MO Museum (Pylimo st. 17, Vilnius)

On October 17 at 17.00, a discussion entitled Visa ko pradžia – pravertas Langas (Everything Began with an Open Window) invites witnesses of the legendary music club Langas (Window) evenings and anyone interested in the origins of Lithuanian club culture to meet Langas (Window) creators Petras Ubartas (Sniegius), Dalius Abaris, Saulius Pilinkus, and others.

The Langas (Window) club began its activities in the fall of 1992 in Vilnius, at 8 Ašmenos Street, when Petras Ubartas-Sniegius, composer and artistic director of the band Antis, organized an unusual music evening for young bands in the hall of abandoned Sport House. 

Borrowing the name from a nearby gallery Lakštingala negali nečiulbėti (The nightingale cannot help but sing) and adopting it as its slogan, the club’s enthusiasts quickly attracted attention – Langas (Window) became a favourite gathering place for famous artists, musicians, and show business representatives. The club featured jazz (on Thursdays), rock, country, and blues. Dalius Naujokaitis, Liudas Mockūnas, Vytautas Labutis, Neda Malūnavičiūtė, Skirmantas Sasnauskas, Valerijus Ramoška, Gediminas Laurinavičius, Linas Būda and the late Vladas Slavinskas enjoyed performing here.

In the first years of independence, there was a shortage of bread and washing powder, but there was no shortage of desire to build a new state with everything that had been lacking until then, everything we had longed for and that represented a breath of freedom. In these circumstances, a cult entertainment and cultural venue appeared in Vilnius – the Langas (Window) gallery and club. Langas (Window) remained at the top of the popularity ratings for a good seven years and left a lasting impression on its visitors.

“It was an island of creative freedom, bringing together different arts and inspiring artists to engage in interdisciplinary creativity. Its spirit reminds me of the Vilnius Jazz festival,” said Antanas Gustys, producer of Vilnius Jazz and initiator of the evening.