NTown - September 2014 by The Norman Transcript

TOWN

Sept. 12, 2014

+ Groovefest • ‘Carrie’ on stage Wrestling for life • 2nd Friday Reviews • Second City Q&A

what’s

SIDE

Reviews

Mike Hosty back from the dead

Life in the ring

Groovefest returns to Andrews Park

4 From the editor 22 6

A new take on “Carrie”

with Second 28 8 Q&A City cast member

2nd Friday events The Oh Johnny! Girls back in swing Caught on Camera

Nick Powers / NTown Miranda Brugman and Logan Bowe at OU’s annual Foam Party in the union parking garage

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Nick Powers / NTown Colby Brown and Ashley Buckley at Chimy’s on Campus Corner

from the editor’s desk

ello Norman,

• Online: normanscript.com/ ntown • Facebook: facebook.com/ transcriptntown • Twitter: @TranscriptNTown

9.12.14

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TOWN

staff

September is here and the fall (as short as it may be) is nearly upon us. It’s a busy time of year. For myself it seems it will be one of the busiest times of any year I can remember. Apart from turning 30 this month, on the first day of fall no less, I will have the pleasure of playing guitar in the pit for the OU musical theatre production of “Carrie The Musical” and returning to one of my favorite stages in Norman — the ampitheater at Andrews Park — for another awesome evening of music at Groovefest. Though it’s my sworn duty to cover the art scene in Norman, I never fully removed myself from it. Sometimes, I feel kind of like a congressman turned lobbyist ... or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, it feels kind of dirty, but I’ve vowed to never let this become a place for shameless self promotion. It’s not television, after all. With that in mind, I’d like to share some thoughts on the topic of being a complete greenhorn to performing in an orchestra pit. I mean, really, I have no idea what to expect, beyond a lot of practice and an aching belly from endless servings of humble pie.

Having said that, I know it’s going to be fun. Being a part, even a very small one (four performances), of a show that involved is an awesome experience. The cast and crew are practicing their lines, painting, blocking, lighting and any other -ing you can think of, even as I write this. Here are just a few of the questions bouncing around in my head: Should I wear a tux? Would a leisure suit be acceptable? Will there be a green room? What if I have to use the bathroom? Are unscripted guitar solos frowned upon? How many bows is too many? Most of that is just a joke. Most of it. I’ll get my answers soon enough.

Until then,

We also got a chance to do a Q&A with Jamison Webb, a member of The Second City 55th Anniversary Tour cast that will perform at The Sooner Theatre this month. The now world-famous comedy troupe and improv school that has served as Saturday Night Live’s talent pipeline for decades, was the jumping off point for the likes of Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Key and Peele, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler (the blonde Tina Fey) and countless others. We also look forward to “Carrie The Musical,” a rocking stage production from the OU Musical Theatre Department, and Groovefest, Norman’s long-running human rights and music festival.

NTown’s Scott Strandberg takes us on a tour of different lives spent inside the ring and the fascinating world of amatuer wrestling in Oklahoma.

Cover Design Anthony Kimball

Production Manager Rob Rasor

Executive Editor Andy Rieger

Advertising Representatives Rebekah Collins Robin Escarcega Kimberly Lehenbauer Ryan Dillard

Writers Mack Burke Doug Hill Mary Newport Katherine Parker Scott Strandberg

Design Mack Burke

In this issue of NTown we sit down with Norman music legend Mike Hosty to talk about life and death, heart surgery, marriage, pteroydactls and where the one-man band got his inspiration.

Mary Newport reviews Norman resident Chuck Miller’s latest novel, which takes readers on a journey into the Wild West, with plenty of twists.

Publisher Mark Millsap

Editor Mack Burke

What’s Inside:

Photographers Kyle Phillips Jay Chilton Mack Burke Nick Powers

N-town is a monthly publication of The Norman Transcript, 215 E. Comanche St, Norman, OK 73070. (Phone: 405.321.1800). Letters or editorial contributions should be sent to: N-town, P.O. Drawer 1058, Norman, OK, 73070 or emailed to mburke@ normantranscript.com. N-town is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner, without permissions is prohibited. Address advertising inquiries to Debbi Knoll, 405-366-3554 or dknoll@ normantranscript.com. N-town can be found online.

TELEKINETIC TERROR OU’s production of “Carrie The Musical” anything but typical By Katherine Parker

The louder, heavier and angrier the electric guitars and keyboards are, the better, because “Carrie the 6 Musical” is ready to rock. Sure to be chilling and intense, the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre and University Theatre have collaborated to bring this production to the University of Oklahoma. Audra Bryant, senior musical theatre major, who will be playing Carrie, said it wasn’t as hard as one might think turning the dark-themed 9.12.14 story into a musical, which are commonly in an upbeat and pop-style. “A lot is already done for us in the score because the score is very rock n’ roll. We’re also doing it in a smaller theatre with the audience on three sides. The intimate space puts the action right in the face of the audience, so it’s more abrasive and intense,” she explained. “With that the set is very dark and gothic in its style and that alone creates the mood.” However, whenever Bryant is acting, she said she doesn’t think about the genre of the production and instead solely focuses on the character. “I have a person I am trying to portray and she’s real. She’s a real normal person. The extreme circumstance that she’s in make the story so chilling. Afterwards, I may see it as creepy or weird, but in the moment I’m just a girl who has a very unfortunate family life who from day one has always been teased.” The musical, based on Stephen King’s best selling novel, revolves around Carrie White, a misfit. At school, she’s an outcast and bullied by the popular crowd. At home, she’s

If you go •What: “Carrie the Musical” • When: Show will open 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 19 with additional performances at 8 p.m. Sept. 20, 26, 27 and 3 p.m. matinees on Sept. 20, 21, 27, 28 • Where: Weitzenhoffer Theatre, 562 Elm St. • Details: Tickets can be purchased from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the OU Fine Arts Box Office, 500 W. Boyd St., or by phone at 325-4101. Advance ticket prices: $30 for adults, $25 senior adult, OU faculty and military, and $20 for students. Tickets at the door: $40 adult, $25 student; cash or check only. This production is rated R. For more information, visit ou.edu/finearts/ universitytheatre.html.

at the mercy of her loving but cruelly over-protective mother. Carrie discovers she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it. “The material is dark, deep. We’re not presenting it campy. There’s no splash zone or zombies handing out programs. We’re presenting it as a cautionary tale about bullying, which is how I think Stephen King originally intended it,” said music director and conductor Vince Leseney. Bryant herself is bubbly and warm — the complete opposite of Carrie — and said jokingly that since she was called back for the part she’s had to learn how to smile less. “Everything about Carrie is very internal. She tries to protect herself as much as she can by being quiet, so I have to minimize and utilize a lot of stillness; act as small as possible,”

Bryant said. Nancy Ross, junior musical theatre major, will play Carrie’s mother Margaret White. She said delving into the dark side of the musical has been a process. “I’ve done a lot of research with actual people and the psychology behind their minds like Andrea Yates who drowned her five children in the bathtub because the devil overtook her and told her to do those things,” Ross said. An interesting thing about villains is the villain doesn’t know they’re the bad guy. The villain within themselves believes they’re very justified and even more so looking at Margaret as an awful person, I have to find a way for people to find sympathy for her.” Both Bryant and Ross have immersed themselves into their characters and said they are excited for audiences to see the depth of their characters as they journey through this horror story. “Our cast is very passionate and into it. That makes me excited for our fresh take on this musical,” Leseney said.

“The original show opened in 1980 and when they revived it a couple of years ago, they cut half of the music, so there’s a clear demarcation between the pop stuff and the rock stuff. … I have made it my mission to make it more rock and less pop just by what we’re going to do with the keyboard and guitar sounds,” Leseney said. Out of all of the musical’s songs, Leseny said he is most excited for “And Eve Was Weak.” “In this song, her mother doesn’t want Carrie to be a woman because in her mind when you become a woman, you become a victim and woman is weak and man is the aggressor. “It’s very messed up. But the song builds and as Carrie is trying to get through to her the angrier her mother gets. Musically and vocally it builds to the amazing heavy rock crescendo that I think everyone is going to take away ‘that was an amazing one.’ “I want them to sing in a way that they’re battling with each other so that you can hear each of their voices and it creates this loud visceral, natural sound,” he said.

