Trio Tekke @ Gaia Live | 4 & 5.04.13

Trio Tekke was formed in London in November 2005 by Antonis Antoniou (tzouras, vocals), Lefteris Moumtzis (guitar, vocals) and Colin Somervell (double bass). After a long study and contact with the Rebetiko song of the era of Markos Vamvakaris, the two Cypriots began to experiment in applying the Rebetiko in more contemporary ways of expression, in an attempt to include other elements of their musical palettes. With the addition of the talented Anglo-Chilean Colin Somervell on double bass, things took an interesting and very creative turn, leading them to the development of an original and particularly fresh sound that they call “Reggetika”, blending various characteristics (rhythm, harmony and improvisation) of idioms such as Reggae, Latin and Jazz, with the color and the melodic lines of Rebetiko.

September 2009 saw the release of Trio Tekke’s long awaited first album Ta Reggetika. The music, inspired by the pre-WW2 Greek Rempetiko song, is a collection of fifteen pieces from their musical journey from 2005. Quirky re-arrangements of Vamvakaris, Delias, Tsaous as well as original compositions in similar style, mainly by Antonis Antoniou, make up the content of the album. The album “Ta Reggetika” is considered to be one of the most successful Cyprus productions.

Their live shows have been well received by audiences across Europe. They have performed in Universities and other Art/Music Institutions in Dublin and Cork (Ireland) and in Hamburg (Germany) as well as in several festivals and venues in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. Their music has been broadcasted on renowned radio stations around the globe such as BBC, Sveriges Radio, ERT etc.

In July 2011 Trio Tekke has released its second album Samas. The production was made in Nicosia, and it consists of 12 tracks, 8 originals and 4 covers. The album has received remarkable reviews from music magazines and websites all over the world, such as Songlines, Avopolis.gr, and it has been awarded ‘Album of the Month’ by the Greek magazine “Ihos”.

Their latest nomination in the 2012 Songlines Music Awards for best “Newcomer” as well as the award they received from World Music Network is spreading their innovative sound to bigger audiences from allover the world, establishing them in the World Music/Ethnic scene….

More info:

http://www.triotekke.com

http://www.facebook.com/triotekke

Be Uncensored presents Giles Smith @ Slaughter House | 06.04.13

One of the things that sets Giles Smith apart is his sense of house history. For two decades now has he been collecting records, initially with no desire to spin them in public whatsoever. The young Smith was simply obsessed with tracking down what he heard on the radio, clubs and mix tapes absorbing influences and inspiration without prejudice. A brotherly shove soon got him on the decks, though, and now, in 2013, all that early research is still paying off in dividends.

Most notably Smith, with partner James Priestley, transformed the face of London clubbing and influenced Sunday clubbing worldwide with the birth of his secretsundaze party over a decade ago. Since then it has become an ever more essential party for those in the know, with a quality, uncompromising, soundtrack that has influenced the scene at large no end. Now also encompassing a revered DJ Agency (The Secret Agency) assured label (secretsundaze records) and mix compilation series (the 1st edition in 2007 edition of which was mixed live at home sans any computer trickery by Giles), the brand spreads far and wide with events in Tokyo, Barcelona, New York, Berlin and Croatia to name a few.

On a personal level, Smith has played everywhere you’d expect of a modern great – from Panorama Bar to Robert Johnson, Fabric to Plastic People, Trouw to Cielo, The Rex to Club 11 as well as at many of the parties which most influenced him in the early days including Back to Basics and Faith. “At the beginning it was the sounds of Blaze, Larry Heard, Ron and Chez who were – and remain – some of my biggest influences alongside UK mid 90s house labels such as Junior Boys Own and Paper but I’m also drawn to the more modern European sounds from Germany, Holland and of course will always pay close attention to Detroit and Chicago which still to this day provide me with some of the most authentic and inspiring music.”

As a DJ Giles’ sets are always noted for their subtle selection, strong programming and smooth style despite covering many bases over the course of a set. His contributions to some of the most high end podcasts is testament to this with mixes for the likes of Resident Advisor, Little White Earbuds, Audio Families and most recently ID under his belt.

