Featured in DJ MAG Germany

Last september I was contemplated with an article in DJ MAG Germany. I was featured in the "Coming Up" section. Im very happy with their words! :)

English translation:

Welcome to the world of editorial favorite Anna Leevia

Rarely, very rarely it happens that we are so blown away by a DJ that you simply must tell everyone about them. In our case this was so, as we discovered by accident a few months ago, the sets by Anna Leevia in the net. We heard the little masterpieces, one after the other and loved it. Today, just four months later, we still hear it and have now mutated to real fans. Sets that run on heavy rotation and are not simply cool: sensational. Those with whom we have shared our musical new discovery so far to share our enthusiasm - without exception. And one thing you can believe us: there were many! Influenced by artists such as Ricardo Villalobos, Guido Schneider, Masomenos, Addictive TV and Prodigy, Anna blends it all with the new and interprets it in her own special way. Characteristic of her sets are incredible frequencies, benches, especially the effect of ultra-low bass and the skillful use of the effects. The sound of the very photogenic Brazilian is special, and has taken us skillfully in a legendary journey many times, mixing from experimentally cheesy, to soft and heavy house and techno. She is in her twenties and begun DJing in 2008, which has brought her already pretty far. She commutes between Berlin and Sao Paolo and has played in Germany, among others, in the beloved Bar 25 and in Club Der Visionaere side by side with no-one like the Perlon-legend Sammy Dee and Matthew Burton. This year she has been at the Sonar in Barcelona, just returned from a short tour through Mexico and now stays till the end of the year in New York. Yes, Anna is definitely something. In addition to the photographs and videos she loves to put up, she is also studying music production and produces a travel TV show. We sit back, enjoy and look forward to the hopefully soon one-pack promo of her own productions.

Matéria na DJ MAG alemã

Saiu uma matéria muito legal sobre mim na DJ MAG alemã de setembro. Segue a tradução: 

Bem-vindo ao mundo da favorita da redação Anna Leevia  

Raramente, muito raramente acontece que ficamos tão encantados por um DJ que simplesmente precisamos contar para todo mundo sobre ele. Esse foi o caso quando descobrimos por acidente os sets da Anna Leevia na internet. Ouvimos as obras-primas uma após a outra e adoramos. Hoje, apenas quatro meses depois, continuamos escutando seus mixes e nos tornamos verdadeiros fãs. Sets em alta rotação e não simplesmente bons: sensacionais. Aqueles com quem compartilhamos nossa descoberta musical tiveram o mesmo entusiasmo - sem exceção. E pode acreditar: compartilhamos com muitos! Influenciada por artistas como Ricardo Villalobos, Guido Schneider, Masomenos, Addictive TV e Prodigy, Anna combina tudo isso com o novo e interpreta à sua maneira especial. Característica de seus sets são freqüências incríveis, especialmente o efeito do ultra-bass e uso inteligente dos efeitos. A brasileira hiper fotogênica tem um som diferente e especial, que nos levou a lendárias jornadas, mixando do experimental-cheesy até deep houve e techno pesado. Ela está na casa dos vinte, começou a discotecar em 2008, e já voa longe. Ela comuta entre Berlim e São Paulo e na Alemanha já se apresentou no saudoso Bar 25 e no amado Club der Visionaere, ao lado de lendas como Sammy Dee e Matthew Burton. Este ano, ela esteve no Sonar em Barcelona, acaba de voltar de uma pequena turnê pelo México e fica até o final do ano em Nova York. Sim, Anna é definitivamente something. Além das fotografias e vídeos que gosta de dividir com o mundo, ela estuda produção musical e produz um programa de TV sobre viagens. Nós sentamos e apreciamos, ansiosos para em breve receber um promo de sua próprias produções.

Smile all day: you are being filmed 24 hours

After seeing two cop cars disguised as taxis in two days, I became very aware of how we are being watched all the time over here. Not only by humans, but by a LOT of cameras.

