pop - Jun 24, 2011

pop Camp Rock Sooner Theatre kids roll out production of Disney hit Page 5

Feathered Rabbits Talk about their brand of ‘dirty rock ‘n’ roll’ and their place in the Sooner-sonic renaissance Page 7

Friday, June 24, 2011

pop Kendall Brown, editor Stacy Swan, layout artist CONTACT US

Phone: 366-3533 Fax: 366-3516 pop@normantranscript.com WEEKLY DEADLINE Noon Tuesday

All faxed or mailed information submitted must be typed.

pop is published each Friday by The Norman Transcript, P.O. Box 1058, Norman, OK 73070.

To advertise, call 366-3554.

CORRECTION POLICY

Corrections of errors in fact will be published in this space and will be made as soon as possible after the error has been brought to the editor’s attention CONNECT Facebook.com/ normanpop Twitter.com/ normanpop ON THE COVER

Feathered Rabbit will play Thursday at the Deli and at the Hidden Castle.

Photo by Doug Schwarz, provided.

2

pop

THE DISH MARGARITAS

High Notes

Art for the sake of ...

By Kendall Brown POP Editor

This past Friday, I had the incredible honor of attending the funeral of Clara Luper.

Luper, a lifetime resident of Oklahoma, was pivotal in the fight for civil rights across Oklahoma and the nation.

Although her name is not as widely known as Rosa Parks, the sit-ins that Luper led were no less important to fighting for equal rights for all.

Attending her funeral got me to thinking. If I die tomorrow, what will they say at my funeral? Will they say, “She made a difference?” Or will they say, “She simply … existed?”

This is a question I think many ask themselves at one point or another in their lives.

Too often, however, it’s a question that many artists fail to ask themselves. After all, we are artists, are we not? Our art is our contribution. And often patrons of the art allow it to happen, not questioning the validity of the artwork. No one asks, ‘Does this artwork make a difference?’ Or does it simply … exist?

There are, however, artists working in the area that seem to be asking themselves that very important question every day. In fact, their lives and their art seem to be centered on making a difference. And for that, they deserve a mention. I think we can all learn something from them.

Jennifer Salazar — Not only is Salazar one of the most talented realism artists working in the area, she is also one of the most culturally aware. Jennifer traveled to Africa with me in

Friday, June 24, 2011

Photo Provided

“Asian Woman with Veil” by Jennifer Salazar is shown. In addition to art, Salazar also has a passion for helping people with HIV. 2008 and it was there that I first saw both her incredible talent as well as her passion for working with HIV positive patients. Since her time in Africa, Salazar has begun to pursue a Master of Public Health with a focus on epidemiology. She hasn’t forgotten her passion for art, however.

Salazar has worked with numerous international organizations, including The Well in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Maisha International Orphanage in Kenya, often selling her artwork and donating 100% of the proceeds to the group. You can see her work at www.salazarportraits.imagekind.com.

Lagueria Davis — Davis had spent seven years working at the OU Women’s Resource Center when she learned that 1 in 3 women are the victim of domestic violence. She originally wanted to make a documentary about the issue, but when that proved impossible (due to obvious privacy issues) Davis decided to write and direct her own film about the issue. Thus,

MAMAVECA

By K e n d a ll

Bro w n

POP Edit or

the film “1 in 3” was born. The film and Davis have both gone on to win numerous awards on the film circuit, but more importantly, have educated people about the important issue of domestic violence.

Randy Alvarado — Alvarado, as a businessman and entrepreneur, easily could have stuck to the business side of life, never venturing into art or activism, and still had a wildly successful career. After graduating from OU with a marketing degree, Alvarado has gone on to own or operate six different companies. His venture into art, however, is one of the coolest stories I’ve ever heard. After deciding that he had gone as far as he could as the head of the business he was working for, Alvarado quit his job, packed his bags, and flew to France for several months. He didn’t speak the language, he didn’t have a specific plan and he wasn’t sure what came next, but he did have his camera and several rolls of film. Once he got back to the states, Alvarado dedicated his life to photography and has gone on to travel to 23 countries on five continents, working for numerous non-profits and has published a book, “Nicaragua: One week with Manos Juntas.” Talk about a 180 in life. You can see his work at www.randyalvarado.com.

I think everyone, both the art community and those that consume art can learn something from these three. I’m not saying that every artist has to work for a nonprofit or take on larger-than-life social issues.

Maybe what some artwork stands for is more personal … just as long as it stands for something.

Readers’ choice Mamaveca, 2551 Hemphill Drive, has 14 different margaritas, ranging in price from $7 to $12. Available flavors include the margarita/sangria swirl (pictured), peach, strawberry and coconut almond. Between the 14 flavors, it would take multiple trips to try them all.

