The Tenerife Design Festival (TDF) is dedicated to fusing the ‘current trends of design with the main features of the Canarian identity’ and focusses on the three key concepts of local identity, landscape contrast and tourism.

Expect the unexpected during that week as designers from around the world get together to turn Tenerife into a ’seething mass of creativity and design’.

Oooo er. I’m not so sure about the seething mass bit. Whoever wrote the English blurb on the TDF website has done so in that annoyingly arty-farty nonsensical wittering beloved of those who think design concepts have to be drowned in a bucket of words before the rest of us plebs can get the point (or lack thereof).

Here slighty toned down are the descriptions of the TDF sections taken from the Tenerife Design Festival website.

TDFSigno – designers, industry and craftsmen collaborating on new products and ways of development which involve both fresh  ideas and traditional Canarian concepts.

TDFAtmósfera – ominously threatening to ‘involve the public’, TDFAtmósfera promises to bathe Santa Cruz in a wash of exhibitions and urban interventions. If you venture into large spaces within the city during this week in October such as the TEA, La Recova or the port itself expect to be pounced on by a creative installation or two.

TDFLab – three-day workshops for professionals, students and general participants to experiment with different ways to  generate new objects, graphics and interventions in different spaces with a focus on the interaction between design and the Canarian environment.

TDFAward cunningly sponsored by Turismo de Tenerife proposes Tenerife Design Paradise, an international prize, which encourages designers to work on elements that will make up a dream beach of the future.  Based on the idea “Design Paradise” the aim is the creation of products that may be further developed later by the sponsor to enhance the tourism experience.

TDFSolution brings together different professional approaches to spread and support advances in culture, innovation and design. The Symposium will consist of the presentation of works by businesses, local, national and international designers, stirred into action by a critic or analyst. The point of departure will be TDF’s three central concepts: nature, local identity and tourism.

See the Tenerife Design Festival website for more information including a Programme of Events and a Registration page which showing fabulous international creativity is only available in Spanish. According to the translation it seems registrations will not be open till September:

Inscriptions

To participate in various workshops and activities of TDF, you can simply register by filling out a form. In September the program will be more detailed for you to decide which section is more suited to your interests …

But you should be aware: the seats are limited!

Chicago rock band Wilco are no wall flowers when it comes to embracing new technology. After an illegal release of their latest album ripped through the torrent sites this week – months before official release – they have decided to stream their whole album nattily named Wilco (The Album) through their website.

Brilliant ploy especially as they are now on a concert tour. Given that movie makers and music moguls are squealing the game’s a bogey over their inability to keep the latest releases off the internet at least long enough for a profitable number of mugs to actually buy the damn thing will Wilco’s generosity actually impact positively or negatively on the sales of their record or concert seats? I’m betting positive – it’s one thing to be able to click on and listen to a streaming album on the ‘net but its an even better thing to have the physical product in your own collection.

Anyway, see Wilco in all their living glory at the Tenerife Auditorium on 23rd May or just keep coming back here to replay this little video clip. I don’t mind. It’s not like your disturbing me or anything… The song is Impossible Germany from the Sky Blue Sky (2007) album.

I just don’t get Jazz, you know. To me it’s like listening to a cat with saucepan lids tied to its tail getting scalded over a pan of boiling porridge but hey… to each his own, right? I’ll stick to the Chinese Opera if you don’t mind.

But if you are into Jazz, then Arona council have got a treat lined up for you this weekend. Hie thyself and several like minded friends over to the Plaza de la Iglesia de Los Cristianos where on Friday 8th you can hear Guitarr Juice and Funkfarria strut their stuff.

(The video below is of Funkfarria playing ¨No Digas Nada¨ a Liquid Soul Band original -  credit to Kamenup for the Youtube upload.  Kamenup has uploaded several other videos of the Arona Jazz Festival so worth a look if you are a jazz fan).

On Saturday 9th it is the turn of Manolo Rodiguez on Jazz Guitar and Ann Peters doing her NU Groove.

III Arona Jazz Festival

Friday May 8th 2009 – 21:00 hrs
Guitarr Juice
Funkfarria

Saturday 9th May – 21:00 hrs
Manolo Rodiguez Jazz Guitar
Anne Peters Nu Groove

The Feria Flores y Plantas is a regular event in Las Galletas held along the Rambla at the front of the Cultural Centre. It is on  a little earlier this year with the opening at 5.00 pm on Friday 22nd May. The official inauguration is at 7.00 pm followed by a musical performance.

On Saturday 23rd May the flower festival stalls open at 10.00 am with the beautiful plants and flowers available for sale. A photo exhibition called III Maratón Fotográfico de Las Galletas opens at the same time and the children’s play area opens at 10.30.

The  flower arranging class which was very popular last year is at 10.30 and later in the day there is class in Infusions and Canarian Remedies which I bet would be very interesting.

The day is rounded off by another musical performance at 7.30pm.

On Sunday the stalls and kids’ play area open at the same times but this time the 10.30 class is about growing salad vegetables, the musical performance its at 6.00pm and at 7.00 pm there will be a presentation of prizes and certificates for the photography exhibition participants.

Here is a post about the  Las Galletas Flower Festival 2008 .

I don’t think Wilson Pickett is in town so if you have no prior committments why not indulge in a bit of pure nostalgia and belt out all your favourite hits from the classic movie The Committments at the Tenerife auditorium.

Scary to think the movie was released in 1991! I would have been about … ahhh… never mind. Anyway, tickets cost €20 from the box office or you can visit the Auditoria de Tenerife website for more information or groan along with Tenerife Matters in the pun-filled announcement of The Committments which they published way back in February.

In the meantime  just to get you in the mood here is a trailer for the Alan Parker film.

Time: Saturday 25th April
Location: Plaza de Las Galletas
Event: Diversity Multicultural Festival
What’s On: Activities and a Concert
Time: Activities start at 5:00, concert starts at 8:00
Bands:
Still – rap band from Senegal
Salamat Khartoum- Arabic rythms from Syria
Pachumba Reggae and DJ El Killo from Tenerife.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? See you there!

Every dog lover must have his day and if you are within striking distance of Los Gigantes on Sunday then the Live Arico Fun Dog Show will make yours. Expect lots of fun and games and all in a very good cause.

You’d have to be barking not to go really. For more information you can call Eugenio on 649001907 for information or info@livearico.org.