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OCT 19 - OCT 25
We're turning up the volume in LA this week, as it's time to listen to some good words being spoken aloud and to get a few things off the chest before we all explode. Cross the city for the straight dope from Bob Schieffer, decipher Q-Burns Abstract Message, or find what you're looking for in the On!Air!Library! Listen to gossip aplenty at an evening with Dorothy Parker, then kick up your heels at a good ol' fashioned hoedown — get on up, all you Sofa Surfers out there, and spread it! |
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Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. Thankfully, most aren't as cataclysmic as the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. Most are like, What should I wear for Halloween? And, How am I going to afford a new shirt and still go out Thursday night? So next time you're facing another crisis-in-your-head, take a moment to make a clear decision. Make an ABSOLUT choice. |
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READING
Augusten Burroughs: Magical Thinking
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| when: | Tue 10.19 (8pm) |
| where: | Skylight Books (1818 N Vermont Ave, 323.660.1175) |
| price: |  FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Augusten Burroughs' laugh-out-loud humor should make a rebellious book report topic for high school students well into this century. It's astonishing and unsettling that poor parenting and subsequent alcohol abuse somehow formed one of America's best humorists. As he spins tales of unspeakable awkwardness in the deadpan of a play-by-play announcer, he'll leave you hopeful about the ability of children to overcome adversity, and make you glad you aren't sitting at home reading filth like the O'Reilly lawsuit transcripts. (JS)
  
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DISCUSSION
ALOUD featuring Jeff Hawkins and Sandra Blakeslee: On Intelligence
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| when: | Wed 10.20 (7pm) |
| where: | Mark Taper Auditorium, Downtown Central Library (630 W 5th St, 213.228.7025) |
| price: | FREE (reserve seats online or call 213.228.7025) |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Orwellian nightmares still crop up in discussions of technology and smarter machines these days, so perhaps it's time we learned from the perfect machines we have in our own heads. Central Library's ALOUD series continues to be a good excuse to head downtown and discuss heady topics. Tonight is no exception, as Jeff Hawkins, the inventor of the ubiquitous PalmPilot, joins his co-author, New York Times science writer Sandra Blakeslee, to discuss their new book On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines. Sit up and pay attention as these smart cookies explore the frontiers of machine intelligence. (TCR)
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| | While their name might suggest tube-induced laziness, the Sofa Surfers make music that demands rapt attention. It's easy to see why chill-out tastemakers Thievery Corporation signed these Austrians to their label. Starting from a dubby, low-fi aesthetic, the Viennese foursome launch into doom-laden trip-hop tracks groaning with eerie atmospherics, guttural reggae vocals, crunchy hip-hop, and dark industrial droning. But never fear, it's not all unnerving noise. You'll hear just enough catchy hooks and downtempo grooves to get you off the proverbial couch, if not onto the dance floor. As a bonus, tonight's event takes place at the Little Temple, a sultry den with none of that Hollywood attitude. (PXC)
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READING
Bob Schieffer: Face the Nation
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| when: | Thur 10.21 (8pm) |
| where: | Caltech Beckman Auditorium (332 S Michigan Ave, Pasadena, 888.222.5832) |
| price: | FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Somebody has to ask the tough questions. If you watched last week's final debate, then you saw Bob Schieffer performing the tremendous (if dubious) honor of sitting the two candidates down and grilling them. While we would have used a fly swatter to discourage ducking and dodging, Schieffer was able to rely on his experience hosting Face the Nation. Schieffer lands such plum assignments because of his gravitas and long resumé — the avuncular anchor has more than 40 years in the business, and is now touring his second memoir. If you've been Thursday-morning-quarter-backing what was or wasn't asked last week (the environment, Bob?), here's your chance to get the inside scoop. (TW)
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| | With microcinemas popping up in apartments and basements all over the country, the avant garde film community has responded by shedding its sometimes wearyingly inaccessible skin for a sexier look in the guise of the Black Maria Film Festival. Named after Thomas Edison's ingenious hinged-roof production studio, the BMFF honors such pioneers as Stan Brakhage, Stefan Sharff, and Jules Engel, while also featuring a traveling juried series of moving image artworks. From four-second light arias to intricate animations, this festival recognizes the underground artists who continue to set new standards for experimental film. (HC)
 Which artist commissioned Stan Brakhage to produce a film about the Third Avenue El train, and what is the film called? The first three correct answers win a guest pass to the festival.
