How do you get to Lincoln Center? Practice, practice, practice...

How do you get to Fordham University, Lincoln Center? Get invited to perform at the International Conference of the Institute of General Semantics:

The performance will be part of a three-day event from September 11-13 exploring and celebrating the world of general semantics, a system/discipline created by Alfred Korzybski that sets its sights on the renewal of sanity within our society. Friday night September 11th will feature the 57th Annual Alfred Korzybski Memorial Lecture, presented by cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson. And following our show on Saturday the 12th will be a special performance by John Watts, formerly of the band Fischer-Z.

Registration for the conference is $25, but if you wish to attend only the performances on Saturday night send us an RSVP from the contact form on our home page and we'll put you on the guest list to get in free.

This show will cap off a string of Thus Spoke The Spectacle events including screenings and performances in Providence Rhode Island, St. Louis Missouri, Columbus Ohio, Denver Colorado, Clinton New York and Belfast Maine, as well as New York City events at Hunter College, Pratt University, Bluestockings Books and The Living Theatre. If you're around the New York area, we hope to see you at the conference and the show. If not, please pass the word along to friends you think may be interested, and check out our Facebook page for more information and updates.

TSTS rocked the Clinton Art and Music Festival in upstate New York on Saturday, August 29th:

Severe weather wasn't enough to dampen the atmosphere created by visionary music promoter Nick Katona and his wife Jennifer, who worked ceaselessly to make all the participating musicians and artists feel welcome in an environment of intense creative collaboration.

Our show at the Kirkland Art Center was well attended and well received, thanks in no small part to Nick and Jennifer's promotion and support of our work and meticulous attention to the technical logistics required for our performance. Many thanks to them, the KAC, and the good people of Clinton for making this upstate gig a memorable one. We hope to participate again in this excellent festival next year.

TSTS hit the Maine coast on Wednesday August 19th, in picturesque Belfast at a music and arts venue called Roots and Tendrils:

Local band Tree by Leaf began the night by rocking the house with a rousing set of previously released songs and new compositions from their upcoming album. Absolutely check out this Christian-based band led by singer-songwriter and lyricist extraordinaire Garrett Soucy. The band features beautiful and haunting vocals by Garrett's wife Siiri, and powerful and eclectic accompaniment by Cliff Young on keyboards and Eric Sanders on drums.

TREE BY LEAF

Mike and I then presented a 50-minute TSTS set to an enthusiastic response, followed by excellent and engaging conversation.

Thanks again to Garrett for inviting us to perform, Meg and Bub of Roots and Tendrils for hosting the show, Read Schuchardt for setting the wheels in motion, and the good people of Belfast for coming out on a sweltering night for some R&R societal critique. We're hoping to hook up with Tree by Leaf, Meg, and Bub again on our next trip to Maine, possibly next June in conjunction with the 11th annual Media Ecology Association convention in Orono, if not sooner.

On Wednesday August 19th we'll be playing in Belfast Maine at a music and arts venue called Roots and Tendrils:

We'll be sharing the night with popular local band Tree by Leaf, led by singer-songwriter Garrett Soucy and featuring Garrett's wife Siiri on vocals, Cliff Young on keyboards, and Eric Sanders on drums.

Thanks to Garrett for inviting us to perform, Meg and Bub for hosting the show, and Read Schuchardt for turning Garrett onto our project.

On July 17th we played at Bluestockings Books in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Here's the ad posted by the venue:

And deliver we did. Whether we freed anyone from the clutches of the Spectacle is yet to be seen...

We really dig the vibe down there, having played downtown at The Kraine Theatre and The Living Theatre a number of times. The space is small but intimate, and Kimmi, Becca, and the the rest of the bookstore's volunteers were helpful and hospitable. Thanks to Malav Kanuga for setting the show up.

On Saturday June 20th Mike and I performed Thus Spoke The Spectacle at Saint Louis University for the Media Ecology Association's 10th Annual Convention.

photo by Robert Francos

We must say that hanging out informally with these people is as entertaining and intellectually stimulating as the actual panels, screenings, and performances, which were themselves top-notch.

photo by Robert Francos

The issues raised in the official conference presentations carried over into vibrant discussions and debates at meals, parties, and informal gatherings around campus.

photo by Robert Francos

This is the second MEA convention I've attended, following on the heels of last year's convention in Santa Clara, California, where we were honored to receive the MEA's John Culkin Award for Outstanding Praxis in the Field of Media Ecology.

photo by Robert Francos

This convention was even more exciting for us as we got to do a full TSTS performance for an audience as packed with kindred spirits as any we play for. Among what other group are people like Marshall McLuhan, Neil Postman, Lewis Mumford, Jacques Ellul, Guy Debord, and so many other influences of ours not only recognized but meticulously studied and debated?

It was a great honor to meet Marshall McLuhan's son and collaborator, Eric McLuhan, and to talk to him at length about our project and media ecology in general. And the conference being held at the university of Father Walter Ong gave us the opportunity to learn more about this media ecology pioneer as well.

photo by Robert Francos

If you're interested in media, media studies, media literacy, media reform, or the interaction between media, technology, and society, then media ecology is for you. Look into joining the Media Ecology Association, participating on its listserve, and attending its next convention in Maine, June 10-13, 2010.

Thanks to the MEA organizers who invited us to perform, including Sara van den Berg, Paul Soukup, Janet Sternberg, and Lance Strate. Special thanks to Abigail Lambke and Dan Frierdich for securing a great performance space and managing all the tech issues; Robert Francos for his many excellent photographs; and all of our MEA friends and supporters for making this performance of Thus Spoke The Spectacle truly one to remember.