Decibel Festival: Mercy!

After reviewing the Decibel Festival schedule and making recommendations for dB newbies (TIG), I'm ready to work on my own plan and decide whether to pay-as-I-go or just buy a damn pass.
Here's what I'm considering hitting:

• Deconstructing Pop (Tujiko Noriko, Jahcoozi)
• dB Conference, panel 1
• The Trinity (Jerry Abstract, Jeff Samuel)
• Dirty Dancing Showcase (Deadmau5)
• Native State Label Showcase (Nalepa)
• dB In the Park
• Detroit Techno (Carl Craig)
• Innerflight Showcase (Kadeejah Streets)
• Decibel Festival Finale (The Bug/Warrior Queen, SuperMayer)

Some of these are simultaneous which could make for some interesting and fast hill walking. Not to mention the number of ink stamps to collect on my inner right wrist.

The Carl Craig set at Opulent Temple at Burning Man this year drew a huge (I mean HUGE) crowd. If that is any indication, the Detroit Techno show on Saturday will be off the hook: sweaty people dancing as if wearing Hans Christian Anderson's Red Shoes, crying "Mercy!"



the outer edge of the crowd 100 yards from Opulent Temple, right before Carl Craig went on.

Music: Bill Frisell for Change

Thanks to my dentist, I have a new crush for come-down music: Bill Frisell. Frisell is recognized as one of the top jazz guitarists in the country and got his major break via a referral from Pat Metheny. (I am so way late to this party, I realize.) And no shit, he lives in Seattle.

Frisell's open, lush phrasing and amazing skill are just the ticket when you're in the mood for chill.

Here's Bill Frisell, with "A Change is Gonna Come." (Appropos for Obama's campaign, yes?)

Art of Mathematics

This rainbow cauliflower image is a visual representation of a mathematical theory known as dynamical systems.


the University of Liverpool has an exhibit of images based on dynamical systems expressions and formulas. Check out additional images and learn more about dynamical systems at the BBC website, which offers a 90-second slide show with narrative.

The dynamical system formula which produced the cauliflower is the deceptively simple x squared plus one quarter.

These are pretty interesting, yet similar to fractals we've seen around for quite a while.

The History Hacker: Catch the TV pilot Friday

Former Seattlite Bre Pettis, now of MAKE and Etsy fame, is the host of a new TV show on the History Channel. The History Hacker is essentially a mashup of history, science, MAKE, and TLC's Mythbusters.

"The pilot is all about Nikola Tesla and the war of the currents between Tesla and Edison. In the show I learn how to blow a neon tube, explore wireless electricity and build an AC generator from a bike. I also go to Boston to visit an MIT space lab to see how the principles that Tesla pioneered are being applied to space propulsion," Bre says. [more]

The pilot airs this Friday September 26th at 8pm (and again at midnight) on the History Channel. Set your Tivo or DVR or whatever and check it out.

DIY to the core.

PARK(ing) Day in Seattle

Park(ing) Day in Seattle resulted in 30 parking slots around the city transformed into micro-parks for one day only, Friday, September 19th. I rode my bike on a Capitol Hill-South Lake Union-Downtown circuit to visit a baker's dozen or so.

The following picture is of a spaced titled Victory Garden, located on Capitol Hill. The folks here encouraged growing your own veggies and herbs on your city balcony or window. They brought potted plants from their own spaces to prove it could be done. The tomatoes were looking good.

This next photo is of a space Downtown on 1st Avenue near the Market. It was run by AIA Seattle and was a lovely little park. It featured furniture using wood planks from naturally-downed trees (offered from Myer Wells). Gorgeous!

The Zen Garden (below) was in the South Lake Union neighborhood and took up 3 spaces. One segment had a zen rock garden created with coffee beans.

Oh, and about the coffee beans: they felt so nice in hand I commented that it would probably be nice to walk on. The folks running the spot insisted I try it out. So off went my shoes and socks. It felt heavenly! And smelled good too. (Hmmm. A patented spa treatment might be in my future.)

See more pictures of Seattle PARK(ing) day -- including me in coffee beans up to my ankles -- here.

Blind Date with Okkervil River

I was invited to see Okkervil River at the luscious Triple Door on Wednesday. I couldn't actually name a song of theirs or even their genre, but sure! Why not? I'm open to trying something new.

Thankfully (despite what their name may imply) Okkervil River are not alt-country, or pop-harmony, or anything remotely fleet fox-y. Rather, they are confessional pop rock, fronted by a singer with mannerisms similar to young Paul McCartney. They rocked out, had a few ballads, and played a tight, fun set.

Pretty good hour spent on a blind date with a new (to me) band.



And here's one of their singles, which you might recognize.

Call me Iron Jenny Bonney

Tomorrow, September 19th, is national Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arr!

According to this short quiz, my pirate name and meaning are:

Iron Jenny Bonney

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Roq La Rue launches new show and new website

After taking a month off to remodel the gallery, re-work the website, and travel to Europe, Roq La Rue's Kristen Anderson is once again bringing Pop Surrealism art to Belltown. The September show opens tonight and features new work by robot-loving Brian Despain and by visually-apocalyptic social commentator Victor Castillo.

September 2008 Opening:
Friday, September 12
6pm - 9pm
Detail of Detpain's "They Talked of Tin" (image from Roq La Rue)

Quirky Gig Ads on Craigslist

Here's a few one-of-a-kind gigs requiring rare talents. Good luck!

Super Sleuth needed to take pictures of a boat

We need someone who lives or works in Gig Harbor to go to an address and very discretely look for a boat and take pictures of it if its there without being seen . Knowledge of boats helpful but not necessary- stealth like movements are necessary.

