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HOT SEVEN
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| Best Bets of the Week |
11 23 04 |
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Dust off those spectacular hats and head out to FAIR GROUNDS RACE COURSE (1751 Gentilly Blvd., 944-5515; www.fgno.com) Thursday for the traditional Thanksgiving Day opening of one of America's most historic racetracks. For 132 seasons, New Orleanians have made Opening Day at Fair Grounds a horseracing cultural event rivaled only by Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby festival and Travers Day at Saratoga. The honor is fitting for this ancient ground, originally designed in 1850 as Union Race Course, the oldest racing site in America still in operation. Racing was conducted under various names until the Louisiana Jockey Club at Fair Grounds took over in 1872.
Fair Grounds begins its 2004-05 season, which runs until March 27, under new ownership. Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) bought the track last month from the Krantz family, which operated Fair Grounds for the previous 14 years. The $47 million that CDI paid for the track included a $25 million settlement to the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protection Association (LHBPA). The settlement resolves a lawsuit dating back to 1994 in which the LHBPA claimed that Fair Grounds took improper deductions from video poker machines. Fair Grounds was forced to declare bankruptcy last year after the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the LHBPA, and the sale prevented a court-ordered auction of the track's assets.
CDI may well have saved Fair Grounds from extinction and put the track in position to battle Gulfstream Park in Florida and Santa Anita in California for winter-racing supremacy. Kentucky-based trainers have added incentive to race in Louisiana now that Fair Grounds is part of their circuit, and the new management has altered the racing schedule to make the Louisiana Derby an even more significant stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby by holding it on March 12, eight weeks before the Run for the Roses.
CDI has also promised to invest $4 million into improvements on the dilapidated Fair Grounds stable area over the next two years. Slot machines, approved last year in a citywide referendum, are expected to be in place sometime during 2005. General admission $1; clubhouse $4. -- John Swenson
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- Entrance
- 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23
- The Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF; www.howlin-wolf.com
Wandering Stranger (Fat Possum), the debut album by Entrance, aka Guy Blakeslee, sets off all kinds of alarms. Does a crummy, tinny-sounding guitar playing a Delta blues riff make a song the blues? Does a vocabulary of blues cliches about trains and traveling? Does a wobbly vocal? Probably not, but the second half of the album -- two 11-minute songs, the lyrically minimal 'Please Be Careful in New Orleans' and the instrumental 'Happy Trails' -- suggest this is art rock, made more crudely but built on the sort of blues model Jeff Buckley used. Violinist Paz Lenchartin playing Middle Eastern melodies adds a transforming element, and as the disc goes on, Blakeslee¹s vocals sound more assured. The spilled-coffee-in-the-faders sound feels uncomfortably like the most memorable part of old blues 78s, for Blakeslee is the ragged competence and the sound, but the smart parts here are intriguing. Cover $7. -- Alex Rawls
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- Melissa Ferrick
- 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23
- Mermaid Lounge, 1100 Constance St., 524-4747
Melissa Ferrick is no stranger to New Orleans, or to fearlessness as a singer-songwriter. On her seventh studio release, Other Side (Right On), Ferrick appears willing to show just that. Critics have lauded Ferrick's efforts here to transcend the more simplistic acoustic neatness that often comes with being a 'folk singer,' and with a crashing guitar with its rhythmic impulses and a nervy drum approach, Ferrick definitely seems ready to put the listener on edge. In the female-rocking world that features everything from open-wound rockers such as P.J. Harvey to the bluesy angst of Melissa Etheridge and the polished sheen of Neko Case, Ferrick is deceptively subtle, and perhaps warrants more credit than she's been given. Maybe it will come with Other Side, released this past June. Call club for ticket info. -- David Lee Simmons
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At this year's South by Southwest, Susan Cowsill sold copies of her demo and 'took meetings,' trying to get money together to record and an album and a label to release it ('Badge on the Run,' May 25). With Just Believe It (Blue Rose), the story continues. She has a European label and is now looking for an American home for a record that delivers what people always hoped to hear from Cowsill. Her voice conveys a clear-eyed, lived-in hope, particularly on the title cut, and the beautiful 'Nanny's Song' -- a duet with Lucinda Williams -- is Cowsill at her most heartbreaking. The news on the album is its range, from the hard-rockin' bubblegum of 'I Know You Know' to the 'Wawona' song fragments. You expect Continental Drifters-like instrumentation, but the strings and more psychedelic production touches are pleasant surprises. Cover $7. -- Rawls
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It's a testament to the twangy authenticity of Michael Hurtt and his Haunted Hearts that more than one spectator thought it was the Circle Bar's vintage-country-heavy jukebox that was playing the first time they wandered in and heard them. The percussion-free combo deals in mid-century-style country music that evokes Hank, Buck, Conway, Jimmie and Ernest, et al, with its repertoire of obscure covers and dead-on originals rendered with heart-wrenching pedal steel, three weepy guitars and a masterfully abused stand-up bass. Front man Hurtt looks and talks like he was born to appear on Louisiana Hayride half a century ago, if not at the Ryman Auditorium, and the members' killer command of material they obviously hold close to their weather-beaten hearts should coax a tear into any beer. No cover. -- Alison Fensterstock
