Twenty years of playing music on the street

By building an image of serious street musicians who live with their music and city every day, the Kraljevi Ulice won the hearts of their fellow citizens long ago. Throughout their 20 year-long careers playing on the streets, they have successfully saved from oblivion the many forgotten songs of old Zagreb and evergreens composed a long time ago.

With their repertoire of old town songs, Zagreb evergreens and chansons, the popular Kraljevi Ulice celebrated their 20 year careers as street performers with a gala concert in Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall. They are not only musicians that you can meet in the main square from time to time, but another landmark of the city of Zagreb. With their musical sounds they evoke memories in their fellow citizens, and at the same time they are a tourist attraction. Every minute of every day, be it summer or winter, they live with their music and their city. Their image of serious street musicians has been built on a repertoire of old Zagreb songs and evergreens.      

The group was formed in 1987 by Miran Hadži – Veljković (viola and vocals) and Zlatko Petrović (guitar and vocals). The members that have joined the Kraljevi Ulice include musicians Ladislav Demeterfy (harmonica) and Zoran Lovrić (bass and vocals). Throughout the 20 years that they have spent on the streets, the Kraljevi Ulice have never given in to new trends; their decision was rather to remain faithful to their own musical expressions, and they have  even recorded 15 albums and gained success by preserving many forgotten old songs. However, the successful duo has not stopped at music. The Kraljevi Ulice have also established and organized five street events; including the largest street festival in Croatia, Cest is d'best, which brings together a great number of street entertainers and performers from many countries. Their other brainchildren are Strossmartre, St. Martin’s Day festivities in Zagreb, St. Mark’s Fair and Promenade Concerts on Zrinjevac.