(Saints trail all-time matchups 2-6)

Denver wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal should provide some headaches for the New Orleans secondary, as the Broncos own the top-ranked offense going into Week 3. Denver caught a break when Marshall’s original three-game suspension was shortened to one game, and he lit his Week 2 debut on fire with a Bronco record 18 receptions for 166 yards and a TD. Marshall and Royal will test the Saints cornerbacks, and this game could very well become a shootout. With Marques Colston out another three weeks with an injured thumb, Robert Meachem and David Patten need to step up at wideout, and tight end Jeremy Shockey needs to rebound from a very quiet performance in Week 2.

Saints players to watch: TE Shockey. With TE Mark Campbell out with an injured hamstring, this becomes even more of a focus because of the importance of the Saints running game improving. It’s the Saints’ turn to feature TEs that matchup well with linebackers down the field. With the attention Saints wideouts should get (see below), Shockey will get a chance to see some footballs thrown his way, as we should see the versatility he brings to the table. His run blocking will be a big part of running the ball at Mile High, and if the Saints can get a running game going early on it’ll just increase Shockey’s viability on play action passes.

Broncos player to watch: CB Dre Bly. Colston’s injury leaves Champ Bailey free to roam the secondary, so it’ll be interesting to see what Saints wideout gets his attention. Drew Brees shouldn’t force the ball into Bailey’s territory and should turn to other wideouts like Meachem and Patten, and that’s where Bly comes in.

Ex-Saint to watch: None. Until a couple weeks ago it was G Montrae Holland, but just before the season Denver traded him to the Dallas Cowboys.

HA’s Madden ’09 Result: Saints win, 14-13.

HA’s Prediction: In the print edition we had the Saints losing 23-30, but with the Broncos getting such a boost from two blown calls in their victory over the Chargers in Week 2, we now think karma will come back to bite Denver, so we’ll flip this prediction to the Saints getting back on track with a 30-23 victory at Mile High.

(Saints trail all-time matchups 7-14)

The Saints catch the Redskins early in the reign of coach Jim Zorn and the Redskins’ success will probably hinge upon how quickly the team grasps his new offense. RB Clinton Portis will challenge the Saints’ new look defensive line, though in 2007 he posted the lowest yardage total (1262) and second-lowest per-rush average (3.9) of his career (when he’s played 13 or more games). The Saints’ ability to control Washington’s run game will dictate how many defenders can be used to control the Skins’ potent passing game, which features speedy WRs Antwan Randel-El and Santana Moss. Conversely, the Saints offense looks to produce without WR Marques Colston, who’s out for at least a month with a thumb injury. Look for QB Drew Brees to work TE Jeremy Shockey into the short passing game more than he was against the Bucs, where he had 6 catches for 54 yards.

Saints players to watch: MLB Jonathan Vilma. Vilma’s the most exciting offseason addition to the Saints defense, and his play in the pass defense may bear fruit in this game. When healthy, no Saints linebacker since Sam Mills has had the ability to play both the run and pass the way Vilma can. With OLB Scott Fujita missing the game with a slight knee injury, the onus falls on Vilma to pick up the slack.

Redskins players to watch: TE Chris Cooley. Cooley led the Redskins in both catches (66) and TDs (8) in 2007, and as QB Jason Campbell continues to test Zorn’s new offense it only bears reason that he’ll continue to lean upon the ’07 NFC Pro Bowl tight end. This is why Vilma vs. Cooley may be the matchup to watch; Vilma’s had at least one INT in each season he’s played—can he come up with a big play here?

Ex-Saint to watch: LB Alfred Fincher. He’s not going to dominate, but look for Fincher on special teams.

HA’s Madden ’09 Result: Saints lose, 24-21.

HA’s Prediction: Saints win, 24-21.

Interview by Brett Schwaner

Punk rock is a freakshow, just ask L. Steve Williams. Known for his 504 What Style art and design label, Williams is also the mastermind behind the Big Top’s third annual Rock Art Circus, a free exhibition set to open on the evening of September 6th. While the opening is meant to shine the spotlight on works by local rock-oriented visual artists, Williams’ event is more of a sideshow spectacle than a typical run-of-the-mill wine glass art opening. Set to feature the works of several dozen artists and designers, including members of local rock bands Hawg Jaw, Big Baby, the Pallbearers, Spickle, Hazard County Girls, Manwitch and Die Rotzz, the Rock Art Circus will also feature video presentations, burlesque dancers and performances by Suplecs and the Bills. And, of course, circus freaks—lots and lots of circus freaks. To top it all off, Exene Cervenka, popularly known as the lead singer of the long-running Los Angeles punk band X, will serve as the guest of honor at this year’s event. ANTIGRAVITY got in touch with Williams for a brief chat about bringing together art and rock n’ roll.

