Hodonín on its feet: Harlej delivered a concert full of energy and powerful moments

Harlej's tour titled Tak jdem dál, dokud ještě můžem is in full swing, and it's clear that fans are not missing it. On Saturday, April 18, the band arrived in Hodonín in South Moravia, where it was evident from the very first minutes that this would be an evening to remember for a long time. And Rebel Sound, of course, could not miss it.

That it was going to be big was already obvious when the doors opened. A sizeable crowd gradually gathered in front of the House of Culture and quickly moved inside once the doors opened. The hall began filling almost immediately, and it soon became clear that there would be no shortage of energy.

Half an hour after the doors opened, Harlej's autograph session followed. Although a fairly long queue formed, it moved quickly. Everyone who wanted not only to get an autograph or a photo together but also to shake hands and exchange a few words with the band members had the perfect opportunity.

Shortly afterwards, the stage belonged to the support band Loco Loco. This group of young musicians, whose genre is not clearly defined, experiments beyond rock with elements of electronics, occasional rap, and some songs with a nu-metal feel. They have both original material and covers in their repertoire. After the opening trio of songs Revoluce, Přej si, and Americkej boy, the audience was greeted by the singer performing under the pseudonym Zlord. With a touch of humor, he remarked that their task was to warm up the crowd—otherwise, Harlej would "kick their asses." The song Tak počítej followed.

They also performed Kdo je víc, recorded in collaboration with the band Dog Eat Dog, as well as a cover of Online, originally by the punk-rock band Jaksi taksi. Compared to the original, it sounded somewhat less punk and more moderate in tempo. After the final song Nezapomeň, a group photo with the audience followed, along with a farewell. During roughly forty-five minutes, the band played twelve songs. However, apart from several younger fans in the front rows, the audience remained somewhat reserved, clearly waiting for the evening's main highlight.

That changed the moment the traditional fanfare announcing Harlej's arrival echoed through the hall—the band most visitors had come to see. Right from the start, they launched into the proven opener Zfetovanej from their debut album, a staple of their concerts for years.

After the songs Možná and Dětský hřiště, the band played Můžeš mít, for which they recently released a music video. Among other things, it features impressive footage from the anniversary concert celebrating Harlej's 30 years of existence at Prague's O2 Universum.

During Tráva, singer Tomáš Hrbáček successfully involved the audience, who sang the chorus on their own. During Nejsem zklamanej, bassist and bandleader Tonda Rauer stepped into the crowd, while a camera captured his movement and projected it onto the screen behind the stage. Then came a very emotional reworked version of the older song Tak jdem dál. The band rearranged and re-recorded it as a tribute to their late singer Vláďa Šafránek, and it is accompanied by a music video featuring fellow musicians. It is good to see that the band continues to honor his legacy and remind fans of it.

Among the older songs, the less frequently played Lopata was also included, appreciated especially by those who remember the Šafránek era. After the pair of iconic hits Pověste ho vejš and Živýho mě nedostanou, there was a short interlude. Hrbáček sang "Holka modrooká…" together with the audience and challenged fans to be better than the crowd in Prostějov, where they had performed the day before. This was followed by the shared performance of Začalo to nevinně. Before Svatební košile, Hrbáček invited fans to put their arms around each other's shoulders for a moment, even if they didn't know each other. Combined with the slower tempo of the song, this created a very epic atmosphere.

Among the indispensable hits was undoubtedly Svařák, during which colorful "panďuláci" waved in the passage between the stage and the audience, while fans supported Hrbáček's singing with a second vocal line. Other unavoidable hits included Kapitán Morgan, and of course the iconic songs Zrzi, zrzi and Přirození.

Among the slower songs, the acoustic Proměna was also performed, sounding very emotional, further enhanced by the choir of singing fans. During Strážní andělé, the entire hall transformed into an imaginary night sky as fans lit hundreds of mobile phones.

After Optimistická, which often serves as the closing song at Harlej concerts, drummer Libor Fanta stepped forward to introduce the encore Kdo neskáče není Harlej. Here, the energy and unity of the fans became fully evident—almost everyone was jumping.

At the very end, Hrbáček said goodbye, the band members threw guitar picks and drumsticks into the crowd, and Tonda Rauer traditionally took off his shirt, wiped the sweat from his face with it, and threw it to fans in the front row before also saying farewell and thanking everyone for coming. Harlej once again confirmed that their concerts consistently maintain a high standard. The setlist included 27 songs and the performance lasted approximately two hours.

Finally, all that remains is to thank the bands Loco Loco and Harlej, their teams, and everyone involved in organizing the evening—and of course the fans who came and created a great atmosphere.

Verri