Krasnaya Polyana- Gornaya Karusel (February 4, 2012)

I spoke to one of the franchise owners.  He mentioned that it is the 6th franchise of Affliction that they have opened in Russia, where the brand is appealing to the growing middle class. 

Fedor Emilianenko

I could not quite pin down what it was about the vocalist that caught my attention, there was something of Shirley Manson's formidable stage presence.  But her charisma is all her own and she has considerable vocal range, too.

Last night, I happened to be in the studio working with the editor on a video featuring me and about central Sochi, when Lux Leopard singer Karina Yunusova and guitarist Yevgeniy Kuznetsov arrived to add tracks to a previously recorded song. The impromptu meeting gave me a chance to ask about their history, music and plans for the future.  

Lux Leopard formed about four years ago, after Karina moved from Novy Urengoy, east of the Urals, to Sochi in search of a warmer climate.  She had been a competitive gymnast and competed in the Russian Championship for a spot on Russia's Olympic team   Later she studied English and Spanish at the university level in Moscow. After considering her options, Karina decided rather than returning to Moscow to work as a tour guide, she would try out Russia's Black Sea Boomtown. Sochi.

Soon after Karina arrived, she was introduced by mutual friends to Yevgeniy, bass player Aslan Gedkafov and drummer David Oganyan, who had been playing together, but needed a singer.  Yevgeniy told me it was a quick decision by all to join forces after they heard Karina sing and she heard them play.  Lux Leopard performs English language songs of their own composition.  Yevgeniy writes the music and Karina the lyrics. She told me that she likes writing in English because she feels it is the best language for their brand of driving and seminal rock 'n roll. I asked her if there had been any performers in the English-speaking world who she had been motivated by.  She told me that when she was a teenager, she heard Garbage singer Shirley Manson and that it had an immediate impact upon her.  Yevgeniy said that Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach has been a notable influence on his playing.  He also listed trip hop bands Portishead and Morcheeba as groups that informed his ideas of music.

Lux Leopard is gaining a significant regional following.  I asked them why they had not relocated to Moscow, which is the center for music in Russia.  They told me that the crowded and competitive bar scene made it difficult to get gigs that paid for the additional costs.  Anyway, Lux Leopard is developing an international following and since Sochi now has an international airport, they can reach the large European market just as quickly from here.  Since the group now has a sufficient catalog of original songs, they are ready to start playing to international audiences.

As for future plans, Lux Leopard has set their sites on a recording contract and international success.  At least for now, they are a welcome part of Sochi's growing music scene.

A use of Google's search engine at google.ru using the following words: ночная жизнь сочи - which means Sochi nightlife in Cyrillic (Russian characters)- will see these search results:

Notice that the first page is dominated by domains devoted to websites about Miami, Florida.  The same thing happens when a user searches культурная жизнь Сочи- cultural life Sochi.  The search results point the user towards sites about Miami.

Also, a user who uses Google's online translator and types in сочи , which is the spelling for Sochi, will get the result: Miami.

Everyone in Russia understands that Miami is a popular and fun place.  Many Russians have visited or would like to visit.  However, this mistake is not good for anyone.  Users do not find the information they need, it damages local businesses in Sochi and hurts Google's image.

Can we get some help here?  This is surprising that no one has taken care of this problem.  I think Sergei Brin is from Moscow....

I write about Sochi and it is uncomfortable to use Sochiite, Sochian or Sochier.  So, when I write, I usually refer to people here as "residents of Sochi" or "those living in Sochi".  However, an Olympic city, a city of mountains and beaches and parks and Formula 1 and World Cup matches, a city that is the largest construction site in the world deserves to have a suitable and comfortable appellation for its residents.   A few weeks ago, I was thinking about people living here and without awareness began to think of them as Sochisiders.  As I thought about it, I realized this was a really good solution.

I have asked really a lot of native English speakers what they think of this solution and the answer has been unanimously favorable.  So, I have begun to use the term Sochisiders.  It sounds pleasant.  It makes literal sense.  If you are from Sochi, you are on the Sochi side (i.e. of the mountains or of the sea) and there is an association with another beautiful Olympic city, Sydney.  Are we merely copying Sydney here?  No, there are other examples (such as Merseysiders) and anyway there is not copyright on the term - sider.

So, Sochisiders, watch as the term catches on!

Mr. MacShane compares his stand to Margaret Thatcher's towards the Moscow Olympics in 1980.  This betrays his Cold War mentality.  The Soviet Union no longer exists.  And Russian citizens enjoy freedoms that Soviet citizens never had.  Russian citizens vote, they own property and businesses, they are free to express their opinions ( I see this every day on the streets and online).  They have international passports and are free to travel abroad.  

Of course, the Olympic boycott in 1980 had no effect other than to disappoint thousands of athletes and millions of spectators.  

Never mind this, Mr. MacShane seems to say.  He seeks to politicize several well-known deaths and to place blame at the feet of Mr. Putin.  Mr, Putin is not a dictator and he does not know and control all.  On the contrary, there are many competing interests in this country.  Russia is not the only nation with perceived shortcomings, it is just the one most frequently pointed to.  For instance, many in Russia viewed the United Kingdom's participation in the invasion of Iraq and the resulting calamity for its people as illegal and immoral.  However, the Olympic Games in London are going on with Russian participation, despite hundreds of thousands of deaths and refugees.  Russian authorities rightly concluded that the Olympic movement is above politics.  

Watching events unfold here in Sochi, I see that Russia is doing all in its power to assure the best and safest possible Olympic experience for athletes and spectators from around the world.  The Olympic Village and Mountain Cluster will have the most compact design ever and will be the most technologically advanced of any of the Olympic Games.  Russia is building a world class mountain resort and venues for international competitions for years to come.  I hope the world focuses on that rather than Mr. MacShane and his divisive comments.  

Already national Olympic Organizations are coming weekly to Sochi to plan.  Several large international media organizations will bring thousands of employees here in a few months.  Outsiders are coming to enjoy the subtropical city and ski and snowboard on one of the 4 spectacular mountains just 30 miles away.  Journalists are coming, athletes are coming, tourists are coming, spectators are coming.  The world is on its way to Sochi!

There is a death of quality English language information for Sochi.  I am filling that gap with the tourist application and PlanetSochi.com.  PlanetSochi has reviews and articles, mountain video and pictures, a mountain report and twitter feed.  

These platforms and others I am developing will be the primary tools for foreign visitors coming to Sochi.  I am seeking sponsorship partners.  I believe this is a significant and unique opportunity for those businesses with an interest in outdoor sports and the Olympics to gain a competitive edge in advertising.  Hundreds of thousands of people will see my material. 

Interested parties are invited to contact me at talley.br@gmail.com