A not-very-subtle reminder.

posted 12.8.05

Here a Show, There a Show

Freaker's Ball was a blast. Is it really December already?

So apparently either my new demo sounds really good or it sounds nothing like me. Either way, I've got two new solo shows at two new locations, both close on the horizon. I'll be debuting at Saffron Friday the 9th, and at McNellie's on Thursday the 15th. Complete details, as always, here. Math Lab is pursuing several pending gig opportunities as well. Stay tuned.

This week I'm trying to catch up on movies and use up a bunch of Blockbuster coupons I had lying around from that class-action settlement. High Tension was great, suspenseful and pretty gory with some decent twists. I was surprised to see the local store actually had the unrated version, they usually cop out and go with the censored versions here in the Bible Belt. As I type I'm watching Spider, which moves a little slow but I'm liking it. Nice to see Ralph Fiennes playing something other than the boring hero type, and Miranda Richardson's playing two roles so different it's easy to forget they're both her. Saved is waiting patiently on the shelf. I expect to enjoy that one too whenever I get around to it.

Did I mention I joined the myspace cult? What can I say, all the cool kids were doing it.

posted 12.3.05

The Mare The Mortimer

Not only will I be playing two shows this Saturday as part of the Freaker's Ball -- see below -- but I'm playing a return engagement at RSU tomorrow morning.

If you find yourself in the Claremore, Oklahoma area tomorrow around 11am, stop by Rogers State University and catch a special lunchtime show! It's in the Student Union, it's FREE, and it's followed by a Chili Cook-off! Take an early lunch & come on down.

I've also got the details for Saturday's shows. Acoustic Ross and Math Lab are playing (separately) at the 31st Annual Freaker's Ball at Cain's Ballroom in downtown Tulsa. Doors open at 7pm, I think tickets are $11 in advance, probably more at the door.

ACOUSTIC ROSS -- 7:30 on the acoustic stage
MATH LAB -- 8:15 on the Bob's stage

There's a costume contest at midnight and a veritable BUTTLOAD of other bands on the bill -- including Rewake, Down For Five, Bag Eyes, Team Galaxy, the Mudville Project, The Effects, The Red Stripes, Brian Parton, Marc Phillips, Rook, Rideshy Ritual, Tony Romanello, Doomsday Junkie, Jarrod Major, Wreckless Process, Redecco, The Engine Hearts, The City of Tulsa Pipes & Drums, Fantastic International, Rev. Jonny Palmer & The Muddy River Revival Band and more.

Hope to see you there in that awesome costume you've been talking about so much.

posted 10.26.05

Fast, Furious, Future

Wow... that was awesome! Thanks to everyone who came out to the last-minute show at Deadtown last night. We had a blast, hope you did too! The Best Friends were great too, big props to them for inviting us to join them for the show. Rumor on the street is we'll be making a return visit soon -- I'll let you know.

As if that weren't enough (and it weren't) I can now tell you about another big event. On Saturday of Halloween weekend (that's the 29th), the rock gods will be presenting the 31st Annual Freaker's Ball at the Cain's Ballroom in downtown Tulsa. Four stages, more music than you can possibly shake anything sticklike at -- and I'm proud to say I'll be pulling double duty. That's right, an Acoustic Ross set on the acoustic stage, AND a Math Lab set on one of the rock stages (exact times TBA). Who could ask for more? Um, on second thought, don't answer that, just come to the show.

More shows in the works, solo and non. Still have LOTS of lost time to make up for. Stay tuned!

posted 10.9.05

How to Waste a Perfectly Good Hour

Math Lab. Show. Tonight. Deadtown. (We got asked yesterday.) (We said yes.) (So come see us.) (Here's more info.)

posted 10.8.05

Another Quickie, for now

Lots happening lately, believe it or not. Big update coming soon, hopefully before the week is over. Thanks to the fine folks at the Tulsa World for making me a part of this year's Spot Music Awards, in triplicate, as a presenter, video producer, and (most importantly) a nominee in the Best Singer-Songwriter category. Always a great event to be a part of, and I had fun even though I didn't win.

