About: Essays, Ron Athey's Lecture (a review) and The Live Art Development Agency (a guide)

Essay period is approaching my friends (well, I don't know if want to call any of you people my friends), and while some of us have a natural talent to write original First-Level essays two months before the deadline (yes, I'm talking to you Chris Moore), the rest try our best something to give our essays that extra little spice. And that isn't really easy, especially considering that while on other courses modules are made mandatory if they are essential to all students, in Drama they just choose the ones which sound like no student will willingly take it, if given the choice. And thus I found myself waking up at 6:30 am on Monday so I can make it to the London based Live Art Development Agency's Study Room by 10:30. You ca book sessions from 10:30 to 13:30 or from 14:30 to 18:30, or all day (it's all a bit confusing), and considering that Monday they only had a free spot at from 10:30 to 13:30, I had to take that one and another full on Tuesday. Oh, a tip, their website says you can book by e-mailing them, completely useless, I sent three e-mails, they were all ignored; call them.

After nearly having missed the coach I got into London at 9:45 and I boarded the Northern Line, going towards Old Street Station. I had noted down the name of the streets I had to take, finding those streets on the other hand was a tad more difficult, mainly because all the people I asked had different opinions on where those streets might be. But here you have the easiest way:

-Get off at Old Street, and take Exit 3
-Go straight ahead and then right on to Great Eastern Street
-At the Rivington House go left on to Rivington Street
-Keep going ahead until you reach Shoreditch High Street, go left and immediatly right on to Calvert Avenue
-When you reach Arnold Circus turn left and go around the circus until you pass Rochelle Street
-There is a wooden door on top of it says "BOYS", there is an intercom, you have reached your destination.

The Study Room itself was alright. The staff was friendly and helpful, everything was explained. The room isn't very big, quite small actually, but it has loads of resources on everything in the live art domain (check the online catalog), books, articles, vhs, dvds etc. They have a Mac and two TVs with VHS/DVD players. It is a great resource.
On the first day I was by myself, on the second one there were to more people, but it didn't feel crowded.



I got off at Stepney Green Station at 18:15, the lecture was supposed to start at 18:30. I rushed towards Queen Mary College, and I got there pretty soon, just that it was the Engineering department, and none of the students there knew anything about any Arts Building. Ignorant fools (not that I have any idea in which building graphic design is thought at ARU). When I got to the building I still wasn't sure if this was the right place, but soon enough the mass of tattooed and heavily pierced faces contrasting the smart clothing gave me a hunch I am not to far from my target. I looked around for any familiar faces, none! (shame on you Drama students). Well there was one face I knew, for who could forget that ugly face, with the metal teeth sticking out, that fat stubby body, the bold tattoed head? Yes Franko himself...I'm sorry, I'm should use the proper name, B. himself...wait that's not right either. You know whom I mean, Franko B.

Soon enough Gianna and Kerstin came in with a rush, I waved but they walked right passed me, either not noticing or even worse completely ignoring me. I went up to them anyway, and was swiftly informed of their misadventures on the way down here. No room for more talk though, the lecture was starting.

I was shocked (which, I presume, is expected from a Ron Athey lecture, just that I was shocked for all the wrong reasons). The man who came on stage after the name Ron Athey was announced and applauded was nothing like I imagined. A slim man with a goatee, an elegant manner, a soft friendly voice; a very likeable character....hell, if it wasn't for the tattoos, the many many tattoos, he would make some conservative elderly couple's Perfect Neighbor List. My mind could not connect the man in front of the screen with the man on the screen who was shoving dildos up his ass.

The lecture consisted mainly of screening of some of his material and reading of some writings. There were jokes, gore, sex and everything you would expect from such an event. Yet I fear I have not learned anything new.

After the lecture, without a word of departure Kerstin and Gianna vanished into thin air, so I drank some of the free wine which was offered, but lingered not much longer. There was a friend waiting for me on the other end of the District Line and more drinking was to commence.

Conclusion: Ron Athey lecture, funny and interesting yet not particularly useful. Live Art Agency, a useful even if well hidden essay resource.

Gorillaz gig pics +Set List

Damon



More pics here and here

GORILLAZ'd

Tired. So fucking tired. 6 PM, laying in my bed after a long day of school trying not to fall asleep. But I have to get to the secret Gorillaz concert…well so called ‘secret’ concert, just for the fan-base. I’m weighing the fact that not only will there not be any reasonable priced tickets, but that there probably will be NO tickets. But I said I’ll try, I’ll stop being lazy and do shit. Sigh.

I get 40£ from a cash-machine, telling myself I will haggle like hell with the ticket touts and not go higher than 30…35…ok 40, but that’s it! ‘cause that’s all I have. Long sigh.

I’m on my way to the Junction and I am already starting to regret going, considering that once I’ll get there I’ll probably immediately make my way back.

I get there. A small queue for regulars. Another one for G-Club members. Apparently there might be tickets. My pessimism fades. A guy asks around if somebody wants a ticket, ‘cause his friend bailed on him. “How much?” “Regular price, 25.” “All right!” Ticket looks fine, but still I am suspicious. But sure enough five minutes later I’m in. I pay another 2£ for wardrobe, a decision which will later prove very wise indeed. An hour to go. I am glad I got away under 30 quid, and I vow to keep the rest safe. So immediately I buy a poster for 9£ (which I really not regret) and an over-priced Stella Artois, which is stale and bitter and not cold enough (which I regretted on the spot).

