April 2009 - Antigravity Magazine

Transcription

MASTERING THE
MUSICAL ARTS WITH
THE
BLACKBELT
BAND
PHOTO BY MANTARAY PHOTOGRAPHY
WHAT DO THESE LOUISIANA
ARTISTS HAVE IN COMMON?
Alex McMurray
Amanda Shaw
Anders Osborne
Andy J. Forest
Bad Off
Beatinpath
Benjy Davis Project
Big Al Carson
Big Blue Marble
Big Daddy ‘O’
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Bionik Brown
Bipolaroid
Blair
Bluerunners
Bonerama
Bruce Daigrepont
CC Adcock
Chef Menteur
City Life
Clive Wilson’s New
Orleans Serenaders
Coco Robicheaux
Continental Drifters
Cowboy Mouth
Da U Boys
David & Roselyn
Derrick Freeman
Dickie Landry
Donald Harrison
Dr. Michael White
Earl King
Egg Yolk Jubilee
Fatter Than Albert
Fiend
Figs
Fredy Omar con Su Banda
Gal Holiday and the
Honky Tonk Revue
George Porter Jr.
Hackberry Ramblers
Henry Butler
Irvin Mayﬁeld
J. Monque’D
James Booker
Jason Marsalis
Jimi Clever
Joe Krown
Johnny Sketch and
the Dirty Notes
Jon Cleary
Julio & Cesar
Kermit Rufﬁns
Kourtney Heart
Leroy Jones
Les Freres Michot
Les Poissons Rouges
Li’l Band of Gold
Linnzi Zaorski
Little Freddie King
Los Hombres Calientes
Los Po-Boy-Citos
Lost Bayou Ramblers
Marc Stone
Margie Perez
Metronome the City
New Orleans Jazz Vipers
New Orleans Moonshiners
New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra
Otra
Ovi-G and the Froggies
Panarama Jazz Band
Papa Grows Funk
Paul Sanchez
Porter, Batiste & Stoltz
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Quintron and Miss Pussycat
Rebirth Brass Band
Robert Walter
Rockie Charles
Rosie Ledet
Rotary Downs
Shamarr Allen
Spencer Bohren
Steve Riley & the
Mamou Playboys
Storyville Stompers
Supagroup
Susan Cowsill
Terrance Simien
Theresa Andersson
Tim Laughlin
Tin Men
Tom McDermott
Tondrae
Treme Brass Band
Truth Universal
Vettes
Vivaz
Washboard Chaz
Why are we Building
such a Big Ship?
Zachary Richard
Zydepunks
They’re all listed on the Jazz & Heritage Talent Exchange.
Are you?
www.Talent.JazzAndHeritage.org
A free service of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
Sync Up: The Jazz & Heritage
Talent Exchange
A conference for music
business professionals
April 24-25 and May 1-2
(9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
At the Jazz & Heritage Center
(1225 N. Rampart St.)
*Digital Impact and
Bracing for the Future*
*The International
Festival Market*
*Video Games:
The New Record Labels?*
*The Lost Art of
Artist Development*
Free admission, but advance
registration is required.
Register online at:
www.jazzandheritage.org/syncup
STAFF
Spoon:
One of AG’s Jazz Fest picks_page 19
PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF:
Leo McGovern
leo@antigravitymagazine.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Dan Fox
fox@antigravitymagazine.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Erin Hall
erinhall84@gmail.com
Tamara Grayson
ohmwardbound@hotmail.com
Nancy Kang, M.D.
nancy@antigravitymagazine.com
Jacob Mazer
jacob.mazer@gmail.com
Dan Mitchell
dmitchel@tulane.edu
Mike Rodgers
mike@antigravitymagazine.com
Brett Schwaner
brett@antigravitymagazine.com
Brian Serpas
brian@antigravitymagazine.com
Colby Spath
colbito@gmail.com
Michael Patrick Welch
michaelpatrickwelch@gmail.com
Mallory Whitfield
mallory@antigravitymagazine.com
AD SALES:
ads@antigravitymagazine.com
504-881-7508
Cover Photo by Chris George
Spoon Photo by Autumn de Wilde
We like stuff! Send it to:
4145 Iberville St.
New Orleans, La. 70119
Have listings? Send them to:
events@antigravity
magazine.com
ANTIGRAVITY is a publication of
ANTIGRAVITY, INC.
FEATURES:
ANTI-News_page 6
COLUMNS:
Some of the news that’s fit to print.
White Colla Crimes dish advice.
The Blackbelt Band_page 16
The Goods_page 13
Get some down home music.
AG @ Jazz Fest_page 19
Some of the artists we like at the Fest ’09...
Guidance Counseling_page 12
Pop with Popko!
Photo Review_page 28
The month in photos.
REVIEWS (pg. 20):
Records, movies and more...
EVENTS (pg. 23)
April listings for the NOLA area...
COMICS (pg. 26):
Qomix, How To Be Happy, K Chronicles,
Firesquito.
RESOURCES:
Homepage:
www.antigravitymagazine.com
INTRO
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/
antigravitymagazine
4_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative
Y
ou’ll just have to believe me when I say
right now is a chaotic time in the AG
household—as of press time we’re in the
process of moving and all hasn’t gone to plan,
so I’ll leave you with a few quick thoughts.
Last month’s Alternative Media Expo was
a great success, as was the pre-Expo fashion
show presented by Dirty Coast and the postExpo blowout by Ballzack and the Buttons (as
a matter of fact, if you were at One Eyed Jacks
for the epic encore performance of “Rainbow
in Marrero,” picture the last two minutes of
that song and you’ll have a pretty good idea of
what life’s like in AG-land right now). Thanks
to everyone who attended and supported
all the great folks who exhibited their wares.
The photo to your left (by our buddy and
Expo exhibitor Toby Craig [ithinkican.com])
is from the celebratory bruch the following
day, where I did my best carnivorous dinosaur
impersonation at Bywater Barbecue.
This month’s issue is pretty packed—we
cover the second Block Party put on by local
label Community Records, we interview St.
Vitus, who’s playing exactly one show in the
U.S. (at One Eyed Jacks!) before playing once
in Europe, look at some of the bands we think
you’d like at Jazz Fest this year, and have tons
more in store for you. Until next month (and
less chaotic time)...—Leo McGovern, Editor in
Chief
ANTI-NEWS
COMMUNITY RECORDS BRINGS BACK THE PARTY
AG’s Exclusive Preview of the 2009 Block Party at The Big Top
By Brett Schwaner
T
he 2008 edition of the Block Party at the Big Top, as I recall,
was an epic event of delicious proportions. Delicious,
in my memory, because of the surprisingly good Vegan
chocolate chip cookies that I purchased from local baker Jessica
Roberts. Epic, in that last year’s inaugural Block Party was, really,
the best local show that I attended in 2008. Encompassing most
of Clio Street at St. Charles Avenue, featuring a full day’s worth
of continuous music and attracting several hundred local music
fans, last year’s Block Party was an impressive feat of DIY event
production. The mastermind behind both the original Block
Party and this year’s planned follow-up event is Greg Rodrigue,
the sometimes soft-spoken, sometimes louder-than-your-mom
founding bass player of Fatter Than Albert and local indie label
Community Records. “The original Block Party came about
because I had always wanted to do a punk and ska fest here in New
Orleans,” Rodrigue told ANTIGRAVITY. “I was in my last year
of college at the time and I wasn’t sure if I’d have another chance
to pull it off. Last year’s Block Party went well. The weather was
nice and over seven hundred people came out. Overall, I felt there
was a very positive response to it. This year, we’re hoping for
similar results. The Block Party is somewhat of a showcase for
Community Records artists, but we’ve got a bunch of great local
bands playing as well. We’ve got some new bands playing, as well
as some bands who also performed last year.”
ANTIGRAVITY is proud to sponsor this year’s Block Party on
Saturday, April 11th. I, for one, am looking forward to drinking
purple Kool-Aid from my flask and dancing wildly in moonlight
until they forcibly drag me away from the scene. As for you, it’s
time to get to know your Block Party. Here’s what’s up…
DAN POTTHAST
For misguided kids who grew up listening to turn-of-the-millennium
ska, just mentioning the name Dan Potthast is usually enough to
bring a smile to a face. As the front man of St. Louis’s MU330,
Potthast has spent the last twenty years making really, really fun
music. What separates Potthast and MU330’s take on ska from
the vast majority of their contemporaries is that their song-writing
rarely comes off as kitschy or forced. While most ska-influenced
bands from the past two decades have not aged gracefully, most
of MU330’s catalogue remains fresh and relevant, in no small part
due to Potthast’s wide-eyed and optimistic songwriting. Potthast
and his band have had quite a run of amazing shows in New
Orleans over the years—MU330’s “Winter Wonderland” tour
stop with Mustard Plug at the Mermaid Lounge in December
of 2000 still ranks as one of my favorite ska shows of all-time.
In 2004, Potthast brought his solo tour to NOLA for the first
time, performing on stage at the Dixie Taverne, followed by an
impromptu encore sidewalk performance. Potthast and MU330
returned in 2004, breaking out their chainsaws and singing songs
about sushi to a packed crowd of local fans in Harahan (yes,
Harahan). This April, expect Potthast’s solo set to be one of the
must-see portions of the Block Party. For more, visit myspace.
com/danpotthast.
FATTER THAN ALBERT
“I guess I can let the cat out of the bag on this,” Fatter Than Albert
bassist Greg Rodrigue told ANTIGRAVITY. “It hasn’t been
announced yet, but by the time this interview comes out, we’ll
probably start to spread the word a bit more: Fatter Than Albert
will be playing the Block Party this year.” Although the longrunning gang of outlaw ska poets had originally planned a sixmonth hiatus through the first half of 2009 due to the temporary
departure of guitarist Hunter Miller, Rodrigue confirmed that
Fatter Than Albert will be returning much sooner than expected.
“Hunter is moving back to New Orleans from California and we’re
going to start playing shows again, starting with the Block Party.
After that, we’ll probably do one in May and then probably one
show per month after that. I think that last year, before Hunter
left to move to California, we played fairly often because we had
the mindset that Fatter Than Albert might be coming to an end.
Fortunately, that ended up not being
the case. Anyway, the plan is to play
about one show per month and not go
overboard with it.” Fatter Than Albert
was formed in early 2004 after the breakup of Skycopter 4. The group released
their second full-length effort, The Final
Minute, in 2008. Fatter Than Albert’s
legendary tomfoolery is well-documented
at myspace.com/fatterthanalbert.
SAFETY
Safety, a pop-punk band headquartered
in Tampa, Fla., has a pretty long history
for a group of guys barely past their
high school years. “We’re all just about
twenty years old, but we’ve been playing
together for about seven years,” said
Safety guitarist Andy Diaz, “since the 8th
or 9th grade. Our first show was a really
bad “battle of the bands” competition.
We’ve all been together since then, when
we were just a bunch of thirteen- and
fourteen-year olds who didn’t really know
how to play our instruments. As kids, we
really didn’t know much of anything, but
we all learned together over time. Back
then, we were listening to stuff like Bad
Religion, Green Day, and The Offspring.
Times change, but we‘ve always known
what we wanted to be.” Especially
over the past couple of years, Safety
has kept up a consistent tour schedule,
including multiple tour stops in New
Orleans during 2008 while recording and
releasing their latest record. “Our most
recent recording was actually released for
free awhile back,” said Diaz. “It was a
seven-song EP that we did with guitarist
ANTI-NEWS
Tim McTate from the band Underoath. We
released it as a free download because we
would rather have people hear it. We’re not
really interested in record sales. We’d rather
have people at our shows singing along to
the songs. To us, that’s more important than
trying to coax people into buying a record.
We’d rather just let people hear what we’re all
about.” Diaz also said that Safety is already
planning their follow-up release. “We’ll be
recording a full-length album in June, which
should come out to around thirteen songs.
The challenge with writing new songs is not
making the same record twice. We started as a
band years ago just to have fun and kill time.
We’re all still excited about playing together,
which still surprises me.” Visit myspace.com/
safetyfl for a free download of Safety’s mostrecent album release.
MADDIE RUTHLESS
Maddie Ruthless knows a thing or two about
all that rock ‘n roll music that seems to be all
the rage with the kids these days. Judging by
both her solo sets and her performances with
her collaborative group, The Champagne
Players, she also knows a thing or two about
the art of being rude. “I was born in New
Orleans, but I went to school in Florida,”
Maddie told ANTIGRAVITY. “In high
school, I was in a band called The Bible and
then I went solo after that. The Bible was kind
of a nihilistic, ’77-style punk band. When
I started performing by myself, I wanted
to play music that had more of a positive
youth-peace message. I wanted to write songs
about anarchist ideology with an anti-police,
Page 6: (Top) Dan Potthast, (Bottom) Safety. Page 7: (Top) Stereohype, (Bottom smash-the-state kind of message. I grew up
Left) Maddie Ruthless, (Bottom Right) Killin’ Werewolves. Page 8: Fatter Than listening to ska bands like The Slackers, so
a lot of that inevitably finds its way into my
Albert.
songwriting. I’m into pretty much anything in
the Studio One section at Domino Sound.”
Despite having several years of performing
under her belt, Maddie has yet to land any
of her own recordings in local record shops.
After a number of aborted attempts and false
starts in 2008, she hopes that 2009 will be a
more productive year. “I’m hoping to finally
have an LP out by this summer, this time for
sure. It’s basically going to be a collection of
my shenanigans. It’s really lo-fi junkyard ska.”
Maddie Ruthless is also one of a handful of performers
returning from the 2008 Block Party. “The Block Party is
going to be insane,” said Maddie. “What Greg and those
guys are doing is easily some of the coolest stuff going on in
New Orleans right now. I can’t wait. It’s an honor to be part
of it, for sure.” Keep up with Maddie and her occasional
online radio appearances at myspace.com/maddieruthless.
STEREOHYPE
Oh, wow. Someone in this ska band has a Juggalo tattoo.
I’m not sure if that’s tragic, awesome or tragically awesome.