(The back story must be a doozy.)


ELVIS IMPERSONATOR-FAME! FORTUNE! PEANUT BUTTER & BACON SANDWICHES!
...seeking a talented Elvis impersonator for our huge Halloween extravaganza, a Vegas style Wizard of Oz spoof. Your role would be that of the "Cowardly Lion" or "The King" of the Forest...

(You had me at bacon.)

Special Effects/Gore person needed for slasher parody
Local film collective “The Beta Society” is producing a short horror film entitled “Junkbucket”, a slasher spoof whose titular killer chops off people's junk. We will have 10 kills total and will prove to be a lot of fun. We can provide high quality stills for your portfolio.

(You lost me at chops off people's junk.)

Seattle Dorkbots Focus on Burning Man Art Tonight

Hand of Man photo by Jeanine Anderson

Seattle's Dorkbot group ("people doing strange things with electricity") is hosting a free gathering tonight on Dorkish Art at Burning Man 2008.

Shelly Farnam of Seattle Dorkbot says, "Tonight's events start with a general overview and report on some of the Dork art seen at Burning Man; then a local artist, Tanjent, will talk about his project Applecore; and we'll screen video interviews of burning man artists, including the creators of Tantalus and The Hand of Man."

What: September 2008 Dorkbot: Reporting on dorkish art at Burning Man 2008
When: Wenesday, Sept 10th, 7:00 - 10:00pm (7:30 start time for slides and movie shorts)
Where: 911 Media, 402 9th Ave N.

Crossword Artwork at Canvas Gallery

The Canvas gallery on Western Ave has a few pieces by Maura Donegan hanging this month. Her Memento series is textile-based with interesting assemblies and needlework. I was particularly intrigued by the silk organza and thread works, which resemble crossword puzzles constructed of spider webs.

This picture is of a section of Memento Vitae I. Words in the boxes include excellence, murmur, ripple, clifftop, goodwill, truth. Two similar pieces are also hanging.

I'm not usually a fan of textile-based art: I probably need a greater technical understanding of it in order to appreciate it more. However, the Memento works by Donegan are deeply personal and cleverly executed, so I am intrigued. Stop by Canvas and check it out if you are in the 619 Western Ave area. Particularly if you like a little wordplay in your art.

Book Repair Shop in the Seattle Underground

I'm a casual collector of unusual old books, so I was exicted to happen across an authentic bookbinding and repair shop on First Avenue in Seattle. Ars Obscura is located on the original street level - which is now the Underground - of the Grand Arcade Building in the 200 block.

There's something romantic about old books and the craft of hand bookbinding. Through the windows of Ars Obscura are suspended clusters of leather, book presses doing the necessary, and worktables with hammer, liquids, string: authentic, timeless.

I wished to step in and breathe deep the scents and might never want to leave. But I didn't. The shop was closed.

One of my favorite little books is an 1876 edition of the Floral Birthday Book. This is a Victorian-era whimsy, from a time when nothing was said plainly and the inanimate had meaning and significance. Birthday books were popular in the late 1800s through early 1900s (particularly with the British) and provide space for each day of the year to write someone's name. All books I've seen include an illustration or quote associated with the day, and most are based on children's stories or famous writers. Birthday books aren't particularly valuable as a collectible, nor do I seek out pristine or rare versions. I'm not into it for future value. Rather, I like the glimpse into the culture of the past and enjoy reading the inscriptions and thinking of them as Victorian-era horoscopes for a birth day.

Here's September 9th from a few of my birthday books:

"She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them." Shakespeare (Shakespeare's Birthday Book, 1906 NY)

"...Oft thou hast sworn, in friendship's soothing tone, Whatever wish was mine must be thine own." Byron (Floral Birthday Book, 1876)

"He's well under cover; - by cover we mean He's behind a high bank, and of course can't be seen."(Lt. Col. Seccombe's Army & Navy Birthday Book for Children, 1911). [Really. this book floors me everytime I look at it.]

"Always liked a little something at 11 o'clock in the morning." Winnie the Pooh (Christopher Robin's Birthday Book, 1930)

"Dear me, how inexperienced I was!" Quetch (Dr. Dolittle's Birthday Book, 1935

"How sticky the mind that is Discontent." (A Birthday Book by Joan Walsh Anglund, 1975)

Superheroes at Burning Man

Splat! Kapow! And...meow!

I went to a Superheroes and Housewives happy hour party one evening. These Aussies were not part of the hosting camp but they were definitely the best dressed! Fun trio and super-duper nice. I'm not sure if they were traveling with these costumes and just happened to find the appropriate party to wear them to, or if they knew about the theme ahead of time. Both are equally plausible.

I went as a housewife since the Homeslice costume exchange rack was out of Wonder Woman outfits but had plenty of cute aprons to choose from.

Another pair of sneaks

Etnies!
Originally uploaded by JeanineAnderson

I am the happy owner of these black, blue, white and purple lovelies.

Oregon does not charge sales tax so I stopped at Etnies outlet store off of I-5. Skate shoes usually have a wide toe box -- good for my not-narrow feet.

Tho' I might have to take up skating so I can credibly wear 'em around town.

Wash-e-ter-i-a

Washing out the dust
Originally uploaded by JeanineAnderson

A cameraphone picture of how I spent the afternoon after leaving the playa. I'm still dusty, just not as much. Another round of dusting to come once I get back up to Seattle.

Since this laundry day I've been checking out Lassen, Mt. Shasta, and Crater Lake. Will be home in time to make the first Thursday art gallery openings and then to shoot the Ratatat show on Friday at the Showbox. Yay!

Tons of pictures of this amazing grand adventure to sort through and post in the next week. For now...wow. Just wow.