ARTSMASH RI Review: RISD Collection 2010: On the Runway

ARTSMASH RI Review
RISD Collection 2010: On the Runway by Marianne Messina

Before RISD seniors in the Apparel Department graduate, they present their collections. To most local Rhode Islanders, that means the spectacular runway show, May 22, a hard ticket to get a hold of. But to seniors, it's more about showing their collection to the judges, industry professionals who critique the students' concepts and execution: Are the outfits wearable? Commercial? Well-tailored? Conceptually exciting? And do they get their concepts across?

So as I went into the large auditorium to view "the crits," I had one burning question. Can a collection be "controversial"?

When I asked students about this beforehand, they thought not. After all, they are given artistic license. However, at the "crits," the judges' unanimous reactions to one particular collection proved otherwise. And the winner is David Yoo's collection (pictured at Artsmash RI, www.Artsmashri.com). Apparently, one judge, who thought the well-executed concept was very creative, prevailed, because Yoo's entire collection did make it to the Runway show...

Overall, the Runway show was fairly conservative, in comparison with some eye-droping shows in the past. And despite this "She Devil" outfit by underclassman Eric Dinges, this year's senior fashions were eminently more wearable."

For pictorials on the Runway show and the Senior Critiques, visit Artsmash RI.

Vroom Vroom Vespa: An Acoustic Tour at Local 121 - Thursday, June 10th

The Speakeasy Music Series at Local 121
Presenting Vroom Vroom Vespa: An Acoustic Tour with
Greg Attonito
Shanti Wintergate
Kepi Ghoulie

8pm/$8
Click here for more information.

Jose Docen and Chris Rosenquest at Local 121 - Wednesday, June 9th

The Speakeasy Music Series at Local 121 Presents
Jose Docen and Chris Rosenquest

8pm/$6
Click here for more information.

The Bourbon Boys at Local 121 - Friday, June 4th

The Speakeasy Music Series at Local 121 Presents

The Bourbon Boys

9pm

Click here for more information.

Caroline Hecht & Lily Costner @ Local 121 - Wednesday, June 2nd

The Speakeasy Music Series at Local 121 Presents:
Caroline Hecht & Lily Costner

8pm
Click here for more information.

Route .44 @ Local 121 - Friday, May 28th

The Speakeasy Music Series at Local 121 Presents

Route .44 with The Men of Great Courage.

9pm/ $8

Click here for more information.

Kanerko @ Firehouse 13 - Friday, May 28th

Kanerko with Burn the Witch and Stoic
Sponsored by Narragansett Beer and WBOB.

8pm/$10/18+
Click here for more information.

SHOW: Film Screening & Live Burlesque @ Firehouse 13 - Thursday, May 27th

SHOW: Film Screening & Live Burlesque.
Event coincides with Henry Horenstein's recent body of work.

Featuring:
Doctor Finnegan's 10-in-1 Circus Sideshow
Thru the Keyhold Burlesque
Rick Berlin
Miss Betty Sioux Taylor

Doors open 8pm/Shows 9m/$12, $10 students
Click here for more information.

The Thing That Ate My Brain...Almost

The Thing That Ate My Brain…Almost

(the remount)

By Amy Lynn Budd

Directed by Connie Crawford

June 4-6, Providence

The Thing That Ate My Brain…Almost examines Ms. Budd’s relationships with her largest brain tumor, her loved ones, and the world of medicine. In this performance about the diagnosis of and subsequent living with a chronic genetic condition, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome (VHL), the artist combines performing art forms to affirm that creativity and curiosity are the best medicine.

Amy Lynn Budd is a theatre director, performer, and producer based in Providence with an ongoing commitment to new theatre, dance, and performance works. As Providence’s first neo-burlesque artist, she has performed in rock clubs, theaters, and ballrooms from AS220 to Worcester, MA. Amy balances the hectic world of freelance theatre with the genetic disorder VHL. VHL is a genetic condition involving the abnormal growth of blood vessels in some parts of the body that are particularly rich in blood vessels.

Ticket prices at Perishable Theatre, $20 general admission/$15 students, seniors, military

Discount rates available for groups of 6 or more.

