LAist

El Dia de Los Muertos at Self Help Graphics

Willy Blackmore — 2009-11-08T16:30:00-08:00

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A full month of calavera painting, banner cutting, tissue flower making and other crafting at Self Help Graphics culminated in their annual El Dia de Los Muertos celebration last Monday. The community arts center and printmaking studio has a long history of celebrating the Mexican holiday for honoring the dead, reaching back thirty-six years to its first Day of the Dead celebration, involving just two artists who met at Evergreen Cemetery to remember their ancestors. In the years that have followed, the annual festival has grown and grown in size and popularity, with this year’s festivities moving from the Self Help Graphics to the East LA Civic Center.

The lawn behind the civic center was packed with people, many in full costume, others opting only for the half-painted face, making for some interesting turning heads, rotating from a given complexion to the pale white and graphic black flourishes of a calavera. A wide array of vendors were offering everything from incense and brightly painted ceramic skulls to tamales, pozole and champurrado.

The new venue brought a slightly different vibe to the affair—the feeling of an organic, community-driven block party left in the parking lot off of Cesar Chavez Boulevard where the event has been held in past years. But with an impressive island stage for the music acts—which included Conjunto Los Pochos, La Santa Cecilia and others—and a large lawn for the craft tents, there were advantages to the new location as well.

It was a perfect night for a warm bowl of pozole, a tall Styrofoam cup of champurrado and to remember and celebrate the dead.

CD Review: Kathy Griffin - Suckin' it for the Holidays

Elise Thompson — 2009-11-08T15:30:33-08:00

"Dying is easy; comedy is hard." It's a tired saying, but it's true. It’s hard to think of more than three artists whose comedy albums have been memorable - Steve Martin, Cheech & Chong, and Monty Python. Comedy albums are hard.

Granted, Kathy Griffin already has us on her side. She has what she calls the Don Rickles effect, the ability to insult people and still be lovable. She has endeared herself to us with her willingness to be completely open, and we can all empathize with the sheer joy she gets from a little juicy gossip.

Considering how many specials Griffin has done, and the fact that cameras are constantly following her around, there is no recycled comedy here. She touches on her favorite topics - her mother, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, where the CD was taped, and slamming celebrities. She likes shock value and goes for it here - calling Maya Angelou boring and burning Justin Timberlake for being a "Wigger". And Speidi, always Speidi. By the way, there is no holiday content. No carols, Not a Silent Night in sight. We don't miss them

The CD is on sale now, and if you are skilled enough with a shrinkwrapper you have time to listen to it before stuffing it into someone's stocking. True, with a CD you are missing Griffin’s hilarious facial expressions and subtle physical comedy. That is the only complaint that can be made about this holiday CD other than that it is too short. To quote one more tired adage, "Always leave them wanting more."

Classical Pick of the Week: West Coast, Best Coast

samkim — 2009-11-08T14:30:00-08:00

The LACC is seen here performing Paul Gibson's "Dona nobis pacem". The Los Angeles Children's Chorus performs this Saturday at 2 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica. The West Coast/Left Coast Festival is a collaboration with the LA Phil and composer John Adams highlighting the works of several Californian composers. If you're looking for "old world" music, they will also perform Carillo's Ave Maria and the Spanish carol Riu, riu, chiu to highlight the rich cultural and ethnic diversity in Los Angeles. Tickets are 32 dollars and half price for children. Piano Spheres hosts guest artist Eric Huebner in several West Coast premieres of works by Reynolds and Rothman. If you're looking for something more traditional, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Opera will perform La Traviata at the Pacific Palisades Methodist Church. There are performances on the 13th and the 15th, and you can get tickets here.

If you haven't seen Dudamel yet, there are still tickets available for his performances this weekend. Dawn Upshaw makes her annual appearance in performances of music from Berio and the LA Phil will perform Schubert's 8th Symphony. The Friday show is sold out, but you can buy tickets for Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday here.

Get Out: Berlin Wall, Go Gourmet at Petrossian, Great Chefs of LA, Loft Seven Sample Sale, Il Sole Goes Rustic

Lindsay William-Ross — 2009-11-08T09:00:51-08:00

Photo by honeybeejen via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

Wall Project: 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall was toppled on November 9th, 1989. To commemorate this landmark event, the Wall Project has had several segments of the wall erected on Wilshire Boulevard across the street from LACMA, and local artists, like renowned muralist Kent Twitchell, have contributed art to the panels. Today panels will be erected enough to fully block Wilshire, there will be an evening of activities and entertainment, and at midnight the wall will be toppled, marking the anniversary, which will be broadcast live on German television.

