Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
•1•
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
•2•
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
•3•
sePTeMBeR ‘09
taBle OF cOntentS Owensboro Edition
FEATURES 4 Cirque Dreams – Artistry in motion by Melissa Kaiser 6 Andy Brasher – From open mics to open roads by Dylan Gibbs 8 WKY Botanical Garden – Late-season happenings by Melissa Kaiser
14 Summer Music Fest IV – Gas the tank, fill the cooler, and go! by Nick Durcholz 20 Briefs – Not the BVD kind by Dylan Gibbs 22 Buzz Osborne – Melvins leader on… everything by Dylan Gibbs
13 Bourbon Blog – South Carolina distillery’s original creations by Tom Fischer
GUIDES
REVIEWS
10 Restaurants
12 What’s Cookin’!
15 Clubs & Pubs
28 Music
16 Local Nightlife
30 Cinema: In Theatres
21 It’s in the Bag
31 Cinema: New Releases
24 Road Trips 27 Arts & Etc.
Publisher Bashar Hamami Business Manager Sharon Tindle
Owensboro Account Executive Russella Jones
Managing Editor Dylan Gibbs
Evansville Account Executives Lori Martin
sharon@news-4u.com
editor@news-4u.com
Promotions Casey McCoy
russella@news-4u.com
(270) 485-2292
Sales Manager
Carolyn Cummings Keith LaCrosse
Web Programming Jeff Lingis Production Supervisor Amanda Smith
art@news-4u.com
Graphic Artist Jaqulyn Woolsey
On the cover this month...
Staff Writers Nick Durcholz Melissa Kaiser Contributors Chad Benefield, Tom Fischer, MomKat, Ashley Sollars, Todd Zachritz
Cirque Dreams Illumination (Courtesy of Jam Theatricals)
Staff Photographer Mark McCoy
NEWS4U IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY AND IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE . FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ADVERTISING, SUBSCRIPTIONS, DISTRIBUTION OR GUIDES & LISTS, CALL (270) 485-2292, TOLL FREE AT (866) 684-7574, SEND US A FAX AT (866) 463-9748, OR WRITE US AT 119 W. 3rd ST., OWENSBORO, KY 42303. NEWS4U IS PUBLISHED BY ATOMA PUBLISHING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION WITHOUT PERMISSION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAGAZINE DOES NOT NECESSARILY CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OF PRODUCTS, SERVICES OR OPINIONS WITHIN. ADVERTISERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT OF THEIR ADS.
•4•
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
90
Number of baseballs the home team is required to have on hand for a MLB game.
46
6
Average number of pitches in a baseball’s “lifetime.”
Average number baseballs actually used during a game.
8.75
$
Price of a 20 oz. beer at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants (the most expensive beer of any MLB ballpark).
5.93
$
Average price of a beer at all MLB parks during the 2009 season. Sources: nbcbayarea.com, wiki.answers.com Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
•5•
DRAMA
From Balcony – 2009-2010 Edition
•6•
a high note at their Opening Night Gala - Be Inspired by Brilliance. On September 26, this beautiful performance will feature the dramatic and well known “Scheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov and the exciting new piece “Gambado Fanfare” by Kentucky composer, Nick Drake, who will also be in attendance. The extremely talented violinist, Ms. Bella Hristova from Bulgaria will be the featured guest artist for the evening. This “rising star in the music world has won several awards,” says OSO conductor Nicholas Palmer. Hristova will present the dazzling “Violin Concerto” by Tchaikovsky. “This concert is a great intro for those who have not experienced an OSO concert. It is tuneful and accessible”, states Palmer. “We encourage adults to bring their kids as well.” Not only will this concert delight all members of the audience, but the entire season will bring them back for more. The OSO will demonstrate their talent throughout the coming season with such highlights as the passionate opera “Madame Butterfly”, the highly anticipated “Holiday Pops”, a lovely “European Vacation”, the rhythmic “Music of John Williams”, and the spritely “Carmina Blvana.” Tickets for the Masterworks series range from $12, $25 to $32. Visit www. theoso.com or call RiverPark Center Box Office at (270) 687-2787 for more information and details. Theatre Workshop of Owensboro kicks off its theatre season with the sidesplitting hilarious presentation of Michael Coomey’s Cash on Delivery. Their rendition will have you “in stitches for a better part of the show. Come ready to be entertained,” says assistant director, Lauren Mayhew. Without giving too much away, the basic storylines revolves around Eric Swan (portrayed by TWO veteran, Ryan Henry) who has been defrauding welfare authorities by creating several fake identities in order to claim their benefits. All the lies are finally catching up to him and he
Jam Theatricals
O
wensboro’s 2009-2010 theatre season gets off to a grand start this melissa kaiser September with Staff Writer three fabulous performances: RiverPark Center’s stunning presentation of Cirque Dreams: Illumination, the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra’s beautiful Opening Night Gala – Be Inspired by Brilliance, and Theatre Workshop of Owensboro’s hilarious showing of Cash on Delivery. You do not want to miss any of these magnificent performances! On September 26th, at 7 p.m., the RiverPark Center comes alive like never before when Cirque Dreams: Illumination tumbles into town and creates a beautifully enchanting city landscape full of surprises. This talented international cast of world-class acrobats, athletes, musicians, and artists will bring to life a bustling metropolis of city dwellers that “balance beyond belief, delicately dangle from wires, leap tall buildings and redefine the risks of flight.” Everyday objects such as a garbage can lids, fire hydrants, and street lamps transform into unique objects, testing the boundaries of your imagination. This impressive cast of characters will delicately meld modern music, comedy, dazzling sets and costumes with impressive acrobatics and defying feats of strength that you do not want to miss! Sponsored by the Kentucky Arts Council, the 2009-20010 BB&T Broadway at RiverPark begins its season in style with Cirque Dreams: Illumination! For more information on ticket prices, season tickets, and upcoming shows, please visit www.riverparkcenter.org or call the RiverPark Center Box Office at 270-687-2787. The Owensboro Symphony Orchestra begins its Boardwalk Endowed Masterworks Series on
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
JAM THEATRICALS
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
Also coming soon...
RIVER PARK CENTRE
decides to end things by “killing off” his characters. Naturally, issues arise and a “variety of characters emerge” to create “an avalanche of problems.” Directed by TWO veteran, Todd Reynolds, this entertaining Farce takes the stage on Fridays: August 28th, September 4th, and 11th at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays: August 29th, September 5th and 12th also at 7:30 pm; and a Sunday matinee performance on September 6th at 2pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Season tickets are also on sale – first time buyers can get five shows for $50, while regular season ticket holders can purchase this great deal for $66. For ticket information and reservations, please call TWO box office at (270) 683-5353, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. In addition, TWO will be adding a Dinner Theatre presentation of each main stage show to this year’s season. For a mere $10 extra, you can enjoy a delicious buffet dinner along side a fabulous show! On August 27th, you can be one of the first to enjoy this new experience. Also, TWO has just hired a new Executive Director, Stephan Coppick. We look forward to seeing what new ideas Mr. Coppick will bring to the stage of Theatre Workshop of Owensboro! Check out www.theatreworkship.org for a list of all upcoming shows in their 2009-2010 theatre season.
Check out The Wedding Singer at RiverPark Center October 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale September 11.
•7•
Andy Brasher’s A Busy Man
We caught up with Andy recently to talk about all things musical. Here’s what he had to say… N4U; Dude - Tell everyone what you’ve been up to in the two years since you were in News 4U. Well, I’ve been playing a lot of shows. I’ve played the Bluebird in Nashville 5 times since, and the Midpoint Managing Editor Music Festival in Cincinnatti. I toured the east coast with my girlfriend. We started in Louisville, went out through West Virginia, Virginia, down through the Carolina’s and back up through Chattanooga and Nashville, TN. My girlfriend and I wound up getting engaged on this whirlwind trip! I’ve been writing new songs and recording as well as playing shows with the Pie (Ten Pound Pie), Terry Payne and Elliott Sublett. A couple of months ago I re-issued the 2007 Crows and Buzzards album with some bonus recordings tagged on. dylan gibbs
You’ve been at the Boiler Room every week forever now. What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen at open mic night?
andy Brasher
I’ve seen a guy ask a cop for a ride home. Girls falling over monitors-that happens quite often. There’s something crazy happening all the time. The open mic night is always fun. You never know what to expect.
Talk about some of the current stuff you’re working on. I just released a CD at the end of July, this year. It was collaboration with a co-writing partner, and great friend of mine from Nashville, Dustin Bogue. We aptly named the CD The Brasher/Bogue Project. Creative?!? Dustin and I toured Iowa and Nebraska over the summer and came back to do a CD release party right here in Owensboro, which was awesome! We completed this project in about 4 months.This consisted of driving to and from Nashville a couple times every week and all-nighter sessions. •8•
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
andy Brasher
And I just put up a new website…check it out at www.andybrasher.com. My friend Aaron Kaiser designed it for me. All of my CDs and t-shirts are available on this site. You can also get my CDs at my live shows, at the Owensboro Music Center, and online at www.cdbaby.com/Artist/ AndyBrasher.
How’d you get into playing? What’s your first music-related memory? When I was a kid, I couldn’t sleep without the radio being on. So, my first music-related memory is of falling to sleep to Willie, Waylon and Johnny Cash. My dad used to have these ‘jam sessions’ with Pat Coomes, my Uncle Leon, my brother Joey and all sorts of other people. Sometimes they’d jam at the house and I could stay up late with them and watch and listen. At first I kind of played drums on my knees and maybe sang a bit, but eventually, Dad taught me some chords and I tried ‘em out in these jam session settings.
Who influences you the most vocally and instrumentally? My dad influences me vocally. Instrumentally, there’s probably too many to list. Skynyrd was an early influence, Zeppelin and Hendrix, and then with the acoustic guitar; Neil Young, Alice in Chains and Steve Earle.
Do you have a pre-show routine, like doing a shot of something? No. Just getting to the show on time is good. Tuning is good too!
You’ve logged a ton of shows under your belt; what’s been your most memorable moment onstage? I’ve got a few. One was with Ten Pound Pie at the ill-fated Time Out Lounge at the Big E. They had a male review in the Showroom Lounge that let out at about 11 and all those hyped-up women came across to the show. We were already on stage when they got there, and they were, let’s say, ‘excited.’ They actually started throwing dollar bills at us, even though we weren’t naked. The most recent memorable moment was the release party for my most recent CD, The Brasher/Bogue Project. It was at the Boiler Room and people came out of the woodwork to participate, it’s hard to describe the amount of energy I could feel from the stage. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of my friends for supporting me and coming out for this and other shows!
What’s coming up in 2010 for Andy Brasher? I’m going to continue pushing my songwriting in Nashville, and hopefully do a project with Anthony Smith soon. I’ve got a back log of about 3 albums worth of material I need to record and put on CD. I’ve got an album in the works that I’m calling Last of Our Kind which I should complete this winter. I’m gonna work on my mandolin playing too. Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
•9•
It’s all Happening at The Gardens!
