WOŚP Wrocław 2015: Market Square concerts, volunteers’ energy and residents’ commitment

As every year, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity will play exceptionally loudly in Wrocław! The volunteers’ hard work and ingenuity, and the generosity of the city’s residents, are legendary. The Orchestra’s Grand Finale in Wrocław’s Market Square is a never-ending celebration, promising plenty of emotion and fun. The programme remains shrouded in a little mystery, but we can already reveal that Lipali will be among the final concert’s stars! Uncompromising music will ring out for an uncompromising cause.

On 11 January 2015, more than 120,000 Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity volunteers will take to the streets of cities in Poland and abroad for the twenty-third time, raising money to purchase medical equipment for Polish hospitals. Thanks to donors’ generosity, the WOŚP Foundation has bought thousands of devices worth more than PLN 590 million over its years of activity. “This year, we have decided to focus once again on paediatric and oncology wards, to maintain the high standards of medical care established partly through WOŚP’s earlier purchases. Naturally, we are not forgetting older people. For the third time, we are turning our attention to geriatrics so that elderly patients can also recover in dignified conditions,” says Jurek Owsiak.

Leader Tomek “Lipa” Lipnicki passed through several well-known groups, including SHE and Skawalker, but his career truly began with Illusion’s formation in 1992. Only Hey achieved comparable success in the 1990s, but Illusion had an army of unconditionally devoted fans. Lipnicki pulled Polish hard rock out of its grey, algae-covered puddle, bringing it into a new era through guitar riffs and unmistakable vocals. The band resisted the temptation to coast on past success and suspended activity after their fifth album and a farewell concert in 1999.

Musically hungry, Lipa released solo “Li-pa-li” in spring 2000 with guests including Tymon Tymański. Its music was trance-like, slightly psychedelic and sometimes almost jazzy. It remained a one-off departure. Bassist Adrian “Qlos” Kulik and drummer Łukasz “Luk” Jeleniewski joined Tomek in 2003. Lipali’s first album, “Pi”, followed a year later, returning to roots with firmly rock-oriented material respectful of the genre’s classics.

The 2007 album “Bloo” featured surprising guests, Leszek Możdżer and hip-hop group Afront, who nevertheless blended easily into the band’s raw aesthetic. Lipali’s third album, “Trio”, appeared in 2009, with intensive touring across Poland and the year ending with Eska Rock Tour. In 2011, they surprised audiences again with the acoustic DVD “Akustyk Live”. Recorded at Teatr Palladium, the material premiered on 21 June 2011 and was warmly received.

Fans waited over three years after “Trio” for a regular release. It was worth it! After many evenings creating material and hours recording instrumental tracks and vocals, the long-awaited record finally emerged. Its 11 new songs received the mysterious title “3850”. The band evolved while preserving everything defining their character: rock’s edge and Lipa’s uncompromising lyrics. “Najgroźniejsze zwierzę świata” became the official song of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity’s 21st Finale.

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