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Written by Sameerah
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Sunday, 24 January 2010 |
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First things first, no matter what anyone says about this book you have to respect any writer who is willing to live his life on the road. In the dirt and grime, living among the the Crusts and Punks. Rolling from squat to squat, sleeping in parks and generally living in shit just to bring us the story. A lot of us don't have it in us, this includes yours truly. Lord knows I love my quasi crappy apartment, gas in my car and occasionally a new pair of boots too much to attempt the kind of Gonzo madness that Bertek does. And for that sir I solute you. The Big Shiny Prison is equal parts tour diary, road map and love letter the the underground scene that has made, destroyed and rebuilt the legend of Bertek. It chronicles his beginnings as a disturbed kid in Detroit. To his rise to king of the Underground promoters to his ultimate demise. As he limps away from the rust belt to find himself and the true spirit of the underground along the way. It almost reads like Hunter S. Thompson's classic Fear and Loathing. There are probably just as many drug fueled binges, just as much chaos and wonder. The difference is Rolling Stone picked up Huntner's tab for Fear and Loathing, Bertek is rolling out with a few hundred bucks in his pocket a greyhound bus ticket and a backpack. The first few chapters give you a basic lay of the land. Going through the difference scenes that make up the world of the underground. It's actually a good history lesson for someone who is new to the scene. Even for those that aren't its fun to get the history behind the different movements that help to shape the music. Bertek manages to get some great interviews from bands that either usually don't talk to the press or have been thought to have fallen off the map altogether.Dwarves, Ludicra and Sol Evil all give great interviews on their music the scene and just random life experiences on the road. The interviews are made better by the way Bertek weaves himself into some of the insanity. The Big Shiny Prison is dirty, loving, and cynical through bouts of optimism all of the things that make Bertak and the world of Metal fuckin brilliant. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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Written by Sameerah
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Friday, 08 August 2008 |
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Shows at Relax Bar are always a mixed bag. A little hole in the wall in Hollywood the place is really just a bar with a few extra feet of space to serve as a stage. I don't think the place was designed to host the caliber of bands that usually have shows there. Because the set up there is so weird, there is almost always some sort of madness going on with the sound there. Tonight was no exception. None of the band had any vocals the mics were so bad. Again it could just be the way the place is arranged, with the speakers poorly placed behind the stage and thus behind the wall of sound that most Metal bands tend to travel with. Still that doesn't make it any less annoying. Despite another night of PA hijinks's with the bar, all of the bands that played were incredible. Sadly I was a bit late getting to the bar so I missed a few bands, but I got there in time to see the last half of It's Casual's set. They're only a two man band, just a guitar and one wicked ass drummer! While not being able hear the vox was a problem that would plague the evening it didn't really matter after a few minutes. Even with no vocals and a small set up It's Casual had enough energy to rival a band with twice as many people with ten times the gear! While the guitar screamed and wailed I couldn't take my eyes off of the drummer. I think he may be one of the most animated drummers to ever sit behind a drum kit. The guy had some serious Oh faces going on as he slammed the drum heads into oblivion. Pointing his sticks at people taking pictures in the audience. He was a one man rock show. The energy from It's Casual was infectious. While they had the floor the tiny bar was transformed into an arena as they bombarded us with waves of intense energy and sound. Black Math was up next. I wasn't sure what to expect from them cause I hadn't heard anything from them before, but I was totally impressed by their performance. They did a set of slow heavy Doom Sludge that was over far too soon for my liking. They had an awesome bass player and the sound was so tight and precise it was almost unreal. The songs were so heavy and thick that they could be felt as well heard. I was standing on a bench watching the show. Pushing my back to the wall trying to make myself as flat as possible to feel the musical pulse that had taken over the room. I didn't know who Black Math was before tonight, now I'm glad I do this is a band that is making its way directly into the heavy rotation file. check out their site http://www.myspace.com/blackmathhorseman and you'll see what I mean. When I was watching Ancestor set up I knew I was in for something special because of the sheer size of the amps that they brought to the stage. They were fucking massive! Taking over the entire back wall of the venue. It was another heavy Doom Sludge inspired performance this time with a bit of a Bluesy twist to it. Topped off with some killer effects provided by some nice synth action. Once again the walls began to vibrate with heavy aggression. I found myself having to resist the urge to climb on top of their amps so I could feel them in every fiber of my being. The memory of last years ear infection caused by falling asleep on top of a bass amp being the only thing that kept me glued to the wall instead of climbing into a speaker. Ancestor was another band I was unaware of until tonight and yet another band to work its way to the forefront of the heavy rotation files. You can listen to them at http://www.last.fm/music/Ancestors and if you think they sound awesome there its even better in person. Its time for Black Cobra to take the stage. I'm still vibrating from the sounds of the previous bands as they twang off the first few riffs of their first song. It hit me like a ton of bricks and almost caught me by surprise when they started. They managed to get around the unheard vocals by getting the crowd to do a lil sing along which is always a good time. They also played a few tracks from their still untitled upcoming album as well as some crowd faves. The new stuff sounded killer and just got me super hyped for the album to drop later in the year.