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| | Tonight, the Troubadour hosts a double bill of classy, folk-oriented singing/songwriting women from distant lands who — in a perfect world — would benefit from some Norah and Gillian trickle-down. After all, French-Israeli chanteuse Keren Ann fashions laid-back but inescapable pop notions, and her debut, Not Going Anywhere, mixes smoke and soft melody with the pastoral sway of a downsized Belle & Sebastian. And while the songs on Juana Molina's two Domino albums are more wandering, the former Argentinean TV starlet's blend of acoustic instruments and soft electronica makes her a star in the making for the KCRW set. And we can't say we blame them. (PO)
If Norah Jones and Gillian Welch played a high-stakes game of ping-pong, who would win, and why? The best two responses win pairs of tickets to the show.
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| | Since 1999, Darshan Jesrani and Morgan Geist have kept house cool, techno funky, and electro current. The Brooklyn-based duo better known as Metro Area deliver beats and melodies tinged with soul and dripping with disco funk, all filtered through a minimalist techno perspective. Since their 12-inch series on Geist's Environ label, which led to their eponymous 2002 debut album, Metro Area have honed their ability to continually rock the club scene. Even the most dance floor-phobic will be swayed by these addictive beats. With Turntables on the Hudson DJs Nickodemus & Mariano joining the party, you don't need to reserve a seat, just make sure you have a spot on the dance floor. (MG)
Where's the most creative place you would put a turntable and throw a party? The best two answers win pairs of tickets to this particular par-tay.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Wolfgang Tillmans
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| when: | Fri 10.22 (6-8pm) |
| where: | Regen Projects (633 N Almont Dr, 310.276.5424) |
| price: | FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Wolfgang Tillmans has photographed models and celebs for mags like iD and The Face for years, but he's known in art circles for his portraiture of things more mundane. His seemingly spontaneous snapshots are a provocative approach to documenting everyday life. When this 2000 Turner Prize winner shoots crumpled clothing or dirty dishes he makes his subjects appear more desirable — infused with deeper meaning — and captures the raw intimacy of contemporary culture. Regen Projects presents his latest works — which he made without a camera, using only light and photosensitive paper — to create a new perspective on Tillmans' already abstract realism. (TCR)
Note: Exhibition continues through Sat 11.27 (Tue-Sat: 10am-6pm).
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MUSIC: Hip-Hop
Afrika Bambaataa w/ Cush
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| when: | Fri 10.22 (9pm-2am) |
| where: | Pearl (665 S Robertson) |
| price: | $10 |
| links: |
Afrika Bambaataa |
| | As far as living legends of hip-hop go, they don't get better than Afrika Bambaataa. When a Mount Rushmore of hip-hop is carved, you'll find Bambaataa's visage set proudly next to fellow founding fathers Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, and Kool Herc. For his beatbox bouncing epic "Planet Rock" alone, Bambaataa deserves a small fiefdom in his Zulu Nation. Beyond the man's innumerable contributions to the hip-hop world as a producer, promoter, and artist, he's always preached positivity and unity as a remedy for drugs and gangs. Not bad for a lowly DJ, eh? (JCF)
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| | What makes Q-Burns' Abstract Message so, well, abstract? Is it his tendency to cross-pollinate genres, sandwiching old skool funk betwixt house and mambo? Perhaps it's that he remixed such diverse artists as Fila Brazillia, Rabbit in the Moon, and Alex Gopher — latching onto the core of the tunes while taking them to another level. Or it could be that Q's skills simply cannot be confined or defined. Whatever the answer, the fact remains that Q-Burns Abstract Message is a top shelf producer, a world class DJ, and, above all, a full-time sonic wanderer. For proof of his eclecticism, check some of his downloadable club mixes. (JCF)
Note: Q-Burns also performs Sat 10.23 at Spundae and Wed 10.27 at Headinghome at the Hollywood Canteen.
