Ponytail — Do Whatever You Want All the Time
Having a singular vision is difficult, especially when it’s so singular that listeners don’t get it. Ponytail’s “Do Whatever You Want All The Time” follows its title a little too closely, featuring eccentric tunes that lost me. While the dual guitar work here is impressive and occasionally interesting, it often takes a backseat to the…
Bill Cunningham New York
Some stories can only be told in the Big Apple, and the documentary on New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham is one of them. Anywhere else, an old man riding his bike up and down city blocks, stopping to take pictures of passing strangers — mostly women — would be badgered by police. But…
We Meat again
Tesco Vee is both a punk historian and piece of punk history. He co-founded the Touch and Go zine (which later became the record label of the same name, signing artists like The Jesus Lizard and TV on the Radio) in 1979, chronicling hard-core bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat. Beginning a year later,…
Aye, Robot
Indie pop isn’t the first thing people associate with Albuquerque, N.M. The city is better known for hot air balloons and green chilies, but it did give us folk-rock favorites The Shins. Now, Lousy Robot attempts to tread a similar path out of the desert. It’s made progress in spreading its music nationally through television,…
Rio
There are songs, double entendres and the seemingly requisite 3-D effects to ensure ticket prices eat up a small fortune. It is utterly forgettable. Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) is the voice of Blu, a macaw who is poached shortly after birth in the jungle and winds up in small-town Minnesota. As the pet of…
Four reasons you should hate the Nuggets
A reason? During the playoffs, you see a team a whole lot in just a couple of weeks. Instead of getting ticked at Kenyon Martin one night and forgetting about it the next because the schedule has made you move on, you have to see him again in two days. You’ve got to argue with…
Beau bridges
Artists’ inspiration can be found in obvious places — politics, religion, love and loss — but few find it as early as Oklahoma native Beau Jennings. On a whim, a third-grade Jennings wrote a report on Will Rogers, not out of fandom, but a visit to Claremore’s Will Rogers Memorial Museum. A few years ago,…
Piano man
“The last time I did improvisation in public was in Carnegie Hall, a long, long, long time ago,” McEvilly said. As part of the Metropolitan Library System’s “Noon Tunes” series, he will bring his variations on Mozart’s works at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to the atrium of the Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave. If you’re interested…
Reckoning
Surprise, surprise! Alternative country rockers Reckless Kelly didn’t have much of a following when they first formed in Bend, Ore., just hours outside of crushingly hip Portland. It’s not that the guys didn’t have the talent; the grunge-happy Pacific Northwest just didn’t have enough avenues to showcase them. “We didn’t have a lot of gigs,”…
Get the green
Written by Carole Brendlinger, “Money Matters” had its world premiere on the Jewel Box stage back in 2003 after winning the theater’s 2002 playwriting competition. Eight years later, the play is back by popular demand. Set in 1894 New York, “Money Matters” tells the farcical story of a husband and wife wedded under false pretenses,…
Oh, brother
Twinprov’s Clint and Buck Vrazel are used to audience members calling shenanigans on their freestyle rap-meets-improv comedy show. Theories abound that parts are written beforehand. But for improv performers, suspicion is the sincerest form of flattery. “The worst thing you can ever hear is, ‘I can do that,’” Clint Vrazel said. “But if you have…
‘Strong’ songstress
The Alabama native won the contest with a large margin of the 500,000 votes cast online during a six-day period. While traveling back to Oklahoma from Alabama over Christmas break, she received the good news via phone, during a layover at DFW Airport. “I kind of had to hold in my excitement, because it was…
Where we’re going, we don’t need leases
According to LeaseTrader.com, lease escapees saw a 5.3-percent increase in March, following a 4.8-percent jump in February. “On the surface, the jobs outlook is brightening which creates an environment for rising confidence among drivers and households,” said Sergio Stiberman, the website’s founder and CEO. “The increase in jobs creates more company-issued vehicles, and in these…
Open season
Softball is a great American sport for players of all ages, races and skill levels. Even the gay community has adopted the national pastime and formed the Sooner State Softball Association, a league devoted to giving athletes of all persuasions an open and accepting place to compete. Now in its eighth season, SSSA is part…
Welcome to the neighborhood
A member of the Virginia Association of Realtors for the last 17 years, she most recently served that organization as vice president of member outreach. Noon has moved to the Oklahoma City metro with her husband, their daughter and three “active” dogs. “Lisa is bringing exceptional experience to our association,” said Hope White, 2011 president…
Make it rain
With native grasses and trees, homeowners aren’t just landscaping their yards — they’re cleaning the stormwater that flows into the water system. That runoff is caused when rain and melted snow flow over land or paved surfaces and do not percolate into the ground. “It’s a concern to us because that runoff goes into Lake…
Green fests are best
But what happens to that cup after you’re done drinking from it or that paper plate you just finished eating off of? Two Oklahoma City festivals and their green committees are making sure that it all ends up in the right place. These committees are the Festival of the Arts Go Green Committee and the…
Eco-chic
When I was in college, I found myself riding the bus from one end of the (very large) Michigan State University campus to the other. It was one of those impossibly muggy, humid days the Great Lakes states really excel at, and the air conditioning on the bus was broken. Basically, I was miserable. I…
Creative cuisine
WHAT WORKS: The vibe, menu and staff create a seamless — and stellar — experience. WHAT NEEDS WORK: The small menu could make ordering difficult for pickier diners. THE TIP: Go with an open mind, and just maybe you’ll find something you never thought you’d love (like sea urchin!). Our server was sporting suspenders —…
Bite Size
In his free time, he also is a ballroom dancer. Most treasured possessions: “Diana, and my daughter Christy’s two children in California.” Present address: “Langley, where we own and operate The Artichoke Restaurant & Bar.” Best food on your menu: “Our stuffed mushrooms called ‘Whatnots’ and our blackened salmon.” Serving this year as: “Chairman of…
Feelin’ flexy?
