I’m sure we all remember when the Child Nutrition Act went out of style and our government said that corporations could not only put their products in front of our kids everyday but we also wouldn’t “mandate” what was being served in our kids cafeterias any longer. Well the Child Nutrition Act is going back into affect and now is the time to start preparing your diet to reflect what you want your kids, nieces and nephews to be eating.

Lets remember that as an independent thinker most of your real voting is done with your dollar and most of your grocery store money isn’t going to very good places, to do good things for you or our society.

For more information check out takepart.com/foodinc

Our INDIEpendence day campaign ‘09

or maybe try 2 years ago

July 2009 Indie Events:

Chicago, IL
–Jul. 18–20 — Pitchfork Music Festival

Coney Island, NY
–TBA — Siren Music Festival

New York, NY
–Jul. 19–26 — Int’l Indie Film/Video Festival

San Diego, CA
–Jul. 23–26 — Comic Con

San Francisco, CA
–Jul. 17 — PSFK Conference (Marketing)

If you know of any events that we missed, please post them in the comments.

Pride: It’s Not Just About Being Gay… It’s About Being Naked

Out and About: The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival keeps it indie in NY

What’s left to be said about Brooklyn and its place in the annals of rap history? How many songs have been written singing its praises? Who knows and who cares? As long as there are rap albums to be made, you’re more than likely to find at least one rapper claiming the BK Borough as his home, natural citizen or label-implanted resident. The irony of it all is that although rap ‘started’ in the Bronx, NY’s biggest impact upon rap on a whole has no doubt come from Brooklyn. Say what you want about Queens’ contribution (Nas, Run-DMC, Russell Simmons, 50 Cent, LL Cool J., etc.), Brooklyn has been absolutely pertinent to NY’s impact on rap worldwide. From the pioneers, such as Whodini and MC Lyte, to the current auto-tune slayer, Jay-Z, Brooklyn has single-handedly kept NY on the rap map. Knowing this, it seems only right that Brooklyn be the place where an annual festival celebrating NY rap is held on the other side of the Hudson River.

The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (BHF), started by Wes Jackson of BrooklynBodega.com, is in its fifth year, thanks in part to low ticket ‘donations’, superb performances and massive support from local fans who crave more than the current hit of radio jams and club hits. Many who flock to BHF each year may be just as inclined to attend bigger concerts with huge ticket prices, but make no mistake, BHF’s independent feel is geared towards the more lyrical, political and socially conscious side of rap music made popular in the 1990’s. Unlike the various summer jams you can find in most major cities, shows like BHF and Guerilla Union’s Paid Dues are produced for the artist that commercial radio has forgotten. Well known acts such as KRS-One, Ghostface Killah and Lupe Fiasco have all made appearances alongside lesser known artists such as Homeboy Sandman, Fresh Daily and Bilal. The first BHF concert in 2005 drew approximately 1000 people. Not bad for a city which had seemingly forgotten its underground hip hop heroes. The number of fans in attendance has risen steadily ever since.

The BHF ’09 line up was definitely Brooklyn heavy with acts such as Torae, Buckshot of Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, Homeboy Sandman (methinks he’ll become something of a staple), Tanya Morgan, Chip Fu, Milk D., DJ Premier (by way of Boston and Texas), Smoothe Da Hustler and J. Period. Westchester made an appearance via Styles P., Sheek Louch, D. Block and Brand Nubian. Incidentally, the show’s most energetic performances came from Dead Prez (Florida) and headliner, Pharoah Monch, who is a Queens, NY native. The only real odd man out was super surprise guest Black Thought of The Roots. Black Thought may hail from Philadelphia but he’s as Brooklyn an emcee as any and he proved it in spades. Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box fame hosted again as he’s done previously. Uncle Ralph, as he’s known throughout the rap universe, knows how to control a crowd and didn’t hold back as he gave DJ Parler cues on what music to play between sets.

As with most rap concerts, you don’t get much of a show. There’s no props or funky attire . Most rappers wear the same clothes on stage that they might wear to a fast food restaurant or the mall. The unwritten motto is that real rappers don’t do costumes (sans André 3000). The age of the background dancer is dead as well. But that’s okay because the type of rapper that’s invited to BHF is there for you to hear, not see. The messages thrown at us on Saturday were plentiful and chunk full of positivity. Dead Prez alone drops more messages in one song than most groups drop in their career. Whether they’re telling you to respect yourself or (for lack of a better term) ‘forget’ the police, they do so with a ferociousness that is pretty much unmatched by any hardcore act today.

Rap music, in general, has an ego driven sound. Somehow, BHF ’09 wasn’t overblown with it. You never felt that you weren’t as much a part of the show as the groups you came to see. It’s as if DJ Premier was DJ’ing for me personally. Styles P. spoke to us, instead of just ‘spittin’ at us. He performed his radio hits such as Good Times alongside his more underground hits like I’m Black. Brand Nubian has always maintained that it’s one for all, all for one…so it was no surprise that they connected so well with the crowd with songs such as Slow Down and Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down. Torae got the crowd hyped with a few cuts as well. But Wait, from the Double Barrel album he did with Marco Polo, really set the tone for the rest of the concert as the beat is simply and embodies what I feel are the best type of beats for NY rap. And If anyone there was paying attention to anything that day, you knew the show was over once that familiar Godzilla sample from Simon Says boomed oozed out of the speakers. Monch could barely contain his appreciation of the crowd as he smiled through the lyrics. The crowd got so rowdy that the press pit I was standing in suddenly became thinner as people pushed on the railing separating us. The performance had a thicker sound as Monch performed in front of a live drummer as well as his DJ.

All in all, BHF maintained its place as the realest New York-based hip hop concert in the last few years. Wes Jackson runs a tight ship, from security to the volunteers to the various vendors selling t-shirts to flavored water. So long as the acts aren’t mega stars asking for too much payola, the low admission price and real emceeing will keep the crowd coming each and every year.

As the from man for the Crown City Rockers, Raashan is no stranger to making music and controlling the crowd. His solo album Push that dropped a short time ago on OM Hip Hop was departure from his fronting of the popular hip hop band but was a welcome gesture of intamcy. That vibe is furthered along with his new venture Soul Power, mostly made while out on tour. This album gives us an even more intimate feel and we thought we’d get just a bit deeper with him in our next legends features.

Where are you from?-Trenton N.J./Mid City L.A./Altadena CA./Boston MA. and now Oakland CA.

Where do you look for inspiration?-Everywhere although it usually hits when I’m not looking.

Where is you favorite spot on earth? (physical location)-top of any mountain in Sedona AZ.

Where is the best place to start?-When inspiration comes

How did you start?-Watching my big brother plus showing up to an audition as a dancer and being told they only wanted rappers so I decided I would rap since I drove so far…

How did you decide on this path/thing?-After moving back home from boston my rap partner moe would call me beatboxing and playing headnodics beats over the phone and saying “come back!” I decided I would go back and REALLY take it seriously.

How many times have you wanted to quit?-289877836454723000000000 times. and 1

(look for a free download from the album on our “On the download” Wednesday post!)

Who have you enlisted for help?-hmmmm enlisted means I asked and they helped right? I asked alot of folks especially being an independent artist but it’s a hard grind so when the money doesn’t spread as much and as quickly goes even faster it’s kinda hard for peeps to stay “enlisted”Who do you call family?-Outside of my blood family, crown city rockers, my high school peoples from back in the day and anyone who I’ve leaned on in hard times maybe 10 or so peoples.

Get a free download from Raashan and other artists at our weekly “on the download” drop.

Alice Russell - Got the Hunger
Download

With a voice that fits perfectly in todays soul landscape of strong traditional voices with solid instrumentation Alice Russel is doing her part to keep good music alive. I’ve been dying to see her live and haven’t had the chance to do so as of yet being that she’s in England. Her love for music is obvious and even more apparent when you hear her talk about it.

“Music is communication,” says Alice. “Even though I grew up in the countryside in England, the music helps you to understand the issues that a song expresses—be it love, prejudice, not being able to pay your bills, happiness, sorrow, racial inequality, your aspirations, dancing, mourning …  life itself.  Music is an expression of human life and we are all drawn to different types. I’m moved by all the world’s many genres of music.  But soul music is what resonates most strongly in my heart.”

So what is “Soul Power” all about as an album? we’ll let Raashan tell you himself. “Thirteen original songs mostly recorded in early 2009. After touring the United States to promote my first solo album THE PUSH, I discovered that I wanted to add more bangin’ songs to my live set as well as speak on some more topics that I have been dealing with. ”

Check out the LEGENDmag feature on Raashan Ahmad! In the meantime, you can  purchase Raashans entire album here

1) The most important thing, before your mental capacity, before your creativity, and is the most important key to your success is your health. It’s not that unhealthy people don’t make it, this is not some kind of be healthy or don’t succeed mandate. It’s simply an observation that most people whom are successful in ANY field, at some point address their health. Whether forced upon them by illness or something they’ve been doing for a while, they make their health a priority. If you’re thinking that dehydration, exhaustion, light starvation, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, or excessive drug use don’t affect you in a negative way, I have something very simple to tell you…..YOU’RE WRONG.

2) Who you choose to hang out with, associate with, and talk to on a regular basis is a direct link to how fast or easily you’re deciding to let yourself get where you need to go. Anyone whom you feel isn’t a positive addition to you life just shouldn’t be a big part of it. There’s no need to make phone calls and declare someone to NOT be part of your life anymore, it’s not like they did anything to you. The thing is just to not allow to be in it anymore or move them out of your inner circle as quick as possible.

3) Find people who are doing the things you aspire to and move them into your circle as quick as possible. There’s no need to ask these people about their “secrets” or how they got to where they are. You will learn simply by being around them. Athletes play with guys who are better so they get better. A students have study groups and honor societies so they can learn better. Just put the right people in your life. The thing is that most times their advice will only get you so far because although they know what they did that worked they have NO IDEA what will work for you and neither will you until you put in the work and do it for yourself.

4) STAY THE COURSE! I have come to believe that commitment, consistency, and perseverance in what you do are more valuable then talent, leadership, even confidence. You will simply learn the things you need to over time but not unless you stay in the game. I have seen people with less talent, people whom are labeled as hard to work with, people with no new ideas, become what they wanted and be MORE SUCCESSFUL then people will great skill by simply staying the course and never giving up.

5) You cannot choose how success comes to you but you can make plan. Some people take a long time to get where they have to and others are overnight successes. Some people think they will be millionaire’s and become millionaires in a year, while others believe they will make millions and become heads of non-profits. Don’t be concerned with how you get the result, be committed to achieving the result. (In case you haven’t heard any of the stories, Tony Tone Toni played for 14 years before hitting it big and the guy that bought McDonald from it’s original owners was 50 when he did so, there’s plenty of time to figure it out).

6) Any-one’s advice but your own is over rated. I have gotten advice from some TOP NOTCH folks, and I’ve always been thankful for their words. When people whom I admire or simply think highly of tell me what they think I have always tried to do the most with that. The thing here is that no one has walked your path. If I were to tell you to start in a small market and learn your chops in that market before moving to the big time as I did, you might be missing out on an opportunity to jump international right away and become an overnight success story. Do what your gut tells you and yes that means if you can’t hear your own positive talk (your gut) learn a technique that will help you hear it loud and clear. (try exercise or meditation or both)

7) Action = Results!
Thoughts > Belief > Passion >  Action! Atleast that’s how I believe it works (you can also place planning anywhere in that formula). But what you have to remember is that NOTHING is more important then action. If you don’t have a plan, action can still get you to where you want to go. If you act without belief, you have still done something (and alot of times this can lead to having the confidence and belief you didn’t have when you started). I’ll be honest, I have rarely know life without passion. But I have friends who have lived most of their life without any real passion for any activity and through acting on impulse or plan have found their passion. Action is the key!

We found this film while surfing the indiegogo site for a future story. Film makers of all kinds gather on this site to share their dream of finishing a film. Here’s an excerpt from a film called Rolling Stock still in the making.

Car companies like Tesla and Aptera have made Cali the go to location for car innovation. Look, design, and most of all technology is what’s driving the push. So it’s should be of no surprise that yet another company is throwing their hat into the ring for the first ‘real’ fully electric car for the masses. The President and CEO of Coda automotive had this to say about their sedan due out 2010 “The Coda sedan is an all-electric vehicle for everyone…It’s a practical revolution for real drivers who need reliable transportation.” At $45,000 I’m not sure if the care if for “everyone” but it seems like a great step forward.

Here’s the rundown on the car from the horses mouth. “Scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2010 in California, the four-door, five-passenger, fully-equipped mid-size Coda sedan will be available for $45,000 (mid-$30,000s after including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives). Powered by a 333V lithium-ion battery with a real-world range of 90 to 120 miles depending on individual driving habits, the Coda sedan travels far enough between charges to satisfy 94% of daily driving routines. The onboard charger plugs into any 110 or 220V standard outlet and completes a full charge in less than six hours at a 220V service. Charging the battery for a 40-mile commute can be completed in two hours.”

Santogold

“Broke & Copasetic” featuring Vinia Mojica

When asked how this track came about he said:
“At the time when I wrote it, we were touring and when I first heard the rough beat from Tone I was just writing text from afar, you know, writing from the road. It can be thankless to book tours, you let it whisk you away until you return home and then remember you still have to deal with the issues at hand. In a way, I needed this track and it presented itself to me in a natural way; I didn’t have to force it and it wasn’t just a track where we said, ‘Let’s just be creative’, it just kind of came about from being out on the road.”

I honestly try not to do articles on people whom I like because I don’t want to be biased and tell an unbalanced story. But there are times when that rule flies out the window and I have to share with the world some of the amazing people I come across in my search for “indies” doing amazing things across the planet.

World, meet Asya Shein….AGAIN! Chances are if you’ve been to a web 2.0 conference or travel in soul / hip hop / progressive music circles you’ve met or seen her before. If not, I’m sure you’ve been to an event sponsored by Fusicology, her event/portal even if you didn’t know it.

At first glance Asya is your typical type A personality. A go getting, self educated, scene hopping, jet setting, entrepreneur who is building her vision right before our eyes with her brand FUSICOLOGY. Finding her passion for soul music while helping put on events in Detroit, Asya is a pioneer for those looking to find events, people, businesses and thoughts on the “soul diaspora” as she calls. I want to say right off that she isn’t the only person I’ve heard use that term but she is the first and would say herself that she didn’t come up with it, but loves to use it. If you love progressive soul music you know exactly what she’s talking about, if not consider any music which has  soul as it’s base and you’re on the right track.

When asked if she has any words for independents out there, she starts with advice once given to her from a record label executive, “You trade security for freedom. I pride myself on working, I work everyday except Saturday and well it’s not a 9 to 5 by any stretch but it’s mine. There’s a lot freedom and if someone calls and they need me in Chicago tomorrow I can go. You can’t do that with a 9 to 5, or if I want to go to DEEP (a weekly in LA showcasing what else, the soul diaspora) and danced too much on Sunday, I can get up at 10am on Monday because I have that freedom.”

With the proliferation of events sites from Flavorpill.com, Thrillist, and Going.com to name a few, finding events in your city isn’t as much of a problem as it used to be. But there were a lot of sites that claimed to have their “ear to the ground” that were missing the events those “in the know” in soul circles frequented for years. Events thrown by people like Rich Medina in the east and Sake 1 in the west didn’t have a home where their events could be found by the masses until Fusicology came into being. I don’t want to undercut sites like True Skool as if they weren’t around but they didn’t cover the breath of what was there and not on a national platform.

I asked Asya about being a big player in a small but national seen, “I have a nice balance, I’m pretty lucky I work with really huge companies and agencies and I still turn around and mess with Okayplayer or Spitkicker. Even though they don’t have a lot of money their content is great and balance is important to have so you’re not all commercial.”

If you’re a business owner, working with other independents can be a gift and a curse at times, although the rewards are always there is some form. I asked Asya what her take was, “Working with independent companies, things can work slow because people are so busy and crazy. The corporations are gonna cut you a big check but with your independent partners it’s more about partnerships and credibility.”

