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8 years ago
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The new documentary Lucha Mexico is an entertaining, enlightening and, ultimately, poignant look at Lucha Libre, the colorful, acrobatic form of professional wrestling that has been popular in Mexico for decades. Filmmakers Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz give us a truly inside view of the sport and its wildly popular superhero personalities, its intense physical demands and its widespread influence throughout the country. Even nonfans of spectacle wrestling can appreciate this in-depth look at the longtime phenomenon and its myriad masked players.
From the get-go, the filmmakers take us right into the ring for up-close scenes of amusing and highly energetic matches featuring dramatic, larger-than-life (in some cases, literally) stars cheered on by thousands of adoring fans. We also see glimpses of life outside of the arena, as the luchadores train, meet fans, and talk about their lives. One of the film’s main spotlights follows the popular and likeable Shocker, who is used as a sort of guide through Lucha Libre, as we see him working out, posing for fan photos, touring the country to compete in matches big and small, and receiving brutal-looking medical treatments for a devastating knee injury (he opens a restaurant during his recovery). Former strength competitor Jon “Strongman” Andersen provides another veteran point of view, as he talks matter-of-factly about the realities of the profession. We also see him in various settings, including home with family and at the[...]
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This Saturday Grammy award-winning Latina musician Carla Morrison played a free show at the Prospect Park Bandshell. She followed Hurray for the Riff Raff and Buscabulla as part of the Bud Light Music series, which was presented in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC). The Conference puts on an annual showcase, this year’s iteration meant to showcase both emerging and established artists. Morrison’s presence definitely represented the latter.
Apart from winning the hearts of a vast and dedicated fanbase, the pop artist has also won two Latin Grammys. In 2012, she took home both the award for Best Alternative Song for "Déjenme Llorar" and the Best Alternative Music Album award for Déjenme Llorar. She was also nominated for the Song of the Year award for "Déjenme Llorar". The record has since gone on to be certified Gold in Morrison's native Mexico. This bout of success began the previous year with Morrison’s nomination for the "Best Alternative Music Album" for Mientras Tu Dormías at the 2011 Latin Grammys and has continued to the present.
Originally from Tecate in the Mexican state of Baja California, Morrison began expressing an interest in music early. She moved to Arizona in her late teens to study music at Mesa Community College. Soon thereafter, she dropped out to pursue a more self-taught and personal musical education. She studied with David Barrios[...]
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What year is it? Everyone is playing Pokemon and blink-182 is back. We discussed the latter in the last installment of AFP Music. Going off the first half of the band’s comeback album California, blink may be back, but they’re not the same. Although despite a slow start to a lengthy record, all hope isn’t lost. The last half a dozen or so songs prove that the band is still as good as you remember.
The first bonafide slow song on the record, "Home Is Such a Lonely Place" finds the band exploring newer territory. It has a little bit more of an electronic element compared to what blink usually puts out, but not so much as to earn a comparison to DeLonge's other band Angels and Airwaves. Another notable characteristic of the song is it's pace. Despite having written close to a dozen records over the course of their career, blink has rarely included a slower, acoustic song. Most bands have at least one per an album. This is the closest blink has come, the only comparisons being either “All of This” or “I’m Lost Without You” or “Miss You” all off of the blink-182. Despite this being their first stab at writing something so stripped back, the song is a success. It isn’t staggeringly special, but it’s touching and Hoppus sound great behind the mic. However, when Skiba takes his turn at vocals, it’s hard to not hear DeLonge in his repeated "without yew"s. The band knew DeLonge's departure would be felt on the record and they replaced him with someone who can sing their old songs,[...]
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8 years ago
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Who would've thought that a classic summer white look could be effortlessly elevated with a pair of Kanye West-designed heels?!
This week, rising star Margot Robbie surprised many show fanatics while promoting her latest film The Legend Of Tarzan in London. She fashioned her chic ensemble with a pair of Lucite Yeezy Season 2 heels — a shoe that is part of the rapper's latest collection which hit stores last month on June 6.
Below: Lucite Yeezy Season 2 Heel
Photo Credit: YourNextShoes.com
What's amazing is that just last year, West was the subject of many takedowns, characterizing him as a joke designer that was fooling the fashion world with "beige under-things" and "broken-down basics."
"I don't read the reviews," West told Vogue's shuttered website Style.com sometime after the debut of Yeezy Season 1.
And now, it would appear that West's passion for fashion is becoming less of the laughing matter with the fashion bible now describing the Lucite heel as the "most-sought-after footwear of the summer."
Below: Kayne West appearing to have the last laugh.
Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images
And if you think that a bad review is actually a bad thing, think again.
According to Racked, one of Kayne biggest naysayers, legendary fashion critic Cathy Horyn, (the scribe responsible for the "broken-down basics" remark) is known for taking swipes at design stars.
Horyn once equated Oscar De La Renta to a hot dog, and she "famously has been banned from shows by[...]
