OPENING SHOT
Christmas Carnage and friends perform an a capella “All the Single Ladies” on Jan. 13 at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Photo by David Minton
2
Little d After Dark
February 2012
F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6
Photo by David Minton
When Josh Butler first conceived of the Thin Line Film Festival more than seven years ago while studying film and television at the University of North Texas, he probably never thought he’d find himself rubbing elbows with Harry Shearer or showcasing Academy Award-nominated documentaries like last year’s breakout film Restrepo. He certainly didn’t suspect that he’d still be running Texas’ only documentary film festival the better part of a decade later, or that the festival would be busting at the seams with more than 80 films. Story by Dave Sims
C O V E R S T O RY
940-566-6879 | dcobb@dentonrc.com
F E AT U R E S >>
Courtesy photo/Jenna Banuelos
last laugh Denton’s Ryan Thomas Becker is no stranger to admiration. Becker has the same
good will toward unsung Texas musicians who make good music without much fanfare. That good will drove Last Joke Band (Six Songs Written by Our Friends), the album Becker put together with
good to be greenhouse Denton is swarming with jazz musicians — some of whom are simply biding their time until Monday night rolls around. In an understated occasion of more than 10 years running, Greenhouse Restaurant has been serving up a healthy dose of local jazz along with its spinach and artichoke dip.
>>
17
>>
good dates
4
editor’s note
>>
2
party people
>>
7
9
Matcha-Cha-Cha tea will get your motor running. >>
6
try this at home Acoustic guitar made into a shelves.
>>
flavor junkie Wholesome Homebrew’s
5
the alchemist A single’s glass.
cbreeding@dentonrc.com
Advertising Director Sandra Hammond 940-566-6820 Advertising Manager Shawn Reneau 940-566-6843 sreneau@dentonrc.com
Classified Display Julie Hammond 940-566-6819 jhammond@dentonrc.com
THE ELEMENTS opening shot
Features Editor Lucinda Breeding 940-566-6877
shammond@dentonrc.com
one of many of his active bands.
>>
Publisher Bill Patterson Managing Editor Dawn Cobb
>>
15
sketchy stuff the buzz
>>
>>
16
18-19
Contributing Writers Cody Robinson, Alyssa Jarrell, Dave Sims, Rachel Watts Photographer David Minton Designer Rachel McReynolds On the cover Josh Butler at the Campus Theatre. Photo by David Minton. The contents of this free publication are copyrighted by Denton Publishing Co., 2012, a subsidiary of A.H. Belo Corp. (www.ahbelo.com, NYSE symbol: AHC), with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Little d After Dark is published monthly by Denton Publishing Company, 314 E. Hickory St.
have your people call our people
>>
to submit an event for little d’s calendar, e-mail rmcreynolds@dentonrc.com
WEDNESDAY
5
MONDAY 6
12 Thin Line Film Festival.
13 Thin Line Film Festival.
Kinky Friedman: Words, Music, Tequila, 9 p.m. $25$30. Dan’s Silverleaf.
Equity and Diversity Conference: headliners Dan Savage, 10 a.m.; John Legend, 7 p.m. Free-$350. UNT Union and Coliseum. Split Estate screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT. Adam Ant, 7 p.m. $32. Granada Theater. Symphonic Band, 7:30 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. Mister Joe and Friends, Le Not So Hot Klub du Denton, 8 p.m. Banter. DoomTree, 9 p.m. $10-$13. Dan’s Silverleaf.
14 Thin Line Film Festival.
Surrounded by Waves screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT. Estelle, 8 p.m. $25. House of Blues. Laura Gibson, 9 p.m. $8-$12. Dan’s Silverleaf.
Valentine’s Day
19 Thin Line Film Festival
20 Thin Line Film Festival
County Rexford, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn Restaurant & Pub. Johnny Winter, Jim Suhler, Damon Fowler, 7 p.m. $16-$70. Granada Theater. Murder by Death, 8 p.m. $12-$14. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Mount Moriah, 8 p.m. $10-$15. Dada. Split Lip Rayfield, AM Ramblers, 9 p.m. $12$15. Dan’s Silverleaf.
2
They Might Be Giants, Jonathan Coulton, 7 p.m. $25. Granada Theater. El Valiente, Peopleodian, Babar, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Split Lip Rayfield, 9 p.m. $12$19. Lola’s. Milkdrive, the Hillbenders, 9 p.m. $13. Dan’s Silverleaf.
3
8
Split Estate screening, noon. Free. UNT. Earl Bates, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn Restaurant & Pub. The County Fringe, 8 p.m. Basement Bar.
9
Talk Demonic, Gold Beach, 9 p.m. $7-$10. Dan’s Silverleaf. Fan Halen, 8 p.m. $10-$17. House of Blues.
10 Thin Line Film Festival.
11 Thin Line Film Festival.
21 Lunch Line screening, 7
p.m. Free. UNT. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, 9 p.m. $18. Granada Theater. The Spittin’ Cobras, 9 p.m. Cost TBA. Dan’s Silverleaf.
28 Disfarmer: A Portrait of
America screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT.
Brandon Rhyder, 7 p.m. $15-$20. Granada Theater. The Golden Hour, Western Skies, Warren Jackson Hearne & Le Leek Electrique, 9 p.m. Simone Lounge. Mind Spiders, Low Culture, Occult Detective Club, Brain Attack, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Eleven Hundred Springs (CD release), 10 p.m. Cost TBA. Dan’s Silverleaf.
4
The Allmost Brothers Band, 7 p.m. $8. Dan’s Silverleaf. Kennedy, Burn Halo, 8 p.m. Cost TBA. Andy’s Bar. Up the Creek, 8 p.m. Banter. Greg Ginn and the Royal We, Urbnectro, R!U!O!K!, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. Richard Gilbert, L.E. Taylor, 10 p.m. Banter. Ryan Thomas Becker and Last Joke, El Cento, Leatherbag, 10 p.m. $5. The Double Wide.
