‘Florida Man’ inspires a new song cycle
By Kevin Duggan Talk about a hot mess!
A new song cycle will
look at the sun-soaked
criminality of the Sunshine State.
“Four Songs from Florida Man,”
performed by the String Orchestra
of Brooklyn at Roulette on June
8, was inspired by the deranged
news headlines that have become
an online sensation in recent years,
according to its co-creator.
“Florida is a land of fantasy,
but maybe not the kind people
think they’ll find there,” said Phil
Kline, who wrote the songs together
with singer Theo Bleckmann. The
Manhattan composer started collecting
bizarre news headlines out
of Florida a few years ago, with
a focus on local men and women
whose crimes contained additional
off-the-wall twists specific to the
swampy state, such as “Florida Man
Charged with Assault with a Deadly
Weapon after Throwing Alligator
through Wendy’s Drive-Thru.”
“It always seems to be this combination
of intoxication on something
weirder than meth, nakedness,
and reptiles,” he said. “It’s
usually funny and a touch tragic.”
While writing the verses
for “Florida Man,” Kline and
Bleckmann found deeper meaning
in the headlines, beyond just the
spectacle of outrageous behavior.
“Florida woman catches husband
cheating, takes a dump on the
floor, asks cops: ‘What am I supposed
to do?’ and I got locked into
the text, you know this question,
‘What am I?’ ” he said.
The first song in the series is
a moody take on Iggy Pop’s 1973
song “Search and Destroy,” which
Kline chose because of its dark
themes and because the punk pioneer
— who lives in Miami — is a
Florida Man of sorts.
“Iggy’s a Florida Man too, and
for that matter he’s also walking
around with no shirt on all the
time,” Kline said.
The second song “Waffle
House” re-purposes eye-catching
texts from billboards in Florida and
COURIER L 44 IFE, MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2019 24-7
surrounding states, such as “Drive
baked, Get busted,” “Biscuits are
spoons you can eat,” and a host of
Christian advertisements.
Kline also drew on more somber
events coming out of the state.
The penultimate song of the cycle,
“Thoughts and Prayers,” draws on
news coverage of the mass shooting
at a Parkland, Florida, high school
in February 2018.
The String Orchestra of
Brooklyn at Roulette 509 Atlantic
Ave., at Third Avenue in Boerum
Hill, (917) 267–0363, www.roulette.
org. June 8 at 8 p.m. $25 ($18 in
advance).
By Colin Mixson It’s a new spin on an old sport!
You can catch a glimpse
into the breakneck world of
New York City’s premier roller
derby league next week, when a
thrilling documentary about the
sport’s biggest star makes its bigscreen
debut at St. Francis College
on June 3, as part of the Art of
Brooklyn Film Festival.
“When Suzy Hotrod walks
into a roller derby convention,
they treat her like a rock star,” said
Kensington resident Leon Chase,
who directed the doc. “She’s currently
the single most famous roller
derby player in the world.”
Chase’s movie “Suzy Hotrod:
Roller Derby Star,” follows
Jean Schwarzwalder — the last
remaining original member of the
2003-founded Gotham Girls Roller
Derby league, who plays under the
high-octane moniker Suzy Hotrod
— as she jams her way around city
rinks in three league games.
Roller derby is a competitive
sport that involves two teams of
skate-equipped female athletes
cruising around roller rinks, racing
— and smashing into each other —
as players designated “jammers”
seek to outpace their counterpart on
the other squad.
Created by skating enthusiasts
in the 1930s, derby devolved over
the ensuing decades into something
more akin to professional
wrestling, with over-the-top characters
and theatrical stunts. The
sport has seen a revival in recent
years, with derby stars like Suzy
Hotrod drawing young audiences
to the nearly century-old spectacle,
according to Chase.
The Kings County filmmaker
tried to capture the experience of
a first-time derby fan. His camera
work during the film’s first match is
frantic and fast paced, and demonstrates
the mayhem of a derby match.
As the film progresses, Chase’s shots
focus on the veteran derby star, and
he utilizes slow motion techniques
to capture the athletic grace that lies
beneath the havoc.
“When you slow it down, it’s
a dance, it’s a ballet, it’s a crazy
interplay of stuff,” said Chase.
“When you slow it all down, you
see this elaborate drama playing out
between every single player.”
