Prague is lousy with history. And yes, history can be boring. History can be just a tortured list of names and dates. But, history can also be about stories. And stories are essential, our brains are hardwired to accept and are programmed to receive stories. Most guide books will tell you that Prague is ‘the city of a hundred spires’ which frankly sounds dull as shit. Now ‘the city of a thousand stories’ that’s where I want to spend a weekend.

Speaking of which, let me tell you a story. It’s late one night ten years ago, in one of the numerous Irish themed bars that, back then, must have littered the winding medieval streets like crushed coke cans. Our hero, for as we shall later find out a hero most certainly he is, Johnny Touristson was mooning a passing local. Please don’t judge Johnny too harshly, if he had chosen to abstain from mooning the local his arse would have been the only one in the room encased in trouser. And beside mooning the locals was something you just did ten years ago in Prague. Fate though is a cruel bitch at the best of times and Johnny fell, banging his exposed buttocks on the rough table. This was painful enough but johnny also received a splinter the size of the devils thumb; right in the ring.

Embarrassed and uncomfortable Johnny does something unheard of – he goes to bed early. This is truly a brave act because back then amongst the stag dos and business trips, going to bed early and relatively sober is an act so unmanly he may as well of fellated the bar staff, not forgetting the balls, in front of the whole room of roaring drunk football-shirted English stags.

Johnny waddles back in shame and no little pain, shunning the strip clubs and weaving between the herds of chanting British thugs. After some home surgery with duty-free vodka and the complementary toothbrush Johnny removes a splinter of wood he would later refer to as ‘Odin’s toothpick’. Because of Johnny’s heroic early night he wakes relatively early and because his friends only arrived back a few hours ago chanting ‘DAVE FINGERED A STRIPPER’  he set off to explore Prague on his own. The shame of last night kept him away from the the bars, strip clubs and bungee jump salesmen. And instead he wandered into art galleries, the lack of hangover meant he could look up with clear eyes and take in the amazing hodge-podge of architecture and with the money saved and lack of sickness he ate the food.

At first glance Johhny could be forgiven for dismissing Prague as just another ex-soviet eastern European shit hole. There is bad graffiti everywhere, run down shop fronts, grubby hand written signs and smoking is not only allowed indoors but encouraged, which nowadays positively seems barbaric. But the dirt and grime is just one layer, scratch the surface just a little and the rewards are amazing and spiritually more refreshing than the square palaces of glass and concrete we seem to have over here.

Johnny found the city is perfect to walk around, which is handy because the tram system and underground are reliable but frankly incomprehensible. Like any old city, it grew organically and haphazardly and its a pleasant experience just to wander around following the old cobbled streets just to see what happens next, doing what the French situationist called dérive. Every architectural style and art movement is reflected in the buildings and décor, not so much looking like a fairytale, but a hundred fairy tales all at once.

Old town is old, to give you an idea, when johnny asked how old the New Town was our guide replied “600 years”. The palace complex is beautiful and littered with statues, everyone of these have not only history attached, but stories, my advice, and Johnny would surly agree, would be to find either a really good tour guide or take a decent book and discover the place for yourself. The market square is a massive draw for tourists and during the winter months home to a market that, yes, is straight from the top of a chocolate box but is also authentic and real, a blacksmith will adjust for you his hand made jewellery, you can eat stews of a meat you would rather not know the name of, and see real handmade crafts that date back a hundred or so years. This is in direct contrast to the thousand or so little tourist gift shops that blight the area like acne on a supermodel, avoid these shops they sell mass produced crap at extortionate prices.. But, even thay are just another layer in a city of layers and a chapter in a city of stories

Johnny spread the word and ten years later the stag trade is all but dead. It helps that the prices have levelled up to the same as any European capital city and not 50p a pint.

Falling in love with Prague is like falling in love with a abused spouse, there’s not a lot of outwards signals but every so often you’ll see the bruises. A strip club, a Irish pub or even the odd sign reminding tourists that the police are armed and have no sense of humour. You end up not only respecting her for what shes been through and survived but loving her a little more for it.

