I was sort of laughing at myself a couple of days ago when I realized that I had missed my “7-years of music blogging” anniversary last month. I wasn’t laughing at the fact that my dead braincells are multiplying, rather that the main staples…really, the only staples, of my car CD player are the following:
The Lonelies EP
Macon Greyson Uneasy
Collin Herring Avoiding the Circus
Deadman Paramour
Joyful Sinners EP
The Happy Bullets Blue Skies and Umbrellas
Salim Nourallah Polaroid
Thrift Store Cowboys
These are the CDs I listened to years and years and years ago that made me fall in love with the local music community, and all these years later, I’ve never tired of a one.
However, I do get really excited when these bands and artists put out new albums. I found the above video over on Collin Herring’s site. It’s really awesome and features some great Texas-based musicians and producers and songwriters and brilliance.
Collin Herring is releasing his latest album, Ocho, pretty much as I type. The above video was shot at Ramble Creek, featuring a behind the scenes peek into the making of this record. Collin Herring and his dad (and bandmate) Ben Roi Herring are folks I consider to be my friends. I’ve known ‘em forever. I’ve loved ‘em forever, and neither one has ever played or sung a note that I didn’t absolutely adore.
Ocho was recorded out in the sticks at Ramble Creek and features such other FineLineFaves as Ben Roi Herring, Will Johnson, Keith Hanna, Roberto Sanchez and of course the great Britton Beisenherz (The Monahans, Milton Mapes).
The Ocho festivities kick-off on Monday, when Collin will appear on KXAN in Austin and on KLBJ 93.7..wait, there’s more…
Tuesday, November 17th Waterloo Records (Austin)
Live in-store – 5 p.m. – Free
Thursday, November 26th The Moon Bar in Fort Worth – 10ish
Whew! KXT 91.7 launched this morning and it’s absolutely music to my ears…literally. It feels like Austin up in here. It’s so fun over-hearing folks ’round KERA talk about Sarah Jaffe and The O’s and all things local and regional. It’s a historic day for the DdFW airwaves…drink it up like a fine wine…hiccup…you don’t even have to get up—listen live from right where you be.
In-studio performances all this week, include Sarah Jaffe, The O’s, Rhett Miller, Little Black Dress and lots more! Check it out here.
“Twenty five years ago, the band The End went to the Theatre Gallery to see Zeitgeist (who went on to become The Reivers) and the Deep Ellum music scene was born”
Lots of the good folks who, let’s face it, built and shaped the Deep Ellum music scene, will reconnect with ex coworkers, club goers and Deep Ellum originals on December 4th at The Prophet Bar.
Bands that are confirmed at this writing:
Shallow Reign
Loco Gringos (the Theatre Gallery’s house band)
Decadant Dub Team
David Mabry and Homespun Remedies
The Trees
Cricket Taylor
Graceland
More bands are confirming daily.
This shindig has truly gone full circle, as Russell Hobbs and Jeff Liles are co-hosting…just like the good ol’ days.
Working for KERA/Art&Seek has definitely opened my mind up to more than clubs in Deep Ellum. I’ll admittedly say aloud, that I find myself feeling rather foolish and….well…a li’l igneeeerraaannt about so many things going on that don’t pertain to one single one of my beloved local bands.
I’ve gone absolutely mad over one particular writer (and KERA contributor), Mr. Rawlins Gilliland. Hell, even his name is interesting. I’m seriously so smitten with this man, that I practically tackled him in the parking lot on Friday, just to shake his hand. I was just as giggly and gushy as I’ve been just sitting in front of his writings.
I’m very very much not a reader. Just ask my ex-husband, it drove him crazy that I consistantly chose bad reality shows over a decent read. But Mr. Gilliland has changed all that…well…at least when it comes to anything he pens (or commentates). You simply must read him. (Some links below)
Now I must get my giddy-self back to work so I can continue stalking this lovely and quite delightful man, every chance I get.
If you are interested in film and video, then you might like to know that the 27th Annual Videofest is just about a week or so away. Click for details. Bart Weiss, director of the Video Association of Dallas, wrote a nice little piece on Art&Seek and I think you should read it…m’kaaaaay…
…This year for the festival I tried something completely different. A few years ago I met with a young filmmaker named Ryan Kline and was very impressed. He had a great attitude and was very ambitious for a kid. (When I first met him he was too young to drive.) I then saw him at the workshops in Maine, where I teach teachers in the summer. He was taking an intensive film (as in not video) workshop. So I thought, why not have him do the intro? It was a bit of a risk, but I was really happy to try it. Ryan needed help, and we got lots of help. Bill Schwartz, one of Dallas’ best directors of photography, agreed to shoot it. And he did way more than shoot it – he arranged for so many people and so much equipment it was amazing. For those who this means something to, it was shot on the Red camera. As we moved along, Bill was impressed with Ryan’s talent and his ability to know what he wanted (something not all directors have).