“Suzy Hotrod” at St. Francis
College (180 Remsen St. between
Clinton and Court Streets in
Brooklyn Heights, www.theartofbrooklyn.
org). June 3 at 9 p.m. $15.
LBy Colin Mixson et’s Celebrate, and have a
good time!
Brooklyn’s biggest
outdoor music series, the Bric
Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, will
kick off on June 4 with an appearance
from American gospel legend
Patti LaBelle! The diva’s epic
opener will be followed by a stellar
lineup of 21 free musical performances,
two films screenings,
a pair of dance shows, and five
paid concerts to help pay the bills.
Columbia’s Bomba Estereo will
close out the series on Aug. 10.
Those who really want to support
the free music series can
stop by the Revel fund-raising
gala that will precede the opening
show. The party, at the Prospect
Park Bandshell at 5:30 pm, before
LaBelle’s performance, will
honor Bric’s outgoing chairwoman
Hilary Ackermann. Tickets
start at $750.
To help you plan your summer,
here is the full schedule:
All events at Prospect Park
Bandshell enter at Ninth Street
and Prospect Park West in Park
Slope, (718) 683–5600, www.
bricartsmedia.org/cb. All shows
free unless otherwise noted.
June 4: Patti LaBelle. 8 p.m.
June 8: Ibeyi. Sudan Archives
and Orion Sun open. 7 p.m.
June 13: The National.
Courtney Barnett opens. 7 p.m.
$65 ($59.50 in advance).
June 15: Rich Medina, with
Shareef Keyes and the Groove.
3 p.m.
June 19: Father John Misty,
with Jason Isbell and the 400
Unit. 6:30 p.m. $65.
June 20: Tank and the Bangas.
Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles
open. 7:30 p.m.
June 21: Calexico with Iron
and Wine. 7:30 p.m.
June 22: Tortoise plays its
album “TNT.” 7:30 p.m.
June 26: Chucho Valdes.
Dafnis Prieto si o si Quartet
opens. 7:30 p.m.
June 27: Protoje. With Jah9,
DJ Top Notch, and Micro Don.
7:30 p.m.
June 28: Celso Pina. Dos
Santos and Riobamba open. 7:30
p.m.
June 29: Liz Phair, with
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.
Caroline Rose opens. 7 p.m.
July 5: Mick Jenkins, with
Leikel47. Leven Kali and Joy
Postell open. 7:30 p.m.
July 6: Oddisee, with 47Soul.
Narcy opens. 7 p.m.
July 12: Gaby Moreno and
Friends, with Enjambre. El David
Aguilar opens. 7 p.m.
July 13: Salif Keita. Courtnee
Roze opens. 7:30 p.m.
July 18: I’m With Her.
Darlingside opens. 7:30 p.m.
July 19: Burna Boy. Sampa
the Great and DJ Tunez open.
7:30 p.m.
July 20: Film, “Varieté,”
with a live soundtrack from Alloy
Orchestra, and dance from Lava.
8 p.m.
July 25: Broken Social Scene.
Nilufer Yanya opens. 7:30 p.m.
July 26: Jidenna, with Anik
Khan. DJ Moma opens. 7:30 p.m.
July 27: Dance, Compagnie
Herve Koubi. 8 p.m.
Aug. 2: DJ Nosaj Thing.
Kimbra and Bells Atlas open. 7
p.m.
Aug. 3: Film, “Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 6: Mac DeMarco. 7:30
p.m. $45.
Aug. 8: Dance, Ailey II, 8
p.m.
Aug. 9: Marvin Gaye’s 1971
album “What’s Going On,” performed
by Felicia Collins, Toshi
Reagon, Siedah Garrett, Kecia
Lewis, and more. 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 10: Bomba Estereo.
Delsonido opens. 7:30 p.m.
Man united: Composer Phil Kline, left, has written a new song cycle inspired by
news headlines of Floridians committing unusual crimes, which will be sung by Theo
Bleckmann, right, at Boerum Hill’s Roulette on June 8. Nina Roberts
Lady Marmalade: Legendary singer Patti LaBelle will open the 41st annual
Bric Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival on June 4. Bric
Party time
SUN CRIME STATE
Ready to roll
Plan your summer around
Bric’s free concert series
Hot ticket: A documentary about roller
derby star Suzy Hotrod will roll into the
Art of Brooklyn Film Festival on June 3.
Leon Chase
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/www.theartof-brooklyn.org
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/www.roulette
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