CheckOneTwo

It’s happened to more than one of us, right?  You get pulled over and get nailed for that court date you missed a while back?  Maybe an old traffic ticket (or five), maybe you pulled the ole “failed to appear” and accumulated the fines plus a live arrest warrant?  Ok, maybe it just happened to me….

OH, and it also happened to Matt Floyd, the kickass bassist for Smoke Up Johnny.  Due to what can only be called a Floydian slip, Matt’s sordid past caught up with him and he’s facing some serious fines that need to be paid before he can leave town with SUJ and The Moving Front’s two-week tour.

How can you help?  Come on out Monday night for Travis McElroy’s weekly Thick Syrup event.  The Bearded One is turning the Monday night fest into a benefit show for the man whose initials (not coincidentally) are MF.   Come on out and keep this bad MF outta jail and on the road where he belongs.

 Not only will you be springing Matt from the joint, you’ll get to hear Kyoto Boom, The Weisenheimers, and The Chicklettes.  Word around the campfire is Pretty Boy Floyd himself may join The Chicklettes for a tune or two.  No word yet whether they’ll bust out with Jailbreak, Jailhouse Rock, or Folsom Prison Blues. 

Stick it to the Man in the easiest way possible.   See y’all there.

Sibilance,

Glen

9 p.m. Sticky Fingerz, $4

Our friend and yours, Travis McElroy, trots out the latest installment of his Monday Thick Syrup night at Sticky Fingerz.  I’ll be there, you’ll be there, and guess who else will be there?  Yup, that’s right:  everybody else.

 This is your last chance for a while to see Everybody’s Favorite Putumayo web guy on stage.  Pete Jones is headed back to NYC and his swan song will be performed tonight, with back up from members of The Moving Front and The Contingencies (performing as the Tiny Vibrations).   We’ll miss our friend and fellow Eco-Savants kickballer and look forward to (hopefully) his frequent returns to la petit roche.

As if seeing PJ off isn’t reason enough to get off your couch, you also get a chance to make up for missing The Reds show last week.  Come on out and taunt Graham Cobb into tossing off a few pre-show Il Libretina licks.  

You still want to stay on the couch?  Still?  Ok, sheesh, try this:  MAGIC CROPDUSTERS!  David Jukes, Jeff Matika, and Matt Quin (complete with new ink), out from behind the bar at Vino’s and ready to make your outing worthwhile.  You don’t get to see the Cropdusters out too often–scratch up $4 and see three acts.  $1 Old Styles.  Hoo-ahh!!

UPDATE:  Magic Cropdusters have cancelled, and have been replaced with BROWNINGHAM.   Too bad about the Cropdusters, but Browningham is a one man tour de force.  This should make you get up and down to Stickyz even earlier.   I caught Browningham at the ACAC cover show on Hallowe’en, which featured him as Prince Rogers Nelson himself.  One man, one synth, one falsetto, much groovin’.  

Sibilance,

Glen

DATELINE STICKY FINGERZ–

Your Man About Town, full of Asian beer and Chinese-New-Year-Cheer (much love to the folks at Saigon)  ventured out last night to catch Round 2 of the Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase.  Much like a Chinese food menu, the lineup featured a little something for everybody–some of it flavorful, some of it bland, and some that was so tasty that I gazed wistfully at the empty plate when it was gone.

Congratulations to the Round 2 winner:  Epiphany & One Night Stand.  This six-piece rock/rap/jazz unit brought a loud, funky,  mix that transformed spectators into a sweet headbobbing seventh member.  Big Piph’s strong Popeye flow was given an extra can o’ spinach by the sweet soulful vocals of Gina Gee, but the can’s edge was extra sharp thanks to the serrated guitar work of Sixtring.  This set was strong and delivered the second rap/hip-hop winner in as many weeks.  If you missed it or just want more, catch Epiphany on Saturday the 9th, 7 p.m. at Wynsong. 