And I did fall in love with Prague, and like any good relationship I can see its flaws, but accept them and it reveals good points. Of which there are many; like the architecture, the pace, and the stories.

Thank you Johnny.

THE FACTS

- Prague is, in places, as close to historic as you can get outside of a theme park, this means most of the streets are cobbled and uneven, which even to the strong and hardy can be hard work.

- The exchange rate to Euros at the moment is not a preferable as it could be, and most of the time you get looked at like a raping Russian soldier should you ask to pay in the Euro. The local currency is the Koruna and accepted everywhere the Czechs generally have a really sarcastic dry humour and don’t smile a lot, even though they’re having a good time. Just because your new Czech isn’t smiling doesn’t they’re not having a good time. While I was there I was taken to dinner in a typical Czech restaurant that to my eyes looked like a particularly harrowing Alan Bennett play – this is how they cut loose.

- I was offered drugs by strangers every time I went into a public place; to be fair I would pick me out of a crowd too. I wouldn’t trust these guys and if you do I suppose you kinda deserve everything you get.

- The beer can be a little expensive but also deceptively strong, on the first night we got so drunk that at least four intelligent journalists got flummoxed by a door.

GETTING THERE
During winter, bmibaby will fly from Birmingham International Airport to Prague up to 4 times a week on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
Fares start from just £19.99 including taxes and charges.
The airline also flies from Birmingham to: Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast International, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Glasgow, Ireland West Knock, Malaga, Murcia, Nice and Palma.
Please visit www.bmibaby.com for more information.

Words: Danny Smith
Photographs: Michael Kitromiildes

Fused went over to Syria and spent some time in Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world in . The character of Damascus is woven through thousands of years of civilization and despite it’s decrepit roads, freakin’ insane drivers and weird aniseed tasting wine, we loved it!

Whilst there we met up with ace hot-shot photographer Khaled Akil who Specialialises  in social documentary, portraits and  travel photography. Check him out!

The super-stylish Thompson LES  hotel is Located on Manhattan’s Allen Street, where the East Village meets the Lower East SideSide and has amazing sweeping views of downtown Manhattan (especially from it’s members and residents only roof top terrace bar).

The hotel is sleek and modern with spacious loft-like rooms and features an array of artwork by some of the most influential names in art. Pieces by Stephen Shore adorn the walls,each room has it’s own individual black-and-white illuminated photograph by Lee Friedlander and you even get to take a dip in the pool with a giant portrait of Andy Warhol taken by Gerard Malanga peering up at you. It really is the perfect place for those who appreciate the Lower East Sides hip, anything-goes energy

As well well as being complemented by the works of some of America’s most influential artists. There is a fine dining restaurant with celebrity chef Susur Lee at its helm and a private outdoor bar providing sweeping views of downtown Manhattan.

www.thompsonhotels.com

Thousands of bronzed babes and muscle-bound hunks descended on ‘Malta Music Week’ in July to sample an eclectic mix of music, sun and delicious cocktails.

First up was the delectable Roger Sanchez at Popeye Village (above). His set topping nearly two hours included a plethora of dirty 90’s dance tunes combined with some serious cult classics, whipping the excitable crowd into a state of euphoria. The weird and wonderful surroundings of the Popeye movie film set was a bizarre choice for a venue but Sanchez’s tunes managed to bounce around Popeye Village perfectly, accompanied by scantily clad dancers and the blistering night-time heat.

By Jurgen Scicluna

Malta Music Week also hosted the Malta chill-out Beach Party with the ideal mix of relaxing tunes and the sound of the waves as the sun set. Bugibba square was the location for a massive street party with local Maltese artists performing cover versions and their own blend of tunes for a tipsy audience.