Quickly this shoot got big, with a crew of about 20, a nice cast and way too much for Bill and Ryan to produce by themselves. So I called Amy Lou Abernathy at AMP Productions, who put Mariana Denke on it, who did a great job. Steve Franko did color correction, Post Asylum edited it and James Neel did the music…READ THE REST.
The, absolutely delightful and charming journalist/director/producer, Sujata Dand, followed five teenaged girls for a year, documenting their love lives, or lack thereof. The result is a wonderfully candid documentary, Boyfriends. This exceptionally well-done documentary had one heck of an award-winning team. The film was directed by Sujata Dand, produced and edited by Linda Stogner, and Rick Thompson served as exective producer.
Boyfriends is a gut-wrenching look inside the lives of these five girls, examining their thoughts, dreams, goals, heartaches and triumphs. As a mother of a 20-year old girl, myself, I’d like to go on record by saying that this documentary is a must-see for every single teenager (and those tweens too) in the country.
Sujata and crew did a magnificent job of really capturing the heart and soul of these precious young women. I felt a true sense of intimacy, caring and even adoration for the girls and their families.
You can watch the video here (including lots of bonus footage), or watch the debut tonight at 9 p.m., on KERA-TV. Oh, and watch it with your age appropriate kiddos…they’ll most likely thank you someday for doing so…
Boo! Kettle Art Gallery presents: Creepshow. It’s a group show featuring unique masks, photos and other paintings pertaining to All Hallows Eve.
This shindig opens tomorrow night and should make for a horror of a time. Get it? Horror…cuz it’s scary.
My boss, along with several other artsy types poured over 420 images at Kettle Art Gallery this week, and narrowed them down to 55 lucky artists who will participate in an upcoming show. I hear-tell that there are some familiar faces in the lot, and several new faces as well.
The unveiling party is on Friday, November 6th at, where else, Kettle Art Gallery.
PAC–What? The Professional Artist Coalition is a flash mob action creating a bright public yellow signal for health care reform. A first for Dallas, and this cause.
PAC-Who? The North Texas art community. This includes thousands of citizens daily engaged in the visual, performing, literary, media, and commercial arts.
PAC-WHERE?Morton Meyerson Symphony Hall – convene under the di Suvero Sculpture ‘Proverb/ Pendulum for preparation of happening.
PAC-HOW? Show up and bring your friend, your coffee and donuts. Nothing will be sold at this event.
~Arrive by 11 a.m.
~Obtain a yellow pancho from distributor (suggested $2.00 donation)
~Choose your preference colored dot to represent your health care view.
~Choose your insignia logo identifying your artistic medium.
PAC-WHY? Because artists of any kind stand with the American people to demand a change to the status quo of a broken health care system. Because artists are unique victims of the health care status quo. Most are independent contractors, uninsured or underinsured. Because artists are fed up with other PAC’s (Political Action Committees) funded by insurance and drug companies that are fighting to care for profits instead of health. Because the North Texas art community realizes that at the very moment that Dallas is celebrating its new PAC (Performing Arts Center), with architects and programming imported from elsewhere, it has no plan to sustain its own creative community. Because artists have been silent and invisible for too long when it comes to the health and care of our society. PAC WE – The Origin of the Concept PAC MAN is a sign of consumption. We often consume health care and culture without thinking about its wider context. We don’t ask why healthcare costs so much or why so many are left without it. We also don’t ask about the livelihoods and healthcare of the artists that are seen as culture providers.
The new job is really amazing. I’ve done things totally out of my box, and have had some wonderful experiences thus far.
This past weekend, I tagged Tiffany Kieran, and we headed down to brave the crowds at the Dallas Arts District’s open-house. We had wine. We had cheese. We had cameras.
Check it here. Also, the real KERA/Art&Seek professional videographer got some really lovely footage here.
I love Sunday mornings. Church? Nope. Big fancy breakfast? Nope. Cleaning and tidying up for the coming week? Nope.
It’s that grand time when the dogs are parked on my tummy, I’m parked on the sofa, and the Food Network is on the tube. I can’t cook. Literally. Ask my kids. No matter how close I stick to recipes, nor how hard I try, I just can’t seem to crank out a decent meal. I’ve actually made myself physically sick from eating my own food concoctions. It’s quite pathetic.
