2 JANUARY 2013
MADRID IN ENGLISH
ALYSSA RASMUSSEN visits Madrid’s uber-cool ex-slaughterhouse venue, the Matadero, page 6
Photo: Rafa Mosca
4 SCENE What’s new in town
5 MADWORLD Top ten cuts to the Spanish language, Streetguys, Fairy Tales, Curiosity Shop
6 GIVE ME A BREAK
This month’s Curiosity Shop - La Duquesita, page 5.
Your guide to the official holidays in Madrid for 2013
6 BACK TO LIFE Capturing the latest mood and spirit of Madrid’s hip venue, the Matadero
7 THE CHALLENGE OF A CHANGE REACTION The four stages of adjustment when facing a new city, country or culture
8 BOOKBUZZ Nele Neuhaus’s Snow white Must Die, and Michael Chabon’s Telegraph Avenue
8 CONCERT HIGHLIGHTS January gigs—Patrick Wolf, Alondra Bentley and The Hackensaw Boys
8 FOR THE RECORD This month’s album reviews—Allah_Las and Rachel Zeffira
9 NIGHTLIFE The best club nights in January, plus listings
10 MONTH AHEAD: ART & THEATRE Where to go and what to see
10 PLAYING ON THE MIND Interview with author Emma Chapman about her first novel, “How to Be a Good Wife”
11 WORKING IN HARMONIES Musician and composer Daniel Minimalia talks about his latest album and forthcoming concert in Madrid
12 HAPPY NEW BEER The tale of a Madrid microbrewery and its brew
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JANUARY 2013
3
scene
For a great blend of flamenco, rockabilly and folk music, check out Jenny and the Mexicats at Café La Palma, on Sat, 19 Jan, from 10pm. See www.cafelapalma.com
■ BY WILL WORTH-GOWEN
Los Premios 40 Principales Ballantine’s 2012 Alicia Keys and Pitbull will be attending the Premios 40 Principales Ballantine’s 2012, which are the only prizes to be awarded in Spain based on the votes of music fans. There are usually more than one million votes cast. David Guetta, Alejandro Sanz, Auryn, Maldita Nerea, Cali y El Dandee, Pablo Alborán and La Oreja de Van Gogh will also be performing live, in what will be the awards’ sixth annual ceremony. The net profits from ticket sales will go to the charity Luces para Aprender, organised by the Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos, a project designed to provide light and internet to more than 66,000 rural schools in Ibero-America. To spark a few heated discussions, this year’s contenders are: Mejor Artista o Grupo: Alejandro Sanz, Estopa, Macaco, Melendi, Pablo Alborán Artista revelación 2012 en 40 Principales: Auryn, Chila Lynn, Efecto Pasillo, Lagarto Amarillo, Xuso Jones Mejor video clip musical (jury prize): BlackStar— Carlos Jean, Cometas por el cielo—La oreja de Van Gogh, Love is the only way— Macaco, No me compares— Alejandro Sanz, Te he echado de menos—Pablo Alborán
Madrid Gastrofestival Organised by the Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau in collaboration with Madrid Fusión, the city’s fourth annual Gastrofestival offers an array of activities and culinary experiences, along with the opportunity to savour good food and enjoy the event’s ties with various artistic disciplines. In a feast for the senses, you can enjoy any or all of six “courses”— Sensory Experiences, Gastroculture, Gourmet Madrid, Gastrofashion, Gastrohealth and Enoculture. More than 300 establishments take part in the programme and new features include a “Route for the Sweet-Toothed” (to discover the best bakeries), “Colombian Coffee Route”, “Gastronomy in Music” and “Menus by Elle” (under the Gastrofashion banner, in which the décor of the restaurants taking part will share the spotlight with the food). The Prado Museum joins the programme for the first time, offering an educational tour entitled “Artistic Banquets”, looking at paintings that reflect the importance of food in art. The Enoculture section will include cultural activities dedicated to wine, and will also bring bands to several Madrid clubs in connection with the second edition of the Enofestival of independent music. Photography, film, theatre, books, music and, in particular, paintings, which will be exhibited in more than twenty galleries and museums, are the main ingredients of Gastroculture. The price of set menus at various distinguished restaurants throughout the city remain the same as last year, at 25 and 40. Degustatapas will continue to offer a tapa and beer for 3, and those who prefer wine can enjoy the launch of “Rioja in our Favourite Bars”—a tapa and a glass of wine for 6. On this occasion, Gastrohealth will not only feature ecological restaurants and shops, but will also help to promote the prevention of cardiovascular disease through nutrition. Thanks to an agreement between the Spanish Heart Foundation and Madrid Fusión, participating restaurants will be able to indicate healthy-heart dishes on their menus. American Express and Mahou sponsorships together with the collaboration of Lavinia and Elle have made it possible to turn this coming edition into the most ambitious Gastrofestival to date.
Alicia Keys
Pitbull will be attending the Premios 40 Principales Ballantine’s 2012
NowHere Finland 2012. Diseño ecológico finlandés Helsinki was the 2012 Design Capital of the World, and part of that title included organising the NowHere Finland 2012 Diseño ecológico finlandés exhibition. The objective was to help designers promote their work, whilst also educating the general public about ecological-based design. The exhibition continues in 2013 at Madrid’s Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas. NowHere Finland, in addition to the wonderful wordplay of the title, presents works chosen for their life cycle, materials, and their minimal impact on the environment, from 47 designers (Finnish or resident in Finland). Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, C/Montalbán, 12 (Metro: Retiro). Tel: 91 532 64 99. Museum Entrance: €3. Temporary exhibitions free. Tues-Sat, 9.30am-3pm; Sun, 10am-3pm. 19 Oct-20 Jan.
Mejor festival, gira o concierto (jury prize): Carlos Jean Experience Tour 2012, Estopa: Gira 2.0, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Gira Mucho + Fácil, Melendi—Gira 2012 Mejor álbum (jury prize): Estopa 2.0— Estopa, El murmullo del fuego—Macaco, En acústico—Pablo Alborán, Endless road, 7058 (Upcoming)—Auryn, La música no se toca—Alejandro Sanz Mejor canción: Mantequilla—Efecto Pasillo, Rayos de sol—José de Rico & Henry Méndez, Se vende—Alejandro Sanz, Te he echado Tacabro de menos—Pablo Alborán, Te voy a esperar—Juan Magán
Categoría internacional en lengua española Mejor artista o grupo: Cali y el Dandee, Jennifer Lopez, Juanes, Pitbull, Shakira Mejor canción: Lady—Crossfire, No hay 2 sin 3 (Gol)—Cali & El Dandee, Tacatá—Tacabro, Tengo tu love—Sie7e, Yo te esperaré—Cali & El Dandee
FITUR (International Tourism Fair)
Categoría internacional en lengua no española Mejor artista o grupo: Alicia Keys, David Guetta, Flo Rida, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift Mejor álbum (jury prize): Mylo Xyloto—Coldplay, Nothing But The Beat 2.0—David Guetta, Overexposed—Maroon 5, Talk That Talk—Rihanna, Wild Ones—Flo Rida Mejor canción: Euphoria—Loreen, Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen, Moves Like Jagger—Maroon 5, Somebody That I Used To Know—Gotye, Someone Like You—Adele Mejor artista revelación 2012: Carly Rae Jepsen, Fun, Gotye, Nicki Minaj, One Direction Los Premios 40 Principales Ballantine’s 2012, Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, Avenida Felipe II, s/n (Metro: Goya/O Donnell). Tel. 91 444 99 49. Thurs, 24 Jan, 9pm. Tickets from €25. See www.los40.com/ . For Luces para Aprender, see www.lucesparaaprender.org.
Madrid Gastrofestival, 19 Jan-3 Feb. For full details of events and venues, see www.esmadrid.com/Gastrofestival
JaJaHa!—Comedy in English If you’re looking for a way to shake off the post-Christmas blues, the JaJaHa! English comedy group continue their monthly stand up and improv show on the 8, 18 and 31 January. On the 8th it’s a brand new monthly show at El Bar de Yllana, with guest star Kelsey Caine. The 18th sees the monthly Freshly Squeezed session at the Beer Station, which presents brand new material by the regular team of Toni Rodriguez, Daire McGill, Dan Feist and Just Shaun, whilst on the 31st the group presents Freshly: Ole Stars Edition, also at the Beer Station, which will introduce popular Spanish comedians who want to branch out into English comedy—Ignatius Farray, Jorge Guerra, Pepón Fuentes and Iggy Rubin. JaJaHa! Comedy in English. Tues, 8 Jan, 10pm—El Bar de Yllana, C/Pez, 40 (Metro: Noviciado). €6 at the door. Fri, 18 Jan & Thurs, 31 Jan, 9pm—BeerStation, Cuesta de Santo Domingo, 22 (Metro: Santo Domingo). €14 at the door, €7 in advance from www.atrapalo.com/. For full details see www.freshlycomedy.com.
Covering every aspect of the tourism industry, FITUR comes to Madrid again at the end of this month. The statistics for last year’s event speak for themselves—more than 90,000 members of the public visited the fair, with more than 9,500 businesses in attendance from 167 countries. In addition to the eight huge exhibition halls covering different geographical areas and businesses, there are five special sections for 2013: FiturGreen, Investour (which recognises the dynamic effect of tourism on the economy of the African continent, promoting sustainable development in the region), Fiturtech (innovation, technology and sustainability), FiturB2B (sales workshops) and FiturLGBT (to promote the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual sector). A great chance to find information, and also to speak to representatives, about any place you’d like to go. FITUR, Feria de Madrid (Metro: Campo de los Naciones). 30 Jan-1 Feb (professionals only), 2-3 Feb (public). Tickets €8. See www.ifema.es/fitur_01/Informacion_general/index.htm
Burns Night “Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the puddingrace!” We admit that sentence is perhaps not the easiest for anyone learning English, but nevertheless it’s the start of Scottish poet Robbie Burns’ wonderful Address to a Haggis. The Great Chieftain o’ the pudding-race should be on the table at the Madrid Caledonian Society’s Burns Night, which takes place on Sat, 26 Jan, at the Hotel Intercontinental. The dress code is kilt, black tie or lounge suit, to celebrate the life and poetry of the great man. Burns Night, Hotel Intercontinental, Pº de La Castellana, 49 (Metro: Gregorio Marañon). Sat, 26 Jan, from 8pm. Tickets €60 or €65. For reservations and further details contact Ana Rodriguez-Cano, tel: 91 527 38 51.
Taylor Swift
4 JANUARY 2013
MADRID IN ENGLISH
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Top ten cuts to the Spanish language With cutting expenditure clearly at the top of the economic agenda, Jeff Wiseman looks at cuts that are going to be made to Spanish vocabulary. After all, everything is about numbers and volumes:
1
Cuatro Caminos Metro station will be cut to Tres Caminos.
2
Muchos gracias is excessive for the current situation. This year, it will be cut to menos gracias.
3
Plaza Mayor will be re-named Plaza Menor.
4
The Madrid villages of Tres Cantos and Cenicientos will become Dos Cantos and Cenidocena respectively.
5
The Plaza de Neptuno will be cut to the Plaza de Neptcero.
6
The sponge cake, bizcocho, will be cut to bizcsiete.
7
From a supermarket perspective, Día will be diminished to Mediodía, and taking English into account, Carrefour will be Carrethree.
8
The charity ONCE will sadly be cut to DIEZ.
9
Tres Reyes Magos? Un Rey Mago will be sufficient in future, although he will be helped by two unpaid interns.
10
Photo (CC) flickr: Tom as_Fano
Of course, politicians are the only individuals who don’t seem to be suffering from the cuts, and in fact seem to be expanding. Consequently, the Congreso de los Diputados will become the Congreso de los Diputados-miles.
Streetguys InMadrid captures the performers adding fun to the city’s chaotic calles.
Chewbacca the Wookie “Luke, some good news—I am NOT your father!” As far as we know, Madrid’s Chewbacca the Wookie is the only Star Wars regular to patrol Plaza de Sol. OK, he needs a bit of a brush, but if you had helped to save the galaxy from the likes of Darth Vader and the dangers of the Dark Side, your coat might be a bit worse for wear too. And we love the fact his mop-top has survived relatively unscathed. My, you could almost stroke it! May the force be with him. (A suitable donation was made for the snap, just in case he needed to pay for parking for the Millennium Falcon). ■ FLASH HARRIS
Curiosity Shop
LA DUQUESITA
■ ■ BY BY CAMINO CAMINO MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ
Almost one hundred years after its opening, this emblematic bakery is still making some of the most delicious cakes and chocolates in the city Christmas time in Spain continues until 6 January, after the Three Kings have visited Spanish homes the previous night bringing lots of gifts. On the morning of the 6th, when wrapping paper litters the floor, adults and children usually eat Roscón de Reyes (or roughly translated in English, “King’s Cake”), the traditional Spanish cake for the Christmas holiday. It’s just yummy! Although every bakery in the country sells the cake during this period, there are a few establishments that are well known for producing some of the best. Famous names include Casa Mira, Viena Capellanes and La Mallorquina, for example, but also amongst the top shops is La Duquesita (“The Little Duchess”). This beautiful bakery opened in 1914, and every day they make the most delicious handmade desserts in their own workshop (located just under the shop). One of the most famous is the Roscón de Reyes, making this place a necessary visit for countless madrileños. In addition, they also make turrones, polvorones and mazapanes (other Spanish traditional Christmas sweets—nougat, flaky shortbreads and marzipan, more or less), along with chocolates, truffles and many other typical pastries from different places in Spain. It’s not unusual to find national and international celebrities buying some of its delights, from fashion designers and musicians to dancers, actors and cinema directors—like Pedro Almodóvar or Viggo Mortensen, to name but two. The temptations are difficult for anyone to resist.
La Duquesita. C/Fernando VI, 2 (Metro: Alonso Martínez/Tribunal.) Tel: 91 308 02 31. Tues-Sun, 9.30am-2.30pm, 5-9pm.
MADRID IN ENGLISH
Fairy Tales
By Jerome Apolda
Truth It is so easy to fill the page, to cover all that white with little black letters, one following the next, a full stop, a space, just emptiness between shapes; and the words dance and sway, they prolong each other and the sentences resonate. But where is the truth? There are stories that touch your heart, that make you shiver and sometimes, only sometimes, your eyes water, a tear falls, and darkness briefly shadows your soul—so briefly it’s fleeting. And when their music ends, reality sets back in. A reality that lacks romanticism, a reality of dirty dishes and errands to run, a reality of obligations and duties, a reality one cannot escape and must face. But the words were there, and you remember how they made you feel. You remember what was between the lines, a glimpse of truth. Or was it simply a mirage? A clever trick to disguise the sorrow that’s palpable and somehow always there. Fill in the blanks—is that all words do? I take comfort in the melodic rhythm of a keyboard reacting to my touch. The slow and steady music of these little squares of plastic forced down by my fingers before being liberated once again. Tortured, they go up and down, up and down, and as the music plays and the pages get filled, the story unfolds. Within those simple shapes lie understanding, communication, and language. It is but silence being shouted out loud. There’s nothing more satisfying for a writer than finally being able to type those two little words: the end. It’s an accomplishment, like an opera that abruptly ends and leaves the listener to himself and his thoughts. He reads between the lines, deciphers what is not there, and can draw conclusions he already knew. The writer did nothing but held a hand, told a story, lullabied the reader and like a child, he slumbers, comforted by the knowledge that he has learned, grown, and that he is wiser. But the writer has only questions; questions to which he doesn’t know the answers. There is no truth, no greater purpose. It is a lost soul typing away at meaninglessness. I have often mentioned the coming of the End of Days. December was to be the revelation, the apocalypse that would end it all. The Big Guy in the sky wasn’t ready for an ending yet, apparently. And so everything continued; nobody held their breath, nobody stopped. I did. I stood, looking at the sky, knowing fully that I would see nothing more than blues and whites. But I set aside some time and looked at the truth of the never-ending continuity. And as I looked on, passed the high-risers, blotting out the sounds of a city fully immersed in its daily goings on, I got lost in the immensity of my tininess. And then I typed, much like I’m typing now, furiously, dementedly, typing to get to the point, to get to the end, to get to the truth. I collapsed, drained; I couldn’t type anymore because the truth kept eluding me. The letters piled themselves; it was a logorrhea of sentences, of paragraphs that seemed endless. I just wanted to get to the end part. I never got there. I don’t think anyone can. Even the Mayans got it wrong. And so it continues, a sentence will lead the way to another one and in its mist a question will arise and another and another. Maybe the truth lies in its search.
Love Fairy Tales? Missed an issue? Go to www.jerome-apolda.com. Or join me on facebook.
JANUARY 2013
5
Photo (CC) flickr: puroticorico.
Give me a break
An internationally recognised holiday commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World. The holiday was first celebrated in Spain in 1935 under the name Dia de la Hispanidad. The title was changed in 1987 in an effort to de-emphasise Spain’s colonial history in the Americas and to focus on the country’s burgeoning democracy. Since 2000, 12 October has also been the Day of the Armed Forces, with a parade in Madrid presided over by King Juan Carlos.
Plaza Dos de Mayo
15 May: San Isidro (Madrid only—Wednesday)
Madrid will have 14 public holidays this year, three of which are regional. To let you know when, and why, you can stay in bed longer than usual, or throw all of your worldly possessions in a suitcase and head off for a wellearned break, the following guide should assist:
Photo (CC) flickr: mi)
6 January La Epifanía del Señor (Sunday, but see below)
Photo (CC) flickr: Lopezia_Sorokin
A chance to recover from the copious amounts of grapes consumed the previous night.
miracles and Spanish culture in general, with parades and parties which stretch well into the night. Many people dress in Madrid’s traditional costume, the chulapo/a.
San José (Monday)
28 & 29 March Jueves Santo (Thursday) & Viernes Santo (Friday)
1 May: Fiesta del Trabajo (Wednesday) Isn’t it a little ironic that almost nobody works on Labour Day?
All Saints’ Day centres on remembering the deceased, to the extent that additional public transport is often organised to larger cemeteries. A day of emotions, remembrance, and enormous trade for florists. Saturday)
Around 712, the statue of Our Lady of Almudena was hidden by some faithful Visigoth Catholics who knew that Muslim conquest was imminent. They took the statue (too heavy to be moved out of the city), lit two candles beside it, and surrounded it by a wall so that the Moors couldn’t find and destroy it. Three hundred years later, when Alfonso VI of Castile conquered Madrid, he organised a massive prayer effort to discover its location. As people prayed, the wall is said to have tumbled down, revealing not only the perfectly intact statue, but also two candles burning next to it. The 9 November commemorates the event, and the statue can still be seen in the Almudena Cathedral.
6 December: Día de la Constitución Española (Friday)
To honour the husband of the Virgin Mary, St Joseph’s Day is usually celebrated on the 19th March to correspond with Father’s Day in Spain, but for the first time this year the holiday will be on the 18th, a Monday, to link to the weekend. Forming part of the week-long Semana Santa, watch Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ if you need a refresher course about the reason for these. Holy Week falls early this year, so plan accordingly if you’re hoping to spend the time in a sunny climate.
1 November: Día de Todos los Santos (Friday)
9 November: Nuestra Señora de la Almudena (Madrid only—
San Isidro, Madrid’s patron saint, was a man famous for his compassion towards animals and the poor, as well as his many miracles. Born in Madrid in 1070, Isidro worked as a farm labourer, and one story suggests that wherever he ploughed, there would be the markings of three ploughs instead of one because he was flanked by angels. Isidro died on 15 May, 1130 and was canonised as a saint in 1622. Today, Madrid celebrates his life,
1 January Año Nuevo (Tuesday)
18 March:
12 October: Fiesta Nacional de España (Saturday)
(Madrid only—Thursday)
On 2 May 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother, to free themselves from French rule. This uprising began Spain’s sixyear War of Independence and active progression towards the development of the country’s first national constitution. Madrid celebrates this uprising, particularly around the Plaza de 2 de mayo in Malasaña; then, an important battle site, now, an important place to socialise with countercultural hipsters and to drink cheap beer.
As we kick off the New Year, Kelly Rummel takes a look at the public holidays in Madrid during 2013, and the reasons for the deluge of days off
This year the 6th falls on a Sunday, so Monday 7th will be a holiday. While in many countries the religious elements of Christmas take a back seat to the beloved secular figure of Santa Claus, this is not the case in Spain, where the arrival of the Three Kings—Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar—takes precedence.
2 May: Fiesta de la Comunidad
15 August:
Asunción de la Virgen (Thursday)
Another testament to the Catholicism inherent to Spain’s national identity, 15 August is commemorated as the anniversary of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven, body and soul, after the completion of her earthly duties. The Dia de la Virgen de Paloma coincides with this, celebrated in Madrid and especially La Latina, with a procession of images of the Virgin through the streets.
