Friday, November 30, 2012

December 2012 and a 26000 year cycle comes to a close....

Don't worry, there's another 26,000 year cycle just around the corner! As we enter into this new age of enlightenment and astronomical alignment allow me to ease your way with the soothing balm of sweet music, beautiful and bizarre dancers, drag queens and more.....

Right now, today, (sorry for the late notice, it's been a crazy couple weeks, but if you followed me on twitter you would have heard about it by now) at 6 pm, my good friends Colter Harper and Carolina Loyola Garcia are having an art opening tonight November 30, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m. The show is a photographic exhibition called After Dark and they have created some gorgeous light painting portraits featuring 10 Pittsburgh artists. I was one subject, as were some of my local idols like Olivia Kissel (dancer/choreographer) and Jon Bañuelos (flamenco guitarist), I will be singing just a couple songs at the opening with Mr. Bañuelos and saxophonist Eric Singer of L.E.M.U.R. (League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots). The show is at 707 Penn Gallery, located at 707 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA. I will complete this email quickly so you can hear about it. If you can't make the gig, go see the show while it's up! It's up til January 6, 2013!
Facebook event information:
http://www.facebook.com/events/108916652605721/


Also this weekend, on Sun December 2, 2012 I am hosting a concert to benefit my friend Vincent Eirene and his homeless shelter Duncan and Porter House.
Vincent is a long time activist, author and defender of social justice. His activism has taken him to the swamps of New Orleans to help publicize the need for action post Hurricane Katrina to the tops of mountains in West Virginia to protest the mountain top removal coal mining by Massey Energy decimating the land and creating toxic waste which poisons the inhabitants. Here in Pittsburgh he has protested numerous wars through civil disobedience by fasting outside of Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University Campus and he also took part in Occupy Pittsburgh. This short list of his works should also include the fact that he ran a homeless shelter out of his own home for nearly 20 years. Ironically he has found himself after all of his good works teetering on the brink of homelessness himself. The artists scheduled to perform at this benefit believe in what he is trying to do and hope that through this concert we will raise some money to help him start over and re-create the Duncan and Porter House homeless shelter anew.

This evening of entertainment features Phat Man Dee with members of The Cultural District (Carlos Peña, Cha & Tony DePaolis), the featured artists are Miguel Sague Jr & Miguel Sague III (father and son Afro Cuban musical duets), Olivia Kissel (dancer) and Crystal Hoffman (poetic comedienne).

Sun Dec 2, 2012,  Doors at 8:30 p.m. show at 9 p.m.
$10 suggested donation, 18 and over

Shadow Lounge
www.shadowlounge.net
5972 Baum Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-8277
The evening will be video taped by Occupy Pittsburgh Now & Rustbelt Radio and will be edited to become the first in a series of podcasts showcasing Pittsburgh artists, in a  collaboration between Phat Man Dee and Ray Gerard of Occupy Pittsburgh Now and Indy Media.
Next weekend on December 8, 2012, Pittsburgh Cacophony's 4th Annual Santarchy shall march again and as has become tradition, I shall sing at the opening of their trek through our fair city with plenty of alternate carols (read, inappropriate for kids, but I'll be on the look out for innocent ears) at NOLA on the Square from 1 - 3 p.m. If you would like to join this mad band of merry and mischievous Santas I suggest you read the facebook event page and wear good shoes and lots of layers.
Facebook event information:
http://www.facebook.com/events/265359913583613/


The following day on Sunday December 9, 2012 is another one of my favorite ways to spend the holidaze season, with the freaks and geeks I love so well......
Morose & Macabre and Kabarett Vulgare join forces to bring you the second annual Atrocity Exhibition fundraiser, BLACK DECEMBER, a twisted winter cabaret featuring Kabarett Vulgare and other special guests.

Each year in December, Morose & Macabre begin their dastardly plans for the upcoming annual monster that is The Atrocity Exhibition. Atrocity is a collaboration of artists and performers from all over who gather together to create an unforgettable, 360 degree living art piece through cabaret style story telling. Atrocity is an independent event that relies on fundraising and donation from it's followers and fans. Black December is the first yearly effort to begin to raise funds for Atrocity 2013's promotion. Kabarett Vulgare is one of Pittsburgh's newest  performance groups that combines Weimar style cabaret wit the American Sideshow Tradition. It's unique combination of sideshow and burlesque include  Macabre Noir (2012 Pittsburgh Freak of the Year),  Kabarett founder Lilith DeVille (drag queen, boylesque, human blockhead), local jazz legend Phat Man Dee, Penny De La Poison (burlesque artist)  and Gypsy (bed of nails and oracle). Special guests include Cherri Baum (drag guigol), The Countess Von Tella (burlesque), and hoop artist Apex. In addition to the show there will be a chinese auction of items donated by Atrocity artisans and vendors from past and present.

Sunday, December 9th, 2012 Doors open at 8 pm, show at 9.
Admission is $10 and is 21+.

Shadow Lounge
www.shadowlounge.net
5972 Baum Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-8277
Facebook event info:
http://www.facebook.com/events/439513469442831/


December 14, 2012 I am singing in a Pink Floyd tribute show at Frankie's in Squirrel Hill.
Facebook event info:
http://www.facebook.com/events/118769898283817


December 15, 2012 I am very excited to take my band The Cultural District to The Hollywood Gardens The show is from 9 p,m, to midnight and while I've never sung there, my friend Olga Watkins (whose show you should see if you haven't yet) speaks very highly of it and I trust her judgement.
Hollywood Gardens is in Rochester, PA and it is located at:

169 Pinney St, Rochester, Pa 15074
More info:
http://www.hollywoodgardensbar.com/

Last but not least, have been invited to sing a couple tunes at a concert to benefit Pittsburgh NORML to be held at James St Tavern on the North Side. If you believe that this long help prohibition on one of God's natural medicines is archaic and cruel, come support the legalization of marijuana by attending this event at one of Pittsburgh's most historic jazz venues.  

http://www.jamesstreetgastropub.com/
So, please, fret not about apocalypse or armageddon or fiscal cliffs. We are living in an age of light and love and great change is coming, it's been coming for many years and it will continue for some time after the high point of the change on December 21, 2012,  but if you want to see someone speak about it that knows more than I do, my friend Miguel Sague Jr. is a Taino Shaman, he is a teacher and a wonderful musician, and his videos on his youtube channel are incredibly informative. Here is a link to the first in a series that can explain what this change is and what it means from an indigenous Mayan perspective:
    
And if you come to the gig this Sun Dec 2 you can ask him about it in person!

So friends, be well, live in harmony with yourself and each other, and thank you so much for allowing me the blessing of being in your world for you are surely a blessing in mine.
One love,
Mandee
http://www.twitter.com/phatmandee
http://www.facebook,com/phatmandee
http://www.phatmandee.com

No comments: