Why vote Swinton?
While I appreciated the tone of his message, I noted a disturbing error. He praised Janice [sic] Powers’ campaign, but she spells her name Janis. Why should I vote for a candidate who neglects to proofread thoroughly material that bears his signature? Upon further investigation, I have additional concerns. Why should I vote for a…
Yuck — Yuck
But some people hype a thing because it’s actually really good. Yuck, the latest in a seemingly constant stream of “next big thing”s, has the music world all aflutter because the tunes on its self-titled debut are great. Yuck’s sound is a modern interpretation of early ‘90s indie rock (good grief, how was that almost…
Brianna Gaither — Love Is Patient
Edmond native Brianna Gaither’s “Find You” does that immediately, kicking off her brilliant “Love Is Patient” album with a bang. “Find You” opens with a pensive piano line, haunting guitar and a propulsive snare/ kick beat that creates intriguing tension between the urgent rhythm section and the casual melodic instruments. Then, her lilting voice comes…
The Lincoln Lawyer
In “The Lincoln Lawyer,” Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”) skates along with one foot on the ethical side and the other, not so much. Haller has no office, but operates out of his car’s backseat, hence the title. His clients tend to be on the lowlife side: bikers, hookers, dealers. A few…
Paul
Would the experience be one of Spielbergian wonder, all diffused light and magical bike rides, or a nightmare of abduction and anal probes? The comedy “Paul” posits another option: Perhaps the alien, who calls himself Paul, is a potty-mouthed, potsmoking space traveler flummoxed by all these human fears of anal probes. “Am I harvesting farts?”…
Ray of humanity
Ray Bonneville’s latest album is titled “Goin’ by Feel,” and there couldn’t be a better summation of the Canadianborn roots artist’s life and approach. Inspired early on by country music, blues and pre-Beatles pop, he remembers pressing his ear against his grandmother’s furniture-size radio in the 1950s upon hearing that oldfashioned twang. Soon, he got…
Bear and grin it
Things have always been evolving for Norman six-piece The JonBear Fourtet, whose name was fossilized before two more members hopped aboard. They’ve given up on keeping up with the additions. “Got to land on something and stick with it at some point,” said drummer Nathan Harwell. Name-change refusal aside, Darwin would be proud; the band’s…
The future of music to be discussed in music industry panel
The industry panel will address career advancement, label deals, DIY distribution, touring, marketing and more. Panelists include entertainment lawyer Jay Shanker; talent agent Jeff Scheel, formerly the front man of Gravity Kills; local recording artist and marketer Matt Stansberry; and industry vet Tomy McDonald. Only 100 registrants will be allowed to attend. Admission is $20…
Zounds! What sounds!
On a brisk March night during the tail end of downtown Norman’s art walk, founding members of Zanzibar! Records huddled outside a storefront, discussing the difficulty of starting a record label in the digital age, all while splitting a 12-pack of Blue Moon and giving directions to manic, roaming Flaming Lips fans in search of…
Komeback
News of bands reuniting for a show, a tour or an album is almost always met with anticipation and jubilation from the music-loving public. Bands like Kustom Kar Kommandos are the reason for the “almost.” “We annoyed as many people as we could back then,” said vocalist John Manson. “There were probably a few people…
En masse
Three of the metro’s most prominent arts organizations — Oklahoma City Ballet, Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Canterbury Choral Society — have partnered to bring one of the most revered musical compositions of all time, Mozart’s “Requiem Mass in D Minor,” to the Civic Center stage. This marks the first collaboration between the three in several…
Perkins makes a scary, mean mentor for Ibaka
And it’s a lot of the reason Serge Ibaka has taken such a leap the past few weeks: He has a mentor. A big, scary, mean mentor teaching him how to play with an edge. The impression Kendrick Perkins has made on Ibaka has been obvious. Much in the same way that Kevin Garnett schooled…
Leaving a ‘Legacy’
“Living Legacy” features the wood and bronze sculptures of Willard Stone and his son, Jason. The elder Stone passed away in 1985, but his son carries on the craft, said Erin Page, director of communications and marketing for the museum. “A lot of common themes in their work is the strong connection that they have…
Under the sea
For being landlocked, Oklahoma doesn’t suffer from lack of scuba shops. A number of metro retailers and instructors, like Blue Water Divers, 922 Straka Terr., are getting people in the water. The outfit certifies almost 600 people a year. “With just a little bit of study at home, a little bit of time in the…
Fast five
Big ideas can define careers. But they’re also expensive, which is why the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition developed “Art 365.” It grants five artists 12 months and $12,000 each to produce work that could change the trajectory of their careers. Opening Friday, the exhibit features projects by Geoffrey Hicks, Grace Grothaus, Aaron Hauck, Frank Wick…
Way out West
Years of cattle wrestling and ranchhanding have taken their toll on Jay Rankin, one of the last of the great American cowboys. When he speaks, his lips barely move, so you’ve got to lean in close to hear the stories he tells. He’s spent most of his 70-plus years on the sprawling Selman Ranch in…
Best of fests
There is no shortage of events within the metro — such as the Norman Music Festival, April 28-30 — but those trying to purge cabin fever shouldn’t rule out hitting the highways to explore what the rest of the state has to offer. Renaissance fairs are a classic way to soak in the sun. Medieval…
Check! Check!
