12 Things

By only

Friday September 1, 2006

The Psychic Soviet by Ian Svenonius
Those familiar with Nation of Ulysses, The Make Up, Weird War, and the Scene Creamers know that Ian Svenonius has always enjoyed filling liner notes with leftist radicalism in the form of abstract intellectual rambling. Not so many know that he has been concurrently writing coherent socio-political essays and publishing them in various journals, including the recently defunct Index magazine. Now, Svenonious’ literary oeuvre has finally culminated in a tiny pink book, entitled The Psychic Soviet. This Mao-esque magnum opus covers it all, from the ascendance of the DJ to how Seinfeld was responsible for the gentrification of the upper west side. Ideal for the perpetual youth of today. 300 pages, Drag City Inc. AP

Victory Square Block Party
Man, we just found out about this!
(Victory Square, Cambie and Hastings–2-9 pm, Sept 4)

Punk Rock Fashion Show
Before becoming the trailblazer in pirate-core fashion, Vivian Westwood used 4 ugly kids from London to display a new line that she had created. Two years later she gave birth to Avril Lavigne who started Joy Division. Sadly, Avril took her own life before every seeing the recognition that she deserved. CR (Lamplighter–Sept 1st)

Pat’s Pub
Now you won’t be stranded in Strathcona with a buzz on and a closed bar. Pat’s is actually open until 1 am. You can finally see the headliner with a full pitcher. CR

Damo Suzuki’s Network
From Japan via the cosmos , Damo Suzuki assembles a locally, global collective of spontaneous sound carriers to the Anza for all you in the moment now, no right now kind of kids. With help from Ghost House, Ethel the plastic cloth, Tio Madre and Johnny Karate, there’s art too by Sean Maxey, Andy Dixon, Brianna Deimert, Tom Briggs, Stephanie Fink and the Dirtbag Collective. This is not bullshit. AT
(Anza Club–Sept 7)

24 Hours Immersed
Sean Arden is sticking a catheter in his dick and playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for 24 hours in the window of Dadabase. I wonder if he has the cheat codes for “Not Shitting”. CR
(Dadabase–Sept. 7th)

Vancouver Fringe Festival
A boiled-down affair this year, the 22 annual Vancouver Fringe Festival runs Sept 7-17. There is considerably less to see, but by a perverse logic you can therefore see a larger percentage what’s going. Stuff to absolutely see includes: Best of the Pajama Men (spectacularly weird and beautifully funny); Sleep Tight by Theatre Melee who came up with Lazy Susan last year, probably the best Canadian absurdist piece in 30 years; and A Little Life, which may well be this year’s Lucky Eights. Only’s team of theatre crickets will be reviewing shows daily-ish on its website so you can decide for yourself if we’re assholes. AH