Old 97’s Rock the Richards Group

My Fair Lady called a bit ago from her gig at Richards Partners. She was all atwitter because the Old 97’s had just played a mini-concert for the gang over at the Richards Group. Don’t make me explain the difference, and I don’t understand why the Old 97’s would play such a gig. Anyway, MFL was in attendance. And apparently fatherhood hasn’t diminished Rhett Miller’s magnetism any, because I could sense over the phone that MFL was flushed. And now I’ve been informed that we’ll be taking our two kiddos down to the AAC at 6 o’clock this eve for a free Old 97’s concert in Victory Plaza. From the looks of things out my window, we’re all going to wind up wet. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Not to mention certain other organs.

CAPTIONS: (left to right) Phillip Peeples (far left) to Stan Richards (center): “Dude, I totally pitted right through this shirt.” Ken Bethea (foreground) to self: “I’m a guitar hero. Take that, you 12 inches of black hate.”

JessiMo, Romo-Simp, Whatever You Called Them, Officially Over

Oldie-but-goodie Alan Peppard reports that his super-secret sources have confirmed Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo are no longer an item. This news comes one season too late for Cowboys fans, but we at D HQ would like to say thanks for the memories.

A Gentle Reminder

Just in case you forgot that we had a Nightlife section. With pictures. Of stuff.

DMN’s Tom Maurstad is Pretty Much the Only Film Critic in America That Loves Speed Racer

I’m not saying Tom is wrong in giving the Wachowski brothers’ take on the super-overrated cartoon an A. Just noting that he–and by extension, the Dallas Morning News–is completely out of step with just about every other film critic in America. Like, way out of step.

Christina McLarty Gets Racy in Vegas

Thanks to the arm-flapping FrontBurnervian who sent along this video of the former Channel 11 entertainment reporter getting it done onstage in Sin City.

The Bachelorette endangers Dallas’ supply of single men

A new season of The Bachelorette starts May 19, and a little digging on ABC’s website revealed that four (!) out of the 25 bachelors live in Dallas-Fort Worth (they are Brian W., Chris, Jeremy, and Twilley). I guess it’s not a surprise that the show would mine single guys from our region’s apparent surplus. One of my friends who worked with Jeremy last summer says she thinks he gets into the final four (he just returned from the Bahamas—wink, wink).

Entertainment Weekly’s First Look at Oliver Stone’s W

I admit: when I first heard about Oliver Stone’s biopic about the famous former (and future) Dallas resident and amateur librarian, I thought they casted the roles too young. But after looking at the cover, and the closeup of Josh Brolin here, I have to say, I’m intrigued.

I am, however, still holding out hope that the always-awesome Elizabeth Banks’ take on Laura Bush is somewhere in the ballpark of her character from The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Because that would be great.

Procrastination is Part of the Creative Process™, Continued

I’m up to 300 award-winning words and three bluebird fledglings that have spent the day at my meal worm feeder. FrontBurnervian Birders, meet Larry, Curly, and Moe.

We Shot JR Obama Benefit Postponed

Your Thursday night is now free. Says WSJR’s Stonedranger:

we had to cancel the obama event due to security issues, but we will be doing the same show with the same line up at a different venue some time in the next couple of weeks.

Ken Bethea of Old 97’s Tells His Famous Poop Story

Several years ago, my cousin told me one of the funniest stories I’d ever heard. It was about Ken Bethea, the guitarist for the Old 97’s, and it involved a romantic encounter interrupted by a bowel movement that went horribly, horribly awry. The story ended with Ken jumping through a bathroom window. My cousin had heard the story from Robert Jenkins, a known scalawag but a close friend of the band. The story was so funny, that I borrowed it and have been retelling it ever since, invariably with great effect.

So when I heard the band was having a listening party May 13 at the Granada for their new CD, Blame It on Gravity, I thought that was as good an excuse as any to ask Ken whether the story was really true — and, if it was true, if he’d stop by the FrontBurner Studios and tell it for posterity’s sake. As it turns out, by the time the story had found its way to me, a few fantastical details had been added. But not many.

