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True Athens

Beyond the Acropolis

From the Skies of Crete: Psarantonis at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus

ByAthensguide

May 5, 2010 , , ,

With Yiannis Angelakas
2 June 2010, 21:00 / Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Τhe Athens Festival is to honour the pioneering lyra player Psarantonis with a concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Antonis Xylouris, known to all as Psarantonis, is a virtuoso born into a family with a rich musical tradition (his brother was the unforgettable Nikos Xylouris). He began playing the three-stringed Cretan lyra at the age of nine, while herding sheep high on Mount Ida.

His intensely personal style of playing the “noble” lyra and other traditional instruments, such as the tzouras and mandolin, has garnered both Greek and international recognition. One of his many fans is Nick Cave, who invited him to perform at the “All Tomorrow’s Parties” international rock festival he staged in Australia in 2009. The German journalist Ruth Roedler has said: “From its very beginning, the world has been shaped by sound and rhythm. This resonant sound finds expression in the music of Psarantonis. I have never heard such a sound.”

In the words of Makis Milatos, Psarantonis is “a prehistoric beast hidden away in a Cretan cave. […] Overpowering performances, punctuated by deep breaths, with the music itself making an understated appearance, his recordings are like a call to holy communion with a sacred meal of bread, olives and wine. […] Psarantonis is not of this world, his blues music rips at the heart…”.

Yiannis Angelakas will also be adding his own “wild and proud” touch to the concert.
Tickets 15 – 30 euro

Ticket’s presale starts on 12 May.

By Athensguide

How does a little girl from Skokie, Illinois find herself in historical Athens, leading curious explorers through the winding streets of Plaka, down "pezodromos" to hidden ouzeries for tempting mezedhes and homemade barrel wine? The journey began more than twenty years ago, and regardless of whether the wanderlust comes from the spiritual and culture DNA flowing through my veins, or the alignment of the stars on that cold mid-December day this Sagitterian came into the world, I never seem to tire of exploring my adopted homeland of Greece. Here you'll join me as I explore Athens: be it the back streets of Psirri and Gazi, or through the National Gardens and Zappeio where a family of turtles makes their home, or down wide, treelined Imittou Street in Pagrati, which pulses with Athenian life 24 hours a day. And while Athens has stolen my heart, the rest of Greece vies for my curiousity and wanderlust. My two guys (that'd be the Greek God, Vasilis and our Greek dog, Scruffy) and I can often be found settling in for a long weekend in some charming mountain village, or a quaint fishing port on a nearby island, or learning how Greek vitners are producing wines that rival some of Napa Valley's finests productions, or celebrating a panayeri in Epirus or sharing in the festivities as a family of Cretan sheepherders come together to sheer their 1500 sheep in the spring ... And if you happen to find yourself heading to Athens, consider finding yourself a real home for your stay. Living amongst the locals, be it for 3 nights or 3 weeks, will offer you the chance to experience true Athens, beyond the Acropolis. Choose from one of our 5 beautiful penthouse and historical homes, and who knows, I may be leading you down that winding "pezodromo" to our favorite hidden ouzerie!

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