-------------------------- Feature • Nic Cowan/Niko Moon--------------------------
Making His Own Kind of Music
By Mark Hunter
WHEN
SATURDAY
8.10.13
Headwaters
Park West
TICKETS
can be purchased at Cap n’ Cork
locations or at www.jani.org
4 Advanced Sale $25
4 Day of Event $30
4 Designated Driver $10
BRING CHAIRS & BLANKETS
so you can enjoy a bottle of wine
or beer with your friends!
Those of you expecting to hear
Nic Cowan perform at the Botanical
Roots Outdoor Concert Series on a
hot August night are in for a surprise.
Nic Cowan is now Niko Moon, and
he’ll be playing acoustic versions
from his self-titled debut CD as
Niko Moon. The Botanical Roots
show will be his first as Niko Moon
and the first to feature his new
music.
Lee Miles, who is
still Lee Miles, and
his band Illegitimate
Sons will open.
Cowan became
Moon a couple of
months ago following a sudden insight
into the meaning
of life. For Moon,
that a-ha moment
changed everything.
“I’ve actually
changed my style
of music,” Moon
told me via cellphone. “Thing is, I
had a couple epiphanies
about life. For one thing I got older. I just
turned 30. But on a more personal level, I
began to question the life I was living.”
Like a lot of grownups, Moon had his
vices. Trouble is, he said, his vices had
grown up, too. “I wanted a new clarity in
life, wanted to write about different things.
Before I just wanted to write party songs.
Now everything is different.”
Niko Moon made his name as Nic Cow-
an, a native Texan transplanted to Atlanta and
raised in a family of musicians. Like his father,
Moon was a drummer
when he first started
playing. He switched
to guitar in high school
and started writing songs
immediately. At first he
bounced around genres
and ideals, from
fronting
a
punk band
to leading
a worship
service at
a church.
But none
of that satisfied him,
so he started making
the rounds
to
open
mic nights
NIC COWAN/NIKO MOON
w/ILLEGITIMATE SONS
Friday, August 9 • 8:30 p.m.
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical
Conservatory
1100 S. Calhoun St.,
Fort Wayne
Tix: $6 (12 and under free)
260-427-6440
www.botanicalconservatory.org
and low-paying bar gigs, playing his own
material and adhering to his father’s advice,
which was to be original at the expense
of everything else. He played at night and
worked at UPS and as an apartment complex
maintenance man during the day.
In addition to his own tunes, he began
learning covers so he could get more gigs.
At one show he caught the eye of a booking
agent named Francisco Vidal. Vidal eventually got him a slot opening for Zac Brown.
Soon Cowan found himself snugly under
Brown’s wing, writing songs for Brown,
touring with him and finally recording under
Brown’s label.
From the start, Cowan fit right in with
Brown’s broad appeal. Cowan was a talented songwriter, a great singer and had no
problem joining the party. The one thing
Cowan lacked was focus, at least where his
style was concerned. His songwriting was all
over the map, from Southern rock to Southern country-rock to urban hip-hop to R&B.
And all those styles got room to move when
Cowan recorded Hardheaded for Brown’s
Southern Ground Artists label.
“I’ve always been really into all different kinds of music,” Moon said. “The last
record had all types of different songs. I’ve
always written in all genres. I never wanted
to be classified as one certain kind of songwriter.”
Now, Moon said, he’s found a way to
put all the types of music he loves into one
sound. He said it will be classified as rock,
but he’s convinced he’s latched onto something unique. And he has his moments of insight to thank. Now instead of singing about
waking up to a six-pack and a shot, he’s
Continued on page 4
------------------------------ Feature • Cinema Center------------------------------
Cinema Center Joining Digital Age
By Deborah Kennedy
There is much to mourn in the impending death of 35-mm film, but there’s also a
silver lining, and Fort Wayne’s Cinema Center has spun that silver into gold.
In January of this year the not-for-profit
movie theatre received notification from
film distributors that they would basically
have to go digital or go dark. In response,
the Cinema Center launched a campaign
to raise the $50,000 needed to purchase a
digital projector, and thanks to two matching
grants – one for $5,000 from the Waterfield
Foundation and one for $20,000 from the
Chapman Fund – it appears they’ll be going
digital beginning August 9.
Cinema Center Executive Director Jonah Crismore is an unabashed fan of 35-mm
film but says joining the digital revolution
could end up making Fort Wayne’s only arthouse theatre stronger in the end.
“Digital is not nearly as romantic as
film, of course. It doesn’t have the same ambience, but it should work out great for us.”
As it is now, the Cinema Center often
has to get in a long line behind many other
theatres to screen the latest indie flick, and
some movies don’t get to the CC before
they’re released on DVD. Digital copies are
cheaper and easier to come by. They’re also
lighter. A typical film reel weighs 75-100
pounds; digital is virtually weightless, and
that translates to shorter waits and longer
runs.
The real benefit to the transition from
film to digital is obviously that the Cinema
Center will be able to continue showing the
same quality independent, foreign and documentary films it has since its founding 37
years ago. And it’s personal for Crismore
who, eight years ago, had his life changed
by a Cinema Center screening of a French
film.