The crowd is strangely disproportionate. Bunch of teens on one side and a bunch of people who weren’t really young when Blur first started, and haven’t grown younger since. Not as many people in their 20s-30s as I expected. The crowd is still thin and I walk around for a while, but I soon chose my place, which is only a few of rows from the stage, and I can actually see stuff happening up there. Two guys behind me wonder why is it that the first three rows at concerts are always filled by people over 6’ tall (1,80 m for the normal people). A valid question. I had a similar theory at the Thom Yorke concert, people should be allowed in according to their height, tallest people last, so everyone can fucking see.

Well an hour later, the lights go down and the crowd goes wild. About ten people come on stage dressed in navy costumes and grab their instruments. As Damon Albarn comes on stage, people in the crowd shout “Happy Birthday!”, true fans apparently. He salutes them and the whole crowd starts singing “Happy Birthday”!

We are soon informed that this is a rehearsal gig for the upcoming tour so there are no visuals and stuff, “At least you’re here!” somebody shouts. At least I’m there, I think. Later he tells us that Bruce Willis isn’t there either! (if you don’t get it, click here).

I despised the Yorke crowd, they were slow, and didn’t seem to let the music get to their minds, and this crowd starts off slowly as well. Few people are immediately drawn into the music and start dancing, but slowly the movement spreads, and although there are still plenty of the “I’m here to enjoy the concert, thank you, not to monkey around!” people, a good vibe rises. Part of it is the music, but mostly it’s due to Albarn. That man has a lot of energy and knows how to get a crowd moving. He makes jokes, dances around, gets close to people, cools us off by baptizing us with his water-bottle. I didn’t really have an opinion on the guy before, but now I really love’im! The band plays for an hour and half, mostly songs from their new album, “Plastic Beach”, maybe exclusively, I’ve listened to all their albums, but I don’t know them good enough to recognize most of the songs. I’m not actually a big fan, alright?

Anyway, at one point when I was really getting hyped and the music had gotten to my had and I was moving frenetically, they suddenly stop, and exit stage left. What? That’s it? There are so many songs which have not been sung, sure we all know you are keeping the two golden ones for the encore, but what about “Tomorrow Comes Today”, “19-2001” and “Rock the House”? What about them Damon? Damn you!

The crowd makes noise for quite a while until the bands enters stage right (clever, mister Albarn, clever). People scream out titles randomly! Jesus, when will these people learnt the set-list has been done a long time ago, their screaming is nothing more than useless and annoying! He lets us now that the nest song will be a ballad; “Park Life” somebody sings shouting from the crowd (click here if you don’t get it), “Not exactly!” he answers amused as the crowd laughs; “The one where you go 'Woo-hoo'!” (you know what to do) somebody else shouts next to me, but not many people hear him. They start playing “Pirate Jet” or “To Binge”, not really sure (hope to get set list soon). Then he looks confused as if he doesn’t know what follows, but a mad laughter invades the stage, and we all know what that means. Crowd goes crazy and really feels good. And we get no break as we move on into the next song, the one we all waited for. The one that determined me about 8 years ago to chose their album to be the first album I bought for myself out of my pocket-money.

I am still energetic as I wait with some other people outside for the band to come out. I don’t usually care much for autographs, but I had the poster, and if I bought it I might as well get it signed. A porter lets us know that his whole family is in there, and they got a cake, and the band might be out in 20 minutes, but it will more likely be 2 hours. Fuck’it! The poster and my memory is enough! After nearly 3 hours of standing I go home with ten times more energy than when I left!

C(onnet) ++ 3.31

#include

void thoughts(){

clrsoul();

int memory, lucidity=max, intoxication, pain, feeling;

cin>>memory; cout "<<" pain;

if( pain>0) { for(intoxication=0, intoxication "<" coma, intoxication ++){

lucidity=lucidity+intoxication;

pain=pain-lucidity; } }

else { forget(memory);

if(feeling!=happiness) { feeling++;

depression--;

return; }

get.newlife();

}

Nostalgia 15: Pinky and the Brain

Why is it the that the less somebody has to say about a matter the more eager they will be to talk?

Expanded Lucidity

These are the transcriptions of two recordings I made while I was drunk, and I think they accurately express my idea that I fear complete lucidity more than I could ever fear insanity, and that logic and too much thought taint the way we absorb the World more than any drug. To see the World with untroubled eyes, you must forget how to see. Try to see different facets, and yes drugs (amongst other things: music, films, poetry, sleep-deprivation etc) give you a different lucidity, an Expanded Lucidity. Accept it.

Both recordings were made over Clint Mansells's "The Last Man" so I am attaching it:


Asculta mai multe audio Muzica (around minute 3)

First recording:

I can only find
clarity
On the bottom of a
bottle
Where all my thoughts
are drowned
and all my feelings
set free

There is no
clarity
in the World
of thoughts
and
logic

Second recording (less poetic, more slurred and excited)

be free and fly
and you'll have the clarity of the world in your eyes
you see every detail every beauty, everything

you can...

don't let yourself be tied down
...every worry...

YOU MUST ESCAPE THIS...world...you've built
you cannot! escape it

so i drink, and i feel ALIVE
and i know i can see the world with untroubled eyes
i can see its true shape and true form
when a cloud is over my thoughts
and my neurons morph...


That's pretty much it, I haven't edited anything, some of it sounds really stupid, but some of it I like.

And because I love Clint Mansell, I leave you with another one of his songs: