 |
|
 |
| |
|
|
 |
 Matthew Curry |
Cultural Stimuli in LA
Issue 168: literary flavor
LA rips its culture straight from the page this week as noteworthy lit-inspired events crowd the cultural horizon. The Getty hosts Food Fictions, a series that features celebrated actors reading from the delectable narratives of LA's most prominent authors, while Writer's Pad uses culinary delights as a creative catalyst for erotic "freewriting." Anthem magazine welcomes the DJs of the UK's Clone Records, Echo One Acts premieres brand-new work from the city's best playwrights, and McSweeney's "foreign correspondent" Roy Kesey reads from his sensational debut novel. Classics of the nonprint kind also get their due as AFI shows Krazy Kat cartoons from the '30s, surf photography legend LeRoy Grannis makes a rare appearance, and the lovable alien ET gets exploited in Aero's Alien Madness! So, push up your specs, bookmark your battles, and spread it...
|
|
flavorpill LA is an email magazine covering a hand-picked selection of music, art, and cultural events — delivered each Tuesday afternoon.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
A dynamic new collaboration between Budweiser Select and Flavorpill, Select Flavor harnesses the talents of up-and-coming artists and designers to interpret Select — a premier hand-crafted beer — and its iconic crown through original artwork. Expect a new kind of creativity. Expect everything. |
|
|
|
|
Spotlight
|
Modern Love
Though a force in her own right, Gertrude Stein is often overshadowed by her more famous friends (Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Alice B. Toklas to name a few). The UCLA Hammer Museum hosts a reading of her work, in conjunction with an exhibition of modernist paintings, that reveals why she kept such esteemed company.
|
| Daily Updates |
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Anti-Folk |
Regina Spektor
|
|
Just as Tori Amos' young life as a "minister's daughter" is part of what makes her music so ingenuous, Regina Spektor, a Russian-born Jew who immigrated to the Bronx at a young age, uses her own life experiences as inspiration for her songs. Honing her chops in NYC's East Village café art-folk scene, Spektor, a classically trained pianist, was handpicked by the Strokes to lend "serious artist" cred to their 2003 tour. Since then, albums like Soviet Kitsch and, most recently, Begin to Hope have continued to magnify the anti-diva's penchant for the abstract. But the most epic gems in Spektor's oeuvre remain blissfully straightforward amalgams of Mozart, Billie Holiday, and Björk. (JMS)
 Regina Spektor started gigging in an Irish pub in which city? The sixth correct response wins a pair of tickets to this show; the fourth and fifth correct responses each win a copy of her book.
|
|
|
 |
| READING |
The Poetry of Gertrude Stein
| when: |
Wed 5.17 (7pm) |
| where: |
UCLA Hammer Museum (10899 Wilshire Blvd, 310.443.7000) map |
| price: |
 |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
Gertrude Stein is the matriarch of the Lost Generation — a group of American modernists who sought intellectual and political refuge in pre-World War II Europe. From her bohemian stronghold in Paris, she presided over the most famous 20th-century salon, welcoming luminaries like Henri Matisse, Sherwood Anderson, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. An accomplished poet, Stein was jaunty and irreverent, employing a stridently modern use of rhythm and language. Tonight's readings of her work — by Cal Bedient, Terry Castle, and Stephen Yenser — make a nice verbal counterpart to the exuberant, bold visual art upstairs in the gallery. (SND)
|
|
| ALSO ON WED |
|
MEMORIAL: Biking
Ride of Silence
Wed 5.17 (6:30pm) Downtown LA (Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave) map
Event Info |
|
The Ride of Silence isn't about cruising or rowdy civil disobedience. This slow, silent bike tour acts as a memorial to cyclists injured on public roadways and a solemn reminder that the road is meant to be shared. (DRC)
Note: A group also meets at Helen's Cycles (2501 Broadway, Santa Monica) at 6:30pm.
