October 2011 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

INTRO:
MADE IN NEW ORLEANS
Greetings from Chicago!
I’ve been on the road with
Suplecs for two weeks
and it’s been a blast. Last night
I watched them close out their
tour at the Double Door (one of
the most amazing clubs I’ve ever
been to) in grand, fiery style. It
was an awesome thing to behold
and reminds me why touring is
just about one of the greatest
things you can do as a musician,
artist, traveler and human being.
It’s a golden opportunity to cast
off the stresses of a “normal” life
and live purely in the moment.
Life is essentially reduced to
everything you can fit in a van
and for however long you’re out
there, it’s all about getting to the
show and playing the show. Of course, there’s a whole universe of fun stuff, new people and scenery that happens in and
around those moments (and also times of sheer frustration, boredom and panic), but in the end you’re either driving to the
gig or playing it-- or selling merch, counting the beans and any number of other duties a tour “manager” has, like I’ve been
doing. And it’s good to see so many bands like Empress Hotel, Kindest Lines and even these old dudes in Suplecs (who’ve
been touring for a decade) forge their sound in the outside, uncaring world that is beyond our beloved city. I remember a
time when a lot of New Orleans bands seemed to be stuck here.
Of course, it makes coming home that much sweeter and I’ll be thrilled to get back to NOLA at the beginning of this month,
energized and re-inspired to dedicate myself to this crazy place. October’s always a stellar month and this issue is only
partial proof of that. Dan Mitchell takes you behind the scenes of House of Shock, we break down our Voodoo favorites and
Michael Patrick Welch contributes some much needed perspective on what’s going down in the Bywater. This issue will
affect every neighborhood in the city, so pay attention to it like your (quality of) life depends on it. We also have some scary
surprises for you, like a first look at She’s Still Dead and we even get a cameo from Dr. Nancy Kang, one of Antigravity’s early
contributors-- and inspiration-- to this magazine. Good times ahead, indeed.
While watching Suplecs every night for the past two weeks, playing in strange and foreign clubs to strange and foreign
people across the Northeast and Midwest, I found it impossible to ignore that every night, whether it was to a dozen weirdos
in New Haven, Connecticut or a packed house of loyal metal heads and heshers in D.C., they brought a certain swagger and
carefree joy to the stage that can only be described as some New Orleans-type-shit. Their sound might be too heavy for
Treme’s music supervisors or too raw for Jazz Fest, but it’s still born from this city and it wouldn’t sound the same were it
created somewhere else. So I’ll just leave you with this stupidly simple conclusion, something that makes me smile when
I think about you bands, performers and artists doing your thing: If you are making music in New Orleans, then it is New
Orleans music. --Dan Fox, Associate Editor
COLUMNS
Hello Nurse pg4
Guidance Counseling pg5
Notes From the Splash Zone pg6
Slingshots, Anyone? pg8
Photos pg30
FEATURES & NEWS
She’s Still Dead pg10
Voodoo Music Experience 2011: AG
Writers’ Picks pg12
Behind the House of Shock pg14
Sounds of Silence: A Resident’s Take on
the Culture Wars in the Bywater pg16
Siberia at One Year pg31
the rest
Reviews pg18
Events pg21
Comics pg28
STAFF
Publisher/Editor in Chief:
Leo McGovern
leo@antigravitymagazine.com
Associate Editor:
Dan Fox
fox@antigravitymagazine.com
REVIEWS EDITOR:
Erin Hall
erinhall@antigravitymagazine.com
staff writerS:
Dan Mitchell
danmitchell@antigravitymagazine.com
Contributing Writers:
Nichole Brining
nurse@antigravitymagazine.com
Leigh Checkman
Graham Greenleaf
greenleaf@antigravitymagazine.com
Sara Pic
sara.pic@gmail.com
Mike Rodgers
mike@antigravitymagazine.com
Derek Zimmer
derek@antigravitymagazine.com
Ad Sales:
Jennifer Attaway
jennifera@antigravitymagazine.com
504-881-7508
INFO
Send your snail mail to:
4916 Freret St.
New Orleans, La. 70115
Have listings? Send them to:
events@antigravitymagazine.com
Have an album to submit for review?
Send it to:
reviews@antigravitymagazine.com
Homepage:
antigravitymagazine.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/antigravitymag
ISSUE
Cover design by Dan Fox
3

C
HELLO, NURSE!
O
LUMN
Nichole is taking the month off to study for
4
BY DR. NANCY KANG
nurse@antigravitymagazine.com
SEXY BEAST
her RN certification so we asked our good
friend and originator of this column, Dr.
Nancy Kang, to step in for her during this
spookiest of months. Nichole will be back
next month with more great info and health
tips but in the meantime, here is one of the
sauciest bass-players/doctor/mothers in all
of NOLA, Dr. Nancy (Burga) Kang!
What are you going to be for
Halloween? Who are you going
to be? A sad fact is that many
women go as “Sexy (insert noun of choice
here).” Sexy Devil, Sexy Pocahontas, Sexy
Nurse, Sexy Fry Cook. This guarantees that
you will blend in with the dreary skinexposed
masses on Frenchmen street. Why
not take one of my suggestions to heart? This
month’s column will not be on health, per se,
but on three colorful characters in American
cult religion lore. Dressing in their likeness
this Halloween will enter you into the realm
of Sexy Mass Murderer. So read on, as these
cautionary tales also serve the public health
interest. You can win a costume contest and
also learn to avoid the fate of these religious
zealots.
Costume idea #1: Heaven’s Gate Cult
Member
Supplies:
*Black shirt
*Black sweatpants
*Black and white Nike Windrunner athletic
shoes
*Armband reading “Heaven’s Gate Away
Team”
*Square of purple cloth (over one’s face)
*One five dollar bill and 3 quarters
*Pudding (without cyanide)
*Vodka to wash it down
Heaven’s Gate was a religious cult based
in San Diego, described by some as an
American UFO religion. The group believed
Earth was about to be recycled and the only
chance of surviving was to vacate the Earth
immediately by traveling to other worlds
and dimensions. They prepared to travel by
hitching a ride on an alien ship following the
Hale-Bopp Comet.
Thirty nine members rented a 9,000
square-foot mansion in California and were
discovered dead in bunk beds on March
26, 1997. The members, wearing matching
active wear, took their lives by consuming
pudding and applesauce laced with arsenic
and cyanide, washing this treat down with
vodka.
Costume idea #2: Jim Jones
Supplies:
*Short black wig (if your own hair will not
suffice)
*Dark sunglasses
*Choir robe
*Bible
*Grape Flavor-Aid (without cyanide), Kool-
Aid substitution OK.
Jim Jones was the founder and leader of
the infamous People’s Temple, a religious
group that relocated from the U.S. to Guyana,
South America. In Guyana, Jim Jones and his
cult built a communist farming community
called Jonestown. On November 18, 1978,
Jim Jones led his congregation in mass
suicide. 909 members died after drinking
cyanide-laced grape Flavor-Aid. 303 of the
dead were children.
Jim Jones did many horrifying things
in the name of religion. He embezzled
millions of dollars, most of which came
from old ladies who liquidated their assets
to move to Jim’s utopian commune in the
jungle. He confiscated medication from his
members and saved the best drugs to feed
his own addiction. After U.S. Congressman
Leo Ryan came to Jonestown to investigate
allegations of human rights abuses, Jim
Jones successfully ordered his brigade of
armed guards to shoot and kill him.
Costume idea #3 David Koresh (aka
Vernon Howell)
Supplies:
*Shoulder-length light brown curly wig (if
your own hair will not suffice)
*Aviator-style eyeglasses
*Bible
*Cohort of wives (ranging in age from 13 to
76)
David Koresh was the leader of a Branch
Davidian religious sect, a group that broke
from the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
According to his own sick religion, his sperm
was sacred and he owned all the members.
All women and girls were joined with him
as spiritual wives. All men also belonged to
him and were forbidden to have sex or even
masturbate.
This self-proclaimed savior did own a
1968 Camaro. He was an avid rock guitarist.
The pinnacle of his life’s work was the
failed 51-day standoff with the FBI and the
US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives. The Branch Davidian ranch
outside Waco, Texas burned, resulting
in the deaths of Koresh, 54 adults and 21
children.
Whatever public health message you
can glean from this article, I am sure it will
serve you well as you navigate this world
of false prophets and self-proclaimed
messiahs. I hope one of these costumes will
help you navigate wild October 31st pagan
celebrations. I will be trolling the crowds
on Halloween, looking for the next great
savior. Drink the Kool-Aid, lace up your Nike
Windrunners and bring some of your wives.
Boo to you Sexy Firemen!

C
GUIDANCE
COUNSELING
THIS MONTH’S COUNSELOR: MIKE TAYLOR
Send questions to: advice@antigravitymagazine.com
FRYING FRIENDS AND FAMILY
O
LUMN
W
e’ve done everything we can
at ANTIGRAVITY to gush over
Pygmy Lush, one of the best
bands playing music out there. Haunting
acoustic-folk Americana as only ex-members
of some of the most memorable Virginia
hardcore bands (like Pg.99) could play it,
Pygmy Lush has been making the rounds
through New Orleans for several years now,
enough to grant Mike Taylor (and the rest of
the band) honorary citizenship. When he’s
not with Pygmy Lush, Mike is a very laidback
dude, teaching pre-school kids (and
cooking their chicken nuggets) and enjoying
a tranquil lifestyle on a farm on the outermost-skirts
of D.C. So who better to ask
some advice from than the personification
of mellow autumn weather himself? You can
catch Pygmy Lush at the Big Top on October
28th. Really, do we have to keep begging you
to go see them?
My downstairs neighbor is always cooking
bacon (sometimes at 2 in the morning or
some crazy time like that) and it stinks up
our apartment something fierce. Also, we’re
vegetarians so we don’t really like the smell.
Should we tell him something? Suffer silently?
What do you think?
To your bacon woes: A friend of mine had a
similar problem living on top of a cheesesteak
joint in Philly. She always smelled like some
earthy nice scent and cheesesteaks! That’s
not a good thing! Maybe my best advice is
if you guys are on friendly enough terms,
mention to him that ventilation is really
bad and ask if he wouldn’t mind opening a
window when he’s rolling with the bacon;
otherwise, the way I see it is that he has a
right to cook whatever and whenever as long
as he’s paying rent. Fight back with garlic
maybe?
What’s a good policy for macking on friends
of friends? There’s this girl that I’ve been
talking to lately and she’s good friends with
a buddy of mine, almost like a brother-sister
thing... should I forget about it and move
on or is there a good way I can get myself
in there without causing a ruckus? Lemme
know, thanks!
Ok, just exercise common sense and
good judgment. Be honest with everyone
involved and tell your friend how you feel
about his friend. If you’re planning on just
hitting and quitting, you might want to
reconsider. If you’re a good person, just do
your thing and everything will find its right
place. Kevin arnold: “what do you mean,
like me like me?”
My parents are coming to stay with me for
Halloween, which is kind of a huge bummer.
I was planning on having a really good time
around then and they’re going to put a crimp
in my plans. No coming home wasted, no
parties or staying out late, PLUS I have to
entertain them while they’re down here (We’re
from Wisconsin and they’ve never been here
before). Is there something I can say to make
them not come down, or what else can I do to
save my holiday?
I think it’s a “huge bummer” that you need
advice on this! Nawlins is one of the best cities
in the world! Take some ownership of your
situation and show your parents a good time.
I’m assuming you’re younger and attending
college if you’re mentioning that you can’t
party while they are down. Again, you’re in
Nawlins! You can get drunk anytime. Save it
for Mardi Gras or Saints games and party next
Halloween. Ya know what? Tell your parents
to go to the Pygmy Lush show. We’ll show em
a good time!!!
5

C
O
LUMN
NOTES FROM THE
SPLASH ZONE
BY SARA PIC
sara.pic@gmail.com
HIDDEN HISTORY
Racism. The word alone can send
people running, covering their ears.
The complexity and enormity of
racism, however, is why discussion of it is
crucial. Racism in the U.S. succeeds, in part,
by suppressing or distorting such critical
discussions, especially examinations of the
privilege people with white skin are given
simply due to skin color. Dig a little deeper
in U.S. history, beyond what you learn in high
school, and you find that this proud country
was built on racism and that its present
global success is due in part to the perfection
of racism within institutions of power.
Racism in the U.S. keeps evolving to always
keep people with white skin in positions
of domination. The current formation of
mainstream racism tells us all people are
equal. But does the world in which we all
rely on the same institutions, such as schools,
healthcare, public safety, and government,
truly treat us all equally?
In New Orleans we are less afraid than in
many other cities to openly discuss race and
racism. There are many theatre, dance and
performance art groups that tackle the subject
of race through their art. If a picture speaks
a thousand words, then a performance, with
thoughtful examinations of race and racism,
has the ability to speak volumes. It may raise
more questions than answers but that is part
of the performance’s power, to force us all to
question our beliefs.
The always incisive ArtSpot Productions
returns with a remount of its show, Rumours
of War, as part of the 2011 bicentennial
commemoration of Louisiana’s 1811 Slave
Revolt, at the New Orleans African American
Museum. In 1811, the population of New
Orleans and its suburbs was about 25,000,
11,000 of whom were enslaved people. The
revolt began near present day Norco, where
its leader, a man named Charles, led a group
of people armed with cane knives and hoes
to overwhelm their enslaving owners and
oppressors. The army of people, freeing
themselves from their bondage, marched
from plantation to plantation towards New
Orleans. Following the example of the Haitian
revolution, they sought to liberate the tens of
thousands of enslaved people in Louisiana.
Despite several days of fighting, ultimately
the revolt was extinguished. Some of the
leaders were captured, their heads cut off
and placed on poles along the River Road
and at the gates of the city of New Orleans,
as the enslaving owners hoped that this grim
spectacle would terrorize the other enslaved
people into submission.
Co-directed by Kathy Randels (ArtSpot
Productions artistic director) and Monique
Moss (artistic director of Third Eye
Theatre), Rumours of War presents a fictional
and magical account of this vitally important
part of Louisiana’s “hidden history.” The
show features multimedia including living
sculptures, spoken word and original music
by Sean LaRocca and music and dance
performances by Ausettua AmorAmenkum
and Kumbuka African Drum and Dance
Collective. Several changes have occurred
since its original run in 2001, including the
creation of a new primary character, Lindor,
performed by spoken word poet Michael
“Quess” Moore. Lindor struggles with the
dilemma of assimilation vs. revolution, a new
theme in the production.
Randels comments, “It’s challenging,
chaotic, and beautiful to weave the
multimedia elements together.” Moss adds, “It
is site-specific and interdisciplinary so what
happens is an opportunity for connections on
multiple levels of consciousness. Some people
connect sooner through visual, some through
music, some through voice.” Her hope is that
“the audience would see themselves” within
the work.
Tackling such a subject creates many
questions for the creators and performers
as well. In rehearsal, Randel relates that
“the question came up of ‘how do we move
forward as people of African and European
dissent with the legacy and effects of slavery
in us individually and systemically?’ We have
to talk to each other about our experiences.
Black people need to voice what they have
experienced. White people need to voice
how they have practiced racism. Beyond
the loftiness of those things it’s important to
spend time talking about those experiences
cross-racially. Then we can begin to become
aware of each others experiences.” Moss
adds, simply and straightforwardly, “If part
of the truth is missing – we are not speaking
about truth.”
The venerable Junebug Productions and
the Free Southern Theatre Institute have
been a thunderous voice in New Orleans
and throughout the South for decades, using
theatre, performance and education to
challenge racism. As part of their mission to
engage the community in their work, they
are partnering with the People’s Institute
for Survival and Beyond to hold a powerful
Undoing Racism Workshop with a focus
on the arts. Additionally, a 7-week intensive
course on Story Circle Methodology will be
offered. Watch for more info on these and other
Junebug projects in an upcoming column.
Rumours of War runs at the New Orleans
African American Museum, 1413 Gov. Nicholls,
from October 14th through 30th on Fridays
through Sundays at 7:30 pm. $20 general, $15
students and seniors. Pay-what-you-can night
is Sunday, October 16. More info at noaam.
org. Applications for both Free Southern
Theatre Institute courses can be found at
junebugproductions.org.
6

