Fine Line: 'Stories' Section

I was there one of those Quick nights, to shoot a portion of the Jason Janik studio tour for KERA’s Art&Seek. I was supposed to focus, that night, on Jason…but I’m a big Blythe Beck fan…and as you can tell by the video, I didn’t have my glasses on, so I didn’t know how out of focus my camera was that night…who cares, it was Blythe Beck! Thanks jason, Blythe and Farah Fleurima for letting me hang out!

If you are lookin’ for me, I’m over here…

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…

I had a perfectly divine evening with Jeffrey Liles and Bucks Burnett last Friday night at the Kessler Theater. Fortunately, they allowed me to turn on the video cameras while they chatted about Bucks’ upcoming gallery exhibit, “Eight Track Tapes: The Bucks Burnett Collection,” at the Barry Whistler Gallery, starting tomorrow night…click here to peek inside…

Via Pegaus News via GayList Daily, the absolutely fabulous Paul J. Williams gets some luvin’. KERA/Art&Seek’s Jerome Weeks had nothing but great stuff to say about Paul’s performance in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,. The upcoming performance Mental: An Evening of Homo-Neurotic Comedy, will most likely tickle anyone pink.

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

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.

Help us. Help you. Come on over and play, we’re having a splendid time!

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!

Below is the press release I received. This pretty much sucks…

Community-produced youth, religious, public affairs television programming to cease; hope expressed that funding can be found to continue operations

Dallas iMedia Network announced today it will suspend public access productions, equipment usage and operation of its three cable television channels until funding can be secured for its continued service delivery.

Anticipated partial funding from the City of Dallas to continue the contract did not materialize in the FY 2009 -2010 budget leaving the status of local public access television in a state of insolvency. Dallas iMedia Network operations include channels for youth-produced, faith-based and public affairs programming and has provided public access television management and services for 22 years. The organization was formerly named Cable Access of Dallas and Dallas Community Television.

The City of Dallas receives a 5% franchise fee on Time Warner’s gross revenues plus sales taxes on cable services. Time Warner Cable subscribers pay a monthly assessment of 39 cents that is specifically designated for local access television (PEG – public, education and government). These funds are remitted to the City of Dallas, as well. Time Warner executives said the company has 190,000 subscribers in Dallas.

The City of Dallas contracted management of public access television services to Dallas iMedia Network with funding from cable related subscriber fees. The current 5-year contract specified annual payments of $525,000 pending annual appropriations. Prior to becoming a contractor for the City of Dallas in 2000, funding for community access television came directly from the cable franchisee. When the city renegotiated its cable franchise agreement in 2000, the contract specified that local access funds would go directly into city coffers. Funding for public access has declined consistently since 2005.

The 2001 budget allocation for community access television services in Dallas was $700,000. In 2005, it was reduced to $543,000, by 2007 it was $300,000 and last year it was $246,000, which is less than one-third of iMedia’s annual operating budget. When the public access system was operated by the cable company in the early 1980s, the annual budget was $1.5 million.

In addition to managing three public access cable channels, the City of Dallas contract requires Dallas iMedia to be open to the public at least 60 hours per week, maintenance and repair of television production equipment, and commercial and broadcast liability insurance, among other costly requirements.

David Dunnigan, chairman of the organization, said, “We are reluctant to take the drastic step to cease operations but funding must be secured to allow us to reorganize and continue to serve the communications needs of our region. Additionally, until we clarify our contract status with the City of Dallas, citizen journalism, and locally produced public affairs and entertainment programming is in serious jeopardy.”
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Lisa Hembry, president and CEO, said she has advised the organization’s full-time employees that salaries will cease immediately. Since much of the channel playback system is automated, signals and member produced programming for each of the three channels will continue to be cablecast on Dallas Time Warner Cable and Verizon Fios through the end of October, and will continue to be streamed for viewing on the organization’s website – www.dallasimedia.net.

“We wish to thank everyone who has given their support in this effort to remain viable including the Press Club of Dallas which calls Dallas iMedia a “symbol of the First Amendment” under the U.S. Constitution and the threat of its closing a “dark day for Dallas journalism,” said Dunnigan.

“We will exhaust all efforts to continue operations,” he said. “If the City of Houston can support its public access system at a level of over $1.2 million annually and the City of Austin supports its community access system at $650,000, surely Dallas can find ways to maintain our viability, particularly when cable subscribers pay for it – not taxpayers.”

He said the organization is exploring several options including resources through the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and grants from local foundations and cable
providers.

Dallas iMedia Network is the public access television system and interactive voice for the people and businesses of Greater Dallas. iMedia presents programming 24 hours a day on its three digital cable channels, 95, 96 and 99 available on Time Warner Cable in Dallas. iMedia programming is also available on Verizon Fios channels 43, 44 and 45. The organization makes available video production training classes, production studio and equipment, and cable channels for public use. Additionally, for over 18 years Dallas iMedia Network has placed great emphasis on youth media literacy and training. iMedia youth initiatives include hosting summer and after-school media camps teaching film and video production techniques to youth ages 9 to 17 through partnerships with Dallas Children’s Theater, Dallas Parks and Recreation, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Texans Can and many more. The non-profit organization has over 22 years of service to Dallas as a unique communications resource for local programming and media production for community expression.

