I could feel that ol’ Mardi Gras Mambo madness percolatin’ as soon as I got back to New Orleans…it should be building steam by the time you read this. Thanks to Curtis Cottrell for dishing out the plugs while I was cruising the old country selling Lydia Lunch tour goodies. Now let’s dip into the ol’ S.P. gumbo and see what’s brewing in February…
LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS DEPT… The inflammatory filmmaker from NYC, Joe Christ, is returning to Café Istanbul (Frenchmen & Chartres) February 10th through 13th with his short films Speed Freaks With Guns and Communion in Room 13; showtime is 8 p.m. Note: Joe’s work is not for the squeamish. Mr. Christ also plans to shoot his next epic during his stay in the city—God Damage: My Own Private Auschwitz. “Call it a nursing home nightmare,” says Joe.
THE BEAT GOES ON DEPT… In the hopes of combating what he feels is ignorance about the contributions New Orleans’ drummers have made to popular music, Kerry Brown, a fine drummer in his own right, will host the first New Orleans Drum Summit at the Contemporary Arts Center on February 7th and 8th.
Brown (whose group Brownsville has been sparking up red-hot jazz jams at Cafe Istanbul on Thurday nights) has spent the last month researching the history of New Orleans drummers, and has assembled an impressive collection of archival material that will be on display. But the real highlight of the event will probably be the concerts on the 7th and 8th, featuring Earl Palmer (the subject of a recent Musician magazine feature, he’s done it all, from Little Richard sessions to the Flintstones theme music). Brown, Willie Green (of the Neville Brothers band), Johnny Vidacovich, Herlin Riley (of Wynton Marsalis’ band) and more perform. “If I can put this thing together with the right people, it will help bring the community of drummers together,” says Brown.
On Saturday, February 8, the drummers will also host a percussion workshop. Call the CAC for ticket info.
TURN DOWN THE LAMBS DEPT… The CAC will host an unusual event February 4 at 8 p.m. with the lecture/film program “In the Dark Basement—How to Read A Film.” Led by Dr. Peter Lehman, a Professor of Media Arts from Arizona University, the focus of the discussion will be Jonathan Demme’s thriller The Silence of the Lambs.
A KREWE’S DOO DEPT… The Krewe du Vieux, the only Mardi Gras krewe that parades in the French Quarter, the only krewe to “assure all city council people and other interested parties that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or perversion” (according to a press release), will hit the streets at 7:30 p.m. on February 15. This year’s theme is “Krewe du Vieux Rights the News”; Angus Lind, the Times-Picayune‘s humor columnist, will be Parade King.
Starting at the corner of Frenchmen and Decatur, the parade will proceed up Decatur to Dumaine, up to Royal, on to Canal and the Rivergate and up Convention Center Blvd. to end up at the New Orleans Entertainment Hall for its “Krewe du Vieux Doo.” The event will feature virtually every brass band in the city (Treme, Rebirth, Algiers, etc.), Percussion Inc. and headliner Waiter “Wolfman” Washington. Tickets are $15 at the door.
NEAT STUFF DEPT… I always love to take my out-of-town guests to Remember When (315 Decatur). Sure, this town is chock full of great antique and knick knack emporiums, but Roger Nelson’s “nostalgia shop and gallery” houses a massive collection of rare comics, film fan mags, toys, Disney collectibles, funky records …well, you get the picture. Roger has been dealing this stuff for 27 years; you can send him a SASE for his latest mail order catalog (his zip code is 70130). And check out the lively in-store art displays by Will Frank on your next visit.
THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS DEPT… Le Petit Theatre (616 St. Peter) will stage the musical comedy Aesop’s Fables, written by Sydney Wolf, with music by Annie Lousteau, in Children’s Corner. The show will run on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 and 3 p.m., February 1-16. Jazz guitarist Bob Folse, one very busy musician, is the music director. Also on deck this month at Le Petit is a multi-media performance, Louisiana Depths (February 7-8, 8 p.m.). The show features a collaboration of the dance troupe Rapides, with choreography by Yvonne Olivier, music by Jerritt Burk, visual artist David Tureau and film by Nabil Mehchi.
SMALL WORLD DEPT… Preston Klik, an old pal from my hometown in Nebraska, has been creating a big buzz with his Chicago-based band Big Hat. That buzz obviously impressed Louisiana-based label C’est la Mort, who will be releasing Big Hat’s debut CD, Shimmer, this month. For more info on Big Hat (and a cool newsletter), write the band at 5602 N. Ridge, Chicago, IL, 60660.
KIDS START THE DARNDEST BANDS DEPT… A special poor taste loving cup to Taj Cardona, who recently gave me a cassette of The Mick Jagger EP by his band The Colostomy Bags. Scary stuff and the best liner notes I’ve read in a decade.
CAREFUL WITH THAT RAKE, EUGENE… Eugene Chadbourne brings his special brand of guitar grunge to the RC Bridge Lounge (1201 Magazine) February 2 and 3. I hear his band features Jimmy Carl Black, one of the original Mothers of Invention madmen. The support acts are choice as well; on the 2nd, get there early to catch the debut of Scott and Stacy Burright—aka The Anachronauts—plus the always fascinating Enoch Light Presents… On the 3rd, more fun will be provided by opening acts The Cletus Butterfoam Experience and Nipples of Isis. Ambience enhancement each evening by Chuck Alston’s Also Aswell’s Light Experience.
LOOK OUT FOR DEPT… Five-Eight, a hard rockin’ trio from Athens, Georgia has been showing up regularly at Muddy Waters and Tip’s. The band’s manager, Warren Chilton, gave me a copy of their cassette, Inflatable Sense of Self; it contains 10 intense tunes by singer & guitarist Mike Mantione, which I find to be perfect car wig-out music. Also worth a listen is The Don Rousell Band, a solid local R&B combo who will be doing its thang at Lucky’s Bar (1625 St. Charles) on the 15th and Ruby’s Roadhouse on the 7th.
VINYL LIVES DEPT… Allow me to kick off a series of Spare Part salutes to the legions of indie record labels that are keeping alive the tradition of releasing vinyl LPs (and, gasp, even 7″ records) upon discerning musical consumers out in stereo land. First up is the ace label Diesel Only Records, run by Jeremy Tepper in New York. This outfit has released 22 jumpin’ singles since starting up in 1990. The roster includes bands such as Courtney and Western, Hvorka, The Sloppy Joes and 3 releases by Jeremy’s own smoking honky tonk band, The World Famous Blue Jays (I’m extremely partial to Ten Pin Boogie). For a catalog, send an SASE to Diesel Only, 100 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211.
That’s it for now …keep those cards and goodies coming in. This is a team effort, y’all.
