24/7 Valencia Magazine by Tim Birch

ISSUE89 JUNE08

attractive interior, this makes it ideal for private parties as well as concerts. They’ll be happy to hear from you! DOO BOP

RADIO CITY

EL LOCO

This legendary Valencian club reflects the bohemian spirit of Valencia and it is perfectly placed in the heart of old town. With an ample history, Radio City ha s b e e n a n d c o nt i n ues to b e a p i o n e er of café-theatre, short film festivals, book presentations and local art and photography exhibitions. Their genuine live flamenco, every Tuesday of the year, is a staple of the local night life scene. Check out their superb free disco every Friday and Saturday night, with an eclectic mixture of ethnic and funky sounds, truly cosmopolitan crowd, 3 bars and a great sound system, friendly atmosphere and good times guaranteed!

This lush live music venue, set in the attractive Juan Llorens area, just 5 minutes walk from the centre, is now seen as one of the best in Spain. Whether it’s rock, flamenco, indie, blues, hip-hop or fusion, the list of bands who have graced El Loco is impressive: US3, James Taylor Quartet, Jonathan Richman, Gigolo Aunts, American Music club, Diego el Cigala to name but a few ! El Loco’s quality sound and vision, video projection and friendly staff have all helped make it one of the most popular gig spots in Spain. It also serves as an excellent venue for live theatre, documentaries and exhibitions. With a capacity for 400 punters and an

Sciences and the old city with the lovely old buildings. What are the biggest differences between Thailand and Spain? The way of living. Life here is much more expensive compared to Thailand. You can get a good meal for only 4 euros in Thailand. I also had to get used to the life style because dinner here is really late and they use lots of olive oil in the food. But the Spanish guys are better. They are taller and more handsome. And I like the transport. They have a good transport network here in Valencia. How is it going with your Spanish?

Anchalee Engkuthanon is 21 years old and lives in Bangkok, Thailand. She is studying at Babylon for 3 months. It is her first time travelling alone. Spain is a long way from home. Why did you decide to come to Spain? I really wanted to learn Spanish. I tried to learn Japanese first but it didn’t work out for me. I want to learn Spanish in a real Spanish environment and I think Valencia is the most vibrant city of Spain. I like the combination of the modern parts like the City of Arts and

It is much better now. When I came to Spain I only knew how to say “¡Hola!” and “Gracias”. It is unbelievable what you can learn in such a short time. Now I can go to the shops and tell them what I want. I can also have a proper conversation with Spanish people. Would you recommend Babylon to your friends? Of course!!!!!! Babylon has a great way of teaching. I like the interactive classes. In Thailand I only listen to the teachers and take notes but here I get the opportunity to speak. The groups are small and that makes it easier to have good conversations. The teachers are really nice. They will do everything to make you

Doo you wanna doo the doo bop? Every Friday and Saturday, around midnight, after the concerts at El Loco, you can e n j o y F R EE c l u b b i n g u n t i l 3 . 3 0 a m w i t h Funk, Soul, Hip-hop, Jazz, Raregrooves and more! This ain’t any old clubbing session, the respected Dj’s Jose Mardigras, Jordan [3mv] y Javi Funkeluya have been responsible for the legendary Root Down, Real Funk! y Funkeluya sessions and Jordan and Jose run their own specialist record stores! DISCO CITY Set in the Barrio Carmen, If you wanna party all night after enjoying Radio City and Doo bop, DISCO CITY carries on the fun until 7am in the morning! Black music, funky breaks, rare grooves, hip hop, old school, soul and a great crowd of fun loving clubbers from around the world. Party on...’cos summer is here!

understand the Spanish language. The staff at Babylon are really helpful and kind. They encourage the students to practice Spanish and they also arrange great activities like Happy Miércoles. Did you achieve your goals? Yes, I did! I learned so much about Spanish language and culture. I got more mature here in Valencia. I can handle the difficult situations much easier than I did before. Do you have a slogan in life? In Thailand we say, “Kon rau kerd makrun deaw chai che wid hai kum ka”. It means: We are born with one life at one time, live your life as well as you can!!

24/7 Valencia 28,000 readers 100 distribution points 24/7 Valencia 28.000 lectores 100 puntos de distribución RADIO CITY/ BABYLON 4 EDITORIAL 5 VIDAS DE VALENCIA 6 ART IN VALENCIA 7 MALVARROSA 8 ABUELOS 10 FOOD 12 RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH 13 BOOK REVIEWS 16 JUNE 08 LISTINGS ARTS, THEATRE, OPERA, FILM 17 LIVE MUSIC - CLUBS 18 CHILL OUT 20 LATIN CLUBS/GAY - LESBIAN 22 RESTAURANTS 23 SHOPPING 29 CLASSIFIEDS 30/32 (Airlines, Hostels, Markets…) MUSIC REVIEWS 33 MIRADAS DE MALVARROSA 34 CROSSWORD MAY 35 VALENCIA FOOTBALL 36 24/7 VALENCIA PARTY PEOPLE 38 CLUBLAND 39 ENCAPOTAO- DESCAPOTAO 40 USEFUL NUMBERS/BIKES 42 WOMAN 43 MAPS 44 MAY AGENDA 46 CLUBS AND LIVE MUSIC BABYLON 48

EDITORIAL JUNE 08

‘Forever Changes’ If ever there was city that is forever changing in Spain... it’s Valencia. What was once the somewhat ignored country cousin of Barcelona is now the ‘Mediterranean city par excellence’, according to various travel guides and visitors from around the world. Neither too big or too small, Valencia is a great place to live and has so much to offer. Whether you’re lookin’ for sea & sun on Malavarrosa beach, to party all night at the clubs or catch up with friends at a cosmopolitan restaurant, you’ll find this June edition is packed with information about what’s on and where. 24/7 Valencia is the only magazine about Valencia that you will find recommended in all the major guides like Rough Guide, Time Out, Let’s Go and the newspapers The Times and The Guardian. Why is 24/7 Valencia so popular? According to an astute businesswoman, running her own ethnic clothes store: “24/7 Valencia is popular because it’s a real magazine, it reflects what’s going on in the street and it covers a wide range of subjects that caters for a lot of different people.” Our professional team of writers and photographers represents the Valencia of today, a city open to change and always ready for fun!

So, enjoy our exclusive report on the healthy La Greta restaurant, food article on the delights of Roast Chicken by Chef Erica, insider Clubland info by professional Dj Dom Scott and a bike trip to Javea for those of you looking to get away from it all. Music lovers of flamenco, rock, indie, jazz, blues and more can explore the gig guide. Our agenda at the back has all you need to know for live music and clubbing in June. For photography lovers, we have some treats in store with exclusive shots of Va l e n c i a n s k i e s , Va l e n c i a n ‘A b u e l o s’, Malvarrosa, 24/7 Valencia party people and ‘’Vidas de Valencia’ in funky motion! On the sports front we have an entertaining and informative article on Touch Rugby and a poignant piece on Valencia football by Mark Hulton. This edition is dedicated to the late, great Arthur Lee of the legendary band Love. 24/7 Valencia helped arrange what was to be his final concert in this city a few years ago... “You go through changes, it may seem strange. Is this what you’re put here for?”

See you next month!