C
O
LUMN
SLINGSHOTS, ANYONE?
I’ve been a bit wound up these past
weeks, moving toward the darkness
that could best be described as
the distinctive Abyss of White Culture:
amorphous sadness, self-imposed isolation,
mopey narcissism, desperate longing and
other first-world sufferings encapsulated
so poignantly by the Smiths. The type of
cyclical neurosis leading Descartes to pen
his callous dictum, Ted Kacyznski to hole
up in his remote cabin to plot a campaign
of terrorism against techno-industrial
society and columnists to spew a mess of
contradictions unfit for outside eyes. Hence
my absence last month. Beyond putting in
my duty to the Iron Rail (and not even that
astutely), I’ve been shutting myself off from
the world within my insular lair, listening
to a lot of Cocteau Twins and cogitating
on pressing personal matters. Sometimes
too much. Alternatively, I’ll lurk around the
kitchen, attempting to coax our partially
feral cats Red Bean and Black Eye Peas
out of their shells, all the while retreating
more heavily into my own. Certainly there’s
a metaphor in there, somewhere… My
primary outings, to counteract the shame
of spending warm summer days indoors,
though still highly antisocial, consists of
trips to City Park to sit by the railroad
tracks, listen to tapes and get all wistful…
But occasionally I do voluntarily drag
myself out to social gatherings, frightening
as they may be. Sometimes this results in
pitiful retreat, like the night I nearly ran
screaming from ‘90s Nite at the Blue Nile
after only 20 minutes! Standing frozen
on the dance floor, fielding well-meaning
encouragements over Janet Jackson—
an awkward little experiment imparting
a valuable lesson: social phobias never
die; one simply gets better at laughing at
them…
OK, so it’s not as grim as I’m making it
sound. Osa put on another all-ages show
at Fair Grinds in Midcity earlier in the
month and it was definitely my favorite in
a while. A band from the Bay Area called
No Babies and a solo singer from L.A. by
the name of Whitman were playing and
I hadn’t heard either. Whitman looked
vaguely familiar, so I asked if we’d met
before; his confused reply led me to scour
that murky reservoir of memory before
it occurred to me that, actually, he just
bears a striking resemblance to Macaulay
Culkin. Whoops! Mostly I ventured out on
this rainy evening to see the first show of
Osa’s new band Lunar Wreck. Her and
bandmate Ally’s previous project, Heat
Rash, once played Nowe Miasto, utilizing
a percussive assortment of buckets, pans
and a clothes rack —definitely one of the
more “avant garde” of New Orleans DIY
post apocalypse punk. And because Lunar
Wreck also featured Paula of Relax Band
and Sonia formerly of Austin’s No Mas
8
BY DEREK ZIMMER
judgeperezrevenge@yahoo.com
GROWING PAINS
Bodas, I had this impression of what they
might be like. And I have to say, I was off
the mark. I know the word “primitive”
reeks of condescension in bourgeois
society, but I mean it to connote the purest
and most uninhibited form of expression,
unmarred by convention and cliche. Toads
croaking in a swampy pond, a forlorn wind
rattling the leaves, the coyotes bellowing
at the moon—reviled by all “civilized”
standards of beauty and taste, and yet
the most magnificent symphony in all the
world! Like a magic fairy dust, the howlingacapella/drum-pounding
performance
of Lunar Wreck left the 20 of us who
bore witness in that room enchanted
and enthralled. A refreshing variation in
delivery and form from what I’m used to.
Though of course I would expect no less
from Osa and No More Fiction...
Next, we all settled around the young lad
with the acoustic guitar. A boy ready to bare
his soul for anyone within a 30 foot radius—
and occasionally even a little further, when
he broke with the soft-sung melancholy by
stomping on the floor pedal and sending
that guitar convulsing into fuzzed-out rage!
I was tempted at one point to call out, “Play
another Elliott Smith cover!” But then I
reflected on how I didn’t know this kid
beyond one semi-awkward interaction an
hour earlier, so maybe this wasn’t entirely
appropriate—after all, he didn’t actually
sound like Elliott Smith. Despite the general
scorn of “folk” by the punx, I admire the guts
it takes to stand alone and serenade a room
of people with no distortion to hide behind.
So I wasn’t about to heckle him, benevolent
as my intentions may have been. A chance
let pass…
Before a song, Whitman touched on a
nihilistic dilemma I have been brooding
on a lot lately. “This song is called ‘Give
Up,’” he told us, crowded in the dim light.
“Because at a certain point the act of
pursuing things becomes unhealthy and it’s
better just to give up on them.” I thought of
a recent conversation with a friend. He’d
told me about how a wheat-pasted poster
on the street featuring two rioters had
been modified to express the very same
sentiment: “GIVE UP.” To which my friend
had queried, “But what if I’ve given up on
giving up?!” I’ve been struggling most of
my adult life to escape the paralysis that
accompanies the understanding that the
world is completely fucked up; I derive
no comfort from inaction even when it all
seems hopeless. That’s not to say I don’t
think “giving up” in other ways can be
extremely rewarding.
A couple Summers ago while traveling
through the Southwest on tour, I heard
a This American Life segment about
Evan Harris, author of the zine Quitter
Quarterly. Because our society is so
“success” obsessed and guided by the
validation of “accomplishment,” even at
the expense of personal happiness, being a
“quitter” is wrought with all these negative
connotations in mainstream culture. But
the zine author turns the notion on its
head: rather than some pathetic forfeit,
the quitter—in forsaking unsatisfying
jobs, schooling, relationships, even the
place one lives as Harris did—reasserts
control over her destiny and embraces the
unknown in order to grow as a person. It’s
the same way that “failure,” the ancient
taboo, is actually essential for the process
of creating and learning. In the words
of Dido, thundering forth with a lovely
British cadence like the voice of god
incarnate: “While I am so afraid to fail so
I won’t even try / Well, how can I say I’m
alive?”
No Babies exemplified this valiance and
squashing of self-consciousness better than
a million columns ever could. “Sometimes
it feels so good to just go wild!” Kim, the
singer, exclaimed after their set. A succinct
and pretty fitting summation, I’d say. Not
to mention a running theme this month?
When she appeared sporting knee pads
and a little yellow cushion adorning the
microphone, it was obvious something was
about to go down. They expressed their
appreciation for this safe and inclusive
cultural space and encouraged folks to
let loose—and those in attendance didn’t
need be asked twice. As No Babies began,
unchaining an unruly sonic tempest, the
room erupted. New Orleans was jolted
from its complacency to feed ravenously on
the kinetic frenzy of the musicians—and in
this entirely unselfconscious, responsible
and non-aggro kind of way. Rolling around
the floor. Jumping up and down. Flailing
spasmodically. The young and the old, girls
and boys alike, people from all walks of life
surrendering to the freak out saxophonewailing,
crashing, screaming onslaught
that had unbelievably conspired to bring
us all together, consuming the whole of
“Social
phobias
never die;
one simply
gets better
at laughing
at them.”
our sensory input, for those 20 minutes.
Like the blackout that interrupts TV
programming to bring the city dwellers
out into the streets, it was such a contrast
from what we experience in daily routine:
the boring etiquette of orderly society,
the repressive standards dictating
the parameters of our behaviors and
interactions—all shattered in the upheaval
of unfettered creative expression, the most
powerful tool of subversion possible! So
beautiful, yet so fleeting…
Of course, I just stood in the corner
by the PA, awestruck but largely stoic.
Why can I not relinquish these trifling
inhibitions? Why do I clench up in the face
of what is clearly the unbridled delight of
physical movement? Why, like my beloved
legume-christened cats, am I so direly
afraid to receive what it is I desperately
want?! Well, I’m working on it. My atrophy
should not suggest, however, that I was
not shaken to my core. Somewhere, in the
incessant rattling, I have come unhinged.

She's Still Dead
M
USIC
Fresh from the grave:
Gripped by a morbid curiosity about all things metal and an ever-diminishing
respect for my own well-being, I recently met up with the lunatics from
She’s Still Dead—who are quickly climbing to the top of the New Orleans
punk/metal heap—to talk about their forthcoming album, their favorite horror
movies and what it was like working with White Zombie’s J. Yuenger. I sat down
with vocalist Cosimo Solo, guitarists Kevin Dredge and Taylor Suarez and drummer
Mark Antee to find out what was happening in their world of thrash punk and
evisceration.
ANTIGRAVITY: What was it like working with J. Yuenger?
Cosimo Solo: It was nice working with J. because he was a good fit and it was
cool to work with a real producer, somebody who could put his two cents in and
actually bring something to the table. I mean, it was beyond just going to record
with somebody. We actually went and worked with somebody, you know?
Kevin Dredge: Yeah, he actually cared about what we were doing, rather than some
guy just trying to record us and make money.
And it was recorded at Graveyard Studio?
KD: Yeah, Graveyard Studio in Mid City is where he sort of operates out of. It’s right
smack in the middle of two cemeteries, so we recorded basically surrounded by
the dead.
I understand Alan Douches mastered the album?
KD: He’s one of the best. He’s worked with Mastodon; he’s worked with Nile. He
mastered the Misfits box set.
CS: Converge.
KD: Yeah, Converge, Run DMC, GWAR.
He also mixed a couple of songs for the Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Soundtrack.
KD: [Laughs] Oh really?
CS: Awesome.
Who’s idea was it to fund the album through Kickstarter?
KD: Other local bands had done it and we just decided we should try it. More than
just from a monetary standpoint we thought Kickstarter would be good because
it involves the fans. Like, they’re helping to make the album. And it’s not free
money, so they donate, then we give back to them. We give them merchandise,
records, patches, CDs. And we’re 110% funded now. We made more money than
we thought.
Awesome. You know, right before I came over here I was listening to one of
the album tracks, “Hands of the Ripper,” and I thought it kind of sounded like
Slayer. Are they an influence for you?
KD: Slayer’s a huge influence for me, yeah. I don’t know if it is for Taylor.
Taylor Suarez: I listen to a lot of instrumental guitar stuff. My influences are kind
of all over. I’m not really stuck with one genre.
The last time I saw you guys was at Siberia in May. I was blown away by how
tight your performance was, and that was only your third show, right?
KD: Yeah, that was our third show. I think we’ve gotten better since then.
That sort of brings me to something else I want to ask. You guys have all been
in a number of different bands--
KD: Yeah, me and Cosimo were in Antarctica vs. The World, and I was in Face First
with Mark.
But you guys seem to be playing on a different level in terms of how focused
you are and how tight the performances are.
KD: I think we’re operating on a different level. We put everything we have into
this. For us, the band takes precedence over work and school. Me and Taylor for
example, yesterday we skipped work and school to screen t-shirts for six hours.
CS: What we’re doing is something different.
KD: Yeah, we’re doing something different. We’re working really fucking hard.
Immediately after screening t-shirts we went to WTUL, covered in ink to do a radio
show. We’re very driven to do this. We practice two or three days a week, and
that was a big stipulation when I started the band. I wanted members to dedicate
everything that they had to the band and not play with anyone else. The thing with
bands in New Orleans is it’s a very incestuous thing and a lot of the guys down
here play in three, sometimes four different bands at the same time. But I wanted
members who were putting everything into this band so that they could dedicate
all their time and all their creative output into what we’re doing.
10
By Wesley K. Peart
Mark Antee: Yeah. Otherwise it causes problems
down the line, eventually.
Can you tell me a little more about starting the
band, just the process of getting your current
lineup?
KD: Yeah. Well, I wasn’t playing with Face First
anymore, and I wanted to do something with Mark
again. So I called him.
MA: Yeah, he called the day Face First broke up, or
maybe the day after. I didn’t miss a beat.
KD: I was trying to get a band together for like a year,
and I kept going through members. And I wanted
this to be a horror-influenced band, so I thought,
“Who’s the best frontman in New Orleans for that?”
And it turned out to be Cosimo. I mean, I played
with Cosimo for fucking ten years in Antarctica
vs. the World and he was the perfect choice. He’s
completely into horror, too. And then with Taylor, he
was in another band and I saw him play. His playing
absolutely floored me. I was in awe of how good he
was. So I approached him after the show and he told
me that he’s been playing with this band for a little
while and that this was their last show. And I told him
he should come play for my band and he accepted
the offer. When I first met Taylor he was eighteen,
and I asked him “How long have you been playing
guitar?” And he said, “Oh, I’ve just been playing for
four years.” [Laughs]
See, my next question for Taylor was going to be
“have you been in a cave playing guitar for thirty
years?”
[All laugh]
KD: [to Taylor] You’re twenty now, right? So, you’ve
been playing for five or six years?
TS: Yeah, since Hurricane Katrina.
KD: He fucking picked up his first guitar after
Hurricane Katrina.
CS: [to Taylor] Yeah, but how many hours a day do
you play, though?
TS: I’ll practice like five or six hours a day.
KD: [Laughs] Let’s make the interview about Taylor
now.
Photo by Sue Ellen Soto
Taylor, what made you want to start playing?
TS: It was just something to do. [All laugh]
CS: Yes!
KD: [Imitating Taylor] “I was just bored.”
TS: It wasn’t like a conscious thing. I just kind of
wanted to play, so I did.
Any big plans for the future, maybe a tour at
some point?
KD: We’re going to be touring next summer, maybe
up the East Coast.
CD: We want to play everywhere.
KD: Yeah, we want to take over the world.
TS: Well, we’re expecting to start working on new
songs for another album.
KD: Yeah, we’re non-stop. The album hasn’t even
come out yet, and we’re already working on two
songs we’re going to record with J. for a 7”.
CS: In the next month or so we will start playing
shows in the local surrounding area, like Baton
Rouge, Lafayette, out in Texas, maybe Florida.
Will you be playing in any graveyards?
KD: We’ll play in graveyards. We’ll play anywhere.
Right on. So, favorite horror movies?
KD: Oh man. [to Cosimo] Favorite horror movies?
CS: Anything made by Hammer Films in London.
KD: It’s funny because Cosimo is more into the
‘60s and ‘70s stuff, and I’m more into the ‘70s
and ‘80s stuff, you know? I’m into the American
horror movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and
Halloween. I would say Halloween is one of my
favorite horror movies, and I like a lot of the ‘80s
slasher movies too, like Nightmare on Elm Street,
Friday the 13 th . Shit like that.
Check out She’s Still Dead October 28th at Siberia
opening for Eyehategod. For more information
visit still-dead.com

M
USIC
VOODOO 2011
RETURNS TO CITY PARK ON OCTOBER 28, 29 & 30--
THE ANTIGRAVITY STAFF PICKS THE MUST-SEE ACTS
OF THIS YEAR’S MUSIC EXPERIENCE
GORDON GANO W/ LOST BAYOU RAMBLERS
Known best for his petulant vocals as the frontman
and guitarist of The Violent Femmes (if you don’t at
least know “Blister in the Sun” you either live under a
rock or are under 18), Gordon Gano has been dipping
his toes into the vast expanse of the New Orleans
musical scene over the last few years, playing local
shows with increasing frequency and making friends
with local artists. The result of one such meeting is
this performance. Putting down the guitar and picking
up the fiddle, Gano recently joined forces with this
traditional Cajun band from the tiny Acadiana town
of Pilette, LA to record their latest album, the fruits of
which we will get to see firsthand at Voodoo. I can’t
wait to see how these styles mesh and it’s sure to be a
one-of-a-kind performance. -Erin Hall
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF
I’m still waiting for these guys to hit the big time. Their
sound is so vibrant, so pure and so authentic that it’s
impossible not to be drawn in by it. Lead singer Alynda
Lee Segarra possesses a quiet power that provides
the songs with backbones around which she weaves
stories and folk tales amid a wall of plucked strings
and light, taut percussion. Sure, you can see them
around town a good bit. But you’d be remiss to pass
them up at Voodoo. After all, many of the “headliner”
national acts have nothing on the best New Orleans
has to offer. -Erin Hall
IRIS MAY TANGO
Iris May Tango is a funk/rock/jazz/hip hop hybrid
that ruled Frenchmen during the late ‘90’s. Their
humor, energy, pop sensibility and ability to travel
through an innumerable amount of styles is their
attraction. After disbanding in 2005 the original
lineup of drummer Kevin O’ Day, guitarist Rene
Duffourc, saxophonist Rob Wagner, bassist Andy
Wolf, vocalist Keng, and vocalist Yours Truly Chaddy
1 P.U.S. played two successful shows in April.
According to Chaddy, the band will release new and
old material and is again looking to make a national
and international mark. -Jason Songe
MASTODON
Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, this insanely gifted fourpiece
crafts mammoth concept albums, including their
brand new full-length The Hunter, and put on brutal
live shows that must be seen to be believed. This
year’s festival is a bit light on the metal side of music,
but Mastodon will certainly please any resident metalhead
in attendance. This appearance will be the fifth
stop on the band’s upcoming national headlining tour,
and while their set will surely be heavy on new cuts
from The Hunter, Mastodon always does a great job
mixing songs from each of their albums into their live
shows. -Dan Mitchell
12
MAJOR LAZER
Major Lazer, a dub/ dancehall inspired project
between producers Diplo and Switch, is a traveling
party when they hit the road on tour. While the music
alone is infectious, dynamic and celebratory, it is what
these two young producers bring with them on tour
that is nothing short of spectacular. Their live sets
include hallucinatory light shows, elaborate costumes
and props, shockingly forceful and sexual dancing and
enough bass-heavy beats to make your mind melt.
This set might just change your life, who knows--- I
know I have never been the same since the last time I
saw them in a festival setting a little over one year ago.
-Dan Mitchell
ODD FUTURE WOLF GANG KILL THEM ALL
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All are the best rap
group since WuTang Clan. Also the worst. 20-year-old
leader, Tyler the Creator, deserved MTVs Video of the
Year for the sparse, funny, and creepy “Yonkers.” His
grimy beats and rhymes satiate fans of 90s rap who
left the genre for dead when money became the focus.
The topics the group choose instead – heavy-handed
murder and rape fantasies peppered with the words
“faggot” and “nigger” -- leave something to be desired,
but the casually complex linguistic delivery wins the
day. In the end, getting upset at these kids is like fuming
at Tarantino for his “dead nigger storage” monologue
in Pulp Fiction. But despite mad teenage energy on
stage, Tyler (who has asthma) sounds nothing like he
does on the many celebrated recordings, bellowing his
lyrics so hard he can’t get three words into a line before
running out of breath, and so leaning on his many
hype-men (Hodgy Beats in particular) to pick up his
slack. Who knows when the group will realize that the
teenage aspects of their music aren’t the good parts,
and that they’re mostly being heralded not for acting
like Juggalos but for sounding somehow artistically
mature. But whether or not they’ve figured themselves
out yet, OFWGKTA make some of the best rap records
of the new millennium. -Michael Patrick Welch
PEELANDER Z
Peelander Z is the type of band you kick yourself for not
having seen earlier. They remain one of my favorite live
performers. Peelander Z is a self-described “Japanese
Action Comic Punk Band” that was formed out of NYC
in ‘98. Their essence is fun and their presence, along
with their costumes and drumsticks, is larger than life.
Things you’re likely to see at their Voodoo set: confetti,
the band members jumping on each other and running
all over the stage, audience members taking over for
the band, and song titles like “So Many Mike,” “Mad
Tiger,” and Ninja High School” written on cue cards.
-Jason Songe

