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AUGUST 12 - AUGUST 18
Fortunately, probably none of the listings this week will grow on you like they do the fellow up above, but all have the power to prompt small alterations in your outlook. A new take on Kafka gives Gregor a graphic form, while a group of LA's finest emerging artists try to chart our movement towards plasticity. Z-Trip spins wax into gold with a little bit of turntable alchemy, and Sofia Coppola gets Lost in Translation. Check out our transmogrified offerings, and spread it... |
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| | Gothic more in the vein of Tennessee Williams than Bauhaus, Tindersticks belong in a glamouros gutter alongside PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave, and Leonard Cohen. Like those iconoclastic troubadours, this UK collective explore life's darker side and aren't afraid to smolder and brood -- that vibe's heightened by singer Stuart Staples' slo-mo warble, which suggests Tom Waits on Xanax. Live, Tindersticks' six members expand the band's cinematic chamber-rock to an epic grandeur that swells the room. It's their first US tour in seven years, and we hope they'll expand on the soul influences percolating throughout their new album, Waiting For The Moon. Scary, but scary good. (MD)
  
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| | Dubbed the best band you never heard of by The Fader magazine, the Vue simply rock. Hailing from San Francisco and with an album set for release in October on RCA, they're about to make their big leap from indie to major. Although their sound may recall the rock era of yesteryear, and they have played with the likes of the White Stripes, the Strokes, and, most recently, the Raveonettes, the Vue reject the "garage rock" moniker. Delivering an outstanding live show -- the songs are short, the music is tight, and lead singer Rex Shelverton erupts on stage, leaping from the drum kit to shake his sweat-soaked mane -- the Vue are a band to watch, in more ways than one. (MB)
 What was the name of the Vue's first EP? First two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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MUSIC
LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) Indie Show-Down
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| when: | Wed 8.13 (8pm) |
| where: | Knitting Factory (7021 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, 323.463.0204) |
| price: | $7 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | In an effort to promote emerging artists, the LAMC is hosting this indie showdown featuring artists from Mexico, SF, LA, and Chile. Los Abandoned, known for their high-energy version of Selena's "Como la Flor," is sure to rock you with their '70s punk rock, performed in both Spanish and English. Also on the bill are those forces of nature, OriXa, who meld funk, Afro-Latino, reggae, and rock. Not to mention the punk rock band Go Betty Go, ready to strut their stuff with authentic Latin flair. (AB)
Note: Check out the LAMC website for more information about related evens.
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| | If turntablism has "olde masters," it's these guys. Mixmaster Mike is the
Eddie Van Halen of the Technics: fastest on the fader with the funk, and so good the
Beastie Boys nabbed him. His previous crew, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, won so
many world scratching championships that they were forbidden from competing. Z-Trip
is no joke, either. He may have invented the mash-up with his Uneasy
Listening mixtapes, where he freaks "In the Air Tonight" with Del tha Funkee
Homosapien and hotwires Bruce Hornsby to Run-D.M.C. And unlike many
technique-heavy scratchmasters, you can actually get down to his turntable alchemy. (MD)
What Bruce Hornsby song did 2Pac sample? First two correct answers win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| | Richard Blair's Sidestepper project could be described as a mix between Thievery Corporation and Kinky -- a combination that may not exactly capture his sound, but fairly expresses the type of energy you can expect from a crowd bathed in the glow from his decks. Recently heavily touted by KCRW DJs, Blair has been embraced by the Los Angeles scene in multiple underground appearances around town, though his Santa Monica Pier show may be the first that's truly appropriate for his style. Kick off your sandals, grab a frosty cerveza, and open yourself to his obscure, electronically styled latin rhythms while those last rays of the sun set behind you. (ZB)
Note: Acida and Los Amigos Invisibles also perform. Sidestepper also performs at the Conga Room Fri 8.15 (9:30pm).
Tell us your favorite story about sidestepping responsibility. Best two answers win a pair of tickets to Sidestepper's Sun 8.24 show at Temple Bar.
