Culture Diary w/c 25-02-13
Monday – Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival various venues
The Lift-Off Film Festival was founded in London two years ago by independent filmmakers Ben Pohlman and James Alexander, as a means of promoting “raw talent and artistic flair in filmmakers”. This week, for the first time, the festival finds its way to Liverpool, showcasing the work of student and independent directors at FACT, Metal, House (Bold Street) and The Kazimier.
Tuesday – GameCityNights 7pm @ FACT
With the tagline “an after-dark exploration of videogame culture,” GameCityNights makes its first foray in Liverpool this week. An opportunity to get together with like-minded souls to discuss the best the video-game industry has to offer, as well as a platform for developer presentations, GameCityNights is a welcome addition to Liverpool’s cultural landscape.
Iceage 7.30pm @ The Shipping Forecast £7
Exploding viscerally into all the right ears with 2011′s debut, New Brigade, Denmark’s Iceage unashamedly reintroduced the spirit of punk onto the agenda. Last week saw the band release their follow up, You’re Nothing (their first for uber-indie label Matador Records), to blanket rave reviews. Catch them while they’re hot, folks. Plus, if further incentive were needed, Liverpool’s very own punk revivalists, Bad Meds, provide meaningful support.
Wednesday – Reservoir Dogs 7pm @ Camp and Furnace
Last year we featured Jameson’s Cult Film Club’s special presentation of Jaws, an experiential screening at the Albert Dock, which introduced a few surprises alongside the screening, and of course, some booze. This week it’s the turn of Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, with Camp and Furnace playing the role of the iconic movie’s warehouse. Expect high drama and maybe the appearance of Messrs White, Orange, Blonde, Pink, et al. More info here.
Thursday – Screenadelica: Printing the Art of Pop 12pm @ FACT
Ahead of next month’s opening of The Art of Pop Video (preview), FACT have teamed up with Mr. Screenadelica, Gary McGarvey to present “an evolving exhibition of hand printed, crowd-sourced works”. Screenadelica, which celebrates the beauty and technical skill which increasingly goes into producing the once humble gig poster, will have works in FACT, while people will have a chance to see screenprinting presentations and have a go themselves on the DIY screenprinting beds in the space.
Lindi Ortega 7.30pm @ Leaf £7
Little more than a year ago, new country starlet Lindi Ortega played, it’s safe to say, a pretty much unsuspecting Leaf. Well, she obviously impressed, as this Thursday sees the Canadian return to the scene of the crime, this time promoting her second record, Cigarettes & Truckstops.
Friday – Mama Rosin 7.30pm @ The Kazimier £10
With a commitment to Delta Blues that would put Jack White himself to shame, this Swiss trio have garnered rave reviews since forming in 2008. Described by the Quietus thus: “This is psychedelic Cajun punk voodoo rockabilly dance music; some Swiss Dadaists just put CBGBs in a swamp and spiked the chilli sauce with Sandoz acid. Can you dig it?… impeccable rock & roll dynamics”; we won’t attempt to add anything to that!
Saturday – Colorama w/ Edwyn Collins DJ set 8pm @ Leaf £5
Colorama are another band making a welcome return to Liverpool this week. We first caught the Welsh psyche-rockers a couple of years ago now, and were quietly impressed. That’s not a back-handed compliment by any means, because Colorama bring with them exactly the kind of much needed chilled out, summery disposition lacking at this time of year.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Sunday – Rosemary’s Baby 6pm @ FACT
FACT’s Roman Polanski season continues this Sunday with Rosemary’s Baby. Based on the brilliant novel by Ira Levin, Rosemary’s Baby casts Mia Farrow as the unwitting and increasingly troubled fawn-like Rosemary Woodhouse, who begins to suspect her husband and those nice neighbours across the way might not be so amiable after all. A satanic thriller which continues to shock to this day, if you do one thing away from the couch this week, make it this.