 
|
|
|
MUSIC: Electro-Sleaze
Dirty Sanchez
Wed 5.17 (9:30pm) Key Club (9039 Sunset Blvd, W Hollywood, 310.274.5800) map $17
Event Info |
|
Jackie Beat, Mario Diaz, and DJ Barbeau unleash roaring, hook-heavy electro for your ears and a raunchy, high-octane live show for your eyes, as Dirty Sanchez keeps it sur-real. Don't say we didn't warn you. (SND)
|
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Indie Americana |
The Court and Spark w/ the Parson Red Heads
|
|
Alt-country has quickly become a burdensome critical term, tossed like a wet blanket over the new school of twang-loving guitar-toters, be they gifted balladeers or vintage poseurs. The Court and Spark have always crested on the first, better half of this rootsy revival, and the beaching of that subgenre has never left them high and dry. On Hearts, the Cali group continues to turn out dependably classic harmonies, embracing a slightly broader array of genres. Local indie-folk project the Parson Red Heads opens with a set of charmingly twee acoustic-based ballads. (TW)
Aside from referencing a Joni Mitchell album, what is the meaning behind the name the Court and Spark? The first five correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
|
|
| ALSO ON THUR |
|
DANCE
Ms. Spellings of Be
Thur 5.18 (8pm) & Sun 5.21 (6pm) Electric Lodge (1416 Electric Ave, Venice, 310.306.1854) map $12
Event Info |
|
Born from a hip-hop aesthetic, Ms. Spellings of Be fuses elements of text and movement to create a theatrical dance work that explores one child's cultivation of ancient spirituality. (ASM)
|
|
|
MUSIC: Experimental
Ghostigital
Thur 5.18 (9pm) Spaceland (1717 Silver Lake Blvd, 323.661.4380) map $8
Event Info |
|
Einar Örn plays fast and loose with genre as Ghostigital, jumping from hard techno to jazz to ska with a skewed pop sensibility reminiscent of his old band, the Sugarcubes. (MS)
|
|
|
MUSIC: Blues
Charlie Musselwhite
Thur 5.18 (10pm) Temple Bar (1026 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, 310.393.6611) map $20 / $15 advance
Event Info |
|
Though Charlie Musselwhite is considered a prominent figure of the "white blues movement," his guitar, harmonica, and raspy vocals prove that it doesn't matter what color you are if you've got the blues. (SNS/GM)
|
|
|
|
 |
| READING |
Selected Shorts 2006: A Celebration of the Short Story Food Fictions
| when: |
Fri 5.19 - Sun 5.21 (Fri-Sat: 8pm / Sun: 3pm) |
| where: |
The Getty Center (1200 Getty Center Dr, 310.440.7300) map |
| price: |
$20-30 |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
From the boisterous banquets of Homer to the meticulously crafted feasts of Amy Tan, food has often served as a tangible metaphor for abstract concept. In the Getty Center's A Celebration of the Short Story Food Fictions, culinary metaphor leaps off the page as a variety of actors (including John Lithgow and Jane Kaczmarek) read food-centric short stories from authors like V.S. Pritchett, Roald Dahl, and Anton Chekov. A bit of advice: don't show up on an empty stomach. (RS)
|
|
| THEATRE |
The Echo One Acts 2006
| when: |
Fri 5.19 - Sun 6.11 (Fri-Sat: 8pm / Sun: 3 & 7pm) |
| where: |
McCadden Place Theatre (1157 N McCadden Pl, Hollywood, 323.463.2942) map |
| price: |
$18 |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
Known for nurturing writers, the Echo Theatre Company is a jewel in LA theatre's crown. Forever commissioning original work by emerging talents, the group has already launched the careers of a whole host of gifted playwrights. And the company takes us even further ahead of the culture curve with the Echo One Acts 2006, a two-night event featuring world premieres of short plays by award-winning writers Mike Batistick, Julia Cho, Cusi Cram, Padraic Duffy, Ron Fitzgerald, John Lavachielli, and Gary Sunshine. (SND)
Note: The plays are presented in alternating programs, given in two separate performances. A $30 package, including admission to each, is available.
