EVENTS IN DECEMBER 2018. A useful shortlist.
When the year expires, Riga can offer you a very fixed and narrowed amount of ways, how to enjoy yourself out on streets. They are 1) never-ending house parties and too much food, 2) overload of sentimental and sold-out classical music concerts, 3) they're all the odd events and projects one couldn't launch earlier for... reasons.
One is sure for sure though - the very last month of year will always belong to Apollo, the god of tunes. It's only reasonable that here is a December shortlist by CAPITAL R that will consist of a minimal mixture of all mentioned above to give more melodic experience to the hungry ones.
2 ANNAS
When: until 2 December
Where: Kaņepes Kultūras Centrs and cinema K Suns
How much: €
"The 23rd Riga International Film festival 2ANNAS offers a selection of innovative, provocative and socially active short and mid-length films. This year they have received more than 3000 films from which about 68 will be selected in four categories: International Short Film Competition, Baltic Short Film Competition, International Mid-length Film Competition and, for the first time in 2ANNAS IFF, - International Children's Short Film Competition! In total, 154 shorts from 44 countries will be available at the festival this year."
Facebook
Web
JAZZ ROOM SESSIONS
Deniss Pashkevich, Tim Hagans feat. Carl Winther, Johnny Aman, Anders Mogensen
When: 1 December
Where: Rīga Art Space
How much: €€
"Riga will host a multiple Grammy award nominee, trumpeter and composer Tim Hagans, who will perform together with one of the leading jazz musicians in the Baltic States, saxophonist and composer Deniss Pashkevich. Accompanied by one of Europe's leading rhythm sections, the musicians will play original music written specially for this concert."
THE MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
When: 7 December - 17 February
Where: The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MDAD)
How much: €
Although there are a few exhibitions running already now, our given period in MDAD is a real pleasure dome. 3 parallel top notch shows FOR THE SAME PRICE! 1) a 40-year anniversary to probably the most influential concept and kinetic art exhibition "Form. Colour. Dynamics" that is celebrated with... the same exhibition! 2) a multi-media show "JUST ON TIME. Design Stories About Latvia" will look back at the 100 years since the establishment of Latvia, over which design gradually became an independent discipline, detaching from art, architecture, craft, and industry. The episodes in the history of design will be arranged by a search for common themes and points of departure in the work of designers of different generations", and 3) a solo show by Artis Nīmanis, the guy behind the famous “an&angel” glassware!
Web
DZELTENIE PASTNIEKI
When: 8 December
Where: Republika
How Much: €
"The Yellow Postmen" is like The Police having a threesome with Trio and A Certain Ratio, and then they all have a beer with Mac De Marco. Enough with associations, shit, if you miss these guys, you miss the largest popular underground name in Latvia no one is neutral to. Dzeltenie Pastnieki are back from the 1980's, and are as dope as usual.
Bandcamp
RETRO FM WINTER DISCOTEQUE
When: 8 December
Where: Arēna Rīga
How much: €€ - €€€
Imagine this - someone dropped a hydrogen bomb. The world is over, everything is on fire, there are only remnants of our civilisation. And then, under the ruins, there is still something moving alive and unstoppable. The ground shakes again, and under the rubble up carve themselves - Eurotrash! Well, this is one of the events from the 3rd group we mentioned in the lead text, yet we still believe all the cool and dodgy normcore kids will be attending this one-hit-wonder mammoth event of the 90's dance scene!
ONE OF US
NGC-5128, Igors Vorobjovs, NEI
When: 8 December
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €
One One delivers two incredible times this month. "NGC-5128 is going to perform a special hybrid set, one of the curators of the One of us series – Igors Vorobjovs (affiliate of Blind Allies), is preparing a live performance, and One Of Us main man NEI aka Cosmic Monkey (affiliate of Exposed Records) tops of the exquisite line-up with a DJ set."
