Moscow is a chaotic place these days. Streets are closed all over the place and even companies like the advertising agency TBWA, which have their offices just near Red Square, are completely closed. No, its not because of the typical May holidays, its because people simply can’t get to work. The military sealed of many of Moscow’s largest and most popular streets. No, we don’t face another revolution, although the revolution days may be remembered by a few Moscovites, witnessing the military show-off in power with all of these tanks in the city. The streets are closed in part to park large military equipment like rocket launchers, tanks and helicopters, in part because the streets are needed for rehearsals of the upcoming May 9th military parade.

Yesterday I walked up Tverskaya, one of Moscows most famous and largest streets and vital life line for Moscows traffic. The street was empty and somewhat remembered me of New Yorks Broadway the days and weeks after 9/11, when kids were playing in this large street that is usually clogged with traffic. In Moscow its not the kids, who are playing. Its the military and the police and they take their tasks very serious. The streets are lined with OMON (riot police), normal militia, traffic cops, police cadets and some strange police unit I have never seen before, wearing black leather jackets and berets. In between you’ll see lots of military personal.

Moscow is in chaos these days. The only way to get from A to B is the metro. Metro stations are partly closed and the ceilings are re-inforced to cope with the heavy trucks and tanks that will roll on teh streets above. People are confused about which streets are closed (its just too many) and Moscow is in a crisis with collapsed traffic. The city has a hard time in normal times to deal with its 4 million plus cars, but nowadays its unbearable and totally out of control. Its somewhat positive that many Moscovites have left the city for the may holidays to spend them on vacation or their datchas. The remaining Moscovites as expats are shaking their heads and asking themselves what this is all for. It seems to me that the parade preparations and the parade itself are much more intense as in the past years. They even exceed the 60th anniversary parade of 2005. Day by day the military is rehearsing the parade. Day by day the city is sealed of and turned into chaos.

Nobody really knows why the government and the Army is preparing for such a showoff. For the first time in years the army will show heavy tanks and rocket launchers. Moscow is usually closed for any kind of air traffic, but these days we have flyovers of all kinds of helicopters, jets, transporters and heavy bombers. You can see anything from the old propeller Tu-95 Bear to the modern Tu-160 long range bomber. In between the worlds largest cargo plane Antonov 320 flanked by the Mig 29 of the Strizhi or Su-37 of the Russian Knights (Russkie Vityazi) airforce acrobatics teams.

There is no doubt that Russia is going to show some serious military power on next Fridays parade. Again, this parade exceeds by far what we have seen in the past years and even at the 60th anniversary. Why do you ask yourself? Well, there can only be speculation. I assume, while most of Muscovites are pretty pissed off about it already, this should show the rest of the country that Russia is a super power again. It should unite Russia and mainly address the patriotic Russian souls. It should show Russia competing with the US, China and Europe. Medvedev is taking over tomorrow (Wed) and it should show off his power as well. Furthermore this will be a demonstration of power to the world. There is a new kid on the block and only 2 days after he takes over, he is showing his teeth and tells the world: Don’t fuck with me or (my) Russia. You better take me serious!

Here is a video from the Russian news. It shows yesterdays rehearsal. That should give you a taste of what is shown next Friday.

A video of Russia Today

And here is some more from You Tube. Some users are proud and others seem to be shocked to see tanks inside Moscow again.

A question that works my mind since I came here. As of now I have to say NO and as much as I agree to Ceilia Waldens article in the telegraph I have a few points against it. Let me list them here and as always they are up for discussion. Make sure to read Ceilias excellent article. I could have not written it better :-)

So why is Moscow (still) not the new New York? Moscow is lacking enough sub-cultures and the underground. There is this huge creative scene that generated so much music and art in New York and that makes out the real New York. Moreover its fueled by the mulit-culti mix that Moscow is lacking. Sure, you have a lot of middle Eastern and Caucasian people in Moscow. Mix that with a few African students and the expat community and you can call Moscow somewhat a Metropolitan city with multiple cultures, but its far from New York. Of course Ceilias article was focused on the nightlife, but even in that sense we are missing what makes New York such a special city.

The ever growing middle class breeds a few sub-cultures, but we are still far away from what New York has to offer. While new styles and fashions are developed in New York, London and Paris, the Moscovites still copy… mainly from London (even in fashion). What Moscow has to offer, are a few overstyled posh clubs, which have no lack of money but a big lack of taste, especially in terms of style and music. Only a handful of clubs and bars are different and somewhat comparable to NYC or any other Metropolis. Of course there are a lot of alternative venues which cover anything from punk, ska, hip hop, indy and so on, but I am talking about the real cool bars and clubs you’d find in New York.

One more (and its probably my last) argument. Sure, I can go out and buy groceries all night long (as I can in NYC), but most of the shops close between 9 and 10 PM (talking about boutiques etc), like in New York. And yes, I can still find some after hour party in Moscow, sometime early morning, at a time, when other people get up and go to work. So what is the difference? In New York, I can go out any week day and find some decent party. Sure, its not easy on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, but its possible, because the city really never sleeps. Its hard to find anything in Moscow at any of these days. The nightlife starts Thursday and it ends Sunday at noon. All that is left for people like me, is a gay night or some fashionable youngsters, which squad a 300 year old wine cellar with a sound-system (the local paper Afisha called it the coolest thing in Moscow, these days).

