What's going on
Friday, May 25, 2012
What's going on Tonight: A remembrance for Victor Wiley
Just got word from Wes Broadstone about a cool show tonight around 7 p.m. at Dedicated Art Studio. It's in remembrance of the late, great Victor Wiley, Little Rock's sui generis artist, activist, musician, dancer and guy who threw glitter all over everybody.
Broadstone said there would be some of Wiley's art on display and live performances from the Broadstone brothers' band, The Crisco Kids, as well as The Intestines and The Side Hustlers. The cover is $3.
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What's going on Sunday To-Do: Flow Rider Tour
FLOW RIDER TOUR
Noon. Magic Springs. $20-$40 to register, $30-$45 for park admission.
Back in the late '80s, Tom Lochtefeld first applied for a patent on a machine that would offer those poor souls residing in land-locked states something that approximated the feel of catching a wave. Soon, the world witnessed the debut of the Flow Rider at — where else? — Schlitterbahn, the gigantic water park chain in Texas.
The Flow Rider is essentially a machine that blasts water over a padded, stationary surface, allowing riders to surf or boogie-board atop the synthetic wave. It's proved to be one of the more popular attractions at Magic Springs. There's even an official competitive league, the Flowboarding League of the World. There will be actual, real-live professional flowboarders as well as amateur competitions in several categories. Practice and registration are Saturday from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-noon. There will be prizes awarded for the top four finishers in each division.
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What's going on Saturday: Charlie Daniels, Joecephus, Amasa Hines and more
The Charlie Daniels Band is back in Hot Springs for a concert at Magic Springs' Timberwood Amphitheater, 7:30 p.m., $30-$65.
Memphis madman Joecephus returns to Midtown Billiards to ask us (rhetorically, of course) "What Would Lemmy Do?" That show starts late, 12:30 a.m., and it's $5.
If you missed its set at the Stickyz Tent, or just weren't up to braving Riverfest, Amasa Hines plays White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $7.
How's about some live music and a good ol' fashioned crawfish boil? Well Rip Van Shizzle's got your classic rock covers and mudbugs, 9 p.m., free admission, Thirst n' Howl.
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Thursday, May 24, 2012
What's going on / Music Friday To-Do: The Holy Shakes
THE HOLY SHAKES
8 p.m. Maxine's. $7.
OK, all you punkers and no-goodniks and lovers of rock 'n' roll's nasty underbelly, this here'll be one for the battle-scarred scrapbook of your mind, assuming you still have one left. If you've not had the pleasure of trying out The Holy Shakes in a live setting, there is no better time and place than May 25, 2012, at Maxine's in Hot Springs.
The band is set to release its debut album on an unsuspecting world, much like a wily hunter uncaging a ravenous bobcat onto the town square — an amusing if somewhat deadly prank, in other words. "Feast or Famine," pressed up on 180-gram wax, will be made available for the very first time on this evening, so you should probably have some extra dollars with you (they'll have it at Riverfest, too). The opening acts include Fayetteville's Fauxnz, Little Rock's The Nigh Ends and Fort Smith's A+ Setup.
The Shakes take it on the road in early June, laying waste to squares, posers, prudes, scolds, nags, eardrums, outdated cultural mores, oppressive societal norms and what-have-you. This will happen to Fayetteville; Chicago; Cleveland; Brooklyn; Manhattan; Greensboro, N.C., and Nashville, in that order.
Check out the Holy Shakes track "Spray Paint Saint" after the jump.
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What's going on Friday: Cedric Burnside, Don't Stop Please, Cool Shoes and more
- Brian Chilson
- Don't Stop Please plays Chelsea's Corner in Eureka Springs Friday.
Mississippi bluesman Cedric Burnside brings some Hill Country sounds back to White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $10.
If you're up in Eureka Springs, Don't Stop Please plays Chelsea's Corner at 9 p.m., $5 (the band also plays Maxine's on Saturday with Handmade Moments, 8 p.m., $5).
Juanita's has a free show from Knoxville metalcore outfit Straight Line Stitch, with openers Psychostick, 9 p.m.
It's that time of the month. You know the one, when the Cool Shoes dance party returns for a night of raging at Downtown Music Hall, 9 p.m.
