Whats-Happening: Page 575

Whit’s Secret (Guerilla) Garden Of The Commons

Music
Ben Riley, Maria Farinacci, Erin Grady, Kari Johnson and Geran Wales. Photo by Alex Notman

If you’re driving south into Eugene from I-105, look east to the foot of Skinner Butte and you may just see a rainbow. Stripes of color framing a mural shoot upward from Lincoln Alley, which, as of May 9, was still an impenetrable knot of blackberry bushes scattered with broken glass and garbage. By May 12, however, the strip of land housed a blue picnic table, a community mural and garden beds filled with the seeds of sunflowers, irises, lemon balm, Jerusalem artichoke, raspberries, bleeding heart and other plants. This is the Secret Garden of the Commons. Continue reading →

It’s OK to be a little afraid of Die Antwoord

Music

It’s OK to be a little afraid of Die Antwoord.  Especially if you’ve gotten a gander at the videos for “Cookie Thumper” or “Pitbull Terrier,” tracks off 2014’s Donker Mag. We’re dealing here with some grade-A weirdos, but visionary weirdos with a global fan base (those videos respectively have 8.1 million and 90,000 views — the latter having been released five hours prior at press time). Continue reading →

Put a fruit on the barbie

Music
Photo by Jeremiah Brunnhoelzl

Talkative emerges from the same squishy indie-rock primordial ooze as Animal Collective. The Portland-via-Eugene art freaks are test-driving material from their new LP Hot Fruit Barbecue May 23 at Tiny Tavern in the Whit.  Barbecue bursts from the gates with “Mongoose” — a punchy four-on-the-snare drum line propels the track beneath itchy, harebrained guitar work, garbled and shouted vocals, and electronic buzzing and beeping.  Continue reading →

Giving Voice

A celebration of a cappella music at The Shedd

Music
Honey Whiskey Trio headline SheSings 2014

A cappella singing — that is, voices without instruments — is probably the oldest form of music, but today’s a cappella music scene feels fresh, thanks in part to the latest revival that started on college campuses in the 1990s. Although the tradition never really went away (as demonstrated by classical groups like Anonymous 4 and Chanticleer and neo-doo-woppers like The Persuasions, The Bobs and Take 6), these days find a cappella on TV, in the movies (Pitch Perfect) and on more than 1,000 college campuses.  Continue reading →

Jackal’s Jackpot

Music

When we last checked in with The Crescendo Show, the Corvallis quartet was gearing up to record Jackal’s Kiss — the band’s first studio album. Ricky Carlson (banjo, guitar, drums, backup vocals) says working with professionals, over nine studio sessions at Portland’s Jackpot! Recording Studio, pushed the band to the next level. The indie-folk outfit is doing a mini CD Release Tour May 23-24 in Corvallis, Eugene and at Seattle’s Northwest Folklife Festival. Continue reading →

The Local Spin

A roundup of area disc golf happenings

Outdoors

The city of Eugene opened its first 18-hole disc golf course at Alton Baker Park just over a year ago and there has been a steady stream of nubby rubber discs flying ever since. Andrew Rich, the course’s operator, says that on a rainy day the course will see about 50 rounds of play, and on a sunny day those numbers shoot upward of 250. Adding Alton Baker to Westmoreland, Dexter and Cottage Grove, there are now four courses in a 25-mile radius around Eugene. Continue reading →

Testing Limits

Ultramarathons push the body’s boundaries

Outdoors

Ultramarathon runners push themselves hard, running up to 100 miles at a time and ascending thousands of feet. A deep passion for what they do and strong commitment to running turns a hobby into a lifestyle, and Eugene is home to some of the highest-placing ultramarathon contestants. Approximately 20 times a year, long-distance runners come to the Oregon wilderness to compete in ultramarathons — races longer than the average 26.2-mile marathon and spanning up to 100 miles. Ultramarathons are run on trails, which often include vertical ascent.  Continue reading →