The week was concluded by the mammoth Isle of MTV Show in Fosos Square, Floriana. 50,000 attendees swayed and shimmed to the sound of Dutch pop tart Esmѐe Denters, before gently moshing to the pop-rock tunes of Metro Station. ‘Shake, Shake’ was the most predictably popular track in the American band’s twenty minute set with teenage girls reciting the lyrics word for word.

By Rene Rossignaud

Lady GaGa didn’t disappoint in terms of shock factor as per usual. Taking to the stage in some sort of space age rock contraption she launched straight into a rocked up version of ‘Paparazzi’ adorned with a silver space age outfit and mask that would have made Grace Jones proud. The pint-sized diva’s set was laden with hits including a solo acoustic performance of ‘Poker face’ with the blonde bombshell tinkering on the piano for a stripped down version of the track before ripping into the full throttle version to the crowd’s joy.

GaGa’s set was the best of the evening even with numerous outfit changes in between songs.  It was refreshing to watch a commercial artist that actually takes risks on stage not only in terms of outfit choices but by actually altering her successful tracks to suit a live setting perfectly.

With Lady G being a hard act to follow the Black Eyed Peas would normally have to work hard in such circumstances but the Maltese crowd were well versed with Fergie and the gangs’ ‘Boom, Boom, Pow’ beaming out of bars across the island each night.

By Rene Rossignaud

The Peas burst on stage with a light show to rival an episode of Star Wars and warmed up the audience nicely with ‘Let’s Get it Started’ and ‘Shut Up’. Things were bought down a notch with a perfectly timed sing-along to ‘Where is the Love’ before the band launched into a Michael Jackson melody in tribute to Will.i.am’s close friend.  As expected ‘Boom, Boom, Pow’ was reserved for the evening’s closing song and sent the crowd into a frenzy with a spectacular backdrop of fireworks as the backdrop.

Words: Kimberley Owen

Images courtesy of visitmalta.com

Where to stay
The Hyatt Regency, King Street West – torontoregency.hyatt.com
Recently refurbished with a contemporary foyer and rooms to match the hotel is in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district. Stepping outside you are faced with restaurants and bars aplenty and an easy walk to top attractions. Room from approx £65 per night

What to see
Lake Ontario – Torontonian’s drinking water comes direct from beautiful Lake Ontario. Hop on one of the tour boats from the Harbourfront (Queen’s Quay West) and take in the Islands and amazing views of the city skyline.

Shopping
Every city has its fair share of Gaps and Urban Outfitters but to check out something a little unique take a look at Chinatown (Dundas St and Spadina Ave). Not only does it have a fine selection quick eats there is a great variety of super kitsch stores.
Just around the corner from Chinatown is Kensington Markets. The bo-ho district of Toronto is a hive of hippy chic, organic cafes, cheese stores and even an Amsterdam style coffee shop.

What to do
Go up the tallest building in the world. Currently the highest building the CN Tower sits proud in downtown Toronto next to the famous Rogers Centre where the city’s Blue Jay’s Baseball Team calls its home.
The tower has a glass elevator that takes seconds to reach the viewing platform and revolving restaurant. Make sure you check out the glass-viewing platform where kids jump excitedly up and down and your feet tingle as soon as they near the edge. The 360-degree views are amazing – make sure you take your camera and a head for heights.

Where to eat
Conviction, 609 King Street West – convictionrestaurant.com
Being served by ex cons may not seem like everyone’s idea of a night out but Conviction is beyond a gimmick. Set up by chef Marc Thuet and his wife Biana Zorich to give disadvantaged rehabilitated ex-convicts a second chance. Not to miss out on an opportunity this unique social experiment has been captured on film and will be airing soon on Canadian TV.
The staff who work both in the kitchen and front of house are more than happy to tell you of their misdemeanours which range from bank robberies to drug smuggling in Columbia.

Our best find
Cora’s
Apparently there are around 80 Cora’s in Canada and North America but we’d never come across one before. Cora’s is THE place for an all day breakfast. Whatever you order off the rather extensive menu it will come with a very healthy portion of fruit making even the basic eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, ham and pancakes seem like a healthy option.

