UNCONVENTIONAL '08...

In conjunction with the Manifest Hope art extravaganza, the organizers assembled an amazing line-up to play a free concert called Unconventioanl 08. The line-up was Nada Surf, Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silversun Pickups and DJ Z-Trip. Insane, I know.

Though the details were a little secretive, the show was free to anyone lucky enough to get a wristband at Andenken the day before. Chelsea and I were among those lucky few. We met up with our friends Mike and Anne and headed over to the show. Once we got there... we found the street shut down, graffiti artists painting murals, herds of kids in skinny jeans riding track bikes and a traveling art show in a U-Haul. There was an overwhelming sense of Obama fever.

After getting in the gates to the show (where they actually weren't even checking for wristbands), we couldn't believe how few people were there. Nada Surf opened the show and there probably weren't more than 150 people standing in the street watching. By the end of the night... the crowd thickened, but it was never crowded. Strange. Between the great performances, the beautiful summer night and the bicycle wheel HOPE sculpture as a backdrop... this was probably the best show I've been to in a long time.

Here are some shots from the show and the scene surrounding the event.

I've also posted some video from the concert on my YouTube page:
Nada Surf - Blankest Year
Cold War Kids - St. John
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - In This Home On Ice
Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles
As usual, be sure to click "watch in high quality."


Shepard Fairey strikes again.



I couldn't pass up this one... lovin' it.



Sweet Obama-mobile.



Nada Surf kicked off the show with a great acoustic set.



I grabbed the Nada Surf guys when they got off stage and had them pose with artist extraordinaire, Ron English. He is responsible for the main Obama piece you've seen. Not a bad backdrop, huh?


Here are some more shots from the night. Enjoy.


Parked outside was a U-Haul truck full of art, and aptly named "The Nomadic Gallery."



Get in the van.. inside The Nomadic Gallery.









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Across the street from Andenken... muralists, graf kids and wheat-pasters were finishing up pieces for the big event.







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Nada Surf

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Cold War Kids


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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

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Silversun Pickups





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Political video art installation, via Border Patrol car. Pretty great idea, actually.


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Note the tape over "And" in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Come on guys, you should know better. The funny thing is that SF mayor Gavin Newsom introduced the band and said it wrong, too.

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The gang for the night... Anne, Mike, yours truly and my girl Chelsea.

FECAL IN THE KITCHEN...

Thanks to John and the gang over at Fecal Face for the shout-out about my Manifest Hope art show post! In case you have been under a rock for the last 10 years, Fecal Face is the best art site in the damn world. Check it out.

PHOTO FINISH...

Check out these shots from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Insane.

KEEP HOPE ALIVE...

Hidden amongst the khaki pants and blue shirt madness that is the DNC in Denver, lives Manifest Hope... an art show based on the ideals of presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Hosted by the ever-amazing Andenken Gallery, the show boasts over 10,000 square feet of art-enriched space on upper Larimer.

I was lucky enough to get a press pass to see the show on Sunday, before it opened. Inside Andenken and the adjacent building was canvas after canvas of Obama-centered genius in the form of art. With everyone from local artists to the likes of art stars Ron English and Shepard Fairey, this event was a who's who of people who are changing America's artistic landscape.

According to the Manifest Hope site...
"Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. The Manifest Hope Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists across the nation who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grass roots movement surrounding the Obama Campaign. The Manifest Hope Gallery highlights the central themes of the progressive grass-roots movement- Hope Change, Progress, Unity and Patriotism."

If you live in the greater Rocky Mountain area and don't go to this show, you are a fool. Art like this doesn't pop up in Denver every day.

Here are some shots from the show. Enjoy.


Outside Andenken, the bicycle wheel "HOPE" sculpture is one of my favorite pieces in (well... out) of the show.









On the walk to the gallery next door, I almost stepped on this little gem from Sam Flores and David Choe.





Hey look... it's Morgan Spurlock, of Supersize Me fame.




Art stars Ron English and Shepard Fairey, in front of English's masterpiece.




Shepard... never ceasing to amaze me.



"Erin Go Barack"... genius.



SF superstar, Sam Flores.





Boulder superstar, Scott Lefavor.






Air Obama





This detail in this piece from David Choe was incredible.






The Date Farmers