And oh yeah... there's a fresh Acoustic Ross show coming TWO DAYS HENCE. I'm playing a lunchtime show at Rogers State University in Claremore this Thursday, September 29 between 11am & 1pm. My new friends at RSU Radio 91.3FM are putting on a little coffeehouse event and have invited yours truly to help out. Come on down, grab some lunch, hear some stuff.

For a taste of what's coming next, check out the web-only track "+3 Sword of Protection" by downloading it here (opens in a new window).

More shows coming soon, now that the massive summer projects (don't ask) are complete. Should have several Acoustic Ross and Math Lab shows to announce in the very near future. Further down the road: split EP, Math Lab recordings, new Acoustic Ross full-length next year. Stay tuned.

posted 9.27.05

this just in...

Psst. Math Lab show this weekend. Check out the shows page. That is all.

Oh yeah, also I just won a very strange little private Odd Man In game over at BenGarvey.com. Come join the madness!

posted 7.19.05

Cosmetics

The move from "too much text" to "too many pictures" continues unabated! It's not like I haven't been threatening to do it for a long time, but the site redesign continues, slowly, and it's now reached the links pages. The music links page is the first to undergo the change, and frankly I'm quite happy about it. Click the pic there to check it out. It's all about clicking pictures, or hadn't you figured that out yet?

posted 7.1.05

'Cannon Fodder

Old band, new band, side project, solo project, it's really all about the music. And some of the best new stuff to come along in Tulsa is coming from Fincannon. Matt & Dennis -- both Free Beer Band alumni, one of whom currently starring in Math Lab as well -- are building some steam on the local front and have already released a CD debut. The two-man format doesn't mean a lack of sound -- I've heard bands three times this size sound weaker. Check 'em out.

Get Into a Grove

Jetavana Grove is another promising new unit. JG's also got a former Free Beer Bander inside (that's Garrett on keyboards) and is also set to wow the apathetic Tulsa scene, or as Garrett put it on their site, "Formed by five kindred spirits in the summer of 2005, the band is quickly climbing to the top of... something. Nevermind. I've gotta go. sorry." Just don't ask me what the name means, I've already forgotten. It's a reference to a zen thing or something, I think. Garrett could probably tell you.

posted 6.22.05

Way Fewer Than Six Degrees

Goober and the Peas were one of my favorite regional bands when I was at Kent State in the early '90s, a strange and fun mix of faux-hillbilly rock from Detroit. (Their "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"/"Whole Lotta Love" medley had to be heard to be believed.) They released a couple records, the first one produced by one of my heroes, John Wesley Harding, and they faded away. As part of their schtick, everyone in the band had nicknames of the hillbilly sort -- Goober, Junior, Shorty, Boss Hoss -- and they went through a string of drummers, all of whom were called Doc. They broke up sometime after their second album's release in 1994, and most of the boys moved on to other things. Singer Dan "Goober" Miller and his wife now front an alt-country group called Blanche, which sounds sort of like an Appalachian cousin of the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Goober actually introduced me to the music of Uncle Tupelo, albeit unintentionally. I was waiting for a Goob show to start one night and really enjoying the record playing on the PA before the show, so I asked the bartender who it was. He said the band had put it on, so I asked Goob, who told me it was Uncle Tupelo. I'd heard one song of theirs (on a soundtrack I bought because fIREHOSE was on it, you see how this chain reaction stuff works with me?) but hadn't gotten around to getting a full-length record yet. I bought the first Goober & the Peas record at the show and an Uncle Tupelo record the next day.

So anyway, last week I'm reading an article about the Cincinnati music scene, comparing today's scene to that of a decade ago, and I come across this exchange:

City Beat: If you could go back 10 years, would you change anything from a musical standpoint?
Randy Cheek (Ass Ponys): No, I wouldn't change a thing. I wish I'd been nicer to that band Goober and the Peas, so I could borrow money from the guy who's in the White Stripes now.

Sure enough, the last "Doc" was a young lad named Jack Gillis, better known these days as Jack White. I've owned this record all these years, along with the White Stripes' records, and never put that together. Thanks, Randy. Turns out Goob/Dan and the Peas' old engineer/producer Dave Feeny even appeared on that Loretta Lynn album Jack produced last year. Not too shabby for a guy who used to throw hay around onstage and sing about chasing Grandpa through the woods.

Almost everything Goob and the boys recorded can be downloaded here, and the rest is here. Be sure to check out "Funky Cowboy," "Druthers," and "Killing Is Bad."