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MULTIMEDIA
Near Death
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| when: | Sat 10.23 (7:30pm-2am) |
| where: | Basswerks (5411 Adams Blvd, Santa Monica) |
| price: | FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | In the mood for art and music that raises the dead? Then this enormous group show of painting, photography, and video projection might be just the thing you've been looking for. Near Death continues the rage for warehouse art shows that lean toward subversive, self-taught styles that fuse the high, the low, and the sideways with work by dozens of local artists, music from spazztastic IDM prankster Daedelus, Deadweight frontman Ben Barnes, and more. Guests are encouraged to bring pictures or kitschy objects of sentimental value to add to the giant, communal Dia de los Muertos altar being constructed in the middle of the space. (SND)
Note: From 7:30-10pm there is a reception with the artists. The party begins at 10pm and lasts until 2am.
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MUSIC: Hip-Hop
Rjd2 w/ Prince Po and Hangar 18
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| when: | Sat 10.23 (9pm) |
| where: | The Troubadour (9081 Santa Monica Blvd, W Hollywood, 310.276.6168) |
| price: | $15 advance |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | No matter how many jaw-dropping, blow-you-away albums he releases, it will be difficult for Rjd2 to step out of the shadow of, well, Shadow. Which is unfair, because there should always be room enough for another ingenious hip-hop producer with a cinematic sensibility and a good crate-scrounging ethic. In 2002, Rj sucker-punched us with Deadringer, a gritty, soulful soundtrack to the greatest movie never made. His follow up, Since We Last Spoke, snuck in subliminal messages, slinky synths, and left turns galore. With his multi-turntable DJ sets to bolster his rep, no one could deny that a brand new day is dawning for underground hip-hop. (JCF)
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| | Explosions in the Sky are Austin, Texas' contribution to the current wave of loud, disaster-themed psychedelia. They're also among the brightest bursts of light from the drama-metal jam band scene currently fighting the good fight against garage and emo. The resemblance of their sound to Godspeed's dark roiling crash of aggression is more than passing — though the orchestral sweep is ushered forth by a quartet of indie slackers, rather than a gang of Québécois anarchists. In an odd pop culture confluence, Explosions are currently rocking over 2000 theatres nationwide with their score for the high school football flick, Friday Night Lights. Chicago's Low Skies play new wave indie-blues, with angst substituting for drugs and the devil. (PO)
On which national holiday was Explosions in the Sky first conceived? Fifth and seventh correct answers each win pairs of tickets to the show.
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| | Join a pair of dime-store electronicats working overtime to justify your love for hooks, odd noises, and inspired songwriting. Over the past seven years, Amsterdam's sexiest record store owner-cum-sampling maven Elisabeth Esselink (better known as Solex) has used nothing but cut-up vinyl detritus to create some of the most developed indie-pop tunes this side of Stephin Merritt. Though NYC trio On!Air!Library! put their trust in sisters Alley and Claudia Dehez's gorgeous harmonies — which ride on an ethereal swirl of keyboards and treated guitar — sonic scratches drift all around their dreamy epics. (PO)
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| | Mix your drinks strong and don't forget your cigarette holder. Dorothy Parker, all around literary party girl, was one of the 20th century's quickest and wittiest minds and her combination of Pauline Kael and Rodney Dangerfield-like cracks left a cult-like following in her wake. One of the first bi-coastal babes, Ms. Parker was a cornerstone of New York's Algonquin literary circle, but her stay in Hollywood garnered her an Oscar nomination for screenwriting. Dottie's talent for characterizing the rich and difficult takes center stage in her 1953 play, The Ladies of the Corridor, which chronicles the affairs — illicit, drunken, and otherwise — in one downtown hotel. Basically, it's what you might see on any given day at the Beverly Hilton. (MS)
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MUSIC: Country 'n Punk
Concerts for Change: Country 'n Punk Rock Hoedown and Barbeque
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| when: | Sun 10.24 (4pm) |
| where: | The Echo (1822 Sunset Blvd, Echo Park, 213.413.8200) |
| price: | $12 / $10 advance |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | With the most important election of our lifetime just a few days away, the good people at Concerts for Change are pulling out all the stops. Forget those snooty metrosexuals, it's hoedown time, with over five hours of saucy barbequed ribs and raunchy country 'n punk. Let this chorus of all-American twang wash over you, as you join Thomas Bros., Hillstomp Blues, Merle Jagger, Blood on the Saddle, Groovy Rednecks, and others in a last desperate attempt to save the world. Oh yeah, there'll be beer too. (SND)
