Spitalul de Urgenţă, literally "Emergency Hospital", is a Romanian rock band, integrating elements of traditional Romanian music into a sometimes hard-edged rock sound, although also incorporating influences as diverse as Turkish traditional music, European classical music, and cartoon soundtrack music.

Formed 2000 in Bucharest.

Leader and songwriter Dan Helciug's lyrics often feature a bitter wit that does not lend itself to easy translation, especially because of his tendency to paraphrase (both musically and lyrically) pieces of well known traditional songs. For example, the chorus of their song "Trăiască Berea" ("Long Live Beer") uses a phrase from a traditional song, "Foaie verde şi-o lalea" ("Green leaves and a lily"):

Trăiască berea in care ne-am născut
Traiăscă berea că tare ne-a durut
Foaie verde şi-o lalea
Fie pâinea cât de rea
Chiar aici in ţara ta
Tot ţi-o fură cineva.
- "Trăiască berea", Dan Helciug

Long live beer, in which we were born
Long live beer, which we've desired so strongly
Green leaves and a lily
However bad the bread may be
It's a sure thing in this land of yours
Someone will steal it all from you.
- "Long live beer", Dan Helciug

Band members

  • Dan Helciug
  • Vali Craciunescu
  • Adrian Cheta
  • Catalin Dalvarea
  • Viorel Preda

Discography

  • "Trăiască Berea" (2000, EP)
  • "Să Cânte Muzica!"
  • "Spitalomania"