TESA
Heartbeats From The Sky 08-18
When: 13 December
Where: Tu jau zini kur
How much: donation based
"Exactly 10 years ago TESA, a local melodic post-metal grand, released their debut album "Heartbeats From The Sky". Marking it’s decade they are releasing a new, repressed limited version vinyl and having a re-release show accompained by another progressive / stoner band Soundarcade. The same date, just ten years later. And for the first time since it's original release, TESA are going to play the full album in it's entirety."
Bandcamp
Facebook
JARMARKA
When: 15 - 30 December (excl. 24. - 26.12.)
Where: Art Academy of Latvia
How much: free entrance
"Yarmarka" is an Student art Fair concentrating around works by students of the Art Academy of Latvia. With "more than 10 000 unique pieces of art for purchase for display and and purchase - paintings, ceramics, jewellery, glass, graphics, fashion and design", Jarmarka is one big fuss for both viewers, buyers, lovers and haters.
BLACKOUT
When: 15 December
Where: Autentika
How much: €
More than 10 Latvian electronic underground music thrashers and a "light show" in one, packed, 200-year old wooden box, that will be re-opening after a some visual reconstruction. Check out the Facebook event below for all the line-up, listen for some beats and decide what suits your dancing mood the best!
IĻĢI
When: 22 December
Where: VEF Culture Palace
How much: €€
Even if you are not a fan of post-folk, these trailblazers of folk revival in Latvian music for 30 years are worth a listen. The concert takes place on the Winter solstice day, thus extra emphasizing interest by many Latvians to indulge into old ancient purposes for Christmas celebration rather than relating it to Christian tradition. If you doubt whether you like the "Ghosts", have a listen.
Spotify
MORE INFO
What else: Of course, try out Riga's Christmas markets at Doma Laukums, Esplanāde and Līvu laukums. Not sure if the latter have any contemporaneity, yet the one at Doma Square is good alternative to, say, Bremen's famous holiday fairs. CAPITAL R have heard about some "hipster markets" coming up, so keep yourselves updated!
NB. Christmas days on 25th and 26th are day-offs - don't look for any tours, museums, concerts, most of restaurants, cafés and pubs. Try acquaint someone local and indulge their celebrating/non-celebrating traditions. If many holidays are very public, and most of Latvians go somewhere or visit something, Christmas is the time, when everybody holds oneself behind locked door and celebrates with their family, closest friends, or the Finnish way (also Latvian).
One is sure for sure though - the very last month of year will always belong to Apollo, the god of tunes. It's only reasonable that here is a December shortlist by CAPITAL R that will consist of a minimal mixture of all mentioned above to give more melodic experience to the hungry ones.
2 ANNAS
Where: Kaņepes Kultūras Centrs and cinema K Suns
How much: €
"The 23rd Riga International Film festival 2ANNAS offers a selection of innovative, provocative and socially active short and mid-length films. This year they have received more than 3000 films from which about 68 will be selected in four categories: International Short Film Competition, Baltic Short Film Competition, International Mid-length Film Competition and, for the first time in 2ANNAS IFF, - International Children's Short Film Competition! In total, 154 shorts from 44 countries will be available at the festival this year."
Web
JAZZ ROOM SESSIONS
Deniss Pashkevich, Tim Hagans feat. Carl Winther, Johnny Aman, Anders Mogensen
Where: Rīga Art Space
How much: €€
"Riga will host a multiple Grammy award nominee, trumpeter and composer Tim Hagans, who will perform together with one of the leading jazz musicians in the Baltic States, saxophonist and composer Deniss Pashkevich. Accompanied by one of Europe's leading rhythm sections, the musicians will play original music written specially for this concert."
THE MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
Where: The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MDAD)
How much: €
Although there are a few exhibitions running already now, our given period in MDAD is a real pleasure dome. 3 parallel top notch shows FOR THE SAME PRICE! 1) a 40-year anniversary to probably the most influential concept and kinetic art exhibition "Form. Colour. Dynamics" that is celebrated with... the same exhibition! 2) a multi-media show "JUST ON TIME. Design Stories About Latvia" will look back at the 100 years since the establishment of Latvia, over which design gradually became an independent discipline, detaching from art, architecture, craft, and industry. The episodes in the history of design will be arranged by a search for common themes and points of departure in the work of designers of different generations", and 3) a solo show by Artis Nīmanis, the guy behind the famous “an&angel” glassware!
