"P.S.K. What Does It Mean?"

This is one of my favorite beats:

- Peter LaBier

Live Wire

Wire-- I love this band.  This particular song, The 15th, makes me feel happy and sad at once.  Strange performance setting-- looks like a German TV show for teens.  The discontinuity between the banal location and the biting music adds to the overall magical and menacing quality of this clip:

- Peter LaBier

Art Shows

Some friends of mine have solo shows up in New York.  Talia Chetrit has a new group of photographs up in her second show at Renwick Gallery.  Marc Handleman has paintings, an artist's book, and a film piece up at Sikkema Jenkins & Co.  Check these shows out if you can.

If you're not in town you can take a look online here:

Talia Chetrit at Renwick Gallery, March 12--April 23:

http://www.renwickgallery.com/?q=Exhibition&ID=7

Marc Handleman, at Sikkema Jenkins & Co., March 17th- April 16th:

http://www.sikkemajenkinsco.com/marchandelman_viewexh2.html

also I have a piece in a big group show of drawings at Sue Scott Gallery:

http://www.suescottgallery.com/exhibitions/view/paper-a-z

-Peter L.

Spirit Moves

I have been obsessed with this footage for some time: the overexposed, white, infinity extending room contrasted by the hard edges of the dancers.  Incredible steps and moves here.  It is a great documentation of another time and place.

 Watching these post war dances one can get  a sense of where James Brown's showmanship comes from.  The elements that he absorbed, synthesized and built upon are evident in the footwork, glides and spins of the various performers.   

Even today it is apparent that these dances are still alive and present in popular culture having evolved into break dancing, popping, locking, krumping, etc.

Looking back into the past we catch glimpses of the future.

- Peter LaBier

Kippenberger at Skarstedt Gallery

There is really great Martin Kippenberger show coming up at Skarstedt Gallery, March 3- April  16th.  The show is titled "Eggman II" and it includes a fun bunch of paintings, some hotel stationary drawings and a motorized sculpture.  More info/images here (the dinosaur is wild!):

http://www.skarstedt.com/exhibitions/2011-03-03_martin-kippenberger/

-Peter L.

Hold Me Fleetwood

Psychobuildings is a big fan of the Fleetwood Mac album, Mirage.  This is a pretty great, trashy and perhaps classic video from the 1980's for the song "Hold Me".  Sand, sun, portraits, and mirrors-- lots to chew on here.

- Peter LaBier

Lil' Buck

 Lil' Buck (aka Charles Riley) has been one of my favorite dancers for a while now.  If you haven't seen him dance before I recommend you check out some of his youtube postings.  I chose this video somewhat at random (there are too many good ones to choose from), though I do think it demonstrates some of his skill and personality as a performer.

  I don't mean to downplay how talented the other Memphis Jookers are: Tarrik Moore (teacher), Lil' Daniel, Rico, Ladia Yates, G-Nerd, the list goes on and on (take a look if you aren't familiar with them--there are many more I haven't named here).  Still, Lil' Buck is one of my personal favorites in large part because of the character that comes through when he's performing.  

  Most of the Memphis Jookers have confidence by the truckload, but Lil' Buck has something else: a great sense of humor.  Somehow he manages to pull off comical hijinks while still looking cool.  Watch for his cartoony slow motion exaggerations and knowing winks to the camera through many of his videos.  He's so good he doesn't have to worry about appearing goofy.  He plays with slapstick as just another tool in his repertoire.  Lil' Bucks' persona pulls you in.  Despite his size he seems like a giant.

-Peter LaBier