Burning Man is coming up and is starting to dominate the conversations at BBQs - at least the few I get invited to in these days. If you do go please let me know what the story about Cheezus is. I am not sure where I picked it up. But apparently Cheezus is some Burning Man stunt that has something to do with cheese and Jesus. Maybe it was just an idea of somebody and it never got "implemented". If there is a Cheezus on the Playa I want to know more about it!
I am sure you don't really want to know more about Lordi, the Finnish monster rocker, who won this year's Eurovision. But new, important material has been brought to my attention including a statement from Santa, which I could not leave uncommented. This week's Computer Corner will be a follow up on the Lordi phenomenon.
Friday, 8/18
4:00 PM? Freedom Fest at Stocker Farms, Snohomish
Saturday 8/19
11:00 AM Seattle Hempfest 2006 (Sat & Sun)
7:00 PM Henry Darger opening @ Frye
7:30 PM Guerrilla Masquerade Party #26.5 - Funky Take-Down
9:00 PM? DjML/GeminiTrix @ ToST
Friday, 8/18
Freedom Fest at Stocker Farms, Snohomish
John writes:
Freedom Fest
at Stocker Farms, Snohomish
August 18 - 20, 2006
This is a Religious music festival with a motorcycle jumping
competition. (Yeah, I know, it's a strange combination, thats why I had to add it to the list.)
Seattle Spin writes:
Freedom Fest, Aug 18-20th, $15, it's a Christian musical festival and motorcycle jumping competition. You gotta ask yourself - what would Jesus be jumping?
http://www.freedomfest.org/index.php
Subscribe to John's update: John_Schlick@Hotmail.com
Saturday 8/19
Seattle Hempfest 2006 (Sat & Sun)
I don't smoke pot but I sometimes go to the Hempfest just for the fun of it. You know what I am talking about: smelly hippies, hillarious stories about stoned people that got busted, lame speeches etc.
1991-2006 - Fifteen Years of Fighting for Freedom!
The nation's leading cannabis policy reform event turns fifteen years old this year. Since 1991 Seattle Hempfest has been bringing you the nation's leading experts, activists, and advocates for industrial hemp and marijuana law reform, amid multiple stages of music and hundreds of food, crafts and information vendors. Hempfest is a work-party, so come prepared to learn while you celebrate.
http://www.hempfest.org/lineup.php
Henry Darger opening @ Frye
I went to the Henry about two weeks ago and I was shocked about the quality of the work they were showing. I was embarrassed for them. The weakest part of their current collection features photos of little girls in questionable poses, some of them showing female genitals of children in close ups. The "strongest" pieces are probably Maya Ying Lin's - she did D.C.'s Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Either way, I am using a downgrade to contrast the decline in quality at Henry's with what is happening at the Frye. Frye's shows are getting better and better. Two thumbs up for Robin Held, Frye's curator!
Please join us for the opening celebration of
Henry Darger
Highlights from the American Folk Art Museum
August 19 - October 29, 2006
Frye Members Preview beginning at 6 pm
Exhibition Overview at 6:30 pm
Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and wine
Present current Frye membership card for admission
Community Opening from 7 to 9 pm
Hors d'oeuvres and cash bar
Free admission
In case you don't know Darger you should rent the fantastic documentary "In The Realms Of The Unreal" about him.
In 1973, at a Catholic poor house in Chicago, an 81-year-old retired janitor quietly died. His name was Henry Darger. Just months earlier, he had moved from the rented room where he had lived for over 40 years. When his landlords, Nathan and Kiyoko Lerner, cleaned out the clutter room, they discovered paintings: hundreds of brilliant watercolors, some over 10 feet long. The images were disturbing and mysteriously beautiful: little girls frolicking under stormy skies, little girls fighting soldiers, little girls being rescued by fantastic winged creatures. In many images, the girls were drawn naked, with penises.
At least there are no close-ups of the penises...
FRY ART MUSEUM
704 Terry Avenue - Seattle, WA 98104 -
www.fryemuseum.org
http://acer-access.com/~darger@acer-access.com/
http://www.realmsoftheunreal.com/About/about.darger.html
Guerrilla Masquerade Party #26.5 - Funky Take-Down
Hey Guerrillas!
We've had requests to do something other than go to a bar... We've
had requests to have parties more often... And we've had requests for
a more specific theme... So to keep the costume fun going somewhere a
little different between official GMP events (an October party is
being planned), we've decided to take advantage of a costume
opportunity we heard about this week.
