Upcoming shows - updated 7/1
Ticket stubs are piling up at the touring season’s halfway point as the warm days go by. But local fall tour dates are starting to come out of the woodwork, including Andrew Bird (pictured) with St. Vincent, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s and Dar Williams. As Friday’s final concert by Impossible Shapes reminds us, there’s only so many chances you have to see your favorite acts perform live, so don’t miss out if you can help it. Or as my coworker quips occasionally, “be there, or be somewhere else.”
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July 4th nears
As Landlocked said, we’re “pleased as punch” at the nice weather we’ve had recently and hope it holds for the weekend. Among highlights, besides the fireworks: The new Wilco album’s out in stores and on the air. “Public Enemies” breaks into the big screen tonight. Live music shows coming our way (while they’re fresh in my head after editing the calendar) include Castanets, Sunset Rubdown, the last Impossible Shapes show (sniff) and Afromotive. Plus there’s art receptions, First Friday gallivanting downtown, Saturday’s parades, WHFB’s roots festival in Story, dances, parties and more. Ah, summer.
Michael Jackson memories, and a busy Friday
As word buzzed into a blitz yesterday that Michael Jackson was hospitalized, then passed away, I looked at the clock (past my normal hours here), feeling my insides sink from shock, and then having the King of Pop’s songs flood into memory. The Internet nearly crashed (Twitter actually did) as stories spiked from 50 to 1,000+ in the hour.
My own, first encounter with MJ’s music was when I was a kid, and my parents bought my brother the vinyl record of “Thriller”: hearing those tracks, seeing the videos, helping with the costumes… I remember flashing back to this a few years ago when Alien Ant Farm covered “Smooth Criminal,” or when I saw the tribute act Who’s Bad at the ‘Bird, or heard his songs on the radio during retro hour. Every now and then, I’d see his name pop up in the wire, usually tied to scandal, his Neverland Ranch dealings or court proceedings. But no one can deny that he was a legend, an icon, who influenced people around the world with his music, dance moves and grapple with controversial celebrity status. (Feel free to post your comments/memories here, fans, critics and musicians alike.) How sad that he was on the verge of a comeback concert run in the UK when this transpired. (An AP story said that they were still figuring out what to do with the 750,000 tickets to the sold-out, 50-night run.) Now rumors are flying that some scandal surrounds even his death. This after a couple closer-to-home losses, and fellow stars Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett. But for now, I’ve got to try and crank out the rest of the workload before I can escape to the weekend.
If you need something to get out to/clear your head with, there’s plenty this weekend to do around town, starting with today’s B-Line opening festivities, the Rock the Shops all-star evening of words and music, a sold-out Steve Earle show and a Juneteenth celebration at IU.
Touring acts, passing through town
Some groups are making a beeline to B-town (sorry; can’t resist with the trail opening this weekend) during their summer tours, and all you have to do is walk/bike/drive a few blocks to see them live. Thursday, New Zealand-based band All Left Out plays at Rhinos, followed by Scotland-based band Little Buddha (pictured) on Friday. A little closer to home, Chicago artist Casiotone for the Painfully Alone plays Thursday at Russian Recording.
Not to mention the whos-who of local artists on hand for Friday’s B-Line Trail opening festivities, including the Rock the Shops all-day music event at Wandering Turtle — you have lots of choices, once again.
On the horizon: New shows announced for the Bluebird include Junior Brown (Aug. 1), Robert Earl Keen (Aug. 9), Over the Rhine (Aug. 21) and Dar Williams (Aug. 25).
UPDATE — I just got word from the publicity crew for Little Buddha, who apparently had “some excitement Sunday evening, along with some very All-American moments” — including a highway accident, sushi gifts and a homeless dinner guest.
Helping out, one ticket at a time
About four years ago, the mother of local drummer Ben Fowler (The Delicious, Kentucky Nightmare) was involved in a car accident. Since that time, she has suffered chronic pain, and recently she received an insurance settlement that fails to cover the cost of her medical bills. And so Ben is organizing a series of benefit shows. Spirit of ‘68 is doing its part as well:
“Every time you purchase a ticket, you will have the option of adding $1 donation on to the price of the ticket. Proceeds will go directly to helping offset the cost of Fowler’s mother’s bills. Tickets can be purchased online at www.buskirkchumley.org with the option to buy regular or with donation. Tickets also available at Landlocked Music, TD’s, and Tracks.”
That note was sent last week. Here’s what was e-mailed Monday: “While the $1 optional donation is picking up steam, there is more we would like to do to help ease the burden on Ben Fowler and his mother so we have dug through our closet and decided to have ourselves a god old fashioned poster sale with proceeds going towards the effort. Label promo prints, custom show fliers, and deluxe screen prints from Grizzly Bear, The Hold Steady, Mountaingoats, Caribou, Islands, Girl Talk and more. More details to come…”
Friday’s a Summer Night of Lotus
Tonight, world music fans can hear three acts, see the ‘09 Lotus design (by Sam Bartlett), and find out firsthand what’s in store for the fall festival. It’s the annual Summer Night of Lotus, and it happens at 7 p.m. in the Buskirk-Chumley. Fans will line up on Kirkwood Avenue and have their $20 ticket at the ready for performances of Argentian tango, American blues and Quebecois folk. The preview night is also a benefit for the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, the parent organization for the annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. Proceeds go toward the organization’s year-round programming, which includes Lotus Blossoms educational outreach.
Cross Canadian Ragweed at the Bluebird tonight
Here’s a link to the alt-country/rock band’s show at the Bluebird two years ago, with them performing “Cry Lonely.” You can hear a clearer version at their site.
Event-packed weekend also includes unusual, street art shows
Along with the mainstream/multiple-digit shows and fairs, other creative folks will be busy presenting art of their own. On Sunday, a touring author/expert on stenciling and graffiti will drop by town; Goatmother Industrial has a show Friday; and the “Parking Permit II” takes place Sunday.
On Sunday, “Stencil Nation: Graffiti, Community, and Art” author/expert Russell Howze will visit to read/present his findings on at 5 at Boxcar Books. “Without a doubt, stencils are the fastest, easiest, and cheapest method for painting an image on a wall, a sidewalk, or almost any object anywhere. Stencil Nation focuses on the unexpected mix of this lively, accessible medium to reveal engaging aspects of an intentionally secretive international creative community. With dynamically illustrated perspectives from diverse niches of the art form, hundreds of photographs and numerous essays have been curated by StencilArchive.org’s founder, Howze.”
area event calendar
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hot upcoming events:
| 1. Salsa Contest - 20090829 2. Zumba Dancefit Classes; First one Free! - 20091227 3. The Tides - 20090704 4. Zumba - 20091201 5. Core Rhythms Live! - 20091207 6. Core Rhythms Live! - 20090711 7. Core Rhythms Live! - 20090803 8. Fourth of July Parade - 20090704 9. Fourth of July Fireworks Show - 20090704 10. Tride and True Festival - 20090830 |
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scene.ning
Hey you, bands and fans!
Check out The Scene's new social network site on bloomingtonscene.ning.com and upload all your favorite photos, videos, mp3s, etc...
local music
The Scene is putting together a local music player for our website. Please send us links to your mp3s, albums with your permission and we’ll add these into our online music component, which will eventually live on our site. Send e-mail to kwood@heraldt.com for more information/questions. The hope is that when people are looking for things to do in the calendar, they can sample your music (and also be enticed to come out to your show).|
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