Probably “all of the above.” That’s also a sure-fire way
to get your photo in Vice Magazine. Insane Clown Posse
tattoos aside, Stereohype has been rocking out across the
Gulf Coast for quite some time now. The one thing that’s
always stuck out about this band is that they’ve pretty much
been on a constant tour for as long as I can remember.
Stereohype is also unique in that they’re one of very few
southern Mississippi rock bands still going strong since
the days before Katrina flattened their hometown of Bay
St. Louis, which I think says a lot about their devotion to
creating music. I’d also say that time has done the trick
for this band, because they really have gotten remarkably
better over the past few years. When I first heard them
back in 2004, I initially wrote them off as another group of
college-aged dudes with misplaced Sublime-worship. Time
and experience, however, have been kind to Stereohype,
as their act has grown and evolved to incorporate a mix of
pop and hard rock. Stereohype will no doubt be one of the
loudest ska bands at this year’s Block Party. For more, visit
myspace.com/stereohype.
KILLIN’ WEREWOLVES
The great ones always burn brightest and fastest before
burning out altogether. Attack the Gas Station was one
such band, flickering like an inebriated candle in the wind
for a brief time in 2007 and 2008. Never fear, dear friends,
because former members of ATGS recently resurfaced with
a new project called Killin’ Werewolves, a collaboration
with members of local avant-garde screamo group
extraordinaire, Party Time. So how much of an art/punk
band is Killin‘ Werewolves? ANTIGRAVITY tracked
down band member Wes Clampitt for some deep insight
into the group‘s clandestine motivations. “Our name is a
reference to Coors Light,” Clampitt said. “Coors Light,
as you know, is the ‘silver bullet,’ which is the best way to
kill a werewolf. Really, we’re just looking to have fun and
get drunk every time we go out on stage. It’s less Alkaline
Trio-sounding than some of the things we did with Attack
the Gas Station. It’s slightly more hardcore-sounding and
7
antigravitymagazine.com_
ANTI-NEWS
MORE ON THE BLOCK PARTY...
we have two bassists, which is always interesting. As far as having two
members of Party Time in the band, I suppose you could say that there
are some similarities that cross over but, really, Party Time is more of
an experimental project and Killin’ Werewolves is more about pop.
Personally, I’m more into playing Florida-style punk. I‘ve heard some
people say that the sound is reminiscent of Hot Water Music or Strike
Anywhere.” Killin’ Werewolves has only been together for a short time,
but they’ve already logged recording time with local producer Zachery
Quinn in preparation for the release of their first demo collection. Keep
up with the band’s progress at myspace.com/killinwerewolves. —Brett
Schwaner; Photo by Eric Martinez
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
There are over a dozen bands scheduled to continuously play at the Block
Party throughout the afternoon and we‘ve just about run out of space to
talk about them. Keep an eye out for brand new Community Records
releases from Block Party performers A Billion Ernies and Stuck Lucky.
Other featured touring artists include Los Skarnales, Arm the Poor, and
Michigan-based solo artist Matt Wixson. Local superstars The Zydepunks
are scheduled to appear, along with dub-rockers Big, Fat and Delicious
and epic punk revivalists The Rooks. Shoot the Daily Edit, The After
School Special, Reagabomb, and Angry Banana round out the list of
scheduled performers with a healthy dose of homegrown ska. Expect good
things. Expect to see me in a corner, laughing and crying and coughing up
purple Kool-Aid all at the same time. I can’t wait…
The Block Party 2009 is scheduled to take place from Noon through Midnight
on Saturday, April 11th at the Big Top and is open to all ages. Admission is
$12, or $10 with a donation of food and/or clothing for local charities. For
more information, visit communityrecords.org or 3ringcircusproductions.com.
ANTI-NEWS
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO PUMPKIN
W
hen I first encountered Pumpkin many years ago, I felt a loud, grinding voice in the back of my
skull telling me to shove these dweebs in their lockers. Surely any band that sang hyper-electro punk
songs about dogs, pizza, and space travel was the work of A.V. club nerds who spent their time
fixing up old Atari 2600s and not playing varsity sports. Pumpkin sounded nothing like Slayer, Godsmack,
John Denver, or any of the other awesome flesh-grinding bands that I listen to when driving around town in
my cartoonishly-obnoxious jacked-up jock-truck. In a recent interview, Pumpkin guitarist Alex Woodward
assured ANTIGRAVITY that when Pumpkin first began playing shows around New Orleans in 2007, “It was
awesome. Very awesome.” Woodward, along with keyboardist Mike Wilkinson, bassist Leigh Aucoin and
drummer Jeff Penick, have spent the past couple of years pasting together Pumpkin’s patchwork composition
with a fervor usually reserved for only the most intricately-detailed of high school science fair projects. This
strange, slow methodology has led to the creation of an uncanny mix of new wave and surf rock backed by an
array of modern-day videographical effects. “For the film segments of our live shows, we just kind of scour old
VHS tapes from public libraries,” said Woodward. “It’s usually stuff from the early 1990s. It’s total cheese.
Mike and Jeff spend a lot of time processing the videos on their computer. Leigh adds some of his animation.
This stuff might not be funny to anyone but us, but we’re okay with that.” One of those videos, produced for
the song “Golden Retriever,” features Pumpkin’s members rendered as classic 8-bit video game sprites. “A lot
of the stuff in it is hand-drawn, which involves pixel-by-pixel modification to create limited animation, then
compilation of individual images into an animated .gif,” Leigh Aucoin told ANTIGRAVITY. “It was far
too time intensive to finish it in a way I’d feel totally comfortable. I was pressed for time and never properly
finished it, the end animation of us playing music in particular. I’d estimate twenty or more hours total, a
portion of which was trying to figure out how to do stuff in that pixelated style.” Aucoin is also painfully
aware of the challenges facing post-modern electro-punk video-game revivalists. “Our intention is to have a
sensory overload for show-goers, with live music and onstage antics paired with the video stuff. It’s a gimmick
for sure and could easily damn us to “novelty band” status, but I just think it’s really cool to have all of this
going on simultaneously.” Woodward, known to Pumpkin’s devoted fan base as “the quiet, mysterious one,”
also offered this preview of Pumpkin’s plans for the near future: “We will be recording soon, without a doubt.
For an official release, we’ve talked about doing a limited vinyl pressing with a digital download and a comic
book.” Until then, curious local fans can check out Pumpkin at the Dragon’s Den in April, an engagement
which Woodward also believes should be “an awesome time.” —Brett Schwaner
Pumpkin is set to perform alongside Smiley With A Knife and High In One Eye at the Dragon’s Den on Thursday, April
9th. Showtime is 7pm and admission is $5. For more videos and recordings from Pumpkin, check out myspace.com/
pumpkin.
CORRECTIONS...
Last month, we ran a feature story on a local emcee competition called Microphone Corivalry, which was originally scheduled
to take place at the Dragon’s Den on March 20th. Shortly after we went to press, the event was canceled. The next edition of the
competition will be rescheduled for sometime this spring. Local emcees interested in entering the competition should contact
Chris at myspace.com/microphonecorivalry for more information. —Brett Schwaner.
9
ANTI-NEWS
JUST IN TIME FOR EASTER: ST. VITUS IS RESURRECTED FOR ONE U.S. SHOW
interview by dan fox
W
ith Eyehategod celebrating twenty years of
existence and the influence they’ve had on
countless bands through the years, it’s easy
to think of them as the progenitors of swamp/doom/
stoner metal or whatever it is the kids are calling it
these days. But before EHG, there was the California
band St. Vitus, who laid the foundation for an entire
genre of music and its legions of fans. And like most
saints, they were under-appreciated and assaulted in
their own day, only to be greatly revered after their
passing. St. Vitus was also critical in bridging the divide
between punk and metal, which didn’t exactly coexist
peacefully the way it does today. ANTIGRAVITY
caught up with founding member and New Orleans
resident Dave Chandler (don’t you love how this city
attracts all the elder statesmen of heavy rock?) to talk
about the one U.S. reunion show St. Vitus is playing
this month, at One Eyed Jacks, before they head off to
Holland to headline the Roadburn Festival.
What was it like to move to New Orleans and find a scene
that was so directly influenced by St. Vitus?
It was unbelievably better than [living in] California. I lived
in Southern California and the closest place you could go if
you wanted to see bands was basically Hollywood. Back in
the day when St. Vitus started and we played with a lot of
punk bands, there were clubs in the outlying cities; but as
it grew and got crazier and crazier all those clubs got shot
down, so it was basically Hollywood, which is just a bullshit
scene. Down here, it’s a lot more real; people appreciate
underground bands like Vitus a lot more. It’s a lot like
Europe, actually. More laid back.
What do you think of the New Orleans scene?
There’s a lot of cool, local bands that I like to go and see.
That’s why we when we booked this show I had people
from other states—friends of mine—ask to play but I wanted
New Orleans bands, bands that I like. That’s why I picked
Hawg Jaw and A Hanging; these are cool bands and it kind
of fits the Vitus thing. Everybody’s a little bit different. I
didn’t want to pick any of the punk bands that I like because
I wanted to make it more of a metal show.
When St. Vitus came out, punk and metal were at real
odds with each other; there was definitely a divide. Where
did Vitus fit into that rivalry?
We were playing wherever we could, basically on our
own... That was the same time that the hair bands started
popping up in Hollywood. Those guys had a lot of money
and they were able to buy good time slots, where bands like
Vitus couldn’t. And that started destroying any local scene
for metal bands because all the clubs went pay-to-play. The
only clubs you could play at that didn’t make you pay them
were punk rock clubs. We were doing a show in Torrance,
California and the SST band Overkill—not the big one from
New York but the other one—they were one of the first
crossover bands. They came to the show to pass out fliers
for their gig. And they saw us and asked if we wanted to do
some shows with them, because they were having trouble
booking shows, like we were. I found out they were on SST
and I was a big Black Flag fan, so I asked if anyone from
the band could come to the show so we could meet them.
Chuck and Greg and Henry showed up and they watched us
and as soon as we were done they immediately approached
us and asked if we wanted to do a record. Uh, yeah! And
when you sign with SST, they automatically book you with
their bands. So our first punk rock show was opening for
Black Flag and a couple of ’Frisco hardcore bands. They
loved it because by the time we finished, the crowd was so
pissed and so violent that any punk bands that followed us
had a great set! So people started asking for us when they
came to town because they wanted that crowd.
Were they hating “with” you or “on” you?
Both. The very first show that we did, there were two or
three hundred of them, and the stage was about as high
as Checkpoint Charlie’s or the Hi-Ho, about two feet off
the ground. They just stood in silence and our bass player,
Mark [Adams] was drunk so he just grabbed his dick and
told them, “Fuck you!” And man, then everything started
flying at the stage and that just set them off. That’s what
Black Flag loved. But we kept playing and we didn’t cut
our set short; we didn’t run off the stage. If they spit, we spit
back; if they threw shit, we threw shit back. Like the first
Flag tour we went on, we got trashed. The second Flag tour
we went on, less than a year later, playing the same places,
the same people who gave us shit were now on our side
against the people giving us shit because we took it. It was
like an initiation. In the beginning they were against us, and
then they were like, “Hey, they took our shit and they’re still
here? Fuck it, They’re cool.” There were two bands with
long hair that could play punk rock shows that punk rockers
would go out to see in California and that was Red Cross
and St. Vitus.
Funny to think that at that time it all came down to hair.
Oh, yeah. We could play punk rock shows but we couldn’t
go see a Germs show or a Fear show. We’d get our ass
kicked—out of principle—even though they knew who we
were.
The sound that St. Vitus pioneered has really evolved.
What’s your take on all the ways that people try to
describe it?
All we were trying to do was sound like Black Sabbath.
At the time, Ozzy was gone and Black Sabbath was
doing the faster stuff, and we wanted to sound like old
Sabbath and we didn’t think anything of it. We went
to Europe for the first time and the posters said “doom
metal,” and we thought “Okay.” My mom used to say
we sounded like funeral music. It kind of stayed the
same and once we retired and the next generation came
up and started calling it stoner rock. I was tripping out.
Well, it’s still all doom metal. Everybody’s trying to
sound like Sabbath.
It’s weird, because when you listen to old Vitus records
they sound a lot cleaner than most of the “doom metal”
bands today.
Vitus was always a lot cleaner on record than we were live.
We’re pretty fucking noisy when we play live. People have
always said we were a live band; they didn’t like the records
but then they’d see us and go, “Whoa. I gotta go listen to
that record again.”
What’s it like revisiting songs that you wrote so long ago
and what I can only imagine was a completely different
state of mind?
That’s the thing. Sometimes I try to learn a song and I think,
“Geez, how the fuck did I play that?” Especially a lead
that’s a dynamic part of the song that you need to play the
same every time. I think, “We must’ve practiced a lot back
then because this is really fucking with me!” It’s strange
having to relearn something that you wrote. But it comes
back within a few tries because you actually did do it, so
your hands want to go where your mind isn’t so sure. And
then you get together and everybody’s playing it different!
But that’s okay...
What about the psychic aspect? Like your mom said, it’s
funeral music.
I like playing that kind of stuff, anyway, but back then I
did have a different frame of mind. I’m much happier
now. People have asked if we want to do another album,
and I don’t know if I could because I’m not pissed off and
depressed anymore. I wouldn’t want it to sound all happy
and crappy. My fiancée tells me “Well, I can piss you off!”
and I’m like “No, I’m all right!”
St. Vitus plays One Eyed Jacks on Saturday, April 11th with
A Hanging and Hawg Jaw. For more info on St. Vitus, go to
myspace.com/saintvitusband.
ANTI-NEWS
86’D PRODUCTIONS JAZZ FEST WARMUP
GET YOUR COMIC ON AT COMIC-CON
ou know who’s kicking ass
on the show promotion front?
None other than ex-Mangina
frontman (and current Tirefire vocalist)
Matt Muscle and his 86’d Productions.