Above is part of the Art of the Secret Society and paintings by Michel Nedjar
August 23 – November 8

Art & Seek’s Jerome Weeks is running a lovely story about the Webb Gallery in Waxahachie. I’ve been a longtime, long-distance fan of that joint and Jerome’s piece makes me wanna suck-it-up and make the drive to see this place in person….

…The Webb Gallery specializes in this kind of thing, the funky and the visionary: folk art, outsider art, backwoods Americana, art from self-taught painters and prophets. As collectors, Bruce Webb says that he and his wife Julie are “flea-market trained.” The two native Texans enjoy driving cross-country to scout for things like hand-painted carnival banners from the 1940s, banners hawking freakshow acts like the man with “Two Noses” or “Creation: The World’s Most Amazing Attraction (Children Under 16 Not Admitted).” The Webbs have been doing this for 25 years…Read it all

Sarah Crisman ran a nice li’l story over on Pegasus News about Jeff Liles and the ressurection of the Kessler Theatre in Oak Cliff.

Click here to read it, baby!

Below is another (of the ongoing) videos in the “Resurrecting the Kessler” videos shot by Jeff Liles. Being former band-geek and drummer, I particularly love this video. It’s a bunch of the kids from Kessler co-owner Lisa Cabaniss’ dance studio drumming with the great Mitch Marine (think Smashmouth, Tripping Daisy, Andy Timmons, Dwight Yoakam)…wicked-awesomeness cubed…

Photo by Allison V. Smith

Zac Crain. My love for you has renewed, yet again. Not that it ever left, but it needed a little dusting off.

Zac wrote a simply splendid story on my beloved Bill Wisener and his sorta-kinda-but-not-really-new location over on Lamar for D Magazine and it’s a must-read. No excuses. Stop what you are doing and read it.

Walking into Bill’s Records on a July afternoon gives me the same feeling, I imagine, that people who grew up in Rust Belt towns get when they return home for a visit. It’s a soft punch to the heart, a mixture of guilt and sadness. I hadn’t been to Bill’s in maybe five years, probably more, so I didn’t see its slow slide into near obsolescence at its old super-sized North Dallas location. And I had yet to see its small-scale rebirth in The Cedars, snuggled up next to Poor David’s Pub, in the shadow of the Southside on Lamar loft complex.

Owner Bill Wisener is right where I left him all those years ago, sitting behind the counter near the front door, clad in his uniform of jeans and faded polo shirt. But apart from the young employee lurking near the counter, I am the only other person here, a head count that would have been impossibly small on a sunny summer Friday a decade ago. Back then, and for much of the two decades prior to that, Bill’s Records was sort of a musical clubhouse. It had the best records, and so it attracted the best employees, and the best customers, too. The aisles were choked with people thumbing through cardboard boxes, and the air was thick with debates over this band or that album and more than a little cigarette smoke. Bill’s Records was High Fidelity, but it was even better. It was the only place I wanted to be on a Friday afternoon…READ IT!

I’ve been a stones-throw from the old location on Spring Valley most of my life. I spent time there as a kid, but even more time there over the last decade. I worked for KHYI 95.3 The Range for awhile a few years back, and was front and center at every showcase they hosted on Friday afternoons. And while I have done some live video streaming at the new location (Erykah Badu’s CD Release to name one), I haven’t really spent time there visiting with Bill, as I should have done. Shame on me.

I love that man. I love his quirks, his personality, his genuine love for artists, music, vinyl and his customers. I’m going to visit him this week and thank him for all he’s done to keep me happy.

Thanks for the story Zac. You made my month…

PS – Bill’s Records still hosts the KHYI showcase every Saturday afternoon. Just log on to KHYI.com for more information and line-ups.

I just left a job that kinda, sorta meant the world to me. Living and working in the same building in Deep Ellum just don’t do it for me no’mo’. I’m tired of looking out the window and seeing a highway and trashed-up alleys. I pick it up, others pick it up, yet every morning there’s a whole new batch of broken bottles, empty chip bags and goodness knows what else. Unfortunately, the lack of change of scenery, many many overtime hours and stress at work…I’m up and leaving it all for destinations unknown. (kinda, I’m moving back out to Richardson so the boy-child can finish his senior year)

Do I still love Deep Ellum? Yes. But it’s just too hard on an old broad like me, and 10-year old pooch who has had his own backyard since birth, and a 17-year old boy, wanting to hang out at Starbuck’s in Richardson.

What the hell am I going to do now? I have no idea. I went from barely making ends meet, to…well…the ends still need to be met, therefore I’m laying awake most nights trying to figure out how I’m going to make that happen.

Inspiration.

I need inspiration. I need an idea. I need a job that pays more than $?.00 an hour. So I often turn to the places that inspire me on a regular basis, or to those folks who do the same. Thank GAWD for Art & Seek. Truly. Thanks.

Art & Seek is my little hideaway, where I go to read, see and hear wonderful things. Wonderful things in a positive way. So it was no surprise that my little oasis on the web featured two other people who always inspire me and make me smile. Camille Cortinas and Eric Neal, two of the loveliest people I know.

