Roaring Twenties

Ryczące Dwudziestki (English:  Roaring Twenties)

1983 – you could complain about everything, but certainly not about the lack of enthusiasm and optimism of a group of friends from the 1st Water Team of the Bytom ZHP Troop, who decided to include their love of sailing and adventure, as well as the longing for freedom, so literally understood at that time, in the songs they sang. . They were created spontaneously – out of the need of the hearts, for their own and others’ joy. Connected by dreams, from years of teenage acne, through the first gray hair on the temples, despite small but noticeable changes in composition, they have been following the artistic path to this day.

From the very beginning of their stage adventure, fate was kind to them. Hearing joyful sailing songs and sea shanties – sea work songs – sounding in powerful harmony, he gave them numerous awards at sailing song festivals. They started their streak at the “TRATWA” ’83 festival in Katowice, where, among others, for the song “Spanish Girls”, which accompanies them to this day, they received the third prize. Later it only got better. As they say, every award received at the festival is the most important for them, and every gesture of sympathy and smile from the audience is payment and encouragement to continue working. Despite many awards received, two of them are of particular importance to the band – two Grand Prix of the International Festival “SHANTIES” in Krakow in 1984 and 1999.

Five, exclusively male voices – acappella (vocally without instruments) or with guitar accompaniment, are the band’s showcase. Over the years, by creating unique arrangements of songs, they have developed a new, unique style and characteristic sound. They are not afraid of experiments and musical innovations, and the spectrum of their repertoire ranges from romantic Irish ballads and original songs, through new versions of shanties, ecological songs for children, humorous miniatures of classical music, to the gospel repertoire.

Traveling is an integral part of their passion – counting the kilometers of concert tours they have traveled, they have certainly circled the globe several times. They visited more than one port – by sea, air or land – they “butchered” more than one car and slept in more than one berth. Almost every weekend, they go somewhere in Poland, not missing many spectacular concerts and cultural events – also broadcast by national television stations. Almost every year they go on foreign trips, which to this day are blocked by countries such as Germany, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Canada and the United States.

It was in America, where they had already been three times, that they were the only “white” band that had the opportunity to sing in a Methodist church (Asheville NC 1994). Captured by the pastor and the Negro community to spontaneously participate in the Sunday service, they forgot whether they were having a concert (the Gospel & Spirituals repertoire included on the “By The Waters” album) or simply praying and singing. Today they agree that, apart from the sailing mass at which they sang, right in front of the image of Our Lady of Jasna Góra, it was the most important spiritual and musical event for them. It seems that they will last forever, and certainly their songs, which can already be said to connect generations. Although they are getting older every day and supposedly better than wine, they do not stop creating, as evidenced by the 13 CDs they have released and a “bag” of ideas that they intend to implement in their third decade. Their new album will soon be released on our publishing market – this time in the genre…???

They are unpredictable, so to the benefit of everyone, they will definitely surprise us with something!

The group has produced 14 albums, however their website does not indicate where they can be purchased online.