September 2007

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Coming home to 'K-Ville'

The Odd in 1998, photographed by Daniel Corrigan

Before I sign off for some much needed vacation (minus a couple stories I'm still finishing--ain't that always the way), I wanted to give this blog's hearty thumbs up to the new Fox TV series K-Ville (Mondays at 8 p.m. Central; Wikipedia enty), a cop show set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Melodramatic? Check. Convoluted? Check. Visually overcooked and hyper-edited to the point where the cops running on foot seem to beam straight into their already-racing cars? Check.

But along with Thief, the program shows what a rich landscape for reality-based fiction New Orleans is, and the lead actors are fantastic, while the poignance of the real-life situation can only be ignored by those industry dolts at Variety (the NY Times was gentler). Anything helping to direct national attention back to this ongoing national failure and tragedy is good, but the show is more compelling as entertainment than I could have hoped for. Here's Humid Haney's minute-by-minute New Orleans accuracy test.

Recently posted elsewhere:

News brief: First Avenue in St. Paul? (City Pages 9/19/07), The Curse: Why “Picked to Click” may have already broken up Mouthful of Bees (City Pages 9/19/07), Picked to Click XVII: complete links (CPCulture 9/18/07), Picked to Click XVII: complete ballots (CPCulture 9/18/07), New publication: 'Twin Cities Radio Magazine' (CPCulture 9/18/07), This year's Picked to Click winners! (CPCulture 9/17/07), Auburn album listening party (CPCulture 9/14/07), Best New Band Names (CPCulture 9/14/07), Michael Yonkers at the Turf tonight (CPCulture 9/11/07)

Jenna Fischer stars in new Willie Wisely video (CPCulture 9/10/07), My (very good) life as a dog (CPCulture 9/7/07), MF Doom just isn't himself lately (CPCulture 9/5/07), Blotter: The Men in the Iron Masks (City Pages 9/5/07), The Dutchman is halfway to New York (CPBlotter 8/31/07), Mr. Blue Sky: Local Music’s Most Optimistic Fan Joins the Current (City Pages 8/29/07), previous roundup.

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at September 21, 2007 4:01 PM | Comments (0)

 

Picked to Click winners so far: 1991-2007

Picked to Click Winners 1991-2004:

1991

Walt Mink (31)
The Loose Rails (24)
God's Favorite Band (19)
The Willie Wisely Trio (16), the Mighty Mofos (tie)
Draghounds (14)
Monster Zero (13), Rifle Sport (13)
Snapperhead (12)
T.V.B.C. (11)
Arcwelder (10), Cows (tie)
Mother's Day (9)
Jonestown, Pseudonymphs, the Mings, Dylan Hicks & Three Pesos, Dutch Oven, Superball '63, Vertigo (8)

1992

Hammerhead (38)
The Carpetbaggers (37)
Muskellunge (34)
Gneissmaker (18)
Mickey Finn (17)
Salbando, Cows (13)
The Pidgeonholes, Superball '63, the Loose Rails, Jonestown (12)
Walt Mink, Skeleton Ed (11)
Mint Condition, the Sycamores (10)

1993

Guzzard (27)
Rex Daisy (24)
The Spectors (21)
Balloon Guy, John's Black Dirt (16)
Saucer (15)
Hovercraft (13)
Dogfight (12)
Tim O'Reagan and Jim/Dave Boquist, Somethin' Smooth, Ten Cent Fun, Andromeda Strain (9)

1994

Lily Liver (41.5)
Low (26)
Smattering (19.5)
John Casey and the Old Pussums, Lefty Lucy (19)
Pleasure, Small Engine City (17)
Balloon Guy (16)
Bean Girl (14)
Hot Date (12.5)
Karen Therese and Jai Cafe (12)
Fauna (11.5)
Delilahs, Grows Like Topsy, the Sea, Venison, Vibro Champs (10)

1995

Tribe of Millions (36)
Polara (31.5)
Phull Surkle and Casino Royale (22)
February (19)
Honeydogs, National Dynamite (16.5)
Strawdogs (14)
Rhea Valentine, Push on Junior (13)
John Ewing (12)
Vena Cava (11)
T.H.R.U.S.H. (10)
Dust Bunnies, Run Westy Run, Speedway, Interstate Judy (9)
Flipp (8.5)
Freddie Fresh [a.k.a. Freddy Fresh], G.I.V.E., Beangirl [a.k.a. Bean Girl], The Blue Up? (8)
Better off Airport (7.5)
[Other low-ranking 1995 notables: Deformo (7) and Abstract Pack (7)]

