End Times Opry
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock hosts music-comedy-spoken-word extravaganza
By Bliss 05/20/2010
The northeast LA/Eastside arts community will have some loving light cast on it this Friday at the End Times Opry. But the spark for the event was lit on the East Coast.
According to organizer Warren McCrickard, the idea for the End Times Opry arose from an East Coast tour made by singer-songwriter Alexa Woodward, whom he manages. After playing a rustic festival in South Carolina that went well, she linked up with simpatico artists in New York City to put on a similarly vibed night. That proved so successful that McCrickard suggested they bring the concept to the West Coast and incorporate poetry and spoken word, to more truly reflect the nature of artistic community here. The End Times Opry sets up Friday at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock.
Clearly enthusiastic about local music and arts, McCrickard says the intent of Friday’s show is to showcase and celebrate the “diversity of the LA talent pool.” Woodward will appear as well as hard-traveling singer-songwriter Hunter Paye, but they’re the only two scheduled performers from out of town; the eclectic lineup otherwise skews heavily toward Eastside artists.
The best known is probably Old 97’s bassist Murry Hammond, who will perform a solo set — a rare treat for local fans. Bandmate and Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller has attracted a fair amount of media attention for his solo efforts, but Hammond, whose acoustic album “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going But I’m On My Way” was one of 2008’s more noteworthy releases, has seemingly been content to stay under the radar. Hopefully he’ll play some tunes from it on Friday.
Comedienne Rebecca Corry will bring the laughs. Alert TV viewers may recognize her from “Last Comic Standing 4,” Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” “Mix It Up” and various sitcom appearances. Corry will also shoulder some emcee duties. Other artists include Eastside songstress Erin Armstrong (formerly known as My Imaginary Friends), Hi Ho Silver Oh, Trout and Parrot, Rob Babcock and the Seven Year Plan. There will also be readings from poets Elena Karina Byrne, Douglas Kearney and Charles Harper Webb, as well as the nonprofit “poetry-based peace-making organization” Street Poets.
McCrickard estimates it will be a three-hour show, and he plans to have two stages to keep momentum rolling. Set times will be fairly brief — probably about 20 minutes each — enough to get an introduction to each artist, and the community that supports them.
The End Times Opry starts at 8 p.m. Friday at Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock; tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Call (323) 226-1617 for more info. endtimesopry.com.
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