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Recently a couple new venues have emerged in the music scene in Little Rock.  Along with the tried and true venues that we know and love, Union and The Town Pump have entered the arena.  They've been booking shows now since fall of last year, but are now just coming to the attention of people in town.  It's not a competition at all, hell I'm just happy to see some new places open and furthering awesome music.  I chose the image because I think of Union as having class, and Town Pump as a grittier character, but both have similar qualities.  Even if it was a battle to see who would win, I couldn't decide because I like both places equally well.

I'll start with Union.  It's not your typical venue.  Union is a tapas bar at the bottom of Cantrell Road right behind The Red Door.  It boasts some of the best tapas in town, and to this date I've only had the hummus, but it was amazing! 

However, on to the shows.  Mike Poe, seasoned Little Rock scene veteran, is booking shows down there.  To this date, all shows have been free, which is certainly an appealing factor to them.  He's booked all types of genres so far, from crazy electronic/DJ duo Rural War Room, to the beautiful indie musical styling of The Blue Hit.  He's also booked hard hitting rock guys, Josh & The Devil Sinners.  So, there is definitely not a preference to one type of music to another.  In fact, he's encouraging bands to play there. 

The venue itself is pretty airy.  It offers a smoking environment after 9pm and has superb ventilation.  I could barely tell it was a smoking venue when I was there which was pleasantly nice.  There are tables to sit at and room to dance, so I suggest everyone go there at least once.  Shows usually run from 10-1 and drinks & tapas are aplenty. 

The Town Pump has come under new management and offers a bit more of a bar setting for shows.  Think White Water but a little less worn in & dirty.  They've been booking shows left and right it seems, and I'm glad there is another venue to see music in town.

I've been to several shows down there and my only complaint is the set up of the bar versus the venue itself.  The bar is ill placed as soon as you walk in, constricting the flow of traffic down to a narrow trickle between the game side and the music side.  They offer shuffleboard, pool, and foozball on one side of the bar, and the stage is on the other side.  Besides that one thing, it's a great place.  It offers drink specials every night, karaoke on Tuesdays, and great vittles until, I believe, 1am. 

They've booked the likes of local acts Frown Pow'r, Brother Andy & His Big Damn Mouth, and several out of band towns now.  I look forward to seeing what else they book in the future.  They offer a smokers' patio, and a down home cozy feeling. 

I wish both of these venues much luck in the coming future, and can't wait to see if they catch on a bit more with the masses in Little Rock.  Until then, happy show going!


(Photos belong to Warner Bros. & Paramount Pictures respectively)

I've purposely delayed writing about this specific band for a little over a week now.  Dallas, Texas' own Cadillac Sky played for no more than twenty people at Juanita's last week.  It's a very rare occasion that a band wows me so much that I don't say anything right off the bat, which is an amazing feeling. 

Cadillac Sky is a five man strong powerhouse of a band.  They bring mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and lap steel to the table, just to name a few of their huge arsenal of instruments.  Together, these men comprise one of the most entertaining and vibrant, non-traditional bluegrass bands I have ever seen.  I've been exposed to my fair share of bluegrass being from the South, but this was literally the best form I've seen to date.

Mixing a righteous amount of funk and a handful of indie stylings, Cadillac Sky has blended three superb genres of music in to one that left the audience in a jaw dropping stupor.  We all agreed when they finished their set that we wanted more, but tour deadlines and a late night weren't conducive to this desire.  I'm just thankful I had the distinct pleasure to see them.

I knew from the first mandolin heavy song of their set that I'd like them.  With very little exposure to the group before the show, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting in to.  Add a banjo player who can pluck catchy, funk riffs from the traditional instrument, and you have all the fixings to make a band that awed me.

Bryan Simpson was the predominate lead vocalist, but duties were shared with David Mayfield, Jessica Lea's brother.  However, don't let the famous sister throw you for a loop, David most definitely held his own and kept the Mayfield name untarnished.  These guys are so talented to the point where I kept wondering what they would do next.  All five of the guys were multi-instrumentalists as far as I could see, and one could never guess which guy would play what instrument next.  By this point, my mind has officially been blown in the best possible way.