Not only does he have the visuals down
(you see his hand-drawn, toner-draining flyers everywhere) but his shows are
always an interesting combination of
awesome bands that fit Muscle’s criteria that they “don’t totally suck.” And
he’s got The Saturn Bar on lockdown.
For April, 86’d Productions is putting
on the creatively-named “Jazz Fest”
which is more of a warmup weekend for
that other festival that’s not so heavy on
the garage, hardcore, punk and metal.
All kinds of brow-raising acts are slated
for the weekend like Evil Army, American Cheeseburger, Thou and Nobunny,
but what’s especially noteworthy is the
Saturday show featuring a Persuaders
reunion. The Persuaders were one of
the first bands I saw King Louie play
guitar with; he’ll be joined by original
members Bret “Shaggy” Duffy and Jason “Panzer” Craft. This will surely be one of those
family reunion-type shows, bringing all of the punk rock grandmas and grandpas out of the
woodwork. Also on the bill will be Die Rotzz double-timing it as “Die Slutzz” and playing
old Sluts covers (check out Bobby Bergeron’s site, paranoizenola.com [Way it Was Section]
for old Sluts songs). Get 86’d. —Dan Fox
t’s been nine years since a full-fledged
comic convention has been held in
New Orleans (anybody remember
the Big Easy Con at the downtown
Hilton in 1999 and 2000, with publishers
like indie stalwart Top Shelf, legends like
John Byrne [Fantastic Four, Superman:
Man of Steel] and then-rising stars Brian
Bendis [Ultimate Spider-Man, Powers] and
Joe Casey [Godland]?). With the comics
industry at the height of its popularity
this decade, due to the re-emergence of
quality big-name comics and the success
of the Spider-Man and Batman movies (as
well as non-superhero flicks like Hellboy,
Road to Perdition and Wristcutters), it’s
about damned time someone tried
again.
The NOLA Comic-Con will be
held on Saturday, April 25th at the
Ponchartrain Center in Kenner, and
while the con might lack superstar
names it should still be well worth
the $5 entry fee. Besides vendors
with comics, toys, anime, manga and
original art, the con will boast an artist’s alley featuring Louisiana artist Tim Lattie
(Ape Entertainment’s White Picket Fences) and former Kenner resident Derec Donovan,
who’s put in time on DC Comics’ Supergirl and Adventures of Superman, and most recently
Connor Hawke and Youngblood. —Leo McGovern; Art by Derec Donovan.
Y
86’d Productions Presents: Jazz Fest, Friday, April 17th through Monday, April 20th, at The
Saturn Bar. For more info on 86’d Productions, go to myspace.com/86dproductions.
I
The NOLA Comic-Con will be held on Saturday, April 25th at the Ponchartrain Center in
Kenner from 10am-7pm. Entry is $5 with kids six and under free. For more information e-mail
nolacomiccon@yahoo.com or call 504.301.2435.
11
COLUMNS
ADVICE
GUIDANCE
COUNSELING
this month’s trusted advisors: white colla crimes
AT THE W.C.C. SHOW - f4mw - 28-
W
ith a swagger like Michael J. Fox in The Secret of My Success or Master P in I
Got the Hook Up, White Colla Crimes comes correct, bringing mad flavor to
the corporate ghetto. We thought we’d catch them fresh off their takeover
of SXSW, before they jet-set off to some other exotic locale, and pick their brains for
this month’s therapy sesh.
Dear AG,
My band really needs some money to put out our new record, which is awesome, but we’re all
broke and no one’s offered us a fat record contract yet. Also, we never make any money off of
shows so we really don’t know how to come up with the cash. Any ideas?
When White Colla Crimes needs money, we just make some simple cutbacks. For
example Baghdad Pete recently went two whole months without sprinkling caviar on
his French toast and I had to stop polishing my fingernails with imported Belgian
diamond dust. While it may seem difficult or even impossible at first, with a little selfdiscipline even the fattest of cats can learn to live like an amateur musician.
Dear AG,
I thought I was being hot shit and posted a “Missed Connection” on Craigslist asking about
myself--only a girl replied saying that she’d “also” seen me and if the “poster” heard back from
“me” and things didn’t work out, she wanted a date! From the picture she sent, she seems pretty
hot. Should I tell her upfront that the thing was fake? With my luck we’ll fall in love, only she’ll
leave me five years from now when I inadvertently spill the beans.
Your first problem is that you’re trying to meet girls on Craigslist. Worst of all your
trying to meet girls in “Missed Connections.” There’s obviously something very
wrong with her or she would have approached you in person. If you must meet girl
on Craigslist, do it through “Casual Encounters.” At least then you know what you’re
getting.
Dear AG,
This isn’t actually a question in solicitation of advice, but I’m curious nonetheless—what’s the
difference between being “regular poor” and “New Orleans poor?”
If you have to ask, you’ll never know.
Hey AG,
What’s the cut-off for going after younger girls if you’re 30? I say 22 but I’m getting the “gross”
older guy from a lot of my friends. Is there some kind of formula?!?!
The problem could be that you are a gross older guy. Otherwise just remember that age
ain’t nothing but a number and if your friends aren’t down with your lecherous ways,
just get some new ones...maybe on Craigslist.
COLUMNS
THE GOODS
by miss malaprop
FASHION
mallory@antigravitymagazine.com
POPS OF COLOR BY ANN MARIE POPKO
T
his time of year always makes me think of big, bold colors—the beautiful spring
weather, flowers in bloom, and loads of festivals and events. Ann Marie Popko
(www.annmariepopko.com) is a local accessory designer who makes amazing
cocktail hats and hair accessories that are perfect for brightening up a spring outfit or adding
some pizzazz to your festival wardrobe. She designs both ready-to-wear and custom-made
hats and accessories for weddings, Mardi Gras, costumes and more. Her headpiece designs
for the 2005 Krewe of Muses parade garnered her a Best in Show award. A trained pastry
chef who still sells some of her edible treats at www.cocktailparty.etsy.com, Ann Marie has
also worked in costumes and as a set dresser in
film and television, as well as designing displays
for retail stores.
Ann Marie grew up in Springfield,
Massachusetts, hometown of Dr. Seuss, whose
work she often finds her own colorful creations
being compared to. Raised in a very creative
family, two of her sisters also create handmade
jewelry and accessories: Monique now resides
in New Orleans and designs silver, bronze and
gold jewelry (www.gurlygirl.etsy.com), and
Crystal Popko creates handmade butterfly wing
jewelry and fused glass accessories (www.popko.
etsy.com). Ann Marie now lives in the French
Quarter and finds that living in New Orleans
offers up plenty of opportunities to make and
wear costumes and party hats. Now that things
have quieted down after Mardi Gras, her busiest
season, I took the time to catch up with her and
find out a little more about her work.
How did you get started making things?
Accessory design was a bit of an accident. I started out as a pastry chef. A bad haircut
forced me to start wearing hats, and I met a Boston hat designer who inspired me to make
my own. I made some hats for myself to wear and people noticed them and wanted to buy
them off my head, so I made a few to sell, rented a space at the French Market and people
bought them! I sold out while there every weekend for about a year. It was a great way to
meet and sell to people from all over the country, and as a result of being out there I met
shopkeepers to carry my work in California and New York. My business grew from there.
What do you do when you’re not creating?
I guess I’m always creating something. I am an avid photographer and I write newsletters
for the New Orleans Photo Alliance; I also make sweet and spicy pecans and sell them
online and at the Broad Street Bazaar & Flea Market.
What are some of your favorite things about New Orleans?
When I’m in the mood for a cocktail, I love the Napoleon House and d.b.a., or Sundays
at Bacchanal in their pretty garden courtyard. I also love riding my bike up and down
Esplanade Avenue, smelling the spring flowers in bloom. I ride up and down and just keep
sniffing.
The best place to shop is Fifi Mahony’s! They carry my work, and it’s a girlie paradise!
They sell dress-up accessories, wigs, cosmetics, jewelry—I have to control myself in there.
Who are your favorite local artists or designers?
Miranda Lake, louviere+vanessa, and Flavor Paper.
What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves?
Good shoes, fun bags and jewelry made by my sisters.
Do you have any advice for aspiring designers?
Stay positive and open. You might get rejected by a store at first, but the buyer knows what
their customer wants—you just need to find the stores where your product will find its best
audience. Listen to what all buyers say. They might give you clues about your product that
will help you with your next sale—for example, you might need to work on your quality, or
you might need to fill out your line with items at different price points, or maybe your work
would be better suited to an art gallery instead of a boutique.
What are your plans for the future of your company?
I want to do more commissioned pieces for bridal and special occasions and Mardi Gras. It
is really fun when I get the opportunity to make custom, one-of-a-kind pieces. I love making
wedding headpieces for clients; I consider it an honor to be a part of their special day and
want them to feel absolutely beautiful.
Where can people find your work?
In New Orleans, at Fifi Mahony’s (934 Royal St. in the French Quarter). Online, I have a
shop at superduper.etsy.com and my work is also carried on b-native.com, which is a great
marketplace for Big Easy artists. You can also find my pecans online at cocktailparty.etsy.
com.
13
COLUMNS
MEDICINE
DR. FEELGOOD
by nancy kang, m.d.
nancy@antigravitymagazine.com
IS THIS REALLY AN EMERGENCY?
H
ave you ever been to the Emergency room? On Mardi Gras day? Wearing a jock
strap? Covered in blood? Yes, I have… If you are covered in blood, the emergency
room is probably the right place to be. But there may be other times when you may
not know whether to wait until the morning to see a doctor during office hours or rush off
to the ER.
In 1996 over half of the 90 million ER visits in the Unites States were considered
unnecessary. This is not a good trend in U.S. healthcare. People may go the ER for conditions
better treated through regular office visits. Not only do these non-urgent patients clog up
the Emergency Rooms, increasing wait times for everyone, but ER visits cost three times
as much as physician office visits.
So should you run to the ER or wait till office hours? It is probably best to prepare for
this situation before it arises.
HAVE A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR
This is the most important step in avoiding unnecessary ER visits. Primary care doctors
for adults are usually Family Medicine doctors or Internal Medicine doctors. They can see
you for illnesses such as colds, flu, and sore throats aas well as minor injuries, aches, and
pains; or routine health exams. Unless you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency,
seeing a primary care doctor is the best place to start. If you have a relationship with a
primary care doctor, you can always call their office. There is usually someone on-call to
answer your questions and can advise you on what to do.
Know your local resources.
Think about hospitals in your area before you fall down the stairs and break a bone or get
bit by a rabid dog. Where are the emergency departments in your area? The Greater New
Orleans area has Emergency Departments Uptown, Downtown, on the West Bank, and
in Metairie. There are also Urgent Care Centers that can see less serious medical problems
without an appointment or after hours.
What is an urgent care center? If your primary care physician is not available and you
need quick medical attention for a non-life-threatening problem, visit an urgent care
center. Urgent care centers have similar resources to primary care facilities, but they
provide care on a walk-in basis with extended hours. Go to an urgent care center when
you need immediate medical attention or have non-emergency health concerns after hours.
Examples include sprains, simple cuts and burns, and eye injuries. The cost is less than a
traditional Emergency Room visit.
Life-threatening emergencies and late-night trauma require an immediate visit to the
hospital. Emergency rooms offer inpatient care, emergency services, and trauma services.
Emergency Medicine physicians can recognize, diagnose, and make recommendations for
a wide array of medical issues. Call 911 or drive to the emergency department whenever
conditions cause severe symptoms or put your health at serious risk. Examples include
heart attacks, poisoning, severe bleeding, and broken bones.
KNOW YOUR MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Have a list of all your medical conditions, medications, allergies, and contact information.
Have you insurance card handy.
WHEN SHOULD I GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM? IF YOU’RE
EXPERIENCING:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
Changes in vision
Confusion or changes in mental status
Any sudden or severe pain
Uncontrolled bleeding
Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Coughing or vomiting blood
Suicidal feelings
Difficulty speaking
Shortness of breath
Unusual abdominal pain
*Guidelines from the American College of Emergency Physicians.
WHEN CAN I WAIT TIL OFFICE HOURS?
3
MORE
DR. FEELGOOD, PAGE 30...
15
FEATURE
MUSIC
UNBUCKLED: NEW MUSIC FROM OLD FRIENDS IN
THE BLACKBELT BAND
interview by dan fox
photos by chris george
L
ike a lot of scenes you may come across in New Orleans, this one could leave you guessing what year
it is. Tonight it just happens to be an early spring dusk in 2009, and a group of old friends are gathered
around a table at the Crown & Anchor Pub to talk about their latest musical project, the Blackbelt Band,
and their recently released album on Chicago’s Sick Room Records, A New Community. Fitting, then, to
have this discussion here: downing a few pints in this cozy bar, then walking across the street and up the levee to
take in a very serene and heart-stuttering view of downtown New Orleans, the Mississippi River rushing past it,
would be to experience what this album sounds like. It might also help if you have just gotten off of work at a less
than stellar job and were left to meditate on a litany of blue-collar (and otherwise) pains, as you were joined by a
few wisecracking buds.
Tonight, I feel like I’m interviewing a delegation rather than a complete band. Sure, the three core members of
the Blackbelt Band are present: bassist and vocalist Travis Thompson, Bass 6 player and vocalist Kevin Comarda
and drummer Ryan Iriarte; also present is longtime friend, collaborator, engineer and advisor Chris George. But in
an ideal world the table would be much larger to accommodate an army of friends, coworkers and musicians whose
talents all contributed to the album (and their impressive live show): percussionist and newly-added member Shea
Mansfield, fellow engineer (and co-owner of the Living Room Studio) Daniel Majorie, longtime friend and guitarist
Kirk Estopinal, guitarist, impromptu soundman and all-around good guy Westbank Mike, various members of a
Living Soundtrack, and on and on... maybe not such an ideal situation for an interview after all. Better to be thankful
for a small group (mama’s boys, to boot) with a unique and slightly disturbed humor that only the Westbank could
breed.
FEATURE
ANTIGRAVITY: First Question…
Kevin Comarda: Wait. Can we not emphasize penises in
this interview?
