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Four Star in the Black
On hearing the news that West Seventh Street’s Four Star Coffee Bar was under new, cool ownership, local caffeine fiends, artists, and general hipster-doofi (that’s the plural form of the scientific term “hipster-doofus,” FYI) recently exuded a sigh of relief that could be heard from space. For about the past year, the hip little enclave appeared to have been taken over by Christmas gnomes. In place of room to spread out spreadsheets and do some got-damn work in quiet were shelves and shelves of schlock. In place of minimalist decorative touches were dreadful — utterly dreadful — “paintings.” In place of fine literature, such as the magazine in your hands, was real-estate porn. In place of a comfortable vibe was a sense of being anesthetized. Most significantly, in place of performances by local starving folk artists was ... nothing. Now on behalf of bluegrass monster Darrin Kobetich, Jandek-ian anti-star Russ Walton, and everybody else who’s ever played the ol’ Four Star, HearSay gladly says, “Music is back.” Help inaugurate the return of sound on Saturday, when elegant hippie chick-slash-chanteuse Lori Dreier performs, 8-10pm (I don’t even think the evil Four Star was open that late on weekends) at 3324 W 7th St. For more info, call 817-336-5555. ... Saturday at Axis (120 S Main St, FW; 817-870-AXIS), local rapper Twisted Black will be celebrating the release of his new c.d., The Life of Tommy Burns. Featuring former frontman of the legendary Houston-based rap group the Geto Boys, Scarface, and fellow Houstonian and Already Platinum star Slim Thug, Tommy Burns has the potential to do what no other Fort Worth/Tarrant County independent rap album has ever done — make a national splash. You read all the time about guys from Houston, including Thug, Mike Jones (“Who? Mike Jones! Who?”), and Lil’ Flip, coming outta the blue and selling millions of records without a single second of airplay on either commercial radio or MTV. Well, Twisted Black is as unique and talented as any of ’em (save for maybe Mike Jones — “Who?”). ... Here’s a feel-good story: After a brief hiatus, the 10-year-old blues outfit Trouble in Mind got back together recently and began gigging — only to find out that another blues group was calling itself Trouble in Mind. Wanting to hold on to the name he’d built, frontman Mike Mayes arranged a meeting with the other folks. As a peace offering, he brought along a rubbing of Robert Johnson’s grave (“Well,” Mayes said, “one of them — there are three sites”) and, in case the going got tough, fliers from past TIM shows and old TIM c.d.’s in their original cellophane wrappings. In a move that amazed the admittedly cynical Maynes, the other group apologized (!) and conceded. “Sometimes,” Maynes writes in an e-mail, “the Fort Worth music scene can be closed, and egos can keep musicians from networking and supporting great music. This kind of event renewed my faith. Everybody can get along.” Now join hands and sing! “We are the world! / We are the children!” The real Trouble in Mind plays 1919 Hemphill, Sat, at 10pm. ... In last week’s column, the surname of Ridglea Theater’s co-owner was wrong: It’s Richard Van Zandt. HearSay regrets the error.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
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