[Nikos Arampatzes]
In a dim-lit corner of Athens, where the clang of glasses meets the rustic strum of a violin, a peculiar revival is under way. Twenty-somethings clasp hands, spinning in circles to the primal pulse of bagpipes and clarinets, reclaiming the pulse of Greece’s musical past. Not long ago, this would have been unthinkable in a city enthralled by pop and techno beats. Yet, today, traditional melodies resurface with fresh vitality. Born in the stillness of lockdown, the grassroots Rizes (Roots) movement has woven modernity with nostalgia, uniting Gen Zs and Millennials in the smoky haze of urban cafes. At the core are bands like Zero Waste Folk Band and Gidiki, whose sounds echo from Macedonian fields to cosmopolitan hubs, drawing youth to their transcendent allure. By rediscovering collective memory in joyful rituals of sound and dance, Athens doesn’t just look back – it reclaims tradition, transforming it into something achingly alive. [Nikos Arampatzes]
