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Garbanotas

Rock / Lithuania (Vilnius)
Garbanotas
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Garbanotas

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Led Zeppelin, Tame Impala, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

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Psychedelic alt rock

" A cosmic mix of guitar riffs and dreamy vocals, with a hippyish vibe "

“They certainly remind me of this band I used to manage, called Pink Floyd, legendary rock manager Peter Jenner said after witnessing these Lithuanians perform. A comment that should surprise nobody – for Garbanotas definitely are inspired by the psychedelic haze of the 60s. That said, w wide array of influences can be  traced in this band’s sound, from krautrock vibes to blues rhythms and ambient soundscapes.

Garbanotas were formed in 2008 by two brothers who were taught to play guitar by Franciscan monks (and no, we’re not making this up). After a couple of minor line-up changes, Mantas Joneikis (guitar) and Šarūnas Joneikis (vocals, guitar, keyboards) showed a heap of promise with their debut EP ‘Venera’ (Venus), released in 2012. With nods to both Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, the band became an underground sensation, selling out clubs with almost no promotion. They upped the ante considerably with ‘Above Us’ – the band’s first full-length album, released in 2015, was an even more imaginative affair, drenched in echoes and subtle electronic sounds.

Winning over both city youngsters and older audience of, say, blues festivals, Garbanotas went on to play at Lithuania’s biggest live music events. They also became the first Lithuanian act to perform at The Great Escape festival in the U.K., played successful gigs at Europavox (France), MENT (Slovenia), Liverpool Sound City (U.K.), Reeperbahn (Germany), and Positivus (Latvia).

2016 brought a couple of triumphant moments – Garbanotas were voted the best act by  audience of Tallinn Music Week showcase festival (Estonia) and won the Best Alternative Act award at M.A.M.A. (Lithuania’s answer to Grammy). With a new album pencilled for release some time in 2017, the future looks bright for this gang. And no, their bass player’s hair is not curly. But for the growing crowds who flock into venues whenever the band is in town, this doesn’t seem to be an issue (and rightly so).

Just before and during the pandemic, Garbanotas went off the radar, but in April 2022 they returned with a new album ‘Heart In A Plastic Bag’. It is what it says on the tin – a collection of emotional, heart-felt tunes with a gentle touch of psychedelia. 14 years into their career, Garbanotas are still evolving, looking for new twists and turns.

Photo : Gustas Scinskas