Zabranjeno Pušenje as Neuštekani at the Small Roman Theatre

Saturday, 18.07.2026. 20:00. h

Zabranjeno Pušenje appears at the Small Roman Theatre in Pula as Neuštekani, an acoustic format with a string quartet.

The Pula concert is an open-air summer version of a project in which the band’s songs are performed outside their usual electric rock frame. On stage are Zabranjeno Pušenje and a string quartet; in the Small Roman Theatre, the audience remains close to the performers, a setting that suits the acoustic sound and string arrangements.

An acoustic format for songs with stories

Zabranjeno Pušenje is not a band whose repertoire rests only on choruses; its songs often carry characters, urban scenes, dark humour and social comment. That is why the Neuštekani project works especially well in a stripped-down version: fewer amplifiers leave more room for words, the dialogue between instruments and Sejo Sexon’s recognisable narrative voice. The band was formed in Sarajevo in 1980 and is linked with the spirit of New Primitivism, but albums such as Das ist Walter, Dok čekaš sabah sa šejtanom and Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari moved it far beyond a narrow genre frame. In the acoustic setting, the songs do not lose their irony or rhythm; the way of listening changes. What becomes a collective chorus at an electric concert turns here into a closer encounter with story, melody and a line that stays in the ear.

A string quartet and a different view of the repertoire

The Pula performance includes a string quartet, adding a softer chamber layer to well-known songs. Alongside the band’s familiar classics, this format is also associated with rarely performed songs such as Pismo Elvisu, Laku noć, stari and Kad dernek utihne. The concert therefore has a different pulse from a standard rock show: less emphasis on volume, more on arrangement, lyrics and the atmosphere of an open stage.

Getting to the Small Roman Theatre

The Small Roman Theatre is in Pula’s old town area, near Herculov prolaz. For an evening arrival, allow time to walk from parking areas to the theatre space, because the venue sits within the historic centre of the city.

Accommodation in Bale

For Zabranjeno Pušenje’s Neuštekani concert at the Small Roman Theatre, the drive from Bale to Pula is about 22 kilometres, roughly 26 minutes. Bale is a quieter base for a concert evening in Pula and a calmer return after the programme: accommodation in Bale.