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OCT 14 - OCT 20
Buildings aren't just for office space anymore. Case in point: LA's
fascination with architecture has reached critical mass with Frank
Gehry's mega-hyped Disney Hall. It's not just that it's big; he's actually taken the idea of a concert hall and remixed it with verve to create a
vision of imaginative bliss that enlivens the environment. Of course,
this newcomer isn't the only architectural project worth considering; there
are many local structures whose blueprints aren't just schematic, but
innovative, exciting, and — dare say it — daring. You just need to look
up, down, and around — right now, there's a whole lotta flavor spreading
across the skyline... |
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Tribe.net is a free service that keeps you connected with your friends
and their friends. Use Tribe.net to get club recommendations, organize
a meetup before a show, or to compare notes about the DJ you saw last
night. Find your friends on Tribe — and then organize your next night
out. It's easy, free, and a hell of a lot of fun. Join today. |
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This week's flavor:
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| | In his debut novel, How Soon Is Never, music journalist Mark Spitz resurrects an '80s that was about more than just off-the-shoulder shirts and acid-washed jeans. This semi-autobiographical work chronicles a geeky Jewish boy's life-affirming discovery of the Smiths and his subsequent ascent from Long Island outcast to NYC rock 'n roll reporter. In the spirit of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, Spitz crafts a coming-of-age tale that is part modern love story, part rock-star homage. Allow yourself to be taken back to an era of bad hair and new wave, as the author reads from and signs his book. Surely Morrissey would want it that way. (ML)
  
 Spitz is a senior writer at what music magazine? First two correct answers each win a copy of his new book.
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MUSIC: Jazz
McCoy Tyner and Bobby Hutcherson
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| when: | Tue 10.14 (8 & 9:30pm) |
| where: | Jazz Bakery (3233 Helms Ave, Culver City, 310.271.9039) |
| price: | $35 |
| links: |
Event Info | McCoy Tyner |
| | Pianist McCoy Tyner is perhaps best known for his exceptional and
enduring work as a member of John Coltrane's most lauded quartet —
forging, along with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, some of the '60s
most legendary jazz. Now, almost four decades after his tenure with
Trane, he's recognized as an originator in his own right, as a
Grammy-winning leader of big and small bands alike, and as an elder
statesman of jazz. Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson joins Tyner for these
shows — cross your fingers that they'll play some of the material from
1993's duet album Manhattan Moods, demonstrating the sublime
interplay between two consummate post-boppers. (PDS)
Note: The two appear nightly through Sun 10.19.
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| | Emotionally lost female leads form the center of these two European art-house films, both as yet unreleased on DVD. Lyrically directed by Lynne Ramsay, Morvern Callar features Samantha Morton as the title character, a supermarket clerk whose boyfriend kills himself on Christmas Eve. He leaves her a mix tape (which provides the film's excellent IDM-flavored score), his bank account, and a novel that she sells as her own. Lilya 4-Ever, the story of a 16-year-old Russian prostitute who longs to flee her harsh reality, is directed by Lukas Moodysson (also director of Together) with an intensity that rivals Lars Von Trier's. (EG)
Note: Morvern Callar plays at 9:35pm. Both films also run at the same times Thur 10.16.
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| | The recent ubiquity of boy-girl duos has underground rock fans seeing double. With the White Stripes leading the charge, the indie set is smitten with duos that flaunt deliciously ambiguous personal relationships (the Kills, the Raveonettes) and know that a bass player is so, like, five minutes ago. No one might embody the downsizing revolution better than Quasi, the formerly married duo of keyboardist Sam Coomes and drummer Janet Weiss (her name might ring a bell from her other little band, Sleater-Kinney). Since 1998 Quasi has upped the ante on the twosome trend with their high-quality pop hooks and vibrant live performances. (NC)
Where did Quasi's members come together to form the band? The first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| | Damon Baxter, the Brit sound tinkerer behind Deadly Avenger, creates a perfect formula that never gets formulaic: one part funky, two parts downtempo, all parts hypnotic. Baxter's original creations reflect his love of movie scores — suitably dimensional, yet with added groove. As the head of the witty London-based Tummy Touch imprint, Tim "Love" Lee, perhaps even more eccentric than Baxter, has brought us the likes of Groove Armada and a discography that ranges from house to chill to Latin, sometimes in the same song. As a DJ and producer, he makes and spins tracks at once gloriously sleazy, sexy, and often hilarious. Expect to crack up on the dancefloor. (MD)
What is lovely and deadly at the same time? Our three favorite answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| | Two electro artists called Seksu Roba — he rocks on the theremin over Ninja Tune style beats while she does a Barbarella pop thing — recently opened for Cinematic Orchestra and left the audience absolutely mesmerized. Korean producer Sukho Lee is a master thereminist, looking completely expressionless and very serious, as if he doesn't want to move his face on stage because it could affect the theremin or something. Meanwhile, Japanese artist, fashion designer, and singer Lun*na Menoh holds us spellbound with her sparkly nunchuck dance and an array of props, wigs, and sexy little homemade spacesuits. Together they craft a fresh, danceable sound, which is captured on their new release Pleasure Vibrations. Opener Mount Sims sets the mood with his sexy dancers and catchy electro beats. (SN)
What is the name of the dancing robot frequently featured on stage with Seksu Roba? The first two correct answers win a copy of a Seksu Roba CD.
