Compact archive November 6, 2006

Algerian singer Souad Massi is compared to Tracy Chapman or Suzanne Vega. She won BBC World Music Award and is one of the musicians who present Algerian music to the world.

She started at the age of 20 by singing Spanish flamenco, five years late she sang in hard rock band in Alger. Big success came after she had moved to France. Her second album in spring 2003 was the best-selling title of the world music. Her present musical style is a combination of North African melodies with European guitar.

Her first concert in Prague takes place in the Big hall (Velky sal) of Palac Akropolis (Kubelikova 1548/27 street, metro green line A, station Jiriho z Podebrad) on Saturday 11th November at 19:30. You can buy tickets through Ticketpro for 370 CZK and 350 CZK or at Cafe Akropolis before the concert for 420 CZK and 400 CZK.

Gorillas from Prague ZOO are online again on www.odhaleni.cz. People can watch gorilla family here or buy DVD that has been awarded Panda statuette in the prestigious competition Wildscreen in the category ARKive interactive awards.

This DVD shows the summarized version of reality show where the main characters are gorillas. By selling this DVD and other things connected with this show the authors of the project have earned 250 000 CZK so far. They have already invested 100 000 to the first-aid station for gorillas in Cameron. The rest of the money will be invested in creating Czech research centre in Angola.

Thanks to the show the gorillas from Prague ZOO are the most famous animals in the Czech Republic. 8 out of 10 children know the name of the youngest gorilla Moja. Prague ZOO is expecting two more young gorillas next year – gorillas Kamba and Kijivu are pregnant.

If you are used to going to Prague for Christmas markets, you might be surprised this year. But in the good way. Prague was inspired by Vienna and made special stalls for the Old Town Square.

Instead of 90 stalls last year there will be only 16 stalls this year. However, these stalls will be much bigger and will be able to contain 6 shops each. Customers can go inside these stalls.

This action should improve the orientation on the Old Town Square and the comfort of customers. The assortment should remain originally Czech.

The markets start on 28th November this year. From 9th November people on the Old Town Square can watch the Christmas atmosphere in other metropolises (Bratislava, Vienna or Krakow) on large-screen displays.

The long-waited concert of Harlem Gospel Choir ended up with a scandal. The visitors have brought a lawsuit against the organizers of the concert.

People do not like that the organizers sold more tickets then the capacity of the church is. Many people had to therefore stand outside the church after the beginning, tens of people left the church because of bad sound distribution. People want their money back now.

Another lawsuit against the organizers was brought because of scaffold in the church. The lack of place made people to stand on the scaffold which was quite dangerous.

Prague people and visitors can expect safer travelling at night soon. Dopravni podnik, a.s., the provider of public transport in Prague, announced their plans to put tram conductors into every tram going at night.

This action should improve the services and increase safeness in night trams. Night trams are often places used by homeless or drunk people as a “cheap hostel”. A lot of people also say that travelling at night is not very pleasant for the danger of being robbed or attacked. There are also lots of people who do not buy tickets when travelling at night. This all should change with officers on board.

When the conductors appears in trams is not clear yet. If everything goes fine, the first trams conductors will be present from 1st January. In other case the latest date is the end of the winter.