The Earth Cafe and Deli 750 asp, Norman 573-5933 Going meatless is made easy at this Campus Corner spot, where a diverse menu caters to vegetarians and vegans (without forgetting the ominvores out there). The Earth boasts a menu that spells out the organic, fair trade and vegan finds, like pastries made with unrefined sugars…
Eco booze
As “going green” becomes more and more popular in America, organic tequila, wine, vodkas and other drinks are finding a fan base with Oklahomans looking for a more planet-friendly martini. “Right now, sales of organic spirits are so-so, but people do buy it if they know about it,” said Kyle Lange, manager at Byron’s Liquor…
Eat your green
Frequenting local establishments that support local farms and industry is an excellent way of reducing your carbon footprint while dining out. But a few restaurants in the metro have taken extra steps in the use of recycled or repurposed materials, or have made structural investments in their properties that will not only reduce their…
Next up: Death Star
The Oklahoma City resident recently shared this wish with the world at atatforamerica.tumblr.com — specifically, to build a full-scale, functional model of an AT-AT Imperial Walker from ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ all in order for “America to make something awesome again,” the site reads. Nerds everywhere scream, “Cool!” Tea Partiers everywhere cry, “Whaddaya mean ‘again,’…
Grand ‘ol “Opry”
“In years past, Oklahoma performers such as Jude & Jody, Bob Mills, Conway Twitty and others were featured on Oklahoma television,” said Vince Orza, KSBI president and CEO, in a press release. “The New KSBI TV is dedicated to bringing local Oklahoma entertainers back to television. … This music is a grand tradition in Oklahoma.”…
Sweeping down the plains
The project will create enough clean energy to power 46,000 homes and avoid the emission of approximately 339,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from conventional power plants, said Lisa Leipzig, project development manager for Acciona Energy North America. “Sustainability is core to how we do business,” Leipzig said. “We’re excited to be bringing another project…
From the ground up
While the intersection provides picturesque views of the construction of the Devon Energy tower — reaching 40 floors high, and counting — along with the accompanying buildings and auditorium, it is easy to miss what’s going on at ground level. In the shadow of the growing Devon Energy Center tower is the Myriad Botanical Gardens.…
Productivity booster
Unfortunately, interruptions are commonplace in the workplace, and can be a barrier to success. The key, said business coach Danita Johnson Hughes, is to control those interruptions so you can reduce stress and, therefore, become more productive. To that end, she suggests: • organizing and prioritizing your work on a regular, constant basis; • being…
Mason-ic art
In 2009, Women of the South, an organization dedicated to enriching the South OKC metro area, agreed to raise money to help with the construction of the new theater, and is well on its way, said Mary Pointer, publicity officer for the group. Thirty percent of proceeds will benefit OCCC’s venue. “We’ve made tremendous progress…
Rock the baby
Reed, a vocalist and guitarist for The Guilt Racket, said that he was happy to be involved with the planning of the show. “I was looking for a way to help out and was approached about doing the concert to benefit March of Dimes,” he said. “It was perfect timing. We got a lot of…
Wall crawlers
Also known as green walls, living walls or even the evocative “sky farm,” it can be as simple as trellising a vine or as complex as creating a mini-rain forest on the walls of your home. Whatever the name, the added dimension can have a big impact on your garden. You might go vertical because…
A toot point
Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nature.com
Get a perm
A design principle first applied to agriculture, permaculture seeks to create self-sustaining food production through imitating natural ecosystems. Australian ecologists Bill Mollison and David Holmgren coined the term in their 1970s book, “Permaculture One.” The word, a contraction of “permanent agriculture,” was meant to invoke a new science where agricultural practices worked in tandem with…
Pet the trumpet
From the flute to the tuba, kids will be able to take their pick Tuesday at Oklahoma City University Wind Philharmonic’s 10th annual Children’s Concerts and Instrumental Petting Zoo. Three free concerts will take place in OCU’s Wanda L. Bass Music Center, 2501 N. Blackwelder, followed by instrumental “petting zoos” after the first two, which…
Global warming and wine
According to a report from France’s National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), climate change in the form of global warming is threatening to force changes in the way France has always made wine. “The pessimistic scenario shows that Bordeaux’s climate, by 2050, will no longer favor Cabernet and Merlot,” said Jean-Pascal Goutouly, a researcher at…
CFN Quote of the Week
If you really want to win an election, you take your feet to the sidewalk and you start walking door-to-door and you win people over with your words, not money for signs and pamphlets. “All the money that committees have spent could have been used for other things within the community, instead of lazy politicians…
Wheeeee!
