System of a Down answer questions on Reddit

Today Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of System of a Down answered live questions on Social media site Reddit.  They answered questions about their current tour to bring attention to the 100th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide to questions about their songs and politics.

They also revealed that their April 23rd concert in Armenia would be broadcast live on their Youtube channel.

Here are some of the interesting questions they answered:

QUESTION: I have a question for Serj:
For the debut album you had awesome vocal performances, but there seemed to be a quality jump in vocal performance for Toxicity when it came to really accentuating notes. Was that a result of lessons of some sort or just good old practice?
SERJ: My voice started to improve

System of a Down Kicks off concert to raise Armenian Genocide Awareness

System of a Down have kicked off their first show in a series of worldwide concerts to raise Armenian Genocide Awareness. The band will have a eight shows total. The first show was in Los Angeles last night and would be their only US show. The rest of the shows will be in Europe ending with a free show in Armenia on April 23rd.  However, the band will resume touring again in June worldwide, include more shows in the US.

The show in Armenia will be held at the Yerevan’s Republic Square one day before April 24th, the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Last night’s show at the forum, included a series of 3 mini cartoons about the Armenian Genocide, featuring the voice of Tom Morello (of Rage Against The Machine) as the narrator, who was also in the audience.  The cartoons were created to bring awareness to the Armenian Genocide and other similar genocides in general.

“We don’t have the lobbying power that the Turkish government has. We only have the stories of our surviving family members,” drummer John Dolmayan said. “That is why after 100 years – or 150, or 200 years – the truth is going to come out.”

The show including a whopping 33 songs and took 2.5 hours. Serj Tankian stated that this was the longest show they have ever done!

“I hope you like System of a Down,” the band’s guitarist and vocalist Daron Malakian teased Monday night’s crowd at the L.A. Forum, during a break about a third of the way into a massive set. “Because we’ve got a lot of it for you tonight!”

The band played a flawless set. As an attendee myself and a huge fan of System of Down, I enjoyed it a lot. Although, I wished the vocals would have been a little louder than the music. Thy played all their hits and some of their better album tracks.

For more info on the Armenian Genocide visit 24April1915.com.

 

 

Adam Levine and Maroon 5 Crash Armenian Wedding

Last weekend Adam Levine and his band Maroon 5 crashed an Armenian wedding in a wedding hall called “Metropol” in Glendale, CA. Apparently it was all planned previously so they could use the footage in a new video. However, it is not clear if the bride and groom were aware of this. Andy Madadian was the main singer of the same wedding.

Here is a quote from the cousin of the bride: “they crashed in order to film a music video. but we knew something was going to be up that night. just didn’t know what….until it happened.”

Here is a video from the crash and also some pics.

Tips on Planning a Large Wedding on a Budget

This article was written by Anoush Catering

Planning a large wedding? Learn how to plan a 500 + wedding without breaking the bank.

Is your guest list out of control? When the bride or groom (or both) come from a Mediterranean background, a large wedding is almost a must. But you don’t have to be of Persian or Armenian descent to throw a huge wedding. Large weddings are coming back in style, as more couples are opting to share their special day with all their friends and family.

While the idea of having a big wedding can be exciting, executing the steps to plan such an extravaganza can be challenging – especially when you’re on a budget. How do you find a banquet hall large enough to accommodate 500 or more guests without costing you an arm and a leg? How do you keep everyone entertained, and, more importantly, fed without spending your life savings? If you’re planning a large wedding, don’t worry. There are many ways you can still invite everyone on your guest list without breaking the bank. Follow these tips on planning a large wedding on a budget.

Unveil Your Budget

If you have a budget, it should be the first thing you talk about when planning your wedding. After all, what good is a budget if the photographer, banquet hall, or LA catering company doesn’t know about it? Unveiling your budget is a great way to talk openly about the price you’re willing to spend on a certain service or product. Many professionals in the wedding industry are willing to cut down their prices in order to accommodate small budgets. A little reduction here and there goes a long way towards staying within your means.

