Remix Issue Issue 27 mar • apr
CH E T FA K ER TA S CH E N N IGH T
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PI L A R Z E TA
LU CK Y BLU E
M A R K E T S ONG
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SH I NOL A
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E N NOI R
G OL DE N VOICE C A DE T
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E VA N F U N K E
JO SH BEE CH
AVA I L A B L E AT: SPORTIE LA AND THE GLENDALE GALLERIA
SONIC BLOOM
Insight LA 1501 Main St. Venice, Ca Holmes.
Since Never/Forever Stalk us @Insight51 Insight51.com
MASTHEAD
Publisher
Dante Colombatti Associate Publisher
Mali Mochow
Editor-in-Chief
Events & Accounts Manager
Erin Dennison
Janessa Molina
Online Editor
Finance Director
Renée George
Cole Westerholm
Deputy Editor
Video Producer
Lauren Westerfield
Mitchel Dumlao
C O N TA C T
Production Director
Online Contributors
17 7 8 N . M ai n S t . L o s A n g e l e s , C A 9 0 0 31
Joevanno Diaz
Sanni Youboty Faith Ann Young Charles Smith Jeremy Ely Angela Gleason
on the cover Chet Faker • Pilar Zeta cover photography by Conan Thai cover art by Pilar Zeta
(3 2 3) 3 5 2 - 3 2 5 0 • P R@ L A C A N VA S .C O M Wan n a c o n t r ib u t e? S e n d al l e di t o r i al S ub m i s s i o n s t o s ub m i t @ L A C A N VA S .c o m
Sr. Designer
Theresa Liu SUBSCRIPTIONS $ 6 . 0 0 an i s s u e , $ 2 5 a y e a r
Photography
v i s i t L A C A N VA S .c o m t o s i g n up
Conan Thai We Are The Rhaods Michele Laurita Grant Yoshino John Michael Fulton Grady Brennan Joe Perri Mark Wales John Pascha
Events Assistant
Contributors
Social Media
Garth Trinidad Megan Hughes Vija Hodosy Rachel Many Vi Nguyen Kacy Emmett Kristel Kovner Ian MacPherson
Katherine Lai
Copyright 2015 by LA CANVAS. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission in writing from LA CANVAS. LA CANVAS makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but is not responsible for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork, or advertisements. LA CANVAS is not held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions.
Jade Daniels Veda Houngviengkham Design Assistant
Lauren Pilgreen Online Editorial Assistant
Nicole Frederick
Subscriptions Supervisor
Oliver
TABLE
music n˚ 16
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CONTENTS
Musician • C H E T FA K E R
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not your typical indie it kid
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Playlist • B I X E L B OY S ian macpherson scores our festival season pre-game
Music venue • G O L D E N VO I C E
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LAC takes a closer look at the machine behind coachella
Spotlight • R O B GA R Z A
22
thievery corporation’s rob garza remixes his native sound
art
n˚ 26
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L A STREET ART snaps from our favorite art around l.a.
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Artist • P I L A R Z E TA the surrealist artist and designer talks about her unusual method
32
Gallery • TA S C H E N the iconic publisher’s new west hollywood gallery
Spotlight • M I C H E L E L AU R I TA
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a closer look at the vintage analog process used to capture lucky blue
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GA L L E RY O P E N I N G S a comprehensive round up of los angeles art shows
style n˚ 38
Editorial • T H E I R O N M A I D E N
38
photography by we are the rhoads
50
Designer • E N N O I R the menswear cool kids on their rapid rise
56
Store • S H I N O L A silverlake’s exciting new addition
Model Behavior • C H E L S E A TAY L O R
62
we sat down with rock royalty, chelsea taylor
Trend • T R E N D M AT R I X
68
retail therapy for every persuasion and budget
food n˚ 70
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Chef • E VA N F U N K E the otherworldly chef’s unorthodox approach to food
Restaurant • N I G H T
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MARKET SONG
74
your new favorite dinner spot
Bar • C A D E T
76
our favorite cocktails at the progressive santa monica watering hole
Food Scoops • C L E A N L I V I N G
78
It’s time to get healthy
misc n˚ 10
N OT E D
10
what to look out for this season
O N E S T O WAT C H
24
you heard it here first
Events • S C E N E & H E A R D
81
take a peek at our most recent parties, and find out how to stay in the loop
Calendar • M A R C H
82
Calendar • A P R I L
84
Last Look • J O S H B E E C H
86
the musician slash model lets us in on his latest project
A Note
“Daddy, may I have another addy?” A phrase my platonic high
brand of jazz made Nick realize that his voice was ultimately just
school friend made me say before placing an Adderall in my hand
another instrument, one that could be manipulated to fill empty
on my 19th birthday. I stealthily slid the blue pill into my pocket
spaces in a room—extenuating an experience, rather than
in the bathroom of the Montreal strip club, later using it for my
dominating it. With that, the former punk-rock kid began using
thesis on the economic development of Laos. Post college, I
music as an outlet for his teenaged angst; and from there, he
moved to Manhattan by way of Jersey City, and then Harlem and
evolved from contrarian HTML-thug to Afro-jazz and underground
Brooklyn soon after, dabbling in entry level finance and bottle
house enthusiast.
service, only to exit the city on a whim with my best friend. I drew up a tidy plan to relocate to Los Angeles, start a revolution, and
And then there’s chef Evan Funke, who went from kitchen novice
become a makeup artist.
to pasta maestro quicker than the rest of us can cobble together a liberal arts degree. He cut his teeth in the kitchens of Wolfgang
After ignoring my retail dress code, racking up a handful of published
Puck, only to make a premature exit due to an on-the-job accident.
editorials, and suffering a nasty run-in with a former Christian pop
Down, but not out, Funke picked himself up and forged on. He
star, I left the beauty industry to write. Like many transplants, I
relocated to Italy and immersed himself in the culinary culture,
spent my first years here hanging out with guys who worked in bike
spending an exorbitant amount of time making every type of pasta
shops—people with “flexible” schedules, artists with flip phones,
imaginable—by hand. By the time Evan returned to the States, he
and a network of attractive folks with mysterious sources of income.
possessed an exceptional skill set and a rejuvenated hunger. Now,
I finally emerged from the haze of my mid-twenties with an
his very own Culver City restaurant, Bucato, sits in a lofty space
appreciation for the value of a psychic and a revised opinion of
drenched in natural light, its patrons the congregation to his new
stability. These days, I’m happily cohabitating with an exceptionally
religion: food. Turns out, the very thing that knocked him on his
symmetrical DP who mists our plants with purified water and doesn’t
ass just a few years back might well become his savior.
let the towels touch the floor. Throughout the Remix Issue, you’ll find over a dozen narratives Idioms can be lazy and reductive, it’s true; but there’s a reason
rich in similar plot twists, switch-ups, and unconventional evolutions.
why they stick. And throughout the production of our Remix Issue,
From Goldenvoice’s 16th Coachella Festival to photographer Michele
one commonly uttered phrase quickly became synonymous with
Laurita’s resurrection of wet collodion processing, and publishing
the theme. “Change is good.”
icon Taschen’s first physical gallery space in LA to surrealist Pilar Zeta’s evolving relationship with the subconscious, we’ve stocked
Just ask Nick Murphy. The Aussi-bred crooner adopted the moniker
our March/April edition full of compelling trajectories—all neatly
“Chet Faker” as a conceptual homage to jazz legend Chet Baker.
packaged for easy browsing.
Growing up in Melbourne, Murphy never liked the sound of his own voice (or traditional jazz, for that matter). But the music legend’s
So take a seat, pour yourself a beverage, and soak up the B-side
ability to command a tune, coupled with his astute proclivity for
of Los Angeles.
holding back when necessary, proved a captivating formula. Baker’s
ERIN DENNISON Edit o r- In - Chief
Noted MIRROR, MIRROR robgarza.com As a founding member of the innovative band/DJ collective Thievery Corporation, Rob Garza has a knack for mixing things up. His highly anticipated solo EP, Palace Of Mirrors, drops this month; and pays homage to his musical roots in the form of electronic and floor-friendly tunes, akin to the techno vibes he introduced to audiences way back in ‘84. We could go on—and in fact, we did. Peep our digital issue for an in-depth discussion with the beat laureate, and get the scoop on everything from his latest collaborators and the U.R. Arts Festival to neuroscience and Garza’s artisan Mezcal brand.
ONE STOP SHOP vervecoffeeroasters.com Beverage deliberations are the pits. Of all the AM struggles that plague us on a daily basis, few are more frustrating than having to choose between juice and coffee for the sake of punctuality. Well, it’s taken longer than expected; but at long last, Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee has finally opened its inaugural LA digs on Spring St. in Downtown. Not only that, the cult favorite has teamed up with beloved local institution Juice Served Here to streamline our morning routine with a duel-purpose storefront. Choose from over 20 pre-bottled juice options to accompany your expertly foamed cappuccino or drip to-go. Want even more stimuli? Peruse the shop’s curated selection of Aseop products, boutique publications, and other elegant impulse purchases while you wait for your all-in-one order.
MEAT LOVERS
SALT OF THE EARTH
fogodechao.com
loveandsaltla.com
It’s not often that dinner qualifies as a religious experience, but perched at the corner of 8th and Flower and through the fog of a red meat coma; we might have seen the Goddess herself. After months of anticipation, upscale carnivorous utopia, Fogo de Chão opened its doors in the Financial District of Downtown LA. The massive 8,000 square foot space is even more impressive than the restaurant’s Beverly Hills offering, with an ornate glassy front, wrap around floor to ceiling windows, and cantilevered awning. If you’re unfamiliar with the Brazilian BBQ concept, once seated, you’ll be provided with a double-sided coaster at your table: red on one side, green on the other. Ready? Turn it green. Dunzo? Red. Super intuitive stuff. The exquisite cuts keep coming all night long; served up by the culinary wizards who’ve prepare them (it’s true! We checked!). Pro tip: keep your eyes peeled for the Lombo and Picanha, and for the love of crusted Parmesan—pace yourself.
Setting up shop in Café Pierre’s former Manhattan Beach spot, Love + Salt was built on the notion that all great food needs both of its eponymous ingredients. The contemporary Italian restaurant serves up ambitious dishes made with California-grown produce, as well as pastas, English muffins, rabbit porchetta, and duck fat crackers made in house by head chef Michael Fiorelli. Carnivores can indulge in dishes like the lamb tongue panini, crispy chicken skins, glazed pig head, and chicken liver toast. Too aggressive? Gentle eaters, take note: Love + Salt also boasts a well-rounded selection of small plates featuring farmer’s market finds from soppressata to shaved black kale. The spacious dining room, designed by the folks at MASS Architecture, is rich in natural light, equipped with a massive communal table, and laced with rustic details to accommodate a house full of savvy, adventurous patrons.
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2 7— r e m i x i s s u e
HOUSE PARTY facebook.com/culpritLA Five years ago, LA-based label Culprit Records issued its first release, marking the debut of Hot Natured and setting an innovative tone for the industry. Culprit is responsible for getting the likes of Seth Troxler and Guy Gerber regular spins at LA clubs, and astutely signing Soul Clap, Matt Tolfrey and co-founders, Droog, thereby shaping how we ingest our house music. The company has also carefully groomed its own artists, many of whom sought out their signature sound palette as a home base. So what’s the Culprit philosophy? To absorb global underground culture and refract it through the lens of LA. After a brief hiatus spent taking the company global, the Droog-led collective is back in town with a series of monthly curated parties at Lot 613 DTLA. You can also find them steadying their beats-per-minute at SOUND Nightclub and continuing their infamous sessions atop The Standard DTLA rooftop.
SCAVANGER HUNT
ONCE UPON A TIME
fanda.cratejoy.com
magdalenawosinska.com
“It’s vintage.” This is quite possibly the most irritating response one can receive when inquiring about a friend’s incredible dress or stunning new couch. Love it? Want one? Tough luck. Vintage shopping can be a chore for the uninitiated. It’s a skill one develops over time, requiring not only an astute eye, but also a considerable amount of disposable income. For those who aren’t up to the challenge (but still want to impress their friends), Frankie & Albert can help. The experimental retail pop-up is a collaborative effort between branding wizards (NO SUBJECT) and creative agency Small Green Door that utilizes apt scavengers with refined taste to carefully curate unique finds based on a detailed questionnaire. Simply sign up, share your aesthetic preferences, and receive a monthly shipment of goodies straight to your door. Finally, a digital shop that does the dirty work for us.
We can’t say enough about tasteful nudity; and given her penchant for topless self-portraiture, we imagine Magdalenda Wo s i n s k a would agree. The visionary photographer just released her third selfpublished book, The Experience Vol. 1; and the title, analogous to her popular Instagram handle (@themagdalenaexperience), is an accurate representation of the richly narrative gems that lie within its pages. Her work has graced the esteemed pages of publications like Nylon and Vogue, and in addition to being widely regarded as a boutique-lit “It-Girl,” Wosinska has also been commissioned by some powerhouse lifestyle brands like Target and Urban Outfitters for their major campaigns. In The Experience, Magda offers up a behind-the-scenes look at her life and work thorough an investigation of her personal and professional escapades.
BAND CAMP pointblanklondon.com Ah! The rumors were true. Point Blank LA Music School recently touched down at Mack Sennett Studios, and aspiring DJ/producers throughout the city are a little closer to making their dreams actual, paying gigs. Originating in London, the boutique university started out as a commercial recording studio and quickly became the ‘Best Electronic Music School’ as crowned by DJ Mag. Point Blank offers a twosemester program featuring hands-on training with the latest state-of-the-art equipment, visits to local studios, and comprehensive instruction from an array of talented speakers, such as Laura Escudé, Tokimonsta, Sonns, Two Fresh, and Mark de Clive-Lowe. Because of its location within Mack Sennett, Point Blank scholars will be in the mix with industry folks from the jump, gaining access to exclusive events, relevant panels, and interactive workshops. After learning the ins-and-outs of music production, the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) plays the class a visit to educate students on effective revenue streams and copyrighting. Yeah, your electro-soul-grindcore band’s pretty progressive, but you might want a back up plan.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW Under the radar spots worth a detour.
