Rock Candy: December 2006 Archives

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Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 16:57:46

Big local show Wednesday starting Cooper's Orbit

Make plans now to check out a big Sticky Fingerz show on Wednesday, Dec. 27, with Cooper's Orbit, and Stephen Rock will be the opening act.

Cooper's Orbit is the group outlet for local guitar phenom Chris Henry, the 2006 runnerup in the Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase. Henry is a high-energy rock singer-songwriter with a finger-style ability that will blow you away. He's been compared to classic guitarists such as Leo Kottke and contemporary hit-makers such as John Mayer and Dave Matthews.

Opening up the show will be local singer-songwriter Stephen Rock and the show should start up around 9 p.m.

Posted by at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments [2]

Zoo has new cubs

The Little Rock Zoo has two new additions, a pair of baby sloth bears born to their resident sloth bear Nocona on Dec. 21, according the Susan Altrui, the zoo's director of marketing.

Sloth bears are an endangered species. The Little Rock Zoon is taking part in the Species Survival Plan to ensure the long-term survival of the sloth bear.

Altrui reports that the mother and cubs are doing well. Nocona also gave birth to twin cubs Tasha an d Thor on Dec. 27, 2004, and they are located in the zoo. Nocona likes those holiday babies.

The new cubs will still need a few months before they can be on exhibit, so for now Nocona and the cubs ae in a private den.

Meanwhile, in other Zoo news, the facility is presenting a black-tie New Year's Eve party. Call 666-2406.

Posted by at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

New Sean Rock vidio on youtube.com

Roland Gladden, the Times' resident McG, has a new music video on youtube featuring local singer-songwriter Sean Rock and his song "Kennedy." Check it out here.

Posted by at 04:50 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Friday, December 22, 2006 - 16:17:08

The Mind of Matt: A holiday stop into Juanita's, and TSO rocks!

Matt Smith and I finally made it to the same concert last night, Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Let's just say Matt dressed for the party as he commanded a spot on the front row, while I was in my usual plaid shirt and jeans in professional capacity as Times reviewer, and placed on the 12th row on the middle aisle, actually one of the better seats I've gotten as a reviewer. I'll have plenty to say about TSO and it's incredible violin player, Anna Phoebe, in next week's issue; I'll let Matt tell you about the show here in his latest "Mind of Matt" submission:

Time to catch up on the blog. Today is a twofer. Lets talk about last Saturday nights show at Juanita’s. Sharpe Dunaway and The Blue Meanies opened the show. These guys play cover songs of 80s rock. Of course, the so-called hair metal tunes are represented, but they do venture into pop like “Eye of the Tiger”. Sharpe Dunaway has been a DJ for Magic KMJX 105.1 FM since 1988. He plays the drums and does some singing in The Blue Meanies. I think this group has a unique t-shirt design that you need to see to believe. Take a look at www.myspace.com/sharpedunawayandthebluemeanies

Next up, due to the holiday season, we had a special appearance of The Screaming Santas. The Santas have members from The Blue Meanies and Bombay Black. They cranked out some silly holiday tunes. They have released a couple of Christmas albums. The Screaming Santas came up with the idea of a heavy metal Christmas before Twisted Sister. These songs are great for laughs and they are a refreshing take on music during the Christmas season. It seems that many places begin playing Christmas tunes around October 1st. Traditional holiday music can aggravate your nerves long before December 25th. These songs break up the monotony. Give them a listen www.myspace.com/thescreamingsantas

Bombay Black wrapped up the evening. They play heavy and were a good way to end the night. This band consists of Erik-lead vocals and guitar; Jim-lead guitar and vocals; TY-Bass and vocals; Rob-drums and vocals. Bombay is more metal than The Meanies or The Santas. This band is loud, they play hard, and they want to crush you! These guys are Little Rock and proud. They had CD’s and t-shirts for sale at the show. They were more than happy to talk to the crowd, sign records and shirts. They took photos, had a few drinks and were extremely pleasant. Give them a listen at www.myspace.com/bombayblack or go see them LIVE somewhere in the “ROCK”.

