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More Die Antwoord

More info on my current fave art-persona band here.

And here's a li'l video starring Watkin Tudor Jones, who plays Ninja in Die Antwoord.





It took me three viewings of this to realize the voice-over was in English!
Strange, strange feeling. I got that feeling once before while staying with a family in Cork, Ireland. 3 days into the visit, the dad directed a question directly to me and I suddenly semi-understood him and thought Awwww, shit! He's been speaking ENGLISH this WHOLE TIME?!

It's like the inverse...obverse?
...OPPOSITE of the feeling this video engendered in me, in which the performers are actually NOT speaking English.




I know, I've posted that before. And it's all over the place. But like Die Antwoord, I can't get enough of it.

Posted by sarah fisch on 2/8/2010 2:20:08 AM Permalink | Comments: 0

GEAUX SAINTS! (some halftime entertainment)

OK, enough with the Super Bowl.
I'm'a watch it, but I'm fed up with the media omnipresence.

NEW ORLEANS IS IN THE SUPER BOWL. I GET IT. I AM ROOTING FOR THEM TOO. NOW LET'S ALL MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES.

It was very cool what these players did however.






WAIT, though, I came here just now to give y'all something to look at if you're not into American football, or to watch during halftime if you don't like The Who —— like say you're STILL pissed about Tommy on Broadway or  you're not in a Peter Townshend type-a- mood, or if Baba O' Reilly makes you too sad now because it always reminds you of this awesome John Hughes medley video.




WAIT WAIT WAIT though, that wasn't what I was gonna show y'all.

Damn you, ADD! (And double damn: I hotlinked the word ADD to that David Hasselhoff recursion GIF in my first draft but it didn't work).

My advice: so DVR the halftime and turn your attention to the changing face of world music.

I'm not all that familiar with modern African music.
I love, love, love Fela Kuti
and Miriam Makeeba.
And Frederic Galliano. & the African Divas.

And I'm reluctant to refer to this next group as African...because they're white.
Which is nerve-wracking.
However.

Die Antwoord
came to my attention from my friend Bruce's Facebook feed yesterday, and have apparently exploded all over due to bloggers way hipper than I,  and now I'm sort of addicted to them. South African hip-hop of a vaguely satiric (I think?), art-persona-adept nature. No autotune, just old-school (as in class of C+C Music Factory, a very recognizable bit of which they actually sample), four-on-the-floor acid house/rave beats  topped with the surprisingly fluid and sometimes pretty funny rhymes of MC Ninja, and the cooings and chirpings of futuristically-hairdoed Yo-Landi Vi$$er, who reminds me of a really pretty troll doll.

Are they good?
I don't know if I'm the person to answer that. Maybe I'm just highly susceptible to internet memes.
But I'm enjoying the hell out of this one.

Here are 2 videos!









Collaborators with progeria! "Dark Side of the Moon" underpants! The hell?

Go to their website, it's really well-made and entertaining. Be sure to check out the "secret chamber."
I'm not sure I understand them entirely. My Afrikaans is rusty.
I do like that Ninja references Xhosa culture in the spoken into to "Enter the Ninja" (one of the most famous Xhosa was Miriam Makeeba -- she sang primarily in Xhosa), though I recognize the perils of a white Afrikaaner appropriating black African culture.

Still and all, I can't quite turn away.
Partly because the incredible elasticity of hip-hop truly seems to be able to embrace anything: Die Antwoord is like an experimental project put together by Vanilla Ice, Aphex Twin and Harmony Korinne.
And speaking of the "world music" angle, Die Antwoort would be good tour-mates for Gogol Bordello, if only to temper Eugene Hutz's undoubtedly awesome but somewhat self-important "I'm always angrily semi-explaining myself" celeb persona.

Anyhow, Happy Super Bowl y'all.


Posted by sarah fisch on 2/7/2010 4:21:01 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

Live & Local preview; weekend concert guide



We're heading to the cozy GIG tonight to watch Merykid, aka Nick Mery. Check him out in the video above. Cover is $6, and for $5 more you can bring your own bottle o' wine. Otherwise you'll have to straight-edge it.

We'll see you there, maybe. There's a lot going on this weekend, so you might not be able to make it to everything.

There's absolutely no excuse to stay home, though:

Hyperbubble is celebrating an album release (Candy Apple Daydreams, read our review here) tonight at White Rabbit.

Ernest Gonzales is also dropping a new album tonight (Been Meaning to Tell You, read our review here) at Limelight, where he'll be performing his regular First Friday gig, Get Busy! with Ghosts on Tape and DJ Johnny Walker.

But don't get all you're partying out tonight, because Saturday, you've got
the chance to see an extremely diverse and awesome line up at one of my favorite venues in town.Mexican Stepgrandfather, Astex, Pop Pistol Los Nahualatos, and No Time for the Old In Out will all be playing at Salute (2801 N. St. Mary's). Cover is $5.

