Archive for the ‘Festivals’ Category

A new festival of music and audiovisual research located at Fabra i Coats factory in the neighborhood of San Adreu, with the support of the ICUB, this sunday 5th November. Read the rest of this entry »

Between 5^th – 9^th October, the city of Barcelona will play host to ULLS, which this year will take place in different places around the city, but based at the Plaça de la Mercè.

The festival has all kinds of different events to offer such as monologues, theatre plays, music and dance concerts as well as master classes and workshops with topics related to the performing arts. The aim of this edition is to bring experimental language to everyone with the help of innovative shows based on surprise and accessibility (all of the acts are free of charge).

The programme includes the Assemblea Teatro performing their show entitled Viva la vida!, German director and writer Patrick Wengenroth who will be giving a course on monologues, new trends in Argentine theatre will be represented by the Banfield Teatro Ensamble and Fernando Lancellotti, and the musical part will be provided by concerts from the Suprafónicos, Cita a Cegues and TheDestroyed Room (among others).

Festival Ulls from Fiat España on Vimeo.

When: October 5th to 9th

Where: Barcelona

Price: Free

Web: www.ulls.org

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001624772891

Celia Jerez (RGP – Radio Gladys Palmera)

Everyone wants to party on the road but with a million hostels in the world, where should you go?

I’ve searched high and low, drank with the best of them, and endured sleepless nights by the toilet to find the best party hostels out there.

Here are twenty that will keep you drinking, dancing, flirting, and hugging the porcelain goddess until the sun comes up:

Surf N’ Sun

Location: Gold Coast, Australia.

With a swimming pool and open courtyard, the Surf N’ Sun packs the young, the wild, and the alcoholic.

Bar Crawls take place every night and the hostel offers punch and free club entry. Boxes of goon start flowing late afternoon when people come back from the beach.

The Clown and Bard

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

With a 36 person dorm room, this place is always hopping. There’s a bar downstairs with a two for three happy hour beginning at 7pm and a live band filling the air.

Music gets blasting and four deck games of Kings have been known to break out as people forget there’s a city outside the hostel. If you’re in the 36 bed dorm, bring earplugs as this place does not follow any of the hostel sex rules.

The Flying Pig

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

With its bar and pillow lounge, the Flying Pig is the spot for those looking to channel their inner Bob Marley. There’s a constant cloud of smoke seeping out into streets at all hours of the day and night. Don’t worry if you run out- there are two coffeeshops across the street!

Base

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Base features a downstairs club that pumps out music every night. You won’t get any sleep as the music filters up the floors and entices you to come down and party until dawn.

The young and the restless fill the dance floor after drinking pitchers of beer and cheap, colorful shots. There’s usually theme and karaoke nights that let you embarrass your self all night long.

Loki

Location: Cusco, Peru

Located in a 450 year old building, Loki is known throughout South America for its parties. With regular events, an open lounge, and theme nights, I wouldn’t expect any sleep here either. The bar is regularly packed so tight, you’ll be practically grinding against your neighbor.

#11 Happy Guesthouse

Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Why: Located by the lake in Phnom Penh, #11 Happy Guesthouse features a huge patio, two big screen TVs, a pool table, and one dollar beers. Always packed, this hostel is filled with the party seekers who spend their days sightseeing and night drinking beer before heading to the infamous Heart of Darkness.

St. Christopher’s Inn

Location: London, England

A bar, karaoke, cheap drinks, and a license to go until 4am all means that this hostel is bursting with partygoers and one the busiest in London. After you drink it down, you can take it off at the rooftop hot tub. People here know where the action is and if you play your cards right, it just might be your room.

Kabul

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Located in the center of Las Ramblas, Kabul has a very open second floor where all parties happen. Happy hour officially begins at 7, which is usually a few hours after everyone wakes up.

With a reputation for partying, this place keeps drawing those who start partying at 2 a.m. and sleep until 2 p.m. This place gives new meaning to the term “late night.” I was called a quitter for sleeping at 5 a.m.

The Rising Cock

Location: Lagos, Portugal

The Rising Cock is infamous for its parties and it’s well deserved. Two things happen at the Rising Cock: drinking and drinking.

Start your day with the hostel’s booze cruise on which the majority of people get naked, and then keep the partying going with drinking games at the hostel. If you can’t handle 24 hour partying, this hostel is not for you.

The Pink Palace

Location: Corfu, Greece

The Pink Palace is one of the world’s most famous party hostels in the world and with good reason: toga parties, cheap shots of ouzo, happy hours, and theme nights. After a day at the beach (which is just minutes away) or their booze cruise, you’ll be spending the night dancing at their club, Palladium, until the sun comes up.