24/7 Valencia team

ISSUE 89 JUNE 08

editor: Will McCarthy. contributors: Altogringo, Anita Darling, Heino, John Murphy, Gooru, Manu Fernandez, Erica Choate, Mark Hulton, Owl, Hernandez Fiendish, Babylon, Manu San Martín, DJ Dom Scott, Rosalie Hayek, Tim Birch, Stephen McCullough. layout & design: www.dsignes.net printed by: signografíco. distributed by: groovy cat Ltd.

thisisvalencia.com/24-7valencia.com

VIDAS DE VALENCIA

Focus

Spot

Gut

Safe Surfer

Action

Thought

Motion

A su aire

Recta

Estudios

Bohemio

Pulmones

Manu_sanmartin@yahoo.es Tel: 96 315 42 47 www.manusanmartin.com

All photos Manu San Martín © 24/7Valencia 2008

ART IN VALENCIA

Fernando Botero. Abu Ghraib – El Circo

Hasta 6 julio IVAM C/ Guillem de Castro, 118 Tel: 96 386 30 00 www.ivam.es

La Huida: Juan Cuellar

Desde 19 junio hasta 26 julio INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE VALENCIA Moro Zeit, 6 Tel. 96 315 30 95 www.ifvalencia.com

Tintín en el món d’Hergé. Col·lecció Jordi Tardà

Hasta 27 julio OCTUBRE CENTRE DE CULTURA CONTEMPORANIA C/ Sant Ferran, 12 Tel: 96 315 77 99 www.octubre.cat

Los Claveles Una aproximación a los jóvenes pintores de Sevilla

Hasta 7 septiembre FUNDACIÓN CHIRIVELLA SORIANO C/ Veleriola, 13 Tel. 96 338 12 15 ww.chirivellasoriano.org

MALVARROSA Valencia has always had a strange relationship with the sea. The city’s port has been a great source of wealth over the centuries but Valencia doesn’t feel like a maritime city and as people round here will tell you, the city was built with its back to the sea. People have been making sandcastles and messing about in the water down at Malvarrosa since the mid-nineteenth century but those seven kilometres that separate the city centre from its beaches have often seemed a very long way indeed. The last decade, however, has brought the seaside a little closer.

make ‘unscheduled’ stops before passing through Customs at the port on the other side of the bay.

The whole idea of ‘going down the beach’ is, of course, a relatively new invention and for centuries the areas around Malvarrosa, Cabanyal and Canyamelar were fishing communities. They soon found that there were easier pickings to be had in that other ancient maritime profession, smuggling. The beach was a handy place for boats coming in from Algeria and Morocco to

All over Europe, men in stripy bathing suits and large moustaches were going down to the beach to faff around, smoke pipes and pose for photographs, while the womenfolk sheltered under parasols, wide-brimmed hats and 15 layers of petticoats and skirts. These were risqué times. The Mayor set out legislation separating the beach into two areas, Las

Malvarrosa Beach takes its name from the pink hollyhock “malvarrosa” flowers planted in the area by the botanist Felix Bobillard in the early part of the nineteenth century. It was around this time when it started to become fashionable for the city’s upper and middle classes and their families to come down to the beach to relax and take in the sea air. The fashion had spread from Britain, southwest France and northern Spain.

Arenas, which was only for male bathing, and on the other side of a 200 metre ‘no man’s land’ was Malvarrosa, only for women. The first railway line down to the beach was built in 1852; the station was in the exact spot where the Neptú tram stop is today. These were golden years for Valencian business and the prosperous bourgeoisie looked to create their very own Brighton, Santander or Biarritz here on the Mediterranean. Valencia was never able to compete with these more glamorous ‘resorts’ favoured by royalty and the aristocracy. The Mediterranean weather was too warm (having a tan was just not an option for any self-respecting lady of the time) and, bizarrely, the sea at Valencia was considered to be “too warm and tepid to be of any advantage to health”. Nevertheless, a pier was constructed (and sadly destroyed during an air raid

9 in the Civil War) and, inspired by the royal pavilion at Brighton, two huge neoclassical bath houses were built complete with Parthenon-like columns which are now part of a luxury hotel complex. Restaurants and bars began to line the sea front; many like La Pepica and La Marcelina, Valencia’s oldest restaurant (1892), still survive today. Work began on a grand project of a large avenue with gardens running through the middle which would connect Valencia to its beach. After two or three name changes (including Paseo al Mar and Avenida Lenin) the avenue is now known as Avenida Blasco Ibáñez and it still hasn’t reached the sea over a hundred years later. At the turn of the century, the beach was frequented by great Valencian figures of the time. Many of Sorolla’s greatest works were painted here and Vicente Blasco Ibáñez built a house on the seafront, which has recently been restored and is now a museum. The 1920s however was the start of a slow decline, as fashions among the well-todo started to change. In the fifties and sixties it was the working classes, unable to afford trips to the French Riviera, who were catching the tram to Malvarrosa (as celebrated in Manuel Vicent’s book of the same name) in their thousands each Sunday afternoon.

place clean to attract daytime visitors. The local government decided on a plan to turn things around. The building of the promenade, the setting up of the showers and volleyball courts, the kids’ parks and the cleaning up of the water (Malvarrosa has been awarded consecutive European Blue Flags) created the Malvarrosa we know today. Most of the discos left but the families came back in droves. The past decade has seen the America’s Cup come to Valencia and this summer will see the first Valencian Formula One Grand Prix. Hamilton and company will weave their way around the yachts in the America’s Cup Port right next to the beach. The old Las Arenas complex has been converted into an impressive five star hotel (although it’s a great shame the old swimming pool is no longer open to the public). All this has had a mixed

effect on the area. While some of its old charm has undoubtedly been lost along the way, transport links with the city have been much improved, the metro now links Malvarrosa with the airport and tourists and the city’s residents alike are spending more and more time there enjoying the improved facilities at the beach. Whether elite sports and superficial event politics are the right way forward for everyone remains to be seen. Malvarrosa, after all, isn’t quite Monte Carlo. Just as it wasn’t quite Biarritz or Santander back in the nineteenth century and it wasn’t quite Benidorm in the ’70s or Mallorca in the 1990s. And thank goodness for that. It is what it should be; a great big beautiful city park by the sea. David Rhead and José Marin

The grand Balneario of Las Arenas was now downgraded to a cheap and cheerful sort of Butlins. Families paid the admission and spent the day around the open air pool (now part of the hotel), the private beach, the children’s park and the open air cinema. Most Valencians over forty-five will have spent many a Sunday afternoon picnicking down at Las Arenas. By the end of the sixties, however, people started to find their way further afield to beaches which were more glamorous and, let’s face it, less likely to have raw sewage pumped into them. Malvarrosa was unable to compete with Benidorm and the Balearic Islands or even its neighbours like Cullera or Canet. It seemed that Valencia had once again turned its back on the sea. It wasn’t until the nineties that Malvarrosa started to clean up its act. In the eighties it had become an important part of Valencian nightlife. There was no promenade at that time and the dozens of pubs and clubs spilled out onto the beach itself, which made for a great night out but didn’t help in keeping the Photos ©2008 Manu San Martín 24/7Valencia, Article ©2008 24/7Valencia

‘Abuelos’

“Riding my green bike down the wrong side of the road, I think back to a year ag o, s itin g in my b e dro om in Aus tralia; this p lac e wa s entirely unthinka b le to me. I enj oy p h oto gra p hy. As a student, learning and growing in my passion, I wait for opportunities to arise, envisioning every visible object in this cobble stoned city of Valencia, surrounded by a tiny black frame. Each face tells a different story. Each person, young and old, helps make up this diverse place. They beget questions, stories, moments. It is easy to overlook those who surround us, busy in the mundane routine of the every day life. Only rarely do we

look up from our coffee and smile at a stranger, or wonder what stories that man under the tree has to tell. I often sit and wonder what the “Abuelos” are doing or talking about, sitting under the trees. I only hope that the older people I have captured, question the moments that surround us. All these “abuelos” and many others, the father and son, the angry glances, laughter and the heated conversation, are the cobble stones of my Valencia. rosalie.hayek@gmail.com

FOOD

HOME SWEET HOME I’m not sure what it is about any type of roasted chicken, but it does possess that unique and unsurpassable ability to bring people together, calm them down, and make them happy. It’s one of those reassuring comfort foods to end all others. I love asking people what their favourite dish is, their favourite dish their Mum makes, the dish they love to come home to, the dish they like leaving to, what they like to eat when they’re sad and blue, and what meal they’d enjoy most for a family occasion and siempre siempre siempre, it is Roast Chicken. I made this dish with chicken supreme, which is a breast with the skin on and one joint of the wing. This is a nice way to posh up roasted chicken and it makes serving rather less difficult. The small wing joint it keeps an otherwise boring breast, juicy and flavourful, and being more partial to a thigh myself, I find this an acceptable and lovely alternative.