With house and techno running through his veins, it’s no surprise Smith was eventually lured into the studio to craft his own sounds. The results nearly always in collaboration with the late great Martin Dawson as Two Armadillos, have been some of the most immediately timeless house music of recent years, deep but with feeling, purposeful yet poised. “My aims with music are really just to make something that will not age” muses Giles. “So much dance music sounds contrived following a fad or fashion and this is something that I avoid at all cost. I also have a strong belief in keeping the human touch, not overproducing music and keeping a live, more natural and raw sound.” Releasing 14 EP’s together, a handful of choice remixes, numerous mix compilation licenses and most recently starting a live set together, perhaps the duo’s best example of their work can be heard on their 3 part series LP ‘Golden Age Thinking’.

The end of 2012 saw the tragic loss of Giles’ great friend and production partner in Martin Dawson. They collaborated to great success for 6 years, and there is unreleased material and remixes that will see the light of day in 2013 and are sure to act as a fitting tribute to Martin. The future is bound to realise new partnerships and projects with Giles’ persistent passion and desire to share the music he loves not likely to leave him any time soon.

More info:

facebook.com/pages/Giles-Smith

soundcloud.com/gilessmith

residentadvisor.net/dj/gilessmith

beuncensored.com

Be Uncensored presents Eric Cloutier @ Coo Basement | 30.03.13

If you appreciate house and techno music with depth and sophistication played with tight technical skill and genuine feeling, Eric Cloutier should be on your radar. His recent sets around town have become an attraction for dedicated heads seeking a deeper shade of techno than your average weekend warrior. Aside from a few very memorable sets at The Bunker this year, Eric traveled to Japan to play at the Labyrinth Festival, and appeared in Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Memphis, Vancouver, Boston, and Washington, DC. He put out several well received podcasts in 2009, and is working on a few new ones and delving into the studio for some original productions.

More info:

beuncensored.com

residentadvisor.net/dj/ericcloutier

soundcloud.com/cloutier

facebook.com/events/146315312202449

ART IS HARD @ Helexpo, Pavilions 14 & 15 | 26-28.04.13

ART IS HARD is an alternative artistic and music event, held twice a year and each time its aim is to bring under the same roof new artists creating on the fringes of the cultural map of the city. It  has so far 7 highly successful events in Thessaloniki (2 per year) and one in Athens in September 2012.

Thessaloniki has always been at the forefront as a reference to the domestic cultural creation with a long tradition in music and audiovisual arts. However, less well known, has been the potential stream of new artists who live and work in the city as background and but als in it, young people, with pioneer trends and ideas – consciously or not – isolated from the promotion networks, without effective communication with the audience.

ART IS HARD aspires to bring the audience closer to the creator and to expose a wider audience to contemporary creative vanguard. Such an action with this philosophy should be innovative and in the way that takes place each time. So it was decided to be the city, in the literal sense of the term, the exhibition space. A venue of thousands… square meters. A warehouse, a crafts room, a vacant lot, a stadium, a square, a neighborhood, the street … an old train station!

ART IS HARD means an action of unlimited creative expression for all who want and until now have not had the fertile ground. ART IS HARD means the art with an open look, open to all, at open and curious city spaces.

More info to be announced soon…

Art Is Hard & its back contemporary art & music festival 2013 from ART IS HARD on Vimeo.

ART IS HARD FESTIVAL HELEXPO 2013 from ART IS HARD on Vimeo.

More info:

artishard.gr

facebook.com/artishardThess

vimeo.com/artishardfestival

facebook.com/events/358558190923463

Kill Emil & The Yumas Live @ Gaia Multi Culti Spot | 06.04.13

Kill Emil comes again in Thessaloniki @ Gaia Live, this time to present his new live project “Kill Emil & The Yumas”. Tracks from the personal works of Kill Emil (Corner, Risky Business, One Night In Bogota) and new originals approached from a new perspective of a dj and 2 live musicians. The Yumas (Gary Poter & Eno Pareita) met Kill Emil in the spring of 2012 and since then as a trio they create, play live and are preparing their first release.

