The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Rumen Sali Shopov Birthday Celebration
Édessa (11:30 pm)
Taksim Big Band (10 pm)
Balkan Ensemble Meraklii (8:30 pm)
Balkanton 340 (8 pm)
Saturday, July 18
Show at 8 pm; Doors open at 7 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck St, Berkeley, CA
All ages before 10 pm. 21+ after 10 pm.
Tickets:
$20 general/$15 students
Join
Facebook Event
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Rumen “Sali” Shopov is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and director of Balkan Ensemble Merkalii. Raised in the vibrant Turkish/Muslim/Romani neighborhood of Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria, he was immersed
in Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Turkish, Serbian, and Romani music, and also served as concertmaster of the Bulgarian folk ensemble Nevrokop. Since emigrating to the US in 2001, he has performed and taught in numerous Bay Area venues as well as international
music camps and has received support from ACTA and the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission.We will feature a showcase of groups that Rumen has performed with:
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Édessa is a Bay Area-based acoustic ensemble renowned for playing traditional and highly ornamented folk music from the Balkans and beyond. Édessa explores a deep repertoire of border
music—a fusion of styles born from intersecting cultures, shifting borders, and traveling musicians across Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia.
Édessa was active as one of the Bay Area's most popular Balkan folk dance band for nearly two decades. In recent years, the band has retired from performing--however they will come together for a short one-off reunion performance at this bacchanal to close
out the night!
Watch video.
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Taksim Big Band is a traditional Turkish music orchestra led by Ümit Yılmaz and İlker Çapoğlu. We are excited to add them to the bill for their first performance at the bacchanal!
Visit band page.
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Opening sets (8-10 pm)
Bay Area-based Balkan Ensemble Merkalii & Rumen Sali Shopov pick you up and spin you around with their energetic Balkan and Romani dance tunes.
Visit Band Page.
Balkanton 340 with Hector Bezanis on gaida, joined by Ivan Velev on tapan and kaval.
Watch Video.
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Save the dates for more upcoming bacchanals at the Starry Plough:
August 15: Orkestar Seyir + Jesse Stremski & Lucas Roemer-Cominos
September 19: TBA
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Copyright © 2026 Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal, All rights reserved.
For Fans of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough
Our mailing address is:
Voice of Roma
PO Box 514
Sebastopol, CA 95473
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