You just have to be smart! Which leaves me with little alternatives…
But if you’re wondering what I’m talking about than I owe you an explanation. In a post from a couple of days ago (see here) I said that I would kill for the chance to attend TED, which is a conference with which I am incredibly impressed. If you don’t know what TED is than read this, but the short story is like this: It’s the most incredible conference in the world were the smartest and brightest and most hardworking people on this planet go to tell everybody else how they changed the world.
If you ever dreamed about attending TED you probably wondered how you can do it. After some research I found 2 possibilities:
become a TED fellow. To do so I give you an e-mail received from Natasha Dantzig (see the end of this post) or check here. Hurry up! The 2010 registration will end on september the 25th.
or attend your local TEDx conference (hopefully you are lucky enough to have one) by submitting your world and life changing idea. If you are in Romania you must check this out or go here, for more details.
I personally don’t find myself worthy of such an honor YET. And that’s because even if I had an idea that has the potential to make this round dirt ball we call home a nicer place, I haven’t been too profoundly empowered by it to do something TED worthy. But mark my words – I will do anything in my power to be worthy of attending TED one day!
And so should you! If I’d have to guess what is the meaning of life than I think that doing your best and being extraordinary is a very plausible possibility for being it!
To paraphrase Hugh Macleod: Microsoft You Must Change the World or Go Home!
Some TED resources:
Thed TEDx Bucharest Twitter account is @tedxbucharest The TEDx Bucharest website is here The TEDx Bucharest LinkedIN group is here The TEDx Bucharest Facebook group is here TEDx Bucharest promo clip is here Here are the top 10 TED videos
Have you heard about TED? No? You should! TED is an incredible conference that brings the smartest and the brightest people from all around the world in one place. In their own words:
TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year’s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.
And I tell you, it’s AMAZING! Go watch the presentations on their website, here are the top 10 TED videos.
And gues what? TED is coming to Bucharest on the 16th of October in the form of TEDx! I would kill to attend TED but I still have to earn my right to be there. So on the 16th I know what I’ll do, I’ll be watching the TEDx Bucharest brodacast.
Found out about it from @tedxbucharest
The TEDx Bucharest website is here
The TEDx Bucharest LinkedIN group is here
The TEDx Bucharest Facebook group is here
TEDx Bucharest promo clip is here
This was the last day of the festival for me. I wasn’t going to Aftershock to see Manowar, and being a Saturday I got their early, just in time to see The MOOoD.
I was willing to give these kids a lot of slack as they are young and rather inexperienced, compared to some of the guys they shared the stage with. Half of the band felt lifeless, probably too much stress, the songs didn’t flow, too big of a pause between the songs. The lead singer was good, but he contrasted with the statue-like figures of the guitar and bass players. It felt that they weren’t prepared, although I’m sure they did. But the sound was good and the songs catchy. I still wait to see them going big. I’ve watched then opening for Lenny Kravitz and this time it felt a little better, but still… This is a second song I have with them.
Looptroop Rockers were next. I’m not a big fan of hip hop, but the 3 guys made me be one with their show. For me, this was the revelation of the whole festival. If I knew what to expect from the rest, I didn’t knew too much about Looptroop. They got me going so much that I felt that I had to take their autograph. It was an amazing show. I enjoyed it start to finish! And the guys are great!
This was shot while waiting to get Promoe’s autograph. They really took their time to talk with anybody who had to something to say and Promoe did some very elaborate autographs for some of the fans.
And next were The Ting Tings.
It was a decent show, but it stops at that. I expected the energy you see in the official video of That’s Not My Name. And keep in mind, they followed after Looptroop which were on a whole lot of a different energy level. But I liked a lot how they were doing everything themselves, drums, keyboards, guitar, just 2 people. It wasn’t bad, but I hoped for more. And the sound wasn’t the best.
I skipped the Charlatans for the chance to talk with Looptroop and to get their autographs. They were cool on stage and off stage, definitively the high point of Day 3 for me.
