Currently in Argentina touring their latest album, El Canto del Loco, or ECDL as their fans often refer to them, are a pop / rock band from Madrid.
Founded by Daniel Martín García (aka Dani) and Ivan Alejandro Ganchegui (who would leave in 2002 ), they were later joined by guitarist David Otero Martín, drummer Alejandro Velazquez Insua (Jandro), and bassist José Ruiz Casares (aka Chema). They’re signed to Sony and have released 8 albums.
Here’s their video for the single ‘Peter Pan’ – which was released in 2008 and made No.1 in Spain.
The ‘Big Fat One’ (El Gordo) is one of the largest lotteries in the world and last Monday Spain celebrated a £2 billion pay-out.
Thousands of winners shared in the jackpot on Monday, including some lucky British expatriates on the costas, but in Madrid there was heartbreak.
A completely distraught widow, who gave her name as Maria-Carmen, turned up at the lottery office with the remnants of what she claimed was a winning ticket she had mistakenly put in her washing machine. “I rescued it and put it in a plastic bag that had held frozen peas,” she tearfully told Spanish television. But it was not accepted and she missed out on her 100,000 euro prize.
Fernando Verdasco, a Madrileño, today (Sunday 23rd November) won the match that brought Spain ‘La Ensaladera’, the Spanish name for the salad bowl-shaped Davis Cup trophy, after a five-set defeat of Argentina’s Jose Acasuso.
He’s had a good year Fernando, as he’s also the newly installed boyfriend of tennis babe Ana Ivanovic.
Verdasco was a last-minute replacement for David Ferrer, and he had to come from two sets to one down for a 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory that took almost four hours. When Verdasco (the world No 16) struck his last forehand winner down the line he collapsed on to the court and was then buried under a pile of red-shirted bodies - and the neighbours who live below my flat started a mini-party. Maybe they’re related?
For the last two weeks Las Ventas, the ‘Wembley’ of bullfighting in Spain, has been under special renovation for this weekend’s Davis Cup clash with the USA. The Spanish tennis authorities had constructed a clay court in the bullfighting ring and a special press / hospitality centre attached to the east-wing of the Plaza de Toros. All this effort was to create a special atmosphere (and bring in lots of cash) to help their team win the important semi-final, and it worked.
On the Friday, Nadal won the first rubber and the intense atmosphere created by an extremely partisan local crowd helped pull David Ferrer through a tough 5-setter versus Roddick. 2-0 up from the first day, Spain lost the Saturday doubles, but on Sunday, Rafael Nadal beat Andy Roddick in straight sets (6-4 6-0 6-4) to give Spain an unassailable 3-1 lead in the tie, taking them through to the final where they will face Argentina or Russia.
This is a cartoon sketch called Enjuto Mojamuto from the TV show Muchachada Nui, a half-hour programme consisting of unrelated sketches of a very absurd and surrealistic nature. Muchachada Nui started out as quite cult on channel 2 and has gone more mainstream over time, mainly as a result of the sketches being shared around on YouTube (take note Viacom). The humour is typical of what I call ‘Joopie Spain’ – a joopie being the Spanish way of saying ‘yuppie’ but in my definition meaning predominantly young, tech-savvy, city-living, independent people.
Unheralded, and performing in a sport in which Spain had never won an olympic medal, Madrid born José Luis Abajo last night won Olympic Bronze in fencing (épée event).
It came from left-field somewhat for TVE, the national television station, who were busy covering the first round of basketball matches until José suddenly made his way into the semis and they quickly dispatched a team to cover his next two matches (or fights, or rounds, or whatever fencers do). It was worth the effort and as a total non-aficionado of this sport I was absolutely gripped. Abajo won in the very final seconds with a masterful display of defence and counter-thrust, and breaking the 12-12 deadlock.
It was the nation’s second medal – Samuel Sanchez won gold in the bicycle road race event on the opening day – and was Spain’s 100th in the modern olympics. They’re aiming for 21 medals this year, so only 19 to go in twelve more days of competition.
It’s August, Madrid is melting and those still left in this half-emptied city have to develop strategies to cope – and continue having fun.