Okay: now, back to that list we promised. Sure, there are the collectively celebrated spots like the El Rey, Hollywood Bowl and the Wiltern, infamous venues like the Roxy or Viper Room, and reput ably cool spots like the Ace Hotel, Regent Theater and The Echo. But this is our music issue, armed with our curiosit y, a lit tle technology, and a lot of organic coffee. So we dug a lit tle deeper in pursuit of the full experience that our vibrant cit y has to of fer.
Let ’s star t with Mack Sennett Studios. Perhaps
Guess what? We found your new phone. Really.
you’ve heard of them? Nestled on Fountain Ave. Stay with us here. It ’s no secret that smar tphone
bet ween Sunset and Hyperion in Silver Lake, the
manufacturers are waging an all-out war to snag
newly refurbished space touts a rich histor y.
our at tention. The race to see who can facilitate
Originally a film factor y in 1916, the clandestine
our convenience in the fewest steps has caused
building was cre ated as an ode to Sennet t ’s
te chnolo g y to ac c elerate rapidly, ultimately
fiancée, actress Mabel Normand. The barn-like
reinventing ever y thing from how we speak to how
structure was recently bought and revamped by
we move. And if efficiency is your bag but a battery
one of our esteemed music producers, Jesse
of apps over whelms you, we suspect you’ll agree:
Rogg, who opened it as a studio and event space
ultimately, it ’s what ’s inside that counts.
in 2013. Since then, Mack Sennett has facilitated some pret t y major shoots. The now infamous
Here at L AC, it ’s our job to keep an ear to the
Blurred Lines music video was shot there, as well
street. We consistently report on the latest hotspots
phone’s Sense 7 inter face learns your data habits
as Scorsese’s The Aviator, scenes from American
and prof ile up - and- coming t alent. In shor t,
whether you’re at work or of f the clock; and from
Horror Story, and indie gem Live After Beth. Acts
research is kind of our thing. Throughout the
suit and tie to t-shir t time, your most frequently
like our Zodiac Issue cover ar tist Banks and indie
production of the Remix Issue, we found an
used apps will automatically show up on your home
gods Interpol have performed secret shows at the
exceptional allotment of hidden gems—new and
screen. Our playlists have never been tighter,
venue. And just this past month, Mack Sennet t
old— that we think you should know about. So we
thanks to the Connect feature, which lets us control
hosted an of ficial Grammy af ter par t y with The
did our homework, putting together a supplemental
our wireless speakers right from the smar tphone.
Black Keys. Why should you care? Because you
list for you this time around. In case you were
The intuitive HTC One automatically links with
can upgrade your after-hours itinerary in less than
wondering, that shit’s exhausting, and we needed
compatible audio systems, sparing you the hassle
a minute by signing up for their email list. How
all the help we could get.
of wrestling with the Sonos app or locating a
else do you plan on wilding out with DJ Mustard
speaker’s Bluetooth signal.
one night, and get ting intimate with Chet Faker the following week? This place has range.
Enter the HTC One, the most thorough smartphone companion out there. With a range of conveniences,
Keeping it together is no small feat; neither is
the HTC’S enlightened soft ware makes it easier to
staying ahead of the curve. The HTC One works
From classic rock and punk to indie, electronica,
discover and play new music, locate your new
with your f low, anticip ate s your ne e ds, and
and even rap —however you take your tunes, all
favorite restaurants, declare your personal color
facilitates your leisure. And it won’t take a two-hour
the ar tists within each genre have one thing in
pallet, and ultimately make life a little simpler. The
lunch like your human intern does.
common: per fect jeans. And while the cit y hosts
Photo by Koury Angelo
a bat ter y of options for a custom pair, one spot
carnival? In the market for an epic print of Slash?
Coming off the heels of our last three print music
in par ticular has been cosigned by some of the
With impact ful images on display and their
features, we’re feeling pret t y spoiled by the
greats. Shaeffer’s Garment Hotel is located on a
corre sp onding print s for s ale, the sp ot is
progre s sive and other worldly t alent of our
cover t block of f Sunset Blvd, hidden beneath a
wor th your tax return…or at least an af ternoon
collected featured artists. Our Revelry Issue cover
charcoal-colored awning. Rober t Schaef fer and
of playing hooky.
star Theophilus London charmed us, the Zodiac
his crew of t ailo r s meticulousl y handcr af t
Issue’s Banks enchanted us, and this time
2950’s-inspired blue jeans made from shut tle-
around, Chet Faker soothed us, restoring our
woven Japanese denim, using vintage bar tack,
affection for jazz. Then, to top it all off, we caught
a chain stitch machine, authentic looms, and
wind of Andra Day. You may not have heard her
10 0% natural indigo dye. The shop customizes
elegant vocals just yet, but that ’ll change soon
ever y garment that goes out the door, taking up
enough. Af ter belting out some seriously soulful
to 2 0 hours for e ach p air. A qualit y p air of
m ashup s an d c over s o n Yo uTub e, A n dr a
personalized denim is wor th its weight in gold,
performed with Common, Erika Badu, Aloe Blacc,
but these guys will only run you about $250. What
Leon Bridges, and Kate Davis in suppor t of the
do all the cool kids have in common? They know
Nina Simone movie at the Sundance Film Festival.
to invest in wardrobe staples.
That mind-blowing live show has since solidified
SPONSORED HTC
her upcoming deal with Warner Brother Records. Now that you’ve properly suited up, take a slight
Hip-hop heads—we didn’t forget you. At the end
Andra’s debut album isn’t out until May; but until
detour down to the Morrison Hotel Galler y.
of the month, director Joseph Khalil will be
then, we have her Soundcloud to keep us warm.
Founded in 20 01 by former record company exec
posting up at MOCA with his 14-minute shor t
There you have it. Two months of exploration
and producer Peter Blachley, industry vet Richard
Double Conscience. The film was shot as a visual
dedicated to the music, art, and tech scene here
Horowitz, and music photographer Henr y Diltz,
supplement to Kendrick L amar ’s critic ally
in L A. Go for th—move with purpose. May you
the space showcases some of the most iconic
acclaimed album, Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. For
c atch t he b e s t ex hib i t s , g ro ove to s o m e
rock-n-roll shots from over the last half a century.
the uninitiated, the record’s track list is strikingly
me smerizing live music, s tre am your new
Within the galler y’s t wo L A locations (one inside
cinematic, and Khalil’s layered, humanistic
favorite songs, and discover a thing or two about
the Sunset Marquis, the other featured at the
imager y proves to be just as compelling. The
your hometown.
(W Hollywood Hotel) reside impressive collections
exhibit runs through July and is one of the most
of work by renowned photographers like Autumn
power ful representations of West Coast hip-hop
de Wilde, Noah Abrams, and Joe Brodksy. Ever
culture we’ve seen in a minute.
seen a Stevie Nicks selfie? Beck at a Parisian
Dot Com
@xxlittlebirdxx_
@phonzie
@mavera_fadaei
@shotbyduckworth
@jennedelson
@snitzsls
@westonjamespalmer
@cult_culture
@skylaraud
@sundays_forever
@illiterally
#LACANVASHOTSPOT
#LACANVASHOTSPOT
@bawnilina
HOME, SWEET HOME We love Los Angeles. From palm tree-lined landscapes and iconic diners, to local food porn and golden hour cityscapes—we can’t get enough decadent LA imagery. Last month, we asked Angelenos to tag #LACANVAShotspot in their favorite shots of this bustling, cinematic, ever-evolving city. And boy, does our hometown look good.
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www.LKFootwear.com @landkfootwear
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musician / chet faker
Text by Garth Trinidad
Professional experience amplifier Chet Faker engages his growing following with jazz sensibility and punk rock logic.
Straight, No Faker
GROOMING
JASON ACTION
CONAN THAI TAKEO SUZUKI
PHOTO ASSISTANT
PHOTOGRAPHY
ISSUE
2 7— R E M I X I S S U E
ISSUE
2 7— R E M I X I S S U E
music availed itself as a tool for social lubrication. “At par ties, I always looked for instruments to play,” he recalls with a chuckle. Then, at age 20, Nick’s life changed. “I was working at a quiet bookstore, next to a record store owned and operated by a guy named Max,” he explains. “Max played lots of Afro-jazz. One day he played Abdullah Ibrahim. That was the door way.” Nick shared Max’s af finit y for the early works of ar tists like Abdullah and Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke. For him, the simplicit y of composition and instrumentation was key. “It just felt good,” he says, a smile making its way through his words and across the telephone line. “I loved discovering music of legends, cultural legends. The Bulgarian Women’s Choir? Mind blowing. And Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? Amazing!” Digging deeper into Afro-jazz, our conversation dips into Melbourne’s rich house music scene. “Max was one of the main people behind the house scene. Like, the scene was kind of structured around him at the time,” he says. “The house scene in Melbourne is big, and the music is so good. Deep house with strong world roots. Lots of mashed up old and new. Like, tons of Mulatu remixes and edits that are anthems in the scene.” Giving dap to cats like Lewie Day (aka DJ Tornado Wallace), he goes on to describe the enduring vibrancy of the Melbourne scene to this day.
When Aussie artist Chet Faker initially began performing music, he used his real name: Nick Murphy. Turns out, there are lots of Nick Murphys on the scene — one of whom happens to be a popular Australian guitarist known for his role in bands like The Anyones and Shylo. When it became clear that the other Murphy’s fans were coming to see him play, Nicholas James Murphy decided to create a stage name. “I never liked the tone
“Music that won’t ruin a situation. Music colors a space, in addition to your life. I love the idea of music accentuating experience. ”
of my voice,” he confides. “The name Chet Faker is a conceptual homage to (jazz trumpeter and vocalist) Chet Baker. He helped me realize the voice is just an instrument. His vocal st yle allowed the listener to fill in
Before we click of f, I ask Nick about his goals—sonically speaking, that
the gaps. It ’s like he opened up the door, then held back.”
is. “I’m interested in creating music that makes a soul connection,” he asser ts. “Music that won’t ruin a situation. Music colors a space, in
Admit tedly, I’ve been known to judge a book by its cover— or in this
addition to your life. I love the idea of music accentuating experience.
case, an ar tist by his stage name. Bet ween Nick’s evocative moniker
How can I produce something that can be a hit and reach people, but
and his sound (which fits in alongside the new global tribe of electro-pop
that also compliments people’s lives and experience? I’d like to make
ar tists smoothed out on the R&B tippers—think Banks, Frank Ocean,
unselfish music.” We trade brief conspiracy theories concerning the Top
Young & Sick, and James Blake), I assumed Faker grew up a jazz head.
40 list—how the sound is deliberately designed to invade space, disturb
But Nick hated jazz as a kid. “I thought it was bullshit,” he admits. He
realit y, and grab hold. “No Dave Guet ta while having breakfast with the
also hated electronic music and would have nothing to do with it. In fact,
parents,” he jokes. “Got ta think about context.”
Nick’s upbringing in Melbourne was deeply rooted in punk philosophy. “My friends and I would hang around the train station and cause a
Though not something he requires, I wish him luck as a nod of suppor t.
ruckus,” he recollects. “I was anti-fashion. I rebelled against the status
Who needs luck when Ellen DeGeneres declares you her new favorite
quo, defied expectations, and sought out people who did the same.”
ar tist? Or when Australia’s triple j has voted your song #1 on its top 10 0? Or when your debut album has just cleaned up at the ARIA awards? Not
Nick and his crew were heav y gamers and computer goons. He taught
Nick Murphy. What he needs, at this point, is a great international booking
himself to code HTML by the time he was 12. In high school, they threw
agent, a top-of-the-line neck pillow, and a plan to keep his real name
L AN par ties and hung out in computer stores. As if regaling me with
handy—‘cause Chet Faker’s about to blow up. •
tales of heav y drug abuse, Nick comes clean: “By the time I was 15, I was too addicted. It was too much.” This realization was the catalyst
Catch Chet at this year’s Coachella music festival, and again on
that spurred an adolescent Murphy to seek out new outlets; and soon,
April 15th headlining Club Nokia.
musician / chet faker
18
(DJ Khaled Voice)
GOLDENVOICE PRESENTS
C A R L B A R ÂT
A N D T H E JAC KA L S Here’s to Spring. Already, it’s time to trade in our unlined parkas and caramel-colored liquor for bangers and cold pressed juice: and here to help us out is our boy Ian from the DJ duo BixelBoys who brings us an eclectic track list to serve as an aural pre-game to the debauchery of festival season. Nothing like some Jeezy, Everytime I Die, and Peter Gabriel to get the party started.
WITH AVAN LAVA AND THE TWO TENS
March 12 » The Roxy
Saturday March 14 » The Roxy
March 16 » The Roxy
March 31 » Wilshire Ebell Theatre
Selections by Ian MacPherson
WITH
ANGEL OLSEN
PERMANENT RECORDS DJS
PETER GABRIEL
KANYE WEST
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
“Solsbury Hill”
“Street Lights”
“Your Hand in Mine”
THE DEAR HUNTER
YOUNG JEEZY FT. JAY Z
THE BRONX
“Red Hands”
“Go Crazy”
“They Will Kill Us All”
April 14 »El Rey
April 14 » Fox Theater Pomona
April 14 » Club Nokia
April 15 » Belasco Theater
April 15 » Fonda
April 16 » Club Nokia
WITH
EVERYTIME I DIE
JANET JACKSON
NAS
“The New Black”
“Escapade”
“Made You Look”
April 21 » El Rey
WITH
AFI
U2
CLIPSE
“Bad”
“Momma I’m So Sorry”
W I T H
LACANVAS.COM
May 7 » Fonda
18+
C H E E R L E A D E R
May 12 » Fonda Stream our full spotify playlist on
April 22 » El Rey
ERIK HASSLE
April 30 » Fonda
“Fall Children”
DJ MAPI
Saturday May 16 » El Rey
Read The Fine Print: Coachella 2015 Gearing up for this year’s massive festival? Make sure to do your homework first.
