Low Anthem at Headliners 6/4

Next Saturday one of my favorite bands is coming to Headliners, and the show is only TEN BUCKS!  If you're looking for a totally transcendant way to spend your June 4th, or you just like discovering beautiful music, I hope you'll join me at the Low Anthem show.

I first discovered Low Anthem (who hail from Providence RI, a mere 45 minutes from my hometown) when they opened for Lisa Hannigan at the 930 Listening Room back in 2009.  I loved Hannigan, but I was floored by the hymn-y, sea-chanty-y, Americana of Low Anthem.  The Avett Brothers and the Decemberists (who put on an amazing show at Iroquois Amphitheater last month) do something like what Low Anthem does, but I still think Low Anthem does it better.   

(PSA: that Lisa Hannigan/Low Anthem show was the first and only time I will ever darken the doorstep of the 930 Listening Room.  At the time of the concert, I did not know much about the 930-Sojourn Church connection. Sojourn is a conservative Christian organization cloaked in hipster, stylish, artsy, twentysomething chic. Vile anti-gay stuff going on there. I don't care if their next show features Leonard Cohen with Bono as an opening act, I won't go. You shouldn't either.)

Saw Low Anthem again at Bonnaroo 2009 in the middle of a middle of the night downpour.  Loads of Bonnaroo recaps I saw cited that show as one of the best of the festival. Huge and beautiful and quirky and sweet.  Love them.

I promise you, I don't blog mediocre music.  I'm not a huge music person in general, but when I get behind a band, you know they're off the charts (I tweeted relentlessly about Trombone Shorty at Headliners last month, and everyone who went had an ecstatic experience!).

Low Anthem
Headliners
June 4, 9pm $10

Summer To-Do List: Lunch!

By the time I get from my digs in the Meatspace Workplace to the cafeteria, I have maybe twenty-five minutes to eat, if I hustle my buns down there. Now, one of the big benefits of my job is we have one of the best cafeterias in the city. Not only that but the lunch ladies and dudes are pretty much the nicest, friendliest, most fun people in the establishment. AND my lunch is free (or, it's part of my "yearly contract," I suppose. I get paid in lunch!). So this is not me bemoaning my workaday lunch situation, at all.

But one of the things I most look forward to each summer is the freedom to lunch at will!

A few places on my lunch list:

Speaking of "the nicest people," I just love the folks at Joe Davola's.  Yeah, I can't really stand Seinfeld, but I'll forgive them that.  Their prices are good.  Their portions are generous.  And their cream of mushroom soup is my favorite soup in the city.

My second favorite soup is a recent find.  The tomato dill soup at The Cafe is so good I went there every Saturday for a month just to have it (they're only open for lunch, and they're not open on Sundays).  What a funny and quirky place (and it's hard to find! Worst case scenario: park by Louisville Stoneware and just wander around by foot til you find it!).  It's eclectic flea-market decor reflects its past location in the old Louisville Antiques Mall on Broadway (RIP). They have a lovely patio where you can watch the trains going by overhead.  Definitely a place to stop on a cool afternoon.  And the cookies... yum!

Over at Consuming Louisville, Michelle recently blogged a couple of times about Please and Thank You on Market. I haven't checked it out yet, but it might be my first lunch stop this summer (hoping Michelle will join me and maybe treat me to a tour of ParkVu, HQ of Music WithMe). The reason I'm so hot to try this place is that they have very "me" lunch options, like grapes and cheese.

Believe it or not, even though I've blogged about Lil Cheezer's grilled cheese truck a couple of times and even hosted an awesome guest blog from the owner, Matt, I still haven't tried them out.  One night I did swing by to say hi, and Roommate had a great grilled cheese, but this summer I plan on making friends with Matt & crew.

Last time I went out with my lunching ladies, we went to the (at the time) newly-opened Ghyslain (another link to Consuming Louisville).  We were a big party, but the folks were super attentive and eager to answer questions.  The food was very good (next time, I'm going to have the Mediterranean plate, which looked phenomenal), and although I'm not a sweet-eater, I loved ogling their amazing desserts and chocolates selections. But mostly, I can't wait to return because I just want to move in there. It's gorgeous! There's something about the particular blue that their walls are painted that makes me want to bring a book and a blanket and order some coffee and just cuddle up for an afternoon (yes, I know that would be frowned upon). But you know what I will bring next time I go? My paint chip fan. So I can figure out just what the blue is... my living room needs painting.