Petrossian West Hollywood's Pre-Holiday Tasting & Shopping Event
Whether it’s for a festive party at home or a personally customized epicurean gift basket, Petrossian Boutique & Restaurant is making holiday shopping on Robertson Blvd. more enjoyable with a pre-holiday tasting today from Noon-5 p.m., Petrossian’s knowledgeable staff will be on hand to guide customers through a variety of signature luxury products such as Caviar, Foie Gras, fine Olive Oils, Smoked Salmon, and French Chocolates and Truffles. Complimentary Champagne, appetizers, and samples of the boutique’s decadent chocolates will be offered to shoppers as they get a head start on an elegant holiday.

Great Chefs of LA
The 23rd Annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles brings together L.A.'s top tastemakers for an afternoon of food, wine, music and auctions to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. Foundation spokesman George Lopez, a kidney disease survivor, and his wife and kidney donor Ann Lopez, will host the afternoon's festivities as Honorary Chairs. Chefs of Honor Neal Fraser (LAist Interview) and Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (LAist Interview: Border Grill Truck) lead a stellar lineup of top toques from Los Angeles. Oh...and there's a ton of amazing food from several local restaurants and chefs. Tickets are available at the door for the full price of $150. [LAist event prewrite]

Loft Seven Sample Sale
The Loft Seven Sample Sale goes down every second Sunday of each month--and, hey, that's today! The store offers complimentary beverages to shoppers, sets the mood with guest DJ's, and gives killer discounted prices on designer clothing. Happens from Noon-6pm in Downtown LA.

Il Sole's Sunday Rustic Menu
If you're looking to wind up the weekend with a meal out, you might want to check out the debut of Il Sole’s new Sunday Rustic Menu. The menu is $35 per person, available from 5-9 p.m., and includes choice of one appetizer and one entrée from a selection of Il Sole favorites, as well as new dishes—all inspired by traditional Italian comfort foods and representing a variety of regions throughout the country. Select wines by the glass are also available from $6-8 and select bottles under $40. Desserts range from $6-8, including seasonal sorbet or tiramisu. This is the first time Il Sole is open on Sundays, so they are excited to welcome diners to what may become a successful tradition.

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The Bravery @ the Wiltern 11/05/09

Melissa Moore — 2009-11-07T17:35:00-08:00

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On tour to pre-promote their December 1st release of Stir the Blood, NYC's The Bravery took to a packed house at the Wiltern Thursday night. Once the band took the stage, it was clear from the feverish enthusiasm of the The Bravery fans that there was no other place to be, despite the fact that the concert calendar for November 5th also featured Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Neon Indian, and Avi Buffalo within a 10 mile radius. Music junkies had to make real choices that night, and The Bravery offered a strong stage presence, excellent showmanship, and catchy dance-rock tunes.

Pixies 'Doolittle' @ The Palladium 11/4/09

Heath Biter — 2009-11-07T16:15:00-08:00

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The Pixies kicked off a three night stand at the Palladium Thursday night with an exhilarating run-through of their classic “Doolittle”, its assorted B-sides, and a smattering of earlier faves. These days they’re riding a wave of nostalgia, rather than a wave of mutilation, but as reunions go, this is one of the more gratifying ones.

The evening starts a little rough. The band almost seems rusty as they work their way through four of the Doolittle B-sides. They miss a cue during opener “Manta Ray”, and Kim Deal accidentally jumps ahead on the setlist and starts to play the opening bassline for “Debaser” before the band stops her and reminds her that the next song is supposed to be “Do The Manta Ray”. (Maybe it’s Black Francis’ fault for putting Manta Ray in the title of two of the first four songs.)

When the band first announced that they were going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doolittle by playing the album in it’s entirety, it came with the boast that the band would have the opportunity to play songs that they don’t normally play. Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find a post-reunion setlist that doesn’t feature at least half the album. It’s chock full o’ classics, and fittingly, it’s once we’re into “Doolittle”, that the evening really kicks in. The crowd, which seems to be at 2x capacity goes ballistic.

