April 2010 - Antigravity Magazine

Transcription

your new orleans
music and culture
alternative
apr.'10 vol.7 no.6
STAFF
Publisher/Editor in Chief:
Leo McGovern
leo@antigravitymagazine.com
Associate Editor:
Dan Fox
fox@antigravitymagazine.com
REVIEWS EDITOR
Erin Hall
erinhall@antigravitymagazine.com
FEATURES:
ANTI-News_page 6
COLUMNS:
REVIEWS (pg. 28):
The Goods_page 11
Albums by Gorillaz, Pavement and more...
Some of the news that’s fit to print.
Repurposing NOLA.
Caddywhompus_page 18
The Splash Zone_page 12
Not just another dynamic duo.
Hurray for the Riff Raff_page 23
Riding on the train to the Bywater...
Gospel Now_page 27
A look at gospel through time...
Guidance Counseling_page 13
Blair answers your questions.
Slingshots, Anyone?_page 15
Derek returns!
Photo Review_page 36
The month in photos.
Contributing
Writers:
Michael Bateman
crawstika@gmail.com
Bryan Davis
thebryandavis@gmail.com
Emily Elhaj
alhaajj@gmail.com
Nancy Kang, M.D.
nancy@antigravitymagazine.com
Laine Kaplan-Levenson
lainekaplev@gmail.com
Dan Mitchell
danmitchell@antigravitymagazine.com
Sara Pic
sara.pic@gmail.com
Mike Rodgers
mike@antigravitymagazine.com
Brett Schwaner
brett@antigravitymagazine.com
Mallory Whitfield
mallory@antigravitymagazine.com
Derek Zimmer
derek@antigravitymagazine.com
A look at the month in theatre.
EVENTS (pg. 31)
April listings for the NOLA area...
COMICS (pg. 38):
Egad!, How To Be Happy, K Chronicles,
Firesquito.
Alt. Media Expo 2010
Pullout (pgs 19-22)
MY MORNING JACKET MAKES A JAZZFEST APPEARANCE_PG 16
Ad Sales:
ads@antigravitymagazine.com
504-881-7508
Hurray for the Riff Raff cover artwork by
Ashlee Arceneaux.
We like stuff! Send it to:
4916 Freret St.
New Orleans, La. 70115
Have listings? Send them to:
events@antigravity
magazine.com
ANTIGRAVITY is a publication of
ANTIGRAVITY, INC.
Resources:
Homepage:
antigravitymagazine.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/antigravitymag
MySpace:
myspace.com/antigravitymagazine
INTRO
H
ey there folks, long time no see! Dan Fox is with his band, the Lovey Dovies,
touring in Chile at the moment, so I’m back to bring you into our new issue.
April’s always a fun month in New Orleans, a time when the weather’s great
and tons of cool stuff is going on all over the city. This year is no different, and the
festivals alone can exhaust a person, but there’s our Alternative Media Expo, the
NOLA Comic-Con, Record Story Day and Free Comic Book Day going on as well
as tons of other events. We tried to cram as many as we could into this issue, as well
as a look at gospel through the years, local duo Caddywhompus, My Morning Jacket
and much more. And we didn’t even touch on the April NFL Draft! Whatever events
you choose to attend this month, I’m sure it’ll be a winner, so have fun and we’ll see
you in May! —Leo McGovern
4_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative
ANTI-NEWS
REMEMBERING ALEX CHILTON
T
hough he was not
a New Orleans
native,
it
was
easy to tell that Alex
Chilton was one of those
transplants who actually
belonged here, and loved
it... We shared some good
friends, but I remained an
acquaintance (and aloof
fan). So I’ll keep this short
and random and pay
tribute by not mentioning
that Replacements song or
quoting Tom Waits.
I only got to talk with,
or say “Hello” to, him a
couple dozen times in half
as many years—that’s not
to say I wasn’t at least a
little fascinated whenever
he would appear. I would
always make sure to play a
Turtles song, or whatever
else Aimee’ said he might
enjoy, when he’d show up
at the Crepe Nanou AfterHours parties. Then I would
watch him fiddle with his
table and chair for a while,
until he was comfortable.
Always very nice and, uh,
curious. I remember after Katrina, Alex having stayed behind to guard his house, it
was a big question whether he was a goner or not. Well, not yet. There he was, walking
down Madison Avenue in Memphis out of nowhere... Or rather, out of the local Tower
Records and ready to talk about how tragically miniscule their Classical section was!
I may have said “Hey—everyone thinks you’re dead,” but I was thinking “Man, I love
this guy!” He also once mentioned something about TGI Friday’s being the happening
place to hang out in Memphis in the ‘70s! That will always make me smile.
I never said anything to him about my fandom, but I will now. “My Rival,” “Back
of a Car,” “September Gurls,” “You Get What You Deserve”—these are all favorites
of mine and got me interested in a whole new world of early Powerpop and ‘70s PopRock. Just as I could never do justice in writing about how great his Like Flies on Sherbert
LP is (as well as the BIG STAR albums) or what a treat it is to hear The Box Tops’ “Cry
like a Baby” on WTIX, I know I can’t do the man justice. So... Here’s Louie.
—Michael Bateman
M
y name is Louie Bankston and I’m 37 years old. To a 22-year-old kid, you
might as well just round that right up to 40! When I was that 22-year-old kid,
I was fortunate and lucky enough to meet and record with Alex Chilton.
“LX.” He started poppin’ into Royal Pendletons shows in the summer of 1992. We
already shared some mutual Memphis friends, so he just seemed to fall right into the
pack. Enjoying our shows and sometimes even visiting me at work to say, “Oh Louie,
that unrehearsed version of ‘Be True to Your School’ was just so groovy”—holding a
bag of nails or someone’s toilet parts... Giggling. It was rad getting to pick his brain
about Tav Falco mishaps, The Cramps looking like aliens walking up Madison Ave.
in 1976, and any info he would divulge about Elvis Presley. When Alex was recording
our album, I was always on time—even though the rest of the band wouldn’t show up
for hours. I got to spend time drinkin’ diet pop and learning the rules to basketball!!!
YES! Alex Chilton taught me how to play basketball! In turn, we had to fire up a car in
front of his house one evening. And even though he stood ten feet away, wide-eyed, I
think he still figured out how the cables were supposed to work...?
I saw Alex recently with his wife Laura at the Whole Foods in Metairie, and the
meeting was no less than classic. It started out with the normal “Hi, everything’s been
good” stuff and then he proceeded to go through my groceries... “So, Louie, do you eat
the salmon and cream cheese before or after the slab of ribs???” I tried to explain that I
was still a fuck-up and living with Mom, and that ribs are the only thing her crazy Cajun
ass will eat! Really!!! It was no use. Alex continued ribbing me—‘‘Now lookie heah, my
son... Gets me a slab o’ dem ribs!’’ Haha.
Alex always just did what he did. Along the way, cultures and movements and scenes
would attach themselves to him. It was like every few years the world said, “Oh we get
it, finally!!! Hello Alex Chilton.” That always seemed to be so powerful to me. That’s
revolution! Alex and I had our ups and downs, but our last conversation ended the way
they all seemed to end. With his sardonic smile and that soft sweet voice, “See ya later,
Louie. Always a pleasure.” —King Louie Bankston III, Photo by Eric Martinez
RECORD STORE DAY!
R
ecord Store Day, Saturday, April 17th of this year, is a relatively new phenomenon,
first seeing the light of day in 2007. The basic premise is to provide music enthusiasts
and junkies, those who actually still collect hard music as opposed to just digital files,
a day in which to gorge themselves at their favorite local independent record stores. It is also
a day when artists get to celebrate their fans by releasing exclusive and limited edition copies
of their singles, live albums, long out of print full-lengths and upcoming glimpses in to their
newest offerings, new and old EPs and other merch, such as T-shirts, posters, stickers, pins and
whatever other swag items you can imagine. Suffice it to say, it is a great day for music, so if
you are reading this and given that this is an independent music publication, it is most likely a
great day for you.
While much has been made over the past decade of the decline in the music industry—music
sales are down, “illegal” downloading is steadily on the rise and concert attendance is abysmal
at best compared to
yesteryear—the only
decline I see is that the
major corporations
responsible
for
hijacking the music
industry from the
artists and the fans
are not happy with
how fat their wallets
look. If anything,
music has hit a
new stride over the
past ten years; new
bands pop up every
day, all across the
world, and while the
Internet has certainly
been integral in this
newfound trajectory,
it is the independents across the globe that prove responsible for keeping this stride alive. There
is nothing like the hands-on experience of finding that rare or out of print album that you have
been seeking out for so long, or coming across that new band that you have heard so much
about, but have never been able to find. RSD celebrates you, the listener and the musician.
With hundreds of titles hitting the shelves on the same day and stores across the globe
participating, there is only so much each store can possibly get their hands on. But fear not,
the New Orleanian enthusiast, because independent stores in town will be participating in this
year’s RSD extravaganza. Two stores in town will officially take part in this year’s RSD, both the
Mushroom and Jim Russell’s Records, while the Louisiana Music Factory and Domino Sound
will be open for business as usual on this day. At this point, Jim Russell’s has not put together a
formal order for the day, although it has been confirmed that they will carry everything relevant
that they can get their hands on, but the Mushroom will be carrying many of the titles available
and pertinent for its clientele. The list includes the coveted re-issues of the early Deerhoof LPs
on vinyl, the re-issues of the mid-’80s Sonic Youth masterpieces Confusion is Sex and Evol, the
new Bon Iver single “Come Talk to Me,” the re-issue, on triple gatefold vinyl, of the Magnetic
Fields 69 Love Songs, the new Daedelus 7” and the new Roky Erikson album, True Love Cast Out
All Evil, just to name a few.
Record Store Day, while still relatively new, is gaining steam and this year’s is the best and most
diverse list of releases to date. Just go on the official website and listen to none other than the man
himself, guitar-god Josh Homme, the official Ambassador of the Day this time around, tell you
why it rules—“Indie record stores are a hotbed of discovery and bacteria, for music lovers, both
young and old…” If you cannot believe Homme, then whom can you believe, honestly? April
17th, 2010, Record Store Day, be there, or Josh Homme will eat your soul. —Dan Mitchell
CORRECTIONS
L
ast month’s cover included a photo
of Vockah Redu that was taken by
Aubrey Edwards, but we failed
to credit her alongside Michael Patrick
Welch, who designed the cover. Our
apologies to Aubrey, and while we’re
here we’ll recommend her and Alison
Fensterstock’s excellent “Where They At”
bounce and hip-hop exhibit at the Ogden
Museum this month. The show runs from
April 22nd until August 1st at the Ogden
Museum of Southern Art. A selection from
the show will also appear in the Grandstand
at JazzFest this year.
For more info, go to ogdenmuseum.org/
bounce/bounce_info.html.
ANTI-NEWS
METAL INVASION IMMINENT: HIGH ON FIRE RETURNS TO NOLA
H
ere’s the bottom line: High on Fire is the kind of
band that most metal dudes have wanted to be
in since they first heard Ride the Lightning, Ace of
Spades, or any of the myriad gems buried deep within the
genre’s classic back catalog. Heavy riffs, a guitar solo in
every song, no B.S.-—these are the basic tenets of metal, and
the foundation behind every HoF album since they came
screaming out of the gates with The Art of Self Defense. Did
I mention guitar solos? Guitarist, vocalist and metal lifer
Matt Pike crafts them out of the riff-filled mire like some
kind of bog-dwelling master sculptor armed with a Les Paul
and a fifth of cheap whiskey. Combined with Des Kensel’s
unrelenting bombast and a rotating roster of bassists
(currently Jeff Matz, formerly of Zeke), the Oakland trio
create the kind of music you’d hear if Lemmy of Motorhead
and Satan hosted a raging keggar for the Hell’s Angels and
needed some entertainment for the occasion.
Most metal fanatics are already familiar with the band’s
story, but for the uninitiated: Matt Pike was in a legendary
band called Sleep back in the early ‘90s. They became a
cornerstone of their genre, pumping out Sabbath-fueled
drug jams (or drug-fueled Sabbath jams) up until the release
of their magnum opus: 1999’s Jerusalem (later re-released,
posthumously, in all its unedited, 63-minute glory under
the title Dopesmoker in 2003). Pike left the band shortly after
Jerusalem’s release in order to start a more aggressive project,
which would eventually become High on Fire.
The band has eschewed the often-gratuitous phase of
experimentation that most bands enter after two or three
albums. The only difference with this band is that no one is
complaining. Pike can seemingly never get enough of those
dark, driving riffs and the solos that they launch—in fact,
even though their newest effort (Snakes for the Divine) features
more
polished
production and a
few less straightup stoner jams
than average, it’s
still far from what
anyone would call
experimental. High
on Fire has learned
a critical lesson
that has escaped so
many bands: you
don’t fuck with the
formula.
Like
most
bands steeped in
decadence, High on
Fire makes a point
to stop in New
Orleans while on
tour, and this year
is no exception.
This time around
you can witness
them in the flesh on
April 15th at One
Eyed Jack’s, where
they will be joined by the awesome Black Cobra, who are cut
from the same blood-and-beer-stained cloth as HoF, as well
as Priestess and Bison BC.
The second track on Snakes for the Divine is called “Frost
Hammer.” If your eyes just grew wide after reading that
sentence, I suspect you’ve either already got your ticket or
you’ve already spent all of your ticket money on booze. —
Andy Gibbs
High on Fire plays One Eyed Jacks on Thursday, April 15th
with Priestess, Black Cobra and Bison BC. For more info, go to
highonfire.net.
antigravitymagazine.com_
7
ANTI-NEWS
FORMER GOOD GUY INVENTS
OBITUARIES 1913
W
hen local twisted “lounge-metal” band The Good Guys disbanded
last year, guitarist Tom McLaughlin dove headfirst into Obituaries
1913, an elaborate art installation combining music, writing and
visual art.
McLaughlin began concocting
fantastical names for dead people
that now, more than a year later,
he describes in a fast, enthusiastic
way as if he really knew the folks.
“There was Slip Glampden, the
trapeze artist,” McLaughlin details.
“Poytawn Clemendunkle was a
happy grandfather who invented
a popular local cookie, and played
trumpet every Fourth of July. And
then Meleanora Marlovyzc was a
midwife and secret succubus.” When
creating pieces of instrumental
music to sort of “describe” these
fictional characters, Tom rendered
Meleanora as a ten-piece vocal
arrangement.
McLaughlin soon began throwing
wild names and ideas at Mark Yakich,
a creative writing teacher at Loyola who
had published several books of poetry
and prose. Yakich began elaborating
on McLaughlin’s writings in the form
of obituaries for the characters. “I’d
wake up some morning to find an
email from him,” says McLaughlin,
“and it’s the elaborate story of some
person I invented. Always perfect. It
was really magical.”
Artist Joel Kelly went on to render charcoal portrait close-ups that truly bring
the twenty-two dead characters of Obituaries 1913 to life—er, death. Kelly also
built uniform wooden boxes to disguise the twenty-two iPods playing twentytwo different theme songs. A server at Palace Café, McLaughlin himself funded
the iPods’ purchase as well as the twenty-two pairs of nice studio headphones
that block out all surrounding sound. “If I make ten grand off this entire project,
I will have made a nickel an hour,” laughs McLaughlin.
The purchase of any Obituaries 1913 character includes Kelly’s drawing,
Yakich’s hand-typed obit, and McLaughin’s song (in the wooden box, on
the iPod, with the headphones). Those unwilling to spring for on one of
the characters themselves can purchase the Obituaries 1913 album, with
its twenty-four-page booklet. —Michael Patrick Welch; Artwork “Dalanquist
Dilbangiel, one of twenty-two characters from the exhibit Obituaries 1913”
Obituaries 1913 opens April 17th at Coup d’oeil Gallery (2033 Magazine Street;
coupdoeilartconsortium.com). The official closing party on May 1st will also serve
as the official Obituaries 1913 CD release ceremony, as well as McLaughlin’s
going away shindig (he moves to San Francisco mid-May).
A LOOK AT COACHELLA 2010
T
he inaugural Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held at the Empire Polo Club in
Indio, California in October, 1999, just a scant few months after the riotous, inflamed disaster that
was Woodstock ’99. It began as a two-day event and featured headliners Beck, Tool and Rage
Against the Machine. For all intensive purposes, the fest went off without a hitch, but the next few years
would be rife with stops and
starts for festival organizers. No
fest was held in 2000, probably
due to financial issues. In 2001
it was cut down to just one day
and moved to April, in part to
combat the blistering desert
heat the inaugural event had
endured. 2002 saw a return
to the two-day format and
the festival began to build
a following. 2003-2009 saw
strong sales, with the 2007
festival expanding to three
days and enjoying a complete
sellout. In the past few years,
Coachella has become one
of the festivals to see, rising
to compete with goliaths like
Bonnaroo and Austin City
Limits. The 2010 fest promises
to be an improvement on the
trend and its lineup is, thus far,
outpacing Bonnaroo by miles
(though they still have time to
add acts before their June date).