No Reply Necessary

A few years ago, here at AcousticRoss.com, back before we had a sophisticated mailing list, we had what became known as the Reply All Incident. I'm not going to go into great detail about it, because it was a big mess and caught me at the worst possible time, leading to a bit of over-reaction on my part. So instead, go read this story at McSweeney's, which cracks me up and hits WAY too close to home, and laugh at my misfortune.

Out the Windu

Every year when my magazine subscriptions come up for renewal, the only one I never consider letting expire is Entertainment Weekly.

posted 5.28.05

Pictures & Sounds

New pictures! Damon goes to Thailand and the original AcousticRoss.com sticker makes the rounds. Check the PICS page for great new pics.

Past shows! In other news, Math Lab's debut was big fun, and it was great to see namelessnumberheadman in Tulsa. Thanks to all those who came to the show! More Math Lab shows should be coming soon, we'll keep you posted.

New shows!! Yep, I've got TWO solo shows coming next week -- in fact, they're back to back, the same day. Special late-afternoon time slots! Check the SHOWS page for details. So much rock I had to take a half-day off work. And get some repairs done on my lightly battered guitar. See you there!

The Smoking Gun has obtained, in that crazy way they do, over 1000 letters and emails received by Duluth Police and city officials in reaction to "Runaway Bride" Jennifer Wilbanks. They've posted some of the best -- my favorite one gives advice on how officials should charge "that wild eyed girl with some kind of crime" then the letter's author muses that he wouldn't have searched for her as much if he'd been the jilted fiancee because she's "kind of a bowser."

posted 5.10.05

Fun & Games

BIG SHOW ALERT!!! Math Lab's long-awaited debut. This Saturday at 8:30. Also the Tulsa debut of Kansas City's best-kept secret, namelessnumberheadman. Click the pic to see their site, or check the shows page for details. It's gonna be a blast! See you there.

I've gotten pretty hooked on Jason Zahn's Game Show. It's a bit like the old Match Game, where you get a short phrase with a blank in it (Dog ___, for instance) and you try to guess what the most common word to fill in the blank will be. It's pretty easy to get the hang of, and takes all of about 30 seconds each weekday to play.

And I'm still quite addicted to Ben Garvey's Odd Man In. It's gotten pretty big now -- 123 players in the current game -- and it keeps getting better. Ben's continually upgrading things and adding new features, and soon there will even be an option for private 'side' games alongside the big main one. Great stuff.

posted 4.28.05

Episode Whatever

Pick up the first three Star Wars flicks on DVD yet? I still haven't. I probably will, eventually, but I'm not in a big hurry.

In fact, I'm protecting the old VHS editions I got in college, because they're the only way to see the original versions anymore. Granted, the 1997 Special Editions made a lot of improvements -- although the Death Star's big gun is still fired by a Grass Valley 1600-7k television switcher like the one we used in Steubenville (see bottom of this page) -- but George Lucas refuses to stop tweaking. The new DVD's, as everyone knows by now, aren't the original versions and they aren't even the 1997 fixes, they're new versions with even more changes. These folks have posted an extensive side-by-side comparison showing how the new versions compare to the 1997 versions. They've also posted a lengthy review of the whole DVD package here.

Now I can't wait for Episode III to come out and disappoint me as much as the last two. As for Lucas, you know he's not gonna stop until he adds Jar-Jar to the bar in Mos Eisley and reshoots all of Alec Guiness' scenes with Ewan McGregor in bad old-age makeup.

posted 4.16.05

A New Venture

I lovelovelove the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. SOOO many great shows...

Good: Space Ghost: Coast to Coast
Better: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law; reruns of Futurama & Home Movies
Even Better: the first couple seasons of Sealab 2021
Best: The Venture Bros.

'Venture Bros.' rocks on so many levels. Up front, a parody of the Hardy Boys, Johnny Quest, and pretty much every other 'formula' adventure show; but more importantly, a brilliantly scripted and acted deconstruction of the entire hero/villain concept. There is nothing about this show that doesn't crack me up. The one with the pirates pretending to be ghost pirates may be my favorite... although the one where they get trapped on Dr. Venture's late father's space station is right up there too.