To cinch the deal, and make me a fan for the long haul, Simpson did a heart stopping, beautifully poignant rendition of Death Cab For Cutie's, "I Will Follow You In To The Dark."  I am not a huge Death Cab fan, but I have heard Ben Gibbard's version and must say Simpson left him in his wake.  The guys went unplugged, including no mic, and time seemingly stopped for those three and a half minutes.  It was a beautiful cover, and I'll leave it at that.

These men have been busy with three CD's and an EP to their name.  They are currently touring in support of their newest endeavor produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. I'm anxiously awaiting the new CD, and I know several of the people who were at the show with me are also thrilled for it to be released. I wish these humble and gifted musicians the best of luck for the future and can only wait and hope that they will come back through town to wow some more people. 

-L

(Photo from Cadillacsky.net)

It is such a seldom delight to be able to see a band play Little Rock two nights in a row.  Geronimo, hailing from Chicago, Illinois, was the latest band in my small, lucky streak of multiple show, visiting bands.  I got to Vino’s the first night of their Arkansan stint and was met by the usual gaggle of Schiller St. crust punk kids and a few of their friends.  I recognized everyone off the bat with the exception of three guys.  I figured they comprised Geronimo, and I was correct.  Local, slightly rock infused punk band Bratmouth, opened the show.  They played their set in the corner on the actual floor of Vino’s backroom.  It has been far too long since I’ve seen a band choose to play on the floor as opposed to the stage.  They played a short, but powerful set and everyone in attendance, twelve or so, was digging their sound.

Geronimo walked on the stage after a hearty thanks to Bratmouth.  I was not very familiar with them at that time, but I had been sent a digital copy of their latest tour EP (dowload link near the bottom of the entry) and had listened to it a couple times.  I was a bit hesitant at first with the lack of a bass player, but they really pulled out all the stops with drums and lower ranges on keyboard.  Regardless of my little knowledge of their band and my initial hesitations, they put on a hell of a show.  The only thing I regret, and that I think gives Little Rock a bit of a bad reputation sometimes, is the fact that half the audience left after Bratmouth’s set.  However, it was no sweat off the band’s back.  They were thrilled there were people out to begin with.

With a bang of the keyboard and the rhythmic beat of the bass drum, these three guys were off to quite a start.  On their Myspace page, they claim to be zouk and rock inspired.  I definitely got the rock part out of it, but was perplexed as to what zouk was.  I later looked it up to find that it is a rhythmical musical styling originating from Guadeloupe, Haiti, Dominica, French West Indies, and eventually spreading to many other parts of the world.  The Wikipedia article does a pretty decent job at describing it more in depth and offering sub-genres of the style.  I tend to think Geronimo draws heavily from the zouk-love variation where their music is slower and more dramatic. Though by no means are they a zouk band, there are very evident inspirations drawn and infused in to their music. 

These three guys from Chicago have a great thing going here.  Their music makes me want to watch one of those IMAX space exploration movies when I’m listening.  I feel like I have no cares in the world while I’m transported to a new and exotic place.  I love when bands can do that, and then on the drop of a dime, bring you crashing back to reality with a hard hitting, pure rock song.

Ben, Matt, & KJ played the next night at Pizza D’Action.  I was not sure if I was going to make it due to a movie night with some of my friends, but after a rousing viewing of Mortal Kombat, I made my way over.  I was thoroughly excited to see them again and support their music.  Even though their set started late, I was in great spirits and surrounded by good folks.  The turnout was better at Pizza D’s because of its 21+ crowd, and it was really interesting to watch those people, who had no idea there was a show scheduled that night, get in to them as the night progressed.  These guys certainly give it their all when there is not a huge turn out, and I admire and thoroughly respect them for it. 

It has been a long time since I have been so at ease hanging out with a band of people I did not know previously.  However, Geronimo put me at ease from the moment I met them.  Each of the guys is about as nice as they come, and it was such a pleasure to hang out and swap stories.  The night ended on a high note and hopefully their self proclaimed, but completely inaccurate “ Crappy Songs For Jerks Tour of 2010”  sees them gain more fans and create amazing memories.

-L

(Photo by: Unknown)

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Well, as you know 2009 was certainly an interesting year.  I saw a lot of music I normally wouldn't have, and I'm a bit better of a person for it.  I've been dragging my heels on doing a year end wrap up now for the better part of December, but I suppose I needed to do so.