Lulav hosts "BLOW: Memorial Day Weekend All White Affair," featuring DJs Klassic and Mike Blaze; all-white attire is suggested but not required, 10 p.m.
VJ g-force takes the helm at Tavern Sports Grill, 8 p.m., free.
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What's going on / Music Friday To-Do: Diggy Simmons
DIGGY SIMMONS
7 p.m. Barton Coliseum. $30-$48.
Daniel Wayne "Diggy" Simmons III is hip-hop royalty. This young man (born in 1995!) is the son of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, co-founder of the legendary Run-D.M.C., and the nephew of Russell Simmons.
He might be young but he's already on the rise courtesy of a run of mixtapes and freestyles. Check out his freestyle over Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones" for proof; it's got wit to spare ("y'all got Mickey D pockets and caviar taste"). He's a Kanye-approved, lightning-speed rapper who's being mentored by Pharrell. Hell, he's already got his own clothing line — Chivalrous Culture. His recent debut, "Unexpected Arrival," boasted the Jadakiss-guest track "88," a minimal, bass-heavy jam.
Check out "88" after the jump.
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
What's going on Thursday: 'Dixie Swim Club,' The Blaggards, Riverfest wine tasting and more
Murry's Dinner Playhouse is staging "The Dixie Swim Club," a comedy about five eclectic Southern women, 6 p.m. Tue.-Sat., $15-$33.
Author Cathy Urwin presents "Republican Reformer: Winthrop Rockefeller's Legacy as Governor of Arkansas" at the Arkansas Arts Center, 5:30 p.m., $5 or free for AAC members.
The Blaggards bring "Stout Irish Rock" to Hibernia Irish Tavern, 9:30 p.m., free.
To celebrate the 35th Riverfest and the 90th anniversary of the Little Rock Junior League, festival organizers are hosting a wine tasting, led by Bruce Cochran. The event includes more than 90 wines from all over the world, as well as food from several local restaurants, 5:30 p.m. at River Market Pavilion, $30 (or two for $50) adv., $35 door.
This is the last week for the Rep's production of "Next to Normal." It runs at 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday, $45-$50.
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What's going on / Music Thursday To-Do: Epiphany
EPIPHANY
9 p.m. Revolution. $10.
Our man 'Piph has always been tireless — putting out mixtapes and singles, emceeing all kinds of shows and parties and performing live regularly. He's been on a roll in recent months, though, releasing his long-awaited long-player "Such is Life," as well as some excellent videos for "Untouchable," and "Something to Tell Ya."
He's been taking his show on the road lately too, playing dates around the region, including Fayetteville, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Jackson and Hattiesburg, Miss., Memphis and Texarkana. This show represents a reunion of sorts, as Epiphany will be performing again with the band Tomorrow Maybe, which you probably saw providing that rock-solid live backing on the video for "Untouchable Unplugged."
Also performing with Tomorrow Maybe will be Bijoux and Dee Dee Jones. Openers include JWhite, Bully Gang and Duke Stigall, with host Sean Fresh.
Check out the video for "Something to Tell Ya" after the jump.
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What's going on / Music Wednesday To-Do: Ty Segall, White Fence
TY SEGALL, WHITE FENCE
9 p.m. White Water Tavern. $10.
These two dudes are primo practitioners of contemporary garage-pop, though on opposite poles on the fuzz-continuum. Ty Segall is pure blonde buff-ness, all bludgeoning fun in the weird California sun. White Fence — the solo handle of one Tim Presley — is more like that squirrelly nervous guy who spends a bit too much time in-of-doors, tinkering on a four-track machine and biting his nails while crafting perfect little psychedelic petits fours.
They got together for an excellent collaborative album, "Hair," released back in April via the good ship Drag City. It's a major rager all right, a sweet-n-sour blend of Presley's spindly jangle and Segall's fuzz-ified overdrive. There's a total guitar meltdown on the track "Scissor People" that's awesome and then before you know it, the whole thing takes a jarring turn into some weird cut-up territory. The rest of the album is great, too. "Time" is an easy-rydin' anthem with some soulful jamming that evokes Crazy Horse, but man, "Scissor People" is a compellingly weird lil' gem. Segall was last at the White Water back in 2010 and put on a furious set of originals and a couple bravura covers. This here'll be a good'n.
