10-stage Mania

The Insider’s Guide to iFest: Five things you can't miss this weekend, includingfree kids day

On the Bud Light World Music Stage, Saturday’s lineup includes gospelpedal-steel shredder Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
Explore the 23-foot-tall Trojan Horse.
Photo by Kristen Brown
Featured performers include one of the best new rock en espanol bands inHouston, Los Guerreros de la Musica.
Photo via Los Guerreros de la Musica/Facebook

The first weekend of the Houston International Festival is in the books, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had, as the second and final weekend of iFest is about to get underway Saturday in downtown Houston. As you make your take-two iFest plans, here are five options to consider.

1. Take a Musical Journey

From funk and soul to hard-driving roots rock, there are plenty of options for music lovers this weekend at the festival’s 10 performance venues.

On the Bud Light World Music Stage, Saturday’s lineup includes gospel pedal-steel shredder Robert Randolph and the Family Band, followed by the buoyant reggae vibe of rebel rocker Michael Franti and Spearhead.

Sunday’s bill on the World Stage features critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, and closing out the night will be Texas firebrand Joe Ely with a rocking band that includes guitar ace David Grissom and the Rolling Stones’ long-time sax player Bobby Keys. For a complete schedule, go to ifest.org.

2. Bring Mom (The Kids Are Free!)

In celebration of Mother’s Day, children 12 and under get in free to iFest on Sunday, thanks to a grant from ConocoPhillips.

After you’re done exploring the 23-foot-tall Trojan Horse and 100-foot-long replica of the Great Wall of China in the Chevron Silk Road Living Museum, head to the Kids Zone, where the Creative Kids Corner offers tons of free arts and crafts provided by Houston-area community groups.

Special bonus if your Mom happens to be in another country: You can wish her a happy Mother’s Day free at the Cricket Wireless International Calling Kiosk in the Latin Zone on Sunday!

3. Laissez les bons temps rouler…

Can’t make it to Jazz Fest in New Orleans this year? No need to despair. First, a number of this weekend’s featured artists at Jazz Fest are also performing at iFest (including Michael Franti and Spearhead, Lucinda Williams, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band).

Second, the Houston International Festival offers its very own retooled Louisiana Zone, complete with Jackson Square, the Bacardi Gras Bar, and the Louisiana Stage sponsored by Green Mountain Energy, featuring Jazz Fest favorites like “The Crown Prince of Treme” Glen David Andrews (6 p.m. Saturday) and Buckwheat Zydeco (8:15 p.m. Saturday). Pull up a plate of crawfish and enjoy … you never know when a spontaneous Second Line brass band parade may pop up.

(P.S., don’t forget to say hi at the CultureMap booth at the entrance to the Louisiana Zone — we know where to find a party!)

4. Don’t Miss the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble

For a remarkable slice of the rich, vibrant culture of Azerbaijan, be sure to check out the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble, which will perform on Asia Society Texas Center Stage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

This internationally acclaimed group, known for their beautiful choreography and colorful costumes, will perform traditional Azerbaijani dances in a rare Houston appearance.

5. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

The Houston International Festival will feature special Cinco de Mayo programming on the RoomStore Latin Stage all weekend. The action gets started with Danza Azteca Teokalli and Mariachi MECA, and featured performers include top Latin ska/cumbia club band Los Skarnales, local legends the Norma Zenteno Band, and one of the best new rock en espanol bands in Houston, Los Guerreros de la Musica. Check out the entire schedule.

The second weekend of the Houston International Festival will take place from noon until 10 p.m. Saturday, and from noon until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Darrow works with the Houston International Festival staff and freely admits she is not exactly impartial. However, she points out she was a fan and dedicated festival-goer long before joining the iFest team.

unspecified

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

---

Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film

10-stage Mania

The Insider’s Guide to iFest: Five things you can't miss this weekend, includingfree kids day

Buzzy East Coast bagel bakery sets opening date for first Houston shop

Houston comfort food favorite closes flagship and more popular stories

Vibrant Mexican food stand opens new restaurant near downtown

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad