On June 25, 2024, Rambo Amadeus and the Macedonian National Jazz Orchestra performed in Sibenik (Šibenik), Croatia. This was one of three planned performances of Rambo Amadeus and the National Jazz Orchestra in Croatia for the summer of 2024. The next performance is at the “Island Vis Music Breeze” Festival on June 28, held on the Prirovo peninsula. The Croatian National Theater in the beautiful Split will host the final concert on July 1.
Rambo Amadeus, the brand behind Antonije Pushic, is my favorite modern philosopher. He skillfully articulates and comments on social deviant phenomena, packaging his insights as entertainment for a niche audience of the former Yugoslavia.
Pushic and Emin
In the chorus of the song “Samit u buregdzinici Laibach” from the late eighties, Rambo Amadeus uses the line “Chashe lomim ruke mi krvave,” inspired by Nezir Eminovski’s early seventies song “Chashe lomim.” Over 30 years later, Rambo performs alongside Nezir’s son, Djijan Emin, who is the conductor of the Macedonian National Jazz Orchestra, at the beautiful Shibenik Fortress. This collaboration featured new orchestral arrangements of Rambo’s songs, marking their debut performances in Croatia, showing how Djijan, inspired by Rambo’s music, has brought a fresh perspective to his work.
Sitting in my seat in the audience and waiting for the musical performance to begin, I think about how happy the people of Shibenik are to have this beautiful outdoor concert space.
Solo Points
Rambo Amadeus’ performances combine stand-up comedy and musical performances, often featuring jazz. Performing with the Jazz Orchestra is an upgraded version of this concept, creating a unique sensation that nourishes the spirit in a way few other experiences can.
The performance was also fun for the performers, especially in a part where the bass player of the orchestra, Mucho, had a solo vocal moment. Out of nowhere, in the middle of the performance, he started singing verses resembling folk music, waking up those asleep at the concert and bringing brief smiles to their faces.
Rambo Amadeus could rest his guitar on several occasions when a solo was needed, thanks to the excellent Zoran Kostadinovski, who took on the role of solo guitarist and sounded fantastic. With his unique demeanor, Rambo credited Kostadinovski for his skill during and after the solos in those moments.
Presentation of the Members of the Orchestra
Usually, the frontman of the performance calls out his colleagues on stage to introduce them to the audience and express his gratitude and satisfaction for their collaboration. This time, Rambo Amadeus took out sheets of paper to remember the names of the great Macedonian National Jazz Orchestra members, ensuring he didn’t leave anyone out.
E Moj Rambo, Ostara Se… (My Rambo, You’re Getting Old…)
My favorite part of this incredible show was the performance of the song “E moj Rambo, ostara se.” This musical masterpiece served as the crescendo of the concert. The climax came during the encore, where a collage of various Rambo songs was performed with the musical backdrop Rambo refers to as “Te jedno te isto,” (free translation: the same thing all the time), expressing his perspective on modern mainstream electronic dance music. During this performance, they were joined on stage by the opera singer Rakela.
Orchestral Arrangements
This performance format is a new experience for Rambo Amadeus. His spontaneous character at moments placed him, conditionally speaking, in a subordinate position where he waited for a signal from conductor Djijan Emin and his precise arrangements, allowing Rambo to showcase his excellent vocal abilities upon his “entrance.”
At the end, the Audience Was on Their Feet and in Front of the Stage
The satisfied audience, unexpectedly turning the fort into a dance floor at the end of the concert, brought Rambo Amadeus and the Jazz Orchestra back for an encore, chanting, “Cobane vrati se, ovce tvoje ne mogu bez tebe!” This chorus, reminiscent of a call to Tito – the leader of former Yugoslavia who advocated for preserving brotherhood and unity – resonated with the ethnically diverse audience in Sibenik on June 25. Rambo Amadeus, accompanied by the Macedonian National Jazz Orchestra, played a unifying role similar to Tito’s, uniting the audience in enjoying this memorable event.
