Once again, thanks to Last.FM, one of the many music discovery tools that I use. I discovered this band and their Swiss Tour @ Moods, Zurich jazz club.
Rupa has been described a doctor who splits her time between her music career and caring for patients in San Francisco. Well, in other words, the music in her is the healing tool for her patients. Born in California to Indian parents and lived in India and France. This clearly explains the sound of her music, which is a combination of French chanson, American folk, tango and Indian ragas. Rupa has definitely taken World Music a step higher with a slight hint of pop culture to sweeten things up.
I find the diversity in her music with little elements captivating. Apart from the groovy beats, they are also good performers, who can grasp the audience attention.
Rupa is also a story teller. There is a story or a myth to be told behind every song. Stories from the east and stories from the west. They meet through the series of songs she sings.
http://www.myspace.com/aprilfishes
Fortunately, my fickle-minded sister made me fly over to Brussels a month ago at the very last minute as she was suppose to come visit me. Therefore, I spent the long weekend that the Brussels Arts Festival was taking place. I only happened to stumble upon an article about this piece of performing arts by a Belgian group of artists known as Berlin (how ironic). They tend to use digital media to depict the urban portrait based on research that they have done.
Moscow is the latest episode from a series of urban portraits that they have done over the years. They travelled to Moscow to observe, to interview the Muscovites and to film the entire event into a documentary. This piece was presented in a form of a video installation in a big red balloon tent with an orchestra playing live soundtrack. The audience was taken into the scenes with these mobile multi screens surrounding them. The ears and the eyes experienced the surround effect. The movements of the screens were choreographed and synchronised with the music, recorded sounds and story line. People talk about their mixed feelings towards the city in this film. As emotional and dramatic as the documentary was, the live orchestra played a few pieces over some pre recorded electronic beats. Watch out! sometimes the screen moves into your face!
Berlin
Here I am, back in London. It has been a rush as soon as I landed but that is also due to my bad planning skills despite the flight delay. I have made effort to meet my friends here in order to catch up with them and also to feel embraced by them again. A glass of Gin&T or a glass a smoothie did not make so much difference to how I felt this time. We exchanged thoughts about how we are and I realised that everyone has really gone through so many changing moments. Even from being a Hot chocolate person to a coffee person left an impact on me. I also managed to walked through the corridor of IFP and all the way up to the 2nd floor. Everything looked the same, smelt the same, even the boxes that were lying around looked familiar to me.
I travelled to Cambridge the following day to meet a friend whom I have lost touch with in the past 4 years. It was great to see her again and listened to stories that shocked me a little. A story that I could also picture myself in. How could he have allowed him self to fall straight into that dark hole? I am glad that I have only been walking around it and often try to take a few steps away from it. She did not go with him but left for a different direction and with so much pain to swallow. She practice Buddhism and it gradually elevates her life and spirit. It took her on a journey of recovery and discovery. I was moved and inspired. It is about faith and belief to pick ourselves up again.
We have all moved on from little steps to bigger steps but memories tag along. Memories stay as memories but we should not find ourselves dwelling on the past. There are so many changes, with little impacts or with bigger impacts, we ought to confront them in order to continue the journey.
The fire is slowly dying
The mountain is cooling down
She takes a step closer
She sees a clearer horizon
Through the thin smoke
She gazes into their eyes
She sees meloncholy
Through the soul of hers
She sheds drops of tears
She yearns to embrace them
The sun weaves through the clouds
The light flashes them hope
She goes chasing the sun
She tries holding it above everyone
They turn around to catch a glimpse
While they trudge the flight of steps
She tries to smile and wave goodbye
While she stays and her heart breaks
The bitter sweet past
The changing moments
They are lost in transition
They are all confused
It is funny how we get into a situation where nothing seems right and everything seems to be a trap to ourselves. Being cornered by the four walls increases the level of stress and then it all becomes psychedelic. Can this be put to an end? I asked my mind…sometimes the question gets ignored, sometimes it is vague, sometimes a no and sometimes a yes. Nevertheless, I see the mirror more and more, standing right in front of me. An uglier version of myself, which I have been ignoring all these while. I guess most of the answers have been stated by the reflection of it. I had perceived my arrogance as compassion all these while and ego as confidence or belief. That could sometimes be true but not in most cases. Now, I am fighting to break these walls and to head towards a new direction but my mind needs to stay calm first. All earthly desires I have possessed must be minimized. All the existing gaps must be filled up with new valuable creations. The emptiness must be diminished. I, me and mine must be neutralized and be happy with purity. Stop comparing, yearning for what others have got and making them into own aspirations. Else, the true aspiration will never be discovered. Just get to know your heart once again, calm the mind down and ignore the rest for a while
Another night with an unexpected gig. An intended glass of wine can take us to a place full of surprises. After the a slice of brownie, I managed to dash off the dinner table to Schlachthof for a drink or 2 with some friends.
