24/7 Valencia Magazine by Tim Birch

ISSUE101 JUNE09

BABALU Great! In the heart of the old centre, next to the legendary Plaza Redonda, Babalu has become of one Valencia’s favourite restaurants in a relatively short time. Babalu is the name of a miraculous saint - San Lázaro, which just happens to be the name of the charismatic Cuban owner who speaks Spanish, English and French. In this funky, international bar you’ll find a wonderful fusion of Caribbean and European cuisine. There is a mountain of delicious and ever-changing salads with the freshest ingredients and the best quality. Check out their ‘Ensalada

LENGUAS VIVAS

Tropical’ with green leaf lettuce, avocado, pineapple, chicken wraps, fajitas, sweet corn and basil. Tasty! For the main course, there are a wide choice of original meat, rice and fish dishes that you won’t have tried before. We enjoyed their specialty ‘Si Soi Afrodisiaco’ of chicken grilled with ginger, coconut, tomato, orange juice, white wine and plantain bananas. Not surprisingly, you can enjoy a wide range of Rums from Martinique, Guadalupe, Santo Domingo. Cocktails include margarita, daiquiri, caipirinha and the best mojitos! Fresh tropical fruit drinks to savour include guayaba (guava), mango, banana, and maracuya (passion fruit). You’re in for a warm welcome because the customer comes first. Their motto is “Our job is to make the customer happy”. Every day and night there are good ideas to make sure you have a great time at Babalu; theme nights, salsa music and a very eclectic music soundtrack, a happy vibe and wonderful chupitos to digest. All this and more from a funky and welcoming restaurant bar that has gained a great reputation in Valencia for all the right reasons.

If you haven’t already been, check it out now. Enjoy the summer all the year through. The ‘24/7 Valencia’ team has been there again and again! Every time we have been, there has been a great atmosphere, tasty food and an international clientele.

My parents and my little sister decided to move to the area and when my mother suggested that I come over with them and help them out using what little Spanish I had picked up while on Erasmus, I jumped at the chance.

Have your classes helped you to settle in?

What’s your reason for taking up Spanish?

Deirdre is 25 years old and has been living here for 3 years. She hopes to take her advanced Spanish exam in the near future. Could you tell the readers why you ended up here in Valencia? I originally came to Valencia on Erasmus and although at first it was a big culture shock, I really came to enjoy being here later, the wonderful climate, the language, the culture and people. As a graduate, I had a fantastic, well-paid job with Microsoft, which really was the best office position I could have gotten, but I found the climate back home to be quite depressing and so was the general working day routine.

I took up Spanish for several reasons. I needed to improve my knowledge of the language in order to be able to help my parents out more. I knew it would make my daily life and making new friends here easier, and above all because I honestly just love learning new languages and I adore Spanish, the sounds, the rhythm, and so on.

Why did you choose this city over all the others?

Well, on Erasmus there was a choice of several cities to study in and I chose Valencia because it was the closest one to the coast, and after living beside the beach back home in Ireland, I was reluctant to move inland to a city. When I decided to leave my home country, what really made the decision for me to come back to Valencia was its size. Just big enough to have lots of options for recreational activities, yet small enough to be cosy.

Menú del día for 9€. The best mojito! Fresh fruit cocktails with and without alcohol. We organise your parties. They speak English, French and Spanish

Theme nights include:

Tuesday is Caribbean night with Caribbean dishes, cocktails and rum chupitos. Wednesday is couscous night. Thursday is Belgian night with mussels and fries.

Yes, my classes have really saved my life!!!! It has been great meeting other students in the same boat as me, so I haven’t felt as isolated, and the teacher is absolutely fantastic. He explains things really clearly and concisely and the homework always concentrates on what we have been doing in class. I really feel like my Spanish is coming along in leaps and bounds.

Will you be staying here long-term then? I’m definitely going to be staying here for at least a few more years. I love everything about the place, I’ve made lots of friends here, and with my new Spanish skills I feel confident I can tackle any problem life here might throw at me!

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EDITORIAL JUNE 09

¡FIESTA! CONTENTS BABALU / LENGUAS VIVAS EDITORIAL VIDAS DE VALENCIA ART IN VALENCIA MUSLIM VALENCIA VALENCIA STREET MUSICIANS FOOD RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH CHILL - OUT / RESTAURANT

4 5 6 7 8 10 12 13 16

JUNE 09 LISTINGS ARTS, THEATRE, OPERA, FILM 17 LIVE MUSIC - CLUBS 18 CHILL OUT 20 GAY - LESBIAN 22 TRAD PUBS / RESTAURANTS 23 SHOPPING 29 CLASSIFIEDS 29/32 (Airlines, Hostels, Markets…) GIG GUIDE JUNE 33 MIRADAS DEL MERCADO CENTRAL 34 VALENCIA BOAT PARTY 35 VALENCIA FOOTBALL 36 24/7 VALENCIA PARTY PEOPLE 38 CLUBLAND 39 ERASMUS Á LA CARTE 40 DISCOVERING LA VALLDIGNA 42 WOMAN 43 CAFÉ TEATRO 44 MAP 45 JUNE 09 AGENDA 46 CLUBS AND LIVE MUSIC LA SALVAORA / LA PEPITA 48

Summer’s here and it’s time to enjoy the sun, sea and great nightlife that Valencia has to offer. The good people of Groovelives have arranged a special ‘Fiesta 100’ party for all of our readers and the team at La Pepita on June 12 at the trendy Mercado Fuencarral. It’s to celebrate the recent 100 th edition of 24/7 Valencia. There’ll be cocktails, wine, beer, tapas, a good mixed crowd and an eclectic set of funk, soul, disco, electronica and rock’n’roll by Dj Jordan. In Clubland, Jordan will be givin’ you the lowdown on what’s hot on the Valencia club scene, including new clubs like Excuse Me in Ruzafa and Music Box in the Barrio del Carmen. As hot days turn to cooler nights, it’s the perfect time to boogie, sway, trance and romance… Staying in the centre, out international food critic has a wonderful lunch at the upmarket “modern & traditional” Spanish restaurant La Huerta Botella. Rather original, it is in a quiet side street for our discerning readers. They have gazpacho, lamb, horchata ice cream to savour and so much more. Yes, they do rice dishes too! We have an insightful article on ‘Muslim Valencia’ and the wealth of cuisine, culture and customs that the conquering Moors brought to Valencia during their 500 year

stay. Valencia is now famous for the oranges and rice that they introduced to the area. The Moors described the city as “a little piece of paradise fallen to earth”. The ‘24/7 Valencia’ team has decided to stay in Valencia for life too! If you fancy heading out to the coast we have an exclusive report on the fantastic ‘Boat Party’ that will be running during the summer. Talking of having a good time, we have an insightful piece by Millie about life for an Erasmus student in Valencia. It’s a hard life! Get away from it all with a bike trip to La Valldigna in the country. In town, if you’re looking for a restaurant with a wonderful mixture of party atmosphere & Caribbean cuisine then check our report on AfroCuban restaurant Babalu. It’s one of the most popular spots in Valencia! ‘24/7 Valencia’ is the only guide to Valencia to be recommended by all of the international guides. Indeed, THE TIMES has this to say about us: “For an excellent overview of what’s hot pick up a free copy of the English-language listings guide 24/7 Valencia”.

See you next month!

24/7 Valencia team

ISSUE 101 JUNE 09

editor: Will McCarthy. contributors: Altogringo, Anita Darling, Heino, John Murphy, Gooru, Manu Fernández, Mark Hulton, Owl, Orange Bikes, Tim Birch, David Rhead, José Marín, Erica Choate, Kaiko, María Angélica Sao Pedro, Amparo Oliver, Millie Schurch, Juan Margolles, Barry Eaton, Michael Wilson. layout & design: www.dsignes.net printed by: signografíco. distributed by: groovy cat Ltd. email: ed@24-7valencia.com móvil: 650 639 177 Our friends online: www.thisisvalencia.com Views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the editor. 24/7Valencia does not accept responsibility for date/time/venue changes. According to copyright law any reproduction, either total or partial, is completely forbidden without written permission of the editor. All articles, past and present, printed in 24/7Valencia magazine are copyright of Orange Skies, S.L. ©2009 Legal deposit: D4562606

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VIDAS DE VALENCIA

Los Escalones

¿Siesta?

The Post

Horchatería

¡Café Negrito!

