This weeks Hot Ginger is one I've tended to avoid for quite a bit of time in terms of her acting roles. It's not her fault really, she is a promising actress and a rare beauty it's just most of her roles never grabbed my attention.
First off the bat I tend to avoid M Night Shamalam movies as they have a tendency to infuriate me (especially his adaptation of my favourite cartoon of all time Avatar: The Last Airbender, how could you M? How could you?) Then popping up as Gwen Stacy in the third Spiderman movie threw the timeline all out of whack for me, Stacy was Peter Parker's first love interest so to appear three movies in as sort of test to his and Mary Jane's relationship just didn't work for me in the terms of the story (Oh no, when did I become this comic geek?)
Finally in last year's 'The Help' I saw a role for her that she was amazing in, as Hilly Hilbrook she is a vicious bitch from hell and a character you love to hate (and one you gladly see get her just desserts if you know what I mean, heh heh). I am still waiting for the role to fall in love with Howard (hated her character in the cancer comedy 50/50 but again that was the point) but I do think she is on to a winner at the moment playing these god awful bitches in her current string of movies.
Still though her beauty is at times breathtaking and another champion of the redhead locks.
Having recently attended Zurich Open Air it got me thinking and comparing it to my favourite music festival in Ireland; Electric Picnic (on this weekend at home and I can't go, waa waa, there's always next year). I've been going to the Picnic on and off for nearly 6 years and it holds a truly special place in my heart.
Yes I did actually see this one year at EP,
Vader was kinda a Short-Arse in real life
So how did Zurich Open Air measure up? Well considering it is only in it's second year I have to say it did reasonably well but I haven't fallen out of love with my Picnic yet. Here's some of the pros and cons of both.
This guy was giving free hugs at ZOA
Price: 220 CHF for four days vs €260 for 3 days, ZOA is the winner here in terms of value for money.
That said there is more to do and see in those 3 days at EP, more acts, more variety, more food stalls
Friendly festival vibe, I made no festival friends at ZOA, I usually make at least 2 a day at EP. Now this could be down to a language barrier on my end, I am still trying to learn the German.
You can very easily make your way to the front of the stage at ZOA whilst you are likely to get squished to bits at the front of any stage at EP.
EP is the festival for people who do not like going to festivals, amazing showers, powder rooms, you can book yourself to get your hair and nails did and even the possibility to relax in a hot tub, cleanse the muck off and cleanse your soul, ahhhhhhh. Also there is comedy, cookery demonstrations, arts and crafts and a play area for your children (under 12's only, no teenagers allowed).
ZOA had the cleanest toilet facilities for any festival I have ever attended, real toilets that flush, toilet paper never ran out, power hosed clean each day, there is a lot to be said for a freshly clean bowl at a music festival
Beer: You can get half a pint of beer at ZOA for 5 francs vs a pint at EP for 5 euro. Clear winner here. But the bars at ZOA never close, I mean you can continue to buy beer until 5 in the morning. EP closes at 10pm sharp but on the flip side you should be able to sneak your campsite beer into the grounds at this stage without meeting resistance.
EP has a rave in the woods! A rave in the woods!
ZOA has DJ's playing until 5 in the morning.
I did not camp at ZOA but it is more than likely if I did that no one would go to the toilet on my tent (yes this happened once, god damn drunken Irish!)
Yet at EP I've spent many hours in tents with my closest friends in the world laughing our asses off, memories I shan't forget.
It rained at ZOA, can't even get the weather but it did remind me of home.
Also most of the line up at ZOA I had already seen play EP.
ZOA had a milkshake stand, vanilla milkshake massaged my throat each day after all my screaming from the night before.
EP takes place on my Shire, my country of birth, my home.
3D show for Kraftwerk at ZOA, yes please
I think it will be a good while before my love of EP will die but I can allow some space in my heart for more than one music festival.
Till next year to you both my dearests. I cannot wait.
