intellectual properties

video promo for lovesick5

clinically attracted
in which i go crazy in love. (possibly NSFW)

LOV3SICK5 – 2.14.12

@ Teatro ZinZanni

this was a great show.  i was a little hesitant to purchase tickets, as it is not cheap and some of the yelp reviews weren’t great. a number of people said that both the food and performances were sub-par for what you can find elsewhere in SF, which is maybe true, but the package of the 2 things together is what is important here. this show has been in SF for a long time and is leaving after the end of the year, and so despite slightly prohibitive cost and negative reviews, i got discounted tix through goldstar. plus, there were virtually no other types of theatre performances to be seen on a Mon – Wednesday in SF while Mom was visiting. i looked.

i was positively surprised at the quality of the food and service, and the performances were polished as well. yes, you might find more dangerous, avante-garde or risque cirque-type troupes in SF, but how many of them come with 5 course meals and full bar? plus, this is going for old school travelling circus vibe, not avante-garde or “cirque”, and they did that very well. so if you haven’t seen the show and have a special occasion or guest to entertain, i do recommend it. fun!

and i’ll live while i’m young

this past weekend was a double header of camping in the Tahoe National Forest (specifically not disco-camping) and then to South Lake Tahoe (CA/NV line) for to see Phish.

superfuntimes with the crew Friday-Sunday in the forest, including mountain hiking, alpine lake swimming, and lighting things on fire.  i mean, it really Wasn’t A Big Deal so there’s not much more to say except that i <3 my friends and all their mischief and merrymaking.

then off to South lake where we chilled, had some hike and beach time with JaSbo, and caught up on our sleep.  Tuesday arrived  and after some beaching, had lunch and started to prepare for the night’s show (we only had tix for 1st of 2 nights).  unfortunately, what i ate for lunch disagreed with me IMMENSELY and i could barely walk across the street back to the hotel i was so doubled over in pain.    i have a history of meals violently disagreeing with my stomach, even if it’s something i’ve eaten plenty of times before, but usually what happens is i get immediately nauseated, vomit, and it’s all over in an hour.  this was more of a gut clenching thing, where every muscle of my digestive tract seized so much i could not stand up, and went on for 2.5-3 hours and at 4:30 i thought there was NO WAY i was making it to the show (doors at 5, show at 6:30) as i could not even walk to get there. this made me very very sad. but i was determined! and forced everything out of my body that i could. and by 5:30 i could stand up and soldiered on down to the state line.  sad that there was almost zero pre-party for our little crew due to this, but whatcanyoudo.

the arena was the smallest venue i’ve ever seen Phish (this was my 20th show!  first show 11/9/96 @ auburn hills, most recent show 8/5/09 @ shoreline) and i was STOKED about that. not a bad seat in the house, and we could get as close as we wanted. before the show started i walked around and was able to find old PB tour friends Stardog, John & Kristin Labonte, and Schlegel! greetings all around.  and then the show started, outdoor in a small sunny venue surrounded by alpines.  NICE.

< phish mode > first set was KILLER.   oh i had forgotten how much i love Rift:  “the passion that sparked me one terrible night / and shocked and persuaded my soul to ignite”.

i was en route to/from the bathroom for much of David Bowie but that did not stop me from enjoying it thoroughly.

by the second set however i was fading, having little food energy inside me and feeling a bit destroyed by the whole experience.  i zoned out through much of it, but in a good way.   all evening there had been people with these fluorescent green paper rockets on sticks, waving them all around. someone must’ve made and brought literally hundreds of them and handed them out. i had no idea what they represented or what they were for, until, in the middle of the second set, the band responded and Paige on piano sang Rocket Man. for the first time EVAR.  woo!

the encore closer of Squirming Coil was really awesome, and that final piano solo echoing through the trees was really just sublime. </ phish mode >

we stuck around briefly to see if we had the energy for any of the after parties (even though it was a Tuesday, this is a 2 day run, so most people are staying for both nights and partying right through in between), most likely being FreQ Nasty, but i determined i was 1. STARVING and 2. EXHAUSTED and needed to eat and go to bed.  so in the end, it was maybe the least “epic” Phish show i’ve ever attended, as there was almost no partying on my part and i went to bed before midnight (can we say “aging hippie”?).  but still: as nourishing as always. and since i am currently wearing a phish t-shirt and sweatpants, some regression might have occurred.

But who can unlearn all the facts that I’ve learned
As I sat in their chairs and my synapses burned
And the torture of chalk dust collects on my tongue
Thoughts follow my vision and dance in the sun
All my vasoconstrictors they come slowly undone
Can’t this wait till im old?
Can’t I live while I’m young?

and now: the Man Burns in 24 days.  holy crap.

