On the 27th of December, at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid, the Spanish singer Christina Rosenvinge will be playing in the first edition of the Fnac Festival Music.

Christina Rosenvinge Hepworth, daughter of a Danish father and British mother, was born in Madrid in 1964. Her musical skills appeared in her teens, when she was in school and she formed her first band which introduced her to the ‘movida madrileña’ in the 80s, when Spain was getting rid of the dictatorial cultura which had kept it captured for 40 years, and the young people took over the cultural scene to crush the double morals that the transition had inherited.

Her debut was as a singer of the band Ella y los Neumáticos, and she slowly got into writing music. Her second band was formed together with the instrumentalist Alex de la Nuez and it was called Magia Blanca, which later evolved into Alex y Christina, when they represented Spain in the OTI Festival in 1988. At the beginning of the 90s, the name of the duo was Alex & Christina, and they recorded two albums before splitting up.

Her stay in the band and duo was a necessary process to get to her solo work, and in 1991 she began as a solo singer with the band Christina y Los Subterráneos. Her first work from this stage is the album ‘Que me parta un rayo’, where she synthesizes the existential conflicts which a large part of the Spanish youth goes through, and which they covered up with the wildness of the ‘movida’ and the sexual and drugs burst, which hid the denied memory in a frenetic attempt to make Spain a European country. In the album there was the ballad ‘Mil pedazos’, which became a hit and is now a classic of Spanish rock.

In a transit which looks for its own sounds which are from the movement that it’s going through, she began to integrate Latin rock which women from Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, etc. make. This allowed her to internationalize her career towards Latin America where her songs ‘Tu por mi’ and ‘Señorita’ began to sound as a landmark of Latin rock, as she was invited to the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, where her show was worthy of the ‘Gaviota de Plata’ award for best act, ending the 90s with great professional achievements.

She’s not looking anymore to consecrate herself in the album markets, but to make quality music, and that’s what her latest album is, ‘La Joven Dolores’, made together with Steve Shelly from Sonic Youth on drums, Charlie Bautista on guitars and keyboard, Jeremy Wilms on bass and guitars, Benjamin Biolay, Aurora Aroca on the cello, piano and chorus and Georgia Hubley.

Christina Rosenvinge participated in the film ‘Everything’s a lie’ (1994) with Penelope Cruz and in ‘My brother’s gun’ (1997).

For more information: http://www.palaciodedeportes.com/eventos_detalle.php?id=374

Nancy Guzman

Don’t miss the good end of year panorama! Rent apartments in Madrid now and enjoy this concert, as well as everything that the city can offer.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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There’s a new trend in world tourism. Famous places aren’t sought for any more to have fun in big cities. Instead it’s the small ones which are known by only a minority of locals or that have that sweet charm of being forbidden, or simply places where fun is in full swing and they’re known in the underground world. They say that those are the places where you can find live culture, by the flowing of new countercultural manifestations which run around the enclosures of society. Here we’ll tell you where to go and enjoy this new trend in Madrid.

One of the places that you can’t miss in this underground tour is La Poza bar, located on Calle Espíritu Santo 40. At this place you can find tapas, mini sandwiches and nice drinks to enjoy while you chat and listen to music. All of this in a very singular environment, a bit anarchic and punk, with good vines with the locals. Also, it has prices which will make you a regular of the place.

Underground or clandestine gastronomy is today one of the best alternatives of European tourism, and Madrid is no exception. If you go by day to the Asiana antiques shop, you’ll just find an interesting sale of art deco items, which of course isn’t bad if you’re going just to look. But at night, this place becomes a wonderful ‘underground Asiana’ restaurant, where you can sample Mediterranean food with pleasant Asian twists which give it this wonderful gourmet charm. The menus are unique and change every fortnight, and the cost per person is of 85 euros + VAT. You can find it at Travesía de San Mateo 4. Remember to make a reservation in advance so that you can get a table.

