The Friday Fix is a festivus for the rest-of-us: CircusFest hits the Roundhouse, Damien Hirst takes over the Tate, Twilight reaches the end of the line and the Anchorman sequel kicks off in style. Plus new videos from Regina Spektor, D’BANJ and Madonna. Come one, come all.
This week sees the high-flying launch of CircusFest 2012 at the Roundhouse in London. The fun-filled, five-week festival features the best contemporary circus acts from around the world. Touted as the hottest tickets in London this April, we’re trying to decide which of the amazing acts we’ll be unicycling to first.
When we’re not swinging from a trapeze at The Roundhouse we’ll be making our way to the Tate Modern to celebrate one of the most influential artists of our generation. The Damien Hirst retrospective, opening next Wednesday, brings together key works from the past 20 years, including the sculpture ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’ and signature spot and spin paintings. If you have a thirst for Hirst, this is a can’t-miss opportunity.
New York-based singer Regina Spektor has teamed up with Adria Petty (the brains behind Beyoncé’s hit video “Countdown”) to bring the worlds of music and art together. Petty created this beautiful stop-frame story to accompany Spektor’s latest single “All the Rowboats.”
Many artists are lucky to get their 15 minutes in the spotlight, but Madonna – the undeniable Queen of Pop – is here to stay. Marking the release of her new (and controversial) album MDNA is weekend anthem “Girl Gone Bad.” Restricted by YouTube for it’s raunchy content, this video proves that even at 53, Madonna’s still on top of pop.
Another artist showcasing their ferocious dance moves is African musician D’BANJ. Signed to Kanye West’s label GOOD music, his new single “Oliver Twist” fuses African beats with hip hop, creating a sound set to take over dance floors this summer. See if you can spot Mr. West’s cameo in the video:
As secret Twilight fans (well, some less secret than others), we couldn’t ignore the first teaser for the final installment of the bloody good vampire saga. The movie might not be out until November, but the countdown has well and truly started. Twihards, rejoice!
Another noteworthy movie announcement is the long-awaited return of the Action 4 news team, led by star anchorman Ron Burgundy . On Wednesday, Will Ferrell (in all his Burgundy glory) made an appearance on Conan‘s late night talk show to personally proclaim that the sequel to Anchorman has been green lit by Paramount Pictures. Spread the news.
And finally, as the sun begins to shine in London (it never really stops in LA), our thoughts turn to sitting outside with a good book. Briefs Encountered by writer/comedian Julian Clary is described as “wondrous and witty.” This ghost story crept to the top of our reading list and is worth a closer encounter.
Hope you enjoyed the show, tune in for another encore next Friday.
This week we share our drawsome finds: The Simpsons get dressed up, Royal Mail gets some comic relief and the Madagascar menagerie is back. Plus new tracks from Paul Weller, Keaton Henson and White Powder Gold. It’s the most animated Friday Fix ever.
It’s not easy for the postal system to compete with the digital age, but it’s not impossible. The latest Royal Mail stamps celebrate Britain’s most beloved comics, including their longest running series ‘The Dandy’ , which celebrates its 75th birthday this year. Looking good for 75.
Speaking of anniversary celebrations, Alexsandro Palombo caught our eye this week with a Simpsons high-fashion makeover, helping our favorite yellow family celebrate their 25th and final season in style. We can’t pick just one favorite, but we’re leaning towards the Marc Jacobs Homer.
The Modfather himself, Mr Paul Weller, is back with his new single ‘Green.’ The track speaks for itself, but what’s really turning heads is the psychedelic video created by Ruffmercy. You know you’ve got it made when they start printing your face on money.
From old school to new skool – London band White Powder Gold has been making some serious noise in the urban music scene. The 4 piece draw their inspiration from a range of genres, resulting in a sound that mixes all the best bits together. May 14 sees the release of their second single ‘Rock N Rolla,’ a track that delivers all the swagger you’d expect from the title.
Also likely to make a seismic impact are 3 wild party animals the world has come to know and love. The Madagascar bunch are out of the Central Park Zoo, and we’re ready to follow them on their next big adventure.
Finally, we finish with a few more animated animals. ‘Small Hands’ is the new single from Keaton Henson and (thanks to director Joseph Mann) is accompanied by one of the most touching videos we have seen in a long time. Set your heart to “Break.”
Have a tip top weekend… pencil us in for next Friday!
This week we head South by Southwest of the border with Will Ferrell, Kimbra, Hot Chip, Selfridges, Marvel and more. Everything’s bigger in the Friday Fix.
The multimedia SXSW Festival took Austin by storm as it becomes our annual focus for all things new and influential in the world of music, film and interactivity. We were pleased to see that New Zealand born singer Kimbra has made quite a noise at this week’s event. She came to FIVE33’s attention last year and soon became a household favorite when she joined forces with Gotye on the song “Somebody That I Used to Know”. As a result of her success there is no question that her debut album “Settle Down” is going to see a boost in sales. Don’t believe us? Check out her single, also called “Settle Down” and experience all Kimbra’s quirky loveliness for yourself.
Here at FIVE33 we were very pleased to see that one film in particular had made it to SXSW. The much anticipated “Casa De mi Padre” features Will Ferrell in the central role of this Spanish language comedy. Described as cross between “Blazing Saddles” and Latin-American Telenovelas, they had us at the trailer.
Never ones to shy away from innovation, Marvel unveiled their first Augmented Reality app for comic books this week at SXSW. Coinciding with the “Marvel ReEvolution” (which already has the comic world abuzz), fans will be able to discover the full extent of the app with the release of Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 on April 4. As Marvel embark on the biggest story they’ve ever told, the app will enable fans to unlock a much deeper experience including new footage and interviews with the comic creators. Stepping into the world of superheroes just got a whole lot easier!
Frequent visitors to the Friday Fix will know that we are partial to a fashion film, so imagine our excitement when we heard about Selfridges’ Film Project. Created to mark the release of the Women’s Designer Galleries at their flagship store in London, the retailer has commissioned designers to create short films which explore their take on today’s modern woman. Currently on display at The Old Selfridges Hotel until March 25, the videos are also available online. Though each video truly is a piece of art, our favorite comes from Gareth Pugh and his long time collaborator Ruth Hogben.
And finally, we bring you the dizzying delights of Hot Chip’s latest video “Flutes” – if this doesn’t signal the start of your weekend nothing will.
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When we’re not swinging from a trapeze at The Roundhouse we’ll be making our way to the Tate Modern to celebrate one of the most influential artists of our generation. The Damien Hirst retrospective, opening next Wednesday, brings together key works from the past 20 years, including the sculpture ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’ and signature spot and spin paintings. If you have a thirst for Hirst, this is a can’t-miss opportunity.
New York-based singer Regina Spektor has teamed up with Adria Petty (the brains behind Beyoncé’s hit video “Countdown”) to bring the worlds of music and art together. Petty created this beautiful stop-frame story to accompany Spektor’s latest single “All the Rowboats.”
Hope you enjoyed the show, tune in for another encore next Friday.