• 10 •
“Big Botanical” for judging. Take a moment to slow down and enjoy a quite country fair at the Gardens! Next up is WKBG’s Walk & Talk & Lunch in the Garden on September 8th at 11:30 am. Not only will you enjoy a delicious lunch, but you will also gain some insightful information from Ms. Natalie Mountjoy MS on the topic “Biotech for Dummies.” Fees for this interesting luncheon are $10 for members and $12 for non-members. On September 11, from 9 – 11 a.m., bring your preschoolers to The Gardens for some fun In the Playhouse! Baking bread, making homemade ice cream, Storytelling, and bird watching are just a few of the enjoyable activities that your youngsters will get to participate in during this exciting yet educational experience. One of the most anticipated events at WKBG this fall is the annual Scarecrow Fest on Saturday, September 19,
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
photos: western kentucky botanical gardens
N
ow that summer h a s ended and school has started once again, your list of things to do might melissa kaiser look a little limited. Staff Writer For those of you seeking to relax and enjoy some family fun, take a look at what’s going on at one of Owensboro’s best kept secrets - the Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens. Located near the Thompson-Berry Soccer Complex off of Carter Rd., this unique destination will entertain you throughout the month of September with several interesting events and festivals! Read on for more info! Celebrate Labor Day early on Sunday, September 6th when the Big Botanicals Picnic in the Garden kicks off this exciting month! From 1-5 pm, bring your blankets and lawn chairs and sit back and enjoy the sounds of Bluegrass, Barbershop, and Gospel music throughout the event. Pack a picnic or purchase some delicious food from the Gardens. You can also participate in this exciting event by bringing your own
photos: western kentucky botanical gardens
from 1 – 5 p.m. There will be plenty of games for the kids, some delicious food, and exciting entertainment. You can even get your picture taken with “The Big Scarecrow!” In addition, individuals of all ages, families, and businesses are encouraged to bring homemade festive Scarecrows to enter into the contest. You could even win some $$ for your creative Scarecrow! If you choose to donate your Scarecrow to the Gardens, it will be auctioned off in their Silent Auction. You do not want to miss all the excitement at the annual Scarecrow Festival! To end September, you’ll have to join the caravan and travel to the Baker Arboretum in Bowling Green as the WKBG goes On the Road with speaker & author Gary West. Not only will you get to see the truly beautiful “sanctuary for nature and art” that is The Baker Arboretum, but you will also get to dine at two delicious local restaurants and enjoy a “mystery stop.” Registration fee for this exciting excursion is $25. Over the past few years, The Garden has grown by leaps and bounds, and I don’t just mean the plant life! They have added several new garden areas such as the Daylily Garden and the Children’s Garden, which as several different gardens within it. They are also working on their newest edition – The Luettgen Ericaceous Garden, which will sprout many different varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas. In addition to the many beautiful gardens, they also have the pond, sandstone rock formations, wind sculptures, and several memorials. Last year, they built the Bill and Marilyn Young Educational Classroom and The Playhouse to enhance their educational program. From the enchanting Rose Garden to the giant Preying Mantis to the lovely Vora Gazebo, The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden has something to offer every member of the family! Open March thru November, time is slowly winding down to enjoy this enchanting space in nature. General admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors, and $1 for Students - *FREE* for members. Call (270) 852-8925, visit www.wkbg.org, or e-mail wkbg@bellsouth.net for more information on event prices and enrollment details. Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
• 11 •
eATs
reStaurant Guide Barbeque George’s Bar-B-Q 1362 E 4th St 926-9276 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn 2840 W. Parrish Ave 684-8143 $5-$15/Casuals/Beer & Wine/All Major Credit Cards Old Hickory B-B-Q 338 Washington Ave 926-9000 Under $10/Casulll/All Major Credit Cards Ole South Barbeque 3523 Highway 54 E 926-6464 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards
Café & Bakery Cheddar’s Casual Café 3040 Highland Pointe Dr. Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Daily Delicious 603 Park Plaza Dr. 685-2468 Under $10/Casual/VISA,MC Johnnie’s Jungle Café 819 E. 9th St 686-8424 Under $10/Casual Miss Daisy’s Tea Room 404 E. 24th St 684-5001 Under $15-$25/Casual/Reservations Reccomended/All Major Credit Cards Panera Bread 4600 Frederica St. 683-9033 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Tammy’s Bakery 1731 W. Parrish Ave 689-1988 Under $10/Casual
Chinese Hong Kong Chinese 1650 Starlite Dr. 852-7777 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards • 12 •
House of Canton 2845 W. Parish Ave 683-7662 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards House of Chiu 3011 Frederica St 926-6451 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards New China Buffet Restaurant 4768 Frederica St 683-7363 Under $10/Casual/Reservations Accepted/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Super Buffet 3200 Villa Point, Suite A 684-8858 Under $10/Casual/Credit Cards
Deli Colby’s Deli and Cafe 401 Frederica 684-2495 Under $10/Casual/Reservations Accepted/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Great Harvest Bread Co. 3211 Frederica St. 691-0093 Under $10/Casual/Catering City Subs 3600 Frederia St., Ste. F 689-9703 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Accepted
Family/Homestyle Barney’s 420 Frederica St. 683-8919 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Bob Evans 3123 Kentucky Hwy 54 683-3515 $10-$15/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Cadaillac Restaurant & Grecian 1315 W. 2nd St. 685-1020 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Cracker Barrel 5311 Frederica St. 684-4118 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
Country Ham Restaurant 5421 U.S. Hwy. 60 W. 926-9249 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards EZ’s Country Kitchen 3720 Hartford Rd. 270-6840081 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards JD’s Restaurant 1420 Breckenridge St. 6839419 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Lambert’s Diner 12637 Highway 231 Utica, KY Under $10/Casual/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards O’Charley’s Restaurant 5205 Frederica St 686-8780 Under $10/Casual/ Reservations/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards Pangea Café 1320 Carter Rd. 689-9824 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Ryan’s Family Steakhouse 4500 Frederica St 691-9787 Under $10/Casual/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards The 8 Ball Restaurant 1846 Triplett 683-3693 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar The Royce Restaurant 704 W 2nd St 685-5940 Under $10/Casual Shoney’s 4710 Frederica St. 6867217 Under $10/CasualAll Major Credit Cards T.G.I. Fridays 5135 Frederica 686-1910 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
Fine Dining Briarpatch Restaurant 2760 Veach Rd 685-3329 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/Reservations/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Colby’s Fine Food &
Spirits 202 W Third St 685-4239 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/Reservations/Checks Accepted/ Major Credit Cards Z’s 1100 Walnut St. 852-2322 $10-$15/Casual/ Reservations Accepted/Full Bar/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards
Greek The Famous Bistro 102 W 2nd St 686-8202 $10-$15/Casual/ Reservations Accepted/ Beer & Wine/All Major Credit Cards
Italian Niko’s Italian Cuisine 2200 E Parrish Ave 270-852-1618 $10-$15/Casual/ Reservations Accepted/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards The Olive Garden Restaurant 5204Frederica St 683-4848 Under $10/Casual/ Reservations/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
Japanese
Mexican Casa Martinez 3332 Villa Pt 683-4191 Under $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Don Julio Mexican 3955 E. 4th St. 689-2125 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards El Toribio 3034 E 4th St 683-8361 101 Frederica St 685-2040 630 Emory Drive 691-6133 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ Credit Cards Los Amigos Mexican 1146 Carter Rd. 926-4560 Town Square Mall Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ Checks Accepted/MC,VISA Real Hacienda 636 Southtown Blvd 685-5950 3118 E. Alvey Park Dr. 684-5595 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina Hwy. 54 (Next to Kohl’s) Under $10/Casual/Beer & Wine/MC, Visa
Pizza & Wings
Fuji Japanese Steak House 4028 Frederica St. 6850046 / 685-0048 $10-$20/Casual/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
54 Pizza Express 1700 Starlite 683-5400 3101 E. Alvey Park Dr. 683-5454 Under $10/Casual/Credit Cards
Ninki Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Hwy. 54 (Next to Kohl’s) Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ MC, Visa
Buffalo Wild Wings 4736 Frederica St. 686-7800 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ VISA,MC
Shogun Steak, Seafood & Sushi Bar 5010 Wildcat Way (by Walmart) 270-685-9980 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/ Reservations Reccomended/ All Major Credit Cards Tokyo Japanese Fountain Sq., Frederica St. 926-1020 $5-$10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards
Cecilia’s Pizza 1741 Scherm Rd. 684-0050 Under $10/Casual/VISA,MC Johnny B’s Amazing Wings & Things 4820 Frederica St. 688-8100 Hwy 41 S. Henderson 830-7700 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
MaMa Lea’s Pizza 4748 Frederica St. 685-4700 $5-$15/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Maloney’s Roca Bar 3030 Highland Point Dr. 684-8080 Under $10/Casual/All Major Credit Cards Pizza by the Guy 3115 Commonwealth Ct. 686-8603 1915 W. Parrish Ave. Suite 100 685-4694 Under $10/Casual/VISA, MC Pizzaroma 1401 Carter Rd 684-1171 3011 Frederica St 684-0611 3020 Hwy 60 E 691-0064 Under $10/Casual/ Credit Cards
Private Dining The Summit 6501 Summit Dr. 281-4653 Under $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards
Pubs Applebee’s Grill and Bar 5120 Frederica St 240-4720 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards Bacchus Bar & Grill 119 E. 2nd St. 684-9880 $10 - $25/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards Big Ed’s Pool & Pub 2210 W. 2nd st. (270) 689-2200 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards Blackwell’s Sports Bar, Diner & Deli (Madisonville) 11 W. Center (270) 245-0122 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ All Major Credit Cards Blind Parrot 736 Frederica St 684-5554 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/ Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Bully’s Bar & Grill 1900 Lantaff Blvd. Madisonville, KY (270) 821-8620 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games 1230 Burlew Blvd.683-2328 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ VISA,MC O’Bryans Bar & Grill 7006 Hwy. 815 229-9100 Under $10/Casual/Full Bar/ Checks Accepted/All Major Credit Cards Taylor’s Sport Street Cafe 2509 W. Parrish Ave 683-5577 Under $10/Casual/ Reservations/Full Bar/ Checks Accepted/All Major Credit
Seafood Paradise City Café 3349 Villa Point Dr. 852-1959 Between $10-$15/Casual/ Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards Red’s Fish House 7046 Hwy. 56 221-4000 Between $10-$15/Casual/ Reservations Accepted/ VISA, MC Red Lobster 3410 Frederica St 926-4044 Between $10-$15/Casual/ Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
Steaks Owensboro Steak House 3600 Frederica St. Suite 7 Hwy. 270-691-9022 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards Texas Roadhouse 943 Moseley 689-0086 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards Tumbleweed 5257 Frederica St. 685-4111 $10-$15/Casual/ Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
Vietnamese Owensboro Steak House 3600 Frederica St. Suite 7 Hwy. 270-691-9022 $10-$15/Casual/Full Bar/All Major Credit Cards
• 13 •
estled off the beaten path of Owensboro main stream, you’ll find Daily Delicious. Walk in and immediately the word “quaint” comes to mind. A restaurant “specialty shop” momkat Contributor of sorts, adorned with an Americana theme. Established 30 years ago, partners Kathlynn and her mother, Phyllis, are the fourth owners and have been its proprietors for six years. I walked into the impeccably clean foyer and ordered at the counter. I asked “what’s good?” Kathlynn points to the giant plaque on the wall behind her: “IT’S ALL GOOD.” I’m sure she had it custom-made for persons like me to save herself the trouble of having to repeat the answer. Nothing in Daily Delicious is fried. Cakes, cookies, and casseroles dominate the menu, though their signature dish is their chicken salad, rumored to be the best chicken salad in Owensboro. After sampling, I find with its perfect texture and flavoring, I’m inclined to agree. Kathlynn served us a sampler plate of Hot Chicken Salad, Spinach Lasagna,
which is perfect for vegetarians, meat Lasagna, Chicken Divan, and Chicken ‘n Rice, all accompanied by an excellent yeast roll. With every bite, I was reminded of home. It occurred to me Daily Delicious is not your usual restaurant. Kathlynn and Phyllis will cook whatever you want if you give them notice. Use them to help with your holiday cooking, right down to the turkey! They also sell their entrees by the pan, so you can pick one up for family Sunday dinner, pot luck, bereavement dinner, shower or party of your choice. They will even cook it in your pan. Good food; comfort food. Got a recipe you want to try, but don’t have the time? Bring it to Kathlynn and Phyllis; they’ll whip it up for you! Kathlynn surprised us with a slice of one of the 20 varieties of cake I counted
nOt FaSt FOOd; JuSt GOOd FOOd, FaSt!” on their menu. Called Coconut Rave, rave it was, chalk full of rich moistness and enough pecans to make your Aunt Maude’s Southern Pecan Pie look chintzy. A rich cream cheese tops all of the Daily Delicious cakes. Daily Delicious also sells cakes by the size, so if you’re looking to save on your wedding plan budget forget that old tradition of paying for your wedding cake ‘by the slice.’ Come to Daily Delicious and ‘build’ your own cake! They will bake each layer to your specification, frost it, and let you assemble it (cake stand available for rental) and decorate with your own flowers; fresh or artificial. Let your imagination run wild. Daily Delicious: 603 Park Plaza Drive, Owensboro – 270-685-2468
This is not your average restaurant. It could be alternately named “Uniquely Delicious” because Kathlynn and Phyllis provide a very different way of serving the customer; catering to your needs and cravings. • 14 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
PHOTOS: MOMKAT
N
“No Frills; just good home cooking.”