Visitors

Generaciones

Amparo Oliver Movil: 609783223 www.eventi-actingcom/2008 www.myspace.com/amparoliver

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ART IN VALENCIA

Becado Alfons Roig Moisés Mahiques. «Sweet Illness»

Valencia 1900-1936. Colecciones ABC

Hasta 6 de septiembre de 2009 SALA PARPALLO C/ Alboraya, 5 Teléfono: 963 614 415 www.salaparpallo.es

4 de junio - 6 de septiembre MUVIM C/ Guillem de Castro, 8 Tel: 96 388 37 47 www.muvim.es

‘Confines. Pasajes de las artes contemporáneas’

Observatori 2009

Hasta 15 noviembre IVAM C/ Guillem de Castro, 118 Tel: 96 386 30 00 www.ivam.es

4- 27 Junio Artarazanas del Grao, Espacios Urbanos Intervenidos , Octubre CCC, The Mill www.observatori.com

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MUSLIM VALENCIA Valencia was a Muslim town for well over 500 years. The Moors ruled over a prosperous expanding city, but 750 years on how much of their legacy remains? David Rhead and Jose Marin try to find out, “What did the Moors ever do for us?”

The great Moorish general Tariq Ibn Ziyad, a former slave who had risen through the ranks and had already conquered most of southern and central Spain with a small but fiercely loyal army of around 7,000 men, took control of the city of Valencia in around 714 (the exact date is unclear). No blood was shed as Valencia’s Visigoth governor Agnescio didn’t fancy his chances against the great Tariq and decided to hand the city over peacefully in return for Moorish assurances to respect the religion, customs and personal property of the citizens. Tariq named Abdulcacer al Hudzali as the first governor of ‘Balansiya’, which was to become one of the pearls of Al Andalus. Thus began a rule of five centuries until Jaume I reconquered the city in 1238. For many of the inhabitants at the time, the Moorish occupation would have come as a relief from the tyranny and bigotry of the Goth ruling classes who lived in luxury (presumably poncing around in too much eye make-up, lacquered hair, black clothes and skinny jeans) while the rest of the country was on its knees. Under the more tolerant, enlightened and technologically advanced Muslims, the once poverty-stricken city prospered. Their most obvious and celebrated legacy is the ‘Huerta’. The agricultural lands around the city with their elaborate irrigation systems were established in the ninth century by the Moorish kings, vastly improving on an existing Roman system and have been at the heart of the Valencian economy, culture and folklore ever since. The irrigation channels and pipelines, built by Abderraman III and his ancestors, converted previously barren dust piles into fertile land. Bringing technology used in the driest parts of north Africa, the moors redirected and siphoned off all the water they could find to the extent that the two local rivers, the

Guadalaviar “the white river” (the modern day Turia) and the Júcar “the ferocious”, arrived to the sea more or less dry with all their water channelled off to irrigate the land.

Hakam II set up the ‘Tribunal de las Aguas’, which still sits today every Thursday at the door of the cathedral to govern the use of the irrigation system. New farming techniques and crops were introduced. Along with the olives and grapes that the Romans had planted, Valencia began producing sugar cane, pulses, fruit, almonds and vegetables in abundance. Valencian rice was exported all over the peninsula. The prosperity brought by agriculture led in turn to the development of a class of craftsmen and tradesmen in the city who established industries which are now considered to be traditionally Valencian and have played an essential role in the history and economy of the city. Furniture making, silk production and ceramics in Paterna and Manises can all trace their roots back to this period of Moorish rule. The city was now ripe for expansion and during the tenth century the old Roman walls were knocked down and the city was almost entirely rebuilt. The vast majority of what was built at this time has long since disappeared but if you look closely, especially in the Barrio del Carmen and the Ciutat Vella; evidence of the Moorish reconstruction of the city is all around. Part of the Moorish walls can be seen in the façade of the Iglesia del Temple (across the river from the Viveros gardens), in the entrance of the old University in C/ Comedias, under Plaza Tossal, and inside some of the buildings along C/ Caballeros (which unfortunately are no longer open to the public). It is most evident at the Portal de Valldigna, in C/ Salinas, an opening in the Moorish walls made in the fifteenth century to connect the adjacent streets, and the Plaza del Angel where you can see a section of the wall and a tower which was part of a gateway to the city. However, more than the actual buildings themselves, perhaps the most enduring

architectural legacy of Moorish Valencia is in the layout of the oldest parts of the city which follows the Moorish design of labyrinthine, narrow, winding streets (providing shade from the midday sun) turning back on themselves or coming to a dead end. With the exception of the longer straight thoroughfares which led to the Great Mosque (the modern day calles of Serranos, del Mar, Caballeros and San Vicente) each street was inhabited by members of the same community of tradesmen or even the same family, leading to nowhere in particular or winding round to ‘azutcats’ or cul-de-sacs. Anybody who has lost their bearings stumbling around the Carmen after a few too many Aguas de Valencia will readily testify to the lasting influence of the chaotic Moorish town planners. Balansiya had two bridges over the Guadalaviar (the Turia river) where the Serranos and Trinidad bridges stand today. There were a number of mosques which were later converted into Christian churches by Jaume I. The Great Mosque was on the site of today’s Cathedral and many other Valencian churches such as San Juan del Hospital, Santa Catalina and San Valero in Ruzafa were once mosques. As a clear indication of the religious tolerance of the Moorish kings, there was also a synagogue in the Xerea and a Christian church, San Vicente de la Roqueta, which still remains on the Plaza de España, the oldest church in the city. Not all citizens were quite as tolerant as their Muslim rulers; the Moorish government had to intervene on a number of occasions when the Christians attacked the Jewish community. There were also more than twenty public baths which fell into disuse after the Moors left. During Christian rule in the Middle Ages, people only had a bath once or twice in their life, when they got married and when they got baptised. The only surviving Moorish baths are the recently restored Baños del Almirante in Plaza de Napoles y Sicilia. Just like their modern day counterparts, Valencians under Muslim rule jumped at the chance to get off to the country at any opportunity especially during the summer months. Whereas nowadays

twentyfoursevenvalencia 9 people head out to their ‘pueblos’, to the beach or up to the mountains, under the Moors the countryside was closer to home. ‘Munyas’ or country retreats were set up within a few kilometres of the city walls, many of which would be within the city’s boundaries today. There were famous munyas near the channels of Mestalla and Algirós and the royal retreat was where the Viveros gardens are now. Further up the river near the Escuela Official de Idiomas the gateway to the country retreat of Princess Zaydia still stands on a roundabout by the side of the main drag. Once a quiet place to get away from it all, it is now surrounded by ‘60s apartment blocks and heavy traffic. One of the most famous munyas was Ruzafa, built for Prince Omeya Abd Allah al Balansi whose lands extended throughout the region and into Murcia and Catalonia.

As well as the landscape and make up of Valencia, the Moors left their mark on many aspects of Valencian life. Twenty five per cent of words in Spanish (like ‘aceite’ and ‘alfombra’) have Moorish roots, place names like Benidorm or Albufera and surnames like Albelda or Alborch also come directly from ancient Arabic. Horchata, turrón, oranges, rice and, some claim, customs such as shared dishes like paella and Valencia’s bustling street life can also be traced back to the Moorish way of life. Even that most Valencian of expressions “Xe!” has its roots in Arabic. The Chinese invented paper and the Moors introduced paper to Europe via a paper mill in Xàtiva, Valencia. That’s quite a legacy.

David Rhead and José Marín

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JONATAN Y CLAUDIO

VALENCIA STREET MUSICIANS María Angélica Sao Pedro is a professional photographer born and raised in Brazil. She has studied journalism there, specialising in photography, and did post-graduate studies in Anthropology in Lisbon. She has also worked as a waitress in Valencia, where she is now based. mariasaopedro@hotmail.com tel 654 074 875

NELO

TONY

BERNARDO

BASILIO

PLAZA TOSS

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PLAZA DE LA VIRGEN

WINGARD EN EL BARRIO CARMEN

DARVOR

YON

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FOOD

¡Viva Soufflé! Soufflés for me for a long time were a thing of myth and majesty. I’d never been shown how, they’re infamous for being tricky, and in the end they became this mysterious pinnacle of cooking that I would never aspire to. One day I suddenly thought, “Oh, for goodness sake, just try it and see what happens!” It’s the only way to teach yourself anything, just have a go. And that’s my little motivational pep talk for this month! But seriously, no matter how scared you’ve ever been of making a soufflé, don’t be: They really are quite easy, especially if your guests are sitting at table in the kitchen and you can whip ‘em straight out onto their plates (the soufflés that is) so everyone can see them all puffed up straight from the oven, it’s fantastic. They’re a little intricate in that you need a couple of pans and bowls going to get each ingredient ready for final assembly, but once you’d had a go, you’ll realise they ain’t half bad.

