The Berkeley Bacchanal presents

Lars and In Charge (10 pm)
Aya and Greg Band (8 pm)

Saturday, May 20
Show starts at 8 pm, doors open at 7 pm.
Tickets: $20 at the door. Cash or Venmo accepted.

The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
All ages before 10 pm. 21+ after 10 pm when kitchen closes.
Food, beer and wine available from the bar.

LARS AND IN CHARGE plays high-energy dance music from the Balkans and Near East. Lars Tergis leads the charge on violin with driving, gritty interpretations of Turkish Roman and Greek dance tunes, and original compositions. Chris Reid adds a touch of ‘West’ with percussive chordal accompaniment on steel-string guitar. Joe Rosato Jr. fills out the low end on upright bass while Sean Tergis and Faisal Zedan keep the beat popping on derbekki, riqq and davul.

Visit Band Page

Aya and Greg Band
with Jenette and Evin Selin (santoor and lauto)

Aya Safiya is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and violinist who specializes in interpreting traditional songs from the Mediterranean, the Rromani diaspora, and island cultures. With her hauntingly beautiful and emotional voice, she captivates her listener and puts them in a spell. Aya fell in love with music the moment her father handed her a violin at age 6, and went on to study traditional Greek island violin intensively for over 20 years. However, she didn’t limit herself to violin—she soon discovered singing and began to cultivate her voice. With guidance from master vocalists such as Eva Salina, Katerina Papadhopoulou, Kina Mendez, Merita Halili and many others, Aya has discovered her own voice within traditional music. Bay Area-born and currently based in Berkeley, Aya has traveled to the Balkans, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Okinawa, and Cuba in search of not only music, but also a deeper understanding of the traditions from which the music comes. She performs with numerous groups including Agapi Mou, Romantique, Sarma Brass Band, Taraf de Locos, The Aya & Tano Collective, and developed her solo set in collaboration with musicians from the vibrant international music scene in Boston before relocating to California.

Greg Masaki Jenkins is a second-generation American Balkan folk dancer who grew up at the Balkan Music & Dance Workshops. He gigs regularly throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with the groups Agapi Mou, Helios, Istanbul Connection, MWE, and Fanfare Zambaleta; and is a regular host of the Balkan Sundays Jam at Cafe Revolution. After taking a Greek singing class from Christos Govetas in 2009, Greg’s passion for singing awakened in a big way. He struck up a friendship at the camps with Nick Maroussis around the same time and they began to perform Greek music together under the name Palamidi. Nick was playing bouzouki in addition to laouto and encouraged Greg to try Rebetika singing for the first time, and that sparked a great obsession, leading Greg to sing with Bay Area Rebetika group Disciples of Markos and pick up baglamas, tzouras, and bouzouki. He has taught Rebetika at Lark Camp since 2015 and teaches workshops in Oakland.

Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents

Sarma Brass Band (10 pm)
Arcush (8 pm)

Saturday, April 15

Saturday, April 15,  Show starts at 8 pm, doors open at 7 pm.
Tickets: $20 at the door. Cash or Venmo accepted. Online tickets now available: $16 + fee.

The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
All ages before 10 pm. 21+ after 10 pm when kitchen closes.
Food, beer and wine available from the bar.

Tano Brock’s newest project is the west coast version of Sarma Brass Band.

Tano Brock – Saxophone
Benji Rifati – Trumpet
Sean Tergis – Percussion
Marco Peris – Percussion
Peter Bonos – Euphonium
Evan Stuart – Sousaphone
Aya Safiya – Voice

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Tano Brock is a San Francisco-born producer, songwriter, and mix engineer based in Los Angeles. CA. He grew up surrounded by music, and began playing percussion at a young age. Throughout his childhood he added more instruments to his arsenal, including piano, guitar, clarinet, and saxophone. In his teen years, he discovered the world of recording and production, which quickly became an obsessive passion.

After graduating from Berklee College of music in 2019, Tano moved to New York City, where he worked for a year before relocating to Los Angeles.

Although he focuses on music production & engineering, Tano is a versatile artist, releasing his own original music, composing for synch licensing, and performing live with numerous projects including La Doña, Aya Safiya, and Sarma Brass Band

Opening the show will be Arcush, a string band led by Marco Ghezzo and Aya Safiya.

