SUN GLITTERS: LOVE ME (PAPERCUTZ REMIX)
Director Vladimir Miladinović spends his days backstage Fashion Week parties with undressed models. Somehow, he still gets his game on as creative director for campaigns like Puma and shooting covers for Belgrade’s fashion mag, Prestup. We think his lo-fi voyeuristic way of filming his models is a perfect marriage with the Papercutz remix of Sun Glitters “Love Me”.
SPIKE JONZE TEAMS UP WITH ARCADE FIRE FOR NEW FILM: SCENES OF THE SUBURBS
Spike Jonze’s long rumored short film based on Arcade Fire’s critically acclaimed album, The Suburbs is finally here. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, the film presents themes of war and coming of age in suburbia, following the narrator “living in suburban dystopia, trying to piece together fragmented memories from when he was a teenager, and his experiences with his friends as they grow apart.” (SXSW)
Watch the full film here.
THIS WEEK AT ROOFTOP FILMS: LESBIAN SPACE ALIENS + BUTT NAKED GENERALS
Friday, June 24, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: CODEPENDENT LESBIAN SPACE ALIEN SEEKS SAME
(Madeline Olnek | New York, NY | 76 min.)
Premiering on Gay Pride weekend, this playful send-up of 1950’s sci-fi follows a group of lesbian extraterrestrials banished to Earth because their feelings of love cloud up the atmosphere on their home planet. Called “A hilarious date movie for couples of all orientations” by the Hollywood Reporter, New York playwright and filmmaker Madeleine Olnek’s feature-length debut is the joyously campy tale of extraterrestrial lesbians banished to Earth to experience heartbreak and rid themselves of love, a feeling that clouds up the atmosphere on their home planet. Shot in expressive black-and-white, the movie lovingly sends up 1950’s-era sci-fi while honestly dealing with the intricacies of contemporary relationships.
Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information at:
http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/codependent-lesbian-space-alien-seeks-same/
Venue:
OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP
350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002
Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street
8:00 PM Doors Open
8:30 PM Live Music by The Suzan
9:00 PM Film begins
10:30 PM Q&A with filmmaker Madeline Olnek and several lesbian space aliens
11:30 PM After Party at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge St. btwn Broome St. and Grand St.)
Music:
THE SUZAN
THE SUZAN are a Japanese all-girl band formed by Rie(Key&G), Saori(Vo&G), Nico(Dr) and Ikue(Ba)-self proclaimed “riot-girls”. They gathered as a band in 2004 after sisters Rie and Saori had created a unique sound more influenced by the dislike of what they heard in Japanese Pop music. The music THE SUZAN plays is absolute original sound that takes in every kinds of music; Pop, Wild dance, Punk, Garage Rock and so on. The results THE SUZAN produce is a fresh sound easy to memorize but an exciting new sound for your soul to fall in love with.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: THE REDEMPTION OF GENERAL BUTT NAKED
(Daniele Anastasion and Eric Strauss | Liberia | 90 min.)
Joshua Milton Blahyi is a murderous Liberian warlord turned evangelical minister in this stirring vérité documentary about the nature of justice and absolution. The man known as General Butt Naked murdered thousands during Liberia’s horrific 14-year civil war. Today this once-brutal warlord has renounced his sadistic past and reinvented himself as evangelist Joshua Milton Blahyi. In a riveting cinema vérité journey that unfolds over the course of five years, filmmakers Eric Strauss and Daniele Anastasion follow Blahyi’s unrelenting crusade to redeem his life. Facing those he once terrorized, preaching where he once murdered, Blahyi is on a quest to save his soul.
Venue:
OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP
350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002
Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street
8:00 PM Doors Open
8:30 PM Live Music by Janka Nabay
9:00 PM Film Begins
11:30 PM After Party at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge St., btwn Broome St. and Grand St.)
Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information at:
http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/the-redemption-of-general-butt-naked/
Music:
JANKA NABAY
“There was also an African apparition: Janka Nabay from Sierra Leone, wearing a straw skirt and singing and dancing to recorded tracks of what he said was a 500-year-old tradition called bubu music. The tracks were modern, and the beat, fast and skeletal and driven by bell taps, was unstoppable, demanding wider dissemination.” -NY Times
Sunday June 26, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: FAMILY INSTINCT – NY Premiere
(Andris Gauja | Latvia | 60 min.)
“Riding a razor edge between exploitation and art, Family Instinct is the documentary that Harmony Korine wishes he’d made.”
