Photo: Shannon Cornman Oklahoma has a long, varied history in pop culture. From actors and filmmakers like Brad Pitt and Blake Edwards to musicians and singers like Charlie Christian and Garth Brooks, the state has been a leader in exporting world-class talents. One area that often gets overlooked is the state’s role in the realm […]
history
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Classic Albums: Peter Gabriel: So
To Classic Albums newcomers, the franchise delivers the “definitive authorised story” of a culture-shaking disc in feature-length form, relying on video clips, concert footage and many a talking-head interview from the talents who were there, on both sides of the studio glass. In this case, that includes Gabriel, other musicians, members of the tech team […]
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Lincoln
As if the subject alone isn’t worthy of adulation, it comes with a towering pedigree: Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan), Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) and a script by Pulitzer-winning playwright Tony Kushner. To its credit, Lincoln has lengthy stretches in which it’s as absorbing as it wants to be. […]
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Groove for good
Issues of human rights have become increasingly prevalent in today’s political discourse. Yet throughout this ever-fervent election season — one where finger-pointing has a tendency to overshadow more practical approaches to civil liberties — it’s a discussion that often finds itself lost in the bickering and politicking that frequently inhabits the campaign trail. As Groovefest […]
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Digging deep
About 20 Armstrong students and faculty members were sent to Jerusalem to work with Hebrew University’s Eilat Mazar, an Israeli archaeologist best known for her claim of having discovered the palace of King David. She has been unearthing a wall near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount that she dates to the time of King Solomon. Often criticized […]
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Blast from the past
A small, but growing, band of self-described “history nerds” have taken an interest in preserving the heralds and other remnants of the city’s storied history. When the bridge was scheduled for demolition as part of the old Interstate-40 crosstown, members of Retro Metro OKC took action. Dedicated to collecting and sharing Oklahoma City’s history, the […]
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The Spy returns to radio
So long, Chopin and Mozart. Hello, Cut Copy and Morrissey. “The Spy has done a tremendous job of tapping into the pulse of the community to provide a vibrant venue for music genres that are completely underserved in our state,” said Kelly Burley, KOSU director. “Through our partnership, we look forward to amplifying what The […]
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Exit Stage?
Built in 1970 by renowned architect John Johansen, the building at W. Sheridan and S. Hudson avenues has been empty since it sustained significant flooding damage in 2010. Afterward, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City transferred ownership of it to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Groups such as the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the American […]
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A bright idea
Credit: Mark Hancock Driving down Route 66 can be like a 70 mile-per-hour history lesson, where vestiges of the state’s past stand out along 400 miles of highway. In Yukon, a 100-plus-year-old flour mill visible from the Mother Road is a symbol of local pride and community spirit. Crowning the old building is a sign […]
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The Lowbrow Reader Reader
Thirteen years later, my zine became the victim of its own success: The process simply ceased to be fun for me, so after 37 issues — or was it 38? — an exhausted one-man publisher called it quits. I only tell you this because as I was wrapping up, a New York-based zine called The Lowbrow […]