Anatomy Riot #39 (very abbreviated coverage), Alexandria Hotel, March 14, 2011

Well I finally made it to an Anatomy Riot event, but due to the fact that I got sidetracked by a pair of delicious post-dinner cocktails at The Varnish (aka the best bar in LA), I only caught the final performance, titled tttatattttabatattttwattinattatwbacslf (the thinker thinks a thought, and then the thought thinks and becomes a thinker, and then the thought, that was a thought that is now a thinker, thinks another thought, which becomes a constant summoning of life force), performed by Nancy Henderson/Angel Gabriel, Fontina, and guests.

There’s been something genuinely kooky in the air the last couple of years, ever since I spent a Thanksgiving in Santa Fe and listened to everyone talking about the mass personal transformations that were on the horizon for 2012 and how much they were looking forward to them (people think about such things more acutely in Santa Fe). Since then we’ve had nonstop global turmoil and Charlie Sheen jumping the gun on human transcendence and talking about being awake and no longer denying one’s true self. Whether you think there’s something to all this or whether you think it’s the usual case of people’s zany apocalyptic fever projections, you have to admit things have kind of been different lately.

The aforementioned performance touched on this new age zeitgeist, as it took the form of a comedic consciousness raising and group therapy/aerobics/yoga session that focused on “energy,” “alignment,” and “ascendance.” It started slow but built up a lot of momentum as the two main performers (one a half-naked fey fairy boy, the other an overdressed woman with severe hair and killer shoulder pads) observed the energy in the room and called out to specific audience members to join them in various transformative exercises. There were many performers in the audience so they had no trouble getting a congregation of people onto the stage with them. Then there was an animal head/shaman ritual, a spiritual aerobics session led by a guy with an amazing mullet and shiny spandex tights, and of course, a celebratory scattering of glittery confetti at the end. It was incredibly funny and involving, and strangely complete.

I heard that I missed some good performances earlier in the evening. I’ll be sure to catch the entire show next time….