HELLO MY NAME IS REEL KARMA

Last night I went to a show for Wax on Felt, Emerson's record label. They showcased six different bands that are all competing to get signed. My friend Riley was playing with his band, Reel Karma and I decided to make an appearance and take a listen. These guys usually play out on the steps of the piano store, as may have been previously mentioned, and I've had my fair share of street dancing because of it. All of the bands were really quite good, there was a lot of variety. It started with Ett (no idea on spelling...) which is a kind country-ish, rock band, they had a steel lap guitar which was pretty awesome. Then it went to this girl... Michelle M(something) who played piano and guitar and sang. She was kinda Ani DiFranco type, poems sang in different interesting ways and really simple instrumentals (for the most part, she had this great bit with really intense piano that was great.) She had a really nice, husky voice. Then came Blue Rhonda, which sort of reminded me of Maroon 5 because of the lead singer's voice, but there were good instrumental bits and they had a nice beat. Stupid lyrics though... well I think. Amory S(something) was in the middle. She had a huge fan base, they were all chanting her name and screaming their heads off, which was fine until it was annoying. She was really good though... she was on piano and vocals... but she had a band with a bass player, drummer and guitarist. It was good, boppy music... good piano that meshed really well with the band. Reel Karma came on after, and they were putting on quite the show. Its kinda great because they are not used to playing at venues... so they were really into the performance aspect, especially Jared... he was kinda being a punky rockstar, screaming about the bitches he dated before songs and telling people to dance. He had moves while he was playing, it was really amusing because he is usually this quite, nice little guy who looks like Adrian Brody. They put on a show though, and put all their energy into it, which made for a good vibe. They did a good job, I danced the whole time. Then the finale... was a band from Berklee called This is How Rumors Get Started. I feel like Emerson kinda shafted them a bit... by this point a lot of people had left, I mean the show had been going on for over two hours and its final week... and Amory had played, and well, they were from Berklee. But I decided to stick around, and of course, they were really good. They had an amazing guitar player. He was this little blond, skinny thing wearing shorts with suspenders and blue patent shoes. The lead singer was this black kid who gave me a pin earlier in the show... after it was over he came over gave me a high five and told me I was cute. It was a good show and I was glad I went. Tonight there is a screening at the Museum of Fine Arts that I'm going to. The film is called Night on Earth: " An anthology of 5 different cab drivers in 5 American and European cities and their remarkable fares on the same eventful night." I am hoping that it will be good, because it sounds like it has potential. Kinda makes me think of Taxicab Confessions. Let see... my other bit of culture is going to be on Sunday. My friend Emily got free ticket (from her mom's friend) to the musical Spring Awakening, and had invited me along. I'm really quite exicted, it is so much fun to go to shows. I live in the entertainment district of Boston and don't go to the theater nearly as much as I should. But this will be good.

CREAM

I rather like many of the old rock bands my dad really likes... such as Yes, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and so on. Its probably because I have been listening to them since I was born, or maybe its just because they are good. I listen to a old Cream tape in my car when my cassette player is cooperating. Anyway, I really love the lyrics to "Tales of Brave Ulysses" (as well as the song), I think they are just fantastic, though the song can make you want to do drugs. I've included the lyrics and a video.

"Tales of Brave Ulysses"- Cream
You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever,
But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun.

And the colors of the sea blind your eyes with trembling mermaids,
And you touch the distant beaches with tales of brave ulysses:
How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,
For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white laced lips.

And you see a girls brown body dancing through the turquoise,
And her footprints make you follow where the sky loves the sea.
And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body,
Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind.

The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.

Her name is aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell,
And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands
With tales of brave ulysses; how his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing.

