I recently bought this DVD : ‘Tattoos: A Scarred History’ and didn´t really know what to expect from it – it had good reviews on amazon so I ordered it and well – I really really was not dissapointed.
‘Tattoos: A Scarred History’ is by far the best and most personal Documentary I´ve ever seen about the world of Tattoos and the surrounding Body Modifactions. The female Host Sousila Pillay leads us through her journey into a world of Tattoos, Piercings, Scarification and more – a world she didn´t really know what to expect but got interested by the pure question of why there are so many people with Tattoos and what is the reason behind it. The list of Celebrities she asked is impressive and the people she met and talked to should open up everyones horizon at least a little while watching this awesome DVD. There is a website about the movie @ www.tattoosascarredhistory.com and I deeply encourage u to take the journey – to let Sousila take ur hand and show u a very personal and on some levels quite drastical and graphic journey into the world of Tattoos and Body Modifications.
It´s hands down the best Movie about Tattoos for me and although sometimes u can see the homemade character of it when in some scenes the camera is a bit blurry – come on and try it !

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Today was a day for Cinema. Went early out of Office and to my favourite Cinema “Schauburg” in Karlsruhe to see “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” and “Queen to Play” or “Die Schachspielerin” in Germany. Parnassus was quite unusual and you could really see that this was a Terry Gilliam Movie – lots and lots of ideas and visual influences to see and to process and with a really good Heath Ledger and Johnny Depp and many others – but somehow it left me a bit – well – cold ? It didn´t ring a bell inside me as much as I expected to – but maybe my expectations were too high – so let´s just say it was a good movie with some wonderful scenes that I liked but for me a film like “MirrorMask” works much better for me.

Now to a whole different film and another level of delight and satisfaction – “Die Schachspielerin” – a movie about Hélène – a simple housemaid who discovers her love for playing chess since she saw a couple playing it together and sharing intimate moments through the game. I really really enjoyed this movie – even though I was sitting in the smallest cinema of the “Schauburg” – the “Bambi” which has the feeling of seeing a movie in your own private room with in this case a lot of old ladies – a typical film for women you could say but that would be unfair so try it – just try it – this movie is touching, funny and has a fantastic Sandrine Bonnaire as Hélène where you can see how she develops from a woman which is unsure about herself and what she is able to do – to a woman which frees herself with the help of this game called chess and the process of learning it through the help of one of her…ah..hush..nothing more..go and see it – you won´t regret it !

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Oh my – where should I start – many cities – many countries – no USA and Canada this time – but again a lot of good memories, of inspiring and unique moments – meeting good friends again and making new ones – talking to Tori Amos and seeing her play live – listening to a superb support act named Foy Vance and having some nice conversations with him too – camping out in the Oxford Street at the hmv in London for a Wristband to the very special gig @ Jazz Café – crying my heart out during Boys in the Trees in Düsseldorf – rocking my ass and body during most of the shows > especially in Rome and Luxembourg – getting a kiss from a wonderful girl from England – falling in and out of love after the main Tour and before the gig @ Jazz Café in London – this Tour – this year – had so many experiences and things to learn and to understand – what a year, indeed.

The Gig from Julia Marcell at the Underground Club in Cologne on 23rd December 2008 is online at:

http://www.rockpalast.de/video.phtml?id=julia_marcell

Awesome Day and wonderful gig !!!