Magnum Octopus, Baby Dick, Save the Humans for Later, 10 p.m. Cost TBA. Dan’s Silverleaf. The Hormones, Sealion, the Vliets, 10 p.m. $8. Dada. Luke Bryan, 10:30 p.m. $15-$40. Billy Bob’s. Zorch, Female Demand, Peopleodian, Comanche, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Nicholas Altobelli, 8 p.m. Free. Banter.
16 Thin Line Film Festival.
17 Thin Line Film Festival.
18 Thin Line Film Festival.
22 Lunch Line screening, noon.
23 Theodora performance by
24 Opening reception for Nick
25 Eddie Gomez, Stefan
Surrounded by Waves screening, noon. Free. UNT. County Rexford, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn Restaurant & Pub. UNT Concert Band, 7:30 p.m. $8$10. Winspear Performance Hall. Los Campesinos!, Parenthetical Girls, 8 p.m. $14-$18. Dada. Mike Doughty: music, Q&A and The Book of Drugs reading, 8 p.m. $18-$20. House of Blues.
Free. UNT. Earl Bates, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn Restaurant & Pub. Voodoo Glow Skulls, Authority Zero, Queens of Noise, 9 p.m. $15-$20. Hailey’s Club.
Calling Morocco, 7 p.m. Cost TBA. Andy’s Bar. UNT Wind Symphony with the Marcus High School Wind Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Winspear Performance Hall. The Gourds, 9 p.m. $12-$15. Dan’s Silverleaf. Pablo and the Hemphill 7, Darth Vato, 9:30 p.m. $6-$10. Lola’s.
the UNT Baroque Orchestra, Collegium Singers and the A Capella Choir, 7:30 p.m. $12-$20. Winspear Performance Hall.
America screening, noon. Free. UNT. County Rexford, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn Restaurant & Pub.
27
Eleven Hundred Springs, 7 p.m. $13-$20. Granada Theater. The Captive, Least of These, Companion, Day Sailor, 8 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. Big Fiction, Shopping for Death, Magnum Octopus, Deep Snapper, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. The Ruby Jane Show, 9 p.m. $10. Dan’s Silverleaf. The Bone Handle Set, 10 p.m. Banter.
15 Thin Line Film Festival.
29 Disfarmer: A Portrait of
26
SATURDAY
TUESDAY 7
National Dump Your Significant Jerk Week: Feb. 5-11
FRIDAY
1
Black History Month
SUNDAY
THURSDAY
Brave Combo, Mike Dillon, the Wee-Beasties, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. Pinkish Black, Transistor Tramps, Vaults of Zin, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Naked Lunch: A Steely Dan Tribute, 10 p.m. $10. Dan’s Silverleaf. Telegraph Canyon, Air Review, Brenna Manzare & Proper Husbands, 10 p.m. $10-$17. Lola’s. Robert Steel and Le Jeder, 10 p.m. Banter.
Cave, 5 p.m. UNT on the Square. Comedy show: JT Habersaat, Mike Wiebe, Billy Milano, Mack Lindsay, 9 p.m. $7-$9. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. The Widdler, Afro Monk, Grand Marquis, DragonMan, Tangles, Experiment, 9 p.m. $7. Hailey’s Club. Wheeler Brothers, 10 p.m. $7. Dan’s Silverleaf. Scrote, Branden Harper, 10 p.m. Banter.
Over the Rhine, 7 p.m. $16$29. Granada Theater. The Band Perry, 10:30 p.m. $15-$30. Billy Bob’s. Bone Doggie, 8 p.m. Banter.
Karlsson, Ed Soph, 8 p.m. Cost TBA. Dan’s Silverleaf. Kelbe Schrank and the Future Eyes, 8 p.m. $5. Banter. The Demigs, Darstar, How’s My Driving?, 9 p.m. $3-$5. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Scary Cherry and the Big Bangs, Transistor Tramps, the Bible Fire, 10 p.m. $8-$12. Lola’s. B.B. King, 10:30 p.m. $40-$50. Billy Bob’s.
FEBRUARY 2012 MUSIC at Denton venues STAGE & SCREEN
MUSIC at UNT
MUSIC elsewhere
Secondhand Wardrobe Week: Feb. 26-March 3
4
Little d After Dark
February 2012
Cut. Print it.
T
hin Line Film Fest and its courageous director, Joshua Butler, have never suffered a lack of ambition. There’s the organizational muscle needed to corral submissions from the burgeoning field of documentary filmmaking, the dearth of multipurpose venues that can house screenings (venues that aren’t already in high demand in Denton, anyway) and a local festival scene that feels like it’s exploding. And yet Butler made good on the hope he announced last year at the only documentary film festival in Texas: to move from a five-day festival to a 10-day event that already has cachet. Butler sat down for coffee at Denton Square Donuts, a festival sponsor, earlier this month to talk about the growth of this scrappy (but always well-run) fest. “It’s amazing how much more content we got this year. This year, our submission rate increased by 50 percent,” Butler said. “There’s a lot more content, and a lot more
to choose from. Filmmakers know about this event, and they know about Denton.” Meanwhile, this is Little d After Dark’s sixth issue (where did the time go?), and musicians want to know how to best get their music in front of our writers. Here’s how to get us your stuff: I Mail it to Little d After Dark at P.O. Box 369, Denton, TX 76201. I Drop it by our offices, 314 E. Hickory St. in downtown Denton. I Send a link to a website that includes samples to cbreeding@dentonrc.com. — Lucinda Breeding
Contributors DAVE SIMS is a former staff writer at the Dallas Observer and current freelance music writer and musician. He is a senior software developer for Living Social. He lives and works in Denton, though he takes occasional jaunts to Washington, D.C., for work.
Offering the Finest in Live Music... Bring in this ad for $2 Off Cover Charge at the Door Expires 2-26-12
www.danssilverleaf.com 940-320-2000 103 Industrial St.