This year’s headliners include
Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem
and the much-buzzed-about
supergroup Them Crooked
Vultures on Friday; Muse,
a reunited Faith No More
and Tiesto on Saturday; and
Gorillaz, a reunited Pavement
(my little indie heart goes !!!)
and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke on Sunday. As impressive as the top of the bill is, there is great
depth and intrigue further down as well. Friday’s lineup boasts historic opportunities (a reunited Public
Image Limited and a mostly original Echo and the Bunnymen—minus bassist and founding member
Les Pattinson) as well as a sampling of the “it” bands of the day (Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear,
Passion Pit, She & Him, Imogean Heap, The Avett Brothers, etc.). Saturday’s lineup seems a bit more
dance-y with some of the highest billing going to MGMT, Hot Chip, Devo and the XX. But it also
shows great variety with acts like the Death Weather, Dirty Projectors, Gossip, Les Claypool, Edward
Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Camera Obscura, Frightened Rabbit, Corinne Bailey Rae, Shooter
Jennings and Beach House. Sunday’s offerings should close out a strong weekend on a high note with
the likes of Spoon, Phoenix, Sly Stone, Infected Mushroom, Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas,
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Yo La Tengo, Deerhunter and King Khan. Tickets are only available in the form
of weekend passes and will set you back $271. Day parking is free and there will also be a shuttle service
from some of the plethora of local motels to the site. Onsite camping has sold out, but there are some slots
available in surrounding campgrounds and RV parks. For more information, visit coachella.com. —Erin
Hall; Photo of Yo La Tengo by Michael Lavine
9
ANTI-NEWS
PATTI SMITH: LEGENDARY PUNK SPRING IS THE TIME FOR COMICS IN NOLA
f you’re a fan of comics and in New Orleans, then April and early May will be full of good times, great
POET TO PLAY TIPITINA’S
T
ipitina’s is really expanding their base these days. Famous for hosting
mostly roots/jazz/blues bands with a smattering of folk, the last
nine months’ bookings have shown some exciting diversity. From
the French “it” band Phoenix to violin virtuoso Andrew Bird to Scottish upand-comers Camera Obscura, the venue has been host to some of the best
national touring shows in the city lately. And thankfully, they’re keeping
their streak alive with the phenomenal Jazzfest booking of the Godmother
of Punk herself, Patti Smith. You can take a second to stop and reread that
if you need. Yes. Patti Smith—the Patti Smith—is playing Tipitina’s on
Saturday, April 24th. One of the most, if not the most, influential women in
the 1970s punk movement, Smith is still going strong at 63 years old. This
year saw the publication of Just Kids – a memoir of her early days on the New
York scene and her close relationship with infamous photographer Robert
I
books and a chance to meet plenty of artists and comic-making folk. Besides this mag’s media show on
April 17th, The Alternative Media Expo, which has its fair share of comics, the New Orleans comics
community will be treated to the NOLA Comic-Con on April 24th and Free Comic Book Day on May 1st.
At the Alternative Media Expo, you’ll find independent comics artists like Toby Craig (Death Swamp),
the FEAST Comics Anthology (published by this very mag and debuting at the Expo), Vernon Smith (The
Adventures of Dexter Breakfast), Kristen Hogan (Dead Squirrel Girl) and Lafayette residents Kody Chamberlain
(Luke McBain) and Rob Guillory (Chew). Held at the Contemporary Arts Center warehouse, expect a live
art show as well.
The NOLA Comic-Con will be more of a classic comic convention, with local dealers and artists such as
Derec Donovan (Connor Hawke), Robby Musso (Transformers Spotlight), Chamberlain and Guillory, Baton
Rouge writer Victor Gischler (Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth) veteran inker John Dell, as well as special
guests like cover artist Dave Johnson (Superman: Red Son) and Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The
Boys). Held at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, the Comic-Con expanded to two days after a wildly
successful first run last year.
Free Comic Book Day is the ultimate event for longtime fans and those looking to try a comic or two for
the first time. Every year, on the first weekend of May, Free Comic Book Day takes place in stores across
the country in an effort to turn new readers on to comics and give readers a taste of upcoming series. This
year is no different, with major titles including Iron Man/Thor from Marvel, War of the Supermen from DC,
Shrek and Toy Story editions, independent comics like Atomic Robo and Owly, the annual Oni Press Free for
All and many more. The variety of books may vary from store to store, as well as policies on how many
free copies one can receive, but the spirit of the day is that you receive at least one free comic (supplies
withstanding, of course). Local area shops participating in Free Comic Book Day include Crescent City
Comics (4916 Freret St.) and More Fun Comics (8200 Oak St.) in New Orleans and BSI Comics (3030
Severn Ave.) and Media Underground Comics (4524 Shores Dr.) in Metairie. Shops may also have special
sales or parties celebrating the day, so make sure to ring your favorite to see what they have planned. —Leo
McGovern
The Alternative Media Expo will be held on Saturday, April 17th from Noon-6pm at the Contemporary Arts
Center warehouse and entry is $5. For more info, go to alternativemediaexpo.com. The NOLA Comic-Con will
be held Saturday, April 24th and Sunday, April 25th at the Ponchartrain Center in Kenner. For more info go
to nolacomic.com. Free Comic Book Day will be Saturday, May 1st, and for more info on available titles, go to
freecomicbookday.com.
To help ring in the NOLA Comic-Con we traded e-mails with Darick Robertson, guest at the convention
and artist on one of the great comics of the ’90s, Transmetropolitan, as well as current indie sensation and
superhero sendup The Boys.
Mapplethorpe. The Tipitina’s appearance is currently her only scheduled
show. Mixing the ethos of punk music with her beat and spoken poetry, Smith
emerged onto the scene in 1975 with the release of her iconic album, Horses.
Opening with a reworking of the Them classic “Gloria” (perhaps more
commonly known by Van Morrison’s version), Smith utters the famous line
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine.” The Patti Smith Band went
on to release three more albums in the ‘70s: the more offbeat cuts of Radio
Ethiopia (’76) and Wave (’79) and the most commercially successful outing,
Easter (’78). Easter contains what is probably Smith’s most famous and easily
recognizable song, “Because the Night,” which was co-written with none
other than the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. Smith would become known
for her passionate and complex lyrics and many categorize her as a more of
a singer-songwriter than a punk rocker. The beauty, however, is that she is
clearly both. Her fearless approach to the medium is punk in its purest form,
while her heartfelt and evocative lyrics cement her legacy as an undisputed
rock troubadour. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, Smith stepped mostly out
of the spotlight, choosing to spend time with her husband, MC5’s Fred
“Sonic” Smith and their two children – daughter Jesse and son Jackson (Fun
Fact: Jackson is now married to White Stripes drummer Meg White). After
her husband’s passing in 1994, friends Michael Stipe and Allen Ginsberg
encouraged her to hit the road again. The late ‘90s and early 2000s saw a
resurgence of creativity for Smith, who collaborated on songs with R.E.M.,
released three new albums that garnered Grammy nominations, released a
box set of her career to that point and produced a solo art exhibition and book
called Strange Messenger. Showing no signs of slowing down, Smith continues
to produce visual art and music and has been honored by institutions ranging
from the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame to the French Ministry of Culture. She
also famously played a 3.5-hour set at CBGB in August 2005 to effectively
close the club forever. The opportunity to see someone who has been such
a part of the history of music, someone with this sort of legendary status,
doesn’t come along very often. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll buy
your tickets now and secure yourself a spot at Tiptina’s to see one of the
greatest living poets take the stage. —Erin Hall; Photo by Jean Baptiste
Patti Smith plays at Tipitina’s on Saturday, April 24th. Doors open at 9pm and
tickets are a steal at $25. For more information, go to tipitinas.com.
ANTIGRAVITY: Until I read your bio, I didn’t realize you were such a big fan of Spider-Man. You
actually turned down a job drawing a monthly Spider-Man book to do Transmetropolitan. Besides
the fact that you’d own it, what made Transmetropolitan your ultimate choice?
Darick Robertson: Co-creating an original book with Warren Ellis for Vertigo! I was keenly aware
of what a great writer Warren was even then when we were both sort of wall flowers at the big
two (Marvel and DC). Spider-Man wasn’t going anywhere and I had already drawn quite a bit of
Spider-Man stuff, even wrote some as well, [but] Transmetropolitan seemed like a real opportunity to
do something new and different at a time when comic seemed to be stalling out. What’s your favorite Transmet story?
I love “Another Cold Morning,” about a woman who comes out of cryogenic freeze in the
future to find she’s useless and confused. Are there any scenes or a plotline you wished had made it into Transmet but didn’t?
I left most of the plotline to Warren. I would still like to do the prequels we discussed years
ago, but beyond that, I’m pretty satisfied with what is out there already.
You’ve worked steadily in comics for twenty years,
including drawing and writing tons of superhero books
for Marvel and DC. How has that background lent
itself to your work on The Boys?
I love superheroes done well. I surround my workspace with
action figures and such. So when it comes to The Boys, it’s
easy to tap into just a pure love of the genre before we turn
it over on the grill and sear it some more. You’ve been a life-long fan of comics and seem to have lived the
dream of working on at least some of the characters you grew up
with. Did you find your experiences to be what you’d hoped, or
were you surprised by what you found?
Often I found that a good way to ruin a puppet show
is to sneak behind the curtain. What are you looking forward to seeing and doing in
New Orleans?
New Orleans has everything I love: Great food, great music, history,
good drink and wonderful people. I soak it all in every time I have the
pleasure of getting down there.
For more info on Darick Robertson, go to darickrobertson.com.
COLUMNS
THE GOODS
by miss malaprop
FASHION
mallory@antigravitymagazine.com
REPURPOSING NOLA
I
n honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, I thought I’d introduce you to local eco warrior
Traci Claussen. Her site LiveGreenNewOrleans.com brings the New Orleans area
regular updates on all facets of green living here in the Big Easy. Her line of recycled
products, REpurposingNOLA, is handmade here in New Orleans by local artists, and
has garnered Traci some national attention. She was recently chosen to participate in the
Entrepreneurial
Challenge
at The Idea Village’s New
Orleans Entrepreneur Week
(NOEW) in late March, where
she was matched up with
students from the Berkeley
Haas School of Business who
helped her refine her business
plan and marketing strategies.
Judging by the way things
are going so far, big things
are in store for Traci and
REpurposingNOLA! I recently
caught up with her to find out
more about how her business
came about and what’s next.
Miss Malaprop: What inspired the REpurposingNOLA line?
Traci Claussen: It has been a dream of mine to establish a business back here in New
Orleans that could sprout into a virtual storefront from my “green” resource site,
LiveGreenNewOrleans.com, which was first to provide fresh daily green news for New
Orleans. The inspiration came from remodeling my loft last year in the CBD and realizing
the city’s “green” practices and recycling efforts were minimal at best. Like most women, I
love bags and want to look fashionable even though there is a recession going on. It seems
the bags that get the most attention are actually the ones selfishly designed for myself: the
Eco-duffel, the HoBo, and the RE-weekender, as well as the clothing (newsboy cap and fest,
boo!TM pants).
REpurposingNOLA Piece by PeaceTM brand is a truly unique piece of New Orleans
where we actually repurpose the “fabric of the community” into designer goods. It is my
goal to offer simple, basic luxury for the fashionable recession-ista who wants to “be cool; do
good” right now. There is nobody else out there doing exactly what I am doing in a unified
manner with the local impact. eBay’s World of Good shop contains items that are made
in China and India, many under questionable labor conditions. All of REpurposingNOLA
products are handmade, locally, from sustainable sources.
Where do you find your materials for the REpurposingNOLA Piece by PeaceTM products
and how do you work with local artists to transform them?
All materials are sourced locally from PJs Coffeehouse, NOLA Brewing, and local
manufacturing facilities. In fact, people are now calling me to donate vinyl banners and
tents! In the true spirit of a triple bottom line (people/planet/profits), we buy salvaged
wood from The Green Project, and also items like belts, ties and cosmetic bags from the
Bridge House Shop to create the details on our bags. Every REpurposingNOLA Piece by
PeaceTM product tells a unique story about our city.
In honor of our Mayor-Elect, during NOEW I presented my latest product (the Male
Bag) to Mitch Landrieu with the natural text “clean new sound” to hopefully inspire his
new venture at City Hall.
After the success using PJs burlap, I was fortunate enough to meet local manufacturers
who had extra bolts of fabric from previous projects that they were happy to donate.
Because all materials are donated, REpurposingNOLA is able to pay fair wages for local
labor to help in production of my designs.
What’s in the future for REpurposingNOLA?
Hopefully, a lot of online sales! It has been an honor to be part of the Idea Village’s 2010
Entrepreneur Class and have access to great business networks and resources right here in
New Orleans: the Berkeley Haas School of Business teams and all the NOEW corporate
sponsors Google, Cisco, Salesforce.com, Arent-Fox legal team, who have donated
thousands of hours to help local entrepreneurs gear for growth in this economy. I just
keep pinching myself because it is the equivalent of having Brangelina adopt my business
(although I’d settle for Brad using my Eco-duffel, and Angie carrying one of the HoBo bags
around the paparazzi!) The Berkeley team focus during NOEW was to deliver an online
strategy and targeted retail growth model. (Anthropologie is opening in Canal Place!)
REpurposingNOLA is also laying the groundwork to expand into Los Angeles to fulfill
West Coast orders in an effort to lower our carbon footprint, while helping LA’s struggling
textile industry. We are getting fantastic reviews from our customers as well as the media.
It is a VERY exciting time!
Where can people purchase REpurposingNOLA goods?
REpurposingNOLA products are currently available online at REpurposingNOLA.com
and a small selection is at Fleurty Girl at 8611 Oak Street, Branch Out clothing store at
2022 Magazine Street, and Green Serene (Lifestyle, Organic, Fair Trade boutique) at 2041
Magazine Street, all in New Orleans.
11
COLUMNS
THEATER
THE SPLASH ZONE
by sara pic
sara.pic@gmail.com
APRIL RUNAROUND
Alice Liddell and Lewis Carroll meet... Sylvia Plath?
Fringe Fest '09 debuted many
amazing shows and, lucky for
us, the people who made those
shows are bringing many of them
back because once is just never
enough for a good thing. Skin
Horse Theater definitely brought
that and more with their play
Curioser: An Historical Inaccuracy.
Curioser brings together the famous
literary historical characters of
Lewis Carroll—who wrote Alice
in Wonderland—his muse Alice
Liddell and groundbreaking but
suicidal poet Sylvia Plath. The
play explores their commonalities
of experience, as people trapped in worlds not of their making, who are trying to make new worlds in
which they can survive and thrive. Curioser was a not-to-be-missed play at Fringe Fest so if you missed
it, give a little prayer of thanks to the theatre gods and hurry over to the Backyard Ballroom April 9th
through 11th and April 16th through 18th at 8 pm. $10. Little Murders are just so damn funny!
Cripple Creek Theatre Company, who brought us Major Swelling's Salvation Salve Medicine Show
(remember-- Huey P. Long as a tapdancing, singing zombie?) is back with a new production,
Little Murders. Cripple Creek is dedicated to producing «dramatic works of cultural, historical
and political relevance in order to provoke the general public into social action.» They often work
towards accomplishing this goal through production of theatrical black comedies. Little Murders—
featuring Jackson Townsend, Emilie Whelan, Ross Britz and Ian Hoch and directed by Andrea
Carlin—tackles the weighty topic of the violence, hypocrisy and flaws of the American family. But
they promise-- it's funny! Based on their past work, if anyone can make alcoholism, urban decay and
random violence funny, it would be Cripple Creek. Catch the hilarity at the Marigny Theatre on
Fridays and Saturdays, April 2nd through 17th at 8 pm. $10. Playing and writing aren't mutually exclusive
We all know kids come up with the wildest stories. But most don't turn those stories into staged
plays. Goat in the Road Productions is making that happen with their project, Play/Write: A Children's
Playwriting Festival. Nearly 100 5th and 7th grade students at three schools participated in the 10-week
program, taught by William Bowling, Rachel Carrico and Chris Kaminstein. The program goals are
to strengthen students' reading and writing skills, but also to expose them to the world of theatre and to
encourage exploration – with the support of their teachers. On April 20th at 7 pm at the Contemporary
Arts Center, we will be treated to a free performance of a dozen of these plays, written by students but
produced by several local professional theatre companies and performed by professional local actors.
Goat in the Road plans to continue this groundbreaking program, so a $5 donation is requested. Zombies + World Salvation = AWESOME
Southern Rep continues to take daring and exciting risks in partnering with local innovative
theatre companies for their latest production, With a Bang, written by NOLA Project member Pete
McElligott and directed by Southern Rep's Artistic Director Aimée Hayes. Featuring many members
of the NOLA Project—who describe themselves as «a theatre company made up of actors inspired
by the energy of New Orleans,»—With a Bang is a brand-new absurd comedy about a young woman
who finds that her father has died. Again. (Yes! More zombies!) The heroine, when confronted by an
awkward messenger who is adamantly not an angel, realizes her only option is to take up her father's
mission – to save the world. With a Bang runs March 25th through April 18th at 8 pm. Regular ticket
prices range from $20-$35 with special student and other discounts. Get freaky with me!
I was recently honored (ok, elated) to be one of the only performers in New Orleans selected to
perform in Freakshow-A-Go-Go in Seattle on May 29th. Freakshow features the best-of-the-best in
queer performance art. Performers are invited only – there is no submission process (kind of like the
MacArthur Genius Award – you just get tapped). I'm holding a fundraiser for, well… me and my
partner-in-crime (I mean, art), Sugarcock, at the AllWays on April 16th and 17th at 10 pm called
Freaksheaux to Geaux. We are starting our freakshow right here in New Orleans before we hit the
road. I'm thrilled that many amazing local performers have agreed to donate their time, energy
and heart to help us get to Seattle. Hosted by comedian and «preacher of perversion» Ben Wisdom
of Slow Burn Burlesque, and featuring fire performance by Replicant Girl (who has a new show,
Singe, at Pravda that you should check out!), burlesque by Moxie Sazerac and Basil Fatale, acroclowning-dance by the Submarigny Submarine Club of Undersea Pleasures and debuting several
new genderbender delights. Only $5 and you'll help us get to Seattle and rep the freaky side of
NOLA's queer performance art. Curioser runs at the Backyard Ballroom, 3519 St. Claude, 4/9-11 and 4/16-18 at 8 pm, $10, skinhorsetheater.
org. Little Murders runs at the Marigny Theatre, 1030 Marigny, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm from 4/2-4/17,
$10, cripplecreekplayers.org. Play/Write runs at the Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp, 4/20 at 7 pm, free,
$5 suggested donation, goatintheroadproductions.com. With a Bang runs at Southern Rep, in Canal Place, from
3/25-4/18 at 8 pm, varying ticket prices, southernrep.com. Freaksheaux to Geaux is 4/16-17 at 10 pm at the
AllWays Lounge, 2240 St. Claude, $5, sugardragonproductions.com.
Send me press releases, vague info on shows and theatre/performance art news or gossip! Holla at sara.pic@
gmail.com.
COLUMNS
ADVICE
GUIDANCE
COUNSELING
this month’s trusted advisor: blair
PICKING ROOMIES AND WHITE RAPPERS
B
lair
Gimma
practically snuck
into town last
month and debuted her
new CD, Die Young,
which is a beautiful,
haunting and simplycrafted
album
that
evokes the likes of the
Breeders and Liz Phair.
Like those artists, Blair
delivers some heavy
issues under the guise
of an angelic voice and
fuzzed-out pop riffs. If
she can make so much
tragedy sound sooooo
sweet, then she’s a natural for to answer this month’s batch of problems.
