The upcoming Greek Fringe event on Friday, October 30, features the Meraki Trio with rapper Eisvoleas and Bufos Puppet Theatre, all of whom transcend genres and art forms by experimenting with hip hop, traditional sounds and even the age-old art of puppetry.
Meraki Trio includes Semeli Papavasileiou, a versatile and gifted singer, songwriter and composer who effortlessly spans the worlds of rebetika and Greek folk to original compositions even dabbles in hip hop. Her velvet voice and solid guitar work never fail to captivate.
Papavasileiou, joined by Alexandros Kentris on bouzouki and Glafkos Smarianakis on violin and vocals, make up the Meraki Trio, a rebetiko outfit who write their own compositions that are inspired by the music of Smyrna and Piraeus. These three extremely talented young individuals are at the forefront of the contemporary traditional scene in Greece.
Papavasileiou’s collaborations with Eisvoleas underpin a reimagining of Greek culture that connects the past to the now. Eisvoleas is a veteran of the Greek hip hop scene, based in Galatsi, Athens. His hip-hop flirts with traditional sounds of Greece and the Balkans and is worthy of recognition beyond the Greek border.
The music presentation will be complimented by renowned Athenian street performance group, Bufos Puppet Theatre. The show is inspired by rebetiko music, a music of love, joy, pain and sorrow that reflects the lifestyle of a marginalized subculture. Starring Jovan, a contemporary rembeti, we are enchanted by his style and finesse where even the everyday routine of making a coffee becomes art.
Where to watch?
This event will livestream on The Pappas Post Facebook page on Friday, October 30, at 8:30pm EST.
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What is Greek Fringe looking for? The group is after work that represents the experience of modern Hellenic diversity from emerging artists and creatives not just in Australia, but also those living abroad who can participate digitally.
The Greek Fringe curatorial ethos is broad, inclusive and open to all types of media. They give preference to work that: Represents the experience of the modern Hellenic diversity; is new, surprising, subversive, inventive and different and uses traditional elements in unconventional ways.
How to apply
Check out the Greek Fringe website for more information about what they do. Click here to complete the application.
About Greek Fringe
Greek Fringe is a creative digital effort involving five cities — Sydney, Melbourne, Nicosia, New York and Athens. The affiliated events attract diverse talent and seeks to promote and celebrate contemporary Greek culture, which can often be overshadowed by a glorified notion of the past.
Using the slogan “Claiming the now,” Greek Fringe shifts beyond the folkloric representation of migration to explore the modern Greek diaspora and dynamic arts scene of mother Greece, which has emerged as a hub of creativity and innovation due to a financial crisis.
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