Fear the beard
From the historic Carey Place neighborhood to houses of worship, James Harden is proving to be the most famous beard since Michelle Bachmann! Thunder up, OKC!
One for the books
Ryan Tate credit: Mark Hancock The Journal Record broke the story of Tate Publishing firing of 25 employees and released the leaked audio of the meeting in which Tate prayed with, insulted and threatened staff. The Mustang-based publishing company was founded on Christian principles in 2001 by Richard and Rita Tate, Ryan Tate’s parents, and…
Rico suave
Credit: Mark Hancock Let us converse for a moment about the glories of Mexican-style fast food. No one is arguing that crispy tacos or bean burritos are the height of fine dining. No one claims that it is healthy or authentic or, frankly, looks very good. But we all eat it on occasion and we…
Various artists — The Rock ’n’ Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher: Songs from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
Starring and written by Jack Roberts, the movie centers on an aspiring musician who moves to Tulsa to make it big singing karaoke. Naturally, the soundtrack dishes out a heavy dose of Oklahoma indie-rock heavyweights, and the album is a solid showing of all the talent the state has to offer. Ryan Lindsey’s airy, acoustic…
OKG7 restaurants to take the kids
Hideaway Pizza 901 N. Broadway 796-7777 If you’ve never had the famous fried mushrooms ($6.95), you must start with those. They’re always served piping hot with some ranch. The pesto bruschetta ($6.95) is a delicious blend of tomatoes, onions, fresh basil and olive oil. If you mean business, attempt the Mob Boss pizza ($11.95-$20.65) with…
Aw, Swell
Jonathan Weiner When Nick Diener and his brother formed punk act The Swellers as teenagers, they didn’t know what they were doing. “When we were kids, we had these guitars and we wondered what it would be like to be rock stars. So we formed a band,” guitarist and singer Diener said. “I didn’t know…
Vesper recipe
With two albums surveying themes of hope, redemption in Jesus, and supernatural healing to their name, it’s no surprise that The Vespers are a band of Christians. But are they a Christian band? A closer look at the college-aged siblings’ output and business acumen suggests they’re aiming for the former. “When we got together, we…
Dad’s dukes
Bo Gibbs credit: Randy Carr Bo Gibbs isn’t like most fathers-to-be. As he and his wife, Julie, count down the days until the arrival of their first child, Gibbs will continue doing what he does best: inflict as much pain as possible upon opponents. Gibbs is the headliner of a six-fight pro boxing card on…
In the Raw
Jo Anne Kotlowski Credit: Taylor Bolding With chapters in more than 65 U.S. locations nationwide, the international, independent organization known as Raw hosts its first Oklahoma City show Thursday. The group was created in 2009 to increase visibility and resources for local, independent artists. According to Rachel Hernandez, co-director with Staci Campbell for Raw in…
Ellis county
As a tried and true blues guitarist, Tinsley Ellis holds no delusions of taking the world by storm. Besides, the workman musician — who just turned 55 — already gets to enjoy something just as good. A father figure of sorts in the genre, he helped spawn the career of a young Derek Trucks, who…
Hey, Mon!