What to drink
A Bloody Caesar – the national drink of Canada consists of Vodka Clamato juice (an interesting mix of Clam broth and Tomato juice) and a dash of Tobasco sauce. It will wake you if you are feeling tired and heal you if you are hungover – what a drink! We had ours in Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe on Dundas Square.

When to go
We took our trip in June so we could take in the sounds of the mighty North-by-north east (nxne) festival. Featuring a mix of Canadian, US and International bands nxne takes place at a variety of venues throughout Downtown.

Info
Flights: You can fly by Air Transat direct from Birmingham to Toronto. Flights start from approximately £400 – airtransat.co.uk.

Transfers: You can catch the Flight Transfer Bus from the Airport to all the major hotels for $40 dollars return.

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Samsonite Trunk

“Integral to the McQueen culture is the juxtaposition between contrasting elements: fragility and strength, tradition and modernity and fluidity and severity” says the official website for the award winning designer. It could not be truer than with the collaboration with Samsonite for their Black Label collection.

The collection now contains special edition silver effect versions of the unusual human rib cage and crocodile skin effect suitcases by Alexander McQueen. It is not often that you consider luggage a piece of art, but these have to be the exception. Perhaps not to everyone’s taste, but certainly eye-catching enough to be spotted in the baggage claim area, the new mirror painted designs were developed with Bayer and the motor industry to be scratch, UV and impact resistant, as well as flexible, stretchable and thermoformable. Just in case your suitcase was ever to be caught up in a high impact road accident. (Available from December).

Samsonite Black Label by Alexander McQueen – limited edition silver

Samsonite has also released limited edition versions of their iconic 1920’s and 1930’s luggage items, repositioning them at a premium position in the luggage market and giving a fashionable edge to a functional item. Anyone wanting to avoid being a clone with the Louis Vuitton cases now has a luxury alternative. The detail and clean lines are a shining example of the timelessness of classic style. (Available now).

The heritage ‘trunks’ are made with unique ornate metal components, but have the modern convenience of a pulley handle, thank God, unless you have the luxury of your own porter on call. There are also limited edition Crystal trunks, customised with Swarovski crystals, but with only 35 available, good luck getting your mitts on one!

Words: Amelia Phillips

Recent share of world trade jumped from less than 1% in 1979 to 6.4% in 2005, the year in which China became the third-largest trading power, after the US and Germany. China is set to become the leading exporter by the beginning of the next decade, and the pollution that chokes you upon arrival is evidence that the Chinese want profit at a cost. It’s all about money, pure infantile greed. China’s city residents are prospering from an explosion of entrepreneurial bravado. The street reflects the social changes, with Chinese very much adopting a Western look, especially that of Hip-Hop and Punk. Stores such as Source in Shanghai, is a skater’s wet dream, from the customising service to denim to the compulsive selection of trainers. With a vibrant street and club culture, photographic exhibitions within the store in their Kong Gallery, Source attracts a wide range of people and if you’re heading over there, Source is a good place to start from. Xidan is Beijing’s shopping district and in and around Grand Pacific you’ll see diffused versions of street ‘types’, working a budget look. “Bands can get a rehearsal room for the cost of a Snickers per hour,” says Tony Bednall of Raffles Design Institute, “Whilst so many young bands play to perfection, it’s all a copy of a copy of a copy. No imagination. Much the same can be said of fashion here, but things are changing. Fast.” There’s a police and military presence everywhere. There’s a feeling that, as a visitor on a Visa, you have to behave yourself, toe a certain line. Visitors from abroad wishing to stay in China long-term have to provide a certificate proving a HIV- status. As Napoleon once said, “When China wakes, the world will tremble.”