This was definitely the year of house shows, at least in my world.  Two of the hands down, best shows I attended were either in the living room or the back yard of houses. 

Austin Lucas, after suffering major car troubles in Arizona or New Mexico, had to unfortunately cancel his scheduled Juanita's date, but still made good on his word and came to Little Rock.  We were lucky enough to have someone volunteer their back yard, and I can't even describe how amazing it was to see him that closely.  We huddled around him while he howled and sang with power.  It was a chilly night to begin with, but his talent sent extra chills down my spine.  Besides being one hell of a singer/songwriter, he is one of the nicest guys I met over the last year.  He's got a pretty sweet sense of humor too!  If you don't own his solo record, Somebody Loves You, it's definitely worth a listen.

The other house show, that was just superb, was Micah Schnabel, of Two Cow Garage.  He recently released his first solo effort, When The Stage Lights Go Dim.  It's simply phenomenal, and we were lucky to keep him in town for three shows.  He first opened for Slobberbone on a Tuesday evening.  Then we convinced him to come back Friday to play this house show.  He was previously scheduled to open for Lucero, but somewhere along the lines there were conflicts and he got bumped from the ticket.  Not all was lost though, about 25 people made it to an extremely last minute house show, and Micah played his heart out.  He covered much of his new album, and several Two Cow Garage songs.  He is an exceedingly heartfelt performer who puts so much effort and care in to his songs that it astounds me.  He's one of the most humble men I have ever met, and if you have yet to hear any TCG or his solo album, I strongly recommend them even if you aren't in to the whole alt-rock, partially americana scene. 

As for venues, White Water Tavern was by the far the best of the year especially for bringing in random bands.  They had two awesome international acts that some may scoff at, but a bar that size being able to bring them is pretty amazing in retrospect.  Besides those two, Matt White & co at the bar worked on bringing not just the usual fare alt-country that the place has been previously associated with.  I noticed a trend in White bringing more blues people than I'd ever seen there.  T-Model Ford & CeDell Davis stand out in my mind.  They are simply living legends and each of their shows was mind blowing.  I have no idea if they'll make it back in the next  year, but I'm certainly gunning for them to. 

WWT also brought in Zydeco, Punk, Metal, Rock, Indie, & just about anything else one could want.  It was a diverse year, and those who entered that smoke filled bar at least once this past year were more than guaranteed some of the best music around.  Thanks to all there.

However, Chris King needs a mention here as well.  He was able to bring in a bigger, diverse ticket as well.  We saw the likes of Langhorne Slim, Wax Fang, Cursive, Dead Confederate, Dinosaur Jr., and Elvis Perkins In Dearland to name a few.  Obviously he has a bit more money to work with at the larger venues, and he deserves a pat on the back for what he's brought to a stage near you this year.

As for favorite Little Rock bands this year, I've been following Magic Hassle and The See rather closely.  Each are different in style and sound, but both put forth an amazing effort and it certainly shows whenever I catch one of their performances.  I've talked on and on about both but they're worthy of it.  I'll say keep your eyes open for some of their upcoming shows, and I'll leave it at that.  However, even that was really hard to decide because there have been so many strong band forming in town over the last half year.  I was actually a bit conflicted, but have no fear, I love all of you even if you weren't mentioned on here!

The wild card Little Rock band, who has only played once and hopefully not the last time, is Sweet Eagle.  Yes, Sweet Eagle.  I really hope these guys make 2010 bow to them.  I'll guess we'll have to see.

I have been putting considerable thought in to my favorite, under the radar band, of the year and have finally settled on Red Collar of Durham, North Carolina (Mike Jackson, 1/4 of RC pictured singing with fans).  No matter what I listen to, I always come back to their first full length, Pilgrim.  It is one of the genuinely few albums I own that keeps my attention throughout its eleven tracks.  There seriously is not a dull moment on it, and that is one of the hardest things that bands seem to struggle with these days.

Red Collar has apparently broken through that barrier and rightfully so.  They tour hard and play even harder.  Alt-rock & indie with punk throwbacks have all been mixed finely to create a sound that everyone seems to love, but seemingly many don't know about.  It's truly a pity because these guys & gal have earned more acclaim than they have been given, and if you're interested in grabbing a copy of their CD or recently pressed vinyl, swing on over to Suburban Home Records.  Their effort is honestly worth it, and I hope they garner more support than ever in 2010. 

