Today is a demanding day outside of the hospital. Annie, Todd’s mother has arrived safe and sound. So we will very busy get to the hospital and also today it is our intention to begin the move. So please do not be alarmed if we take 24 hours to get our feet all on the ground. We will be back soon with updates and tales I am sure. Meanwhile let’s hear more about your Saturday night, we also could use a few more Todd stories don’t you think? I will have wifi for my lap top…. So it shouldn’t be too long before you hear again from Amsterdam….and Eric too. He is so cute when he talks about his son Paxton, you can tell this life is working out beautifully, he just lights up!!!!
Todd is hanging in there.
Todd Blair 
December 3, 2007 at 1:53 pm
You want to hear more about Saturday night?
There was a great turnout, as to be expected, and more items for sale and auction than we knew what to do with (almost everything sold). As an example of the generosity, during a short stint tending Blair’s Bar, a fellow orders a beer, hands me a twenty and throws his $16. change in the Tips for Todd jar. This was not unusual for the night. Amy, Brian and Ellen were on one of the bars all night and it never slowed till closing time. Have you seen the Sending Real Love t-shirts? The love floating through that huge space was awesome!
December 3, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Alex, you hang in there too. Hope all goes well with the move and sounds like internet access will be a plus. We’ll look forward to your next post, but we all understand you have a bit of stuff to take care of first. Much love, Aunt Jane & Bob
December 3, 2007 at 3:29 pm
I’m glad that Annie is there–hi to you. Hope the move is going well. Sounds as though the B&G was an enormous success–what an outpouring of love. What an amazing group of friends Todd and Alex have–and what wonderful people the two of them are also. If I didn’t already know that, it sure would be obvious from all this love, caring, contact and strength being sent through cyberspace. I’ve decided I’m coming to CA someday to meet you all and to celebrate Todd. Much love, Mary Reed (from when we were very young, in Kansas)
December 3, 2007 at 8:19 pm
i’ll tell you more about saturday! i spent 99% of my time at the front door meeting and greeting our blue and green guests. the door crew was a nice mix of old friends and new faces. (hey, did anyone get pictures of the door folks? i’d love to see them!)
i need to give you a better visual… “door crew” doesn’t do justice…. we sure got into the blue n green spirit! sarah filley wore shiny blue hot pants and yes the label did read ‘fredricks of hollywood’ – i checked! i went for the green appeal, wearing my green coat, green sweater, and green polka dot tights – accented by a blue sequined belt that shall never be worn again… the 80s called, they wanted their belt back, as the saying goes.
our ticket booth was accented with green feather boas… and green ca$h! wow, people sure did rise to the occasion, opening hearts and wallets and throwing down some love for todd and alex.
as they arrived, people often asked about how the event was put together – inquiring about food, performers, art – “was this all donated?” they asked incredulously. “yes,” i was proud to say. “do you feel the love?”
the video cameras didn’t make it to our outpost in the ticket booth, but we were there…
i’m wishing you an easy breezy move into the new pad. and sending more healing vibes to our sweet todd.
with love from brisbane,
jill and paxton
December 3, 2007 at 9:46 pm
other highlights from the ball:
blue/green/yellow flames dancing over sand on beautifully welded tables outside keeping folks warm (and engaged in discussion)…
steamed hot dogs under bursts of flame lighting up everyone’s faces…
amazing, creative, funky art and “art” all around (wish i would have snagged the set of 5 storage drawers with all kinds of diodes, capcitors (?), circuitry stuff – all great for making art – or electronic gadgets if you know what to do with them)…
beautiful hand-made wool bowls…
a white card i got for tessa that read, simply, ‘TOFU’…
and that’s just a little bit…
sending energy your way,
taara
December 3, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Saw some pix from thee B+G ball. How Spectacular. So wish i had been there and of course I know Todd and Alex felt the vibes way over in tulip land. So much great art and mechanical sculpture–fantastic! And gad such costumes!! SRL and friends totally. out-did themselves. Todd,I.know you. must be feeling the love that is sent your way by your magnificent peeps on a second by second basis. You remain our great hero and our huge inspiration. Alex remains our beloved saint of patience and compassion and clever ideas. You 2 are so loved and so missed. Can’t wait to see you together love birdin’ in our neck a the woods real soon. Thanks again to the gang for putting together a hella gorgeous event for Alex and Todd.
