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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Music Here's a track from the forthcoming album by The Alpha Ray
Little Rock's The Alpha Ray — playing the Stickyz Music Tent at Riverfest tonight — has an album coming out this fall on Thick Syrup Records. It's being mastered as we speak by none other than Ken Stringfellow, of The Posies/Minus 5/Big Star/a jillion other bands.
While the record won't be out quite yet, you can check out this track, "Berlin Rainbow," after the jump.
The Alpha Ray dudes are Bryan Frazier, Jonathan Teague (Clicking Beetle Bad Omen Band, The Many Persian Z's), Chris Avakian (Flaming Death Fairies, The Many Persian Z's), and David Stone (Landrest).
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Film The dude from 'Twilight' is making a movie about 'The Band'
Robert Pattinson, the actor who plays sparkly, emasculated vampire Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" series, has told the magazine Les Rockuptibles that one of the projects he'll be taking on in coming months is a film about "The Band."
Before you start thinking the ghost of Levon is going to appear and stake his ass, this might actually be interesting. Beyond all the Twigasming, Pattison is an reasonably good young actor — his turn as Stephanie Meyer's whiny, tubercular virgin-slayer not withstanding — and probably has enough pull in Hollywood these days to bring some real money and talent to what will have to be an ensemble project.
Besides, you can't possibly hate Edward as much as Robert Pattinson does.
From the interview with Les Rockuptibles:
Q: What are you working on right now?
RP: I'm going to do a movie about The Band, the one that played with Dylan: a beautiful script about the nature of songwriting. I'm preparing a thriller too, with a beautifully written script too. It doesn't have a director yet. Tons of French directors are in line to to do. A few years ago, Latin America was where it's happening, it seems it's France turn now ... I'm filming another movie with Cronenberg but i don't know when he wants to start filming. It's going to be his first one in the US and he promises it's going to be very strange. The next two or three years are going to be crucial for me. It's now that that everything happens.
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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
Reviews White Water Tavern blows up, courtesy of Ty Segall & friends
- Cheree Franco
- Ty Segall's band
Ty Segall erupted all over White Water last night, even as the remnants of his openers, album-mates White Fence and sometime label-mates Useless Eaters, were still dripping off the rafters. (That’s not supposed to sound as gross as it does, except that sounding gross, beautifully, is kind of the point, right?) The bands were rowdy, fuzzy and loud, the crowd was sweaty, wired and (eventually) trashed. And even though the first set of the night featured a song about “we can’t fuck the dog” (best we could decipher), all was right with the world. Or at least, that was the overwhelming sentiment of it all.
Useless Eaters opened with a hypnotic stretch of gorgeous, layered heroin drone, almost to prove that they could, before launching into fast, catchy riffs with short bursts of repetitive lyrics and heavy drums – you know, standard punk delivery. Seems the live lineup changes regularly (and at one time included the late Jay Reatard), but singer/guitarist Seth Sutton – who landed in Nashville by way of Mississippi, Germany and more recently, Memphis – holds things together, in addition to somehow managing a faux British accent when shouting. They were danceable, they were familiar, they were great.
San Fran garage rockers White Fence just put out an album with Segall, so of course he and frontman Tim Presley scrambled into each other sets. White Fence is a disconcerting band. Presley cradled his guitar, picking and sliding, tweaking and bending air. Just when you start to get lost there, start to meld with the sound, some hook or jangle or rapid, warbling guitar lick reclaims you attention and reminds you to look.
As for Segall, I’d heard the buzz (mostly coming out of Memphis, so that I’d always thought he was Memphis garage-rocker rather than a California golden boy), but I’d never seen the band. And frankly, the buzz was getting old. But now I get it. Because he puts on a blaring live show and somehow, even as he’s thrashing, he seems friendly and accessible. He’s the sunny prophet of good-time punk rock, and the crowd reaction was vaguely cultish – they stretched their arms toward their prophet, they showered him with beer. Girls gyrated against each other, occasionally tumbling onstage (a stalwart, if only slightly more sober friend, always pulled them back into the crowd). Segall's radiating optimism was tempered with the drafty jolt of his drummer, Emily Rose Epstein. All sharp edges and unfurling dark hair, her absorption read as utterly cool detachment – a true feat considering that she really bangs those drums. She was excellent. She was perfect. We all were.
