Staffpicks

Thursday, Jan. 5 & Saturday, Jan. 7
Louisville Orchestra’s ‘Musical Thievery’
OK, let’s get this straight — the Louisville Orchestra will host a tuba soloist? Is “tuba soloist” even a real phrase? Isn’t that like calling someone an apathy enthusiast? Or a sandwich drinker? Nevertheless, the Orchestra presents “Musical Thievery: The World’s Most Famous Tunes NOT Written for the Tuba!” with Patrick Sheridan, who calls himself the world’s only tuba soloist. Sheridan is known for not only his musical skills but also for his comedic antics. He will perform alongside the orchestra and conductor Bob Bernhardt, who knows a thing or two about entertaining an audience himself. Two presentations of “Musical Thievery” are scheduled as part of the BB&T NightLites Series, one at the Brown Theater in Louisville and the other at Indiana University Southeast’s Ogle Center. Some of Sheridan’s selections will include Gioacchino Rossini’s “Thieving Magpie Overture,” Peter Schickele’s “Mvmt. III from Unbegun Symphony” and Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man Symphonic Impressions.” Yes, on tuba. As a soloist. No, really. —Kevin Gibson
Brown Theater: 501 W Main St
Ogle Center: IU Southeast campus
584-7777/361-3100
www.louisvilleorchestra.org
Tickets: $20-$26 (Jan. 5), $20 (Jan. 7)
Showtime: 6:30 p.m. (Jan. 5), 7:30 p.m. (Jan. 7)

Saturday, Jan. 7
Unknown Hinson
What in the world does Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mad magazine, Chet Atkins, Grandpa Munster, Hank Williams, mutton chops, Zappa, a man servant, party liquor and a revolver have in common? Why, the self-proclaimed “Chart-Toppin’ King of Country & Western Troubadours” Unknown Hinson, of course. This gun-totin’, “God’s Gift to the Womerns,” ex-con will be belting out his best mix of 1950s-style country and ’70s rock chart-toppers Saturday at Headliners. This time around he’s bringing openers Phil Turner and Little Miss Tammy Smith.
If you’ve never seen Unknown, just take my word for it and GO SEE HIM. It takes talent to play this kind of music, folks … talent being a rarity in most popular music these days. Unknown is the real deal, a true master of the six-string, who’s been in my guitar … er “Gitarr Hero” … list ever since my first UH show. —Jon Beazlie
Headliners
1386 Lexington Road
584-8088
$10; 9 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 7
Gear up, go camping!
The mild weather of recent weeks has many of us thinking straight past winter and into outdoor activities. On New Year’s Day I went to set up the grill and was shocked to see moths flitting around the backyard lights. (Perhaps they were also, eventually, shocked.) The staff of Jefferson Memorial Forest — America’s largest municipal forest — know that outfitter gift cards are burning holes in pockets, and they want to help make for a safe and fun head start on 2006 with “Getting the Right Camping Gear.” This, the first in their Outdoor Skills educational program series, features comparisons of camping equipment to look at how the type of trip you’re planning affects what gets stuffed into the backpack. With a nod to the budget-conscious, they also promise to explain why campers are often buying more gear than they really need. For me, the aching back is the greater concern — but meet me at the Forest Welcome Center and we can trade war stories. —T.E. Lyons
Jefferson Memorial Forest
11311 Mitchell Hill Road
368-5404
www.memorialforest.com
$5 ($7.50 day of the program); 9 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 8
‘Black Activism: Past, Present and Future’
Add this nugget to 2006’s “Get Right Plan”: Attend the “U of L at the Yearlings Club” lecture series for January where J. Blaine Hudson, dean of U of L’s College of Arts and Sciences, leads fellow faculty, local officials and community activists in a discussion about improving the quality of life in the African-American community. Sunday’s panel includes Raoul Cunningham, president of Louisville’s NAACP chapter, as well as Ricky L. Jones, chairman of U of L’s Department of Pan African Studies (and a LEO columnist). The lecture is titled “In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Black Activism: Past, Present and Future.” —Jonathan Frank
Yearlings Club
4309 W. Broadway
852-3042
Free; 4-6 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 8
‘A Celebration Fit for a King’
On Jan. 8, 1935, Gladys and Vernon Presley gave birth to twins in East Tupelo, Miss. The day turned tragic when the couple realized one of the children, Jesse, was stillborn. The other child, however, was healthy and adorable and some 11 years later learned guitar from his Uncle Johnny and his church pastor. Many people thought of him as priggish; nevertheless, he thrived in music and film and become an idol of American culture. So, what could be better for celebrating the man’s birthday than watching “Viva Las Vegas” while gorging on fried peanut putter and banana sandwiches at the Hard Rock Café? —Jonathan Frank
Hard Rock Café
Fourth Street Live
568-2202
Free; 3-5 p.m.

Monday-Wednesday, Jan. 9-11
“Country Boys”
Long before the world was gifted with “reality TV,” film documentaries showed how compelling it can be to train cameras on real people for an extended period. Think “Hoop Dreams” or “Capturing the Friedmans” for two great examples. Now comes the six-hour PBS “Frontline” documentary “Country Boys,” which chronicles the lives of two teenaged boys, Chris Johnson and Cody Perkins, as they come of age in Kentucky’s Appalachian hills.
Cody is an orphan — his mother’s postpartum suicide left him with his father, who eventually kills his seventh wife and then himself. Chris lives in a rundown trailer in a holler with his mother, a high school dropout who cleans hotel rooms. His alcoholic father is dying of cirrhosis of the liver.
Filmed over three years (1999-2002), “Country Boys” shows the boys’ struggle to overcome these issues while trying to envision a better future for themselves. It’s full of ups and downs and in the end offers all sorts of lessons — and, believe it or not, hope. —Cary Stemle
KET-1 (Local channel 15/Insight channel 13)
9-11 p.m.; Jan. 9-11
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/countryboys

Tuesday, Jan. 10
Art Appreciation seminar
If you’ve ever yearned for those bygone days of the Girl Scouts, this is the seminar for you. Based on the “You Can Do It!” book that has 60 chapters and badges, the staff at Lynn’s Paradise Café decided to add their own special touch by holding seminars. Art historian Denise Hinnant will give the talk on art appreciation.
Another art-related seminar is on Tuesday, Feb. 7, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Lynn’s staff artist Heather Hunter will demonstrate how to make your own Valentine to give to your sweetie.
The seminars are monthly through June. Contact the Café’s World of Swirl retail store for more information. —Jo Anne Triplett
Lynn’s Paradise Café
984 Barret Ave.
583-3447
www.lynnsparadisecafe.com
Free; 7 p.m.

Through Feb. 1
Cindy Lou Magee’s ‘In the Garden II’
Fairly soon we’re going to be tired of winter and will want to see some colorful flowers budding out of the ground. Until that happens, you can see their painted images by Cindy Lou Magee on the walls of a new restaurant, Time to Eat Café. With daisies, poppies and the occasional butterfly, there are enough blooms to satisfy, somewhat, the yearning for spring. Get a piece of pie while you’re there, it’s delicious. —Jo Anne Triplett
Time to Eat Café
1605 Story Ave.
583-0038
Free; Tue.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat.-Mon. 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.