For Immediate Release: December 6, 2009

Lucent Dossier Experience Transforms h.wood
Into a Modern Day Cabinet of Human Curiosities
With Performances On Wednesdays
Running Through December 23rd 2009

LOS ANGELES, CA – When Lucent Dossier Experience started their new artist residency in the heart of Hollywood last month, they were presented with an unusual challenge: the h.wood space they now inhabit on Wednesday nights is a series of small, den-like chambers without a large, conventional stage. While this could have been a liability, the inventive troupe rose to the occasion by reconfiguring their show, conceptually transforming h.wood’s labyrinth of rooms into a modern day cabinet of human curiosities. Wednesdays through December 23, 2009, Lucent Dossier Experience opens h.wood’s doors every week at 8:00 p.m. with the troupe’s tantalizing performances from 9:00 p.m. to midnight, and DJs/dancing continuing until 2:00 a.m. The residency runs through December, culminating with their Orphan’s Ball on December 23rd which benefits Cuddle The World, Lucent’s charity project for disadvantaged children. Admission to Lucent Dossier Experience is $15 on Wednesday nights. h.wood (formerly the Stork Lounge) is located at 1738 N. Orange, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Valet parking is available at the venue and self-parking is in the Hollywood + Highland Center complex (rates are $2 for 4 hours with validation, easy entrance to the parking on Orange or Highland). For information on the venue please call 323-871-2262 or visit www.thehwood.com. For more information on the event and to purchase advance tickets, please visit www.lucentdossier.com.

Historically, curiosity cabinets (aka wunderkammer or cabinets of wonder) were eclectic collections of artifacts including natural specimens, religious artifacts, art works, fantastical imaginary beings, historical relics, and other exotica. These rooms of wonder emerged in the sixteenth century and are considered the precursors to museums. They originally provided a retreat for contemplation and a view into strange new worlds with menageries of preserved fish, feathers, curious shells, stuffed reptiles, coins, coral, minerals, horns, tusks, skeletons, clocks, and a fascinating assortment of man-made objects. Often, the displays would contain a mix of fact and fiction, including mythical creatures. The Lucent Dossier Experience h.wood residency arouses a sense of awe similar to the static curiosity cabinets of yesteryear, but here the exotic specimen are in human form and operate in four dimensions (i.e., three dimensional physical space + the performative element of time.

The industrial vintage h.wood space, in the heart of Hollywood, with its two floors of dark nooks and crannies, perfectly houses Lucent Dossier Experience’s otherworldly spectacle into modern day wonder rooms. The club’s distressed leather couches, antique bookshelves, and old fashioned portraits echo the aristocratic library feel of the original wunderkammer.

Until Christmas, on Wednesday nights, Lucent Dossier Experience activates the h.wood maze of rooms into an exotic display of ethereal seductions with aerial artistry, soulful belly dancers, sleek other-worldy creatures, astral readings, decadent rose water foot baths, gypsies offering soul cleansing herbal elixirs, a post portal post office, temporary tribal tattoo parlor, and impish pranksters — all in fantastical haute couture costumes and makeup. Overhead, luminous aerial performers share the rafters with the antique chandeliers. A menagerie of exotic creatures add magic and mayhem including bizarre and alluring burlesque dancers, a bearded lady, spoken word poets, clowns, contortionists, elves, singers, jugglers, stilt walkers, and a sword swallower in a theatrical spectacle of feathers, chains, and lace.

Lucent Dossier loosely translates to a “collection of glowing light.” In the new residency, the interactive troupe provides a curious twist on the conventional, creating an experience that’s like stepping into a fractured Lewis Carroll dream. The result is a weird and wonderful funhouse where the performers activate the boho chic space, mixing with the local Hollywood flora and fauna, transforming Wednesday nights into a realm of new possibilities.

“All the different elements — the performers, the music, the space, the audience, and chance — come into play to create a very fluid, surrealistic wonderland where no two evenings are ever the same,” says Creative Director Dream Rockwell, “And we encourage guests to dress up in their finery, transform into exotic creatures, express themselves, and become part of the experience.”

A different DJ is featured each week along with live musical elements mixed in (that might including sitar, violins, drums, keyboards, guitar, vocals, or bass). On December 9th, Venice-based DJ, composer, and dance floor messiah KRADDY (founding member of the Glitch Mob) will hit the decks with a futuristic fusion of dubstep, hip hop, dance hall, and crunk all bumping together with his signature style of edits and remixes that make his sound super danceable and unique.

“The music is such an important part of the experience. We come from a very organized, and yet still underground, art and music scene. The sounds that came out of our scene 5-6 years ago are what’s being cultivated into the mainstream now,” says Rockwell, “The music makers, DJs, and producers around us are cutting edge and we are thrilled to be able to feature them. Many of them are now touring worldwide but they’re all still our friends. It’s great to have them come down and create musical magic for a night.”

DJs for December 16th and December 23rd TBD.

On December 16th, as a special treat, visual artist Jocelyn Marsh will show her work in collaboration with Lucent Dossier Experience, further enhancing that evening’s cabinet of curiosities. For ten years, Marsh has been collecting bones, insects, metal boxes, and various other interesting items — bringing them together into whimsical assemblages. She lives in Los Angeles with her cat skeleton, Whiskers. For more information on Marsh and her work, see: jocelynmarsh.com

The weekly residency will culminate with an Orphan’s Ball on December 23rd benefiting Cuddle The World. This Christmas Eve Eve-nt, a time to dance and celebrate with extended family, features a toy drive and other surprises. Guests are encouraged to bring something cuddly (new or gently used) for Lucent Dossier Experience to distribute at an orphanage this Spring when the troupe hits the road.

Cuddle the World is Lucent Dossier Experience’s non-profit organization that brings inspiration in the form of inter-active performance, musical instruments, clown noses, costumes, and fairy wings as well as sparks of love and security, in the form of teddy bears and snuggle blankets, to orphans around the globe. These children are in conditions where they receive very basic care but nothing more.

“We believe that we can help inspire these kids to think more creatively when they are dumped into the world at age 16 or 18 so that they will be able to make better choices for their lives as they are forced to fend for themselves with little or no support,” says Rockwell, “It’s the greatest project I have ever been a part of. I just love to see the little kids’ faces light up and know that what we are doing is worth every bit of time, money, and effort we have put into it.

Rockwell, in partnership with Shrine, a Pasadena-based artist, originally founded the troupe in December 2004 to nourish her love of the avant-garde in the form of dance, performance, music, and costuming. Now, five years later, the critically acclaimed Los Angeles-based tribe of inspiring artists has been featured in television commercials, print advertisements, music videos, and large-scale, live productions such as Coachella here in the US, Summer Sonic in Japan, and Electric Picnic in Ireland. Their h.wood residency follows up their hugely successful year-long run of sold-out shows at The Edison in downtown Los Angeles, which ran from April 2008 through April 2009. Also included in the group’s impressive resume is a photo spread in Italian Vogue (as captured by Steven Meisel); shows at top clubs throughout Los Angeles; and performances on MTV and at the official Grammy® Awards Party.

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For more information, photos, or to arrange interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Hasty at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Event Details:

Lucent Dossier Experience
– weekly artist residency –

h.wood
1738 N. Orange
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-871-2262
www.thehwood.com

8:00pm – 2:00am
– Doors: 8:00pm
– DJ & dancing all night
– Shows: 9:00pm – 12midnight

Admission $15
– Join their mailing list for discounts

– Valet parking available at the venue
– Self parking in Hollywood + Highland complex – $2 for 4 hours with validation

www.lucentdossier.com