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- 97th Annual Turkey Day Race
- 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 25
- City Park, Tad Gormley Stadium, 887-8900; www.turkeydayrace.com
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| Thanksgiving morning begins with the 97th annual Turkey Day Race at City Park. |
Billed as one of the oldest, continuously held non-marathon races in the country, the annual Turkey Day Race is also arguably the most consistent eraser of Thanksgiving Day guilt for those sweating over all those carbs. What better way to start your feast day than to get up early and create a little wiggle room for the belly by participating in this race. Race organizers have noticed a steady increase' in recent years of family participation along with the more hardcore runners in the area (and beyond), though last year's heavy rains cut the average participation of about 14,000 down to about 11,000. 'We got dumped on all day,' says race organizer C.J. Mouton. 'There were some parts of the course where runners were mid-calf in water.' Here's hoping for sunnier weather for this year's event, co-sponsored by Gambit Weekly and the New Orleans Athletic Club, with proceeds benefiting the Spina Bifida Association and the Foundation for Entertainment Development & Education (which promotes performing arts among youth). The race was organized by famed New Orleanian Francis Thomas 'Tad' Gormley, so it's only fitting the race starts at the stadium that bears his name. One of its charms is its simplicity, says Mouton: 'It's just a traditional race. We don't do a big party afterward because most people want to get out and have a healthy activity and go home and have a Thanksgiving meal. We don't want to hold the people up or make them feel like they're missing something.' The race features the traditional 5-mile run and a 1-mile fun walk/run. Registration online, or at the stadium, for $18 before Tuesday, $20 afterward; $15 day of race minus T-shirt. -- Simmons
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- Bridge House Thanksgiving
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 25
- Bridge House, 1160 Camp St., 522-2124, ext. 13 or 17; www.bridgehouse.org
For those looking to avoid the pretense and pitfalls of gorging themselves on poultry at the family dining table this Thanksgiving -- and perhaps dig deep into the meaning behind holiday -- Bridge House is again in need of volunteers to prepare and serve area homeless a Thanksgiving meal. A long-standing, respected nonprofit that principally serves as a residence and support facility for those confronting substance abuse, Bridge House serves those in need a traditional Thanksgiving feast, complete with turkey and all the trimmings, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year's food comes courtesy of food, service and monetary donations from a number of local individuals and businesses, including the New Orleans Hilton. However, volunteers and contributions are needed. Volunteers are asked to report at 8 a.m., with coffee and pastries served. Clothing and toiletries will be distributed to the needy following the meal. Call for more information or to sign up. -- Frank Etheridge
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- 18th Annual Celebration in the Oaks
- 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 25; through Jan. 2, 2005
- City Park, 483-9415; www.neworleanscitypark.com
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| This year's Celebration in the Oaks opens Thursday in City Park. |
This year's Celebration in the Oaks, one of the truly landmark holiday-season kickoff events, takes on a more special meaning this year. In honor of Cajun Night Before Christmas author James Rice, who died this past June, the celebration will include an exhibit featuring the characters from Rice's work, published more than 25 years ago and an area holiday classic. The book has sold more than 490,000 copies, and is considered a great companion to the immortal Clement C. Moore work, A Visit From St. Nick, more commonly known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. (Not to digress, but listening to Louis Armstrong's reading of that classic, on WWOZ, is a personal holiday favorite.) There will be a 10-minute show presented on a loop for the 180-linear-foot exhibit, which will be on display in the Garden/Walking Tour of the event. The Celebration itself is a two-and-a-half-hour driving tour with animated lighting displays with scores of local flavor. Driving Tour admission $12 per car or family van; Garden/Walking Tour admission $5 per person (kids ages 3-under free). -- Simmons
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- John Gros and Anders Osborne
- 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 25-27
- Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., 865-9190; www.carrolltonstation.com
These days John Gros is most associated with Papa Grows Funk, but his album, Day¹s End (Funky Krewe), and his gigs with the John Gros Band allow him to feature his songwriting, something hard to do in a funk band. Similarly, Anders Osborne has split the year between being a blues guitar player in New Orleans and a songwriter on Music Row in Nashville. The two will host a weekend of acoustic music at Carrollton Station, swapping and sharing songs as well as playing with guests Alex McMurray on Thursday, Mark Mullins and Michael Skinkus on Friday, and the Radiators¹ Reggie Scanlan on Saturday. Nights like these at Carrollton Station have often turned into drop-in nights as friends turn up to join in the festivities, and with so many musicians home for Thanksgiving, guest appearances seem highly likely. Cover $10 per night, $25 for the weekend. -- Rawls
