Come out to the Salt Institute tomorrow evening for a (partial) Film Screening by Boston based production company, Planted Seeds and Danielle Connor. The plug:

The film follows Boston drag-based theater troupe All The Kings Men - their work, lives, and experiences making queer art and comedy. It also features gender hero Kate Bornstein, in all of her post-modern glory.

Ultimately we want this film to spark conversation. So come on down and help us get that started!

Date: TOMORROW Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, 561 Congress St., Portland, ME

Event sponsored by MENSK

Eli's Road LES Travels

For those interested, MENSK's founder, Eli Cayer, will be having a personal introspective Art exhibit
the upcoming First Friday August 7th, 2009 5pm-midnite @ the Arm Factory &
Maine Mead Works. Both are located at 200 Anderson ST. in Portland's East
Bay Side.

The show, titled "The Road LES Travels" will be covering the last 20 years
of creation, collaboration, and collection.

This event will be bookended by our own Truck Show.

crashing and smashing success

Last night's Drum Truck was an absolute and total blast. Aside from the long and unmoving line at U-haul there were little to no hitches ...omitting the constantly blaring horn at Tommy's Park when it became stuck. It was a while before we found that perfect combination of punches and curses that would stop its wail. There were cops everywhere we went, but never for us. At Longfellow square a squad car pulled up right behind us. I ran to him waving my permit saying "I bet you wanna talk to me. We DO have a permit." He looked puzzled and said, "What? No, someone got laid out across the street. I'm not here for you." I said "...oh, well... we have a permit." He said "Great, have fun."

click the picture for the first wave of photographs:



the Drummers were:
Mike Cunnane
Jon Donnell
Andrew Fredrick
Elliott Heeschen
Ed Knisely
Ian Riley

Jenn Batchelor drove.

Andrew Lyman was excited.

Thanks to Nick Schroeder and Katie Hatch for water.

Extra thanks to Katie Hatch for homemade oatmeal cinnamon chocolate chip cookies!

Thanks to Diane for letting me make buttons.

Thanks to everyone for being around when this happened!!!

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We Have a Blog and Something Like Love

Last year the Portland, Maine arts-based non-profit MENSK along with Spencer Albee promoted and hosted the biggest night The Empire Dine and Dance had seen to date with more than 600 people coming through the door over the course of the night to watch more than 50 of Portland's favorite artists from many different genres play their favorite love songs.

This year will prove to be a huge event as well, but with a couple of twists. Firstly, Spencer will co-host the show along side his new total BFF and hetero life partner Joe Ricchio. The show will be run in the format of a late night talk show called Night Cap with Spence and Joe. They will be joined by Joe Parra in the role of the talk show band leader. Over the course of the evening, The Empire and MENSK will once again host performances and short films by a number of Portland's favorite artists.

This year will feature mix and match performances from all new bands performing all new songs created especially for this event. The roster includes members of Dominic and the Lucid, The Dandy Lions, Cosades, Sarah Richardson, AS FAST AS, Confusatron, Phantom Buffalo, Spencer and the School Spirit Mafia, Chef Death Match, Pete Kilpatrick, Jonathan Wyman, Kino Proby, Rustic Overtones, Paranoid Social Club, Murder of Crows, Cult Maze, Brenda, The Cambiata, Grupo Esperanza, Marie Moreshead and MORE!
Another change of note is that this year the program will include short films by Dave Camlin of Conifer, Sean Wilkenson and The Fuge and ASSAULT KITCHEN.

MENSK is an arts based non-profit.(mensk)
Mission: The mission of mensk is to inspire and support personal, local, and regional action for the development of creative and sustainable communities.

More information about MENSK can be found at www.mensk.cc.

Tickets are $8.00 in advance and $10.00 day of show and will be available through Brown Paper Tickets online and at all Bull Moose Music Locations.