HullabaLou festival

Looks like an interestingly diverse group of bands for the festival. Ranging from 70s rock to country, bluegrass and soul, only the Kentucky Derby crowd could be more diverse. I would probably stay close to the bluegrass stage for such acts as Ricky Skaggs and Dan Tymenski and the McCoury boys. Dwight Yoakum and Loretta Lynn offer glimpses of what country should be. This is not the Warped Tour or SXSW. No indie or punk. More like mainstream Americana. Not that there is anything wrong with that. See info below for dates and times.

HullabaLou festival at Churchill Downs in Louisville: Three days of Heat and Music

	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
	Grand Stand Stage Bon Jovi Dierks Bentley Train Electric Touch 4th Street Stage The O'Jays Gladys Knight Chrisette Michele Hazel Miller Rick Bartlett’s Rockin’ Soul Revival Longfield Ave. Stage Doobie Brothers B 52s Blood, Sweat & Tears Exile Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits Backstretch Stage Colbie Caillat Gloriana Sam Bush Green River Ordinance J.D. Shelburne Bluegrass Stage - Paddock The Travelin' McCourys with Dan Tyminski Whiskey Bent Valley Boys Cumberlands Brushfire	Grand Stand Stage Kenny Chesney Jason Aldean Sara Evans 4th Street Stage Al Green Michael McDonald Musiq Soulchild Jimmy Church Duke Tumatoe and the Power Trio Longfield Ave. Stage Huey Lewis and the News John Kay & Steppenwolf War Ben Sollee Backstretch Stage Gov't Mule Joan Osborne Ben Folds Villebillies Brigid Kaelin Bluegrass Stage - Paddock Ricky Skaggs Relic The Tillers BlueZenGrass with Special Guest Phil Leadbetter	Grand Stand Stage Dave Matthews Band Zac Brown Band The Avett Brothers 4th Street Stage Steve Miller Band The Black Crowes Taj Mahal Terry Adams Longfield Ave. Stage Dwight Yoakam Loretta Lynn Justin Moore Stealing Angels Backstretch Stage Kansas 38 Special Taddy Porter Tonic Bluegrass Stage - Paddock Rhonda Vincent Michael Johnathon Hog Operation Kentucky Blue

Louisville Mourns the Loss of Francene Cucinello

Radio Daze
Originally uploaded by Ian Hayhurst

On the drive home today I was stunned to hear of the death of Francene, host of WHAS-AM's mid-morning talk show. She was 43. Francene was a middle-oft-the-road Republican, but unlike many talkers, she would not shout you down or drown you out. She would TALK with you. I called her program a couple of times, and she was ok with the fact that I am a Progressive and was against the Bush Administration. She was against alot of the bad stuff they were doing too at the time. Francene was a person with her own mind and her own viewpoint, not content to spew talking points like a Hannity or Limbaugh would.
I disagreed with much of her opinions, but I will miss her civility, spunk and enthusiasm. Rest in peace Francene.

Louisville Under Water...

August Flood 09
Originally uploaded by tonykeith51

So I was out of town today. Everyone kept calling me telling me that Louisville was getting hammered by 6" of rain. I was in Bowling Green. A few sprinkles, but no big deal. When I was driving home listening to WHAS, I started to hear the extent of the flooding. People rescued from UofL in boats, and the Watterson Xway closed due to flooding. I got home. No water in the basement. Earlier this summer I bought a new sump pump that was like 2 times bigger than the recommended size. Hey anything worth doing is worth overdoing. I have included some flickr video here from some folks near Churchill Downs. Some areas got hit pretty hard...

Dave Ernspiker- Big Rock Show guitarist dead at 39

Dave Ernspiker
Originally uploaded by John Adkins II

With great sadness I heard of the passing of Dave Ernspiker, guitarist of Louisville's Big Rock Show. Dave was a real life Dewey Finn, the character from School of Rock. He lived to rock. Playing out in the clubs 6 nights a week, and then doing church gigs on Sunday. The man was born to play guitar. He always had good advice for me on amps and stuff. A bear of a guy, who will leave a giant hole in the Louisville music scene. Rest in Peace, Dave. You are in Rock and Roll Heaven now.