But if you’ve already gone for some tapas and drinks and dined in a clandestine restaurant, you can’t miss out on going to a place of music, dancing and flirting. Nothing better than Escape for all that. There you can find gay theme parties, but you don’t have to be gay to get in because the place is for people with a broad mind and who respect diversity. There are ‘Comedy & Comics’ parties, where you can enjoy red hot black and pink comedy. There’s also the cycle of ‘Vivas’, where the girls dance among each other with no holding back. Fridays are for those who like fashion because all waiters wear new styles and Sundays it’s ‘Scandal’ party, where everything goes on without any setbacks. The minimum consumption values are included in the 4 euros entry per person so that you don’t miss any of the panoramas which this dancing venue offers at Gravina 13, la Chueca.

If this dancing venue isn’t your thing, we recommend Zombie Club, a place which has aimed to carbonize Madrid’s nightlife and break with all the dark issues that conservative calmness has brought to the city. Here you can disown meat but not sex and going to dance with the best live electronic music and fruit cocktails with good rum. Now, if you want to stay until breakfast, there’s no problem because they have the best natural juices and toast with homemade jam to enjoy a good afterhours party.

Nancy Guzman

December is a great month to enjoy things a different way and break with monotony, so rent apartments in Madrid in good time and enjoy the leisure trends that this city’s underground scene has.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Until January 8, 2012 The National Museum of the Prado in Madrid displays the project “El Prado”  by Francisco Jodice, as part of its program “Other looks” that was implemented with the aim of welcoming artists who have been part of the museum and to pay tribute to its visitors and recognize art through their expressions.

The Prado Museum is a living body, where people come and go  to see great creators and their works, and through visually feeling them, they share feel emotions that have survived centuries. Just by asking how many men and women have looked at a painting by Velázquez and what was their reaction when encountering these art monsters, gives us the dimension of the inner life of the museum.

This discussion on art and museums is what this project is based on, of what the eye of the particular beholder sees, based on the reaction they experiment when they go to museums to see the works of art on display. Some people get excited, upset or others are embarrassed and there are those who refuse to express their emotions, they contain the approval or disapproval of the works but do not express it visually

To pay homage to the viewer, who are essential to the existence of these organizations dedicated to preserving and disseminating art, we selected two works: a short film and a video installation titled “Spectaculum Spectatoris.”

This project is even more interesting because the artist is transgressive in the museum scheme, as his work is part of the public space in environments that do not include this concept of “museum”. Hence, although the work will be exhibited in its interior, it has been approved that the film will soon be exhibited in 400 movie theaters in Spain, giving the public an alternative not to visit only museums to see an art proposal.

Francesco Jodice was born in Naples, in Italy in 1967. He has a degree in architecture, his interests have led to the study of sociology and human relations that interfere in an urban community. His work is aesthetically linked to photography and video, but can be described as  more integrated in the interventional field of architectural photography. The interest that moved him to create the link located to the theme of the city, is because from the beginning he made an interesting research focused on the social nature of the contemporary world and how human relationships are established in it.

One of his most interesting aesthetic projects is What We Want , where through a series of medium format photographs are mounted on aluminum, this material is simulating the contemporary urban environment where the most frequently used material happens to be aluminum

In this work of unique aesthetic beauty and delicacy, sociological questions arise from his mind on the way of  how to inhabit our cities and among the inhabitants to join relational terms with the environment and other human beings. The interesting thing is that Jodice creates a speech and language that disturbs us and stirs us, disarticulating the few certainties about our lifestyle.

For more info: http://www.museodelprado.es/exposiciones/info/en-el-museo/el-prado-por-francisco-jodice/

Nancy Guzman

It is always a great idea to visit the Prado National Museum, but remember to rent apartments in Madrid in December and enjoy this great city that dresses up to receive 2012 with lights and glows.

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Translated by: Marc
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Aleksandr Deineka was a Soviet Russian painter of the 20th century. He was born in Kursk, a city located in Central Russia, in 1899, and he died at 70 years of age in Moscow. He was also a sculptor, a plastic artist and a graphic artist. With his own style he managed to impose himself and to be one of the most important painters from the first half of the 20th century. His style was modernist, an today he’s still a pillar of it, being studied in all the fine arts schools in the world.