AZ
AZ
February 2012
Little d After Dark
5
remy martin fine champagne cognac
>>
by rachel mcreynolds and lucinda breeding
The drink snifter of cognac (we recommend Remy Martin Fine Champagne Cognac) Pour into a glass. Enjoy. If you’re single and a person of coupling age, you might be aware of the super important, relationship-defining holiday that falls in February, the second most emotionally manipulative month of the year (we’re on to you, December). You might be feeling like the only person not pairing up on Valentine’s Day — but take heart. While the surrounding couples fret about how best to prove their love via their wallet, your money is staying with you — or going into your local bar. Regardless, couple or not, why not get plowed for Valentine’s Day? (See what we did there?) In honor of fabulous singles everywhere, forgo the mixed drinks. This snifter of cognac is like thick velvet, coating your throat in a warm, amber love song all its own. As for that guy eyeing you from across the room — he can wait till Feb. 15.
The tunes While you’re sipping, listen to these solo artists: Robert Gomez (sultry vocal delivery over eerily mathematical guitar stylings), Sarah Jaffe (open-hearted lyricist who chases disappointment down with a lilting guitar and smoky contralto), Caleb Ian Campbell (plaintive but passionate, heady but sincere).
Photo by David Minton
6
Little d After Dark
February 2012
but please don’t sue me
>>
by cody robinson
Fill the hollow void How to make use of an old guitar that can’t even hold a tune
S
ince my tinkering is well known among my musician friends, I’m often gifted with the kind of music gear that has little use aside from what can be made from its parts. I often say I acquire broken guitars like a crazy cat lady acquires cats. They just kind of show up, and I don’t have the heart to send them on their way. I salvage what I can. You never know when little bits and pieces will come in handy. One particular acoustic guitar — found by my dad at a garage sale — had been collecting dust in a storage closet for a few years now. Its neck was broken and repaired several times. The repairs were far from perfect, and I’m pretty sure it couldn’t be brought back to life — at least not to the point of actually being playable again. Had I not recently joined the idea-sharing website Pinterest, that guitar might have languished in the closet for many years to come. It was on that site that I first saw a photo of this project, and I decided to run with that inspiration.
Materials a broken acoustic guitar (please don’t destroy a working one) a few feet of 1-by-4-inch scraps box knife hand saw wood glue sandpaper (120-grit should do it) paint Speed Square yardstick
Directions 1. Remove any hardware (tuners, screws, strap pegs) and the pick guard. Set aside anything you might be able to use later. 2. Place your yardstick across the width of the guitar, just below where the neck ends and the body begins. Make a mark along your yardstick. Cut along this mark with your box knife. Most cheaper February 2012
The author’s guitar-turned-bookshelf, no longer good for nothing
between helping and hurting. Personally, I usually find that line — then I find a Band-Aid. (Disclaimer: Don’t injure yourself. There, that should cover safety) 4. Once you’ve removed the face of the guitar this project gets a little different for everyone, since each guitar can vary in construction. What you should see are some ribs (or bracing struts) across the back of the guitar, and some either stuck to the face you removed or still attached to the rest of the body. Cut away the ribs for the face and set them aside for later. In the case of the guitar I used, there were two ribs running across the back in the perfect position for supporting a shelf, so that’s where I started. You may have to remove those ribs and rearrange them in a more pleasing manner. You really just need two to span across the width of the guitar to support your shelves. 5. Cut two pieces of the 1-by-4-inch scraps to match the width of the guitar at the points where you are installing the shelves. Depending on how the back and the face are attached to the sides of the guitar, you may have to make notches in the braces along the sides to allow for the shelves. This is where you’re on your own. You can trim out the bracing to fit the shelf, or in my case I made notches in the shelf to fit around the bracing. I recommend carving your notches out with a pocket knife or a rotary tool with a sanding drum attachment. 6. Use your hand saw to cut pieces of the ribs you removed from the front to support each end of the shelves. Glue these to the sides of the guitar, then glue your shelves to these and the rib brace along the back. If there’s a gap between your shelf and the guitar, wait for the glue to dry and fill the crack with latex caulk. 7. Once the glue is dry, sand everything down and paint to taste. As soon as everything dries, you can hang your new piece on the wall with a couple of screws or just stand it in the corner with a guitar stand. CODY ROBINSON is the production director at
acoustic guitars (seriously, don’t do this to a nice one) are made of thin wood panels, so the best method would be to score the wood with the box knife first, and repeat this over and over while gradually increasing the pressure until you’ve cut all the way through the wood.
3. Trace around the edge of the guitar (below your last cut) with the box knife to cut the face of the guitar from the binding. It may help to place your hand inside the guitar and gently pull the face away while cutting. It may also help to just rip it off. In a project like this there’s a fine line
Little d After Dark
the Denton Record-Chronicle as well as a local musician. He’s never met a power tool he couldn’t use or a warranty he couldn’t void. His e-mail address is cbrobinson@dentonrc. com.
7
FINALLY! A REAL DEAL
NO JOKE man that’s good AUTHENTIC
CHICAGO • Relaxing, smoke-free environment
311 E. Hickory #110 Denton – 2 blocks east of the square
• Professional Mixologists • Daily Happy Hour 11am to 7pm
Come discover your new favorite hangout. 212 E. Hickory • Denton • 940-387-2222
AZ
940-566-5900
STYLE DELI • Italian Beef • Chicago Dogs • Gyros • Reubens • Cubans • Soup & Salad
FREE DELIVERY* All day – yes, All day – Everyday! * 10 mile radius from store Mon-Thur 11am- 10pm Fri-Sat 11am- 11pm Sun 11am- 7pm
AZ
weinbergersdenton.com
February Calendar 2/3 Trebuchet 2/10 Neff 2/17 Sean Bonacum 3/2 Trebuchet
AZ
8
Little d After Dark
February 2012
dallas derby devils’ army of darkness benefit show
Credits Benefit show featuring Maricopa County, Terminator 2, Christmas Carnage at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. January 2012. Photo by David Minton.