What Asya has done with Fusicology is make a home for the splintering soul scene. Those whom love soul, nu soul, nu jazz, broken beat, house, downtempo, hip hop, soul hop, jazz, and all things in between. If you’re a fan of the soul dispora you have a friend in Asya Shein.

Read more about Asya in her own words…

Where are you from? Raised in Toronto, lived in Israel for a year at 5 years old. Moved to Dayton, OH for a year at 16, Detroit from 17 - 20 and Chicago for 1 year 20 - 21 then moved to LA in 2000 at age 21 I am 30 now - bam lol

Where do you look for inspiration? All is within, the Uni-Verse provides - Power of Intention. My parents inspire me most of all, their honest work ethic and starting with nothing as immigrants and succeeding. Entrepreneurs, Dancers, Lyricists, Poets, Vocalists, Good Producers & DJs and Scientists inspire me too

Where is you favorite spot on earth? (physical location) a hilly Caribbean beach

Where is the best place to start? Detroit, hands down. Great people who always keep it real with you.

How did you start?

Promoted underground clubs in Toronto, then Ohio and then became the assistant to Laura Gavoor at Yin-Sight Management in Detroit and booking DJs and promoting at Motor Lounge. Then moved to Chicago, marketed 2 independent deep house labels, started my own agency Mir Media and then moved to LA, continuing the agency. I booked people like ?uestlove, Jazzy Jeff, Pete Rock, Maseo of De La Soul, many house and nu jazz artists and co-managed Peven Everett; I also booked shows and a European tour for the late great J Dilla. In 2003 I started Fusicology.com and by 2006 I focused on the website 100% and now we’re in 18 cities

How did you decide on this path/thing?

I believe that bling and all the BS that comes with that type of living and commercial music may have it’s place, but not in my direct world. I believe in the Soul Diaspora and want to expand the “good music”. Different world comes with a change in the musical regime. In the 90s I lived for artists like Black Star and parties like Body & Soul - I deeply believe that they all are intertwined as conscious, forward, progressive quality music.

How many times have you wanted to quit?

Honestly never - don’t know what else I’d do! 9/11 was hard on the agency but I never lost faith

How do you pay your bills?

Advertising, partnerships, PR work, events and grinding!

How do you become legendary?

Continue to do what I do, never sway and never quit

What makes you good?

I work hard, am honest and cautious - don’t trust everyone and don’t hold grudges yet always remember who had and has your back

What is your end goal?

becoming the international “Craigslist” hub for the Progressive Music and Culture scene we represent and eventually doing philanthropic work helping the citizens of the world - really!

What is your style?

urban alternative

What is your formula?

I am a December Capricorn-Sagittarius cusp so I naturally work hard, play hard and flow with the Uni-Verse. Work hard means sacrifices like working night and weekends, little to no alcohol, exercise, not giving away too much info and keeping it professional

Who influences you?

My parents, my best friends (especially June Joseph in NYC) and culture/tech muses of mine (like Ant Lively in LA)

Who is on your team?

Asya Shein - CEO
Nina Morena - CIO
Jocelyne Ninneman - Senior Editor
Victor Nwankwo - Programmer
+ all city managers esp. Brandon Felton (DC/Bmore), Sandy Yap (NYC) and Simon Fisher (Toronto)

Who have you enlisted for help?

various promoters, programmers, designers, accountants and business managers

Who do you call family?

Since I am an only child definitely my close friends are my family - they got my back!

Why are you independent?

this is all I know

Why do you do what you do?

To spread music, culture, media and the love I have for it

Why should we care?

with a changing world the music we promote i.e the Soul Diaspora through the internet hub is key to bringing people together

Why don’t most people make it?

laziness, flat out

Read more about fusicology

Nothing like independent thinking outside the box, right? Well Murphy-Goode has done just that by holding a contest to win 6 months of employment as their social media coordinator. The requirements were simple:

–Create a 60-second video
–Submit an application
–Promote the crap out of your video
–Wait for the votes to roll in!

The winner gets a job making $10,000 per month, for six months, serving as the winery’s own lifestyle correspondent in Healdburg! WOO!

We have been going through the videos and love the concept. As expected they run the gamut from dry and boring, to fun and creative. But LEGENDmag’s own Sabina Fowler has entered and (as biased as we already are) we think it is top notch!

Nevertheless, whatever happens from the contest… it is refreshing to see that indie companies continue to lead the way in creative employment techniques!

Watch all the videos here.

Ayah - ‘Might Not Be’ Live (Acoustic) from Ayah on Vimeo.

If you’d like to check out some of this live you can do just that on June 27th @ the Jazz/World Stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. As an added bonus the band is performing a fresh show on the Santa Monica Pier in LA on July 2nd and then on Conan July 9th. Lots of chances to see some goodness.

Here’s the information from the horses mouth:

With the momentum of Playing For Change building around the world since the release of Hear Music’s two-disc CD/DVD Playing For Change – Songs Around the World, the project has taken another leap forward. After a Top 10 debut on Billboard’s Pop Chart in the US and a strong start throughout Europe, including a top 20 chart position in Spain, the Playing For Change band has been confirmed to headline the Jazz/World stage at Glastonbury Festival in the UK on Saturday, June 27, one of the three major open air stages with a crowd capacity of approximately 25,000 people. Word of mouth spread among other Glastonbury acts that Playing For Change was confirmed on the bill and several musicians expressed interest in joining the band on stage. This resulted in Gabrialla Cilmi, Tinariwen, The Magic Numbers and Baba Maal confirmed to make guest appearances with the band at Glastonbury

The band will then travel to Los Angeles for a performance at the opening night of this year’s Twilight Dance Series at the Santa Monica Pier. The concert is free and will run from 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM. The band is also set to perform on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien on Thursday, July 9, 2009. Hailing from New Orleans to Johannesburg via Europe and the Congo, the band consists of some of the incredible musicians who are featured in the smash hit YouTube video “Stand By Me” which has become the #1 rated YouTube video of all time with over 20 million views

Playing for Change is the brainchild of Grammy winning producer/engineer Mark Johnson. Mark and his team brought together diverse musicians from all over the world in a heroic effort to inspire peace through the universal language of music. Their ambitious journey took them from post-apartheid South Africa, through the ancient sites and conflict regions of the Middle East, to the remote beauty of the Himalayas and beyond. Using innovative mobile technology, the PFC crew filmed and recorded more than 100 musicians, largely outdoors, in parks, plazas and promenades, in doorways, on cobblestone streets and amid hilly pueblos. Each captured performance created a kaleidoscopic collection of songs in which essentially the artists are all performing together, albeit hundreds or thousands of miles apart.

In addition, the feature film “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music” will air nationally on PBS this summer and released on DVD later this year.

Playing for Change is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit the website: http://PlayingForChange.com.

What a great tag line for a winery. Yup you heard it that right. There’s a winery out there having loads of fun and what do you know it’s not just for the oldies but goodies. Nope, Roshambo Winery is the kind of winery that we’re willing to be will be the model for those vintners looking to make a splash with a younger audience and more importantly just trying to loosing up the wine scene a bit.

I mean Gary V has been leading this charge for some some but even he has absolutely no real swag when it comes to great events and a design sense that appeals to the 30 and younger. In step Roshambo. With everything from a new school tasting room, to a logo wrapped RV and their annual Roshambo tourney complete with a $1600 prize, these guys are not to be missed.

(via ishooteverything.com)

But what struck me is that he used this commercial as an example.

“This commercial has all the hallmarks of an Indie ballad: Low-fi tones bordering on boring, monotone/dressed-down singing, and acoustic simplicity…I mean, it possesses the indie essence, but is there such thing as “commercial” indie, or is that a contradiction of terms?”

My main problem is this….

Indie is not a genre and by that i mean the way something sounds. It’s like how people took the word POP which just meant popular music and turned it into a genre as if the lovemakers and Nsync or Britney and Jay-Z have anything in common musicially. In my humble opinion indie should be used in music circles as a way to know who’s doing things themselves or atleast has not corporate backing and who isn’t.

The malls have been dead for years. Yes, people still go, but not when you’re looking for most things progressive, trying to support indies, or just an all around concious shopper. Well, Indie-mart providees an alternative. Check them out June 21st in San Francisco.

Apparently, June is backup awareness month. And whether Hallmark-created or Government-mandated, it is never a bad time to look at your data backup systems.

Don’t get worried, this is not going to be a huge long diatribe into nerdery—I am just going to state it very simply. You need 3 easy things to have secure data.

1. Reliable media (which hopefully comes with your computer)
2. Local backups (in-house, duplicate copies of everything)
3. Off-site backups (whether in the cloud or on the ground, somewhere where you aren’t)

And that is it.

Now, you are wondering why I am posting this on such a fine magazine that’s so dedicated to Independent Lifestyle?

Well aside form the fact that everyone needs to be secure, indie or not; and looking past the fact that most indie people I know are slightly obsessive about their things in the first place (digital or not). The main reason I am bringing it up, is that there are a few indie providers (Mozy, Backblaze, and Carbonite to name a few) who are set to solving that third item on the list above. My favorite of the bunch is Backblaze—who also happens to be holding a contest!

So if you have been holding out for backing up your precious memories, now is your perfect time to start. Take your indie seriously, and keep it safe.

Support your independent and local businesses by spreading these banners around where you can. Life…independent!

The good peeps at Make magazine have pulled off another successful Maker Faire. With a little bit of everything for everyone, there was so much to do! Two days are required to explore it fully. Everything from computer music, electronic demonstrations, fire arts, foodstuff, crafts and jewelry. The event was spread out over the San Mateo County Event Center, which included two large halls, 5 smaller buildings as well as several outdoor areas. I did what I could to see it all, but it was a daunting task. Here are a handful of booths that stood out for me.

The first one that caught my eye was the metal sculptures of Vladimir Bulatov. Intricate 3D polyhedra sculptures made out of metal and wood. The metal ones were most impressive. I was tempted to buy one of these.

If sound is your game, there is always SoundArts – with classes in everything from how to build your own effect pedal to basic turntablism including mixing and scratching. They also have a studio for rent and will teach you the basics of recording and mic placement. They are featuring a special series of classes this summer for kids.

Then there was also music! The synchomasher was a favorite of mine. It provides five different controllers in one console. Each station can be manned by a different person to control the bass, rhythm, melody, atmosphere, and harmony. Built by Moldover.

The folks over at Instructables were great too. I was familiar with the site, but haven’t gotten a chance to explore it as much as I’d like. Dubbed “the worlds biggest show & tell” they had several cards to explain how to make everything from a polygon lamp to polarized photography, to “monster speakers” and more.  They even had an “instructable” called “anatomy of a chocolate truffle” on how to make chocolate truffles. Having made some “unsuccessful” truffles in the past, it was great to see that someone else had mastered it.

Speaking of instructions, the ifixit people are full of them. With an online store providing parts for your Mac, iPod and iPhone; they also include full instructions on how to fix these items yourself. They even had some iPods and iPhones taken apart in an “exploded view” to show how few of pieces there are with when you take it apart.

If you’re more of a crafty sort, you should check out the South Bay Polymer Clay Guild. They had an impressive display of items made out of polymer clay.  Including clay items that looked like rocks, lightswitch plates and beads.They have a meeting every 2nd Friday of every month and everyone is welcome to join.

A bit more on the crafty tip –this time with a more urban edge  — there were STENCILS. Not your usual flowers and country-themed junk, but cool gorillas, boomboxes, turntables and more. Her webblog includes how to spray paint a stencil on a t-shirt. Awesome stuff!

I’m a sucker for a miniatures – the more kitchy the better. Meyer Imports had some super cool miniature items that would be great for a model railroad or whatever your miniature diorama may need. I was a sucker for the miniature mushrooms. Not sure what I’ll make of them, but I’m sure with as many events in the bay area, I’ll find something to do with them!

I’m also a sucker for futuristic retro items – which is what Breidenstein Designs produces. Claimed to be a raver in the 90’s, his designs definitely are inspired by this aesthetic, with clean, innovative lines with a retro feel to them. Everything from rings, belts, goggles and earrings made out of plastic and metals with a few gemstones thrown in for good measure. I had a hard time not walking out of there with one of his creations.

If building robots or tanks is your game, there was a group that builds radio controlled tanks. Also a group that builds anatomically correct and radio controlled R2D2s and miniature Wall-E’s. I’m a sucker for R2D2 – he was my first robot love. Wall-E is pretty awesome himself!  You can check out the Wall-E builders at www.Wall-EBuilders.com

A giant hydraulic robot arm was also on hand (haha… bad pun – get it?) to display its awesome power. Powered by a glove-like device, it mimicked the movements of its wearer and is able to pick up washing machines and 55 gallon drums like it was a piece of paper. Apparently it’s able to crush cars too! Good thing it’s not too portable, or I’d fear for my car!

Another cool demonstration included the incredible shrinking quarter booth. They took a quarter and subjected it to a  electromagnetic field, causing it to shrink down to the size of a dime. It was really cool, especially since it made the face of George Washington protrude. It was like the shrinky dink of the metal world.

Giant mousetrap anyone? Yes they have built a giant mousetrap just like the game you played as a kid. Great fun to see and watch – makes me wonder what happened to the one I had.

And last but not least (as they were so kind to give me free passes to the faire) there was the Freelancers Union. With as much as 30% of the workforce made up of freelancers from various professions, it makes sense for freelancers to band together. The Freelancers Union doesn’t engage in collective bargaining as traditional unions do, but they leverage the strength of their 100,000 strong membership to persuade policy makers to give freelancers equal consideration. 

Whew… that’s it… in about as condensed of a nutshell that I can give. I didn’t even start to go into the mushroom growing kits, the tofu making, beer brewing, steampunk group, mentos and diet coke fountains, nor the art cars. You’ll just have to go check it out for yourself next year. I’m sure I’ll be back.

It’s not secret we think alot of J Boogie. Well along with his new release and a gang of hot remixes he gotten his friends to come along for the ride. Mikey Tello remixes his joint Inferno with some sugerhill gang flair. Click pic for the download.

June 2009 Indie Events:

Austin, Texas
Jun. 24–27 — How Design Conference

Boston, Massachusetts
Jun. 11–18 — Boston Int’l Film Festival

Brooklyn, NY
Jun. 5–14 — Brooklyn Int’l Film Festival

Los Angeles, CA
Jun. 26–28 — Dwell On Design (Home)

Long Beach, CA
TBA — Sushi and Sake Festival

Manchester, TN
Jun. 11–14 — Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Nashville, Tennessee
Jun. 10–13 — Voices That Matter (Web Design)

If you know of any events that we missed, please post them in the comments.

Today, I receive a note on my eMusic login screen: ” Important: In July, we’ll be rolling out a major expansion to our music catalog. Please read the announcement for details on how this change affects your account.”

When I click the link–expecting an interface improvement, some new interesting music choices, or better ways to discover under-exposed artists–I am instead greeted with a statement telling me that my current payment plan is being retired and that I am now going to have to pay almost twice as much for my music. And for that new music imporvement? They are adding all my “favorite” major label, big-name artists! (Most of which I already own or don’t want in the first place.)

So the cost to users? We have to pay nearly double what we were paying to get the same amount of music (or less if you are outside the United States). But since most people are there for the less-well-known independent artists, we are again paying double for what we already had. And like the major record label corporations they are now in bed with, eMusic is tying a nice shiny pink bow around this and calling it a benefit to the community. (make sure you read the comments, and speak your mind on this link… a letter from the CEO).

Bullshit.

HDTV Shakedown Intro #2 from HDTV Shakedown on Vimeo.

Get the full scoop for yourself.

In these economic times, it is a struggle for everyone to keep afloat. Whether you work for a company, or own one. Monster Transmission, a Florida company that builds and sells transmissions for cars and trucks is the newest target of Monster Cable’s litigation team.

After a recent lawsuit with the Monster Mini Golf franchise and receiving tons of negative publicity, the owner of Monster Cable, Noel Lee decided to back off and re-think their Trademark strategy. This sounded like the end of Monster Cable’s bully type behavior, but behind the scenes it is apparently still business as usual with their legal department.