Cheese Soufflés Serves 6-7

• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, Manchego will also work • 1 cup whole milk • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon paprika • 1/2 teaspoon salt • Pinch of ground nutmeg • 4 large egg yolks • 5 large egg whites • 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese

1. Preheat your oven to around 200ºC - it needs to be quite hot - and position a rack in the lower third of it. Grease six, cup size ramekin soufflé dishes, add the Parmesan cheese and swirl the dishes around slightly to coat the bottom and sides. Next, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat warm the milk until steaming, be careful not to let it boil, the milk should be quite hot, but definitely not boiling. 2. While the milk is warming, make a roux; melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is just beginning to foam as it completes melting, add the flour, paprika, salt and nutmeg and whisk until mixture begins to foam and cook a little - this helps the flour lose its raw taste - 3 minutes (do not allow mixture to brown). Lower the heat completely and slowly whisk in the warm milk, until smooth. It is important to pour the milk in slowly while whisking to keep a paste and not make it lumpy. Return the pan to the heat and cook, whisking constantly until very thick, about 2 - 3 minutes. 3. Now, add your egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition, and then set aside. Next, using electric mixer or a whisk if you’re keen, beat the egg whites in another large bowl until they hold stiff peaks. Fold 1/4 of the beaten whites into the slightly cooled soufflé base to just combine, and then fold in the remaining whites in 2 parts, gradually whisk in the Gruyère cheese as you do this. Transfer batter to prepared ramekins. 4. Place ramekins on an oven tray and place in the oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 180ºC. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden brown on top and centre moves only slightly when you shake the oven tray gently, about 15 minutes (do not open oven door during first 10 minutes). 5. Serve immediately! I like to prepare a light green salad to go with mine, the one pictured is grated, raw Brussels sprouts and baby Romaine/Cos lettuce, with a few drops of Balsamic vinegar and some good olive oil, salt and pepper.

I hope you enjoy these soufflés, remember it is easy to change their flavours by changing cheeses, adding little extras like herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, jamón, chorizo, morcilla, even chocolate and sweet flavours. You could also cook it in one large soufflé dish and adjust the cooking time to about 20-25 minutes. June is one of the best months to get into the Mercado Central if you’re visiting, the bounty of summer is just hitting the stalls and everything is overflowing with beautiful fruits and vegetables, the presentation is just amazing. And please, if you’re visiting, it’s not polite to handle the fruit yourself, the stall operator will select for you. Happy cooking! ¡Buen provecho!

Erica Choate

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RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH

Inspiration

On Wednesday I had an email inviting me to the press conference for the major new IVAM exhibition CONFINES/FRONTIERS. The exhibition is to celebrate 20 years of IVAM and is a major undertaking; it fills the gallery and is basically four exhibitions with one common theme, ‘Frontiers’, or the lack of them. It is curated by four wellknown names in the art world, including the multi-talented Robert Wilson. I loved it and highly recommend it to you, make sure you take in the ‘Robert Wilson’s Visions of the Frontiers’ gallery especially and Aaron Betsky’s ‘Geographies of Confinement’ gallery. I shall return quite a few times before the exhibition ends in November. Having spent several hours at IVAM, we were ready for inspiring sustenance of a different kind, and the order of the day was good food in modern surroundings. La Huerta La Botella certainly fits the bill on the modern, as it’s a lovely white space with a couple of traditional chairs painted white as you enter and tables with poufs (beware, they are softer than you expect!) lining the wall beneath the window into the kitchen where you can watch the chefs hard at work. The rest of the room is dominated by a photographic aerial view of Valencia’s Centro Histórico which acts as an attractive dividing screen between tables. My eye was also drawn to some good abstract art on the walls. There were already three tables of diners obviously enjoying what looked like interesting food as we arrived and were led to a table to the side of the restaurant. La Huerta is described on their card and

the sign as Nueva Cuisine Tradicional, so we were intrigued. We consulted the menu and then decided to let Nacho, the extremely affable owner/ chef, choose our meal for us and ordered an excellent bottle of Viña Sastre Crianza, a Ribera del Duero which was oaky and fruity and great value at 20 € a bottle. By the way, the wine list is interesting and well-priced, there were a few wines I would like to try in future visits. We started with a little serving of very good pan Catalan, slices of bread with grated tomato on top, and then a tiny glass of gazpacho, probably one of my favourite Spanish summer soups. This one had all the crudité and the crouton and, above all, the flavour of a good gazpacho. Next came a large glass filled with mushrooms with a head of white foam which turned out to be a foam of the classic Spanish potato omelette (Revuelto de setas con espuma de tortilla de patatas). Our server instructed us to mix it all together and enjoy, it was rich whilst still being very light. Next came four balls of what turned out to be the tenderest of solomillo rolled in crushed pistachio and served with delightful seedy mustard. (Piruletas de solomillo rebozado con pistachos y salsa mostaza). Believe it or not, the main course was yet to come! I had lamb cutlets cooked in rosemary and served with a sauce of dried apricots and vanilla, which was perfectly cooked; melt in the mouth, the sauce was not too sweet and really complemented the flavour of the lamb (Carré de cordero al romero con puré de orejones a la vainilla). D had a slice of sucking pig confit with pickled mushrooms, the chef even managed to top the confit with

a delicate layer of delicious crackling (Taco de cochinillo confitado con setas en escabeche). Of course we tried each others’ main courses and agreed that, though both were delicious, the cochinillo was the winner. Our dessert was very much in the spirit of the restaurant slogan - we had Horchata ice cream and fartons - with a twist as the fartons were crujiente or crunchy. The service was impeccable and if you don’t speak any Spanish, the server is very helpful and explains each dish. She was extremely patient with a party of Americans on the table next to us, who wanted each dish described fully. This is an impressive restaurant. The food is prepared with flair and artistry by someone who clearly knows and loves food, it is served gracefully in elegant surroundings and the whole menu is wellpriced. Dinner á la carte will set you back around 40-45 € a head including wine. La Huerta offers a menú degustación (taster menu) for 30 € a head and lunch is an extremely reasonable 15€ including a drink and coffee. For rice lovers there is a good choice of Valencia’s favorites. Tim Birch La Huerta La Botella C/ Obispo Don Jerónimo, 8

(just off C/ Borja. This little street runs parallel with C/ Caballeros at the junction of C/ Calatrava)

Tel: 96 392 37 05

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CHILL - OUT / RESTAURANT for-two outside on the pavement where one eats on the windowsill looking in on the other diners, framed by the huge bare wood window frames. The high vaulted ceilings with original painted beams, mismatched chairs and tables, fairy lights and perfect ambient lighting make for a really relaxed environment, and the chalkboard with the menu scrawled across the back wall provides a backdrop to the bar where all the food is prepared. There is even an old piano in the corner. We took a seat and let Ricky, the owner, decide for us. We started with a couple of skewered langostinos dipped in crushed quicos (toasted corn kernels) with wasabi mayonnaise - the crunchy corn was the perfect antidote to the soft prawns - and followed up with a delicious fresh spinach salad with strawberries and reduced balsamic vinegar. We enjoyed a glass of pale, fruity white wine, Añil Macabeo from La Mancha, which Ricky highly recommended and went down perfectly! The next course was tuna tartar on a bed of melon with twirly strips of Nori (seaweed) on top, which was incredible, the tuna literally melted in our mouths. The menu is fairly extensive for such a small kitchen, all Mercado Centralbought food and offering everything from salads to montaditos to seafood and meat dishes. A lot of the dishes are named after people dear to the restaurant, which adds a nice quirky touch. We tried the avocado and pear montadito, covered in melted cheese and tried to polish off a rich chocolate cake for pudding, but we couldn’t even manage to finish it we were so full! Strange indeed for me to turn down chocolate.