Arcush (8 pm)

Marco Ghezzo – Violin
Aya Safiya – Voice, Violin
Leo Peringer – Cello
Ivan Velev – Percussion

Bay Area-born and currently based in Berkeley, Aya has traveled to the Balkans, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Okinawa, and Cuba in search of not only music, but also a deeper understanding of the traditions from which the music comes. She performs with numerous groups including Agapi Mou, Romantique, Sarma Brass Band, Taraf de Locos, The Aya & Tano Collective, and developed her solo set in collaboration with musicians from the vibrant international music scene in Boston before relocating to California.

Berkeley Bacchanal at the Starry Plough Pub presents
8-10pm: Susan Felix “Stay Amazed” Dance Party with Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band and Friends
10pm and onwards: Michelle Alany and the Mystics!

Saturday, March 18

The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705

Doors open at 7 pm

Facebook Event Page

“Stay Amazed” was the motto of Susan Felix, a remarkable woman renowned in many community, art, and dance circles in Berkeley who lived an inspired 85 years and continues to inspire even after her passing February 4, 2023. Susan was known for her joy, her wisdom, her humor, her kindness, her creativity and artistic expression, her care in relationships, her fabulous outfits, and her exuberance on the dance floor. As a continuation of the many events marking, mourning, and celebrating her life, we are dedicating this dance party to her. Dancing was one of her true loves and is a fitting way to celebrate her and to carry on her spark of joy. And as we come together in steps, songs, and circles, we’ll also collectively raise money to support Susan’s family and help offset medical bills and expenses they are facing from extended care for Susan and her granddaughter. Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band will donate their proceeds from the night to Susan’s family. Read more about Susan in Berkeleyside, and the J Weekly. Hear Susan talk about her life here.

Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band will feature an extended cast of ~16 performers, including Bruce and Gilberto leading dance!

Then Michelle Alany and the Mystics will continue the party!

See you there, and Stay Amazed and Amazing!

Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band performs music for weddings, b’nei mitzvah parties, and all manner of concerts and celebrations​ around the San Francisco Bay Area ​and beyond. Our sound draws from our modern cosmopolitan surroundings while being firmly rooted in traditional Jewish folk music tracing centuries back from Eastern Europe.​Our music brings people together and lifts their spirits and energies. We strive to keep it “all good man” where ever we perform.

Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band:
Mike Perlmutter – clarinet
Zina Pozen – accordion
Chris Bastian – bass
Johnny Blood – helicon
Ivan Velev – tapan
Sean Tergis – doumbek/tapan; Jonathan Kipp – percussion, accordion, vocals, vibraphone
Bruce Bierman – dance leader
Gilberto Melendez – dance leader
With special guests
Josh Wirtschafter – violin
Diane Wirtschafter – vocals
Ariel Luckey – vocals
Michael Saxe-Taller – baritone horn
Achi Ben Shalom – guitar and vocals
Gerry Tenney – mandolin and vocals
Peter Bonos – trumpet 

Michelle Alany & The Mystics (Balkan, Klezmer and Sephardic-inspired all-stars)
a fiddle-driven musical feast of Mediterranean and Eastern European-inspired folk and original music. The band brings together players that share years of international touring, cross-cultural collaborations and depth of musicianship. It features captivating Sephardic (Judeo-Spanish), Balkan and Klezmer original and traditional melodies on clarinet, accordion, percussion and strings. Check out their three-minute sampler.

Saturday, February 11

Cretan Night at the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal with special guests Manolis Bobolakis (violin) Vaggelis Bagourakis (cretan lauto).

$20. Doors open at 8 pm, show starts at 9 pm. All ages before 10 pm. 21+ after 10 pm when kitchen closes. Food, beer and wine available from the bar.

Pre-show dance lesson at 8 pm, led by Achilleas Fourakis, co-director of the Minoan Dancers Greek folklore dance ensemble, a ministry of the Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church in Novato.

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Purchase tickets.

Musician bios:
Manolis Bobolakis is from the village of Sempronas in the Hania region of Crete. Like most mountainous villages on the island it is mostly an agricultural area, and full of farm animals, olive trees, and chestnuts. Along with helping his family with the farm animals and chestnut trees, he has been playing traditional Cretan violin from a very young age. He has played countless cultural events and also has a studio album to his name.

Vaggelis Bagourakis plays the laouto and is the son of lyra player Tassos Bagourakis from Heraklion, Crete. From an early age his entire life revolved around traditional Cretan music. With his father as his teacher Vaggeli progressed very quickly, and he would frequently join in with his father’s band at various events. Coming from a musical family has led Vaggeli to currently being one of the youngest and most talented up and comers in the modern scene of Cretan music.

