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The desert festival in exile to visit Gothenburg

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From 2001 and until last year the Festival au Desert – Desert Festival – has been a significant cultural event in Mali, focused on Tuareg music and desert blues. The festival has attracted artists, audiences and media from around the world. Until the violent conflict in the country made ​​it impossible to continue. Now, Clandestino Festival has the great honor of presenting a one day version of the same festival in exile, on our home turf in Gothenburg:

LE FESTIVAL AU DESERT IN EXILE on November 7
Musikens Hus, Djurgårdsgatan 13 , Gothenburg. Opens 18:30. | Tickets are sold at the door

* FILM: THE LAST SONG BEFORE THE WAR
Magic live performances under the starry Sahara night sky frame this tale of desert festival – a struggle against political and economic difficulties – as told by founder Manny Ansar. We also get to meet artists and visitors during the 2011 edition. | Read more

* TALKS: ALMOU ANSAR
Almou Ansar is one of the founders of the desert festival. He will be interviewed on stage by Lars Lovén, freelance journalist and music critic, specializing on contemporary African music. | Read more

* CONCERT: VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ
His new album “Mon Pays” is a tribute to his homeland Mali in light of the recent conflict. “For me, the songs make up a statement that this country belongs to Mali’s sons and daughters, not Al Qaeda and other militant organizations. This country stands for peace and beauty, rich culture and tolerance. It is our heritage, which we must always defend so best we can – for me, that means to make music that reminds the world about who we are.” On stage around 21:30. | Read more

Vieux Farka Touré

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FESTIVAL AU DÉSERT IN EXILE 7 NOVEMBER
Musikens Hus, Djurgårdsg. 13, Göteborg. Opens 18.30. | Full program | Tickets avalable at the door

When in his teens, Vieux declared that he wanted to be a musician, just like his father Ali Farka Touré. His father dissaproved due to the pressures he had experienced being a musician. Rather, he wanted Vieux to become a soldier. But with help from family friend and kora maestro Toumani Diabaté, Vieux eventually convinced his father to give him his blessing to become a musician shortly before Ali passed.

Vieux Farka Touré’s latest album was recorded as an homage to his homeland. Being that his native Mali has been splintered by territorial fighting between Tuareg and Islamic rebels since January 2012, “Mon Pays” is devoted to reminding the world about the beauty and culture of his homeland.

‘For me it is a statement for the world that this land is for the sons and daughters of Mali, not for Al Qaeda or any militants. This land is for peace and beauty, rich culture and tolerance.This is our heritage, what we must always fight to protect in any way that we can. For me, that means making music that reminds the world of who we are.’

Translating as ‘My Nation,’ this predominantly acoustic undertaking had been planned before the invasions began. Inspired by his work with Israeli pianist and vocalist Idan Raichel, Touré initially went into a Bamako studio to honor the acoustic blues tradition of Northern and Southern Mali. Since that time, Mon Pays transformed into an artifact of cultural preservation.

Two songs on the project -Future’ and ‘Peace’ feature Sidiki Diabate’s kora leading an emotional charge complemented by Touré’s spectacular guitar work. Both tracks represent an important generational “passing of the torch” as Sidiki’s father, Toumani is considered one of the greatest living kora masters and was a close friend of Vieux’s father Ali. Their two records together, In the Heart of the Moon and Ali and Toumani, were awarded Grammies. At the 2011 ceremonies, Vieux accepted the prestigious award for his father, who had recently passed from bone cancer.

Read review of Mon Pays in i Pitchfork

The Gothenburg edition of Festival au Désert in exile 7 November 2013 is presented by Clandestino Festival in collaboration with Mer Jazz i Sverige and Svenska PostkodLotteriet.

The Last Song Before The War


FESTIVAL AU DÉSERT IN EXILE 7 NOVEMBER
Musikens Hus, Djurgårdsgatan 13, Göteborg. Opens 18.30. | Full program | Tickets available at the door

The Last Song Before the War is a feature-length documentary that captures the inspiring rise and uncertain future of Mali’s annual Festival in the Desert. The festival history is told from the perspective of the co-founder and festival director, Manny Ansar, the musicians who perform and the intrepid travelers from around the world who make the long journey to attend the festival. Against the backdrop of stunning musical performances, the film subtly reveals the challenges and triumphs of creating an artistic event in such challenging economic and political circumstances. After 12 years of success and unforgettable musical moments, the Festival in the Desert came to a halt in 2012 when Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants seized control of Northern Mali.