Please click. It’ll make your day too.

Nancy Visser talks Deep Ellum in yesterday’s Dallas Morning News…

…Several things are happening:

•Two new live music venues are in the works. On Wednesday, the City Council will consider a special use permit for Trees to open under a new owner. A second permit is pending for a blues club in the old Blue Cat Blues space.

•New restaurants have opened, including Lemongrass, offering sushi and a Vietnamese menu, and Po-Bill’s Cafe, serving soul food.

•DART will open three Deep Ellum light rail stations in September at Good Latimer Expressway, Baylor Medical Center, and Exposition Avenue and Fair Park.

•New infrastructure projects in the early stages include work on design and funding to connect the Santa Fe bike/pedestrian trail to Deep Ellum and a road linking Hall Street with Fair Park, said Pauline Medrano, District 2 City Council member.

How quickly Deep Ellum fills in remains to be seen. The community association estimates there are more than 4,000 residents, about 30 restaurants and 25 art galleries, as well as businesses ranging from tattoo parlors to cheese makers and auto services. And that doesn’t count the bars and clubs.

Still, some strips are pockmarked with empty storefronts. There are times when the streets are empty except for the dog walkers, and there are times when people are spilling out of galleries and bars.

It’s not the Deep Ellum of the early ’90s, when the masses would descend at night, raise hell and go home. But that’s not necessarily what the community wants again…

My utter adoration for Quick is certainly no secret. This week put me in a whole new level of head-over-heels. You simply must pick up a hardcopy for the creamy goodness inside….and out.

The divine Robert Gomez graces the cover, as well as the interview inside with darling Hunter. Pine Sticks and Phosphorus (Nova Posta Vinyl) drops Tuesday, April 14th and things kick-off on Sunday, April 12th at Good Records with an in-store you really shouldn’t miss. 4 PM. Free. Greatness.

If you turn to page 7, you’ll find a delightful interview with our beloved Scotty Mankoff. I actually learned a few new things about Scotty that I didn’t know before. But I ain’t tellin’, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

Now flip over to page 18 for Hunter Hauk’s music news and concert picks aka Hot and Fresh Week, Johnny Lloyd Rollins, the Orbans, Nicholas Altobelli, Salim Nourallah, Eric Neal, the Nervebreakers and more.

Even on page 29, there’s some House of Dang luvin’….which is exactly where I’m heading as soon as I hit the publish button.

Read it.

You can always come on over to the coffeehouse and getcherself a copy of Quick and if you mention the secret phrase “Hot and Fresh,” it’ll getcha a free drink!

We was on da’ news again. I still need musicans/bands to perform at It’s a Grind. Lemme know if you wanna perform!

Just an inkling of one reason as to why I adore Jeff Liles with all my heart, soul, fingers’n'toes, is that we are about the same age, went to the same high schools and sort of lived through the same things, only to actually meet each other decades later.

So I’m quite pleased with this weeks Echoes and Reverberations, Our Radio Heads are Waxing Nostalgic.

,,,In 1974, Dallas rock radio was a truly subversive phenomenon. Program directors and DJs had the guts to try some new shit. It wasn’t uncommon to hear songs that you were long to lose your virginity to: “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin, “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent, and Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do?” were all like sex on the radio. Fringe artists like Funkadelic, Frank Zappa and Little Feat were getting regular spins at night. An experimental instrumental record like the Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein” even registered as a hit single. Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon was on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart for over five years straight.

For a twerp kid in Richardson, The Zoo was the analog portal into a bizarre subversive counterculture. A mysterious black vacuum where men wore earrings, women smoked pot and all of the lyrics were profoundly poetic. (What was a stairway to heaven, anyway? And just how much did it cost? Have you seen the wheel in the sky? I hear it keeps on turnin’.)…Please Read it All.

I’m particularly fond of the ZOO logo. I had this sticker on my first car…a 1950-something, bright yellow Ford pick-up truck. One day, upon returning from Stewart’s Creek at Lake Lewisville, the sun setting behind the truck casting a shadow of the sticker on to the dashboard…we, in the truck, had a few beers under out belts and quite happily coined the phrase “Excellente’ Elephante’”….heh…later, upon arriving home, still a’buzzed, we all ate dog food by accident…aaaaaaah memories…

Everything written below was penned by Jeff Liles. Read it. Yeah, it’s a day or 20 late, but I already toldya, I’ve been sick and doing some feeling sorry for myself time..sheeeeesh…

When you finish up readin’ below, then click here for an AMAZING short film, Dopamine, with the glorious Cottonmouth, Texas on the soundtrack. It’s beeeaaauuutiful.

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A History of Dallas Music by Jeffrey Liles *read it often – look at the photos – learn*

There was a very inspirational brainstorming session last night at the Prophet Bar.

A large number of dedicated gallery owners, artists, residents, public relations execs, photographers and committed visionaries gathered together to cut through all the distorted perception and begin the process of reclaiming Deep Ellum.

