LOLLAPALOOZA LINE-UP

LOLLAPALOOZA announced their (slightly underwhelming) line-up this morning.

The headliners look not at all unlike other similar summer fests that going for that mega-indie appeal: Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, Tool, Lou Reed, Jane's Addiction, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, The Decemberists, Vampire Weekend, Animal Collective, Of Montreal, Neko Case...personal highlights (in my opinion) include Gang Gang Dance, Heartless Bastards, Deerhunter, No Age, Animal Collective DJ sets and MSTRKRFT.

Full line-up here.

MTR cartoon

Mountaintop Removal comic (brilliantly titled MTRFKRS) posted today at Bash Magazine. California artist Dan Archer was commissioned by the Bash guys here in Kentucky. (Interestingly, he wasn't familiar with the practice before researching it for the cartoon.)

April 21 - April 28

It's going to be pretty hard to top off last weekend as far as having a ton of stuff happening all at the same time in Lexington, but this week is taking a pretty good go at it...

As always, if I left off your event, don't be offended...leave it in a comment!

Tues, 4/21:

• Takeshi Kitano's The Blind Swordsman Zatoichi (2003) at the Kentucky Theatre in conjunction w/ the samurai film fest, which goes till Thursday (with Ghost Dog on Wed; Sukiyaki Western Django on Thurs).
• Three Legged Race w/ some "weird bands from Chicago" (one's called Shattered Hymen)at the Fact House (473 E. Maxwell, the house of Lanham and Bush). Things usually get going around 9ish over there....
  

Wed, 4/22:

• Earth Days in the Bluegrass: Big Fresh, Downtown County Band, Spooky Q's will be playing at Memorial Ampitheatre (right behind Memorial Hall). The event also features poetry readings by outgoing state poet laureate Jane Gentry Vance, Bianca Spriggs and Chuck Clenney. This has been one of the most fun campus events since back in the dark ages when I was in college. Really sweet outdoor venue that should be utilized more often. I'm getting conflicting weather reports for Wednesday...dashboard on my computer tells me it will be 68 and sunny, Bill Meck says high of 60 and mostly cloudy...All ages, FREE. p.s. On a side note, check out Bill Meck's totally awesome weather blog. (Unfortunately, it appears he's barely had the time or the drive to keep up with it since January.)
• Holler Poets Series #11, featuring Donna Ison and Jude Lally at Al's Bar. Two very different and equally fascinating readers; promises to be a great event, as always. Music by fantastic local singer/guitarist Warren Byrom of the Swells. All ages, FREE.
• Godd w/ Battlecry, Pslychosis at the Skylight Lounge (in Main Street Live, across the volleyball court and up the stairs from the Dame) many of you might also know Godd as Nick Kidd's band. Fun times, heavy, theatrical circus rock (?)....I hear influences of Primus, Ween, Mr. Bungle...but that's just me....21 +, $5ish cover
  

Thurs, 4/23:

• The Swells w/ Slow Claw and !!Girlie Girl!! Burlesque Show at the Green Lantern. Can't seem to find much info about the burlesque show, but it's about damn time Lexington got another burlesque show, and I couldn't possibly think of a better venue.
• Wale w/ UCB, Colin Munroe, Loose Change w/ Nate FX, and The US Band at Old Tarr Distillery (903 Manchester St.). I'm going to be honest, I know nothing about these hip hop bands, except that I did read that Washington D.C.-based Wale released a Seinfeld themed mixtape last year (The MixTape About Nothing). So I'm intrigued. And I'm going to assume these guys are the cream of the hip hop crop if WRFL is sponsoring the show. (Is that wrong?) Also sponsored by Oneness287.com, a new-ish "streetwear boutique" on North Limestone (near the corner of Maxwell...check out their site...) All ages/$5.
• Tiny Fights (my new favorite Lex band - heavy psychelectonica dance jams), F.D.U. ("psych-garage-kid-rock" - as Jamie says Reid would say), Street Gnar (heard a bit on last week's WRFL Live - really nice space guitar loops w/eerie vocals from Case of Jovantaes) @ Derby City Espresso in Louisville. They want you there. You want to be there. Go.
  

Fri, 4/24:

• Fourth Friday - closing night of PaintPresent, featuring live bluegrass form the Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, food, schmooze, art, the works @ The Loudoun House.
  
• Latin Heat & Special guest @ Al's Sidecar (formerly known as Cheater's). Latin heat = new Lex band featuring Matt Gibson, Andy Stith, and Drew.
• Share the road! Group Bike Ride - 5:30 p.m. at Woodland Park in conjunction w/ Earth Days in the Bluegrass. Ride ends at Worsham Theatre on UK's campus for a screening of Still we Ride, a documentary that captures an '04 Critica Mass bike ride in New York that ending in arrests and choas three days before the Republican National Convention.
  

Sat, 4/25:
Big Fresh will be performing at The Dame in celebration of the national release of Big Fresh Forever. Word on the street is they will be playing two sets with lots of new songs. P.S. Pretty sure Big Fresh had the egg-breaking-in-your-hand picture going on aeons before Yeah Yeah Yeahs came out with their new album cover...

Honorable mentions of the week:
Thurs, 4/23 - Of Montreal @ Madison Theatre (Cincy)
Thurs, 4/23 - African guitar great Habib Koite will perform "Music from Mali: In the Mouth of a Crocodile" @ Berea College Phelps-Stokes Auditorium.
Thurs 4/23 - Disco Biscuits @ Headliner's (Lou)
Fri, 4/24- Peter, Pjorn & John @ Southgate House (Newport)
Fri, 4/24 - The Instruction w/ Chico Fellini and Chemic @ Pour Haus (Lou)

Park Daze rescheduled!

Due to today's crappy weather, PARK DAZE has been officially rescheduled for May 3.

We'll post the new band line-up for that event as it surfaces...

But if you still want to catch some free local music today to top off the fantastic weekend, there's no shortage of that. Warmer Milks, Candy and Tiny Fights will be playing at The Void (starting around 2:30 or so...) and afterwards, starting around 6, Attempt and Caboladies will be at the Fact House (473 E. Maxwell St.).

April 14 - April 21

BLUEPICKS

My advice this week: stay home and rest up till Friday hits, because there is a ton o' stuff happening this weekend...


Fri, 4/17: Art & Performances at The Void Skateshop (aka Total Dude Fest)
Featuring art by these dudes: John Frederiksen, Robert Beatty, Jason 'Slim' Schuler, Clint Colburn, and Josh Blaine. Music by these dudes: Soft Openings, Wretched Worst, and Kraken Fury. And DJ sets by this dude: Mikey T. 8pm, $3.

Also Fri, 4/17: Give into the Groove: a community benefit event held at Third Street Stuff and Atomic Cafe featuring local fashion (S. Benedit, Isle of You and Hot Sauce Records Apparel); art (by Aimee-Lynn Hirshowitz, Brian and Sara Turner and more); music (Big Fresh, Etheonos, Otto Helmuth and more); Affrilachian Poetry Reading (Frank X. Walker, Bianca Spriggs and more); and general eclecticness (March Madness Marching Band). The event is FREE, and starts at 7 pm.

ALSO Fri, 4/17: Imogene and Willie, a new denim company based in western Kentucky (soon moving headquarters to Nashville), will be making an appearance in Lexington, at Circa Design Studio on Short and Broadway. The event, brought to you from the guys at Bullhorn, will feature bourbon and cocktails, as well as a chance to have yo' ass fitted for a pair of Imogene and Willie's! Support Kentucky fashion!

Sat, 4/18: RECORD STORE DAY
Here's the schedule of events for CD Central in Lexington (happily celebrating 14 years of independent musicdom this year):
Noon: The Butchers>>1 pm: Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo (solo acoustic)>>2 pm: Special guest DJs>>3 pm: Chico Fellini>>4 pm: The Sundresses (from Cincinnati)>>5 pm: Ben Sollee>>6 pm: Attempt
The throw-down will also feature tacos from BusTacos, free water and drinks, and discounted music sales. Cricket Press will be doing an in-house screen-printing of record bags and limited edition t-shirts.

P.S...Even if you stay for all the festivities at CD Central, you'll still have time to drive to Cincy to catch The Breeders performing live at Shake It Records at 8 pm!)

Also Sat, 4/18: punk, hardcore, drone and weird at the Wormhole (200 Forest Park): music by Everyone Lives, Everyone Wins; The Infected; The Fallen; Blood Carries Disease; and Total Abuse.

Sun, 4/19: First annual PARK DAZE at Woodland Park, sponsored by the Void Skateshop, WRFL, Local First Lexington, Parks & Rec and others. A free, all-day, all-local family-friendly event featuring local vendors, food, and live music from Warmer Milks; Caboladies; Everyone Lives, Everyone Wins; ATTEMPT; The Swells; and the Tallboys. There will also be a skateboard trick contest for all levels...yes, that includes you.

Mon, 4/20: What better way to celebrate the 4/20 holiday but to check out the four-day SAMURAI FILM SERIES at the Kentucky Theatre?? Monday kicks off the fest with Akira Kurosawa's 1956 film The Seven Samurai. (For a trailer go here; for a complete schedule of the Samurai series, visit The Kentucky's homepage.)


Honorable Mentions:
4/15 - Adrian Belew @ Southgate House (Newport). 4/15 - G. Love & Special Sauce @ Headliner's (Lou). 4/16 - Umphrey's McGee @ Taft (Cincy). 4/18 - Ray LaMontagne @ Taft (Cincy). 4/18 - The Sundresses/The Lion's Rampant/ The Giraffes @ Green Lantern (Lex). 4/18 - Big Maracas @ Al's Bar (Lex). 4/19 - The English Beat @ The Dame (Lex). 4/20 - Great Lake Swimmers @ Southgate House (Newport).