El Chojin at FNAC

El Chojin, the veteran rapper from Torrejón de Ardoz(Madrid), presented his tenth album "Cosas que pasan, que no pasan y que deberían pasar" at FNAC Leganés. Accompanied by his DJ and two back-up singers, Chojin performed various tunes from his newest recording like "Un paso atrás", "No importa lo que me cuenten", "Superheroes" (the first single and videoclip) and "Odisea". He is a great master of ceremonies and in between songs controlled the crowd of youngsters with his humor and charisma. It was a short set of 30 minutes but totally worth it, to see one of the best mc's Spain has to offer.

Picture courtesy of MCJ Photography (c)

Los Abrazos Rotos by Almodóvar

Los Abrazos Rotos is the latest work by castilian-manchego writer/director Pedro Almodóvar. Starring are usual collaborator and Academy award-winning actress Penélope Cruz (as Lena), Lluís Homar (Mateo Blanco/Harry Caine), Blanca Portillo (Judit García) and Lola Dueñas (Lip reader).

Mateo Blanco is a film director who went blind and becomes his alter-ego Harry Caine to forgive his past. In his final film "Chicas y Maletas" he tried to do a comedy and met the love of his life, Lena. Lena has a relationship with an old rich man who is the producer of the film. He, as an act of jealousy, uses his son to film every step of the filming and a lip reader that can translate every word said during the set. The story goes back and forth from Madrid 1994 to Madrid 2008, where Mateo is telling the story to Diego, one of his employees.

The film, the 17th feature for the Spaniard director, is very well edited, directed and told. The scenes are joined perfectly in true Almodóvar style, the use of different camera shots to see the storytelling as unconventional as possible and the colors are mind-blowing. The usual themes are there: love, betrayal, homosexuality, lies, secrets, etc. You passed from laughing out loud with his witty humor to feel pity because of the way things finally turned out. He point outs references to the Spanish political arena, his previous films and even a fake vampire movie named "Dona Sangre".

One downgrade is that lacks the sick twists his previous films had. The clock stops at more than two hours but is at-large an entertaining film, as everything "El Deseo" does. Is not a masterpiece like "All about my mother" but worth checking out.

Rapeando en Rojo

In the center of the Malasaña neighborhood, in Sala Taboo, the event "Rapeando en Rojo" took place to a full venue of punkies, rappers and "commies". Featuring Los Chikos del Maíz from Valencia and two other hip hop groups from Madrid. The first act was Mentenguerra who sang a couple of tunes accompanied by one hypeman, NoGobal, and one hypewoman, Greta from hardcore punk band Antitedax (in which Mente also plays the guitar). His stage presence was ok but the flow was kind of generic. One bad thing is that the two hypemans don't help the mc standout much.


Then came madrilean hip hop group, Aire & Humo, who definitely impressed me a lot. Three mc's (Punki, Koah and Lío) who have great flow and politically-charged lyrics with catchy punchlines. During their set, they were joined by Moha from "Arte de Liar". They are very underground and compromised with the socio-political causes, but worth checking out.


At last, came the headliners from Valencia, Los Chikos del Maíz (Mc's Tony and Nega), with EZLN-type masks to sang their hits to the crowd. Songs like "S.O.S. Mc's de Combate", "Spain is different", "Estilo Faluya", "El Gobierno lo niega", "Trabajador@s", "Sultanes del Funk" and "B-boy Parade" from Nega's album were sing-alonged by the attendees. During "A Dios le pido", they changed their clothes to some Maradona's soccer jerseys. Although Nega was a bit wasted, their set went very well as the public responded great to their ironic, sarcastic and anti-capitalist songs. It was a different rap show but very entertaining because we got the chance to see political rap acts who are very underground and of course, The Children of the Corn from Valencia.















