant-garde rock keepers.

The Sun was a students’ cafeteria and rock club, established in one of hostels in students’ town, in front of Faculty of Automation. There popclub Smūtkeliai was organizing the first discotheques in Kaunas. In fact, those discotheques weren’t as people might think. There even weren’t any discotheques but for some reason people call them exactly like that. Actually, people there analyzed albums and listened to hard artrock, psychedelica and etc. Every evening had its own theme set. The head of discotheque told the history of the album itself, translated lyrics, and when the music started playing, it was allowed to dance. Finding petroleum in my town (which is absurdly impossible) was a lot of easier than getting a ticket to this discotheque. The selection of people was without any compromise. Only reliable and own people got a chance to get in…

a document of acceptance for popclub

This popclub was formed in autumn, 1969 and it was a perfect chance for youth in Soviet era to educate themselves musically. This club in faculty’s foyer publicized the top10 list of Radio Luxenbourg and top20 of NME (New Musical Express). Later, they started arranging discotheques in club The Sun. Shortly, these events caught attention of local hippies and avant-garde youth. This club gained more and more popularity; sometimes people from other towns and cities were attending discotheques. Sadly, The Sun was needed to be shut because national safety caught them in one meeting of hippies. Then, everyone shared out records and walked away on different ways…

We Will Meet Again by Gintarėliai (Ambers)

Mom and Dad Wonder by Gintarėliai (Ambers)

setlist of Gintaeėliai

cassette of Lithuanian punk-rock band Sa-Sa