While playing together on and off for many years Manoli and Vaggeli have built a great chemistry. They each bring unique traits from their respective areas and together they have a wonderful representation of traditional Cretan music from all over the island.

 Saturday, January 14. Show starts at 8 pm. 21+ after 10 pm (when kitchen closes). $25.

Join us for a great night of Greek, Balkan, and original music with Drómeno, Eleni Govetas with Shirtükleméh, and Spaga with special guest!

Drómeno pulls from the deep currents of the intertwined traditions of Greece and the Balkans to bring you magnetic harmonies and intoxicating rhythms skipping across the borders of Northern Greece. Headed by Ethnic Heritage Council award-winning couple Christos Govetas and Ruth Hunter on clarinet, accordion, and voices, this group follows the tradition of legacy bands from the Balkans, including their grown children, Eleni and Bobby Govetas on bass, violin, and saxophone, Mik Bewsky on guitar, and Nico Sophiea on percussion.

Drómeno:
Christos Govetas, clarinet/voice
Ruth Hunter, accordion/voice
Eleni Govetas, violin
Mik Bewsky, guitar
Bobby Govetas, bass
Nico Sophiea, percussion

Shirtükleméh (“street rats”) is the playful name for Eleni Govetas’s quartet, showcasing Eleni’s original Balkan-inspired tunes on violin. Soulful melodies with a healthy dose of grit layered with Mik Bewsky’s surf-punk inspired guitar virtuosity introduce you to a whole new genre of music you never knew you needed!

Shirtükleméh:
Eleni Govetas, violin
Mik Bewsky, guitar
Bobby Govetas, bass
Nico Sophiea, percussion

Spaga: Truly virtuosic Romanian & Balkan music.
Andrew Cohen, accordion
Marco Ghezzo, violin
Jimmy Grant, guitar
Plus special guest

Saturday, November 19

The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

DRÓMENO

Eleni Govetas and Shirtükleméh (9 pm) opening set

We welcome back DRÓMENO from Seattle with a new side project opening the show!

$20. 8 pm Doors open, kitchen closes at 10 pm. 21+ after 10 pm.

Tickets now available

DRÓMENO is a traditional ensemble presenting regional folk music from the Greek mainland and beyond, overlapping into the surrounding regions and finding the musical legacy that connects the traditions of the Balkans. Featuring clarinet and voices, the instrumentation includes accordion, saxophone, violin, guitar, percussion, and sometimes bouzouki, oud, zourna, laouto and kanun, enabling the group to span the sounds of Greek music, from western Macedonia and Ipiros, through Thessaly, Thrace and Asia minor.
Drómeno: (from ancient Greek) An artistic, social, cultural performance-spectacle, (sometimes dramatized). A cultural event and/or ritual.

https://www.dromenomusic.com/

Eleni Govetas and Shirtükleméh

Lars and In Charge (10:30 pm)

Spaga (9 pm)

Saturday, October 15 at the Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

Join us for our first bacchanal at the Starry Plough since 2020! We welcome back Lars and In Charge and 9 pm opening act Spaga (Romanian lautareasca with Andrew Cohen and Marco Ghezzo).

$20 at the door. 21+ after 10 pm (when kitchen closes).

Lars And In Charge plays high energy dance music from Balkan and Near East (Turkish-Roman, Greek, Arabic ..) and original music by Lars Tergis. Their set will begin around 10:30 pm

LARS AND IN CHARGE plays high-energy dance music from the Balkans and Near East. Lars Tergis leads the charge on violin with driving, gritty interpretations of Turkish Roman and Greek dance tunes, and original compositions. Chris Reid adds a touch of ‘West’ with percussive chordal accompaniment on steel-string guitar. Joe Rosato Jr. fills out the low end on upright bass while Faisal Zedan keeps the beat popping on derbekki, riqq and davul.

We are thrilled to featuring Nicole Maria, who will dance with Lars and In Charge.

NICOLE MARIA is a multi-award-winning dancer based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been studying and performing contemporary and traditional forms of Arabic dance for over a decade. In 2019, she was a featured soloist in the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. As one of the most in-demand professional belly dancers in the Bay Area, Nicole Maria has entertained at countless events in the region and around the world. She performs regularly at weddings, birthdays, special occasions, cultural events, and in restaurants and nightclubs. She is known for being an engaging and charismatic entertainer, for elevating the level of the art form, and for her elegance and grace as a dancer. Her goal as a performer is to present the artfulness of belly dance to her audience through her renowned beauty and elegance, and make each of her client’s events more joyous, exciting and memorable!