To find gorgeous free-range chickens in the Mercado Central, look no further than Pepe Sanchis. Pepe has a chicken stall towards the meat end of the market and sells ‘pollo de corral’. This is good, oldfashioned free-range chicken, and you can order in advance here, or have Pepe butcher you exactly what you need. If you don’t want to use only chicken breasts however, just bone a whole chicken into pieces instead. Whatever you like.

Chicken Supreme with Herbs and Lemon

Serves 4

• 4 chicken breast supremes (skin and first wing joint attached) • 1 lemon cut into wedges • ½ cup olive oil • A mixture of dried and fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, lavender (yes, lavender!), chili flakes, sage, fennel seeds, parsley, basil and oregano • 4 cloves garlic, smashed • 1 leek roughly chopped • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper 1. Firstly, get your herbs ready, the Mercado has plenty of dried herb shops and also a lovely green herbs and salad leaf lady in the veg section where it joins the fish market. Buy a bunch of fresh thyme, some sage and rosemary. Pull the leaves off the thyme; finely chop the sage and rosemary. Buy some combination of dried herbs from what I have suggested in the recipe list. Altogether you will need about half a cup of herby mix. You can always dry the leftover fresh herbs by hanging them up, as dried herbs will last for ages. You could even keep the leftover spice mix for other things such as marinated feta, for example. 2. In the morning get your chicken breasts, put them in a big bowl with the smashed cloves of garlic and the roughly chopped leek. Squeeze

BUZZING IRISH PUB

the lemon over this and throw in the wedges as well, sprinkle over your herb mix and salt and pepper. Drizzle over the olive oil and now mix it all around with your hands. Leave this in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours. 3. Two hours before serving, take the chicken out of the fridge to come to room temperature – about 30 minutes. Set your oven to 200ºC and find a baking tray that will fit all the chicken in snugly. Set a large fry pan over high heat and add some butter and olive oil to the pan. When the butter is foaming, add the chicken, skin side down to the pan and allow it to brown to a nice golden colour, about 3 - 4 minutes. You will not need to turn them, this is merely to brown the skin side. Brown the lemon wedges as well. Keep an eye on the temperature so as not to burn them instead of browning them. Once the skin side is brown, put all the chicken pieces, leeks, garlic and lemon wedges in the baking tray skin side up and bake in a moderately hot oven for about 45 minutes. 4. If you have a fan-forced oven, turn it down to about 180ºC or it will dry them out too much. Be careful to choose a pan that all the pieces will fit into nice and tightly, with their skin side up. If there is too much space between the breasts they will dry out as well. 5. Serve this chicken with seriously smooth and silky mashed potatoes (lots of butter to emulsify is the key here!) and some steamed green beans and you have a simple, happy and delicious meal to bring everyone home to. Restaurant-wise, I’ve enjoyed the hip décor, friendly vibe and free tapas with drinks at the chill out bar Laboratorio, just off Plaza de la Virgen. Vintara has a wonderful terraza on Plaza de la Reina to soak up the sun and tasty fish and rice dishes throughout the week. I’m planning to savour soon the newish French restaurant in the old town, La Francesa del Carmen, because I hear the dishes are homemade, authentic and good value… with North African touches like Couscous, too! ¡Que Provecho!

RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH

LA GRETA The first thing you notice as you walk through the red door of La Greta, a tapas restaurant between C/ Guillem de Castro and C/ Turia, is a large portrait of a woman. The woman is La Greta, a Gallega who ran one of the most notorious brothels in Paris during the German occupation in World War Two. The restaurant is named for her. Demis Roussos played a part in our dinner as one of his early EP covers was the cover of our menu, just his face, not the kaftaned full body. It is a small but interesting menu, with three salads and ten tapas each of vegetarian and meat. The restaurant is run by four women, Cristina, Carmen, and the two cocineras Marta and Silvia. Carmen, who served us, suggested 3 tapas and a salad would be enough. We took a long time to decide as there were things on the menu we make really well ourselves, and it’s always a worry ordering these dishes as your preconceived idea of what yours should taste like rarely lets someone else’s version taste right. So we didn’t order the Hummus or the Taboulet. We opted for the Mango and spinach salad with a cheese vinaigrette, followed by Croquetas de pollo con rucola,

Carridilla de cerdo en vino tinto, and some Tostas with goat’s cheese and tomato marmalade. I love my tomato marmalade! I first had it in Valencia over 15 years ago at a very funny dinner when I was visiting the city for the furniture fair (remind me to tell you the full story one day) and have been a fan ever since. Though it is also something I make, I can never resist tasting it at restaurants if I am assured it is casera - homemade. This one wasn’t bad at all. The salad was huge and had much more in it than described in the menu, including raw mushrooms, tiny sprouts, cherry tomatoes and radish. The dressing was excellent. Never sure about croquetas, but these were very tasty, too, with a couple of creamy dips, one pink, one green (beetroot and rucola). The carridilla was melt in the mouth pork in a rich sauce, lots of it, great with the lovely bread for dunking! We had a couple of glasses of the house red which was surprisingly good. No room for pudding, though we noted there were only two on offer. A ‘Tarta de chocolat’ and a ‘Tarta de queso’, but we are not great pudding eaters anyway and they are probably excellent! La Goora and I went on a rainy Monday night (will this rain never end?) and were very surprised to find it quite full and buzzing, well over three quarters full.

It is a restaurant with no pretensions, bare black tables and bistro chairs, cutlery wrapped in red paper napkins and friendly service, which attracts an eclectic crowd. A table of friends and family here, over there a group of musicians (one with an intriguing T-shirt – Paddy&Kevin&Seán&Matt? [answers on a postcard please!]), and then a party of three Americans, a couple with Mom (but whose Mom? His or hers?). Behind us were a Ukranian and Valencian talking together in very broken English. Dishes are well priced between 3 and 15 euros but average around 6 euros, so expect to pay around 50 for two including wine. La Greta gets our vote for a relaxed dinner of interesting, well-prepared and presented food. It’s open every day from 19.00- 01.00. It would be fair to say you should probably book since there were 10 full tables and Demis Roussos on the Monday we went.

Tim Birch

La Greta C/ Pere Bonfill, 7, bajo, corner C/ Turia Tel: 96 332 24 47 Open Monday to Sunday, 19.00h - 1.00h Photos Tim Birch, Article © 24/7 Valencia 2008

SOMETHING’S HAPPENING DOWN IN THE TURIA

TOUCH RUGBY Many things have happened since that fateful day down in the Turia when I was first… for want of a better word… touched. I wore a younger man’s clothes back then, had a little more hair and a little less gut, and a spring in my stride that was tantamount to a bounce. Although three long years have now passed, I remember it as if it were yesterday and firmly believe that it is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my days. She approached from behind. Silently and effortlessly. I sensed her closeness but was too anxious to look back. Though not yet versed in the art, I instinctively knew what to expect. At the last moment, with some visceral urge rekindled, my self-preservation kicked into gear and I veered to the right, hoping to make it through to the clearing beyond. But all was in vain. “¡¡Jolines!!, t’he tocao. He dicho, ¡¡¡Tocao!!! Será cabrón” was all I heard. It was over. Touch, Six Down, or Touch Rugby as it is known internationally, although relatively new to Valencia, is not a new sport since the first official club was founded on 13 July 1968. Like many other sports where scantily-clad groups of people run around chasing a ball for no apparent reason (to the untrained eye), it spawns from the rich cultural heritage of our Antipodean cousins. For those of you who know something of rugby, Touch is similar to Rugby League but with the bone-crunching tackles replaced by the deftest of touches. For those of you who know nothing of rugby, think of stuck-inthe-mud with a large egg. Yes, I think that captures it quite well.

Titillatingly brief outline of the rules – unashamedly pilfered from the Federation of International Touch’s playing rules: Game duration: Two 20-minute halves with a 1-minute halftime. Six players are allowed on the field at any one time. A legal touch is on any part of the body, clothing and ball. When touched, the player in possession must place the ball on the ground at the exact point of the touch. Play is restarted by stepping over the ball. After 6 touches possession changes. If the ball is dropped or if a player crosses the sideline before being touched, change of possession will occur. A try is scored by grounding the ball on, or behind, the try-line.