Opening act is Useless Eaters, outta Tennessee ("Tennesseein' is Tennebelievin' "). The band makes twitchy power-pop for the unhealthy set, maybe like if Crime had been inclined to try out melodies every once in a while.
After the jump, a video of Ty Segall and White Fence playing "Scissor People."
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What's going on / Heavy Metal Wednesday To-Do: Down
DOWN
8 p.m. Juanita's. $25.
Down's bruising stoner riffage is the ideal soundtrack for when you're rollin' down a back highway at a steady 42 MPH in a primer-covered '86 Monte Carlo SS, burnt jernt in the ashtray, 24-oz. Mountain Dew in the cup holder, some Popeye's trash over in the passenger floorboard, softball bat in the back seat, on your way to go break a bunch of some jerkoff's expensive property.
I suppose before I go too much further I should point out the whole supergroup element of Down (members of Crowbar, Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Eyehategod). That's cool and all, but Down has its own identity separate of those other, admittedly awesome, bands. That said, if you dig those groups and somehow haven't checked out Down, well you'd better just get on it, hoss. Begin at the beginning, with 1995's "NOLA."
But anyways, whereas a lot of your doomy longhairs primarily focus on channeling only the most crushing and heavy elements of Black Sabbath (and to be clear, I'm way into that), Down is the rare band that says, "Hey dudes, wait a minute. Remember 'Planet Caravan'? Remember 'Solitude'? How they'd get all cosmic 'n shit? Let's go for a little of that for a sec." And then they do, and it's awesome and then they go back to that groove-heavy Southern Sabbath-worship that so many of us love, and it's awesome again.
The opening act, haarp (all lowercase and with two "a"s like that) traffics in ultra-pained sludgy crushingness. The group's forthcoming album was produced by Down's Phil Anselmo. There's a video online of Anselmo and haarp performing Pantera's classic "Walk." No telling if such a thing might happen at Juanita's. It could've been a total one-off, but who knows? There's only one way to find out for sure.
Check out the video for Down's "Stone the Crow" after the jump.
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Friday, May 18, 2012
What's going on Saturday: Earl & Them, Bonnie Montgomery, The Tricks and more
Fayetteville stalwarts Earl & Them with Earl Cate play a show at Denton's Trotline, 9 p.m.
It's time once more for Music in the Garden, with barroom songstress Bonnie Montgomery, as well as educational events about gardening, activities for kids, food from local restaurants and more, Dunbar Community Garden, 3 p.m., $3-$5.
Banjo-pickin' ramblin' troubadour Joe Sundell is back in town for a show at Pizza D'Action, 9 p.m., $3.
Vino's has The Tricks, Ezra Lbs. and Indie Bullshit, 8 p.m., $8
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What's going on / Music Saturday: Stars & Stripes 2012
Country singer John Anderson headlines Stars & Stripes 2012, a tribute concert to the armed forces at The Ford Theater in Conway 7 p.m. Openers include Luke Winslow-King and Drew Smith. Tickets are $35-$50.
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What's going on Saturday To-Do: Real Cowboy Association Rodeo
- Real Cowboy Association
- The Real Cowboy Association's "Baddest Show on Dirt" is Saturday at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds.
REAL COWBOY ASSOCIATION RODEO
7 p.m. Arkansas State Fairgrounds. $24.
I suppose that this needs to be said, because there are probably still a lot of folks who aren't in the know: Yes, there are black cowboys and black rodeos. Black folks have a long history of riding and roping going all the way back to the legendary cowboy Bill Pickett, who literally took the bull by the horns and invented the bulldogging technique of bringing down a steer. It's just one of the many, many parts of the African-American story that gets overlooked in history class.
The Real Cowboy Association is one of the premier black rodeo organizations and comes to town on its "Baddest Show on Dirt" tour. In addition to all the calf roping, bull riding, barrel racing and all the rest, there will be a tailgate party starting at 3 p.m. outside the fairgrounds, as well as live music from Lafayette, La., R&B singer Cupid (known for the hit song "Cupid Shuffle" and the dance of the same name) and Michael Cooper, co-founder of the funk legends Con Funk Shun.