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MUSIC: Hip-Hop
Mos Def
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| when: | Mon 10.25 (7pm and midnight) |
| where: | House of Blues Sunset Strip (8430 Sunset Blvd, W Hollywood, 323.848.5100) |
| price: | $32.50-35 |
| | Actor, poet, and businessman Mos Def has transcended all expectations for an underground hip-hop MC. His first solo joint Black on Both Sides didn't quite go pop, yet Mos immediately launched a successful big screen acting career and an HBO show. Still, none of his success has alienated his fans, and his awesome rhyme skills have made him a hip-hop icon. On tour to support his latest offering, The New Danger, Mos continues to play to his strengths, dropping lyrical insight as well as moving butts. Expect no less from his live show, or his backing band, Black Jack Johnson. (TCR)
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ART
Tyler Stallings: Effects of an Eclipse
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| when: | Now through Sat 10.23 (Tue-Sat: 11am-4pm) |
| where: | Newspace Gallery (5241 Melrose Ave, 323.469.9353) |
| price: | FREE |
| | Tyler Stallings never stopped making figurative paintings — even when the genre wasn't as appreciated as it has recently become. Perhaps it's this uninterrupted devotion that's responsible for the exaggerated mannerism of his portraits and interiors. Stallings' people and animals have grotesquely distorted features — an effect heightened by the hazy, glowing aura of a very fine classical oil painting technique — conveying a whiff of futurist surrealism despite the familiarity of the imagery. The work is a powerful example of how you can still push the academic envelope. (SND)
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ART
Aaron Smith: Day for Night
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| when: | Now through Sat 10.23 (Tue-Fri: 10am-5:30pm / Sat: 11am-5:30pm) |
| where: | Koplin del Rio Gallery (464 N Robertson Blvd, W Hollywood, 310.657.9843) |
| price: | FREE |
| | Aaron Smith is one of the most accomplished painters working in Los Angeles today. He has distinguished himself among his peers by reconciling an absolutely modern sense of narrative and symbolism with a nearly miraculous ability to replicate the painstaking techniques of the Northern and Western European Renaissance. Male and female nudes, still lifes, and portraits abound, all adorned with oleanders, diaphanous veils, wispy hairlines, and playful shadows — proving that it is often better to master the rules before you break them. (SND)
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ART
Eye of the Needle
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| when: | Opens Sat 10.23 (6-8pm) |
| where: | Roberts & Tilton Gallery (6150 Wilshire Blvd, 323.549.0223) |
| price: | FREE |
| | Never ones to shy away from an ambitious thematic group exhibition, Roberts & Tilton Gallery are at it again. For Eye of the Needle they asked some of the most gifted painters in LA and NY to address their own idiosyncratic relationships to perception and identity. From the resoundingly influential voices of Marlene Dumas, Salomon Huerta, Paul McCarthy, Barry McGee, Raymond Pettibon, and Elizabeth Peyton, to such rising stars as Faris McReynolds, Kori Newkirk, Matt Leines, and Chris Johanson, this group show reinvigorates an oldie-but-goodie premise of fine art: that it should show the world to itself. (SND)
Note: Also opening Sat 10.23, at Paul Kopeikin Gallery, a show of new photographs by cheeky celebrity portraitist Jill Greenberg. Both exhibitions continue through Tue 11.30.
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PERFORMANCE
Peter Sellars: For An End to the Judgment of God/Kissing God Goodbye
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| when: | Thur 10.21 – Sun 10.24 (8:30pm) |
| where: | REDCAT (631 W 2nd St, 213.237.2800) |
| price: | $40-44 |
| links: |
Event Info | Peter Sellars |
| | Alternately revered and reviled by theatre-goers and opera fans around the world, Peter Sellars has made his name with radical re-stagings of classic works, from the ancient Greeks to Mozart and Shakespeare. For this production, Sellars juxtaposes French philosopher Antonin Artaud's blistering final manuscript with a powerful, political monologue by contemporary American poet June Jordan. With performance artist/actor John Malpede in the lead role of a Pentagon official giving a briefing on the war on terror, this timely and insightful piece hits very close to home. (SND)
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| | Primer follows two young engineers who stumble upon a sort of time machine, opening the door to personal profit and an ethical wormhole. Not as Quantum Leap as you'd think, the film's spare cinematography adds to its nagging question: "What would you do?" As the tale unfolds and the gears in your head begin to turn, writer-director-star Shane Carruth pulls out all the stops to baffle you. Go ahead and ponder, but remember: eyes front, or the film's enigmatic conclusion will fly past quicker than you can say "back in 5 minutes." (CP)
Note: The film will be expanding to Laemmle One Colorado (Pasadena) and the Regal University 6 (Irvine, Orange County) on Fri 10.29.