How do you pick good roommates? I keep having bad luck with different people who are either short on their
money all the time or are slobs, have shitty pets, etc... Everyone does such a good job of being on their best
behavior at first but then they turn on the flake switch. Got any tips for finding actually good people to live with?
Have you ever seen Traffic? Remember that scene when Benicio del Toro meets the
Mexican officials at a public swimming pool? Arrange a meeting like that one. During that
meeting, ask this series of three questions. If your potential roommate says yes to any of
these questions, you can’t live with this person.
Have you heard the new Amy Winehouse? (If they say yes, they are lying, because there
is no new Amy Winehouse out yet. You can’t live with a liar.)
What is your favorite band? (Prog-rock fan = crazy person)
Did you combine two keffiyehs on your neck to make one super keffiyeh? ( A person
who creates super keffieyeh’s is a super problem. Quickly go under water, kick like a crazy
person, and get the hell out of there.)
I couldn’t help myself the other night and read some of my girlfriend’s emails. Well, I found out some
fucked up shit involving something that went down between her and an ex and I can’t get into it here
but it’s making me really distrustful and pissed off!! Problem is, I was sort of spying on her so I can’t
exactly come out and confront her. What should I do?
First, get hold of a monocle. Then, hold that monocle up to your right eye and whisper
gravely, “I know what you did last summer.” She will fold like a cheap tent.
Sometimes my boyfriend, who is very white, listens to hardcore rap and gets really into it, but it makes
him look stupid, especially when he “raps along.” I don’t know how to tell him to knock it the fuck off.
But really, if you saw this, you would understand. It’s very awkward.
I think the best approach here is to give him a taste of his medicine. Next time the two of
you are riding in your car with some friends of his, put in “Da Baddest Bitch” by Trina. Roll
down the windows and bump it:
I’m representin’ for the bitches
All eyes on your riches
No time for the little dicks
You see the bigger the dick
The bigger the bank, the bigger the Benz
The better the chance to get close to his rich friends
I’m going after the big man
G-string make his dick stand
Make it quick then slow head by the night stand
Like lightning I wanna nigga with a wedding ring
Bank accounts in the Philippines
Blank note to take everything
See I fuck him in the living room
While his children home
I make him eat it while my period on
A little nasty ho, red-bone but a classy ho
Young jazzy ho and don’t be scared
If you’re curious just ask me hoes
And yes dick sucking comes quite natural
I’m the baddest bitch what
Match Trina verse for verse, wild out with the hand motions, and of course, angrily sing
it to cars next to you when you stop at a traffic light. After this experience, expect a lot of
changes in your boyfriend. He will probably smoke more cigarettes, want to cook at home
more rather than eat out and will quietly tap his foot and chew gum while listening to the
Fleet Foxes alone in his living room.
13
COLUMNS
LOCAL CULTURE
“SLINGSHOTS, ANYONE?”
by derek zimmer judgeperezrevenge@yahoo.com
[Editors’ note: We love Derek for keeping it so real and we’re happy to have his insight-- the kid does get around-- but his opinions are clearly his own and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, who
are far too submerged in the politics and back-alley dealings of the, uh, scene to speak poorly of anyone whose cooperation we depend on. For anybody whose skin feels a little thin after reading his monthly
take, just remember these are HIS thoughts and we publish them uncensored (the young master demands it) because he’s out there taking it in for us and doing all the dirty work, while we’re at home watching
OnDemand. Got problems with anything he says? Email him about it. He’d love to hear from you.]
S
o we meet again, my beloved little doodlebugs. As you may (or may not?) have
noted, I’ve taken a month off from writing for ANTIGRAVITY, and pretty much
all tabling duties for the illustrious Iron Rail Book Collective as well, to temporarily
pursue other interests. Well, if you must know, I was actually visiting with my hobbit
family in the Westfarthing of the Shire! But ssshh—don’t tell anyone! Anyway, like any
healthy relationship—monogamous or no—I feel as though such a reprieve from those
abovementioned endeavors was a bit overdue. I think my “partners” and I arrived at the
mutual conclusion that we could all very well benefit from some “space” to, you know,
“see other people”—to dabble in the other selections from the menu of life and gain new
perspectives...With absence to once again soften the heart, however, I feel I can now return
to my prior commitments refreshed and revitalized, without perceiving either vocation as
a ball and chain, as unwilling companions I must drag with me to each and every show
and politely include in all my conversations. But before I continue allow me to offer my
humblest gratitude. To every one of you who has shared your thoughts on my writings over
the past few months—in the spirit of Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me,” I wish to
impart to you all that your words have enriched my life far greater than mine could have
enriched yours. It is for you, dear friends, that I prolong my relentless campaign of elitist
snobbery and self-righteous entitlement over the New Orleans music scene...
To make up for lost time and re-exert control over my extended territories, I undertook
a strenuous four days of making the rounds. The first installment of my show marathon
began at Magazine Street’s wonderful Hey Café, a bastion of fine espresso and moodlit punk rock ambience co-owned and managed by sincere compañero Greg Rodrigue. If
this event combined with the incredible Screaming Females show that took place in the
midst of the Mardi Gross parade ferocity is any indication, it appears Hey Café —even in
its flourishing infancy—has already assumed its place as a haven for the malcontents of
the NOLA punk community. It also reigns as the Uptown annex of Iron Rail, Marigny’s
revered record store/infoshop/agitator-of-the-masses in whose steed I proudly serve—
which meant I didn’t even have to lug out my own books to this show! I cannot overstate
the noble deeds being tirelessly carried out by Greg &
Co.—one of them being the upcoming Block Party
which will be hosted this year by the Big Top. Dual
cells of Iron Rail literary guerillas and vinyl pirates
will be infiltrating both the Alternative Media Expo
and the Block Party, respectively, both beginning at
noon on April 17th and lasting all day.
Nestled among friends on Hey Café’s back room
floor, as senor Greg spit lessons on his acoustic
guitar like a headmaster over his pupils, I set to
cogitating about my own experiences taking part in
nigh over a thousand shows in the past few years. I
realized, then, that there is something unique about
the acoustic punk show alone that really imbues this
sense of intimacy and communication unmatched by
its typical amplified counterpart. After all, I reflected,
the acoustic show is a space usually more conducive to exchange of dialogue: lyrics are more
coherent and the performers almost by custom accompany their songs with explanations
and additional insights. Whereas during a loud punk rock show, on the other hand, even the
simple hum of feedback or the need to enlist the use of a buzzing microphone to exchange
words creates a barrier between audience and musician. Given its low volume, the acoustic
show is also enabled to happen much more often in personalized settings like living rooms
or kitchens, rather than more consumerist contexts like clubs or bars. That’s not to say that
the raw and desperate energy of a great hardcore set doesn’t maintain its own special quality
(you cannot mosh to an acoustic song, it’s true—at least not without looking like a total
dork!), or that such a performance format cannot happen in more private contexts like a
house (obviously an absurd falsehood if ever one was!)—just that potential communication
can often be drowned out in the course of the music’s delivery...
I received validation for this hypothesis a couple nights hence, when Kimya Dawson
bestowed her presence upon the Big Top. Did you know Kimya and her husband Angelo
Spencer bring their three year-old daughter Panda on tour with them all across the land—
and that this adorable, energetic bundle of joy makes guest appearances during Kimya’s
set? I recall an interview from a while back, printed in the awesome fanzine Give Me Back,
where Ms. Dawson talks about “gentle discipline” parenting—a practice whereby parents
do not punish or constantly repeat negative declarations (“don’t touch that! don’t do that!
bad little kid! no! no! no!”) but rather focus on redirecting the child away from harmful
situations while offering her/him the freedom to explore surroundings. The extension of
this idea is to also nurture the child if they are acting out in inappropriate ways—calmly
talking to them about why they’re doing so and trying to work through those behaviors
without enlisting “disciplinary” measures like whippings or punishments. I witnessed the
practical application of this practice when in the middle of one of Kimya’s ballads, Panda
jumped up on stage and commenced pulling the microphone to her own lips to make dog
barks—each time pushing the stand back toward her mother still in mid-song. But Kimya
just went with it, laughing along with the crowd and craning with her guitar to reach the
microphone, before baby-daddy Angelo came over after a few minutes to distract Panda
with a game. Watching little Panda run around the art space, interact with loving strangers,
and woof into the mic caused me to ache with regret that I couldn’t expose my own younger
brother to such a vibrant environment. He, alas, was barred from attending this Tuesday
evening’s festivities due to his school schedule and the copious amounts of homework
given to him by that rigid educational institution—which also administers “time outs” and
detentions when its “subjects” do not stay seated or quiet for hours on end! It’s like, of
course children—in their boundless curiosity of the world—don’t always “behave” or prefer
sitting in desks over playing—they’re kids, not robots! Duh. Examining this typical coercive
obedience under which most children are raised juxtaposed with an environment like
Panda’s, the fact becomes abundantly clear to me: compulsory schooling is the antithesis
of gentle disciplining.
At some point during the show, after earning my keep by helping Papa Bryan work the
door, I was thumbing through a book on the Iron Rail table called Burning Fight, which
documents hardcore bands as vast in scope as the more “emotional” variety like Texas
Is The Reason to the more militant bro-thug variety such as Earth Crisis. The book is
comparable to American Hardcore, except geared toward the most robust musical era of the
past century: the 1990s. I read a story about one particular ’90s band who has left a lasting
impression on me and how I view the world. No, silly, not the Cardigans—but good guess!
The band to which I am referring is Seattle political straightedge band Trial. In the book,
singer Greg Bennick details how at one particular show he had gone out on a limb and
implored those in the audience to let go of any inhibitions, shame, internal barriers, and
perhaps just for one song to have everyone unabashedly scream their pain together—even if
they had no idea what the actual lyrics were. I received both chills and tears as I read how
after this particularly explosive set a woman approached Greg and shared with him how she
had heeded his words and opened up in a way she never had before—crying and screaming
at the top of her voice, alone in the back of that room, as the song played. Such is the power
of music at times and the kind of intensity I burn for each and every moment of my life.
And believe it or not, I felt a deeper connection watching Kimya Dawson play her
quiet set than I do for most loud, aggressive punk/hardcore bands I see on a regular basis.
She really proves to me, alongside The Evens, that
volume doesn’t necessarily equal power. Maybe its
that soothing cadence to her ethereal voice, which at
times seems to possess a strangely familiar quality,
but her songs just resonate with me on such an
emotional level and produce this incredible lingering
warmth. Those haters who would dismiss Kimya on
the grounds of being cutesy weenie folk might be
surprised to discover her subject matter can at times
delve into waters so murky few ostensibly political
bands even dare to tread: songs dealing with her
own struggles recovering from drug addiction (yep—
Kimya is apparently nailed to the X!), holding the
hand one last time of a friend on their hospital death
bed, and the traumatizing confusion of the gender
binary...As she sang, her words evoked the same kind
of sensations that reading about one of my favorite hardcore bands a half-hour before had,
and I know I was not the only one of the hundred or so individuals spread across the marble
floor of the Big Top who felt thus. Given the weight of such uninhibited honesty, and her
ability to truly connect with and captivate those around her, I would go so far as to say that
Kimya Dawson is as “hardcore” in content as a lot bands ascribed to that particular genre—
on par, even, with a band like Trial. And with the show as a split benefit for Iron Rail and
Sweet Home New Orleans—as d.i.y. in ethic and practice as Fugazi.
I left the show that night musically and emotionally satiated, thoughts bouncing around
in my head and feeling as though a rubicon had been crossed. With this recent revelation
in mind, I must confess to one nagging thought that has been creeping to the forefront of
my mind as of late. Whether standing up front or hiding in the shadows of the Iron Rail
table, watching various kids wiling out on their respective instruments night after night,
I often feel this ravenous desire for something more. I understand individuals in bands
consider playing music their sole responsibility and probably feel fulfilled enough in doing
so, and that act in itself is really important. In one respect, I believe d.i.y. culture holds an
inherent significance because, if nothing else, it empowers those involved to embark on
their own creative adventures and set their own precedents. But I feel it’s also crucial for us
as musicians or artists to acknowledge that sometimes—even in instances where there exists
no visible stage or barrier—those of us watching are not always as engaged as we could
be. I think something that is sorely lacking right now in punk rock is an open and honest
dialogue about issues that affect us every day, and my hope is that more bands continue to
push the envelope to create not only beautiful compositions but moments of high tension
and release—moments that force us from our complacent shells and encourage us to open
up in ways we never dreamed possible. If music is in fact a form of communication that
predates language, I say let’s utilize it to challenge each other and ourselves. I don’t feel I am
asking too much here; I’m convinced of our potential as punk rock kids to achieve anything
we put our minds to.
I left the show that night musically
and emotionally satiated, thoughts
bouncing around in my head and
feeling as though a rubicon had
been crossed. With this recent
revelation in mind, I must confess
to one nagging thought that has
been creeping to the forefront of
my mind as of late.
“There’s no argument that we humans...at our best can only create opportunities.” —
Maya Angelou
15
FEATURE
MUSIC
MY MORNING JACKET BRINGS ITS QUIRKY
BRAND OF SOUTHERN ROCK TO JAZZFEST
by erin hall
photo by autumn dewilde
I
t’s just a band of good southern boys. They like their
guitars and their mamas and a good dinner. The picture
of humility—rock’n’roll minus the pretension—My
Morning Jacket are just some guys from Kentucky who
happen to really dig rock ‘n’ roll. And, as luck would have
it, we really dig them. Emerging from Louisville in 1998,
MMJ has taken the music world by storm since the turn
of the millennium, producing some of the most rollicking
southern rock to be heard in decades. Not to be pigeonholed
as just another southern band, they have experimented
with their jammy side as well as a more polished, melodic
side. Mixing up-tempo barnburners with spacey grooves,
their live show is not to be missed. In the two years since
their last full-length release (Evil Urges) the men of MMJ
have been keeping busy. Frontman Jim James formed his
own label; collaborated with M. Ward and two members
of Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis) to form the
outfit Monsters of Folk and release a debut record; released
an album of George Harrison covers; and crooned with the
Preservation Hall Jazz Band on their recent benefit album
Preservation. Drummer Patrick Hallahan also handled
backup duty for the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on a recent
solo tour. ANTIGRAVITY sat down with Hallahan to chat
about their upcoming debut set at JazzFest, their love of our
unique city and when we can expect a new album.
ANTIGRAVITY: So you guys are playing Jazzfest on
Saturday, April 24th. This is your first time playing the
festival, right?
Patrick Hallahan: It’s our first time playing the festival and
the first thing we said “yes” to this year. It was a total nobrainer. We have a deep, deep love for New Orleans.
There is heated debate among the JazzFest faithful about
“mainstream” acts in the lineup. One camp argues that
the lineup should be solely jazz and blues musicians—
perhaps the more obscure the better. The other argues
that adding more popular acts that have a jazz or blues
“feel” or influence is beneficial for both increasing ticket
sales and helping expose a new audience to some of the
more unknown acts. How do you think you guys fit into
the lineup in those terms? Do you feel that you draw some
influence from the jazz/blues well?
Is there a “correct” answer to this question? [Laughs] At least
wait until question #6 to paint me into a corner! We kind of
pride ourselves on not being any one thing. We’re five guys
that love playing music and eating good food. That’s it.
I feel like you guys may be perceived as having more
“cred” than some of the other headliners, seeing as Jim
just guested on the Preservation Hall benefit CD and you
guys are bringing them out on the road as the opener for
your spring tour. What drew you guys to ask them to open
for you?
For the record, we don’t have any more “cred” than anyone
else. Jim was asked to sing on the Pres Hall CD and he
and the guys hit it off. It was brought to our attention that
touring with them could be a possibility and I think it took
twenty minutes to seal the deal. Does it get any better?
Do you think your normal crowd is going to appreciate or
“get” them as an opener?
Only if they have a beating heart....
The last studio record you guys released was Evil Urges in
2008. But you’ve all kept pretty busy with side projects in
the mean time. Jim obviously worked with Conor Oberst
and M. Ward on Monsters of Folk, but I heard recently
that you’ve also been playing drums and backing up Dan
Auerbach of the Black keys in his solo gigs. How did that
collaboration come about?
Dan, Pat and I have been friends for a while now. I got a text
from Dan at 6am to fill in for a drummer that had quit two
days before the tour started and I agreed to fill in for a while.
The rest is history.
Are you done working with him for the time being or can
we look forward to hearing your drum skills maybe make
it onto some recordings with him?
There are too many good drummers in Akron. I’m
outnumbered.
So it’s been two years since your last album. Do you guys
have any immediate plans to release a new studio album?
Have you been working on any new material? Does being
on tour together better facilitate writing new songs?
We’ve taken the entire year off from My Morning Jacket,
so no new material has been worked out. Plans for a new
album are in the works, but touring has nothing to do with
it.
You’ve known Jim since you guys were kids, right? I
read that you formed your first band together. Since you
came on board with MMJ, drumming has become a much
more dynamic part of the song structure. How do you
guys negotiate that when laying out the music? Do you
play a part in the construction or have any hand in the
songwriting?
Every song starts out as a framework demo from Jim. It is
then tossed to the band for drywall, plaster, wiring, plumbing
and decorations until it becomes our dream home.
How has the working dynamic between you and Jim
changed over time, if at all?
It really hasn’t. Herein lies the beauty.
Lastly, I know Jim has been here a good bit recently
(recording at Preservation Hall etc.) and you guys have
toured through here, but have you, personally, spent much
time in New Orleans? If so, what’s your favorite haunt
(restaurant/bar/club etc.)? If not, please allow us to
recommend some where we can meet you all for a drink…
I’ve spent quit a bit of time in NOLA and love it immensely.
It’s such a special place. I love Mother’s, Cochon, Cafe du
Monde, One Eyed Jacks, Arnaud’s... ah, the list can go on
forever. Recommendations are always welcome.
My Morning Jacket plays at 5:30pm on Saturday, April 24th
at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on the Gentilly
stage. For more information on tickets and schedules, visit
nojazzfest.com. That night they also have a rare, intimate
performance scheduled at Preservation Hall. Tickets for that
show were limited and sold for $100 each. It’s completely sold
out, but if you felt like beating someone up and jacking their
tickets, it would most likely be worth it. Not that we encourage
violence in any way.
