Bazukia

Last night I went to Bazukia with my teammates. We got there at about midnight and stayed until after 3 am, and that was early to leave. Bazukia is a big thing in Greek culture. The famous singers all sing at different venues multiple days of the week and people pack the place in to spend money and sing along. Stepping into a Bazukia club is like entering another world. From the outside it looks like a normal club but inside are crazy Greeks that as the night goes on all become performers themselves. People get really dressed up in black dresses or mini skirts and full spandex body suits or shirts and ties. And its all ages of people. You see grandma in a tight polyester outfit with her rolls of fat supported by spandex, backing that ass up and having a great time with not a care in the world. The dancers look like a combination of moulon rouge and a cheap Vegas show but without talent. It didn’t really matter though because the songs are sappy and catchy and so much fun to dance to. Everything is totally 80’s and I love it! And since this is Greece there aren’t a lot of rules, people dance on chairs, tables, and get up on stage with shouts of “Opa!”. We were at a table right next to the stage, dead center and no one screams at you to sit down and act proper so its great fun.

The night starts with no name singers to open up while people sit around polite like, eating, drinking and singing along. Then the dancers come out in fish net stockings, lacy bras and bikini bottoms with go go boots. The guy dancers are so not hot with no rhythm that it reminds me of a Saturday Night Live skit. But no one really cares. Soon a hot Greek singer comes out, think Mediterranean Matt Damon, with a cute smile. But the boots OVER the tight jeans were killing me. But no matter, I knew some of the songs and he was definitely paying attention to our table of 10 girls right in front. So Erin and I totally acted like we were 13 year old girls at an N’sync concert, shrieking and waving our hands. This of course was in between trying to hit him in the head with flowers.

A big part of Bazukia is the carnation flowers that you throw at the singers until the stage is sea of white, red, blue, and pink flowers. Someone did some unbelievable marketing because for a tray of carnation heads, that cost 75 euros, people are paying like it’s a bargain. Its so a part of the experience that people don’t even think twice of spending money on it. Like they want to spend as much as they can. We bought some bottles of alcohol only and still spent 50 euros each. I got all my flowers from some 50 year old man at the next table who kept throwing them at me. Like I said Bazukia is another world where no one really talks, you sing and dance, and to flirt you throw flowers at each other like 3rd grade.

Soon the main event came out, Eli Kokinou, who is a famous Greek singer whose songs are replayed on the radio over and over again. She has some fabulous songs and I was super excited about seeing her. I mean its like being in the 1st row of a concert except you get to get on stage and dance, hit the singer with carnations, drink, and enjoy yourself. Everyone knows the words to every song so they are singing along and dancing. Soon we get on stage and do Greek dancing, hopping in a line to the music and kneeling down and clapping in a circle for one person. Greeks are completely uninhibited when it comes to music. Singing and dancing are a big part of their culture, so every joins in and doesn’t care what the look like. Its really cool.

Kokinou sang some of her really great songs and I sang along half the time not really knowing what I am saying, just putting syllables together. I know enough Greek to know what they are singing about usually, “I love you”, “Wait for me” but it doesn’t matter because they songs are so much fun. Her outfits were horrible though. I mean I can’t imagine how much money she makes and she came out in a dress that looks like it came from “Wet Seal” which for those of you that don’t know, its that store in the mall you walk past that has lime green thongs in the window, and polyester tube tops. Not classy. The second outfit was a red gown that looked like a trailer park prom dress complete with a belt of the same material. Not cute. But I forgave her because she can sing her ass off and I love her songs. It was so much fun.

Anyway, Bazukia is definitely a Greek cultural experience and a good time…