16 Ako još jednom čujem rečenicu “U Zagrebu nema dobrih mjesta za noćni izlazak”, počet ću vrištati. Dovoljno se malo okrenuti oko sebe, jer kao i svemu što ovaj grad nudi, i mjestima za izlaske nedostaje malo više promocije kako bi dospjela do uha prosječnog posjetitelja. Saloon NONI ŽIVOT Tekst I Text: Philip Mahoney Fotografije I Photo: Ines Novkovi & arhiv I archive Maraschino AGREBA agreb nightlife 17 If I hear the ‘there’s-nothing-to do-in-Zagreb-atnight’ line again, I think I’ll bloody scream. You just have to look around a bit and, as with much of what this city has to offer, the venues are not always promoted so well for your average visitor. Peppermint Zagreb je još uvijek malo dijete, da ne kažem u pelenama, što se tiče njegova razvoja u turističku gradsku destinaciju te vlasnici barova i klubova, logično, svoju zaradu vide ponajviše u domaćoj klijenteli. Dobra strana toga je da stranci u Zagrebu mogu doživjeti pravi pravcati noćni izlazak za razliku od otrcanih, bijednih samo-za-turiste zabavnjaka u nekim gradovima istočne Europe. Odmah priznajem da nisam veliki obožavatelj noćnih izlazaka, ali kad pogledate na demografiju većine naših gostiju, možda i nisam tako loš izbor za vodiča. Stoga vam nudim ovaj vodič četrdesetogodišnjaka s Zagreb is in its infancy as a city-break destination – fetal almost – and bar and club operators look to the domestic consumer, reasonably enough, for their bread-and-butter. The glory of this is, of course, that we Johnny-foreigners have the opportunity to witness an indigenous, genuine night-time economy (awfentik, innit?) rather than the trite, often seedy made-for-tourism entertainment of some Eastern European cities. Now I’m the first to admit that I’m not exactly a night-life aficionado but, when I look at the demographic of a lot of our guests, maybe I’m 18 NOĆNI ŽIVOT ZAGREBA | ZAGREB NIGHTLIFE not in such a bad position to be your guide. So read this through the ever-strengthening, cynically-tinted spectacles of a 40-something and prepare to have a wee look under the carpet for some of the things you can do as darkness descends on downtown Zagreb. Bars Bulldog cinično obojenim naočalama, pod uvjetom da ste spremni na zavirivanje pod tepih kako biste otkrili što vam pruža Zagreb kada padne noć. The rule of thumb is Tkalća for the summer for people-watching, Khala and Jackie Brown’s for the beautiful set and People’s for the afterwork crowd and, generally, you can’t go wrong with that but there’s not much to these bars that you wouldn’t see the world over so for something a little different, try Pod Starim Krovovima, allegedly the oldest bar in Zagreb, tucked away in the Upper Town with old-school hospitality and some live acts squeezed in – spatially as well as temporally – this is real charm. Barovi Tkalča – ljeti za promatranje ljudi; Khala i Jackie Brown zbog odličnog interijera, a People’s za partijanje nakon posla. S njima nećete pogriješiti, ali, iskreno, nećete vidjeti ništa što ne biste vidjeli u bilo kojem drugom gradu. Ako tražite nešto drugačije, savjetujem vam da posjetite bar Pod starim krovovima, navodno najstariji bar u Zagrebu. Skriven je na Gornjem gradu, poznat po “bečkoj školi” konobara te po uguranim, prostorno i vremenski, živim nastupima – što mjestu daje poseban šarm. Moram spomenuti i sportske barove – molim, bez okretanja očiju – jer riječ je o nužnom zlu za sve nas pasionirane ljubitelje sportskog programa koji smo u stanju odgledati i utakmicu Kabaddija kad nema drugog sporta na programu. Opcije su zapravo samo dvije: pub Bulldog koji sam donedavno izbjegavao jer su svi govorili o njemu, ali sada priznajem da su njegove kožne fotelje najudobnije mjesto za gledanje nogometa. Negativna strana Bulldoga jest loša usluga, ali malo sportskoga gurkanja konobara u prolazu rješava vaš problem. Posljednja rečenica je, odmah priznajem, nepravedna jer je zapravo riječ o kulturnim razlikama: u Hrvatskoj nije neobično sjediti za praznom, davno ispijenom šalicom kave, dok satima ćaskate ni o čemu. Ali ako potječete iz kulture u kojoj se smatra nepristojnim sjediti s praznom čašom, pogotovo ako je riječ o alkoholu, to vam se može