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| CD REVIEW: Swayzak, Loops from the Bergerie |
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Studio !K7
Released September 2004
$14.99 Amazon)
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Loops is Swayzak's fourth artist album, and quite possibly their best. The duo of James Taylor and David Brown — newly relocated to rural France from restless London — always create an individual sound, much bigger than the sum of its parts, that keeps them cruising atop a sea of sound-alikes. Much of this offering is dark and heavy techno and electro, but its sinister, sexual mood — hinting at misplaced trust and misguided dalliances, and peaking with "Another Way" and "Then There's Her" — ensures Loops a listenership far beyond jobbing DJs. Additional vocals are supplied by Richard Davis; you should own his sublime Safety LP, too. (ND)
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| ELECTORAL INCENTIVE: MustVote |
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Back in the bad ol' days of local patronage politics, voting — for the right candidate, anyway — could ensure a chicken in your pot or a wad of dollars in your pocket. Such wheelings and dealings are a thing of the past — unless, perhaps, you happen to be a corporation writing fat campaign donations — but MustVote is offering more wholesome incentives to go to the polls. For every unregistered voter you sign up, you'll receive a free MP3 from the likes of Radiohead, Eagles of Death Metal, and Radio 4. Register enough friends and family and you'll have a pretty kickin' mix for your election night party. (SK)
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| STREAMS: fabric |
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An excellent cross-section of fabric's Friday night sound policy is on display here, with exclusive mixes from some of their most prominent residents. With a mix forthcoming on the club's label, Joe Ransom shows us how he plays it in Room 3, serving up a hands-in-the-air blend of party breaks and hip-hop. At the more frenetic end of the spectrum, the world's two most prominent drum 'n bass DJs, Andy C and DJ Hype, each throw down a storming mix of their own. The duo can also be found playing together on Fabriclive 18, a release to feed the appetite of junglists the world over. (CN)
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| CREDITS |
| Header Design: |
| Ana Marie Cox | Jared Tarbell | | |
| Editors: |
| Teresa Heinz Kerry | Shana Nys Dambrot | | Zora Neale Hurston | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Robert Byrd | Çemile Kavountzis | | Chris Rock | Paul Laster | | Angela Davis | Jane Lerner | | Martin Sheen | Sascha Lewis | | Virginia Woolf | Mark Mangan | | Henry Rollins | Piotr Orlov | | John Lennon | Colin J Nagy | | Bono | Lauren Ragland | | John McEnroe | Peter D. Stepek | | Lenny Bruce | Toby Warner | | |
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. Find out more.
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| Contributors: |
| Danny Glover | Lee Bradley | | Errol Morris | Phat X Chiem | | Carrot Top | Hilary Craven | | Susan Sontag | Quinn Doan | | Cindy Adams | Suzanne Ely | | Steve Earle | Nick Doherty | | James Carville | Josh C. Forbes | | Jon Stewart | Menaka Gopinath | | Sean Penn | Liam Gowing | | Margaret Cho | Jonathan Heit | | Jane Fonda | Sebastian Koch | | Lou Reed | Nicole Levine | | Eleanor Roosevelt | Amanda M | | Michael Moore | Allen Moon | | GB Trudeau | Steve Nalepa | | John Lydon | Drew Neuhues |
| Howard Dean | Andrea Neustein | | Garrison Keillor | Chris Pryor | | Sideshow Bob | Todd C. Roberts | | Mickey Kaus | Jeff Safran | | Jesse Jackson | Jason Satler | | Noam Chomsky | Michael Shawver | | Ted Turner | Ken Taylor | | Janeane Garofalo | Laura Tepper | | Aaron McGruder | Lisa Won | | |
| Production: |
| Tim Robbins | Anjuli Ayer | | Anne Boleyn | Krista Freibaum | | Tony Kushner | David Morrow | | Barbara Streisand | Todd Goldstein |
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ELECTRONIC MUSIC MAGAZINE
Flavorpill Productions also publishes Earplug, a twice-monthly email magazine highlighting the latest in electronic music — with news, cultural spotlights, CD reviews and original features. Issue 33 is out now.
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