BOURBON BLOG: Welcome to Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina.
A
s bourbon flows through the veins of BourbonBlog.com with recipes, spirit reviews, and video episodes, we decide to open the doors to a new stop tom fisher Contributor on the Southern trail in South Carolina. Ah yes, Shrimp and Grits, heavy sauces and Sweet Tea... but let’s make that a Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. Have you ever wanted to play a joke and serve a legal drinking aged friend a most innocent looking sweet tea beverage, watch them drink it like grandma made it and then tell them it was was actually vodka? Welcome to Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. A short drive from Charleston, South Carolina through the back roads of this beautiful sea island where Spanish moss hangs from trees and the one of the country’s oldest Angel Oak trees has been standing for 1400 years takes you to Irvin-House Vineyards and the Firefly Vodka Distillery. This 48 acre farm now home to 11 ½ acres of vineyard was once the grounds for giant stables and property storing animals, carts, and props for movies. In fact, animals that starred in the movie The Patriot were here. There is word that Mel Gibson trained on a horse right where I am standing. However, today I’m being told to watch out for fire ants wherever I stand because they ain’t as friendly as the Firefly Vodka. Jim Irvin and his wife purchased it around nine years ago. As partner and Master Distiller Jim Irvin started the winery; he says, “We had no idea what we were doing, but we did it one day at a time.” Whether he knew what he was doing or not, the local grocery stores couldn’t keep Jim’s first Muscadine grape wines on the shelves. Shortly after, Jim expanded by hiring a company to assist in distribution. Scott Newitt was the representative from Gallo that would oversee Jim’s wines. Scott had been dreaming for a while about being his own boss and making his own vodka. It wasn’t long before Scott partnered with Jim to create the world’s first Muscadine Wine Flavored Vodka. By the way, Muscadine wines have up to seven times more resveratrol (that is the powerful antioxidant, drink up!) than all other red wines. “The most recognized state flag in the country is the Texas State Flag. South Carolina’s State Flag is the second one,” says Scott as he shows us a bottle of the original Muscadine Vodka. The Palmetto Tree and crescent adorn all the Firefly vodkas. Firefly also produces a six times distilled Firefly Straight Vodka. Being distilled six times not only makes it super smooth, but this is a pretty big deal in the world of vodkas. Findlandia and Ketel One are distilled only five times and Belvedere only four times. Wait, I did mention something about that Sweet Tea Vodka, right?
In 2006, they introduced the world’s first Sweet Tea Vodka in South Carolina. Now, that The Original Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka is sold all 50 states and in Canadian provinces. One of the first places in the Tri-State I ever sampled Firefly’s Sweet Tea Vodka was… you guessed it: Firefly Southern Grill. Scott Newitt says he is familiar with the restaurant, but I don’t think he has seen the video where I accidentally spill his Firefly Vodka into my MacBook Pro keyboard and the camera is still rolling as I suck the vodka out to save my computer. Look on BourbonBlog.com for this short clip and entire video episode of our Firefly Vodka Distillery tour. Firefly also makes Raspberry Tea, Mint Tea, Peach Tea, and Lemon Tea. All of those received Gold Medals at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the Mint Tea was ranked #3 out of over 200 flavored vodkas. Scott and Jim created the original tea vodka. A few other distilleries have created their own versions of tea vodka, but none of them can quite match Firefly’s. You can spend a few minutes with Master Distiller Jim Irvin and know what a passionate genius he is when it comes to creation. On the week BourbonBlog.com is in South Carolina, Firefly is just releasing two new rums. If it wasn’t good enough already tasting vodka and wine on a summer afternoon here we go with another spirit! The first rum is the Sea Island Carolina Gold Rum which is aged in a used Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel. Bourbon barrels can go several places when they are done making bourbon: 1) To Scotland to age
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
scotch; 2) To Louisiana to age Tabasco sauce; 3) To age some beers in Kentucky and other places; and 4) To the Caribbean and now South Carolina to age rum. Yet another first though, this is the first rum to be aged in a used Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel. t is an amazing blend of one, two and three year old rum along with a virgin rum with hints of the Buffalo Trace. One of the best surprises of this visit comes in the Java Rhum, which is a coffee flavored rum. Forget about your Frap a Cap of whatever you choose to Joe uhccino, this stuff is unreal. It is 100% Columbian and contains
185 parts of caffeine per million (ppm). The Federal Government actually cuts off how much caffeine can go into an alcohol at 200 ppm due to the effects of caffeine and alcohol mixing. A normal cup of coffee is anywhere from 500 to 1,000 ppm. Enough with the science lesson, get on with the tour and visit BourbonBlog.com for our video episode of Firefly, check us out online at twitter.com/BourbonBlog, and try some Firefly Vodka!
• 15 •
Summer Music Festival Madness (Part 4)
B
y this time, summer as we know it and love it in a classic sense has come to a bittersweet close. Backyard barbeques dwindle into an aromatic smoke of a memory, swim gear may be worn one more time then nick shelved and forgotten, and durcholz Staff Writer the ice cream truck’s bell is audible fewer and fewer times. However, all is far from quiet on the music festival front. To label these September music festivals “summer” is debatable but to say great music won’t be heard is a total misconception. Really, September is fully stocked with a variety and intensity of bands and musicians which surpasses or photo finishes with the most eventful of the standard summer months. The distance of these events are in a much closer proximity to the Evansville and tristate area (except for one.) As a result, they are much friendlier on the gas tank and the wallet in general. This is a much welcomed highlight in comparison to last month with the music festival in Maine (what a hike.) Here is what September is getting down with. The Land of Lincoln boasts a festival specifically tailored for all those artsy folk out there. One will find most of these bands and performers are fairly obscure but present a unique scene and opportunity to hear and see some great music and laid back performances. The 2009 Pygmalion Music Festival in Champaign-Urbana, IL is hosted by the Krannert Center for Performing Arts on the quaint and rustic campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana/ Champaign. Due to the atmosphere and location this festival easily snags the award for “Best College Town Festival” and also the award for “Best Chance to Find a Keg in the General Area.” So grab a fedora and prepare to vibe out September 16th-19th with headliners Iron & Wine, Lucero, RJD2, and Ra Ra Riot. For more information visit 2009.pygmalionmusicfestival. com. Now for the music festival containing such an obscene amount of talent, originality, and energy every single musician cringes and cowers (literally) at the mention of it. American Idol Tour. This is tour inspired by the spellbinding show which has single-handedly swept • 16 •
shores from other countries when our country was young. Musicians playing flutes, dulcimers, and fiddles will fill the air with traditional tunes whose origins are French, Spanish, and Native American. The event will be hosted at the Lewis and Clark Historical Site off New Hoag Road and IL-3. Admission is free and performances will be held indoors and outdoors. This event walks away with the “Learn While you Listen” award and the Best Festival for the Culturally-Minded” award. For more information call 618-251-5811. Be advised the Monolith Music Festival is not exactly a stones throw away but it is hosted by one of the most beautiful outdoor venues
the hordes of musical sheep in our beautiful nation and completely captured their simple, benign musical imaginations. To such a powerful and lasting some credit must be given. This show has opened the doors to every day Joes and Janes and put them on the fast track to a record deal. This is truly fantastic but couldn’t these musicians made it on their own as well? Anyways, this event takes the prestigious award of “Best Festival to Take your Musically Challenged Mother or Father To” and features show favorites such as Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Anoop Desai. The tour will make a stop in Indianapolis on the 5th at the Conseco Fieldhouse. For more info visit www.americanidol.com/news/view/pid/1632. Get down to the musical roots of the United States with the Lewis and Clark Music Festival on the Illinois side of the Mississippi in the St. Louis area in the town of Hartford. The festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 12th and features instruments brought to our
in the country. In the small town of Morrison, CO lies a venue fit for the gods and partially hewn from layered, burnt sienna rock native which gives color to the southwest. Most artists dream of playing at this venue and rest-assured the Monolith Music festival has one hell of a line-up. The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, The Mars Volta, Ok Go, and Method Man & Redman are fully charged to deliver a show of immense energy and talent. This event seizes the “Best in West Coast Taste” award and the “Most Eye-Popping Locale” award. The event takes place on Sept. 12th and 13th. Single day tickets are available starting at $52 up to $65 the day of the show. Two-day passes are available starting at $95 up to $110. In this case, every inch of the 1,000+ mile trip is worth it. For more information go to www.monolithfestival.com. October Tease Three words which carry a ton of meaning to a musician and most music fans is “Austin City Limits.” This music festival behemoth boasts 130 bands including Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, and Dave Matthew’s Band. Ziker Park in Austin, TX will play host to eight stages and three days of music and more October 2nd-4th. For more info visit www.aclfestival.com.
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
GOInG OUT
cluBS & PuBS 2nd Street Bar 820 W 2nd St. 270-683-7422
Club 701 701 Frayser St. 270-314-5008
The 8 Ball 1846 Triplett St. 270-683-3693
Crazy Scorpion Saloon 4416 Hwy. 60 East 270-240-4583
Bacchus Bar & Grill 119 E. 2nd St. 270-240-4720 Big Ed’s Pool & Pub 2210 W. 2nd St. 270-689-2200 Blackwell’s Sports Bar, Diner and Deli Ø 11 W. Center St. (Madisonville) 270-245-0122 Blind Parrot 736 Frederica St. 270-684-5554 Buffalo Wild Wings Ø 4736 Frederica St. 270-686-7800 The Boiler Room 1100 Walnut St. 270-684-4999
Equals Bar, LLC 1006 E. 4th St. 270-313-0820 Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games 1230 Burlew Blvd. 270-683-2328 HD Shakers 414 West 2nd St. 270-926-6431 Johnny B’s Amazing Wings & Things Ø 4820 Frederica St. 270-688-8100
O’Bryan’s Bar & Grill 7006 Hwy 815 270-229-9100 Our Place 718 West 9th St. 270-683-9882 Pappy’s 604 Crabtree Ave. 270-684-4573 Sandbar 1108 W. 9th 270-686-0007 Sixty West 800 W. 2nd St. 270-689-9907 Taylor’s Bar & Grill 2509 W. Parrish Ave. 270-683-5577 The Yellow Rose 3220 W. 2nd St. 270-926-6104
Millay’s Tavern 9431 HWY 144, Philpot KY 270-681-0736 Milligans Lounge 3136 W. 2nd St. 270-685-3946
Club 300 Lounge 600 E. 14th St. 270-684-5372
KEY: Ø= No Smoking NS = Non-Smoking Section Available
HEY OWE NSB HELP US KEEP THIS ORO LIST UPDATED! IF YOU ARE IN A !