Q T

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he Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959. No one could have guessed that this small cabaret theatre would become the most influential and prolific comedy theatre in the world. 55 years later, The Second City is the gold standard, a sort of youth academy for the comically gifted, whose alumni include Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey ... The list goes on forever. A new crop of young performers is making its way to Norman Sept. 12 for a one-night engagement at The Sooner Theatre. NTown got a chance to catch up with performer Jamison Webb to talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, life on the road and making it in the major leagues of comedy. NTown: How did you get involved with improv? I noticed from your bio that you were at the University of Florida and they had it there. I have often thought that real comedians have been improv-ing their entire lives. Webb: Yeah. Well, it’s funny. As a child, I was fairly quiet. I always liked telling stories. I always had a pretty active imagination. I tended to not act out, I wasn’t a class clown. But at a certain point in middle school, I really just kind of started thinking about comedy, not just as a hobby but something that I wanted to pursue. I could take to doing something on the school news or just some goofy comedy skit, wherever I would take that chance to do it. But you know, I think I kind of always had that instinct but I think I kind of grew into that, as opposed to being a very rambunctious child who acted out. NTown: I guess improv comedians are made in time rather than born right out. What is it like working at Second City? I know it’s been an SNL pipeline. How did you get involved with them? Did they find you?

By Mack Burke

with Jamison Webb from The Second City

Webb: Growing up, between Saturday Night Live and Ghostbusters, if you grew up loving comedy in the 80s or 90s, early 2000s, you could trace it back to Second City in some way. And at a certain point, when I was discovering comedy, I liked all that, and the roads always led to Second City, between their Chicago and Toronto theaters. Their alumni base, there’s no parallel for it. So pretty much in high school in Florida, I’d love to see the Second City one day. And then in college I would do comedy there and all that but then I moved to Chicago in 2007, and I kind of kept to myself, but I wanted to make a touring company with Second City. There are a lot of paths that lead to the touring companies, and the one I ended up taking was that I enrolled in classes in Chicago, did classes for a year, then when I was done with classes, I auditioned and I made a few training center ensembles. To use a baseball analogy, it was kind of the big level into minor league baseball. You’re there, you’re doing it, but you’re not in the highest league. The ensembles there at the training center, they have auditions there a few times a year. Then I joined the touring company as an understudy about two years ago at this point. About a year and a half as an understudy, then in January of this year, I became a full-time member. It was a combination of me seeking out Second City and then at some point, Second City saying, “Hey, work for us.” NTown: That sounds pretty awesome after envisioning that for so long and then actually have that come to fruition. When you talk about comedy, what can people expect? Webb: The show is largely scripted. I think sometimes people think that what they are seeing is all improvised, made up off the top of the actor’s head, and that’s how themes are developed, but the majority of what the audience will be seeing is a collection of scenes throughout Second City’s 55

years. We’re doing a scene in the show that Steve Carrell did back when Steve was in Second City in the early 90s. We are doing scenes that current cast members and writers of Saturday Night Live did when they were here at Second City. Mostly scripted scenes, the root of a lot of the Second City scenes are about how people connect with each other — how that’s changed over time. There is some improvisation throughout where the audience gets to write suggestions for us that we get to use and bring things off the top of our heads. It’s about 90 minutes, two acts, there’s scenes and there’s songs, a lot of improvisation elements and it’s the kind of show that when you see and look at these scenes from past performers, you can get why Second City is kind of the defining institution for comedy in the last 55 years. It’s right there in the show we put on. NTown: What about some of your comedic influences? — people who worked at Second City in the past that you saw and made you say, “Oh yeah, that’s it.” Webb: It’s probably the same answer for a lot of people in my age group — I’m 28 — or anyone born after 1980. I grew up loving the Ghostbuster’s movie. I had Ghostbuster’s bedsheets, I was a Ghostbuster for Halloween. When you look at Ghostbusters, you got Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis, they all came out of Second City. And I think when I had that realization that 3 out of the 4 Ghostbusters did Second City, I thought, “Ok there’s something special there.” And then you get into this cool thing where you have Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert and they were on the Second City stage together. Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Key and Peele, The Kids in the Hall, so many people can be traced back to Second City. But as soon as I found out that three of the four Ghostbusters came from Second City, I was sold.

Photo Provided The traveling cast of The Second City’s Red Co. will be coming to Norman’s Sooner Theatre on Sept. 12 for a night of innovative comedy as a part of The Second City’s 55th Anniversary Tour. NTown: I didn’t know about Key and Peele. It seems like anyone you’ve ever heard of got their start there ... Webb: Yeah, (Michael Key) performed at Second City in Chicago in the late 90s, early 2000s. And then Jordan Peel, I believe, was out at Second City in Detroit, which is no longer in operation, but I don’t think they ever worked together at Second City, but yeah, those guys are probably one of the funniest shows on TV right now. The great thing about Second City is every couple of years, you get to ask someone about the alumni base and say, “isn’t it awesome that this person did that?” and then it’s all of a sudden, “Oh wow, this other person came out of Second City.” It’s a huge family that is always growing, finding ways to change what people laugh at. NTown: Right. It’s not like a one-hit-wonder where you are reselling the same greatest hits album. They keep coming. Webb: Exactly. The Second City is like Bob Dylan. Every couple of years, he releases something even better. It’s so awesome to have been around for that long and to be so prolific.

NTown: Where do you see this taking you? Webb: Ever since I was a kid, I just wanted to make people laugh. I wanted to be funny and make people feel good. I always wanted to entertain people. Then when you find out, “hey you can do that and get paid for it!” then it starts getting better. So as far as what lies ahead, as long as I can put food on the table and keep a roof over my head, and still get to make people laugh and write and perform comedy, I don’t know what lies ahead, and to be honest, I don’t care too much if I know that’s what I’m doing. Working and performing with Second City has made me realize that, yeah, that’s a real thing. Whether it’s Saturday Night Live or some Internet series, as long as I get to wake up and make people laugh and think a little bit, at the end of the day, I’m happy. NTown: Where have you guys gone before? Where was the toughest crowd and the best crowd you’ve seen so far? Webb: I think that since we are the road so much, we have been very, very lucky. I would not say we have had a bad show or bad audience.

NTown: Not one heckler? Webb: Occasionally there are people who yell stuff out at us and you realize they are just trying to be a part of the show. They want to contribute. And yeah, there are parts of the show where we want the audience to participate. And then there are parts of the show where we don’t want them to do that. We want them to just sit back and enjoy it. You know, we have never had any crazy thing happen. I think the cool thing about doing these shows under the Second City name is that even if people aren’t familiar with us in the show, they are familiar with the Second City’s legacy and the Second City’s family. So when they come to see the show, they are excited, they are looking forward to the evening. I will say that I think there is something really special and fun that happens a lot when we are performing for college audiences. It’s such a great energy and the better the energy we get from the audience, it’s a very give and take relationship between the performers and the audience. If the audience is having a great time, enjoying it, and they have a great energy, that’s just going to manifest itself in the actors having a great time. Having a great energy results in the audience.

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Photo Provided Front: Ariel Dumas; Rear (left to right): Jamison Webb, Jasbir Singh, Casey Whitaker, Eddie Mujica and Kelsey Kinney In the college crowd, it’s just a bunch of people having a really great, fun time. Those are usually really smart, energetic shows that stick out to me. NTown: How many people are involved in the cast?

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Webb: There are six actors and actresses, a musical director and a stage manager, so there are eight of us on the road. Our homebase is Chicago. NTown: You said music director. Do you have a piano accompanist or a pit orchestra? Webb: Sarah is our music director and she plays the piano throughout the show, she provides via her laptop sound effects, transitional music. NTown: Oh wow, so your music director is your accompanist too? Webb: Oh yeah, she’s great. She’s so crucial to the show, so instrumental to the show, so calling her just the accompanist isn’t really accurate. So many times she’s driving the scenes with her great music and sound designs. It’s a pretty bold theatrical experience being done with actors, music director and someone running the lights. It’s pretty cool, especially if you think about touring shows, like Broadway productions, there’s an orchestra, singers, dancers, sets, I think Second City is a great reminder, as it always has been for 55 years, that it doesn’t need a lot of

flash and magic tricks to put together a really awesome theatrical show. Sometimes it just takes six actors, a few chairs and an audience who’s ready to enjoy the evening. NTown: As long as you can make them laugh, I guess it doesn’t really matter. Where are you guys going after this? Webb: We go back to Chicago, then I believe the week after that we go to Michigan, and then throughout the fall and winter we will be in California, New Mexico, New Jersey, New England, so we will kind of be all of the place. We tend to do a couple of shows then come back to Chicago, but thankfully we are never away from home for too long. We are just looking forward to going to all corners of the country. NTown: So this is year-round traveling and performing? Webb: Yeah and the great thing is, we spend a lot of time in vans and all that, but especially with this cast, they are such a fun group of people-they are comedians. They are fun. A four-hour van ride can just fly by. We are having fun and we are just so excited to be doing this. NTown: It sounds like being in a band. Webb: Yeah, it really is. It’s awesome. It’s the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle without all of the particular

rock ‘n’ roll things. It’s the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in that we get to travel and entertain people and we stay in a hotel. But everything else is pretty much business as usual. It’s awesome. One of the cool things about touring is that you get to see a lot of the country that you might not see otherwise by driving down highways and back roads. It always blows me away how big this country is and also how no matter where you are, it can usually have a small town feel-- very familiar and friendly. It’s great. Going around the country, making people laugh, and getting to hang out with some of your best friends. It’s a dream job. NTown: On your website, it says that you will have a performance at the Smithsonian on the same day. Webb: Yeah, so there are three touring companies and we cover all parts of the country. My touring company will be in Oklahoma, and another company will be in D.C. and there was another touring company in Seattle the last few days. Every couple of years, a touring company goes to Vienna, Austria, there’s a touring company that we will be sending to California around the holidays. All the touring companies are awesome. No matter which show they are seeing, they are going to be seeing a great show and have a great time.

