This week, Omaya and Stephanie talk with Bryan and Meredith Martin-Moats, the parents behind the Bash-O-Bash cast of animated characters and behind McElroy House, a rural community organization for cultural resources in Dardanelle.
But first up, we check in on a bit of entertainment news:
At (0:32): Trust Tree Programs continues its fundraising effort for a summer songwriting camp for girls with a show from Tranquilo, Pissin Comets and Fred at the White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. Check out the Trust Tree Facebook page to see of these blossoming musicians/the future ambassadors of the Arkansas sound at work!
(1:43) “Antiquities,” the short film from Daniel Campbell, has been turned into a feature-length film with a screenplay by Campbell and Graham Gordy, filmed in Arkansas last fall. It’ll get a world premiere at this year’s “Dances With Films” festival in Hollywood, and we’ve got our fingers crossed for an Arkansas screening soon.
Also, (at 3:56) Ben Nichols and Lucero are back with “Among the Ghosts,” out August 3 on the Thirty Tigers label, and you can stream two tracks from the new record here.
(Also, Stephanie struggles to recall the name of the song accompanied by this fantastic video from Lucero’s 2015 release “All A Man Should Do,” so here it is in all its glory:)
Check out this week’s To-Do List for more happening this week!
Next, (6:14) we talk with Bryan and Meredith Martin-Moats about their work with Bash-O-Bash, a collection of drawn characters that, as Bryan states, “started with our kids just goofing around,” (also, Halloween costumes) and has morphed into a full-on storyline with a forthcoming book, “The Bulb.”
And: they’ve got their own podcast! Check out their latest, an introduction to the “granny gopher” character Byanza Almeda, with a generous helping of Arkansas’s own Granny, Almeda “Granny” Riddle.
At 21:37, Bryan and Meredith talk a little about the wonders of yarrow and the work they’re doing with “McElroy House,” a community organization that works to bring people across differences. They’ve got a butterfly- and bee-attracting garden, a monthly skillshare, a cloth diaper bank and a partnership with Arkansas Tech University to cultivate, establish and give various types of away berries.
Come meet Bryan and Meredith-Martin Moats (and try their limited edition “Bash-O-Bash” cookie) at Cattywampus Co-op’s “Spring Bizarre,” a collection of talented artists showing off (and selling) their handmade art at the Blue Canoe Brewing Warehouse Saturday, May 19.
And, at 30:08, we make some recommendations:
Omaya recommends you check out the Star Party the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society is throwing at Pinnacle Mountain State Park this Saturday, May 19 and we wax self-righteously indignant about light pollution. (Who wants to start a dome street light initiative?!)
And, at 34:10, Stephanie recommends the body’s new album, “I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer.” It’s the latest effort from an Arkansas-connected duo that juxtaposes a thicket of heavy noise with alternately angelic and visceral vocals from Chrissy Wolpert of The Assembly of Light Choir.
And The Move for the weekend: go dig beautiful art by Robert Bean and Diane Harper at the opening for “You Are Not Alone,” a new exhibition at Gallery 26.