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 Blood is the New Black courtesy of Start Mobile |
Cultural Stimuli in LA
Issue 149: elemental flavor
It's a new year, and there's no better reason to get back to basics than a fresh calendar. The Natural History Museum helps us get our priorities straight with Forest Songs - Earth Spirits, a multimedia examination of the Earth's past and future that features a panel of experts discussing the geopolitical situation while dublab's DJs explore deep grooves. Meanwhile, spoken-word legend Saul Williams headlines Flypoet's first poetry and soul-sounds session of the new year, and the classic cinematic epic Gone with the Wind whisks us back to the shaky grandeur of America's coming of age. France's Nouvelle Vague ship in from across the Atlantic, bringing their droll brand of saucy bossa nova redux sounds, while Silver Lake locals Early Dolphin trot out dreamy pop rock. Old-school SoCal punk pioneers the Adolescents show the kids how it's done, and the gently comedic reggae ribbings of Future Pigeon show us how it could be. As you step boldly into 2006, know where you're going, remember where you've been, and don't forget to spread it.
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flavorpill LA is an email magazine covering a hand-picked selection of music, art, and cultural events — delivered each Tuesday afternoon.
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Spotlight
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Tart Up Your Phone
We recently teamed up with Start Mobile to curate some brilliant covers. Powered by SF's famed Start Soma Gallery, Start Mobile offers work from hundreds of underground artists as inexpensive downloads for your phone.
This week, our featured artist is Blood Is the New Black.
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| Daily Updates |
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| SPOKEN WORD |
Da' Poetry Lounge feat. Poetri and Shihan the Poet
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LA's most eclectic weekly open-mic series returns from its holiday hiatus with an evening of impromptu interjections hosted by two of the most talented spoken-word artists around. Groove Gravy recording artist Shihan the Poet matches wits and words with Tony Award-winner Poetri. The latter's unique blend of humor, depth, and passion culminate in love poems with lines such as: "I like you more than chicken and French fries / Not when I'm real hungry but most of the time." Lovely. (SND)
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| FILM |
Six Sword Samurai Festival
| when: |
Now through Thur 1.5 (schedule) |
| where: |
NuArt Theatre (11272 Santa Monica Blvd, 310.281.8223) map |
| price: |
$9.50 per screening |
| links: |
Event Info |
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It's a samurai-film festival, so there's sure to be plenty of fracases at fencing schools and clan showdowns in dusty towns. But this series also includes the spaghetti Western-style humor of Kill! (1968), the Cyrano de Bergerac-goes-to-Japan classic Samurai Saga (1959) — starring Toshiro Mifune as a lovesick poet — and a screening of Akira Kurosawa's classic Macbeth adaptation, Throne of Blood (1957). Most of these films are presented on new 35mm prints, so all the spinning swords and blood-spattered robes are shown in their original, gritty glory. (DRC)
 Give samurai badass Toshiro Mifune the "Six Degrees" by connecting him to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less (yes, it's possible!). The three most centered responses each win pair of tickets to any screening.
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| FILM |
Gone with the Wind
| when: |
Wed 1.4 (8pm) |
| where: |
ArcLight Hollywood (6360 W Sunset Blvd, 323.464.4226) map |
| price: |
$11 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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With the return of the epic (thanks Peter Jackson), large-scale productions are dropping left and right. Of course that's nothing new; Gone with the Wind (1939) is the granddaddy of the genre. Atlanta burns, the Civil War rages, and thousands of real (not CGI) extras flood the streets. While spectacles abound in three-strip Technicolor glory, the greatest special effects are the stars — Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh (not to mention the stellar Hattie McDaniel). Their magnetism brings another dimension to characters that might otherwise fall prey to melodramatic trappings. (JCF)
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| ALSO ON WED |
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SPOKEN WORD
Flypoet feat. Saul Williams
Wed 1.4 (8-10:30pm) The Conga Room (5364 Wilshire Blvd, 323.938.1696) map $15
Event Info |
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Flypoet kicks off 2006 by bringing Saul Williams to the Conga Room stage for a rare LA appearance. The wicked wordsmith is joined by soulful, sultry songstress Amanda Dumas and other equally gifted guests. (SND)
 
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| DJ |
The Root Down feat. B-Room Bandits
| when: |
Thur 1.5 (9pm) |
| where: |
The Little Temple (4519 Santa Monica Blvd, 323.662.6802) map |
| price: |
$5 before 10:30pm / $8 after |
| links: |
Event Info | The Root Down |
