Doors 8:00p
Program 8:30p

UnionDocs
352 Onderdonk Ave
Ridgewood, NY

Please join us for a history lesson you can dance to: an audiovisual journey through the historic connections between reggae, punk, hip-hop and more. Featuring live dj-ing, vj-ing, and scenes from the upcoming film Live to DIY- an experimental document of an underground hardcore music community in New York City over the last decade plus.

TRANSMITTING LIVE FROM BABYLON is a party/ screening (a screening party?) with live music, sound artists and Dj’s, and featuring a media performance by Art Jones using sampled archival and commercial footage, texts and original digital video and animation accompanied by an experimental dub, hip-hop and electronic noise mix. Working with digital and analog audio/video sources, Jones will create an abstract narrative collage about three perennially popular topics: love, war and money.

The screening will include a work-in-progress from the upcoming feature-length documentary  Live To DIY: about the NYC hardcore band Rebelmatic and the struggle to be a truly independent working musician in a political economy that promotes a myth of celebrity, fame, and ‘making it’. Also featuring short films and classic music videos by artists and filmmakers.

Rebelmatic will be in attendance and play live alongside Art Jones performance. Rebelmatic’s ability to connect with audiences across various genres and musical landscapes is truly remarkable. Their shared stages with an impressive array of artists, spanning from punk rock to hip-hop and beyond, showcase their versatility and wide-ranging appeal. They have performed alongside bands like Zulu, Soul Glo, End It, and Weedeater, as well as iconic figures such as Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello, DMC of Run-D.M.C., Slick Rick, H.R. of the Bad Brains, Angelo Moore of Fishbone, the GZA, and Schoolly D, among many other.

Moreover, Rebelmatic’s commitment to the DIY ethos is evident in their participation in a documentary about DIY culture in New York City for Dr. Martens during the pandemic. Their dedication to the DIY movement is also recognized in the book “Black Punk Now” by Chris H. Terry and James Spooner, the founder of Afro-Punk. Additionally, Rebelmatic has been featured in “Culture Crush Editions – Presents: The Way WE WERE,” showcasing the photographs by Destiny Mata, also known as The People’s Photographer. These publications further cement their influence and significance in the punk and broader cultural communities.

Come through for a night of music, history and good times!

Run of show

8:00: Doors open
8:30: NIT SU J set
9:00: Screening work-in-progress documentary LIVE to DIY
9:30: Special Performance by REBELMATIC
10:00: Word, Sound, Power films: Miah Artola, Shayma Aziz, Charlie
Ahearn & More
10:30: Kaila Burke-Ozuna set
11:00: Akeema Zane set
11:30: subt.le set
12:00: Art Jones- Transmitting Live from Babylon set

Bios

Art Jones is an artist working with Installation, the moving image, photography, and audio. His work makes extensive use of popular music and mainstream media culture as raw material to be sampled and re-combined in order to examine implicit meanings or suggest new ones. He has collaborated with musicians and artists including Soundlab, DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid, Phillip Virus with Alec Empire, Amiri Baraka, and Anti-Pop Consortium. Jones’ films and audiovisual performances have been presented at the Museum of Modern Art, London’s Tate Gallery, Roulette Intermedium, and numerous festivals, museums, bars, galleries, and living rooms. Jones works in a variety of genres, including fiction, documentary and music-related pieces. He lives in the The Bronx, New York City.