Rebetiko

‘Why are you so hell-bent on becoming Greek?’

Lale Alatli fell in love with Greece through rebetiko music. She listened to it with her Greek fellow students while they were studying in Italy. She copied CDs and tapes and by studying the lyrics she started to learn Greek. But in Turkey, where she comes from, she could not find anything Greek at that time. "It was like there was an invisible wall between the two countries," she recalls.

The Tiger Lillies | Athens | January 25

Popular avant-garde cabaret act the Tiger Lillies, whose weird and wonderful shows have earned the London-based outfit a loyal world following, will be performing at Athens' Fuzz Club on January 25 as part of its 30th anniversary tour. According to the organizers, the show will also include new songs inspired by Greek rebetiko music. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Rebetiko Festival | Syros | July 1-6

Rebetiko, Greece's answer to the blues which emerged around the middle of the 19th century as more and more people moved from the countryside to the cities, is the subject of a festival on the island of Syros for seven days from July 1 to 6. The festival will feature concerts and theatrical shows, an exhibition of folk instruments and master workshops.

Tsitsanis Tribute | Athens | December 4 & 5

The Vassilis Tsitsanis Orchestra, an ensemble formed with the support of the heirs of the great rebetiko master (1915-84), makes its debut at the Athens Concert Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday with a concert of some of the songwriter and bouzouki player's most popular pieces. Acclaimed singers Dimitra Galani and Natassa Bofiliou will accompany the ensemble on vocals. Shows start at 8.30 p.m.

Rouvikonas party goes ahead despite closure of uni faculty

The anarchist group Rouvikonas on Wednesday went ahead with a party 'inaugurating' a room at Athens University's School of Philosophy that it has been occupying for several weeks despite a decision by academic authorities to close the institution to avert the event, after breaking into the faculty through a side door.

Pages