10. Johnny Polygon — The Nothing 2013 belonged to the introspective rappers — the ones who found their strength in going soft and whose heads, hearts and souls lay open for listeners to poke around in. Tulsa emcee Johnny Polygon tips open his brain like a cap on The Nothing, baring weed-soaked nuggets of self-truths that are […]
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God and tornadoes
Those messages are coming from everywhere. After speaking in Vermont at the annual meeting of United Church of Christ churches in my denomination, this small and cash-strapped body of small New England parishes handed me a check for $5,000 to help with tornado relief. So many people have prayed for us and supported us through […]
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Moore will be more
“I left the door open on the shelter so we could look. We had the radio down there to follow the path of the tornado,” said 53-year-old Greg Stephens. Then the winds roared, and Stephens moved to close the door. “It wouldn’t latch,” he recalled. He clambered out and struggled with the door, trying to […]
Posted inMusic
Samantha Crain — Kid Face
Likewise, her music sounds like the kind of earthy Americana that could have emerged from any of the last five decades. Both her vocal efficacy and reverential know-how have been and remain a testament to the uncommon maturity of her skill set. But if anything was holding the Shawnee native back, it was her aversion […]
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Sam I am
Photo: Keisha Register They say home is where the heart is. For musicians, however, the grind of touring often can be a blessing — an escape from personal demons or the perils of comfort and complacency. But if you’re anything like Samantha Crain, life on the road is just a desire coming to fruition. Crain […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Brew on this
By mid-March, Bricktown Brewery will be settled into its third location, previously a Garfield’s eatery, on Kickapoo Street in Shawnee, just off I-40. The new locale will be exteriorly similar to the downtown Oklahoma City restaurant, said Marilyn Ruggles, vice president of marketing for the Edmond-based Enduring Brands. “You will see brick, and when you […]
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Shoulda tied me kangaroo down, sport
Credit: Brad Gregg Unlike the incorrigible Lucy Ricardo, however, this is one Lucy you wouldn’t be able to understand. Unless you speak kangaroo, that is. We’re talking about Lucy Sparkles, a sneaky little marsupial that bounded off from her Shawnee family’s home Nov. 22, trekking across Pottawatomie County like they were her indigenous Aussie deserts […]
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Shiny Toy Guns — III
It marks not only singer Carah Faye Charnow’s return to the band whose founders were born in Shawnee, but also a return to the New Wave synth-pop sound that made them famous. The opening trio of “Somewhere to Hide,” “Waiting Alone” and “Carrie” are just as synthsational as the band has ever been. “Carrie” is […]
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Everything’s Jake
Singer-songwriter Jake Germany took a comical approach when it came time to write, record and release his debut full-length album, Cardboard Kids. “We already had this story concept laid out for the album, so we thought, ‘Why not just go ahead and make it into a book?’ Then, with a couple of us being big […]
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Saddle up
The rodeo, now in its 20th year, is hosted in three arenas all week with performances at 8 p.m. Sunday, and daily performances at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Finals are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, July 13. A Western trade show featuring gifts, clothing, furniture and accessories will be open throughout […]