1996

12 Rods (43)
Semisonic (23.5)
National Dynamite (16)
Who Are Those Guys, Hot Karl (15)
The Kelley Deal 6000, Medium (13)
The Joint Chiefs [a.k.a. the Sensational Joint Chiefs], the Pins, Superman Curl (11)
Detroit (10.5)
Ether Bunny, Mountain Singers (9)
Dwindle (8.5)

1997

Brother Sun Sister Moon (49)
Sukpatch (30)
The Beatifics (25)
The Sensational Joint Chiefs (23)
Happy Apple (17)
Druel, Wheelo (14)
Accident Clearinghouse, The Short Fuses (13)
Mike Merz & the Can o' Worms (12.5)
Lifter Puller, Ninotchka, Magnatone (12)
Vaz (11)
Think Tank (10)
Dave King (et al.), Plain Jane (9)
The Sandwiches (8.5)
The Big Wu, The Buck-Fifty Boys (8)
Baby Grant Johnson, MMF (7)
Atmosphere, DJ Jesus Juice (Henry Mhoon), Terry Eason, Freedom Fighters,
The Great Depression, Lady & the Katz, The Siren Six (6)

1998

The Odd (20)
Love-cars (19)
So-So (18)
American Paint (17.5)
Ana Voog, The Autumn Leaves, Ousia (16)
The Minx (15)
Autonomous, Mary Nail (13)
Brits Out of America, Lunar 9, Rhyme Sayers Collective (12)
Florida (10)
Bobby Llama, Freedom Fighters (9)

1999

The Mason Jennings Band (57)
Selby Tigers (33)
Plastic Constellations (29)
Jake Mandell (27)
Abstract Pack (23)
Bellwether, UberScenester (21)
Mark Mallman (and the Heat) (20)
Sixth Sense (18 1/3)
Tangletown (18)
Indigenous (16)
Hawaii (15 1/2)
Moveable Feast, Ouija Radio (14)
Walter Kong and the Dangermakers, American Head Charge (12)
Radar Threat, The Misfires (11)
The Hot (10 1/2)
The Dames, Escape Mechanism (10)
Landing Gear (9 1/3)
Lunar 9 (8 1/2)
Arkology, Fizzy Lifter, Truth Maze (8)
Bobby Llama, Prosthetica, Debi 7, Sliver, Dixie and the Cannibals, Salamander (7)
DJ Ts, Ninian Hawick, Drunk Drivers (6)
Olo (5 1/2)

2000

Astronaut Wife (44)
decembers architects (38)
The Busy Signals, Tulip Sweet & Her Trail of Tears (29)
Valet (26)
Jan (25)
Triangle (tie)
Sean Na Na/Har Mar Superstar (23)
Hidden Chord, Manplanet (16)
Capital! Capital (15)
Iffy (14)
Raw Villa, Smattering (12)
The Sure Shot Brothers, Touchy Feely (9)
Flapjack, Kaos (8)
Katie Spoden, Dred I Dread, Flim Flam Man, Skye Klad, Superhopper (8)
Keller Brothers, Arson Welles, Houston (7)
Inside Straight Blues Band, Vaz, Terraplane, End Transmission, Heiruspecs, The Hot (6)

2001

Faux Jean (43)
Work of Saws (35)
Alva Star (31)
The Fog (26)
Cropduster, Kid Dakota, Song of Zarathustra (20)
Poor Line Condition (18)
The Dames (17)
American Monsters, Black Eyed Snakes (14)
Jonas (13)
Suki Takahashi (11)
Iffy (10)
Buss, Jan, Sandman, Oddjobs, Ol' Yeller, the Waves (9)
The Psychedelicates (8)
The Crush, Tin Porter (7.5)
Animals Expert at Hankering, Heiruspecs, Howlin' Andy Hound, the Mike Brady Trio, Jamie Ness, Satan on the Loose (7)
Silent Iris (6.5)
Grickle Grass, If Thousands, the Malachi Constant, Nationale, Sweet J.A.P., Volante (6)

2002

The Soviettes (35)
Dosh (31)
Ashtray Hearts, Sweet J.A.P. (22)
Fog (21)
The C.O.R.E. (17)
Signal to Trust, Vicious Vicious, A Whisper in the Noise (15)
Divorcee, Redstart (14)
Askeleton, Michael Yonkers (12)
Kentucky Gag Order, Ourmine, The Psychedelicates (11)
Exercise, Falcon Crest, Honeymoon Shockers, The Owls, Tiki Obmar (10)

2003

Monarques (69)
Haley Bonar (49)
Revolver Modele (37)
Brother Ali (36)
Mike Gunther (35)
So Fox (24.5)
Bridge Club (20)
Ice-Rod (19)
Big Ditch Road, First Prize Killers, Tiki Obmar (17)
Luke's Angels (16)