BAND OR OPENING A NEW CLUB/PUB, PLEASE SEND US YOUR INFO!
EDITOR@NEWS-4U.COM
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
• 17 •
Tuesday, September 1
Boiler Room, The -- Karaoke w/
Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke/Free
Pool
&
Pool Lessons Boiler Room, The -- Open Mic Night with Andy Brasher
Songbird Entertainment Equals -- Karaoke Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -College Night/Karaoke & DJ Paradise City -- Cornhole
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -Beer Pong/Big Letdown w/ Criss Cheatham
VIDEO STAR
Nashville’s Scott Lindsey brings a healthy mix of bluegrass, rock, traditional country and blues to Frankie’s on September 5 for a onenight-only video shoot. Be famous! Get rocked! Have a blast!
Wednesday, September 2
Thursday, September 3
Big Ed’s -- Open Mic Acoustic Jam
Big Ed’s -- Karaoke/Free Pool
w/Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/
Boiler Room, The -- Cornhole
Karaoke
Equals -- Piano Night Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games --
• 18 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
Ladies Night/DJ/Dart Tourney Paradise City -- Bike Night
Friday, September 4 Big Ed’s -- Karoke/8 Ball Tournament Bar Rules Boiler Room, The -- DJ Your Way Equals -- Karaoke/Random Dance Surprises
Tuesday, September 8 Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke/Free Pool & Pool Lessons
Saturday, September 5 Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke Boiler Room, The -- DJ Your Way
-- Beer Pong/Big Letdown w/ Criss Cheatham
Wednesday, September 9 Big Ed’s -- Open Mic Acoustic Jam w/Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke Boiler Room, The -- Karaoke
boro -- Cash On Delivery
Sunday, September 6 River Park Center -- Summer Movies on the River-Bolt (G) Theatre Workshop of Owensboro -- Cash On Delivery Western Kentucky Botanical Garden -- Picnic in the Garden Windy Hollow Speedway -UMP Summer Sizzler
Monday, September 7 Boiler Room, The -- Beer Pong Equals -- Shawn Brashear Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- 8 Ball Tourney
Big Ed’s -- Stepping Stone Boiler Room, The -- Preview Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Interface Int’l Bluegrass Music Museum -- 4th Annual Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp Theatre Workshop of Owensboro -- Cash On Delivery
Sunday, September 13
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- College Night/Karaoke & DJ Paradise City -- Cornhole
Thursday, September 10
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Saturday, September 12
Equals -- Karaoke
Annual Hawaiian Luau
filming party
Garden -- “In the Playhouse”
w/Songbird Entertainment
Diamond Lake Resort -- Fifth
-- Scott Lindsey-music video
Western Kentucky Botanical
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
High Banks Speedway -- All
boro -- Cash On Delivery
boro -- Cash On Delivery
Night with Andy Brasher
-- Lonesome Road
Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Boiler Room, The -- Open Mic
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
Divisions
Mandolin Camp
Int’l Bluegrass Music Museum -- 4th Annual Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp Windy Hollow Speedway -Bike Races
Monday, September 14
Big Ed’s -- Karaoke/Free Pool Boiler Room, The -- Cornhole Equals -- Piano Night Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Ladies Night/DJ/Dart Tourney Paradise City -- Bike Night
Boiler Room, The -- Beer Pong Equals -- Shawn Brashear Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- 8 Ball Tourney
Friday, September 11
Paradise City -- Monday Night
Big Ed’s -- Karoke/8 Ball Tour-
Tuesday, September 15
Football specials
nament Bar Rules Boiler Room, The -- Preview Equals -- Karaoke/Random Dance Surprises Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Wax Factory Glema Mahr Center for The Arts, Madisonville -- Katie Armiger & special guest Mudd River Union High Banks Speedway -- All Divisions
Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke/Free Pool & Pool Lessons Blackwell Bar -- 80’s Night Boiler Room, The -- Open Mic Night with Andy Brasher Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Beer Pong/Big Letdown w/ Criss Cheatham
Int’l Bluegrass Music Museum -- 4th Annual Monroe-Style
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
• 19 •
Wednesday, September 16 Big Ed’s -- Open Mic Acoustic Jam w/Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/ Karaoke Boiler Room, The -- Karaoke w/ Songbird Entertainment Equals -- Karaoke Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -College Night/Karaoke & DJ Paradise City -- Cornhole
Glema Mahr Center for The Arts , Madisonville -- Riffs & Runs Piano Explorations w/ Harry Pickens and Jeffrey Jamner Paradise City -- Bike Night
Friday, September 18 Big Ed’s -- Karoke/8 Ball Tournament Bar Rules Boiler Room, The -- Soulunique Equals -- Karaoke/Random Dance
HER NAME’S SALLY
Get out to Champion Ford on Saturday, September 26th for the Mustang Round-up. There will be all kinds of models and years to spectate for FREE!
Thursday, September 17 Big Ed’s -- Karaoke/Free Pool Boiler Room, The -- Cornhole Equals -- Piano Night
Surprises Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -Flat Stanley High Banks Speedway -- All Divisions
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -Ladies Night/DJ/Dart Tourney
• 20 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
Saturday, September 19 Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke
Equals -- Karaoke
Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
boro -- Annie Jr. - Encore Per-
-- College Night/Karaoke &
formance
DJ
Western
Paradise City -- Cornhole
cal Garden -- “On the Road
nique Diamond Lake Resort -- Fishing Tournament Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Flat Stanley Henderson Fine Arts Center -- Madi Diaz
Sunday, September 20 Windy Hollow Speedway -American Classifieds Night
Monday, September 21 Boiler Room, The -- Beer Pong Equals -- Shawn Brashear Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- 8 Ball Tourney Paradise City -- Monday Night Football specials
Tuesday, September 22 Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke/Free Pool &
Boiler Room, The -- Cornhole
Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Equals -- Piano Night
boro -- Annie Jr. - Encore Per-
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
formance
-- Ladies Night/DJ/Dart Tour-
Windy Hollow Speedway --
ney
Bluegrass 20’s
Paradise City -- Bike Night
Friday, September 25
Monday, September 28
Big Ed’s -- Karoke/8 Ball Tour-
Boiler Room, The -- Beer
nament Bar Rules
Pong
Boiler Room, The -- DJ Ro-
Equals -- Shawn Brashear
meo
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
Diamond
River Park Center -- Cirque Dreams Illumination
Wednesday, September 23 Big Ed’s -- Open Mic Acoustic Jam w/Roy Kyle Night Life Acoustic/Karaoke Boiler Room, The -- Karaoke w/Songbird Entertainment
Resort
--
-- 8 Ball Tourney Paradise City -- Monday Night
BBQ Cook-Off
Football specials
Equals -- Karaoke/Random
Tuesday, September 29
Dance Surprises Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- CC3 Theatre Workshop of Owens-
Big Ed’s -- Roy Kyle Night Life
boro -- Annie Jr. - Encore Per-
Acoustic/Karaoke/Free Pool &
formance
Pool Lessons
Western
Kentucky
Botani-
Boiler Room, The -- Open Mic
cal Garden -- “On the Road
Night with Andy Brasher
Again”
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games -- Beer Pong/Big Letdown w/
Saturday, September 26
Night with Andy Brasher
Criss Cheatham
Lake
Fourth Annual Grillin’ & Chillin’
Boiler Room, The -- Open Mic
-- Beer Pong/Big Letdown w/
Sunday, September 27
Big Ed’s -- Karaoke/Free Pool
Pool Lessons
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
Botani-
Again”
Thursday, September 24
Boiler Room, The -- Soulu-
Kentucky
Criss Cheatham
Wednesday, September 30
Big Ed’s -- LIve Music/9 Ball Tournament Bar Rules Boiler Room, The -- DJ Ro-
Big Ed’s -- Open Mic Acous-
meo
tic Jam w/Roy Kyle Night Life
Champion Ford -- Mustang
Acoustic/Karaoke
Round Up: Hosted by Crazy
Boiler Room, The -- Karaoke
Horse Mustang Club
w/Songbird Entertainment
Diamond
Lake
Resort
--
Equals -- Karaoke
Fourth Annual Grillin’ & Chillin’
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
BBQ Cook-Off
-- College Night/Karaoke & DJ
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Games
Int’l Bluegrass Music Museum
-- Lil’ WhyteTaco & the Mofos
-- Saturday Lessons Program
River Park Center -- OSO Per-
fall deadline
formance - Opening Night
Paradise City -- Cornhole
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
• 21 •
INFO 2GO 4U
BREIFS “Jammin’ for Joey” Thanks to the efforts of a ton of fantastic people, cancer patient, husband and father of two young children, Joey Fischer, will get a benefit concert in his honor at the Daviess County Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 12. An entire day of fun is planned, with live entertainment, dinner, an auction and raffle, cornhole tournament and more. Bands like Dirt Fashion, Allyd, Clearly Confused and The DJs will be on hand to do the “Jammin’ for Joey.” Get there early to enjoy the day – kids are welcomed too; plenty of activities will be Dirt Fashion cleans up nice, especially for their gig going on throughout the event – which at the Fairgrounds for “Jammin’ for Joey.” kicks off at 2 p.m. Dinner begins at 5 p.m.; the Scott Lindsey will bring his suitcase full of auction at 7 p.m. You can get your eat on for only $5, and any and all contributions to the bluesy, rocking, folksy, trad-country stuff there to film the live music scenes for an upcoming worthy cause are totally welcome. video. How awesome is that? You can go hear some great live music with friends and a cold Mustang Roundup one or three, and maybe even be captured on Dig it, man – look right over there! There, to camera, get noticed by a high-powered talent the left! Everything you need to know about agent, be offered millions for a modeling/acting the Mustang Roundup at Champion Ford on contract, star in a slew of movies (some great, Saturday, September 26 is right there… this is some fine, and some Godawful), marry another the chance to see some awesome classics of incredibly gorgeous Hollywood star, move to France, adopt half the children in Africa, battle American car making. weird rumors about your health, appear on red carpets across the globe and be honored late in Ever been in a music video? life with one of those sappy “Lifetime AchieveWell, on Saturday, September 5 at Frankie’s, ment” awards at the Oscars in 2050. Or not. you may well be. Nashville-based musician
• 22 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
The Juice
ashley sollars
Contributor
Notie Notes
Available at amazon.com No more “my phone died” excuses. The Duracell Rechargable Instant USB Charger can be taken on the go and used to juice up Blackberry's, iPods and other devices for longer battery life. $29.99
Available at walmart.com This pen is the newest necessity that every college student should have. The Livescribe Pulse™ Smartpen will record audio from class lectures and sync it up to whatever handwritten notes are taken. A USB connector transfers all data to your computer where it can be transformed into movies or other study tools. Beats flash cards! $148.88
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
IN THE BAG
Hangin’ Out
Available at containerstore.com This portable clothesline can hang out in any dorm room or bedroom. Students can get creative and hang their art work or photos on the line for a decorative touch or just air out wet socks. $9.99 for the line, $3.19 for hooks
Wired Up
Available at spoonsisters.com No more tripping over plugged in cell phones. The Driinn Mobile Device Charging Holder helps keep cords tucked away while keeping cell phones close to the ground to prevent falls from nightstands, desks and other furniture. $10
Chill Out
Available at PBTeencom This is your RedBull connection! Stock up your “cool” fridge with everything you need for study breaks or just hanging out with friends. Post pics and notes all around. $199
• 23 •
King Buzzo On... Everything When the opportunity came along to talk to Buzz Osborne, founding member of the seminal band The Melvins, I had a geekout. After all, it’s not every day that you get to talk directly to someone who’s given not only you, but millions of others, the inspiration to get down in the sludge with a guitar, live life on your own uncompromising terms, and be goofy because you simply have to. So I called him up to talk about The Melvins’ new tour and album (a bizarre collection of remixes called Chicken Switch); things went weird right from the get-go. And I couldn’t have been happier with the results. dylan gibbs
Managing Editor
N4U: Hey, is this Buzz? BO: Yeah. Who’s this? Dylan Gibbs with News 4U magazine in Indiana. Indiana? Never heard of it. Is that some place down south? Racecars? Basketball? Corn? Doesn’t ring any bells. Is that one of the 50 states? It is a state, not a commonwealth. Sort of boot-shaped. You’re thinking of Italy, aren’t you? They do both start with “I,” however our history doesn’t go back as far; we don’t have such a rich array of architectural treasures. Your written history doesn’t go back that far. We can write our own history. We can start from scratch, which wouldn’t be a bad idea… Is that where Woody Hayes was a coach? No. We had Lou Holtz at Notre Dame and Bobby Knight at IU. I don’t know nothin’ about college sports. I only know Woody Hayes ‘cuz he punched that kid in the throat. So what do you want to talk about? What do I want to talk about? Yeah. I have a bunch of questions, but I thought I’d see what was on your mind this morning. Well, we have a new record coming out; that’s probably the most important thing. It’s a good one. It’s really weird. It’s strange; I’ve already seen one bad review. One review said that it was an ‘unnecessary’ record, which I find really interesting, because that raises the question that there are necessary records… that basically we’re a heavy rock band and that’s all we should do. Apparently the Jonas Brothers are really necessary right now. Never heard ‘em. But they’re popular, so we wanna do a collaboration. • 24 •
So… what’s your first music-related memory? I don’t know. Probably singing in grade school or something. There was a song called “Thunder Road” about moonshining when I was a kid. Robert Mitchum did a movie called Thunder Road. My parents liked Clearance Creedwater and stuff like that. That sort of segues to something I read about you: Is it true you started out playing covers of The Who and Hendrix? No. We’re going to get around to playing Who and Hendrix covers. So that’s total bullsh*t. I did read it online. Surprisingly enough… from the Internet, you know. The thing is, I love the Internet. I think it’s great. But I also don’t spend any time correcting it. I just let it have a life of its own. That’s really cool; a lot people get uptight about that kind of stuff. A lot of people get really uptight about everything. What you should do, is drink more coffee, and get more exercise. Speaking of which, there’s kids at your shows who weren’t even born when you first started out. What kind of advice would you give them? I stopped giving advice to kids a long time ago, because they don’t listen. They go on their own journey; I believe people dig their own graves. I haven’t had one single kid ever listen to one single thing I ever said.
