MUSIC VIDEO + YOU...

So this is REALLY on spot. Our friends (Jeff) over at BOOOOOOOM in Canada just posted on their blog that they are helping Choir Of Young Believers create a music video for their song Action/Reaction. The catch is they want YOU the consumer/artist/waste/lover/musician/dino hunter to provide the creative for this little diddy. If you'll think back, Google did something like this called "Gmail: behind the scenes" and it turned out awesome. I've posted it here for reference and inspiration.



What Booooooom is asking you to do is submit - on mini DV, data CD, or data DVD - footage of you and your crew getting down to the sounds of this track, which should be pretty easy to do. They will then edit it all down and make it sparkle and shine. You have until June 1st to get your footage in and it can be pretty much whatever you want; the canvas is BLANK. Head over to Jeff's posting on the project and read up on the ins - N- outs and then get to it. Most importantly, remember to have a freaking ball while working on this.

Head HERE to download the song for this project, Action/Reaction*.

Kind thoughts.

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*At posting time this song had been downloaded 536 times, so hop to it.

Nike Presents Onward - James Jarvis...

I'm really kinda digging on this. Simple concept taken a step further with great execution. Nicely done.



Onwards from akqa on Vimeo.

Portland Happenings -

The weather these last four days has been sublime, the paradigm of beauty. Unfortunately it’s only April 22nd and that means that the rains are coming back for some repeat offending. Here’s just a couple of things that are going on in this fine city of ours which might help take your mind off of the return of the dreaded GraySky, which is in fact Grayskull's second cousin.

A. Well, first off I think it’s important to note that the Blazers are currently working the hardwood and glass against a strong Huston Rockets team (WTF Aaron Brooks!). Roy just dropped 42 in the Blazers game two win in the series. That brings the count to 1 –n- 1 as our crew heads out to Texas where Roy’s going to need a lot of help from his fellow teammates. Who’s going to step up? Personally I've been enjoying the games while kicking it at the Slammer Tavern in SE and will likely continue to call this joint Home Court Haven (I just made that up, we really haven’t been calling it anything…) due to it’s friendly neighborhood feel and it’s proximity to our lodging (I walked the two blocks home at halftime for a Peanut Butter, Honey, and Shredded Mozzarella sandwich). In addition to these perks the Slammer’s got some nice TV’s, cheep beers, snack mix for all and during the first game on Saturday the owner, Lizzie, ordered the place pizzas. If you’ve been watching these games at home, alone, make sure you get out and enjoy the Portland camaraderie that’s going on. It’s pretty great to be a part of. Wear your Blazers gear, I’ll give you a high five.

This may be the longest highlight reel in history but it's ALL good because this truly was a season to celebrate. Two fingers at The Kid Espi for putting me on the path to this.


B. Dan Deacon is coming back to Portland this week and will be throwing down a set at the Wonder Ballroom on Friday. If you’ve never seen Dan work a crowd I would invite you to come and check it out. It’s special. This session will support the release of his Newest album, Bromst. I’ve only heard a handful of tracks but those have all been really really good. Although I’ve enjoyed his last couple albums, Acorn Master and Spiderman Of The Rings, I will admit that they have not been the most accessible pieces of music in the way that you can’t just throw them on at the drop of a hat in any old situation or setting. Bromst breaks this barrier and while it still provides plenty of synth, bips and bamps it will likely cater to a more mainstream audience with it’s studio sounds and carefully crafted arrangements. All albums aside though, the live action arena is really where Dan Deacon shines. His energy is infectious, his sounds are loud, and his rituals embrace social narratives of community, celebration and worship, in the end creating one large dance party for all to enjoy. Again, the show is this Friday the 24th at 9pm and is at the Wonder Ballroom. Tickets are $10 presale and $12 the day of.

HERE'S DAN TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT TOUR WITH NPR TALK OF THE NATION.
HERE'S AN ARTICLE ON DAN AND BROMST BY SOME NPR PEOPLE.


C. Another upcoming concert that’s getting some press is “Make it Pop!’ a benefit for PDX Pop Now! I haven’t really taken the time to figure out exactly what PDX Pop Now is but they certainly have pulled some well-known talent for their benefit concert. Boasting acoustic sets by James Mercer of The Shins, Marty Marquis of Blitzen Trapper, Brandon Summers of The Helio Sequence, Loch Lomond, Ryan Sollee of The Builders & The Butchers, and Dantronix (Video DJ), this night is sure to be something special. In addition to the acoustic stylings listed above guests will get to grub on complimentary appetizers and desserts from Artemis Catering and Bakery Bar, respectively, along with beers for purchase from local brewery Captured By Porches. Of course “complimentary” only works after you shell out the $30 price tag for this show but who knows, it just might be worth it. This is happening at the Ace Cleaners of the Ace Hotel on the date of April 30th. Start time is 7:30pm.

D. After you spend a night indulging in melodies, beats, and beers it’s often a necessity to wake up and hit the streets in search of some grub that will calm the early morning beast (even if it is 12:30pm). I’ve found that Portland is great for this, offering a wide variety of some of the best food on the West Coast. Evidently Gourmet magazine shares my enthusiasm over Portland’s breakfast scene and their particular brand of enjoyment happens to be Waffles. In a recent article Gourmet lists out their 8 favorite waffles in our fair city. You can go HERE for the entire article but I’m going to list out their selections below for your viewing pleasure.