From a young age he was interested in art and when he began to exhibit his work, they caused a great stir among contemporary artists. They were transgressive, aggressive and especially vivid. The most frequent subjects of his works were labour, sport, some gender scenes and war, which he sadly had to live through and it took a toll on him for the rest of his life.

In the city of Moscow they adore this artist, and various public places are decorated with his mosaics. They also awarded him the Order of Lenin and the Order of Labour with the Red Flag. He’s considered an artist of ‘world importance’ by the United Artists Rating.

Luckily, the citizens and visitors of Madrid will have the possibility to get to know this artist and see the biggest collection that has taken place outside Russia. The most interesting thing about the exhibition is evaluating the historical context of the works of Aleksandr Deineka. He lived the transition between the end of the avant-garde and the beginning of socialist realism, which can clearly be seen in his paintings.

This exhibition, which will take place at the Juan March Foundation, has more than 80 paintings (most of them oil on canvas), some of great format. But there are also photographs, books, posters, magazines and different audiovisual documents. And so, every visitor of the Juan March Foundation will be able to see a total number of 250 pieces of international importance related with Aleksandr Deineka and Russia.

The Juan March Foundation is a cultural space which was created in 1955 by the businessman Juan March. Ever since, this organization and family company is in charge of carrying out cultural, scientific and social events, provided that they have an important relevance. A few years later, in 1986, the very same foundation opened the Juan March Institute of Studies and Investigations, where they promote cultural contributions.

In this exhibition you can enjoy the Russian avant-garde and Soviet art in its greatness. Also, how art was under the time of Stalin and how Deineka is the most loyal representative of what everything was like at that time. Some of his most relevant works are ‘The defense of Sevastopol’ (1928) where you can see marching soldiers and ‘Hockey’ a mosaic from 1959-1960.

For more information visit: http://www.march.es/arte/madrid/exposiciones/aleksandr-deineka/

d.b

If you rent apartments in Madrid you’ll be close to all the museums in the city and you can visit this exhibition which will be open to the public from October 2011 until January 2012, which is under the name of ‘Avant-garde for the proletariat’. Nobody should miss it because it’s an accurate reflection of a very important part of world history.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Aleksandr Deineka was a Soviet Russian painter of the 20th century. He was born in Kursk, a city located in Central Russia, in 1899, and he died at 70 years of age in Moscow. He was also a sculptor, a plastic artist and a graphic artist. With his own style he managed to impose himself and to be one of the most important painters from the first half of the 20th century. His style was modernist, an today he’s still a pillar of it, being studied in all the fine arts schools in the world.

From a young age he was interested in art and when he began to exhibit his work, they caused a great stir among contemporary artists. They were transgressive, aggressive and especially vivid. The most frequent subjects of his works were labour, sport, some gender scenes and war, which he sadly had to live through and it took a toll on him for the rest of his life.

In the city of Moscow they adore this artist, and various public places are decorated with his mosaics. They also awarded him the Order of Lenin and the Order of Labour with the Red Flag. He’s considered an artist of ‘world importance’ by the United Artists Rating.

Luckily, the citizens and visitors of Madrid will have the possibility to get to know this artist and see the biggest collection that has taken place outside Russia. The most interesting thing about the exhibition is evaluating the historical context of the works of Aleksandr Deineka. He lived the transition between the end of the avant-garde and the beginning of socialist realism, which can clearly be seen in his paintings.

This exhibition, which will take place at the Juan March Foundation, has more than 80 paintings (most of them oil on canvas), some of great format. But there are also photographs, books, posters, magazines and different audiovisual documents. And so, every visitor of the Juan March Foundation will be able to see a total number of 250 pieces of international importance related with Aleksandr Deineka and Russia.

The Juan March Foundation is a cultural space which was created in 1955 by the businessman Juan March. Ever since, this organization and family company is in charge of carrying out cultural, scientific and social events, provided that they have an important relevance. A few years later, in 1986, the very same foundation opened the Juan March Institute of Studies and Investigations, where they promote cultural contributions.