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DJ
The Verve Remixed 2 Tour
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| when: | Thur 10.16 (10pm) |
| where: | Ivar (6356 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, 323.465.4827) |
| price: | $15 advance / $20 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Remixing the classics is old hat, but when it comes to the historic jazz label Verve, there is automatic street cred. Having recently released the second installment in its Verve Remixed series, the label is celebrating with a tour featuring NYC's DJ Spinna and the UK's Mr. Scruff. Neither DJ is a stranger to the old school remixes, but this time around they rewind back a few more decades with sets dedicated to Verve classics. Judging from the tracks each contributed to the album — Scruff remixed Ramsey Lewis' "Do What You Wanna," while Spinna reworked Betty Carter's "Naima's Love Song" — tonight's a must-see for hep cats. (MG)
What musically well-endowed city is Mr. Scruff from? The first three correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this event as well as a Mr. Scruff poster. The fourth correct answer wins a Mr. Scruff DVD.
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| | Critical Mass — the hordes of cyclists you may have seen traveling en masse down the busy roads of Long Beach during a Friday evening commute — rides again to call attention to bicycling as a reliable, economical, and environmentally friendly way to get around. Proponents claim the gathering encourages cars to slow down and share the road; opponents say the swarm holds up traffic. To avoid the authorities' wrath, come equipped with a white light on the front of your bike and a red reflector/light on the back, and register your ride (it's the law). In honor of Halloween, riders are encouraged to dress up and to decorate their two-wheelers. (NL)
Note: Licensing costs a dollar for one year, and is available at the downtown Bikestation.
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| | The mothership of trangressive fine art, La Luz de Jesus Gallery lets its freak flag fly as it presents a show of photographs and a new short film directed by Lisa Boyle, queen of high-concept, low-brow erotica. The evening also features the film's star, John Gilmore, the controversial author of such novels as Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murders; Manson: The Unholy Trail of Charlie and the Family; and Laid Bare: A Memoir of Wrecked Lives and the Hollywood Death Trip. Tonight he reads from his forthcoming book LA Despair. (SND)
Note: The film and photo exhibit are on view until Sun 11.2.
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| | Arguably the most influential noise sculptor to emerge from the indie underground since Sonic Youth, David Pajo's reputation evolved out of stints as a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist for such bands as Tortoise and Slint. On albums like Slint's Spiderland, a masterpiece of unconventional ambition, Pajo's sonic musings recalled ghostly shimmers from another world. After quitting Tortoise in 1998, this Kentucky-based individualist devoted himself to solo projects such as 1999's ambient classic Live From the Shark Cage. Then, after an incongruous spin with Billy Corgan's post-Pumpkins Zwan, Pajo now collaborates with Zwan bassist Paz Lenchantin. The missing link between John Fahey, Brian Eno, and Ennio Morricone, Pajo perfectly traverses the chasm between subtle and epic. (MD)
What do you think the "M" in Papa M stands for? The two best answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| | Updating the old maxim about the sound of one hand clapping, the Schematic label has built its catalog by fusing an array of similarly quixotic tropes, squishing the sounds of remotes zapping, torn tweeters flapping, and hard drives crapping out into a blinding spray of improbable audio set to the rhythms of splattercore industrial techno. Up-and-comers Nick Forte and Otto von Shirach open for headliners Phoenecia and Rich Devine, rounding out a night of heavenly noise, blinding distortion, and the kind of live antics that put the "perv" in "performance." (PS)
How would you describe splattercore? Our favorite answer wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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MULTIMEDIA
The BIG Art Cocktail Party
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| when: | Sat 10.18 (7pm-midnight) |
| where: | 18th St Arts Center (1639 18th St, Santa Monica, 310.453.3711) |
| price: |  FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Everyone's favorite non-profit art studio and performance complex hosts this large-scale open studio festival, serving up a tremendous show of visual and performing art in a relatively intimate setting. Among the evening's highlights are a jazz concert by Bobby Matos, exhibition openings for Flip the Script: Drawings by LA Graffiti Artists, and LoBridge, a new installation by John Outterbridge and Castillo. Participating artists include Lita Albuquerque, Suzan Woodruff, Clayton Campbell, Alex Donis, and Marcus Kuiland-Nazario. (SND)
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| | French collective the Gotan Project blend traditional Argentinian tango melodies with downtempo, dub, and breakbeats, resulting in a fresh new sound that's earned them international recognition — their recent full-length La Revancha del Tango has sold over half a million copies worldwide. Live, the group's acoustic instrumentation, combined with their electronic prowess and seductive visual projections, is stunning. Local favorites Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra serve up a plate of funk with full string, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections; two DJs; and a dozen MCs. (SN)
In your all-star hip hop orchestra, who would play the triangle? Our favorite answer wins a pair of tickets and a pair of Dakah CDs. First runner-up wins a pair of CDs; second runner-up wins a single CD.
