Altın Gün Live in Skopje: A Folk-Psych Celebration
Groove and heritage under one roof
Band: Altın Gün
Venue: MKC Youth Center
Location: Skopje, Macedonia
Date: May 31, 2025
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Some concerts sweep you off your feet with volume or spectacle. Altın Gün’s show did something more difficult: it transported. With a simple yet effective stage design featuring a golden backdrop and dynamic lighting, Altın Gün delivered a focused and engaging performance at the MKC Youth Center in Skopje. The Amsterdam-based group, whose name translates to "Golden Day" in Turkish, blends traditional Turkish folk music with vintage Anatolian rock, psychedelic funk, cosmic synth textures, and hypnotic grooves. Their sound is a reimagining of Turkish folk songs drenched in analog warmth and driven by a rhythm section that feels both ancient and utterly modern.
This was my first time seeing them live. When the band took the stage, the crowd erupted—not in a frenzy, but with the kind of appreciation that comes from people who know they’re in for something special. It was evident that the connection between the musicians was tight, and the groove was going to be the central focus.
The rhythm section, anchored by bassist Jasper Verhulst and drummer Daniel Smienk, laid down steady, looping foundations. On top of that, Erdinç Ecevit’s keys and saz added colour, texture, and Eastern inflection. The electric saz, fed through fuzz and delay, gave the music its signature blend of roots and dreamscape, something familiar yet faraway.
Since Merve Daşdemir, the band's vocalist, quit the band, the vocal duties were held entirely by Erdinç Ecevit Yıldız, whose voice carried the performance with both strength and warmth. His delivery was expressive, deeply rooted in the Turkish folk tradition, yet imbued with a modern flair that matched the band’s rich, psych-folk sonic palette.
The night opened with “Neredesin Sen,” immediately establishing a hypnotic, sinuous groove. From the first notes, it was clear: this was not a nostalgia trip but a living reinterpretation of Anatolian rock filtered through the band’s signature analog synths, rubbery basslines, and gritty funk.
“Niğde Bağları” and “Vay Dünya” followed quickly, bringing the unmistakable saz twang to the forefront. These songs leaned more toward the traditional, but were filtered through Altın Gün’s rhythmic synth textures and groovy basslines. You could feel the pulse of the crowd syncing with the beat, especially during “Vay Dünya,” which drew cheers as soon as the opening beat dropped.
“Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze” was another standout moment of the evening. A hauntingly beautiful tune, it shimmered with layered instrumentation and a dreamy sense of nostalgia. It's these moments where the band’s ability to blend the old and the new shines most brightly. At one point, “Leylim Ley” transformed the atmosphere into something almost devotional, with expats in the crowd quietly singing every word. It was evident that these songs carry a deep cultural weight—and yet, through Altın Gün’s lens, they also feel welcoming to everyone.
Live, Altın Gün emphasize rhythm and propulsion. The band’s playful side came through in “Bir Sigara İç Oğlan” and the disco-flecked “Süpürgesi Yoncadan,” which had the crowd crouching down at the band’s request only to leap back up in a joyful burst of movement. These lighter moments were balanced with more intense ones like “Caney” and “Gönül Dağı,” where synths and guitars danced around each other, building thick, textured soundscapes that still left space for the emotion of the songs to come through.
As the concert progressed, the atmosphere in the room shifted from curiosity to one of communal joy. No one needed to know the lyrics to feel swept up by the sound. The language barrier evaporated under the weight of rhythm and melody. The band didn’t put on a show in the theatrical sense with heavy stagecraft. What they offered is a connection between past and present, between cultures, and between people in a room. Their music is celebratory, but it doesn’t demand attention through volume or spectacle. It invites you in. And that’s exactly what they did at MKC Youth Center.
Their encores, “Halkalı Şeker” and “Yali Yali,” brought the night full circle: a celebration of both joy and sorrow, rendered through the kinetic language of movement and melody. By then, it didn’t feel like the band had played at us, but with us — their energy bouncing off the walls, cycling through the crowd, returning amplified and transformed.
By the time they played their last songs to close the night, the MKC felt more like a steamy Istanbul club than a youth center in Skopje. The band’s music showed that tradition is not a museum piece. It's a living, mutable force — and under the right hands, a party. Altin Gün is an immensely entertaining and engaging act to watch, and well worth giving your evening to.
Photo Credit: Martin Georgievski