Fact: nobody, including Beck Ventures, is going to change the face of this neighborhood for the worse. The deal hasn’t gone through yet, and when/if it does, many of the properties they are interested in are protected by a no-tear-down clause. Unless a building is simply beyond salvage or repair, it isn’t going anywhere.

Fact: the creative/artistic legacy of the neighborhood is simply priceless. Much in the same way small business owners came together to deal with the SUP issues, we are going to continue to reach out to the North Texas creative community in the effort to protect and restore this neighborhood.

Fact: as many of you have already pointed out, there are literally dozens of interesting and inspirational destinations within the neighborhood. Deep Ellum is anything but dead. In actuality, during this difficult economy, the neighborhood is currently providing the best overall value for your entertainment dollar.

This isn’t a veiled pitch or advertisement, it’s simply the truth.

Fact: if you’ve never been to an art gallery opening, you should know they’re free. It’s a great place to take a date. Many of the galleries in the neighborhood all have art openings on the same night, and they are all within walking distance of each other.

You don’t have to spend five or ten bucks to park in a lot, just bring a handful of change and you can park on the street the whole night for less than three bucks.

If you’d rather go drop 60 bucks a person at the House of Blues to see a show that ends before midnight, spend six or seven dollars for a single beer at the Palladium, then go for it. Just know that drink prices in Deep Ellum are WAY less than that.

You won’t go broke by seeing a show or dining in this neighborhood.

You can’t destroy or diminish Deep Ellum. It was here long before all of the shiny shopping malls, the overpriced corporate live music venues and trendy “red velvet rope” clubs with their snooty bottle service. As was referenced time and time again last night, the area is the cradle of this city’s creative sensibility.

If you’re content to live in a vacuous, benign existence with little sense of purpose or meaning, then stay at home and jerk off your X-Box.

If you wanna break out of a routine that offers little or no spiritual or creative inspiration, then know you will be embraced and made to feel part of this very eclectic creative community.

We’re here. We’re not going anywhere. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

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UPDATE: via Liles – The Bar of Soap blog was actually written by Jessicka, who works at BOS. I just reposted it for her on the HoDM page.

As I’m sure everyone has heard by now, on Tuesday morning the landlord locked us out of Bar of Soap.

As many people know, BOS has gone through some hard times over the past couple of years. I personally came on about 4 months ago to help book and manage and try to bring it back.

In the past 4 months we have made a lot of improvements, booked some amazing shows, and come a long way; including catching up with the bills. But not everything happens overnight — and in the business world, 4 months of catching up isnt much compared to 2 years of business slowing down.

We have had a good relationship with the owners of the building and management company, and they have worked with us a lot over the past few months as we have been catching up. However, over the last weekend some changes took place in the management company [owner Lou Reese passed away -ed.] and a certain individual decided that our time at the Bar of Soap was up.

Hence came the lock out.

We were told we had to come up with an impossible amount of money basically overnight to get back in.

Finally, after much dismay, we realized it was over.

So we broke in, I blacked out the windows w/ trashbags, and we sent a text to about 50 people on my phone. “Come say your goodbyes”, and I promised everyone I would stay and serve until i ran out of everything — which we did.

Little did we know, those 50 people spread the word like fire, and by 2 am I’m sure a good 300 folks had been in and out of BOS by the end of the night.

I didn’t do this to try and save the bar, as I never even thought it possible with the amount of money that we needed. HOWEVER!!! We actually made enough money. We were able to meet with the powers that be on Wednesday and they actually worked with us!

EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT SAVED BOS!!! Even more importantly, I would like to point out that even those that didn’t come but told others all someone helped.

Now, I have heard rumor that some people think this was a hoax or stunt. Let me assure everyone that it was not !!!

Anyone here Tuesday night can tell you by my demeanor alone that it was nothing of the sort. The point I’m making here is, if everyone did all the time what they did on Tuesday night then we could assure that venues like ours will always be around.

Even if you cant make a show, because no one can make em all, tell someone about it!

When you pass by your pal in the grocery store… instead of gossiping about who is fucking who, or who got into a fight with who, if you know about a show that’s going on and think they might be interested in it, fucking spread the word! Pass out some flyers for a venue. If you work somewhere you can lay some out, pick some up and do it!

This goes for all places, not just the BOS. Tuesday has proven how well this can work. Most importantly — I just want to thank everyone and tell them how grateful I am we are still here.

Also, we have shows starting this Friday and then everynight after up until Tuesday of next week and many more all month. Please take a look at our calendar and spread the word!!

THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

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Bar of Soap Concert Calendar

10 Jul 2008 – NAME, RISE OF CALIGULA, & THE DAJJAL PERSONA :Sponsors by Peta &Ladies of Metal
11 Jul 2008 – THE RAY GRADYS (PHILLY) W/ RATS IN THE ATTIC
12 Jul 2008 – ROB CHOP’S EUROPEAN TOUR RETURN PARTY!!!!!!! PLAYING YOUR FAVORITES ALL NIGHT
14 Jul 2008 – THE REZUREX!!! HORROR PUNK FROM CALI! W/ SUBCITY VAMP! SPECIAL SHOW $10 COVER
16 Jul 2008 – HOT ROD CARL(Portland), DISASTER US(New Jersey), W/ TBA
18 Jul 2008 – THE FACTORY PARTY, THE FELLOW AMERICANS, THRASHING ASHLEY & BLACK RIVER CROW
19 Jul 2008 – SADDLE TRAMP & TENNESSEE GEORGE W/ TRUCKSTOP JUNKIES!
22 Jul 2008 – BOLTH W/ TBA
23 Jul 2008 – KTP W/ RESPONSIBLE JOHNNY & BEERGNOMES!!!
25 Jul 2008 – ROTTEN YOUTH (from AZ), THE ROLLER, & BLOOD OV
26 Jul 2008 – BLUE EYED SON W/ ROME IS BURNING AND TBA
1 Aug 2008 – THRASHING ASHLEY (SAN ANTONIO), SCREAMING RED W/ TBA
2 Aug 2008 – D.I.H.Y.F. (COLORADO) W/ TBA
4 Aug 2008 – GREEN ROOM ROCKERS W/ PENGUIN AND TBA
15 Aug 2008 – GUNS ON THE RUN (PHILLY), SQUARED OFF (CHICAGO) W/ THE BROADSIDERS & DCS
16 Aug 2008 – CHECK THE LIST W/ TBA
17 Aug 2008 – MURDER PRACTICE W/ TBA
11 Sep 2008 – SOMATHRACE, VORVADOSS, & BLOOD OV
20 Sep 2008 – SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE GO (Tulsa) W/ TBA
4 Oct 2008 – STREETLIGHT FIGHT (Tulsa) W/ TBA

I’m so so so behind on so so so much music stuff…so…so…so…

The D.E.E.P. meeting tonight is at St. Pete’s – 9 pm – everyone is welcome.

Agenda

1. Art Walk (any galleries input would be highly appreciated for this meeting. If you can’t attend but are will to help or let us know what you have happening on Sept. 13, let me know)
* Time Line
o Next 2 weeks
o Next Month
o Two Months out
o Sept. 13 event
o Sept. 9, 2009 DART Line opens with 2009 Art Walk
* Break into Groups
o Galleries & Alternative Spaces
o Marketing & Promotions
o After Party
2. Discuss future meetings
* Locations
* Guest Speakers

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Have I mentioned Doug Burr lately? Oh yeah…well listen-up, again. I could not be more jealous of my girl, Chelsea Callahan, for getting to be a part of this little project. Seriously, I’m not sure I could resume my normal breathing standing in the same magnificant room with the same magnificent artists…so….freakin’…awesome…

Dave Sims writes:

…12:30 p.m.: It just so happens that Josh Pearson, the reclusive mastermind behind Lift to Experience, is getting married to his German fiancée in the very same auditorium. Thirty or so friends, many from the North Texas music community, attend the ceremony amid the cables and mics shuffled to various sides of the room. Doug Burr delivers an impromptu performance of his new song “Wedding Bells.”

1 p.m.: It is decided that a gospel-style choir is needed for one particular track. Pearson and wedding guests Emil Rapstine (from The Angelus) and Chelsea Callahan (who books for The Double Wide) are recruited, while Deadman’s Steven Collins arranges the parts and leads the choir on the dusty auditorium stage….

Read the entire column, North of the Dial…I luvs ya Dave!

The Righteous Will Rejoice.mp3

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Deadman aka Steve Collins has released his latest, Severe Mercy, and it’s so muy bueno that I fell to my knees and wept…well, not really…but it’s really really good. Check it out.

This here’s a great Podcast with a collaborative li’l musical group in Austin, called Phono Records. I can’t wait to move to Austin.

Look for an “Inside the Mind” with Steve Collins the end of this month…on video..but of course….be excited…be very excited…

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There’s a (relatively) new kid on the block and he’s come out real strong-like. I’m bringing back the “Inside the Mind” series. First off, featuring local music bloggers, and Lance Lester of Bonafide Darling will be my first prey…heh…check out his divine little part of the world wide web here.

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I kinda sorta totally already knew about this, but apparently ’twas officially announced during my time of sickyness and totally feeling sorry for myself….

Shanghai 5 is no more, ceased to be, expired, bereft of life, pushing up the daisies, and joined the choir invisible!

After 4 years of good times, 300+ shows, touring, a 2007 DOMA award, many wild parties, and awesome collaborative efforts from our oddball associates and fans, we’re officially calling it quits.
We’d like to send special thanks to our friends and partners including; Cindy Chaffin, Hal Samples, Paul Slavens, PPT, White Ghost Shivers, Lee Harvey’s, Alex Jones, Earl Harvin, EZ Eddie D, Mr. Rid, Sista Whitenoise, Double Wide, DMA, Quick, Dallas Observer, and many more.

Shanghai 5 was just nominated for a 2008 DOMA award, but check out other nominees in that category before you cast a ballot.

Amy Curnow was nominated for a 2008 DOMA ‘Best Female Vocalist’ award, and she’s working on solo and collaborative material as well, including PPT’s latest album Denglish. Be sure and vote for her at; http://dallasobserver.com/polls/musicpoll08/

Thanks for the good times and support!