• The Original Pancake House is an obvious choice and since I just moved back from Tempe Arizona, where just up the road in Scottsdale there happens to be one of these, I’m just not that excited about it. However, I will admit that their offerings are pretty fierce. (They suggest the Pecan Waffle).
• Little Blue Waffle Wagon and their host of toppings.
• Waffle Window and their unique creations (also gets points for charm).
• Moxie RX is just what the Doctor ordered with their classic buckwheat option (served with yogurt?)
• Flavor Spot and their cost effective waffle sandwiches.
• Simpatica Dining Hall has a chicken fried waffle that is a regular appearance on their weekly varied menu.
• Broder in the Clinton offers the classics and does it will.
• The Screen Door with their southern variations is a sure thing.

That’s just a touch of the tasty offerings Portland rocks on the daily for both food and music. There’s so much out there that it’s almost ridiculous, and don’t forget about the copious amounts of art, theater and film that are always happening. By any means, food and music are set to get live this summer and I for one can’t wait for it. Until then hopefully these couple options can help get you through the ups and downs of Spring. Oh, and GO BLAZERS!

New, Updates, Random - You're Guide To conFUSION...

I'm a lazy lonely slob. I fight through traffic on foot to get to the other end of the bridge where all I find is more of the same. Discarded DVD's and old vintage concert t-shirts that run $100 a POP. Colors that fade too quickly in the sun and a forever rotating array of homeless men who seem intent on threatening me. The homeless parade, the reversible seer sucker street walker. In and out of meetings we troll, another violent act of business. War raged on multiple layers and levels each devoid of love but brimming with loss. The underlings get drunk off the drippings, sloshed over the edge. Letters were even only to become unfocused and loose. A tramp, that letter L. Look at how crooked she/he/it has become...

1. If anyone is looking for a Photography Assistant in Portland Oregon, I'm your man...

2. Twitter is a HOMEWRECKER but love still shines...



3. Newest SkeeeZZeezeeee from Chris Santa Maria. Read the post below, I feel pretty good about my evaluation of his recent stylings.


~ AP XII, 2009 (oil on canvas, 10.5x10.5 inches), by Chris Santa Maria

4. You HEARD it here first. Ears are easy to grow/Build.
(first photo is all NY Times credit...)

Chris Santa Maria Paints The World...

~ Color Palette, LH Photo Credit

You might remember him from your childhood karate class, or was that airbrushing with crack-heads? Better yet, you might remember him from ASU where he wandered his way through art classes and earned himself a studio with a sofa in it. I've heard that he slept there from night to night, particularly when he couldn't get home from the bars. Yet another way you might know Chris is as the persona Chelius; white shirt sitting above madras shorts and flip-flops, "Chelius" scrawled out in Sharpie across the slender chest, beer in hand. Others might remember Chris as the roommate, the co-president at Eye Lounge, the Assistant Director at Gebert Contemporary (formerly Chiaroscuro Gallery), or the weekly tormentor of karaoke nights at the Yucca Tap Room. The fact is, he is all these things, and many more. His life so far has sprawled across art books and the Southwestern USA, international travels and internet art fights (anyone remember Colin Chillag?), Self exploration and abstract conceptualization.


~ Abstract painting IX (oil on fridge door), by Chris Santa Maria

Chris recently relocated, with love, from his comfortable homestead of Scottsdale/Tempe to the no-clean and mean city streets of New York City. I imagine that the change has maintained the exact opposite of personal infallibility. Where I left Arizona for my family and home state of Oregon, with it's fertile soils, Chris ripped his roots out of the Sun Burnt desert in an attempt to set them down amongst street signs, A-trains, and concrete paths. One can only speculate that this change helped bring on the current metamorphosis found in his work. After toiling over several series, and several years of self portrait process, he now seems to be focused on a mishmash of abstraction and found objects, thus projecting the inner mind rather than the outer body.

Of course these are only theories of an ever supportive and always disclosed friend. Not to mention a friend with little to no fine art back ground, but who cares? It's true, I'm biased and I've been loving where Chris has recently been heading. The chosen colors and selected shapes draw on both personal and national narratives, while abstraction pulls on the process of thought and the use of city bound historical objects suggest deeper historical values.


~ Abstract Painting .VI (process, image to paint), by Chris Santa Maria


~ Abstract Painting VII (oil on inside of glass), By Chris Santa Maria


~ Abstract Painting VI (oil on mixed media), By Chris Santa Maria

I currently have three CSM peices hanging on the wall, and while I'm sorry to say that none of them are quite as good as these displayed here, each holds a special meaning (El Parque!!!, PABST) and I'm proud to put them on the daily blast. Furthermore, they are issues of the past and what I'm interested in is the future. Chris is currently working high on the island, while embracing the art trade and moving prints (by some of the most important visual artists of the 20th century) for a gallery on the upper east side. He continues to paint in the exceptionally small but lovely (I've seen pictures!) living space that both him and his special lady friend share. Sleep, paint, drink, eat, kiss a little bit, sleep , eat paint. I'm pretty sure that's how it goes. Although, there might be a little more kissing, I just can't be sure.

Chris Santa Maria Web Site: http://www.chrissantamaria.org/
Chris Santa Maria Blog: http://chrissantamaria.blogspot.com/


~ Abstract Painting X (oil on silver mirror), By Chris Santa Maria


~ Abstract Painting .XI (oil on mirror, reflecting the NY sky), By Chris Santa Maria


~ Color Palette II, LH Photo Credit


~ Chris In Studio, LH Photo Credit

WTF! I get to work and I'm reading through my google reader and THIS pops up. Proof that there has been life on other worlds or at least life on this world that we don't know about. I don't have time to debrief the whole story here, but I did grab the cover for you. Head here for the whole story.