– David Wilson, True/False Film Festival
Luridly fascinating and darkly comic, Family Instinct is unlike any film you have seen before: a vérité pseudo-documentary comedy about an isolated town in rural Latvia and a young mother’s patient wait for her lover/brother to return from prison. One part Borat, two parts Eastern Bloc Gothic, and three parts documentary tragicomedy, Andris Gauja’s feature film debut never lets you relax. If you don’t feel a little uncomfortable watching this film, there is something dead inside of you. And yet Family Instinct remains undeniably engaging throughout, making for an unforgettable and surprisingly entertaining movie-watching experience.
Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information at:
http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/family-instinct/
Venue:
On the roof of The Old American Can Factory, 232 3rd St. (at 3rd Ave.), Gowanus/Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Subway: F/G to Carroll St. or M/R to Union
8:00 PM Doors Open
8:30 PM Live Music by
9:00 PM Film Begins
11:30 PM Reception in Courtyard
Music:
BIG SPIDER’S BACK
“The past few weeks have heard me relentlessly blasting Big Spider’s Back Memory Man from bedrooms, fire escapes, and cuddle puddles, and our ecosystem is better off for it. Since Yair shared his Warped EP in 2009 we’ve been huge appreciators of the blankets he so delicately threads and the smiles they bring to our cheeks, and were so grateful for his presence at our end of the year party last December. Memory Man is the debut record we’ve waited patiently for, and these pieces develop a journey carefully traversed through mind explorations. A short glance provokes that of jogging a familiar face while a deserving exposure plants these sounds within background thoughts and daydreams. ‘Black Chow’ has provided me with an anthem, whether the days that pass are sun-drenched or thunder-laden. The drops Yair creates leave room for environment to fill, and his comforting vocals wash into an audible hug for everyone. We love you Yair.”
– thefmly.com
BAND RADAR: LIFE IN FILM
THE COOL KIDS: SWIMSUITS (FEAT. MAYER HAWTHORNE)
I’m wearing my swim trunks in our sweltering office today. They breathe nicely. Similarly, this new cut from The Cool Kids and Mayer Hawthorne is real breezy. “When Fish Ride Bicycles” drops July 12th.
The Cool Kids feat. Mayer Hawthorne – “Swimsuits”
The Cool Kids – “Swimsuits” (Featuring Mayer Hawthorne) by greenlabelsound
EROL ALKAN REMIXES METRONOMY
Metronomy – The Bay (Erol Alkan’s Extended Rework) PREVIEW by Erol Alkan
CULTS: CULTS
[rating: 4.5]
Cults: Cults
Label: Columbia
Release date: June 7, 2011
When something seems too good to be true, it likely is – or so goes the old adage. When “Go Outside,” the debut single from New York twosome Cults, was unearthed back in February 2010, the track elevated Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion to instant hype band status – but the question of how they might grow after such an impressive start remained. How could this pair, so heavily indebted to the bubbly radio pop of the 1960′s and 70′s, flesh out their sound and retain the same magic? Turns out, the answer is pretty simple: just stick to the script.
See, Cults aesthetic isn’t much of a mystery. Oblivion lays down the arrangements on a foundation of guitar and percussion, then rounds things out with an assortment of peripheral gear and technique that includes bells, xylophones, piano, and light distortion to simultaneously identify the sound with throwback hits of past generations and modern indie rock’s latest trends. Over all of this Follin’s sugary sweet voice floats, ripe with innocence and curiosity. Her style borrows from old Motown and R&B singles, often replicating the stuff you’d hear if you dropped a couple of quarters into one of those table jukeboxes they have at retro diners. But this is obvious – it’s the same stuff we heard on “Go Outside” that made us question sustainability in the first place. The thing that sells the band, that really ignites and extends the magic, is the hidden evil lurking behind their pretty, peppy, cuddly outer shell.
“Abducted,” a single released in April that went a long way towards proving the band wasn’t just going to be a one-off outfit, begins with chugging guitar and the sound of far-off voices. Later, similar voices resurface in the aforementioned “Go Outside,” as well as “Most Wanted,” and, easily an album standout, “Oh My God.” These voices, as it turns out, belong to neither Follin nor Oblivion, but rather to famous cult leaders Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and Patty Hearst. Coupled with lyrics about growing up, daunting feelings about a relationship’s nebulous future, and even substance abuse, the contrast between content and sound gives the band the sort of inner turmoil we appreciate in the characters from our favorite movies. Their seemingly innocent, playful melodies paint Cults as well-intentioned folks, but like the songs, dig a little deeper and you’ll find skeletons below the surface. This isn’t glorifying darkness though, but rather a reminder that sometimes wonderful things are born out of tumultuous events.
