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Craig and Brent Renaud.

In this week's Insider column:

Craig and Brent Renaud, Little Rock's famous documentarians, have a project in the works that's a natural followup to “Off to War,” their award-winning depiction of Arkansas citizen soldiers in Iraq. Craig Renaud has been in Washington this week working on the project about wounded war vets who are competing in the Paralympic Games for disabled athletes. A meeting with the president could be part of the project. The film hasn't been sold yet, but ESPN is one potential outlet, we understand.

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ALSO: Everyone's favorite new wave/post punk, guitar-bass-keyboard-and-drum trio Kyoto Boom opens the show.

FASTBALL
9 p.m., Sticky Fingerz. $10.

The Austin, Texas, trio Fastball makes its return to Little Rock after a four-year absence. Formed in 1994, the band originally called itself Megneto USA, but became Fastball after signing with Hollywood Records in 1995. Still beneath the radar after extensive touring, Fastball began throwing strikes following the release of its second album, “All the Pain Money Can Buy,” which sold 1 million copies with the U.S. radio hit, “The Way.” After gigs the world over, Fastball released its third album on Hollywood before stepping up to the plate to record “Keep Your Wig On” on Rykodisc (Morphine, Frank Zappa). With catchy hooks and a full-body sound, the trio is set to release its fifth album this fall, currently being mixed by Bob Clearmountain, known for his work with Springsteen and the Stones. The guys have also done quite a bit of side work, writing and recording with other artists such as Bruce Robison, Al Anderson and Bowling for Soup.

—Paul Peterson

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‘WIZARD OF OZ’
Sundown, Riverfest Amphitheater. Free.

“Movies in the Park” goes classic with its penultimate film, one of the greatest family films of all time: “The Wizard of Oz.” We forget, of course, that the movie was adapted from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” a children’s novel, but also one that a host of scholars think it’s a grand allegory for the gold standard debate, a hot topic in the late 19th century, when Baum published. It’s safe to say that William Jennings Bryan is nowhere to be found in Victor Fleming’s film adaptation. Instead, we’ve got “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead,” one of the greatest nah-nah songs in cinematic or any kind of history, those glistening ruby red slippers in glorious Technicolor (the film, which came out in 1939, helped usher in the use of color in cinema), Margaret Hamilton’s gleefully wicked witch of the west and flying monkeys, which, no matter your age, are pretty friggin’ scary.

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A couple days late, but in case you missed her, meet 2008 Miss Arkansas. With the serving plate. And the shiny dress. And, um, big ... earrings.

She's a flautist. She did "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

I can't wait for the Miss America reality show.

My favorite, Chanley Painter of the White River area, was second runner up. Next year, maybe someone can organize a betting pool.

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Rock Candy wholeheartedly endorses "Caddyshack."

As has become tradition, "Movies in the Park" closes out its season, this year on July 30, with a "People's Choice" film. If you go here, you can vote for either "Caddyshack," "Spider-Man 2," "Madagascar," "Chicago," "Shark Tale," "Forrest Gump" or "Can't Buy Me Love."

So far, "Caddyshack," rightfully, is holding on to the top stop, but "Forrest Gump" and "Madagascar" are within reaching distance. Let's mobilize, people.

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This'll run in next week's paper, but since it's kinda, you know, an event movie, here's David Koon's glowing review of "Dark Knight."

There are comic book movies, and then there’s “The Dark Knight.” The sequel to director Christopher Nolan’s series-rebooting “Batman Begins,” this is a sleeker, meaner, even darker Batman. Freed of all the self-important Origin Story business that weighed down the first installment and more than willing to delve deep into the Caped Crusader’s convoluted, one-moral-click-north-of-the-criminals-he-pursues psyche, I feel fairly confident in saying: “The Dark Knight” is the best comic book-based movie ever made.

Continue reading "Best comic book movie ever made, Koon says" »

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The third installment of the Oxford American's "Best of" series is on newsstands now. You can pick it up at Wordsworth, the Cox Center and Barnes and Noble.