THE RACONTEURS
Brendan Benson is no stranger to New Orleans. The guitarist and vocalist for The
Raconteurs spent childhood years in Harvey, titling his 2002 solo album Lapalco
and referencing within it the Gulf of Mexico, Esplanade Avenue, voodoo, and
etoufee. The Raconteurs cover much ground, blending Benson’s love for Beatles
pop and Jack White’s blues-via-Zeppelin guitar heroics with prog, folk, and Ennio
Morricone. The group’s 2008 Jazzfest set was full of fiery testosterone and White’s
frighteningly dramatic playing. They were out to kill, so confident they floated in
patience, waiting to pounce. -Jason Songe
RAY DAVIES
Even though in 2004 he was shot in the leg here, Ray Davies said in a 2009 Telegraph
travel article that “New Orleans will always be one of my favourite places in the
world. It’s a place where I immediately feel at home.” While introducing “The
Tourist” in a Youtube video, Davies recounted how during his recuperation, Alex
Chilton introduced himself. Chilton became good friends with Davies, the two
sharing beers and reflecting on their careers. At Voodoo expect the hits: “Waterloo
Sunset,” “Lola,” “All Day and All of The Night,” “You Really Got Me,” etc. etc. -Jason
Songe
ROTARY DOWNS
Another “why aren’t these guys huge yet?” band. Consistent and impressive
enough to frequently be called the best rock band in town, Rotary Downs is a band
you never want to miss if you have the chance to see them play. Relegated to a tiny
tucked-away stage at Bonnaroo this year, they proved to be more of a draw than
many of the national bands in competing time slots. Their album Chained to the
Chariot is still my favorite musical memory from Post-Katrina life in New Orleans.
Poignant and perfect, James Marler and Co. know so well what it is to love New
Orleans despite all her failings. “The big parade is pretty in the broken, sunken
city” after all. -Erin Hall
SOUNDGARDEN
On Telephantasm, Soundgarden’s
2010 best-of album that featured
’90s-era hits like “Black Hole
Sun,” “Spoonman” and “Blow Up
the Outside World,” listeners are
reminded that before “grunge”
broke big Chris Cornell and
company were considered more of
a metal/punk hybrid, as evidenced
by under-the-radar inclusions like
“Birth Ritual” (from the soundtrack
to 1992’s Singles) and “Rusty
Cage.” So it might surprise casual
fans that Telephantasm’s ultimate
highlight was “Black Rain,” a
reworked version of a song the
band had been sitting on since
1992’s Badmotorfinger. The group’s first new track since their breakup in 1997,
“Black Rain” features a psychedelic guitar riff that would be right at home on any
modern metal record and a hair-raisingly shrieking Chris Cornell, who’s shown his
legendary range hasn’t faded (see his acoustic arrangement of “Black Hole Sun”
from The Howard Stern Show as a perfect example). Who knows, maybe during
their set I’ll even find a mosh pit to jump into—do they make those for folks over
30? -Leo McGovern
TV ON THE RADIO
Poised on the forefront of the massive wave of indie bands emerging from Brooklyn
in the early-to-mid 2000s, TV on the Radio is one of the only ones that will be
remembered universally in 20 years. Encapsulating a sense of untouchable cool
with their literary lyrics and oftentimes difficult melodies, the band has kept fans on
their toes for a decade now, consistently putting out some of the most challenging
records in rock music. The band sadly suffered the loss of bassist Gerard Smith to
lung cancer just a week after the release of Nine Types of Light (their first album in
three years), but it will be great to see the band working in a live venue again after
a year-long hiatus. -Erin Hall
For tickets, updated schedules, lineups and other information, go to
thevoodooexperience.com.
13

C
U
L
T
U
RE
HOUSE OF SHOCK:
BEHIND THE MADNESS
STORY & PHOTOS BY DAN MITCHELL
The House of Shock is New Orleans’ premier Halloween haunted house
and this is saying something, given the number of haunted houses and
other attractions in the New Orleans area during this time of year. The
House is not new to the game, as owner Ross Karpelman explains: “Well, it
has been 19 years, and we started in a backyard in 1992, in co-founder’s Jay
Gracinette backyard. And it just evolved into what it has become. It has become
this fate thing now, synonymous with Halloween in New Orleans.”
Aside from Karpelman, whom I spoke with in his office the week before the
opening weekend, founders Gracinette and Phil Anselmo, the then front-man
of Pantera, were intimately involved in the House of Shock’s inception in 1992.
The next year, 1993, saw Steven Joseph, the pyrotechnical master who has
worked with bands such as the Rolling Stones, Motley Crue and Kiss, join the
ranks and the House of Shock was born as we know it today. Since then, it has
been growing steadily.
“We went through a lot of obstacles to do what we do: fire
marshals, city councils, church groups and whatnot,” says
Karpelman. “I think that they were just trying to scare us
out of it. When we started, in backyards, we had lines
all the way throughout the neighborhood. We were
no older than 22, [but] as we were getting older
we realized that Halloween just didn’t mean as
much anymore. So we wanted to just get back
to our youth and have our own haunted
house. Just build and build and build, and
it has just built into this.”
When he means build, he means it
wholeheartedly. This year’s House of
Shock, and I speak of only the haunted
house area itself, is the biggest ever,
tipping out at about 45,000 square feet
of purely unadulterated madness. Its
completion and complexity, however,
as Karpelman makes abundantly clear
during our time together, could not
have been accomplished without his coconspirators,
an ever-growing number
of volunteers dedicated to the same
end-goal.
“We could never have done it without
our friends and family, as we call them-
-- we have over 350 volunteers right
now that participate in the House of
Shock, and we have a core team of
about sixty people that we really count
on to do everything.” Among the core
group at the House, Karpelman spoke
of two members specifically, whose
contributions are vital, one being David
Carry.
“He’s the prodigy, the golden boy, the
visionary,” says Karpelman. “He was
born on Halloween, [and] drew up his
first horror house plans at the age of
only 8, which we are trying to publish.
We are going to start our own publishing
company, the House of Shock Press--
David Carry’s 8 year-old drawings,”
Karpelman says in a joking manner.
He then moves to talk about another
specific essential member, “Allen Jaeger,
who does a lot of the poster art for the
bands that come through. He has always
done the House of Shock posters and he
is creating an entire series of posters going back through all the years.” While Karpelman
has a keen sense of humor, including quips about Darkthrone’s inability to afford the House
of Shock’s pyrotechnical expertise due to lack of monetary capital, he is also deadly serious
when he speaks of the broader member contributions as being essential. History is important
to the House of Shock and Karpelman, regardless of his singling out these two members; and
he is adamant about how each person plays their own role and is important to the whole in
their own right.
“We love each and every one of these people. Some of them we know, some of them
we don’t know, some of them we will get to know. We have a lot of new people here, and
they have to be jumped in, per se,” Karpelman explains. “To become a member of House
of Shock-- a member of the gang-- you have to have a sponsor that has worked here for at
least two years, and they have to sponsor you for the first year. Then you can bring new
people in.”
This initiation process, according to
Karpelman, is part of the House’s strength and
unity. “We find a lot of good people that way,”
he says, “engineers... everything from plumbers
to homeless people, transvestites and doctors,
paramedics, massage therapists, great make-up
artists. I am the lone Jew here,” he adds with a
laugh, after another member in the office pitches
the designation. “So yeah, we’ve got it all. It is an
organic thing that we have here--- we are going
green, the first green Haunted House. We recycle
old skeletons.”
The most recent location of the House of
Shock, at 319 Butterworth Street in Jefferson
Parish, has not always been the command
center, as Karpelman clarifies; and a number
of the core members of the team are recent
additions to the cast as well. When the building
previously used by the House rescinded its
lease in 2004, which was only a stone’s throw
from the current location on the Mississippi, the
House crew found themselves at a crossroads.
“After ’04, we lost the building down the road
here. Our lease had expired and the guy wanted
to take it over for his own company. At this
point we were like, ‘damn, twelve years in, do
we really want to do it? Is it all worth it? We are
all tired; we are all old; we all have stuff that we
do during the year.’ It is really just a hobby for
us,” according to Karpelman. “We never really
make enough money to further us--- it is just
basically [that] we make enough back to spend
it on stupidity, so we can have a good time. We
ended at a cross-roads in 2004, and we were all
piss and vinegar.”
But, as Karpelman explained in our talk, it
was the new members that helped to breathe
new life into the operation. “When we moved
here after the 2004 season, that’s when all
these guys came over from Chinchuba [on the
West Bank], which was the non-profit Haunted
House for the hearing impaired. They always
did a really good job, and we were always
impressed with their design. I think they
just wanted to come over to the dark side,”
jokes Karpelman. “These were the guys who
were like, ‘yeah, absolutely man, the House of
Shock is great; there is no way you guys can go
away. We grew up on this and always wanted
to be a part of it.’” On a new sail, Karpelman,
Gracinette, Joseph and others pushed forth on
the wind of the new blood.
14

“It was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it!’ So we salvaged what we could and we moved it 100 yards
down the street and set up shop in ’05 and were ready to open in the beginning of October of
’05.” But, as we all know, Hurricane Katrina struck in August of that year.
“Of course, you know what happened,” says Karpelman. “All of the infrastructure, everybody
around--- I had 12 feet of water in my house; I was in Houston. We didn’t know what was going
to happen. But we did open in 2005 for one day. Steve Joseph, our other partner, who lived in
Norco, didn’t really get affected by the storm and came down here and opened the gates on
Halloween night on the 13th year. And we were open for business. Now we are 19 and our
first season opener was 2006 [at the present location].” Just like the rest of the city, the House
of Shock rebounded from its losses and this year’s seasonal expansion in terms of ambition
reflects the hard work put in by the members, post-Katrina.
Held within the 2011 House of Shock are a number of changes that will provide the public
with some alternatives, aside from simply getting the shit scared out of them in the traditional
maze of depravity. It is certainly encouraged that those in attendance take part in the haunted
horror aspect that is the journey through the gargantuan, labyrinthine terror-fest. As a daylight
journey revealed, it will easily take 45 minutes to get through, if not more, as this behemoth,
bloody mind-fuck remains the central component of the House of Shock. But the fine people at
the House understand the limitations of only offering the haunted house.
“We’ve got the Festival that is new this year--- we have turned this place into getting away
from just an intense horror attraction. We still have all of those elements, but we realize that
a lot of people will never come here because of that, because it is too intense, because it is too
scary, because they don’t like haunted houses… So, what we have done is just made it more
comfortable for people to come and hang out, as if you are going to any other bar. You are at
the perfect place for the October season. You’ve got the Halloween stuff happening all around;
you’ve got the stage shows out here with pyrotechnics; you’ve got killer bands playing; you’ve
got the Reverend B. Dangerous doing his side-show gig. We have a full bar here, we have
concessions, lots of food. It is for people to change their view of this place.”
In the past, much hoopla has been made in the media, in city council meetings and around
conservative dinner table discussions over the fact that the House of Shock tends toward the
Satanic, that they revel in darkness, evil and terror. While this may partially be true, the human
side of the event rarely finds mention amidst the negativity--- like the fact that those associated
are hard-working people, striving to provide a service to a city steeped in the haunted, but one
that also relishes in its revelry and celebration. “People had a lot of preconceived notions of
what we are and who we are. You can’t say that a lot of it was not unfounded--- we certainly are
intense, we certainly are extreme and we certainly do take it seriously, but not too seriously,”
says Karpelman. “It is very much a party, and we want to keep it that way.”
So with that spirit, the House of Shock invites all willing to take part in the fête. As Karpelman
elaborates, “We have built this whole new deck system out here with a bar, tying in New Orleans,
calling it the Honey Island Swamp Bar. [There is] Hell’s Kitchen, which was Hell’s Kitchen way
before Gordon Ramsey had it,” mentions Karpelman, not so jokingly. He continues, “We are
stepping up our game in that area, so people can come here and relax-- or try to relax-- at least
get drunk.” And while those in attendance are busying themselves with drinking and unwinding,
they can also enjoy the sweet sounds coming from the stage set up outside the House facing
Butterworth Street, which will be primarily featuring local groups. This musical arena is nothing
new to the House, as they have done this in years past, but it is something that Karpelman is
definitely excited about this year. “We are keeping it kind of local. We’ve got Goatwhore; we’ve
got Exhorder; we are working on Quintron--- talking with him now. Kyle Turley will be playing
here and we will be doing a bike run for the benefit of the Steve Gleason foundation. Steve
Gleason was a fan of the House of Shock; he came here all the time.”
The House of Shock is and always has been here to affront, defy, spellbind and terrorize the
minds of those within the city of New Orleans to the bone during the Halloween season, and
this year will be no different. Believe Karpelman when he says, “We are not going to stop until
we get a pentagram Ferris Wheel.”
The House of Shock, located at 319 Butterworth Street (in Jefferson) is open on weekends as of
September 30th and will be open Wednesday the 26th through Monday the 31st, as well as the
first weekend in November. For more information, visit houseofshock.com.
15