book reviews By Mary Newport

By Mary Newport

“Knuckleduster” Author: Andrew Post Released: 2013 Brody Calhoun is a man of many contradictions. The accident that killed the rest of his peacekeeping unit left him completely blind … except when he makes use of carotene lenses that restore his sight as long as their charge lasts. After returning from war, Brody won’t touch a gun, eschewing all violence … except during his weekend jobs, when battered women pay him to give their abusive husbands and boyfriends brass-knuckled payback. He’s toeing a fine line, two steps away from a prison sentence and five cents away from broke, when an old friend from the service calls and invites him out, ostensibly for Thanksgiving. What Thorp really wants is for Brody to track down his missing sister, Nectar, and the hunt drags them both neck-deep into conspiracy. Against a backdrop of Chicago 40 years in the future, where robot waitresses fill the diners and driverless taxis roam the streets, Brody and Thorp embark on a testosterone-fueled rescue mission. Brody is a well-defined character, but his hot-and-cold pacifism makes it hard for the plot to progress as he shies back from traditional feats of daring-do. In these moments it’s up to Thorp to kickstart the story – something he does with greater and greater frequency until the remainder of the book is half in his point of view. Unfortunately Thorp, while dynamic, is never better defined than as a loose bag of psychosis and paranoia. His one clear feature is his driving need to save his missing sister … though his need is not so great he feels called to join Brody when he first sends him on that mission. Post plays with his readers through the characters, plucking at Thorp and Brody’s issues while making readers wonder what’s really dangerous and what simply looks that way through the heroes’ haunted eyes. He does an

“Creeping Dawn: Rise of the Black Centipede” Author: Chuck Miller Released: 2011

excellent job, too, of blending futuristic advances with the unchanging realities of human nature and city life. His upgraded Chicago feels like the real city instead of a sci-fi copy. “Knuckleduster” is fast-paced and action packed, with realistic acts of amateur vigilantism and unrealistic acts of amateur computer-hacking. The novel is, at heart, an action thriller, full of guns, explosions and bloody knuckles. The heroes take on an ever-expanding series of villains, moving up the latter from petty – but deadly – crooks to the shadowy faces controlling a vast network with an evil plan. The combat is satisfyingly visceral, but the tech is an annoying mix of tiny boxes with godlike powers and fatally flawed objects that fail or succeed with far too contrived convenience. Ultimately, “Knuckleduster” is a good choice for readers seeking a quick and painless shot of manly entertainment, conflicted heroes and shadowy corporate treachery – just as long as they don’t expect the climax to tie up all the loose ends or the happy ending to be extraordinarily happy. Read if: You’re not paranoid, they’re really out to get you. Plus you love a good gunfight. Don’t read if: Die Hard doesn’t strike a chord with you.

It’s not that unusual to read a Western wherein the hero walks hand-inhand with real historical figures. It’s not unheard of to find such a book that also deals heavily with the occult. And gunslingers have always counted a large number of vigilantes in their number, so it’s no surprise to see a cowboy don a superhero’s mask in gangland Chicago. What is surprising is the way Chuck Miller manages to combine all these themes into a gritty, bloody and highly enjoyable work featuring a dirty, red-splattered and equally enjoyable hero. Part secretive do-gooder, part inhuman avenger and pretty much all vicious murderer, the Black Centipede is going to clean up Zenith come hell or high water – and he’s expecting quite a bit of that hell to be literal. Combining superhero tropes, Western themes and magical realism, “Creeping Dawn” goes so far over the top it ascends into a state of grace. The Black Centipede operates in a world where a villain with a voodoo mask, necklace of bones and working magic staff is every bit as real and realistic a character as William Randolph Hearst. He surmounts impossible odds with incredible gadgets, adroitly summoned spirits and a great deal of good old-fashioned gunslinging. The one-liners are witty, the women are always trouble and the opposition is as mixed a bag of animalistic violence and malicious genius as anyone could ask for. The tough-guy dialogue and overblown action would be at home in the campiest of comic books, and the author knows it – the book is full of little nods to the geeks who make up its intended audience. Mixed in as well are almost-true historical asides and caricatures of people like H.P. Lovecraft and Lizzie Borden.

If the book has a weakness, it is that there are just a few too many of these little nudges, knocking readers out of the already loose central flow of the story. The plotline of “Creeping Dawn” is rough-and-ready in the true comic-book tradition, running with the action and disregarding everything else. It’s the perfect style for a book like this, and readers won’t want it any other way – but there are just a few too many gaps, allusions to unexplained backstory and shoehorned references that throw the audience for a long moment. Despite its flaws, “Creeping Dawn: Rise of the Black Centipede” has almost magnetic appeal. The hero is refreshingly unselfconscious about his inner darkness, the evildoers satisfyingly human in their motivations (even the ones who aren’t human at all) and some of the banter so brisk readers will literally laugh out loud. It’s a good choice for vigilante hero fans who don’t mind dusty bootprints over their cityscape, readers of fictionalized history who enjoy strong emphasis on the fiction and anyone who favors a dash of occult crime. Read if: You could identify superheroes before they had movies. Don’t read if: You never got the hang of suspension of disbelief.

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album reviews

By Doug Hill

Musician: Apeks Album: The Ascent Vol. 1 9.12.14

Oklahoma City-based rapper Apeks’ government name is Alex Schwimmer. He’s a self-described “skinny Jewish kid from Oklahoma” who originated in Southern California and was raised in Newcastle. Those facts make Apeks all kinds of minorities. He was born into the home of a rock ‘n’ roll drummer dad and brother who later turned him on to Eminem and other hip-hop. Echoes of Marshall Mathers can be heard throughout Apeks new 16-track disc on Forever N Ever Music that dropped last month. Closely allied with hip-hop artist J. Horne, the pair’s 2014 Norman Music Festival collaborative set was one of that event’s highlights. Horne is now featured on two of Apeks’ original compositions. “Don’t get mad at your dame/ when she be screaming my name,” Apeks implores on “Brick City.” As with most of these cuts it starts with a few Apeks’ chuckles then launches into the rhymes.

By Doug Hill

The song touches on how he moved artistically from the Beatles to DMX. In Apeks’ biography he credits Kansas City’s Tech N9ne (Strange Music label) for massive influence on his development. Noted, but KC rapper Mac Lethal also comes to mind listening to tracks such as “Say You Will” and “I Got This Remix.” Much of Apeks’ work features his preternatural ability to roll words off his tongue with lightning speed. Indeed in some instances he’s just too fast with the Tech N9ne level verbalizing. Often words in the torrent ricochet into oblivion. Along with the aforementioned Horne, others with featured appearances on this record include Titus, Jook, Kwine, FNE, Ty Stax and Looney. Musicality with chorused vocals and the occasional classic sample is an attractive aspect from start to finish. Violins soar on “Love Me” alongside repetitive backing vocalization by what could be Japanese pop candy girls Apeks picks petals off his hip-hop daisy, turning former haters into lovers of his music.

Musician: Dexter Allen Album: Bluez of My Soul Southern American blues man Dexter Allen’s third LP is on the Rush Records label. His former boss Bobby Rush is co-executive producer of the disc along with singing and playing harmonica on second track “Ride This Train.” All songs are Allen’s original compositions. He leads off with a tribute to his home state titled “Coming Home to Mississippi.” Allen gives a preview here of the torrid guitar shredding that’s a constant throughout the album. Some of the things he misses most after being away from home are catfish, cornbread and black-eyed peas. Allen praises his Magnolia State education which apparently inspired the creativity in him to spell “blues” in his own fashion. “Still Called the Bluez” is a laundry list of the world’s woes that includes family discord, firearms proliferation and “…The government legalizing marijuana.” It’s a keep-on keeping on ballad and one of the record’s sparse slow tempo tunes. The next number continues Allen’s

propensity for introducing new words into the lexicon. “Monk Donky” is a dance floor call to all brick houses in the room. He sings “donky” to rhyme with funky and it becomes a lyrical primer on shaking booty. “Come Out and Play” is an ill-advised seduction of a “bowleg schoolgirl.” The tune is redeemed only by Joey Robinson’s sophisticated keyboards. “Pudding and Rice” displays the kind of attitude that gets boiling Karo syrup poured on sleeping husbands. Allen’s explanation to his “big girl” lover is that she’s wonderful in all ways but he still can’t leave home for her. “Hey there girl/ Your pudding ain’t as good as her rice,” he sings metaphorically. Allen is flirting with some serious blues on that number. “I Doubt It” is one of the record’s stoutest selections. Although not credited in the liner notes, the brass horn section soars here. Also in the notes, Dexter Allen writes respectfully about his grandfather Calvin Dixon’s credo of growing and learning which may be apt direction for his next album.