If you're in more of a metal mood, check out Deadpool at Clicks Live. San Antonio's favorite metal band will be performing with locals Imminent Descent and Tampa's Sabbath Judas Sabbath, a cover band featuring Helstar's James Rivera, Larry Barragan, and Eric Halper.

And if that sounds too structured for your hippie soul, check out Official First Saturday, which returns to Rebar with an open drum circle jam on the patio and performances by Pasenger, Blackout Riot, and Jonestown Tragedy inside. No cover.

Come say hi if you see me, and I'll pretend I know you so you can look like a bigshot in front of all your friends. You're welcome.

Posted by snuff_film on 2/5/2010 12:33:22 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

The Beatles reunited via mashup

<a href="http://werelateforclass.bandcamp.com/album/47-were-late-for-class-presents-the-act-youve-known-for-all-these-years">Space Fantasy Peace (Intro) by We're Late For Class</a>


The latest mashup from copyright-infringement collective We're Late for Class cuts, pastes, and reconfigures tracks from the Beatles' experimental solo works, and the result is a pretty freaking phenomenal 75 minutes of mostly instrumental psychedelia. Sir Paul's attorneys will probably confiscate your children if they can prove you listened to any of this, but do it anyway.

According to WLC, the albums used are:

Wonderwall Music
Two Virgins
Electronic Sound
Life With The Lions
Wedding Album
Live Peace In Toronto 1969
McCartney
Some Time In New York City
Thrillington
Dark Horse
Stop And Smell The Roses
Oobu Joobu (Ecology)
Press To Play
Working Classical
Liverpool Oratorio
Liverpool Sound Collage
Memory Almost Full
& Electric Arguments
("It's So Hard" and a piece of dialog are from a bootleg and there are a couple of seconds from Anthology 3)

Posted by snuff_film on 2/4/2010 1:09:04 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

Extras needed for Coen Brothers' 'True Grit,' filming in Austin

If you've got the free time and the gas money to drive up to Austin and stand around in a cowboy hat for several days, go for it. The press release (reprinted below) asks for Texas residents, families, and "unique 'character' faces," which I'm pretty sure is a nice way of saying remarkably ugly.

***

The film shoots in TX (Austin area, incl Granger & Blanko) during March, April & May of 2010.

Looking for reliable people to portray looks specific to the 1870's and 1900. Start growing your hair now!

Seeking: Unique "character" faces. We are most interested in people with natural features.

HAIR NOTES: If you want to be considered- start growing your hair now! 
Women should have long hair that is not colored in anyway- no highlights, full head colors or semi permanent colors. Men should have some length, especially on top. Crew cuts are not suitable- as the hair will not have time enough to grow. Men should grow their facial hair, incl beard, moustache, sideburns.

BODY TYPES: People from this time period did not have modern enhancements- meaning they did not have braces, implants, etc. They weren't weight lifters- people worked hard, but not in a gym. Body types were most often average to slim. Women will be wearing corsettes and long dresses. 

OTHER: We are most interested in people willing to work more than one day. Looking for responsible people w/ flexible schedules. 10 years of age & older. All minors must have consent of parent/guardian & must indicate date of birth. If you don't have a resume- please list any performing/background experience you may have. 

TO SUBMIT: There are two ways to submit. Preferred is in-person (ONLY on dates, below)! If this is impossible, you may submit by mail. Follow instructions below.

In-Person Interviews:  (bring legal form & copy of id- such as drivers license, passport, or birth cert) SEE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS BELOW.
Austin Studios (ONLY ON DATES BELOW)
1901 East 51st. St. (Red Bldg)
Austin TX 78723
No need to schedule a time- just show up on dates below only!
- Thurs, Feb 4   11am - 7pm
- Fri, Feb 5   11am - 7pm
- Sat, Feb 6   11am - 7pm 

Mail Submissions: SEE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!
Austin Studios 
c/o Extras Cstg / Debbie DeLisi
1901 East 51st. St. (Red Bldg)
Austin TX 78723

SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE: Headshot & one page resume, if you have them. Also, you MUST include CURRENT SNAPSHOTS (face & body). List all pertinent contact information, incl your place of residency & anything else we should know about you. Remember- THIS A PERIOD FILM. If you want to be considered- it's best to send us a natural, current photos (no makeup or glamour). All submissions are non-returnable. Incl age, height, weight, measurements, etc. List any scheduling conflicts (4/23 - 5/26). Preference will be given to those w/ flexible schedules. If you want to be considered- start growing your hair now!

Families & TX residents encouraged to submit.

