In December 2003, Vladislav Belsky joined the band. STandART took the chance to change their sound radically – analog synthesizers, metallic percussion, angry guitars were brought in. Rehearsals were held in the Baptist church of Jelgava, in Jūrmala gymnasium with the sound engineer Kārlis Bardelis.
In January 2004, STandART were the guests of the broadcast “Radiobumba” at the Latvian national radio (Latvian Radio 1). The band performed two acoustic versions of the songs “Bezmiegs” and “Būtībā Man Vienalga” (which are now known as “Aslan’s Song” and “Seven Times” respectively), using old railway screws, horse-shoes and a tin garbage box from the radio house corridor as percussion.
In March 2004 Kalvis Kluburs started to play keyboard in live performances of the band “Pasaules Gaisma”, which had just released their latest (and last) album “Matērijas Bilžu Grāmata”.
In spring 2004, Kaspars “Kņazs” Stāmers was replaced by Vladislav’s brother Harry, and with this 4 people line-up (Kalvis, Juris, Vladislav, Harry) STandART moved from Jelgava back to the centre of Riga. The first performance of the new lineup took place at “One Night With Depeche Mode” at Barons, Riga – an event organized by DJ Montuss. Kalvis sang vocals and played two synthesizers, Juris played metallic percussion, guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer, electric drums. Vladislav played bass synthesizer and metallic percussion. Harry played two more synthesizers.
At the end of May 2004, STandART video “Tālbraucēja Šofera Sapnis” (directed by Kalvis Kluburs) won the main award in the contest of LTV1 broadcast “Juniors TV”. The jury consisted of the directors Pēteris Krilovs, Kristaps Streičs, and a cinema critic Daira Āboliņa. This STandART video, just like video “Pasaules Gaisma” – “Matērijas Bilžu Grāmata” (director Gatis Pīpkalējs) were named among the best videos of the annual Youth video festival “2 Annas” – receiving a glass diploma and being released on the festival DVD. STandART video also received the sympathy award of the magazine “Sīrups”.
In order to participate in the Baltic States youth festival of short films in German language, a new audio version of the song “Tālbraucēja Šofera Sapnis” was recorded in German- “Fernfahrertraum”. The video received an extra prize, but was not included in the contest – because its quality was said to be too good (!!!) and the video had been shown in other places earlier (what was not forbidden in the festival rules). It should be noted that the German version of the lyrics was created in collaboration with the poet and translator (and drummer-percussionist!) of German origin – Matthias Knoll.
The band spent the rest of the year 2004 playing in the clubs of Riga, including a support act for one of the most popular Latvian rock bands “Dzelzs Vilks”. Both STandART and “Pasaules Gaisma” participated in a protest action against building works in one of the biggest grey dunes in Europe in Pāvilosta, located on the coast of the Baltic sea. In December 2004, STandART self-released their second single “Lielās Atlaides” (The Great Absolution), recorded in their home studio “Belsky Beat”.
In 2005, STandART returned to Jelgava to work with Gatis Priekulis again – the co-producer of the first single. Every song that was recorded in the studio, got a new English version. “Fernfahrertraum”, as mentioned before, also had the German version. STandART played once more at DM Party at Barons; meanwhile, “Fernfahrertraum” video for continued to recieve awards and recognitions from different video festivals (both in Latvia and abroad).
Though “Pasaules Gaisma” had stopped playing concerts, Kalvis and Juris created a couple of new versions for the old songs. The song “Pasaules Gaisma 2005″, reworked by Kalvis Kluburs, was included in the compilation “Alternative LV – Vol.1″ in summer 2005.
In autumn 2005, after being one of the band’s driving forces for 2 years, Juris Tipa decided to leave the band, and STandART became trio. Also Kalvis left “Pasaules Gaisma” due to the inactivity and aimlessness of the band. In November 2005, he last concert with Juris Tipa in the lineup was played at “Dark Night 2″ at the club “Depo”, sharing the stage with “Dzelzs Vilks” again and the German industrial rock band “The Ancient Gallery” from Dresden. The year 2005 was finished with the release of the third maxi-single, the re-recorded “Fernfahrertraum 2005″ (in Latvian, English and German languages) and a concert with the 3 people lineup at the MicRecBar.
At the beginning of 2006, the new video for the version of “Tālbraucēja Šofera Sapnis” / “Fernfahrertraum” was included in the DVD compilation “The Best of Latvia – Vol.1″, released by Latvian major label “”MicRec”. STandART started a new cooperation with Gatis Gavrilenko as their manager and Sandris Savickis (Overflow) as their new co-producer. Sandris Savickis later became known also as the member of the band “Starring Two” and “Padome” (a side project with Kalvis Kluburs).
In May 2006, STandART performed in DE/VISION concert afterparty in Riga, in June 2006 the band went onto stage at “Fontaine Palace”, Liepaja, for the first time. In September 2006, STandART welcomed Juris Tipa back in the lineup. In October, STandART played at “Depo” together with the Swedish band “Lowe” and made a remix for the German band “Camouflage”.
In November 2006, STandART released their 4th maxi-single “Corrosion” which featured a couple of new songs, a couple of new videos and – for the first time – several remixes by Latvian and foreign artists; for example, Hien (Poland), Peter Vanek and Infrabuse (Belgium), former “Bitstream” member Troubleshooter (UK). The release of the single was followed by a tour across the Baltic States. Finally, STandART were invited to support the legendary German band “Camouflage” in Tallinn, Estonia (in Riga, STandART played at the “Camouflage” concert afterparty).
At the end of 2006 the first Latvian music television LMK was founded, which helped STandART videos to get a wider exposure. For the first time, the biggest Latvian alternative radio NABA agreed to include STandART’s song in their charts. The result – “Corrosion” became Christmas no.1 at Radio NABA, in total spending 6 weeks at position no.1.





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