GOOD TIMES NEVER END IF THERE'S
SOMETHING THAT REMINDS YOU OF THEM
A SWEDISH BAND PROVIDES THE SOUND TRACK TO THE
MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER
The sun, the beach, a cold Estrella Damm and the perfect song: a true homage to the great summer moments in the Mediterranean. That is why the music video for the single Summercat by the Swedish band Billie the Vision and the Dancers was used in the advertisement for Estrella Damm: a lifestyle that one can only find here, much more than just the sun, the beach and the summer.
Lars Lindquist had composed several songs to produce a solo album, but did not think he could finish his project alone and persuaded five other artists to help him, most of whom were old friends from his home town of Bräkne-Hoby, who were living in Swedish hippie communes. The band Billie the Vision and the Dancers was thus formed in 2004.
We all have something of Billie inside of us; Billie reflects this need to stand up for what we really want: the need to love, time to laugh, cry, dance and hang out with our friends, talk about our lives… and try to change the world…
We all have something of Billie inside of us; Billie reflects this need to stand up for what we really want: the need to love, time to laugh, cry, dance and hang out with our friends, talk about our lives… and try to change the world…
At their concerts, Lars usually cross dresses and they play lively songs with catchy melodies, the stamp of identity of this fun group, who nevertheless want to offer more than just “music and lyrics”; they want their audience to reflect and ask themselves questions.
The concerts that they play in prisons in Stockholm and in secondary schools illustrate their true social commitment. What’s more, the band believes in the “up to you” philosophy with regard to the sales of their albums: their songs may be downloaded from their website and users decide the price that they wish to pay. Lars Lindquist has stated that his music “is worth whatever anyone thinks it is worth”.
Most of the band’s songs are about a story of love and hate between Pablo and Lily, mysterious characters who have, according to Lars’ lyrics, “a secret identity”.
The concerts that they play in prisons in Stockholm and in secondary schools illustrate their true social commitment. What’s more, the band believes in the “up to you” philosophy with regard to the sales of their albums: their songs may be downloaded from their website and users decide the price that they wish to pay. Lars Lindquist has stated that his music “is worth whatever anyone thinks it is worth”.
Most of the band’s songs are about a story of love and hate between Pablo and Lily, mysterious characters who have, according to Lars’ lyrics, “a secret identity”.
His surprising lyrics make you laugh and cry, or both at the same time, thanks to the melodies full of good humour and transparency that, in any case, contrast with the typically vacuous and bland pop bands. Every one of his songs is a state of mind that must be taken into consideration.
www.billiethevision.com
www.billiethevision.com
The Estrella Damm old brewery ready for the invasion Mando Diao, Herman Düne and 4art alive.
Once again the concert for the festival of la Mercè, the patron saint of Barcelona, boasts an unbeatable line-up. Mando Diao, Herman Düne and 4art 1ª will perform for over four hours on 24 September in the Antiga Fàbrica d’Estrella Damm on Carrer Rosselló. Great music and the best beer straight from the brewery are compelling reasons to once again enjoy the top concert in la Mercè festivities.
Along with this great combination of artists, the concert promises a few surprises. The best photos posted by users on the Estrella Damm website will be used in a spectacular 3D projection mapping called “The Invasion of the Antiga Fàbrica d’Estrella Damm”, which will bring the building’s facade to life.
Their single “Dance With Somebody” is one of the most played tracks in pop/ rocks clubs everywhere, and is the high point of a career that started in the early 00's with “Bring ’Em In” (2002), which introduced their energetic and invigorating post-punk and garage rock style and famously upbeat sound. Their live shows are never known to disappoint.
The band's song “I Wish That I Could See You Soon” was used as the backing to Estrella Damm’s summer advert. Although David-Ivar and Néman have performed in Barcelona on a number of occasions, there are sure to be new sensations this time round with so many people seeing them for the first time.
This band first garnered fame for playing in their friend's living rooms and later in stranger's living rooms throughout Catalonia. They are a Catalan pop band made up of drummer Lluís de Nadal, keyboard player Joan Canals, bassist Aleix Perdigó and guitarist and singer Pere Jou. Their debut album “El Món En Un Cafè” was released last November, and was well-received by the public and critics.
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SÓNAR BARCELONA 2012: PROGRAM PREVIEW THE INTERNATIONAL ADVANCED MUSIC FESTIVAL CONFIRMS THIS EDITION’S GUEST ARTISTS.
On the 14th, 15th and 16th June the Sónar music festival returns to Barcelona with the best selection of music groups. A wide variety of music will once again take protagonism thanks to the large range of styles performing on stage. The most important are The Roots, Modeselektor, Hot Chip, James Blake dj, Fatboy Slim, Richie Hawtin, Amon Tobin with the ISAM show, Squarepusher, deadmau5, Nicolas Jaar, Luciano, Azari & III, Jacques Lu Cont, Friendly Fires, Metronomy, John Talabot, Mouse On Mars, BBC Radio 1 presents Annie Mac & guests and the showcases of Hyperdub, Brainfeeder and 100% Silk, among others
Mixing neo soul with jazz, rap and rock, the band from Philadelphia writes a parallel history of the hip-hop, eclectic and dynamic genres. With its last album, “Undun”, still causing a stir amongst audiences, they come to the Sónar to show off their unquestionable quality for the umpteenth time. Something changes in you once you’ve seen The Roots live…
Hot Chip presents a new hit. From the initial surprise of “Coming On Strong” to the remixes for the dance floor of “One Life Stand”, Joe Goddard, Alexis Taylor and their usual partners have given a personal interpretation to the dance music and pop canons thanks to their amazing humour, their vocal contrasts and an extremely colourful sense of melody.
Lana del Rey represents the glamour of the Golden age of Hollywood passed through the filter of contemporary pop and the digital culture, with the emphasis on a powerful voice, she stands out through her rich sonority and an impressive register of low notes. “Born To Die”, her first release as Lana Del Rey, has reached the top of the world’s pop charts thanks to her slow, dense atmospheric take on pop, with orchestral arrangements reminiscent of the spirits of Elvis and Kurt Cobain that seem to closely guard her.
As producer, DJ, Minus manager and showman in general, Richie Hawtin is always looking for the difficult balance between cutting edge and entertainment with an audiovisual show that will not leave you indifferent. A techno legend who knows exactly how and which keys he has to press to unleash the euphoria in his sessions.
James Blake with his new facet as DJ, Nicolas Jaar who returns after his huge success in Sónar 2011, Maya Jane Coles, Jacques Greene, Julio Bashmore, Thundercat, Cooly G, The Suicide Of Western Culture, Uner o Blawan and others, top the bill of young up and coming talents.
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Usual things are sometimes exceptional
Herman Dünes´s song I wish that I could see you soon is the new soundtrack for a genuine story: the story of Dani, Clara, Enrico and Kyoshi. They are four young stagers living a summer´s dream in El Bulli, being under the supervision of Ferrán Adrià and his team.
The videoclip, directed by Isabel Coixet, begins with the image of Dani when is about to set up his own restaurant, as one of the main characters of the story. In the middle of the scene, among crates, kitchenware and crockery, a picture is found by the young man. In that picture, we see a young woman called Clara who was a stager during his training period in the past. From that moment on, memories of that idyllic summer will come to his mind in Cape Creus.
It is indeed a Mediterranean flavoured experience: between saucepans and dishes remains time enough for playing card games, trips, beach parties, even a nice love story...
Finally, the trainee would become a chef and he would remember together with Ferrán Adrià that “Usual things are sometimes exceptional”, while savouring the natural Estrella Damm beer flavour with some fried eggs, just in front of the sea.
Videoclip stories
From the main idea of this promoting video, Adrià asked the actors and actresses to make a real introduction to the stager world. Therefore, actors and actresses spent two days together with Adrià´s team, just to really get to know the way chefs used to work.
All cooking images are real, as well as the rest of stagers we see in the commercial. Those people are the real apprentices who are daily working with Ferrán Adrià. It is worth highlighting that 7 of 10 most important restaurants in The World´s 50 Best Restaurant Awards 2011, have previously been El Bulli stagers.
Lyrics: I wish that I could see you soon
I had to leave you and go away but I
think about you everyday
in the morning and the afternoon
I wish that I could see you soon
and when I held you I felt so fine
it was like there was nothing left on my mind
it was like Rockaway Beach in the month of June
I wish that I could see you soon
I had no plans to meet you baby
I had a million things to do baby
but you hit my heart with a harpoon
I wish that I could see you soon
The angels go 'How long 'til you can see her?'
and I'm like: 'The sooner the better'',
'Do you really think she will wait for you?'
'Well I have no way to say and there's nothing I can do,
well I have no way to say and there's nothing I can do', go!
Now listen, now that I am across the sea
I wonder if you're gonna wait for me
or if you're gonna find a new boy to spoon
I wish that I could see you soon
and if you wait a little my pretty friend
until I come back to hold your hand
we'll be like bugs when they break through a cocoon
you know, I wish that I could see you soon
it's been a while since I felt like this
now i found someone I really miss
under the sun, under the moon
I wish that I could see you soon
Angels: 'how long 'til you can see her?'
and I'm like: 'The sooner the better'
angels: 'do you really think she will wait for you?'
and i'm like: 'there's no way to say and there's nothing i can do
there's no way to say and there's nothing i can do', go!
Angels again: 'How long 'til you can see her?'
I'm like: 'Well, the sooner the better'
'Do you really think she will wait for you?'
and I'm like: 'There's no way to say and there's nothing i can do
no way to say and there's nothing I can do,
Well, no way to say and there's nothing I can do
no way to say and there's nothing I can do'
SÓNAR 2011, A FIVE CONTINENT STAGE ONCE AGAIN BARCELONA WAS HOST TO THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ADVANCED MUSIC AND MULTIMEDIA ART IN ITS XVIII ANNUAL EDITION.
