[UNDERGROUND SWELL] - P.A.W. Print - Philadelphia Arts Writers

Not too long ago, well within the confines of the current century, the city bureaucracy relying heavily on its Department of Licensing and Inspections, its Fire Marshals, and its Police Department, shut down many of the underground live music / performance venues--- especially the bigger, badder places, for reasons that were more political and business-orientated than they were justifiable (who knows realty, uh, I mean, really? ). They shut out tons of kids as well as more seasoned enthusiasts of the underground music and arts scenes of Philadelphia, making it difficult--- if never uncomfortable, for the vital urban and suburban subcultures to socialize, or at least to hang out and indulge in their brand of aural and physical ecstatic rites of passage. The solidarity, the venting of the frustration and anxiety caused by the all-pervasive pressure of east coast mainstream consumer-culture---- which these targeted underground venues had offered to the huddled masses, was for a while, pretty much put on hold.

Killtime, Stalag 13, the FakeHouse, underground performance spaces out along Lancaster Avenue in west Philadelphia, with intense, successful, and fairly long-term mythologies, have been out of commission for the last couple of years. However, it should be mentioned in passing, that at Killtime there still presides Anita King, a great underground artist in her own right and a dedicated political activist. King is making use of the warehouse as a studio and staging area for serious social demonstrations and events like the R2K protest against the Republican National Convention in the summer of 2000 and the annual Kathy Change public memorial celebration. The latter event is held on the anniversary of the ultimate sacrifice for social and economic justice that Kathy made nearly eight years ago, every September on U of P's campus in front of the polished aluminum "Peace Symbol" sculpture.

But even the Robot House in Mantua and the basement of the "Cat Box" on Buckingham Place, albeit operating under-the-table on occasion, are mere shadows of their former glamour. Though running the same risks, there are of course, the First Unitarian Church shows at 21st and Chestnut, and the Wobbly-owned and operated bar Fiume, on the second floor of the Abyssinia Restaurant on the corner of 45th and Locust, the most excellent and inclusive Foundation events being held at the Rotunda at 40th and Walnut, the latter of which, for the most part, caters to our hallowed punk, thrash, experimental, and "fusion" underground elements.

However, all these spaces are a bit too much on the up and up to nurture and energize the aforementioned subcultures. One way or another, despite themselves and their good intentions, they cannot sufficiently connect all the efficacious dots that synchronize a "happening" underground scene with the necessary nuances and edgy, apocalyptic spin.

As CODE minister Seph Gorgar Argonaut Emperor, puts it, "The fall of Lancaster Avenue was only one more reason to act on creating a true, independent venue for all kinds of events and gatherings." We're talking community and, yes, spiritual (subtle non-material not extra-material) savor here.

And the only authentic "here" that comes close to satisfying the Dissatisfied-in-these-Last-Days-of-the-American-Imperial-Rapture, is the Church. The Church Of Divine Energy, that is. A non- denominational emporium for all your underground one stop shape-shifting shop-lifting talk-shop needs. Expanding its salon selections to beyond the mere weekend--- which, in Philadelphia, begins Friday and extends through the following Monday morning, CODE is the most evolved and radically democratic manifestation of the Do Your Own Thing cultural trend in Philadelphia now. Nestled surreptitiously in the DMZ twilight zone urban blight on the southeast corner of 48th and Woodland Avenue in a renovated auto parts warehouse with plenty of free parking and only a short hop, skip and a jump distant from the famous Salt And Pepper Deli (with its wide selection of classic and bootleg malt liquors at working poor prices), the Church is the poster brain-child of a quartet of awesome Renaissance mavens who hold organizational, scheduling nexuses every Sunday at high noon. Open to anybody and everybody (even the extra-dimensional intrepid) to initiate and self-promote, these gatherings achieve the most divine and diverse kinds of divine expression under one performance-space roof. Workshops ranging from silk-screening, wine-making, chaos-magick, and much, much more, function along self-sufficient lines. Circuit-touring and local bands, combos, trios, and solos, have at their disposal a beautiful "heavy metal" style stage [replete with] credible sound system. The Church is altogether a veritable art environment bolstered by slide and overhead projectors surrounding the stage and "pit." The walls of the lounge and auditorium are amply festooned with original art work from contributing creationists. During early May, the wall-eyed, wall-sized abstract expressionist paintings of Kevin James Cooper were strongly committed there in urban tonal palettes. Beginning in early June, the programmatic sea and landscapes of the artist known as "Beaver" were shown.

Shows and events are either 21 and up , BYOB, or, mostly, all ages. Be prepared to become a member of the Church and sign the release form that pledges one strongly to consider not to do anything that may harm yourself or others or the space itself in the spirit of community. It's all good. The key word here is "all." Pay your dues and you are now part of the congregation. Hey, if you're not getting it yet it's a concept of unorganized religion in respect to the human spirit, i.e. not just material matters. Art, creativity, energy, fun, engagement.

Tonight, "Minister" Kevin O'Brien, up since 5:30 AM, imbibing since two in the afternoon, is watching local favorite band Stinking Lizavetta who have just returned to the city from a European tour set up on stage, fights off his fatigue and manages to greet each and every guest who comes through the door with enthusiasm and friendly banter.