Travis Thompson: Put that in there. You just said that, and
now that’s going to be the first thing your mom and dad
read!
Chris George:
And the name of this band is “Sunshine
Johnson.”
That was my first question, actually. First you were
Sunshine Johnson, then you were Blackbelt Johnson,
then Blackbelt Millionaires... How did you arrive at this
particular band name?
Ryan Iriarte: Well, we were never really the Sunshine
Johnson band; that was a hoax. April Fool’s! The way it
is—band names are always stupid, unless you own up to it.
Once a name is owned up to or you do something with it,
then it’s not as stupid.
TT: We could still be Sunshine Johnson and it would be all
right.
KC: I don’t think it would be all right... It went from
Blackbelt Millionaire, which was a dumb joke that needed
to be explained every time: “See, it’s like Chuck Norris and
Jackie Chan— they’re all black-belts and millionaires...”
And that’s cool and all, but…
TT: If we were playing punk rock, it would be that.
KC: So we just shortened it to Blackbelt, but it was taken
so we went the Hot Water Music route and added a “The”
in there.
TT: The information superhighway that is the internet,
MUSIC
there is a band from Sweden that is called Blackbelt, so we
changed it around a little bit. We would’ve never known
that.
Myspace ruined all band names forever.
TT: It also helps at the same time. You have to get a little
more creative.
Speaking of Myspace, I thought it was funny that you
describe your sound online as “Four guys that don’t want
to wait tables.”
KC: That is completely accurate.
TT: I worked behind the bar last night and I hated myself
for doing it. And I felt like a whore when I left with the
cash that I made. I really did. I had to explain to a guy how
he couldn’t eat standing up. And I had to throw him out
because of it, and I have to think about that. That’s my life.
Why couldn’t he eat standing up?
TT: Because if he eats standing up, then everybody else
packed in that fucking god-awful disgusting joint is going to
want to eat standing up. See how ridiculous that is? Don’t
you think that’s silly?
KC: People are mean, for the most part.
Well let’s talk about what you actually sound like, because
it’s not like the frustrations of the service industry describe
your sound anyway.
TT: It’s just like the first interview [ANTIGRAVITY, May
’07] when you came over to my house and I gave you some
sketchy-ass, weirdo interview because we only had four
songs at the time.
KC: And then booked a show.
TT: We’re not trying to write anything that sounds like
anything else in particular. We’re all fans of music and we
have been since we were children and we’re trying to write
some shit that’s cool.
KC: We’re basically trying to play stuff that we would listen
to. And we listen to everything.
RI: For stuff on this album, I wanted to bring a salsa, kind
of Latin drum feel to some songs and stick with more
straightforward rock beats. It’s kind of like taking John
Bonham and Tito Puente and mixing it together.
TT: That’s how you would describe your style? Totally!
That’s awesome... all right!
RI: Maybe The Meters in there, as well. Just stick with the
groove, not be so flashy like I used to be.
You guys have always been kind of flashy in your playing.
Is that something you were trying to work on?
KC: What? Are we?
TT: What do you mean? You mean like flossing it? Like
we’re beating it to death? I got that; I’m with you on that.
RI: If you’re making a stew and you have all these ingredients
and you throw too much salt in it, it’s going to be too bitter.
If you have too much of everything, it’s going to be too bitter
or too sweet or too much of something. So just let it calm
down.
KC: Funny coming from this guy, because you’re the “put
all the salt in the stew” guy.
17
FEATURE
MUSIC
“We’re basically trying to play
stuff that we would listen to.
And we listen to everything.”
—Kevin Comarda
RI: I know, I know. I’m sorry about
that!
TT: Just him saying that out loud
makes me think that we’re evolving
as musicians. I’ve never called
myself a musician before. Now I
can start calling myself one, just
from what he just said, because I
can’t believe that.
RI: Okay, it’s my fault for the horns and too much organ.
But I had fun, though! It was fun!
AG: I’m glad Chris George is here because I understand there
was a lot of “discussion” during the recording process.
TT: Let it rip, George.
CG: Ryan and I got in a little tiff one night—
KC: One night?
TT: Needless to say, they had to walk outside a lot.
CG: It’s just [that] all of us have a passion and want to make
it the best we can, and sometimes we get in a fight about
what we feel is right. I feel like I was part of the process.
I’ve known them a long time and I listen objectively, and I
felt that some things needed to come out for it to be more
special. When I saw them live, there were parts that I
thought sounded like a mess and I knew that going into it.
RI: We’ve recorded with Chris and Daniel since we were
teenagers and they’re kind of like band members.
KC: Their opinions weigh just as heavily as ours.
RI: For example, I was doing a piano part and I was doing
way too many notes. Daniel was like “Just bang out the
chord, just hit it hard, that one chord” and it sounded
amazing.
TT: We could’ve recorded anywhere, had a four-milliondollar budget and the ideas that came out on the record
wouldn’t even be close to where they’re at. And it’s because
these guys who engineered it know us—
KC: —And are patient with our bullshit. That goes back
to why there are fights and discussions and things in the
control room. It’s not just two people; there are six opinions
in the room sometimes.
TT: We think these songs are good now, but after we go
through the whole laboratory process of making this music,
it goes in some other completely amazing direction.
KC: We learn how to record it, and then we relearn the
song.
CG: When you’re playing in a practice space, you’re not
hearing it coming back through speakers, like a listener.
You’re each playing a part that you think fits but you’re not
in the crowd, hearing it not all meshing together.
Chris, do you ever lose an argument with these guys?
TT: Fuck no!
CG: I don’t think of it as winning or losing. There are
compromises. I won’t take something out completely,
[like] a drum machine going through the whole song and
becoming this mediocre,
meaningless thing that
clouds up other parts.
TT: And now we don’t do
that live. Now, the drum
machine has its part and
gets taken out and other
stuff gets put in. It’s grown
into this other thing.
RI: Or loop pedals. The
problem was before that
I was trying to run a loop
and Kevin had loops going,
and I was trying to listen to
stuff on headphones during
the live shows so I could
keep up and it didn’t feel
natural. After the recording,
we did all this stuff live
with no loops (except for
some small parts) and now
we have Shea Mansfield
playing a lot of that stuff
on the organ and keyboard
and drum machine. So
everything is done live
now and it feels more
comfortable. I don’t have
to play with headphones.
I never understood why
you use a drum machine
when you’re a more-thancapable drummer that
could do anything.
RI: Because I want to play
some keyboards, brah!
KC: I don’t understand it
either, sometimes.
CG: The parts that are in
there on the record make
sense. It’s just a different
flavor.
TT: It used to be just “push
play” and now it’s like
another
accoutrement.
It’s not going to be the
lifeblood of the song, but
just another instrument.
It’s not just something we can
lean on.
How did you get Shea in the
band?
RI: For the recording, I had
a bunch of organ parts and
keyboard parts and we had
drum machine stuff...it was
becoming too much.
TT: You guys knew Shea before me, just from going to
shows and from back in the day. I’ve known Shea through
working with him at a restaurant and his other band, Raja
Gaj; they’re really good.
RI: Having Shea in the band relieved a lot of stuff. It made
playing feel more natural.
TT: It’s great. There’s so much less pressure on all of us.
RI: And it was great to find someone who was willing to
play a bunch of toys.
TT: He’s the go-to guy. “I can’t do it, so Shay’s going to
do it.”
RI: And he’s down with that. He loves it.
The Blackbelt Band is still a bass-only band, though,
right?
RI: Bass and keys.
KC: I just play the [Fender] Bass 6, yeah.
RI: That Bass 6, man—Kevin’s Bass 6 guitar stuff—it gives
that sound to the band.
TT: It makes me nauseous, in a good way. Kevin’s got
balls for picking that instrument up and trying to play it. I
picked it up and tried; that thing sucks, and Kevin flosses
it.
CG: Kevin makes it sexy.
RI: For sure. That’s the voice. When Travis is not singing,
that other voice is the baritone guitar.
How does it feel to be playing music at this time in your
lives, after all of these projects?
TT: I think that this is when we’re supposed to be playing
it. If we’ve been doing this since we were kids and now we
have a label that wants to put us out, now is the time we’re
supposed to put this out.
KC: Obviously, we’ve been doing something right. People
care about it; we still care about it.
CG: You’re only as old as the girls you feel, brah!
[Laughter]
RI: Travis, how old were you when we started?
TT: Eighth grade.
RI: Now we’re in our 30s? I hope I’m still playing and
recording with you guys when I’m seventy.
TT: No doubt.
Your lyrics are really intriguing; why didn’t you print
them with the record?
CG: Because you can understand them all. If you want,
you can write them down. It’s not Sepultura.
TT: Thank you, Chris George! I think maybe we were a
little too thrifty with the actual lyrics, but I look on the
bright side: maybe it should be just a couple of lines
repeated because why would you want to memorize all of
these words? I was trying to learn a Glen Campbell song
the other night and I was like, “There are too many words
in this song.”
Some of the lyrics are really poetic and some of them are
just kind of random, like “I should’ve bought a bass or a
four-track.” Will you explain that line?
TT: I could give you a really clichéd answer, but it’s the
truth: drugs and alcohol. Just writing shit down and being
like, “I need something for this... oh, it works.”
RI: Hey man, I might be old, but my mom is still going to
read this.
TT: I love Mrs. Charlotte. Mrs. Charlotte, if you’re
listening, I love you!
KC: If you’re listening??? I’m sorry, we’re a mess.
The Blackbelt Band plays the Banks Street Bar & Grill on the
Saturday, April 18th and the Hi-Ho Lounge on Wednesday,
April 22nd. For more info on The Blackbelt Band, go to
myspace.com/blackbeltband.
FEATURE
MUSIC
JAZZ FEST, ANTIGRAVITY-STYLE
WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FAVORITE MUST-SEES AT THE 40TH FESTIVAL
Alex McMurray (Thursday, April 30th, 4:10pm,
Lagniappe Stage)
Everyone in this city has at some point seen the ubiquitous Alex
McMurray shake and sweat while singing and attacking his guitar,
sometimes forcing his limited vocal range to pull off sweet ballads,
other times presenting local R&B music with a slightly angry edge.
He fuels The Tin Men (with Washboard Chaz and the tuba guy),
he’s helped make Happy Talk into one of the city’s best country
bands, and more recently he started a twenty-piece all male “choir”
to help perform his original sea shanties. When asked to describe the
particular type of music he would be playing at the 2009 JazzFest,
McMurray answers succinctly, “I dunno.” (Ed. note: He later texted:
“narco-terrorist dance music.”) —Michael Patrick Welch
sonically derail a familiarly ambitious sound that is big and huge
and (sometimes a bit too) earnest. —MPW
Neil Young (Sunday, May 3rd, 2:25pm, Acura)
This circus cabaret musical act with a modern-but-not-too-modern
bent started out playing for free in a fried chicken place, and are
now arguably the biggest, most famous representatives of new
millennium New Orleans music. Front-man saxophonist Clint
Neil Young, on the cusp of his sixth decade as a songwriter/
guitar god, will be rounding out an expanded, seven-day Jazz
Fest this year. Since 1963, Young has released nearly sixty official
albums, both live and in the studio, with yet another effort due
next month, and has tirelessly toured year in and out—he said
it best, “Rust Never Sleeps.” His indelible guitar style has left a
mark few others have on rock music through various strains and
genres as. Scores of guitarists over the years, like Tom Verlaine,
Curt Kirkwood, Thurston Moore, J. Mascis, Jeff Tweedy, Stephen
Malkmus, etc…, have found freedom in the patchwork approach
of Young’s songwriting and guitar playing. From enraged, to
reflective, remorseful and depressed, to relaxed and brimming with
optimism—his body of work stands as one of the most varied, if not
utterly unpredictable, impressions in American music over the past
fifty years. For me, discovering and truly appreciating Neil Young
came a little bit later in my musical journey than most “classic
rock” musicians, and for this I am thankful. He entered my realm
Maedgen’s affiliations with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
(formerly one of their singers, Clint now tours playing clarinet,
an instrument he learned in a pinch because they needed him to)
have helped Bingo! bridge the gap between fans of traditional and
alternative New Orleans musics. —MPW
at a time when I could grasp his importance and understand his
talents; he helped me begin my voyage piecing together the story
of rock music as no other could. Neil Young has touched nearly
everyone in a way that makes him the perfect headlining artist for
this fortieth Jazz Fest. —Dan Mitchell
Drive-By Truckers (Saturday, May 2nd, 3:35pm,
Schatzy (Sunday, April 26th, 3:25pm, Lagniappe)
The Bingo! Show (Saturday, May 2nd, 5:50pm,
Lagniappe Stage)
Acura Stage)
Since beginning in Athens, Georgia in 1996, Drive-By-Truckers
have released eight acclaimed albums, almost all with a penchant
for narrative song suites that explore the mythology of the South.
