Notes from Underground
Tomorrow we enter December. A month that conjures equal parts joy and panic. End of the year deadlines dance with Santa as you try to juggle friends and family while we all anxiously tap our watches awaiting the arrival of Old Saint El Niño…which we’ve been promised but remains a bit delayed.
The calendar fills up quickly in December, but here’s a few things on our radar worth seeing, being at, buying, or keeping an eye on this weekend.
-Cory Hanson of Wand is playing a solo show at Gold Diggers in LA tonight — which is one of LA’s coolest venues. Last time I was there I assisted Sky Ferreira in holding up the speaker for her boyfriend (at the time’s) band. It’s intimate and usually features bands that will eventually be playing down the street at The Palladium or The Fonda. Seeing Cory Hanson rip on guitar there would be well worth the trek. He’s a regular in our playlists. Get tickets here.
-Speaking of Gold Diggers, the last band I saw there was Iceage, who are playing a bit of a surprise show Friday night (December 1) with Puzzle (Fletcher Shear of the Garden’s solo project) and Lust Sick Puppy. Could be a pretty good night at The Novo in DTLA.
- If you have any California surf culture fans on your shopping list, surf photographer Jimmy Metyko — famous for documenting Santa Barbara’s finest including Tom Curren and Al Merrick in their younger years at Rincon — has a new coffe table book called Shaping Surf History with the iconic Rizzoli books. Plan on seeing this in every coastal AirBNB you rent for the next 10 years.
-In New York and wanna see some art? There’s an interesting group art show called “Retinal Hysteria” that would be worth a look. Featuring some of the art world’s up and comers, this show looks funky enough to let us through the door. The show is curated by Robert Storr, the former dean of the Yale University School of Art. Click here for the details and a nice explanation by Robert on the theme.
-Luke Griffin — who you’ll remember from his Proust Interview here — is hosting a video premiere for his new vid “Ironically Hot” at Alfred’s Apartment in Mermaid Beach, Australia Friday night. Details below.
-Three Slobs reunited! Kyle Kennelly of Daydream Surf Shop is hosting a rad pop up event Saturday featuring Andrew Doheny’s Slob Craft’s and Ford ARchbold’s Spun Spirit. Talk about a reunion worth checking. Christmas come early. 10am-2pm Saturday, December 2. Details below.
-Chapter 11 Surf Shop (That’s fun to say) is hosting the premier of Harry Bryant’s new film Motel Hell Saturday December 2 at 4:00pm. Just think if you leave the Daydream Pop Up at 2 you’d arrive in Ventura just in time to slide into a cold beer and a new movie with Harry Bryant. Details below.
-Shane McGowen, frontman of the Pogues, has died at 65. McGowen was a poet of the drunkenest order (I am aware that’s not a word, but it suits Shane) and wrote some of the sweetest lyrics any of us will ever hear. He battled many demons and to be honest, it’s a bit of a miracle the troubled guy made it this long. May he finally Rest in Peace, Lord knows he gave it hell while on Earth. Thank you for your art. Here’s one to play us out as we enter December and say farewell to Shane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
Above Photo of Tom Curren by Jimmy Metyko.
