Day 2 of the Festival of Disruption was held on May 20, 2018 at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, New York. I recently shared a recap from my unbelievable experience during the first day of the event. I couldn’t wait to return for another fun day filled with speakers (aka Naomi Watts and David Lynch!!), friends from around the world, good music, and more Twin Peaks-themed beer.
After stopping at Hungry Ghost Coffee, I arrived at Brooklyn Steel around 9:30 a.m. Unlike the previous rainy day, the weather was humid (I thought I left Florida to get away from that kind of weather). While waiting for the doors to the theatre to open at 11:00 a.m., let’s take a look at the Festival Guide.
Rebekah Del Rio signed my Festival Guide. Love that she wrote “Silencio!”
Since I had the Director’s Circle package, I stopped by the David Lynch Foundation table to pick up a limited-edition Transcend poster by David Lynch.
David Lynch can be seen drawing a similar poster at the 2-minute mark in this YouTube video.
Shortly after 11:00 a.m., Bob Roth welcomed Naomi Watts to the stage. He shared a short video of her describing what it’s like working with David Lynch. The best part of the video was her impressions of David – she had me laughing so much!
Here is a 7-minute video of Naomi describing her experiences working on Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks on Showtime. She was delightful! She does even more David Lynch impressions.
Below are some additional photos of Naomi Watts from the Festival of Disruption.
After Naomi’s conversation, she stopped by the merchandise booth where the Showtime team snapped this image of her holding Dougie’s coffee mug. Thank you to Showtime for sharing this image! I watched it being captured.
The 24-minute documentary There But Not There was screened next, followed by a conversation with Gregory Crewdson and Rick Moody. I watched part of the film but stepped out to grab some dumplings for lunch (didn’t want to make the same mistake of not eating like I did on Saturday).
At the Eraserhead Experience, attendees watched a short clip from the film, and were invited to recreate the Lady in the Radiator scene. Each person received a Polaroid picture from the booth. I tried making her cheeks with my hands.
For Paul Holdengraber‘s conversation with David Lynch, all attendees had to place their phones in Yondr Boxes. Once placed inside, the soft case was locked. I could still carry my phone and small camera with me, but I couldn’t use them. Since Lynch’s talk was phone free, I brought my notebook shaped like Special Agent Dale Cooper’s recorder.
Since I was late exiting the building to check my phone, I sat toward the back of the theatre. When I arrived inside, they were showing Sandro Miller’s Psychogenic Fugue created for the David Lynch Foundation (See this link to watch the video).
Following that short film, they showed another filmed titled Curtains Up. It was narrated by Lynch and contained a mixture of gorgeous images and sound while providing insight about meditation.
It was dark where I was seated so I attempted to take notes and draw pictures (ala Deputy Andy Brennan style from Twin Peaks). My notes look like chicken scratch so I’ll translate below each image collage:
- During Curtains Up, David Lynch was seen sitting in a theatre. The camera panned down to him watching a movie. The film title appeared on screen in the style of his handwriting.
- “I like stories that hold abstractions. That’s what cinema can do.”
- A scene of him painting where he said, “I was a painter. I had no interest in film.”
- “Must have clarity to create which will help catch ideas.”
- “Emotion + Intellect = Intuition”
- “Intuition can be expanded through meditation.”
- “Walk to the light and things will get better.”
At this point, the film ended and Paul and David arrived on stage. I drew a picture of them seated across from each other. Two glasses of water sat on a golden-colored table between them.
Paul started the conversation by talking about Eraserhead. He said that the film was his most spiritual to date. Lynch supposedly read the Bible a found a passage that exactly describes his first full-length film. When pressed about the particular passage, Lynch wouldn’t say which one it was.
- I watched David Lynch’s hands. He was constantly moving them as if he was painting his words. At one point, I counted him flexing his hands 42 times.
- He mentioned that smokers are treated like animals and that he just enjoys tobacco.
- Paul asked him about his childhood memories – a doorway to the future. Lynch recalled the “smell of fresh cut grass while laying down and looking at the blue sky. It was the first time he realized there was more going on than meets the eye.”
- “I believe in the almighty, merciful Father and divine mother.”
- “When things are too clean and sterile, it’s not good.” Lynch then described an experience visiting Seattle, WA. He was checking into a hotel but was told smoking was not allowed. He ended up at a seedy Motel 6 that was “so seedy, no one bugged him.” He thought the world needs places that are seedy and dirty.
