A wise Polish friend always advises us to expect the unexpected when it comes to this fair country. And that's especially true when it comes to events. A classic example came with the All Souls Jazz Festival a year ago. The newspapers were promoting a special opening event for the festival - a jiviing jazz mass at the Dominican Church. Carried away with enthusiasm for the idea of monks bopping away inside this ancient gothic church, we dashed off an article and gave it full prominence. When the big day came, off we toddled to that medieval house of worship, where we found ourselves a front row stall to savour the action.
All seemed rather solemn on that chilly November evening, and there were no more people than normal in the congregation. Or so it seemed.
The mass began, and again, no sign of any Thelonius Monk groovers popping out from the sacristy. 'They're saving it for the grand finale' we told ourselves, confident that our sources had not deceived us. So we waited with bated breath.
After half an hour or so of stirring but decidedly old school prayers and psalms, the congregation started to file out into the night. I spotted a slightly bemused looking foreign couple, rising up from their stall. Had they been cruelly led astray by the forces of mass media?
As the candles started to be extinguished, we decided that there was nothing more to hang around for. Off we went, feeling slightly stupid. There was to be no jazz boogie that night.
As it goes, the Jazz Mass that never was is just one of many such disappearances. Indeed, there seems to be a sort of Bermuda Triangle that hoovers up artists, musicians and promoters in this city. So it was with great joy that after having tramped down to Podgorze for yesterday's Rekawka pagan festival, we discovered that not only was the event actually happening, but it was also rather good. A nomadic medieval village had encamped itself at the foot of the pagan burial mound, with damsels riding horses, basket-weavers, potters, and all kinds of knights beating each other up. Battles were staged, concerts were held, and all in all, everyone had a cracking time. So if we promote Rekawka next year and it pours with rain, or the knights don't turn up, please forgive us, we meant it good spirits!
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