Synopsis:
The Kingdom of Survival explores modern skepticism in America, challenges the status quo and uncovers provocative links between survivalist philosophy, ecumenical spirituality, radical political theory, and outlaw culture. The audience is invited into a thoughtful conversation with the likes of Prof. Noam Chomsky, Dr. Mark Mirabello, Mike Oehler, and the riveting final interview with beloved author, Joe Bageant. These unique thought leaders cast a rare shadow of doubt over our most blindly accepted American traditions.

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFPLQw2w4zA

By framing this journey in a cross-country travelogue, writer/director M.A. Littler connects art, religion, academia, alternative media, utopianism, anarchism, globalized capitalism and radical fringe philosophy in an elegant American tapestry.  By remaining impartial to the subjects, the film is able to honestly investigate the physical and psychological practices of diverse individuals in a conflict-ridden and confused post-modern world. In a time of brainwashing corporate and political propaganda, “The Kingdom of Survival” reunites us with the life-changing spirit of the outlaw highway.

Director M.A. Littler: Raised in the old world and the new world, at airports, on junkyards, in motels and restaurants Littler found employment as a bouncer, barkeeper, cab driver, translator, and journalist–even as an ambulance driver. Inevitably all of these jobs were short-lived.  In his films and writing he has displayed an unhidden affinity for outsiders of all sorts–radical intellectuals, outlaw historians, marginalized artists, obscure musicians and holy con men. When asked about this, Littler says: “I’m interested in people who dance to their own beat, prototypes who fix their radio with a blow torch.”  The documentary KINGDOM OF SURVIVAL is a reflection of Littler’s life experience.

Press for KOS:
Film Threat : “Few could make this film.  Scratch that.  Nobody else could make this film.  It’s too personal.  This is the director’s wake-up call to the sleeping, and rallying point for those who are already on this path of consigning the current political and social culture to the trash heap.” (http://www.filmthreat.com/interviews/39374)

Kick Him, Honey: “I come across a work like this one I’m incredibly thankful. It’s the kind of thing you almost think can’t exist until you see it: a rich and beautiful movie that leaves you satisfied, without ever trying to give cheap answers to the unanswerable.” (http://benjaminwhitmer.com/index.php/2011/05/kingdom-of-survival)

KOS Producer Alexander Hebert: Raised from childhood all over the globe, from first to third world countries; such diverse locales of the Philippines, Nepal, Colorado, Switzerland and the UK. He’s seen revolutions first hand,  played drums with blues legends, and once catered a dinner party for the Ambassadors of Turkey and Israel. His working life has included stints as a pizza delivery boy, waiter, and Community Development Consultant in war-torn Serbia.

http://www.thetrunkspace.com

Fri. 1st 6-9pm: First Friday! The Grid: Here & Gone! Lost treasures of PHX architecture revealed. FREE!

Sat. 2nd, 7-9pm: Unscripted Longform theater by GALAPAGOS! THE LAST Nieghborhood/Bingo Jam @ Trunk Space! Come one come all as our Torch friends start a new book in PHX’s improv saga!
DO NOT MISS!

Sat. 2nd, 9pm: The Strange Family Circus goodbye show. The Stranges are leaving town for a month, come help ‘em raise some gas money–they got kids ya’ll!
We’ll also do a door prize for Vespertine Circus Tickets (show on the 5th)!

http://www.strangefamilycircus.com/

Sun 3rd: Tyler Blue host NEW SCIENCE PROJECT and REAL LIVE TIGERS, mad mad folk on tour!

http://nspnsp.com/

http://reallivetigers.bandcamp.com/

TENTATIVE

Tues. 5th: The VESPERTINE CIRCUS! 6 person multi-talented performers who have shared stages with acrobats & trapeze artists from both Cirque Du Soilei and Ringling Barnum & Baileys!

http://www.vespertinecircus.com/

$8 DO NOT MISS!

Wed. 6th: Select presents TAPE DECK MOUNTAIN! with St. Ranger and Knesset, Of The Sky!

http://tapedeckmountain.blogspot.com/

Thurs. 7th: on tour, ZOO (alum of Little Teeth), +Sungsang LP Release, and RUSSIAN TSARLAG, SHV, & SECRET BOYFRIEND! Blizardly noise, and more. Very eclectic night presented in conjunction w/ Yellow Canary Dance Hall!
zooisaband.com/
last.fm/music/Secret+Boyfriend
last.fm/music/Shv
ast.fm/music/Russian+Tsarlag
lehorrorrecords.com/
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Fro. 8th: Long-form soundscape art performance by gkfoes vjgoaf & WYLD WYZRDZ with locals Good Amount (Chirstian Filard), Tribal Leader, and Josh Bennett.
www.innerislands.com
Peaceful vibes and hypnotic tones.

Sat. 9th: KEPI GHOULIE (Groovie Ghoulies alum) on tour w/ PETS and DOG PARTY (tween punk!) w/ locals Dogbreth, +Kids Day (tentative) and Sean “SMOKE WIZARD” Bonnette (tentative)! A night up rock-n-roll and fun!
DO NOT MISS!

Thurs. 14th: Pop rockers THE EASTERN SEA on tour, w/ local support from Brother Adrian and more tba.
theeasternsea.com

Fri. 15th 6-9pm: It’s our 3rd Friday Artist Reception! Featuring THE GRID: HERE & GONE. This year, learn about some of the nationally know famous [and infamous] locals our town holds dear–and nearly forgotten.
FREE–HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Fri. 15th, 9pm: Dogbreth hosts “Self Proclaimed Narcissist” anarko-folk-punk. w/ Ariana Marie and Rainbow!

http://selfproclaimednarcissist.bandcamp.com/

Sat. 16th: On tour from Canada, funster-punksters SLAM DUNK! w/ local support Boss Frogs Discount Activities and more dRainbow!

http://www.slamdunkband.com/

Mon. 18th: Gren Radcliff hosts a night of comedy, w/ Sophie Fisher and John Higbee. +Music from The Dreaded Post-Modernists and The Hunger Artists and Luke Rook.