With gratitude and love,
Susie
December 4, 2007 at 1:07 am
4am, Saturday nite… weary hugs were abundant… Johnny’s truck got jumped by mine (I always saw it giving Lara that funny look out of the corner of it’s headlamp!)… Liisa paced the stage in circles ’till Dingle told her to just leave and come back in the morning for her mountain of “stuff”… and I chugged on back to the shoppe to dispose of my final load of crates, before driving back up the hill to melt into my bed.
After 3-4 hours of glorious sleep, I made my way back to SOMArts, and was cheerily greeted by Dingle- as if he’d never left (though thank goodness, he had!). Charlie Gaedekin and a crew of Loti were already on hand to dismantle and cart home their Phoenix. Liisa arrived just after Mike helped me load the last of the palm trees into Lara, and from the abundant smiles and love, you woulda never guessed how pooped and dazed all of us were!!!
The gang at Flora Grubb Gardens eagerly asked how the fundraiser had gone and expressed their best wishes to Todd, when I dropped-off the palms they were kind enough to loan us to decorate the space with.
Just before Liisa and I then said our final goodbyes for the weekend, a lovely Laurel-n-Hardy style scene played out with each of us emotionally expressing gratitude and exuberance among hugs for how amazing of an experience the entire event had been for each of us… we both get into our vehicles, ladies start your engines… “Oops, wait, wait!!!”… we both rush back into SOMArts, grab the few things we’d forgotten about… I think we did this 3x… before we finally made it out of there, tear-ducts exhausted, smiles glowing.
So much real love was sent, indeed!! We hope Todd felt the same vibration in his bed as you did, Alex, and that some of our love helps lift you and Annie and Eric in your endeavors to move you into your new home.
Did you see images of Sabrina in her blue wig, btw? Best apple pie in theee world!!
xo! nina
December 4, 2007 at 1:59 am
hi all – i’m compiling image links here: http://srl.org/shows/events/todd/images.html
they’re also hanging off of the Schedule of Events page.
thanks everyone for a wonderful, blue, green night – i loved the calm colors outside with bursts of fire and steam to break up the serenity!
i didnt get to take as many pictures as i wanted or even see everything/everyone but i am floored by peoples’ generosity. there was a lot of art, services, collectibles and you could see todd reflected thru his friends’ eclectic variety.
once again the group of people who cringe a bit at the word *community* but really are, shows the world what *family* can do.
much love to you, T&A hope the love coming from SF the other night sustains you
-karen
December 4, 2007 at 12:32 pm
blog: SRL Benefit for Todd Blair 12/1/07 SomArts by V. Vale
TODD BLAIR BENEFIT (the Blue & Green Ball) – SOMARTS, 934 Brannan/8th St – DEC 1, 2007, 8PM-1AM – written by V. Vale, RE/Search founder, http://www.researchpubs.com
Todd Blair is a longtime [since 1989 or 1990?] SRL crew member, CCA media arts teacher, promoter, entrepreneur, artist, and general catalyst-to-make-things-happen in the Bay Area. While cleaning up SRL’s latest Amsterdam show, in a freak accident he fractured his skull and is still in a hospital overseas. His companion ALEX is there with him, as many hours as permitted and then some.
Saturday night there was a benefit for Todd which drew 700-plus people. Dozens of people transformed SOMARTS’ cavernous space into a shimmering carnival. Only someone who has put on such a large-scale event can appreciate what it takes to pull it off. The result was an amazingly diverse and fun “family-plus reunion” – all for the best of causes. (Matt Heckert, Chico McMurtrie, ex-SRL person Pam, D.A. Therrien & son, Barry Schwartz & tyke, appeared.) Everything got done: the press releases, website, poster, postcards (great graphic design), numerous displays, lighting, signs, installation designs, booths, two bars, entertainment, a DJ, unobtrusive security folk — the works. And don’t forget the booth-minders and clean-up crew afterwards — kind of unsung heroes of the event.
