EVENTS IN FEBRUARY 2019. A useful shortlist.
Would you believe if we said it's that one short month with that too many events? Well, February is definitely packed. Especially, when many Western countries demonstrate their masking traditions only around Halloween, Latvians continue and end their carnival mood only by the end of February.
This month, similarly to Chinese, faces the ancient Latvian New Years' Eve. The date is dated and blurry though, therefore the whole February becomes one big festive party - so be prepared for many dressing-up, carnival mood events and infernal, saturnalian musical orgies. As for the famous V day - you just wait, something wicked this way comes from CAPITAL R.
ASJA LĀCIS
Engineer of the avant-garde
When: all month (until 31 March)
Where: Latvian National Library
How much: free
“Visitors of the exhibition will virtually visit all early 20th century focal points of the cultural avant-garde in Europe, from Riga to Berlin, Munich, Naples, Rome, Vienna, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Valmiera and coming back to Riga. At each of these points of reference Asja Lācis (internationally renowned theatre director, actress, theoretician, pedagogue) met and collaborated with leading intellectuals - Bertolt Brecht, Max Reinhardt, Fritz Lang, Bernhard Reich, Erwin Piscator, Siegfried Kracauer and Walter Benjamin in Germany, with Fyodor Komisarjevsky, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Vladimir Bill-Belotserkovsky, Sergei Eisenstein, Victor Shestakov, Dziga Vertov, Sergei Tretyakov in Russia and Linards Laicens, Leons Paegle, Eduards Priede in Latvia,” Andris Brikmanis, the curator.
More info
BORIS LURIE AND NO!Art
When: all month (until 10 March)
Where: Rīgas Birža
How much: €
"“NO! NO! NO! to the conventional, to all the evil and despair that reign here, NO to conformism and materialism!” This sentence is published in the flyer of Boris Lurie (1924–2008) exhibition in The Gallery: Gertrude Stein in New York in 1963 and it depicts the exhibition dedicated to the NO!art movement that started in the late 1950s and early 60s as opposition to the trend of the commercialization of art. " After that Gertrude Stein continues working with NO!art artists for a while. During this exhibition viewers "will have an opportunity to see a part of the exhibitions and artists being displayed in Stein's gallery.
Web
LATVIAN ART ACADEMY CARNIVAL
The castle of dogman
When: 1 February
Where: Latvian Academy of Arts
How much: €€ - €€€
For the 81st time all graduated, current and also future students of Latvian Academy of Arts are again gathering together with other creative industry furniture, actors, musicians, or simply alcohol and sex-thirsty youth to enjoy one of the most legendary and longest existing parties in Latvian history. Multiple stages, multiple bars two buildings and one night full of masked people.
Web
RAVE provide by NASA
When: 2 February
Where: Tallinas Pagalms
How much: €
A cosmic techno and rave carnival for all the youth culturists - as always cheaper for the dressed up. More than a dozen of dance masters, DJ's and VJ's for your darkest and most rhythmical cosmic suburban dance floor expressions. Check out the whole list in Facebook event.
JAAKKO EINO KALEVI
When: 9 February
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €€
"Indie (retro) pop favourite Jaakko Eino Kalevi was signed to Domino Records as the famed indie label’s first Nordic act ever. His eponymous Domino début was released in 2015. Finnish music fans went crazy, maybe even crazier than fans in other small nations would.." Through the years the Berlin-based Jaakko has developed strong bonds with Riga, and this is his third concert in three years - as solo act and as with his other project Man Duo. JEK is a must for everybody these days, and it is important to realize it in time before the tickets disappear.
Bandcamp
FROM HELSINKI WITH (FIRE EMOJI)
When: 9 February
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €
"After the concert by Jaakko Eino Kalevi ONE ONE will bring in a friend from SMOOD for a Saturday night full of musical surprises and delights." DJ Aleksi (FIN) will be accompanied by one of the most intelligent house dance music names from Latvia - Elvi Soulsystems.