The Truckers’ double album Southern Rock Opera details the rise and
fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd and uses it as a metaphor for the fall of the
South itself—yes, the band obviously does get a kick out of its own
sense of humor. While not a jam band, they do exhibit monster
chops. —MPW
Kings of Leon (Saturday, May 2nd, 4:55pm,
Gentilly Stage)
These three young sons, who grew up traveling the deep South with
their Pentecostal minister father, later found huge-ass rock-n-roll
success as the post-emo Black Crowes. In their early twenties, the boys
were first paired with producer Angelo Petraglia, who had co-written
songs with Brooks & Dunn and Trisha Yearwood. They’ve since
adopted a more dynamic, sometimes dissonant arena-rock style that’s
scored them opening slots on arena tours with U2, Bob Dylan, and
Pearl Jam. Still, keep that Trisha Yearwood thing in mind. —MPW
Mynameisjohnmichael
(Friday,
April
24th,
3:05pm, Lagniappe)
John Michael Rouchell wrote and recorded one song a week for
the entire year of 2008, playing every instrument himself. The
work ethic and the tunes attracted a fan base, and soon, also, a
full band for John Michael, including members of Antennae Inn
plus Leo DeJesus, frontman/guitarist of popular Uptown group
The City Life. Like other white indie bands these days, MNIJM
utilize a cornucopia of instruments and vocal arrangements to
Greg Schatz is known either as both an upright bass player and sideman
in many local bands (the most high-profile being the Deltabilly Boys)
or else as an accordionist who writes ambitious, funny but sincere
genre-melding music that vaguely shoots for modernity but still
fits into New Orleans traditionalist scene. Or, like They Might Be
Giants, with the dorkiness sanded (mostly) off. Schatzy’s JazzFest
performance will feature local stars Jeremy Lyons, Hellen Gillet, and
Alex McMurray, among others. —MPW
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (Sunday,
April 26th, 5:45pm, Blues Tent)
Hailing from NYC, Sharon Jones reigns as both torchbearer and luminary
for younger generations—groups like the Antibalas and the Budos
Band—emphasizing a back-to-the-basics approach to song structure
and a vintage sound, highlighting the importance of musicianship and
emotion; her brand of funky soul music sounds as if it were coming
straight out of the late ’60s. This woman, with her Dap-Kings in tact, is
certainly a ticket not too miss come late April. —DM
Spoon (Friday 4/24, 5:30pm, Gentilly)
Indy rock with soul is hard to come by, but Austin, Texas’ Spoon
spoon it out by the spoonful. For such a great, popular band, their
story is completely boring: Spoon began in the early ’90s as an only
slightly punkish outfit perhaps too-heavily influenced by Gang of
Four and Wire. In ’98 they signed to Elektra, got dicked, then moved
to Merge and started hitting a stride that seems to have no end in
sight. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Britt Daniel has gone on record as
attributing some of his sonic success on Spoon’s lack of a rhythm
guitar; most rock bands of Spoon’s indy ilk fill every available space
with constantly jangling six-strings, which also increases a band’s
Pictured (From Left): Truth Universal, Alex McMurray with the Tin Men, Drive-By Truckers
volume while often causing the singer’s vocal chords to strain in
that annoying white-guy way that’s become a signature of so many
other Austin bands and indie rock in general. In and around all of
Spoon’s extra space, Daniels’ smooth minimal guitar parts and cool
competent voice are free to dwell exclusively in their sweet spots. As
a result, since 2007, when its album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga hit Billboard’s
top ten, Spoon have been regulars on the major late-night talk show
circuit, and even played Saturday Night Live. —MPW
Truth Universal (Friday, May 1st, 1:10pm, Congo
Square Stage)
Truth Universal is New Orleans’ most righteous, mightiest and
nicest. Representing the red, black, and green, biggin’-up the
local scene hosting open mic nights, and breaking up knife fights,
because no fights are nice fights, on nice nights like those, when
Truth rips shows. He’s slightly old school, but not an old fool trying
to be so positive that he can’t get incensed; man, Truth Universal
gets intense. He’s opened for dead prez, Taleb Kweli, and The
Roots—plus Hieroglyphics and Camp Lo, to boot. Not an MC to
beat his own chest, he did also just rock South By South West (with
Mr. Lif, no less!). And though Truth is often booked, he still states
that “New Orleans’ hip-hop scene tends to get overlooked.” Truth
respects JazzFest and loves New Orleans dearly, “But I feel [hiphop acts] should have the chance play JazzFest yearly—just like
the brass bands, gospel, and zydeco groups.” Cause as far as sheer
numbers, hip-hop’s army got way more troops.
Even legendary MC Paris—from the Bay Area—said to Truth,
“Yo, we’ll take care of ya. We will put out and promote your very
next disk!” But any larger-label dealings are always a risk: That was
2006. The album (Decolonization) hasn’t been nixed, but it’s been
a long time; it’s now slated to drop in 2009. But in the meantime
Truth Universal released Self-Determination, a missive to the hip-hop
nation: a record that features members of Poor Righteous Teachers,
plus Digable Planets the inside cover says, not to mention a cameo
by said dead prez. And while Truth waits for the big label bullshit to
get done—which is no fun—he’s already at work on the next one.
Alongside Jimi Clever, DJ EF Cuttin’ and MC One Eye, Truth
Universal will throw down a special rap tribute to dearly departed
Bionik Brown. At JazzFest, that is. —MPW
Wilco (Saturday, April 25th, 5:30pm, Gentilly)
The last time Wilco played Jazz Fest they were hot off the heels of
their expansive album A Ghost is Born. This time they’ll head down
south from the Windy City while prepping a new album for a June
release. Jeff Tweedy has hinted that the new record will continue
Sky Blue Sky’s trajectory back towards a more organic, countrified/
rootsy vibe, but perhaps with a bit more attention to the sonic
musculature of the sound. While Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is often viewed
as the highlight within the Wilco catalogue, due to its brilliant pop
experimentalism, Tweedy and the band have always sounded best
without the confinements of pop. Regardless of the form their seventh
album may take, knowing that their set on Saturday, April 26th will
be peppered with new songs is enough to get me to sign up. I always
enjoy catching bands before a release because nothing is expected of
the group as far as live layout and interpretation of the latest tracks.
It represents a blank canvas for the band, a chance to freely interact
with those in attendance sans comparative judgments from expecting
listeners. A group like Wilco, who’ve never released a poor album,
will certainly make the most of this opportunity to share with those
present their freshest batch of songs; at the very least we have the
assurance of the prior gems to look forward to. —DM
19
REVIEWS
PONYTAIL
BONNIE ‘PRINCE’
BILLY
BEWARE
(DRAG CITY)
ash me hard with scolding
tears / And with bathwater
drain my fears.” I think it’s safe to
say that Will Oldham didn’t ‘Lie
Down in the Light’ for too long, as
evidenced on the closing number
“Afraid Ain’t I,” from his newest offering Beware. Just start with
the stark cover image, his darkest and most ominous since 1999’s I
See a Darkness. But the image is a bit misleading; this record is not
all gloom and doom but rather a meditation on needing and being
needed. The songs reflect this sentiment in that they veer from
purge-like confessionals in “Heart’s Arms,” to tales of caution in
“Beware Your Only Friend,” and from intimate longings of love
in “I Won’t Ask Again,” to finding strength and empowerment in
the face of fear and loss in “I Don’t Belong to Anyone.” The pushpull dichotomy amongst the songs gives Beware a balance never
quite attained on previous outings. While The Letting Go and Lie
Down in the Light headed toward this kind of stability, Oldham,
as Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, has created a seamless beast of an album
with this latest, and possibly greatest, release. As with the bulk
of his records, repeated listens rarely yield similar emotional
responses, and Beware may be his swan song in that respect. This
record has meant so many things to me over the weeks of repeated,
almost militant listenings that I am almost without words. For fans
of his previous efforts, you will not be the least bit disappointed
and for newcomers, if you are looking for a disarming, sometimes
dreadfully honest country/folk wordsmith, look no further than
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s Beware. —Dan Mitchell
“W
ICE CREAM SPIRITUAL
(WE ARE FREE)
P
erhaps one of the greatest
compliments you can give a record
is to constantly turn it up. Another is
that you cannot wait to see the band
live. Both of these apply to Ponytail
and their second release. Spazzy
with a sense of purpose, and a great
combination of exuberance and control, Ponytail hypnotizes the
listener and drags them along a journey that will annoy or confuse
most but enrapture those ready to let loose for the ride. Vocalist Molly
Siegel uses her voice more as an instrument than arbiter of words,
screaming and whooping sounds that more often seem animal than
human. This probably wouldn’t work with almost any other band,
but she simultaneously melds and clashes with the amazing interplay
of the two guitarists and powerful propulsive drumming. Think
Bjork fronting Sonic Youth if they were all twenty years younger
and from Japan. Fans of Deerhoof, Japanther, Indian Jewelry, U.S.
Maple and the like will surely adore this record, which might be
my most listened-to record over the past year. Some credit for this
amazing record should go to the steadying, wise hand of engineer J.
Robbins of Jawbox and Burning Airlines fame, who understood
where the band was trying to go and did his best to help them get
there. On a sad note, Robbins’ young son Callum is having serious
health problems. Please help a family that has given so much to
music—you can get the full story and information at callumrobbins.
blogspot.com. —Colby Spath
FEVER RAY
FEVER RAY
(WE ARE FREE)
K
CONDO FUCKS
(YO LA TENGO)
FUCKBOOK
(MATADOR)
wenty years ago Yo La Tengo
released Fakebook, a beautiful
collection of acoustic covers (mostly)
of great pop songs. Over the course of
time this record became one of their
most-listened to. There was a time
you couldn’t enter a friend’s house, coffeeshop, bar or hip cafe
without hearing their versions of Daniel Johnston’s “Speeding
Motorcycle” or Cat Stevens’ “Here Comes My Baby.” Fastforward to the present and the band has once again put out a
record of covers, albeit under the nom de guerre “Condo Fucks”
(a reference to a band from a fake Matador catalog listing in their
record I Can hear The Heart Beating As One). Fuckbook has the same
love of songcraft that Fakebook has, but the sound and spirit are
more akin to the garage than the coffeehouse. The difference
between records is best dramatized by the light years’ difference
in the band’s treatment of The Flamin’ Groovies. Fakebook’s soft
“You Tore Me Down” and Fuckbook’s raucous “Dog Meat” show
the ying/yang of the two records and the band’s aural personality,
although both covers are true to the originals. The record also
contains great renditions of songs by Richard Hell, The Beach
Boys, Kinks, Troggs, Small Faces and perhaps my favorite, a
rollicking, messy version of Slade’s “Goodbye T’Jane” which
might make up slightly for all of the bad hair metal versions of
Slade songs in the past. —Colby Spath
T
arin Dreijer Andersson is
Fever Ray and her self-titled
debut release highlights her unique
delivery, alternating between guttural
ghoulishness and bright control. That
delivery is in the forefront throughout,
unlike her work with brother, the
Knife’s Olof, in where her vocals often act as a complement to the
madness of the music. Accompanied by sparse percussion, onenote guitar mutes, grave basslines and tropical-tinged keyboards,
Andersson the singer takes center stage on Fever Ray and guides us
into the deep recesses of her psyche. Given that she just gave birth
to her second child, the results of this record, especially with respect
to the lyrics, may reflect this experience. Only in dreams do feelings
of crippling paranoia and atmospheric euphoria exist in such close
proximity as they do on this Fever Ray record, except perhaps in a
child’s brain. While certain tracks stand out more than others, the
first single, “If I Had a Heart” and the infectious “Seven” come to
mind, this group of songs works best taken on the whole. This is not
going to be a record that will be appreciated or understood as Silent
Shout was in 2006; rather, it is the type of record you should feel
lucky to have stumbled across. —Dan Mitchell
FRANZ FERDINAND
TONIGHT
(DOMINO/EPIC)
hat is this,” I said to
myself about five minutes
into the luminous “Lucid Dreams,”
easily the epicenter of Tonight, Franz
Ferdinand’s third release. After
opening as an affable indie pop song,
the beast morphed into a charging,
“W
New Wave tsunami led by the crooned refrain of “lucid dreams”
and the omnipresent hum of surging organ melodies and distorted
bass. But then something funny happens: the song begins to devolve,
shedding instruments, melodies and all vestiges of pop music until
it’s a bare, sparse acid jam of synthetic bass, swirling crackles of white
sound and analog keyboards pulsating. Who could have expected
this? After “Take Me Out” completely wore out its welcome despite
its solid indie-pop foundation, and Franz Ferdinand’s sophomore
album only parred to the bar they’d previously set, I had written
the band off as another in the long line of well-hyped but ultimately
forgettable media darlings. Tonight has shoved those hasty
judgements back in my face; an album of individual songs, each
hook-laden and almost instantly rewarding, that all fit thematically
into a cohesive record, Tonight is a great piece of work. Firstly, it’s
disco—so just get used to that—but rest easy, it’s not a bad thing.
Reconciling the inherent vapidity of disco with the edges of rock,
the album is led by the thumping, 4x4 rhythm section and, unlike
most modern rock, each instrument is allowed to stand out. A song
like “No You Girls” uses the electric guitar as a punctuation mark,
stinging the groovy bassline with trebly sparks instead of washing
the whole thing in power chords, while “Can’t Stop Feeling” is
a showcase for the tight bond between high tension bass guitar,
jungly, bouncing beats and a stuttering analog synth riff. The band
truly shows their versatility on this album, effortlessly switching
from the bright ’60s pop of “Twilight Omens” to the dance-cumClash energy of “Bite Hard.” The pitfall of much modern dance rock
is genre inaccessibility, too much dance to sate the rock fan or too
many riffs to smooth over the dance enthusiast. Tonight strikes the
perfect balance, recalling a time when rock music was dance music,
when killer riffs and a funky bassline could live hand in hand. Hell,
the last minute of “What She Came For” is a fevered breakdown of
shredded guitar and coked-up bass that could fit seamlessly into any
’70s greatest rock hits comp. I’ll take Franz Ferdinand’s brand of
disco-fied, crunchy pop rock over ninety percent of the milquetoast
alterna-snooze or oh-so-sincere indie snobbery the hip music media
propagates, and Tonight is the reaffirmation of their place in the rock
hierarchy. —Mike Rodgers
ORCUSTUS
ORCUSTUS
(SOUTHERN LORD)
T
his Spring is shaping up to be a
boom time for metal fans. Sunn
O))), Mastodon and Wolves in the
Throne Room are all set to release
records in the near future, but first out of
the gate and flying under most people’s
radar is Orcustus. A supergroup of
sorts, consisting of principle songwriters Taipan on vocals and
Gehenna drummer Dirge Rep, as well as founding Gorgoroth
members Infernus and Tormentor handling much of the guitar and
bass. Their previous EP.’s were printed in extremely low numbers
and quickly became collector’s items, and with their first full-length
release it’s easy to see why. In the face of such an overwhelmingly
flooded genre like black metal, finding a group that stands out has
become an ever-increasing task. Orcustus stands at the face of what
I am dubbing “Progressive Black Metal,” a subgenre notable for its
technicality within the framework of traditional Norwegian metal.