“My wife and I had just started dating
and we were looking for a movie to see.
We got the times wrong – I can’t remember
now what we were intending to watch – and
ended up seeing Joyeux Noel, a movie based
on a true story about how soldiers fighting
on opposite sides during World War I take a
break from fighting to celebrate Christmas.
It’s a beautiful, simple story, and it reminded
me of the great power film has to make us
evaluate what we want out of life.”
Crismore decided that night that what
he wanted was to devote himself to movies,
and his position at the Cinema Center has
allowed him to create similar life-changing
moments for others.
“It’s probably only going to get worse
in Hollywood, but theatres like the Cinema
Center are proof that film doesn’t just have
to be mindless escapism. It really can make
you examine your life and your world in a
whole new way.”
2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ www.whatzup.com- ---------------------------------------------------------------August 1, 2013
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
3 Rivers Co-op Natural Grocery & Deli..................11
20 Past 4 and More..................................................23
Adoption Support Center...........................................3
Allen Co. Public Library/Rock the Plaza..................13
The Alley Sports Bar/Pro Bowl West........................2
Beamer’s Sports Grill..................................................8
Botanical Roots Concert Series............................12
C2G Live.........................................................................7
C2G Music Hall.............................................................5
Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits..............10
CLASSIFIEDS.............................................................23
Columbia Street West..............................................11
Dicky’s Wild Hare........................................................11
Digitracks Recording Studio..............................2, 19
Dupont Bar & Grill........................................................8
Earthen Treasures Natural Food Market..............12
Fort Wayne Civic Theatre/Les Misérables...............20
Fort Wayne Dance Collective...................................20
Fort Wayne Museum of Art/Summer Party.............3
Fort Wayne Musicians Association........................23
Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Dept....................10
Junior Achievement/Wine & Beer Festival...............2
Latch String Bar & Grill...............................................9
NIGHTLIFE.............................................................. 8-12
Northside Galleries...................................................13
Office Tavern...............................................................12
PERFORMER’S DIRECTORY....................................10
Skully’s Boneyard.........................................................9
Snickerz Comedy Bar...................................................8
Sweetwater Sound...............................................9, 24
Trion Tavern....................................................................3
WBYR 98.9 The Bear..................................................7
whatzup Dining Club....................................................21
whatzup/Wooden Nickel Battle of the Bands X.......9
Willie’s Family Restaurant.......................................22
Wooden Nickel Music Stores......................................6
WXKE Rock 104........................................................19
whatzup
Published weekly and distributed on Wednesdays and Thursdays by
AD Media, Incorporated.
2305 E. Esterline Rd., Columbia City, IN 46725
Phone: (260) 691-3188 • Fax: (260) 691-3191
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.whatzup.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/whatzupFortWayne
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Driscoll
Calendars/Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mikila Cook
Calendars/Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jen Hancock
Computers/Web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Josiah South
Back Issues
Back issues are $3 for first copy, 75¢ per additional copy. Send payment
with date and quantity of issues desired, name and mailing address to
AD Media, Incorporated to the above address.
Subscriptions
In-Home postal delivery available at the rate of $25 per 13-week period
($100/year). Send payment with name and mailing address to AD Media,
Incorporated to the above address.
DEADLINES
Calendar Information: Must be received by noon Monday the week
of publication for inclusion in that week’s issue and, space permitting,
will run until the week of the event. Calendar information is published
as far in advance as space permits and should be submitted as early
as possible.
Advertising: Space reservations and ads requiring proofs due by no
later than 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to publication. Camera-ready or
digital ad copy required by 9 a.m. Monday the week of publication.
Classified line ads may be submitted up to noon on Monday the week
of publication.
ADVERTISING
Call 260-691-3188 for rates or e-mail [email protected].
-------------------------------- Cover Story • Piere’s--------------------------------
Staging Their Comeback
By Michele DeVinney
This year has been one of change for
Piere’s Entertainment Center. Often change
is a good thing – and certainly in this case
it provides an opportunity to update a popular concert and dance club venue – but the
reasons for these improvements have been
tough to take. The untimely death of Stan
Liddell, Piere’s owner and spiritual leader,
and a fire which gutted much of that area at
Marketplace of Canterbury left the Piere’s
family reeling for a bit.
But within the framework of tragedy
came a time of renewal. Already transitioning to Liddell’s son Herbie’s era at the helm,
Piere’s is preparing to relaunch in August
with a renewed purpose and a look which
brings the facility into the 21st century.
“I try to look at it as a blessing in disguise,” says Herbie Liddell. “I had been
managing Flashbacks for three years, which
was much smaller and allowed me to learn
a lot about managing a club, and I came
here at the beginning of the year. I wanted
to revamp the Zone and Club V to change
things up a bit. Then after the fire I thought,
‘I guess we start now.’”
Liddell promises that almost everything
in those two clubs will change, and the suddenness of the fire meant he and the staff
had to decide what those changes would be
much sooner than anticipated.
