otava yo tour 2023

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Russian Federation , russian folk, rock

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Otava Yo is a one-of-a-kind and unique band. Experienced folk musicians decided to create a slightly less serious than usual music project, without sacrificing traditional Russian sounds. The result was a formation balancing on the border of entertainment and historical references. The multi-million views of the clips and a few very well received records are proof that the folk has not died and is even very well. The musicians play traditional instruments, thanks to which the listener can immerse themselves in unique, often inaudible sounds and absorb them without restrictions. At the same time, all this is adorned with a great sense of humor. Watching music videos Otava Yo is great fun, but only live you can fully experience the amazing atmosphere that beats from the band at every step.

About Otava Yo

Genres: Rock , Folklore

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World Music Central

Interview with Alexey Belkin of Russian Folk Band Otava Yo

Otava Yo is one of the rising acts in contemporary Russian folk music. The Saint Petersburg, Russian-based band has an excellent new album available internationally titled “ Do You Love ”

The lineup includes Alexey Belkin on vocals, bagpipes, gusli, zhaleika; Alexey Skosyrev on vocals, acoustic guitar; Dmitry Shikhardin on vocals, fiddle; Yulia Usova on vocals, violin; Petr Sergeev on bass drum and darbuka; and Timur Sigidin on bass.

Otava Yo’s leader Alexey Belkin talked to World Music Central about the band’s background and the new recording.

Q: How and when was Otava Yo formed?

On the streets of St. Petersburg in 2003, where we decided to busk for fun. The feedback from audience was so great, so we started to busk in St. Pete on a regular basis. That time we were playing instrumental Celtic music. Only after 3 years of occasional street performing, we made a first record and perceived our selves as a band.

Q: What do you consider as the essential elements of your music?

We try to keep music live, in terms that we do not like to copy somebody’s ideas, we prefer to invent our own bicycle. If we see some great idea created by somebody else – it inspires us to make something too. Also, we try to keep the main idea of folk songs and do not complicate them. If it is funny cheerful dance song we would not make from it jazzy lounge R&B.

Q: Who can you cite as your main musical influences?

I can talk only for myself. I used to listen to lots of Celtic artists – Chieftains , Carlos Nuñez , Silly Wizard , etc. and also Scandinavian bands like Hedningarna , Garmarna . I love Latvian band Iļģi . Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Michael Nyman. All of them could make influence on my musical taste.

Q: Tell us about your first recordings and your musical evolution.

The first recording with Otava Yo we made in 2006. After all those sessions on the streets we decide to make live album with everything we played for that time. So, it was an instrumental album with just 1 song. Raw and live. No bass guitar and no even bass drum. Exactly how we played on the streets.

Three years later we made a new album full of Russian traditional songs, the most popular ones. And it was recorded with using all studio possibilities. We made nice arrangements and used more instruments than we can play live, invited some friends. So, it was fun to make that record and to see how good this music could be recorded.

The new album “ Do you love ” in 2018 took us a 6 months of work in studio. And I believe it is our most matured work for now.

Q: Even though you live in a city, your music contains elements of Russian village music. How do you find traditional rural folk songs?

Well, we live in cities, but some of us used to stay in countryside. I myself till 15 years old stayed in very small town in private house in suburb of St. Petersburg. I was able to go for a walk without seeing a single car, if I wanted I could make a campfire with my friends in my yard, so it was a happy childhood of a small town boy. But there was no folklore in my life. It was USSR and communists did everything they could to steal folklore from Russian population and to replace it with fake academic folklore. But in spite of this the folk songs are all over, all you need just to wish to listen to them. The most of the song we sing we just know. Some of them we found in ethnographic recordings or books. But we never went to ethnographic expeditions.

Q: Otava Yo uses various traditional Russian instruments. Tell us about them and how common are they now?

The most common – electric guitar and bass, the rest are quite rare. Well, to be serious, it is a problem now with getting Russian traditional instruments. You are not able to buy them in store, the only way to get such instrument is only to order it directly from the maker and then wait for a few months. I ordered my new Russian village bagpipe in May, and it is ready only now. But it is worth the wait. How common?… Well, not really.

Q: Who makes your traditional musical instruments?

Different makers. Some of them are from St. Petersburg, some from other cities. My zhaleikas mostly made by Anton Platonov and Dmitry Dyomin. Gusli by Alexander Teplov. The new Russian bagpipe by Vasiliy Ivanov. Also, I am waiting for the new gaita chanter with keys from Moscow’s maker Alexander Anistratov. All of them you may find on Facebook.

Q: Otava Yo is also known for making captivating music videos. Tell us about the process of making videos and who is involved.

We make them in picaresque way. I have directed all the videos we made. As far as I didn’t study how to shoot video, so I was not afraid to start to make them and just started to do it without understanding the details of the whole video production process. First two videos we even shot by ourselves, only starting from “Street cleaner” we have invited professional camera man.

The process – usually I start to think about the song for which I would like to shoot video. I listen to it more than a hundred times. Then I come up with the main idea and start to work on the script. Then with my partner Vsevolod together we write final script and plan all the shootings details including what kind of equipment we will use and where will rent it. Then we shoot 🙂

After shooting we edit it and make post-production.

Nothing special or unusual. The only important thing – I suppose if we would invite the professional director from the side the result would not be like what we have now, just because it is impossible to find, so folklore involved and oriented director in Russia or outside of it. So, I had to invent everything especially for Otava Yo. I suppose it is a unique product we made in a single copy, it is very difficult to duplicate. So that’s the whole secret.

