fotografie R. C.

the inside of the club

Lila Ottova, the lady-owner (not very typical for a rock club, is it?) who helps coining the "good vibrations atmosphere" in the club by bringing the cream of the Czech rock groups to town.

Frank Otta (from the posters known as DJ Frank) is taking care of the reproduced music. On nights when he is in charge of the mixing slides, you'll hear everything from classic rock of the sixties to the works of contemporary rock bands.

Each visitor has the chance of saying his to what kind of music will be played that night. The tools are very simple - a pen and an ordinary notepad that lie on the table under the DJ's corner are waiting for the request entries of the audience.

First from right, over his beer, is sitting Jiri Fanta (alias DJ Fa). He is the exponent of hard, contemporary rock. He is promoting the idea "the newer and harder the better" - unfortunately many of us don't know most of time what he is up to. You can see his show roughly twice a month. But when it comes to beer, he can be seen in the pub in DJ Frank's company quite more often (the frown Fa's wearing on his face is actually his smile). On his right sits the club's ex-disc jockey DJ#5.

DJ Frank a DJ Fa over beer discussing music. Frank's favorites are the Doors, Velvet Underground, Beatles, Rolling Stones and all the bands that had anything to do with Woodstock Festival. DJ Fa sides with Korn, Limp Biskit, Sepultura, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and all the heavy bands that haven't formed yet.

Our soundman Lada Caslavsky. He is always there when needed.

His favorite events: President Havel's amnesties.

The U Cikana Pub's tap room is the entryway to the concert hall. The tap room is also open during the week. More info on business hours you can find here.

On the pub wall you can check out the posters that announce the coming concerts two months ahead. Program leaflets to take home with you are also available from the barmaid.

On busy nights, the beer tap counter in the pub used to be besieged. To meet the customers' needs, a new bar was installed in summer of 1999 during an extensive remodelling of the concert hall .

The list of items that are sold at the pub and how much you'll spend for each you can find here

1 USD is approximately 37,- Kc.

During the already mentioned remodelling, the concert hall received its new, cozier look. A new bar was built and the floor along both sides of the hall was elevated thus a visitor can now see the stage without obstruction from almost anywhere within. The old columns got a face lift too. They shine bright yellow in contrast with the brown shutters that were added on the inside of the windows to muffle the sounds coming out.

In spite of the fact that the concerts are set for eight p.m. and that the bands almost never start playing before nine, the first audience shows up at seven to get better seats.

This picture was taken little less than two hours before Ticha Dohoda Band went on the stage.

When the concert is over, which is usually shortly after eleven, the rockotheque --a disco where only rock is played -- starts. The people can enjoy themselves till the closing time which comes at 2:30 a.m.

This is the way it looks at the rockotheque at U Cikana - at the Gypsy's Rock Club. A lot of bodies, music, dance, smoke and beer. Everyone definitely has great time and "lives"!

The man sitting outside the weather-beaten Cikan building with his yellow quitar in the lap is Ivan Kral. Before he formed his own band, he used to perform with Patty Smith and Iggy Pop. He was also a founding member of Blondie.