LOS ANGELES - In conversation w/ Jim Ruland, live performances by The Tissues and Dangers and more

All ages. 

Cover charge is: 5-15 sliding scale. Tickets avaiable here. 

https://www.beyondbaroque.org/

About this event

James Spooner's The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere, is a formative coming-of-age graphic memoir by the creator of the award-winning documentary Afro-punk: a young man’s immersive reckoning with identity, racism, clumsy teen love and belonging in an isolated California desert, and a search for salvation and community through punk. Weaving in the Black roots of punk rock and a vivid interlude in the thriving eighties punk scene in New York's East Village, James Spooner's graphic novel is a must-read memoir of a budding punk, artist, and activist.

In the spirit of DIY culture that emerged from the punk movement in the late 70s, this book launch party features a mini-zine fest with several local zine vendors and independent publications, and live music performances by Los Angeles punk bands The Tissues and Dangers. Our food vendor for the night, feed the people los angeles, will be selling vegan tacos!

4:30 pm: Doors Open

5 pm: Mini Zine Fest

Vendors:

Razorcake Zine

Arantza Peña Popo

Matthew Saldivar

Drifter Zine

Jim Ruland

And more TBA!

7 pm: Reading & Author Conversation with James Spooner, moderated by Jim Ruland

8 pm: The Tissues

9 pm: Dangers

Ticketing: For this event, Beyond Baroque is offering an accessible pricing option. This is a community-based effort in equitable wealth redistribution. We do not want to turn away any community members who may not be able to pay full price of admission. Guests have the option of paying the full price of admission for $15, but there is a separate tier for a smaller amount of $10 to $5 dollars as more affordable options. We trust community members can pay as it fits their budget.

Reservation Policy: This is a ticketed event. Proof of registration will be required upon entry. We recommend arriving early. Tickets will be available to buy at the door.

About the authors JAMES SPOONER is a graphic novelist, tattoo artist, illustrator, and filmmaker. He directed the seminal documentary AFRO-PUNK which premiered at national and international film festivals, including Toronto International and The American Black Film Festival. James also co-founded the Afropunk Festival, which currently boasts audiences in the hundreds of thousands around the world. His debut graphic novel, The High Desert (published by Harper), is set for release in Spring 2022. Spooner’s work has been recounted in various publications, including NPR, Vice Magazine, The Village Voice, The New Yorker, Vibe, Fader Magazine, MTV, NBC News and Variety, and he was a recipient of the ReNew Media Rockefeller Grant. He is an ongoing guest curator for the Broad Museum in Los Angeles and previously programmed for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Spooner is also a contributor to RazorCake Magazine, and he continues to screen AFRO-PUNK at colleges around the country, giving talks on punk and Black identity. He is currently co-editing an anthology from Soft Skull Press entitled, Black Punk Now.

JIM RULAND is the author of the award-winning novel Forest of Fortune and the short story collection Big Lonesome. He is the co-author of Do What You Want with Bad Religion, My Damage with Keith Morris, founding member of Black Flag, Circle Jerks and OFF!, and Giving the Finger with Scott Campbell, Jr. of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. Jim writes about punk and pop culture for Razorcake — America’s only non-profit independent music zine. He also writes book reviews and author profiles for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Jim’s work has appeared in numerous publications and has received awards from Reader’s Digest and the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Southern California and is an avid enthusiast of punk rock music, tattoo culture, and strong coffee.

About the bands

THE TISSUES A dark and noisy art-punk quartet was formed in late 2015 in NE Los Angeles. Kristine Nevrose (vocals) and Jerry Narrows (guitar) called on friends Bianca Ayala (bass) and Tara Edwards (drums) to complete the lineup influenced by Pylon, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Stooges, Make-Up.

DANGERS started in 2005. They play hardcore punk music. They are from California. They have played to handfuls of people in illegitimate venues all around the world. They share members with Graf Orlock, Ghostlimb, Comadre, among others. They enjoy listening to bands like Hot Snakes, Nirvana, and Tom Waits. They enjoy reading books, watching movies, and the food at Smith and Daughters.

Graphic Credit: Roque Torres, IG: @cancelhistory