Welcome to another interview in the series “The Sounds of Tri-City.” In this installment, we had the pleasure of asking Tytus Skiba, member of the excellent post-punk band, Danziger, the same questions that the previous interviews. Renowned for their rebellious tunes, Danziger has been steadily carving their mark in the musical landscape.
The Interview
How does being based in Gdańsk influence your music and creative process?
It’s hard to explain but it definitely influences my music in some way. It has always been influencing local artists. I think it’s because Tri-City is located by the sea. The sea, this open space gives you a feeling of freedom. Even if you don’t take walks on the beach everyday, you know that the sea is there, it’s always near. It also translates to freedom and ease in composing, making music, making art.
Have you collaborated with other local musicians? If so, how have these collaborations influenced your music?
We’ve had some minor collaborations with other local musicians but those were usually limited to performing one song together on stage or singing some backing vocals on someone’s record. So not much to say here.
Is there a specific sound of Gdańsk ?
If there is something like that, it’s not a one sound, but it’s diversity of sounds. The local music scene has always been very varied. This is what makes it unique. It has been like that even in the 80s (check out Gdańska Scena Alternatywna). While Poland was behind the iron curtain, the Tri-City music scene has always been ahead of everyone, because we had harbors here and the sailors were bringing records from all over the world. That’s why the music scene here has always been so diverse and it still is.
What challenges do local bands in Gdańsk face, and how have you overcome them?
Our biggest problem has always been to find a decent place to play the rehearsals. We didn’t really overcome this issue, we play at one of the places where you reserve two hours of time for example. Another issue is that there are not a lot of small venues where unknown bands can play a gig. But there are still some venues which allow young bands to play, so I’m not gonna complain that much about that.
How does the Gdańsk audience respond to your music? Are there distinct characteristics of your local fan base?
The local audience has always been treating us very well! While playing in Tri-City, we never had a small turnout. There are always quite a lot of people at our gigs here. The audience changes, a lot of people move out, new people move in. Just like in every other big city. I don’t think that there are some distinct characteristics of the local fanbase, apart from that they are always very nice and friendly.
Are there specific venues in Gdańsk that hold a special place in your heart?
I definitely need to mention the legendary venue called Paszcza Lwa in Gdańsk . We played our first gig there, we played there about 20 times I believe… It’s one of the venues that make their stage available for young bands which have never played any gig, didn’t record any album etc. It’s a great place for musicians who are just beginning their career. We always say that if it wasn’t for Paszcza Lwa, Danziger wouldn’t exist. Because it’s so hard to book a gig when you’re just getting started, you don’t know anyone, any organizer, any club owner etc. And Paszcza Lwa has always been very supportive for the new bands. It’s extremely valuable. I also need to mention Wydział Remontowy, a really cool venue with a great sound. It’s always a pleasure to play there. Technically, the best local venue I’ve played at was Drizzly Grizzly. I’ve never heard myself and my band sounding that good before and after. An excellent sound system and the people who work there.
How would you describe the camaraderie and competition among local bands in Gdańsk ?
I’d lie if I said there is no competition, but it’s not harsh. We never really had any conflicts with other bands or something like that.