Text by Kristel Kovner
Approximately three seconds after the 2015 Coachella Valley Music
In keeping with tradition, the less buzz-worthy the band, the smaller
and Arts Festival lineup was released to the public, my entire social
the typeface in which their name appears on the highly recognizable
network exploded. Friends’ reactions flooded my Facebook feed,
Coachella poster. And, especially considering the festival’s recent
and my phone started blowing up with group texts. From my cousin
habit of booking mainstream acts (I’m looking at you, Sir Paul
to an overly talkative Uber driver, everyone seemed to have an
McCartney), the less flashy bands tend to get overlooked and
opinion—especially when it came to the hype-worthy headliners.
under-publicized by the masses.
Let’s start with AC/DC. Generally speaking, people either loved or
For example: the third tier (and next font size down) for this year’s
hated the idea of this iconic, old-school rock-and-roll band
lineup includes a variety of popular artists like The War on Drugs,
headlining the first of Coachella’s three main-stage acts. There was
Flying Lotus, Caribou and Ghostface Killah. Todd Terje is also in
no middle ground. On the other hand, many (including the Uber
this grouping, which is odd considering the fact that his fans caused
driver) were stoked for Sunday’s headliner, hip-hop darling Drake.
so much congestion at last year’s FYF Fest that officials had to
As for reactions to Jack White’s placement as the Saturday headliner?
restrict access to his performance. And don’t even get me started
A collective emotion best described as vague perplexity.
on some of the credible bands billed in the poster’s tiniest font
MUSIC SOURCE Goldenvoice
(ahem, Panda Bear). Of course, some of the more capable humans I know read beyond the names written in bold-faced type at the top of the lineup poster,
In other words, the hierarchy of the lineup says it all: Coachella
and expressed their excitement for the second tier of well-known
has changed.
bands set to perform this year. These include the likes of Tame Impala, alt-J, The Weeknd, and St. Vincent. Others were enthused
In 2012, Goldenvoice, the company that promotes Coachella,
about nostalgia-inducing perennials like Ryan Adams, Interpol,
purchased the Eldorado Polo Club and a few surrounding ranches
and Belle and Sebastian.
for a total of two hundred and eighty acres of land. That same year,
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the annual festival opened its doors for a second, duplicate weekend, ultimately doubling the number of attendees This new format was simultaneously loathed and welcomed by festival-goers: some felt that the exclusive allure of a one-time-only experience was lost, while others were just happy to actually score tickets. Despite mixed reactions, Goldenvoice’s decision to expand Coachella dates into two weekends was an obvious step toward meeting a growing demand. So is their clever promotion of a collection of satellite shows scheduled throughout the LA area during the festival. Affectionately referred to as “Localchella,” these shows often include additional performances from many of the aforementioned second and third-tier Indio-bound bands, thus making it even easier for larger crowds to get in on the festival action. In addition to increasing its physical reach, the folks behind Coachella have also integrated more genres of music into the festival over the past few years—and in the process, begun to place newfound focus on acquiring superstar performers. It’s hard to say if this influx of mainstream bookings is the cause or effect of the event’s growth; but one certainly feeds off of the other. At this point, one thing is clear: Coachella has evolved, transitioning from an exclusive event for a chosen few to a distinctly inclusive destination where everyone is welcome. More types of music means more types of people, and the extreme popularity of the festival’s top-billed artists invites a broader spectrum of attendees—along with even longer lines for the Andy Gumps. But, despite their popularity, the headliners luring flower-crownbedecked masses to the desert are just a small part of the three-day Coachella experience—an extravaganza that includes 100 bands, many of which are sure to deliver more memorable performances than their super famous counterparts. So, whether you’re an Indio regular or an uninitiated newbie, here’s my unsolicited advice: read the fine print. Explore the tents and smaller stages, and don’t buy in to the headliner hype. After all, you’ve already paid enough for the tickets. By all means, see AC/DC if you like—and then, go discover something new.
AT THIS POINT, ONE THING IS CLEAR: COACHELL A HAS EVOLVED, TR ANSITIONING FROM AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT FOR A NICHE CROWD TO A DISTINCTLY INCLUSIVE DESTINATION WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
Indigenous Garza Rob Garza remixes his native music with a backtrack beat.
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Q&A with Thievery Corporation’s Rob Garza
2 7— r e m i x i s s u e
Myself, John Wander of Roam Music and Philipp Jung of M.A.N.D.Y. are good friends, and while having Dim Sum in San Francisco, we talked about collaborating creatively and possibly doing an event. Both John and I have four year old boys and know many people who appreciate music but aren’t too down with late night clubbing, so we wanted to create something that focused on the daylight hours. We zoomed in on including live art, kid-friendly vibes, the event being 100% solar powered, fashion pop-ups, food and culture and mainly, creating a dif ferent t ype
Text by Renee George Photo by Grady Brannan
of event in L A is inspiring to all of us. Dim Sum...and Den Sum! Should we expect another amazing U.R. ART for Summer ‘15? Yes, expect it and stay tuned. We should also expect your solo EP “Palace Of Mirrors” to drop this March, right? Details, please...
As the other founding half of world-famous music group Thiever y
When I originally started music in ‘8 4 at 14 years old, my first productions
Corporation, Rob Garza is constantly mixing things up. The good kind.
were more on the techno/electronic side of things. This is kind of an
Firstly, we’d like to congratulate the music collective on turning t went y
homage to going back and doing something more electronic and floor
this May—and on noting the feel-good, nostalgic moments in our lives—
friendly. I did t wo tracks with singer Vasuda Sharma from Mumbai with
yours included. Yet, Garza is still on the move. His highly anticipated
heav y tech-house sounds and the other is more of an ethereal, sunset
solo EP ‘Palace Of Mirrors’ drops this March and acts as an homage to
t ype of track. Another track I did was with singer Sutja Gutierrez that
his music roots; more electronic and floor-friendly tunes, just as they
encompasses techno with a cool eighties underpinning. There will also
were when he star ted with techno vibes in ‘8 4. We talk to Rob about his
be remixes from Nadastrom and Psychemagik.
movements, like who he collaborated with on his EP, the next U.R. ART Festival in L A this summer, a neuroscience project he’s a par t of and
You’re a busy human. What other projects might you have up your sleeve?
caught details on Papa Diablo, a hand-craf ted ar tisanal Mezcal brand
I did another project with Neighbor, releasing a single this summer. He’s
he’s launching. Because, thirst y creatives:
a great friend and musician. I also did a collaboration with singer Stee Downes, and my par tners from Mexico and I are launching a Mezcal brand, Papa Diablo. It’s artisanal, hand crafted and attentive to the ways
We have to start this conversation off with your band, Thievery Corporation. How was it formulated?
Mezcal has been made through the ages.
In 1995, Eric Hilton and I met in Washington D.C.—I used to make techno records in a studio Eric owned—but our paths hadn’t crossed until then.
With your experience, what would you say to the musically-inclined youngsters out there?
I was working on an Acid Jazz label with a friend at the time, Aou Pakdee,
You have to do it because you love it. The reward has to be in actually
one night he asked if I wanted to either go to a Lounge with jazz, Bossa
creating it. If nobody “buys” it you still have something you love, rather
Nova and Dub or to a straight up dance club. I opted for the Eighteenth
than trying to do something of the day or hope it will make money, cause
Street Lounge, and upon arriving, I met Eric, he bought me a drink and
at the end of the day you wont have anything you love. For me, the reward
we immediately star ted talking about the t ypes of music we loved, and
is the creative process.
how to take influences from our record collection and create futuristic sounds mixed with sounds from the past.
What are your personal favorite moments of the creative process? In airplanes, on my laptop. Place I know that no one can really reach
Sounds native. So, that was it?
me. Quiet time. Long stretches where I can really zone out and get into
Well, En Noir is about blurring the lines bet ween high-end fashion and
it. Picking up an instrument or coming up with something with Eric, and
street st yle.
star t playing around with dif ferent ideas.
Pretty much. We built a little studio in the liquor room and started making
Any future plans with Eric and Thievery Corporation?
beats and grooves and had no idea that anyone would ever like it. We
Yes. We are recording our new album in late Februar y in Jamaica.
were making it for ourselves. It ’ll be t went y years this May, 2015.
Why Jamaica, mon!?
You’ve played music all over the world. What’s it like out there?
Why not Jamaica, mon?! Eric was on holiday down there and became
Dif ferent cities, dif ferent vibes. We have some of our biggest audiences
inspired by a studio that he was checking out. I told him that he didn’t
in Athens, Greece. We’ve played on hills overlooking the cit y, and the
have to ask me t wice.
energ y is ver y tangible. Take Brazil, where Brazilian music is a big influence in what we create. Being in that culture, music, food, samba
We also just heard that you have a project going with Neuroscience at UCSF’s
and people really has an ef fect on you when you are there. Then there’s
Adam Gazzaley. Give us the brainwaves on that!
Amsterdam, where we’ve had the worst shows ever. Cer tain members of
They’ve taken a 3D model of my brain that you can fly into using oculus
our band love smoking weed, some get so stoned that they can’t play
rif t. It ’s a vir tual realit y project. We recently gave a talk on rhy thm,
their instruments properly, because ever yone’s tr ying dif ferent varieties
creativit y and the brain. His lab is working on video games, which will
of the local herb, it ’s just plain funny. Dif ferent cities, dif ferent stories.
be approved as medicine, stimulating dif ferent neural net works and
Noting geography, let’s touch base in LA. You curated of a four time, heavyhitting music and culture event last summer called U.R. ART FESTIVAL. What
being able to enhance dif ferent pathways of our brains. Me and Adam
triggered it?
all of this together.
spotlight / rob garza
have been friends for a while and are interested in exploring our passion for music and science which we hope will culminate in events bringing
Ones To Watch Text by Kacy Emmett
HOME IS WHERE THE HOUSE IS
Ian MacPherson // The Bixel Boys Ian MacPherson, DTLA resident and half of the DJ-duo Bixel Boys, co-founded the group in 2013 with sound savant Rob May. Since then, the Bixel Boys have been remixing classics with due diligence. For them, genre is a relative term. Their sets are idiosyncratic and improvisational, including everything from punk trap to Three 6 Mafia. On the sound spectrum, May and MacPherson have managed to master rhythm and range without getting stuck on repeat; and if nostalgia is your drug of choice, you’ll find the Boys to be perfect stand-ins for Walter Black (so the next time you find yourself in the throes of a TLC remix, be sure to thank them for taking you back). Beyond the rave scene, MacPherson is set on pursuing projects like #FREELIFE, the duo’s auxiliary apparel line. Clearly, the boys are out to remix the imperatives of their realm--all while making sure you break a sweat on the dance floor. If you haven’t already, pull the trigger and catch them at Coachella with a fresh catalogue of songs. Enjoy their genre-less devotion and remember: to label is futile; to worship, divine. Soundcloud.com/bixelxboys
THE REAL TEAL
Phoebe Ryan At 24, Phoebe Ryan can hang. The singer/songwriter is on the rise after her R.Kelly/Miguel mash-up exploded on YouTube; and with a full head of turquoise hair and a sound like Tove Lo, she has already earned considerable veneration. Ryan started out where all great rock babies are born: in a Grateful Dead cover band somewhere in Jersey. Since then, her collaborations with producer Kyle Shearer and songwriters like Nate Campany prove that Ryan knows how to rally a posse of musical game changers around her work. In touch with pop while also immersed in the indie scene, Ryan’s vocals span the rift between Top 40 tunes and alternative hits. We’re looking forward to her vocals on Mine, the new single she’s creating with Skizzy Mars. But all that other good stuff—an EP, tour dates, the festival circuit—will have to wait: right now, Ryan’s reign is in the studio. Soundcloud.com/phoeberyan
PLAN B
TeamMate Sonny and Cher, Gwen and Tony, Steve and Lindsay, Jack and Meg—these are just a handful of the unforgettable duos whose off-stage romantic drama led to potent creative inspiration. Now, add Dani and Scott to the list. After a decade together, drummer Dani Buncher and singer/keyboardist Scott Simons knew a thing or two about teamwork. But when Dani came out to her boyfriend, their plans for a lifelong partnership came to a screeching halt. Despite their changed relationship, a mutual affection for music helped the pair maintain emotional responsibility to one another: and as Scott explains, “If we couldn’t be partners, we were still going to be teammates.” From there, they each left their previous projects (Simons had played with pop-rock group The Argument, while Buncher had been a drummer for Big Hurry), and TeamMate was born. Throughout their indie-pop debut EP, The Sequel, Simons and Buncher chronicle the restructuring of their bond; and in addition to performing frequent shows across the country, the couple-turnedcreative duo has also toured in support of huge acts like One Republic and Skylar Grey. Just recently, TeamMate relocated to LA, marking the occasion with the release of their latest singles, “Don’t Count Me Out,” and “Until You Find Me” (which you can hear on heavy rotation at KIIS-FM). Catch their upcoming show on March 26th at the Bootleg Theater. Teammatetheband.com
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Request a tour and experience our brand new facilities and production suites today.
CLASSES BEGIN MARCH 30, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY
CHICKENSPEAK chickenspeak.com
C O LO R S I N L A colorsinla.com
E R I N M I TC H E L L lostangelesstreetart.tumblr.com
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R
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i Text by Vija Hodosy
Surrealist artist and ULTRAMAJIC co-founder Pilar Zeta transfixes us with themes of magic, interconnectedness, and extraterrestrial communication—and she doesn’t care if we get it.
California’s opulence has a reputation fit for a terrestrial paradise.
