The Shoeshine Man

My poster for the wonderful Willie Nelson is heading to New Orleans. Willie starts off the new year with 2 shows at the House of Blues on January 13 & 14.

This is the fourth poster I've been fortunate enough to design for Willie, and first since the painting I did for his 2006 show.

The design is inspired by his latest single, Shoeshine Man and his fantastic self-made iMovie video!!! I spied the shoe itself in an old Walker Evans photograph of Bennie’s shoeshine stand. Evans was an American photographer, whose photos during the Great Depression of rural poverty have a beautiful poignancy to them.

Rabble Rouser!

A great big thanks to Mikala Taylor for her article about my Fragments show:

"Rob Edmonds evokes Fragments in RPM"

The article appears in this weeks Rabble online magazine.

Check out more of Mikala's reviews & interview at Suite101.com, including her recent 3-part interview with Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers!

Castlemaine Dog in 36ºC

It was a dry and dusty day, and very, very hot. Creatures were looking for any shade for relief from the 36ºC sun. This dog, panting for relief, was chained to the side of an old weather-board house, clinging to the creeping shadows of the mid-afternoon sun and lapping from the bowl of hot water by it's side.
We chose the pub down the end of the road, and some cold pots of VB.

"Fragments" Show Extended.

Due to popular demand my "Fragments in RPM" show has been extended by a month and will now be up until January 10, 2010.

So, if you missed out of the piece which you coveted so much, all is not lost! I will be updating the show with new pieces in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

Check it out at Public: 3289 Main Street Vancouver, (at 17th & Main Street) - Open from 4pm each day. Many thanks to Cameron Forsyth of Public.

New City Anthem - The Video

The debut video release for Sex With Strangers is now out and is bloody brilliant! Congratulations to Brett Harvey and Stephen Green of BKS Crew Productions on an amazing job, and all associated with Sex With Strangers and Boutique Empire. The entire 'feel' works in so well with the artwork I created for The Tokyo Steel cover.

The Official Release states;

First music video from Vancouver's Sex With Strangers. This is the first single off their new album "The Tokyo Steel": "New City Anthem." The story involves an "unreal", a simulated human, who mysteriously crosses the city to hunt down and destroy the members of Sex With Strangers. The band is performing at a house party filled with revelers, who seem quite unaware of the assassin in their midst. Produced by BKS Crew Productions, Directed by Brett Harvey, Edited by Stephen Green. "Unreal" Makeup by Carey Williams.

Greville Records: Still Going Strong!

I used to frequent Greville Records in Prahran religiously in the mid 80’s and it’s where I picked up many of the records that I still love. So it was great to see it still humming along when I poked my head in earlier this week. While many of the stores and bars on Greville Street have changed over the last couple of decades, Greville Records remains the same and for me is THE place in Melbourne to source out the best local music.

Support independent stores & local music - Wherever you are!

Beasts Of Bourbon: The Axeman's Jazz
Paul Kelly: Post
Hoodoo Gurus: Stoneage Romeos
Ed Kuepper: Rooms Of The Magnificent

Fragments Opening.

A great big thanks to everyone who came along to the opening last night. It was great to see so many of the arts represented; authors, photographers, musicians, architects, designers, producers, journalists and other general ne’er do wells!! I feel very privileged to have such friends.

The works will remain up throughout November, though many are already accounted for.

Here is the full list, along with the associated shows from which they were culled.