You guys are probably so sick of all my music posts at the moment but I had to share this. Blog Bomb actually introduced me to this song way back when I visited her last but I couldn't remember the name of it until a mutual friend of ours recently posted it on her Facebook wall (yes Jackbot it is you I speak of). When she posted it her exact words were 'this song is like crack', couldn't have said it better myself, I have it on repeat.
Jai Paul is a producer from the UK who when he really feels like it, though extremely rarely will put out a song of his own. So far in his career two of his own tracks have appeared; 'BTSTU' and the song below. I fear it will be an extremely long wait for an album from this reluctant music genius but no doubt it will be worth the wait.
Yes after a 4 day music festival I was indeed at yet another concert last night (I seriously need some sleep). I missed Foster's set at the Electric Picnic festival last year as they clashed with 'The Rapture' so I couldn't let their visit to Zurich go by without making it up to them.
How considerate, no
eardrum explosion
The guys were playing a rather cool venue only 15 minutes cycle from our apartment, Komplex 457. I loved the layout and the feel of this particular venue, size of the stage, the high ceilings, multiple bars, roof terrace smoking area (my cooling area more like) and food stall (see there's an idea Irish Music venues, feed the kids and maybe they won't be so drunk). There was a lot to like about this particular venue. Considering we had been Open-Airing for the last 4 days, we decided to stand closer to the back near the door so we could just take it all in and lean against the wall if needed (I am getting old). I didn't think I would be able to give the guys much other than my presence.
How wrong was I? After the so-so opening act (sorry Mr Toby guy but not for me) the boys leaped on stage to huge applause. Whilst I struggled for energy the boys informed the audience that this was the last stop on their 18 month tour, over 200 shows performed yet through it all they showed no signs of fatigue. 'Houdini' and 'Call it What you Want' thrown out with the energy of a band performing their very first stop on a worldwide tour. How could I not give them my all with behavior like this. Four songs in I had found my 35th wind and was regretting my choice of standing spot. I wanted to be in the thick of it and throwing some serious shapes.
Yet through it all I just couldn't shake a feeling. I was an avid gig goer in Ireland and have heard for years bands say things like they love to play Dublin and Irish fans are the best fans in the world but I used to think that was something bands just say. Yet there was something subdued about this crowd in my opinion, don't get me wrong the crowd did everything right, they clapped and screamed at the end of each song, shoulders were bopping but it all felt oh so very civilized to me. Where was that mass of super fans at the front of the stage who never stop bouncing? Who know every word to every song? Who are lost in the complete love and joy at seeing their favorite band for the very first time? Where were the crazies who try to storm the stage? Who try to crowd surf? Where were my beloved concert staples, those avid gig goers who remind me of what I was like when I was younger. I did not see them last night.
I was beginning to lose it by the time the band played 'Helena Beat' and wanted nothing more than to rush to the front of the stage and give this band back as much energy as they were putting out to us but my 27 year old self only just overpowered my 18 year old self's thoughts. I started to think that maybe the crowd was just holding back until the bands biggest hit 'Pumped up Kicks', no doubt to be the closing song (and it was).
The white thing with the eyes
Yet to my horror as the opening chords of the song began to play, I saw no jumping bodies, no extra dancing, none of the usual, no instead I saw a slew of hands in the air, holding iPhones, Blackberries and other smart phones all set to record. You have waited this long for your favourite song to be played and your response is to stand very still and record it, this in itself an act that tarnishes your enjoyment of the very thing you love (believe me I know, I recorded the occasional song from a gig, they always come out crap and having to hold still eats into time better spent getting down). Eventually hands started to descend and this crowd finally began to lose it slightly but I felt it was not enough especially when the band set off their stage effect of this giant inflatable creature seen on the front of their album cover. We owed them more for such an energetic set people.
I made a resolution to myself that for my next gig in Zurich I would give it my all. If there is anybody else going to Grimes in Abart on the 18 of November that wants to join me you will find me at the front of the stage dancing my ass off.
