Prljavci Set Split's Riva Ablaze: Torch Display, Leap into the Crowd
Thousands gathered for the Prljavo Kazalište concert, the highlight of the two-day celebration of Victory Day and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm.
Thousands gathered for the Prljavo Kazalište concert, the highlight of the two-day celebration of Victory Day and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm.
Split's Riva was the epicenter of the most massive and emotional celebration of Victory and Homeland Gratitude Day last night. Thousands of Split residents and tourists gathered for the concert of the legendary band Prljavo Kazalište, which was the pinnacle of the two-day program organized by the City of Split to mark the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation Storm.
The official program began a day earlier, on August 4, 2026, with a ceremonial parade of veterans and a concert by the Revijski Orchestra. However, the real rock euphoria followed on Wednesday, August 5, when Mladen Bodalec, Jasenko Houra, and the rest of the band took the stage at exactly 9:30 PM. From the early evening hours, crowds streamed toward the Riva, and as Slobodna Dalmacija reports, the city center was packed to the brim, with many tourists immediately reaching for their phones to capture the extraordinary atmosphere.
The indestructible Prljavci took the audience on a journey through decades of their hits. The song "Lupi petama" sparked a spectacular torch display on the Riva, and a particularly emotional moment occurred during the performance of "Pisma ljubavna," when singer Mladen Bodalec descended into the crowd and sang along with them. Throughout the evening, classics like "Ruža Hrvatska," "Marina," and "Heroj ulice" followed, with the shore echoing the voices of thousands singing every lyric in unison.
For the very end of the concert, the band saved the song "Uzalud vam trud, svirači." After the raucous night, Jasenko Houra delivered a touching message to the audience. "Now, after the concert, we will all go our separate ways, in peace, and so, let's take care of each other," Houra said from the stage, rounding off an evening that will be remembered for a long time. The atmosphere of the concert was also captured by photographer Zvonimir Barišić (PIXSELL).
