The Music Scene in Little Rock

[Mith242]

I know this isn't a development topic but I thought I'd try to start something going since it's been a little dead over here. I think most people around here are at least somewhat familiar with Evanescence. Anyone have any updates on them? How about the rest of the music scene? Anyone know of any particular local bands that like to mention?

[Aporkalypse]

I know this isn't a development topic but I thought I'd try to start something going since it's been a little dead over here. I think most people around here are at least somewhat familiar with Evanescence. Anyone have any updates on them? How about the rest of the music scene? Anyone know of any particular local bands that like to mention?

I've always like The Kicks, formerly Ashtray Babyhead. They have a lot of good songs, "Mir" is the one most people are familiar with. They're a good alt/indie band. Ho Hum was decent a few years back.

Little Rock has a nice smattering of different tiers of venues. Alltel gets most of the big concerts with Riverfront Ampitheatre getting a lot of the festival-style concerts and summertime acts. Robinson Auditorium is a great mid-sized venue similar to Walton Arts Center, I saw Smashing Pumpkins there once. Juanita's gets the just below the radar acts, bands like Rev Horton Heat, Cracker. Frank Black, etc. Sticky Fingerz gets smaller acts and the occasional cover band but gets a few big acts like Less Than Jake and the Supersuckers. There are a lot of other live music venues but I was always partial to Whitewater Tavern. Electric Cowboy gets a big country act once a month or so, Waylon Jennings and the like play there at times.

Vino's is the most eclectic - it's a nationally-renowned punk rock venue where bands like Rancid played early in their careers and up and coming bands like to stop and local bands get a good shot. That and they have absolutely kick-butt pizza and microbrewed beer.

For a city its size, particularly one that isn't a college town, LR really has a diverse music scene. There are at least two local reggae bands I know of and several jazz bands. You can usually find something worth listening to any weekend night.

[Mith242]

I've always like The Kicks, formerly Ashtray Babyhead. They have a lot of good songs, "Mir" is the one most people are familiar with. They're a good alt/indie band. Ho Hum was decent a few years back.

Little Rock has a nice smattering of different tiers of venues. Alltel gets most of the big concerts with Riverfront Ampitheatre getting a lot of the festival-style concerts and summertime acts. Robinson Auditorium is a great mid-sized venue similar to Walton Arts Center, I saw Smashing Pumpkins there once. Juanita's gets the just below the radar acts, bands like Rev Horton Heat, Cracker. Frank Black, etc. Sticky Fingerz gets smaller acts and the occasional cover band but gets a few big acts like Less Than Jake and the Supersuckers. There are a lot of other live music venues but I was always partial to Whitewater Tavern. Electric Cowboy gets a big country act once a month or so, Waylon Jennings and the like play there at times.

Vino's is the most eclectic - it's a nationally-renowned punk rock venue where bands like Rancid played early in their careers and up and coming bands like to stop and local bands get a good shot. That and they have absolutely kick-butt pizza and microbrewed beer.

For a city its size, particularly one that isn't a college town, LR really has a diverse music scene. There are at least two local reggae bands I know of and several jazz bands. You can usually find something worth listening to any weekend night.

That's interesting to hear. I know we have some local bands up here in NWA and I figured that a city the size of Little Rock must have some local bands that play at some of the venues down there.

[mcheiss]

Is there one predominat genre of music that dominates LR, like emo, punk, heavy metal, etc?

[Aporkalypse]

That's interesting to hear. I know we have some local bands up here in NWA and I figured that a city the size of Little Rock must have some local bands that play at some of the venues down there.

Pretty much every band that plays Fayetteville plays LR also and usually vice versa. The scene's too small not to. The people that started Sticky Fingerz actually were involved with a couple of the big live music venues up there (Dave's and JR's) and moved to LR for a new start. The live music scene in Fayetteville may have suffered a bit the last couple of years. There are a lot more bars but fewer places to see a good band or at least it seems that way to me.

[Aporkalypse]

Is there one predominat genre of music that dominates LR, like emo, punk, heavy metal, etc?

It's a mix, as I stated before it's pretty diverse. There's almost no country, though, compared to what one would think. Punk, jazz, alt/indie rock, reggae, and Southern rock-type stuff are the types I see the most.