SPAGA – Truly virtuosic Romanian & Balkan music. Andrew Cohen, Accordion Jonathan Kipp, Trap Kit Marco Ghezzo, Fiddle Jimmy Grant, Chitară

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Balkan Ensemble Meraklii with Rumen Sali Shopov

Dance performance with Jessaiah Zure

Saturday, June 18, 6:30 pm
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703

Doors open at 6 pm; Venue closes at 10 pm
Admission: $20 All Ages
Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.

Jessaiah Zuré comes from the beautiful traditions that the unique Bay Area offers with its strong community of musicians and dancers who study, perform, educate and keep alive the diverse cultures from around the world. Blessed to have stumbled into Katarina Burda’s classroom over 20 years ago, that opened up a portal to her like no other, Jessaiah began “bellydancing” learning the music and dance styles of Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, the Roma people, Turkey and the Balkans. She ALWAYS continues to seek out the experiences to learn and understand these cultures music, dance and customs – always looking to the source with reverence and awe. Notably her teachers include: Katarina Burda, Jamila Salimpour, Reyhan Tuzsuz, Stefka Kamburova, Henna, and Sahra Kent. With the encouragement and inspiration from her teachers and peers to “go to the source” she quickly found herself in Istanbul where the Turkish Roman music and dance flourishes. Her heart beat to that 9/8 rhythm and this was soon recognized by the locals as this led her to be a featured dancer at weddings, clubs, theaters and movies!

Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is hosted by Ashby Arts Space.
To RSVP, go www.ashbyarts.org, donate to their gofundme page, and present a screenshot of your donation at the door along with your vaccination card and ID. All the proceeds will go to fund Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians.

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

Saturday, May 21

4:30 pm doors; 5-8:30 pm show; venue closes at 9 pm
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
$20-25 suggested donation online or at the door.
Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.

Facebook event page

Metanastys

Metanastys are proud to present their first appearance at the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal. Metanastys, translates to ‘immigrants’ in Greek and play wildly tender, well-intentioned -disruptive songs from the Balkans, centering around Greece and Turkey!

Jarolim Gayri (Ali Yağız Şen) – bouzouki, guitar, vocals
Zina Pozen – accordion, vocals
Marco Ghezzo – violin
Jonathan Kipp – percussion

Zirzuvi plays Sephardic and Middle Eastern melodies, sharing music as a vehicle for celebrating cultural bridges. We play captivating tunes in rhythms and languages from around the region, with celebratory sounds of violin, oud, clarinet, bouzouki, trumpet, flute, and hand drums. Zirzuvi means an undefinable color in Ladino (Judeo Spanish): Delight your senses, commune with your ancestors, stir your soul.

Jamie Barsimantov: oud and clarinet
Matthew Harmon: bouzouki
Megan Clemens: vocals, frame drum
Aharon Wheels Bolsta: darbouka, hand drums
Shireen Nabatian: violin
Peter Bonos: trumpet, oud
Anne Cleveland: flute

To donate in advance, visit www.ashbyarts.org, donate to their gofundme page, and present a screenshot of your donation at the door along with your vaccination card and ID. All the proceeds will go to fund the official opening of Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians.

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

Saturday, April 23

6 pm doors; 6:30-8:30 pm show; venue closes at 9 pm
Admission: $15-20. All Ages
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.
$15-20 suggested donation online or at the door.

Lars And In Charge plays high energy dance music from Balkan and Near East (Turkish-Roman, Greek, Arabic ..) and original music by Lars Tergis.

Lars Tergis leads the charge on violin with driving, gritty interpretations of traditional party tunes as well as original compositions based in regional scales and rhythms. Chris Reid adds a touch of ‘West’ with percussive chordal accompaniment on steel-string guitar. Gopal Slavonic brings his Flamenco chops to bear on nylon-string guitar while Faisal Zedan keeps the beat popping on derbekki, riqq and davul. Joined on stage by some of the Bay Area’s top dancers and guest musicians, Lars and In Charge guarantees a big sound and an even bigger party.

Lars Tergis (violin)
Greg Jenkins (clarinet)
Chris Reid (rhythm guitar)
Joe Rosato Jr. (upright bass)
Faisal Zedan (percussion)
Sean Tergis (percussion)

To RSVP, go www.ashbyarts.org, donate to their gofundme page, and present a screenshot of your donation at the door along with your vaccination card and ID. All the proceeds will go to fund the official opening of Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians.

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com