I've seen them now several times, and I swear each show just gets better.  The Little Rock audience feeds off their energy and in turn Red Collar feeds off the audience.  I was blown away the first time I saw them, and will continually be so each time they make their way through in the future.  As far as I'm concerned, they will always be welcome in town, and I hope they come back sooner rather than later. 

Obviously this is my opinion, and I'd love to hear what some of your favorites of the year have been.  Thanks for all the support, and I'll be ringing in with a New Year's Eve report around the 2nd or so.  Have a wonderful night, and don't get in to too much trouble!

-L

(Photo by: Lizzie Burnham)

The other night was quite the experience for me.  I made my way out in temperatures colder than Boston, which is usually unheard of here in Little Rock, to watch The See, Capgun Coup, and Cursive play.  I was not quite prepared for what I saw, but had a decent time nonetheless. The See, who have built up a cult like following over the past year, opened the night early on.  They came back from touring in the Midwest only to play another show the night after.  It didn’t seem to take a toll on them though because they killed their set.  Those who were there to see Cursive seemed to enjoy them as well which is as good as anyone could have hoped for.

Capgun Coup, who I had never heard of before, is touring with Cursive right now.  I got really excited when I saw three guys carrying up this massive organ to the stage. I’m a huge fan of organs incorporated in bands, so I was really looking forward to their set.  CC’s Myspace categorizes them as indie, surf, and punk.  I would not necessarily describe them as indie or surf, but they had overwhelming aspects of punk to them down to the lead singer’s screaming vocals during songs.  The backing music was relatively decent, but after a few songs they all tended to blend together in my mind.  However, I cannot knock them at all seeing as they are touring with Cursive and got up to play for a group that nearly everyone in the venue was there to see.  I will have to listen to some of their recorded music before I write them off totally because I definitely see potential there.

 The venue took a while to fill and was not at capacity when Cursive came to the stage.  I had heard some of their music in passing, and while I thought Tim Kasher’s vocals were nicely recorded, they blew me away in person.  They definitely fill the indie rock niche that they have chosen to take part in.  What they do, they do well.

 I was actually surprised out how amazing Kasher’s voice was.  It fluctuated between giving me goosebumps and positively assaulting my aural senses.  If anyone says he cannot sing, they need to see him live to get the full effect.  While he was singing, it was certainly a nice sight to see nearly everyone in attendance mouthing the words along to every song.  There have been few shows where I’ve seen that done, and I believe a band has done their job if they have that hardcore of a following.  While I wasn’t able to sing along to any of their songs due to not being very familiar with them, I nonetheless had a lovely time watching them perform.  They kept the audience riveted with their rather lengthy set, and I would even venture to say that everyone there got their money’s worth especially since it was their first time visiting Little Rock.

Though neither touring band was my particular cup of tea, I give them credit where credit is due.  They played their hearts out to the audience.  Their work ethic is strong, and I do not see it dwindling any time in the near future.  Cursive’s been at this game for years now and all their hard work is paying off.  Capgun Coup, who are relatively new to the scene, are giving a valiant effort, and perhaps opening for Cursive’s tour will propel them in the right direction.  I am certainly glad to see these men doing what they love to do and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming year. 

-L

I’ve noticed this trend with superb shows being booked in the latter half of the week.  Recently, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, The Revival Tour, and Bishop Allen all were booked on Sundays.  Mondays are a second runner up with booking some of the best artists you may or may not have heard about.  Regardless, if I don’t keep my eyes open, I miss these amazing opportunities.  Sticky Fingerz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack, located in down town Little Rock, has been the best about these shows.  I don’t know many other places, which would book or are able to do so on those particular days.

This past Monday was a shining example of the excellent booking prowess at the above venue.  The double bill show is quickly becoming my favorite type at Stickyz, featured A.A. Bondy (pictured) and Elvis Perkins In Dearland.  I had heard some of Bondy’s material before through his album American Hearts. Needless to say, I loved it directly off the bat.  I haven’t actually heard his new full length, When The Devil’s Loose, in its entirety, but I’m sure it’s great. 

 Auguste Arthur Bondy chooses to go by A.A.  Personally I think the moniker there suits him way more so than going up to him and calling him Auguste.  He seems like a good old down home kind of guy, and I saw afterwards online that he was indeed from Alabama.  There’s almost something a bit intimidating about him but in a good way.  I was definitely thrilled to see that he was slated to play first of the night.

