Kerry Karalis
April 1, day of truth
April Fool’s Day signaled the beginning of the Anti-Advertisement festival in Athens, the third activity of the non-profit group activA. The festival is an ongoing project that attempts to critique some aspects of advertising through exhibits of video art, photography, net art, graphic design, performance act, sculpture, painting and lectures.
Booze Cooperativa, a café-exhibition center, hosted the festival’s opening, which featured the projection of a video showing how advertising subtly influences people’s opinions. “A bank, for example, wants to promote loans to its clients but it does that indirectly,” said Rania Gorou, a professional photographer. “There are many bank ads that suggest that money doesn’t bring happiness, but what they sell is money. Don’t you think that’s a contradiction?”
The… Continue reading
Dance Rockabilly, Sing the Alternative
The music of the Greek bands Old House Playground and Dustbowl flooded the crowded Planet Music, a live stage club in the center of Athens on an April night. The difference in sound which swung from country-rockabilly to alternative excited the fans that danced and sang along with the bands.
Old House Playground opened the evening with Ain’t gonna rain today, from their debut album, The Whore and the Dog. The fans savored their drinks and music, which made a great combination. “They played very well, even though the singer was sick with fever,” said Jenny Kapatai, who sings professionally. “What I also enjoyed was Conor’s bass, which has never sounded so good.”
Tryfon Lazos, the band’s singer,… Continue reading