Paris’ Alternative Nightlife II
  • 22
  • Jan
  • 2011

Text: Rooksana Hossenally for Vingt Paris

Needless to say that Paris doesn’t quite have a bustling nightlife to rival London or New York, but it does have its fair share of quirky and traditional bars, restaurants and cabarets, as well as a number of alternative arty music events in venues all over the city. Popular with the capital’s ‘in’ crowd, venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie in the 20th, Point Ephémère in the 10th, Glaz’Art in the 19th and Mains d’Oeuvres at Porte de Saint-Ouen are experiencing a rise in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. The events held at these venues often combine art and music in quirky unusual spaces that have quickly become the place to be seen, especially for those of you dying to be part of the Paris Boho scene!

Neighbour to La Bellevilloise, La Maroquinerie is a quaint, charismatic and intimate bar/restaurant that also works as an exhibition space, and a 500 capacity concert hall. The small garden that links the two spaces is lit up with lanterns and furnished with picnic tables in the summer, which makes for a popular haven before going to see a gig either downstairs in the venue or next door at La Bellevilloise. Opened in 1997, La Maroquinerie, which literally translates as ‘leather goods maker’ in English, is renowned for its eclectic range of concerts and music festivals. A top-notch, lively and very laid-back venue, La Maroquinerie is one of our favourites, but do get there early as the restaurant and concert hall work on a first-come, first-served basis.

La Maroquinerie, 23, Rue Boyer, 75020 Paris, tel. 01 40 33 35 05, M° Père Lachaise

Paris’ Alternative Nightlife
  • 18
  • Jan
  • 2011

Text: Rooksana Hossenally for Vingt Paris

Needless to say that Paris doesn’t quite have a bustling nightlife to rival London or New York, but it does have its fair share of quirky and traditional bars, restaurants and cabarets, as well as a number of alternative arty music events in venues all over the city. Popular with the capital’s ‘in’ crowd, venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie in the 20th, Point Ephémère in the 10th, Glaz’Art in the 19th and Mains d’Oeuvres at Porte de Saint-Ouen are experiencing a rise in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. The events held at these venues often combine art and music in quirky unusual spaces that have quickly become the place to be seen, especially for those of you dying to be part of the Paris Boho scene!

La Bellevilloise boasts a 2000m2 surface area divided up into five different spaces: the Loft and Forum, used for art exhibitions; La Halle aux Oliviers (The Olive Tree Hall), the venue’s restaurant, where art is also displayed and where concerts are held; the Club, which welcomes a range of bands from both ends of the spectrum and anywhere in between;  and the Screening Room, where films and video installations are projected. You could easily see anything from a Jazz sound system to a band of musicians dressed like Canadian gypsies banging out Irish folk music.

Not only is the Bellevilloise always hosting unusual events and concerts by bands you have never heard of and will probably never hear of again, but the venue itself is a landmark to the spirit of freedom and creativity.  Founded in 1877, the Bellevilloise was Paris’ first ever cooperative, with the aim of rendering politics and culture available to people with smaller means. Indeed back then it was known as ‘The house of the people’. The venue was set to become an “independent, artistic and festive space”. The Bellevilloise was reopened as we know it today in 2005 by three culture enthusiasts. Today, it is one of the most versatile and innovative places in the city, with a vibrant yet unpretentious atmosphere.

La Bellevilloise, 19, rue Boyer, 75020 Paris,tel.01 53 27 35 77, M° Père Lachaise

Blanche Neige / Snow White
  • 07
  • Dec
  • 2010

Inspired by the brothers Grimm La Comédie de Paris presents Blanche Neige , a musical for kids 4 year and up …Stéphanie Pierron, Aurélie Normandon and Gaël Albespy are the main artists, Alexandre Vaz is the director. A nice play for young and old.

Blanche Neige
Until 30 December 2010
Comédie de Paris, 42, Rue Pierre Fontaine, 75009 Paris, M° Blanche / Pigalle

Mois de la Photo – Off
  • 15
  • Nov
  • 2010

Text: Aidan Mac Guill for VingtParis

Every two years in Paris the month of November is designated ‘Mois De La Photo’. Of course in Paris it seems like everything eventually gets its own month, or week, or day. In fact I’m fairly sure October was ‘Mois De La Everybody Gets The Flu’, and this writer is considering launching a campaign to make December ‘Mois De La Soul’, a month-long celebration of the early nineties hip-hop pioneers.

Anyway, right now Paris is the world capital of photography, with exhibitions, discussions, workshops and parties being held by institutions like the Maison Européenne De La Photographie, the Jeu De Paume, the BNF and the Fondation Cartier, as well as countless galleries scattered across the city. It’s a chance for photographers to exhibit, learn and network, and for the curious passer-by to enjoy extraordinary images from around the world.

Of course no self-respecting festival is complete without its strange, unsettling and often more interesting twin brother – the fringe. So running parallel to ‘Mois De La Photo’ is the ‘Mois De La Photo – Off’. The aim of ‘Mois Off’ is to provide a showcase for emerging and “unconventional” photographers neglected by the main festival, with exhibitions in young, unknown galleries or in unexpected public places. Over 100 shows will eventually be held around the city and it’s suburbs.

Of course the problem with organizing so many shows in tiny, unknown galleries is finding out what’s on and how to get there. The organisers have tackled this problem by embracing the brave new world of social networking.
On its website the programme has been divided into 10 ‘routes’ that will direct you to shows that are located nearby to each other. Guided tours of the routes and a special ‘night route’ will be organised to allow visitors to meet with the photographers and gallery owners. Details of these will appear on the festival’s Twitter feed, as well as their Facebook page.
There is a mobile version of the site for your iPhone, with information and directions via Google Maps on how to get to shows. As well as all that there are 10,000 good old-fashioned programmes available free in galleries and shops around Paris. There’s also a bunch of Flickr pages where users can upload their own photos of their ‘Mois Off’ experience, creating an satisfyingly meta online exhibition within the exhibition.

So get online now and don’t miss your chance to discover some new galleries, check out the next big thing in the photography world, or at least score some free wine at a vernissage.