Andanh.com

In this week's Insider column:

Craig and Brent Renaud, Little Rock's famous documentarians, have a project in the works that's a natural followup to “Off to War,” their award-winning depiction of Arkansas citizen soldiers in Iraq. Craig Renaud has been in Washington this week working on the project about wounded war vets who are competing in the Paralympic Games for disabled athletes. A meeting with the president could be part of the project. The film hasn't been sold yet, but ESPN is one potential outlet, we understand.

ALSO: Everyone's favorite new wave/post punk, guitar-bass-keyboard-and-drum trio Kyoto Boom opens the show.

FASTBALL
9 p.m., Sticky Fingerz. $10.

The Austin, Texas, trio Fastball makes its return to Little Rock after a four-year absence. Formed in 1994, the band originally called itself Megneto USA, but became Fastball after signing with Hollywood Records in 1995. Still beneath the radar after extensive touring, Fastball began throwing strikes following the release of its second album, “All the Pain Money Can Buy,” which sold 1 million copies with the U.S. radio hit, “The Way.” After gigs the world over, Fastball released its third album on Hollywood before stepping up to the plate to record “Keep Your Wig On” on Rykodisc (Morphine, Frank Zappa). With catchy hooks and a full-body sound, the trio is set to release its fifth album this fall, currently being mixed by Bob Clearmountain, known for his work with Springsteen and the Stones. The guys have also done quite a bit of side work, writing and recording with other artists such as Bruce Robison, Al Anderson and Bowling for Soup.

—Paul Peterson

‘WIZARD OF OZ’
Sundown, Riverfest Amphitheater. Free.

“Movies in the Park” goes classic with its penultimate film, one of the greatest family films of all time: “The Wizard of Oz.” We forget, of course, that the movie was adapted from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” a children’s novel, but also one that a host of scholars think it’s a grand allegory for the gold standard debate, a hot topic in the late 19th century, when Baum published. It’s safe to say that William Jennings Bryan is nowhere to be found in Victor Fleming’s film adaptation. Instead, we’ve got “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead,” one of the greatest nah-nah songs in cinematic or any kind of history, those glistening ruby red slippers in glorious Technicolor (the film, which came out in 1939, helped usher in the use of color in cinema), Margaret Hamilton’s gleefully wicked witch of the west and flying monkeys, which, no matter your age, are pretty friggin’ scary.

A couple days late, but in case you missed her, meet 2008 Miss Arkansas. With the serving plate. And the shiny dress. And, um, big ... earrings.

She's a flautist. She did "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

I can't wait for the Miss America reality show.

My favorite, Chanley Painter of the White River area, was second runner up. Next year, maybe someone can organize a betting pool.

As has become tradition, "Movies in the Park" closes out its season, this year on July 30, with a "People's Choice" film. If you go here, you can vote for either "Caddyshack," "Spider-Man 2," "Madagascar," "Chicago," "Shark Tale," "Forrest Gump" or "Can't Buy Me Love."

So far, "Caddyshack," rightfully, is holding on to the top stop, but "Forrest Gump" and "Madagascar" are within reaching distance. Let's mobilize, people.