I returned from a 5 day visit to the wonderful country of Lithuania yesterday where I was visiting Vilnius, and more interestingly, the alternative post-folk and contemporary heathen culture festival Menuo Juodaragis (Black Horned Moon) in Zarasai.

First of all, Vilnius is a lovely little town with a ridiculous amount of churches. Religion is rather prominent in the city I would say. Having switched from Pagan to Catholicism, back to Pagan, to Russian Orthodox, with some more steps in between, they built a lot of churches.

Lithuanians are a nice bunch of people, they’re very friendly and helpful. Most young people speak English, but it was still a bit of a culture shock to be in a country where you don’t understand a single word (last time I had that was in Ghana). Lithuanian girls a very pretty: tall, long hair, deep blue or green eyes. Lithuanian women (35+) kind of lose that, how does that work?

Zarasai is about 150 km northeast of Vilnius, though it took 3,5 hours to get there. Somehow roads in eastern Europe are always under construction. The countryside consists mainly of forest, moors, and lakes. Very serene. The festival itself took place on an island in a big lake.

But enough babbling, just take a look at my pictures!

Ačhū!

Sorry, dutch only.

Sommige spam is best leuk. Ik houd persoonlijk erg van de Nigeriaanse 419 scams hoewel die niet zoveel meer langskomen. De laatste tijd zijn het ‘eenzame oost-europese meisjes’. Vandaag kreeg ik deze bijvoorbeeld:

“Hoi. Mijn naam is Natalia. Ik eenzame meisje zonder schadelijke gewoonten. ik 29 jaar. Ik zoek een man van 32 jaar voor ernstige relaties. mijn e-mail het gemakkelijker voor mij. Ik kan sturen brief en de foto elkaar. Natalia”

2 months ago I found out about this festival in Lithuania by clicking through obscure music genres in Wikipedia. I did not have any other real holiday plans, so I decided to make this my summer destination. Some details:

• Mėnuo Juodaragis is the festival of contemporary Baltic culture representing the heritage of heathen tradition, Baltic culture revival, post-folk currents and avant-garde of contemporary music
• At the Big Oak: 19.30 - Opening rites. The opening rites will be performed at a mighty oak on the Northern cape, where an altar will flare up.
• NO showers or lavatories in the island, - but there will be plenty of water in the lake. And we think that as long as this fest is pagan, clear lake is enough to stay clean and refreshed.
• The beer of the Festival “TAURAS” will cost 1,5 EUR per pint.
• The entire festival area will be guarded throughout the Festival by a professional security service, a motorbike-club and other personnel. (Post-soviet motorbike-club, that certainly will fit right in with the hippies!)
• Football tournament, and a beach volleyball area is also available. (That seems really off somehow)
  

Yes, I will bring my camera, and yes, I will make a lot of pictures.

See some pictures of last year’s Menuo Juodaragis. Music by Sieben.

I’ve been experimenting with a lensbaby 3g the last 2 days. It allows me to have a very shallow DoF and place the sweet spot where I like. This results in dreamy, usually slightly out of focus, images. I love it! Click the image for more examples.

I’ve decided to take a break. So tired! I was the only one left from all the way in the beginning (june 2007), so it felt a bit as a betrayal. However, now I have 2-3 evenings per week of extra time which I would like to fill up with some art/theater related things. After this weekend’s seminar (Metropolis), I’m convinced I can put my programming and light/sound design skills to use in instalation art, which I can easily start off on just my computer and some web space.

Roskilde is only just finished and I’m already planning ahead:

• 7-8: Iron and Wine
• 9-8: Summer Darkness festival in Holland
• 22-8 - 24-8: Menuo Juodaragis neo-folk festival in Lithuania
• 26-9: Efterklang with the DR Sinfonietta on my birthday
• 2-10: dEUS
• 15-10 - 19-10: Airwaves in Iceland (option)
• 24-10: Calexico
• 12-11: Daniel Johnston

I survived Roskilde once again! Though I have to say it was a lot easier this year. The weather, and the special camping with showers certainly helped. Some details:

Best dancing act:
Shantel, and the Bucovina Club Orkestar

Most interesting act:
Efterklang

Most intimate act:
Goldfrapp

Best light and video show:
The Chemical Brothers

Most touching act:
Tivoli’s Symphony Orchestra playing my favourite piece by Arvo Pärt

Loudest concert:
Slayer

Best audience interaction:
The Streets

Other acts worth mentioning:
Slagsmålsklubben, MGMT, Radiohead, Juan Formell y Los Van Van, Gnarls Barkley, Vieux Farka Touré, CocoRosie, Grinderman, Familjen, Mamar Kassey, Solomon Burke, Neil Young, Babylove and The Van Dangos, Lulu Rouge, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

Favourite drink:
Strawberry Daiquiri, doubled up (at Gringo Bar)

Achievement of the year:
Did not puke

Most surprising event:
Being hit by an egg thrown from a car

Best Roskilde moment:
Making out with a random girl who gave me a ‘kiss me’ note

Worst Roskilde moment:
Won’t disclose, sorry

I made my online video debut today. I’m not telling you where though. Go and find out yourself. The first person to find it gets a cookie!

Gotta love your colleagues when they send you cake and ice by courier when you’re sitting on location at the customer

I’ve started collecting limited edition records. Mostly obscure, dark material (yes, I’m going through an emo phase ). Sources of inspiration are certainly Arjen Grolleman and Bob Rusche with their sundaynight radio program x-rated (available on podcast). These two guys have an impressive unlimited knowledge of the avant-garde music genres. The internet also helps with especially last.fm for finding related artists, and discogs to buy rare records. But I was very impressed by the back room and basement collection of Sound Station, a record shop 10 minutes from here. The staff knows EXACTLY what I want. Maybe they just have the same taste..