Photos and video after the jump.
Posted by Cheree Franco on | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tattoos Bro tat saga continues with new ink of Diffee, by Diffee
- Scott Diffee's facebook page
Check out these awesome bro tats of Scott Diffee, by Scott Diffee, on some other folks. Oh, and he did them all in a single day! They were posted this week on the Parlor co-owner's Facebook page. (Also, in case you missed it a few weeks back, here's Meredith Martin-Moats' excellent feature on Arkansas tattoos. She visited with Diffee and his partner Alina Bennett, and she put together this page, with lots more Natural State tattoos).
Anyways, Times honcho Lindsey Millar had the rad suggestion that someone should get a tattoo of Diffee giving someone a Diffee tattoo, which I immediately volunteered to get, as soon as I can secure myself a tattoo benefactor.
This one right here is mind-blowingly awesome, it's Diffee as a young'un:
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Music / Coming soon Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash Music Festival
The organizers of the Johnny Cash Music Festival just announced this year's lineup and the headliner is none other than Mr. Willie Nelson.
Rosanne Cash will once again emcee the event. She'll also perform, along with Dierks Bentley and The Civil Wars. The concert will broadcast on SiriusXM. The festival is at 7 p.m., Oct. 5 at Arkansas State University's Convocation Center in Jonesboro. Tickets are from $38, $75 for premium and $150 for VIP, which includes a pre-concert meet and greet.
Last year, the Times chartered three buses full of music lovers to the festival and it was a resounding success. Let's try for four buses this year!
UPDATE: Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Get them online right here, or call 888-278-3267.
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (3)
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.
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Contests Bonnaroo essay contest winner No. 4: Alena Jones
Our final concert essay contest winner is Alena Jones. Little did she know back in 1989 that her substitute teacher was, uh, well, let's just say she was quite well-known in certain circles.
In 1989, I was a 6th grader at Pine Forest Elementary. We had a substitute teacher that year that terrified my classmates. She walked into the room wearing a black leather mini-skirt and half of her head was shaved. Being the daughter of a DJ, I thought she was totally rock and roll! After the majority of my classmates checked out for the day, I sat at her desk and listened to her tell stories about David Lee Roth.Several months later I had my first opportunity to go backstage at the Poison/Tesla concert at Barton. Accompanied by my stepmother, I waited in line for my chance at an autograph. Out of the corner of my eye I see my substitute teacher. "Look!" I say to my stepmom, "It's my substitute, Miss Hamzy!" My stepmother turns around to see Connie Hamzy coming toward us, bleeding from the mouth. She had been chewing in her VIP tag and accidentally clipped her tongue. "Oh, my God! Your sub was Sweet Connie?"
Miss Hamzy remembered me and after apologizing for her appearance, she asked me to wait there. After a few moments she returned with a sign from Tesla's dressing room door and a set list for the concert that she gave to me. We took photos together and she gave me a hug and disappeared into the crowd. I never did get my autograph from the band, but I still have the things she gave to me.
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Contests Bonnaroo essay contest winner No. 3: Lindsay Corolla
Winner No. 3 in our concert essay contest is Lindsay Corolla. Her tale illustrates one of the more unanticipated perils of the mosh-pit. Bruises? Sure. Broken bones? Certainly a possibility. Barf-blast? Yyyyyyuck! I wonder if her dad ever let her borrow the car again?
When I was 17 years old, I thought I was cool. I listened to gritty, whiney punk rock and wore vintage band t-shirts. So obviously, when Warped Tour was set to hit the nearby city of Pittsburgh, I begged my disapproving father to let me go. He reluctantly allowed me to borrow his brand new SUV to cart my lame wannabe-edgy friends and I to a random field filled with makeshift stages, PETA stickers, and skinny boys with hair covering their eyes. Heaven.After a wrong turn or two, we did successfully arrive at the venue, but only to park at least a mile away. It was about 90 degrees that day. Finally my friends and I, eyeliner melting down our angst-ridden faces, entered the doors in time to catch Boys Like Girls’ set. They were relevant then. We jumped right into the mosh-pit, which immediately turned ugly. The overweight teenager pushing in front of me apparently couldn’t handle the heat or the guitar riffs. She turned to face me in preparation of escaping the pit as quickly as possible.