Say Yes to Mediterranean Flair

Mediterranean weddings tend to be larger than American weddings. For this reason, Mediterranean-owned banquet halls, catering companies, and other wedding service companies specialize in large-scale special events. They know how to not only plan a beautiful large wedding, but also how to make it affordable for the masses. For example, booking a Mediterranean banquet hall will be much cheaper than booking a large banquet hall at a luxury hotel. Chances are the Mediterranean hall will have the same level of service as the luxury hotel but for half the cost.

Snag a Banquet Hall and Catering Package

Many catering companies are in cahoots with banquet halls. Some are even owned by the same owner. Look for a banquet hall and catering package deal that includes the hall, food, drinks, and dessert. A package deal will significantly reduce the price. For example, Anoush Catering has partnerships with banquet halls in the area. So if you need Orange County catering services, they can help you not only find a banquet hall in the area, but they might even have a package deal to accommodate your budget.

Anoush Catering offers full-service catering in Los Angeles for weddings and special events. Mediterranean dining options include gourmet Persian, Armenian, and Lebanese menus.

Armenian Wrestler Wins Silver in Wrestling

On August 6, 2012 in the Olympics games in London, Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Arsen Julfalakyan won Silver medal. He was up against Russia’s Roman Vlasov in the 74-KG category.

Arsen Julfalakyan was quoted saying:
“Each Olympic medal is a reward for all the years of training. I’m proud of my country. Roman’s victory means he was stronger. Though I wanted gold, I won silver. I will train harder to grab gold next time,”

Roman Vlasov was quoted saying:
“Arsen Julfalakyan was my idol. I admire his style. I was happy to face off against him at 2011 European championships. However, Alexander Karelin remains my true idol. I was lucky to train with him in the same hall and watch him fight. The lessons I reaped helped me win the Olympic gold today,” championat.com quoted Vlasov as saying.

Serj Tankian of System of a Down release a new song and album “Harakiri”

Serj Tankian of System of a Down today has released a new song called “Harakiri” and album by the same name. It is his third solo studio album. The track is politically themed and includes images of birds falling from sky and dead fish, apparently due to the destruction of the earth by the people. Video includes quotes from Jean-Paul Sartre and Ralph Waldo Emerson. A recordings from a Ronald Reagan speech and Lyndon Johnson’s infamous “Daisy” campaign ad is also featured.

The Ronald Reagan quote says: “We’re at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind in his long climb from the swamp to the stars. There’s no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.”

However, it has been altered from it’s original and is a combination of two different speeches.

You can see the video below:

Andy Madadian & wife Shani Release a New Song “DJ”

Andy Madadian and his recently wed wife Shani have released a new song and video together called “DJ.” It was released on July 6th. Andy has also announced a Live concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on August 4th, where he would be performing some new songs, not yet heard by the public, including a Charity song called “We Hear Your Voice.”

You can see the video below:

Armin T. Wegner Armenian Genocide Photos

Armin T. Wegner (1886 – 1978) was a lawyer, expressionist lyricist and first aid sergeant during the First World War. He witnessed the Armenian Genocide during the years of 1915 to 1917 and took many important pictures that compromise the core of witness images of the Armenian Genocide. His photos were published in a book entitled “The Armenian Genocide – Armin T. Wegner`s eye witness report.” It is available from the publisher Wallstein Verlag on this page. Many of these Armenian Genocide photos have also been published by permission on our website. As a first-aid attendant in the First World War, Armin T. Wegner witnessed the stream of Armenian refugees driven into the Syrian Desert by the Turks. Wegner was part of a German detachment under von der Goltz stationed near the Baghdad Railway in Mesopotamia. He took hundreds of photographs and documented what he saw, even tough he had orders not to do so.