Q: How’s the current traditional and contemporary folk and world music scene in Saint Petersburg and other parts of Russia?

To be honest, quite bad. The amount of folk groups which on regular basis can play the concerts is very little. The ones which could attract more than 100 listeners even less. We do not have infrastructure for world music. The quantity of world music festivals is also quite low. But I think it is changing a little bit and also with our help too.

Q: If you could gather any musicians or musical groups to collaborate with whom would that be?

Well, I like Hedningarna and Penguin cafe, I think we could make something interesting together. And Rammstein of course 🙂

Q: Do you have any upcoming projects to share with us?

We are getting ready for Christmas tour, which will happen in January 2020. Now we are in the middle of “Once upon a time” tour which is dedicated to 10-year anniversary of our second album “Once upon a time”. Ten more concerts to go.

We need to finish the new video clip, which we shot in August. I wanted to create an adventurous comedy video, and I hope it will work out as I planned. We have some ideas for our YouTube show “Zelyonka”, where we invite other musicians and play together. The last month we had a great guests from Sweden – Garmarna . We plan several other interesting acts within this show. And of course we are planning to work on new songs, and this is the most important thing for us now. The recent live video with new song “Zalivochka” which we just uploaded gathered more than 100K views just for 2 days; that means people look forward for new songs from us.

headline photo: Otava Yo by Maxim Drozdov

Author: Angel Romero

19 Replies to “Interview with Alexey Belkin of Russian Folk Band Otava Yo”

I love the music and your vocals.

I grew up with a lot of folk music in the 1950’s and 1960’s in the US. You are one of my favorite folk bands and I understand very little Russian.

I stumbled across one of your videos a few weeks ago and have watched dozens since!! I live in the US and it is unlike folk music that I have heard before, though your energy and spirit remind me of bluegrass and Celtic. Your joy in performing it is contagious and always leaves me with a smile on my face.

I’ve just discovered that a number of your videos offer subtitles – this has made viewing your performances even more fun.

Thank you for what you do!!

My wife came across an Otava Yo video and shared it with me, then another, and another, and we quickly became fans of your exhuberent and lovely band! We love your music, your enthusiasm and eagerly wait for each new video that you create! Your music videos are simply a joy to watch and listen to!

I discovered Otava Yo whilst looking for Moscow Nights on YouTube in 2017. Now I am completely hooked. I wish they would come and play in Yorkshire where I live.

the real Slavic spirit is in the rural life, not the city. May Otava Yo help bright that spirit to all peoples!

Wow! I love your music and your videos fill me with joy. Thank you so much! Your friend in Saskatchewan, Canada!

Watching fro m Newzealand amazing 👌

Even though I cannot speak or understand Russian I absolutely love your band and your music!

Just fabulous joyfull music and beautiful film locations, was trying to work out where the band was from and kept coming up with they have to be russian obviously but lve never heard that type of music. Love it and hoping once covid is under control the band can come to Australia.. world music adelaide would be a real lover of your music .cheers from australia.

Otava Yo, you are amazing. We love your music very much here in Wyoming in the USA. We are avid celtic music fans (Planxty, Bothy Band, Talisk, Tannahill Weavers, Solas, Carlos Nunez, et cetera) and one day an Otava Yo video came on our YouTube feed. We are hooked on your lovely music. It’s so obvious you love the land and culture of your country. Your videos are utterly captivating. All the effort you put into them does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. You have made our lives better with your music. Thank you so much! P.S. I am a Highland Piper of 35 years. Wondering if you play the Scottish Highland Pipes as well.

Otava Yo, I agree with all the comments above. Cannot tell you how much your music inspires me and your videos always put me in a good mood. I’m a US Marine currently stationed in Germany, and cannot wait to see you in concert here in Europe! Thank you for making such wonderful music!!!

No Canadian dates yet? Guess I will make the trip to St.Petes then 🙂 “Discovered” The Tale of Ivan Groove 3 years ago and have been listening to it ever since. I play it all the time at our gatherings. Love when people ask what language that is. Keep the music flowing!!

Love your music and your videos! Come to Alaska!

I found Ivana groove on youtube 4-5 years ago Listened to you guys constantly When you coming to Montreal??? I want to live in that old village by the canal! Little rowboat to go visit the neighbours. Small old house with leaky roof and a wood stove Heaven!!

What type of fiddle is Dmitry playing? The female fiddle players play more traditional violins, but his fiddle looks like it’s on steroids.

I live in the US. I usually listen to bluegrass and love music with lots of instruments. Started looking for folk music from other countries and found Otava Yo on YouTube. I am now addicted. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the words if the music is great. I also like Hrdza from Slovakia.

They are just amazing, turn in on 24th of December for their ONLINE Christmas concert at 7pm (Moscow time).

What Aleksy forget to say is that they keep alive not only Russian folklore but European folklore too.

In the 1970s, the beacon of light was in the West and the USA. Today it’s in the East. While westerners try their best to destroy their roots, Eastern nation celebrate them. Just read what Aleksey says about what the communists in the USSR did with traditional songs, and you know what the new USSR in the West tries to do in with the same.

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Do You Love

Once Upon a Time

What Are Those for Songs!

He’s Coming, My Sweetheart

It is time for the lad to get married

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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