Los Top Ten

11-14.12

Hofesh Shechter Company
Uprising / In Your Rooms
If you think dance is not your bag, baby, then take a gander at this company. The Hofesh Shechter Company is the hottest thing to hail from Britain since David Brent. Their latest productions portray a raw human force, a visual conflict rife with energy: “Uprising” sees seven men bombard the stage under kickass- looking lighting to a propulsive, percussive score. “In Your Rooms” presents a scarily alienating and yet shockingly familiar society a través de nine formidable dancers from different UK contemporary dance companies. If you go, take me with you.
Place: Mercat de les Flors @ Lleida, 59
Time: 21:00h // Sunday 19:00h
Admission: 20€
More info: mercatflors.org // hofesh.co.uk

12.12

Inauguration
Arnau Sala/Homenatjes
Señor Sala, originally from Manresa, is throwing down a multifaceted audio and visual exhibition in the Todo- Junto gallery. He usually designs, scribbles, and draws unusual things for unusual people, is the founder of the independent label Ozonkids and has in the past collaborated with bands such as Les Aus and Bèstia Ferida, as well as with Lydia Lunch and Mark Cunningham – hence the "multifaceted". The show will attempt to give importance to things that stop being important – have stopped being important? are in the process of losing said importance? – and through the art creates a little homage to whatever these “things” may be. Do they deserve it? Check it out and let us know.
Place: Todojunto @ Sant Pere Mitjà, 70, bajos
Until 10.01.09 // Time: 21:30h
Admission: Free
More info/contact: www.myspace.com/arnausala

13.12

Film Gig – Live Soundtracks
El Angel del Desorden
That age-old Saturday night conundrum: watch the football, go see a film, or party? Now, thanks to an amazing amalgamation of collectives: La Clau del Paradis, La Metamorfosis de la Palomita and Live Soundracks, you can do all three under the same roof. Naturally, the only place big enough to encompass such wide-ranging activity is a Poblenou warehouse, but once you’re there you don’t have to move an inch. The night kicks off with Mika Vainio’s live re-interpretation of the soundtrack to Buñuel’s L’Age d’Or, then there’s a brief interlude to allow everyone to catch the Barça-Madrid conflict before the dancing gets underway with music by Ro, Matias Muten and Steinwiese. Three for the price of one.
Place: Espais Actuals @ Pallars, 94-96
Time: 20:30h
Admission: 7€ in advance, 10€ on the door
More info/contact: www.livesoundtracks.com

13.12

A Pair of Parenthesis
Frio 08 vs. Festival d’Idees
For four years running ChangingRoom has taken over the Hotel Chic&Basic and invited a plethora of new and exciting designers to fill its rooms with their wares, also known as your wants. You, lucky consumer, get the opportunity to interact with la moda, its creators, and fellow fans, change rooms as you please and try on what fits your taste. At seis de la tarde Miss Carrusel, Aeropuerto, E.G.M and The New Raemon join the party to provide the soundtrack to the oh-so-fashion event. Should this experience be too overwhelming, change not the room but the location and check out La Escocesa where the 2nd Festival d’Idees (12-14.12) should already be well underway. The festival hosted and coordinated by La Escocesa shifts emphasis from end products over to ideas in process. They invite you to theater performances and concerts a partir de las 21:00h.
Place: Hotel Chic&Basic @ Princesa, 50 // La Escocesa @ Pere IV, 345
Time: 11:00h-21:00h // 21:00h till late
Admission: Free
More info/contact: www.changingroom.org // www.laescocesa.org

11.12/18.12/weekly every Thursday

New Cine Club
Watkins, Clarke, Marker, Oksman, et al.
With great pleasure we would like to announce that the Espai Social Magdalenes has launched a weekly cine club featuring an excellent selection of filmmakers. Their idea is the following: “El Cineclub neix amb l‘intenció de donar-li una sortida coherent a un cert tipus de cine creat des de els marges, produït als racons de la indústria i aliè als discursos oficials. Tindran aquí el seu espai tant directors de llarga trajectòria, formats en els anys seixsanta, com alguns joves autors que no es conformen amb els esquemes de la ficció estàndart. Intentant compaginar la recuperació de pel•lícules oblidades amb la reivindicació del cine contemporani més personal, en aquest primer mes farem un homenatge a tres figures clau del cinema-assaig europeu: Peter Watkins, Alan Clarke y Chris Marker. El 18.12 presentarem també l‘últim llargmetratge del documentalista Sergio Oksman, Goodbye, America (2003). Vinga, these will be the best documentaries you’ll have seen in 2008.
Place: Espai Social Magdalenes @ Magdalenes, 13-15
Time: 20:00h
Admission: Free
More info/contact: www.magdalenes.net

