DAKHABRAKHA ^UA

This Ukrainian band plays ethno-chaos. Hailed by music writer as the best live band ever.

DakhaBrakha is a Ukranian self-proclaimed “ethno-chaos” band. Their name means “give/take” in Old Ukranian, and when you catch them live that’s just what they do.

The Ukranian band takes its own rich ethnic musical heritage, then borrows from Arabic, Indian, indigenous Australian and other Slavic cultures, and transforms the mix into something uniquely their own.

The group’s flair for drama is a given. DakhaBrakha started out as a house band for the experimental Ukrainian theatre Dakh. Clad in towering fur hats, long matching dresses and crimson beads, the performers’ dramatic appearance complement their aural ear-print: they are one part singing villagers, another part urban avant-gardists.

DakhaBrakha are known for making fans out of everyone who catches them live. We’ve even seen the band described as the best live band ever!

Dakhabrakha’s lineup consists of three women and one man, and their songs often have the women singing in a traditional Eastern European polyphonic style.

The band has been included in lineups at a wide range of popular festivals (they first played at Roskilde Festival in 2013) – and their skills in building atmospheres have placed them front-centre in pop culture. For instance, their song “Sho Z-Pod Duba” has been used in the HBO TV series Fargo.

DakhaBrakha’s mix of folklore and theatre also has a political sting. Back in 2014, the band was part of the Euromajdan demonstrations in Kijev – and on their 2016 album The Road they interpreted music from those Ukranian regions which were annexed by Russia. In fact, for years, the Ukrainian band has ended its shows chanting, “Stop Putin! No war!” That was, mind you, before Russia went into full-scale war against Ukraine.

Look forward to an emotional show from this band who will proudly showcase its rich Ukranian culture. In these warstricken times, it is indeed needed!