For the fourth time, blues was ringing out on the Bóbr, this time for the second time as a national event. It can still be heard, incidentally, on the broadcasts of Andrzej Pluszcz (PR Wrocław) and Sławek Wierzcholski on PR’s Programme Three. Wrocław television and the regional press have also reported on it.
The event gains new elements every year: last year, workshops were added, and this year, a Review of Blues Bands. This is not merely the result of the organizers’ ambitions, but also of the needs of young people, who clearly want something more ambitious than “boozing sessions.”
This year’s workshops were not free of charge. They cost quite a lot, because they were led by leading European-class musicians. But the interested participants accepted this as well, convinced that the best way to gain new knowledge about music and improve their musicianship was to learn from the masters themselves. The workshops were accompanied by a joint playing session (jam session) at the “Pegaz” club, open both to musicians and to music lovers enjoying the blues. Over the course of nine evenings, thousands of people passed through BOK. Visitors, including those from across the country, congratulated the organizers on the idea, envied them the atmosphere and signed up for more events of this kind.
The Review of Blues Bands, launched this year, confirmed the value of such an initiative. Of the six participating bands from Lower Silesia, BLUES BEER received the highest rating, both from the professional jury and from the audience. The band’s guitarists, Grzegorz Olszacki and Dariusz Uściński, as well as its vocalist, Maciej Tylenda, received special recognition.
The popular band ZDROWA WODA performed outside the competition, while other bands also came at their own expense, including WANDET FRIENDS AND BB from Wrocław, which demonstrated great professionalism. This testifies to the standing of the event, at which blues bands wanted to make their mark.
The final concert was an eight-hour blues marathon. The best workshop participants (combo bands) performed, followed by the winners of the Review and finally the event’s guests: DŻEM, Jan “KYKS” SKRZEK, OBSTAWA PREZYDENTA, SWAWOLNY DYZIO, NOCNE BOOGIE, GANG OLSENA, DE FACTO BLUES BAND and TADEUSZ NALEPA. Hosted with flair by Sławek Wierzcholski (leader of NOCNA ZMIANA BLUESA), the concert delighted both older and younger audiences. “Kyks” may have disappointed somewhat, but in the end everyone is entitled to an off day. DŻEM, OBSTAWA PREZYDENTA, GANG OLSENA and the newcomers BLUES BEER were particularly well received. The stage, covered and professionally lit by Bolesławiec’s “LUMEX,” was a surprise for the audience.
Unfortunately, the good atmosphere of the concert was spoiled by those who, having been paid well, were supposed to ensure the proper course of the event. These were the men from the “professional” security service, who, apart from their arrogance, left behind many other unpleasant impressions. The list of accusations against the “security guards” from the Wrocław company ORAN is very long, and the organizers ask all those who suffered losses—such as not receiving a ticket despite paying for one, being treated brutally or not having their so-called deposit returned—to contact them in person or by telephone (tel. 41-24). BOK intends to initiate legal proceedings against the irresponsible company.
How can BLUES NAD BOBREM be summed up after its fourth edition?
Above all—and this cannot be underestimated—the city of Bolesławiec is beginning to gain greater recognition on Poland’s cultural and tourist map, while the event itself is winning more and more supporters and friends.
A secondary benefit is that Bolesławiec now has three recognized blues bands, as well as more fans of this music, whose form does not provoke aggression but instead encourages pleasant entertainment. During the farewell meeting, participants and observers from various parts of the country unanimously stated that Bolesławiec should become a center of blues, supported by the beauty of the city with its boulevard along the Bóbr, excellent organization, atmosphere and hospitality. The final conclusion: the event must receive greater support from the relevant institutions and municipal enterprises. A concert on such a gigantic scale cannot be organized in a riverside boulevard area without at least a portable but aesthetically pleasing fence, lighting for the entire site and a sufficiently high stage.
This year, the event took place thanks to the efficient organization and great efforts of BOK employees. Companies, enterprises, institutions and private individuals provided BOK with tremendous support. The event’s organizers—BOK—and the young people who enriched their holiday experiences thanks to the BLUES sincerely thank them for it.
From the editorial office: Due to lack of space, we had to abridge the article, for which we apologize to the author. We are ready to return to the subject.