And since I won two tickets, it would be just plain silly to attend alone. So this makes the second such event I’ve recapped for this blog where I have attended with my mom, who, like myself, needed a really good reason to get out of the house for a while and have fun. And have fun we did, believe me.

We arrived relatively early (barely after 7:30pm for a show starting at 8pm). This, despite several wrong turns on the way (I’m terrible at giving directions sometimes). The house was opened at around 7:45pm or so, and the crowd began filing in. We got seats in the second row on the right; the “reserved” spaces in front of us were quickly filled resulting in our view being somewhat obstructed by the heads of the gentlemen in front of us. Unintentionally, of course; though it would have been a nice touch if we had been offered the front-row seats as it appeared the parties for whom they were originally reserved were no-shows.

At right around the stroke of eight o’clock Misha Penton began introducing the show. Part of this introduction included a mention of the original 2010 performance of Selkie at Obsidian Art Space, which I did mention in this very blog in a monthly LOVIEE as event 10-M11-1. Unfortunately I was unable to attend and recap that one; looking back, I wish I had been able to attend that performance as well, so I would have a better idea of what to expect. If nothing else, it would have made for a very interesting compare and contrast.

Which brings me to my next point. I’m putting the finishing touches on this article four days after the show, and thinking back, I’m still not entirely sure just what I was expecting. I had listened to a couple of tracks from the performance; I already knew this was something special. I’m not even sure my words can do it justice; suffice it to say that the singing talent of Misha Penton and the musical talents of her accompanying musicians (Patrick Moore on cello and Kyle Evans on piano) far surpassed any reasonable estimation I had. The show transcends most attempts description using ordinary words like “amazing”, “spectacular”, and “breathtaking”; this was easily the best-spent hour of my life in at least the last year.

As much as I had heard about this work, I was curious about the actual storyline. By the first couple of songs, that quickly changed, and I thought to myself, “I’m not going to try to figure out the storyline, I’m just going to immerse myself in and enjoy the show.” In retrospect, that turned out to be a brilliant move, as it was easy to just get lost in the spectacle and let the hour just fly by.

Partway through the set (right near the end of a song, I want to say it was after the fifth or sixth of the nine songs), there was an ambulance siren audible from within the performance hall. At least one reviewer felt it was a well-timed coincidence; to me, it was more like an unfortunately timed distraction. Of course, I’m not faulting anyone for this; I realize it’s Just One Of Those Things That Happen. (Yeah, I looked at other reviews as I was wrapping this up.)

The dancers (Meg Booker and Yelena Konetchy of Thel Dance Theatre) added a dimension to this performance I wasn’t expecting, complementing the superb musical talents. Not to say that the music stands on its own quite well–I did purchase the CD and have already rated at least one of the tracks 5 stars in my media software.

This was billed as an intimate venue, and that it definitely was. I think there was room for an audience of about 60 to 70 (I didn’t count chairs, this is just a guess from memory). The piano, cello, and of course Misha’s voice were easily audible from our spot in the second row. In fact, about my only minor quibble is that there were at least a couple of points where Misha’s voice actually overpowered the accompaniment–something that I definitely was not expecting. (Maybe this was on purpose?) The front row was a good ten feet or so from the nominal “stage” area; as there were points were Misha went back into the audience, it could be said that technically the stage was the entire room. This was an artfully shrewd use of the venue and the seating layout, which added greatly to the performance.

The show concluded with a showing of the music video for “Softly over sounding waves” (the fifth of the nine songs). After which came the curtain call, and a solidly earned standing ovation for the performers. I wouldn’t have minded one bit being the only person standing in the audience, regardless of how out-of-place I might have looked in that situation. For the record, I am definitely glad I wasn’t.

We stayed for a little while for the afterparty, during which we were invited up to the Zoya Tommy Contemporary Gallery in the building by the featured artist, Guus Kemp. This was a nice addition and we were waiting for the afterparty to fill up anyway, so we spent about ten to fifteen minutes or so admiring Guus’s art and making conversation. Guus has on exhibit a set of twelve abstract expressionist paintings in his own unique style. I might add that three of the twelve paintings in the exhibit have already sold, so if you see a painting you want to buy (that hasn’t already sold), don’t wait too long.