Full story here.

Jazz is a living thing, a conversation between musicians and each other as well as musicians and the audience. By combining rare archival stills, interviews with 75 jazz artists and live recordings culled from 25 hours of concerts, Icons Among Us is a dynamic and engaging document of many of the greatest jazz musicians of today. Subtitled Jazz in the Present Tense, it contains interviews and performances from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Medeski Martin & Wood, the Bad Plus, and many others.

Capturing the spontaneity of performers who have an intimate knowledge of their instruments and a full knowledge of jazz history, the movie—created from four episodes of a cable and satellite TV series—shows how something like the same simple riff can become something completely different in the hands of different musicians. The dialog between older and younger generations of music takes place with words, of course, but also with music. Anyone from diehard fans to interested novices and those interested in the origins of creativity will find something to take home with them. Like the music itself, Icons Among Us is fresh and constantly surprising, with a spirit and energy that innovates even as it recycles.

Icons Among Us makes its theatrical world premiere at the Seattle Film Festival on May 30. This eight minute trailer will give you a sneak peek for what’s in store…

If there’s one thing that has scared me about what we do, it’s that we seem to be part of an industry that is stuck in tar-pits. I mean the fact that people talk about print being dead is only the annoying part. You really do have to consider the big picture when talking about the future of publishing because going at the day to day at times can seem overwhelmingly counter productive.

I don’t mean to say that we don’t value what we do , it’s most a question of how what we do today lines up with where we’d like to be in the future. Moreover if our goal is simply to inform, entertain and make a living doing it how does that serve this new groundswell of  global and sustainable consciousness that we are all a part of?

What has become easy for most, is popping up their website or spending money on their first print mag and doing business as usual! Getting advertisers, neglecting the hell out of subscribers, over stating distribution, and throwing events if for no other reason to prove to their advertisers their readers do actually exist.

Since the design explosion (if you can call it that) there has been a brodening of what people consider a magazine to be, an acute focus on every possible niche known to man, and few successful businesses models that consider delivering quality impressions to advertisers, creating a sustainability loop that stop waste and pollution, and include recycling distribution model to close the loop on what is for the most part, some of the biggest contibutions to tree chopping and old school industry ever. I should mention that whilel all this is happening most imags are also touting the greenist products ever!

So what to do? You know I’m not always sure. Telling you there aren’t any easy answers just doesn’t make me feel better but in the end there are no easy answers. Wired magazine while winning tons of awards for it’s “product” (editorial and design) has steadily had a decline in ad revenue. While they’ve seen a steady clime in subscribers it pails in comparison to their website. There are similar stories all across the publishing industry and we are all looking for answers.

Well I for one would argue that it’s a better time then ever although not always easy. The most convenient thing to do if you’re careless is make it easy on yourself and live in SF or NY. While there are cities with bus and train systems across the world, in the US few are as ubiquitous as NY infamous subways system or San Fransiscos Muni/Bart.

The main problem? Timing. If you’re going to take public transportation in any city you’re going to be spending alot of time in route from place to place. When life is demanding that you are to be more efficient then affective this isn’t the best way to spend your time. Unless…you learn to use said time wisely. Then the travel to and from can be harmonious and even productive. I have often found myself wondering why anyone would choose to take their car to a place where parking is scarce (at best) and they’ll spend atleast a third of their money paying for their car to sit there.

But I digress…let me say loud and clear that I have chosen to be car-less and mostly I haven’t regreted it one bit. Here’s an article I found in the NYtimes that talks about a city outside of Frieburg, a suburb outside of Vauban, German looking to go car-less.

The Cannes Film Festival began this week in France.  As one of the most prestigious and influential film festivals in the world, it has premiered many soon-to-be classics over the years.  At this year’s Cannes, Quentin Tarantino’s sixth film, Inglorious Basterds is premiering.  This WWII flick with spaghetti-western overtones (think Nazi-occupied France meets The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) stars Brad Pitt (yes… it’s indie) and also features Eli Roth (Hostel) and B.J. Novak (The Office).

The story of IB is told through a series of five chapters, each with its own style and attitude.  But the highlight of the film, as well as Tarantino’s proudest moment as a director,  is the 23-minute basement bar scene which is described as a mini-Reservoir Dogs.  The bloodfest in IB is quintessential Quentin, especially with all the Nazi-scalping that takes place.

Inglorious Basterds has been delayed multiple times.  In fact, the script had been in the works well before Death Proof or Kill Bill, but it finally has a US release date of August 21.  Here’s the trailer…

Stuff from CNN

Fashion
The dichotomy of dressing cool while avoiding looking like every common hipster on the block can drive the indie scenester insane. Thrift stores such as Beacon’s Closet in Brooklyn, New York, offer an economical solution. Dig through vintage racks for all your corduroy, vintage T-shirts and Adidas tracksuit needs.

Eyewear
Nerdy chic remains the look of choice when it comes to indie eyewear. Dark-rimmed glasses continue to dominate indie movie theatres, bookstores, record stores and rock shows across the land. Think science teacher or librarian. These days, dark frames come in red, green, blue and many more colors. Ladies can diversify the look with cat-eyes style frames.

Films
You must know your indie films so you’ll have something to discuss with your friends over drinks at the local bingo or trivia night at your neighborhood bar. A good starting point would be: “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction” by Quentin Tarnatino (pictured), “Rushmore,” “Donnie Darko,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Memento,” “Pi,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Run Lola Run” and “Hotel Rwanda.”

Get informed
No one is born knowing what the essentials are in music, literature and film. Lucky for us, in the age of the Internet, the right information is at everyone’s fingertips, and can be retrieved in a matter of seconds. KEXP.org, a radio station based in Seattle, Washington, streams music online. Pitchforkmedia.com also caters heavily to the indie genre in the daily music news and reviews it provides.

Books
Have you ever encountered the bookish indie guy who takes a book into a bar with him to avoid conversations with commoners? Maybe you don’t want to be that guy, but it might not be a bad idea to brush up on your reading. Key online spots for independent literature are McSweeneys and The Believer. Some good authors to know for name-dropping purposes are David Sedaris (pictured), David Eggers and Jonathan Lethem.

Leisure
How do cool indie cats spend their days and nights away from the grind? If you’re lucky enough to live in the right city, you can catch rock documentaries on bands like Mission of Burma and the Pixies. Otherwise, theaters like the IFC Center in New York and Landmark theaters in most other areas cater to indie filmgoers. If you can swing a few days off at the right time, festivals such as Coachella in Indio, California, and South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, are a must.

Music

Music ranks very highly in importance for most people in the indie scene. If you tell someone you like Radiohead (pictured), be sure to mention that you think “The Bends” constitutes their best work. After all, no one knew who they were back then. Some other bands you should know are The Smiths, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Spoon, Belle and Sebastian and TV On The Radio — for starters.

Without sounding like I am sharing my own “I walked to school, in the snow, uphill… both ways!” story, I think it would be interesting to share some of the initial technical hurdles we ran into when time came to share our music with the universe. Keep in mind the iPod wasn’t even a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye and only a small number of people were lucky enough to be hijacking their phone lines by using AOL 2.0 to access the internet.

Within a year or so we had amassed a number of tracks and we were ready to give anyone and everyone an opportunity to hear what E.R. Records had to offer. We mail order a spindle of 50 blank CD’s which cost us over $100 and waited days for it to arrive. Worse yet, CD burners at the time were only 2x. That means for every minute of music we wanted to burn onto the CD we had to wait 30 seconds while it was zapped onto the disc. Whether the disc had practice beats, completed tracks for the car, or discs we wanted to give to that much needed label connection … we sat around in the makeshift home studio eagerly waiting for that one or two discs to come popping out of the computer way too long.

Fast forward to 2009 and boy have thing changed! There has never been so many ways for musicians and singers to get noticed. Major labels had control over who got heard and who gets drowned out by the noise of the big acts. Today everyone is the talent scout and can quickly share an incredible new song with friends. Rather than waiting to be discovered, determined artists can devise creative music videos to share on Youtube, connect with fans via the multitude of social networks, and distribute there own music on the web. No middle man is required and neither is the assistance of a major label. If your an “aspiring” artist then read on to discover some tools and services i have found to help you amplify your presence on the web and ultimately get in fron of those who want your music.

Besides the usual big sites like the previously mentioned Youtube and others like MySpace, Facebook, Virb and Twitter… here are a few additional tools that can help artists promote their music and possibly make some money in the process:

ArtistData:

Already signed up and active on the usual social networks? Then ArtistData is a great place to sign up next. They state on their homepage “ArtistData tirelessly works to give musicians more time to be creative. “. How do they do that? By providing you a dashboard that synchs information like your tour show schedule, recent news, status updates, blog posts and more across multiple networks saving you tons of time. It even submits your upcoming shows to a variety of concert databases with a couple clicks. As ArtistData expands, I quickly see it becoming one of the most sought after tools for independent artists.

SoundCloud:

One of the most impressive audio services to be launched over the last couple years has to be SoundCloud. SoundCloud is a great service that enables users to easily upload, share, and discover music.  So many features that I can’t list them all, but if you want to embed one of your songs into any web site, blog, or share it on a social network… this is the tool. A few notable items include SoundCloud’s “Drop Box” which is the place for others who want to upload audio files to your account (makes collaborating easy) and the easy to use Facebook application. Almost everything is customizable and the user interface pushes the limits of what a web based service should feel like.

Here is an embedded player from SoundCloud with one of my friends from the old E.R. Records crew.What do you think?

TuneCore:

It’s a rewarding experience to see that people are downloading your music from MySpace and other places, but wouldn’t it be nice to be able to make a little dough off your work? TuneCore can help you make a little pocket change or maybe your next million. TuneCore charges a flat fee for submission of your music to all the major online music store inluding iTunes, Amazon, & Rhapsody. You keep all the rights to your work and 100% royalties on each sale.  It’s really as simple as that!

There you have it. These tools and services should set you off on the path to independent stardom. Whats your excuse for being undiscovered now? Turn up the volume man!

I was having a talk with a friend about what it means to be independent and well it made me want to address a couple of issues about this “indie movement” we all share. Everything is always evolving and this is why we are all part of this ongoing convo in regards to being indie but here’s how I see it as of today.

1) All indie is not good indie. I know some indie t shirt companies that just bite what everyone else does. I know some local boutiques that ONLY sale huge mainstream brands. Then there are some companies like Trader Joes who market the hell out of being indie, organic, local but once you take a closer look you’re not so happy about being duped. The goal isn’t to hold up indie as the end all of goodness, but to make the smart choice with an INDEPENDENT thought process.

2) If there was a anti-indie in this world i don’t think many people would say that it wasn’t Wal-Mart. Their practices are horrible in most cases and just fly in the face of independent thinkers everywhere. This doesn’t mean ALL the things they do are bad or that other huge companies are in the same boat with them. I don’t think I would get any arguments saying that Apple has an “indie spirit” or frame of mind while making their products. Does that mean they’re not traded, that they don’t put their shareholders first like most other companies, or that they aren’t looking out for the bottom line as a priority like any other huge corp? No it doesn’t. The same is true for a company like Redbull who is a huge international corporation with loads of money but is still an independent company NOT owned by any larger corporation.

The long and short of it is, the dialog is still happening ladies and gents. The goal is to be independent of thought and pocketbook and reward / support those who do the same.

So when it’s all said and done, if we don’t know the answers over here at LEGENDmag what do we know? He’s what we know, there has to be dialoge about making your thoughts you’re own and not having them influences at the point of purchase when you don’t even know it.  In the end we aren’t about indie companies, we’re about an indie YOU.

There is a secret that I have been keeping from you all for quite a while. And I have to fess up and come clean here… it’s time that I tell.

I am in love with Albino!

I had a chance to see them perform live a few months back at an undisclosed underground location, and it was one of the better shows I have seen. My intent was to post up a great show review and fill you in on my little secret at the time, but it didn’t happen.

But now I get a minor chance at redemption in relaying this weekends performance (and CD release party) down at the Independent in San Francisco!

From the band— “Come celebrate the release of our hard-grooving new studio album, Peralta House, at The Independent in San Francisco on Saturday, May 2, 2009. To give our Bay Area fans more groove for their greenback in this economically challenging time, ALBINO! is offering an “Afrobeat Stimulus Package” at the event: a complimentary Peralta House CD will come with every ticket purchased! Think about it - for less than what you’d would pay for a CD, you get into our CD release show AND a copy of our new studio album. Insane!”

Get your tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=1114424

Sat. May 2nd
ALBINO! CD Release Party
with the Loyd Family Players
The Independent
San Francisco, CA
http://www.theindependentsf.com/may2009.htm

So there you have it. These guys put on a spectacular show with unbelievable energy, and you would be fools to miss out on any opportunity to see them perform live. If for some reason you can’t make this show, you NEED to see them play. Check in at their website for upcoming dates: www.albinoband.com

May 2009 Indie Events:

Chicago, IL
–May 16–17 — Green Festival (Sustainability)

Denver, CO
–May 2–3 — Green Festival (Sustainability)

Detroit, MI
–May 23–25 — Detroit Electronic Music Festival

Gorge Ampetheatre, WA
–May 24–26 — Sasquatch Music Festival

New York, NY
–TBA — Rooftop Films Summer Series

Portland, OR
–May 2–3 – Portland Wine Festival

San Mateo, CA
–May 30-31 - Maker Faire (video from last year)

UPDATE: Added Maker Faire to the list, care of wonderful reader Sarah!!! Thank you! Make sure to check out our video coverage of last year’s event… it’s one of our favorites!

And if you know of any other events that we missed, please post them in the comments.

Come out and celebrate Trevor Traynor’s first San Francisco solo show this Friday, May 1, 2009 at D-Structure in San Francisco. Trevor Traynor has a unique ability to capture stunningly deep photos and this reception will illustrate that beautifully with 175 photos up on the walls!!

Musical Performances By: Richie Cunning, Melina Jones, & DJ Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist

Friday, May 1, 2009
8pm – 11pm
D-Structure SF
520 Haight St. @ Fillmore (map)
San Francisco

Price: Free (w/RSVP www.going.com/ishotya)

Ps. Make sure you show up early, because this thing is going OFF! And, make sure you RSVP for the guestlist to get in for free. There will be a line out front, and you don’t want to look stupid without your name on the list.

A few months ago, there was a viral video floating around the web, which followed a remarkable drumming prodigy as he grew through the years. The video started when he was just two years old and ended when he was 14 and rocking out with his band. That kid was Tyler Hudson and that band is Mindwalk Blvd. Together with Jordan Ferreira and Mike Avakian, these three young Bostonians are making a name for themselves as a hard hitting progressive rock band. Their eyes are on the prize and while they may be musical prodigies , its nice to know they’re still just kids who love to rock!

Where are you from?
Bean Town

Where is you favorite spot on earth? (physical location)
Jordan: It changes, sometimes it’s a bathroom, and sometimes it’s my studio
Mike: California, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

How did you start?
Jordan:I picked up a really old acoustic guitar that I forgot I had
Mike: Because of my love for music, and my sisters hatred of me playing with toy guns when I was 6.

How did you decide on this path/thing?
Jordan: I guess I’m just interested in things that are unusual and interesting, and making noise with wood and little wires sounded interesting to me.
Mike: Because there was great opportunities for me, and now I’m having a blast writing music with my best friends so it’s all good.

What is your style?
Jordan: 3 button suit.
Mike: Rocker kid.
Tyler: Ramen Noodles.

Who influences you?
Jordan: Darren Aronofsky, Thomas Pridgen, Gary Oldman, Shawn Lane, Guthrie Govan, Paul Thomas Anderson, Bumblefoot, Howard Benson—anyone who has integrity and something to say.
Mike: People like Mike Patton or cool bands like Protest the Hero and Coheed and Cambria.
Tyler: Mike Mangini, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, Thomas Pridgen, Bill Bruford”

Where do you look for inspiration?
Jordan: In as many places I can. In the worlds of films, books, and music. My whole day is sort of modeled after the way a serious actor’s day is.
Mike: In a lot of different places… like my dad’s dresser.