AZ
AZ
February 2012
Little d After Dark
9
by dave sims
Photo by David Minton
10
Little d After Dark
February 2012
11
W
hen Josh Butler first conceived of the Thin Line Film Festival more than seven years ago while studying film and television at the University of North Texas, he probably never thought he’d find himself rubbing elbows with
Harry Shearer or showcasing Academy Award-nominated documentaries like last year’s breakout film Restrepo. He certainly didn’t suspect that he’d still be running Texas’ only documentary film festival the better part of a decade later, or that the festival would be busting at the seams with more than 80 films — far more documentaries than even Austin’s South by Southwest can boast. D The Thin Line Film Festival has quietly become a mainstay of Denton culture over the last few years, and a regional destination for film buffs. But it won’t remain quiet for long if Butler has his way, and part of his plan to make more noise than ever this year includes a focus on highquality music documentaries. This is poised to be a breakout year for Thin Line, and it’s only natural, Butler says, that music documentaries are playing a big role. “We’ve been seeking out music submissions for a couple of years now,” Butler says. “We want to get that group of people involved in the festival.” According to Butler, the success of last year’s event has raised Thin Line’s visibility, and the result has been a surge in both the quantity and quality of the films submitted for 2012. This increase has given him programming options he’s never had before. “I was blown away,” he says. “We had a 50 percent increase [in submissions], and I wasn’t expecting it. This year it’s all good stuff. We’re really thrilled to have so much.” The musical styles covered in this year’s batch of music documentaries are diverse — from feminist dance-punk (Who Took the Bomp?: Le Tigre on Tour) to classical composition (Shining Light: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen). But a common idea emerges among a number of the films: the struggle of independent musicians to have their voice heard. From the story of a Texas teen who goes from bluegrass fan to bluegrass performer in three years (Fanning the Flame) to the group of Filipino youths who attempt to master their native culture’s music in an extreme-
THIN LINE FILM FEST Feb. 10-20 in downtown Denton. Individual tickets cost $4-$15. Passes cost $20-$150. 2012.thinlinefilmfest.com, twitter.com/thinlinedocs, facebook.com/ thinlinefilmfest
ly short amount of time (Rise and Dream), it’s a theme that will undoubtedly resonate in an indie music hub like Denton. It’s not hard for independent directors to sympathize with the struggles of independent musicians, says filmmaker Edward Payson, whose documentary Unsigned follows three independent rock bands over the course of one year. “I just wanted to make a film about starving artists like myself,” he says, “and never giving up on your dream no matter what the cost.” Payson’s struggles as a filmmaker will probably sound familiar to any number of music school graduates, indie bands or songwriters who have been honing their craft and waiting for that big break. “When you are in film school you think everything is going to be easy when you graduate,” Payson says. “A year after graduation I found myself in a dead-end cubicle job that I hated and asked, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ That is when I decided to make the film.” For Shanghai-based filmmaker and historian Andrew Field, it’s a story that’s universal in scope. His film Down: Indie Rock in the PRC, which chronicles the burgeoning indie and hard rock scenes in China, focuses on the Subs, a Beijing group whose flailing guitars and ferocious female lead singer Kang Mao recall the Stooges’ American punk and the Hives’
garage rock. Fields says one theme that emerges in Down is “the quest for personal and artistic freedom in a country that encourages conformity and a society in which parental authority is very strong.” Considering the authoritarian backdrop of their home country, for the Subs the idea of playing “subversive” music contains an element of danger even Iggy Pop probably never conceived of. Nevertheless, Fields says, the fight of a fiercely independent band to be heard and succeed on their own terms follows a familiar arc. “When these young
tions of these Chinese rock bands and their supporters. [They] are all engaged in a universal human quest for self-expression.” Josh Butler sees a similar resonance between Thin Line and efforts from the local music community like the 35 Denton music festival. For him, it’s all just part of the same creative urge. “Artists are artists. Creatives are creatives,” says Butler. “More and more we live in a technical world with gear. A person that is utilizing gear is going to be making music and making movies and taking pictures and doing all
“When you are in film school you think everything is going to be easy when you graduate,” Payson says. “A year after graduation I found myself in a dead-end cubicle job that I hated and asked, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ That is when I decided to make the film.” people get off the job treadmill and dedicate themselves to music,” he says, “they aren’t getting back on. So, as a result, only young people who are very serious about music will really get into this scene. “We hope that audience members at the Thin Line Film Fest will feel an affinity and sympathy with the trials and tribula-
kinds of things. I think there is a convergence of media across the board, and film obviously plays a big role in that, and music is a part of every single video! So in my mind, we are all kind of in the same situation.”