As Creative Director of ULTRAMA JIC, Zeta is charged with creating
Pilgrimage to Los Angeles is a cherished experience, attributable in part
provocative album covers for the record label’s releases. At first glance,
to celebrit y culture, and other spiritual phenomenon. For multi-media
the images strongly resemble album art from the late 1970’s and 1980’s:
ar tist and ULTRAMA JIC co-founder Pilar Zeta, however, relocation to
imagine Dark Side of the Moon’s suspended shapes, Patrick Nagel’s
West Holly wood was inspired by a different kind of star tour. Zeta’s visual
color palettes, and punctuated Stargate vibes. Operationally, Zeta’s main
examination of the Four th Dimension exposes a thriving awareness of
task is to “make sure ever y thing looks good and tight,” which includes
abstraction, fueled by the artist’s curiosity and intuition. Her mind-tilting
overseeing social media and branding. She runs ULTRAMA JIC with her
show, “Por tal to 4D Knowledge,” was just on view at the Standard
husband, co-founder, and creative partner, Jimmy Edgar. Together, they
Holly wood earlier this year; and in both her visual work and her ef for ts
have identified what they refer to as the “Four Pillars” of ULTRAMA JIC:
curating music for ULTRAMA JIC, Zeta strives to introduce colleagues
Fun, Fashion, Mystic and Magic. “We tr y to apply these [ideas] to
and communit y alike to the ver y “specific metaphysical and spiritual
ever y thing we do, and also in our lifest yles,” Zeta explains. “That is the
aesthetic” at the core not only of her creative personhood, but also of
main principle of the ULTRAMA JIC aesthetic, blending ideas of ar t,
her rising lifest yle brand.
metaphysics and a t wist of fun and fashion.”
artist / pilar zeta
“...It’s very much how I make my personal art as well; the symbolism is felt rather than studied and explained. Some people get it, some people don’t. I find that fascinating.” Edgar and Zeta are currently developing a limited edition fashion line
from her at-home librar y (a rich collection full of esoteric teachings on
for men and women, as well as an objects division to complement their
mind control, Egyptology, extra terrestrial contact, and herbalism), and
designs. Featured items will include a Law of One card deck, which Zeta
the burning of incense, which she describes as “a great way to stimulate
describes as being “ver y similar to generic tarot cards. [They have] the
the senses to be able to get more focused and relaxed.” These rituals,
same structure as the major arcana, but some of the teachings, meanings
together with dre am analysis, help Zet a align her conscious and
and symbols are slightly dif ferent.” She elaborates: “Ra is the sun god
subconscious conversations. As she puts it, the subconscious discussion
of Egypt. Ra is like the father of all Egyptian Gods and yes I definitely
is taking place in the meditative and abstract dreamscapes, and we can
love the sun.”
access them if we choose to focus our energies in that direction.
While Zeta’s interest in the metaphysical world is in some ways separate
According to Zeta, the altered states of meditation and dreaming are
from her branding work for ULTRAMA JIC, the t wo realms are by no
ide al for underst anding the intersectionalit y of surre alist ar t and
means mutually exclusive. “There are a few elements that tighten them
metaphysics. “Metaphysics and surrealism are both well connected
[the album covers] together, and they are mostly about some spiritual
because both are intangible elements that are present in our conscious
symbolism or some metaphysical concepts,” she says. “Some examples
and subconscious mind, both are very present in our interior [lives]. The
are spiri tual as c ension, higher dimensions, quantum phy sic s,
world of art is so closely related to the 4D astral world, because everything
extraterrestrial contact, and the Holographic Universe Principle.” While
is symbolic and nothing is fully formed unless by perspective, exactly
perhaps not the stuf f of common chitchat, these concepts do evoke
the same as how dreams work.” Zeta continues: “Dreams or meditation
universal, mystical notions pondered the world over— and par ticularly
are the best medium for this to be explored.” Zeta and Edgar construct
connected to the color ful histor y of spiritualism that exists here in
“Dream Temples” in their home — contemporary, DIY-versions of ancient
Southern California.
Egyptian Sleep Temples, structures designed to heal through banishing treatments, chanting, hypnosis, and cr ystals. Zeta also acknowledges
As a record label, ULTRAMA JIC would appear to be all about the music.
the usefulness of Ayauasca and other roots and herbs that can induce
For Zeta, however, music was more like a bridge to connect hers and
the altered states of mind she deems necessary for deep self-exploration.
Edgar’s creative ideas with other forms of media. “The music would
“Both Jimmy and I have found [that] the more we analyze [our] dreams,
other wise have nothing to do with our style of ar t,” she says. “It’s simply
the stranger the symbols get; we feel this is because the subconscious
by the idea that we have married the t wo that people accept it to be
is always trying to stay one step ahead to keep separate from the rational
one”— a notion that “really inspired us.” Zeta goes on to explain how
mind.” Zeta goes on to comment that she sometimes engages in the
one might prep oneself for traveling into their world, which they refer to
“highly controversial” practice of sungazing: “I stare at the sun for a few
as an “entirely new domain of existence:” “We refer to the concept of
minutes so I can get all the solar energy in my body.”
‘suspension of disbelief’ and apply it to ourselves. Whereas [other] people feel ever y thing fits together, we have just decided to put seemingly
Zeta exudes an infectious air of play fulness and overall positivit y.
unrelated ideas together.” The resultant “new domain,” is, as she
Ultimately, ULTRAMA JIC is about inclusion— and the experience is one
puts it, “more subconscious, and we let that guide us. It ’s ver y much
predicated on the interconnectedness of humanit y. “I believe we are all
how I make my personal ar t as well; the symbolism is felt rather than
telepathically connected,” Zeta explains. “Intention and meaning are
studied and explained. Some people get it, some people don’t. I find
ver y impor tant…I think people should take more responsibilit y for the
that fascinating.”
energ y they put out. YouTube comments are a good example: people leaving…vibes that will probably ring fur ther than they ever imagined.
Pilar Zeta, the ar tist, is a creature of rituals and migrations. “I’m used
Now, imagine if people understood this and took more responsibilit y for
to moving around,” she says. “It ’s par t of my creative process… the
it—the world could be so much bet ter.” In the end, Zeta says, she and
idea of change, starting from scratch, everything refreshed. It’s a nomadic
Edgar “want to bring people and ar t together, not make people feel as
state of mind…I’ve lived in Buenos Aires, Miami, Barcelona and Berlin.
though ar t is [for the] elite. I feel strongly that ever y person has the
Each place was a key point of my growing experience.” Her daily practices
potential of another—that we are equal.” •
include mediation as the first order of business, followed by readings
artist / pilar zeta
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mario hugo
Publisher’s Paradise Taschen’s Next Big Thing: The iconic art publisher sets up shop with a new gallery on Beverly Boulevard.
Text by Rachel Many
See if you can guess the common denominator here: Richard Neutra’s expansive architectural masterpieces, a giant collection of exquisitely illustrated butt photographs, a 700-page homage to the complete works of Michelangelo, a $15,000 tome eulogizing the life and career of famed boxer Muhammad Ali, and a vivid collection of photographs detailing Japan’s erotic underworld.
GA L L E RY TASCHEN
Give up? The answer is TASCHEN, the world’s most celebrated publisher of art books to date. Since 1980, TASCHEN has been cultivating an unparalleled selection of beautiful, original, and unpredictable art books—all with a signature nod to eccentricity. The publisher’s vast library of titles ranges in theme from gardening and Gaudi to Mid-century interiors and sex toys. Add the 11 TASCHEN bookstores already established worldwide, and it’s clear that the publishing house is pioneering a new path within the traditionally stuffy world of museum-inspired art books. So you can imagine our excitement when TASCHEN announced its newest addition—an expansive commercial gallery space right here in the heart of Los Angeles. We caught up with the team at TASCHEN to talk art, programming, and what lies ahead for their future in LA:
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You operate stores all over the world (and beautiful ones at that!). Why did you decide to launch a gallery in Los Angeles? We love Los Angeles, which is why we moved our main American of fice years ago from New York to here. And the galler y was an oppor tunity to show our excitement over the subjects of our books in a new way. The philosophy for us with our TASCHEN Galler y exhibitions and our current exhibition, Its Just A Shot Away—The Rolling Stones In Photographs, is, “the book – the show.” A lot of research goes into our titles and we come across a huge amount of interesting and unseen material and photographs. The TASCHEN Galler y gives us a chance to show this material—some of which is in our books and some of which isn’t—in a new environment. It is like a life-size supplement. Tell us a bit about the new LA space and location. It is a big space with good light and high ceilings. It ’s also located on one of the busiest intersections in Los Angeles…Crescent Heights and Beverly Blvd. When this was offered to us, we couldn’t say no. Any LA-based artists or book titles we should be keeping our eye on for the future? We…have already had discussions about the possibilities for our next L A-related shows. We will have an L A-focused show of some kind during our stay in the Galler y, absolutely. Aside from the exhibition space itself, will this new location also function as a bookstore? It will feature a small selection of our books related to the galler y programming. Take us through the process of curating a show. Is it at all similar to editing and printing an art book? Do you collaborate on artist exhibitions and/or selections? Our big book productions can take years from start to finish— often with ten or more people working on the project. During the process, we work ourselves through all major and unknown archives and of ten talk to fif ty-plus photographers. In essence, the groundwork [for the exhibition] has already been done, but we continue to work with the photographers and ar tists on selections throughout the curatorial process.
“WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE A PL ACE FOR ANGELENOS TO COME AND HANG.”
We understand the gallery will be setting up shop on Beverly Blvd. for the next two years. What are you most excited about for the future of the gallery?
Make sure to catch Taschen’s latest exciting and controversial exhibit Bizarre Life – The Indecent Obsessions of Elmer Batters and Eric Stanton, which features the foremost pioneers in the once-underground world of fetish art.
Q& A TASCHEN
We are excited to have a place for Angelenos to come and hang out, whether it is on their way to the museums or other places. The TASCHEN Galler y is a place to feel welcome while looking at ar t or photography, and hop efully it will continue to b e a destination…In the time we are doing shows here, we are excited for our TASCHEN fans to have a new place to visit, as well as [for] new people we haven’t had in our stores before to come in and see our galler y.
When the Clouds Part Renowned fine art and fashion photographer, Michele Laurita captures male model of the moment, Lucky Blue Smith, with a nineteenth century analog process.
Lucky Blue Smith @ Next Model Management
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designer stylist location
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WILLIA M B. JEANNINE BR ADEN T H E P O O D L E PA R LO R
Text by Lauren Westerfield “Can I offer you something? Some tea? Earl Grey?” Michele Laurita turns first to Dave Collyer, than to me. We’re standing in Laurita’s kitchen, taking turns petting Lilly, her behemoth of a Newfoundland, and watching as the renowned photographer pours herself a steaming mug against the backdrop of purple storm clouds leering down at us through the window. “It’s such perfect tea weather,” she adds, “…or wine weather” (this with a hearty laugh). “You know, I’m Italian; I’ve got to offer you guys something.” Drinks in hand, Collyer and I follow Laurita upstairs to her office—a refined yet lived-in space distinguished by blue velvet couches, myriad cushions, and serene views of the koi pond out back. Perhaps it’s Laurita’s warm, unaffected demeanor (she’s dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants, honey blond hair tossed up in a chignon); or maybe it’s the downpour threatening to break over our heads again as the day fades to dusk. Whatever the cause, we find ourselves eschewing the couches for the cozy, rug-strewn floor, where we proceed to sit, sprawl, and occasionally fight off Lilly’s amorous advances (“she loves Dave,” Michele explains when Lilly bounds upstairs to shower him with kisses) as we chat about Laurita and Collyer’s shared fascination with wet collodion photography. Given the combination of romantic intensity and sartorial direction evoked by their images for LA CANVAS, the moody-yet-elegant setting of our interview couldn’t be more apropos. Developed in the 1850’s, wet collodion was second only to the daguerreotype in terms of early photographic techniques, and remains virtually unchanged to this day. The process involves treating a glass or metal plate with collodion solution, and then with a silver nitrate bath that renders the solution sensitive to light. From there, the plate is exposed using an antique camera (Collyer has several ranging from original-era 1800’s models to more modern designs) before being treated with developer. For Laurita, a fashion photographer accustomed to shooting with Polaroid 809 film, wet collodion posed the perfect challenge: a similarly analog process, but one rendered in a completely different medium. “I’d never done a wet collodion, although I’d always been a fan,” Laurita explains. “I went looking out in the stratosphere for someone I could work with …I really wanted to do it with someone who loved the art form.” When she met Dave Collyer, Laurita says, she knew “immediately” that they would “gel.” Collyer, a surf photographerturned-tintype enthusiast, possessed the requisite technical knowledge and experience to complement Michele’s talent for lighting and astute fashion sensibility—along with a deep respect for her strengths as an artist. “I just sort of geek out on all of it,” Collyer says of the wet plate collodion process. “I like the cameras, I like mixing the chemistry and being involved in the handmade object from beginning to end. To this day, putting an image in the fixer, watching it appear—“ “—It’s so exciting,” Michele interjects. “For people who are at the photo shoot—the hair and makeup people, the stylists, the models or actors—when they see these kind of antiquity-type processes,
spotlight / lucky blue
it’s like ‘Wow…this is so badass.’” And no wonder. In today’s world of one-click iPhotos and endless Instagram feeds, Michele gets the sense that many onlookers “forgot about photography. They forgot about its insurgence.” But at the same time, this whole notion of “insurgence”—of artisanal technique, of tactile objects and rough edges—is making a comeback. Why? Perhaps, as Collyer says, it’s because processes like wet collodion are unflinchingly real. “There’s soul in there,” he says, noting the depth of Laurita’s images, the way they transform model and social media icon Lucky Blue into a character at once haunting and utterly human. “A lot of the time, because of the way this [process] is shot, it’s not, ‘give me this, give me ten looks;’ it’s ‘give me this one look and hold still.’” The slightest breath or twitch can ruin the shot—and as far as possible glitches go, that’s only the beginning. But for Laurita and Collyer, it’s the heightened stakes involved in wet collodion that make it so rewarding. “Silver is a reactor to light,” Laurita explains, “and when you expose it to certain levels of light…it does things that are kind of magical and different, even from what the eye sees.” Dave agrees, noting that the process is ideal for upending his plans and inviting him, instead, to discover something new. “No single image is the same,” he says. “And in this case, the detail’s not just pixels; it’s silver atoms. To imagine that we’re painting and drawing with silver, in that photograph, to me, still puts me in awe.” Michele nods in agreement as he continues. “Part of the beauty is its imperfections… over time…as you shoot throughout the day, as temperatures change, as your gloves get dirty…these chemical reactions happen, and it leaves aberrations.” He points to the signature swirls that often occur around the edges of the plates. “Your happy fuck-ups,” Michele adds, with a grin. Dave smiles wide. “You can print that.” “We encourage you to print that!” Michele laughs, clasps her hands, and leans back into a pile of pillows. Happy fuck-ups, indeed. Of course, with such a motto, wet plate collodio isn’t for everyone. Moving forward, Dave says, he and Michele are trying to “find the right designer or application or look or story that makes sense for us,” one that is suited to this particular aesthetic. Michele envisions a couture campaign, something that will turn the fashion world upside-down: “Zac Posen, Alexander McQueen, Hugo Boss…” For a moment, she appears lost in thought; and watching her, it’s easy to see wet collodion as a kind of physicalization of the creative process—as inspiration made manifest. Night has fallen; and for now, the next big Laurita-Collyer collaboration remains a mystery. But if anything is clear, it’s that sooner or later—and maybe just when you thought the whole thing had slipped away—something new will burst forth. Like Dave says about each plate in the fixer: “This cloud kind of rests on top, like a storm on the sea…and then, it just parts.”
