Research Trip “Mean Old World” in Catalunya, funded by Goethe Institute

The Patum de Berga 2019, a popular and traditional festival that is celebrated each year in the Catalan city of Berga during Corpus Christi. It was declared a Traditional Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat de Catalunya in 1983, and as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

The Maces and the Angels, that symbolises the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, and one of the groups from the Patum that took place from the 19. to 23. June 2019.

The Nans Nous (New Dwarves) dance during the Patum.

Salt de plens (Fire Demons), mark the climax of the Patum. The streetlights are turned off and the music starts to play, the square becomes an inferno filled with fire from a thousand firecrackers burning at once. 

Rehearsals with the Colla de Castellers (Human Towers): Matossers de Molins de Rei. First picture: Petr Hastik is being climbed on the left column, at the castellòdrom (rehearsal space for human towers).

Petr Hastik doing a human tower (castell) for the first time, on a rehearsal from the group Matossers de Molins de Rei, close from Barcelona.

Toc d’inici (official start of the festivity) from La Mercè 2019 in Plaça Sant Jaume, Barcelona. And human-tower performance by local groups from Barcelona, in the same location, in front of the City Hall, and as part of La Mercè festival that took place from the 20. to 24. September 2019.

Participation in the Correfoc de la Mercè (fire run), with all the devil’s groups from the city of Barcelona and together with the colla (group) La Diabòlica de Gràcia. Montserrat Gardó is on the first pictures with a green handkerchief, Petr Hastik on the last photos with a red handkerchief.

Montserrat Gardó Castillo as devil, in the Correfoc de la Mercè 2019.

Diada Castellera de Firagost 2019 in Valls, Catalunya, with the performances from Colla Jove and Colla Vella de Xiquets de Valls.

The National Day of Catalonia (Diada) celebrated annually on 11 September. It commemorates the fall of Barcelona during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714 and the subsequent loss of Catalan institutions and laws.

Meeting in the TV3 Studios (Catalan public television) with Jordi Lara, catalan writer, Tenora player (typical catalan instrument) and Journalist specialised in catalan popular culture in TV3.

Research Trip “Mean Old World” in Moravia, Czech Republic

Photo Stand-in with Czech folklore costumes at the Strážnice Festival. 

International Folklore Festival Strážnice 2019, in Hodonín District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic.

Folklore ensemble Hradišťan (where Petr Hastik was a member for 12 years), on a showcase during the folklore festival Strážnice.

Slovácko Verbuňk contest, a traditional male dance and singing competition inspired in the dance of the recruits, during the International Folklore Festival Strážnice 2019.

End of the Verbuňk contest, where the men in the public are invited to join the stage. Petr Hastik went on stage.

Hody in Podivín, annual traditional celebration held in many villages and towns from South Moravia.

Men meeting point and singing warm up at a bar, for the tradition Hody in Podivín.

Research “Make us great again” with the Ground-Support price from NRW Kultursekretariat

Visit to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home and nowadays museum in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Lincoln Memorial and the White House in Washington, D.C., USA.

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, in Virgina, USA. 

Country Band at the Nashville Palace, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Loretta Lynn memorabilia at the Willie Nelson and Friends Museum and Nashville Souvenirs in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Super 8 Motel entrance in Marion, Ohio, USA. 

Welcome signs from the States of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas.

Visit to BRISTOL, Virginia, recognised as the “Birhtplace of Country Music” (visit to the museum). It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State Street.

Flat Pickin’ Fridays, a country music concert series at the Daleville Town Center in Roanoke, Virginia, USA.

Seattle Research Trip funded by Goethe Institute (29. March-22.April 2018).

Kurt Cobain’s childhood home in Aberdeen, Washington.

Kurt Cobain Memorial Park (also called Kurt Cobain Landing) is a park in Aberdeen, Washington

Kurt Cobain memorabilia shop in Aberdeen.

In the Aberdeen Museum Of History. Sitting in Cobain friend’s couch where he once crashed for a while.

Viretta Park in the Denny-Blaine neighborhood of Seattle, located to the south of the former home of Kurt Cobain, where he was found dead. The park’s bench is serving as the de facto memorial to Cobain in Seattle.

Meeting with the photographer Charles Peterson, known for depicting the rise of the Pacific Northwest underground music scene and collaborating with Sub Pop label.

Meeting with the Audio Engineer Julian Martlew and Visit to KEXP, former KCMU, and first radio station to play a Nirvana song.

Meeting and interview with Bruce Pavitt in Orcas Island, founder of Sub Pop, the record label that released Nirvana’s first Album: Bleach.

Meeting and interview with Jacob McMurray, Senior Curator from Museum of Pop Culture and curator from the exhibition: Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses and exhibition visit.

Visit to The Rocket archive (free Seattle Newspaper dedicated to document the local music scene) in MOHAI, the Museum of History and Industry.

Visit to SUB POP offices and interview to Megan Jaspers, current CEO in Sub Pop.

Meeting with Jim Tillman, bassist from The U-Men, considered one of the firsts Grunge bands from Seattle, and with Doug Day, drummer in Blood Circus (Seattle grunge band that played alongside Nirvana or Mudhoney).