Inner Fire District [78]
The Inner Fire District (MySpace) are hard to define. When pressed they call themselves Radical Yiddish Balkan Culture Folk but their sound sidesteps labels.
Thursday night they celebrated May Day at the North End Studio in Burlington with two accordions, an upright bass, guitar, and a clarinet, tragically beautiful 100 year old songs and klezmer music that had the crowd stomping its feet.
Call 911, the Inner Fire District will entertain you while your house burns down.
Click here to watch this video on YouTube.
In the video they are performing "Shtil di Nacht iz Oysgeshternt" which Hersh Glik wrote, inspired by an amazing resistance fighter named Vitka Kempner. The main guy says Glik died at 18 in an uprising against the Germans, but that's not true. Hersh Glik (also spelled Hirsch Glick and/or other variations) died in 1944 attempting to escape from a concentration camp in Estonia. He was 23 or 24.
You should Google Vitka Kempner (or her married name Kovner). Unbelievable bravery... I don't know why her story isn't more widely known.
Posted by: Molly | May 27, 2008 at 05:59 PM
Good music. I guess it goes to show you that even freakin' communists can write some decent songs. Sometimes. Just don't let the evil bastards anywhere near the levers of power.
Posted by: David Collins | June 02, 2008 at 03:57 AM