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• The State of Things Today....

  By Jared Bentley

  I have written here before about the sorry state of today's modern music, or at least my perceived notion that the state of modern music is in definite decline. I feel justified in making such an observation, as the talent pool atop the charts these days leaves a lot to be desired.
  
  I have to think that my assumption is one that is shared by many, unless you are one of the millions across the world who likes to have others decide what is best for them. And there are plenty of that demographic to go around. In many areas, and multiple milieu.
  
  That's not a bad thing, I guess, unless you want to retain some semblance of your soul. OK, that might be a bit harsh, but I can't stand the music industry telling me what to buy, especially when their choices for me include Britney, Jessica, Sanjaya, Fergie, Katy, and Zac. I am not a fan. At all.
  
  The artists listed above, and countless others, are famous and popular because they fit a certain mold, or have a certain look. Not because they have tremendous musical abilities or talent. And that is a shame. It is a shame because today, as in the past, there is a tremendous wealth of talent around the world, and it goes largely unrecognized, or totally unnoticed. People are still making wonderful music, and creating sounds to soothe, move, or ignite the soul. We just don't hear as much about them because they don't fit the industry's mold. They don't look like Ken and Barbie.
  
  I have also used this space to complain about reality television, and shows like "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent". I find them mind-numbing and ridiculous. I know that I am in the minority with that, but I generally find myself comfortably fitting that mold, so that's OK by me. The good thing about those two shows, though, as I see it, are that they give the music industry a good idea what the public wants. At least an idea of what the vote-texting, sign-waving, Simon-adoring public thinks is good.
  
  While that includes Sanjaya and the like, it also shows the industry that the good looking people don't generally make it to the end. The people in the final rounds are not generally great either, but they are the more talented of the crew, and don't always have the "look".
  
  When the American public gets to choose, it seems as though they overwhelmingly choose the folks that don't fit the cookie-cutter. Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, and the David guy who won last year are all a little overweight, or a little too feminine, or a little too bald to be one of the pretty people that gets continually pushed down our throats over and over again. They are a lot like the people we all know, and they can sing. Or at least sing better than the Sanjayas of the world.
  
  The country-singing chicken-catcher who won the talent show this past year isn't going to be modeling for anyone anytime soon, and he garnered a huge American vote. That's the record-buying public letting people know what they want to hear. Somebody from the country who looks like your neighbor, has core principles and values, and loves to sing a good song. What a concept.
  
  Sure, the Pussycat Dolls sell a lot of records, but if anybody else's songs were played a million times, or were advertised to the youth like some kid-friendly legalized drug, I am sure they might move a little product as well. Britney's songs are bad, but she has a huge media machine keeping her relevant and popular - it certainly isn't her voice that put her atop the charts. Katy Perry? Fergie? None of them stand up to Adele, Amos Lee, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, or Bob Schneider - and none of those artists is ever going to be a huge star because they don't have the perfect look or Disney factor.
  
  Letting America vote on these shows should show the higher-ups that maybe America is ready for entertainment from people who seem more like them, who aren't pin-ups or centerfolds, who might possibly have talent. Maybe people are finally interested in hearing a good song, rather than watching someone gyrate across the screen in a slick video production. Or, maybe I'm wrong - that's much more likely.
  
  It doesn't stop with just music, though, if you think about it. You can't have a best-seller these days without being a top pick of Oprah and her book club, and television shows only get picked up if they have a good prime-time lead-in with an "established" star. This summer has been somewhat good for movies, however, as independent cinema has been very successful while a few big names have tanked. For every bad Eddie Murphy/Jim Carrey/John Travolta flick that flubs, there is a "District 9", "Zombieland", or "Paranormal Activity" to even things up. But then you have your horrible blockbuster epics that made huge money with horrible reviews because they had the advertising dollar to make it happen (Can you say "Transformers 2", "G.I. Joe", or "Fast and Furious"?).
  
  Hollywood. It's a sad state of affairs out there...
  
  Well, anyway, sorry for the rant. It was just on my mind. And I hope the people in charge listen to the people who should be in charge - the ones who are buying the product - and move a little more towards quality, rather than exposure, glamour, or market share. Heady days, indeed.

• Donna Frost & Jason Waller @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 9
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Acoustic Wednesday night w/Donna Frost & Jason Waller @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

• Ducktape Phonebook @ O'Mainnin's

  Dec. 9
  10:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Big time in the old town tonight - Ducktape Phonebook @ O'Mainnin's.

• Tater Famine @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 8
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Stock up for the Tater Famine @ Acoustic Coffeehouse.

• Stereofidelics w/ Cain & Annabelle @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 6
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Finish the week with Stereofidelics w/ Cain & Annabelle @ Acoustic Coffeehouse on Sunday night.

