What defines a criminal?

I am not prone to post about politics because there are just too many political issues happening internationally that concern me to the point that if I wrote about all of them, I'd be sitting in front of this computer all day with no sleep. I could go on about how the forced ethnic migration, eviction, and genocide of the Romany in Eastern Europe distresses me to no end, I could go on about how a 23 year-old member in the European Parliament is in some serious need to sensitivity training or just needs to be plain ousted from position, but being as I live in the U.S. currently, I'm going to mention this:

Just as the passing of the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act some years disturbed me for its potential to be abused (and I have seen it abused on *numerous* occasions), the passing of The Military Commissions Act of 2006 concerns me equally if not moreso.

This live journal entry ( hiroe.livejournal.com/154679.html ) provides a summary of what the new MCA 2006 entails plus links to the actual legalese of the bill plus legal interpretations of.

Some are not worried because it's supposed to apply to "criminals" in our system, but under the terminology of this bill, what really constitutes a "criminal"?

"Those willing to give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither security nor liberty." -Benjamin Franklin

And for our next freak of nature...

I went to see The Indigo and The Yard Dogs Road Show last night, the day before I had to go to work the next day at 4:00 am (because I hate myself... or is it because I just love a good show...?)

The Indigo was uttterly amazing, as usual. I was especially excited to see them perform this time because while I've seen Rachel and Mardi dance live (which is truly a sight to behold), I hadn't yet seen Zoe but have heard so much about how amazing she is. Second hand accounts do this gorgeous talent no justice AT ALL. Seriously. She has a smoldering but very wild, playful, and powerful stage presence. What I love about her when she performs is that she almost always smiles. And it isn't one of those fake stage smiles, either. This smile is a genuine smile of enjoyment and just... of joy. The three of them together are a powerhouse of style, innovation, and charisma. It gels together so beautifully, and they wore wonderfully vintage-styled costumes.

I've heard all about The Yard Dogs Road Show. I've heard about how it's a wild variety show, burlesque show, side show-styled travelling caravan of musicians and performers. I was so unprepared for how much they would rock my world. This isn't just any variety show. It's a variety show that blends those aspects of the side-shows of the past which are almost lost with a modern, Bohemian, ecclectic touch. From sword-swallowing, hobo poetry, contact juggling, a guy who pulls a CHICKEN from a huge wad of loosely curled coloured paper that he just pulled out of his mouth after swallowing four feet of balloon, crazy percussion set-ups using junk and pots, an army of multi-talented instrumentalists/singers/actors, and some AMAZINGLY talented burlesque performers, it is a sight to behold. The experience, and it is an *experience*, takes a person by storm and threatens to take you up in its wild, ecstatic, chaotic, celebratory power. The blurlesque dancers were everything burlesque once was in its truest form: varied, funny, beautiful, talented, and never trashy. It was art in motion, not pieces of meat.

It was so worth the sleep I didn't get last night to be able to see the show. They played a Sunday show as well, and I wish I could have seen it, but had I ventured out to S.F. again after 40 hours of not sleeping, working for 13 hours, and barely eating a decent meal in the last 24 hours... I might've fallen asleep at the door.

Still, so worth it. And I look forward to seeing them next year.

The Door to Your Future

So I am returned from my three and a half week road trip through Canada and Alaska. While I'm no stranger to the road, having been raised like a vagabond, this trip was an experience so very new to me. For all intents and purposes, I embarked on this journey with a group of total strangers save one travelling companion, a friend from work. Over the course of this (mis)adventure, the close quarters in which our travelling means and sleeping means (camping, ahoy!) have forced us to become comfortable with one another but has also allowed us to form the kinds of friendships that I doubt could really be forged in any other setting. Amazingly, instead of resenting or disliking any of my fellow hobos, I have gained some of the sweetest friends I could ask for.

