Highlights May 17-24
Get Irish at GoodFolk
GoodFolk house concerts will go for the green this week with the Murphy Brothers. The Irish trio will play an 8 p.m. concert Friday. Phil Murphy, from Bannow in the County Wexford, was one of the greatest harmonica players in the history of Irish traditional music, claiming the title of all-Ireland champion three times. He died in 1989, but his sons John and Pip are carrying on the tradition and are doing a limited tour of the U. S. Rounding out the trio is guitarist and singer Joe Monaghan, also from County Wexford. Although you may not think of the harmonica as a versatile instrument, the Murphy Brothers will convince you otherwise with their jigs and reels. $10.
The Murphy Brothers 8 p.m. Friday at Goodfolk.
Little Rock as Seattle
It was “Towncraft week” last week in Little Rock and you had to be quite the hermit if you missed the huge amount of press the project received. Towncraft is the title of a film by New York’s Matson Films. The film chronicles the last 20 years of the Little Rock punk music scene. In late ‘80s and early ‘90s Little Rock’s underground music scene was made up mostly of 14 to 18 year olds. The film looks at the DIY ethos that shaped the scene and follows some of those involved to present day. Pivotal to the film is former Fayetteville resident (and Free Weekly entertainment writer) Burt Taggart. Taggart, a Little Rock native started a record store in the cap city when he was in high school a decade or so ago and a few years started the Little Rock record label, Max Recordings. Last week, Little Rock saw a weeks worth of screenings and concerts celebrating the release of the film, and now it’s Fayetteville’s turn to get a glimpse into the history of Little Rock’s underground music scene. The 90-minute documentary will premiere in NWA at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Dickson Theater, followed by a concert with two of the bands in Max’s stable, Fayetteville’s Tel Aviv and Little Rock’s American Princes. Tel Aviv was in Little Rock last week for one of the showcases and will be traveling to Atlanta next month to play for the film release party there. Taggart’s band, The Big Cats. will play concert in conjunction with film premiers in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and New York. Taggart compiled a two-disc 40-band CD for the film soundtrack which will be on sale at the screening. A book of stories completes the Towncraft package.
Towncraft will be screened at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Dickson Theater, followed by a 9 p.m. concert with Tel Aviv and American Princes.
Apartment 5 for free
It’s serendipity that Towncraft, a film about high school students who ranked up Little Rock’s music scene 20 years ago, is premiering in Fayetteville on Tuesday night, a few nights after a group of Fayetteville High School grads will showcase five years of music as the band Apartment 5. Apartment 5—Nick Askew, lead vocals and guitar; Joel Paul lead guitar; Max Glenn, bass; and J.D. Paul, drums—at a free show at 7 p.m. tonight at Teatro Scarpino. Apartment 5 spent spring break at Willie Nelson’s studio in Austin, Tex. recording a new five-song demo. They play only original tunes, which range from sounding a bit like The Rembrandts to a touch of atmospheric. A couple of years ago the Free Weekly was handed a demo by the band CD and it’s still spinning in our player. It’s that good. Band members are staying in town after graduation, so expect to hear more from them.
Apartment 5 free show from 7 to 10 p.m. tonight at Teatro Scarpino..
Mason-Dixon Friction
The hottest entertainment in NWA these days takes place on hardwood. The Northwest Arkansas Roller Girls, padded up in shin protectors, but glammed up like Anna Nicole, are drawing crowds of hundreds at their bouts, which to date have consisted mostly of competition between the two local teams, The Hardwood Harlots and Twisted Sisters. However, this Saturday night, all-star players from the two teams, calling themselves the Arkansas Killbillies will meet the Arch Rival Rollergirls from St. Louis. The bout begins at 8 p.m. with doors at 7 at All Star Sports Arena in Springdale. Tickets $10 advance at Spun Records or $12 at the door. The roller derby revival in NWA is something you want to witness. Soon you’ll be testifying to the thrill of it all.
Arkansas Killbillies vs. Arch Rival Rollergirls at 8 p.m. Saturday at All Star Arena.
