OPENING SHOT
The Whiskey Folk Ramblers perform during 35 Denton on March 9. Photo by David Minton
2
Little d After Dark
April 2012
APRIL 2012 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 8
Courtesy photo
In 2005, Denton music enthusiast Brenda Reedy lingered near a stage at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival where the University of North Texas lab bands had just wrapped their sets. “Have you heard Los Lonely Boys?” Reedy said. “They’re really good. Love their song. Love it. ... They should play the jazz fest next year.” Seven years later, Reedy and the Boys’ fans will finally get their wish. Story by Lucinda Breeding
C O V E R S T O RY
opening shot
>>
good dates
4
>>
editor’s note
F E AT U R E S >>
THE ELEMENTS
>>
2
5
the alchemist Toast a holy day
retaking the airwaves Juicy the
Emissary said he looks at his latest record,
with a tequila sunrise and some spiritual
Cultural Refugee, as an act of protest. His foe?
tunes.
Media. Mindless, devouring media. “The
>>
6
try this at home Raise the roots
media” stands in as a convenient whipping boy
with this garden project.
for a host of camps — parental, political and
>>
7
cultural. Juicy’s beef is about the stealthy way
party people Rhyme slayers and the
media profit from innovators, then give their
people who love them at last month’s 35
jobs to a computer. Before long, not only are
Denton.
artists out of a job, but they have to pay for
>>
9
flavor junkie Get your garden party
their own innovation. Courtesy photo
on with three recipes paired with tasty
amped up Denton musician Pudge
beers.
Brewer and San Francisco artist QM con-
SleE.P. over the Internet. “We decided to slap
the Denton crew Fab Deuce. “The producers
cocted two tracks from their latest EP No
together four more,” said Brewer, an MC in
weren’t even in the same room.”
Publisher Bill Patterson Managing Editor Dawn Cobb
Advertising Director Sandra Hammond
940-566-6879 | dcobb@dentonrc.com
Advertising Manager Shawn Reneau
Features Editor Lucinda Breeding
940-566-6843 | sreneau@dentonrc.com
940-566-6877 | cbreeding@dentonrc.com
Classified Display Julie Hammond
940-566-6820 | shammond@dentonrc.com
940-566-6819 |jhammond@dentonrc.com
>>
14
>>
16
sketchy stuff
Contributing Writers Alyssa Jarrell, Cody Robinson Designer Rachel McReynolds Photographers David Minton, Leah Gray, Gary Barber, Eve Edelheit, Tim Monzingo On the cover Courtesy photo
>>
17
The contents of this free publication are copyrighted by Denton Publishing Company, 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 Co., 314 E. Hickory St.
have your people call our people
SUNDAY 1
Luke Wade, noon. Free. Love Shack. UNT staging of Reefer Madness, 2 p.m. $10-$15. University Theatre. UNT Symphonic Band with the Dallas Youth Wind Symphony, 3:30 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. Matt Dunn, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack. Eisley, Christie Dupree, Bethan, 7 p.m. $15-$25. Granada Theater.
>>
to submit an event for little d’s calendar, e-mail rmcreynolds@dentonrc.com
MONDAY
TUESDAY Beyond Babyland screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT. UNT A Capella Choir, 8 p.m. $8$10. Winspear Performance Hall. Mister Joe & Friends, Le Not Quite So Hot Klub du Denton, 8 p.m. Free. Banter.
WEDNESDAY Beyond Babyland screening, noon. Free. UNT. Brett Watts’ Songwriters in the Round, 2 p.m. Free. Love Shack. Earl Bates, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn & Restaurant. Devil’s Bards, Nova Chaser, Bird, Stormy Thomas, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. DJ Yeahdef, 10 p.m. Free. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
THURSDAY 5
Rod Balch, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack. White Denim, Hundred Visions, 7 p.m. $15-$24. Granada Theater. PJ Morton Band, 9 p.m. $18-$20. House of Blues.
FRIDAY 6
SATURDAY
Jake Shimabukuro, Derek Evans, 7 p.m. $24-$32. Granada Theater. Shinedown, Adelita’s Way, New Medicine, 7 p.m. $32.50-$42.50. House of Blues. Connie and the Blackbirds, Terry Anderson and Friends, the Kerry Davis Jr. Band, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. The Burning Hotels, Quiet Company, Smile Smile, Analog Rebellion, 9 p.m. $10-$12. Dada.
Luke Wade, noon. Free. Love Shack. Matt Dunn, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack.
J.D. Monson, noon. Free. Love Shack. Jay-B, Zydeco Posse, the John Evans Band, 3 p.m. Dan’s Silverleaf. Snatch Punch, Beaver, Odor, Karate Rape Vengeance, 8 p.m. Andy’s Bar. Childish Gambino, Danny Brown, 8 p.m. $25. Palladium Ballroom. Mary Walker, the Red Death, Sol Tax (CD release), Queens of Noise, 9 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. Susan Gibson, 9 p.m. $10. Dan’s Silverleaf.
3
9
10 Vincent Who? screening,
11 Brett Watts’ Songwriters in
12 Bobby Duncan, 6 p.m. Free.
13 The Mike Stern Trio, Chris
14 Vanillaface Jones, noon.
4
Palm Sunday 8
7
2
noon and 2 p.m. Free. UNT. Indelible Mark and How Does It Feel screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT. Real Estate, the Twerps, Terry Malts, 8 p.m. $12-$15. Dada.