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Silver Lake has long been a haven for shaggy hipsters and corduroy fetishists, but SoCal soul is carving its niche there nonetheless. Case in point: the Little Temple, once rockabilly HQ, is now a hip-hop and house emporium. And the Root Down, the mellow, Asian-themed club's signature night for bitchin' beats, is leading the revolution. This time around, Root Down Soundsystem's Dusk, Miles, Wyatt Case, and Loslito are joined by Rhettmatic and the B-Room Bandits, of the veteran Los Angeles Beat Junkies hip-hop crew. (DRC)
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| MUSIC: Experimental Electronic |
Thomas Fehlmann
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Producer Thomas Fehlmann — well known for his contributions to influential electronic group the Orb — has another masterpiece on his hands. His latest release, Lowflow, is a dubby, glacial journey into glitch. Defined by thick, unassuming hip-hop beats, the album melts together synth melodies, Arabian voices, and clanging trash-can lids. Fehlmann assembles, mixes, and performs selections from the record at El Cid, one of Silver Lake's rare, undiscovered gems. Micro-music joystick-monkeys 8 Bit Weapon start things out with their innovative '80s Gameboy jams. (JCF)
Before the Orb, Fehlmann was associated with which German band? The second and third correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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| MUSIC: Lounge-Pop |
Nouvelle Vague
| when: |
Thur 1.5 & Fri 1.6 (10pm) |
| where: |
Tangier Restaurant (2138 Hillhurst Ave, 323.666.8666) map |
| price: |
$25 |
| links: |
Event Info | Nouvelle Vague |
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In 2005, Nouvelle Vague — French producers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, plus a rotating cast of young chanteuses — wooed American audiences with their cha-cha-cha, bossa nova take on '80s favorites. Their addition of samba and jazzy Brazilian beats to Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart," the Clash's "Guns of Brixton," and XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel" proved delectable. The connection is clear: adding sex and sauce to post-punk classics makes for great listening. Seeing the combination live is even better. (MG)
Which '60s standard would you like to hear Nouvelle Vague cover, and why? The first response in 50 words or less to display adequate Ljen ne sais quoi wins a pair of tickets to this show.
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| MULTIMEDIA |
First Fridays: Forest Songs - Earth Spirits
| when: |
Fri 1.6 (7pm) |
| where: |
Natural History Museum (900 Exposition Blvd, 213.763.3466) map |
| price: |
$15 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Inspired by Jared Diamond's book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, the Collapse? exhibit explores the complex, often stilted, relationship between people and the natural environment. Tree-friendly speakers Andy Lipkis, Jagmohan Maini, and Hope Tschopik Scheider examine said relationship in honor of the show. Of course, no First Fridays event would be complete without live music, dublab DJs, and VJ Mekanix. On Ensemble provide fiercely beautiful taiko drumming, Mr. Riddims and click.BOOM fuse John Zorn-esque jazz with dance music, and the Black Swan break out the glam. (JCF)
In anticipation of the 1984 Olympics, environmentalist Andy Lipkis oversaw the planting of how many trees? The first five most environmentally friendly (i.e. correct) responses each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| ART: Opening |
LA Louver 30-Year Anniversary Exhibitions
| when: |
Fri 1.6 (7-9pm) |
| where: |
LA Louver Gallery (45 N Venice Blvd, Venice, 310.822.4955) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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LA Louver celebrates the big 3-0 with a 188-part sculptural installation by Peter Shelton, never before shown in the US — strange, since the acclaimed artist lives and works in LA. The piece's individual components blanket the wall in grey bulges, creating an effect reminiscent of the Flintstones room at the Madonna Inn, but with more of an eye for anatomy and abstraction. The translucent, post-industrial materials have a creepy, semi-organic quality and an imposing fragility. Upstairs, a concurrent exhibition showcases highlights from the collection of renowned Indian art dealer and scholar Terence McInerney. The centuries-old carved stone pieces almost seem to parallel the forms and textures of the masterpiece below. (SND)
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| FILM |
Hell's Angels
| when: |
Fri 1.6 (7:30pm) |
| where: |
Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, 310.395.4990) map |
| price: |
$9 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Even before shacking up in a germ-proof hotel with a Rip Van Winkle beard and an endless supply of milk bottles, gazillionaire Howard Hughes was given to flamboyant eccentricity. Of course, one cinematic gambit — his effort to produce, and ultimately direct Hell's Angels (1930), the most expensive film of its day — saw his aberrant approaches rewarded. In a tribute to the flying aces of WWI, Hughes formed a private fleet of almost 150 fighter planes to ensure the film's grandeur. Created on the cusp of cinema's transition from silent to sound, and a victim of Hughes' perfectionism, the film was shot and reshot over the span of three years. (JCF)
In what non-cinematic way did Howard Hughes lift generations of young Hollywood starlets? The fifth correct response wins a pair (of tickets) to this screening.
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| MUSIC: OG |
The Adolescents w/ Cadillac Tramps
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SoCal-punk founding fathers the Adolescents trod the path through conservative suburbia when bands like the Offspring and Lit were still learning to tie their steel-toes. This year's O.C. Confidential heralds the band's triumphant return, finally claiming their place as property-rate-dropping suburban punk-rock royalty. With voodoo-punk mavens Cadillac Tramps at their side, expect this to be an energetic night brimming with early skate-scene punk nostalgia — one fueled by two of the bands who know how to do it best. (DR)
When the Adolescents played the San Jose Civic Auditorium in 1986, what part of the venue suffered the most damage? The second, third, and fifth correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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| ALSO ON FRI |
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ART: Opening
Davis Cone: Recent Works
Fri 1.6 (7-9pm) Forum Gallery (8069 Beverly Blvd, 323.655.1550) map
Event Info |
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One of the most accomplished artists of our time, Davis Cone creates sumptuous portraits of Art Deco landmarks in New York City that are romantic and evocative examples of contemporary photorealism — sure to leave you asking how he does them. (SND)
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MUSIC: Neo-psychedelic
Early Dolphin
Fri 1.6 (7:30pm) Knitting Factory Front Room (7021 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, 323.463.0204) map $8
Event Info |
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No, it's not early-morning junior swim team practice. Silver Lake neo-psychedelic pop rockers Early Dolphin are more interested in orchestrating your Coen brothers-inspired dream sequences than pouncing into the pool. These Cali boys play '70s trip rock to an uncanny tee. (EJ)
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| ART: Opening |
Holly Coulis and Max Maslansky
| when: |
Sat 1.7 (6-9pm) |
| where: |
Cherry and Martin (12611 Venice Blvd, 310.398.7404) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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Cherrydelosreyes became Cherry and Martin last weekend, but not to worry — good art by any other name still, um, smells just as sweet. Holly Coulis' wistful, stylized expressivity is in full force and her figures each have a lonely, quirky sensibility. In the project room, Max Maslansky's paintings present symbolic narratives of fallen male archetypes in a naive, folksy style — it's like art therapy for people who watched too many Westerns as a kid. (SND)
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| MUSIC: Country Rock |
Joe Henry
| when: |
Sat 1.7 (8:30pm) |
| where: |
Largo (432 N Fairfax Ave, 323.852.1073) map |
| price: |
$5-15 |
| links: |
Event Info | Joe Henry |
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Joe Henry is no shirtless, pop-country beefcake. In fact, he doesn't even wear a cowboy hat. Instead, the poetic Henry delivers poignant lyrics with a casual intimacy that would make Paul Simon's perfect little heart just glow. And he does it all without forcing a shrill twang from his lips. In addition to traditional country, Henry calls upon elements of hip-hop and jazz to lay a soulful background for the quiet connectivity of his melodic storytelling. The result is a welcome break from the brightly lit spectacle of modern twangers. (DR)
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| ALSO ON SAT |
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ART: Opening
Taking Inventory; Transformation Through Compilation
Sat 1.7 (5-7pm) Mark Moore Gallery (2525 Michigan Ave, A-1, Santa Monica, 310.453.3031) map
Event Info |
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The artists in this group exhibition base their work on modern concerns in photography, with some focusing on the psychological and emotional effects of the medium, while others tackle more conceptual and formal issues. (SND)
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ART: Opening
NightLites
Sat 1.7 (6-8pm) Sabina Lee Gallery (5365 Wilshire Blvd, 323.935.9279) map
Gallery Info |
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This mixed-media exhibition deftly explores the night, from its supposedly bygone days of magic and mystery to the post-industrial present where, though artificial light is ubiquitous, the late hours can be scarier than ever. (SND)
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| FILM |
Orson Welles' Macbeth
| when: |
Sun 1.8 (6pm) |
| where: |
Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, 310.395.4990) map |
| price: |
