DOLORES, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows brings together an international cast of artists under the direction of Ron Athey and Nacho Nava to create a hypnotic, contemporary performance piece at The Vortex in downtown Los Angeles.
Ron Athey and Nacho Nava have been plotting DOLORES since last summer, inspired by acclaimed performance artist Missa Blue’s Black Madonna performance. This will be the Los Angeles premiere of Blue’s performance, originally work-shopped in Tijuana with La Pocha Nostra. Athey and Nava explain, “We started thinking how an Afrodeutsche sword-swallower, addressing the sorrows, would flesh out juxtaposed against our local queer Mexican performer San Cha, whose vocals can fit in a few categories but sit firmly in the lineage of Chavela Vargas, the great ranchera singer and vocal stylist.”
This is the second time Athey has programmed Little Annie, aka Annie Anxiety/Little Annie Anxiety Bandez. A legend and brilliant lyricist, Little Annie’s career ranges from her first band the Asexuals at Max’s Kansas City in the late 70s, to recording for the anarcho-punk Crass Records and Adrian Sherwood’s On U Sound stable of London musicians. Her current torch-core material includes originals and a Stevie Wonder cover.
DOLORES also features Discostan’s Arshia Fatima Haq, who will DJ danceable music selections from Islamic Asia and North Africa, embodying the voice of the sorrows. Our favorite new young face, movement performer Austyn Rich, will add movement throughout the venue.