If you weren’t able to make it and still want a copy of the music, the physical CD and digital downloads are both available on Bandcamp for minimums of $12 and $9 respectively. The physical CD is a limited edition, so if you want it, get it before it’s gone.

Closing Friday 03-29

Street Smarts, East End Studio Gallery, 708 Telephone Suite C, 6-10pm (Fri 03-01). The photography of Alex Barber is paired with original works from Houston’s street artists: 2:12, Ack!, Daniel Anguilu, Briks, Coolidge, Cutthroat, Dual, Eyesore, Jessica Pope, Red, Wiley Robertson, Michael C. Rodriguez, Shreddi, and Zen Full. 13-SMARTS

Friday 03-29

Chase Hamblin and the Roustabouts, Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, doors 8pm, $8. Pre-show party begins at 8pm with door prizes, tarot & psychic readings, magic, and gypsy swing. Opening act Bonneville Night Life at 9:45pm; Chase and crew at 10:45pm; The Trimms at midnight. All ages welcome. 13-W12-4

Friday 03-29 and Saturday 03-30

CD Release Concert: “Selkie, a sea tale”, 4411 Montrose, 8-10pm both nights, $20, tickets available online, sellout expected. From the online ticket sale page: “Performers: Misha Penton, soprano; Kyle Evans, piano; Patrick Moore, cello; and Shannon Langman Smith, mezzo-soprano; with early modern dance specialists Meg Brooker and Yelena Konetchy of Austin-based Thel Dance Theatre premiering new choreography to accompany the concert. Performance followed by an artist meet & greet with fizzy-licious libations and sweet treats. CDs and download cards available for purchase at the concert.” 13-M03-8 (Fri) / 13-M03-9 (Sat)

While I was certain Runaway Sun would likely be excellent as usual, I had no idea what to expect with regards to the venue. I’ve been to every type of venue for local music from hole-in-the-wall type bars, to slightly fancier neighborhood bars like Crooked Ferret Pub, to more upscale places like the Mezzanine Lounge, to outdoor park venues like Discovery Green and Miller Outdoor Theater, to the House of Blues (my last major concert attendance here unfortunately pre-dates this blog), to the Arena Theater, to major arenas like The Summit/Compaq Center, the Astrodome (both non-Reliant and post-purchase of naming rights by Reliant) and Reliant Stadium.

D&W is either top of “hole-in-the-wall” or just over the line of “slightly fancier”. Which is not to say it’s bad, because it’s a pretty good little joint, and I had almost forgotten what it’s like to go to a non-smoking bar (my one big hangup with out-of-city-limits venues like BFE and Crooked Ferret). The music stage is almost an afterthought: there’s barely enough room for three guys with guitars, the effects pedals, the amps, and the drummer and his drum kit. But this is also what brings a show at D&W most of its charm.

I learned a lot about D&W that I wouldn’t otherwise have found out, chatting with Andrew Karnavas during one of the breaks. I’ll go ahead and share the weirdest factoid here: the bar is open from 7am to 2am, which I’m assuming is the maximum allowable opening times by TABC rules, and the early opening time is primarily for third shift coffee factory workers who want to relax after a hard day’s work. Relax? Okay, who am I kidding… is there anyone that would work in a coffee factory surrounded by the smell of slightly burnt coffee beans (and no joke, that’s what the surrounding area smells like), that wouldn’t want to head to the nearest bar that was actually open and get just plain tanked as soon as the whistle sounded? So if for some reason you can’t wait for your favorite bar to open at the obscenely late hour of noon, 2pm, or even 4pm, keep D&W in mind.

I don’t have a complete set list, but I do recall the following from the first two sets, probably out of order:

• Lily (opening song)
• Shoot It (alligator song)
• Lovebite
• Bad Bad Man
• The Bridge (uptempo version compared to what’s on the album)
• Let’s Run
• Goodbye to You
• Shake Rattle and Roll (cover)
• Miss Whiskey
• Blue Parade
• Midnight Delta
• Bright Idea

This is missing most of the covers and probably another song or two which I either did not recognize or forgot the name of.

“Shoot It” deserves a bit more detail, as it’s a call-and-response number which might be one of the band’s live-only songs (as are most of the cover versions of songs, but that’s primarily due to licensing costs). From Andrew’s intro to the song, it was written during one of many tours to “gator country” (parts of Florida). I hope this song gets recorded as a live track at some point, as it would be a shame for this one to not be preserved in some form.