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| | Founded in 2001 in honor of the jazz legend's 75th birthday, the John Coltrane Foundation celebrates Coltrane's creative legacy by encouraging and offering financial support each year to the finest young students of jazz. KPFK hosts a benefit tonight at the El Rey Theater with an inspired lineup, including a rare public performance by John's widow, legendary jazz harpist and pianist Alice Coltrane. Sons Ravi Coltrane and Oran Coltrane are joined by jazz greats Larry Coryell, Ralph Penland, Tony Dumas, and Gerald Clayton, as they demonstrate how well they carry on their father's saxophone legacy. Rounding out the bill are the 2003 Coltrane scholarship winners. (SN)
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FESTIVAL
TarFest
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| when: | Sat 10.18 - Sun 10.19 |
| where: | Various locations |
| price: | Various prices |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Before there was LACMA, before there was the Miracle Mile, Wilshire Blvd
between Fairfax and La Brea was the site of its own tiny natural wonder: the
La Brea Tar Pits. This weekend the pterodactyls come home to roost, as the
TarFest celebrates art, music, film, and food. Today's free
self-guided tour (complete with double-decker bus shuttle) showcases area
restaurants and galleries, capped off with an exhibition of local artists
Melanie Pullen, Jay Brockman, and Antara Scale at the Subud Center. TarFest's
film and music program follows on Sunday from 4-11pm on the roof of LACMA
West, offering a slate of short films from around the country and a music
program with Derek McKeith, Rachael Kahn, Los Abandoned, and KCRW DJ fave
Liza Richardson. (SND)
Note: The event begins on Fri 10.17 with a reception and afterparty.
If you were having a tar party, what would you give the guests as party favors? Our two favorite answers each win a copy of Derek McKeith's album Something Strange.
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| | In Heidi Julavits' latest book, The Effect of Living Backwards, two competitive sisters face a seemingly blind member of the International Institute for Terrorist Studies who hijacks their flight. Penning a novel bursting with technicolorful characters — a pill-popping pregnant heiress, a dog named Verne — was a natural next step for Julavits, the editor of The Believer, a no-rules McSweeney's-backed magazine. Jerry Stahl, another literary rebel, reads from his most recent work I, Fatty, which chronicles the fictitious life of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. This latest work upholds his literary reputation for sex (Perv: A Love Story), drugs (Permanent Midnight), and unadulterated storytelling. (ML)
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| | When it comes to deep house, Osunlade's music is, well, deeper than
most, both musically and spiritually. A
fully-ordained priest of the African "Ifa" religion, this native New Yorker creates an organic, Afrocentric vibe that pulls from the
diaspora of sounds of African origin — from grooves
that incorporate Bahian drums and jazz elements to the
name of his label, Yoruba. This is spellbinding dance music
that jazz lovers could really get down to: despite its roots in
electronic DJ culture, his music has a live, spontaneous, artfully
syncopated feel all too rare in clubland sounds. (MD)
Osunlade was previously on what children's TV show? First five correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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DJ
Fascination
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| when: | Sun 10.19 (9:30pm) |
| where: | Nacional (1645 N Wilcox Ave, 213.840.7625) |
| price: | FREE before 10:30pm / $5 with RSVP / $10 |
| | In the midst of an ongoing recession and questionable politics, the dance music scene has become somewhat of an anomaly. Amidst this wealth of turmoil, however, our need for music and our love of dance do not
stop: they only grow stronger. Join LA tastemakers Paul T. of HeadRoom and Jun of SoundLessons tonight as they take it back to the roots, dropping an eclectic mix of disco, soul, and feel-good funk designed to help get you back on track. Brought to you by the pioneering house collective Futurehouse, this forward-thinking Sunday night party might just set new standards for the LA club scene — so don't sleep on the chance to say you were there. (AM)
What is fascinating for its wealth of turmoil? Our five favorite answers each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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FILM: Double Feature
Office Space (1999) and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