They have a knack for using sub-Scooby Doo plots and twisting them into completely new satire. Unlike most shows, which take sub-Scooby Doo plots and stay there. Even the casting is awesome. Dr. Venture's bodyguard Brock Samson is voiced by the guy who played the Tick and Seinfeld's Puddy, because, really, who else are you gonna get to voice a big tough bodyguard guy like that? Dr. Girlfriend I won't spoil for you in advance, but she's unique, to say the least.

Wisely, the Cartoon Network has finally agreed to bring the show back for a second season. It's the least they can do if they're gonna keep crap like Tom Goes to the Mayor on the air. And renewing Sealab so many times after it went downhill Simpsons-fast. (And don't even get me started on Family Guy. Ugh.)

Almost forgot. The Adult Swim website is loaded with free games, including two Venture Bros. tie-ins. My favorite is the Home Movies 'Look Alive!' soccer game. The instructions are, and I quote, "blah blah blah use the mouse blah." Coach McGuirk hurls insults while you try to kick the ball into all the other kids as they run in front of the goal. And don't be fooled -- kicking the ball into the goal counts for nothing.

added 4.13.05

La La

The Smoking Gun has posted a copy of Ashlee "Acid Reflux" Simpson's tour rider. Among other things, her backstage requests include Red Bull, Pickle Relish, Skittles, and Ricola Cough Drops. I enjoyed the soundman's laid-back descriptions of his audio requirements. Take a look.

posted 4.12.05

Future Flash

A few years back I met this band from California called The Red. At the time they were touring as an acoustic duo -- I remember shades of Michael Hedges and a mean cover of "Little Red Corvette." These days they're a full band and a bit mellower, and their new CD "BURN" is an interesting little modern-day item. You can pick it up either as a standard CD, or buy it on a USB flash drive. The USB version is decorated just like the album cover and has all the same stuff. Plus, once you've got it, you can move all the files to your hard drive, and still have the flash drive to use for your own sordid file-transfer purposes. This, to me, seems like an extremely cool marketing idea.

posted 4.12.05

Math Lab Update!

If you weren't among the lucky few who came to the show last month, you missed a great time.

If you were there, you know how true that sentence was.

Regardless, I've got something bigger and better to talk about anyway. Four words: FIRST. MATH. LAB. SHOW.

It's true. We'll make our big debut at the end of this month at the Sidewalk Cafe in Tulsa. Better still, we'll be sharing the bill with my good friends from Kansas City -- namelessnumberheadman. It's their first gig in Tulsa, and it should be a great one. Check the shows page for details.

In other news, the new Golden Republic album is fantastic. Like your indie rock with a hint of Marc Bolan in it? Trust me, you do.

Gotta go now. Hooked on Grand Theft Auto III.

posted 4.9.05

Show News!

Hi folks. Just posted a new show, it's coming up on the 18th at local luminary Joe Cinocca's new place. Should be a blast!

Also another new X-Ray went up today, that's three in the last week. We'll see how long I can keep up the pace. Also posted a newly discovered review of the 918 UFN EP from Urban Tulsa Weekly, it's over on the Press page.

If you're near a radio this Friday morning around 8am or shortly thereafter, tune in to the Edge (104.5FM). I'm told a certain Tulsa antifolkie is going to be featured as a "Homegroan Hero" that morning. Homegroan's new host Big Jay (who you might know from his other life in HotrodboB) also played "Swept Down the Plain" this week. Tune in on Sunday nights for an hour of local goodness.

The next game of Ben Garvey's Odd Man In should start soon, but you've still got a couple days to get registered. Congrats to my friend Steve on getting to the finals in his first game.

Finally, did you hear about the college coach who confused basketball and hockey?

posted 3.1.05

News from 2/22/05

First show of the year coming soon, stay tuned for details. And Math Lab is progressing nicely. Our drummer just got a day job, so now we're looking for a new time slot for practice. Then the path is again clear for the rock to be brought by us. Awww yeah. Also, I just found out I was nominated under "Best Acoustic Band" in Payne County Line's 2004 local music awards. I'd ask you to go vote but I didn't find out until voting had already ended. I didn't win, but it's always nice to be nominated for that kind of thing.

