Hey World

Collective Catharsis

After work I went to the "festival" worried about the weather, some summer rain was previously cleaning Barcelona's air, fortunately it was just a temporary episode.

20:00 at forum's place on stage the musical concept was like a pseudo Devendra Banhart on electro-girl if you ask me... BAT FOR LASHES played there with dignity admitting they were just preparing the audience for the real show.
21:30 something... people on the verge of tears...
Finally the expected appears on scenario...
Collective Catharsis, even for the music-tourist/poser-ones who cannot avoid the mesmerizing effect of RADIOHEAD playing.

In no particular order the show repertory included the complete In Rainbows album, from that album my favorites played: "Bodysnatchers", "Nude", "15 Step".... "House of Cards", and above all "All I Need"... besides that they played "Bangers and Mash" from the "In Rainbows" special edition.
Of course it was a selected collection of songs...
From "Hail to the Thief": "2+2=5", "The Gloaming", "There there" (damned! that was absolutely hypnotic!)
From "Amnesiac": "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box", "Pyramid Song" (like a sea of people shocked), "You and Whose Army?" (intimate psychedelic effect), "I Might Be Wrong"
From "Kid A": "Everything In Its Right Place", "The National Anthem" (that bass! those light effects!... epic!), "Optimistic" (that chorus just crush my bones!!), "Idioteque" (what a great title).
...and yes! from "OK Computer": "Airbag", "Lucky" (a personal anthem), "Climbing up The Walls", "Paranoid Android" (like in the best times)
... and even songs from "The Bends": "Planet Telex", "The Bends", "My Iron Lung" (holy smoke!).

Maybe I'm not completely accurate with the repertory... but excuse my enthusiasm... I was kind of disphonic then, too much sing along (^_^). The sound was astonishing and the light effects were impressive and I cannot leave out the band's charisma. No thanks for the fake "festival", no thanks for the lame marketing, no thanks for the musical-tourists, no thanks for the smoke and the sweat, no thanks for the lies... but sincerely thanks for the real thing, a great show.

Women are Heroes

" WOMEN ARE HEROES"
Cargado por JR

Expendable Music

I'm so tired of the hysteria concerning an increasing digital downloadable music around the globe causing the musical market's collapse. 21st Century musical industry has to face the reality of a new "musical scene", diverse, really international, eclectic and available to more people interested in discover or rediscover sublime and amazing sounds rather than pay for the latest hype created by the marketplace. Wise record labels are trying to create updated technologies on the net in order to fulfill new consumer needs and probably the labels who give proof of the best system will be the ones on business more time.

I've released the useless approach of the "album concept" for commercial purposes on further years. If there's a bigger expectation for the "new stuff" of any pop artist and there's a such a great source of legal and illegal material to be updated with the latest stuff probably it's easier and profitable for a popular artists to publish certain material like singles rather than albums. The "album concept" will remain as an artistic approach for the musical connoisseur, and the "singles concept" will be again the leader of the pop musical industry.

21st century lifestyles are turning just expendable forms of consumption, more and more individuals living alone and not much space left (physical or virtual) for entertainment and ludic activities. Apart from that, ecological concern on music industry it's not longer a paranoiac talk about waste and sustainable products. The value of TRUE artistic expression wouldn't be in danger as technology develops. The main problem goes to the greedy market and many other hype artists making a living of it, looking for the easy formula to success, all that marketing will be replaced for a new "product" which will receive the proportional retribution for being just an expendable entertainment, expendable music.

Watching Films and stuff

My selection for the last BAFF edition was as always a mix of bad and good impressions. I put my faith in new Korean cinema and my favorite Japanese plots, this time inspired on manga.

From Catalonia: "Chining Me" a kind of fun documentary about China but sometimes too much racist. I don't mean this got to be politically correct all the time but... it's always the same ugly European point of view about things.

"Life Track"
Miscommunication, isolation, fear... turned into a weapon slowly getting deep through your senses. A solid plot like a hammer crushing my brain. No fireworks, no fake emotions... amazing!

"With a Girl of Black Soil"
Good characterization (specially the girl), good plot and decent production nevertheless there was a lack of substance at the end. Not bad.

"Who's that Knocking at My Door?"
Big deception, just a trick of cinematic narrative too much erratic and finally absurd. Unfortunately a waste of time.

"A Gentle Breeze in The Village"
A certain winner of my heart. The same director of "Linda, Linda, Linda" adapt the simple message from the manga into common emotions, almost naive sense of humor but everything effective and charming.

"Funuke, Show Some Love, You Losers!"
Another manga adaptation wisely turned into a "realistic" film. Black humor and great characters so easy to empathize with.

That's all until next BAFF.

Master Quit

Supposed to be 10 days.

Day 0
The previous night got some ordinary food left on my stock.
So I ate just some Earl Grey tea, scrambled eggs, and some german bread slices with strawberry marmalade.
Before going to sleep I took the laxative tea (without immediate effects).
Next day the first real deal.

Day 1
Woke up normally but with some kind of laziness (nothing related to food).
Lukewarm water and sea salt is my first task, obnoxious but no so bad as I supposed. Came back to bed just because I want to enjoy the holiday.
1 hour later the process started and I evacuate as it was scheduled, then I took the lemonade.
After that did my daily exercises routine and took my daily shower.
First thing noticed, I don't feel so choked by allergic symptoms and I'm not hungry.

Day 2
The schedule works fine, salt-water in the morning, lemonade and exercise.
Not hungry but thirsty.
During the day I go out and spend some time walking to check the Barcelona's "Improve Everywhere" (pretty boring).
At home checked some Documentary stuff, the same tea and went to bed...

Unfortunately I couldn't sleep.
A low intensity headache start to grow, more and more... take some water, try to relax but the headache keeps going bigger and bigger... I can't stand it! is something stronger than me.
I've experienced something like that many years ago and the only answer was lack of food.
Sorry, I quit!
30 minutes after eating something the headache slowly disappeared.
Maybe I'm totally toxic inside or is not the right way to do it, but it's something not made for everyone and I'm not one of them.

Trial and Error accomplished.

Master Chance

A time ago I discovered an interesting document about the last hype detox-diet. First I got to admit I'm not a diet-type of person, I don't even believe in appearance related to excess of food or lack of food. What I'm really interested in is the health process and some kind of healthy way of living but out of that boring and absurd discipline perspective or any psycho nutrition disorder.

Until now I've read equally derogatory and supporting critics to the Master Cleanse or Lemonade Diet, but above all I got my own criteria and determination to give it a try, at last we believe what we want to believe, and before believing this or that I want to use trial and error on myself.

We're ready to face some holidays here in Barcelona and I will take the chance to start the Master Cleanse from that point. So everything is scheduled: 10 days I have to make it real and 3 more to return to normal life but hopefully healthier. I will post my comments from my personal daily experience according to my struggle those days, wish me luck.