One of the few rock cafes in Zadar, a cute, creatively decorated, cozy place that radiates a great atmosphere, as if it was created for lovers of good, classic rock'n'roll.
Are you craving a taste of the old-school rock spirit that once defined the city? Look no further than Trooper, the newest rock bar nestled in the heart of the Peninsula, on Jurja Dalmatinca Street, just parallel to Kalelarga, behind HNK Zadar.
Trooper Rock Bar is the brainchild of Božo Matulić, a passionate advocate for reviving Zadar's rock scene.
As visitors step into the dimly lit ambiance of Trooper, they find themselves surrounded by meticulously curated memorabilia celebrating rock legends such as Alice Cooper, Mikkey Dee, Rob Halford, and the iconic crews from Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.
Like many aspects of Zadar, rock succumbed to tourism. Almost all alternative venues were overshadowed by mass tourism, leaving behind their core clientele of young rockers and metalheads marginalized and without a space of their own.
"They were the 'riva' crew, hanging out on the walls, drinking, joking until restaurants with huge speakers popped up... They were forced to leave, adapt... I simply wanted to provide that community, as well as the younger generations, a place for such gatherings with the music we all cherish and love," says Božo, the owner of the bar.
True to his word, Trooper regularly hosts live performances, mainly in unplugged versions. "We'll welcome all of Zadar's street musicians, who are incredibly talented, but we'll also give a chance for others to showcase their skills: if you think you can play the guitar, buy yourself a drink with a song! Of course, if someone wants to play all night, they'll earn something," Božo adds with a smile, pointing to the array of guitars and drums he personally equipped the bar with.
This first rock bar in Zadar is named after the famous Iron Maiden song, a choice fiercely advocated by Božo's wife. "Although I had some other ideas, and 'Trooper' wasn't my first choice, she's a hardcore metalhead, so there was no compromising on the name! Ha-ha," chuckles this amiable rocker, whose aim is to offer Zadar a reprieve from the dominance of folk music.
"Believe it or not, even the conservators, old rockers themselves, came to us offering help without us asking. The reactions from people are genuinely positive, and the turnout for the opening was much bigger than we expected," concludes Božo, bidding farewell as "Highway to Hell" plays in the background.