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| | The Terpsichore Group mobilizes the creative forces behind LA's burgeoning underground electronic music scene, showcasing some of the world's finest electronic music and new media artists. Recent events have featured Murcof, Sutekh, and Tipper, emerging heavyweights in the art of crafting sonic landscapes that blur genre boundaries between minimal, melodic glitch, and downtempo. The latest installment features Deru, whose deep space transmissions and tight glitch breaks elevated him a cut above the rest on Mille Plateaux's recent Clicks and Cuts series. Rounding out the bill are SF transplant DJ Anon and local underground favorite Cyrusrex, who recently shone in an opening slot for Snog. All the while, catch live visuals from Terpsichore resident Kheper, as well as an interactive video installation by D. Jean Hester. (SN)
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COMEDY
The Rotating Talk Show
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| when: | Thur 8.14 (11pm) |
| where: | The Improv (8162 Melrose Ave, 323.651.2583) |
| price: | $5 |
| | Paul F. Tompkins' alternative comedy pedigree is tough to surpass, having written and performed in supporting roles with Tenacious D, Bob and David, and Dr. Katz. With his long-running Rotating Talk Show he claims a rightful place as leading funny man. Orchestrating a comedy show-cum-parlor game, Tompkins and his rotating guests each take turns performing a set, getting tossed softball questions on the guest couch and commanding the host's seat. Tonight promises great standup mixed with a spontaneity noticeably absent from network TV's late-night offerings. (TC)
Note: Make sure to purchase advance tickets, this show boasts a loyal fan base.
What's your favorite thing to rotate? Our two favorite answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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MULTIMEDIA: Film and Music Festival
Don't Knock the Rock
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| when: | Fri 8.15 - Sun 8.17 |
| where: | Various locations |
| price: | $20 per concert, $11 per film |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | This festival proves that rock and cinema aren't mutually exclusive. The
films, old and new, are astonishing: Penelope Spheeris' brilliant
entries on metal and LA punk, Decline of Western Civilization; Mick Jagger's
sexed-up psychedelic relic Performance; and Two-Lane Blacktop, the best road
movie ever made, starring, oddly, James Taylor and Beach Boy Dennis Wilson. Most
anticipated, though, is the LA premiere of Can't Buy Me Lunch, Eric Idle's
sequel to the cherished 1978 cult hit The Rutles. The musical portion, with
performances by the likes of Sonic Youth, J. Mascis, and Alex Chilton, renders it
essential. One quibble: Where's "Heavy Metal Parking Lot"? (MD)
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| | The experimental, visionary, and Grammy award-winning Kronos Quartet have, for over 30 years, performed works from a wide range of composers: from Shostakovich to John Cage to Howlin' Wolf to today's most innovative composers from Zimbabwe, Poland, Argentina, and Azerbaijan. Tonight they perform works from their most recent recording, Nuevo, which spans Mexican musical traditions and influences of nearly 100 years. Tijuana-based Nortec Collective, leaders in Mexican electronica, join Kronos to celebrate the passionate sounds of our neighbors south of the border. Enjoy a warm summer night with infectious tunes sure to spark your imagination and keep your body moving. (ES)
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MULTIMEDIA
Julio Cesar Morales: Dilo! The Re-Mix Project
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| when: | Sat 8.16 (6-9pm) |
| where: | Peres Projects (969 Chung King Rd, 213.617.1100) |
| price: |  FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Though he is a multimedia artist, Morales's newest work is inspired by the groundbreaking vision of Cuban musician Damaso Perez Prado, who is best known for introducing the mambo to the Havana club scene circa 1940. Using video, sculpture, installation, photography, and just about everything else that appeals to him, Morales evokes and enshrines the storied legacy of Prado's milieu, creating a poignant yet flirtatious commentary on true artistic innovation. (SND)
Note: The exhibit boasts a sound booth where visitors can burn their own mixes of Perez Prado's albums. It continues until Sat 8.30 (hours).
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MULTIMEDIA
One Step Closer to Plastic
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| when: | Sat 8.16 (8pm-12am) |
| where: | Gallery 825 (825 N La Cienega Blvd, 310.652.8272) |
| price: | $20 donation |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | This one-night-only multimedia art event benefits the worthy Los Angeles Art Association, which is a good enough reason to attend. But its merits as a group show alone validate the cost of admission. Organized by alternative contemporary art gallery Zone 9 as part of its ongoing Underground Gets Above Ground series, it features such Los Angeles artists as Davis and Davis, Gabrielle de Montmollin, Justin Wood, Cynthia Minet, Kirsten Xavier, and filmmaker Lisa Yu. One chance to catch this emerging talent all under one roof. (SND)
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| | To start the night off, Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky that subliminal kid, spins heads as well as vinyl. Spooky is not only recognized as a DJ who has worked with Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, Kool Keith, and Yoko Ono, but also as an artist, who has exhibited in museums in NY and Germany. Some of his more recent projects include an upcoming novel, Flow My Blood the DJ Said, and the musical score for the award-winning film Slam, starring Saul Williams. Headlining tonight are those funky jazz legends, the Headhunters. Known for their collaborations with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and Anita Baker, this trio focuses on innovation. (AB)
What Herbie Hancock-mobile was recently on display at LA's Petersen Automobile Museum? First three correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this show and an Evolution Revolution CD. One runner-up wins a CD.
