A Taylor Swift exhibition, new Smashing Pumpkins and David Lynch albums, Edinburgh Fringe and Irish music festival - here's what to see and do in Europe this weekend.
ADVERTISEMENTHappy Friday, and happy second day of International Clown Week to all those that celebrate.
We promise there will be no clowning around when it comes to this edition of the Culture Digest's suggestions - only joking, the Edinburgh Fringe is on. Come to think of it, now might also be an opportune time to listen to David Lynch's 2011 album 'Crazy Clown Time', considering his new release with Chrystabell.
In other news, there's an Elizabeth Taylor documentary airing on HBO, a French nudist exhibition where visitors are encouraged to take their clothes off and a confirmation date for season 2 of Squid Game.
Speaking of Games, the first week of the Olympics has been a very eventful one, filled with incredible sporting achievements, opening ceremony controversy,chocolate muffins and a new obsession with the shooting sport stars that went viral for, well, looking totally bad ass.
Anyway, moving swiftly on...
Exhibitions
The Taylor Swift 'Songbook Trail' at Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK)
For those missing the Eras Tour (or still waiting to go see it), here's an exhibition that'll fill the Swiftie shaped hole in your hearts. Opening on 27 July and running until 8 September 2024, this is a chance to see the real guitars, memorabilia and costumes from Tay Tay's record-breaking career. Highlights includes the pale blue cowboy boots and turquoise dress she wore in 2007 as a support act and Cinderella-like yellow gown from the 'Bejewelled' music video. It's not only remarkable to see the outfits up close in person, but also a striking visual reminder of the singer's various evolutions and meteoric rise to stardom over the past decade.
'Caspar David Friedrich: Infinite Landscapes' at Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin, Germany)
A celebration of German landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich's 250th birth anniversary, this extensive exhibition, which spotlights an artist who was mostly overlooked during his lifetime, comes to an end soon - on the 4 August. Featuring a total of 115 paintings and drawings on display, it also provides an insight into the evolution of Friedrich's artistic journey and his immense influence on the German Romantic movement.
Festivals and events
Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Scotland)
The world’s largest performance arts festival returns to Edinburgh - and has one of its most enticing line-ups in years. Across the month (2-26 August), more than 50,000 performers will take over 3,600 shows with the hopes of wowing an international crowd and possibly propelling their careers to stardom, Euronews Culture journalist Jonny Walfisz writes. You can find his top picks for what to see (and how to get around the city) here. Some of the biggest performers include Rose Matafeo, Hannah Gadsby, Ivo Graham and Nish Kumar - expect tickets to sell out quick!
All Together Now Festival (County Waterford, Ireland)
As the summer reaches its midway point, here's one of the most exciting music festival from our list of European ones. Taking place at the Curraghmore estate in County Waterford between 1-4 August, it's Ireland’s largest independent festival, featuring 18 stages of music, theatre, spoken word, storytelling, comedy, wellness, food and more. The set list is jaw dropping, with The National, Jorja Smith and Róisín Murphy headlining while other notable performers include Slowdive, James Vincent McMorrow, Future Islands and Natasha Bedingfield. The rest is still unwritten...
Movies
El Eco (The Echo)
Powerful and deeply affecting, Tatiana Huezo's fictional documentary follows the lives of those living in a remote village called El Echo, in the Mexican highlands. As we watch children going about their daily rural tasks: herding sheep, picking crops and helping to care for their elders amidst the changing seasons, a mesmerising portrait of quiet existence unfolds, warmed by the unspoken realisations and love at the heart of the relationships depicted.
ADVERTISEMENTOur film critic David Mouriquand loves it - read his full review here.
TV
Futurama (Disney+)
Having premiered in 1999 and been cancelled twice, 'Futurama' is still going strong and now in its 12th season. The satirical sci-fi cartoon, created by 'The Simpsons'' Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, is back and primed for more pop culture parody-making, with 'Squid Game' one of its targets. Personally, we haven't been able to watch the show ever since the absolute emotional devastation that was Season 5, Episode 2's 'Jurassic Bark'. Oh no, the tears are starting just thinking about it.
Music
The Smashing Pumpkins: 'Aghori Mhori Mei'
ADVERTISEMENTIconic 90s alt band The Smashing Pumpkins are back with their thirteenth studio album, following the release of 'ATUM: A Rock Opera in Three Acts' last year. Featuring ten tracks, 'Aghori Mhori Mei' has been a work in progress for the past two years, described by lead singer Billy Corgan as a “rock, guitar record, old school” in an interview with Kerrang!.
Smashing Pumpkins fan David Mouriquand has taken it upon himself to listen to the new album, as well as revisit the previous twelve LPs (we worry about him sometimes) and has ranked the band's discography. Check out the list to see where 'Aghori Mhori Mei' ranks in comparison to the band’s classics like 'Siamese Dream' and 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness'.
David Lynch & Chrystabell: 'Cellophane Memories'
Prepare yourselves to finally "see and hear" David Lynch and Chrystabell's 'Cellophane Memories', which is released today (2 August). Having previously performed as the lead singer for a swing band called 8½ Souvenirs, Chrystabell was introduced to Lynch in 1999 by an agent. The two quickly hit it off and have been frequent collaborators since. Their latest album is Lynch's first creative project since he made 'Twin Peaks: The Return' in 2017. Ethereal and visually haunting, in that classic Lynchian way, this is music to dream and feel increasingly unsettled to.
ADVERTISEMENTAlbum anniversaries: Three records to celebrate in August 2024
Every month of 2024, Euronews Culture takes a trip down memory lane and handpicks a trio of albums celebrating a major milestone: 10, 20, and 30 years, respectively. It's a great way to discover (or rediscover) musical gems - and to feel old. This months selection? FKA Twigs's LP1, Björk's Medúlla and Jeff Buckley's Grace. Read more about them here.
