Apdo 2009

  • 2009-01-28
  • By Justinas Vainilavicius

One of the awards is dedicated to up-and-coming alternative artists.

Vilnius -  The beginning of the year is usually full of various award ceremonies around the world. February in particular is honored as the month of the American Academy Awards and Emmy Awards, the U.K.'s BAFTAs and the French Cesars, to name a few. Lithuania is no exception, and awarding the best artists in the fields of music, cinema and theater, among others, has become a popular tradition.
 The end of January and February will see two major awards ceremonies 's Pravda Naujokai and Apdo2009. They take place every year, and are definitely worth visiting to get the taste of Lithuanian music and pop culture. Both events present the same idea in a different way.

 Apdo2009 is a highly commercialized award for mainstream pop music. Pravda Naujokai is dedicated to the growing alternative music scene, as well as other categories varying from cinema to the best slang phrase.
 Apdo2009 used to be called Radiocentro Apdovanojimai, but the name was changed this year as they have probably become infected with the global trend of change. Actually they say they are changing policy to reorient toward the selection of music they award, which previously contained a lot of shake-your-boom-boom types of cheesy acts. 

Not that Radiocentras, the radio station responsible for the event, has decided to promote a different approach to the music out of the blue. It is, after all, all about ratings and sold tickets. Organizers have to adopt themselves to the changing trends among their target teenage audience, which are now becoming obsessed with the idea of being different and unique from everyone else.
Glitz and glamour were constant escorts of the show. It was all about "bling bling," as locals called those living the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Unfortunately, local pop starlets could not really afford it. The financial crisis has set dreams like this even further from reach.

 Everyone starts appreciating the real quality of a product now. Therefore, Apdo2009 does not change 's it just reflects the society and its tastes. Usually held in the biggest arenas, this year a smaller venue is chosen, the Forum Palace.
Pravda Naujokai shows the other side of the same coin. The event has always been a place for young and talented artists to get spotted and get their breakthrough 's not only to the local scene, but into bigger waters as well.

The best example is singer Alina Orlova, who, after getting the best new song award in 2007, also got a vast stream of media coverage. As a result she has released an album, and is touring through Europe. Ironically she is performing in Apdo2009, which says a lot about her growing popularity among mainstream pop culture.
Pravda Naujokai is held by Pravda, a free monthly magazine about lifestyle, culture and art, distributed in the country's biggest cities. It used to be a quirky and ironic outlet, critical of lots of urban cultural tendencies, but has somewhat lost its allure and become a Bible for young snobs and wannabes.
However, Pravda still manages to find good and perspective young artists and awards them every year, sometimes even before they get out of their garage. It is possible to see the chosen ones of this year live in music club Tamsta in the middle of February. 

Try and visit these two events to get the chance to hear and see a part of Lithuanian lifestyle that is easily missed by just strolling around Old Town and popping into one bar or another.

Apdo2009: Forum Palace,
Vilnius. Jan. 29, 7 p.m.
 
Pravda Naujokai:
Tamsta, Vilnius. Feb. 13

More info www.naujokai.lt and www.tamstaclub.lt