$9 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Finding kinship with the doomed Scottish thane, infamous director Orson Welles tackled the story of Macbeth in 1948 with typical bravado: rearranging scenes, creating idiosyncratic sets, and even inventing characters (one was described as looking "like a cross between Boris Karloff and Heidi"). His visual sensibilities were never darker than when he bathed Macbeth's feverish glances in inky, noir-like shadows. Panned upon its initial release — the low budget is apparent and the characters' accents are just strange — the film deserves reexamination because, for all its failings, it remains a fascinating, black diamond in the rough. (EJL)
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| MUSIC: Dub |
Future Pigeon
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Dub merchants Lee "Scratch" Perry and Adrian Sherwood win kudos from secular reggae heads for giving the genre's heavy religiosity a healthy razzing. It's a tradition that goofy Angeleno collective Future Pigeon are well acquainted with. The LA group's heavy rhythms are graced with bizarre stoner jokes and a palette that incorporates classic dub studio trickery, pedal-steel guitars, and loops of ringing telephones and percolating bongs. It's not that there's anything wrong with devout Rastafarianism, just that it's sometimes nice to heighten the contact high with some weird-ass humor. (DRC)
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| MUSIC: Indie Electronic |
Subtitle w/ Eliot Lipp
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The Fold departs from its usual rock bills, bringing indie beats and some post-New Year, dance-club catharsis. Even if you feel, like many, that electronic music has been largely relegated to car commercials as of late, fear not: underground innovator Eliot Lipp is poised to bring back that beat. Firmly embracing the theory that drum machines do indeed have soul, Lipp champions an eclectic blend of styles — electro, dub, hip-hop, and tech-house all bubble to the surface when he mans the boards. Indie rapper Subtitle follows with dark, clanging beats and expert rapping in a freewheeling, conversational tone. (JDF)
Lipp's newest LP was released on what other electronic innovator's label? Correct responses six through eight each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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| ART |
Michael Coughlan: Recent Work
| when: |
Now through Sat 1.14 (Wed-Sat: 12-6pm) |
| where: |
4-F Gallery (977 Chung King Rd, 213.617.4948) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Gallery Info |
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Artist Michael Coughlan's Los Angeles is a painted desert, an existential landscape of loss, longing, and life inspired by the artist's unique perception of the oft-surreal city. Like contemporary filmmakers Todd Solondz and Pedro Almódovar, Coughlan's visions evolve organically from simple sketches; his paint and pastels follow, creating experimental textures. After successful exhibits in Europe and New York City, Coughlan touches home in La La Land — a natural locale for a visual genius whose talents stem from experience gained under its very own sun and smog. (MKD)
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| THEATRE |
Ken Roht's Route 99 Orange Star Dinner Show
| when: |
Thur 1.5 - Sun 1.29 (Thur-Sun: 8pm) |
| where: |
Evidence Room (2220 Beverly Blvd, 213.381.7118) map |
| price: |
$20-30 |
| links: |
Event Info | Evidence Room |
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Though Christmas is now 350+ shopping days away, the holiday cheers and jeers continue as the Route 99 Orange Star Dinner Show extends its run into January. For the fourth straight year, Ken Roht has collaborated with the 99 cent store to create a theatrical extravaganza comparable to the best dinner theatre you'd see in Wyoming. Roht's slapstick and brilliantly whimsical musical numbers are topped only by Ann Closs-Farley's inspired costume designs — outfits cleverly crafted from materials found within the bountiful confines of a local discount haven. (ASM)
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| ALSO ONGOING/UPCOMING |
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ART
Jörg Lozek: Jugend-Zimmer
Now through Sat 1.14 (Tue-Sat: 10am-6pm) Sandroni Rey (2762 S La Cienaga Blvd, 310.280.0111) map
Event Info |
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Part of an incandescent generation of young painters based in — and named for — the city of Leipzig, Germany, Jörg Lozek shares that group's penchant for using both abstraction and straight representation to create images with a feeling of intelligent, ornate fantasy. (SND)
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ART
Becca: Try Becca
Now through Sat 1.14 (Tue-Sat: 12-6pm) Merry Karnowsky Gallery (170 S La Brea Ave, 323.933.4408) map
Event Info |
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Originally a street artist, Becca's ethereal gamines have shattered notions within the genre, earning her an international reputation and comparisons to Basquiat. Tantalizingly delicate, her work's seeming fragility masks the artist's rebel intent. (CG)
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KEEP THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT: DonorsChoose |