Gallery Openings LAUREN BON AND METABOLIC STUDIO | The Catch The Hammer Museum • March 8 th - May 10 th For this project, Bon and the Metabolic Studio’s Sonics and Optics Divisions will saturate the gallery with deep aural impressions, triggering both a physical sensation in viewers and a visual response as shadow waves sweep across the gallery floor, a cascading reflection of the water lens suspended above visitors’ heads. hammer.ucla.edu
ART AND TECHNOLOGY AT LACMA, 1967-1971 LACMA • March 14 th - October 18 th This installation features photographs, correspondence, and ephemera documenting the original Art and Technology Program at LACMA that ran from 1967 to 1971. A&T paired artists with corporations in the areas of aerospace, scientific research, and entertainment, leading to ambitious projects shown at the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan. Artists include Oyvind Fahlstrom, Newton Harrison, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Serra, Tony Smith, Andy Warhol, and Robert Whitman. lacma.org KALEIDOSCOPE | Abstraction In Architecture Christopher Grimes Gallery • March 21 st - May 16 th Opening Reception: Saturday, March 21st at 6 pm This exhibition brings together artists from various backgrounds as they engage with the languages of abstraction and architecture using a diverse range of media. Included in the exhibition are works by Kevin Appel, Carlos Bunga, Gianfranco Foschino, Veronika Kellndorfer and Lucia Koch. cgrimes.com
STURTEVANT | Double Trouble MOCA • March 21 st - July 27 th The first comprehensive American survey of Sturtevant’s 50-year career showcases some of the artist’s most iconic work. Beginning with her renditions of works by Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol, the exhibition reveals how Sturtevant turned the visual logic of Pop Art back on itself, probing at the workings of art history in real time and exploring ideas of originality, authorship, and the interior structures of art and image culture. moca.org
BERNARD PIFFARETTI | Moving Pictures Cherry and Martin Gallery • April 2 nd - May 3 rd Opening Reception: Thursday, April 2nd at 6 pm Piffaretti’s highly recognizable method involves dividing the canvas with a vertical line, painting an abstract image on one half, and then copying that same image onto the other. His work manages to retain both the physical and optical experience of standing in front of a painting, dismantling and replicating it at the same time. cherryandmartin.com
ROBERT KUSHNER | Patois Offramp Gallery • April 12 th - May 17 th Opening Reception: Sunday, April 12th from 2-5 pm Encompassing over 40 works, this exhibition juxtaposes broad bands of gold leaf and gestural painted flowers with ephemera, including ancient texts, musical scores, book covers, end papers, postage stamps, and illustrations. Kushner creates an exotic garden woven from many languages that ultimately speaks in one, unique voice. offrampgallery.com
LIGHT, PAPER, PROCESS | Reinventing Photography The Getty Center • April 14 th - September 7 th At a time when digital technologies offer increasingly sophisticated options for producing, storing, and disseminating images, a number of artists have turned their attention to exploring the essence of photography. All employ a variety of darkroom techniques that shift our understanding of photography from a medium that accurately records the world to one that revels in its own materials and processes. getty.edu
Get more of LA’s best openings at
LACANVAS.COM
n Phot o graphy
we are the rhoads Model
hannah glasby @ ford models St y ling
marissa peden
H air
karina vega M ake - Up
marissa machado @ celestine agency
Ret ou ching
josh fredman
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sweater & dress PA R I D E S A I
earring U N E A RT H E N
shoes
PHILIP LIM
socks WOLFORD
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knit dress
GRANT KNITS
FOR LOVE
&
body suit LEMONS
socks WOLFORD
sweatshir t C A RV E N
leather pants VEDA
tie
STYLIST’S OWN
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knit dress
PA R I D E S A I
bra XIRENA
tights WE LOVE COLOR
sweatshirt
RYA N R O C H E T O P
jacket ACNE
dress CHLOE
gaspar gloves PHILIP LIM
shoes
HUE SOCKS
suit
V I N TA G E
suit
V I N TA G E
coat FOR LOVE AND LEMONS
suit
V I N TA G E
coat FOR LOVE AND LEMONS
knit dress
PA R I D E S A I
bra XIRENA
tights WE LOVE COLOR
Flip It & Reverse It
Text by Erin Dennison photography stylist hair
DEREK YUEN
grooming model
YO S H I N O
J U L I E T VO
J E FFR E Y B AU M
J O S H B E E C H @ N E X T M O D E L M A N AG E M E N T
An unconventional come up: En Noir caught the eye of fashion icons like Kanye West and A$AP Rocky even before the streetwear brand established an online store.
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Q&A with En Noir’s Rob Garcia
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from world-renowned accounts like Barneys, the Webster, Riccardi, Patron of the New, and Church. Those kinds of cosigns from respected retailers helped push the brand even more. The brand’s trajector y was a direct result of all the people that suppor ted and believed in us. En Noir expertly combines both the concept and utility of streetwear with the nuance and quality control of couture. What’s your brand’s alchemy when it comes to marrying the two genres? And is this formula flexible? Well, En Noir is about blurring the lines bet ween high-end fashion and street st yle. I come from street wear, so that ’s always in my design DNA. But using superior materials and quality construction are what gives it [the brand] the high-end feel. It ’s not one or the other; it ’s the center of t wo worlds colliding. When I set out with En Noir, it was more of an exercise or project. It wasn’t planned. It just organically happened. And then, from there, you saw things get emulated and it kind of got out of control with what people thought was the “formula.” Glad that has calmed down now. What’s your relationship to trend? I’m pret t y much out of touch with what ’s in trend. I see it—but I see it as what to stay away from. I’m more about keeping things minimal and focusing on the key ingredients in what makes an essential staple-t ype piece bet ter than the next. When you get caught up with “staying-in-
To make it as a successful street wear designer, it helps, of course, to
with-what ’s-in-trend,” then you lose brand identit y.
receive a few highly-respected cosigns. But even then, it can take years
for a brand to find its visual “voice”—let alone to catch substantial hype.
How do you make your mark on high-end basics without logo noise?
This was not En Noir’s roadmap. After his stylist caught wind of the label
It ’s about taking the time and having the passion to go out there and
on Instagram, Kanye West—the most potent of all sartorial endorsements,
source the bet ter materials in order to have the noise of the piece shine
and no stranger to leather pants—star ted publicly rocking the brand’s
through the details …the ingredients that make up that piece. It ’s a
pieces before En Noir had even established a web store. Two high-profile
dif ferent kind of sound when you make noise with logos on ever y piece
‘ Ye music videos (I Wish You Would with DJ Khaled and Birthday
compared to the noise you make with the details. It ’s conveyed through
Song with 2 Chainz) and a few additional fans (A$AP Rocky and Lebron
the st yle and aesthetic of the person wearing it, too.
James) later, the design house found itself thoroughly immersed in
the hypebeast pit— and faced with both the esteem, and the many
How do you execute the perfect tee?
production hurdles, that come with the territor y.
Most people think the tee is just a basic piece and doesn’t require too much execution. But a lot goes into pat tern work in order to get the
Rob Garcia was up for the challenge. The designer, who cut his teeth
“per fect fit.” Sourcing a superior fabric that a person can feel and
at fellow L A street wear brand Black Label, linked up with his trusted
gravitate to is important. It has to hit on more senses than just what they
coconspirator, rapper and fashion icon Cur t@in$, and dove into their
see visually when the tee is hanging on the rack. I think even though
collaborative ende avor he ad first. Fe aturing luxe materials, acute
the tee is one of the most basic pieces, it will always be something that
at tention to detail, and a consistent, thought fully relaxed fit, En Noir
I’ll continue to obsess over.
quickly refined their nuanced ae sthetic and pro duced an entire thanks to suppor t from major doors like Barneys, The Webster, and
Will leather always be a staple for En Noir? Who dictates this: the kids, the cosign, your intuition, or your personal style?
Church, the in-demand brand swif tly found its footing.
Leather is timeless. But it ’s also a material that has to be used in
collection. Their trajector y was dizzying; but retailers ponied up, and
moderation. You can’t go walking around in leather from head to toe. We c aught up with Garcia to discuss the impor t ance of high / low
Leather got out of control for a bit, but it will always be a classic material
balance, En Noir’s relationship to trend, logo noise, and the formula
when used properly in pieces. En Noir will continue to source the best
behind the per fect tee.
leather and work on giving it a special feel or look to set it apar t from the lackluster le ather used by some who are just going through the motions.
What was En Noir’s initial trajectory like? How’d you get the hype before the accounts? Initial trajector y was insane. Never could have planned such a thing. It
Whom do you look to for inspiration, and how do you keep it organic and continuous?
helped to have such an influential person as Kanye be the first to wear
I’m ver y specific when it comes to what I’m inspired by. I’m not the t ype
the brand publicly. And from there, we were ambitious and pushed hard
to be inspired by ever y thing. For me, it ’s from someone that I love and
to make noise in ever y aspect we could with the brand. We swung for
respect, or something that af fects my most detailed senses. I am
the fences ever y chance we got. And we learned a lot of tough lessons.
aware of the feeling, so when it comes, it takes over my senses and
Sometimes, when things are moving that fast, you lose sight of the
I’m vulnerable to it. I make sure I keep record of it somehow. I tr y to
fundamentals because you’re caught up in the moment of tr ying to do
make sure I’m constantly learning and open to inspiration in whatever
things so big and grand. We were ver y blessed to have amazing suppor t
form it arrives. •
designer / en noir
photography stylist hair
DEREK YUEN
grooming model
YO S H I N O
J U L I E T VO
J E FFR E Y B AU M
J O S H B E E C H @ N E X T M O D E L M A N AG E M E N T
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Schott Through the Heart An American Original Since 1913
T H E A M E R I C A N A AT B R A N D / www.schottnyc.com 112 Caruso Avenue, Glendale, CA 91210
Back in 1913, Irving and Jack Schot t star ted making raincoats in a Lower East Side basement. Soon af ter, the brother’s expanded into various facets of outer wear, making histor y by being the first to put a zipper on a coat. 25 years later, the duo imagined and produced the world’s first leather motorcycle jacket. At the height of America’s fascination with the subculture, the Perfecto® became a symbol of the biker’s love for adventure, freedom, and rebellion. Throughout the twentieth century, Schott NYC established their influence across the scope of popular culture. From W WII bomber jackets commissioned by the US Air Force and Melton wool naval pea coats, to the iconic branding of Marlon Brando, James Dean, Joan Jet t, and The Sex Pistols, the revolutionar y brand is as deeply seeded in the “bad boy” persona as the leather jacket itself. Today, Schott NYC is still owned and operated by the third and fourth generations of the family, who still manufacture most of their clothing here in the States. This season, Schot t will open their West Coast flagship store at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, the second retail spot for the 100 -year-old family business.
sponsored / schott nyc
A Matter of Time Shinola: The American-made accessories brand opens its first West Coast location in Silverlake.
photography
JOHN MICHAEL FULTON
make up
/ photo assistant JOE GUNWAN / styling MICHELLE TOMASZEWSKI / model MIRIAM @ FREEDOM MODELS
AMY STROZZI
Text by Erin Dennison
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“Silverlake felt like a natural choice. We chose Silverlake because the community embraces the arts and authentic brands. Each month, we have a variety of community-related events that happen in the store....” Ethical, domestic production is a ver y big idea these days. Unfor tunately,
design courses, including watch and bike design, as well as digital marketing.
it ’s also a term thrown around all too of ten in the world of manufacturing—
We’ve also hired a handful of students out of those programs. The insights
generally with stunted authenticit y. Some products are falsely touted as
and fresh perspectives we receive from the students have been invaluable.”