But on an album of phenomenal tracks, perfect for summertime, the best comes in the form of “Bumper,” a he said/she said song that analyzes a crumbling relationship from the perspective of both inside parties. Follin’s voice is great, but the effect gained from tossing the microphone back and forth is what really sets this song apart, giving it a sound unique to any other on the record (though it adheres to the general blueprint). It’s also chock full of great quotes: “I threw his shit on the floor,” Follin sings with the sauciness of a tried and true diva, while Oblivion snaps back, “she rushed me out the door.” Later, it gets better, with Folin reciting “I’ve had it up to here/I can’t take this anymore,” only to have Oblivion fire back with the hilarious and identifiable “if she’s this crazy now/there’s no telling what’s in store.” In between each of these exchanges, Follin’s vocals flutter around in re-verb in the background, simply offering up “la la la la la.” Again, it’s a whole dynamic of pretty sounds laced with venomous subjects that gives the band not only it’s identity, but also a fountain of ways in which to stretch that identity.
Any apprehensions about whether or not Cults could turn “Go Outside” into a successful, full-length should hastily be put to rest. In every feasible way, Cults punctuates the discussion. Not only that, but it illuminates a promise that Follin and Oblivion may have many more indelible, pop treasures still to come.
-Andrew Bailey
MY MORNING JACKET: CIRCUITAL
[rating: 4]
My Morning Jacket: Circuital
Label: ATO RECORDS / RED
Release date: May 31, 2011
Experiencing a band in a live setting is almost certain to change your relationship with their music. Of course, the way in which it might change isn’t static. A great show could ignite a long-lasting listening binge, while a sub-par outing could shelf a band’s records for a spell. But sometimes things can change in unsuspecting ways. For me, My Morning Jacket is an example of such a strange case. After seeing them play Merriweather Post Pavilion in May 2010 — a brilliant show by any measure — it become difficult to get back into their studio recordings. They have such a powerful live presence that, who knows, maybe listening to their albums couldn’t quite measure up. And so Circuital arrives in a unique way for me: a brand new album from a beloved band tasked with reigniting a love for all things studio, a record challenged by the lofty expectations of one sensational live performance.
My Morning Jacket named their new album Circuital because they viewed it as something of a return to a previous point in their careers. They returned to Kentucky — specifically a church gymnasium in Louisville — to record this one, landing them in a similar setting with familiar surroundings. Interestingly enough, depending on which song you’re listening to, the album sounds like one of two things: a quiet ode to the days of It Still Moves and Z or a confident respone to critics who dogged the exploratory sounds of Evil Urges. Even more interesting is that it’s the latter that leaves the biggest imprint, while the former mostly comes and goes without a whimper, sounding uninspired and repetitive.
“Victory Dance” is one track that reflects back on the band’s earlier days with success, building an entire song around triumphant horns that act as the soundtrack to a large scale celebration. But from then on, any attempt to replicate their past achievements seems fuzzy at best. The title track gets better and better with each listen but still can’t escape classification as a fairly standard Southern rock anthem, while “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” is a painfully cheesy slow burner that only highlights the way in which Jim James’ songwriting has changed over the years. Gone is the unbridled, unrivaled romanticism of “I Will Be There When You Die”, replaced by gushy swoons over places without disease and need for authority. The sentiment isn’t bad, but the way it’s all arranged makes it difficult to take seriously. Of course, at least it leaves a mark. “Slow Slow Tune” and “Movin’ Away”, which run out the album’s final nine-plus minutes, can’t say the same. A couple of other tributes to My Morning Jacket of the early-2000′s, these songs end the album doing what the band no longer does best. There was a time where the band was essentially James’ personal creative vessel, making the slower songs a lot more affective. Now though, as the band has grown and evolved, they’re much better suited for thicker instrumentation and grander arrangements. They can still knock a mellow tune out of the park here and there, but that’s not their predominant strength in 2011. For them to close out that way causes Circuital to fade away rather than burn out, an unfortunate turn for a band capable of so much more.