MAGAROTA

If you live or go out in the Barrio del Carmen, you’ll know it is a complete nightmare at the moment. Everywhere you look it’s all bright yellow barriers, rubble, and constant drilling and digging and wolf whistling (you don’t get workmen without wolf whistles. Ever.). I guess it’s a good thing as, if everything goes to plan, the roads will be sparkly and new and bumpfree by Christmas, but I happen to live on one of the streets where I have to walk a Article ©2009 24/7Valencia

metal plank to get out of my building, and dodge plastic tape and heavy machinery to even turn the corner. C/ Murillo, where I headed one Monday in May for a dinner date, is in pretty much the same state. It is here that I insist you not be put off by the roadworks and venture down to Magarota, a beautiful little restaurant that’s been open since October 2008. It is a charming place to eat and has a real vintage feel. There are tables downstairs, stools at the bar, a mezzanine upstairs with more seating, and the lovely table-

Next time I’d like to head there on a Wednesday for a guaranteed laugh Ricky’s friend Alfredo holds auctions every week at 23.00h and all bids start at 1€! It’s all a bit of fun but you never know, you could go home with anything from a cocktail stirrer to a salt and pepper shaker to a miniature doll! From 4 June on, they will also be holding a photography exhibition. Magarota is open every day except for Sundays and you can expect to dine well for around 15-20€ a head. I will definitely be going back soon! Anita Darling

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GIG GUIDE JUNE

Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street… after you’ve been to a gig that you’ll never forget. Live music is a unique experience that just can’t be beaten. Despite the economic recession, the Valencia live scene still has a wide variety of gigs ‘en directo’ to satisfy music fans of all tastes. Get out there and enjoy it! An original mix of Ska/reggae/ rock can be found at Dub Club on 7 June with Caminar de Cromanyó and is sure to have a fun crowd at this atmospheric venue, just 4 minutes from the centre by taxi. On the same night at El Loco there is an African dance/percussion workshop with Fiesta Sabar will be cookin’. All the way from Brazil, swing with the talented Forró Du Bon at Black Note on June 23. Roots Africa continue the beat at Dub Club on June 28.

On 13 June, an exciting night of rock’n’roll is guaranteed with Mexican rockers Los Explosivos + Los Suspiros at Magazine. At the same venue, Bitch Magnets + Kibah will be keeping it noisy and fun! All the way from the U.S.A. on 16 June, you can enjoy the The Pets + Furious People at Magazine too. Another naughty night to enjoy will be the concert of the edgy Las Electrozorras

on 12 June at the superb La Edad de Oro, a proper Valencian night out!

Weller, Oasis, and The Killers. Just 50 minutes away from Valencia by train, this is a music lovers’ paradise with sun and beach by day and a lot of rocking and dancing at night with plenty of indie bands till the early hours and dance tents till well past dawn.

For Jazz lovers it is sure to be fun at Jimmy glass on June 16 with the hilariously named Couch Potatoes (jazz quartet) at this intimate venue. The classy Irene Aranda Quintet play June 21 at the more spacious Octubre Centre. Blues fans should go along to Octubre on June 28 for some great blues with veteran local Valencian band Peter Cantropus Blues Band. Tango can be enjoyed with the melodic Candida at Wah Wah on June 18.

Flamenco can see award winning gypsy singer El Chino and his band at Radio City, June 9. There is flamenco from Granada on June 5 at Cafe del duende, which hosts intimate and authentic flamenco every Thursday and often on Fridays throughout the month. Get there early if you want a seat!

At Octubre centre on June 24 you can enjoy a night of experimental music with Michael Northam & Loren Chasse. Is Loren Chasse anything to do with the model/actress Lorraine Chase of ‘Luton airport’ fame or is that just some avantgarde insider reference? Go there to find out! It seems like Benicassim festival 16-19 July is getting bigger every year and you’ll find a host of big names gracing the stage including Lily Allen, Pete Doherty, Paul

Love the life you live and live the life you love!

Owl

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‘MIRADAS DEL MERCADO CENTRAL’

We continue with our exclusive collection of Valencia’s ‘Mercado Central’, said to be one of Europe’s largest covered markets. It’s a feast of sights, smells, sounds and faces. We welcome on board Valencian professional photographer Amparo Oliver.

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VALENCIA

BOAT PARTY Saturday May 9 saw the Clubzone Boat Party set sail from Valencia’s port and out into the Med for the first of their boat parties that will run throughout the summer. Clubzone is Spain’s largest nightlife community website offering club listings, discount entry to clubs, photos and the chance to meet like-minded partygoers online (www.clubzone.es).

Invited down by Paul Childs, the man behind the event, I stroll through Valencia’s port with two friends and a sense of excitement. Turning the corner we see and hear what the next few hours will hold for us. A crowd has gathered under the shadow of an incredible catamaran and a DJ is already in place (Barry from Fold Out DJs of London’s East Village) dishing out the smoothest grooves for those having their names checked before stepping onto the boat. We are checked off the list by Paul and make our way to the front of the boat, ready for our voyage out of the port. As the boat moves away, the free bar opens and although the full boat - what must be about 95 smiling faces - all head to the bar, it seems that in a matter of seconds I am standing with three ice cold beers in hand and making my way back to my seat on the edge of the boat.

us at the port and the true sense of enjoyment of the boat party concept and freedom that comes from staring out onto the horizon is plain to see. As the sun drops lower we reach the furthest point from the port that we will be. The boat comes to a rest and the mood is calm as all eyes head towards the setting sun. No matter how many times you have seen a sun rise or set, the experience always seems brand new and the reflective atmosphere speaks volumes. As the boat begins its journey back to the port, the free bar provided is certainly doing its job and the atmosphere begins to explode as the darkness creeps in. The music vibe increases as the best dancefloor-driven house music, now provided by Paul Childs, takes hold of the shipmates and beckons them to their feet. Arms aloft and feet moving, the volume increases from the DJ and the final 45 mins back into port seem to just fly by. With the boat back in port and the DJ dropping Justice vs. Simian’s ‘We Are Your Friends’, the party is well and truly finished off with a bang! All I can say is bring on June 13 when the party returns, with the bonus of amazing food to add to the free bar, incredible setting, top international DJs, stylish boat, outstanding music and wonderful people! Need I say more.

With the breeze now gently washing across the catamaran and the port now reducing in size behind us, everyone seems to be taking in the panorama. The DJ starts to up the pace with an amazing array of deep house, but keeping the same sense of groove that invited us onto the water. You can tell that there is not one person on the boat that is immersed in their normal lives. All problems, stresses and worries are left about a mile behind © 24/7 Valencia 2009

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VALENCIA FOOTBALL

End of season or end of an era?

Just over a month ago, here I sat, trying to flog the idea that Valencia had a chance of qualifying for next year’s Champions League competition. What a schmuck! It was a long shot, of course, and the team needed to win at least four of their last five games. In the end they were victorious in only two, underlining what has been an inconsistent season. On paper the Chés first rival Espanyol seemed to be the weakest team but under new manager Pochettino the ‘pericos’ have been the most effective league performers in the last two months. They quite simply brushed Valencia aside culminating in a comfortable 3-0 home victory. Joaquín made a rare start in place of the in-form Hernández and Valencia never really had a look in. One week later the little-loved Real Madrid came to Mestalla and Emery surprisingly stuck to the same starting line-up as against Espanyol. Incredibly the same said eleven players probably turned in their best performance of the season and ran out easy 3-0 victors. It also must be said that Madrid were shocking and looked like they’d turned up just for the horchata. Goals from Mata, Silva and a lovely volley from Baraja allowed us to dream of European competition for at least a week longer. The next game was going to be decisive against Atlético Madrid; whoever won

would in all probability secure the allimportant fourth place berth. Emery tinkered yet again, this time changing the team system to a 4-3-3 to accommodate the return of Albelda and the vital loss of playmaker David Silva. Like nearly all his experiments this year, it didn’t work. Atleti played the Chés off the park although it is also true to say that the winning goal converted by Golden Boot winner Diego Forlan came from a non-existent penalty, invented by Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero who cheated. Shades of Maradona? Atlético shot 21 times at goal during the game whilst Valencia managed to shoot just three times (one every half hour) confirming the ‘colchoneros’ superiority, and matters were now out of the ‘blanc i negres’ hands. Any possible chance of finishing in the top four meant that Valencia had to beat their next rivals, Villarreal. In the end they lost 3-1 after the team from Castellón showed more ideas and ‘más ganas’. Another change to the line-up had Pablo Hernandez on the left, Mata just behind Villa and the defence all over the place. Even when Villa pulled a goal back to make it 2-1, the writing was quite clearly on the wall and Cani’s second half strike put paid to any wild fantasy the club might have held of getting into next year’s Champions League competition. The last game of the season was