The Reds had a tight, super-sweet treat of a set last night, featuring fun dancy pop entirely from their album Economy of Motion.  Lead singer Johnny Mac pushed the songs along with some heavy, chunky bass lines a la early Police tracks, while guitarist Graham Cobb and drummer Jason Thompson spooned extra layers of la-la-la confection onto my crowded dessert plate.   It’s evident that this trio enjoys playing together–check ‘em out next Monday at Sticky Fingerz’ Thick Syrup night. 

The other two bands had strong sets musically but seemed to lack that intangible extra bit of connection which separates the sort-of-good from the bands you really love to see live.   Take Notion for instance.  Every member of the band was strong individually, but collectively it was like watching folks paint-by-numbers.   Have you ever watched a band live and been able to peg the source of everyone’s moves or style?  That’s what was happening last night:  like I was watching musicians who each had a different source of inspiration–maybe one grew up on Pantera, another on Black Crowes, another on Jeff Tweedy–and sought to mimic those styles.  I think Notion has good skills and definitely had some audience support, but will be a stronger band when they gel and find their own vibe.    Notion’s next show is Feb 28 at George’s in Fayetteville. 

Bryan Frazier’s set was augmented by a collective group of musicians from other bands, and left me wishing for the chance to just focus on the strength of his songs and lyrics.   Frazier’s usual style–quieter, introspective–may not have been a good fit for a competitive battle-of-the-bands format like last night, so I understand the reasoning behind beefing up the stage a bit.  However, his natural strengths seemed to be overshadowed and sometimes overwhelmed by the “Shreddy McShredenstein” (as one friend put it) lead guitar.  I’m looking forward to seeing Bryan in his natural environment–you can catch him tonight at Lulav lounge in Little Rock.

 The finals are already shaping up to be one nasty streetfight:  607 v. Epiphany v. _____ v. ______.   

Round 3 next week at Stickyz.  Don’t miss it.

 Sibilance,

Glen

Sticky Fingerz is hosting Round 2 of the Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase tonight.  Starts at 9–you won’t want to miss tonight.  Why, you ask?

Because The Reds are on the bill!  Their Economy of Motion album (Max Recordings, 2007) was the pop soundtrack to the last half of the year for me.   I dig the hooks, dig the echo-y timbre of Johnny Mac’s vocals, I dig the glittery schwank of Graham Cobb’s guitar work, all backed up by Jason Thompson’s outstanding drum work.  I’m not going to be impartial tonight, so it’s good that I’m not judging.   Word around the campfire is that The Reds play at 10 p.m. sharp.

 Not that the rest of the bill is lacking.   Notion (energetic, rowdy rock), Bryan Frazier (perfectly crafted, subdued, lyrical songs) with Action Figures, and Epiphany (slow Southern rap/hip-hop) & One Night Stand.  Give their stuff a listen at the links–promises to be a great night. 

FRIDAY

Whitewater Tavern:  Mat Mahar; Nathan Singleton and his Sideshow Tragedy.  9 p.m. $5. 

Rev Room:  Zodiac Aquarius party, featuring Daft Punk Tribute.  8 p.m.  $10/$12/$15

Sticky Fingerz:  Satisfaction (Rolling Stones tribute).  9 p.m. $5

Vino’s:  WISHTRIBE , FATHOM DOWN , FINDING JIMMY HOFFA & WOODSWYCK.  8:30 p.m., $7

Cornerstone Deli/Pub:  Luscious Spiller, 4 -7 p.m.  Solomon Davis Band, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Whitewater Tavern:  Runaway Planet; The Pine Box Boys (Bluegrass night!).  9 p.m. $5

Rev Room:  Eden Crow, At Our Finest, Hourglass.  9 p.m.  $5 (21+), $10 (under 21)

Sticky Fingerz:   Venus Mission (Super Bowl pre-game party)

Vino’s:  THE LONELY H & GEISERT 8.  8 p.m., $7

Cornerstone Deli/Pub:  Jason Greenlaw & The Groove.  9 p.m.