Snowbombing in Austria, Improvising in Switzerland

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HI this is Gemma Dempsey and welcome to another edition of The Global Gig Guide. This week we’ll  be Snowbombing in Austria and improvising in Switzerland, as well as a quick round up of whos currently on tour around the world.

Mayrhofen Austria 9 – 15th April

Taking place in the spectacular Austrian resort of Mayrhofen offering views over Italy, Germany and Austria, Snowbombing is a week of  snow filled fun and great music literally on and off the piste – featuring Just Jack, Hot Club De Paris and The Cuban Brothers and DJs such as Guilty Pleasures, Annie Mac and Rob Da Bank. Mayrhofen is accessible via Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck or a five hour car ride from Milan.

Located in the Ziller valley, the area boasts spectacular skiing including the Tux Glacier with the worlds highest half pipe and Hari Kiri – the name given to the blackest of black slopes with gradient of 78 degrees! If you just want to relax, or need to appease that hammer banging in your head due to overdosing Jagermeister , there are plenty of spas offering Alpine treatments or kick back at  the Blowback Day Care Centre. For hardcore Snowboming punters, the party begins as they hope off the gondola at 1800 metres at the Snowbombing Mountain Top Venue where DJs will be spinning all day. New for this year is the Artic Disco – an igloo in the Ahorn Mountains, with a bar inside and blocks of ice covered in fur, so you can chill out in every sense of the word! Myspace is hosting the Snowbombing King of the Mountain Battle of the Bands where 5 new artists will perform  on an outdoor stage surrounded by the Austrian mountains. So if the band sucks, you can still enjoy the scenery!

And if you like your fun to be more silly than snowy, check out these activities – for a night of hirsute action there’s the Wall of Sound Wig Out Party with music by The Glimmers, the 80’s Keep Fit Video Party – where the wearing of pink and lime coloured spandex is not only encouraged but required! If you don’t have anything that quite fits the sartorial bill for these parties, Snowbombing will sell you a starter pack of 12 moustaches for three quid to get you in the silly mood.
My advice for Snowbombing, don’t attempt Hari Kiri unless you know what you are doing, and a wear your moustache with pride!

AMR Jazz Festival  April 19, 20, 21, 22
(Geneva, Switzerland)

Keeping to countries famed for their mountainous terrain, we take ourselves to
Switzerland for the AMR jazz festival.
The name AMR stands for – and apologies to our French listeners -  the  Association Pour L’encouragement de la Musique ImpRovisee, a progressive jazz school in Geneva, founded by musicians in 1971. This led to the founding of the AMR festival focusing on improvised music. Now in its 26th year, the festival takes place in The Alhambar  -  a popular central Geneva venue, decked out in cool post- modern furniture with a Buddha bar type vibe,  attracting a trendy  local and international crowd – particularly when the AMR festival takes place. This year the AMR line up includes William Parker, Pavel Pesta Re Bop Quintet and Andy Emler Megaoctet.
Website:AMR Website



And don’t forget these artists are currently on tour around the world…
Lily Allen
The Shins
Snow Patrol
Bloc Party
Angelique Kidjo -
She was just at the studios of KCRW on Morning Becomes Eclectic with host Nic Harcourt and performed a great live set – check it out on our website KCRW.com/music or on our myspacepage – www.myspace.com/kcrw.

That’s it for this week’s Global Gig Guide.

We’d  love to hear about festivals in your part of the world, so why not send us an email ?  Global@kcrw.com.
Otherwise check back with us next week for more information on Global Gigging.
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Other events you may like to know about…

Garorock Festival in Marmande, SE France , near Bordeaux and Toulouse over Easter w/end (April 6/7/8) a great line up! Public Enemy, Rinocerose, Laurent Garnier, Asian Dub Foundation, Tilly and the wall, !!! , Ojos de Brujo, Tinariwen

Tickets – tel (011 33 ) 05 53 64 44 44      www.FNAC.com

Also in France… 9 March – 7 April

More than a simple blues or jazz festival, Banlieues Bleues brings together the old and the new in a celebration of music that lights up the Seine St Denis suburb of north-east Paris.
The area has undergone a steady revival, with the construction of the Stade de France bringing visitors to a part of the city that was formerly largely residential. Every year the festival attracts big names to venues dotted throughout the area.

The excellent line-up for 2007 features Roy Hargove & the RH Factor, Marc Ribot, Soweto Kinch, Roy Ayers, Pharoah Sanders and the outstanding Spring Heel Jack, collaborating with drummer Paul Lytton, clarinetist Alex Ward and Pat Thomas on keys.


National Tartan Day / Month! Parade in NYC 4/16!
To celebrate the Scottish connection to the establishment of America’s independence,
There are lots of Scottish based events for the next few weeks – I put it in here
For those KCRW fans who are ceilidh lovers! Wear your tartan with pride
But kilt wearing lads, please don’t kick your legs too high – you’ll frighten unsuspecting passersby! If you need help with your kilt visit this site http://clan.com/kiltsandtartan/
Website:
Pipe Festival Website


Disclaimer: Although I have  tried to make the Global Gig Guide as accurate as possible, KCRW accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person resulting from information contained in the Global Gig Guide . We would recommend that you to verify any critical information with the relevant authorities before you travel. Other than that we hope you have a blast-
Virtually or in reality – send us a postcard, photo or email of your festival fun
Global@kcrw.com.

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