WoodyFest Coverage: Slideshow
I have no idea how Woody Guthrie or anyone who played WoodyFest can survive the July son in Okemah, but I gave it a shot.
Everyone playing WoodyFest is a character, but one person stood out. His name is Randy Thompson. He takes care of the Crystal Theatre, which is more than 100 years old.
There’s a chance it might close down, so there’s an effort to keep the place going.
Check it out here if you’re interested.
-Poppe
WoodyFest Coverage: Woody Guthrie fans flock to Okemah
Woody Guthrie told us this land is our land.
Okemah is Woody’s territory, from the building-side murals sporting his larger-than-life face to his name etched in sidewalk cement near the 100-year-old Crystal Theatre, where the 13th annual Woody Guthrie Festival kicked off Wednesday.
At the Crystal Theatre, everybody’s a Woody fan. On the 98th anniversary of his birthday, his son, Arlo Guthrie, was the festival headliner, playing folk tunes with his son, Abe Guthrie, and his grandsons Krishna Guthrie and Mo Guthrie.
Ramsay Midwood opened for Arlo and said WoodyFest reminds musicians that their profession isn’t about the fame or the money.
“It kind of brings everyone back to the reason they started making music,” Midwood said.
Read the rest of the story here.
-Poppe
Paste suggests new state song
Indie magazine Paste published an article suggesting 50 new state songs.
The magazine’s suggestion for Oklahoma’s updates song shares the same name as our current track, but it was written by Bishop Allen.
The song has some very Okie friendly lyrics.
You’ve got eyes like Oklahoma
Learned to swim in Lake Texoma
Chances are you plan to leave too soon
Oklahoma that’s what Ill call you!“
It doesn’t have corn as high as an elephant’s eye, but it’s really catchy.
Also, Bishop Allen has spent some time in Oklahoma. The band recorded its album “Broken Strings” at Blackwatch Studios in Norman.
-Poppe
New film starts production in Oklahoma
Famke Janssen wrote and directs the upcoming film "Bringing Up Bobby," which will be filmed in Oklahoma. (AP Photo)
This story ran on the front page of The Oklahoman today.
Filming for the motion picture “Bringing Up Bobby” began this week in Oklahoma.
Milla Jovovich, Marcia Cross and Bill Pullman star in the film written and directed by Famke Janssen.
Newcomer Spencer List, 12, plays Bobby.
“Bringing Up Bobby” follows a European con-artist named Olive (Jovovich) and her son, Bobby (List), who find themselves in Oklahoma after an escape effort. Cross plays the role of Bobby’s foster mother.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jovovich wrote about her participation on Twitter, “Hey guys! Been crazy! Came home 4 a day 2 get ready 2 go 2 oklahoma tonite 2 start my new film ‘bringing up bobby’! will keep u updated!”
First-time executive producers are Edmond native David Johndrow, 42, and his wife, Maryann Johndrow, of Johndrow Vineyards in Napa Valley. The couple join several executive producers. David Johndrow said the entire movie will be filmed throughout Oklahoma City and metro areas such as Edmond, Guthrie and Luther.
David Johndrow said the budget for the independent film hasn’t been finalized. He estimated the movie will create roughly 60 jobs for Oklahomans.
“The one thing about bringing a film to Oklahoma is that Oklahomans are so gracious to the arts,” David Johndrow said. “It’s a fun, interesting proposition.”
List’s publicist Kelly-Marie Smith said in an e-mail that Monday is List’s first day on “Bringing Up Bobby.”
The film is the first directing role for Janssen. She is best known for her performances as the psychic mutant Jean Grey in the “X-Men” trilogy.
David Johndrow said filming in Oklahoma is to conclude in late August.
Video: The Whigs covering Sparklehorse’s “Painbirds”
The Whigs visited the Diamond Ballroom last weekend in support of the Hold Steady.
I managed to grab lead singer Parker Gispert after the show and he decided to play “Painbirds” by the late Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse.
If you enjoy the song then don’t hesitate visiting NPR to listen to “Dark Night of the Soul,” a collaboration between Sparklehorse and Danger Mouse.
The Flaming Lips, The Strokes, Danger Mouse and even David Lynch make cameos.
Weird is good.
P.S.
Here are some shots from The Whigs’ set.
