Plus: Exhibit hosts new form of art; Must-see music; A feast of Sunday pigskin in Kyiv; Prosto Rock
launch a solo career. But Kyiv fans will have one last chance to see the group in its current form, as the band will play on Oct. 13 at Red and Black.
A-Studio was formed in mid-1980s under the name Alma-Ata Studio, playing a mix of Kazak folk melodies, new wave and funk. Russian pop queen Alla Pugacheva once heard the song “Julia” and invited the Kazak musicians to work in her theater. Thus A Studio became known beyond the borders of their native Kazakhstan.
In 1991, A-Studio worked in London with Greg Walsh, a well-known British producer. The band recorded three demonstration songs in his studio under the Polygram Record label. A-Studio plans to team up with Walsh again in the future to mix two upcoming albums.
A couple of years ago A-Studio celebrated its 10-year anniversary with some soul concerts both in the Moscow Theatre of Pop and in Almaty, the band’s homeland. Recently the band released a CD of their greatest hits and re-mixes, including such songs as “Julia,” “White River,” “Rain Season,” “Soldier of Love” and “Unloved.” Now A-Studio plays romantic soul music and tries to fill it with acid jazz and rave.
A Studio. Red and Black. Oct. 13, 11 p.m. Tickets from Hr 120.
Prosto Rock
The fourth annual festival of “proper” music Prosto Rock 2000 takes place in Kyiv’s Sports Palace on Oct. 13. This year it will featue several of Ukraine’s most popular bands, including Vopli Vidoplyasova, Okean Elzy, Green Grey and Druha Rika as well Russian groups Bi-2, Tantsy Minus, Chicherina and Mumiy Troll, which is in the midst of an all-Ukraine tour.
The first Prosto Rock fesstival in 1997 was highlighted by Mumiy Troll and Agata Kristi. It was a big success, so its organizers decided to make it a regular event. Last year it was headlined by the scandalous Zemfira and was marked by clashes between some bands and police guarding the concert. This year, VV’s Oleh Skrypka appealed to concert organizers to be tolerant toward fans, otherwise he would play out of tune.
Druha Rika, a young Ukrainian band, will make its festival debut. The band, which has been playing in Kyiv for about a year, is rapidly gaining popularity and recently released their first album, Ya Ye.
Prosto Rock. Sports Palace. Oct. 13, 5 p.m. Tickets from Hr 10.
Exhibit hosts new form of art
The media art exhibition Alter Natura (Other Nature) will open at the Contemporary Arts Center on Oct. 13 as part of the Kyiv International Media Art Festival 2000.
Media art, a popular new form of art, involves artists seeking new ways of expression through new media – videos, sound effects and computer animation – or through a mixture of traditional media, such as painting and photography.
This exhibit presents works by 15 artists from Ukraine, Western Europe and Japan, including computer animation, short videos, and optical and mechanical objects.
One of the best pieces is Chris Wedge’s video “Bunny,” which
| Mumiy Troll headlines the Prosto Rock festival. |
depicts a gray, plush bunny, wearing eyeglasses, cooking in the kitchen with pots and utensils that are larger than himself. The bunny is reminiscent of one of the animals from the old Soviet cartoon, “A Hedgehog in the Mist.” It could easily be some child’s ragged and beloved old toy.
The exhibit opening also will feature German, Latvian and Ukrainian DJs, spinning right in the gallery. Anyone interested in learning about turntable techniques and club routines is welcome to approach the DJs, who gladly share their knowledge.
Kyiv International Media Art Festival 2000. Contemporary Arts Center. Opening Oct. 13, 7 p.m. Through Oct. 25. Free admission.
Must-see music
Famous Russian rock singer Leonid Fyodorov, best known as the lead singer of Auktsyon, and avant-garde jazz band Volkov Trio will perform together at the Artists’ House on Oct. 19.
Fans often criticize Fyodorov for playing the same old music year after year. Well, it could be that Fyodorov is too lazy to write; but on stage, he works hard, putting all of his energy into his vocals and acoustic guitar playing.
This particular concert will take place at the same venue and feature the same program as a similar show last year. But that is good news for concert organizers, because last year’s show was a bang-up production and is bound to draw repeat fans.
At times Fyodorov’s unison of double bass, trumpets and vocals gives listeners goose bumps. You’ll really understand the power of music when you listen to these guys.
Leonid Fyodorov and Volkov Trio (Russia). Artists’ House. Oct. 19, 7 p.m. Tickets Hr 30 to Hr 50.
A feast of Sunday pigskin in Kyiv
While the regular football season has not even reached the midpoint in the United States, here in Kyiv, Ukraine’s American football league will wind up their season this weekend.
Unfortunately, football is experiencing
| It's new, it's cool, it's … media art. |
a recession here as the number of teams has dropped over the past year from eight to six. The one benefit of this gridiron downsizing is that you’ll have a chance to see every team in the league perform this weekend in Kyiv’s Spartak Stadium.
On Saturday, Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m., the Kyiv Slavs and Kharkiv’s local heroes vie for the Federation President’s Cup. At 3:40 p.m., catch the Vinnytsa Wolves and the Uzhhorod Woodcutters battle it out for the Ukrainian Federation of American Football Cup.
Those two cups amount to mere consolation games, however. The real league championship will be held the following day at 2 p.m. between the Donetsk Scythians and the Kyiv Cheetahs.
If the Ukrainian version of this typically American pastime doesn’t satisfy, the Opera Cafe will be showing live NFL action on Sky Sport on Sunday. On Oct. 15, it’s the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Washington Redskins at 8 p.m., and the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Arizona Cardinals at 11 p.m.
Ukrainian Federation of American Football Championship 2000. Spartak Stadium. 105 Frunze. Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. Admission free.
National Football League on Sky Sports. Oct. 15 and every Sunday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