- “Negativity is like a suffocating clown suit.”
- Lynch then discussed ideas shared from his book “Catching the Big Fish.” He told the story about how puzzles make sense once all the pieces are in place.
- “Success is dangerous. It can make you second guess the next thing. Failure can be devastating but it brings a sense of freedom to go up and up. Success is nice but the work is the most important thing.”
- “There’s a danger in recording every aspect of your life on social media. It doesn’t capture the interiors which is where your emotions happen. Live for now and transcend every day.”
- “True happiness is not out there, true happiness is within.”
- “I once took a smoke break with Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. in a stairwell in New York City. Smokers are made to go outside and huddle in stairwells. We didn’t exchange words but just enjoyed the tobacco.”
- “Everyone has an experience of happiness in a relative sense. Happiness doesn’t go away; it builds up and up and up.”
- “Submerge yourself in happy moments.”
- His meditation technique has stayed the same since 1973.
- He is currently “into painting right now, watching crime shows and watching Velocity channel. I like watching people build and customize cars.”
- “Films mean something to me but I don’t need to explain what it means. The film is the thing, there is no need to talk about it. There is a different feeling with every screening based on who attends the screening.”
- A guest asked about Shakespeare and how it relates to his works. He responded he had no thoughts about Shakespeare. Said he enjoyed a Russian version of a Shakespeare film. It started with a peaceful view of the ocean at night which was interrupted by a giant shield crashing down in the screen.
- Sound is important in film – “Sound and picture flowing together in time.”
After Paul and David’s talk ended, they screened a short film by Lynch, What Did Jack Do? It was shot in 2016 and featured Lynch playing a character resembling Gordon Cole interviewing a monkey who committed a murder. The monkey talked of course. See Lynchland on Facebook for more details about this film.
Time for a dinner break with @Twin_Petes at De Francesco. I had the the gnocchi and it was delicious!
Following dinner, I returned to Brooklyn Steel to get more photos with fellow fans.
It was great seeing Francine The Lucid Dream who is a singer, burlesque performer and producer of The Pink Room Burlesque. Loved that she was sporting the Double R Diner waitress outfit since I was wearing a Double R Diner t-shirt.
Great spending time during the sessions sessions and concerts with @Greatwoods_DCW.
How’s Annie? traveled from Montreal to attend the event!
Great seeing Sarah and David. I met Sarah on the first day at the event while waiting in line.
Following a DJ set by Nancy Whang, the Brooklyn-based keyboard band Au Revoir Simone took the stage. I was first introduced to their music via Twin Peaks on Showtime. They played a handful of songs including “Lark,” which was seen at the end of Part 4. Upon hearing the song, I wished I could see the “Starring Kyle MacLachlan” ending credits to Twin Peaks. Thankfully the internet and @Greatwoods_DCW didn’t let me down.
… ok here steven pic.twitter.com/ypaMl5GfCZ
— great woods research (@greatwoods_dcw) May 21, 2018
Jim James was up next. I had never heard his music until that night. Wow! He was one of my favorite new acts.
Angel Olsen performed a song with Jim James then she appeared solo on stage.
The night closed with an acapella performance by Rebekah Del Rio.
For the photos of her, I wanted to match an image of her singing “No Stars” from Part 10 of Twin Peaks on Showtime.
I think I came close, minus the band (No Hay Banda!).
At Festival of Disruption, she performed “Llorando” from David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. Take a listen to a 33-second clip of her performance. Wow!
Here are additional photos of her singing. She was the one performer I was looking forward to seeing the most at the event.
Following the live performances, I said farewell to friends and left Brooklyn Steel for my hotel.
With the Festival of Disruption and my trip coming to an end, I stopped at Woodhul Wine Bar for an Old Fashioned and reflected on the past three days. I’m thrilled I attended the event.
Hearing the speakers and seeing the live music was a blast, yet I particularly enjoyed spending time with other folks who enjoy the wonderful and strange worlds created by David Lynch. The best part is the proceeds from the weekend will help others in need via the David Lynch Foundation. It’s great making a difference while having a fun at the same time.
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Great recap, Steven! Thanks! Almost as good as being there! I’m disappointed I couldn’t attend – my parter Mary is an especially big fan of Au Revoir Simone and they haven’t played together in years – but I’m hoping to make it to the next LA event. Hope to see you at one of the future festivals!