(Colombia Reports) Congressman Ivan Cepeda, a prominent human rights activist, on Thursday claimed his life is at risk after accusing ex-president Alvaro Uribe of paramilitary links.
Cepeda said he receives threats on a daily basis and that his safety is in question after he publicly denounced ties between ex-president Alvaro Uribe and paramilitary groups. Read full story at Colombia Reports
(Colombia Reports) The famous Saint-Petersburg State ballet troupe this April 13 and 14 will thrill dance enthusiasts with a performance of “Swan Lake” on ice in Colombia’s capital of Bogota.
Swan Lake has been adapted by countless ballet companies over its 100-year life time, but this particular production features choreography by the former Marinsky ballet star, Konstantin Rassadin, and will be performed by accomplished ballerinas from the St. Petersburg State Ballet on Ice troupe. Read full story at Colombia Reports
(Colombia Reports) The Colombian army has discharged the soldier Alexander Mandon, because he was believed to attract lightning, local media reported on Sunday.
The soldier has been hit 4 times since September 2012. After the first strike, he was simply glad to have survived, however it has now apparently become a regular occurrence for Mandon. Read full story at Colombia Reports
March, 13 – (MTTM) We tend to associate Billy Bragg with defiant left-wing political protest; in the 80s he spent a year playing benefit gigs in mining communities and identifies himself as a socialist. None of this has changed, but Bragg’s first studio album in 5 years ‘Tooth and Nail’ takes a step away from his outspoken political views with a collection of more personal songs. The change of tone in ‘Tooth and Nail’, which was recorded over a period of just 5 days, makes for a refreshing and uplifting listen. Heavily influenced by country music, Bragg’s voice takes on a new personality, deeper and mellower than the rough, shouty style vocals we are used to hearing on his earlier albums. Read full article at More than the Music
(MTTM) In 2010, approximately ten years after forming, Manchester’s I am Kloot made their breakthrough to a wider audience with the critically acclaimed and Mercury nominated fifth album, Sky at Night. For anyone who is unfamiliar with I Am Kloot, this album is so unarguably brilliant that I still listen to it on repeat. The question now, however, is whether they can live up to the impeccably high standards set by Sky at Night, – surely any attempt to match the subtle genius of a song like To the Brink is destined for failure? Read full article at More than the Music
(The Mancunion) For someone with a voice that can be so haunting, Houghton manages to sound warm and comforting throughout the debut album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose. Listening to it is the audio equivalent of curling up by a warm fire and drifting into a dream infused sleep, full of bizarre but pleasant images.
‘The Barely Skinny Bone’ starts with a lone vocal, which is then replaced by mix of bass guitar and acoustic finger picking that mimic raindrops. Read full article at The Mancunion
Hannah Mead 