C
U
L
T
U
R
E
M
16
Sounds of Silence:
A Resident’s Take on the Bywater’s Culture Wars
By Michael Patrick Welch
any of us moved to New Orleans because it’s supposedly one of the last places
an American can unselfconsciously make a joyful noise. Within the world’s most
musical city, my wife and I sought out the area most conducive to our particular
artistic pursuits: a “light industrial” zone in Bywater where she could have a yard for messy
art projects and I could play music in the house-- so long as we never got louder than the
trains that blast their horns and bells at either end of our street many times a day. One of the
trains crosses Poland Street, Royal and Chartres at such an angle that we are often literally
trapped at home waiting to be late for work. On two occasions the train has come completely
off the track, skidding onto the road not a block from our house. But we put up with all this
and more because it would be arrogant of us (not to mention illegal) to make music and
messy art with loud tools in a neighborhood zoned “residential.”
Turns out though, it is fine for someone to move into a “light industrial” area and demand
that everyone live by “residential” rules.
Because of our trains, the giant Naval Base (currently abandoned) and the total lack of
houses on one side of Chartres Street, the Bywater’s far back corner was the perfect place for
Bacchanal wine bar to organically bloom and grow. In the wake of Katrina, the live jazz and
food in the courtyard there seemed the only New Orleans-style normalcy for miles. I wasn’t
a fan of much of the white-bread music or all the Lexus and BWMs always taking up our
parking spots. Still, I loved living next to something that every night reminded me that New
Orleans does often live up to its legend. And besides, Bacchanal’s saxophones were never as
loud as the trains, so why complain?
But of course there are always neighbors like the one who once bitched at my wife for pushing
the baby stroller down the street instead of on the sidewalk. He is of the type dim enough to
believe that his (illegally) posted printouts of a pile of dog poop with an X through them are
somehow less ugly than the far less visible dog poop it’s meant to prevent. Living literally two
doors down from the train, with functioning warehouses on each side of his home, he surely
wears earplugs to bed. So there’s no way Bacchanal could bother him. Yet he (illegally) slipped
a note inside all of our mailboxes, trying to gather support for a push to keep Bacchanal from
obtaining the music permit they rightly deserve in a “light industrial zone.”
Then, two years ago, between our house and Bacchanal, some fellow Yankees moved in and
opened another art-related business. They must not have researched the area they moved
into because they expected silence. And since these folks claiming to be artists could not
bear three hours of patio jazz next to their business each night (though their business was
closed by the time the music began and they were at their home across the neighborhood),
Bacchanal’s music is now gone and also many people’s jobs.
Admittedly, the final issue was that Bacchanal did not have a live music permit. But
realistically, the authorities should have noticed the abandoned Naval Base and the empty
side of Chartres, heard the train come blasting through and realized there couldn’t be a
more ideal place for a boho-yuppie jazz club, placing equal importance on not harming the
financial well-being of dozens of musicians and service industry folks (and a ton of sales tax
revenue). Bacchanal paid up to six musicians $100 (or more) each night, seven nights a week.
This surely meant the difference between a few musicians getting to follow their life’s calling
rather than say, teach elementary school. Politicians at the top are tearing America apart
and letting corporations poison us just to make sure nothing “kills” any jobs, and yet our city
won’t go so far as to defend someone’s right to host music in an industrial zone, even when it
helps New Orleans’ bottom line. Especially in our “light industrial” area it would have made
more sense for authorities to tell Bacchanal, when they stopped by in the morning during
slow hours, “If y’all don’t get a permit within the month, we will be back to shut you down.” In
depressing reality though, they dramatically swarmed Bacchanal at 9 pm, during its busiest
night, as if executing a heroin bust and shut the place down immediately.
As an aside: most of those I’ve heard claim no sympathy for Bacchanal since “they did
not follow the rules” would all be in jail right now, with me, if all rules were truly enforced.
One new, short-sighted, persistent neighbor may have figured out which nonsensical law to
utilize to stop the music, but they are still wrong for moving into a “light industrial” area and
demanding “residential” silence. Especially at the expense of New Orleans’ most important
export: music.
Not wanting our needs (music) taken away, my family decided to host, at our house, some
of the Bacchanal bands who lost their jobs. That Friday night we had Mark Wileki’s guitar
jazz trio, who were, as usual, so quiet that anyone talking in the crowd felt rude. That Sunday,
Helen Gillet played some of the best music I’ve ever heard, by herself, combining her French
chansons with beautiful noise interludes and gorgeous looped, layered vocal passages. The
impending tropical storm forced her to play inside, so we left the front door open for any
uptight neighbor wishing to fully understand the silliness of their complaints. The following
Friday we broke from the Bacchanal aesthetic and hosted a barbecue version of Mod Dance
Party, and the next night Luke Allen and Yegor from Debauche each performed beautiful
acoustic sets. This most recent weekend we had what used to be Glorybee, now split into the
amazing noise band Naughty Palace, and the country R&B group HOWL.
“Politicians at the top are tearing America
apart and letting corporations poison
us just to make sure nothing “kills” any
jobs, and yet our city won’t go so far as
to defend someone’s right to host music
in an industrial zone, even when it helps
New Orleans’ bottom line.”
Despite this wild variety of art, the
Bywater’s “quality of life police” (or
rather, the “silence police” since they only
protect those whose quality of life depends
on silence) did not show up. They had
shown up earlier this year-- a week before
our annual NoizeFest party of abstract
music-- to falsely inform us that we were
not allowed to have a show in our yard.
“Don’t even bother trying, because we will
definitely come and shut you down,” I barely
heard him say over the incredibly loud train
passing 50 feet behind him. Instead we
visited City Hall and found out that the cop
didn’t know the laws, which state that, in
our particular area, we can do whatever
we like on our private property so long as
the music doesn’t rise above 85 decibels
or last past 10 pm, 11 pm on weekends
(businesses in our area must still purchase
permits for the same rights though, which
proves that it’s not really about noise, but
money). In the end our City Council person
saved NoizeFest by contacting our “quality
of life officers” (could that label be any more
Orwellian?) and explaining to them laws
that they were already entrusted to know.
But though tourists do not travel from all
over the world to experience New Orleans’
uptight busybodies (and HBO is not here
spending jillions of dollars making a show
about them), the busybodies seemingly
have the city on their side. “The system
is set up so that people who move here
and don’t understand New Orleans get to
determine the direction of the city,” says
New Orleans native Geoff Douville, who
plays in Egg Yolk Jubilee and owns and runs
the Lost Love Lounge in the Marigny (near
Frenchmen Street where, incidentally,
some folks continue to complain about loud
music, despite Frenchmen being cleared of
almost all obligation to “residential” rules.
The majority of America is set up for peace
and quiet and these people want to infringe
upon one small area that musicians have
managed to carve out for music). Geoff’s
lounge doesn’t host music, yet is under
attack simply because someday down the
road, some Marigny house-flipper might
run into a buyer who doesn’t want to live by
any bars. These are the real reasons things
happen in the city. “The one crank with a
complaint has the most sway now because
the city is broke,” opines Douville. “They are
turning over every possible rock looking
for money. So now they are going along
with the Faubourg Marigny Improvement
Association (FMIA), who want to make
the noise level 70 decibels.” 70 dB is about
as loud as a door shutting– not slamming–
or two people having a conversation. Geoff
points out that if an officer came to give
you a ticket for 70db, in shutting the door
behind him the officer himself would be
in violation. “But all the city cares about is
that 70db would mean a lot more citations
and a lot more revenue.” Which is the same
logic behind the Bywater traffic camera on
Chartres Street: the only nicely paved road in
the city, with houses on only one side, is a 25
mile-per-hour speed trap because revenues
mean more than fairness.
So if music is necessary to your essential
happiness, and “they” are oppressing music
clubs and other cultural businesses, then
host live music in your home. Though make
sure to first check the laws in your area and
print out said laws for the cops who show
up. Do not fall victim to the false assumption
that the law only protects silence. During
one of our recent house shows, local
musician Mikronaut told me of how, in
a yard several feet from the Press Street
train tracks, last Mardi Gras, cops not only
busted a puppet show by the Scary Tosies
troupe (“It was kinda hilarious,” said Mikro,
“seeing cops bust in on a bunch of people
sitting on the ground quietly watching a
puppet show”) but actually made everyone
leave the premises. I believe that, in this
situation, the police must show up with a
decibel meter and first tell you to comply
with the laws. If you don’t comply, they can
shut you down, but I am almost certain they
can’t make your guests leave your house.
But again, musicians and artists: find out
the laws in your area, follow them, print
them out and keep them handy.
New Orleans has a very well-documented
tendency to live with minor inconveniences
(i.e. blocking off streets and closing schools
for Mardi Gras) in favor of culture and
music, and the amazing quality of life (and
revenues) this attitude creates. If these
complainers had lived in New Orleans long
ago, the city would have not been allowed
to evolve into a cultural Mecca. Were it up
to them, they’d have a nice quiet house they
can sell some day, and the rest of us would
have nothing. Telling anyone that they don’t
fit in and should move away is always a dicey
prospect, but I would urge anyone buying
or renting a house to at least find out the
neighborhood’s personality beforehand.
Because those who need peace and quiet to
be happy have far more options than those
of us who need music.

R
EVIE
W
S
afrobeta
under the streets
(independent)
Like it or not, electronica’s legacy
is here to stay. As long as the fast,
cheap, relative ease of electronic
music-making stays ensconced in
commercials, movies, and dance clubs,
it will be with us. To be sure, there is more than enough overuse
of drum machines, synthesizers, Auto-Tune, and Pro-Tools at
which accusatory fingers can be pointed, but electronica as a
music genre has graduated to a stage where, in able hands, it
lives again and lives well. Miami’s electro- pop duo Afrobeta has
produced a first album that is an unabashed ‘80s throwback
and, simultaneously, something entirely of this century. There
are more than enough nods to the club scene that spawned Cuci
Amador’s vocalizing over Tony Smurphio’s beats and keyboard
work in the soft sway of “Nighttime” and the fairly standard
flirtations of “Do You Party?” and “As Long As You Like,” but
standouts like the anthem of independence “Play House” and the
fierce confrontation of the rocking “Pistol Whip” mark Afrobeta
as anything but just another pair playing with tools they may
or may not understand. They are so good with the drum beats
and the synthesizers, in fact, that the album’s acoustic guitarbacked
finale “Love Is Magic” has a too-saccharine naivete (as
well as a Pee-wee Herman quote) that is very out of place on
Under The Streets. The beauty of album downloads, though, is
that the penultimate track “The End” can actually be the end of
this debut. --Leigh Checkman
Beirut
the ripe tide
(pompei)
Zach Condon (aka Beirut) has once
again produced a well thought out,
impeccably organized, genre-slashing
album worthy of continued exploration.
Combining mariachi horns with bright
pops of percussion and full bodied, lush orchestral strings, The
Rip Tide is enjoyable at face-value but also possesses a depth
that invites the listener to discover new tones and nuances with
each progressive spin. Shedding much of the European folk flare
of Beirut’s earlier work, the album focuses mostly on classic
American pop and folk in both structure and general execution.
The title track is supported by a simplistic piano phrase, around
which is woven a helix of horns (including a cameo by the oft
unappreciated french horn!) “East Harlem” is instantly likeable
with its chugging ukulele base and “Goshen” has a textbook pop
feel to it, all plotted, poetic pacing and lyrics like “you’re not the girl
I used to know” -- it’s likely the most accessible work Condon has
produced to date. Still heavy on the emotions and introspection,
this disc does have a bit more fun than Beirut fans may be used
to. “Vagabond,” for instance is a bit of a dancey little gem, despite
its heavy lyrical content. It’s a relatively short offering, but it’s
meaty. I don’t think it will end up in the top tier of releases this
year (there has just been too much greatness released to-date)
but it’s nothing to sneeze at. A great introduction for new fans
of the band and an interesting new direction for old fans. Give it
some time to grow on you. --Erin Hall
Black canyon
battlefield darlins
(independent)
Americana is a tough style to pull off
on a modern record; from slick 21st
century production, to the trap of
becoming nothing but a hokey novelty
act, it just seems that the currents are
pulling the other way. That’s why it’s invigorating to hear when
it’s done well. Out of the red dust of Oklahoma, Black Canyon have
sculpted a Civil War concept album comprised of everything
from grueling, heartbreaker ballads to stomping barnstormers.
There’s nothing revolutionary about Black Canyon’s version of
classic country fried folk, but their execution is simply spot on.
The crushing beauty of “White Threads and Wedding Rings”
rides out on the waves of reverbed chords and steady acoustic
strum that provides a backbone for the song. Jake Morisse’s
voice does any heavy lifting the instrumentation leaves behind
-- its slight southern drawl tinged with hints of whiskey-soaked
roughness intensifies the dramatic depth of the songs. If there’s
one thing Battlefield Darlins achieves in spades, it’s drama.
Despite its Civil War setting, the themes and feelings echoed
across the record feel modern and never locked into a concept.
The gut wrenching “Our Wedding Song Sounded Like Marching
Boots” lays bare the sadness of losing a lover to the duties of war
over the singular chiming of a mandolin and Morisse’s mournful
calls. “Letters of Hope, Banjos of Blood” is the response to the
previous song’s sparse regret; its guitar melody is shrouded in
organ, horns and the echoing boom of bass drums as cannon fire.
Guest vocalist Sheree Chamberlain provides the counterpart to
the album’s protagonist and her sweet, dusky voice anchors the
album’s closing moments, which inevitably ends in bittersweet
tragedy. Battlefield Darlins is a welcome reminder of the power
of the American born country and folk tradition. --Mike Rodgers
Bonnie “prince” billy
wolfroy goes to town
(drag city)
Will Oldham (Bonnie “Prince” Billy)
started his musical career about 20
years ago with his Palace Brothers/
Music/ Songs moniker. After churning
out a number of great records under
that cross, Oldham birthed the namesake Bonnie “Prince” Billy
and has recorded albums ever since as such. In the ‘90s, Oldham
explored darkness in his lyrics and music, though he also explored
his dreams, life expectations and hopes in equal measure. The early
music was haunting and sincere and he cemented himself as one
of America’s contemporary folk greats, but as of late, Oldham, on
albums like Beware, Lie Down in the Light and The Wonder Show
of the World has shifted his focus from the inward, onward to the
greater, incorporating life lessons, spirituality and perspectives into
his mix. Many fans of his earlier output may be less than enthused
about his recent turn in song-craft, including his newly found vocal
confidence, but the fact still remains that the man knows how
to craft a beautifully aching tune. Now, after a string of singles,
including the Haitian benefit 7” “Island Brothers/ New Wonder,”
Oldham is back once again to the long-play format with his 2011
release Wolfroy Goes to Town. This new album is a subtle, delicate
and subdued affair, very powerful in the emotional register, yet
his lyrical opponent is no longer himself, but the world at large.
In the past, Oldham won over listeners by his inmost loathing---
listen to the song “Black”--- but now, Oldham has his eyes set on
something bigger, the crumbling world around him. “Stop all the
moaning and bemoaning of things” Oldham sings on the beautiful
“Time to be Clear”--- more a plea to humankind than a profession of
self- loathing. Oldham has made peace with himself and challenges,
through his music, that the rest of us to do the same, for the
betterment of humankind. This is not pretentiousness, but rather
piety, from a man who has made his life’s work the betterment of
himself and those around him, and by proximity, his listeners. Take
a step back, give this album your undivided attention and soak in its
intention--- on “New Tibet” he says “We have learned to continue
to look at ourselves, we fear our future, love for others and guilt
untouched.” Wolfroy Goes to Town is a triumph, and stands as this
40 year-old’s defining statement---- “We are not what we should
be/ We just do what we should do.” --Dan Mitchell
the breton sound
eudaemonia
(independent)
Since September 13th, the power rock of
New Orleans musicians Jonathan Pretus
and Stephen Turner has been trickling
out in song-a-week releases via www.
thebretonsound.com from their first EP
Eudaemonia. What began as a friendship and collaboration over
mutual and divergent influences such as Weezer, the Beatles,
Rush, and others, has blossomed into a marvelously crafted
foursome of songs that makes an unabashed grab for an epic
sound. There are occasions when they seem to be trying a little
too hard for it – the near-direct musical quote from the Beatles’
“I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” at the tail end of “Sunshine and
Ragtime Part 2” comes to mind – but the guitar work, the steady
beats and the backing vocals prove to be much, much greater than
that impulse. One fantastic standout is “Lines,” which clocks in at
over seven minutes, but makes me wish it would never end: slow
piano and guitar build into a rollicking bridge designed to carry
listeners away, finally settling down in a sonic cloud echoing the
feel of the EP’s starter, “No More Worries.” A testament to how
well this grouping of songs works is that Eudaemonia manages
to cram the sense of a full-length album into a few songs, making
me wonder when the “second album” is coming. I hope it will be
soon. --Leigh Checkman
clap your hands say yeah
hysterical
(independent)
Fans have been waiting nearly half
a decade for a new release from this
Brooklyn/Philly-based band. And what
they are likely to find in Hysterical is
a solid outing that lacks the engaging
charm of the group’s earlier output. Some are already calling
this CYHSY’s “sellout” or “mainstream” album. I scoff in their
general direction. In no universe is Alec Ounsworth’s unhinged
warble ever going to register as radio-friendly. In a country that
made “Party in the USA” a hit, I can promise that you will never
hear 12 year-olds singing along to the completely alien phrasing
of tracks like “In a Motel.” Ounsworth’s flow is disjointed and
more than a mouthful on most occasions, but his lyricism can’t
be questioned. Complex, grim and confrontational, he drags the
taboo into the light for thinly-veiled dissection. The title track
is chaotic but bold and large in feel. It possesses persistent
driving rhythms and a dizzying keys breakdown. “Misspent
Youth” is all militaristic drumming amid an otherwise sparsely
distorted backdrop, Ounsworth uttering lines like “And there’s
a permanence to the memory of a bruise.” There are upbeat,
quirky tracks to be sure (“Maniac” is a favorite) but the album
as a whole lacks the spontaneous energy of their self-titled debut
or their sophomore effort Some Loud Thunder. Even Ounsworth’s
solo release Mo Beauty had more spark. Perhaps they’re working
out kinks created by time apart. Perhaps they’re just over making
potentially abrasive music. Either way, the album is what it is --
decent listening, but nothing to obsess over, sadly. --Erin Hall
†††
† ep
(independent)
I’ve always maintained that among
the mooks and goons that overran the
early 2000s rock scene, The Deftones
stood out even though they were often
lumped in with the Bizkits of the world.
Much of this was due to frontman Chino Moreno’s interests in
18