As a public service, I bring you the full and accurate account from the man himself:

Matt Zoller Seitz Stops Being a Film Critic, Starts Being a Filmmaker (Again)

You may (and should) remember Matt Zoller Seitz from the Dallas Observer, maybe for this story or some of these reviews. Since he left the Observer a decade or so ago, Seitz has been plying his trade for a number of outlets, most recently at the New York Times. No more. He’ll be in Dallas in July and August to shoot a movie that involves puppets, stuffed animals, and green screens that is “sort of a chance for me to indulge my fantasy of being George Lucas and Jim Henson at the same time,” he says.

Charley Pride Turns 70

Everyone made a big deal about Willie Nelson turning 75 yesterday. But you know who else just had a birthday? Dallas’ own Charley Pride. Did anyone notice? Zac did. Here’s the lead of a wonderful profile of Pride that Zac wrote for the June issue of the “print product”:

Charley Pride turned 70 on March 18. You should know this. Everyone should know this. When Johnny Cash hit that milestone in 2002, his record labels past and present staged a yearlong celebration. Virtually every album Cash had recorded up until that point was reissued, with previously unreleased songs included on the discs and glowing essays tucked into the CD booklets. Willie Nelson got the same treatment as he approached his 70th the next year. It was the proper way to celebrate the lives and legacies of two country music icons.

Charley Pride should have been treated to a similar celebration. He’s a country music icon, too. But RCA Records, his home for two decades, let March 18 pass without comment. No bonus tracks were unearthed. No appreciative treatises about his long and illustrious career were written. Nothing.

I don’t see any point in making folks wait till June. So we’re putting up the whole story now. Go read it.

photo by Allison V. Smith

Steven Soderbergh to Visit High-Class Call Girl; Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner to Pay For It

Well, sort of. The second film in Soderbergh’s six-picture deal with 2929 Entertainment partners Cubes and Wagner will be The Girlfriend Experience, “a look into the world of a $10,000-a-night/$1 million-a-year prostitute.” Like Soderbergh’s first film for 2929, 2005’s Bubble, the movie will be released in theaters and on DVD and cable at the same time, and will be shot with mostly unknown actors. Unlike Bubble, maybe this time it will work.

How “Dallas” Won The Cold War

On the 30th anniversary of its debut, two Reason editors reflect on the power of our favorite TV series.

Luke Wilson’s Next Flick

I saw over on Big Screen Little Screen that Luke Wilson’s Henry Poole Is Here is slated for theatrical release August 15. And then I clicked on the link to watch the trailer. Color me concerned.

Re: Byron Nelson Round One

Normally FrontBurner doesn’t work on Saturdays. We’ll make an exception tomorrow (and Sunday). Here is a tease for Anthony Pulido’s report tomorrow:

I will focus on the new 17th, where the majority of cross-armed accountants in Oakley sunglasses will be mumbling things under their breath about the hot girls they are too old to get and cursing the wealthier men in the elite sky boxes above them. Hopefully it will be a much cleaner and friendlier atmosphere than yesterday, but I seriously doubt it. If anything, I will try to see if this 17th green really comes to fruition as being the new party scene.

I was able to use my press pass to get into one of the elite sky boxes on the 17th where I made friends with a nice gentleman in charge of said sky box, who told me I could set up shop there to cover the 17th all week long. But I doubt I could write anything about the people in there because just about everyone in the place probably knows Wick Allison.

The Story Behind The Thin Blue Line

I was just catching up on the May issue of GQ, which is a good’un. In particular, there’s a profile of documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, who many may know as the director of 1988’s The Thin Blue Line, the movie that exonerated Randall Adams of the murder of a police officer in Dallas in 1976. The magazine profile (timehook: Morris’ Standard Operating Procedure) is full of goodies, or, at least, goodies that the movie had that I forgot. Read the whole thing. (Or don’t. It’s up to you.)

Kids in the Hall To Be Kids in the Nokia Theater

True fans no doubt know already that the members of Kids in the Hall are coming to Dallas April 23 for a live performance. I made TV Critic Ed “Uncle Barky” Bark write a preview of the shindig, including an interview with troupe member Mark McKinney. Okay, by “made him write,” I mean “assigned him a Web-only feature.” Check it out. It’s good stuff as always from Ed. Oh. And if you’re wondering: My favorite Kid (at the time of the show) is Bruce McCulloch. My favorite Kid post-show is Dave Foley, for NewsRadio (natch). Close second for Scott Thompson for Larry Sanders Show. Mark McKinney on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was just … sad.