ryan thomas becker and last joke
>>
by lucinda breeding
All fun and games Becker says album pays tribute to other songwriters — no joke
D
enton’s Ryan Thomas Becker is no stranger to admiration. The Dallas press regularly name-checks him as a guy to know if you’re into local indie rock, and he and drummer Grady Don Sandlin (Boxcar Bandits) get regular love for the sound they pack into their duo, RTB2. Becker has the same good will toward unsung Texas musicians who make good music without much fanfare. That good will drove Last Joke Band (Six Songs Written by Our Friends), the album Becker put together with one of many of his active bands. “I think this all got started a few years back,” Becker says, arriving right on time for an interview on the chilly patio at Dan’s Silverleaf, explaining that he’s been fighting a cold. “There was a ‘Denton Covers Denton’ night here at Dan’s, and that’s where I learned ‘No Time Lover.’ It might have been planted earlier than that, but that’s when I remember wanting to cover some songs I’d come to love. And I thought that would be a really cool idea for this band’s first release.” Becker grew up just down the Interstate 35E from Denton in Highland Village. After high school, he went to the University of Texas and then to the University of North Texas. Like a lot of Denton longtimers, Becker found he had a hard time reaching escape velocity from the Denton vortex. By day, he works in the Blagg-Huey Library at Texas Woman’s University. After work, Becker is often at Denton, Dallas and Fort Worth watering holes making music. There have been rumors of girlfriends, but there have also been rumors that they play second fiddle to his music. Becker gets a good-natured ribbing from Dallas press about the number of bands he plays in — Eaton Lake Tonics, RTB2, Sunday Drive, the Slow Burners, Satans of Soft Rock, Hares on the Mountain — and now, Last Joke. He takes it in stride but says he thinks “it’s really kinda played out.” Becker is one of those guitarists who >>
February 2012
Courtesy photo/Andi Harman
Track for track: Last Joke Band NO, WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS
NO TIME LOVER
TOM PETTY SUMMER
Tony Ferraro, one of Denton’s underrated songwriters, spun this standout song crafted with the civilized patronizing of other musicians in mind. “Tony said the song was about the way you feel sometimes toward other musicians,” Becker said. “You set up shows with people, play shows together, but sometimes, you play with people you’d never be friends with.” It’s a ditty that could be screamed or it could easily become a Texas swing number. Becker sings it as a straightforward rock number, with a plodding and polite drum urging the whole thing forward — no muss, no fuss, just honest lyrics.
A sexy, upbeat number by Ron Scott in which Becker sounds identical to the late Jeff Buckley. “You say I got a lotta bad friends/I don’t know if that’s true or not/You said I’m never concerned about the end/I don’t know of that’s true or not/I like to read a good novel with a lotta twists and turns/Little would I know but one thing is true/Ain’t got time to be your lover.” A bluesy riff rises from the line, which sounds an awful lot like the narrator would have the time to be our lover, if we weren’t so bloody high-maintenance.
Last Joke Band got this song from Austin band Leatherbag, a group Becker has shared a lot of show bills with, and gladly. “It was kind of an instant classic for me,” Becker said. The song is a tribute to Petty’s talent for singable melodies, and his genius for stirring a dogged sadness into just about everything he writes. “It was a Tom Petty summer/we were living in a van/cruising ’cross the country as a rock ’n’ roll band,” the song starts, chasing after the bait of stardom and approving crowds. Last Joke lets the sun break over a memory that’s as wistful as it is exhilarating — thanks mostly to Sandlin’s shimmering cymbals.
Continued on 14 Little d After Dark
13
ryan thomas becker and last joke
Continued from 13>> has a distinct way of playing — he’s most comfortable with rock, but can add a bluesy wail to a line when he feels like it. He’s deft enough to get an urgent tension but can press a string this way or that to affect the voicing of the notes. He can play with intensity without playing loud and he can, at times, play soprano notes that sound almost like a cello. He started learning to play guitar when he was 12 or 13, while his fretting arm was in a cast. “I might have picked up the guitar back when I was playing soccer and broke my arm every year or so,� Becker said. “That’s what I remember. I had to hold my hand a certain way to play with the cast, and, I don’t know, I guess I’ve held my arm like that ever since, and I think it could have something to do with the sound.� Part of what’s earned Becker and his
Becker said he picked the six songs that would make up Last Joke Band using a little favoritism and a little band chemistry. comrades respect is recognizing the story in a song, and dramatizing it with guitar, percussion and voice. Becker said he picked the six songs that would make up Last Joke Band using a little favoritism and a little band chemistry. “Grady and I had been playing ‘No Time Lover’ for a while,� he said. The song was written by friend and Austin solo artist Ron Scott. Scott’s version is folksy, sung through a haze of pot smoke and post-bender slur. “A lot of people have recorded that song. It was on [former Denton folk musician] Johann Wagner’s album and Burnt Sienna Trio recorded it. We took Johann’s lyric editing and the Burnt Sienna sound and put them together.� The sad and simple song “The Train� was written by Dale Jones, the screaming banshee of Denton’s New Science Projects. “Most everyone knows him as this crazy kid who paints himself and screams, but he has this amazing growl, this blues-folk 14
RYAN THOMAS BECKER AND LAST JOKE ON STAGE 10 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. in Dallas. Ages 21 and older. double-wide.com. lastjoke. tumblr.com, lastjoke.bandcamp.com, facebook.com/ryanthomasbecker
Ready, Set, Engage!
THEY’RE WITH THE BAND Ryan Thomas Becker — guitar, lead vocals, percussion Grady Don Sandlin — percussion, vocals Andy Rogers — bass, vocals Tony Ferraro — guitar, vocals
voice, and he writes some of these really beautiful songs — sad, sentimental songs. ‘The Train’ is one of them,� Becker says. “It’s about the Holocaust. He’s an amazing songwriter.� Last Joke recorded the album in a few days. Becker said Dave Willingham mastered the record in a day or so in Argyle. Justin Collins engineered and mixed the record at Denton’s Satisfactory Recording Co. Now that he’s promoting Last Joke Band, Becker says he’s enjoying some things and second-guessing others. “You’re still kind of soaking in it at this point, noticing the imperfections that made it what it is,� he says. “Justin Collins let me use this amp of his, which I used for the first and only record RTB2 has made. It has this crackle to it that I like. Things like that.� The record is just a smidge short on dynamics in spots, with “The Train,� “No, We Can’t Be Friends� and “Death & Taxes� leading off with nearly identical tempos and vocal structure. (Though this could be a nit picked after spending so many hours with these six solid songs. But, hey, Becker and Co. are seasoned enough to withstand some micro-scrutiny.) Becker says he’d like to write some new music with Last Joke, and maybe rerelease six or seven collections of music that “only 10 to 15 people have.� In the meantime, Last Joke will promote this latest release. “I have so much fun with this band,� Becker said. “It’s a four piece, and the closest thing since Sunday Drive I’ve had to playing this kind of set-up. Bringing in Tony [Ferraro] and Andy [Rogers] was really a good thing. I know what Tony is capable of, and Andy is an amazing bassist, very tasteful. I think there’s a really good chemistry between us, and it’s been so much fun.�
Full service jewelers with over
Valentine’s Day Tuesday, February 14
36 years of experience... We buy and sell gold, silver, and diamonds!