While his fellow students spent a week recovering from their rowdy spring breaks, Oklahoma City emcee Damon Johnson spent that time recording his debut mixtape, titling it 7 Days, of course. “I got back from spring break and told everyone I was going to put out a mixtape in a week,” Johnson said. “Starting that…
Oh, ‘Danny’ boy
Next Stage goes two-for-two by offering another world premiere with its second production, a rock musical by Oklahoma writers. Wishing to tackle an original musical, the troupe reached out to local composer and actor Jacob Becannen of The Fellowship Students. “He sent us this beautiful album that he had written and recorded, but not yet…
Amazing feats
Oh, yes, The ‘Oh No!’ Variety Show features equal-opportunity entertainers. BY Susannah WaIte The “Oh no!” Variety show 8:30 p.m. friday angles 2117 n.w. 39th ohnovarietyshow.com $5<span style=" “> 9 p.m. saturday the drunken fry 5100 classen circle<span style=" “> free The members of the “Oh No!” Variety Show are ready to demonstrate peculiar prowess…
SimCity comes to life
Credit: Brad Gregg OK, so it’s not that covert. But you really do have the opportunity to give developers your recommendations as to what the structure should become. The laundromat’s owners recently sold the building to Sweet Sixteenth LLC, which teamed up with Popularise, an innovative online platform that lets people submit and vote on…
Hasty release
Credit: Brad Gregg At this point, we’ve all learned never to open an @waynecoyne-issued Twitpic while at work, or in the presence of children and/or the particularly religious. Living with the possibility of accidentally glimpsing a 51-year-old man’s nether regions has been accepted as part of the local flavor. Coyne’s disregard for modesty and need…
CFN’s awfully harsh record review of the week
Credit: Brad Gregg —Consequence of Sound’s David Buchanan on the Stillwater-born All- American Rejects’ new album, Kids in the Street
CFN’s awfully harsh record review of the week
Credit: Brad Gregg —Consequence of Sound’s David Buchanan on the Stillwater-born All- American Rejects’ new album, Kids in the Street
CFN’s awfully harsh record review of the week
Credit: Brad Gregg —Consequence of Sound’s David Buchanan on the Stillwater-born All- American Rejects’ new album, Kids in the Street
Hysteria
Yeah, that kind of feel-good. Based on a true story and scheduled to open Friday at AMC Quail Springs Mall 24, Hysteria unfolds in late 19th-century London — a time when modern medicine amounted to a jar of leeches, theories about germs were “poppycock,” and the plague of the era was hysteria among women. Per…
Symphomaniacs
Callen Clarke and Kyle Dillingham Beauty can be born from the darkest places. Such is that case for the Life Symphony, premiering Sunday in Oklahoma City as as the grand finale of the OK Mozart Festival’s second annual OKC series. In 2007, Edmond composer Callen Clarke was just a day away from premiering his first…
Flattered glass
Mark A. Reigelman II’s “Breaking the Bottle” Reflecting on a full decade at its downtown location, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art debuts Fusion: A New Century of Glass on Thursday. In 2002, renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly’s work was showcased at OKCMOA’s grand opening. Now coming full circle, Fusion showcases more than 20 contemporary…
Bouquet of rosés
Michel and Alain Buthion Credit: Shannon Cornman Rosé is an excellent choice for the summer because it’s chilled and lighter, while still offering the complexity that red-wine drinkers crave. La Baguette Bistro, 7408 N. May, adds a selection of rosés every summer. Last year, co-owner Michel Buthion put six rosés by the glass on his…
Primary purpose
The seat, traditionally held by a Democrat, opened in February when former state Rep. Al McAffrey successfully ran for Senate District 46, which was vacated when Sen. Andrew Rice moved to Tennessee. Located in central Oklahoma City, HD 88 is roughly defined by N.W. 50th and N.W. 10th streets, Santa Fe Avenue and Interstate 44.…
Masterpiece meals
Chefs Henry Boudreaux and Gayland A. Toriello Credit: Shannon Cornman The tastes, scents and flavors found here can be as enrapturing as the art that lines the buildings’ web of walls. It’s not just local diners loving the artistry spilling out of the Museum Cafe kitchen; OpenTable recently deemed it one of the best brunch…
Handwritten letters make enduring gift
Jay Wilkinson My dad was Bud Wilkinson, one of the most successful and well-respected college football coaches of all time. At the heart of my father’s success — not only as a coach, but also in many other facets of his life — was his extraordinary ability to communicate with others. Dad knew success was…
Utility players
Bob Anthony And for the first time, Commissioner Bob Anthony is drawing a challenge within his own party. Certified public accountant Brooks Mitchell is challenging Anthony in the June 26 Republican primary. Since there is no Democratic challenger, the contest will determine who gets the seat on the three-person panel. “It takes a lot of…
CFN tweet of the week
“@waynecoyne that is very weird of you to post a photo of a dead bird. i wish i was as weird as you.” —@PortLandToe, May 12
CFN tweet of the week