The record combines the ferocity of Gorgoroth, driving guitars
less concerned with sounding haunted or brittle with extreme time
changes and increasingly complex song structures. Opener “Coil”
races between mighty riffs, solemn breakdowns and acrobatic guitar
lines that are often difficult to follow. They begin familiarly enough,
but just when you think the chord progression should go down, it
veers back up again or possibly even shifts altogether, transforming
each of its five minutes into distinct subsections that all loosely tie
MUSIC REVIEWS SPONSORED BY THE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITY
REVIEWS
together. Images of suicide, despair and evil run awash over the album, while the lyrics eschew any
kind of narrative sense, serving only to create an atmosphere of desolate madness and pure unholy
terror. For instance, “Jesus Christ Patricide” and its words of wisdom, “What darkness the revive to
own your murder worthlessness of name,” all delivered with non-stop intensity in a howl somewhere
between Varg Vikernes’ screech and a guttural growl. In Orcustus, we metalheads have a band that
upholds the sacrosanct traditions of black metal—namely hopeless evil—but continues to push the
genre forward into increasingly technical and interesting directions. —Mike Rodgers
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
(SLUMBERLAND)
I
t’s quite an accomplishment to make music that appeals both to the
pure pop crowd and the indie mafia as well, which is why The Pains
of Being Pure at Heart’s debut record is so enticing. It’s a sugary sweet
mixture of alterna-fuzz and bubblegum melodies that calls to mind
the best that early alternative rock had to offer. The band immediately
attracts comparisons to a less nebulous My Bloody Valentine, with reverb
swallowing the guitar riffs while singer Kip Berman’s nasal, relaxed voice
perfectly frames the noise in self-aware emotion. It’s essentially focused shoegaze, a wall of pleasant
sound driven by genuinely catchy hooks. The record opens with the percussion-free “Contender,”
which sets a lazy tone and situates the album as a warm daydream. “Young Adult Fiction” plays off a
peppy jangly guitar and organ melody, punctuating its cool chorus with backup coos from keyboardist
(and New Orleans native) Peggy Wang-East that elevate an already strong chorus to exultant status.
The true worth of the record is how well it skates the thin line between what could have been noisy and
amateurish or overly polished bubblegum. The band skirts disdain with enough willful, trebly feedback
and thoughtfulness but has the songwriting chops to back up their flirtations with basement rock. A
song like “Stay Alive” is a minor miracle: a simple, major chord pop track coasts on a new wave cloud
before opening up its impossibly pretty chorus with a haze of distorted guitars. The songs don’t bog
themselves down in gimmicks, the guitars provide ambience, the keys trace the melody, the bass pops
along the rhythm and the vocals catalyze the songs more than dominate them. The Pains of Being
Pure at Heart is less concerned with muscling the listener with riffs or affectations and instead relies on
forward momentum, brilliant hooks and an all too inviting sound. —Mike Rodgers
THE PRODIGY
INVADERS MUST DIE
(TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL)
W
asn’t “Firestarter” a boss track back in the ’90s? The fusion of
big beat dance music with rock seemed like such a fresh and
invigorating idea at the time, but by the time that song’s accompanying
album The Fat of the Land was released the trend had already become
old hat, so a good twelve years later sees the idea as stale as day-old
bagels. Liam Howlett’s not learned any new tricks since 1997; the music
of The Prodigy is still big beat bass thumps pierced with house electro
stings, seasoned with annoying “extreme” vocals and layered with enough extraneous sound effects
to deafen even the toughest of eardrums. “Everything is more” is the name of the game, with each
bass bump or squealing synth stab cranked to eleven. This music is loud, not volume-wise but the
way a tie covered in neon orange paisley is. What begins promising enough (if you have a soft spot
for late-’90s electronic music), with the title track’s throbbing bass klaxons and moderately catchy
groove, disintegrates into a sea of over-cooked madness. When every knob is cranked to the max,
nothing stands out, you dig? “Thunder” opens like a menacing Miami bass cut but suddenly morphs
into an industrial house number replete with stuttered keyboards and a reggae-tinged chorus—it’s this
kind of schizo mentality that provides the record’s “subtle” charms. When Howlett and company
rekindle some of the simplicity of their early work, like on “Take Me to the Hospital,” with its Detroit
house synth strings and skittering buzz rythmn or “Warrior’s Dance” and its old school breaks and
deliciously cheesy disco diva vocal samples, The Prodigy sounds like a fun dance act. These brighter
spots only serve to illuminate how dreary the rest of the record truly is: it’s arena-ready frat rock dunked
in electroplated nu-metal. I can imagine a song like “Run with the Wolves” selling a lot of Mountain
Dew—even Dave Grohl’s guest drums do little to drag the track up from cheeseball aggression and
flatness. Invaders Must Die is a prime example of an idea with dodgy intentions completely running its
course, and while there are moments of excitement littered throughout the album, each successive
track is swallowed in the ever-increasing swarm of annoying rock tics, jumbled overproduction and
overkill of all kinds. —Mike Rodgers
MORE REVIEWS ON PAGE 30...
In Mr. Michael’s ‘Music Writing’ Class (part of the Young Audiences Arts for Learning program), public
school kids learn to make beats, write lyrics, and record their own original hip-hop songs. The kids are also
taught to pen album reviews of hard-to-define New Orleans musicians. The following reviews were written
by third-graders from Gentilly Terrace Elementary:
QUINTRON
TOO THIRSTY 4
LOVE
(GONER)
Song
number
one
sounds like a church
song. It puts me in a
good mood because I
like church songs. Song number two sounds like
a rock band and vampires. This song puts me in a
boring mood because you can’t understand what
they are saying. Song number three I don’t like
it because they sound like monkeys. It makes me
mad because their voice and the instruments are
dumb. In song number four it sounds like someone
is breaking wind. They sound country.
In song number six I don’t like it because you
can’t understand the words. Song number seven
sounds like a racecar racing. It makes you wanna
turn it down because it’s loud. In song number
nine I don’t like the beat. I don’t like this album
very much because you can’t understand what
they’re saying. —Terik Griffin
clapping. The lady sounds like a girly girl. At the
end it has a lot of bubbles.
I think people should buy it because this album
sounds really great. They should really listen to it.
—Leshandra Lewis
THERESA
ANDERSSON
HUMMINGBIRD,
GO!
(BASIN STREET)
“Na Na Na” started
with drums. It sounded
like she was talking
Spanish, but she was talking English. The singing
in song three is like she’s a mermaid underwater
playing with dolphins. She sounds like Fantasia.
The guitar sounded like she was bellydancing. I
can’t understand what she’s saying. It has the same
guitar as SpongeBob. I think she just met someone,
and I like when those girls was singing. Sounds like
she broke up with her boyfriend.”*” and “Shhh”
was great. It has bells that sound like a wink when
you wink your eye. The violin was great, like
country music in a barn. Song nine has xylophone
in the beginning. It doesn’t have a drum in it and it
sounds like she is rocking a baby to sleep, On song
ten it sounds like she mad and she wants someone
back. I like it when the man and woman like each
other and are singing together. Song eleven started
like a Japan song, it was great but I didn’t like it. It’s
too long. I didn’t like the next song either because it
is too slow. It sounded like ghosts.
I like some of the songs because some were fun
and some were not. —Dynasty Roberts
Number one sounds like rock music. They have
one man and one lady singing. It is going fast.
It is short. “Waterfall” sounds spooky. The beat
is crazy. The organ sounds like a guitar. “Ya Ya
Ya” sounds like Indian music. It sounds like a
rattlesnake. “Fart Man” have some farts in it. It
is funny. “Oh No” sounds like Japan music. It is
fast and have kids in it. “War” sounds like a bee,
it sounds like war, it sounds like a man. It is short.
“Oh Oh Oh” is rockstar music. It has a child
singing. It has bubbles at the end. Everyone should
buy this CD because it is funny and because it has I think Theresa Anderson’s album is good. Every
song on the album was good in a way. I just
crazy people singing on it. —Deshawn Brinston
liked the first song “Na Na Na” just a little bit,
Song one sounds like a movie. The man sounds mostly because it has drums and drums are my
very stupid. Song two sounds like a concert favorite kind of instruments. On the song “Hisong. It has a lot of people singing in it. It is Low” it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks
terrible because it sounds like it is one person but in the background. And I love Alvin and the
it is two people. The lady sounds good saying Chipmunks.
On the song “Clusters” it sounds like you are in
“Waterfall!”
Song three sounds like a church song. It has heaven. This is one of my favorite songs. I like this
maracas and drums. I like this song because it song because it has a relaxing mood. I could go to
is fun to dance to. It sounds old every time he the beach and rewind the song to the beginning
sings. It sounds like they’re dancing when they’re just to listen to my favorite part.
Another song I like is “Birds Fly Away.” When
singing. Song four sounds like they are farting. I
can see someone in a barn singing to animals. It it first came on it made me clap because it has a
good beat. There is another song called “Japanese
has a harmonica and is still farting.
Five has bells in it. This makes me happy Art.” It doesn’t really sound Japanese though.
because it sounds like Japan people in it. Number Also I can almost hear a lady walking on heals on
six the man sounds dumb because he old. Seven is top of wooden floors. Another song is called “The
about a motorcycle. It doesn’t have any rhythm. I Wahs” It really sounds like a Christmas song
because it has bells. I also like this song because
don’t like it because it’s noisy.
Eight is good because it sounds like a robot it sounds like a lullaby because it is very quiet and
dancing on a dance floor. Nine sounds like it’s in smooth.
But I really love this album in all, because all
the desert. It sounds cute because they have bass.
Ten sounds like rap when it came on. Eleven has the songs have a good tune. —Kermit Brazile
21
EVENTS
NEW ORLEANS VENUES
45 Tchoup, 4529 Tchoupitoulas (504) 891-9066
Banks St. Bar And Grill, 4401 Banks St., (504)
486-0258, www.banksstreetbar.com
THURSDAY 4/2
Melvin’s, 2112 St. Claude Ave.
NEW ORLEANS (Cont.)
Barrister’s Art Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave.
MVC, 9800 Westbank Expressway, (504) 2342331, www.themvc.net
The Big Top, 1638 Clio St., (504) 569-2700,
www.3ringcircusproductions.com
Neutral Ground Coffee House, 5110 Danneel St.,
(504) 891-3381, www.neutralground.org
The Blue Nile, 534 Frenchmen St., (504) 948-2583
Nowe Miasto, 223 Jane Pl., (504) 821-6721
Broadmoor House, 4127 Walmsley, (504) 8212434
Ogden Museum, 925 Camp St., (504) 539-9600
Cafe Brasil, 2100 Chartres St., (504) 947-9386
Candle Factory, 4537 N. Robertson St.
Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., (504) 8659190, www.carrolltonstation.com
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 501 Esplanade Ave.,
(504) 947-0979
Chickie Wah Wah, 2828 Canal Street (504)
304-4714, www.chickiewahwah.com
Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 5882616, www.circlebar.net
Club 300, 300 Decatur Street, www.
neworleansjazzbistro.com
Coach’s Haus, 616 N. Solomon
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
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., (504) 5698361, www.oneeyedjacks.net
Outer Banks, 2401 Palmyra (at S. Tonti),
(504) 628-5976, www.myspace.com/
outerbanksmidcity
Republic, 828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-8282,
www.republicnola.com
Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance Street (504) 5255515, www.therustynail.org/
The Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave., www.
myspace.com/saturnbar
Side Arm Gallery, 1122 St. Roch Ave., (504)
218-8379, www.sidearmgallery.org
Southport Hall, 200 Monticello Ave., (504) 8352903, www.newsouthport.com
The Spellcaster Lodge, 3052 St. Claude
Avenue, www.quintonandmisspussycat.com/
tourdates.html
St. Roch Taverne, 1200 St. Roch Ave., (504)
945-0194
Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Ave., http://
myspace.com/dragonsdennola
Tipitina’s, (Uptown) 501 Napoleon Ave., (504)
895-8477 (Downtown) 233 N. Peters, www.
tipitinas.com
Eldon’s House, 3055 Royal Street,
arlovanderbel@hotmail.com
The Zeitgeist, 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.,
(504) 827-5858, www.zeitgeistinc.net
Ernie K-Doe’s Mother-in-Law Lounge, 1500
N. Claiborne Ave.
Vintage Uptown, 4523 Magazine St.,
askmexico@gmail.com
Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de
Leon, (504) 913-9072, www.fairgrinds.com
METAIRIE VENUES
Fuel Coffee House, 4807 Magazine St. (504)
895-5757
Airline Lion’s Home, 3110 Division St.
Goldmine Saloon, 701 Dauphine St., (504) 5860745, www.goldminesaloon.net
Badabing’s, 3515 Hessmer, (504) 454-1120
The Green Space, 2831 Marais Street (504) 9450240, www.thegreenproject.org
Hammerhead’s, 1300 N Causeway Blvd, (504)
834-6474
Handsome Willy’s, 218 S. Robertson St., (504)
525-0377, http://handsomewillys.com
The High Ground, 3612 Hessmer
Ave., Metairie, (504) 525-0377, www.
thehighgroundvenue.com
Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave. (504) 9454446, www.myspace.com/hiholounge
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.
Mama’s Blues, 616 N. Rampart St., (504) 453-9290
Maple Leaf, 8316 Oak St., (504) 866-9359
Marlene’s Place, 3715 Tchoupitoulas, (504)
897-3415, www.myspace.com/marlenesplace
McKeown’s Books, 4737 Tchoupitoulas, (504)
895-1954, http://mckeownsbooks.net
The Bar, 3224 Edenborn
Keystone’s Lounge, 3408 28th Street, www.
myspace.com/keystoneslounge
Stitches, 3941 Houma Blvd., www.myspace.
com/stitchesbar
BATON ROUGE VENUES
The Caterie, 3617 Perkins Rd., www.thecaterie.com
Chelsea’s Café, 2857 Perkins Rd., (225) 3873679, www.chelseascafe.com
Dragonfly’s, 124 West Chimes
The Darkroom, 10450 Florida Blvd., (225) 2741111, www.darkroombatonrouge.com
Government St., 3864 Government St., www.
myspace.com/rcpzine
Junkyard House, 3299 Ivanhoe St.