New Orleans: An Underground Guide by Michael Patrick Welch (UNO Press),
with Alison Fensterstock, and photos by Jonathan Traviesa & Zack Smith
A music and art focused guidebook that stresses Marigny/Bywater over the Quarter, Quintron over Dr. John, and rap over jazz.
"Soft Release" @ Canary Gallery, 329 Julia St. SUN April 25. 6 to 9pm. Music, liquor, and a small showing of photographs from the book. A giant index will be posted of the 987 bands/musicians/DJs/rappers/visual artists/etc featured in the book, so come down and see if you are featured -- probably are!
OFFICIAL book release: NoizeFest 2010. SUN May 2 @ 609 Lesseps St., noon to midnight. 40+ tech-noize acts, plus
super cheap food and booze, and a goat. Audience implored to bring portable noizemakers for our sunset noize
second-line. Children welcome. Interested "bands" contact funkruze1@hotmail.com
FEATURE
MUSIC
CADDYWHOMPUS: JUST OUT TO HAVE
SOME BIG FUN
by dan mitchell
C
photo by cory schultz
addywhompus is not part of your clique, your posse
or your crew; nor do they want to be. Rather, they
exist in their own self-promoted musical realm and,
chances are, they do not like your band, your venue or your
scene. This is not to say that they aren’t nice guys or that
they’re overly pretentious when it comes to their music;
they are just bored with the ho-hum of playing the same
show week-in-and-week-out and seeing the same people at
each turn. They yearn for more and they are going out of
their way to ensure that they will never be pigeonholed as
just another New Orleans indie-rock band.
Chris Rehm and Sean Hart, Caddywhompus, have
known each other since meeting in kindergarten in
Houston, Texas. They’ve attended the same schools since
the age of five and they both moved to New Orleans to
carry on their education at Loyola University, where they
currently reside as students. Rehm and Hart have played
music together since junior high, so it’s safe to say that they
understand each other musically. Perhaps this explains how
these two twenty-year-olds have been able to create such a
unique and tight sound in their latest musical endeavor. In
trying to pin down their sound, look
no further than the name chosen for
their outpourings—Caddywhompus:
fucked up, off-kiltered and largely
unpredictable.
Their sound is an eclectic mix of
adroitly-positioned noise freak-outs,
bedded with sugary pop sweetness that
takes the listener on a ride through both
the back alleyways of experimental
racket and the pillow-y sunshine roads
of bliss-pop. Starting with a string of
EPs recorded in Hart’s living room
in 2009, boasting titles as outlandish
and youthful as “Absinthesizer” and
“This is Where We Blaze the Nuggz,”
Caddywhompus have pushed forth in
both sound and technique and now
have a full-length album, entitled
Remainder, set to be released next
month.
Remainder, recorded and ready for
release on the local collective label
Community Records—run by Greg
Rodrigue and D-Ray Trombone
of Fatter Than Albert—is a step
forward for Caddywhompus in both
songwriting proficiency and in
experimentation. Starting with the fetching chug and
humorously titled opening track “Let the Water Hit the
Floor,” and on through the last moments of the down-tempo,
contemplative closer “Same Difference,” Caddywhompus
show time and again that they have every right to be a bit
cocky. Over the course of Remainder’s eight tracks (that last
just over thirty-two minutes), Rehm (guitarist and vocalist)
and Hart (drummer/ percussionist) achieve a sound unique
to this city in its variegation and vacillation. It is a sound
certainly worth hearing; so take note all ye complacent
musical heads in town. ANTIGRAVITY caught up with
Rehm and Hart after a brief Southern tour with the Givers
and just before they made their way to SXSW, where they
brought their “Big Fun” approach to the streets of Austin.
ANTIGRAVITY: You talked to the online publication
The Austinist a little bit about how long you guys have
been playing music together, how you started in Houston.
Is that where you are both from?
Chris Rehm: Yeah, both born and raised in Houston and
played music in a band since eighth grade. We played
in this band called the Riff Tiffs. It was a full band with
my brother and this girl named Althea—a post-rock,
triumphant-sounding band. A rock n’ roll band is what we
thought it was. Nothing has officially stopped with Riff
Tiffs, but we have significantly slowed down. We have an
album that we recorded, from about two years ago, that is
being mixed right now. We are just waiting to release that,
hopefully by the end of the summer.
Do you guys have a way to release this music? I
understand Community [Records] is going to be pressing
the full-length vinyl for you.
Sean Hart: Yeah, Greg [Rodrigue] and D-Ray [Trombone]
from the ska band Fatter Than Albert. They’ve got about
ten bands from all over the U.S. on Community—all good
ska and punk bands. We self-released EPs [a collection of
Caddywhompus demos] and he [Greg] heard EPs and said
that he wanted to do a full-length.
CR: I think that we are the first non-punk or ska band on
Community Records.
SH: I think he [Greg] definitely doesn’t want to mess with
any of those New Orleans indie-rock bands or be a part
myself with Garage Band last year. For the full-length, we
got Logic and had a practice studio. The studio definitely
doesn’t sound quite as cool as Sean’s room, but we made it
work. I recorded it myself at the studio on Fountainebleau
with as many mics as I could find. The 7” [split with sings]
was actually recorded in Houston at Sugarhill Studios and
we got it mastered in Austin by our friend Raz at Affordable
Sounds, so almost DIY. [Laughs]
As far as touring, you guys have a lot of dates coming up
[in May through June] all over the country, most of them
TBA. How are you going about setting up those gigs? Do
you know people in these cities?
SH: I know people in every one of the cities that we will
be playing. Since this is our first time on the West Coast,
we are trying to do parties, art spaces and skate shops. Not
clubs because we don’t have club draw at all. The bands that
we have played with from the West Coast like Ganglians
and Wavves aren’t going to pick up if I call them. I’m just
trying to get in touch with bands that I like [out there] and
trying to see where they are playing and just try to get a
show. So far, we have five shows out
of the twenty-five, but a bunch of them
are in the works. We are doing a month
on the West Coast and then taking a
week off and doing another month on
the East Coast. The level we want to
get at [with respect to touring] is just
to be able to have a solid underground
touring circuit so that we know we
can go out to these places and play for
good locals [and with] younger bands.
We are not even 21 yet, so we prefer
all-ages shows—playing at warehouses
and house parties.
CR: I respect bands that have this
steady increase [in touring]. Bands
like Deerhoof or Animal Collective,
who have this upward slope… working
their way from label to label, album to
album. It is a more gradual, modest
way of getting a substantial fan base.
I would like to see us doing something
like that—to make enough money to
live off the music and then make music
again.
of that. I think he saw that we weren’t trying to be a part
of any music clique. Community Records is DIY and just
for the music; I like the way he’s running it. We are [also]
just starting, for our (Caddywhompus) 7” release, a split
that is coming out soon, putting out everything that we
release under the name Chinquapin Records. The Riff Tiffs
album will be on that (Chinquapin label) and any future
Caddywhompus releases. I would like to mostly self-release
our stuff—ideally make our own label for all of our releases.
CR: I’d like to be able to begin helping out other bands and
try to release some of their music, whether or not we have a
lot of money—at least be part of a label that we can release
music that we enjoy on.
SH: [It’s] kind of just an experiment and going with the
flow of things; we don’t really have a business plan right
now. As soon as people start buying the albums, we will
figure out what we want to do with the label. [Laughs] But,
we have to sell albums first.
You mentioned before that you don’t
necessarily want to be associated
with a group of artists in this city, more like doing it
yourselves.
SH: I guess that’s more just me. A lot of the bands here are
very incestuous and a lot of the bands sound the same—
that’s going to happen. Like the Indie Rock Collective,
putting on festivals with all the same bands. I want to try
to not just play there [at festival shows] or not play there at
all and start something new—just play for different crowds.
I want to play for as many different types of people as
possible, not just getting stuck in one group. I like playing
Bryan Funck’s punk shows because he seems to book
random bands; that’s how I find new bands. I feel like there
is not that much new stuff coming out [in town] that is very
impressive right now
CR: I think more than anything, it is about avoiding
being [labeled as a] Loyola band, for instance. There is no
problem being a part of groups; just don’t limit yourself to
groups.
How do you guys go about recording your music?
CR: EPs was recorded at Sean’s house, in his living room.
We recorded that with three microphones and I did that
Caddywhompus releases Remainder on Friday, April 23rd
at the Mother-in-Law Lounge with Brother/Ghost, Sun Hotel
and F.T.A. For more info, go to caddywhompusband.com.
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21
FEATURE
MUSIC
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF BRING SOME
YOUNG BLOOD TO THE BYWATER
by michael patrick welch
photos by andy cook
F
or kids these days—or, at least the kids we see in the Bywater/
Marigny neighborhood—train-hopping is the new being in a band.
But Hurray For The Riff Raff singer/banjo player Alynda Lee Segarra chose both, having found
her way to New Orleans, and to music, via hopped train. As a result, her band’s affecting and
highly professional-sounding recent release, Young Blood Blues, fits solidly within the aesthetic
of the Bywater/Marigny acoustic punk scene: banjo, accordion and fiddle in minor key with a 3/4 swing.
Though the cymbals are tiny, the bass drum is heavy like a rock band and Segarra’s smooth, pretty voice,
though certainly beholden to old country and folk music, has more in common with Cat Power and other
modern songstresses, Hurray For The Riff Raff keeps out of the sepia-toned “feauxbeaux” category.
Successful tours, New Orleans shows opening for Jandek and Grizzly Bear (at SXSW), an upcoming concert
at Preservation Hall with their friend Will Oldham (April 6th) and a high ranking on eMusic’s charts all have
the group poised to bring its better version of the Bywater aesthetic to a national audience. ANTIGRAVITY
sat down with Segarra, before things really got busy, to talk about music in the Bywater, sounding “oldtimey” and playing music on Royal St.
23
FEATURE
ANTIGRAVITY: So what genre does Hurray For The Riff
Raff fit into?
Alynda Lee: We fit into two categories – an indie folk scene
and I’d say we’re definitely getting more country. We’re a
mixture of those two worlds. I’ve always been into classic
country stuff like Hank Williams and a lot of Woody Guthrie
and early Bob Dylan. And all that makes you want to write
on an acoustic guitar.
Would you agree there is a genre of music that’s, like,
“Bywater music?” And do you belong to that genre?
Yeah, I definitely think we fit. It has a lot to do with what
people here are inspired by –the instruments they play. I
am influenced by the same things those kids are; I know
where they’re getting those ideas from. Most of the kids who
come here are really influenced by old jazz and old country
– depression-era music. And it leads you to play a banjo
instead of an electric guitar.
Where does the 3/4 and 6/8 waltz-time time fetish come
from? That was something I suspected you picked up from
playing in Bywater.
I don’t know. When I first started playing, it was with fiddle
players who were really into Eastern European music and
I think that influences the waltz time. Also minor chords –
that’s one thing all of us [in Bywater] have in common; we
all love minor-key music and I think a lot of it comes from
Eastern European fiddle music.
How much does the instrumentation of Bywater music
have to do with the musicians ostensibly being travelers?
I started playing banjo because I wanted to play music on
the road and it was easy to carry as opposed to an amp. Plus
not having anywhere to plug in. I am only just now getting
into plugging things in: electric guitar and bass. And that’s
MUSIC
really because I have a home now, so I collect stuff now. It
makes it easier.
When you go tour other places, are traveling kids playing
this same sort of music?
It’s definitely happening a lot more. And it does have a lot to
do with New Orleans becoming a hot spot for traveling kids.
How much of the year do you spend in New Orleans? Are
you a snowbird like so many other Bywater musicians?
Yeah. I leave for the summer. It’s a great time to tour when
it starts getting real hot. And my job—I make my living
playing on Royal Street—and summer is when the money
dries up and it’s time to go where you can play some shows
or something – where you can make some money.
And Royal Street is usually rocking enough?
Oh, yeah! It definitely is!
Here is a snowbird street performer challenge question: Do
you know which kind of banjo is the New Orleans banjo?
The New Orleans banjo has four strings and is called
a plectrum banjo. There’s also a tenor banjo that is not
plectrum and a lot of people say is tuned to an Irish tuning. I
admit: I have a five-string. And I play with a trad jazz band
in the trad jazz style, but not with a plectrum.
The new album, Youngblood Blues, how did y’all record
it? Despite all the musicians it sounds nicely uncrowded,
almost somehow sparse.
We recorded it in a couple of days at the Living Room with
Chris George on the Westbank. We had a week and half of
the week was spent mixing.
I wondered if there was some time constraint because,
though it’s really beautifully recorded, it doesn’t sound
very embellished. Was that a choice, or…
It was a choice. [On] our first album we had tons of little
overdubs, a lot of tracks, some horns, a lap steel. And this
time I wanted a more straight-ahead sound of a band that got
together and played. I didn’t want it to sound like a singersongwriter who got all these people to come in and put pretty
sounds on there.
I guess one complaint I have about this Bywater genre
is that it sounds too old-timey. And while y’all don’t
necessarily sound old-timey, there’s not one sound on the
album that couldn’t have happened a hundred years ago.
I like to be inspired by old melodies and instruments, but
I like to have lyrics that are very present day. I like for the
lyrics to refer to things that could only happen today.
Like downloading?
No. There are a couple songs like “Slow Walk” that could
sound very old-timey, but then you mention that your friend
is having a drug problem. Which, there are definitely old
songs about that…
But do you even think about it that way: I don’t—or do—
want to sound old-timey?
I don’t think about it. I just try to let it be whatever’s coming
out of me, whatever I’m thinking about.
But you’re not at all into synths, or anything like that?
Into what?
Synths: synthesizers and effects and stuff? It seems like
even modern day folk music will usually have these
wisps of computer trickery or something to make it sound
modern, but you’re not interested in that?
FEATURE
No, not really. That might be fun in the future in a recording
context. Especially since I don’t know how to use any of
that stuff. I am more interested in learning new instruments
to play.
HFTRR played that rare Jandek show last year, how was
that?
Oh, yeah! It was really intense. It was at the college, so
official, like a seated auditorium. We met Jandek and he was
really quiet. He was older. He was really nice. He just sat
backstage and ate some fruit and drank a beer.
Then you’ve also formed some bond with Will Oldham,
and you’re playing with him at Preservation Hall, April
6th?
Yeah he was sitting at Cake Café (in Marigny). He’d played
the night before and I’d missed it. It’s so embarrassing, but I
went home then came back with a CD and was like, “I love
your music, it’s amazing, here’s a CD.” He was so friendly
about it and he emailed me six months later and wanted to
set up some shows.
South-by-Southwest music fest has been really good to
y’all as well, no?
Yeah, last year we got a great slot with Amanda Palmer and
Grizzly Bear, which was amazing! At this First Presbyterian
Church, or something, with great sound. This year we didn’t
get that lucky at all; they didn’t even give us an official show.
So we’re just going to play house shows.
How does that happen?
I am not sure. We had a good friend helping us out and
she had good connections and was interested in possibly
managing us. She lost interest because she was in New York
and we wanted to spend most of our time down here. And
it seemed like when that fell through, that’s when SXSW
seemed to lose interest in us. I thought it wouldn’t be too hard
to get an official showcase this year, but I was proved wrong.
MUSIC
It seems your band in particular would really benefit
from being in New York. In modern times, outside of rap
music, not much that’s big in New Orleans ever becomes
big elsewhere. Almost like a special curse.
Well, we want to stay here because I feel inspired here and
I love it here. There have definitely been times when people
have told me that if I play this type of music I need to move
to New York or San Francisco, but I feel like if I did, I
wouldn’t have the community I have here; I wouldn’t have
the friends. I wouldn’t be able to see the music I see every
single night. So I am hoping that if we tour enough we won’t
get that curse.
So explain why Walt McClements [accordion, bandleader
of Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship?] isn’t in HFTRR
band anymore?
He’s got so much going on: his band—plus playing with
this other band Dark Dark Dark—and I think it was just
time for him to focus on Big Ship specifically. He’s on
Young Blood Blues and he adds a lot to it. No one plays
accordion like that, using this traditional instrument and
sounding like a million different things. I love playing with
new people though – and we have an electric bass now for
the first time ever.
So, the story goes, you ran away from home and started
hopping trains at 17. How long were you gone from home
before you started playing music?
About a year. When I was 18 I started playing washboard.
A lot of it was because I could make money off of it. It could
help me feed myself.
But didn’t you have people at home who could send you
money too? In [an interview you gave with eMusic],
it sounded like you had a good home situation; you just
wanted to leave anyway.
Well my aunt and uncle raised me, and so mostly it was me
feeling like I didn’t want to take from them anymore. They
were older and had already raised their kids. So yeah, I had a
family who could help me out. And a lot of it was just pride.
But you didn’t beg on the streets?
I definitely did when I first left. I didn’t beg here. I feel
like I was really naïve until I came here; I came from New
York, where there is a good amount of money circulating
everywhere. And I was traveling on the West Coast in
successful cities, begging for change and I was that little
runaway who people would be like, “Oh god, here’s a dollar
go get something to eat.”
But you say you didn’t beg here, which, it’s always
seemed stupid for beggar kids to target this city, which is
notoriously low on cash. They just swarmed the place after
Katrina, begging locals on Decatur who’d just lost their
homes.
Yeah, it was disgusting. Coming here I realized, “These
people don’t have any money, I need to wake up and get
a goddamned job.” So we started playing on Royal Street.
And lots of people still have certain ideas about kids coming
here and playing music, and they think that’s mooching
too…
No, it’s not. That’s the one positive step in the evolution
of street kids, they play music instead of beg for money.
It’s created a lot of shitty music but it’s a much better
alternative.
That definitely had a lot to do with why I learned traditional
jazz. That was also a way to really take part in this city and
to show that you love the city and the music of this city in
particular. We wanted to make money, but to also add to the
feeling of this city.
See Hurray For The Riff Raff locally on April 1st at Sidearm
Gallery, April 6th at Preservation Hall opening for Bonnie
“Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang, and on April 16th at Cafe
Prytania. For more info, go to hurrayfortheriffraff.com.
