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Draft:Heldorado

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Heldorado
OriginBydgoszcz, Poland
GenresAlternative rock, fusion, world music, rock
Years active2007–2022
MembersArtur Bromirski (2007–2022)
Michał Chrapkowski (2007–2022)
Abdoulaye Faye (2007–2022)
Karol Korniluk (2007–2022)
Krzysztof Ratke (2007–2022)
Past membersMikołaj Toczko (2007–2009)
Umut Otyakmaz (2009–2011)
Wiktor Borzyszkowski
Bartosz Andrzejewski (2011–2022)

Heldorado was a Polish alternative rock band from Bydgoszcz, active from 2007 to 2022. The group blended rock, folk, world music and elements of rap into a style the musicians themselves described as "galop" (gallop).[1] The band won the Grand Prix at the National MONAR Song Festival (2009)[2] and the Journalists' Award at the Seven Festival in Węgorzewo (2012).[3]

History

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Formation (2007)

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Heldorado was formed in May 2007 in Bydgoszcz from the remnants of the metal band Master.[4] The four original Bydgoszcz musicians – vocalist Artur Bromirski, guitarists Karol Korniluk and Michał Chrapkowski, and bassist Krzysztof Ratke – were joined by Senegalese djembe player Abdoulaye Faye and a young drummer, Mikołaj Toczko, who later became the drummer of the Polish rock band Kobranocka.[4] In this lineup the band performed at events including Kulturalia, Bitwa Kapel and the qualifiers for Łódźstock.[4]

Monar Tour and festival success (2009–2011)

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In June 2009, Turkish drummer Umut Otyakmaz from Istanbul joined the band, replacing Mikołaj.[5][4] Shortly afterwards, having won the Grand Prix at the National MONAR Song Festival, the band embarked on a charity tour of Monar rehabilitation centres across Poland – 30 concerts in 23 days, covering over 3,500 kilometres.[6] The tour began on 31 July 2009 in Gdańsk and concluded on 22 August at the 2nd National MONAR Song Festival "Listy śpiewane do Kotana" at the MONAR centre in Nowolipsk.[2] The tour is recorded in the official history of the MONAR Association.[7] Vocalist Artur Bromirski, himself a former beneficiary of MONAR's services, said of the tour: "In line with the motto of Marek Kotański, MONAR's founder, I want to show that the most important thing is to give yourself to others."[6]

In 2010 the band performed live on Polish Radio PiK (17 September 2010) and on the programme "Cafe Lato" on TVP3 Bydgoszcz. That year they recorded their first EP, First Born, which was selected as "Album of the Week" by a Berlin rock radio station in May 2011.[1] In November 2010, a Heldorado track was included on the third edition of the nationwide compilation ROCKOWA2.PL, released by Krzysztof Augustynowicz and featuring 21 independent Polish rock bands; reviewers described the Heldorado track as a "grunge ballad".[8][9] The compilation was mastered at Black Cat Studio in Poznań.

2011 brought a series of successes: a special distinction for the band and vocalist Artur Bromirski at the "KATAR 2011 – Muzyka Mocnych Brzmień" competition in Toruń; the main prize at the 2nd Academic Music Review (the prize being a concert at Poznań University of Technology's "Polibuda Open Air" student festival); victory at the "Wake Up & Live" festival in Sulęcin; and participation in the Balcony TV Poznań project.[1][10] A Berlin band invited Heldorado for joint concerts in Poland and Germany.[1]

In 2010 the band recorded material for its debut album at Jet Studios in Nowy Dwór, with Umut Otyakmaz on drums.[5] In July 2011, Umut Otyakmaz left the band and returned to Turkey.

