Rock Monsters Romania

On November 7th and 8th, the launch of the BandBook agency took place at Club Expirat, in the heart of Bucharest.

We know you already have some questions and probably the first one is: What is BandBook? According to them, “It is an integrated services platform that offers artists a bridge between themselves and the entities revolving around them, from fans to event organizers, to relevant media actors in the market. The agency’s mission is to provide artists, whether they already have a well-known name or are just starting, with access to a personalized range of services to help them reach and capitalize on their potential.“

The BandBook team includes people with experience in the Romanian music industry or a huge passion for music: Bogdan Munteanu a.k.a Munteanu, Cristina Choleva, Răzvan Patachi (CriticEyez, Underdog Station, Alternative Culture), Cătălina Trică, Călina Purje (BalconyTv Bucharest, Diud, Where’s my tune), Irina Marinescu (RockFM), Andrea Stanciu, Cosmin Oprea, a lover of gigs and metal festivals, and Cristina Dumitrescu. With such a diverse team, success looks guaranteed.

Our team, made of Ionela and Radu, attended the two days of the event and here it is what they thought about it:

DAY 1

We arrived at Expirat relatively early and took a tour of the place. “Our spot” in front of the right side of the stage was still free, so we were satisfied.

The showcase concept was explained by Irina Marinescu at exactly 8 PM. She introduced the agency, launched the website, and explained how the evening would unfold. 30 minutes for each artist, and the order was random. 

The artists on the first day of the showcase were Ana Coman, Alex Purje, Delta Pe Obraz, and Taking Back August, and the atmosphere was maintained by Marinov. Irina left the stage, announcing the first artist, a special guest, Alex Purje.

Alex Purje

Alex Purje, an actor and vocalist with Redrum, introduced the new musical project featuring Marius Krazzen and Vlad Vârtosu on guitar, Adrian Neacșu on bass, and Codruț Bulfan on drums.

IONELA: Purje put on a show and was a great opener for the event. It had a melancholic yet vibrant vibe. At some point, Dora Gaitanovici appeared on stage and accompanied him on the keyboard. Purje‘s new project has potential and features a retro twist accompanied by something fresh.

RADU: As it was my first time seeing Alex Purje perform live, I didn’t know what to expect. When Irina began the night, I noticed the retro scenery and wondered about its significance. The answer became apparent once Alex started his show. With a melancholic and retro rock-folk vibe, the set transported everyone back to the 60s. I appreciated his stage presence, and it was evident that he was also a skilled actor. Although the 30 minutes passed quickly, this impressive start made it clear that the evening would be memorable.

Prima Dragoste

Prima Dragoste is an alternative project combined with pop-rock from Moldova. The band consists of Alexandra Cebotaru on vocals, Dimitrii Toma and George Alexey on guitar, Pasha Buggle on keyboards, Vitaly Colt on bass, and Seva Peev on drums, aka banda as Alexandra likes to call them.

IONELA: She was my favourite artist from the first night of the showcase. I am somewhat glad about the abundance of good music in Moldova but somewhat disappointed that it’s challenging to find new artists as excellent as those from across the Prut River in Romania. I spoke with a friend from Moldova who informed me that Prima Dragoste is well-known there, and she really likes them. They blend traditional music with contemporary elements and leave plenty of room for movement. The audience was ecstatic, and as you know, I always pay attention to that, so I was listening to them. “Anyway, I’ve seen many talented people from Moldova,” or testimonials like “and to think that because of them, we met.” Another proof that music unites and does not divide.

All I knew about Prima Dragoste before the showcase was “Mohor,” a song with folk motifs but with lyrics like “‘Oare ce vad în oglindă? Văd o fată care cântă. Cu o voce răgușită. Vad o fată prăbușită.” They are not lacking in profound lyrics specific to bands from the Republic of Moldova. Alexandra stopped at one point to tell us, “Nu uitați că iubirea pe noi ne salvează și noi o salvăm pe dânsa,’’ a moment that the audience applauded. People always seem so sincere when addressing such topics on stage while singing. What impressed me were Dimitrii‘s endless guitar riffs, and I also liked Pasha a lot. The keyboards had a special touch and were taken out of the ordinary. Towards the end, after energizing the audience and making them smile, Alexandra introduced her colleagues, ending with “I-o-s Prima Dragoste, ei îs banda,” a moment when applause erupted.

RADU: I was eager to see Prima Dragoste after missing her at the MMB Showcase in September. Although I initially thought her song “Mohor” wasn’t my style, I was proven wrong. The performance brought back the enthusiasm I experienced at my first Dirty Shirt show, with a similar style but a more laid-back vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed the interpretation, the show, and the emotions conveyed. I am confident that her name will become more prominent in Romania after this outstanding performance.

Delta pe Obraz

After Prima Dragoste, their brothers from Chișinău, Delta pe Obraz, followed.

IONELA: I don’t think I need to introduce them or say that I’m crazy about them. They are my revelation for 2023. If you want to read more about Delta pe Obraz, you can find it here, where I wrote about their last concert in 2023 on the Expirat terrace.