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ART: Opening
Fun and Games
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| when: | Sun 8.17 (4-7pm) |
| where: | Winslow Garage (3540 Winslow Dr, 213.841.9617) |
| price: | FREE |
| | Serious fun and games are planned for the grand opening of Winslow Garage, a brand-new art project space in Silverlake. Arts, crafts, games, and a petting zoo create a summer-camp-gone-bad atmosphere in which to appreciate Mark Housley's comic/tragic memento mori installations, the mutated toy children of Tamara Fites, Michael Arata's dangerous and anarchic dartboards, the abstract impasto bellybuttons of Cherie Benner Davis, Todd Feldman's foray into Biodome technology, and Julie Zemel's instructional art-making drawings. This afternoon lawn party surely promises an all-American good time, featuring work not only by six of LA's best emerging talents, but also by performance artist/model/art collector/tin can-eating Capricorn Clark the Goat. (SND)
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| | Touch of Evil may have been released to a nationwide cavalcade of boos from film critics, who decried it as crass, trashy, and self-indulgent, but it has since been widely touted as cinema's greatest example of B movie film noir. The film's lengthy opening tracking shot has been embraced by film scholars for its sheer innovative brilliance, its plot is complex, and its characters dark -- especially a mustachioed Mexican narc portrayed by Charlton Heston. In the second film, The Lady From Shanghai, Rita Hayworth stars as a whispering femme fatale, alongside Welles sporting a nearly unintelligible brogue. (NP)
Note: The same program continues Mon 8.18.
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| | Bring your weekend to a close at the Sunday night sanctuary of all
things soulful as Marques Wyatt and company welcome Kaskade to the decks
for his DEEP inauguration. Under the wing of SF's delectable Om
Records, Kaskade has emerged as one of 2003's most prolific newcomers,
boasting a sound overflowing with universal goodness. Anxious to record the follow-up to his wildly successful debut album, It's You, It's Me, Kaskade will soon go into hibernation, so if you like to sweat to the deep, soulful, and vocal, catch him while you still have the chance. (CFM)
Kaskade was chosen to record the first single for former Lazy Dog member Jay Hannan's new imprint. What's the name of the label? First five correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| | Among the many themes of Franz Kafka's brilliant novella The
Metamorphosis is a struggle with the modern social order represented
by Gregor Samsa's transformation into a monstrous vermin. And there's no
one better to illustrate this twisted story than Peter Kuper, graphic artist
extraordinaire. Often compared to graphic artists Chris Ware and Art
Spiegelman, Kuper's dark, satirical, and edgy images linger somewhere between German
expressionism and comic books, providing a perfect visual complement to Kafka's story of how humans can be alienated and hopeless. Tonight Kuper presents and signs his latest work, a retelling of The Metamorphosis. (KK)
Note: Peter Kuper also presents an illustrated talk on The Metamorphosis at the Skirball Cultural Center tomorrow at 7:30pm ($8).
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| | Director Sofia Coppola's spectral exploration of Jeffery Eugenides' novel The Virgin
Suicides proved a most haunting, original debut, and the advance buzz is that her sophomore effort's equally evocative. In it, a jaded movie star (Bill Murray) encounters another lost soul (Scarlett
Johansson), and an oddball existential romp through Tokyo's surreal environs ensues.
Other notable talent includes ace cinematographer Lance Acord (Buffalo 66) and My
Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields on soundtrack duty, though we're most excited
about Murray: so good in Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums that we can't wait to watch him
get his indie freak on again. (MD)
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| | Viewing Andy Howell's artwork is like turning on a bright light in a pitch black space.
There is something so loud and shocking that you can't seem to avoid it. Formerly a professional skateboarder, designer, and illustrator, Andy Howell is an expert on many things, particularly on how to intrigue an audience. Among his graffiti, bold color, grotesque cartoon-like images, and sprayed and streaming paint pulses an energy that pushes back boundaries and challenges the viewer. Now on view are the artist's stirring paintings that he created after his father's death. Flip on the light. (KK)
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| | Whether it was in the venues of fashion, culture, or art, Alexander Liberman was there, with a camera in hand -- lucky that was for us. In addition to his 50-year stint as an art
director for Vogue, the late Liberman also served as a photographer, sculptor, painter and graphic designer. Now the Getty offers us a rare glimpse of one of Liberman's most interesting bodies of work, his portraits of other great artists. The exhibition displays black-and-white as well as color portraiture of artists including Chagall, Leger, Rothko, and Picasso. With a sharp eye and a distinctive perspective, one of the 20th century's great masters captures some of his peers. (KK)
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| | Harvey Pekar is a nihilistic, obsessive-compulsive, twice-divorced college dropout and retired Ohio hospital clerk. Fortunately, he's also the author of American Splendor, an autobiographical graphic novel series that's gained him Letterman appearances, a wife and adopted child, a theatrical production of his series, and, ultimately, this movie, in which he's depicted at different points by himself, by his film alter ego (Paul Giamatti), by his stage alter ego (Donal Logue), and by several animations. Despite this scenario's potential for an irritatingly meta outcome, the resulting film works. Underneath all this schtick, witty and ingenious in its own right, pulses a restrained, pensive take on how the human condition -- its rampant loneliness, the terrible disconnect of modern life -- can be ameliorated by its narration. (LR)
Note: Also playing at the Laemmle Monica Theatre.