The festival was only fitting to finish with such a legend like Santana.
Santana put on a great show, it was entertaining, a little bit less lively than I got used to in the previous days with bands like Motorhead, Moby and The Killers, but still, great sound and A LOT of enthusiastic people rocking in unison. But for my taste it wasn’t as good as it could of been. Too much Santana adoration. OK, we know you are the man, but you are just a guitar player surrounded by an army of great musicians. I didn’t like the whole – “I will change you with my completely kick ass music, because I am the best” attitude. But it would be a sin not to say that it was a great show.
What I remembered from Day 3:
- The MOOoD not putting on the show I hoped to see from them
- Looptroop Rockers blowing my mind on and off stage with their energy and coolness.
- Santana, giving a show to remember while being under the impression that the world was spinning around him.
Conclusion:
You never know what will amaze you! When you go to a festival, got with open mind and just enjoy they show! Rock on!
This day was headlined by Orbital, But I’m not a big fan of their music so I went that day with only 2 things in mind: Gabriella Cilmi and Franz Ferdinand and none dissapointed!
I just got in time to catch Gabriella starting the show.
This is a short cover on Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz and continues with Got No Place To Go. The was the very beginning of the show. I’m a big fan, waited for almost an hour to get an autograph but didn’t get it because of the Klaxons (see below more about this). At least I got the Klaxons autograph (all 4 of them) and had a picture with Beanie Bhebhe (the drummer). The crowd didn’t really knew who Gabriella was and she followed after some heavy rocking, so not the greatest timing and people were not very enthusiastic. I absolutely loved her show and the music.
Pictures go here. (Klaxons, autograph Beanie)
The Klaxons didn’t go on stage because their equipment was not there (the truck broke down, or something like this). so instead they gave autographs while some other band played. Two things pissed me off here. First is that if they knew the Klaxons were not playing they could of left Gabriella Cilmi play some more songs, as she wanted it anyway. And second, they guys gave autographs when Gabriella should of .
After the an hour of waiting and walking around the amazing Franz Ferdinand went on stage and rocked the house! I think it was they played the longest encore so far, 4 songs, if I’m not mistaking. This is the a song they played as encore Ulysses. They played a few more, some instrumental stuff too. The crowd loved them!
I’ve got two more songs with them Walk Away and Can’t Stop Feeling, which some say they played for the first time live. It was definitively one of the best performances of the festival, The crowd called their name and clapped longer then they did for Santana and the Killers together. And you have to remember that people were waiting for Orbital to come on stage. Great show!
And the day ended with Orbital.
I’m not a big fan so I left early, but people were enjoying it, were having a good time and they two guys were putting on a great show but I don’t want to comment more as it is not my kind of music.
What I remembered from Day 2:
- Gabriella Cilmi’s amazing voice and good show
- Franz Ferdinand making the crowd beg for more even after a long encore
- Watching the Klaxons while waiting to get an autograph from Gabriella Cilmi, which didn’t happen.
Conclusion:
The day was remarkable, for me, because of two performers gifted with beautiful voices: the lead singer of Franz Ferdinand and Gabriella Cilmi, hope I’ll get to see them again.
Without rain, it starded slow with Ayo (Patrice’s partner). I liked Ayo, very chilled, a little shy. You could tell the Motorhead fans were busy uploading beer in order to make it though the concert, but the concert was quite interesting. This is the song Run Run – see lyrics.
The other song I’ve got is a Michael Jackson tribute, see here.
The unfortunate Polarkreis 18 followed. The guys put on a good show, well rehearsed, almost theatrical. But the music was not to the liking of many, considering that next door you had a few thousand Motorhead fans . And the same fans gave them a hard time, which was not nice at all, considering it was a festival. I have to give credit to the lead singer for having the balls of going on the Motorhead stage in a form of mockery to the ungrateful Motorhead fans, who were quick to give him the finger. I wouldn’t of done it in fear of being ripped to pieces . Good show, all in all. This is their most known song – Allein Allein.
