Whats-Happening: Page 607

See Jane Make You Laugh

Northwest Women’s Comedy Fest hits the Wildish with new talent

Comedy

There’s nothing more attractive than a funny woman (or rather, a funny person). Forget what the world of advertising tries to tell us; true beauty doesn’t rest with spherical breasts south of a perfectly placed Monroe mole (or washboard abs south of a cleft chin). It lies with a person who can master perfect timing or who can observe the subtle hilarity in everyday life and discuss it on stage with only a microphone. Continue reading →

Share the Feast

Drink

Give thanks. Go ahead and feast, share a grand meal with friends and family. Sure, it’s not easy to feel celebratory in these times. Tea Party Republicans did all they could to undermine our confidence, to extol Ayn Rand’s absurd “virtue of selfishness” and to profane the very concept of communion. But this season and the impulses behind it are ancient: We celebrate the harvest. We come together as a community of families to share our bounty, even if we face a bleak winter. Continue reading →

Big (Sur) Sounds

Bill Frisell, the Middle Eastern Dance Guild and more

Music

From downtown New York avant jazzer in the ’80s through more straight-ahead jazz after moving to Seattle to his abstract string quartet (originally part of a multimedia project) to his more recent country-, folk-, and rock-tinged work, protean guitar master Bill Frisell manages to explore new territory while maintaining an instantly recognizable artistic voice throughout his many musical meanderings. Fortunately, The Shedd has made it easy to trace Frisell’s always intriguing musical journeys by bringing him here often, and Friday Nov. Continue reading →

Bay Bridge Boogie Woogie

Music

If you didn’t know Quinn Deveaux was from San Francisco (which he is), you might guess the retro-flavored songwriter hailed from The Big Easy. Track one off Late Night Drive — the first of two records the popular Bay Area musician is releasing this November — is “Bff,” a New Orleans-style piano tune recalling the legendary musician Allen Toussaint’s slow-rollin’ and gin-soaked simplicity.  Continue reading →

Her Able Heart

Music

It’s been three years since local singer-songwriter Anna Gilbert was dubbed Eugene Weekly’s Next Big Thing, and she has been busy. Since then, she has released an acoustic-themed holiday release (2011’s Christmas), spent time writing country songs for other artists and now she is back with a new album, The Able Heart, which was released Nov. 5. According to Gilbert, it was time for a shift in her songwriting priorities. Continue reading →

Back Beat

Music

There’s a dynamic duo not to be missed at WOW Hall Thursday, Nov. 14: Lynx with opener Tender Forever. Lynx is a crackling mix of singer-songwriter, producer, beat boxer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from the Bay Area. Lynx’s latest album, Light Up Your Lantern (released Oct. 22), highlights her cool electric aesthetic, mixing acoustic and synth beats over gritty vocals. The WOW Hall darling — she was named Favorite Female Performer of 2011 — has collaborated with Beats Antique, Bassnectar and Matisyahu. Continue reading →

Springfield Coach Gets To See Russell’s First Big Test

NewsSports

Mercedes Russell may have gone from Springfield to Tennessee, but she will have some of her hometown’s support system with her as she starts her collegiate career at one of the biggest powerhouses in women’s basketball. Bill Wagner, her former head coach at Springfield High, will be in attendance when the Lady Volunteers take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Nov. 11 in a battle of top-10 teams. And he couldn’t be more excited to see her in action on the big stage.  Continue reading →

Arts Hound

Visual Arts

Grab your flashlights because arts writer and photographer Bob Keefer is leading a flashlight-guided Second Friday Art Walk in Springfield from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Friday, Nov. 8, beginning at the City Hall Gallery, 225 5th St. On the crawl, be sure to pop into Springfield Museum for a show by the Oregon Fiber Artists; photographs of ancient ruins inspire many of the fiber art pieces.   Continue reading →