J us t s a y in’ “T ha t’s w hy y o u a lw a y s w a s h y o ur ha nd s . I k no w tha t no w .”

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movie reviews By Scott Strandberg

Hidden gems on

“The Fisher King” (1991) 14

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In 1991, Robin Williams earned his second Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in Terry Gilliam’s urban fantasy “The Fisher King.” The absurdist dreamworld of Gilliam — who first rose to fame as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, before directing such classics as “Brazil” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” — is a perfect match for Williams’ tendency for zany, oddball eccentricity. The resulting film is a truly one-ofa-kind tale of loss and redemption, set against a heavily stylized version of New York City. Shock-jock radio DJ Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) has made his name on being controversial, and he just landed his first television role. However, when a flippant remark he makes on the air to a caller leads to a mass shooting, Jack grows increasingly despondent and disappears from the limelight. Three years later, he’s living in his girlfriend’s apartment above a video store, drinking himself into a haze and hate-watching television, jealous of others’ success and unable to overcome the guilt from the shooting. The suicidal Jack ties cinder blocks to his feet and is about to jump into the river, when he’s attacked by thugs. Coming to his rescue is Parry (Robin Williams), an insane homeless man who claims to be “God’s janitor.” As it turns out, Parry lost his mind when his wife was murdered in the shooting three years prior.

In this age of digital media, Netflix is entering nearly everyone’s homes. The company’s Instant Play streaming service is now a part of nearly 35 million American households, a number which is growing by the day. With that in mind, this column serves to highlight

Parry, a former college professor, was institutionalized for a time after the tragedy and now lives in the boiler room of his old apartment building. Parry pulls Jack into the homeless underworld of New York City, and Jack learns the meaning of humility through listening to the stories of the city’s most destitute residents. Gilliam’s playful filmmaking style is on full display in “The Fisher King,” especially in a wonderful sequence where the masses of commuters in Grand Central Station spontaneously start waltzing, as Parry pursues the woman he desires through the crowd. Parry’s mind fills his surroundings according to his emotions, and sequences like this — and those in which he and Jack encounter The Red Knight, a mystical evil entity that rides on horseback — allow Gilliam to show off his trademark fantastical flair. The supporting cast is top-notch, anchored by Mercedes Ruehl, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her scene-stealing performance as Jack’s girlfriend Anne. “The Fisher King” also launched the career of the wonderful character actress Amanda Plummer (“Pulp Fiction”), who shines as Parry’s bizarre love interest. The perfect marriage of director Gilliam and the talents of the core four cast members makes “The Fisher King” a film of rare quality and unique vision. It is a film about the relentlessly haunting effect of lost love and the crippling nature of guilt. It is a film about the way we try to crawl back out of the holes life digs for us. Perhaps most importantly, it was one of the finest moments in Williams’ illustrious career. “The Fisher King” is rated R for

films you may have overlooked on Netflix Instant Play. This month, the focus is on two standout performances by the late, great Robin Williams.

language and violence.

“World’s Greatest Dad” (2009) Lance (Robin Williams) is a failed writer who has never had a single piece published. He has written five unpublished novels and is in danger of losing his teaching job at a local high school, thanks to the increasing popularity of Mike, the younger, cooler English teacher. He has a disastrous relationship with his crude, obnoxious and undisciplined son Kyle. Lance has a secret liaison with Claire, a fellow teacher, but she prefers to keep their bond a secret while pursuing her developing interest in Mike. When Kyle dies in a tragic — but highly embarrassing — accident, Lance ghost writes a suicide note for his son, to save him from the posthumous shame. When the school newspaper gets a hold of the note and publishes it, Lance becomes the most popular teacher in school, and a true inspiration to his students. Unfortunately, Lance selfishly cashes in on his newfound popularity to win over Claire and seek the fame he’s always wanted. Writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait has pulled off something truly special with “World’s Greatest Dad,” a film that balances incredibly dark comedy with a probing drama that isn’t afraid to challenge the viewer. The movie is frequently very funny, but it’s also disturbing to watch Lance betray

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everything he stands for in the pursuit of fame and popularity, especially since he earns it by grasping at the opportunity granted him by his son’s death. As he gets further and further wrapped up in himself, Lance’s narcissism spreads to Claire and eventually to the whole school. An entire community of people who despised Kyle in life end up using his death as a sort of attention-seeking behavior. Funerals may be more for the living than they are for the dead, but everyone in this movie finds a way to make Kyle’s death about themselves, rather than about this boy they barely knew. It is a bit troubling to see Williams stare at the screen and say the line, “Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems,” but no matter how dark the film gets at times, Goldthwait always has a big laugh waiting just around the corner. What could have been an insufferably depressing film instead flawlessly walks the line between dark comedy and outright despondency, without ever falling overboard from the former to the latter. The only real issue with “World’s Greatest Dad” is its ending. The finale is rather sudden, and it didn’t remotely fit the tone of the rest of the film. Nothing against happy endings, but the saccharine-sweet finish to “World’s Greatest Dad” is one that neither the film, nor the character of Lloyd, earned or deserved. Cut out the last couple minutes, and you have a masterpiece of morbid comedy. As is, it’s still pretty darn good. “World’s Greatest Dad” is rated R for language, crude and sexual content, some drug use and disturbing images.

“Beware of Mr. Baker” (2012) In the very first shot of “Beware of Mr. Baker,” Ginger Baker, now over 70 years old, loses his temper with documentarian Jay Bulger and strikes him across the face with his cane. It’s a fitting introduction to a most unique biographical documentary, one in which every interviewee clearly respects Baker for his talent, but hardly anyone even pretends to like him as a person. Ginger Baker is widely considered one of the most influential drummers in history. In “Beware of Mr. Baker,” everyone from Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason credits Baker for being the pioneer of modern rock drumming. The apex of Baker’s career came with psychedelic blues-rock trio Cream, where he rose to superstardom alongside bandmates Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce. Unfortunately, due to a combination of substance abuse and interpersonal problems, the band lasted just two years. As it turned out, two years was plenty long enough for the band to leave their mark on rock ‘n’ roll history. The film traces the life of the legendary drummer from childhood to the present day, including extensive interviews with his Cream bandmates, Clapton and Bruce. Baker comes across as the sort of insufferably arrogant artist who makes for fascinating documentary fodder, but that you wouldn’t ever want to meet. He is especially hard on Bruce, whom he constantly ridicules for having a poor sense of rhythm and simplistic songwriting sensibilities. An early interview segment illustrates how out of touch with humanity Baker really is. He discusses growing up amidst the London bombings of World War II as nonchalantly as conjuring up memories of a pleasant walk on a spring day. “When we went back to school, there were quite a few empty desks,” Baker says. “To me it was great. I still love explosions to this day. I love disasters.” After his Cream days, and a succession of other short-lived bands, the increasingly eccentric Baker took off on a road trip through the Sahara in 1970. He didn’t return to England for six years, instead relocating in Nigeria, where he opened a recording studio and joined a polo club. Upon returning, he left his wife and children in favor of a romance with an 18-year-old. The bank foreclosed on their house, and his former family was soon homeless. Baker’s own son says that Ginger “would have been way better off in life, if he’d never had kids and just did his thing. He would have left a lot less of a mess behind.” If he wasn’t such a difficult person, perhaps Ginger Baker wouldn’t be the legendary talent that he is. Maybe he wouldn’t be the supremely engaging film subject that he is, either. However, one thing made quite clear by “Beware of Mr. Baker” is that life would have been much easier for many people without him around. “Beware of Mr. Baker” is unrated.

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9.12.14

By Mack Burke

ike Hosty, Norman’s iconic one-man band and perhaps most beloved musical treasure died in January. Only he didn’t. Doctors stopped his heart to save it. He underwent an operation in January to ﬁx a faulty heart valve, but if it weren’t for a chance encounter with a friend, he may have never known. Norman could have lost the Oklahoma Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who wrote the smash hit “Oklahoma Breakdown,” and in the process lost part of its soul. This is the story of how he came back from the dead and returned to the stage.

The saving joke

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“

They take you ofﬂine for the operation ... Then they shock you back to life. So, I got a new birthday ... now I can say, because I have a new birthday, I am ﬁnally a native Oklahoman.”