Follow us as we take a tour of the event. We proceeded up a walkway to the right of the large SOMARTS warehouse building (long ago, SRL did a show here). First, there was the “admissions table” smack-dab in the middle of the sidewalk — run by Babalou, Jill Miller, Sarah Filley, Ami Sun, and more — these hardy folks had to sit outside for hours in semi-freezing weather til midnight, taking the $10 donations. A labor of love — especially because they didn’t get to see and hear what was going on in the two big SOMARTS rooms.
Straight ahead in the rear courtyard, populated by nicotine addicts, was Kimric Smythe’s beautiful “Neverwas Steam Car” which raised $300 selling steam-cooked hotdogs – they smelled delicious. (Yes, the steam car was “reconfigured” to cook hot dogs). It occasionally emitted loud antique horn noises to ensure everyone adjacent stayed awake. Across from it was Kent’s Mule Art Car (with cute fuzzy “burros” – one holding a dangling bra?) which added atmosphere, plus the covered wagon provided a little hideaway where couples could “get away from it all.” There was a beautifully designed “Blair’s Bar” with flame-emitting towers (made by Jon Sarriugarte) on either side — a good tip could be celebrated by bursts of flame from the towers. This was staffed by Brian / Amy Jenkins and Ellen. Rich of Sciortino Design Group made the vintage-looking bar sign which looked like it was teleported straight from the 1848 Gold Rush days.
In the middle of the courtyard were three amazing “Zen Fire Gardens” – blue flames whirling around in a circle inside metal box stands [by Jon Sarriugarte], perpetually surrounded by people talking while warming their hands. I saw someone blowing on the blue flames to see if they would go even faster. This reminded me of those horizontal water installations where water flows amazingly fast over the edge of a fountain (and presumably gets recycled to flow again).
The first building entrance on the left led to a booth manned by Mark Pauline (green shirt), Amy Critchett (blue dress) and friends selling SRL T-shirts made especially for the Todd Blair benefit. In the same room Marc Powell, Bobbie & Neal Pauline & offspring, and others served blue and green food – all of it unusual and delicious – maybe there are recipes posted at http://www.foodhacker.com? We saw an amazing drag queen in a pink dress on stilts – she must have been ten feet tall. Continuing left down the ramp past the bathrooms, we turned right to the main auditorium space with a stage and lights to the right. (At the beginning, onstage, DJ Vordo did his loud “thing” warming up the crowd and the room.) Toward the back of the auditorium on the left was the Bazaar booth, filled with all kinds of sparkling items, including Last Gasp book donations – Chris Felver’s 9″x12″ book of “Beat” photographs looked especially appealing. Michael Dingle and friends ran a small but beautiful little bar across from it (was this another Jon Sarriguarte / Alpha Fox creation?).
In the very back were metal sculptures plus a live music area — we saw an energetic drummer doing a solo act (also hitting an electric guitar) to much applause; was he Moe! Staiano – dada percussionist (formerly of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum)? Across from the Silent Auction booth, we at RE/Search set up a table manned by Elie and May from France, and next to us Ethan Port of F-Space also set up a table – all proceeds went to Todd, of course. (At the evening’s end I worked the table and met a circus performer named Emily who said she had stayed up all night reading the RE/Search Daniel P. Mannix book, “Memoirs of a Sword Swallower” – that was some of the only feedback ever received on that title. Maybe only circus performers can appreciate it… RE/Search books sold this evening were “Modern Pagans,” “J.G. Ballard Conversations,” the limited edition hardback “Industrial Culture Handbook,” and a lim. ed. DVD of Roboexotica 2006 just edited by Marian Wallace.)
Continuing a tour of the SOMARTS building, we went back to the large room behind the stage, and headed straight to a small “Healing” room behind it, where adults and children were busy making greeting cards, collages, and other tributes to send to Todd. Signs saying “Thoughts,” “Wishes,” and “Blessings” were on the walls; in one corner was a beautiful fabric-draped altar with candles burning. Rugs on the floor, a sofa and an antique chair made for a very child-friendly, cozy environment – meanwhile, everyone was silently working on projects. In one corner a woman was nursing a tiny baby.