things aside from nookie and how angry he was at some perceived
slight. His previous side project, Team Sleep dabbled in electronic
instrumentation, but his newest venture Crosses is full on electro.
The closest analogue and the genre that this release keeps getting
roped in with is Witch House, a joke of a identifier, but one that
usually refers to electronic music with a dark tinge to it. Witch House
or not, darkly ambient electro rock aptly describes this self-titled
EP. The backbone of the record is an endless supply of claps, snaps,
pops and self-consciously digital percussion all while Moreno’s
trademark whispery vocals ease over the brittle backdrop. Tracks
like “Option” with its gurgling synth bass and muted stop-time
beats that erupt into a bigger than life chorus on top of stadium
sized noise provide all the outsized emotion, bombast and false
grandeur of any Deftones song without riff one. Throughout its brief
runtime, the EP flits between such artificial arena rock to queasy
dark ambient dirges that hew closer to shoegaze, (“Thholyghst”),
to the jittery march of its opening track “This is a Trick” which
manages to sound the most like its presupposed genre label while
being the most rock oriented piece on the EP. Depending on your
affinity for Moreno’s blend of understated grandiloquence and
barebones electronic music grafted onto oversized rock structures,
Crosses might register as an interesting diversion. --Mike Rodgers
danny brown
xxx
(independent)
Danny Brown is a thirty year-old rapper
from Detroit and his new album, XXX, is
not a reference to pornography, but rather
his current age, even though it would be
appropriate if it was referencing porn,
as he may hold the throne for the raunchiest, sex/ drug obsessed
emcee on the planet. Almost every verse that Brown spits has to
do with fucking (not love making) and those that do not reference
sex generously mention his love for drugs, especially adderall and
weed. At 19 tracks and just over 53 minutes in length, XXX is a
perfect introduction to the previously unacquainted to this bat-shit
crazy lyricist, and if you can stomach his vulgarity, you will enjoy
the ride. “Words that rhyme together just appear in my head/ I’m
sort of like Neo with the Matrix code” raps Brown on opener “XXX,”
and this line pretty much sums up his microphone persona--- he
says whatever he thinks, cares not if the lines gel and occupies a
world in mindset outside of the normal. He is an atypical lunatic to
be sure, but he also has skills on the mic that rival the best out there
in the rap realm. Instead of focusing on what money can buy or
the gangster mentality, which are played-out largely, Brown offers
immorality through a different lens, one that centers on hedonism,
albeit an odd form of it. This album is funny, disrespectful, insane,
odious and downright good. If it is not for you, you will know within
minutes, but if you are looking for something new in rap, try it out
and you will not be disappointed. And just in case you think I am
joking about Brown being raunchy, try these lines on for size from
highlight track “I Will”--- “I ain’t trying to take you shopping, buy
your ass no shoes/ I’m trying to lick that clit while I’m looking up at
you/ No shame in this game, Look back at me/ I don’t give a fuck if
it’s shaved or it’s nappy.” --Dan Mitchell
das racist
relax
(greedhead)
It has only been one year and six months
since Das Racist, a private school educated,
NYC-based hip-hop trio comprised of
lyricists Victor Vazquez (Heems) and
Himanshu Suri (Kool A.D.) and hype-man
Ashok Kondabola (Dapwell) first emerged with their debut mixtape
called Shut Up, Dude on March 30, 2010. That initial tape, with its
17-track total, exhibited their buffoonish comical side to be sure
(see “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”), but also positioned
these dudes as astute rap purveyors and witty cultural observers.
Throughout the collection, Heems and A.D. maintain that they should
not be taken seriously and that they don’t care about what you, the
listener, thinks, but this underlies the fact that these dudes truly adore
hip-hop and did care about what you thought, as evidenced by their
self- awareness and the inward nature of their raps. On their second
mixtape, Sit Down, Man, the duo took things even further, enlisting
production help from some of music’s upcoming finest and branching
out in their verbal approach to include moments that could only be
described as reflective (as in the brilliant single “hahahaha jk?”). On
Sit Down, Das Racist put together a mixtape that invited the listener
into their world even further, while at the same time maintaining
their “I don’t give a fuck” attitude. This attitude came across as more
artificial than the first time around though, as it seemed that they
were truly enjoying the fact that they were making it big and reaching
broader audiences. This brings us to their first ‘real’ release, the debut
full-length on their own label, Greedhead, called Relax. In the year or
so between the release of Sit Down and Relax, the trio has been on
tour without end. They have reached fans all across the world and
they have ingested many, many drugs. But, it seems that they have
also lost some of their momentum as well. While Relax is certainly not
a failure as a whole, a number of the tracks fall face first in a puddle of
their own self- wrought irony-cum- narcissism--- “Brand New Dance,”
“Happy Rappy,” “Middle of the Cake,” “Selena,” and “Celebration.” Some
tracks do hold up to yesteryear’s highlights, “Michael Jackson,” “Booty
in the Air,” “Shut Up, Man,” and one that proves to be their best yet --
“Power,” featuring Danny Brown and Despot. But this is simply not an
album in the sense that we have come to expect from these guys. What
made them great from the start was their willingness to goof around
and their ability to marry the joke-y approach with their keen insight
into being young in the 21st century. Best prescription next time
around--- keep the “Blah blah blah blah blah blah” and stylized sham in
check and pretend like you do give a fuck because cutesy feigning only
goes so far, since you have made it. --Dan Mitchell
hank 3
ghost to a ghost/
gutter town
(hank 3 records)
I think this may be the moment where
Hank 3 finally hits his peak. I know that
that presupposes there’s nowhere to go
from this record other than down, but after
putting From a Ghost to a Ghost on heavy rotation for the better part
of a month, I can easily say it’s one of my favorite albums of this year.
Hank 3 dropped off his record label and that freedom is apparent
in every inch of this album. Ghost is a delirious mix of honky tonk,
‘70s superstar country, tejano, Cajun and scum metal that despite its
mongrel makeup achieves a kind of glorious sound that’s larger than
the sum of its parts. From the opening statement on, it’s easy to see
this won’t be a typical country record. “Day by Day” runs on trucker
speed, cruising along on banjo picking and enough phaser to make
David Allan Coe proud. Follow that up with “Ridin’ the Wave” which
bombs the track’s bluegrass picking and swampy squeezebox with
the roar of electric guitars and the gallop of punk metal drumming and
you’ve got a record that thrives on the unexpected. Nothing is as out
there as “Trooper’s Holler” though; imagine dueling banjos filtered
through the crunch of noise punk, slathered in sampled hound dog
baying and strung out on amphetamines and enough ‘shine to slay a
man. The centerpiece has got to be the titular cut. Its weeping string
arrangements, chugging metal slab chorus and Tom Waits-assisted
denoument drive the track to heights most records only dream about.
The second half of this double album is even further outside the box.
Gutter Town splices foot tapping Cajun cuts, complete with Hank’s
nasal approximation of a creole patois, and more traditional and
barebones country/folk songs with dark, ambient tracks detailing a
journey through the backside of the fictional Gutter Town. It’s nigh
impossible to listen to the peppy jug band beat of “Dyin’ Day” or
“Gutter Stomp” without at least tapping your feet, if not going all in
with claps, stomps and a maniacal grin at the wondrous magic of it all.
Contrast the high energy of those cuts with the grim, menacing drama
of “The Dirt Road” or the caterwauling pain of “Chaos Queen” and you
have a record with a life all its own. Ultimately what we have here
is a wildly ambitious concept album that runs the gamut from one
end of the musical spectrum to the other and sews it all together with
incredible skill and more than a little outlaw spirit. --Mike Rodgers
lydia loveless
indestructible machine
(bloodshot)
Coming straight out of Columbus, Lydia
Loveless (real name!) is not every other
young country singer. She’s the opposite.
She’s the red-haired one. She’s brash,
irreverent, and not the least bit coy. This
record, her debut on Chicago’s Bloodshot label, is stormily slung across
a wash of fuzzy, jangly, driving guitars. It’s the record Johnny Cash
would make if he was a woman and lived in the era of the the Parental
Advisory Sticker. Booze and regret leave footprints all over these nine
tracks, but are trumped by not-giving-a-good-Goddamn. From the shitkicker
“Do Right”: “Mama said hard livin’ is catchin’ up to me/ I’m afraid
to look in the mirror ‘cause I know I’m gonna see what she means/ Is
that really me?/ I guess that’s what I get for drinking all that gasoline/
My daddy was a preacher but he was a junkie too/And I grew up on
whisky and God so I’m a little bit confused/.” Cliched as it might be, this
girl is mature far beyond her 21 years. Not only is she a brilliant writer
and storyteller, but the grasp she has on her subject matter is stunning.
She is overwhelmingly articulate, in the most complimentary sense,
capturing a more contemporary quandary than might have appeared
in a Patsy Cline song - “Why can’t I be more like them?/The kinda
people who are sad when relationships end?” And her take on the
classic “been done wrong” song is much more get-outta-my-way than
woe-is-me - “How many hearts will he break?/ How much time will he
waste?” Also, just in case Loveless wasn’t smart, talented, and funny
enough, her voice is tremendous. Like the bell in Franklin’s Tower, it
rings like fire. Nashville can just follow Lydia Loveless to find its way
home. -- The Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Jackson
mastodon
the hunter
(reprise)
Over the past 10 years, Mastodon has
cemented their place as the most dexterous
metal band in America. As far as talent and
proficiency goes, Mastodon takes the cake.
Albums like Leviathan and Blood Mountain stand as some of the best
offerings in the metal sphere lately and there is little room to argue
with that. Even their last record, Crack the Skye, which divided fans
and critics alike, was a beast and it could not be denied that this
group was on top of the game. The Hunter, though, Mastodon’s latest
effort on Reprise, is a different story altogether. Never has Mastodon,
even given their tendency towards overblown epics, sounded like
a band that is too big for its britches--- never say never, I suppose.
Before I go further, let me say that this new album is far from a
total disappointment--- Mastodon would and will never completely
disappoint. But, The Hunter is the least compelling work the group
has penned since its inception. The album starts strong with opener
“Black Tongue,” a propulsive number that rides on the wings of
drummer Brann Dailor’s inhuman chops--- it’s a great opening cut.
Follow that track with the second song, the phenomenal single “Curl
of the Burl,” and it looks like this album might just stack up to past
offerings. Move forward again, and you have the monster third track
“Blasteroid,” which channels Blood Mountain- era schizoid-isms.
That track however works into the fourth cut, “Stargasm,” which,
despite its eye-in-the-sky prospects, falls flat, especially in the chorus.
Thereafter, the gut of the album is a mess, and despite their stellar
start, Mastodon never regain what they had going on the first three
tracks, even though later tracks “Creature Living” and “The Sparrow”
stand as certain highlights--- those tracks simply come too late in the
album. Mastodon is not a band that should ever record an album this
dull, because they are far too talented, but here we are, the listener,
given an uninteresting offering from a band that should never
disappoint--- but hey, never say never, I suppose. --Dan Mitchell
thou
the archer and the owle ep
(robotic empire)
Thou may be the hardest working band
in metal nowadays, and that is saying
something. Over the course of their
relatively brief career, the band has released
more full-lengths, EPs, 7”’s and split releases
than any other band on the planet, at least that I can account for. The
kicker--- all of the releases are good, really good. Thou is loud, sludgy,
grungy and cerebral---what many bands strive to be these days---but
what sets them apart is their vision, which they do not stray from,
no matter the format of release, or venue attacked. In the past year,
Thou, a local group, centered around vocalist Bryan Funck’s drive to
conquer, has seen a great many accolades come their way, including
landing on some serious best of 2010 lists, but this concerns the band
little, as they continue to swim along, releasing material on a number
of great independent labels, and turning more unknowing onlookers
and listeners into diehard fans along the way. Their newest release,
The Archer and the Owle, is more of the same in Thou-dom. It is a great
release, but its restraint belies their tenacity in the live format--- and
this restraint on record is truly what makes Thou great. Listening to
Thou and seeing them perform the songs live are different ventures;
self-possession is key on record, and immolation is necessary live. The
four songs here, captured on resplendent red vinyl, stand as a growth
in the band, but also find Thou doing more of what they do best,
which is recording songs that sound uniquely their own, including a
cover of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” into the mix. “Voices in the
Wilderness,” Bonnet Carre,” “Cold World” and “ There There” stand
as Thou’s newest here on Archer, and while those familiar with the
sound may delight in the group’s unwavering assault, new listeners
will continually be won over by this band’s dogged approach to
release and touring, and that is what it is all about--- a band in it for
all the right reasons. --Dan Mitchell
wilco
the whole love
(dbpm)
They’ve done it again. After 2009’s
simple and poppy Wilco (The Album), this
perennial favorite has released its eighth
studio album, The Whole Love. Tactfully
combining electronic wizardry with
earthy, organic instrumentation (hello glockenspiel!) the men of
Wilco once again prove that they are one of the best (if not the best)
bands working today. Opener “Art of Almost” is a dreamy track with
swollen instrumentals. Thick with synth and peppered with pops of
orchestral beauty, they take a chance to breathe and tool around,
featuring a monstrous bass on the breakdown. Tracks like “I Might”
and “Dawned On Me” will be instant fan favorites for their innate
sing-a-long quality and their unforgettable hooks (the chorus of the
latter was seared into my frontal cortex after a mere two repetitions).
“Sunloathe” really plays around with the “out there” side of Wilco.
So if you’re more of a A Ghost is Born-era Wilco fan, there is plenty
of complexity here for you to dig into. But if you’re more of an A.M.-
era Wilco fan, fear not. Tracks like “Black Moon” and “Capitol City”
assure the band hasn’t strayed too far from its alt-country roots. Jeff
Tweedy remains at the top of his game as a lyricist, penning simple,
exquisite sweetness like “Oh I can only dream of the dreams we’d
share / If you were so inclined / I would love to be the one to open
up your mind” (“Open Mind”) after having just delivered the world’s
most upbeat song whose emotional apex is the line “I was born to die
alone” (“Born Alone”). Closing the album is “One Sunday Morning”
19

20
a sprawling 12-minute low-key epic. I dare you to
even consider skipping this track. It’s impossible.
It is that enthralling. The bonus disc features an
alternate version of “Black Moon,” an instrumental
track (“Speak Into the Rose”) a twangy and yet
totally depressing country ditty (“Message From
Mid-Bar”) and a cover of Nick Lowe’s “I Love My
Label” (a not-so-subtle jab at the band’s continuing
frustration with working on major labels that
eventually led them to create their own label -
dBpm) Overall, this record stretches and bends to
reach and cover all the corners of the enigma that
is Wilco. A bit sweet. A bit harrowing. Country.
Rock. Pop. Soul. Simply put, this is amazing music.
A can’t-miss album for 2011. But is anyone really
surprised by that? --Erin Hall
wild flag
wild flag
(merge)
If there is such a thing as
a poster child for damned
good rock groups made
up of members of other
damned good rock
groups (in this case, Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and
The Minders), I nominate Wild Flag’s mugs to be
printed up and pasted ‘round the construction
sites and telephone poles of the country. Perhaps
it was the determination of this quartet’s
members to begin the old-fashioned way: get
together and jam, get some club dates going, and
if it still feels right, get into a studio. From the
slightly reminiscent of the Go-Go’s (only much,
much better) “Romance” starting the album off,
to the playful edge of “Black Tiles,” it is evident
that what guitarists Carrie Brownstein and Mary
Timony, backed by the keyboards of Rebecca Cole
and the solid drumming of Janet Weiss, have built
is a group that has simply found joy in rock and
roll and has the expertise to send it out there like
a flag flowing on a lofty breeze. I listen to this
album over and over again and get various tracks
stuck in my head: the hypnotic guitar work and
angelic choruses of “Something Came Over Me,”
the frenetic pace of “Boom,” and even the slightly
trippy ambiance in “Glass Tambourine.” The true
centerpiece of the album is the sly, simply sexy
“Racehorse,” where the entire band rocks out on
innuendo, playing off each other with abandon.
This electric band is definitely in the money with
this album. --Leigh Checkman
wolves in the
throne room
celestial lineage
(southern lord)
Wolves in the Throne
Room are the crown
jewels of the USBM
scene, what little there is
of it. They have consistently been at the forefront
of innovation within black metal, elevating the
form while staying true to its essence. Celestial
Lineage is the final piece in what they’re calling
a trilogy that began with Two Hunters, and Black
Cascade and now culminates in this beast of a
record. Falling somewhere between the peaks and
valleys of Hunters and the relentless wash of sound
on Cascade, Celestial Lineage is pure in intent
and massive in scope and sound. The piercing
riffs that rip from the din conjure up primitive
images: crackling fire, mountains whipped by
winter winds- this music is totemic to its core.
Much has been made about the band members’
modern primitive lifestyle, but the importance of
that can be heard in their music. When you hear
a stone sharpening another during one of the
ambient passages between songs it serves to set a
mood, one of ancient wisdom, of shamanic power
that is brought full bore by the towering riffs.
It’s impossible to go song by song; if ever there
was a record that demanded a complete listen,
it’s Celestial Lineage. The record’s seven tracks
weave in and out of each other, segueing between
epic passages of metal tremolo and blast beats,
corpse-howling funereal rites and warm ambiance
where the crackling of fire seems as integral to the
record as a guitar chord. That the band is capable
of pushing the form of black metal into exciting
places without stripping the genre of its inherent
brutality, that they can replace its bleakness with
something more akin to sylvan awe without losing
what makes black metal just that is a testament to
their hallowed place in the genre. --Mike Rodgers
david gessner
the tarball
chronicles
(milkweed editions)
When a waiter at Applebee’s
(at the beginning of The
Tarball Chronicles) makes
the connection between the
Deepwater Horizon blowout
and our dependence on oil
to fuel our lives, author David Gessner knows he’s
on the right track at the beginning of his journey
to the Gulf Coast in June 2010 – but which track is
it exactly? Sure, we are dependent on oil, Gessner
acknowledges, commenting occasionally on ironies
such as that of burning fuel in helicopters to help
fight a fire begun by a crude form of that fuel, but
can we really turn our backs on the Faustian deals
the people living along the coast have made, first
with big oil, and now, a year after the capping of the
Macondo well, with British Petroleum’s efforts to
become a sort of Gulf Coast chamber of commerce?
These Chronicles are an incredible effort to try and
look at the questions posed by the blowout and
its “cleanup” through the eyes of the people living
in proximity to the coast and through a pondering
of more theoretical aspects of the dilemmas posed
by the disaster. One fascinating quest of Gessner’s
is a query to experts based on a premise of John
Muir’s: “When we try to pick out anything by
itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the
universe.” From an oiled pelican’s petrified eye
to DDT to the development of chemical weapons
in Germany in World War I to the outcome of the
Russian Revolution… the mind boggles some until
Gessner lassos it back in to a return visit to the coast
in August 2011 and shows how much we are all,
sadly, still haunted by what is washing up on the
physical, and metaphorical, beaches touched by the
toxic damage of oil. --Leigh Checkman
cameron crowe
pearl jam twenty
(tremelo productions)
There’s no question that we’ve
been primed for the kind of
documentary Cameron Crowe
has made of one of the seminal
bands of the early 1990s
– VH1’s Behind The Music
episodes, among other “rockumentaries,” have made
sure of that. A la Bradley Beesley in the 2005 Flaming
Lips’ The Fearless Freaks documentary, Crowe
establishes his own qualifications for making Pearl
Jam Twenty by talking of his role as an observer of
the Seattle rock scene from the late 1980s onward. He
then steps back and lets early movers and shakers
Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Chris Cornell of
Soundgarden speak, augmenting their tales of days
with Mother Love Bone and its charismatic-yetfatally
flawed lead singer Andy Wood with enough
footage to make grunge junkies drool. Upon Wood’s
passing, the remaining MLB band members are left
flailing until their wish to continue as musicians,
their close ties with other Seattle-based bands,
and the voice of a guy from San Diego dubbed onto
an instrumental tape of theirs resurrects them as
Mookie Blaylock (the New Jersey Nets player whose
number titled the band’s first album) and then
Pearl Jam. Things go crazy from there, historically
and cinematically. Crowe tries to capture the
enormity of the maelstrom the band finds itself in
the center of with an accompanying barrage of clips
from MTV, festival performances, and even Andy
Rooney. It falters some when he inserts references
to Bob Dylan and The Who, as if to underline and
italicize Pearl Jam’s place in history, its stances on
the issues of the day, and its direct relationships
with other rockers such as Neil Young – this band is
important! The film is at its best when Crowe backs
off and lets the band members speak – and play - for
themselves, allowing performances of songs such
as “Crown of Thorns,” “Last Exit,” “Better Man,”
and “Alive” to stand out, and allowing us to see how
deeply the members of Pearl Jam are affected by the
lives they’ve created for themselves. What remains
is an unwitting blueprint of a band still in the throes
of creativity, a diagram of the lengths it went to
(and still goes to) to stay alive up ‘til now. --Leigh
Checkman

