Bunkr Parukářka

Written by Geoff Tyson 
for Expats.cz

The Czech Underground Art Culture 

Bunkr Parukářka
Climbing & Music Club
Žižkov, Praha 3
www.parukarka.cz

The Bunkr is built in Žižkov which was originally a district and community designed and built for the worker class. It has the highest concentration of clubs and pubs in Prague and is still relatively untouched by the Western gentrification occurring around Prague. Since the rents are low, Žižkov has attracted many artists and musicians and it has become an artistic Mecca of the under-culture in Prague. It is in this spirit that the Bunkr Parukářka was created.
 
To get there, go to the Olšanské náměstí station in Prague 3, close to Flóra. You can get there by trams 5, 9 or 26 or by bus 136 (a bus from Florenc or Flóra metro). From the Olšanské náměstí station, walk over the main crossroad which leads you down the hill to Žižkov. Walk up the park hill on the right side and take the bridge and the stairs. Between two staircases, there is a little square with a graffiti wall and the entrance to the Bunkr. The entrance fee is usually 50 CZK.

Geoff: How did you happen to turn this bomb shelter into a music club?

Miki: First I had a club up the hill from here. But there was tremendous pressure from the Prague 3 city government to shut it down. There was a massive community effort on my behalf where 5000 people signed a petition to keep the club alive but I was still forced out. I moved it down the hill into the shelter but the battle with the government continues. They have been trying to close me down since I have been in business and so far, we have been able to keep them off of our backs.

Geoff: So it is really a classic battle between the artists and the politicians

Miki: Yes! They see only money. They do not care about art.  They have put tremendous financial pressure on me to try to bully me out.

Geoff: What kind of music do you have here?

Miki: We have everything from live rock bands, to acoustic folk to jazz-fusion to new wave to cutting edge DJs from all over the world.

Geoff: It reminds me of the underground music scene in San Francisco in the 1980´s. It was a sub-culture of people doing music for the sake of art and community. It touched the people so dramatically because it was a movement of the people. The DJ´s I heard tonight were so fresh, new and avante garde. They were not concerned with the status quo and so they were not afraid to take chances. They weren´t concerned with entertaining a stag party full of drunken American college students so no one was playing any pop music. I heard some truly innovative things tonight that I have never heard in any dance club anywhere.

Miki: Yes, the 21st century in the Czech Republic is like California in the 1980´s (laughs). And then next week we might have an acoustic folk artist, or a Ramones cover band. We´re all over the map here.

Geoff: That´s what makes this battle so significant. Your club is a labor of love and passion, at war with the special interest of government.

Miki: And we´ve been going since 1987. And then on November 17, 1989, there was the Revolution. We were born from the same spirit and continue to operate to this day. 

Geoff: So you have a big anniversary coming up! Do you have an event planned?

Miki: We have several! November 1st is the grand opening evening of the climbing wall. The evening will be a huge event and the proceeds will be donated to a charity for a local girl who is handicapped and needs hospital care.

Many other events are listed on our website.

Geoff: Power to the people and to Miki and the Bunkr Parukářka!