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
The Spanish Moon, 1109 Highland Rd., (225)
383-MOON, www.thespanishmoon.com
The Varsity, 3353 Highland Rd., (225)383-7018,
www.varsitytheatre.com
Andrew Duhon, d.b.a., 7pm
Justin Hilbun, Loren Murrell, Circle Bar, 10pm,
FREE
Mad Mike the Hippie Bum, I Octopus, Dragon’s
Den, 10pm
Mayhem String Band, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
FRIDAY 4/3
3Now4 w/ James Singleton, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
The Balboas, The Bills, The Unnaturals, Saturn
Bar, 9pm
Big John Bates, The Voodoo Dolls, Fleur de
Tease, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Charles Brewer, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 8pm
The City Life, Caddywhompus, One Eyed Jacks,
9pm
The Dead Kenny Gs, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Greyskull, Touching the Absolute, Pack of
Wolves, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm
Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pm
Los Po-Boy Citos, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
Rotary Downs, Good Enough for Good Times,
Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10
Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, House Of Blues, 8pm
Zombie Legion, Snake Oiler, Kronik Disorder,
The Bar, 10pm
SATURDAY 4/4
11 Blade Album Release w/ Toxic Rott, Concrete
Shoes, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Charlie Louvin, Mike Hurtt & His Haunted
Hearts, One Eyed Jacks
Copeland, This Providence, Paper Route, Brooke
Waggoner, The Parish @ House Of Blues, 8pm
Dark Castle, Buzzardstein, War Amps, Mountain
of Wizard, Karoshi, Saturn Bar
DJ Frenzi, DJ Monk, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs),
10pm
Grass Roots w/ Truth Universal, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
Groovesect w/ Chali 2na, Swampgrease,
Little Freddie King, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Meriwether, Mynameisjohnmichael, Pandemic,
Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm
Who’s Bad, Raging Geisha, House Of Blues, 9pm
SUNDAY 4/5
B.B. King, Lukas Nelson, The Promise of the
Real, House Of Blues, 8pm
Dead Friends, We Need to Talk, Mordechai, Nowe
Miasto, 7pm, $5
Fleur de Tease: A Pirate’s Life for Me, One Eyed
Jacks, 8pm, 10pm
Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners Worknight, Nowe
Miasto, 4pm-7pm, FREE
Maddie Ruthless, Gamma Ringo, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 11pm
Poetry Slam, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 8pm
The Public, We Landed on the Moon, Birdfight,
Elsinore, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, d.b.a., 10pm
MONDAY 4/6
Dead Meat, The Panix, Toxic Rott, Saturn Bar
Green Mantles, Bass Line Bums, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
The Loose Marbles, One Eyed Jacks, 8pm
Russian Mafia Band, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs),
10pm
Enharmonic Souls, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Homegrown Night f/ JC & Company, The
Friendly Travelers, Crystal Tucker, Joyful,
Tipitina’s, 8:30pm, FREE
Lovehog, Green Genes, Burning Castles, Hi-Ho
Lounge, 10pm
New Orleans Moonshiners, d.b.a., 10pm
Paul Sanchez w/ Shamarr Allen & Alex
McMurray, d.b.a., 7pm
Ratatat, Tussle, Despot, House Of Blues, 9pm
Smiley With a Knife, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 7pm
FRIDAY 4/10
CC Adcock w/ Lil’ Buck Senegal, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
The Dancing Angels Revue f/ Fleur de Tease,
Bustout Burlesque, One Eyed Jacks, 8pm
Dangerous Sea Monsters, Magic Legs, Aiua,
Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Goodchildren Carnival Club Presents: Jesus Christ
Superstar Karaoke, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Ingrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pm
Ivan Neville and Friends, Joe Krown Trio,
Keeping Crescent Album Release, Howlin’ Wolf
Sway w/ DJ Finger Prince, Dub Insurgent, DJ
Tall Jamal, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
SATURDAY 4/11
Community Records Block Party 2009, The Big
Top, 12pm-11pm, $12
DJ Resin, Dragon’s Den, 10pm
Otra, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Rebirth Brass Band, Los Po-Boy-Citos, Howlin’
Wolf, 10pm
Shockhound.com Presents Mastodon, Kylesa,
Intronaut, House Of Blues, 8pm
St. Vitus, Hawg Jaw, A Hanging, One Eyed Jacks,
9pm
Tommy Talton Band, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $15
Zydepunks, Crack Box, Los Skarnales, Hi-Ho
Lounge, 10pm
SUNDAY 4/12
Andy J Forest, d.b.a., 10pm
Sour Mash Hug Band, Invisible Man Corporation,
Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
Stereo Total, Leslie & The LYs, The Parish @
House Of Blues, 9pm
The Vagina Monologues, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Wonderfarm Cabaret Variety Show, Hi-Ho Lounge,
10pm
MONDAY 4/13
Dan Deacon & Ensemble, Future Islands, Teeth
Mountain, Lovey Doveys, NOLA Candle Factory/
Heavy Metal Parking Lot, 7pm, $5
Sacred Shock, Deskonocidos, Necrohippies,
Amino Acids, Saturn Bar, 9pm
TUESDAY 4/14
Ab Bears Trio, Dance Gavin Dance, Attack
Attack, In Fear and Faith, I See Stars, High
Ground, 6pm, $12
Bastard Son of a Bastard Son, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
Frogsw Gone Fishin’, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
N.O. Jazz All-Stars, Tipitina’s, 6pm, FREE
Voltaire, The Public, DJ Vendetta, DJ Tot
Kuhunge, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
WEDNESDAY 4/15
TUESDAY 4/7
The Panix, Toxic Rott, St. Roch Taverne, 8pm
The Way, Lollipop Factory, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
WEDNESDAY 4/8
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Vivian Girls, The
Parish @ House Of Blues, 9pm
Movie Star Junkies, Saturn Bar, 9pm
THURSDAY 4/9
Surf Night w/ Spring Break Shark Attack, The
Unnaturals, DJ Curt Vile, Hi-Ho Lounge, 9pm
THURSDAY 4/16
Curren$y, Cory Gunz, Raw Dizzy, G-Eazy,
Famous Stranger, DJ Raj Smoove, Howlin’ Wolf
Evan Christopher w/ Sebastien Girardot and
Guillaume Nouaux, d.b.a., 7pm
Freedom Fest II, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Mojo Method, Gamma Ringo, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
23
EVENTS
FRIDAY 4/17
DJ Soul Sister’s Over/Under Party, Dragon’s Den,
10pm
Electric Six, Living Things, The Parish @ House Of
Blues, 9pm
Evil Army, Tirefire, Mars, Saturn Bar
Flytracks Crew Presents: Raw Dizzy, Dee-1,
Kourtney Heart, Soul Capital, Team Robot,
Dappa, Tipitina’s, $8 ($5 w/ college ID)
Freedom Fest II, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pm
Tin Men, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
Vedas f/ Alias Orion, People on the Side,
Moonwhore Burlesque Troop, Howlin’ Wolf
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Rebirth Brass Band,
An Evening with funky METERS f/ Skerik, House
Of Blues, [Late Fri.] 2am
Galactic, Tipitina’s, [Late Fri.] 2am, $30
Gov’t Majik, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 12:30am
Jealous Monk, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Ivan Neville’s
Dumpstaphunk, Robert Walker and Friends,
Howlin’ Wolf
Kermit Ruffins Album Release Party, The Parish @
House Of Blues, 10pm
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave., Rebirth Brass
Band, House Of Blues, 9pm
Zydepunks, Lost Bayou Ramblers, d.b.a., 10pm,
$10
SATURDAY 4/18
SATURDAY 4/25
Freedom Fest II w/ Spooky LaStrange and Her
Billion-Dollar Baby Dolls, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Glasgow, We Landed on the Moon Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
Glorybee, Drumcart, The Dancing Thai Chef,
Circle Bar, 10pm
GreenLeaf’s B-Day Party, Dragon’s Den
(Downstairs), 10pm
The Persuaders, Goodnight Loving, Die Rotzz,
Saturn Bar
Rotary Downs, d.b.a., 11pm, $5
Anal Cunt, Outlaw Order, Strong Intention, Hi-Ho
Lounge, 10pm
Boo Williams Drum N Bass, Dragon’s Den, 10pm
An Evening with funky METERS f/ Cyril Neville,
House Of Blues, [Late Sat.], 2am
Happy Talk Band, R. Scully Band, Andre
Williams and The New Orleans Hellhounds, d.b.a.,
Midnight, $15
Lotus, EOTO w/ Michael Kang and Steve Molitz,
Lyrics Born, Pnuma PA, M@ Peoples w/ Gravity
A, Howlin’ Wolf
SUNDAY 4/19
Mod Dance Party, Saturn Bar, 9pm
The Radiators, Tipitina’s, 9pm, $25
American Cheeseburger, Hjertestop, Mania, Thou, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Budos Band,
Necrohippies, Saturn Bar, 10pm
House Of Blues, 9pm
Debauche, River City Rebels, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Tab Benoit’s Swampland Jam, Tipitina’s (French
Jeremy Lyons and The Deltabilly Boys, d.b.a.,
Quarter), 10pm, $20
10pm
Terry Reid, Dax Riggs, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Jettison Never, Box 100s, Dragon’s Den
(Downstairs), 11pm
SUNDAY 4/26
Poetry Slam, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 8pm
007, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
MONDAY 4/20
Blind Boys of Alabama w/ Special Guests Charlie
Musselwhite, Henry Butler, The Dirty Dozen
Blizzibbadibba Band, Mr. Wayne and ICU, The
Brass Band, Tipitina’s, 8:30pm
Acropolions, Skipp Coon and Mr. Nick, Uma
Eric Lindell, The Stanton Moore Trio, One Eyed
Zuma, The Foot, Howlin’ Wolf
Jacks, 9pm
Blue October, The Kin, House Of Blues, 8pm
James Singleton, Helen Gillet, Justin Peake,
Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 8pm
Nobunny, Rocknroll Adventure Kids, Saturn Bar,
Matt Perrines’ Sunflower City, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
9pm
Rusty Lazer, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
The Pharmacy, New Thrill Parade, Dragon’s Den
Tim Reynolds & TR3, On The One, Tipitina’s
(Upstairs), 10pm
(French Quarter), 9pm, $20
TUESDAY 4/21
MONDAY 4/27
The Bexar County Bastards, Saturn Bar, 9pm
Brigham Hall, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Girl Talk, Big Rock Candy Mountain, The
Peekers, Tipitina’s, 9pm
Mogwai, The Twilight Sad, Republic, 9pm
007, d.b.a., 11pm, $10
The A-Bones, Redondo Beat, The Royal
Pendletons, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Brice Nice Presents: Hip Drop, Dragon’s Den
(Upstairs), 10pm
Instruments A Comin’ Silent Auction and Outdoor
Extravaganza w/ Galactic, The Chilluns, Rebirth
Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Big Sam’s Funky Nation
and More, Tipitina’s, 5:30pm, $40 ($150 VIP)
NoJack, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm
Piano Night: A Benefit for WWOZ Patron Party,
House Of Blues, 5pm, 7:30pm
Simon Lott, Mike Gamble, Dragon’s Den
(Downstairs), 10pm
Sound Advice Showcase f/ Glen David Andrews,
New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Kristen Diable, d.b.a.,
6-10pm, $10
WEDNESDAY 4/22
Blackbelt, I Octopus, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Sevendust, Dope, House Of Blues, 8pm
THURSDAY 4/23
Colin Lake, d.b.a., 5pm
Good Enough for Good Times, d.b.a., 11pm, $10
John Lee Hardee & Friends, d.b.a., 8pm
The Let it Rock Tour f/ Kevin Rudolf, Jeremy
Greene, Hyper Crush, Cash, The Parish @ House Of
Blues, 8pm
Naked Orchestra, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
The Other Planets, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Papa Mali’s 5th Annual Stoned Soul Picnic f/
Papa Mali, The Dynamites f/ Charles Walker,
Bonerama, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $20
Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Hot 8 Brass
Band, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm
FRIDAY 4/24
Clockwork Elvis, Spooky LaStrange and Her
Billion-Dollar Baby Dolls, Honey Island Swamp
Band, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Denque Fever, Chicha Libre, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
DJ Phaddusia’s Birthday Party, Dragon’s Den
(Downstairs), 10pm
Eric Lindell, Reunion of Big Chief Bo Dollis and
TUESDAY 4/28
The Baltimore String Felons, Endall, St. Roch
Taverne, 8pm
Dragon Smoke, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs),
10pm
Joe Krown Organ Combo, d.b.a., 8pm, $5
Johnny Vidacovich Trio w/ Robert Walker and
June Yamagishi, d.b.a., 11pm, $10
Lynn Drury, d.b.a., 4pm
Ponderosa Stomp, House Of Blues, 6:30pm
Saucefest II w/ Skerik & Others, Hi-Ho Lounge,
10pm
EVENTS
WEDNESDAY 4/29
Garage A Trois, The Stanton Moore Trio, The
Dead Kenny Gs, Marco Benevento, Howlin’ Wolf,
10pm
The Iguanas, d.b.a., 7pm, $10
Keller Williams, Jesse Chong, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
Liferuiner, The World We Knew, High Ground,
6pm, $10
Murder Junkies, Pallbearers, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
Ponderosa Stomp, House Of Blues, 6:30pm
THURSDAY 4/30
Allen Toussaint, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band,
House Of Blues, 8pm
The Black Keys, The Contemporary Arts Center
An Evening with Umphrey’s McGee, House Of
Blues, [Late Thurs.] 2am
Cyril Neville w/ Tab Benoit and Jumpin’ Johnny
Sansone, The Wild Magnolias w/ Big Chief Bo
Dollis and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Tipitina’s
(French Quarter), 10pm, $20
DJ Rootz, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
Grayson Capps, d.b.a., Midnight, $10
Marcia Ball, The Parish @ House Of Blues, 9pm
Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle, Spoonfed Tribe, HiHo Lounge, 10pm
New Orleans Bingo! Show, Fleur de Tease,
Paul Sanchez w/ Shamarr Allen, d.b.a., 8pm, $10
The Royal Family Ball f/ Soulive, Lettuce, Dr.
