MARCH 14-20, 2013 The Blind Boys of Alabama A Roof-Raising Concert Experience! et ready for a concert of may have seen them on The To- biggest gospel act to come to Fort a lifetime! The Grammy night Show, Late Night with David Wayne in years! All proceeds ben- Award-winning The Blind Letterman, or in the popular family efit the League for the Blind and GBoys of Alabama will be at the Em- movie “HOP!” Or you may have Disabled, a non-profit organization bassy Theatre at 8:00 p.m. on March heard them recently singing duets serving people of all ages from 23, 2013, for a ONE NIGHT ONLY with country music legends such Northeast Indiana who are blind, benefit concert. as Hank Williams, Jr., Willie Nelson, deaf and severely disabled. A gospel group from Alabama, and Vince Gill who are featured on Ticket Prices for this fundrais- The Blind Boys of Alabama first The Blind Boy’s new album, “Take ing concert are $43, $33 & $13 with formed at the Alabama Institute the High Road.” We’ll see them in group ticket discounts available. for the Negro Blind at Talladega in Fort Wayne shortly following their You can buy them today at the 1939. The group is well-known for performance at Carnegie Hall cel- Embassy box office (424-5665) or at their “roof raising” concerts and ebrating the music of Prince. Ticketmaster.com. enjoy the rare honor of being in the If you love great gospel music, Find out more online at www. Gospel Music Hall of Fame. You you won’t want to miss seeing the The-League.org. Embassy Theatre • Fort Wayne, Indiana Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 8:00 p.m. $13, $33 & $43 thru Embassy box office (424.5665) and Ticketmaster (1.800.745.3000) 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com -------------------------------------------------------------- March 14, 2013 whatzup Volume 17, Number 32 ith another Whammy Awards Show in the books, one would assume that it’s time for us to move on to the next thing, and that’s true, but only to an extent. Before we pack everything Whammy-related away Weach year, we like to go over what worked and what didn’t and think about how we can improve things next time around. We know we made one good decision this year: holding the show at C2G Music Hall. We wanted people to leave the show feeling that they’d been to a great party, and judging from what we’ve seen and heard, that’s exactly what happened. C2G may be the perfect venue for this event, and our thanks goes out to the entire C2G family. ONLY AT As we have mentioned elsewhere, we had some worries going into a new MARCH 17 venue, which is why we chose to make this year’s event by invitation only. We’ve heard from plenty of music fans and readers who were none too pleased J K O’DONNELL’S OPEN 11 AM - 11 PM by this decision, and we want to assure them that they will indeed have the opportunity to attend next year’s show. PARTY TENT OPEN FROM 11 AM - 10 PM, OPEN TO ALL AGES And so we move on to other things, like the whatzup/Wooden Nickel Battle of $5 FOR ADULTS, 12 & UNDER FREE | COVER INCLUDES ONE FREE DRINK the Bands X and all the regular stuff we do each week – like bringing you what there is to do in and around Fort Wayne, Indiana. So read on, plan to have KIDS ACTIVITIES FROM 1-3 PM BY T.A.G. ART some fun and tell ’em whatzup sent you. BAGPIPERS • features ROAD NOTEZ ................................. 18 LIVE JOYCE FRY FLIX ................................................ 22 THE HALF STEP SISTERS Oz the Great and Powerful PERFORMER OF THE YEAR .....................4 MUSIC THE MIGHTY MCGUGGINS The Year of the Cougar FARE WARNING ............................ 24 Breeding Grounds for Young Talent GOLDMINE PICKERS ST. PATRICK’S DAY ....................................5 FROM A Go-Green Weekend SCREENTIME ................................ 26 SOLTRE Oz Dominates Weak Box Office WHAMMY AWARD WINNERS..................6 ON BOOKS .....................................27 HARVEY COCKS .........................................6 The Buffalo Hunter Broadway’s Loss, Our Gain 121 WEST WAYNE STREET • DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE WWW.JKODONNELLS.COM • 260.420.5563 H. STANLEY LIDDELL AWARD .................7 Honoring a Visionary • calendars CINDERELLA .................................................8 A Timeless Classic Retold RICHARD MCINTYRE.................................9 LIVE MUSIC & COMEDY ................12 Not So Mild Expectations MUSIC/ON THE ROAD ...................17 ROAD TRIPZ ..................................19 • columns & reviews KARAOKE & DJS ...........................20 ART & ARTIFACTS .........................21 SPINS ............................................ 10 STAGE & DANCE ...........................21 Bruno Mars, PVT MOVIE TIMES ................................22 BACKTRACKS ............................... 