I have to challenge that a bit; you’re a big influence to a lot of guitar players, whether you like it or not. I don’t mind it at all. I like my influence on music; I’m very happy about that. Let’s talk about Chicken Switch. How did you collect together such a weird and wonderful group of musicians and DJs for the project? We wanted to do something really strange, and we knew those people would be up for the job. A friend of ours from Atlanta named Jesse helped us do it, and it was all good. So you gave them free reign and said, ‘here’s the stuff, go for it?’ I believe in artistic freedom. I made no suggestions whatsoever. I don’t believe in that kind of thing. If you hire somebody to do something… if you hire somebody to paint a picture of your wife, you’re not going to stand over his shoulder and tell him how to paint it. You might as well do it yourself. I trust their vision. I’ve already made these records; I’ll let them do something else with them, even if it means gutting them and tearing them apart.
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
You’re with Ipecac Recordings, which does everything great; what’s it like with them, opposed to say, working with Atlantic Records when you guys were with them? It’s always interesting to me, because people have asked this a million times. I say, ‘we did three albums with Atlantic; when you listen to those records, do you really hear record company meddling of any sort?’ No. None. I would say Ipecac’s doing no more meddling or less meddling than Atlantic did. Atlantic let us do whatever we wanted. Do you think that if you were with Atlantic or Sony or whoever today, you’d have that same sort of freedom? I wouldn’t be on ‘em if I didn’t. No one is going to dictate to me what to do. Ever. Certainly not musically. They can shove it up their ass. I’m not taking orders from somebody. There’s plenty of bands out there that are willing to be led around by the nose. People shouldn’t think that we’d be one of those bands. It’d be nice if more musicians were able to throw caution to the wind and do what they want. They are able to. It’s not that they can’t; it’s that they won’t. Why won’t they? Is it for money? For lack of guts? They want to be big stars… great. I have no problem with that.
I saw an interview with you and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame came up in the conversation – you said something to the effect that fame was the worst part about the business. Yeah. Fame gives me nothing. Fame does nothing for me. So is it baggage, like it’s annoying when people come up to you and… That’s not a problem; that’s fine. I just mean… ‘ooh, I wanna be famous.’ So what? Charles Manson’s famous – what did it do for him? I’m very appreciative of the people who come to our shows; I’m always nice to them unless they’re assh*les. But I’ll never ever ever fault someone for being a fan of ours or wanting to talk to talk to me. But fame in and of itself is worthless. What counts is what you have done. I’m striving to be a good musician, and hopefully people’ll like it. Grandma probably doesn’t know who I am… There’s probably some groovy grandmas out there rockin’ Stoner Witch as we speak. We won’t hold our breath. I have to ask about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain; there are so many bad biographies out there. Since you knew him so well, what’s something that no one else knows about him? Nobody knows where his ashes ended up. Knowing Courtney Love, they probably ended up in the Hoover, you know?
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
(Laughing uncontrollably) That’s incredibly awesome. There’s just so much drivel that’s been written and said about him. Tragic story. There was no happy outcome. None. There’s no good side to it. None. Nothing, you know. It’s horrible. And I’ll never get over it. Any new songs or shows planned with Fantomas? Who knows? It’s all up to Mike [Patton]. He’s in Faith No More world right now, so… But the phone could ring at any moment? I’m not gonna hold my breath. From here, the interview dovetailed into a discussion on parenting, the movie ratings system, the government, censorship, personal responsibility, babysitting, The Exorcist, and boring people. You should go online now to www.news4uonline.com to listen to the audio transcript of the entire chat. The Melvins will be near-ish on September 6 in Knoxville, September 21 in Indianapolis, September 25 at Pop’s near St. Louis and September 28 at Expo Five in Louisville. Their new album, Chicken Switch, comes out September 29. The 15-track CD is different from most remixes; each artist on the album was given a full album of Melvins material to work from; each of the song titles were chosen by the remixer.
• 25 •
LOUIsVILLe Sep 1:at Borders: UK Coach John Calipari Sep 4-5:At the Improv-Doug Williams & Thea Vidale Sep 4:Ri Ra Live! - Cosa Seria Sep 11-13:At the ImprovMarijuana-logues Sep 11:Ri Ra Live! - Fisticuffs Sep 12:Ri Ra Live! - Cosa Seria Sep 18:Ri Ra Live! - Wax Factory Sep 19:Ri Ra Live! - Cosa Seria Sep 25:Ri Ra Live! - Stompbox 40
930 Listening Room 502-635-2554
Sep 10:Vandaveer & The Squeeze-Bot with Brother Stephen Sep 17:Derek Webb/Sandra McCracken
Angels Rock Bar 502-540-1461
Sep 4:Evolution Stops Here Fashion Show
Belterra Casino Resort Centerstage 888-235-8377 Sep 12:MMA Big Show: Mayhem Sep 19:Sara Evans Concert Sep 26:KC and the Sunshine Band
Bluegrass Brewing Company 502-899-7070 Every Wednesday: BBC St. Matthews hosts a Bluegrass Jam/Americana players
Sep 5:Bloom Street Sep 26:2nd Annual Hop and Harvest Festival
Bulldog’s Cafe 502-380-0600 Sep 1:Motograter w/ Darksun Sep 3:Epicurean w/ Luna Mortis, Theories Of The Apocalypse & Infradread. Sep 8:Knights of the Abyss, Suffokate, Blind Witness,This or the Wretched,Sinister Soul,Murder. Sep 9:Derricks Birthday Show / Bands TBA • 26 •
Sep 10:On Tour / Primmer 55,Post Mortum,13th Level,Sons of Bluegrass Sep 12:On Tour / These Green Eyes, Drivers Side Impact, I.M. Legend,Eyes vs The Sky,Conquer The King,BOAZ Sep 18:7 Day Sun,The Sediment, Silent From The Struggle,Tri Tones. Sep 19:On Tour / To Light A Fire, Nothing Wrong,,Conquer The King,Delta Delta Sep 21:Hold / Eddie Sep 23:Salt The Wound,Knights of the Abyss,Graves ofValor,Wit hinTheRuins,Devastion By Dawn,NSOM,PTA Sep 26:Rock Show Case / Dog Water,Silent From The Strugle,State Your Cause Sep 30:On Tour / Havok,Hatchet “ Victory Records”
Captain’s Quarters 502-228-1651
Sep 3:Amanda Lucas Sep 4:The Blues Devils Sep 5:Pokey LaFarge Sep 6:Jah Creation Sep 6:Thirty Spokes
Cherokee Triangle 502-459-0256
Sep 7:The Ovation Orchestra
Expo Five Sep 28:Down/The Melvins/ Weedeater/Evil Army
Sep 30:In Flames/Between the Buried & Me/3 Inches of Blood/The Faceless
Headliners Music Hall 502-584-8088
Sep 5:Bloom Street/Arnett Hollow/Bawm in the Mash Sep 10:The Features/The Fervor/The Instruction Sep 12:Moon Taxi Sep 15:Cycle of Pain tour Sep 16:Alesana/The Bled/Enter Shikari/Asking Alexandria/ Broadway/We the Hunters Sep 17:Elmwood Sep 22:Thursday/Fall of Troy/ Young Widows/La Dispute Sep 23:Yo La Tengo Sep 25:David Allan Coe
Improv Louisville 502-581-132
Sep 17-20:Jim Breuer
Jim Porters Good Time Emporium 502-452-9531 Sep 17:Badfish-A Tribute to Sublime/Scotty Don’t
Kentucky Bourbon Festival 800-638-4877
Sep 15-20:Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center 800-231-8085 All Month Long: Kentucky Show!
Sep 16:Michael Combs Sep 18:Aaron & Amanda Crabb Sep 19:Anchormen
Louisville Zoo 502-459-2181 Sep 1-30:ZooTember presented by McDonalds Sep 11:Ronald McDonald Movie Nights Sep 12:McDonald’s Super Heroes / Backyard Action Hero Day Sep 18:Ronald McDonald Movie Nights
Phoenix Hill
502-589-4957 Every Wednesday: Retro Rewind/Karaoke Every Thursday: Audition Night/Karaoke
Sep 11:Pop Evil Sep 12:Carbon Leaf Sep 19:King’s X
Skull Alley 502-749-9541
Sep 3:The Winter Sounds Sep 4:Nakatomi Plaza/Desolation Wilderness/Alcohawk/ Attica Attica/Second Story Man Sep 5:Fight Amp/Millions/ Dark Overlords of the Universe Sep 9:Deer Meet/Icarus Himself/Broadfield Marchers Sep 10:Technology vs. Horse/ Space Hooker Sep 11:The Teeth/Mother Tounge Sep 12:Native/Mountain Asleep/Antilles/La Dispute/ Xerxes
ONSTAGEINN.COM
4th Street Live! Several Entertainment Venues
YOU’LL NEED A RESERVATION, ER - TICKET
Anthony Bourdain at Whitney Hall’s Idea Festival September 25.