20.12

Dub/Punk
Asian Dub Foundation
Originally from London, this eclectic band made up of Dr. Das, Deeder Zaman, DJ Pandit G, Chandrasonic y Sun-J make sick music with components of reggae, drum beats, traditional Indian music, rock, and rap – there are so many things going on in each song. They even have a song called “No fun” that features Iggy Pop. The ADF have been doing this for about 10 years and encourage us to “climb on board the mother ship revolution” and “keep banging.” I’ve never heard anything like them before – they’re awesome.
Place: Apolo @ Nou de la Rambla, 113
Time: 20:30h
Admission: 18€
More info/contact: myspace.com/asiandubfoundationuk

26.12

Film Turkey with all the Stuffing
Australia
Baz Luhrmann’s back! This Christmas treat is a bit of a guilty pleasure if the critics are to be believed. But Luhrmann’s trademark visual splendour combined with an historical epic where the romance of the scenery swells along the beauty of an English rose falling into the protective arms of a man of the earth (aborigines aside) is a hard proposition to resist. Nicole Kidman heads to Australia to shut down and sell off the farm of her dead husband, but a rival cattle baron’s dastardly plans change her mind. Once Hugh Jackman’s been hired it’s a question of sitting back and enjoying the show. And with a running time of two and three quarter hours, you’ll have plenty of time to digest the previous days’ indulgence of the flesh.
Place: On general release
Admission: See cinema websites for information
More info/contact: www.imdb.com

05.01

Now at Apolo
ANTI-KARAOKE with Rachel Arieff
Anti-Karaoke is the Don King of Barcelona nightlife. Don’t know Don King? The man has been around forever, promoting crazy, theatrical, and insane violence in the boxing world. His hair is also fantastic. The same is true of Anti- Karaoke, in a shiny new venue but with the same old presentadora, Rachel Arieff (menos mal!). The sheer number of Tuesday (or sometimes Wednesday if it was a particularly nasty session) stories of friends who’d been, done and had whiskey bottles turned upside down and showered over their heads (and down their throats) never ceases to amaze. The venue being different could affect the vibe (for better or for worse?) but it seems that Mondays will remain completely fucking nuts. And to make it hurt just a little bit more, Anti-Karaoke is now followed by Nasty Mondays with DJs MadMax & Sören. Yes, damas y caballeros, rock-n- roll until 5am at no extra charge! Can you take it?
Place: Sala Apolo 2 @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 22:00h-01:00h // Nasty Mondays until 05:00h
Admission: 7€
More info/contact: www.sala-apolo.com // rachelarieff.com

08-11.01.09

Intimate Film Festival
Xcentric – Super 8. Petit Gran Format
If you don’t have a winter fire to sit by and muse, the CCCB is often a great place to turn to for interesting comforts. Xcentric, the audiovisual festival constituting part of the museum establishment, showcases “secret or forgotten works” to audiences gleeful to unwrap new treasures. Their selection of Super 8 shorts promises to be an escapist’s delight, with Spanish and International cineastas focusing the lens of an old format onto fresh subject matter. And in case you need a starry name to draw you out of the house in January, there’s a special programme dedicated to Derek Jarman on the 9th.
Place: CCCB Auditorium @ Montalegre, 5
Admission: 3,60€
More info/contact: cccb.org/xcentric/esp/homeg.htm

08-11.01.09

IDN
Imatge, Dansa i Nous Mitjans
IDN is an international festival that puts the spotlight on dance produced in close collaboration with audiovisual language and digital software in order to bring motion and live images on stage together in real time. Entonces, you’ll see dance productions in which performers manipulate projected images and transform the stage into a hybrid space between the corporeal and the hyper/surreal, the body, the image, and language. That might sound cryptic but it’s 100% visual pleasure. Don’t miss Norman (a Tribute to Norman McLaren) by lemieux.pilon 4d art from Montreal (9.01-11.01).
Place: Mercat de les Flors @ Lleida, 59
Admission: 10€
More info/contact: mercatflors.org // www.nu2s.org // 4dart.com

