by julie_sd on Instagram
Even though I was looking forward to going to Berlin Festival this season and checking out acts like Woodkid, Jessie Ware and Black Cracker at the new festival grounds of Arena Park I ended up staying home tyed to my desk working. But in the meantime I always eyed my Instagram stream that was filled with beautiful impressions from the festival, so I actually got the feeling I was right in the middle of it thanks to all of you who actually went there. I loved so many of the photos that I decided to compile a little best of from this year’s Berlin Festival 2014. So this is my recap through your eyes and your Instagram impressions. Enjoy the huge colorful set on 4 pages after the jump.
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by Frank | Music, Party, Photos
OH. MY. GOD. I’m so relieved that after all those years I can finally blurt it out without being unsupportive of Berlin’s own precious music festival: I HATED Tempelhof as the venue for the Berlin Festival. I don’t know why, I totally love Tempelhof for all the exhibitions and trade shows. But for some reason for the festival it never worked for me. Too big, to annonymous, horrible sound, and it always seemed a bit too empty to create a real buzzing atmosphere. And how inconvenient that they had to stop playing music quite early in the night because of the noise complaints from the neighbors.
So when the news broke a couple of days ago that Berlin Festival was moving to Arena Park I was actually excited about it. I’m sure people will have all sorts of ideas why this happened. I can recommend an interesting read over at our friends from Mit Vergnügen where Berlin Festival booker Stefan Lehmkuhl talks about the reasons for the move and the newly founded Arena Park area. After the jump you can get a little overview of the new festival grounds at the Spree that you can see for yourself live from September 5-7, 2014.
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by Frank | Events, Music
photo: Stephan Flad
This year’s Berlin Festival features once again the cream of international top acts such as Woodkid, Moderat, Editors and K.I.Z. Furthermore Sven Väth, Darkside, Jessi Ware and Zoot Woman, Chase and Status, Austra and many others will perform at the old aiport in Berlin Tempelhof. Watch the teaser video and some music videos after the jump. Read on…
by Suz | Music
It happens maybe once a year that I get obsessed with a musician. It was iamamiwhoami in the last two years and this year it’s Woodkid. I was already a big fan of the singles Iron and Run Boy Run that he released in 2010 and 2011 and the whole time I was thinking, Jesus, release your damn album already!! Anticipation can be a bitch and the waiting seemed to last forever! I obviously didn’t miss his two concerst here in Berlin and the one in Prague. But my obsession reached a higher level when he released his last single I Love You that included a remix of one of my favorite electronic acts Booka Shade. It’s crazy good and I love the original song as well. It seems so tacky to call a song “I Love You” – I bet most of his hipster fans wouldn’t even say that phrase in the most earth-shattering of situations – but Woodkid does it so beautifully, you can’t help but love him back. That was also what I was thinking last week at his showcase at Babylon Mitte. It was his best performance and such a great show with wonderful visuals. You should not miss his concerst, really!
Today he FINALLY released his debut album The Golden Age. I’ve been listening to my press copy for the past couple of days and I can’t get enough of it. It’s magnificent! His sound his so epic. I know he prefers the term emotional – but let’s face it, pal, you can call Sarah McLaughlin’s music emotional, your’s is EPIC! Yesterday I also received the limited book edition that came out with the album. It’s actually the most beautiful limited edition album I own now (and I own plenty…). It’s a real book that contains a story written by Katarzyna Jerzak and Woodkid himself that is basically the elaborated version of the lyrics of the album, accompanied by illustrations by Jillian Tamaki. I’ve so far read about a third of the 90 pages and think it’s really magical, especially as the story explains a lot of elements from his music videos such as the statue of the boy. If you are a fan of Woodkid, you have to buy this limited book edition of The Golden Age.
I could actually tell you a lot more about the theme of the concept album, but I sort of want you to discover it yourself as it’s something very personal and emotional and not at all what you would expect. What I would like to show you though is Woody’s new personal tumblr. On it he shares images that inspire him along with sneak peaks into his life as a musician. What I love about it is that he is so open in terms of romantic gay imagery. We all know how that is such a no-go in the music industry and I love him for not caring about these restrictions as so many other artists do.
After the jump you can enjoy some of his videos and a look into the book.
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by Frank | Music, Videos
Berlin-based newcomer Thomas Azier has already impressed us with his haunting debut single Red Eyes last year. But not only we were stunned by the amazing voice and sound of the young man, Yoann Lemoine a.k.a. Woodkid instantly signed him as his support act for the European tour that continues this year in April. Today Thomas released a video to the lead single Angelene of his new EP Hylas 002 that will be released on March 1st. We find the new song and video equally awesome. Enjoy it after the jump.
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by Frank | Music, Videos
“Internet killed the video star” – that’s what many people thought ten years ago when record companies were dramatically reducing budgets for music videos. But things turned out different. Of course music videos still exist today, bands love them, and they are of great importance for making music available to a larger audience. Just think about Gangnam Style: without the video clip, the song would have never gotten that popular.
For Woodkid, the music videos certainly had an important impact on his success as well. It all started in 2011 with the video for Iron, which was viewed more than 25 million times so far. In May 2012 he came up with Run Boy Run. Both videos were done in the same, highly suggestive black and white style, and they were directed by Woodkid himself. Today, he releases his highly anticipated new video I love you. Check it out after the jump.
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by Jens | Music
Finally it’s out, the new Woodkid song and video to Run Boy Run. And as expected, both of them are magnificent! I also recommend the remixes on the EP. Check out the epic video after the jump!
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by Frank | Music, Videos
A week ago I saw him live on stage in Prague performing his new magnificent songs from his upcoming album. A good reason for me to dig up one of his old projects to present in our Cinéma de Mode. Lights is a fashion film that multitalent Yoann Lemoine a.k.a. Woodkid shot sometime last year with Shaun Ross who modeled for our Designer Scouts show at HBC the year before. It’s funny how things come together sometime. Enjoy the film after the jump.
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by Frank | Fashion, Videos
photos: Kai Müller
Last Saturday I went on a trip with my fellow bloggers from Amy&Pink, Interview, LesMads, Travelettes, This Is Jane Wayne (see Nike above in the arms of Whitest Boy Alive), Mit Vergnügen and Stylespion to visit the Electronic Beats festival in Prague with Woodkid, The Whitest Boy Alive, Grimes and Mike Skinner from The Streets.
Our trip started with a painfully early train ride to Prague, that some of us used to catch up on sleep or the latest episode of their favorite TV shows or – like me – get tipsy on a plastic cup of prosecco. Once we arrived in the beautiful capitol of the Czech Republic we wandered around in the streets of the city center, trying to escape the tourists and find the cool hot spots of Prague. Not an easy task!
In the evening, after an amazing dinner at the Cafe Imperial we went over to see the live performances at the festival. I was so excited to see Woodkid again, his concert in Prague was even more powerful then the last one and I really enjoyed his new songs, including the new single Run Boy Run that comes out later this month. The Whitest Boy Alive, although not my cup of tea, is an absolute crowd pleaser and it was fun to see Nike from the Jane Waynes goofing around with the band backstage. Enjoy some impressions of our trip and the concerts after the jump.
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by Frank | Music, Party, Photos, Stories
Next week I am going on a blogger trip to Prague. The guys from Mit Vergnügen were so kind to invite us along with fellow bloggers from Travelettes, LaJessie, Amy&Pink, This Is Jane Wayne and a few more to visit the Electronic Beats festival on May 5th, with concerts of The Whites Boy Alive, Grimes and Woodkid, as well as a DJ set from Mike Skinner from The Streets. I am especially excited to see Woodkid again, his concert at Festsaal Kreuzberg a while ago was amazing and I’m psyched to hear the new songs from his upcoming debut album The Golden Age. The details about the festival after the jump.
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by Frank | Music