In this exhibition you can enjoy the Russian avant-garde and Soviet art in its greatness. Also, how art was under the time of Stalin and how Deineka is the most loyal representative of what everything was like at that time. Some of his most relevant works are ‘The defense of Sevastopol’ (1928) where you can see marching soldiers and ‘Hockey’ a mosaic from 1959-1960.

For more information visit: http://www.march.es/arte/madrid/exposiciones/aleksandr-deineka/

d.b

If you rent apartments in Madrid you’ll be close to all the museums in the city and you can visit this exhibition which will be open to the public from October 2011 until January 2012, which is under the name of ‘Avant-garde for the proletariat’. Nobody should miss it because it’s an accurate reflection of a very important part of world history.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Taking as reference the plain Marathons that were held for about 2500 years, in many cities worldwide the popular races are celebrated, which serve as splendid excuse for exercise, build relationships and, above all perhaps, to get to know their streets and even our own body (Aren’t the streets of every city a sort of anatomical extent of the modern urbanite) otherwise, regardless of traffic, the stress and pressures of life of our time.

It would be difficult to overstate the importance of this remote battle, which was the cause of the Medical Wars, while decisively influenced the course of history in one of the most decisive, memorable and idealized centuries in the history of the West.

It should not be too surprising that from the beginning the battle suffered an extraordinary mystification process. Contributing to this colossal feat of the Athenian army, as it had 10.00o men commanded by Callimachus and Miltiades, who succeeded in defeating a Persian army substantially bigger with specific results to the territory of the legend: only 192 Athenians were killed during the fighting while the Persians lost more than 6000 warriors. The magnitude of the feat necessarily gave rise to a number of apocryphal stories which owes our tradition of marathons, starting with 42 kilometers, which was the distance separating the site and the Battle of Athens.

Probably the most historically accurate in relation to the contemporary race has to do with the astounding athletic training of the hoplites. When the Persians saw the battle lost, they went to their ships and headed quickly to the unprotected Athens but on arrival were held back by the Athenians, who had driven them run faster than the distance from Marathon to the city.

For Herodotus, however, the race pays tribute to the distance traveled by soldier Pheidippides (250 miles in two days) who run to get help for Sparta, which was actually in vain because he sent reinforcements when the battle was over.

But the most beautiful and enduring story has to do with the legend. Pheidippides had run those 42 miles between Marathon and Sparta, announcing the Athenian victory on time to prevent the suicide of Athenian women, determined to kill themselves and kill their children before suffering the Persian sack, if 24 hours after the battle there were no news of the victory of their army. Pheidippides would have reached the town only to say the word “victory” before he died, exhausted, in front of them.

Though considerably smaller in travel (only ten kilometers), much of it also has the traditional legendary San Silvestre de Vallecas http://www.sansilvestrevallecana.com/ popular and open career internationally renowned marks the last day the year 1964, ending after touring the city, the football stadium Rayo Vallecano, the traditional working class team neighborhood southeast of Madrid.

Paul Oilzum

If you rent apartments in Madrid during this time, you may decide, if not trying to win it (many of the best specialists in the distance tend to dispute it), at least participate on it. It’s an original, beautiful and symbolic end-of-the-year tradition that give us a very special gift: the city itself, which is so beautiful in December.

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Translated by: Hans
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What up until a few years ago seemed impossible has finally happened to the delight of the loyal and unconditional fans who follow the funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band will visit the city of Madrid on the 17th of December with the aim of playing one of their most awaited concerts, while at the moment, the city of Barcleona will have the chance to enjoy a previous concert on the 15th of the same month.

Their tour around Spain will begin in Barcelona, at the Palau Sant Jordi, carrying on afterwards in Madrid, in a concert at the Palacio de los Deportes. Both concerts will offer the traditional timeless music that the band has promised in all their magnificent studio works, as well as famous songs such as ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ or ‘Mother’s Milk’. Their proposals of rap, heavy metal, alternative rock, punk rock and psychedelic rock have characterized the Red Hot Chili Peppers as one of the most important bands in the history of funk and fusion. Also, the songs which are already considered symbolic and characteristic of the band will also be able to be listened to live in each of their gigs.