If there’s a complaint, it’s only that the band takes too long between songs. Unlike the rapidfire delivery of the original record, tonight each song is presented as it’s own entity, with accompanying unique video. Some are more effective than others. Footage of slicin’ up eyeballs from Bunuel and Dali’s “Un Chien Andalou” sets the tone wonderfully. The bleak desertscapes that color “Silver” and the assorted lyrics floating throughout “Hey” resonate, but, elsewhere, the images detract, or at the very least, distract. New footage of the individual band members bopping their heads during “Here Comes Your Man” is cute, but has me second-guessing the presentation. For a band that was so unassuming during their original existence, tonight’s performance is surely one of the more contrived moments of their career. Not to over-think it. The point is - the songs speak for themselves.

Frank Black Francis Thompson IV is in fine form; barking, howling and screaming effortlessly. Dave Lovering has a way of banging out a straight driving 4/4 beat that feel innovative in its simplicity. Joey Santiago’s dissonant anti-wank guitar heroics are the true secret to the Pixies sound. His showcase moment comes during the second encore - an extended take on “Vamos” that pokes fun at guitar heroics while also being a great example of them. Kim Deal is the only band member who talks to the audience. Frequently reminding that audience that they are still on Side One*, or making self-deprecating comments about the songs - introducing “There Goes My Gun” as a “deep cut”, and adding “you can’t skip ‘em.” I want to tell her that there’s no need to apologize for the songs. They are the reason we are here.

There’s a discernable difference in the bands playing between the “hits” that have remained in the bands post-reunion repertoire, and the other tracks that they clearly had to relearn for this tour. In some cases (I Bleed, Dead), the band feels a little rushed, on others however, the rehearsal produces surprise results. “Sliver” is one of the evening’s unexpected highlights; Black and Deal’s beautiful harmonizing on the song’s refrain of “sorrows” is beautiful and haunting.

When the Pixies end their set, they stand on the edge of the stage, arms around each other, waving at the audience and smiling. A giant video of the band members smiling and waving plays behind them. It’s a moment that’s more adorable than menacing. For a band who built a career on the bizarre and unexpected, these days, the weirdest thing about them is how normal they seem - and that is truly the weirdest thing of all.

*I actually still think of “Doolittle” in terms of Side One and Side Two. When I first got the record, I misread “There Goes My Gun” as “There Goes My Guy”, and, as the fifth song on side two, thought they intended it to be an answer to the fifth song on side one, “Here Comes Your Man”.

Blood Is The New Black Celebrates 5th Anniversary at Silverlake Art Crawl

Tim Hammer — 2009-11-07T15:56:00-08:00

As part of the Silverlake Art Crawl, LA-based t-shirt line Blood Is The New Black celebrates it's fifth anniversary by debuting a collection of original works by emerging artists at the Junc Gallery tonight at 7 p.m. Founder and line curator, Mitra Khayyam commissioned this exhibition of original works from artists who have designed for the company. Music will be provided by DJ Demonbabies.

Art of Sean Duffy Opening Reception Tonight

Christine N. Ziemba — 2009-11-07T14:30:09-08:00

Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects is hosting an opening reception tonight for a new solo exhibit by LA-based artist and sculptor Sean Duffy. Can't Stop It presents works and installations that explore the relationship between original and copy. The exhibit includes a disco bucky-ball made from flashing fans, Buckminster Fuller inspired reading chairs made comfortable with pillows from Duffy's old T-shirts, a painting of a car engine on a car engine, a triple turntable pushcart that served as a palette to paint the engine..." The reception begins at 6 pm, and the exhibit runs through Dec. 23.

Performance Artist Rachel Rosenthal Talks

Elise Thompson — 2009-11-07T14:00:00-08:00

Rachel Rosenthal will be celebrating her 83rd birthday tonight at the Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica. An artist, teacher, animal rights activist and living legend, Rosenthal has been creating art for over 50 years. Rosenthal "developed a revolutionary performance technique that integrates text, movement, voice, choreography, improvisation, inventive costuming, dramatic lighting and wildly imaginative sets into an unforgettable “total theater” experience." Rosenthal was a pioneer at the forefront of performance art. LAist caught up with her yesterday for a few quick questions.

How do you feel about the state of performance art today?
Some good some bad. As usual.

Having seen so much new technology and so many social changes over the years,
what do you think has been the west's greatest achievement?
Finally waking up to Climate Change. Perhaps too late. Action please?!

How do you feel about rap music? Sometimes it seems like there is such a performance art element to it.
I performed "Pangaean Dreams" in 1990, and had a section of "rap" in that piece!

Given the choice, would you rather go out and party or stay home? And what do you do on an evening in?
I hate parties. Like concerts of contemporary experimental classical music! OR! Stay home with my dogs and watch old movies on TCM!

How do you compare modern animal rights to civil rights and the women's movement?
It should be the same. But animals always come last. Still, and in spite of science telling us how smart they are (the animals), and how like us (humans).

Would you shave my friend's head?
No. It was a very personal action. To stay shaved I used an electric shaver every day and a barber once a month.

Rachel Rosenthal's 83rd birthday at the Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica commences at 7pm tonight. More info here or on Rachel's website. Party update: Spirits by Stella Artois and Karlsson's Gold Vodka, will join Grateful Palate Imports' Bitch Bubbly, Bitch Grenache & Pure Evil Chardonnay. Also, Fresh Pressed will be silk screening a VINTAGE Instant Theatre T-shirt especially for the event!

Photo by Annie Leibovitz/Used with permission

Art Comes to Life Tomorrow at the Monster Drawing Rally

Danielle Directo — 2009-11-07T13:00:00-08:00

Michael Markowsky goes head-to-head with another artist at last year's Monster Drawing Rally. Photo by Anita K. Marto/Outpost for Contemporary Art

With the exception of sidewalk caricature sketch masters, very rarely an artist's creativity is put on the spot in front of curious eyes. Nine years ago in San Francisco, the Monster Drawing Rally did exactly that as a way to bridge the art community with their supporters while raising money for a cultural cause.

When the idea was first unveiled in L.A. by the non-profit Outpost for Contemporary Art (it was originally conceived by SF-based Southern Exposure) in 2004, organization director Julie Deamer wasn't sure how the SoCal crowd would respond. A Ventura native who lived in San Fran for 12 years before returning to the City of Angels, she quickly became disillusioned with the over-competitive, career-driven side of L.A.'s gallery scene. "Here I am thinking art could change the world," Deamer said in an interview. "In San Francisco, you don't have the strong market forces...People are making art just because they want to." For her and the rest of the Outpost members, the event was all about "filling a gap in Los Angeles."

Now five years after its L.A. debut, the annual Monster Drawing Rally is once again putting artists' easels out in the open at the Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock tomorrow. For a $10 donation ($5 for students, FREE for seniors, young-uns 12 & under and Outpost members), watch as about over 100 artists draw their little heart out for an hour each from 2 to 7 p.m.; they'll work in four groups of about 25 every hour. The results will be sold for $75, with proceeds benefiting the organization. There's something for everyone: For foodies, local "slow fast food" eatery Oinkster is bringing the bacon and the Kids' Drawing Corner will keep the little ones happy while you get your drink on courtesy of Cafe de Leche and the New Belgium Brewing Company (mmmm, Fat Tire!). If you're really too impatient to watch as your future wall art unfolds in the making, move to the music of DJ Dave Muller, indie pop folksters Artichoke and offbeat rapper Dude Dogg.

It's about "using art to bring people together, to have more of a direct sort of experience with artists and their production and their process," said Deamer. "It's really fun for audiences to watch art come alive...(and) the artists enjoy being acknowledged for their creativity." In addition to hosting lecture series and other art programs, Outpost's upcoming projects also include bringing six South American artists to L.A. and bridging the international and local art communities. The rally "really is a way for us to enlist and get to know hundreds of local artists that we introduce to our international visitors."

The Center for the Arts is located at 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 90041. For the full line-up of artists, check out Outpost's website.

Want more art? Don't forget the Silver Lake Art Crawl today; tomorrow's events also include a handful of those food trucks you know you've always wanted to try.