On Saturday, April 6 @ Gaia Live an all-around set with soul, funk, hip-hop, trip-hop, reggae, cumbia and tropical sounds.

Kill Emil – MPC, Ableton Live
Gary Poter – Guitar
Eno Pareita – Bass

Free Entrance
Doors open @ 22.00

More info:

beatquick.com
soundcloud.com/killemilmusic
killemil.bandcamp.com

10th Thessaloniki Book Fair 2013

More Books, more ideas…

The 10th Thessaloniki Book Fair will be held on 16 – 19 May 2013 at the Helexpo Exchibition Center staged by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Culture and Sports, Genenal Secretariat of Culture, Directorate of Letters, in collaboration with Helexpo, the Hellenic Federation of Publishers and Booksellers and the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

The institution of the Thessaloniki Book Fair has established a dynamic presence the last 10 years and signals the passage in the state of “maturity” by creating strong co-operations with the involved parties and by opening “windows” of extraversion in Greece as well as abroad. At least thirty foreign countries are expected to participate this year in the Thessaloniki Book Fair, upgrading its international character. At the same time the participation of the Greek publishers will be universal in accordance with the appraisal of the tripartite committee that represents the industry and actively participates into the planning and scheduling of this exhibition.

Guest of honour: United Kingdom

Tribute to: K.P. Cavafis, 150 years since his birth

The Thessaloniki Book Fair is being held at pavilions 13 and 15 of the Helexpo International Exhibition Centre in downtown Thessaloniki. Helexpo S.A. is the national exhibition agency of Greece and has the exclusive right to use Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, which covers an area of 180,000 square metres, located in the city centre. The largest organizer of exhibitions, conferences and cultural events in South-Eastern Europe, Helexpo is based in Thessaloniki. It receives more than two million visitors a year.

Greek and International Publisher’s stands: Exhibition Theme (“Books and Education”), Teenagers Forum, Children’s Corner and publishers of children’s books
Greek Publisher’s stands: guest of honour stand

Thessaloniki Book Fair offers exhibitors:

• two auditoria of 100 and 120-seat capacity, equipped for simultaneous interpretation
• two activity spaces in the Children’s Corner and Teenagers’ Corner
• a conference centre
• a press centre
• a literary cafe

More info:

thessalonikibookfair.com

Opening hours:

Thursday 15:00 – 21:00
Friday & Sunday: 10:00 – 21:00
Saturday 10:00 – 22:00
Entrance is free for visitors

Indie Fest (#if) Vol.II @ Gaia Live | 22.03.13
Stay young, stay indie!

Info:

Indie Fest Vol. II

Doors open at 21.00
21.30 : The Rundays
22.30 : Sonic Rage
23.30 : Laissez Faire
00.30 : After-show Dj party by BrightSide

The Rundays | facebook.com/therundays

The Rundays is a four-piece indie rock band from Thessaloniki, Greece. All started when Alexis and Giorgos met in high-school. Their similar taste in music made them organize a rock band in 2010. After the split up of this band they decided to start another project so they came in touch with Stavros and then with Thanasis. The chemistry between the guys was great therefore the “wheels” of the band started to “spin” gradually and furiously in the same time! Firstly, they started to become familiar to their fans as “Mind the Gap”. Then other names passed but “The Rundays” was the one that stayed! They started their music journey in April 2012 when they played at their first live shows at Kismet Unplugged, at Noesis Festival, Fix in art and other live stages. The Rundays are becoming more and more popular to the music crowd of Thessaloniki with many live gigs in the city. Their first Demo also was released in the beginning of 2013 wich contains 3 of their most representative songs: “Breathe”, “Long Live the Queen” and “Pure”. Now the band focuses on writing their own music and preparing new stuff for the live shows of the future which they hope will be a long and creative one!