Sep 16:Dark Castle Sep 17:Jamie Barnes/Bro. Stephen/Frank Schweikardt/ Laura Blake Sep 18:Marmoset/Invaders/ The Harlequins Sep 19:Artifex Pereo/Inept/ Danger is My Middle Name/ Made Avail Sep 21:Music Video/The States/Your My Destiny Sep 23:Davilla 666/Bad Blood/Midnight Sons Sep 24:I Made This Mistake/ Mowgli & the Robot/Affair/Neil Sutherland/Where We Live Sep 28:Jack Rose
Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar 502-582-9945 Every Monday: Unplugged
Sep 1:Chris Cain Sep 7:Tommy Castro Band Sep 21:Mem Shannon & The Membership
The Vernon 502-584-8460 Sep 11:Jonell Mosser Sep 12:Brad Cassetto/Tedd Stevens/TBA
Sep 18:Dallas Alice/Satchel’s Pawn Shop Sep 26:NYC ‘77 Party
Uncle Pleasant’s 502-634-4147
Sep 27:Chthonic
Waterfront Park Sep 30:Bell X1
Whitney Hall 502-584-7777
Sep 5:Fanfara Sep 11-12:Don Quixote Sep 25:IdeaFestival Anthony Bourdain Sep 26:Peter Cetera
Zanzabar 502-635-9227
Sep 3:Ghostfinger Sep 15:Maserati Sep 16:Pronto (feat. Mikael Jorgensen of Wilco) Sep 18:The Fruit Bats/Iran/ Kevin Barker Sep 26:Dexateens/Dangerbird
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
eVAnsVILLe test & Karaoke Sep 25-26:Locash Cowboys Sep 27:Bob Minnettes Swing Cats Sep 29-30:Amazing Soul Crackers
Cecil’s Bar & Grill 812-421-1453 Monday thru Saturday:Karaoke &
Dance mix w/T.W. DJ Frost
CLICK CLICK BOOM
They’re on a tour around the nation leaving the scene in devastation and Saliva will be stopping by Woody’s on September 10th along with Pop Evil, Smile Empty Soul, Calling Corners and Paradigum.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site 812-853-3956
Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza 812-853-3400
Sep 11-30:Indiana Wildlife Artists Show - An art exhibit all about wildlife, the Indiana Wildlife Artists is having an exhibition at Angel Mounds. Sep 25-27:27th annual “Native American Days” - Angel Mounds’ paramount event is back again for its’ 27th year! A weekend of fun will include a dance circle, Indian market, as well as numerous demonstrators, games, activities, and food vendors.
Saturdays:Buzztime Trivia Sundays:Bike Night w/John Hussman Wednesdays:Corn Hole Tournament Sep 29:UFC 102 Pay-perview: Couture v. Nogueira
Bead Angel, The (812)
Sep 1-2:Nu Corp Band Sep 3:Karaoke Sep 4-6:The Devonshires Sep 8-9:The Shagadelics Sep 10:Missing Melody Contest & Karaoke Sep 11-12:Big Slick Sep 15-16:The Marlinaires Sep 17:Missing Melody Contest & Karaoke Sep 18-19:Entice Band Sep 20:Steve Greenwell Trio Sep 22-23:Terry Lee & The Rockaboogie Band Sep 24:Missing Melody Con-
426-2323
Sundays:”Ask the Bead Mentor” Wednesdays - Our “Bead Mentor”, Julie Schenk, will be in the store every Wednesday afternoon. Bring your design or technique questions! A free service for our bead customers!! Come any time during that period. This is a time to get some extra guidance and encouragement from our talented staff!
Casino Aztar - Events Paviillion Sep 26 6:00 PM:Brew Ha-Ha w/The Pits
Casino Aztar-Hoosiers Lounge 812-433-4100
Centre, The
812-
435-5550
Sep 3 6:00 PM:Annual Arts Awards Banquet Sep 10 11:30 AM:YWCA’s ‘Legacy of Style’ Style Show Sep 21 4:30 PM:CareerFest Fall 2009 Sep 26 8:00 PM:Loretta Lynn
Civic Center Complex
Evansville Civic Theatre 812-425-2800
Victory Theatre
Sep 12-14, 19-21, 26-28:I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change - This musical celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum know as “the relationship.”
Sep 12:Evansville Philharmonic’s ‘Beethoven 5th’ Sep 24:Water For The People Fundraiser Concert Sep 25:Loretta Lynn
Fast Eddy’s 812-424-7625 Wednesdays:Bike Night Thursdays:103GBF Thong Thursday with Christine & DJ Jon B Sep 4-6:Gonzo’s Toybox Sep 11:Philpot Sep 12:Wax Factory/Stoplight Party Sep 18-19:Stompbox 40 Sep 25:McFly Sep 26:McFly/Stoplight Party
Fox & Hound English Pub 812-473-5721 Sep 5:Bierstube w/wellhello
Sep 11-13 :THE LORD OF THE FLIES
Roberts Stadium
Sep 18-19:GREATER TUNA Sep 25-27:GREATER TUNA
Sep 19:Gear, Gadgets & Gizmos Expo Sep 19:Grill For The Thrill Barbecue and Music Festival
Cricket’s 812-858-2782 Sep 3 8:00 PM:That Band Sep 10 8:00 PM:Woodsboro Sep 17 8:00 PM:The Jimmies Sep 24 8:00 PM:Bobby Clark
Downtown Evansville Every Friday and Saturday: Farmers Market 7am
Downtown Riverfront Plaza 424-2986 x 30 Sep 4 8:00 PM:Midnight Special Sep 5 8:00 PM:Never Been Caught
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
812-476-1383
812-435-5550
Woody’s 812-468-9400 Sep 4-5:Stompbox 40 Sep 9:Who’s Bad ( Michael Jackson Tribute)/Kasper Sep 10:Saliva/Pop Evil/Smile Empty Soul/Calling Corners/ Paradigum Sep 11:Bierstube Weekend: Gonzo’s Toybox/Detail Sep 12:Bierstube Weekend: Gonzo’s Toybox/Velcro Pygmies Sep 13:Cheap Seats Country Concert Series: Eric Church/ Justin Moore/Carter Twins/ Jonathan Singleton & the Groove/Jason Clutter/Joe Michael/Carter’s Chord Sep 17:Band Together for the Cure: Bamboo Needle/Calling Corners/American Analog/ Dizzy Hollow Sep 18-19:Never Been Caught Sep 26:Pimps & Hos Party w/ Pop Tart Monkeys
Tin Fish at Marina Pointe 812-421-1100
YMCA of SW Indiana
Thursdays:JEB
812-426-6210
University of Evansville Wheeler Concert Hall 812-423-8633
Sep 15:Faculty Recital, Jon Truitt, Baritone; Thomas Josenhans, Clarinet; and Garnet Ungar, Piano Sep 25-26:Family Weekend
Sep 12:YMCA 10k - Downtown YMCA - Presented by Integra Bank For more information please visit www. evansvillehalfmarathon.org
YWCA 422-1191 Sep 10:Legacy of Style at The Centre
Vanderburgh 4H 812-867-6217
Sep 19-20:Quilt Show Sep 26-27:Fine Arts & Crafts Show • 27 •
SORE THUMBS Labor Day Special – 5 Labor-Reducing Cheats
dan Woolsey
Gamer Extraordinaire
Labor Day’s meaning has changed throughout its existence, but ultimately it equals a day off. What you do with the day is up to you, but I recommend staying away from anything that may be strenuous or considered “work.” Please don’t do yard work, workout, or get to work on anything. Going through some of the games in your backlog seems like a much better idea. To keep in the spirit of the day and to make things easier on yourself, you may want to use a game cheat here and there. Guess what, you lazy bum? I’ve got a few cheats I want to talk about. Cheats can make the impossible seem possible or simply change the way you play. Just remember to cheat safely…cheating can disable achievements on the Xbox 360 or Trophies on the PS3. Consider yourself warned!
“Super Jump” from Mega Man 3 - NES I’ve always had a love/ hate relationship with Mega Man games (except for the Battle Network series; there’s no love there). I love their simplicity, but hate how hard they are. Luckily there exists a cheat for Mega Man 3, which is as helpful as it is easy to pull off. To jump almost three times your normal hop, simply push “right” on the second controller’s d-pad while you jump. That’s it! The only problem is, you’ll have to find somebody willing to keep this held for you. If that doesn’t work out, you could always be like me and put a chair leg on the controller!
“The Konami Code” – NES to current If “up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start” doesn’t mean anything to you, then you may want to check your nerd credentials. This now-legendary code first appeared in the 1986 game Gradius for the NES, but was made popular by Contra for the same system. You’ll definitely need the 30 lives this gives you in Contra! Konami still uses this code in current generation games, with varying effects. NonKonami games and even websites are affected by the code. Facebook supposedly works with it and ESPN.com would unleash pretty unicorns if the code was input (this has since been removed). The truly devoted (or something like that) can even get a t-shirt with the code printed on it! • 28 •
“Flying Cars” from Grand Theft Auto series – PS2, Xbox, PC In case you ever run out of things to do in a Grand Theft Auto game, the developers have hidden even more insanity to be unlocked. You can get more health, weapons, and vehicles using cheats, but that’s to be expected. To change things up a bit more, try the cheat that slows down gameplay (the sound also slows down…hearing the slow screams of pedestrians is hilarious). For the ultimate in city exploration, you’ll need to enable flying cars. While they’re pretty hard to control, you might just get used to it. Even if you don’t, it’ll still be very entertaining. See how high you can get and then bail out! Oh, before you get too excited, please know that Grand Theft Auto IV doesn’t have any of these mind-altering cheats.
“Road Rage” from Saints Row – Xbox 360, PS3 Saints Row is what all of the cool kids played while waiting for Grand Theft Auto IV to come out, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good game. While it borrowed heavily from the GTA games, it brought new ideas to the table as well. The story in Saints Row never grabbed me, but the nice graphics and wonderful explosions did. I spent most of my time in Saints Row trying not to get killed by psycho-vehicles in a mode
I dubbed “Road Rage”. While not really a cheat, putting in the right code caused all of the town’s residents to suddenly hate your stinking guts. Drivers would relentlessly chase you down in their reckless attempts to end your life, usually ending their own. You could simply pick a slightly elevated spot and watch the carnage unfold. There was a park I liked to seek refuge in and watch drivers kamikaze into a low wall as they pursued me. Eventually cars would pile up in the streets all around you, leaving you no choice but to blow them up to make way for new victims. If you were feeling lucky enough you could try to cross the street!
“Non-firing Enemies” from Galaga – early arcade units Remember Galaga? Remember arcades? A wise man recently informed me of a cheat for the Galaga arcade game that would cause the enemies to stop shooting at you. Just destroy the first wave of enemy ships, except for the bee-like ones and avoid their fire for about 15 minutes. Once they stop shooting, get rid of ‘em and enjoy annihilating the rest of the pacifist ships that will come your way. Unfortunately this bug was fixed in later versions of the arcade units, so I guess it’s too late to try it now. That’s too bad because I would have loved to convince unknowing onlookers that I made the enemies surrender in fear!
......................................
Send queries, questions, answers and acclaim to Dan at
sorethumbs.news4u@gmail.com.
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
Diamond Lake Resort
270-229-4900 Sep 5 :Fifth Annual Hawaiian Luau - Come Celebrate Labor Day weekend in your grass skirt and flowered lei! Enjoy an authentic Hawaiian style roasted pig feast. Enter the Limbo, Hula hoop, “Big Island Belly” contest and Scavenger hunt along with golf cart and camp site decorating contest. Sep 19 :Fishing Tournament - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sep 25-26 :Fourth Annual Grillin’ & Chillin’ BBQ CookOff - Join us for Kentucky’s only state sanctioned BBQ Championship ! We’ll have 48 of the best cooking teams here from several states competing for over $10,000 in prize money. If you would like to compete in this event contact Terry Stinnett at 270 929-4177
English Park
270-687-8718 Sep 4-8 :Columbus Replica Ships - The Nina and the Pinta will sail into Owensboro on Friday, September 4th and be docked at English Park until their departure early on Tuesday, September 8. These replicas will be traveling together as an enhanced “sailing museum” for educational tours. The general public may take self-guided tours for $7, $6 for seniors, and $5 for children. Children under 4 are free. The ships will be open every day from 9am6pm and no reservations are necessary. For more information, contact 787672-2152.