Some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about Touch Rugby. Q: What equipment will I need to play Touch?

A: When you are ready to hang up your touch rugby boots, your face won’t look like that of a bulldog licking piss off a stinging nettle! Training and friendlies for Mixed Touch take place on the all-weather pitches in the Turia, just down from the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, every Sunday morning at 10:30h and Thursday evenings at 20:30h. We welcome players of all levels, heights and weights, ages, hirsuteness, ethnic origin, sex, and sexual orientation. If anyone has a particularly humorous speech impediment, that would be cool, too. Why not learn how to wrap, squeeze, snap, scoot and dump with the rest of us as we frantically chase a ball around a field? “Touching cloth” on a Sunday morning down in the Turia might never be the same again… Oh, yes, I was told to say that it is a great way to keep fit, stay in shape and meet some genuinely funny, friendly and interesting people!! PS. If anyone reading this article is rich, is related to someone rich, will become rich in the foreseeable future (very short term), or knows someone rich, then please do not hesitate to get in contact. The Mixed Team will be representing Spain in the upcoming Europeans in Paris in July and we are shamelessly looking for sponsors so we don’t have to sell raffle tickets.

A: A ball, sports shoes or boots and a rectangular playing area. If you have legs and lungs, can count to six, can catch and throw an oddly shaped ball, and have a penchant for touching complete strangers, then Touch could be the game for you.

Stephen McCullough

Q: What is the major advantage of Touch Rugby when compared to its rather more aggressive and frightfully brutish counterparts, Rugby Union and Rugby League?

Jen Lee (Trainer) jenlee1980@hotmail.co.uk

For more details, please contact:

BOOK REVIEWS

GOORU’S BOOKSHELF It’s amazing how the weather takes up so much of our time in conversation wherever you are in the world. The British have a terrible reputation for it, but I would say the Valencians are as bad, if not worse! Particularly when the weather is slightly unusual like, say, the past 9 years. When we first arrived on these shores to live all those years ago, there was a heat wave on. That is what we were told by everyone we encountered – “Qué calor! This is hotter than we ever remember!” This was followed by a particularly wet autumn and this, of course, was described by all you met as quite extraordinary and “not in living memory”! Successive seasons and years have proved to just as unusual, so my question is this: Is the weather really changing that much, or does everyone just have a really bad memory? I have to say that I don’t personally remember a wetter May, when so many events have been washed out; a Valencian friend tells me the last time was 15 years ago. It would be nice to think it goes some way to helping improve the almost disastrous water situation in the Comunidad Valenciana this summer. I have to say, though, that it is surprising how depressing these grey days have been. From weather to food now, A Late Dinner by Paul Richardson is subtitled ‘Discovering the Food of Spain’. It is a journey through some of the great restaurants, chefs and growers of the country in search of Spanish Cuisine. We visit most parts of the country and many of Spain’s finest restaurants, including, of course, El Bulli, superstar chef Ferran Adrià’s celebrated restaurant. Food has certainly changed in this country over the past few years - just look at Valencia and how many excellent Article ©2008 24/7Valencia

new eateries have opened - but still most food is rooted in the peasant cooking of the past. Much as I liked this book, and the writing is often inspired, I felt that he should have taken the reader to some more of the ordinary places and people’s homes. Back to the weather now via a crime novel by a writer who is new to me, Stephen Booth. Set in the Peak District in the middle of winter, Dying to Sin is a great read in which weather features heavily. The rain and the cold hamper the police as they try to find out who killed the two bodies found in shallow graves on an isolated farm. I shall be looking out for others in the series, there seem to be nine novels so far featuring the two main detectives. If you are a regular reader of this column you will already know that I am a great fan of A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. So I was really pleased when one of the Goorettes bought me a copy of her latest book Two Caravans. Marina is a seriously funny writer and in this novel she tackles migrant workers, both legal and illegal, in Britain today, starting in two caravans on a strawberry farm in Kent and moving on to a road-trip through England to Sheffield. The book is written in several voices including that of a dog and has moments of great satire, slapstick and comedy - it tackles an interesting and difficult subject in a clever and funny way. It gives a very good picture of Britain politically and socially

and I thought it was an even better read than Tractors. Finally for this month, John Berendt’s The City of Falling Angels is a marvellous book. Early in 1996, The Fenice Opera House in Venice burned to the ground. Berendt, who arrived in the city three days later and was intrigued by the rumours flying around Venice as to the cause of the fire (arson?) and its source (Mafia?), decides to stick around to find out more, not just about the fire but about Venice, too. This is a Who’s Who of Venice, as Berendt seems to get close to anyone who is anyone in the city. It is beautifully written, you feel that you are reading a novel. My only gripe is that he regularly puts words into people’s mouths - he writes their dialogue even when he is not witness to what they are saying - but it is a very minor gripe. I couldn’t put this book down. Now I can’t wait to read his previous massive bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Let’s hope that by the time you are reading this Valencia’s weather is back to normal. See you next month. Gooru

The leading English-speaking website of Valencia www.thisisvalencia.com now features trailers of all the ﬁlms currently showing in VO (Original Version) at Valencia’s Cinemas Albatross and Babel, Cine Cite Espai and IVAC-La Filmoteca – click on the page to watch. Check out this excellent website for exclusive interviews, reports, updates and more!

MUSIC REVIEWS

GIG GUIDE

Another great month for music in Valencia. Let’s kick off with what’s happening at Wah-Wah. They’ve got a mighty line-up of bands every Friday and Saturday night. My highlights include Vetusta Morla, who bring their alternative pop rock to town on 7 June; Gary Louris (ex-Jayhawks) will be performing his folk rock on 19 June; Cretino’s Borne do their punk comedy routine on 20 June, while the poppy Autonautas take the stage on 28 June.

El Loco means variety: Neorama from Sevilla start the month off on 5 June. On Saturday 7 June there’s an Aretha Franklin tribute act to die for and Marc Parrot plays at El Loco 13 June. This time around, Marc will be playing songs from his new CD ‘Interferència’. On Saturday 15 June there’s another night of tribute acts – this time La Kozmic Band play the music of Janis Joplin with support act the Other Doors. On 19 June, Argentineans Ratones Paranoicos rock the house and the next night El Loco plays host to the electronic funk of Venueconnection. The best gig of the month looks like Los Chicos del Hormiguero on 21/22 June – they’re a fresh and dynamic comedy group from Spain’s most happening live TV show. Latin jam every Wednesday night.

Black Note has its Tonky Jam sessions every Monday night. There’s always something going on at Black Note. On 6 June, Monaco will be performing songs from their new CD. Valencia’s favourite singer-songwriter Julio Bustamante will be performing on 17 June and The Suitcase Brothers Band can be expected to bring the house down with their explosive R&B on 26 June.

Celia Mur is a local artist whose talent attracts an ever growing legion of admirers, both nationally and abroad. We are lucky to have her back in town for two performances at Café Mercedes Jazz on 5/6 June. The soul funk of Julian Maeso will hit the same stage on 10 June. And on 14 June, Mercedes Jazz welcome back Yambú, a world standard Latin Jazz sextet. If modern melodic jazz is your bag, the Bruce Arkin Quartet will be playing on 20/21 June. Mercedes Jazz is also starting a run of silent films accompanied by live music on Sunday evenings. Regular jam sessions every Wednesday night.

If it’s jazz you’re after, look no further than Jimmy Glass on Tuesday nights – you never know what great talent is going to be taking the stage. La Edad de Oro now has regular live bands with rock ‘n’ roll, mod and Tex-Mex this month! Tuesday nights at Radio City means flamenco – always has, always will. Café del Duende is the other flamenco haunt to frequent with regular gigs every Thursday and Friday nights. Marcos Requena is a rising talent worth catching on 5 June, and Perico el de Dora will be singing his heart out on 27 June.