Her last.fm – Site:

http://www.last.fm/music/Julia+Marcell

Also the WICKED gig from The Black Sheep on the same day and place:

http://www.rockpalast.de/video.phtml?id=the_black_sheep

Last.fm:

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Black+Sheep

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She grabbed my arm and didn´t let go until the end of this gig and of this ride through emotion and life and fun and laughter and a performance of Amanda Palmer that will stick in the minds of everyone who watched her and the many supporting artists she had brought along with her on this magical carpet ride in the Karlstorbahnhof in Heidelberg on 14th October 2008 – a date to remember. I can still feel the vibrations of the music, of the Cello of Zoe Keating which did a wonderful support – first on her own as one of the three supporting artists before Amanda Palmer came on stage and then in the band of Amanda – I can still feel the thunder that was released by all of them – by Jason Webley who made us all sing a drinking song and put up one finger in the air and dancing little pirouettes – I can still hear the music of Astronaut and all the other fantastic songs which I heard in these hours filled with pure life. Amanda Fucking Palmer is amazing, exceptional, outstanding and this gig in Heidelberg – which is a city I´ve always loved – can never be erased out of the conscious mind of the whole audience. Oh I´m so excited – so much – so much – so much everything else doesn´t matter and at the same time gets a new perspective each time – open my arms up to hear – to feel – to sing. To sing Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi in an Version that just blew my mind – to shout out loud out Umbrella from Rihanna which Amanda played on her little guitar and made me dance and jump and shout and released me from the physical bounds of earth for a while. To hear Amanda playing Creep by Radiohead on the Ukulele and all the audience sang with her – you can not be in love with this woman after this gig. You simply can not – only if something strange tells you not to – but throw these thoughts away and embrace the music and the experience of AMANDA FUCKING PALMER !!!
I´ve made some pictures – there are sure many others out there and hopefully some Videos up on YouTube soon – cause u have to see to believe how breathtakingly beautiful this gig in Heidelberg was.

Amanda and also Zoe is now in my Pass – together with Tori, Peter, Jorane and Loreena and oh my god – I will not – not forget this day and how she kissed my hand after signing my pass – how she grabbed my arm while she walked on stage – up a little staircase in front of the stage cause her big toe was broken and the intensity of the performance of all who were there on this night to remember.
This is what life is for – to experience new things – to see new sights – to hear new sounds and voices and to feel it – to embrace it.

Inshallah

Michael

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On Saturday, the 11th October – something magical happened – the concert of Julie Fowlis in Rüsselsheim at the “Dorflinde”.
The tickets were sold out in advance and there were about 300 people from all over Europe (or the world ?) there – including one cool guy from Luxembourg. This evening with Julie Fowlis and her amazing band was the first ever gig in Germany and I think both sides – the musicians and the audience – will remember this gig and keep it in memory as one of the best gigs ever.
All the songs of Julie are in Gaelic – the original language from the Celts and the beautiful, haunting and mesmerizing voice of Julie was supported by a wonderful band. I´ve made some pictures of this evening – see them here:

Julie did really take time to sign things for her fans afterwards the concert and even spoke a Birthday Message in Gaelic on my iPhone for a good Friend who celebrated his birthday on Saturday and I couldn´t be there out of obvious reasons – but I told him I would try to ask her for this favour and she spoke in the cutest and most pleasant tone and wished him a Happy Birthday in Gaelic – awesome woman !!

..I want to stand and stare again..oh..it´s in your eyes..

Embedded Video

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It´s been a few days now – but this video brought back some gorgeous memories of this wonderful Festival in Charlton Park:

Nach einem sehr schönen Wochenende in Köln und einer wunderbaren Bescherung gestern abend, sende ich euch allen schöne Weihnachtsgrüße und ein Frohes Neues Jahr 2008 mit einem Tanz der Fantastischen Vier :

Fantastic Four

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IMG_3932, ursprünglich hochgeladen von ceremony

Sie sind online – alle Bilder von meinem Urlaub in Kanada, inklusive einem Kurztrip nach Boston sind online hier zu finden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lichtkrieger/collections/72157603385474733/

Zu beschreiben, wie genial diese 3 Wochen waren, würde den Rahmen sprengen – aber genauso wie 1998, als ich für 2 Wochen die Ostküste entlang reiste auf den Spuren von Tori Amos, war auch diese Zeit eine der beeindruckendsten und faszinierendsten in meinem bisherigen Lebenslauf – mal kucken was noch kommt .

Inshallah

Michael

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