Juanita’s is just a cool laid back spot. I have sung the praises of Erin before. However, in somewhat of a drunken or absent-minded stupor I didn’t include the myspace address. So here we go www.myspace.com/juanitas hit it up for a list of upcoming events.

Now on to Thursday night Trans-Siberian Orchestra show. I really think that Jim Harris has this gig covered, but I’ll throw in my little part. I sat on the front row center stage in what was a tremendous spectacle of light and sound. The graphics, lasers, snow, and production values reminded me of traveling Cirque Du Soleil shows. The musicians are all accomplished virtuosos. These people are extremely skilled in the craft. What great performances, one and all! They were impressive in every way.

Obiviously, I enjoyed the second half of the show the most. For a rock n roll junkie this is the only holiday extravaganza to attend. The Nut Cracker? Are you kidding me! I give TSO two “Mind of Matt” thumbs up. Here is the official site: www.trans-siberian.com I have seen them before, and I will see them again. I guess this is my only holiday tradition.

I will be checking in next about New Year’s Eve. Well, I actually call it amateur night. It is that one night of the year that is guaranteed to produce laughs. Even people that don’t party go out then. It’s comical!

Houston and Vegas are on the horizon. -- Matt Smith

Posted by at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Sports column: JR and Henry miss Hawgball

J.R. and Henry: Hawgball Missed

In the past week or so, we’ve watched games involving the basketball teams of Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas. And after the games were over, we couldn’t help but wish that Arkansas’ basketball team played like the ones at Tennessee and Missouri.

It’s been a long time since Nolan Richardson left, and even longer since Nolan ran his famed “40 minutes of Hell” defensive scheme that put wins on the board and fans in the seats. In Nolan’s later years, he seemed to move away from a steady diet of full court defense to one that included more half court traps and pressure. But in the glory years of the early 1990s, Nolan was Rollin’ and there was no better show on the hardwood than the Razorbacks.

When we look at Bruce Pearl’s Tennessee team, and Mike Anderson’s Missouri team, we see a lot of what we loved about Nolan’s early 90s teams. Great effort, constant action, and a general sense that win or lose, the other team was going to have to play like us.

Which is one of biggest criticisms we have about Stan Heath’s Razorbacks this year. This is a team with enough of talent to win consistently, but with seemingly no plan on how to do it. Every team Arkansas plays, regardless of style, controls the tempo and makes the Hogs do the adjusting. If Arkansas plays a slow down team like Southern Illinois, the Hogs slow down with them. Against a fast paced team like Missouri, Arkansas tries to keep up. Since Heath has been the Head Hog, the Razorbacks have demonstrated no identity on offense or defense. As a result, the Hogs are always playing to their opponents’ strengths rather than developing and implementing their own.

So 11 games into the season, Arkansas stands at 8-3, which is about where we expected them to be. The Hogs have a couple of decent wins. West Virginia is 9-1 and Southern Illinois is 8-2, and both of those wins will mean something in March. And before the Missouri game, everyone paying attention should have known that that game was going to be very difficult to win. The way the Hogs lost was the problem there.

Posted by at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Is Alabama warming to Houston Nutt?

People who know these things are convinced that Houston Nutt, through is agent Jimmy Sexton, has been politicking for the Alabama head coaching vacancy since the Tide fired Mike Shula.

Nutt publicly has denied interest in any job. When word that West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez had turned down Bama on Dec. 8 reached Nutt in Fayetteville, he seemed irritated at a reporter's questioning if he was interesting in the Crimson Tide job and said "I want to be the Arkansas coach."

But does he if the most prestigious football program in the Southeastern Conference finally comes calling for the SEC's coach of the year?

Word we get is that former Bama players have been against the school considering Nutt. Mal Moore, the Alabama athletic director, likes Nutt, but has to sell Nutt to several factions of power at Alabama that are making a mess of the coach-firing and coach-hiring process.

