Gallery 193 features Louis Beckett's Archives

Louie Beckett's archives of remnants he has collected over his life will be on display at Gallery 193 during
Gallery Hop Friday.

Got this press release from Philip Jones, creative director of the new gallery Institute 193 on Limestone, and I thought I would pass on the info. The gallery's first exhibit, Louis Bickett's archived collection of *fill in the blank* ends next weekend. I've seen some of his stuff before and it is utterly fascinating. Methinks this Friday's Gallery Hop would be a good time to peep the show and check out one of Lexington's newest gallery spaces.


SELECTIONS FROM THE ARCHIVE: LAST DAY IS NOVEMBER 27
OPEN GALLERY HOP ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20: 5 - 9 PM

"Since 1972, Louis Zoellar Bickett II has meticulously collected and cataloged items from his daily life and assembled them into a functioning installation he refers to as: THE ARCHIVE. Photographs, dinner receipts, dog brushes, jars, binders and items of every sort are tagged and neatly placed within the 3-D collage that serves as home and studio to the artist. The archive's contents are seemingly endless and infinitely varied. Bickett's genius lies in his ability to transform the most basic object into a highly sophisticated work of art using a simple associative process. The collection, organization and archiving of everyday objects imbues them with significance beyond function or simple metaphor. Every object is tagged with a name and date, corresponding to a set of events, an idea or some larger on-going project. The object's viewer knows precisely what it is, where its from, why it was purchased, the name of its previous owner or the role that it plays in the artist's life. Its placement within the archive further secures its importance and guarantees its survival. Sculptures, photographs and paintings are tagged in the same manner (and with the same precision) as flashlights, bowling bags and hats. Certain objects are "tagged" or "stamped" several times to reflect their inclusion in several projects. The debate about "what is art" is clearly answered in Bickett's process: anything I choose. Selections from the Archive is a quick glance at a seemingly random sampling of objects. It is not intended to be a retrospective or an accounting of various projects. Indeed there are too many for a book and exhibition of this size. The intention is rather to select objects that resonate with simplicity and illuminate the artist's transformative abilities while hinting at the larger themes of sex, identity and death that permeate Bickett's work. Furiously collecting and archiving towards death, Bickett has become the central object of the archive - missing only the tag he will receive, not unlike the rest of us, upon his own death. With this book, we invite the viewer into the artist's studio for a fleeting glance at Bickett's work and the machinations of his vast and ever-growing archive.

-Phillip March Jones, Creative Director

In related news, Institute 193 is hosting a fund raiser on November 28 at the Red Mile Round Barn, featuring local cellist extraordinaire Ben Sollee and folk singer Daniel Martin Moore (both of whom have a compilation with Jim James - can't. call. him. Yim. Yames. - out in February 2010). $12 advanced/$15 door. More about Institute 193 here.

Phantom Family Halo/Invaders Preview Part 2

CROSS/INVADERS/PHANTOM FAMILY HALO at AL'S BAR
601 N. Limestone
(Tonight) Thursday November 19, 2009
All Ages, $3

Sooo, I hope it didn't appear that I was trying to slight Invaders in my lengthy dealings with Phantom Family Halo last entry. I just didn't have the time to finish the entry at the moment. (And I'm also definitely not trying to slight Lexington's CROSS, I just don't have any albums of theirs to listen to & stew over, probably because they are a relatively new band and they don't have any albums. I have caught them live a couple times, though not with the current line-up, and it's always super rad and super different, just like Warmer Milks, the former band featuring Cross's Mikey T and Clint Colburn [to clarify, they don't sound just like the Milks, but they are always super rad and super different like the Warmer Milks were].)

Here's an adapted version of my review of Invaders' 'Floating' for WRFL.

I was hooked on Louisville's Invaders from the first track I heard ("Couldn't Come"), a couple months ago on their MyFace page. Lucky for all of us, their entire new album (I believe it's their first) happens to completely slay from start to finish.

This album manages to be dreamy and feel-good and dark and forboding all at the same time. The songs are tight and structured, with riffs and driving percussion, but just enough garage noise, distortion and shrieking to make it interesting (without getting too aloof). They've achieved a really sexy and sophisticated sound for being such a new band (I assume they are a pretty new band but I honestly couldn't find much history info on them). Definite 1990's British vibes – lush, dense shoegazey soundscapes shrouded in fuzzy-yet-Hope-Sandoval sounding female vocals. There's something nostalgic about it. But there's something new I can't really place.