The time spent camping and exploring the vast forestry and riverlands of British Columbia and the Yukon also afforded me a lot of introspective time, and through it all, I have come to many painful but necessary realisations about myself. I am forever changed and happy for it. I mentioned to a friend before this trip that I couldn't wait to meet the person I would become after this trip came to its end, and I'm overjoyed to find that this person I am is someone I am glad to know. This new person is more adjusted, more focused, redisciplined, and ready to accept things as they are again. This new person is happier, more sincere when she smiles and laughs; it feels good to be able to laugh and actually mean it. There is new life in this me, a revitalisation of the girl who should've been in this place years ago.

But that aside, my travel companions and I have developed a newfound phobia towards mosquitoes to the point that here in California, I still freak out and think "KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT" whenever I see any sort of flying insect. The skeeters in northern Canada are not a creature with which to trifle for they are large and travel in swarms large enough to carry one off into the night. I was also unprepared to not see the night sky for nearly two weeks. Once we travelled into Canada, we were far enough north that we got less and less darkness to the point that we received NO darkness. I knew intellectually that we would get more light once we travelled north, but I was not prepared for ALL light ALL THE TIME. Wow.

In a small tribal village in British Columbia, I discovered also that there is, indeed, a door to the future. Clearly, I was right where I needed to be.

Latter Day Saints' Wedding: SLC, Utah

I spent the weekend in Salt Lake City to attend the wedding and reception of my best friend's little sister. In a sense, my little sister's because their family has all but adopted me. Nay, I can't really say I attended the wedding moreso than was there afterwards for photos because they were married/sealed at the Salt Lake City Temple, and well, I'm not Mormon... So I'm not allowed inside the temple (drat!) It's interesting because the groom is the only one in his respective family who is LDS, so most of his family was also unable to attend the wedding/sealing. His family is an amazingly supporting lot, so they were okay with not being able to be there. Wow.

It's one of those understandable yet frustrating clauses about their religion. Much like how one must be Islam in order to enter Mecca, one must be declared worthy in the eyes of the church in order to enter any LDS temple that has been sanctified. It prevents those who would not be respectful to the grounds from entering a holy place, but for people like me who respects all religions and likes to see temples, churches, cathedrals, etc. of all faiths, it's a tear-out-your-hair-and-scream-"WHY NOT ME?!" moment.

Either way, my best friend, his younger brother, and I flew into SLC the morning of the wedding just in time to take photos, which were at 10:00 am. Our flight was at 6:00 am and landed us in Utah at 9:00 am. Between getting up before the butt-crack of dawn, getting dolled up in our photo clothes before departure, driving like maniacs to the airport, getting to Utah, running to get to the photo shoot, the wild crazy "set-up-the-reception-party" dance, party-hearty, and clean-up the reception hall afterwards - everyone was thoroughly knackered. The three of us were up and gogogo from 3:00 am and clocked in well over 24 hours of awake and running around like wild monkeys time before finally hitting the floor and dragging ass to our respective beds.

The reception itself was a load of fun. This is one of the first more conventional American weddings I've ever attended (most of the people I know are crazy, insane, eccentric people who never do anything the "traditional" way, so this is the most traditional I've ever seen a wedding), but I'm told that even this one was a bit more unconventional. Overall, the mood was extremely casual, and the married couple ran around all over the place talking to people instead of parking themselves in one spot and letting people go to them. The cake was utterly gorgeous. It was made through the collective efforts of the bride's mother, aunt, and grandparents. Her grandparents are European bakers of a very fine order, and so their work was stunning in taste and presentation: it was simple but absolutely elegant. There was a porcelain likeness of the SLC temple atop a three-tier cake and decorated with real flowers of the same kind as the bride's bouquet. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.

Loads of photos taken. Sister married. We're home. Mission accomplished. Huzzah!

Undulation 3

So I went to Ultra Gypsy's Undulation 3 on Friday night. I had a great time seeing the dancers and oogling all the lovely things the very nice ladies in the vending room were selling. Also had a nice chat with Shawna Rai during the intermission before the second act, which was a nice way to pass the time while hiding from droves of people. I also ran into some people I met and recognised at the Pogo Tour - while not surprising given that I gather this scene is pretty tightly knit, it was still comforting to see them and even be recognised in return.

