08.06.2011
As a matter of fact, Planet Earth was long a ball made up of various materials and surrounded by all kinds of gasses and other unsorted delicacies. Then, one fine day, happenstance or some god or other motive force determined that it was high time to make something useful out of this sphere, and thus began the process that took this elemental chaos and created what we know today. This was truly an arduous procedure. New elements were constantly appearing, only to sink back into oblivion because they just didn’t have what it takes to make a go of it in this world. Others were stronger, formed interconnections, split up and went their separate ways. And so on and so forth.
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03.06.2011
The Nibelungenbrücke. For long time this was the only bridge over the Danube in Linz and the area. The bridge became to small after the introduction of the horses-tram, so plans were thought out and the new bridge was built in dark times. After WWII, the bridge was separating the sovjet-sector in Urfahr and the american sector in Linz, thus it became a symbol for reuniting after the austrian republic was founded again.
30.05.2011
The Stadtwerkstatt, a Linz original. It’s right next to the AEC and one of the origins of austrian Hardcore, a breeding ground for music. Next to the Werkstatt is the Cafe Strom, waiting for you with delicious food, cold drinks, and concerts. And in the evening you have a frontrowview on the festival.
27.05.2011
Our world or, rather, the one we live in (after all, who says it’s definitely ours) can be perceived in many different ways. These modes of perception are, for one thing, highly species-specific—the mole is said to have miserable eyesight; the fly’s is multifaceted; and what the dog picks up with its nose is way beyond the ken of human beings. The sense of touch can play a major role or none at all. As for hearing, there are tremendous differences here too.
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26.05.2011
Whoever arrives by train, arrives at the Hauptbahnhof. If you’re hungry, go to Leberkas-Pepi, and enjoy the best Leberkas in town. The original place is at the Hauptplatz, but having a shop at a trainstation is always a good idea. After refilling the batteries, you can start towards Landstraße, towards the center, and if you pick the tram, you can take any one, because all of them lead the right way.
24.05.2011
Those with a proclivity towards cynicism might say that Maywa Denki would be doing something quite different with his life if he had found a band when he was 16. But regardless of how he spent his youth, what he accomplished during his years at Tsukuba University and the time thereafter is, for one thing, pretty impressive, and, what’s more, fascinatingly humorous.
What actually happened was that he got into developing musical instruments that played themselves. He began pursuing his passion by converting traditional instruments such as guitars, which he modified in such a way that they could independently play melodies and rhythmic accompaniment. Then his journey of discovery took him further into realm of fantastically imaginative constructions—for example, the Guitar-La, a device in which six guitars are connected to a control element and can be played simultaneously by an organ. It’s not easy, but the results are optically spectacular.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnx3P2V4pRQ
Another gem in his collection is Robo Brazil, a robot that can play percussion and looks like it didn’t have a very hearty breakfast.
If this has whetted your appetite to see more of his extraordinary playthings, then log on to his website http://www.maywadenki.com/english/00main_e_content.html.
At the Ars Electronica, Maywa Denki will present his Otamatone, an instrument, that can play 11 songs, all you need to do, is push the button in the right rhythm.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN1cwXcaae4
23.05.2011
Danube, Lentos, Pfenninghill. The Danube divides the city into two parts, the AEC is in Urfahr, and many say that this is not Linz anymore. But that’s history and today even trams connect both parts. The Lentos is going to show works from Sam Auinger, and in the there’s also an installation from Ralo Meyer coming up.