academic. Athletic Bilbao turned up with half a team, Villa scored twice, Morientes and Curro Torres (twice a league winner) said goodbye and the recriminations began. Emery gave an after-match discourse that had many falling asleep in the Mestalla press room, vindicating all he had done throughout the year, literally blow by blow. Meanwhile back at the boardroom things were beginning to kick off. The situation is quite singular and could only really happen in Valencia Club de Fútbol. In brief, we had a president who led the club to the verge of bankruptcy by his inept management. He cedes control to another who says he has all the right solutions, but six months later he’s stripped of his powers and someone else is put in his place, then the board of directors give the ex-temporary President “special powers” (maybe he can see through solid buildings) to sell the Mestalla plot. This acting ex-temporary President (Soriano) has until the 5th of June to sell said land or he will have his “special powers” taken away (bring on the kryptonite). Needless to say, many doubt Soriano’s word after six months of stalling and false promises. If he should manage to push through the sale, then hip-hip-hooray, he’s only doing what he should have done last summer. If, and that’s a big if, Valencia should manage to bank a sizeable sum of cash, ©2009 24/7 Valencia

twentyfoursevenvalencia 37 it is still no guarantee that the club can hang onto its top stars. Although Villa has told everyone in public and private that he does not want to leave the club, the precarious economic situation may override any personal desire. The fact that the team will not play in the Champions League will also greatly influence any decision that Silva and Villa will take. In all honesty, both players deserve to be in a team that almost guarantees topflight European football year after year. That set-up was in place until Soler took over.

Unfortunately, personal politics are influencing the club’s future. Soriano has refused to back his one-time supporter, now lifelong enemy Fernando Gómez Colomer in his forays into the transfer market. Fernando has possible deals lined up for Granero, Negredo, Sergio Sánchez and Mathieu, yet the ex-temporary president has thrown a spanner in the works, hoping to push through the sale of Mestalla, reclaim his Presidential power and throw out Fernando. Methinks it will be a summer of tears, emotional farewells and boardroom

scuffles. The club will find it almost impossible to keep hold of its top players and will have very little money to bring in quality replacements. If Mestalla is not sold, then a new era will begin of frugality, mid-table mediocrity and constant financial difficulties, through the frivolous actions of a few but moreover thanks to one man in particular. No hay derecho. Mark Hulton See listings for football calendar

Valencia’s Baraja versus Real Madrid’s Raul

The Keeper

Is Villa leaving?

Valencia 3 - Real Madrid 0

How the mighty fall! VCF v Villarreal

Pirès against Marchena

The photographer as DJ

Clap your hands say yeah!

¡Fiesta!

Fresh

Strike a pose

Amigas

Altogether now

Stoners

Sole & Soul

Gin & tonic

Thoughts

Master Glass

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CLUBLAND Great to be back, it has been a few months since I wrote the Clubland article. There is plenty of news worth mentioning on the club front in Valencia. Let’s get straight to the facts. On Friday 12 June do not miss the ‘24/7 Valencia celebration party’, at La Pepica at Mercado Fuencarral, of the very recent 100th issue of this magnificent magazine! DJ Jordan (me, myself & I) shall play a brilliant and eclectic set (funk, soul, electronic, disco & a lil’ rock ’n’ roll) in La Pepica on what is sure to be a memorable night. There’s some great quality tapas, wines and beers to enjoy there and there’ll be a good mixed crowd of faces too. The party starts at 22.00h and goes to 4.00h. I’ll be at the decks from midnight. If you hit Mercado Fuencarral, plenty of things are going on in this new reference for shopping in Valencia. The Sofa Club (electronic/pop), Laydown (house music / eat food lying down!) and La Pepita shall stay open that night and therefore you can enjoy plenty of entertainment on the same floor. Come along and join the party! Miniclub opened its doors recently at the venue where Excuse Me? used to run their weekly night. Situated on Avenida Blasco Ibáñez right next to Murray Club, with Flow it’s a quality option for late night clubbing in Valencia. Resident DJs Daniel Kyo and Marvin Deno team up with friends from the Spanish and international deep house scene. Expect to dance to one of the best sound systems in Valencia, one that really will make you enjoy the music. There’s also a second smaller room for those who dig rock, funk, soul, and hiphop as well with some of the best DJ collectives and again a fantastic sound. Check full line-up at www.myspace.com/ miniclubvlc. Excuse Me? have found new headquarters. This night used to be run at Club Zenith (now the home for Miniclub) but they have found a fantastic location for their weekly parties and I must say they have succeeded. The Sala Sider, right next to the Ruzafa Market, is a genuine nightclub from the ‘70s with all the essence of that era. It might have experienced some renovation since it

opened its doors back then (you can tell from the cheesy ‘80s style bathrooms), however, the decoration and the feel of the original club has been preserved with special esteem. There are two floors, the bottom one aimed at a modern twist of spacey disco sounds for lovers of Lindström & Prins Thomas or Giorgio Moroder and upstairs you can listen to a hot mix of rock ‘n’ roll, soul, funk and R&B. Plenty of invites play alongside the resident DJs Sais, Bloody Mir Dinamek and H4L 9000. From June the club is open from Thursday till Sunday. Check their MySpace for detailed program. www.myspace.com/excusemeclub The Music Box is the fresh new identity given to what has been known as Disco City since its opening about a year ago. A club in the middle of El Carmen, on C/ Pintor Zariñena near by the Torres de Quart, with a 250-300 person capacity and local DJs picks up crowds of the area. Part of the venue has been refurbished and improvements in the sound system have been implemented. On Friday 19 June, Disco City officially becomes The Music Box, a place for pure musical eclecticism. Open till past dawn. This month on Sunday 7June, one can enjoy a unique clubbing experience in an emblematic space of Valencia. The College Party in Sala Woody on C/ Menéndez y Pelayo 25 (around the University area) features the eclectic line up of DJs of Fernando Luna, Bloody Mir Dinamek and Pablo Cebrián in the first in a series of monthly parties. Wicky is one of those outdoor summer terraces worth visiting. Restaurants, DJs and concert s can be enjoyed for the seventh year in a row. Every Wednesday there’s a concert, Thursdays are for funkier sounds and Fridays and Saturdays the tempo increases slightly with a more house sound. Resident DJ REC and plenty of invites shall pass by the DJ booth of this place this summer. Even though it’s outside the city centre, it’s easy to find your way there, in Campo de Tiro de Quart, Mislata. Check their MySpace for complete info: www. myspace.com/wickyterraza Here’s a quick guide for earlier hours and the best pre-club experience in Valencia. 47 Club Social on C/ Quart, 47, where the DJs play, pop, electronic & funk. Visit Swan on C/ Juan Giner, 15 in Benimaclet, near the university

area for soul, mod sounds and rock ‘n’ roll www.swanclub.es. Magazine on C/ Perez Escrich, 19, www.myspace. com/magazineclubvlc is your space for a dirtier rock ’n’ roll experience with live bands and DJs. Flow on Plaza de Honduras, 35 with the best drum & bass night on Thursdays, www.myspace.com/ ﬂowvalencia. Check full agenda for the Groovelives Clubs at www.groovelives.com. The Mill at Avenida del Puerto and C/ Padre Porta, 2 is open Friday and Saturdays. Piccadilly at C/ Embajador Vich, 18 by the Hotel Astoria, is open from Monday till Sunday. Latex at C/ Dr. Montoro, 7 behind Avenida Constitución opens Fridays and Saturdays.

Jordan

Jordan is one of Valencia’s most wellknown DJs and co-runs the record store, distributor and music production company 3mv disc-unit. You can check his shop at C/ Dr. Gil y Morte 16 or go to, http://www.disc-unit.com to surf their huge online catalogue with everything from hip-hop to electronica or become friends at http://www.myspace.com/3mv. For more info drop him a line at jordan@ disc-unit.com.

ERASMUS

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À LA CARTE

The thing that interested me the most when I moved to Spain for my Erasmus Year abroad was the different approach to food, and especially eating out. If you’re coming from the UK, where food is a necessity to the point that it’s a bore, look again through the Valencia perspective. Here, dinner out can be an exciting, elongated, even emotional process; a shaken-not-stirred cocktail of new places, food and drink, company; an experience that starts late and goes on into the night… A bit, you could say, like the experience of an Erasmus Year itself.