More Listings

Friday 12

French Pop
Velle
Yelle which is an acronym for “you enjoy life” is also Julie Budet, the sweet-voiced sprightly French woman whose songs make you want to enjoy life as much as her with half as much peppiness. A listen to “Ce Jeu” and “A Cause de Garcons” and Ms. Budet will have you hooked.
Place: Razzmatazz @ Pamplona, 88
Time: 01:00h
Admission: 15€
More info/contact: www.myspace.com/iloveyelle

Freak Folk/Pop/Experimental
Primavera Club - The Dodos
The Dodos may only be a duo, but their serene folk can easily give way to fist-pounding rock or just chaotic noise, often within the same song. Meric Long furiously fi ngerpicks and strums his acoustic guitar while using a delay pedal to loops his elastic vocals into tangled webs. Logan Kroeber’s clattering percussion adds a primal stomp to Long’s tales of restless thoughts and romantic desolation.
Place: Parc del Forum, s/n
Time: 19:00h
Admission: 25€ (Forum day pass) 40€ (Primavera Club three-day pass)
More info: www.primaverasound.com

Opening Party
Muestra de Cine Coreano de Barcelona
It’s interesting that the South Korean Embassy has launched a film event now, after this country’s productions have seemingly passed their high point (apart from the continued success of Kim Ki-Duk who is astonishingly absent from this programme). It’s even more intriguing that their choice of programme includes few new works and tells a strange collection of Korean stories ranging from street boxing (Crying Fist starring Choi Min-Shik [Old Boy], to Olympic Women’s Handball). Perhaps given these circumstances the most interesting film to watch will be Korean Cinema Now, with after-show discussions with one of Korea’s biggest producers.
Place: Cines Méliès @ Villarroel, 102 + Casa Asia @ Avenida Diagonal, 373
Time: 20:30h
Admission: Free (you even stand the chance of winning free DVDs)
More info: www.casaasia.es

Concert/Album Release
Wovenhand
This is some mountain rock. Some spiritual mountain rock. Some occasionally driving, occasionally tripping mountain rock. They are clearly influenced by The Doors and Eddie Vedder, and love them stringed instruments in general. They’re here in BCN to present their latest album, Ten Stones.
Place: L’Auditori @ Lepant, 150
Time: 22:00h
Admission: 25€
More info: www.myspace.com/wovenhand

Saturday 13

Spanish Reggae Hip-Hop
Arianna Puello
Who said girls can’t rap? We all know Lil Kim can and this girl, affectionately known to her fans as Ari, can rap in Spanish. Her beats have reggae and Latina influence and after hearing “Oye lo que traigo” or “No tiene calle” you’ll be throwing her mad respect.
Place: L’Auditori @ Lepant, 150
Time: 22:00h
Admission: 15€
More info: myspace.com/ariannapuello

Post-Punk/Tropicália/Indy Rock
Primavera Club - Abe Vigoda
Like the most inviting exotic locales, Abe Vigoda’s music is simmering and fun to explore but also vaguely threatening and tends to turn on you at a moment’s notice. This Los Angeles four-channel-island reverberates through the rough-and-torn, lo-fi aesthetic of their local underground scene with terrifi cally strange results. Guitarists Michael Vidal and Juan Valasquez jab their steel-drumlike guitar sounds back and forth like a knife- fi ght laid over jittery tropical drums cranked up to a breakneck speed. Equally fun to dance and mosh to, it’s punk with a taste of the unknown.
Place: Parc del Forum s/n
Time: 19:00h
Admission: 25€ (Forum day pass)
More info/contact: www.primaverasound.com

Sunday 14

Classic Jazzy Blues
Tandoori Lenoir
This classic sort of Blues band is from Barcelona but sounds influenced by the sounds of 1950s American rock-and-roll. They make exciting use of piano accompanied by saxophone and drums to create an old-fashioned, feel good jazz that will have you involuntarily doing the twist.
Place: Traska Truska @ Terraplè, 82 Molins de Rei
Time: 19:30h
Admission: 9€
More info: myspace.com/tandoorilenoir

La Soirée Expérimentale
Eli Gras
If you were on mushrooms, oh, the things you would see. Even sober, listing to Eli Gras is a bit like tripping through a fantasy world that glides from children’s story happy fun into odd electro anime. All this with music, mind you – music made from toys, cooking implements, mobile phones and some musical technology as well.
Place: Miscelänea @ Guardia, 10
Time: 21:00h
Admission: 5€ / socios 4€
More info: www.miscelanea.info // myspace.com/eligras