Tickets are available through ArtTix at www.arttixri.com or at the number below:

ArtTix Sales Office:(401) 621-6123 Group Sales:(401) 331-2695 x 103

Perishable Theatre
95 Empire Street, Providence RI
www.perishable.org
Friday June 4 at 7:30pm- ASL INTERPRETED SHOW
Saturday June 5, at 7:30pm
Sunday June 6, at 7:30pm

Perishable Theatre is a physically accessible performance space

Call for Artists and Performers: Wassaic Project Summer Festival 2010

Call for Artists: The Wassaic Project Summer Festival 2010

The Wassaic Project Summer Festival is a FREE, annual, multi-disciplinary festival held in Wassaic, NY. Housed in the unique buildings and property of The Wassaic Project, the festival escapes the white walls of traditional art spaces and focuses on site-sensitive installations and performances.

The festival creates a weekend-long opportunity for artists and performers of all mediums to come together, exchange ideas, learn new things, and engage in a thriving community.
Participants are encouraged to come for the day or stay the weekend camping onsite. Programming is cutting-edge yet family friendly. The beautiful Hamlet of Wassaic is remarkably accessible from NYC and a short walk from the Wassaic MetroNorth train station.

Click here for application information and submission requirements. Deadline is 11:59pm, June 30th, 2010.

2010 Colonial Architecture Call for Papers

Call for Papers: Colonial Architecture: Real, Revival, Survival

Salve Regina University's 14th Annual Conference on Cultural and Historic Preservation in collaboration with The Providence Preservation Society will explore the history of Colonial architecture and all its versions from the founding era to the present day. Proposals for papers or panels may examine such subjects as: Colonial Architecture in Rhode Island or New England; early preservation efforts in New England; Colonial or Colonial Revival construction methods, iconography, decorative arts, and landscape; social, racial, and gender relationships in Colonial architecture, Colonial Revival (1876 to present) interpretations of the Colonial era, preservation challenges in Colonial or Colonial Revival structures, etc.

Submissions from practitioners, preservationists, and scholars of all academic disciplines, as well as from younger scholars and graduate students are welcomed. Proposals should include 250-word abstracts and CVs.

Please send proposals by June 15, 2010, to:
Catherine Zipf
Salve Regina University
100 Ochre Point Ave.
Newport, RI 02840
Catherine.Zipf@salve.edu.

Click here for more information.

AfroSonic @ Forbidden City with DJs Dublin and Blackdove this Friday May 28

Don't miss out on this FREE EVENT courtesy of the Afrosonic Collective. This month's installement of Afrosonic @ Forbidden City features Djs Dublin and Blackdove on the decks with the resident Afrosonic drummers bringing you the deep afro-soul bliss we all love. So come get your groove on for the weekend and join the Afrosonic fam' for a beautiful night.

Beats start@ 10pm.

Live Bait @ Perishable Theatre - Friday, June 4th

Everyone has a story to tell. Come to LIVE BAIT and tell yours or watch others tell theirs. Inspired by NPR’s This American Life and NYC’s The Moth, we’re looking for your true-life stories based on our monthly theme: “Pussy.

Friday, June 4th @ Perishable Theatre, 10pm/$5

Click here for more information.

Sound Session 2010! July 18th to Saturday, July 24th

Celebrating its 7th year, Sound Session is back! It has become New England's premier multi-stage, genry-defying summer music festival. The week-long festival kicks off on Sunday, July 18th and runs through Saturday, July 24th culminating with a night-time carnival-styled parade that weaves through the streets of Downtown Providence, ending with a spectacular block party in the heart of the city's Arts & Culture District!

Visit www.providencesoundsession.com for more information.

The Hive Archive - Subtext: A Feminist Art Salon @ 215 West Park Street, Providence - Wednesday, May 26th

Subtext: A Feminist Art Salon
Wednesday, May 26th - 7 to 9pm
215 West Park Street, Providence

Anna Shapiro is hosting SubText in her studio. They will be discussing the introduction of Pedagogies of Crossing by M. Jacqui Alexander. Free. Bring snacks!

Click here for more information.

IndieArts Fest 2010 Food/Drink Vendor Application and Payment Form.

Food/Drink Vendor Registration (Select one)

Cart $125.00 10' x 10' Area (Table or Booth) $175.00 10' x 20' Area (Table or Booth) $262.50

THIS FRIDAY @ WSA

Building an (Affordable) Office Wardrobe with Vintage

I hate powersuits. My closet is a glorious costume shop filled with feather boas, fringes, patterned stockings, handmade accessories, and vintage gems. As a result, shopping for workplace- and interview-appropriate attire that is simultaneously affordable, quality, and unique is a highly frustrating endeavor.