When it comes to the art of acting, what makes the greats: nature or nurture? The two most theatrical responses in 50 words or less each win a pair of tickets to a Sun 5.21 performance.
|
|
| DJ |
MINI presents Anthem Magazine's Shut Up and Dance feat. Alden Tyrell and Dexter
|
|
Anthem magazine is known for its top-tier design, sumptuous photography, and for juxtaposing politics and economics with cutting-edge music and fashion. But, tonight, it stops debating the zeitgeist and hits the dance floor to welcome the groove ambassadors of Clone Records in a super-rare US performance. Alden Tyrell brings the boundless energy of his Euro-style space jams to town, playing a live set alongside funkier labelmate Dexter. Clone owner Serge graces the crowd with an unpredictable set of his own, and C_Town represents the local boys in style, busting out the best from a deep crate of Devo-disco doom. (SND)
|
|
| ALSO ON FRI |
|
READING
Roy Kesey: Nothing in the World and Jim Ruland: Big Lonesome
Fri 5.19 (7:30pm) Skylight Books (1818 N Vermont Ave, 323.660.1175) map
Event Info |
|
In his debut novella Nothing in the World, Roy Kesey — known for his McSweeney's dispatches from China — follows a young Serbian soldier as he wanders alone through the horrors and the breathtaking beauty of his war-torn land. Kesey reads tonight alongside local author Jim Ruland. (GM)
|
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Indie Rock |
I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness w/ Rogers Sisters
|
|
These days, there is no shortage of Interpol clones, and while I Love
You but I've Chosen Darkness' brand of "intelligent indie with a new-wave
twist" certainly draws comparisons to Carlos D and the gang, they've been able to bring a distinct sound to the table. These Texans mix darkness and light, excess and minimalism to great effect, and, like fellow Austin up-and-comers the Black Angels, the band's sincerity endears them to listeners (unlike the alienating irony and affectation of many of their peers). Britt Daniel of Spoon produced the band's debut EP, which says more about their music than their tongue-in-cheek moniker. (JMS)
Tell us about the most difficult choice you've ever had to make. Our favorite three responses in 50 words or less each win a pair of tickets to this show.
|
|
| ALSO ON SAT |
|
WORKSHOP
Erotic "Freewriting" Workshop
Sat 5.20 (1-3:30pm) Writing Pad (Undisclosed Silver Lake location, call 323.644.0779 for info) $40
Event Info |
|
Freewriting is a compositional technique meant to slice off the residue of external pressures and get the writer to go deeper. This immersive evening at Writing Pad focuses on erotic prose and features a tasting menu of gourmet food to get you thinking. (SND)
Note: The event's location will be provided upon confirmation of your reservation.
|
|
|
BOOK SIGNING
LeRoy Grannis: Surf Photography from the 1960s and 1970s
Sat 5.20 (1-4pm) Taschen Store (354 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, 310.274.4300) map
Event Info |
|
It's impossible to describe '60s and '70s surf culture without referencing the innovative, action-packed photography of living legend LeRoy Grannis. Tonight he signs a limited edition of his latest book which features photos culled from his extensive personal archive. (SND)
|
|
|
FILM
Krazy Kat Cartoons
Sat 5.20 (3pm) American Film Institute, Steven Ross Screening Room (2021 N Western Ave, Hollywood, 818.842.8330) map $10
Event Info |
|
Throw down a sawbuck to check out these keen (and rare) animated Krazy Kat shorts from the '30s. The eternally cute 'toons offer a nice peek at one incarnation of the influential early 20th-century character. (LLT)
|
|
|
ART: Opening
David Hinnebusch and Tim Carmody
Sat 5.20 (6-9pm) Claudia Milan (1350 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Ste 101 & 102, Venice) map
Claudia Milan |
|
In an attempt to capture the essence of Venice, clothier Claudia Milan presents the work of two local artists: David Hinnebusch's pieces are as splashy as a kindergartener's finger paintings and Tim Carmody's black-and-white prints, while more reserved, are equally evocative. (RM)
Note: This exhibit remains on display through Mon 7.31 (Mon-Fri: 11am-7:30pm).