What is your formula?
Baby Milk

Where is the best place to start?
Jordan: The bottom I think.. the top is a great place to start too but it’s easy to take shit for granted.
Mike: At the beginning, you can’t rush things.
Tyler: From the bottom.

How do you pay your bills?
Jordan: Well I don’t quite have any bills yet… but this music thing is how I’ll pay my bills in a few years
Mike: With my parents checkbook.

What is your end goal?
Jordan: To make a living out of music, and to be around really special people.
Mike:To be doing this as a living. If I’m a musician for the rest of my life and it’s all I’m doing then I’ve reached my goal.

How do you become legendary?
Jordan: By never stopping. Staying at the top of your game and not being an asshole.
Mike: By doing something you love and making it so unbelievable that it becomes legendary.

Why should we care?
Jordan: I saw an interview with Omar From the Mars Volta, and someone asked him this question and he said something like “We’re like herpes, we’ll be around for a while so you should check us out” I thought that was a good answer, and I’d like to pretend I said it first.

Featuring:
Anita Dreiseberg
Lynda Espana
Loren Kraut
Kelly Mccaron
Morgan
Natasha Muse
Joe Nguyen
Scotch Wichman

Full disclosure here, I am rooting for Scotch here. But whomever you love the most in the end, either way you win just by showing up… clearly comic comedy and the chance to see a future-famous comic perform.

Do it.

The 52nd year of the San Francisco International Film Festival starts this Thursday. Highlights of this year’s fest will include achievement awards going to Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Redford. The centerpiece film is 500 Days of Summer, the closing film is Unmade Beds, which leaves us with the all-important opening night film. Setting the tone for this year’s SFIFF is La Mission.

Peter Bratt’s powerful and moving film is an ardent love letter to the vibrancy of San Francisco’s Mission District and an urgent corrective to the violence that plays out in its streets. Full of affection for its characters and despair for their situations, La Mission is a story of community and family and one man’s struggle to unlearn a lifetime of destructive habits. Che, in a commanding performance by Benjamin Bratt, is an ex-con who has turned his life around and now devotes himself to his lifelong Mission Boyz friends, his passion for building classic lowrider cruisers and his honor student son, Jess (Jeremy Ray Valdez). On the eve of Jess’s graduation, as Che’s new romance with an attractive neighbor (Erika Alexander) starts to bud, a sudden revelation shatters the peace, drawing a brutal reaction from Che. Lashing out at those around him, he finds himself emotionally broken and isolated, before beginning a hard climb toward understanding and acceptance. And it is a hard climb. Handsome, charismatic bad-ass though he may be, Che gets no slack from best friend Rene (Jesse Borrego) or his pals, all of whom are trying to live decent lives in difficult circumstances, and doing a better job of it. The film’s greatest virtue, and the crux of Che’s redemptive journey, is its refusal to accept violence as a necessary outcome of, far less a solution to, troubling conditions. Full of compassion and love, La Mission is not only tough but hopeful, beautiful and true. Watch the clip here. [excerpt from SFFS]

I absolutely love this story. It’s always good to see kids having fun and learning at the same time. Oakland, CA gets a bad rap for alot of things, not being creative isn’t one of them.

We made it” from Keely and Zaire
audio

I’ve started to become acutely aware of what foods are ripe and what foods aren’t when I’m grocery shopping. Biting into a hard piece of fruit, that has no flavor is one of the biggest disappointments of a good trip to grocery. It’s also something that has is top of mind while researching what to plant in my garden.

More importantly when the thought of making sure my dollars stay in the city and community it has hit me that purchases made at local retailers are only as good as where they were grown. This is not a cry for an ultimatum of local or nothing but it is a plea to look into and pay attention to where your dollar is going. In an effort to help we’ve found a by state list of seasonal fruit and vegetables found on About.com. We hope this will provide you with a good start to spend more of your money locally.

At 24 years old, Kjerstin Erickson is making a huge difference in the world. She is a Student at Stanford University and she is also the Founder and Executive Director of FORGE, an organization that helps African refugees reclaim their lives. She started the organization when she was 20 years old, with little more than a dream and has since implemented over 60 community development projects that have served more than 70,000 refugees in four refugee camps in Zambia & Botswana. FORGE has become an official Operating Partner of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and works in Zambia, hand-in-hand with refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan.

Where are you from?
I currently live in Oakland, which I consider to be San Francisco’s better half.

How did you start?
I was 20 years old and just completing my third trip to the African continent. It struck me that I had the power to contribute to alleviating the unnecessary suffering in refugee camps, and just possibly to play a role in reversing the destructive cycle of war and poverty in Africa. I was old enough to know it was important and possible, but too young to understand how hard it would be. I was just naive enough.

Where do you look for inspiration?
To survive in this world, you’ve got to be able to find inspiration everywhere you are and from everyone you meet. I’m particularly inspired by my colleagues, my city, and my parents. But most of all, I’m inspired by all the entrepreneurial people that FORGE works with in Africa. People that have experienced the worst of what humans can do to each other, and who emerge with a stronger conviction than ever in the power of humanity. What’s more inspiring than that?

How or why is your generation different from any before it?
We are because we have to be. The challenges facing my generation are unlike any we’ve seen in millennia. Our entire existence on earth is at risk. And yet, we are concerned about what color iPod to buy. The hardest and most important thing for my generation will be to accept our own limits and our own imperfections.

What makes you good?
If anything, it’s always asking myself what makes me not good. I try to be acutely aware of my own and FORGE’s weaknesses. It’s an organizational culture thing. We are always striving to find things that we can improve, however small. Then we improve them.

Why do you do what you do?
Everyone who has traveled to Africa has a story about their first trip and how it affected them. My first experience in Kenya in 2000 was no different: crippled beggars, distended bellies, children walking miles only to arrive at schools with no supplies. Realizing the extent to which everything I would ever achieve in life was just as much a product of my circumstances and society as it was any of my own doing, how could I ever be comfortable pursuing “success” for my own? In a world without equal opportunity, the achievements of the lucky become irrelevant.

Who influences you?
More than anything, I’m influenced by FORGE’s staff (150 African refugees 10 Americans).They help me learn to be a better leader.

Why are you independent?
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a strong rebellious streak in me. I’ve never been good at conforming to systems that I didn’t understand and practices I didn’t believe in. It’s been a blessing and a curse.

Who is on your team?
FORGE’s staff consists of 150 refugees and 10 Americans, only 3 of whom work in our Oakland office. The rest are on-the-ground in Africa, running our 23 projects day-to-day and empowering refugees to help themselves.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
Twice. Once at 2.5 years in, and once at 4 years in. I asked myself if it was all worth it. I realized that it was.

What is your end goal?
I envision a world in which post-conflict communities are empowered to come together to create bottom-up solutions to their greatest collective challenges. By actively uniting to restore economic and social stability in the aftermath of war, these communities take charge of their own destinies rather than waiting for ever-elusive top-down services. In this way, they play a central role in restoring peace and security to their regions and continents, proving that peace and collaboration is more socially and economically profitable than war and chaos.

Why should we care?
I certainly can’t make you! For me, the most powerful “why?” is the fact that we, as humans, are all linked. My fate is your fate, ultimately. Selfishly, we must realize that we’re all in this together and our destinies are all intertwined.

What do you see as the future of philanthropy?
My hope is that philanthropy will shift from focusing on the desires and passions of the donors to the desires and passions of the beneficiaries. I look forward to a day when bottom-up development is more celebrated than top-down philanthropy.

I received an email from the Bumptop team telling me to try out the new product before it went public. After watching the video and seeing what it could do I was excited to see how I could make use of it. I will admit that upon first installation Bumptop is little more then another cool app that makes your desktop cooler then it was before.

However, when you decide that you want to stop clicking and double clicking through internal and external drives and folder after subfolder you will begin to test out what you’re Bumptop can do. To keep it simple something as simple as not having to go to the start menu or quicklaunch is solved by your use of Bumptops piling systme or simply by haning your favorite shortcuts on the wall.

Said simply you’ll first have to download and try Bumptop and then once you’ve stopped having fun thowing and “bumping” things around your desktop you’re going to have to open your mind to using your desktop to organize in new but more useful ways.

You see what most people don’t know is that we don’t think in 2d as your regular computer desktop would have you think. We think  in 3d with space and depth the way that Bumptop lets you operate.

Apologies for my absence the last few weeks. I assure you, the cause has been just. In this particular case, the cause is that I’ve been fulfilling a dream I’ve had for years: Making my own movie.

Scary Cow, a San Francisco Bay Area-based independent film-making coop started in 2006 with the simple idea of bringing together people interested in making movies. For a regular monthly fee, paying members can pitch a short film project of their own at one of the pitch sessions held every four months, or work on projects that others have pitched. Anybody in any capacity (writer, producer, editing, sound, music, etc.), at any level of experience, with or without equipment, is welcome to join and pool their efforts with others who have the complementary skills and resources needed to complete a project.

So far, the concept has worked beautifully- in seven rounds, over 80 ten to twenty minute movies have been produced. Several of these shorts are making the circuit of film festivals, and so far two feature length projects have grown out of the collective, the documentary Iran is Not the Problem and the forthcoming fetish industry musical Devious, Inc. . Yes, I did say fetish industry musical.

Enter me. I remember as a ten year old writing scripts that were shameless rip-offs of Star Wars and Jaws and dreaming of getting an 8 mm camera. I remember wishing that I’d gone to film school instead during panicky “what the hell am I doing?” moments in business school. Even as my creative urges reasserted themselves in my 30s in poetry, short stories and a novel, I spent many late nights watching director’s commentaries with the nagging idea that somehow, somewhere, I wanted to be involved in film.

I finally took action a year and a half ago and went online to search for filmmaking groups, where I met Scary Cow through the mutual friend of everyone in the Bay Area, Craigslist. My very first round I was co-writer (and script supervisor, production assistant and actor!) on Carson Larson Gets The Picture, which you can see here. Since then, I’ve worked on projects in various capacities, even including a turn as Best Boy.

And now I’ve written, pitched and am producing my own film! It’s aiming to be twenty minutes and features three conversations that happen in a restaurant at the same time, covering weighty matters of what women want, how political opposites negotiate a blind date, and Star Wars plot holes. We just finished two weeks of evening shoots, and are entering post production, after which we’ll screen, along with the rest of the films from Round Eight, on June 7th at the Victoria Theatre. I’ll be inviting all of you!

In the mean time, I’m here to tell you that the making truly independent film is easier than it’s ever been. If you have a yearning to try it, it might be time…

Tom (Gordon-Levitt) is an architect by training, a romantic by nature, and a “perfectly adequate” greeting-card writer by trade (“Today you’re a man. Mazel tov on your Bar Mitzvah!”). He meets Summer (Deschanel)—the sexy, quirky dream girl who doesn’t believe in love—when she takes a job in his office. This is Day 1 of their 500 days together, and if the set up sounds predictable, veteran music-video director Marc Webb does much to turn this tale on its head. For starters, Webb tells the story out of linear sequence, with Summer dumping pancakes over Tom, in the first ten minutes. The rest of the film reveals how they got to that point, and its aftermath, each segment beginning with the number of the day the couple is on—a delicious clue as to whether what follows will involve awkward courtship, playful flirtation, shower sex or the breaking of common household objects.

With a soundtrack that includes the Smiths, Belle and Sebastian and the Black Lips, there’s a lot to love here: crisp dialogue, drunken karaoke, a bar fight, ironic voiceover, a split-screen fantasy sequence and a dance number set to Hall and Oates that’s nothing short of glorious.  Here’s the trailer…

[excerpt from SFFS]

Who says kids music CDs have to be completely lame? I made this mix for my daughter. It’s filled with fresh remixes of songs she knows. We have a great time dancing and singing along to this together. Share it with a little kid today or bump it by yourself like I do. Big up to DJ Redz for his remixes.

Billy Lane Presents: “Hey Stupid! There’s Kids in the Car”

Yankee Doodle
This Old Man
The Smurfs
Fraggle Rock
Dora The Explorer
I’m A Little Tea Pot
Sponge Bob Square Pants
C IS For Cookie
Elmo Song
Scooby Doo
Gummie Bears
Winnie the Pooh

Take a listen
(See post to listen to audio)

Get more mixes and keep up with Billy Lane at 916junglist

BYOBW is an annual tradition among San Franciscans and was almost shut down this year. Fortunately, due to the kind hearts of the residents over in Potrero Hill, the good nature of the SF Police Department, and the relentless campaigning of the BYOBW organizers… we were able to roll again!

For more photos, check Laughing Squid or the organizer’s website (turn down your speakers before visiting)! Or check out last year’s LEGENDmag coverage!!

If you have any photos of thoughts on the event, feel free to link them here in the comments! We would love the hear your feedback!!

The sun of the city, the son of the witty, the master of ceremony science, the beat monster masher, the rec league stomper, the live show flasher, the captain of crunch, the gatling gun tongue…. this “Night Train” will deliver your own Frisco kid. I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Richie Cunning! —Trevor Traynor

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in San Francisco and I have no plans of leaving.

Where is your favorite spot on earth? (physical location)
See above.

Where is the best place to start?
At the beginning.

How did you start?
Well, I suppose “start” can mean a lot of different things. I’ve been rapping since I was about ten (not that those raps were any good). I started doing shows around 1999 when I was in high school, but I’ve yet to actually put out an official release. Given the amount of financial success I’ve had so far, I’m hoping that I haven’t “started” at all yet.

How did you decide on this path/thing?
There was never a time when I made an actual decision. My interest in music, listening to it and making it, just kind of led me here. Whether or not I should do it has never been a question for me. Friends and family telling me to keep it up doesn’t hurt though.

What is your style?
I think my style is probably best understood by outlining what is not my style. Songs about fluorescent clothes and shoes that cost more than the rent are not my style. Songs about metaphysical metaphors and spiritual lyricals are not my style. Songs about “swag” and a bunch of grown men drinking champagne together are not my style.

Where do you look for inspiration?
I think inspiration is everywhere if you got your eyes open. Mine mostly comes from my city. I do a lot of late night headphone trooping by myself and that’s when I always feel the most ready to make something hot. Other music is a pretty good source of inspiration too. If I hear another rapper or producer who I think is really dope, I try to step it up to stay on top of my game. If I hear another rapper or producer that I think is garbage, I try to step it up to distance myself from that noise.

Who influences you?
Aside from my own squad, some of my biggest influences, in no particular order, are Redman, Boot Camp, Wu Tang, Just Blaze, Tribe, De La, KRS, Nas, Jay, Cam’ron, Big L, Pep Love, Marvin Gaye, and the list goes on…

What is your formula?
Acquire target. Destroy target.

Who is on your team?
Rec-League forever. My team is deep. Rob Rush, Cumulus AKA Q’m, Grip Grand, Haji P, Proe, No Wonder, DJ M.F. Shalem, Bob Clean, Buzzerbeater, Rusty Bravo, etc. Ain’t nobody deep as the team. Go to www.routinefly.com for all our exploits including tons of videos, free music, blogs, shirts, and other such delights.

Who have you enlisted for help?
Many great folks have provided with me help over the years. Check ‘em out. DJ Kevvy Kev of The Drum, KZSU 90.1 FM every Sunday from 6pm to 9pm. Trevor Traynor, photographer extraordinaire, www.trevortraynor.com. The good folks at Ankh Marketing, www.myspace.com/ankhmarketing. That should do for now.

Who do you call family?
All the folks mentioned in the above two questions, and all the folks that I share deoxyribonucleic acid with.

What makes you good?
I think what makes me good is the amount of time that I spend on my music. I work really hard to make my beats sound the way I want them to sound and I spend a lot of time fine-tuning my verses. I’m generally not impressed by people who boast about the speed of their production. I don’t want to hear a song you made in 20 minutes or an album you made in a week. Get a grip.

Why should we care?
I don’t think I appreciate your tone.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
Nope.

How do you pay your bills?
Barely.

Why do you do what you do?
Somebody’s gotta do it.