Extras Casting Director: Debbie DeLisi 
HOTLINE: 212-330-9357
texascasting2010@gmail.com (Submissions will NOT be accepted via email. Email address is for general inquiries only)

Posted by snuff_film on 2/3/2010 7:55:43 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

Supplemental Screens coverage: Oscar films, 'Dream Healing,' and full-frontal disclosure



A few things missing from this week's Screens section.

First and foremost, in the interest of full disclosure, we'd like to acknowledge that  Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center's CineFestival was curated this year by Current freelancer Manuel Solis. Solis did not contribute to our coverage of the festival in any way outside of a typical curator's role — helping us schedule interviews with filmmakers, providing us with schedules and press materials etc. — but it's definitely worth mentioning.

Also, we unfortunately did not have the space to print our review of festival selection Dream Healing, but you can check out the trailer above and read about it here.

And finally, we got word last night that the Santikos Bijou  (now offering online ticket purchasing, even!) is re-opening Oscar noms Precious and Young Victoria on Friday, in addition to the other nominees A Single Man and Crazy Heart, which are currently playing. Read our reviews by clicking the titles above.

Posted by snuff_film on 2/3/2010 2:13:36 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

AOL streams Ernest Gonzales



Ernest Gonzales's new album, Been Meaning to Tell You, is streaming today on AOL's Spinner. Go listen to it right now (it's great instrumental music to work by), and check out my review in tomorrow's issue of the Current. (Spoiler alert: I liked it quite a bit.)

Posted by snuff_film on 2/2/2010 1:02:21 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

Oscars see shadow; 6 more weeks of 'Avatar'



Oscar day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull a studio-owned orphan up on stage and sacrifice it to the box-office-return gods. They wouldn't give Bill Murray an Oscar for Lost in Translation (he should've won for Rushmore) because he tried to blow up a gopher several years earlier. They wouldn't even nominate Jim Carrey for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because he made his ass talk.

Now you can get an Oscar for anything. Sandra Bullock is up for an Oscar (best actress) for The Blind Side the same freaking year she's up for a Razzie (worst actreess) for All About Steve. The only other actress to do that (according to Wikipedia) was Amy Irving in 1984. She was actually nominated for the same performance, her supporting role in Yentl. Bullock, to be fair, is long overdue for an Oscar, ever since she was snubbed for her brilliant performance in … uh … While You Were Sleeping? The Net? Miss Congeniality 2? Hope Floats? Speed 2?

You know I wrote that as a joke, but now it's a challenge: There has to be at least one watchable Sandra Bullock movie.  The best I can come up with that I've seen is The Lake House, which is at least enjoyable, and even it was probably one of the 100 worst movies I've ever seen. I'm guessing the best thing she was ever in, though I haven't seen it, is 1989 made-for-TV movie Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman

In better news, Up is the second animated film to be nominated for Best Picture after Beauty and the Beast, and the first since the Academy added an animation category. Christoph Waltz and Quentin Tarantino are up for Inglorious Basterds. A whole slew of films that weren't shown here are also nominated, and Punxsatawney Phil saw his stupid rat shadow this morning, but let's try and focus on the positive here:

Sandra Bullock has been to San Antonio before, and now she might win an Oscar!



Best motion picture of the year
"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)
"The Blind Side" (Warner Bros.)
"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
"An Education" (Sony Pictures Classics)
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
"A Serious Man" (Focus Features)
"Up" (Walt Disney)
"Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney in "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth in "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman in "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Matt Damon in "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren in "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan in "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Penélope Cruz in "Nine"
Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air"
Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

Best animated feature film of the year
"Coraline" (Focus Features)    Henry Selick
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" (20th Century Fox)    Wes Anderson
"The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney)    John Musker and Ron Clements
"The Secret of Kells" (GKIDS)    Tomm Moore
"Up" (Walt Disney)    Pete Docter

Achievement in art direction
"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)    Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg
Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro
Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
"Nine" (The Weinstein Company)    Art Direction: John Myhre
Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
"Sherlock Holmes" (Warner Bros.)    Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood
Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Young Victoria" (Apparition)    Art Direction: Patrice Vermette
Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Achievement in cinematography
"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)    Mauro Fiore
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (Warner Bros.)    Bruno Delbonnel
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)    Barry Ackroyd
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)    Robert Richardson
"The White Ribbon" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Christian Berger

Achievement in costume design
"Bright Star" (Apparition)    Janet Patterson
"Coco before Chanel" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Catherine Leterrier
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Monique Prudhomme
"Nine" (The Weinstein Company)    Colleen Atwood
"The Young Victoria" (Apparition)    Sandy Powell

Achievement in directing
"Avatar"    James Cameron
"The Hurt Locker"    Kathryn Bigelow
"Inglourious Basterds"    Quentin Tarantino
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" Lee Daniels
"Up in the Air"    Jason Reitman