|
|
|
DJ
A-Trak
Sat 5.20 (9pm) El Rey (5515 Wilshire Blvd, 323.936.6400) map $17
Event Info |
|
Turntablism's boy wonder DJ A-Trak took the DMC World Championship
(scratching's highest honor) at the shocking, mid-pubescent age of 15. A
decade later, with skills sharper than ever, he's manning Kanye West's decks, and
releasing a career-spanning, (and grammar-defying — subject-verb
agreement, yo!) DVD, Sunglasses Is a Must. (JPC/JL)
How did A-Trak first meet Kanye West? The first three correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
|
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Benefit |
End of Hunger Benefit Concert
| when: |
Sun 5.21 (8pm-midnight) |
| where: |
CineSpace (6356 Hollywood Blvd, 2nd Fl, Hollywood, 323.817.FILM) map |
| price: |
$10 |
| links: |
Event Info | CineSpace |
|
|
Consider this: more than 15,000 people die from hunger every day. End of Hunger is a nonprofit organization working on a documentary to help that problem while exploring another. As the group sees it, their mission is also to end the hunger "within each and every one of us to make a positive difference in the world." Tonight, KCRW throws support to the cause with a benefit concert featuring folk-soul artists Quincy Coleman, Shane Alexander, and AM. It also offers a chance to declare for the camera that the end of hunger starts with you. (MT)
To which African country will End of Hunger return this summer to follow up on its 2003 Hunger Project? The third, fourth, and fifth correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this event.
|
|
| MUSIC: Neo No Wave |
Glass Candy w/ the Chromatics
|
|
This double bill calls out to all the hearts of glass. The Chromatics inhabit the same bracingly austere synth-pop ice palace that the Knife built so lovingly on their latest album. For the Chromatics latest 12-inch, Nite, the band neatly bridges the danceable and the melodramatic, adorning mutant disco with mournful vocals and arpeggios that practically drip mascara. Glass Candy are likewise fond of that arch new-wave electro-pop sound that's been revived to death lately, but like their Troubleman Unlimited labelmates, they avoid the trap of overly faithful homage. While they drop indifferently pouty Blondie-esque vocals, they lay them over ingrown yet catchy synth hooks. (TW)
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Spazz Pop |
Architecture in Helsinki
|
|
The capricious pop of Aussie-combo Architecture in Helsinki is true to its orchestral form. The group's xylophone, recorder, trumpet, flute, multiple guitars, various drums, and assorted synths are arranged into a jaunty symphony complete with lopsided melodies. With eight band members — many of which take turns at the mic — the band's songs veer from folk-rock to indie-electronica and childlike ditty. Just imagine if the Fiery Furnaces met up with Belle & Sebastian, borrowed the cultish glee of the Polyphonic Spree, and skipped happily off into the forest to have a campfire sing-along with the Arcade Fire. (IB/LLT)
|
|
| MUSIC: Pop/Rock |
Esthero
| when: |
Mon 5.22 (8pm) |
| where: |
The Roxy Theatre (9009 Sunset Blvd, W Hollywood, 310.278.9457) map |
| price: |
$20 |
| links: |
Event Info | Esthero |
|
|
Canadian singer Esthero's sound might simultaneously recall songbirds like Björk and Nelly Furtado, but her hard-to-pin style is hardly derivative. The singer funnels influences and spits them back out on a moment's notice, effortlessly transitioning from R&B-inspired hip-hop ballads to sultry jazz. And while she's quite the chameleon, the sweetness of her collabs is one thing that never changes. On her most recent album, the singer worked with Sean Lennon on a happy-go-lucky jazz number, Cee-lo on a sweet serenade, and Shakari Nyte on a horn-backed hip-hop anthem. (EJ)
What was Sean Lennon's first appearance on a record? The first five correct responses each win a pair of tickets to tonight's show.
|
|
| ALSO ON MON |
|
MULTIMEDIA
Sharon Lockhart: Pine Flat
Mon 5.22 (8pm) REDCAT (631 W 2nd St, 213.237.2800) map $8
Event Info |
|
Equal parts anthropological documentary, fine art project, and investigation into the construction of identity, Pine Flat is a thoughtful video portrait of the people and landscape in a small central California town. (SND)
|
|
|
|
 |
| FILM |
Alien Madness!