Hymns for Young Lovers | New Pornographers - New Orleans: 2003
Stoneage Queen | Queens Of The Stoneage - New Orleans: 2003
Do You Realize? | Flaming Lips - Vancouver: 2003
Good Morning Aztlan | Los Lobos - New Orleans: 2002
Don't Fall On Me | R.E.M. - Vancouver: 2003
On Patrol | Snow Patrol - New Orleans: 2005
Business Time | Flight Of The Conchords - Vancouver: 2009
Questioning Authority | Radiohead - Vancouver: 2003
Do You Want To? | Franz Ferdinand - Vancouver: 2005
Caterpillar | The Cure - Vancouver: 2008
Me, You and Everybody | Gomez - Vancouver: 2004
Catch Me Up | Gomez - Vancouver: 2004
Wires | Athlete - Vancouver: 2005
Citizen Of Tomorrow | Tokyo Police Club - New Orleans: 2009
Inner City Pressure | Flight Of The Conchords - Vancouver: 2009
Dyslexic Heart | Paul Westerberg - Vancouver: 2005
Days Like This Keep Me Warm | Polyphonic Spree - Vancouver: 2004
Rapture | The Rapture - New Orleans: 2007
Hot Heat | Hot Hot Heat - Vancouver: 2002
Adios! | Metric - Vancouver: 2005
The Modern Age | The Strokes - Vancouver: 2001
Reckoning | Ani DiFranco - New Orleans: 2001
Lawyers, Guns and Money | Warren Zevon/David Lindley - Vancouver: 2001
A World Out Of Time | Warren Zevon/David Lindley - Vancouver: 2001
Sweet Side | Lucinda Williams - New Orleans: 2005
What's Reminding Me Of You? | Reverend Horton Heat - New Orleans: 2005
Make Them Believe | Fu Manchu - New Orleans: 2005
Loved Despite Of Great Faults | Blonde Redhead - Vancouver: 2004

Fragments in RPM: Robert Edmonds

FRAGMENTS IN RPM
A new exhibition of prints and poster remnants exploring musical memory and the visual attachment we give to sounds.

Sunday, November 8th, 2009 - 4:30pm
Public on Main: 3289 Main Street Vancouver, (at 17th & Main Street)

Mixed media: impressions taken from 33 and 45 vinyl with cut fragments of concert posters which I’ve created over the past decade.

All artworks are unique, on-off, hand printed pieces and all will be available for purchase at the show.

Fragmented posters include: The Cure, Flaming Lips, REM, Radiohead, Gomez, Polyphonic Spree, Franz Ferdinand, New Pornographers, Queens Of The Stoneage and more

If you're in Vancouver, stop by and say "Hi". It's going to be a fun afternoon, so spread the word!!

Hot One Inch Action - The Button Show

My "Iceberg" image has been excepted into the Hot One Inch Action Button Show, this Saturday at the W2 Perel Gallery.

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Hot One Inch Action

Saturday Nov 7, 2009

W2 Perel Gallery, 112 W Hastings

One inch button trading starts at 8pm

For one night only! Back by popular demand! On Saturday Nov 7, 2009 at 8pm, W2 Community Media Arts Society hosts Hot One Inch Action at the W2 Perel Gallery, 112 West Hastings in Vancouver. For the sixth time ever, we bring together 50 artists, 50 buttons, and some hot button trading action with Vancouver's hottest art audience.

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Swing by if you're in the neighbourhood. It should be a fun night and a good lead up to Sunday's "Fragments" show!

Previous "Icebergs":
• Icebergs • Dive • On Display • A Public Exhibition

A Few Of My Favourite Things #7 - T.Rex

Peaches

My design for Canadian electro rocker, Peaches show this week in New Orleans.

All Work And No Play Makes Jack Dull Boy.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

All work and no Play mmakes Jack a dull boy.

All work and no Play ma es Jack a dull boy.

All work and no Play ma es Jacka dull boy.

All work aNd no Play makes Jack a dull boy.

All work and no pllay makes Jack a dull boy.

All work and no play mAkes Jack a dull boy.

All work and no play makes Jaca a dyll boy.

Hallowe'en at The Cascade Room.

The Master Builder

Last night I went to the excellent new play, "The Master Builder", at the Telus Studio Theatre. Well, it's not exactly a new play, but rather a new adaptation and translation of the Henrik Ibsen play, by Errol Durbach and directed by Gerald Vanderwoude.

The main character, Halvard Solness, played by Chris Humphreys, is a successful architect struggling with the end of his career and fears of the next generation rising up and casting him aside.

Those who read this blog will have heard Chris' name previously from my posts about "The Art Of Impaling" - my show inspired by Chris' most recent book, "Vlad: The Last Confession".

"Master Builder" runs until November 7, so make sure you get out to UBC and see it!

The Master Builder at Theatre at UBC
By Henrik Ibsen
A new adaptation and translated by Errol Durbach
Directed by Gerald Vanderwoude
A co-production with Yorick Theatre
TELUS Studio Theatre
October 29-November 7, 2009 - 7:30 PM

Upcoming Show

Only vaguely remember that last show you went to? Memories are strange beasts, and everybody's memory is different.