Joe Simpson Continues to Impress

I tried to stay away from the Ashlee Simpson engagement gossip that turned out to be true and then the pregnancy rumor too, but this item is too good to resist. Joe Simpson is pimping out photos of his soon-to-be-wed daughter and unborn grandkid, wanting $1 million for a cover shot, of which he demands to be the photographer. A magazine editor says one million is a bit high. Like, about $940,000 too high. You stay classy, Joe Simpson.

The Dallas Theater Center’s New Season

When Kevin Moriarty announced the Dallas Theater Center’s new season last night, he had everybody riveted with his plans. So far, he’s been doing everything right. He’s been all over town going to theaters and talking to people since he got here in September, and it shows. One big surprise was his praise of Paul Baker, whom he actually visited on his ranch several weeks ago. Baker’s difficult parting from the DTC (which he founded) has been an unresolved problem.

Then came the announcement of the season itself, which contained more surprises. Here’s the list, with an interview after the jump.

(more…)

Bruce Springsteen Rocks Dallas

He had me, once again, at “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” It was the opening song played last night by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the AAC. Sad to say that the show was not a sell-out, but the geezers like us who showed up to rock, did so. Despite the kick-sass opening number, the Boss had to kick-start the geriatric crowd. It took him about 45 minutes to get people to loosen up. Hell, the once raucous sax man, Clarence Clemons, was a dreadlocked shadow of his former self. He stayed put in his front stage-right position all night. It was like somebody tied him to a post to hold him up. Mrs. Boss, singer Patti Scialfa, was a no-show. She had to fly back to New Jersey to take care of “a situation” with the couple’s teenage kids. Bruce said something about the neighbors reporting that the Springsteen kids were rolling kegs of beer down the driveway of their mansion. He shook his head and said that when you have teenage kids “it gives a whole new meaning to homeland security.”

Guess who showed up to sing “Glory Days”? One overly coiffed Jon Bon Jovi, who looked extremely nervous as he shared the microphone with his idol. As usual, the band shuffled the set list and played a mix of old (”American Land”) and new (”Radio Nowhere”). (Here is a copy of the handwritten set list.) He also brought “Dancing in the Dark” out of retirement when he spied a group of teenage girls from Fort Worth jumping around in the general admission area on the floor. I think some dancing teacher was pushing to get them onstage before the show (speculation here, it was loud) and it obviously worked. He pulled the whole group up for the dance number made famous by Courtney Cox back in the ’80s. It was cute — a fact that left Bruce shaking his head like “WTF am I turning into here? I have teenagers, not hot chicks, dancing in my show. Maybe I should just go home and count my money.” But I doubt he is capable of that. He will rock — and politicize — until he falls over.

Oh, today I feel so old. Yet so young and restless. And tired.

Kristin Campbell Talks About Fingers

It’s times like these when I remember why I decided to become a journalist: to make a difference in the world. I just interviewed Kristin Campbell, co-host of the DaFoWo Show, for a ditty we’re doing in the “print product” next month. You’ll have to wait for the full-on. But here’s a little taste.

A Primer Appreciation

The Onion’s AV Club elevates Shane Carruth’s Primer into the pantheon of cult films. You may recall the Richardson writer-director-star won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2004. And then, poof, he disappeared. I wrote a story about him and the movie, and  I remember Shane telling me he had big plans for a big epic picture with oceanography and pirates (I’m not kidding about the oceanography, and I’m almost positive about the pirates). But I haven’t heard from or about him in years.

Blockbuster Doesn’t Want You to Leave Your House

Or, rather, the company is making it so you don’t have to. Remember when BBI bought Movielink last August? Now we know what it plans to do with it. Blockbuster is working on set-top device to stream movies directly to your TV. Kind of like Apple TV, but doubtful as design-y. When? An announcement is expected sometime this month.