I haven't had a chance to read much of the issue, though from the few things I've thumbed through, Paul Reyes' ode to a cat shelter, a cat-house, in Memphis, particularly stood out. But I can wholeheartedly recommend the companion DVD, assembled by Times contributor Derek Jenkins. It's a mixture of skewed takes on famous Southerners (rehearsal footage from Elvis' comeback special; young Johnny Cash playing a villain in scene from a B-movie), weird, old slapstick (an amazing Betty Boop cartoon and an early scene from a terrifically trippy Mary Pickford movie), Southern indies (the scenes from Kentucker Audler's mumblecore-ish "Team Picture" are incredibly promising). Plus, there's unseen Big Star footage, compiled here for a music video for "Thank You Friends." Even the familiar material, the Renaud brothers' "Off to War" and "The Rough South of Larry Brown" works incredibly well in the context of this DVD mix.

Other plugs: NY Times "Paper Cuts" blog and USA Today's "Pop Candy."

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The best web flyer in a loooong time.

STELLA FANCY
9 p.m., Gallery 26. Free.

Some years ago, Jerry and Jeremy Colburn, AKA the rockin'-est father-son musicians in town and two-thirds of the Bloodless Cooties, played in a band with Jen Shaw and Mark Lewis (Moving Front) called New Jazz Assassins. The band called its music “garage jazz,” which was probably a cool way of saying it sounded a little ramshackle. With Shaw singing breathily, occasional whistle solos and dirty cocktail grooves, NJA sounded like they should've been house band for a speakeasy happy hour. Maybe they were. But now they're taking a new, expansive direction. Re-formed as Stella Fancy, the band's added three members — Damian Thompson on congas, Dan Huff on various percussion and Jen Finley on backing vocals — and worked up new originals and lounge covers of B-52s and Dead Kennedys songs. They're debuting the new project with two sets at Gallery 26, an early acoustic one and a later electric jam.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 7/19 and 7/20

'JUMP!'
6 p.m., Wildwood. $50.

“Jump!,” which will be staged in Wildwood's 600-seat Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre, follows the story of Jordan as told by “himself” (with the help of several Jordanettes, the performer's backup singers) at different stages in his career, Koch says. An all-star cast and crew comes together to put it on. Cliff Fanin Baker, the park's director, co-wrote the play with Koch and directs. The Rep's decorated set designer Mike Nichols contributes. Lawrence Hamilton, the renowned Arkansas performer, stars as Jordan. And Tawanna Campbell, one of Little Rock's most impressive R&B singers, is also featured. A five-man “jump” band also factors in, featuring noteworthy locals like Stratsimir Pavlov and Joe Vick. And video, featuring archival footage of Jordan, will also be included. More here.

SUNDAY 7/20

TNA WRESTLING
4 p.m., Alltel Arena. $21.75-$51.75.

Get it? That's right, Total Nonstop Action. What, you had other ideas? For shame. This is wrasslin' for a new generation, set in a hexagonal ring (more opportunity for ropes bouncing) and featuring some of the baddest brawlers in the “sport.” Like Kurt Angle, a former Olympic gold medalist, who's become the face of TNA. Or Awesome Kong, a nearly 300-pound female wrestler, whose signature move is the Awesome Bomb, a standing neck scissors drop maneuver. Or LAX, short for the Latin Xchange, the Hispanic tag team made up of “high-flying” brawlers Hernandez and Homicide, whose signature moves are the Border Toss and the Gringo Killer, respectively. Also on the bill are Christian Cage, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, Motor City Machineguns, “Cowboy” James Storm, Scott Steiner, Tomko, ODB, Jay Lethal, Petey Williams, Shark Boy, Roxxi Lauveaux, Eric Young and Jackie Moore. More than likely, too, there'll be a few “Knockouts,” the full-figured, spandex-wearing, female division of TNA. Say it again: Total Nonstop Action.

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Justin Carr.

