Amina Claudine Myers

The legendary American jazz pianist, organist, vocalist, composer, and musical arranger Amina Claudine Myers will perform with her trio in Alterna club (48 Kounicova st.) on Sunday, March 20.

Managers of the club claim that this is going to be “the event of the spring”, at least for Alterna. Amina Claudine Myers has performed in Carnegie Hall and New Orleans, so the tickets are totally worth CZK 199/260. See her bio.

Old Brno at night, with University quarter at the horizon. Photo by Zdeněk Softič

It gets worse in June, July and August, when most of the young folks leave town; the same with January and February.

Most Czechs socialize in pubs. They usually meet their friends there, talk about the past week and only some of them are interested in meeting new people. If you want to find new friends, forget about pubs and go clubbing.

So where is all the fun?

Most clubs are located in the city centre or close to it – within a range of 3 tram stops.

• Fléda is considered to be a cultural centre of Brno, offering wide spectrum of concerts and parties, targeting on 18-30 y.o. audience with “good taste”.
• Mersey is one of the oldest clubs in Brno – I haven’t been there for 7 years and can’t judge it, but it’s still popular, so give it a try.
• TwoFaces has a small swimming pool next to the bar and I know about several girls who celebrated their 18th birthday there. Any further questions?
• Mandarin, Viva la Fiesta and Tabarin are clubs to go if you are suntanned & slim and want to ball a chick or a boy. The newer BMW you have, the better.
• Red Cat is a “gay and friendly” club. Some of my female friends like it because no one stares at them there.
• Desert is a cigarette-and-whoever-knows-what-else-smoke-filled den with urinals that whistle when you open your pants, but you know what? I like it.
• Alterna is halfway between being a pub and a club – it’s a friendly place where students meet durink week days. There are several jazz/kletzmer/rock concerts every month.

For a list of author’s favorite pubs, see the article “5 pubs and bars to visit during MotoGP weekend“.

Safety

The night life in Brno is, basically speaking, safe. If you get in a conflict with a drunk man (or woman), keep your head cold and try to leave. If you are new to the town, try to avoid quarters like Cejl after dark. Read more about the safety of women in Brno.
General security number in the Czech republic is 112.

About the law (don’t give policemen reason to end your party)

You can get alcohol if you are under 18 – at least according to the law, which is often being broken by bartenders.

Drinking on a street or in a park is not illegal, but this may change during 2009 — town council probably considers people drinking wine during their picnic evil and wants to fine them.

You should make no disturbing noise between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., no matter whether on a street or in a private apartment. Fines go up to dozens of euro.

Share your experience

If the list does not include your favorite club, tell us in comments — all the other readers are curious about your tips!

It is surprising, but even the French culture needs to be advertised. That is the purpose of the annual festival called Bonjour Brno (aka the French days or Francouzské dny), which is organised by the French Alliance and takes place between March 19 and April 10.

This year an important place is given to the French region Alsace, with an
exhibition of photographies (Printings of Alsace), typical dances, cinema
(Muetter film) and gastronomy (Alsace food specialities prepared by an
Alsatian chief and a tasting of Alsatian’s wines).

Elsa Montes (Chargée du Marketing et de la communication)

Some of the events make sense only for those who speak French or Czech, but Elsa Montes was so kind and made a list of those events where language does not really matter.

Concerts

Herbe folle

Thursday, March 19, 8.00 PM – Alterna Club

Pick of Brno Now – this group has so French sound that it makes the Cock au vin feel like a German food!

Zvětšit mapu

Rearz

Wednesday, March 24, 8.00 PM – Alterna Club

Iota and Tribeqa

Thursday, March 25, 8.00 PM – Fleda Club

Zvětšit mapu

Masaladosa

Wednesday, April 7, 8.00 PM – Alterna Club

Joakim

Friday, April 10, 9.00 PM – Fleda Club

Dances

Alsatian dances

Saturday, March 21, 6.00 PM – Umeleckoprumyslove Museum

Zvětšit mapu

Celtic danses

Monday, April 6, 6.00 PM – Umeleckoprumyslove Museum

Exhibitions

Alsace

from March 19 to April 30 – French Alliance

Henri Noubel

from March 10 to May 30 – Palác šlechtičen

Pick of Brno Now – an interesting collection of old scrapbooks and notepads.

Zvětšit mapu

Gastronomy

Week of the taste

from April 6 to April 12 – Restaurant La Bouchée

Pick of Brno Now – you have an unique chance to taste the best of the French cuisine right in Brno!

Zvětšit mapu

Opera

Juliette

Friday, March 27, 7.00 PM – Janackovo theatre

Zvětšit mapu

Petanque

Sunday, April 5, at 11.00 AM – Lužánky park

Pick of Brno Now – playing petanque on a Sunday afternoon is one of the best ways to say hello to spring (and to the French culture). What is more: the tournament will be followed by a pastis tasting!

Zvětšit mapu

Other events

If you are OK with Czech or French, browse the complete programme to find other interesting evens, like movies.

Where to buy the tickets

Tickets to most of these events can be bought right at the venues or in the hall of the Dům pánů z Lipé palace.

Zvětšit mapu

Background

The French Alliance of Brno organizes the Bonjour Brno festival since 1995.

The main objective of this non-profit Czech association is the broadcasting of the culture and the French language in Brno and in South Moravia.

The festival, which takes place under the patronage of the French Embassy in Czech Republic and the city of Brno, occupies a growing place in the cultural life of Brno and South of Moravia.

Every year, Bonjour Brno aims is to reach the widest public possible, without limitation of age, interests and education. In 2008, the festival gathered during a month 5 000 persons around 26 events which took place in 11 different places.

Source: Elsa Montes, Alliance française Brno