The hostel has over 300 beds- there’s a good chance, you might not end up in yours!

The Treehouse

Location: Ko Chang, Thailand

Every night is a bucket night at the Treehouse, and it’s the perfect blend of a relaxed hippy vibe and partying with a very active dance floor and a lot drinking. This place has all the ambiance you need and you don’t have to stay there to party there. People trickle in from all over to have fun, making this a hotspot on Lonely Beach.

The Yellow

Location: Rome, Italy

With a bar downstairs and semi-nightly pub crawls, it’s pretty easy to meet people at theYellow. It’s not a huge hostel either making the close quarters also convenient for meeting fellow travelers.

Ostello Archi Rossi

Location: Florence, Italy

This place has been popular for a long time as evident by the walls covered by the names of past guests. A big courtyard and common dining area keep people mingling and drinking vino rossi.

There are some clubs down the street and, when they close, you can move back to the courtyard to keep the party going. The rooms are a little away from the action so you can actually get some sleep if you want.

Wombats

Location: Berlin, Germany

Known for its partying, Wombats rarely sees anyone over 25. With an ultra-chic bar, everyone breaks out their best attire and pickup skills here. Cheap drinks keep travelers mingling all night long. If you can’t meet anyone here, you can’t meet anyone anywhere.

The Jazz on South Beach

Location: Miami, Florida USA

Located right near the beach, The Jazz on South Beach has an excellent bar that hosts the bold and beautiful of South Beach. This is the place to stay if you’re looking to be seen in South Beach.

Carnival Court

Location: Capetown, South Africa

There’s no chance of a good night’s sleep at Carnival Court. Located near a lot of bars (there’s also a bar in the hostel), this place is a hangover waiting to happen.

It’s wild here and everyone is looking to break a new drinking record. The staff will point you in the direction of the parties but you just might have trouble walking there as the fun here starts well before the sun goes down.

Millhouse Hostel

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

The music is on 24-hours a day at the Millhouse and the atmosphere is extremely social! Each night has a different activity such as dance party, karaoke night, and tango lessons.

Definitely a hostel for those that want non-stop fun and excitement right at home! Most commonly heard line: “Were those moans from the porno shop next store or did you get lucky last night?”

Auckland Central Backpackers

Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Located right down town, this hostel draws upon the fact its part of the Base chain. That means all the craziness of Melbourne spills over with people getting down and dirty all night long. It will give you another reason to keep staying longer in Auckland. !

India House

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

A funky converted house that was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the India Housefeatures eccentric local characters and travelers who just can’t leave. Maybe it’s Bourbon St. Maybe it’s the jazz. Maybe it’s the beer vending machine in the kitchen. Whatever it is, people here know how to have a good time.

Tina’s Backpackers

Location: Caye Caulker, Belize

Located right on the beach, Tina’s Backpackers keeps people in close quarters. Everyone here is into island living – sun by day, drink by night.

Though the crowd tends to be a bit older (30ish), you wouldn’t know it by the way people party here. It is way off the beaten path but it’s worth it.

The 20 craziest party hostels around the world  by MATT KEPNES –  www.matadornetwork.com

This week, from Thursday 22 September 2011 to Sunday 25 September, Barcelona will celebrate its Annual Festival. The last blast of summer before the autumn starts, La Mercè is the festival of festivals, where, in just a few days there are hundreds of activities like these:

• Barcelona Musical Action: to hear new sounds
• Barcelona Street Arts: artists performing amongst the public
• Festival of tradition: human castles, bigheads, giants and all the festive beasts of the city, accompanied by guests of the Mediterranean
• Festival of the sky: acrobatic meeting of jets, balloons, ultra lights, etc.
• The Fire Festival: all kinds of sparks from the musical fireworks to the Fire Run…

With a long etcetera of more than 500 activities to everyone’s taste. La Mercè is the festival of a thousand faces and you can’t miss it if you are in Barcelona.

But now it’s time to get an history class, why La Mercè  is the biggest festival of the year in Barcelona ?

La Mercè History

The legend goes that on the night of 24 September 1218, the Virgin appeared simultaneously to King Jaume I, Saint Pere Nolasc and Saint Ramón de Penyafort. She asked all three to create an order of monks dedicated to saving Christians imprisoned by the Saracens. It was the time of the wars of religion.

Centuries later in 1687, Barcelona suffered a plague of locusts, and placed itself in the hands of the Virgin of La Mercè. Once the plague had been overcome, the Council of the City named her patron saint of Barcelona. The Pope did not ratify this decision until two centuries later, however, in 1868.

