Halloween music
Halloween is a week away so to set the mood, I’ve got some music to share. First is a music video from 2005 by an organization called the North American Hallowe’en Prevention Initiative, for a song entitled “Do They Know It’s Halloween?” This song was released by Vice Records as a UNICEF fundraiser and is the result of an idea thought of by dudes in that band The Unicorns. Finally, recruited a lot of famous-ish weirdos including Buck 65, David Cross and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. The result an amazing song that, while citing Bob Geldof as an obvious inspiration, makes this sort of cause accessible to the bar-going set. Hilarious too.
Now, here are two mixes that should give you an excellent song choice for this week leading up to the big day. The first is VHS Halloween Party 2008 mix by Evil Nine. I don’t know too much about this duo from the UK but as the title suggests, this 55-minute mix is loaded with 80s horror flick music. Tonnes of stuff from the Living Dead movies, some John Carpenter and Goblin stuff for good measure and even songs by The Cramps and Eagles of Death Metal. Play this for your kids as they fall asleep. They’ll hate you forever.
The second mix originally came out last year (when More Cowbell jokes were still funny) but still, this rules. This time, it was produced by an Ottawa DJ Chris Rockwell. A lot shorter than the first, Rockwell’s Phantom Sound Halloween Mix 2007 runs just over 25 minutes but it’s a lot denser and beat-oriented. In this one, you’ll find a pretty ecclectic collection including remixes of the Ghostbusters theme and Monster Mash and then some Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper too. Even an Addams Family/New Order mashup!
Don’t fear the reaper. Baby, take my hand.
PS: I added some photos to my website!
PPS: Kitsune Noir released a pretty dope mix called Hellaween mixed by Punchy two days ago. Not so keen on the ODB radio edit but it has pretty good flow overall so be sure to rep it.
Piece of Innocence photos for sale!
Alright! There’s been a lot of talk about my dealings in Kenya but up until now, the 16 photos that are on display at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa until October 31 have never been seen online. That is changing RIGHT NOW. I’m pretty excited about this. Are you?
Each photo is also being auctioned on eBay. If there’s one that interests you, you should click on it. This will lead you to the auction page where you can learn more about the individual photograph and place a bid!
The auctions will run until the end of the exhibit on October 31.
Proceeds from the sale of these photos will go back towards youth projects in Western Kenya which is pretty awesome. This is a unique opportunity for you to play a part in making a difference in the lives of Kenyan children!
Upcoming exhibit of photos captured by Kenyan orphans
If you’ve been reading this since June-ish, you know that I spent five weeks this summer in Kisumu, Kenya. Well, we’re just days away from launching a major exhibition called Pieces of Innocence in the lobby of the Pearson Building (Foreign Affairs headquarters at 125 Sussex Drive in Ottawa). The exhibit will be open to the public from Monday, October 6 to Friday, October 31, 2008.
For more info on the exhibit, you can check out the event page on Facebook.
It would also be super cool if you joined the Tumaini Children’s Project Facebook Group!
If you feel like contributing but know you wont be able to make it to the exhibit in October, I still have some of my own prints for sale on Etsy. The kids’ photos will also be available for sale. More details on this soon…
I also want to say thank you, asante sana (Kiswahili) and ero komano (Luo) to some of our major supporters including MoreTimeMoms, GPC Labworks and Michelle’s Frame Maker and Gallery in North Bay. Michelle was completely stupendous and provided an overwhelming contribution in framing supplies for this exhibit. A lot of other businesses in North Bay supported the project too. Thanks to everyone for their generosity.
That’s it for now, I think. More to come later. Leave a comment if you have any questions!
THIS JUST IN… two preview images of some photos framed and matted.
Walking at the primary school. Christopher Omondi (Age 10). 12”x18”
Boy against a wall. Blaise Omondi (Age 12). 12”x18”
James Nachtwey
Upcoming exhibit this month
While I’m in the middle of planning an exhibition of photos captured by Kenyan HIV orphans, I’ll also have some photos on display from my North America collection at Bodé Spa, who are going to have a grand re-opening party/vernissage on September 18 from 5-9pm. In fact, the spa plans on having events on the 19th and 20th as well around the same times so come check it out.