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We could think of a few reasons to avoid one of the Dirty South's latest flavors of the month, Ludacris. But what with what could best be described as Bill O'Reilly's communication habits making the news -- there's nothing duller than a settled lawsuit -- we're here to recommend the rapper who delightfully referenced Mr. O in Ludacris' latest work, Chicken N Beer (Def Jam). In a response to O'Reilly's call for Pepsi to drop the rapper due to his nasty lyrics, Ludracris' 'Blow It Out' replies, 'I'ma start my own beverage / It will calm your nerves / Pepsi, The New Generation / Blow it out ya ass.' Which is the hip-hop world's way of saying, 'Nyah, nyah, nyah,' all the way to the bank. And if you're wondering if Ludacris is going to tone down his act anytime soon, check out the name of his upcoming release (due out Dec. 4): Red Light District. The Ying Yang Twins and the East Side Boys will open. Tickets $21-$41. -- Simmons
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- Bayou Classic Underground Hip-Hop Showcase
- 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27
- Mermaid Lounge, 1100 Constance St., 524-4747; http://headzupnola.com
Local underground hip-hop (read: rap that is more organic, intricate and highbrow than typical New Orleans bounce) has finally received its share of attention, and with good reason. Punctuated by the October release of Media Darlings' Humid Sounds compilation, the local movement of 'conscious' rap has grown in the city, both in talent and numbers. The Headz Up collective looks to capitalize on the huge crowds of party people in town for the Bayou Classic by offering a Saturday showcase featuring scene veteran Truth Universal, coming fresh off the release of his debut album Decolorization (Dragon's Breath). Joining Truth are songstress Mishikea, DJ EF Cuttin', Bay Area soul/hip-hop hybrid Zion I, and Soapboxx backed by DJ Quickie Mart -- all augmented by the live painting of TASK. Admission $10 Headz Up members, $15 general. -- Etheridge
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Country music legend Loretta Lynn performs in support
of her latest CD, Van Lear Rose, on Saturday at
Grand Casino in Gulfport, Miss.
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Somewhere in the corridors of power, Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose (Interscope) must have been pitched as Johnny Cash's American Recordings, but with Lynn subbing for Cash and the White Stripes' Jack White filling Rick Rubin's chair. As fine as Cash's final recordings are, the songs come from the subjects associated with him -- God, love and murder -- so much so that there's a whiff of caricature on the tracks. Lynn's on lyrically familiar ground, too -- the challenges of domesticity -- but she sounds plugged in to the adventure of recording with White, dueting with him on 'Portland, Oregon,' and she rolls with the crazy guitars on 'Have Mercy.' She's in fine voice throughout, and though she's rubbed elbows with the post-modernists, she has the good manners in concert to give her long-time fans the show they came to see. Tickets $19.95-29.95. -- Rawls
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Maybe it's the sultry delivery -- that breathy, measured delivery -- that fakes you out at first, but listen a little closer and, yup, Judith Owen's offering of 'Christmas With the Devil' is indeed the same song penned by Spinal Tap. It's a delightful example of how the messenger can be more important than the message, but then Owen has always had her own singular style as a cabaret singer working in Los Angeles while her husband, Harry Shearer, keeps America laughing with projects as varied as his voiceovers for The Simpsons and his public-radio program Le Show. (When will WWNO bring that show to Shearer's part-time home?) Owen's EP, Christmas in July, is indeed an early gift that transcends the curious existence of the holidays in perfect weather. Julia Fordham guests on a ruminative version of 'Silent Night,' while Owens contributes two of her own works, 'The Dancing Tree' and 'My Father's Voice.' Three of the tracks were recorded at Piety Street Studios, and all were mixed and mastered by Piety's John Fischbach. Tickets $22 (includes $5 bar credit). -- Simmons
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- Marc Stone and Shannon McNally
- 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29
- Old Point Bar, 545 Patterson St., Algiers, 364-0950; www.oldpointbar.com
The Old Point Bar once again features live music, and the sounds issuing from its doors out to the batture are as good as the golden days when the Nightcrawlers, Ingrid Lucia, and Bonerama recorded live albums there. Tonight, hard-working guitarist Marc Stone brings his gritty, soulful brand of blues/rock to Algiers Point. During stints with Terence Simien and Marva Wright, Stone has played with many of New Orlean' finest musicians and is using these Monday nights to feature some of them. This week is Shannon McNally, former Capitol Records roots-rock siren who can play guitar, sing like a fallen angel, and write songs like she knows what she's talking about. Future guests include powerful harmonica man Jumpin' Johnny Sansone and the Fessters' raucous Eric Miller. No cover. -- David Kunian
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- Debra Howell: Narrative Waterscapes
- Through November
- Lemieux Galleries, 332 Julia St., 522-5988
The views can be panoramic, the colors deep, vivid and lush, in settings that may border on the mythic. And they are also big -- Falmouth Springs is a 5-foot-long panorama of an idyllic glade with a misty spring running through a gnarled tangle of woods, a scene where you might expect to find an itinerant band of Hobbits or a drowning Ophelia. Is it one of those dramatically detailed pre-Raphaelite paintings? No, it's a digital photograph, part of Debra Howell's ongoing Journeys & Destinations series of ruminations on bodies of water she's encountered over the years, and then reconstructed on a computer along the lines of her own fanciful vision. It's a process that enables her to include more information alluding to implicit storylines in what Howell refers to as her "elaborate meditations on beauty, reality and control." -- D. Eric Bookhardt
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