The Dish is a weekly feature dedicated to reader suggestions on Norman’s culinary highlights. Next week’s category: Burgers — who makes your favorite? To nominate, email pop@normantranscript.com.

DIY DELICACIES Frito Chili Pie Scoops Ingredients 3 cups corn chip scoops 1 lg. onion, chopped 1 cup grated cheese 2 cups chili of your choice Preparation Arrange onions and half of grated cheese in baking dish. Pour heated chili over onions and cheese. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve along with scoops, which can be used in lieu of untensals.

Makes 6 servings.

— Submitted by Sharon Butler Have a DIY recipe for a beverage or side you want featured? Email pop@normantranscript.com

POP GETS LIT

According to ‘Vlad,’ Dracula not so bad C Humphrey's new histor- eral years after his death. Ion Tremblac — his lifelong friend ical fiction novel, “Vlad: The Last Confession” chis- who would eventually betray him.

Ilona Ferenc — his misels away at the facade tress and the only of legend built up woman he ever truly around this infamous loved., and his former fifteenth century warpriest — who violates lord to find the man the sacred trust of the of flesh and bone confessional to tell the lying underneath.

Less an exoneration tale of Vlad Dracula. and more of an explaThe novel begins with nation, “Vlad” Janos Horvathy, the attempts to contextuCount of Pecs, bringing alize the man, Vlad these three together to Tepes Dracula, amid give their testimonials “Vlad: The Last the backdrop of the of Vlad's life in an Confession” bloody times in which effort to find out the he lived, and to that difference between the end does a pretty bang up job. truth and the myth behind this In this novel, the tale of Vlad's revolutionary man. Horvathy, a life is told not by himself, but by member of the Order of the three of his closest companions sev- Dragon whose name was thor-

C

oughly besmirched by Vlad's supposed actions, has their testimonials documented in the hope that clearing the name of its chief transgressor will in turn clear the name of his beloved order.

Just a reminder, this is historical fiction. It should be taken with a grain of proverbial salt, but if the events depicted in “Vlad” are anything akin to what the life of the real Dracula was like it's no wonder that he became the violent ruler he did. He grew up a hostage to the Sultan of the Turkish empire, meant to deter his father from any thoughts of rebellion.

While imprisoned he was made to witness men being tortured in horrific ways, and forced to participate himself. While there, one of his Turkish captors instilled in him a lesson that Vlad took very much to

heart: “You torture others, so they cannot torture you.”

This is the kind of talk that makes “Vlad: The Last Confession” a pretty strong case for Dracula as a mere man of his time, a product of his environment, as opposed to the monster he has become throughout hundreds of years. In the end, the reader is not asked to excuse his actions, but merely to understand some of them. Put this way, if the story of Vlad Dracula was retold in the modern day on an episode of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” most people would give the man a lot more credit than they usually do. After all, don't Benson and Stabler always say that “Violence begets violence” and “Abuse begets abuse?” Don't get me wrong, they would still have to

By L e v i L e e send his kooky-looking keister to Rikers, they just wouldn't feel as great about it as if they were locking up Lugosi's Dracula.

Overall, I think the novel is a success, my only critique of substance would be that the framing device used to tell the story seems a bit superfluous, and the book has a bit of a rough start.

Too many characters introduced to the reader in too short of a time, none of them actually being the main character of the book, makes things a bit hard to follow and less diligent readers may feel tempted to drop the whole thing before getting to the meat of the story. I'm glad that I didn't, the only trouble is now I've have ideas for a “Law and Order/Dracula” crossover stuck in my head. Anyone interest-

LOCAL ROUNDUP

Norman, Moore Students to stage ‘Jane Eyre’ Students from Norman and Moore will be staging a production of Jane Eye, the musical this weekend. The musical will take place at Hillsdale College, 3701 S. Frontage Road in Moore.

Tickets can be purchased at the door and cost $8 and $10. For more information, visit www.ArtworksAcademy.com.

Sam Noble Museum to host Library Day On Saturday, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of

Natural History will team up with local libraries to offer Library Day at the museum.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the museum will offer free admission to anyone with a library card. For those without library cards, representatives from the Pioneer and Metro Library systems will be present to accept library card applications on the spot.

Visitors do not need to present a physical library card to receive free admission.

Those whose libraries have gone “cardless” can just provide the name of the library to which they belong. Whole families will be admitted on a single library card.

The museum’s Discovery Room will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Library Day visitors also

will have an opportunity to view “Art and the Animal,” a special exhibition featuring artworks by members of the international Society of Animal Artists, on view through Sept. 5 Additional information about the museum is available by calling 325-4712 or at snomnh.ou.edu.