Unfortunately my schedule did not allow me to stay for the third set. But what I saw tonight was more or less the same Runaway Sun that I’ve been a fan of since early 2009. (The band formed in 2008 April, so I wasn’t that late to the party.) It was good to hear some of the songs from Let’s Run, particularly the title track. Hearing “Goodbye to You” in the middle of the set was a real surprise; I think this was the first time I heard Andrew sing it as a solo (it was recorded as a duet with Clory Martin).

I’ve decided now, Let’s Run will definitely be in the next round of albums I purchase. The title track is a free download, physical CDs are at Andrew’s Storenvy store or you can get at least Let’s Run at a show for $10 (potentially a better deal, online it’s $12.50 after shipping).

Unfortunately, I don’t yet know when Runaway Sun’s next local show will be, but rest assured, I will definitely be announcing it when I find out.

I’m going to start using the Facebook page more and more for upcoming events where I find them first as a Facebook event. I will try to include them here as well, mainly so they have an event number for disambiguation in feedback and so they are “on record” as promoted events.

Wednesday 03-20

Bugs & Brew (Crawfish Boil), Rooster’s, 9607 FM 1960 West, $5.25/lb or $36.50/all you can eat. Drink special: $3 domestic bottles and draft pints. 13-W11-1

Friday 03-22

Runaway Sun, D&W Lounge, 911 Milby, 9pm, no cover. 13-W11-4

Friday 03-22 through Sunday 03-24

Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park, $15 adults/$3 children 3-12. See website for details on shuttle bus stop locations, there is a very limited amount of on-site parking. 13-W11-7

Monday 03-04

Shellee Coley/James Caronna/Timothy Qualls/Marcus Acker, Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, 8pm, free admission. 13-W09-1

Wednesday 03-06

“Blues and Burgers” lunchtime concert featuring Mojofromopolis, Discovery Green, 11:30am. 13-W09-2

Friday 03-08

French Cultures Festival Kickoff Concert, Discovery Green, 6pm. Featuring French musicians LYS, Houston locals The Tontons, and Louisiana cajun/zydeco band The Revelers. 13-W09-3

Opening reception for Kodachronology, Caroline Collective, 4820 Caroline, 7pm. A collection of photos taken with Kodachrome film developed with black and white technology by Shannon Duncan, Donna Fernandez, and Tere Garcia. 13-W09-4

Closing Friday 03-29

Street Smarts, East End Studio Gallery, 708 Telephone Suite C, 6-10pm (Fri 03-01). The photography of Alex Barber is paired with original works from Houston’s street artists: 2:12, Ack!, Daniel Anguilu, Briks, Coolidge, Cutthroat, Dual, Eyesore, Jessica Pope, Red, Wiley Robertson, Michael C. Rodriguez, Shreddi, and Zen Full. 13-SMARTS

Saturday 03-02

The Tontons free in-store show, Cactus Music, 2110 Portsmouth, 3pm. 13-M03-1

Sunday 03-03

Week 1 Crawfish & Parking Lot Party, Mezzanine Lounge, 2200 Southwest Freeway #150, 2pm-?, $20/$25 all-you-can-eat (with/without purchase from bar). “We’re making it a Parking Lot Party! We’ve got Bags, Beer Pong, Flip Cup, Apples to Apples, Dominoes, and lots more! We’ve got the music up loud & we’re all ready for a party!” RSVP encouraged at the Facebook event page to help ensure an adequate supply. 13-M03-2

Opening Friday 03-15

Cats, Bunnies, and the Surface Value of It All, Fresh Arts ARC/Gallery, 2101 Winter Street #B11, opening reception 6-8pm (Fri 03-15), closing reception 6-8pm (Fri 04-26). Featuring the photography of Lynn Lane and the paintings of Melanie Loew. See Facebook event page for more info. 13-CATSBUNNIES / 13-M03-3

Closing Friday 03-29

Street Smarts, East End Studio Gallery, 708 Telephone Suite C, 6-10pm Fri 03-01, then by appointment only through Thu 03-28, 6-10pm Fri 03-29. The photography of Alex Barber is paired with original works from Houston’s street artists: 2:12, Ack!, Daniel Anguilu, Briks, Coolidge, Cutthroat, Dual, Eyesore, Jessica Pope, Red, Wiley Robertson, Michael C. Rodriguez, Shreddi, and Zen Full. 13-SMARTS