QIU HAO
Fashion designer Qiu Hao is taking Shanghai by storm with his modernist and organic approach to fashion. Aged just 29, Qiu has four boutiques and a studio employing a staff of thirty. Having studied pattern cutting at Central Saint Martin’s in London and having worked alongside designer Alexander McQueen, Qiu returned to Shanghai to open three stores for women, one for men, in and around the trendy JinXian Road area. “JinXian Rd is the shortest road in central Shanghai but it is one of the calmest and most attractive roads in town. People retain a traditional lifestyle here, living in fragile bungalows with modest amenities. The area is full of great furniture shops, art galleries, restaurants and nice coffee shops.” Check out Boona on Fuxingxi Road.

QUEENIE
Queenie is a young woman who works in advertising and she makes Shanghai a kick! Incredibly tall, incredibly skinny, she dresses in combinations of Nu-Rave and Punk and is a character at so many of the art and music ‘happenings’ in Shanghai.

HUANG HE
Artist Huang He has had many solo exhibitions in China. The young artist has a particularly high profile in Beijing’s trendy 798 ‘Artist Area’ in the North East of the city, which is a MUST to visit – especially on a Saturday or Sunday.  Huang He’s works reflects aspects of classic China, but with a subversive twist. Many of his youthful subjects look happy and demure from a distance, but on closer inspection, the children and teenagers who form the main core of his work are dressed as punks, wearing Vivienne Westwood. “Almost every person born in 70s China experienced a teaching system with a forced ideology. We sang songs without understanding their lying, honeyed words and we pretended to work hard for something people called ‘ideal’.  My work attempts to awaken the memory of those times.” Represented by Beijing’s Being 3 Art Gallery, Huang He is one to watch.

Photographs and words: Paul Hartnett /PYMCA

The Mode Natie, at the corner of Antwerp’s Nationalestraat and Drukkerijstraat, is the creative fashion heart of the city. The MoMu Fashion Museum, the Fashion Academy and the Flanders Fashion Institute have all set up base here. The interior is stripped-down, minimal, all very skeletal and austere. Perhaps more Yohji than Yamamoto himself.

The Antwerp fashion scene is clustered in and around Nationalestraat and serves as a source of inspiration for the entire neighbourhood. Antwerp is known worldwide for designers such as Raf Simons, Ann Demeulemeester and Martin Margiela – all of whom graduated from the Antwerp Academy of Arts.

If it’s shopping you want to do, check out LOUIS on Lombardenstraat, STEPHAN SCHNEIDER on Reyndersstraat, LABELS INC on Aalmoezenierstraat or even the somewhat hilarious FISH AND CHIPS on Kammenstraat.

As a working environment for the students it is very intimate, intense. Anybody sitting in the entrance area of this building will see the next generation of designers floating by with their dreams, as reflected in many of the daytime pictures seen here in FUSED.

Beautiful girls on bikes, beautiful boys with bobs. And Fanklub.

Pascal Heeren may look like a reserved 19-year-old but he’s a wondrous 27. Together with Erwin ten Ham (another who looks a full ten years younger than he is), Olivia Alders and Jan Konings, Pascal runs a monthly club night in Antwerp named Fanklub.

Pascal, originally from St. Willebrord in Holland, has been living for the last three years in Antwerp with friend Erwin, 29, originally from Ede in Holland. “I worked for five years as an interiors architect. I felt agitated with the commercial side of that so I quit,” says Pascal, who now studies a course entitled ‘In-situ 3′ which sees him creating a wide range of work beyond the usual confines of art courses. “I started the club with Rentboy. Starting the club was a necessity for us. It was all about filling a gap in terms of music and grouping people. For me a great party is all about functioning on a similar wavelength of creativity. There are no club nights similar to ours. We don’t normally allow photographers.”

The club has indeed filled a gap. Finally Antwerp’s fashion crowd has a hot spot. Not gay, not straight, it’s a monthly night that is the pride of Belgium. “I wouldn’t want to say our night is about fashion or being fashionable, it’s just a place for people to be themselves.”

DJ Adam Sky has played twice, as has Niyi of Gauche Chic, Crazy Girl, Lo-Fi-Funk, Dubrowha International and designer Kim Jones. “The music we play is eclectic, electronic. From a hint of Hi-N-RG to Italo disco and electro-rock remixes. Lots of synthesizers. I don’t see myself as a DJ at all. I just want to hear music that I like.

