Artomatic, the massive come-one-come-all exhibition that for more than a decade has been one of the region's most feverishly attended art events, has been off the grid for a few years now. Its last free mega-exhibition took place in 2009 on M Street SE. Last year, the nonprofit licensed its name to an otherwise independent [...]
Earlier this year, the 11-year-old uncurated arts event Artomatic cloned itself in Frederick, Maryland. Pretty much everything was the same: The name, the logo, the unused building, the treasured "values" of openness and temporary use of space.
It went well enough that the original Artomatic is planning to franchise further. According to founder George Koch, mini-matics [...]
Art Overload: Lenny Campello reviews the ongoing Artomatic Frederick, and offers a theory as to why critics—other than him, of course—are so quick to dismiss the entire enterprise. (Ahem.) Campello writes, "The real reason that most 'regular' critics don't like AOM is because they lack the formation and depth to see beyond what is hanging [...]
Hands down, “But is it art?” is the lamest question anyone can ask about art. When artists Alex Ventura and Victoria Milko host the But Is It Art? fair from Sept. 22 to Sept. 25, they won’t be putting that question to their artists or audience. They know what they’re doing is art. Their DIY [...]
Although the 6 percent sales tax on performance tickets suggested by Mayor Vince Gray in his proposed budget was struck down last month by the D.C. Council after waves of protest from the theater community, leaders of Washington's arts scene are still displeased with the final version of the budget the council passed last week.
The [...]
Earlier this week, DCist reported that Artomatic organizers have been scouting Hine Junior High School at 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE as a possible location for the gargantuan, uncurated exhibition this fall. Rebecca Stone Gordon, a member of the board of directors for AoM, partially squashed the rumor in the comments section: In all [...]
David Hagen has a cool day job at Georgetown University's library, working with its special collections, but he's also a painter of cartoons—hardly a common way to make them. Although he says he's shy (and admits that's not the best quality in a freelancer), when my ComicsDC blog was playing around with logos, David sent [...]
Friday
Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra. Blues Alley. $25.
L.A. Guns w/ Mis-Fit, Tilt, Sinner’s Trail, Bitter Pill. Jaxx. $18/$20. +21.
Sheryl Crow, Ari Hest. Filene Center at Wolf Trap. $30-$48.
TheoryCast, ReVeL, Fight The Bear, Conshafter. Rock and Roll Hotel. $10. All ages.
DC Summer Extravaganza w/ Tittsworth, Nadastrom, Will Eastman, Bobby Jae & Ken Lazee, Dmerit. 9:30 club. [...]
Friday
Never Too Late, Crimestoppers. Bangkok Blues. Call for price.
Hermans Hermits featuring Peter Noone. Birchmere. $45.
Pat Martino Trio (June 26-28). Blues Alley. $32.50.
Ozric Tentacles. The State Theatre. $20.
Anthony Nelson (second performance on June 27). Twins Jazz. $15.
Sunsets with a Soundtrack: The U.S. Army Blues Band performs an Evening of Latin Jazz. West Steps U.S. Capitol. Free.
Hot [...]
Fresh off a well-reviewed performance at NEARfest, the most prestigious progressive rock festival in the United States (don't laugh), Mexican instrumental trio Cabezas de Cera are playing two dates this week in D.C. plus one in Baltimore. Cabezas de Cera aren't your typical bombastic prog band; rather, they combine folk, prog, free improv and a [...]