Sonic Rage | facebook.com/sonicrageband

Sonic Rage are a Greek rock band from Thessaloniki, formed in 2012.

Laissez Faire | laissezfaireband.com

Laissez Faire is inspired by 80’s and early 90’s rock music. Their work is described as a fusion of several music genres such as alternative, dark, post and gothic rock. Their debut album “No Land for Escape” has received much positive feedback from music magazines and internet sites. Moreover their single “Electrify” and “Make me Glow” have been included in various CD compilations.

More info:

facebook.com/if.IndieFest

twitter.com/#!/if_IndieFest

Facebook Events:

Indie Soundz Vol. II: facebook.com/events/429969390410833/

Indie Fest Vol.II: facebook.com/events/495014783889855/

Tiger Lillies @ Principal Club Theater | 08.12.13
Guests: OPERA CHAOTIQUE

The Tiger Lillies are a cult British musical trio formed in 1989 by singer-songwriter Martyn Jacques. Often described as the forefathers of Brechtian Punk Cabaret the Tiger Lillies are well known for their unique sound and style which merges the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin with the savage edge of punk.

The Independent has described The Tiger Lillies as “a provocative and avant- garde three-piece band that combines cabaret, vaudeville, music-hall and street theatre”, while Tim Arthur of Time Out has given a more imaginative description: “Imagine Kurt Weill conjuring up images of prewar Berlin while a falsetto vocalist screams, squeaks and squawks his way through every number like some rambling madman, and you’ve got the picture”. Notorious for singing controversial songs involving bestiality, prostitution, blasphemy and all other vice imaginable, The Tiger Lillies are undoubtedly not for the easily offended. Their musical style is mainly influenced by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s masterpiece The Threepenny Opera and pre-war Berlin cabaret but other influences such as gypsy and circus music, French chanson and British music hall tunes are also evident.

The Tiger Lillies current members are:

• Martyn Jacques – vocals, accordion, piano, guitar, harmonica, ukulele and banjolele
• Adrian Huge (born Adrian Hughes) – drums, percussion and backing vocals
• Adrian Stout – double bass, backing vocals musical saw and theremin

The Tiger Lillies has devolped a huge following over the years, by marrying the shock tactics of punk with all the ingredients of traditional cabaret. – Paul Vale, The Stage

More info:

tigerlillies.com

facebook.com/TheTigerLillies

myspace.com/thetigerlillies

Tickets Presale:

Ticket House | 102 Mitropoleos, +30 2310 264880
Stereodisc | 4 Aristotelous Sq, +30 2310 262912
Public | Tsimiski 24 , +30 2310 227288
E-tickets: viva.gr

Tiger Lillies @ Principal Club Theater | 05.04.13
Morality is dead! Long live pleasure!

The Tiger Lillies are a cult British musical trio formed in 1989 by singer-songwriter Martyn Jacques. Often described as the forefathers of Brechtian Punk Cabaret the Tiger Lillies are well known for their unique sound and style which merges the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin with the savage edge of punk.

The Independent has described The Tiger Lillies as “a provocative and avant- garde three-piece band that combines cabaret, vaudeville, music-hall and street theatre”, while Tim Arthur of Time Out has given a more imaginative description: “Imagine Kurt Weill conjuring up images of prewar Berlin while a falsetto vocalist screams, squeaks and squawks his way through every number like some rambling madman, and you’ve got the picture”. Notorious for singing controversial songs involving bestiality, prostitution, blasphemy and all other vice imaginable, The Tiger Lillies are undoubtedly not for the easily offended. Their musical style is mainly influenced by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s masterpiece The Threepenny Opera and pre-war Berlin cabaret but other influences such as gypsy and circus music, French chanson and British music hall tunes are also evident.