ANTIGRAVITY: How did your idea for the Rock Art Circus first come together?

LSW: My original plan was actually to have the first Rock Art Circus in 2005. It was going to be at TwiRopa, but then Katrina came along and we weren’t able to go through with it. We picked up the idea again in 2006 and brought it to the Big Top. Since then, we’ve tried to make it bigger and better every year, but our idea has always been to feature art, music, videos, and burlesque performance together at one show. The Rock Art Circus itself revolves around individuals who do artwork around the local music scene, whether they’re in bands or draw their influences from rock music.

AG: You’ve been involved with rock-oriented art and design for quite awhile now. What were your earlier openings like, as compared to the Rock Art Circus?

LSW: For me, it’s always been about bringing music and art together. 2000 was really the peak of doing my own art shows. I’d been doing small rock art festivals here and there, showcasing local bands and artists. In the beginning, I did a lot of openings at hair salons on Magazine Street. In the early days, I really enjoyed doing shows with the guys in Black Belt, who had previously been in a ska-punk band called the Supaflies in the late ’90s. Earlier on in my art career, my biggest influences were KISS album covers and Derek Riggs, who did artwork for Iron Maiden’s albums. Seeing Pink Floyd’s The Wall kind of changed the way that I looked at the way visual presentation could be used in the rock genre.

AG: How did Exene Cervenka come to be involved with the event?

LSW: It started to take shape last year. I kept running into Exene at shows around town and random places here and there. Our friendship started when we accused each other of stalking the other. After we had a laugh about it, I talked to her about some of the projects that I was doing. She’d also been doing some spoken word and collage art in recent years, aside from being in X. She was pretty interested in the Rock Art Circus idea.

AG: You’ve got a pretty impressive roster of local artists scheduled for this year. How did this lineup come together?

LSW: Most of them are in bands themselves, with a couple of exceptions. I look for very unique artwork—the kind of stuff that most galleries aren’t into. This isn’t an opening for the usual Julia Street art crowd. Most of us are lowbrow renegades working on our own styles; most of us were born and raised here. The influence of having lived in this city for so long kind of shows through on our work. For a lot of them, this will be their first opening. Mike from Hawg Jaw showed me his work at last year’s show and I liked it a great deal, so that’s how his involvement started. I try to fit everyone in who has an interest in rock-related artwork. I always try to encourage people to get in touch with me and get involved.

AG: What current local artists do you draw inspiration from these days?

LSW: If you’re into female rock, check out Manwitch. There’s also a new band called Terranova that I think is worth checking out. I also really like what the guys in Grisley are doing. It’s sort of along the lines of Snapcase or Hot Water Music-type of punk rock. I’m a huge fan of anything that King Louie is into. Also, anyone who likes Sonic Youth should check out Big Baby. I’ve worked with most of these bands a little bit here and there, either doing artwork for them or sometimes just behind the scenes.

AG: How will this year’s exhibition differ from previous years?

LSW: We’re definitely more organized now. We’ve got Randy Perez from Time Code: NOLA running the video elements of the presentation this time. In past years I tried doing it myself, but I ended up running around like a madman trying to coordinate everything. We’re going to be showing some risqué music videos and clips of local artists performing. We’ve got two of the top burlesque dancers in the city, Bella Blue and Roxie Le Rouge, set to appear. Suplecs is always our main musical attraction and I think that having the Bills playing surf rock adds another dimension to the overall presentation. We’re also going to have the Skeleton Krewe on-hand, with guys running around in monster costumes, fire-dancers, and stilt-walkers. We’re really trying to make it as much of an interactive experience as possible. The first year we held the opening, we broke the Big Top’s attendance record. The second year, we broke that record again. I’m optimistic that we’ll have another positive turnout this year.

The 504 What Style Rock Art Circus f/ the Bills, Suplecs and Exene Cervenka is rescheduled for Saturday, September 13th at the Big Top. Admission is free. For more info, go to 504whatstyle.com or 3ringcircusproductions.com.

Hey everyone,

The 504 Whatstyle Rock Art Circus, originally schedule for Saturday, September 6th at the Big Top, has been moved to Saturday, September 13th at the Big Top. Hopefully it won’t need to be postponed again.

