My personal predilections regarding politics and culture are, more often than not, reflected officially in print by Seattle’s alternative weekly, The Stranger. Sure, there are occasions when their recommendations for a Wednesday night involve, say, a bondage party at an abandoned warehouse (which might not be all that bad) but I’m referring to things that I can tell my mom about: plays, shows, author readings, etc. In this last issue, Lindy West was raving about a two-man comedy act, down from Bellingham, known as The Cody Rivers Show. Adjectives such as intelligent, unique, and hilarious were abundant and, though I’m not particularly any of those things myself, I certainly enjoy seeing other people that are.
When opening act, a comedian named Sean Devlin, who was holding a Stella and talking about the sub-par quality of the majority of heroin-inspired music, asked the sold-out crowd if we had seen the headlining duo perform before, the majority of attendees cheered and applauded. “Oh,” I thought to myself, “I’m not as hip as I thought.” Surprising, huh?
Anyway, the actors came out, arms spread and tiptoeing around, making wisecracks about those who were brave (or late) enough to sit in the front row (“Green on the top, red on the bottom, eh? Well, Merry Christmas to you.”) Suddenly they transformed into quick-talking market employees who laced their advertising with confessions of adolescent misadventures (“Two tomatoes for 99 cents, take back an onion, throw in three bell peppers for a dime, the old man was a bastard so I dropped out and joined a dirty circus.”) The skits went on: they derided professors, acted in slow-mo, performed a song and dance number, impersonated a mother bird feeding its young, threw in a little slapstick, all with accuracy and energy, originality and insight.
I could go on but my “review” couldn’t do it justice. The show played for two nights only; Saturday night was sold out so I can only assume the same for Friday. They’re on the road now, in the bay area, I believe, so if you’re down there, I’d say spend the ten bucks and see a performance with some soul.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
About Time
So, what's new with you? Me? I've been busy...
My graphic novel reading habit has finally paid off. A few months back I was trying to find a ticket to go see Art Spiegelman give a lecture here in Seattle. I acquired the ticket and in the process came across another activity presented by Seattle Arts and Lectures called Wednesday University. I clicked, scrolled, and discovered a class about consumption and consumerism that had been given last winter. I cursed the heavens for missing it and vowed to track it down.
Shortly thereafter, I found myself emailing the teacher, who is also a professor at UW, and asking her if I could enroll as a non-matriculated student in her "History of Consumerism and Consumption" class for the Spring quarter. My request was blessed, signatures were obtained, and money was paid. I'm three weeks into the class, as of yesterday, and totally digging it. We've read Thorstein Veblen, talked about Heinz, watched a film about Coke; we have examined how women fell prey to the advertisers while in search of sovreignty and how patriotism and consumerism almost go hand in hand. If you're in the market to do a little shopping yourself, I'd suggest "Sold American" by George McGovern (we, in the class, refer to the purchase of books as a positive mode of consumption). Furthermore, my final paper is going to attempt to address the development of sustainable building practices and why it has taken so long to implement them.
So yeah, I stumbled into the right place.
In maintaing my own consumptive habits, I've:
read the Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami and almost all of Palestine (graphic novel) by Joe Sacco.
watched the first few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm from season one as well as the movie "Avenue Montaigne."
bought plane tickets for a month-long sojourn to Spain with my lovely bride (Jabiz, if you read this, we're coming to New York on the way back.)
listened to quite a bit of Ratatat, Explosions in the Sky, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Amon Tobin, and The Roots.
been to my second Seattle Men's Chorus performance to watch Jeremy sing.
gone to see Sarah Vowell.
So yeah, what's new with you?
My graphic novel reading habit has finally paid off. A few months back I was trying to find a ticket to go see Art Spiegelman give a lecture here in Seattle. I acquired the ticket and in the process came across another activity presented by Seattle Arts and Lectures called Wednesday University. I clicked, scrolled, and discovered a class about consumption and consumerism that had been given last winter. I cursed the heavens for missing it and vowed to track it down.
Shortly thereafter, I found myself emailing the teacher, who is also a professor at UW, and asking her if I could enroll as a non-matriculated student in her "History of Consumerism and Consumption" class for the Spring quarter. My request was blessed, signatures were obtained, and money was paid. I'm three weeks into the class, as of yesterday, and totally digging it. We've read Thorstein Veblen, talked about Heinz, watched a film about Coke; we have examined how women fell prey to the advertisers while in search of sovreignty and how patriotism and consumerism almost go hand in hand. If you're in the market to do a little shopping yourself, I'd suggest "Sold American" by George McGovern (we, in the class, refer to the purchase of books as a positive mode of consumption). Furthermore, my final paper is going to attempt to address the development of sustainable building practices and why it has taken so long to implement them.
So yeah, I stumbled into the right place.
In maintaing my own consumptive habits, I've:
read the Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami and almost all of Palestine (graphic novel) by Joe Sacco.
watched the first few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm from season one as well as the movie "Avenue Montaigne."
bought plane tickets for a month-long sojourn to Spain with my lovely bride (Jabiz, if you read this, we're coming to New York on the way back.)
listened to quite a bit of Ratatat, Explosions in the Sky, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Amon Tobin, and The Roots.
been to my second Seattle Men's Chorus performance to watch Jeremy sing.
gone to see Sarah Vowell.
So yeah, what's new with you?
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