Easter
Reconciliation Day: April 9
the Round, 2 p.m. Free. Love Shack. County Rexford, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn & Restaurant. UNT Concert Band, 7:30 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. The Hold Steady, the Happen-Ins, 8 p.m. $18. Palladium Ballroom. Bug Fight! comedy show, 9 p.m. Free. Dan’s Silverleaf. Boxer Rebellion, 9 p.m. $12-$15. Dada. DJ Yeahdef, 10 p.m. Free. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
Love Shack. Spoon, A Giant Dog, 7 p.m. Sold out. Granada Theater. The Reverend Horton Heat, Missile, 9:30 p.m. $10-$15. Dan’s Silverleaf.
Cortez and Friends, 8 p.m. $35-$45. Dan’s Silverleaf. Marcia Ball, Shinyribs, 8 p.m. $22.50. The Kessler. Frankie Rose, Dive, Lonesome Ghost, the Vliets, 8 p.m. $10-$12. Dada. Dave Barnes, Andrew Ripp, 8:30 p.m. $15-$25. House of Blues. Cornmeal, Fish Fry Bingo, 10 p.m. $10. Lola’s.
Free. Love Shack. La Dispute, Balance and Composure, All Get Out, Sainthood Reps, 7 p.m. $12-$14. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. The Mike Stern Trio, Chris Cortez and Friends, 8 p.m. $35-$45. Dan’s Silverleaf. Exit 380, Secret Ghost Champion, Igneous Grimm, Desidera, Abby Norml, 9 p.m. Lola’s. Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo, 9:30 p.m. $15$35. Billy Bob’s.
15 Luke Wade, noon. Free.
16 Chairlift, Nite Jewel, 8 p.m.
17 Sleigh Bells, 7 p.m. Sold
18 Brett Watts’ Songwriters in
19 James Hinkle, 6 p.m. Free.
20 Ben Kweller, Sleeper Agent,
21 Foxtrot Uniform, noon.
22 Luke Wade, noon. Free.
23 Global Rhythms, 8 p.m. $5.
24 Street Fight screening, 7
25 Street Fight screening,
26 Steve Earle and the Dukes,
27 Denton Arts & Jazz Festival.
28 Denton Arts & Jazz Festival.
Love Shack. Matt Dunn, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack. Nefarious: Merchant of Souls screening, 7 p.m. Free. UNT. Kina Grannis, 8 p.m. $15. The Kessler.
Love Shack. UNT Brass Band, 3:30 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. Matt Dunn, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack.
$13-$16. Dada.
Voertman Hall. Korn, Sluggo, J Devil, 8:30 p.m. $40. Palladium Ballroom.
Earth Day
29 Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. Luke Wade, noon. Free. Love Shack. Matt Dunn, 6 p.m. Free. Love Shack.
30
out. Granada Theater. UNT Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall.
p.m. Free. UNT. Frontier Ruckus, 9 p.m. $7-$10. Dan’s Silverleaf.
the Round, 2 p.m. Free. Love Shack. Earl Bates, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn & Restaurant. UNT Concert Orchestra, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. The Band of Heathens, 8:30 p.m. $10-$15. Dan’s Silverleaf. Not in the Face, Foxtrot Uniform, 9 p.m. $7$14. Lola’s. DJ Yeahdef, 10 p.m. Free. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
noon. Free. UNT. Brett Watts’ Songwriters in the Round, 2 p.m. Free. County Rexford, 7 p.m. Free. Abbey Inn & Restaurant. Love Shack. Mickey Hart Band, 7 p.m. $25. Granada Theater. Hayes Carll, 8 p.m. $20. Dan’s Silverleaf. UNT Symphony Orchestra and Grand Chorus, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall. DJ Yeahdef, 10 p.m. Free. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios.
Love Shack. Opeth and Mastodon, Ghost, 7:30 p.m. $29.75. Palladium Ballroom. “An Evening with Amy Sedaris,” 8 p.m. $30. The Kessler. UNT Baroque Orchestra and Collegium Singers, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Winspear Performance Hall.
the Mastersons, 7 p.m. $30-$50. Granada Theater. Pool (No Water) by Sundown Collaborative Theatre, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Art Six Coffee House. Psychic Ills, Moon Duo, 8 p.m. $10. Dada. Nero, 9 p.m. $25-$30. House of Blues. Quilt, 9 p.m. $7$10. Dan’s Silverleaf.
Pool (No Water) by Sundown Collaborative Theatre, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Art Six Coffee House. Brian Jonestown Massacre, 8 p.m. $18-$24. Granada Theater. Mayer Hawthorne and the County, the Stepkids, 8 p.m. $20. Palladium Ballroom. Junior Brown, Guy Forsyth, 8 p.m. $22.50. The Kessler. Petty Theft, 10 p.m. $8-$12. Lola’s.
Free. Love Shack. The Ting Tings, MNDR, 7 p.m. $22. Granada Theater. Karla Bonoff, Sara Hickman, 8 p.m. $25-$32.50. The Kessler. Tweak Bird, True Widow, 9 p.m. $8-$10. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios. Urizen, Color of Aum, Megatherian, Rivid, 9:30 p.m. $5-$7. Hailey’s Club. The King Bucks, 10 p.m. Lola’s.