Perhaps the most important political holiday in modern Spain, Constitution Day commemorates the signing of Spain’s current constitution, drawn up in 1977 by the newly formed parliament in the aftermath of Francisco Franco’s death. The constitution was voted on and approved by 88 percent of the country and was signed by King Juan Carlos.
8 December: Inmaculada Concepción (Sunday) Unfortunately, whilst usually a “day off”, this falls on a Sunday in 2013, and sadly will not be rolled over to the Monday. Many people believe this day commemorates the conception of Jesus Christ, but it is actually a commemoration of the conception of the Virgin Mary herself by her mother St Anne.
25 December: Natividad del Señor (Wednesday) Official celebration of Santa’s birthday. Wait, that can’t be right....
Back to life Having started as a slaughterhouse, Madrid’s Matadero now hosts some of the city’s most cutting-edge art, theatre and cinema. Alyssa Rasmussen pays a visit to discover why it’s drawing attention
i
n 2009, when I first landed in Madrid, some friends and I spent time looking over the InMadrid listings, marking exhibitions and events that looked appealing. Our scribbles led us south, to an area not yet sketched onto my mental map of the city. Once inside what appeared to be a large compound, we encountered a clothing exchange, art exhibitions, and a vending machine containing crafted books. On the terrace, a large decorated plastic lawn covered the ground like a carpet, with small-to-large groups of people clustered across it. We joined them, enjoying live music from New Yorkand Madrid-based artists. The combination of great rhythms, a lively crowd, cold drinks, warm friends, and
the impressive space, left me giddy. Though the boundaries of my Madrid map expanded, it seemed one of those impressionable evenings too good to recreate, and I didn’t immediately seek out the Matadero again. A year later, however, my curiosity has got the better of me, and I wheel my way to rediscovery by bike along the riverside paths of the Manzanares.
Past and present The rear of the Matadero can be seen from the cycle routes along the river—the building is mostly stone, but with red bricks drawing lines across the façade, accenting the windows, doors, and arches. Two visitors to the centre, Isabel Garcia and Carmen Gomez, state that aside from the theatre and exhibitions, they come here simply to enjoy a coffee in what was once a slaughterhouse and livestock market, circa 1911. They, like others I speak with, enjoy the space due to its structure and its emblematic history. The absence of cows, sheep, and other livestock, that once roamed and then bled upon the slaughterhouse floor, has opened up the space for new, scentless, history-making activities. Travelling to the Matadero from his new home in Malasaña, Jonaton from Germany tells me that the transformation of the building into a multidisciplinary cultural and social centre attracts a crowd that can appreciate “old buildings, the atmosphere, and arty stuff.” Social and study spaces are comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and equipped with wifi. If you decide to study here you have a number of choices on how to approach your session: the waiter-djs in the Cantina change records while serving delicious hummus and Cauliflower balls; the bar (in Nave 20) offers more traditional Spanish food served in a classy atmosphere; the Intermediae’s bare-bones approach includes uniquely sculpted seats; and the library-esque Casa del Lector honours book lovers both professional and quotidian.
Refreshing Photo: Rafa Mosca
6 JANUARY 2013
When it’s time for a break there are a number of
places to wander. Often there are various exhibitions, including the design centre and multimedia pieces, to visit free of charge. For a longer break, or a night out, the Matadero theatre boasts two stages that offer rotating programmes of concerts and plays, whilst the Cineteca screens documentary and experimental films from Wednesday until Sunday, with tickets available for €3.50. Relaxation is the key for Pedro Pineda, from the Canary Islands, but visiting Madrid from his new home in Berlin. Pedro is an Experience Designer, focusing on how people interact with the social world while engaging with his designs. “I am interested in the sitting experience instead of the chair,” he explains. Seated in the main terrace, writing, Pedro adds that he has come here for “the space; it’s so open.” After spending the majority of his week among crowds in malls and tourist areas, the open air and escape from mass consumption beckoned. Though Berlin hosts a number of cultural venues, Pedro says he has yet to find a place in that city as rejuvenating as the Matadero.
Creating space and opinion From the centre’s terrace, one can see large buildings running along the back of the grounds, whose roles shift to meet exhibition and studio space needs. Writers, photographers, sculptors, urban planners, landscapers, painters, and film-makers can apply for scholarships that supply them with a space in which to make their art. Aside from the exhibitions themselves, I am most impressed with the Nave de la Musica. Open to the public on certain concert days, this space hosts studios in the shape of miniature houses which seem to float above rolling, foliage-spouting earth, and they will easily prompt a conversation if you come to see a performance in this area. On this Sunday evening, kids are playing and running about on the terrace while their parents animatedly evaluate the merits of a theatrical production—in this case Leviathan (an interactive play adapted from Moby Dick). The Cantina suddenly f
Photos:Rafa Mosca
fills up with a mixed group of moviegoers, discussing Nostalgia de la Luz, a film, set in Chile, which tells the a story about a meeting on a desert plain between some astronomers and a group of women in search of disappeared relatives. The groups’ exchanges and expressions suggest the movie incited thought and dialogue. Just with these glimpses, it seems Matadero Madrid, with its goal to “help reflect on the contemporary sociocultural environment and support processes to build the culture of today and tomorrow”, is certainly fulfilling its promise.
Matadero Madrid, Plaza de Legazpi, 8 (Metro: Legazpi). Tel: 91 517 73 09. Tues-Fri, 4-10pm; Sat, Sun, 11am-10pm. For more information visit: www.mataderomadrid.org
MADRID IN ENGLISH
The challenge of a change reaction Whether you remember moving to Spain, or you’re about to start your stay here, everyone has the same fears about adjusting to a new culture. Maritza Mossberg investigates the four emotional stages that begin the adventure hen you take a chance on the pier of life and jump into the unknown of a strange tierra for study, work, or to learn another language and feel inspired, you are bound to experience a life-changing journey. The usual subjects for concern include the food and customs, but there are also four lesser-known emotional stages to the process of adjustment. Despite word association linking “four” with the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, don’t fret; the stages relate more to the highs and the lows of your mood and feelings than the end of the world, no matter how much you’re struggling with new vocabulary or an evil landlord:
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The Honeymoon Stage First, there is the stage that most people tend to emphasise. This “honeymoon” typically lasts from one to three months, and it is when you feel exuberantly thrilled to be living in a different country. The novelty of everything makes you feel alive and eager to explore your new home. You Omar Negrete may quite shamelessly take thousands of pictures, even of things that you would never normally consider worthy of a photo, such as supermarket shopping trolleys. Why? Because even mundane things like shopping for groceries feel like an adventure. Specifically with big cities like Madrid, this may be your first time enjoying life in a metropolis. “The city is always on the move, hundreds of things to see and [there is] never a dull moment,” says Omar Negrete from the USA. Other common sentiments that could define the Honeymoon Stage include rushes of adrenaline, lack of desire to constantly contact home, and a compelling energy to be on the move. If only this stage could last forever, but just like a wild night out that you think will never end, eventually it begins to fade into stage two.
The Sadness Stage The Sadness Stage can set in at different times depending on the person and his or her schedule, but after the first month or three of euphoria, there comes a point when everything does not seem as new or exciting anymore. Once things become routine and you no longer have the tourist mentality, you begin to notice “flaws” in your new home, and the magic seems to
MADRID IN ENGLISH
Jessica Woodie
fade, rather like being blinded by love during the honeymoon stage of a relationship, and then noticing your partner isn’t quite as perfect as you first imagined. “The Sadness Stage can be described as waking up in the morning next to your new boyfriend, and realising that his breath reeks and it does not possess the minty freshness you were expecting—rather that of the leftover, stale stench of the night that came before it!” states Jessica Woodie (USA). Sadness stems from other factors as well, including changes in the weather, especially for those from places that have a more or less stable climate throughout the year. There can also be varying levels of sadness depending on whether you move to a country alone or with someone you know or can relate to, like other students in a college programme. Furthermore, it can be extremely challenging if there is a significant other left behind such as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Common signs that characterise the Sadness Stage include homesickness, loss of appetite or sleep, and loneliness. The good news is that this stage tends not to last too long. But it’s replaced by the Anger Stage.
The Anger Stage This stage can unfortunately last a while, and the biggest influences on its degree are how different the new culture is from one’s own, and a refusal to accept that things that are different are not necessarily wrong. The degree of anger can also fluctuate depending on one’s comfort and familiarity with the new country’s language and customs. “Things work differently here and it is maybe culture shock just getting used to the way Spanish people think and go about their day,” Brittany Jones comments Brittany Jones (USA). Language is especially key in certain cities, and lack of communication is bound to rustle some feathers. You may feel irritated if you cannot express yourself as eloquently as you would wish, and consequently find yourself having to adjust your input in a conversation. Overall, the Anger Stage is apparent when you find yourself blowing mildly irritating situations out of proportion and dwelling on daily annoyances. You may find yourself mulling over how certain items are more expensive than you are accustomed to, the different eating schedule, the odd opening hours for banks or shops, the lack of customer service, the insignificance of a set time for an appointment… the list goes on. “I appreciate it at certain times, but other times I appreciate the way it is at home and I miss it. I am in between the last two [stages], but I am reaching a point where I am coming to accept it and just go with it,” admits Kim Pistilli (USA). Aside from feeling easily upset, other emotions and behaviour that define the Anger Stage include a short temper, the desire to complain to others, emotional outbursts, and an air of superiority. This stage can be very difficult for some individuals to move on from, but it is worth the fight to reach the final stage.
The Acceptance Stage The fourth stage is Acceptance, and the amount of time it takes a person to reach it is case-specific. You could unfortunately live in your new home for years and never reach this stage if you don’t completely immerse yourself and learn to accept cultural differences. Understanding that time is limited and passes quickly can certainly help, chiefly for students who are only living abroad for a year or less. “There is a difference between students here for a semester and the year. Everything is so compressed for students in a semester; they seem to adjust quicker. You realise that time flies. I would say 95% of students are sad to leave,” says Paula Ortega, who works for the University of California Study Abroad Programme. The sooner you adopt a sense of urgency, the more you will seize the moment and build your new life. Make friends, see the sights, find your favourite café, go out on the town, travel, have interesting conversations Kim Pistilli with strangers, write down all of your adventures, and don’t allow yourself to regret not making the most of your time living abroad. In addition, whatever your initial reason for travelling to live in a different country, learning and growing has to be one of your ultimate goals. “Why would you travel to another country if you did not want change? That is the point!” comments Alex Jaimes (Colombia).