The music mini-festival will take place Friday off Asp Avenue, between the Adams and Walker dorms on the OU campus. Seven bands will play throughout the day and into the night. Derek Knowlton, vocalist and guitarist for The Pretty Black Chains, said that it’s good for people to know what other kind of music is…
How to get to ‘Sesame Street’
For more than three decades, “Sesame Street Live” has brought kids’ favorite characters, including Big Bird and Cookie Monster, from the small screen to life on the stage. Cast member Shannon Maloney, who plays Ernie’s sidekick, Bert, said it’s special to be a part of something that she loved as a child. “I reacted the…
Color me spring
According to the Pantone Color Institute, the official authority on international color for home, fashion and graphic design, spring’s color palette embodies vibrant escape: coral rose (a zesty orange), peapod (a yellowgreen), regatta blue, lavender, silver cloud, blue curacao and russet brown. Pantone reports that the spring colors were inspired by Africa, India, Peru and…
Garden party
So do it! Whether your garden is contained in one small pot or a massive, backyard plot, getting started in the whole growing business can be simple. “The first thing I tell people is to have fun,” said Brian Pirtle, a nurseryman at TLC Florist & Greenhouses. “I think a lot of people get caught…
Clean act
Did I mention we were in college? Steam-cleaning carpets should have been really low on the priority list. On the flip side, another good friend (whom I also lived with in college) once left her unbelievably cluttered, fairly disgusting car sitting in her parents’ driveway all winter and it became a halfway home for mice.…
Buy low
“This is an unprecedented economic crisis, but it is spawning an unprecedented opportunity,” said Rand. “Real estate prices are at their lowest ebb in years, but anyone with a sense of history in the real estate market knows that those prices will rise as the economy improves and the people who got burned in the…
Bite Size
“The book is a collection of interviews, and Keith’s was fantastic,” said author Wil Brawley. “His advice and wisdom will help other restaurant owners, aspiring owners and anybody interested in learning from successful entrepreneurs.” Learn more about the book at www.schedulefly.com/rou. A Good Egg Dining Group includes Iron Starr Urban Barbecue, Red Prime Steak, Republic…
Hey! Do this
Hear this Country music songstress Candy Coburn will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse Event Center, 1309 S. Agnew, to benefit SHOUT, an organization dedicated to supporting young, female cancer survivors. Coburn’s “Pink Warrior” song has become the official anthem for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Tickets are $25-$30. All proceeds benefit…
smag 7
Flavors of spring After months of hibernating, start your cool spring culinary tour right here. It leads off with a trip to the Paseo and to other spots for delicious cuisine. If food is your passion, come along. —Carol Smaglinski, photos by Mark Hancock and Shannon Cornman $$: Up to $15 $$$: $15-$30 $$$$: Above…
Tweet ’n’ eat
The message on Twitter came from Ludivine, 805 N. Hudson, one of the metro’s newest fine dining restaurants, and it was going out to more than 900 followers. The place had experienced a bad night with service and space, an expected growing pain for new eateries. The tweet enabled management to apologize to everyone at…
Spring-activated
above Mustang beer at McNellie’s A new batch of beers from Oklahoma brewers is hitting liquor stores and restaurant taps with drinks form-fitted for spring sensibilities. According to Battered Boar Brewing Company’s Mike Sandefur, introducing a new beer is one of brewing’s most challenging aspects. His newest offering is Ultimo Hombre, an unfiltered American wheat…
Border town
above Maria Sanchez delivers fresh chips to from left Terry, Nikki and Linda Sanders. Some places, the minute you walk in the door, there’s a good feeling. Alvarado’s is one of them. It’s not a posh restaurant, but the two dining rooms are spotless and welcoming. Manager Rosa Torres greeted us with a smile before…
PR BS
—“FEMA Region 6 Hosts Flood Safety Awareness Week Rap Session” —“Centroid Names Mark Musser Director, Business Development and Sales” —“CLEAN AIR PLAN FOR OKLAHOMA REDUCES POLLUTION” —“Enviro Clean Announces 40-Hour & 8-Hour (Refresher) HAZWOPER Training” —“Lazy Cakes™ Production Kicks Into Overdrive as Sales of the Original Relaxation Brownies Surge”