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What's going on Saturday To-Do: 8th Annual Buzz-B-Q
- Oddjob
- The 8th Annual Buzz-B-Q is Saturday at North Little Rock RV Park.
8TH ANNUAL BUZZ-B-Q
10 a.m. North Little Rock RV Park. $10.
How could you make tender, delicious smoky, barbecue any better? How about by combining it with a bunch of live entertainment and it's all to support a good cause? Because that's what's in store at the 8th Annual Buzz-B-Q, where 90 teams — roughly split between pro and amateur — will compete in several categories to see who has the best, most delicious, tender, smokiest, fallin'-off-the-bone-est chicken, pork and beef.
And get this: it's only $10 to get in (or $10 for two tickets if you buy them before Saturday), you'll sample all kinds of 'cue and hear music from a ton of local bands (including Jeff Coleman and The Feeders and Jeff Green) and hear commentary from 103.7 The Buzz personalities and the proceeds benefit Camp Sunshine, a four-day retreat especially for pediatric burn survivors that's funded by The Arkansas Professional Firefighters and is hosted at Camp Aldersgate every year. This is definitely a To-Do.
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Thursday, May 17, 2012
What's going on / Music Friday To-Do: Hinder, Trapt, The Dreaming
HINDER, TRAPT, THE DREAMING
9 p.m. Juanita's. $25 adv., $30 d.o.s.
SEPT. 12, 2057, NORMAN, OKLA.: Despite multiple hip replacements, two-and-a-half liver transplants, full-scalp hair plugs and innumerable facelifts and paunch-abatements, Austin Winkler is as devastatingly studly as ever. The Hinder frontman still cuts an intimidating figure, even at age 81 and even though he is swathed in what can only be described as a huge-ass pile of scarves.
He sits at the bar of O'McFlannagin's Irish College Pub on a quiet weekday afternoon, stirring his drink with a bejeweled pinky finger. "You know these guys used to sponsor us," he says, referring to his Jägermeister and Kombucha spritzer. Winkler is feeling reflective, sharing anecdotes from his many decades as a rock 'n' roll wildman. "Our first album was called 'Extreme Behavior,' " he says. "But were we really that extreme?"
He pauses, lost in thought, as the fading afternoon light from the window glints off of one of his five pairs of sunglasses. A slow half-smile creeps across his unnaturally taut visage as he begins to answer that rhetorical query. "I once had a 43-way. It's like a three-way, only with 43 people instead of just three. It's like, 40 times more awesome." More tales of tour debauchery followed at some length, including an episode at a "Malaysian albino colony" that left this reporter both dumbfounded and deeply shaken.
But the fast times caught up with him eventually. There were the normal inner conflicts and ego clashes, sure, but there were also hang-gliding mishaps, boating disasters, international incidents of various sorts. So in the end, was it all worth it? Winkler takes a deep breath, a faraway look in his eye.
Suddenly the door swings open and a bleached-blonde, black-leather-clad crone walks in and sidles up to the bar, a few seats down from Winkler. He eyes her discreetly, then whispers to the bartender: "Skyler, hey, Skyler!" The barkeep looks up, Winkler nods to him and then he fiddles with the stereo. A moment later, the Hinder classic "Lips of an Angel," comes on over the speakers. The wizened old hag begins to sway, her lips mouthing the words to the bombastic power ballad hit: "I gotta whisper / 'cause I can't be too loud."
Winkler sees his opening. "Was it worth it?" he chortles, getting up to take a seat next to the geriatric enchantress. "You tell me."
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Event Calendar
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Re: The dude from 'Twilight' is making a movie about 'The Band'
You hear that noise??.......it's Levon spinning in his grave.....this has the thieving Robbie Robertson and…
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Re: Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash Music Festival
Yes, good point Pygface. I'll inquire about all that and give an update when we…
- on May 24, 2012
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Re: Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash Music Festival
Or don't buy your ticket yet if you want to ride the bus as last…
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