David Mamet F - - - - - - Rocked Last Night

Last night, the Hiett Prize was given to David Greenberg at the Dallas Museum of Art. David Mamet was the keynote speaker, and he did a pre-prandial interview with Gary Cogill (pictured). The iPhone was in attendance. As was yrs trly. I have several observations for Those Who Care to Jump:

(more…)

Happy Opening Day

Ahoy, FrontBurnervian Baseball Fans! I am sitting front row in the press box at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington with all my baseball-writing friends at the DMN. Columnist Kevin Sherrington was nice enough to give me his seat. Then I discovered why. The sun is shining directly into my face and I can’t see my computer screen. I’m here to video broadcaster Eric Nadel (pictured) when he throws out the first pitch to open the season. Gotta go. Back later. Go Rangers.

Local Company Provides Excuse To Link To Sweet Trailer

It is my understanding that 7-Eleven customers and fans can get their hands around Iron Man this month in advance of Paramount Pictures’ new movie release in theaters May 2. In addition, I have been told that, to support this motion picture promotion, 7-Eleven® stores in the U.S. are offering cool, 3-D 22-oz collectible Slurpee® cups and special straws with detachable miniature figures of Iron Man and his nemesis Iron Monger. You may be interested to know that The Iron Monger cup includes 24 actual frames from the Iron Man movie to create action-packed graphics—something never done before. As well, Amp Energy Freeze is the new Slurpee flavor highlighting the much anticipated film, courtesy Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment. Participating 7-Eleven stores also feature this month a life-size, 6-foot-4 standee of Iron Man. And, I may have taken all that from a press e-mail just so I could link to this new Iron Man trailer, because, let’s face it, if you aren’t pumped to see this movie, you don’t have a set.

Vandals Savagely Attack Deep Ellum Residence

Gregg Fussell and Gianna Madrini have themselves a cool compound in Deep Ellum. Very secret garden. The picture you see here is of their curved wall that faces Main Street, site of the just-concluded Deep Ellum Arts Festival. At various points along the street, the festival organizers had left small buckets of chalk for kiddos (and adults) to leave their mark underfoot. My own personal kiddos did some good work at the corner of Main and Pryor, thank you very much. As we were leaving, I spotted the Fussell-Madrini wall, which I assume was fair game for chalk — right? Will rain wash all that chalk off the rusty surface of the steel?

Bob Schieffer Makes Fun of Dallas

He kicked off a fundraiser for TCU with a performance from his band Honky Tonk Confidential. The Star-T has video and lyrics from HTC’s anti-Dallas song, which is actually pretty entertaining. (Side note: you know who looks pretty darn fit for his age? Bob Schieffer.)

AFI Review: Polyphonic Spree’s Closing Concert and Overall Recap

I know Tim posted pictures (a lot of them, in fact), but here are some words from, you guessed it, Adrienne Gruben. It’s another thoughtful, personal recap of another AFI event, the last one, in fact. Thanks, Adrienne, for all of the hard work and good works you turned in. You keep shining and don’t be a stranger, ‘k?

(more…)

AFI Review: What Just Happened?, Plus Art Linson

Here’s one more review from Adrienne Gruben, with a twist. Gruben takes a look at the work-in-progress, Robert de Niro-starring What Just Happened? But she also had a sitdown with the man whose life the movie is based on, legendary producer, director, and screenwriter Art Linson. It’s just a click away…

(more…)

AFI Review: Snow Angels

AFI Dallas is over, but we have just a couple more reviews from the more than capable Adrienne Gruben. Think of it as tidying up after the party. Here, her thoughts on Snow Angels, directed by Richardson native David Gordon Green. If readers of Gruben’s reviews for us think she hasn’t seen a movie she didn’t love, Snow Angels nips that notion in the bud. Check it out.

(more…)

AFI: The Closing Night

I promise you: that’s Charlize Theron in the photo. On the right is Michael Cain. I was told by one AFI volunteer that Theron awoke Saturday morning with a 102-degree temperature. But that didn’t stop her from making her appointed rounds and accepting her AFI Dallas Star Award at the NorthPark screening of Battle in Seattle. I found the movie a disorganized mess. I didn’t care about the characters. I didn’t care about the outcome. At the after party at the House of Blues, Big Bob Wilsonky described the movie to me as Crash with tear gas. I think that’s generous. Speaking of the after party, after the jump you’ll find photos of the Polyphonic Spree concert. The highlight for me was their encore rendition of Nirvana’s “Lithium.” Good stuff.