Vanillaface Jones, noon. Free. Love Shack. Pool (No Water) by Sundown Collaborative Theatre, 8 p.m. $8-$10. Art Six Coffee House. The Fray, Jessie Baylin, 8 p.m. $35. Palladium Ballroom. Disappears, Lotus Plaza, Nervous Curtains, 8 p.m. $10-$13. Dada. Meat Puppets, 10 p.m. $13-$16. Dan’s Silverleaf. REO Speedwagon, 10:30 p.m. $20-$40. Billy Bob’s.
APRIL 2012 MUSIC at Denton venues STAGE & SCREEN
April 2012
the Orbans, 7 p.m. $18. Granada Theater. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Joe Pug, Michael Donner and the Southern Renaissance, 8 p.m. $17-$20. Dada. Sealions, the Demigs, Human Growth Hormone, 9 p.m. $8. Dan’s Silverleaf. Devouring Plague, 8 p.m. Andy’s Bar. Jack Ingram, 10:30 p.m. $12-$20. Billy Bob’s.
Little d After Dark
MUSIC at UNT
MUSIC elsewhere
4
Hail or high water
D
enton welcomes spring a little later than the rest of the country. The city starts by sending winter off with the three-day Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. Usually, the weather fights back a little. (Remember that hail storm on the final day of the 2011 festival, or the floods that threatened to submerge Quakertown Park about five or six years back? Can anyone forget the year Arturo Sandoval got about 30 seconds into his set when the tornado sirens went off?) But never fear. Carol Short, executive director of the Denton Festival Foundation, is already making a promise: “The festival goes on rain or shine.� This month, we made a date with Texas musician Jojo Garza, the bassist of the incomparable Los Lonely Boys. Garza has a message for Denton: Los Lonely Boys will rock Quakertown Park’s socks off on the sec-
ond night of the festival. And while the park is rocking, a little dancing is likely. The boys love playing live and they pledge allegiance to wicked Lone Star music. We can recommend something to prepare for an optimal concert experience: Set Spotify or Pandora to Rockpango, Los Lonely’s 2011 release and a flavorful posole of Tex-Mex blues-rock. There is one major change in this year’s festival. The jazz stage, which is the festival’s main stage, has moved to the soccer field on the north end of the park. Short said the move means there’s more room for people to spread blankets and lawn chairs to see the headlining acts. So, get those comfortable shoes ready, start shopping for sunscreen and sunglasses, and break in a roomy reusable bag. A reminder: Service dogs are the only dogs permitted in the park. Also, leave your coolers at home. Buying food and drinks in the park helps to keep the festival free. — Lucinda Breeding
Come Join Us on the Patios! 113 Industrial Denton
1
$ 50 Domestic Pints
940-382-4227 Mondays & Wednesdays
C3
! " # $ % # & $ !$ # ! ' $ ' & !& ( # ) *$ " # ' $ $ C3
April 2012
Little d After Dark
5
tequila sunrise
>>
by rachel mcreynolds and lucinda breeding
The drink 1 1/2 ounces tequila 3 ounces orange juice 1 teaspoon grenadine Shake tequila and orange juice well with cracked ice, straining into a large, chilled martini glass. Pour in the grenadine and stir gently to create the sunrise effect. This drink is usually served on the rocks, in a highball glass; the mixologists over at Esquire say their way looks better, and we agree (looks are, after all, most important). One word of caution: Using store-bought orange juice will result in a thicker drink, so squeeze your own fruit for best results. (Out of the gutter, you.) — recipe via Esquire.com Easter falls on April 8 this year, which for many people is a time to celebrate God’s victory over death, the day visitors to Jesus’ tomb found the stone rolled away at the break of dawn. Sunrise is a pretty big deal in the Bible; it’s a time of new beginnings, renewed blessings, second chances. See also: Sun. Rise. Get it? Fun with homonyms. That in mind, savor this colorful concoction — for the teetotalers out there scandalized by the alcohol/Jesus connection, uh, remember the wine? — and reflect on the possibilities waiting just past your next sunrise.
The tunes While you’re sipping, listen to these spiritual artists: Denton’s Least of These (you’re gonna want to drink tequila with music that rocks with the gloves off), Addison Road (with joyful harmonies and buoyant melodies frequently punctuated by a hard-rock bridge, you can almost hear frontwoman Jenny Simmons’ smile as she belts out the Dallas group’s unabashedly indie-Christian tunes), NeedToBreathe (Southern four-piece that lives at the horizon between mainstream secular and Christian pop-rock, with ambient guitars and a winking double meaning behind the earnest lyrics), U2 (its Joshua Tree was the most unaffected, Christian album of the 1980s to get Top 40 airplay). Photo by David Minton
6
Little d After Dark
April 2012
but please don’t sue me
>>
by cody robinson
Raise the roots Quick and dirty veggie garden a nice outlet after fest-heavy month
M
arch is a busy time for me. As a musician and a habitual festival volunteer, I am usually spread so thin I hardly have time to do much more than sleep once I get home. Festival season has a way of taking over your life for weeks or months at a time, so once it winds down, I like to take a little time off from music altogether and spend some time at home, and traditionally, gardening is my favorite escape. Because, let’s face it, music may be the food of love, but food is the food of eating. Raised beds are my favorite method of gardening because you have more control over the soil you use, there is very little digging involved and, if you’re a chronic renter like me, they’re easy to break down if you decide to move. With the right planning, you can finish the entire project in an afternoon. The process is fairly self-evident, but I’ll offer a step-by-step overview and throw in a few tips that I’ve learned along the way. CODY ROBINSON is the production director at 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.