So here are two news stories that showed up recently involving our proud Sen. Jim Mountain (yeah, that’s his middle name) Inhofe that we believe just might have had a cause/effect relationship other media outlets are just too sane to put together. First, Inhofe reportedly scares “the crap” out of people. Seriously. Back in October,…
PR BS
—“Head Oklahoma State Football Coach Mike Gundy and Wife Kristen Announce Endowment Gift for Quarterback Scholarships On Facebook Video” —“CVR Energy Commences Offer to Purchase up to $100 Million Principal Amount of First Lien Senior Secured Notes and Second Lien Senior Secured Notes” —“Integrated Electrical Services Announces Organizational Changes in its Residential Segment” —“Manure-Based Materials…
Altered eats
Because no state or federal labeling requirements presently cover GMOs, no certain way exists to determine if food bought in Central Oklahoma includes these ingredients. Environmentally conscious consumers can buy organic and read labels to avoid GMO-free food. Genetic modifications have resulted in widely planted soybeans, corn and cotton seed referred to as “Roundup Ready,”…
Auditions
Matt White, an Oklahoma City resident, read about the service in a newsletter that came with his bill. He decided to call to schedule an appointment. “The house was built in 1931,” White said, “so I’d already been doing some remodeling and fixing up. I had spent some time educating myself about energy efficiency and…
Historic green
The city held its first meeting April 5 with homeowners in historic districts to get feedback on what they would like to see incorporated into the guidelines governing work on houses and buildings located in historic preservation or historic landmark districts. Through an Energy Efficiency and Conservation grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office…
Reporting burden
January 2010 was the starting date for the EPA’s greenhouse gas reporting program. Initially exempt from emissions reporting requirements, the oil and gas industry was included beginning Jan. 2 of this year. Tom Price, Chesapeake Energy’s senior vice president of corporate development and government relations, said his company is already recognized as a national leader…
Unions are the last chance
Yes, Carter did sign acts that weakened the unions, by deregulating the railroads and motor carriers, whose genesis dates back to initiatives started with Nixon and carried through to Reagan’s coup de grâce of the air traffic controllers. I have but a simple understanding to the convoluted Republican obfuscation of our budget woes by blaming…
Last call for ethanol?
Coburn has not only caught flak over the amendment from some in the ethanol industry, but also from the conservative tax group Americans for Tax Reform. Coburn said a bill to eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, which goes toward companies that blend ethanol, will save $5 billion annually. Coburn’s attempts to eliminate the…
Haze hearing
A little more than 40 people submitted their comments at the EPA public hearing in Oklahoma City, held April 13 at the Metro Technology Center Springlake campus, although far more people were in attendance. above Susan Schmidt participated in an April13 Sierra Club press conference that protested coal-fired power plant pollution. Those commenting were about…
Irish eyes are frowning
Of course, I’m not a full-fledged connoisseur, so I don’t know for sure; but doesn’t hand-temperature interfere with liquor-temperature when you hold it right in your hand like that? (I could go on with what the pictured pint says about the callused senses of a contemporary, hardworking Oklahoma Cityan; but — like I said —…
Counterpoint: ‘Clean, reliable and affordable’ power
This accident left many Oklahomans wondering: What does this accident mean for them? What is the role of nuclear energy in the U.S.? What is our response to the accident? First, our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people. We will continue to stand with them throughout the response and provide assistance as they…
OKC taxpayers handing out corporate welfare
Clifton Adcock’s article about financial incentives from the city’s strategic investment program (News, “Taking a SIP,” April 13, Oklahoma Gazette) mentioned that we taxpayers of OKC will be handing out welfare to Chesapeake Energy (CHK), Boeing (BA) and are ready to do so with Continental Resources (CLR). As an OKC taxpayer, capitalist and money manager,…
‘Glory’ story
Nothing like this was done in 1961 during the 100th year remembrance. On behalf of all of us who have worked hard to raise the awareness, especially of the little-known role of African-American soldiers, thank you. —Bruce Fisher Oklahoma CityFisher is administrative program officer at Oklahoma Historical Society.
