Backflow - chewing gum

Collarbone, from Helsinki, were formed in 2000 and have released 2 studio albums to date. Mikko, their guitarist since 2008, is a repeat offender at our Hostel and paid us 2 visits last year. He’s dirty, pretty dirty

The entrance is 2Ls and Naba have HAPPY HOUR between 9-10pm with discounts on cocktails and other stuff. So if you fancy a Friday Night of Rock Music in Riga why not pop along and Rock Out with your C**k Out!

I’m sure at some point in the early hours there will be drinks had at the Backpackers Pub in Riga. Them Finns have issues with drinking or rather with stopping drinking.

Monday 16th Jan

• Donegans Irish Pub – Jazz/Blues Monday with Raivo Stasans and Band

Tuesday 17th Jan

• Not a sausage. Why not just come and hangout in the Backpackers Pub? Happy Hour between 7-9pm

Wednesday 18th Jan

• Depo – 20 Minūtes Slavas – Lots of young local bands that can’t get a gig anywhere else get their 20 minutes off fame. Free entrance
• Moloneys Irish Pub – Rob un Co – Playing pub classics

Thursday 19th Jan

• Nabaklab – Robotplant feat. Pyro Trees – FREE ENTRANCE – 2 decent Latvian Alt. Rock Bands
• Moloneys Irish Pub – Jake and the Fat Man – Playing a great selection of covers from 9ish ’til late-ish

Friday 20th Jan

• Nabaklab – Collarbone (Finland) – Why not sleep with the band in Old Town Hostel?? They’re staying with us again for the 2nd time in 6 months.

Saturday 21st Jan

Who wants to watch live bands on a Saturday night???

1. Arvids Blumentālsaka Crocodile Harry aka The original Crocodile Dundee (1925-2006)
   

   Arvids Blumentāls - The real life person that the Crocodile Dundee character was based on

   Arvids Blumentāls was born in north-western Latvia in the small town of Dundaga and was the inspiration behind the Crocodile Dundee charcter played by Paul Hogan. He became Australia’s most famous Crocodile Hunter and from 1955 is reputed to have killed over 10,000 crocs. His home town of Dundaga has erected a huge stone crocodile monument in his honour. This is one Aussie Croc Hunter that wasn’t killed by a fish.

2. Uļjana Semjonova
   

   Uljana Semjonova - The tallest female basketball player in Olympic History

   Born in 1952, Uljana is recorded as the 7th tallest woman in the world and for a time was the tallest female basketball player in the world. Also known for having the largest feet in womens basketball and we all know what people say about big feet… She was the first non-US woman to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame. She’s so tall she wouldn’t fit in the door of our Hostel in Riga.

3. Jacob Davis
   

   Original Patent application for the copper rivets on denim Jeans

   Jacob was an inventor, born in Riga in 1831 and moved to Nevada in 1868. He was making tents and wagon covers, with material bought from Levi Strauss, when he was approached by a woman to manufacture a strong pair of pants for her ginormous husband. He re-inforced the trousers with copper rivets. For fear of piracy on this technique he approached Levi Strauss to share the patent on this technology. He then worked at one of Levi’s factories in San Francisco until 1908.

4. Elīna Garanča

Elina playing Carmen in Carmen

Elina has played varying roles from Cinderella to Carmen. Her live music performances in Riga National Opera House got her international recognition and the oppurtunity to play Carmen in New York.

5.  Aleksandrs Laime

Aleksandrs and his expedition team

Aleksandrs was a famous Latvian explorer. He moved to Venezuela in 1939. His most famous discovery was Angle Falls and he named the river, from which Angle Falls flows, Gauja. He also named 3 other rivers in Venezuela after Latvian Rivers such as Daugava (Riga), Venta (Kuldiga, Ventspils) and Ogre.

At our hostel in riga we are currently renovating the stairwells to the rooms and one of the floors in our hostel will pay homage to famous Latvians throughout the years.

Artists impression of our Hostel Snowpeople

What's the difference between a Snowman and a Snow-woman????

Snowballs.

Morisons in a super profesional soft-focus background providing the entertainment

Sunday 15th of January sees the return of Morrisons to his usual Live Show at the Backpackers Pub. He’s been away for most of the winter so it’s nice to see him back in Riga and our Hostel Bar up to his old tricks again. He’ll start around 9pm and continue ’til whenever.

Live Music in Riga

It’s a pretty quiet weekend in Riga music-wise. Below is the best of what’s going on.

Friday 13th 2012

• Latvian Blues Band @ Bites Blues Club – 11pm – (closed until 10pm for a private party)

• Nikolajs and friends @ Bubamara – 10pm

Saturday 14th 2012

• 3 Latvian Bands @ Depo (opp Old Town Hostel) – 9pm-ish 2Ls OR 1Ls with a Flyer OR 0Ls entrance after midnight. DJ afterwards until early morning

Sunday 15th 2012

• Morisons @ The Backpackers Pub – Happy Hour(s) while he’s playing

ROCK ON!

An truly classic Sega Mega Drive Console. We managed to get our hands on some AWESOME games but would sell our families to get a hold of Sonic, Lemmings and Golden Axe. Looks like there’ll be a lot of time spent on Ebay for the foreseeable future looking for games for our hostel.

Anyone able to beat the staff, over 3 sets, at Volleyball ’91 gets a FREE beer and will enter the Hall of Fame at our Hostel in Riga