The large room displayed all the more upscale art donations, well-lit, and collectors were making their bids, sipping cocktails, and talking to artists. Beautiful, large, full-color blow-ups from SRL shows were for sale, plus art by Stelarc, Lynn Hershman, Eduardo Kac, and many other donors. We spotted a table with a full set of MAKE magazines displayed on a white tablecloth. Across the room sat two beautiful pies (including one of the largest apple pies I’ve ever seen – it smelled divinely, of cinnamon), waiting for folks to bid on Sabrina Merlo and Kevin Binkert’s pie-making class. This room was always full.
Now, because Marian Wallace and I were trying to interviews folks for a DVD to send to Todd and Alex posthaste, we missed a number of the entertainment acts. The only place where it was (sort of) quiet and (reasonably) well-lit was a bench and chair just outside the main entrance. Since it was cold, not many people were there, so we had to keep “recruiting” people to drag them outside. Sadly, we missed a lot of the busiest SRL crew who were making the event happen — and seemingly, without a glitch. A number promised to “find us later,” but it didn’t happen. Nevertheless, about a dozen people managed to get documented, so we’ll soon have SOMETHING to send to Amsterdam, and perhaps post somewhere with help from Karen Marcelo (and Scott Beale when he gets back to town).
Early in the evening there was a small staff gathering to pause for a minute, arms linked, and think about Todd, whose calamity summoned people together. John Rogers spoke some wise words. These days, it’s very hard to make the time to have extended-family reunions – which is what SRL is: a large extended family of creative types working imaginatively against status quo constrictions and enslavements. Seeing all the faces together reminded one anew how amazing this alliance of rugged individualists is, especially in an age where the dominant group unifier is (of course) the profit motive, which is destroying the planet, environment, what’s left of non-human animal/plant species, et al. Probably the most noble prophesier of a social model for the future is the diversely-talented, heterogeneous and heterodox “art/science/technology/philosophy group.”
In between our videotapings, we managed to see a great 7-member belly dancing troupe (Kyrsten, Kristen, Gibson Pearl, Janice Solimeno & students) who performed to beautiful, unfamiliar music with compelling beats – somebody has great taste in that genre. And what a performance it was, reminding us that both mortality and sexuality are inextricably interconnected. Belly dancing makes time seem immensely precious – we are watching something happen that has happened for hundreds or thousands of years, in little social groupings over the planet. The rhythms of life are sinuously insinuated into an amazing dance art form that forces onlookers to smile and feel certain tinglings up and down the spine. The ululations of the seven dancers excite the audience even more, almost like the cries of dangerous birds.
We missed former Kronos Quartet firebrand/blonde star Joan Jeanrenaud’s avant-garde cello w/electronics performance, and probably more performers, but managed to see the f–in’ incomparable Extra Action Marching Band do their set, which ended the evening. Now, not that long ago we finally rented the 3-hour 1995 Surrealist epic film “Underground” by Emir Kusturica and appraised the soundtrack music by Goran Bregovic as “the first really new music we’d heard in years that we truly liked.” Well, we were at least ten years late in joining the taste-makers who found out first, including Iggy Pop who recorded three songs for the 1993 “Arizona Dream” soundtrack (director: Kusturica; music by Bregovic). We hear that Kusturica’s “Time of the Gypsies” also has amazing music, besides being a standout film.
The Extra Action Marching Band started out with the theme song from “Underground” [was it “Kalashnjikov”?] and proceeded to perform a spectrum of our favorite 20th-century soundtrack horns-and-drums music – from Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the West” to other Italian-Balkan-Gypsy-Latin-American stylings. The amazing female flag-wavers were a sight to cherish in memory, as they undulated and exacerbated the crowd’s already-collective ecstasy. Beautiful outfits; perfectly synchronized dancing. The ending was notable for all the screaming that could be heard over the applauding. EAMB are possibly the premiere “real” music/dance group in the Bay Area right now, and probably have been for a long time.