The dancers were amazing, amazing, amazing. I did get some photos I was proud of, but I didn't get the chance to take photos of all the performances because my best friend decided he couldn't handle the very packed crowd and decided to wait in the car for the last half of the show. Unfortunately, he took my bag with him which while lightening my personal load - it meant that my camera was also a hostage. Ah, well. Perhaps it was better that way for me because that meant the whole night was left to impressions and memory - which sometimes a person needs over documentation. I have never had the pleasure of seeing Urban Tribal, Shawna Rai, or Ultra Gypsy dance live, so it was truly a spectacular opportunity for me. I think the whole experience of the night is captured in the photo above of Mr. Nasty dancing as "The Whore of Babylon" in the sense that the whole show was fun, technically astounding, theatric, and even a little naughty. Hehe.

What I could have done without was all the people. It was difficult to breathe move around, and there were quite a few people who decided that smoking pot in such an enclosed space was okay. You are mistaken. That is not okay. I don't care what you do with your brain cells, but I'll thank you not to kill mine. I do that well enough on my own time.

But even that didn't kill the show for me. It was amazing. I loved it. It was worth the money and the two and a half hours of traffic I was stuck in to get there.

"Sleep" Soundtrack Wide Release on Web: Press Release

So the soundtrack the film my friends and I made last year called "Sleep" is getting a worldwide release on the web through Napster, iTunes, and other such venues.

The press release announcing it can be found here: www.prweb.com/releases/20...eb358359.htm

Tomorrow's Man, the seminal underground musician, will claim a worldwide release of his acclaimed double-disc soundtrack to the 2005 sleeper-thriller, "Sleep." The soundtrack will be released via iTunes, Napster, and Rhapsody this April.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 15, 2006 -- Tomorrow's Man, the veteran producer of a score of effective, nightmarish sonic landscapes since 1995, finally got the opportunity to apply his skill to the darkly minimalistic and predominantly claustrophobic score required of the 2005 Dustin Alexander film "Sleep."

"Sleep" is the latest entry in the ongoing love affair American film-makers are having with what has become a Japanese horror-movie tradition of vengeful ghosts, close quarters, and the effective build of unbearable suspense at the expense of the well being of a small cast of antagonists who often haven't a clue why they are being punished before the final reel. But that is where the similarities between "Sleep" and the remakes of "The Ring" and "The Grudge" end, as "Sleep" has been lauded for being an original story (not a remake) that honorably captures the mood and style of some of the founding fathers of the genre (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Takashi Shimizu, Koji Shiraishi).

"Sleep: Music written for and inspired by the Dustin Alexander movie" is the first double-disc release from the veteran artist Tomorrow's Man (www.tomorrowsman.com [Tomorrow's Man Website]; www.lulu.com/tomorrowsman [Online Store]), who has compiled an extensive 11-year body of work as a musician, performer, and writer.

The soundtrack boasts 27 tracks, several of them pieces that extend beyond the film's score. The music ranges from stunningly accurate, moving pieces written expressly for scenes from the movie (like the tense death-march of "Risen," or the horrific crecendo of "Her Viridical Nightmare"), to the protracted scores that comprise an intensity befitting their own horror story, as they build and mutate far beyond the director's expectation (like the 13-minute, genre-defying opus "Bloodless," which begins with what could have been an almost soothing guitar melody if not for the disturbing effect of the sound rushing by in the speakers; by the end of the track, most would be cowering under the bed, unsure if the sound was rushing malevolently toward them, or worse - fleeing something else).

"Sleep" is the first full-length album from Tomorrow's Man since a busy 2002, when he released the critically acclaimed four-track epic "Palimpsest," and the widely popular "The Trial & Asylum of Peppery Penguin," which boasted the furiously controversial hit "EKF Sleep Repeat" and the industrial-dance club hit "Drama Magnet."