Bondy, whiskey in hand, came up on stage with his full band in tow.  I was unable to hear the names of his bassist or pedal steel/drummer, but they needed a mention because they were such a lovely addition to the set.  With one of the most coherent, fluid sound checks out of the way, they started.

I have never seen someone play a guitar with such nimble fingers as Bondy.  It almost seemed like he wasn’t even playing if that makes sense.  He played so delicately, yet hard enough to get his point across. When I first heard him about a year ago, I immediately made the comparison to Jeff Buckley in the sense that his music is extremely haunting as well.  Bondy’s voice is not one I could easily forget, which in my mind is one of the best things about a songwriter, or storyteller, as I like to refer to some of them as.  His voice is velvety soft, with enough edge to bring you back to reality and leave you wanting more.

With songs ranging from life to loss and the in between, there is something everyone can relate to.  Each song is crafted and executed so well that you cannot take your eyes off of him.  He grabs you by your imaginary horns, dances around with your emotions, and doesn’t let you go until he’s done.  I loved that about his set, and am eagerly waiting for the next time I get to see him solo or not.   

Elvis Perkins In Dearland, hailing from the Hudson River Valley in New York, is a gloriously talented quartet.  Elvis Perkins, an oddly dapper, mustachioed man, came up to the stage to back up Bondy on a song.  The rest of his band quickly followed.  They closed out his set, and then proceeded to load in to the stage. 

Perkins and his motley crew of men, with a tendency towards unkempt hair & paisley patterns, have perfected their brand of folk rock infused with humming, gospel refrains which they encourage the audience to sing along to, and a two-piece horn section.  It was certainly an entertaining show.  I hadn’t quite heard anything like that recently, so it was refreshing when they asked us to sing along to the some of the songs. 

They seemed like genuinely nice guys who had a seriously familiar grip on each instrument they played.  While I’m still not as familiar with EPID as I’d like to be, I’m going to be looking in to them more.  Coupled with Bondy, they made for one unforgettable Monday night show.  Here’s hoping I see both of them again some time in the future, and if you haven’t checked out either of these two bands, please do.  I highly doubt you’d be disappointed. 

 
-L

www.myspace.com/aabondy
www.myspace.com/elvisperkinsindearland

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What do you get when you put Jim Ward, Chad Price, Frank Turner, Jon Snodgrass, Audra Mae, Chuck Ragan, Jon Gaunt, and Digger Barnes all on the same stage?  The answer is the line up for 2009’s Revival Tour.  Chuck Ragan (pictured), of Hot Water Music, founded the tour two years ago to rousing success.  The tour headline on their website proudly states it is “an acoustic collaborative event.”  I personally could not sum it up any more precisely.

Ragan has tapped in to and brought forth an amazing idea.  Last year’s tour saw the likes of Tom Gabel, Ben Nichols, Tim Barry, Ragan, and a few others.  This year’s tour added significantly to the lineups with some artists playing relatively exclusively to all dates and other special appearances during other dates.  Chuck Ragan, Digger Barnes on upright bass, and Jon Gaunt on fiddle were the only ones that were on the last tour that came back to Little Rock this year, and it was strikingly obvious that over a year later, they are playing as tight with each other as one could hope for. 

The show started off with every artist on stage playing and singing along to a couple of songs.  Obviously that would be too much of a mess for the whole night, so the show was further broken down in to solo sets with backup from fiddle, upright bass, or another one of the musicians on tour. That way there is something for everyone in the audience, especially if someone really likes that one guy from that one band.  I commend Ragan for organizing it this way, because where else would I get to see all of these living legends play on one stage. 

I’d like to say my favorite set of the night was by an up and coming man named Frank Turner.  At first glance, this English man didn’t seem like a formidable force with his boyish good looks and his “oops, I was drunk…” Texas tattoo, but I was blown away with how great his music and demeanor was.  He sings of friends & enemies, booze, and general other trials of life but with a zest and charm that one cannot keep their eyes off of him.  He entertained us with several stories from here and there, which only made him even more likeable. 