činiti malo čudnim. U Hrvatskoj nije neobino sjediti za praznom, davno ispijenom šalicom kave, dok satima askate ni o emu Old Pharmacy pub Some mention of sports bars is a must – stop rolling your eyes at the back – a necessary evil for those of us who will happily take in a game of Kabaddi on the TV rather than watch no sport at all. Only two options really – The Bulldog Pub which I had avoided until recently because every review talked about it, but it’s by far the most comfortable place to watch the footie with their giving leather sofas. The downside is the service is diabolical but you can add to the sporting theme by rugby-tackling a passing waiter. Perhaps the last sentence is a little unfair because it’s really about cultural differences: in Croatia, it’s not unusual to sit in front of an empty coffee cup, long-since drained, and while away the hours chewing the fat; if you come from a culture where it’s considered impolite to sit with an empty glass, particularly where alcohol’s involved, this can seem a little strange. The other is the Old Pharmacy, a quaint recreation of an English pub, complete with replica violins adorning the walls, warm beer and foul-smelling loos. It does have a jolly big screen, though, and a convivial host in Marko who puts 19 Druga opcija je pub Old Pharmacy – blijeda kopija engleskog puba, s replikama violina koje krase zidove, toplim pivom i smrdljivim toaletima. No, može se podičiti velikim ekranom i ljubaznim domaćinom, Markom, koji strpljivo podnosi goste koji se svađaju oko toga koju će utakmicu gledati – izbor kanala je doista beskrajan – i veselo dijeli besplatne kokice za vrijeme važnih utakmica. Kozmopolitski, iako to nije, Zagreb ima i nekoliko barova za strance kada se zažele druženja. U spomenutom OP-u četvrtkom se uglavnom skupljaju Britanci – sve dok ljeto ne izmami nošenje kratkih hlačica i pretjerano izlaganje blijedih nogu u naletu masovnog preseljenja u toplo okrilje Maraschina na Cvjetnom trgu. Međunarodni klub (Internations Club) redovito mijenja mjesta svojih druženja utorkom, a Meetup Zagreb sastaje se srijedom u Jackie Brownu (savjetujem vam da svakako provjerite njihov website, katkad se kreću i po tajnovitim mjestima). Plan B na kaptolskom kraju Tkalčićeve uvijek privlači mješavinu nacionalnosti – riječ je o malom, intimnom bircu, s dobrim izborom piva i impozant- In Croatia, it’s not unusual to sit in front of an empty coffee cup, long-since drained, and while away the hours chewing the fat up with all amounts of abuse as the clientele argue over which game they want to watch – the channel choice is seemingly endless – and cheerfully doles out free popcorn during the Big Match. Cosmopolitan as it isn’t, Zagreb’s got a few bars catering for the international crowd if the sociable mood takes. The aforementioned OP is the hang-out for a predominantly Brit-pack on Thursday nights – until the summer cajoles the donning of shorts, over-exposure of white legs and an exodus to the balmy bosom of Maraschino in Cvjetni Trg. The Internations Club flits from place to place for their Tuesday night bash and Meetup Zagreb is on Wednesdays in Jackie Brown (always a good idea to check their web-site first, though, they seem to move in mysterious venues as well as ways). Plan B at the Kaptol end of Tkalčićeva always attracts a mix of nationalities – it’s a small intimate gaff with a good selection of beers and a larger-than-life mine host, Joe, who is often to be found propping up our side of the bar – it can get messy. Nightclubs Peppermint nim domaćinom, Joeom, koji se često nađe s druge strane šanka – zna biti nezgodno. Noćni klubovi Karte na stol, ovo je zaista daleko od mojih interesa, ali oni koji vole atmosferu školskog diska u malom gradu mogu birati između Hemingwaya na Tuškancu, Saloona i Fly Bara. Ako ste više za postmodernizam, najbolja opcija je No.1 klub koji vas vraća u barove studentskih udruga osamdesetih, s jeftinim stolcima i čudnim parom u kasnom pubertetu koji se vrti u kutu, i zaista lošom glazbom – to je zapravo petominutna stanica, i to samo ako ste došli naoružani ironijom. S druge strane, bolje ne. Ako vam je imidž važan – Peppermint je trenutačno totalno in, uz Mansion na Jarunu, i zaista ne mislim ništa loše kada kažem da su propustili brod – ako misle da ih malo zelenih plastičnih ploča boje mente (jeste Cards on the table, this is far from my thing but for those that like the small-town school disco feel, there’s the choice of Hemingway on Tuškanac, Saloon and Fly Bar. If you want to delve into a bit postmodernism, you can do no better than No.1 Club which is reminiscent of an ‘80s students union bar, complete with room-edge common room chairs, the odd late teen couple winching in the corner and really bad music – it’s a 5-minute stop-off and only then if you’ve come dressed up in irony. On the other hand, best not. If you’ve image in mind, Peppermint Club is now the place to No.1 20 NOĆNI ŽIVOT ZAGREBA | ZAGREB NIGHTLIFE Mansion li vidjeli što su dizajneri učinili? – u redu, to je staklo, nisu plastične ploče, ali shvatili ste što želim reći) i “VIP sekcija” čine avangardnim. Ako ste ipak za malo inkluzivnije mjesto, radi-što-hoćeš, nosi-što-hoćeš, pij-što-hoćeš opciju, pokušajte s klubom Sokol. Za publiku poput nas, onu s krive strane 25. godine, ondje nema pretvaranja, samo dobra doza zabave i posrtanje u tri ujutro do konačnog cilja, mjesta za vraćanje u život nakon alkoholne večeri – Pingvina (vidi časopis Regent br. 3). Pravi okus hrvatske noćne scene doživjet ćete ondje gdje to ne biste nikada očekivali, u People’su. Kasno četvrtkom, taj se stylish bar pretvara u klub folklora. Da budemo pravedni, People’s nije loše mjesto za mainstream večeri, no četvrtkom ovdje možete čuti tradicionalnu slavonsku (istočna Hrvatska) glazbu s tamburicom u glavnoj ulozi i lokalpatriotskim osjećajima nabrijanu ekipu – u pozitivnom smislu – ekipu koja poziva autsajdere u svoju kulturu partijanja. Neka vas ne zabrinjava što ne znate riječi, dešifrirajte ih nekoliko i derite se uz glazbu. Jedan bolno-propušten birc je burleskni lounge Posh Fantasy bar. Donedavno je bio smješten u centru Cascade, preko puta Blinga – koji izbjegavajte poput kuge, ako ni zbog čega drugoga, onda samo zato što nema ni mrvice ironije u nazivu. Posh vodi zagrebačka jet-setterica, Snježana Mehun, koja je spojila pretjerano dekadentne burleskne mini showove s nevjerojatnim skupom međunarodnih DJ-eva, dostojnih Balijeve domovine loungea, Kudeta. Priča se da Snježana traži novi dom. Obratite pažnju na to mjesto. Koncerti Uglavnom zahvaljujući uspješnom partnerstvu lokalne tvrtke Lupa Promotions i europskoga koncertnog moćnika Live Nation, Zagreb udara iznad svojih mogućnosti na koncertnoj sceni i ulaznice su uglavnom dostupne bez prolaska kroz traumatično iskustvo imaš-30-sekundi-za- be – aside from Mansion on Lake Jarun but there’s really no pun intended when I say they have missed the boat – where they laughably think that a bit mint-green formica (you see what those clever designers did there? – OK, OK it’s glass, not formica, but you get the point) and a ‘VIP section’ make them avant la lettre in lounge cool. For a more inclusive, do-what-you-want, wear-what-you-want, drinkwhat-you-want option, try Sokol Klub. With an apparent target audience of those of us on the wrong side of 25, there’s no pretence here, just a good dose of fun within a short 3 o’clock stagger from the definitive après-drink fuelling point, Pingvin (see Regent Magazine no.3). The real flavour of the Croatian night scene comes in the unlikely setting of People’s. Late on Thursdays, this self-styled joint of hip slips off the designer gear to go all folky. To be fair, it’s not a bad venue on the more mainstream People’s evenings but here’s when you can see traditional Slavonian (eastern Croatia) tam-tam as the tamborica plays centre-stage and the fiercely parochial – in a good sense – crowd welcome outsiders into their partying culture. Don’t worry about not knowing the words, just indulge in a few and shout along to the music. One sorely-missed joint is the burlesque-styled lounge Posh Fantasy Bar. Until recently located in the Cascades Centre just across the corridor from Bling which is to be avoided like the plague if only because there’s not a hint of irony in the