You can do this! Time is perhaps the most difficult factor to specify, as this will depend on the character and personality of each individual, but each stage can, and most likely will, repeat itself. On a personal note, making lists of things that I will miss about living in Spain upon my return home helps me appreciate the country more, and I also ponder how much I have learned in my time here, the most important of which is the concept of fugacidad, or the brevity of life. This old Spanish term has had two primary interpretations over the centuries: optimistic periods have translated it as carpe diem, but in darker centuries, like the Baroque period, it meant the shortness of life makes it futile. Fugacidad is all about personal interpretations formed by attitudes. Life is all about attitude, and you can choose how you respond to change. Any time you take a chance to step out of your comfort zone, change is not easy. In the end though, for good or for bad, vale la pena (it’s worth it).
JANUARY 2013
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Telegraph Avenue Michael Chabon Fourth Estate Nick Funnell selects the best movies to see this month Les Misérables The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper adapts the classic West End musical based on French writer Victor Hugo’s doorstop of a novel. Rather than prerecord them, stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne all sang their vocals live on set. Out now The Master The critics have been reaching for superlatives to describe director Paul Thomas Anderson’s follow-up to There Will Be Blood, which has cult leader Philip Seymour Hoffman taking demobbed drifter Joaquin Phoenix under his wing in post-World War II America. 4 Jan Zero Dark Thirty (La noche más oscura) The ten-year manhunt to find and— spoiler alert!—assassinate Osama bin Laden forms the focus for Kathryn Bigelow’s first film since her Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker. Joel Edgerton, Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong and James Gandolfini feature in an ensemble cast. 4 Jan Jack Reacher Tom Cruise is the unlikely pick to play bestselling author Lee Child’s 6ft 5in hard-man hero, a military cop turned wandering sorterouter, in the character’s first bigscreen foray. Adding to the offbeat casting is filmmaker Werner Herzog as a Russian villain, while The Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie directs. 11 Jan Amour Michael Haneke’s starkly moving latest, which won him his second Palme d’Or, stars Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva as an 80-something Parisian couple facing their final days together after the latter suffers a stroke. 11 Jan Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher
Snow White Must Die Nele Neuhaus Macmillan Snow White Must Die is a murder mystery that proves to be anything but a fairytale. The story takes place in a seemingly quiet and posh small town in modernday Germany, where the residents will do anything to keep outsiders from knowing the truth about a dark event that occurred in its recent past. That event resulted in 20-year-old Tobias Sartorious, a villager himself, being convicted of murdering two 17-year-old girls. When 17-year-old Amelie Frölich goes missing after personally trying to investigate what happened, detectives are determined to find out what the village is hiding. Tobias Sartorius, having served his sentence, once again seems to be the most obvious suspect. With multiple story arcs and well-developed characters, author Nele Neuhaus masterfully creates an intricate web of details and lies which draws the reader in, to the point of feeling a personal investment in the outcome. There seems a subtle underlying social commentary on the criminal justice system, apparent in the way Tobias was wrongfully convicted to ten years in prison based on circumstantial evidence, and the novel also highlights some of human nature’s uglier themes: mob mentality, the dangerous pull of power, and the desperate measures people are willing to take to ensure survival. There are one or two unsettling loose ends at the close of the novel, but nonetheless, the story is sure to keep you hooked with its amalgamation of murder, mystery, sex, lies, violence, heartache, and heart-racing suspense. ■ MARITZA MOSSBERG
Chabon’s writing style is notoriously dense, but in this thrilling, coming-ofage in changing times story, he has outdone himself. The novel chronicles two friends, Archy and Nat, who run a record store in a period of flux in Oakland, California, where racial tension still exists from the decades of the civil rights movement, including Black Panther activity that was influential in that area. Some complicated father-son relationships are added to the mix—Archy’s father is a once-famous Kung-Fu artist but long-time deadbeat dad, and Archy is about to become a father himself. The record shop is in peril from a big-box store called Dogpile that is moving, complete with its own used-vinyl section, into the old neighbourhood on Telegraph Avenue. Compounded by an esoteric knowledge of music and records, the descriptions are exuberant if occasionally dizzying, and the characters have almost a wildwild-West feel to their dialogues at times: imagine “this town ain’t big enough for the both of us”. While the book runs long at nearly 500 pages, it’s almost necessary for the hoops and twists that you’ll find in the plot along the way. As in Chabon’s other books, he presents us with a few very crisp characters and let’s them run wild in their interactions, making for a rollicking tale. A good book for a cold weekend, perhaps, though it hardly paints a relaxing landscape of sunny California. ■ LAURA TABOR
music
for the record Russell Parton gets out his olives and tells us what we should, or shouldn’t, be listening to
Rachel Zeffira The Deserters Universal Canadian soprano and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Zeffira is better known as half of Cat’s Eyes, her project with Horrors’ front man Faris Badwan. But while the duo’s début album, Congratulations, was deeply indebted to 60s girl-groups, Zeffira’s first solo effort, The Deserters, is a different affair: introspective and ethereal, melancholy yet strangely soothing. The opening number (which is also the title track) contains a mixture of gentle pulses and rippling woodwind runs that sets the quasiclassical tone, and throughout there’s the constant push and pull between instruments, each daring the other with far out and complex rhythmical patterns. Zeffira’s aloof vocals are recorded close up but with an all-pervading reverb, the effect both ghostly and dreamy, while her lyrics impose a Gothic sadness and the pop structures give order to the bubbling baroque instrumentation. In one of the more haunting tracks, “Waiting For Sylvia”, Zeffira conveys a simple, open-ended image: two people, who walk in silence together along the bank of a river, are both thinking of someone called Sylvia. It’s a moment of drama below the surface, an idea of a secret truth to which Zeffira returns several times and which finds resonance in the album’s brilliant and enigmatic string and brass arrangements.
Allah-Las Allah-Las Innovative Leisure
Allah-Las are a Californian four-piece on a mission to revisit and accurately recreate the sound of 60s West Coast psychedelia, who have succeeded in creating a homage to Love, The Byrds and other pioneers of twelve-string jangly blues pop with their début self-titled disc. It begs the question: what’s the point? What was once original and fresh now sounds like an imitation of that, from the thud of blues-tinged bass guitar, to the melodic swoons, slow grooves and harmonies that tip the wink to bands like The Zombies. Even the love-lorn lyrics are period-perfect: in opener “Cataract”, the vocals declare: “I wanna hold your hand, I wanna be your man”, and the album’s use of hippy lingo such as references to “losing your mind”, again shows Allah-Las wearing a love for psychedelic pop on their perfectly flared sleeves. For a revivalist record this maybe somewhat toothless and one-paced, but nevertheless it certainly isn’t bad, especially when summoning up the spirit of the era with a retelling of the Icarus myth in “Sandy” (sample lyric: “You flew too close to the sun”) or with the languid Bossa Nova instrumental “Ela Navega”.
8 JANUARY 2013
concerts ■ BY FAYE HARRISON
Patrick Wolf Tues, 29 Jan, 10.30pm. Teatro Lara, C/Corredera Baja de San Pablo, 15 (Metro: Callao). Tel: 91 523 90 27. www.teatrolara.com. Tickets €18 from www.ticketmaster.es. If you are not already a member of The Wolfpack (Wolf’s very aptly named and very loyal fanbase), you might want to know a few things about him before heading down to the gig and perhaps deciding to join. South Londoner Patrick Wolf started experimenting with music from a very early age. He was a member of various music/arts collectives and after studying composition at the Trinity College Music Conservatoire (yep, not just a pretty face), he went on to release a string of albums that received critical acclaim among the public and fellow musicians alike. Wolf is known for his experimentation, which involves mixing his great talents as a violist, pianist and baroque pop singer with modern electronic sampling. The result is a theatrical sound in which Wolf is really able to set scenes and tell stories, capturing his listeners’ imagination from each song’s start to end. Listen to the two different versions of “The Magic Position” from his 2006 and 2012 albums to hear how, although his music has slightly matured, his original, cavorting sound will never fade.
Alondra Bentley
The Hackensaw Boys
Fri, 4 Jan, 5.30pm. Auditorio Casa del Lector, Matadero, (Metro: Legazpi). Tel: 91 517 73 09. www.mataderomadrid.org/. Free entry with prior reservation on www.ticketea.com.
Fri, 18 Jan, 8.30pm. La Boite, C/Tetuán, 27 (Metro: Sol). Tel: 91 522 96 20. www.boitemadrid.com. Tickets €12 from www.ticketea.com.
Alondra Bentley was born in the cold north of England but grew up in the baking south of Spain and echoes of both places can be heard in her music. Primarily making folky pop, she cleverly places a very sunny and light sound with the type of lyrics you can imagine being written on a dark and rainy day. She released her first album, Ashfield Avenue (named after the street where she was born in Lancaster), in March 2009 which was followed by numerous appearances at popular Spanish festivals such as Primavera Sound and SOS. She cites fellow and equally lovely indie-folker Russian Red as a big influence, not forgetting the older greats such as Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake. Whilst this concert at the Matadero is to promote her new album, It’s Holidays, primarily aimed at children, check out “One Friday Morning” from her 2012 album The Garden Room to see what this girl is usually all about.
Formed in 1999, the Hackensaw Boys are a six-piece string band who are based in central Virginia. They bring their old-time sound to Madrid in a bid to start the year with a rowdy and energetic bang and if you listen to their output, you will probably agree that they are likely to succeed. The band draw on tonnes of different musical influences but are best known (and rightly so) for their love of bluegrass, country, blues and good old rock and roll. Having toured the world with bands as diverse as Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips and De La Soul, they have earned an equally diverse following, ensuring that the hippies will be stomping their feet just as hard as the rockabillies and metallers. Check out “Look Out Dog, Slow Down Train” from their 2007 album Look Out! to see what all the fuss is about. Besides, one of the band members plays a homemade percussion instrument that he describes as a “tin can contraption”, and that is surely not to be missed!
