For those of you who are Spanish speakers, here I send you a link from a Spanish website called “El Blog del Becario” that has a section where they feature Spanish people living around the world. It was my turn some weeks ago, so you can see some pictures of Tartu, the city where I live at the present moment, and get to know a bit more about Estonia and my life there. Enjoy it!
http://blogs.20minutos.es/becario/post/2010/01/11/un-espaaaol-perdido-en-tartu
This review should have had the title “Rammstein concert in Tallinn”. 2 weeks ago, I had everything planned and arranged to go to the Estonian capital when suddenly a stomach flu left me spilling my guts out, and totally destroyed the chances to go anywhere (and not only me, the virus affected to half of my job mates at the office).
Luckily, the Germans were playing 1 week later in Riga, relatively close from Tartu, and I convinced my Finnish friend Ilkka to come from Helsinki and drive to our destination of glory and rock.
Rammstein must have been on the top 3 of the bands that I still had never had the chance to check live and really wanted, so it was worth the effort; although I cannot really thank the promoters from BDG-FBI. They procrastinated in answering my emails, and gently denied me any press ticket, apart from not answering anything when I proposed farther collaboration for reviewing their events. How many publications do you have in English focused on culture and entertainment in the Baltics? I suppose that it must be more rewarding to sit all day at the office checking Facebook and Orkut than trying to do a good work. But well… if I start to talk about incompetent people in promoting and events management positions in Finland or Estonia, I would never reach to the point of talking about the concert….
Arriving in Riga became a little odyssey due to the heavy snow falling. After 3 hours of driving from Tartu, we encountered traffic jams everywhere, a lot of police and ambulances running from one place to another, and 4 or 5 small car accidents around the Latvian capital. The city seemed to be receiving a summit from the World Bank instead of a rock concert. Some of my Estonian job mates mentioned later that the car accidents were due to them being 6-toed Latvians, but I will remain impartial about the sticky subject ;)
But what it is true is that the organization of the concert in Latvia was awful. We encountered another more annoying queue for accessing the parking or Riga Arena, which turned to be full. Luckily, driving a few hundred meters away, a friendly Russian guy left us parked in his parking for just 2 Lats. We did not have Latvian cash, so gave him 5 euro. The E-Tickets that I had pursued in Internet worked (thanks god) and then I encountered the longest queue for a male toilet that I have ever seen in my life. So I decided my kidneys should have to wait until the end of the gig. With the traffic jams, we missed the first band, so accessed directly to see Rammstein show in an ultra packed standing up area of the arena. And when I say packed, I mean packed. Organizers again fucked it big time. There should have been easily at least 200 tickets less sold out there. We were at the bottom, very far from the stage, and we already could hardly move, a situation that I had experienced before just when being near the first row close to the stage. It is a miracle that not more people got into fights there or fainted. Chaotic!
The concert started with Rammlied, but being honest, the first 4-5 songs were closer to a nightmare than being a joyful event. I was literally feeling like a sardine in a box and very far from the stage with no chance to advance or move. Not helping that the old Murphy´s Law about taller guys always standing in front of you in a concert, and me being not the tallest in the world, made me literally almost break my neck to try to see something of what was going on stage. Latvian guys for your information are not the shortest of the world, so it does not help when you have a fucking basketball team in front of you.
The cherry on top of the cake is that there were no screens on the sides of the stage. For a band with the category that Rammstein has, and with tickets whose price started at 50 euro, a small fortune in Estonia or Latvia, I did not understand this either. What is the point to create amazing pyrotechnic effects on stage when half of the audience is not going to be able to see a shit if they are not in the first rows or in the seating places?
Luckily and wisely, we moved to one side that was a little less packed, and enjoyed some of my favorite tunes like Keine Lust! or Weisses Fleisch. The middle part of the concert was a bit boring from my point of view, it always happens the same when a band I like releases a new album, I always think that they should not play so many of the new songs. For example, Frühling in Paris could have perfectly been erased from the setlist, while it was an absolute pity than songs like Spielt Mein Klavier, Du Riechst so Gut or Azche zu Azche were missed.
Undobutedly, the end of the concert was the best, with amazing tunes like Links 1-2-3, the unavoidable and always awesome Du Hast and the catchy Pussy. A great end that was followed up by an encore with Sonne, the surprising Haifisch (I was not expecting the keyboardist “Flake” surfing the audience on the inflatable boat with this one, but with the classic Seamann, which I think would have been still much better, and Ich Will for closing the first encore.
While it seemed that everything would be over, and more than 1 person in the audience started to exit, the band still gave an amazing present performing a second mini-encore with Engel, with a huge and beautiful white angel on flames displayed on the stage, that finished the show; a great end for a concert that left me a bitter sweet taste due to the chaotic organization.
