Tim’s Picks: Jack, Get Back edition
Tim’s Picks: Jack, Get Back edition
The best ideas heading into your weekend. Plus, how to watch today’s Supreme Court hearing on the Delphi murder case. WL's strategic plan study. Controversial River Road rezoning request delayed
First up, with five of the best ideas heading into your weekend and beyond, here’s …
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
“Forever Young” by Kevin West opening reception, 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, 102 S. 10th St., Lafayette – Indianapolis artist Kevin West works big and evokes even bigger reactions with his portraits of African Americans and the Black experience as well as abstract pieces. A fine artist for more than 20 years after his IUPUI Herron School of Art graduation, West has drawn inspiration from the Black Lives Matters movement as well as his diagnosis and defeat of cancer. His portraits utilize interesting, bold palettes, which bring out extra emotion from his subjects’ expressions. Collectors of his paintings include singer Jill Scott, mega billionaire Warren Buffett, and a host of current and former professional athletes like Indianapolis Colts superstars Reggie Wayne and Gary Brackett and NBA all-stars Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis. West has shown works in Newfields Art Museum in Indianapolis, the Cincinnati Art Museum and now Lafayette’s. This show is a huge get for our gem of a museum.
“Footloose,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, and Jan. 26; 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan 20, and Sunday, Jan. 21, Jan. 27 and Jan. 28, Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, 313 N. Fifth St., Lafayette — Kevin Bacon was 24 when he starred in the film version of “Footloose,” the classic movie where a teen from Chicago teaches a conservative farm town the joy of dancing and cutting loose. Civic Youth Theatre will put an actual teen, Knox Boyd, in the role of Ren, who navigates high school with the help of a slamming soundtrack, great dance moves and support from wild child Ariel (played by Trinity Gilbert) and clumsy yet affable country boy Willard (Will Rausch). You know music, acceptance and getting footloose wins out, but be sure to see how they get there in Civic’s latest production. $16. Tickets.
Lakecia Benjamin, 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center, Purdue University — Thrice Grammy-nominated saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and her band will headline the 34th Purdue Jazz Festival this weekend. The young New York City artist has tremendous chops and credentials. Benjamin shared stages and tours with Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys and Anita Baker. A huge fan of greats Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, Benjamin leveled up when she performed with Coltrane’s former drummer Rashied Ali. Friday night, Benjamin will be performing selections from her latest album, “Phoenix,” which earned her the hat trick of Grammy noms in 2023. $24-$32. Tickets
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The Jackies, Summer Bruise and Seduce!, 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, Eleventh House, 116 N. Third St., Lafayette — Lafayette’s first all-ages rock venue in several years comes with lots of caffeine and visual art. Eleventh House is dipping its toes into presenting live rock ‘n’ roll shows. Reports state Palace Kat did well in the coffeehouse’s first foray. This weekend, it will welcome Lafayette’s own punk rockers The Jackies opening for Indianapolis’ Summer Bruise, an indie rock four-piece with a sound like Smoking Popes that blends mostly big rock anthems with some quirkiness. Older scene supporters will remember Skylight Coffeehouse’s run of all-ages shows and open mics in the same North Third Street space. Skylight worked well enough in the late-‘00s and early-‘10s to host the late Monkee Peter Tork, who I was able to interview in the scary basement that served as his green room. He was mostly nice. $5.
Spin Class with Oscar Moncada, Trung Ngo and DJ CC, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, The Spot Tavern, 409 S. Fourth St., Lafayette — Indianapolis EDM DJ Trung Ngo will headline the January edition of The Spot’s monthly dance night, Spin Class. Ngo is a familiar site behind the decks in Indy, and he has helped cultivate the electronic dance music scene by cocreating Progression Indy, a promotions company that sets up dance shows around Circle City. This weekend, Ngo brings his talents to Lafayette for the benefit of our booties that need some much needed shaking in this freezing so far 2024. DJ CC will end the night while celebrating her 40th birthday. CC brings the positivity and infectious rhythms every time she spins. Oscar Moncada will warm the party people up early. $5 or pay what you can.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
BONUS CUT, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Former Lafayette guitarist and punk record label empresario Max Campbell brings his Philly-based band, The Slads, to The Spot Tavern on Sunday with a list of local and regional bands. Show starts at 8 p.m. Cover is $10. For Tim Brouk’s interview with Campbell ahead of his return, check this, via Wednesday’s Based in Lafayette: “Lafayette punk’s former guiding force makes a return.”
