Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Contests $4,000 fellowships from the Arkansas Arts Council
The Arkansas Arts Council announced the categories today for up to nine $4,000 individual artist fellowships that will be awarded this fall. The fellowships will be awarded in the categories of Novels, Painting and Classical Music. Deadline for entries is April 20.
More details and info about how to enter in the press release on the jump...
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Film "West of Memphis" a powerhouse
I went to the third public screening of "West of Memphis" today, held at Little Rock's Trio's restaurant before a crowd of news media and WM3 supporters. Capi Peck, who has led the WM3 charge in the state, said the Little Rock screening happened at the request of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, who produced the film, and who thought an Arkansas audience should see it as soon as possible. The new documentary about the West Memphis Three case had previously screened only at the Sundance Film Festival and at a Sundance-sponsored screening at Nashville's Belcourt Theater last Thursday.
In short: "West of Memphis" is a hell of a thing, and not just because it's a document about the millions of dollars and millions of people-hours it took to set three men free who shouldn't have been locked up in the first place (driving home, it will definitely make you think long and hard about the fate of those wrongfully convicted who don't have access to the legal, financial and public-relations machinery that finally pried the jailhouse doors off their hinges last August). While the film definitely has an agenda, sometimes it takes the determination that an agenda can provide to put a puzzle this complex together.
I plan on writing more about the film in the near future, but have to ruminate on it a bit first. For now, the highest praise I can give "West of Memphis" is this: by the end of it, I left with the feeling I've had with every truly great documentary I've ever seen (including the original "Paradise Lost")... that I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore.
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Coming soon One man 'Lord of the Rings' coming to Hendrix
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
Friday night: 13 Ghosts and Lauderdale at White Water
It's safe to say certain things about the Muscle Shoals, Ala. quintet Lauderdale feel familiar if you're acquainted with the "Muscle Shoals Sound" or any of the music hailing from that corner of Alabama from about 1972 onward. Yes, I'm speaking of Lynyrd Skynyrd, for starters, but more specifically of the latter-day renaissance (think: Drive-by Truckers, Jason Isbell, Dylan LeBlanc, et al.) Basically, if you love countrified rock & roll, it's the place to look for it.
Lauderdale themselves showed every advantage of coming to fruition in such fertile soil: artful songwriting, pristine musicianship (downright evocative pedal-steel fills), and comfort in their song-ified snapshots of workaday characters who drink too much, feel a lot, and "get paid on Friday" but are "broke by Monday." There was a warm sing-along quality to their healthy rockers, and a cluster of local dudes down in front knew almost every word, and even put their arms around each other in a mantle of bro-love when the frontman announced they'd be doing their "anthem": a ballad whose refrain repeated the wince-worthy line, "I still have to drink to fall asleep."
From Birmingham, headliners 13 Ghosts are a rugged three-piece of hirsute, imposing figures — each with his own hint of kindness and edge, like benevolent-hermit mountain men. Their opening number exploded with such trembling intensity and otherworldly guitar effects, in fact, it was like they were attempting to conjure up some specter of the past. They were equal parts humorless and jocund, apt to tease each other but then launch into some heartworn, true-story ballad about a friend who lost his life, presumably to bad behavior in a backwards town.
Though all this may sound like the cozy tropes of rootsy-rock, beware. Easily the most intriguing things about 13 Ghosts are their strange and varied influences, and thus, their ability to duck the expectations of an audience accustomed to formulaic Southern rock. After all, the band is a three-piece — the lineup perhaps most identified with punk — requiring a to-the-limits exploitation of their limited resources. This means, of course, that several of the songs rollicked over blown-out, undulating bass lines, and that the drum kit was as softly expressive an instrument as it was a beat-blasting machine.
Frontman Brad Armstrong sang certain numbers with the working-class affectation of a singer-songwriter, but in his more straightforward rock & roll, he intoned a nasally and dissatisfied narration — a singing voice that felt more at home with Michael Stipe's greatest exercises in ennui. As he was also the guitarist, Armstrong picked like a demon in places where his melody or his crunchy vamps propelled the song entirely. When he felt the need to jam his face off, he took the bent-forward, gut-punched headbanging stance I've only seen impersonated by myself, at home, in the mirror, attempting my best Darby Crash.
They played for their money's worth, to a crowd much sparser than deserved. 13 Ghosts isn't by any means an acquired taste, but the band is a curious one, spanning genres and generally accessing enough influences to provide an earnest and raw show no matter your musical preferences.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Music Under new owner, Ferneau will still host live music
Back in November, the Times reported about local entrepreneur Frank Fletcher's purchase of Ferneau. Fletcher made it pretty clear that there wouldn't be major changes to the restaurant. The restaurant will continue to host live music regularly on Fridays and Saturdays, and plans are in the works to have music on Thursdays as well, said bartender Peter Webre.
Webre said some customers had assumed that the restaurant and bar would be closing earlier under the new owner, but that Ferneau will stay open until 2 a.m. on Friday and 1 a.m. on Saturday "as long as we have people."
Ferneau hosts Richie Johnson tonight and Chris Henry tomorrow night. Webre said he's aiming to have a monthly show from Amasa Hines as well. The music starts at 10 p.m. and there's no cover charge.
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Theater Rep adds two more "Mockingbird" performances
- Cindy Momchilov
- Abby Shourd as Scout in Arkansas Repertory Theatre's production of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
The Arkansas Repertory Theatre's current show, "To Kill a Mockingbird," has been pretty popular. In fact, all the shows are sold out, so The Rep is adding two additional matinees on Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.
