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How Saigon Is Coping With Life During Covid-19
People across the world are coming to understand the meaning of the apocryphal curse “may you live in interesting times.”
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Safe, Sustainable, Ethical Products Find an Audience in Vietnam
As the devastating effects of humanity’s unfettered consumption and chemical-filled lifestyles become increasingly impossible to ignore, people in Vietnam are searching for safe, sustainable and ethical products for their everyday lives.
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Rise Above Saigon’s Traffic with GoDee: A Reliable, Stress-Free Commute
About 8 months ago, I was recovering from a motorbike accident and laying our significant sums of cash for ride-hailing cars when someone mentioned a new app called GoDee .
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Comedian Ardal O’Hanlon Extends Popular Set to Saigon
“There is no medium like stand up for ranting and raving about the petty frustrations of modern life and making sense of the world.” This answer which famed Irish comedian and actor Ardal O’Hanlon gave to Saigoneer explains why he will be in Saigon on January 15th to perform a version of his show called “he showing off must go on.” In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Ardal is most well-known for his role as Father Dougal in the massively popular and award-winning mid-90s sitcom ‘Father Ted.’ He landed the role after the show’s writers saw him performing in a London comedy club and whether kicking a priest “up the arse” or failing to grasp the concept of near and far, Dougal’s idiot antics transcend language and cultural barriers and still hold up today. The character, a “bewildered ‘innocent abroad’ type,” in Ardal’s own words, was based on his standup persona at the time. Ardal, on the left, as Father Dougal. Photo via Sunday Post. The show’s success led to a long television career, including prominent roles in ‘My Hero,’ ‘Big Bad World,’ and, most recently, four seasons starring in the popular detective procedural ‘Death in Paradise.’ Yet despite his on-screen accolades, Ardal claims to be “a stand-up comedian first and foremost who occasionally gets side-tracked into the worlds of sitcom and drama.” A six-year “side-track” came to an end last year when he premiered a new standup show in the UK . Inspired in part by the changes he’s witnessed in the world and his home country in recent years, he wrote a set that continues his progression away from surreal one-liners into more personal and engaged subject matters. It’s been received by audiences so well that he’s extended the tour into 2020 and, for the first time, will come to Saigon as part of the Magners Comedy Series. Ardal tells Saigoneer via email that he is mindful of the diverse audiences here and plans to change some of the material to reach guests that might not be as familiar with subjects relevant to people in the UK: “In Saigon and on my short Asian tour I suspect the vibe will be more comedy club than theatre setting, and the audience will be multi-national so I would be inclined to do stuff that has more universal appeal. Given that I’ve never been to Saigon, I’ll be able to delve into my back catalog a bit so [I] will have more bits and pieces to draw from.” Photo via Mark Nixon. Indeed, the conveniently located and historically significant Caravelle Hotel’s comfortable ballroom will allow for an intimate evening where the comedian can riff “on the minutiae of everyday life, drawing on my own circumstances and the chaotic world around us.” He adds that, being Irish, “some of the stories, observations and routines inevitably have a slightly surreal quality.” A recently-filmed episode of the BBC’s ‘Live at the Apollo’ available for viewing online is a good place for the curious to check out where his brand of humor is at today. But Ardal notes that seeing a live show is a wholly different experience from watching it on your couch. In addition to the jokes that he’ll tailor to the setting and audience, “It’s absolutely a shared communal experience. There’s a tension that you don’t get in your sitting room that is very much part of the show, the not knowing what’s going to happen, is it going to be any good, the interaction with the audience…” Saigon is certainly in the midst of a comedic renaissance, with international acts like Tom Green flying into the city and local comics receiving global attention, including a recent write-up in the New York Times . What is one to make of such a collective hunger for live humor? In Ardal’s words, “comedy is not hugely important in the big scheme of things, but it’s an important release valve for people. If a comedian is doing his or her job properly they’ll be putting their finger on society’s pulse and saying things that the audience has probably thought but never quite articulated.” Ardal’s decades of comedic experience and unique perspective promise to offer a unique and hilarious articulation of this pulse. Whether die-hard ‘Father Ted’ fan, standup comedy enthusiast or simply someone looking to spend a Wednesday evening laughing, his show will be worth checking out for some relatable riffs and perhaps, as he says, “if I’m feeling brave, I will reach for the surreal one-liners and the incredibly silly stuff.” Purchase tickets here . Standard Admission - VND900,000 VIP Admission - VND1,600,000 [Top image via Mark Nixon.] Wednesday, 15 January 8:00 PM Caravelle Saigon | 19 Công Trường Lam Sơn, Bến Nghé, D1, Ho Chi Minh City
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Drinking Hanoi's Water
You consume, on average, the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week.
