QUOTES
“You have to listen to these people, this is the future of music ” Brian Eno, Luminous Festival, Sydney Opera House 2009
“..a most remarkable band fronted by …Sarah Bedak – as exotic a flower as you are ever likely to see behind a microphone.
To say the sound is infectious doesn’t quite express it…they have people of all ages (and believe me, I saw it) hurling themselves through the air, across the dance floor, inventing moves on the spot, hugging each other with a passion – all with a look of goofy abandon plastered across their faces. I’ve seen bands of all shade play .. but I can’t recall seeing anything quite like this. Yes it is gypsy but there are also dollops of Spanish flamenco, Russian, Greek – indeed the music of anyone who likes to party. ” Glenn A Baker 8 July 2017
“it was about the second or third tune last night when my perspective shifted and I stopped being a muso at another muso’s gig, and became a human in a room with other humans, having a party, being free, celebrating life and love and joy. This palpable feeling came over me, like if we could just do this often enough, everything would be alright. That it would be a life well-lived….throwing an eternal gypsy party that never sleeps where anything is possible and love and unity triumph over cynicism and mistrust.” Nic ‘Sonny’ Lewis, audience member, The Basement Sydney, 2017
‘ (Lolo Lovina)…have created an album that swings from traditional to groundbreaking Rroma music, all imbued with a tremendous sense of fun’ Lucky Oceans, The Daily Planet ABC Radio National, 2015
“…Traditional Gypsy tunes alternate with Lolo originals here, and the arrangements are solid, tight, classy and brassy..” 4 STAR review of Rroma Sapien by Seth Jordan in Songlines Magazine, UK. June 2016
‘Excellent new, vibrant album (RromAntics!) from world-touring, Sydney-based Rrom music band..’
Lucky Oceans, The Daily Planet, ABC Radio National 2016
“..two especial strengths glue the components into a cohesive whole. One is the sheer fun factor: you hear the players enjoying themselves as tangibly as you hear the sound of the drums, saxophone or accordion. The other is Sarah Bedak’s voice, which never loses its identity, despite being malleable enough to be breathy, teasing, seductive or vigorous.” 3.5 Star review of RromAntics, John Shand Sydney Morning Herald 2016
“Lead singer Sarah Bedak wails into the microphone, backed by seven musicians, including husband Nenad. Dressed in bright pink shorts and stockings, her limbs coil and undulate to the music. A violin begins to howl. Sweat rolls down our faces, our arms, but we three women cannot stop dancing, cannot stop swivelling our hips to the accelerating beat. It’s the first time I’ve heard a Gypsy band live and I’m so enthralled I feel as if I could fly.” – Mandy Sayer for SBS, 2016
“..Sydney support act Lolo Lovina deserves attention for its spirited and deservedly popular opening performance, in which Romanian Gypsy music, bluegrass and Irish folk were blended with great warmth, sometimes at hair-raising speed. …saxophone player Leonid Beshlei (was) impressive.” – Lynden Barber, The Australian,| June 04, 2009 (Brian Eno’s Luminous Festival, The Sydney Opera House)
PRESS
RromAntics album review by John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald
RromAntics album review by Tony Hillier, The Weekend Australian
RromAntics album featured on ABC Radio Nationals, The Daily Planet with Lucky Oceans
Rroma Sapien album featured on ABC Radio Nationals ‘The Daily Planet’ program with Lucky Oceans
The Two of Us, Sydney Morning Herald
Spiegeltent Hawkes Bay, NZ review – The Hook
Gypsy Myths Span the Globe, Sydney Morning Herald feature
The Guardian feature story with Sarah Bedak
The Global Mail featuring Sarah Bedak & David Carr
Ciao Magazine cover page story with Sarah Bedak and Nenad Radic
RTV – Television Serbia Lolo Lovina interview
HIGHLIGHTS
Havana World Music Festival, Cuba 2018. Official showcases at SXSW 2018, Austin Texas. Hawkes Bay Arts Festival, New Zealand Spiegeltent shows, 2017. Nelson Arts Festival New Zealand, 2017. Boban Markovic Orkestra Sydney show 2020, Macau tour, China 2017. Pacific Islands tour (Fiji, Vanuatu, Noumea) 2017. CD launch tour Oct 2016 (Berlin, Budapest, Novi Saad, Zargreb, Sarajevo, Barcelona, Seville & Madrid) RromAntics featured the Daily Planet, ABC Radio National 2016. Headlining NYE 19 on Sydney Harbour from our Caravan Stage. Vivid Festival 2018 & 2019. March into Merivale, 2015. Rroma Sapien album featured on the Daily Planet, ABC Radio National 2015. Esprit Live En Aout Festival, Noumea New Caledonia, 2014. Sydney Opera House 40 Anniversary Concert. 2013 Australian tour with the New York Gypsy All Stars. 2013 Guca Trumpet Festival, Serbia. 2011 Brian Eno’s Luminous Festival; The Opera House; 2010 Australia Council Grant awarded to Sarah Bedak to study in Serbia and Hungary. 2009 Spiegeltent, Brisbane Festival. 2009 Playing with Rachid Taha, Lulu Reinhardt, Antal Szalai and his Gypsy Orkestra, Gypsy.cz & Yasar Akpense, Szimpla Kert – Budapest.