From The Rep:
"In response to overwhelming demand, the theatre has opened two additional matinee performances February 4 and 11. These added performances will open for public sale this Saturday, January 28 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets are $30-$40.
"The Rep will also sell Standing Room Only tickets to sold out performances throughout the run starting Saturday, January 28. SRO seating may include bench seating in the back of the theatre, open seating that has become available for that evening, or actual standing areas in the back of the theatre. A limited amount of SRO tickets will be available for sale in person only, one hour before curtain. SRO tickets for To Kill a Mockingbird are $30 for all performances through Feb. 12."
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Music / Showcase 2012 AT Showcase Round 1: The Holy Shakes
The Holy Shakes impressed the judges last night. In fact, the band was the No. 1 pick of every judge, decisively taking Round 1 and moving on to the finals, Fri. March 2 at Revolution.
Guest judge Mary Chamberlin: "True Punks. Flippant disregard for 'coolness,' studied but unique." and "My record collection called, it wants The Holy Shakes."
Epiphany "knew that frontman had to come out of that leather jacket sooner or later because he was putting in work."
Perhaps Cheyenne Matthews put it best: "... more like Holy Shit! Holy Shit!!!"
Photos after the jump.
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Music / Showcase 2012 AT Showcase Round 1: Vore
Fayetteville's Vore brought the brutal death metal to Round 1 of the 2012 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase.
Judge Sammy Williams appreciated the band's "classic sound, never straying far form the path forged in Florida years ago." Clay Fitzpatrick wrote that he was glad to see some legends of the genre and loved the set, but "wanted to see more drum work from bands like this."
Check out some photos of Vore after the jump.
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Music / Showcase 2012 AT Showcase Round 1: The Coasts
The Coasts came out in force last night. It was a bit surprising to hear these much louder, shaggier versions of the power pop gems on the band's relatively low-key self-titled album.
Showcase judge Epiphany wrote that he'd "expect to hear their music on the soundtrack for a Joseph Gordon-Levitt (star of "50/50" and "500 Days of Summer") movie real soon."
Sammy Williams dug the band's bright and sunny sound. "Harmonies were great," he wrote. "I would have used 300 percent more of them."
After the jump, photos by Brian Chilson
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What's going on / Music Sunday To-Do: P.A.T.H benefit
P.A.T.H. BENEFIT
7 p.m. Juanita's. $10.
The Partnership Against the Trafficking of Humans is based in Kentucky (local office here), and seeks to provide a variety of aid to victims of this modern-day form of slavery. Max Recordings founder Burt Taggart has organized this benefit show, all of the proceeds of which will help P.A.T.H. to provide housing and other resources for rescued victims of human trafficking.
Performers include Chris Maxwell of the Gunbunnies, Lenny Bryan of Ho-Hum and Isaac Alexander of Big Silver. "In my mind, those are — by generation — three of the best pop songwriters LR has produced," Taggart said by e-mail.
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Music / Showcase 2012 AT Showcase Round 1: Shining Rae
Magnolia native Shannin Watkins, who performs as Shinging Rae, wowed the judges and crowd last night with her mix of singer/songwriter chops and pure pop ear candy. Judge Clay Fitzpatrick noted her strong singing and onstage confidence. "She seemed happy and at home on stage. She sang to me and I blushed," he noted.
Guest judge Mary Chamberlin "loved her polite demand for honesty and respect in/from relationships in her songs. Nice break from less empowered pop/R&B songs."
Footage courtesy of Times photographer Brian Chilson:
After the jump, you can check out some of Brian's photos of Shining Rae.
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Saturday To-Do: 'Russian Winter'
ASO: 'RUSSIAN WINTER'
8 p.m. Robinson Center Music Hall. $14-$52.
The latest in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks series features world-renowned Russian pianist Dmitri Alexeev, who has performed with orchestras all over the globe. ASO Conductor Philip Mann told KTHV's Dawn Scott that Alexeev is "a true legend in his own time, a Russian performer that is so well respected all over the world, that not only is he sought after as a soloist by the great orchestras of the world, but he's on the juries of the Tchaikovsky competition, the Van Cliburn competition. It's a true coup for the Arkansas Symphony to be presenting him with us from our stage to our audiences."
The program includes performances of Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 "Classical," Shostakovich's Concerto for Piano No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 in C Minor "Little Russian." The program will be performed again on Sunday at 3 p.m.
On Tuesday, ASO presents "Mozart Meets P.D.Q. Bach" at the Clinton Presidential Center, 7 p.m., $22.
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Showcase Showcase Round 1 goes to The Holy Shakes
Congratulations to The Holy Shakes, of Hot Springs, the winner of Round 1 of the 2012 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Music Ne-Yo is now senior VP of A&R at Motown
Pop/R&B star and Camden native Ne-Yo has brought his Compound Entertainment label under the umbrella of Motown Records, where he is now senior vice president of A&R (via Rolling Stone).
He'll be writing and producing music in addition to the usual A&R responsibilities of shepherding budding, naive young talents into the high-pressure, high-stakes world of pop stardom and making sure they don't fall in with the wrong crowd or become massively egotistical prima donna cokeheads.
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What's going on / Music / Showcase Tonight: Round 1 of the Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase
Tonight: Round 1 of the 2012 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase. Get on down to Stickyz to watch Shining Rae, The Coasts, The Holy Shakes and Vore vie for a spot in the finals.
It starts at 9 p.m., $5 for 21 and older, $8 for 18-20.
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