MADRID IN ENGLISH
Isaac Peces@Café Detroit C/Villanueva, 43 (Metro: Príncipe de Vergara). Thurs, 17 Jan, from 11pm. Free entry. See www.detroitcafe.es
Dance in the New Year to a showdown of rare groove and electro swing with A Coruña-born Isaac Peces. A lover of disco, nu-jazz and afrobeat, “the fishes’” funk-fused dance sessions are filled with mashups of classic beats, guitar riffs and raw percussion sounds. Belonging to the “Acidjazzhispano.com” collective, Peces has earned support from the likes of DJs Makala, Dj Floro and Solo Moderna. His CV is not to be sniffed at either. Having participated in festivals such as Jazz VI Pontedeume and at a variety of fashion shows, Peces is also the resident DJ at A Coruñian clubs El Corralón, Velvet, Lautrec and Soweto. He has also played at venues across the country in cities such as Valencia, Jerez, Lugo and Oviedo, as well as spinning at London’s Cafe 1001 and Kathmandú, and Moe Club in Madrid. In 2012, Peces became responsible for Graham Club at Cachán in Compostela, where he leads the DJ and funk, soul and jazz performance programme.
live listings BY C QUINN-SPARKELL
Gatuperio Viking Fest@Sala Arena C/Princesa, 1 (Metro: Plaza de España). Sat, 12 Jan, from 5.30pm. €12 in advance, from entradas.com, €20 at the box office. www.salarena.es/
Nightlife Spotlight ■ BY RICHARD LEWINGTON
Time to fish your horned helmet out of the cupboard for the first Gatuperio Viking Festival, dedicated to heavy Viking metal, but with a hint of Celtic and folk too. Five bands will be taking the stage, with the Celtic and Viking fusion of Mörrighan kicking off proceedings at 5.30pm, followed by Celtibeerian an hour later. Pimeä Metsä bring a definite Nordic flavour at 7.35pm, then epic death metal band Ravenblood keep the volume high and pumping from 8.40. Spanish band Northland will close the night with a 90minute set from 10 o’clock. Known for its noisy, chaotic sound, and often dark images, Viking metal frequently draws lyrics from Norse mythology and paganism, sometimes incorporating instruments that are unusual. This Viking Fest offers nearly five hours of music, with plenty of time to get the last longboat home.
24 Jan: Tr3spuntocero 25 Jan: Viper’s Hot Swing Quintet 26 Jan: Sinouj (con Larbi Sassi) 30 Jan: The Forty Nighters 31 Jan: Bob Sands Big Band
LA TABERNA CHICA
INTRUSO BAR, C/Augusto Figueroa, 3 (Metro: Gran Vía). SALA CARACOL, C/Sebastián www.intrusobar.com. 6 Jan: Jazz Manouche jam session, 20:30 Elcano, 18 (Metro: Embajadores). Tel: 91 527 35 94. FREE www.salacaracol.com 10 Jan: Black Mouth (funk) 11 Jan: The Black Note (funk) Jan 12: Gangsterswing (swing) Jan 13: Alba Lanza and Los Trotamúsicos (soul) Jan 17: Las Ninjajazz Tap Toc Project (Jazz Flamenco) Jan 18: LyC Foundation Band (jazz funk) Jan 20: Da Trio (jazz manouche) Jan 24: Gilbertástico (cd launch - barroque pop) Jan 25: 1st New Blues Band Contest (organised by the Madrid Society for Blues) Jan 26: Free Wheel (cd launch - blues) Jan 27: El Molino Big Band (jazz)
MOE CLUB, C/Alberto Alcocer, 32 (Metro: Cuzco / Columbia). www.moeclub.com. Jan 4: Dealers (blues) Jan 5: New Year’s Night - Fix This (funk) FREE Jan 11: Crazy Cabin (Concert by the Madrid School of Blues) S12 Fiesta HISPACURE, (Cure party) Exploding Boys + Cut here + 8 dj sessions. FREE Jan 17: Celine Jazz Trio (jazz) Jan 18: Priscilla Band (disco, funk & soul) Jan 19: Rambling Roots (Country Blues) Jan 20: Spiral Code (Jazz) Jan 25: King Bee presents new CD “PO’BOYS” Rythm’blues Jan 26: Gypsy y Los Gatos Rumberos (swing) Jan 27: Ödu (singer / songwriter)
11 Jan: Afro Band 15 Jan: Letz Zep 19 Jan: Multielásticos 25 Jan: La Banda de Fesser 30 Jan: Cult of Luna
CENTRAL CAFÉ, Plaza del Angel, 10 (Metro: Sol/Antón Martín). Tel: 91 369 41 43. www.cafecentralmadrid.com 1-6 Jan: José Luis Gutiérrez Iberjazz Quartet 7-13 Jan: Larry Martin Band
VINOS, TAPAS, COCKTAILS & LOUNGE MUSIC FABULOUS CAIPIRINHAS Jenny and The Mexicats play Café La Palma on Jan 19
24 Jan: From The Jam (In The City ) 25 Jan: Emision Pirata: Cuatro Decadas de Radio Rock Presenta: Porretas + Alimaña HC + Sonora 26 Jan: Bierpatrioten + Proyecto Kostradamus + Black Eyed Bruisers
SALA CLAMORES, C/Albuquerque, 14 (Metro: Bilbao). Tel: 91 445 79 JOY ESLAVA, C/Arenal, 8 (Metro: 38. www.salaclamores.com Sol). Tel: 91 366 54 39. www.joy29 Jan: Daniel Minimalia eslava.com SALA GALILEO GALILEI, C/de Galileo, 100 (Metro: Islas Filipinas/Canal). Tel: 91 534 75 57/58. www.salagalileogalilei.com 10 Jan: Daniel Diges 12 Jan: Fran Fernández
11 Jan: Delorean 18 Jan: El Columpio Asesino 19 Jan: Le Punk
SALA LEMON, Avda del Brasil, 5 (Metro: Santiago Bernabéu). Tel: 646 006 433.
12 Jan: Walkers On The Moon + The Slowhanders (Tributo A Police + Tributo Eric Clapton)? 25 Jan: Hechizo (Tributo A Héroes Del 4 Jan: Estres + Inuit + Trancos Silencio) 5 Jan: Hot Jamaican Christmas Party: David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7 (T-Bone 26 Jan: Pedrá + Platerorock (Tributo A & Caroloregians y Larry Mcdonald) + The Extremoduro & Platero y Tú) Upstemians + Sound System Oldies But PALACIO DE DEPORTES DE LA Rudies COMUNIDAD DE MADRID, Avenida SALA ARENA, C/Princesa, 1 (Metro: 6 Jan: Electric Fence + Hollywood Twist Felipe II, s/n (Metro: Goya/O Plaza de España). www.salarena.es/ 11 Jan: La Gran Orquesta Republicana 5 Jan: Bloc Party DjSet—La Clave Urbana, Chakal Click, La Grada, Kamus, A Píe De Página 13 Jan: Gatuperio Viking Fest— Northland, Ravenblood, Pimeä Metsä Celtibeerian, Mörrighall 17 Jan: The ZZ Tops (tribute band) 18 Jan: Lacrimosa 19 Jan: Mucho Muchacho 24 Jan: Dominique A + Benjamin Schoos
GRUTA 77, C/Cuclillo, 6 (Metro: Oporto). Tel: 91 471 23 70. www.gruta77.com
BOGUI JAZZ, C/Barquillo, 29 (Metro: Chueca). Tel: 91 521 15 68. www.boguijazz.com. 2 Jan: Lou Marini & Red House 3 Jan: Sacri Delfino Madrid Jazz Project 4 Jan: Carlos Franzetti Trío 5 Jan: Spin Off 9 Jan: José Luis Pardo & The Mojo Workers 10 Jan: Hernán Hock and The Anachronic Machine 11 Jan: Bobby Martínez Quintet 12 Jan. La Calle 16 Jan: Edu Manazas & Whiskey Tren 17 Jan: Öpik 3 18 Jan: Natalia Dicenta & José Manuel Villacañas Trío 19 Jan: The Missing Stompers Con Alberto San Juan, “Nueva York En Un Poeta” 23 Jan: José Barranco Y Su Banda
MADRID IN ENGLISH
9 Jan: Havalina 10 Jan: Trance Untes 11 Jan: Perversions Feat Sophie Maras 13 Jan: Open Mic Session 16 Jan: L’Avalanche 17 Jan: Miguelito 18 Jan: Betamotion 19 Jan: Jenny and the Mexicats 23 Jan: Mind The Zep Led Zeppelin Tribute 24 Jan: Driving Blind 25 Jan: Cromatica Pistona 26 Jan: The Ladies 27 Jan: Open Mic Session 30 Jan: Paredano + Invitado 31 Jan: Urban Side Project
SALA PENELOPE, C/ Hilarion Eslava, 36 (Metro: Moncloa/Argüelles). www.penelopemadrid.ticketbox.es/ 12 Jan: ToteKing & Shotta 19 Jan: Pastora 26 Jan: Obús
c/Costanilla de San Pedro, 7 (Metro: La Latina)
SALA EL SOL, C/Jardines, 3 (Metro: Gran Vía). Tel: 91 532 64 90. www.elsolmad.com 18 Jan: Lagartija Nick 24 Jan: Mala Rodríguez
LA RIVIERA, P° Bajo de La Virgen, s/n (Metro: Puerta del Ángel/Príncipe Pio). Tel: 91 365 24 15. www.salariviera.com 19 Jan: Billy Talent
TEATRO CIRCO PRICE, Ronda de Atocha, 35 (Metro: Embajadores). www.teatrocircoprice.es 12 Jan: Nancys Rubias
TEATRO LARA, C/Corredera Baja de San Pablo, 15 (Metro: Callao). Tel: 91 523 90 27. www.teatrolara.com 6 Jan: Ara Malikian: Mis primeras cuatro estaciones 19 Jan: Ara Malikian: Mis primeras cuatro estaciones Largatija Nick on stage at Sala el Sol, 18 Jan
12 Jan. Pike Cavalero and The Gentle Bandoleros y Gwen & The Boppin’ Rythms + Dj Naju + Dj Ito 14 Jan: Eastern Standard Time 17 Jan: 77 Noches 18 Jan: Los Fabulosos Dickinson + Durango 14 + Interceptores 19 Jan: Forastero + Betunizer 20 Jan: Aperitivo R’N’R: Henry Lee Schmidt + Los Espirituosos
Celtic/folk Donnell). Tel. 91 444 99 49. www.palaciodedeportes.com
O’Neill’s Irish Pub, C/Príncipe, 12. Irish trad 24 Jan: Los 40 Principales - Premios 2012 session every Thurs at 19:30hrs. Musicians welcome. Tel: 91 521 20 30. FREE
CAFÉ LA PALMA, C/Palma, 62 (Metro: Noviciado). Tel: 91 522 50 31. www.cafelapalma.com 3 Jan: Caballo 4 Jan: No! + Poison Arrow 5 Jan: Cosmonauta
The Irish Rover. See www.theirishrover.com for weekly concert details. Tel: 91 597 48 11 Taberna Elisa. Celtic session Thurs at 22:30hrs. Tel: 91 369 74 263
JANUARY 2013
9
Month Ahead art
Pi CK
■ VINCENT VAN HOGG
theatre
o’ the month
■ CLEMENTYNE CHAMBERS AND TIM INKLING
El lago de los cisnes El Legado Casa de Alba. Mecenazgo al servicio del Arte CentroCentro, Plaza de Cibeles, 1 (Metro: Banco de España). Tel: 91 480 00 08. Mon-Sun, 10am-8pm. (Last admittance 7pm). Adults €10, children 6-12 years €6. With a large part of this collection being presented to the public for the first time, El Legado Casa de Alba. Mecenazgo al servicio del Arte (The Legacy of the House of Alba: Patronage in the Service of Art) represents one of the most important exhibitions of the year. On show are many works of artistic and cultural significance held by the Fundación Casa de Alba, including paintings and sculptures. Amongst these are La duquesa de blanco by Goya, and La Virgen de la granada, never previously exhibited and the only painting by Fra Angelico in private ownership. There are also portraits of the Dukes of Alba, by masters such as Titian, Goya, and Federico de Madrazo. If the art and sculptures aren’t enough, then you can feast your eyes on some remarkable historical documents and books too, including a collection of letters signed by Cristóbal Colón (Columbus), a first edition of Don Quijote, and the Alba bible. 30 Nov-31 Mar.