Like a lot of the other Revival members, he had been doing his punk rock thing before and not making it as far as he would have liked to.  However, he dropped his band, started doing solo shows, and relentlessly toured.  People started to take notice of his new brand of punk tinged, acoustic folk and he has steadily gained popularity in his home country and now in the US.  This man is literally an entity not to be reckoned with.  That being said, if you get a chance, I highly suggest you check out his music.  

Jim Ward, of Sparta, At The Drive In, and Sleepercar, put on one hell of a show.  Really, I could say that about every last one of the musicians up there.  Ward in particular was able to emote his feelings to a tee where you were completely in line with them.  It certainly takes an awfully talented person to do that.  I’ve listened to Sleepercar for a bit now and never had any good reason to check who was in it, but I’m glad Ward ended up being on those credits.

I was also highly looking forward to Chad Price & Jon Snodgrass.  In the last year or so, I’ve gotten really in to Drag The River, and since their untimely break up a couple years back, I was wondering if I’d ever get to see them.  I knew DTR had been through Little Rock several times prior, but I was unfortunately not old enough to go or familiar with them.  So, in seeing them it made one of my small wishes come true.  I personally wished they’d played a longer set, but a handful of songs were better than none. 

The show was a success even if it was for only a crowd of twenty people give or take a few.  I personally liked the fact that it was so intimate, even though that definitely hurt the money intake to keep the tour on the road for the rest of its dates.  One of the few things that was really touching and just all around bad ass was that one of the guys wandered off stage, grabbed a huge bottle of Jameson’s whiskey, and passed out shots to those who wanted them.  Little things like that don’t happen during huge shows, or at least not to the same effect.  Even though the audience was already united in thought and passions for the show, that simple gesture just made us even closer.  I can say that only a handful of shows have ever done that, and this just felt like we were one big family.

Ragan has done a magnificent job of bringing his show on the road and touching people’s lives.  I wish him and whichever musicians choose to be part of his group of troubadours the best of luck for the future.  I’ve seen  the first and second year of The Revival Tour and can only hope to see many more in the future.

 

-L

As a seventeen year old, I had already been going to shows for two years.  By chance, I went to one of the truly all age venues in the town, Vino’s Brew Pub, of Little Rock, Arkansas.  They were hosting The Gossip.  A friend of mine told me it was a show not to miss, so I made the fifteen minute drive, paid the five dollar cover, and got way more than I expected.  

I recall that at least one local band opened the show, but I’m fuzzy on the details since it’s been about six years since then.  Next, The Gossip, as they were known back then, made their way to the small stage.  Beth Ditto, Kathy Mendonca, & Brace Paine started playing.  As soon as Ditto sang her first note, I knew I’d be a fan for a long time to come.

Fast forward to October 30, 2009 where Little Rock was eager to welcome back their wunderkinds, Gossip.  I’m still having a hard time not attaching “The” to the band name, but that’s all well and good.  They chose Little Rock to close out their current US section of their tour before traveling back to Europe. 

I was rather surprised and honored at the same time that they’d even think of coming back to Little Rock, much less them opting to play at Vino’s when they could have easily sold out a larger venue.  Ditto actually insisted on playing at the venue because it was such an integral part of their early years together. Gossip has gotten so popular in recent years that I’d resigned myself in to having to see them in a larger venue some time in the future.  However, in retrospect, it makes all the sense in the world for Gossip to re-visit Arkansas.  Ditto, born in Judsonia, AR, but raised in Searcy, AR had been causing a stir for many years in an area that most likely viewed her as socially unacceptable.  She obviously did not let that stop her and The Gossip was formed.

Now that the mini-history lesson is over, I was exceedingly excited when the show started.  Ray Bridgemay, from Cabot, AR, opened the show.  They were folk rock infused with undertones of a jam band.  That being said, they weren’t that bad.  I actually enjoyed them, but as they said themselves, “They were the band everyone wanted off stage so Gossip could play.” After the show, I asked them what it was like to be opening for Gossip and they said, “We were so excited.  We’ve been practicing our asses off for the last four months.”  Hey, I give them credit for being honest, and would love to see them again where they are the primary focus of the night. 

After a half an hour set give or take a few minutes, they cleared off the stage to make wake for Gossip.  This time around, there were at least three times as many, if not more, people packed in to that oddly shaped back room.  The crowd rippled with energy and last minute beer runs before the stars of the night took the stage.