CNN Gives John Ziegler's Wingnut Movie Credibility

Conservative Media Liars
Originally uploaded by mariopiperni

Just finished watching CNN give conservative wingnut John Ziegler credibility and a free promo for his movie that purports that the evil liberal media tanked Sarah Palin's 2008 campaign. I watched the interviews, I think that Sarah tanked her own campaign.
I hate how the CNN reporter lobbed softball questions at Ziegler, and gave him credibility as a "film maker". I thought he was just another jackass talking head conservative radio host. He was when he was here in Louisville on WHAS-AM, before leaving town amid shame and sexual harassment allegations.
Until reporters ask tough questions of EVERYONE they interview, I guess anyone can get free credibility just by showing up. The right wing of the Republican Party comes across as sore losers, at a time that our country faces great challenges, most of which were created by said conservatives.

Kentucky Still Digging Out from Ice Age 2009

ICE storm 2009
Originally uploaded by laserbub

Many here are still without power. Louisville Gas and Electric estimates that at the height of the outages, over 600,000 were without power. Progress is being made, but it still looks like a war zone, with downed limbs and power lines. That is the scene here in Louisville. Most of my family lives in far Western Kentucky, and I have not been able to contact anyone since the phones are all down there.
I have been lucky since my power did not go out. Others have not been so lucky. It has been a cold few nights for many with no heat or electricity. Walnut Street Baptist Church as well as other sites has opened a shelter to assist. I have tried to assist people I know need help, but am currently working 12 hour shifts.
This will all pass, and the people of Kentucky are resourceful and hospitable to each other. They are not easily shaken. My greatest wish is for a stretch of clear weather so the crews can get the electricity back on. I pray for the safety of the line workers (one was killed during the last major outage in September), for people to heed warnings about carbon monoxide (3 died last night) and for us all to see each other through.

Louisville Cardinals Take Out #1 Pitt!!!!

Louisville Cardinal Mascot
Originally uploaded by Papa John's Pan Fan

Yeah Baby! Looks like UofL is finally playing up to their potential. After going down by 10 early, the Cards fought their way back into the game. After that it was nip and tuck, with the Cards coming out victorious in the end. Needless to say, things are happy here in Derby Town right now!
Go UofL!

University of Louisville to Teach Courses on Bourbon!

'Ol Kentucky Bourbon
Originally uploaded by PhotoDocGVSU

As a disclosure, I should tell you I am an alumus of UofL. They are offering a course on Bourbon history, appreciation and production. At this point it is just an adult continuing ed "for fun" course, but I say "hey" let's make it a full- fledged degree program. I would respect someone with a B.S. in Bourbon Science. The course is taught by the master distiller from Kentucky's own Four Roses Distillery. If you haven't visited them, or any of the other stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, do yourself a favor and do so, soon.

Apples in Stereo - Coming soon to a Pop Machine near you

Apples in Stereo
Originally uploaded by bobunderexposed

Indie pop band Apples in Stereo boast a Beatles-esque neopsychedelic sound, and ties to the local music scene here in Kentucky. A recent article in the Lexington Herald Leader describes their ties to the local scene. Member Robert Schneider hails from the Lex, and the band started their last tour in Louisville.
AIS has been chosen for the soundtrack of the current Pepsi marketing campaign "Pepsi's Ode to Joy '09", ensuring maximum exposure nationwide. Unlike other purists, I see know harm in a band using their tunes in an ad campaign. It is all about surviving as a musician, it is your music and you decide where it is used. As long as you don't corrupt your own values in the process, it is fine to do commercial music.
That said, theirs is an interesting sound, and definitely worth checking out. www.myspace.com/theapplesinstereo

Goodbye old #7 Firehouse Louisville, KY.

The old #7 Firehouse Louisville, KY.
Originally uploaded by robgividenonyx

The longest continuously running firehouse in the US is closing today. Due to budget cuts and a bad economy, a station that has been operated since the 1870's is gone after today. An institution in the Historic Old Louisville neighborhood, it is now to become another empty building. It is my hope that at least the building can be saved as a landmark and put into service as something else. Adios #7! You served us well.

In Yer Face, Wildcats!

UofL v. UK - September 3, 2006
Originally uploaded by lie_inourgraves

In a very exciting matchup, the University of Louisville Cardinals have defeated the Kentucky Wildcats. We beat them in both Men's and Women's NCAA action this year, so take that, Wildcats!

