Judging by the CAAC website, where you will find little information about the events of Nocturama 2010, the first rule of Nocturama a is not to mention Nocturama. A refreshing alternative to megafestivals, Nocturama is a series of concerts organized by the Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art to liven up the summer nights, with very interesting musical offerings at an even more interesting price too. Here the quality of the music has much more weight than the ability of the headliners to sell tickets for their based on the strength of their names alone. Previous years have also included cinema and special events.

Organizers take advantage of weekdays, when it may be easier to attract international groups that are touring major cities in Spain. For example, last year you could see such groups as Au Revoir Simon, Deerhoof and The Cranes for just five euros. Groups that have graced big stages around the world or who have been number one on all of “best of the year lists”, at a price that could not be better! The concerts are on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from July 1 to August 26, 2010. As in previous editions, artists have been carefully choosen.

The confirmed dates include Baby Dee, Friska Viljor, Lali Puna, Emily Jane White, Lloyd Cole, Exsonvaldes, Dente, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Alondra Bentley and Hola A Todo El Mundo. Listen, for example to the music of Emily Jane White or Wildbirds & Peacedrums on myspace or lastfm, and you will surely be surprised by the echoes of such figures as Catpower or Bjork. This year’s program focuses primarily on folk and indie music and its more innovative variations: sadcore, freakfolk and folktronica. You’ll see some memorable concerts by artists who are already driving all the critics wild, soon enough they will also delight you. Rent apartments in Seville for an incredible opportunity to see some of the most promising groups of today.

Formed in 1973, AC/DC remains one of the most influential rock bands of all time. “Highway to Hell” has to be one of the most famous and recognized songs in music. It is a popular song that has been used in commercials and all sorts of events to this day. Who doesn’t love the fact that even after all those years Angus Young still loves to wear a school uniform!

If you don’t know much about AC/DC here are some quick facts: At present, AC/DC have sold over 200 million albums worldwide. Their album Back in Black is the 2nd highest-selling album in history after Thriller by Michael Jackson. They are amongst the greatest bands and artists of all times and in 2003 they were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The history of the band goes back to 3 brothers in Scotland, who moved to Australia with their family, Malcolm, Angus and George Young. George, who was the first to live out his passion for music by learning to play the guitar. He joined the Easybeats which later became one of the most successful bands in Australia in the 1960′s.

Malcom and Angus formed the band which later became AC/DC. The name originates from a logo they saw on their sister’s sewing machine and stands for alternating current/direct current which according to them best describes their music and their feelings for their music.

And even after so many years of rocking the stages worldwide they are not tired yet and on the 26 of June you have the chance to see them perform in Seville at the Estadio Olimpico. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the price is 65€. Get ready to bang your head to the tunes of some true legends of Hard Rock! And for the best accommodation rent apartments in Seville.

It is sometimes easy to think that contemporary art is an academic phenomenon, understood and accessible by very few people. However, there are contemporary artists, whose art encompass many disciplines and uses all the formal possibilities of the exhibition (as understood in an academic context): installations, video art, photography and printing, but also manage to maintain a political or anthropological commitment which allows them to have a great power over a wide range of viewers.

The American artist Carrie Mae Weems falls into this category. Although she is known primarily as a photographer, during her career she has also used different materials and means of expression-media installation, performance and video. Her personal experiences, history, and folk and popular culture form the basis of her work, giving it a great emotional impact.

The Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art will host an exhibition of her work from May 20 until September 19, 2010, which brings together examples of twenty of her series, over one hundred photographs of large and small format digital prints on fabric and wallpaper, audiovisual installations and videos, to give visitors a chance to familiarize themselves with her work.

Weems started taking pictures when she was active in the labour movement and decided to devote herself to the artistic side of photography after seeing the book “The Black Photography Annual.” That she has ceased to be active in the labour movement does not mean that she has left politics behind- in fact, a critical re-examination of racism, gender, relationships identity, and especially women’s identity, informs all of her artistic interventions.

Many photos feature lines of ironic or sarcastic text, to animate the viewer to digest the conflicts presented in her work both consciously and visually. The exhibit will be the first for the artist in Spain, do not miss it! Rent apartments in Seville, to reflect on what you’ve seen.

Everywhere in Europe, teachers ring the alarm bell. More and more female university students are turning towards prostitution to pay for their studies. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that stripping and giving lapdances in shady bars is something that’s usually associated with desperate and less-educated woman. But these are girls that just started their degree in English literature, are studying for their masters in international politics or completing their doctorate in medicine. They are smart, bright young woman. Call girls.

Of course, there is a system of grants or long-term loans but as all of you who have applied for a scholarship before will agree, they are hard to get and the criteria is very strict. Meanwhile tuition fees are going through the roof. In Britain you pay around £3000, in Spain up to €4000, in the Netherlands about €2000. If you add living expenses, public transport, books etc., you will not be surprised that many students are having trouble to make ends meet. So they see prostitution as a fast way to make good money. After all, why go work in McDonalds or H&M for €10 an hour if you can make up to €1000 a night as a luxurious call girl?

It reminds us of Belle Du Jour, the author of the bestseller ‘Diary of a London Call Girl’. For years her identity was one of the best kept secrets in England, but last year a journalist from the Sunday Times discovered that her real name is Brooke Magnanti, and that she worked as a prostitute while writing her PhD thesis. Right now she is a researcher at Bristol University, and she made a small fortune out of her life story.

Most girls stick to their plan and step out of the business as soon as they have their degree. They don’t talk to anybody about it, and say it would ruin their lives if their families or people at the university ever found out. But is there really no other option? It is now up to the European Union to take action and make sure all students have to same right to education, independent of which country they live in. In Germany and Belgium for example, university is nearly for free and the scholarship system is well structured.

Thank god for Erasmus! The Universidad de Sevilla is a gorgeous building near the city centre, surrounded by great bars and student cafés where they serve the most delicious tapas. Apply for a sunny and unforgettable Erasmus experience in Spain, rent the best apartments in Seville and enjoy the Mediterranean way of life.

For some people, suing is somewhere between a hobby, an art-form and a full-time living. From the woman in Ireland who sued the same supermarket twenty times in a single year to the man who sued God, there is no shortage of famous, obscure and just plain funny cases hiding in the world’s transcripts.

The Most Famous Defendant

A Romanian man serving twenty years in prison, sued God in 2005. His claim was based on his baptism, in which God was supposedly contracted to look after him and keep him out of trouble if he fulfilled his end of the bargain (praying, and so on). The case was thrown out of court, and the defendant didn’t bother to show up.

Filing on Behalf of a Higher Power

That same year, possibly working under the guidance of God (perhaps he was annoyed by the Romanian lawsuit), a Russian astrologer sued NASA for ‘disturbing the balance of the universe.’ Her claim was based on the launch of a space probe that she described in her suit as being an act of terrorism. Her claim for around €200 million was rejected.

It Ain’t Over Til The Brazilian Lady Sings

2005 must have been a great year for lawyers. A 32 year old Brazilian sued her 38 year partner for failing to give her orgasms. He was apparently in the habit of terminating a session of sexual intercourse as soon as he had climaxed, leaving his partner frustrated. Although the suit was thrown out of court (feel free to make all the ‘anti-climax’ jokes you like now), his luck with women went rapidly down-hill as his name and face had been widely publicised as the country’s worst lover!

It’s Not Yours To Sell

When a young Chinese man auctioned his soul on Ebay, the legal system came after him with all guns blazing. After months of wrangling among lawyers (and Ebay removing the listing), it was decided that he would be allowed to auction his soul online if he could come up with a letter of permission from God, who was apparently deemed to be the actual owner of the soul. If only we’d known that before we went down to the crossroads.

The His-Fault Divorce

Returning to Brazil, we find the case of the 93 year old woman who filed for divorce from her 96 year old husband. Her main cause for complaint was that he never washed the dishes. The case was rejected when it came to light that for the past 70 years her husband had been a dishwasher for a living.

Get away from the craziness in the world when you rent apartments in Seville.

Only a film lover loves film mistakes, so let’s begin this by taking our hats off to the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people who make the films we love. Alright, now the disclaimers are over, let’s get down to the business of making fun of the dumb mistakes in our favourite films.

Titanic:
There are a BUNCH of mistakes in this film, but the best of the lot is the scene when Rose is using an axe to cut Jack free from his handcuffs. Slow the film down, frame-by-frame, and you will see the axe land neatly on Jack’s wrist.

Braveheart:
Apart from the obvious historical mistakes (King Richard died two years after William Wallace; Scots didn’t wear anything like the kilts in the film; the Princess didn’t move to England until after William Wallace died; oh, and they didn’t speak English!) there is the priceless moment of the battle. Mel Gibson (the central character) is charging across the field, first empty-handed. Cut. Then holding a long-sword. Cut. Then empty-handed again. Cut. Finally, with an axe. That man sure can multi-task.

Star Wars:
The classic movie mistake that got all the kids giggling. One of the scary-mean Storm Troopers comes charging into the room to kill/arrest/victimise Princess Leia and our heroes and promptly knocks himself out on the door-frame. Fail.

Troy:
Just when you had suspended disbelief for long enough to believe you were in Ancient Greece (where they all spoke English and were blonde like Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger, apparently), all illusions are shattered when the extras in the background can clearly be heard speaking Spanish. The wandering packs of llamas also make it pretty clear that South America is a cheaper location option than Athens.

Gladiator:
You’ve probably already seen the guy in the cast-of-thousands arena scene who was wearing jeans a white T-shirt, but what about the Lycra shorts, paper leaflets and gas-cylinder powered chariot. Watch it again, if only for the giggle. True history purists will spot the helmets and other clothes that were about four hundred years too early for this film, but we won’t talk about it too much or we’ll be here all day.

Cinderella (the cartoon version):
This is one of those kinky, deliberate Disney mistakes. When Cinderella is dressed for the ball, for s split-second the top half of her gown becomes see-through. Cartoon boobs!

It can happen to the best. If you want to look for movie mistakes yourself, Ben Hur is a good place to start. But don’t forget that there’s also a real world outside, summer is coming! Don’t turn into a couch potato and book an active holiday in Spain. Rent the best apartments in Seville and enjoy the sightseeing!