Materials cinder blocks garden soil mulch shovel garden hoe rake wheelbarrow old newspapers or cardboard beer to bribe friends to help
April 2012
Directions 1. Plan your design. Decide where you would like to put your garden, how big it will be, and be mindful of factors such as how much sun the area gets, how close it is to your water source and how far you will have to carry your blocks and soil to get them there (learned that one the hard way). Draw your design to scale so you’ll know how many blocks to buy, and then throw in a few extras in case you break a couple in transport. Keep in mind that a depth of one block (about 8 inches) is sufficient for many plants, but plants with deeper roots or vegetables that grow underground may need an area that is two blocks
Good for you, good for the earth, ya dig?
deep. In my case, I varied the levels to accommodate the deeper plants while maximizing the square footage I can plant overall — that and I just thought it would look neat. I also used blocks that are 4 inches wide (rather than the standard 8by-8-by-16 inches) to achieve a third, middle level, purely for the sake of design. These are less stable and required some bracing and a creative layout, so I recommend sticking with the standard size. 2. Prepare your site. Measure out and mark off where your garden will go, and use the garden hoe to remove as much of the grass as you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the more you remove, the healthier your garden will be. Once you have Little d After Dark
the area cleared off, lay your blocks out according to your design, then line the bottom with layers of newsprint or cardboard. This will help block any weeds from growing through, and should break down into the soil over time. 3. Fill ’er up. There are plenty of planting soils you can buy, but for the sake of cost and sustainability, I suggest the city of Denton’s Dyno Lite. If you’re growing vegetables, avoid the regular version of Dyno Dirt, which contains bio-solids. And without getting too graphic, let’s just say bio-solids are not something you’d want your dinner growing in. You can check the city’s website (under the “Residents” section) for purchasing info. It’s sold by the cubic
yard and unpackaged, so you’ll need a pickup to bring it home. For my little project, I used just over a yard and a half, which is about a load and a half in a Ford Ranger. The city’s website even provides a handy formula to use to determine how much soil you’ll need once you’ve measured your layout. 4. Mulch before plants. Mulch is essential in this type of garden. It keeps the moisture in the soil longer, and it keeps the weeds to a minimum. Besides, it’s a nice finishing touch that makes your garden look great in all of the photos you’ll be foisting on your Facebook friends. They’ll appreciate you for it. >>
Continued on 15 7
XX C3
8
Little d After Dark
April 2012
35 denton
Crowd at the DJ Yeahdef show
Holy Fiction
El Ten Eleven
Hood Internet
Sarah McRorey
Crowd at the Mountain Goats show
The Mountain Goats
Credits Hood Internet at Hailey’s Club. Photo by Eve Edelheit. Crowd at the DJ Yeahdef show at Hailey’s Club. Photo by David Minton. Holy Fiction at Banter. Photo by David Minton. El Ten Eleven at The Labb. Photo by Tim Monzingo. The Mountain Goats at Main Stage 1. Photo by Eve Edelheit. Crowd at the Mountain Goats. Photo by Eve Edelheit. 35 Denton attendee Sarah McRorey at Jupiter House. Photo by Leah Gray. John Vanderslice at Dan’s Silverleaf. Photo by Gary Barber. The Jesus and Mary Chain at the North Texas State Fairgrounds. Photo by Gary Barber.