Siestas are in, so is shopping in big department stores with decent air-conditioning, and of course the ever popular ‘drinking-heavily-late-into-the-night’ option.
In this month, the usual nightlife location patterns alter slightly. When some nights can reach 35 C. degrees, those bars, clubs and restaurants that offer open-air terraces become extra sought-after. Those situated in areas with prevailing breezes, advanced-cooling fans or simply very, very high (like on the top of towers) are super sought-after.
So, with this in mind I want quickly run through my 3 favourite terraces (or ‘terrazas’ in the local idiom) for escaping the heat.
Real Café Bernabeu | Set high-up in the eaves of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the home of our heroes Real Madrid, you don’t really notice the super-plush surroundings at first ‘cos your eye keeps being drawn either to the interior of the stadium or the huge TV screen showing Real’s best moments. This place is popular with the posh and bourgeois. Girls, you will need to be casual but chic – Boys, put on your best shirt. Some nights they will have a live band, there’s a mini-casino, and the DJs play classic Ibiza-style house. Free entry (before 1.00am), expensive, but you’re paying for the brand aren’t you? So never mind the quality, feel the width.
The Irish Corner | In the north-eastern part of the city, opposite where the metro station Ciudad Lineal opens on to, you will find this very large pub which has 2 terraces. It’s not a ’spectacular’ place, like some terraces you can find in the city. There are no commanding views, no special cocktails. But it does benefit from being located in a large open space with few buildings and so it catches all the cooling breezes that pass through. It’s also usually less crowded than some other spots. Service is at table and food is available until 0100hrs. No music outside and it closes at 02.00hrs weekdays (later at weekends).
Parque de Atenas | Probably Madrid-Uno’s most favourite terrace, it’s situated down below the Royal Palace at the bottom of the Campo del Moro. There’s so much I like about this spot: groovy music, but not too loud to interrupt conversation – the way the bar is set out with a mix of stools, large tables and benches, or the option to just sit on the grass – the just right breeze that comes down the hill behind you. This place also benefits from being close to La Riviera, one of Madrid’s prime spots for live concerts which has it’s own tropical garden terrace that can hold over 1,000 people.
OK, there you go, 3 top places (IMHO) to go to on a hot night in central Spain.
Spain won the Football EuroCup 2008 last night and Madrid welcomed their heroes home this evening, lining the streets all the way from Barajas airport to Plaza Colon, where a crowd of well over 100,000 people went completely loco as skipper Castillas presented the trophy.
Substitute goalie Pepe Reina proved to be the joker of the squad, leading the assembled throng in a series of songs and chants and winding the spectators up into even more delirium.
Last night the streets of central Madrid were a sea of red and yellow, cars honking their horns, people banging drums and dancing in all available fountains. Joy unconfined. Your correspondent finally went to bed at 2.30am when he suddenly realised he wasn’t actually Spanish and had work in the morning. But it was an empty office he turned up to at 9.00am – and people only drifted in at around 10 to 11 o’clock. Very happy people, of course, but all looking a bit green about the gills. I shudder to think how much beer must have been consumed in the city last night.
Congratulations Spain. A well deserved championship since they were clearly the class act of the whole tourney. Viva Espana!
It’s midnight here in Madrid, and as I write the TV is showing hundreds of Spanish football supporters (most under 20 years of age) still dancing in Plaza Colon, the central square where television station Cuatro has set-up it’s base for the duration of the football EuroCup 2008.
For every match featuring ‘la seleccion’ thousands of young fans gather under the massive Spanish flag that flies from the centre of the square, and in full view of three massive screens on which the game is relayed. Tonight’s semi-final versus Russia brought out the biggest crowd yet, while the 3-0 scoreline, and the way the team played, has got everyone really confident. They believe they can win the whole thing.
Following the final whistle we had people out on their balconies, banging drums and chanting / singing songs. My quadrant of town is quite familified so it’s the kids who did most of the shouting, with the odd adult encouraging them on with a bellow here and there.
It’s exciting. The team are exciting. It’s all shaping up perfectly – except now, for the final, it’s the Germans, and how many sporting dreams have they shattered in the past? Pues, venga. !Vamos! !A por ellos!
Let’s see if this exciting style the Spanish national team play is worth a Championship.