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| when: | Mon 10.20 (7:30pm) |
| where: | New Beverly Cinema (7165 W Beverly Blvd, 323.938.4038) |
| price: | $6 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Arguably the two most hysterical films of 1999, Office Space and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut emerged from the sick comic geniuses Mike Judge and Trey Parker, respectively. Based on the directors' animated shorts, the movies were underappreciated at the time of their release but have since been touted as cult movie classics with memorable soundtracks. In Office Space, Peter Gibbons (played by Ron Livingston) rebels against the politics and doldrums of the cube farm. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut remains @!&%ing funny thanks to a lot of vulgarity and twisted social commentary. Whether you've thought about waging war on your cubicle or Canada, you'll leave saying "ummm, yeah" and "MMMKay." (NL)
Note: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut plays at 9:15pm. The program also runs Sun 10.19 at 4:05pm and 7:30pm.
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| | Headliner Prefuse 73 sets the gold standard for abstract turntablism. This Atlanta native just may beat DJ Shadow at his own game when it comes to funky atmospherics on the ones and twos. The rest of the bill is equally iconoclastic: Beans (formerly of New York maverick rap combo Anti-Pop Consortium) blows your mind on the mic with conscious hip hop poetry. UK-based Four Tet, aka Kieran Hebden, magically translates electronica into a folky grassroots experience with an indispensable energy. (AB)
What is Prefuse 73's real name? First two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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| | According to the wall text accompanying this exhibit, "Miyelo" translates as "It is I" — the pivotal refrain of a ancient Lakota Indian ritual chant. The "ghost dance" the tribal elders act out while chanting these words was performed at the end of 1890 near Wounded Knee, South Dakota, presumably in response to the infamous massacre that had recently taken place there. Shooting a re-enactment of this "ghost dance," Mortensen, poet and enigmatic star of films such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, creates a series of photographs that are confident, evocative, and conceptually complex. (SND)
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THEATRE
International Theatre Festival
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| when: | Wed 10.15 - Fri 12.19 |
| where: | Various locations |
| price: | Various |
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Event Info |
| | Surprisingly, LA has an outlet for envelope-pushing theater that rivals that of other urban centers — the annual International Theatre Festival. Now in its second year, this UCLA Live event programs globetrotting talent that might otherwise never stand on a Southern California stage. Mid-October features two standout UK productions: The Hanging Man, the latest from England's Improbable Theatre, notorious for their breakthrough Shockheaded Peter and for a surrealism of an almost athletic nature; and The Quiet Bastard, a film from Dublin's Oscar McLennan which is anything but quiet. This monologuist combines his striking voice with a multimedia arsenal for a distinctively wired blend of pathos and humor. (MD)
If you could import theater from one country, which would you choose? Our favorite two answers each win a pair of tickets to one of two different plays in the festival.
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FILM
La Nouvelle Vague
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| when: | Now through Sun 12.21 (11am) |
| where: | Various locations |
| price: | $8.50-9 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Cinema wouldn't exist as we know it without France's New Wave (or Nouvelle Vague) movement. Begun during the late '50s, films like Francois Truffaut's Jules et Jim smashed social taboos, while Jean-Luc Godard invented one of film language's most revolutionary elements, the jump cut, in his groundbreaking 1960 debut Breathless. This incredibly complete retrospective features most classics of the period, most impressively highlighting lesser-known but equally great works such as Claude Chabrol's spooky melodrama Les Bonnes Femmes and Cleo 5 to 7, by one of the New Wave's all-too-rare female icons, Agnes Varda. The essence of innovative rebellion, these films prove the Nouvelle Vague spirit to be as alive and forward as ever. (MD)
Who starred as Elle in Godard's 1990 film Nouvelle Vague? First ten correct answers win a pair of tickets to a film at the Fairfax Theater.