My Finnish friend Ilkka visited me last week to drive to Riga to see Rammstein concert, and when we were back in Tartu, he showed me the most hilarious German video I have ever seen! (Ok, actually it is made by Swedish).
I introduce you the almighty Schlangemann!!!
Advisory: It contains explicit sexual content.
If you want to be the best, you have to play with the best. That is exactly what Duke does joining forces with the most elite command on earth.
Well, I belong to a generation that grew up as children playing with G.I Joes in their living rooms. I still remember the arcade videogame after many years. So for me, this is not just another action movie. And actually, I must say that although I was expecting another disappointment as big or even bigger than the one I suffered the other day after watching Transformers 2, I kind of liked this movie.
Sure, the script is not made for receiving an Academy award, and people seem to find whatever minimum excuse to turn evil and try to destroy the world, but nevertheless, as a product of entertainment, the film works. The characters are what you expect them to be, no more, no less. Both female lead roles incarnated by Siena Miller and Rachel Nichols have a great presence on screen and a notable sexual charge, Ray Park (do you remember him in, among others, Star Wars I?) as Snake Eyes is once again amazing in the fighting choreographies and Channing Tatum And Marlon Wayans are pretty convincing as the “good guys” couple.
The bad guys look like bad guys, and just the presence of Dennis Quaid appears not to have much sense. The action is good, the special effects, although sometimes they are not at top level, work reasonably ok, and in this case, opposite to the second part of Transformers, I do not feel like being part of just a shallow propaganda for the American Army, but as of the fun of watching a notable action movie.
Imbd site´s users can say whatever the fuck they want, rating the movie under 6 out of 10, but for me, this is a more than a decent result, compared to all the crap that invades the DVD stands of any shop nowadays. Resuming, a movie worthy to watch if you like action movies without having to analyze the philosophical reasons of the human being´s existence.
Rating 3/5
The best: Marlon Wayans trying to get into the pants of Rachel Nichols.
The worst: some holes in the script. There are twists and “twists”.
The detail: G.I.J.O.E. stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity
I went out yesterday night with an English friend in Tartu. We started the night at Club Tallinn, which brings me good memories of my student years in the city, when we used to go there pretty often on Wednesdays with the other students from the dormitory.
Some thoughts came to my mind after last night: first of all that I should try to go to other clubs where people are older. I was feeling like in a kindergarten there, and it is not that cool when everybody around looks like 6-7 years younger that you. Luckily, my English friend is even older than me…
Secondly, that I do not like that stupid rule that most of the clubs have that many nights (like yesterday) men have to pay the entrance fee while is free for the women. It is a much extended practice in Estonia, and for me, it is plain discrimination. I understand the reasons of the managers to do that: so pretty girls would go to the club, and then guys are attracted by them so they will come too and spend more money on drinks. But if we want an equalitarian society, that should apply to everything. I have not read any single voice that has been raised against these kinds of things in the media, and I think it is intolerable, but nobody seems to care. What would happen if next week, in the cafeteria down my work the meals would be free for men but women had to pay? A bunch of feminist associations would come immediately in rage… but well, this seems to be the way it is here, and we can take it or leave it…
Third, that the drinks are too expensive. We are talking about a club located in the same building that a student dormitory, with very young audience. Come on guys, having to pay 65 crowns for a small glass of rum with coke is not cool, even more now in crisis times. But take also into account that in Estonia there seem to be a big culture of “showing off”. Estonian guys will pay the drinks in the club, and dress like if they would live in Melrose Place, and for the rest of the week they will be eating pasta at home with no money to do shopping. That happens when MTV culture collides with low wages…
And in general, I realized that I do not like much the social dynamics of nightclubs in Estonia. True, for a man like me, it is very nice to watch 100 hot young girls dressed to kill around. But after a while, you realize that it is not really that fun. People are not very accessible to talk to, everybody is looking at everybody, but nobody interacts with others than the old friends. Girls just walk around showing their latest acquired mini dress, but they have a sign that seems to say “look but not touch”, with a very cold attitude, and boys are not really very friendly either for a conversation, and not very subtle when hitting on girls. Actually, the few times I could have a nice conversation in a club in Estonia usually take place in the smoking room. So if you want to have a bit of social interaction, you will have to sacrifice the health of your lungs.