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Tonight In Rock: Janelle Monae, Saint Motel, Nico Stai, Birds & Batteries

Joshua Pressman — 2009-11-07T12:00:00-08:00

Janelle Monae will be performing tonight at Siren Studio | Picture via Janelle Monae's Myspace

Our Pick: Kia Soul Collective presents Janelle Monae, Fool's Gold @ Siren Studio (1050 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood)

Tonight local indie rock outfit Saint Motel's (LAist Interview) will be performing at the Roxy with none other than Rumspringa (LAist Review, #2) and Army Navy (LAist Interview, #2, Review). LA-based indie rock troubadour Nico Stai is poised to grace Spaceland. And, lastly, San Franciscan alt-rockers Birds & Batteries will be taking on the American Legion Post 206. But we strongly suggest heading over to Siren Studio to catch Kansas City-bred Grammy Award-nominated pop singer-songwriter Janelle Monae. LAist favorites, afro-centric indie pop act Fool's Gold are slated to kick things off.

You can find these listings as well as the rest of the week's in our weekly Week In Rock post, which goes up every Sunday.

Janelle Monae - "Many Moons"

LMFAO @ The Wiltern
Hanson, Hellogoodbye, Steel Train, Sherwood @ Club Nokia
Kia Soul Collective presents Janelle Monae, Fool's Gold @ Siren Studio (1050 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood)
Jim Ward, Chuck Ragan, Joey Cape, Audra Mae @ El Rey Theatre
The Lawrence Arms, Teenage Bottlerocket, Cobra Skulls, Madison Bloodbath @ Troubadour
Saint Motel, Rumspringa, Army Navy, Red Arrow Messenger @ The Roxy
Citizen Fish, Star F*cking Hipsters, Molotov Compromise @ The Echo
Audacity, TRMRS, Allah Lahs, Shark Toys @ L'KEG Gallery
Rademacher, Birds & Batteries, Kissing Cousins, Agent Ribbons @ American Legion Post 206 (227 N. Avenue 55, Highland Park)
Jason Falkner, Nico Stai, War Children @ Spaceland
Brother Reade @ Origami Vinyl
The Kris Special, Or, The Whale, Bodhi, Seasons @ Echo Curio
Nina Storey, Pete and J, Randy Coleman, Jake Walden, Stewart Lewis, Drew Danburry @ The Hotel Café
Over the Rhine, Katie Herzig @ Largo at the Coronet
Kill Kill Kill, Meho Plaza, Asphalt Thieves, Coastline Appartition @ Pehrspace
No Paws (No Lions), George Sarah, Verbs, E&E @ The Smell
Gamble House, She's Your Sister @ Bootleg Theater
Los Pinguos, Rob Laufer's record release @ The Mint
Serj Tankian, Azam Ali, Loga Ramin Torkian, David Alpay @ The Actors' Gang (9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City)
Múm, Sin Fang Bous @ Yost Theater (307 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana)

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Get Out: Inner Light, Fire Drill, Manson Family Jam, Beethoven's 5th Breakdown

Ali Trachta — 2009-11-07T09:00:00-08:00

Photo by The Eye of Brad via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr.

Book Signing and Spiritual Guidance
If a reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians has never really been your thing, perhaps a reading by Lara Owen from her new book Growing Your Inner Light will get your spiritual mojo moving. Owen's book guides the reader on how to pull from various traditions as well as creative new ones in order to develop a personalized practice. 2 p.m. at Book Soup.

Fire Safety Lecture
Tonight at 6:30, the Theodore Payne Foundation and The City of Glendale Public Works Department will present a free public lecture, "Southern California Wildfires: Protecting our Homes and the Natural Environment." Presenters include Richard W. Halsey and Jon E. Keeley, Ph.D., two of the region's most respected experts on fire, local ecology and post-fire regeneration. They will present science- and research-based information about wildfires and how to best adapt one's home environment. First come, first seated at Clark Magnet High School Auditorium, 4747 New York Ave. in La Crescenta.