By Day 4 you could see that the bounce was lost from the majority of the weary festival goers, tiredness from the days before and the caked on mud was beginning to take it's tole. Luckily I had a secret weapon up my sleeves to give me some renewed energy to make it through Day 4.
Husband was unable to attend Day 4 so his pass for the day went to fellow Blogger Cecily (check out her Blog here). Her enthusiasm for the festival, seeing how it was her first day in attendance was exactly what I needed to make it through the last day, it was contagious.
I was glad of it, as there was a moment when I was sitting down on the benches eating some food where I was thinking you know what, sod this I am just going to pack it in and skip 'Hot Chip' as I had seen them before but I managed to hold on until their set.
So glad I did as it was spectacular and the highlight of the day. The band has evolved since I last saw them and the addition of the live drummer is a welcome surprise (I never thought they needed one but the enthusiasm and joy former 'New Young Pony Club' member Sarah Jones brings to the ensemble is electric).
I was expecting the second best of the day to be Yann Tierson and yes whilst very good indeed he did not play any of the score to the movie 'Ameile' for which he first came to my attention so that kinda made me a little sad. So the honors go to an adorable sister duo from Sweden called 'First Aid Kit'. They're early afternoon set did not wrangle a large crowd but was delight to the ears for any who managed to see it.
So that's it then, I did it, I survived, not too dehydrated and I didn't lose my voice from shouting along to the music. All and all a fantastic few days was had.
So after the rain of the night before came the inevitable drenching of mud, that field near Zurich airport may never look the same again. It's difficult to spot a single blade of grass any more but Husband and I had learned from our mistake previous and wellies were the fashion of the day for us.
There were a lot of great performances today and some I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did but I will give the honor of best of the day to 'Bloc Party' on the basis of them making me flashback to my college days. Their set was heavy with tracks from their new album 'Four' and only one track was played off 'Intimacy' but it was still a blinder. Yes yes yes.
There are a good few of Honorable mentions, 'Kraftwerk's' 3D show was a sight to behold but at time ventured between being inspired to tiresome. It was hard to get a rhythm going. 'Boy' probably gave one of the more adorable performances of the entire festival with the lead singer just so gosh darn excited to be playing her home city. But I think second best of the night went to Nero, a dubstep trio from the UK. Really did not expect to like these guys so much but they sure knew how to get me up off that floor and dancing my ass off. Props given where props are deserved.
I'm tired, my bones ache, my lips are like sandpaper but I am ready for the final day. 'Yann Tiersen' and 'Hot Chip' are a calling and we still need to spend the last of our fake festival money. Bring it on and then followed by some much needed rest.
So there seems to be a pattern forming here, I have to say that 'Soulwax' were the best of the fest for day two, again did not expect this because again I have seen them so many times but on the day they were the best. For a multitude of reasons, in particular they were the only dry full set I managed to take in that day seeing how the heavens opened during 'The White Lies'. I expected 'The Prodigy' to maybe be the best of the night but they didn't play some of my fav songs (no 'Out of Space', criminal). Then 'The Chemical Brothers' I thought would steal the night but alas it was not to be, it was a DJ set so none of their hits. It was a pretty fantastic set once it got going but I think there was a problem with the lighting in the dance tent, there were none in the end so it really could have been anyone up on that stage, couldn't see nowt.
Of honrorable mention was 'The Whitest Boy Alive' who is literally really the whitest boy alive and managed to spread some funk in the early hours of the day, a lot of shoulder bopping for his set indeed.
Yesterday was a bit of wet disaster, very chubby rain and Husband was wearing White Converse Hi-Tops (the horror) but it did feel like I was back home at a festival in Ireland. Plus day one has given me serious farmer tan so I truly look like an Irish Festival attendee.
So day 3 beckons, I'm a little fragile after the two days previous but ready to see 'Boy', 'Bloc Party', 'Mogwai' and a 3D spectacular show provided by 'Kraftwerk'. Bound to be interesting.