• And She Did @ Capone's

  Dec. 5
  10:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  You thought she might - And She Did @ Capone's.

• Rhythm Brewers & Marshall Ballew @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 5
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Big night on Walnut with Rhythm Brewers & Marshall Ballew @ Acoustic Coffeehouse.

• New Rascals @ Freedom Hall

  Dec. 5
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Keep an eye out for New Rascals @ Freedom Hall.

• The Infamous Stringdusters @ Down Home

  Dec. 5
  9:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  These guys wrap up the weekend in style - The Infamous Stringdusters @ Down Home.

• Kevin Abernathy & Tim Lee 3 @ Capone's

  Dec. 4
  10:30 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Downtown Friday night - Kevin Abernathy & Tim Lee 3 @ Capone's.

• Charlie Kenney Band @ Rock N Horse II

  Dec. 4
  10:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Spend the weekend with Charlie Kenney Band @ Rock N Horse II.

• Chris Holcombe, Aaron Berg, & Alexa Woodward @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 4
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Start your Friday night with Chris Holcombe, Aaron Berg, & Alexa Woodward @ Acoustic Coffeehouse.

• Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show @ The Bus Pit

  Nov. 20
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Karl Shiflett grew up in Texas with a love for “Acoustic Country” music of all styles. He began playing guitar and singing at the age of nine. His musical influences include Buck Owens, Porter Waggoner, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs along with a multitude of others. He began his professional career as a sideman in the 1980’s and has been a bandleader since 1993.
  
  Come on out to see Karl & His Band Friday night!!!

• Woody Pines @ The Bus Pit

  Dec. 3
  7:30 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Thursday night action at the pit - Woody Pines at the Bus Pit.

• Jon Roniger & Dustin Overbeek @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 3
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Thursday night acoustic sounds - Jon Roniger & Dustin Overbeek @ Acoustic Coffeehouse.

• Joshua Wicker & Fox Hunt @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 1
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Wednesday on Walnut - catch Joshua Wicker & Fox Hunt @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

• Faceless & Dying Fetus @ Cahootenanny's

  Dec. 1
  10:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  This sounds heavy - Faceless & Dying Fetus @ Cahootenanny's. 10 p.m. start time.

• Alathea @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Dec. 1
  8:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  The ladies of Alathea return to the AC - 8 p.m. start time.

• Martyrdom Is Not A Recommended Exercise

  By Jared Bentley

  So, I finally got around to watching "Martyrs" on DVD, the movie I mentioned in my last blog, and I feel compelled to offer a quick review. And here it is.
  
  "Martyrs" is a French film, and it is dark, moody, and brilliantly filmed. The performances seem top-notch (I don't speak very good French, so all I know is that the inflection is effective, and the physicality and emotion offered by the young actors is very realistic and moving. They could all be speaking gibberish and have horrible accents, for all I know.). The film itself is extremely well made and effective. It is, at times, stunning.
  
  But, once you get past the obvious attributes, the disconnect begins. While I see the quality and understand the concept, the film has no real redeeming value. And by no redeeming value, I mean no real redeeming value. By the end, it dissipated into a form of torture glorification and relied too heavily on shock value and implied spiritual gravitas - I found myself actually regretting at times that I felt the need to finish watching the movie.
  
  The story itself revolves around the plight of two horribly maladjusted young ladies who have arrived at an orphanage/girls' school for very different reasons, and have come to heavily rely on one another. The relationship is strange, strained, and yet somehow unwavering, and the actors chosen to play the two are fascinating to watch. The situations that create the conflict for our two protagonists during the film play out violently, and in rather prolonged sequences of anger, fear, and depravity - all wrapped up in the guise of the quest for martyrdom, and the euphoria that accompanies it.
  
  I could give a further synopsis of the story, and explain myself more thoroughly, but I hate to read reviews that simply end up coming across like a book report. I don't want to reveal anything about the film other than to say that it left me feeling rather hollow, listless, and a bit disturbed and disgusted.
  
  It is a film that begs and strives for art-house recognition, and in that sense it succeeds. At times it is ghost film, action drama, love story, revenge flick, and conspiracy theory. But, there is too much "story" without a real story to fall back on.
  
  For someone with a strong stomach and a need for visual flair, it could definitely be your thing, and I may one day come back to it and decide that it is quite a bit better than I first allowed - but it will be a while before I watch it again. If you're looking for a good movie to watch with the family, I say skip it - it is assuredly not a film for the kids.

• City Lights @ Acoustic Coffeehouse

  Nov. 29
  10:00 PM
  By Jared Bentley

  Last Sunday in November, so make it count - City Lights @ Acoustic Coffeehouse.