So then, the concert by MELNITSA in their full lineup — the event took place on 21 May at the SDK MAI and was fairly widely announced as the band's only concert in moscow in that lineup for the foreseeable future.
The concert was due to start at 20:00 — it began a little after half past eight, and in the lead-up, clips and music were shown on the large screen on the right wall of the hall — I don't know what ZZ TOP had to do with the occasion, but their songs were precisely what was playing.
But then the band members appeared on stage — violinist and cellist Inna Burlakova and Natalia Kotlova, then veteran of the band, flautist Natalia Filatova, followed by Alexander Stepanov taking his place, Alexei Sapkov with his guitar settling at the second microphone, and finally Hеlavisa. A few words of greeting — and the band played one of their most lyrical and beautiful songs — "Dveri Tamerlana". The hall was very dark, countless cigarette lighters held aloft over the heads of the audience; then came the faster composition "Dragon". Then "Goddess Ishtar"; a drummer had appeared already on the second song, and on "Goddess" the bassist also joined. Before the fourth song — "Arfa Vetrov" — Hеlavisa ceded the stage to Irina Shiryaeva. Hеlavisa returned to sing "Travushka", and then, to general surprise, the ballad about Sir Bexford began. Despite Hеlavisa's appeals, the audience — not everyone knowing the whole song by heart — sang along only intermittently; the two lines that everyone sang, of course, were:
"So pour, pour another one, Every morning I am eternally ill" —
Then "Brodyaga" and the first instrumental — "Khod Gnomov". To thunderous applause the gnomes' march concluded and "Privortnoye Zile" began. Then "Chuzhoy" and the second appearance of Shiryaeva; Alexei joined the vocal section, and "Vesna" rang out — essentially the midpoint of the concert; by now there had been large round dances three times, though they were rather disorganised — sometimes running very fast, sometimes very slowly, sometimes stopping abruptly. "Kryla Chayki", "Nochnaya Kobyla" and then a stormy reaction to "Pryalka" beginning. Then the second instrumental's turn, and Natalia Filatova's chance to display her mastery — "Fuga" rang out.
"A Yakby Vin" and following it "Running to Paradise" gave way to another instrumental — "Gopak", in the middle of which Hеlavisa hummed along in time. Then "Lyutnya", Hеlavisa communicating with the hall, after which "Sila" was performed.
By this time it had become clear that the concert was approaching its conclusion. Requests for "Na Pivnich", "Voron", and others began to be heard from the hall. After "Povelitel Hirskykh Dorih" came "Nevhaymovne Plemia". And at the concert's finale, "Doroga Sniv" and "Voyin Vereska". Despite the hall's requests to perform "Na Pivnich" — this request was not granted; Hеlavisa announced upcoming performances. After which the band left the stage. Shortly afterwards Hеlavisa returned to give autographs (by now the hall was playing not ZZ TOP but QUEEN).
In general — an excellent concert; there were periodic sound problems, but on the whole the acoustic instruments' sound was at a high level. The hall was in a spirited and cheerful mood, with round dances and dancing — in general, everything as it should be at a MELNITSA concert. The one disappointment is that the concert was not very long: "Voron", "Mertvets", "Na Pivnich" were not played... But this does not spoil the overall picture; the hall gathered, by the most conservative estimates, at least 800 people. The only issue — as I said — the sound could sometimes have been better, and this applies first and foremost to the bass guitar (it appeared rarely, but in those moments was almost inaudible).
To summarise: the SDK MAI can boast of another wonderful concert played within its walls.
Special thanks for the accreditation provided.
Report by Alan
Setlist: Dveri Tamerlana Dragon Goddess Ishtar Arfa Vetrov Travushka Sir John Bexword Brodyaga Khod Gnomov Privortnoye Zile Chuzhoy Kryla Chayki Vesna Nochnaya Kobyla Pryalka Fuga A Yakby Vin Running to Paradise Gopak Lyutnya Sila Povelitel Hirskykh Dorih Nevhaymovne Plemia Doroga Sna Voyin Vereska