Face-off
(Like when a driver drifts on over to the left lane on the highway — without using the blinker, obviously — and then just chills there going, like, 60, completely oblivious and not a care in the world. The effing left lane is for effing passing, people!) See? Happens to the best of us. But…
Creation conversation
The promotional material asks two questions: Who is right, and why does it matter? William Reeves, an Oklahoma City dentist and Crossings member who helped organize the event, said the conference is offered to “educate individuals, primarily Christians, but people of other faiths as well.” “I hope it will help attendees understand that science, including…
Negotiation tactics
Just don’t argue and try to prove your fellow businesspeople wrong. According to Carl Van, president and CEO of an international training company, the keys to persuading others are remembering that: • great negotiators argue the facts, not argue with reasons; • you only have to prove yourself right, not prove others wrong; and •…
Play nice, y’all!
With an impending legislative deadline upon it, the state House took some time out on March 14 to express formal disapproval of two members of that chamber. The first was against Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, who was compelled to interrupt a preacher’s sermon, which included a discussion on healthy lifestyles. Reynolds apparently thought the…
Paleo power
Don Harris often can be found climbing on all fours over boulders at Tulsa’s RiverWalk along the Arkansas River. He looks for simple, natural ways to push his body in a quest to shed pounds and stay fit without having to drop money on a gym membership. Instead, he’s using techniques he learned from MovNat,…
She’s a ‘Bitch’!
According to Entertainment Weekly, she’s joined the pilot of ABC’s proposed series “Good Christian Bitches.” From “Sex and the City” creator Darren Star, the Dallas-set drama is pegged as a “sexy soap.” Per ABC: “Amanda, once the ultimate mean girl in high school, returns home to Dallas after her marriage ends in scandal. Humbled, Amanda…
Adequate ammunition
Regarding Joel Hendrickson’s recent comments (Letters, “Gun advocate’s argument full of holes,” March 9, Oklahoma Gazette): Hendrickson lives in Oklahoma, not the United Nations. Our soldiers wear green or tan helmets and are trained to kill and/or destroy things, not wear blue helmets and spew false statistics. Switzerland is an industrialized nation with one of…
The story of Abraham
—Joe Hatcher Oklahoma City
Runoff rundown
From a field of six, Ed Shadid and Charlie Swinton were the top two vote-getters in the March 1 primary election. Neither candidate received 50 percent of the vote, although Swinton got the highest number with 43 percent, compared to Shadid’s 35 percent. In the March 1 election, incumbents Meg Salyer in Ward 6 and…
In the name of science
The implication is free inquiry, but teaching the controversy is really a poorly defined slogan, which usually implies imagined division among evolutionists that suggests creationism and/or intelligent design are competitive alternatives. The real controversy is the reliability of science and of the interpreters of the Bible as guides to the understanding of nature. I wonder…
A more perfect union
These 401(k) plans were never meant to be retirement plans. They were a loophole tax shelter for upper management. In 1978, the tax code was changed by big business lobbying to allow the common worker to participate. Nebraska tried 401(k) plans alongside regular pensions for several decades to see the viability of 401(k) plans. Nebraska…
Every foot matters
Despite the progress made as a result of MAPS and the tremendous improvements currently under way through Project 180, we still seem to lose sight of a few fundamental principles of good urbanism, especially the fact that every foot really matters. Every foot of distance matters to pedestrians. People traveling on foot typically are unwilling…
Hearing test
Los Angeles has a large Muslim population and L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca said that there was nothing to support King’s claims of non-cooperation by American Muslims. President Reagan said “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedomloving people everywhere.” We won the Cold War because we had moral authority.…
Downtown lacks a decent grocery store
We lack a decent grocery store in this part of town. I am not talking some giant megastore (like Walmart), but something smaller along the lines of a Trader Joe’s. With the number of apartment complexes in this part of town, we do have enough of a population base to support a smaller store like…
Seeking shelter
For the last 30 days, the car has served as 23-year-old Antwone Taulton’s home. But Taulton is not one of the hundreds of homeless people in downtown Oklahoma City. He is a man on a mission. In February, Taulton, a student at Baylor University working on his master’s of divinity, took the semester off and…
Scar 3D
Admittedly unconventional per Hollywood terms, she’s like the thinking man’s Jamie Lee Curtis. Same goes for “Scar 3D,” a 2007 indie just now hitting Blu-ray and DVD from Phase 4 Films. Is it great? No. But for those drawn to such plasma-plastered efforts, it’s good enough. Not even really front-and-center until the second half, Bettis…
Who deserves a Woody?
Yes, the Oklahoma Gazette’s annual local music awards are back, and we need your help nominating the best acts for the prestigious honor. Nominate up to three bands in any of the below categories by commenting on this article with your picks. You may enter nominations for multiple categories in one post. Nominating twice in…
The Mountain Goats — All Eternals Deck
It seems like a quibble to say that the songs on The Mountain Goats’ new release, “All Eternals Deck,” are great, but they don’t fit together. But if you’ve heard the mastery that is “The Sunset Tree,” it’s hard to not want that total package every time. It should be noted that even if John…
Department of Mental Health combats underage drinking in state
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health is trying its best to change that. Recently, it was reported that around 28 percent of Oklahomans under the age of 21 admit to being binge drinkers, defined as having more than five drinks in one occasion. In order to battle such stats, strategies and initiatives are in place…
Sharia’s Ms. Manners
How he held his coffee or teacup: Gotta do it his way! What positions he preferred in sex with Martha: on the list of acceptable, approved behavior for all Americans. Foods he despised would be outlawed for all eternity inside the borders of our nation. Every preference and dislike would define the boundaries of American…
Mother Lode
Now it’s making its long-delayed DVD debut — long-delayed if you’re a member of the Charlton Heston family, that is. The Oscar-winning actor stars (twice!) and directs the film, which is written and produced by son Frasier. Two Hestons (or three, technically) are not better than one, as “Mother Lode” is indeed a load —…
Meskada
Sophomore writer/director Josh Sternfeld’s crime drama plays like a murder mystery in reverse, since it opens showing us exactly who commits the murder that rocks a small town, whose “white trash” populace then demands justice. Halo-worthy detective Noah Cordin (Nick Stahl) attempts to do that; he has his hunches, but the difficult part is gathering…
Psych:9
Former model Sara Foster (where you been since “The Big Bounce,” girl?) delivers a pretty good performance as Roslyn, a married but childless woman who takes a temporary gig of collating files at a hospital that’s just shut down. (And a good thing, too, judging from its dingy, grimy walls.) She works the night shift,…
Inferno
While every bit the name-brand icon in the genre as your John Carpenter or George A. Romero, the Italian director is a master visualist whose work is built upon unusual angles and a color palette so vibrant, it doesn’t look real. From 1980, “Inferno” is as good an example as any. A loose sequel to…
Four Lions
Well, of course, we could, did and have. And not to downplay the horrible, horrible, horrible tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 — not to mention the earlier Murrah Building bombing on our own turf — but with nearly a decade past, not only are we still laughing, but we’ve grown to the point of having…
Capone
This effort starts in Brooklyn 1918 with a burst of violence and an ethnic slur (far from the film’s last), as Capone (Ben Gazzara) jumps two cops. Impressed, the city’s crime bosses (John Cassavetes and Harry Guardino) bring him in. “I just don’t like cops,” he explains. From there, he ascends the nogoodnik ladder to…