I saw the dread in her eyes as she realized her efforts were futile. She vomited all over me. I hadn’t been there 20 minutes. Did I mention it was 90 degrees? To prove I was hardcore I continued moshing while slimy morsels hardened on my arms and legs. Then I went to the bathroom and cried.
And that’s the story of how my dad lost that “new car smell.”
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (0)
Contests Bonnaroo essay contest winner No. 2: Jeremy Reagan
Our next concert essay contest winner is Jeremy Reagan, whose story of adolescent rock-fantasy fulfillment goes to show that sometimes you've just got to grab life by the horns and get up there and show 'em what you've got.
In 1999, when I was 18, I saw Everclear at Memphis in May. This was at the height of their popularity, so the crowd was gigantic. My friend Jordan and I fought our way to the front of the crowd, where we shouted the words to every song at the top of our lungs.After about an hour, the band stopped, and Art Alexakis (the frontman) started picking people out of the crowd to get onstage. I got picked, and Art helped me climb up on the stage. I couldn’t believe it.
To make it even crazier the band started playing my favorite song, “Local God,” a track from the “Romeo and Juliet” soundtrack. I knew every word, and was dancing my ass off along with the other people onstage. Near the end, Art pointed back at me, and then nodded his head toward the mic. He wanted me to sing!
Some ballsy part of me that I probably don’t even have now (maybe it was just youth) grabbed the mic and proceeded to sing to a crowd of thousands. I could see my friend in the crowd snapping pics with his disposable camera (hey, it was the nineties!) and the rest of them were wide-eyed in amazement that I was up there. It was totally unbelievable. I was 18 years old, and got to sing my favorite song with my favorite band. How many people can say that? It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (0)
Contests Bonnaroo essay contest winner No. 1: David Rice
Last week on Rock Candy, we put out a call for essays about your craziest, funniest, most awful or hilarious or heartwarming or hair-raising concert experiences, offering a pair of passes to Bonnaroo to the people who wrote the four best ones.
Well after reading 30-some-odd essays, we've selected the four winners. Narrowing it down wasn't easy — you all have some pretty good stories (some of ya'll have truly crazy stories and might should consider seeking professional guidance. Just kidding kind of!).
First up, we've got this truly heartwarming tale of a good deed, a serendipitous encounter and karmic reward, from reader David Rice.
The Grateful Dead would only play twelve more shows together following those two nights at Giants Stadium in June 1995, but I was having a blast before I saw the sign written on cardboard: "DAVID R___, I HAVE YOUR WALLET! STAY HERE!!!"I did not move. Inside my wallet were tickets to each of the remaining shows, plus over $500 in cash. Whoever found the wallet would be set for the rest of the summer if they kept it.
A stranger eventually approached, holding my driver’s license. He asked my address and birthday before returning the wallet. I rifled through the cash, not to count it, but to give him a reward. He refused to take it. "Once I found your wallet, giving it back was the right thing to do. I don't need a reward for doing the right thing." We chatted for a bit then went our separate ways.
I told this story about a year ago on a Phish message board, and someone claimed to be that kind stranger. After a few messages, there was no doubt that we were both who we claimed. Jon and I have become friends online, though we have never met up again.
Since I had nobody to join me if I won this contest, I reached out to Jon, now living in Arizona. He said he would love to join me at Bonnaroo if we won and thanked me for thinking of him. I told him it is the right thing to do.
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (0)
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…
- on May 25, 2012
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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…
- on May 24, 2012
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Petitioners get inside barricades at Riverfest
May 26, 2012Riverfest changes policies to allow people gathering signatures for political gain inside the perimeter. fox16.com /more/ -
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May 26, 2012Extra officers are on hand at Riverfest throughout the weekend one year after shots are fired near the event following a concert. fox16.com /more/
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