E
V
ENTS
TUESDAY 10/4
d.b.a.: The New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass Band, 9pm, $5
House of Blues: The Hip Hop & Love Tour feat. Murs plus Tabi
Bonney, Ski Beatz & the Senseis, McKenzie Eddy, Sean … , 8pm (The
Parish)
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Stupid Time Machine, A Night of
Improv Comedy, 8:30pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Jason Marsalis, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks: OEJ, Simple Play and Souls Sister present Dam-
Funk with Master Blazter, 9pm
St. Roch Tavern: NOLA Bookfair Boggle Tournament, 8pm
Tipitina’s Uptown: Lei’d Back Tour with Iration plus special guests
Tomorrows Bad Seeds and Through the Roots, doors 7pm, show 8pm
WEDNESDAY 10/5
d.b.a.: Paul Smith, Alex McMurray, and Washboard Chaz, 7pm;
Walter Wolfman Washington & The Roadmasters, 10pm, $5
House of Blues: Silent Storm Sound System and Silent But Deadly
Present Silent Disco feat. Michal Menert (PLM),.., 10pm (The Parish)
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: James Westfall, 5pm; Irvin
Mayfield’s NOJO Jam, 8pm
Tipitina’s Uptown: WWOZ Presents Brass Band Wednesday
featuring The Lagniappe Brass Band plus Dana Abbott Band, doors
8pm, show 9pm
THURSDAY 10/6
Babylon, Metairie: D15 & TBA, doors 9pm, show 10pm, no cover,
d.b.a.: Justyna Kelley, 7pm; Colin Lake (CD release for “The Ones I
Love”), 10pm, $5
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Comedy Gumbeaux NO COVER!,
8pm; LIVE IN THE DEN: Party Time! Dance Night, 11pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Roman Skakun, 5pm; James
Andrews, 8pm
Tipitina’s Uptown: Homegrown Night, doors 8pm, show 8:30pm
FRIDAY 10/7
The Big Top: WATIV (improv jazz), 9:30pm, $7/$5 members
The Cypress, Metairie: Marias Noir, Dropkik, Necrotic Priapism, &
From Shore To Shore, doors 6pm, show 8pm, all ages
d.b.a: The Hot Club of New Orleans, 6pm,; Shamarr Allen and The
Underdawgs, 10pm, $5
MUSIC VENUES
12 Bar, 608 Fulton St.
All-Ways Lounge/Marigny Theatre, 2240 St.
Claude Ave., (504) 218-5778, marignytheatre.org
Banks St. Bar And Grill, 4401 Banks St.,
(504) 486-0258, www.banksstreetbar.com
Barrister’s Art Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave.
Bayou Park Bar, 542 S. Jeff. Davis Pkwy.
The Big Top, 1638 Clio St., (504) 569-2700,
www.3ringcircusproductions.com
The Blue Nile, 534 Frenchmen St., (504) 948-2583
Broadmoor House, 4127 Walmsley, (504)
821-2434
Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., (504)
865-9190, www.carrolltonstation.com
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 501 Esplanade Ave.,
(504) 947-0979
Chickie Wah Wah, 2828 Canal Street (504)
304-4714, www.chickiewahwah.com
Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 588-
2616, www.circlebar.net
Club 300, 300 Decatur Street, www.
neworleansjazzbistro.com
The Country Club, 634 Louisa St., (504) 945-
0742, www.countryclubneworleans.com
d.b.a., 618 Frenchmen St., (504) 942-373,
www.drinkgoodstuff.com/no
Der Rathskeller (Tulane’s Campus),
McAlister Dr., http://wtul.fm
Desperados, 801 Frenchmen St., (504) 943-
9900, desperadospizza@yahoo.com
Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Ave., http://
myspace.com/dragonsdennola
Eldon’s House, 3055 Royal Street,
arlovanderbel@hotmail.com
Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de
Leon, (504) 913-9072, www.fairgrinds.com
Hi-Ho Lounge: Magnetic Ear, Nasimiyu & The Tantrums, Soul Track
Mind, 10pm
House of Blues: Who’s Bad - The World’s #1 Michael Jackson
Tribute Band, 9pm
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Crizmatik
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Professor Piano Series
featuring Joe Crown, 5pm; Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown; 8pm;
Burlesque Ballroom featuring Trixie Minx, Midnight
Lafayette Square, downtown: Lafayette Square Conservancy’s 5 th
Anniversary Celebration, 4-7pm, free
Louisiana Music Factory: North Mississippi Allstars, 4pm
One Eyed Jacks: Sun Hotel Album Release
Republic: TheSekondElement
Tipitina’s Uptown: North Mississippi Allstars plus Alvin
Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory, doors 9pm, show 10pm
SATURDAY 10/8
Bayou Bar: Sabastian and The Funky Existance with DJ Resin, 10pm
The Big Top: Mojotooth Productions and 3 Ring Circus AEC present
“Angels Die Slowly” DVD release party and film screening followed
by party w/DJ Butterfoot, 8pm
The Cypress, Metairie: Dodging Cathrine, Night Came Quickly, The
Citing Method, & Define Our Pride, doors 6pm, show 7pm, all ages
d.b.a.: John Boutte, 8pm, $5; Little Freddie King, 11pm, $5
Hi-Ho Lounge: James Singleton’s birthday party w/Mike Dillon &
James Singleton, 10pm
House of Blues: NOLA Underground Hip Hop Awards, 6pm
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Robots Anonymous plus TBA,
10pm; Silent Disco
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Shannon Powell, 8pm; Brass Band
Jam featuring Brass-A-Holics, 12midnight
Louisiana Music Factory: Gypsy Elise, 3pm; Colin Lake, 4pm
One Eyed Jacks: Tapes ‘n’ Tapes with Howler plus Leslie Sisson
Spotted Cat: Christina Perez, 3pm; Jazz Vipers, 10pm
SUNDAY 10/9
Goldmine Saloon, 701 Dauphine St., (504)
586-0745, www.goldminesaloon.net
The Green Space, 2831 Marais Street
(504) 945-0240, www.thegreenproject.org
Handsome Willy’s, 218 S. Robertson St.,
(504) 525-0377, http://handsomewillys.
com
The Hangar, 1511 S. Rendon. (504) 827-
7419
Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave. (504)
945-4446, www.myspace.com/hiholounge
The Hookah, 309 Decatur St. (504-943-
1101), hookah-club.com
Hot Iron Press Plant, 1420 Kentucky Ave.,
hotironpress@hotmail.com
House Of Blues / The Parish, 225
Decatur, (504)310-4999, www.hob.com/
neworleans
The Howlin’ Wolf, 907 S. Peters, (504)
522-WOLF, www.thehowlinwolf.com
Kajun’s Pub, 2256 St. Claude Avenue (504)
947-3735, www.myspace.com/kajunspub
Kim’s 940, 940 Elysian Fields, (504) 844-
4888
The Kingpin, 1307 Lyons St., (504) 891-
2373
Le Bon Temps Roule, 4801 Magazine St.,
(504) 895-8117
Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., (504)
581-5812, www.cabaretlechatnoir.com
Lyceum Central, 618 City Park Ave., (410)
523-4182, http://lyceumproject.com
Lyon’s Club, 2920 Arlington St.
The Maison, 508 Frenchmen St.,
maisonfrenchmen.com
Maple Leaf, 8316 Oak St., (504) 866-9359
Marlene’s Place, 3715 Tchoupitoulas,
(504) 897-3415, www.myspace.com/
marlenesplace
AllWays Lounge: Hawk and a Hacksaw with Dark Dark Dark &
Pillars & Tongues, 10pm
Babylon, Metairie: SciFi Zeros & Anna Kefer, doors 9pm, show
10pm, no cover,
The Big Top: Mike Dillon Orchestra , 8pm, $10/$7 members
d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bugstompers, 6pm
House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Brunch with The Zion
McKeown’s Books, 4737 Tchoupitoulas,
(504) 895-1954, http://mckeownsbooks.
net
Melvin’s, 2112 St. Claude Ave.
MVC, 9800 Westbank Expressway, (504)
234-2331, www.themvc.net
Neutral Ground Coffee House, 5110
Danneel St., (504) 891-3381, www.
neutralground.org
Nowe Miasto, 223 Jane Pl., (504) 821-
6721
Ogden Museum, 925 Camp St., (504) 539-
9600
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., (504)
569-8361, www.oneeyedjacks.net
Outer Banks, 2401 Palmyra (at S. Tonti),
(504) 628-5976, www.myspace.com/
outerbanksmidcity
Republic, 828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-
8282, www.republicnola.com
Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance Street (504)
525-5515, www.therustynail.org/
The Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave.,
www.myspace.com/saturnbar
Side Arm Gallery, 1122 St. Roch Ave.,
(504) 218-8379, www.sidearmgallery.org
Southport Hall, 200 Monticello Ave., (504)
835-2903, www.newsouthport.com
The Spellcaster Lodge, 3052 St. Claude
Avenue, www.quintonandmisspussycat.com
St. Roch Taverne, 1200 St. Roch Ave.,
(504) 945-0194
Tipitina’s, (Uptown) 501 Napoleon Ave.,
(504) 895-8477 (Downtown) 233 N. Peters,
www.tipitinas.com
The Zeitgeist, 1618 Oretha Castle Haley
Blvd., (504) 827-5858, www.zeitgeistinc.
net
Vintage Uptown, 4523 Magazine St.,
askmexico@gmail.com
Harmonizers, 10am; Black Label Society plus Texas
Hippie Coalition, 7:30pm; Poppa’s Party House,
11:59pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Marsh Fest 2011 featuring Lost
Bayou Ramblers, Terrance Simien & the Zydeco
Experience, Brint Anderson, Shamarr Allen, and
Marc Stone with Amanda Walker, plus special
appearance by Trapper Joe and Trigger Tommy
from the History Channel’s “Swamp People,”
3:30pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Tyler’s Revisited
featuring Germaine Bazzle and Paul Longstreth, 7pm
One Eyed Jacks: Fleur de Tease
Tipitina’s Uptown: Winter Circle Productions
presents Friendly Fires plus Theophilus London,
doors 9pm, show 10pm
MONDAY 10/10
d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews, 9pm, $5
The Hangar: Warbringer with Lazarus A.D. plus
Landmine Marathon and Diamond Plate, 7pm,
$10 advance/$12 day of show
House of Blues: LG Ones to Watch Presents Never
Shout Never, 5:45pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Original
Tuxedo Jazz Band with special guest Gerald French,
8pm
One Eyed Jacks
OEJ and Deftjams present Toro Y Moi with
Unknown Mortal Orchestra plus Bass Drum of
Death, 9pm, $12
This is probably the “it” show of the month
for a lot of people. But it’s not entirely offbase.
Chazwick Bundick’s music has taken multiple
forms in the last few years. Noisy electro rock.
Chillwave. Prog rock. And now we’re seeing
flashes of classic pop. His work is nothing if not
interesting. Definitely a worthwhile show to
check out. See if all the buzz amounts to anything
in reality. -Erin Hall
TUESDAY 10/11
d.b.a. : The New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass
Band, 9pm, $5
Half Moon: NOLA Bookfair Boggle Tournament,
1125 St. Mary, 8pm
House of Blues: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
featuring all original members Bela Fleck,
Futureman, Howard Levy, and.., 8pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Winter Circle presents Das Racist;
LIVE IN THE DEN: Stupid Time Machine, A Night of
Improv Comedy, 8:30pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: NOJI presents
Victor Atkins’ Tribute to William Faulkner, 8pm
WEDNESDAY 10/12
d.b.a.: The Tin Men, 7pm; Walter Wolman
Washington & The Roadmasters, 10pm, $5
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: James Westfall,
5pm; Irvin Mayfield’ NOJO Jam, 8pm
Republic: Bassik f/ Zeds Dead, White Noise
Tipitina’s Uptown: WWOZ presents Brass Band
Wednesday featuring TBA, doors 8pm, show 9pm
THURSDAY 10/13
d.b.a. : CC Adcock & Little Buck Sinegal’s Cowboy
Stew Blues Review, 10pm, $10
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Comedy
Gumbeaux NO COVER!, 8pm; LIVE IN THE DEN:
Party Time! Dance Night, 11pm
Maple Leaf Bar: Johnny Vidacovich, 11pm, $10,
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Roman Skakun,
5pm; Carl LeBlanc, 8pm
Tipitina’s Uptown: Peauxdunque Writers
Alliance’s “Yeah, You Write,”
featuring Mat Johnson, Amanda Boyden, Bill
Loehfelm, Kelly Harris, Gian Smith and Terri Stoor,
dance party w/ DJ Sep to follow, doors 7pm, show
8pm
FRIDAY 10/14
The Big Top: Friday Night Music Camp welcomes
Cal Holiday and The Honky Tonk Revue, 5-7pm, $5
non-member adults/ all kids & members free
Chickie Wah Wah: Park The Van presents David
21

