trashcan afterthoughts: November 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007

11/29/07- George Cartwright/Gloryland Ponycat @cedar cultural center-minneapolis

Cedar Cultural Center can feel like an icebox in the winter when the audience is less than crowded (this is usually the case for the shows that I am most interested in) but this week George Cartwright's Gloryland Ponycat did a good job at raising the temperature, once they got warmed up themselves.

george cartwright and alden ikeda

The first couple of pieces were loose improvisations that relied heavily on George's soloing to stay on course. No complaints; he's a wonderful soloist who's worked with people such as Tom Cora and Davey Williams (as members of the band Curlew), Christian Marclay, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Sharrock, Fred Frith, LX Chilton and Mark Dresser.

But the four-piece version of Gloryland Ponycat has the potential to be much more than the backing band of a soloist.

adam linz and george cartwright

The band really got it together during thier cover of Bob Dylan's Oxford Town (featuring Andrew Broder of the band Fog on vocals) and then ventured out a little further during a medley of Henry Grimes compositions (For Django and two others).

alden ikeda

andrew broder

The last piece of the set, Panther Burn, was also a highlight. George told the story behind the meaning of the song--one which had nothing to do with the music of Tav Falco. This was another song where Broder contributed some interesting guitar sounds that blended well with Cartwright's sax. These guys are on to something good.

Gloryland Ponycat
george cartwright-saxophones
adam linz-bass
alden ikeda-drums
andrew broder-guitar vocals

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

11/27/07 - Stakeout on Dope Street (1958) dir- Irvin Kershner

Stakeout on Dope Street starts out promising. During the first couple of minutes a narcotics bust gets disrupted as one of the arresting officers is shot by a hidden assailant. The suspects don't get far, though, and the backup squad shows up before they can gather up their stash.

When the dope ends up in the hands of three dorky high school age kids who have no idea what to do with it all excitement in the film ends abruptly as they bumble around and try and find a way to convert it into cash (mostly so they can buy things for their girlfriends, natch).

At this point the dialogue amongst the actors couldn't be flatter and the only thing that maintains the edginess of the earlier scenes is the entertainingly dramatic narrative voice-over.

"narcotics addiction is a hungry evil. feeding from the sickness and desperation of other vices... extortion. the numbers racket. prostitution. blackmail. each a means of feeding a habit." etc.

Eventually the boys seek out the expertise of the towns resident junky , who agrees to distribute the dope in exchange for a cut of the profit.

Danny, played by Allen Kramer, is the real star of the film.

When the $$ starts stacking up and the boys think of ways to spend it...

"they passed the earlier part of the afternoon looking at clothes, sporting equipment, BONGO DRUMS and other racy items for kids their age."

Danny takes a few minutes to warn them of the perils of addiction and how agonizing detox is. The surreal images that accompany the seven minutes of monologue/flashback (some of which was shot in San Quentin prison) must have scared the crap out of anyone who saw this film when it was first released in 1958.

"you need a fix to keep the monkey quiet"

"in here you dont get a fix.. you get a bed and you get a basin"

"one minute you're on fire.. and then your swallowed up like a giant snowball"

Not long thereafter, guns are pulled and the level of drama that was set in the beginning of the film is reached again.

Wiping out the scenes that include the wholesome all-americans would leave only about twenty minutes worth of hard stuff. But those twenty minutes are unquestionably worth sticking around for.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

11/21/07 - -Lydia Lunch/Celebration- minneapolis, mn

A busy night before Thanksgiving began for a hundred or so people with Lydia Lunch performing solo at the SOO Visual Arts Center.

The best excuse for Lydia to be on tour right now might be the domestic publication of Paradoxia: A Predators Diary - a book that was previously available only as a UK import. But tonight's appearance was billed as a performance of "Hangover Hotel'. 'Sick poems and twisted grooves' were promised.

Named after a track found on the 'Smoke in the Shadows' CD; 'Hangover Hotel' lasted about 45 minutes and included material from said LP along with other poems and rants that Lydia belted out in association with her prerecorded accompaniment.

I don't know the source of the song that wielded the hardest jolt-- in it she rattled off the names of revolutionaries and artists who had met untimely deaths as the cd player spun a recording of a sax player who was going volcanic. This cut closer to the bone than the noir-lounge "Queen of Siam-revisited" vibe of her recent studio recordings.

The volubility of LL's thoughts about pleasure, isolation, chaos, rebellion, damaged survivors and freedom is needed here and NOW in a town (country?) where 'feeling alive' is, ad nauseum, equated with the music of The Replacements and Bruce Springsteen. Break out of your comfort zone, dudes, and try feeling THIS.

Lydia's set ended by 10 which left plenty of time for anyone who wanted to, to head over to Seventh Street Entry to catch a set by Celebration.

Celebration makes interesting records. Records which don't really capture the trance/bliss/love incarnate vibe of their live sound. Music with the grandiosity of Bjork, Cocteau Twins and um, Die Kreuzen, but with a Hammond b-3 heart and Nina Simone soul? And 10xs the rhythm. Katrina Ford = a wonderful singer.

Katrina Ford

I've listened to their first LP quite a bit but barely recognized a word or melody during the set (though it was impossible to miss the beat breakdowns in War). In time that will be fixed. It would be nice to be able to find my way back to this place. At will. It's where it seems like everything is always going to be alright. psychic comfort.