FRIDAY 7/18

At White Water, impressive local singer/songwrite Justin Carr performs with Ghost Company, 9 p.m., $5. Isaac Alexander, who was previously attached to this bill, isn't any longer.

At Cornerstone, North Little Rock pop-rockers Riverboat Crime play a set for what's usually an enthusiastic crowd, 9 p.m., $5.

ACAC hosts an open mic night for poets, acoustic musicians or anyone who's got something to say to a microphone, 8:30 p.m., $5 suggested donation.

The Dean Agus Band, out of Hot Springs, plays a bluesy brand of rock, 9 p.m., $5.

Patrick the Angry Angry Viewer, who rails against Hollywood every morning on the Edge's “Corey and Jay Show,” does a stand-up routine at Juanita's. Modern rockers Sufferkate and McCuin also perform, 10 p.m., $7 adv., $10 d.o.s.

At Revolution, One Stone Reggae Band stirs it up, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $15 d.o.s.

Local soul man Big John Miller belts it out at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7.

And the Miss Arkansas prelims continue at the Summit Arena, 7:30 p.m., $15.

Peaches and Herb are still alive and performing at the Timberwood Amphitheater at Magic Springs, 8 p.m., $45.99 (park admission).

The Miss Arkansas pageant crowns its winner, who'll go on to represent the state in the Miss America pageant, 7:30 p.m., $20.

Three great local acts perform at White Water: pop-rockers the Evelyns, post-punks A+ Set-Up and garage-rockers the Weisenheimers, 9 p.m., $5.

New Orleans party band Papa Grows Funk plays Sticky Fingerz, 8:30 p.m., $10. Mad Trucker and Juggernaut Glitch headline a big experimental hip-hop bill at Vino's, 8 p.m., $5.

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On page one of the Village Voice, in a write-up on David Gordon Green's film retrospective at BAM in NYC this weekend, Nick Pinkerton wonders, "Would Green rather be Michael Ritchie now than Terry Malick?"

 "I'm doing a lot of things that are all over the place . . . so I don't get kind of bogged down in what could otherwise be a pretty depressing angle of the industry." Upcoming is a remake of Suspiria ("The way that horror is going, I think we're losing sight of the artistry and the complexity and the kind of strange, surreal, emotional element"), a John Grisham true-crime adaptation, and "a cartoon TV series." ("That doesn't include all the weirdo projects— little, bizarre, personal, intimate portraits and things that I try to develop on the side.")

Is it a triumph for Hollywood cynicism when Green, who made his rep with a movie where kids and adults commiserate over dreams, now scores laffs off grown-ups peddling weed to grade-schoolers? Before hoisting the "Sellout" effigy, let's show good faith once more. How much stagnancy in the multiplex (and arthouse) comes from our best and brightest sticking to the ghetto of indie cred when they could be working? Green's a smart producer now (he backed last year's superlative Shotgun Stories), a proven hustler, and committed to giving back to vernacular American film culture. I'll only say: Godspeed.

To that I'll add, as anyone who's followed DGG's career knows, he's often talked about projects that, down the road, never got developed. But maybe that'll change now that he seems to have some juice in the industry.

Previously: DGG at BAM

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Continue reading "Music videos aren't dead, they just moved to the web: Weirdos" »

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In about ten minutes, the FOCAL book sale in the basement of the main library opens up. Paperbacks go for 50 cents and hardcovers for a dollar. There are always bargains to be had.

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MICHAEL BURKS
8:30 p.m., Sticky Fingerz. $10.

Michael Burks was born into the blues. His grandfather played Delta style in Camden, and his father played bass alongside harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson II. Like any good, probably partly apocryphal blues bio, Burks' has him playing alongside his father by the time he was five. Skip ahead a decade or two and Burks' father has moved the family to Camden and opened the Bradley Ferry Country Club, a 300-seat juke joint, where he installs the younger Burks as the leader of the house band. When the club closed in the mid-'80s, Burks put the blues to the side and worked for a time as a mechanical technician. It wasn't until 1997, when Burks was 40, that he released his debut album. It drew rave reviews. Ever since, he's been steadily grinding it out on the road. For his tireless touring and long, feverish sets, he's earned the nickname “Iron Man,” which is also the title of his latest album. Look out for a fiery guitar attack. Northwest Arkansas's blues group the Eoff Brothers opens the show.