“We want Club V to be more urban, Top
40 dance music. We’re trying to attract a
younger crowd, maybe people in their 20s
who are looking for something different.”
“The VIP areas are going to change, and
the whole layout will be different,” adds Nathan Stephens, Piere’s marketing and entertainment director. “It’s not going to be the
same old Club V.”
“We wanted the changes to be dramatic
without reinventing the wheel,” says Liddell.
“We’re changing the music, the floor plan,
and we’re catering more to the patio area so
people can move outside if they want. With
smoking no longer legal in the club, we want
to have a better area to accommodate those
who want to go out for awhile and provide a
more comfortable atmosphere for them.”
The Zone promises its own unique setting for Piere’s patrons, one which Liddell
hopes will bring in a larger demographic, as
well.
“We want to cater to women more, given
them a place within Piere’s to escape a little.
We’re bringing in brighter colors and giving
it a throwback look. The music will have a
retro feel. We’re going for a back-in-the-day
feeling in there.”
Beyond repairing the two clubs most
damaged by the fire, Liddell is also taking
the Piere’s main room into a new era. His
father had a very particular vision for the
building which, when he first purchased it,
was a mall area with various small shops.
And he had a specific look he was trying to
achieve.
“My father liked green, as you can see
Herbie Liddell
throughout the building, and we’re giving it
some fresh paint,” says the younger Liddell.
“And there’s a lot of neon lighting which
creates a more 80s and 90s feel and makes
it seem more like a bar. I want to give it
more of an updated, nightclub look so we’re
bringing in LED and intelligent lighting to
give the place a more up-to-date look. Really, this building has never had a face-lift,
and it really needed one.”
“Bad,” emphasizes Stephens.
While Herbie learned much about managing a club and was brought along gradually by Stan over the years, there are definite
differences between the two, and the new
Piere’s will definitely reflect that shift.
“My dad was in his 40s and 50s when he
was doing this, and I’m quite a bit younger
and have been working in his clubs since I
was 18. I started managing Flashbacks in
2010, and the most enjoyable part of that
was being able to walk around talking to
people, which was much easier to do there
since it was so much smaller than Piere’s. As
cliché as it sounds, the most enjoyable part
of working in a club is watching people have
a good time, making sure that people have
a good time. If they have fun, then they’ll
want to come back.”
Part of the reopening, which will feature
no cover charge and drink specials to entice
the crowds, is to lure people back who may
have stopped coming to Piere’s over the
years. Once a hot spot for both concerts
and for weekend dance clubbing, Piere’s
had been slowly developing a reputation for
some trouble, something Liddell is anxious
to change.
“It’s had a less than positive image in
recent years, and I really want to turn that
around. When I was at Flashbacks, I would
talk to customers, and they would say that
they didn’t go to Piere’s anymore, so I would
ask them why. And it was because they heard
things, and the reputation wasn’t very good.
So we want to make it clear that we have a
zero tolerance policy on smoking, for one,
because it isn’t legal to smoke in the club
anymore.
“And we have no tolerance for violence
of any kind. I’ve talked to the Fort Wayne
Police Department, and I talk to my security guards and tell them that they have to
catch any weapons that might be coming
into the building. I test them, too, sending
people through with small, plastic weapons
to see if they catch them. If they don’t, then
they’re fired. I just can’t have that going on
in Piere’s anymore. We want it to be not just
fun but safe here.”
The staff at Piere’s is also anxious to
promote a good reputation to bands who
might play on their stage. A recent Marilyn
Manson concert sold out quickly, and beyond that success Manson, who is a reputed
diva when it comes to accommodating his
needs at performances, was happy with his
treatment at Piere’s, something which they
hope gets around to other bands who might
want to play there in the future.
Although it hasn’t been an easy time for
the staff, and particularly for Herbie Liddell
who is tackling a major project at Piere’s
without his father’s guidance for the first
time, there is great excitement about the future of the entertainment center.
“We want this to be ‘the’ spot whether
you live here or out of town. We want people
to come from miles around to visit us.”
MOON - From Page 2
singing about what he called the “heavier
things” in life, about meaning and about trying to get people to live as we really are –
interconnected, one.
“Life was about that: six-packs,” he
said. “I sang about that for a long time,
about the making of a lifestyle. Well life finally broke me of my hard-headedness.”
His awakening was not about changing
what he wanted out of his life as much as
changing what he wanted out of his music.
He still drinks; he still likes listening to the
same kind of music; he still likes doing what
he’s doing. “I just don’t want to spend my
time talking about getting hammered.”
Moon understands the risk of changing
horses in midstream, but he’s okay with it.
“The Fort Wayne show will be the first
time as Niko. I want to let everyone know as
an artist I have to deal with who I am, to be
free to try new things and be creative. That’s
what we do as artists, right? Whatever it
comes out being is what it comes out being.
I think people who loved me as Nic Cowan
will stick around, and if not, I’m okay with
that. I’ve got to be true to myself and make
the kind of music I make and be happy with
it.”
4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ www.whatzup.com- ---------------------------------------------------------------August 1, 2013