The movie "Bandslam" opens in theaters today, and I am afraid it's not so great. Click through for the review -- and also some back verbiage on why that's disappointing, due to the director's body of work.

Unless you were frequenting New York City's alternative-music nightclubs at the dawn of the 1980s, you've probably never heard of the Cosmopolitans. And that's a real shame, because they were an amazingly fun little tangent of the new-wave era. "Wild Moose Party," "(How to Keep Your) Husband Happy" and their other Cosmpolitans chestnuts were lighter than air, evoking a smart-aleck punk-rock take on the girl-group era. And they also knew how to put on A Show, with costume changes and ace choreography.

While they were very much a New York phenomenon, the Cosmopolitans' one commercially released single did get airplay in some unexpected places. Glen Tig, who is now a psychotherapist who splits time between Carrboro and Vancouver, was a fan and friend of the Cosmopolitans. He remembers hearing "Husband Happy" on the BBC in London in early 1982.

"I remember being mesmerized by Laurie Anderson's hit 'O Superman,' which was No. 2 on the British charts at the time," Tig recalls. "And suddenly the tranquility was broken by the Cosmopolitans! I think it was probably the contrast of the two, Laurie's mystical tranquility followed by [the Cosmopolitans'] hilarious irreverence. That memory has stuck with me for 27 years. I loved it and still do."

Alas, the Cosmopolitans broke up later that same year and have not been heard from since. But they're back together for a reunion show that plays Cat's Cradle on Saturday, with fellow underground Tar Heel pop legends Don Dixon and Mitch Easter also on the bill. For much more on the reunion, check the feature in Sunday's paper. 

North Carolina underground pop legend Don Dixon is playing a show in a nightclub in Raleigh next week, not doing a reading in a bookstore. But his latest release is actually a book rather than a record, "Songs 101," which compiles the lyrics to 101 of Dixon's songs from over the years.

"About 10 years ago, I started thinking about the idea of picking songs worthy of look at as opposed to just being heard," he said. "Just to see what they looked like on the page. That was the idea driving it. The book doesn't reproduce every word, the repeats of choruses -- although choruses do show up twice if they need to. It's more about the intent of the content in written version."

Dixon plays Tuesday at Raleigh's Berkeley Cafe. See the interview in Friday's paper for more details on that; and here's some back verbiage.

In the big picture of North Carolina rock history, the Cosmopolitans rank as little more than a footnote. But they're a pretty great little footnote, thanks to 1980's "(How To Keep Your) Husband Happy," one of the great obscure singles of the new-wave era. And for one night, at least, the Cosmopolitans will live again at a reunion show. The word from Jamie K. Sims:

Yes, it's a miracle. Got all musicians and club and allergies to agree on a date. This is the SOUTHERN reunion -- and I'll decide if I want to deal with NYC after we do this!

Unlike Spinal Tap, who will be touring as age appropriate adults (and without wigs), we will be making complete fools of ourselves attempting to do our exact medically accurate show with original choreography and costumes! I am working on a new song that addresses some important issues of this time, hoping it will be ready by then to premier.

Click here for a story on the Cosmopolitans from a few years back; then check out some vintage video goodness.

Continuing our theme of premature Christmas music, I'm still not ready to start hearing it on the radio or in the air -- but I do think I'm ready to hear some Christmas music played live. Fortuitously, the release party for the third volume of "Have a Holly Raleigh Christmas" is Thursday night at Tir Na Nog. The album is wonderful, the best yet in the series, with 14 diverse tracks ranging from the conjunto of Rey Norteno's "De La Mano De Dios" to the mournful pop of Day Action Band's "Your Last Childhood Christmas Eve" and Don Dixon's majestic "Winter's on the Run." It also has a handful of sharp instrumentals, including Triangle Tuba Quartet's "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" and Tracy Thornton's steel-drum delight "Jingle Bells."

Proceeds from the album benefit the Community Music School. And here's the lineup for Thursday night's show, which will also feature Dan Bryk (an alumus of the first "Holly Raleigh" album, from 2006) appearing as Santa Claus:

7:00 Joe Newberry
7:15 Nathan Oliver
7:35 Day Action Band
7:55 Regina Hexaphone
8:15 Gray Young
8:35 Terry Anderson/OAK Team
8:55 Port Huron Statement
9:15 Killer Filler