Sale In ss Progre Fine Jewelry • Wedding Jewelry Loose Diamonds • Precious Stones • Watches 940-382-5454 260 South I-35, Ste. 200 Denton, TX 76205 Mon.-Fri. 10:00 am - 6:00 pm • Sat. 10am - 4pm
AZ
! " # !#
$%&
LUCINDA BREEDING can be reached at 940-566-6877 or cbreeding@dentonrc.com.
AZ
Little d After Dark
February 2012
wholesome homebrew
>>
by alyssa jarrell
Andie Sterling of Wholesome Homebrew. Courtesy photos/Chris Newby
Tea for two Wholesome Homebrew’s intoxicating blends seduce the senses
A
sexy night. A romantic holiday. A day created by card companies and chocolatiers. A day when florists are overwhelmed, and restaurants are all booked up. The only day of the year when grocery stores sell out of both strawberries and chocolate simultaneously. Why all of the pressure to impress? Keep it simple, friends. Why not make a simple cup of tea? Or even a dessert that takes almost no effort? Bonus: It’s not only delicious, but also happens to be wholesomely aphrodisiacal. Andie Sterling of Wholesome Homebrew graciously opened her sweet kitchen to me and we chatted over tea about tea blends, fermentation, brewing February 2012
Sharing a cup of tea can be an intimate time to share your life with a friend.
methods and how she was seduced into the world of home brewing. Andie is drawn to the alchemy of the brewing world — the reverence and patience required for each step, the chemistry of the ingredients mixing with one another and their inevitable effect on the body. But really her love of all of these things is driven by their innate ability to connect people. Sharing a cup of tea can be an intimate time to share your life with a friend. Brewing a batch of beer with a group and then coming back in a few months to check on the batch can be ultimately rewarding as you share the work of your hands with one another. I was already aware of the obvious health benefits of tea — but Andie started to teach me about the benefits of other brewed drinks. Kombucha — something Wholesome is
Little d After Dark
becoming widely known for in Denton — packs in the health benefits with active probiotics, glucosamines, antioxidants and detoxifying bacterial acids. In fact, after a few minutes of chatting, it started to dawn on me how endless the health benefits are because of the brewing and fermenting processes. She has recently been seduced by the magic that peppers create when added to recipes and teas. It is common for people to experience pleasure and even euphoria from ingesting capsaicin, which can be found in chili peppers and is attributed to the pain-stimulated release of endorphins. So she started adding spice to her kombucha infusions, named Honey Jalepeno, Black Cherry Cayenne and Red Chili Peach. The combination of sweet, >>
Continued on 16 15
inactioncomics.tumblr.com InactionComics.tumblr.com
Courtesy photo/Chris Newby Andie Sterling smiles with a cup of her Wholesome Homebrew.
Continued from 15 >> feeds the soul and connects us to one another. She aims for Wholesome Homebrew to be a workshop and education-driven small business. She will be teaching workshops at Cardo’s Farm Project this spring and is planning a few community brew projects for later this year. While there, Andie introduced me to an amazingly tantalizing tea blend to get the senses going. Matcha-Cha-Cha is an amazing blend of ceremonial grade matcha (a green tea powder), cinnamon, pure cocoa powder, cayenne pepper and honey. On top of all that, it happens to be an aphrodisiac. The blend can be combined with hot water to become a warm, earthy and spicy drink to share. My chosen way to enjoy it is even better. Mix a spoonful of the blend into a generous scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream (I would grab a pint from Beth Marie’s Old-Fashioned Ice Cream and Soda Fountain) and drizzle with your favorite hot fudge. Enjoy with your special someone for a Valentine’s Day dessert. Matcha-Cha-Cha can be purchased from Andie by the ounce. She is best found through Wholesome Homebrew’s Facebook page, facebook.com/wholesome homebrew. ALYSSA JARRELL is an adventurer in the kitchen who enjoys giving her culinary creations to family and friends. Her website is pinkantlercakes.com.
16
Little d After Dark
February 2012
greenhouse restaurant
>>
by rachel watts
Tasty riffs Greenhouse serves up weekly jazz for local students needing an outlet
I
t probably comes as no surprise that while boasting two major universities — one of which is internationally recognized for its music program — Denton is swarming with musical types. Even more unsurprisingly, Denton is packed with jazz musicians — some of whom are simply biding their time until Monday night rolls around. In an understated occasion of more than 10 years running, Greenhouse Restaurant has been serving up a healthy dose of local jazz along with its spinach and artichoke dip. Although not an obvi-
“I appreciate [jazz] the way a person enjoys and admires someone else who cooks them a great meal. I taste it, ingest it, but have little-to-no idea how it was made so delicious.” — Tony Ferraro, Greenhouse server ous music venue in the vein of Denton’s downtown bars, the restaurant hosts a two- to three-hour jazz session every Monday night featuring local artists and ensembles. The restaurant’s popular jazz night has outlasted some of the other similarly themed contenders around town. UNT jazz studies alumnus Matt Hornbeck says it’s important to a lot of February 2012
people that this type of musical option is available in North Texas bars and restaurants. “It’s important,” Hornbeck says, “particularly for the students to have a performance outlet. Playing for an audience is an experience you cannot simulate in the practice room.” Hornbeck, a jazz guitarist in the Matt Hornbeck Trio, played with his group at Greenhouse several Mondays back and says he appreciates not having to drive to Dallas or Fort Worth to get a gig. “I love playing at the Greenhouse,” he says. “I can play practically whatever improvised music I want, within reason. It’s a rare thing to find.” Greenhouse general manager Nicole Probst says she’s never had a hard time booking jazz acts to play on Monday nights, since word of mouth does the trick around Denton. “When we started jazz night long ago, the goal was to sort of find a place for jazz,” Probst said. “We have such fantastic music departments here — both UNT and TWU — and they didn’t really have a place to play, so we wanted to provide them with that.” Monday jazz sessions begin at 10 p.m. and go until about midnight. Probst says it’s an all-ages affair so as to not rule out the college freshmen who can’t drink, but want to see their older peers perform. Local musician and Greenhouse server Tony Ferraro agrees that jazz has an important role to play in every community, but Denton in particular. Having jazz around is just as important as having any form of art in any part of the world, he says. “I appreciate [jazz] the way a person enjoys and admires someone else who cooks them a great meal,” Ferraro says. “I taste it, ingest it, but have little-to-no idea how it was made so delicious.”