The Last Song Before the War chronicles the 2011 Festival—arguably the last edition that still captured its original goals—a global display of peace, reconciliation, and the healing power of music, before being forced into exile.

Director: Kiley Kraskouskas.

Hito Steyerl

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HITO STEYERL: “HOW NOT TO BE SEEN”

The lecture is part of The Film Course – “Att tänka över krönet”. Steyerl will give an artist talk about recent projects including Adorno’s Grey (2012), Guards (2012) and How Not To Be Seen, A Fucking Didactic Educational .Mov File. Entrance fee is voluntary. Food and bar available. Reserve your seats here.

Hito Steyerl (b. 1966, Munich) has produced a variety of works as theorist and filmmaker. With sharpness, humor and personal inputs she examines representation policy and how policy represented. She raise awareness for how technology controls our worldviews and problematize how the global flow of images confirms political herrings. She also attacks his own field by discuss how the art scene itself allow themselves capitalized and function through free labor and the exploitation of people’s fervent commitment. Hito Steyerl is a Doctor of Philosophy and Professor of Fine Art and Media at the Art Academy in Berlin. Her works has been shown in exhibitions Manifesta 5, Documenta 12 and Taipehbiennalen.

Livsfarligt

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FESTIVAL AU DÉSERT IN EXILE 7 NOVEMBER
Musikens Hus, Djurgårdsgatan 13, Göteborg. Opens 18.30. | Full program | Tickets available at the door

The soundscape of the Clandestino Desert Festival escalates into a dj set by duo Livsfarligt, not afraid of manipulating Kenyan hip hop with Caribbean sounds and dirty electronic cumbia. All this to entertain your soft hearts and sensitive ears whether the music moves you on the dance floor or or caresses the back of your neck when you’re just chilling in the bar. Warm, dirty, sticky, sexy, rhytmic, everywhere.

Clandestino Botnik 2013 is over

botnikwebb1We would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who participated in making this year’s Clandestino Botnik to one of those special and most magical memories that we carry with us a for a long time. Artists and poets, of course, but also volunteers, sound and lighting technicians, everybody hwo helped cook, build stages, making video installations, textile art, decorations, driving artists; and to our friends living at Botnik Farms for a great collaboration – but most of all to all festival visitors who went out in the Bohuslän country side for a memorable weekend of great music, poetry, food (and unfortunately also mosquito bites). We hope to see you all again next year. Until then, we recommend you subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from Clandestino Festival and Clandestino Institut. Our photographers Nora Bencivenni and Anna-Lena Lundqvist were at Botnik, see their pictures here.

Everything you need to know about Clandestino Botnik

dimmaOn Saturday, it’s finally time for our festival excursion to the small artist-run farm Botnik Studios right inbetween the sea, the wood and Bohuslän granite. Camp, eat tasty organic and locally produced food, dance under the summer sky and enjoy a two-day festival unlike any other you have experienced. This year’s artists come from Thailand, South Africa, Lebanon, Congo, Japan, Belgium, Guinea-Bissau and from Värnhemstorget in Malmö amongst others. But as usual in Clandestino context, it is not nations and ethnicities that are interesting, but the content, personal expression  – and the struggle to break the boundaries between genres, nations and cultures. A struggle that seems more important than ever in Europe today.

TICKETS
We will sell a limited number of tickets at the entrance (cash only) but advance purchase is SEK 50 cheaper and easier for everyone. | Tickets

FOOD
There are several different eateries serving organic food (cash only).

DIRECTIONS
Botnik Studios, Hamburgsund. | Map

FESTIVAL BUS
Departs from Shell at Nils Ericsson terminal in Gothenburg 12:20 on July 27 and drives back the next day around 17:30 when the last concert ends. 295 SEK. | Book here

PARKING
Valet parking is available adjacent to the festival site for a fee of SEK 20.

TOILETS
Available at the festival site. Not showers. Beaches for swimming in the vicinity.