At the door New place, new people. You’re tentative – head held a little too high and smile a little too wide to quite be convincing. There are a couple of familiar faces, but they blend into the mass of Spanishspeaking regulars. You check your reflection in the window, approach the door, deep breath… and you’ve arrived in Spain.

Aperitif And it’s hot, and busy, and loud. The restaurant’s full of animated Spaniards, at least a hundred to a table. You get distracted by a ceiling full of… legs of ham? All this novelty, and the inevitable language barrier, makes finding your table near on impossible. You finally arrive, smiling nervously at your company, take your seat, and start to settle. The way to find student accommodation in Spain is to look at the adverts on the lampposts near the Uni, and then go and see each flat advertised, until some charitable Spanish student decides you’ll do as a flatmate. As much as this did not appeal, that’s what we did. Somehow, Valencia lost a little of its charm as we trailed round its four corners flat-hunting in All photos Michael Wilson, Article ©2009 24/7Valencia

the summer heat, with only a map, pocket dictionary and the occasional ‘napolitana de chocolate’ for support. But once you find yourself settling into a modest flat in the lively area of Benimaclet, you catch a tantalizing whiff of the next stage of the adventure, and the heat and the stress are only a memory.

Starters It looks good, and it smells good. But you haven’t a clue how to peel a gamba. You glance up, but the looks you receive aren’t impatience – they’re curiosity, and

smiles. You return the smile, and what little Spanish you know begins to trot out, as stumbling and faltering as Bambi, but apparently no less endearing. Wednesday’s the night of the Erasmus reveller, so Wednesday it is. We head to where the drinks offers take us; Caribbean’s and Café Túcan on C/ Polo y Peyrolón, and Rumbo 144, Blasco Ibáñez. We’re wandering between each one, pockets filling with drinks vouchers… And then. We have our first Spanish encounter. I’m wishing I could conjugate irregular verbs more quickly through this haze of sangria, but these Spanish

twentyfoursevenvalencia 41 students don’t mind. They’re interested, ask us why we’re here, and mime where our vocab falters. Their patience lasts drink after drink, bar after bar, and song after song. I finally fall into bed as the sun rises, brain buzzing with new languages and new faces, wondering if my 10.00h lesson is at all plausible, but with appetite well whetted for what’s to follow.

Main course The food keeps coming, the drinks are bottomless, the laughter’s loud, the company animated. Hesitancy and nervousness are far behind. The conversation more than flows – it rushes; stories overlap, jokes are fired, lips smile to their limit and eyes are shining. Dinner is served and well underway.

Dessert Mussel shells, shreds of napkins and red wine stains litter the table. Night goes on gathering outside and you lean back, reflective, and smile easily to yourself. Coffee is sipped and desserts are shared. The conversation dies down into glowing embers as the evening draws to its close.

Millie

We come back from the Christmas break, language a little bolder, knowledge of the city a little more intact, and suddenly everyone’s gone mad. Fireworks are going off at two in the day time; children are throwing firecrackers at each other; huge, colourful, flammable constructions are put up on every street corner. It’s Las Fallas. And by March, we’ve overcome language barriers, loneliness, homesickness and foreignness, and now we dance – our hands are in the air and we’re dancing in a hidden but heaving plaza of the city, and we love these friends, this language, and the sounds, tastes and experiences of this amazing city. We have, most definitely, arrived in Valencia.

And so does our year. The summer heat mounts, pre-empting the weight of exam time, inevitable despite country borders. We put our heads into our books and force our minds away from the beaches for the final stretch of the year. Summer plans and the year beyond sleepily enter our thoughts and vaguely take form, still blurred in the distance; we see them through the heat haze. These last summer months, everything falls gently into place – our friends, the language, and the city are all familiar. We feel at home.

And what’s next? It may be well after midnight, but after the meal there’s sure to be bars and clubs undiscovered, drinks to be drunk, dances to be danced. But Erasmus is not just a ‘Year Abroad’; this is an experience that is not going to fade. And whatever’s next, whichever bars I may find myself in, whatever I may be drinking or wherever I’ll be dancing, the memory of living in Valencia is one that I’ll be taking with me. Millie Schurch

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Discovering La Valldigna

The starting point of this amazing route is in Cullera. To get there you can either cycle (as we explained before in other articles… you can cycle down to El Palmar and then just follow the road to Cullera), or take a local (cercanía) RENFE train. As long as you respect regulations regarding when and how many travel in one compartment, you are allowed to take bikes; you can check www.renfe.es/cercanias/valencia for more details. Once in Cullera, head south, crossing the Xúquer River, and then follow its right side, towards the sea. As a reference point, you will pass the Guardia Civil headquarters on your right as you head towards Tavernes de Valldigna. Having done three or four kilometres you will come to a path marked with a sign that says, ‘El Brosquil’. We take this route and doing so enter countryside typical of Valencia’s coast; orange groves interspersed with marshes with high reeds and cane growing out of them. This minor path takes us towards the sea, to a little nucleus of houses evocatively named ‘El Silencio’. It’s a really pretty spot, with a thread of houses whose gardens run towards the sea. There is a wall of thick rock dividing them and the sea that is worth walking down, just to check out the houses. Once you are at the mouth of the river, and when you have checked out the view of the south of la Cullera, head south towards Brosquil beach. This area is under threat from the urban planners in the Cullera Council, who are keen to introduce a golf course and build an urbanisation to go with it. Thanks to the current crisis, we can enjoy this little place because the plan was stopped.

Continuing towards the south, towards the beach of Tavernes de Valldigna, a really beautiful beach despite being a bit touristy, and once there follow the road signposted towards Tavernes, in the lower part of the Valley de la Valldigna. There, look for the road that leads to Simat de la Valldigna, a beautiful village famous for its monastery; it’s worth it to take a look inside, the entr y is free! Very close to the monastery you’ll ﬁnd a street that leads you steeply upwards… but the view from the top is worth the effort. This road, surrounded by pine trees and other dense vegetation, heads up to the village Barx. A piece of advice; if you go to the fountain de la Puigmola, in the restaurant there you can eat one of the best paellas in the world, and enjoy that little spot with incredible forests and breathtaking views. Once you’ve replenished your strength, and to add yet more beautiful pictures to the route, head down towards Gandía. From Barx head towards La Drova and then you’ll really start to enjoy one of the prettiest zones of the Safor area. It’s an amazing descent – although take care once you’ve got past La Drova as the road gets really winding, more narrow and the road surface is not what it could be. If you are brave enough, you can try to climb up to Mondúver, the highest peak in the area, where you can have unforgettable views of the coast. The scenery is really stunning. A bit further on you come to Marxuquera and the road leads you towards Gandía, with pine trees giving way once again to orange groves as you cycle downhill. Once you’re in Gandia, you can either take a train back to Valencia in the RENFE station or follow one of our other recommended routes to somewhere else, heading south or going back to Cullera following the road close to the seashore.

twentyfoursevenvalencia 43

WOMAN

Home

The end of May marked a rather special moment in the life of Anita Darling, the 10 year anniversary of my arrival in this City I now am happy to call home. A decade ago saw my nervous self starting a new life in a new country, with not even a smidgen of Spanish to help myself along the way. I was philosophising about this fact just the other day with some friends over several bottles of L’Antigon (best sweet white wine for 95 cents of a euro you’ve ever tasted. Not one to big up the “crisis” but this bargain bottle of booze has become a staple to every dinner, lunch and get-together since we discovered it. Hell, Ralphie even made a Facebook page in its honour!) and they posed the question, Where do you feel you are from? Well I’ll tell you, readers, it’s a tough cookie, that one. Valencia is definitely home now, I live here, I work here, I pay rent, bills and taxes here, all my friends may be Spanish, I speak the language all the time (it’s surprising I still remember how to write in inglés! I mean, English!) and I am mostly passed off as Spanish myself now, but I still am not Valencian and have no real roots here to brag about. Ralphie said for him, the essence of finding where you belong and where you are comfortable in life is when you know a place like the back of your hand, where to go to get what you want, you no longer get lost, you bump into people you know all the time on the street, in bars, in shops, and you’re on first-name terms with the waiters at your regular haunts. This is all rings true for me, especially when I go back to the U.K. and I definitely don’t feel very English at all. I don’t know the coins any more, I need to ask for directions and I am astounded and dumbfounded at the vast selection of food in supermarkets. Just like a foreigner! So it has been refreshing over the last few months to meet some very likeminded people. People who came

