ps: pentru nemernici

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Desde que en Cuba, el 10 de Noviembre de 1837 se inaugurara oficialmente la línea ferroviaria que unía las ciudades de Güines y La Habana, ha llovido bastante. En la península, 11 años después, se inauguró la primera línea, Barcelona-Mataró … tres años después, Madrid-Aranjuez y a partir de ahí, el crecimiento de los caminos de hierro hispanos, hoy en día, sigue, siendo imparable. Eso sí, caminos de hierro de ancho diferente a lo establecido internacionalmente (1,435 m) donde los ingenieros Subercase y Santa Cruz, recomendaron un ancho de seis pies castellanos (1,689 m), justificando su decisión en base a las peculiaridades orográficas hispanas que requerirían máquinas de mayor potencia. Hoy en día, conviven ambos anchos de vía … donde los trenes, con avanzados sistemas, cambian de un ancho a otro indiferentemente.

RENFE nació en los años 40, tras la intervención estatal de las arruinadas empresas que hasta el momento se repartían la explotación de la red ferroviaria y la compra, desarrollo y adaptación del material móvil para la singularidad del las vías españolas. No me olvido de FEVE … que nació en 1965, asimilando compañías que trabajaban con ancho inferior al estatal.

Ahora, España, es uno de los países punteros en el ferrocarril, pocos pueden decir que desarrollan y fabrican trenes de todo tipo, desde los de alta velocidad, hasta tranvías, pocos pueden decir que tienen dos empresas punteras en el sector y con bastante presencia y reconocimiento internacional.

Y ahora, un vídeo hecho por mí:

For the last few weeks I’ve been polishing my faux horn-rimmed glasses and boning up on my Japanese…If you haven’t heard by now, let me be the first one to tell you that Weezer has finished recording its 6th album and is entering the mixing process. Now, I understand many people, having only experienced a passing love for “Buddy Holly” or “Hash Pipe,” have never scratched the surface of the Weezer catalogue. I, on the other hand, am blogging as the Weezer DVD plays on mute, only to be accompanied by frontman Rivers’ acoustic cover of “Annie” (yeah, from the musical) on my headphones. With that in mind, here are my 3 reasons why I wait excitedly for this 6th Weezer release:

1. I didn’t enjoy that last album, Make Believe, very much at all.

2. I’m probably going to get to see Weezer on tour. And whether they play songs from the new album or not, that probably means a kick-ass, rock-out live version of “Only in Dreams.”

3. I feel like there’s gonna be some more synthesizers and drum machines. More like a dream of mine than anything. Hipster dance music is taking over and Weezer has always been about staying current.

Queen – Breakthru

When love breaks up
When the dawn light wakes up
A new life is born
Somehow I have to make this final breakthru . . . Now!

Breakthru, these barriers of pain,
Breakthru, to the sunshine from the rain,
Make my feelings known towards you
Turn my heart inside and out for you now
Somehow,
I have to make this final breakthru.
Now!

Your smile,
Speaks books to me,
I break up,
With each and every one of your looks at me,
Honey you’re starting something deep inside of me,
Honey you’re sparking something, this fire in me,
I’m outta control, I wanna rush headlong into this ecstasy
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthru
If I could only reach you
If I could make you smile,
If I could only reach you
That would really be a breakthru
Breakthru, breakthru

Sweeping up the leaves of the mature Autumn club night and letting them rot slightly in winter darkness of Broken Minds, Breakthru is a fertile compromise between the two. Now on their fourth bi-monthly gig, their rosta so far has aped Autumn in terms of getting in quality ‘artist’ DJs and borrowed Broken Minds dirty dancability – the last Valve Soundsystem night being a foot-stomping, tinnitus inducing, example. It seems that Breakthru wants to be smart but also wants the step. 

Tonight we traipse into the Custard Factory courtyard, staying outside to enjoy what will surely be the last summer evening of the year. Resident and co-promoters Dan B and Phase 2 are in the Medicine Bar with the sound relayed outside via some silver tweeter speakers. Their narrow bandwidth suit the mostly Bristolian old skool set but newer bass heavy tunes are distorted without the bins to back them up.  

Anticipating that Andy C is likely to take it even further into bowel bothering sub-bass territory we grab a drink and step to the foot of the Med Bar stage to appreciate the full force of the Nexo Alpha sound system. Andy C’s first tune causes the entire arm waving room to leap into the drum line, which justifiably requires a rewind. C doesn’t rest too long on his spiky laurels and sets another track up quickly. His style is quick fingered tonight – and the accumulated tracks only allow you a breather on the rewind.  

Calyx keeps the momentum up by offering very few rewinds – which may be connected to him not playing any classics. This is fine, we’re not on Mickey Finn and Grooverider’s whistle blowing patch here. Calyx muddies up all he can lay his phat phingers on, fiddling with the organic spill of a live drums sound. In a rare rewind he stirs the gravy bass of Unknown Error until I have to go to the toilet.  

Following the inevitable wade through muddy piss, we take our place at the back of the Med Bar for Noisia. Going all ambiently Dutch, they break the bassline right down so that we’re at the BPM pace of nose rumbling hip-hop; with some smart sampled New York observations. Then the drum line drops and the room, once more, goes absolutely ballistic. The strip lighting comes on too soon, and only one more track is allowed in the stark reality. It’s a massive shame; I was in a new Noisia induced state.