Do you ever walk down O Street and notice that the only window decorations college students can come up with are rows of empty, multicolored bottles of alcohol? Well, maybe the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities has, and they’re trying to start a new trend. Now through March 31, the Commission is sponsoring the “Windows into DC” exhibit at the D.C. Convention Center. The Convention Center already houses a multimillion-dollar art collection within its walls, but they’re going to fill their empty window space with works by thirteen different local artists. The Convention Center is at 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, just a short walk from the Metro Center station.
Andy Warhol at GW
Believe it or not, there was a time when pop art was more than a cool function in Mac Photobooth. This style of art, popular in the 1960s, was forever immortalized by photographer and modern icon Andy Warhol. As part of the Warhol Photographic Legacy Program, the Andy Warhol Foundation is giving out over 28,000 of Warhol’s photographs to colleges around the nation for them to put on display. Georgetown didn’t make the cut, but GWU got a nice little collection, sixteen of which are currently on display in their Luther W. Brady Art Gallery along with other works by Warhol’s hippie-era contemporaries. To get there, take the Blue or Orange line to Foggy Bottom/GWU.
Wednesday Poetry
Don’t feel like writing your English midterm paper? Convince yourself that it’s a worthy use of your time to go to a poetry reading instead. Tonight, March 3, from 7-9 p.m., the Arts Club of Washington is hosting a free reading from up-and-coming poets Tom Healy and Gabrielle Calvocoressi. Plus, there’s a book-signing afterward, and refreshments that you wouldn’t be able to find in Midnight Mug. The Arts Club is located at 2017 I Street, and the best way to get there is by cab.
Students don’t seem to go to movies all that often. Aside from the general suckiness of most movies that have come out lately (yes, that includes Valentine’s Day), seeing them in the theater has gotten ridiculously expensive.
But this Tuesday, at the conveniently-located Georgetown AMC theater, you can see The Eclipse, a critically-acclaimed Irish independent film which debuted last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, for free before it opens at E Street in April. Following the screening, there will be a question-and-answer segment with the film’s director Conor McPherson and star Ciaran Hinds. Space is limited, so RSVP at TheEclipseRSVP@gmail.com. The movie starts at 6:30 p.m., and the theater is located at 3111K Street.
Redheads Have More Fun
No matter how many Olympic medals Shaun White wins, it seems like redheads will never get past the “gingers have no souls” stereotype that South Park started so many years ago. But artists Melissa Hackmann and Kathy Beynette are out to debunk some of these stereotypes—and embrace a few—with their current exhibit at the Lee Arts Center.
The collection, entitled “Redheads,” is on display through February 28, and it explores the different conceptions about those with the ginger gene through mixed-media acrylic paintings. The gallery is located at 5722 Lee Highway, and the best way to get there is by cab.
Cool Movies
March of the Penguins isn’t the first movie to ever be made about the South Pole, although it’s definitely the most “aww” inspiring. After aviator Richard Byrd became the first man to fly over Antarctica in 1929, the footage filmed of his voyage was compiled into the Oscar-winning documentary With Byrd at the South Pole. This Thursday at 7 p.m., the National Archives will be screening the film in conjunction with the Explorers Club Washington Group. To get there, take the Green or Yellow line to the National Archives station.
Another week, and some more music. A face-melting mix from FLVR BNK as well as another Ke$ha remix (I know, I know, I post so much of her music—but what can I say, I’m in love). But don’t worry, I’ve still got some great new Hood Internet and an unknown DJ mash to compensate. So without further ado, let’s get into this.
FLVR BNK, a collab project between DJ Renaisance, DJ Madmonk, and DJ Real Juice (great names, right?), gave us a hard-hitting mash/mix of Eurythmics and LMFAO, the results of which rock my socks right off. I also just love the groups tag-line intro, “Flavor Bank made it bettah.” Classic.
As the snow keeps me holed up in my lovely apartment, gripping the last remnants of my waining sanity, I’ve found a couple great upbeat and downbeat mash-ups and remixes for us all to enjoy.
The first couple mash-ups are from the mysterious Radio Vampiro, a Mexican DJ collective (I couldn’t find much else out). The first, in the long line of Ratatat remixes, is Ratatat and Cypress Hill coming together to make a great, yet simple, mash. The second mash from Vampiro is admittedly a little worse, but nonetheless worth mentioning: a Kanye West/Amy Winehouse track entitled, “You Know Diamonds are Forever.” I couldn’t find much information about this group, so who knows if they will keep releasing tracks. Really who cares though? No-matter what, the Ratatat mash is pretty sweet, if a little overdone.
Next we have another The White Panda track, a sweet combo of The Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” and an Alphabet song from their recently released Verses. I’m not a huge fan of some of their mash-ups, the Ke-money-ha and Owl City tracks are sub-par at best. But the Beastie/Alphabet mash is pretty superb. People would be surprised how hard it is to mash “Intergalactic,” and Panda does it seamlessly. You can check out the rest of the CD here, and make your own conclusions.
Finally, some mellow tracks from rising stars The Kleptones. This DJ/mash-up collective out of Brighton has been around for some time, releasing their first internet-only album in 2003. Since then, DJ Eric Kleptone, a member of the collective, has been producing on a pretty regular schedule, and sticking it to the man the only way mash-DJs know how: mashing. A lot of his mashes won’t be for everybody, as they incorporate movie quotes from time to time. Regardless, a lot of them are good for chilling with friends, most notably “Stay.” This song incorporates a slowed version of The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Maps” which would be good for a “Sleepy Time” iTunes playlist. His whole Uptime/Downtime CD can be downloaded here.
While the kids at JHU assumed Hitler would be outraged by the cancellation of classes, the Georgetown version—created by Vox’s favorite Tweeter, King Georgetown—takes the meme a different direction, showing the Fuhrer’s response to Provost James O’Donnell’s decision to hold classes on President’s Day:
Grab your skinny jeans and eye liner, the emo-train is headed to the 9:30 Club. The Used and Atreyu headline next Wednesday in a show that’s sure to feature floor-punching and arm-windmilling galore.
John Mayer
February 20th, Verizon Center ($42.50—$78), doors at 7 p.m.
If you haven’t read John Mayer’s interview with Playboy yet, please do. Dude’s a physical manifestation of www.whitewhine.com. It’s a shame he’s such an asshole, because he’s quite the guitar player. If you want to yell at him and his “David Duke c–k,” buy your tickets early—this concert will probably sell out.
Yes, there’s snow outside. But don’t let your Free for All consist of your couch, Hulu, and booze you siphoned from your roommate’s supply! For those of you who have cabin fever, we’ve got suggestions:
African Stories
Thanks to its too-long time slot, c-list celebrity guests, and Al Roker, most people don’t really associate The Today Show with anything of real social value. But if you go to the Honfleur Gallery between now and February 26, you might change your mind about the journalism of Today host Anne Curry. Her photographic works, along with those of a few other artists, are featured in Stories, an exhibit intended to raise awareness about the current condition of Africa. The photographs are arranged into groups, each one of which tells a story of a different unsettling aspect of life that is prominent in Africa today. The gallery is located at 1241 Good Hope Road, near the Anacostia Metro stop on the Green line.
OK, so you can’t go today. Honfleur Gallery is closed for the time being.
There is snow EVERYWHERE! My California soul almost can’t handle it, but even in my stunned state I was able to find some great remixes for this week: a remix by Party Rock, and a Fredrick Carlsson remix a well.
The first song, Shwayze’s ubiquitous “Get You Home,” is a Party Rock remix with LMFAO accompanying on vocals, much like Party Rock’s Lady Gaga remix I posted some time ago. This song just goes to show how hard Party Rock parties when it comes to remixes: the group takes out the synths and revs them up at just the right moments, in short: it’ll make you shake that booty. Speaking of LMFAO here’s a great remix of their single, “Shots.”
Here at Georgetown, we love Bill Clinton (shown left, inexplicably holding a rice cake). Unfortunately, with other residents of D.C. (and in the red states) he’s not such a popular dude. In her memoir Government Girl: Young and Female in the White House, former political aide Stacy Parker Aab recounts her days working for the Clinton administration, and the repercussions of the Monica Lewinski scandal on the lives of everyone affiliated with the executive branch, especially the younger women. This Thursday, February 4, the author will be giving a talk about her new release at the K Street Barnes and Noble Borders at 7:30. To get there, take the Blue or Orange line to Farragut West.
All the World’s a Stage
There’s an old adage that says that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. If you’ve ever seen an on-campus student production and complained about it, you might’ve considered taking this saying to heart and auditioning yourself. And for those of you without any acting experience (or talent), the Silver Spring Round House Theater Education Center is here to help. This Friday from 4-5 p.m., they’re hosting free acting classes for people of all ages and abilities. Take one of these, and you’ll be thanking the Academy in no time. Round House is located just three blocks from the Silver Spring Metro stop on the Red line.
Bake and Wired may be gaining grassroots support in the Ward 2 cupcake wars, but so what? Sisters Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne, who started Georgetown Cupcake just about two years ago, are getting their own reality TV series.
Local blog DC Fab! says that the show “will be an educational, how-to show that will probably showcase the special Georgetown community along with going behind-the-scenes in their bakery.” (So, less Buddy Valastro and more Paula Deen?)
So far, no one has established which network is offering these local pâtissières a show. But on her blog Oh My Goff WUSA 9’s Angie Goff said an “industry insider” told her that the show will be on TLC, the same network that hosts Cake Boss. Production is scheduled to start this month, she wrote.
This may just about make up for the loss of Blond Charity Mafia, a show about brats who fund-raise and drink in Georgetown. Vox is terribly excited to see the trailer for this one, and we can’t wait to find out what the show will be called. Georgetown Cupcake: Unfrosted? Behind the Sprinkles? Endless possibilities.
Photo from Flickr user mastermaq used under a Creative Commons license.
Vox Populi is the staff blog of the Georgetown Voice, a weekly newsmagazine at Georgetown University. Opinions expressed in posts are those of their author alone unless otherwise stated.
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