This album got me sincerely excited for wherever it is that this band is going. Judging from the recent slew of Karate Body releases, it would appear the historically amazing underground music scene in Louisville is totally alive and well.

RIYL: Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Thee Oh Sees, Tom Tom Club, Atlas Sound

Phantom Family Halo/Invaders Preview: Part 1

This Thursday, two of Louisville's finest will bring their jams to Lexington : Phantom Family Halo and Invaders, playing with Lexington's own Cross. I've already mentioned that I've been wanting to see both bands for some time now, and fortunately the show coming up put a fire under my ass to spend some time with their new albums (both out through the magic of the increasingly impressive vinyl pressing wizards at Louisville's Karate Body Records, co-founded by Leo Weekly Music Editor Mat Heron).

I reviewed both albums for WRFL last week, so without further ado I'm gonna post adapted version of those reviews (Invaders' Floating, which I also love, to follow soon):

Phantom Family Halo - Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die


Unabashedly re-posting this video for 'Monoliths', which I also posted yesterday, because it's a great song, and at approximately 10 minutes should provide nice background music for reading the review.

The second release from Louisville neo-psychedelia masterminds Phantom Family Halo has got me pretty stoked. I’m not sure exactly what I expected from it, having never listened to their debut - I was hoping it'd be good stuff, of course, but these guys went and took it to the next level, creating what is seriously one of the most diverse and surprising albums I've heard in a while.

Throughout the 18-song duration, there are blatant nods to Bowie, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd - which are stupid-generic influences, I know, but don’t be misled. Yes, Phantom Family Halo borrows the glam, the heavy riffs, the acid-drenched ambiance from bands that we all know for a) introducing many of us to music in the first place, and b) proceeding to become so oversaturated on classic rock channels everywhere that the up-and-coming generation of hipsters seem to all but dismiss them. As a defender of classics, I applaud Phantom Family Halo for this rather ballsy move – they’ve reverted to the roots of '70s rock in a way that many bands seem too cool to do, but by no means do they dwell there (or anywhere, for that matter) for too long. From there, they rather effortlessly traverse straight into some futuristic time and place, leaving no real evidence of having traveled through or been affected by all the genres and sub-genre spin-offs that have popped up and keeled over between these two places. It gives the album a certain timelessness that is somehow disorientating and invigorating at once.

The songs vary from minimalist instrumentals to feral heavy metal to experimental lullabyes, but the overall ambiance is dark and apocalyptic, like some sort of science fiction or occult soundtrack (though I’m pretty sure there’s also a rock opera hiding in there somewhere).

With this album, Phantom Family Halo have distinguished themselves as artistic and psychedelic in a genre that tends to be characterized by (too much) fuzz, distortion, noodling and general f-ing around – Monoliths has those elements, don't get me wrong, but they seem to be much more controlled and intentional than in much of the neo-psychedelica that's come out in recent years. Further, this album, which the band recorded themselves in various locations, is refreshingly clean and sharply-produced – layered and complex without sounding like it’s hiding from some element of itself.

Founded by members of Sapat and The For Carnation, Phantom Family Halo are currently gearing up for a 12-date tour opening for Louisville's Young Widows and Russian Circles, including a record release party with Softcheque at Zanzabar in Louisville on November 25. Their Lexington show with Invaders and Cross (Al's Bar, tomorrow! - Thursday November 19) is the band's first show since drummer Tony Bailey, a longtime fixture in the Louisville music scene, unexpectedly passed away in October. The band decided recently that vocalist Dominic Cipolla (of Sapat), who has played stand-up drums in the band in the past, would take on the percussive roles for this tour. "This band has always been an ever-changing live situation," Cipolla said. "Every tour has been different and keeps us interested."

RIYL: Witch, Black Mountain, David Bowie, Hawkwind.

This Week, November 17 - 23

It's been a minute since I did a This Week Post. (thanks for bearing with me.) Here's my picks for the week, there's lots & lots going on...