here, like me, a long time ago to make a go of things and try and get involved as much as possible in the Valencia way of life - which is pretty cool when you think about it. We make up a rather interesting group when all together and there are times when I think I could not laugh any harder. Argentineans, French, Chinese - these lovely human beings have come into my life at such a perfect time and I haven’t had so much fun for ages. Don’t worry, I’m not going to get all soppy and ridiculous on you, though I am feeling more than a little sentimental - it’s ten whole years, man! I also haven’t ditched my old friends, so don’t go thinking I’m a mean old cow either. So it’s summer terrace time again, I was just itching for those balmy evenings dancing under the stars. Sounds so romantic, but sometimes it’s too hot to even dance, isn’t it? And the worst thing is when the club is packed and you get that one sweaty guy push past you... Ah, delightful! We are not quite at that kind of heat yet, and just the other night we went out to Las Ánimas, the best terrace in town looking over the port just reopened for the party season, where Little Miss broke the heel of her incredible new Zara strappy sandals on a wooden plank and I had one of those nights that make you wake up on Sunday morning and swear off all drink ever again as it all slowly starts coming back to you. I said some terrible things to an ex-boyfriend, kissed a boy six years my junior for about ten seconds before dancing off to get into a seriously long-winded conversation with the elder brother of an old acquaintance who I maybe had met twice before about God knows what because I cannot remember for the life of me, turned around to only to find my friends had disappeared from sight, bumped into a friend’s boyfriend who told me he had fancied me from day one, and quite possibly experienced some more things I wouldn’t be proud of if only I could remember. My girlfriends assure me I really wasn’t that bad and that I was actually on really good form, almost elevated to life-and-soul status, really, but it will be a constant mystery to me why I can be so brutally honest with people with a few vodka tonics under my belt and I wouldn’t say boo to a goose in the cold light of day. So that was one eventful evening, but so much fun was had all round, unlike the next weekend when we headed back to Las Ánimas but were pulled over by the police on the way for jumping two red

lights. Four girls in the car dressed to the nines, being driven by one guy friend in his girlfriend’s car (not present) made for some uncomfortable moments as the two policemen could not make head nor tail of the situation. We began to hate the girlfriend for not having her paperwork in order in the car, especially her insurance, and were worried our friend would be taken off to the calabozo as policeman no.1 said her MOT hadn’t been passed for two years! All’s well that ends well, though, and we were set free with just a small fine of two hundred and thirty euros. Ouch! Had I been designated driver I would have turned round and gone home, but this one was absolutely laid back about the whole thing and got us to Ánimas just fine, where it promptly rained on and off all night, and we girls got in a tizz about our hair. What a way to celebrate my anniversary, hey! But I’ll tell you one thing, there’s no place like home, and at least for now, anyway, home is definitely this silly old City. Anita Darling

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02. LA EDAD DE ORO 04. THE LOUNGE ORANGE BIKES /RAÍCES LA FLAMA / ORIENT XPRESS SINPY JO’S LA SALVAORA

KOKURA

GUINNESS HOUSE CARMEN TOWN

LENGUAS VIVAS

CARPE DIEM SAHARA

LABORATORIO FINNEGANS/VINTARA DENTAL CLINIC IVID BABALU

SHERLOCK HOLMES CULLERA DEL PALAU EL BOTIJO

VITA VELLA / THE BODEGUETA

PAPARAZZI

DISCO CITY

DOO BOP

CULTOURALIA JUANITA PRÊT-Á-PORTER BACCO DOC / DON SALVATORE 42. LA PEPITA (M. FUENCARRAL) 43. LA MAGAROTA / AFTERWORK

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24/7 VALENCIA LIVE MUSIC & CLUBS AGENDA JUNE / JUNIO TUESDAY / MARTES 2

JIMMY GLASS: Kari Ikonen Quartet (jazz desde Finlandia) 21.30h 7€ Aforo Limitado. MAGAZINE CLUB: The Morlocks (rock desde EEUU) + Wau y los Aaaarghs! 22.00h.OCTUBRE CENTRE: Jorge Castro (música experimental desde Argentina) 20.00h 5€. RADIO CITY: Juanma Maya, Antonio Moreno, Ángel Moreno y El Bareta (flamenco) 23.00h 7€ con consumición.

MAGAZINE CLUB: Love and 45s (rock desde UK) + White Cabaret 23.00h. MILL CLUB: Observatori 2009 con Parts and Labor (EEUU) + H4l 9000 + Fran Campos + DJ Notch / Cristian G Marti / Hugo Giner. WAH-WAH: Lagartija Nick (indie rock) 22.30h 15€.

Valencia Dj Jordan 3MV 22:00h Gratis MILL CLUB: Mighycat (desde Canada ) + Nacho Anibal / Tragaperras + Isis. WAH-WAH: Tony Borlotti + Go Freaks 22.30h 8€ / 10€.

SUNDAY / DOMINGO 7

DUB CLUB: DJ Mighty 7 23.00h Gratis. EL LOCO: Reverendo Moe (rock) 22.30h 8€ /10€. JUANITA: Rocksteady Beatz 23.30h Gratis. LATEX: Falomira! + Miss Yuls + Groovekeya / El Cheko DJ. (Pornosotras ‘Despedida De Soltera’, entrada sólo vestido de mujer). MAGAZINE CLUB: Los Explosivos (desde Mexico) + Los Suspiros 23.00h. MILL CLUB: Roberto Rodriguez (Finlandia ) + Sergio Mañez / DJ EFE + EFE. WAH-WAH: Los Perros del Boogie (rock) 23.00h 6€.

SATURDAY / SÁBADO 13

BLACK NOTE: The Funk Party by La Funk Family 23.30h 4€.

BLACK NOTE: Los Jack y Los Daniels (rock) 20.00h 6€ + consumición/ Ivan Collado (cantautor) 23.30h Gratis. DUB CLUB: Caminar de Cromanyó en concierto (ska/reggae/rock) 20.00h. EL LOCO: Fiesta Sabar workshop (African dance and percussion) 20.00h 5€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Carlos López & the Last Minute Experience (jazz) 19.00h 5€.

THURSDAY / JUEVES 4

MONDAY / LUNES 8

BLACK NOTE: Sex & Rock & Soul by 3 Beans & Rice + DJ José Mardigras (rock & soul) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Turuleiros con Juan Rubio, Willy Gómez y Irene ‘La Serranilla’ (flamenco desde Granada) 23.30h. MAGAZINE CLUB: Minerva Mayo + Lone Surferess 23.00h. MIRROR: Joe Bonamassa (blues desde EEUU) 21.30h 25€. PICCADILLY: Katja Palomaa (Finland) + Slash PD. WAH-WAH: Aura (pop folk) 22.30h 10€ (anticipado) / 13€ (taquilla).

BLACK NOTE: Tonky Jam (Open Jam Session) 23.30h 4€.

FRIDAY / VIERNES 5

DUB CLUB: Cabina abierta 21.00h

JIMMY GLASS: Couch Potatoes (jazz quartet) 21.30h 8€ Aforo Limitado. MAGAZINE CLUB: The Pets (desde EEUU) + Furious People 20.00h. RADIO CITY: Kike Naval, Rober Molina, Carlos Zarco, Oscar de Manuel y María Linzana (flamenco chill) 23.00h 7€ con consumición.

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Turuleiros con Juan Rubio, Willy Gómez y Irene ‘La Serranilla’ (flamenco desde Granada) 23.30h. EL LOCO: 08001 (mestizaje) 22.30h 6€. 47 CLUB: Miss Yuls 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Mandievus 23.30h Gratis. LATEX: Latextronic: Groovekey + M.F. Sintetic / After Mag: Isis. MILL CLUB: Nacho Anibal + Sergio Mañez / Factory: Maravillas + 1 Nipple Selector / Clubbing room: Furry + Chola + Ledesma. PICCADILLY: Bosque de Tallac con Los Padres de Lola. WAH-WAH: Vibrants (surf) 23.00h 8€.

THURSDAY / JUEVES 11

WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 17

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Kallardo con El Chino, Miguel Pérez y Yolanda López (flamenco) 23.30h. DUB CLUB: DJ Don Dub 23.00h Gratis. 47 CLUB: DJ John 23.30h. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Lidia Damunt (pop) 20.00h 5€. PICCADILLY: Catalina Isis, Miss Yuls + Slash PD.