Family Jam
Arrive early to Ghettogloss tonight because we imagine you'll have to wait in line to pick the brain of Amanda Milius, the artist behind this photography exhibit for which subjects channeled Charles Manson's "Family" while tweaked on LSD. Milius used her obsession with Sadie and Gypsy, a little spiked water and lots of film to, in her own words, "teeter on the edge of love, fear, life and unlife, to blink twice at something beautiful, to see trails, have a shared experience, and in that to sense the happiness and freedom amongst friends who were and are, searching and striving for the same things [Manson's] girls were." Cocktail reception runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Discover Beethoven's 5th
For some, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 conjures up cartoony images of some villain tying Bugs Bunny in drag to the railroad tracks, but tonight Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra music director Jeffrey Kahane leads an exploration of the classic work that will make even the most rookie orchestra-goer appreciate its finer points. Once the piece is broken down and its subtle nuances exposed, a performance of the entire work will follow as wells as a Q&A with Kahane and the band. Purchase tickets here.

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On Sesame Street's 40th Birthday Oscar the Grouch Talks About L.A.

Julie Wolfson — 2009-11-06T16:30:02-08:00

Oscar the Grouch and Zoe from Sesame Street came to Los Angeles to tell everyone that Sesame Street is turning the big 4-0. This week the most famous street in the world is celebrating its birthday with the "Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days" DVD collection, commemorative book and an appearance by Michelle Obama on the anniversary episode.

We also interviewed Elmo and Abby Cadabby back in 2008.

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TV Junkie: Interview with Kristin Bauer aka Pam from 'True Blood'

Tom Lewis — 2009-11-06T16:01:08-08:00

Kristin Bauer plays Pam, one of our favorite vampires from HBO's "True Blood"

Tomorrow at LUSH Cosmetics in Santa Monica, Kristin Bauer, aka Pam from "True Blood" will be signing autographs and taking pics between 1 and 3pm with fans who simply show up to support the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW) Tails for Whales photo campaign.

We had a chance to talk to the "True Blood" star about her support for this specific cause as well as get the lowdown on what will be on the upcoming "True Blood" DVD and the inspiration behind her character on the show.

LAist: Tell us about "Tails for Whales".

Kristin Bauer: We've been hearing about "save the whales" ever since we were kids and now we hear a lot about polar bears so I had believed that this had been taken care of this but we can't really cross anything off the to-do list in terms of saving. What troubled me was that there are so many unnecessary deaths for whales, whether it's the whales getting hit by ships in their breeding grounds or when they drown in old driftnets and fishing equipment in the ocean. This campaign is a way to let the people in Washington that we elect that we do want whales saved and that there is a bill that's been introduced that can do this. Right now many people are struggling financially and what is great about this campaign is that it's easy, it's fun, and we're not asking for money. We're just asking for photos of people making the whale tail with their hands. The only other option is to sign another petition but this campaign puts faces and photos towards the cause which I think is a lot more compelling. I'm showing up at LUSH because they have been so generous by creating a lotion from which the proceeds go to IFAW. Hopefully people will show up at LUSH and I will trade them an autographed photo for a photo of them making a whale tail and since they are there they might also be interested in this charity product.

LAist: What struck you about this campaign compared to other charities?

Kristin Bauer: I think about 80% of the population cares and wants to do something but how do you help polar bears? This campaign which just involved taking a picture is something anyone can do and anyone can show up to this store as well. A lot of these other causes are for animals that are on the other side of the world but these are animals that live right around here, think about what a huge port Long Beach is and all that shipping traffic. We want to buy stuff at Cosco and that's how the stuff gets here and we need to take responsibility for that.

LAist: Congrats on yet another great season of "True Blood".

Kristin Bauer: I can't wait to get back to that, I've been playing humans this whole off-season and it's not nearly as much fun.

LAist: I wanted to ask you about the classic stylings of your character "Pam". Her classic stylings remind me of Catherine Deneuve, she is very elegant, in control, what's your inspiration when working on her?

Kristin Bauer: You don't really know, you're learning on your feet and you learn as you go. I had the concept that she was probably wealthy and that she was made a long time ago and she's seen a lot of humanity come and go. She's seen it all. I just did the commentary on the Blu-ray DVD as Pam, 35 pages of dialogue of her. She comments on all the aspects of the show, Eric, Sookie, etc. More dialogue than I've had in two seasons of the show. But even right now I don't know if she and Eric were lovers or her real back history.

LAist: It's an interesting comparison, Pam is very restrained and cool whereas Eric can succumb to impetuous behavior even though he is older than her and the Sheriff of the area. Perhaps I'm just projecting my own desires but it seems like there could be this layer of kinkiness in Pam just underneath the surface that could just bust out.