SummerWind Youth Ballet ends July 2 The University of Oklahoma’s School of Dance will conclude the SummerWind Youth Ballet program in a free performance 1 p.m. July 2 at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center. The event will

include selections of classroom technique as well as OU School of Dance repertoire.

Featured in the showing are young dancers between the ages of 11-18.

For more information, please call the OU School of Dance at 325-0567.

Information is also available at ou.edu/finearts/dance.

Damn Quails to play Summer Breeze Concert The 2011 Summer Breeze concert series continues with local favorites The Damn Quails performing at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Lions Park.

The Damn Quails' music reflects a multitude of styles

and genres that are broadly diverse yet strikingly cohesive.

The duo’s original songs and distinctive interpretations of selected covers are vibrant with expressive vocals, perfectly blended harmonies, and dynamic electric and acoustic guitars. Their music dances around rhythm without stepping on toes and contains more diverse instrumentation than you'll likely see anywhere else.

Bring seating and your favorite refreshments to this family friendly concert and enjoy a relaxing evening in the park filled with great music.

Visit www.pasnorman.org, or call 307-9320 for additional information.

— POP Staff

JAZZ IN JUNE Schedule

Friday Jazz Under the Stars at Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson St. 7:15 p.m. Army Big Band 9:15 p.m. Larry Coryell

Saturday Jazz in the Park at Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. 6 p.m.

NNHS Jazz Choir 6:45 p.m. NHS Jazz Combo 7:10 p.m. Jeremy Thomas Quartet 8:35 p.m. NHS Jazz Combo 9 p.m.

Poncho Sanchez 11 p.m. Jazz Jam led by the Jeremy Thomas Quartet at The Depot

Friday, June 24, 2011

pop

3

MUSIC REVIEW

Sister Hazel “Heartland Highway” Ridge Rock Music (2010)

Photo Provided

Ginuwine, above, will play Saturday at Riverwind Casino with special guest Tank.

Riverwind to host Ginuwine, Tank

By Michael Kinney For POP

Ken Talton didn't want to stop at one. After bringing Joe and KC & JoJo to the Riverwind Casino for The Men of Love Tour, he told the audience that night there would be more to come.

Talton has proven to be a man of his word.

Countdown Promotions is hosting the No Strings Attached Tour on Saturday at the Riverwind Casino. It features solo R&B crooner, Ginuwine, with special guest Tank. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert kicks off at 7 p.m. Tickets are available up to showtime.

The shows Talton brings to the area are much differ-

4

pop

ent than the normal casino acts that criss cross the country.

"A lot of the times, casinos bring in great shows," Talton said. "But a lot of them are older acts. Like The Drifters or The Temptations. If you look at it now, the demographic have changed. A lot of what I hear now, you have artists who have done well and still have that R&B sound. They fall into the habit of what I'm trying to do. Build a swank R&B sound with the younger audience."

Ginuwine headlines the No Strings tour. The Washington D.C. native first hit it big as a singer in 1996 with "Pony" off his album “Ginuwine ... The

Friday, June 24, 2011

Bachelor.” In 2001, Ginuwine had top-5 smash on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single "Differences."

Despite going strong since 1996, Ginuwine has only put out seven studio albums and three compilations. His latest offering, "Elgin" came out this year.

Around 2008, Ginuwine formed the group TGT. It featured Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank, who will be appearing with him on the No Strings Tour.

Tank sang background on tour for Ginuwine early in his career. Then in 2001 he released his debut album Force of Nature and the top-10 hit "Maybe I Deserve."

Tank has four album’s to his credit, including 207's Sex, Love & Pain. It reached No. 2 on the charts.

Talton said he expects the No String show to sell-out.

It will be one of about 15 shows he plans to bring to the Oklahoma CityNorman area this year.

Upcoming events include Aug. 27 at the Zoo Amphitheatre in OKC. It will feature Maze with Frankie Beverly and Heads of State with Johnny Gill, Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant.

Talton said there’s still a huge appeal for these groups, but they haven't been coming through Oklahoma. He plans to change that.

For Gainesville, Fla.based Sister Hazel, the 1990’s alternative rock scene never really ended. This is a tuneful, positive, fun-loving band that found success with their 1997 hit “All For You” and pretty much ever since then have been churning out some pretty solid records Sister Hazel, as I noted in a review of their 2009 album “Release,” has a positive, life-affirming, Southern rock vibe that continues on “Heartland Highway,” which came out last fall.

Taking life by the reins is the message on the melodic pop-rocker “The Great Escape,” one of the album’s best tracks. It certainly offers up a solid start to an album that sounds like a collection of songs you might have on a road trip mix tape.

Vocalist Ken Block, the voice of Sister Hazel for the most part, offers up some upbeat songs (“At Your Worst”) next to melancholy ballads (“The Saddest Song”).