Hannah Billie, who replaced Mendonca on drums in 2003, entered through the side door first, followed quickly by Paine.  Everyone waited with pent up excitement for Ditto to appear.  She bounced in through the door, as full of energy as ever and as vibrant as her freshly dyed fire engine red hair, to rousing applause.  Ditto’s family, as they are accustomed to do, made their way front and center of the stage.  I met Ditto’s mom, and I can see where her jovial demeanor and crazy antics come from.  Once they were all settled, the band kicked started the show.

Gossip had a thirteen song set, but I could be off by one or two because the set list I glanced at briefly was typed in ridiculously small font.  The set consisted of a healthy mix of old, new, and in between material.  I spent the better part of my teen years listening to Movement, Arkansas Heat,and, That’s Not What I Heard, and it was amazing to hear some of those live again.  Admittedly, I’m not as familiar with the newer albums, but what I’ve heard in the past couple years and during the set, I loved.  Newer material was favored during the show, but everyone was completely fine with that.

Near the end of the night, Ditto lead a raucous sing-a-along of We Are The Champions.  Everyone got in to it, and it was a fitting way to wrap up the evening and kick off Halloween festivities.  As they finished up the show and walked off, the crowd enthusiastically cheered for them to come back on stage.  Ditto’s mom, got up on stage to fire us up more, and because of her efforts, we cheered Gossip back on the stage.  To the delight of everyone there, they played one last song and then called it a night. 

There was a frantic scramble among some people there to obtain coveted set lists and show posters.  I actually had no problem nabbing a poster so I could hang around and get it signed, talk with the bands, and generally make up for being too shy around them six years ago.  Each member obliged and was truly wonderful to meet.  It took me a few minutes to track down Ditto.  I finally found her out visiting with her family and asked her really quickly to sign my poster.   I also asked what her thoughts on being back in Little Rock were like, and she said, “ I love Little Rock.  It’s great to see all my family and friends here.”  I didn’t want to steal any more of her precious family time, so I wandered back in to the venue.

This show exceeded all my expectations and then some.  Gossip certainly did their job and did it well.  No one left that show without being sweaty to some degree and a smile.  There’s a reason why they are hands down the most popular band to hail from Arkansas in the last ten years.  They are a tightly knit band that makes intoxicating music.  I can only wish them best of luck on the road and hope that they don’t wait another six years to come back and see their extended family of Little Rockers. 


-L

(Side note, Filter Magazine asked me to write up the show.  That's pretty sweet.)

Many, many apologies to those who went out to either the Joe Buck or Austin Lucas show.  Apparently car trouble was universal yesterday.  Buck's transmission fell out of his vehicle in Ft. Smith and word is that they wouldn't rent him a car.  Tough break.  Lucas broke down in either Arizona or New Mexico.  Not sure of the complete story, but I didn't hear any of this until I showed up at Juanita's to see him.

Kevin Kerby, who was slated to open for Lucas, played a fine solo set.  The venue let all ten or so of us in for free.  Kerby played some old, some new, and some in between material.  He really is a fine singer/songwriter, and it's always a great treat to see him play.

After that set, I wandered over to White Water knowing full well Buck had to cancel.  I was originally bummed that I wouldn't get to see Andy Warr (of Brother Andy & His Big Damn Mouth) play.  However, all things worked out well, I got to see him do his thing.  Jonathan Wilkins was a last minute replacement for Buck.  He played a hearty solo set, and folks an era may just be on the brink of ending, but Wilkins' faithful guitar may be biting the dust in the very near future.  At least Jonathan thinks so.  We shall see. 

Even though the night wasn't how I'd planned it to turn out, it was still a great time.  I love that the community is so close knit that someone could literally fill in on the drop of dime.  With that, I'll leave with a closing, keep your eyes open for Brother Andy shows.  They're awesome, and I'm thoroughly anticipating the release of their first album at the beginning of next year. 

-L

www.myspace.com/brotherandyband

 A week ago I was corralled in to going to Waffle House at 2 am with Uncle Marshall, Doc Possum, and a mutual friend.  You know how those late night excursions turn out, so I don’t need to elaborate on that much.  We were sitting there, shooting the breeze and spelling messages out in ketchup.  I brought up the long overdue review I promised, and now I’m here.