Friday After 5-Downtown Owensboro Sep 4 :Main Stage Velvet Bombers/Street Fair - Community Block Party
Haunts of Owensboro
(270) 313-5596 Every Friday and Saturday or by special appointment: Downtown Walking Tours Sep 4 :Downtown Walking Tour - Take a walking tour of some of downtown Owensboro’s rumored haunted buildings. This 1 1/2 hour tour will cover some of Owensboro’s favorite ghost stories and sightings. Sights include Trinity Center, home of Theatre Workshop of Owensboro, the Area Museum of Science & History, the Daviess County Courthouse, and others. Tours begin and end at The Creme Coffee House at 109 E. 2nd Street. Fridays and Saturdays, or by special appointment. Call for reservations. (270)313-5596
High Banks Speedway 270-275-4485 Sep 4 :All Divisions E-mods, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and Mini Stocks Sep 11 :All Divisions E-mods, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and Mini Stocks Sep 18 :All Divisions E-mods, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and Mini Stocks
Hines Center, The (270)
729-3030 Monday - Thursday at 10:00 AM: Aquacize Classes Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:30 PM: Aquacize Classes Sep 4 :.
Int’l Bluegrass Music Museum 270-926-7891
Sep 30 :Saturday Lessons Program fall deadline - The Saturday Lessons concept is simple: we are growing the Biggest Bluegrass Band on Earth! We are doing so not only to have great fun playing
great music together, forming family bands and youth bands, playing all the time, all over town, but also to preserve our indigenous cultural heritage as legatees of Bill Monroe’s gift of bluegrass music to his home region and state.
Owensboro Ice Arena
Fridays: Public Skate Saturdays: Public Skate Sundays: Public Skate 2nd Saturday of Each Month: Dollar Night at 7-10 PM $1 Admission $1 Skate Rental $1 Drinks and Popcorn Sep 4 :.
Owensboro Museum of Fine Art 270-685-3181
Sep 1-30 :”Expressions” Exhibit - The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art’s new exhibit showcases more than fifty recent gifts to the museum’s collection.
River Park Center
270-687-2770 Sep 6 :Summer Movies on the River-Bolt (G) Featuring voices of Miley Cyrus and John Travolta. The thrilling life of a canine TV superhero is filled with drama and adventure, but when the cameras stop rolling this on-screen superhero learns the real world is not as glamorous as it looks on TV. Movies begin at dusk. Lawn chairs are provided, or bring your own. Concessions are available from RiverPark Center. No outside food or beverage may be brought on RiverPark property. Sep 22 :Cirque Dreams Illumination - Journey with fascination into the depths of a city that ignites with illumination when Cirque Dreams imagination, suspense and theatrical innovation turns every day ordinary into bright and extraordinary. Sep 26 :OSO Performance - Opening
Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
Night - Opening Night Gala Featuring Bella Hristova, violin Superstar violinist Bella Hristova opens our season with the dazzling Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto plus the often-requested Scheherazade by RimskyKorsakov. A new work by Kentucky composer Nick Drake starts the season off with a bang. DrakeGambado Fanfare RimskyKorsakov, Scheherazade Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto, Bella Hristova, violin.
The Creme Coffee House (270) 683-7787
Sep 5 :All in the Timing - Six One-Act Comedies by David Ives. Directed by Wes Barlett. Assistant Director, Patrick Riley Sep 6 :All in the Timing - Six One-Act Comedies by David Ives. Directed by Wes Barlett. Assistant Director, Patrick Riley Sep 7 :All in the Timing - Six One-Act Comedies by David Ives. Directed by Wes Barlett. Assistant Director, Patrick Riley Sep 12 :All in the Timing - Six One-Act Comedies by David Ives. Directed by Wes Barlett. Assistant Director, Patrick Riley Sep 13 :All in the Timing - Six One-Act Comedies by David Ives. Directed by Wes Barlett. Assistant Director, Patrick Riley
Theatre Workshop of Owensboro
270-683-5003 Sep 4 :Cash On Delivery - This fast-paced British comedy was penned by Michael Cooney; Directed by Todd Reynolds Sep 5 :Cash On Delivery - This fast-paced British comedy was penned by Michael Cooney; Directed by Todd Reynolds Sep 6 :Cash On Delivery - This fast-paced British comedy was penned by Michael Cooney; Directed by Todd Reynolds
Sep 11 :Cash On Delivery - This fast-paced British comedy was penned by Michael Cooney; Directed by Todd Reynolds Sep 12 :Cash On Delivery - This fast-paced British comedy was penned by Michael Cooney; Directed by Todd Reynolds
Western Kentucky Botanical Garden
(270)852-8925 Sep 6 :Picnic in the Garden - Bring your own picnic or purchase food at the Western KY Botanical Garden. Enjoy the first showing of the “Big Botanicals” and bring your own big botanical entry. 1-3 pm Sep 11 :”In the Playhouse” - This will be a special time for preschoolers including baking bread, making homemade ice cream, bird watching and just having fun in the wonderful playhouse in The Garden. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sep 25-26 :”On the Road Again” - Come and enjoy a “traveler’s choice” trip with The Garden.
Windy Hollow Speedway 270-785-4065 Sep 6 :UMP Summer Sizzler - UMP Open Wheel Modifeds plus UMP E-mods, Pure Stock, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and UMP Mini Stocks Sep 13 :Bike Races Bike races for the kids plus UMP Open Wheels, UMP E-mods, Pure Stock, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and UMP Mini Stocks Sep 20 :American Classifieds Night - UMP E-mods, UMP Open Wheels, Pure Stock, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and UMP Mini Stocks Sep 27 :Bluegrass 20’s - 20 Lap features for all divisions with added purse money.UMP OPen Wheels, UMP E-mods, Pure Stock, Cruisers, Rusty Bolts and UMP Mini Stocks
• 29 •
CD REVIEWS Dessau The Truth Hurts (WTII Records)
The Glasspack American Exhaust
(Poison Tree Records)
Sexstone The Painful Side of True
4
4
4
(Rumsey Records)
Jóhann Jóhannsson And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees (NTOV) 4
It's been a long road for Nashvillebased industrial rock act Dessau. Centered around programmer/ vocalist John Elliott, Dessau saw relative success in the form of actual MTV airplay and a club hit with 1990's “Isolation.” Elliott worked alongside such genre heavyweights as Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker of Ministry, as well as famed Joy Division producer Martin Hannett, among many others. And, truth be told, these co-conspirators are a good way to describe the overall sound of Dessau. The Truth Hurts isn't so much a new album (the last one of those for Dessau was 1995), but a collection of unreleased sessions, alternate mixes, early vinyl cuts, and a pair of live Joy Division covers. In short, a treasure trove for fans, and a superb intro for the uninitiated. Dessau's work here moves from the brooding cover of Ministry's early synthpop gem "Revenge" (here amped up and ready to fight), to the boldly anthemic (yet catchy) “Sun,” to the dubby trip-hop instrumental “Chalkline,” which boasts of production by Chicago's Die Warzau team. It's hard and heavy all the way on The Truth Hurts, with good hooks, as in the concussion-inducing dance rock leviathan, “Beijing,” presented here in an unreleased mix/version. The earlier material (recorded circa 1985) is a little less angry, and more melodic, as evidenced by tracks like the almost new-wavey “Crutch of Utility.” All-in-all, a uniformly consistent collection, and hopefully a harbinger of new material for Elliott and Dessau. -- Todd Zachritz • 30 •
This band is a sonic tornado of piss and vinegar. They are an all out dirty, fast, and heavy cacophony taking the listener home from a bar dizzy drunk, banging them for 3 hours straight, taking a couple swigs of Jim Beam straight and leaving at six in the morning. Get the idea? Dave Johnson (vocals/ guitar) started the band right at the turn of the millennium and they have been rocking out ever since. The Glasspack is a self proclaimed fusion of 60’s styled jam rock and 70’s hard/punk rock. Anyway it is sliced it will blow your doors off. “Smut” is a punk dream with relentless, distorted guitars spiced up with some higher, facemelting riffs. “Whiskey House” shows the bands psychedelic side boasting a surreal chorus surrounded by vintage metal riffs. “Shut Up and Ride” is a hellacious head banger filled with heavy riffs accented by searing upstrokes and not to mention on hell of a bad attitude. “One Kentucky Night” showcases a more bluesy side to the band, it is fast but the guitar composition is full of stops, starts, wails, and glides. As for “Jim Beam and Good Green,” enough said. This band has fashioned a great, driving sound which is refreshing in light of most contemporary rock. --Nick Durcholz
The members of Sexstone come from a musical background with a variety all but unmatched by most bands in the area. Hailing from Western Kentucky this band brings a sound fashioned out of a multitude of tastes. The range of this band is significant especially in light of their grassroots mentality. This range is possible for the band in most part due to lead vocalist Steven Bauer’s voice which compliments both slow, softer tunes as well as the faster, heavier ones. Unlike most bands nowadays Sexstone bridges generational gaps with songs people of most any age can appreciate. “Where” is an acoustic soul-searcher with melancholy but quirky lyrics and a soaring guitar solo providing a nice rising action in the song. “Falling Away” is a stand-out on the album with a distressed verse and hallowed guitar/ bass but could use stronger lyrics in the chorus. “The First Time” begins with a sharp, rapid guitar and higher pitched vocals giving it a pop-punk feel. Unfortunately the lyrics are terribly unoriginal but musically it is a fun track. The guitar composition on “My Night” is fast, structured, and clean. “Screaming Daylight” is the lyrical peak of the album punctuated by a lumbering, heavy chorus. These guys have tremendous talent musically but show room for improvement in songwriting. --Nick Durcholz
Known as much for his production work (Barry Adamson, Pan Sonic, Marc Almond) and for his band (Apparat Organ Quartet), Icelandic composer Jóhannsson here has crafted a gorgeous modern classical score. Using the City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to realize these pieces, the sound is deep, crystalline, and definitely not your grandparents' classical music. The opening "Theme" is a wispy and hopeful string composition, with a slight air of mystery. The seagulls and thunderclaps at the end bring a peaceful close. "City Building" seems to enter more dangerous environs, with shadowy undercurrents and a minimal chorus of voice, piano, and violins, all gelling into a dramatic yet subtle conclusion. But it's not all traditional, either. Among Jóhannsson 's strengths are his incorporation of nontraditional sounds to these structured pieces. "Rainwater" uses effected field recordings to add an element of grit to an otherwise simple piece of music. "Pods" utilizes deep, cavernous reverberations to add menace to the piano/ strings. And "Escape" has an air of tension in it's drones. "End (Snowing)" is an aptly-titled 6+ minutes of stunning piano and strings, with a chilly arctic air -- perhaps the finest song here. It's this modern soundsculpting that brings Jóhannsson's compositions into more avante garde territories, all the while
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
remaining accessible and quite lovely. This beautiful set of songs is quite limited, so act now or pay collectors' prices later. -- TODD ZACHRITZ
Calling Corners Requiem
Livan Happy Returns
(Shatterproof Songs)
(P & C Pumpkin Music)
3
4.5
Looking for an antidote to all the local cover bands? Calling Corners might just be the cure. The band is a culmination of contemporary hard rock bands with driving riffs, dark vocals, and some well placed melody intertwined. Matt Camp, guitarist/lead vocalist, the founding member of the band encountered difficulty in finding other members who shared his vision but once he did a remarkable solidarity was reached almost immediately. This band knows the musical body is weak without all its parts and they make clear effort in this album making sure the parts are greased and in top working order. The first track “Behind Your Pride” is great compositionally but lacks any type of unique sound within the hard rock genre. “Man in the Meantime” has exceptional lyrics but Camps vocals sound forced and a little awkward. “Puzzle Piece” draws its strength from the chorus which is solid in vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation. It has a nice flow but the verse and bridge are fairly bland. “Speechless” is a seemingly flawless track save for the overdone Vedder-esque vocals. For Calling Corners the talent is there but this band needs to find a sound to call their own. In the short time they have been together they are off to a hell of a start. --NICK DURCHOLZ