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Yesterday, blink-182 released their new album California. A much anticipated record, it’s their first since ousting founding guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge. Early last year, the group announced the lineup change and welcomed Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio as a third member. At a Blink show shortly thereafter, bassist Mark Hoppus introduced Skiba, then filling in on guitar, as our “new step dad that is going to be living with us from now on”. After years of ill-will amongst the band, it seemed the Hoppus-DeLonge divorce had finally gone through. Since joining, Skiba has racked up a good amount of performance time with the band and earned himself something of a warm welcome from the fanbase. He proved he could sing all the old songs and sound enough like DeLonge to keep with the sound, but add just enough of his own personality as to not come across as a carbon copy. The real test would be their record. It would definitively answer the question blink-182 fans had been posing since DeLonge left, “Who the fuck is Matt Skiba?”
The album opens with "Cynical". In the anxiety-ridden open verse, Hoppus introspectively sings over clean guitar. Before listeners have time to wonder whether this slower pace is the new Blink, Skiba and drummer Travis Barker breakthrough. What comes next sound definitely like the band. There are all the elements you’d expect from Barker’s fills to the back-and-forth of Hoppus and Skiba trading off vocalist duties. What started as a questionable way to [...]
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8 years ago
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Art for Progress’ after school music enrichment program at Hudson High School for Learning Technologies was especially inspiring this spring semester because of a dynamic group of multi-talented, and eager students. The program was reinstated this spring thanks to the efforts of principal Nancy Amling. The program had been inactive for the fall semester because a lack of funding, Ms. Amling was influenced in her decision to restart the program by an exceptional young student and musician named Terelle. Terelle’s enthusiasm and hunger for new knowledge were the ultimate catalyst for the formation of the program.
Tarelle wanted to learn about how music works beyond the shapes he was learning on the guitar. Hudson HS currently offers a beginning guitar class as a part of the school’s regular curriculum. The class is focused on the mechanics of playing the instrument, but like most beginning guitar classes, it did not address the underlying music theory necessary for students who to build their skills beyond the basic guitar vocabulary.
The group of students that comprise the AFP after school program at Hudson range from 9th-12th graders, and are led by Terelle. He expressed a desire to learn some more universal musical concepts in order to set up a foundation upon which to develop their musicality. They were made up of aspiring singers, guitarists, pianists, and bass players of varying levels of experience. We explored the construction of scales, chord building and common[...]
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8 years ago
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Art for Progress & NOosphere Arts present
Haven: A Summer Retreat for Artists and Friends, Part II
Saturday, July 16th, 7PM at Mothership USA, $5, BYOB
252 Green Street, 2L, Rooftop, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Summer is here, and if you can’t be at the beach or away for the weekend, what’s better than a summer rooftop party?
Last year, Frank & Sol decided to throw a fun party for artists and friends at Sol’s artist studio, rooftop in Brooklyn, and it turned out to be one of the best parties of the summer!
So, we’ve decided to make this an annual event, and we are so very pleased to once again invite you to join us for a magical night of art & music to celebrate life, creativity and happiness.
LIVE MUSIC: Kick Ass Rock n Roll from NYC’s Hundred Hounds, Rootsy Americana/Folk from Brooklyn’s Bad Faces, Soaring Vocals and Eclectic Sounds from blythe is a mermaid
DJ’s: Brian Burnside (deepa) Gatto (AFP)
Performance Art: Autumn Kioti, Loren Crabbe
Physical Theater: Hilary Chaplain
Video Installations: Filmmaker, Daniel Maldonado, Artist Jeanne Wilkinson
We invite you to beta-test ArtFundit, a new website designed to help promote artists, their artwork and voice within the artist community. Visit the kiosk at our event for more information and how you can participate.
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8 years ago
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While you wait for that new Taylor Swift album which is surely in the works given the artist’s recent break-up, here are a few songs to enjoy in the warm weather. No matter whether it’s more #endlesssummer or more endless bummer...
1. Stabwounds’ “Fragile Boy”
Don’t let their name fool you. Despite the fact that their name makes them sound like a metalcore band, Stabwounds is more indie folk than -core. Together, bandmates Emma March Barash and Amanda Brooklyn form what they call “the sexually charged reincarnation of Simon and Garfunkel”. The duo crafts soft harmonies that drift likes breezes about heartache and relationships. Layered atop acoustic guitar or occasionally unaccompanied, they’re an easy listen. If you missed the chance to see the band live at their recent Pianos gig, they’ll be playing an upcoming show at The Manhattan Inn in Brooklyn on July 11th!
2. Modern Baseball’s “Wedding Singer”
Although both Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald share the duty of primary vocalist in Modern Baseball, this single off their new record Holy Ghost features Ewald alone and perhaps at his best. The video features a pink haired hearse driver (think a younger Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind) coming to the rescue of a frantic young man, pacing the gates of a cemetery. The two drive around in the modified cadillac, eventually roller skating and karaoking. It’s like a four minute rom-com complete with all the will-they, won’t-they meaningful eye contact yo[...]