I was at the door of 169 cafe in Manhatan with a friend when a taxi cab stopped by and started flashing the lights that identify them as undercover cops. They had ordered a car in front to stop. The taxi-cops went over with their guns in hand and asked the guy for documents. THis happens pretty frequently here, as you can see:

The situation was not so tense for me, as Im used to cops wearing machine-guns in police stops in Brasil - and MC's wearing them as necklaces in funk parties in Rio de Janeiro:

Anyway, the whole cop-disguised thing put me on an awareness of how much we are being watched and filmed all the time.

Tonight I went to Le Bain, a cool bar in the top of Standard Hotel. I was talking to a friend as we were smoking something illegal on a disguised, shaped-as-a-cigarette pipe, known here as "one-hitters" (They can be found in any smoke shop, BTW). He was telling me how he manages to smoke certain substances every day for the past 10 years without getting caught: you have to be aware of the cameras, discreet, and a bit lucky, of course. 

the one-hitters

In Manhattan you are on camera EVERYWHERE, 24 hours. City cameras, store cameras, surveillance cameras, infra-red cameras. But, as he said, its not like the police hires people to watch the cameras 24 hours in detail. In case something happens, of course, they go for the footage.

I hate being watched all the time. But what Im most afraid of is near future's (maybe present) security systems. They can tag you, detect and track your presence throughout the city. So those systems don't need a human to watch and control who is coming or going here and there. Machines do it automatically.

How is freedom going to be when machines have our personal data to detect us and track us on the streets?

I guess things have to keep going by the rule: for every law, theres a trick.

My friend Mark Shepard is a teacher in the University of Buffalo and develops a project exactly focused on ways to "fool" this future "control" machines. Its called "Sentient City Survival Kit". It involves communicators connected to our underwares, a coffee mug that broadcasts messages, and even a LED umbrella designed to confuse night vision cameras. Its amazing and very interesting. 

Check this out: 

Know more: http://survival.sentientcity.net/

Me, myself and Irene

Irene's logo from Fox News

Everytime we approach a potential tragedy it goes the same way: all TV channels and media vehicles  are exploring it the most. Its necessary to keep a permanent alert feeling so people are hung up digging more news on the upcoming potential disaster. Im impressed by the amount of different info graphics, interactive maps and other animations made to illustrate Irene's path.

Some friends of mine started complaining in Facebook, saying that media is exaggerating the event, creating a circus and terrifying people with the specific purpose of money making. 

But I wonder: are they really wrong or just giving us what we need? Isn't the information actually helpful to tranquilize the people? Isn't it actually good that we can visualize all the aspects of this storm instead of just wondering how is it going?

We are all part of the press nowadays. For example, New York times put up a sort of fotolog page where you can contribute with pictures of Irene's impressions. You can also do it in Fox News, and maybe your picture gets showed in television. 

Lately Im realizing that my emotions are getting feelingless: we are so exposed to terrible images of tragedies on the movies and television every day, that we are hardly shocked by violence or human suffering as we maybe were in the past. 

I think we somehow like the thrill of a disaster coming. Of course we don't wanna face it, but we want to be as close as possible, experience it, and get out without any harm to us, others or our possessions. And if its possible, with some videos and quality pictures that prove that "we were there".

I know how stupid this may sound, but I will be a little frustrated if nothing happens. Im staying in Lower East Side, in the border of  one area that could flood in case Irene comes in NYC really furious. I don't want a flood, but I would like to see the biggest storm of my life, at least - without losing internet signal, power cuts or breaking any windows, please.

I know in my mind I don't even consider something really bad happening. Im not considering lack of water, power or food. Now I understand all this people that choose to stay in their houses even with all the alerts. We never think something is gonna happen with us. Its just on TV!

I've bought some food and stocked water together with the friend Im staing with, but we probably don't have supplies for more then 4 days.  Silly enough, this danger thrills me and all I can think about is I would like to go around right now in the rain to get some crazy images with my waterproof HD camera.

Maybe 2012 will be tonight, in New York. And I want it to be in real life exactly like it is in the movies: unbelievably big, with all kinds of crazy things happening. I wanna be very close to it and watch it in HD. And then I want to sleep warm and calm in my cozy bed. 

Maybe television is indeed better then real life. 