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ART
The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art
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| when: | Now through Sun 1.4.04 |
| where: | Los Angeles County Museum of Art (5905 Wilshire Blvd, 323.857.6000) |
| price: | $9 |
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Event Info |
| | Roll up your yoga mat and put down your chai tea — the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has paved a new road to enlightenment. LACMA's ambitious exhibit features Tibetan, Nepalese, Mongolian, Indian, and Chinese paintings; sculptures; textiles; and "ritual implements" representing the teachings of the Chakrasmvara Tantra. You can chant "Om" all you want, but spending the day with the Chakrasmvara — a process of purification for those seeking illumination — may grant you instant access to your higher self. (ML)
If blissfulness is circular, what emotion is triangular, and why? Our favorite two answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| CD REVIEW: Dub Pistols, Six Million Ways to Live |
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Distinctive
Released October 2003
$17.98 (Amazon)
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For his oft-delayed third album, England's Barry Ashworth (aka the Dub Pistols) fires up a big spliff, takes a slint-eyed glimpse at the world around him, and delivers his most nuanced and interesting record yet. Six Million Ways lives up to the group's name: the rave-ups of Ashworth's first two albums are replaced by a combination of moody Jamaican-style dubs, ska-stylee pop, and warm rumbling hip hop. Horace Andy's guest vocal on "World Gone Crazy" betters his recent work with Massive Attack; Terry Hall's "Problem Is" (the album's first single) is |
both dark and eminently catchy; and guest rapper Planet Asia's cuts are deep and authoritative. (DJP)
Ashworth was a resident DJ at what Sunday night party in west London this past summer? First correct answer wins a copy of this CD.
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| OUTREACH: CoachArt |
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CoachArt borrows Pablo Picasso's dictum "Every child is an artist" for its modus operandi. This nonprofit charity organization
builds bridges between the arts community and chronically and terminally ill children, who are taught drawing,
painting, and graphic design by volunteer specialist
coaches. According to their statistics, 75% of CoachArt students are
from low-to-moderate income families, spanning a range that
reflects California's diverse ethnic makeup. CoachArt is dependent on others,
so if you have an artistic talent to share or just want to lend financial support — via donation or at their Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser on Thur 10.16 in Santa Monica — then sign up. Either way, it's a good fight, and
an artful one. (MD)
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| STREAMS: dublab |
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Recycling is indeed the wave of the future. Are you tired of the scraps of
trash that decorate your desk? Turn them into paper cranes or mini
bi-planes. How about that unreliable old clunker of a car you're cruising
in? It's a bummer going to the mechanic every few months to shell out loads
of hard-earned cash. Why don't you turn your jalopy into a playground for
iron-deficient children. You see, just about everything around us can be
turned into something fun. You just have to think creatively. dublab is
blazing the trail. Join the Labrats as they recycle dusty grooves into
exciting musical journeys. (Frosty)
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| CREDITS |
| Header Design: |
| Dunsmuir Flats | Michael Stanley | | |
| Staff: |
| Welton Becket | Matt Diehl | | House of Pies | Sascha Lewis | | Bradbury Building | Mark Mangan | | Ennis House | 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: |
| Egyptian Theater | Jen Bachman | | W. E. Oliver House | Shana Nys Dambrot | | George H. Wyman | Jay Belin | | Pierre Koenig | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Storer Residence | Christopher Hampton | | Philip Johnson | Emily A. Welsch | | Irving Gill | Paul Laster | | Arata Isozaki | Lisa Rosman | | Garden Grove Church | David Morrow | | Bailey House | Elizabeth L. McDonald | | MOCA | Sander-Martijn Milks | | John Burgee | Anjuli Ayer | | Stahl House | Philip Sherburne | | Griffith Observatory | Carly F. Miller | | Angels Flight | Peter D. Stepek | | Argyle Hotel | Angi Brzycki |
| Jose Moneo | Nicole Levine | | Biltmore Hotel | David J. Prince | | Chemosphere House | Steve Nalepa | | Library Tower | Nate Cavalieri | | Watts Towers | Marisa Lowenstein | | LAX | Frosty | | Empty Warehouse | Amanda M. | | Mayan Theater | Menaka Gopinath | | Ezra Keysor | Eric Green | | Capitol Tower | Jonathan Heit |
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WRITERS & DESIGNERS WANTED
We are always looking for new writers to contribute to flavorpill. If you tuned into what's happening in LA and are interested in writing about it, please email us at writer.
If you would like to do a header design for flavorpill, please send any questions or submissions to design. |
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