25
FEATURE
MUSIC
SHOUT MUSIC: A JOURNEY FROM
SLAVERY TO SALVATION
by emily elhaj
G
etting the chance to commit words to page about
a subject I am a relative newcomer to is a real
treat. In the free forum that is ANTIGRAVITY,
I have compiled information on gospel music from a mere
collectors perspective. Hundreds of LPs have been perused,
dozens of dusty 45’s cleaned, and a number of hours
recorded listening to the songs and spirituals of a genre
I have no direct ties to. Sure, my Catholic educational
background could have something to do with my initial
interest, but have you heard the dry, apathetic hymns
that are mumbled through at Catholic services? I can
guarantee “Lord, Let Me Walk” does not compare to the
kind of gospel I have had the pleasure to write about here.
Chancing upon a water-damaged copy of Sister Rosetta
Tharpe’s Spirituals In Rhythm in a Marrero thrift store was
my impetus. The cover alone had me convinced the music
on this record was important and good – really good. Sister
Rosetta Tharpe is a great place to start if one were start
anywhere with gospel music. Upon moving to Chicago,
I found plenty of private press vinyl released by local
churches which depicted the independent, “DIY-ness” of
gospel which was surprisingly... funky. This is gospel’s
journey from its oppressed beginnings to the sweet, soulful
evolution it became in the ’60s and ’70s.
The origins and evolution of America’s first Black
music could be approached many ways. This musical
culture, when culled from its many historical tributaries
and roots, is named gospel. It is steeped in tradition and
indisputably spurred by the slavery of West Africans in the
States during the sixtieth to ninetieth centuries and further
formed during their slow assimilation into American
“free” society. The undocumented folklore and culture
of these first Black American’s is an anthropological
dream. A blessed union was formed when the history
of folk song traditions and church music came together.
With the inception of gospel music publishing houses,
the popularity of the radio in the 1920s and the support
of gospel music at the 1930 National Baptist Convention,
the Negro Gospel and Religious Music Festival and the
Gospel Music Workshop of America (founded by Rev.
James Cleveland and Albertina Walker) all made strides
in popularizing and widening the scope of the genre in the
twentieth century. The interest of this article lies in the
music and charismatic services of bands recorded in the
twentieth century with influences ranging from the secular
genres of funk and rock music. Gospel music has left deep
impressions in soul, country, funk, blues (therefore jazz)
and even good ‘ol rock-n-roll. These genres owe thanks
to African work songs, spirituals, shout music and, later,
revivalist bands of the Church. Excellent introductory
reading on the origins of praise music and the blues can
be found in LeRoi Jones’ Blues People published in 1963.
Amiri Baraka’s (also known as LeRoi Jones) reputation
may precede his writing. However, written during some of
the most heated years in the African-American Civil Rights
Movement, the aforementioned text is still as valuable as
when it was originally penned.
The concept of eternal return is in full effect with
recordings by Pastor T.L. Barrett supported by the Youth
for Christ Choir and the House of God Church Keith
Dominion where secular genres were the initial musical
catalyst. The eventual manifestation of this influence
was something that could be tied into the spirit of their
church services. The powerful blend of passionate Gospel
music complete with fits, sweat and tears mixed with funk,
soul and blues instrumentation formed some of the most
raucous music and services put to record. These services
then inspired parishioners and artists to make their own
music, thereby completing a cycle that has been going for
decades. Whether it be with lap steel guitars, electric bass,
congregation choirs or electric guitar, giving thanks and
praise never sounded better than in the hands of a Southern
church. Some of the early conductors of impassioned and
fiery gospel music are New Orleans-born Mahalia Jackson,
with her amazing contralto voice; Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
who was a pioneering gospel performer and electric guitar
wielding saint; Texas’ traveling dolceola player George
Washington Phillips; and The Blind Boys of Alabama,
who got their start in segregated Talladega in 1939. Gospel
music may have a stigma of rigid doctrine and bland
subject matter, but what could be more interesting than
divination and transcendence? Songs like “Standing By
the Bedside,” “Dry Bones,” “Somewhere Around God’s
Throne” and “Why Is the Blood Running Warm” all
conjure fascinating imagery – which is more than can be
said for some contemporary music. There are also plenty
of popular artists who got their start in the church and even
incorporated religious music into their secular repertoires
(Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Same Cooke, the Staple
Singers, Solomon Burke and Al Green, just to name a
few). These artists further evolved the genre and shared
gospel music’s versatility with a wider audience.
Nestled in the southernmost regions of the Bible Belt,
Louisiana—New Orleans in particular—has its fair share
of gospel history. Reverrend Louis Overstreet was born
in DeQuincy, Louisiana and led one of the most exciting
congregations, along with his four sons, to come out of
the ‘60s. Reverend Charlie Jackson worked in Kenner and
lived in Amite, Louisiana and was even known as “The
Gospel guitarist and singer of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”
Isaac Haney and the New Orleans Chosen Five were a
rousing quartet that recorded with Booker Records out
of New Orleans. The Delta Southernaires (aka the Zion
Harmonizers) also hailed from New Orleans and still
perform a gospel brunch at the House of Blues. They also
celebrated their anniversary as a group at the New Home
Uptown Church, Pastored by Bishop Robert C. Blakes,
Sr., this March. The city certainly has a busy charismatic
gospel atmosphere – one where recordings could still be
made and documented.
As of late, there has been a resurgence in folk and
gospel music recordings. Labels like Portland, Oregon’s
Mississippi Records, the Grammy Award-winning Dust
To Digital, the varied catalog of Soul Jazz Records and
Chicago’s Numero Group have continued to carry the
torch that Arhoolie and Smithsonian Folkways helped to
ignite. Releasing an array of genres ranging from early soul
and pre-war blues to country Molam music from Thailand,
the Mississippi catalog has a strong focus on gospel and
spiritual music. Washington Phillips’ What Are They Doing
in Heaven Today?, the compilation Life Is A Problem (...But
Where There Is Life, There Is Hope), and the soul stirring An
Evening With Rev. Louis Overstreet are all prime examples
of this archival approach to the genre. Savoy Records is a
veteran in releasing gospel music. In addition to helping
promote and popularize the fledgling jazz offshoot of bebop
in the ’40s, Savoy released some of the best 20th century
gospel recordings with the assistance of James Cleveland
and his Gospel Workshop of America. Featuring artwork
by the elusive “Harvey,” some of Savoy’s releases have
become quite collectible and sought after. Now... Dust To
Digital has a pronounced corner on the field of archival
compilations. The Lance Ledbetter-Dust to Digital effort
Goodbye, Babylon box set was painstakingly assembled and
has garnered recommendations from such luminaries as
Brian Eno, Neil Young and Bob Dylan (!!!). The Soul Jazz
label has released everything from dancehall to dubstep,
but they have a place in their vinyl-loving hearts for gospel
too. Both volumes of their Soul Gospel compilations are
excellent and feature artists from both sides of the secular
and religious musical styles. Last, but certainly not least,
is a relatively new label, Numero Group. This Chicago
collective of vinyl fanatics has given the music community
two Earth shattering editions of gospel with Good God! Born
Again Funk and Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal. With the
energy and enthusiasm of these collectors, the future of
lost gospel and folk treasures never looked so bright.
So, what’s the draw to gospel music anyway—past or
present? Unmarred by the successes of “popular music”
and ineffective marketing rigamarole, gospel music
is usually boiled down to its essence. The very point of
the genre is not about soaking up the Earthly splendors
of fortune and fame, but in the at-times tedious task of
making your voice heard by a higher power. Parishioners
are shouting a message that is greater than music itself and
catching the spirit that could possibly free them from their
mortal coils. Simply, trials and tribulations live on Earth—
the Kingdom, power and the glory all are promised after
salvation.
Please feel free to send critiques or criticisms here: alhaajj@
gmail. Thank yous to Ethan D’Ercole, Mark Lux, Numero
Group and Reckless Records Chicago for contributions.
Other Information:
Domino Sound Record Shack
The place to buy Mississippi Records titles in New Orleans.
(2557 Bayou Road, New Orleans; (504) 309-0871)
Chris Strachwitz
Founder and President of Arhoolie Records
Blog: chrisstrachwitz.blogspot.com/
More LeRoi Jones Reading:
Black Music (William Morrow and Co.- Quill, 1967)
Reputable Gospel/Archival Labels:
Light In The Attic (lightintheattic.net/)
Daptone (daptonerecords.com/)
Dust to Digital (dust-digital.com)—Grammy Award winning
Gospel archive label
Jewel Records (bsnpubs.com/gulfcoast/jewelgospel.html)—
Gospel record label founded in 1963 by Stan Lewis and based in
Shreveport, Louisiana.
Tompkins Square (tompkinssquare.com)
27
REVIEWS
THE AUSTRASIAN GOAT
WITCH 7”
(NOXIOUS NOIZE)
Y
ou might recognize the Noxious Noize
name more for spear-heading the
doom/thrash/crust/black/viking/etc. metal
and punk shows put on at the Dragon’s
Den, the Bar and other metal-friendly venues around town, but as
a record label, this is Noxious Noize’s third release and a pretty
solid one at that. Actually a one-man project from France, The
Austrasian Goat has all the layers and orchestration of a full band.
Side “Amenorrhea” is a pretty straight-up offering of droning doom
riffs with a nice pay-off at the end and lyrics that these days come
off as standard: “I’m walking on the ashes of chained and muzzled
minds...” Side “Celebration” is definitely the most interesting
track on this disc, starting full-blast-beat right away and going epic
midway through, then finally unleashing some rivers-of-blood type
doom at the end (possibly explaining the clear, red vinyl). It’s hard
to say exactly how this release stands out from the ever-expanding
galaxy of hardcore music (and all of its subgenres) but, somehow,
it does. —Dan Fox
BLAIR
DIE YOUNG
(AUTUMN TONE)
P
laying on the edge between innocence
and dark, Die Young, the first fulllength release by New Orleans native Blair,
transports the listener to a dimension full
of beautiful and frightening creatures and people. Blair creates
her dreamscapes lyrically by relying on images and emotions from
childhood, such the memory of dancing as a little girl to Whitney
Houston in the poppy “Candy in the Kitchen.” Musically, this is
reflected in the frequent use of tambourines and bells, sounds that
can also be reminiscent of childhood. Blair’s honeyed vocals are
sweet without being saccharine, like a lullaby. But both her lyrics
and music also pull at a deeper, darker level. On “Hello Halo,”
she sings of “kittens and rainbows” but follows with the starkly
disturbing “got a radio in my head and it tells me what to say and it
makes me talk this way.” In “Wolfboy” (the only carryover from her
EP, Pluto), while the other kids talk about the wolf boy as seemingly
frightening, she is “howling at [his] feet.” She frequently pushes her
indie pop sound to a darker edge with clashing cymbals and heavy
guitar riffs. “Rampage,” the first track, begins with strings and a
quick drumbeat as she repeats the refrain “rampage” over and over.
As the song progresses, both the music and her voice sound more
violent and desperate, but this darkness is broken up by sections of
sweet strings and Blair’s dulcet vocals. On “Die Young,” she sings,
“do what you want to do, say what you want to say, we’re gonna
win, we pray we die young.” In Blair’s dreamworld, dying young
sounds like both a gift and a terror. —Sara Pic
broken bells
broken bells
(columbia)
C
ombining the smooth, iconic vocals
of James Mercer with the production
and composition skills of Brian Burton
(a.k.a. Danger Mouse), Broken Bells is
an experiment in melody and mood. Trip-hopping through the
fields of hip-hop, folk, funk and indie rock, the pair’s self-titled
debut album is one of the strongest showings of 2010 thus far.
Mercer’s deep and sleepy voice will be the biggest draw for many
listeners, who have probably fallen in love with his trademark
sound via Portland-based indie band The Shins. And his unique
vocal stylings definitely elevate the proceedings. But the star here
is, unequivocally, Danger Mouse and his mind-blowing knack for
construction. Known mostly for working with hip hop outfits like
Gorillaz and Gnarls Barkley (his well-known collaboration with
Goodie Mob’s Cee-Lo Green), Burton is a visionary producer
and his eye for detail is unparalleled. Each song on this album is
painstakingly woven, revealing new layers with each progressive
listen. Mixing elements of cold, computerized synth with organic
instrumentation and propulsive hip hop beats, Burton creates a vast
musical landscape that while dreamy and ethereal, also manages
to be innately danceable. “The Ghost Inside” is an unstoppable
groove and “Mongrel Heart” marries mod organs with fuzzed-out
mariachi horns. Mercer pleads on “Vaporize” that “it’s not too
late…to feel a little more alive” and this is the kind of album that
does just that. For the casual listener, the songs are pleasant singalongs. But for anyone who wants to dig deeper, to really fall into it,
it’s an endless buffet of aural joy, a fully realized world with twists
and turns aplenty that will keep listeners engaged long after it has
finished spinning. —Erin Hall
DARKTHRONE
CIRCLE THE WAGONS
(PEACEVILLE)
I
t is seriously refreshing to come home
after a long sweaty day at the shipyard, lay
that hard hat down, swap out your filthy wet
boots for clean warm slippers and find that a
new Darkthrone LP has been delivered to your door. You certainly
can’t go out for a drink these days, if to sit and peacefully curse
humanity is what you need. There’s a godawful world out there with
party kids dancing to C+C Music Factory, white folks spreading
Bounce “culture,” tall bikes, chimney sweeps with stupid hats and
vests and F’ing fiddles and their poor starving pets; it’s depressing.
That is why, if there’s one true path in the coming decade, it is
the way of Darkthrone - cut yourself off, circle the wagons. After
23+ years toughing their way through the height of death metal
and the dawn of Norwegian black metal, the insular duo have been
able to take a few steps back and laugh at what they helped create,
staying true to themselves and leaving their colleagues in the dust.
I was a little worried about this album as the past couple records
(the great Metal-punk albums that they are) were attracting crusties
and such; but this LP thankfully trails off into a much more Heavy
Metal direction, proudly hailing its influences. Names dropped
in the liner notes tell all: Agent Steel, Savage Grace, Omen, ‘83
Metallica, ‘83 Slayer, Motorhead, Warfare. Also, there are lyrics a
crusty will never understand: “I am the working class! ALL DAY /
so I don’t have to SEE YOUR FACE.” Favorite couplet appears on
Nocturno’s brooding “Stylized Corpse”: “All you can do is imagine
my world / Let the chipmunks feast on your heart”. YES! Thank
you Fenriz and Nocturno for keeping good metal alive, whilst
occasionally managing to sound like Die Rotzz. ‘Only “UH!” is
real!!!’ If you need a history lesson on this great band, it’s on the
Internet. —Michael Bateman
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS
THE BIG TO-DO
(ATO)
A
fter parting ways with third singer/
guitarist/songwriter Jason Isbell in
2007, the Drive-by Truckers stumbled and
stuttered through two lackluster albums.
On this, their tenth studio recording, they are once again in a
comfortable lockstep as a group and are churning out some of
their best work in years. Entitled The Big To-Do, the album harkens
back to the band’s earlier outings with songs that are tighter, more
focused and more settled in their skin. Bassist Shonna Tucker tackles
lead vocals on two tracks and the growth she has experienced as a
singer and songwriter over her years in the band is evident. A far
cry from her wavering, breathy vocals on earlier albums, she strikes
a beautiful, simplistic chord with “You’ve Got Another,” a pianodriven ballad that serves as one of the quietest and most powerful
moments on the album (though it could use a bit of editing, as it
comes off feeling just a tad too long). My personal favorite of the
Truckers vocalists, Mike “The Stroker Ace” Cooley, shines in his
compositions. The standout, “Birthday Boy,” is told from the point
of view of a washed up stripper. Cooley’s lyrical skill is displayed in
lines like, “the prettiest girls in the smallest towns get remembered
like storms and droughts / that old men talk about for years to come
/ I guess that’s why they give us names / so a few old men can say
they saw us rain when we were young.” Patterson Hood , often
referred to as the lead sinder, is also in top form. He injects “Drag
the Lake Charlie” with his patented brand of dark humor, weaving
the tale of a jealous wife who goes on murderous rages when her
husband “goes on the make.” The track that follows also speaks of
a woman scorned; “The Wig He Made Her Wear” is a smoky, low
groove with a killer guitar lick that tells of a pastor’s wife who, after
being demeaned and made to dress slutty by her husband, finally
breaks and shoots him dead. “After the Scene Dies” mourns the fate
of so many great clubs with lyrics like “the graffiti on the backstage
gets painted over in a muted shade / and the club becomes an Old
Navy / after the scene dies.” “The Flying Wallendas” is a trippy,
organ-filled gem. With lines like “three didn’t get up from the blood
in the breeze,” it definitely belongs in the “creepy cool” section of
the Truckers catalog. With only a few “duds” on the record (“The
Fourth Night of My Drinking” and “Santa Fe” in particular are
forgettable) it’s safe to say the Truckers are back to business. If
you’re a fan of their earlier work, The Big To-Do is likely to leave you
grinning from ear to ear. —Erin Hall
gonjasufi
a sufi and a killer
(warp)
G
onjasufi is a singing man’s vocalist.
The things this man does with and
to his voice are maddening yet inspiring,
bewildering yet aurally inviting and dirty as
hell while sounding porcelain pristine, and almost at once; he does
it all in one album over the course of 19 tracks. It really does not
matter what music he choose as a backdrop for his pipes, but lucky
for us, on his debut under the moniker Gonjasufi, we are treated to
the sounds of some of America’s preeminent producers in Flying
Lotus, Gaslamp Killer and Mainframe on this mountain of an
album, entitled A Sufi and a Killer. While he allows the producers
to take the spotlight (the production is jaw-dropping), this is his
album at the core. These 19 tracks surf and scale so many musical
peaks and troughs that pinning Gonja down, with respect to a
certain genre, becomes a futile and pointless exercise altogether.
