Future Shock at the Cylcorama will feature live painting from SF Project |
For three years, Future Classic’s Legends of Style has been promoting urban art, style, and culture in Boston with legendary parties at huge venues like the Convention Center. By packing as many artists into one space as will fit, the organization has elevated the status of many of Boston’s street artists with gallery-style settings and an original, positive vibe. This Saturday, October 21, the organization does it again at the Boston Center for the Arts with its fifth event, “Future Shock.”“It’s a different event in Boston cause it’s not just a club, it’s not just a gallery opening, we’re mixing the two together,” says event planner JENNIFER SAPHIER, who’s excited to get in with the crew at Future Classic. “It’s gonna be cool ’cause this year is 21-plus, so it’ll be more like a loungy atmosphere.” Inside the Cyclorama, Boston’s own SOUL CLAP and the Bay Area’s J-BOOGIE will spin mad club beats while 45 artists display their talents. The roster includes ROLLAND BERRY alongside his new signature shoes for Reebok, and live painting from SF PROJECT. All the art will be for sale. “Yep, 45 artists,” confirms Saphier. “The cool thing is you don’t really see this type of line-up: graffiti artists, sneaker art, T-shirt art. You might, but not in a nighttime setting. It will be more fun than going to a club or going to a bar. And support local artists and have fun while doing it.”
Future Classic has put the event in the right hands, too. Saphier is a born logistician from the wilds of Maine who’s planned car shows, theme parties and even her own prom. “The theme was Hollywood. We had everything from the Hollywood sign to the Hollywood Hills. We even had a real Oscar. We found someone in Maine who had won an Oscar in like the ’50s, and we tracked it down, and that’s what everyone had their picture taken with that night. I love being very organized. That’s me. And I like working under pressure. We hope to do more and more of these things in the future. And we’re getting excited about New Year’s, ’cause that’s going to be really really fun.”
Circuits recommends you buy Future Shock tickets in advance (on-line or at Karma Loop, Underground Hip-Hop, or Eye Boutique on Newbury Street) so you’re sure to get in. Early purchase also gets you into a VIP party from 7 to 8 pm sponsored by Dewar’s. Go easy at that one.
Adventurers in sound and science should make plans to be in Providence November 3 and 4, since Brown University’s TONY COKES has an impressive line-up for SONIC FOCUS. Ambient music pioneer and writer DAVID TOOP, Pitchfork Media’s PHILIP SHERBURNE, art-world giant CHRISTIAN MARCLAY, minimal godhead TONY CONRAD and spoken-word poet AGF are just a few of the names on the bill, which describes itself as “a project that examines complementaries and antagonisms between sound and image.” Whoa. For more information visit www.sonicfocus.org.