And then it happened!
Motorhead was on stage, the fans went wild.
We are MOTORHEAD!!! We play Rock and Roll! This is how Lemmy Started and ended the show. He also said “Hope you remember us” – don’t worry, I don’t think anybody will forget the show! At one moment Lemmy came to the mic with a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, spat it 3 meters across the stage and rocked the house! I haven’t seen any lead guitarist work the crowd better then Phil Campbell, he even gave a guy from the crowd a beer for rocking hard. He is awesome. I have also never seen anybody fling guitar picks in the audience with such a dexterity. I’m only a little sad as he flung one destined for me, as I was among the few in the corner where I was sitting that was rocking it, but a Moby fan picked it up . Anyway, I got the thumbs up from Phil, I’m happy! Oh boy, and does Mikkey Dee knows how to play a gut busting solo on those drums!
And just when I thought it couldn’t get better it did. Moby followed, back to back, without even 60 seconds from when Motorhead finished their incredible show. This was the opening song of an absolutely amazing concert!
One of the best I’ve seen so far. Definitively in my top 5 . Unfortunately, because of stupidity, I forgot to recharge the damn camera, so it died on me before the song was over. Incredible concert. Moby played all his hits, rocked an cool riff in honor of Motorhead, who were on stage just before, did a Johnny Cash singalong (Ring Of Fire) and finished with a rave song dedicated “to anyone who has ever stood at 6 in the morning in a field, watching the sun come up”. Anybody that can do all of this, and do it while surrounded by beautiful and talented girls is awesome!
What I remembered from Day 1:
- Moby’s incredible show and the ecstatic crowd singing along
- Lemmy’s voice, Phil’s coolnes and Mikkey’s drums and that guitar pick I never got. Motorhead showed what old school rock is all about.
- The moment when Polarkreis 18’s lead singer got on the Motorhead stage, I thought we would see blood .
Conclusion:
The best day of the whole festival, Motorhead and Moby are impeccable showmakers.
First day, didn’t know what to expect. Left work, got into the car at 6, 1 whole hour of sitting in various traffic jams I got there. Got in, no problems so far, looked around, everything looked cool and on stage was Patrice, working the crowd.
Patrice is… interesting, I liked him, he made a good show and towards the end it started raining cats and dogs. The crowd was growing steadily, warming up, beers were uploaded constantly.
White Lies followed with a very good show but because of the rain it started late and it was kind of depressing to watch them sitting still somewhere at the half of the stage were it didn’t rain while you were getting soaked.
And then, as it was getting dark, The Killers took the stage and made out of this first day a day to remember.
This was the 3rd (I think) song played. The song is For Reasons Unknown. Here are the lyrics.
What I remembered from Day 0:
- The rain – I got soaked with a rain coat on
- The Killers making the crowd sing in the rain
- Patrice warming up the crowd
Conclusion:
A perfect opening day, not to heavy but good enough to make you wanna thing what will happen tomorrow, and it happened (read on Day 1)
If you are reading this you probably want to know how it was. Let me just put it this way: EXCELENT. An that’s about it. I’m sure there are people who saw bad things in the organization but I’m any inconveniences were minor. And if you have something to rant about, think about your behavior and if it was ok.
Attention, a few lines of ranting will follow, please skip ahead if you’re not in the mood for it. The only think that got on my nerves during these 4 amazing days were a few of the so called fans. It’s not ok to sit right near the stage with a face like you just ate 4 kg of shit and talk constantly with your dumb friends about how you don’t get the artist who is performing. And your stupid comments don’t make you smarter, they just label you as an loud mouth idiot. If you don’t like the artist -> go drink your bear at the food court, don’t bitch about it 2 meters from the stage. And talking about beer. I know it’s a festival, I know it’s open space, but if you wanna smoke and drink, at the same time, don’t do it in the center of the crowd who is there just for the show. And don’t you dare complain when somebody spills your beer, you shouldn’t be there, not them.
Now that this is out of my system, let’s get back to the show. Where were we? EXCELENT, period. I will right in more detail about each day but here I just want to list my top 5 concerts at Bestfest 2009.
1) Moby (Day 1)
2) Motorhead (Day 1)
3) Franz Ferdinand + Gabriella Cilmi (Day 2)
4) Looptroop Rockers (Day 3)
5) The Killers (Day 0)
Some explanations:
Motorhead and Moby were both incredible but something about Moby’s performance makes it just a tiny little bit more memorable for me.
Franz Ferdinand and Gabriella Cilmi share the same spot as they both made the day 2 great. Both performances are somehow connected in my head.
The Killers got only Nr. 5 as they were good, but a little spaced out.
Santana didn’t get on the top 5 because I didn’t like the self focus of the show and Orbital is just not my style, but it seemed like a great show.
With this I’m moving toward the end of this article, read more about it in the day by day posts, were you will find some footage and pictures.
The festival is still going on at this very moment inching forward to what I am sure will be a deafening Manowar concert. Today I’ll not be there. I’m skipping this last day but I’ll definitively be back next year.
NOTE: Through this post you will see links to clips I took at the concert. The purpose is to give you an idea about what’s like at their show.
Buena Vista Social club was in town, so we went to see the show. Us geex know our culture, sometimes. But anyway, we were there, on the 7th of February 2009, we were in Bucharest, Romania, at Sala Palatului to see a great show and listen to some very good Cuban music. It was with intention that I used show instead of concert, because before anything, Buena Vista Social Club puts on a show like no other.
The tickets sold out 2 weeks before the show, the hall was packed. I’ve never seen Sala Palatului so packed before. This alone created a great deal of anticipations.
And the lights are off and the music starts. They opened with Chan Chan, which is probably their best known song. This gave a big boost to everybody and the show was on. 15 minutes in, people were on their feet, dancing and clapping like crazy and enjoying every moment.
What I liked most, though, was an 12-13 minutes instrumental piece done by the two guitarists (one electric and once classical guitar) and the rest of the orchestra. Everything had to have a story, so the story was that one of the guys (the electric guitar) was said. Why? I have no clue. My Spanish skills stop at “magnana”. The other guitarist was trying to cheer him up. Excellent musicians, all of them, and what a show they know how to put on!
All in all, great show, great audience, great concert! In that order. It’s something to see, if you have the opportunity, even if you’re not too much into Cuban music. I’m not either, but I enjoyed every bit of it.
NOTE: I will most likely update this post, so stay tuned if you’re interested.For now, just I’ve updated the post with links to the clips and thank;s to Grooveshark with an widget for one of Buena Vista Social Club’s albums For all the clips take a look at our geeky Youtube channel for some bad quality clips from the show. Please leave a comment !
Tocmai m-am întors de la Stand-up Philosphy cu Adrian Ciubotaru în rol principal. Evenimentul a avut loc în Club A, unde, printre norii obi?nui?i de fum, am auzit ?i lucruri interesante. A fost ?i Andrei Ro?ca, la început, care ne-a spus din p?rerile lui. Adrian ne-a citit dou? din scrierile lui.
Discu?iile au fost interesante, pân? când au început întreb?rile existen?iale, de genul „Ce e p?catul”, la care s-a r?spuns la fel de existen?ial. ?i aici pe mine m-au pierdut. Am fost atât de pierdut, încât m-am reg?sit abia juma de or? mai târziu, undeva pe Magheru.
Fratele meu (@lkadi) m-a întrebat „Oare o avea vre-o leg?tur? cu Mel Brooks”? Uite ?i de ce întreba (Stand-up Philosopher din History of the World Part 1)
Una peste alta, a meritat plimbarea. Mul?umesc @dinamaria pentru sugestie ?i companie ?i @gabivlaicu pentru companie. Dac? Adrian î?i public? cartea, probabil c? o s-o r?sfoiesc.
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