Sunday, July 18th, 2004

Finally another update: hi everybody!!!

It still remains almost impossible to find a nice working balance between all kinds of jobs and little tasks, but hey, at least I managed to put some news together this time (granted, that's easy if you wait long enough).

Bai will be playing numerous concerts this summer, the hightlights are listed in this newsletter, for the rest I refer, as usual, to the concert pages (the only well-maintained part of the site).

Besides that, there are a couple of other news items, way overdue to mention, so here they come:


BAI APPEARS ON THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CD "PAS LA PEINE"

Past late spring, Bai contributed to the "pas la peine" project of Amnesty International, a contest that proposed to young people to out their protest to the death penalty through three ways of expression: song (writing a text), dance (creating choreography) or fashion (creating a t-shirt). Many organisations and famous personalities participated voluntarily in the project by agreeing to sponsor the project, by giving professional advice, or by agreeing to (write and) record a song.
Amongst the selected lyrics of the winners, Bai chose the text of Shirley Delannoy, which he translated in english.
The song is called When the rope breaks, has been played frequently on the radio and can be found on the Pas La Peine CD, which is on sale in the record stores or online via the site of Amnesty International.
Other artists on the record are: Sandrine Collard, Jeff Bodart, Girls in Hawaii, Venus, Yel, Jean-Louis Daulne, Da Familia, Marka, Jeronimo, Perry Rose and Starflam.

Go to their website for more info: www.paslapeine.be (in french only)


LABEL ONE - TELE BRUXELLES BROADCAST

Linked with the above, Bai will appear on the Label One show of Télé Bruxelles on:
Sunday, July 18th, from 6pm thru 6am (programs are looped)
Wednesday, July 21st, from noon till 6pm

The Amnesty song has been recorded to show on a later date somehere in August... but this emission should be entirely dedicated to Bai... and more in particular to Urban Gipsy!
There will be some interviews and most likely two songs: Urban Gipsy live in the TV studio and Substitute "at home".

Time to get these VCR's & DVD burners out!


URBAN GIPSY RELEASE (?)

So what about the release of Urban Gipsy?
Well, it has been very quiet since our last announcement of the release, for the simple reason that we don't want to make the same mistake twice: never state anything if you're not really 100% sure.
At this moment, Bai is still talking with record labels, to find the right deal that suit the needs of the album the best.
If it was only to make sure that the album will be available to everyone... and not only via the internet for example.
So, we won't give any premature dates any more; it depends on circumstances, conditions and the (right) partner.
Bai does realize very well that it has to come out though, so the target is set on New Year 2005 (which seems feasable since the album is entirely ready to print).

In order to be completely ready for a dazzling show case and an Urban Gipsy Tour that will knock you off your socks, Bai will do already a bunch of pre-promotion tours, to make sure that his "new" band will be completely settled, solid and convincing.

So: check out the concerts to hear the Urban Gipsy!


MAJOR CONCERTS:

Bal Populair - Brussels
Feel like dancing? Bai has been squeezed in the programmation for the big party in the Marolles on the flee market square.
Other Bands are Jaune Toujours and the Magnificent Flying Thunderbirds...
As I said: a huge outdoor dance party

Bal Populair
Vossenplein - Place du Jeu de Balle
1000 Brussels
Concert: 21h30

Feest in de Stad/Fète à la ville - Haren
Set up as local block parties, this year on the National Holiday Bai will be participating on one of the stages spread over the larger Brussels area.

Feest in de stad: Haren
Cortenbachstraat - rue Cortenbach
HAREN
Tel: 02 - 279 64 32
Website:
Flemish Info - www.muziekpublique.be
French Info - www.muziekpublique.be
Concert: 17h00

Rok da Nation - Brussels
If Haren is too far or too early for you, no need to worry: the band that never gets tired will perform the same day at Place Luxembourgh... at the festival which was known last year as the Brussel's Beach Festival (which caused too much confusion of course for the next concert)

Rok da Nation
Luxemburgplein - Place du Luxembourgh
1050 Brussels
Concert: 20h00

Brussel Bad/Bruxelles les Bains/Brussels Beach
A real beach in Brussels... who ever came up with that idea? Well, if the rain decides to utter it's grief somewhere else, it's the ultimate setting for a groovy beach festival, featuring Mr. Bai and his band.
... and if it rains? I bet you'll forget all about once the music starts!

Brussels Beach
Place Saincteletteplein & Rue Dijlestraat
Brussels
Website:
Flemish Info - www.brusselbad.be
French Info - www.bruxelleslesbains.be
Concert: 19h00

Other concerts:
I will try to send out a mail before that time, but in case it fails, note the following dates in your agenda.

If you plan to go to Budapest, be there on August 17th, where Bai's quintet will be playing at the Budapest Beach Festival.

Spreading out towards Flanders, on August 22nd the quintet will perform at the Dijlefeesten in Mechelen!

Participating at the AB celebrations, in a suberb venue (the AB Box in Brussels), with an amazing sound and a great atmosphere that is ab-so-lu-te-ly not to be missed, come to Bai's performance with a six-piece band on September 25th. Gabriel Rios will be playing as well...


Yeah, definitely worth it!


Have a great summer!


AL