After Pope Pius IX declared the Virgin of La Mercè the patron saint of the city, Barcelona began to celebrate a festival in the month of September. La Mercè really took off in 1902, when under the impulse of Francesc Cambó, the festival became the model the those that are currently held all over Catalonia. However, the history of La Mercè would suffer many high and low points that extended throughout the Civil War and the years of Franco.

With the arrival of democracy, La Mercè became a truly popular celebration thanks to the participation of organisations from all over the city. Today it is a festival held in a large number of public places with a programme centred on Mediterranean culture. In less than a week Barcelona brings together a huge programme of events which forces you to choose between them: street arts, street processions, concerts, traditional dances…

Barcelona La Mercè Highlights

The most traditional activities of the Mercè Festival are a compendium of popular culture from all over Catalonia. There is the Gironese Sardana, the human castles and devils from the Camp of Tarragona, dances that still survive today all over the Catalan lands. But the great Barcelona speciality is its street parades, originating from the spectacular processions which took place centuries ago for the celebration of Corpus Christi. They are some of the oldest street spectacles that still exist today. Now, as ever, the organisation of the street parades relies on groups representing popular culture working side by side with the street artists. Their joint task means that we can keep alive the festive and theatrical spirit that these events have always had.

Correfoc – Fire Run

If you are going to experience the Correfoc it is highly advisable to take protective clothing because often powerful sparkler fireworks are sprayed into the crowds. People should bring hats, protective glasses and thick long sleeved tops that will protect you from the flying sparklers.

There is normally 2 types of Correfoc on the same evening. One of them is for the children and is a lot more tame than the “adult” Correfoc which happens later on in the evening

The Correfoc event takes place at dusk. Normally along and around Via Laietana. The road will be closed off and then opens to “The Devils” .

The Devils are special community groups that dress up like devils and parade the streets during certain festivals in Barcelona. La Merce Festival is one such festival. The devils run up the streets with bangers and hand held fireworks. Lots of bangs and fire is the order of the day. Fire breathing dragons (or at least sparkler-breathing dragons) also roam the streets with Devils skipping along with spiralling fireworks held in their hands.

The “adult” Correfoc takes place after the “junior” Correfoc. The main difference with the adult event is that the crowds are actually sprayed with flames from the sparklers – you can see this in the picture to the left and in the picture below. If you are of a nervous disposition then maybe you should consider standing well back from the Correfoc itself.

Location: Porta Cambo, Avenida Francesc Cambo, Plaza de Antoni Maura, Via Laietana, Plaza de Antoni Lopez and Consolat de Mar

Castellers – Human Towers

This event is one of the highlights of the Merce festival and takes place in Placa de Jaume. Thousands of people will pack out the square so it is worth arriving early. The aim of the Castellers is to build a human tower and have a young child climb to the very top of the tower and stand up. It requires a tremendous amount of planning and teamwork to build a human tower and it is quite an amazing sight to see.

Location: Placa de Sant Jaume

Gigantes – Giants Parade

The Giants parade is a very popular event for the whole family. Huge giants with effigies of kings, queens and nobles march through the streets of Barcelona. These huge figures tower above the crowds and spin around and around so the crowds can see them in all their glory. The Parade is often accompanied by small percussion groups that beat out a rhythm on drums as the Giants go by.

Location: Plaza de la Mercé, Barcelona Cathedral and Plaza de Sant Jaume

Program of events for la Mercè 2011

The Barcelona La Merce festival will have something for everyone, music, street performances, drama in thousands of venues across the city. Join in the fun with Barcelona’s biggest party of the year.    The official programme for La Merce 2011

Check all the information on   www.bcn.cat

Mecal Air

For the third year, Barcelona’s international short films festival Mecal presents Mecal Air, an open air film season which has become firmly established as one of the summer’s most popular al-fresco meet-ups.

Short films are screened every Friday and Saturday, accompanied by a barbecue and Moritz drinks promotions. There is also a chill out area with hammocks where you can listen to music and audiovisual performances. Each session has a different theme, which includes humour, sex, horror, love, and Star Wars. Spend a pleasant summer evening with quality entertainment under the  stars!!!

When:  Until 17/Sep/2011

Where: Poble Español, Pl de Baluard

Price: 5,50€ ( from 20Hoo to 21H00 a free beer with the entrance)

Web: mecalbcn.org

Adrian & Shane at Artevistas gallery

They are an Irish couple working as one artist since 1998.Their work is a collection of memories, ideas and thoughts, presented with visual, graphic anad stunning impact.Not sticking to one medium, they work with text, paint, collage, aerosol, photography and stencil. Over the past 13 years, they have had many successful exhibitions, and their work has appeared in numerous publications worldwide.

