Appetizers & Leftovers
James Hand‘s days as the best-kept secret in Central Texas may finally be coming to an end. Hand’s honky-tonk talents were “discovered” by Rounder Records at SXSW 2004, and the Massachusetts-based roots label will release his new album, The Truth Will Set You Free, Feb. 28. Produced by Ray Benson and Lloyd Maines, The Truth pairs re-recorded songs from Hand’s previous four albums with four brand-new efforts. Catch a preview Friday at the Broken Spoke.When she wasn’t wailing her soul out onstage or otherwise embodying the Sixties, Janis Joplin liked to draw pencil sketches and paint Christ portraits. The Port Arthur-born icon’s artwork is now on display (and for sale) at local gallery Art on 5th, 1501 W. Fifth, through Jan. 31. Joplin’s sister Laura will be on hand for a Curator Tour and Q&A 7pm tonight (Thursday) and 2pm Saturday; 5% of sales go toward Zach Scott Theatre.
Former Room 710 owner Woody Wiedeman‘s new venture, the restaraunt/bar Woody’s South, is now up and running at 321 W. Ben White Blvd. #300, between South Congress and South First. The decor is more suburban bistro than downtown rock joint, but several hints of Wiedeman’s previous establishment survive: The bar serves Fireman’s No. 4 ale, the Bearded Lady-printed menus are in the familiar Día de los Muertos motif, and the corner stage hosted the Bearded Clamdiggers at Sunday brunch last week. TCB recommends the meatloaf; the brown gravy is superb.
Fittingly, Austin is all over the soundtrack to A&E’s Rollergirls, a reality series on the lives and times of our banked-track babes the Lonestar Rollergirls. Locals appearing on the album, released last week on Koch Records, are the Addictions, Alvin Crow, Dale Watson. Honky, Ignitor, Kacy Crowley, and Pong. The series airs 9pm Mondays and repeats throughout the week. Across town, TCB was honored to attend the Texas Rollergirls‘ Whammy Awards at Momo’s last Sunday, so congratulations to MVP Bloody Mary, Jammer of the Year Cat Tastrophe, and all the rest. You rollergirls (both leagues) sure clean up real good.
This article appears in January 20 • 2006.