The Tiger Lillies current members are:

• Martyn Jacques – vocals, accordion, piano, guitar, harmonica, ukulele and banjolele
• Adrian Huge (born Adrian Hughes) – drums, percussion and backing vocals
• Adrian Stout – double bass, backing vocals musical saw and theremin

The Tiger Lillies has devolped a huge following over the years, by marrying the shock tactics of punk with all the ingredients of traditional cabaret. – Paul Vale, The Stage

More info:

tigerlillies.com

facebook.com/TheTigerLillies

myspace.com/thetigerlillies

Tickets Presale:

Ticket House | 102 Mitropoleos, +30 2310 264880
E-tickets: ticketarena.gr

Milo-Z @ Gaia Live | 21.03.13
New York City’s Super Soul-Funk Stars

He calls the music “Razzamofunk”, a combination of Rock, Rap, Jazz, Blues & Funk. The sound is what you might expect from a kid growing up on New York City’s Lower East Side (now the East Village). It was a culturally diverse neighborhood once considered the “melting pot”; full of poets, artists, musicians, junkies, punk rockers, winos and families of modest means. From this beginning it seems only natural that Milo Z’s music would have a gritty, funky, soulful and unique edge, hence – Razzamofunk.

Starting out as a drummer and part time bicycle messenger, Milo Z soon came out from behind the drums and began rapping. This eventually led to singing and songwriting. Approximately 90% of Milo Z’s original music is written and composed by him. “I draw on the sounds I heard growing up and mix it with my life and experiences as they happen. When people think of Milo Z, I want them think original.” A total professional, Milo Z sings, dances, conducts, orchestrates, and interacts with the crowd, all the while dressing and grooving in a style that is unique and all his own. To watch Milo Z in action is to watch a true performer. His connection with the audience is undeniable. He can make 5,000 people feel like they’re in his living room and he can make a small venue feel like it’s the “Big Rock Show”.

In March 2010 Milo Z released his 5th album entitled Throwback (Z-Booga Records). This latest release has the retro sound and feel of a funk and soul record that for a moment, may just throw you back to the 1970’s. With 12 original songs and 2 covers of Bill Withers, the album struts and grooves from beginning to end.

Throwback is a reflection of both Milo Z the artist and the person and should be considered a signature album. “This is my most personal album so far. Of all my albums, Throwback captures the most of what I’m about and it is my best so far. If you were going to listen to one Milo Z album to get what I’m about, this should be it.”

Milo Z’s first album Basic Need to Howl (Mercury/Polygram) produced the single “Dog” which was featured in the Warner Brothers film See Spot Run starring David Arquette and Anthony Anderson and in the hit TV show Baywatch with Pamela Anderson. The follow up was Live & Bumpin (Schoolcut/Arabesque Recordings) recorded live at the famous and now defunct club Tramps in NYC. Next came Sweet N’ Nasty (Z-Booga Records) and Up On The Hill, a CD/DVD which was recorded and filmed live at the historic Lykabettus Theatre in Athens, Greece. For this incredible concert Milo Z brought with him a troupe of 13 NYC musicians, complete with dancers. Milo Z is currently working on a documentary film which recounts this journey and captures the experience of coming from the Lower East Side of NYC to headlining at a famous amphitheater atop the highest point in Athens, Greece.

Milo Z has toured the world and his dancin’ shoes have spun on many a stage. Milo Z has shared bills with the Neville Brothers, Al Greene, Chuck Brown, Maceo Parker, Massive Attack, The Average White Band, Spin Doctors, and Robert Randolph, just to name a few. His worldwide appeal was recently recognized by the world’s largest music awards – the JPF Music Awards, where he was nominated for Best Funk Album of the Year and was honored as having one of the Best Funk Songs of the Year.

During a performance as the house band for the NBC television show Last Call With Carson Daly, Carson dubbed Milo Z “A New York Institution”. While this may be true, Milo Z looks forward to continuing to bring his music to the universe.

The famous Funk band from New York with 7 musicians on stage and a three-hour live program, comes back to shake Thessaloniki.

More info:

http://www.miloz.com/home.html

http://www.facebook.com/milozfunk2012

Tickets Presale:

Ticket House | 102 Mitropoleos, +30 2310 264880
Stereodisc Record Shop | 4 Aristotelous Sq, +30 2310 262912