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Founded five years ago with the idea that a charity can work like eBay — connecting consumers and providers via a user-friendly website — DonorsChoose allows teachers at underprivileged public schools to submit requests for desperately needed resources. Visitors to the site become "citizen philanthropists" when they browse and choose a project to support. For their gifts, donors receive a feedback package including thank-you letters and photos from the school, plus a full account of how the money was used. Provide a basketball team with new uniforms; send smoke detectors to first-graders learning about fire safety; donate new toner cartridges for the photocopiers in an LA elementary school; or just visit and see all the other ways you can help! (JK)
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CD REVIEW: Roman, So Ghost? |
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Karaoke Kalk
Released November 2005
$14.50 (Forced Exposure)
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Cologne-based crooner Roman's pensive pop is akin to that of fellow puffy-eyed romantic Superpitcher, albeit a few decibels louder and an endorphin or two more upbeat. Rippling and gleaming, contorting and brooding as it runs a gauntlet of lovesick emotions, So Ghost? — Roman's sophomore release on the emotive stronghold Karaoke Kalk — proves a potent offering, equal parts abrasively stiff and euphorically sweet. The shape-shifting "Saving Juno" is an immediate seducer. Permeated by breezy guitar funk and dream-sequence melodies, it features an infectious refrain accompanied by a bevy of bangin', bottom-heavy beats that pop 'n lock the track into a three-minute monster. But what's most striking about So Ghost? is its epic breadth and balancing homemade quality. Employing an onslaught of strings, acoustic guitars, angelic choirs, and gut-born, bedroom-belted vocals, Roman never loses sight of each song's essence: earnest, heartfelt, and undeniably charming music. (JJ)
Note: This review is courtesy of Earplug, a twice-monthly email magazine about electronic music.
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MULTIMEDIA: BBC Collective |
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In wrapping up 2005, the BBC Collective assembled some of its strongest music, film, visual art, and literary content of the year. Highlights include a live session from the Kills, an interview with Matthew Herbert relating to his Plat du Jour project, and a feature on Haruki Murakami, whose Kafka on the Shore made multiple newspaper and literary journal Top Ten lists. It's not all dewy-eyed retrospective, however, as the Collective also lends its insights toward artists to watch in 2006, spotlighting live sessions from Battles, the Young Knives, and Plan B. (CJN)
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The Kills: Live Session and Interview (Indie rock)
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Matthew Herbert: Plat du Jour Challenge (IDM/found sounds)
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Haruki Murakami: Author Interview (Literary)
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| Header Design: |
| Dschubba | Blood is the New Black courtesy of Start Mobile |
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| Editors: |
| Bootes | Daniel R. Chamberlin | | The Pleiades | Shana Nys Dambrot | | Kaus Borealis | Josh C. Forbes | | Cassiopeia | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Virgo | Todd Goldstein | | Taygeta | Doug Levy | | Rotanev | Jake Lancaster | | Pavo | Sascha Lewis | | Triangulum Australe | Gerry Mak | | Situla | Mark Mangan | | Yed Prior | Andrew Phillips | | DX Cancri | Lauren Ragland | | Andromeda | Bryony Roberts |
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| ABOUT US |
| flavorpill LA is a free weekly mailer covering music, arts, and cultural events in Los Angeles. All listings are pure editorial, never paid advertisements. No money is accepted from venues, artists, or promoters. Read more about us, and spread it... |
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To let us know about an upcoming event that you think belongs here, please email us at events at least two weeks prior to the date.
To find out more about submitting cover art to run at the top of Flavorpill publications, go to flavorpill.net/design. |
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| Contributors: |
| Anser | Geta Doyal | | Zuben Elakrab | McKenzie Dumergue | | Betelgeuse | Jonah D. Flicker | | Corona Borealis | Elisa Jacobs | | Kajam | Cole Godvin | | AX Microscopium | Menaka Gopinath | | Hoedus II | Jessica Kraft | | Luyten's Star | Eric J. Lawrence | | Proxima Centauri | Allen S. Moon | | Marfak | Colin J. Nagey | | Pleiades Cluster | Dan Rossiter |
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Production: |
| Barnard's Star | Anjuli Ayer | | Musca | Jessica Bauer-Greene | | Tegmen | Morgan Croney | | Fornax | Kate Estwing | | Wolf 359 | Jules Gaffney | | Alchiba | Mia Kim | | Hydrus | Sander-Martijn Milks | | Deneb el Okab | David Morrow | | EZ Aquarii C | Leah Taylor |
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