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A&E NEWS THE WALTON ARTS CENTER’S ARKANSAS MUSIC PAVILION will host the hotter-’n-a-two-dollar-pistol Alabama Shakes on Sept. 6. The young band shot to near-instant popularity long about last year, gaining a substantial buzz even before the actual release of their full-length debut, “Boys & Girls.” It’s a safe bet that this concert, like many of the band’s other dates, will sell out quickly. Tickets are $39 in advance or $41 on the day of. They go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday, June 28, and you can get them online or by calling 479-443-5600. TWO OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CREATIVE WRITING MASTERS of fine arts program’s most successful recent alumni in the literary world are poised to make a big splash the TV world. Nic Pizzaloto (‘04) put out a short story collection, “Here and the Yellow Sea,” and smart noir novel, “Galveston,” both of which were well-received, before getting into TV. He wrote a few episodes of “The Killing” that aired in 2011 and is currently at work on “True Detective,” an HBO miniseries he’s writing and executive producing. In it, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star as detectives on a 17-year hunt for a serial killer. It’s due early next year. Meanwhile, Tony Tost (‘05) put out “Invisible Bride,” a Walt Whitman Award-winning book of poetry, and a book on Johnny Cash’s “American Recordings,” before he got into TV. He’s currently on the writing staff of A&E’s “Longmire,” and he’s got a show in development with Showtime about truckers and criminals (or maybe criminal truckers?) called “Heartland Trucking.” FOR SOME REASON, BILL MAHER — COMEDIAN, FILMMAKER, TV producer, political commentator and host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” — has decided to try to bring his acerbic wit and withering put-downs to all of us slack-jawed, illiterate hillbillies here in Arkansas on Sept. 14 at Robinson Center Music Hall. Aw, heck. Knowing us, we probably won’t really “get” his jokes and so forth. Oh sure, we’ll probably eventually figure out when it is we’re supposed to laugh. A few nervous, ignorant titters will pepper the gaping, post-punchline chasms your more edumacated crowds would fill with confident and sophisticated chuckles. Oh man, let’s don’t embarrass ourselves too much in front of Bill, y’all. Seriously, we need to to get this right. What can we do to prove that we’re deserving of his urbane sensibilities and shiny, bespoke vestments? Hey, here’s a great idea: How about we get ol’ U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor down there for some kind of on-stage banter! They’re probably good buddies after Mark was interviewed for Bill’s movie about churches or whatever it was. That went so well. If Mark’s not available, maybe we just get U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton. He seems like he’s a real good sport and a sensible guy, and Bill likes him too. It’ll be a hoot! You know, maybe this won’t be so bad after all. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are available in a “pre-sale” (whatever that is) and for the “General Public” beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28. They’re gonna run you $60-$86.
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JUNE 27, 2013
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