PIZZA BY THE SLICE • ANTIPASTI • SALAD • CALZONES
Come try our
“Cucumber Margarita"
— Made with Lunazul Blanco 100% Agave Tequila —
It’s Refreshing and Clean!
The Perfect End-of-Summer Cocktail.
UPTOWN
2018 magazine Street | New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 569-0000
MIDCITY
4724 South Carrollton Avenue | New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
(504) 486-9950
www.juansflyingburrito.com
Vandervelde, Caddywhompus, and Carter Tanton,
9pm
The Cypress, Metairie: C.O.G., The Local Skank,
Joystick, & 1.21 Jiggawhats?!, doors 6pm, show
7pm, all ages
d.b.a.: Linnzi Zaorski, 6pm; Good Enough for Good
Times, 10pm, $5
The Hangar: Reverend Horton Heat with
Supersuckers and Dan Sartain, 8pm, $20
House of Blues: Buckethead, 9pm
Howlin’ Wolf: The Airborne Toxic Event
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Professor
Piano Series featuring Tom Worrell, 5pm; Leon
“Kid Chocolate” Brown, 8pm; Burlesque Ballroom
featuring Trixie Minx, 12midnight
Republic: Glasgow
Saturn Bar
PonyKiller, haarp, Dummy Dumpster, 10pm
Ponykiller, a three-piece based in New Orleans,
just arrived home from a tour in support of metal
heavyweights Down, along with fellow openers
In Solitude, a phenomenal young Swedish metal
group, whose debut, The World, The Flesh, The
Devil, is one of favorite records of the year thus far.
PonyKiller, comprised of guitarist/ vocalist Collin
Yeo, bassist Trevor Darling and drummer Tim
Nolan, is getting ready to release their debut fulllength
on October 11, and the new album, which
was recorded at Nosferatu’s Lair, and produced
by the Lair’s owner, Phil Anselmo, who also is the
label-head of Housecore, the label of the album’s
release, is set to make some waves. The album
is a long time coming, and while at this point
PonyKiller is not a household name, this should
change in the near future. The album awaiting
is titled The Wilderness, and I am here to tell you
that you should look out for it when it hits stores
in a couple of weeks. Collin Yeo is also a member/
bassist in the band Arson Anthem, which also
features Anselmo, Hank Williams III and Mike
Williams of Eyehategod, and if witnessing him
perform live as the front-man of PonyKiller tells
me anything, it is that he fits in as well as a band
leader in PonyKiller as groundwork, his role in
the Anthem. In addition to Yeo, Darling and Nolan
are nothing if not supremely talented fundaments
to a sound well worth hearing. Joining PonyKiller
on stage at the Saturn are two of the city’s best
live bands in haarp and Dummy Dumpster. The
fact that this show arrives a few days after the
album’s proper release works perfectly, as you,
the audience, can soak up the sounds of the record
before hearing them rip it live. The band does not
really kill ponies, or do they? Be present to find out.
–Dan Mitchell
Tipitina’s Uptown: Honey Island Swamp Band
featuring Swamp Honeys Burlesque and Johnny
Sketch & The Dirty Notes, doors 9pm, show 10pm
SATURDAY 10/15
Bayou Bar: Be Cool Productions, 10pm
Café Istanbul: NOLA Fringe Festival presents
Pu-Pu Platter, a taste of upcoming November
shows, 8pm, free
Café Prytania: Star & Micey, 9pm, 18+
The Cypress, Metairie: Halloween Costume
Party featuring Calibrate The Massacre, OH! The
Moment, Lions Among Wolves, & 123 I Am King,
doors 6pm, show 7pm, all ages
d.b.a.: John Boutte, 8pm, $5; Soul Rebels Brass
Band, 11pm, $10
House of Blues: Railroad Earth, 8:30pm; The
Constellations and Margot & The Nuclear So and
So’s plus Empress Hotel, 9:00pm (The Parish)
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Pre Voodoo
Blink 182 Tribute Party featuring members of
Sun Hotel, New Grass Country Club, Pals and
many more . . .
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Alexey Marti,
8pm; Brass Band Jam featuring Lagniappe Brass
Band, 12midnight
Mahalia Jackson Theater
Cake, 8pm, $40-$50
Ok, so this show is kind of outrageously
expensive. I still think it will be awesome,
but I wouldn’t slight you for passing on it. It’s
a chunk of change that few bands have the
right to demand. In the end, Cake is one of
those bands that people either seem to love
or hate. I tend to lean towards love. They’re a
bunch of workhorses and while their sound
hasn’t undergone any particularly striking
metamorphoses throughout their tenure, that
doesn’t negate the fact that what they do, they
do it well. Go for the horns. For the detached air
of cool. For “Italian Leather Sofa.” -Erin Hall
One Eyed Jacks: OEJ and SimplePlay present
Star Slinger with Mux Mool, Shigeto, and Young
Hedons
Spotted Cat: Smokin’ Time Jazz Club, 10pm
SUNDAY 10/16
d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bugstompers, 6pm; The
Geraniums, 10pm
House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Brunch
with The Rock of Harmony, 10am; Theory Of A
Deadman plus Pop Evil, 7:30pm; Poppa’s Party
House, 11:59pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Tyler’s
Revisited featuring Germaine Bazzle and Gerald
French, 8pm
MONDAY 10/17
d.b.a.: Glen David Andres, 9pm, $5
House of Blues: Electric Six plus Royal Teeth
plus Kitten, 8pm (The Parish)
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Original
Tuxedo Jazz Band with special guest Gerald
French, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks: Grouplove with Belle Brigade
TUESDAY 10/18
d.b.a.: The New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass
Band, 9pm, $5
House of Blues: Tribal Seeds plus E.N. Young
plus Stereohype, 8pm ((The Parish)
Howlin’ Wolf: Imperative Reaction plus God
Module and Sound Syn; LIVE IN THE DEN:
Stupid Time Machine, A Night of Improv
Comedy, 8:30pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: NOJI presents
Ed Petersen’s Tribute to Dr. Seuss, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks: OEJ and Deftjams present
Washed Out
Tipitina’s Uptown: 7 Walkers with Bill
Kreutzmann (of the Grateful Dead), Papa Mali,
George Porter Jr., and Matt Hubbard plus TBA,
doors 7pm, show 8pm
WEDNESDAY 10/19
The Big Top: New Orleans Film Society
screening after party event w/music by DJ
Butterfoot, free
d.b.a.: Alex McMurry, Paul Sanchez, and
Washboard Chaz, 7pm; Walter Wolfman
Washington and The Roadmasters, 10pm, $5
House of Blues: O.A.R. plus Cris Cab, 8pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Perpetual Groove plus Earphunk
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: James
Westfall, 5pm; Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam, 8pm
THURSDAY 10/20
d.b.a.: The Jake Eckert Band, 10pm, $5
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Comedy
Gumbeaux NO COVER!, 8pm; LIVE IN THE DEN:
Party Time! Dance Night, 11pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Roman
Skakun, 5pm; James Andrews, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks: Danava with Thrones, 7pm
Tipitina’s Downtown
Winter Circle Productions presents Beats
Antique, 9pm, $14 in advance, $19 at door
Having never heard of them before this year’s
Hangout Festival, Beats Antique has surely
wormed its way into my heart this summer. The
band combines all the best dance grooves of
electro/house music with folk instrumentation,
resulting in a primal and organic sound. Like
Gogol Bordello without the punk edge and the
(totally not ironic) mustaches, these guys know
how to get a party going and keep it cruising.
I would’ve loved to have this show fall on
Halloween weekend, but I’ll take what I can get.
If you like to dance and you appreciate nonshitty
world music, check this show out. You
won’t regret it. -Erin Hall
22

Tipitina’s Uptown: Panic! At The Disco plus
Patrick Stump plus Foxy Shazam, doors 6:30,
show 7:30
FRIDAY 10/21
The Big Top: Krewe of Chewbacchus Greek
Social SPACE DRAG featuring drag show and
music by DJ Razor, 8-11pm, free
The Cypress, Metairie: Iridescence CD Release
Party featuring Iridescence, Jump The Sky,
Sarcoma, Bellaport, & Awaken December, doors
6pm, show 7pm, all ages
d.b.a.: The Hot Club of New Orleans, 6pm; The
Happy Talk Band, 10pm, $5
Hi-Ho Lounge: Paris’ Halloween Party, DJ
Garfield, 10pm
House of Blues
Plain Jane Automobile w/ Blue October,
Iamdynamite, 8pm, $34
Melodic. It’s probably one of the most overused
descriptors in rock journalism, but sometimes
it’s also the most true. Just ask Plain Jane
Automobile (PJA). During the better part of the
past decade, the Orlando-based five- piece outfit
has developed into an intense, melody-forward
band focused on deeply passionate lyrical
imagery.
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The
Professor Piano Series featuring Joe Krown,
5pm; Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown, 8pm;
Burlesque Ballroom featuring Trixie Minx,
12midnight
One Eyed Jacks: An evening with Mutemath
Republic: The Blue Party
Tipitina’s Uptown: Papa Grows Funk CD
Release Party plus Brass-A-Holics, doors 9pm,
show 10pm
Vernon: Vernon clothing hosts Ottilie
Brodmann Fall Collection Trunk Show (Art for
Art’s Sake), 2049 Magazine, 6-10pm
SATURDAY 10/22
Bayou Bar: The Chronic Death Slug and more, 10pm
The Big Top: Roux La La dance team fundraiser
for SELAA, performance by MC Sweet Tea,
6-11pm, $20
The Cypress, Metairie: Sky Fell To Earth, To
Crown A King, Ocean’s Aftermath, & For Once
Today, doors 6pm, show 7pm, all ages
d.b.a.: John Boutte, 8pm; Brian Stoltz & The I-12
Allstars, 11pm, $10
Hi-Ho Lounge: Super Secret Fireman’s Other
Masked Band Ball, 9pm
House of Blues: Grey Goose Rising Icons
Presents Marsha Ambrosius, 8:30pm
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Britt’s
Birthday Bash w/Grenade Man and DJ Sir Shitz-
A-Lot
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Joe Krown
Swing Band, 8pm; Brass Band jam featuring
Kinfolk Brass Band, 12midnight
Louisiana Music Factory: Ladyfest Showcase,
2pm-5pm
One Eyed Jacks: Helmet with Star and Dagger
Southport Hall: Halloween Costume Party
featuring Know Your Enemy (Rage Against The
Machine Tribute Band), Wendy Clear (Blink 182
Tribute Band), Syllable 7, & xDefinition, doors
9pm, show 10pm, 18+
Spotted Cat: Ken Swartz Trio, 3pm; Dominick
Grillo & The Frenchmen All Stars, 10pm
SUNDAY 10/23
d.b.a.: Mas Mamones, 10pm, $5
House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Brunch
with the Electrifying Crown Seekers, 10am; The
KEEP A BREAST TOUR featuring UH HUH HER
and Jarrod Gorbel, 8pm (The Parish); Minus The
Bear plus The Velvet Teen, 10pm; Poppa’s Party
House, 11:59pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Tyler’s
Revisited featuring Germaine Bazzle and Paul
Longstreth, 7pm
One Eyed Jacks: Cliff Hines presents Radiohead
Tribute
Tipitina’s Uptown: Tipitina’s Foundation
presents Sunday Music Workshop
featuring Ike Stubblefield, Detroit Brooks and
Johnny Vidacovich, 1pm, FREE, all ages; Cajun
Fais do do with Bruce Daigrepont, 5:30pm
MONDAY 10/24
d.b.a: Glen David Andrews, 9pm, $5
House of Blues: Colbie Caillat plus Andy
Grammer, 8pm; Graham Colton and Matthew
Mayfield, 9pm (The Parish)
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Original
Tuxedo Jazz Band with special guest Gerald
French, 8pm
TUESDAY 10/25
d.b.a.: The New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass
Band, 9pm, $5
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Stupid Time
Machine, A Night of Improv Comedy, 8:30pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: NOJI
presents Steve Masakowski’s Jazz Tribute to
John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces,
8pm
WEDNESDAY 10/26
d.b.a.: The in Men, 7pm; Walter Wolfman
Washington & The Roadmasters, 10pm, $5
Hi-Ho Lounge: JP Harris & The Tough Choices,
10pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: James
Westfall, 5pm; Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks: Wild Flag with Elenor
Friedberger (of Fiery Furnaces)
Siberia
Zola Jesus, Anika, Xanopticon, 10pm
Nika Rosa Danilova, more frequently referred
to as Zola Jesus, her stage persona, is a petite,
blonde 22 year-old singer who is about to
release her third full-length release, entitled
Conatus, the first to be widely distributed,
through the Sacred Bones label, and its title is
the perfect descriptor for the artist. Since she
emerged in 2009, with her debut The Spoils,
she has been steadily improving upon her
sound and more importantly, her vocal range,
and in turn, garnering more fans. It is hard to
even believe that this artist on Conatus is the
same from two years back, but alas, it is, and
while her music has certainly transformed
and grown, the real mark of this artist is her
growth in the live setting. Her live show still
feels intimate, and a bit creepy, but now she
has the poise, and energy, on stage to match
her newly confidenced vocal outpourings. The
only thing that concerns me about this show is
that Siberia does not have a big enough stage to
match her persona, but as far as intimates go, it
is the perfect fit. Her opening acts will prove to
be very interesting as well, as the German-born
Anika, with her austere and beautifully dreadful
debut record, will play as an ascetic counterpart
to Jesus’ liveliness and the glitchy, intense
producer/ electronic powerhouse Xanopticon’s
opening set will certainly drive anyone in
attendance out who is simply taking up space.
Siberia has a great many shows this month, but
this is one to keep on your radar. –Dan Mitchell
Tipitina’s Uptown
St. Vincent plus Cate Le Bon, 8pm, $16 in
advance, $18 at door
Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) was once a touring
member of the Polyphonic Spree and played
alongside Sufjan Stevens. She is as twee as a
twee indie kid can be. She is also mindblowing.
Her mastery of multiple instruments combined
with her talent for writing songs that
simultaneously evoke joy and overwhelming
anxiety make her quite a force to see live.
Her new album Strange Mercy is earning rave
reviews for its lush, orchestral backdrops and
sultry vocals. -Erin Hall
THURSDAY 10/27
Buffa’s: NOLA Bookfair Boggle Tournament,
1001 Esplanade, 8pm
d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horns,
7pm; The Honey Island Swamp Band, 10pm, $10
23