2004

Olympic Hopefuls (90)
P.O.S./Doomtree (49)
Melodious Owl (48)
Spaghetti Wester, Thunder in the Valley (39)
Die Electric, Zebulon Pike (34)
Romantica (27)
Big Quarters, Halloween, Alaska (23)
Missing Number (18)
The Belles of Skin City (17)
Traditional Methods (16)

2005

STNNNG (66)
The Deaths (51)
Kill the Vultures (45)
Chariots (36.5)
Brother and Sister (34)
Duplomacy (32)
Chris Koza (31)
The Get Up Johns (26)
The Blind Shake, Fort Wilson Riot (25)

[sorry, info on runners-up not available for this year]

2006

The Alarmists (73)
Black Blondie/Sarah White (72)
The God Damn Doo Wop Band (62)
Chooglin' (60)
Maria Isa (35)
White Light Riot (31)
Gay Beast (28)
The Awesome Snakes (25)
Birthday Suits (25)
One for the Team, Vampire Hands (23)

[plus previously unpublished runners-up]

Tapes 'N Tapes (22)
The Retainers (20)
The Brass Kings, I Self Devine, Mictlan/Sims of Doomtree, Skoal Kodiak (18)
ZibraZibra (17)
Digitata (16)
The New Congress (15)
In Defence, Story of the Sea (14)
Beight, FIC (a.k.a. Fiction), MC/VL, Solid Gold (13)
The Dad in Common, Duplomacy, The Evening Rig, Formaldehyde Junkies, Mazta I (12)
The Chambermaids, Community Gardens, The Deaf, Mel Gibson and the Pants, Prof and Rahzwell, Synchrocyclotron, The Maps of Norway (11)
Belles of Skin City, The Chosen Few, Dance Band (10)

2007

Mouthful of Bees (68)
Gay Witch Abortion (34)
First Communion Afterparty (29.5)
Skoal Kodiak (28)
Roma di Luna (27)
Dance Band (26)
MC/VL (23)
Baby Guts (20.5)
M.anifest (18)
His Mischief (17.5)

[plus online-only runners-up:]

Weaver at the Loom (17)
Black Audience (16)
City on the Make, Jeremy Messersmith, Private Dancer (15)
Big Quarters, Pandemonium (13)
Mystery Palace; Now, Now Every Children (12)
A Night in the Box, Dark Dark Dark, Switzerlind (11)
Bastard Saint, The Evening Rig (10)
Beatrix Jar (9)
Dessa, France Has the Bomb, Ghost in the Water, Joanna James, To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie (8)

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at September 19, 2007 2:16 AM | Comments (1)

 

Michael Yonkers tonight

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at September 11, 2007 5:38 PM | Comments (0)

 

You must remember this...

In the role of a lifetime, City Pages film editor Rob Nelson wrote movie reviews that spoke to the wider culture for 14 years before his job was eliminated last month. To quote Bob Cowgill, "he was a volcanic force for the good of film in this city. His writing was always valued; but it was as a film editor who made sure that everything--and I mean everything--of film-related interest in this town was covered that he had his largest impact on deepening audience interest, awareness, and understanding." Part of this legacy is that City Pages now possesses one of the most exhaustive databases of film reviews available online. Rob also programmed the wonderful, now-defunct City Pages Get Real Documentary Film Festival from 2001 (here's 2002, 2003, and 2004) to 2005, and nourished some of the best writing on movies in newsprint.

It's a career worth catching, and here's one fan's highlight reel, beginning with his treasure-trove cover story on that made-in-Minnesota classic, The Heartbreak Kid, which (poetically enough) is being remade in L.A., San Francisco, and Mexico (with Ben Stiller more or less reprising his Meet the Parents variation on Charles Grodin's role): Freeze Frame: Forget Fargo and A Simple Plan: A quarter-century ago, The Heartbreak Kid had Minnesota down cold (12/16/98), Mission: Interminable: Stanley Kubrick's long-delayed Eyes Wide Shut sets out to baffle and bore Tom Cruise fans--and succeeds impeccably (7/21/99), Saving Stanley Kubrick: With A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Steven Spielberg tries to rescue the world's most elusive filmmaker from an unhappy ending (7/4/01), Go Digital or Die: 'One Hour Photo' takes an ugly snapshot of the retail employee (9/4/02), The Long Goodbye: Keillor's 'Prairie' makes a fine pasture for Altman (6/7/06), L.A. Plays Itself: The 'Transformers' premiere party runs out of gas (7/4/07). Visit his author's archive for more.

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at September 5, 2007 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

 

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