Don’t forget – the Police concert is on 2 July and the Festival International de Benicassim (www.fiberfib.com) is happening on 17-20 July featuring the Raconteurs, Morrissey, Gnarls Barkley and Leonard Cohen among others.

- See agenda for more details. Xiansadan

‘MIRADAS DE MALVARROSA’

Enjoy this exclusive collection of photos from Malvarrosa by our professional photographer Manu San Martín. You’ll find plenty of information about Malvarrosa on page 8. Manu_sanmartin@yahoo.es Tel: 96 315 42 47 Movil: 678 666 470 www.manusanmartin.com

24/7 CROSSWORD JUNE 08

ACROSS: 1. Oscar-nominated Australian actor who died in January aged 28. (5,6) 7. In which city was Che Guevara born? 8. What is VAT in Spanish? 9. What is the golf term for a hole finished two strokes under par? 11. Swedish car manufacturer. 13. What is the collective name for a group of kangaroos? 15. Currently taking place in Zaragoza. 17. First name of the man who won the Tour de France seven times in a row. 21. Spike Milligan’s epitaph reads “Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite” (“I told you I was ___”). 22. Valencia venue named after a French artist. 23. Celebrated music festival which taking place on the last weekend of this month. DOWN: 1. Who created Tintin? 2. The law is sometimes compared to this animal. 3. Complete the name of this exhibition basketball team: The ______ Globetrotters. 4. Which famous public school did Princes William and Harry attend? 5. Who was La Liga’s top goalscorer in the 2007-08 season? 6. Galician version of a fjord. 10. Complete the name of this celebrated French city: ___-EnProvence. 12. Martin Fry is the leader of which pop group? (1,1,1) 14. Who created The Famous Five? 15. Which TV family lived at Southfork? 16. What is the capital of the Balearic Islands? 18. What is the name of the UK’s public heath programme? (1,1,1) 19. Who is the manager of Valencia CF? 20. To leave something out. MAY 2008 ANSWERS: ACROSS: 4. Voro. 6. Sardana. 8. Mae West. 9. Jaws. 10. Asunción. 13. i.e. 14. Envy. 15. Cam. 17. Rome. 19. OD. 20. Sonsoles. 22. Borg. 24. No Doubt. 26. Rainier. 27. León. DOWN: 1. Zara. 2. Odyssey.3. James. 4. Vienna. 5. Rue. 7. Stanley. 10. ABC. 11. iPod. 12. Nelson’s. 13. Ivan. 16. Mus. 17. Robbins. 18. Column. 21. Extra. 23. Reed. 25. Doe.

Arrange the letters from the seven shaded boxes to form the name of a country. Email the answer to 247crossword@gmail.com along with your full name, using JUNE as the subject line. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries received by June 24.

FRIENDLY AND AUTHENTIC INDIAN RESTAURANT WITH TASTY CUISINE

VALENCIA FOOTBALL

Cañizares at his last match for Valencia!

TRAGEDY

First things first, in what will be the final article about Valencia Club de Fútbol for the present season; you’ll probably read various words such as tragic, disaster, etc., but let’s put things in order. Last week four men sadly died whilst building the new stadium. The grief of their families and friends cannot even begin to be imagined by you and I. Theirs is a tragic year, theirs is a disastrous time. Football, after all, is only a game.

A game that Valencia have played exceedingly poorly this year, on and off the pitch. The mistakes are too numerous to mention and began last summer when the President hummed and ahhed, fired Carboni and kept Quique in place, even though he was not convinced by the manager’s tactics and style. Koeman’s appointment must go down as one of the worst decisions in footballing

history, on a par with Mendieta’s decision to join Lazio, and Valencia’s season went plummeting down faster than a lead balloon wearing wet flannel pyjamas and hobnail boots. The decision to “defenestrate” Albelda, Angulo and Cañizares was debatable. The club’s inability to act on the manager’s decision was inexcusable. The players did not give their all, the manager lost the drive, confidence and plot, in that order, and so Valencia finished tenth and King’s Cup winners. What will next season bring? Well, for starters we have a new manager, Unai “Dick” Emery (ooh you are awful!). A relatively untried Basque ex-footballer, who has done quite well at Almería, has been given the job of getting the show back on the road. He could be good, he could be bad – no one knows, but Emery is the chosen one in the club’s blinkered attempt to find the new Benítez. You know when you’re

getting old when Valencia’s manager is younger than yourself and at 36 Emery seems a trifle inexperienced to be given such a big task. We still don’t know what players he will have at his disposal when the season kicks off in August with the Spanish “Supercopa”, when Valencia’s opponent will be Real “Marca” Madrid. Now I for one am not a Man U fan, but Fergie has got a point when he says that Madrid use the press to destabilise players. The sports paper’s attempt to convince one and all that Cristiano Ronaldo should be playing for Real Madrid by some kind of royal decree has to be one of the most despicable pieces of ‘journalism’ in living memory. They would have us believe that he left his mother’s womb crying that he wanted to play for the Merengues. Anyway, with or without Ronaldo, Valencia are going to beat “Madrit” and make us believe once again in the team. Joaquín could go; Villa seems set to pack © 24/7 Valencia 2008

There’s a new governor in town!

Silva is worth millions

Miguel wants to go

David Villa… up in the air?

his bags whilst Barca want to sign Silva. As for signings, all is quiet on the Sánchez front, as the new technical director aims to sell rather than buy. Talk of Zapater and Sergio García fill me with dread, whilst rumours abound that the club may sign some players from Almería. The (ex) President refuses to sell whilst the club’s economy sinks further and further into debt. Wicked whispers abound that there are serious problems in paying wages and bills over the summer. Where is this super-rich club we were promised only a year ago, where is the team that would make us so proud and where is the (ex) President? I can’t help thinking he’ll hang around until the stadium is finished. Who would like to bet on the stadium’s new name... “Estadio (Juan) Bautista Soler would be a fair wager. In all reality, Valencia should finish next season in the top four even if they had a monkey as a manager (so what does that make Koeman then?) and Emery seems a shrewd dude. We can look forward to

blustery & wintry Thursday afternoons of UEFA Cup football, watching Valencia take on part-time Ukrainian tractor engineers whilst remembering the Champions League games of the previous two evenings. That’s where we are right now thanks to Juan Soler. A great club on the brink of ruin. Thank you Mr. (Ex) President. As already stated, all this is nothing compared to the grief of the loved ones of the four men tragically killed whilst constructing a stadium where you and I will go with our families to enjoy ourselves.

D. Luis Medano Sinchuguano Toapanda (44 years old)

D. Nelson Rocha (38 years old)

D. Enrique Pradas Franco (24 years old)

Amunt

D. José Vilanova Rosas (22 years old)

Landed

Shades

Underworld

Ladytron at the Forward Festival 08

Pop

Dusk

Good times

3 AM

No hands!

Faces

Fangoria Nosotras

Think Amigas

Nancys Rubias All photos Manu Fernandez ÂŠ2008 24/7Valencia Tel. 655 487 704

CLUBLAND

Hello, Clubland ! Here we are again, updating you with the movements of the nightlife in Valencia. And as always you have a great variety of places to visit and listen to good music of all genres, 7 days a week, amplified by the talented local DJs and international mainstream acts that are coming to town in June. Mmmm….Where do we start? Where am I, for example, sounds like a good start! You can see me playing house flavours every Friday in L’Umbracle, located in the City of Arts and Sciences (for those of you who are still not aware of the amazing music terrace). I kick off around 2.00h and then hoist my record-bag downstairs to the increasingly popular super club Mya, literally underneath L’Umbracle. For those of you who haven’t visited yet, it packs an awesome sound system and always has a top crowd to keep you happy until the early hours!! Entrance between the two clubs is inclusive so whether you fancy chilling on the terrace or bopping your socks off downstairs the choice is yours, the best of both worlds. I am accompanied in the terrace on Fridays by my good friend Robin Orlando, who also plays on Thursdays alongside Cosy O giving you hip-hop / funky flavours, for those of you that like to start the weekend early. Full details of up-and-coming events, location, etc., can be found on the website www.umbracleterraza.com, I’ll see you there!! Saturdays you can ﬁnd me playing soulful house in the classic Mosquito located in C/ Polo y Peyrolón. The door is open from 24.00h until 3.30h and in addition to my house sessions on Saturdays, you can appreciate hip-hop styles on Thursday and ‘80s Remember music on Friday from Manolo. This is a top place to kick off the night with a friendly atmosphere, good people (from Erasmus to locals) and funky music. Summer is here, almost ! Not that it