Frown Pow’r is a motley crew comprised of Doc Possum (Blake Phillips), Flash Gurdon (JT Tarpley), Uncle Marshall (Marshall Dunn), Stankerbell (John Babb), and Mean Paul (Paul Fennig).  Yeah, they have normal names too, but their stage ones are totally more fun to use.I’ve referenced their real names above so you know who is who.  These men have a good thing going here, and I’m proud to know & support them.

Their first full length album, Don’t Doubt It, Shout It!, in accordance with Little Rock’s own Thick Syrup Records and Last Chance Records, was finally released on September 11, 2009.  Sticky Fingerz was abuzz with people waiting in anticipation of FP’s set.  However, they had to make it through sets by the equally talented Androids of Ex-Lovers and The See.  Androids killed their set, and I have a feeling they made some new fans because of that.  The See came up and performed with their trademark antics and energy.  However, the focus was on the five-piece band gearing up to play.  Sound check always takes a hot minute for Frown Pow’r because they have a plethora of instruments, but those who’ve seen them expect that delay. 

The show went off without a hitch, and I eagerly got my copy along for one with my friend in France.  I chose to listen to it with fresh ears a day or so later, and since I was sick it was easy to accomplish that task. 

I knew I’d like them for the long run after my first outing to see them.  I was immediately drawn to the song Stomp Wagon.  I love the fact that Flash Gurdon’s vocals start off uniform and get progressively more erratic almost to the point of sounding painful.  It’s a song about living and dying with music, and I don’t think it could be anymore truthful if it tried.

The song Keep on Clappin’ also grabbed my attention early on due to the fact that it’s extremely catchy and positive.  Yes it’s repetitive, but not in the obnoxious, shut the hell up kind of way.  It has an uplifting message, and never fails to get people smiling, dancing, and tapping tambourines with such fervor that I haven’t seen in some time.  “Bad things just keep on happenin’,” but you just have to forge ahead even if it means you clap them out to cheer up.

That Pow’r You Possess is the album’s midway point.  I believe the band chose wisely to place it here.  It’s what I like to consider their “slow jam,” a breather if you have it.  A band needs a slight rest once in awhile as does the audience, so it fits perfectly.

Everyone’s A Winner evokes an outer space like feel when I listen to it.  I’m not a huge noise music enthusiast, but I can deal with the amount they infused in to this track.  After the noisy section, Tarpley’s voice cuts through clear as day to your ears.  His vocals get rougher as the song goes on to the point where I wonder if it hurt to sing this song.  Even though his voice sounds stressed by the latter part of the song, you can tell he’s singing his heart out. 

To save a bit of time, I’ll talk about one other specific song, O! Lord!, and describe a group of other tracks in a bit.  O! Lord!, is the absolutely best possible way to end this album.  It culminates in the listener basically being transported in their minds to an old school, southern style church.  When I first heard it, I felt as if the guys needed a twenty-person, boisterous church choir to back them up on the chorus.  The tune also offers up a chance to showcase each member’s individual talents, while ensnaring the audience and convincing them to sing along and join in rapturous revelry.

Several songs remind me of the Beatles, as David Fair of Half Japanese, pointed out in his review.  I strongly urge you to read what he wrote because it’s just that good.  However, not all the songs sound like that.  A few of them remind me heavily of the Chuck Berry & Jerry Lee Lewis era of rock ‘n’ roll.  These men have found a happy medium that seems to be working quite well for them.

Listening to this album from start to finish basically leaves me feeling as if I was just at a Frown Pow’r show.  Well, minus the tambourines and dancing people.  I love that the album causes me to think and feel that way because it’s a rare thing to capture, but they have perfected it.

Don’t Doubt It, Shout It! is gloriously lo-fi.  I personally would not change it in the least.  Even if you’re not in to the whole lo-fi scene, I suggest you check out the album.  You’d be hard pressed not to crack a smile or at least like one of the songs on the album since there is something for everyone on it.  In a relatively new era of music from Little Rock, this album, with several others, are shining examples of the many talented musicians we have here.  I’m proud of all the hard work that they put in to this record, and it’s evident to those who listen to it.  Until the next album or show, whichever comes first, “I’m going to keep on, keep on clappin’ as I hop on the stomp wagon and head on up the road.”

-L


(Photo by: Judea Jackson)