Půlnoc
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Milan Hlavsa, Josef Janíček, Jiří Kabeš |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Czech Republic |
| Products | Music albums |
Půlnoc (Czech for "midnight," pronounced "pull-knots") was a rock ensemble from the Czech Republic, established in 1988 by three former members of the Plastic People of the Universe: Milan Hlavsa on bass, Josef Janíček handling keyboards, and Jiří Kabeš playing violin and guitar. Hlavsa invited his sister-in-law, Michaela Němcová, to take on the role of lead vocalist. This group emerged following the Plastic People's encounters with governmental limitations on their touring and live performances.
During the spring of 1989, Půlnoc embarked on a tour across the United States, where they attracted considerable acclaim. Notably, critic Robert Christgau declared a bootleg recording of their New York City concert as the top album of 1989. Additionally, Steve Hochman described their San Francisco appearance as a dynamic fusion of heavy metal, art rock, operatic singing, and vigorous stage presence, which captivated both existing followers and new audiences alike.
The band reassembled in 2011 without Hlavsa and Kabeš and continued to perform consistently over the subsequent decade. Their concluding tour consisted of eight shows held in April and May 2022, culminating on 13 May in Jihlava.
Discography
- Pulnoc (Globus International, 1990)
- City of Hysteria (Arista Records, 1991)