UPCOMING SHOWS:

UPCOMING SHOWS:

Sat. April 30
KONONO N°1 FEAT. BATUDA
(Le Grand Mix, Tourcoing)

Sun. May 1
HELL
(The Pit's, Kortrijk)

Thu. May 5
Awesome Tapes From Africa dj set
(Treehou5e Open Air, Ghent)

Fri. May 6
Invisible Hands / Neil Michael Hagerty & The Howling Hex / DSR Lines
(Vooruit, Ghent)

Sat. May 7
CRITES
(De Ruimte, Ghent)

Tue. May 10
SEX CRIME + THE ARROGANTS
(De Pit's, Kortrijk)

Thu. May 12
QUANTIC
(DOK, Ghent)

Fri. May 13
ARCHIE & THE BUNKERS
(Het Bos, Antwerp)

Sun. May 15
THRONEFEST (Taake, Inquisition, Mgla, Batushka, Inferno, Dysangellium, Wiegedood & The Commitee)
(Kubox, Kuurne)

Thu. May 26
PAUL COLLINS BEAT
(Den Trap, Kortrijk)

Fri. May 27
BEAK>
(Trix, Antwerp)

Wed. June 1
TY SEGALL & THE MUGGERS
(Botanique, Brussels)

Wed. June 8
UNCANNY VALLEY: THE LOS ANGELES FREE MUSIC SOCIETY AND THEIR LEGACY (WOLF EYES, etc.)
(Vooruit, Ghent)

Wed. June 22
FÖLLAKZOID
(Het Bos, Antwerp)






Saturday, May 30, 2009

15 GEMS

Here are the 15 films that made the biggest impression on me so far in 2009 (minus STELLA which I reviewed earlier):

LA FRONTIERE DE L’AUBE

Philippe Garrel proves once again that he is one of cinema’s greatest poets today with this beautiful and contemplative film exploring the destructive power of love. The spectacular black and white photography is a work of art by itself and the performances are impeccable. An intelligent movie that stays in your mind and haunts you like a ghost.


24 CITY

A masterly combination of fact and fiction by today’s leading Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke, co-written with the poet Zhai Yongming. Another tour-de-force that portrays China’s modern history and turns it into poetry.


THE CHASER

A hyperventilating South-Korean action-packed crime thriller that will please lovers of Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Memories of Murder & The Host. See the original South Korean box office hit before it is watered down by a planned Warner Bros. remake.


STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

What more can I add to this review of a superbly directed film about the day-to-day lives of four disconnected young women living and working in the metropolis of Tokyo. Released in 2006 and thanks to the Cinema Novo Film Festival finally to be enjoyed on the big screen in Belgium last March. A highly refined and subdued drama that I can’t praise enough.


MILK

Not the Gus Van Sant homage to Harvey Milk but the second film of Semih Kaplanoglu’s trilogy Egg-Milk-Honey, in which the Turkish director sketches long, tranquil tableaux of rural life. This allegoric quest for the meaning of existence, family, adulthood and the challenges imposed by tradition is cinema pur sang.


FOUR NIGHTS WITH ANNA

Four Nights with Anna is the first film in 17 years from the great Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski and it is a real triumph: a grim movie reminiscent of Béla Tarr and Krzysztof Kieslowski. The fact that these kind of gloomy, sinister Eastern-European films are still being made today made my trip to Rotterdam all the more worthwhile!


THE SOUND OF INSECTS - RECORD OF A MUMMY THE SOUND OF INSECTS

A rather experimental movie about a man aged forty who starves himself in a remote forest and writes about his observations in a diary. The film ignores all kinds of feature-film conventions and mixes precise observations of the surrounding nature, vague memories, dream sequences & flashbacks. A real piece of cinema art that never ceases to amaze you.


INLAND

After ROME RATHER THAN YOU, Teguia has made another remarkable film in which he links two important causes of alienation: the influence of terror on local populations and the migration of men without prospects. With a length of 138 minutes and a minimalist approach to plot and dialogue, I am afraid it’s only for the die-hard cinephile. Great soundtrack with music by Ina Djakou, Christian Fennesz, Cheikha Djenia, Fela Kuti, Sonic Youth, Terry Riley & Bismillah Khan.


THREE MONKEYS

A Turkish film noir by one of my favorite contemporary directors. Intense performances and mesmerizing cinematography: awesome movie!


LEONERA

Sometimes when leaving a theatre, you expect a film to become a huge hit but most of the time, it doesn’t. Leonera is a typical example but don’t ask me why because Pablo Trapero’s latest is an engrossing drama about a pregnant women who gets imprisoned for manslaughter. The almost documentary-style, realistic approach makes the movie powerful & emotional. Rent it on DVD and prove me wrong!


LA MAISON JAUNE

A charming Moroccan countryside film that I finally got a chance to see on the big screen. An honest little gem of a film, simple but accurate.


OCEAN FLAME

An arty and erotic Hong-Kong drama about self-destruction. Although criticism like this might be justified, the movie is never boring or arty-farty.


PAPER SOLDIER

This Russian film set in the early 1960s and featuring an emotionally vulnerable doctor working with the first team of Soviet cosmonauts confirms that Russian cinema is reappearing on the world cultural map. Some scenes reminded me a lot of the great master of Russian cinema Andrej Tarkovsky. Another great new Russian film seen in Rotterdam was Alexei Balabov’s MORPHIA.


LA MUJER SIN CABEZA

This fascinating tale about a women who loses her memory due to a car accident poses more questions than it delivers answers so for many, it might be a very frustrating film to watch. I enjoyed it a lot because I became fascinated by the way Lucrecia Martel plays with reality and imagination.


