Indie rockers British Sea Power rock out Positivus in 2008. Photo by Anna Hanks.
This weekend looks quite similar to last weekend — scorching temperatures, lots of sun and big music events in Estonia and Latvia while Lithuania is more low-key.
The obvious highlights are the long-awaited Positivus and Õllesummer festivals in Riga and Tallinn, respectively. Positivus is the more high-profile of the two with Muse, Scissor Sisters, the Happy Mondays and UNKLE on the line-up. The same gay-friendly Sisters will play in Tallinn at Õllesummer while thrash-metal godfathers Megadeth are playing a separate show.
Laid-back Lithuania has a couple of their best local acts, Andrius Mamontovas and InCulto playing. And if the combo of +30˚C and being surrounded by bodies sounds to you like a recipe for a heat stroke, there’s boxing in Riga, a cool art happening in Vilnius, rally racing in Otepää and a medieval festival in Tartu. Enjoy!
LITHUANIA
July 16, 8 p.m.
Portico Quartet
Vilniaus Mokytojų Namai, Vilnius
The Portico Quartet brings their cerebral, college-student friendly electronic jazz to Vilnius this Friday. A relaxing and interesting listen after a long week of work. Part of the ongoing St. Christopher Festival. Tickets: 22-102 litai (€6.20-€30)
July 17, 6 p.m.
Andrius Mamontovas concert
Karpynė Tourism Village, near Raseiniai
Probably the most Lithuanian rock act to ever come out of Lithuania (see his show, you’ll see what I mean), Mamontovas does a mix of hard rock, synth ballads and patriotic anthems. Regardless of where you’re from, by the end of the show you’ll be shouting “geltona, žalia, raudona” too.
July 17, 7 p.m.
InCulto
Friedricho Pasažas, Klaipėda
They didn’t win the hearts of Eurovision viewers this year, but that’s because you need to play tripe poppy crap to do so. Lithuania’s InCulto bring a refreshingly cosmopolitan sound to the local scene with their bouncy, ska-influenced sound. It’s hard not to get up and dance to “Eastern European Funk.”
July 20, 21
Katherine Davis
Kaunas and Palanga
The diva of Chicago blues has made it all the way over to Lithuania — perhaps some Lithuanian-Americans prodded her into it — for two shows in Kaunas and Palanga but curiously not Vilnius. If you like blues, gospel or jazz vocals this is as real as it gets. Check the weblinks for more information on the shows.
Until April 23, 2011
Fluxus Ministerija
Fluxus Ministerija, Vilnius
Inspired by the Fluxus Movement, which dates from the 1960s and the Lithuanian-born George Mačiūnas was a seminal figure in, two hundred Lithuanian artists have organized the Fluxus Ministerija in the grungy former Ministry of Health building on Gedimino Prospect, which had sat empty for a number of years. Check out their Facebook fan page to see what events are coming up next so you can check out international art and hob-nob with Vilnius intelligentsia.
www.facebook.com/Fluxusministerija
LATVIA
July 15-18
Music and Film Festival
Dzintari Concert Hall, Jūrmala
With what could be an interesting mix of live music and film showings, the straightforwardly titled Music and Film Festival is Russian-centered and light on details, promising to be “not the usual.” Take a risk and see if all its pretentious pr blurb makes it out to be. Tickets: 7-25 lats (€10-€35)
July 16-17
Positivus
near Salacgrīva
Positivus, held near tiny Salacgrīva on the northern coast, only started in 2007 but this year boasts not the usual has-beens but Muse, who is headlining Glastonbury as well. The line-up also includes gay glam rockers Scissor Sisters, Madchester legends the Happy Mondays, British trip-hop/rock outfit UNKLE, Northern Ireland’s And So I Watch You From Afar who are supposed to put on a powerful live show and Lithuania’s Happyendless, who do Depeche Mode-style synthrock. Camping optional. Tickets: €35-€45
July 16-17
Caravan International Exotic Dance Festival
Various locations, Jūrmala
Ever wanted to learn exotic dancing, or more likely, would you like to watch a ton of exotic dancing? Riga’s Caravan Festival has both lessons and performances from Russian and Latvian belly dancers. Check the website for more info.
www.caravan.lv/en/karavaana-2010/o-festivale/festivaala-programma-6514
July 22, 8:15 p.m.
Boxing Summit
Orizonte, Jūrmala
A pounding line-up of boxers ensures the fights will go late into the night. The first few fights are Balts but the night ends with a match between Sherali Mamadaliev of Tajikistan and Alexey Evchenko of Russia. Tickets: 7-15 lats (€10-€22)
Continuing throughout week
Organ Music Festival
Dome Cathedral, Riga
Have you ever been to an organ festival? Me either. But if you are going to one, it would be hard to pick a better place to listen to an organ than in the grand Dome Cathedral, which Liszt himself wrote a dedication for after it was installed in 1884.
The Organ Music Festival that started earlier in the month continues through the next week with performances by local Atis Stepiņš, German Stefan Horz and Italian Simone Vebber. Check the website for more details.
ESTONIA
July 14-17
Õllesummer
Song Festival grounds, Tallinn
The Summer2010 Festival in Tallinn on the Song Festival grounds features the Scissor Sisters will headline on the 16th before heading down to Latvia the next evening for Positivus. Electro pop star Calvin Harris will be there and so will Finland’s goth rockers HIM as well as a slew of promising local acts like HU? and Popidiot. Tickets are 450 krooni (€28) for all four days or 95-195 krooni (€6-€12) per day.
July 16, 4:30 p.m.
Mad-Croc Rally Racing
Otepää, Estonia
The race is on this Friday in Otepää as regional rally drivers tear up the asphalt. Tickets: 195 krooni (€12)
July 16, 8 p.m.
Megadeth
Castle Rock, Haapsalu
American thrash-metal godfathers Megadeth will do a set of the fast and heavy riffs, solos, screams and grunts for local metalheads in Haapsalu, of all places. Tickets: €10
www.bilesuserviss.lv/eng/concerts/muzika/roks_un_pops/?concert=64871
July 16, 10 p.m.
Club Prive event
Helsinki’s Danceteria Club regular Cristal Snow will be bringing his brand of Scandinavian house to Tallinn on Friday and Club Prive. Tickets: 150-200 krooni (€10-€12)
www.clubprive.ee/?eventid=1402
July 16-18
Tartu Hanseatic Days
downtown Tartu
Things get medieval in Tartu this weekend with the Hanseatic Days. Prepare for the usual barrage of costumes, tents, swords and trinkets. A medieval wedding will also be included. Check the website for more details.