Just Saw the IMAX Grand Canyon River Adventure: River at Risk

Grand Canyon at the Tapeats Creek & Colorado River confluence looking east
Originally uploaded by Al_HikesAZ

Grand Canyon River Adventure: River at Risk This is a great movie, and perfect for the IMAX format. Narrated by Robert Redford, and with a soundtrack by Dave Matthews Band, it is full of the breath-taking views IMAX is famous for, but also full of good information as well. It features a Colorado River rafting trip by Robert Kennedy Jr and his daughter, among others. Author and antrhopoligist Wade Davis and his daughter, as well as native guide, Shana Watahomigie of the Havasupai tribe, indiginous to the Canyon area. The message of the film is simple, save the rivers, conserve the waters. Without going into major detail, just see the film. The Colorado river is changing and we need to reverse the damage. Check out this great IMAX film.
I have not been to the canyon since 1994, and need to go back. The stunning beauty and timelessness of the scenery will leave you changed forever. There is an ancient vibe to the area that gets into your blood.
Now playing at the Louisville Science Center, and other IMAX venues nationwide.

The Dirty Dozen Year End Round Up: The Twelve Most Popular Stories on The Dissident Times for '08

These are the most popular stories voted on by your little mouse-clicking fingers. A little schizo, but so is our blog, our readers and that's okay. Man does not live by punk and politics alone! In a world where Al Franken is a maverick, and John McCain is on Saturday Night Live, anything can happen. What a great year.
Drum Roll please:

1. Henry Rollins Spoken Word Tour of 2008 There seemed to be mucho interest in what Henry has to say, as this was the top article of the year. Henry is a rennaissance man and all-round interesting character. Little did I know during his Black Flag days that he would go on to have a successful career as a talk show host and spoken word artist. I was lucky enough to meet Henry back in '86. He was "intelligent and intense". That is how I always describe him. He has a busy mind, a great sense of humor, and a vitality that is always refreshing.
2. Ten Essential Punk Albums You Should Own. This article was one of my "Ten Essential" series that I like to write to help expose people to new music and artists. I tried to get 30 years of punk and boil it down to the 10 best albums. I could have made it the Top 100, as it was hard to narrow down the list. I tried to pay homage to as many styles of punk from different locales and eras as I could.
3. Anti-Flag Playing a free show at the Republican National Convention. A lot of hits on this came from ground zero itself, Minneapolis. Don't be confused, they were not doing a gig at the RNC, but at a different venue. The concert also featured Rage Against the Machine and others, and was great by many accounts.
4. Story of the Year Releases New Album. This seems like it should be number one, as "story of the year", but it managed a respectable #4 on the list. The St. Louis band turns out tasteful licks with just enough hard edge, good lyrics and hummable melodies to keep you tuning in. The new cd satisfies in several categories. Buy it.
5. New Release of Eva Cassidy material. Who is Eva? She is a jazz/folk/pop singer from DC that died 10 years ago. She had such a powerful voice that it will haunt you. Why else would bloggers like me be talking about her 10 years after her death. She had a purity and natural talent that stands tall even after all these years. Celebrate her life and get some Eva. I know this is a punk blog mostly, but give in to your tender side, bro. I think I love her.
6. Fender's New Joe Strummer Telecaster. Here is an amalgam of everything I love. Punk-The Clash-Fender guitars-Street art. The only way it could be more appealing to me is if it had a picture of my kids on it, got 50 miles per gallon and smelled like pizza.
7. MXPX celebrates 16 years in-yer-face. This article was a nice little howdy do to a punk band that I have always liked. They are straightforward, melodic, classic punk and a nicer bunch of boys you will not find. Happy 16th, MXPX!
8. Live CD: The Clash at Shea Stadium. The Clash at their best in a live concert cd at Shea Stadium. The band sounds tight, vibrant and as important as ever. Buy this disc too or ask Santa to get it for you. I love the Sandinista and London Calling era, and I love this too.
9. Unknown Hinson's Live CD in the works. For the uninitiated, Unknown Hinson is half vampire, half pyschobilly master of the Telecaster. He comes to town a couple of times a year looking for fresh blood. Nice sparse tunes done full-blown rockabilly style, with Unknown's unique delivery. This is priceless stuff!
10. Camper Van Beethoven retrospective Camper Van was there before indie had a name. Their stuff was quirky and different. This article was just a little roundup of a band that I remember fondly from the late 80s and early 90s. I think I accused an old roomy of stealing that CD, but I found it again in a cd folder since the article was written. What is the statute of limitations on libel?
11. Ten Essential Reggae Artists to Know. I never claimed to be a reggae expert, but I do like the music. Here, I just wanted to pay respect to some Reggae artists I felt have had a big influence on the genre over the years. I always loved how bands like Black Uhuru could sound so hopeful and so sad at the same time. There are tons of great reggae bands out there, and this was my list of ones I found worth the listen.
12. The Urges- Psych Ward New cd that merges the atonal and tuneful, the straight ahead with the psychedeilc. It is nice to see newer bands coming out with worthy takes on classic genres, and taking the music to new places in the process.
    
