«Качели-Качели» is a Ukrainian rock band from Odesa, formed in the autumn of 2001. The core lineup consisted of Vitaliy Doroshenko — vocals, bass guitar; Viktor Plakhtiy — guitar; and Oleksandr Ponomaryov — drums. In the later period, violinist Yana Luzman joined the group.
The musicians performed their own material and described their style as European pop-rock, often using their own shortened term «Europoprock». Their sound was based on melodic guitar songs, a live rhythm section and predominantly lyrical texts. British rock culture played a noticeable role in the group’s musical and visual references: the members themselves spoke of their love for English music of the 1970s and 1980s and cited The Beatles and The Rolling Stones among their aesthetic influences.
The most active period of «Качели-Качели» came in 2003–2006. During these years, the band became a visible part of the Odesa music scene, began performing regularly in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, filmed several music videos, recorded a collaborative album with Georgiy Deliev and released its own album «Варенье».
Beginnings of the band
The group was originally called «Качели». It was later discovered that a band with the same name already existed in Saint Petersburg. Georgiy Deliev suggested keeping the chosen name but adding a second «Качели» after a hyphen. This is how the final name, «Качели-Качели», appeared.
Before the group was formed, its members had already been involved in music independently and had played in other projects. The new lineup was built around the classic rock-trio format: guitar, bass and drums. From the outset, the band focused on original songs and live performance.
The first known performance by «Качели-Качели» took place in November 2002 at the Odesa club «Чили». In January 2003, the band recorded a five-track demo album.
The active phase began in 2003. In June, the group recorded the single «Что-то не так», and a music video was filmed in September. This song became the first release to noticeably expand the band’s audience in Odesa.
In November, «Качели-Качели» took part in the «Пикейные жилеты» festival at the club «Нирвана». In February and March 2004, the band performed regularly at the Odesa club «От заката до рассвета», played in Illichivsk, and in March recorded the single «Все мои друзья».
Live sound
One of the band’s principles was live concert performance. In its own announcements, the phrase «Live sound» gradually became almost part of the group’s signature identity.
Their attitude toward playback was definitively shaped after one performance during Odesa City Day. At the large multi-artist concert, the organizers used pre-recorded backing tracks to simplify the work of the technical team. During the performance, Vitaliy Doroshenko fell off the stage, while the recording continued playing. After that incident, the group decided never again to perform to a full backing track.
Another unusual situation occurred in December 2004. Oleksandr Ponomaryov underwent surgery to remove his appendix, so the drummer was temporarily unable to perform. To avoid cancelling a scheduled concert, Viktor Mikhailenko, later known as Victor PROG, prepared a rhythm fragment from one of the group’s songs to replace the drum part during the show. The vocals, bass and guitar were performed live.
«Мана-Мана» and Georgiy Deliev
An important role in the band’s development was played by the art-cafe «Рестор Мана-Мана» at the Odesa «Дом клоунов» on Olhiivska Street. From June 2004, «Качели-Качели» performed there regularly.
It was during this period that the creative collaboration with Georgiy Deliev became stronger. The young group proposed performing at the «Мана-Мана» venue, and later the idea emerged to record material together. Beginning with individual songs, the musicians gradually developed the collaboration into a separate concert project.
At the same time, «Качели-Качели» continued to exist as an independent band with its own repertoire and stage program.
«Все мои друзья»
Recorded in March 2004, «Все мои друзья» became one of the more notable works of the band’s early period. A music video was later made for the song.
Viktor Mikhailenko, then known as DJ Rem-x, also appeared in the video. He played a psychiatric hospital patient who was an artist. Mikhailenko was closely connected with the group’s circle: he worked in information technology, DJing and the technical side of the band’s internet projects.
The video for «Все мои друзья» later received an updated version and was presented to the public again in 2006.
Official website
The official website kacheli.com appeared in 2004. For a music group in the mid-2000s, it effectively performed the role that social networks would later assume: it published news, music, photographs, concert listings and project information, and included a guestbook and forum.
The website was developed and maintained by Viktor Mikhailenko — DJ Rem-x, later Victor PROG.
The site became one of the group’s main information channels, and today its archive remains an important source for reconstructing the band’s concert and creative chronology.
