Kaira & Dragonborn Antalya Concert

How’s it going, folks? Concert traffic has been picking up lately, and I’m saying this with both wallet and soul taking the hit. Well, as you know, Antalya is not the Antalya it used to be, unfortunately. We’ve become a place with very little impact among local bands. And yeah, it’s almost like there are no visiting bands coming through either. We’re here comforting ourselves with Flying Dog, Booze Serpent and the like. Let that not be taken as me looking down on them, though! I’d be offended if anyone thought that—I love them, and I really enjoy listening to them. Anyway, under these circumstances, Tarkan abi got into organizing concerts, and he did well. Tarkan? Which Tarkan? Hakan from Witchtrap, a legend for us! He took a band like Dragonborn—something not done in Turkey, something I’ve never come across, at least not in my experience—and paired them with Kaira from Belarus, sending them on a Turkey tour. And he did the right thing. You absolutely need to see both bands live.

On the day of the concert, I was just loafing around at home, about to explode from boredom until showtime, so I immediately called my Noyz, my dear friend Burak. “You’re bored, huh, I can tell from how you keep texting,” he said, bless him, “come on, let’s go out.” Of course, I was also harassing people in the WhatsApp group during the day. I already knew who was coming and who wasn’t; I knew Hamdi baba from Şekerler and my childhood friend Hurşit would be there that evening. Anyway, we met up and started clinking beers (yes, I’m drinking, after years, because this damn hot country!). We rambled about everything from current affairs to cycling, art to marriage. Meanwhile Hamdi and the others arrived, we picked them up and had another round of beers at a different place, and before we knew it, it was time for the concert. At the venue entrance we picked up Emre from Booze Serpent and continued with our usual chaos and hooligan talk.

Then it was 20:00, and the bands started rolling into the venue. I got into a deep conversation with Tarkan himself, reminiscing about the old days. After wrapping up the “who played in which band” talk, we entered the venue. Dragonborn were supposed to open, but there was a 30–35 minute delay. WHY? BECAUSE! CONCERT! TICKETS! WEREN’T! SOLD! Yes, the bands basically played the show just for us! Was it good? YES—like a family atmosphere, where friends and brothers play just for you.

Dragonborn took the stage. They’ve got an excellent stage concept, folks, I’m telling you—if you’re into FRP and want to open a door into a futuristic world, this is exactly your kind of outfit. Unfortunately, it was a concert that left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. Hearing only four songs from them, not being able to witness the stage show they had built, really saddened me. Their costumes were outstanding; I kept thinking I wish I could’ve seen and heard the rest of the show they designed. Still, after a solid performance, they handed the stage over to Kaira.

I have to admit, their style isn’t really my thing, but their performance was outstanding! I’m not even surprised I hadn’t come across this pagan, folk metal band before. Tarkan wasn’t exaggerating when he said “you should see this band live.” The stage decorations, the musicians’ costumes, and their music were all truly magnificent. I couldn’t get enough of it. I never would’ve imagined I’d see a band like this in Antalya.

Tarkan made this happen for a very limited audience. Those who didn’t come really missed out, I’m telling you.

The band even surprised me big time, folks! Yes—they did a cover, and not just any cover: Âşık Veysel. They reinterpreted “Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım” in their own style, and it wasn’t bad at all, honestly. I’d say go watch the video and judge for yourself. On top of that, they even shot a music video for the track!!!

At one point I slipped backstage and joined Ekrem (Dragonborn) and the others. It was nice to throw in some teasing and critique for a short while behind the scenes. I told Cihan about how we uploaded Raven Woods’ recordings to our page. The fact that he allowed it—and that Raven being remembered made him happy—meant a lot.

All in all, I had another concert experience that was a bit bittersweet, a bit rough, but also incredibly fun. Reuniting with Ekrem after years, reminiscing about the old days, talking Raven again with Cihan, seeing Tarkan once more, and most importantly being together with friends—priceless. The fact that it was exam day, the crowd going to Düş Sokağı Sakinleri, and the lack of participation from Russians and foreigners was frustrating. But one thing was certain: Dragonborn and Kaira delivered an unforgettable show to the few of us there.

My thanks go to everyone involved, especially Tarkan abi. Hopefully we’ll see them on bigger stages, with bigger crowds. Take care, everyone.

HÜS