26/08/2012

To Polymer from Viimsi from Sinilind from Hoov

now I have to use your big blurb copyrighted photo on facebook, that's unfair

Hey readers
it's another weekend in Tallinn. I got four nights off of work and there was much to do and places to be. On Thursday there was a lecture on the  connection of architecture and music. It took place in Hoov and continued with the Väke Jack house night. We stayed for an hour or so. There was a table tennis tournament also taking place there and the whole party seemed like a strange sports theater play. After that we went to a childhood friend's house cooling party. We sighted girls riding a deer on the way and stopped at the Baltijaam for drinks and a "tseburek". Two floors and a rooftop terrace were at our disposal when we arrived. It got wild and most of us skipped sleeping that night.

Girls having fun at Sinilind

The new place Sinilind is now opened at Müürivahe street. We went there on Friday night to celebrate a special occasion. There were DJs playing but I never identified them. There were mostly musicians, advertising people and designers attending. It's too early to say what will become of it.

Balloons in Viimsi

On Saturday we ignored the Lady Gaga show and stopped by the Polymer festival exhibitions instead. After a quick tour we went to Viimsi to say goodbye to a friend of ours, who's leaving for Italy.

It's about the small things (which sometimes happen to be big).

It took us 3 hours to get there. I have no idea how it happened, but we went around town to find the biggest champagne for her.

Concept watch - it's always party time (well at least until she takes a shower)

After the party at Viimsi I went back to the Polymer festival. There were still several people around the compound and the rooftop terrace was the place to be and a couple of producers were hanging out there. The thing was though that no one was playing. Apparently the DJ had enough of the bad organizing and had left and the music was coming from an iPod.

The other bar with the two Finns on the left

I had a jar full of cider and high spirits so we agreed that I would get my record from my place and come back to play a spontaneous set. I tried to find a bike to borrow, but the only one I found wasn't lent to me. People can be so paranoid sometimes. The back up plan was that I took a pair of Finns with me for company. They weren't fans of walking around North Tallinn at night so we got a taxi back from my place.

Last night the DJ saved(?) my life

I got on the decks and started pumping the party beats. The shocking part was that the equipment wasn't grounded and every time I had to touch the metal parts (the cross fader for example) I got mildly electrocuted. That might have been why the last DJ had left. I got another jarfull of cider and kept playing.

What's going on?

My best audience was a guy who passed out in front of the stage. At some point I had to check his vitals in the middle of the set. Actually I think he's the super drunk guy I saw at the Andy Warhol project last week.

The last visitors rocking out.

It was a great end to the weekend. I spent the Sunday sleeping and writing this post. More adventures await and we'll probably meet somewhere along the way.

That festival night had a great atmosphere.

If you want to read about what happened afterwards then click here.
Thanks for coming.
Barthol

17/08/2012

Andy Warhol in Estonia project by Kiwa and Martin Saar

Some people spend their whole lives thinking about one particular famous person

Hey you!
This wednesday we went to a special art event which was the presentation of "Andy Warhol in Estonia's" trailer. It took place at the studio of Martin Saar on Tatari street. Kiwa was starring as Andy Warhol.

Kiwa as Andy Warhol with security chicks

There were three parts to the event. First there was the screening which took some time because it was too light outside. The movie is planned to be finished in 2017 and to be shot in different locations around the word.

The show started already outside of the gallery

The event was semi-closed, but someone told me that the last event had been packed with local celebrities. Loads of Champagne, beer, wine and vodka were served.

Andres Lõo taking a smoke break

Secondly there was a piano concert by Martin Saar, which sadly was only/mostly covers and no original works. I didn't know what to make of it.

Posing with paintings is almost as good as posing for paintings.

The paintings combined whatever you come across on the internet "before you diagnose yourself with depression, make sure you are not in fact surrounded by assholes" type of stuff. It's hard to predict if such memes will stand until next year or the one after that. The paintings were pretty to look at no doubt.

A fresh Warhol fan inspecting the show

The third part was the auction where Martin Saar was supposed to sell his works off the walls. He only sold about half of them and after that it was cancelled because the prices weren't high enough. So sadly my little sister didn't get to buy her first piece of art.

The audience waiting to see the trailer for Andy Warhol in Estonia

By the end of the night the coffee machine shut in as someone had poured champagne into the extension cord. Also one visiting artist had gotten super drunk, asked all the girls to pose for him and basically got kicked out in the end.

Martin Saar using on of his paintings to cover the window

This was supposed to be the last exhibition by Martin Saar before he leaves for the states to study art there. I'm excited to see what direction he'll take in the future. It was an exciting Wednesday evening and it continued for us in the center until 5 a.m.

Kiwa being used as a mirror

See you soon!
Barthol

14/08/2012

Music filling up Tartu

I was told your live in Tartu was awesome

Tartu Music Week was inspiring.
The days started with the panels where different topics about being a band were discussed. I attended all the panels and (not so) strangely all the discussions led to the same points. I was a bit disappointed to see so many musicians missing out on the opportunity as the panelists made valid points about the local scene and it's opportunities.

The panel about Tallinn Music Week with Aivar Tõnso, Helen Sildna and Toomas Oljum.

I hadn't played a live in Tartu for about two years, but that drought ended with Tartu Music Week, as I got to play two lives in one day. That's the first time I've done a thing like that, but it was great in a way that I got to warm up decently for the live at Gen Club.

Berk Vaher, the moderator of the panels was dressed for the part

I played in a bizarre line up which I like to call Barthol and the two elephants, as the bands before me were Galvanic Elephants and Elephants from Neptune. The biggest band of the night was Elephants from Neptune whom I also saw warm for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They have great energy and good stage presence, but some say their tracks are too alike to each other. It' decent Rock'n'Roll with all it's goods and flaws.

The frontman of Galvanic Elephants - Taavi-Peeter Liiv

Different stages were spread around Tartu during the day time. I saw Argo Vals at Cafe Noir and Multiphonic Rodent at Y-gallery. The latter managed to jam even with the sound guy as he hadn't shown up for sound check and they had to set up the booth monitor for him in the middle of the set. The absurdity of the situation was amusing.

Listening to Argo Vals aka Pastacas on Prozac and testing the smile trigger on my camera.

The set at Nälg was okay, as it was at 7pm and without anyone playing before me. The people were sitting down and listening to my stuff. It's been years since I've played to such a lounging audience. I used the beats and the smoke machine to get them on their feet. The night in Gen club was a totally different deal.


Unfortunately there are no photos of my live at Gen Club. To make things worse (or maybe better) it made my top three of all time performances with 2010 in Von Krahl and I would leave the first place open. The special part of the live was the improvisation with a coffee grinder. With beats in the background I rocked the electric coffee grinder through the mixer using various effects. I might do it again for some live because it was really cool so bring a mug with you for next time.

Ending the set with people on their feet.

I plan to take a break from playing as I have achieved my goal for the year and I need to work on the music for the next release, which might actually be on a disc.

See you soon
Barthol