Somewhere between 2004 and May of 2006 I learned of the existence of a band called Panic! At The Disco. These teenagers from Las Vegas had a unique sound. So unique that they not only didn't fit any genre, their album "A Fever You Can Sweat Out" was actually two parts with the first having more of a steam-punky feel and the second part being a little contemporary pop but more complex. Their lyrics were well beyond their years due to Ryan Ross's inspiration from his roller coaster life. When it came time to create a video for their first single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" someone on their artistic team had the brilliance to pair director Shane Drake with the burlesque cirque troupe, Lucent Dossier. The resulting video is still brilliant today
The beauty and talent of this group intrigued the hell out of me. I watched many a video and TV performance of Panic! At The Disco just to see these magical creatures. Some times sultry, some times silly, always costumed to catch the eye, Lucent Dossier was the perfect addition to the band's live performances. When they did their international arena tour "Nothing Rhymes with Circus", Lucent provided more of its members. It was awesome.
Panic! changed everything up with their sophomore album so I didn't get my dose of Lucent Dossier from them any more. But then I saw an announcement they were going to be part of The Scream Awards. They got their own episode of Top Chef-Just Desserts. Every so often I would seen them. I also scoured the internet to find out if they would ever perform in my part of the world...to no avail. Until this past Fall when they were signed as artists in residence at The Liberty Theater in Manhattan.
The name of the show was The Lucent Encounter. I was there for opening night and what an encounter it was. Besides all the interactive dancing, acrobatics, vaudeville sketches and live mannequin vignettes happening all around me, I was introduced to members of the troupe include one of the costumers. I saw the results of friend Hans Haveron's airbrush make-up skills. It was possibly the most magical night of my life to that point.
My feature article on Lucent Dossier has been published in the latest issue of FourCulture magazine. I got to spend almost an hour with Linda Borini in a small sandwich shop just off Columbus Circle one evening and hear her story of becoming part of Lucent Dossier. She also helped me to finally put the finger on the biggest difference between the New York and SoCal arts scenes and why I had not been able to find a real East Coast tribe to this point. Then I connected with Dream Rockwell, founder of the troupe. She had performed that night in New York. I knew she was there because we had texted while the goon squad outside was giving me shit about letting me in. Hans had told me about doing her make-up but we never got any face-time. However, even with a lot of miles between us, we had a major connection in that phone conversation. I won't even call it an interview because we began building a friendship from the very first words. By the end we had discovered yet another spirit sister on this crazy journey.
Dream gave me treasures that night that opened my eyes and will help me on my quest. 1) Find the point on your arrow. The compass needle can't help much if its not giving you a definitive direction. Find the point. 2) claim the freedom you were born with to be your genuine self. Once you do that you will be truly happy, joyful, at peace. 3) People who are sincerely happy individuals scare the crap out of people trying to follow some social model that they have been taught is "proper". Taking it another step from my own meditation....free thinkers and doers are what will shine the light on the dark creatures that have been controlling humanity for too long. That light will reveal them for the humbugs they are and destroy their "power". Be brave. Be bold. Be you no matter how eccentric, eclectic, outrageous or just plain weird you are.
This summer I will get to spend four whole days with the fae of Lucent Dossier at Lake Skinner in Temcula, CA. Lightning In A Bottle was the point on Dream's arrow and Lucent is a staple of the festival. I am so excited to experience them once again but this time in their native habitat. I can only imagine that it will be a faerie tale come to life.
We are the dreams
Tangled in your catcher
When you rise from sleep
The beautiful ones
The ones you will carefully
Break the strings to release
Setting us free to play
We'll dance on your bed
And fly through your hair
We sing the songs
That spark your imagination
We give you the colors
To paint your story
We are the faerie tales
Come to life.
KMC 3/13
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