Songs for Havel
On November 20, 2024, we commemorated the 10th anniversary of the VÁCLAV HAVEL BUST dedication in the U.S. Capitol.
Jan Havranek, the DCM at the Czech Embassy and one of the lead singers of the band that performed that evening, provided the following report on his LinkedIn page (republished with his permission):
Ten years ago, a bipartisan Congressional delegation (and Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top) led by Speaker John Boehner, met to unveil the Havel Bust in Statuary Hall. Havel’s place in Freedom Foyer - next to Winston Churchill - has become a symbol of inspiration to all who enter the People’s House. We are eternally grateful to Elliot Berke and Mike Sommers for their endeavour - it takes an act of Congress to install a bust of a foreign leader in the Freedom Foyer, and it had only happened twice before 2014. The bust has become a sacred place of pilgrimage for many Czechs, and I myself had a surprise encounter there with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on 17 November 2021, when I paid homage to our late-President and the heroes of the Velvet Revolution.
When Elliot Berke and I talked about the anniversary couple of months ago, we had no idea we would soon be organising, in a typical Havel-like way, a ROCK CONCERT. Luckily, Elliot’s band “The DePlorables” was looking for an opportunity to celebrate their own (fifth) anniversary. What intended to be a cameo with a song or two for me, turned during the rehearsals into a full membership. I am so grateful to my bandmates for taking me on this alternative journey of transatlantic cultural diplomacy.
On Wednesday, we welcomed to the stage a very special guest, BUCK DHARMA. Havel was a big fan of Buck and his band Blue Oyster Cult. It was a real thrill to be playing and singing with a true Rock God on “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.”
Thank you to Václav Havel Library in Prague for advising us on Havel’s favorite artists and musicians, which made a great set list:
1. Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy)
2. Sweet Jane (Lou Reed)
3. Ballroom Blitz (Sweet)
4. Joe’s Garage (Frank Zappa)
5. Clampdown (The Clash)
6. Lawyers, Guns, & Money (Warren Zevon)
7. Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones)
8. Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel / The Lemmonheads)
9. Don’t Fear the Reaper (with Buck Dharma - Blue Öyster Cult)
10. Godzilla (Snippet - with Buck Dharma)
11. Children of the Revolution (The Scorpions)
12. Rocking in the Free World (Neil Young)
During Rockin’ in the Free World, I proudly carried the flag of Ukraine - rock’n’roll and the Western culture stood as symbols of freedom and democracy during Cold War and helped free my country from oppression.
A huge thanks to:
- Pavel Stastny for co-designing the event poster with me.
- American Friends of the Czech Republic (Roger Kodat, Jan Smilek, Michel Malek Olson, Jordon Sims, Patricia Stack, Daryl Bohac, Jiri Maly and others) for their commitment and support.
- Tucker Ray for the videos.
- www.PhotoDanis.cz - Michal Daniš - for amazing pictures.
And above all - thanks to Vaclav Havel for inspiring us to live in truth and to approach life as the art of the possible.