The Deep Ellum Sustainablity Council invites you to participate in our kick-off meeting. Please join us at Healthcare Art Consulting (2910 E. Commerce) tonight, October 14th from 6-8 p.m. to hear a presentation of all the future project ideas we are putting into action in Deep Ellum over the next couple of years. After the presentation, we will call for volunteers to lead and participate in committees to launch these projects.
This event is open to anyone interested in transforming Deep Ellum into the most sustainable neighborhood in Dallas. We are looking for support and participation from: students, green novices, artists, corporate sponsors, real estate professionals, sustainability professionals, local business owners, gardeners, architects, engineers and anyone with interest in supporting Deep Ellum.
Below is a list of projects we are exploring:
~Green Alleyways
~Building Renovation Task Force
~Center for Green Technologies
~Green Roof Tops
~Green Parking Lots
~Community Gardens
~Carbon Off-Set Fund
Just a little over a year ago, the divine Rich Lopez and I had a sit-down with Paul J. Williams over at Hal Samples crib and had ourselves a time….Click below darlings…
Sunday, October 25th KD Studio Theater
Mental: An Evening of Homo-Neurotic Comedy
Starring Paul J. Williams and author Eddie Sarfaty
7:30 p.m.
Purchase Tickets
Fans can begin asking questions now by replying to A&E Home Entertainment’s Twitter account at AEHomeEnt with a question and the hash-tag #MickeyRaphael. They will be collecting questions which he will answer from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Born and raised in the Lone Star State of Dallas Texas, Mickey Raphael’s career as Willie Nelson’s Harmonica player has spanned almost three decades. His intelligent playing style has become a hallmark of Nelson’s crossover sound, earning him a large audience worldwide.
As a teenager, Raphael gravitated toward the Dallas folk music scene and fell under the spell of legendary harmonica great Don Brooks. “I went to this little coffee house one night and saw him playing and it just impressed me so much,” Raphael recalls. “He had moved to New York and was kind of a legend around Dallas. He sat me down one night after a show and showed me this little lick that went all the way up and down the harmonica, just a little pattern. Right away I just jumped about twenty steps from the little I already knew about the harp.”
Raphael eventually joined singer B.W. Stevenson’s band. One of his most enthusiastic boosters was University of Texas Football coach Darrell Royal, a passionate fan of country music.
One night in 1973, Royal invited Raphael to a post-game party in a Dallas hotel room and asked him to bring along his harps. The resulting informal jam session included Charley Pride and Willie Nelson, who passed around a guitar and took turns singing.
Well kiddies, I’ve somehow managed to land a real job with my beloved KERA-Art&Seek. Lemme hip you to a few things. Fer one, they are fantastically dedicated to the arts/music/culture communities over there on Harry Hines Blvd. These here are some very very very good folks. They make it really simple to promote your events, but you gotta do a little bit of work yourselves…oh, wipe that look off’o'yo’ face. Just a teeny bit of work on your part.
I’m going to make this really easy on ya…go here and submit your “organization” (which can be your venue, your group, your church, your association, your store, your whatever). There it shall remain forever, unless you want to make changes and you just gotta let us know by clicking on the “Update Page” link on your profile page.
Next, and this is really the easy part, you go here to submit your events (like your shows or exhibits or concerts or acting gigs or whatever). That’s it. It’s my job to take care of the rest.
It’s all free of charge. And there are perks, too. Lots of those great events get featured on the site, and some of ‘em even get featured on Gini Mascorro’s radio feature on KERA Radio.
PS – this round of Track by Track is fantastic. Paul put together a sampler podcast this time and it’s brilliantly fabulous. It includes some Bosque Brown, Danny Balis, Doug Burr, Rhett Miller, Robert Gomez, Telegraph Canyon and Trey Johnson. It’s so freakin’ great, go listen. NOW!
Check out Art&Seek for more details on this event. We’ll be there with video cameras, me thinks one needs to be dedicated to the “Who Wet the Dog Out” dunking booth.
Collin Herring is releasing his latest album, Ocho, pretty much as I type. The above video was shot at Ramble Creek, featuring a behind the scenes peek into the making of this record. Collin Herring and his dad (and bandmate) Ben Roi Herring are folks I consider to be my friends. I’ve known ‘em forever. I’ve loved ‘em forever, and neither one has ever played or sung a note that I didn’t absolutely adore.
PAC-WHERE? 
