Chemical Envy in Broad Ripple

 

Who needs Banksy? While West Coast art aficionados are busy scouring the streets of Los Angeles looking for the latest installations from the famous British graffiti artist --  whose Academy Award-nominated documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop has inspired renewed interest in all things street art -- Indianapolis vandals -- er I mean artists -- have been actively spray-painting, pasting and tagging their own creations throughout the back alleys and beer-stained walls of Broad Ripple.

John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett "Thing Called Love"

The Murat Theatre played host to Indy songsmith John Hiatt February 12th. Joined by Texan troubadour Lyle Lovett, the pre-Valentines Day acoustic show -- in the spirit of the VH-1 Storytellers -- found the two singer songwriters taking turns telling tales and playing their original compositions. The down-to-earth duo did jam together, exchanging harmonies and guitar licks, on a couple of tunes -- most notably Hiatt's biggest hit (made famous by Bonnie Raitt) "Thing Called Love."

The two are clearly friends, having played together for the past few years. Here, for your enjoyment, is a 2009 appearance on the David Letterman Show: