(photo by Carlos Detres)

Heartbreak is the stuff of some of the best music out there. There just aren’t enough ways to say it – LOVE SUCKS! And what’s worse, it sucks differently every time. Sometimes it’s a quick, hard, pang into the gut that knocks the wind out of you. Other times, it’s this dull hum in your heart that softly permeates your consciousness, and draws itself out over the course of weeks, and months. A lot of the time, it’s both.

Thankfully, music can lend us a hand in our coping process. A good break-up song can tie up all of these things in about three minutes with a few power chords, a chorus, maybe a bridge, and some raw vocals. For each type of relationship and break-up there seems to be a song or two, or even a complete album, which expresses exactly what you feel. Thanks to the evolution of music piracy, you can easily make your very own compilation of these songs that say exactly what you feel in the exact order that you need to hear them. The infamous, but necessary, Break-up Mix.

Within days of my “Emo-Angst Driven Journey to See Lightspeed Champion“, my (more recent) boyfriend and I broke up. This guy was The Rebound from my Lover on the LES, so although our relationship only lasted a year, I’m now single for the first time in two years. In the wake of the fall out with my Lover on the LES, the sincerity of my relationship with The Rebound is questionable. The Rebound knew full well about my situation, and at first he seemed at ease with making up for what the other guy couldn’t do, but then fell short when it was time to build something stronger.

Essentially, I needed to deal with the following issues, some of them universal to break-ups, others more specific:

1. He sucks.

2. This hurts.

3. I’m lonely.

4. I’m a big girl, I’ll be ok alone.

5. We tried to make it work, but it was never real.

6. Walking around NYC reminds me of you, but it’s here and you’re not. (ie – first date in Little Italy; Dim Sum in Chinatown; when Georgia O’Keefe made us blush at the Whitney; when I almost threw up on Zach Braff when we went to see Our Town in the West Village; when he got lost driving to pick me up in Chelsea when I was too upset about my mom’s cancer to take the PATH, etc.)

7. Wait a second… I’m awesome, and cute, and I have THE REST OF THE SUMMER TO BE SINGLE! WHATEVA!

The title of my mix, or track list, is ‘The Best Parts of Being Lonely: Single in The Summer.’ Every mix I make has a title, usually taken from the lyrics of one of the songs, which embraces the essence of the songs I’ve chosen. In this case, the song in question is Left And Leaving by The Weakerthans. Below are twelve of the 20 tracks I chose for The Best Parts of Lonely, alongside some info that ties together the making of the mix.

1. “I Love You, But Goodbye” – Langhorne Slim

You suck. It hurts. We tried, but it was never real.

2. “Parting Gift” – Fiona Apple

We tried, but it was never real.

3. “Galapagos” – The Smashing Pumpkins

This hurts.

4. “Strong Enough” – Sheryl Crow

He sucks.

5. “You’re A Big Girl Now” – Bob Dylan

I’m a big girl, I’ll be ok alone.

6. “These Days” – Nico

I’m lonely./I’m a big girl, I’ll be ok alone, and I’ll get over it

7. “Get Lonely” – The Mountain Goats

I’m Lonely.

8. “Motorcycle Drive By” – 3rd Eye Blind

Walking around Chelsea reminds me of you, but I’ll be ok alone.

9. “Peach Trees” – Rufus Wainwright

Walking around Chinatown reminds me of you.

10. “Fear And Convenience” – Thao & The Get Down, Stay Down

This hurts, but it was never real.

11. “Breaking Up” – Rilo Kiley

NYC is still here, and you’re not. Wait a second, I’m cute and awesome – WHATEVA!

12. “It’s Alright” – Huey Lewis & The News

That’s right, I’m cute and awesome – WHATEVA!!!

The stuff of a good break-up mix should embrace all the bad stuff, but should have a happy ending somehow. It should be about heartbreak, and loneliness, but it should also be about redemption and freedom, and sometimes a little revenge. It’s going to be ok. Worse things have happened, and with help from the likes of Rilo Kiley and Huey Lewis, I’ll get over it. And did I mention that I’m cute and awesome?

He is easily one of the best music writers out there and has given the WD the professional depth its needed and passionate observation that many love. Naturally he was bumped because of the direction our publication is heading and, truly honestly, there’s no one else we would want to fill this position.

In celebration of this act, he composed this week’s playlist while Jenn is away, moving her stuff into her new home.

Be our friend

Hey, all. The Whiskey Dregs is looking for 2 music-loving writers with a finger on the pulse of current, obscure, and not-so-obscure music. We slant toward the darker stuff but have covered everything from Marina and the Diamonds to Marilyn Manson.

We’re looking for 2 writers who have/are:

* Some blogging or writing experience.

* Knowledge of various music genres.

* Intelligence with that attitude.

* Reliable.

* Professional but fun.

Just send a simple email with your qualifications to thewhiskeydregs@gmail.com

We can’t pay with money but you’ll get free albums, legit publishing credit, and many chances to see some of your favorite bands live. We are currently working with many different bands, labels, publicity firms, book publishers, galleries and so forth.

Thanks.

The final day of the Northside Festival shook it’s hot head in disapproval at my neglect of its eclectic variety. I had spent the past three nights staining my right hand with stamps of approval from a blur of venues – Musical Hall of Cameo Spike Public Knitting Hill Gallery Assembly Bowl. My right wrist was raw with pulling off multiple colored bands all at once, while my fingertips were cut up from digging for my ID every thirty minutes or so. No more music. Not for now.

It was time to expand my horizons, quite literally, as I followed Bedford Avenue down to Broadway, where I found Pandemic Gallery. Pandemic, which is mainly devoted to street-art, was hosting a live silk screening event – BYO-Tee. The DIY punk-rocker within just had to, while the consumer in me wanted to get something out of the only gallery visit I had time for during, and have it be worth the 20 minute walk it took for me to get there.

Many of the screens were variations of the works on display for Pandemic’s current exhibit, Shock Therapy. The screens certainly lived up to this name, and for a moment I thought I may forgo the screening on account of how disturbing they were. One was a distorted close up of a fish-head, and another a cracked out cat head with huge fangs. Finally in a more remote corner of the shop, I spotted a sweet Piggly-Wiggly logo, which had been slightly altered by Thomas Buildmore. I was prepared to have my own tote bag screened, but then spotted an awesome short sleeved hoodie on their rack, and with the help of gallery founder Keely Brandon, selected a bright pink for the paint. Within minutes, I had an original work of wearable art for the modest price of $20. Brilliant! It was well worth the walk indeed.

Epic Win

If the New York Burlesque scene was a high school, Epic Win would be the Film club; the group of kids who spend their lunch hour watching movies, their class time quoting movies, and their weekends working on their costumes for the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The brainchild of Nerdcore rapper, Schaffer The Darklord and Magician Nelson Lugo, Epic Win Burlesque is a tri-monthly burlesque show dedicated to depicting the sexy side of Nerdom’s most beloved characters.

Their first show, Video Game Vixens, began as a one off performance and became a sold out success.  The producers had so much fun doing the show that they founded Epic Win.   Since then they’ve honed each show to appeal to specific fandoms such as Batman or Ghostbusters.

Don’t expect a traditional stocking peel or fan dance.  The performances at Epic Win are more aligned to a narrative driven, theatrical, interpretation of burlesque.  Performances range from sexy to funny to downright creepy.  What ties them all together is an obvious and genuine love for the subject matter.  The cast, consisting of Magdalena Fox, Bonnie Voyage, Lefty Lucy, Victoria Privates, BB Heart and Miss Mary Cyn, agree to each show’s theme and choose their characters so that each act is a product of their own nerdly obsession. “I went from geeking out on anime to having the opportunity to make one of my favorite characters come alive on stage!”  Says BB Heart, of her depiction of  Cowboy Beebop’s Faye Valentine “I couldn’t ask for a more wonderfully nerdy opportunity. And it is that obsession and devotion to the nerd culture that we all share that makes this such a unique experience for the audience and cast alike.”

Nelson Lugo and Schaffer the Darklord co-host every show dressing as their own favorite characters and schooling the audience on the history of the fandom and its characters.

“Lugo and I, both burlesque show guest hosts, have been friends for years, but we hadn’t ever co-hosted a show together.” Says Schaffer  “We found our natural geeky and bickering dynamic transferred easily to the stage.”

Third row, left to right is Bonnie Voyage as Chun-Li, Victoria Privates as Harley Quinn, and Schaffer the Darklord as a Ghostbuster. Back row is Miss Mary Cyn and Gozer the Gozarian

Audiences should expect a packed house that knows their fandom well.  Mary Cyn remembers, “One of the best things about the Ghostbusters Show was the entire audience quoting lines from the movie along with the hosts.”  It’s this level of devotion in the audience that spurns the cast to excel in their performances.  “People love these characters so much.”  Says Bonnie Voyage “You can’t fuck them up, or you’re letting a lot of people down.”

This is a cast that is determined not to let anyone down.  They spend hours studying their source material and making professional quality costumes.  Schaffer the Darklord sites “Attention to detail.”  As his favorite thing about the show   “The ladies have done some amazing things with costuming, makeup, hair and music that really bring these fictional characters to life in front of an audience.”

It’s also very obvious just how much fun everyone in the show is having.  Each cast member, when asked if there was anything they wanted to say about show all responded with a resounding “I Love Epic Win!”

“I love the backstage culture and camaraderie that we’ve created.”  Says BB Heart.  “Because we are all friends and all work together on these shows, we have become even closer as a cast.  We tease each other, we love each other — its like being in a family.”  This was never more evident than during the Holy Shit…Batman! show when Schaffer the Darklord, dressed as The Joker, turned the second half of the show into a prank on his batman costumed co-host.  Instead of proceeding with the show they had scripted he trapped Lugo on stage, threatening to “kill” the performers if Lugo was unable to answer trivia questions about the characters being portrayed in the upcoming acts.  The audience sided with Lugo, calling out answers when they knew them and using their smart phones to look up answers when they didn’t.

“I can’t believe how fun that show was.”  Says Miss Mary Cyn.  “We couldn’t even watch the show and we still had a blast.”

Epic Win’s next show will be The Great Star Debate: Trek vs. Wars September 10th and 11th at The Tank.  Find them at epicwinburlesque.com.

At 90:45

Crammed behind a desk with two co-workers, I watched the ball slam into the back of a net for a US goal against Algeria. It came at the 91st minute of the match but it’s not like you didn’t know this since you were there, too, watching from an iPhone, a HDTV in a bar somewhere across the country or in an office, like me, covering your mouth so no one can hear you yell; wiping your eyes until the restraints of disbelief unleash the truth. Landon Donovan scored for an entire country whose traditionally scrappy game play reminded us a bit of ourselves. 

Admittedly I am not a lifetime soccer fan. The only game I had ever watched before the last World Cup, four years ago, was in 1994 when a Colombian player accidentally knocked the ball into his side’s net, scoring an own goal, and giving the US the win (2-1). He returned home and was shot and killed outside of a bar. I didn’t watch another game until the 2006 World Cup. 

Soccer remained only as a curiosity for me — almost a joke. I couldn’t understand the delight of seeing grown men run up and down a pitch, passing a ball for ninety minutes, only to score one or two goals. Like many other Americans, I needed high-scoring games, velocity and violence, charismatic personalities embellished by colorful commentators. (All of which I later learned were just the basic and wonderful pleasures of a soccer match). I just couldn’t see the sport in soccer. Then there was the 2006 World Cup when Portugal was busy, barreling through the ranks. My Portuguese friends taught me the game and it was then I opened my eyes like a reborn sports fan. Together we watched Portugal squeeze out of their group toward the World Cup finals. I felt my heart palpitate within my chest, my palms sweat, my emotions control my body during every game. I had felt this before but it had come only during an ecstasy drug binge. But a sport? No sport had ever done that for me before because no other sport transcends politics and national pride; no sport has ever mattered to the world like soccer. 

What Landon Donovan did yesterday was take our hearts and minds away from the problems of our country. The Gulf oil flood, the economy, continued job losses, divisive politics, the widening gap between the classes, health care; bombardment of depressing news coming from every corner of these 50 states. He gave us what other national teams give their countries: Hope, respect, and pride. When was the last time you felt this proud to be an American with people of the red and blue states? Of course Donovan didn’t instill this shared pride alone. That goal was coming. In fact, it had already come twice before when Dempsey’s earlier shot into the net was wrongly recalled as offsides and Edu’s goal against Slovenia was stunningly and disgracefully taken away from us. 

It’s not just a game when people call in sick to go to work to join their compatriots in a bar or when South Africans chant “U-S-A” because of our support against Apartheid in the ’70s and ’80s. It’s not just a game when our eyes well up at the sight of a man, wearing the colors of his troubled country, running across the pitch to celebrate his team’s unlikely advancement through the World Cup. It wasn’t just the players of the US national team who needed this win to advance; we all needed it. 

Most of us in the US have been feeling less than encouraged about our country’s future. Soccer won’t ever solve our problems but our national team reminds us of what we are capable when we’ve lost vision. In the 91st minute, of any situation, we push through to the next round. Landon Donovan, and the rest of his team, will return to the US as heros no matter what happens because they didn’t complain and because they never gave up on a win. No matter what happens in South Africa, all of us can find an example on that 23 player roster for overcoming seemingly unconquerable challenges. 

 Let’s see that one more time for old smile’s sake 

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Based on a True Story is a performance series created from the letters journal entries, and emails submitted by Wreckio’s audience. This time, it’s all sex.

Watch interpretations of a one night stand that ends with sandpaper, a week’s worth of cross-gender sex, a Russian mail-order bride, a mishap with a  sponge, a bachelor party full of debauchery, and much more…

with

Randi ____, Dechelle Damien & Karly Maurer/Directed by Christopher Bamonte

Under St. Marks
94 St.  Marks Place (btw 1st and A)
June 24th-27th
Thurs-Sat @ 8PM, Sun @ 2PM

Doors open 1/2 hour before performance. Come early for DRINKS, CONFESSIONS, and FUN!.

$20 and $15 for Students and Seniors. Admission includes a free beer. Purchase at Smarttix

Beyond Race Magazine is an amazing music publication and online magazine. They are in danger of shutting down and we’re not going to let that happen!!

We’re playing a benefit show in their support on June 1st @ Mercury Lounge. There are going to be a lot of local artists involved supporting the cause including Seasick Mama, Plastic Photography and more to be announced!

Seasick Mama has designed a special limited edition t-shirt in support of the cause! It’s only $28.00 in all size, with free f*ckin’ shipping!!!!

The show is going to be very exciting and the artists are all creating beautiful art for you all – All you gotta do is come!

- Plastic Photography will be giving away 5 large prints of his work
- SeaSick Mama is designing a special T- Shirt that will be on sale at the show and her website. All proceeds will be donated to BRM.
and more…

RSVP here.
Buy Tickets here.

Hope to see you there!
xx
H&C

Hank & Cupcakes
Beyond Race Magazine
Seasick Mama
Plastic Photography

I Can See You

Last year, I had the pleasure of sitting with filmmaker, Graham Reznick at Yaffa Cafe. I think we had some sangria or maybe that was just me drinking the sangria. Anyhow, I enjoyed his surreal-esque film, I Can See You and was excited to interview* (Ellen Donbeck wrote the article) an artist who dually honed technical and creative mastery.

Reznick and I met again — through email — to catch up and learn what he’s been up to since we last convened.

CARLOS DETRES: I have to be honest with you. Your interview was my first ever, which is why I brought that Book of Questions along in case I got stuck. It was a fun chat at that cafe and you were beginning to get a lot of press for your film. What was that feeling like?

Our interview last year came at a very big time for me. My film I Can See You had taken a long time to gain traction, and so finally having a NYC theatrical release and getting a lot of positive press was very exciting and fulfilling.

GRAHAM REZNICK: Last we spoke, your film, I Can See You, had finished its screening run. What has happened since?

The first big thing that happened was that the film found a distributor- Kino International, who have put out tons of classic masterpieces and modern indie films. It’s a great home for I Can See You . Since Glass Eye Pix, the production company, had initially planned on releasing the DVD ourselves, I had already put a lot of work into compiling a really feature-packed disc. Tons of extras, commentary, easter eggs, and my 3D short film The Viewer (plus glasses!). I even designed most of the menus, which are all in line with the experience of the film. Kino let us keep most of this for their release, with some minor tweaks to fit their template, and the result is a disc I’m super proud of.

I’ve also been spending a lot of time writing and developing new projects, as well as working as a sound designer on several Glass Eye Pix films, including Satan Hates You, Bitter Feast, Stake Land, and Ti West’s upcoming film The Innkeepers (his followup to The House of The Devil), on which I just did some second unit directing and will eventually be sound designing.

CD: Your film is now available on DVD. Are you satisfied with its reception?I’m really happy that anyone who hears about the film and is curious is now able to check it out – it’s available on Netflix and Amazon, and I’ve heard rumors that it’s been spotted in a few video stores for sale and rental, around the country. Netflix reviews are funny – most of them seem to be from people who are probably not the target audience for the film and don’t even finish watching it. But then there’s a strong contingent of reviews from people who get what the film is, and respond to it really positively. It’s definitely not a film for everyone, and I’m glad that it’s distribution allows it to find the eyeballs of willing recipients.

GR: Can we expect a new film in the near future?

I’ve been developing a feature project for a while which utilizes stereoscopic 3D in a way that I first explored in my short film The Viewer. It’s about experience – both the subjective experience of the character, and the engaged experience of the viewer of the film. The feature project is sort of an adaptation of the short, structurally, but it’s got a completely different plot. I’m very excited about the prospects and capabilities of 3D as a tool for both artistic and entertainment purposes – so far there hasn’t been a whole lot of cross over in the mainstream (though there’s been a lot of great entertainment). I think as it catches on and becomes more commonplace we’ll be seeing a lot more well utilized / artistically utilized 3D cinema. I’m very excited about the possibilities of this in regards to my new project, and I’m trying to get it made very soon.

Although I interviewed Graham Reznick, it was Ellen Donbeck who wrote the review for his film, I Can See You.

Alexis Guerra

Hello fellow Dreggers,

As some of you might know already, our dear editor, Carlos, will be off wreaking havoc in Europe for a few weeks, so in his absence I will be stepping in and lending a helping hand. For those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I am the Whiskey Dregs’ resident fashion columnist and fill-in writer. I’m truly excited to be able to help out the Whiskey Dregs in any way that I can and look forward to wearing the “editor” cap for a  few weeks. We’ve just celebrated a full year as a site and it’s amazing how much growth has been conquered. In the end, the thanks goes out to all you fabulously star-studded readers out there ;)

It’s because of you, we write the way we write; it’s because of  you, we cover the things we cover, and last but not least, it’s because of you that we have found a place and way to be heard. We live and breathe to find the truth so that we can share it with a wider audience.  What makes the Whiskey Dregs so fascinating is that it’s a world without boundaries. I’m proud to be part of this honest and unique world and I’m proud to be offering assistance any way I can. So feel free to reach out to me during my time as editor here and let me know what you like and dislike, what you want to hear more of what you don’t. We may listen, we may not (just kidding…) but we will always respect what our audience has to say. Thanks so much :)