FRAGMENTS IN RPM
By destroying my posters, I’ve created a unique memory of the event. One that is as individual as each persons memory of the show. Comprised of pieces created from inked LP's, singles and fragments from some of the hundreds of posters I've created over the last decade, "Fragments" is an attempt to visualize our memories.

More details to follow, but if you're in Vancouver on Sunday, November 8th make sure you stop by Public on Main and say hello.

Rat Silo with Combine The Victorious

Maybe a little obvious using rats for a Rat Silo poster, but what heck!

I actually came up with this image having recently read "Rats" by Robert Sullivan, and the passage about rat fighting in New York around 1840.

The most renowned rat pit was a place at the seaport called “Sportsman’s Hall”, owned and operated by a sportsman and rat fighter impressario named Christopher Keybourn, better known as Kit Burns
From "Rats" by Robert Sullivan

Official Release - The Tokyo Steel

Sex With Strangers', The Tokyo Steel is now officially available on iTunes. BUY IT! It's amazing!

From the official announcement:

Recorded and co-produced by Mark Henning and brought to life by the amazing artwork of Robert Edmonds, "The Tokyo Steel" is our finest work yet.

From the dynamic first single, ”New City Anthem”, to dance-floor daggers “We Want The Fire” and ”Sharpen The Knife”, through to the un-charted waters of “Last of The Unreals” and closer “I Will Be The Last One”, we promise you there is something spicey for everyone.

Oh, and did we mention that each song is woven together by a futuristic tale of love, steel and robots? More on that later...

Thanks for reading and we sincerely hope you enjoy the album!

SWS

If you're in Vancouver make sure you get your dancing shoes on and head down to The Biltmore on Saturday night for the official launch as the band runs through the new album - Guaranteed to be a great, show! Just make sure you're ready to sweat!!!

A Night To Surrender!

Sex With Strangers - Video Release Party: New poster for Video Release Party at the Media Club.

Great Party. Isn’t it?!

Carrying on “The Shining” theme from last year’s Nightmare On Granville Street poster, I thought we’d move to the end of the film, just after Wendy finds poor Mr. Hallorann slaughtered on the floor. I’ve always liked this congenial old chap, with his glass of whisky in hand and a thin trickle of blood meandering down his forehead.

What say you?

KC & The Sunshine Band

C'mon, who wouldn't want to design a poster for KC & The Sunshine Band??? I know I was pretty excited when I got the call!!

Ahhhh, the memories of roller skating around the local rink, the disco ball spinning and KC blaring across the PA.

BC Arts Cuts - Please Read.

AN OPEN LETTER TO GORDON CAMPBELL FROM ALMA LEE
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What other prominent BC artists are saying.

Music On Main - The St. Lawrence String Quartet

I would never profess to being a string quartet connoisseur, but I saw the St. Lawrence String Quartet last night as part of Music On Main - and it was pretty damn cool. I half expected Cary Grant and Eve Marie Saint to appear, as one piece sounded like it came directly from a Hitchcock movie.

Sex With Strangers Poster

The new Sex With Strangers poster for their upcoming CD release party, October 24th at The Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, is off to the printers.

Watch for sexy strangers plastering the streets of Vancouver over the coming days.

Music On Main - New Season starts tonight!

The 2009/10 Season of Music On Main begins tonight at Heritage Hall with Sal Ferreras, percussion, latin beats to live electronics.

Last year's season included sold out shows by Tanya Tagaq, Steve Reich's Drumming and James Hill.

Being a board member of Music On Main has expanded my musical horizons greatly and pushed me out of my usual rockin' bar haunts. Many thanks to the wonderful David Pay, the creative force behind the series.

I highly recommend you swing by, have a glass of wine and enjoy some amazing, adventurous music.

Habit Reviews: When It Rains, It Pours.

Today was a busy day for Habit reviews.

Westender: Habit Lounge rises triumphant from the flames

Metro News: A Comfort Food Habit Worth Keeping

Martiniboys: Habit, Vancouver

And from yesterday's Granville Online Magazine: Habit on Main St reopens! and Vitamin Daily: Habit-Forming

Thanks to Janis at Pinecone Camp for the photo!