Cover Story
Ghosts of the city: Coyotes, foxes and urban wildlife
The dead coyote lay for nearly two weeks at autumn’s end in 2016 on the shoulder of Interstate 71, less than two miles from downtown Louisville. Its body was half under the cable barrier that borders the grassy median, its face hidden under its paws. How many motorists noted it, or knew it to be…
10 concerts you shouldn’t miss in July
smut Wednesday, July 5 Kaiju A post-punk/noise-pop hybrid that’s stormy and compelling, smut is full of distortion and poetry, a heavy and thoughtful band that excels at what they do. sam-soon demo by smut Lucky Pineapple Friday, July 7 Zanzabar A collective of local punk, indie and experimental veterans, Lucky Pineapple combines elements of jazz,…
10 things to do under $5 this week in Louisville (7/3)
MONDAY Taj Louisville Presents DJ Goast & Artist Ryan Case Taj Louisville Free | 9 p.m.-12 a.m. Spend your Monday at Taj Louisville where you will be “inspired by the magicians of the brush and the song!” Inside the bar, DJ Goast will be jammin’ out the good tunes, while outside on the patio artist…
Our six favorite local songs from June
Rmllw2llz — “So Amerikkan” There may be no higher compliment that I can pay than to say a song has replay value — a track that you can rock over and over, and still want to listen to it again. Rmllw2llz did just that with “So Amerikkan.” This song is an unflinchingly political stance on…
5 Things To Do This Weekend in Louisville (6/30)
FRIDAY Mag Bar 25th B-Day Party! Magnolia Bar Free | 9 p.m. Happy birthday to Mag Bar, which turns 25 this weekend! For over a quarter century, this magnificent dive bar in Old Louisville has served up drinks to an eclectic crowd of Louisvillians. It also has supported local artists by hosting the UnFair, an…
News Of The Weird: bizarre-but-true news from around the world (6/29)
Lead Story: Update Three weeks ago, News of the Weird touted the “genderless,” extraterrestrial-appearing Hollywood makeup artist known as Vinny Ohh, but then Marcela Iglesias announced (following a leaked TV clip) that she had formed an agency for would-be celebrities who had radically transformed their bodies (and that Vinny is now a client). Iglesias’ Plastics…
Allegations against Councilman Dan Johnson: Candidate, ‘This is not who we are’
With recent sexually-charged allegations against Metro Councilman Dan Johnson, it is important to understand that actions and reactions have real consequences to the reputation of the council and distract from the real needs of his district. The District 21 Democrat has said the incidents — three in the past year involving allegations of groping, flashing…
Thorns & Roses: The Worst, Best and Most Absurd
Boo hoo, Bevin | Absurd The first rules of propaganda: create a straw man and play the victim. Gov. Matt “Oblivious” Bevin’s chief of staff, Blake “No Bromance” Brickman said in an emailed op-ed that the “defenders of Frankfort’s old status quo” won’t give Bevin his due respect. Why? “They work in tandem with their…
Cindy Wilson talks new solo records, B-52’s reunion
As part of the B-52’s, Cindy Wilson has had plenty of iconic musical moments, but they’ve always been within the group. With her just-released pair of solo-band EPs, she’s finally stepping out to try the new sounds on tour, which rolls through Louisville on June 30 at Zanzabar. Wilson recently spoke to me about the…
Dreamland, a gem for experimental music, to host its last show
For the last five years, Dreamland has been a niche spot for the freaks and weirdos to wig out. Dreamland will host its last show on Thursday, June 29, leaving a legacy as the place to go for the most adventurous listening in town, from free jazz to experimental ephemera. The brainchild of Tim Barnes,…
The genius of this ‘Richard II’
“This is a true king.” Those words passed through my mind during the wrenching climax of Kentucky Shakespeare’s “Richard II,” which just finished a two-week run and returns to the Central Park stage for another run starting in two weeks. Here’s the situation: The embattled Richard has lost the struggle to hold onto his throne.…
Tony Danza, Tupac and Comedy
It would surprise most people to find out that while Tupac Shakur was in prison, he and Tony Danza were pen pals. There was a strange glitch in the matrix of celebrity culture that somehow allowed this correspondence into reality. And now, over 20 years later, comedian Steven Benaquist has written an award-winning, one-man show…
Comic Book Reviews: Spectacular Spider-Man & Afterlife with Archie
‘Peter Parker: the Spectacular Spider-Man #1’ Writer Chip Zdarsky | Artist Adam Kubert Reviewed by Kyle Thompson, The Great Escape Before I even knew what the term meant, those little boxes they have in comics explaining references were my first introduction to the meta style. In “Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #1,” by Chip Zdarsky…
No-call, no-show shit show
Ah, the old “no-call, no-show.” Basically, it means someone who’s scheduled to work doesn’t show up for his shift, doesn’t call to offer an excuse and doesn’t answer increasingly desperate calls from his place of employment. At a bank or an attorney’s office, this situation can cause a growing feeling of unease for the missing…
I just have to say this
Muhammad Ali’s door and table were always open. I learned that recently while attending Global Fellowships, which is part of the I Am Ali Festival at the Muhammad Ali Center. Global Fellowships is a weekly potluck dinner series hosted by none other than Ambassador Attallah Shabazz, an author, philanthropist, daughter of Malcolm X and beloved…
Watermelon, real lemonade and… pursuing the summer buzz
One of my favorite childhood flavor memories of summer is of the crunchy, sugary liquid goodness of watermelon. It was a seasonal treat, since I grew up in the glory days of Birds Eye, and fresh anything appeared in grocery stores only at certain times of the year. It was truly summer, with freedom from…
Kentucky Craft Bash enjoys solid debut
As Louisville, and the entire state, comes into its own as a craft beer center, the Kentucky Guild of Brewers took a leap of faith in creating the Kentucky Craft Bash, a Kentucky breweries-only affair that served as a fundraiser for the guild. It took place this past Saturday, June 24, and the day was…
Savage Love: The Music Box
I had a great time at the live taping of the Savage Lovecast at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. Audience members submitted questions on cards, and I tackled as many questions as I could over two hours — with the welcome and hilarious assistance of comedian Kristen Toomey. Here are some of the questions we didn’t…
A response to Ricky L. Jones: Appalachian progressivism is long-lived
While I am not a native Kentuckian, I am a native Appalachian, hailing from the southeastern Ohio region in which “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance once resided, only a short drive from Louisville. Vance and I even went to the same undergrad. As both a native Appalachian and scholar of Appalachian Studies, I struggled through…
The take no shit movement
Do you dare wear short shorts? I did. Miniskirts and what we called half-shirts (now known as crop tops and belly shirts) — with no bra, too. I bought a lot of Esprit at McAlpins, which doesn’t seem amenable to slut-wear in retrospect, so it must have been my attitude that made it so. Once,…
Of poor Southerners, legalizing weed and Branden Klayko, RIP
So do you think the Senate will pass the health bill? Even though it is to healthcare what you are to the Enlightenment? You’re lucky I don’t enlighten you with my fists, you perfumed ponce. But yeah, definitely. The opposition from GOP senators has been mealy-mouthed, to put it politely. It’s all about the process,…
Mitch McConnell and Matt Bevin have secrets
While the two men are polar-opposite personalities, Gov. Matt Bevin and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell operate much the same — in secret. They follow the purest conservative ideology, often backed by major conservative funders, the Koch brothers, and they do so without any accountability to the public — answering only to their political bases and…