It’s not all disappointing though. In fact, there are some phenomenal songs on this album. Coincidentally, these are the ones where the band sounds as large as they’ve become, where they indulge their influences and play for a stadium rather than a smoky bar. “Outta My System” is a highlight, a compact radio-ready track with a defined climax and without wasted airspace. This one, unlike some of the slower throwbacks, operates with a pop aesthetic in mind, cutting straight to the point and crossing the finish line. It just feels like there’s less pretense going on. “Holdin’ on to Black Metal”, meanwhile, sounds like it could have come straight from the Evil Urges recording session, a potpourri track that takes some time to sink in, but ultimately winds up as one of the album’s most rewarding cuts. Along with “You Wanna Freak Out”, there are certainly highlights here. In fact, these three tracks are greatest hits material. The stuff around it though… well, that just mostly feels in the way.
Circuital feels like an album torn between two places. Clearly the group feel indebted to their roots, which means they’ve also got an appreciation for the fans that were with them from the start because of a certain sound. But at the same time, tracks like “Holdin’ On to Black Metal” (and everything they did on Evil Urges) suggest they don’t want to spin wheels either. They want to take their sound down different avenues — and clearly, they’re more than capable of doing it. It’s a difficult place for a band to find themselves in, loyal to home and intrigued by what the road has to offer. If Circuital is any indication, the time may have come to pack up once and for all and explore what the world has to offer.
THE ANTLERS: BURST APART
[rating: 4.5]
The Antlers: Burst Apart
Label: Fake Four Inc.
Release date: April 26, 2011
One of the biggest mistakes a band can make is trying to replicate a truly monumental album. For The Antlers, Hospice represents their mecca: a singular narrative made up of equal parts beauty and emotional wreckage encapsulated flawlessly in its own unique moment in time. And so with the band’s fourth full-length, there is no chasing of elusive ghosts. Instead, Peter Silberman and company have crafted an entirely different memento of near-equal magnitude. They’ve called it Burst Apart.
Instead of chronicling one tale from different perspectives as they did on Hospice, Burst Apart is broken down into 10 smaller stories, some of which do borrow from common themes (references to dogs and teeth are prevalent). The songwriting certainly feels less ambitious than when we last heard from The Antlers, but that comes as a refreshing alteration rather than a frustrating one. Hospice was so affective that not only does the band need to step back from it, but listeners do as well. And to keep things in perspective, the writing on Hospice set the bar astronomically high. Still, the stories of Burst Apart stand as a testament to Silberman’s proficiency. “No Widows”, one of the many great sonic revelations on the album, sounds written from the perspective of a soldier isolated from family and friends overseas. “If I never get back home/there’s no garden overgrown/no widows in the walls/no widows left alone”, Silberman sings, as if the protagonist is trying to convince himself that not making it out of his situation and back home might not be so bad after all. As the song progresses, Silberman grabs the harmony by the shoulders and lifts it up, sending it soaring over the track. Indicative of literally every song here, there’s an otherworldly power to each note, vocal run, and arrangement.
With the stories pushed a bit to the background, the band have really put an impetus on expanding their sound. The biggest influence here, especially on the first two singles “Parentheses” and “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out”, is Radiohead, which isn’t a likeness that gets accurately thrown around often. These songs don’t just sound bigger, but they actually take on a dynamic, alien quality unlike anything the trio has done before. But even though they’ve magnified their sound — thicker layers, heavier percussion — their ability to make a stripped down song into something mountainous hasn’t withered, especially on the last four tracks. On “Corsica”, Silberman’s voice and the gentle, romanticized guitar strums that run up beside it take on a gorgeous echo as if the song were recorded from inside an enormous empty coliseum. Self-produced by Silberman and bandmates Michael Lerner and Darby Cicci, this song replicates some of the things that made the narratives of Hospice work so well: even though the instrumentation is held at a minimum, it sounds completely cavernous and expansive.
On the band’s profile over at the Frenchkiss Records website, there’s a bunch of quotes about how the new album came together and what the benchmarks were. Towards the end, Cicci is quoted as saying something that not only frames the record wonderfully, but attaches the perfect wording to it. “We want to draw people into the world of the record,” he says. And when you listen to it, that statement really crystallizes. Its sound and content might be different, but that’s because Burst Apart is an entity all unto its own: a captivating world brimming with a ravishing, hypnotic magnetism.