Soundcloud (DJ Aleksi)
Soundcloud (Elvi Soulsystems)
METENIS
How much: €
Pagan calendar had different time organizing system, following Equinoxes and Solstices. The new year “Metenis” occurred at the beginning of February, and masking and feasting was important part of it as well as any other Winter celebration. Budēļi is the name of such mummers and maskers, and they all will gather in a big mash-up party to celebrate the coming of a new ancient Latvian year. Folk dances, performances, food and dresses, if that's what you are up to - this event will be stunning!
P.S. Some pre-metenis will take place at the Kalnciema ielas street market a day before. If the Etnographic Open-air museum seems too far and old school, try this one!
Web
Where: DEPO
How much: free - €
Remember the January article about all the dead venues in Old Town? DEPO is one of those spiteful old-timers that still struggles against all the capitalist odds, and will be celebrating its 17th birthday this March. Meanwhile MARTAS ASINIS (Martha's blood) might not be that old, but is still a very fertile indie electro dance band with well played texts you will only understand if you know Latvian. Well, the lyrics illustrating contemporary culture might be a good way to start learning, while shaking your bust to the music.
Bandcamp
TECHCHILL
When: 21 - 22 February
Where: VEF Culture Palace
How much: €€€€€+
TechChill is a non-profit foundation empowering the Baltic start-up ecosystem. The highlight of the year is a conference of the same name, bringing together 2000+ tech-heads during the coldest time of the year to discuss the hottest topics in technology. Ever heard of SLUSH? TechChill has made up strong competition to it in recent years and for a reason!
Web+Tickets
Facebook
STURLE DAGLAND
When: 26 February
Where: Kaņepes Kultūras centrs
How much: €
"Sturle Dagsland is a highly acclaimed musician from Norway, playing on an array of instruments and electronics. He creates a harmonically expressive-progressive ever-changing soundscape dominated by Sturle's unrestrained innovative vocals ranging from ravening ferocious screams to virtuous angelic chanting. His distinctive voice, large vocal range, multilingual lyrics and unique approach to song writing and composition won him the "Emerging Artist" award in Copenhagen, and Sturle has toured extensively all across the world ever since." Whether it's mountain tops in Norway, abandoned industrial areas in Russia, Soviet marine ships in Eastern-Europe, concentration camps in Germany, a lighthouse in the North-Sea, and singing with wolves in Greenland, Sturle Dagsland represents words said about him by The Line of Best Fit - "A male Bjork!".
Bandcamp
This month, similarly to Chinese, faces the ancient Latvian New Years' Eve. The date is dated and blurry though, therefore the whole February becomes one big festive party - so be prepared for many dressing-up, carnival mood events and infernal, saturnalian musical orgies. As for the famous V day - you just wait, something wicked this way comes from CAPITAL R.
ASJA LĀCIS
Engineer of the avant-garde
Where: Latvian National Library
How much: free
“Visitors of the exhibition will virtually visit all early 20th century focal points of the cultural avant-garde in Europe, from Riga to Berlin, Munich, Naples, Rome, Vienna, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Valmiera and coming back to Riga. At each of these points of reference Asja Lācis (internationally renowned theatre director, actress, theoretician, pedagogue) met and collaborated with leading intellectuals - Bertolt Brecht, Max Reinhardt, Fritz Lang, Bernhard Reich, Erwin Piscator, Siegfried Kracauer and Walter Benjamin in Germany, with Fyodor Komisarjevsky, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Vladimir Bill-Belotserkovsky, Sergei Eisenstein, Victor Shestakov, Dziga Vertov, Sergei Tretyakov in Russia and Linards Laicens, Leons Paegle, Eduards Priede in Latvia,” Andris Brikmanis, the curator.
More info
BORIS LURIE AND NO!Art
Where: Rīgas Birža
How much: €
"“NO! NO! NO! to the conventional, to all the evil and despair that reign here, NO to conformism and materialism!” This sentence is published in the flyer of Boris Lurie (1924–2008) exhibition in The Gallery: Gertrude Stein in New York in 1963 and it depicts the exhibition dedicated to the NO!art movement that started in the late 1950s and early 60s as opposition to the trend of the commercialization of art. " After that Gertrude Stein continues working with NO!art artists for a while. During this exhibition viewers "will have an opportunity to see a part of the exhibitions and artists being displayed in Stein's gallery.