John Vanderslice
The Jesus and Mary Chain
April 2012
Little d After Dark
9
by lucinda breeding >> features editor
I
n 2005, Denton music enthusiast Brenda Reedy lingered near a stage at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival where the University of North Texas lab bands had just wrapped their set. Reedy’s mind wasn’t on the university’s premiere student jazz ensembles at that moment, though. “Have you heard Los Lonely Boys?” Reedy asked. “They’re really good. Love their song. Love it.” San Angelo’s Jojo, Henry and Ringo Garza — Los Lonely Boys — had just released the first big single from their selftitled 2004 album. “Heaven” was in heavy rotation on top40 and classic rock radio stations across the country. For Reedy — and for anyone who bumped up the volume when “Heaven” came on — it was an introduction to a Texas band on the rise. The single was an appetizer to a kind of Latinflavored rock by three men who could weave a conjunto into a rock number. In “Heaven,” the chorus harmonies are reminiscent of the passion in mariachi’s pleading solos. “They should play the jazz fest next year,” Reedy said at the time. Seven years later, Reedy and the Boys’ North Texas fans finally get their wish, as the band headlines the second day of the Denton Arts & Jazz Fest. Jojo Garza was waiting to board a plane to Puerto Rico when he talked about Rockpango, the trio’s 2011 release, and their approach to making music. The album is what the brothers consider a party record — a musical moment when people can suspend their worries about their world and celebrate. It’s not a Project X party as much as a backyard barbecue where the beer, herb and Tex-Mex flavors are a banquet. (When the boys party, there’s no property damage. There’s just music, emotion and lots of dancing. It’s hard to hold a grudge when the groove is on the move.) If Los Lonely Boys had a musical motto, it would be “don’t fence me in.” And if Rockpango is indeed a party, then its revelers are gray-haired folks who >> Continued on 12
Courtesy photo
10
Little d After Dark
April 2012
11
Continued from 11 >> know Carlos Santana’s entire catalogue, young men in sports jerseys, baggy jeans and flat-billed caps and women who drop money on anything Sting releases. The Garza brothers like it that way, and they won’t bother with trying to box their music into a category. “To be quite honest, we’re really just tired of genres,� Garza said. “We’re really sick of the way people are divided by the way they listen to music, because at the end of the day, people listen to a lot of music. We’re on a major label, and they want to go in a direction that makes it easier for them to know who to market our music to, and honestly, we don’t care about that. We’re not a stylistic band; we’re free roamin’. We’re wandering
“When we make music, it doesn’t matter to us what color you are, where you live or what you do, you know? We just want to make music that makes you feel something. That’s where the magic is.� — Jojo Garza of Los Lonely Boys through the colors of the sky. When we make music, it doesn’t matter to us what color you are, where you live or what you do, you know? We just want to make music that makes you feel something. That’s where the magic is.� The band is still promoting Rockpango, which was just released in Japan. The record was a place for some songs that didn’t have an album yet, Garza said. “Some of it was already written, like ‘16 Monkeys’ and ‘Porn Star.’ Those two songs had been around five years or more. There were some more recent songs on it, too,� Garza said. “When we go into the studio, we don’t go in and go, ‘Let’s take this thing in this direction.’ It’s very organic.� The album’s title track is proof that the Garzas proudly claim two cultures as 12
LOS LONELY BOYS IN DENTON At the Denton Arts & Jazz Fest on April 28 at Quakertown Park, 321 E. McKinney St. April 27 headliner is Lee Ritenour; Brave Combo headlines on April 29. Free. dentonjazzfest.com
Track for track: Rockpango 16 MONKEYS We don’t know what the Garza boys were smoking when they wrote this, but its results are better than “Pink Elephants on Parade� in Disney’s Dumbo. The free-flowing song, which features Henry Garza’s infectious guitar hooks and at least one run that has to be Henry riffing on the sitar at its trance-iest. On this one, the brothers mix rock, psychedelic guitar and wavering organ effects. The track is just one example of how seamlessly Los Lonely Boys blends styles. A bonus: The lyrics rat out two of the brothers for planking while wearing their undies over their pants. And trouble getting the “Batmobile back to the cave.�
THEY’RE WITH THE BAND Jojo Garza — bass, vocals Henry Garza — guitar, vocals Ringo Garza — drums, vocals
dimensions of their American identity. “The song is a huapango,� Garza said. “It’s a rock huapango.� That it is. Written in the 6/8 time signature at a fast dance tempo, you can hear the undulating rhythm. But the rock energy and attitude is undeniable. It’s also the song on the album that is most evocative of Stevie Ray Vaughan, though without the manic, shrill guitar Vaughan was known for. “Baby Girl� is an urgent proposal for a certain someone’s affections, with a touch of guitar tribute to Santana. “Believe� is the one track that could be found on a Dave Matthews album, just waiting for Clear Channel to pluck it from the stacks and sling it into soft rock airplay. “Porn Star� features euphemisms the blues hasn’t heard since Ike Turner sang “Matchbox,� and, yes, there is a subtle guitar click borrowed from the bow-chickabow-wow made famous by exploitation and adult films. The band calls Austin home, and hasn’t gotten the itch to pick up and move to Los Angeles, New York or Nashville. Texas, it seems, is the proper Southwestern mix of black, brown and white music and culture. And Texas musicians like to take risks without having to kowtow to purists. “I’ll be really honest with you,� Garza said. “Every place on Earth is special. But yeah, Texas is a really magical place. It’s something in the water, in the soil. It’s home, and a lot of people feel like you do your best work from home. Texas is home for us, and this is where we’ll stay.� Arts & Jazz Fest audiences will get the Boys at their best, Garza said. “We’re a live band,� he said. The band has two live albums and a DVD. For Los Lonely Boys, their music is made to be shared in the moment. “If you’re going to call yourself a musician, you have to be a live musician,� Garza said. “You have to sing it before you record it. You have to play it, you have to feel it in your body before you record it. Live is where it’s at for us.�
ROCKPANGO If you like the blues and love the sound of an organ wailing, this track will make you very, very happy. Henry’s sizzling solo presses the song into a more urgent place, and the lyrics suggest a taking-careof-business philosophy. “Life just ain’t fair/don’t get mad� is the refrain. After reaching a breaking point, the song crashes into an exhausted heap of noise. It brings the satisfaction of a job well done.
FLY AWAY This folksy rock jam is as laid back as it gets on Rockpango. It’s also the song that features the Garzas’ best harmonies on the record, both vocally and instrumentally, and best showcases Ringo’s deft drumming. Oh, and his name really is Ringo.
NOW OPEN
LUCINDA BREEDING can be reached by calling 940-566-6877 or sending an e-mail to cbreeding@dentonrc.com.