Friday 03-29 and Saturday 03-30

CD Release Concert: “Selkie, a sea tale”, 4411 Montrose, 8-10pm both nights, $15 early bird/$20 after Sun 03-24, tickets available online, sellout expected. From the online ticket sale page: “Performers: Misha Penton, soprano; Kyle Evans, piano; Patrick Moore, cello; and Shannon Langman Smith, mezzo-soprano; with early modern dance specialists Meg Brooker and Yelena Konetchy of Austin-based Thel Dance Theatre premiering new choreography to accompany the concert. Performance followed by an artist meet & greet with fizzy-licious libations and sweet treats. CDs and download cards available for purchase at the concert.” 13-M03-8 (Fri) / 13-M03-9 (Sat)

Wednesday 02-20

The Bellfuries, Under the Volcano, 2349 Bissonnet, 8-10pm. Local rockabilly act. 13-W07-1

Friday 02-22

Mystic Cross/Torrid Complex/Knocturnal Madness/Night Train, The Concert Pub North, 2470 Cypress Creek Parkway (FM 1960 West), 10pm-2am. After a long hiatus, Mystic Cross is back together; I first saw them when they opened for Survivor at a local club back in the late 1990s (I don’t remember the exact year or the exact location, as I was not nearly as active in the local music scene then). I still have and still listen to my copy of Visions of Time, their debut album. 13-W07-2

Saturday 02-23

Chase Hamblin and The Roustabouts Free In-Store Performance, Cactus Music, 2110 Portsmouth, 3pm. Yes, Chase Hamblin now has a regular backup band with a name. But it’s still the same great tunes from before. Their new album, VauDEville, will be released next month. See this recap of a previous Chase Hamblin show. 13-W07-3

The Presence of Utter Bliss Closing Reception, 13 Celsius, 3000 Caroline, 6-8pm. Houston artist Gonzo247 will be present for the closing reception of his latest exhibit. 13-W07-4

Fast forward to a few days or weeks ago, and some %*$$&#@ decided to start making 20+ fake spam accounts. Per day. Honestly, right now that’s the least of my problems. The quickest fix for the moment is to disable BuddyPress and the community features, which honestly weren’t seeing much use anyway. Depending on what happens in the next couple of months, they will most likely remain disabled for the remaining lifetime of this site (and how long that is, I cannot say for sure right now).

I do plan to remain and/or re-establish myself as an active blogger for the local arts and events scene, and hopefully the state of the blog (which I’m quite unhappy about, by the way) will change in early 2013.

Beginning Saturday 11-17

The Ice at Discovery Green, see website for times, $12 including skate rental and tax. It’s a rare chance to ice skate outdoors in Houston, and it only comes around for a few weeks every winter. 12/13-IADG

Saturday 11-17 and Sunday 11-18

Via Colori, Sam Houston Park, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm, free admission. Street art festival benefiting the Center for Hearing and Speech here in Houston. 12-M11-1

Saturday 10-06

Concert for a Cure, Cabo’s, 2513 Nasa Parkway (Seabrook), noon-10pm. Music, food, and fellowship, plus a silent auction. Band lineup still to be decided, see the Facebook event page for the most up-to-date info. There is also a donation page if you cannot attend. 12-M10-1

Saturday 10-20

Extra Life Gaming Marathon, Microsoft Store, The Galleria, 6pm-6am. $12 for 6-9pm, $24 for full event (free for registered Extra Life gamers who have raised at least $24 $192 [edit 2012-10-15]). Returning for a second year at the same location. Extra Life is primarily a video game marathon benefiting Texas Children’s Hospital locally. Food and drinks will be available, as well as a live musical act as the night wears on. Come join me, we’ll be having a great time! 12-M10-8

Extra Life Gaming Marathon, Tilt Studio, Katy Mills Mall, 8am-11pm, $25 all day video game and attractions pass, costumes encouraged. See above description, with the exception this event’s price does not include food and drinks. 12-M10-9

Extra Life Gaming Marathon, Texas Battle Bunker, 1964 Northpark (Kingwood), Sat 7pm-Sun 7pm, $30 for all-day free play. See above description. 12-M10-10

I realize I have not been able to post as I would like. I’m not officially saying the blog is on hiatus, however right now I don’t have the time to devote to it that it deserves. I hope to resume next Monday or Tuesday, but that’s not guaranteed. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, my loyal readers, especially since I realize there aren’t that many of you left.

