Dispatch: Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου | Ριζούπολη | 21.06.23

With the mood to discover something completely new for the writing crew at Fuzzy Hound, on Wednesday, 21.06.23, our evening found us at the stadium of Ριζούπολη. The musical event, one and powerful, goes by the name of Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου. And we were part of the huge crowd, at a gig that truly moved us and will stay unforgettable…

Stadium rock in Greece

Truth be told, I might have been one of the last people left unmoved by the musical tsunami that Θανάση's artistic crew was whipping up. It's like bombs are going off all around you and you're just whistling away, not bothered. Inevitably, artistic curiosity (and the persistence of friends, of course!) pushed me to get a taste of the music of one of the greatest composers of the last decade in Greece. 

Heading to the venue, I caught myself looking around. I found the choice of venue odd. A football stadium is a pretty big space for the crowd to generate the right vibe. You need a lot of people to pull off a warm atmosphere. And at a time when other artists sadly can't even fill simple venues, Θανάσης goes and picks such a huge space. 

My doubts about the venue were put to rest when I saw the crowd waiting!

In the end Ριζούπολη was not only packed, but everything pointed to the fact that this particular artistic outfit will probably need a new, bigger concert home to house its musical explorations in the future! And here comes my first observation… Ο Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου is a representative of stadium rock in the Greek music scene. That closed-off group of bands that managed to fill stadiums at their concerts. Names like Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, in concerts that have left their mark. That alone is something impressive.

With music that mesmerizes and lyrics with deep meaning

Thanasis' music is quite special. He and his fellow musicians have pulled off a brilliantly clever blend of quality laiko and rebetiko, combined with traditional rizitika elements and touches of entechno. This combination of elements seems to have struck a chord in listeners' hearts. We've all got the Greek gene in us, and we love music with these particular ingredients. And when that's paired with top-notch musical touches and lyrics of unbelievable beauty, the result is simply irresistible!

Thanasis' lyrics carry quite a lot of political content. And how could they not? We live in a country that's constantly handing us reasons to call out what's wrong and push back against the system. And on this point I'd like to add one more observation… This is one of Thanasis Papakonstantinou's greatest achievements. He's managed, in a way that's both gentle and hugely powerful, to give voice to the reactions of an entire people. His music and his songs have become the vehicle through which every thinking, troubled citizen can find a voice.

With a humility that reveals a lot about the man himself

Perhaps the most striking of the qualities that Thanasis Papakonstantinou is the humility with which he handles all this reach and the power his music has. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix. Well, Hendrix had the same qualities. He described himself as a composer as much as a singer. He kept things low-key. And that's exactly the style and vibe of Thanasis too. We're talking about an exceptional artist without a shred of pretension. On the contrary, he carries a weight of responsibility, as if bearing all our voices through his music. The reference to Jimi wasn't random at all… Listening to 'Διάφανος', the bridge of the track has a strong whiff of the excellent 'Foxy Lady' by the great guitarist!

Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου: Greece's unconventional rock star

So yes, in the end… I went to Ριζούπολη with no idea what to expect. But adding my final observation, I can say that Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου really is a musical asset that stands out in Greece and will keep standing out in the future. We could say he's a landmark in this country's music. A man who, through the power of his lyrics, can rouse crowds and stir up reflection in the listener. It's rare for musicians of the modern era to have created such deep meaning. Maybe that's exactly what we need. A voice to express it. And everything suggests that in Thanasis's eyes, we've found ours… Awaiting our next concert encounter…

To close, let me quote the lyrics that stuck with me from the track 'Αερικό', lyrics I'll now keep like a kind of talisman… 

'No matter how many prisons they build
and however tight the noose gets
our mind is a vagabond
that will always escape'