-Poppe
Story behind the story: Visiting the Bowery
A couple weeks ago, George Lang invited me to shoot an interview he was doing with Stephen Kovash.
Kovash used to work as a bartender at the now defunct venue called the Bowery. In the 1980s it was an awesome rock venue that supported a zany cast of people who really cared about music. Make sure to read the feature about it.
Everyone from the Flaming Lips to REM played the venue.
I had no idea what to expect from the interview. All I knew was that no one had really been down inside the Bowery for like two decades.
I set down all of my camera equipment and was exploring the dark, dusty venue when Lang started his interview with the former bartender. Kovash was giving Lang a tour and didn’t give me a heads up to start filming. Rightfully so because Lang is good at interviews because he pays attention well.
So I grabbed my gear immediately and started filming as much as I could.
The lighting wasn’t choice and every sound made in the Bowery echoed like crazy, but I wasn’t afraid to move around my camera and audio equipment for different shots and interesting angles.
I think my favorite thing about filming this interview was learning how important it is to be flexible. It would have killed the interview if I would have asked Kovash to find a chair or move around. I just captured what happened without interrupting the process.
I edited the video during my Fourth of July break, but it was worth it. I think it’s one of the best things I have put together.
Let me know what you think.
P.S.
Check out all these crazy old pictures from the venue.
-Poppe
Photo Slideshow: The Hold Steady at Diamond Ballroom
Here are some shots from The Hold Steady’s Friday evening show.
The nerdy frontman Craig Finn reminds of a guy working at Best Buy who suddenly inherits the soul of Bruce Springsteen. He rocked.
Also, check back soon for video and photos of the talented opening act The Whigs.
-Poppe
Movie Review: “The Square”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. The film received 3 1/2 stars out of 4. The film is showing at the Oklahoma City Museum of Arts this weekend.
There’s a moment in “The Square” when the character played by actor David Roberts looks into a mirror after committing a horrendous crime. His reflection stares back with eyes that read, “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Those five words propel “The Square,” an Australian thriller set during a Christmas season full of murder and scheming instead of gifts and wrapping paper.
Unhappily married Raymond Yale (Roberts) is an overworked construction foreman who finds time to cheat on his wife twice in one day with the much younger Carla Smith (Claire van der Boom). Their affair goes awry when Smith discovers her husband hiding a bag of money in the attic, and the unfaithful spouses decide the cash is their ticket to freedom.
But “The Square” takes itself too seriously for anyone to get away easily.
This is a film about the severity of brash decisions, and several dastardly characters will do whatever it takes to retrieve the money.
Director and stunt coordinator Nash Edgerton ensures every cause has an effect. Performing stunts for projects ranging from “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie” to “The Matrix” must have trained Edgerton to handle action well, because he crafts moments tense enough to match the best scenes from crime films from Joel and Ethan Coen, including “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men.” When Yale arms himself with a flashlight to snoop around a house, it’s impossible not to jump at his discovery.
The acting in “The Square” is superb, which is important because characters handle situations way bigger than themselves, and that’s what makes this movie so watchable.
And it’s a challenging film because multiple conflicts boil from a simple plan to steal money.
Luckily, the movie isn’t all crime and mayhem. The intense moments balance well with some scenes of crushing subtlety, such as when Yale’s wife watches helplessly as her husband secretly meets his mistress.
This makes up for a messy third act, but what can you expect when fire, death and greed are involved?
— Nathan Poppe
Photo Slideshow: Sherree Chamberlain survives car accident and plays Wormy Dog Saloon
Only a few hours after a car accident, Sherree Chamberlain made it the Wormy Dog Saloon to open for Taddy Porter.
Hardcore.
-Poppe
Photo Slideshow: Taddy Porter CD Release Show
Stillwater rockers Taddy Porter visited Wormy Dog Saloon on Saturday to celebrate the release of its self-titled debut album.
The quartet has had a quick rise in popularity thanks to music spots in everything from “Monday Night Football” to “Entourage.”
Check out Gene Triplett’s story where he interviews frontman Andy Brewer.
Also, Taddy Porter handed out Taddy Porter beer at the show, which made this the most Taddy Porter ever to be at a concert.
That’s a refreshing record.
-Poppe