I know I’ve played this tune ad nauseum over the years, deal with it…I love it.

“Dead Man in a Motel” by Shanghai 5

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Jordan Fein and Zach Stone are off and running with their new project, Thank You. Expect a big, big shindig complete with audio/visuals and more on July 26th at SPACE. More on that later…

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I missed Frank’s birthday…didn’t even know about it…’til today. I really need to get my sh*t together, eh?

Artwork Courtesy of the Boy-Child

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This list is a li’l done – I gots more later to add…come back and see for yourownselves….xxox

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It’s a pretty darn decent week/end at AllGood Cafe – like 3 strong shows that made me cut’n'paste photos of the performers above…oh…and yeah, that’s Hal Samples pictured with porterdavis cuz…well…he tooked the photo.

AllGood Cafe
Thursday – Mario Matteoli
Friday – Menkena
Saturday – porterdavis

Club Dada
Thursday – Salim Nourallah / Ringo Deathstar / Street Hassel / DJ Wild in the Streets
Friday – Frog Eyes / White Hinterland / Evangelicals
Saturday – Strange Boys / Coathangers

Double Wide
Thursday – PPT(?) / DJ Middlefinger
Friday – Nuthin’
Saturday – Dead Twins / Magnet School / Space Cadet
Sunday – The Feds / Underwater / The Better Death

Red Blood Club
Thursday – Naked and Shameless
Friday – ANS / Unit 21 / Rageous Bros. / Seasick / Zheia Golov / Stymie

Fallout Lounge
Thursday – Lost Generation w/Wanz Dover
Friday – The Fever w/DJ El Macho & DJ C MacPhie

City Tavern
Thursday – Southern Swing
Friday – Spector 45 / Goodwin / The Dirty Sound
Saturday – Southern Drive / Truckstop Junkies

Opening Bell
Thursday – Suzanna Choffel / Lang Freeman
Friday – Dylan Sneed / Ryan Thomas Becker / Isaac Hoskins
Saturday – Brian Miller / Local Honey / Carman Menza

The Loft
Thursday – The RZA as Bobby Digital
Saturday – Joshua James / Scott McCurry / Lex Land / Justin Townes Earl

The Palladium
Saturday – Eric Hutchinson / Marie Digby / Justin Nozuka
Sunday – Rilo Kiley / Thao with the Get Down Stay Down / Benji Hughes

Lee Harvey’s
Thursday – DJ Sista Whitenoise
Friday – DJ Chikki G / The Tidbits
Saturday – DJ Sista Whitenoise / The Mumbles
Sunday – DJ EZ Eddie D

House of Blues
Friday – Matthew Ryan vs The Silver State / Jon Dee Graham

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The uber-cool-uber-fab-uber-hip House on Swiss pulls another good’un outta their collective adorable arses….

Saturday, June 14th
House on Swiss
Via Audio / Verulf / Jukebox the Ghost
10 pm – BYOB

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The Cavern
Thursday – Soulever Lift / The Boss Level / The Triggermen / Austin Brown – ZOO: The Video DJ Upstairs
Friday – Farstar / The JGB / JJ & the Rouges / Demihuman – DJ Red Eye Presents “Beat Stew” Upstairs
Saturday Grand Ole Party / Red Monroe / Man Factory – ZOO: The Video DJ Upstairs
Sunday – Ricki Derek Upstairs

If I gushed anymore about Ryan Bingham, then I’d be plumb outta gush and I need to save a little for later. His show…not…to…miss.

Thursday, June 12th
Granada Theater
Ryan Bingham / Dead Horses / Southern Drive / The Dedringers
Doors at 7 pm – It’s almost Sold-Out so Get ‘em while you can

Green Elephant
Thursday – C&W night with Brian Hughes and Friends

White Rock Coffee
Friday – Amanda Lepre / Andrew Stone
Saturday – Jordan Stephens

Love & War (Plano)
Friday – Thomas Michael Riley
Saturday – Houston Marchman CD Release
Sunday – Shiner Sunday w/Dale Watson

Obzeet
Thursday – Eric Erickson
Friday – Drop-Top Rockets

Hank’s
Friday – Texas Renegade
Saturday – Jesse Dayton

Dan’s Silverleaf
Thursday – Gretel / Sarah Jaffe / Doug Burr
Friday – Eric Keyes
Saturday – Big Daddy Alright
Monday – Paul Slavens

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This weekend, it’s all about the Gutterth boys. Cuz, they create some of the bestest shows ever. Yeah. I said it. EVER.