Monday 15

The Very Last Film Festival of the Year!
III Cine Fest Brasil Barcelona // Ongoing
“One of the most interesting national filmographies of the year” is not small honor but nor is it a completely unjustified claim. This event brings Barcelona the “ten best films of recent years,” including Estomago, the winner of Best Film at this year’s SEMINCI festival in Valladolid. To accompany the festival, stars of past and present Brasilian film will be in town including the grande dame Betty Faria whose career-making film, Bye Bye Brasil (1979), will also receive a rare screening.
Dates: 11.12-18.12
Admission: 5€
More info: cines-verdi. com/barcelona/

Electronica Rock
The Whip
Straight outta the UK comes The Whip who say they “JUST WANT TO DANCE!” This is pretty apparent in their music. What’s cool about them is that they rock out with a female drummer and three other guys and what they all have in common is that they all “wanna be trassshhhh.” You’ll see, just check them out.
Place: Apolo 2 @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 21:00h
Admission: 20€
More info: myspace.com/thewhipmanchester

Tuesday 16

Acoustic Reggae
Tryo
After looking at the cover of their latest album where the photographer clearly said, “Ok, 1, 2, 3, JUMP!” you would like to know what these 4 (not three like their name might imply) French guys are so excited about. Well, maybe they’re excited about the fact that they make cool acoustic reggae/world music in French that is sometimes laced with political satire. Could be.
Place: Apolo @ Nou de la Rambla, 113
Time: 21:00h
Admission: 18€
More info: myspace.com/tryolegroupe

Psychedelic/Pop/Garage Rock
Cuchillo
Despite their cutting band name, this Barcelona duo’s sunny psych-pop is all rounded, soft edges. Chiming, hollow-bodied guitars, reverb-drenched vocals, and simmering organs envelope their melodic folk like the nostalgic haze of the 1960’s. Israel Marco’s sitar- like guitar lines and Daniel Dominguez’s trotting conga drums conjure the Beatles on acid in India, while their drifting harmonies recall the Beach Boy’s sun-bathed California. Like with the best psychedelia, Marco’s voice is content to hang just below the surface, passive to the waves of sound that threaten to swallow him up entirely.
Place: Apolo 2 @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 21:00h
Admission: tba
More info: www.myspace.com/cuchillo

Wednesday 17

TV Dinner
Movie Restaurant
You enter a cinema. It smells deliciously of popcorn. Your stomach starts rumbling ominously and you remember that you had only a sandwich for lunch and that was ten hours ago. If only there was real food. Well now, courtesy of the Movie Restaurant and the menu consultants at the Hofmann cookery school, there’s a place where, every Wednesday night, popcorn is served as a mere aperitif to a menu of vintage fi lm clips in black, white and Technicolor, diced refreshingly and spliced with enticing salads, kebabs and fresh pasta. It’s relaxing to eat out on someone else’s sofa.
Place: Roger de Lluria 50
Admission: Evening Menu 19,95€
More info: www.movierestaurant.com

Mad Movies
The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Jim Sharman
Are you, like the writer of this snippet, one of the poor souls who have never experienced the famous and mucho talked about Rocky Horror Picture Show? Or, are you one of those seasoned veterans who already know what’s up and what goes down? If you’re a veteran, details of where and when to go see it again are below. If you’re a newbie, you can fi nd a seriously detailed guide about how to take part and you can also learn all the lyrics to the songs on the websites listed below.
Place: Almazen @ Guifré, 9
Time: 21:00h
Admission: 3€
More info: almazen.net // weird-websites. com/rockymusic.org/lyrics

Thursday 18

Auction + Expo
Red-Hot Graffiti Grab
During the Djs Contra La Fam festival, various grafi teros painted some hot shit. Now, in Miscelänea, you have the chance to bid for it. The auction of each piece opens at 100 . There are 24 pieces by 24 artists. The exhibition lasts from the 17th – 21st. The euros shall be divididos, 50% for the artist and 50% to the charities that the festival supports. What better Xmas gift could you possibly give? Buy local. Buy art. Support charities. Damn you’re good.
Place: Miscelänea @ Guardia, 10
Time: 17.-21.12 // Auction begins at 21:00h, 18.12
Admission: “We’ll start the bidding at 100, ladies and gentlemen.”
More info: djscontralafam.org/2008/cas/beneficiarios.html