House of Blues: The Official Voodoo Kick-Off
featuring City and Colour plus The Stone Foxes,
9pm
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Comedy
Gumbeaux NO COVER!, 8pm; Poor Boy
Productions and Inner Recess present DJ Afrika
Bambaataa, the Amen-Ra of Hip Hop and Father
of Electro Funk, 9pm; LIVE IN THE DEN: Party
Time! Dance Night, 11pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Kipori
Woods, 5pm; James Andrews, 8pm
Republic: Bounce X w/ Katey Red, Sissy Nobby
FRIDAY 10/28
The Big Top: An Idea Like No Other presents
Pygmy Lush plus Leaving plus Habitat, 7pm, $5
d.b.a.: Linnzi Zaorski, 6pm; The Ever Expanding
Waste Band featuring members of Morphine &
Jeremy Lyons, 10pm, $10
Hi-Ho Lounge: Outlaw Nation, 10pm
Howlin’ Wolf: DEJA VOODOO – The Official
Voodoo After Party Series featuring Cassy,
Claude VonStroke, Three, Paul Raffaele, Michael
Christopher, & Alejandro Sab – Tickets are only
available at thevoodooexperience.com, 11pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The
Professor Piano Series featuring Josh Paxton,
5pm; Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown, 8pm;
Burlesque Ballroom featuring Trixie Minx,
12midnight
Republic: Anne Rice’s Vampire Ball
Tipitina’s Uptown: Fishbone and Ivan Neville’s
Dumpstaphunk, doors 10pm, show 11pm
SATURDAY 10/29
Bayou Bar: Special Halloween Show with Mata
the Man, Moon and Deerpeople, 10pm
The Big Top: Coney Island Cockabilly
Roadshow featuring Husky Burnette, Sky Paige,
Tigeress, sideshow by Alexander Hamilton &
The Invisible Man, Burlesque by Kitty Glitter,
8pm, $10/$7 members
d.b.a.: Lost Bayou Ramblers w/Gordon Gano
(Violent Femmes), 1am, $10; Rotary Downs w/
Caddywhompus, 11pm, $20
Hi-Ho Lounge: Debauche, 10pm
House of Blues: Endless Night Vampire Ball
presents “Steampunk Soiree,” 10pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Krewe of MOM’s Halloween
Ball featuring Honey Island Swamp Band, The
Revivalists (late set), and Kids on Bridges
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Bill Summers,
8pm; Brass Band Jam featuring Brass-A-Holics,
12midnight
Republic: Deja Voodoo f/ Lee Burridge, Craig
Richards, Danny Howells, Stadenco, Mike Fisher
Southport Hall: Down, doors 9pm, show 10pm,
18+
Spotted Cat: Guest Musicians, 12pm; Jazz
Vipers, 10pm
SUNDAY 10/30
d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bugstompers, 6pm; Glen
David Andrews, 10pm, $10
Dragon’s Den: Bass Church (Voodoo Halloween
Sermon), 9pm
Hi-Ho Lounge: Gypsy, Hi Ho Lounge, Hobo
Goblins, Street Sweet Symphony Halloween
Party, 10pm
House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Brunch
with The Wimberly Family, 10am; Poppa’s
Party House, 11:59pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Tyler’s
Revisited featuring Germaine Bazzle and Paul
Longstreth, 7pm
One Eyed Jacks: New Orleans Bingo! Show
Republic: Deja Voodoo f/ Wolf+Lamb, Soul
Clap, Tanner Ross, No Reg Play, Deniz Kurtal,
Voices of Black, Slow Hands
Southport Hall: Down, doors 9pm, show 10pm,
18+
Tipitina’s Uptown: Cajun Fais do do with Bruce
Daigrepont, 5:30pm
MONDAY 10/31
d.b.a.: Halloween w/the Morning 40
Federation, 11pm, $20
House of Blues: Holloween with MarchFourth
Marching Band plus special guests, 9pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Galactic plus JJ Grey Mofro, 9pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: The Original
Tuxedo Jazz Band with special guest Gerald
French, 8pm
One Eyed Jacks
Quintron and Miss Pussycat w/ Darktown
Strutters
Monday, October 31st @ 9pm, $10 in
advance, $14 at door
It’s Halloween. It’s a Q&P show. What’s not
to love? Though Halloween crappily falls on
a weeknight (and for many a “work night”)
it’s worth it to save up your energy and best
costume for this unforgettable show. Quintron’s
latest effort was dreamy and weird and full of
pure kinetic energy. If for some reason you’ve
been living here for any significant amount of
time and have yet to see him live, remedy that
now. -Erin Hall
FRIDAY 11/4
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: Super Water
Sympathy plus TBA
One Eyed Jacks: Boris with Asobi Seksu plus
True Window
SATURDAY 11/5
Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: The Blue
Party with Fresh Nectar
NOLA BOOKFAIR: 500-600 block Frenchmen
St., 11am-6pm
One Eyed Jacks: Dengue Fever
WEEKLY EVENTS
MONDAYS
Banks Street Bar & Grill: N’awlins Johnnys,
9pm
Bayou Park Bar: The Hooch Riders, 9pm
Blue Nile: Big Pearl and the Fugitives of Funk,
9pm
Checkpoint Charlie’s: Karaoke, 9pm
Circle Bar: Kelly Carlyle, 6pm
d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews, 9pm, $5
Desperados: Kickball Disassociation After
Party & Old Timey Music, 9pm
Dragon’s Den: Slide Guitar Domenic
Hi-Ho Lounge: Blue Grass Pickin’ Party, 8pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Bob French
and the Original Tuxedo Band, 8pm [Dark on
8/22]
The Maison: Jayna Morgan and the Sazerac
Sunrise Band, 7pm; New Orleans Super Jam,
10pm; Swing classes w/ NOLA Jitterbugs, 6pm
(Penthouse)
Spotted Cat: Brett Richardson, 4pm; Dominick
Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars, 6pm;
Kristina Morales & the Bayou Shufflers, 10pm
[1 st & 3 rd Mondays]/The Jazz Vipers, 10pm [2 nd ,
4 th & 5 th Mondays]
TUESDAYS
Banks Street Bar & Grill: NOLA Treblemakers,
10pm
Bayou Park Bar: Jim Jones & The Koolaides,
9pm
The Big Top: Brit Wit & Krewe of Chewbacchus
Present Make it Throw: crafts & Dr. Who, 7pm,
FREE [10/4, 10/11, 10/18 ]
Carrollton Station: Acoustic Open Mic, 9pm
Café Negril: John Lisi and Delta Funk, 7pm
Desperados: Noxious Noize Tuesdays, 9pm
Dragon’s Den: Climate Change Hip-Hop Nite
Hi-Ho Lounge: Euclid Records Triva w/ DJ
Lefty Parker, 8pm
The Hookah: Entourage Ent. Presents Hip-Hop
Night, 10pm [Dark 8/5]
Howlin’ Wolf: Stupid Time Machine Improv
Comedy, 8:30pm
Ivrin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Jason
Marsalis, 8pm [Dark on 8/23]
The Maison: Gregory Agid Quartet, 6pm;
Magnitude, 9pm
Mimi’s in the Marigny: Michael Hebert, 8pm;
the Emilonius Quartet, 9pm
25

The Rusty Nail: Open Mic w/ Whiskey T., 8pm
The Saint Tikioke, 9pm, FREE
Spotted Cat: Brett Richardson, 4pm; Smokin’
Time Jazz Club, 6pm; Meschiya Lake & the
Little Big Horns, 10pm
WEDNESDAYS
12 Bar: Brass-a-holics, 9pm
AllWays Lounge: Marygoround & The Tiptoe
Stampede
Banks Street Bar & Grill: Major Bacon, 10pm
The Bar: Musician Appreciation Night, 7pm
Bayou Park Bar: U.S. Nero & Friends, 9pm
Blue Nile: United Postal Project, 8pm; Gravity
A w/ Special Guests, 11pm; Jason Songe
Presents, 10pm (Balcony Room)
The Box Office: Dan Wallace Quartet, 7pm
Carrollton Station: Standup Comedy Open
Mic, 9pm
Checkpoint Charlie’s: T-Bone Stone, 7pm
Circle Bar: Jim O. and The No Shows w/ Mama
Go-Go, 6pm
d.b.a.: Walter Wolfman Washington and The
Roadmasters, 10pm, $5
Deckbar: Blues & Beyond Jam w/ John Lisi &
Delta Funk, 8pm
Dragon’s Den: DJ T-Roy Presents: Dancehall
Classics, 10pm, $5
Hi-Ho Lounge: Midnight Snax w/DJ BeesKnees
and Guests, 10pm
The Hookah: Entourage Ent. Presents Hip-
Hop Night, 10pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Hump Day Super Jam w/ Hope
Toun and Gravy Flavored Kisses, 9pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Sasha
Masakowski, 5pm; Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam,
8pm
The Maison: Jerry Jumonville and the Jump
City Band, 6pm; the Cat’s Pajamas Funk All-
Stars, 9pm
The R Bar: DJ Lefty Parker
The Rusty Nail: Jenn Howard’s Jazz Set, 8pm
Spotted Cat: Brett Richardson, 4pm; Free
Swing Dance Lessons, 5pm; The Orleans 6,
6pm; St. Louis Slim and the Frenchmen St. Jug
Band, 10pm
Yuki: Mojotoro Tango Trio, 8pm
THURSDAYS
Banks Street Bar & Grill: Dave Jordan’s
Neighborhood Improvement, 10pm
Bayou Park Bar: Spooky LeStrange and her
Billion Dollar Baby Dolls, 9pm
Blue Nile: DJ T-Roy Presents Reggae Night w/
Bayou International, 10pm; My So Called ’90s
Dance Party, 10pm (Balcony Room)
Circle Bar: Sam and Boone, 6pm
Desperados: Loose Marbles, 9pm
Dragon’s Den: Basebin Safari w/ DJ Proppa
Bear, 10pm
Fortier Park (3100 Esplanade): Drum Circle,
6pm
Hi-Ho Lounge: Stooges Brass Band, 10pm
The Hookah: Studio 504 Disco Dance Night, 9pm
Howlin’ Wolf: Comedy Gumbeaux, 8pm (Live
in the Den); Party Time! Dance Night, 11pm
(Live in the Den)
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Roman
Skakun, 5pm
La Nuit Comedy Theater: A.S.S.tronot,
8:30pm
The Maison: Those Peaches, 5pm
One Eyed Jacks: Fast Times ’80s Dance Night,
10pm
Republic: LEGIT, 10pm, $7
The Rusty Nail: Boozin’ Bingo, 8pm
Spotted Cat: Brett Richardson, 4pm; Miss Sophie
Lee, 6pm; New Orleans Moonshiners, 10pm
FRIDAYS
Bayou Park Bar: The Revealers, 10pm
The Big Top: Friday Night Music Camp, 5pm
Blue Nile: Mykia Jovan and Jason Butler, 8pm;
DJ Real and Black Pearl, Midnight (Upstairs)
Checkpoint Charlie’s: Hooch Riders, 4pm
Circle Bar: Jim O. and The Sporadic Fanatics,
6pm
d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans, 6pm
Desperados: Michael James and His
Lonesome, 9pm; Bobby Bouzouki, 11pm
Hi-Ho Lounge: Stooges Brass Band, 9:30pm
The Hookah: The A-List Unplugged w/ EF
Cuttin’, 10pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Professor
Piano Series; Leon “ Kid Chocolate” Brown,
8pm; Burlesque Ballroom f/ Trixie Minx and
Linnzi Zaorski, Midnight
La Nuit Comedy Theater: God’s Been
Drinking, 10pm, $10
Le Bon Temps Roule: Joe Krown Live Piano,
7pm, 9pm
The Maison: Those Peaches, 5pm; Buena Vista
Social Latin Dance Party, 10pm (Penthouse)
Republic: Throwback, 11pm
Spotted Cat: Brett Richardson, 4pm;
Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, 6pm; New Orleans
Cottonmouth Kings, 10pm
Tipitina’s: Tipitina’s Foundation Free Friday!,
10pm
SATURDAYS
Blue Nile: DJ Real and Black Pearl, 1am
(Balcony Room)
Circle Bar: The Jazzholes, 6pm
d.b.a.: John Boutte, 8pm
The Hangar: Ladies Night
The Hookah: Hookah Hip-Hop w/ DJ EF
Cuttin, 10pm
House of Blues: Sabado, Fuego, DJ Juanes, DJ
Q, Midnight (The Parish @ House Of Blues)
La Nuit Comedy Theater: ComedySportz
(1st/3rd Saturdays), 7pm
LePhare: DJ Jive
Republic: DJ Damion Yancy, 11pm
Spotted Cat: Luke Winslow King, 3pm;
Panorama Jazz Band, 6pm
SUNDAYS
Banks Street Bar & Grill: Open Mic Jam w/
Ron Hotstream and the F-Holes
Bayou Park Bar: Roarshark, 4pm
Blue Nile: John Dobry Band, 7:30pm; Mainline,
10pm
Café Negril: John Lisi and Delta Funk, 7pm
Checkpoint Charlie’s: Acoustic Open Mic w/
Jim Smith, 7pm
Circle Bar: Drink N Draw, 3pm; Micah McKee
and Friends, 6pm
d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6pm
Desperados: Stumps the Clown’s Variety
Show Sundays f/ Jo Robbin, Stalebread Scotty
& More, 9pm
Dragon’s Den: Bass Church: Dubstep for the
Masses, 10pm (Upstairs)
Hi-Ho Lounge: 504DancingMan, Skinz&Bonez,
6pm
The Hookah: Entourage Ent. Presents, 10pm
House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Brunch,
10am; Poppa’s Party House, Midnight (The
Parish)
Howlin’ Wolf: Brass Band Sundays w/ Hot
8 Brass Band; Chef Nathanial Zimet & James
Denio & The Purple Trunk Que Crawl Guest
Chef Takeover, 12pm
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Tyler’s
Revisited f/ Germaine Bazzle and Paul
Longstreth, 7pm [Dark on 8/21]
Le Bon Temps Roule: Chapter Soul f/ Calvin
Johnson, Kirk Joseph & Kevin O’Day, 9pm
The Maison: Dave Easley Trio, 5pm
Saturn Bar: (2 nd , 9 th , 16 th , 23 rd )Jayson Knox
9:30pm; Tin Types 10pm; The Infamous
Eddy Burke, 11pm; John Curry and friends,
whenever
Spotted Cat: Rights of Swing, 3pm; Kristina
Morales, 6pm (1st/3 rd Sun.)/Ben Polcer and
the Grinders (2 nd /4 th Sun.), Pat Casey & the
New Sound, 10pm
Tipitina’s: Music Workshop Series, 12:30pm;
Cajun Fais Do Do f/ Bruce Danigerpoint, 7pm
26

C
O
MICS
28

P
H
O
T
O
S
30

M
USIC
T
Siberia at One Year
By Dan Fox
hought it’s only been around for
a minute, it’s hard to imagine the
New Orleans music scene (and a
lot of ANTIGRAVITY’s coverage) without
Siberia, a club that in the past year has
completed a powerful triangle of venues
within shouting distance of one another
on St. Claude Avenue (the other two
being, of course, the HiHo and Allways
Lounge). Together with partners Daphne
Loney and Jenny McDaniel, Matt Russell,
previously known for his exploits on stage
and as a promoter, has taken the leap to
club owner, another promising sign (like
Paul Webb’s Bywater Music shop down
the street) that the most active people in
town are taking the means of production
into their own hands. ANTIGRAVITY
caught up with Matt to talk about the
whirlwind year it’s been for Siberia and
some of the events planned to celebrate
its first year of operation.
ANTIGRAVITY: How different is
owning a club versus just promoting
shows?
Matt Russell: Well, I never planned on this
being a full-time job. I started booking
punk, garage, hardcore and metal shows
after Katrina wherever I could, since the
Dixie [Taverne] was wiped out and very
few others were picking up the slack.
Back then a busy week was maybe two
or three shows, but now it’s a show every
night and sometimes two shows in an
evening. It’s a lot of work. I have to keep
track of 25 to 30 bands a week, make
sure their vans aren’t broken down, they
know what time to load-in, all the “fun”
stuff that goes on behind making a show
happen. It can be overwhelming at times,
but I’m not complaining… I’d rather be
too busy than not enough.
Has the club turned out like you
thought it would when you first
opened it?
When we first opened, everyone was
saying it was going to be a heavy metal bar
(like we would be sacrificing goats in the
middle of pentagrams in the back room
all night or something) and it is a heavy
metal bar, but that’s just one of the things
we do here. We’ve also had punk bands,
bounce shows, noise shows, country
nights… you name it and it’s been played
on this stage. Johnny Vidacovich and Karl
Denson played a late night gig here for
Jazzfest after a Suplecs show, which made
for a pretty interesting crowd changeover;
and there’s nothing more amusing
to me than when super serious-KVLT
metal bands end up playing sandwiched
between a bounce night the day before
and a queer electro show the day after.
Photo by Gary Loverde
In addition to the music, Chef Heathcliffe
Hailey from Mimi’s In The Marigny has
been serving tacos, burgers, fish and chips
and wings from our kitchen six days a
week during happy hour and into the late
night. He’s doing some amazing things
in the kitchen and it’s been really great
watching the bar become both a food and
music destination.
What is the craziest moment you can
remember from the past year?
Surprisingly, most of the people are pretty
well-behaved in the bar. The Sloppy
Seconds show we had in July was crazy. It
was the first time they’d played NOLA
since the early 2000s and the place was
packed. Midway through their set this
bonehead punched a huge hole in the gray
painted sheetrock wall and when I grabbed
him, all he had to say was “Dude man, I’m
sorry… I thought it was concrete.” We had
to hang plywood up over the walls the
next day to keep people from busting even
bigger holes into it. It’s the only armored
bar I’ve ever been to.
What do you still want to do with the
club that you haven’t yet?
I really don’t want to stray too far off
from what we’ve been doing. In the short
time we’ve been open we’ve already
had shows for Anal Cunt (RIP SETH!),
Inquisition, Buzzoven, Eyehategod,
Goatwhore, Guitarwolf... and there’s
really no telling who will come through
next. For years we’ve lacked a mid-sized
venue in New Orleans that focuses on
these kinds of touring bands. This is the
stuff I grew up seeing here when I was
in my 20’s and it’s really rewarding to be
able to provide a home for that again.
What kind of anniversary events do
you have planned?
I wanted our anniversary event to reflect
the different kinds of music that we focus
on at Siberia. It was originally planned
as just a weekend, but as the October
schedule started to come together
it’s grown into five days of shows. On
Wednesday, October 12th we have UK
punk legends the Vibrators with the
Pallbearers, Split () Lips, and Vapo-
Rats. Thursday night (October 13th) has
more of a country/punk vibe with Lucky
Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours,
a country/blues band fronted by the
grand nephew of Ernest Tubb, Filthy Still
from Providence, RI; a new NOLA local
Troy Baldin and the Tall Boys and a
one man band set from the unarrestable
man from Harahan, King Louie. Rusty
Lazer takes control Friday night (October
14th) with another edition of the Night of
1000 Contests, a totally ridiculous freefor-all
with a bunch of goofy contests like
What’s Up My Butt?, Pee The Most in 5
Minutes and What’s In The Box? Bounce
rapper Monsta Wit Da Fade will be in
on this one, too, as well as a rumor of a
real break dancer from the actual Siberia
region of Russia which I really, really
hope isn’t just a rumor. Saturday night
(October 15th) is going to be insane with
the Keith Morris-fronted OFF!, Cerebral
Ballzy, Retox (a new hardcore band
from members of the Locust), and the
debut of Classhole, a new NOLA punk/
hardcore band comprised of Gary Mader
(Eyehategod), Grant (haarp), Paul Webb
(Mountain of Wizard) and myself on
vocals. I just confirmed Sunday’s line-up
today and that will be Cannabis Corpse
(weed metal from members of Municipal
Waste), Toxic Rott, Crotchbreaker, and
Nemesis Destroyer. Also don’t forget
about haarp, Atlas Moth and Ken Mode
on Tuesday, October 11th, for this will
surely rule.
Siberia is located at 2227 St. Claude
Avenue. For more information on these
events, check out Siberia’s Facebook
page or call (504) 265-8855.
31