The Imperial Russian Ballet continues in Madrid this month with its production of El lago de los cisnes (Swan Lake). The artistic director of the ballet, Gediminas Tarandá, is one of Russia’s most famous ballerinas and prior to joining the company she was a soloist with the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre. Swan Lake, by Tchaikovsky, was first performed in Moscow in 1877, and tells the story of Odette, a princess who is turned into a swan by the curse of an evil sorcerer. Prince Siegfried, the hero of the piece, falls madly in love with Odette. Can his undying love save her? Does true romance ever fail? Nuevo Teatro Alcalá, Jorge Juan, 62 (Metro: Goya/Principe de Vergara). Tel: 91 426 47 79. 1 Jan, 8.30pm; 2-4 Jan, 7pm; 6, 12 Jan, 6pm & 9.30pm; 7, 13 Jan, 6pm; 8-11 Jan, 8.30pm. Tickets from €25 at entradas.com.
La Duquesa de Blanca by Goya
Museo del Prado Po del Prado, s/n (Metro: Banco de España/Atocha). Tel: 91 330 28 00. Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm; Sun 10am-7pm. General admission €12. Reduced €6. Permanent collection free, Mon-Sat, 6-8pm; Sun 5-7pm. El paisajista Martín Rico (1833-1908) As part of the Prado’s objective to highlight nineteenth century Spanish painters, a monographic exhibition of landscape pieces by Madrid-born artist Martín Rico continues this month. The museum boasts the largest and finest collection of Rico’s works, including forty sketchbooks, twelve oil paintings, and the newest addition, a recently acquired watercolour album. 30 Oct-10 Feb.
Spanish history, including the Transition, La Movida and countless cultural, sporting and social changes. These are the faces of the men Leopoldo Pomés
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Baron Thyssen by Freud
Other galleries Fotógrafos. La voluntad de contra Photograher Enrique Cano pays homage to the work of Spanish photojournalists during the last 40 years, with the exhibition Fotógrafos, La voluntad de contar (Photographers:The will to tell). Cano spent two years taking portraits of the most important photographers in Spain, capturing those who have caught on camera the most significant moments in the last four decades of
Xurxo Lobato
Cartografías contemporáneas. Dibujando el pensamiento Where would we be without maps? “Lost” is perhaps the obvious answer, but Cartografías contemporáneas. Dibujando el pensamiento (Contemporary Maps: Drawing the Thought) offers us elaborate and original maps from 20th- and 21stcentury artists, which question the system of representation. The exhibition extends to a surrealist map of the world, maps of art and language, and maps of physical spaces or of the mind or body, from artists such as Yves Klein, Lewis Carroll, Carolee Schneemann and Allighiero Boetti. CaixaForum, Po del Prado, 36 (Metro: Atocha). Tel: 91 330 73 00. Mon-Sun, 10am-8pm. 21 Nov-24 Feb.
Michael Druks - Land Physical and Social
Po del Prado, 8 (Metro: Banco de España). Tel: 91 369 01 51. Tues-Sun, 10am-7pm. General admission €9, students €6. <miradas cruzadas>4 The fourth part of the miradas cruzadas (Exchanging Gazes) series, organised to celebrate the museum’s 20th anniversary, looks at the relationship between two great artists—Lucian Freud (1922-2011) and JeanAntoine Watteau (1684-1721). The exhibition revolves around the museum’s own Barón Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, of whom Freud undertook two portraits. 20 Nov-17 Feb.
and women usually found behind the lens rather than in front of it. Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Gran Vía, 28 (entrance in C/Fuencarral, 3). (Metro: Gran Vía). Tel: 91 580 87 00. Tues-Sun, 10am8pm. 30 Oct-30 Jan.
El último jinete The New Year just isn’t right without a rousing musical, and until 6 Jan, if you’re on the hunt for something exotic, look no further than El último jinete (The Last Horseman). The story will transport you from Madrid to Arabia, where you will meet a tall dark stranger named Tiradh, who yearns to find the perfect horse to complete his quest to conquer the kingdom. According to legend, there is only one stallion for each rider, and the union will allow the pair’s destiny to be reached. The tale is set in the 19th-century, when the East is locked in raging tribal feuds and battles, amongst which is a bewitching English dame, Lady Laura, who stirs things up by seizing the desired steed and taking it to London. Tiradh’s crusade takes him from Egypt to Victorian England, and invites you into a world where camels dance, lobsters talk and past and future armies collide. This magical production, with work by Yvonne Blake
(costume designer), Karen Bruce (choreography) and a coterie of international stars, will soon move on to London and Paris. Teatros del Canal, C/Cea Bermúdez, 1 (Metro: Canal). Tel: 91 308 99 50. Tues-Thurs, 8pm; Fri, Sat, 6pm and 9.30pm; Sun, 6pm. 6 Dec-6 Jan. Tickets €25 from entradas.com.
The Perfect American Madrid’s Teatro Real will host the world premiere of this new work by Philip Glass, inspired by the titular book by Peter Stephan Jungk, based on the life of none other than Walt Disney. It’s a co-production with the English National Opera, with the leading roles taken by Christopher Purves, David Pittsinger and Donald Kaasch. To shed light on the hidden side of Walt Disney, writer Jungk created the character of Wilhelm Dantine, an Austrian illustrator who worked in the Disney Emporium, until he was dismissed arbitrarily. He traces the last months of Disney’s life, leading to the discovery of a secret and private side of his character. Teatro Real, Plaza de Oriente, s/n (Metro: Ópera). Tel: 91 516 06 06. 22 & 24 Jan, 8pm; 27 Jan, 6pm; 30 Jan, 1 Feb, 8pm; 3 Feb, 6pm; 4 & 6 Feb, 8pm. Tickets from €8 from www.generaltickets.com/teatro-real/.
Playing on the mind After a scramble for publishing rights, 26-year-old Emma Chapman’s debut novel How to Be a Good Wife is released this month. She tells Laura Tabor how the book takes readers into the claustrophobic mind of a woman living a mundane life while coping with spectres from the past
t
he opening scene of How to Be a Good Wife takes place in a pretty, clean kitchen which, like the house itself, seems so ordinary, so sanitised. It is only from the point of view of Marta, a wife and mother, that we start seeing that something may not only be imperfect, but deeply and utterly wrong in this home. What, however, is wrong? Reading the whole novel leads to answers, but even then questions may be left intriguingly open. Emma Chapman is a 26-year-old author and this is her first book; she wrote the story, inspired by a documentary on Post Traumatic Shock syndrome, whilst taking a Creative Writing Master’s programme at Royal Holloway College, University of London. “After seeing the documentary, I did a lot of research into Post Traumatic Shock syndrome, especially how people’s memories would come back and over what period of time that would happen. I discovered information about how severe trauma early in life can cause people to completely repress memories and then later recall them. That’s when the book really started to take form,” says Chapman.
Voice and place The character of Marta, whose sanity comes into question within the early pages of the novel, is complex and strangely winsome. She’s an individual who you simultaneously want to yell at and comfort, depending on her current actions. Though she is an older woman, Chapman didn’t find it especially difficult to write from her perspective. “Once I discovered Marta’s voice the book really took shape; it took a long time for the actual plot to solidify itself, but I was interested in relationships that change over a long period of time, like
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marriage relationships,” she explains. “I think Marta’s character and her voice really drove the whole book.” Marta’s foil, her husband Hector, provides another bundle of surprises and the complexity of their quiet life together becomes more baffling as the conflict ratchets up throughout the story. At no point does the reader sit around idling, waiting for something to happen; the intrigue is continuous. All of this takes place in a rural, frigid area that, because of the mention of fjords, seems to match with Norway. “When I left university I did a lot of travelling around Norway and Sweden,” Chapman confirms, shedding light on the inspiration for the location. “I was just blown away by the scale of everything: huge mountains, fjords where you never knew how deep the water was. I just knew that those settings would really suit the feel of the book.”
Mind reading In addition to family relationships, the themes of misdiagnosis and societal reactions to mental illness become important in the book, as the characters struggle with aspects of physical and mental realities that don’t correspond. “I think a really important thing to me was that it was ambiguous,” states Chapman. “I did some research into people being misdiagnosed; the psychologist will diagnose them based on symptoms they display and they might not be given the right medication or things like that. I wanted to raise those issues.” Like all authors, she gained insight from other books while in the process of developing How to Be a Good Wife. “Throughout the novel, Sylvia Plath [was an influence] because of how she deals with mental illness and unreliable narrators in The Bell Jar. Lots of literature about female
instability and mental illness from the early 20th century, like Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, were instrumental too.”
How to progress Chapman has a group of eight fellow writers with whom she worked extensively in the early phases of writing the book, though they now work together less as she currently resides in Australia. She has been spending time on the marketing stage of How to Be a Good Wife, but is also turning her attention to a new project. “It’s about the experiences of a war photographer who goes to the Vietnam War, how they affect his relationships at home, and the rest of his life,” Chapman explains. “It has similar themes [to How to Be a Good Wife], about how an event in someone’s life can change them as a person, and whether you can ever experience something traumatic, something that affects you, and still be the same person afterwards.” Chapman’s advice to budding writers stresses getting involved in the publication realm and getting to know people who you want to see your manuscript, especially agents who can help in the process. “A lot of it has to do with luck,” she comments as the interview draws to a close, “but you can make your own luck in a lot of ways.”
