LEWIS BELL IS FREE BUT IS STILL IN DEEP SHIT

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE. HE'S CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND IS STRUGGLING WITH SHITTY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. THE BAIL WAS AROUND 5000 FUKING DOLLARS. BUT UNTIL HE FINDS A JOB HE NEEDS OUR HELP. DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES. LETS HELP HIM GET BACK UP ON HIS OWN TWO FEET.

IF YOUR'RE A FRIEND, LEAVE A COMMENT OR MESSAGE TO HIM.

THANKS FOR READING, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
THE LINK TO FREE LEWIS; BECAUSE HE'D GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU TOO.

-DE VERA

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Long Beach

-DE VERA

Blood on the Wall with Thee Oh Sees and Erase Errata

THEE OH SEES

So first off, I love John Dwyer. He fronted my favorite band (Coachwhips) of the last 15 years and put out 4 records and a rarities comp, 2 of those albums being total fucking classics. He also created a fictional german bass explosion called Zeigenbock Kopf, and played facemelting noise guitar in the Hospitals, Burmese, and Pink and Brown and is now also fronting a band called Yikes!!. As a young coachwhips fan, I picked up a CD labeled OCS, which billed itself as Dwyers “acoustic and noise collage recordings”. I labeled it self-indulgent bullshit (its great, I just didn’t like acoustic guitars) and went back to my coachwhips records. Fast forward 2-3 years and OCS are Thee Ohsees and have expanded by 3 members to bring you swampy heroin-garage with pretty harmonies and noise breakdowns.

What I’m trying to tell you is that this guy fucking rules and so does his new band. A few weeks ago they opened for (and completely upstaged) Blood on the Wall and Erase Errata. Live the band leans more towards garage stomp, and even do a few coachwhips-y uptempo jams, before Dwyer unplugs his guitar and sticks the cable in his mouth while running it through some pedals, thereby going through the list of basically everything I want to see in a rock show. One dude who’d sharpied spiderwebs on his face was dancing up a storm throughout the set. As it turns out, if you sweat, sharpie runs, so by the end of the set, this guy was workin up a black sweat (apologies to prince).


ERASE ERRATA

Erase Errata are one of those boring 3rd wave postpunk bands. They’re basically one of the bands you see at the smell and forget their name when you tell people who played that night. I bailed after like 2 songs to go bug Dwyer. I feel like a lot of the crowd did. Blood on the Wall are solid. I doubt I’m ever gonna listen to one of their records all the way through, but you can count on them to play some shit you can pogo to. These guys are really stoked on the 90’s and very little else and they play some loudquietloud poppy vaguely punk derived yelpfests that’ll always sound better live than on record but just aren’t all that cool live. I dunno, they’re having a lot of fun and playing exactly the kind of music they wanna make, and the crowd was into it, so what I think doesn’t matter too much. They’ve got one pretty rad song, Mary Susan, which they had the good sense to close with. When we got out of the show my friend turned to me and said “wow, some guy who really wants to be Frank Black found a girl who really wants to be Kim Deal,” which I think sums the band up. It turns out they’re actually brother and sister, which to me would say this band was meant to be if they were better. Theyre definitely a band I thought I’d like a lot better than I did. I dunno, I fucking hated the 90’s.


PS: Sorry to BLOOD ON THE WALL for my friend yelling freebird. That shit is fucking inexcusable.

- JOHNNY MOTORCYCLE

Wham City presents:

Tuesday at the Rotunda should be stellar. I'm think we'll bring along some popcorn and pink champagne.... or maybe a little Natty Bo [always fitting for anything Baltimore-based].

And funny thing, I'm gonna be in Baltimore Friday night... but I think I'll be doing something else,I'm still not-so-sure what my plans are.

Love, NerissaLauren

///revolution///

click flyer to enlarge.

also, cat power @ el rey this friday. i'm still looking for an acquaintance.

-SOULSTAR* [wonders who joshua is.]

Creativity dead?

A lot of the time I think of art and wonder what else there is to do. I wonder if most everything has been tried and put out before and if creativity is something that can and has run dry. I wonder these things but then come to a better question. If this is true, if art is nothing but repetition and imitation of what has already been achieved and created by artists dating back to the dawn of time, then why do people still care? Why do modern art pieces sell for more money than most can imagine and why are modern day artists still held in such high esteem among critics who are knowledgeable in every stage of art to ever exist. I think the answer is simple. I think most misunderstand the connection and relationship that art and creativity have. Art is not something represented by creativeness and uniqueness. It is representative instead of the time and place in which it was created. Art is a reflection of cultures, thoughts, and emotions that all come together to derive a feeling of awareness as to what the artist is creating and a connection as to the meaning and point of the piece. With this theory, creativity is not so much a measurement of how unique a piece of art is but rather how well the artist has taken the world that they live in and reflected it onto a canvas, photo, or other type of artistic medium.
In the following pictures, Desiree Palmen, a dutch artist, perfectly demonstrates that ability and gives us a good look at what most would agree to be representative of the world we live in today. She cleverly uses the illusion of making people invisible in her pictures, both signifying our loss of identity in a world controlled by surveillance cameras and a loss of privacy, as well as "responding to a wish to disappear". Her works are easy to relate and identify with and are also beautiful to look at as you can see below.