feels like it with the string of overcast weekends we have been experiencing, putting dampers on the terraces that are springing into action. A great example is one of my favourites, the Estrella Damm Lounge located in the port. Here you can enjoy lounge / chill-out music during the early hours of the day, whilst enjoying the great sea views of the port and sunshine. As the afternoon approaches, the music goes up a gear with elegant funky / deep house and minimal flavours played by some of the biggest local DJs here in Valencia such as Fernando Luna , Alberto Vidal, Walter Da Funk, Al-Nandez and myself, of course. In June, the Lounge is also hosting names such as Jimspter, Nacho Marco and subharmonics. So, for me, if the sun’s out, it’s the place to be!! On 12 June DJ Paul Childs is hosting a red and white party celebrating his birthday (happy birthday mate). I will be there alongside him making sure it goes off with a bang so get your red and white clobber out and come along, let’s hope the sun’s shining!!! (www. estrelladammlounge.com) Looking for an alternative? How about Doo Bop in El Loco in the Juan Llorens area. This place has been dedicated to funk, soul jazz and hip-hop since its launch in March and it’s building a great reputation with resident DJs Jordan (3mv), José Mardigras and Javi Funkeluya. The sessions are free and start around midnight. You can find Doo Bop in C/ Erudito Orellana, 12, and also check out the website for further listings, www.doobop.es. What’s new and different?? Why not try BBBBBC (BarBerBirBorBur Club) on La Alameda. This place is hosting off-key electronic styles, with smears of retro and old school analogue sounds from forgotten pop, and some great acts in June such as ‘Neonman’. He was an important fixture in the development of electronic rock since the ‘90s and also as a DJ. Neonman will be visiting in the early part of the month as well as ‘Sinden’ from Domino Records in London. Another English act coming nearer the end of this month’s line-up I’m looking forward to is the DMX Krew, known for their releases on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label. These guys are known for their unique electro / retro sound and this is one not to be missed, get it in the diary. Piccadilly, as always, is hosting events throughout the week with the likes of

Casius Tonen touching down with the ‘Funk You’ live sessions on Mondays and Manu Fernández with freestyle electro on Tuesdays. Wednesdays hosts ‘80s/’90s pop, rock and disco from resident DJ Benji and his guests as well as Thursdays with the ‘Campus’ parties following the same trends of music all the way through the week, Sundays as well. Piccadilly is free to enter and open until 7.30h in C/ Embajador Vich. Check it out!(www. groovelives.com/picadilly.htm) The Mill Club is also hosting some exiting events this month including one of my favourites: M.A.N.D.Y (Get Physical) on Friday 27th. One to go see if you like minimal techno. The line ups are always pretty solid in The Mill with variations in the three rooms to keep you entertained mainly playing minimal, techno and funk. Fernando Luna, Alberto Vidal and Sergio Máñez are hosting the Final Festival Emergenza on Saturday 14th accompanied by Furry [Funk you!] + Cok [3mv] in the freestyle room. The Mill is just off the Av. del Puerto in C/ Padre Porta, 2. Again open until 7.30h and entry is only 8€ at the door. The lineup is great throughout the month so see www.themillclubs.com. Time is precious as always in this rapidly moving city with too much to do and not enough time to do it! Hope this gives all you clubbers and night seekers a range of places to visit this month and be cool if I get to see a few of you on my travels. Feel free to check me out at www.myspace.com/ds2productions where you can listen to my current and forthcoming releases and up-and-coming events. Also feel free to contact me at ds2productions@hotmail.com with any questions or comments. See you around, party people……… “BRING ON THE NIGHT”

Encapotao- Descapotao The term ‘Encapotao’ refers to a typical description, used by the ‘campesinos’ of the central region of Venezuela, for a very cloudly sk y with rain arriving soon. In this par t of the countr y, which is ver y flat, you notice ever y change of weather and for that reason the skies are all the more impressive. In Valencia, Spain, it’s typical to see clear, blue skies. However, the rain of recent months has transformed the Valencian skies into a kaleidoscope of colours, tones and forms. The majority of these photos were taken in la huerta, surrounding Valencia and a few in the city itself. This collection is a meeting point beteween the countryside of Venezuela and the countryside of Valencia.” N.F.

Natalia Figueroa González is a trained photographer and qualified artist from Caracas, Venezuela. She came to Valencia to study a Masters in photography at ‘la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia’. She has held a number of exhibitions in both Spain and her native country. She is currently working in Valencia with a number of publications and web pages. Email: nataliaﬁgz@gmail.com

Pine trees and coves in Jávea We have been cycling from Denia to Jávea (Xabia), taking the Cabo de San Antonio as the main reference, but now we’re going to cycle south, to Cabo de la Nao, discovering some other beautiful places in the area. Jávea and the surrounding countryside is one of the prettiest areas in the País Valencia. Leaving the village, you can head towards Arenal beach, perfect for a quick dip in the sea, with its fine sand and clear water – although there are plenty of tourists who will be doing the same in the summer months. You’ll find more tranquil places later on where you can relax and enjoy the sea, so don’t worry if this nice sandy beach is packed. At the end of Arenal beach, follow the road that runs to Cabo de la Nao, which runs gently uphill through dense woodlands full of pine trees and Mediterranean bushes. This road overlooks cliffs with fantastic views over the sea… you will see a stone cross to the left, which is the beginning of a wonderful pedestrian path that leads to the seashore. If you have a mountain bike, you can even try to do it. On the main road, a kilometre and a half later, another road to your left leads down to sea level, to the Cala del Portixol, a delightfully pretty cove. As soon as you start the descent, you can see the island that protects the little bay with its stony beach and crystal clear waters. To the right, on the beach, is the La Barraca restaurant, a great place to eat arroz a banda cooked in a large casserole and

made with excellent, freshly caught seafood. Taking the beach as the central point, there are pedestrian routes to the right and left along the coast where you can enjoy the unspoilt fauna of the sea, clearly visible as you walk because of the amazing transparency of the water. Going back to the original main road, now turn left towards Cabo de la Nao. This is another pretty road cutting through pines, and the views from the headland (el Cabo) are worth checking out. Go back down the road that led to the Cabo, and then turn towards the left to descend again, this time to visit the cove named Cala de Granadella. The descent runs towards the sea along a narrow, curvy path whose beauty is jaw dropping. There is a densely rich growth of pines, bushes, shrubs and flowers on both sides of the path in one of the most beautiful landscapes you can see close to the seashore. The beauty of the descent prepares you for this stunning little cove, flanked by two enormous mountains, with round stones for its beach and enticing water. It’s an amazing little part of our region, in some ways a very typical cove of the Mediterranean Sea, hidden between big mountains, beautiful and protected from the open sea. As you can see when you get closer to the sea, there are only a few little houses in a block, used in the past by the fishermen who had their small fishing boats on the left shore of Granadella.

WOMAN

Anita and the Cities It is always thought to be terribly British, and also terribly boring, to drone on constantly about the weather but who honestly is talking about anything else at the moment? I never thought I’d use my Wellington boots, a Christmas present from the lovely Lolita, at all in this City but the last few weeks have really put them to the test as I splashed around in all the puddles I could. As if I was five again.