Instead, it is best to approach this record with an open and curious
mind, one capable of appreciating the restlessness held within,
because appreciating is just about all you can do as these cuts are
so otherworldly, ethereal and diverse. A Sufi certainly has its stand
out songs — the bluesy, mournful and enraged “She Gone,” the
driving Stooges riffage that meets Gonja’s Beefheart-like delivery
on “SuzieQ,” the filthy Morricone undercurrents on “DedNd” and
the contemplative keyboard jerk of “Holidays” — but the songs are
best taken in proper sequential order. Gonja, with the help of mixmaster agdm, spent over a year mixing and ironing out the record
and it shows; this album could not possibly sound any better than it
does here in its final and packaged format. If you have an hour to
spare and an adventurous ear to lend, Gonjasufi’s debut album, A
Sufi and a Killer, should be at the top of your list of music to check
out, because you have certainly never heard a mix of electronic
tinkering and sampling, lo/ no-fi noise experimentation, trip-hop
headiness and windswept desert shores like this before. —Dan
Mitchell
GORILLAZ
PLASTIC BEACH
(VIRGIN)
O
pening with an “Orchestral Intro,” a
brief welcoming awash with tide flow
and seagull song, followed by stately string
arrangements, the new Gorillaz album,
MUSIC REVIEWS SPONSORED BY THE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITY
REVIEWS
Plastic Beach, introduces itself with typical Albarn grandeur. The
curious turn occurs on the second track, which introduces the
unexpected but instantly recognizable chill of a certain Snoop
Dogg, the man who lays down the concept of this ambitious third
release — to “push peace and keep it in motion.” Joined by the
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Snoop helps usher in the third Gorillaz
release in oddball fashion and immediately intrigues with his very
presence. Things continue on a bent track during the next song,
“White Flag,” with the inclusion of British grime lyricists Bashy
and Kano, married to The National Orchestra For Arabic Music in
an ode to peace and universal acceptance.
This new album has been a long time coming. Damon Albarn
has been working on this disc for the better part of the past three
years and the result is a new face to this Albarn/ Jamie Hewlett
collaboration — a face that boasts the best all-star cast yet and the
richest set list to date. Featuring artists as disparate as Mark E. Smith,
Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, The Clash’s Mick Jones and
Paul Simonon, De la Soul, Gruff Rhys and Little Dragon, Albarn
pulls out all the stops on this newest offering and largely throws
caution to the wind. The true triumph of this album, aside from the
miscellany of tracks and guests, is the fact that Albarn finds a way
to not only retain leadership and command, but to coax his cohorts
into a sphere of comfort, so as to bring out their best in each and
every performance. Make no bones about it; Plastic Beach is Albarn’s
baby. His ability to create a sonic playground for others to thrive in
is not new; it has just never sounded as fresh as it does here.
Plastic Beach is a major release; look no further than Virgin
putting it out. And while it certainly will not enjoy the same album
sales as previous Gorillaz efforts, partly due to its experimental
nature and partly due to the tanking record industry, the Beach is the
most important and vital release in this conglomerate’s catalogue.
Damon Albarn has no peers and this album is a testament to that
fact. There is no one out there capable of melding Brit-pop (a
movement he helped spearhead in the early nineties with Blur) with
lush symphonic arrangements and electro vibes, while infusing just
the right sprinkling of hip-hop sensibility into the mix. Plastic Beach
is the tour de force of Albarn’s career and it stands as an album
that flaunts his mastery and majesty as producer and helmsman in
equal measure. “Welcome to the world of the Plastic Beach;” it is a
place where diversity is celebrated and good times are had by all. So
enjoy, because who knows when we will hear another Albarn gem
like this one. —Dan Mitchell
JOHNNY CASH
AIN’T NO GRAVE
(AMERICAN)
T
here seem to be two camps when it
comes to Johnny Cash’s final few
recordings with producer Rick Rubin. Some
find his distressed voice, death-obsessed
lyrics and generally gloomy tone off-putting. Other’s find a calm
majesty at the center of a dying man’s heart embodied in Cash’s
voice and a refreshingly sincere belief in salvation in his songs, both
original and cover. Obviously I fall into the latter category, and view
Ain’t No Grave as a sad yet fitting send off for Johnny. It’s true his
mighty baritone had crumbled by this time, ravaged by sickness
and grief, but the waver in his voice, the crack in his notes, only
serves to bolster the soul of the record. With spare arrangements,
this collection of songs is as bare and soulful as anything Cash
had recorded. From Sheryl Crow’s “Redemption Day” being
transformed into a sweetly uplifting gospel hymn to the love lost
lament of “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” riding emotions on the back of
Cash’s obvious ailments that the original couldn’t have anticipated,
Ain’t No Grave spares no feelings in chronicling the last days of
Johnny Cash. The title track alone is haunting enough, a sparse
gospel march backed by humming acoustics and ghostly chains.
The original song on the record is “First Corinthians 15:55,” which
finds Cash once again discovering a soothing balm in scripture as
his health failed him, yet it isn’t as strong as his other late originals.
Ain’t No Grave was recorded during the same sessions as American V,
and the toll had obviously been hard. The record ends on the light
goodbye of “Aloha,” a strange sendoff, but one that seems oddly
fitting for such a life. While it’s not as strong as previous records,
that an album even this potent was recorded is a testament to
Johnny Cash’s strength of will and creative power. —Mike Rodgers
liars
sisterworld
(mute)
L
iars are never boring. This much is to be
sure. Liars have also never released the
same album twice. And this time around,
things are no different. Sisterworld is a creepfest, even by Liars standards. Largely subdued and quite melodic,
if not thoroughly anxious and foreboding (especially the up-tempo
freak-out numbers that pop up in the mix — the repetitious bounce
of “Scarecrows On A Killer Slant” and the wild forest romp of
“The Overachievers,”) Sisterworld is a dense glance into a land that
only Liars could envision. It is a land of uncertainty and a land
of menace — a land where victims pile up one-by-one — tread
not the weak or those with pre-existing heart conditions. Fans of
Liars circa They Were Wrong may find themselves wanting more
in the propulsion department, but anyone who has followed their
trajectory over the years should be smitten with this new offering,
in all of its restrained and paranoid glory. Liars are still the best
minimalist rockers around and their refusal to relinquish their
crown on Sisterworld only means that we are treated to yet another
masterstroke from one of America’s preeminent musical acts. Bring
on the strange. —Dan Mitchell
MASSIVE ATTACK
HELIGOLAND
(VIRGIN)
I
t’s been a rough decade for Massive
Attack. The once ahead-of-the-curve
pioneers of trip hop have been mired in
shrinking lineups and diminishing returns on
their albums. Heligoland marks the return of co-founding member
Daddy G to the fold and is easily the group’s strongest record since
Mezzanine, though it’s praise delivered with some caveats. The
record wallows in a dark, drippy tone, letting mud-thick ambience
and gloomy production overcome each corner of sound and
focusing on that coal black ambience over song craft. The tracks
vary in their approaches to melancholia: “Psyche” circles endlessly
on a hypnotic guitar pluck, “Splitting the Atom” bombs 808 dub
with Weimar cabaret glamour and “Flat on the Blade” gurgles on
analog bubbles and Guy Garvey’s monotonous vocal’s, resulting in
dour, mid-tempo electro. The guest vocals add some liveliness, like
Tunde Adebimpe’s casually heartfelt yelps and croons on “Pray for
Rain.” But again, Heligoland can’t help but feel one note, though that
one note is played quite well much of the time. It’s tough to criticize
a record that’s so singular in its tone; the lack of real variety hinders
some of the weaker tracks that might have benefited from more
experimentation or mold breaking. But it would be false to say the
album doesn’t achieve the downcast atmosphere it so completely
strives for. Heligoland is a murky beast of a record, middling in
speed and ambition, but laden with strong moments and emotions.
Consider it a rainy night record, perfect for moody evenings and
heavy drinks. —Mike Rodgers
OVERNIGHT LOWS
CITY OF ROTTEN EYES
(GONER)
I
t took a long time, but Jackson
(Mississippi)’s Overnight Lows have
finally released something - a 45rpm ‘fulllength’ with a not-lo-fi, crisp recording and
really really good songs. Mostly fast-paced punk rock, in league
with the I-55 Jay Reatard / King Louie / Oblivians family, but
something about it might remind you of loving FYP in high school.
Coming across a little catchier and tighter than heard live, Marsh
and Daphne continue in the Red Cross meets Supercharger meets
Angry Samoans tradition of their previous band The Comas. Chef
Paul of N.O.’s Die Rotzz bangs on the drums. Marsh’s vocals sound
pretty cool (heh), and Daphne’s way cool. Great job! —Michael
Bateman
PAVEMENT
QUARANTINE THE PAST
(MATADOR)
H
ow do you create a “hits” compilation
for a band that never had any hits?
Other than “Cut Your Hair” from 1994’s
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Pavement toiled
largely in relative obscurity for the decade they were they together.
But music critics hailed them as the most influential lo-fi band
of the 90s — one of the founders of indie rock. The band’s farreaching impact is one of the most impressive stories of grassroots
fandom in recent history. Which is why this compilation is never
going to please everyone. Some will feel slighted that their favorite
song is left off (I, for one, was bummed to not see Terror Twilight’s
closer “Carrot Rope,” often noted amongst my friends as possibly
one of the best closing tracks ever). But for people unfamiliar
with the band or those needing a refresher before catching them
on their reunion tour, Quarantine the Past is a great primer. It opens
with one of the band’s most quintessential tracks, “Gold Soundz,”
followed by “Frontwards,” a track off the 1992 4-song EP Watery,
Domestic which I have to admit I had never even heard. Most of the
“standards” appear on the disc, including “Summer Babe,” “Shady
Lane,” “Range Life,” “Date with IKEA,” and “Stereo.” Some
less obvious treats include “Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse)” off
the aforementioned EP Watery, Domestic and two songs from the
1991 Drag City Records release Perfect Sound Forever (“Mellow Jazz
Docent” and “Debris Slide”). In short, while it’s not comprehensive
and is sure to spur debate amongst devout fans, Quarantine the Past
is a great way to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with one of the
most influential bands of our time. —Erin Hall
(Prior to the release of this compilation, Matador held a contest for “most
imaginative” track listing and the winner, chosen by the band, will have
their version made into a double vinyl LP for release at participating stores
on this year’s Record Store Day (April 17th) so make sure to check it out
at matadorrecords.com/pavement and read more about Record Store Day
from Dan Mitchell in the News section of this issue.)
rotary downs
cracked maps and
blue reports
(rookery)
W
ith nearly ten years of music and now
a fifth record, Cracked Maps and Blue
Reports, under its belt, New Orleans’ own
Rotary Downs is expanding on the success of 2007’s Chained to
the Chariot and setting its sights on wider recognition. For anyone
previously unfamiliar with James Marler and company, Cracked Maps
is an excellent example of why this rock group has made a name
for itself in a jazz town. The opening track, “Ragna Rok,” serves
as both the album’s foundation and audible theme. The song starts
with a two-minute introduction that intricately layers individual
instrument parts before swelling into a seemingly uncontainable
mass of sound. Just when the guitar solo seems to shred away from
the rest of the band, Marler’s voice tempers the tumult and releases
the tension. Much like the introduction, the whole album explores
many different avenues, all while under the band’s meticulous
CONTINUED WITH
MORE REVIEWS PG. 30
29
REVIEWS
Rotary downs, cont...
direction. The dark and delicate “The Open Coast” also makes use
of several different styles, including some choral influences care
of a cameo by members of the gospel choir the Como Mamas.
“Vampires/Werewolves” plays with dichotomies, opening with
an edgy and harsh guitar hook and bridging into a tender chorus.
On “A Drink from the Clouds,” the band integrates Afro-Beat and
English pop. While the album incorporates a host of different
styles, Cracked Maps concludes as a coherent experience. Some of
this cohesion comes from the tight, clear production, but much of
it stems from the band’s maturity as a group. Rotary Downs itself
says it best in the lyrics to “Conniption”: “This isn’t life, this isn’t
fiction / Here comes the rush of a full-blown conniption.” Listener,
be prepared. Cracked Maps is an audible conniption of the highest
quality. —Bryan A. Davis
THE SELF-HELP TAPES
A SOUND-COLLAGE PROJECT
(hand-made music)
F
ans of Radiohead, Cat Power and Daniel
Lanois will enjoy A Sound-Collage
Project, this first release by Bass VI player
and vocalist of the Blackbelt Band, Kevin
Comarda, as yet another exquisite view of that dark and velvety
abyss. If you’re a fan of Blackbelt and their oiled-up brand of
progressive-groove rock, this album will be extra appreciated for
its stripped down, ambient versions of some of their riffs. There’s
also plenty of fresh material with contributions of piano, violin
and even the occasional drum part adding subtle dimension to
Comarda’s Bass VI (a kind of baritone, bass-heavy guitar), Moog
synths and loop pedals. With all of those elements it’s easy to get
lost, especially as a solo project, but Sound-Collage Project has
enough thought, restraint and production value to create a very
rich and weighty texture, balancing out the vocals, which are so
frail and pleading it feels like they could fall apart at any moment.
These kinds of tensions run throughout, evoking a very righteous
loneliness, expressed at times with sentiments like “People say that
I should laugh at this, but I’d rather connect with it.” Only in a few
moments does A Sound-Collage Project seem to suffocate under
its own weight, like in that title, which hardly does its much more
mysterious contents justice and sounds like the title of a school
assignment — though if it were, it would surely get an A. The
album is available for purchase or download at theselfhelptapes.
bandcamp.com —Dan Fox
SHOOTER JENNINGS &
HIEROPHANT
BLACK RIBBONS
(BLACK COUNTRY ROCK)
W
hat could have been more shocking?
Instead of a new alt-country record,
Shooter Jennings and his band Hierophant
have pieced together an arena rock, pseudo-industrial heavy metal
concept album influenced by Libertarianism, N.W.O. conspiracy
theories and Alex Jones. It’s called Black Ribbons. The whole disc is
wrapped in a complex ruse; Stephen King acts as a free-speaking
DJ on his last night before government seizure playing the music of
Hierophant from non-existent albums as a kiss off to the establishment
and it’s “bubblegum bullshit.” So the fiction is elaborate, but how is
the music? Well, scattershot, disconnected, sometimes strained, but
always interesting and oftentimes exhilarating. The record begins with
“Wake Up,” a piano ballad that explodes into a doom metal titan.
Black Ribbons never sits still stylistically, flitting from earnest pop rock
(“Triskaidekaphobia”), to bratty electronic punk, (“Fuck You (I’m
Famous)”), to dirty, glam-spiked stoner rock (“Everything Else Is
Illusion”). Jennings hasn’t totally turned his back on country — tracks
like “God Bless Alabama” and the titular cut drape traditional country
arrangements and guitars in wavering synths and classic rock piano.
Not everything is a homerun — bits here and there feel too perfectly
appropriated from disparate genres like the NIN-lite grind of “Don’t
Feed the Animals” with its growling synthesizer, screamed chorus
and snarling human-to-animal power metaphors, and the politics of
the record lose track of themselves here and there. But I’d rather a
record wow me with urgency and unexpected innovation than mire
in mediocrity; something Black Ribbons does in spades. —Mike Rodgers
sissy nobby
lay me down ep
(mixpack)
guess sissy bounce is still re-birthing itself
a decade after its peak... GREAT! Sissy
Nobby is still the hoarsest, scariest leader
of the pack on this synth-heavy, absolutely
foul-mouthed ballad. Not as great as the
digi-single “Consequences,” but still a winner. Sounds like Giorgio
Moroder soundtrack music, with the Brown Beats thrown in behind
it and LaWanda Page barking at you to shove your d@&k down
her throat... Love it. I believe this 12” is available, at dj gigs, from
Mr. Rusty Lazer. If you prefer to stay indoors, I ordered this from
Turntable Lab and hopefully, by now, it’s made its way to some
other distributors. Be aware: the Lay Me Down EP includes one
song: dirty, clean, instrumental and acapella versions. Picture
sleeve features a lovely airbrushed rendering of the Superdome and
Downtown skyline. —Michael Bateman
I
U.S. GIRLS
GO GREY
(SILTBREEZE)
T
he lush, hallucinogenic landscapes of
Go Grey conjure comparisons to the
legendary New Zealand trio Dead C, the
sedate, electro stylings of Sally Strobelight
and Oakland, California’s Inca Ore. Complete with lo-fi, spaced
out dirges, U.S. Girls’ (Megan Remy) brand of art-infused, analog
tape-augmented music strikes a chord with the smoky loft show
go-er and those looking for a bit of dirt under the fingernails of
their entertainment. Once hailing from Chicago, U.S. Girls played
alongside such luminaries as Mayor Daley and the Coughs, but as
of late, Remy has chosen to settle into Philadelphia’s burgeoning
experimental scene. Not unlike her music, the video for “Red
Ford Radio” is a collage of sorts. Clippings from newspapers and
advertisements similar to the Television Personalities’ Mummy You
Are Not Watching Me On album cover flash in rhythmic fashion
enticing a meditative and hypnotizing response. At the moment,
U.S. Girls’ second full-length album, Go Grey, is only available on
vinyl, but there is a download available. Do attempt to see Remy’s
live set (and gear). She will be playing with San Francisco’s Mi Ami
and even some dates with the Woodsist label wonders, Real Estate.
—Emily Elhaj
VARIOUS ARTISTS
CRAZY HEART SOUNDTRACK
(NEW WEST)
J
eff Bridges originally turned down his
Oscar winning role as Bad Blake, saying
the film wouldn’t work without good
songs. Luckily producer T-Bone Burnett
and songwriter Stephen Bruton (to whose memory the record is
dedicated to unfortunately) returned with a collection of amazing
songs that fit in effortlessly with the historic catalogue of classic
country. As a fictional pillar of outlaw country, Bridge’s Bad Blake
is a man weighed down by his choices and alcohol, but in his
incredible songs he shines like he might once have. The countryfried stomp of “Somebody Else” rollicks and rolls like a roadhouse
classic, and Bridges voice carries enough twang, grit and charisma
to sell us on the fiction. His is the heart that holds together the
wistful “Hold On You” and heartbreaking “Brand New Angel.”
Ryan Bingham’s theme “The Weary Kind” ranks among the best
Americana songs recorded in memory. In a film so dependent upon
the music, it’s lucky the songs are so wonderful and it’s a testament
to the strength of the actors that they’re not overshadowed by it.
That the soundtrack is rounded out with a diverse and entertaining
collection of country hits only helps. With the goofball fun of
Buck Owen’s “Hello Trouble,” Lightnin’ Hopkins’ crusty Texas
blues number “Once a Gambler” and the Waylon Jennings classic
“Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” Crazy Heart surrounds its
neo-classics with the kind of music that surely inspired them. Stay
clear of the Nashville sound and let this be your doorway into real
country music. —Mike Rodgers
VIRULENCE
IF THIS ISN’T A DREAM...