In what two films has Harvey Pekar appeared besides American Splendor? First five correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the film.
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| CD REVIEW: Lifesavas, Spirit in Stone |
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Quannum
Released July 2003
$12.34 (Insound)
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While much of today's hip hop exploits the genre's legacy, artists like Portland, Oregon's Lifesavas choose to defend the roots of their culture by paying tribute to the origins, tradition, and intelligence of the music. Spirit in Stone arrives courtesy of Quannum Projects and features guest appearances by labelmates Latyrx, Blackalicious, and the boss man himself, DJ Shadow. Lifesavas successfully capture hip hop's spiritual essence by dropping thought-provoking rhymes on top of wickedly witty samples and tight Left Coast production. (SL)
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This review is courtesy of Earplug, a new bi-monthly music newsletter produced by flavorpill.
Name three other members of Bay Area hip hop collective Quannum Projects not mentioned in this review. Third correct answer wins a copy of this CD. Be the first to mention a specific old school
member and win a Quannum t-shirt.
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| LITERARY NETWORK: BookCrossing |
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When was the last time you heard of a book club that had more than 145,000 readers and 490,000 books in its reading list? Welcome to BookCrossing, the largest book club in the world. This bibliophile network unites readers in a game that's half library, half Easter Egg hunt. Upon finishing a favorite tome, members tag and number the book, then "release" it into the wild, noting the "Crossing Zone" -- the café or curb where they left it -- on the website. If a casual passerby stumbles upon the book and makes it her own, she can return to the site to log its retrieval. Motivated readers can seek out nearby Crossing Zones and swoop in, page-turning talons at the ready. There are hundreds of drop spots in LA, so focus those eagle eyes next time you're out. And, if there's a book you really love, set it free.
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| STREAMS: dublab |
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Jazzercise and chugging Crystal Light are not the only ways to keep your figure trim. The most effective exercise comes by way of an ear work out. That's right, shed those extra pounds by listening to super tunes. dublab has engineered its transmissions to give you the ultimate sweat experience. Rubbery basslines, shimmering cymbals, crystallized crooning, and hopskotch rhythms combine for precision toning. Just connect and dublab will do the rest. Remember to stretch first.
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| CREDITS |
| Header Design: |
| Dr. Jekyll | Jan Nostheden | | |
| Staff: |
| Dirk Diggler | Sascha Lewis | | Gregor Samsa | Mark Mangan | | Eddie Haskell | Jen Bachman | | Raoul Duke | Nick Parish | | |
ABOUT US
flavorpill LA is a free weekly mailer covering music, arts, and cultural events in Los Angeles. All listings are pure editorial, researched and written based on what we think has flavor. No money is accepted from venues, artists, or promoters. As always, feel free to send in any and all feedback -- comments, questions, ideas, or rants. Spread the flavor...
EVENT SUBMISSIONS
Please send all interesting event information (press releases, links, etc.) to events |
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| Contributors: |
| Dirt McGirt | Jay Belin | | Gizmo | Shana Nys Dambrot | | Bruce Banner | Mindy Bond | | Gemini's Twin | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Optimus Prime | Christopher Hampton | | Bobby Steels | Peter Stepek | | Wonder Woman | Lisa Jenkins | | Bruce Wayne | Matt Diehl | | Eric Lensherr | Jonathan Heit | | Black Elvis | Kristin Kiefer | | Clark Kent | Emily Welsch | | Don Quixote | Paul Laster | | Big Baby Jesus | Lisa Rosman | | Tony Starks | Angi Brzycki | | Dr. Nick Ford | Lindsay Baker | | The Undertaker | David Morrow |
| Human Being | Eve Smilack | | Rebel INS | Zach Beebee | | Jem | Elizabeth L. McDonald | | Dr. Dooom | Andrea Neustein | | Osirus | Sander-Martijn Milks | | Frank Castle | Kat Stergiopoulos | | Joe Bananas | Steve Nalepa | | Unique Ason | Mindy Bond | | Joe Cool | Carly F. Miller | | Peter Parker | Todd Cohen |
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We are always looking for new writers and designers to contribute some flavor. If you follow what's happening in LA and know how to put it into words, email us here. If you have a design that would look good atop this mailer, please email us with any submissions or questions.
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