For ten days in May, however, I managed to escape the torrential downpours as I jetted over to the U.K. for a short getaway. I left Valencia pouring with rain, and walked off the plane at Gatwick into bright bright sunshine, and it stayed that way for the whole of my trip. I was probably lucky enough to experience the whole British summer! I had the most wonderful sunny weekend in London to kickstart my trip, and it couldn’t have been more perfect - from Mojitos in Covent Garden to Antique shopping in Portobello to Cumberland sausages in Notting Hill to picnics on Primrose Hill to Pear Cider (definitely not Babycham) in Bethnal Green, it was so chic I felt like I was about to bump into Sienna and Keira any minute. An extortionately expensive coach trip later and I was down by the sea in Bournemouth for lazy times with my aunt and cousins, bargains in vintage stores and a scrummy meal outdoors on their idyllic patio (accompanied by a salad that I made an absolutely awful dressing for but everybody very politely pretended to thoroughly enjoy). From Bournemouth I went to Southampton for a BBQ with my cousin and his sexy

surfer dude friends, where I drunk far too much Pimm’s, then spent the next six days moving from town to town all the way along the South coast, in a non-stop whirlwind of visits to cousins, friends, aunts and uncles. I hadn’t been back for nearly two years, and I did feel like a bit of a foreigner yet on extremely familiar ground at the same timetrying to count out pennies and pounds at cash desks nearly got me into serious trouble. One, when did English coins get so big and two, when did English people become so impatient? I may look and sound like a Londoner, but I’m not! Honestly! To be back where I grew up after being in VLC for such a long time really is an odd feeling and I have to admit it was good to be home and hear “Typical Spanish” hustle and bustle once more. The first question I had to answer from my girls Misses R and C as soon as I set foot on Valencian ground was if I had seen Sarah Jessica Parker. Yes, that’s right, the muchawaited premiere of the Sex and the City movie took place on English soil the same time I was there, but alas, I was unable to even think about getting near the place. However, the Spanish release date is everso-soon and the girls and I cannot talk about anything else, it is just too exciting. The six-season series that inspired a thousand outfits, sparked countless controversies and brought us four incredibly strong role models for women is finally hitting the big screen for a triumphant last good bye. Two hours and 30 minutes of laughter, tears, and incredible fashion await, and we plan to step out onto the streets having pulled together the most City-esque items from our wardrobes to make even Patricia Field proud, drink cosmopolitans and make a proper night out of finding out just how big Carrie’s new closet is. Now I am back in my City, I am finally working full time at The Bank, which means dipping into my overdraft slightly less likely, and to celebrate being back we have been hitting our new favourite haunt, the Excuse Me? Club at Zenith on Blasco Ibáñez, where I have a bit of a thing for one of the DJs. He seems to think I have impeccable taste in music, too, and tends to honour my requests - no mean feat these days when most DJs think they are too cool for school and the crowd can’t get a single song played. The 50s to 00s soul, swing and r ‘n’ r upstairs make us see where Amy Winehouse, Duffy and the like got their inspiration, and downstairs in the main room, songs from The Ting Tings to Blur to

Uffie to 2Many DJs provide no excuse not to get on the dance floor and have a right boogie. It’s certainly getting us in the mood for dancing our way through this Summer’s music festivals. And making us cross our fingers so we can dance outdoors with no more rain!

Piece of This! · Please step out in your most stylish outfits this month in a tribute to Fashion’s most revolutionary figure, Yves Saint Laurent, who very sadly passed away at 71. · Cannes Festival - it’s enough to make you want to move to France. · Brangelina’s new babies! Hats off to the celebrity couple of the moment and their six children. Quite possibly the most fashionable family on the planet.

Diss on That · The rain. It’s all I have to moan about right now, though I have to admit my balcony is looking all the more green and lush for it.

YUSO

02. LA EDAD DE ORO 04. THE LOUNGE ORANGE BIKESA/ DJANGO LA FLAMA / ORIENT XPRESS SINPY JO’S TAPAS 2 GASTRONOMIK

LABORATORIO FINNEGANS/VINTARA CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ

CARPE DIEM BOCOCO

GUINNESS HOUSE

SHERLOCK HOLMES CULLERA DEL PALAU EL BOTIJO

LA SOIREE

DOO BOP

DISCO CITY

GREGAL BACCO DOC / DON SALVATORE

JUNE 08 / JUNIO 08

24/7 VALENCIA LIVE MUSIC & CLUBS AGENDA TUESDAY / MARTES 3

SATURDAY / SÁBADO 7

FRIDAY / VIERNES 13

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Julian Maeso Organ Trio 22.30h /24.00h 5€ con caña/refresco. JIMMY GLASS: Tania Schilenske Quartet (jazz) 21.30h 7€ Aforo Limitado. RADIO CITY: Arachí, Flamenco en vivo con Habibi (lute Arabe) 23.00h 7€ con consumición.

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Moi & Tere Duo 23.00h /00.30h 12€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Freshfood DJs + Jordan [3mv]. EL LOCO: Galetes Franklin (Tribute Aretha Franklin) 22.00h 12€/15€. MILL CLUB: Manu Bermejo & Lukka + Nacho Anibal / Fresh Food DJs / Raoul Duke + Dr. Gonzo. PICCADILLY: Pinball Crew. SHERLOCK HOLMES: Nanos Blues en directo 23.30h Gratis. TANGO Y TRUCO: Live world music 21.00h. WAH WAH: Vetusta Morla (pop) 23.00h 10€.

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Leo Molina y Su Gente (flamenco) 23.30h.

SUNDAY / DOMINGO 8

SATURDAY / SÁBADO 14

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Cinema y Música con cortometrajes de Man Ray y otros, música en directo por Albert Sanz 19.30h 9€ con cosumición.

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Irene Aranda Trio 23.00h /00.30h 12€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): José Mardigras + Javi Funkeluya. EL LOCO: Flower Power Festival con La Kozmic Band (Tributo Janis Joplin) y The Other Doors (tribute acústic a Doors) 22.00h 12€/15€. LA EDAD DE ORO: The Scooters en directo (mod) 23.00h Gratis. MILL CLUB: Festival Emergenza Final en concierto / Fernando Luna + Alberto Vidal + Sergio Máñez / Furry + Cok / Turmix DJs. PICCADILLY: Populent con Lizard + Juchen + Slash. TANGO Y TRUCO: Live world music 21.00h.

WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 4 BLACK NOTE: Profussion Black Note Quartet (jazz fusion) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Gabriela Castillo Septeto (world music) 21.00h / 22.30h 6€ con caña/refresco / Jam Session con Toni Belenguer 24.00h. EL LOCO: Latin Jams 23.00h Gratis. GREENSPACE: Shemekia Copeland (blues desde EEUU) 22.00h 18€ (anticipada) / 20€ (taquilla). THURSDAY / JUEVES 5

MONDAY / LUNES 9

BLACK NOTE: Julio Galcera y Vidas Ejemplares + DJ Quique Lleido (Open jam session) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Marcos Requena y Antonio Moreno (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Coloreados Duo con Celia Mur y Kilo Aguado 22.30h /24.00h 12€ con consumición. EL LOCO: Neorama + Mister Cometa + Se Alkila 22.00h 7€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Bjorn Norestig + Tupelo Honeys.

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

FRIDAY / VIERNES 6 BLACK NOTE: Monaco (pop rock) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Noche de ‘Oído Al Cante’ con Genara Cortés y Rafael Serrano (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Coloreados Quartet con Celia Mur 23.00h /00.30h 14€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Jordan [3mv]. EL LOCO: Albertucho 22.00h 10€/12€. LA EDAD DE ORO: Radio Kaos en concierto 23.00h Gratis. MILL CLUB: Teatro: Angelo Molina + Sergio Máñez / Freestyle: Furry + Fonky Chef / Factory: Pinkrockets. PICCADILLY: El Bosque de Tallac. SHERLOCK HOLMES: Tango Sur en directo 23.30h Gratis. WAH WAH: Orujo No More (pop rock) 23.00h 5€.