Things happen for a reason

Brooklyn Bridge, 2011

I always believed that, but didn't really buy it. Something deep inside was always telling me that in the end, its all just random coincidence. But could that be?

Tomorrow its gonna be a week that Im in New York. Ive always been curious about this place. Its my first time here.

I ended up here because I got a job in brazilian TV, so we were shooting this show in Chicago, in a festival called Lollapalooza. I also got this job occasionally, when I was spinning and partying in an underground venue called Trackers, in the center of Sao Paulo. The director was looking people up for the show and invited me for the casting. Got the best job ever out of the blue.

Anyway, after the end of Lolapalloza I had some weeks off and decided to come experience NYC. I knew I had to leave around the 24th or 25th because I had a gig in La Paz, Bolivia, and planned to spend some time in Brasil afterwards. Nothing goes as planned.

I just got a mail today, on the very first hours of august 24th, saying that the festival in Bolivia is not gonna happen anymore. There was some problem with the sponsor and they cant pay our tickets. There was this whole BRazil team going: me, VJ Spetto, Phantazma… nobody is going anymore.

I was worried it might happen, because they were taking too long to send us the tickets. Right now Im staying in a friends place in Manhattan, which I also met naturally through friends of friends while he was visiting Berlin this summer.

I was worried the Bolivia thing wouldn't come out because then I had to look for a new place to stay over here. As my friends know, I hate looking for rooms/apartments. Especially because in the past years I have been doing that every two months. Find a place, unpack, start feeling cozy, packing and leaving again. My back is fucked up from carrying shit around and sleeping in weird beds, airplane/bus seats and sometimes even in cold floors.

Before I found out about the festival gig being cancelled, tonight I went to have a drink with Mark (a friend Ive made in Brasil, in a media and technology festival called Vivo Art.mov.). We were talking and Mark told me he is leaving to Austria on thursday. As it turns out, I can rent his room in Brooklyn. 

How perfect can that be? Things happen for a reason. So right now I have at least more 10 days in New York city. Im thrilled!!!

Nova série: Porque eu amo Berlim

Um dos motivos que me fez apaixonar por Berlim é o comportamento das party people. A política "faz o seu que eu faço o meu" realmente funciona: cada um se diverte como pode e gosta, desde que respeite o espaço dos outros.

Esse vídeo comprova isso: um amigo frequentador assíduo do 25 está como sempre animando o público com suas danças malucas, rodopios e outros artifícios; um verdadeiro showman.

Ele vai lá fora e consegue um cano de PVC amarelo para fazer parte de sua performance. Todo mundo percebe, mas ninguém se afeta. "Laisser-faire, laissez passer" (tá, eu sei que isso é francês, mas me lembrei dessa frase)

Infelizmente, na maioria dos clubes e festas aqui no Brasil, alguém iria querer brigar com ele! Tá na hora de mudar essa mentalidade, afinal de contas, festa é festa, e cada um tem a sua forma de dançar e se expressar! :D

Eu ainda não consigo ignorar uma cena dessas completamente e admito: foi um dos dias que mais ri ano passado! :D

BEVAR CHRISTIANIA: Your awareness is fundamental for the future of this historical community

entrance of Christiania

In 2009 I had the privilege to play in Loppen, one of the oldest pubs of Christiania, an sort-of independent community in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was one of the coolest gigs ever: when I stepped in, all the bartenders were wearing giant rabbit masks.

A lot further then its well-known hashish market, Christiania is a very curious social experiment. It begun in 1971, when a group of hippies, anarchists, musicians and artists alike occupied the further military 34 hectares area, as a protest do Denmarks government.

Loppen's entrance

The police tried to close the community many times, without success. Christiania became a political problem, discussed many times on Denmarks Parlament. In 1973 a new government declared the intentions of throwing out all the habitants and close the place, with a deadline set to 1st of april of 1976. In the last minute, the Parlament withdrawn, to avoid physical confrontation with those that live there. This date became a symbol for "Alternative Denmark".

Through the years, the city improved its self government: today, around a thousand people live there, and there is  school, garbage collect, beside many bike factories and art workshops. 