The support band, Dos Hermanos, who is all about lo fi and trashy rock and roll music. 2 men who play about 5 guitars, harmonica as well as 2 customised drum kits, possibly with stuff collected from the junk yard. With a Megaphone, they sang and read a few extracts from their little story books but in German, so could not be comprehended. Nevertheless, they were full of actions on stage, which also make them good comedians. However, the resemblance in the music is a mish mash of beck, blur, modest mouse and a few other catchy indie rock bands. Good performers with skills on various instruments but composition is lacking originality.
Mama Rosin, a Swiss band from Geneva who spoke German with a strong French accent last night. They released brilliant vibes in the Cajun Music style, which took us to Louisiana for the rest of the night. The music took a speedy ride on an accordian, banjo, electric guitar, drums and a triangle, the fiddle was missing! Mama Rosin has time travelled back to the roots in New Orleans and brought some music influence back to Europe . They have put the music into a new frame within the Rock genre and it works out pretty well for the people in this era.
The crowd did the 2 thumbs in the pocket dance as they played from rock to blues to waltz and to country. The melody on the instruments were so loud that we could only hear some babbles on the vocals but apparently, that is the way they do it.
http://www.myspace.com/mamarosin
The Playlist:
01 – A Certain Ratio – Down Down Down
02 – Bats for Lashes – What’s A AGirl To Do?
03 – John Maus – Time To Die
04 – Mahjongg – Tell The Police The Truth
05 – The Mae Shi – R U Professional?
06 – Simian Mobile Disco – I Be Alive
07 – Gang Gang Dance – House Jam
08 – Extraperlo – Negroni
09 – Ebony Bones – We Know All About U
10 – Skatebard – Gamble Furutraer
11 – Zombie Zombie – Torture
12 – Squarepusher – Illegal Dustbin
13 – Dan Deacon – Surprise Stefani
14 – Aphex Twin – Film
15 – St Etienne – Lazarus
Primavera Sound Pt.2 [67:30m]:
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The Playlist:
01- Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are FL
02 – Since When - Reigning Sound
03 – Jason Lytle – Elevate Myself
04 – Yo La Tengo – Speeding Motorcycle
05 – Agent Ribbons – Birds and Bees
06 – Karl Blau – Before Telling Dragons
07 – Bowerbirds – In Our Talons
08 – The Extraordinaires – A Proud Salute
09 – Black Lips – I’ll Be With You
10 – Plants and Animals – Bye Bye Bye
11 – Phoenix – Lisztomania
12 – Jay Reatard – Always Wanting More
13 – The Secret Society – Lifetime Compromise
14 – Deerhunter – Like New
15 – My Bloody Valentine – Blown A Wish
16 – Michael Nyman – The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Primavera Sound Pt.1 [58:06m]:
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It has been 8 years since they had this encounter, which left them with little memories that always stayed. They spent the years with memories, gentle ebb and flow like the tide. 8 years have gone by and things changed but yet seemed familiar. They met and started riding on the tidal wave. A short and intense journey full of excitement, passion and love. There, they fell into each others’ arms again like they have waited for years, like they would never leave each other again, like they would start looking forward to building a castle of joy together…ah what a bliss they thought! As soon as one took a step away to return to reality, things started to crumble. The remnants from the unpleasant fall kept them standing aloof from each other….gradually further and further and further….
Now she thinks, all these happened within a glimpse!
So quickly that she has no time to shed a tear but heart remains shattered.
She has to pick them up one by one to put them back together to move on…
I thought I knew her well, I thought we loved each other, I thought I have put all the trust in her,then she betrayed my trust, my world shatteredBeep Beep Beep! I woke up and it was 6.00 in the morningI travelled in time back to where we once were,We were yakking all the time,We stared blankly at the blackboard, She then talked about her new boyfriend in the rear of the classroom,I had to laugh out loud and was punished for thatBeep Beep Beep! I woke up and it was 7 in the morningHe stepped on my nerves,His weight had really pushed the red button,I started fuming and the fire burnt frantically,I reached for the letter opener and stabbed him,They dragged me into the prison,I was swept away by the terrorBeep Beep Beep!I woke up and it was 8 in the morning I was floating, heading to nowhere,I only saw a ray of light gradually growing into my eyes, I wasn’t blinded but I was imprisoned in my own bodyBeep Beep Beep!I woke up but I wonderedWhat is the time now?