TUESDAY / MARTES 10 BLACK NOTE: Breakers Party (DJs) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Julian Maeso Organ Trio 22.30h /24.00h 5€ con caña/refresco. EL LOCO: Circuit Rock 08 semifinal 22.00h Gratis. RADIO CITY: Arachí, Flamenco en vivo con Amaro Carmona, Manuel Reyes, Manuel Serena y Manuel Quintero 23.00h 7€ con consumición. WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 11 CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Gabriela Castillo (world music) 21.00 /22.30h 6€ con caña/refresco /24.00h Jam session. EL LOCO: Latin Jams 23.00h Gratis. THURSDAY / JUEVES 12 BLACK NOTE: Tremolor + DJ Casius Tonen (brasileño) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Amaro Carmona, José A. Torres, Víctor y Esther Garcés (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Yambú Latin Jazz Sextet 22.30h /24.00h 12€ con consumición. GREENSPACE: Toots & the Maytals (reggae desde Jamaica) 22.00h 20€/25€. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Zener.

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Irene Aranda Trio 23.00h /00.30h 12€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): José Mardigras + Albert Petit. EL LOCO: Marc Parrot + Combo Lipa 22.00h 6€/8€. MILL CLUB: Joel Mull / Funk You! / Paco Plaza. SHERLOCK HOLMES: Mississippi Alligators en directo 23.30h Gratis. WAH WAH: Southill (rock) 23.00h 5€.

SUNDAY / DOMINGO 15 BLACK NOTE: Eduardo Vega (pop) 20.00h Gratis. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Cinéma y Música, con City Lights por Chaplin con música en directo 19.30h 9€ con caña/refresco. LA CLACA: live flamenco 20.30h. MONDAY / LUNES 16 BLACK NOTE: Tonky Jam (Open Jam Session) 23.30h Gratis. TUESDAY / MARTES 17 BLACK NOTE: Julio Bustamante (cantautor) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Macadamia Teatro presenta Erótica, poesía viva 21.00h / 22.30h 8€ con caña/refresco. JIMMY GLASS: Albert Sanz Trio (jazz) 21.30h 7€ Aforo Limitado. RADIO CITY: Arachí, Flamenco en vivo con Romalí, Leo Molina, Toneti, Juan de copyright 24/7 Valencia ©2008

JUNE 08 / JUNIO 08 Pilar, José de Torres, y Oscar de Manuel 23.00h 7€ con consumición. WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 18 BLACK NOTE: Blues Jam Session con Fabulous Blueshakers 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Lluis Vicent (cantautor) 21.00h / 22.30h 6€ con caña/ refresco / Jam session 24.00h. THURSDAY / JUEVES 19 BLACK NOTE: Agua Negra (rock, tributo a Doobie Brohers) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Aroa Maya, Manuel Camacho, Juan de Pilar y José de Torres (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Eva Dénia Trio 22.30h /24.00h 12€ con consumición. EL LOCO: Ratones Paranoicos (rock desde Argentina) 22.00h. OCTUBRE CENTRE: Dwomo. WAH WAH: Gary Louris (folk-rock, de Jayhawks), 22.30h 15€/18€. FRIDAY / VIERNES 20 CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Lucila Duarte, David Muñiz, Juan de Pilar y El Piraña (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Bruce Arkin Quartet 23.00h /00.30h 14€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Jordan [3mv] + José Mardigras. EL LOCO: Venueconnection 22.00h 10€/12€. LA EDAD DE ORO: Los Carnales (Tex-Mex) 23.00h Gratis. MILL CLUB: Fixmer & McCarthy + Catalina Isis + Nacho Anibal / 3mv DJs / Lady Casetes. SHERLOCK HOLMES: Pau Viguer Trio en directo 23.30h Gratis. WAH WAH: Cretinos Borne (rock absurdo) 23.00h 5€. SATURDAY / SÁBADO 21 ALDAJAH REGGAE FESTIVAL (Parque Las Encrucijadas, Aldaia): Jah Cure (Jamaica) + Green Valley + … 22.00h 5€/8€. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Bruce Arkin Quartet 23.00h /00.30h 14€ con consumición. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Javi Funkeluya + Jordan [3mv]. EL LOCO: El Hombre Linterna 22.00h 10€. MILL CLUB: Kififusion en concierto 21.30h 8€/15€ / Lorena Lasanta aka Miss Shampoo + Sergio Máñez / Furry + Plan B / Aniversario Rocafull. PICCADILLY: Populent con Trasto + Chaqueta + Slash. TANGO Y TRUCO: Live world music 21.00h.

47 SUNDAY / DOMINGO 22 CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Cinéma & Music, con Berlin, Sinfonía de una Gran Ciudad, música en directo 19.30h 9€ con caña/refresco. LA SOIRÉE: DJ’s

Casius Tonen / The Beltrans Bigorra. PICCADILLY: Populent con Marc Lerma + Cuadrado + Slash PD. TANGO Y TRUCO: Live world music 21.00h. WAH WAH: Los Autonautas + Supernova + Band A Part (pop) 22.30h 5€.

TUESDAY / MARTES 24

SUNDAY / DOMINGO 29

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Macadamia Teatro presenta Erótica, poesía viva 21.00h / 22.30h 8€ con caña/refresco. RADIO CITY: Arachí, Flamenco en vivo con Kallardo, con Esther Garcés, Rafael Vargas ‘El Chino’, Miguel Pérez y Pepe Pérez 23.00h 7€ con consumición.

CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Cinéma & Music, con Tabu, A Story of the South Seas con música en directo por Vicente Espí 19.30h 9€ con caña/refresco. LA SOIRÉE: DJ’s.

WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 25 CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Lluis Vicent (cantautor) 21.00h / 22.30h 6€ con caña/ refresco / Jam session 24.00h. EL LOCO: Latin Jams 23.00h Gratis. THURSDAY / JUEVES 26 BLACK NOTE: Suitcase Brothers Band (R&B) 23.30h Gratis. CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Manuel Serena, Amaro Carmona, Manuel Reyes y Manuel Quintero (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Eva Dénia Trio 22.30h /24.00h 12€ con consumición. MILL CLUB: Techno con Eric Sneo + Nacho Anibal + Joseph Bru. FRIDAY / VIERNES 27 CAFÉ DEL DUENDE: Perico el de Dora, José Manuel González y José González (flamenco) 23.30h. CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Baker-Flors Duo 23.00h /00.30h 12€ con caña/ refresco. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Javi Funkeluya. EL LOCO: Los Vengadores 22.00h. Gratis. LA EDAD DE ORO: Los Tostaos en concierto 23.00h Gratis. MILL CLUB: M.A.N.D.Y (Alemania) + Sergio Máñez / Rocksteadybeatz / Rare Trax DJs. PICCADILLY: 1 DJ/1 Hora con Cinammon + Play4You + Eloy + ... SHERLOCK HOLMES: Polièdric Jazz en directo 23.30h Gratis. WAH WAH: Gilbertástica + Guilleminaka + ... (pop) 23.00h 5€.

IN JULY / EN JULIO WEDNESDAY / MIÉRCOLES 2 CIUTAT DE VALENCIA STADIUM: The Police CENTRO DE TECNIFICACIÓN (Alicante): Bob Dylan THURSDAY / JUEVES 3 Greenspace: Willy DeVille and Mink DeVille Band THURSDAY / JUEVES 17 TO SUNDAY / DOMINGO 20 Benicàssim: FIB Festival Aldo Linares + Babyshambles + Calvin Harris + Death Cab For Cutie + Eef Barzelay + Facto Delafé + Gnarls Barkley + John Acquaviva + The Kills + Leonard Cohen + Morente Omega con Lagartija Nick + Morrissey + My Bloody Valentine + Nada Surf + The New Pornographers + The Raconteurs + Sigur Rós + Siouxsie These New Puritans + Vincent Vincent & The Villains + Yelle… SATURDAY / SÁBADO 26 PLAZA DE TOROS (Benidorm): Lou Reed ‘Berlin’ Tour

SATURDAY / SÁBADO 28 CAFÉ MERCEDES JAZZ: Baker-Flors Duo 23.00h /00.30h 12€ con caña/ refresco. DOO BOP (at El Loco): Javi Funkeluya + José Mardigras. EL LOCO: Lucas Masciano 22.00h 10€/12€. MILL CLUB: Resident Night / Furry + copyright 24/7 Valencia ©2008