name. Run by the frighteningly appealing Zagreb socialite, Snježana Mehun, Posh blended outrageously decadent burlesque mini-shows with an outstanding line up of internationallysourced DJs, worthy of Bali’s home of lounge, Kudeta. Rumour has it Snježana’s on the lookout for a new home. Watch this space. Concerts Largely thanks to a successful partnership of local impresario Lupa Promotions and European concert powerhouse Live Nation, Zagreb punch- 21 kupnju i drugih oblika polulegalnih pronalaska ulaznica svojstvenih za mnoge zemlje zapadne Europe. Britney Spears, Massive Attack, Arcade Fire, Anansie Skunk, Tom Jones, Sade, Lenny Kravitz, Hurts, The Human League, Chris Rea i Jean Michel Jarre samo su neka od imena koja su posjetila zagrebačku Arenu ili ostala zagrebačka koncertna mjesta u posljednjim mjesecima (da budem malo patriot i nostalgičan, moram spomenuti i škotski fenomen, grupu Red Hot Chilli Peppers, koji su također gostovali u Zagrebu) i vrijedi provjeriti što se događa kada ste u gradu kako biste si osigurali neplanirani noćni izlazak. Komedija Ako ste poput mene, znači daleko od primjećivanja nijansi hrvatske stand up komedije, odnedavno u Zagrebu postoji znatan izbor zbog sve većeg broja stand up komedija na stranim jezicima. Studio Smijeha je bio prvi koji je počeo s međunarodnim večerima stand up komedije na francuskom, engleskom i njemačkom jeziku u nekadašnjem kinu u Arena es way above its weight on the concert scene and such is the level of consumer spending in this neck of the woods, tickets are often available without going through the trauma of 30-second sell-out and second-tier semi-legitimate touting of many western European countries. Britney Spears, Massive Attack, Arcade Fire, Anansie Skunk, Tom Jones, Sade, Lenny Kravitz, Hurts, The Human League, Chris Rea and Jean Michel Jarre are just a few that have done their thing in the Zagreb Arena and elsewhere in recent months (I would be just a little parochial and sniffingly homesick by including Scottish phenomenon the Red Hot Chilli Pipers in this line-up but they were here too!) and it’s worth checking out what’s on when you’re in town to make for a most unlikely, unplanned night out. Comedy If, like me, you’re a long way off picking up the nuances of Croatian stand-up comedy, there’s choice-a-plenty with the recent boom in foreign language stand-up. Studio Smijeha were the trailblazers with their international nights in French, English and German in a converted cinema on Vlaška – this is a comedy club as it should be, as it was before the Comedy Store scrub-up; spit and sawdust, an eclectic ensemble of furniture and one of the acts running the bar – remember that? They always produce a great star act and the support is pretty good, aside from the owner, Marina’s, blend of I’m-funny-because-I’m-a-woman-AND-gay non-com. Also getting in on the act was Boogaloo’s bi-lingual stand-up comedy festival, Komedija s nogu at the Movie Pub (also good for Karaoke, but little else, if that’s your bag) and Mirth Control & Nino Bantić but they seem to have gone to ground in recent months after the closure of their home the BP Club closed down. Vlaškoj. To je pravi klub, onakav kakav bi trebao biti, kakav je bio prije restrukturiranja Comedy Storea; prljav i neuredan, eklektičan skup namještaja i jedan od glumaca koji je istodobno zadužen za šank – sjećate li se? Imaju odlične predstave i podrška je jako dobra, kao i vlasnica, Marina, mješavina smiješna-sam-jer-sam-žena-i-gay. Dobro je krenulo i Boogaloovoj dvojezičnoj stand up komediji, Movie pubu i njegovoj “Komediji s nogu“ (Movie pub je dobar i za karaoke, i to je više-manje sve), a Mirth Control & Nino Bantić su malo nestali sa scene otkako je njihov BP Club zatvoren. Dakle, dao sam vam nekoliko ideja, ali ne želim zavaravati jer ako tražite zaista dobar noćni izlazak, skoknite do Beograda – no, kladim se da nećete izdržati više od nekoliko dana (osim ako vašim žilama ne teče irska krv). So there’s what to do but, look, I won’t lie to you, if you want a really good night out, go to Belgrade – but I bet you can’t last more than a few days (well, unless you’re Irish). Movie pub