The Erotics CD-Release Party

The revival of gutsy garage rock over the last few years may indicate that the old Radiohead-led, Ambitious Millennial Angst Rock movement has closed up shop for a while. And we’re just fine with that: We like a good party (and good party music) as much as the next guy. But some of the standard bearers of good-time rock are just so freakin’ dopey. I mean, we got deeper into “deep” music to begin with because we were tired of watching the athletes in our high schools crush beer cans against their heads to the strains of Poison’s “Don’t Need Nothin’ But a Good Time.” We don’t want our parties stupid, man, we want them weird.

Enter the Erotics.

The Erotics combine all the simple musical pleasures of the most stripped-down New York Dolls-style punk with all the sleaze-saturated attitude of early L.A. glam-metal. And though they’ve got more than their fair share of recreational-self-abuse songs, they’re never of the predictable chest-thumping, Coors-can-crushing variety. Simply put, the Erotics are damaged—damaged and hilariously un-P.C. On previous releases, they’ve revealed a curious fascination with the History Channel (Hitler and Helen Keller feature prominently as subjects—as do jet-packs); on the newest one, All That Glitters Is Dead, there’s an eschatological bent. “Gas Chamber Barbie Doll,” “Death of the Party,” “Supermodel Suicide” and “Bullet” flesh out the album title’s grim promise. Party-hearty traditionalists, take heart, though: The Erotics also tip their hats ironically to the conventions of the genre with “Fast Cars and Porno Stars” and “Date Rape (By Candle Light).”

The Erotics will celebrate the release of All That Glitters Is Dead at Valentine’s (17 New Scotland Ave., Albany) tomorrow (Friday, June 13). Sharing the stage for the CD-party blowout will be the Charms, the Bamboo Kids, Rock City Crimewave and Scamper. Tickets for the 8 PM show are $7, which includes a copy of the CD. For more information, 432-6572.

Morvern Callar

Morvern Callar (Samantha Morton, pictured at right) wakes up on Christmas morning to find her boyfriend dead on the kitchen floor. He has committed suicide, leaving her an unpublished manuscript, an ATM card, and a two-word message: “Be brave.” (This is probably not what she expected from Father Christmas.) Callar buries him in the backyard and hits the road with a pal (Kathleen McDermott, pictured at left).

That’s the opening scene in Lynne Ramsay’s acclaimed 2002 British film, also titled Morvern Callar, which is making its belated local debut tonight at Saratoga Film Forum. This startling story follows the enigmatic Callar as she puts her life back together in mysterious and surprising ways. The film deals with those sticky issues like morals, motives and desires. The audience can never be sure if she’s cold and calculating or simply emotionally devastated.

Morton—last seen on these shores in the Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise collaboration Minority Report—gives what critic Peter Bradshaw describes as “a luminous and charismatic performance” as Callar, radiating confidence in her art. Equal praise has been bestowed on director Ramsey; the Los Angeles Times says that Callar “confirms Lynne Ramsay as an important, original talent in international cinema.”

Morvern Callar will be screened at Saratoga Film Forum (Saratoga County Arts Center, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs) tonight (Thursday, June 12) and tomorrow (Friday, June 13) at 8 PM. The film in not rated, and contains adult situations and sex. Tickets are $6 for nonmembers and $4 for members. Call 584-3456 for more information.

Bike Monster Theatre

Andrew Lynn and Troy Bike Rescue are at it again, melding art and action. This Saturday they’ll attempt to create a parade of characters to rival Troy’s Fourth of July parade with their Bike Monster Theatre at the Arts Center in downtown Troy—and, expectedly, it’s a dual event.

The Bike Monster Theatre streetshop and parade will be the outdoor happening. At 4:30 PM Saturday, a parade of monsters on bikes will cruise through downtown Troy. The costumes will be made at the streetshop, beginning at noon, and participants of all ages are encouraged to bring anything that may go into the making of a monster, monster accessories and monster props. Chalk, paint, usable junk, crayons, glue-guns, cardboard—the bigger the better—are all encouraged. “Come and express your creativity by creating a personal bike-monster and participating in a leisurely ride in costume,” so sayeth TBR’s press. It’s fun, arty and social.

As with everything Troy Bike Rescue does, the Bike Monster Theatre parade and streetshop is an experiment—and you fine Capital Region folk can affect the results. Bring along something to bang on, blow through, strum, pluck or bow if you’ve got it, as the parade will have musical accompaniment.

There’s more: Earlier this spring, Troy Bike Rescue received a New York State Council on the Arts grant through the Arts Center, and this exhibit has been in the making since then. Inside the building will be an installation of Green Bikes, the results of a TBR program to make bikes available to the populace by placing them in public places. Lynn, TBR’s main dude, will give a presentation at 4 PM. The displayed bikes will be donated to the Troy’s Riverspark Tourist Center at the end of the day. Then it’s on to the parade.

Troy Bike Rescue’s Bike Monster Theatre events will take place Saturday (June 14) from noon to 4 PM in and around the Arts Center of the Capital Region (265 River St., Troy). Call the Arts Center, 273-0552, or go to www.breathinplanet.net for further information.