STREAM BON IVER’S NEW SELF TITLED ALBUM
(photo: D.L. Anderson)
Thanks to NPR and The New York Times, you can stream Bon Iver‘s new self-titled album which is officially out June 21 via Jagjaguwar. After some curious collaborations with Kanye and Phil Collins, Justin Vernon seems back on track , making a natural transitioning follow up to “For Emma, Forever Ago.”
BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO NEW YORK!
Herds of bicycle enthusiasts from around the world will flock to New York City this June for the Bicycle Film Festivalʼs Eleventh year in NY, to celebrate the worldʼs best invention: the bicycle.
Born in New York, the festival’s immense popularity and continued growth has evolved hand in hand with the unprecedented boomin urban cycling internationally. From its roots in New York City, the BFF has grown into a multi-faceted, globalevent that will travel to over 25 cities this year, from Milan to Tokyo, Minneapolis to Sydney.
In 2001 Brendt Barbur, Founding Director, was compelled to start the Bicycle Film Festival after being hit by a bus while riding his bike in New York City. He was inspired to turn this negative experience into a positive one, and created a festival that celebrates the bicycle through music, art, and film.
The festival merges many creative communities, including fashion, music and art, as well as various bicycling communities – road cycling, mountainbiking, fixed gear, BMX, cyclocross – over a shared passion for bike riding.“NY is one of the greatest bicycle cities in the world” says Brendt Barbur. “We are very happy to bring the BFFback home.”
Film highlights include:
The World Premiere of RACING TOWARDS RED HOOK (Dir. Jessica Scott & HydeHarper)
The story of 3 cyclists of diverse backgrounds competing in one of New York Cityʼs biggest undergroundevents, the 2011 Red Hook Criterium. The rules are simple: 20 laps, one gear, zero brakes.
SUNCHASERS (Dir. Irvin Coffee)
This documentary explores the world of competitive cycling through the lives ofthree disabled women, each in distinct periods of their cycling careers as they prepare for the Paralympics.BFF11 showcases a stellar collection of short films, including
LAST MINUTES WITH ODEN (winner of VimeoʼsBest Video Award)
dramatic documentary about Odenʼs struggle with cancer,
BIKELORDZ: STUNTS ANDSTYLES FROM ACCRA, GHANA
showcasing a new interesting bike culture
BIKE RACE
a bike animationthat puts some of cyclingʼs greats head to head.
Aside from the films, you can also check out
BIKES ROCK, a BFF kick-off concert, June 22
JOYRIDE ART SHOW June 23 at the Spencer Brownstone Gallery
GOLD SPRINTS PARTY June 24 at The Acheron
BFF STREET PARTYJune 25 in the Lower East Side
Celebrating bikes & community, 12-6 PM 2nd street, between 1st and 2nd ave.
The BFF Annual Street Party brings together bicycle enthusiasts and street riders from all over the world foran afternoon of bike fun in the street. Bicycle contests hosted by the best riders in the world. Freestyle fixedgear compettions hosted by the popular group GRIME and BMX Jam hosted by Post BMX. Vendors that spanthe globe will be selling handmade bicycle goods. Thousands of people expected!
LET THE RYTHYM ROCK dance party, June 25 at China Chalet.
300,000 people are expected to attend BFF in 2011. Make sure that youʼre one of them!For the most up to date information on the festival please visit bicyclefilmfestival.com
BAND RADAR: BUZZWORTHY SOUTH FLORIDA DUO: THE BAND IN HEAVEN
Stream the digitial album demos from The Band in Heaven; the latest noise duo making a name in the South Florida Music scene.
“The Band In Heaven sports a strong pop sensibility, and they make sure you hear it. It’s a trophy standing on a pedestal of guitar distortion and feedback. The sounds can be pretty punishing, but there’s a blissful, mind-numbing quality to their music, too. It could be likened to dream pop, but sleep is the last thing on my mind when this is on.” –theneedledrop.com
“If you dig the spacey, droning haze of NYC’s seminal Velvet Underground, Tx.’s primordial psych-pioneers the 13th Floor Elevators or even the dreamy revivalist mantras of such modern-day revisionists as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Brian Jonestown Massacre or The Warlocks, this buzzworthy Orlando duo will make you smile, nod out and fumble for a massive glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Their informed, crate-digger take on a genre which seems on the cusp of a major resurgence has all the lazy bombast of The Jesus & March Chain at their least “mature”: it’s a numbing wall of fuzzed-out bass, distorted guitar, combo organ and hypnotic, pounding drums drenched in echo and insouciantly bedraggled.” – Savannah’s Connect
BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN + NEW YORK NON-FICTION + GREEN AT ROOFTOP FILMS
Some more great shows at Rooftop Films coming up this week. On Thursday, They’re presenting a free screening of the David vs. Goliath documentary Battle for Brooklyn, about Bruce Ratner’s controversial Atlantic Yard’s project. Friday is “New York Non-Fiction,” the popular annual program of short films featuringthe quirky, compelling, and captivating local characters that make New York City great. And on Saturday check out a special sneak preview of Sophia Takal’s deliciously creepy sexual thriller Green, which won her the SXSW Chicken and Egg Emergent Narrative Woman Director Award in Austin this year.