10 THINGS TO DO ..............................24 U2, Zooropa (1993) OUT & ABOUT ................................ 12 Cover design by Greg Locke Cover photo and all Whammy Award Show Bonus Show for Aaron Lewis Fans photos by Bob Roets. PICKS ............................................16 Diemonds Help Us Make a Difference Hours By Visiting Us Wednesday .............6-10pm Coming April 26 Thursday ................6-10pm Friday .....................6-11pm Good for You Saturday .................6-11pm feat. Mike V. and Greg Ginn Sunday....................5-10pm New Republic Skate Park 3054 E. State Blvd., Fort Wayne www.theframeworkfw.com March 14, 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: ----------------------- Cover Story • Performer of the Year ---------------------- 3 Rivers Co-op Natural Grocery & Deli ...................... 15 20 Past 4 and More ...................................................... 27 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum ......................... 11 The Alley/Pro Bowl West ............................................... 17 Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery.............................. 21 Beamer’s Sports Grill ................................................... 14 Butcher Bob’s Burgers & Brats .................................. 14 The Year of the Cougar C2G Live .......................................................................... 26 By Chris Hupe The band’s manager, unable to figure The proof? It’s only March, and the band C2G Music Hall.................................................................. 8 out where the band members were, despite has very few dates open on their calendar for Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits .................. 14 We hear it every year. Another damn searching for several minu ... er, days, de- the rest of the year. That’s a band making Checkerz Bar & Grill ......................................................... 9 cover band won the Whammy for Performer cided to cash in on the opportunity and sold noise on the scene, covers or not. Cirilla’s.............................................................................. 28 of the Year. First, it was Freak Brothers. Then all of Cougar Hunter’s songs to Guns N’ “We get all the shows because other CLASSIFIEDS ................................................................. 27 it was Plow’s turn to dominate, followed by Roses, Bon Jovi, Europe and the like. Those bands aren’t as cool as us,” said Ripp in a Columbia Street West .................................................. 13 Brother, Kill the Rabbit and now, Cougar bands turned Cougar Hunter’s songs into in- rare moment of clarity. “They don’t wear Deer Park Irish Pub ......................................................... 16 Hunter. All of those bands originally became stant hits, taking the credit, money and star- spandex.” Dicky’s Wild Hare ............................................................ 15 popular by playing other bands’ songs. dom that came with them, all while the real Given this backstory and their current Digitracks Recording Studio ................................17, 26 That’s typical for Fort Wayne, they say. creators of the music, Cougar Hunter, were status at the very pinnacle of the Fort Wayne Except, this time, appar- music scene, it’s no small Dupont Bar & Grill.......................................................... 12 ently, “they” are wrong. wonder they were voted Early Bird’s Ultra Lounge .............................................. 11 Though you’ve heard all 2012’s Performer of the Earthen Treasures Natural Food Market .................. 14 the songs before, accord- Year by whatzup readers. Embassy Theatre ........................................................... 11 ing to the band members, In addition to Per- Firefly Coffee House ...................................................... 11 the songs Cougar Hunter former of the Year honors, First Presbyterian Theater/The House of Blue Leaves ......... 21 play aren’t other perform- Cougar Hunter, the band Fort Wayne Cinema Center .......................................... 23 er’s songs; they’re Cougar that Whammy presenters Fort Wayne Dance Collective ....................................... 21 Hunter originals. Jack Hammer and J.J. Fort Wayne Musicians Association ............................ 21 “We don’t play cover Fabini said made the C2G Fort Wayne Philharmonic/Audience Choice ................. 25 songs,” said guitarist Ripp Music Hall stage smell JK O’Donnell’s .................................................................... 3 in an interview a few weeks “like hair spray and your ago. “I don’t