Latina Ska
Canteca de Macao
It looks like this is the month for reggae, and Canteca de Macao is another great addition... except it’s reggae in Spanish and has something catchy and slightly punky going on – quite intriguing. They use a plethora of instruments, including electric guitars and a jazz flute, and have both male and female leads. A band with cool and different sound like this is always worth checking out, especialmente the song “Ama y Ensancha el Alma.”
Place: Sant Jordi Club @ Passeig Olímpic, 5-7
Time: 20:00h
More info: myspace.com/cantecademacao

Bar Night
Off Nights // Every Thursday
Our own lovely bar night, Off Nights, makes its third appearance in Bar Fantástico with Dj Lehman (Le Grant) puttin‘ on some newwave and 80‘s shazzle. Buena music. Buena gente. Every single jueves.
Place: Bar Fantástico @ Pasatge de Escudellers, 3
Time: 23:00h-3:00h
Admission: Free
More info: www.bcnweek.com/events

Friday 19

Inauguration
Las Extrañas Aventuras de Monsieur Petrantoni
Monsieur Petrantoni (Genova) uses objects, images, codes, and tastes typical of the Western world at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century to blend past and present in what he hopes will result in the future. Playing with new spaces, compositions, the round and the square, the subject and the object, moments in time and people and places he brings these antiquated images together in more contemporary arrangements and designs.
Vallery @ Calàbria, 85
Time: Until 24.01.09 // Inauguration at 20:00h // Horario: 11:00h-14:00h and 17:00h-20:00h
Admission: Free
More info: www.vallery.es

The Oscar Films are Upon Us
Changeling // Ongoing
Angelina Jolie is cast in the role of a protective, distraught mother crying for justice against the LAPD who resorts to underhanded means to silence her in this, Clint Eastwood’s latest film. Although her performance went un-rewarded at Cannes where the film screened in competition this year, critics have been pointing to potential Oscar success in February. This is, thus, the first in the forthcoming run of Oscar hopefuls, perhaps hoping to achieve maximum audiences in the relatively art-house free release schedule lined up for the holidays. If you liked Million Dollar Baby, you’ll probably enjoy this classily directed tale of a fight against the system. If you didn’t, just buy the soundtrack.
Place: On General Release
More info/contact: See Cinema websites for details

Saturday 20

Open Air Photo Expo
Alguien Nos Mira
Alguien Nos Mira exhibits this, its third edition, for two days in the crisp, Barna, winter air. Plaza Joaquim Xirau is the “gallery” and the theme is the unknown and/or hidden Barcelona. Photographers were asked to focus on bringing the invisible to light or, in other words, to see what tends to be completely passed over. The four members of the collective and the 5 invited photographers (Biel Calderón, Diana Bagnoli, Sergi Gomez, Ilaria Magliocchetti y Paula Recarey) take you into a new city, the one you know so well yet managed never to see.
Place: Plaza de Joaquim Xirau
Date: 20.-21.12 // Time: 10:00h-18:00h
Admission: Free
More info/contact: alguienosmira.wordpress.com

Agro Punk/New Wave
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
With their Russian-red uniforms and cheeky anthems like “Communist Moon” and “Capitalism Stole My Virginity”, this Swedish quartet recalls a time when punks had a good time giving the finger. Frontman Dennis Lyxzén – formerly of 90’s hardcore legends Refused – hollers about the next communist revolution while clanging guitars and careening rhythms get the party started. Even if you don’t vote, these rabblerousing reds play with enough joyful abandon to provide Change We Can Believe In.
Place: Apolo 2 @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 20:00h
Admission: 18€
More info: myspace.com/internationalnoiseconspiracy

Sunday 21

Vermouth Con Mucho Cuento
Ciclo Alma Cuento
Almazen is betting on what appears to be a great idea. A Sunday show the equivalent of fireside chats and family meals, a.k.a. plain human communication. They’ve chosen midday as their storytelling time and vermouth as their lubricant. The first day will consist of a sort of storytelling jam session and then, one of those storytellers, the “winner,” we suppose, will be the protagonist of the following Sunday’s program. It’s a win-win situation. Beat Sunday boredom and connect with your fellow man/woman, no, voice.
Place: Almazen @ Guifré, 9
Date: 14.12 and 21.12 // Time: 12:00h
Admission: 5€ including vermouth
More info: www.almazen.net

