Sunday 16 December 2012

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Helvetica - typeface of our times

Helvetica (2007) is a compelling documentary from Gary Huswit about the popular post-war typeface 'Helvetica' , designed to provide clear and neutral communication. It reached that goal so particularly well that it became a symbol of our times. Its widespread use on the other hand,  feeds the discussion about whether a typeface should have a personality on itself. A question well explored throughout the film.

An enteraining and witty documentary, not only for designers or type nerds.





http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0847817/

Friday 30 November 2012

Age of Love XXL

"Ken uw houseklassiekers", onder dat motto neemt Age of Love je terug naar de tijd dat langs menig Vlaamse steenweg tot in de vroege uurtjes werd gedanst op stevige house beats.

De tijd waarin mensen nog van einde en verre afzakten naar het Pajottenland om een dansje te placeren in de legendarische Extreme club bijvoorbeeld. Die bevond zich op een boogscheut van het ouderlijk huis, maar mijn ietwat prille leeftijd en de kwalijke reputatie in het dorp, zorgden dat ik er nooit een stap binnen mocht zetten. De mythe werd desalniettemin gevoed door de verhalen van oudere generatiegenoten en de talloze cassetjes met de dj sets.

Sinds 2008 halen DJ Quincy (Soulphonic, Extreme) en Nik Vandenberghe (Charlatan) met  met Age of Love parties die klassiekers van onder het stof en brengen ze met de 'club glamour' van weleer. Denk dance acts, lasers en confettikanonnen. In het verzorgde kader van de Vooruit zorgde dat laatst alweer voor het feestje van het jaar (waarvoor dank).




Monday 12 November 2012

Travel Impressions of Berlin


Berlin boosts quite some amazing street art and graffiti. So rather than boring you with Tourie pictures I bundled some shots of pieces that caught my eye during my last visit.

Top location for street art lovers are  Kreuzberg, the area around Ostbahnhof (incl. East Side Gallery) and the 'Mauerpark' in the north of the city. You could also try out the Hidden Path tour.



Fabulous wall at the Gleisdreieck Metro station in Kreuzberg.


I LOVE YOU - Am Ostbahnhof  

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Saturday 23 June 2012

On the Road

“the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road 



Recommended.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Press Pause Play

Presspauseplay (2011) is a great documentary about how disruptive the internet is for the creative industry.

A variety of artists (Moby, Lykke Li,...), internet personalities (Seth Godin, Sean Parker,...) and critics (Andrew Keen) shed a light on how the internet changed the way business is done....and will be done.

I had seen a part of it on tv (V!rus on Canvas to be specific ) but only discovered recently that the documentary is freely available on presspauseplay.com both in a normal version as an interactive version.

It's interesting, well made, funny sometimes and for some probably eye-opening.
Recommended.


Saturday 28 April 2012

Major Lazer on tour in Brussels

For those who like a little bounce, eclectic drums and beats in a range from 50 to 150 bpm Major Lazer is probably no stranger. Diplo and Dj Switch, the original team behind the imaginary Jamaican bountykiller, made their debut in 2009 with 'Guns don't kill people...lazers do". A unique mix of dancehall, reggea, hip-hop and fidget house.

Now 3 years later, Diplo and Jillionaire came down to Brussels to show us some major musical magic. In no time the duo and their dancers got the Botanique in their pocket, taking everybody on a journey filled with fat beats, laser sounds and a gazillion samples.




Sunday 15 April 2012

In the hood of Dom Pérignon

"Dom Pierre Pérignon, O.S.B., (c. 1638–1715) was a French Benedictine monk who made important contributions to the production and quality of Champagne wine in an era when the region's wines were predominantly still and red. Popular myths frequently, but erroneously, credit him with the invention of sparkling Champagne, which didn't become the dominant style of Champagne until mid-19th century.
The famous champagne Dom Pérignon, the préstige cuvée of Moët & Chandon, is named after him." - Wikipedia




Saturday 31 March 2012

Travel Impressions of London

 
It must have been 10 years since I last went to London with my parents. I remember taking the car and more excitingly the ferryboat, from Ostend to Dover. Nowadays, less than 2 hours of train lands you in the centre of this vibrant capital. I hope the Brussels politicians do that too sometimes, because my travel impressions from London read a bit like a "what Brussels could learn from London" guide.


Tuesday 20 March 2012

Deadmau5 and a phone launch

To launch a new phone these days, billboards aren't doing it anymore. A live performance of Deadmau5 in the center of London however, accompagnied by the most advanced projecting technology, does put your product in front of the masses.

Well played by Nokia, but wether it will establish them between the iphones and Androids has yet to be seen...




Saturday 4 February 2012

De Flandriens van het veld in Koksijde

Het veldrijden moet, wellicht naast het vrouwentennis, één van de enige sporten zijn waar Belgen echt in uitblinken. Koksijde zal dat geweten hebben tijdens het laatste wereldkampioenschap. De aan waarschijnlijkheid grenzende zekerheid op een nationale overwinning werkte als een rode lap op een stier en trok mensen (+ 68 000) van heinde en verre aan om een glimps op te vangen van de Flandriens van het veld.