On that note, if this blog is ever going down for good, I will announce it prior to that happening. Don’t assume a week or two of downtime is the end.

If for some reason I’m not able to post the usual weekly and monthly LOVIEEs by the end of next week, I will probably begin posting a partial list of my source URLs from which I select events. Though they haven’t been only sources of events (Facebook event invites count for quite a few), they may help those of you who wish to either start a similar endeavor or otherwise “get your fix.”

Starting September 3 I will be returning to the intended format of monthly LOVIEE covering approximately a calendar month, either four or five weeks depending on where the weekends fall in that month. It’s slightly more work with the event numbering scheme I am using, but I am considering letting that go the way of the dodo in preparation for some major changes to be made in 2013. (Yes, I believe the Mayans were wrong.)

Continuing Through Saturday 08-25

Tamarie Cooper’s Doomsday Revue presented by Catastrophic Theatre, DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, all shows Wed-Sat 8pm, pay-what-you-can. As described by the company’s website: “Tamarie Cooper’s DOOMSDAY REVUE (The Greatest Musical Ever!) is a celebration of our imminent destruction. From apocalyptic predictions, adolescent embarrassment, zombies, pestilence, and famine to global warming, astronomical catastrophes, technological collapse, and the Barbie Sex Boat – no one is safe from whatever comes next. So grab your bug out bag and prepare for the best.” This play is for mature audiences. 12-DOOMSDAY

Friday 07-27

Sigur Rós: INNI, Aurora Picture Show, 2442 Bartlett, 7pm, $15 ($10 for members). From the website: “Aurora Picture Show and QFest partner on the Houston premiere of INNI, the visually breathtaking experimental documentary about Iceland´s incomparable and influential rock band, Sigur Rós.” Two Star Symphony will be performing prior to the screening. 12-M07-5

Sunday 07-29

Afternoon Tea with Lisa Chow and Y.E. Torres, Spacetaker Gallery at Fresh Arts, 2101 Winter St, 2-5pm. Part of the receptions for the exhibit “Once there was, once there wasn’t: Two tales from the minds of Lisa Chow & Y. E. Torres.” 12-M07-6

Wednesday 08-01

A Birthday Celebration: The Grateful Dead Movie Event, many local theaters (check listings), 7pm. From the website: “In celebration of Jerry Garcia’s 70th birthday, NCM Fathom Events brings ‘The Grateful Dead Movie’ back to select movie theaters nationwide for a special one night event on Wednesday, August 1 at 7:00 PM (local time).” 12-M08-1

Saturday 08-04

Crank Case/Three33/Low Man’s Joe/Vessels, Acadia, 3939 FM 1960 W, 10pm. If you missed Low Man’s Joe last month, here’s another chance to catch them live. 12-M08-2

Thursdays Through Saturdays 08-09 Through 08-18

Museum of Dysfunction V, Spring Street Studios, 1824 Spring Street, 8pm, pay-as-you-can. From the webpage: “Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company presents Museum of Dysfunction V: a SHOWCASE OF SHORTS written by new writers from all over the world and directed and produced by the talented members of Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company and some of our friends! We have chosen the best of the best from over 200 submissions this year! Playwrights include writers from all over the US. There are two different weekends, each with a completely different set of plays, so you can come twice and see two different shows! Some adult situations and language is present in these shows, so we recommend that you consider this PG 13.” Saturday afternoons will feature a matinee for younger audiences at 2pm, a play currently known as “Critter Wisdom”, previously known as “The Scarecrow and the Sparrow” and “What I See”. 12-MUTMOD

Saturday 08-11

Graffiti Cathedral (CD Release)/The Lonely Hunter/Kollin Baer, Continental Club, 3700 Main, $10, tickets available online, 21+ only. Graffiti Cathedral is a local folk/Americana/alt-country band led by Blake Flattley who is originally from California; his previous musical projects included The Orange Effect. 12-M08-3

Saturday 08-25

Folk Family Revival/Shellee Coley, Main Street Crossing, 111 W Main Street (Tomball), doors 6pm, show 7:30pm, $15, all ages. 12-M08-4