Well, we missed a lot of what happened. The postcard for the Blue and Green Ball (BGB) listed Art by the Flam-ing Lotus Girls, SWARM (Kinetic art: autonomous spherical robots exhibiting complex motion), and a Live Auction of Art, Talent, and Collectibles. We noted that this auction included welding classes from Kal Spelletich, sewing lessons (how to make a bra??), Pilates classes, ergonomics consultations – something for everyone. We noted that Jill Miller was in charge of loading in/loading out, clean-up; Liisa Pine did “administration,” John Rogers, Judy Garvey, Susan Joyce, Greg Leyh, Michael Shiloh, Michael Wehner, Nina Alter, Katie Bell, Dan Collard, Courtney Sexton, and many others contributed in their kind, including the fast-talking tuxedo-clad auctioneer, Greg Jones…
We left with the music of the Extra Action Marching Band resounding in our heads, glad that for a time the electric guitar had yielded to analog horns and drums – instruments which will continue to stir hearts long after reliable, ubiquitous electricity has vanished from the planet (has anyone seen “The Trigger Effect”?). It seems we’ve been seeing the ascension of genuine old-fashioned “musicianship” and authentic acoustic instrument sounds. Finally, after an overload of easy synthesizer / sampler / sequencer musical building blocks, overly easy to organize/deploy by anyone not necessarily with much “original / genius” CONTENT to express.
Maybe music, like all the arts – like life itself – is getting “back to the basics” in a big, accelerated way. And nothing is more basic than real humans getting together in the same room at the same time, especially when the bond is love, mutual aid, a selfless cause, and genuine (not contrived / for the profit motive) community. Especially when it’s a community of professional-amateur, scientist-artist-philosopher-entrepreneur outsiders. It takes all kinds – a real village – to create a real community, and Todd helped draw that “i-wanna-make-a-contribution” impulse out of everybody. He had a gift to bring the best out of everybody he met – and that’s priceless; beyond any capitalist value system. That’s why everybody showed up tonight. And why everybody wants Todd and Alex to come back soon…
Footnote: “Todd Blair is an artist extraordinaire, producer, curator and teacher at California College of the Arts who needs your help. Todd was injured in a tragic forklift accident in September at an arts festival [Robodock] in Amsterdam where he was working as part of the Survival Research Labs team. His condition remains serious and his recovery long. Todd is still in recovery at a hospital in Amsterdam.
“And if you would like to donate directly to the Todd Blair Recovery Fund via Paypal, that also is much appreciated.” To make a donation to Todd via Pay Pal, Go to https://toddblair.wordpress.com and click on “How to Help”- 100% of the proceeds will go to Todd’s recovery fund.”
Support checks can be made out to “Alexandra Ismerio” and sent to
Susan Maunu
3828 Alzada Road
Altadena, CA 91001
WEBSITES:
http://srl.org/shows/events/todd/
http://srl.org/shows/events/todd/images.html
https://toddblair.wordpress.com/
———
RE/Search Publications 20 Romolo Suite B San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-1465 info@researchpubs.com http://www.researchpubs.com
December 4, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Wow, Vale! I’ll be chewing on this post for the rest of the evening 😉
Hi to Annie- yay for safe arrivals!
love to ya all,
Amy J
December 4, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Woot! Mailed you some cards and a charger via DHL yesterday. You should get them tomorrow.
~ Wendi
December 4, 2007 at 10:52 pm
tears
December 4, 2007 at 11:12 pm
THANKS TODD,
For giving us the excuse
to rally with the old gang and the new,
to have the high of pulling together for a cause and have a blast while doing it,
a V-1 size dose of adrenaline shot into our souls, into our hearts,
to want to hold onto the night as hard as anything,
as always Todd.
You know!
to give hugs to Amy & to Dingle, to all,
to watch Frank give 104 Tetrahedron lessons,
to hear his hearty laugh,
to see Greg Leyh sport a formal blue lab coat.