Dispite issues with mics and speakers each and every band that played managed to rock the place with unbridled fury. Its a testament to the how amazing all of these bands are. they played awesome sets without a complaint and blew the audience away. Black Cobra is going to be on the road for the next few weeks and you can find where It's Casual, Ancestor and Black Math are playing on their web site and my space pages. So if you cant manage to get out and see a show all of their albums are worth a listen |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 August 2008 )
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 11 November 2007 |
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It was about a year ago when I was in the car listening to some show on NPR and I heard someone talking about Sarah Kane's 4.48 Psychosis. It seemed like an interesting piece and was the last work of the British Playwright. I didn't hear much about the piece after that, it became something that was tucked away in the back of mind for future reference. Until I ran across a small announcement in the LA Weekly that there was going to be a performance of the piece at the Stella Addler Theater in Hollywood. Seeing that it was Saturday night and I didn't have a whole lot going on and had been feeling a bit out of sorts for the last few days and there is nothing like a play on Manic Depression and suicide to lift ones spirits, don't you agree? The stage opens in up to black walls covered in white writing that almost looks like graffiti but as you read it becomes obvious that they are the rantings of a disturbed mind. There is a woman sitting in a chair, she looks upset as she looks at the man opposite her with a clipboard in his lap. The woman stands and begins to recite a long speech of anguish and pain. Sometimes to the man sitting in the chair next to her, sometimes to the audience but often just to herself. Its almost like a one woman performance as the un named woman continues to speak from various places on the stage some of the pieces are funny some guy wrenching and chilling. Some people think that 4.48 Psychosis is Sarah Kane's suicide note to the world. This play isn't meant to really give you any sort of insight into the mind of a Manic Depressive, but more to give some small peek into what may have been running through her mind before she decided to take her life and the pain that led to the decision to end it all. At times it may seem a bit wordy and pertenious, but she is English after all, its just what they do sometimes. Still it is definitely an entertaining play even if it isn't the most enlightening. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 11 November 2007 )
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Clair Obsecur Presents Bettie and Bunny |
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Written by Sameerah
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Friday, 12 August 2005 |
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Fucking windy rainy nights are such a pain in the ass. Driving down Melrose on the way to the Clair Obscur Gallery traffic is a bitch. Iâ??ve just gotten off of work and all I want right now is a martini and a parking space. Turning onto a side street I find parking however I donâ??t get my martini. Not that it mattered; any thoughts of having a drink were swept away by images of Bettie Page. That face and that smile are enough to warm the heart and make me feel better instantly. Bettieâ??s playful sexy smile makes me feel proud to be a woman while stimulatingly causing me to make a silent vow to get back into the gym. I swear 10,000 years from now that woman will still be making men adjust themselves and making women jealous.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 12 August 2005 )
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Thursday, 19 May 2005 |
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There is nothing more wonderful than a warm spring evening in the City of Lost Angels. The air is sweet and thick with excitement on the sunset strip tonight; usually I put this to the ever changing moods of the city, but tonight is different. There seems to be more energy around than usual. As we get closer to the Key Club I finally understand why, tonight we are here to see Pig Face on their annual Free for All Tour. A little background for those that may not know what this tour is about, Free for All is a way for the artist to give back to their fans by putting on kick ass shows with reasonable ticket and merchandise prices that should fit into almost anyoneâ??s budget. Its also a way to encourage people to try some new music. You can get all kinds of things from the bands that are on the tour but it also gives you the chance to check out some of other bands that you may never have heard before.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 19 June 2005 )
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