| when: |
Sat 5.20 - Sat 5.27 (schedule) |
| where: |
Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, 310.395.4990) map |
| price: |
$9 per screening |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
Few archetypes better symbolize modern psychological paranoia than that most literal of "others": the alien from outer space. This series of sci-fi classics includes necessary showings of H.R. Giger's terrifying psychosexual Alien and Aliens. But, it also traces the fears of those films back to the campier pleasures of '50s alien-flicks like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, and It! The Terror From Beyond Space. The series concludes with screenings of John Carpenter's The Thing and an in-person presentation by Tobe Hooper of his incredibly weird space-vampire debacle, Lifeforce. (DRC)
Which celebrity do you think is proof of aliens' existence and their earthly infiltration? The most convincing response in 50 words or less wins a pair of tickets to a series screening of the winner's choice.
|
|
| ALSO ONGOING/UPCOMING |
|
ART
Francesco Vezzoli: The Gore Vidal Trilogy
Now through Sat 5.20 (Tue-Sat: 10am-5:30pm) Gagosian Gallery (456 N Camden Dr, Beverly Hills, 310.271.9400) map
Event Info |
|
Francesco Vezzoli appropriates imagery from three films scripted by Gore Vidal in an artistic proclamation of power's corrupting effects. Combined, these works recount a David and Goliath-style allegory in the film industry, one in which the nasty giant wins. (CG)
Note: Read a full exhibition review in issue 31 of Artkrush.
|
|
|
MUSIC: Upcoming
Gomez
Tue 5.23 (8:30pm) Avalon Hollywood (1735 N Vine St, 323.462.8900) map $25
Event Info |
|
The exhilarating shows and multi-frontman attack defining this psychedelic blues crew make every Gomez gig a new and worthwhile adventure — providing, of course, that you fancy bumping and grinding to good old-fashioned UK rock. (DL/SND)
What's the origin of the band's name? The seventh and eighth correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
GET BENT: Lucent Dossier |
 |
|
LA-based performing arts group Lucent Dossier is the kind of vaudevillian circus that you hoped (or feared) might kidnap you as a child. Featuring a variety of sideshow acts — including fire dancers, sword swallowers, and a rubber-boned contortionist — the troop has a sensual bite of otherness that leaves major marks. The group kept the cooling crowd enthralled in the Lucent Misting Oasis tent at Coachella, and they stage
a similarly refreshing performance at Boardner's on Tuesday (5.23) to benefit Hollywood Arts — a unique drop-in center for at-risk youth. Bend over backwards if that's what it takes to get there; they'll particularly appreciate your acrobatic effort. (RS)
|
|
| |
|
| |
CD REVIEW: Envelopes, Demon |
|
|
Brille
Released April 2006
$9.99 (Insound)
|
The caffeinated indie-pop whoosh of Swedish quintet Envelopes' debut
Demon is the hook bloggers hang their spectacles on at the end
of the
day. It's the hallmark of the instantly familiar, stick-in-your teeth centerpiece track
of
the finest mix CDs. It's the European counterpart to all your
smartypants
faux-naif heroes (Richman, Byrne, Calvin Johnson, et al). But most
importantly,
it's the fundament of the disc, an intelligent, satisfying,
straight-through listening experience that's still only a collection of
the
young band's demos. Envelopes marry heavily accented male/female vocals
(listen to Audrey Pic mangle the titular line of "It Is the Law" and
commence grinning moronically) with hyper-jangling guitars, sci-fi
synths, and
an ear for pop deconstruction that's at once careful and effortless.
Albums
like Demon demand the hopeful glint of summer on the horizon, so
Envelopes arrived on our shores just in time. (TG)
|
|
| |
|
| |
STREAMS: Akufen and Luci Live at the Guggenheim |
|
|
The Guggenheim's Flavorpill-curated First Fridays series concluded its spring season with the north-of-the-border exploits of our friends at MUTEK — the Canadian confab of electronic music's most innovative artists.