Listening to a mid-tempo

roots rocker like “Stay Awhile,” written by bassist Ryan Newell, you realize how close it is in terms of sound and lyrics to a lot of the new stuff coming out of the Texas/Red Dirt scene here in our neck of the woods. Guitar-banjo interplay, plaintive vocals, a steady beat … it’s pretty appealing.

Co-vocalist Drew Copeland penned “Let The Fire Burn,” a folk-rocker that uses the analogy of a bonfire to reflect the passion of new love. The guitars get a little chunkier and muscular on “She’s Got a Hold On Me” with a nice melody and a chorus that ranks among their best.

And then there are the driving honky-tonk-inspired songs like Copeland’s “Where You’re Going.” A bit of a different direction for the guys. And then there is bassist Jett Beres’s “Lessons in Love, Hope and Faith” triology. An interesting musical concept and one that seems to work.

“Heartland Highway” is a great disc to kick off the summer. The forecast for this album is sunny and breezy.

— Andrew W. Griffin

PERFORMING ARTS

Sooner Theatre’s ‘Camp Rock’ a charming performance

By Kendall Brown POP Editor

The Sooner Theatre hosted a summer-camp-within-a-summer-camp with their production of “Disney’s Camp Rock” this week. Nearly 200 children tried out for the ultimate cast sized at 74 students ages 8 to 13.

The production, although with the expected slight rough spots (the kids had only 15 rehearsals prior to the show, afterall) is charming and uplifting. The story of “Disney’s Camp Rock” is one of positivevibe friendship and love and the students of Sooner Theatre’s SummerStage camp pull off both the funny and touching moments in the story.

Especially charming is the fact that even in the group numbers, the background members of the cast do not allow themselves to get simply lost in the crowd. It’s obvious by the smiles on their faces that literally ever member of the cast is giving their all, hoping that even one audience member is watching them dance and sing. Their enthusiasm makes for an endearing production.

Tickets are still available for the remaining performances.

Friday and Saturday will have two performances each, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., while Sunday’s closing performance is at 2 p.m.

Tickets for “Disney’s Camp Rock” can be purchased in person at The Sooner Theatre during regular box office hours, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, online at www.soonertheatre.com or by phone at 3219600.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under.

Photo by Kendall Brown

From left: Natalie Goodin, Lauren Kliewer, Macy McKown and Abby Hesselroth perform in a dress rehersal for Sooner Theatre production of “Disney’s Camp Rock” on Wednesday afternoon.

Photos by Kendall Brown

A few of the 74 Camp Rockers are Natalie Goodin, Kate Kemmet and Lauren Kliewer, top left; Abby Hesselroth and Macy McKown, bottom left; and Alex Irwin, bottom right.

Friday, June 24, 2011

pop

5

IN THE CITY

Cook’s coaching ‘eard in Lyric’s ‘Oliver!’

By Johnnie-Margaret McConnell For POP

The family classic “Oliver!” opens Lyric’s summer season this week at the OKC Civic Center. Rena Cook’s dialect coaching is front and center.

From Fagin to the entire children’s ensemble singing, the deep English accents sustain throughout the two and a-half hour production. Director Michael Baron’s priority of developing the authentic 19th century London dialect in his entire cast along with Lee Savage’s breathtaking floor to rafter brick workhouse gives the production an air of authenticity.

Lionel Bart’s 1960 musical is based on Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel, “Oliver Twist.” The musical features the fairy tale story of 10-year old Oliver. No living parents, Oliver is sold from the workhouse when he asks for more food only to run away from his new owners. Oliver then falls under the spell of the Artful Dodger’s illusion that the streets of London will provide freedom and security only to find he’s joined a group of young pickpockets. Arrested on his first try, the twist for Oliver comes when his arrest results in finding his long lost uncle.

Lyric opens every summer season with a family musical. Bart’s beloved 50-year old classic includes many new numbers for those of you have seen it before, along with many that have become musical theater staples; “Food, Glorious Food.” “I’d Do Anything,” “Where is Love?” “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two,” “It’s a Fine Life” and “As Long As He Needs Me.” Norman’s Eaton P. York is a member of Lyric’s Teen Chorus. His name is familiar because many of us have seen York grow up under the lights at Sooner Theatre and now Norman High School. York plays a leading in the opening number “Food, Glorious Food”. Playing the role of a workhouse supervisor, York moves his assigned child workers about the stage in

6

pop

Photo Provided

Dirk Lumbard stars as Fagin in Lyric’s production of “Oliver!” smooth succession from the food line to the dining table without missing a beat. Over fifty children are part of Lyric Theatre’s 10th annual Thelma Gaylord Academy 2-week summer camp.

Oliver! stars Edmond’s Sam Brown and OKC’s Campbell Walker Fields.