The Armenian Genocide – Armin T. Wegner`s eye witness report

As a first-aid attendant in the First World War, Armin T. Wegner witnessed the stream of Armenian refugees driven into the Syrian Desert by the Turks. Wegner was part of a German detachment under von der Goltz stationed near the Baghdad Railway in Mesopotamia. He took hundreds of photographs and documented what he saw, even tough he had orders not to do so.

At the Ottoman Command’s request, Wegner was arrested by the Germans and recalled to Germany. While some of his photographs were confiscated and destroyed, he nonetheless succeeded in smuggling out many images of the Armenian persecution by hiding the negatives in his belt.

In an open letter to the American president Wilson, Wegner protested against the outrageous injustice done by the Turks.

Immediately after the war ended, Wegner recapitulated his experiences as an eye witness in a presentation, which he held several times from October 1919 onwards. Here he showed 100 slides he had made in spite of the Turkish ban and – as he said in his lecture.

Although many of these photographs have greatly influenced the iconography of the genocide, only recently were Wegner`s eye witness reports published.

France makes it illegal to deny Armenian Genocide

The French Senate today has passed a bill that makes it illegal to deny the Armenian Genocide. The bill passed by 127 votes against 86, despite major Turkish opposition. Due to Turkish opposition the bill was modified not to mention the Armenian genocide, but to outlaw the denial of any genocide. However, this did not stop Turks from backing away with their opposition and they have threatened to cut ties with France and remove their diplomatic presence in Paris.

The bill renders denial punishable with a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000).

The bill now goes to President Nicolas Sarkozy to be ratified. Turkey says the bill is a bid by Sarkozy to win the votes of 500,000 ethnic Armenians in France in the two-round presidential vote on April 22 and May 6.

“This day will be written in gold not only in the history of friendship between the Armenian and French peoples, but also in the annals of the history of the protection of human rights,” said Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edward Nalbandian, reported Reuters.

Back in 2001 France passed a law recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians in Paris waiting for French Senate to pass vote.

ABC posts Nagorno Karabakh as a top place to travel and then removes it!

Last week ABC News posted an article entitled “7 Great Offbeat Places to Go in 2012” on their website, which featured Nagorno, Karabakh as one of the 7 places to visit. However, within a few days Nagorno, Karabakh was removed. This has caused a great outrage with many Armenians.

The article has now been retitled to “6 Great Offbeat Places to Go in 2012.”

The article stated: “Stay at the recently-built Armenia Hotel in the capital, Stepanakert, and use the city as your base to explore the region. Go hiking through snow-topped mountains and fields of yellow and red flowers. Feast on shish kebob and grilled vegetables. If you’re staying with a local, don’t be surprised if you’re offered homemade mulberry vodka with breakfast. Don’t miss the Gandzasar Monastery, meaning ‘hilltop treasure,’ built in the 10th century. Visit it at night to see it lit up in the darkness,”

The article also mentioned that due to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over this zone, if you go there through Armenia, then your passport will not be stamped with a VISA on the actual Passport and instead the stamp will be on an insert, which can be removed, so there is no record of you visiting there. Our guess is that ABC decided to not recommend this place as a place to visit due to this conflict and potential dangers or perhpahs some of the Turkish forces have pressured ABC to remove it.

One visitor, posted the following, which may explain why the article was removed: “I checked UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 as comments suggested. According to UN and US state department Mountainous Karabakh is the part of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia, it is a war zone and there is no insurance company which would cover expenses in case of injury or death.Moreover, it seems that there are no hospitals or any other kind of medical care. But there is a drug/human trafficking in area. Should not ABC check this kind of information before it start to adverte any place as a tourist attraction? It would be nice to see an explanation from ABC how Karabakh appeared on this site as a torist attraction.”

Another visitor urges: “dear all ! to get assured that there is no war in Karabakh please visit the official tourist portal of the republic of Mountainous Karabakh: karabakh.travel

Azeri Foreign Ministry has urged the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington to investigate the matter, according to Azeri foreign ministry spokesperson Elman Abdullayev.

We urge all to post your comments below the article at the ABC Site.

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