Since authoring microhouse's grandest statement in 2002 with My Way, Montreal's Akufen has additionally proven himself a maestro behind the decks, infusing sets with the same playful irreverence on display in his recordings. At the Guggenheim, he was a man on a mission, steering attendees through a labyrinth of restrained minimal techno and cut-up digi-funk, capping the evening with widescreen cosmic disco. Fellow travelers Luci got things popping early with like-minded selections that were heavy on rubbery riddims. Tune into the night that was, exclusively on AOL Music. (JL)
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
| |
| |
| Header Design: |
| Lolita | Matthew Curry |
| |
| Editors: |
| Ethan Frome | Daniel R. Chamberlin | | On the Road | Shana Nys Dambrot | | To Kill a Mockingbird | Josh C. Forbes | | A Wrinkle in Time | Jocelyn K. Glei | | London Fields | Doug Levy | | Equus | Sascha Lewis | | Ordinary People | Jessica Mahler | | 1984 | Mark Mangan | | Moby Dick | Colin J. Nagy | | I am the Cheese | Andrew Phillips | | Animal Farm | Lauren Ragland | | A Catcher in the Rye | Jonathan Schultz |
| |
| ABOUT US |
| Flavorpill LA is a free weekly email magazine covering cultural happenings across art, music, film, theatre, dance, literature, and DJ events. All content is produced by a local team of writers in LA. We don't include sold out events, and all listings are pure editorial — no money is accepted from venues, artists, or promoters. Read more about us. |
| |
| FEEDBACK |
| Please let us know what's on your mind, any and all feedback — comments, questions, ideas, or rants. |
| |
| EVENT & DESIGN SUBMISSIONS |
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. |
| |
| |
|
|
| | |
| Contributors: |
| The Great Gatsby | Irene Bradish | | The Plague | Joe P. Colly | | The Time Machine | Cole Godvin | | Tristram Shandy | Todd Goldstein | | The Stranger | Elisa Jacobs | | Mother Courage | Jake Lancaster | | Portnoy's Complaint | Gerry Mak | | Canterbury Tales | Ruth Marcus | | Miss Lonelyhearts | Allen S. Moon | | Agamemnon | Sam N. Shah | | Macbeth | Jennifer M. Stais | | Heart of Darkness | Rylan Strader | | Beowulf | Matt Sussman | | Catch-22 | Maya Thomas | | Dracula | Laura L. Tiffany | | A Clockwork Orange | Toby Warner |
| |
Production: |
| The Giver | Casey Acierno | | Don Quixote | Anjuli Ayer | | Waiting for Godot | Chelsea Bauch | | The Idiot | Jessica Bauer-Greene | | Intro to Algerbra | Nate Bock | | A Moveable Feast | Morgan Croney | | Night | Josh Deeden | | Tropic of Cancer | Amanda Ford | | Red Badge of Courage | Daniel Gendelman | | To the Lighthouse | David Goodine | | The Yellow Wallpaper | Sander-Martijn Milks | | Sounder | David Morrow | | The Odyssey | Leah Taylor |
| |
| MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS |
| Every week, Flavorpill LA presents one exclusive media partner. Click for more information about advertising opportunities on all Flavorpill publications. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
MORE FILTERED CULTURE |
Hi-fidelity updates
A twice-monthly email magazine high- lighting the latest in electronic music — including news, reviews, and original features
 |
Books worth reading
A monthly review focusing on smart, readable works of fiction and nonfiction, from current titles to past gems
 |
Global fashion trends
A twice-monthly, insider view on fashion trends breaking in Paris, London, New York, and around the world
 |
International art
A twice-monthly email magazine covering art, design, and architecture with profiles, news, and reviews of inter- national shows
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
© 2006 Flavorpill Productions LLC. All rights reserved.
This is a copy of a flavorpill LA mailer. Use the link above to subscribe or click to automatically UNSUBSCRIBE. Flavorpill Productions complies with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. For more information, please read our PRIVACY POLICY. If you have any questions about subscription to this list, contact us at la_subscriptions@flavorpill.net (HQ: 594 Broadway, Ste 1212, NY, NY 10012).
|
|
|