Killing Eve I am only a few episodes in to the first season, but I am loving this series on HULU. The second season is already streaming on BBC America. I have grown tired of watching women get victimized by men, so it is refreshing to watch a cat-and-mouse crime show where both the cat and the mouse are women. And who doesn’t love Sandra Oh? And I have never seen villainess Jodie Comer before, but she is mesmerizing and can convincingly speak at least three languages. If I don’t show up to work on Monday, it’s because I’m bingeing. Where to watch it. (Elise Thompson)
PUNK Docs I enjoyed episode 3 of the John Varvatos-Iggy Pop produced documentary on Punk, including interviews with most of the usual suspects (who knew Duff McKagan was so instrumental in the history of this music, despite declaring punk as “over by 1982”) as well as some folks like Alice Bag and Joey Shithead who sometimes get overlooked in these historical look-backs. After, I decided to check out You Weren’t There, another historical talking-head doc focusing on the Chicago scene of the late seventies/ early 80s. It’s always interesting to hear about these urban music scenes took root in hostile territory. While it could definitely use some more music content to illuminate why so many people are still interested in talking about that stuff, it shined a light on some interesting bands that I plan to investigate. Watch Punk on YouTube Watch You Weren’t There on YouTube. (Bob Lee)
Kalifornia Kool I went to the LA Art Book Fair at the Geffen Contemporary and picked up a copy of San Francisco punk photographer Ruby Ray’s latest book “Kalifornia Kool” which she signed. The book features images of first wave punk bands from San Francisco like the Avengers, Crime and the Nuns and LA bands such as Devo, Germs and X, plus visiting punks like Sid Vicious, who is on the cover. Also, V. Vale of Search and Destroy zine and REsearch Publications made an appearance with his legendary catalog of punk, industrial and other transgressive titles. He also has an opening essay in Ray’s “Kalifornia Kool.” Get it here (Judy Ornelas Sisneros).
WFMU’s The Cool Blue Flame with Little Danny To quote the program description on WMFU’s page: “Postwar atmospherica. High bop modernism and Afro-Latin sounds, twilight exotica and soundtrack moods, soul stompers and weepers, hypnotic R&B and blues, mystical ’60s pop, lonely country, lonelier rock ‘n’ roll, instrumental weirdness, electronic creaking. Bringing worlds beyond into the worlds at hand.” If that sounds like the right audio alternative to all this extra sunshine, Little Danny (of the excellent, if now mostly quiet Office Naps) has all the shades of blue for you each week; extensive archives are also available on the WFMU site. Find it all here. (Paul Gaita)
DZR I discovered a new band (to me) called DZR, a post-punk band who played at Sick City Records’ Echo Park location on Record Store Day. If Joy Division and the Chameleons UK had a baby, it would be DZR! Listen Here (Judy Ornelas Sisneros).
BBQ Brisket at Gus’s Barbecue in Pasadena. Since I work near Gus’ I had tried it once before a long time ago and never went back. But at The Masters of Taste, Gus’ was passing out samples of their beef brisket, and it literally melted in your mouth. Even the fat was delicious. So I went back for lunch and ordered the dry rubbed brisket, which is smoked low and slow for up to 14 hours with pecan wood. The smoke flavor is strong, but it’s not off-putting, in fact, it gets you excited. The beef was just as good in the restaurant as it was at the festival. They make a mean fried catfish as well. Welcome to Gus’s.(Elise Thompson)
