It's Not Rock'N'Rio

In few weeks time I'm going to São Paulo for a big event: Lollapalooza. Well, it's a music event. Ok, I should have said I'm going to a MUSIC event, but, no problem. This is a big event for me. 

I always thought this would be the ultimate music event, since I started listening to rock music, probably, international rock music. I'm a fan of alternative music, mostly. It's rock, indeed, but, perhaps, it's more creative and I like it. 

Alternative is all you can find in Lollapalooza. The festival started out in 1991 as a farewell tour to Jane's Addiction - band of the festival's founder, Perry Farrel - and it is still on till this day, however, on and off over the years. The main thing about Lollapalooza is the fact it gathers different styles of music, which allures people with diverse music taste. This is my case.

The first Lolla in Brazil was last year, 2012, but I don't like Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys that much, also, didn't have the cash. So It's ok now. There's Black Keys, Planet Hemp, Nas, Killers among the main attractions. I hope it keep up to my expectations. 

I really like to watch bands live, and I've been to many concerts before. When there's nothing going on in your life, you know it's time to do something different and travel a bit, or go to a rock concert (pfff, if life would be that simple). If it's both combined then it's more than fine!

I should only take it easy because I did a knee surgery not long ago, and three days of fun call for attention to my health. Well, the doctor said to take pain reliever and apply some ice in case pain occurs. Thanks, Dr! See you all!

100% Pure New Zealand

New Zealand was a good ride. One week and a half of short trips and sightseeing. Before that, I was living in Australia for a long while, and, my apologies to all, I thought both countries would be the same. I mean, there is a sense of community between the two nations, and it caused me to think they were one.

Of course, they are not the same. Different history, different politics, industries… Different mentality. Yes, it does make a difference. Not staying as long there as I did in Australia, I could not say whether there was a huge difference between societies or not. It is too short a time to tell.

What I could see was the sightseeing, and the difference was there. Auckland – the city that I stayed the most – has billboards displaying reasonably good ads. They were quite intelligent and cheeky. There was something inside of me telling 'I kinda knew it'.

Billboard near Halminton, NZ.

What I’m saying is, Australia's advertising industry compared to New Zealand's is creatively poor ( not only New Zealand ). I wanted to stay In Australia for good, but thankfully I did not. My aim was building a career in marketing and advertising. I do not think I would be happy there. On the other hand, I heard about New Zealand’s advertising, and I liked it.

                               Billboards near Beach road,in Auckland,NZ.


It is not only me saying Australia does not make good advertising. The British media coverage website, The Drum, reveals that in 2009, the ASB, the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, received 4000 complaints in relation to bad ads. In 2008, the same association in the United Kingdom, got 2500 viewers complaints.

Australian tourism campaigns turn out to be known for bad taste, instead of good publicity. This opinion is also shared on the Truth.Travel website. There is also a channel on YouTube on bad Australian ads called Badaussietelly. No need to say anything else perhaps.

New Zealand ads are fun and witty, and this is something Australia is finding hard to be. In this sense, only an alternative Aussie TV program about advertising, The Gruen Transfer, would bring the discussion on prime time, and talk about it. Nonetheless, it pokes its jealous finger on NZ’s ads.

I´M OUT OF THE BED AND DRESSED - WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?*

* quote by Banksy

Ahh, while in Auckland, NZ, my girlfriend and I found time to watch 'Exit Through the Gift Shop', by Banksy, a British artist. It was better than expected, considering the fact Kat and I are both artists, well, in our free time, at least. She draws whatever entices her, unicorns, dolphins, yeah, kinda fairy things, and I, cartoons, people's face details...

Not only because of that we would watch this flick, but because it seemed really fun. Also it has been screening for a long time already and with so much buzz, we "needed" to see it. The result was really captivating!

Mr Brainwash (Guetta), Banksy (Banksy), Shepard Fairey, and others are amazing people.

Art was made very entertaining at 'Exit Through ...'. In the movie, Banksy says to anyone 'to do art.' I wouldn't be artsy on a regular basis. Maybe just in my 'free' time, and not so incisive as it is portrayed in the flick. The movie shows art mostly in this perspective, and as a share of the street art movement.

Going from art to fitness for a little while, the monthly publication Men's Health magazine has displayed on its pages that people who scribble and draw, develop mental focus and stimulate the brain.

Art is all about that. You make yourself entertained and develop new abilities. Mr Brainwash is a proof of that (!!) Well, Banksy may deny it, but I think he's a bit creative indeed!

Vuvuzelastylin'

Kids play with vuvuzela

The World Cup is almost at the end, but I think there is no problem talking about the vuvuzela now.

I am Brazilian, and I am used to the sound of vuvuzela for a long time. In every major or minor competition in the country there is vuvuzela. A friend of mine even drank beer from one, in the Brazil's 1994 World Cup victory.

Vuvuzelas are taking over the world of sports in this World Cup 2010. So many stories, so much controversy, for such a simple device that represents the enthusiasm of a cheerful crowd. I think it’s fun.

Of course there is not just good news about vuvuzelas.

During the world’s largest sport event press, players, and some supporters complained about the noise. All others blow out their vuvuzelas creating a wall of sound that is transmitted to the world via tv broadcast. Ah, there are cases of supporters who got their ears injured and had to be hospitalised, for example, Sven Wipperfurth in West Germany. Or worse, like the South African kid who was shot for blowing the vuvuzela out; in the city of Pamplona, Spain, the council banned the vuvuzela sale at the San Fermin festival (mX News, p.6, Tuesday, July 6, 2010. Melbourne, Australia).

The way the audience manifests itself keeps changing over the years: from ripped paper and singing echoed by supporters, in the seventies, to inflated sticks that are hit together to produce noise, in the first competition of the millennium, in South Korea and Japan.

In South Africa now there is a new way that will go into history forever. It’s like that saying, “say something bad, or something good, but say something about me”. In this World Cup it happened involuntarily. For the better or worse.