EDGING, their first exhibition in Spain is about bringing the artists themselves back into their paintings. This collection is an invite into the (pop) world of ADRIAN+SHANE. Exciting

When:  Until 28/Aug/2011

Where: Artevistas Gallery, Passatge del Crèdit nº4

Price: Free

Web: www.artevistas.com

Exhibition: You Are Not Alone

“When you share, you are not alone”. Han Nefkens Founder and President of the ArtAids Foundation.This exhibition exemplifies the role and function of art as a medium for exploring social issues, and for finding a language through which one can express difficult experiences and emotions.

14 international artists display work that confronts the discrimination and stigmatization still suffered by people with AIDS today through false perceptions, prejudice and ignorance. The artists have been chosen torepresent their country, and include Lithuania, Denmark, Vietnam, and Norway.

When:  Until 18/Sep/2011

Where: Fundació Joan Miró en el Parc Montjuïc

Price: 6€

Web: fundaciomiro-bcn.org

Mas i Mas Festival

With the idea of providing first class cultural activity during the quietest month in the city, the Mas i Mas group, with the help of San Miguel beer, launched a festival in 2003 that has become a classic nowadays on Barcelona’s summer nightlife scene.

You can catch an extensive variety of styles, from jazz and flamenco to smooth grooves and techno. Gaudí’s Modernist masterpiece of La Pedrera is a unique venue for any occasion, and a dazzling series of classical concerts will be performed here, from Vivaldi and Mozart, to modern vocal arrangements.

When:  Until 9/Sep/2011

Where: Various

Price: Various

Web: masimas.com ( all the info, program, artist, place…)

Cut Copy survived as one of the fortunate standouts of the indie-dance-punk-whatever wave that crashed on both sides of the Atlantic at the start of the millennium.

So the  Australian indie electronic trio Cut Copy take many of their cues from contemporaries like Air, Daft Punk, and LCD Soundsystem, but with a distinctly pop sensibility that draws on classic AM radio pop singles from the 1970s and ’80s, with elements of vintage disco and synth pop that appeal to song-based listeners as well as the club kidz.

The group started in 2001 as a solo project by songwriter, producer, and DJ Dan Whitford, who released the single 1981 and the EP I Thought of Numbers before drafting in other members to fill out his synth and sample-based sound. Bassist and guitarist Tim Hoey and drummer Mitchell Scott  debuted on Cut Copy’s first full-length album, Brihgt Lile Neon Love, released in the summer of 2004.

After several successful singles were spun off the album  Universal’s Island Records imprint picked up the trio’s international distribution in 2006. Following an inventive Withford live DJ mix that was released in 2006 as Fabriclive.29 (including such unexpected delights as Ciccone Youth’s noisy deconstruction “Into the Groovey” and Roxy Music ’s suave “Angel Eyes” alongside the usual Goldfrapp and Soulwax), the band proper returned in early 2007 with a new single, Hearts on Fire

In 2008, the Cut Copy’s third album  In Ghost Colours saw the band breaking even further from that pack, adding layers of swooning, gorgeous pop to its burbling electro for a record that’s equally euphoric in the sunshine or a dank nightclub.

Rather than relying on those lush, radio-ready structures of In Ghost Colours, the band’s new Zonoscope often lets the arrangements ride, most spectacularly on the 6-minute round-and-round rave of the opener, “Need You Now” ( listen  http://nest-hostels.com/s/10 )

Anyway Cut Copy have a strong reputation as both a live and a recording act.

Friday, June 17     Sonar Festival 2011 – Barcelona, SPAIN

Want to listen their best  mix? Follow this link.  Cut Copy – So Cosmic (Part I)

http://www.youtube.com/user/NestHostels?feature=mhee#p/f/12/7oCkVP3OWyI

BOYS NOIZE is the stage name of ALEX RIDHA. Born in 1982 in Hamburg, he ‘s nowadays one of the most valued electronic artists, awarded with the Independent Music Award in 2010 as well as 3 years in a row Best Electronic Artist on Beatport.

Ridha has a refreshing approach: not afraid to break new grounds, beaming a myriad of influences from his hip-hop and disco roots to create an innovatory sound. His DJ-sets are equally uplifting and he’s regarded by many as one of the worlds’ best DJs, not only technically but also as a showman.

