Blato Zlato bring Balkan music to the Stage, September 18
New Orleans based Balkan music collective Blato Zlato will stop by The Stage Sunday afternoon, September 18, around 1 (eastern) for a live session which will video stream at WTJU’s Facebook page and YouTube channel before airing on WTJU radio at a later date.
This is a free event, open to all. Masks are strongly encouraged for all attendees. WTJU is located at 2244 Ivy Rd in Charlottesville, right next door to Vivace. There is plenty of parking, both in our lot as well as the Sentara lot next door.
Hailed as a band with “galactic ambitions,” Blato Zlato is a powerhouse Balkan music collective that weaves the magic of traditional Eastern European folk music with contemporary textural majesty. The group captivates listeners with dark and haunting three-part vocal harmonies and thunderous odd-metered rhythms. As a part of the Balkan musical diaspora, Blato Zlato explores the immigrant experience and seeks to build meaningful cultural and musical bridges between continents, with particular focus on Bulgarian folk songs and Bulgarian language-based compositions.
Based in New Orleans, Blato Zlato has gained a loyal international following after touring in both the U.S. and Europe. The group has been featured several times on Bulgarian National Television and Radio and has appeared on Folk Radio UK, NYC Radio Live, and the Village Voice. In 2019, Blato Zlato released their anticipated sophomore album, In The Wake, which charted at #33 on the Transglobal World Music Chart’s 2019-2020 Top 100 Albums. In 2022, the band was selected as an Official Showcasing Artist at South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival & Conference. Other highlights include an array of diverse musical collaborations with such artists as Nels Cline (Wilco), Binky Griptite (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings), Leyla McCalla, Carl LeBlanc (Sun Ra Arkestra), Helen Gillet, and Wendell Brunious (Preservation Hall Jazz Band).