Pictures by MCJ Photography (c)

Blindness by Fernando Meirelles

Blindness is the latest film by brazilian director, Fernando Meirelles (City of God and The Constant Gardener). It is an adaptation of the novel, "Ensaio sobre a cegueira", by portuguese Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago. Starring are Julianne Moore (Doctor's Wife), Mark Ruffalo (Doctor), Alice Braga (The Dark Glasses), Danny Glover (The Black Eye Patch) and Gael Garcia Bernal (King of Ward Three).

An epidemic of white blindness attacks the city and its first victims are quarantined without much food nor help from the authorities. The Doctor's Wife is the only one able to see but keeps it a secret from the rest. Mayhem overcomes as one of the three wards (Ward Three led by a self-proclaimed king and a previously blind man) imposes the other two wards, selling food for the valuables and having sex with their women. The people from the outside world eventually gets the blindness and the world falls into an apocalyptic stage where chaos and destruction overcomes civilization.

Meirelles adapts this literary classic very outstandingly. Through the images we feel how the characters struggle with their sudden blindness. The white color is abundant in all the shots as well as the light that gives this atmosphere of hopelessness. Rare camera shots as in his previous movies (City of God-esque shots in the rape scenes). The storytelling is unconventional and the use of some characters as narrators apart from the main storyline give richness to the story. We get suspense, violence, dramatic and feel-good scenes throughout the entire movie.

The themes presented are human relationships and how they remain the same although we cannot see each others differences. Some people try to control others and others gather to live better. The politics where the government handles disasters in a not humanly way. Also when humans don't have the power to do something they understand more how is to live without a disability. The movie as well as the novel is a critique on the human flaws that divide us and make us vulnerable when major things occur.

This movie was very under looked in this past film award season because of the social commentary or the artsy way Meirelles presented it. But it was a good flick, well acted, written and directed, that can make us think about life and the course that has taken civilization.

Hip Hop contra el Olvido

Hip Hop Contra el Olvido was a benefit concert celebrated in the madrilean Sala Heineken to remember the murdered video reporter, Jose Couso, in hands of several US soldiers back in 2003. The host for the evening was Doble Ache from Hip Hop Nation's fame. The first two acts were totally forgettable, Menteguerra and Acqua Toffana, and didn't do any notable songs. Then came the legendary madrilean hip hop outfit, Duo Kie, to cheer up the crowd with their tunes "Nosotros lo hicimos", "Yeah" and "No me cogereis vivo". After this great and short set, Frank T arrived in stage to sing his hymns "Exito en un tomo", "Optimista y Soñador", among others.

In between acts, some family members of the dead reporter like his mother and brother (Javier Couso, the ex-drummer of madrilean anarko punk band, Sin Dios) talked to the crowd about how the money from the benefit was going to be used and criticized the spanish government for not accusing the soldiers who killed Couso. Kamikaze, ex-member of pioneer spanish rap group CPV, came next to sang a couple of tunes, one featuring Kase-O. The headliners, Rap Solo rapper's Doble V, Xhelazz and Sr. Rojo, was the reason why it was so packed the venue. The highlights were"Solo importa el rap" (Xhelazz with Doble V), "Una Mirada" (Xhelazz) and "Vicios y Virtudes" (Doble V). It was a good show but was too crowded and some of the sets were too short, but just seeing Duo Kie, Frank T, Xhelazz and Doble V in one night was worth it.

Pictures courtesy of MCJ Photography.

Stiff Little Fingers at Madrid

The infamous northern irish punk rock band, Stiff Little Fingers, played at the madrilean venue Joy Eslava. The opening act was Delincuencia Sonora, an early 80s punk rock band from Madrid, who were kinda disappointing. Music-wise they are ok but the frontman does not have any kind of energy and his voice sounds too monotone.

At ten o'clock, the legendary band from Belfast came on stage. Their frontman/lead guitarrist, Jake Burns, had an accident after their previous show in Bilbao but that did not stop him of performing. Along with original bassist, Ali McMordie, the SLF rocked the stage with energy. Jake's voice is still sounding great and the music was tight and powerful.