For those who don’t know, Bodé Spa is a men’s spa on Marlborough Street in Sandy Hill. They offer a lot of spa services specially catered to guys (services so specialized that the owners give seminars across the continent aboutthem. Whoa.). The location is pretty cool too considering it is in the basement of the former Italian embassy and two of the treatment rooms are actually inside what was previously a safe (original door still intact).
White Sands, New Mexico. 2007.
Ottawa Pride 2008
For me, it started with a day at Camp Ten Oaks, a camp dedicated to queer-identifying youth and children of gay couples. Then I went on to a debaucherous party called Get Real Queer at Babylon. Get Real Queer was a pretty fun jam and also a benefit for the AIDS Committee of Ottawa/Venus Envy Bursary Fund. Things culminated at the Pride Parade last Sunday with one of Capital Xtra’s tightest deadlines ever.
You can see a gallery of photos I shot over the week over on my Flickr.
Links to other photos posted on xtra.ca are below!
Parade and party photos on xtra.ca
I also continued covering construction on Bank Street which is getting insane. Personally, I wish they’d have already started fixing Bank Street between Catherine and Gilmour but this is for completely selfish reasons that have everything to do with my biking and skateboarding habits than what I suppose is most logical for the city.
Returned from Kenya and constructing Ottawa
It has been a week since I landed in Toronto. The five weeks I spent in Kisumu were unforgettable – right down to the last night when a truck filled with M-16 wielding cops lectured me about why I shouldn’t climb their garbage cans. Surprisingly or not, the two Kenyan friends I was with announced afterwards that if I was African, I might have expected to be thrown in jail for such a stunt.
Our last Saturday in Kenya was not met with police intervention. Instead the kids’ had a photography exhibit in the orphanage compound. They really enjoyed themselves and I think it was a good way to mark the end of our project. The Canadian High Commission in Kenya even published an article about it! As always, you can follow us on our blog too…the work isn’t over
Here are two photos from that day… More photos from Kisumu on Flickr.
Now in Canada, I’ll be presenting at a youth conference called Zoom in on the World in Pembroke on Saturday and two others are in Québec City right now at the World Youth Conference doing the same. Exhibitions of the kids’ photos are being lined up for the next few months as well. Busy times.
In other news, I’m freelancing for Capital Xtra some more this month which, to date, has been pretty fun. A few months ago, I was assigned to cover the construction on Bank Street, one of the main commercial streets in Ottawa and an area people are trying hard to get recognized as a gay village. It was one of those things where you spend days covering something and you wonder if it will turn out to be completely boring or at least marginally interesting. I think it turned out OK. Here are a few examples. More on Flickr.
Next week, I’ll be shooting an assignment at Camp Ten Oaks. Should be cool.
À la prochaine! xo.
Kenya update
There’s so much to say but not really sure how to summarize it. I think I’ve said it before but these kids we’re working with are sensational. I’m so excited about the art fair we’re going to have for them on July 26. Please read the project blog we’ve been maintaining here.
Kisumu is very unique and after a day in Nairobi, I feel I can say this with greater conviction. It’s like day and night.
I’ll probably write something about food here too but I’m too caught up with the kids and life here.
Here are a pair of photos from what I’ve been shooting here.
Landed in Kisumu!
Habari? How are you?
I’m in Kisumu Kenya right now teaching photography at an AIDS orphanage. You can see some photos I’m shooting here on my Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/paulgalipeau
The team I’m a part of is pretty great and our photography and art program is off to a good start. You can read more about what we’re doing at www.pigapichakenya.blogspot.com and at www.twitter.com/pigapicha
Back in Canada in August. Merci! xox.
TWEET TWEET!!!
PS: here are some of the kids I’m working with.
Hope through a camera lens
As some of you may have read, I’ve connected with program that teaches photography at an AIDS orphanage in Kenya. For a long time, when thinking about AIDS in Africa, I always came up short about how I could make a positive and meaningful contribution…until now.
Once again, if you believe in this initiative and want to help make it a success, you totally can! You can donate at tumainichildrensproject.ca or buy a limited edition print at lechampiondumonde.etsy.com. Seriously, even $5 can go a long way. No contribution is too small. If you’re reading this and you’re in Ottawa, a fundraiser will also be held at the Bytown Tavern this Thursday, June 19 from 10pm-2:30am. Details on Facebook.
Also we’ve set up a Twitter site which will let you all stay on top of what we’re up to in Kisumu. You can even subscribe to receive updates by text message!
Check it out: http://twitter.com/pigapicha
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