On Friday, May 9th, 2026, an unforgettable evening with Dejan Cukić took place at Kaapelitehtaan Kahvibaari in Helsinki, organized by our association. Before the concert began, the members of the association’s new board, elected last month, introduced themselves to the audience. The board invited all interested members to join in organizing future events or to share their ideas. They also reminded everyone that the association is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and announced a special celebration to mark the occasion.
After the introductory part, Dejan Cukić came on stage and began his performance. Dejan has always been known for his inexhaustible energy, and the atmosphere in the bar quickly heated up – his songs followed one after another, along with some well-known Yugoslav hits (Bajaga, Indexi, Smak). Between songs, Dejan shared interesting stories about how the songs were created.
A surprise guest – a friend from the first band
At one point in the evening, a photograph from 1976 appeared on the screen above the stage, and Dejan explained that it showed a performance of his first band, called Dizel. He then introduced the audience to a surprise guest – his longtime friend Bratislav Tošković, with whom he played in that band exactly 50 years ago. Bratislav has lived in Finland since 1988, where he has built a successful career as an architect. Their reunion on stage was emotional and heartfelt. They performed several songs together, including the very one they played back in 1976: “All Right Now.” Dejan said that after that 1976 performance, he realized that music was what he wanted to do, and that the event essentially shaped the course of his life. Their full performance can be seen in this video (filmed by Tiina Tošković).
Another surprise – backing vocals from Espoo
Another surprise followed, this time completely unexpected even for Dejan himself. Dušica Grbatinić, a music teacher from Espoo, came on stage and joined Cukić as a backing vocalist for several songs. Dejan, delighted by her contribution, later invited her back on stage to join him again and enrich the performance.
Two hours of top‑class performance
Dejan performed at full intensity for two hours, with great energy and strong interaction with the audience. His original songs followed one after another, along with beloved Yugoslav hits that everyone enjoys singing. The stories between songs, the humor, and the closeness with the audience made everyone feel like part of one big, warm community.
The community of friends of the Serbian-Finnish Association gathered in large numbers, and the atmosphere was warm and friendly. People talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other’s company. It was an evening full of love, friendship, and nostalgia that we will remember for a long time. At the end of the evening, the audience asked the association to continue organizing events like this.
Thank you to everyone who came and made this evening special, and to all the performers who created an unforgettable atmosphere with their talent and energy. A special thanks goes to Dejan – we hope he will visit us again!