1985-1989
(SOUTHERN LORD)
A
hh, the sweet ‘80s, a time when the
walls between hardcore punk and
heavy metal hadn’t been so securely shored.
Virulence, the precedent to stoner rock heavies Fu Manchu,
embodies the spirit of the collusion between the snarling ferocity
of punk at its best and the kind of lumbering power that only metal
can deliver. The band splits its time between riptide riffs (that are
as dirty and mean as contemporaries like Black Flag) and protostoner doom sludge. Tracks like “Sleep” open with massive guitar
riffs awash in reverb and the kind of hypnotically slow chords
that all doom is built upon before the guitars pick up the slack,
ripping into a hardcore thrash while vocalist Ken Pucci shouts
like a demented punk preacher over the cacophony. The sound is
raw and the band plays it fast and loose, letting rhythms and time
signatures ebb and flow; “Dead Weight” shifts gears throughout its
4 minutes, from a classic thrash lead, to a funereal dirge to a bass
thumping punk shred. It’s invigorating to hear a band so on the
edge, keeping control just enough to hold the songs together. Even
live, Virulence’s aggro wall of sound smashes through the hiss of
analog tape and bad mics, the wall of feedback on “Empty Head”
crushing your speakers as it surely must have crushed the audience.
The good bands learn from the past, and there’s much to be gleaned
from Virulence: anger, energy and fucking killer hardcore metal.
—Mike Rodgers
XIU XIU
DEAR GOD, I HATE MYSELF
(KILL ROCK STARS)
J
amie Stewart is not for everyone and
this much is to be sure. Nevertheless,
one thing is certain with regard to Stewart
and his musical project throughout the
2000s, Xiu Xiu; and that is that he is unbelievably consistent and
interesting. Over the course of the seven full-length albums — all
released in less than a decade — Stewart, with his revolving cast
of cohorts (including members of Cold Cave and Deerhoof) has
established himself as one of the more prolific and compelling
songwriters in indie-rock. From the debut, Knife Play, and on
through the brilliant efforts of Fabulous Muscles and Women as Lovers,
Stewart has shown us that that he has no shortness of undeniably
quirky ideas in song. Dear God, I Hate Myself, the newest offering, is
no disappointment, but rather, unfurls itself before the listener as
possibly his most sundry and enthralling grouping of cuts to date.
In the past, Stewart has relied heavily on his guitar as a centerpiece,
in equal turn scraping with abrasion and swirling with majesty, but
here on Dear God, the guitar takes backseat for the most part and
acts as a rhythmic complement to electronic Nintendo beats and
off-kilter key signatures and pulses. This is his take on dance music
if you will.
The album opens with the first single, “Gray Death,” a chugging
and somewhat bouncy — if not disdainful at heart — number that
finds him cooing challenges to some unknown nemesis, perhaps
the listener; “If you were expecting consolation/ I will become
outrageous/ If you expect me to be outrageous/ I will be extra
outrageous.” This opening line sums up Stewart’s approach all
too perfectly, for he is not for the faint or fragile, no matter how
delicate many of his songs and voice may appear on the surface.
Other highlights include the bullishness of “Chocolate Makes You
Happy”— a song so spiteful that it comes across as shocking, even
in a catalogue filled to the brim with scandal and shame — the title
track, an electronic exploration of confusion of self-deprecation,
and the whirl and crash of “The Fabrizio Palumbo Retaliation.”
Altogether, Dear God is yet another strange and unyielding Xiu
Xiu schizoid dream, and one worth experiencing to be sure. —Dan
Mitchell
FILM REVIEWS
nicholas winding refn
bronson
(vertigo)
B
orn Michael Peterson, England’s Charles
Bronson became the country’s most
violent prisoner - an intriguing character
of extremes. Tom Hardy gives a bravura
and criminally overlooked performance as
the titular character; equal parts coal black
humor, flamboyance and snarling menace,
Hardy’s Bronson presents himself as an artist
striving for fame. Concerned only with the name he can make for
himself, Bronson is less filled with rage than an overwhelming sense
of dramatic nihilism where the confines of a prison cell acts as his
brutal stage. Whenever Bronson is outside his steel cage, Hardy
portrays a man uncomfortable in his own skin. From his awkward
lockstep walk to his staggered, almost pathetic interaction with
others, his body language and exasperated sighs issued through
clenched teeth show a man begging for a return to jail. There’s a
strong vein of gallows humor throughout the film and Bronson’s
mustachioed charm threatens to hide his nasty streak until another
hostage is terrorized. Winding Refn’s direction is particular and
detached, presenting vicious prison brawls as staged ballets of
brutality. Floods of harsh lighting and expressionistic shadows bath
the screen and slow-motion-fists pound into flesh. The contradiction
between Hardy’s intense, personal performance and Refn’s artistic,
almost pretentious direction form a fascinating, unique film. The
film is similar in structure to other indomitable spirit vs. institution
movies like Clockwork Orange or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but
in Bronson we’re given an antagonist with which an audience cannot
sympathize. Bronson battles against prison screws indiscriminately,
flying into violence on a whim as opposed to in the service of
some honorable agenda. Offering no explanation for his behavior
— no grand cause. Simply one man’s mad desire for violence and
notoriety, Bronson is a grand film of stark, stylized viciousness. —
Mike Rodgers
roman polanski
the ghost writer
(summit entertainment)
I
t is symbolism, foreshadowing and
perhaps homage paid to novelist Robert
Harris’s ‘The Ghost,’ that Ewan McGregor
bears that title in title in Roman Polanski’s
film adaptation The Ghost Writer. Although
Polanski had artistic control over the final
product, he acted as a ghost himself; filming
was shot in Germany due to travel restrictions
banning the director from entering London and the United States
and post-production was completed in a Swiss prison (where he
remained upon the film’s release). Polanski charges this political
drama with chilling tension and suspense that lures the audience
into an unraveling of hidden secrets and fatal findings.
Perhaps Polanski’s greatest feat in his latest work is the crafty
advancement of the plot-driven storyline, establishing a steady and
directive pace. Ewan McGregor plays a writer hired to complete
Adam Lang’s (recently ousted as England’s Prime Minister
CONTINUED ON PG. 34
EVENTS
NEW ORLEANS VENUES
NEW ORLEANS (Cont.)
45 Tchoup, 4529 Tchoupitoulas (504) 891-9066
Marlene’s Place, 3715 Tchoupitoulas, (504)
897-3415, www.myspace.com/marlenesplace
Banks St. Bar And Grill, 4401 Banks St., (504)
486-0258, www.banksstreetbar.com
Barrister’s Art Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave.
Bayou Park Bar, 542 S. Jeff. Davis Pkwy.,
McKeown’s Books, 4737 Tchoupitoulas, (504)
895-1954, http://mckeownsbooks.net
Melvin’s, 2112 St. Claude Ave.
The Big Top, 1638 Clio St., (504) 569-2700,
www.3ringcircusproductions.com
MVC, 9800 Westbank Expressway, (504) 2342331, www.themvc.net
The Blue Nile, 534 Frenchmen St., (504) 948-2583
Neutral Ground Coffee House, 5110 Danneel St.,
(504) 891-3381, www.neutralground.org
Broadmoor House, 4127 Walmsley, (504) 8212434
Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., (504) 8659190, www.carrolltonstation.com
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 501 Esplanade Ave.,
(504) 947-0979
Nowe Miasto, 223 Jane Pl., (504) 821-6721
Ogden Museum, 925 Camp St., (504) 539-9600
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., (504) 5698361, www.oneeyedjacks.net
Chickie Wah Wah, 2828 Canal Street (504)
304-4714, www.chickiewahwah.com
Outer Banks, 2401 Palmyra (at S. Tonti),
(504) 628-5976, www.myspace.com/
outerbanksmidcity
Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 5882616, www.circlebar.net
Republic, 828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-8282,
www.republicnola.com
Club 300, 300 Decatur Street, www.
neworleansjazzbistro.com
Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance Street (504) 5255515, www.therustynail.org/
Coach’s Haus, 616 N. Solomon
The Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave., www.
myspace.com/saturnbar
The Country Club, 634 Louisa St., (504) 9450742, www.countryclubneworleans.com
d.b.a., 618 Frenchmen St., (504) 942-373, www.
drinkgoodstuff.com/no
Der Rathskeller (Tulane’s Campus), McAlister
Dr., http://wtul.fm
Side Arm Gallery, 1122 St. Roch Ave., (504)
218-8379, www.sidearmgallery.org
Southport Hall, 200 Monticello Ave., (504) 8352903, www.newsouthport.com
Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Ave., http://
myspace.com/dragonsdennola
The Spellcaster Lodge, 3052 St. Claude
Avenue, www.quintonandmisspussycat.com/
tourdates.html
Eldon’s House, 3055 Royal Street,
arlovanderbel@hotmail.com
St. Roch Taverne, 1200 St. Roch Ave., (504)
945-0194
Ernie K-Doe’s Mother-in-Law Lounge, 1500
N. Claiborne Ave.
Tipitina’s, (Uptown) 501 Napoleon Ave., (504)
895-8477 (Downtown) 233 N. Peters, www.
tipitinas.com
Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de
Leon, (504) 913-9072, www.fairgrinds.com
Fuel Coffee House, 4807 Magazine St. (504)
895-5757
Goldmine Saloon, 701 Dauphine St., (504) 5860745, www.goldminesaloon.net
The Green Space, 2831 Marais Street (504) 9450240, www.thegreenproject.org
Handsome Willy’s, 218 S. Robertson St., (504)
525-0377, http://handsomewillys.com
The Zeitgeist, 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.,
(504) 827-5858, www.zeitgeistinc.net
Vintage Uptown, 4523 Magazine St.,
askmexico@gmail.com
METAIRIE VENUES
Airline Lion’s Home, 3110 Division St.
Badabing’s, 3515 Hessmer, (504) 454-1120
The Hangar, 1511 S. Rendon. (504) 827-7419
The Bar, 3224 Edenborn, myspace.com/
thebarrocks
Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave. (504) 9454446, www.myspace.com/hiholounge
Hammerhead’s, 1300 N Causeway Blvd, (504)
834-6474
The Hookah, 309 Decatur St. (504-943-1101),
hookah-club.com
The High Ground, 3612 Hessmer
Ave., Metairie, (504) 525-0377, www.
thehighgroundvenue.com
Hostel, 329 Decatur St. (504-587-0036),
hostelnola.com
Hot Iron Press Plant, 1420 Kentucky Ave.,
hotironpress@hotmail.com
House Of Blues / The Parish, 225 Decatur,
(504)310-4999, www.hob.com/neworleans
The Howlin’ Wolf, 907 S. Peters, (504) 522WOLF, www.thehowlinwolf.com
Kajun’s Pub, 2256 St. Claude Avenue (504) 9473735, www.myspace.com/kajunspub
Kim’s 940, 940 Elysian Fields, (504) 844-4888
The Kingpin, 1307 Lyons St., (504) 891-2373
Le Bon Temps Roule, 4801 Magazine St., (504)
895-8117
Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., (504) 5815812, www.cabaretlechatnoir.com
Lyceum Central, 618 City Park Ave., (410) 5234182, http://lyceumproject.com
Lyon’s Club, 2920 Arlington St.
The Maison, 508 Frenchmen St.
Mama’s Blues, 616 N. Rampart St., (504) 453-9290
Maple Leaf, 8316 Oak St., (504) 866-9359
BATON ROUGE VENUES
THURSDAY 4/1
Melanie Fiona, House Of Blues, 8pm
Will Bernard Trio w/ Brian Coogan & Simon
Lot, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
FRIDAY 4/2
101 Runners w/ Big Chief Monk Boudreaux,
Tipitina’s,10pm, $10
ActionActionReaction Indie Dance Party,
Circle Bar, 10pm
Big Rock Candy Mountain, Republic, 10pm, $5
Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pm
Jake Smith, Shawn McDonald, The Parish @
House Of Blues, 9pm
Jesus Christ Superstar Karaoke Party, Hi-Ho
Lounge
Love Zombie, Green Mantles, Rico, Banks
Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle f/ Johnny
Vidacovich, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Sourpatch, Birdfight, Nervous Juvenile, Koenji
House (2608 Magazine St.), 7pm, $3
Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, One Eyed Jacks
Third Eye Blind, House Of Blues, 7:30pm
SATURDAY 4/3
Bayou Deville, Ted Hefko and the
Thousandaires, Seva Venet, Louisiana Music
Factory (210 Decatur), 2pm
Dirty Coast Presents: Tee & A Fashion Show
f/ House of Lounge w/ Big Freedia & Rusty
Lazer, MC Chris Lane, Fleur de Tease,
Natasha Fiore, One Eyed Jacks
Dude Vs. Bruh, Vagabond Swing, Maison
Musique, 9pm
Flow Tribe, Bill Summers: Jazsalsa, Tipitina’s,
10pm, $10
Freret St. Market, Freret St. at Napoleon Ave.,
12pm-5pm
Good God Damn Show, Carrollton Station
Little Freddie King, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Mike Darby & House of Cards Drag Party,
Banks Street Bar & Grill, 7pm
One Man Machine, Pong, Hi-Ho Lounge
The Other Planets, Know One, Able Chris,
Circle Bar, 10:30pm, $5
Patsy Grace, Neutral Ground Coffeehouse, 9pm
Trina, Mack Maine, Ms. LaStarya, Howlin’ Wolf
SUNDAY 4/4
Andy J Forrest, d.b.a., 10pm
Fleur de Tease, One Eyed Jacks, 8pm, 10pm
Soul Project, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 4pm
Sunday Music Workshop: ASCAP
Songwriting Series f/ Anders Osborne,
Tipitina’s, 1pm, FREE
The Caterie, 3617 Perkins Rd., www.thecaterie.com
MONDAY 4/5
Chelsea’s Café, 2857 Perkins Rd., (225) 3873679, www.chelseascafe.com
The Foot, Enfold Darkness, Gigan, Omean,
The Bar, 9pm, $5
The Darkroom, 10450 Florida Blvd., (225) 2741111, www.darkroombatonrouge.com
Government St., 3864 Government St., www.
myspace.com/rcpzine
North Gate Tavern, 136 W. Chimes St.
(225)346-6784, www.northgatetavern.com
Red Star Bar, 222 Laurel St., (225) 346-8454,
www.redstarbar.com
Rotolos, 1125 Bob Pettit Blvd. (225) 761-1999,
www.myspace.com/rotolosallages
Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $15
Frogs Gone Fishin’, Howlin’ Wolf
G-Eazy, Republic, 10pm, $5
Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue, Banks
Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
Ingrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pm
John Mooney, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Susan Cowsill Band w/ Bill Kerchin, Carrollton
Station
Vampire Weekend, Abe Vigoda, House Of
Blues, 8pm
Zydepunks, Debauche, Hi-Ho Lounge
SATURDAY 4/10
Fleur de Lindy, One Eyed Jacks, Midnight
Gay Men’s Chorus, One Eyed Jacks, 7pm
Gorilla Productions’ Battle of the Bands
Finals, Howlin’ Wolf
Hot 8, Billy Iuso, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10
The Kinky Tuscaderos, Caleb Guillotte, Craig
Caliva, Elisabeth Gill, Carrollton Station
Krewe do Craft Supply Shop & SEWcial,
Green Space
Murder-Suicide Pact, The Pallbearers, Reason
of Insanity, Face First, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Otra, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
The Pallbearers, Face First, Murder Suicide
Pact, Hi-Ho Lounge
Smiley With a Knife, A Living Soundtrack,
Shapes Like Dinosaurs, Rabbit, Dragon’s Den,
10pm, $5
Space Heaters, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
Who’s Bad: Michael Jackson Tribute, House Of
Blues, 9pm
SUNDAY 4/11
Bonoboo, The Invisibles, Gravity A, Howlin’
Wolf
Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 10pm
Styx, House Of Blues, 8pm
True Vibe, Rajulari, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 9pm
MONDAY 4/12
Assemblage 23, Angel Theory, Suicide Assyst,
DJ Vendetta, Howlin’ Wolf
TUESDAY 4/13
Harlem, One Eyed Jacks
Kid Simmons’ New Orleans Band, Louisiana
Music Factory (210 Decatur), 6pm
Nawlins Johnnys, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 9pm
WEDNESDAY 4/14
Amos Lee, One Eyed Jacks
Easy Star All-Stars: Lonely Hearts World Tour
2010, House Of Blues, 8pm
Trashy and the Kid, The Blind Pets, Circle Bar,
10pm
THURSDAY 4/15
TUESDAY 4/6
We the Granada, Blackbelt Band, Banks Street
Bar & Grill, 9pm
WEDNESDAY 4/7
88 Keys, Kidz in the Hall, Izza Kizza, Donnis,
Howlin’ Wolf
The Spanish Moon, 1109 Highland Rd., (225)
383-MOON, www.thespanishmoon.com
THURSDAY 4/8
The Varsity, 3353 Highland Rd., (225)383-7018,
www.varsitytheatre.com
Happy Talk Band, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Jon Cleary, d.b.a., 7pm
FRIDAY 4/9
The Angel Sluts, The Bills, Saturn Bar, 10pm
Benefit for the New Orleans Music Office w/
Lips & Trips, Treme Brass Band w/ Craig
Klein & Susan Cowsill w/ Craig Klein,
Tipitina’s, 9pm, $5
High on Fire, Priestess, Black Cobra, Bison,
One Eyed Jacks, 7pm
Jimmy Carpenter & Friends, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Jon Cleary, d.b.a., 7pm
White Colla Crimes, The Local Skank, Circle
Bar, 10pm
FRIDAY 4/16
Corey Smith, Josh Grinder, House Of Blues, 8pm
Glasgow, Republic, 10pm, $5
More Events on Page 32...