Tuesday, Nov 17:

• Outside the Spotlight presents KLANG: Chicago jazz quartet featuring clarinetist James Falzon, percussionist Tim Daisy (who has performed in Lex a number of times with the Vandermark 5), bassist Jason Roebke and vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz. Read Walter Tunis' preview here.
• Balagula Theater presents "The Bald Sporano" at Natasha's Bistro (through Wed.) Balagula Theater, Natasha's Bistro's in-house theater company, has consistently been presenting the most daring and unique stage productions in Lexington for years, but 2009-2010 marks their first official "season," a 4-production exploration of absurdist and existentialist plays of which Eugene Ionesco's "The Bald Sporano" is the second installment (following September's "B is for Beckett"). Written in the '50's, "The Bald Soprano" is an absurdist comedy in the vein of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (a movie I love, though I have yet to seen it performed on stage), touching on the banality of everyday existence and human communication...I saw it last night and absolutely loved it. The play itself (which I was unfamiliar with) is completely hilarious; the phenomenal acting, direction and set design all topped it off. I wouldn't say it's for everyone - the humor is British, and waaaaay left-field British at that (even though the playwright was French Romanian; weird) and there's a point where the entire play falls off its rocker altogether. But if you're looking for a unique theater experience that forces you to step outside your comfort zone, this comes highly recommended. Stay tuned for Sarte's "No Exit" in February/March and Aruthur Kopit's "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad." Dinner seating from 5:30 -6:45/ Theater seating at 7:30/ Curtains at 8/ $15.
  

Wednesday, Nov 18:

• Holler Poets Series: The 19th (!) monthly installment of the hugely successul Lexington litereary series features readers Renee Rigdon and Jude McPherson (founder of Blacoetry Press). Music by Karly Dawn Higgins of the Clack Mountain String Band. Open mic starts at 8 with limited slots, so show up early if you want to sign up.
• Alexa Woodward/The Rainjunkies at Buster's. One of the preliminary "Front Room Shows" at Buster's, inspired in part by the intensely fun front room shows at Boomslang that included Ga'an, Peaking Lights, Tiny Fights, Caboladies and Burning Star Core. Alexa Woodward = angelic banjo picking songwriter from NYC who has been compared to Gillian Welch, Jolie Holland and Judy Garland. Rainjunkies = solid Lexington-flavored indie rock with just a tinge of twang. The show is FREE, pool tables will be open and inside sources tell me "it will legitimately start around 9:00."
  

Thursday, Nov 19:

• Phantom Family Halo/Invaders/Cross at Al's Bar. Phantom Family Halo and Invaders are two Louisville bands who I have been wanting to see live for quite some time now. So I was obviously psyched when they approached me to help get them both on a bill here in Lex. I'll be doing a more full blown show preview soon, but in the meantime know that they are both psych-influenced rock bands (most generic description ever?) and they are both seriously, seriously rad. Listening to the new albums by both bands (Invader's 'Floating' and Phantom Family Halo's 'Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die,' both out on Louisville's Karate Body Records) has restored my faith that the Louisville underground music scene continues to pump out severely original and exciting music. Maybe one day I'll be motivated enough to spend the time to figure out how to post songs on my posts (I openly admit my complete amateur status), but in the meantime you can check out Invaders here and PFH here. Oh yeah....Lexington's own CROSS featuring members of Warmer Milks and Tight Leather will open. SEE YOU THERE.

Friday, November 20:

• GALLERY HOP - I admit I don't know much about what's going on for the November Gallery Hop, but photographer Richie Wireman's "Visual Block" Exhibit is essential. Wireman, in case you didn't know, is one of the greatest artistic assets to Lexington - he documents an incredible amount of events, and he does it beautifully and tirelessly. At the Thriller Zombie Parade this Halloween (one of the craziest events of the year, by the way - where did those people come from???), I spotted him walking backwards with the parade, and walking quickly, snapping two cameras simultaneously. Anyway, this exhibit, which has been in the works for quite some time, is his documentation of The Dame/Centrepointe block, "as it was and as it is." Photographs as well as relics he salvaged from the block will be on display. Bellini's Ballroom (above Bellini's Restaurant on Main Street); 5:30 - 9:30. Dave Farris and Willie Eames will play music at 7 and again at 9.
  

Saturday November 21:

• Benefit for Jason Noble featuring SHELLAC, Shannon Wright, The Web. In case ya didn't know, Shellac totally slays - with a line-up featuring Steve Albini and Bob Weston, I don't know that there's much else they could do. More in-depth preview from yesterday here.

Monday, November 23:

• Sound/Vision perform Steve Reich's DRUMMING at Singletary Center. Last year's FreeKY fest was the first time these guys popped up on my radar. I was floored, and they have continued to impress every time I've seen them since; most recently when they opened for Rachel Grimes at the Second Presbyterian Church with video accompaniment by Jason Corder. They've performed excerpts of Reich's Drumming before, but they plan to take it to a new level this time - they actually purchased the rights to the piece and will be performing it in it's entirety. 7:30 pm. I think it's free....
  

