The Scene Spy returns! (this week’s column by Warren Lynch)
RANTZ:
The “Party Spy” was an email-based events list on Yahoogroups which I used to help support and expand the performance art and underground party scene in the early 2000s. Pan 9 and Amanda Palmer got a fair bit of their initial buzz from the party spy, and it allowed me to go to 4-10 parties a week the entire time I was lonely and single, and for about 400 of my friends to know about all the parties going on every week.
Last installment was in 2010 because I turned into a film obsessor instead of a party obsessor. Who needs to go to parties when you’re making films and TV shows? Boston has had a film renaissance the past decade, and there’s been plenty of film stuff to do every minute since then.
And the underground art party scene has kind of died down while I was gone. We went from 4 underground performance art nights a month to one. Pan 9 burned down. Amanda got married and moved away. Man Ray was torn down. All Asia was torn down. Zeitgeist moved to Lowell. Mama Gaia’s closed down. Oni gallery closed. The rave scene got kind of old. Burning Man turned into a commercial.
But just recently, stuff is suddenly swinging the other way! We have an Art Czar now, and art in the Boston area is exploding in a way it hasn’t since the 90s. There’s a new art party scene growing like wildfire, and it has great potential to synergize with the film scene. Plus I want to bring Stee McMorris to weird art parties, she needs them…
It’s time for the Party Spy to come back! Except that now I’m old (turning 40 next week!) and I like different kinds of things than when I was 27. I don’t know about as many say underground dance nights, but I hear about plenty of film projects, exclusive networking parties, fundraising events, and other more grown-up type things, including oddly, burlesque, which is the only kind of performance art which has thrived throughout the recession and is even stronger than it ever was. And I hear that it is feminist, so huzzah for burlesque!
Anyway, reflecting the change of scene, my change of scene, and the lesser predominance of what could be strictly called parties in the milieu in which I swim these days, instead of the Party Spy, now it’s going to be called the Scene Spy! And it’ll go on my Patreon page, so that scenesters can help contribute to awesome art events in Boston, especially films and TV! It only costs a dollar per month, and I figure the friends I have as a 40 year old can probably afford a dollar to hear about this many cool events!
We’ll see. And the first month of it is going to be free on the Witchworks page anyway, too!
The scene spy consists of 3 sections. Some kind of intro, rant or philosophy like you just heard. Then NEWZ and EVENTZ… Here’s the rest of the Scene Spy for this week:
NEWZ
-art czar!
Our new mayor appointed an Art Czar! This will change everything.
-this list!
Expect it every week, on my patreon page! And for the first month of the Scene Spy, you can see it for free on the Witchworks website too!
-secret videos!
I’ve been filming a bunch of “gear test” and “atmosphere test” videos with Stee and Alex lately. To try out the insane new space age gear we have access to. To explore the acting range of actors we like. And to explore atmospheric horror techniques which come to us in dreams and crappy Italian horror movies. Plus the work of Sam Raimi, who is a god.
The main goal of these is to explore techniques for the New England-based Lovecraftian horror TV show we have in development. But I’ve also been stitching them together into a story in the editing room, because why not? Either we can show the work in progress to investors as example of our gear and technique and get some funding for our TV show, or there’ll eventually be enough gear test videos to make an experimental feature out of them. Or both.
Anyway, when each gear test video is done I’ll be posting it on my Patreon page in the creations section. Behind-the-scenes videos, blooper reels and other secret videos we won’t be posting publically on YouTube will end up there as well. $3 a month patrons and above will be able to see them all! Check out the October one, it’s already up! With Stabatha LaThrills!
-gilded age salons!
After making a lot of TV and film and fundraising for them, Stee and I have met a lot of patrons of the arts.
It seems like an antiquated phrase at first, patrons of the arts, but it’s the new big think. Even the Mayor is a patron of the arts now.
You might picture a 1600s Medici merchant prince with a golden hat, generously tipping his hat down and letting gold spill out. But really these are just regular people.
The dentist who’s tired of playing golf in his off hours and wants to hang out with some more interesting people. The office manager who always dreamed of working in the movies but doesn’t know who to talk to. The small business owner who wants more of a scene to develop at her establishment. The retired person who wants to give back to the community. The consumer who buys an album on the internet. The believer who gave to a kickstarter. Anybody who wants a little more hope, sparkly glamour, art or fun in their life and doesn’t mind helping out some artist to get it!
With like a dollar! It’s everybody really. But we have some friends who are already into it. Patronage is the new cool thing, just you wait. Pretty soon we’ll all have gold hats!
AND we also have a lot of REALLY talented starving artist friends that we want to patronize ourselves, including a few that we think are going to be really famous very soon! (such as Katie!)
We want all the would-be arts patrons to see all the amazing art which is hiding under rocks in Boston. This city is oozing with life. And we want those artists to meet the patrons, and everybody be friends and make the Boston Renaissance happen more!
Plus we want ourselves to meet more would-be art patrons AND more brilliant artists. So we’re putting together the Gilded Age Salons, at which we bring the two groups together!
These will be a series of small parties lovely homes and gorgeous gardens and yachts around the Boston area, at which our city’s most brilliant artists will do exclusive private performances. We will have strange parties and make grandiose plans. We will wear strange and monstrous masks. You will all change each others’ lives.
Some Gilded Age Salons will be open to all our $1 Patreon supporters, others will be invitation only. All will be insanely cool, and they’ll all be announced on the Scene Spy!
If you would like to host or have your art be featured at a Gilded Age Salon, email me!
-recent public videos by Witchworks!
If you haven’t seen the videos yet for Tom Doesn’t Care, Ugly or NSA Song, check ‘em out on YouTube for free!
Tom Doesn’t Care is a thing we shot in just a few hours on hand-held, where Katie Coriander of Earth Heart destroys most everything at the old Out Of The Blue Gallery along with cuddling the dog, singing a song, crashing a bike, having fits, being sad, freaking out, climbing fences and trees, attacking, licking and biting the camera. We think Katie Coriander is the next Big Thing. You will be seeing more of her at Gilded Age Salons and wherever we can get her!
Ugly was a huge production. We got this famous special effects guy, 22 awesome actors and 15 brilliant crew to do so many things, and packed what was basically a half hour opera into four minutes. Beauty cannot stop the Rise of the Misfits. A ballgown bloodbath with monsters. For the heavy metal band Matalon, who all get killed in the story. Death death death. BLUT FUR DEN BLUT GOTT!
NSA Song was our first attempt to wrangle Katie Coriander and Earth Heart. It’s kind of our tribute to The Monkees and early Beatles videos, if they were in a modern surveillance state. The ending will make you feel warm and cozy inside. With a cameo by Sophia Cacciola of Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling!
-recent videos by our friends!
We love people. Smoke signals magically come from them, like in the song! Our friends do videos too! They are good! You should watch them too!
The Impulse Powers did this song Knutsford, video directed by our friend Sophia, shot by our friend Mike! Check it out! Here’s Sophia in the cold open of the Steve Katsos Show, which is alive and well in Arlington apparently! I think Mike and Sophia are extra awesome because they successfully co-direct, as Stee and I like to do sometimes, plus like the Cohen Brothers, and that’s about it. Which means they are just like us, kind of! But also famous!
Here’s the trailer for Legitimate, by the awesome Izzy Lee! She’s a feminist horror director and friend of ours and her films are getting press all over everything! You may have heard of her Edgar Allen Poe Bust Project and the play Nevermore! You may have seen her with Keanu Reeves! Here’s the trailer for her film Picket! Soon there’ll be a film by her out (I don’t know if I’m allowed to say the name) with acting by me and Stee in it!!!
Rob Potylo is still pumping out videos with Erik Angra and Steve Onderick. Although I’ve been conflicted about Rob’s portrayals of women, it’s clear that with his work on Hurricane Sandy and this dream piece about art utopias, he’s reaching out to make a better scene for us all! Plus he’s an insanely talented comedian. His Robby Roadsteamer character packs stadiums. Other people want to copy him. He has like 300 videos, like 35 of which I made with him, check them out if you haven’t.
There’s also stuff our friends are acting in, such as Accidental Incest and Transsexuals From Space! A Bad Luck Guy In a Bad Luck Town! Watch it all! And email me if you want your video listed here!
-new art venues!
Out of the Blue, the community art gallery which was home to our video Tom Doesn’t Care, a Streight Angular video, and several Quiet D events, has relocated to a GIANT space right in the middle of Central Square! 541 Mass Ave in Cambridge! It’s a great place to go for community poetry slams, painting classes, weird art events, and to buy art by local painters! It’s going to be like The Station. Some of their events will be listed here!
Boston Indie Mafia is pretty cool.
-other stuff!
There’s a new (hilariously negative) video review out for my 2005 movie Pony Trouble! Check out the review here, or rent Pony Trouble at Amazon Instant!
Our friend Stabatha La Thrills won 3rd place in the Zombie Contest at Feast of Flesh this year! You can see her starring in the secret videos section, and you’ll no doubt be seeing more of her soon! And Sarah Paterson from Ugly won first place! Congratulations to both of you!
Mustaches for Kids is back!
EVENTZEZ!!!!
Sat 18th
Noon: Vermin Party!
Party with Vermin Supreme! If you know Vermin, you probably know where this is. If not, ask me but I’m not guaranteed to tell you, and only hippies allowed. Vermin’s place kicks ass and we shot this commercial at it! Here’s Vermin turning another politician gay on live TV.
Saturday October 18th, High Noon till it’s over.
Blenderfestival-Campout-Potluck-Sing-Around-the-Campfire-Jamboree-Woodstack 2014.
There will be Camping .There will be blenders.There will be Putt Putt.
Bring your musical and camping gear, a dish to share, bring a friend, and something to blend.
8pm Kolobok
This small experimental performance is a part of Puppet Slam. At the Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station Street, Brookline, MA. The extremely talented Katya Popova will be performing. See more info and get tickets at http://www.puppetshowplace.org/slam/
10pm Sin-O-Matic Darkest Days
Sin-O-Matic
Darkest Days: Steampunk Party
Saturday October 18th
DJ SHIVAR / DJ DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
Go Go Pole dancing all night long!
No camera or photography equipment permitted at this event. Including cell phone pictures.
Fetish dress code strictly enforced and creativity is highly encouraged.
Dress code all black at the minimum.
Absolutely NO sneakers / blue jeans / sportswear / streetwear
Ex: Steampunk, fantasy, fetish, latex, leather, vinyl, goth, pin-up, burlesque, glam fetish, cyber-erotica, post-apocalyptic, kinky drag, porno punk, sexy uniforms, ultra-formal, etc.
Feel free to change at the club
—-10-10:30pm—-
$5 fetish
$10 all black
—-10:30-2:00AM—-
$10 fetish
$15 all black
Club Machine
Doors @ 10pm 21+
at 1254 Boylston St. Boston, Ma. 02215 directions
All information subject to change.
Sun 19th
***** Birthday
It is a certain famous person we know’s birthday party. You can’t come. PBBBBBBBBFT!!!
4pm The Fantastic Berwick Hallway Show & Giveaway
Our dear Laurel Kirtz is moving to Los Angeles. A tremendous selection of cool stuff is up for grabs for free (donations accepted): furniture, clothing, movies, books, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Short musical performances by 5 local artists, including Andrew Abrahamson, Kelsey Brown, Sam Franklin, Joshua Lee Loomis… More stats on who/what will be featured here soon!
This is a free show. Music starts at 5pm. SNACKS TOO!
18 Palmer Street, Roxbury.
Wed 22nd
10pm Show Me Your Stuff@Machine
Go see! More drag! Go to all the drag!
9pm Allure
EXCESS Boston presents…
“ALLURE”
(Cirque – Burlesque – Dance)
(Down Tempo – Glitch – Electro)
EXCESS and ALLURE are moving to a NEW VENUE!
Come join us for our inaugural event at the new location at the Garage Lounge and our first event back from the summer hiatus!
$9 Cover
21+
9pm-1am
Creative and Stunning Attire Encouraged!
with DJ XERO and DJ DIRGE
In a celebration of music and movement, passion and creativity, EXCESS Boston brings you a night to immerse your senses in beauty, temptation, and pure abandon through dance. Allure is a monthly gathering of the unique, the odd, and the wondrous. Enter a stage fueled by the energizing resonance of the best down-tempo, glitch, and electro music. Enjoy incredible performances by Boston’s most captivating dancers, from circus to burlesque and beyond. Lose yourself in the charm and seduction of Allure.
This month, ALLURE welcomes performers:
FONDA FEELING
ANGE SARNO
ADRIAN COYNE
BEN REYNOLDS
NAOMI
Thu 23rd
-whenever- CLEANING PARTY
come over and visit while we clean things and set up décor for my birthday tomorrow. There will be free stuff, and you will make us happy! If you don’t know where it is, email me!
-7pm and 10:30pm cirque of the dead
At Oberon, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA
Boston Circus Guild celebrates Halloween with four nights of macabre and unsavory circus, live music and horror in Cirque of the Dead. This new version of last year’s sold out Halloween spectacular is not for the faint of heart, but is filled with as much humor as it is with gore.
Cirque of the Dead will perform two shows each night, at 7PM and 10:30PM, featuring Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band on October 30 & 31. 18+
Creative attire is strongly encouraged. There will be an ongoing social media costume contest, culminating on Halloween night with prizes galore.
Fri 24th
-7pm til whenever WARREN’S 40th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Theme: cthulhu steampunk ponies!
This is at a secret location. You are invited if I know you, and you aren’t Billy, John Potts, Tybelle, Andy Sylvester or any other junkies molesters or thieves. Email me for directions if you want them. But there are rules. You must wear a costume OR bring a gift. You must be chill. Those are the only rules. There will be entertainment, including WRESTLING (with Boston League of Women Wrestlers), COMEDY(with Kevin Harrington), and possible YODELING and A ROCK BAND. My place will be clean for once (at the start of the party anyway). We will show videos. There shall be drinks and snacks. You can schmooze with our sparkly actor friends. Come join us!
6pm THE ARMORY OF HORROR begins
This Halloween Arts at the Armory is about to get scary. Come walk the Haunted Halls of our Maze of Horror. Join us if you dare! Details and tickets here!
7pm OUT OF THE BLUE FIGURE DRAWING
Start off your weekend with Out of the Blue! Come practice your figure drawing skills with a professional model.
Bring your own supplies, all dry media welcome.
10-15$ for any portion of the two and a half hour session. Don’t forget to tip your model! (She graciously volunteers to pose and organize for us.)
And please invite your friends! The more the merrier!
541 Mass Ave, Cambridge MA!
-7pm and 10:30pm cirque of the dead
At Oberon, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA
Boston Circus Guild celebrates Halloween with four nights of macabre and unsavory circus, live music and horror in Cirque of the Dead. This new version of last year’s sold out Halloween spectacular is not for the faint of heart, but is filled with as much humor as it is with gore.
Cirque of the Dead will perform two shows each night, at 7PM and 10:30PM, featuring Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band on October 30 & 31. 18+
Creative attire is strongly encouraged. There will be an ongoing social media costume contest, culminating on Halloween night with prizes galore.
Sat 25th
630pm ILLUMINUS FESTIVAL
Illuminus is Boston’s first “nuit blanche” — a free nighttime festival of creative innovation that will take place on Saturday, October 25th, 2014. This public celebration will feature over thirty regional artists – performing and showcasing large-scale projections and light installations alongside immersive sound, performance, and multimedia experiences. Illuminus will reimagine the city at night with the help of these artists, volunteers, designers, creative technologists, architects and the amazing communities of Boston.
The festival will provoke and inspire, celebrating the creative approaches to art, culture, and community that form the foundation of a thriving and dynamic city!
540 Harrison Avenue, Boston
6pm THE ARMORY OF HORROR
This Halloween Arts at the Armory is about to get scary. Come walk the Haunted Halls of our Maze of Horror. Join us if you dare! Details and tickets here!
Noon EGLESTON SQUARE FALL FIESTA
195 Boylston Street, Boston
Come celebrate with the whole community!
Food, music, youth performances, ribbon-cutting, mural unveiling, street art:
GRAND OPENING Boylston Public Art Gallery on Brewery Building N wrapping Brookside and Boylston Street – come to the ribbon cutting as we unveil four new murals by local artists and youth from Urbano!
Harvest Fest @ Egleston Community Orchard – cider pressing, pumpkin carving, kids activities – celebrate the creation of our 100% community owned orchard! After four years of hard work, the City of Boston is finally transferring the deed for 195 Boyslton Street to Commonwealth Land Trust, ensuring the Egleston Community Orchard is owned by and for our community in perpetuity!
Pumpkin Palooza at Egleston Farmers Market!
Community Dance Party – “Honoring JP Change Makers” – celebrate the people who are improving our neighborhood, sponsored by JP NET, 7-10pm at Urbano, 29 Germania Street in the Brewery Building F.
Boylston Street Block Party! BBQ, Face Painting, Music, Street Performers!
Fall Fiesta is co-sponsored by many different neighborhood groups – Egleston Farmers Market, Egleston Community Orchard, Egleston Square Main Streets, Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition (JP NET), JPNDC, Urban Edge, Egleston YMCA, Egleston Library – and is yet another piece of this neighborhood’s collaborative spirit.
http://jptransition.org/events/857/egleston-square-fall-fiesta/
Sunday 26th
7pm Old School Game Show
Horror themed alt trivia variety show
At davis square theatre
$15
Tues 28th
6pm In Search of Our Father staged reading
On October 28, 2014, join Women in Film and Video: New England at Central Square Theater for a staged reading of our 2013 Screenwriting Competition Winner: In Search of Our Father, Sylvester Stallone by Santa Sierra.
In Search of Our Father is the story of a young brother and sister growing up in poverty in El Salvador. After they lose their mother to gang violence, the wise-beyond-their-years siblings embark on a dangerous journey to the US, hoping to find the man their mother always claimed was their father: Sylvester Stallone.
Admission: $15 for members of HSSW or WIFV/NE and $20 for non-members.
In Search of Our Father, Sylvester Stallone by Santa Sierra
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Central Square Theater: 450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02134
Reception 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Performance begins at 7:00 PM and concludes with a Q&A
For tickets, please visit: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/873325
NARRATOR: Rosi Amador of Amador Bilingual Voiceovers
CAST:
Balboa by Nicole Sarmiento
Rocky by Lucca Drummond
Sofia by Karina Beleno Carney
Drigo by Aaron Andrade
Carlos by Jose Gonsalves
Pablo by Johnny Quinones
Lorna by Becki Dennis
Alfredo by Hugo Arellano Morales
Davida by Jackie Santos
Pito by Stephen Radochia
DIRECTED BY:
Gauri Adelkar
CREATIVE CONSULTANT:
Christina Marin
EDUCATIONAL SPONSORS:
Chelsea Collaborative
SPONSORS:
Saint Aire Productions
Lesley University
Boston CISPES
High Output, Inc.
Boston Latino Film Festival
Local Sightings
Gregger Jones/Panasonic
8pm MR FOX AT THE BEAT HOTEL
What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? will conjure up some friendly demons and wicked witches in this evening of original music laced with lovely murder ballads and lyrical tales of ghosts and black widows. We have the full band with special guest, Joe Cardoza on bass.
Amazing food and drinks at this restaurant named after the infamous Parisian landmark home of bohemian artists and beat poets. One of the best sound systems in MA.
13 Brattle Street, Cambridge
29th
10pm Show Me Your Stuff@Machine
Go see! The Halloween drag show!
30th
-7pm and 10:30pm cirque of the dead
At Oberon, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA
Boston Circus Guild celebrates Halloween with four nights of macabre and unsavory circus, live music and horror in Cirque of the Dead. This new version of last year’s sold out Halloween spectacular is not for the faint of heart, but is filled with as much humor as it is with gore.
Cirque of the Dead will perform two shows each night, at 7PM and 10:30PM, featuring Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band on October 30 & 31. 18+
Creative attire is strongly encouraged. There will be an ongoing social media costume contest, culminating on Halloween night with prizes galore.
6pm THE ARMORY OF HORROR
This Halloween Arts at the Armory is about to get scary. Come walk the Haunted Halls of our Maze of Horror. Join us if you dare! Details and tickets here!
31st
-7pm and 10:30pm cirque of the dead
At Oberon, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA
Boston Circus Guild celebrates Halloween with four nights of macabre and unsavory circus, live music and horror in Cirque of the Dead. This new version of last year’s sold out Halloween spectacular is not for the faint of heart, but is filled with as much humor as it is with gore.
Cirque of the Dead will perform two shows each night, at 7PM and 10:30PM, featuring Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band on October 30 & 31. 18+
Creative attire is strongly encouraged. There will be an ongoing social media costume contest, culminating on Halloween night with prizes galore.
8pm NEVERMORE!!!
Boston–Halloween 2014
Jeffrey Combs in NEVERMORE: AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE
Check out the video teaser HERE!
Written by Dennis Paoli. Directed by Stuart Gordon.
Boston Production Produced by Izzy Lee & Bryan Moore
Co-Produced by Mark Redfield
One night only at the Somerville Theatre, Somerville MA.
8pm October 31, 2014
Somerville Theatre
55 Davis Square
Somerville, MA 02144-2908
(617) 625-5700
Get YOUR TICKETS HERE: https://www.vendini.com/ticketLine/ITL/?t=tix&e=d5e933b2365aa6976a95ade5f9ff1c7f&theme=ticketLine25
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOMERVILLE THEATRE, CLICK HERE: http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com/somerville-theatre/
See you at the Somerville Theatre near Boston on Halloween!
6pm THE ARMORY OF HORROR
This Halloween Arts at the Armory is about to get scary. Come walk the Haunted Halls of our Maze of Horror. Join us if you dare! Details and tickets here!
830pm CLUB BOHEMIA HALLOWEENIA BASH
HALLOWEEN BASH at Club Bohemia
The Four Point Restraints as The Smiths
https://fourpointrestraints.bandcamp.com/
Psychic Dog as Psychic Dog and Friends
https://psychicdog.bandcamp.com/album/big-and-lonely
The Daley Grimes as Anyone They Damn Well Please
https://www.facebook.com/TheDaleyGrimes?ref=br_tf
and MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!
COSTUME CONTEST.
Best and Worst
Live Music
Some of your Friends
BEER.
738 Mass Ave, Cambridge
10pm GOOSEPIMP BOOTY BASH
The Inner Sanctum and GOOSEPIMP are hosting a 2 night HAUNTED HOUSE in Boston!!!
Tickets are available at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/goosebumpz-booty-bash-a-goosepimp-halloween-tickets-12931367067?aff=es2&rank=3
Friday 10/31
10pm – 2:30am
The Party Band
The Big Sway
Matter Man ft. Mike Cantor, Bob Greel & Phil Reese
Pellz Bellz – WORLD PREMIER LIVE SHOW ft. Apel Beats and Chris Belden
Bob Greel & Mike Cantor DJ Set
Saturday 11/1
10pm – 3:30am
GOOSEPIMP ORCHESTRA
Sexcrement
Apel Beats
Asteroids and Earthquakes with special guests ISS House Band
Bob Greel & Mike Cantor DJ Set
– $15 for Friday / $20 for Saturday / $25 for the weekend / RSVP only sucka
– Free snacks and refreshments
– Free vodka drinks provided by Deep Eddy Vodka
– Haunted House throughout the venue
– 2 stages
– fucking Pellz Bellz!!!
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