Web
DZELTENIE PASTNIEKI
Where: Republika
How Much: €
"The Yellow Postmen" is like The Police having a threesome with Trio and A Certain Ratio, and then they all have a beer with Mac De Marco. Enough with associations, shit, if you miss these guys, you miss the largest popular underground name in Latvia no one is neutral to. Dzeltenie Pastnieki are back from the 1980's, and are as dope as usual.
Bandcamp
RETRO FM WINTER DISCOTEQUE
Where: Arēna Rīga
How much: €€ - €€€
Imagine this - someone dropped a hydrogen bomb. The world is over, everything is on fire, there are only remnants of our civilisation. And then, under the ruins, there is still something moving alive and unstoppable. The ground shakes again, and under the rubble up carve themselves - Eurotrash! Well, this is one of the events from the 3rd group we mentioned in the lead text, yet we still believe all the cool and dodgy normcore kids will be attending this one-hit-wonder mammoth event of the 90's dance scene!
ONE OF US
NGC-5128, Igors Vorobjovs, NEI
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €
One One delivers two incredible times this month. "NGC-5128 is going to perform a special hybrid set, one of the curators of the One of us series – Igors Vorobjovs (affiliate of Blind Allies), is preparing a live performance, and One Of Us main man NEI aka Cosmic Monkey (affiliate of Exposed Records) tops of the exquisite line-up with a DJ set."
TESA
Heartbeats From The Sky 08-18
Where: Tu jau zini kur
How much: donation based
"Exactly 10 years ago TESA, a local melodic post-metal grand, released their debut album "Heartbeats From The Sky". Marking it’s decade they are releasing a new, repressed limited version vinyl and having a re-release show accompained by another progressive / stoner band Soundarcade. The same date, just ten years later. And for the first time since it's original release, TESA are going to play the full album in it's entirety."
Bandcamp
JARMARKA
Where: Art Academy of Latvia
How much: free entrance
"Yarmarka" is an Student art Fair concentrating around works by students of the Art Academy of Latvia. With "more than 10 000 unique pieces of art for purchase for display and and purchase - paintings, ceramics, jewellery, glass, graphics, fashion and design", Jarmarka is one big fuss for both viewers, buyers, lovers and haters.
BLACKOUT
Where: Autentika
How much: €
More than 10 Latvian electronic underground music thrashers and a "light show" in one, packed, 200-year old wooden box, that will be re-opening after a some visual reconstruction. Check out the Facebook event below for all the line-up, listen for some beats and decide what suits your dancing mood the best!
IĻĢI
Where: VEF Culture Palace
How much: €€
Even if you are not a fan of post-folk, these trailblazers of folk revival in Latvian music for 30 years are worth a listen. The concert takes place on the Winter solstice day, thus extra emphasizing interest by many Latvians to indulge into old ancient purposes for Christmas celebration rather than relating it to Christian tradition. If you doubt whether you like the "Ghosts", have a listen.
Spotify
MORE INFO
What else: Of course, try out Riga's Christmas markets at Doma Laukums, Esplanāde and Līvu laukums. Not sure if the latter have any contemporaneity, yet the one at Doma Square is good alternative to, say, Bremen's famous holiday fairs. CAPITAL R have heard about some "hipster markets" coming up, so keep yourselves updated!
NB. Christmas days on 25th and 26th are day-offs - don't look for any tours, museums, concerts, most of restaurants, cafés and pubs. Try acquaint someone local and indulge their celebrating/non-celebrating traditions. If many holidays are very public, and most of Latvians go somewhere or visit something, Christmas is the time, when everybody holds oneself behind locked door and celebrates with their family, closest friends, or the Finnish way (also Latvian).
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