A DVD of the movie "Sleep" is scheduled for release in 2006.
~~~

Wow. I'm so excited! The project was a two-year production for which I was the Production Coordinator, Assistant Director, Casting Director, Costumer, Make-Up Artist, Calligrapher, Set Designer, and lots of other technical stuff. The composer for our soundtrack is a close personal friend, and so I'm happy to see him getting the wider exposure he deserves.

The DVD itself is still in the works, we've recut the film and are now working on the extras. Soon, I hope! Soon!

The Toids, The Indigo, & Friends

So Sunday night was the release party/show for The Toids' new album, Unblocked Ears. I had such a fabulous time helping out and being at the show that I'm still very buzzed two days after the fact. I've been going through the beautiful photos other people have been posting, and I'm reliving those moments in my head.

I volunteered to help set up, work, and clean up the show because I figured if I was going to drive over an hour to actually see the show, it would not hurt to make it an all day thing and get to do what I love best: help make things go. Everyone was so nice and genuine that I actually felt at ease, amazingly. It was lovely to actually get to meet Gina after playing e-mail tag with her for the past few weeks; she and Rachel were so immediately inviting and welcoming that I had a good feeling that it was going to be a fun night. I was simply blown away by how welcoming everyone was.

I got to work the merchandise table, which was wonderful because I got to do one of the things I do best: sell, sell, sell! The spot I had was quite choice because, standing on my chair, I had practically an unobstructed view of the whole stage. The table was fun because I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and chat with some of the very lovely people who are part of this wonderful scene.

The show itself was mind-blowing. I had a great time listening to The Inkwell Rhythm makers, who we actually heard practising when we first walked in earlier in the day. A wonderfully energetic ragtime group and a good start for the show since it got a lot of people dancing around and just making the energy flow. The Toids & The Indigo were simply breathtaking. It was such a treat to see them live and it was made more powerful by the presence of live music, the resonance with their movements - wow! Mira Betz also accompanied The Toids as a dancer as well as having a wonderful aerial rope acrobat, which was just astounding to see in close quarters. Elizabeth Strong and Mira Betz did a partner dance where they toasted one another with a shot of whiskey, put it on the floor, danced around, eventually took the shots, and danced around like two old drinking buddies. Rachel Brice did a wonderful improvisational drum solo to the fabulous drumming of Tobias Roberson, and Mardi Love did an incredible solo to The Toids playing the saw (yes, the *saw*) and mandolin. The whole show was truly a theatrical masterpiece. The night ended with Brass Menagerie bringing down (or bringing up?) the house with a truly energetic and infectious set. They marched in like they owned the place and rocked it like it the roof was going to come down. All the chairs were cleared and just about everyone was dancing. It ended on such a high note that I'm sure a lot of people went home giddy.

What a night. It was such a pleasure to meet everyone.

I'm so excited about tonight.

I've been looking forward to this for about two weeks. The prospect of seeing The Indigo performing to live music is quite exhilarating. I love watching dancers, and dancers alone have the power to inspire and transform, but the dancer and live music combination just hammers it home that much more. I feel like I've done something really good for myself in choosing to take the day off work and volunteer to help; it has given me something else to look forward to aside from the show itself. Getting my hands on stuff behind the scenes and helping to set up an experience that is going to be mind-blowing? I live for this kind of stuff. I've been itching to have some sort of project since we finished our film, and while this one is a one-night thing, I am glad to do it. I cannot wait.

I am also looking forward to being able to meet some of the fabulous people I've met here on Tribe.net in the last few weeks. I've had such a positive experience here and I'm kicking myself for not joining sooner. Ah well, better late than never. See you tonight!

Mass Production?! No WAY!

My head is still spinning over it, but my photography work is on the cover of a forth-coming record label compilation! It can be seen here: www.antidoterecords.net/comp.php

Needless to say, I am quite excited.

The piece which is the subject of that particular photograph is the work of the fabulously warped art of Nicolas Caesar of Scary Art (www.scary-art.com). Feel free to catch the sideshow. Cheers!