Also this issue: The Mark Portraits -Juliet Fletcher Civil Pride -David Field Royal Prerogative -Ainé Ardron-Doley

May 29-June 4, 2003

mixpicks

Brotherly Love is a Battelfield

by Chris Cummins

With all the talk of increased security and terror alert systems, the fact that our government continues to overlook the very real threat posed by giant city-crushing monsters is inexcusable. Well, maybe things aren't quite that dire, but citizens of our fair city looking for a more tangible war between good and evil will find one this week when Kaiju Big Battel comes to town. Formed by a collective of Boston art students in 1994, Kaiju (which translates to "mysterious beast") Big Battel is a brilliant mash-up of backyard wrestling, Japanese pop culture and performance art. The KBB storyline is simple: A legion of dastardly villains led by the square-headed Dr. Cube is determined to take over the earth one wrestling ring at a time. Fortunately for mankind, there exists a group of heroes -- including human-turned-side-order Silver Potato -- ready to face-off against these foes. In reality, the elaborate plot is just an excuse to get a group of folks clad in cheesy foam-rubber costumes to beat the hell out of each other. This is precisely the reason that Kaiju is rapidly becoming a phenomenon of Andre the Giant proportions. A trip to the Kaiju Big Battel website (www.kaiju.com) features everything from purchasable thongs to downloadable pseudo-religious tracts that Cube's faithful can pass out to garner support for his crazed cause. Fans heading to Saturday's show can expect four bizarre matches, the debut of two new top-secret characters, a Double Dare-esque audience participation area featuring Los Plantanos (pictured) and enough mayhem to make Godzilla proud. Opening the show is a performance by Philly's own Need New Body, who just might if they cross any of the baddies backstage.

Kaiju Big Battel with Need New Body, Sat., May 31, 7:30 p.m., $20-$22, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000.