American rockers Bloodhound Gang to invade the capital; German film festival opens at Kyiv cinema
Scandalous American rockers Bloodhound Gang will make a stop in Kyiv on their European tour, which includes Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary, and, for some reason, Ukraine. Known more for their outrageous onstage behavior and crude lyrics than their alternative rock music, the gang members will surely attract plenty of youngsters, eager to see Bloodhound Gang’s crazy show with their own eyes.
The band was formed in 1992 in Pennsylvania by Jimmy Pop, the current bandleader, and Daddy Long Legs. The name was taken from the kids TV show “3-2-1 Contact,” in which an episode was called “Bloodhound Gang.”
The band’s first album “Use Your Fingers” was released in 1995, closely followed by the second record “Fierce Beer Coaster” in 1996, when the “gangsters” went on their first serious tour throughout the US and Europe. A song from the album, called “Fire Water Burn,” was later featured in Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” as a song that was popular among US troops in Iraq.
Jimmy Pop and his buddies gained even more worldwide recognition with their third album, “Hooray for Boobies,” featuring hit singles “The Ballad of Chasey Lain” and “Along Comes Mary.” The latest full-scale release, “Hefty Fine” (2005), received its name after one of the bandmembers, Evil Jared, was fined during the filming of an episode of “Viva La Bam,” a raunchy TV series on MTV. The hit single “Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo” could be heard on the radio all over Europe, while another song from the album, “Pennsylvania,” was suggested by band members to replace Pennsylvania’s state anthem.
While the band is often blamed for having harsh and abusive lyrics, Jimmy Pop said that the lyrics shouldn’t be taken seriously, as they are meant to be laughed at. “The same things we talk about on the bus are the same things we put on records,” he simply said.
Palats Sportu (Palats Sportu metro station, 246-7406). May 24, 7 p.m. Tickets Hr 100 to Hr 350.
All the fans of German filmmaking and quality European movies in general shouldn’t miss the upcoming German Film Festival, which will feature six films by young new directors from Germany.
The headliner of the festival is “Pingpong,” by Matthias Luthardt, which was already shown in Kyiv during the Molodist Film Festival in the autumn of 2006. The story revolves around a family drama, in which a young boy (Sebastian Urzendowsky) makes a short visit to his relatives and, becoming aware how much he depends on them, begins to yearn for his “freedom.” The film won two awards at Cannes, namely the Young Critics and Screenwriting Awards, which is surely a big step forward for the debutant.
Another movie on the program, “Knallhart” (“Tough Enough”), by Detlev Buck, demonstrates another side of teenage independence. A kindhearted 15-year-old Michael (David Kross) moves to the slums with his mother in order to survive and finds himself getting involved in the drug business.
The movie by Oskar Roehler, “Elementarteilchen” (“Elementary Particles”), an adaptation of the best-selling novel by French author Michel Houellebecq, is a story about two very different brothers, played by Christian Ulmen and Moritz Bleibtreu, who won the Silver Berlin Bear as Best Actor for his role. Having met the women of their dreams (Martina Gedeck and Franka Potente), they completely change their lives.
Gordian Maugg in his historic crime movie “Zeppelin!” presents the story of the legendary Hindenburg zeppelin, the largest ever to be created, and the facts connected with its crash.
“Vier Minuten” (“Five Minutes”) by Chris Kraus is a drama about a convict genius pianist (Hannah Herzsprung), who is tutored in prison by an eighty-year-old music teacher (Monica Bleibtreu).
The last movie on the list, a comedy “Wahrheit und Pflicht” (“Truth or Dare”) by Arne Nolting, tells the story of an expelled schoolgirl Annikas (Therese Hamer), who, concealing the truth about her studies from her relatives and acquaintances, creates an absolutely new world around her.
Kyiv (19 Chervonoarmiyska, 234-7381). May 17 through June 22. See Movies for details.
