Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
Wild At Heart
Getting ready for the Halloween season by planning a few events. Anne Serling, daughter of the legendary Rod Serling (of Twilight Zone fame), is going to be appearing here in Rochester and this Saturday will see b-movie director/producer Roger Corman get a special award from the Eastman Museum. I remember staying up late watching old Twilight Zone reruns with the volume low and the door closed so my parents wouldn't hear. Every Halloween would see me staying up way past my bedtime catching the annual marathon long before cable TV came around. Early on, Twilight Zoe became my favorite show, proving I had good taste as a youngster. I look forward to hear what Anne has to say on honor of her father.
I know lot of people from here will be heading to Detroit to see ICP this weekend, but this is a great chance to have some Detroiters travel to Rochester, NY to see Roger Corman. This Saturday you can see the presentation or spend a bit more for a dessert reception or a dinner before the ceremony. I heard Joe Dante will also be here also to honor him. Roger was integral to modern independent film as well as popular culture. I cannot think of anymore more influential in bringing up talent be it actors like Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper or Sandra Bullock or maybe directors like Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Peter Bogdanovich or James Cameron. Think of all the Academy Awards his proteges have garnered and one wonders if some of these people would have been as successful without those big breaks. The type of system Corman fostered isn't there anymore and we are probably lesser for it. Corman directed 55 films (personal favorite include the original Little Shop Of Horrors, A Bucket Of Blood and X - The Man With X-Ray Eyes) and produced 385 others as well as bringing over numerous foreign films to the American audiences. He doesn't appear often in these parts so a trip here would be worth it. The George Eastman House will also be holding exhibits "the History of Space Photography" and "Astro-Visions"(contemporary photographs by scientists, filmmakers and artists expressing their visions of outer space). Can a Corman fan ask for anything more?
I posted early this week to give people a chance to check out a Live Twitter Chat with X-Men director Bryan Singer on Monday, October 28th at 1:30PM. You ca tweet questions with #XMEN and #ASKSINGER at @BRYANSINGER OR @XMENMOVIES. Wish I wasn't working.
I bet the Cowboy Junkies will be playing a cover of "Sweet Jane" this Sunday when they play the Ark in honor of Lou Reed who passed away Sunday. One of the most influential artists of all time, from his time with the Velvet Underground to see massive amounts of solo work, Lou was always an interesting artist. Back in college, it was the "Magic And Loss" album that got me into listening to Lou as I played that album, and the song "Walk On The Wild Side", quite a bit. From there I found his earlier work along with the Velvet Underground and I was hooked. I had always wanted to see him live but I had only seen him perform one song at the opening concert in Cleveland for the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame. He came on stage with Soul Asylum backing him and alongside Iggy Pop who also did only one song. I wish he had had a few more songs. I had seen Iggy and Soul Asylum since but never had a chance to catch him live again. Still, he left a great body of work and will be remembered for a long time to come. RIP - Lou Reed.
Here are some shows to catch this week between candy induced comas:
Tuesday (10/29) - 3OH3! w/Wallpaper. @ St Andrews Hall, Killswitch Engage opens for Lamb Of God @ The Fillmore
Wednesday (10/30) - Jars Of Clay @ Pike Room, Bettye LaVette @ the Ark
Thursday (10/31) - Insane Clown Posse @ The Fillmore
Friday (11/01) - Drive-By-Truckers @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Saturday (11/02) - Smithereens @ Magic Bag, Ragbirds @ The Ark, Devil Wears Prada @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Sunday (11/03) - Cowboy Junkies @ The Ark, Thomas Dolby @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Monday (11/04) - the Sparks @ the Crofoot