Web
LATVIAN ART ACADEMY CARNIVAL
The castle of dogman
Where: Latvian Academy of Arts
How much: €€ - €€€
For the 81st time all graduated, current and also future students of Latvian Academy of Arts are again gathering together with other creative industry furniture, actors, musicians, or simply alcohol and sex-thirsty youth to enjoy one of the most legendary and longest existing parties in Latvian history. Multiple stages, multiple bars two buildings and one night full of masked people.
Web
RAVE provide by NASA
Where: Tallinas Pagalms
How much: €
A cosmic techno and rave carnival for all the youth culturists - as always cheaper for the dressed up. More than a dozen of dance masters, DJ's and VJ's for your darkest and most rhythmical cosmic suburban dance floor expressions. Check out the whole list in Facebook event.
JAAKKO EINO KALEVI
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €€
"Indie (retro) pop favourite Jaakko Eino Kalevi was signed to Domino Records as the famed indie label’s first Nordic act ever. His eponymous Domino début was released in 2015. Finnish music fans went crazy, maybe even crazier than fans in other small nations would.." Through the years the Berlin-based Jaakko has developed strong bonds with Riga, and this is his third concert in three years - as solo act and as with his other project Man Duo. JEK is a must for everybody these days, and it is important to realize it in time before the tickets disappear.
Bandcamp
FROM HELSINKI WITH (FIRE EMOJI)
Where: ONE ONE
How much: €
"After the concert by Jaakko Eino Kalevi ONE ONE will bring in a friend from SMOOD for a Saturday night full of musical surprises and delights." DJ Aleksi (FIN) will be accompanied by one of the most intelligent house dance music names from Latvia - Elvi Soulsystems.
Soundcloud (DJ Aleksi)
Soundcloud (Elvi Soulsystems)
METENIS
When: 10 February
Where: Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air MuseumHow much: €
Pagan calendar had different time organizing system, following Equinoxes and Solstices. The new year “Metenis” occurred at the beginning of February, and masking and feasting was important part of it as well as any other Winter celebration. Budēļi is the name of such mummers and maskers, and they all will gather in a big mash-up party to celebrate the coming of a new ancient Latvian year. Folk dances, performances, food and dresses, if that's what you are up to - this event will be stunning!
P.S. Some pre-metenis will take place at the Kalnciema ielas street market a day before. If the Etnographic Open-air museum seems too far and old school, try this one!
Web
MARTAS ASINIS
When: 15 February 
Where: DEPO
How much: free - €
Remember the January article about all the dead venues in Old Town? DEPO is one of those spiteful old-timers that still struggles against all the capitalist odds, and will be celebrating its 17th birthday this March. Meanwhile MARTAS ASINIS (Martha's blood) might not be that old, but is still a very fertile indie electro dance band with well played texts you will only understand if you know Latvian. Well, the lyrics illustrating contemporary culture might be a good way to start learning, while shaking your bust to the music.
Bandcamp
TECHCHILL
Where: VEF Culture Palace
How much: €€€€€+
TechChill is a non-profit foundation empowering the Baltic start-up ecosystem. The highlight of the year is a conference of the same name, bringing together 2000+ tech-heads during the coldest time of the year to discuss the hottest topics in technology. Ever heard of SLUSH? TechChill has made up strong competition to it in recent years and for a reason!
Web+Tickets
STURLE DAGLAND
Where: Kaņepes Kultūras centrs
How much: €
"Sturle Dagsland is a highly acclaimed musician from Norway, playing on an array of instruments and electronics. He creates a harmonically expressive-progressive ever-changing soundscape dominated by Sturle's unrestrained innovative vocals ranging from ravening ferocious screams to virtuous angelic chanting. His distinctive voice, large vocal range, multilingual lyrics and unique approach to song writing and composition won him the "Emerging Artist" award in Copenhagen, and Sturle has toured extensively all across the world ever since." Whether it's mountain tops in Norway, abandoned industrial areas in Russia, Soviet marine ships in Eastern-Europe, concentration camps in Germany, a lighthouse in the North-Sea, and singing with wolves in Greenland, Sturle Dagsland represents words said about him by The Line of Best Fit - "A male Bjork!".
Bandcamp
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