Highlights- Lascivious Biddies, Wade Ogle, Eureka Springs Bluegrass Festival

Cocktail pop
The Lascivious Biddies will be in town this week for three performances at the Walton Arts Center. The Biddies will do two shows for us big folks and a Saturday afternoon show for the kids. The WAC is trying something different for the Friday and Saturday night shows—audience members will be seated onstage with the performers.

The Lascivious Biddies, are a jazzy do-wap cocktail pop quartet based in New York City. The name existed before the band. Pianist and composer Deidre Rodman Struck decided she’d like to be in a band called The Lascivious Biddies, so one-by-one she recruited the others.

In addition to Biddies’ originals, the group also does some old standards. The music will have you thinking about your grandma taking long draws on her cigarette dressed in a calf-length satin suit.

Individually, the Biddies have shared the stage with the likes of Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, Enya, Debbie Harry and The Jazz Passengers. They have been featured on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, Fuse TV and in a TV commercial for Chili’s.  They’ve also been on NPR and the CBS News.
The Friday and Saturday night shows are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. The mommy and me performance, Itty Biddies, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for Itty Biddies are $14 for adults and $9 for kids.
He’s back…Wade Ogle releases new ep
Wade Ogle is a man of many talents, but one of them has been simmering on the back burner for almost a decade. But, the simmering pot has hit the boiling point and as a result has added some extra spunk to NWA’s music scene.
Ogle has just completed a seven song ep and he’ll be sharing the bill with New Orleans’ Cowboy Mouth Aug. 30 at George’s. The longtime booking agent and co-owner of the Dickson Theater and the Lightbulb Club has a long musical history in NWA. We were first introduced to Ogle’s powerhouse voice when his last band, Honey Died, played the NAMA’s in the now demolished Dickson Street Ballroom. But before that, Ogle’s musical career dates back to the late ‘80s. He was a member of seminal ‘80s and ‘90s era rock bands Faith Healers, Dali Automatic and Delta Spacemen.
Ogle took a sabbatical from writing and performing in 2000, but now after seven years he’s back and doing something different. The new ep—which will later be released in CD format— is currently available digitally via Sound Station. You can hear cuts from the collection of new songs at Wade Ogle Music on My Space.
In the early days Ogle swung toward the indie psychedelic realm, but the new album, Fort Destroyer, is very different. Ogle’s classic voice is clear and soulful as he whispers the words of his new compositions paying tribute to a number of icons—Robert Johnson, Huddie Leadbetter Bonnie and Clyde. The songs are moody and trademark Ogle. Although this is Ogle’s guy-and-guitar phase, don’t expect folky, unless you call Leonard Cohen folk. It’s more, and better, than you can imagine. Check out the songs on My Space and better yet, get out for next week’s performance.
Bluegrass
Bluegrass fans will be headed to Eureka Springs this weekend for the Eureka Springs Blue Grass Festival, which features performances by Sam Bush at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday; a 7:30 p.m. show Saturday with Marty Stuart; and a gospel show on Sunday with Mare Winningham. These three headliners will be at The Auditorium, and there will be shows, contests  and workshops at different locations around town. There will be lots of free performances and impromptu jams around town, so even if you can’t go for the entire weekend, it’s worth the hour drive, just to enjoy a little bit of some really good bluegrass. www.eurekaspringsbluegrassfestival.com.