If you like emo, Discovery's the place as long as you don't mind being in the largest gay bar in the universe. Less than 20% of the people there are gay but some people still don't like that. It's probably the only place in AR with more good looking chicks on a Sat night than Dickson, though.

[skirby]

It's a mix, as I stated before it's pretty diverse. There's almost no country, though, compared to what one would think. Punk, jazz, alt/indie rock, reggae, and Southern rock-type stuff are the types I see the most.

If you like emo, Discovery's the place as long as you don't mind being in the largest gay bar in the universe. Less than 20% of the people there are gay but some people still don't like that. It's probably the only place in AR with more good looking chicks on a Sat night than Dickson, though.

Just make sure those "good looking chicks" are really female.

[Aporkalypse]

Just make sure those "good looking chicks" are really female.

Always look at the Adam's apple, never at the chest.

[mcheiss]

It's a mix, as I stated before it's pretty diverse. There's almost no country, though, compared to what one would think. Punk, jazz, alt/indie rock, reggae, and Southern rock-type stuff are the types I see the most.

Reggae somewhat suprises me, I wouldn't think that about Little Rock.

[Aporkalypse]

Reggae somewhat suprises me, I wouldn't think that about Little Rock.

I know of 3 bands that play regularly and once a year Juanita's has a reggae festival night with multiple bands. Reggae bands are a sure way to make money for young black artists, though, because they are cross-cultural. Plus, you get to grow dreads.

[mcheiss]

I've got a question.

Does Little Rock do a major music festival each year like Austin with South by Southwest?

[CentralArkansas]

I've got a question.

Does Little Rock do a major music festival each year like Austin with South by Southwest?

Well, there is Riverfest, I suppose you could loosely title it as a "major music festival."

The crowd it draws is absolutely repulsive, although there are usually a few pretty good acts every year.

[mcheiss]

^Any Numbers on Riverfest?

[Aporkalypse]

^Any Numbers on Riverfest?

240,000 last year

It draws a big variety of bands and people. Lots of smaller acts worth seeing along with bigger ones like James Brown, etc. It's cheap. Yeah, there's a lot of state fair-type sketchy people there but the most annoying thing is every 12-15 year old in Arkansas seems to be there. I still usually go, it's an excuse to drink and you can always catch a few good bands.

[mcheiss]

240,000 last year

. Yeah, there's a lot of state fair-type sketchy people there but the most annoying thing is every 12-15 year old in Arkansas seems to be there.

Ah, I'm with you on snotty little kids. I used to work in the Wal-Mart stores, I always hated having to pick up after their messes.

But back on topic. That's great to see Riverfest doing that well. I'm not sure how it performs to King Biscuit Blues Festival, but it sounds like one of the top music festivals in the south.

[nandle]

Riverfest is huge- not as big as Memphis in May, but a fine festival if you really like music. There are multiple stages both sides of the river and concerts of all venues, from the Nickelodeon family Stage with grammy winning acts like Trout Fishing in America, to REO Speed Wagon, BB King, Hank Williams Jr, the Wallflowers, and thew Black Crowe's- and that was just last years lineup. The year before I saw the great Rev Al Green- his fly was down most of the show until one of his stage crew got a chance to tell him- priceless.

[Mith242]

Trout Fishing in America, there's some local guys that don't get mentioned as often as they should, even up here in NWA. Especially since they did win a grammy.

[mcheiss]

Can't say I've heard of Trout Fishing in America?

Is it an act or what?

Someone enlighten me.

[Mith242]

Can't say I've heard of Trout Fishing in America?

Is it an act or what?

Someone enlighten me.

It's a musical group. They're actually from NWA. Well I'm not sure if they're actually from NWA or just living there now. Sorta hard for me to describe their music. I think maybe the best way I can describe them is that their music sounds like something you'd find on a childrens program. I don't think it's necessarily for just kids but it gives you an idea.

[mcheiss]

Is it that traditional folk Arkansas kind of Music?

[Mith242]

Is it that traditional folk Arkansas kind of Music?

No I wouldn't really describe it as that. I guess I'm having a hard time trying to describe it. Maybe the best way to check is to go to allmusic.com and listen to a few samples on some of their albums.