| What's Going On send event info to listings@annarborpaper.com |
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| 6.1 | Wolf Eyes |
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| 6.2 | Conference on Climate Change Global warming—farce or the future? Michigan Democrat senator Carl Levin delivers the public keynote address for U-M’s conference on climate change. “The challenge is to move beyond climate change as an environmental issue and also consider it as an issue of global trade, jobs and labor, energy and national security,” Andy Hoffman, associate professor at U-M’s Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources and Environment says in a press release. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. 701 Tappan Street, Ann Arbor. Speech 5:00, open to the public. Free. |
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| 6.3 | Kraftwerk I’m the operator with my pocket calculator. I am adding and subtracting. I’m controlling and composing.... In the ‘70s, Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter, two classical musicians from Dusseldorf, released the album Autobahn and the rest was robotic music history. The State Theater, 2115 Woodward. Tickets start at $37. |
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| 6.4 | G.I.A.N.T. Mondo group show - it’s giant! - at the fantabulous Gallery 555. Participants: Tokyo Alice (see this month’s cover and interview, page 13), Myke Adams (self-taught artist and promoter currently residing between Chicago and Spain), David Hernendez Arriaga (interactive digital video artist from Mexico and a photographer for National Geographic) Harry Sudman (hyper-realistic painter from Chicago), Giovanny Matanalla (simplistic icons with surprising insights thought provoking things), Chris Sandon (psycho-evolutionary painter and co-organizer of G.I.A.N.T.), Jason Lee Starin (psycho-reactive illustrator of hilarious proportions and co-organizer of G.I.A.N.T.), Naia Venturi (master puppet maker, puppeteer, show writer, and owner of the Dreamland Theater in Ypsilanti), Rich Rice (fashion photographer, artist manager, and new gallery owner in Detroit), Jason Engling (electr-o-rganic musician, photographer, web designer from Ann Arbor), Jenn Shaub (printmaker and gallery director for the DAAC in Grand Rapids), Adam Winnie (photographer, muliti-media artist and co-owner of the new Natural Canvas gallery in Ann Arbor), Laurel Beaudet (oil painting master from New York and director of the Depot Town Studios in Ypsilanti). And, from 555: Dan Gay (artist and gallery director of the 555), Nicole Parker (multi-media artist who explores issues of femininity through a refreshing, sometimes humorous approach), Monte Martinez (painter and founder/ co-director of the 555), Trevor Stone (program manager of 555), Connie McKinney (artist and art show organizer with Flockworks Studios in Ann Arbor) Playing the opening reception will be Brandan Wiard and His Army, the Rants, Inleiuof and DJ Andrew Thomas. Gallery 555, 4884 Grand River. 7:00 to late. |
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| 6.6 | Architecture in Helsinki Architecture in Helsinki puts together a dramatic, charming pastiche of childlike shouty lyrics, wacky orchestrations (think, clarinet) and epic tales. If that sort of thing makes you cringe, also know that it’s imminently listenable and enjoyable. The Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward, Detroit. (313) 833-7665. $8. 8:00 p.m. |
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| 6.5 - 6.8 | Wainwright Invasion Loudon Wainwright III gained notoriety for novelty songs but his folky James Taylor sound earned him credibility that he appearances on M.A.S.H. never could. Daughter Martha Wainwright’s recent self-titled debut release on Zoe Records has been favorably reviewed; catch her whispery, pretty sounds at the Magic Bag. No word on her brother Rufus’ next visit to town. 6/5 Martha Wainwright, the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward, Ferndale $10. 8 p.m. (248) 544-3030 6/8 Loudon Wainwright III, The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor 761-1800. $20. 8:00 p.m. |
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| 6.10 | Bear vs. Shark Release party for Terrorhawk (Equal Vision Records), the latest album from Michigan hard-hard-rockers Bear vs. Shark. The Blind Pig, 208 S. First Street, Ann Arbor. 996-8555. |
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| 6.11 | Whole Art Show Thirteen coworkers from Whole Foods Market in Ann Arbor exhibit their work. Photography, textile, drawing, mixed media and other techniques will be on display. Show runs from June 11 - July 9. Natural Canvas, 613 N. Main, Ann Arbor. 677-7973. Opening reception, June 11, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. |
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| 6.12 | Timothy Monger Last year’s Summer Cherry Ghosts captured a poppy, breezy, bookish sensibility, filled with richly layered melodies and sweeping lyrical flights. Old Town, 122 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor. 662-9291. Free. 8:00 p.m. |
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| 6.14 | Goldfinger So here’s the thing that separates James Bond from Austin Powers: he does it with a straight face. Otherwise, the Bond flicks are every bit as absurd as send-ups like the Power series. That’s the irony of Austin Powers—his adventures follow the exact same outline as any one of Bond’s, except toilet humor replaces the façade of seriousness. In truth, though, Bond is about as serious as a parking meter violation. The action is absurd, the villains are absurd, and the plots—billed as thrillers—are absurdist. Yet Bond—at least the Connery years—is a valued part of cinema history. From Russia with Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964) no doubt bought his way in, but, since then, the guy’s been wearing out his welcome with almost universally bad action films that only dilute the memory of the so-so movies that bought his price of admission in the first place. Of course, forty years ago, Bond was more revolutionary. His sexcapades were more daring, though he was little more than a manifestation of the changing times (which means he has since become painfully dated). At the time, his double entendres were just good ol’ fun. “I’m Pussy Galore.” “But of course you are,” Bond replies. These days, Bond says things like, “I thought Christmas only came once a year,” to Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) in The World Is Not Enough (1999). Humorous to high school students, I’m sure. Mostly, though, lines like this make films like Goldfinger seem infinitely better than they really are. After all, the system wouldn’t work if 20-plus Bond flicks had been made and not one of them was good. Despite the critics’ assurances, though, the shaky plot of Goldfinger—usually cited as the Bond gold standard—still reads like any of Austin Powers’ cinematic forays. Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) is stockpiling vast quantities of gold, apparently fulfilling his name’s destiny to be a “gold person” instead of a “silver person.” While most would assume this means he just wants to get even richer, Bond (Sean Connery) is sent in to investigate because, I suppose, Western governments can’t stand capitalism unless they’ve had the opportunity to tax the hell out of it. What he discovers is that Goldfinger is actually planning to raid Fort Knox, become the richest man in the world (without paying taxes on any of it, I’m sure), and cast the world into such economic chaos that the dirty commies—his backers—can get their comeuppance. Does Bond figure this out using his superb spy skills or at least beating in a few heads? Nope. Goldfinger has to tell him all about it while Bond is strapped to a table. Why does he tell Bond this, when he could just kill him with a quick bullet to the head? No reason, really, except that Goldfinger is not different than Dr. Evil in his inability to execute a near full-proof plan without bragging about it first. Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) is still the best Bond chick, and for good reason. Ursula Andress is not only hot, but as much the seducer as Bond—rather than the helplessly seduced, as most of Bond’s pre-female empowerment conquests were. Goldfinger’s Korean man-servant Oddjob, the one with the killer bowler hat, is also the most memorable henchman Bond has had to contend with, perhaps only rivaled by Jaws. Still, he’s a guy who tosses around a hat just like Xena throws around her killer ninja circle-thingy. And Bond? After Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love—both of which at least strived for thrilling—Goldfinger began his long descent into mediocrity, bloated budgets, and breast enhancements. Where before he had been truly cool—and he is cool in Goldfinger—this film so firmly established the Bond character that forever after he became a bigger and bigger parody of himself until Austin Powers was born.—Cole Haddon Goldfinger at the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor. 7:00 p.m. |
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| 6.17 | Ragbirds The Ragbirds, an Ann Arbor quintet that recently released a debut CD, Yes Nearby, has been playing all over the place. Their world-music influenced repertoire and virtuoso musicianship is already earning a buzz. TC’s Speakeasy, 207 W. Michigan, Ypsi. 483-4470. Free. 9:30 p.m. |
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| 6.18 | Nomo |
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| 6.21 | Steve Amick The residents of a fictional northern Michigan town navigate race and class differences in Steve Amick’s novel The Lake, the River an the Other Lake. The author reads at Nicola’s Books, Westgate Shopping Center, corner of Jackson and Stadium, Ann Arbor. 662-0600. 7:00 p.m. |
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5.28 |
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Columns |
Art Books Movies Music PLUS:
A2 Astrology
by
Emily Baker |