In the 80s Christiania became a pole for drugs in north europe and after threats from the government, the community managed to extinguish most of the heavy drugs market. Only the hashish market keep going, and still suffers raids from the police from time to time. If you go to Pusher's street and ask for hard stuff, you may be invited to leave.

Many plans were elaborated to "normalize and legalize" the "freetown", and in 2009 a judicial decision gave the government full legal rights over the area. Now, the residents have until the second of may to accept the obligation to buy their "own" lands on the price of around 19 euros per square meter. Many argue that, for residents who have renounced materialism, this is impossible.

MusikLoppen = the music flea

good times

For three days now, residents have erected  fences at entrance points which they patrol, handing out flyers which declare that "Christiania will be temporarily closed until further notice". 

In the statement handed out at the blocked-off gates, the residents said: "We believe that the ultimatum issued by the Danish government about dividing up Christiania and selling off parts of the land will mean the destruction of the open, self-managed, experimental and socially inclusive Christiania as we know it."

This video (in Danish) show Christiania citizens closing up their doors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJi0TQ-ulfU

Help spreading the word about this community in order to preserve this rare social experiment.

view from the town

Find out more:

http://www.christiania.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freetown_Christiania

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/28/christiania-copenhagen-squat-last-stand

http://www.loppen.dk/

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If after all this you are still thinking about the hashish, please go to AMSTERDAM, where it is legal, as you can see in these pictures of mine:

McMushrooms. YUMMI

BEVAR CHRISTIANIA: Conhece Christiania? Sua participação é fundamental para preservar esse local histórico

Em 2009 tive o privilégio de tocar no Loppen, um dos pubs mais antigos de Christiania, espécie de comunidade independente situada em Copenhagen, Dinamarca. Foi uma das gigs mais legais da minha vida: quando entrei, todos os bartenders usavam cabeças de coelho gigantes.

Muito além do comércio livre de haxixe, Christiania é um experimento social curiosíssimo. O início da comunidade data de 1971, quando um grupo de hippies, anarquistas, artistas e músicos ocuparam a área de 34 hectares, como uma forma de protesto ao governo da Dinamarca.

entrada do Loppen

A polícia tentou várias vezes expulsar os invasores da área, sem sucesso. Christiania virou um problema político, discutida inúmeras vezes no parlamento dinamarquês. Em 1973 houve troca de governo e publicou-se o plano de expulsar todos e fechar o local até 1 de abril de 1976. Na última hora, o Parlamento voltou atrás, para evitar um confronto físico com os habitantes da comunidade. Desde então o dia 1 de abril tornou-se símbolo da Dinamarca Alternativa.

Ao longo dos anos, a cidade-livre aprimorou sua autogestão: casa comunitária de banhos, creche, coleta e reciclagem de lixo; equipes de ferreiros para fazer aquecedores a lenha de barris velhos, lojas e fábricas comunitárias de bicicletas. A década de 80 foi marcada pelas drogas e o governo começou uma campanha difamatória contra Christiania: a cidade-livre era considerada o centro das drogas do Norte da Europa. A comunidade organizou programas de recuperação de drogados e hoje em dia inexistem drogas pesadas. Só o mercado de haxixe continuou funcionando normalmente, enfrentando ainda diversas represálias governamentais. Se você for a Pusher's street e pedir qualquer outra droga, provavelmente pedirao que se retire.

Vários planos foram elaborados visando a "normalização e legalização" da área, e infelizmente alguns já consideram a batalha perdida: Em 2009, uma decisao judicial passou ao governo os direitos legais sobre a área. Agora, os residentes têm até 2 de maio para aceitar a compra de seus terrenos por cerca de 19 euros por metro quadrado. Moradores protestam, sob o argumento de que muitos foram viver ali numa renúncia ao materialismo.

entrada de Christiania

the MusikLoppen

Há três dias Christiania encontra-se fechada, num ato dos próprios moradores visando chamar a atencao para novos planos do governo, pois ainda nao se chegou a um acordo. De acordo com o porta-voz da comunidade, pessoas têm tentando invadir o local e corre a noticia de que amanhã pessoas de fora pretendem abrir a comunidade por conta propria - e os habitantes de Christiania já informaram que não vão oferecer resistência.

Esse vídeo (em dinamarquês) mostra os habitantes da comunidade fechando suas portas de entrada: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJi0TQ-ulfU

Ajude a espalhar a notícia e mostre seu apoio por essa que é uma das comunidades alternativas mais importantes do mundo!

vista de Christiania

Saiba mais: 

Site oficial: http://www.christiania.org/

História: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiania

Matéria do Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/28/christiania-copenhagen-squat-last-stand

Loppen: http://www.loppen.dk/

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Se depois de ler tudo isso você ainda está pensando no haxixe, vá para AMSTERDAM. Lá tá tudo legalizadinho, como você pode ver nessas minha fotos:

McMushrooms. YUMMI

DESCONECTE-SE e aproveite o cinema!

Sempre fui fã de cinema, mas nos últimos tempos minha ansiedade +  volume de trabalho têm me impedido de desconectar de tudo para me deixar envolver durante duas horas por uma pelicula. Só consigo fazer isso no cinema, e mesmo assim twitto alguma frase do filme. Esse comentário, postado hoje pela Dafne Baes, minha colega travelette, resume bem o que preciso conseguir: 

"Desligar por instantes o armazenamento constante, desligar por instantes o Google interior, a web injetada, introjetada, para curtir por um tempo uma simples projeção, de filme ou de texto, ou de sons musicais."
Fausto Fawcett




(Mais um post da série Faça o que eu digo, não o que eu faço!)

Pedaços de carne crua, knobs, maozinhas a la Família Adams e surrealismo:

Sou apaixonada por vídeo, música e bizarrices. Esse vídeo conseguiu reunir todas minhas paixões:

A música não é bem meu estilo, mas o trabalho é muito bom! Roubei váaarios takes para usar em VJing! 

there was a Bar in East Berlin... this BAR called 25!

Você teve o privilégio de conhecer o Bar 25? Caso a resposta seja positiva, considere-se um sortudo, e prepare-se para reviver suas boas memórias. Se não, não fique triste, pois você ainda pode conhecer um pouco da magia desse lugar: em breve sai o filme do Bar 25! O projeto foi financiado através de doações do público, organizadas pela incubadora Inkubato. Aguardamos ansiosamente! :-)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3RhLz6onQM

"There was a Bar in East Berlin
This Bar called 25

Where freaks went there to celebrate themselves
And party every night

Till the sun fill the place up with light


There was a Bar made of wood and love and green

A mystic place where you forget your tears

As soon as you stepped in
You felt like you're in another world
And after that was hard to leave..."

"Havia um bar em Berlim Oriental
Este Bar se chamava 25

Onde freaks iam celebrar-se

 E festejar todas as noites

Até o sol encher o lugar de luz


Havia um bar feito de madeira e  amor e verde
Um lugar místico, onde você esquecia as suas lágrimas
Assim que você entrava
Era como se estivesse em outro mundo
E ficava muito difícil ir embora ... "


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqeY_BI0aCI

(Eu fui a mais sortuda do PLANETA! Pude tocar lá pouco antes do encerramento, com meu grande amigo Red Robin. :D )

there was a Bar in East Berlin... this BAR called 25!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3RhLz6onQM

Did you have the privilege of knowing Bar 25? If you did, consider yourself a lucky person, and prepare to revive special moments. If not, dont be sad, cause you can still get to know a little bit of the magic of this place: the movie of the Bar comes out soon! The project was financed by donations of the public, and its the first crowdfunded german movie. Stay tuned! :-)

"There was a Bar in East Berlin
This Bar called 25

Where freaks went there to celebrate themselves

And party every night

Till the sun fill the place up with light
There was a Bar made of wood and love and green
A mystic place where you forget your tears

As soon as you stepped in 

You felt like you're in another world
And after that was hard to leave..."

I was the luckiest chick EVER! Got a chance to play a b2b with my friend Red Robin a little bit before the closing. :D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqeY_BI0aCI

Piece de Resistance

When the fork eats the spoon,
and the knife stabs
the face reflected in the plate,
dinner is over.


(Marilyn Manson)