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WOMAD

Jul 29, 2023 | WORLD, MUSIC

Womad stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance, an international music and arts foundation known primarily for its festivals, held annually in multiple locations around the world.

“You never know where interesting news may come from” is the concept I have learned throughout my years.

To confirm it I will tell you that the first time I found information about Womad I was reading with my son from his English school book.

We owe the idea of this music art and dance festival to Peter Gabriel.

In 1982 the author of the immortal 7/4 song with that harmonic theme that brought everyone’s thoughts on that perfect green to the sky, together with a group of people started the first festival right in Somerset, in Shepton Mallet.

Later the project evolved into a mission: to create opportunities for cultural exchange and learning to bring the arts of different cultures to the widest possible audience by developing arts education and creative learning projects.

After all, Peter Gabriel’s spirit of contamination appeared to us loud and clear in the blending of tribal percussion and electro-synth sounds in Shock the monkey.

The resounding aspect of the Womad festival that is being held these days is that Carmen Consoli announced her participation with this picture.

The Singeress.

I would say she is perfect to represent the strength of roots and the richness of collaborations.

Carmen is the first Italian artist to perform at the world music festival.

July 27 / 30 – Charlton Park are the coordinates of Womad 2023.

While waiting, we can watch highlights from last year’s edition: the 40th.

PACHINKO

Jun 10, 2023 | WORLD

Pachinko パチンコ is the name of something that is perhaps less understandable to Westerners, but only because we have other manifestations of alienation and ludopathy.

Pachinko パチンコcould be synonymous with mockery.

Verbal Kint taught us that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that… he is gone.

Even gambling in Japan “does not exist” because it is banned. And it disappears under the name “entertainment” definition by which Pachinko is classified.

Many of us have been through a Pachinko parlor running: along with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in the movie Lost in Translation.

Pachinko is a hybrid game, we could say it is the representation of contamination: halfway between a pinball machine and a slot machine.

The trick is precisely the balls that from the game become the very object of winning but cannot be exchanged for money.

By playing Pachinko you can only get prizes of various kinds: chocoloate bars, pens, lighters, candy, T-shirts, cosmetics, bicycles, shopping vouchers, up to so-called “special” prizes i.e. silver or gold objects enclosed in plastic bags.

These special prizes can be exchanged at points outside but nearby Pachinko Parlours: the TUC Shops = Tokyo Union Circulation.

I found precise regulations regarding the installation of these phantom vertical pinball machines, but the risk of addiction?

These Pachinko Parlors are places where people are subjected to extremely high noise levels and bright lights.

The players appear to be sitting helpless, completely estranged, as if without identity in the flow of these slow, mechanical movements that cancel out time.

I am very struck by the slogan of a company that runs Pachinko Parlors:

Joy in life

We resolve to bring joy to the lives of our staff, our customers, and society as a whole through our business.

I do not see joy.