Vintage pieces can be a fantastic way to build a business or business-casual wardrobe. Vintage fashion has the appeal of being affordable and (pre-1980s, at least) well constructed. And, it’s an eco-friendly, sustainable way to shop. For women who are bored by the strictures of office dress codes, vintage provides an excellent opportunity to dress professionally while still retaining a sense of individuality. Below are some lovely vintage pieces from locally based Etsy shops to help get you started.

Disclaimer: Every office has its own dress code standards, and some workplaces are significantly more conservative than others. These suggestions are intended as merely that—suggestions—and should be adapted to the specific policies of your office. For example, some workplaces have an unspoken “black suit, white shirt” policy. In that case, you may want to shy away from dramatic colors. The same goes for necklines, skirt length, and sleeves.

It is hard to find women’s suits that fall into a category other than 1) shapeless knockoffs of men’s business attire, 2) high-powered Wall Street lady executive, or 3) frilly and saccharine. Vintage women’s clothing—especially suiting—is feminine, yet classy and demure (think Joan Holloway of Mad Men). This Kelly Green two-piece suit is available for $30 from High Hat Vintage.

It certainly isn’t new single out Jackie O as a style icon, but her distinctive elegance is a wonderful model for the office. This ensemble of navy blue blazer (Blouse, $52, ) and sheath dress (High Hat Vintage, $20) is completely down to business, but still up for a drink after work. Plus, the blazer was designed by Oleg Cassini, who designed Jackie O’s state wardrobe during the 1960s.

Pencil skirts are a retro staple. They are modest and can flatter a wide range of figures. This tan skirt from EllenTenTen ($21) could be paired with a vintage silk secretary blouse, a simple shell, or a blazer.

To round out your new vintage-infused office wardrobe, look for classic bags and suitcases. This cotton messenger bag from Eclectiques Vintage ($30) can add a refreshing splash of color to a more subdued ensemble.

===

I sell handmade crochet, felted, and upcycled accessories. Check out my shop, Risque Crochet...For more info, visit my blog.

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HOWL @ Machines with Magnets - Saturday, May 15th

HOWL with Sin of Angels, Deleted Arrows, Practice, & Cult of War.

7pm/$7
Click here for more information.

ArtsMash RI Review: Tom Stoppart's "Rock 'n Roll" at The Gamm Theatre

Tom Stoppart's " Rock 'n Roll"
Review by Marianne Messina, ArtsMash RI

True to its toothy nature, the Gamm theatre has bitten off a large chunk of important history to examine its relevance. While East German Stasi operations get all the attention for secret police, for brother betraying brother, we don't often hear about the Czech Republic, which experienced similar hardships under communism. Yet, your Czech neighbor may still be harboring the guilt or bitterness. The Gamm, under director Judith Swift, brings that Czech era, roughly 1968 – 90, to our doorstep in Tom Stoppard's play, Rock 'n Roll. Part of the production's strength is in the staging. They've ripped out "back stage" and converted that space to in-the-round seating… By the end of the play, we have bonded with these characters from all ends of the political spectrum, from the bright, sensual Czech ex-pat Lenka (Casey Seymour Kim) to the self-promoting, former apparatchik Milan. In achieving this, Swift's production brings a key accomplishment to Rock 'n Roll. Stoppard has spared us the agonizing close-ups of action and personal consequence. We see no prison moments, no hard traitorous decisions on stage, but only hear them in third person or retrospect. While it can be really tough from a dramatic perspective, this remote, long view oddly shows us the futility or insignificance of ideology in light of the march – or the rock and roll -- of generations. The production brings out this idea, so that in the final scenes, as the familiar characters come together, the 60s idea of "people power" (over system power) comes through loud as a big rock finish.

Visit www.artsmashri.ning.com for the full review.

AFROSONIC JUMP! This Friday May 14 @ State

Don't miss AFROSONIC JUMP! this Friday at State, featuring your very own Afrosonic Collective DJs and drummers for a night
of Deep Afro Soul Bliss! DJs Mikedelick, Dublin, Blackdove, Nick de Paris and Dupe will all be joining forces behind the decks to deliver the heavy dose of afro beats and soulful grooves to keep you dancing all night long.

To get you in the mood, check out Dublin's lates Podcast on the Afrosonic Blog: www.afrosoniccollective.com

Blood From A Turnip

Despite the fact that every two months, a press release goes out mentioning the origin of Blood From a Turnip, misinformation persists. From cafes and boardrooms across the city speculations abound: it has existed before time, it is a natural life-giving miracle like the sun, it is the playground of the Illuminati. All of this is understandable, considering that every other month, Perishable Theatre hosts an event that features such soaring, inspirational, paradigm-shifting expressions of puppetry.