The program for this edition featured North American performing artists known for their personality, the quality of their proposals and their aesthetic eclecticism. Janelle Monáe, the electronic sounds of Nicolas Jaar, the young artist M.I.A., Toro y Moi’s funk-disco-pop and the hip hop of Atmosphere were just a few of the representative highlights.
Great Britain performed their urban rhythms led by Magnetic Man-precursors of the “dubstep”-, the legendary Human League with their new album titled “Credo” and Africa Hitech with their visionary electronics.
The return of the original “techno” has been a driving force in the Sónar programming and a bright future is ahead with the latest works from Aphex Twin, Surgeon, Apparat, Silent Servant and Shackleton.
To fulfill the objective of the unifying the five continents, the festival also featured the South African group Die Antwoord, the Swiss group Filewile, one of the most eagerly awaited proposals, and the Australian group, Cut Copy, with their elegant synthpop.
SOMETIMES WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
Sharing good times with your friends, experiencing summer festivals, enjoying food and drink, taking in the history of unique places by the sea... Often the things closest to us are those that make us happiest. This is the explanation behind The Triangles' new video in the Estrella Damm advert.
Whether through bonfires, fireworks, beach parties or horses, the magic of San Juan's night signals the start of summer for many. With it comes the return of sunny days, nights of outdoor parties, sunsets, pavement café'8es and so many other good times to enjoy with a nice cold Estrella.
The protagonists of the Applejack video meet one evening during a festival in Cadaqué'8es, a small town on the Mediterranean coast, and travel to the Balearic Islands by boat, where they witness the traditional San Juan festival parades in Menorca.
Australians Julie, Matt, Eleanor, Katherine and Robert decided to write and play their songs with the sole aim of sharing good times and having fun. That’s how these five school friends started to play in small venues and record with independent labels. They describe their material as a mix of psychedelic pop, indie rock and folksy guitar music, always bursting with good vibrations.
After two independently-produced albums, in 2005 the Triangles released the album Magic Johnson on the Half a Cow Records label. One of the singles from this disc was Applejack, which has become a small local phenomenon.
Dazzled by the Mediterranean landscapes, food and traditional festivals, the members of Australian group The Triangles remarked “we don’t have this in Australia”.
Dazzled by the Mediterranean landscapes, food and traditional festivals, the members of Australian group The Triangles remarked “we don’t have this in Australia”.
However, they felt they identified with the story: “What we experienced while recording the video shares the same essence as our song: having a good time with simple pleasures and sharing those good times with your loved ones”, they said.
Over 15,000 people fill l'Antiga Fàbrica d'Estrella Damm
The concerts by Belle and Sebastian, OK Go and Els Amics de les Arts brought an indie touch to La Mercè 2010
Once again, l’Antiga Fàbrica d’Estrella Damm became one of the main settings for the BAM at Barcelona’s Festa Major. Els Amics de les Arts, OK Go and Belle and Sebastian brought their energy to this emblematic building on Carrer Rosselló, which dates from 1905.
After a four-year hiatus, this concert heralded the long-awaited return to the stage of Belle and Sebastian, the modern-day classic indie pop group fronted by Stuart Murdoch. In their latest releases, the svelte front man has come out from behind his characters to deal with personal questions, as could be seen in songs from Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) and The Life Pursuit (2006), or the autobiographically-orientated parallel project God Help the Girl.
www.belleandsebastian.com
www.belleandsebastian.com
The American power-pop band OK Go is known above all for its imaginative and oft-imitated videos, but this doesn't undermine the value of their music. Quite the opposite — OK Go are masters of crafting successful songs, as shown by their recent offering Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (2010), full of numbers that grab your attention one way or another. Some of the tunes they played were ’80s-inspired, others were romantic, and some were just purely hypnotic...
www.okgo.net
www.okgo.net
It’s been said of Els Amics de les Art that they’re almost as good as a nice, cold glass of orxata in the afternoon, so they certainly have something about them. Their traditionally inclined pop, with its well-known stories, a certain melancholic air, and a natural and reassuring sound, is fast winning followers. Following their debut album, with the Tintin-inspired name of Castafiore Cabaret (2008), this year they’ve released the even better Bed & Breakfast, an album which is fresh, mature, and fun.
www.elsamicsdelesarts.cat
www.elsamicsdelesarts.cat
SÓNAR FOCUSES ITS ATTENTION
ON THE BRITISH MUSIC SCENE
Sónar 2010, sponsored by Estrella Damm, took place from 17 to 19 June, with new acts and a new format. The festival's line-up featured a great deal of electronic music from the British scene, giving centre stage to the hottest musical creativity of the moment. Big international and national acts then headlined the programme such as The Chemical Brothers, LCD Soundsystem, Plastikman, Air, Dizzee Rascal or The Pinker Tones, who chose the festival as the ideal stage on which to show off their latest material.
For the first time in the festival’s history the event doubled up, with two simultaneous festivals between 17 and 19 June: one in Barcelona, with its usual venues and contents, and the other in A Coruña, with a new format that blended Sónar by day with Sónar by night in the same venue and featured many Galician musicians and multimedia artists.
www.sonar.es
www.sonar.es