Read our interview with 504 Whatstyle’s Steve Williams in the September AG.

If the football gods were to mold the perfect superfan out of Mardi Gras beads, daiquiris and pure love for the New Orleans Saints, they’d produce Supa Saint. The golden mustached one played the piano to release his pain after the Saints lost the NFC Championship game in 2006, celebrated the opening of football season by walking around New Orleans with a 40oz and a boombox blasting Guns ‘N’ Roses’ “Paradise City” and recently appeared in a WDSU Channel 6 TV commercial with the Hornets’ mascot, Hugo.

With the 2008 season upon us, HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE thought it’d be good luck to see how Supa Saint prepared for this season, so we met him at a pool on the roof of a Julia St. building to talk about his favorite Saints offseason moves, Jason David and 190 Octane.

Homefield Advantage: What’s Supa Saint been up to since the end of 2007?

Supa Saint: I like to come up here on Friday afternoons, kick back with my 190 Octane. Watch the sun set over the Superdome. I don’t live here, I just hop the fence, but I don’t think they mind. I’ve been living on the side of the Superdome, they have a fence that goes around the dumpster area and I’ve made my Supa Saint headquarters there. I’ve been living there since the last game of last season, making ends meet by eating the leftover hot dogs and nachos and waiting for the new season.

HA: What’s your favorite off-season move the Saints have made?

SS: I like Charlotte, a new Saintsation. She’s got some good measurables, good athleticism, agility, flexibility, really good body type. As far as new players, I like the Jeremy Shockey and Jonathan Vilma moves equally. Vilma might get a slight nod.

HA: ESPN recently had a SportsNation poll that asked fans to name their team’s best ever player. Saints fans picked Bobby Hebert as the best player in Saints history. What do you think about that?

SS: I like Bobby. Look, Bobby and I go way back. We go fishing on Sundays, he watches my kids while I’m out of town—he’s a good kid. I’ve got to say Drew Brees is already the best player in our history, though. He’s my boy.

HA: What’s your favorite Saints moment of all time?

SS: You know what really hits me the heart, even just thinking about it—see these goosebumps right here? In that Falcons game, the first game back in the Superdome, with the national spotlight on us…for my boy Steve Gleason to break through the line and block that punt. If he were in the Olympics coming off the diving board, as fast as they go in that water with no splash, he’d get a 10.0 for the way he executed. After they took it to the end zone, I can’t remember anything that felt quite like that.

HA: What’s your least favorite Saints moment of all time?

SS: Probably the first four games of last year. I wasn’t drinking 190 Octane then, I was drinking Mind Erasers. Really, though, it had to be the early ’80s and the Ditka days. I’d love to forget those, but I can’t.

HA: Did those Ditka teams have any good players?

SS: I’d love to tell you there were a couple…

HA: What was your life like growing up?

SS: I don’t know who my parents are, but a lot of people say that Willie Roaf looks like me, and Joe Horn kind of looks like me, so I don’t know.

HA: What is Supa Saint’s mission statement?

SS: I was put on the West Bank for three reasons and three reasons only. One, I will find a shutdown corner to play opposite Mike McKenzie. There’s a lot of untapped talent just beyond the concrete walls of the Harvey Canal. Second, I will get Section 330 of the Superdome rocking each and every Sunday, you better believe that. Third off, I will never let Kenny’s Key West shut down ever again, and I will not rest until all five of those things have been accomplished or until I have a long night of heavy drinking in Fat City.

HA: What would you say to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to make a case for Rickey Jackson?

SS: I’d love to see him make some child support payments every now and again, but as far as his on the field play, I don’t think anybody could match that. His stats are comparable to some of the best linebackers out there, so I don’t see why not. If it’s just about his play of the field you’ve got to give it to him.

HA: What words of encouragement would you give to Jason David?

SS: I’d say, “Look, Jason. I encourage you to become a lawyer, something else outside of football.” I’ve actually been working with Jason on his footwork, in this pool right here. We run laps inside the pool, with the idea to get our heart rates up and then we’ve been sharing some antics, so I take full responsibility—he’s got to be in top shape to play corner in the NFL.

HA: What’s your game plan for the first regular season game—any parties or tailgating plans?

SS: Right after this interview I’m going over to Beijing to work with some of those athletes a bit, trying to get them going, then I’ll be back before the regular season. We have a float, called the River Parish Disposal Supa Saint ride, with a police escort, a DJ, some cold beer and Mardi Gras beads. We’ll take a few laps around the Superdome and have a good time.