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'THE FEMININE FREAKSHOW'
10 p.m., Public Theater. $12.

Nearly naked ladies! That's right, it's time again for Little Rock's Finest Assettes to present its take on burlesque, which is sure to mean plenty of corsets, bustiers, fishnets and heavy eye shadow. And if past installments are any predictor — this is the troupe's fourth production — look for a hearty dose of feminism informing the production. The only act I was able to confirm before press time involves everyone's favorite Whore of Babylon, Sophira N Brimstone, who reports she'll play some variation of the wild woman who can't be restrained. In the past, shows have sold out pretty quickly. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, when the show repeats.

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Tonight, KUAR and Arkansongs present a special hour-long broadcast,  "The Louis Jordan Story." KOKY DJ Billy St. James stars as Jordan. 7 p.m.

Read more about this weekend's Jordan centennial happenings here.

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Speaking on it. With the Dat Heat plug.

Set your TiVos, Little Rockers. Next Thursday, part three of CNN's "Black in America" airs at 8 p.m. This one's called "The Black Man," and the narrative, best I can tell from fast-forwarding, focuses on two graduates of Central in 1968 (the year MLK was assassinated), James "Butch" Warren, who's an assistant superintendent for the Pulaski County Special School District and lives in Maumelle or Pleasant Valley or somewhere that looks affluent, and Akono Ekundayo, who's name used to be Kenneth Allen and who's a former crack addict and bank robber.

From the little that I saw, both men seem to have good stories, but CNN editors and host Soledad O'Brien, who's absolutely insufferable, shmaltz it up so much that's it's almost unwatchable.

BUT: Halfway through, the editor of Essence weighs in on the sorry state of commercial rap music and then, BAM, there's 607 leading a session at Hip-Hop School. His narrative arc doesn't last more than five minutes, though within that there's about 10 shots of 607 on the scene. Like: 607 at hip-hop school, 607 in the studio, 607 in concert, 607 getting kicked out of his apartment, 607 somewhere dark wearing fingerless gloves, 607 talking about his friend who was murdered when they were teenagers and how that pushed him down the right path.

That kind of compression is frustrating. 607's story needs more room to breath and no help from CNN's sentimentality. But all his quotes sound good and, as far as national exposure goes, this a great look. He and Lupe Fiasco, who's interview splices two 607 segments, are the only rappers presented in wholly positive lights and, in the broader hip-hop segment, you've got people like Michael Eric Dyson and Russell Simmons weighing in. So, it's pretty cool Six got to be the focus of that.

Look out also for interviews with Lil' JD and Young LS from hip-hop school and appearances by Epiphany, g-force, TJ Deeter, Chach Bursey, J-Dubb, Maxx, the back of G-Sizz's head, SJ and, briefly, anyone who caught 607's Vino's show way back when in the first couple of rows.

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Jon Dee Graham, feeling it.

Guttural-voiced singer/songwriter Jon Dee Graham stops in at Juanita's, 9 p.m., $10.

Austin country singer Josh Grider comes to Sticky Fingerz, 9:30 p.m., $5.

From Seattle, Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies play a fast-paced, campy style of old-time country at White Water Tavern, 9 p.m., $5.

The Movement, an out branch of Upscale Underground, presents a night of live karaoke at Crush Wine Bar, 8 p.m., $5.

At Cajun's, party band Ace's Wild headlines, 9 p.m., $5.

Comedian Steve Hirst is at the Loony Bin, 8 p.m., $6.

The second night of the preliminary rounds of the Miss Arkansas pageant takes place at the Summit Arena in Hot Springs, 7:30 p.m., $15.

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