But then the "real" question comes in. Is it creative? Has anyone before in the history of the world ever done something similar or the same and if so do her works then matter at all? I think the answer quite simply is, who cares? It seems more logical to worry less about whether or not this is creative or not, which in my opinion it most certainly is, and more on how closely it reflects the the world we live in. We are all affected by the messages in Palmen's works and should appreciate them for that point and that point alone. Her ability alone to illustrate such a vital piece of this point in time makes her not only a good artist, not only a clever artist, but a creative one.
It is impossible to talk about art without some sort of difference in opinions. After all, art is based off perception and not regulations which explains why different people have different tastes and why something beautiful to one eye can be just as hideous to the next. But if we can agree somewhat on at least one point, let it be that creativity is, in fact, not dead. Yes it is constantly adapting and yes it is subject to some room for dispute but to say that it is dead is simply misunderstanding its place in the world of art and its relationships to the world in which it represents.
For more of Desiree Palmen's works:
CLICK HERE

-JOSHUA

Yeah...so

This weekend in Philly is a little bit of a bust.

Spank Rock, but that's it - and it's shitty outside [YES! FREEZING RAIN!!]


So instead Aileen and I are staying in with a few bottles of wine and On Demand crime shows.
-Nerissa Lauren

p.s.
I also get to marvel at little beauties like this:

HOW/WHERE on EARTH do these people find me?!?!?

///blvd&art///

still jetlaggin',
SOULSTAR*

LETS BE FRIENDS: Los Angeles

FOR MORE INFORMATION & MUSIC:
LETS BE FRIENDS
POP NOIR
REPEATER
ON BLAST
MASHED POTATOS

-DE VERA

NOSE CANDY & MR. BOOTLEG BASH: Los Angeles

FOR MORE INFORMATION & MUSIC:
5000 ANIMALS
DESOLATE
NOSE CANDY RECORDS

-DE VERA

In west PHILADELPHIA born & raised:

We all love Will Smith and we adore bicycles, so it's safe to say that this is pretty much the best race in Philly all winter. Just meet at the Dog Bowl (43rd& Chester) at 2pm and party hard through the night.

You can preregister on the BLOG for free points!



-AILEEN

REALLY? reallyreally??

Our one-year came and passed. And NOONE said anything about it!



I'm disappointed fellow "crew".
DISAPPOINTED.

-NerissaLauren

COG MAGAZINE

FEATURED ARTICLE: Bicycle Messengers of Tokyo, Japan
By Eli Chessen
Portraits by Yohei Morita

I had a chance to read through Cog's second issue a few days ago and was completely blown away by the photo journalism and in depth story telling articles. Being the first magazine of its kind with amazing photographs by one of the cycling community's most loved photographers Yohei Morita, i'd say it would be a wise investment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
COG Magazine
POBOX 1967
Milwaukee, WI 53201

414-520-9644
info[at]cogmag.com

日本語の問い合わせ先
japan[at]cogmag.com

Cog Magazine

& ON ANOTHER NOTE: check out Vapor's interesting choice for their cover. It clearly reflects their main interests in Skateboarding, Music, & Street Culture.

Thank You Trackosaurus Rex.

-DE VERA

10 Minutes

for the apathetic youth:


by Ahmed Imamovic

recommended documentary: "Soldiers of Conscience" by Kathy Ryan & Gary Weinberg


-Menchie

SAN FRANCISCO TRACKIES

These are just a few photos I took over the course of the last two weeks at the Embarcadero.

-DE VERA

Furnace Demo Screening

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
FURNACE

-DE VERA

One more time

So it's happened yet again. No Age, the duo I've raved about multiple times here, have come to Philly. And yet AGAIN it's been 21+. It sucks when this happens with just about any band, but there's a bit of irony in it happening with No Age.



Oh well, have fun on the rest of your tour boys - maybe one day soon you'll play Philadelphia all ages. Ya know, the way you usually do back home.

Signing out
Nerissa Lauren

P.S. more info:
No Age
or even, follow them on tour

PPS: They're scheduled to play with Liars in LA on the 22nd at the El Rey - so go support

Just because I felt I had to:

OK.... that's it.

Love,
Nerissa Luaren [and Aileen, because she's next to me]

Chris Jordan Presents: Running the Numbers. An American Self Portrait

Chris Jordan is both an Artist and an Activist and in his latest work combines the two to present a visual depiction that portrays America's outrageous consumption habits. The examples he uses have surely been heard by all of us before in the form of a number. However, Jordan manages to put the sometimes abstract and overwhelming figures into perspective by presenting images that not only tell the numbers but shows them as well. Hopefully viewing these pictures will open some eyes and minds as to how much we, as Americans, really consume every day, and in turn give a little more thought as to what we can do to lessen this consumption and better our image as Americans to others around the world. But enough said. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

PLASTIC BOTTLES, 2007
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes

Partial Zoom:

Detail at actual print size:


BARBIE DOLLS, 2008
Depicts 32,000 Barbies, equal to the number of elective breast augmentation surgeries performed monthly in the US in 2006.