FRESH OUT OF CREATIVE IDEAS?
• Embroidery • Screen Printing Production • Custom Designs • Re-Creation of Designs • Custom T-Shirts (Fraternity & Sorority)
RACHEL WATTS is a current UNT journalism student and co-owns a small, independent record label called I Love Math Records. Her e-mail address is rachel@ilovemathrecords. com.
• Official Distributor of Kaepa Volleyball Products in North Texas • Graduation, Birthday or Special Occasion Gifts
WE’VE GOT PLENTY! Call Us Today. 940-565-0202 800 South Locust Street Denton, Texas 76201 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm rapidstitchandink.com AZ
Little d After Dark
17
where to find
music,
caffeine and
for more listings, visit wimgo.com
Bell Ave.
Congress
>>
Oakland
Egan
Parkway Pearl McKinney
Bolivar
Oak
Hickory
Mulberry Sycamore
Bell Ave.
Locust
Austin
Elm
Carroll Blvd.
THE ABBEY INN RESTAURANT & PUB 101 W. Hickory St. 940-566-5483. THE ABBEY UNDERGROUND 100 W. Walnut St. 940-565-5478. facebook.com/ theabbeyunderground ANDAMAN THAI RESTAURANT 221 E. Hickory St. 940-591-8790. andamanthai restaurant.com ANDY’S BAR 122 N. Locust St. 940565-5400. reverbnation.com/venue/andysbar BANTER 219 W. Oak St. 940-5651638. dentonbanter.com BETH MARIE’S OLD-FASHIONED ICE CREAM AND SODA FOUNTAIN 117 W. Hickory St. 940-384-1818. (2nd location at Unicorn Lake, 2900 Wind River Lane) bethmaries.com BURGUESA BURGER 214 E. Hickory St. 940-442-6113. burguesa.com CASA GALAVIZ 508 S. Elm St. 940-3872675. CELLAR 22 219 E. Hickory St. 940-4350149. thecellar22.com CRAZY HORSE SALOON 508 S. Elm St. 940-591-0586. THE CHESTNUT TREE 107 W. Hickory St. 940-591-9475. chestnuttearoom. com THE CUPBOARD 200 W. Congress
food/drink in denton Austin
Around downtown
N
Staff graphic
St. 940-387-5386. cupboardnaturalfoods.com DAN’S SILVERLEAF 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000. danssilverleaf.com DENTON SQUARE DONUTS 208 W Oak St. 940-220-9447. dentonsquare donuts.com EL CHAPARRAL GRILLE 324 E. McKinney St., Suite 102. 940-243-1313. EL GUAPO’S 419 S. Elm St. 940-5665575. elguapos.com THE GREENHOUSE 600 N. Locust St. 940-484-1349. greenhouserestaurant denton.com HAILEY’S CLUB 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160. haileysclub.com
HANNAH’S OFF THE SQUARE 111 W. Mulberry St. 940-566-1110. J&J’S PIZZA 118 W. Oak St. 940-3827769. jandjpizzadenton.com JUPITER HOUSE 106 N. Locust St. 940-387-7100. jupiterhousecoffee.net KEIICHI SUSHI 500 N. Elm St. 940-3827505. THE LABB 218 W. Oak St. 940-2934240. thelabbdenton.com LA MEXICANA 619 S. Locust St. 940483-8019. LOCO CAFE 603 N. Locust St. 940387-1413. locodenton.com THE LOOPHOLE 119 W. Hickory St. 940-565-0770. loopholepub.com LOVE SHACK 115 E. Hickory St. 940442-6834. loveburgershack.com MAD WORLD RECORDS 115 W. Hickory St. 940-591-3001. MELLOW MUSHROOM 217 E. Hickory St. 940-323-1100. mellowmushroom.com MI CASITA 110 N. Carroll Blvd. 940-8911932. (2nd location at 905 W. University Drive) RAMEN REPUBLIC 210 E. Hickory St. 940-387-3757. ramenrepublic.biz RAVELIN BAKERY 416 S. Elm St. 940-382-8561. ROOSTER’S ROADHOUSE 113 Industrial St. 940-382-4227. roostersroadhouse.com
RUBBER GLOVES REHEARSAL STUDIOS 411 E. Sycamore St. 940-3877781. rubberglovesdentontx.com SEVEN MILE CAFE 311 W. Congress St. 940-808-0200. sevenmilecafe.com SIAM OFF THE SQUARE 209 W. Hickory St., Suite 104. 940-382-5118. siamoffthesquare.com SIMONE LOUNGE 222 W. Hickory St., Suite 104. 940-387-7240. facebook.com/ simonelounge SWEETWATER GRILL & TAVERN 115 S. Elm St. 940-484-2888. VERONICA’S CAFE 803 E. McKinney St. 940-565-9809. VIGNE 222 W. Hickory St., Suite 103. 940566-1010. WEINBERGER’S DELI 311 E. Hickory St., Suite 110. 940-566-5900. weinbergers denton.com WINE SQUARED 110 W. Oak St. 940384-9463. winetimeswine.com YOGURT FUSION 209 W. Hickory St. 940-597-6367. yofusion.com ZERA COFFEE CO. 420 E. McKinney St., Suite 106. 940-239-8002.