Little d After Dark
C3
April 2012
juicy the emissary
>>
by lucinda breeding
Running at the machine Denton’s Juicy the Emissary bites back at media’s blind injustice
J
uicy the Emissary said he looks at his latest record, Cultural Refugee, as an act of protest. His foe? Media. Mindless, devouring media. “The media” stand in as a convenient whipping boy for a host of camps — parental, political and cultural. Juicy’s grievance with media is more acute. His beef is about the stealthy way media profit from innovators, then give their jobs to a computer. Before long, not only are artists out of a job, but they have to pay for their own innovation. So Juicy, stage name of Jesse Coulter, is giving his music away. “These tracks are open for anyone to use,” he said, “whether they’re rappers or musicians looking for beats. It’s free and totally available for anyone to use.” Juicy’s not exactly breaking ground here. Free mixtapes are a staple of hiphop. In a community that leans on collaboration, mixtapes get music into other artists’ hands. It also gets them onto other artists’ records. Even the title, Cultural Refugee, is code. “It’s supposed to be kind of a statement on the media market, and how certain people in certain vocations get left out or just rendered useless. Kind of like the polar bear in the North Pole,” he said, a reference to the album’s cover. “Right now, in this window of time, we have this wonderful creature that’s becoming irrelevant. I look at media as being that way.” Cultural Refugee is buckshot with clips of dialog about records — presumably the vinyl kind. Vinyl is a boutique item for music lovers, tangible in a way digital isn’t. In opening track, “A World of Strangers,” Juicy takes the infamous Rebecca Black song “Friday” and turns it into a tuneful, harmonic beat. Score one for the Juice: A man with a musical ear and some software can make you bob your head to the most grating, nasal piffle the Internet could have dumped on us. “Son Lights Up” borrows the opening line of “Fever” and syncopates its way through a short soundscape that shares the albums nice and easy rhythm. “Mustard Dream” (a strange title, to be sure) threads throaty April 2012
Courtesy photo
vocals through a heavily syncopated track that surprises with what sounds like strings and winds — or maybe it’s easy listening synth. The whole record is easy. Nothing is forced. Perhaps the beat-maker needed an oasis while in the Big Apple, where everything is fast and furious and everyone has an angle.
“With my stuff, I’m too close to it to explain why it works, but I think if you try to control the art, you run the risk of ruining it.” — Juicy the Emissary
“I was living in New York with my laptop, using synthesizer and headphones. It did mess with my sound mix a little,” Juicy said. “Headphones don’t let the sound spread out the way it does when you listen to it.” As far as solitary projects go, Cultural Refugee doesn’t come off as overworked. Juicy said that has to do with his approach to making music. “All of the music I really like, I really can’t tell you why I like it — but I can recognize it. It just works, it just clicks,” he said. “With my stuff, I’m too close to it to explain why it works, but I think if you try to control the art, you run the risk of ruining it. The thing about art is that it has that je ne sais quoi. You just connect with it.” It’s noteworthy that Cultural Refugee stands alone as an album that is a nostalgic salute to old-school hip-hop, cobbled together with vinyl records and artistic grit. And yet Coulter (the artist) and Juicy (the performer, DJ and MC) is just fine with another artist excising 10 seconds from “Siren” to build an entirely different
Little d After Dark
song. “I like music that can serve any sort of purpose,” he said. “Since I make a lot of rap music, people put me in that box. People think of me as a rap artist. I try not to call it just that. To me it’s an instrumental rap record. It’s instrumental rap. Because there are no lyrics, people who love rap hate it. “There’s been some push-back in music magazines about instrumental rap. It’s like people think it’s boring. I don’t think so, obviously. I think it’s cool that someone could take anything they want from this and make it mean something.” Download Cultural Refugee at juicytheemissary.bandcamp.com/album/ cultural-refugee. LUCINDA BREEDING can be reached by calling 940-566-6877 or sending an email to cbreeding@dentonrc.com.
13
pudge brewer and qm
>>
by lucinda breeding
Summer’s party soundtrack Denton-San Fran joint spits about better living through chemistry
D
enton musician Pudge Brewer and San Francisco artist QM concocted two tracks from their latest EP, No SleE.P., over the Internet. “We decided to slap together four more,” said Brewer, an MC in the Denton crew Fab Deuce. “The producers weren’t even in the same room.” Nothing about No SleE.P. feels slapdash, though. It’s as if Brewer and QM, the stage name of Nick Nobriga, shut themselves into a laboratory — with a little help from Denton MC and composer Juicy the Emissary (nee Jesse Coulter) on two tracks — and got to work on a record that sounds like summer. A record that sounds like college summers. Come on, you remember those. Collegiate summers were (and still are) a long, lazy break following the wound-up dead week and the craze of finals. They’re all about sleeping late, showing skin and having fun — with alcohol and certain other substances. QM is an MC from the nine-man Cali crew Rec-League. “We’ve known those guys for about six years,” Brewer said. “When we met them, we were sick of doing stuff with the same people all the time. It’s like we [MCs, DJs and beat-makers in Denton’s hip-hop community] were the only people we knew. You can get stale always working [with] the same people.” As unlikely as it seems, Rec-League crossed paths with Fab Deuce. Ideas for collaboration started to flow nearly immediately. Hip-hop can be as inclusive as it can be competitive — hence the repeated notes about guests featured on tracks cut by the biggest names in hip-hop. No SleE.P. is a compact record. Six tracks easily hook on to each other, with each song’s ending wafting into the beginning of the next. From the opening, title track, the record is chill. It’s like No SleE.P. wants to be cool with you. Denton’s Juicy the Emissary produced the title track and “Woke Up in the A.M.” Juicy employs beats set against manipulated vocals, sharp and brassy blasts that 14
Fab Deuce at Andy’s Bar during 35 Denton on March 8. The Dallas Morning News/Gary Barber
play a game of chase through the song. QM and Brewer trade off verses about a previous night that might have been off the hook — if they could remember it. But all this team needs is some hair of the dog that bit them and some cool friends so they can start all over again. Juicy brings a feel of sophistication to the too-short title track, which promises to shut down the after-party, easy does it. And if you’re about to drop off to sleep, someone, somewhere will let you bum an Adderall. With a shot of Maker’s Mark — or a nice, sticky blunt — you can focus on the sweet sonic sensations without the jitters or getting mean. Then along comes “White Boy Wasted,” another paean to partying produced by Grip Grand that is reminiscent of the Fresh Prince when he was making music like “Summertime.” It’s the track that sets QM and Brewer’s agenda. “Know My Name,” which features rapper Ernie McCrackin, is the only track to
NO SLEE.P. New album from QM and Pudge Brewer. Free. Download at routinefly.com.