Lots of great music around these parts lately. If you haven't seen Modest Mouse live, you should really look into it. One thing you can't accuse Isaac Brock of doing is putting on a half-assed show. The guy really puts everything he's got into the show, and you can't help but get pulled in by that. Doesn't hurt that the music's top-notch to boot. Last time I saw them was a few years ago in Oklahoma City, you can read about that here.

Last night's Modest Mouse show was at the legendary Cain's Ballroom. Chad Rodgers bought the 80-year-old historic venue a couple years ago, and has done nothing but improve it ever since. They raised the ceiling (it was way too low), put in air conditioning (it was always unbearably humid), and put in new bathrooms (don't even ask about the old ones). Chad also annexed the building next door and turned it into a second stage (it's also the smoking section on big nights), where he books local acts on the nights he doesn't have touring acts in the main ballroom. The small room is called Bob's, after western swing legend Bob Wills, who made the Cain's what it was all those decades ago. (We used Bob's for the 'Gimme the Mike' show last summer.) Chad's now begun building a reputation for booking the indie and smaller national acts that used to only play OKC or skip Oklahoma altogether, even working as his own promoter a lot of the time. Here's hoping he keeps things rolling this way for a long time, but even if he sold the place tomorrow, he'd still get the credit for doing what all the owners before him never seemed to be able to do: bring the national scene back to Tulsa, and make Cain's a great place to see a show. Or play one.

The latest game of Ben Garvey's Odd Man In is rolling along. I'm dead already. Last game I got to the final four players but died before the final round. I died a lot earlier this time. It happens. I'm rooting for Mr. Rust now. The next game's already open for sign-up if you're interested, then it'll start a few days after the current one ends. For a small peek inside the game and how it tends to work, check out my play-by-play journal from my first time out, in the Holiday Shootout edition of the game, right here.

Guess that's enough for today. Seeya.

-- R

News from 1/25/05

Belated thanks to all those who came out to the shows back in December. Hope you had as much fun as I did! Looks like the site is finally back online continuously now, though I probably just jinxed it by saying that. So you're probably wondering what's been up. I'll try to summarize.

I've spent the last three months working with some friends on becoming a band. We line up like this:

me - guitar, vocals
Dennis Pagano - drums, vocals
Michael Irion - guitar
Jarrod Oakes - bass

You might know Dennis from the Free Beer Band, or Michael from Special Purpose, or Jarrod from his stint with The Best Friends. I've known all of these guys for a while, but other than working with Dennis in the Three Headed Monster, I'd never really played with any of them. We're writing and rehearsing and having a lot of fun, and with a little luck you might get a chance to hear us pretty soon. In fact, if you were at the Free Beer Band reunion show at the Buckaneer on New Year's Eve around midnight, you already did hear us, playing our hit single "No Time Like the Past." We didn't have a name that night, but now we're calling ourselves Math Lab, and we rock. If I do say so myself. More news as it develops.

Another thing I've been immmersed in is a little game called Odd Man In. It's a last-man-standing strategy game, created by Ben Garvey, a musical acquaintance of mine in New Jersey, and it's sort of a cross between Reservoir Dogs and Survivor. You're assigned a random color -- you're Mr. Black or Mr. Yellow or Mr. Aquamarine -- and you get points for shooting other players. Getting shot an even number of times means you're dead -- an odd number of shots and you stay alive -- so teamwork is pretty crucial. It's completely anonymous as well, so you have no idea who the other players are, even the ones you've worked with in previous games, which adds to the challenge. I've played two games so far and have become pretty solidly addicted. Your daily time commitment can be pretty low, meaning you can just kind of sit back and do your own thing, or you can be a schemer coordinating all sorts of teams of shooters and spend the whole day planning. There's all kinds of strategies, and I'm still working on developing some of my own. I'll let you know if I ever manage to win a game.

Next week my good friends namelessnumberheadman celebrate their 100th gig. Should be an excellent show. Gloria & I are very much hoping to be there.

And do you remember that "Gimme the Mike" show I spent my whole summer on last year? It's coming back soon too. I'll start gearing up for the grumpiness and insomnia right away.

-- R

"Acoustic Ross" & "News From Around The Bend" © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization. All content not otherwise specified is also © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization. While we're at it, "Northcraft Entertainment Organization" is also © 2002-3001 Northcraft Entertainment Organization.