The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black headlines celebration for the East Village Eye

Photos by Stacie Joy

On Thursday night, the Bowery Electric hosted a special performance for East Village Eye and the New York Public Library. 

Last month, it was announced that the archives of the East Village Eye, the legendary magazine published from 1979 to 1987 that covered the neighborhood's arts, politics and social currents at the time, will have a new home at the New York Public Library. 

A full house was on hand for a slate of spoken-word artists, Nathan Ross, Ira Abramowitz, Kathe Burkhart and Bob Holman...

Here's editor-publisher Leonard Abrams...

And headliners the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, the glam-punk performance legends led by East Village-based artist Kembra Pfahler...

...with Samoa Moriki...

... and Chase Noelle of cumgirl8 sitting in on the drums...

It's always a pleasure to see the VHoKB... and congratulations to the East Village Eye on the acquisition. (Read more about it at The New Yorker here.)

A visit to Kembra Pfahler's new studio space on 6th Street

Images by Stacie Joy

East Village performer and godmother of modern-day shock art Kembra Pfahler has new studio space on Sixth Street.

She has been holding a few studio visits in the space that she shares with several other artists. It's an opportunity to hang out... as well as pick up some merch and a selection of artwork from her band that she co-founded with Samoa Moriki, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the basement space this past Saturday... 

The space is at 431 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. She'll announce the studio visits on her Instagram. There may also be a sign up on the door... 

Meanwhile, if you're in London this summer... the Emalin gallery is presenting "On The Record, Off The Record: Sound Off," a solo exhibition of new and archival works by Pfahler, her third show here. It's up through Aug. 27. 

From the catalog: 

Pfahler is a key figure of New York’s underground scene. With a practice spanning music, performance, acting, film and visual arts since the 1980s, the image vocabulary she has built informs the countercultural aesthetics of the Lower East Side.

The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black in Tompkins Square Park

Here's a last look at a festive Halloween this past Saturday ... when the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black headlined the free show in Tompkins Square Park... EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos of the glam-punk performance legends led by East Village-based artist Kembra Pfahler...

The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black in Tompkins Square Park

Late yesterday afternoon, glam-punk performance legends The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, led by East Village-based artist Kembra Pfahler, headlined day two of the Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was on-hand for the show... as were many other photographers. The band draws a crowd...










[Samoa Moriki]


[Gyda Gash]







Updated:

Several people have asked about the Andy signs the band is wearing. This was a tribute to Andy Kessler, a well-known skateboarder who died on Aug. 10, 2009. He liked to skate in the TF in Tompkins Square Park, which the city wants to cover with synthetic turf.

Sunday's parting shot

Members of the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black enter Tompkins Square Park this afternoon... they were the headliners for Day 2 of the Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows. Thanks to Steven for this photo. We'll have more tomorrow from Stacie Joy...

Mid-afternoon Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black break

Kembra Pfahler and The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black perform "Alaska," live at The Bowery Electric, for Halloween 2013.

Video by Walter Wlodarczyk. Find photos from the night here. (Slightly NSFW)

Kembra Pfahler and The Girls of Karen Black

YouTube Day wraps up at EVG today with this this great video by Walter Wlodarczyk from June 5 ... in which Kembra Pfahler and The Girls of Karen Black perform at Participant Inc. as part of the series of One Night Stands for the Gordon Kurtti Project this month ... The Girls start on East Second Street and make their way to the gallery space on East Houston...

Read more about the Gordon Kurtti Project here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Spend Easter Sunday night with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black

Spend Easter Sunday night with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black

[Photo of Kembra Pfahler by Walter Wlodarczyk]

On March 31 (Easter Sunday!), there's an all-ages concert featuring a rare appearance by the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and their brand of ferocious glam-punk as well as Youthquake and No Bra at Santos Party House on Lafayette. (Tickets are $15, and available here.)

We asked Kembra Pfahler, the lead singer of the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black (and an East Village resident) for an update on the band via Facebook.

"Yes, it's a special show. After a bit of a hiatus, Samoa the originator and original guitarist is back! Gyda Gash is on bass and Michael Wildwood is on drums. We traveled last spring to England and Berlin together, but this will be the first large scale Karen Black show with this fabulous band.

"We are also working on a new album together — 'Fuck Island.' We are doing new work from the album in progress like 'Soldier of Female" and 'I Am a Big Black Cat.' I am working on a new feminist movement called 'Future Feminism.' All of the new work is related to this, and saving the world one show or song at a time.

"Youthquake and No Bra are also playing. We are all friends and are looking forward to the show."

So are we.