Theater for Couch Potatoes
El Cicle Sobrenatural 2
Welcome to new-age, genre-merging couch culture. Today is the day that laportabcn.com (Danza Independiente Barcelona) will colgar six creations designed to be seen purely online. In an experiment designed to re-examine the nature and future of the scenic arts in the digital age, El Cicle Sobrenatural presents the following artists’ pieces for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own home (or internet café): Teo Baró - El trabajo de artista, Mauricio González - Ballets rusos (variaciones El Canario), Lola Jiménez - Plaza de Lavapiés s/n, Norberto Llopis – Monsters, Arifwaran Shaharuddin - When I actually think about love, and Mette Edvardsen - TBC. Pillows and popcorn can be downloaded beforehand.
Place: Your couch
Time: 24/7
Admission: Free
More info: laportabcn.com

Tuesday 23

Afrobeat/Reggae/High Life
Kwame Afrovibes Band
This fun-loving group lists their home as “Senegal, Kenya, Mexico, Argentina, Chicago, Spain and Ghana” and their music matches that border-blurring outlook. Band leader and vocalist Kwame Adzraku’s exuberant songs bounce along on the springy polyrhythms of Afrobeat but also draw heavily on other African-infl uenced styles like Reggae, Funk and High Life. His polyglot band of guitarists, horn players and percussionists know how to get bodies moving and can jam until the neighbors complain.
Place: Hostel Centric Point
Time: 21:30h
Admission: 5€
More info: myspace.com/kwameafrovibes

Friday 26

Psychedelia/Folk Rock/Indy Rock
Mishima
Mishima are five Catalan dudes who play rousing, atmospheric indy rock with sturdy drums, twinkling guitars and ghostly keyboards. Their subdued arrangements invite you to move in close to hear frontman David Caraben’s deep, reedy baritone. A captivating rock band with a quiet grandeur.
Place: Heliogàbal @ Ramón y Cajal, 80
Date: 26.-27.12 // Time: 22:00h
Admission: 7€
More info: www.myspace.com/intomishima

Saturday 27

Ska/Reggae/Jazz
Soweto + The Cabrians
Jamaican music inspired this band’s birth in Gràcia in 1998 and they have been moving along at the same slow and steady pace as their music ever since. Soweto’s instrumentation is exciting, interesting, and infused with jazz and American R&B. They claim that their music has a 60’s feel and yes, they have taken things from the past, but they have put them in some new, colorful, Jamaican clothes.
Place: Apolo @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 21:00h
Admission:10€
More info: myspace.com/soweto60

Sunday 28

Acoustic Experimental
Open Arms
This band hailing from Barcelona calls their music an “acoustic journey” and though you want to personally remove that from their Myspace, there is some merit it. They have a remake of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” and another of Sting’s “Fragile” and make each one different and worth listening to. Their music is bit reggae, pretty chill and they sing in both English and Catalan.
Place: Luz de Gas @ Muntaner, 244
Time: 24:00h
Admission: 18€
More info: myspace.com/openarmsbcn

Monday 29

Alternative Pop
Quique González + Gastelo
Victoria Gastelo is one of those people who are just genuinely talented. She comes from Madrid and sings meaningful songs with such a beautiful voice, slightly eerie and like it came from somewhere in the past. Her song “Como el sol” has won several awards and really showcases her singing abilities. She is someone worth seeing.
Place: Apolo @ Nou de la Rambla, 111
Time: 20:30h
Admission: 27€ including drink
More info: myspace.com/mundogastelo

Wednesday 31

Nochevieja - XL
Nochevieja Regeneradora
This New Year’s locura has been bien montado by El Niño Aragones and, hotdamn, it looks promising. Its creators promise a night of utter debauchery, “una insólita comunión de gente brillante sumergida en los excesos.” Live concerts will rock covers of indie-pop tunes, bizarro djs will do what they do best and you will enjoy an open bar with tasty marcas of alcohol, un horario that just don’t stop, caipirinhas, the two distinct salas and more. Wow. Basically, 950m2 of paraiso artificial.
Place: Cotxeres de Sants @ Sants, 79
Time: 00:00h
Admission: 35€ before December 24th // 40€ after December 24th
More info: circuitoregenerador.com