Ever wish you could pull on some tights and take on Hulk Hogan or
Rowdy Roddy Piper? Ever dream of hangin' on the street corner with
Huggy Bear? Does the sound of Charo's voice make you giddy with
excitement? We'll we've got something you're sure to enjoy.
This Saturday August 19th, a bunch of GMP regulars and friends will be
invading the audience of 'PILEDRIVER! - a play that takes place in
1979 and follows the drama (both in the ring and in the bedroom) of a
Professional Wrestling competition. This is the second time this show
has come to Seattle, and we've heard nothing but great things about
both versions.
The show gets started at 7:30pm at Capitol Hill Arts Center, but come
a bit early to grab a drink down in the bar. The show encourages
audience participation, but they won't know what hit 'em when the
seats are filled with all us Dy-no-mite jive turkeys and disco divas.
More info and tickets are available at
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5944 - OR - take advantage of
1/2 price tickets at Ticket/Ticket (upstairs in the Broadway Market).
Whether you go for a Luche Libra look, a Stayin' Alive suit, one of
Mrs. Garrett's house-dresses, or an early Sid Vicious get-up, come on
down and join us for a great show. And of course, some lucky bar will
surely be invaded afterwards...
Capitol Hill Arts Center is located at 1621 12th Ave, just off Pine
St. Look for the sign for 'Crave'.
Hope to see you there!
dirty bunny
Guerrilla Masquerade Party
http://www.gmpseattle.com/
*For the record, GMP is not affiliated with the show. This truly will
surprise the cast and crew of the show, and any unsuspecting audience
members.
DjML/GeminiTrix @ ToST
DjML writes:
Hey,
Excited about the upcoming trip to Burning Man?
We'll we've got a prefunk for you.
Announcing the unofficial Burning Man Recompression Night at ToST.
With no cover, this is the best deal in town for your next Saturday
night's entertainment.
That's right, this coming Saturday night, August 19th, Geminitrix
(Vancouver) and I will be throwing down all night long at ToST in
Fremont.
If you aren't going to Burning Man, come down anyway and get a dose
of the fun and energy that will be had at the best party in the world.
With no cover, this is the best deal in town for your Saturday
night's entertainment.
ToST has great food, great drinks and we'll be providing sensory
goodness.
Here is a link to the online flyer:
http://djml.com/
No Cover - 9pm to 2am
ToST
513 N. 36th St.
Fremont, Seattle
Don Volcano's Computer Corner
I can't get over the Finish monsters rock band Lordi that won this year's Eurovision with "Hard Rock Hallelujah". Here is a little refresher in case you missed reading my column from last week. BBC reported that "A Finnish 'horror rock' group who dress in monster costumes have pulled off a surprise win at the 51st Eurovision Song Contest in Athens":
Finnish monsters rock Eurovision
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4998186.stm
Lordi's "Hard Rock Hallelujah"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArKBlTPtpkg
The following links have been collected by my lovely girlfriend, who obviously shares my fascination for Finnish monster rockers:
Lordi, the Fin singing sensation, get a cola named for them in gratitude for their work...
Cola named after rock group Lordi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/5259038.stm
Fins gather and protest unmasking of Lordi. A magazine faces Finnish fury after publishing a picture of Eurovision winner Lordi's lead singer's actual face.
Fury after magazine unmasks Lordi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/5034874.stm
Proud Finns of Rovaniemi name a public square for Lordi...
Finnish square named after Lordi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/5006286.stm
Lordi shares a public parkland with santa claus
Santa Claus Tourist Centre
http://www.santaclaus.fi/?deptid=8633
Lordi Square
http://www.rovaniemi.fi/?deptid=3694
In a statement issued to Finnish media the official Rovaniemi Santa Claus said: "Lordi's victory shows us that with hard work and belief in your own abilities even the greatest dreams come true".
Some final thought in response to Santa:
I have to admit I am surprised about the excitement over Lordi and the sudden upraise of confidence in Finland. My images of Finland are heavily influenced by Aki Kaurismaki's brilliant movies. Most of Kaurismaki's movies about his home country Finland tell stories about depressed people that don't talk much, but drink and smoke a lot, always seem to struggle financially, and never find love. The characters eventually do sort of find love (except for that Matchbox Factory Girl) but life is hard and that's why you need to drink in order to forget.
Until Lordi's victory that seemed to be Finland's collective attitude. But that is history now, because Santa has declared: "With hard work and belief in your own abilities even the greatest dreams come true". And what a great dream has come true: winning a singing contest with a stupid song and dressed as a monster.
Can't wait to see the next Kaurismaki movie!
Don Volcano.
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