Review: Pardon To Tu

Back and better than before, the legendary Pardon To Tu reopen for business…

What You Missed
Pardon To Tu: remember them? Regarded as one of Warsaw’s most experimental live music venues, its closure at the start of 2017 was a kick in the crackers for the city’s alternative ‘night people’. As wrote our resident music man, it was a place in which “evenings get lost in a heady swirl of innovative sounds, with the foggy atmosphere given a helping hand by an unorthodox audience that gels together into one vibrant mass.”

But having seen the original venue on Pl. Grzybowski bulldozed as part of the area’s relentless redevelopment, the feeling among their fanbase was one of ‘game over’. Not so fast. Having appeared in pop-up form the last two summers, the management have finally found a permanent venue to call home. 

What’s Changed
If the old PTT looked rebel and renegade and a little scruffy around the seams, then the new version is definitely more sanitized: squelchy, scuzzy toilets? No chance. Set inside a corner unit of the PWC office building, it’s a place that feels well-armed for the requirements of modern Warsaw. And there’s the size: woah! In terms of footprint, it’s not all that much larger, but the sense of scale is distorted by a ceiling that reaches to the heavens – for prime viewing, use the spiral stairs to gain a bird’s eye perspective from the mezzanine level.

What’s Not
The vibe. Fears that PTT may have ‘gentrified’ pass immediately. The spirit, the soul, and all the elements that made it magic remain much the same: and so too to do other things – there’s the Wall of Glory, namechecking all the obscure bands through which they channel their message; the rich, decadent colors; and the strings of light bulbs that illuminate the patio; and, for better or worse, the piano has made it from storage, ready to be tinkled by musical guests.

What To Drink
Cider and pilsner on tap, and a fridge full of the latest, edgy beers from Poland’s artisan breweries. As an added bonus, those that remember the malfunctioning fridge of yore will be pleased to hear that the new one actually does what it’s meant to do. Food-wise, the focaccia rocks!

What We Think
By their very nature, sequels are more miss than hit. Not in this case. An upgrade on the original, PTT adds an extra layer of depth to Warsaw’s social scene with its flexi hours, maverick music policy and air of unforced cool. Once the gig diary fills up over the coming months, that sense of something special will only get stronger.

Pardon To Tu
Al. Armii Ludowej 14, pardontotu.pl

(Words: Alex Webber | Photos: Ed Wight)