Narek, Bambir, Stop Club, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia

Well, it has to be said. Last night’s Bambir (II) gig at the Stop Club was quite simply amazing. Firstly, this band has a hell of a lot of charisma and musically, they’re fantastic. Secondly, it was encouraging to see so many young Armenians get together and party. It’s also encouraging to see a place like the Stop Club appear which caters for a much nicer crowd than many other places in Yerevan.

It was also encouraging to see various friends and acquaintances in attendance such as Emil Danielyan from RFE/RL’s Armenia Service, Jeffrey Tufenkian of the Armenian Forests NGO, Ed from MDP along with his wife, Hripsime, two foreign specialists interested in supporting the development of youth NGOs in Armenia and Garo, AKA Christian Garbis, from over at Notes from Hairenik.

For those of you interested, Bambir (II) are the younger offshoot of the equally fantastic Bambir. Garo has already blogged about last night’s gig.

Bambir is a band originally from Gyumri, the second largest city of Armenia located in the northern Shirak region, but the members all live and study or work in Yerevan. Their music is influenced heavily by British rock music from the early 1970s. Most of the original songs performed during the two hours I was at the club were in Armenian, although they also write songs in English. What I heard was truly amazing. There were at least two, slightly rock-type interpretations of Gomidas folk songs wedged in between their own material or covers by the Doors or the Rolling Stones. Speaking of which, Bambir’s cover of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” was really great.

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In any case, these guys are a great rock band with much potential, and if given the chance they will go far. Nareg told me that they were actually sponsored by System of a Down in 1998 to go to the US where they actually recorded an album. Most of those same songs were rerecorded last year and their new CD can be found in music stores throughout Yerevan. I understand that Bambir will be playing regularly at the Stop Club (which is a great venue, by the way) so if anyone happens to be in Yerevan and enjoys rock music, I suggest that you go down there and check the schedule to see when they will next play. You will not be disappointed.

Anyway, Bambir has a web site at http://www.bambir.am although it’s still under construction. However, Arminrock has two MP3’s online but because the quality is not so good, I’ve stuck an abbreviated MP3 of one of the tracks online here for anyone interested. Unfortunately, nothing can give you an idea of how good these guys are live in concert. I first saw them in Shushi along with the elder Bambir at the NK Arts Festival in 2001 and now, twice this month.

Incidentally, the interest in rock music in Armenia isn’t just for my personal enjoyment. It’s part of a personal project on alternative youth culture in Armenia and I have to admit, after seeing MDP and Bambir in concert on more than one occasion, it might just be my most enjoyable project yet.

Garo also blogged about MDP’s Victory Night gig at the Avant Garde Folk Club a few months back and if you are in Yerevan, you can buy the younger Bambir’s CD from most shops priced at 2,000 drams. Don’t forgot to also check out the Stop Club’s timetable for rock, funk and jazz gigs most nights of the week.