Puppet slam!

Tomorrow night (2/16/2012) is Creative Cocktail Hour at Real Art Ways (actually, it's four hours: 6-10). From 7-10 there will be a puppet slam. What's a puppet slam? I don't know, but I do know I'm gonna find out. I imagine there will be puppets and adult themes.

Stuff to do

Well, frozen water is falling from the sky. So, what to do this weekend?

• You could go see Camera Solo at the Wadsworth. It's only there through February 19th and it just got a write-up in the New York Times.
• Go see a film at Real Art Ways. I haven't see it yet, but Le Havre sounds good. A.O. Scott said that it's "A stylized and sentimental fairy tale about the way the world might be, grounded in a frank recognition of the way it is." Quite the recommendation.
• You could skate on some truly terrible ice at Bushnell Park. Don't say I didn't warn you though, it is really bad ice. It is, however, free.
• Read a book while drinking coffee at the Hartford Baking Company. Best coffee in town. Really uncomfortable chairs.

That's all I got. What do you got?

Searching the Horizon

Darius Kinsey: Highlead logging using steam skidder

The New Britain Museum of American Art has a new exhibit titled Searching the Horizon: The Real American West 1830-1920 (through March 4th, 2012). As the title suggests, it contains art of and about the American west. Through paintings, photographs, sculptures and other objects, it explores four themes: Settlement, Landscape, Native Americans and Urbanization and Industry. I wasn't too impressed with the paintings, but the exhibit contains some great photography. Darius Kinsey (see the photo at left) chronicled the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest. His photos show the enormity of the undertaking, as well as the often dangerous activities it involved.

Upcoming shows

Two shows are coming up this month that should not be ignored (as opposed to all the other shows in Connecticut, most of which should be ignored. I kid...mostly). The first is Jeff Mangum (of Neutral Milk Hotel fame). This famous (Indie famous, not famous famous) recluse is finally out of his cave and playing shows again. Should be good. Don't bring a camera, he hates that. Also, you'll probably get thrown out if you use your phone. Just a warning. This Wednesday (the 18th) at 8:00pm at the Shubert in New Haven. A mere $45 per ticket with "convenience" charges. This might be your only chance. I almost saw him at All Tomorrow's Parties a few months back in New Jersey, but all three shows he played sold out.

Then, on the 28th of January Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth fame) will play at the Wadsworth. This show is in support of his new album Demolished Thoughts. If you haven't heard it yet, check it out. It was produced by Beck and is completely different than anything he's ever done. While you're there, check out Patti Smith's Camera Solo.

And then, in February, on the 12th, Blind Pilot will play the Pearl Street Clubroom in Northampton Mass. I know, it isn't actually in Connecticut but most cool things aren't. Should be good.

Things that are good: Hartford Denim Company

The mark of the company.

Last winter, after losing two pairs of jeans to the treacherous ice, I decided to invest in some better denim. After searching around for a while, looking for something well-made and hopefully domestic (nothing against China, I just don't see why my jeans should be better traveled than I am), I came across the Hartford Denim Company. This is a company started by three guys in Hartford. It was originally housed in a crappy office building on Pratt Street in downtown but has since moved to 30 Arbor St, next to Real Art Ways.

Anyway, last winter I headed down to Pratt Street, went past the Pole Control Studio, and made my way up to their office. It was filled with workbenches, old sewing machines, and denim. I handed over my $240 and left with a very nice pair of jeans with beautiful red buttons and rivets made from salvaged copper.

My broken-in jeans

Unfortunately, a few weeks ago I was riding my bike, while I was wearing my favorite pair of jeans, and I had a confrontation with a bulb-out. After being thrown from my bicycle in a very elegant manner, I scraped my knee on the sidewalk. I'll spare you the pictures. In addition to drawing blood, bruising skin, and cracking my noodle, I tore a hole in my beloved pants. Fortunately, the good folk at Hartford Denim Company back their product with lifetime repair service.

Review: Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter / The Sadies

Jesse Sykes

I'm going to start this off with a wag of my finger at Hartford. Come on people, this was a great show and the house was pretty empty. I know they were up against the annual game dinner at the Half Door, but aren't there a few vegetarians in the area? I guess it was also a Sunday and honestly, I'm a little surprised that music and dancing aren't illegal on Sundays in Connecticut.

On to the show. The Sadies led off the night. I'll admit than I'm a bit of a philistine when it comes to the Sadies. I'm only familiar with their work with Neko Case and John Doe. They put on a great show. All the songs were well played, tight, and energetic. You could tell that they were a band that knew their music well played with a passion.

Photography at the Wadsworth

I kinda like photography. Fortunately for me, and for you if you know what's good for you, the Wadsworth Atheneum has two excellent photography exhibits on display. The most prominent is Patti Smith's (Patti Smith!) "Camera Solo" show. You may have seen the ads on I-84. The show is a mixture of intimate family photos, shots of places she loves, pictures of the ephemera of her dead muses, and the actual ephemera of her dead muses. You can see Robert Maplethorpe's slippers. His actual slippers. And the pope's (not the current one). Anyway, all the photos are taken on an old Polaroid camera and printed using traditional black and white printing methods. Nothing digital. Like the people and objects they document, they two will fade.

Claire Beckett answering questions at
"Art After Hours"

The other exhibit is Claire Beckett's "Simulating Iraq". Claire Becket documents, with a 4x5 camera (extra points for bulk and weight), a training facility for U.S. troops heading to Afghanistan. Civilians and soldiers are recruited to play roles such as insurgents, butchers, injured troops, ad imams. A false reality that will all too soon transition into reality for the troops involved. The photos ask us to examine our cultural attitudes and changing approach to fighting wars. Soldiers are immersed in this theme park (and some of the structures do look as those they were constructed for a third-rate theme park) version of Afghanistan so that they will be a more effective fighting force. So that they can more effectively engage the enemy and kill them. It's an interesting concept to think about. I'm not sure if I think it is necessarily a bad thing (theoretically, soldiers will be more prepared and thus less likely to make costly, in terms of lives, mistakes). Regardless of your perspective, the photos are beautifully shot and printed with great detail. Well worth checking out.