In June 2011, Gazeta Pomorska published a full-length feature on the Bydgoszcz rock scene, presenting Heldorado as one of the most decorated bands on the local scene.[1] In the same article, Józef Eliasz, owner of the Eljazz club, announced the creation of a permanent rock stage with Heldorado as host.[1]

Thing Is a Thing and later activity (2012–2022)

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In July 2012 the band won the Journalists' Award (€250) in the young bands competition at the Seven Festival in Węgorzewo.[3][11] On receiving the award, the musicians dedicated it to Bydgoszcz and their fans.[12] In June 2012, as the previous year's winner, the band headlined the "Wake Up & Live" festival in Sulęcin alongside Armia and Jafia Namuel;[13] a festival report described the group as "Bydgoszcz's Heldorado, beloved in Sulęcin".[14]

The band's debut album Thing Is a Thing was released on CD on 17 November 2011, self-released without a label.[15] It was made available on digital platforms in 2013.[16] It was recorded at Jet Studios in Nowy Dwór near Bydgoszcz, run by recording engineer Maciej Feddek of Koronowo.[17] The album contains 12 tracks, including "Na Stromej Skale", "Take the Risk", "First Born" and "Kebooba".

The album's first music video, for "Take the Risk", was directed by Yach Paszkiewicz – a Bydgoszcz native known as "the father of the Polish music video", who directed over 400 videos for artists including Kult, Kazik Staszewski, Hey and Budka Suflera, and co-founded the Yach Film Festival of Polish Music Videos.[10][18][19] The video was shot by the director's son, Yach Jr Paszkiewicz, and published on 1 August 2012.[18] The band also performed at the Czech festival Sazava Fest.[10]

Heldorado was active in charity work. In January 2011 the band played the "Otwórz Oczy (?)" benefit concert at the Eljazz club for blind and visually impaired children from Special Educational Centre No. 1 in Bydgoszcz, under the patronage of TVP Bydgoszcz, Polish Radio PiK and Gazeta Pomorska.[20] The musicians also supported the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity annually.[20]

In early 2015 the band toured with the Bydgoszcz group Stara Wara.[21] The band's last documented concert took place on 29 January 2022 in Sulęcin.[22]

Later interpretations

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In 2024, two years after Heldorado's last concert, "Na Stromej Skale" from Thing Is a Thing was re-recorded as a charity version on the initiative of the Bydgoszcz band Butelki Zwrotne, to support the cancer treatment of a musician from the local scene. The recording session took place on 29 July 2024 at "Ranczo u Janka" with several dozen participants, including Adela Konop (winner of the Gdynia Ladies Jazz Festival 2018) and members of Butelki Zwrotne, Bydgoscy Bluesmani, Heldorado, Jazz For Sale, Sigals and Żuki.[23] A music video was also produced, and the campaign was covered by TVP3 Bydgoszcz[24] and Polish Radio PiK.[25]

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Members

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Core lineup (2007–2022)

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Drummers

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Other members

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  • Wiktor "Wiciu" Borzyszkowski – djembe

Timeline

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PeriodVocalsDjembeGuitarClassical guitarBassDrums
2007–2009Artur BromirskiAbdoulaye FayeKarol KornilukMichał ChrapkowskiKrzysztof RatkeMikołaj Toczko
2009–2011Artur BromirskiAbdoulaye FayeKarol KornilukMichał ChrapkowskiKrzysztof RatkeUmut Otyakmaz
2011–2022Artur BromirskiAbdoulaye Faye / Wiktor BorzyszkowskiKarol KornilukMichał ChrapkowskiKrzysztof RatkeBartosz Andrzejewski

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Thing Is a Thing (recorded 2010, released 17 November 2011)[15]
  1. "Nie Zabiorę" – 4:06
  2. "Korsarz" – 3:31
  3. "Demb" – 4:35
  4. "All The Stars" – 4:45
  5. "Na Stromej Skale" – 3:31
  6. "Black Amber" – 3:17
  7. "Take The Risk" – 3:51
  8. "No Pain" – 4:32
  9. "Lucky Day" – 4:13
  10. "Nowy Dwór" – 10:56
The album also contains two hidden tracks not listed in the official track listing: "Kebooba" and "First Born". They appear as separate entries in the 2013 digital release.[16]