Greater Denton CAFE DU LUXE 3101 Unicorn Lake Blvd. 940-382-7070. cafeduluxe.com
AZ
18
Little d After Dark
February 2012
where to find
music,
caffeine and
food/drink in denton Congress
Scripture
W. Oak
W. Oak
Carroll Blvd.
North Texas Blvd.
Bonnie Brae
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
Elm
W. Hickory
35
Why are you still reading this?
Get in here now!!!
35W N
35E
Eagle Drive Staff graphic
Around UNT ART SIX COFFEE HOUSE 424 Bryan St. 940-484-2786. facebook.com/art sixcoffeehouse BIG MIKE’S COFFEE HOUSE 1306 W. Hickory St. 940-383-7478. bigmikescoffee shop.com BULGOGI HOUSE 408 North Texas Blvd. 940-382-8060. CENTRAL GRILL 1005 Ave. C. 940-3239464. COOL BEANS 1210 W. Hickory St. 940-382-7025. facebook.com/coolbeans dentontx CUPS AND CREPES 309 Fry St. 940387-1696. EL PARIENTE 2532 Louise St. 940-3801208. FERA’S 1407 W. Oak St. 940-382-9577. FRY STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 125 Ave. A. 940-323-9800. publichousedenton.com FRY STREET TAVERN 121 Ave. A. 940-383-2337. THE GARAGE 113 Ave. A. 940-3830045. thedentongarage.com HOOYA! 1007 Ave. C. 940-381-0272. KATZ’S HAMBURGERS 901-A Ave. C.
Baja Style Mexican Food 940-442-6200. LUCKY LOU’S 1207 W. Hickory St. 940484-5550. luckylousdenton.com MR. CHOPSTICKS 1633 Scripture St. 940-382-5437. NARANJA CAFE 906 Ave. C. Suite 100. 940-483-0800. NEW YORK SUB-HUB 906 Ave. C. 940383-3213. RASOI, THE INDIAN KITCHEN 1002 Ave. C. 940-566-6125. dentonindianfood.com RIPROCKS 1211 W. Hickory St. 940-382 3231. ROCKIN’ RODEO 1009 Ave. C. 940565-6611. rockinrodeodenton.com SUKHOTHAI II RESTAURANT 1502 W. Hickory St. 940-382-2888. SUSHI CAFE 1401 W. Oak St. 940-3801030. TJ’S PIZZA WINGS & THINGS 420 S. Carroll Blvd., Suite 102. 940-383-3333. tjspizzadenton.com 299 ORIENTAL EXPRESS 1000 Ave. C. 940-383-2098. JIMMY JOHN’S 107 Ave. A. 940-4845466.
Mon - Tues 6:30 am - 10 pm LET US CATER YOUR NEXT EVENT. CALL US FOR DETAILS!
Wed 6:30 am to 11 pm Thurs 6:30 am - 12 am Fri 6:30 am - 2 am Saturday 7 am - 2 am
115 Industrial Denton, TX
940-380-TACO (8226)
www.fuzzystacoshop.com
Sunday 7 am - 10 pm AZ
Come try the
Music here, there and everywhere else The Abbey Underground 100 W. Walnut St. 940-565-5478. Andy’s Bar 122 N. Locust St. 940-565-5400. Art Six Coffee House 424 Bryan St. 940-484-2786. Banter 219 W. Oak St. 940-565-1638. Cafe Du Luxe 3101 Unicorn Lake Blvd. 940-382-7070. Cool Beans 1210 W. Hickory St. 940-382-7025. Crazy Horse Saloon 508 S. Elm St. 940-591-0586. Dan’s Silverleaf 103 Industrial St. 940-320-2000. Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen 1925 Denison St. 940-2432126.
Fry Street Public House 125 Ave. A. 940-323-9800. Fry Street Tavern 121 Ave. A. 940-383-2337. The Garage 113 Ave. A. 940-383-0045. The Greenhouse 600 N. Locust St. 940-484-1349. Hailey’s Club 122 W. Mulberry St. 940-323-1160. J&J’s Pizza 118 W. Oak St. 940-382-7769. The LABB 218 W. Oak St. 940-293-4240. Love Shack 115 E. Hickory St. 940-442-6834. Mable Peabody’s Beauty Parlor and Chainsaw Repair 1125 E. University Drive, Suite 107. 940-566-9910. Mad World Records 115 W. Hickory St. 940-591-3001. Rockin’ Rodeo 1009 Ave. C. 940-565-6611.
February 2012
Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios 411 E. Sycamore St. 940387-7781.
Simone Lounge 222 W. Hickory St., Suite 104. 940-387-7240. Sweetwater Grill & Tavern 115 S. Elm St. 940-484-2888. UNT College of Music music.unt.edu UNT Dance and Theatre danceandtheatre.unt.edu UNT on the Square untonthesquare.unt.edu Winspear Performance Hall, Murchison Performing Arts Center thempac.com Texas Woman’s University Theatre twu.edu/drama Dada, Dallas dadadallas.com The Double Wide, Dallas facebook.com/doublewidebar Granada Theater, Dallas granadatheater.com House of Blues, Dallas houseofblues.com/dallas Kessler Theater, Dallas thekessler.org Billy Bob’s Texas, Fort Worth billybobstexas.com Lola’s, Fort Worth lolasfortworth.com The Basement Bar, Fort Worth reverbnation.com/venue/
SINGLE TX SLIDER HELL SAUCE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER ONLY SIGNED WAIVER REQUIRED! 113 INDUSTRIAL, DENTON
940-382-4227
AZ
thebasementbar
Little d After Dark
19
AZ
20
Little d After Dark
February 2012