They played classics like "At The Edge", "Suspect Device", "Barbed Wire Love", "Nobody's Heroes", "Tin Soldiers" and "Alternative Ulster". Also, two covers: "Johnny Was" by Bob Marley and "Doesn't Make It Alright" by The Specials. And some of the newer songs like "Liars Club" (dissing Bush and Blair) and "Guitar and Drum" (making fun of American Idol) proved that their politically-charged punk rock has not lost its edge. In "Strummerville" they paid homage to The Clash's leader, a band they have been compared to in the past. Their catchy pop hooks and energetic punk rock, that have influenced later generations of punks like Screeching Weasel, Blind Pigs or Rancid, is still relevant and fresh as in 1977.

Picture by MCJ Photography.

The Limits of Control Trailer

The Limits of Control is the new flick by acclaimed indie director, Jim Jarmusch.

SFDK Records Tour

SFDK Records Tour presented their concert, featuring artists from the label, in the valencian venue, Sala Greenspace. The opening act was Puto Largo, Legendario and DJ Lazer (3/5 members of Dogma Crew) that rapped songs from Largo's album and a few of Dogma's like "Nacen de la bruma". The crowd helped them in the choruses and they interacted very well between songs. Then, newcomers El Limite went on stage but in my opinion were good but not great, the crowd slowed down a bit when they performed.

Jesuly featuring hypeman Chukky came next and pumped the crowd to the extreme. They rapped their fierce punchlines in songs like "La Ventana", "Nada", "Venimos Fuertes" and "Parto Natural" with Legendario, to name a few. After this great performance, the headliners SFDK, Zatu, Accion Sanchez and hypeman Barrabas, came on stage. They did songs from their five albums and controled the crowd like a professional group who have been playing for over 15 years can do. Songs like "Liricista en el Tejado", "En la oscuridad", "Donde esta Wifly", "Fumar Cagando", "Original Rap", "2005", et al were chanted by the whole venue full of loyal fans. During "Pruebalo" all the previous artists came on stage to sing with Zatu the single from their last studio album. A highlight was Zatu rapping acapella a part from the old song "Querer es Poder". As the four hours of sevillian hip hop ended, they put "Jump Around" from House of Pain to say farewell to the atendees.

Pictures courtesy of MCJ Photography.

HP Squad at FNAC

Andalusian hip hop masters, Hablando en Plata Squad, presented their new double album "Libertad/Hambre" at FNAC Leganes (Madrid). It was a little showcase but very powerful as the group's three MCs (Capaz, Sicario and Rayka) roared their witty horror-inspired punchlines to the crowd. They rapped various tunes like "Criminales", "El Castigo de los debiles", just to name a few. Their DJ/Producer, Sr. Narko, and acclaimed producer from Malaga, Big Hozone, were in the turntables and sound, respectively. After their short set, they stayed to sign a couple of albums to their loyal fans.

The Buzzcocks at Madrid

As part of the "Another Bites" 2009 Tour, the almighty Buzzcocks, from Manchester, played in the infamous venue "Sala el Sol"(from "La Movida" days) in Madrid to a capacity crowd of punkers, rockers and old-timers. The opening act was the punk rock outfit from Seattle, Cute Lepers (formed by Briefs' guitarrist/vocalist, Steve E. Nix). They played a quite energetic show with some good rocknroll tunes with catchy choruses, accompanied by two female background vocalists. In their repertoire they did "Fall in Love" by The Vibrators.

After this good start, the pop-punk pioneers from the 77' UK Punk Class came on stage. Main vocalist, Pete Shelley, with lead guitarrist/singer, Steve Diggle, began their performance with the intro of their classic "Boredom", which they played only the music(this song was originally sang by original line-up singer, Howard Devoto, that after their first EP, Spiral Scratch, left the band). In their first set, they performed classics like "I Don't Mind" and "Ever fallen in love" along with some lesser-known songs. After a short break, they came back to play all their hits like "Orgasm Addict", "What Do I Get", "Promises" and "Oh Shit". The Buzzcocks, after 33 years playing, are one of the best pop-punk outfits ever.

Picture courtesy of MCJ Photography.