BREAK! Of the coffee, artsy, or Fugazi variety:
- Once a year or so, Feedback grabs a cup of coffee with Benjamin Cohen—assistant professor of Science, Technology and Society at UVA, one of two bloggers behind the excellent World’s Fair, and author of McSweeneys column "B.R. Cohen’s Annals of Science." During one of these meetings, I mentioned the McSweeneys contributions of local artist Katelyn Sack, long a reliable source of fine paintings in unexpected and unconventional locations. Well, the two hit it off well enough to launch (with some additional support and curatorial help) a gallery on the second floor of Thornton Hall at UVA. Cohen shares the news here, Sack here.
- In the last few months, I’ve become a loyal follower of Captain’s Dead, which provides a steady stream of excellent bootlegs. Recently, the site posted great sets from Cat Power, Explosions in the Sky, Superchunk and those former locals Feedback feels so fondly towards, Pavement. Give ’em a listen.
- Years ago, Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye came to UVA for a screening of the band documentary Instrument. A colleague recalled that MacKaye fielded a question about his band’s tendency to stop shows to stop stagedivers and overly aggressive fans in the midst of their rampages. (It happened a fair deal, and is one of several steps the band took to ensuring safe and inexpensive access to essential music.) Well, Sasha Frere-Jones, Carrie Brownstein and loads of other folks linked recently to this piece on Chunklet: an audio file that contains 40 minutes of highly listenable Fugazi stage banter. Explicit language? Yes, ma’am.