Both embody their characters, so much so that when Fields surprisingly jumped from the pit orchestra and began to saunter about the stage, he caught the attention of the entire room before he even breathed a word.

Unlike the abuse their characters endure as 19th century homeless children, Brown and Fields are amply supported by several adults.

Dirk Lumbard returns this summer to play the conniving Fagin. His tall lanky body is light as he pops about the stage gently caressing his “children” as he encourages their criminal behaviors. Clearly and quickly articulating the title of the song “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” in two steady beats, Lumbard hypnotizes us all

Friday, June 24, 2011

under this spell. Eleasha Gamble plays his former child thief Nancy who is still under his powers. While Lumbard’s speech patterns for Fagin has an underlying staccato, Gamble’s voice is full. Her sung words strike the tone and then hover for a bit as if in a short tunnel.

The “Oliver!” cast is filled with several OU musical theatre majors and graduates line up the cast; Perry Sook, Jamard Richardson, Alie Walsh, Ryan Fitzgerald, Cory Lingner, Allynn Delaney, Alicia Clark and Eloise Kropp.

“Oliver!” runs Wednesday and Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201N. Walker Ave. in Oklahoma City. To purchase tickets visit www.lyrictheatreokc.com, call 524-9312, come by Lyric Theatre’s ticket office, 1727 N.W. 16th St. in Oklahoma City; or call the Civic Center Box office at 297-2264 or 800364-7111.

COVER STORY

Feathered Rabbit hopping into Norman

By Doug Hill For POP

Feathered Rabbit’s Alex Coleman (bass) takes exception with anyone who would minimize what’s happening musically in the metro.

“We have a huge scene here,” he said. “Building the Oklahoma music scene is what drives my personal creative inspiration.”

Coleman, Morgan Hartman (lead vocals) and Isiah Sharp (guitar) were knocking down happy hour suds in a local watering hole and talking about their band’s place in what many consider a Soonersonic renaissance. Kyle Mayfield (guitar) and Sam Welchel (drums) round out the rest of Feathered Rabbit and they’ve been playing out since Feb. “We’re new,” Hartman said. “I started writing songs in 2009 and Kyle put some guitar down to them. We went dormant in 2010 but got the whole band together this year.”

Feathered Rabbit will be playing Norman shows Tuesday at The Deli and Thursday at the Hidden Castle.

“I’ve never had so much fun in my life,” Hartman said. “And I’ve never felt more like I’m doing what I should be doing than now.”

The 20-something’s vocals have a blues chanteuse quality. Her passionately sensual vocals lend themselves to that genre along with roadhouse rock. Comparison to a

Photo by Doug Schwarz, provided

Feathered Rabbit will play Tuesday at The Deli and Thursday at the Hidden Castle. young Bonnie Raitt wouldn’t be off-base. Hartman writes the outfit’s lyrics.

“I’ve drawn on stories that the women in my life; mother, grandmother and great-grandmother have told me,” she said. “One song is my interpretation of a poem from a book of poetry my grandfather wrote, taking his ideas and mixing them with my own.”

Heartbreak, infidelity and not being able to place blind faith in religion are among her lyrical themes. Hartman described a personal liberation she has experienced from writing songs that will appeal

to many different kinds of people on a variety of levels. “It’s given me even more freedom to try new ideas that will be open to everyone,” she said.

Feathered Rabbit are not in the least pretentious about their art.

“We play dirty rock ‘n’ roll,” Coleman said. “We sound like a ’70s rock band that has a singer from the 20s or 30s.”

There is a distinct retro tinge to their music that undoubtedly comes from parental record collections, State Fair concerts and exposure to classic rock radio.

“I’m from a small town so going

to rock shows was always a big deal because there was a two- or threehour trip, and I’d have to find someone to drive me,” Sharp said.

“Music my parents listened to, like lots of Country in the early 90’s has always been a part of my life.”

Feathered Rabbit are under no illusion that being a respected and valued part of the metro scene comes easily.

“We know it’s based on hard work,” Sharp said. “We’re consistently writing and at every practice we bring out new ideas, songs and push ourselves to be constantly better. Playing as many shows as we

can is important so we’ll be noticed and we’re all 100 percent committed to the band.”

Although that smacks vaguely of a corporate mission statement, the sincerity behind the thoughts is unmistakable.

“People who come to our shows should be ready for passion,” Hartman said. “It’s very natural for us, it’s happening and we’re not pushing super hard but just letting the music take its course. People are responding well because we are giving so much and it’s nice.”

Although the band may have simpatico mucho that doesn’t mean they agree on everything.

“They never want to listen to Joan Baez in the car,” Hartman said. “She’s one of my favorites but must be too old school and traditional for the guys.”

Feathered Rabbit is working on an EP with songs their fans will recognize from live performances.

“We left recording to come here today,” Hartman said. “It’s exciting because we’re still writing tunes and want to get it out to people.”

Although they occasionally toss in a Zombies or Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover, they’re not enthusiastic about copying other combo’s material.

“We want people to like us for our original songs,” Sharp said.

“And we’re much more into writing our own stuff than figuring out other people’s songs.”

Friday, June 24, 2011

pop

7

NINE NIGHTS IN NORMAN 25 SAT

MUSIC

10 a.m. — Be Wild for Art Summer Camp, Quorum Office Park, $150 per child. Also 1:30 p.m.

8

pop pick  6:45 p.m.

— Jazz in the Park, Andrews Park, Free 8 p.m — Katie Tracy, Othello’s, Free 10 p.m — Cooking with John and Dave, The Brewhouse, $5 11 p.m — Phalonious Funk, The Brewhouse, $5 TBA — Resident Funk, The Deli

26 SUN

27 MON

pop pick  6 p.m — 7 p.m — Travis Jazz in the Park, Andrews Linville, The Deli, Free 10:30 p.m — The Park, Free pop pick  7:30 p.m Damn Quails, The Deli — The Damn Quails at Summer Breeze, Lions Park, Free 8 p.m — Anthony Nagid Jazz Quartet, Othello’s, Free 11 p.m — Jazz Jam Session, Santa Fe Train Depot Noon — Jazz Clinics, Santa Fe Train Depot, Free TBA — Mike Hosty Solo, The Deli

28 TUE

29 WED

TBA — The Wurly pop pick  TBA — Deli Birds and O’fidelis, The All Star Jam, The Deli Deli

pop pick  10 a.m. — pop pick  2 p.m. — 2 p.m — Disney’s Around the World in 80 Disney’s Camp Rock, Camp Rock, Sooner Days, OU Lab Theatre, Sooner Theater. Also 7:30 Theater Buy one, get one $5 p.m.

2 p.m. — Disney’s Camp Rock, Sooner Theater. Also 7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. — Disney’s Camp Rock, Sooner Theater

10 a.m. — Library Day, Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, Free with library card 6:30 p.m. — Midsummer Fairies Ball, Norman Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, $5 online/$7 at door

pop

Friday, June 24, 2011

30 THU

1 FRI

2 SAT

8 p.m — Zach 8 p.m — Samantha 8 p.m — Dustin Walchuk and the Famous Rose, Othello’s, Free Prinz, Othello’s, Free Americans, Othello’s, Free 10 p.m — Son Del 10 p.m — J Dub and pop pick  10 p.m — Barrio, The Brewhouse, Kari King, The Brewhouse, Jonbear Fourtet, The $5 $5 Brewhouse, $5 TBA — The Boom Bang and Hydrants, The Deli

1 p.m. — SummerWind Youth Ballet Performance, Reynolds Performing Arts Center

6:30 p.m. — Movie Night at the Museum: Howl’s Moving Castle, Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

OFF BEAT

FILM & LIT

PERFORMING ARTS

7 p.m. — Max Ridgway Band, Border’s, Free pop pick  7:15 p.m.

— Jazz Under the Stars, Brookhaven Village, Free 8 p.m. — Blue Moon, Othello’s, Free 10 p.m. — Suzanna Choffel, The Brewhouse, $5 TBA — Hosty Duo, The Deli

VISUAL ARTS

24 FRI

11 a.m. — Indian Taco Tuesday, Jacobson House, $5

7 p.m. — Powwow Singing, Jacobson House

FILM & TV

Fans to celebrate ‘True Blood’ premier Farewell,

vampire craze, creating a line of seemingly endless amounts of ‘bloody’ merchandise for fans to

purchase. Fang fanatics now have the opportunity to adorn their premiere parties with bar stools,

neon signs and bar mats designed to look like Merlotte’s Bar from the show. The show has also released a blood orange soda beverage made to look like the bottled blood the vampire characters drink in the show.

Norman resident Harry O’Daniel said he owns much of the merchandise from the show, including bottles of the true blood drink and a pair of fangs. Aside from the important fun escapism element of the show, O’Daniel said, True Blood also offers some important lessons.

“My favorite thing about True Blood is that besides being entertaining it holds a mirror up to society and its intolerance,” O’Daniel said. “It shows problems and complications that come from hate and uses fantasy to illustrate real-world problems.”

Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Fast Five — Dominic and his crew find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again as they try to switch lanes between a ruthless drug lord and a relentless federal agent. PG-13. (Robinson Crossing) • Green Lantern — A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. PG-13. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • The Hangover Part II — Right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.

R. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Insidious — A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further. PG-13.

(Robinson Crossing) • Kung Fu Panda II — Po joins forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy with a deadly new weapon. PG. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14)

• Lincoln Lawyer — A lawyer conducts business from the back of his Lincoln town car while representing a high-profile client in Beverly Hills. R. (Robinson Crossing) • Midnight in Paris — A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better. PG-13. (Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Mr. Popper’s Penguins — The life of a businessman begins to change after he inherits six penguins, and as he transforms his apartment into a winter wonderland, his professional side starts to unravel.

PG. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides — Jack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.

(Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Rango — An ordinary chameleon accidentally winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless outpost in the Wild West in desperate need of a new sheriff. (Robinson

Crossing) • Rio — When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams. G. (Robinson Crossing) • Soul Surfer — A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.

PG. (Robinson Crossing) • Super 8 — After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon. PG-13 (Warren Threatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Water for Elephants — A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet. PG-13 (Robinson Crossing) • X-Men: First Class — In 1962, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities.

Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend... and future archenemy. PG-13.

(Warren Threatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14)

By Kendall Brown

Cast member Alexander Skarsgard arrives at the premiere for the fourth season of “True Blood” on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

The new season of True Blood premieres Sunday on HBO.

POP Editor

Season four of popular HBO vampire television show “True Blood” will premiere Sunday at 8 p.m. and local fans are getting ready. The show has developed a fervent following of fans, and many will be hosting premiere parties around Norman.

“We are hosting a season premiere watch party at our home,” Norman resident Jennifer Wood said. “A lot of our friends also watch the show and we had several watch parties last season. We have been loaning out our DVDs and now we have even more people who are hooked on the show. We are excited for the new season to start and it’s even more fun when everyone watches together.”

HBO has capitalized on this

AP Photo

MOVIE LISTINGS

New Releases • Bad Teacher — A comedy centered around a foul-mouthed, junior high teacher who, after being dumped by her sugar daddy, begins to woo a colleague -- a move that pits her against a well-loved teacher. R. (Warren, Hollywood Spotlight 14) • Cars 2 — Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. G. (Warren Theatre, Hollywood Spotlight 14)

Also Showing • African Cats — A nature documentary centered on two cat families and how they teach their cubs the ways of the wild. G. (Robinson Crossing) • Bridesmaids — Picked as her best friend's maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie (Wiig) looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids. R. (Warren

Forgotten Video Mary Anne Hemp moved to Norman from Stillwater in June of 1991 and by September of that year had begun writing her “Forgotten Video” column for POP. The inspiration behind the column was simple: video stores were often out of newer, more popular films, so Hemp had to go in search of older, lesser known films for entertainment.

“Back then, video stores weren’t in the habit of having 60 plus copies of a new release available,” Hemp said. “There were usually only two or three, and they were almost always checked out. Since my first choices were usually gone, and since I love movies, I didn’t want to leave the store with nothing. So I started looking at older movies that hadn’t received much publicity or had been savaged by the big time critics.”

And so, “Forgotten Video” was born. At the time, “POP” was called “Focus,” and the editor at the time did not think Hemp would last. Few guest writers last long term. But Hemp persevered, and now, nearly 20 years later, Hemp has written more than 1,000 columns for POP, never missing a deadline, and become a favorite columnist for many in the community.

Sadly, Hemp has decided that, with these 20 years of “Forgotten Video” under her belt, the time has come for her to move on to her next stage in life. She has plans to begin writing a book, and we here at POP and The Norman Transcript wish her the absolute best in her pursuits. We plan to keep a close eye on her still developing career, and hope that in the future we can bring news of a published book to her faithful readers.

— Kendall Brown, POP edi-

Friday, June 24, 2011

pop

9

IN GOOD TASTE

Coriander Cafe offers inviting Vietnamese cuisine Coriander Cafe, 323 White St. on Campus Corner, offers light, refreshing Vietnamese food. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday.

Photos by Kendall Brown

FAST FOOD FACTS

Coriander Cafe Location: 323 White Street Cuisine: Modern Vietnamese Of Note: Most produce and meat served is bought locally.

Price Range: Under $10 Atmosphere: Modern and Casual You Have to Try This: The noodle salad and the banh mi sandwich Alcohol: Low-point beer The Skinny: Coriander Cafe offers a cheap, environmentally friendly and fun foray into Vietnamese food.

Just S. of 4th St. on I-35 in Moore ALL Digital Cinema & THX

By Kendall Brown POP Editor

Coriander Cafe, 323 White St. on Campus Corner, seems to be one of Norman’s finest hidden gems. So well hidden (in plain sight) that I hadn’t heard of them until a reader suggested we check them out for “In Good Taste.”

They’ve been open for nine and a half months already. This breaks my heart, because that’s nine and a half months I’ve been missing out on light, affordable and delightful Vietamese food.

The interior decor of Coriander Cafe, in keeping with what seems to be the general campus corner asthetic, is modern, fun and bright. It’s also very environmentally green. Owner Chris Le, a former architect, built

10

pop

the bench seating himself using countertop and plumbing fixtures made of renewable materials. The overall asthetic seems to be one that works well both for a quick, casual lunch and, once the lights are dimmed, a nice, quiet evening out.

The food is light and refreshing. Although Vietnamese food may sound intimidating to some, the flavors are not unfamiliar to the typical American palette. The noodle salad, priced at $8, is by far their most popular dish. The dish features noodles, peanuts, jalapenos, your choice of one of six meats, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, cucumber and an egg role. For me, the short ribs (one of the six meat selections) were the star of the dish. The tender, slightly smoky flavor of the meat was a perfect match to the spicy

Friday, June 24, 2011

sweet noodles. What makes the dish most popular, however, may not be an individual component but rather the ability to customize it just the way you like.

Also worth mentioning is the banh mi sandwhich, priced at $6. If your looking for a grab-it-and-go meal, the sandwich is your best bet.

The sandwich is served on a french baguette from local bakery La Baguette, and includes picked daikon and carrots, cilantro, paté, aioli, jalapenos, your choice of meat and cucumbers. The sandwich is modeled after traditional Vietnamese street food, and it’s perfect for when you’re in a hurry. The one critique I would give is that the sandwich can have a bit of an after-bite if you aren’t expecting it, so those that are faint of stomach should proceed with caution.

As a business, Coriander Cafe impresses with its dedication to all things local and green. Much of their produce is bought locally at the farmers market, their meat is bought locally and much of their tea selection (more than 30 various hot teas) are organic and fair trade. In addition, servers take orders table side using an iPhone, limiting the restaurant’s paper waste. The cafe has sponsored several student events already and provides a discount to Norman Arts Council members as their way of supporting the arts.

Coriander Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Specials can be found at www.coriandercafe.com, on facebook at www.fb.coriandercafe.com or follow them on Twitter, @coriandercafe.

SIMPLY THE BEST SHOWTIMES FOR THE GRAND AUDITORIUMS AND BALCONIES

GREEN LANTERN 2D PG-13 1:30-4:30-7:30-10:20 CARS 2 2D G 12:30-3:30 BAD TEACHER * R 6:45-9:15 OKLAHOMA’S LARGEST SCREENS

GREEN LANTERN 3D (PG13) 12:40 3:30 6:55 9:35 CARS 2 3D • (G) 11:00 11:30 1:45 2:15 4:30 5:00 7:15 7:45 10:00 CARS 2 2D • (G) 11:15 12:40 2:00 3:30 4:45 7:30 10:15

GREEN LANTERN 2D (PG13) 12:45 4:00 7:25 10:05 MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS (PG) 11:30 12:15 1:45 2:40 4:00 5:05 6:30 7:20 9:00 9:50

BRIDESMAIDS (R) 3:45 6:50 9:50 BAD TEACHER (R) 11:45 2:15 4:40 7:00 9:30 10:00 KUNG FU PANDA 3D (PG) 12:00 2:30 4:50 7:10 SUPER 8 (PG13) 12:10 4:35 7:05 9:55 X-MEN (PG13) 12:25 3:25 3:30 6:35 9:45 HANGOVER 2 (R) 12:50 6:45 9:35 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4 2D (PG13) Tickets on sale now for 12:30 3:30 6:35 9:45 Transformers 3D 9 p.m. 6/28 no passes or supersavers • no passes

CARS 2 G 3D * $$ 11:45-2:50-6:00-9:05 2D 1:15-4:25-7:15-10:10 BAD TEACHER * R 12:45-3:15-6:05-8:15-10:30 GREEN LANTERN PG-13 3D * $$ 12:00-3:00-6:25-9:35 2D 1:30-4:30-6:30-7:30-9:25-10:20 MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS PG 2:15-4:50-7:25-10:00 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS PG-13 12:10-3:00-6:10-8:45 SUPER 8 PG-13 12:40-3:40-6:40-9:30 X-MEN: FIRST CLASS PG-13 1:05-4:10-7:20-10:25 THE HANGOVER 2 R 1:25-4:20-7:15-10:05 PIRATES 4 2D PG-13 11:30-2:55-6:20-9:40 BRIDESMAIDS R 1:00-4:00-7:05-10:20 KUNG FU PANDA 2 2D PG 12:55- 3:55 $$ Extra Charge for Digital 3-D MOVIE LINE:(405) 703-3777 Times For Today Only WarrenTheatres.Com *No Passes

SUPPORT YOUR POLICE

PATRONS: INDIAN TACOS AT JACOBSON HOUSE

PHOTOS BY KYLE PHILLIPS Friday, June 24, 2011

pop

11