Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
[nggallery id=27] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Group art show opening Year of the Rabbit at GR2 February 5 – March 2, 2011 Reception: Saturday, February 5, 6:30 – 10:00 p.m. GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025 gr2.net (310) 445-9276 Giant Robot is proud to host Year of the Rabbit, a group art show celebrating the 4709th resetting of the lunar calendar. Pieces will include illustrations, oils, pencils, prints, watercolors, sculpture, and other media–all dedicated to one of the most stubborn, but also most creative (and cute) animals in the Chinese zodiac. Contributors will include the following: Andrice Arp Jesse Balmer Robert Bellm Aaron Brown Ako Castuera Sean Chao Louise Chen Shawn Cheng James Chong Lola Dompe Dutch Door Press Evah Fan Jesse Fillingham Matt Furie Clement Hanami Lisa Hanawalt Nao Harada David Horvath Michael Hsiung Martin Hsu Mark Ingram Mari Inukai Kaori Kasai kozyndan Tessar Lo Miso Gary Musgrave Tru Nguyen Saejean Oh Ming Ong Martin Ontiveros Sidney Pink Ferris Plock Jarrett Quon Jesse Reklaw Albert Reyes Grant Reynolds Jenny Ryan Ryan Jacob Smith Ryohei Tanaka Daria Tessler Kelly Tunstall Aiyana Udesen Edwin Ushiro Christine Vincent Jing Wei Justin Wood Yoskay Yamamoto Kohei Yamashita Jeni Yang Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into a full-service pop culture provider with shops and galleries in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as an online equivalent. An opening reception featuring many of the artists will take place from 6:30 – 10:00 on Saturday, February 5. For more information about the show, GR2, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact: Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311
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More music… All of these releases below are new except for the Bats and Mice single, which gets a pass because it's on vinyl. Clear vinyl, even. I'm no audiophile, but I still prefer records and would rather even rather listen to CDs on my stereo while sitting in a nice chair than MP3s in front of the computer. It's a hassle but it's also a ritual and it sounds better. Or at least it feels better. Listen to Rollins. He says so, too. Bats and Mice – Back in Bat The title of this 7″ single might make you think that the old singer died and a new one was taking the mic. Not so. Sleepytime Trio's David NeSmith and Ben Davis are still in front with Totimoshi's Jonathan Fuller behind the drumkit once again, which should stoke most followers. On the A-side, “You Leave” and “Bricks for Eyes” mix what sound like The Cure and Three Mile Pilot influences into their taught-but-not-uptight brand of post-hardcore. Nice. Guess which part of the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic each band fits into? The Chapel Hill/Baltimore band's excellent B-side changes things up with a slower, deeper, and somewhat dubbier sound that recalls later Soulside. No “Loser Drugs” are necessary to get sucked in. [Lovitt Records]
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Huke, creator of indie character Black Rock Shooter
FILM
Director of The Cove, Louie Psyhoyos
MUSIC
Aska on The Moonrats, The Sads, LA Ladies Choir, and solo work
Art rock from Beijing’s Carsick Cars
INTERVIEW
Daniel Wu vs. HK star/SFX makeup artist Andrew Lin
ART
Contemporary Chinese Art mutant Hung Liu
FEATURES
Black Asians
White women who dig Asian dudes
Jason Wakuzawa, Mikendo, Markisa, and...
Cover artist Megan Whitmarsh
FILM
Hong Kong film god John Woo
Hong Kong art filmmaker Yonfan interviewed by Daniel Wu
Indie filmmaker from the Philippines Ana Agabin
MUSIC
Musician Mia Doi Todd meets the Golden Half
Taiwanese pop band Wonfu in America
INTERVIEW
Indie crime writer Leonard Chang
ENTERTAINMENT
Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi
Hong Kong’s best actor Nick Cheung
FEATURES
An...
Two master directors walk into a room and one comes out–with U.S. distro for his newest film starting on February 8, thanks to the fine folks at Criterion. The other's latest work can already be found in your nearest Chinatown. Yes, I'm referring to new offerings by Hirokazu Kore-eda and Tsui Hark. I've seen them and here are my takes. Kore-eda's fans won't be surprised by the static camerawork, understated acting, or lengthy and hypnotic rhythms of Still Walking. Its plot revolves around a family: the matriarch,
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