By:  Conner James - MSTv Correspondent
with additional from NOLA.com

The Olde Towne area of Slidell welcomes the return of its Arts Evening, which runs March 2nd; with some exhibits running to the 5th.

The 19th annual event is held in the Fremaux Avenue to Robert Street and Carey to Second Streets areas, with a purpose spotlighting local art exhibits and live music.

The event is thrown by Slidell's Dept of Public and Cultural Affairs and brings several local artists, organizations and businesses to the forefront in a 3 day family friendly outing.

Considered one of Olde Towne’s most popular nights, the event includes great works by local artists, shopping, "Arts Evening on the Go" food options and a convenient shuttle service to bring the public to the different locations.

A listing of all the events are available at the office of the Slidell Department of Cultural & Public Affairs, on the city’s website at www.slidell.la.us, or by calling 985.646.4375.

Arts Evening is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs.

In the event of inclement weather, Arts Evening will be held on March 3. Any decision regarding event cancellation will be made by noon on the day of the event.

By: Conner James - MSTv Correspondent
16/02/2013

Are we as a people in Louisiana, music festival'd out? Yep, I made up a new word, but the question is a valid one, nonetheless. 

But, as most of you know by looking at the web newspapers, event sites and our own proud, cutting-edge entertainment webpage, right here, (yes, a shameless plug; but we're sexy and we know it!) Louisiana is hardly lacking for music festivals.

Take a look around the area, if you think we're wrong. Whether its cold, rainy or sweltering hot, any particular weekend in this SE Louisiana region a concert, fair or festival will be going on.  But guess what, we're not the only area primed to party for your weekend pleasures. Other states are raising the bar for your music festival dollars; plus, they are coming on very strong to compete with a Louisiana staple.  

As Pop, dance and electronic musics continue their conquest up the charts, a virtual mass of festivals are popping up all over the deep South.  Shows such as Hangout Fest and DeLuna Fest were huge draws to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  But, these were just lights to the fuse as the events seen to keep growing more and more.

Plus, if you want to keep your travel confined to the I-10 coast destinations, check out the all-new Fort Rock festival in Fort Myers, Florida. 

Keeping with our Louisiana pride, this event will be co-produced by N.O. Jazz Fest partner AEG Live.  With a line-up of hard and alt-metal 90’s rockers, such as the Offspring,  3 Doors Down, Pop Evil, Escape and The Fate, Grunge styles and feelings should be well channeled for the April 14 festival. (Full lineup and info at fortrockfestival.com.)

If you want to hang a little closer to home, Alabama’s three day, Hangout Fest, is ready to entertain you. This rather diverse festival has a line-up that crosses the music gamut.  Whether you're a fan of  Americana, indie rock, rap, electronica or jam bands, you'll find it here.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers headlines the fest and other big name acts include: The Kings of Leon and the Black Crows. 

Plus, New Orleanians, Anders Osborne, Galactic and the Revivalists will also be making an appearance. The full lineup and tickets are over at hangoutmusicfest.com.

However, if you're tired of the Gulf Coast and feeling a little Georgia on your mind, you're still in luck with their festival, The Savannah Stopover.

The three day fest is a indie-music lover's dream with over 100 bands being featured.  Running from March 7th to the 9th, their line-up boasts bands from the eclectic to the completely unknown, with the setup, design and decor crafted by students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. 

So if art, music and thought leans towards your forte, you can reserve your attendance, or ticket at: savannahstopover.com.

So now you know just a few of your music festival options out there.  So maybe now you'll take your someone special somewhere new and fun they've been hinting about?  Uh huh, we know all about it!  Why do you think we wrote this article? 

We're just trying to be helpful, guys!

Reproduced from: Michelle Nichols - Reuters News Service -
Grunge and punk are poised for comebacks for fall and winter, say top U.S. department store buyers at New York's Fashion Week, which starts on Thursday, but don't rip up your flannel shirt just yet as the revival will be taking on a more feminine flair.

The return of grunge and punk for autumn 2013 are part of a rock 'n' roll theme experts expect to see in collections by the more than 90 designers showing at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Manhattan's Lincoln Center.

Hundreds more labels will parade collections elsewhere in the city during the semi-annual event, which draws more than 200,000 attendees to New York, from buyers to editors to models.

"There are early indications that people are having a love affair again with the idea of grunge," said Ken Downing, fashion director of luxury department store Neiman Marcus.

The disheveled thrift shop style was embodied in the 1990s by the late Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain and his wife, Courtney Love. Its dark, irreverent looks had their roots in punk styles of the late 1970s.

"When I say grunge, people always kind of grimace, but it's not an absolute interpretation from the past," Downing said. "There's a real girliness to it."

In pre-fall collections shown recently to department store buyers - collections that can set the tone for fall and winter fashion - grunge emerged in looks giving prim schoolgirl clothes some tomboy attitude with menswear-inspired shoes and motorcycle jackets, Downing said.

RELAXED STYLES

Newly revived punk looks could get a boost from an exhibit at The Costume Institute entitled "PUNK: Chaos to Couture," which opens at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in May.

"The modern take on punk and grunge will be doing it in a way that will feel more beautiful and feminine as opposed to really tough and harsh, because at the end of the day people still want to wear beautiful clothes," said Tomoko Ogura, senior fashion director at upscale department store Barneys New York.

Buyers pointed to collections by U.S. designer Phillip Lim, Belgian designer Dries Van Noten and French label Saint Laurent as leading the resurgence of punk, grunge and rock 'n' roll-inspired styles.

"When it's a little sexier and a little more tailored, that's going to work better for our customer who might not want to look as grungy," said Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue.

"There's a way to do rock 'n' roll where it still has a sexy polish to it, and that's what we will be looking for," she said.