Author: Badalian Vardan

A TAD RUSTY, BUT STILL TOPS: ROCKERS SYSTEM OF A DOWN ARE THE GENUINE ARTICLE
by MIKE ROSS

Edmonton Sun (Alberta)
May 11, 2011 Wednesday
FINAL EDITION

There are two reasons performers ban the media from their concerts
-as System of a Down did on Tuesday night:

1. They hate the media.

2. They haven’t been out for a while, they don’t have a new album and
they don’t want the press to see how rusty they are — so they come
to places like Edmonton, Canada, to iron out the show before the big
gigs in, say, Rock in Rio this fall.

Musicians call it “paid rehearsal.” Beyonce did it a while back, too.

System doesn’t hate the media. How can you hate someone who slobbers
all over you like a dog? Pity, maybe, not hate. And let’s make it
clear that a “ban” just means they didn’t give any free tickets to
reviewers or allow photos.

No matter! The media and more than 12,000 fans were happy to pay for
the privilege of seeing one of the best modern heavy metal bands in
the land, rusty or not, new music or not.

We’re just relieved they didn’t break up. It was just a little
“hiatus.”

Were they rusty? Well, sure. The re were a few awkward wrinkles in a
stripped-down show — a missed back-up line, a cracked note, a near
train wreck, some pitchy vocals, some ridiculously fast and intricate
riffs that weren’t quite as in the pocket as they could’ve been.

But hey, this “gypsy-metal” stuff isn’t easy to play, even if they
invented it. Imagine hard rock injected with plaintive minor key
melodies straight from Eastern Europe, topped with political substance
and savage social satire and led by a guy who can actually sing.

Imagine.

The roles haven’t changed: Serj Tankian as the operatic foil to his
rather screamier partner, guitarist Daron Malakian — though they
seemed to have switched hairstyles in the last six years — backed
by Shavo Odadjian on bass and John Dolmayan on drums.

It’s just the same four Armenian- American friends (more or less) who
threw a new twist into what had become an old sub-genre of metal —
speed metal, so named because it is both fast and hard.

There was no fakery here, no canned back-up tracks, and production
was sparse. The only special effect was the band itself. That’s all
anybody really wanted.

Political songs dominated the evening, opening with Prison Song from
the 2001 album Toxicity, before what might be the band’s big-g est
hit from what many consider its best album Mezmerize: BYOB -as in
“Bring Your Own Bombs.”

It’s an anti-war song that’s particularly hard on both warmongers and
apathetic citizens who’d rather party than think about warmongers. It
was fun to hear Serj grin through his line “Everybody’s going to the
party, have a real good time” — and soak up the cheers of agreement
-only to turn it back on them: “Where the f—are you?!”

Getting tighter yet strangely more chaotic as the night raged on,
the band poked celebrities, the media, the religious right, American
so-called values and some other targets we’re not quite sure about :
Like Cigaro, which seems to be about nothing but someone boasting
about having a big penis.

Metaphor for some important global issue? Probably. The mood ranged
from the tongue-twisting Chop Suey to the lamenting ballad Lonely
Day to even a love of hockey. Daron wore an Oilers jersey the whole
time and even inserted the line “let’s go, Oilers!” into a song that
definitely wasn’t about hockey.

Good to know someone’s got his priorities straight.

There would be no encore. Opening act Gogol Bordello didn’t just blur
the line between polkas and punk rock — they destroyed it. You’ve
heard of “oi” as it applies to punk rock? This New York band is “oi
vey!” With violin, accordion and two back-up rappers who doubled on
percussion for a general gypsy- punk-polka-ska-samba-screaming sort
of sound, the band pounded through a set of circus calisthenics at
240 beats per minute and about God knows what.

You couldn’t understand a word from singer Eugene Hutz, who sounds
like he’s right off the boat from Transylvania, and his rappers
(toasters, hypemen, whatever) were no help at all.

The strongest thing that came through was a repeated call to “Break
the Spell,” words that both opened and closed the set, suggesting
that this was all just one, long, ridiculous song.

AZERBAIJAN SEEKS ESCALATION ON THE FRONTLINE – ARMENIAN EXPERT

news.am
May 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The cases of violation of ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh
region were so numerous in 2010 that one could say the ceasefire
does not exist, Armenian military expert David Jamalyan said in the
interview to Armenian news- News.am.