Thursday, June 9th
ROOFTOP FILMS: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN – Free show
(Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley, David Beilinson | Brooklyn, NY | 93 min.)
A group of people in Rooftop’s beloved Brooklyn come together to fight the Atlantic Yards Project—a massive real estate development that threatens to destroy their homes and neighborhood—in this epic tale of how far people will go to fight for what they believe in. Presented in partnership with the Brooklyn Film Festival. BFF runs from June 3rd through June 12th.
No admission for this show. More information at: http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/battle-for-brooklyn/
Venue:
The Myrtle Avenue Hill in Ft. Greene Park, Myrtle and N. Portland, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Enter the park at Myrtle and N. Portland and walk up the path.
Subway: G to Fulton, C to Lafayette, 2,3,4,5 to Nevins or B,M,Q, R to Dekalb
9:00PM Film Begins
Friday, June 10, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: NEW YORK NON-FICTION (Short Films)
It’s Your City. Take a Look. One’s a hustler. One’s a magician. Several are men of music. And one’s just a regular guy. But they have two things in common: They’re all New Yorkers, and they all have a story. One that distinguishes them. One that defines them. One that strikes a universal chord, yet is uniquely New York. These New York stories will stick with you.
Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information at:http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/new-york-nonfiction-1/
Venue:
OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP
350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002
Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street
8:00 PM Doors Open
8:30 PM Live Music by Greg Garing
9:00 PM Films Begin
11:30 PM After Party at Fontanas (105 Eldridge Street, btwn Grand St. and Broome St.)
The Films:
FOUND: LOST PICTURES OF NEW YORK BLIZZARD (Todd Bieber | NYC)
A MAN NAMED MAGICK (Joaquin Perez & Robert Hatch-Miller | Brooklyn, NY)
THE BOWLER (Sean Dunne | NYC)
LEGEND: A FILM ABOUT GREG GARING (Emily Branham | NYC)
FOUND: LOST PICTURES OF NEW YORK BLIZZARD, PART 2 (Todd Bieber | NYC)
WHITE LINES AND THE FEVER: THE DEATH OF DJ JUNEBUG (Travis Senger | NYC)
FOUND: LOST PICTURES OF NEW YORK BLIZZARD, PART 3 (Todd Bieber | NYC)
Saturday, June 11, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: GREEN – Sneak Preview
(Sophia Takal | Brooklyn, NY | 72 min.)
An eerily compelling sexual thriller from writer-director Sophia Takal, Green focuses on a young literary couple who encounter an alluring country bumpkin during their weekend getaway. Brooklyn-based filmmaker Sophia Takal’s promising debut focuses on the romantic tensions that develop between a young literary couple and the outgoing country bumpkin they encounter during a getaway from the city. Out in the woods, existing relationships start to fray, and the makings of a dangerous love triangle start to come together. Or do they? Takal’s auspicious debut hovers in remarkable ambiguity. Winner of the Chicken & Egg Emergent Narrative Woman Director Award at the SXSW Film Festival.
Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information at:
http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/green/
Venue:
OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP
350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002
Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street
8:00 PM Doors Open
8:30 PM Live Music
9:00 PM Film Begins
11:30 PM After Party at Fontanas (105 Eldridge St., btwn Grand St. and Broome St.)
Plays with:
MEN IN LOVE (Keith Davis | Brooklyn, NY | 12 min.)
Following a bitter break-up, Leo’s best friend takes him out to meet a new woman and ‘get over’ his ex. But after a steamy and unexpected encounter with a stranger he’s forced to face what most men fear: they don’t realize they’re in love until it’s too late.
STREAM THE NEW BATTLES ALBUM: GLOSS DROP
Stream the new Battles LP, Gloss Drop, at 3VOOR12 before it officially drops in North America tomorrow on June 7.
TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS HEADLINE 4KNOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL AT SOUTH STREET SEAPORT
In preparation for the brand-new 4Knots Music Festival at South Street Seaport, the Village Voice is holding a free, all-ages kickoff show on July 9 with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. Show starts at 6pm. Then the following week, on the 16th you can check out The Black Angels with Davila 666 and Oberhofer. More bands and DJ’s will be announced shortly and both days are rain or shine.
SWIMMING WITH THOUSANDS OF JELLYFISH IN PALAU
With music from Radiohead and using a Canon 5D Mark II, Simga 15mm Fisheye Lens and Aquatica Housing, filmmaker Sarosh Jacob takes us into the strange world of Jellyfish Lake, a lake located on Eli Malk island in the Republic of Palau. Twelve thousand years ago the jellyfish here became trapped in a natural basin on the island when the ocean receded. With no predators amongst them for thousands of years, they evolved into a new species that lost most of their stinging ability as they no longer had to protect themselves.
NEW VIDEO FROM JUSTICE: CIVILIZATION
Here’s the Edouard Salier bison-adorned new video from Justice for the song “Civilization” from the new record they have dropping later this year on Ed Banger.
NEW VIDEO FROM BATTLES: ICE CREAM
Since Tyondai Braxton left the experimental rock outfit Battles to work on his solo projects, the remaining trio of Ian Williams, Dave Konopka, and drummer John Stanier, are back with a new poppy summertime video for “Ice Cream” off their upcoming album Gloss Drop, dropping June 7 via Warp. The video directed and produced by CANADA is heavy on nude bathing women eating ice cream, women licking roller skates, pinecones, door handles and a schmorgesborg of beach karate.
TETRA TENNIS ANYONE?
Video Mapping on the tennis ground of the French Masters series in Paris Bercy / 2010 from 1024architecture. This is their third consecutive mapping on the tennis ground. Running realtime, activated with a PS3 controller, powered by MadMapper software. More info on 1024architecture.net or their blog on 1024d.wordpress.com
SXSW WEEKEND AT ROOFTOP FILMS
This weekend at Rooftop Films, is their our long-awaited SXSW Weekend. This year, for the first time, Rooftop worked with the SXSW festival to put together a weekend of films that made their World Premieres at SXSW 2011. This weekend they will be presenting the New York Premieres of The Dish and the Spoon, with star Greta Gerwig in person, the gorgeous coming of age film No Matter What, and Rooftop Grantee The City Dark (Ian Cheney, King Corn). Friday, June 3, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: THE DISH AND THE SPOON (NY Premiere) (Alison Bagnall | Philadelphia, PA | 92 min.) Presented by SXSW and Rooftop Films. SXSW weekend begins with the New York premiere of The Dish and the Spoon. Indie starlet Greta Gerwig and newcomer Olly Alexander put on alternately fierce and delicate performances in this enchantingly offbeat romance about an alienated teen and a woman on the run from a troublesome marriage. Over the last five years, Greta Gerwig has made her mark as one of the most promising young actresses to come out of American independent cinema. Even though she has since appeared in larger Hollywood projects such as Arthur, Gerwig hasn’t lost touch with her indie roots, as proven by her extraordinary performance in Alison Bagnall’s charming feature film. Greta Gerwig and Alison Bagnall will be there in person to answer questions after the film Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information:http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/the-dish-and-the-spoon/ Venue: OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP 350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002 Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street 8:00 PM Doors Open 8:30 PM Live Music by Snowmine 9:00 PM Film Begins 10:30 PM Q and A with filmmaker Alison Bagnall and star Greta Gerwig 11:30 PM After Party at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge St. btwn Grand St. and Broome St.) Plays with: CHIEF SERENBE (Evan Curtis | USA | 5 min.) Music: SNOWMINE Brooklyn’s Snowmine embraces a sound rich with echo pedals, tribal beats, electro-acoustic soundscapes and classical orchestrations. Inspired by love found and lost, forest trips, and circuit bending, it seems their music can be an apt cure for problems strange but beautiful, uplifting but melancholy. The quintet formed in 2008 from a long bubbling friendship between bassist Jay Goodman, drummer Alex Beckmann, and lead singer/composer Grayson Sanders. Many parties, road trips, and treacherous leaky basements fraught with jam sessions later, they met guitarists Austin Mendenhall and Scott Seelig – two wayfarers from D.C. and Los Angeles. The band’s nine-track debut album, Laminate Pet Animal, was recorded with Dave Trumfio (Wilco, My Morning Jacket). Saturday, June 4, 2010