Nochevieja - XS
El Fiestón - Introducing 2009
You’ve just shoved 9 grapes into your mouth and the last three down your pants in an effort to not puke. You’ll forget them there until later, when you tire of dancing in your tight indierocker pants and your cool converse shoes, and then you’ll decide to sit down. Squish! Ohhhhh. But fuck it. Stand up, purple mancha pants, and get back to the new wave, electro pop, broken jazz, bossa nova, down tempo, dark 70’s & 80’s, funky, and latin house beats that’ll rock this little Cova in the heart of Gràcia.
Place: La Cova de les Cultures @ Carrer de l’Angel, 12
Time: 23:55h
Admission: tba
More info: lacovadelescultures.com

To Look Forward to in January:

Thursday 1

Díatodavíamásvieja
Breakfast at Voltech: Sesión Matinal Año Nuevo
After you’ve finished with the insanity listed above (Nochevieja Regeneradora), if you still want more, then continue your night on into the morning with Voltech Party #71. Ring in the New Year (day) by staying in the darkness of Sala Mephisto with Djs Dhanimal, Roger.B, Purky and probably some fucked up strangers for company. Together we can murder 2009 before she gets the chance to fuck with us. Take that new beginning!
Place: Sala Mephisto @ Roc Boronat, 33
Time: 7:30h - 14:00h
Admission: Entrada con flyer 15€ + copa
More info: www.voltechparty.com

Friday 9

Gently Protest
Milk // Ongoing
Gus Van Sant has returned to form – both metaphorically and in terms of the more classical style used in this film about the political life and violent death of Harvey Milk – the first film about an openly gay man to be elected to high office in the US. Critics have been surprised by the likeability of Sean Penn’s portrayal of the central character, which could earn him an Oscar nod, and almost universal enthusiasm for the film followed its release in the US. Given the current Zeitgeist for positive political change, this feels like a film that’s emblematic of our time while representative of events in its own.
Place: See Cinema websites for information
Time: On general release

Straight from the horses' mouths

		Music by The Bankers

Who the fuck is Axel Rose? Salido del ostracismo y lleno de excentricidades, graba un disco con 13M de $, up the crisis! Esto es como ponerle botox a la música, así que dejémonos de siliconadas y vayamos a la realidad.

Si llegáis a tiempo, pasaos por Siniestro Total, esos hombres a una nariz pegados fueron mi primer concierto con 15 años. Seguid con Gotan Project, combinan el jazz, el tango y la música electrónica de manera muy sutil. Y el cuarteto de Brighton, Fujiya & Miyagi, antiguos conocidos de nuestro cantante y con especial interés por el krautrock y la electrónica minimalista, os harán bailar hasta la saciedad. Después de las uvas, tenemos en Apolo a European Lust, darán que hablar, orgía de buena música British con ingredientes autóctonos. Vetusta Morla, banda madrileña muy bien acogida por el público y por la crítica especializada, actuarán en el Let's Festival 2009, en el Sweater y en Suîte Momo.

Los patricios contemporáneos nos han hecho creer que estamos en crisis con tanta veracidad que incluso han osado utilizar sus malas artes para llenar las calles de plebeyos, para regocijo de sus bolsillos depri· midos. En estos tiempos que corren, inundemos nuestras almas de felicidad, cantemos muchos villancicos en familia y dejémonos de tanto underground: merece la pena vestirse de punta en blanco y, cual eruditos, contemplar en el Gran Teatre del Liceu la obra Simon Boccanegra, en ella, patricios y plebeyos conviven enfrentados... ¡y nosotros que nos creíamos libres!

Reventad los locales de conciertos y demostrad a la sociedad que la música es el motor del mundo y no la puta economía.

		Film by Joan López Lloret

Quan arriba Nadal, se’ns planteja una contradicció: són dies de cine, però la cartellera és molt fluixa, a no ser que ens agradi el rotllo comercial o infantil. Per això us proposo uns films de tota la vida que trobareu al vídeoclub en aquestes dates assenyalades.

Pel 24 de desembre: Roma (1972, Federico Fellini), una de les millors pellícules del famós director italià, ideal per ríure, submergir-se en el caos felinià i fugir de la nostàlgica nit de nadal. Per superar la tediosa tarda del dia 25, la llarga i intensa Apocalypse now-redux (1979, Francis Ford Coppola) ens transportarà fins la vaporosa i calorosa selva vietnamita. El dia 26 necessita de la frescor de Mauvais sang (1986, Leos Carax), obra molt interessant que em va impactar en el seu moment, per tal d’ajudar a digerir els àpats acumulats i el del mateix dia de Sant Esteve. El dia dels Sants Innocents és un bon dia per jugar amb Jack Nicolson pels pasadisos de The shining (1980, Stanley Kubrick).