Viktor Plakhtiy, Viktor Mikhailenko (Victor PROG), Oleksandr Ponomaryov — «Мана-Мана», 2004.
Concerts and growing recognition
By 2004–2005, the geography of «Качели-Качели» performances had expanded considerably. In addition to Odesa, the band played in Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, Kotovsk and Kyiv.
On May 19, 2005, the group took part in a long-running music marathon at Kyiv club «44». During the summer, the band performed at the capital’s «Докер паб» and «Дакота», as well as at the «Сергеевские зори» festival.
At the same time, concerts continued in Odesa at «Мана-Мана», «Нирвана», Palladium, BondyBoo and other clubs. Gradually, «Качели-Качели» began operating between Odesa and Kyiv.
«Хулиган с большой буквы Х»
In 2005, the band’s collaboration with Georgiy Deliev developed into a full project under the name Georgiy Deliev feat. «Качели-Качели».
The material was recorded in Odesa at PanSound studio. Musically, it differed noticeably from the band’s own European pop-rock: punk, rock’n’roll, hard rock, ska and rap were mixed with Deliev’s theatrical performance style.
In September 2005, the album «Хулиган с большой буквы Х» was released. It contained sixteen tracks, including «Хулиган с большой буквы Х», «Я хочу, она не хочет», «Облака», «Все мои друзья», «Я плохой», «Дом», «Мне нужна любовь», «Что-то не так», «Красивые картинки» and «Радио Ла-Ла».
The album was presented in Kyiv and Odesa. In the autumn, the project also performed at the Palace «Украина».
The collaboration with Deliev broadened the audience of «Качели-Качели» and brought the musicians to larger venues, while the group continued preparing its own material in parallel.
«Варенье»
The main independent studio work of «Качели-Качели» was the album «Варенье».
During the recording, the musicians tried to preserve the feeling of a live band. Guitar, bass, drums and percussion formed the foundation. The members themselves described «Варенье» as their most «honest» album.
Producing the record became a serious financial challenge. The band took out a bank loan to record and manufacture the CD. The budget was limited, so savings had to be made at almost every stage. The members continued repaying the loan even after the group broke up.
The album cover was designed by Viktor Mikhailenko — Victor PROG. However, another name was credited as the designer in the production details of the commercial CD; this was connected with an arrangement that allowed the band to receive a discount on manufacturing the pressing.
On April 22, 2006, the Odesa club Captain Morgan hosted the presentation of «Варенье», with Georgiy Deliev appearing as a special guest. The album was later presented in Kyiv as well.
The record was released by Moon Records under catalog number MR 1643-2.
The album included:
- «Идиот»
- «Трамвайчик»
- «Варигатесса»
- «Планеты»
- «Два капитана»
- «Слоновые позы»
- «Просто цветы»
- «Две подружки»
- «Голубое платье»
- «Варенье»
- «Красивые картинки»
- «Радио Ла-Ла»
Although the album was later sometimes classified as post-punk or indie rock, the musicians themselves continued to describe their style as European pop-rock.
«Идиот»
One of the most notable songs on «Варенье» was «Идиот», also known as «Меня никто не любит».
A music video was made for the song. It was directed by Anastasia Maleeva, while the leading role was played by «Дом клоунов» actor Volodymyr Zahorodniuk. Part of the filming took place on the grounds of School No. 38 in Odesa.
In the story, the main character tries to get into a concert by his favorite band, portrayed on screen by «Качели-Качели» themselves.
The song is also connected with one of the band’s internal stories: during a presentation at the Odesa club «Дикий Z», the musicians dedicated «Идиот» to Viktor Mikhailenko — Victor PROG.
Yana Luzman
In 2006, the lineup of «Качели-Качели» expanded when violinist Yana Luzman joined the musicians.
She had begun working with the group even before being officially introduced to the public and took part in recording «Варенье». The violin added new shades to the band’s sound, which by that time was experimenting increasingly freely beyond the classic rock-trio format.
«Твій Формат» and television
In 2006, «Качели-Качели» and Georgiy Deliev appeared together on the music program «Твій Формат» on the M1 television channel.