Friday, June 13th
J&J’s Pizza – 118 Oak Street – Denton
New Science Projects / Dust Congress / The Heartstring Stranglers / Parata

Saturday, June 14th
Hailey’s
Gutterth Live: Episode XXII
Balmorhea / MOM / Hotel, Hotel / Geistheistler
Doors at 9 pm / $6-$8 – All Ages

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Hailey’s
Friday – Hallelucination / Odis / Katsuk
Saturday – Balmorhea / MOM / Hotel, Hotel / Geistheistler

Rubber Gloves
Thursday – Weird Weeds / Shiny Around the Edges / Fight Bite / Verulf
Friday – R9 / DJ-G
Saturday – Cats & Dogs – Benefit for Denton Humane Society
Grillin’ Keggin’n'Helpin’ our 4-legged friends
Peforming Bands:
1:00pm – The Tellevators
1:45pm – Starhead
2:30pm – Ella Minnow
3:15pm – Violent Squid
4:00pm- Big Ol Bastards
4:45pm – Handbrake
5:30pm – The Fuzzy Coos
6:15pm – RTB2
7:00pm – Monkeytown
7:45pm – Audrey Lapraik
8:15pm – George Neal
9:00pm – Little Birds
9:45pm – Raised By Tigers
10:30pm – The Heelers
11:15am – Sarah Jaffe
12:00am – Tre Orsi
12:45am – Record Hop
DOORS OPEN AT NOON!
Bring your dog, and enjoy beer, burgers, bands all day long!

8.0
Thursday – Josh Weathers Band / Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights / Chatterton

1919 Hemphill
Friday – Outclassed / Difference Engine / Fatty Fabulous / Division of Power

The Aardvark
Thursday – Bob Schneider / The Campaign
Saturday – James McMurtry / The Dedringers

The Fairmount
Thursday – Mike McClure / Courtney Patton
Friday – Catfish Whiskey / The Ginn Sisters / Claire Moore and her Boys
Saturday – Josh Weathers / Jody Jones / Whiskey Myers

Fred’s
Thursday – Rodney Hayden
Friday – Villain Vangard
Sunday – Magee Payne / Kurt South

Lola’s
Thursday – The Backsliders CD Release / Fate Lions / RTB2
Friday – Joan of Arc / Tame Tame & Quiet / Yellow Fever
Saturday – Little Big Horn / Merkin / Hedkase

The Moon Bar
Friday – Maren Morris / The Royal West Co. / Grant Jones
Saturday – The Iliads / Binary Sunrise

Scat Lounge
Thursday – Johnny Reno
Friday – Ricki Derek & the Vegas Six
Saturday – Quamon Fowler Quintet

White Elephant
Thursday – David Matsler / Sam Anderson
Friday – Clay McClinton
Saturday – Steve Carasco – 2 pm – Billy Joe Shaver
Sunday – Brett Watts Songwriters in the Round (2 pm) / Cassie Phelps (7 pm) / Clubhouse Concerts w/Walt Wilkins and more

Woody’s Tavern
Friday – Ryan Turner / Josh Davis
Saturday – Josh Grider / Larry Hooper

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In-Stores

Bill’s Records
Saturday
Brett Dillon hosts!
2:30pm – The Black Prairie Band
3:15pm – The Dirty Sound
4:00pm – Guy Forsyth
4:45pm – Mike and the Moonpies
Free

Good Records
Saturday:
Via Audio
3 pm – Free

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Radio…

Friday

89.3 KNON – Rocket Radio – “underground electronic and dark music from the North Texas area and around the world”
Midnight ’til 4 am

Saturday

KTCU 88.7 – Radio Sputnik
Tune in at noon!

89.3 KNON – The Dungeon – hard rock, punk, metal and lots from our local unsigned bands
Midnight ’til 4 am

Sunday

The Local Show on KDGE 102.1 The Edge with the always hot ‘n hunky Chris Ryan – Tune in at 9:00 PM

The Front Porch on 99.5 The Wolf with the better ‘n buttah Justin Frazell – 6:00 PM

The Good Show on KTCU – 88.7 FM with my fave 3 2 stooges Tom U. Tony Diaz – starts at 9:00 PM.

90.1 at Night with my mentor Paul Slavens – 8-10 PM

Uncut with DJ Steve Nice – The absolute best in local Rap/Hip-hop/R&B 11 PM – K104 FM

89.3 KNON – Pagan Holiday- Open playlist, call in your requests! Lots of Indi and local rock.
Midnight ’til 4 am

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Artsy-Fartsy

Saturday, June 14th
Kettle Art

“Cathey Millers latest paintings depict portraits of women clad in tactical gear, gas masks, ski masks, and American flags inhabiting bunkers and rooms full of video screens. Miller uses bold colors and a painterly style to present a doomsday scenario that is tempered by the occasional orange bicycle, a sweetly smiling face, or a fluorescent jellyfish. Her inspirations for this new work are the constant stream of violent images on modern computer, television, movie, and gaming screens, and “Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness” issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Miller is a 1985 graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena , CA.”

Saturday, June 14th
Hal Samples Gallery and SPACE
Performance by Fight Bite
Live Video Stream here on FineLineLive.com

I’m going to defer to my dear friend over at the Sub-Rosa for all your art-going needs. The chick knows her sh*t. Use her site often.

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I Love Math’s highly anticipated album, Getting to the Point is Beside It, sits all hot’n'bothered’n'ready for your insatiable CD player. Tonight, please join me in celebration by settin’ up over at Barley House for a good ol’ fashioned listenin’-to partay.

Out of town? Too lazy to make the drive? That’s kinda okay cuz we’ll be streaming the whole shindig live here at The Fine Line. Expect the cameras to roll ’bout 7 pm. The chat room will be up and running too, in case youse got questions for the band or somethin’.

