Founders of Found Magazine Offer Glimpse into Lives of Others

By J. Gelband, 10-17-07

This is what I found on Wednesday night: The founders of Found Magazine on their national “There Goes the Neighborhood” tour at Boise’s Women of Steel Gallery.

Well, just one of the founders was there, actually. Brothers Davy and Peter Rothbart, Found editors, are on the cross-country tour to celebrate and promote the release of the fifth issue of Found – the Crime Issue.

Though the Los Angeles Times says “Davy and Peter Rothbart are utterly engaging performers,” we didn’t get that show – here in Boise we just got Peter because Davy had left for an unknown reason to Camden, ME.

Peter solo, however, was utterly engaging and surely the best entertainer in Boise on the chilly Wednesday night.

Found is a magazine collection of crap that people find: love letters, birthday cards, homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles – anything that gives a glimpse into someone else’s life.

People all over the world submit found items for publication; it is both voyeuristic and an exercise in imagination, and it is thoroughly fascinating.

According to the magazine’s web site, the concept began when Davy found a note mistakenly placed on his windshield in Chicago one night. It read: “Mario, I fucking hate you you said you had to work then whys your car HERE at HER place?? You’re a fucking LIAR I hate you I fucking hate you Amber P.S. Page me later.”

That was just the start of this giant, hilarious collection – part of which Peter shared with the 30 people in the Boise audience. Peter, also a skilled guitarist, performed songs written from notes included in the newest issue.

One song, a catchy folk tune, “Your Booty Don’t Stop, Girl,” based on a homemade rap on a found cassette tape, quickly became a crowd favorite and group sing-a-long.

Davy is going to meet up with Peter again because the Found guys are in the middle of their three-month, 63-city tour. You can catch upcoming “There Goes the Neighborhood” shows in Washington, Oregon, California, and New Mexico cities in the next few weeks. Check here for dates.

And when you go to the show, don’t forget to bring any zany items you’ve found to share with the audience and with the founders for publication in the next issue.