THIS AND THAT …
INDIANA SUPREME COURT HEARING TODAY IN DELPHI CASE: Indiana Supreme Court justices are scheduled this morning to hear one hour of arguments in Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen’s attempt to put his initial defense attorneys back on his case and to boot Judge Fran Gull. Allen, charged in October 2022 with the 2017 murders of Delphi eighth-graders Abby Williams and Libby German, also is asking the Supreme Court to set his trial within 70 days – rather than waiting to start in October 2024. The case is tied to the removal of Allen’s court-appointed attorneys, Brad Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin, a year into the murder case. Gull, an Allen County judge appointed to the Delphi murder case, and Allen’s attorneys are at odds about whether Rozzi and Baldwin withdrew or were removed during a closed door, Oct. 19 meeting in Gull’s chambers. That day, according to transcripts and court filings, Gull presented the attorneys with a series of accusations about their handling of the case – including a leak of crime scene photos – telling them that she planned to read a prepared statement in open court, outlining each one during a status conference for Allen that afternoon. Allen’s attorneys contend they were ambushed and strong-armed by Gull and weren’t given time to defend themselves. They also contend that Gull is biased in how she’s handled the case, arguing that the judge should be removed and that “any trial without Baldwin and Rozzi, Rick’s counsel of choice, would be merely for show.”
For a closer look at what’s at stake in today’s hearing, check this: “Indiana Supreme Court schedules arguments in Delphi murder case wrangling.”
In the background: Allen’s new court-appointed attorneys last week filed a motion last week, asking the court to move him from the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, a prison in southern Indiana, to a county jail to help with trail preparation and to address questions about his treatment in a maximum security prison before he’s been convicted. Fort Wayne-based Robert Scremin and William Lebrato, appointed by Gull after Rozzi and Baldwin were taken off the case, in the filing pick at some of the issues that got the initial defense team crossways with Judge Gull. Here’s a look at that twist in the case: “Delphi murder suspect’s new attorneys raise old concerns about prison conditions.”
How to watch: The Indiana Supreme Court hearing is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. today (Thursday, Jan. 18) at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. To watch a livestreamed version, here’s a link or go to: https://mycourts.in.gov/arguments/ and click on “State of Indiana ex rel. Richard M. Allen v. Carroll Circuit Court and The Honorable Frances M. Gull, Special Judge.”
SOUTH RIVER ROAD REZONING REQUEST POSTPONED: The developers behind a plan to rezone 22 acres on the south side of South River Road for a collection of single-family homes, duplexes and apartments ask the Area Plan Commission to table things this week, pushing a hearing from Wednesday to the APC’s next meeting on Feb. 21. David Hittle, APC executive director, said representatives for Trinitas Development LLC, a Lafayette firm, did not offer a reason for the delay. The request is to take the property, a half-mile west of U.S. 231, from industrial use to multi-family residential. The rezoning request comes with no announced plans. But this is the second go-around for Trinitas, after the APC recommended denial before the firm pulled the rezoning request as neighbors petitioned against is and before Tippecanoe County commissioners could give a final vote in June 2023. The latest request comes with a recommendation for denial from the APC staff, who question whether South River Road is up for the traffic and how a large residential development would get water and sewer service. The Area Plan Commission is now scheduled to consider the request at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St. in Lafayette.
WEST LAFAYETTE DIGS FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE: The West Lafayette Redevelopment Commission agreed Wednesday to a $250,000 contract with HR&A Advisors Inc. for a five year-strategic plan for the city. According to the contract, the firm will analyze existing procedures and staffing at the city, review city studies, plans and operations, and provide chances for the public to weigh in. The project is scheduled to be done by the end of 2024. The last city strategic plan was done in 2010, during the first of former Mayor John Dennis’ four terms in office. “The city looks a lot different than it did in 2010,” Jenifer Van Schuyver, incoming city development director said. (Mayor Erin Easter this week announced that Van Schuyver, who was deputy development director, had been appointed to the position and would be sworn in next week. Easter had been development director in Dennis’ administration before she was elected mayor in November 2023.) Van Schuyver said the strategic plan would consider the city’s ongoing studies into housing and early childhood education, as well as development goals in the next five years. “We’re eager to get this going, taking a look at Mayor Easter’s vision and what we need to do to best position the city for what’s next,” Van Schuyver said.
OTHER READS …
It might have been bumped up so everyone could catch the second half of the Purdue-IU basketball game Tuesday night, but it was great to see a crowd at Elliott Hall of Music for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, part of the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Event programming on campus. And what a show. Here, the Purdue Exponent captured the essence and images of the night: “Mesmerizing performance by the Dance Theatre of Harlem.”
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Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.