“American made;” others are produced in the U.S., sure —but at the cost of
It was this appetite for education that led the brand down a path of innovation.
safe working conditions and livable wages. Shortly after setting up shop in Detroit, Shinola teamed up with Swiss-based And then, of course, there are companies like Shinola. The Motor Cit y star t-
Ronda to help assemble a factor y and train workers. The idea to produce
up began with a primar y focus: to manufacture qualit y goods on U.S. soil.
bicycles dawned on them inadver tently, when employees purchased bikes
A tall order given the current climate of globalization and of fshore, er,
to serve as in-store props intended to drive home the concept of lifest yle
“discounts.” But armed with patriotic ideals and unwavering integrity, Shinola
identit y. Shinola’s creative team realized that bicycles were an analogous
founder Tom Kar tsotis and chief executive of ficer Steve Brock saw around
addition to the brand: bikes, like watches, require acute precision and
the corners. With a little teamwork and a heap of vision, Shinola has succeeded
master ful skill to create an elegant, functional product. Four years later, the
in conceptualizing and constructing t wo of the most intricate lifest yle
company is producing approximately 5 0 0,0 0 0 watches ever y year— and
accessories—watches and bicycles— responsibly, domestically, and at an
they’ve just opened a seventh brick and mor tar.
af fordable price point. Turns out, it ’s not only possible, but downright profitable to set up shop right here at home.
Shinola’s first West Coast flagship sits at 3515 Sunset Blvd., just across the street from Millie’s Café. The 1,10 0 square-foot space showcases the brand’s
“Detroit is a cit y of heritage and of global recognition. It is a brand unto
dedication to thought ful, minimalist principles, with generous natural light
itself. There’s a lot of energy there, and it’s one of the most culturally vibrant
and lof t y ceilings. E xposed wooden beams, but ter y leather chairs, and
cities,” explains Shinola’s head of marketing Bridget Russo. Of course, the
industrial accents add a trademark touch. The store’s aesthetic per fectly
cit y’s legacy has been fraught in recent years with a shrunken population
complements the neighborhood; and sure enough, the decision to post up
and notorious financial woes. Never theless, Shinola was willing to bet that
in Silverlake was no accident. Bridget Russo elaborates: “When customers
folks would pay a higher premium for authenticit y. Detroit ’s reputation as
come to Shinola, we want to give them a unique shopping experience.
an industrial leader remained in tact despite bad press; and although Kartsotis
Silverlake felt like a natural choice. We chose Silverlake because the
and his team considered several different locations, they ended up establishing
communit y embraces the ar ts and authentic brands. Each month, we have
their headquar ters inside the College for Creative Studies, a design school
a variet y of communit y-related events that happen in the store, such us
housed within an original ar t deco building in midtown Detroit. The space
workshops on let ter pressing, or jam-making with local makers.”
was big, clean, and rich with untapped resources—the students. Russo continues, “Shinola is built on collaboration. From the star t, we sponsored
store / shinola
Welcome to the neighborhood, guys. •
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store / shinola
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store / shinola
model behavior
Chelsea Tyler Interview by Zarna Surti From the drawn in hear ts on her vintage Levi’s to that signature smile, Chelsea Tyler had us hooked from the second we met her. She also happens to be one of the coolest girls on the scene —she’s one-half of the electro-soul duo Kaneholler, her dad is rock royalt y (ahem, Steven Tyler), and she’s planning a wedding with her fiancé & bandmate, Jon Foster. You can find the duo rolling around Venice in a “busted up old Yamaha scooter that ’s literally duck taped together” or hit ting up their favorite diner for “the best meal ever, and it ’s only $ 4.” We sat down with the infectious singer to talk about how it all star ted, tour life, and all things electro-soul.
Chelsea Tyler (+ jon foster) P H O T O G R P A H E R Kat Borchart H A I R + M U A Brittany Sullivan S T Y L I N G Hillary Comstock
MODEL
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White Caftan — Ostine Collective
model behavior / chelsea tyler
Black Dress — Stone Cold Fox ‘Boston Wrap Dress’
HOMETOW N
FAV E . P L A C E I N L A
SPIRIT ANIMAL
Z ODI AC SIGN
HEELS OR K ICK S?
GU I LT Y P L E A S U R E
Boston, MA
Venice
Cheshire Cat
Pisces
Kicks
Netflix
Q&A with Chelsea Tyler
How would you describe your sound? Electro-soul. It ’s blues and soul mixed with electronic music. I grew up listening to Et ta James and Billie Holiday—the really old school stuf f— but then he does the electronic stuf f. We got really excited about mixing those things, so we star ted put ting soulful melodies over big beats. You guys met in New York, but you live in LA. Do you prefer the east coast or west coast? I’m so split. I feel like right now in my life, I prefer the west coast. But I always feel more at home back in Boston, but there’s like five feet of snow there right now, so….yeah [laughs].
What does a typical day look like for you?
Why did you guys change from badbad to Kaneholler?
The craziest thing about making music is that you live so many dif ferent
There were a few bands called badbad. We star ted get ting confused
lives—touring life is so dif ferent than writing life. Since we’re preparing
because we posted our first EP on iTunes and Spotif y and we got mixed
for our next tour, it ’s waking up late and rehearsing all day.
in with another band—it just got too complicated. We wanted to find
We heard you just went on tour with The Ting Tings! How was it?
something that was more unique.
We just went out with them for a week—it was our first tour and they
What does KANEHOLLER mean?
were awesome. Their show is fucking amazing—they’re electric on stage
I have family in southern Oklahoma with a farm and they have a bamboo
and their audience is really cool, so we just hit it of f. Also, they invited
forest there. Kane comes from switch cane, which is the type of bamboo,
us to go out on their spring tour! It ’s a full U.S. tour— 6 weeks star ting
and holler is old southern slang for down yonder. We picked it because
in March, loaded up in a van.
it didn’t exist online and it felt more rooted.
How is it being holed up in a van with your fiancé?
Tell me about putting out your album in three volumes.
It’s really fucking fun. I grew up on tour with my dad and his band—they
When we first star ted, we were just making music and it changed form
were five dudes and they had their women, so it was just complicated.
ver y quick— at first it was chill and groov y, and as we kept going and
Get ting everyone together to make decisions or do any thing, it was such
playing live, we realized that playing the more upbeat dance stuff is more
a process. With Jon it ’s easy—we can talk about any thing. Being in a
fun for ever ybody—it ’s more exciting to write, it ’s more exciting to play,
relationship helps be honest in the band and being in the band helps
and you get a bet ter response from the audience. So we star ted going
the relationship because you can’t have any bullshit. You have to be
in that direction. Then when it came time, we had t welve songs we loved
upfront with each other and direct.
and we wanted to group them together in album, but they just really
didn’t fit together. So we broke it into three sections. In the beginning
So what happened first? The band or the relationship?
it ’s super chill, in the middle it picks up, and the last one we just put
The relationship! A friend introduced us in New York in 2011—it was
out is our newer dance stuf f.
totally a setup, which I had never had happen to me before. I was living in Boston at the time and I started modeling in New York on the weekends.
What’s up next?
I was literally taking the Fung Wah Bus from Boston to NYC every weekend.
We’re playing South By Southwest, which is really exciting. We just found out three days ago we’re doing the tour, so we’re revamping the show
In the first couple weeks of hanging out, Jon star ted playing me music
and stepping it up. Also, we’re get ting married in June, so we have a lot
he’d made —he had a huge reper toire of music and I was blown away. I
of stuf f going on. We’re just doing a really small lit tle dinner par t y. So I
star ted singing over it and the whole thing was just really natural.
guess we’ll have to plan a wedding when this tour is over!
FIR ST A LBUM YOU EV ER OB SES SED OV ER
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
model behavior / chelsea tyler
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T H I N G S Y O U C A N ’ T L I V E W/O
my iPhone, notebook, and a cozy sweater
B E S T P L AC E YO U ’ V E E V E R P E R F O R M E D?
The Troubadour
Jon + Chelsea Outfits— Both Models’ Own
issue
model behavior / chelsea tyler
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Trend Han Cholo $250
Supreme $268
Digby & Iona $280
Chippewa $330
Held in Common $345
Palatines $370
The Native Ring
Faribault Box Logo Blanket
Eyes & Stars Signet
L acer Boots
Bucket Bag
‘Paratus’ High Vamp Wedge
Zara $149
Mokuyobi Threads $152
Maison Kitsune $164
Bridge & Burn $165
Collarless Double-sided Coat
Dream Bag
Jungle S/S Shir t
Wood & Faulk Camp Stool
Prospective Flow $120
James Lavelle x Azzi Glasser $121
Hand Dyed Tote Bag
Build & Destroy Scent
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Ben Sherman $90
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M-Piu $94
Modern Calligraphy Kit
Snow flake
East wood Fedora
Embroidered Bug Polo Shir t
Rich Band Crop Crew
Pen Rollcase
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I Love Ugly $69
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Clutch
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Topman $40
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Yield Design Co. $44
Chatam Chill Slipper
Wide Brim Bowler
Leather Optics Case
The Collective Quarterly $25
Zara $26
Bridge & Burn $29
Juniper Ridge $30
L&K Footwear $30
Issue 1: Absaroka
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June Linen Skir t
Sierra Granite Trail Soap
Mag gie02
Lush Cosmetics $6
Arborist $7
Baggu $9
Knock Out $10
Great Bear Wax Co. $10
Richard Poorer $12
Standard Pizza Bag gu
Calamine Nail Polish
Mustache Wax 1oz
Socks
e f f icie nt
Maybelle Imasa $60
Space Girl Bath Bomb
Cable Socks
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Matrix Buttero Boots $415 Patent Calfskin Shoes
The Knottery $528
Thom Browne $591
Schott NYC $735
Shinola $925
Shinola $1,950
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From the Ground Up Evan Funke
The origins of his stor y evoke images of another world. An older one, perhaps; one that you've read about in books. A sepia-toned world where his hands are the tools of his trade. A world that involves tight kitchens and thick-fingered women sweating over pasta, slaps to the face, and threats of bodily harm. A life that progresses, naturally, to Italy: where we find him gorging on pasta and learning how to make it from a brother and sister in the hear t of Bologna. The pursuit of pasta is intrinsic to the stor y of Evan Funke, just as it seems inherent to the success of his restaurant, Bucato. In a few shor t years, he has gone from novice to master at nearly break-neck speed. Towering in stature, Funke has deep blue eyes through which he seems to filter ever y nuance of the world around him. His voice is calm, inviting, a subtle baritone. He seems to choose his words carefully; and when he speaks, it's hard not
Text by Megan Hughes
to pay at tention. Based on our first impressions, it seems fair to say that Evan Funke would make a ver y successful preacher.
Chef Evan Funke of Bucato is a culinary purist, who celebrates ingredients, practices generosity, and can appreciate a little fear.
His cloth, however, is a blue apron. His religion is his food. His gospel is hospitalit y, and his congregation is a mixed group of dedicated patrons and employees. There is something genuine and magnanimous about Evan. Recently, he
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helped a beloved local farmer sur vive the drought by giving the entire
Spencer at Windrose [Farms], that guy will melt your fucking brain. He’s
proceeds of an evening at the restaurant to the farm. Evan executed his
into the biological aspect of how plants are actually farmed. How the plants
plan quickly and quietly, without fanfare. He gathered a couple of his chef
are the farmers."
friends, and together they spent the night cooking as usual. By closing time, they had raised over $10,0 0 0.
By his own definition, Funke lives his life organically. "If things are messy, then things are messy. I think that's why I love the market so much." He
Funke is a man deeply moved by his passions, one who steps back to take
began going to the Santa Monica Farmers Market back when he was at
stock and respect the world around him. This is especially evident when
Rustic Canyon. "I began to ask questions, and I began to understand the
discussing his approach to food. "It's kind of like an upside down pyramid,
impor tance of cooking specifically with what ’s in front of you. I'd go to the
only the ver y last thing is the plate,” he says. “And ever y thing is funneled
market and I’d understand why Italians place so much emphasis on soil
into it."
and on the people who are growing in it. That's why I'm the mayor over there." He echoes a friend’s remark and smiles puckishly. "No, really. I
He pauses, his hands moving as if to mold the imager y of his words. "But
love that market. That market is my fucking joy in life."
ever yone focuses…on its finished product, on its cost. Not a lot of people focus on this" (meaning the rest of the pyramid). "On the farmers, the
It ’s easy to believe him. Perhaps because he also knows pain: he cut his
workers, the transpor tation, the fuel, the weather, the soil content, the
teeth in the kitchens of Wolfgang Puck—kitchens where he learned from
water content. But it's all of that. It ’s filled with all of that information…
"knife-wielding pirates." "Ever y single day, I lived with fear and love in the
and the plate.”
same space. When I came up, I feared yet loved my mentor. And when I feared him, I feared him like almight y fucking God. But I loved him. I still
"Using the terroir of the vegetables and the fruits, that's what inspires me."
love him. I actually think that aspect is…lost…in the culinar y world now."
He continues, excitement seeping into his voice. "And I’m just scratching
Lost, Evan believes, because "I just don't think that in the culinary community
the sur face. I’m a total fucking amateur. If you talk to people like Bill
we're producing those t ypes of cooks anymore. Because we fear get ting
chef / evan funke
“Hell, my mentor beat the shit out of me. And he also taught me the fundamentals: how to run a kitchen, how to be a man, how to be a gentleman, and how to be a great cook.” sued or stepping on someone's toes. But back when I began? Hell, my
learned to make pasta. He signed on at a family-run pasta school with
mentor beat the shit out of me. And he also taught me the fundamentals:
an over whelming majorit y of female students. "Men don't make pasta in
how to run a kitchen, how to be a man, how to be a gentleman, and how
Italy,” he explains. “The ladies get together on Sunday and gather around
to be a great cook."
the table and listen to music and chitchat and gossip and make pasta. And the men just hang out outside, drinking wine."
He pauses before adding, in a tone heav y with rueful hindsight, "In my mind, I actually lef t a lit tle too early."
