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Last posts

The All American Rejects in Lisbon

Mónica Boixeda Lisboeta, Only-Be

Alternative rock worldwide could not be in a worse state at the moment. Everything that sounded good on the radio is now just a memory. Back when there was still hope in rock, in its ability to change and the attitude on the radio, we were hit by the wave of musicians like Britney Spears, Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga simply because there isn’t any room in major mass media for good rock. In the nineties, the whole scene of indie rock and alternative exploded, and everybody knew about bands that were otherwise probably doomed to oblivion if it hadn’t been for Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, and all the other bands that filled MTV with their “weird” sound during a time period dominated by the less popular hard rock and hair metal. After leaving the nineties, a war that left many dead or wounded and a lot collateral damage, we were sold another false hope: the Strokes. On July 30, 2001, just a few months after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the group released their first album “Is This It,” which sent shockwaves through the rock world. Finally, good rock once again returned to MTV, videos, and daily life. The first release from The Strokes was certainly a hymn to the best of underground rock, a tribute to New York’s role in the sound of the past yet addressing the future. Influenced by The Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop, Television, and the best English Post Punk, Julian Casablancas and his colleagues managed to rattle the world and above all, put... read more

Ok Go in Concert in Williamsburg Park

Mónica Boixeda New Yorker, Only-Be

On July 19, Williamsburg Park, New York, presents the American indie rock band OK Go together with the Russian-born comedian Eugene Mirman. Known for their musical performance and creativity, the band OK Go will give New Yorkers a glimpse of their newest work on this important stage. Ok Go is originally from Chicago but they currently live in Los Angeles. Their uniqueness, their special way of dressing, and their creative music videos have earned them followers. The band was founded in 1998 by lead singer Damian Kulash and bassist Tim Nordwind, who have known each other since they were children in the Interlochen Arts Camp. The later met Andy Duncan in high school and drummer Dan Konopka in college. The band’s name is a joke between Kulash and Nordwind, who took the common phrase of one their teachers: “Ok … Go”. Initially they participated in the public radio program This American Life for the fifth anniversary. In 2002 they released their first self-titled album and the following year they successfully debuted the song, Get Over It, in the UK, reaching number 21 in the singles chart. The song Top of the Pops, was considered the song of the week by Q Magazine. In 2004, they performed the main track for a political benefit album against George W. Bush, produced by Barsuk Records. That year, Kulash wrote a song against Bush that sought to help others fight to unseat Bush from the presidency of the United States. His second album, Oh No, was created in Malmo, Sweden. After the launch, Andy Duncan decided to leave the... read more

Tony Bennett in Istanbul

Mónica Boixeda Istanbulite, Only-Be

What´s being a solo artist about? Today, it seems that music doesn´t know what making someone fall in love with style and seduction is. All male singers of today know little about true love conquests. On the other hand, however, they know a lot about big cars, bling and little elegance when dressing. Living in the nostalgia of the past, in that past where everything was better, is also not very convenient when it comes to art, music or culture. However, we can´t stop looking back when we see people like Justin Bieber, the current heartthrob for many teenagers around the world. Justin Bieber is simply a caricature of the pop and R&B singer. This sort of androgynous character wants to be one of the Backstreet Boys without being in any band. From the bad quality of his songs to the tediousness of sensitive teenage love with no depth, Justin Bieber is one of the worst products of the current pop music industry. However, youth must not be a reason for despair facing the best contemporary music. Being young or not is not an excuse for having bad taste, on the contrary. If we think about Tony Bennett and his early days, we´ll realise that this master of pop, soul and jazz was involved in art at a very young age and in a much more serious way. Born and raised in New York, Tony Bennett isn´t just a jazz, pop and soul singer but also a very talented painter. His life has been filled with dreams and adventures; as well as singing since a very young age, he was... read more