To drive from Serbia to Kosovo with a car full of instruments is tricky business. We experienced that last year: then we found out that we didn’t bring the right documents to import our ‘professional equipment’ outside the EU. So this year we got those papers, called ATA CARNET, and figured we would cross borders without any trouble, expected only warm welcomes towards a group of enthusiastic young musicians (“muziki” was the password last year). But then there’s politics. Serbia still denies Kosovo to be a state and therefore the border is not a border but just a checkpoint. A checkpoint doesn’t own the stamps that we need on our very official import/export documents. After a very unfriendly discussion with the Serbian douane officers the deal was: the musicians may pass but the instruments need to go back into Serbia to take a detour through Macedonia so the export is official and then Macedonian douane officers can decide if you may enter Kosovo through their border. We decided to split up. The musicians indeed drove to Kosovo in a straight, and bumpy, line and Wouter and Dave (aka Cash & Sabine) took the detour of 400km. LnSaints arrival: 1am. Technician&managers arrival: 9:45am.

Dave aka Sabine aka the technician promised to write you about the rest of the trip (I guess something happened during those 9 extra hours… but first he has to get some sleep) so that’s to be posted here soon. But mums; don’t worry we’re all save and in the place we want to be!

Now let us get the actual project started! From tomorrow on we’ll do our street actions, play two gigs this weekend with the Freelancers, prepare the body percussion flashmob of next week and roll towards the final concert in thursday the 9^th.

Let’s stick to ARTCORE right?

We’re very sorry to announce that our final gig at Banska Stanica upcoming Sunday is being cancelled.

feel free to come by, we might play you something acoustic, but the organizers of the ‘end of summer’ party decided not to bother the peaceful surrounding of the station with another loud party because we just had one last friday… So I’d suggest to come to BASAVEL festival saturday up at the Roma camp. We’ll play there at 5pm!

ARTCORE

LnSaint

time flies when your having a mission.

it’s almost the end of our being ‘artist in residence’ at Banska Stanica and hell those were two good weeks! We wrote two new songs, did a deep search in how we sound, created a short- and a full version of the ARTCORE setlist and started a new ritual in MARCHing towards a gig. It’s inspiring to spend time with each other in a surrounding that breathes. Whole days of open air rehearsals, not always easy listening but very free. Yesterday I thought: I wish my life was always this relaxed and focussed and today I thought: something else. It’s funny to recognize the circumstances in which creation gets high against circumstances in which reflection and private life sufferings, force themselves upon you (which will probably lead to more songs…)

Anyway. upcoming weekend we’ll finish the good times with 3 concerts: 2 festivals and the final presentation at the railway station. And then the actual Pristina part of ARTCORE starts. first with another 900km drive to then start performing street acts, challenging the Freelancers to interact… to film all that, to probably redo it so we’ll rock not only the ears but the eyes as well at the final gig. We’ll try to keep you posted right here ok? but for sure we’ll bring it all back to Amsterdam in December.

sleep well

Concept: The Casio keyboard is too big.
Challenge: Dave, make it smaller.

 

here’s a preview of the open air studios we created for today:

and from the other side:

and from far away:

After the durational travel yesterday we decided to rest a bit this morning, get some lunch and coffee in the sun (don’t be jealous she disappeared this afternoon to leave us with the more familiar rain), before we drove to the -almost out of use- railway station of Banska. We were warmly welcomed by Zuzana who hosts us the upcoming two weeks being ‘artists in residence’ (as sexy as it sounds (?!)). Zuzana and her husband are running an ‘arthouse’ this old railway staiton. A variety of workshops and presentations in all art forms happen here. And now they’re hosting, besides a workshop of alternative printing, a rock band as well. When walking around this place, a beautiful mix between old fashioned balkan-style concrete buildings, closed factories and the beauty of nature in this area is immediately inspiring. After shouting out fantasies about all the videoclips we want to make here we sat down for the real planning. And yes making a videoclip here became one of them. the upcoming 14 days we are going to rehearse on our setlist. Everyday in another part of this place (hopefully a lot outside) and focussing on the performance part of the gigs we’re going to play. The aim is to write 2,5 more songs. Besides that we are preparing the second part of this trip: ARTCORE in Kosovo. Creating musical performances/ acts for public spaces, figuring out ways to play an alternative (maybe even danceble) parade. The nice thing about this place is that sometimes a train appears (Banska is a last stop) and in our vision that creates an audience. Our rehearsals and try-outs will be all out in the open, but save enough due to the anonymity of this location… still exciting to actually start doing it tomorrow. For the rest: making BIG plans for the future and enjoy being here!

keeping you posted with ARTCORE love