Dan Collard, stalwart,
Vordo & Joan on stage giving music to the night, a sound to the ball,
To hear Doug tell a Kerouachian tale about making his way across the country and, finally, to San Francisco all those many years ago, where he chanced across an ancient hippy who spoke of a way to reach the patron saint of the post industrial avant-garde,
of destruction in art, –“get his number out of the phone book and give him a call!” he said.
Or Ed Holmes divulge the origin of the marauding Santas to the uninitiated, and spread the word of the coming 30th anniversary of the St. Stupid’s day parade (April Fool’s Day will be on a on a Mon Day, so there’ll be the sock exchange at the Stock Exchange!).
To see the smile of Terry McGovern beam out as in the days of early morning welding sessions, techno drum beats and all night dance parties,
the artwork of friends and devoted students on the walls (hilarious, sleak, you name it –a butterfly of matches ready to fly away),
the kitchen humming with love to feed the hungry.
Chip’s red beard, Sabrina’s supernatural pie, an inchworm crossing,
a healing room,
Llisa Pine nervous, rushing in all directions,
all the while happy to make it happen,
to realize the goal of the group,
to make a party for you, Todd!
Jill Miller, conceptual artist extraordinaire,
in blue and green polka dot tights, as tiny greeter and tax collector,
Mark in a tie!
Babalou in red lipstick & key lime,
John Rogers as prayer maker,
Amy C. as an East Indian Santa Claus bestowing gifts upon Wendi for your bazaar,
Wendi — animator, cheerleader, bright light,
Brian Normanly, Judy, manning the fort, counting greenbacks.
Nina made a blue more beautiful than the sky,
made your portrait come to life as if you were there,
just from the slightest suggestion of your unmistakable eyewear.
How did she know that was your moniker?
It’s good in the graphic, but full size around the ball it was the BEST!
You were there!
Years collapsed in on the one night:
George became Geo, lost his ponytail,
Chico came back from New York to a ring of blonde beauties,
Hunter turned from 2 to 22, made the indoor bar hum,
took in “tips for Todd,” “tips for Todd,” “It’s all for Todd.”
Were the ghosts of the Merry Pranksters there, of Timothy Leary, of vacu-form rats?
It wouldn’t be the first time.
Amy J.
in her fuzzy hat baked 100 electric green & blue cupcakes in your honor,
poured amber gold lubricant with Brian, Ellen-Allen, into glasses for all to feel the warmth in their bellies, in the night air, the green glow of the bamboo in the backyard.
pulled the chain to activate the flames of Jon & Rich’s “Blair Bar,”
that set off the hot dog steamer blast,
made the belly dancers shake the night,
Zollie’s mom!
shook us all into sentient beings,
made us want you to wake up,
want you to come home,
want you to march with us to the melancholy joy of the extra action band,
through the Mission, down Valencia Street,
to work in a frenzy for a cause, through the night,
to drink the industrial sluices,
the tonic of the Futurists,
to sound the V-1 battle cry not of war, but of the Performance,
to let the snot gun send out it’s slimy goo through the crowd,
to guide the iron horse, the big arm, the rita cart, the walking machine,
through the night, to make it last, to make the show happen.
Todd!
December 4, 2007 at 11:59 pm
AMEN!!!!
December 5, 2007 at 8:31 am
While I missed an extraordinary night of blue and green I sat around a very large campfire among the redwoods and thought of all the people who were with me and those who were absent. It was quite a feast and next year I expect that Todd will bring yummy Port and Alex will make something very, very tasty with pork. love and kisses,Penny
December 5, 2007 at 9:56 am
[…] they were at 3AM when I left after packing up in the rain. There are many descriptions in the comments section of Todd’ blog, so please take a look at that. I can only hope that something that big and intese can be felt […]
December 5, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Mad, you’re all mad. Liquid lightning, I wish I was there.
December 5, 2007 at 4:53 pm
WOW to the blue & green ball. Love the descriptions and the love & caring pouring out for Todd & Alex. How lucky you two are to have these friends holding you close….from a distance, but CLOSE.
Hope the move is going well….hope life is holding OK…..hope our Todd is resting peacefully. Anxious to hear what’s new.
Love you, Aunt Jane & Bob
December 11, 2007 at 11:18 pm
sending colors what u like