On the other hand, the concert that will take place on the 15th of December will have as its main objective to promote their latest studio album, ‘I’m with you’, an album which we already know its tracklist. It’s also worth mentioning great songs such as ‘Under the Bridge’ or ‘Subway to Venus’, basically two of their most attractive and majestic songs.

Lastly, the tickets have already gone on sale since the 30th of June through Ticketmaste (where unfortunately they’re all sold out) and on their own online sales network. Anyway, it’s still possible to find tickets for the concert in secondary sales markets or simply in authorized online sites. The tickets have an initial cost of 38 euros and others can reach 55 euros.

Date: Saturday 17th of December, 2011. 
Time: 21:45h.
Place: Palacio Deportes Madrid , Avda Felipe II S/N,Madrid ,Madrid.

Official sale price: from 38 euros – 55 euros.

Soledad

apartments in Madrid or renting an apartment to relax for a few days after enjoying the concert of the Red Hot Chili Peppers has to be a great idea if what you’re looking for is not only enjoying one of the most awaited concerts of the year but also getting to know the best experiences and attractions in the city.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined of reading ‘Das Kapital’ by Karl Marx in a Japanese comic book format, and even less Nietzsche. But as it happens sometimes, reality beats the oneiric world and today it’s possible to find these great philosophical and sociological literary works in comic books, and I’m not talking about any type of comic but the ‘Philosophical Manga’, works which surpass 200 pages with illustrations, dialogues and everything which makes up a standard comic book.

The first philosophical Manga released by the Japanese editorial East Press Co. was ‘Das Kapital’ by Marx, which sold over 120,000 copies in Japan, a work which unfortunately hasn’t been edited in Europe just yet. It was followed by ‘Thus spoke Zarathustra’, with a similar success to its predecessor, but this one we can find in Europe thanks to the Madrid-based editorial Herder. Today it’s the turn of one of the biggest works of world literature, ‘The Divine Comedy’ by Dante Alighieri, which is brought to Europe and Latin America by Herder.

The translation work into Spanish was carried out by Maite Madinabeitia, a specialist in the work of translating Manga and Japanese animation, who says that it’s been very complex to bring the original text, considering that it’s the language of the time and the poetic mastery of Dante, to the simple comic book format. Despite the difficulty, Madinabeitia has tried by all means not to impoverish the work and to be loyal to the text.

‘The Divine Comedy’ is an epic poem which is dense and complex, a capital work of universal literature that has to be simplified if brought to Manga, mainly thinking about the public who will read it in this format, which is positive in the end because works of this value will reach readers who probably won’t know about this type of literature in any other way and, therefore, it’s a very good motivation tool for younger readers. The book tells the story of the descent into hell by Dante who is looking for Beatrice, his young lover. The vision of hell in Manga isn’t attempting to be of horror or morbid, but a black and white drawing which is visually loyal and which has been made masterfully with the aim to teach in a didactic way.

The work of 200 pages can be bought in specialized stores and in bookshops at the price of 9.80 euros, an excellent price for an excellent work of art. Also, Herder has launched a campaign called ‘Save your soul’ which has as its aim that all readers go into depth into Dante’s work. The questionnaire can be found in the editorial’s website.

Luz Obscura

Hey you! Yes, you, comic book and Japanese manga lover. This is a fantastic chance to read The Divine Comedy by Dane, and if you’re not a big fan but you know someone who is, it’s an excellent idea for a gift. Rent apartments in Madrid and buy one of these philosophical mangas and enjoy the art of comic books and the greatest writers of all time.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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On Saturday 17th of December, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will play live in concert at the Palacio de los Deportes in Madrid. This event has caused such a stir among their fans that the tickets have been sold out in many points of sale.

This american funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in 1983 in the city of Los Angeles. Their beginnings were at Fairfax High School, where they played under the name Tony Flor and the Miraculously Majestic Master of Mayhem, causing massive furore among the teenagers who listened to their sound that filled the expectations on the dominant counterculture on the musical scene.

Their success was such that in no time they transformed into a student-favourite band and they reconsidered the name of the band because it was hard to remember due to its length. So they changed the initial name to Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The band is made up by their singer Anthony Kiedis, Josh Klinghoffer on guitar, Michel ‘Flea’ Balzary on bass and Chad Smith on the drums, although initially it was Jack Irons on the drums and Hillel Slovak on guitar, but he died from a heroin overdose. With the initial band members they only managed to record the single ‘The Uplift Mofo Party Plan’. In the long run of their existence, the band has experienced various changes and reorganization, with only two original band members remaining, Kiedis and Flea, with Klinghoffer being the latest to join the band.

They’ve added new chords and touches of rap, punk rock, heavy metal and psychedelic rock to their initial sound, and they’ve been labelled the creators of punk funk.

All their albums and singles have been a success and they’ve been permanently at the top of the main musical charts. In 1998, their famous album ‘Californication’ sold 15 million copies, breaking all the sales records that were known until then.

When it comes to awards, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have won a Grammy seven times and, in 2010, they were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2 and the Sex Pistols are, bands who have deeply shaped the history of rock.

During this year, they’ve dedicated their tours to the promotion of their new songs from the album ‘I’m with you’, which according to Kiedis, it took nearly a year of creative work. Among their most famous tracks we have ‘The Adventures of Raindance Maggie’, which is a single that has obtained the number 1 in the Billboard Alternative Song.

In September they were nominated to receive two MTV Europe Music awards for ‘Best Rock Band’ and ‘Best Live Act’.

For more information: http://www.nvivo.es/conciertos/Red+Hot+Chili+Peppers-Madrid

Nancy Guzman

Rock is always a good idea, especially if your plan includes a few days in apartments in Madrid and you check out what’s going on in the city, which in December is a complete challenge to the imagination.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Next Saturday, December 10th, the first match between Real Madrid and Barcelona of this season’s Spanish league will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/es/Prehome_ES2.htm which is one of the season’s most highly awaited matches.

Despite that the Spanish league can boast of having a high technical level in most part of its teams, which has given it the worthy tag of ‘the league of stars’, for a couple of seasons it has been running the risk of becoming in some sort of Scottish league, a league where two teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, are infinitely better than the rest and it can be said that they play in a competition on the side. Such is the potential of this happening that quite a few specialised journalists consider that both are also the two main teams which are in contention for winning the European Cup.

The traditional rivalry between both teams reached previously unseen levels last season when they had to play each other four times in less than a month, in a league match, two European Cup semifinals and the Spanish Cup Final. Despite the inexcusable bad manners and bad losing of Mourinho (which reached its highest point when he stuck his finger in Barcelona’s assistant manager’s eye in the final of the Spanish Super Cup last summer), determined to crumble in record time the image of sportsmanship and gentlemanliness of the ‘blancos’, an imaged forged for over one hundred years which, together with their unique honours list, which gave them the distinction of the best club of the past century, those matches (one of which Madrid became the champion of the Spanish Cup), turned out to be important in the way in which they laid the foundations for a possible answer to the hegemony that Barcelona had been enjoying in the last few years, a hegemony reached through wonderful football which has gone down in football history as its most seductive story.

Such a promise, despite the loss in the Spanish Super Cup at the beginning of the season, seems to have consolidated itself and gained strength during the current season, not only for what the results show (at the time of writing, Madrid are leading the Spanish league by three points and a game in hand with a goal average which exceeds three goals a game, as well as being the only team in the European Cup which has won all their games without conceding a goal) but also for the considerable change experimented in their game, much more aggressive, fluid and dominant.

Paul Oilzum

There’s the feeling that the match on the 10th of December can materialize the change in the aforementioned hegemony. But it won’t be proved until both teams face each other in the ‘clásico’, which under no concept can be missed if you rent apartments in Madrid and you like football. Barcelona’s potential, highly refreshed this year with the incorporations of Thiago, Cesc and Alexis Sánchez, is still just as terrifying or more as last season.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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