In Bologna, Evan says, "I found my true calling…Nobody knew me… there were no pre-requisites for who I should be." This made way Evan
The impetus to leave came, quite literally, on the heels of an accident.
to discover the chef he would be —the pasta maestro he is today. For
Evan suf fered a burst varicose vein one night during dinner ser vice,
six hours a day, week af ter week, he made ever y dif ferent t ype of pasta
remaining on the line and ignoring the blood seeping through a hackneyed
imaginable. No extruders, no equipment—just his hands, and his time.
duct tape bandage until the end of his shif t. Af ter wards, he was unable to walk, and eventually needed surger y to repair the damage. Recover y
This simplicit y is a tradition he now carries on at his own restaurant.
came with a period of forced bed rest— and subsequently, Evan’s
Bucato sits on a quiet stretch of Washing ton Boulevard, at the far end
depar ture from the Wolfgang Puck team.
of the old Helms Baker y complex. In a long, sparse lof t that sits above Bucato's main dining room, Evan hand-mixes and refines the restaurant’s
In his own words, Evan is a teacher at hear t. As such, he remained
signature dough. The space feels like a sanctuar y, bathed in natural
fascinated with his own education af ter the accident. Still, par t of him
light. The wooden tabletops are pristine. Flour lies patiently in tall bins,
was destroyed. "I had given ever y thing that I possibly could. I felt that
waiting for its chance in the spotlight.
I had let my mentor down,” he says. But giving up was not an option. Thus, he re-engaged, and talked his way into a Chef de Cuisine position
Evan is quick to at tribute much of Bucato’s success to the streng th of
at a hotel in Los Angeles. It was there that he met a chef, born in Bologna,
his crew. "I think I allow the cooks to be themselves," he says. As for his
whom Evan says "really, really knew how to make pasta." He recalls the
food, "It's either good or it's not. There's no hiding behind it." Perhaps
hotel, on the other hand, with a string of lively adjectives best omit ted
it's this attitude that most clearly defines Evan Funke: a simple, honorable
here. Suf fice is to say, it was a horrendous experience; so he moved
approach to pasta and hospitalit y. "There's just pure fucking love here.
for ward once again, this time finding his Eden in Italy.
There is integrit y and there is truth. And that's what we put into our food. It's how we define ourselves." •
It was there, in Bologna, for three months and 1,0 0 0 euros, that Evan
chef / evan funke
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A Different Tune Kris Yenbamroog’s latest restaurant, Night + Market Song, serves up tradition with a few unexpected twists.
Text by Megan Hughes In a town filled with Botox, gluten-free menus, endless supplies of
restaurants several times over the last few months, we’re happy to
fresh pressed juice, and myriad other anti-aging solutions, it’s
report that the accolades don’t appear to be going to Yenbamroong’s
refreshing to witness the maturation of something for a change.
head. Night + Market is still the same funky place we fell in love
Enter Kris Yenbamroong and his current culinary darling, Night +
with; only now, the “party wings”—those wonderfully sticky yet
Market Song. Everything about Yenbamroong’s new eatery signals
perfectly balanced crowd pleasers that won us over in the first
evolution, from the name to the location. The original Night +Market
place—can be found on both sides of town.
is located (literally) under the same roof as Talésai, Yenbamroong’s parent’s classic Thai restaurant in West Hollywood. Song, however,
Speaking of which, let’s talk about the food. Song’s coconut rice
is located on the exact opposite end of town.
could serve as both a dessert and an entire meal on its own. Simple and subtle, it achieves just the right undertone of sweetness,
From there, the subtle differences just keep stacking up. Night +
reminiscent of freshly cut grass. Not only that, the dish also makes
Market Song is no replica of it’s Westside sister: and while the food,
for a much-needed palate cleanser (aka life saver!) depending on
flavors, and eclectic decor are all kind of familiar, they combine to
which entrée and spice level you’re enjoying alongside. Yenbamroon’s
create a sense of something a bit more grown up.
menu features fragrant, juicy meat dishes and thick, rich curries:
N I G H T + M A R K E T S O N G / nightmarketla.com 3322 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
everything seems decadent. The pricing, however, is not, especially From the curries to the clientele, Night + Market Song boasts a
when you consider that most dishes are designed for sharing. That
variety of eye-catching new additions. A quick scan of the menu
said, when it comes to the incredible and widely acclaimed blood
(peppered with descriptors like “stinky,” “blood,” and “wild”) is
soup, we recommend ordering your own (it’s that good).
enough to clue diners in to the restaurant’s edgy yet playful vibe— one that seems fitting given the surrounding Silver Lake
With spice levels that fly off the charts and offerings including
neighborhood, where Song opened its doors early last year. Since
everything from bugs to bile infusions, Night + Market Song might
then, the locals have thoroughly embraced Yenbamroong’s bright,
not seem like a smart choice for the faint of heart. But we’d urge
colorful space and unconventional menu. Night + Market Song
you to give it a try. Get inside, look around the brightly lit space,
remains packed almost every night, and now offers lunch service
and observe your fellow diners. Watch as they enjoy their food,
to accommodate additional diners.
eyes rolling back in ecstasy, sweat beading their foreheads, and take comfort: you’re still smack-dab in the middle of Los Angeles.
And then, there’s the matter of spice. Whether Kris Yenbamroong
You’re eating a meal cooked for you at the hands of a guy who’s
is a masochist, or a true lover of pungent scents and flaming spices,
done this before—and done it well; a guy whose family, in fact,
is still a little unclear. What is obvious, though, is that he’s staying
does it too. Take a seat, settle in; and as we do with all good
true to his vision—and enjoying the ride, wherever it leads. So far,
things here in make-believe town, we invite you to suspend your
Night + Market Song has been something of a media favorite,
disbelief. Because therein lies the beauty of “Night +Market Song”:
featured in Los Angeles Magazine and reviewed by Jonathan Gold
it’s exotic, sure—but in a way, it’s also just a grown-up take on tried
of the Los Angeles Times, to name a few. But having visited both
and true tradition.
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Let it Linger Bar Director Gabriella Mlynarczyk shows us how to leave a lasting impression at Santa Monica’s Cadet.
Text by Vi Nguyen A palatable cocktail is easy to make. A memorable one? Not so
interpretation, and finally, Gabby’s unique take. The list serves as
much. But at Cadet, Santa Monica’s new French-inspired restaurant,
a playground for thoughtful gems and house made inventions, like
bar director Gabriella Mlynarczyk just might have it down.
Gaby’s delightfully sweet and salty candied olives, smoked salt, or syrup infused with both floral and bitter touches thanks to a dose
Beginning service late last year, Cadet is a rustic eatery helmed by
of IPA hops.
Chef Kris Tominaga (Hart & Hunter) and Jeff Weinstein (Freddy Smalls, The Counter). With tradition running deep in its founders’
Sure, we’ll have a little of everything.
DNA, Cadet stands in stark contrast to Gaby’s prior home, Michael Voltaggio’s Ink—the Beverly Grove establishment known for prizing
The French Margarita is vibrant on the palate, unfolding with the
knowledge of molecular gastronomy over classic technique. When
mild herbal aroma of yellow chartreuse, the slight bite of red bell
I ask Gaby about this dramatic shift, she’s quick to tell me that,
pepper, lemon, smoked salt and firewater bitters for an appropriately
despite their differences, both restaurants have granted her equal
Angeleno-inspired synthesis of flavors. It’s no surprise to learn that
free reign in the assemblage of her cocktail menu.
this concoction is also by far the most popular drink on the menu.
C A D E T / cadetsm.com 2518 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA
Another favorite: The 22, a reworked Penicillin made with scotch, Still, as many artists and creatives will tell you, absolute free reign
black pepper, honey, ginger, and smoked sage. It’s wonderfully
can be terrifying. In this case, Gaby has created her own parameters
fragrant; and watching Gaby light the sage in the dimly lit space
to kick start artistic inspiration, born out of respect for the chef’s
feels something like receiving a private audience with a magician.
rustic menu and enhanced by her experience with avant-garde mixology. The results are extraordinary, at once innovative and
And then there’s my surprise favorite of the evening, a vodka cobbler
distinguished by an elegant subtlety. Cadet’s cocktails are perfumed
labeled the ‘Old Bet’. The drink arrives blushing a beautifully rosy
and lingering, rather than bursting at the seams. Indeed, as Gaby
hue, garnished with a sprig of fennel and accompanied by another
explains, her drinks are structured like fragrances—layered and
of Gaby’s ingenious creations: delightfully sweet and savory candied
deftly composed with top notes, heart/middle notes, and base notes
olives. Sip and you’ll find vodka acts as a clean canvas for some
to provide the imbiber with flavors that evolve as the drink hits first
delicious flavors at play: Lillet, Genepy, Kümmel, and lemon meld
the nose, then the tongue, and then the throat.
in a smooth and refreshing melange of honeyed citrus and herbaceous, anise-laced sips. Though vodka is traditionally spurned
The effect is bewitching; and beguiled we are as we turn to sampling
by the cocktail elitist, why not let Gaby’s perfumed magic work it’s
Gabby’s signature creations. The cocktail menu at Cadet is organized
wonders with your preconceived notions? Could Vodka be making
into distinct forms—stirred drinks, cobblers, sours, and fizzes—and
a comeback? We’re not sure, but if the ‘Old Bet’ is any indication,
each form features three variations: the classic, a French
it just might be time.
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Old Bet recipe
Shake ingredients with hotel ice. Dump into wine glass or tin then add more ice to fill vessel. Garnish with fennel, candied black olive, and long straw.
INGREDIENTS 2 oz vodka 3/4 oz Lillet Blanc 3/4 oz Genepy 1/4 oz Kümmel ½ oz lemon juice 3/4 oz simple syrup
RECIPE OLD BET
Clean Living
THE GRAMMY MUSEUM® PRESENTS
With temperatures rising, it’s time to bid adieu to our winter indulgences and make way for healthier eats—you know, the non-fried, non-sugarand-fat-laden variety? So put down those Hot Cheetos & Takis, take a peek at our list of delicious finds you can actually feel good about, and get cracking on those well-intentioned resolutions.
Text by Vi Nguyen PRESSED JUICE | Hollywood Liquified fruits and veggies have been our go-to detox solution for a hot minute; but did you know that Pressed Juice now offers frozen soft serve alongside its signature beverages? Made with a mix of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, these so-called “freezes” have no added sugar, gluten, or dairy. We’re not quite sure how they do it, but we don’t dare question the sorcery behind this concoction, available at the chain’s brand new Hollywood location.
The Scoop: Pressed’s frozen soft serve comes in flavors like “chocolate” (almond, dates, sea salt, cacao) and “roots” (carrot, beet, Fuji apple, lemon, ginger, dates, coconut meat). Top your freeze with healthy additions ranging from chia seeds, rose syrup, and almond butter to dark chocolate chips, Himalayan pink salt, and more. Who says healthy has to be boring?
AMARA KITCHEN | Highland Park This Highland Park cafe is focused on serving up fresh, creative dishes featuring organic and locally grown produce. With tons of gluten-free, vegan, and Paleo options, you’re sure to find something that’s CrossFit compliant. Amara especially kills it with their breakfast game—and luckily for us, it’s served all day long.
The Scoop: Even in a city as foodie-friendly as Los Angeles, Amara might
be one of the only places you’ll find Paleo, flourless pancakes served with strawberries and whipped maple “cream.” Get your pancakes “plus plus” (aka topped with avocado, arugula and prosciutto) for an added flavor bomb. Regulars also love Amara’s purple eggs, a vibrant medley of smashed violet potatoes over mixed greens and herbs, adorned with roasted beets, dairy-free pesto, and two perfectly poached eggs. #yolkporn for days. LITTLE SISTER | Manhattan Beach No one likes paying a premium for unimaginative boardwalk standbys (not to mention excessive, empty calories). So we’d like to offer up a hearty thanks to the food gods for Manhattan Beach, where you’ll find Tin Vuong’s gem of a restaurant, Little Sister. Stop by post-tanning sesh for a sampling of Vietnamese, Indonesian, Burmese and other Southeast Asian flavors that pack a punch. Not quite willing to brave the 405 for a taste? You’re in luck: word on the street is that Little Sister’s downtown location is set to open any day now.
The Scoop: At Little Sister, salads are no ordinary affair. We recommend
the grilled prawn salad, served with green papaya, mango, cucumber, onion, cashews, and a lemongrass-cilantro dressing. If you’re there during lunch hours, try their vegetarian rendition of spring rolls, bi chay cuon—a delightful mix of sweet potato, jicama, rice noodles, and fresh Vietnamese herbs, all enveloped in a rice paper wrapper and served with creamy, coconut-peanut dipping sauce. Yum.
THE SPRINGS | Arts District This “urban oasis” located in the Arts District is a complex of sorts, a space designed to serve as a wellness hub where you can get juice and raw meals just steps away from your yoga class. Some may write it off as a little too New-Age hippy; but we confess, we’re addicted to the bright, open space and plentiful, guilt-free snack offerings.
ON OPEN EXHIBITI 10, 2015 Y A M 4 3, 201 CEMBER 1
The Scoop: With the exception of honey (used only in a handful of dishes)
all the food here is 100% vegan, organic, and raw, which means nothing is heated past 118 °F. Proponents say that keeping heat levels low helps foods retain their full spectrum of beneficial nutrients. See for yourself by trying the gorgeous tostada, topped with mushrooms al pastor, refried “beans,” salsa verde, smoked guacamole, cilantro sour cream, guajillo sauce, and lettuce. Their salads are also killer, with offerings ranging from the chili-lime tea leaf salad to sweet miso massaged kale.
DE
KINJIRO | Little Tokyo While sushi is usually a safe bet in Little Tokyo, we encourage you to venture beyond the neighborhood’s more obvious food choice every now and again. Not sure where to start? Enter Kinjiro, an artisanal izakaya from the same guy who opened last year’s beef-centric b.o.s. While the critically praised restaurant ultimately failed to survive (it shuttered in September of last year), founder Jun Isogai is back in business with Kinjiro—and our taste buds couldn’t be happier. For the uninitiated, izakaya is a Japanese dining concept that traditionally features small plates for light eating alongside the izakaya’s original function: casual drinking.