According to Jamalyan ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan do no aim
to provoke the Armenian side into military counteractions and launch
a new war.

“Indeed, Azerbaijan increases the tension, but it pursues different
goal, that is a psychological pressure. I do not think Azeri ruling
elite made any decision regarding the outbreak of military campaign.

The sole aim of this strain is to force unilateral concessions on
Armenia. Azerbaijan will seek further escalation of tension.” said
Jamalyan. “In a sense, this is inevitable in the nearest future and
Armenian side must not succumb to provocations but respond sensibly
and appropriately.”

The data indicates the increase of ceasefire violation cases on behalf
of Azerbaijan. In 2006 there were about 600 violations of the truce
by Azerbaijan, in 2007 there were about 1500, in 2008 about 3500, in
2009 about 4600, and in 2010 approximately 7,300 violations from the
Azeri side. The four months of this year saw 3500 cases of ceasefire
violations.

On May 1994 the indefinite tripartite agreement on the establishment
of ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh region came into force.

ARMENIA TO EXPAND RELATIONS WITH ITALY

news.am
May 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on Thursday
with Renzo Tondo, governor of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy.

President Sargsyan noted that Armenia is interested in expansion
of multilateral relations and cooperation with Italy and considers
important political dialogue, inter-parliamentary ties, trade and
economic relations, cooperation in the fields of culture, education
and tourism.

Governor Tondo expressed hope that strengthening of cooperation on
the level of local authorities will give an impetus to expansion of
relations between the both states. He stressed that the delegation
arriving to Armenia comprises Italian businessmen who will discuss
possibilities for mutually beneficial cooperation with their Armenian
colleagues.

The Governor visited Memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims and
Armenian Genocide museum, presidential press service informed Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS TO DISCUSS EXPLORATION OF SPACE

news.am
May 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian scientists will meet with Russian delegation in
the Armenian National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to discuss bilateral
cooperation in the field of space research.

The sides will discuss ways to cooperate in exploration of space.

Academicians, President of the National Academy of Science,
researchers from Byurakan Observatory, Institute of Radio Physics,
and the Institute of Electronics will participate.

FIVE STATES FILE APPEAL TO EUROPEAN BROADCASTERS

news.am
May 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s representative at Eurovision 2011 song contest and
other four participants filed an appeal to the European broadcasters
noting that semi-final was not well broadcasted in some European
states and they failed to send messages.

Armenian representative’s manager told Armenian News-NEWS.am that
the Armenian delegation will receive a response tonight. He also said
that the problem was widely covered by German media.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Armenia’s representative at
Eurovision Song Contest 2011 Emmy did not qualify for the Grand Final.

The First Semi-Final of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest took place
in the Dusseldorf Arena, with 10 out of 19 countries qualifying for
the Grand Final. Armenia has been participating in a song contest
since 2006.

MIKA CRUISE TO ARMENIAN CUP GLORY

UEFA.com

May 12 2011

The Armenian Cup final was a case of history revisited as FC Mika
beat FC Shirak 4-1 to win the trophy for the sixth time and earn a
place in UEFA Europa League qualifying next season.

The Yerevan outfit had won all five of their previous finals while
Shirak had lost in each of their three showpieces, and that pattern
appeared set to continue from the early stages when Mika’s Aram
Voskanyan had an effort cleared off the line.

It was Alex who eventually scored the opener following a set-piece,
before Narek Beglaryan doubled the lead. Shirak were quick to respond
when Andranik Barikyan reduced their arrears, but in the second half
Mika added two more through Beglaryan and former Manchester United
FC striker Dong Fangzhou.

“I was lucky to score two goals, but I don’t conceder myself a hero,”
said Beglaryan. “It was my job to score and my team-mates helped
me. I will remember this final for a long time. We reached our goal
by qualifying for the Europa League.”

“By winning this trophy we fulfilled two goals at the same time,” added
Voskanyan. “We won the Armenian Cup and reached Europe.” Coach Armen
Shahgeldyan, for whom the trophy is his first at the Mika helm, said:
“It’s always more pleasurable to win than to lose but it’s totally
different for a player than for a coach. I’m proud of my lads.