We wouldn’t have created Fanklub had we not felt like outsiders at all the other clubs in Antwerp. I certainly don’t DJ to entertain the masses, getting them all up on the floor bouncing. We don’t have a dress code at Fanklub. We’ve never refused admission, except to a group of drunken Polish people.

Fanklub people reject logos, all that branding. People think that Antwerp’s the mecca of design, but it’s not,” Pascal says with a laugh.

Photographs and words: Paul Hartnett

400 BANDS IN 4 DAYS FROM OVER 20 COUNTRIES AT 50 INTIMATE VENUES VENUES AND A HANGOVER THAT’LL LAST UNTIL CHRISTMAS. It could only be NXNE in Toronto – The Live Music Capital of North America. Now in its 14th year, North by Northeast is Canada’s number one showcase for the best new independent music and music-related films. Whereas SXSW is a bit of an industry jolly – NXNE is all about the music (man!).

Toronto is huge but easy to get around and every corner we turned there seemed to be a festival of some kind – and not just music ones. There are food festivals (Taste of Little Italy, Taste of the Danforth); religious festivals (Sikh picnics at City Hall, Hari Krishna’s on the island); Art festivals and, of course, NXNE which is what brought us here in the first place. Highlights for Fused ncluded British gutter-folk-punk band The Gin Riots, the post-punk electronica of These New Puritans, the bitter sweet vocal styling of Carina Round and the fabulously Sleazy NYC glamsters Semi Precious Weapons. NXNE is where independent music continues to thrive and with 400 bands for just $39 (about £20) that is value for money you just can’t beat!

North by Northeast with The Gin Riots

It’s very late, almost sunrise on our last night in Toronto and The Gin Riots are discussing the NXNE experience in the back of a limo. ‘It’s been alright’ said drummer, Jack, as he reclined Caesar-like in the spacious backseat. This is a mammoth understatement…  In the last five days we’ve played a packed out gig to screaming fans we never knew existed, we’ve supped and drank and discussed our upcoming video with cult director George Romero, done red carpet interviews at big swanky industry parties, and we’ve even signed bare breasts … my name on a woman’s tit…made me feel like one. Not that I’m complaining. It was our bassist Tim’s hand she originally requested, but his self restraint and modesty overcame him and it was left to me to do the gallant thing and step in. There probably aren’t many places we can go from here. Think I might just pack it in and go back to shelf-stacking…

The festival was a weird one – most of the bands playing were unsigned or up-and-coming so there was a lot of shameless self-promotion and competition.  Party after party full of people nobody recognised acting like full-blooded A-listers. It has been a lot of fun though…some wicked music with some shit stuff thrown in for good measure, a plethora of cool bars and a proper carnival atmosphere, due to the random drunken revellers who frequent the city’s streets.

The Gin Riots are pretty bad at schmoozing, so we settled on lubricating the senses and talking shite instead. Not sure our strategy department had really done their job on this one; there were a lot of odd looks and slow head nods followed by frequent requests to repeat ourselves, especially when it came to our guitarist Cillian whose Irish accent becomes incomprehensible even to himself after one too many free martinis…

We met some great people that way though – the crazy-eyed burlesque dancer Adriana, who we had open for us at our Friday night gig; a Hooters waitress who proved beauty, boobs and brains can come in one tight package, and a wandering Zen hobo who’d given up his job as an engineer to live out of skips and ponder the false reality of the modern world.  

Whoa! So there you have it, The Gin Riots came, we saw and we loved every minute of our weird and wonderful sojourn on the Toronto music scene. Back to the daily grind now…working the day job, writing new songs, re-recording the Polka and getting ready to host George come winter time to get that aforementioned video shot. “We’ll have a blast guys!” were his parting words to us four honoured lightweights. Damn right we will!

Photos: Carlos Weisz