This month:

*Amanda Weir and her puppet, Malabar, return. Previously, they provided audiences with the strength to endure the long winter. Now they will be joined by Israel Buffardi to celebrate the coming summer while entertaining and enlightening audiences with Malabar’s Picnic.

* Moira Brady, often be found on or around Empire Street, tirelessly providing the local population with food, story, and performance, may or may not be in attendance. However, her new short puppet film, Randy and Sunny Girl: Episode 1- Mail will certainly be. .

*Boston’s Elephant Tango Ensemble comes down to Providence with The Couch. Modestly self-described as a D.I.Y. outfit, ETA should be considered as a Do-A-Whole-Pantload-Yourself outfit. They will blow you away with 3D puppets (yeah!), shadow puppets (woo!), a live band (woah!) and people with microphones (uh-huh!). More info at www.elephanttango.com

*And, Finally, the origin of Blood From a Turnip will not only be told, but will be performed! Peter Wood and The Paradise Falls Band, featuring Perishable Theatre’s Artistic Director, Vanessa Gilbert, will spell it all out for you in Paradise Falls: The Legend of Steve, an origin story in seven songs.

What- Blood from a Turnip, RI’s ONLY late night puppet salon.
When- Friday May 21, 2010 at 10pm
Where- Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire St, Downtown Providence
Cost: $5, NO reservations taken, for more information go to www.perishable.org

Cellar Doves covers Daft Punk

Hi, I'm damian. I'm Cellar Doves. You're my city-ish neighbor, you love music, you love Dafty Punky, maybe even Punky Brewster but that Soliel chick is irrelevant right now, and just right now.

Dovendirekt (cellar doves cover) by cellardoves

We'll call this one a single since it's being released on its own apart from my album "In new mirrors" which is 90% finished. Due out within a month.

Inevitable Hip Thrusts "R" Us

Local 121 Thursday May 20th 10pm

No Cover 21+

love ♥ death ♠ disco ♣ with damian david.
electro, disco, minimal, dreamwave, house

-Daft Punk cover to warm you up-

http://soundcloud.com/cellardoves/dovendirekt-cellar-doves-cover

Early Registration for the IndieArts Fest - Deadline Saturday, May 21st!

The annual IndieArts Festival celebrates independently produced art, digital media, music, performance and locally-sourced goods and products. The festival infuses downtown Providence with an eclectic mix of live music, DJs, burlesque, spoken word, experimental dance, a compilation of film shorts & films.

The Exchange, marketplace offering artwork, locally designed jewelry, new and vintage clothing, accessories, silk-screened posters and t-shirts, handmade crafts, cards, prints, books, vinyl records, compact discs, etc. Register early for The Exchange and do not miss out on a fantastic opportunity to save $25 on registration, AND be promoted in The Phoenix. Early registrants will be included in a pull out advertisement for the festival.

IndieArts Fest - Saturday, July 31st

Visit www.indieartsfest.com for submission requirements and learn more about the festival!

Soul/Jazz Series of Live Music @ Cuban Revolution - Every Fridy and Saturday

Cuban Revolution Restaurant and Bar Presents
Soul/Jazz Series of Live Music Featuring Eric Bloom

Saturday, May 8th - 8pm/Free

Cuban Revolution
60 Valley Street

Click here for more information.

Not About The Buildings Micro-Memoir @ Providence Athenaeum - Friday, May 9th

Not About The Buildings is teaming up with the Providence Athenaeum to bring you Micro-Memoir!, a fast, fun evening of extremely short memoirs. Everyone gets to write and those that want to will also get to read.

Hosted by Karen Donovan, founder of Paragraph magazine and resident writer at the Athenaeum. (Funded in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and sponsored by Antiques & Interiors)

Free and open to the public.
All ages welcome.

May 7, 20105-8pm (refreshments at 5, writing starts at 5:30)
251 Benefit StreetProvidence, RI

Click here for more information.

Soul/Jazz Series of Live Music @ Cuban Revoluation - Every Friday and Saturday

Cuban Revolution Restaurant and Bar Presents
Soul/Jazz Series of Live Music Featuring Elan Trotman

Friday, May 7th - 8pm/Free

Cuban Revolution
60 Valley Street Prov, RI

Click here for more information.