One of the cooler new additions to Los Angeles pop culture nightlife is the Flux Cinema Tuesdays movie series at the Nike Sportswear Montalban Theater.
Each month guests are treated to a film, usually surfing or music based. The night includes a celeb DJ, drinks and popcorn to boot – all for free. Some of the nights have showcased the work of Michel Gondry and super hot DJ Mr. French, MC Lyte and the director of Notorious, and even the new auteur extraordinaire of horror, Tomas Alfredson and local lady DJ Valida.
Last Tuesday, Flux presented Voltaic: The Volta Tour Live , a concert film of Bjork’s recent tour. The film, which is available to buy today via Nonesuch Records, features Voltaic footage from Björk’s live shows in Paris and Reykjavik, Volta music videos, live studio performances and remixes of songs from Volta.
People who had waited in line which snaked around the block were not disappointed. The film was a gorgeous and loud cacophony of sound and vision which more than filled the small theater at the Montalban.
Bjork was joined on tour by innovative musicians such as Mark Bell, Damian Taylor, Jonas Sen and Chris Corsano, plus an all female brass section decked out in colorful sari styled jumpsuits with flags extending from the back. Bjork, with her face painted in day glow colors, performed like the dynamo pixie she is, running the gamut of newer Volta material and songs from older albums such as Army Of Me, Hunter and Hyperballad.
It still amazes me to this day, the power of her voice. It seems less like Bjork opens her mouth to sing, and more like she is stopping a powerful magic simply by closing her mouth in between lyrics. The film is lit well and sounds fantastic. You really do feel as if you are in the room at the show – which is something a lot of concert films and rock docs lack today.
After the screening, hundreds of hipsters clamored upstairs to grab the 60 limited edition posters. And I do mean grab. I was knocked off my feet twice and my friend had a poster ripped right out of her hand. The small balcony was much too small to house the Belvedere open bar and poster melee. The pushing and shoving instantly made me want to head for the door. Not to mention the horrible house music DJ’s LA Riots were pumping through their laptops. After a wonder film experience and a great concert, it was truly jarring to exit to an angry poster mob and angry remixes of sub-par music. Hopefully the next post screening soiree will be a bit tamer, or at least less dangerous.
Luckily you can now watch Voltaic in the comfort of your own home. Dim the lights, put on your most colorful yarn scarf and turn that volume way up. You wont be disappointed.
Ali MacLean 