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Looking back on what has been a devastating year, I think about the many powerful works of art that have cut through the pervasive doom and provided the perspective or hope needed by so many of us. Some of the most notable of these include the public artwork of Sam Durant in Concord, Mehdi Ghadyanloo’s mural on the Greenway, Tala Madani and Edgar Arceneaux at MIT, Walid Raad at the ICA, Carrie Mae Weems at Harvard, and the concurrent shows of Steve Locke this fall in the South End. The works of these artists vary in their political intensity, but all speak to the urgency of the situation of our continually divided world. Some uncover a latent optimism as in the rising figures of Ghadyanloo, or Madani’s female empowerment through the rather brutal emasculation of the male portrait, while the installations of Durant and Locke directly emphasize our inability to learn from a long history of racial injustices. What I find so encouraging is the unblinking directness with which these artists address us. We should not be allowed to hide from the realities that are lived by our neighbors, or that we suppress in ourselves, particularly in a city that so often faultily believes itself to be a bubble free of fear and inequality. —Maggie Jensen Image: Steve Locke, School of Love, Samsøn Projects, 2016 (installation view). photo: Maggie Jensen
Notes from the crew
FILM Anastasia Cazabon, the mind behind Grrl Haus Cinema, describes the Boston-born festival as an effort to represent female filmmakers who are criminally undervalued. Emphasizing independent and DIY filmmaking, the event boasts a diverse roster of twenty female artists coming from a wide range of backgrounds, both local and international. It’s the kind of event that feels rare to the filmmaking community—a chance to submit your work and embrace the identity that makes it speak. Likewise, it’s a chance for the community to give these artists the support and opportunity for feedback they are all too often robbed of in a male-dominated industry. So what does that mean for you? It means that coming out to Grrl Haus is more than just buying a ticket. Your attendance at this event shows your support to a new generation of filmmakers whose unique voices and expanding visions challenge the increasingly familiar and stale material of our current visual arts. The list could go on and on as to why you should be here, but the real question is: why wouldn’t you be here? This event is kickass and supports the arts. Featuring work by: Samantha Adler de Oliveira, Silvia Biagioni, Kristin Bonelli Pearson, Alayna Cabral, Kelsie Cabral, Sophia Cacciola, Silvia Camagni, Rachel Cole, Ashley Czajkowski, Alison Folland, Anne Forte, Çağıl Harmandar, K8 Howl, Eimi Imanishi, Kate Jessop, Morwenna Kearsley, Natalja Kent, Cara Kuball, Daphna Mero, Jenny Plante, Jessica Renzelman, Homa Sarabi and Kim Venable. Mon 12/19 @Brattle Theatre, $10 —Andy Houldcroft
This month there are TWO monumental misadventures manifesting right here in town—and we wanna direct your gaze to both! What’s more? These are two long time local homies dropping new tunes in our eager eardrums. Round 1—December 10th—Lilypad: The sultan of subtlety, the acoustic autocrat, the maestro of magnificent six string manifestations Rob Noyes is releasing his new album to you, and me, and everyone. Noyes has been hailed for his sweeping, complex fingerstyle guitar playing, which is both technically celestial and sonically heartwarming. If you were standing naked on Mass Ave in January, his tunes would be the sweater you so desperately need. He’ll be filling our souls alongside other local luminaries including world renowned finger guitarist Glenn Jones, a giant. Donna Parker will also be waiting in the shadows to welcome us into her sonic sepulcher along with the inimitable Animal Hospital. Hey art historians, did I mention the album cover was done by the legendary Raymond Pettibon?! Come snag this wax. Round 2 - December 16 - Zayre’s Parking Lot (you know what’s up): Wiry cabinets of curiosity that interweave blasts of distorted electro fuzz and jarring bursts of word salad, Angela Sawyer’s sets bring out the WOW and the HUH? in all of us. If you’re unfamiliar, come into the fold and pick up one (or both!) of her TWO count’em TWO new records: Croaks out on Feeding Tube, and On the Pedestrian Side out on Weird Ear. She’ll also have a fresh cassette and a 7” from her hardcore band, -1, for sale too. Wow! This evening she’ll be providing us with a glimpse into her unique void alongside Steve Norton and Andrea Pensado, Hard Rugs, Noisebreaker, Matt Robidoux, Id M Theft Able and more. So many contemporary free jazz, experimental electronic, implausible performance purveyors that our heads are likely to explode (or implode?) It remains to be seen. Be there to find out. Sat 12/10 Rob Noyes (LP release) with Glenn Jones, Donna Parker, Animal Hospital @Lilypad 10pm All Ages $10 Fri 12/16 Angela Sawyer LPs Release Show! @Zayre’s Parking Lot w/ Hard Rugs (Keith Waters, Jesse Collins), Steve Norton/Andrea Pensado, Noisebreaker (MC5 style goof band with drummer Alan Richardson) and Mark Johnson/Id M Theft Able/Matt Robidoux soopergroop plus MC Ethan Marsh with Angela Sawyer backing. 8pm All Ages $5-10 *A Boston Hassle Effort* —Michael Achille