31
EVENTS
Albert, Sun Hotel, Mother-In-Law Lounge, 9pm, $5
Dirty Dozen Brass Band plays My Feet Can Fail
James Hall Album Release Party, One Eyed Jacks Me Now, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Man at Home, I Octopus, Blackbelt Band,
Frogs Gone Fishin, Lubriphonic, Howlin’ Wolf
(Live in the Den)
New Orleans Bingo! Show, Fleur de Tease,
Galactic, Tipitina’s, 2am, $30
Honey Island Swamp Band, Hi-Ho Lounge
The Refugeze, Carrollton Station
Ingrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pm
Rock City Morgue, R. Scully & the Rough 7,
Jenn Howard, Crazy McGee, Carrollton Station
d.b.a., 10pm, $10
Lost Bayou Ramblers, Zydepunks, d.b.a., 9pm,
Thrice, Manchester Orchestra, Howlin’ Wolf
$10
Marcia Ball (An Evening With), The Parish @
SATURDAY 4/17
House Of Blues, 9pm
Ryan Chatelain, Neutral Ground Coffeehouse,
Alternative Media Expo, Contemporary Arts
8pm, FREE
Center Warehouse, Noon-6pm, $5
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Ivan
Alvin Youngblood Hart, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Howlin’ Wolf
Ballzack, Sick Like Sinatra, One Eyed Jacks
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave., Jon
Chris Rose (An Evening With), Howlin’ Wolf
Cleary, House Of Blues, 9pm
Community Records Block Party, The Big Top, Zigaboo’s Funk Revue w/ Paul Shaffer, Soul
12pm-11pm, $15
Rebels, Tipitina’s, 9pm, $30
Greenlight Caravan, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
Lou Reed Velvet Underground Tribute, Hi-Ho SATURDAY 4/24
Lounge
ReFried Confuzion, Carrollton Station
Backbeat Presents: Anders Osborne, Eric
Terranova, The Early Graves, Bayou Park Bar, Lindell, Tipitina’s (French Quarter), 10pm, $20
10pm
Backbeat Presents: The Slip, Surprise Me
Mr. Davis, Marco Benevento Trio, Tipitina’s
SUNDAY 4/18
(French Quarter), 2am, $20
Dash Rip Rock, Carrollton Station
Adult Swim Presents: Aqua Teen Hunger
Dr. John and the Lower 911, House Of Blues, 9pm
Force Live (Also some Squidbillies Stuff),
George Porter Jr. & His Runnin’ Pardners,
House Of Blues, 8pm
d.b.a., Midnight, $20
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Circle Bar,
Juice, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
10pm
Lotus, Woodhands, Tipitina’s, 2am, $20
Dappa, Kourtney Heart, The Snow, The
Morning 40 Federation, One Eyed Jacks
Sekondelement, DK PK-1, DJ DatBoi, Howlin’ NOLA Comic-Con, Pontchartrain Center, 10amWolf
6pm
Margie Perez Album Release Party, d.b.a., 10pm NOLA Comic-Con Post Party w/ 11 Blade,
The Swaggers, Wreckage Revival, Rev.
Sunday Music Workshop: ASCAP
Spooky LaStrange and Her Billion-Dollar
Songwriting Series, Tipitina’s, 1pm, FREE
Baby Dolls, The Bar, 9pm
Vagina Monologues, One Eyed Jacks, 7pm
Original 007, Howlin’ Wolf
Patti Smith, Tipitina’s, 9pm, $25
TUESDAY 4/20
Pimps of Joy Time, The Parish @ House Of
Blues, 2am
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, House Of Blues, 9pm
Rebirth Brass Band, Krown, Washington,
Hotrod Hillbillies, The Unnatruals, Bayou Park Batiste, Howlin’ Wolf, Midnight
Bar, 9pm, FREE
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars, The Parish @
Nawlins Johnnys, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 9pm House Of Blues, 9pm
Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots,
WEDNESDAY 4/21
Hi-Ho Lounge
FRIDAY 4/16 (Cont.)
The White Bitch, Radical Temple, Circle Bar,
10pm
SUNDAY 4/25
Backbeat Presents: Tim Reynolds & TR3,
Benjy Davis Project, Tipitina’s (French Quarter),
9pm, $20
Backbeat Presents: Nevillution, Tipitina’s
B.O.B., The Parish @ House Of Blues, 9pm
(French Quarter), 10pm, $20
Creepin’ Cadavers, The Unnaturals, Dragon’s
Brass Band Blowout w/ Rebirth, Hot 8, Soul
Den (Upstairs), 6pm
Rebels, Howlin’ Wolf
The Drummer Cometh, Global Noise, Howlin’
Ernie Vincent and the Top Notes Album
Wolf
Release Party, d.b.a., 7pm, $5
Funky Meters, House Of Blues, 9pm
Good Enough for Good Times, d.b.a., 11pm, $5 Govt Majik, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 9pm
JJ Grey & Mofro, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $20
Grayson Capps, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, Govt Jeremy Lyons’ Original Delta Billy Boys, The
Majik, House Of Blues, 9pm
Original Schatzy, Hi-Ho Lounge
New Orleans Bingo! Show, One Eyed Jacks
FRIDAY 4/23
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, Howlin’ Wolf
(Live in the Den)
Backbeat Presents: George Porter Jr. & His
NOLA Comic-Con, Pontchartrain Center, 10amRunnin’ Pardners, Tipitina’s (French Quarter),
6pm
2am, $20
Papa Grows Funk w/ Big Chief Monk
Backbeat Presents: Hill Country, Tipitina’s
Boudreaux, Geechie Johnson and Honey
(French Quarter/Upstairs), 11pm, $20
Bannister, d.b.a., Midnight, $20
Backbeat Presents: Marco Benevento &
Friends, Tipitina’s (French Quarter), 10pm, $20
Beats Antique w/ Random Rab, ill. Gates,
MONDAY 4/26
Gravity A, One Eyed Jacks, LATE
Billy Iuso & the Restless Natives, Banks Street
Daughters of the Sun, Vampire Hands, Circle
Bar & Grill, 10pm
Bar, 10pm
Brian Coogan Band, d.b.a., 2am, $5
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Caddywhompus, Brother/Ghost, Fatter Than
Instruments A Comin’ 2010 w/ Trombone
THURSDAY 4/22
EVENTS
Shorty & Orleans Ave., Rebirth Brass Band, &
Various Artists, Tipitina’s, 5pm, $40
Kristin Diable Duo, d.b.a., 5pm
Paul Sanchez, d.b.a., 8pm, $5
Piano Night: Benefit for WWOZ, House Of
Blues, 7:30pm
Wall of Fame Induction w/ Harry Connick
Jr., Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., Tipitina’s, 7pm, FREE
TUESDAY 4/27
3rd Annual Skerik’s Saucefest, Hi-Ho Lounge
Dragon Smoke, One Eyed Jacks
Rad Gumbo: Tribute to Richie Hayward f/
Anders Osborne, John “Papa” Gros, Billy
Iuso, Various Artists, Howlin’ Wolf
Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys, d.b.a.,
5pm
Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and
George Porter Jr., d.b.a., 11pm, $10
Move Lafitte, Hat Talk, Banks Street Bar &
Grill, 9pm
New Orleans Cotton Mouth Kings, d.b.a., 8pm
The Walrus, Carrollton Station
WEDNESDAY 4/28
City Champs, The Low Down w/ DJ Logic,
Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
The Iguanas, d.b.a., 7pm
Infected Mushroom, Republic, 9pm, $20
The Lee Boys, Howlin’ Wolf (Live in the Den)
Martin Sexton, The Parish @ House Of Blues,
8pm
Megalomaniacs Ball w/ Garage a Trois,
Stanton Moore Trio, Mike Dillon Trio, The
Dead Kenny Gs, Marco Benevento Trio,
Howlin’ Wolf
Ramajam (Twangorama w/ Bonerama horns),
Woodenhead, Carrollton Station
Terry Reid, One Eyed Jacks
THURSDAY 4/29
Backbeat Presents: Cyril Neville & Tribe 13,
Toubab Krewe, Tipitina’s (French Quarter),
10pm, $25
Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm, d.b.a.,
1am, $10
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Eric
Krasno & Chapter 2, House Of Blues, 9pm
DJ Drez, Zepparella, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
Down on the Bayou II: JOJO’s Mardi Gras
Band f/ John Hermann, John Bell, Sunny
Ortiz, George Porty Jr., Anders Osborne, Papa
Mali, Howlin’ Wolf
Honey Island Swamp Band, d.b.a., 11pm, $10
John “Papa” Gros, Anders Osborne and Eric
Lindell, Jimmy Robinson, Carrollton Station
Jon Cleary, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
Julian Casablancas, Republic, 9pm, $32
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Tipitina’s, 2am,
$30
The Muddy Udders, The Unnaturals, The
Bills, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7:30pm
North Mississippi All-Stars, City Champs,
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave., Dr.
Gonzeaux, Blue Nile, 10pm, $25
FRIDAY 4/30
8th Annual Bayou Rendezvous: The New
Orleans All-Stars, Papa Grows Funk, Rebirth
Brass Band, Col. Bruce Hampton Ret. &
Friends, Russell Batiste, Good Enough for
Good Times, Eric McFadden, Monophonics,
Howlin’ Wolf
Backbeat Presents: Some Cat From Japan,
Tipitina’s (French Quarter), 2am, $20
Backbeat Presents: Tab Benoit & Friends,
Tipitina’s (French Quarter), 10pm, $20
Bear Creek Presents B.I.G.I. f/ George Porter
Jr., Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, Russell Batiste,
plus Break Science f/ Adam Deitch, One Eyed
Jacks, LATE
Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Blue Nile, 2am, $25
Egg Yolk Jubilee, Banks Street Bar & Grill, 10pm
Garage a Trois, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
The Greyboy All-Stars, Tipitina’s, 2am, $35
Joe Krown, Walter Wolfman Washington,
Russell Batiste Trio, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
Jon Cleary, d.b.a., Midnight, $20
The New Mastersounds, Salvador Santana,
House Of Blues, 2am
Night of Swamp & Soul: Honey Island Swamp
Band, Soul Rebels Brass Band, The Parish @
House Of Blues, 10pm
Old Crow Medicine Show (An Evening With),
House Of Blues, 9pm
Pretty Lights, Gift of Gab, Republic, 10pm, $30
Susan Cowsill Band, Carrollton Station
Yes Players, Moo Got 2, Surprise Me Mr.
Davis, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
SATURDAY 5/1
Bassnectar, House Of Blues, 2am
Dirty Dozen Brass Band, d.b.a., Midnight, $20
Elvis Perkins Presents Dr. Claw f/ Eric
Krasno, Adam Deitch, Nick Daniels, Ian
Neville and Nigel Hall, Break Science, One
Eyed Jacks, LATE
Galactic, Funky Meters, Rebirth Brass Band,
Howlin’ Wolf
Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Carrollton
Station
Little Freddie King, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
The Other Planets, Happy Talk Band, Mike
Dillon, Dragon’s Den, 10pm
Pallbearers, Superdestroyers, Necrohippies,
Bayou Park Bar, 10pm
More Events on Page 35...
33
REVIEWS
THE GHOST WRITER, CONT...
following war crime accusations) autobiography. We find Lang (Pierce Brosnan) seeking refuge on
Martha’s Vineyard with his wife (Olivia Williams) and exclusive members of his inner circle, including
his executive assistant / mistress, played by a cunning Kim Cattrall.
The Ghost, held at arm’s length and guarded in his new position, feels threatened by Lang’s reserved
and increasingly cold demeanor, the possibility of outsiders discovering his link to the controversial
ex-Prime Minister and the fact that his predecessor died a mysterious and supposed accidental death.
Brosnan pulls off the two-faced, insincere politician with swift shifts from smiles and handshakes
to unblinking glares and anxious pacing, especially as the abrasive media becomes more intrusive
(eventually forcing Lang to flee his publisher’s estate in search of privacy).
The camera maintains focus on the talented McGregor, and the Ghost forms a bond with the viewer,
who, despite intentional hints and omniscient clues thrown into the writing, remains in step with the
Ghost, never knowing more than he at any given moment. This is tactically employed by Polanski, for
the audience moves and breathes with the protagonist; we can’t warn the Ghost, nor can we predict his
fate or that of the others involved in this convoluted history of deceit.
What makes this more suspense than thriller is the muted tenor that fails to emanate abrupt shock,
sadness, or unbearable fear. Polanski builds a backbone of unsettling discomfort that is carried
throughout, utilizing dimly lit sets, stormy scenery (captured beautifully by cinematographer Pawel
Edelman) and original score by Alexandre Desplat. The acting is on point and Polanski weaves it all
together with deft skillfulness and any question or sense of confusion is tied together and answered
before it’s too late. The invested viewer is never truly at ease, yet the highs and lows neither transcend
nor plunge into dramatic waters, preventing a lingering effect after the film’s duration. Unfortunately,
this tepid ‘thriller’ lacks crescendo and The Ghost Writer fails to leave a powerful impact on its viewers.
You may be invested in the outcome while still in your seat, but don’t be surprised if you leave the
theater scheming what to eat for dinner. —Laine Kaplan-Levenson
EVENTS
DJ Brown Sugar, Bayou Park Bar, 10pm
DJ Frenzi, DJ Daniel Steel, Dragon’s Den
Rusko, Big Gigantic, Republic, 2am, $25
(Downstairs), 10pm
San Fran Burlesque & Hip-Hop Night f/ DJ
DJ Kemistry, LePhare
Drez, Myka9 and Magic Heart Gennies, Ivan
DJ Matic, Hostel
Ives, Scarub, Hi-Ho Lounge
Fast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One Eyed Jacks
Soulive, Blue Nile, 10pm, $25
The Fens w/ Sneaky Pete, Checkpoint Charlie’s,
Toots & The Maytals, Johnny King & the
10pm
Soulrockers, House Of Blues, 8:30pm
Hap Pardo Jazz Trio, All-Ways Lounge
Toubab Krewe, Blue Nile, 2am, $20
Jeremy Davenport, The Davenport Lounge @
Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
SUNDAY 5/2
Karaoke Fury, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 10pm
LEGIT, Republic, 10pm, $7
Anders Osborne & Stanton Moore Trio, d.b.a., Ovis, The Box Office, 10pm
Midnight, $20
Pure Soul, House Of Blues, Midnight
Eric Lindell, One Eyed Jacks
Rabbit Hole, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 8:30
Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 5pm
Sam and Boone, Circle Bar, 6pm
Royal Family Ball: Soulive, Lettuce, Zigaboo’s Soul Rebels, Les Bon Temps Roule, 11pm
Funk Revue, George Porter Jr. and His
Stinging Caterpillar Soundsystem, All-Ways
Runnin’ Pardners, Howlin’ Wolf
Lounge
The Tin Men, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
FRIDAYS
WEEKLIES & DANCE NIGHTS
Brown Comedy Improv, Banks Street Bar &
MONDAYS
Grill
DJ Bees Knees, Hi-Ho Lounge
Blue Grass Pickin’ Party, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
DJ Digital Presents: Get Famous Fridays, The
Frogs Gone Fishin’, Banks Street Bar & Grill,
Hookah, 10pm
9pm
DJ Kemistry, Metro
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 9pm
Friday Night Music Camp, The Big Top, 5pm
Jak Locke, The Box Office, 8pm
God’s Been Drinking, La Nuit Comedy Theater,
Mad Mike, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 8pm
8:30pm, $10
Missy Meatlocker, Circle Bar, 5pm
Noxious Noize’s Punk and Metal Night,
Dragon’s Den (Downstairs)
Jim O. and The Sporadic Fanatics, Circle, 6pm
Trivia Night, Circle Bar, 8pm
Olga, The Box Office, 6pm
Open Mic Stand-Up, La Nuit Comedy Theater,
TUESDAYS
10pm, $5
Ratty Scurvics Lounge, All-Ways Lounge
The Abney Effect, Hostel
Rites of Swing, The Box Office, 9pm
Acoustic Open Mic, Carrollton Station, 9pm
Throwback, Republic
Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint
Tipitina’s Foundation Free Friday!, Tipitina’s,
Charlie’s, 10pm
10pm
Cottenmouth Kings of New Orleans, d.b.a.,
The Way, St. Roch Tavern, 9pm
9pm
Open Jam w/ Fat Sweat, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
SATURDAYS
Open Mic w/ Whiskey T., Rusty Nail, 8pm
Reggae Nite w/ Big, Fat & Delicious, Banks
DJ Damion Yancy, Republic, 11pm
Street Bar & Grill
DJ Jive, LePhare
Talking Pictures Hosted by Chris Fontana,
DJ Kemistry, Metro
Bayou Park Bar, 10pm
The Drive In w/ DJ Pasta, R Bar
The Tom Paines, Circle Bar, 6pm
Hookah Hip-Hop w/ DJ EF Cuttin, The
Hookah, 10pm
WEDNESDAYS
Javier Drada, Hostel
The Jazzholes (1st & 3rd Saturdays), Circle Bar,
Dan Wallace Quartet, The Box Office, 7pm
6pm
DJ Lefty Parker, R Bar
DJ T-Roy Presents: Dancehall Classics,
Dragon’s Den, 10pm, $5
John Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pm
Gravity A, Banks St. Bar and Grill, 10pm
Ladies Night, The Hangar
Jim O. and The No Shows w/ Mama Go-Go, Louisiana Hellbenders, The Box Office, 7pm
Circle Bar, 6pm
Kenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,
SUNDAYS
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pm
Lynn Drury and Friends, Bayou Park Bar, 10pm Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint
Marygoround & The Tiptoe Stampede, AllCharlie’s, 7pm
Ways Lounge
Attrition, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Mojotoro Tango Trio, Yuki (525 Frenchmen St.), Cajun Fais Do Do f/ Bruce Danigerpoint,
8pm
Tipitina’s, 5:30pm, $7
Musician Appreciation Night, The Bar, 7pm
Cocktails & Crafts, Circle Bar, 3pm
Standup Comedy Open Mic, Carrollton Station, Ear Candy w/ DJ Rik Ducci, The Hookah,
9pm
10pm
Tin Men, d.b.a., 7pm
Free Swing Dance Lessons w/ Amy Chance,
Walter Wolfman Washington and The
d.b.a., 4:30pm
Roadmasters, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Live Team Trivia, Bayou Park Bar, 8pm
Mambomundo Latin Dance Party, Banks Street
THURSDAYS
Bar & Grill, 9pm
Micah McKee and Friends w/ Food by Bryan,
Big Freedia’s Hookah Bounce, The Hookah,
Circle Bar, 6pm
10pm
Music Workshop Series, Tipitina’s, 12:30pm
Billy Iuso, The Box Office, 7pm
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm
Come Drink with Matt Vaughn, R Bar
The Sunday Gospel Brunch, House Of Blues
Dave Jordan and Guests Acoustic Showcase,
SATURDAY 5/1 (Cont.)
35
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
37
COMICS

April 2010 - Antigravity Magazine

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