VLAHOPOL - Lord of The Strings

VLAHOPOL — Lord of the Strings
An International Modern Blues, Funk & Rock Project

First Concert in Bulgaria — Live at The Pit, Sofia

VLAHOPOL is an international musical project fusing Modern Blues, Funk, and Rock in the spirit of two guitar legends: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Steve Vai. Fronted by Romanian guitarist Mike Vlahopol — known worldwide as "Lord of the Strings" — the band brings a genuinely international lineup and sound to the stage, and Sofia is where it all begins in Bulgaria.

At the heart of the project is the album The Underdog, released three years ago and built around a real, personal story reimagined as a modern fable: a prince chasing a love he isn't sure is even real, and the price he pays to find out. Across 11 tracks — split between the vocal-driven Sunrise and the heavier, guitar-forward Sunset — the album moves fluidly between sung and instrumental pieces, all built with instantly memorable hooks the audience can sing and dance to from the first listen.

The album's guest list reads like a passport stamped around the world: Grammy-nominated bassist Decebal Bădilă (Romania), LA session guitarist Jay Gore, US bassist Steve Clarke, guitarist Joe Berger, and Irish blues vocalist Lee Hedley — each adding their own voice to the record.

Live, VLAHOPOL is built to be felt, not just heard: a dynamic, highly interactive show packed with improvisation, where every musician gets room to shine — and the audience is part of the performance, not just watching it.

Mike Vlahopol has been profiled by Radio Europa Liberă and Libertatea for building his own custom instruments and performing for major international rock names — a journey now landing, for the first time, on a stage in Sofia.

Spotlight: Mike Vlahopol — Guitar

Known internationally as "Lord of the Strings," Mike Vlahopol is a Romanian guitarist whose playing blends authentic blues, funk groove, and rock intensity into a style all his own. His work has taken him across Europe and the US, collaborating with musicians connected to some of the biggest names in rock and pop. Mike is also known for building his own custom guitars — a craft that's earned him feature coverage from Radio Europa Liberă and Libertatea. He's the creative force behind VLAHOPOL, and a mentor to a new generation of players. More at www.vlahopol.ro.

Spotlight: Polina Petrova — Vocals, Bass & Double Bass

Trained from childhood, Polina Petrova is a singer, bassist, and double bass player with a background spanning the Bulgarian National Music School, a decade as a sound engineer at Bulgarian National Radio, and stints in bands from AudioVision to the all-female group D.Vine. A songwriter and producer as much as a performer, she's behind the hit single "Do You Like It?" and continues composing, arranging, and mixing across genres from jazz to Scottish and Irish shanties. On stage, she brings a rock-solid low end and a distinctive voice, grounded in emotional depth and stylistic authenticity.

Spotlight: Slavena Daskalova — Vocals

Slavena Daskalova trained as a vocalist and actress across two countries — from Italy's SIANO Music Academy to a degree in Acting for Drama and Musical Theatre from Bulgaria's NATFIZ. Her single "Vnimavay!" (Watch Out!) charted on BG Top 100, and she's performed at festivals from A to Jazz to Sofia Sings, where she won both the Audience Award and Young Author Award. A true stage all-rounder, equally at home in rock, jazz, and musical theatre.

Spotlight: Marius Oprea — "Mr. Funkenstein" — Bass

Marius Oprea, aka Mr. Funkenstein, has laid down deep, funk-driven basslines since 1984, starting with the Big Band of the Metropolitan Circus and later touring across Kuwait, France, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Germany, and Spain. He's shared stages with Romanian stars like Paula Seling and Andreea Bănică, and international names including Sheila Bonnick of Boney M,Brad Vee Johnson, Sheila Bonnick (Boney M), Martha Wals, David Bisbal. His style moves fluidly from authentic blues to energetic funk to rock — always keeping the audience moving.