Rock Candy: August 2008 Archives

« July 2008 | Main | September 2008 »

Friday, August 29, 2008 - 12:53:26

Weekend To-Dos: Grand Serenade and co., Doc Watson and Guitar Shorty

Grand Serenade.

GRAND SERENADE/ THE NOBILITY/ ISAAC ALEXANDER
8:30 p.m., Sticky Fingerz. $6.

Calling all local pop-rock fans. It doesn't get much better than this. Grand Serenade, the young foursome that leapt onto the scene several years back from out of nowhere (or Heber Springs) and quickly attracted an adoring throng of female fans, will likely headline, performing songs from their sparkly debut album, “Lean Times,” and new ones from a follow-up they're currently recording at Blue Chair Studios, where guitarist Jordan Trotter works. The Nobility is a power-pop band from Nashville that plays Arkansas often because the band's lead singer, Sean Williams, is from Searcy. It's still touring behind “The Mezzanine,” a punchy album released last year that picked up positive national press. Probably opening the show, Isaac Alexander performs songs from his debut solo album “See Thru Me.” Glooms never sounded better.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

The Weekend: Damn Bullets, Big Silver, Spin Doctors and the Hogs

Busey as Buddy.

FRIDAY 8/29

Fresh from performing at the Democratic national convention, Chris Denny and the Old Soles perform at Sticky Fingerz with old-time rabble rousers Damn Bullets at Sticky Fingerz, 9:30 p.m., $6. Late word: Denny's canceled. Parachute Woman will fill his spot.

For all of his “I will pull out your endocrine system” craziness, Gary Busey set the bar pretty high for whoever's leading the Buddy Holly Tribute Band, which headlines at Vino's, 8:30 p.m., $8 adv., $10 d.o.s.

The Hot Springs Blues Festival kicks off downtown in Hill-Wheatley Plaza. Over the two day festival the likes of the Bluebirds, the Brethern and Lightning Malcolm and Cedric Burnside, 5 p.m., $5.

Big Silver, one of the finest pop-rock bands in town, fills in as a last-minute replacement for the Good Fear and Justin Carr and Ghost Co. at White Water, 10 p.m., $5.

Local rockers PG-13 headline at Cornerstone, 9 p.m., $5. Rock cover band Crisis! try to live up to the exclamation point at Cajun's Wharf, 9 p.m., $5.

Tho'd Studios hosts a rap throwdown at Downtown Music, 10 p.m.

There will be prancing and tails twitching and hopefully some of those ridiculous Tennessee walking horses at the Arkansas State Horse Show, 1 p.m., at the State Fairgrounds.

The Travs continue to take on the Naturals, 7:10 p.m., $6-$10.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments [1]

Friday To-Do: Itals

THE ITALS
9 p.m., Revolution. $10.

Keith Richards called “In Dis Ya Time,” the bright, swaying, signature song of the Itals, the “perfect reggae song.” And you know, Keif knows a thing or three about (appropriating) African-rooted music, so don't take that endorsement lightly. For more than three decades, even when dancehall took over the airwaves, the Itals have represented for roots reggae in Jamaica. Named for a Rastafarian term for “natural” and “pure,” the group made their bones on three-part vocal harmonies, singing songs about Jah, dreads and other Rastafari tenets familiar, at least superficially, to anyone who's been in a college dorm recently. Internationally known reggae acts don't come this way often. If you rock steady, you'd be ill advised to miss this gig.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Friday To-Do: Rodney Block

RODNEY BLOCK
9 p.m., the Afterthought. $7.

The smoothest trumpeter in our neck of the woods, Rodney Block, returns to the Afterthought for a varied night of jazz, soul, funk, gospel, bebop and hip hop. An Arkansas native, Block honed his talent in Kansas City. Since he returned several years back, Block and his band the Real Music Lovers have been moving between the hip-hop and jazz scenes (Block calls his music “hip-hop jazz”), opening for the likes of Dwele, Frank McComb and Wynton Marsalis. Last year, the horn man was nominated for a regional Emmy for his performance on the AETN show “Front Row.” He's sure to impress on Friday.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:30 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Friday To-Do: Saving Jane

SAVING JANE
9 p.m., Juanita's. $10 adv., $12 d.o.s.

You might remember Saving Jane from a few years back. The Columbus, Ohio, band landed the single “Girl Next Door” on the Billboard charts, on MTV's “TRL” and on one of those insipid “Now That's What I Call Music” albums. The song, an anthem of unabashed jealousy (“She is the prom queen, I'm in the marching band … She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door”), helped the band get picked up by Universal Records, which co-released the group's follow-up, “One Girl Revolution.” On the title track, lead singer and songwriter Marti Dodson seems to be railing against the pop-marketing machine that feeds on nearly naked ladies, with lyrics like “You don't even stand a chance/I'm not taking off my pants.” The band brings its shiny pop-rock to Juanita's for an all ages show. Junior opens the show.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Friday To-Do: Reel Stories: 'Who Killed the Electric Car'

REEL STORIES: ‘WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR'
7 p.m., Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain. $10.

The Rockefeller Institute's film series returns with a recent documentary that examines the origins and demise of the GM EV1, the first modern electric car. Beyond tracking the EV1, filmmaker Chris Payne also delves into consumers' aversion to the car, the auto industry's reluctance to adapt and the oil industry's power in the equation. After the film, representatives from Electric Transportation of Arkansas will be on hand to discuss electric and solar vehicles today. ETA will have vehicles on display, too. Space is limited, so advance registration, via uawri.org or 501-727-5435, is recommended.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 09:25:29

Thursday To-Do: Black Stone Cherry

BLACK STONE CHERRY
5:30 p.m., Riverfest Amphitheater. Free.

On their way to becoming Central Arkansas regulars, Kentucky's Black Stone Cherry return to play Music in the Park, the Riverfest Amphitheater free concert series that Chesapeake Energy, your friendly neighborhood natural gas driller, is bankrolling. Blending post-grunge sensibilities with big Southern rock riffs, BSC comes to town behind its new album, “Folklore and Superstition.” Louisiana-based post-grunge act 12 Stones opens with American Bang, a rock group whose song “Move to the Music” was recently selected as a theme song for WWE Wrestling.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments [1]