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Drinking Saigon’s Water
You consume, on average, the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week.
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Epizode Festival Arrives with Star-Studded International Lineup
As 2019 nears its end, people are no doubt deciding on gifts for friends, family and loved ones. In its fourth year, music and art festival, Epizode will give guests a spectacular gift: a world-class lineup of incredible artists. The eye-popping range of musicians, DJs and visual artists performing from December 27 th through January 7 th will create a truly unique experience on famously beautiful Phu Quoc island. As you prepare for the epic festival, it’s worth getting a preview of what to expect from the announced lineup . Satori, the Dutch DJ, will welcome 2020 with their incredible live act, featured in illustrious settings such as Boiler Room , considered one of the best in the iconic global DJ series’ run. Satori’s diverse, distinct sounds are perfect for a highly international festival like Epizode. Fedele Ladisa, Luigi Tutolo and Andrea di Ceglie make up Agents of Time and are sure to be another highlight of Vietnam’s biggest electronic music festival. Their multiple dance/electronic albums have also been featured on Boiler Room, and they will have attendees dancing the night away on Phu Quoc’s beautiful beaches. Anja Schneider, the globe-trotting German-born DJ, is bringing her upbeat sound to the island as well. Schneider, who is also a producer, broadcaster and label manager, is known within the industry as “the perpetual motion machine,” according to DJ Mag . This past summer, she played in Berlin and Ibiza, as well as at festivals such as Ultra in Miami, Amsterdam’s Loveland and Electric Island on Guam. Epizode’s focus on both established and up-and-coming artists fits perfectly with Schneider’s ethos, as explained to DJ Mag: “It’s a shame that the majority of clubs don’t take a great deal of risks anymore, and the club business seems to always be about the number of ticket sales. I know we all have to make money to stay in business, but the scene needs to focus on discovering new talent and the future.” Firmly entrenched in the established camp is Carl Craig , the prolific electronic music producer and DJ from Detroit. He was a leader of the second wave of Detroit techno in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and is known as a pioneer in the industry. Craig has released hundreds of songs under numerous names in his decades-long career, and he will no doubt be one of the top billings at Epizode. In an interview with The Arts Desk , Craig shared that his upcoming shows will feature his fan-favorite classics, as he is working on new music. “Yeah there’s tracks I’m working on over time, but I don’t know if people are ready for them yet,” he said. “The performance will be the classics…I know what’s the moves, so it’s just like pushing the buttons and letting the sound fly like daggers.” And the sound will be outstanding: “Too many clubs just want the latest-greatest, and don’t even keep their soundsystems tuned up, which is why I bring a guy with me to make sure the soudsystems are tuned right!” Another powerhouse taking the stage is Ricardo Villalobos, the Chilean-born, German producer and DJ who is among the leading figures of the minimal techno genre . In both 2008 and 2010, he was ranked first among Resident Advisor’s Top 100 DJs, and he certainly hasn’t slowed down since, continuing to draw huge crowds around the world. Epizode’s fourth edition will no doubt be a festival to remember, and Villalobos will play a major role in ensuring it. The immense lineup also features big names like Jaime Jones, Giorgia Anguli, HVOB, Red Axes, Ben UFO, Mathew Jonson and Moodymann, along with incredibly unique showcases from Japan, Israel, Australia, Thailand and Russia, all combining to create one of the most special live music events ever. Full lineup, information and ticket sales available at Epizode's official website .
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Massive Music and Arts Festival Expands in Vietnam
People in Vietnam love to complain about the lack of live international music here, with good reason.