Free thoughts with the Kern clan
I think most citizens would agree that we want our students to think and reason for themselves and not just take somebody’s word for it. However, his argument is that both sides of human existence be presented in science classes so the students can reason what to believe. This is more appropriate for a philosophy…
‘Gaze upward’
That behavior earns a spot within the top 20 percent of wage earners in America. Presenting data indicating the largest percentage of income taxes is derived from the 20 percent club, Mr. Connolly aims his rage at those 80 percent peons beneath. He should direct his gaze upward. Let’s reassign that income club to the…
Point: Oklahoma resources first
Weeks after the tsunami crippled Japan and caused economic and environmental damage, the reality has set in that regardless of how carefully a nuclear plant is designed, accidents will happen. Oklahoma should not be a target for new nuclear energy development. While nuclear energy generation accounts for a lower level of greenhouse gas emissions than…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The David Yates-directed “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” was released last November, and is now on Blu-ray, while the second half is slated for release in mid-July. Rather than making the last installment five-plus hours long, the seventh and final book has been split into two parts. This first portion has been…
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd / Rio Rita
The only problem with it is the operative word “Universal,” meaning that films the legendary comedy duo made for other studios were not included. Two of them, “Africa Screams” and “Jack and the Beanstalk,” had fallen into the public domain and could be found on countless budget releases. On the other hand, “Abbott and Costello…
Always Be Happy, but Stay Evil — Garage a Trois
I’m not going to lie: About half the reason I wanted to hear this was because of its fantastical name. I’ve been getting into Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s post-everything jazz mash-ups recently, and Garage A Trois is one step further down the rung toward true jazz. Garage A Trois is described as a “post rock/freak…
Mortal Kombat / Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson’s original — his first shot at the mainstream following his UK cult item, “Shopping,” and certainly where he got his sea legs for the “Resident Evil” pictures to come — was and is big, dumb fun. No one expected anything from the game adaptation, so its playful blend of sci-fi, martial…
Don’t Make Waves
Although Tony Curtis’ character loses everything he owns — twice! — in this light comedy from 1967, he’s so distracted by the hubbub of swingin’ SoCal activity around him, he doesn’t seem too terribly put out. And neither will you. “Don’t Make Waves” is exactly the kind of film that made-on-demand outfits like Warner Archive…
Scream 4
In the decade that has passed since the previous entry, the landscape has changed greatly for horror films. Gone are the sly, self-aware semi-parodies that the original “Scream” birthed; in vogue is the so-called “torture porn” of the “Saw” series. In its opening scenes, “Scream 4” uses this to its advantage, poking fun at the…
Nine tax facts hardly anyone knows
The theory goes like this: Lower tax rates will encourage more investment, which in turn will mean more jobs and greater prosperity — so much so that tax revenues will go up, despite lower rates. The late Milton Friedman, the libertarian economist who wanted to shut down public parks because he considered them socialism, promoted…
Green beer
JD Merryweather, partner and director of sales and marketing, said the founding members of the local brewery were already firm believers in sustainability. The trick was making a brew that not only tasted good, but also could lessen the impact on the environment. “We practice sustainability,” he said. “We live it and discuss ways we…
Scream / Scream 2 / Scream 3
To make you feel old, Wes Craven’s “Scream” will turn 15 this year. With the latest chapter, “Scream 4,” hitting theaters Friday, the original trilogy has made its Blu-ray debut, so you can see — with greater clarity than ever — how well it holds up. The short answer: In contrast to human aging, the younger…
El Topo
I say this to note that just because a film is a cult classic doesn’t make it good, and his debut — a “hit” only by midnight-movie standards of the early ’70s when filmgoers had their mind expanded by more than what was happening onscreen — is more weird than wonderful, although visually interesting. From…
Elemental bond
Never before did I expect to see the Civic Center Music Hall awash in bits of floating foil. And that’s not even close to being the most outlandish element of “The Aluminum Show,” which made its Oklahoma City debut last night. What audiences saw was so different — a mix of dance, visuals, illusions and…
