Just who is Bartislov Alvarez III? He
doesn’t do a lot of talking, as he is not yet a confident English speaker. In fact,
when he wants to address the audience during a performance, he does so through his
bodyguard Brtek. However, he is an easy guy to notice, and when I spied him in a remote
corner of O’Rourkes Tavern, having a pint of beer one early evening, I had to sidle
up to him and see if he was in a chatty mood. Maybe it was the brew talking, but he was
more than willing to say a few things about his art and background. And little did he
know, the tape recorder I had inside my jacket pocket was running the whole time.
After complimenting him on his
gutsy, hard-hitting and strangely melodious music, I asked him about his influences and
origins. "Stravinksy and Bartok and Stone were great at this music. They cause riot!
But now only riot is at your...how you say...'Woodstock 99'. So like Clash say, 'I
want riot of own.' My mother was of the Ukraine, my father Welsh. Though of the Nicaraguan
name. All peoples can listen together. And riot."
I asked Bartislov how he ended up in the
United States and Lincoln in particular. "It is funny, this story!" he says,
smiling. "Your Self-Righteous Brothers are my most-loved band in many parts of my
country and Europe. This is from when they before lived in Scotland. They move to
Nebraska, but come back on world tour...there come, to Kiev, at my...how you
say.....’hang out’ bar? At that time police are to telling me ‘no’ to
my music. They are stopping all of the shows, even the legal ones, so I ask my friends
after great show and many beers if Nebraska is friendlier place. They think yes, maybe!
They say ‘jock town’ and I do not know, but they say ‘cheap beer and many,
many fine young women’ and I understand very much these things! So I come to here to
play the music, looking at the women, and leave the...how American
say....‘piggies’ that seek to control Bartislov."
Indeed in his native ‘eastern
bloc,’ his music was under close scrutiny by the local arts-restricting government.
Interestingly, several 'alternative rock' bands have been playing in the Ukraine and
elsewhere for several years. Despite the 'hard rock' edge of these bands, they have been
tolerated by the government due to the maudlin American influence on the themes of their
songs, the usual good times, bad times, and passionate times, about being in love and
partying with other jocks. However, without even opening his mouth in performance,
Bartislov has caused controversy. "I am not a one who is interesting in your, how you
say, 'Bryan Adams.' My xylophone is different. Not everyone ready to hear. My music ask
question of the peoples. ‘Can you think of the different things now?’ Something
like that. Sometime it like dragons...
doing the somersault in the air...and another time it like butterflies...taking the nap.
Also in the air. This music...it is way to...how American say....trip out, dude?"
I nod, smiling. This time I know exactly
what he means. For your own chance to trip out to a new kind of music, don’t miss
Bartislov Alvarez III during his four-night stand at the Zoo Bar, Thursday December 28th
through Saturday December 30th, opening for his old friends The Self-Righteous Brothers.
-- Matt Silcock
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