The big question this week is, has sports agent Jimmy Sexton been giving Bama the ol' bait-and-switch, pushing Nick Saban for several weeks when Saban was never a possibility for the Tide, while the Tide folks dreamed big dreams and fell off other candidates, then Sexton was able to push another client to Bama, Houston Nutt. Sexton, we're assured by sources, has been pushing very hard.

Nutt will have to win the Capital One Bowl Jan. 1 to move up in the Tide supporters' eyes, but know that Mal Moore has heard probably more than he wants to from Sexton that Nutt is the SEC coach of the year and Bama can have him.

Posted by at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments [2]

Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 17:13:19

Setback on the River Market open-container law

Some River Market District clubowners would like an open-container law, but with special considerations that aren't in any of the proposals they've heard so far. On Wednesday, the River Market District Neighborhood Association voted against supporting an amendment to the open-container bill that's being pushed by the Arkansas Municipal League and expected to be discussed in the upcoming stage legislative session.

The state legislature passed an entertainment district/open contain bill two years ago, but Gov. Mike Huckabee vetoed it.

The River Market association members expressed problems with a bill that didn't express who would pay for security and cleanup after special events, when the open-container law would be in effect in the district, as well as addressing provisions about exclusive sales for River Market bar owners.

Chris King, owner of Sticky Fingerz and Rumba/Revolution, said he could not support an amendment to a bill that didn't specifically limit sales of alcohol to the clubowners in the River Market. His fear was a street vendor or parking lot owner coming in during special events and setting up alcohol sales. King and his business partner, Suzon Awbrey, also noted a street hotdog vendor and a cigarette-wielding pizza vendor who have been operating in the district in recent weeks.

Presley Melton, owner of the Melton Building in the district, made a motion late in the meeting that the association not support any bill coming up in the legistature to grant entertainment district status to the River Market until amendments were in place that addressed security and cleanup concerns, as well as access into the entertainment district during special events.

Bobby Roberts of the Central Arkansas Library System drew up an amendment for the open-container legislation that that the group voted down, with Roberts casting the only vote for the amendment. He then moved that the group urge the city to withdraw support of the current legislation, supported by the Municipal League, and that passed unanimously.

Street closings were a concern to the members as well, and Jo Melton expressed concerns about obtaining support money from the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission in light of recent newpaper reports about its funding practices. "We've been a team player in the past, but now I can't be a team player with what we've seen."

Mary Ann Harring of Ten Thousand Villages was concerned how special-event street closings might hamper the retail sector of the district, but was assured by other members and assistant city manager Bryan Day that most of the special events that would lead to street closings would be scheduled for hours after regular business had closed.

Summer Duvall of the Flying Saucer, a recent transplant from Memphis, was asked about Beale Street's entertainment district and how clubowners responded to it. She said Beale Street was "gross" and, though Beale Street tried to enforce a 21-and-up age limit in its closed-off area, that closing off streets to allow open-container drinking would not stop would not "stop a 25-year-old from trying to get an 18-year-old drunk."

Day said, "If you had an entertainment district/open-container law, would the business at the clubs be better? That's something we don't know."

The clubowners expressed hope that the city would spend more A&P dollars in the district and police the district better if an open-container bill became law in the upcoming session.

"Nobody knows if [the law] will throw off enough dollars to the district to pay for itself," said Roberts, whose biggest concern was the cleanup issue. He said he supported whichever direction the association wanted to go on the amendment and bill.

Day said the state's hospitality industry is behind an entertainment district bill as a way to increase tourism. Hot Springs was among the cities supporting the bill's passage in 2004.

Other club managers at the meeting were Carla Farquar of Willie D's Piano Bar and Tim Chappell of Gusano's, which partners with Ernie Biggs Piano Bar. Tim Heiple is president of the association.

Posted by at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments [5]