What is your end goal?
There are a lot of different outcomes I can imagine that would be great, but all I honestly want is to be able to pay my bills without having a regular job. To be able to wake up every day and work on music without worrying about where the rent is gonna come from this month. That would be more than enough for me to proclaim that I have won.

Why are you independent?
Mostly because no one has presented me with an alternative yet….(wink)….(elbow)….(second wink)

Why don’t most people make it?
I think that depends on your definition of “making it”. If you’re talking about national or international fame, you have to get everything absolutely right (product, promo, tour, etc.) just to get to the point where it becomes a lottery. A lot of people don’t get that far. Also, the majority of people who make music are not very good at making music. That doesn’t help either.

How do you become legendary?
Ok, see first of all, you gotta find you one of them swords that’s all stuck in a big ol’ rock. Then, all you gotta do is pull that bugger out. You’re welcome.

I’ve been struggling for a while with the fact that we don’t cover as much music as we used to. This has been a good thing because 2 or 3 years ago music was always a cruch topic we could lean on when we didn’t know just where to go with an issue theme or needed to fill a spot.

More recently we’ve learned to cover the music we like and of course independent in some way because we feel that by atleast being true to what we actually dig we’ll never go wrong.

But that doesn’t explain to you why it’s been hard to develop our own voice with music and mainly it is because of the fact that alot of music we hear about is “pushed” on us. We get ATLEAST 10 to 20 emails a day from pr companies or record labels and that doesn’t include the hits from indie artists who hit you up one on one. This is by no means a complaint as I for one love to get music in my inbox, it helps me not have to spend hours searching…but not really.

What I do mind is having our magazine / blog / editorial look like everyone else’s. Haven’t you ever noticed that when someone gets the cover of one mag they end up getting 4 other covers in a row? Or maybe you noticed that if that artist or group has an album or tour coming all of a sudden they’re the “best thing” to talk about.

Part of that reason is because good journalism is always relevant to the audience reading. If you live in Dallas, Texas and a group has a tour stop there, the journalists in your area would be doing a bad job if they didn’t make sure you found out more things then you already knew about said band.

But there lies the problem. 1) Most writers don’t look at the interviews done in years past so they can make sure THEY DON’T ask the same questions. They don’t use the 15 minutes they get on the phone to ask questions they think no one else might ask and there for give a reader some new insight or angle. 2) National mags have no excuses. They can cover most groups year round without worry of the impact of a tour or new album because people will forgive them to cover the artist again when the time comes. So in the end the coverage is usually hum drum. Please don’t misunderstand there are great journalists out there doing a great job whether they got pushed a story or it came to them in a drunken stupor.

But the problem is that if mags only do stories when they’re “pushed” to do stores the coverage is only ok at best and just an echo at its worst. Most publications are going to argue that if they put the spin on it that their audience appreciates then it’s justified. I say they’re right but most times they don’t actually follow through.

So what are we going to do about it, what has made us who we are to this point. Skip who we’re told we should cover and share with you the best most progressive music around. Most of the things we hear simply aren’t progressive or forward thinking musically, but when they are boy is it tasty.So look for music to make a big comeback on LEGENDmag through columns like WINEandBEATS and soulbythepound. What we’ve realized is that although we get pushed alot of music we also find alot and as long as we share with intergrity, we’ll be ok.

Story by Rai-mon Nemar, Photos by Trevor Traynor

There is no doubt about the hours of enjoyment we’ve received from watching the inception and growth of sites like Youtube, myspace, and the myriad of other sites that provide entertainment with a dash of networking. Our way of thinking about information has been transformed along with the way we have become accustomed to delivering and receiving information. It has been said, that along with a new millennium has come a new age: The Information Age. Whether you’ve jumped on board or not, there has been a call to action for all those who thought they could live in a world without knowing how to search for a site, send an email, or connect some new hardware. The option is no longer available for 9 to 5ers who can’t navigate an office suite, for marketing people who can’t fudge their way through HTML, or for the citizens of our country to not be engaged in our democracy through the internet.

What has come before this time in our engagement of politics on the internet has only been in preparation for what has arrived. New websites are part of that and it’s the promise of what they bring with their launch that holds the true potential. Transparency! Since the inception of our great republic, we have simply accepted that even if it’s only because we can’t sift through all the paperwork, there will be things that go on in our government we can’t see. Therefore, we won’t be able to take action on. Thanks to the efforts of the Sunlight Foundation this is no longer true.

By their own admission, the Sunlight Foundation does it’s best to “help citizens, bloggers and journalists be their own best congressional watchdogs, by improving access to existing information and digitizing new information, as well as by creating new tools and Web sites to enable all of us to “collaborate in fostering greater transparency.” This means that from now on, you will be able to check in on your congressmen or women and know who they are accepting money from; how they voted on specific bills or if they voted at all; see how money accepted by our elected officials impacst votes; see how your tax dollars are being spent and much more.

You see, what our founding fathers knew was that the press was here to be a watchdog over the government. We have always relied on the press to expose what the government wanted to keep in the dark. Whether they have done this because of the ethical responsibilities of the press or so that they could simply spite a political rival, it was always being done. Lately, it seems that the press has become part of the machine, as opposed to the observers of it. It’s no secret that the news coming from mainstream news outlets like CNN, Fox, and MSNBC are a lot less than watchdogs. If anything, they have become trained by the very government they should be helping us to understand.

At the same time that our mainstream press has become more polarized then ever. There has been a lot of political talk, but not as much political analysis on the internet. By their nature, bloggers aren’t journalists in most cases, they are opinion givers. There’s no harm in this unless you have a lot of people getting their “facts” from opinion sites.

What could not have been anticipated, is the way the people and organizations of the United States have responded to these new media forms. Instead of relying on the mass media or the blogosphere alone, it is once again put into the hands of the independent press to watch and hold to account our government. What we’ve been provided with are the tools to do so. We present to you, “the people’, tools for transparency, as provided by the Sunlight Foundation. Watch closely and tell your government exactly what you think.

—

Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 23(pdf), including: ETSY: reconnecting the producer to the consumer, Blank Blank: creating objects for interior environments, a battle of presidential proportions in The Beatdown and much more. ]]> http://LEGENDmag.net/thelegendonline/2009/04/09/transparency/feed/ http://LEGENDmag.net/thelegendonline/2009/04/08/varsity-theater-indie-film-davis/ http://LEGENDmag.net/thelegendonline/2009/04/08/varsity-theater-indie-film-davis/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:12:55 +0000 CJ Guest http://LEGENDmag.net/thelegendonline/?p=3181

As the antithesis to the modern multiplex, the art-house, Varsity Theater in Davis, CA, proves that indie film culture can thrive in the smallest of towns. For nearly 60 years, this single room cinema, has been offering independent art to the residents of this Sacramento Valley community. To give you an idea of just how long this theater has been around, it was the first building in Davis to have air-conditioning. With so much history behind this jewel, I couldn’t wait to check it out.

Upon arrival, it’s easy to note, through the architecture, that the Varsity has been around for a bit. Flanked by noticeably modern buildings on each side, the theater’s Art Deco styling (Streamline Moderne to be exact), stands out as a beacon of cinematic history. On this day in that history, I was there to watch the ‘08 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominated Sunshine Cleaning.

When I visit art house cinemas, the screen is usually too high and too small. Not here! Even though much of theater has resisted the multiplex look, luckily such resistance stopped at the screening room itself. The screen was huge and at the proper height. The sound quality was more than adequate, although it’s sometimes hard to tell with independent narratives focusing on the story instead of special effects. The seats were plush and the rows were spaced enough for my 6′6″ frame to fit comfortably. The only con that stood out was the faint sound of the projector operating during the film. Even so, at least it was harmonious with the Varsity’s ol’ timey character.  Here’s the trailer to Sunshine Cleaning…

The film was pretty good, but the ambiance of the theater, somehow made it better. After all, it’s experiences like that which will make film fans go out for movies, instead of waiting for at-home releases. If you happen to find yourself in Davis, CA one night, treat yourself to this little piece of indie film history. And when you do, make sure to bring cash, so you don’t have to walk the two blocks to the nearest ATM, as I had to.

There’s no such thing as “indie love” just love. Just like there is no such thing as and indie you, there’s just you. So what made me even want to say something about love on this blog? Well it’s because I feel love is just as unique and individual as how I feel when I’m talking about other “indie” topics in this magazine.

Remembering that indie is just short for independent has lead me to love because what I learned recently is that the feelings I have are specific to someone else (another individual). It’s because of who they are that I feel how I feel. For an everyday example of what I mean, I’ll use one of my favorite things a tee. T shirt shopping is the absolute best because I can go through 100 different shirts before I find one that hits me in just the write spot. The colors feel great, the designs are placed just right, the material feels great against my skin and I feel like I’ve found a new friend in the company that made the shirt. No, I didn’t fall in love with a shirt but sometimes I feel like I could!

My point here is that there are so many little things that make us who we are. We all walk through the world with scars, trophies, baggage and memories. They come together in such a way that we take for granted the well known fact that there is no other person on the planet like us. With all of these unique pieces to our puzzle it’s surprising that two people can be so unique and yet made to fit one another.

I believe this is the essence of what it means to be independent, knowing how to be interdependent. It’s going to be difficult to find cloths, music, businesses, events, the right job or a spouse if you don’t know who you are and even more difficult for those things to find you. So once again we come back to the fact that it is important to “do work” as Rob and Black might say on yourself. You have to dig and dig and dig some more before the things you want will find you and even longer if you don’t start today.

It seems appropriate to share with you the words I used to express how I feel about being independent and the very same words that sparked us to make our magazine about the indie lifestyle.

“Time to live life according to you. Do things that help you live life the way you envision it. Adopt habits, find people and support businesses that help support this vision. Live your life…independent!”

Una Kim is the founder of Keep, a skateboarding inspired,cruelty-free shoe brand. She is also a prime example of taking what you love most and creating a business around what matters most to you. She is the fearless leader of a brand that keeps on growing and forging a path for female entrepreneurs. With a Princeton B.A. and a Stanford M.B.A., she is poised to turn the fashion industry on its ear by giving the people what they want, on terms that are her own.

Where are you from?
Baltimore, MD

How did you decide on this path/thing?
I worked in marketing, branding and trend forecasting in NYC before heading to get my MBA at Stanford. When I graduated, I already knew I did not want to go back to the world I was working in. I only knew how I wanted to feel, about my life, about my day to day. I can’t even articulate that feeling, but I think a lot of it had to do with freedom and lightness and a sense of choice and control. Even when I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I knew exactly what I didn’t want to do. I just followed the signs and my decisions fell into place.

How did you start?
The only thing you have to do is make up your mind to fully commit to something. From there it’s easy to discover how to set up a business or get something made. Get over your fear of asking questions. There are so many people and resources who can and will help you. The only hard part is battling with yourself. If you commit to the journey, you’ve made the toughest and most important step.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Every day things. Books, music, films, traveling, meals. Whenever I see something or interact with something that I connect with, I always put a little note in my head to hold onto it. I also think about the things I loved from my childhood. Those things are classic and timeless.

What is your style?
Simple, classic, personal, colorful.

What is your formula?
Put what you like together with what else you like. If they come from different areas, even better.

Why do you do what you do?
Because I want to do it. It’s that simple.

Why are you independent?
Is there another way to be?

Where is the best place to start?
With yourself. That’s the best place to start with anything. Know yourself, know what you like, what makes you feel something, what you connect to, what code you live your life by. If you know those things, you can do anything.

Who is on your team?
Eddie Kim, Oliver Kish, Christine Yi Dameron, Zach Scott, Jenn and Michelle Kim, and Sebastian Chung. They make Keep work.

Who have you enlisted for help?
Every single friend and acquaintance I’ve met in my life. Keep has been built on the backs of so many amazingly helpful people. I’ve become a more generous person because of how much I’ve been given, from people I’ve known for decades to people I’ve barely even met.

What makes you good?
Constant discipline, attention to detail while knowing when to step back, the ability to just let things go, consistency, having an opinion, and being human.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
On a light level, every day. On a real, true level, probably only once. That was when we had our first disaster. Once you get through your first true crisis, everything else pales in comparison. It’s all about perspective. Since that time, I’ve had many more difficult periods, but I’m able to deal with them so much better. The bottom line is to ask yourself if what you’re doing, from an overall perspective, makes you happy. If it does, you’re fine. If it doesn’t, start planning on what your next step will be. Do your struggles lead to something better? Or are you just toiling away on the same plane every day? Those are the kind of questions to think about. When I step back, I know about how grateful I am to be doing what I’m doing. I’ve learned so much about myself and that is priceless.

How do you pay your bills?
By selling shoes.

Why don’t most people make it?
Shoes are hard to make. They cost money and you can’t just do it casually. If you’re a big company, you tend to not have any real identity that’s meaningful anymore. It’s a natural part of the cycle.

How or why is your generation different from any other?
We have unprecedented access to information, the ability to travel around the globe, and much more individualized power and opportunity.

What is your end goal?
To be happy with what I do and make, and to enjoy the world.

Why should we care?
Because you feel something, some sort of resonance or connection, when you look at the stuff we make. If you don’t, then it’s completely cool not to care.

How do you become legendary?
By being consistent and having something to say.

One day, out of the clear blue sky, comes someone who flips your world upside down, someone who calls your heart out of its hiding place to a place in the sun, someone who you can see a future with, bright and full of possibilities. It is so rare for your heart to sing, for your soul to find its place in the arms of another, for your self to be seen and celebrated. You dream of a day when your lives might form a lasting and permanent union. Your wedding day looms on the horizon and your heart swells with joy and hope for the possibilities that lay ahead of you. Your partner, your best friend, your lover and your true love are about to be your spouse. What could be more beautiful? For our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, this dream is one step closer to a reality today. Iowa has become the third state in the union to pull its head out of the middle ages and break away from hate to support love.

The Iowa Supreme Court legalized marriage for gay and lesbian couples by an unanimous and enthusiastic decision. “We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective,” the Supreme Court wrote in its decision. “The Legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”

I am immensely proud of the Iowa Supreme Court and their brave and powerful choice to choose love over hate. Congratulations to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters! Your love cannot be measured any more than my own. It is boundless and beautiful and I celebrate this step forward in the fight for your right to be heard and recognized.

VIVA AMOR!

Peace and Love.

We received notice about a new J*Davey video and although we’re always happy to see the word J*Davey in the subject line the teasing is getting rediculous at this point. Good music comes with time (unless your Madlib or Squarepusher) so of course we’ll wait as long as we need but after our interview with J*Davey for LEGENDmag Issue 23 (pdf) we’d love for it to come sooner rather then later.

Where are you from?
I was born in Belarus but grew up in New Jersey, “The Dirty Jerz.”

How did you start?
My dad dragged me to work in the family business when I was a kid and I hated every minute of it. Then one day I realized that people collected wine the same way they collected baseball cards. From that point forward I saw the opportunities and started to learn as much as I could about wine.

How did you decide on this path?
I fell into it because it was the family business, but at a certain point I just decided to do everything I could to become a wine expert. I read wine books. I went out and tasted all these crazy flavors that I was reading about in wine descriptions. I ate grass, cigars and dirt. I came home from college every weekend and completely invested myself in the business.

Who influences you?
My mom is a HUGE influence on me; so is my dad, although we are very different. I love them both so much!

What is your formula?
I trust my heart, my gut and focus on my community.

Who do you call family?
Well I have my wife, my family, and my Wine Library family. When it comes down to it, nothing is more important to me than the health and happiness of my family.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Every day when I wake up and nothing has happened to any of my friends or family during the night, I feel happy and inspired to attack the day!

What is your style?
Full speed ahead.

How do you pay your bills?
Fortunately, our wine retail store, Wine Library, has been very successful.

What is your end goal?
To own the New York Jets.

Where is the best place to start?
Start with what you know and are passionate about! You will only succeed if you are passionate and authentic.

Why don’t most people make it?
Most people are afraid to make the sacrifice, or simply aren’t genuine. If you’re not real, people will find you out in a heartbeat.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
When I turned 30 I kinda panicked and wanted to do something else, which is when I decided to start Wine Library TV.