This British invasion is a razorsharp blade right to the gut. Livan goes from breakneck to beautiful in the blink of an eye and remains concise like a seasoned assassin. He has experienced many dramatic ups and downs to draw from. He was born into a political family in Greece and buckled under the pressures of life, sinking to the bottom of the barrel before deciding to live a constructive life. A burning passion for creating music is imbedded into each track of his newest effort. Livan has reached a mature part in his career wanting to create something that chisels his name into the stone of music history. “Happy Returns” is a solid title track. Musically, it is high energy and simple. The lyrics are intricate and dark. “Kiss and Tell” contains spiteful lyrics and a powerful chorus accented by a rapid, jumpy bass line and quick, industrial guitar licks. “When the Lights go Down” is progressive, static filled track which isn’t too strong lyrically but gets stronger musically as it plays out. “The Machine” has squeaky clean and sharp composition. The vocals are passionate and hold much more of a personality than in other tracks. Livan is a musical mystery man always throwing sonic curveballs to the listener. --NICK DURCHOLZ
Greg Davis Mutually Arising (Kranky) 3
His first Kranky release in (gasp) almost 5 years? Davis has evolved much in his “absence.” Indeed, Mutually Arising is a set of 2 extended tracks, both with similar trajectories, but altogether different endpoints. "Cosmic Mudra" is nearly 29 minutes of buzzing, carefullylayered drone. To an untrained, or impatient ear, this could be construed as single-note nonsense, but upon closer “deep listening,” this drone is a combination of sounds that gently twist and envelop itself again, like an ouroboros circle. The drones become intense at around the 18 minute mark, and it's really quite an overwhelming experience. "Hall Of Pure Bliss" runs at 22 minutes, and it's a more spacious, lilting, almost ambient journey, It really doesn't get much more minimalist than this, thank you John Cage. But Davis' ear is on a spiritual angle here, as evidenced by his titles. Is this meditational music? You betcha. Imagine opium dens and alternate planes of consciousness, then imagine the soundtrack. This is that. -- TODD ZACHRITZ
Rome Flowers From Exile (Trisol) 3
it may bear some superficial similarities to the dark, occult folk of Death In June at times, Rome offer a broader and more diverse musical palette, and one that transcends genre categorizations. Indeed, there are echoes of dark poet/songsmiths like Cohen, Cale, or Scott Walker here. There's some French chanson inspirations, too, if you listen close enough. But really, Rome are their own unique beast. Flowers is a conceptual album, dealing with the theme of exile and reflects on the Spanish Civil War of the 1930's. Perhaps a lofty and pretentious premise, but in this case it works quite nicely. After an instrumental intro, "The Accidents of Gesture" begins in grand fashion, with a triumphant and sweepingly cinematic build-up, and Reuter's powerful, well-spoken words leading the charge. This, to me, is the album's tour-de-force -- packed with emotion, mood, tension, and old-world beauty. "Odessa" is a more intimate, traditional folk song, with a more sensitive nature. It's moody, slightly sorrowful, and really quite catchy. Throughout the album, Reiter's strong and emotive vocals capture the limelight, though the lush instrumentation is equally as compelling, with a superb sense of dynamism and restraint. The balladic title track, which segues into “Flight in Formation,” closes it all out, and together, these form a somber and fitting end, complete with martial horns and the cool sounds of a tide coming in from the sea. And although it's not perfect -- some songs in the middle of the album seem to evaporate from memory pretty fast-- the best stuff here is just incredible. -- TODD ZACHRITZ
Hailing from Luxembourg, and led by the sonorous, rich baritone croon of leader Jerome Reuter, this group has built up a rabid European fanbase. "Flowers From Exile", their 4th album, is, without a doubt, their strongest. And though Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
todd zachritz
Contributor
nick durcholz
Staff Writer
Would you like your music under the scrutinizing ears of our News 4U reviewers? Send us a CD to: News 4U Magazine ATTN: Editor P.O. Box 14131, Evansville, IN 47728 • 31 •
In TheATeRs nOW
September 4th
All About Steve (Fox) chad And now… A tribute (or sarcastic ode) to the film career benefield of Sandra Bullock. I am having a Premonition and am Contributor Gun Shy about this project. I fear that, in this movie, in which Bullock stars as Mary Horowitz, a dorky and obnoxious woman who basically stalks a CNN cameraman (Bradley Cooper) with whom she is smitten, the Forces of Nature will cause Miss Congeniality to Crash like Demolition Man. Practical Magic will not be able to save us, therefore, I have a Proposal. Speed toward the exits, my devoted readers! I have given you Two Weeks Notice this is going to suck!
September 11th
September 18th
Jennifer’s Body (20th Century Fox) Director Karyn Kusama’s (Girlfight, Aeon Flux) new movie will either work or it won’t. You will likely love it or hate it. Why the predicted extremes? Well, Jennifer’s Body is about a high school cheerleader (Transformer’s Megan Fox) who gets possessed and starts killing her male classmates. Her best friend (Mamma Mia!’s Amanda Seyfried) is forced to try and stop her. Think Clueless meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One thing Jennifer’s Body has in its plus column? Screenwriter Diablo Cody. Cody has already given us one of the funniest movies of the decade, Juno, and has an Academy Award to show for it. When her pen hits paper, she routinely slays me!
Tyler Perry‘s I Can Do Bad All By Myself (Lionsgate) Yes! Tyler Perry can do bad all by himself. And he does. About twice a year! Tyler Perry movies are all the same because they follow his basic formula: lead female character in distress, a big hunk of burning chocolate man love tempting her, lots of gospel singing up in the church, and words of wisdom from Perry’s alterego, Madea. Perry routinely wrangles some big names for his films and nabs some here: Taraji P. Henson (who was Oscarnominated for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button but was even better in Hustle & Flow), Gladys Knight (who is Pip-less here) and Mary J. Blige (love her!!). If you like Tyler Perry films, you’re going to like this. But for me, every Perry movie has been a rehash of 2005’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
machines, who have destroyed mankind and seized control of the world. While I understand the marketing strategy behind releasing 9 on 9-09-09, I wish the filmmakers would have waited two more days. How genius would it have been to release this film on 9/11? It’s that date that put 9’s vision of the world in the back of all our minds.
September 18th
The Informant! (Warner Brothers) Matt Damon stars as whistleblower Mark Whitacre, who, in the 1990’s, exposed the price-fixing habits of agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland. Making Whitacre’s story even more interesting is the fact that he suffers from severe bipolar disorder and secretly gathered hundreds of hours of September 9th audio and video evidence while battling his own inner demons. I AM ALL 9 (Focus Features) OVER THIS! Not only am I huge fan of the acting prowess of Matt Damon There are many reasons to be excited about this bizarre but ground break- (Hey, Ben Affleck! You should take some lessons from your good buddy!), ing animated film about the end of the world. That‘s reason enough! It’s I am a huge fan of director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Solaris), a cartoon about the end of the world. Take that, Papa Smurf! Stick that whose take on The Informant! is thrilling and darkly comic. in your blowhole, Snorks! Up yours, Rainbow Brite!! In writer/director Shane Acker’s bold experiment, Elijah Wood provides the voice of 9, who must lead a small group of other resistance fighters in a rage against the • 32 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
NEW RELEASES September 15th
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Fox) In case you ever watched the X-Men movies and wondered why Wolverine is such a grumpy-pants, here’s your chance to delve deep into his psyche and meet the man behind the sideburns and those gnarly old fingernails. But honestly, the film would have been better if it was called X-Men Origins: Sabertooth. See, Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) grew up as mutant brother to Logan (Hugh Jackman). We know Logan turned out to the noble Wolverine. But I want to know what happened to Victor to turn him into the savage Sabertooth. It’s a better, more engaging story and, honestly, the movie, more often than not, seems to be about his agenda. While Origins is certainly better than any of the previous X-Men films, I am still on the fence. Sorry! And, I apologize for being a grumpy-pants too! GRADE: C+
September 1st
State of Play (Universal) Director Kevin Macdonald assembles a star-studded cast for his remake of 2003’s popular BBC mini-series State of Play. The film opens briskly with a chase scene that ends with a man we don’t know being chased by someone we don’t see and eventually being gunned down by a man we see but don’t know. Meanwhile, an attractive young woman we don’t know is pushed in front of a moving subway car by someone we don’t see. State of Play opens with this fast-paced and gripping bang and Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams and Helen Mirren sustain the momentum with terrific performances. State of Play, like most political thrillers, isn’t as intricate as it pretends to be and packs no real emotional punch. But it’s still a well-constructed and well-acted effort. GRADE: B
September 22nd
Observe and Report (Warner Brothers) The race is on for the WORST FILM of the YEAR and this aimless Seth Rogen vehicle is leading the pack! Rogen stars as bipolar mall security guard, Ronnie Barnhardt, who dreams of graduating from rent-a-cop to
real cop and sees capturing the elusive flasher terrorizing female shoppers in the parking lot as his opportunity to earn his stripes. From the moment I saw the flasher, I knew in my heart of hearts that he would eventually force himself on us, the audience, in a full-frontal barrage of man junk. But never in a million years did I dream we would have to watch him run around the entire mall naked, floppy, obese, bouncing, hairy, and gross. I never want to see another penis again. Even my own. GRADE: F
September 29th
Monsters Vs. Aliens (Miramax) Oddly enough, Seth Rogen is the best part of this animated film about a bride, Susan (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), who is clobbered with a meteor on her wedding day and turned into a towering Amazon named Ginormica. It’s Ginormica who is recruited by the government to fight alongside other so-called “monsters” in a battle against an alien race. Ginormica’s sidekicks include Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett) and a big, blue blob named B.O.B. (voiced by Seth Rogen, who gives the film its only real energy and comedy). While the animation is vibrant here and sometimes extremely life-like, everything else about the film is literally paint-by-numbers. GRADE: C+
September 1st
Earth (Disney) Directing team Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield worked in the wild for a year gathering footage for this breathtaking documentary that shares the stories of migration and survival of polar bears, whales and elephants. The film’s money shot (sorry about the porn slang) is one of a great white shark springing up from the water with a seal trapped in the bite of its deadly jaws. You will watch that scene in awe and wonder how that amazing frame was even possible. If you watch the credits, you’ll see. The film’s closing credits offer us a brief, but fascinating look at how this team of cameramen and filmmakers dared to go into and rub elbows (or fins) with the wild to capture its essence. My only complaint with the film is that it sometimes shies away from the harsh reality of the hunt. The studio that killed Bambi’s mother suddenly wants to play nice. But, children, I have some very sad news for you. The cheetah’s not playing flag-football with that gazelle. It wants to eat his face. GRADE: B+ Owensboro September 2009 • Call for Advertising Information (270) 485-2292
• 33 •
• 34 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
• 35 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009
• 36 •
www.News4UOwensboro.com • Owensboro September 2009