Highlights July 12
Get It While It’s Hot–Kathy Thompson at ddp gallery
Rock Rally–NWA pioneers of rock reunite for a Sunday afternoon show
Jammin’ in the Dust Bowl — more on the Woody Guthrie Festival
Get It While It’s Hot
One of NWA’s most celebrated artists, Kathy P. Thompson, will offer, for the first time, a variety of works in a special show and discount sale called “Get It While It’s Hot” at the ddp Gallery in downtown Fayetteville. The show and sale opens Wednesday and runs for only 10 days.
In addition to her paintings, Thompson will do a first time offering of some unusual prototypes such as early encaustic work, mixed media pieces, tiles, ceramic platters, experimental paintings and found object art. Fans of the “Bordino’s look,” will have the opportunity to purchase items that will add a bit of the Bordino’s style to their own personal space. Some of the prototypes were developed for the lighted box assemblages at the Dickson Street restaurant. For the show at ddp, Thompson is creating installation pieces of “objects that inspire her” – mostly of found objects such as bundles and circles, strange wood, paper and metal finds, piled stones and organic debris.
The ddp Gallery is on East Mountain Street, a half block east of the Fayetteville Square. There will be an opening reception for the artist from 5 to 8 p.m. July 19 at the gallery.
Rock Rally
Pioneers of rock ‘n roll in NWA will gather at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Green Door in Fayetteville for their 19th annual reunion show. Every year for almost two decades, a number of musicians meet in NWA to fire up their axes and get out their sticks to bring back the rhythms of 40 years ago.
Most of the musicians gathering on Sunday were nurtured by the late NWA rock impresario Dayton Stratton and played at Stratton’s famed Rockwood Club, one of only a few live music clubs that existed in Fayetteville 40 years ago.
The annual reunion show began as a block party in 1989 near the university. Since then it has moved around NWA to different locations such as the Eubanks Farm, Lake Atalana and Restaurant on the Corner. Some of the early rockers have gone on to rock ‘n roll heaven and others have moved away, but many of them come back to Fayetteville for the reunion jam.
Getting together for the Sunday show will be members of The MC’s: Tommy McClelland, Jerry Yount, Orville Clift, Bill Carter and Daryl Price; The Jokers: Gerald Golden, Mike Gaurlington and Butch Blackwood, minus the late Bill Lafferty; the John D. Levan Band with Lonnie Walker, Bruce Parker, David Coleman and Stan McClure. Also expected to show up for the jam are Earl Cate and Bill Wright of The Delrays and The Cates Gang, forerunners to the Cate Brothers Band. Get out and find out what rock ‘n roll was all about.
Jammin’ in the Dust Bowl
The 10th annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday in Okemah, Okla. The event brings musicians and fans of the late singer songwriter to his small hometown for five days and nights of shows and jams. Guthrie authored songs like “This Land Is Land,” “Oklahoma Hills,” and thousands of others. In keeping with Guthrie’s championing of the common man, most of the performances are free. Performing will be: Arlo Guthrie, David and Adam Amran, Tim O’Brien, Kevin Welch, Jimmy LaFave, Joel Rafael, Ellis Paul, Terri Hendrix, Lloyd Maines, Rob McNurlin, Don Conoscenti, John Smith, Sam Baker, Sara Hickman, Steppin’ in It, the Red Dirt Rangers, The Burns Sisters, Ronny Cox and more including NWA’s own Emily Kaitz, Susan Shore, Effron White and Jack Williams. All musicians are invited to bring their instruments and join in the jams. Musicians can sign up to play open-mic events Friday and Saturday at Lou’s Rocky Road Tavern, one of several performance venues. For a festival schedule go to: www.woodyguthrie.com.
