Dave Klemencic

Party Patrol shutting it down…

Check out this video captured by “Snoopy” and posted on his blog, rivercityrapids.
Glad to see we’ve officially annoyed the neighbors. If you listen you can hear myself and Dave Decker jamming “Summer in the City” on my front porch. Long live the Boulevard music scene, and thanks for listening.

Come check the Boulevard Duo as we open for Modern Groove Syndicate on Thursday, April 12 at Cary St. Cafe.

Big thanks to Forrest Young and everyone that came out to Cafe Diem last night. This was my first experience playing live with Forrest and he had me working hard to keep up all night. His rhythm, deep pocket groove and ability to switch styles effortlessly really earned the respect. I look forward to playing with him more in the future. Check him out at 4estyoung.com.

Nice Hat!

Today marks the first day of a month long exhibition of my art at Nesbit, 2311 W. Main St. in the Fan neighborhood of Richmond, VA. A very classy establishment, Nesbit offers upscale salon and spa facilities and a coffee bar in a hip environment. The work is a selection of 13 works, paintings and lithographs completed over the last two years. Some of the work is very new, and was just wrapped up Sunday in time to be installed in the show. Images of the much of the work is visible at www.daveklemencic.com/gallery and the remainder you’ll just have to go see in person.

Specifically, the paintings featured include “Starr Hill Bass”, an image of Chris Stillwell of the Greyboy Allstars from a performance in Charlottesville last winter, “Whether we exist or…”, a take on local jamband drum-and-bass act Existor from a past collaborative performance at Alley Katz in Richmond and “Swallow’s Nest”, a painting that uses the little known Black Sea lookout as its inspiration. An example of “folly” architecture, the Swallow’s Nest is a castle-like structure perched high on a cliffside overlooking the sea. The building has been renovated over the years, rendered more and less usable by its precarious position and potential for collapsing into the water below. The painting itself expands on the image of the building by incorporating such fanciful elements as a stairway from the perch to the water and a dock at which a small vessel is making landfall.

“Revolution”, an image of Robert Walter’s 20th Congress performing in Ft. Lauderdale Florida is also included in the show. This painting adorned the walls of Cafe Diem for the last year or so, and it’s nice to bring it out again as a testement to Robert Walter’s high-energy funk that’s been very inspiring for me over the last few years.

“Out Louder” is a take on the recent performances of Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood, a collaborative jazz/funk ensemble that toured through the area last fall. The MMW trio suplemented with John Scofield’s virtuousic guitar skills is worth checking out, even if you have to drive a ways to see them.

Also included in the show are an image of the Savannah Bridge and lower downtown neighborhood at night, a small piece of a girl smoking outside the art building at VCU and a painting of willow trees at Maymont Park. In a separate space within the salon are four sketches of musicians that were carried out during concert performances and later reworked in the studio, adding layers of watercolor, marker and acrylic paint, then sealed, matted and framed in matching gun-metal gray frames. These are part of a series that was originally shown together at Richmond Frame, where they served as the bulk of a solo showing. Many others in the series have been sold, and I recommend taking a long as these are one-of-a-kind and surprisingly affordable.

The folks at Nesbit can help you out, and they’ll probably let you take a look even if you’re not interested in going blonde, getting a facial or a wax, but they do claim to be quite proficient at those things as well.

The show will be up through the last weekend of April.

For hours or directions, check www.nesbitsalon.net

Thanks!

On the cusp…

Mark your calendars for Monday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m.
Tyler, Drew, Dave and myself are stepping out there and performing at Bogart’s on Lombardy St. in Richmond. The bass/drums/guitar/keys ensemble will be performing as The Challengers, kicking out tunes that have been in the shop for the last 9 months and are finally ready to see the light of night. Should be a lot of fun, our premiere aside from last Fridays performance for Kali’s birthday and the infamous apartment sessions, in which we berated my neighbors with our musical abilities through the walls, floors and ceiling. Bogart’s is a great sounding, atmospheric venue with cheap food and drinks and a friendly crowd and staff. Don’t miss it.

Elgin Park AKA Mike Andrews of the Greyboy Allstars. Check out ElginPark.com

Weinstein JCC

The Jewish Community Center on Monument Avenue hosted a juried show for undiscovered artists in Richmond this month. Opening February 15, the show will remain hanging until March 18, and is on display for the public in their Israel November Gallery.

My recent painting, At The Wall, depicting Israeli soldiers at the Western Wall of Jerusalem during the climax of the Six Day War in June of 1967, was selected as the first place winner of the show. The painting, inspired by David Rubinger’s famous photograph, attempts to convey the emotional intensity of the moment for those soldiers whose consciousness is so enveloped in this struggle and pursuit and have just secured the most direct symbol of their struggle.

Also shown in the gallery were the Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood inspired painting and the recent At the Depths, with its murky North Atlantic scene.

The show features the work of Dave Decker and a number of other noted area artists. Special thanks to Dave for encouraging my participation and Darcy Warren of the JCC for all her help organizing the show.

On the scene….

The world has been turned upside down. At the very least, my schedule has. This Saturday night I’ll be joining forces with 11th House for a night of jam throwdown and visual goodness on a large scale at Alley Katz, at the corner of 18th and Walnut Alley in downtown Richmond. Doors are at 9:30, the Thirds will kick off an opening set at 10 and 11th House takes the stage at 11. Don’t miss it. Ages 18+, $5.

Greyboy Allstars

Check out the new review on jambands.com

Check out more at www.greyboyallstars.com