For the group, this was an important performance in principle because the concert used live sound. Appearing on one of Ukraine’s major music television channels of the period strengthened the band’s transition from regional recognition in Odesa to a broader audience.
By this time, «Качели-Качели» were effectively living between Odesa and Kyiv, performing regularly in both cities.
Festival of Honest Music
On January 5, 2006, the group organized its own Festival of Honest Music — Ф.Ч.М.
The first festival took place at the Odesa Rock'n'Roll Cafe «Золотой Дюк». Alongside «Качели-Качели», the lineup included «Про-Вода», Gagarin's, «Шпинат», C.Ville and СВД.
The festival concept was not limited to a single style. The organizers focused on live music and a free choice of participants. Plans for the project included Odesa, Kyiv and Moscow.
«Honest music» did not mean rejecting electronic music. On the contrary, «Качели-Качели» experimented with combining live instruments and DJ sets. Concerts featured unusual musical «battles» between DJs and the live band, during which the group’s songs received new arrangements.
TricheLL
«Качели-Качели» also had a charitable project called TricheLL — help for children.
The band stated that it donated the income from every fifth concert to orphanages. Its charitable activity was also connected with individual Festival of Honest Music events.
Final period
By the summer of 2006, the band had reached the most visible phase of its career. «Варенье» had already been released, the group was performing regularly in Kyiv, appearing on television and continuing its collaboration with Georgiy Deliev.
On June 16, 2006, the musicians announced their intention to concentrate their main activities in Kyiv. This did not mean a complete break with Odesa: by that time, «Качели-Качели» had effectively been working between the two cities for around two years.
At the same press conference, Yana Luzman was officially introduced, the video for «Идиот» was shown, along with a new version of «Все мои друзья».
Despite further plans, a split within the group followed soon afterward.
Breakup
By the end of 2006, the classic lineup of «Качели-Качели» had ceased to exist.
After the breakup, two separate directions emerged.
Viktor Plakhtiy and Oleksandr Ponomaryov continued working with Georgiy Deliev in a new group called «Мастер-класс». Pavel Hryhoriev became the band’s bass guitarist.
The other branch continued under the name «Качели повзрослели» and was directly associated with Vitaliy Doroshenko.
«Качели повзрослели»
«Качели повзрослели» retained continuity with the original group but gradually developed into an independent project with a changed lineup.
The band continued performing after the breakup of «Качели-Качели». In 2010, Vitaliy Doroshenko played bass in «Качели повзрослели», while the vocal parts were performed by Margarita Malashkova.
Thus, the history of the original group effectively split into two branches: «Мастер-класс» continued the collaboration between some of the musicians and Georgiy Deliev, while «Качели повзрослели» preserved the line associated with Vitaliy Doroshenko.
Band members
- Vitaliy Doroshenko — vocals, bass guitar
- Viktor Plakhtiy — guitar
- Oleksandr Ponomaryov — drums
- Yana Luzman — violin, later period
Discography
- 2003 — demo album (five tracks)
- 2005 — Georgiy Deliev feat. «Качели-Качели» — «Хулиган с большой буквы Х»
- 2006 — «Варенье» (Moon Records, MR 1643-2)
Videography
- «Что-то не так» — 2003
- «Все мои друзья»
- «Идиот» / «Меня никто не любит» — 2006
Significance
«Качели-Качели» were a noticeable part of Odesa’s independent music scene in the first half of the 2000s. Their story began in small clubs with original songs and demo recordings, then expanded into touring, television appearances, album releases and collaboration with one of Odesa’s most recognizable artists of the period, Georgiy Deliev.
At the same time, the group retained its own musical identity. «Что-то не так» brought the band its first broader recognition in Odesa, while «Варенье» became its main independent release — an album created almost entirely at the musicians’ own financial risk.
The concert culture of «Качели-Качели» was equally important. The band consistently preferred live performance, organized its own Festival of Honest Music, experimented with DJ culture, rap and unconventional instruments, while preserving a melodic foundation.
The classic lineup existed for a relatively short time but managed to build a recognizable image and its own audience. Among the many genre labels applied to the group — Britpop, indie rock, post-punk and pop-rock — the most natural description for «Качели-Качели» remained the term coined by the musicians themselves: «Europoprock».