How to Be a Good Wife, published by Picador, is released on 3 January.
MADRID IN ENGLISH
music
Success is instrumental With a growing reputation, and having released his first album, musician and composer Daniel Minimalia plays Madrid this month. Richard Lewington speaks to him about the loves and labours of creating music
He has been hailed as the Spanish Mike Oldfield, a considerable comparison for 28year-old Vitoria-born guitarist Daniel Minimalia, who released his first studio album Cuentos sonoros last autumn. He will be performing in Madrid on the 29 January at Sala Clamores, but how does he feel about his music being identified with such a famous English musician? “I can see a certain logic, although I don’t like the label,” he admits. “I think that the comparison comes from tracks such as “Páramos lejanos” or “Akainik”, which have clear connections with new age, but there are major differences between his work and mine, especially in my compositions such as “El vals del trapecista” or “Sonata para un día cualquiera.”
“
The road to discovery
Find the gap
Daniel’s journey into music began at the tender age of eight. While most of his school peers kicked around during their lunch breaks, Daniel sat clutching his walkman with the album Rock and Ríos on a continuous loop. It was a moment that would change his life forever and by the age of 13, he had taught himself to play the electric guitar, influenced by such classic ‘70s bands as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Thin Lizzy. For national heroes, he looked towards Héroes del Silencio and Los Suaves; he never stopped listening to songs, and the desire pushed him to play by ear. On reflection, he comments, “as a self-taught musician, I believe that the best way to understand music is to discover it for yourself; I never thought that the road started based on scores or tabulations. In my early days, I had a special predilection for groups or bands that were precursors of their time, from “Made in Japan” by Deep Purple to Beethoven’s “Moonlight”. It is very important to know and understand the beginning of all kinds of music.”
His album Cuentos sonoros contains twelve songs, all of which he composed himself, with each one forming its own fantasy sound. The tracks are an amalgamation of electric, acoustic, Spanish, and electric bass guitars, alongside piano melodies that cover a range of genres, from classical to new age or symphonic pop rock. “Cuentos sonoros is the result of many years of work and sacrifice, in which I wanted to combine all my influences into their own style. It is a heterogeneous record, sincere and from the heart. I wanted to make an album to convey emotions to people through various instruments and melodies.” Listening to the track Páramos lejanos it’s easy to close your eyes and escape from the world, but the stronger and more haunting retro spiritual “Akainik” takes the mantle as the album’s single release. It’s a strange title, not easily identifiable as belonging to any particular language. “‘Akainik’ is a word in Yámana, an ancient Central American language,” Daniel explains. “It means ‘rainbow’. It has always been said that there is treasure at the end of the rainbow, and I hope that choosing this theme will allow me to find mine. My journey so far has been very complicated, especially if you embark on a personal project, as in my case, for which I’ve sacrificed everything, using money from my own pocket and leaving stable jobs to one side.” His commitment is more than admirable, and his final comments suggest a strong philosophy and clear objective. “I want to fill a gap in music, and to aim for the highest point is always a bigger risk to run. Many people have told me that I am crazy, but for me it’s crazy to let life pass by without having fought for what you believe.”
Catching the sensation
He is happy to extend this theme, and his views about how opinions can ebb and flow. “There’s a need on the part of the press to pigeon-hole an artist. At the moment, there are many critics and people in general who are paying attention to my music and appreciating my quality as a musician, but personally I don’t dwell on it. It’s a simple question of “cohesion”—there have already been occasions when people have doomed me to failure, or haven’t believed in me.”
MADRID IN ENGLISH
As Daniel continued down his musical path, he began to make a name for himself at school, then at University where he teamed up with three friends and formed the rock group Zirkus. It was their first serious project which led them to produce their first demos. However, wanting to find his own musical identity, Daniel began to study different musical styles, which prompted him to learn to play the piano, and to experiment with Galicia roots group PRAU. “It was four or five years ago when I began to combine other instruments in my recordings. I think that to be a good composer you have to know more than one instrument, each of which has a different way of transmitting the same melody. Sometimes it’s very complex to work with many elements, but if you get a balance you can achieve some very interesting results,” he reflects. He is always looking to create in his music something that cannot be expressed in spoken form, but like a writer staring at a blank page, how does he begin? Is it the dreamy sound of folksy roots or the whirring riffs of an electric guitar that spur his creativity? “The starting point is the inspiration—sensations that cannot be transmitted with words. Those sensations are not always the same, and so I use them depending on whether I want to convey one kind of musical genre or another, either classical, symphonic rock, etc.,” he says. “I never approach the beginning of a track or theme in a particular musical style.”
Daniel Minimalia is in concert on Tues, 29 Jan, 9.30pm, at Sala Clamores, C/Albuquerque, 14 (Metro: Bilbao). Tel: 91 445 79 38. See www.salaclamores.com. Tickets are 10 at the door, or 8 in advance from salaclamores.ticketea.com. Cuentos sonoros is available on Zouma Records. See also www.danielminimalia.com/index
Win tickets to see Daniel in concert at Sala Clamores We have a lucky draw to provide two sets of two tickets to readers who can answer the following question: In which Spanish city was Daniel Minimalia born? Send your answers by email to: competitions@in-madrid.com. Closing date: 20 Jan.
JANUARY 2013
11
Happy new beer Polly Ackroyd visits a Madrid microbrewery, inspired and created following the owners stay in San Francisco, where quality comes before quantity
m
icrobreweries are few and far between in Spain, and the community of Madrid is lucky enough to have one close at hand. La Virgen Cerveza Pura, a ‘pure, living, and fresh beer’, is being lovingly created in Las Rozas, just a short trip from the centre of the city. Ana and Jaime, the two young Spanish entrepreneurs behind the project, along with three other partners, pride themselves on producing a beer which contains only the four main ingredients needed to produce this liquid gold: water, barley, hops and yeast. “Our beer is unpasteurised, we don’t filter out the yeast and it doesn’t have any additives,” says Ana. “We don’t add chemicals or anything to make the foam last longer. We use malted barley and that’s it. No corn, no rice, no extracts.” Jaime and Ana first became interested in this type of beer production while living in San Francisco. “The microbrewery world there is super-impressive. We weren’t working in the industry but we were big fans of beer and started making some homebrew.” From there Jaime and Ana came the idea to turn a hobby into a business, with the result being the impressively slick and stylish factory in Las Rozas.
Three’s company Upon entering the red stainless-steel door of the factory, one is met with a large open space containing a whitetiled bar with four beer taps. “On Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons we open this space to the public,” explains Ana. “We make three types—a lager, our main beer, which is blond and fresh with a low fermention, plus two ales: the first, an amber one called La
Jamonera and the second, a black oat ale.” Directly behind the bar is the brewhouse where the magic happens—two huge stainless-steel tanks, where between 2,000 and 3,000 litres are produced per week. In one of the tanks go the malt barley and water, where it is boiled to produce a sweet must. In the second tank this substance is filtered, and the resulting grain-free liquid is put back in the first tank to be boiled again with the hops which give the beer its aroma. Behind a red plastic curtain are the fermentation tanks where the beer sits before being bottled, and the bottling machinery. “We bottle once a week and at the moment we need three people for the bottling process, one person per machine,” comments Ana. “Last week we bottled 2,000 litres, which is 6,000 bottles, so we’re here all day non-stop.”
Industry, but not industrial The cooking process is powered by the boiler, housed below decks. “What’s special about this boiler is that it’s powered using dry olive stone which is the principal energy source we use to produce our beer. It’s a really good fuel and there’s a lot of it in Spain.” This type of boiler is more labour intensive than a traditional electric boiler. “If it was an electric boiler you’d press a Bag of hops button and that’s it,” explains Ana, “with this one you have to start the fire, wait an hour or so for the water to heat up and maintain the machinery—to work efficiently it needs to be cleaned.” However, this extra effort is worth it, as it fits with the overall philosophy at La Virgen. “One thing we’ve always wanted is to be respectful to the environment,” Ana points out.
La Virgen Cerveza Pura is currently available in 100 different locations. “The places we distribute to are mostly specialised delicatessen shops, as well as bars and restaurants. The typical bar isn’t interested as they want to sell beer cheaply and this isn’t really what we’re about. We bottle it on Tuesday and distribute on Wednesday. We like to say our beer is like any other fresh, living, product, like bread or milk and it needs to be consumed as such. It’s not like an industrial beer with a long shelf-life.” Ana is keen to stress that while the market for microbrewed beer is growing “little by little” in Spain, the main goal for the future is not huge sales, but maintaining the high quality of the product. “If the moment comes when we can’t maintain the quality, then we can’t continue,” she says. The factory currently produces 10,000 litres a month, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the 10,000,000 litres produced daily by a certain wellknown Spanish brewery. “We could produce more,” she smiles, “but we don’t want to sacrifice quality for higher production levels.”