Best documentary feature
"Burma VJ" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
"The Cove" (Roadside Attractions)
"Food, Inc." (Magnolia Pictures)
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"
"Which Way Home"

Best documentary short subject
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"
"Music by Prudence"
"Rabbit à la Berlin" (Deckert Distribution)
An MS Films Production    Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Achievement in film editing
"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)    Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing)    Julian Clarke
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)    Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)    Sally Menke
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)    Joe Klotz

Best foreign language film of the year
"Ajami"(Kino International)
"El Secreto de Sus Ojos" (Sony Pictures Classics)
"The Milk of Sorrow"
"Un Prophète" (Sony Pictures Classics)
"The White Ribbon" (Sony Pictures Classics)

Achievement in makeup
"Il Divo" (MPI Media Group through Music Box)    Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
"Star Trek" (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment)    Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
"The Young Victoria" (Apparition)    Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)    James Horner
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" (20th Century Fox)    Alexandre Desplat
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)    Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
"Sherlock Holmes" (Warner Bros.)    Hans Zimmer
"Up" (Walt Disney)    Michael Giacchino

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney)    Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney)    Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Loin de Paname" from "Paris 36" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Music by Reinhardt Wagner
Lyric by Frank Thomas
"Take It All" from "Nine" (The Weinstein Company)    Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from "Crazy Heart" (Fox Searchlight)    Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett





Adapted screenplay
"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing)    Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
"An Education" (Sony Pictures Classics)    Screenplay by Nick Hornby
"In the Loop" (IFC Films)    Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)    Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
"Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)    Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Original screenplay
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)    Written by Mark Boal
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)    Written by Quentin Tarantino
"The Messenger" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)    Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
"A Serious Man" (Focus Features)    Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Up" (Walt Disney)    Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy


Posted by snuff_film on 2/2/2010 10:21:39 AM Permalink | Comments: 0

The RIAA can seriously shut the hell up now



Recession what? According to a press release I just got, the soundtrack to Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel has qualified for gold record status (meaning it has sold at least 500,000 copies) after spending four consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard's soundtrack chart.

According to the press release:

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Whoops, my bad. That's an excerpt from John's description of the Apocalypse. The actual press release sounds a lot worse: 

Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covering some of today’s top hits and classic tracks as well as original songs. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore put their spins on Dead Or Alive’s  “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” and the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.” The Chipettes also offer ‘munked versions of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” and Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold.” The soundtrack concludes with The Chipmunks and The Chipettes coming together for a memorable cover of The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling,” a special bonus track that is not featured in the film.

What's worse — the idea of CGI rodents singing Katy Perry and Black Eyed Peas covers in shrill cartoon voices, or the use of  'munked as a verb? Yes I realize that people are buying this album for their children, who don't yet know how to pretend to have better taste in music — that's not the point I'm making. The point is that the government should be taking these people's children away from them. If they'd  followed my advice and sterilized all the Black Eyed Peas fans back when "My Humps" came out, this probably never would have happened.

In related news, the RIAA has decided to stop siccing their team of attorneys on people illegally downloading music and will instead have them scouring the sewers for the millions of dollars they now assume American consumers are wiping their asses with everyday.
 

Posted by snuff_film on 2/1/2010 6:26:18 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

Grammy 52: The Latin Winners

Best Latin Jazz Album:
Juntos para siempre
Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés (Cuba)
(Sony Music/Calle 54)




Best Latin Pop Album
Sin Frenos
La Quinta Estación (Spain)
(Sony Music Latin)




Latin Rock, Alternative, or Urban Album
Los de atrás vienen conmigo
Calle 13 (Puerto Rico)
(Sony Music Norte)



Best Tropical Latin Album
Ciclos
Luis Enrique (Nicaragua)
(Top Stop Music)



Best Regional Mexican Album
Necesito de ti
Vicente Fernández (Mexico)
(Sony Music Norte)



Best Tejano Album
Borders y Bailes
Los Texmaniacs (USA)
(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)



Best Norteño Album
Tu noche con...Los Tigres Del Norte (Mexico)
Los Tigres Del Norte
(Fonovisa)



Best Banda Album
Tu esclavo y amo
Lupillo Rivera (Mexico)
(Disa)



(Complete list of winners in grammy.com)

Posted by Kamikaze108 on 2/1/2010 4:47:27 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

28 days 'til Contemporary Art Month

Check out the CAM website!

Ahora con Calendar!
Srs bznss!
Woohooo!
Good job, y'all.
Lots of nifty things coming up.
Luminaria on 3/13

Get to work.

Now here's an unrelated trailer for a documentary made by my friend Kat Green:

Posted by sarah fisch on 2/1/2010 4:25:40 PM Permalink | Comments: 0

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