Dionysis Savvopoulos, the legendary Greek singer-songwriter who passed away yesterday at the age of 81, gave his final concert in Athens last June as part of the Rockwave Festival. The performance, held on June 14 at the Terra Vibe Park in Malakasa, marked a powerful farewell from one of Greece’s most influential musical voices.
The venue, which has hosted global icons like Roger Waters, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen, was filled with thousands of fans – three generations of listeners who came to see Savvopoulos perform what would become his last major show in the capital.
A Multigenerational Celebration
As reported by To Vima journalist George Skintsas, who attended the concert, the evening unfolded as a journey through time. “With Savvopoulos, you never quite know how the night will begin or end,” he wrote. “But he always knows how to take his audience by the hand and lead them where he chooses.”
The crowd, spanning young listeners and lifelong fans, experienced a concert that revisited the great eras of the 1960s and 1970s, featuring songs that have shaped modern Greek music.
A Setlist of Timeless Songs
The night featured a sweeping setlist of his most beloved works, including “Angelos Exangelos,” “Ballos,” “Here Is the Balkans,” “This Winter,” “O Mikros Monomachos,” “Ode to Karaiskakis,” “Demosthenous Lexis,” “Rain Is Coming,” “We of the ’60s,” “Zeibekiko,” “Let the Dances Last,” “I Speak to You and Blush,” “Like Karagiozis,” and even a cover of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”
Seated at the center of the stage “like a druid or priest,” as Skintsas described, Savvopoulos narrated stories between songs, offering reflections and memories that bridged his music with his life.
He was joined on stage by Klavdia, who performed “Asteromata,” singers Alexandra Sieti and Sakis Dovolis, and special guest Alkinoos Ioannidis, whose performance in the second half highlighted his own artistic depth.
A Night of Emotion and Farewell
It was a night charged with emotion. The “rock storyteller,” as he was often called, appeared visibly moved throughout the performance, as was much of the audience. His songs, laced with political commentary, humor, and poetry, reminded listeners of how he fused rock influences with the essence of Greek tradition and identity.
Supporting him on stage were musicians Giotis Kiourtsoglou (bass), Maximos Drakos (keyboards), Kallistratos Drakopoulos (drums), and a brass section featuring Dimitris Agathos, Apostolis Kalogiannis, and Thodoros Soukeras.
For those who were there, the evening was not merely a concert but the closing chapter of an artist who reshaped Greek music for more than six decades — a final bow that celebrated both his rebellious spirit and his enduring love for storytelling through song.
