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Last posts

PJ Harvey: Distant songs of Gallipoli

Mónica Boixeda Istanbulite, Only-Be

One of the great British disasters during the First World War was the Gallipoli battle, during which, after the apparently successful landing of the French and British troops, there remained atrapados in the Helles cape. As well as a considerable loss of war ships, it was estimated that the human loss in the the British army had reached a quarter of a million, with around 50,000 soldier´s lives lost. The disaster then had inevitable political repercussions, bringing about the disgrace of Winston Churchill, who had been the main promotor of the campaign, and a legendary ´national hero´ status to General Atatürk who would be the founder, and first president of the modern Turkish republic. During the Gallipoli battle, as with other battles since the beginning of time, there manifested that sense of the individual being transcended, and becoming a collective experience; as if the soldiers had had mutual dreams, perhaps nightmares too, which they all felt simultaneously. A quality of dream, trench, and mist is what marks the latest album from PJ Harvey, Let England Shake, which is a kind of critical exploration of Englishness, through historical look at wars and their vestiges; destruction near and far, in which the United Kingdom has played a part. Three songs on the record refer directly to the Gallipoli massacre, whilst another refers more generally to the devastation caused by the Great War – or rather the latter revision of the event. There is no clear critical message, and much of the richness of the album is in its ambiguity, and the freedom given to the listener to draw their own conclusions.... read more

The houses of Gaudi in Barcelona

Mónica Boixeda Barcelonian, Only-Be

To talk about the works of Antoni Gaudí is similar as expressing in abstract terms the love for something that transcends geometry and becomes poetic. The Catalan architect and artist left a priceless legacy to humanity and forever changed architecture with his creations. Although there are many works from Gaudí, only a few are well known and visited by tourists, especially in the city of Barcelona, who lives and breathes the timeless legacy left behind by this artist, so the following paragraphs are just a brief description of the existing buildings in Barcelona and its surroundings, which may not be as popular as the Sagrada Familia, but are of great importance in the history of the artist Among the most unknown houses of the architect we have Bellesguard. Built in a mythical location where the house of King Martin “The human” (Last King of Catalunya) was located. This house was built in 1408 and subsequently destroyed during the war. Bellesguard was built almost 500 years later and had great significance for Gaudí by this historical fact, something that is very well represented in the medieval and neo-Gothic architecture that makes the building very different from the rest of his constructions, for it is a castle that recalls this moment in the history of Catalunya. The house is located in the district of Sarria, in Bellesguard Street Another of his houses is Casa Vicens, in Carolines Street, between Fontana and Lesseps metro stop. This was Gaudi´s fist assignment after graduating as an architect, so it is perhaps the best example of this first stage of the artist, full of Muslim... read more

Electrovenice: Electronic Music Festival

Mónica Boixeda Only-Be, Venetian

On Saturday, the 18th of June, the city of canals will be the scenario of Electrovenice Festival, which will take place in the San Giuliano Park in Venice. The organizers of the Electrovenice 2011 have stated that the most important DJs will participate in this electronic party, an event without precedent for vinyl lovers. Electrovenice Festival was founded in 2010 with the purpose of bringing together electronic music and dance with the cheerful summer atmosphere in a fun outdoor space. This year, the vinyl fever will arrive to Venice again in one of the best European electronic festivals. Among the top performers of this event is the famous German DJ Sven Väth, a well-known minimal techno guru, who has produced a great amount of discs since 1982. He has succeeded as a businessman at Harthouse Records and Eye Q Records and he is also the founder of the record label Cocoon Recording. His work is considered as a prodigy of meticulosity and creativity that arises from the investigation of sounds and his tireless effort to do his best on the stages. Many people consider him as a legend, because he can perform in the stage for hours. Another great performer we will see on stage is the British DJ Fatboy Slim, also known as Norman Cook, although his real name is Quentin Leo Cook. His big beat style with a combination of Hip Hop, Rock, Break-beat and Blues has turned him into a reference artist of his genre with his disc Better Living Through Chemistry (1997). Despite of the fact that his new work Halfway Between The Gutter and... read more