Weekend Roundup: June 12 through 14
We’re already approaching the midpoint of this year’s Artomatic. After this weekend, we’ve only got three more to go! Come and check out all the amazing stuff to see – and trust me, you’ll want to come more than once.
We’ve selected some of the best stuff to look forward to this weekend. Read on, and remember, in addition to all the performances and workshops, there’s permanent art installations, beer, and food on every floor!
Friday:
9:30pm – 10:00pm: Krista, a local bellydancer, will be gracing the Dance/Theatre Stage (6th Floor) with her blend of Egyptian, Lebanese, and American belly dancing. Don’t miss it.
Photo by Sarah Skinner from dancerkrista.wordpress.com
9:30pm – 10:20pm – After watching Krista bellydance, catch the tail end of a live performance of Indian instruments, the Tabla and Sarod. The north Indian instruments have made their way into popular music, so you’ll definitely recognize them. On the Solo Stage (3rd Floor).
10:00pm – 10:50pm: Dirty River, a local bluegrass quintet, rocked Artomatic last year. You can see them at 2:31 on this video. They are back this year to show off their skills (these guys can really play their instruments). Check ‘em out on the Cabaret Stage (2nd Floor).
Saturday:
2:30pm: Join an open community drum circle, no experience necessary! Katy Gaughan will lead, so you’re in for an amazing time hearing and creating rhythms with the group. Check out the Cabaret Stage (2nd Floor).
7:00pm – 9:00pm – Want to meet the artists who created your favorite pieces? Hundreds of them will come out to meet the public and talk about their work at Meet the Artist Night, an Artomatic tradition. Held throughout the building.
7:00pm – 9:00pm: Frank Warren, creator of our favorite blog PostSecret, will be hanging out, signing books, and chatting. We’ll also be screening a short video of secrets shot at Artomatic’s opening night. Don’t forget that you can send your own secret using our Artomatic postcards! Come by the Artomatic store on the 7th floor.
9:30pm – 11:30pm: Poke your head outside the building to check out live fire dancing. Great views from the upper floors of the Artomatic building’s west side!
Photo from pdffireconclave.com
10:00pm – 12:30am: If you’ve ever gotten to see the open mic nights at Busboys and Poets, then you know you’re in for a treat. The U Street establishment brings their poetry and music to the Dance/Theatre Stage (6th Floor) for a night of beats, freestyle poets, spoken word, and a live improvising band to back it all up!
Sunday:
12:00pm – 7:00pm: Get your shop on at the Artomatic art fair! Twenty of our Artomatic visual artists will set up and sell their work in a marketplace on the first floor. You can choose from painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture, masks, ceramics, papercrafts, and more. This is the only time during Artomatic that you can buy art and bring it straight home, so if you need a quick art fix, this is the place! The marketplace also takes place on June 21 and 28.
4:30pm – 4:55pm: Storm the Unpredictable is a conscious Maryland hip hop artist. Check out his powerful track, “Darker the Berry,” on his MySpace page. He’ll be giving his listeners a taste of his lyrics on the Solo Stage (3rd Floor).
4:30pm – 5:30pm: Photography 101 workshop, covering photography basics including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, quality, and composition basics. Bring your camera! Held at the James Renwick Alliance Education Room (4th Floor).
4:00pm – 9:00pm: Sunday evening is RVA Band Day, featuring a variety of artists from Richmond, Virginia. Pop Matters magazine calls the city “The new Brooklyn” in terms of music scene importance. Check out the Electric Stage (1st Floor) to catch a variety of bands, including jazz ensemble Fight the Big Bull, who were recently featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air.”
From fightthebigbull.com
6:00pm – 10:00pm: We’ll be showing over 15 films at the Artomatic short film screening! You can watch Extreme Commuting, a short by American University graduate Andrea Bloom, which documents how a driver, train rider, and bicyclist each travel 90 minutes or more to get to work in Washington, DC. Also, check out the trailer of On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW!, a short film about lawn mower racing (WTF?!). All shorts will be screened in the SunTrust Film Screening Room (3rd Floor).
We hope to see you all this weekend! Artomatic, unlike other events this weekend, is rain or shine.
