Boney M. - Rivers of Babylon (Sopot Festival 1979)

What this video is

This live performance document captures Boney M. — a West German-produced Eurodisco act founded by producer Frank Farian, with Caribbean-born vocalists Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams, and front-man Bobby Farrell — at the peak of their commercial power, one year after 'Rivers of Babylon' became one of the all-time best-selling UK singles. The Sopot Festival 1979 was part of the Intervision Song…

Why it matters

Represents the apex of Eurodisco's penetration of Eastern Bloc cultural space. Boney M.'s Sopot 1979 appearance is a primary document of the Intervision-era festival circuit functioning as a conduit for Western pop aesthetics into Soviet-aligned television markets. The performance also exemplifies…