BLACK V fashion event: Saturday May 21 (or: SF Fashion vs. Danielle Steele)

“San Francisco is a great city to raise children, but I was very happy to leave it. There’s no style, nobody dresses up—you can’t be chic there. It’s all shorts and hiking books and Tevas—it’s as if everyone is dressed to go on a camping trip. I don’t think people really care how they look there; and I look like a mess when I’m there, too.” – Danielle Steele, May 7, 2011 in the WSJ

well, MZ. Steele, i think you were hanging with the wrong crowd. perhaps you should have ventured out of your Pacific Heights palace (Spreckels Mansion) and away from the Marina and bourgeoisie once in a while.

San Francisco may have its fair share of REI-worshippers and 24/7 outdoorsy types who wear active gear and/or yoga pants everywhere, all the time, but i’m certainly not one of them and neither are many of my friends. yes, it’s different than new york or paris or milan. yes, we often wear more sensible shoes, because SF ISN’T FLAT. but i digress. i think my photos speak for themselves. and besides…..Danielle Steele dresses like a drag queen. as one Chron commenter wrote:

I can absolutely promise you that in Paris, Danielle Steel (“To all you messes, Danielle bids adieu,” Leah Garchik, May 12) is not chic – rich, yes, chic, no. Chic to the Parisians is simplicity – that means you don’t wear 15 diamond bracelets in the daytime, dress in couture clothing that totally overwhelms you, own 6,000 pairs of $1,000 shoes, wear makeup more suited to your daughter’s age than your own.”

AU CONTRAIRE, this saturday evening there is a FANTASTIC fashion show happening that i encourage any of you interested in the local SF fashion scene to consider: BLACK V:  a night of fashion, dreams and darkness. this fashion show includes some of my own local favorites who design high-end couture. oh, and everything will be BLACK.  so i am very excited.

Black V Fashion Show and Masquerade features established, independent and emerging local fashion designers and boutiques. Black V Fashion Event gives the designers a platform to showcase their designs inspired by the dark side of fashion and still remain chic and stylish.

The event will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Madrone Studios, a stylish multi-media space in the SOMA district of San Francisco (1417 15th Street.) 6 PM static presentation | 730 PM fashion show.

In its second year, we are incorporating a masquerade to motivate the audience’s participation (READ: Dress in black! Masquerade masks encouraged!) and a pre-show static visual presentation at 6:00PM where guests will be able to see the garments up close on live models (instead of just flying by you on a runway).

Fashion for Fashion: All proceeds of this event ($30 tickets) will be donated to the Fashion Department at City College of San Francisco (501c3 organization). This year, the Department will celebrate the 10th year anniversary of its Fashion Show Production program. This program generates Northern California’s only student-produced fashion event.

FEATURED DESIGNERS:

JAY NICOLAS SARIO | HOMME BY DAHAE KIM | GB SHRIVE| LHC COUTURE | MENK | KEN CHEN SF | PHUONG MY | and CARI BORJA

Accessory: KAATJE DESIGN | GUZEL DESIGN | EUGENE HUANG

SPONSORS:

Hair: Le Burge’t Salon
MakeUp: San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology- A Paul Mitchell Partner School
Media Sponsor: Astonish Magazine

MODELS: FORD | CITY | JE | Look |

WITH SUPPORT BY:
Owen Buenaventura | Del Geronimo | Rick Calao @ Simms Ink. | Emily Sims | Gail Ballesteros-Shrive | Shane Stinar | Virginie Suos | Noor Rasheed | David Bui | Janice Bailon | Nazarena Sadati-Bowring | POWDER | Jo de Mars | Pigment Cosmetics | Ty Olson | Joe Yang | Henri Lui | Jean-Pierre Gueguen | James Reid

(facebook event)

TONIGHT in SF: The Coat Hanger Project

TONIGHT: if you care about supporting safe access to reproductive medicine, please consider coming by this event. if you can’t make it at 7, the after-film presentations and discussions starting at 8 are also going to be noteworthy. This screening event is about what we can do to protect access to healthcare and reproductive rights for all.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185951494779423

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recently

performing with BadUnklSista @ the Black Rocks Arts Foundation ARTumnal fundraiser 11/20/10

priceless v5

there is so much i haven’t blogged lately, but typing hurts (yes, still), and so does my brain.  taking off tonight for the annual Priceless party in the mountains.  i’m already ill, so i’m hoping that priceless is more like Time to get Well.  hey, it’s worked before.

happy 4th, y’all.  be safe, and do it good.

god never speaks in his own voice

- Ezra Furman & the Harpoons , “I dreamed of Moses”
http://www.last.fm/music/Ezra%2BFurman%2B%2526%2BThe%2BHarpoons/Banging+Down+The+Doors

I dreamed of Moses
He wanted to put my hair into cornrows
I said, I thought you were born way before
Those came into fashion

He said, Don’t be silly
Your dreams never follow the chronology of history
And the purpose of dreams is still quite a mystery
Even to me

So I pulled up a lawn chair
Took of my sword and shield and I laid ‘em right down there
He braided my hair in the shade of a bare branch
Of a beautiful sycamore tree

You people are singing to me
‘Cause God never speaks in his own voice, you see
You people are singing to me
And your song says what it says

I was born for singing
At the top of my lungs over church bells ringing
And bringing confusion to those disillusioned
By fighting against the mainstream