L’obra mestra 2001: A space odyssey (1968), també de Kubrich, és una bona alternativa pels qui no tenen ganes de festa de cap d’any però, alhora, no volen restar trascendència a aquesta nit. Ho vaig fer un cop i l’endemà em vaig aixecar bastant il•luminat, que no està gens malament per començar l’Any Nou. Pel primer dia de gener, la divertida i sarcàstica Modern times (1936) de Charles Chaplin ens pot aportar bones coses abans d’estrenar el 2009. I per acabar les festes, un bon regal de reis que ens farà plorar una miqueta i començar la nova temporada amb els vidres davanters ben nets: Breaking the waves (1986, Lars von Trier).

		Art by David Guillén

Cuando “rebelarse” ha pasado a significar una invitación a gastarse los ahorros en unas Converse, aparece la IX Edición del Festival Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo de Barcelona y nos ofrece otro tipo de rebelión. O eso es lo que quiere contarnos el eslogan de BAC!08, “Réveille-toi!”, una propuesta a levantarnos contra los patrones de consumo, la superficialidad y la “esclavitud”. Pero la propuesta a rebelarnos... ¿es simplemente un eslogan publicitario audaz o una realidad?

La mejor opción ante tal reto es acercarnos al CCCB hasta el 28 de diciembre y sacar nuestras propias conclusiones porque, en cualquier caso, el cartel resulta más que alentador: Barrio Santo, Rai Escalé, Roger Guaus, Romain Laurent, Paco y Manolo, Paco Peregrín, “Socatoba”, Daniel Zerbst o Bruna Kazinoti, entre otros, nos ofrecerán una muestra imprescindible ante una nueva forma de ver el mundo, la rebelión artística, social y publicitaria.

Siguiendo con movimientos revulsivos, una invitación a visitar uno de los espacios que ha venido realizando su propia revolución en el panorama cultural de la ciudad. Espace Ample celebra su 5º Aniversario con una gran exposición retrospectiva: “Made in China”, que reflejará el camino recorrido a lo largo de todo este tiempo con una selección de piezas emblemáticas de proyectos como Cartoon Gene· ration, Transfashionlab, Barcelona-París-Pekín, Zhù Yì o Proyecto Género. Hasta febrero, Espace Ample será un laboratorio de imágenes con infinitos ángulos que reflejan personajes, paisajes y fragmentos de nuestra historia contemporánea, cargados de humor y mucha profundidad, y que nos recuerdan lo complejo y hermoso de la existencia. Qué bello es vivir...

		Theater by Rafaela Rivas

Oh, my God!! Llevo los guantes hasta para escribir en el ordenador y los Kleenex se han convertido en mis mejores aliados, pero no podía dejar pasar la oportunidad de escribir en este último mes del año... Así que, para acabar el 2008 con buen pie os recomiendo que vayáis a ver a Miguel Ángel Ma· rín, un gran artista del monólogo, que nació ya con ese arte y nadie ha podido quitárselo. Felicidando que es gerundio se presenta cada 15 días en el Teatreneu, la próxima función, el 22 de diciembre. Con el nombre ya os podéis hacer una idea, pero vaya, que lo que Miguel viene a contarnos en una horita, con un humor irónico donde los haya, son las situaciones típicas y absurdas con las que podemos ser, o no, felices...

Os sentiréis profundamente identificados y no podréis dejar de reír, ¡¡os lo juro!! Otro espectáculo que merece una especial atención es El Síndrome Chukolsky de la compañía “Re-Lapsus”, con Rodrigo Cornejo entre el reparto. Este espectáculo, que se presenta cada miércoles en el Llantiol, a pesar de tener un nombre difícil de pronunciar lo que nos explica es tan contagioso que seguro que muchos de vosotros ya lo padecéis...Una comedia de amor con mucha imaginación sexual... ¿Os suena? Y por último, sólo para aquellos a quienes les guste escuchar canciones en catalán y de temática navideña, os recomiendo Cal que Nevi? El día 29 de diciembre en el Teatre Llantiol (y el 2 y 3 de enero en el Teatre del Sol de Sabadell) donde Mercè Álvarez os dejará ¡¡con la boca abierta!!, junto con el resto de voces, claro. Porque no va nada mal una historia de Navidad para enternecer vuestros corazones... ¡Feliz 2009!