The Weekend: Debates, Girl Talk, Gonzo and McLovin
Luckily Sen. John McCain came through and agreed to appear at tonight's presidential debate, thus avoiding the ruination of thousands of debate parties tonight.
The Republican presidential candidate changed his mind, thus all the planning, all the the Barachos (Democrat themed nachos) and Raisin McCain cakes won't go to waste.
What could have been a disastrous start to the weekend looks - for now - to be in the clear.
Remember, people, Parties First.
FRIDAY
Tonight the Big Easy is throwing a tribute to Russ Riseman, owner of the Alehouse at The Big Easy. Riseman died in August after battling cancer. Riseman opened the Alehouse on Market Street in 2000, but the bar closed its doors in the fall of 2006 after a prolonged legal dispute with the owner of the building, Eric Cianchette. It all seemingly started with a noise complaint from Cianchette and just went downhill from there. Remember the good times, when rock, punk, death metal, reggae and just about any other act rolled through. Remember the strangely comfortable swings and cheap beer. Remember the crowded, always sweaty dancefloor. Remember the bathrooms. Eldemur Krimm, Supersoul Challenger and Strange Pleasure play to what will surely be a packed house. Show starts at 9 p.m.
HE LIVES! The great mustachioed one, the gnarly blues man who came in from the cold, Moses Atwood, has returned to Portland and plays at SPACE Gallery at 9:30 p.m. This of course means he must come together with his blues brother, Samuel James, a reckoning, or a jamboree of some sort. Am I the only one who could see these two in a buddy flick? Tickets are $8
DJ Shade at the White Heart starting at 9 p.m. Word on the street it's DJ Shade's birthday. Not to pile on, but the dude is already showing a little gray. Show some love.
SATURDAY
Girl Talk is coming to Bates College. Tonight. Perhaps you are familiar with Girl Talk and don't even know it. Girl Talk is like a schizophrenic FM radio dial juiced on Red Bull. The pinnacle of sampling and remixing - and take that as a good or bad thing. I won't lie, I dug the last album, "Knight Ripper," in a "what-is-he-going-to-mix-up-next-oh-my-god-thats-cool" kind of way. The
newest album, "Feed the Animals," and is available under a pay-what-you-want plan online. The one knock against Girl Talk (unless you're the recording industry, which has plenty of reason to hate him) is that his frantic remixing style has no substance. In a way, I wonder if Girl Talk represents the logical end, or next step, in the sample-crazy, remix-heavy, digital evolution of dance music. Find out for yourself. Show starts at 9:30 at the Gray Athletic Building, Tickets are $12, head to BateTickets.com for more info.
Maine Roller Derby's JV squad, The Calamity Janes, are facing the New Hampshire Skate Free or Die tonight down at the Expo. If the Janes are anything like the Port Authorities (who are known for serious double digit leads), this thing could easily get out of hand by the second quarter. Luckily there's music from the WePushButtons crew and...Miss Fairchild! Doors at 5 p.m., bout begins at 6 p.m. It's $10 in advance for adults, $12 at the door and $5 for kids. BUT WAIT, there's more! More Miss Fairchild groove-action at the after party at the Big Easy. Free with ticket stub, otherwise $5.
Even with debates, DJs, Derbys and plenty of football on the docket for this weekend, the one thing I will not be missing is the showing of Gonzo at Movies on Exchange. So what is Gonzo? It's a documentary about the life of writer, freak power advocate and politics junkie Hunter S. Thompson. I'm not afraid to admit that Hunter is one of my favorite writers and a little bit of a hero. (No, do not expect my columns or blogs to start on crazed, drug-tinged bents. Maybe) He was known as a lot of things, and had many flaws (as well as vices). And many people are familiar with him because of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." While I love that book, it's "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972," "Hell's Angels," and his writing on the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago that really drew me in. Hunter lived in weird times, and if you've looked outside lately you know we're not exactly on clear and normal either. We could still use him. General admission is $7, check The Movies site for show times.
Finally, all I'll say about the Weekend Video: "There Will Be McLovin."
Justin is a former newspaper intern and has the scar tissue to prove
it. Justin has been a staff writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine
Sunday Telegram since 2003, and in 2004 began writing a weekly column in the
Monday Magazine.
If he had to pick a label, the column would fall under "youth culture,"
covering everything from high school dance etiquette, dealing with college
debt, the resurgence of Roller Derby and Portland's one-of-a-kind music
scene. This of course has not stopped him from answering letters to Santa
Claus or writing about his experience riding shotgun in a drift car.
Justin is an export from the Midwest. He is a graduate of the University of
Missouri and is originally from Minnesota. He enjoys bacon, cheap beer,
redheads, Burt Reynolds jokes and wondering what the soundtrack to his life
would sound like.
When he grows up he wants to be an international art thief. Or Captain
America.
Until then he'll be bringing you dispatches about "the young people" and
what they do.
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