FILM IST. A GIRL & A GUN

The result of the exploration of dozens of film archives looking for exciting and challenging old images. A visual feast of exciting images and fascinating music by Bohren & Der Club Of Gore.



In 2009 I also liked and recommend Songs from the Southern Seas, El Regalo de la Pachamama, Firaaq, Vacation, Katanga Business, Treeless Mountain, A Festa de Menina Morta, All Around Us, Funuke Show Some Love, Parque Via, Z32, Puisque Nous Sommes Nés, La Vida Loca, Serbis, Izulu Lami, Liverpool, Tokyo Sonata, Before The Burial, Survival Song, Khiam 2000-2007, The Wrestler, Il Divo, Teza and Los Abrazos Rotos.

But then again, it’s all very personal. For example, every critic hails Kore-eda’s STILL WALKING at the moment but I found the movie rather tame and boring. Still, I do believe that some readers might share my passion for the 15 above mentioned films.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Two killer shows last week!


Firstly, BRUTAL KNIGHTS turned the Pit’s once again into an incredible moshpit with people & beers constantly flying through the air & great tunes being played at a devastating tempo. Add a very entertaining singer/stand-up comedian & a cool club vibe and you get what I call the ultimate gig. Oh what a night!


Two days later, I went to see KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS in my hometown and I wish I had brought my camera along because the band was a real treat for the eye with their blue tuxedos & cool instruments (standup bass, saxophones, piano, etc.). The music was absolutely killer: pure 50’s swing the way it is meant to be played: rocking’ & rolling! The band played a bunch of awesome covers like The Champs’ “Tequila” & Louis Prima’s “Oh Marie”. Thumbs up too for the opening band TIPITINA whose line-up existed of the piano player and drummer of The Biscuit Boys and a charming retro lady who had a great voice and lifted the fine covers by Dr. John, Nina Simone & Ray Charles to new heights. Unfortunately, the show was criminally under attended which, on the other hand, resulted in a lot of space on the dance floor. Something you definitely need when King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys are in the house!

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Here's a brilliant quote by the still much missed JOHN PEEL from an interview with David B. Livingstone, published in Your Flesh #29 (1994).


“I think it’s a pity that audiences have become so sectarian in their tastes, where if you like one form of music you’re pretty much excluded from liking another. There is so much outstanding stuff to be heard. If you’ve never heard any of the great Zairian guitar players like Diblo Dibala… I could give you a long list of names. These are names that you should have tattooed on your forehead, really, because they are magical men. They can do things with guitars that you can’t believe; not just vulgar displays of technique, but their ability to play on your emotions is stunning. And if you cut yourself off from it, thinking “Oh, I don’t like that sort of thing”, you do yourself a grotesque disservice. For me, the important thing with our children and anyone that I talk to really is that you ought to keep your range of options, of choices, open, because people can’t wait to shut ‘em down, you know? People want to be able to define themselves in a series of absolutes, you know, and a lot of people by the time they’re eighteen are virtually dead, as far as I’m concerned, because they’ve decided, “This is who I am, this is what my attitude to this is, what I watch, what I eat, what I listen to, who I talk to”. And that seems to me to be really, literally terrifying, because it does you untold damage, and makes you very vulnerable to the influence of demagogues.”

To the memory of John: Muungano - ORCHESTRA MAKASSY mp3


Sunday, May 03, 2009

RED MASS



Here’s the link to an amazing studio session by RED MASS, the band that was born out of the ashes of the CPC GANGBANGS; one of the best garage punk bands of the 21st century. RED MASS has released a couple of 7-inches and a 10-inch and I hope they will release their debut album very soon. In the meantime, let’s enjoy this wonderful session. If there’s any justice left in this cruel world, RED MASS should become HUGE!

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Fire Music



Last year's "Beyond Quantum" album by Anthony Braxton/Milford Graves/William Parker (Tzadik, 2008) is one of the most exciting contemporary free jazz albums I have heard in a long time. All five tracks are freely improvised and impeccably produced by Bill Laswell. A real tour-de-force by a brilliant trio and an absolutely essential release!

Years ago, Grand Royale magazine published Thurston Moore's personnal top ten free jazz albums. In case you still haven't see that list, here it is once again:

1. DAVE BURRELL - Echo (BYG 529.320/Actuel Volume 20)

2. MILFORD GRAVES & DON PULLEN - Nommo (S.R.P. LP-290)

3. ARTHUR DOYLE Plus 4 - Alabama Feeling (AK-BA AK-1030)

4. SONNY MURRAY - Sonny's Time Now (Jihad 663)

5. THE RIC COLBECK QUARTET - The Sun Is Coming Up (Fontana 6383 001)

6. JOHN TCHICAI AND CADENTIA NOVA DANICA - Afrodisiaca (MPS CRM711)

7. RASHIED ALI and FRANK LOWE - Duo Exchange (Survival SR101)

8. THE PETER BROTZMANN SEXTET/QUARTET - Nipples (Calig - CAL30604)

9. THE MARZETTE WATTS ENSEMBLE - (Savoy MG-12193)

10. MARION BROWN - In Sommerhausen (Calig 30 605)
BLACK ARTISTS GROUP - In Paris, Aries 1973 (BAG 324 000)
FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET - Uhuru Na Umoja (America 30 AM 6104)/
DR. UMEZU-SEIKATSU KOJYO IINKAI - (SKI NO. 1)
CECIL TAYLOR - Indent, part 2 (Unit Core 30555)


Most of these albums have been reissued on CD on different labels. You can find more info about the original albums here.