Kristin Bauer: I know, I think so too. First it seems like she is incredibly bored and hard to impress and that she's thoroughly embraced being a vampire, she is a superior life form. But when I think about that, she is very open, and that's where the kinkiness comes in. I think she's pan-sexual and she can look at Eric, and Sookie and she's not discriminating, with an openness that she looks at this world and the human race from the viewpoint of an immortal. As Kristin Bauer, I think we can stop this Titanic and turn it around and stop the environmental destruction and minimize the damage of hitting that iceberg but I think Pam is like "Let's hit it, I'll be fine and I'm kind of bored."
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Kristin Bauer will be at LUSH in Santa Monica from 1-3pm tomorrow (Saturday 11/7/2009). The first 100 people who RSVP to tailsforwhales@lush.com will receive a free ocean inspired Big Blue Bath Bomb, courtesy of LUSH. Additionally, a bag of Whale Tail chips will be given to all shoppers who submit their photo for the campaign during this time.

To hear the complete interview with Kristin Bauer use this player:

Alexander Skarsgard (aka "Eric" in "True Blood") supports Tails for Whales

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16 Questions With Sin Fang Bous

Molly Bergen — 2009-11-06T15:30:00-08:00

Sin Fang Bous I Photo courtesy of Big Hassle PR

Despite the fact that their economy was pulverized to bits last year, from a musical standpoint Iceland is coming out on top. In the originality category they're especially strong. It doesn't matter whether you're into Sigur Rós, Múm or Björk you have to admit, they sound like nothing else. Now you can add another name to that list. Sin Fang Bous the new solo project of Sindri Mar Sigfusson, who took some time off from his band Seabear, to write a gorgeous experimental pop album Clangour. Never heard of him? Fair enough, his first show in LA is tonight at the El Rey Theatre, but if you like Animal Collective and Panda Bear, you might want to take a listen. We caught up with Sindri before his show and asked him a few questions.

Sin Fang Bous - Advent In Ives Garden

Where did the name Sin Fang Bous come from?
It's just jibberish. I wanted to make up something that didn't exist before.

What inspired "Advent in St. Ives"? Where you in Cornwall at the time?
No, I can't remember where I got that from. I just saw that I had written it down somewhere.

Does "Melting Down Knives" have political undertones? If not, why are the knives being melted?
I can't remember much about that song or when I made it. It's not political though. I don't sing about things in the real world most of the time.

What inspired you to take off from your band Seabear and go solo for this album?
After I finished school in 2007 I had time and songs for another project, I guess.

Do you miss having seven people to bounce ideas off of?
Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

Why did you choose the name Clangour for the title of your album?
It's a word for noise that I saw somewhere.

What was the worst show you ever did?
Probably one of the first Seabear shows where the show had no soundman and the whole
show was just feedback.

What song are you most proud of on this album?
I haven't listened to it in a long time but I remember being very happy with jubilee choruses an "Fa Fa Fa."

What is the weirdest thing you ever saw in the audience?
People fighting right in front of the stage while we were playing a really mellow song.

If you could change one thing about the music industry what would it be?
I wish musicians got paid for internet plays, like on MySpace and YouTube. Even if it was a really small amount for each play, it would be huge for a musician like me. Selling records
and making a living off doing original music is really hard these days, which is a shame.

Sin Fang Bous - Catch The Light

If you could sing with anyone in the world who would it be?
Samuli Kosminen and we would sing the song 'Love Creation' by the Urban Herbs.

Do you have any strange promoter stories?
One started screaming at our sound guy "you're always lying to me!" and he had never met him before.

What album can you not live without?
I can't think of any, I'm afraid.

If you were stuck on a deserted island and you could bring three worldly possessions what would they be?
Cellphone, pizza & bottle of wine.

Do you have a favorite local band at the moment?
There are lots of good Icelandic bands.

What's up next for you?
The new Seabear album is finished and will come out in Feb/March I think. I'm working on a new
Sin Fang album that will also come out in 2010. I will be recording a few projects this year for other people and then I have a few projects/bands that I'm working on.

Thank you so much for your time.
No problemo.

Be sure to check out Sin Fang Bous at the El Rey Theatre tonight with Mum and Hilder Gudnadottir. Doors are at 8:00pm. Tickets are $18.

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