Musicians with different musical tastes but united by a belief in freedom of expression gatherwd on the same stage on 1 May. Stars of the Czech folk, rock, funk and hip-hop scene accepted an invitation to perform at "5 YEARS WITHOUT FRONTIERS, 20 YEARS WITHOUT THE CURTAIN", an event organized by the non-profit company Opona. The unconventional programme gave the audience a chance to hear remarkable cover versions of previously banned songs that had been given a new arrangement by Roman Holý and his group, Monkey Business. They were performing at the concert together with Vladimír Mišík, Vlasta Třešňák, Vladimír Merta, Tony Ducháček, Jaroslav Hutka, Michal Ambrož, Tonya Graves, Matěj Ruppert, Pavel Zajíček, Orion and James Cole.

“We chose 1 May quite deliberately as our launch date. This is a significant anniversary, as it will be five years since the former totalitarian states joined the European Union, thus resolutely underscoring their commitment to the new path they started following after 1989,” sayed Kateřina Riley, director of  Opona, o.p.s., as she explained the reasons for organizing the event. “The 200 days over which we will be commemorating this significant anniversary is also symbolic – this is the period from 1 May to the key date of 17 November, when we will be rounding off our celebrations,” added Opona’s founder, Marek Vocel before the event.

The concert commemorated banned songs that, under totalitarianism, enabled people to keep the faith that freedom would return to our country. “I hope that, now we are twenty years down the line, we will find it incredible that until recently this music irritated the government so much that it was suppressed and prohibited,” sayed David Gaydečka, another of the brains behind the concert, in reference to the range of compositions that will be performed. Besides the original artists and songwriters, the organizers also approached representatives of the younger generation who were keen to become involved in the initiative. All the singers, rappers and other musicians were accompanied by Monkey Business, who were adapting selected songs.

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