OK. We somehow made it through 2016. Just about Through rain, anyways.. The world lost sleet & snow Pauline Oliveros today, one of the many tragic losses this it's year, making this past month particularly dismal. Many seem to be content with the comfort the social media echo Not a lot on my radar for gigs this month. Some spatterings of Hardcore gigs like AHC fest as chamber provides but not us, well as Street Dogs and Mighty Mighty Bosstones gigs... this restless bunch chooses to create in the face of futility. In Negative Approach opens the month up with Waste Management December 1st at Hardcore fact we are really looking forward to 2017 and the ongoing process Stadium in Central Sq. and ending the month and year is the "New Year's Siege" gig with of reducing community strain and increasing community gain. Boston area Outsider Hardcore legends SIEGE playing with Sadist, Leash, Rejiem, Nycterent, Talking about organizing, promoting, attending and all that... Guilt and more at Red Alert Skatepark in Dover, NH. Rejiem has just recently released a new tape EP which they plan to cut to vinyl called "Forced We applied for two programming grants and win or lose we’re To Live In Such A Cruel World" on M39, Funeral Cone's LP "Turn Me On Dead Man" comes out mid December on 100% Breakfast, Purgatory demo is letting the process itself influence our activities in 2017 - the idea recorded (no word on a release date), Sadist's 2nd ep "Beauty Fades" coming out soon on Hardcore Victim, Video Filth/Mutant Itch split ep co-released by Dark Raids/Total Fucker Records out sooner, Laughing Stock 3rd cassette out sometime! is to do less shows so that we may spread our resources further. We have always tried to book every show that was requested Funds Needed! of us, doing 10-15 a month for the past several years, providing Artist and Satanic activist, Jex Blackmore, is raising funds to support her project, "A Compelling State Interest" a site-specific film that captures the opportunities and funding to hundreds of artists a year. But now experience of a woman waiting in a motel room for her abortion procedure over the course of twenty-four hours. with so many other folks booking DIY shows in town that need has To learn more visit: www.JexBlackmore.com/donate decreased and the need for promo has increased, so we adjustin’. We will continue to meet every Monday to bolster Boston culture and all are welcome. We’re also offering new internships at many of P l a c e s Yo u C a n H a n g . . . . . W i t h U S ! The Compass Production team!!! the area colleges so that we can give credit where credit is DUE. As fall rolls into winter, we bid adieu to our dearest Production Manager Reynaldo de la Fuente, who has been an absolute boss keeping tabs on So do something with yourself and let us know how our org can the production of this humble rag. Best of luck to you in your journeys ahead. Meanwhile, we remain committed to the production of this important support you. We aren’t going anywhere. cultural resource. These listings not only provide valuable information for sweet happenings around town, they also uplift and inspire the folks in our —Sam P creative community who are listed. Moving forward means changes and new faces, which means that there is an opening on our production team! If you've ever wondered how this newspaper gets created, it is through the efforts of real people just like you who do real things that you, yes you, have the capacity to do! We seek self-motivated, organized individuals with a passion for making an impact in the world around them. We cannot offer compensation for this 5 hr/week position but the reward is great. You will gain experience creating a real publication by the people for the people. You will gain a network of dedicated creators and passionate individuals—you will gain brain. Email Emma@brain-arts.org if you are interested in being considered for this position.
This newspaper is an ongoing project of BRAIN Arts Organization, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Please consider donating to, volunteering, or otherwise supporting us: Brain-arts.org. bostonhassle@gmail.com