Latvian pop band Prāta Vētra (Brainstorm) is getting a chance to play its music to fans of the American band R.E.M. as it warms up concertgoers in 10 countries beginning with a sold-out performance in Bolzano, Italy.
R.E.M.‘s current tour features a number of warm-up acts, but from Jan. 16-29 the Latvian foursome is it.
In addition to Italy, the bands are playing in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Russia and Finland. The Latvian concert is scheduled Jan. 25 in the Ķīpsala Exhibition Hall in Rīga. The Jan. 29 concert in Finland also is sold out.
R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe is filing frequent reports about the tour on the band’s Web site, www.remhq.com.
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This is really rather petty, but here goes, anyway:
Prata Vetra doesn’t mean “Brainstorm.” It means “Mindstorm.” “Brainstorm” would be “Smadzenes Vetra.” You probably already know this, but have chosen to overlook it. A loose interpretation would be O.K. for many translations, but a “brainstorm” and a “mindstorm” are really quite different things. The substance of the meaning is lost when you use “Brainstorm.” (It’s the difference between something that rages through one’s thoughts and perceptions versus merely a bright idea.)
Regards, V.Z.
We have not chosen to overlook it. We are instead using the band’s own translation. On its English-language recordings as well as in its performances outside of Latvia, the group is known as Brainstorm. You may want to visit the band’s official Web site, http://www.brainstorm.lv/