But I’ll admit that even I can’t remember the last time that a Fort Worth/Tarrant County-based band played – or was invited to play – the famous CMJ Music Marathon, in the Big Apple. Like SXSW but without the pretense of existing to help unsigned bands get somewhere in life, CMJ is essentially one big blow-out with dozens of shows by groovy acts that hipsters the world over would cross the Atlantic by rowboat to see. The 2005 event takes place Sept. 14-17 at Lincoln Center Plaza, in Midtown, and will feature performances by hundreds of artists, including the Arcade Fire, the Doves, the Hold Steady, John Vanderslice, and !!! (pronounced chk chk chk). Black Tie will be accompanied by fellow North Texans and Idol Records label mates [DARYL]. Bid Black Tie bon voyage at the band’s next Fort Worth gig, at Axis, on Sat., Sept. 3.
… Update: Oh, yeah. A little birdie just reminded doting HearSay that the last time a Fort Worth/Tarrant County act played CMJ was last year, when good ol’ John Price made the trip. Now before Price’s CMJ appearance, who knows how long NYC had gone without a little Fort Worth/Tarrant County flavor. Drop me a line if you think you know, at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
… After about a year of staying comfortably afloat as a volunteer-run exhibition space-slash-coffee house, Local Color Gallery is in the fight of its life. Located in “downtown” Arlington (it’s so funny when you say it out loud), Local Color is about this close to throwing in the towel. The operators are looking for a someone, according to a recent e-mail, “to step in and sign a new lease agreement” to keep Local Gallery put. In celebration/mourning, a (certainly angsty) rock show is taking place this Fri., Aug. 19, at the gallery (208 W. Main St.). Some of the bands scheduled to perform include Clint Niosi, Man Factory, and Dead Awake. For more info or to talk about possibly lending a hand, contact Kim Feil at 817-274-7257.
… After reporting last week that a planned Flickerstick tour was in jeopardy, all systems are go now. The band is back where it belongs, on the road again, and Tim Locke – Flick guitarist and frontman for openers Coma Rally – got good music-related news recently, when he learned that a song of his will join tunes from Built To Spill, Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, and others on the soundtrack for the theatrical release of Quality of Life. Winner of the special mention for best full-length feature at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival, Benjamin Morgan’s tale about a displaced graffiti artist is scheduled to hit theaters in the fall.
… Tonight (Wed.) is the one-year anniversary party of the creation of the Fort Worth Arts Consortium. A nonprofit local group dedicated to nurturing the arts in the 817, FWAC has rounded up Kevin Aldridge (Chatterton, formerly of Brasco), Darrin Kobetich, and others to perform, at the Power Plant, 6463 E. Lancaster, in Fort Worth. For more info, go to www.fwac.net.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