Of course, I screamed, gave my all, jumped, smiled, and was thrilled to see them on stage again. Anyway, my mind wandered elsewhere when I listened to the lyrics “Fă din mine ce vrei. Taie, rupe mușcă sau scoate. Aruncă-te pe mine. Și o să mă fac noapte.” It was the first Delta pe Obraz concert where I saw them a bit “harder” and not so light, with a predominant bass and electric guitar. The bass never seemed to tire of being heard, the drums were fantastic, and the guitars in the background created a fiery atmosphere in Expirat, which could be felt from the audience. People were dancing, singing, smiling, enjoying the moment—it was what it should be.

They included my favorite song, “Fluturi,” in their setlist. I feel sorry for the people who stood next to me during this song. I screamed as loud as I could, “Dă-mi voie să te uit, Ia-ți fluturii cu tine, Doar știi că-s prea frumoși, Să-mbătrânească lângă mine.” If you’ve never listened to Delta pe Obraz, you won’t understand what I’m saying here and why I praise them so much. They have poetry in their instrumentals, and everything is so current that you can’t help but relate.

I also shouted out Putin all the best through the song “Obuze.” I shouted so loud, “Domnu’ Putin, dute-n pizda mă-tii,” and I think it was heard even in the park. I shouted about mistresses and enjoyed the show presented to me. Moldova rules. They finished the show with the audience asking for another song, and people were saying, “These guys were great; they should’ve played one more.“

RADU: Delta pe Obraz was a band that I was excited to hear live. The hype around them was huge and I finally understood why. Their pure energy and poetry in motion. And even if they talk about their experience, we can all relate to them. The whole set felt like a dream, with Gheorghe‘s chill voice and the spectacular light show that reminded me a bit of the videos of Coldplay performing live in Europe. They are probably one of the bands that I will see live all over again in the next few years, and I am already hyped thinking of it. 

Ana Coman

After Delta pe Obraz, Ana Coman followed, singing a combination of alternative, indie, and pop. Ana sang together with Cosmin Farcas on keyboard and Daniel Olteanu on drums.

RADU: After the performance at Summer Well, I had the opportunity to once again experience a set by Ana Coman. It served as the calm before the storm, providing a pleasant interlude with chill songs. She performed some of her most popular tracks, although regrettably, “Run,” which I was anticipating, was not included. Ana also showcased an unreleased song, which sounded delightful. The overall vibe felt like a more laid-back, feminine version of Alex Purje. What I appreciated the most was the intimacy of the concert, a complete departure from the festival atmosphere. It added a nice touch and provided a soulful break for all of us in the audience.

IONELA: It was evident that many people had come for Delta pe Obraz; quite a few left after the artists from across the Prut River. To be honest, Ana Coman seems a bit basic to me. Ana‘s lyrics feel cliché, revolving around begging someone to stay and not leave, which is not my cup of tea. However, she did engage with the audience, and at one point, a friend of hers joined her on stage for a new song. The audience seemed to enjoy Ana Coman, and seeing people dance and have fun made me happy. We don’t have to like everything, but I was happy to see people enjoying themselves.

Taking Back August

After Ana Coman finished her performance, the metalheads stayed to listen to Taking Back August, a band that consists of Alex Precup on vocals, Claudiu Ene on bass, George Moței and Alex Iliescu on guitars, and Alex Halmagean on drums. 

RADU: Taking Back August was the perfect band to conclude the night. Their energy was absolutely off the charts, and the mosh pits were intense. It was my first time seeing them live; I knew a song or two from the playlist posted by Expirat & BandBook before the showcase, but what I witnessed exceeded my expectations. They sounded like international stars, akin to the bands that fill massive stadiums in Europe and the US. Admittedly, my ears weren’t quite prepared for such intensity after Ana Coman’s set, and I was thoroughly impressed by the sheer power of their sound. Remember the name; I sincerely hope they reach the heights I anticipate because, oh gosh, these guys are amazing.

IONELA: I was sad to see how few people remained, but I was ready to move into my usual metalcore routine. I had seen TBA for the first time at Quantic, opening for Coma, and they left a strong impression on me. If you haven’t heard of them until now, you should search for them. There was screaming, headbanging, mosh pits — everything you’d expect. The guys had infectious energy. I don’t understand how Claudiu manages to jump so much and do pirouettes with the bass in hand, but I enjoyed his enthusiasm. They have great potential and are worth keeping an eye on. Their sound is reminiscent of foreign metalcore bands like Architects and While She Sleeps, but with a distinct personal touch, especially with Alex’s vocals, which can unleash all kinds of intensity. As I told my friends the next day when they asked how it was, “I stayed to listen to my demons.” TBA is a promising band, and I hope to see them as main acts soon, but until then, listen to them on Spotify.

Following TBA, the atmosphere was maintained by Marinov for the few remaining attendees. The evening looked to be a successful one for everyone, but it was another day to go… (read about Day 2 HERE).

OUR TOP 3: Prima Dragoste, Delta pe Obraz, Taking Back August

Text and photos by Ionela Pleşan and Radu Mihai