OVERNIGHT
Camping spots are available on a field adjacent to the festival site and camping is included in the ticket price. The region has a number of hostels. | Tourist Info

AGE-LIMIT
Everyone is welcome to Clandestino Botnik regardless of age. Children under 16 get in for free.

CONTACT: info@clandestinofestival.org

SCHEDULE: SATURDAY 27 JULY
18.00 Lowdjo
19.00 Nazarenes
20.00 Amina Hocine
21.00 Baloji
22.00 Mazaher
23.00 Shangaan Electro
00.00 Daito Manabe
01.30 Lowdjo

Three last bookings to Clandestino Botnik

skogen1Just one week until the summer’s best festival excursion Clandestino Botnik (July 27 to 28) to the fair Bohuslän coast. High time to announce the last three bookings:

Three White Soldiers: A research installation on Clandestino Botnik by Anders Paulin & Johan Forsman from the experimental performing arts group Skogen. The work explores the computer technology which today controls 25% of the transactions on Wall Street without any human intervention: The monolithic, algorithmic machine is operating in speeds beyond human perception, making this cube of financial immanence a vehicle with no throttle or steering wheel. This super computer is today’s Holy Grail. | Read more

Mara Lee: Her books revolve around issues of power, sexuality, alienation, desire and the construction of femininity. She has received Svenska Dagbladet’s prize for Literature and the P.O. Enquist prize. | Read more

Lidija Praizović: She has published a novel (Spegelboken) and a collection of poems (Porr för Vlada), and has been active in the queer feminist publishing company Dockhaveri. Also works as a literary critic at Aftonbladet. | Read more

Lowdjo to play Botnik + Festival bus

lowdjoWe’re getting closer to our festival excursion to the idyllic Botnik Farms in Bohuslän – Clandestino Botnik 27-28 July. Time to present our latest booking – we give you Dj Lowdjo directly from Brussels: Thai beat, Turkish psych, tropicalia, Syrian techno, Arabic chaabi, cumbia, Iraqi Choubi, Balkan bass … the world is a juicy, danceable oyster about to overflow and splash down all of Clandestino Botnik festival in a deliciously salty dance afrodisiac. Strange sounds and rhythms mixed together in a highly contemporary, electrified plastic explosive. Or as Lowdjo himself puts it: “I like a lot of different music.” | Read more

FESTIVAL BUS
The best way to travel to Clandestino Botnik is with Festivalbussen. The bus departs from Shell at Nils Ericsson terminal in Gothenburg 12:20 on 27 July and leaves the next day around 17:30 when the last concert ends. Cheap, environmentally friendly, the best atmosphere and plenty of space for tents, sleeping bags, and other stuff you need. NOTE: Return ticket only 195 SEK if you buy a ticket before Sunday, July 21. After that the price is 295 SEK. | Book here

Contact: info@clandestinofestival.org

Kimi Djabaté to play Clandestino Botnik

kimiwebThis year’s line up for Clandestino Botnik is bigger than ever – especially Sunday 28 July is expanding into a very impressive and super exciting festival day, if we may say so ourselves. The show will go on until late in the afternoon – new bookings are added continually!The dates are 27-28 July, at the beautiful Botnik farms in Tanums kommun, Bohuslän, Sweden.

NEW BOOKING: KIMI DJABATÉ (Guinea-Bissau)
Griot is the name of a music tradition in West Africa that stretches hundreds, even thousands of years back in time. A griot is a kind of troubadour with the mission to entertain and at the same time a storyteller and oral historian. Kimi Djabaté was born in Guinea-Bissau, but lives in Lisbon, where he still focuses on the musical traditions he grew up with but with his ears open to his contemporaries and the world that surrounds him. With delicate guitar playing, balafón sounds and a rare musical sensibility not least noticable in his singing, Kimi Diabaté is a contemporary edition of the ancient griot, aware of the fear and the dreams that drive the flows of global migration, while faithful to the traditions of the village where he and his ancestors grew up. Kimi Djabaté recently released his second solo album ‘Karam’, where he talks about Africa today: Of social and political conflicts, of the fight against poverty, the fight for freedom and for the rights of women. | Read more