HA: Prediction time: how are the 2008 Saints going to do?

SS: Well, when it comes to predictions, you’ve got to understand that sometimes I have to take a step back, take off the black and gold shades and really take a good look at the product on the field. I tell you, I’m thinking probably 19-0, just to be safe. 16 regular season victories, two playoff victories and a Super Bowl win.

Visit with Supa Saint at supasaint.com.

Interview by Leo McGovern; Photo by Zack Smith.

SAINTS VS. BUCCANEERS

(Saints lead all-time matchups 19-13)

The Saints begin the season against their NFC South Division rival at the Superdome. This Sunday matchup is a far cry from the pomp and circumstance their ’07 opener greeted them with, a Thursday night game at the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. This game may not be much easier, though, as the Bucs are defending NFC South champs and Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia has something to prove after coach Jon Gruden flirted with Brett Favre over the summer. A good start is a must for the Saints after last year’s 0-4 misstep, and with the team seemingly back under the radar the players will hopefully feel much less pressure.

Saints player to watch: QB Drew Brees. We closely watch Brees excel in almost every Saints game, but had good, not great stats against Tampa last year. In ’07’s first matchup with the Bucs, Brees threw for 260 yards and 1 TD but also an INT (the Saints lost 31-14). In the second, Brees had 2 TDs but just 179 yards through the air. In neither game did the Saints muster 100 yards rushing as a team. The Bucs are sure to test the Saints’ revamped secondary early in the game (see Bucs player to watch below) and it could be up to Brees to put the Saints on the board early and often if it becomes a shootout. He can’t afford to give away the ball and may have to keep Saints drives alive with his passing, necessitating more than 179 yards.

Bucs player to watch: This one’s easy: WR Joey Galloway. Over the past four games between the Bucs and Saints the elderly speedster has torched New Orleans with 19 catches for 500 yards and 5 TDs. In last year’s matchup at the Superdome, Galloway absolutely burned the Saints with 7 catches for 159 yards, including one catch that went for 60. In fact, in each of those four games Galloway has had a catch of at least 44 yards.

Ex-Saint to watch: C Jeff Faine. Faine bolted for Tampa for a $50 million dollar contract and anchors their offensive line. He’s sure to want to prove the Saints wrong for letting him go and starting the unproven Jonathan Goodwin, but will he be able to take Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy?

HA’s Madden ’09 Result: Saints win, 34-7.

HA’s Prediction: Saints win, 27-17.

Well, it’s finally here. Football season. And with it comes Madden ’09, fantasy football drafts and the not-so-glamorous stuff like pregame shows that last too long and cruddy announcing by the truckload. But it’s here, and I can’t be happier. There’s nothing better than waking up on a Sunday morning to find the weather’s turned cooler before starting a pot of coffee, slapping on the ol’ Deuce McAllister jersey and heading over to Handsome Willy’s to lube the brain before a home game. Or kicking it at home with a buffet, friends, an HDTV with the NFL Sunday Ticket and a laptop with a running stream of live fantasy scores.

This is the third season-opening edition of this column, and as you see it’s moved to a new home of sorts. (more…)

Hey everybody,

I’m back in the city, currently sitting over at Fuel Coffeeshop (wall outlets are scarce if you need power, but internet is available and I’m pretty sure I saw Neal making sandwiches if you’re hungry).

Anyway, I’m starting to get some updates from venues and Friday night’s Theresa Andersson album release show at Republic is back on after being canceled yesterday.

No word yet on the Zydepunks release show tomorrow night at One Eyed Jacks. I’d expect it to be on, though.

Also no word on the Rock Art Circus, scheduled for Saturday night at the Big Top.

I’ll let you know if I hear anything else, though.

We were able to get out about 1,100 copies of the September AG before we evacuated, and hopefully our printer in Belle Chasse will reopen soon and we can get out the remaining 9,000–in the meantime, download it here.

Hey everyone–we know everyone’s monitoring the news and waiting for word that we can return home. If you’re looking for a distraction, download our September issue–it’s our Record Store issue, where we talk about all the great places to buy music in New Orleans, plus interviews with Steve Williams about the Rock Art Circus, the Zydepunks about their new record and the Silver Jews about their show in NOLA. Plus the debut of a new medical column by Glorybee’s Nancy Kang and the Homefield Advantage, which covers sports and has an interview with Supa Saint.

Let’s keep up hope–we’ll see you back home in a few days.