“@waynecoyne that is very weird of you to post a photo of a dead bird. i wish i was as weird as you.” —@PortLandToe, May 12
CFN tweet of the week
“@waynecoyne that is very weird of you to post a photo of a dead bird. i wish i was as weird as you.” —@PortLandToe, May 12
Pious people
Credit: Brad Gregg While the survey methodology sounds very science-y — using census data and whatnot — it would have been easier for researchers simply to drive through OKC and count the corners without churches. (The actual number is 21.) OKC was ranked behind Salt Lake City and Birmingham, Ala. One of those cities has…
Judge ye not
Brad Gregg Well, there’s always the judiciary — that pesky third branch of government that makes a reasonable attempt to remain free of influence from special interest groups. And, as everyone knows, the best way to make sure that “true justice” is carried out is to stack the deck. The State Chamber of Oklahoma is…
Conservative contest
Marian Cooksey Since no Democrat filed to run in the district, covering most of northwest Edmond, the winner of the primary will take the seat. Rep. Marian Cooksey has been in office since 2004, when she beat another incumbent Republican. Previously, she served as deputy chief of staff to then-Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin. Cooksey said…
Haute hoops
To capitalize on the hoops mania, the teams’ respective civic leaders have placed friendly bets on the contest: The victorious will dine on the loser’s culinary specialties. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez will send Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett stone crabs when the OKC Thunder win the Finals. That’s right: If you want crabs,…
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
That’s especially true for Spirit, considering it was directed by the acquired-taste tag team of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, who gave the world such amped-up, anti-establishment thrillers as Gamer, Crank and its now-immortal Crank: High Voltage. By (thankfully) replacing non-returning director Mark Steven Johnson, Neveldine/Taylor automatically make this follow-up cooler. They get their mitts…
Oh, say, can you hear?
The 16-year-old earned rave reviews last week when she belted out “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the welterweight boxing championship in which Timothy Bradley defeated Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in a controversial decision. This will mark Sanchez’s third performance of the national anthem since this current season of Idol.
Accident
Masterminded by a lonely, paranoid widowed man who looks like Dwight Schrute and goes by the name of The Brain (Louis Koo, Triple Tap), a group of four carries out hired hits by making them look like accidents, and remarkably, using no weapons. In the opening hit, for instance, a Triad gang boss is felled…
Kill Speed
Flashy, yet trashy, Kill Speed is as generic as its meaningless title implies. It so wants to be another shit-goes-fast blockbuster like The Fast and the Furious, which gets name-checked in a roundabout way, but on a small budget. I believe such a thing is not impossible. One just has to do what writer/director Kim…
Where the buffalo roam naked
So perhaps MA+ Architecture shouldn’t be too surprised that its office’s herd of fake buffalo outside have been “stripped” of their Thunder tees. Yesterday, the OKC-based architecture firm at 4000 N. Classen Blvd. issued a news release about the theft. “We always seem to have a certain amount of theft when we display the buffaloes,…
Project X
So much potential is built in the first 15 or 20 minutes, in which mild-manner high school loser Thomas (Thomas Mann, It’s Kind of a Funny Story) is goaded into hosting a party while his parents are away. The goal, per obnoxious buddy Costa (newcomer Oliver Cooper), is for the rest of the student body…
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
It’s certainly not short on action; Holmes gets into a street brawl, disposes of a bomb and destroys a bachelor party, all before the main plot gets going. That involves what criminal mastermind Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris, TV’s Mad Men) may have to do with anarchist activities around town, and what he wants with…
Miss Minoes
Tibbe (Theo Maassen, Black Book, Interview) is a newspaper reporter so shy, he risks unemployment because he can’t bring himself to talk to people. Luck comes to his apartment window in the form of Minoes (Carice van Houten, Black Death, TV’s Game of Thrones), a young woman who gives him a scoop that turns into…
The Phantom of Crestwood
Some 55 years before Dino De Laurentiis failed to lure audiences into theaters with the promise of a seven-digit payday for one lucky viewer of the wretched Million Dollar Mystery, RKO and super producers David O. Selznick and Merian C. Cooper launched a different kind of contest. Leading up to Crestwood’s premiere, the story was…
Meatballs
Things such as:• the kid-vocalized “Are You Ready for the Summer?” theme song;• the nerd, Spaz (Jack Blum, Happy Birthday to Me), getting a milkshake dumped on his head;• clown counselor Murray downing so much club soda that he burp-talks, “Oh, really? Really?”;• the fat guy, Fink, getting depantsed;• the rival camp’s entire basketball team getting depantsed (don’t accuse Meatballs…