Extended plays

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  • First Born (2010)

Compilation appearances

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  • ROCKOWA2.PL (2010) – track 13[9]

Singles

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  • "Alone" (2010)

Music videos

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  • "Take the Risk" (2012) – dir. Yach Paszkiewicz, cinematography Yach Jr Paszkiewicz[18]
  • "Czwórka" – dir. Dariusz Landowski, filmed in Bydgoszcz[10]

Awards and recognition

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  • 2009 – Grand Prix, National MONAR Song Festival[2]
  • 2011 – Special distinction, "KATAR 2011 – Muzyka Mocnych Brzmień" (Toruń)[1]
  • 2011 – Main prize, 2nd Academic Music Review[1]
  • 2011 – Winner, "Wake Up & Live" festival (Sulęcin)[1]
  • 2011 – "Album of the Week", Berlin rock radio (First Born EP)[1]
  • 2012 – Journalists' Award, Seven Festival (Węgorzewo)[3]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kozicka, Agata (6 June 2011). "Bydgoszcz: (H)eldorado mocnej muzyki". Gazeta Pomorska (in Polish). Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Archiwum 2009" (in Polish). Stowarzyszenie MONAR. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Seven Festival Węgorzewo 2012" (in Polish). Leksykon Kultury Warmii i Mazur. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Koncert Heldorado + Adrenalin + Jigsaw" (in Polish). Student News Bydgoszcz. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Kulturowa mieszanka rytmów". Express Bydgoski (in Polish). 16 December 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Heldorado Monar Tour" (in Polish). MONAR Bydgoszcz. 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Historia" (in Polish). Stowarzyszenie MONAR. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "Rockowa2.pl" (in Polish). MLWZ.pl. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Płyta ROCKOWA2.PL – ukazało się kolejne, trzecie wydanie ogólnopolskiej składanki rockowej" (in Polish). Wirtualny Konin. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Koncert Heldorado – jedyny w Trójmieście" (in Polish). Trojmiasto.pl. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "Seven Festival w obiektywie" (in Polish). Olsztyn.com.pl. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Zespół Heldorado z Bydgoszczy powalczy o Grand Prix podczas Seven Festival 2012". Gazeta Pomorska (in Polish). 20 June 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "WAKE UP & LIVE – Sulęcin Rock Reggae Festiwal" (in Polish). Miejskie Centrum Kultury w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Wake Up & Live! w Sulęcinie zakończony" (in Polish). Horyzont.tv. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Heldorado – Thing Is A Thing". Discogs. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 "Heldorado". Apple Music. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Maciej Feddek / JETstudios". SoundBetter. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 "HELDORADO "TAKE THE RISK"". YouTube. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2026. scenariusz i reżyseria Yach Paszkiewicz, zdjęcia Yach Jr Paszkiewicz
  19. ↑ "Nie żyje Yach Paszkiewicz, nazywany ojcem polskiego teledysku" (in Polish). RMF24. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  20. 1 2 "Koncert charytatywny HELDORADO w Eljazzie" (in Polish). Bydgoszcz Nasze Miasto. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "Koncert: Stara Wara / Butelki Zwrotne" (in Polish). Kultura w Zasięgu. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  22. ↑ "HELDORADO Bydgoszcz – „Na stromej skale", Sulęcin 29.01.2022". YouTube. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  23. ↑ "Zespół Butelki Zwrotne udostępnił nowy kawałek „Na Stromej Skale"" (in Polish). Strefa Music Art. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "Zbierają na leczenie nowotworu dla kolegi. Do napisania piosenki dołączyła Adela Konop, czy nawet Butelki Zwrotne" (in Polish). TVP3 Bydgoszcz. 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "Nagrali teledysk dla Sydneya. Bydgoski muzyk potrzebuje kosztownego leczenia" (in Polish). Polskie Radio PiK. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
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Category:Polish rock music groups Category:Polish alternative rock groups Category:Musical groups established in 2007 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2015 Category:Culture in Bydgoszcz

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