The Garáže venue is located to the right side above the Prístavný Most bridge. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
Hidden in the dark on the outskirts of Bratislava, it takes about 15 minutes from the nearest bus stops of Plynárenská and Prístav to reach the Garáže (Garages) venue. The place is located in the garage zone on Prístavná Street.
Apart from a filling station and billboards, there is nothing around. Well, except for the music from rehearsal rooms in the garages and concerts that have taken place here.
In the mid-1990s, an alternative underground community managed to take root in this neglected location under Prístavný Most bridge. The community still thrives here, united by music. By doing everything themselves, its members turned the disadvantages of the secluded place upside down.
It is the longest running project of this kind in Bratislava.
Flats should replace the 'rotten place'
About 800 concerts have been presented at this site, and over time the opportunity to play in this place has become a matter of prestige. "But other than that, there is nothing interesting about Garáže," says Michal Kralovič about the venue, who had a rehearsal room and organised concerts here.
"It's still a rotten, dark place behind the road, surrounded by a pile of rubbish as always. But it did not stop all those bands from coming here anyway. Everyone knew they were going to get what they were promised - a concert venue, food and some money for gasoline collected from those who came. We operate outside clubs, managers, contracts and pre-contracts. Places of this type are found everywhere else in the world," he adds.
However, this is about to change, as the location has long been eyed by developers, as it has the potential to allow the expansion of the downtown area, already started by the Eurovea project.