Eating & Drinking great ideas for eating out in Madrid Eating & Drinking
Thai Restaurant The authentic taste of Thailand in Madrid c/San Bernardino, 6. Metro: Plaza de España. Tel: 91 559 83 15
Bangkok
VEGAVIANA Vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Madrid
Excellent Thai Cuisine
Daily Menu 9,70
c/Arenal, 15 (esquina Bordadores, 13) Tel: 915 591 696. Metros Sol or Ópera.
c/Pelayo, 35 (Metro: Chueca) Tel: 91 308 03 81. Open Tues-Sun 1:30-4pm. Tues-Sat 9-midnight. Closed Sunday & Monday
VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT WHOLE FOOD
Oriental tea house Arabic cuisine and cakes –Delicious Couscous– Tues-Sat, evenings: belly dancing Classes: belly dancing, Arabic percussion
Ventura de la Vega, 4 (In front of “las Cortes”) Tel: 91 429 50 92 Tres Cruces, 4 (Metro: Sol) Tel: 91 521 87 21
c/Martín de los Heros, 28. Tel: 91 559 57 85
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Computer Services
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service guide service guide service guide service guide Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Spanish for foreigners 1 Small groups 1 All levels (D.E.L.E. Official Exam) c/Fuencarral, 13-2º, 28004 Madrid Tel: 91 522 31 22. Fax: 91 532 85 09. e-mail: info@carpemadrid.com www.carpemadrid.com
Hairstylist
C.E.E. -Idiomas Spanish Language School
Language Services
- All levels - Preparation for DELE Exam - Cultural activities
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156E 40 HOURS MONTHLY * Groups or private classes * Special classes for companies c/Carmen, 6 — 28013 Madrid 91 522 04 72 - 91 521 10 04 91 522 18 57 - 91 531 38 56 e-mail: info@cee-idiomas.com
MADRID IN ENGLISH
JANUARY 2013
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accommodation accommodation-offered BIG ROOMS CENTRE MADRID Big rooms for rent in a house, centre Madrid easy walking distance to 2 metro stations cercanias, bus, free parking. Rooms are bright and airy as there are lots of windows. All mod cons in huge kitchen and an outside patio, internet, musical thread, Underfloor heating. 250€, 40€ gastos, 1 month deposit. Gonzalez Fernandez Sonia. Email: soniviguesa@hotmail.com. Tel: 659 056 304. GREAT FAMILY APARTMENT IN CENTER OF MADRID Spacious, stylish, original hardwood, tall ceilings, comfy apartment in amazing central location. Metro right in front, stores, cafes, nightlife. 4 bedrooms, 2 bath, large kitchen and huge salon. Furnished. Long term or short. write us at info@letango.com. FOR RENT: 3-BEDROOM, EXTERIOR FLAT near Barrio de la Concepcion metro. Includes sitting/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, one larger bedroom and two smaller ones. Central heating. Furniture included. 800 euros. Email vvmart@hotmail.com
holiday-accommodation RENT OR SALE APARTMENT IN ANDALUZIA Rent apartment fully furnished of two rooms in a tipical village of Cádiz, Vejer de la Frontera, Andaluzia. 9 Km of a famous Palmar Beach and Caños de Meca. Garage. Good weather and sun all the year. Supermarket. 350 month to live. PHONE: 0034 -627834694. yolandaespinoso@yahoo.es.
classes music-classes SPANISH GUITAR LESSONS Even after dedicating more than twenty years to the guitar, by playing and teaching, every time I
get more and more excited to transmit my passion for it to others. It doesn’t matter what level you are in, if you want to take guitar courses, I’m ready to help you by teaching all that I’ve learned from the best teachers and through my own experience. Classes in English or Spanish. The first lesson is free for trial. Metro: Goya & Manuel Becerra Telephone: 650672356 Email: astur_kirichian@yahoo.es.
language-classes spanish SPANISH CLASSES Qualified native teacher with experience. One to one or groups. Grammar, conversation. DELE.Revision text. Zone: Moncloa or in your place. From 15 euros negotiable. Cristina 656 634 343. Email: cristinadomingo3@yahoo.es. SPANISH LESSONS ONE-TO-ONE Bilingual and experienced teacher offers private Spanish lessons at his place located in downtown (near calle Huertas, Antón Martín subway station). All levels, grammar and conversation. Reasonable rates. Call anytime at (91) 420 10 49 or email me for further information: gmarcano60@hotmail.com. SPANISH CLASSES IN CENTRAL MADRID LEARN SPANISH EASILY WITH EXPERIENCED TEACHER, GRADUATE BY INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. ONE TO ONE OR GROUPS. MATERIALS PROVIDED. GRAMMAR AND CONVERSATION FOR ALL LEVELS. DELE EXAM. CONTACT JAVIER: tlf: 661 871 239 mail: javiersanjoseespeso@hotmail.com web: http://javiersanjoseespeso.jimdo.com. SPANISH CLASSES I am a Spanish teacher with 25 years experience. I offer “One to one” classes (All levels). Role- play conversation, grammar, business, DELE examination. Also there are Openings for a shared class at any level FOR FIRST MONTH YOU PAY FOR ONLY 3 WEEKS. Maria : 699331505 91.7736471 gretachic@yahoo.es.
QUALIFIED ENGLISH TEACHER, LONDON UNIVERSITY. Qualified English Teacher, London University. Specialized in business English and Cambridge exams. 20 years experience. celine83@gmail.com, 679159919. EXPERIENCED NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER I offer classes that adapt to the needs of the student. My preferred method is through communication. I specialize in conversation, vocabulary, pronunciation/intonation, comprehension. Pls contact me by email: cyng_0754@yahoo.com Or cellphone: 616405788 My fee is 18 euros/hour. This is negotiable depending on the number of hours and location. ¿SE TRASLADA A LONDRES PARA REALIZAR IELTS? Curso adaptado a sus necedidades individuales – seis semanas, 24 horas. Horario flexible. Profesor nativo con 10 años experienca. Probar de una hora gratis evaluar su nivel y tomar una muestra. ¡6.0 o más alta o la mitad del gasto devuelto - garantizado! Lugar: Whitechapel, East London teacher@andrewdavidjohnson.com http://www.facebook.com/BootcampIELTS +447967222892.
clubs clubs-sports LOS NARANJAS - FIELD HOCKEY We are a mixed team of men and women of all ages and levels of experience, who meet up at the weekends to play hockey and socialise afterwards. If you are interested in joining, contact us via email: los.naranjas.hockey@gmail.com. MADRID LIONS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB, EST. 1997 Madrid Lions Rugby Football Club welcomes new players of all levels and nationalities. Pub night Thursdays from 8.30pm at Finnegan’s, Plaza de las Salesas (Metro Alonso Martínez or Chueca) where you can find out why we are Madrid’s most popular and successful social rugby club. Check out www.madridlionsrfc.com, email info@madridlionsrfc.com or ring Charlie on 636 067 716 or Paul on 679 225 067. MADRID CRICKET CLUB Madrid Cricket Club is always looking for new players of all levels and nationalities. We hold regular training sessions and friendly matches in Madrid from March to November and we have two teams in the Spanish Cricket League. For more info contact Joss (663 395 058) or Jon (655 069 9 11), send an Email to cricketinmadrid@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.cricketinmadrid.com. FOOTBALL CLUB BRITANICO DE MADRID Fútbol Club Británico de Madrid are constantly on the lookout for new players of all levels and nationalities. We have two 11 aside teams playing in competitive local leagues as well as a Fubol Sala team. We also hold regular club social events which makes it a great place to make new friends whilst playing the game you love. We were proudly voted Best Sporting Club in Spain in
the Telegraph’s Best of British Awards. If you’re looking for a game or just want to train, get in touch by email on regional.manager@fcbritanico.com, call Neil on 609754169 or find us at www.fcbritanico.com.
university
Jacinto Benavente square), Sundays (Marca, Valverde 44, from 19h) ask for David. Also dinners, trips... puestres@yahoo.es, Facebook: Multilinkual.
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counselling COUNSELLING MADRID Counselling Madrid is devoted to the international community in Madrid. We provide confidential counselling services to students, expats and spouses. Visit our website for more details: www.counsellingmadrid.org. ENGLISH SPEAKING CONSULTING PSYCHOLOGIST Consulting psychologists available for counseling for all types of issues. We speak English, French and Spanish. We specialize in clinical and counseling psychology. All therapists have at least Master’s degrees in psychology(various specialties). Call for an appointment. 91 506 0764 or e-mail to info@anavillarrubia.com. COUNSELLING THERAPIST IN MADRID Counselling Therapist in Madrid offer a bilingual psychological counselling service in English and Spanish, which is orientated to the specific needs of the English speaking community in Madrid. The first session gives me the chance to evaluate if I can be of help to you and also it allows you to evaluate whether you wish to continue working with me. This first session has a fee of 10 euros to cover my costs. I have an office in calle de la salud 15 28013 Madrid. e-mail me at: chrisneill@counsellingtherapistmadrid.com my web page: www.counsellingtherapistmadrid.com.
intercambios groups MADRIDBABEL: INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN MADRID!!! Meet people from all over the world, practise languages absolutely FREE & make new friends through our wide range of international activities: EVERY WEDNESDAY > International Evening from 20:30 at Café Galdós (Los Madrazo 10 - metro Sevilla). EVERY SUNDAY > International Afternoon from 19:00 at Café Galdós (Los Madrazo 10 - metro Sevilla). EVERY WEEK-END > Films in o.v., international dinners, tapas evenings, excursions, trips, sports, wine tastings, cultural visits, parties & many other activities!! For more info contact Fran (madridbabel@yahoo.es) or visit www.madridbabel.es. MULTILINKUAL: INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS IN MADRID Multilinkual.com Meet new people and practice languages, FREE. Tuesdays (O’Neill’s, Príncipe 12, from 22h), Thursdays (Beer Station, Santo Domingo square, from 22h), Fridays (o.v. movies at Cine Ideal & Cachibola pub,
INTERNET MARKETING EXPERT REQUIRED Freelance Internet marketing expert required to help promotion of new internet business. Knowledge of SEO / SEM / Adwords etc required and ideally some knowledge of UK Horse Racing industry and wordpress. Initially a part-time, temporary role but may develop as business expands. Please send details of experience to rhargrave@visualformguides.com. NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS REQUIRED • Part-time teacher for teenagers (A2 - B1) and FCE and CAE levels (evenings), 20,00 €/hr. If you have teaching experience and are TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificated we would like to hear from you! Please refrain from applying if you are looking for work with adults exclusively or are not in possession of working papers. Send us your CV to info@gnpidiomas.com. JOB OFFERED ADVERTISING SALES person for English language magazine, speak Spanish. Call Violetta at: 91 548 01 07. MULTILINGUAL, 2ND HAND BOOKSHOP, CENTRE Beautifully located right in the heart and the city centre of the Spanish capital Madrid, Spain, you’ll find the exceptionally quaint and famous multilingual second-hand bookstore. Guaranteed clientele comprised of local residents and tourists from all over the world seeking literature in their own language and dropping off their own reading material brought to Madrid from all over the world. You must be self-employed and love cats.
tertulias MADSHORTS LITERATURE GROUP Interested in discussing literature? We are a group of new and old people who love reading and then having an exchange of views over these texts. We meet at an easy-to-get-to bar once a month. We arrange to go to meals, plays, literary fairs, film outings to name typical events. If this interests you then contact us at madshortsmadrid@gmail.com.
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Language Services
14 JANUARY 2013
MADRID IN ENGLISH
service guide service guide service guide service guide service guide Language Services
Work Offered
Teacher (QTS) and an NVQ3 Required native English female to work with 1 to 6 year old children in a British Nursery School in Pozuelo. School Holidays paid. Possibility of full day job (9.00h a 17.30h) or half day job (9.00h a 14.30h).The Nursery is very well communicated with Madrid centre by train or bus or metro ligero.
Please send your CV to britishnursery@britishnursery.com. www.britishnursery.com
Work Offered
MADRID IN ENGLISH
JANUARY 2013
15