Brave Combo Wows 'Em At The Springs
by Steve Litwin

It's the Polka Fireworks festival but to those on the inside it's known as "The Springs" and easily the mecca of Polish polka festivals. At this multi-thousand acre resort in south-eastern Pennsylvania you'll hear Blazonczyk's Versatones, John Gora & Gorale, Polka Family, The Dynatones, Crusade, Liska & The Brass Connection, Ray Jay & the Carousels and Brave Combo.

Sandwiched on stage between the Polish polka powerhouses, TBC (The Brass Connection) and Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones, Brave Combo had to be a bit anxious and Carl Finch related comments to this to the crowd. The crowd, diehard Polish polka fans, may have been even more anxious however but it almost instantly became a "polka love fest" between the audience and the band as the dance floor was gobbled up with "standees," watching and relating to Brave Combo.

Combo hit the jammed hall with tunes they would recognize, songs by Oberaitis, the Treltones, the Versatones and Louie. They didn't stray from their musical approach, yet bridged a gap which drew these hard-line Polish polka fans into the fold of polkas, Brave Combo style.

During breaks Finch and Hernandez shared an enthusiasm and excitement > that took us back to the glory days of polkas with discussions of Scrubby, the Dynatones, Broadway Grill, Happy Louie and Lush. There is no doubt that Brave Combo has connected to mainstream polkas and there is no doubt that mainstream polkas has connected with Brave Combo.

Reprinted with the permission of Steve Litwin