Stephan Koplowitz: Revealed

We’d like to think that we could give you a decent explanation of what a camera obscura is. We’d also like to be able to tell you that we were good in math and science, but we can’t do that, either. Anyway, this technology goes back hundreds of years, and involves an image being projected on a wall of a dark room (or, with the help of a box and a mirror, on paper) that has originated through a small hole in an opposite wall (or, in the case of the box, from another hole in the box). The resulting image is upside down.

Stephan Koplowitz has installed a room-sized, walk-in camera obscura at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art for your amusement and edification beginning this weekend. The folks at the museum say that this “promises a whole new look at our legendary upside down trees”—i.e., they’ll be right-side up—“and the mountains beyond.”

Koplowitz and his associates will be in residence the following weekend to create a “site- specific performance event” on June 9 or 10; check with MASS MoCA for the exact day and time.

Stephan Koplowitz: Revealed opens Saturday (June 2) at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass.) and continues through June 20. For more info, call MASS MoCA at (413) 662-2111.

The Mitch Show

Here at Metroland, we love discovering new words—especially made-up, totally not-real words. In researching tomorrow (Friday) night’s big show at WAMC’s “the Linda,” we learned that indie filmmaker Mitchell Rose describes The Mitch Show as “cineformatainment.”

Hmm, cineformatainment. It made us wonder if Mr. Rose’s talents are misplaced in indie cinema, as that delightfully phony construction has a distinct whiff of Madison Avenue-style “branding.” Especially since we can’t figure out what “cineformatainment” is supposed to mean.

Anyway, The Mitch Show is a collection of Rose’s ac claimed, audience-pleasing comic short films “spanning the oeuvre of the artist,” plus some promised-to-be-zany, audience-participation hijinks led by the filmmaker himself.

The New York Times has described him as “a rare and wonderful talent.” Which seems generous, as The New York Times, unlike Met roland, has little fondness for made-up, totally not-real words.

The Mitch Show, starring Mitchell Rose, will be presented tomorrow (Friday, June 1) at 8 PM at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio (339 Central Ave., Albany). Tickets are $7. For more info, call 465-5233 ext. 4.

“Weird Al” Yankovic

“My Bologna.” “Another One Rides the Bus.” “Eat It.” “Like a Surgeon.” “Amish Paradise.” “Smells Like Nirvana.” “Fat.” These are but a few of the huge catalog of hits that the one and only “Weird Al” Yankovic will bring to the area when his Straight Outta Lynwood tour hits the Palace this week. Fans can count on multiple costume changes, lots of funny faces, and medleys of Yankovic’s most famous song parodies.

Yankovic is currently experiencing a huge surge in popularity, thanks in part to his recent Lynwood disc, which features some very, well, “Weird Al” takes on R&B hits by R. Kelly (the 9-minute “Trapped in the Drive-Thru”) and Chamillionaire, whose “Ridin’ Dirty” was transformed into Al’s biggest hit in years, “White and Nerdy”—only the second U.S. gold single of his nearly-25-year career. Where does he come up with this stuff? Who cares? It’s funny, and we loves us some funny.

“Weird Al” Yankovic and his longtime band will perform at the Palace Theatre (19 Clinton Ave., Albany) tomorrow (Friday, June 1) at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $36, $32, and $26. To reserve seats, call the Palace box office at 465-3334.