We were born for dying
Short time to prepare for long time in the sky and
No matter what you believe you must admit
Some things are not like they seem

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red strings and rabbit holes

“I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!“

- Alice, in Wonderland

i love synchronicity, even if oblique.

as posted, BadUnklSista, the butoh performance group i often dance with, is doing a 2-night production in SF this weekend @http://counterpulse.org/ , a double-bill with The Carpetbag Brigade, an unlikely composition of amazing performance artists who are currently doing an extremely mad take on Jack and the Beanstalk. while some of BUS performances are loose, organic pieces that we rehearse very little for, this one was choreographed, and because i was back east visiting my family last weekend, i wasn’t able to attend the rehearsals and therefore wasn’t able to participate as a performer. we went as audience members last night instead. jay asked afterward why i so like abstract performance art – what do i get out of it/what do i love about it? (a side topic being that i don’t think people can choose what kind of art (including music) moves them. you can try to make yourself like an art form, but really i think you either do or you don’t, n’est-ce pas?)  i can’t explain how much it moves me, every time, but i’ll try.

do you have those dreams, where nothing makes sense, you’re not even sure who/what/where, but you wake up with a feeling as though you witnessed something so deep it meant everything? i have them often, and the Carepetbag Brigade’s “You Don’t Know Jack” performance was as such, with people doing odd things with unexpected objects, saying things that on the surface sound like mad gibberish but when digested, when it all hits you as one piece, as a whole, seems so universal that it means everything.  the poetic dialogue and songs were interwoven in odd but meaningful ways, the words carefully chosen, the physicality rich and directive, and at the end i felt as if awaking from one of those dreams. i couldn’t quite grasp what had happened, but i felt changed by it.

and then, Bad Unkl Sista’s performance, which i won’t even attempt with the details. most prominently, I am completely in love with Totter Todd‘s music right now (the dark place inside that you act from but never look at/swallow your fear, swallow it whole/you’re killing yourself with your own beauty).  BUS performances are always an honest and intense look at that which we are, the pieces of ourselves which we hide, which we let eat us from the inside, and the joy at relieving ourselves from such self-inflicted prisons.  there’s a certain part of myself that i am really not liking these days (in short: judgmental, and vocally), which is often exacerbated by visiting my family, and the performance last night brought a lot of that to the surface.  i am thinking i need a long strand of red string to tie around my wrist as a reminder of a few things i need to work on for a while (in the performance, such a string was used as a representation of your fear(s), which it is suggested in both song and action that you ingest, digest, and then regurgitate into something that tastes like relief).

thank you Bad Unkl Sista for always bringing such beauty, whether i am inside it or watching from afar. there’s another performance tonight @counterpulse in SF, which i’m sure will be similar but different. if you like intensity and songs and dances and abstract dreams that seem to say almost nothing directly but mean everything, i highly encourage you to attend tonight.

what does this have to do with rabbit holes and synchronicity?  the new Alice in Wonderland opened in SF this weekend, and we have a large crew (30+) who will be going to see it tonight, many of us in costume. and while the Disney version is just fine, those who have read the original texts know that Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass are much more than childrens’ stories, and are quite philosophically intricate and more than a little bit metaphysical.  it’s obvious why the psychedelic community latched onto its metaphors.

so with all the anticipation for the new film and mind wandering in that direction for this past week, particularly visiting my mother, who has an enormous collection of Alice in Wonderland memorabilia in her dining room/living room cabinets (indeed: dolls and figurines and books and all sorts of collectors items), walking out of the performance last night felt like the start of a weekend-long visit down the rabbit hole. then after another night of intense, crazy dreams, waking up this morning, it’s true: i’m really not sure i am the same person i was when i went to sleep last night, and if not, who that means i am today.

bad unkl sista: the study of soft: march 5&6 2010

hopefully i’ll be performing with BadUnklSista both of these nights next weekend – it should be intense, and beautiful.  come check it out, esp. if you’ve never seen BUS.

The Carpetbag Brigade and Bad Unkl Sista present two kaleidoscopic double-bill evenings of fun, disturbing physical theater and Butoh.

In “The Study of Soft”, featuring live music by Totter Todd (of Heavyweight Dub Champion), Pym (iampym.com) and F’kir Elderfae (Bad Unkl Sista), Bad Unkl Sista fuses multi-genre dance forms, live and original produced music, art installation, video and couture costuming into a continually evolving Butoh-based performance experience. For 2010 Bad Unkl Sista has begun a year long study of soft, and brings a different show to CounterPULSE each night.

The Carpetbag Brigade’s “You don’t know Jack” returns to CounterPULSE taking a Jungian twist on “Jack and the Beanstalk” with a dash of PTSD to create a surreal, comic tragedy of an alcoholic dead man and the shadow of his wildly dysfunctional family. Inspired by Robert Bly’s “The Sibling Society”, this funny, nightmarish fairy tale is a potent brew of physical theater, dance and a live musical score created by the ensemble cast.

tickets are $15-25 at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/100860