Getting To The Point Is Beside It
We all get tired and we all get weary. Sometimes what we need is something true-a good, honest document stripped of all falsehoods and petty trickery. I Love Math’s new album, Getting to the Point Is Beside It is one such thing.

“It’s amazing what kind of magic some people can make with only the most basic of ingredients,” says Mundane Sounds about front-man/guitarist John Dufilho’s songwriting.

Dufilho (also the front-man for the Deathray Davies and drummer of Apples in Stereo), says “Mostly, I wanted to write and record a very straightforward album. I wanted it simple, to the point, and didn’t want to hide behind effects pedals, distortion, studio tricks, or irony.”

Drummer Philip Peeples agrees, saying, “On this record, I really enjoyed keeping it simple, playing into the songs, not simply through them. Also, John and Jason are amazing drummers, something that’s never far from my mind.” Accordingly, the band’s unwritten rule of “keep it sparse” makes perfect sense alongside another I Love Math mantra: “no cymbals allowed.” Simplicity over all.

On the 12 song Getting to the Point, pedal steel soars out over guitars you’d expect from the best of old school country. But this is no retro trip; songs like “Josephine Street,” “Some Bridges,” and “Too Many Demons” wouldn’t be out of place on a mix-tape with contemporaries like Jon Brion, Belle & Sebastian, Jonathan Richman, and Yo La Tengo (Fakebook-era) as it would with vintage Kinks, and like-minded harmonizers Simon and Garfunkel and the Everly Brothers.

As The Deathray Davies continues to move forward, I Love Math comes on as its own animal. This is no side-project; Dufilho writes endlessly, so pulling off two full-time bands is almost second nature. Recorded with Salim Nourallah at Pleasantry Lane Studio,.Dufilho and his Dallas-based band-mates, bassist Jason Garner (The Deathray Davies, The Paper Chase), drummer Philip Peeples (Old 97’s), and keyboardist Andy Lester (The Deathray Davies, Slider Pines), have given us an organic yet cinematic piece of music. Songs like “These Paper Walls,” “Volcanic Ash,” and “Better Days” come off like a soundtrack to a great movie that was never made.

On Getting to the Point, I Love Math deliver something modern yet classic. Welcome this record into your life. Your soundtrack has never been better.

“Josephine Street”

My first click over to this week’s Dallas Observer was a pleasing one. My new first read each week is Dave Sims’ new column, North of the Dial. Yeah, I’m somewhat biased cuz I’ve known and loved Dave for years, but I also really respect his writin’ abilities and I ain’t met a band from Denton yet, that I don’t like.

This week I was particularly pleased with Dave’s shout-out to those Gutterth boys. Michael and Brent are good folks, and they put on some hella shows that rival any best-of-the-best shows in DdFW….

…Michael Briggs, on the other hand, is the rare musician who thrives on all of it. Briggs and his friend Brent Frishman run Gutterth Productions, which, for the last two years, has put together more than 20 of the best Denton and Dallas billings with their Gutterth Live series. The events began as a thinly veiled scheme to allow Briggs’ band Malise to share the stage with The Paper Chase, whom he had admired for years. That show was a success, and it occurred to Briggs that instead of waiting on the whim of local venue calendars, he could arrange the concerts he wanted to see himself…Read

I have this thing about putting stickers on my car. Don’t want ‘em on there, won’t put ‘em on there…but for Gutterth I made an exception.

Take a gander at the show the boys have set up for next weekend…

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I read anything written by Merritt Martin. I also read anything penned by Darryl Smyers, ’specially if it pertains to Eleven Hundred Springs.

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Then I clicked over to Pete Freedman’s review of Quick’s Big Thing.

I read it three times to make sure I was really reading what I was reading. Pete? Really? Lemme preface this by saying that I like Pete Freedman. I like him a lot. But he’s sort of put a burr in my britches (no, not Doug, getcher mind outta the gutter) with his entirely snarky and overly harsh review of an evening which I found quite divine. To each their own, I suppose, but this review just seems really…I dunno…below the belt or something.

Course I’m pretty defensive when it comes to Quick, and certainly Hunter Hauk. Those folks have all been real good to me, even forgiving. I was invited to be a panelist and a presenter for the event…so I guess I’m taking the review personally. I’ve also already admitted that, after the horror of being on stage to present, I basically proceeded to the backstage area Green Room with full intent to get sloshed. So I only know what I know…and I know it was a great event, tons of fun and a huge endeavor for Quick (ya know, they have a teeny-tiny staff). Hell, I was downright proud to have been a part of it.

I just don’t understand the pokes and jabs, Pete. I think we’ve got room for a couple of good music events (or awards) sponsored by the city’s media. Why not? It’s the only time this ol’ gal gets offered a free drink, and it’s fun to have so many musicians, of whom I am both friend and fan, in one room for an evening.

That friggin’ Palladium is downright cavernously humongous. Hell, I got lost behind the stage area. I thought the crowd seemed pretty filled-out, considering the size of the venue, and well attended for a Thursday night.

Oh well, soapbox folded and stored away…Read Pete’s take here.

The rest of the music section can be found here.