Thursday, December 30, 2010

12/31/10 New Year's Eve in Louisville!!

- Crispin Glover Cover Band & Glitter titz @ Vernon Club $10 in advance/$15 door

- The Pass NYE party with DJs Woodrow on the Radio and Matt Anthony @ headliners, 8pm, $10 advance/$12 door

- 21C's NYE party $21 +$10 gift card ($31)

- Young Lions, The Foxery Reading Group, Lemuria @ Skull Alley (VERY LAST SHOW AT SKULL ALLEY)

It's NYE in Louisville, so dust off your best suit (or showiest dress) and get out there and go nuts! it's mandatory... if there's anything we forgot, please leave it in a comment.

Magnolia photo from NYE 12/31/09 at Vernon

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Remembering Steve Ann Irwin

over the Christmas weekend, Louisville lost the talented, loving, local Artist Steve Irwin. Irwin was a multi-media artist and a member of Zephyr art Gallery.
Personally Irwin was like a father to me when i was just starting out. My  actual father was an artist in the 80's and was friends with Steve. as a kid seeing him at art shows and parties he seemed like a rock star to me. The week i graduated high skool in 1996, I walked the 2 blocks from my home to his and asked him for a job. he put me to work at the famed Sparks nite Club, where I worked until it's close in 2000.  it was an amazing and crazy time for a young John. I met many amazing people there, including the larger than life artists, and identical twins Mitchell and Matthew Bradley. it is there, that we gave him the name Steve-Ann, and it stuck.
After the close of Sparks i started working as Steve's assistant, along with Mitchell and Matthew.
Steve was instrumental in setting my art career in motion.  He got me my first One Man show (at Zephyr), allowed me to put on my first Valentine's Music show (in 1999, "i love cardboard valentine's with Team Totoro at Sparks), helped design the first Louisville is For Lovers album cover, and even helped get my first showing at The Speed Art Museum. He always bought a piece of my work at every show I had, sometimes being the only one. no matter what i did, or how far out there i strayed, he was always there for me. This was his motto, helping everyone around him.
I have known him all my life, and wouldn't be the person i am today without him.  it's an understatement to say he will be missed, much closer to the truth in saying this city, the art world, and myself will not be same without him.
there will be a memorial service Jan 15th at The Speed @ 4pm

Kory's ♥ pour / Ear X-travaganza at Headliners!

Hello all! As 2010 goes, it's been a strange year for me... i've picked up and moved to Boston and then picked up and moved back! I enlisted the help of the great and powerful John King of Louisville is for Lovers fame as well as the brooding Gallery Singers. Our good friend Dylan also spent his time to make the site better and rounded things out while I was away. I do have to give a great thanks to these two guys and especially John for making this site come alive with near daily posts to keep the city's music minded folks informed. Thank you so much John!

I got back to town near the first of November and have never been happier to be somewhere in my life. I learned that I had a love for the people and the arts and entertainment in this town that I thought would fade but just became stronger...

I've seen a few shows since being back but none as powerful and touching as the ear X-travaganza this past weekend. Louisville's music store, ear x-tacy has been struggling this year with increasing technology and large stores that offer deep discounts on cds that drive sales away from the knowledgeable staff at Louisville's premiere record store. We've watched John Timmons pick up the store and move it down the road to a smaller, more manageable location with less room and lower rent. John recently called out to the city again, letting us know that the store was still struggling and while it's still up in the air as to what the store's going to do, some of our local artists got together and organized a show to support the store. We got to experience the powerful voice of a solo Scott Carney from Wax Fang as well as the beautiful Watson Twins, the always popular with the ladies as well as the gents, Ben Sollee, the every rocking Cabin and a special set with Jim James and Pat Hallahan of My Morning Jacket. I'm still in awe of the night and as a photographer, I usually get beat around a show and somewhat discouraged by folks blocking me out from trying to cover an event in still form. This night was very different... I met so many wonderful people that all seemed to part the seas of Louisville music fans to let a tall dude with a tiny jacket and a big camera through to document the artists.

Thank you Louisville, you don't know it but you gave a Louisville native that attempted escape a beautiful, soul inspiring welcome back! I sincerely hope we can keep ear x-tacy in our home and our lives... as much as a record store doesn't jive with the technology of mp3 players and cd's at best buy for 7.99... I think we can all appreciate the fact that we can have a place to learn from true music experts and a wonderful local music section to experience the soul of this grand city!
Below are some pictures you can check out, enjoy them and if you're thinking about getting a cd or record, please visit ear x-tacy... my favorite store in Louisville!

I love you Louisville,

Kory Johnson