For decades, she's given us music, sometimes better, sometimes less good. Madonna is omnipresent. Now, a compilation comes on the market that can pass as a Best-of-album. But it also contains a few new songs. It's called "Celebration" and is a retrospective on Madonna's life and work. The single release is also called "Celebration" and just hit the stores. It is Madonnas most calculates single so far.

While all were waiting on it to hear the song before the official release exclusively on the radio as announced by Madonna herself, shortly after a mp3 version circulated on the internet. Everything was aimed to make people more eager and hook them on the new song. All that was staged, of course, by Madonna. Her biggest success was before the Millennium, the compilation an attempt to familiarize new, young fans with her earlier music from the time of this success.




I'm not a Madonna fan, but also with an objective view, or in this case of an objective ear, the song is not convincing. It is too willed, too contrived, too young. Madonna's music is not an expression of an inner urge anymore but a constructed attempt to have young fans and stay young herself. In addition, a DVD, containing numerous of Madonnas music videos is released this month.

Single, Best of-album and DVD - everything smells a bit like a desperate attempt to strongen her position. Madonna should rather leave it at what she has already achieved. That is a lot, and enough.
The Guiness Book of World Records named Madonna the most successful female singer of all times. They're right. Now she just needs to find the right moment of time to quit. The new single speaks for a soon arrival of that moment. We keep the hope up, also in Madonnas interest.

For twelve years now there is one good reason to hit Basel, respectively more than one; at the Avo Session Basel. This year as well the programm is filled with national and international stars. Opening act is Scorpion, the closure act will be Lovebugs. In between are concerts of artists like
Jane Birkin, Orishas, Diana Krall, James Morrison, Grace Jones or Snow Patrol. From october 23rd until november 15th, more than 30 bands guarantee unforgettable moments.

The Avo Session Basel names itself a Swiss Lifestyle-Musicfestival and has reached international emission thanks to different styles of music. The club-atmosphere with candlelight and the closeness to the stars positions the event as a unique one. Not for nothing travel about 19'000 visitors to Basel every year.

This year as well there will be awards to give away. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Tom Jones, the Arising Star Award is received by Maria Mena. Both of them will perform at the Avo 2009.

Avo Session Basel 2009, october 23rd until november 15th, Festsaal Messe Basel. All concerts start at 8 o'clock, pre-selling runs since september 2nd.

40 years after the Beatles recorded their last songs, their complete works were now released digitally adapted. At the same time a new computer game hit the stores, which makes the player one of the beatles who has to sing, play guitar or drums. It's called „The Beatles Rock Band.“ Both things show, that the guys arent forgotten by far. The reservations on the internet for the digitally adapted were on the very top. Thanks to the digital adaptation the hits of the Beatles sound brighter, single voices and melodies are more clearly. The work on the remake of the 14 albums, who are avialable single or as a collectors edition, went on for four years.

It is expected, that the computer game will reach the same success as for the music. Ex-Beatle McCartney admited in an interview, that he hasn't played the game yet, but thinks that it probably is pretty difficult. He believes furthermore that it will enthuse more teenagers for the music of the Beatles.

For all Beatles-Fans the Computergame as well as the digitally adapted musik is a reason to be excited and hold a Beatles-Holiday.

November 1st, the band The Virgins play at the Alte Börse in Zurich. Too few know the band. Something that is about to change.

The US-rockband, founded in 2005, achieved already one big thing: 2008 their song „Rich Girl“ (in Switzerland number 85 on the billboard charts) was amongst the Top 100 chosen by the musicmagazin Rolling Stone. Only one of many reasons to check out the band. Their Indie- and Garagerock is so wonderfully unpretentious and a sinful joy for all who can remember the 1980ies. Even though „Rich Girl“ was played on the show Gossip Girl, they are everything else than just a hyped band.

With their debut album „The Virgins“ (2008) they guys found the perfect balance between accessible and willful sound. The Virgins – a band that makes awesome music despite the hype. For all who know „Rich Girl“ and want to hear more, and all those, who are looking for new sound for their iPod.

The Virgins, November 1st, Alte Börse Zurich

Soso, der Gaddafi will also die Schweiz auflösen. Und das nur, weil wir seinen Sohn eingebuchtet hatten. Zu Recht übrigens. Also das Einbuchten.
Was genau ist denn dem sein Problem frag ich. Ob er die Hitze nicht verträgt und ihm zu Kopfe gestiegen ist? Die Willkür jedenfalls ist ihm inne. Ebenso ein riesen Ego. Umso kleiner ist wohl sein - na ihr wisst schon. Wie ein trotziger Bub stampft er auf den Boden und glaubt, deswegen wird ihm Mami UNO jeden Wunsch erfüllen. Die Schweiz auflösen zum Beispiel.

Gut, könnte man blasphemisch sagen, die Welschen wollen eh lieber zu Frankreich gehören. Wir graben also wirklich eine Röstigraben und der erste Schritt ist getan. Die Tessiner essen lieber Spaghetti als Fondue, die wird es nicht allzu schmerzen. Italien ist dann um ein Filmfest reicher. Und die Deutschschweiz? Tja, der Name hat es inne liebe Eidgenossen, wir würden dann wohl zu den Gummihälsen gehören (die ich übrigens mag). Das scheint also alles auf zu gehen. Fast. Ein Grössenwahnsinniger wie der Gaddafi wird scheitern an, genau, seinem Grössenwahn. Denn einer wie der, sieht die Stärke in der Grösse. Wir, Liebe Eidgenossen und kleingewachsene Schweizer, wir wissen es besser. Denn was übrig bleibt, bei dem sauberen Aufteilungsplan ist der Rätoromanische Teil von unserem Land. Und während die UNO sich drüber die Köpfe zerbricht, was mit diesem Rest Schweiz zu tun sein, wandern wir alle, genau, dahin.

Der Graubünden wird zu unserer Festung, wir verschanzen uns und fangen alles Wasser in einem grossen Stausee auf. Der Gaddafi hat zwar Öl, aber wir haben das Wasser. Und Öl kann man nun mal nicht trinken.Als Bergler sind wir dann zäh im nehmen (gut die Züricher werdens schwer haben), wir pflegen Selbstversorgung und stocken die natürlichen Anhöhen zu Mauern auf, die rund um die ehemalige Kantonsgrenze gehen wird. Ehemalige. Denn neu werden das unsere Landesgrenzen sein. Da oben in den Bergen können sich dem Gaddafi seine Kamele dann die Hufe aufschlagen.

So werden wir der Welt trotzen, bis Mami UNO zugeben muss, dass sie leichtsinnig den pubertären Zwängen nachgegeben hat und uns als Wiedergutmachung kein Nidelzältli, sondern Lybien als Hoheitsgebiet schenkt. Und dann lieber Gaddafi, bist du am – na ihr wisst schon. Dann rennen dir tausende kleiner Eidgenossen die Bude ein und sagen Grüezi auf gut schweizerische Art; mit einem Tritt in den – eben.

Lasst ihn nur kommen, wir sind bereit!
Eure Rebecca
rebecca.schnyder@alltickets.ch