Why are you independent?
I turned on a camera and started pumping out Wine Library TV in February of 2006. There’s no producer or script, just a cameraman, wine, and a spit bucket.

How does one become legendary?
I think people become legendary by loving what they do, and working at it as hard as they can. With the social media technologies currently available, we’re in the midst of what I call a personal brand gold rush, anyone can become legendary.

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 23(pdf), including: ETSY: reconnecting the producer to the consumer, Blank Blank: creating objects for interior environments, a battle of presidential proportions in The Beatdown and how Transparncy is the new Democracy.

The Sonoma Film Festival starts today.  Of the many films that are slated for screening, there is one that I can’t wait to see.  Food Inc. has been on my “must see” list ever since it was debuted at TIFF last year.  This documentary scratches the surface of one very important question that I often ask, “Where exactly does our food come from?”  One may think the answer to be rather simple.  After all… “Happy cows come from California,” right?  Then, Coalinga happened…

After spending an enjoyable weekend in Monterey, I was struck with one of the most disgusting experiences, of my life.  On the return trip from Monterey, I decided to take a different route than normal.  I knew that this scenic route would offer great views of the vineyards in a region that makes some pretty good pinot noir.  What I didn’t foresee was a hideous “farm” in Coalinga.  On the sides of the freeway, in rural areas, there are often dairy farms.  I remember these, because I often use them to test my lung capacity to see just how long I can hold my breath, so I don’t inhale the stench.  Well this “dairy farm” in Coalinga took the blue ribbon in nastiness.

This “raunchy ranch” has around a thousand cows cooped up like sardines in tin.  I went to high school in a rural area, so I know what passing by a dairy farm should smell like.  Trust me when I say that judging from the stench emanating from that cow hell, they may as well have been dead for a week!  The stench and filth was so bad that there were large, visible clouds of what I could only assume was methane.  This cloud actually darkened the sun a little, on an otherwise clear day.  The cloudiness was an ominous complement to the rain-like sound I heard, as I drove through as quickly as I could.  But it wasn’t rain.  You see, there was so much filth around this “farm” that the area was teeming with insects.  That rain-like sound was that of my car plowing through the swarm! So many insects were embedded on the windshield that my view ahead became compromised.   The stench was so prevalent, so strong, so foul, that after the incident I had to pull the car over, and open every door, just to air it out.  It took about fifteen minutes to regain olfactory balance, afterward.

On the rest of the drive back, I couldn’t get it out of my mind, “Is that where our food really comes from?”  Someone, somewhere will be ingesting the by-product of what I had just experienced.  How much of my food is consumed though such horrific sources?  If you happen to be in Sonoma this week during the festival, please make sure you watch this film!  You need to know exactly what you’re eating.  Here’s the trailer…

April 2009 Indie Events:

Boston, MA
–Apr. 22–28 — Independent Film Festival

Brooklyn, NY
–Apr. 19–23 ­— Brooklyn Underground (Film)

Columbia, SC
–Apr. 15–19 — Indie Grits Film Festival

Durham, NC
–Apr. 2–5 — Full Frame Doc. Film Festival

Houston, TX
–Apr. 17–26 — WorldFest (Film)

Indio, CA
–Apr. 17–19 — Coachella (Music)

Minneapolis, MN
–TBA — Intrn’l Film Festival 2009

Philadelphia, PA
–Apr. 7 — Sake Fest

San Francisco, CA
–TBA — Craft Con ‘09

Santa Monica, CA
–Apr. 25–26 — Vintage Fashion Expo

If you know of any events that we missed, please post them in the comments.

The more years go by on my life ticker the more I realize I don’t like wasting time going over ideas that have been sitting around for months. I like to have an idea, figure out the steps to get said thing done and then start doing them. More and more often starting a project with this great jumping off point equals completion and in a timely manner.

What I’ve realized is that the right tools are essential to getting things done. Finally getting to your todo list and then crossing off twenty lines at the end of the day feels great. What’s not so great is realizing that 10 to 15 of those things had no direct impact on projects your currently working on and that plugging in todo’s that would’ve affected the important projects you have ahead of you would’ve been great.

This is where I’ve learned to lean on of my favorite tools, the  Behance Action Method. When you’re coming up with new ideas, piggybacking actions steps onto those thought bubbles and highlighted words is an essential step to make sure things GET DONE! Reaping rewards from great ideas is a race to action not a measurement of the ideas against others. It’s important to keep in mind that creativity is abundant and what separates those with notebooks full of ideas from those with notebooks full completed projects is action.

Behance knows this all to well

and has not only come up with the Action Method but tools to help you use it. If note books don’t appeal to you they’ve also come up with an online project manager that helps to keep you moving.

*As a side note I believe that Behance tools work best for creative types. For instance I thrive using paper to expresses ideas and then a computer to execute and stay organized. Moreover Behance is a network for creatives and the tools they’ve come up with are targeted at them. This is not to say you should only use these tools if you draw, paint or do design (non of which I do) but it to let you know the type of mind they made it for.

J Davey is a musical tour de force, a duo of such magnetic and exciting proportions that we are stunned that they haven’t set the whole world on fire…yet. Made up of Jack Davey (she’s the hot modelesque girl in the mohawk) and Brook D’Leau (he’s the hot guy with the stunning talent), J Davey is poised to take the world by storm and bring us new sounds to shake it to. Blending electronica, soul, funk and hip-hop, this amazing team has produced booty shaking, earth quaking, soul splitting grooves the likes of which we have not seen for days! Get in on the ground floor of a musical revolution, people. Welcome to the world of J Davey.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Brook: Dark corners and bright lights.
Jack : I don’t look for it, I simply wait for it to find me.

Where is you favorite spot on earth?
Brook: The church parking lot
Jack : It’s a toss-up between the church parking lot & my bed .

How did you start?
Brook: In the middle?
Jack : I’m not so sure I’ve even really started . . .

How did you decide on this path?
Brook: I don’t recall making this decision.
Jack : Yeah, music just kinda decided for me.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
Brook: -3.
Jack : Almost everyday, but I will never actually have the balls or nerve to do so.

How do you pay your bills?
Brook: Our music pays my bills. Thank you Geebus!
Jack : Amen.

How do you become legendary?
Brook: Forget about trying to become legendary and know that you know nothing at all.
Jack : What he said.

What is your end goal?
Brook: I don’t like goals.
Jack : There’s an end to this thing?

What is your style?
Brook: aV8r (aviator).
Jack : Anything goes.

What is your formula?
Brook: Everything has the potential to go wrong at any time. Be happy when it doesn’t.
Jack : I abandoned the formula a long time ago, because it no longer works.

Who influences you?
Brook: All the people who are close to me and anything I absorb when I’m by myself.
Jack : The question should really read, ”What influences you?” & to answer such a question requires time & space that transcends the now.

Who is on your team?
Brook: People who can actually get me on the phone.
Jack : Yeah, I like that answer. Make that a “ditto”.

Who have you enlisted for help?
Both : Vizion Jones.

Who do you call family?
Both: The people who don’t need to talk to us everyday but still love and support us for who we are.

Why are you independent?
Brook: My dad….and, who doesn’t want to be?
Jack : Because dependency is de passe.

Why do you do what you do?
Brook: I told you, I don’t know anything.
Jack : It feels right, so why not?

Why should we care?
Brook: You don’t have to.
Jack : Just cuz. Do u need a reason to care about anything?

Why don’t most people make it?
Brook: Because they actually think there is a such thing as “making it”.
Jack : Because they act as though they’ve already made it.

UPDATE: Since publication, Nonagon has released a superb, full-length album entitled “Days Away” along with posting many cool live videos and free mixes on his blog. The staff at LEGENDmag loves this album and has been eagerly anticipating it since the day we first heard about it. Go now, and discover for yourself!

To name-your-price and download, please visit nonagon.bandcamp.com.

Or if you are a collector, purchase a CD with full album artwork for $10 directly from nonagon.net/daysaway.

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Next Legends …introducing Nonagon

Where are you from?
Born and raised in LA, but a Bay Area local since ‘99.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Inside, to the things I can’t forget (the good and the bad). Otherwise: movies, stories, and rainy days.

Where is you favorite spot on earth?
A safe place on a misty morning, with a cup of tea and a view.

Where is the best place to start?
With an open mind. The first few moments of brainstorming a new track are my favorite thing in the world: there are no rules, no obligations, just pure possibility. Ending up with a cohesive and polished musical concept can be an arduous process, but in those first minutes nothing is off-limits.

How did you start?
I discovered MOD tracking in high school, back in the MS-DOS days. I was playing more “real” instruments then, but the musical potential of software, even that relatively primitive variety, had me hooked instantly.

How did you decide on this path/thing?
At the risk of sounding corny, I think it sort of chose me. I unwittingly did everything I could to supress it- spent all my time stressing about schoolwork, then all my time stressing about work-work. In the end I had to admit to myself that making music was all I really wanted to do. To deny myself that would kill me inside.

How many times have you wanted to quit?
Making music: never. Doing the things that keep me from making music: just about every day. I actually managed to save up and take a year off of work in 2007. Life on a shoestring was never sweeter.

How do you pay your bills?
My secret identity as a software engineer will keep a roof over my head until the Grammy’s start rolling in. =)

How do you become legendary?
By doing your own thing. Originality has never been a prerequisite for fame, but it’s THE thing that separates the legends from the rest of us. They were the ones who had the confidence to pursue their creative visions when nobody else gave a damn, sometimes for their entire lives. It’s a rare breed of person who’s willing to make that kind of sacrifice for something they believe in, and I think we can all learn something from their example.

What makes you good?
The belief that I’m never good enough, coupled with the ability to (begrudingly) admit when I’ve created something to be proud of. Hubris can ruin one’s musical development, but I think that not recognizing and celebrating things done right, no matter how small, is in some ways just as bad.

What is your end goal?
The ability to support myself financially doing what I love to do. I’m not particularly interested in fame and fortune (not that a yacht wouldn’t be nice), but I’d be incredibly happy if I could make music all day and still pay the bills. I know how slim the chances of that happening are, and to an extent the privilege of even a little free time for creative endeavors is more than most will ever have the chance to ask for, but it’s not a fight I’m planning on giving up on any time soon.

What is your style?
Atmospheric, evocative electronic music with a slice of the funk. I come from a drum ‘n bass / dub background, but most of my tracks don’t fall easily into any particular genre (that I’m aware of) so I made up my own: “Step Core”. The ambiguity and inherent meaninglessness of that phrase really appeals to me. If it ends up taking off, though, you heard it here first!

What is your formula?
If I knew, I’d probably get tracks finished a lot quicker =). In general though, I always try to create a palpable atmosphere with my songs, a sense of time and place that frames the thoughts and feelings I’m hoping to express.

Who influences you?
I have to acknowledge Trent Reznor as my all-time musical hero. Twenty years later, and more relevant now than ever. Otherwise, though, the usual suspects: Boards of Canada, Orbital, Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, Four Tet… like any music lover I could name drop ‘til the cows come home. Ultimately, any artist that can give me the tingles is right up there in my book.

Who is on your team?
I’m particularly fortunate to have an incredible group of friends and family who’d pat me on the back and buy me a drink no matter what kind of shit I came up with.

Who have you enlisted for help?
For a long time I treated music making as a strictly solitary thing. Fairly recently though, I’ve started branching out and meeting with other musicians to jam, compose, and talk shop. I think a part of me is still very possessive of “the process” and doesn’t want to let anyone else in, but I have to admit that working with others has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. It’s good to know that I’m finally ready for the third grade.

Who do you call family?
My family, of course! I lucked out on that front, can’t say enough good things about each and every one of them.

Why are you independent?
Because I get to make up the rules. Being independent isn’t about who’s paying you, it’s about having the freedom to make your own decisions no matter what anyone says. If a major label wanted to pay me to do what I want to do then hell, I’d take their money in a second! I’m just not willing to compromise my ideas for collateral benefits like popularity and money, and that’s the true spirit of independent music.

Why do you do what you do?
Because it makes me whole. And, Hallmark as it sounds, because when I’m on my deathbed I’d rather have tried and failed miserably than spent my whole life dreaming about the things that could have been.

Why should we care?
I’m not the best at what I do, not by a long shot. But I put all of myself into the music that I make, and in the end that’s what I most hope comes through to listeners. No matter what you ultimately think of the tunes, my heart is in them, and that’s a pretty good reason to care.

Why don’t most people make it?
That depends on what you mean by “make it.” Most musicians will never hit the charts, never hear their tracks on the radio, never sell out Madison Square Garden- but that doesn’t mean they haven’t “made it.” If you’re doing what you love to do, then in my mind you’ve already made it. There will always more to achieve, and it’s a worthwhile fight, but ultimately the real reward isn’t money or fame, it’s the opportunity to express yourself and to affect others with your work. But ask me again when Radiohead is my opening act- perspectives change. =)

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 25, including: A Fine Line: Guerilla photos in Columbia, Bento: A Good Square Meal, the music of Nonagon, Indiebound’s attention to value, and Enclothe’s fashion statement.

I obsess over being independent. Yes it’s just the truth and I’m coming out to all of you today. For the past 4 or 5 years I have been obsessing over how I can possibly make a living on things that are all independent. Living in this world can be a bit much and not coming up for air isn’t a good idea but not obsessing over your passion is just as bad an idea. Here are some of the thoughts I have…

How to publish an independent magazine and ONLY take money from other independents in order to keep the money in the “community”. How to throw huge events without huge sponsors that want to slap their logo all over what you do with no real stake in its outcome. How in the world do you not file for non-profit status and still feel ok with taking money from the very audience you’re trying to help. To add insult to injury there are times when the audience doesn’t always know what they’re getting (it’s hard explaining what someone gets out of an ad that’s tangible to their bottom-line).

How do you reconcile all of these thoughts and make a living doing what you do? Provide real value to people. I’ve recently come to the conclusion that what we offer people is not ad space or a chance to interact with the independent community because in the end everyone is going to have to figure how to interact with their audience and ours on their own. What we are doing here at LEGENDmag is sharing with EVERYONE; the people we think have figured out pieces of the puzzle for themselves. Businesses that the world is better knowing about. Organizations and artists who pour their heart and soul into what they do in order to squeeze out a living or to live well.

Valuable relationships…that’s the key and we’re building more and more everyday. In a world where everyone is really hyped on every new “social network” I think that most people forget networking has been around forever without the help of the net. Throwing “social” in front of it is an oxymoron. I’ve never networked with any group of people and had it not be considered social, it’s the Internet that makes it less social then it normally is.

With all this said I say to everyone out there that I’m happier today then I’ve been in a long time with our progress, our team and our direction. Please keep checking back with us to see how the indie movement evolves and who we feel is helping at every turn.

Story by Jay Carlson, Photos ‘n Bentos by Maki Ogawa

Some people eat for nourishment, but others eat for artistry. Thanks to Japanese fundamentals and the Internet, homemade lunches have evolved from a good square meal to a creative and competitive outlet.

Bento boxes emerged in Japan during the 16th century as a means of transporting a complete meal. The wooden boxes were divided into sections that traditionally included meat, rice, and pickled vegetables. Five centuries later, the United States finally caught on to the Eastern concept, and a surging population of Americans is learning that their meals are healthier and more enjoyable when they think inside the box.

The bento goal of a balanced diet still holds true today, but contemporary bento enthusiasts consider their output to be a mixture of form and function. Online communities, such as flickr.com/groups/bentoboxes, allow culinary artists to show off their food creations while onlookers digest the composition to sharpen their own skills.

There are key differences between bento boxes and boring ol’ sack lunches. The most obvious distinction is the container itself. Contemporary bento boxes are constructed out of durable materials like plastic and metal and can be found in a variety of shapes. The one true constant is that the compartments should all be housed together, whether stackable or resting within a larger portable box. A typical bento compartment doesn’t offer much room, so portion control is crucial. Vegetable sticks and cheese cubes are staples of American bento lunches, since their size can be customized.