To be honest I haven’t yet realised what we have accomplished.”

RIGHTS GROUPS DEMAND NEW PROBE INTO GULYAN’S DEATH

Tert.am
12.05.11

Rights organizations have called on Armenia’s authorities to launch
a new probe into the circumstances of the death of Levon Gulyan who
died at a police station four years ago.

In a statement released on Thursday, the International Federation of
Human Rights (FIDH), the Institute of Civil Society and the Helsinki
Committee of Armenia called on the authorities to conduct a “new,
transparent and efficient investigation” into the death of Gulyan.

The statement also said four years now since Gulyan’s death no one
has been held accountable.

On May 12 Levon Gulyan was summoned to the police station and was
interrogated as a witness in a case. According to the official version,
Gulyan died after he jumped from the window in an attempt to escape.

The human rights organizations also said that Gulyan had been summoned
to the police for three times and that he did make an appearance in
all the three summons which, they said, proves he had no motive to
escape, especially given he was not accused of any crime but rather
interrogated as a witness.

Saying that the special service of the police has suppressed the
criminal case launched over Gulyan’s death for three times so far –
something that runs counter to a 27 August 2010 ruling by the Court
of Cassation – the rights organizations also mentioned that there
were traces of violence on Gulyan’s body.

“… Our organizations have serious suspicions that Levon Gulyan,
before jumping from the window, had been subjected to brutal treatment
by the police officers,” read that statement.

The FIDH Chairman Suer Belasen said in his address that as long as
this case is not revealed it is the Armenian authorities that bear
the responsibility for it.

“This is not a single case. All the other cases of torture should
also be publicly condemned,” said he.

TIGHTENED CONTROL IN PENSIONS PAYMENT HELPS SAVE 3.3 BILLION DRAMS OF BUDGET MONEY

/ARKA/
MAY 12, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 12. / ARKA /.Tightened control over the sphere of pensions
payment has helped save 3.3 billion drams of budget money in the first
quarter of 2011, Ishkhan Zakarian, head of the parliament~Rs Audit
Chamber said today, when reporting to lawmaker on the activities of
the agency in 2010.

He said inspections conducted in 2010 by Audit Chamber revealed
numerous violations in pensions payment system, including incorrect
calculation of seniority, payment of pensions to deceased people and
to persons alleged to be WW II veterans. He said old-age and retirement
pensions applications worth one million drams were submitted on behalf
of people who died years ago.

“As a result of inspections we have found that about 59,000 deceased
people were put on the list of eligible pensioners between 2008 and
2010, ~Q said Zakarian, adding these revelations led to sacking of
Vazgen Khachikian, head of the Pension Fund.

Zakarian said a review of pensioners list and removing dead people
alone helped to save 3.308 billion drams. He also said according to
Haypost (Armenian Postal Service) assigned the payment of pensions,
some 59,343 pensioners did not turn out to receive their pensions in
the first quarter of 2011, of whom over 20 thousand were absent from
the country, and 12 thousand were unknown. According to Zakarian,
all documents were sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office. ($1 ~V
372.24 drams).

RA GOVERNMENT APPROVES OFFER ON SIGNING FTA WITHIN CIS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 12, 2011 – 12:38 AMT

During the May 12 sitting, the Armenian government approved the offer
on signing a Free Trade Agreement within the CIS.

Armenian Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan told journalists after
the sitting that currently bilateral agreements on free trade are in
force within the CIS.

“This is a serious action for expanding multilateral ties within the
CIS to promote trade and boost economic cooperation,” Davtyan said,
adding this is the path taken by the EU for integration.

According to him, as a result of negotiations the parties managed to
reach a common agreement, in which the free trade regime is agreed,
while the multilateral agreement will include the content of all
bilateral agreements. “We expect the agreement to be approved by all
the CIS member states,” noted Davtyan.

ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFER THAN FUKUSHIMA – OFFICIAL

news.am, Armenia
May 11 2011

YEREVAN. – The level of safety at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant
(NPP) is higher than in Japan’s Fukushima, said Armenian Minister if
Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan.

He noted that Armenia is following international experience aimed at
increasing safety at the Armenian NPP.

“We implement it [safety measures] to ensure that the Armenian NPP
will withstand natural disasters,” the minister said in parliament
on Wednesday.