What/Where This Weekend? The “Love Project” debuts, and Sunder plays at the Larimer Lounge

As usual, with as many choices as there are any weekend in our burgh – and this weekend is V-Day, to boot – it helps to have a few choices pointed out by a friend or two.  So here’s our latest “Who’s Playin’ What, Where!?” for this weekend, and into next week. Trust us – neither of these events will be less than awesome. It’d be terrible of us to steer you wrong, right?

But seriously, these two events promise to be unforgettable, and we think you should be at both of them. . . .

The Love Project: A Denver photographer looks into spiritual, physical, intimate connections for a few seconds, and shows incalculable depth, passion, and truth.

Lucia De Giovanni is a native of Italy, and was married at 19 when she began her search for love – too early, perhaps, but her vision was marred in just the right way by the seven-year experience. This Sunday, her years-long project (still in progress) to capture something from couples in love by taking a mere 60 seconds of photographs, meets the public at the Flobots’ Community Space on 27th & Larimer, for one night only.

De Giovanni  is a stalwart of the Denver community, having shot hundreds of bands for Denver Post Reverb over recent years, and running her own freelance photographer position successfully enough to be able to focus on some major projects to feed her own artist’s soul, as well as all of ours. Besides “The Love Project,” De Giovanni has also undertaken – and completely financed – the “My Life” project, which endeavors to photograph people in hospices as they ready for their exit from life. The “My Life” project spanned three years before she had to put it on hold (due to the fact that her own funding was running out), and she photographed hundreds of people in some of the most beautiful, terrifying, peaceful and dignified moments in their lives.

This weekend’s one night stand will feature all 75 of De Giovanni’s photos from “The Love Project.” As the Denver Post’s John Moore reported recently, “The Love Project” came out of De Giovanni’s deep desire to “… figure out how to recognize real love,” as a result of her last breakup. The methodology of each shoot is to open the shutter quickly, again and again and again, for one minute, and one minute only, as the couple in question attempts to show her their love. One and only one photograph is chosen to represent the couple, and becomes a vision of their connection.

In all cases, these impressions are intense, real, emotional and deeply soulful pictures of a truly intangible thing. As do the pictures from her “My Life” project.

“If I had to describe a commonality with the couples,” De Giovanni pointed out in an interview with DenverThread, “I would say that they’re all linked by the same colored thread – that’s why the logo is simply perfect.  Love is such an abstract concept, but I see a bond, a strength that comes from knowing that someone loves you, someone has your back.  There is serenity, joy and peace in each photo.” And you can see it in every one of De Giovanni’s choices.

All 75 photographs are featured in a self-published book that De Giovanni is selling, and it can be ordered online. “…the book is a fine art photo book, 13×11, hardcover, premium paper with luster finish,  and will be sold in limited editions while self-published,” she explained. While there are talks with a few publishers to pick the book up, nothing is final yet. The book can be purchased here.

As for the future of these two, massive projects, De Giovanni had this to say:

“The LOVE Project continues – the couples are Phase I, all under the same umbrella of LOVE…. I am taking some time to design  the right approach and schedule – love comes in many different forms, I want to try and capture as many as I can!!!”

“The “My Life” project is on hold – it has pretty much exhausted my savings, as I funded it on my own for three years.  If I can find a hospice or sponsor to back me up, I’d love to see it reinstated – and my goal would be to set up chapters all around the world, training photographers to provide this service free of charge, doing it the “right” way.  I stay hopeful.  Maybe a grant, something… So many people want to see it grow ….”

Take some time to see these incredible photographs this weekend, and make your Valentine’s day even more special. Meet up at the Flobots’ Community Space at 2705 Larimer St., from 8 – 11 PM.

Add some sacred time to the day – you’ll love it.

Saturday, February 12, Larimer Lounge: Sunder, opening for Casey James Prestwood & the Burning Angels

One of Denver’s newest foursomes, Sunder, could be described as one of the band’s friends pointed out on Facebook recently: “Shoe gaze country bastards.” Pigeonholing, to be sure – and with a certain expertise and grasp of both genres – but not too far off. From what I’ve heard of the band, a cold, hard winter-in-Wisconsin-soil  and a dusting of shoegaze noise are a core feature. If you remember Codeine (the band, not the pharmaceutical – well, maybe the drug as well …), or swoon to the heavy, quiet movements of Low, then you’re going to love Sunder.

Sunder includes members from other successful local bands (surprise – Denver seems so incestuous at times, but the results hold their own): Bryon parker (drums) also plays in Accordion Crimes, Mike Perfetti (vocals, guitar) plays in Ideal Fathers and Todd Spriggs (bass) also plays for Light Travels Faster. They’re joined by guitarist Danny White in making a desolate, lonely and almost frigid sort of Americana, steeped in quiet heartbreak.

Catch them before they take over, Saturday, February 12, at the Larimer Lounge $8 cover. Show up early!

Need proof? Check out this sample of their latest, “No Control”:

[wpaudio url=”https://www.denverthread.com/wp-content/themes/mimbo/sounds/01 No Control.mp3″ text=”Sunder – No Control”]