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The stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care, Saint Nick has come and gone once again and January has fully set upon us. After hauling the tree to the curb and mentally recapping the last few exhausting weeks, a dose of folk music might be exactly what the doctor ordered. If the doctor was a merrymaking nomad, that is. Continue reading
There’s a certain sunny, sensual quality to Compassion Gorilla’s “gypsy fusion” beats that will vanquish the January doldrums and have you sashaying and samba-ing (can I get a one-uh-two, three-uh-four?) around the dance floor in no time. Or in their own words: “Eight pieces of swirling gypsy delight will tickle a giggle from even the grumpy, and catapult audiences into whole-hearted dance entrancement.” Continue reading
When Jenny Scheinman draws her bow across her fiddle strings Friday, Jan. 4, she’ll be the least famous member of the trio she’s leading at The Shedd. The other two musicians have graced that stage often as composers/bandleaders themselves. Seattle-based guitar master Bill Frisell remains one of the world’s most venturesome yet listener-friendly musicians, while Louisiana native Brian Blade is one of jazz’s most accomplished and inventive drummers. Continue reading
For those unfamiliar with Roller Derby, it’s time you knew: This is one of the most exciting, brutal and enjoyable-to-watch sports ever created. And the best part? It’s for ladies only. The Emerald City Roller Girls hit the rink this week to begin their sixth season of what some have called “rugby on skates.” It’s more like speed-skating meets wrestling. Ferocity is encouraged. Fear is not an option. Fun is a given. So, if you’re intrigued (which you should be), roll on down to Lane Events Center this weekend and see what all the fuss is about. Continue reading
There’s no better time to reflect on family dynamics than after the holidays, for many a time of family harmony and family madness, and that’s exactly what artist Sarah Refvem is doing with her First Friday ArtWalk solo exhibit Familiar Dynamics at the Woodpecker’s Muse on Jan. 4. Refvem’s last show explored group dynamics through painting photographs of school classes or swim meets — her impressionist and expressionist style rendering the subjects just vague enough to be relatable to a wider audience. Continue reading
You’re not a true Duck fan until you stick one in the oven. Belly’s owner and chef, Brendan Mahaney, a prestigious James Beard Awards semi-finalist, says that getting your hands on duck can be a bit difficult, but in Eugene he’d head straight for Long’s Meat Market. “They’ll carry it — usually frozen, sometimes fresh — and they can order more for you if you need it,” Mahaney says. Continue reading
2013 will be the year of … more comic book-based films, more action flicks and more zombie apocalypse movies, not to mention sequels, more sequels and reboots: Man of Steel (another Superman reboot), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (the second film of the trilogy), Jack Ryan (a second reboot of the Tom Clancy franchise), A Good Day to Die Hard (Bruce Willis’ fifth time as Mr. McClane), World War Z (Brad Pitt fights zombies), Pacific Rim (robots vs. Continue reading
“Resist impulse decisions to donate.” That’s one of the pithy bits of advice on charitable giving that the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) sends out along with a list of the worst charities in order to keep the generously inclined from getting scammed. EW begs to differ: Impulse donations are awesome. Then again we are the kind of folks who pull over at a green light to give dollars to the people holding signs that say “made some bad decisions” or who have cute dogs with them. But it’s all in whom you give to. Continue reading
Remember that Gap commercial circa 1998 where a bunch of khaki-clad models jump, jive and wail to the stylings of the Brian Setzer Orchestra? One of the oddest fads that passed through the music world during the ’90s was this sudden rise in popularity of swing and ska music, which cheerily rose out of a sea of grunge, alternative and electronica music. Continue reading
The Floydian Slips’ Asher Fulero (keyboard, vocals) was “getting ready for the intergalactic mayhem” that some predicted for Dec. 21 when EW caught up with him. His plans must have included survival because the Slips have a big show lined up. After a four-year hiatus, the beloved cover band is taking the McDonald Theatre by storm on New Year’s Eve, transforming it into a psychedelic dreamscape. Continue reading