GLANCE AT THE GLOSSARY What in God’s name is “white boy wasted”? A trip to UrbanDictionary.com confirms your suspicion, but because of the generous sprinkling of F-bombs in the definition, we’ll paraphrase. “White boy wasted” is a badge of honor earned by drinking past the point of sanity.
Little d After Dark
kick in with reliable hip-hop grandstanding. It’s a challenge, but its still chilled out. For the chronically paranoid (read: cranky old farts who have had it with the kids), No SleE.P. is a tract proving their suspicions about disaffected youth misspending itself on bacchanalian pleasures. There’s no way around No SleE.P.’s hierarchy — music, women and a cocktail of bottom-shelf hooch and Big Pharma effects. But hip-hop is kind of a young MC’s game. It’s the province of the season of piss and vinegar, when it’s possible to go to work with a hangover — and Brewer, QM and the collaborators are brimming with piss and vinegar. Instead of looking for a fight, the loose crew of musicians are taking out their aggression on the studio. And in the case of this EP, the aggression was entirely creative. The pair maintains deft flow and spot-on rhymes. In the end, the point is invitational. >>
Continued on 19 April 2012
Continued from 7 >> It’ll be a nice break from pics of your kids and what you had for lunch. Once you’ve got your bed(s) just about full of soil, cover in about 1 inch of mulch before planting. Seedlings can be very fragile, so it’s better to dig through the mulch to plant them rather than risk breaking the stems of already-planted seedlings when you’re dumping in loads of mulch. I suggest using cedar mulch, which naturally repels a lot of insects we would normally have to deal with in North Texas, and I like to avoid using pesticides on anything I’m going to feed to my family. Since I only needed a couple of bags, I just bought my mulch at a garden center, but you can also buy it in bulk from the city’s Dyno Dirt program. 6. Time to plant. I’ll leave what to plant up to you. I usually do a combination of growing from seed and buying live plants. I tend to start seeds in late February in a planting tray, but for tomatoes and peppers, I’ve had better luck buying live plants. I never go with planting seeds straight in the garden, however. I prefer to give my plants a good head start before sending them off into the world. Besides, I’m always afraid I’ll accidentally mistake a sprout for a weed.
As to how to plant, I can offer a little advice. Research a gardening style called “square-foot gardening.� The basic idea is that you divide your garden into 1-foot squares, each holding one tomato plant, or several lettuce plants, and so on. It’s a good way to maximize your space while keeping everything within arm’s length of the outside of the box, making it easier for you to weed and harvest. You should also keep in mind that your tallest plants should be along the north side of your bed, progressing down to the shortest ones on the south side. This will ensure that your smaller plants aren’t always stuck in the shadow of their taller neighbors. 7. The payoff. Time to break out that beer and pay off any friends you roped into helping. Gather around your new garden, pull up some lawn chairs, and try not to ask yourself why you have eight tomato plants even though you never eat tomatoes. Sure, it’s great to eat food you grew yourself, but the real satisfaction is in the process. And you can always give those tomatoes to your neighbors to make up for that house show you threw during the last festival season.
Offering the Finest in Live Music... Bring in this ad for $5 Off Cover Charge at the Door Expires 4-30-12
www.danssilverleaf.com 940-320-2000 103 Industrial St.
C3
! " # !#
$%&
• Relaxing, smoke-free environment
• Professional Mixologists
• Daily Happy Hour 11am to 7pm
Come discover your new favorite hangout. 212 E. Hickory • Denton • 940-387-2222 April 2012
C3
Little d After Dark
C3
15
beer garden (party)
>>
by alyssa jarrell
Courtesy photos/Chris Newby
Pinkies up Spice up spring get-togethers with proper beer-food pairings
T
he temperature is creeping up, the mosquitoes are coming out, and it’s time for you to throw the first warm weather party with your friends. So to celebrate the grass finally turning green again (and before it gets fried and goes back to brown), while the flowers are blooming and the trees are branching out, why not throw your own backyard beerpairing party? Wine and cheese parties are for the cougars and the yuppies — I want to celebrate spring with refreshing beers and real food! Dust off the patio furniture, grab your favorite cooler and plant an annual or two 16
Wine and cheese parties are for the cougars and the yuppies. I want to celebrate spring with refreshing beers and real food!
party prep. The beers are by far a few of my summer favorites, all purchased from Denton’s beloved Midway Mart. In keeping it as local as possible, we’ve stayed pretty nearby with two beers from Texas and one from our funky Cajun neighbors to the east, in Louisiana. The junkie herself, Alyssa Jarrell
— it’s time to drink and eat outside again. Let’s leave the grill out this time around; we’ll save that for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and your countless summer shindigs. Don’t worry, this is all super simple. Everything I’ve so carefully selected is not only delicious, but easily assembled and can be made ahead of time for stress-free
Little d After Dark
ALYSSA JARRELL is an adventurer in the kitchen who enjoys giving her culinary creations to family and friends. Her website is thepinkantler.com. >>
Continued on 17
April 2012
Continued from 16 >>
Prosciuttowrapped asparagus 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and blanched 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto 1 bunch fresh chives
Wrap individual spears of asparagus with a piece of prosciutto. Tie with a chive to keep in place. Trim the ends of the chives so there isn’t too much excess. Pair with: Shiner Hefeweizen.
Caprese salad skewers 1 pint cherry tomatoes 1 cup fresh basil, torn into large pieces 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into half-inch cubes kosher salt freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar On skewers, stack one cube of mozzarella, one piece of basil and one cherry tomato. Line skewers side by side, generously season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with vinegar. Pair with: Bombshell Blonde Ale.
Deep dark chocolate cookies 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided 3 large egg whites, room temperature 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt
Don’t Worry • Be Happy • Have A Taco
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl for rolling dough in later. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly after fully melted and smooth. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar, and continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk in cocoa, cornstarch, salt and the 1 cup of powdered sugar that remains, until smooth. Slowly beat in melted chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips. (Dough will become very stiff.) Roll 1 rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball, coat in powdered sugar, and place on baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before digging in. Pair with: Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.
Baja Style Mexican Food 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 C3
April 2012
Little d After Dark
17
C3
18
Little d After Dark
April 2012
FINALLY!
pudge brewer and qm
Continued from 14 >> QM and Brewer want people to settle their hash with a handshake and maybe some hashish. Though a Tecate will get you in the door just as easily. No SleE.P. is a fine fantasy about new tans, no classes for a month and a lot more free time to mix it up, musically. With two Fab Deuce records under his belt, Brewer shows no sign of coasting. QM’s need to evoke a real feeling, a real memory, seems to have laid out a blue-
A REAL DEAL
print for an album that sounds carefully crafted and yet carefree. It also sounds like the boys decided to have fun with it. After all, hip-hop in the manner of Brewer and QM isn’t a job. It’s a lifestyle.
NO JOKE man that’s good AUTHENTIC
LUCINDA BREEDING can be reached by calling 940-566-6877 or sending an email to cbreeding@dentonrc.com.
CHICAGO 311 E. Hickory #110 Denton – 2 blocks east of the square
940-566-5900
Upscale Resale at its Finest
• Furniture • Housewares
• Italian Beef • Chicago Dogs • Gyros • Reubens • Cubans • Soup & Salad
FREE DELIVERY*
• Clothing • Accessories Check out our online calendar for monthly specials!
All day – yes, All day – Everyday! * 10 mile radius from store
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10-5 • 413 E. Oak (NE Corner of Bell Avenue)
940.383.8267 • www.twiceasniceresale.com
Benefiting Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource
STYLE DELI
C3
Mon-Wed 11am - 9pm Thur-Sat 11am - 10pm Sun 11am - 7pm
weinbergersdenton.com C3
C3
April 2012
Little d After Dark
19
!" #$%% &'(' !)* !" %+ !'(' $ %% &'(' *, !" %% !'(' $ &'('
- .
/ . % ' 0. ,,1"
234056 47 )81 : ; << $ 4* )84*61 9*! 1 = =
> = ?
>
! "
"#$% & ' (
) )) )
* & & $ + , % - ! . & % / 00 $ 0 ! ( 1
, +
) )) )
$ %
/
/ $ . 2 % - !
/ # +% - ' 3 !
"# $ %
4
) ) ) 9 4 ) ) )
2 $% ' ( ' ( ( . ( 5 & 6 7 3 1 ( , %
& % , % - 8 + ( 3 ! 1 + 3 ( . 3 ( ( + ( (
6 & ( '' 2 0 - % $ 0 /
5 6! 5 ! 1 :
% / & % 6!
; 3! 9 / % (
) ,
"&'( '& ( %
5 8 <
) ; & 8
)) &5 ) ! .% + ) $ %
5 ! '
/ 00& * & ( % / ! & 9 =
$ %% > $ < ( )) $ % ! % $ +' ) 5 00 ? 00 ) & 5 &$ %% = % ( 3
+ %% / , 2
9 ( 2
'& ) (
! " # *"+
% + %& 1 26
! "
'"( #
$ '( )
$ % &
*' % (- ( 0 1 2
, - .
*' 3/+' 4 5% % 0 1 2
C3
20
Little d After Dark
April 2012