Long story short. Moscow is not New York and it will probably never become the Big Apple. Its wishful thinking and the typical Russian big mouth based on their exaggerated patriotism. Of course the author of the Telegraph article was not Russian, but it seems to me someone was taking her around and telling here ever and ever again, ho cool Moscow is and how much better it is than anything else out there in the world. Again, sure Moscow is exciting, but its not comparable with New York. Probably not even with London, Madrid or Paris in terms of its nightlife.

As long as we don’t get a large mix of living sub-cultures, this city will not change and become as cool and alive as New York. There are creative sub-cultures in Moscow my critics may say. Yes you are right. A few hundred in a 15 mio people city. And hey, please don’t call a 2 year old “new rave” movement, a style that is dead in the rest of Europe for over a year, a living sub-culture. Russians need to find themselves. They need to develop an identity. It is, what got lost with the collapse of the communism and this vacuum was never filled. Today, Russians are living Sex In the City and Cashmere Mafia, because they think that this is the real deal. Where else would you find girls that prostitute themselves (we are talking about sex for money), so they can go and buy themselves that Prada bag or even more pervert, pay for cheap plastic surgery. This is not only a phenomenon among women. Even guys live the American dream to the fullest. Russians are trying to find themselves and as long as they will have found a clear definition of what it means to be a Russian or a Muscovite, they will copy from New York and London. What they really need is something on their own. Designers like Dennis Simachev are paving the way, but even Simachev was influenced by Gangsters and Hip Hop developing one of his last collections and the advertising to it. New York is greeting over the Atlantic again …

Don’t get me wrong. I love this city. I have lived long in New York and I miss it, but at this point I chose to stay here. Its fun to live in Moscow and see the city change so quickly. Moscow has a energy and dynamic that is similar to New York. The music scene is one of the drivers and slowly we are starting to see the existing and new sub-cultures growing. There is a lot of creative potential, in Moscow, but I’d say even more out in the Russian regions. I am very happy that I can witness this special time and the growing of a new Russia, which is torn back and forth between the West and its Middle Asian roots. Its also torn back and forth between its great history and a modern fast moving and consuming future.

By the way, here is another site of mine, where I showcase music that is hip in Moscow. You wont find what is played in Moscow’s posh clubs, but it will give you an idea what else is out there. There is also lots of Music from Russian DJs and producers.

It has been a problem for the longest time and Moscovites as Russians are outraged about it, especially since a man nearly died, when his car was hit by one of these VIP cars and he was still sentenced to prison, because he didn’t pay enough attention to the upcoming traffic (on his side of the road).

VIPs and Politicians have special licenses to carry a blue light and they use it frequently. The traffic police closes parts of the city temporarily for Putin and his cabinet, causing unpredictable traffic jams and delays. While this may be a security concern every Duma politician gets various licenses that allow the use of the blue light and a special way of driving (basically no rules at all). Yes, several licenses, which are often sold to private people, especially since they cannot obtain the blue light license anymore, after the laws were tightened up about a year ago.

I frequently take rides with private people. Its common in Moscow. You just hold your arm out and stop a car for a ride, then you negotiate the cost and if the driver agrees, you are on your way. Now and then a driver of a VIP stops, alone being on his way home or somewhere. Its an opportunity for him to make a few Rubels extra and nice for me to ride in a large BMW or Audi, but the drivers often push the limits, even if they are alone. Recently we were going down Leninsky Prospekt with 180 km/h through heavy traffic (on a road where 60 is allowed and everybody goes about 90). Another time we ride on the other side of the road against oncoming traffic, because our side is jammed up. These are a few examples how the blue light is frequently abused. Not only by these VIP drivers, but also by the Police, the Fire Dept and the Ambulances. One thing I know for sure. I never want to have an accident. Probably I will die on the way to the hospital, because nobody believes in a blue light anymore and nobody makes room for an ambulance.

I just found this interesting article at Stern.de about an artist who setup a phone connection to a melting glacier in Island. The global warming issue has been overdone and over discussed in the past few years (of course its an important issue, but what is the point not to talk about it for decades and then bring it to a level where people jut shut off, if they even hear the words), but this one is special and nicely done. The artist put a microphone into the glacier lake and you can listen to the glacier melting. Well, its a pity you cannot talk to him. Would be interesting to record the callers responses :-) Here is the number, in case you want to call the glacier yourself: + 44 (0) 77 57 00 11 22

More in German on Stern.de

Oh man, I remember their last gig in Moscow. We had beers, danced pogo and got wild. It was just like when we were 20, ha ha. Nikls, cousin is coming back to play in Moscow with his Psychobilly band “Tony Montanas”. Come check it out. Its some other part (scene) of Moscow. The one you may have never seen before.

In case you don’t read cyrillic…

Rock Therapy #1
at XO rock club
Vavilova Ul. 65 (Metro Profsoyusnaya)
Apr 12th 2008 - from 6 PM
Cover is 700 Rub, but there are 6 bands and a DJ.