(more…)

AFI Pictures for Your Eyes

Adrienne Gruben writes, and she takes pictures. On your left, you’ve got Bobby De Niro and Michael Cain. On your right, Bary Levinson, with the specs (and another dude).

RE: Rene Moreno

Tim Rogers was noble enough to apologize to Mr. Moreno on behalf of the magazine, not because any offense was meant — it assuredly was not — but because offense was taken. I wrote the story, so the criticism of its language (in the many comments on his post) rightly falls on me.

The words and phrases in question occur in a story whose whole point is the bearing of Mr. Moreno’s accident on the way he plays the lead role in Richard III — the relation between his life and his art. I hope that his objections to my story, as well as this exchange on FrontBurner, will correct my insensitivities and omissions in that regard and add further understanding to his accomplishment. The play opens tonight. I suggest that you get a ticket soon.

More Film News That’s Not AFI-Related: USA Film Festival Announces Schedule

 The USA Film Festival has a ton of stuff planned for the upcoming 38th installment; you can read all about it after the jump. But the scheduled salute to Meat Loaf allows me to mention my favorite terrible trailer of all time, which ends like this: Patrick Swayze … Randy Travis … and Meat Loaf … Black Dog. I don’t think that will be involved in the salute, though.

(more…)

DaFoWo Show Continues to Work Blue

Every week, the kids over at the Star-T surprise me with what they can get away with on their little webisode thingy. [standing, clapping]

Looking For A Good Deal on Art And a Good Cause?

I’m sorry to learn that local freelance photographer Juan Pulido, “Johnny” as his friends call him, recently fell while on a shoot and broke his back. To make matters worse, he has no insurance to pay his medical bills. So tomorrow a group of local artists have put together a fundraiser that will include a bitchin’ silent auction of their work. Details: Brokeback Fundraiser, Saturday, April 5 from 2 - 6 PM at the Opening Bell Coffee, located in the basement of the South Side on Lamar Lofts (1409 S. Lamar). For more info or to make phone donations: 469-2333-2534; 214-454-6270. Music by IRas Mali; food by Texas Caribbean Foods. Artists donating work after the jump. (more…)

Re: Signing Off

JJ, I will miss you like a flower misses rain. And to this, you will forever be my date. In the meantime, I’ll shed a tear and continue to do this. Tra la.

Why I Won’t Be at the Nasher This Saturday

The Nasher just released the lineup for its Saturday Night in the City Garden Concert Series (full release after the jump). The first performer, this Saturday, is homeboy and Jackopiercer Cary Pierce. The last time I heard him play a concert, it cost me a night in the Oklahoma City Jail and $1,100. Here’s a story that ran in the Daily Oklahoman awhile back, under the headline “Three Arrested for Not Wearing Pants”:

Three out-of-towners were caught red-handed — sort of — after police found them running around downtown Oklohoma City without pants. The men were booked into the Oklahoma City Jail on complaints of indecent exposure. Police found the trio, who were wearing only shirts, sitting on a curb in front of the Medallion Hotel about 2 a.m. Sunday.

A female driver reported the incident.

Arrested were: [name redacted], 28, and Timothy Rogers, 26, both of Dallas; and [name redacted], 26, of Ardmore. All have since been released from jail.

We were walking back to the hotel after the concert. Streaking seemed like the right thing to do. The show was that good. But never again. As I told the judge, I learned my lesson.

(more…)

Film News That’s Not AFI Related: State Rep. Allen Vaught, Matt Damon in Green Zone

A little while ago, I told you that State Rep. Allen Vaught was going to be in a movie with Matt Damon based on Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s book Imperial Life in the Emerald City. The flick, now titled Green Zone, is currently shooting in London, which is where Vaught is now. He’s basically playing the same part he played in the Iraq war, albeit with less responsibility (he was “The Mayor of Fallujah,” after all) and way fewer lines. Besides for Damon, Green Zone also stars Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, and Jason Isaacs, and is directed by the somewhat divisive Paul Greengrass. Will this be the first Iraq war film to succeed? I mean, one has to, right?

AFI Review: Lou Reed’s Berlin

Rhonda Reinhart is a talented, organized, intelligent member of the D empire. (She works in our Special Interest Publications division.) Turns out, she’s quite the film reviewer person, as well. Here’s her take on the Lou Reed/Julian Schnabel project, Berlin.

(more…)

AFI Review: Please Vote For Me

Adrienne Gruben’s reviews continue to delight. Here’s her recap of a documentary about a grade-school election in China. If I were keeping categories of Movies I Want to See Soon, Movies I’m Glad I Didn’t, and Movies I Hope to Catch Sometime on TV, this one in particular would be high up in that first group. Adrienne’s thoughts are after the jump.

(more…)

AFI Review: Certifiably Jonathan

Adrienne Gruben saw another movie and she wrote another review. After the jump is her write-up of Certifiably Jonathan, the documentary(ish) movie about Jonathan Winters. When I was growing up, my dad gave me sort of a comedic education. He didn’t try to teach me how to be funny, but he made sure I had exposure to Winters, Monty Python, early Mel Brooks, and more. Like literature and coffee, I was too young to appreciate it fully at the time, but I’m thankful now. Herewith, Adrienne’s review:

(more…)

Adam Angry

I wish I had someone to blame other than myself for not going to see comedian Eddie Izzard on either of the nights he was in Dallas. As Corby recounted on The Ticket, Izzard was to have just one show at the Majestic on Sunday. It sold out quickly. Izzard asked if the Majestic was booked on Monday. It wasn’t, so he added another show, and I missed that one too. He’s one of the best, and I missed the chance to see him live. Twice. Some people were more on top of their games and managed to attend. Harrumph.

AFI Review: At the Death House Door

The AFI Film Festival screens a lot of movies. More than 230, I’m told. So, for reviewing purposes, we’ve brought in some help. Meet Adrienne Gruben. She’s a writer/producer whose last documentary film, You’re Gonna Miss Me, about the enmeshed family of ’60s casualty Roky Erickson, was an Indie Spirit Award nominee and is now out on DVD. She most recently wrote for IndieWire and U2.com about U2 3D, the band’s newest concert film. A native Texan, Adrienne lives in both LA and Dallas. After the jump is her inaugural FB review. Expect more from her later in the week.

(more…)

Another Day, Another Dallasite Hits National Foodie TV

This time, I am so not surprised. Lisa Garza, wife of Gilbert Garza, co-owner of Suze, and designer of a line of vintage inspired aprons, Couture Caviar, has been selected as a contestant on what some people call the most challenging food fights on TV, The Next Food Network Star. The show starts its fourth season on Sunday, June 1 at 9PM. Lisa watching party? Oh, yes. She is easy on the eye. And a born promoter. You go, girl.

AFI Review: Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

On Friday, People Newspaper Staff Writer Cassie Clark went to see the Hunter S. Thompson documentary. Her well-organized review of it and the film is after the jump.

(more…)

There Ain’t No Party Like an AFI Party, Because an AFI Party Don’t Stop

Yrs trly girded his loins Saturday night and ventured out to the W Hotel for some AFI action. I brought back two really bad photos.

(more…)

AFI Review: Before the Rains

Doug Mankoff — a St. Mark’s graduate — is in town for the screening tonight at the Magnolia (7:30 p.m.) for Before the Rains, for which he’s one of the producers. Sorry about Tracing Cowboys, alter-Glenn. It might be one of those cases when sentiment overwhelmed judgment. But this one won’t be a disappointment. Linus Roache plays an Englishman in 1930s India, when opposition to the Raj was growing. He has big plans to build a road over the mountain using hordes of native labor before monsoon season, but his affair with his housekeeper — casual to him but not to her — leads to tragedy when he rejects her after his wife and son arrive.

This one sticks with you for its fine performances and moral complexities. It’s definitely one to see — if you can get in.