Cover Story
LEO Weekly’s 7th Annual Not Good For Nothing Quiz
“Only a good-for-nothing is not interested in his past.” —Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis Welcome to 2011 or, as it’s known in China, The Year of the Vig. But before we spend too much time worrying how we’re going to pay back all that debt, let’s take a moment to sharpen our No. 2…
Monster mash
What do Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Radiohead have in common? Nothing unless you’re Gregg Gillis. The Pittsburgh native known as Girl Talk spends less time doing equations and more time exposing common threads in popular music. Even though he insists he isn’t a DJ, the hordes who follow Gillis’ scientific mixes probably will disagree. He…
Beating a dead horse
Since succeeding his supervisor as top dog of Louisville Metro Animal Services, interim director Wayne Zelinsky has had an entire year to make things right within the beleaguered animal control agency. Despite being named along with ex-Director Gilles Meloche as a defendant in two sexual harassment lawsuits brought by LMAS employees, the former Sarasota, Fla.,…
Andromeda
California Guitar Trio originally met after participating in one of King Crimson legend Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft Courses. The influence shows. Since their 1991 inception, the Trio has released a dozen albums of technically dazzling six-string soundscapes. But what separates them from other contemporary virtuoso acts is their eclectic vision, integrating prog, classical, psychedelia, even…
Home
Jenny O.’s five-song EP is her logging her own entry after years of collaborating with other artists, among them Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace. This self-produced set from the current member of L.A. Ladies Choir portrays her as a disarming soloist given to confessional turns (“All My Wishes”), cold recognition…
Sixth & Jefferson
Standing in front of the old Jefferson County courthouse and joined by about 1,000 spectators, Mayor Greg Fischer urged individual action among citizens and “life-long learning” on the part of Metro employees. During the 10-minute inaugural address, Louisville’s 50th mayor also stressed the importance of showing compassion to neighbors, improving public education, building a healthier…
Comedy: Party of five
For the 11th time, the Louisville Improvisors bring you Improvapalooza, an annual comedy affair. This year, instead of being a showcase for improv troupes across the country, Improvapalooza will feature the Louisville Improvisors (founders Chris Anger and Alec Volz) with two special guests from the legendary Los Angeles-based improv group The Groundlings — Stephanie Courtney…
Video TapeWorm
THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS PIRANHA 2010; $28.95-$34.95, R Stupid and obvious giant-CGI-maneating-fish-attack-bikini-clad-swimmers-in-3-D actioner that has absolutely nothing to do with Joe Dante’s excellent 1978 no-budget original bit o’ piscine poo. The mechanical effects by WonderFest frequenter Greg Nicotero are excellent, and there’s enough bare or nearly there titties to keep us awake, but SyFy has…
Greetings Gentlemen
Gentlemen Hounds is the new studio project from Derek “Child” Monyhan, formerly of Villebillies, and Andy “Dufrane” Crompton (Phunkin’ Pie). Monyhan, who left Villebillies back in March, is producing all the music out of his basement studio. The duo posted four songs on its Reverb Nation page: “Lady and the Hound,” “Perfect Man,” “Copy Machine”…
The Taste Bud: Stop Lite Wine & Spirits
Think about the last time you picked up a six-pack of your favorite brew or a bottle of wine at your neighborhood liquor store. Did you buy any food while you were there? If so, it was probably a bag of Doritos, or maybe some beer nuts. Or a Slim Jim. Therein lies the unique…
Culture: Podcasts you might be missing
Apologies to “Fresh Air,” which is the kind of program that first inculcated me with a love of radio, but Eleanor Wachtel makes Terry Gross sound like a journalism-school sophomore. I first heard CBC Radio while on vacation in Nova Scotia, back before there was such a thing as a podcast. In those days, I…
Art: In memoriam
It’s hard to say goodbye, especially when it’s premature. And in recent weeks, Louisville has had to do just that following the sudden deaths of two local visual artists. Antonio Perez died on Tuesday, Dec. 21, at the age of 45. Stephen Irwin, 51, died on Monday, Dec. 27. Heart attacks claimed them both, and…
Industry Standard: Insider info for those who dine out
What would I like to see happen in the local restaurant industry this year? It’s a no-brainer: We need more street food options. What is “street food”? It’s ready-to-eat food purchased from a street vendor, usually in a busy public space. Street food can come from a cart, a truck, a trailer or a stall.…
Peace Love Ukulele
Retire “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Now. Forever. As if we’re not already numb to its charms, thanks to the visions of a head-banging Wayne and Garth. Even zygotes can recite Queen’s mini-opera by now. Also, “Hallelujah ” has been covered so beautifully for so many years by so many artists that it’s hard to consider yet another…
As I Call You Down
When you’re young, you want more. You can’t describe what “more” is, but you know you want it and chase it at any cost. Then you grow older, and the cold shower of pragmatism douses you in restraint. You start to look for the easiest routes to achieve “more.” Maybe you resort to default destinations…
More theme parks coming to Kentucky
Calling Kentucky “America’s theme-park headquarters,” Gov. Steve Beshear announced on Tuesday several new tourist attractions under development, thanks to his administration’s aggressive policy of granting tourism tax incentives. The announcement comes on the heels of December’s disclosure of “Ark Encounter,” a creationism theme park set to open in Northern Kentucky in 2014. “Ark Encounter is…
Theater: Close to home
Pandora Productions is known for cutting-edge, flashy and fabulous shows that are rarely produced and often deal with sexual orientation. Whether it’s the gay version of “Cinderella,” a live production “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” or even a pulp fiction show about an underground lesbian bar, Pandora has been delighting audiences with their original approach…
We chew on the year in eats
It’s been a decent year in Louisville dining, as most years are in this burg where we love our food and drink. A few regrettable losses have been balanced by a squadron of appetizing new arrivals. New and old, Louisville’s restaurants seem to be holding their own in the face of ongoing economic hard times.…
Staffpicks
Jan. 7-15 ‘Once Upon This Island’ Clarksville Little Theatre 301 E. Montgomery Ave., Clarksville 812-283-6522 clt@clarksvillelittletheatre.org $15; 8 p.m. (Jan. 7-8, 13-15), 2 p.m. (Jan. 9) In the blustery cold of winter, who doesn’t romanticize about the sun pouring down on those sandy beaches in the Caribbean? It’s what anyone is bound to do when…
What is and what should never be
Conventional wisdom would have us believe that it is always wrong to deny one’s true nature. As slack-jawed American children, our first lessons, doled out on “Sesame Street” and so forth, begin with “Don’t eat the paint chips on the window sill” but proceed almost immediately to “Be yourself.” My friend Marcus brought the idea…
Guider
For Chicago quartet Disappears, there is only one way to drive: with the gas pedal mashed into the floorboard, speedometer redlined, vertebrae digging centipede patterns into the upholstery while your fingertips grip the steering wheel. Their objective is to think and move forward; they recorded Guider over the same tape reels used to make their…
Plugged In
Readers are strongly encouraged to call ahead to verify these listings. To get your club, comedian, musical act or karaoke listed, please send e-mail to mherron@leoweekly.com with PLUGGED IN in the subject line. The deadline is NOON THURSDAY the week before the show happens. We do not accept listings via social networking sites. Wed. Jan. 5…
Red Barked Tree
Some theories of the universe hold that objects traveling away from each other eventually will stand side by side. Wire has provided a case in point, musically speaking, by mixing brainy punk rampages with tight exercises in noise-pop, and minimalism with ambient psychedelia. Colin Newman has been the figure at the front of these diverse…
Inbox — Jan. 5, 2011
Golly Gee Great choice in Dawne Gee for Louisvillian of the Year (LEO Weekly, Dec. 22). She is an amazing, inspiring lady! My suggestion for next year: Scott Davenport, with Bellarmine Men’s Basketball. Leah Farris, Highlands A Ways to Go In response to your article “Inertia creeps” (LEO Weekly, Dec. 22), we are in for…