BLACK NOTE: The Funk Party by La Funk Family 23.30h 4€. EL LOCO: Malanga (desde Venezuela) 21.00h 9€

WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 3

SATURDAY / SÁBADO 6

DUB CLUB: DJ Don Dub 23.30h Gratis. EL LOCO: Zarpa (heavy metal) 22.30h 10€. JUANITA: DJ Furry 23.30h Gratis.

TUESDAY / MARTES 9

BLACK NOTE: Martes al Soul by DJ Tuko (soul) 23.30h Gratis.RADIO CITY: Rafael Vargas “El Chino”, Arhoa Maya, Juan de Pilar, David Gadea y Celia Romero (flamenco) 23.00h 7€ con consumición WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 10

FRIDAY / VIERNES 12

BLACK NOTE: The Blisters (rock) 23.30h 8€ + consumición. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Noche de Oído al Cante c on Diego Agujetas (flamenco) 23.30h. 47 CLUB: Groovekey 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Sputnik 23.30h Gratis. LA EDAD DE ORO: Las Electrozorras 22.30h 8€ + fanzine. LA PEPITA: “Fiesta 100” 24/7

SUNDAY / DOMINGO 14

DUB CLUB: T´arabÉ en concierto 20.00h 5€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Pau Viguer Trio (jazz) 19.00h 5€. TUESDAY / MARTES 16

THURSDAY / JUEVES 18

BLACK NOTE: Sex & Rock & Soul by 3 Beans & Rice + DJ José Mardigras (rock & soul) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Perico Él de Dora y José Manuel Gónzalez (flamenco) 23.30h. EL LOCO: Salsamuffin Allstars + Rapsodes + Omzo Dgt Aiad + Dj Minino (concierto solidario) 22.30h 5€. 47 CLUB: DJ John 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Rec 23.00h Gratis. WAH-WAH: Candida (tango) 22.30h 8€ / 10€

twentyfoursevenvalencia 47 FRIDAY / VIERNES 19

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: José El Minero y Emilio de Villar (flamenco) 23.30h. DUB CLUB: Banton en concierto ( reggae desde Panamá) 22.00h / Fiesta Coffy con Djonk y Bigflora. EL LOCO: La Habitación Roja (rock) 22.30h 15€ /18€. 47 CLUB: Falomir 23.30h.JUANITA: Pon Top Selectors 23.30h Gratis.LA EDAD DE ORO: The Breakdowns 22.30h 8€. LATEX: Boluda + Ganoa / Super Agente 86 + Gummo. MAGAZINE CLUB: Bitch Magnets + Kibah 23.00h. MILL CLUB: Nacho Anibal + Fabel / DJs Newfaker + Rockfish + Pablo Maronda. SATURDAY / SÁBADO 20

EL LOCO: Skizophonic + Junio Mackenzie 22.00h Gratis con invitación.47 CLUB: Miss Yuls 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Quick-e 23.30h Gratis. PICCADILLY: Cinnamon + Charles Boina. WAH-WAH: Grave Yacht Club + Monserrat (rock) 22.30h 6€. SUNDAY / DOMINGO 21

BLACK NOTE: Drum & Clown (Zum Zum Banda + Clowndestinos, Brazilian) 20.00h Gratis. DUB CLUB: Roots Africa en concierto 20.00h 4€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Irene Aranda Quintet (jazz) 19.00h 5€. MONDAY / LUNES 22

BLACK NOTE: Tonky Jam (Open Jam Session) 23.30h 4€. TUESDAY / MARTES 23

BLACK NOTE: Forró Du Bon (Brazilian) 23.30h 5€. RADIO CITY: Toneti, José Antonio, Chicho y Leo Molina (flamenco) 23.00h 7€ con consumición. WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 24

BLACK NOTE: The Funk Party by La Funk Family 23.30h 4€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Michael Northam + Loren Chasse (música experimental) 20.00h 5€. THURSDAY / JUEVES 25

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Marcos Requena y Antonio Moreno (flamenco) 23.30h. DUB CLUB: Mira Como Tiemblo en concierto (folk – electrónica) 22.00h. 47

CLUB: GuestsDJs 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Quick-e 23.00h Gratis. MAGAZINE CLUB: Limp Wrist (punk desde EEUU)+ Antiplayax + Desguace 21.00h. FRIDAY / VIERNES 26

BLACK NOTE: The Groove Project (funk) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Isabel Julve, Manuel Reyes y Manuel Quintero (flamenco) 23.30h. EL LOCO: El Tío la Careta + Sindikato Fumeta + Nelo (mestizaje) 22.30h 6€. 47 CLUB: Paco Paco DJs 23.30h. JUANITA: DJ Soul1B 23.30h Gratis. MILL CLUB: Sergio Garcia + Misstra + Nacho Anibal / HangtheDJteam. PALAU DE LA MÚSICA (Sala Iturbi): Concierto Homenaje a Joaquin Rodrigo con Orquesta de Valencia con Rubén Gimeno (conductor) y Carlos Bonell (guitarra) 19.30h 25€ / 19€ / 13€. PICCADILLY: Chicletol Pinchadiscos. WAH-WAH: Limbotheque + Els Matxotes (pop rock) 22.30h 5€. SATURDAY / SÁBADO 27

DUB CLUB: Rocksteady Beatz 23.30h Gratis.EL LOCO: Nanai + Rana Mariana + K.A.P. 22.30h 8€. 47 CLUB: Catalina Isis 23.30h. JUANITA: Bad Foundation 23.30h Gratis. MILL CLUB: Fernando Luna + Sergio Mañez / We Are Guest DJs con Kike Vilar & Adrian. PICCADILLY: Oscar Barila + Rockfish + Crackers. WAH-WAH: Furious Planet + Radiocactivos (indie rock) 22.30h 6€. SUNDAY / DOMINGO 28

DUB CLUB: Boris Larramendi en concierto 19.30h. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Peter Cantropus Blues Band (jazz) 19.00h 5€. MONDAY / LUNES 29

MAGAZINE CLUB: Igor Prado Band (desde Brazil) + Los Fabulosos Blueshakers + Nasty Boogie 20.00h. TUESDAY / MARTES 30

BLACK NOTE: Los Granadians (ska) 23.30h 10€ + consumición. RADIO CITY: Tomás González, Juan de Pilar, Victor Rodríguez y María Linzana (flamenco) 23.00h 7€ con consumición.

JULY / JULIO FRIDAY / VIERNES 3

DUB CLUB: Jonathan Pocovi en concierto 23.00h. WAH-WAH: Exit + Supermosca (indie pop) 22.30h 8€. SATURDAY / SÁBADO 4

WAH-WAH: Lucksmiths 23.00h 10€ SUNDAY / DOMINGO 5

DUB CLUB: Naturals en concierto 20.00h Gratis

FIB FESTIVAL (Benicàssim) www.fiberfib.com

THURSDAY / JUEVES 16

Aldo Linares + Anni B Sweet + La Bien Querida +The Bishops + The Coronas + Fangoria + Gang Of Four + Glasvegas + Justus Köhncke + Kevin Saunderson Presents: Inner City Live + Mystery Jets + Naive New Beaters + No Reply + Oasis + Telepathe + The Walkmen + We Are Standard FRIDAY / VIERNES 17

Boys Noize + Christina Rosenvinge + Cooper + Fight Like Apes + The Horrors + Infadels Dj’s + Javier Corcobado + Joe Crepúsculo + Kings of Leon + Magazine + Maxïmo Park + Nacho Vegas + nudozurdo + Paul Weller + Yuksek SATURDAY / SÁBADO 18

2 Many DJ’s + Aeroplane + Bell X1 + Elbow + Foals + Franz Ferdinand + Gui Boratto + Josele Santiago + Lily Allen + The Mighty Stef + Peaches + Ratolines + Russian Red + Steve Aoki + Tadeo + Television Personalities + The Unfinished Sympathy SUNDAY / DOMINGO 19

<<rinôçérôse>> + Calexico + CatPeople + David Kitt + Flow + Friendly Fires + Giant Sand + Hell + The Killers + Klaus & Kinski + Late Of The Pier + Laurent Garnier + Lykke Li + Oblique + Peter Doherty + Popof + The Psychedelic Furs + TV on the Radio + White Lies ©2009 24/7 Valencia