No Matter What – Trailer from Cherie Saulter on Vimeo. ROOFTOP FILMS: NO MATTER WHAT (NY Premiere) (Cherie Saulter | Chipley, FL | 90 min.) Presented by SXSW and Rooftop Films. SXSW Weekend Continues with the story of Nick and Joey, two best friends living in the crumbling landscape of rural Florida, whose lives and friendship are changed by the journey to find Joey’s mother. Teenagers Joey and Nick are navigating the complex landscape of rural Florida on their own — they don’t really have parents, they prefer skateboarding to school. When the pair set out to find Joey’s mother — camping out in drug dealers’ backyards, hopping freight trains — we wonder if, perhaps, they should just keep going. Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information:http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/no-matter-what/ Venue: OPEN ROAD ROOFTOP 350 Grand Street (at Essex), Lower East Side, New York, NY 10002 Subway: F, J, M, Z to Delancey Street-Essex Street; B, D, Q to Grand Street 8:00 PM Doors Open 8:30 PM Live music by Secret Mountains 9:00 PM Film Begins 10:30 PM Q and A with filmmaker Cherie Saulter 11:30 PM After Party at Fontanas (105 Eldridge Street btwn Grand St. and Broome St.) Music: SECRET MOUNTAINS The bulk of the last decade brought Baltimore’s hyper-color acts—the dance epics of Dan Deacon and the guitar spirals of Ecstatic Sunshine and Ponytail, or even the expatriate pop exuberance of Animal Collective—to the central streams of indie rock. Maybe it’s time to pull the shades: Maryland sextet Secret Mountains is a slow, subdued wonder, shaped by serpentine guitar lines that sigh and moan and busy drumming that sidles into the beat and shuffles around it. The surface is supplied by Kelly Laughlin, a singer whose muted alto seems wounded but resilient, like an autumn sun breaking through early morning clouds. This band is bound for bigger rooms.—Grayson Currin Sunday, June 5, 2011
ROOFTOP FILMS: THE CITY DARK (NY Premiere) (Ian Cheney | Brooklyn, NY | 84 min.) Presented by Rooftop Films, SXSW, and Edgeworx Studios. For thousands of years, the night sky was a crucial part of human experience, but due to light pollution, the stars are disappearing from our vision and consciousness. Would bringing back the sky make us better humans, or save us from some of the harmful effects of modern city life? Our SXSW weekend concludes with the New York premiere of The City Dark. Filmmaker Ian Cheney (Rooftop alum, King Corn) grew up with a deep fascination with the sky — he was even an amateur astronomer and astrophotographer who built his own telescope on his family’s farm in rural Maine. His childhood memories comprise as much looking out, into the universe, as looking around him. When he moved to New York, the relative lack of visible stars was a rude awakening. The difference seemed more than purely aesthetic, and eventually Cheney asked himself how the flood of light, and lack of night sky, could be affecting all creatures on the planet – humans and otherwise. Tickets are $10 online or at the door. Tickets and more information:http://rooftopfilms.com/2011/schedule/the-city-dark/ Venue: On the roof of The Old American Can Factory, 232 3rd St. (at 3rd Ave.), Gowanus/Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215 Subway: F/G to Carroll St. or M/R to Union 8:00 PM Doors Open 8:30 PM Live Music by The Fishermen Three 9:00 PM Film Begins 11:30 PM Reception in the Courtyard Plays with: HELIOTROPES (Michael Langan | San Francisco, CA | 3 min.) HELIOTROPES documents the parallel goals of man and nature, through the most primitive and sophisticated means, to simply stay in the light. Based on the poem by Brian Christian. HOWLING AT THE MOON (Jason Tippett and Elizabeth Mims | Los Angeles, CA | 8 min.) Matt and Harry receive an invitation to see a fellow employees band. To escape the awkward coffee shop performance, Matt comes up with a somewhat decent excuse. Music: FISHERMEN THREE The Fishermen Three play mystical country music and blues of every color. Simon Beins, member of New York City’s weird folk trio The WoWz, writes the songs and plays a few instruments, and Raphi Gottesman provides spiritual guidance, friendship, and percussion. They also wrote the score for The City Dark, which won an award at the SXSW festival.
