Hellas

The Greek name for Greece!

I've always liked the motto "I do not regret the things I've done, only those which I didn't do" or "have yet to do," but there are some minor regrets about my weekend in Athens.

I do regret:

Not trying the baklava or ouzo
Not reaching the sea
Not sending postcards
Not accepting a cigarette from Andrew Weatherall...or telling him what an impact Screamadelica (which he produced) had on my life.

I do not regret:

Eating mostly street food, because it was cheap and delicious.

Turning around at the entrance to the Parthenon when a friend called to me to come to a cafe, and spend the afternoon with him instead.

Spending most of my time at the festival- the music was fantastic. My interest in dubstep grew further (through Kode9 and Headhunter), and I was really wow'ed by the more experimental/psychedelic stuff like what Kieran Hebden (of Four Tet) and Steve Reid are doing together, as well as Toronto's Holy Fuck who I think must be one of the best live bands right now. At their best, carrying on where the mighty Out Hud left off! But my best discovery was this dude Fantastikoi Hxoi ("Fantastic Sounds"), who restructures Greek music from various decades past into something new, psychedelic, danceable, wonderful. A French DJ called Pilooski played the most purely fun music of the whole weekend...inciting loads of ridiculous dancing.

More later, with pictures...