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8 years ago
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Formed in 1978, Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations devoted to defending and protecting human rights. Having long recognized the power of film to educate and bring change, the organization’s New York-based Human Rights Watch Film Festival screens approximately 500 films in 20 cities around the world each year. The 2016 edition of its New York City event is presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and IFC Center from June 10 through 19, featuring 18 feature films and three interactive programs. Here are some highlights:
Opening Night selection is Hooligan Sparrow, which documents the efforts of filmmaker Nanfu Wang to track Chinese activist Ye Haiyan (aka “Hooligan Sparrow”) in her mission to prosecute a school principal who arranged the rape of schoolgirls by government officials. Sparrow, a women’s rights advocate who first made headlines by speaking up for sex workers, seeks to close a loophole in China’s child prostitution laws that has enabled officials to elude rape charges by claiming that the victims were prostitutes. Hooligan Sparrow shows its protagonist and a small group of fellow protestors being harassed regularly by government-hired thugs, as Wang uses hidden cameras to record interactions with uncooperative police officials. Sparrow avoids arrest by fleeing to several cities during the course of the film, including her home village, as she awaits the verdict in the schoolgirl case. For Hooligan Sparrow, Wang [...]
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8 years ago
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Ok, fashion creatives, now let's get in formation! If you are passionate about streetwear design, be sure to create brand merchandising that seamlessly promotes your brand in a unique and fun way, and that stands out with Beyoncé-level swag.
After all, it's not only a spectacular way to strengthen customer allegiance, it also pushes word about your company further into the world.
Below: This week, a model sporting an old-school style logo tee at Gucci Cruise 2017 at Westminster Abbey. Crafted by creative director Alessandro Michele, this season's layered looks also embrace logo design
Photo: Getty Images
Even outside of the fashion world, Internet giants like Reddit and Mailchimp have discovered great success in brand merchandising.
For Reddit, their first run of promotional gear sold out in 24 hours. And, as spirits company Sweet Tea Vodka points out, company swag is a more widespread form of advertising: [Fans become like] "billboards walking around, which is great," he says. "The beer companies have done it forever."
As journalist Tim Donnelly writes in Inc., "brand merchandise is a great way to create new loyalties with your customers and enlist them to spread your name to new audiences."
However there's a caveat: "You have to do it in a way that creates viral sensations, not just oversized promotional T-shirts that end up at the bottom of someone's closet."
Below: Looks like Alessandro Michele took a risk using oversized promotional gear for a look th[...]
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The question of safety at shows gets rehashed at least once a year. Usually around festival season when there's a surplus of concerts, all the top outlets, popular musicians, and related voices chime in as to what they think this means. Factors and examples of good, bad, and ugly behavior are paraded out and readers are asked rhetorically: What do we think about moshing? Is stage diving safe? What about selfie sticks? Should we allow "all ages" shows? Some of these concepts and actions are labeled as questionable or unsafe only for the spirit of debate; however, some raise valid issues. A selfie stick in a thick crowd does have the potential to hurt someone. Or at least really tick off the people behind the user enough to insight a tiny riot.
Most of these concerns, like age restrictions, have the best intentions (eg, the well being of underage listeners) at heart. Warped Tour has intermittently tried to ban moshing, citing the likelihood of injury and a resulting lawsuit. Organizers understand that such behavior is integral to Warped culture, but ultimately take a sort of "this is for you own good" stance. This attitude has become somewhat controversial due to the lack of consensus, amongst members of both the bands and the crowd, on whether Warped has the right to make that decision. Some want to learn to avoid a -core pit the hard way and don't mind chipping a tooth in the process. Others want to be cautioned, but not restricted and given the option to participate i[...]
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Everyone gathered on Tuesday night to see not only the documentary Danny Brown: Live at the Majestic, but also to see the famed rapper Danny Brown himself. Best known for his 2011 album XXX, the Detroit native has been quiet in recent years. Apart from voicing the Fresh Off The Boat theme song and writing a Seussian children's book, Brown hasn’t released any new work or played many shows of late. This fact made his appearance at House of Vans all the more exciting. Those who had sustained themselves with the recorded versions of "Grown Up," "Dip," "Smokin & Drinkin," and "25 Bucks” and longed to hear them live would finally get the chance.
That crowd, the one that had been patiently waiting for years now anxiously passed the last hour of that interval outside the venue. Some groaned about having come straight from work while others repeatedly called the missing members of their parties, telling them to “hurry up.” Amongst them was a mix of safety pins, asymmetrical haircuts, Supreme brand clothing and the odd fannypack. They were a young, hip, image-conscious crowd, but despite all that originality and individuality, there was one thing that brought them together and that was Danny Brown. He was why they dragged out to Greenpoint, why they rallied their friends, why they skipped dinner just to get a good spot in line. “I had a multigrain kombucha in my fridge… I should've grabbed that,” one girl bemoaned. She the[...]
