San Francisco-based choreographer Brian Gibbs of TAGsf sat down with PianoFight’s Evan Winchester to talk about his two new dance films, and discuss the creative process in the Bay Area. We will be covering those two projects on the blog here. See examples of Brian’s work here and here. Part two of this interview and the two dance shorts can be found here.

EVAN: Tell me about what you’re working on.

BRIAN: Grey Halos one and two is a short film by The Artist Group San Francisco (TAGsf) and a nod to the odd.

EW: How important is the title of a piece?

BG: The importance of a good title is so that the audience has a gauge for what to expect. Association. Oftentimes people get too caught up in the title of a piece and expect that a good title will help float whatever piece further into the viewers’ minds. For me personally the proof is in the pudding and the work will speak for itself which is why I had such a hard time thinking of a title for the film. Originally I wanted to call attention to dumb titles by calling this particular film “My Butt whispers softly during the night” but that quickly got shot down. I don’t really care because it is still funny to me. The reason why I ended up naming the film Grey Halo’s one and two is because Grey to me is very ambiguous. It’s not black or white but caught in-between in this weird indefinable area. When I think of nothing, the lack of space and time, everything else, what I see is Grey. With a title like Grey it’s hard to come up with any big ideas for what to expect. Hell, I can’t even call this a dance film. I don’t know what it is truth be told. One other reason Grey ended up being the title is that San Francisco is known for the fog, which is the one connector of both films.

EW: What is it about the mask that interests you?

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Good friends and PianoFight collaborators All Ages, the Japanese-American rock band that graced the stage as one of ShortLived’s house bands in 2010, just dropped a video cut together from pictures and shots taken during their 2011 international tour. Derrick Soares and Tom Yamashita, who directed and most likely shot everything in the video, are fierce examples of do-it-your-fucking-self success. They are their own producer, promoter, publicist, film maker, manager, booking agent, sound engineer and oh yeah, they’re musicians. They’ve also got hearts of gold. If you’re into this song, I heartily recommend purchasing the whole album which you can do here.

-Rob

Big thanks to all the SF media outlets who covered FORKING this year! Here’s the skinny on what people they’re saying:

“Another tradition-in-the-making [FORKING] is also packing the house with a good mix of PianoFight first-timers and old “Forking” initiates who are easily identified by their crumpled brown paper BYOB bags.” – SF Bay Guardian

“…A staple, like mashed potatoes, mistletoe, and condoms in the Christmas stocking.” – SF Weekly

“It’s getting to be a beloved holiday tradition.” – SF Chronicle

“So you could see this show every single night of its run and still not see every possible permutation. Unless maybe they hold it over for 994 years.” – Direct Address

“About fifteen minutes in, I had the thought: ‘I don’t think I have laughed this much or seen jokes packed this dense since I first saw the movie AIRPLANE!’ That’s high praise. (And, just for the record, I was not under the influence and “high praise” is not a double entendre.)” – Examiner.com / TheaterStorm

We also got some shout outs in SFist.com, the Bay Area Reporter, 7×7 Magazine and Theatre Bay Area Magazine (would link to TBA but can’t find the graphic online). Again, thanks to the SF media for tagging FORKING as a holiday tradition!

PianoFight is executive-producing a short narrative film called Low Shoulders. Find out more at www.lowshoulders.com.

The teenage tragedy song was most popular during the 50s and 60s. It’s a style of ballad with names like “Black Denim Trousers,” “Endless Sleep,” “Dead Man’s Curve” and “Teen Angel.” Here’s Lana Del Rey with “Born to Die” (2011).

-Evan

TICKETS ~ SCHEDULE ~ TICKETS ~ SCHEDULE ~ TICKETS

- Andy & Devin

This will all make sense in 4 years, but for now… WTFriday.

- Jed

[via @NathanReese]

PianoFight’s home grown German post-minimalist-avant-surf-rock band, Das Haus Band, will be opening for the She Beards friday night at the Stork Club. Expect to see the black denin wearing, pure sound seeking rockers take the stage around 10:30PM. For a small taste of what is to come, check out this vid from a recent DHB rehearsal.

SCHNELL!

-Duncan

Sometimes, people are up to no good. Other times, people are blissfully walking down the streets of Lower Nob Hill singing loudly to themselves various showtunes and Sinatra tunes and spur of the moment tunes and thinking about how the blues began and getting offered various accoutrements de le vive that they may or may not require. Some days, we can relate to the one who is staring back at our eyeballs in mirrors. Other days, a resemblance of something or someone else predominates. This person or thing may or may not be cooler than average as he or she jaunts through SOMA on a warmer-than-frigid midwinter evening. Either way, Tom Tom is going to die soon. He doesn’t know it yet, but this world is yearning for his passage, whence another awaits.This marks the beginning of the end, the days are numbered few until the DEATH OF TOM TOM.

Thanks Sincerely,

Andy