KC Wei took a short respite from art rock? and is back to curate Wrong Wave no. 6, a historic, sporadic, and cathartic festival of experimental and alternative music that started in 1984 by the Unit/Pitt.
It starts Wed Oct 10, with the world premiere of KC’s art rock? The Popular Esoteric (2018), and Myles Black’s Virga Soundtrack (2018) at VIVO Media Arts Centre, followed by conversation with the directors.
Virga Soundtrack is Myles Black’s unfinished film focused on queer expressionism and incomplete communication. ‘Virga’ is a meteorological term for when rain evaporates before reaching the earth, leaving a vapour trail which hangs from a cloud. Shot on a phone camera without a budget, each scene is a collaborative experiment fixed to songs by those in the film.
art rock? The Popular Esoteric is a music documentary about Vancouver, featuring performances by bands through director KC Wei’s music as public art treatment. Filmed over the last 4 years, the film follows the evolution of an underground art rock scene, celebrating the weird and beautiful practices of those who continue to rub against the grain.
For more information on the festival, visit the FB event page! All events are free/by donation.
VIVO is located in the homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples in a warehouse space at 2625 Kaslo Street south of East Broadway at the end of E 10th. Transit line 9 stops at Kaslo Street on Broadway. From the bus stop, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight decline. The closest skytrain station is Renfrew Station, which is three blocks south-east of VIVO and has an elevator. From there, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight incline. There is parking available at VIVO, including wheelchair access parking. There is a bike rack at the entrance. The front entrance leads indoors to a set of 7 stairs to the lobby.
A wheelchair ramp is located at the west side of the main entrance. The ramp has two runs: the first run is 20 feet long, and the second run is 26 feet. The ramp is 60 inches wide. The slope is 1:12. The ramp itself is concrete and has handrails on both sides. There is an outward swinging door (34 inch width) at the top of the ramp leading to a vestibule. A second outward swinging door (33 inch width) opens into the exhibition space. Buzzers and intercoms are located at both doors to notify staff during regular office hours or events to unlock the doors. Once unlocked, visitors can use automatic operators to open the doors.
There are two all-gender washrooms. One has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The other is a single room with a urinal and is wheelchair accessible: the door is 33 inches wide and inward swinging, without automation. The toilet has 11 inch clearance on the left side and a handrail.
To reach the bathrooms from the studio, exit through the double doors and proceed straight through the lobby and down the hall . Turn left, and the two bathrooms will be on your right side. The closest one has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The far bathroom is accessible.
Casey Wei is an interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and musician based in Vancouver. She graduated with an MFA from SFU in 2012. Her practice has evolved from filmmaking (Murky Colors in 2012, Vater und Sohn / Father and Son / 父与子 in 2013), into works that cross over between art, music, and the community at large (Kingsgate Mall Happenings in 2014, Chinatown Happenings in 2015, and the art rock? series that began in 2015). In 2016, she began Agony Klub, a music and printed matter label that releases material under the framework of the “popularesoteric.” She also plays in the musical projects Late Spring and hazy.
Casey Wei is an interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and musician based in Vancouver. She graduated with an MFA from SFU in 2012. Her practice has evolved from filmmaking (Murky Colors in 2012, Vater und Sohn / Father and Son / 父与子 in 2013), into works that cross over between art, music, and the community at large (Kingsgate Mall Happenings in 2014, Chinatown Happenings in 2015, and the art rock? series that began in 2015). In 2016, she began Agony Klub, a music and printed matter label that releases material under the framework of the “popularesoteric.” She also plays in the musical projects Late Spring and hazy.