Tues. 19th: touring animation artist STEFAN GRUEBER, film showcase on tour, featuring “Both Worlds”. An interactive evening of stories with live voice & sound-track! Local support from Good Amount/Holy Page Records.

http://stefangruber.com/

DON’T MISS!

Wed. 20th: Tango?! In Summer?! Well, we’ll find out! hosted by Ravi! Learn some new steps, or brush up your best numbers. $5 per person.

Thurs. 21st: Select presents CHER HOROWITZ (lady punx)! w/ locals Female Trouble (keyboard punx), Fiesty Felines (surf-pux) and more tba!
cherhorowitz.bandcamp.com/
$5

Fri. 22nd: the DOGBRETH & HELLO THE MIND CONTROL tour kickoff! A whole bunch of our friends are hitting the road for a month of fun, rock, and filling gas tanks. Come help ‘em raise some scratch! THIS SHOW WILL BE A BLAST!
last.fm/music/Hello+the+Mind+Control
cllct.com/art/dogbreth

Sat. 23rd: SLUTEVER, sleazy grit-punk on tour. w/ JJCnV and more TBA.

http://sluteverforever.blogspot.com/

Sun. 24th: on tour EXTRA LIFE w/ SAM MICKENS (Dead Science) w/ James Fella and DOTH–Preston’s last show!
last.fm/music/Extra+Life
sammickens.tumblr.com
DO NOT MISS!

Tues. 26th: on tour, DRIFTLESS PONY CLUB! w/ Shortstack Lightning, special guest from Tucson Luke Romano, and more tba. Hosted by theshizz.org!
driftlessponyclub.com
lukeromano.blogspot.com

Wed. 27th, 8-9pm: Story Time Improv! Featuring Apollo 12 and Unicorn Warpath! Pre-School for adults. We lay out blankets and pillows on the floor and invite everyone to gather round. We definitely want it to feel like kindergarten.
www.unicornwarpath.com
myspace.com/apollo12

Thurs. 28th: THE BINARY MARKETING SHOW. Awesome touring band that’s mix of Joy Division, Lou Reed, and Animal Collective. w/ Waytansea Point, Yus, and Josh Kenyon Eells.
binarymarketingshow.com/
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Fri. 29th: FINDING GRAMPA’S MONSTERS reunion show! One of our fav’ folkie acts gets back together for 1 night of fun! w/ Where Are All The Buffalo, The West Valley, and Jive Talkin’ Robot (acoustic hiphop).
myspace.com/findinggrampasmonsters
soundcloud.com/where-are-all-the-buffalo

http://cllct.com/art/thewestvalley

Sat. 30th: DUCKMANDU m*ther f*ckin’ hardcore accordion music! Punk rock, parodies, and traditional squeezebox masterpieces! Special guest Andrew (Haunted Cologne) Jemsek! Others tbd.

http://www.duckmandu.com/

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Want to thank Steve Jansen at New Times for this piece, as well as folks like Doug Town, and our other friends who care enough to study and [try] to remind us why these things are important.

If you’ve got no past, you’ve got no future.

JRC–The Trunk Space

1 small thing: I know some of ya’ll leave comments but they don’t ever come up.
It’s a management problem, and we’re trying to get better at it, for some reason we can only let 1 admin approve comments, and we don’t remember to do it too often.
Anyway, keep leaving them, and I’ll try to remember to bug the admin.

Another: hey! What is everyone excited for this summer? What is your big plan?
We’ve had 2 friends move, 1 back to France, and another to SoCal to start his own biz.
What are you doing? Chillin’ Touring? Making new art/music? Or just hangin’ out?

One More: Hey! If you want to write reviews or news for our zine, The Sliderule, let us know, send a note to the email on our website, and just let us know. We’re open to just about anything.

See ya’ll downtown!
JRC–The Trunk Space

Phoenix has had many memorable eateries over the years—downtown one could have dined at Hensley’s Horseshoe at 615 West Van Buren or high tailed it a few blocks away to nosh at the Travis Café located at First Street and Monroe, whose motto was “There Is No Better Food At Any Price”.

Given the opportunity to go back in time, my curiosity would lead me to “Where Turkey Is King” at the Covered Wagon Restaurant, 28 South Central. The restaurant’s entryway featured an overhang of a Calistoga wagon.

But my selection for the funkiest place to eat in yesteryear Phoenix, hands down, would be the Cloud 9 Restaurant. This establishment, for a brief period in the early 1960s, towered over the dining competition in the Valley.

Most restaurants started with an eye towards a unique theme or style of cooking; the Cloud 9 owed its genesis to a mechanical Renaissance man, a Harley Davidson motorcycle and lots of dynamite. Carving a path up the 40 acres of property he owned on Shaw Butte just north of Sunnyslope, the owner built the highest private residence in Phoenix—and then on a whim turned the place into an exclusive supper club.

The Cloud 9 was the toast of the town for several years until mysteriously destroyed by a fire amidst rumors of illegal endeavors such as backroom gambling. Read more about this amazing restaurant at: www.neonmotel.com/download/cloud9.pdf

Ruins of the Cloud 9 Restaurant atop Shaw Butte

What’s your favorite forgotten Phoenix dining establishment?

Douglas Towne