“It was total chance I found out about it anyway. I played a party for a friend in Arkansas who’s a cardiologist and as kind of a joke I go ‘hey, give me a free electrocardiogram.’ And he did. And he said ‘you need to go see somebody. You probably need surgery. Let’s go party.’” His friend directed him to Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he learned he was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, a condition that affects 1-2 percent of the population. “They diagnosed what I had when I gave them family history. My dad had a heart infection when he was 46. What I had was congenital. He died on the table in 1987 when I was 16. That’s his piano, that’s his stereo and turntable,” he said, pointing around a living room full of antique music makers. In many cases, a bicuspid aortic valve will cause no problems. However, BAV may become calciﬁed, which can lead to heart murmurs and possibly death. People suffering from BAV may become tired

more easily and have difficulty maintaining stamina for cardio-intensive activities, because the heart is put under more stress. “You know, like an old pipe will get gunk around it,” he said. “That’s what they took out of me. They gave me an 8X10 of it, if you want to see it. It’s a glossy. It’s definitely suitable for framing.” I declined out of squemishness. At first, Hosty asked his doctor if he could wait. They said he had about a year to get it fixed, but something could go wrong at any time. There’s no telling with this kind of thing. “I was talking to my friend and he said ‘what are the symptoms?’ I go, well there aren’t any symptoms. The only symptom is death. He said ‘That’s a terrible symptom.’” He laughs now, but at the time he was internally dealing with his own mortality. “I didn’t tell many people. I didn’t feel like talking about it really. I was kind of scared and January came around and I went to the operating room. When they wheeled me in there, the guy sweeping the floor had his cell phone out and was listening to “Oklahoma Breakdown” and the nurse goes ‘That’s Jimmy. He’s in charge of this. That’s Bobby. He’s in charge of that.’ It’s like I was walking into a team meeting at the Love’s Country Store, but they were all super nice and it’s pretty incredible. I’ve got a nice scar.” On the topic of scars: “We went to the beach at South Padre, and I thought I had to wear a swim shirt but Kelly told me I shouldn’t. It was kind of weird but then I saw a guy with a dolphin tattoo, and I thought, “My scar is way better than that dolphin tattoo that you have on your shoulder. A picture tells a thousand words but a scar tells a story.”

Milestones of recovery Hosty went on to rehab at the

Norman Regional Heart Plaza with guys like Elmer and Donny, who’d say “Wow. You’re the youngest one here.” The surgery took place on Jan. 30 of this year. A little over two months after having his chest sawed open, Hosty was back on the stage. Any heart surgery patient will tell you, that’s a quick recovery. But it all happened little by little. Imagine it like a game. • Level 1: Get out of bed • Level 2: Go to the bathroom by yourself • Level 3: Lift 10 pounds • Level 4: Turn your amp to ten • Level 5: Play live music OK, so I’m probably skipping some steps there, but you get the idea. “Well, I sat right here on the couch for a long time. But, you wake up every day and you have a different perspective on everything. Snow, rain, looking outside, tearing up at commercials. You’re just really thankful to be alive.” Everything was a new challenge. “Each day it’s something. I had all these tubes and wires. Each day was a different tube or wire. I had two drainage tubes (in my chest) that they pulled out, which fealt really weird. I have two holes where they were. The catheter lady comes in and goes ‘are you ready?’ and I go ‘yes.’ That and then walking. Getting up. Everything. You do it all over again. But you get up. You have to get up right after and walk. “They say that’s the most important thing. And I got up and walked down the hall. I had a drainage box and I pushed it up and down the hallway. I think it gets the pump started. They take you ofﬂine for the operation. I’m on a heart and lung machine during the operation. They’re moving two valves. Then they shock you back to life.” That’s right. They shocked him back to life. “So, I got a new birthday,” he said. “I was born in Wisconsin in 1970. I didn’t live there long, but now I can say, because I have a new birthday, I

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By Mack Burke

The saving joke

9.12.14

“

They take you ofﬂine for the operation ... Then they shock you back to life. So, I got a new birthday ... now I can say, because I have a new birthday, I am ﬁnally a native Oklahoman.”

Milestones of recovery Hosty went on to rehab at the

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am finally a native Oklahoman.”

Better, faster, stronger After the operation, Hosty started the arduous recovery process. One step at a time. Then it was time to pick up the guitar again. When he did he was met with two surprises. 1. His hands didn’t cramp up like before, a benefit of improved blood circulation. 2. He had trouble remembering.

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“You notice everything. It’s just amazing what medically they can do. Really, coming back it’s all up to the individual. That’s why I kept telling myself ‘you’ve got to get better. You’ve got to get up. You’ve got to go walk. You’ve got to play. You’ve got to practice.’ And I had a little bit of short term memory loss from being on the machine. So, it was like ‘I’ve got to find my keys, or my shoes.’” He was excited to get back to playing. “I get really excited to go play. You know, usually you show up and you go ‘aghh! there’s nobody there,’ but for me it’s like ‘alright! I’m playing.’ Like I made it.” Some people liken music careers to winning the lottery. It’s all about the big break. That day when a pin-striped suit wearing record executive shows up to whisk you away to fame and fortune. But that’s just about as real as the Wild West for most people who make music their breadmaker. It’s a blue collar job. Plain and simple.

The return Scar tissue and physical limitations made moving 50-plus pound amps an impossible task, but he needed to get back out there. “I needed to pay the bills. Someone asked me ‘are you going to do something else?’ I said, I’m not qualified to do anything else. It’s just what I do and I’m going to have to do it. So, I played acoustically and slowly I break out all the weird stuff.” In an alternate universe, if he weren’t playing music Hosty said he would’ve been a doctor. “I should have been a doctor,” he laughs. “My mom wanted me to be a dermatologist. My dad was a pathologist. She told me dermatologists make more money. Or a professional soccer player.” Professional soccer might not be in the

cards any more, but he said the recovery process was revealing. “You don’t realize how bad you feel until you start feeling better. So, I was like ‘wow. I’m not falling asleep while I’m sitting in here.’ Or, ‘wow, my hands don’t hurt.’ Just little things you notice. This is why I was so tired on the eliptical machine at the Y. It’s just every day. A friend of mine told me that you don’t really feel normal for a long time. Not thinking that you’re walking on eggshells or going ‘did my heart stop beating?! Wait, what was that?’ It’s like nothing I’ve ever gone through before.” One might think that such an ordeal would inspire any songwriter, but Hosty’s songs come from a happier place. Facing your own mortalilty is a stark change in subject matter from his traditional topics: Pterodactyls, the day-to-day life of a dishwasher, Disco Trucks, Chewbacca, etc. “I enjoy all the songs being happy and upbeat. My thing is people have fun. You can’t write a melancholy song about knocking on the door of death. ‘Hey! here’s one about almost dying. Let’s party!’ Then sing a really slow ... dirge ... no. I like it upbeat.”

Origins Hosty’s solo shows at The Deli encompass a drum set, guitar, vocals, kazoo(s), bells and anything else he sees fit to wield. But he used to be in a band. With The Hosty Duo, he technically still is, but his one-man act is his master stroke. It all began with a meltdown. “The drummer and bass player got in an argument at a free beer night.” Free beer night. What could go wrong? “The owner came up and told me that I better think of something pretty fast. I grabbed the drum and the highhat and I had been doing it in my apartment, and I did that, played guitar and sang. People came out and danced. I did it a couple more times, and I have been doing it since 1993,” he said. “Then I thought I could add some more things. There are a bunch of people who do it, like Dr. Ross from the 50s. He was one of the ones I listened to to try to figure out how to do it. It’s easier to fret the guitar and play than using the slide because on the slide you have to be exact. I like playing with the slide because it’s harder to do. And you gotta have the kazoo. “There are all sorts of combinations you can do. Some are harmonica and drums. I play harmonica through an amp sometimes. I’ve

added a keyboard, I’ve used a sampler, I’ve had two drums set up and played drums. I’ve actually pulled up a console organ on stage at Granddad’s once. I’ve put a trombone mouthpiece in a tube in a funnel and played that. I’ve got a clarinet but I haven’t done that yet. I got light headed from blowing in it but now I can play it since I have full breath. I thought I might have to relearn how to sing since I now have full breath.” Consider that. Relearning how to sing with the added obstacle of ... full breath. Everything is an adjustment.

Musical life insurance “I recorded a bunch of stuff the week before I went in because I thought if something happens, I want somebody to hear these songs,” he said. “If I can sing them and play the guitar, then some-

one else can finish them. That was my mentality. I got a whole bunch to work with.” Now that he’s got the time, he’s in no hurry. He’s not worried about the release date. “The guy I record with has been working on his house because of tornado damage so there’s no rush now.”

What’s next “Me? I’m just taking care of and loving my wife Kelly who helped me through. Talk about falling in love all over again. Every day. It’s just like ‘wow.’ Getting married was the best thing I ever did. “And my son, he’s 10. I want to play music and everything, but enjoying my family and living is probably the number one thing on the list. Just being alive. “Playing music is part of it and definitely part of who I am, but I was brought back for them. “That’s the way I think about it.”

Normal valve Abnormal valve 9.12.14

Mike Hosty’s Seven Wonders of Norman This town has changed a lot since Hosty took up his permanent Sunday night post at The Deli. Hosty’s five wonders of Norman have changed with it. Here’s the latest (expanded) edition:

1. Go to Ellison Feed and get some bird food 2. Eat at Sooner Dairy 3. Witness The Deli light show 4. Pepe Del Gado’s 5. The University of Oklahoma 6. Buy a paper from Calvin 7. Have lunch at Midway Grocery

LIFE IN THE RING

Mid-South Wrestling Alliance brings professional devotion to amateur sport

By Scott Strandberg

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For the wrestling faithful in Oklahoma, this is the big show. It’s not about the money. It’s about something more. It’s about what happens in the ring, and the hope that the final bell will never sound on the lifestyle that stopped being just a hobby long ago. It’s as a real as it gets and it’s not going anywhere. This is the story of the sentimentality of a bygone era and the bridging of generational gaps, as seen through the eyes of three individuals. Sunlight beams through large arched windows. Combined with strands of Christmas lights, the natural light in the auditorium gives the space an ethereal glow. The lighting also exposes the building’s age — and the slight imperfections in the wrestling ring at the center of the room — but that’s part of wrestling itself. Dust and cracks are not foreign to wrestling. Fans come to embrace the sentimentality of the story that brought us to the present. Ceiling fans whirl overhead, keeping the room relatively cool, considering the high-90s temperatures outside. About 100 people surround the ring, ranging from very young children to seniors. This is the scene every other Sunday at the Oklahoma City Farmer’s Market, when the Mid-South Wrestling Alliance holds their action-packed shows. ——— C.M. Burnham stands out from a crowd with his long black hair and scruffy beard, and he’s the man to talk to if you want to learn about professional wrestling in Oklahoma. The Commissioner of MSWA, Burnham also runs Oklafan.com, an exhaustive database of all things wrestling within the state. In addition to MSWA, Burnham works for “about half” of the ten other wrestling federations in Oklahoma. “It’s family entertainment,” Burnham

Scott Strandberg / NTown Mid-South Wrestling Alliance’s next show is Sept. 21 at OKC Farmer’s Market. Doors open at 2 p.m., show begins at 3 p.m. $8 for adults, $6 children. said. “Something you absolutely can bring the kids to.” Burnham explains that MSWA is the perfect place to see young, up-and-coming athletes hone their craft. The fact that current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Dean Ambrose once wrestled in MSWA is an example that many people around here like to reference, and for good reason. To supplement the younger talent, MSWA occasionally brings in well-known veterans. Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart will wrestle on September 21 at MSWA’s next show. Neidhart was a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion, teaming with his brother-in-law Bret “The Hitman” Hart. On November 2, 13-time world champion Big Van Vader is coming to town. “We bring in these big names that people remember from their childhood,” Burnham says. “Lots of people who might not otherwise know about us will come to those shows. They enjoy the product, and it makes them want to come back every two weeks.” Burnham pauses for a moment before adding, “Support local Oklahoma businesses. Support local entertainment, no matter where you are.” ——— You discover pretty quickly attending

an MSWA show that everyone working here used to wrestle — everyone from referees, to managers, to sound tech Joe Longwith. When asked how long he’s been working with MSWA, Longwith gestures to his preteen son and says, “Since he was just a baby.” Longwith used to wrestle, until he suffered an injury while working maintenance at an apartment complex. One morning, he woke up and couldn’t move. Doctors originally thought he had a bulging disc. As it turned out, there was a disc missing entirely, and the resulting nerve damage forced him to retire from the ring. Even though his injury didn’t happen inside the ring, Longwith is quick to point out the physical toll wrestling takes on the body. “Take a bump today, it might bruise up and heal by the next day,” he says. “10 years later, that same bruise might heal in two weeks.” Longwith walks with a cane these days, but no one needs to ask him if he misses being inside the squared circle. The way he gazes at the ring — as if imagining himself still running the ropes — says more than words ever could. ——— Jeff Knight has lived in settings like this his entire life. The 48-year-

old grappler got his start setting up rings for Fritz Von Erich’s World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas. He started training to be a manager in the mid-eighties, but soon he was in the ring himself, touring the country. Three decades later, Knight still makes his living as a wrestler, frequently teaming with his brother, Thomas. Over the years, Knight has wrestled in New Mexico, Michigan, Florida, and all points between. He’s worked shows with some of the legends of the industry, including the Von Erich family, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and the Fabulous Freebirds. In a few weeks, he’s leaving on a tour that will see him wrestle his way up the East Coast, starting in South Carolina and ending in Michigan. Even as he nears 50 years old, Knight has no problem getting bookings. “I’m a bad guy,” he says. “Phone’s always ringing when you’re a bad guy.” Wrestling has been his life, and that’s not changing anytime soon. “I eat. I sleep. I wrestle. That’s it,” Knight says as he steps outside to smoke a cigarette. He leans against a post outside the auditorium’s front door, his eyes never leaving the ring. He’s worked thousands of shows — and seen countless more — but he’s still not going to miss a moment of the action.

Music and humanity 52nd Groovefest brings music, social awareness to Andrews Park

If you go

By Doug Hill

Groovefest is coming later this month. It’s a Norman festival dating back 28 years that celebrates human freedom, dignity and respect for others. Groovefest 2014 is planned for Sunday, Sept. 28 from noon to 9 p.m. in Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. “I’m proud of Norman for keeping this festival going,” chief organizer Aimee Robillard-Rook said. “It comes from an entire community of sponsors and volunteers with special thanks to Claire Malone, Lindsey Martin and Wess McMichael.” Celebrated artist Rick Sinnett contributed festival poster and T-shirt design. Groovefest has been a community-wide collaboration from its founding and that tradition hasn’t changed over the decades. Sponsoring organizations have included the OU chapter of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Our Earth, GreenCorn and the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. From its inception the festival has been a forum for civic-minded activists intent on making Norman and the world a better place to live. Long-time Groovefest board member and cultural patriarch David Slemmons calls it “… An amazing grass roots event like you’d expect to find in much larger cities than ours.” Activist groups’ representatives set up tables with literature to explain and promote their points of view. Educa-

•What: Groovefest • When: Noon - 9 p.m., Sept. 28 • Where: Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St.

Music lineup • Noon - Bowlsey • 1 p.m. - Uncle Zep • 2 p.m. - Morning Star Band • 3 p.m. - Kyle Reid & The Low Swinging Chariots • 4 p.m. - Space Dog • 5 p.m. - Brother Grusome • 6 p.m. - Culture Cinematic • 7 p.m. - Nowhere Band • 8 p.m. - Tequila Songbirds

Doug Hill / NTown Eliza Bee (left) and Kierston White (right), of The Tequila Songbirds, perform at the 2014 Norman Music Festival. tional dialogue and friendly chats with others are the norm. Don’t take away the impression that Groovefest is only about progressive activism and politics. That’s the theme, but for many its attraction is a carefree afternoon in the park with free live music and wholesome diversions. People bring their kids and dogs and make a day of it. It’s a family friendly event. Food vendors sell snacks and local artisans display their work. Somebody always has a Frisbee or it may be your chance to hone those hackysack skills. Andrews Park’s heart is an attractive stone amphitheater that’s been there for decades. Several years ago the city added a professional-

grade stage and permanent curved awning, making it a proper outdoor venue. The festival will also be utilizing the new pavilion on the park’s northwest side. “McMichael Student Showcase will have people playing there all day long,” Rook said. “So we’ll have two stages going.” A different artist or band is scheduled at the top of each hour to perform on the main stage throughout the entire day. Following are a few selections from the bill that are sure to be highlights: At 1 p.m. Oklahoma City’s Uncle Zep brings “… A time machine for those, young and old, wanting to experience the live sound of Led Zeppelin, in the present.” It’s a tribute combo of four veteran musi-

cians. They’re fronted by master guitarist Hoppy Niles. His virtuosity is compounded by the fact that he lost his right hand in a childhood accident and now plays with left hand and a shiny steel hook. 3 p.m. will find Kyle Reid and the Low Swingin’ Chariots rolling on stage. They play a blend of American songbook standards such as their bone chilling cover of “St. James Infirmary” and Reid’s old style originals. Double bassist Johnny Carlton has been known to perform with his huge instrument hoisted high overhead. Brother Gruesome comes on at 5 p.m. It’s a “heavy grunge diet sludge” duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Todd Jackson and Levi Watson on percussion. The pair are

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often joined by an extended tribe of musical contributors. Brother Gruesome are Groovefest stage virgins. “We’re pretty excited to do it because they don’t usually have heavy music,” Jackson said. “We’ll be playing several new songs that are socially conscious. It’s loud, melodic and for the future generations that we’re leaving such a mess.” Sample titles: “You Brought Them Into This World” and “Tumor Town.” Nowhere Band plays at 7 p.m. Their name is homage to the Beatles’ 1965 composition “Nowhere Man” on the Rubber Soul album. They are Dylan Hayden on drums, bassist Kyle Miller, Olivia Buthod playing keys and guitarist Mack Burke. Nowhere See GROOVEFEST, Page 30

featuring Norman’s own noise harbingers L O O M and OKC’s Lavaluxe along with touring aritsts Black Pillar, AquaEroticum and Fecal Dam. • STASH (412 E. Main St.) has got the work of artist Aaron Stark, a Norman native, photographer and maker who will be selling his bold, colorful, handmade planters. Big Truck Tacos and The Loaded Bowl will be serving up their respective Tex-Mex and vegan fare out front!

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• The Depot Gallery (200 S. Jones Ave.) will feature Places … Spaces Between, the work of Almira Hill Grammer. She just recently showed work in the Oklahoma State Capitol Governor’s Gallery and is happy to present her newest richly colored paintings depicting barns and landscapes in The Depot. There will also be live music by Harvest Reserve (Mark McClellan, Misti Prior and Brad & Lisa Raley).

ink, dyes, salt, stone and sand, while Javaheri creates large scale oil paintings showcasing movement with layered, kinetic brush strokes. The Library Gallery showcases new work by James Hammontree, an Oklahoma City artist and musician who performs with bands like Power Pyramid and Sex Snobs. Printmaker and illustrator Tiffany McKnight will have pieces on display in the Water Closet Gallery.

• Firehouse Art Center (444 S. Flood St.) debuts Concepts & Models, the inaugural exhibition by the Nowhere Medium, a collective of individuals collaobrating in multimedia. The show features a variety of experimental pieces that were created as concepts for future artworks currently in production for Nowhere Medium’s next scheduled shows, evolving with each showing, no two experiences destined to be the same.

• Norman Downtowners Association is brightening downtown with lights on the base of all the trees lining the streets on Main, east of the railroad tracks. There will a special lighting ceremony on the corner of Main & Peters at 7:30 p.m., so come witness even more life being breathed into the ever growing Downtown Norman and Historic Arts District.

• MAINSITE Contemporary Art: Home of the Norman Arts Council (122 E. Main) closes out Elise Deringer’s A Softer Storm and Mohammad Javaheri’s Line of Flight with a closing reception and special Artist Talk starting at 5 p.m. The two solo exhibitions were finished in the artist studios located above MAINSITE over the course of the past year. Deringer’s work is centered on loose recollections of landscapes created through a variety of materials like paint,

• Dope Chapel (115 N. Crawford) has a massive evening in store. There’s a sneak peek at Dope Chapel’s Anti-Spectacle Fundraiser Phenomenon, with features work from underground artists from across the country and local resident creative geniuses alike, including Curtis Jones, Elliott Robbins, Sean Starwars, Tyler Krasowski and more. There will also be free, early entertainment from musical guests Ben Hill and Celadon City. At 9 p.m. the evening will transition into a special experimental music showcase,

• Red Room (114 W. Main St.) presents brief artist workshops by artist Drace Face, who will teach his unique pen sketching technique to participants. It’s a come and go event featuring music and refreshments. • Third Eye Gallery / Ashtanga Yoga Studio (120 E. Tonhawa Ave.) is presenting a new exhibition from Oklahoma favorite Skip Hill, pieces that fuse Hill’s signature international soul style with yoga motifs, poses and inner peace. There will also be live magic and music, along with free body work/ massages, plus snacks and refreshments. • Sandalwood & Sage (322 & 324 E. Main St.) is expanding! Please join them as they celebrate this exciting new venture with OKC native and award winning mosaic artist Arisha Burlingame. • The 419 Art Room (131 E. Gray St.) features new works by Oklahoma artist Aaron Quinn. Quinn works in India ink and brush, painting nature scene from local areas in black and white, emphasizing the structural complexity of nature.

• Studio E (220 E. Main) is housing pieces by Bjorn Bauer this month. Bauer’s work represents an emotional, visual response to life and the world we live in. They’ll have snacks and refreshments on hand, as well! • McMichael Music is having a student showcase at Dreamer Concepts (428 E. Main St.), also premiering the McMichael Music Faculty Quartet during the show. Dreamer Concepts is also hosting an array of Pop Up Shops and Finding Meaning: The Art of Recovery. • The Social Club (209 E. Main St.) welcomes featured artist Amyie Kao of Mariposa Coffee Roastery. Mariposa will be serving up one-of-a-kind coffee drinks that night (and doing a pour over bar on Saturday morning), and 15 percent of art sales on Friday and Saturday go to fund water wells in coffee communities. • Bigfoot Creative (315 E. Main St.) is open with featured artist Aaron Martin, along with a live paint by Tom Farris and the duo of Hoka Skenandore & April Holder, both of whom will auction of their creations at the end of the night. There’s also live music courtesy of DJ Micah Wesley. • Ball and Morse (111 N. Peters Ave.) asks you to join them in celebrating the work of talented artist Nora Hall, stone carver Bill Boettcher and work by members of the Firehouse

• Joy’s Palace (300 E. Main) presents a Funk Party, a free show featuring the music of Sapphire and DJ Adam.

Art Center’s carving class. An assortment of beverages and refreshments will be provided. • The Studios at 420 Main (420 E. Main St.) is hosting guest artist Barry Mangin this month and invites you up to see what their resident artists have been creating in the past month. Bring a blank t-shirt or tote bag to screenprint or create something of your own to take home up in the studios. • D.M. Wealth Management (201 E. Main St.) invites you to see the work of featured mixed-media artist Melanie Lyon and enjoy live music from the always entertaining Frank Lawrence. • Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar (207 E. Main St.) will have live music in the air and the work of local artists on the wall for you to take in.

• Ahimsa Yoga & Beads (219 W. Main St.) is offering Pre-Art-Walk Candelight Slow Flow Yoga at 5 p.m. for $5. They’ll have an earring making table setup and the Super Juice Vegetarian Food, Smoothies & Juice Truck to grab a meal or beverage from, too! • Bell’s Mystical Beginnings (207 W. Main St.) will be open late with Tarot and Oracle Readers available. There’s free Healing Touch Energy Therapies, art from local artists on display and a drum circle that the community is invited to participate in. • 405 Dance & Fusion Fitness (323 E. Main St.) is showing the work of Megan Miller out front! • Gallery 123 (123 E. Main St.) asks you to come up and see all the new work their resident artists, like Sylvia Miller, have created.

sisters of rock Rockabilly quartet The Oh Johnny! Girls back in full swing By Kyle Phillips

The Oh Johnny! Girls, fronted by Sandra D. Taylor and Kelli Brooke Haney, were a match made in rock ‘n’ roll heaven and forms a story, not that of an experienced rock band, but of a friendship that formed between two young girls who loved to make music. The band was formed in 2005, but the origin story begins much earlier. “Before I met her, everybody would tell me that I had a doppleganger around town, we had the same haircut and wore the same types of clothes,” Haney said , “and when I finally met her I was like, oh, you must be the girl everyone has been telling me about.’” After that meeting in 1999 at a Misfits concert, the two became fast friends and immediately started playing music together. But it would be another six years before the pair would take the stage as the Oh Johnny! Girls. “We just kind of played together at our houses and basically spent that entire time taking about what our sound was going to be and then one day we just decided that it was time,” Taylor said. Unsure of how to go about getting their band out there, and with no set list, Haney called one of her favorite bands and asked them if the Oh Johnny! Girls could open their show. “We had two songs written. We basically had nothing,” Haney said, “I saw that one my favorite bands was playing at The Conservatory and I called them and just started talking us up and just BSing them about how good our band was and they said ‘OK.’” With a month to go before the live show, the girls started writing like crazy to fill out their set. Two songs wouldn’t cut it, so a trial by fire began. They passed.

Kyle Phillips / NTown The Oh Johnny! Girls ‘ Sandra D. Taylor (left) and Kelli Brook (right) perform at Midsummer Nights’ Fair in Norman. “It was really awesome because we didn’t have to go through the struggle of paying our dues right away. We really talked ourselves up and it worked,” Taylor said. After a few shows the band started becoming a well know fixture in the OKC music scene winning an award from the metro press for Best Emerging Artist. “Our first two years were pretty amazing. I mean it happened fast, but I think its because we worked really hard at it, “ Taylor said, “We wanted so much. We were playing three or four shows a night.” After being in the band for a while, Taylor decided to pack up and move to Austin to see if she could get into the music scene there, but she found herself disappointed with what she found in the music capital of Texas. She moved back to Oklahoma less than two years later. “I was musically and socially exhausted here and didn’t feel like I was accomplishing much in Oklahoma, but then I realized the scene in Austin was

sad to me because these musicians I idolized weren’t being recognized.” Taylor said. It broke my heart and it was such a disappointed that I couldn’t stay there anymore, but I’m glad I had the experience.” Once back in Oklahoma, Taylor started playing more shows with the band, but on a smaller scale. “We’ve only played a handful of shows in the last year, said Taylor, “ but we’re ready to start a fire and give it another go.” After releasing a split record with the High Pressure Idiots, the Oh Johnny! Girls released their first album, “You should have known,” in 2006. With a digital re-release this year, the band hopes to get back to the studio to record the long awaited sophomore album by the new year. “We are in the process of writing new music and we hope to get something out after January,” Haney said, “and it’s going to be different from out last album. We’ve grown a lot since then. We’ve written a lot of new songs.”

Since the band isn’t backed by a label, getting the album out sits squarely on their shoulders. But that doesn’t worry the girls, since they will have bassist Timmy Melton and drummer Barron Snider there with them along the way. “The band name is the Oh Johnny! Girls, so we are sort of the face of the band, but the guys help us out a lot,” Haney said. We go to practice with a song that we’ve written and they give their input and we all kind of create this sound together. We couldn’t do that without them.” With Taylor back in Norman and a new album on the horizon, the band that started with the simple goal of making music and writing good songs is happy with the way things have turned out. “I am very grateful for meeting Brooke and having this opportunity to play music with her. I feel like I have a lot more power when I play with her,” Taylor said, “Not playing music for us ... well, it just doesn’t work. “

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CAUGHT on camera The Cleveland County Free Fair Photos by Kyle Phillips and Jay Chilton

Brandon Holman of Noble checks out a goat at the Cleveland County Free Fair in Norman .

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Above: Kids ride the ferris wheel at the Cleveland County Free Fair. Left: Brooke Tatum, of Norman, consoles a young piglet to give children a chance to pet it as she volunteers in the farm animal petting area at the Cleveland County Free Fair .

Above: Maggie Anderson, right, sits on a cow with the help of her mom, Mandee Anderson. Above: Aden Mauch enjoys the slide during the Cleveland County Free Fair, a four-day celebration at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. Below: Kids ride carnival rides at the Cleveland County Free Fair.

OU PERFORMING 9.12.14

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Check out NTown’s top ten for September. For a detailed calendar visit normantranscript.com and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Norman Open Studios

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• When: Sept. 26 - 28 • Open Studios Exhibit Reception • Where: MAINSITE Contemporary Art, When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 Where: MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St. 122 E. Main St. • Description: The Norman Open Studios program is a way for participat- • Open Studios Tours ing artists in Norman to literally open When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 their studios to the community to Description: Free Self-Guided Tours, explore the places where art is being $25 VIP Bus Tour made.

• Open Studios After-Party & BBQ When: 5-8 p.m., Sept. 27 Description: $5 Admission (Free for participating artists & VIPs) • Open Studios Artist Talks When: 1-4 p.m., Sept. 28 * All events are open to the public and free unless otherwise listed

• The Second City’s 55th Anniversary Tour When: 8 p.m., Sept. 12 Where: Sooner Theatre Be there for this ultimate peek behind the curtain as the superstars of tomorrow present the legendary theatre’s best of the best created by some of the

biggest names in the business. • Star Circle $50 • Main Floor $45 • Premiere Balcony $45 • Balcony $40

• Rawl Engineering Practice Facility Open House When: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., Sept 13 Where: Rawl Engineering Facility, 850 Jenkins Ave. Come discover where engineering comes to life. Meet members of the Sooner Racing Team, Sooner Solar Team, Sooner Off-Road, Sooner Powered Vehicle, Design/

Build/Fly, Concrete Canoe and others and see some of their projects firsthand. OU Engineers Club will be serving food beginning at 4 p.m.

• Rhinoceros When: 8 p.m., Sept. 23 - 27, 3 p.m. Sept. 28 Where: Old Science Theatre, 660 Parrington Oval 9 Helmerich School of Drama presents Eugene Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros” directed by Susan Shaughnessy.Tickets are $9 Adult, $6 Student. For details

please call the Fine Arts Box Office at 325-4101 or online at theatre.ou.edu.

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• Medieval Fair Free Lecture Series, When: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Sept. 12 Where: Norman Public Library

• RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species When: Sept. 13 - Jan. 19, 2015 Where: Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

Revival of Traditional Germanic Assistant Chad Unruh Medieval Long Sword Fencing, Presented Fair Free Lecture Series. by Master of Arms Jerry Benson of Redlands Fencing Center With Instructor Dustin Reagan and

This exhibit includes wellknown endangered species like bald eagles and sea turtles, but it also spotlights more unfamiliar species including

the Delhi Sands flower-loving fly and the Higgins eye mussel. The exhibition also celebrates endangered species making a comeback.

• Summer Breeze Concert Series Handsome Devils When: 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., Sept. 14 Where: Lions Park

• “Carrie The Musical” When: 8 p.m. Sept.19-20, 26-27 / 3 p.m. Sept. 2021, 27-28

Norman band the Handsome Devils blends a love of folk, rock, blues, R&B and jazz into a wholly Americana sound. Beginning as a trio of Derek Paul and rhythm

University Theatre and Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre presents CARRIE the Musical. Music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, book by

section twins Derek and Devon Carothers, they hit the ground running and quickly garnered a loyal following by way of honest, catchy tunes and fun live shows.

• Winter Wind Concert Series Gretchen Peters When: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m., Sept. 28 Where: Norman Depot Winter Wind opens with the warm-honey voice of Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. A singersongwriter in the folk/country

genre, Peters has released nine albums of her own.

Lawrence D. Cohen. Based on the novel by Stephen King. Rated R. For more information, contact the OU Fine Arts Box Office at 3254101 or by email at sbent@ou.edu

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• 52nd Groovefest When: 12 p.m. - 12 a.m., Sept. 28 Where: Andrews Park Plan to tye dye, dance, chill, and listen to various speakers between sets inspire us with insight about local issues that affect us all. Bands include

Bowlsey, Culture Cinematic, Morningstar Band, Kyle Reid and the Low Swinging Chariots, Brother Gruesome, Nowhere Band, and Tequila Songbirds.

CAUGHT on camera The annual Foam Party at the Oklahoma Memorial Union parking garage Photos by Nick Powers 28

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Top: Kylie Tommaney (left) , Casey Pattillo (center) and Nathan McMullen (right) Right: Ivey Dyson (left) , Jina Song (center) and Serena Broulette (right) Above: Ashley Findley (left), Summer Meacham (center-front), Josh Hope (center-back) and Luke Castro (right).

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Top: The OU Union Programming Board throws a giant foam party to kick of the school year . Left: Donovan Session and Boomer Above: Skylar Thomas

Groovefest:

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Band performs instrumental interpretations of the Fab Four’s classic hits. “I thought it would be a fun thing to put this project together because everyone has a connection to these songs,” Burke said. “Just asking someone to pick a favorite or a top five is almost impossible for some people, because there’s such a wealth of objectively great and subjectively sentimental music there.” The band isn’t attempting to recreate the Beatles music but rather reimagine it with their own personal nuance. They’ve found it to be a fun experience in no small part because of deep love and respect for the songs. “Although the Beatles broke up in 1969, it’s amazing how much their music still speaks to people. Some say that if they hadn’t revolutionized pop music, somebody else would have,” Burke said. “Probably true, but they did it. Keeping that alive in some fashion is a big part of why we wanted to do it.” Burke has played Groovefest multiple times in the past with other bands and he’s looking forward to a return visit. “I love the amphitheater at Andrews Park. It’s in the Goldilocks zone in terms of size. It’s big

enough to hold a crowd, but it still feels intimate,” he said. “And there are a lot of good bands on the bill. Most of it is talent from right here in Norman.” Groovefest’s 8 p.m. finale is Kierston White’s popular Tequila Songbirds project. They are a rotating cast of, “Musical sisters who gang up every now and again to share tunes with y’all and shoot the breeze.” At this year’s Norman Music Festival vocalist/guitarist Kierston White teamed up with fiddler Eliza White for a scorching set that was among that weekend’s strongest moments. A traditional part of Groovefests past has been speakers on various progressive human rights topics. That will continue this year but individual confirmations had not been made at press time. “It’s all about communication, diversity and dialogue,” Rook said. Because of the events in Ferguson, Missouri we’ve asked for a representative from Norman Police Department to come and discuss community policing.” Other speakers will address the crowd on education, the environment and sustainable energy. It’s all lining up to be a Groovefest that will contribute to Norman’s deserved reputation as “The City of Festivals.”

Doug Hill / NTown Above: Groovefest is a family-friendly festival with special activities for children. Below: Kyle Reid and his Low Swingin’Chariots perform at Midsummer Nights’Fair in Norman. Reid and his ‘old-timey’band will take to the Groovefest Main Stage at 3 p.m., on Sept. 28 in Andrews Park.

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