Another significant contrast compared to sack lunches is a design aesthetic. Empty boxes are blank canvases waiting to display the rich palette of food art. In other words, a bologna sandwich and chips just won’t do. Meal creations should be a challenging and a creative endeavor worthy of saving in a photo album for posterity. Think of the pursuit like Iron Chef for the common man where a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can transform into a car with banana discs for wheels. Seaweed cut with an Exacto knife can create silhouettes of trees on top of rice dyed blue to simulate the sky. Sculpting food items into animal or floral shapes is known as kyaraben, and it will definitely earn you bragging rights. In fact, devoted followers go to great lengths to acquire bento apparatuses found only in Japanese shops. These accessories can mold rice into spheres or shape eggs into stars. It’s a technique that separates amateurs from experts, and each successful design acts as another notch on your bedpost.

Just as a chef wouldn’t attempt a recipe without the ingredients, bento box artists need to choose which foods they want to use and then figure how to best utilize them. Some preparers even plan ahead by drawing what they intend to make. The most dedicated bento artists spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing one meal. It’s a painstaking process that is clearly not just for the maker’s enjoyment.

But appearance isn’t everything. The food must also taste good. There are few things more disappointing than designing a beautiful meal only to have a flavorless outcome. To work so hard without striking the proper balance of design and taste is a losing battle. Sure, everyone else judges your bento box solely on appearance, but lackluster taste affects the opinion that matters the most: your own.

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 25, including: A Fine Line: Guerilla photos in Columbia, Bento: A Good Square Meal, the music of Nonagon, Indiebound’s attention to value, and Enclothe’s fashion statement.

Converging films from the far reaches of the world, the Tribeca Film Festival’s World Narrative Competition truly lives up to its name. Films representing nations such as Iran, Serbia, and Argentina serve to expand the viewers perspective on the stories told. A welcome trend in this lineup are the many familiar American actors, like Kevin Kline, Geena Davis, Aidan Quinn, and Jennifer Beals, who are cast in these foreign features. Here are some of the imports from the upcoming festival.

About Elly (Darbareye Elly/Iran)
Directed and written by: Asghar Farhadi
A group of old college pals reunites for a weekend adventure on the sea, but compounding lies and deception quickly lead to catastrophe. Everyone hopes Sepideh’s new friend Elly will hit it off with Ahmad, newly divorced from his German wife and in search of an Iranian bride, but Elly disappears on the second day, plunging the group into a complex mystery. Asghar Farhadi took the Best Director prize at Berlin. In Persian with English subtitles.

Accidents Happen (Australia)
Directed by Andrew Lancaster
There are dysfunctional families… and then there are the Conways. After a family tragedy, 15-year-old Billy Conway has become the de facto glue between his bitter mom (Geena Davis), distant brother, and stoic dad. But when Billy starts to act out, everything changes for him and his family in this visually stunning, bittersweet drama.

The Eclipse (Ireland)
Directed by: Conor McPherson
Award-winning screenwriter and Tony-nominated playwright McPherson crafts an exquisite atmospheric drama about a widower (Ciarán Hinds, Munich) who sees and hears strange things in his house. His life converges with a beautiful author of supernatural fiction (Iben Hjejle, High Fidelity) and a full-of-himself pop novelist (Aidan Quinn) at an international literary festival that will alter their lives in surprising ways.

The Fish Child (El Niño Pez/Argentina)
Directed by: Lucía Puenzo
Likened to a bold Argentine Thelma and Louise, Lucia Puenzo’s follow-up to her Cannes winner XXY wraps a passionate love story in the arms of a pulsating thriller. When an upper-class Argentine falls for her family’s sultry Paraguayan maid, the two make plans to run away together, but their hope for escape is derailed when shocking secrets become unveiled. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Here and There (Tamo i Ovde/Serbia)
Directed by: Darko Lungulov
Miserable middle-aged musician Robert suddenly finds himself homeless and in need of quick cash. He accepts an offer from a young, enterprising Serbian immigrant named Branko: Travel to Belgrade, marry Branko’s girlfriend, and bring her back to the US. But while on the trip, Robert meets Branko’s mother, discovers that happiness comes when least expected, and begins to question whether money or love would be the true cure to his ills. In English and Serbian with English subtitles.

North (Nord/Norway)
Directed by: Rune Denstad Laglo
A road movie without a road, North is a wry comedy about a former ski champion recovering from a mental breakdown and on a journey to start anew. Having just learned he has a five-year-old son, he hops on his snowmobile with some moonshine, bound for his ex-girlfriend’s home in Norway’s Far North. His oddball encounters along the way make this fresh and original debut both tender and amusing. In Norwegian with English subtitles.

Queen to Play (Joueuse/France)
Directed by: Caroline Bottaro
Sandrine Bonnaire plays an inquisitive hotel maid captivated by a vacationing couple (Jennifer Beals, Dominic Gould) playing chess. Thus begins her obsession with mastering the game and transforming her uninspired life. An American expat (Kevin Kline) mentors her in the game that alters both their lives in this delightful feel-good French import. In French with English subtitles.

Seven Minutes in Heaven (Sheva Dakot Be’gan Eden/Israel)
Directed by: Omri Givon
A young woman struggles to reconstruct her memory of the events immediately following the Jerusalem bus bombing that took the life of her boyfriend and left her back badly scarred. Part memory play, part love story, and part metaphysical thriller, this startling debut feature announces Givon as a forceful storyteller and exciting new voice in international cinema. In Hebrew with English subtitles.

Related Post: Three Documentaries You Should See at the Upcoming Tribeca Film Festival

We recently covered Indiebound in Issue 25 of LEGENDmag. The story was really well received and we were happy to find another ally in the indie movement. We’ve taken things to the next step and formed a partnership with Indiebound.org

They have alot of great tools, tips and tricks and we are doing our part to make sure you know about them. Look for alot more from LEGENDmag and Indiebound, in the mean time check out their indie map feature. Sign up, list your favorite indie businesses and rate them so that everyone can share in the goodness.

Here’s a note from Indiebound:

IndieBound.org’s Indie Store Finder map is the go-to resource for finding independently-owned retailers in the United States.  If your favorite business isn’t listed, it’s free and easy to sign up!  Visit http://www.indiebound.org/join to create a user account, and then add your store by clicking the “Add a Store” link at the top.  More information: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-community

Rob Zombie (Musician)

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It is ALWAYS important that us consumers support the things which we enjoy. The places, the foods, the clothing, the music, the people. In America especially, we “cast our vote” daily, based on what we give money to. So just make sure what you are giving your money to, is something that you want around; and that the things you want around, are things you give your money to.

Take a look at our new video series INDIEGUY and get thoughts, products and people all in true indie fashion!

The Peek
Trevor Traynor

From the President and CEO of Speakeasy Theaters:

“After more than twelve years of serving the great cultural crossroad of Oakland, the Parkway Speakeasy Theater will be closing at the end of business day this Sunday, March 22, 2009. From African Diaspora to Thrillville to lesbian fashion shows and educational porn, the Parkway has offered an eclectic array of movies and events. It was the first theater in California to offer food, beer and wine service in a lounge style movie theater. With a nudge or a push from the community, there was little programming the Parkway theater would not try in order to better be a community center and a safe haven for diverse ideas. The Parkway brought Baby Brigade for the shuttered and abandoned parents of newborns, the first international black gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender film festival and Sunday Salon, a free event for cultural and community enhancement. We, at the Parkway Speakeasy Theater, are deeply proud of the Parkway and will profoundly miss serving its community. Thank you for your patronage.”

Thank YOU Parkway, for the wonderful years of community service, and truly independent style. You will be missed greatly.

Add your thoughts and memories in the comments section, follow the active discussion on Twitter, or sign up online to save the Parkway on Facebook.

In 1963, after a decade of turmoil, violence and political upheaval, a group of intellectuals, students, Catholic radicals, and left-wing citizens, formed the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN).

They hoped to recreate a rebellion based on the ideals of Cuban revolutionary theory and extreme liberation theology. This ideology sought to establish both a Christian and Communist solution to Colombia’s widespread social and political problems such as corruption, poverty and political exclusion. The solution to these problems can be met, according to the ELN, through the use of guerrilla activity, conventional warfare and also what has been termed as terrorist action.

This particular squad of the ELN (featured in these photos) was formed by 24 men and women, under the command of “El Viejo” (The old man) and are determined to protect their rebel camps from the National Army of Columbia as well as from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC – Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). Alejandro Zapico lived for two weeks with men and women that are part of the ELN. He shared his convictions and hopes—his way of seeing and understanding the world. This is the same world that the ELN claim to aspire to change and make better.

While the ELN claim to be a group fighting for the freedoms and rights of the people of Columbia, these same people are oftentimes the victims of the violence inherent in this type of rebellion. The US State Department has listed the ELN as a Foreign Terrorist Organization because of its nefarious reputation for ransom kidnappings and armed attacks on Colombia’s infrastructure and civilian population.

It begs the question, “What are you willing to sacrifice for what you believe to be right?” There is an amazing and inspirational strength in these faces. Their world is not one that any of us fortunate to grow up in America can even begin to comprehend. The circumstances which have led them to this life are unimaginable as are the circumstances they now find themselves in. We can only take a moment to open our eyes to a reality so far removed from our own that it is easy to pretend that it does not exist and that it does not affect us and that we would make different choices in their shoes. Open your eyes and see their Columbia.

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 25, including: A Fine Line: Guerilla photos in Columbia, Bento: A Good Square Meal, the music of Nonagon, Indiebound’s attention to value, and Enclothe’s fashion statement.

Recently, the Tribeca Film Festival announced its competition lineup for next month’s event in New York. Tribeca has always been a great festival to discover new and gripping documentaries. Even in this lean year, where the festival had to scale back a little, it looks as if the festival will still keep its edge with respect to its doc competition. As big fan of the genre… I couldn’t be more excited with the lineup! Here are three standouts in competition for the top doc prize.

Transcendent Man
Directed by Barry Ptolemy
Some hail him as a modern-day Nostradamus, others dismiss him as a crackpot. Futurist and famed inventor Ray Kurzweil is the preeminent theorist on the pending fusion of humans and super-intelligent machines as the next phase of evolution, a “singularity” he predicts will occur within 30 years. This fascinating (and at times terrifying) doc explores the personal ideals behind his controversial ideas.

Outrage
Directed by Kirby Dick
Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) delivers a searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who actively campaign against the LGBT community they covertly belong to. Outrage boldly reveals the hidden lives of some of our nation’s most powerful policymakers, details the harm they’ve inflicted on millions of Americans, and examines the media’s complicity in keeping their secrets.

Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi
Directed by Ian Olds.
In 2007, the Taliban kidnapped 24-year-old Ajmal Naqshbandi and an Italian journalist. Naqshbandi was one of Afghanistan’s best “fixers”—someone hired by foreign journalists to facilitate, translate, and gain access for their stories. This gripping, tragic story is a behind-the-scenes look into the dangerous and unseen world that happens before we get the news. In English, Dari, Pashto, Italian with English subtitles.

What do you think about these three compared to the rest of the documentary lineup? Are you planning on attending Tribeca? Which films are you looking forward to seeing?

Some of our friends in the film industry are almost done with a new project and wanted to share the trailer with you. You’ll be able to check out their projects upcoming festivals. I for one can’t wait to check out the on screen debauchery that will ensure once this movie gets going.
(via Aili Ice)

Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort (French Playwright, 1741-1794)

From the guys who brought you Powerthirst Energy Drink, comes Brawndo!! It’s Friday the 13th, so we all need a little laugh. This one made me laugh out loud more than once, and I hope it does the same for you!

The crazy part about this, is that it was created by Beavis & Butthead pioneer, Mike Judge for his movie Idiocracy and is actually a real, licensed drink. It contains 200mg of caffeine per can!!! You can buy a case here for only $50!

What is the world coming to, people? I ask you!
(Thanks to Dave for the heads up!)

Peace (and quiet!)

Some people still make great tee’s with great art using quality materials. Enclothe is one such company. The artists and visionaries at Enclothe have come together to create a line that is inspiring, whimsical and poignant. If you can’t be naked all the time, be sure to wear clothes that make a statement. Enclothe can help you do just that.

Brand philosophy: Enclothe believes in creating great art that is smart and looks good on t-shirts but that can also tell a story or communicate a feeling. We are not interested in plastering our name or logo on the clothes we produce.

Target consumer: People who love to dress.

Plans for the future: Since our move to San Diego we want to really establish ourselves in the local art community. We started back in ‘03 when there was not much in the way of shirts on the internet. But we always felt there was something lacking in what was being offered out there. There was an abundance of jokey punny shirts, and Threadless.com was really into the illustrator looking stuff but we just couldn’t really find anything we liked. We’ll be doing more cut n sew hoodies and expanding our line as much as possible.

Year Founded: 2008
Location: San Diego
Category: Retail, Fashion
Leadership: Derek Myers, Sven Palmowski, Adam Rosenlund and Jeremy Hanlin
Products: Art-inspired shirts and hoodies
Web site: www.enclothe.com

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 25, including: A Fine Line: Guerilla photos in Columbia, Bento: A Good Square Meal, the music of Nonagon, Indiebound’s attention to value, and Enclothe’s fashion statement.

I’ve had alot of stress in my life lately. It seems as though when you don’t act on things soon enough, the very thought (worry) and emotion associated with that lack of action just builds up until you need to release or find a new way to frame the problem as to alleviate the term problem altogether. This only gets worse when you haven’t been exercising or eating healthy.  Zenhabits has been my savor as of late. it’s a great site that’s been around for a long while that always gives some great life tips to keep you going.

Toodledo.com is a online app run by one guy who provides and invaluable service. A todo list worth it’s weight in gold (if you’re weighing the servers it’s on) Toodledo is a unlike many other todo apps has a way to help you prioritize what you should do, how long it will take, and even how it ties to your future life goes. Now that’s a todo list. And there nothing that toodledo doesn’t talk to email, text, software, ical, and the list goes on. And indispensable app for people who like to live in the cloud.

Super future is definitely the old timer of this butch. They’ve been around since what seems like the beginning of the Internet as we know it today and they’ve always kept you in-tune with the most independent metro spots around the globe. With everything from a indie city concierge service to printable fold up maps they cover all the bases. Before you plan your next trip to any place metro you simply MUST visit superfuture.

For more sites that can help you stay linked to your network and productive read more.

Watching Kutiman’s videos today made me realize an important lesson in life. No matter how bad or awkward you are, there is somewhere which you fit just perfectly. Take the multitude of video samples Kutiman grabbed form the web. A mosh-mosh of people, styles, attitudes, and opinions.. and yet, when combined in just the right mixture, they produce beautiful, elegant compositions.

So whether a band geek, funk drummer, or closet MC… hold fast to your indie dreams while you locate that perfect fit.

(and make sure you watch the rest of the original compositions on thru-you.com!!)

I really stepped out of my comfort zone last weekend and went to an underground porn party. Some might be surprised to know that things like that are not my bag. At all. Some people enjoy going to sex parties and watching strangers get busy on dirty mattresses and lord knows what else, but for me, I think it’s creepy. Call me close minded if you must, but I’ll never understand why you’d want to spend a Saturday night dressed like a magical mystery character while strangers do the nasty for your viewing pleasure. It makes me crave some Purell just thinking about it. Yech.

Regardless, my old friend Mikey invited me to this party, Pornivale and told me it would be the party of the year. How could I say no to naked contortionists, naked sushi, naked roller-skating, dildo races and swordfights? It was expressly stated that this was NOT a sex party. While there would be porn on 23 screens throughout the party, no one would be having sex in person. Maybe you think it’s hypocritical that I don’t have an issue with porn, but don’t want to watch people have sex live and in person. Maybe you’re right, but I don’t care what you think. So there.

Read all about it (including NSFW photos) after the jump.