    So that, my friends, is it. Have a great new year, keep your ears open to new music, and contact us with your favorites and opinions on our favorites. May 2009 rock and rock hard!
    
    
    

Bela Fleck - Flecktones Saturday Dec 6 in Louisville!

Bela Fleck and FutureMan
Originally uploaded by Melissa Vivari

If you have never seen or heard of Bela Fleck, shame on you. He will be appearing at the Kentucky Center for the Arts on Saturday, December 6th.
Bela Fleck and his band, the Flecktones morph all musical boundaries in their sound. Bela is a banjo virtuoso who plays classical, folk, jazz and bluegrass with equal ease. Bassist Victor Wooten is a virtuoso of the funk slap bass, and a very melodic player as well. Wooten's brother, known as "FutureMan" plays a drumitar. This is an instrument he invented that is shaped like a guitar, but features drum triggers that he plays with his fingers. The sound is amazing, and he can do things an accoustic drummer can not. Other musicians may or may not be part of the sound, but that is the core of the Flecktones lineup. One of my favorite cd's to chill out to is "Live at the Quick" which is a 2002 release. I cannot recommend this recording ENOUGH. I am not one to rave about artists or cd's, but I do this one...
If you are in Louisville and want some great entertainment, or if you are elsewhere, check out his tour schedule. It is worth the effort.

Halloween on Bardstown Road

Halloween Parade
Originally uploaded by moonjuice

Spent the early hours of Halloween on Bardstown Road, watching the passers-by. The beauty of this Louisville neighborhood is that it is often difficult to tell the people with costumes from those who dress that way every day. Long live non-conformism!
In my short time eating a burrito as big as my head at La Bamba's, I spotted a man-as-robot, several zombies, a castaway, man in ape suit, Dracula, and a woman dressed as some undefined zombie slut. Not sure if that last one was a costume or not. Anyway, great fun had by all!

I am a Cyclist and I am Angry

Mangled Bike
Originally uploaded by darren_mirfield

Another week, another motorist-strikes-cyclist fatality. It is a travesty that there is such a nonchalant attitude of "oh well, just an accident". If a driver's negligence killed a motorist instead of a cyclist, there would be charges filed, and outrage. Not so with cyclist fatalities. The last two were both killed by drivers breaking the law, passing on the wrong side of the road, drunken driving, etc.
MURDER in my humble opinion. Until we start sharing the road, these tragedies will continue. I have ridden all over this fair city of Louisville, and for the most part, drivers are civilized road partners. I won't mention the 2nd Street Bridge, which scares the living hell out of me, but otherwise, I feel pretty safe around here.
What I do not like is the cavalier attitude of the police and media about cycle-car accidents. As we make strides to be more cycle-friendly, these attitudes must change. Any driver who strikes a cyclist and breaks the law should be prosectuted to the full extent of the law. We owe it to the victims.

Louisville Listed on MSN's "7 Cities Shaping American Music"

freakwater
Originally uploaded by mybloodyself

Here is something I have known for years. Louisville is a great place to play live original music, and see interesting bands. We have turned out our share of interesting bands over the years. My Morning Jacket, The Shipping News, Joan Osbourne, Freakwater, Flaw, Days of the New just to name a few.

I have lived in other towns, and there is a real difference here. Other cities often have "Cover" bands at every venue. Not so here. Here, the club owners are very encouraging of original artists. There is a place for cover bands too, but the norm here is original artists and tunes. I once spoke to a musician from Cleveland, and when he found out I played all originals he said "You are really brave", and insinuated that in his local scene, no one wanted to hear it. I am so glad Louisville is not that way.

I am glad Louisville is getting some overdue attention. We have been a well-kept secret for far too long...

Hometown Pride: Senator Mitch McConnell Named to "20 Most Corrupt" List

www.ditchmitch.com
http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/
Mother Jones is including local hero Mitch McConnell to its 20 Most Corrupt Politicians list. It all stems from his being, as Ralph Nader once called him, "the bagman for the Republican Party". Strange things afoot at the University of Louisville Mitch's, and my alma mater. I was in the Progressive Students League. I guess Mitch was in the Young Republicans. He also must have been about a hundred years ahead of me... Anyway, Mitch has had some shady dealings with earmarks and donations for the McConnell Center for Shady Government at the UofL.
Congrats Mitch!
We are proud of you.