Now I'm all excited and can't wait to get through the next week of being pretty much tied to the Meatspace Workplace cafeteria (although I will miss my lunch ladies and dudes over the summer!).  Lunch!  What a luxury! Want to lunch with me? Hit me up (or HMU, as the kids say)!

Summer To-Do List: Louisville MEGA Cavern

Welcome back to the summer to-do list. Last time I blogged about something practical: a clothing resale shop called Clothes Mentor (that's an odd name, isn't it?) Today I have something more fun in mind.

I can't believe I haven't been to the MEGA Cavern yet.  I'm a cave nut.  I'm the opposite of claustrophobic.

One of the best-- if not the best-- memories I have is spelunking in an underground cave in New Zealand. It was a six-hour expedition, and we were outfitted in scuba suits under jumpsuits, helmets with headlights, knee pads, elbow pads.

Rappelling down underground waterfalls.  Swimming underwater through underground tunnels, not knowing if the tunnel would end before you ran out of breath.  Drinking hot cocoa, halfway through, in a cave lit by glow-worms. Ascending, finally, at the end of the expedition by climbing an underground cliff-face and out of a literal hole in the ground and emerging in a grassy meadow full of cows.

Night had fallen when we were in the cave, and when we squiggled out of the narrow hole, we were confronted by a night as dark as the cave, lit only by the brightest field of stars I've ever seen.  Amazing.

Of course, Louisville MEGA Cavern is nothing like that. Not really sure what those caps are all about in "MEGA."  Nor have I ever understood the difference between caves and caverns.  But there are 17 miles of caverns located under Louisville.  Many of them man-made, at that!  And Louisville MEGA Caverns will take you on a Jeep tour of many of them. And if you "check in" on Facebook and show them you've checked in you get $1 off your ticket price.

So, that's totally on my Summer To-Do list.  Go visit Louisville MEGA Caverns.

Bless their hearts, but here's something that's NOT on my To-Do list: in July they will open a huge, underground Mega-Zipline.  Awesome, original, exciting.  And I'll tell you more about it when I hear more about it.

But I will NOT be giving it a test run.  My fear of heights is insurmountable.  Really.  Paralyzing. Awful. I can't even climb a ladder to paint the tops of my 12' walls. Really.

That being said... on that same trip to New Zealand, I bungee jumped off the first commercial bungee jump spot in the world-- and the second highest at the time-- on the bridge above the Kawarau River with the AJ Hackett Company.  Yes, I was trying to impress a guy.  No, it didn't work... at that moment (probably because I cried and swore like a crab boat captain on the Bering Sea during the whole experience). But I did end up dating him a couple of months later.  Hey, I was in my stupid twenties. It is what it is.

Technical Difficulties

Today is just an ugly day tech-wise. My email got hijacked-- I'm so sorry, I truly DON'T believe you need Viagra-- and now I can't get my new domain registry to forward properly.

And I'm swamped at the Meatspace Workplace today.

Just know that I didn't get raptured.  I'm just all bungled up.

thanks for your patience

Summer To-Do List: Clothes Mentor

It's beginning to look a lot like Summ-er, every-where you go... 

Why have I had Christmas songs in my head all week?  Tonight's carol is better than last night's, which was: Summer is coming, this Lou has gotten fat/Please Lawd let no body else notice that./If you haven't got a diet, some exercise will do./ If you're unwilling to exercise, then God bless you."


Seriously. I know you didn't ask for a glimpse into my odd little noggin, but there you are.

Anyway, summer approaches, and I am working on my summer to-do list. Lest you think I'm an organized, ambitious planner, I just told someone on Twitter that I will make this list tonight and consult it again on August 16 and then sink into a deep depression.  At least, that's how previous years' lists have gone.  Best of intentions... yadda yadda.

But I wanted to share some Louisville things that are on my to-do list.  (If I ever manage to complete a majority of things on my summer to-do lists, I'm gonna start calling them "summer ta-dah! lists.")

So tonight I'll start with: Sell some clothes to Clothes Mentor.

I don't iron.  Like, ever.  I own an iron and a steamer, but not an ironing board.  So I made the decision this year to donate or sell any item of casual summer clothes that doesn't come out of the dryer ready to wear.  I'll still iron or steam the fancy stuff.  But pants, skirts, shirts that come out of the dryer accordion-pleated?  Gone.  I estimate that I have marked 25% of my summer wardrobe for donation or sale.

Good news:  the blog 502 Fashion, brought this info to my attention-- the first women's clothing resale shop is opening up in St. Matthews.  It's called Clothes Mentor, and it differs from a consignment shop because they pay you up front for the clothes. Which I love. I've had some really shady dealings with consignment shops, locally.  See more about Clothes Mentor over at 502 Fashion.  And while you're at it, check out the rest of the blog.  Good, fun stuff.

NTDWL: Feeling Rapturous

Nothing to Do With Louisville... really.

All this talk about the Rapture on May 21...

I ain't buying it.  Hooey, I say.

But in case it isn't, Gentle Readers, thanks for reading my blog. For the first time.  For the past four years.

From what I understand, the fundamental Christians behind this May 21 prediction believe that a very select few, 3% of the world population-- all of whom, I assume, believe in "their" God-- will be whisked away to party with Jesus on Saturday.  And by "party with," I mean party sans alcohol, dancing, sex, drugs, rock and roll, and Obamacare.  The rest of us will live another six months or so, plagued by natural disasters, pestilence, riots, and turmoil.  Otherwise known as... your average week in 2011.

Then we all get sent to hell.

I say "the rest of us" because I don't really know any fundamental Christians or people who believe this rapture stuff.

BUT, if there IS a rapture, I believe those who will be raptured will NOT just be those folks who believe in the fundies' God.  If there is a rapture (and therefore a God), I believe that She/He will rapture only the truly, truly Good people in the world.

So, Grandma Lou and Michelle Jones, I will miss you very much come 6:01pm on May 21.  Love you both and God(seeing we know He/She exists at that point)speed on your voyage.

The rest of you? Hope y'all get good drugs for your pestilence.

Walden's Shakespeare Festival

This is a bit late to the game, so I will be brief.

Y'all know I love me some Walden Theatre.  It's a treasure.  A local treasure.

This week, I've been to two of the three plays in their annual Shakespeare Festival, and I have been charmed and amused and thoroughly entertained.

Yesterday, I saw OTHELLO.  I know OTHELLO like the back of my hand.  I directed the play during the summer after my junior year at the Columbia Outdoor Shakespeare Festival in New York City.  Walden's production was spot on.  The highlight of the show was the young man who portrayed Iago, easily the most complicated character in all of Shakespeare's works.  Stunning work.  Excellent work by all the actors who portrayed leads, especially Roderigo, Emilia, and Othello.

Tonight I saw TWELFTH NIGHT.  This gender-bending comedy's comedy was made more comedic by the decision to cast only girls.  Hilarious.  Sometimes a bit over-the-top, but as an audience at Walden, it's important to always understand that Walden actors are still in training.  I like to see a young actor go for it BIG; time and training will teach him or her (her in this case-- several hers) to rein it in.  But this cast's Viola? Brilliant.  Gentle and subtle and funny as heck.

The third play is ANTONY & CLEOPATRA, which I may miss.  I'm bummed because I admire the director, Alec Volz.

This is the last week.  Go see a show or two. You won't be sorry. All plays are at the Victor Jory Theater at Actors Theatre.  Call the box office for tickets.

Othello dir. Charlie Sexton
May 14, 15 @ 2pm
May 17, 20, 22 @7:30pm
Twelfth Night dir. Barrett Cooper
May 13, 15, 18, 21 @7:30
May 22 @2pm
Antony & Cleopatra dir. Alec Volz
May 12, 14, 16, 19 @7:30
May 21 @ 2pm

Friday the 13th: Lucky if you Love Music (repost)

Lou's note: Feeling a little deja vu here?  Yeah, sorry.  During last week's Blogger blackout, somehow this blog post totally disappeared.  So I'm just posting it again after the fact.  Thank you so much to Laura Ellis who happened to have the post saved in her Google Reader.  I love Google Reader.  And I love Laura Ellis!  

By the way, the show was GREAT.  And I LOVE that it was great because it sucks when you have to lie to friends and say you enjoyed their music when you really didn't.  Seriously, I would go out of my way to see Alex Wright perform now even if he wasn't the husband of a friend.  :)

Clearly something is still "off" with Blogger because the formatting of this is way wonky.  Sorry, y'all.

I hate to repeat stuff that Michelle blogs about over at Consuming
Louisville because I figure if you're reading my blog, you're sure as
hell reading her blog, amirite?  But we like Alex, so I'm throwing in
a extra plug for the  Alex Wright CD Wrap Party at Zazoo's.

Alex is a singer-songwriter and all-around good guy (who has excellent
taste in women) who moved to Louisville from NYC a little while ago. I
heard his lovely voice at a house party he had for a
fellow-NYC-singer-songwriter (whose name escapes me right now), and
I've listened to the tracks available online.  Good stuff.  Here's his
bio:

Alex Wright grew up singing and playing music with his family ineastern Kentucky. He started performing in churches at the age of 4and continued to play music with friends and family into his teens inAppalachia. He learned to harmonize with anyone and to make up wordsif he forgot the real ones. From this early musical experience, hedeveloped a lifelong love and appreciation of many musical genres,from bluegrass to rock to opera. He began writing music in high schoolwith his first band and continued through the long dark years of hispostgraduate education, when his ability to perform music was limited.He moved to New York City in 2001. The long subway rides gave him thetime to think about music again and he began honing and performingsongs privately for friends and family. Family circumstances prompteda move to Louisville Kentucky in 2009. A chance meeting with DeweyKincade, a brilliant songwriter and performer, pointed him in thedirection of C.B Sound studio in Goshen, KY where he has happily madea second home. His debut album is due out in early 2011.

According to Alex's head cheerleader, "The show starts at 9pm with an
acoustic set by C.T. Robinson (from the band Bad Road Pony), then a
full band set from Alex around 10pm, followed by a full band set from
Dewey Kincade [who produced the album] with Alex on bass."

Alex's album is called FEELING THE PULL.  I've never been to Zazzoo's,
but it's not far from Frankfort & Lexington Aves (102 Bauer) and it's
a bar and grill that's open til 4am.

Hope to see you there!

It's Fun To Answer Questions about Drinking

One of the funniest people on Twitter (whose tweets are locked, sorry y'all) asked if I would mind posting about a survey she's doing for work.  I figure, she's entertained me all these months, I owe her that.  So, go answer some questions about drinking for Miss @lesil.  And maybe if you're super nice, she'll accept you as a Twitter pal.  You'll be glad she did.

Her survey is for a start-up brewery, so let's support our local adult beverage providers, shall we?  Take the survey here.

Harry Shearer brings THE BIG UNEASY to Village 8

As a rabid cheerleader for the city of Louisville, I sometimes feel a little bad that I still self-identify as a "New Orleans ex-pat." But I do. It'll be four more years before I've lived in Louisville as long as I lived in Louisiana, and I imagine it'll be a few more years after that before I consider dropping the ex-pat identity.  And frankly, maybe I never will.

But one of the many many things I love about Louisville is this: Louisville loves New Orleans.

So, it's appropriate-- and awesome-- that Village 8 is hosting an appearance by Harry Shearer and a screening of his documentary THE BIG UNEASY.

Shearer created THE BIG UNEASY in part due to the fact that the media and our politicians have perpetuated the myth that the New Orleans flood was a "natural disaster" caused by Katrina.  People will argue otherwise, but in Shearer's mind (and in my mind and in the minds of-- I'd venture to say-- MOST New Orleanians) and according to multiple independent investigations, the flood was a man-made disaster caused by design and construction flaws in the antiquated and insufficient levee systems.  The film goes on to investigate similar flawed levee systems protecting many other major American cities and their potential for failure.  Read Shearer's filmmaker's statements here.

THE BIG UNEASY has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and has been featured at and won awards at many of the most prestigious film festivals.  It plays at Village 8 from May 13-19, but Shearer himself will conduct a Q&A after the 7pm May 16 showing.  Tickets are a measly $5 and are on sale now.

Help me sell out this event, Louisvillagers! Let's show New Orleans how much Louisville loves her.  And let's prove that Louisville, unlike-- sigh-- the rest of the country it seems sometimes, hasn't forgotten the flood or the many people STILL suffering in New Orleans.

BTW: the website for the film features fantastic resources.  Check it out here.