The Scoop: Chef Yoshikazu Kondo’s menu combines both modern and
traditional izakaya offerings, so there’s something for everyone. Want to go raw? Order the Kinjiro ceviche made with octopus, shrimp, scallop, snapper, and mango, beautifully combined in a sweet, savory, and citrus-infused marinade. For a vegetarian take on izakaya, try the agedashi tofu, made in-house and served with an umami-packed mushroom gravy.
Get the scoop on LA’s latest and greatest eats at LACANVAS.COM
WWW.GRAMMYMUSEUM.ORG
Escala: Spanish for “Stopover” or “Layover”. A unique stop in the heart of L.A.’s Koreatown Renaissance. Inspired by owner OG Chino’s uncommon roots, Chef Chris Oh mixes classic Colombian recipes with Korean flavors & a love for communal eating & drinking. Urban Art & Music by our marquee family of World Class Artists & DJs. Stopover for the food, stay for the experience.
3451 W 6th Street
Open Daily 11:30am - 2am LUNCH + DINNER
Los Angeles, CA 90020
SUNDAY BRUNCH
In The Historic Chapman Market
HAPPY HOUR + NAPPY HOUR Events / Birthdays / Large Parties
Koreano • Colombiano • Angelino
213-387-1113
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T H E ZO D I AC I S S U E R E L E A S E PA R T Y The Regent Theater • Downtown LA
# V E N I A131 L AU N C H PA R T Y Studio 6 • Arts District
To celebrate the launch of our last issue, we gathered up hundreds of our closest friends and headed to the historic Regent Theater in Downtown LA. VIP guests were treated to a pizza + cookie buffet from Prufrock Pizza and complimentary Jameson cocktails, while all guests enjoyed an art installation curated by Branded Arts featuring Clinton Bopp and tunes by Two Fresh, Kittens, Val Fleury, and starRo from Soulection. Catch you at the next LA CANVAS bash!
For the launch of their Fall/Winter ’15 collection, VENIA and jewelry designer Betsy Flores invited guests to Studio 6 in the Arts District to celebrate the evolution of their contemporary womenwear brand. Prior to the show, attendees grooved to a DJ set by Yasi and enjoyed an eclectic art installation with pieces by Dawn Marie Forsyth, Mykul Lee, Gianna Lucca, Cameron Dunbar, and Ritchie Kong. The San Antonio Winery kept libations flowing all night for a crowd of bloggers, editors, and fashion heads.
PHOTOGRAPHY
MARK WALES & JOHN PASCHA
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BAR SURF SUNDAYS @ HARVARD & STONE
8
CONCERT TROY NOKA @ THE MINT
8
ART OPENING LAUREN BON & METABOLIC STUDIO @ THE HAMMER MUSEUM
8
BAR WAISTED AFTERNOONS OPEN MIC @ THE SILVERLAKE LOUNGE
1
CONCERT MACHINEDRUM @ THE ROXY THEATRE
1
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COMEDY FRINGE @ 1739 PUBLIC HOUSE
2
MUSIC FREE MONDAY NIGHTS @ THE SILVERLAKE LOUNGE
9
COMEDY HOT TUB @ THE VIRGIL
9
CONCERT TYGA @ THE OBSERVATORY
9
EVENT BRAIN PARTY TRIVIA NIGHT @ ALEX’S BAR
2
CONCERT CONWAY RESIDENCY BEGINS @ THE SATELLITE
2
M
FOOD HAPPY HOUR @ CITY TAVERN
10
CONCERT RETOX @ LOS GLOBOS
10
FILM HEARING LATINO VOICES IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE @ REDCAT
3
EVENT BEVERLYWOOD: SEX, MURDER, EXISTENTIALISM @ BOOK SOUP
3
T
MUSIC TUXEDO DJ SET (MAYER HAWTHORNE & JAKE ONE) @ AMOEBA MUSIC
11
FOOD ALL-STAR CHEF CLASSIC (11-14) @ L.A LIVE
11
SPORTS LA CLIPPERS VS. PORTLAND @ STAPLES CENTER
4
CONCERT OLD MAN GLOOM @ THE ECHO
4
W
March
CONCERT BROODS @ THE FONDA THEATRE
5
CONCERT DATSIK’S NINJA NATION TOUR @ EXCHANGE LA
12
EVENT MINDFUL MEDITATION @ LA CENTRAL LIBRARY
5
EVENT CASK BEER & FARMER’S MARKET @ ANGEL CITY BREWERY
5
TH
CONCERT STARS @ THE FONDA THEATRE
6
EVENT POMO @ THE LASH POP-UP
13
ART ARTNIGHT PASADENA @ PMCA
13
EVENT FIRST FRIDAYS @ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LA
6
ART OPENING LALUZAPALOOZA 2015 (6-29) @ LA LUZ DE JESUS GALLERY
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F
ART OPENING ART & TECHNOLOGY AT LACMA, 1967-1971 @ THE HAMMER MUSEUM
14
ART OPENING MEAR ONE @C.A.V.E GALLERY
14
EVENT 3 RD ANNUAL SPOOK SHOW @ LA MIRADA
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FESTIVAL FESTIVAL OF COLORS @ EXCELSIOR HIGH SCHOOL
7
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EVENT CICLAVIA @ THE VALLEY
22
FOOD HAPPY HOUR @ THE CORNER DOOR
29
CONCERT SO MANY WIZARDS @ THE SMELL
22
THEATER FAIRYTALE UNSCRIPTED @ THE BROAD STAGE
22
CONCERT CHALI 2NA @ THE ROXY THEATRE
15
MUSIC BABY KETTEN KARAOKE @ ACE HOTEL DTLA
15
EVENT HOT FUDGE MONDAE @ PEHRSPACE
30
CONCERT OF MONTREAL @ LARGO
23
EVENT WWE RAW @ STAPLES CENTER
23
BAR 6TH ANNUAL PRE ST. PATRICK’S DAY PUB CRAWL @ DOWNTOWN SANTA MONICA
16
SPORTS L.A KINGS VS. ARIZONA @ STAPLES CENTER
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CONCERT SKIZZY MARS @ TROUBADOUR
31
FOOD THE TUSCAN GUN DINNER SERIES @ MAURO’S CAFE
24
CONCERT HEIRESS TO ATLAS @ THE COPPER DOOR
24
MUSIC ORIGAMI VINYL PRESENTS RECORD CLUB @ EL PRADO BAR
17
CONCERT QUANTIC @ THE ROXY THEATRE
25
CONCERT FELIX DA HOUSECAT @ SOUND NIGHTCLUB
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CONCERT FELIX DA HOUSECAT @ SOUND NIGHTCLUB
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EVENT GAME NIGHT @ GRAND CENTRAL MARKET
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FILM A TRIBUTE TO MAD MEN: PART ONE @ LACMA
26
FOOD LUNCH A LA PARK @ GRAND PARK
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CONCERT AER @ THE OBSERVATORY
19
CONCERT TERRY MALTS @ THE SMELL
27
FESTIVAL MUSINK FEST @ OC FAIR & EVENT CENTER
20
EVENT HERMITUDE @ THE AVALON
20
FOOD GRILLED CHEESE & BEER NIGHT! @ ANDREW’S CHEESE SHOP
20
FOOD DEVIOUSDEMI’S 1 ST FRUITLUCK @ CULVER CITY PARK
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LACANVAS.COM
For more events in real time, visit
EVENT DOWNTOWN BOOKFEST @ GRAND PARK
28
CONCERT THE 1975 @ THE WHILSHIRE EBELL THEATRE
28
PARTY LA CANVAS 4 TH ANNUAL CARNIVALE @ LA RIVER
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CONCERT JESSE WARE @ THE WILTERN
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CONCERT THE CONGRESS @ THE MINT
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EVENT DOWNTOWN ART WALK @ DTLA
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CONCERT KIMBRA @ EL REY THEATRE
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ART OPENING BERNARD PIFFARETTI: MOVING PICTURES @ CHERRY AND MARTIN GALLERY
2
CONCERT GUSTER @ THE WILTERN
2
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PARTY LA CANVAS HACIENDA BEGINS (10-12) @ PALM SPRINGS
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CONCERT DAISY AND LEWIS @ EL REY THEATRE
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CONCERT RESITUTION PRESS @ C.A.V.E GALLERY
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FILM THE GOONIES @ ELECTRIC DUSK DRIVE-IN
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PARTY FUNKY SOLE @ THE ECHO
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CONCERT MAROON 5 @ THE FORUM
4
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April
MUSIC GOSPEL BRUNCH @ HOUSE OF BLUES-SUNSET
5
FESTIVAL COACHELLA (10-12) @ EMPIRE POLO CLUB
12
ART OPENING ROBERT KUSHNER: PATOIS @ OFFRAMP GALLERY
12
CONCERT TOBIAS JESSO JR @ BOOTLEG
5
COMEDY THE OPEN MIC SHOW @ THE SATELLITE
5
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SHOW BUILT TO SPILL @ SOHO RESTAURANT & MUSIC CLUB
13
BAR HAPPY HOUR @ NOVEL BAR
13
FILM THE FILMS OF GREGORY MARKOPOULOS @ THE SATELLITE
6
CONCERT ODESSA @ BOOTLEG
6
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ART OPENING LIGHT,PAPER,PROCESS: REINVENTING PHOTOGRAPHY @ THE GETTY CENTER
14
CONCERT STROMAE @ CLUB NOKIA
14
CONCERT LILLYWOOD AND THE PRICK @ ECHOPLEX
7
FILM NORTH BY NORTHWEST @ SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER
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CONCERT MASTODON @ HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
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CONCERT NOSAJ THING @ EL REY THEATRE
22
EVENT ART OF THE 1960’S: EXPRESSION & REVOLUTION IN AMERICA @ SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER
15
CONCERT CHET FAKER @ CLUB NOKIA
15
CONCERT TWIN SHADOW @ THE FONDA THEATRE
30
CONCERT MATT POND @ TROUBADOR
23
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CONCERT AZELIA BANKS @ CLUB NOKIA
16
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MUSIC DANCING THROUGH THE DECADES @ HOUSE OF BLUES-LA
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PARTY RAPTURE DANCE PARTY @ THE SATTELITE
17
EVENT SPRING BREWERY ART WALK (25-26) @ BREWERY ART WALK
25
CONCERT REPTAR @ BOOTLEG
25
FILM “MADE IN L.A” BY NICHOLAS RAY @ LOS ANGELES CENTRAL LIBRARY
18
EVENT PICNICLA @ GRAND PARK
18
FESTIVAL BRENTWOOD ART FESTIVAL @ WEST LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER
26
EVENT RUN FOR HOPE @ WEST LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER
26
EVENT POMONA SWAP MEET AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW @ FAIRPLEX
19
MUSIC LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA @ UCLA ROYCE HALL
19
MUSIC ILEGAL MEZCAL MUSIC SERIES @ HARVARD & STONE
27
FILM KIDLAT TAHIMIK’S PERFUMED NIGHTMARE @ REDCAT
20
LACANVAS.COM
For more events in real time, visit
FOOD HAPPY HOUR @ THE CHURCH KEY
28
CONCERT WAXAHATCHEE @ THE ROXY THEATRE
28
CONCERT WILLIS EARL BEAL @ THE ECHO
21
Last Look: Josh Beech Beech, please.
Interview by Kacy Emmett
L A S T LO O K Josh Beech
You may have seen Josh Beech and that IDGAF stare all over recent campaigns for the likes of Burberry and Moschino. Now, we implore you: hear the kid out. The UK native and his band have been filling up and selling out venues across Europe with their soulful sets; and now, after wrapping up a residency at The Hotel Café, Beech is laying down roots in LA, with the release of his single, Holding Your Umbrella, in March, and an EP set to drop in April. If his success abroad proves anything, it’s that Beech’s US solo debut will be as winning and real as his steely gaze. He may be a product of the London punk scene; but for his stateside debut, Beech is stripping back to the basics—think Johnny Cash acoustic guitar that builds to old school rock. And if pledging allegiance to the Kings wasn’t already enough for him to win you over, know this: on top of everything else, Beech is a bona fide musician who knows his way around a Fender. First you were Snish, then Josh Beech & The Johns and now you’re working on your solo career. You’ve been huge in Europe for years, what is the strangest thing a fan has done? Oh god. Three years ago I was in Milan—which is an amazing place to perform because of their fashion and music scene. For someone who’s doing both it feels unreal. That night, I come out with the Johns and a giant cage has been set up around the whole stage. It was insane, people were screaming and fainting and grabbing at the cage. At the end of the set, the only way to get out was through the audience, so I climbed up the cage and fell onto to crowd, body surfing all the way to the exit. Absolutely surreal. Once I stepped outside for a cigarette, there’s a chick in a wedding dress who comes up to me and in that Italian-English way says, I’m wearing this wedding dress for you. Would you marry me? I definitely gave her credit. The next second she’s ripping of the locket around
her neck to give to me. I pop it open and there’s a picture of me staring back. Where’s that locket now? I gave the locket to my mum, I thought she’d appreciate it. All right, dream collaboration and dream venue? My dream collab was always Paul McCartney, obviously. But now I’d just like to meet him and be around him. Now it would be to do something with Jack White or Kanye. I guess Paul and I can just be friends. Dream venue would be the Brixton Academy in London. Why’s that? I sort of grew up there going to shows watching Deftones and Incubus. But you know what? It might also be the Staples Center. I could sing God Save the Queen before a Kings game wearing my Andy Andreoff jersey. Think they’d let me? Definitely. Besides a national anthem, what else should we be looking out for from your solo music this year? My single Holding Your Umbrella will be out in March and after that an EP in April. My wife, Shenae, and I also have a clothing company called Two Halves in boutiques around LA. The whole point of our label is creating unisex pieces because so often the two of us like what the other has but can never find it. It’s really just a cover so we can work together. This is big. You’re drafting a dodge ball team. You have first pick: Prince Will or Prince Harry? Hands down Harry. He’s way more badass. Also, chances are he’s gonna show up in cool war paint and dominate.
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W W W. S H O P K O S H K A . C O M
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