Cinema 16 with Lázaro Valiente / Nathan McKee

Mexico City experimental rocker Lázaro Valiente and Brooklyn's own electro-acoustic-experimental guitarist Nathan W McKee were put in charge of 3 short films each for the latest Cinema 16 screening at the Bell House in Brooklyn. I grew quite interested in Cinema 16 after becoming familiar with LV's music through a review I wrote of his last Brooklyn show. I had basically decided that I was down to try anything he was involved with, even at 7pm on a Sunday. Cinema 16 is indie rockers scoring great silent films from the era before we descended collectively into childish wants and embarrassingly low standards. It is a very real eye opener when you realize that an artful animated cartoon entitled "Tight Rope Tricks" from 1933 was children's entertainment, while now, grown men are watching Transformers 2, bouncing around in their seats with the same enthusiasm.

Also in the program, were a couple of great experimental films from 1920's and 30's included Slavko Vorkapić's THE FURIES and EVEN AS YOU AND I by Roger Barlow, Harry Hay and LeRoy Robbins. I have included video below of these two films; It exists as both a "mixed" version (shown) and a version that only shows the performer (with the screen in the background). For all of the video, visit my YouTube Channel or Vimeo. Anyone in doubt of the live scoring experience must attend. My only complaint is that I only have one pair of eyes!

My video of Nathan McKee's portion of the screening captures only sections of the first two shorts. The camera ran out of tape or battery or both, and so I left it as one clip here. The next Cinema 16 screening is on August 29th at The Brooklyn Yard. Unfortunately I will already be away on my Summer Holiday, but everyone left in the dog heat should trickle over there: Julianna Barwick will be doing the sound.

Buy Lázaro Valiente Records!! (or download the Free EP from the band's MySpace Page)
Buy Nathan W. McKee's Records!!