Anna Calvi @ Black Session # 322, C'est Lenoir, France Inter Jan 17 2011

Anna Calvi @ Black Session # 322, C'est Lenoir.
Maison de la Radio, Paris Jan 17 2011

Anna Calvi is getting more and more good reviews over here and there's a real buzz, she's even on the front page of music magazines ( see Voxpop above).
This Black session is completely sold-out and there are a few people trying to get in with tickets... she's the media darling and her first album has only been released today.

She already played The tiny Boule Noire @ The Inrocks Festival a few months ago and she opened for Grinderman @ Cité de la Musique in October of last year.

AND she was at a Custom night for the Domino Label @ Nouveau Casino on June 22 2010 (click for review) more Pictures here @ Oliver Peel's.

Tonight is her third gig in less than 6 months in Paris and she will play a fourth one on wednesday @ L'Album de la Semaine for Canal+.
Very cool rock with lots of spanish influences in the way she's composing the songs and playing them
Very nice set looking forward to see her in a couple of days.

setlist

Check our review of Anna Calvi @ Cité la Musique on Oct 26 2010 opening for Nick Cave's Grinderman.

Lydia Lunch & James Chance @ "Nuit Ouf" Disco -Punk au 104, Paris Jan 14 2011

"Nuit Ouf" Disco punk, No wave & post Punk 1976-1982
@ CentQuatre (104)
Paris Jan 14-15 2011

You could get an haircut for 2 euros (center), first band "Hyphen Hyphen" (far right)

ALL NIGHT PARTY at the trendy 104 in Paris, early start as the doors are opening at 9:00 PM, we're having a look around before the first band plays on the main stage. As we are the first one in we 're having a hair cut ( for 2 euros only), you could also have a Shiatsu massage ( 2 euros) , there is also Body Painting.
First band Hyphen & Hyphen is getting on stage as we're having our hair cut by "Art Hair" artists.
There are so many things it's hard to see it all but we're just on time to see Lydia Lunch, she's playing with a drummer a guitar player and a guy on keys and saxophone.
Heavy shit à la Black Sabbath with bits of Stooges, simple riffs but very efficient.
Not that much to say : show was great that's the kind of music we like @ ROCKERPARIS, she ended her set with a Lou Reed cover ( see setlist for details).

Legend Lydia Lunch

setlist & one of the 3 bathtub (far right)

After this heavy performance, we're going outside as some of us want to have a bath, there are 3 huge wood bath-tubs outside, the weather's warm even at past 11:00PM and the water's not too hot.
Afetr getting dry we're back inside for some more artists performances including a fashion collection show from Sakina M'Sa.

Icarus has been shot down ( far left), I guess It's Open ( center) Huge Lyrus (far right)

Make Up ( center) & fashion show (far right)

Far from being the best fashion show I've been to ( we're used to Chanel, Stella Mc Cartney's and all at ROCKERPARIS ) but it was fun & Punk remember it's a celebration of Punk tonight.
The atmosphere is lively everywhere you go and if you don't like live gigs you can dance to the music as there are a few DJs playing their stuff ( not really for us) in room 200 for the whole night.

James Chance & Les Contorsions ( Ex-James White)

James White aka as James Chance is headlining on the main stage : a mix of "bad" funk à la James Brown with Punk (?) and free jazz for a really cool set.
The guy is acting funny is stage, the music that's NOT Punk at all doesn't prevent some people to pogo down the front.
First time I'm seen people pogoing at a Funk Free-Jazz gig.

Can't tell you it was great but the guy's an underground legend and the set was fun.

It's now way past 1:00 AM but there is some more at the other side of the 104 with the performance of Musique Post-Bourgeoise, it's not a gig it's a "performance" just imagine Karl Marx fighting with a hosepipe for 10 min and then dancing with 2 French baguettes as another guy sitting on a sofa is talking into a megaphone and electronic music is playing in the background and you'll get a taste of what we've seen.

Musique Post-Bourgeoise feat. Constantin Leu performing

Almost 3:00AM and it's time to go to bed and as we're leaving the premises there are still people trying to get in to the sold out all night Disco -Punk Party @ 104.

Monet Exhibition @ Grand Palais in Paris Jan 14 2011

Monet exhibition @ Grand Palais in Paris
Jan 14 2011

Paintings are behind this crowd (right Pic)

Last ten days before the end of the Monet Exhibition @ Grand Palais. It's a fantastic success with hundreds of thousands of people since the opening, 3 months ago on Sept 22 2010.

We already booked our tickets in advance but as we're in France it's not really well organised even though they're trying their best so we had to wait 20 min before getting into the exhibition. We were lucky because people without tickets are queuing for more than 4 hours.

Once we're in there it's like being @ Harrods on the first day of the sale. A fucking mess.
Impossible to get near the paintings with hundreds of old people pushing you and commenting very aspect of his painting which is really a pain in the ass.
So get the audio comment so you won't have to hear them.

If it wasn't so crowdy the exhibition would be fantastic , there are dozens and dozens of paintings over two levels representing all his carreer as a painter with different "styles" and many different locations ( Normandy, Paris , London , Argenteuil, Bougival...). Some more interesting than others.Some you like some you don't but...
It's impossible to judge the work on each painting as long as you don't have it in front of you, it's really incredible on many of them.

One of my favorite ( left)

I'm sure he would be proud to be so popular but I really don't think he would agree with the conditions his paintings are seen as it's well over crowded.
It looks like the guy in charge of this mess has decided to make lots of money on his back.
Don't know if there will be visits during the night ( The already did it for another exhibition) but I urge you to choose that option even at 2:00 AM.
At least you won't get any old geezers.

See ya on saturday for the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition, Can't wait to be trampled on again.