The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter

A BOY ON A BICYCLE ON A ROOFTOP

Yesterday Zeb and I began the actual filming of the music video. He had the brilliant idea of taking his old rusted bicycle up to the rooftop of the Berklee dorm. It was really quite fantastic, I can't believe I neglected to bring a camera, I could have gotten some fantastic lomo photos in addition to the 16mm footage. Regardless, it was still a lovely way to spend the afternoon. I sat on top of radiators and filmed him swerving around on the bike in my pair of purple sunglasses. I really hope that the footage comes out well, there is so much more pressure when you are shooting with actual film, there are quite a few things that can go badly, mostly relating to light and exposing it correctly. We also did a huge bit of stop motion single framing that I am also hesitant about, there were times when I was using the wide angle lens despite the fact that the aperture didn't open quite as far as it should have. Fingers crossed that everything comes out well and that Zeb is satisfied. We are going to film a tea party in a tree next. I have quite a bit of things to do piling up lately. Hopefully I can make it through the end of the year without it being too overwhelming. I need to go to the post office to mail a big box of things back home... I think I will venture out to do that now, I really hope its not to heavy to carry all that way.

FROM THE NET

So, while stumbling around the net, I happened upon a website called vi.sualize.us. It had some fantastic photographs, some of which I am going to share.Check out the site for more... if you are interested.
In other news, I just found out that I am featured in Em Magazine's "Street Seen" which is kinda exciting... you can view it here. I'm not totally keen on my hair... but its pretty awesome that I was selected, so I have no complaints.
The other day in my plants class we were looking at interesting things relating to plants and people, such as the man who discovered a two inch fir tree growing in his lung. National geographic made a short video about it which can be viewed here. I've included the x ray as well, there are pictures of the actual lung and tree, but I will leave that up to you to google. We also talked about Julia Butterfly Hill, a environmentalist and activist who spent two years in a tree named Luna. She has a book now called, The Legacy of Luna.... anyway, while I was looking her up, I came across a blog with a entry about treehouses. Check it out.

SOME HAPPENINGS

Please note: I've included photos from my first dark room trip throughout this entry.

So today I went to Zeb's place to work on the music video. We are doing a different song now and saving the diorama... but my new idea was to do a Hansel and Gretel type scavenger hunt. Basically we are going to have Zeb's head (photo style) on this really old awesome TV and do some stop motion, a girl is going to come into frame and whisper into his ear and then... if we can... climb out of the TV and he will follow. She is going to leave things that he will pick up along the way and eventually reach her at the end. I think we should incorporate all the things he's found along the way into the end. I have paint all over now, as usually is the case when returning from Zeb's but have a nice satisfaction that I always do from making something. I love to paint and I love that I get to incorporate that with music and film. After we had some food I listened to Zeb and Scott practice the new song they are recording tonight. Scott on banjo and Zeb finger picking his guitar, they were also singing, but not actual words, just sounds harmonized. It was a really lovely song, I really liked it. I snapped some Holga pics that I'm hoping will come out, though they are black and white... I want some more color film. Speaking of prints... I went to the darkroom with Christina last night and she taught me the basics. It was really relaxing and wonderful. Yesterday was an interesting mosh of things actually. Feeling restless I decided to pack a book, music and my Holga and wander down to the Common. John, a kid from Berklee who kinda reminds me of Jesse and is kinda into me? (but I'm not so into that... he is very nice though), called me to see if I wanted to smoke hookah with him. I was watching Quidditch (which ended up being extremely amusing... the Snitch is a person who basically just fucks around and annoyed the seekers, and needless to say, I enjoyed watching them. I mean its like tag, hide and seek, rugby, dodgeball, football, and basketball all mixed into one with capes and brooms) and told him to come find me. We then had some cinnamon apple and clove shisha while watching the game. He brought a ukulele which was amusing and nice. After some more of his friends showed up I left and met Kelly. She wanted to see the Quidditch spektacle so we stopped by to watch the last game of the tournament before heading to get some food. On our way back from dinner I ran into Sharif and Christina and others from the cultural center... they were putting on a play: "Looking for Something We Had the Entire Time: A collection of pieces from Susan Lori Parks, 365Days/365Plays" we decided to go in. It was a kinda beatnik like play, about race, experimental but with a lot of underlying meaning. There were some really funny bits, and I enjoyed it. Then it was darkroom time. Ah, I wanted to share a video that I viewed with Zebulon. I like this song. I also recieved my new Coconut Records album in the mail today.I didn't actually take or develop this one... I just saved it from the trash.