Other happenings:
Tuesday, November 17 - Charlie Louvin/Dex Romweber Duo @ Cosmic Charlie's (Lex).
Friday, November 20 - R. Kelly @ The Palace Theater (Lou).
Friday, November 20 - MV & EE; Cross; A.V. @ The Palace Theater (Lou).
Saturday, November 21 - (Wooden) Wand w/ Doug Keith and Street Gnar @ Buster's (Lex.)

SHELLAC in Louisville, this Saturday

"Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed."
~from the article "The Problem with Music" by Steve Albini, which originally appeared in Maximum Rock 'n' Roll Issue #133.

Sooo, I'm pretty sure many of you are aware I helped organize a festival in Lexington this past October called Boomslang (even though I pretty much never posted about it for some reason, which, looking back on it, I now find rather odd). Anyway, some of you probably also know that one of the bands I was most excited to score for said festival was Louisville post-rock greats Shipping News, a definite personal favorite of mine that I saw as kind of a long-shot – to my knowledge, they have been relatively reclusive over the past few years, not playing many live shows and having not released an album in a few years. Their booking agent confirmed that yes, it would be awesome, but true, I probably shouldn't hold my breath. After what must have been a couple of months after my initial feeler, Erik from Uncle Booking finally reported back to me, kind of out of the blue, that lo and behold, Shipping News were indeed interested in playing Boomslang. Much to my glee, they seemed genuinely stoked on it, sending me personal e-mails complimenting the line-up and expressing their excitement. Unfortunately, a few weeks after the show was announced, the band had to cancel their performance and also postpone their November recording plans, due to suddenly finding out about some serious health problems that had progressed with guitarist Jason Noble, who needed to immediately undergo an extensive surgery & recovery process that I believe included traveling to Texas for chemo/radiation.

Scrambling to fill their spot at Boomslang, in the midst of my sadness that the show was canceled under the crappiest of circumstances, one of the first bands that came to mind was a little band called SHELLAC. Again, a long shot, I thought – this is engineering wizard genius STEVE ALBINI'S band, after all. Not only is Albini, who founded and runs Chicago recording studio Electrical Audio, an incredibly busy dude (most epic production catalogue ever, including albums by Pixies, Nirvana, Breeders, The Jesus Lizard, Tony Conrad, Dirty Three, many more) but being versed on his stance on agents & managers and whatnot, I kind of assumed he would also be an incredibly difficult-to-get-ahold-of dude. Not to say the band wouldn't have agreed to the show, given the circumstances – I think they would have at least entertained the notion – but I saw Mission of Burma as an equally amazing and potentially more easily accessible replacement, and fortunately they jumped on it pretty much right away (and gave a performance that all but stole the entire fest). Anyway, long story short (or rather, getting to the short of an unnecessarily long story), I was obviously stoked and reaffirmed in this decision when I got word that Shellac had scheduled a benefit show for Jason Noble at Louisville's 930 Room with Shannon Wright and The Web (organized by fellow Shipping Newsian Jeff Meuller) for November 21. I got my tickets pretty much immediately, and I suggest you do the same - this is a 450 capacity venue and the show is coming up this Saturday. Tickets are $17 in advance/$20 at the door and all proceeds go to Jason and his family to help cover hefty medical costs - get them here.

SHELLAC = intense and heavy-hitting no frills math rock trio based out of Chicago featuring guitarist Steve Albini (I repeat, one of the most influential audio engineers of all time), drummer Todd Trainer and bassist Bob Weston ('live engineer and tape manipulator' of the most recent Mission of Burma incarnation; also a renowned sound engineer).

I don't know much about Shannon Wright, but she has been a frequent collaborator with Shipping News family from what I understand. The Web, also performing, appear to be in the weirdo Louisville avant garde camp.

If you're still not convinced that this is going to be the place to be on Saturday, I should mention that I've been reading up lots of interviews with promoter Barry Hogan, whose All Tomorrow's Parties festivals have seen the likes of bands such as, oh, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Slint, Boris, Om, Portishead, Deerhoof, Explosions in the Sky, pretty much every single band I've ever wanted to see, etc., and in more than one interview Hogan has referred to Shellac as one of the greatest live performances he's ever seen. So there ya go.

If that doesn't convince you, well, yeah, you should probably just stay home and listen to Bon Iver or something. But still feel encouraged to keep up with Jason's progress and even make a donation to his health fund through his Caring Bridge site if you are so inclined.