I bet that at the end of the night, 95% of the people who went to the club left with the same group of friends, and without having made any new acquaintances. At least, I remember in my younger years when visiting a club in Spain that at the end of the night you could see many new couples around the corner kissing. I am a defender of “make love, not war”, so I find that much better than fighting in the streets. But in the club, you could hardly see anybody making out or having real fun in a conversation. Everybody dressed up, everybody expecting somebody else to make a move…nothing happening, boring. And because of the price of drinks being so high, most of them, being just young students, could not even allow themselves to have a glass in their hands.
On a more positive side of the night, I have to say that after that, I visited Genialistide Club for first time in my life, and I liked the atmosphere there very much. I actually do not know why I have not gone there before. I ended the night in Zavood, another mythical bar in Tartu, and I can say that in both bars I have in a few minutes many more interesting conversations with new people I was introduced that in all the previous hours at the nightclub. The usual crowd in those bars are much more relaxed and open minded, and although of course there can be some asshole like in everywhere, it is usually easy to have a nice talk while playing a fuzzball game or just ordering a beer on the desk. Not mentioning that prices are really much cheaper there.
http://www.clubtallinn.ee
http://www.genklubi.ee
http://www.zavood.ee
FREE! Magazine and Panvision invite you to see one of the most amazing Japanese animation movies! Just send the correct answer to the question below to antonio.diaz@freemagazine.fi, writing in the subject field “Ponyo on the Cliff competition”, and you can be the lucky winner of one of the 5 DVDs of Ponyo on the Cliff we have to give away!*
What is the name of the director of Ponyo on the Cliff?
* Prices will be delivered by post only for winners located inside Finland’s borders.
For the fans of horror movies with good doses of comedy and pretty girls, this is not going to disappoint you!
I must say that actually I enjoyed this movie more than I expected. I knew that I was not going to find any “deep meaning” behind it, more like a film perfect to see in hangover days while lying on the sofa, but certainly, I think that different movies are made for different purposes, and this one accomplishes its own one.
The dialogues and the characters are funny and work, especially James Corden as Fletch, the best friend of the “hero”, horny and ready to party and make smart comments all the time.
Actually, opposite to what the title could imply, the amount of sex and erotic scenes is very light, hardly will you see one breast here and there, and the violence scenes are always wrapped with good humor, so it is a movie perfect to see with your girlfriend or with children around (whatever war movie they usually watch will have more shocking scenes there).
For those of you who need a different perspective of the vampire world than what Twilight can offer, give a try to this one!
Rating 3/5
The best: Fletch killing the daughter of the priest and acting like nothing happened.
The worst: more physical contact between Jimmy and Lotte would have been welcome!
The detail: I watched the same day this one and “Two Lovers”, and enjoyed this much more by far!
An intelligent and funny history that tells about the period in Great Britain in the 60´s where pirate rock stations delighted the youngsters.
For any musical lover, this film is a must see. It is entertaining, well written, and enjoys a great cast with Bill Nighy, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Kenneth Branagh or Emma Thompson among many other great names. I also enjoyed the presence of Chris O´Dowd and Sinead Matthews from my favorite British TV comedy, The IT Crowd.
The story tells the life of a crazy gang of Djs on a boat during the 60´s, period where rock stations were illegal in England. Fun, good jokes and overall, a great soundtrack that makes you appreciate the value of music in life, as well as friendship and how bad and hypocrite the stupid rules of governments can be sometimes. Totally recommended!
Rating 4/5
The best: The soundtrack of the movie is fantastic
The worst: The final with the shrinking boat was a bit weak.
The detail: You can see back after a long time in the same movie to Branagh and Thompson, although they do not share scenes.
Joaquin Phoenix incarnates a charming bipolar Jewish guy splits between two loves.
I knew that this probably would be another romantic movie with lack of spicy action, but actually I was really disappointed while watching it. I had the feeling of that “something good is about to happen” that never get to materialize, if you know what I mean. So here you have in the end another good example of a great cast and a big production (meaning a lot of money) wasted in a boring film.
Joaquin Phoenix is a great actor, and here shows once again, but the role could have had more to squeeze with a more intelligent script. Gwyneth Paltrow is as adorable and sexy as always, or even more, but actually her role of family breaker blondie could have been perfectly filled by other thousand of actresses. Not her best movie.
In addition, the end is quite pessimistic, I am not sure what was the message they wanted to transmit, but for me, it seems like in the end you have to renounce to your dreams and set back into the harsh reality, being moderately happy. But is not Hollywood about following dreams?
Quite disappointing in the end. If you are a fan of the main actors, you can give it a try, but personally, I found it boring and forgettable.
Rating 2/5
The best: Vinessa Shaw acts and looks adorable as the Jewish girlfriend
The worst: when two bipolar people get together, you know the story is not going to end well.
The detail: It is set in Brooklyn (what a novelty for a romantic comedy…)
Follow up album for the Finnish gothic band after their debut in 2007.
