by Amber Goodwyn
I love music and I love fashion, but holy hell was I embarrassed for the organizers of this year’s Met Gala Ball in NYC (basically the Oscars of the fashion world) for their ill-advised ‘punk’ theme. Along with the obvious conflict of anti-establishment music and institution-sponsored fashion, the evening seemed to involve an element of drag with the privileged attendees slumming it in punk-ish attire. Most of the guests professed to not knowing very much at all about punk music (and punk aesthetics, for that matter), which didn’t win them any respect from critics who already dismiss the art and language of dressing as frivolous. In the public’s post-Bangladeshi-factory-collapse consciousness, the misstep echoes loudly. Perhaps the Met Gala folks should get stick-n-poke knuckle tat’s to remind themselves to move forward by investing in authenticity and social consciousness (I suggest “WWPD” — “What would Patti [Smith] do?”).
LIVE AND LOVING IT
Lots of great shows coming up to doodle into your agenda (or tap into your smart phone): The Lonesome Weekends will croon their way into your heart over at The German Club on Friday May 17, and will be sharing the basement with Snake River, The Spoils and These Estates. Doors open at 9:30 and $8 will buy your way into the saloon. I suggest sketching upright horse shoes for this one, to make sure your luck don’t run out.
Playing elsewhere in the city that night is the garage-y/Motown/girl group glory of Chains Of Love. Show up at the SCES Club wearing liquid eyeliner and/or with cigarettes rolled into your muscle tee’s sleeve. Also on the bill are The Florals — a stealth band made up of Reginans known from other groups — so add some sexy flowers somewhere in and around those hand drawn horseshoes.
If Cannibal Corpse isn’t your bucket of blood, local girl-with-a-piano, Julia McDougall is scheduled to win your heart alongside with Luke Leighfield at The Exchange on Thursday May 23. Be sure to save a flirty wink or two for Montreal pop/classical group Plumes, who’ll be peacocking their tunes over at the Artful Dodger that same night.
Round out your show schedule by supporting the Young Benjamins as they release their latest and greatest at the Dodger on Saturday May 25; Indigo Joseph shares the bill.
In My Ears: The Jamaica To Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974 comp’.
Check in: ag@prairiegodmag.com