Listen to the MUSIC

50 Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Arkansas FEBRUARY 2009

Welcome to Celebrate Arkansas’ new entertainment

column, what we hope will be a monthly feature

previewing upcoming live music and other entertainment that’s

on its way to town. The goal is for you to know what you’re

getting into before you pay that $10 or however-many-dollars

cover charge, so you can decide which live music you’re most

likely to want to see. Questions or comments? Email me at

kristal@celebratearkansas.com.

Kicking off February is a show that’s likely to be one of the best

of 2009: Yonder Mountain String Band at George’s Majestic

Lounge in Fayetteville. Yonder, a Colorado-based jam/rock-

infused bluegrass band that’s been together over 10 years, is

starting its annual Cabin Fever Tour at George’s — a mighty nod

to the band’s appreciation for what is always an enthusiastic sellout

crowd here in Northwest Arkansas. The band’s last foray into

Arkansas, last spring, took them to Little Rock, but they haven’t

played this area for nearly two years. The four talented musicians

— a fifth who sits in sometimes is none other than famed Phish

drummer Jon Fishman — have continued to break new ground

with their infectious jams and heartfelt ballads, and they opened

for national act Widespread Panic to a sold-out crowd at Denver’s

Pepsi Center on New Year’s Eve. This is a show not to be missed,

and is worth every penny of the $20 cover. But you’d better hurry,

because it will sell out, if it hasn’t already.

Another worthy $20 show coming to George’s — which has a

jam-packed schedule for the month — is Citizen Cope, coming

Tuesday, February 11. Cope has a gift: He takes snapshots of the

world around him, and turns them into universal truths. He sets

them to the simplest of melodies, and weds those in turn to the

most soul-stirring grooves. His song “Let the Drummer Kick”

story and photos by Kristal Kuykendall

Cody Dickinson (top) plays guitar for Hill Country Revue and plays drums for the Allstars. Luther Dickinson (bottom) is lead singer and guitarist for the Allstars; he also plays guitar for the Black Crowes.

Hill Country Revue, with guest guitarist Luther Dick-inson (far left) from the North Mississippi Allstars and the Black Crowes, opened for the Allstars on January 14 at George’s Majestic Lounge in what was an amazing night of dirty South blues-rock.

features a simple piano ditty covered with a bare drumbeat,

keyboard, bass and almost chant-like vocals. It reminds me of

David Gray gone electronica/hip hop, but still chill. “Sideways”

reminds me of Jack Johnson, only with vocals more soulful

and powerful. “Bullet & a Target” is very reminiscent of Paolo

Nutini (of “New Shoes” fame), laidback but upbeat pop-jam

with some right-to-the-point lyrics that’ll keep you listening for

more. Citizen Cope is truly a talent to check out while we’re

lucky enough to get him. Because even though radio might

not know what to do with his genre-bending music, he’s surely

to explode in popularity before too much longer — and, alas,

Fayetteville might not be able to get him back.

Quickly, now, before I run out of space, some other shows

you should check out in February (they all happen to be at

George’s):

• Friday, February 13 — George’s happy hour show, from 6

to 8 p.m., features the perennial favorite (and very talented)

Full House. (Incidentally, George’s often has great happy

hour shows for you folks who don’t want to stay up late or

rub shoulders with the college-age crowd. See the Web site,

www.georgesmajesticlounge.com, for details.)

• Friday, February 20 — Roots rock-and-soul artists JJ Grey

and MOFRO come to town for what’s sure to be a great

night of music. Tickets are $15, a steal for this talented

music-festival regular.

• Fat Tuesday, February 24 — Hugely popular Texas country

artist the Randy Rogers Band comes to town and will likely

sell out. Tickets are $15.

• Wednesday, February 25 — Jamband and R&B fave G Love

and Special Sauce headlines, with an opening set by recent

VH1-hit artist Eric Hutchinson. Tickets are $22.50. •••

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