STandART gradually formed in 2001-2002 with the transformation of the experimental music band Skrīveri (more about it HERE) and moving from Riga to Jelgava. The foundation date of STandART is considered to be March 1, 2002 (ironically, Skrīveri was founded on March 1 in 1998).
Initially, STandART was only the name of the event production team, and the band was called Marta Ausma, named after a self-made film; however, soon all activities became united under the name of STandART. Yet, STandART was more a project, not a band, as its lineup was different at every concert. The only permanent member was the founder of the project – Kalvis Kluburs. STandART regularly organized small audio-visual events in unusual places like joinery, gardens, bath-houses, uninhabited houses. Only later STandART began performing outside these events and focusing more on music and rehearsals.
In February 2003, in collaboration with Penguin Video and DJ Wickiss STandART organized an audio-visual project Klusais Siltums (Silent Warmth) in St. Anna’s church in Jelgava. The project was received very well. While repeating the project in Madona on July 2003 during the Latvian Catholic youth days, STandART saw a mockering attitude from the organizers at the planned time of performance.
The first concert outside the so-called ‘STandART parties’ took place in Rainis’ park, Jelgava, on May 9, 2003 as a part of youth action Sprādziens (Explosion). In August 2003, STandART went onto the stage at the New Rock Music Festival on Post Island, Jelgava. This time there were 4 young people under 16 among STandART members, thus starting rumours that STandART was a techno-pop / new wave band consisting of little children or even dwarfs.
The festival turned out to be one of the turning points in the band’s career. A post-punk/folk-rock band Pasaules Gaisma (The Light of the World) also played at the festival. Both bands noticed each other and started collaborating soon after. Pasaules Gaisma then consisted of Imants Daksis and two ex-Depo members Juris Tipa and Edgars Liljē. Previously, another ex-Depo member Mārtiņš Links had been in Pasaules Gaisma as well. In the course of time, Juris, Mārtiņš and Edgars became members/guest musicians of STandART. This festival was also the first time, when STandART shared the stage with the popular Latvian rock-band Dzelzs Vilks. Kaspars Tobis from Dzelzs Vilks later became sound engineer/co-producer in the first two STandART albums.
Next, STandART played in the House of Culture in a famous village called Nākotne (‘future’ – in Latvian) on October 19, 2003. Metallic percussions and guitar was played by Juris Tipa – the bass player from Pasaules Gaisma, which also participated in the event.
A month later, STandART and Pasaules Gaisma both played at the LLU Students’ Theatre in Jelgava at the presentation of STandART’s first self-released single Tālbraucēja Šofera Sapnis (Fernfahrertraum 2003). The single was recorded in Jelgava in collaboration with Gatis Priekulis who had previously worked with the band Oceanfall.
Kalvis and Juris had become the leading duo behind the name of STandART and started to develop the band’s sound and fix the band’s ever-changing lineup. In December 2003, Vladislav Belsky was invited to join the band.