Partial Zoom:

Detail at actual print size:


SKULL WITH CIGARETTE, 2007 (based on painting by Van Gogh)
Depicts 200,000 packs of cigarettes, equal to the number of Americans who die from cigarette smoking every six months.

Partial Zoom:

Detail at actual print size:


For More:

Chris Jordan

-JOSHUA

Radiohead US Tour Dates

Did anyone get the memo? Radiohead is actually touring in US and stopping by San Francisco, Los Angeles, AND Philadelphia. The tour is supposedly a celebration of their unexpected success in their latest album, In Rainbows. The story is that Radiohead first released In Rainbows on the internet allowing fans to download it and name their own price on the album. Of course... this was a failure because people are cheap (when it's an advantage) and downloaded it for FREE in spite of their immense love for Radiohead. Earlier this year, Radiohead re-released their album in stores and again, successfully reached billboard charts in US and #1 in UK.

In the new album, the boys stick with the traditional instrumentation as Thom Yorke indulges in poignant yet exquisite guitar-playing and melodies. Synthesizers are used for only a few songs but complements each instrument nonetheless.

I'm starting to oppose music reviews because it only limits your musical experience when you hear an album for the first time. Most likely... the next time you see In Rainbows in a store, you'll look at it and instinctively remember my opinion of the album as if it was your own experience. So, I won't do that to you. Rid your expectations/sketch of an album... listen to it with your own ears.

BEHOLD... the purpose of this entry:

Radiohead Tour Dates - venues and ticket price have not been announced yet.

Atlanta
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Houston
Indianapolis
Los Angeles
Miami
Montreal
New York
Philadelphia
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Seattle
St Louis
Tampa
Toronto
Vancouver
Washington DC


Yours Truly,
Menchie

ATTN: CALIFORNIA PRIMARY

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5 VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE



Please take time to do your research tonight, if you haven't already, and vote tomorrow (technically, today). This is certainly one of the biggest shifts of our country, thus your little contribution through every vote counts. This is your country; your life; and your children's lives for the results will still be effective in the long run. To put it simpler, our country and generations to come depend on us.

P.S. Blvd&Ave will not endorse any candidates. We are just encouraging all of you to vote.


Yours Truly,
Menchie

ALISON JACKSON: ARTIST

Alison Jackson has caught my attention for reasons that are undeniably apparent and obvious in her work.





ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Powerful images dominate the world. Pictures of celebrities who have reached the status of icons or demons. They are news - whether they are the Royal Family, Madonna, Posh and Becks or Britney Spears. This news becomes intrigue; it becomes difficult to differentiate between what is real and what is fantasy, what is important and what is not.

These celebrities are the icons of this contemporary folk religion. The pictures we have of them correspond to the religious pictures of the past. We find ourselves believing that what these pictures portray, really is the whole 'truth' about the subject. For example, Marilyn Monroe is just a sex goddess; Britney Spears is white trash; Camilla is usually portrayed with a touch of the wicked old witch and so on.

The question is: How limited a picture do we receive of these icons? We suspect there is much more than we are told or read about. So our imaginations get to work to compensate for our lack of real information. Thus we are continually being seduced away from the 'truth' into a world which has no 'real' grounds of integrity and authenticity. At best, a photograph of a celebrity reproduces something authentic only at the very moment the shutter clicks. We have been teased and seduced into giving tiny fragments of 'reality' an absolute authenticity. Images are by nature titillating and 'of fantasy' , aiding this process. The photograph has become more real than the real.

This work is about simulation. Creating a clone or a copy of the 'real' on paper. It is not a fake, it takes the place of the 'real' for a moment, whilst looking at the image. The aim is to create likenesses of icons, where in the image, the simulations of icons, 'threatens the difference between 'true' and 'false, between 'real' and 'imaginary'. The 'real' subject becomes not necessary. The photographic image or the icon is more important and more seductive. It doesn't matter to the viewer if the portrayal is not the 'real' - as long as it looks like him or her - it creates a temporary confusion. This is the confusion the work searches to create. We think we are looking at something real, but we're not. They are false images of look-alikes of the real thing.

Nevertheless, the photograph is authentic one sense, Jane Smith and Jo Bloggs really exist as look-alikes within the image, but they portray a false picture of perception. The photographs reflect what really exists in the public imagination. They highlight the difference between what we see and what we imagine. This is bound up in our inherent greedy voyeurism and our need to believe.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ALISON JACKSON

-DE VERA

OBEY x OBAMA

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
OBEY

-DE VERA

EIGTH ANNUAL BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: FEBRUARY 19, 2008

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL

This year's going to be amazing. If you havent already seen the Macaframa final trailer, it's available on CLIQUENMOVE on Channel 2. HD DVD SUMMER 08


Fast Fridays will also be among the film festival's line-ups. It premiered at Toyko's Film Festival event, last year in December.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
FAST FRIDAY MOVIE
MACAFRAMA

-DE VERA