Claw w/ Ivan Neville and Nigel Hall, Russell
Batiste and Friends, Howlin’ Wolf
Steve Kimock, Crazy Engine, Tipitina’s, [Late
Thurs.], 2am
Open Mic w/ Whiskey T., Rusty Nail, 8pm
Reggae Jam with The Uppressors, John Lisi, Dave
Jordan, Mike Burkart, Banks St. Bar and Grill, 10pm
WEDNESDAYS
DJ Lefty Parker, R Bar
DJ T-Roy Presents: Dancehall Classics, Dragon’s
Den, 10pm, $5
Gravity A, Banks St. Bar and Grill, 11pm
Jim O. and The No Shows, Circle Bar, 6pm
Kenny holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pm
Marygoround & The Tiptoe Stampede, All-Ways
Lounge
Mojotoro Tango Trio, Yuki (525 Frenchmen St.), 8pm
Tin Men, d.b.a., 7pm
Walter Wolfman Washington and The
Roadmasters, d.b.a., 10pm, $5
THURSDAYS
Come Drink with Matt Vaughn, R Bar
DJ Kemistry, Republic, 11pm
DJ Matic, Hostel
DJ Proppa Bear Presents: Bassbin Safari, Dragon’s
Den (Downstairs), 10pm
Fast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One Eyed Jacks
The Fens w/ Sneaky Pete, Checkpoint Charlie’s,
10pm
Hap Pardo Jazz Trio, All-Ways Lounge
Sam and Boone, Circle Bar, 6pm
Soul Rebels, Les Bon Temps Roule, 11pm
Sweet Home New Orleans R&B Heritage Night,
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm
FRIDAYS
FRIDAY 5/1
Dr. John and The Lower 911, John Fohl, House Of
Blues, 8pm
An Evening with Umphrey’s McGee, House Of
Blues, [Late Fri.] 2am
Garage A Trois, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm
George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, DJ
Motion Potion, Republic, 9pm
JFJO, Mynameisjohnmichael, A Living
Soundtrack, Caddywhompus, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
John Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen,
The Parish @ House Of Blues, 9pm
The New Orleans All-Stars, Papa Grows Funk,
Zigaboo’s Funk Revue, Vinyl, Eric McFadden
Trio, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm
Zydepunks, Saturn Bar, 9pm
DJ Bees Knees, R Bar
Friday Night Music Camp, The Big Top, 5pm
Ratty Scurvics Lounge, All-Ways Lounge
Throwback, Republic
Tipitina’s Foundation Free Friday!, Tipitina’s, 10pm
SATURDAYS
DJ Bees Knees ’80s Dance Party, All-Ways Lounge
DJ Damion Yancy, Republic, 11pm
The Drive In w/ DJ Pasta, R Bar
Javier Drada, Hostel
John Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pm
SUNDAYS
Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint
Charlie’s, 7pm
Cajun Fais Do Do f/ Bruce Danigerpoint,
An Evening of the Classics w/ Aaron Neville and
Tipitina’s, 5:30pm, $7
His Quintet f/ Charles Neville, House Of Blues, 9pm Corrosion, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm
An Evening with Lez Zeppelin, The Parish @ House Latin Dance Nite w/ Los Pinginos, Banks St. Bar
Of Blues, [Late Sat.] 2am
and Grill
Galactic, The Greyboy All-Stars, Rebirth Brass
Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pm
Band, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm
Micah McKee and Friends, Circle Bar, 6pm
Illuminasty Trio f/ Skerik, James Singleton, Mike Music Workshop Series, Tipitina’s, 12:30pm
Dillon, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm
The New Mastersounds, House Of Blues, [Late Sat.] 2am The Sunday Gospel Brunch, House Of Blues
Rotary Downs, Happy Talk Band, The Other
Planets, Saturn Bar, 9pm
COMEDY
SATURDAY 5/2
WEEKLIES & DANCE NIGHTS
WEDNESDAYS
MONDAYS
Standup Comedy Open Mic, Carrollton Station, 9pm
Beacoup Crasseaux w/ Free Jambalaya, Banks St.
Bar and Grill, 10pm
Blue Grass Pickin’ Party, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 10pm
Justin Peake, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 8pm, FREE
Mad Mike, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 8pm
Missy Meatlocker, Circle Bar, (Every Other Monday), 5pm
THURSDAYS
TUESDAYS
The Abney Effect, Hostel
Acoustic Night, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 7pm
Acoustic Open Mic, Carrollton Station, 9pm
Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint
Charlie’s, 10pm
Jonathan Freilich and Alex McMurray, Circle Bar,
6pm
New Orleans Jazz Vipers, d.b.a., 9pm
Karaoke Fury, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 10pm
Rabbit Hole, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 8:30
FRIDAYS
God’s Been Drinking, La Nuit Comedy Theater,
8:30pm, $10
Open Mic Stand-Up, La Nuit Comedy Theater,
10pm, $5
SATURDAYS
ComedySportz: All-Ages Comedy Show, La Nuit
Comedy Theater, 7pm, $10
Jonah’s Variety Hour, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 10pm
25
COMICS
COMICS
27
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
29
CONTINUED...
Reviews, Continued from page 25...
WAVVES
ZACH SNYDER
(FAT POSSUM)
(WARNER BROS.)
WAVVVES
O
h, the wonders of the Internet
hype machine. Wavves, vehicle
for twenty-two-year-old So Cal native
Nathan Williams, has garnered so much
attention over the past year for his No
Age-y, sun burnt mauder-rock that it
seems that this kid must shit gold. While
No Age comparisons are easy, especially given geographical proximity,
Wavves’ sound and lyrics fall more in line with the Jay Reatards and
Bradford Coxes of this world: disenchanted loners cranking out fuzzed
fuckery through a pop lens. But unlike Reatard and Cox, it seems that
Williams just learned how to play his guitar and doesn’t quite have that
knack for songwriting yet. There are, however, moments that show
future promise, namely the bright immediacy of “Beach Demon,” “To
the Dregs,” which finds Williams, well, not caring about anything,
and the highlight track “So Bored,” where he is just plain bored with
everything. With a few more tracks like the aforementioned and not
quite as much unnecessary instrumental filler, we might start talking
about an artist to be really excited about. But for the time being, all we
can do is hope that this “no hope kid” puts down the bong long enough
to write a few more worthwhile songs. Or at least starts smoking some
better stuff. —Dan Mitchell
WINO
PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM
(SOUTHERN LORD)
F
rom bands like The Obsessed to St.
Vitus, Scott “Wino” Weinreich is one
of the pillars in the doom metal/stoner
rock hierarchy. After the dissolution
of yet another of his bands, he’s finally
decided to release a solo project and the
results are decidedly great. Combining
the grimy blues that hides behind early metal pioneers like Sabbath
or Pentagram with a green cloud of groove, Punctuated Equilibrium is
manna from stoner heaven. For fans of the genre, don’t expect anything
mindblowingly original; what the record provides instead is near
perfection of Wino’s particular style. Culling the overlong stretches of
drone from the equation and instead relying on smooth songwriting
and the metal-cum-bar band guitar style Wino is known for, the album
satisfies those looking for a smoke-filled jam session while staying
succinct. Psychedelic and sludgy, the instrumental “The Woman in
the Orange Pants” references an occasion where Wino’s mother burst
in on the boys getting high, while “Secret Realm Devotion” relates
Weinreich’s particular spiritual beliefs through doom-laden riffs that
cascade as waves of reverb and a strangely poppy chorus. In fact,
the entire album is full of riffs that come dangerously close to hooks,
their infectious grooves working their way into your head long after
the record has come to a close. The album rides the thin line between
accessible and hardcore, and it’s to Wino’s credit that he manages that
balance while still delivering the goods. In a very telling bit of kismet,
the title track is a short description of Wino’s personality, detailing
his inability to “Tow society’s line,” yet exploding outward after the
pressures get too heavy; but it’s also a scientific theory that illustrates
how bouts of evolution occur rapidly at times under duress. That’s
how I choose to view Punctuated Equilibrium, a record that holds
true to Wino’s bourbon-soaked heavy metal while still evolving into
something fresh and welcoming to virgin ears. —Mike Rodgers
WATCHMEN
T
here are two, not necessarily
complimentary ways of viewing
the film Watchmen. One is to view
it through the eyes of a newcomer,
judging it simply on its own merits
as a film. The other is via the harsh
lens of adaptation, in particular the
transfer to celluloid of one of the
most revered pieces of comics fiction
over the last fifty years. As a strict
adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave
Gibbon’s transcendent graphic novel,
Watchmen is adequate if easily assailable. Though the general
story remains relatively unchanged—and enough minutiae is
included from the comics to sate most wide-eyed fanboys—there
are some drastic tonal shifts that hamstring Snyder’s faithfulness.
The crux lies upon the filmmaker’s decision to add to the story
as well as trim for the screen the original’s excesses. Too much
brutally choreographed fighting mars the everyman quality of the
story’s principles, nullifying one of the central points of Watchmen,
that only Dr. Manhattan is truly ascendant, “super.” Some of
the casting choices veer too far into the “lookalike” category
and don’t truly convey the depth of their characters as originally
conceived. Matthew Goode’s Ozymandias in particular strays
into sneering villain territory much too plainly for his nuanced
role. So what does the film accomplish as an adaptation? Two
things stand out for me as near perfection: The Comedian and
Rorshach. Actors Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jackie Earle Haley
respectivel embody their roles. Morgan’s Comedian is exactly
the kind of hard Right sadist he’s portrayed as in the book, and
yet, through all the horrible acts he commits, we can’t hate him.
Rorshach, a character that could have easily been watered down
into drivel or turned into a one-note engine of destruction, is
instead imbued by Haley with all the subtlety and nuance present
in the graphic novel. For those outside of the loop, Watchmen is
a labyrinthian detective story that tells the tale of an alternative
20th century, one in which costume heroes have emerged as the
leading force in America. The film opens with the death of one of
the titular heroes, and through the unraveling of this mystery the
nature of what constitutes not just a hero but humanity in general
is laid bare, with costumed avengers played as all too human.
And through it all stands Dr. Manhattan, a man transformed
into a god-like being whose increasing distance from humanity
reflects on our nature itself. Of course I’m simplifying; trying to
describe the plot of Watchmen, even in its truncated film form, is
like trying to detail the pebbles of sand on a beach. Suffice it to
say, even though the film loses some of the weight of the novel
it’s still a plot-heavy drama wrapped in the trappings of a comic
book movie. The central mystery plot tends to get lost in all the
surrounding sidestory and character drama throughout its nearly
three-hour runtime, but it’s to the movie’s credit that the world
it’s created is so interesting and filled with cinematic splendor that
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
IT’S BLITZ!
(INTERSCOPE)
T
he Yeah Yeah Yeahs have made
their name on the back of their
adorable, yet shrill tempest of lead singer
Karen O. Fever to Tell and Show Your
Bones showcased her ability to transform
sharp wailing into danceable sing-alongs, but on It’s Blitz!, that Karen very
rarely shows up. On album opener and first single “Zero,” she brings
her softer voice to the party. But you should make sure to bring your
dancing shoes too. “Zero” is a warm, mid-tempo tune with just the
right amount of ’80s-era Blondie tossed in for good measure. A likely
favorite for longtime fans, the up-tempo “Dull Life” provides frenzied
vocals, solid harmonies and synchronized handclaps. Hopefully it
makes up for the compelling need you’ll have to hit the “next” button
during lackluster tracks like “Dragon Queen.” For the most part, It’s
Blitz! is a more retrospective outing, showcasing Karen’s “pretty” vocals
while leaving her “dirty” ones behind. The highlights of the album are
the hauntingly beautiful vocals of “Skeletons” and “Runaway,” which
combine with sparse piano and swelling string arrangements powerful
enough to bring the listener to tears. If you’re ready to hear one of your
favorite gritty punk bands go all soft-core and break your heart while
doing it, this is your album. —Erin Hall
we stay in lockstep until the resolution finally comes around. So,
with nerd-fueled nitpickery out of the way, and upon a second
viewing, I have come to appreciate Watchmen as a superb film,
one that sacrifices some faithfulness to its source material for
enhanced clarity and visual excitement on screen while standing
as an exemplary piece of fantasy filmmaking. —Mike Rodgers
Dr. Feelgood: “Is This Really an Emergency?,” Continued from
Page 15...
WHEN CAN I WAIT TIL OFFICE HOURS?
• Earaches
• Minor cuts in which bleeding has been stopped
• A sprain, rash, sunburn or minor burn
• Fever (if you are convulsive, then go to the ER).
• Sexually-transmitted diseases
• Food-poisoning
• Gastroenteritis (vomiting and/or diarrhea)
• Colds, coughs, a sore throat, or flu symptoms
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
If you have a bone protruding from the skin, a gunshot
wound, or another terrifying medical condition, go directly
to the nearest ER. You can call 911 if you can’t get there
on your own.
If you ate at the Ho Ho Super Buffet and have diarrhea,
you can probably get through it at home and maybe follow
up with your doc at her office. If you slept with the hostess
at the Ho Ho Super Buffet and now have frothy discharge,
you can make an appointment for later in the week. If you
have a minor cut on you face that probably needs a few
stitches, an urgent care clinic may be a good resource if it
is after regular office hours. During my recent adventure
to the ER, I waited four hours in the waiting room for
one lousy Percocet and six stitches. The bill was $600.00
(That’s $100 per stitch!). On the bright side, because of my
connections (I am in the biz), I did score a free tube of “Scar
Fade.”
Burning medical questions? Spicy medical confessions? Email
Dr. Feelgood or tell her in person: Glorybee with the New Orleans
Drum Cart will play the Circle Bar on Saturday, April 18th.

April 2009 - Antigravity Magazine

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