Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Is OFF! the gnarliest band in the universe? The members’ chops came out of heavy bands like Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Redd Kross, and Rocket from the Crypt and they are complemented and pushed by each other’s unique badassness. That’s why they can tour with young, up-and-coming, and hungry punks like NASA Space Universe and Cerebral Ballzy without seeming like fossils. Instead, they’re the badass godfathers.
The vocals of Keith Morris are the blueprint for angry, pissed-off hardcore but they come off as brand new with the ripping guitar of Dimitri Coats, percolating bass of Steve McDonald, and massive drums of Mario Rubalcaba. The raging set was drawn pretty evenly from the essential first four EPs, bitchin’ self-titled debut, and the darker-than-crap follow-up. I loved it when Keith chided a girl for trying to take the playlist mid-set without asking by saying, “Don’t be a Republican.” And then followed, “Don’t be a Democrat, either.”
I’ve never been to Coachella but I’ve become a fan because I like the club shows that the bands play in L.A. in-between. A couple of weeks ago I got to see Bryan Ferry at Club NOKIA. That’s a pretty small place to see a rock god play a killer survey of mostly Roxy Music songs with choice solo material. From “Re-Make/Re-Model” and “Ladytron” to “More Than This/Avalon” and “Jealous Guy,” he put on a clinic of how to be cool.
Is OFF! the gnarliest band in the universe? The members’ chops came out of heavy bands like Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Redd Kross, and Rocket from the Crypt and they are complemented and pushed by each other’s unique badassness. That’s why they can tour with young, up-and-coming, and hungry punks like NASA Space Universe and Cerebral Ballzy without seeming like fossils. Instead, they’re the badass godfathers.
The vocals of Keith Morris are the blueprint for angry, pissed-off hardcore but they come off as brand new with the ripping guitar of Dimitri Coats, percolating bass of Steve McDonald, and massive drums of Mario Rubalcaba. The raging set was drawn pretty evenly from the essential first four EPs, bitchin’ self-titled debut, and the darker-than-crap follow-up. I loved it when Keith chided a girl for trying to take the playlist mid-set without asking by saying, “Don’t be a Republican.” And then followed, “Don’t be a Democrat, either.”
I’ve never been to Coachella but I’ve become a fan because I like the club shows that the bands play in L.A. in-between. A couple of weeks ago I got to see Bryan Ferry at Club NOKIA. That’s a pretty small place to see a rock god play a killer survey of mostly Roxy Music songs with choice solo material. From “Re-Make/Re-Model” and “Ladytron” to “More Than This/Avalon” and “Jealous Guy,” he put on a clinic of how to be cool.
Earlier in the day was the press preview. I thank them all for coming through. Some of the press is trickling out and some were posted hours later. It was a larger group than regular and their words will hopefully help the exhibition out. From my days of writing, I’d hope that this particular job was at least fun. So many writing jobs aren’t.
The weekend began with the Donor’s Forum. It’s a special thursday opening for the folks who donate dollars to the Museum. It’s when “the elite” of the OMCA come to play. I’m a curator who makes a speech and introduce the attending artists, and then after the words are complete, we get to see the exhibition. Although the idea is to make the donors feel like they’re part of this history-making exhibition, I’m not sure if everyone understood Asian Popular culture, this subset of contemporary art, and why Giant Robot. Yet that’s where the numbers come into play. For those who don’t get it, they love to see successful numbers.
The following day was the opening night. The member’s opening began at 3pm which on a Friday, began slowly and picked up after 5pm. Families began to show up. Artists brought their parents and some of the museum staff brought their kids who zipped around from the Scion car, to the game stations. I stood outside the doors for a while, since it was cool to take in the friends who I might not see scurrying around from area to area inside. I had to thank everyone I could for showing up and giving us their support. A line formed that stretched up the steps and even further towards the entrance in front of the mural by Andrew Hem. It was an OMCA first.
Earlier in the day was the press preview. I thank them all for coming through. Some of the press is trickling out and some were posted hours later. It was a larger group than regular and their words will hopefully help the exhibition out. From my days of writing, I’d hope that this particular job was at least fun. So many writing jobs aren’t.
The weekend began with the Donor’s Forum. It’s a special thursday opening for the folks who donate dollars to the Museum. It’s when “the elite” of the OMCA come to play. I’m a curator who makes a speech and introduce the attending artists, and then after the words are complete, we get to see the exhibition. Although the idea is to make the donors feel like they’re part of this history-making exhibition, I’m not sure if everyone understood Asian Popular culture, this subset of contemporary art, and why Giant Robot. Yet that’s where the numbers come into play. For those who don’t get it, they love to see successful numbers.
The following day was the opening night. The member’s opening began at 3pm which on a Friday, began slowly and picked up after 5pm. Families began to show up. Artists brought their parents and some of the museum staff brought their kids who zipped around from the Scion car, to the game stations. I stood outside the doors for a while, since it was cool to take in the friends who I might not see scurrying around from area to area inside. I had to thank everyone I could for showing up and giving us their support. A line formed that stretched up the steps and even further towards the entrance in front of the mural by Andrew Hem. It was an OMCA first.