THINGS FROM SHARIF AND CHRISTINA

Last night I went to a screening at the Brattle Theater. Its a old little place in Harvard Square that screens all kinds of films that are off the beaten track. I went with Sarif, Christina, Kyndal and a girl named Becca. We saw The Red Shoes. Its a film about a ballet... a little long and I think it should have ended differently, but I liked it. I would like to get a lot of the music that is in it, there are some good pieces. I've included the main ballet scene because I rather like it.




Also, while hanging out with Sharif and Christina in the cultural center the other day, I discovered the song "Back in the Day" by Erykah Badu. She did a perfermance on the Chappelle Show (they were watching it) that was quite fab, but I cannot find it on the net, so I will just supply the song via youtube.

SCANNED

I scanned a roll of slide film from my Holga today. Some of the prints came out really well, it just makes me want to shoot more. I need to get some more 120 color... I have a few rolls of black and white going right now... one in my Diana and one in my Holga. It has been a really strange day. There seems to be a lot of conflict arising everywhere. Well, in some places. Its been getting really nice lately... I love this time of the year. It is so nice out, not uncomfortably hot or cold, just right. It makes me want to wander around and sit in the sun and read. Unfortunantly it is also the busiest time of the year. I think I'm going to splurg and finally buy a roll of super eight film to shoot. I have to return the camera soon and it is a good excuse to spend time outside with a camera. Last night I was invited out for a night walk around the gardens with a boy named Riley and two of his friends. It was enjoyable, he is quite the optimist, everything always seems to be on the ups with him which makes for good energy. We've started to chat due to music, namely the Decemberists new album, The Hazards of Love. Speaking of music... I just ordered the new Coconut Records album today. You get a free postcard (um... I love Jason... first a polaroid/poster of polaroids and then a postcard!) and a sticker. I was listening to Nighttiming and remembering why I loved that album so much. The new one... Davy came out on January 20, 2009, I have no idea why I missed it.... but I'm excited to listen. You can check it out here. I really need to go write a paper about trees for my Plants and People class but I have been putting it off for whatever reason. I learned how to edit mag today (what sound goes on for 16mm films)... we have to have sounds for our final projects. I am working with a girl named Grace but we are doing my idea... basically a girl loves places because of the way they sound. But more on that later. Oh but quickly before I go... last night I went to a Films From the Margin screening of a professor's work. He is a cinematography professor named Pierre. And I really love him. He has a twin brother who is an artist who makes sculptures out of wood and metals. He put together a piece showcasing his work because he doesn't think people will stop to look at artwork long enough, often times they take longer to read the discription. He is trying to force us to slow down and really consider an artwork and different components of it. He also loves filming birds, which I think is great... basically it was a wonderful experimental film (well there were two actually). He had this great bit with a naked woman on a bed as well, it was slightly out of focus with beautiful color. He resonated with me because when I first got into film I wanted to make a piece that showcased all the different bits of the world that are beautiful and amazing and interesting that we often overlook. I also loved the look at the female form. I would love to film a woman dancing sensually, but sillouetted. I will work this into a film eventually. I started to get an idea about a girl finding a phrase or bit of poetry painted on a wall... I have to muse it over a bit more. It was inspiring, and I am determined to take a class with that fantastic man. Alright, I am going to go and muse over trees and type something out.

SOMETHING FROM KEIGHLEY

Keighley sent this to me the other night and I rather enjoyed it. It is a good old classic piece, a little bizare at times, with a great rendition of Cab Calloway's St. James Infirmary. I also came across this website a few weeks ago and really love it. Just a few things to share!