Primrose Path is a good album for those of you who like gothic melodic metal with female singers on the front, in the same line than bands like Nightwish, Lacuna Coil or Evanescence, for putting a few examples. The voice of Annika Jalkanen is crystalline and clear, straight to your heart, but sometimes I miss a bit more of risk trying to get higher notes.
As most of the Finnish metal bands, their style and musical skills are excellent, and the album sounds very mature for a band not so well known internationally. However, the saturation of bands in the same genre during the last years puts some doubts in my head if they will be able to breakthrough, although it seems things are going well so far for the Finnish guys, touring around Europe.
Listen to tracks like Countdown to the Starts, the initial one, or Rusty Rails of Yesterday, and get immersed in a surrealistic atmosphere of musical pleasure (and a little bit of sorrow).
Rating 3/5
Well, although at FREE! Magazine we are focused on rock and metal reviews, there is space for all kind of music like this interesting techno album!
Crookers is an Italian duo of Djs that will make you move your feet from the beginning with this collection of 18 remixes. I am not particularly fond of techno music, although I do not mind visiting a club from time to time if the situation requires it. This remix is easy to listen, not too hardcore but not too soft, ideal for warming up at home having a couple of drinks before going out at night to hit the dance floors.
A good album to start feeling the party mood early in the evening!
Rating 3/5
Mustaine is back with another awesome album that digs deep in the roots of the band!
Dave Mustaine is certainly not known for keeping silent and writing ballads (although you can find one in this album). His rage and ferocious guitar riffs are back at his best shape. Mustaine seems to be living a sweet moment in his career, and the addition to the band of Chris Broderick is also an excellent piece of news for the band.
What you have here is a classic Megadeth album, for some fans, one of the best in decades, with powerful tracks like This Day We Fight or Endgame.
Do not expect surprises here, this is another direct shot of metal in your head. But for all and new fans, this album is not going to disappoint you, so Megadeth shows once more that, although the changes in the members, they keep as one of the best act to see and listen to in the metal scene nowadays.
Rating 4/5
The finalist of Finnish Idols 2005 is back with a second Studio album!
After her debut album When the Night Falls in 2006, Agnes, the Finnish singer with Polish roots, is back with another metal album. Actually, opposite to what happens in my native country, Spain, where all the Idols singers are cut by the same mainstream pattern, I even dig this singer! Finland is the country of metal, so people like Agnes and Ari Koivunen keep showing that you can even extract great metal singers from a TV show that anywhere else in the world would suck.
Redemption is a pretty fine melodic metal album. Agnes has great vocal skills and the songs are catchy and well structured. Powerful enough to catch the attention of big masses, although of course, do not expect raw melodies here. Everything is measured. Nevertheless, as I said, after listening to it a couple of times, I liked it very much, with great tracks like For Your Redemption, Don’t fall in Love or the final Tears with a Smile, sang with Ancara, that from my point of view is the highlight of the whole album.
A good melodic album, that can reach both the old metal fans or the young female Emo followers of Paramore.
Rating 4/5
New studio album from one of the most consistent Finnish power metal bands.
Sonata Arctica has always been one of my favorite Finnish bands. It reminds me of those times when I was just a teenager and listened to Stratovarius and Gamma Ray, when I started to go to live gigs and everything was new. So because of that, I feel even more disappointed with their new work. I cannot say it otherway: the album is boring. Maybe it is the change with guitarist Elias Viljanen replacing Jani Litmatainen, maybe it is that the new experimentation with the vocals of Tony Kakko does not work out as it should be, but the point is that the album is much slower, darker, and with lack of spark than previous ones.
Apart from a few tracks like As if The World Wasn´t Ending, I found just an average slow metal album that any other rookie band would have released. But at this stage, you would expect more from the Finnish fellas. I hope they find their way back into track soon.
Rating 2/5
The French metal heads strike back with their second studio album. A more than refreshing experience if you want to listen to heavy metal in other languages apart from English!
Abinaya (the name is Sanscrit) is a French metal band composed by Igor Achard on the guitar and vocals, Nicolas Vieilhomme on the drums, Andreas Santo on the bass and Nicolas Heraud as percussionist.
The introductory song, the homonymous Corps, reminds you of bands like Soulfly or Sepultura, but although percussion has great importance all over the album, there are cutting guitar riffs as well.
A great album, melodic enough to reach big audiences. The only problem is that they use French language in their lyrics, and as we know, nowadays only a few bands are able to break through internationally singing in their native tongue.
All in all, a great and pleasant discovery. It would be nice to see them in the future singing a few tracks also in English. Good metal experience!
Rating 4/5