Seamlessly mixing and remixing on the spot, Boys Noize never fails to deliver high-powered and gripping sets: unforgettable experiences for the witnesses.
He released his early work on labels such as International Deejay Gigolos Records, Kitsuné Music and Turbo Recordings. In order to retain full artistic freedom however, he established his imprint Boysnoize Records in 2005.His highly anticipated long players “OI OI OI” and its successor “POWER”, the two long players that included contemporary anthems such as “Don’t Believe The Hype”, “&Down” and “Jeffer”.

He remixed David Lynch, N.E.R.D, Depeche Mode, Snoop Dogg and The Chemical Brothers amongst many other great artists and became a producer of note, highly sought after having worked with Kelis, UK rapper Kano and Black Eyed Peas to name a few.

Chilly Gonzales’ “Ivory Tower” is his first fully produced and co-written album which was released in August 2010.
He has further collaborated with his friend and fellow Erol Alkan: The first record “Death Suite” / “Waves” was released on Ridhas imprint BNR, follow up “Lemonade” / “Avalanche” came out on Erol’s label Phantasy Sound. An “Avalanche” re-release, a new version featuring Brit-God Jarvis Cocker, is due for early 2011.

Ridha is currently working on the forthcoming Spank Rock album and as well as with New York´s finest Scissor Sisters. His recent release of original Boys Noize tracks in September 2010 celebrated the 50th release on Boysnoize Rec as well as the launch of the first sublabel BNR TRAX which presented its first release in October 2010. He ’s coming soon in Spain and as he di’dn’t use to, you really have to see him.  Boys Noize ’s shows, like his music, are spectacular.

Friday, June 17     Sonar Festival 2011 – Barcelona, SPAIN

Want to listen to him? Follow this link.  Boys Noize – Shine Shine

http://www.youtube.com/user/NestHostels?feature=mhee#p/f/6/51K0DQm94xw

There is no doubt about what music means to Nôze – a fun thing to do! The French duo founded in 1999, is Nicolas Sfintescu, who is co-founder of the popular Circus Company imprint, and Ezechiel Pailhès, a classically trained pianist.

Grounded in the fundamentals of house, with keyboards and vocals, Nôze deliver a very energetic and wacky sound,  in which they crisscross a variety of styles – swing, chanson, golden age Hollywood-musicals, reggae, boogie woogie, ska, cumbia, jazz, hip hop, klezmer, and even cabaret find their way into the pair’s multicolored tracks.

Their very best moments culminate in something that might be called a house revue show for postmoderniste.  Dring, the third album is clearly a statement of belief in, well, everything. It’s all fun and diverting, and probably is most effective when dressing up for the real party.

Sunday, June 19     Sonar Festival 2011 – BArcelona, SPAIN

Want to listen to them? Follow this link.  Nôze – In the back of my ship feat.dop  http://www.youtube.com/user/NestHostels?feature=mhee#p/f/6/R2W_h8Bkzgg

Nicolas Jaar  is only 21 years old and he’s already had quite the life. Much of his childhood was spent in Chile, but his formative years were spent in NY, where he entered the world of electronic music and released his first record before he completed high school, on the renowned Wolf + Lamb label no less.

He is the crossover sensation story of 2010. He’s young but he has already positioned himself as a one of the most promising new artists to come out of the USA’s electronic music scene in recent times.

And with music fans from all walks of life announcing devotion to this young producer’s unique take on house music. With slow tempos, sparse but engaging arrangements of organic instruments and just the right amount of new school production, his music is downright amazing.

Want to listen to him? Follow this link.  Nicolas Jaar – Mi mujer

http://www.youtube.com/user/NestHostels?feature=mhee#p/f/6/hFAEYWQl1eM

Gracia Arts Project (GAP) is a non profit artist platform and assocition.

Since 2006 GAP has been developing exhibitions, multimedia events, films, books, videos and music events large and small across the city of Barcelona.

GAP promotes the intergration of different artistic disciplines where creativity is the key.  Based primarily from it’s gallery in the center of the city, which is widely recognised as a cultural hub for Catalans, Spaniards and Internationals alike.

GAP Gallery is proud to announce its presence and cooperation in Off Loop, a multimedia dynamic festival showcasing local Catalan and international artists in Barcelona during the month of May.

Will be showing several works from established and “up and coming” artists living in the area of Barcelona. The underlining theme is a celebration of the movement of the senses.

Where: C/Sant Honorat 11, Barcelona

When: 2/May/2011 to 31/May/2011

Price: Free

Web: graciaartsproject.com