Welcome to my impressions of

Melodije

ISTRE I KVARNERA

FESTIVAL S DUŠOM - A FESTIVAL WITH SOUL

In 10 towns of Istria & Quarner, June 18 - June 30, 2008

Stars Are Down Here Too

Someone asked on a chat site, if any MIK performer was known internationally. Ivo Robić and Liljana Budičin Manestar came to mind, but I couldn't think of anyone else. And why should I bother trying?

With all due respect to the international stars - and hats off to their bodyguards, maids, promoters... who put up with them and their needs and wishes, my kind of stars are right down here. They step out of the MIK "caravan" to say hello, and invite you to have a drink with them, and to be with them in the photo. They are happy to see you at their concerts, not because you will pay the admission, or buy their CD (most of them don't have one), but because you are a part of their world and their heritage. You are a part of their community of Istria and Quarner. They sing about your life - and theirs, in the language and music that you first heard sitting in mother's lap.

My stars don't travel to the concerts in custom made limos, but on the bus, or share ride in their cars. Still, their life is so rich that you can't detect any desire in their song, or talk that they miss being "international"... or national for that matter. After the Festival they return to their "day time" jobs, in the office, studio, hospital, shipyard, fishing boat..., and do what the rest of us, non-stars do.

My kind of star is Gina, who works 3 jobs so she can pay for 3 college courses she is taking... or Karin Kuljanić, psychologist and professor, who takes care of her patients' and students' needs before taking time to sing at MIK, or Sergio Valić, the sopele player who performs only at MIK concerts in Istria, which he can get to after work. Same goes for violinist Nataša Veljak, who only made it to the last two concerts because she was taking exams in school. Mirjana Bobuš, commented the other day on the award she always wanted and never got, i.e. for best lyrics. She said about the 2008 decision: This is the only cash award at MIK, and it went to the right person. Because, tomorrow, Robertino is going back to beat the rust in the shipyard, just as I am going back behind my post office counter.

When internationally (or nationally) acclaimed "stars" come to town, the media gets all excited and promoters wrap the town and trees along the routes to town in posters. And people fall for it. They must be thinking: you get what you pay for. I get much more then that - from the stars down and around here.

MIK 2008 SINGERS

(in no particular order)