Up to now, Kossuth Club has been associated with serious, grown-up programmes. When we were at the university, a sign saying 'Popular Academic Circle' was put up on the building, and even now it is home to the lectures of the József Attila Frre University, the classes of the Károli Gáspár University, and events for pensioners.
At least during the day. But since October, other, more exciting things have also been happening in this historic building. When the elderly and the lecture-goers go home, the other life of the Club starts -- under the name 'Muzikum'. For one thing, it is a bar, drawing in those who want something beautiful, valuable, and different with its incomparable prices; it's not an accident that this really interesting mix of offerings sprung up right in the 8th District, the Palace District.
For another thing, it is also a club, with the space (decorated with musical instruments) divided into two rooms: the smaller café on the ground floor, and a larger concert hall, accommodating about 250 people. Its cultural events will include art exhibitions, theater productions, talks.
When it opened, Kossuth Club primarily emphasized its music events. And it was before they redid Royal, in Király street, that we could party at such a beautiful place!
Muzikum is open to all musical styles, whether acoustic, folk dance, underground, jazz, world music, Hungarian or foreign artistst. It hosts album release shows by up-and-coming bands and the sets of well-known musicians, offering real musical specialties.
What is more, Muzikum has now joined a European network of world music clubs (with headquarters at Utrecht), and signed a strategic agreement with Théatre Lucernaire (from Paris) and the Maison des Cultures du Monde -- one more thing that says it's good to live in this city, since yet another pearl of the Palace District is born right before our eyes.
Photos by Mátyás Benes. Thanks to Muzikum Klub for making the images available for use.