The casual apostate may wonder where this guy gets off. Well as Rev. O'Brien puts it: "The thought never occurs to me to become upset, why? Because I am thinking clearly. Because I have seen the poverty that many in the world live in and survive. With this knowledge it is impossible for me to get lost in unhappiness... I have met lepers who smile much more often than the stockbrokers walking on Wall Street."

The same night, there's the other CODE minister, Justine Duerr, the vocalist and front man for what has to be the most "on" and innovative industrial underground band in Philadelphia since the Stickman-- and we're talking late '70's early '80's here-- Northern Liberties, metamorphosed from an earlier project known as Eulogy.

Though this would be a good juncture to flesh out the legitimacy of the above opinion describing the apocalyptic power groove trio completed by Devon Riley, suffice to say, think of Primus in their hay-day and The Cure, especially their percussive masterpiece, the album, Pornography. Riley plays bass with such facility and confidence as to suggest five or six other instruments. Justine's brother Marc is a drummer possessed by the gods (especially, the dexterous, many-armed Hindu or Tibetan ones). For that matter, the band Northern Liberties (formerly Eulogy) is also so ethereally in command of its instruments. The reissuing of NL's CD, Erode And Disappear, can be checked out at www.worldeaterrecords.com.

Like the freaking Taoist sages of whom it is said: "they rule behind the scenes, leaving no trace or residue of their actions", the last two of the four purveyors of CODE, Rob Arters and Seph are the advanced coordinator from everything to negotiating peace treaties to interfaith management, and head honcho, head gardener in this garden of aesthetic delights where supreme effort provides the sweat equity to keep the disco-ball rolling, respectively. They illuminate the issues, keep the Church viable and on track like the good anarcho-socialists they are at heart.

Expect nothing but the best cutting-edge underground bands with or without labels from Philly, Boston, Baltimore, the Deep South, and the not-so-Deep South--- from all over the Fourth World in fact, bearing gifts of hardcore, techno-experimental, apocalyptic-folk, ad infinitum, in formats that are at once, category-breaching, indisputably danceable and unleashed. Keep in mind (as well as other body parts) that CODE lives up to the divine energy that's imbedded in its credo, so schedules and line-ups, among other things, are in continuous flux, moving, changing. So , keep your eye out for cool fliers and postings and check out their color-coordinated web- site at www.churchofdivineenergy.com.

Now, here's a partial homily of the events and shows that the Perfesser is looking forward to in upcoming weeks . . .

On Saturday, June 19, get straight with Kevin O'Brien doing his awesome brand of spoken word, dream-trance performance (seek and you will hopefully find selections of KO's, more than a baker's dozen of self-published chapbooks that share his enlightening world travels) with Myld Change, Farewell to Treaties, Boston's Reagan Babies. This gig was originally to include another amazing, local underground legend, Kermit Hell Lyman III, whose shantytown ballads and rocking bombast ought to be touted at this juncture, because he is, simply put, absolutely, one the best ever solo guitarists in the genuine punk tradition to grace the smoking heap of Phi-town. He's tight with the Church and expect to see him in the upcoming months there.

Push the envelope between Art and Life on Sunday, June 27 at 2:30 as PAW Print's own Bonnie MacAllister mounts her Literary Burlesque Spectacle featuring the Avant-Pop Go-Go Dancers with a short film "Fog Full of Grace" to boot.

And Friday, July 9, the CODE Space hosts a fabulous pre- Zine Fest where visiting national and local underground "zinesters" will perform and exhibit their graphics, musical side-projects, sculpture and verbal arts, as a prequel to the actual Philadelphia Zine Festival happening that weekend (especially all day Sunday) at the Rotunda. To get a true insider's take on this invasion and occupation, fail not to visit local zeen master King Wenclas' www.literaryrevolution.com. Justine Duerr will be in both places (perhaps at the same time as this jobber), being besides a brilliant musician, a most excellent graphic artist and a fabulous literary artificer. Duerr's sporadic mag, Decades Of Confusion Feed The Insect, is legendary and scary in good ways. Yet is this guy even the least self-serving with all his talent and versatility? Draw your own conclusions: Duerr said, "I would love to see CODE grow into something that could provide a larger forum for local creativity and knowledge. But it will take all of us to make this happen..."

Whatever your beliefs or disbelief, the Church Of Divine Energy is guaranteed to get your juices flowing, your body moving again in the right direction, and get you to consider the Numinous, and not just mere, survival techniques here in our busy Gothic Metropolis.

And finally, I just got back from a campground rave, rainbow, family hoedown minicircuit, through upstate New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont, having watched the genre-fusing big band, hydrogen jukebox, along with a three-ring circus of fire-spinners, art exhibits, costume contests, punch 'n' pie (one can only hope), a light show, games & prizes, modern dancers and the aural hijinx of Mylde Child, WFO and "The Bugs. A reprise of Art Carnivolution, will happen Saturday evening, June 26. Spoken word, music-backed improv and performance pyrotechnics from yours truly and Minister Kevin O'Brien will be worked into the festivities for maximum effect.