So we arrived, and I was already nervous, assuming that I would be insanely uncomfortable and that everyone would be tripping on E and breaking the NO SEX rule on all of the filthy mattresses that we spied as we drove up. There was an enormous red rocket on the back of a flatbed truck parked out in front of this warehouse in the cuts of the very sketchy Bayview district. We met up with Mikey as he donned his attire for the evening, transforming into his alter ego, Vic Doublelongo (VD). People began to arrive, dressed in all manner of costumes, mostly 70’s in nature, all slightly scandalous. There were kinky clowns arriving, alerting me the fact that there exists a kinky clown fetish. Who knew?

We work up our herbal courage and enter the warehouse to be greeted by a tall man who looks as though he just stepped out of a Romanian gypsy camp. He leers at us as if he has already undressed us and welcomes us to the event. We are “guided” through the maze by a woman with a riding crop who “suggests” that we veer to the right, walking around the “Grope a Clown” box. This free-standing room has holes cut out of the walls, where you can stick your hand and grope a kinky clown. I tried it and got a handful of clown ass. These are words I hope never to utter again.

The room was sparsely decorated with various freestanding rooms for making out and whatnot, though thankfully I did not witness any of that. There was a trailer with a stripper pole in it, which to me just screamed “lawsuit” and a wall of painted women where instead of putting your head through a hole to have your picture taken, you inserted your chest. There were these enormous balls of yarn in the middle of the room, where people perched or danced. One woman, who was clearly under the influence of something intense, decided that the ball of yarn was her own personal stage for sexual release and performance. She certainly seemed to enjoy herself.

There were not 23 screens of porn, as had been promised. Instead there were four, and that was more than enough. The DJ was great and really got us moving, but every now and then, you’d look up and there would be unspeakable acts taking place on the screen above your friend’s head. After awhile it became slightly less shocking but I never got comfortable with it.

The majority of the attendees were what you might expect. Mostly hardcore Burning Man types, very free, very colorful and extremely creative. After all, who else could have constructed a seven foot, red-white-and-blue penis that shot flames from the tip when you stepped on a pedal? Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spied an exceedingly normal, exceptionally good looking guy. Normal, outside of the fact that he was 6’7” and built like an Abercrombie & Fitch model. But in his plain t-shirt and jeans and clean cut good looks, he stood out in this crowd of fun-loving freaks and geeks. He was entirely too good looking for me to talk to. I instantly placed him in the “way out of my league” category. Besides, meeting someone at an underground porn party is not exactly the stuff of fairy tales.

Before I knew it, he was dancing with me. His arms were raised over his head and he suddenly looked really gay and therefore no longer intimidating. When I asked him what he called that particular dance move, he said “The triple Romanian half pike.” Wait. You’re hotter than hot AND you’re funny? And you’re straight? And talking ME? What the hell is going on here??? We ended up dancing the night away until I thought I would die from overheating. I gestured to the bar made of ice (which had melted into a puddle covering the entire warehouse floor at that point) and said “I’m so hot, I just want to lay down on that.” He grabbed my hand and led me to the bar where he proceeded to rub his hand on the ice and then place it on my neck and shoulders. Before I knew what was happening, he was rubbing my shoulders with his deliciously icy hands and nuzzling his face into my hair. It was so simple, so erotic and so strange as the porn played above us. What the heck was going on? This could certainly not bode well for a “how I met your mother” story. Or could it?

To answer your question…No. He does not frequent these parties any more than I do. It was his birthday and some friends had brought him to the party. While meeting someone at a porn party is the last thing I’d want, I am in no way surprised. If its going to happen to someone, its going to happen to me. The question becomes, “how do you follow up meeting someone amidst a sea of debauchery and degradation?” Why, with a date to the opening of a new exhibit at MOMA, of course. From one end of the artistic spectrum to the next, this will prove to be one of the more interesting dates I’ve ever had. Stay tuned for details. Lord knows what will happen next.

Next time, I’ll invite all of you to the porn party. You know you want to go.

Peace

The movement was started by the American Booksellers Association (the independent bookstore national trade group) and launched in its member stores through spirited, eye-catching marketing pieces. IndieBound is a bookseller, a consumer-focused website (IndieBound.org), and DIY resources for booksellers to spread the movement throughout their communities.

Brand philosophy: Supporting local, indie businesses means dollars, jobs, taxes, choice, and diversity stay local, creating strong, unique communities and happy citizens!

Target consumer: Anyone, anywhere, any way.

Plans for the future: Become the go-to place to find indie businesses and the online destination to purchase books through an indie bookseller. Folks can join the IndieBound.org community and share and find their favorites. The on-going goal is to advance awareness of the importance of supporting local, independent businesses. Even a modest shift in buying habits, shoping indie 10% more can result in millions in positive, economic impact. We all share in that result.

Year Founded: 2008
Location: Nationwide
Category: Retail
Leadership: Meg Z. Smith, American Booksellers Association chief marketing officer, and Paige Poe, IndieBound Outreach Liaison
Products: Printed and electronic promotional materials. The Indie Next List; the Indie Bestseller List; DIY designs, plus the community at IndieBound.org.
Web site: www.IndieBound.org

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Check out all the great features from LEGENDmag 25, including: A Fine Line: Guerilla photos in Columbia, Bento: A Good Square Meal, the music of Nonagon, Indiebound’s attention to value, and Enclothe’s fashion statement.

A few years ago, I was at a party at a friend’s house and was introduced to somebody. It turned out that this guy knew someone I worked with at PlanetOut, an online media company that serves the gay and lesbian market. We proceeded to spend several minutes talking about gay dating patterns, gay celebrities and gay civil rights issues, during the course of which it emerged that neither of us was, in fact, gay.

“I’m not surprised,” he said. “I’ve observed that in the Bay Area there seem to be a lot of queer-identified straight people.”

What struck me about his statement was that it wasn’t striking. I knew immediately what he meant. I’m not Metrosexual, that buzz term of a few years ago that has since died a well-deserved death. In fact, I can barely dress myself, my hairstyle is stuck somewhere between Allman Brothers and grunge, and my reaction to dance music is rather like the reaction that vampires have to being on hallowed ground.

Nevertheless, roughly 50% of my social circle is gay. As often as not, if I’m attending an artistic event around town, it’s queer-related. The political causes I’ve associated with have involved gay rights. Looking back, I realized that most of my former roommates had been gay, with the exception of my ex-wife (and look how that turned out!). And, as mentioned, I spent three and a half years working for PlanetOut. That’s me on the far left above, circa 2003, at a company party whose theme was “women’s hats”.

Great Scott, I realized, I’m a Queer-Identified Straight Person! And I’m not the only one. The guy at the party was right, I meet them all over the place. An ex-girlfriend, to give one example, described herself as being straight only by virtue of being 50% militant dyke and 50% fabulous gay boy, which somehow averaged out to straight woman.

The last eight years have sharpened our identity. The drive of so depressingly many of our fellow Americans to strip Queer Americans of their rights while dragging the whole country in the wrong direction brought the alienation of those of us not going along for the ride and gay culture’s general alienation from straight society closer together. To quote Billie Joe Armstrong in “American Idiot”: Well maybe I’m the faggot America/
I’m not a part of a redneck agenda

I think there are a lot of us. In fact, in the wake of the mass opposition to Prop 8 and the success of Milk, it seems like there may be millions of us. We even have a celebrity patron saint, surely the ultimate sign of legitimacy. Margaret Cho, when asked how she could consider herself queer given that she married a –gasp!- man, replied, “Yes, but I still identify as gay. That’s where my politics are and that’s where my friends are. That’s where everything is for me.”

QuISPs naturally find our way to the Bay Area, but I’m sure this isn’t the only place we congregate. Are you one of us? Wherever you are out there, say it loud: I’m QuISP and I’m proud!

In the manner of Paris Je T’aime and New York Stories, Tokyo! deals with one of the most profound questions of city life. Do we shape cities or do cities shape us? As in the Paris and New York films there are multiple directors slated for the same project. This go-around the directors are Leos Carax, Bong Joon-Ho, and one of my favorite directors, Michel Gondry.

I first fell in love with Gondry’s manipulation of mise en scène through his many music videos that he directed for the likes of Beck, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, and the White Stripes. My appreciation of his visual styling continued on the big screen with films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind.

In Tokyo! Gondry’s segment called “Interior Design” is about a young couple who tries to set themselves up in Tokyo. The young man’s ambition is clear — to become a film director. His girlfriend, far more indecisive, cannot escape the vague feeling that she’s losing control of her life. Directionless, both are beginning to go under in this vast city until the young woman, utterly alone, becomes the object of a bizarre transformation…

“Merde” is the segment directed by Leos Carax.  A mysterious creature spreads panic in the streets of Tokyo by means of his provocative and destructive behavior. This man, dubbed “The Creature of the Sewers” by the media, arouses both passion and repulsion…until the moment he is captured…

The main character in Bong’s “Shaking Tokyo” segment has been a hikikomori, for more than 10 years. He lives shut up in his apartment, strictly limiting all contact with the outside world to an absolute minimum. When a pizza delivery girl faints in his home during an earthquake, the unthinkable happens — he falls in love. Shortly after, he learns that the girl has in turn become a hikikomori. Will he dare cross the threshold that separates his apartment from the rest of the world?

While I’m not too familiar with the works of Carax or Bong, I’m looking forward to gaining some insight into their respective styles. Check out the trailer for Tokyo! after the jump.

Tokyo! Tour Dates:
3/6/09 : NYC
Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema

3/8/09: Miami
Regal South Beach Cinema 18

3/13/09: Chicago
Music Box Theatre

3/15/09: Miami
Regal South Beach Cinema 18

3/18/09: San Francisco
Sundance Kabuki Cinema

3/20/09: San Francisco
Landmark’s Lumiere Theatre

3/20/09: Berkeley
Landmark’s Shattuck Theatre

3/20/09: San Jose
Camera 12 Downtown

3/20/09: Los Angeles
Landmark’s Nuart Theatre

3/20/09: Orange County (Irvine)
Edwards Westpark 8 Cinema

3/21/09: San Jose
Camera 12 Downtown

3/21/09: Cleveland
Tower City Cinemas

3/22/09: Cleveland
Tower City Cinemas

3/27/09: Washington DC
Landmark’s E Street Cinema

4/3/09: Portland
Cinema 21

4/10/09: Boston (Cambridge)
Kendall Square Cinema

4/10/09: St. Louis
Tivoli Theatre

4/10/09: Austin
The Alamo Drafthouse, South Lamar

4/10/09: San Diego
Landmark’s Ken Cinema

4/10/09: Miami
Bill Cosford Cinema at the Univ. of Miami

4/10/09 : Philadelphia
Landmark’s Ritz at the Bourse

4/17/09: Sacramento
Tower Theatre

4/17/09: Houston
Angelika Film Center

4/17/09: Dallas
Angelika Film Center

4/17/09: Miami
Bill Cosford Cinema at the Univ. of Miami

4/24/09 : Columbus
Landmark’s Gateway Theater

4/24/09: Minneapolis
Landmark’s Lagoon Cinema

Related post:
Are “Indie” movies really independent? Or is it just “Indiewood”???
American’s Eat Up Japanese Bento Philosophy

Every good meal deserves a good wine and some great music to cook too. For all of you wanna be top chefs out there who don’t turn on the beats when you’re cooking,  let me be the first to say “your missing out!”. Did I mention this is Wine and Beats?

So this week is an exciting one because we received an advanced copy of Kero One’s ~ Early Believers and had to pair it with something. So who the hell is Kero One? He’s a guy who started making and mixing great music about 10 years ago. I still remember seeing that green cover on one of his early releases and hearing about him via King Most. He’s a smooth dude, without a doubt. The first time I saw him live although I felt like he was a little awkward, I also felt like he was a vet all at the same time. How someone pulls that off I don’t know but check him out when you get a chance.

Now I must say straight off the bat that this weeks pairing was done by accident. My intent was to pair a Albernio (Spanish wine you’ll learn about in the next course) with this album and meal but that changed once I started cooking cook with the Forest Hill ~ Gewurztrawminer. I ended up loving the wine with the meal so much partly because I used the wine in the sauce that I had to switch the wine.

When you have something in your mouth that matches what you’re hearing it’s like magic.  This is the great thing about this particular pairing. When this wine hits your palette (your tongue) you immediately feel good. The light sweet flavor is the kind of taste that newbies love.

*Newbies: There’s nothing wrong with not having drank alot of wine in your life. This show is actually for those people. The problem with most wine shows and tasting events is that they assume you know something about wine (well I know some things but not enough to be doing a wine show). Well I assume you know nothing because although I’ve tasted alot of wine I don’t know anything either. My hope is that  you’ll feel good about being a newbie and dive into more wine.

Kero One’s entire album is dedicated to all of his newbies. People who discovered him back in the day and those who just discovered him recently, one more he says as much in his album notes. He also has a texture that starts the same as this weeks wine. It’s easy to get into Kero One’s music. The chords remind you of jazz but never lack a pace or thump you are used to from a good hip hop / Nu Jazz joint. You feel rewarded from the first note.

Getting past the first 3 glasses is the easy part. It’s when you realize that the wine isn’t complex enough late in the game that you begin to just settle in for a good, not great finish. Although I would say Kero One delivers more then the wine does it’s close to the same truth. Kero’s sound is unique and all his own but doesn’t stray from the formula much in flow, instrumentation or feel. Don’t get me wrong, neither the wine nor the beats in this post are mundane or humdrum but they also don’t top the scale.

Late weekend winter nights  with Kero One and Forrest Hills is a great thing.

Winery: Forrest Hill
Type of Wine: Gewürztraminer
Region made: Sonoma
Price: 5.99

Aritist: Kero One
Album: Early Believers
Music Lable: Plug Label Music
Relase Date: April

Bonus - As an Added bonus this week I’m giving you the recipe to the meal I made with the wine. Mmmm mmm good!

It starts off looking like this

Tangy Whoosah!
What you’ll need:
1/2 Orange Bell Pepper - chopped
1 med. Carrot - sliced
3 Cloves of Garlic - Crushed
1 Lemon - Sliced in half
1 bunch of Oregano - Chopped
2 Pinchces of Rosemary
2 cups frozen shrimp
2 Tbls. Honey
1 Bottle Gewürztraminer (for sauce and drinking during and after)
Linguine for 2 people

Take a medium sized sauce pan, add virgin olive oil and bring fire up to medium burn. Add in Bell Pepper, Carrots, Garlic, Oregano and squeeze in half of the lemon. Near the end pour in a couple tables spoons of the wine and let simmer.

Put the frozen shrimp into another sauce pan with some olive oil and bring the fire to low. I used cooked shrimp and goal here is just to get them to the point where they aren’t frozen. As the shrimp though they let go of the water and there is a pan full of oil and “shrimp juice” when they are unthawed. At this point take them out, add a half cup of the wine, the other lemon half (squeezed in), rosemary, honey and let reduce down. After about 10 to 15min add another half cup of wine and a 1/4 of water and let reduce a little longer (10 to 15 minutes).

Cook your noodles (I like them al dente) and you’re done. Just add the pasta to a bowl first, then the shrimp and veggies and drizzle the sauce over top. There you have it, Tangy Whoosah!

It ends up looking like this….
Half eaten (I forgot to take a picture before I started to eat I was so excited to dig in).

Note* “Whoosah” was taken from the movie Bad Boys. It’s Martin Laurence’s de-stress word given to him by a psychiatrist. He rubs his ears every time he says it. I believe the captin uses it as well.

March 2009 Indie Events:

Austin, TX
–Mar. 13–21 — SXSW (Tech, Music, Film)

Boston, MA
–Mar. 19–26 — Boston Underground Film Festival

Los Angeles, CA
–Mar. 19–26 — Int’l Indie Film/Video Festival

Maimi, FL
–Mar. 24–28 — Winter Music Conference

New York, NY
–Mar. 27 — PSFK Conference (Marketing)

Philadelphia, PA
–Mar. 26–Apr. 7 — Philadelphia Film Festival

San Francisco, CA
–Mar. 21–22 — Vintage Fashion Expo
–Mar. 23–27 — Independent Games Festival
–Mar. 31–Apr. 3 — Web 2.0 Expo

Seattle, WA
–Mar. 28–29 — Green Festival (Sustainability)

If you know of any events that we missed, please post them in the comments.