- Tuesday Blues at Owen Park features local blues band The Pumps at 6:30pm at the bandshell. I know nothing about these guys, nor how with this concert they are mysteriously "going blue". Check them out to find out.
- I really need to give our local flute-master his due. You will often find Peter Phippin playing at the Shanghai Bistro and you should really go listen to him. Every time I've heard him, it is like casting yourself into a quiet peaceful forest with a breeze blowing through the trees. Peter plays a wealth of flutes including the shakuhachi, the Papago flute and many more from Native American and Asian cultures. He's playing at the Bistro on Wednesday from 6:30-9:30pm.
- Thursday, June 25th at 6:30pm bring the next featured artists to the Sounds Like Summer concert series at Phoenix Park. This time, it's the Laarks and also Myrna Loy. Both bands offer a sort of indie rock/pop rock feel that will keep your feet a'tappin.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Solstice Events, FATFAR and more!
The beginning of Summer (or Midsummer, agriculturally speaking) brings us a whopping boatload of stuff to do this weekend, from art festivals and art forms, to lusty vaudvillain sideshows to the biggest river-tubing event in the world (so they say).
- New to the roster this year is something I wish they would have started years ago, but I'm glad to see it now! The famous Rutledge Mansion up on the West Hill in Chippewa will be the site of the 1st Annual Solstice on Grand Art Faire on Saturday, June 20th from 9am to 5pm. The grounds will be transformed into a festival of 60 artists, live music, concessions and tours of the mansion itself. It sounds like a good deal of fun. Don't miss it!
- What would the Summer Solstice be without a celebration of it? Come down to the labyrinth at Phoenix Park from 1-4pm for Eau Claire's Summer Solstice Celebration. This all-inclusive soiree invites participation in a number of fun activities surrounding the height of summer: international folk dancing, some powerful drumming by the West African Music Society, Kirtan chanting, specialized "intuitive" dancing, and heck, maybe a poem or two. The celebration has been yearly and gets better every year with a great turnout.
- On Saturday at 7pm, the Acoustic Cafe will host guitarist Jeffery Jaworski. Following him will be the band Brothers Burn Mountain, whose earthy music seems appropriate for the solstice.
- Don't forget the Stone's Throw at 10pm for the Carnivale of Debauchery and Deviance with its circus-sideshow-inspired managerie of mischief and mayhem. A unique experience for the innocent soul...
- Orestus fans! Your local favorite heavy metal band will be playing at the House of Rock at 10pm on Saturday. For those of you not familiar with Orestus, get a sampling of their experience here.
- And finally, we come to Sunday, June 21st, Father's Day. I know some of you will be grilling out, or maybe boating with dear old Dad, but maybe you should do both and take him to Chippewa's famous FATFAR! What the heck is that, you ask? FATFAR is the acronym for Frenchtown Annual Tube Float And Regalia - a fancy-ism for perhaps the world's largest floating and tubing event. Every year brings thousands of floaters - some bring meager inner tubes or inflatable rafts and such, and then there's those who bring the big guns - huge rafts made for 30 people, grills, lounge chairs and creative decor. Some make it the entire way, some break up along the way, but each year brings plenty of tales about who fared how on the river. FATFAR begins at the launch site just downriver beneath the Canal Street side of the Main St. bridge and flows smoothly down the scenic Chippewa River for several miles. Though many tubers stop off at Loopy's Bar and Grill for its annual FatFest, many continue on to Two Waters Bar in Lake Hallie. Bring your tube, your raft, or your homemade floating party barge and plenty of sunscreen, for the FATFAR is a day to remember!
PS!! The word has just reached my ears that the Stone's Throw, known for its high-quality music acts and awesome food, will be closing on June 23rd!! Apparently, the owners are in negotiations with new owners but it is unknown yet who will take over ownership and when it will reopen. In appreciation for their customers, there will be a 3-day party from Sunday, June 21st through June 23rd. How sad! The Stone's Throw was one of Eau Claire's premier music venues. RIP Stone's Throw...
- New to the roster this year is something I wish they would have started years ago, but I'm glad to see it now! The famous Rutledge Mansion up on the West Hill in Chippewa will be the site of the 1st Annual Solstice on Grand Art Faire on Saturday, June 20th from 9am to 5pm. The grounds will be transformed into a festival of 60 artists, live music, concessions and tours of the mansion itself. It sounds like a good deal of fun. Don't miss it!
- What would the Summer Solstice be without a celebration of it? Come down to the labyrinth at Phoenix Park from 1-4pm for Eau Claire's Summer Solstice Celebration. This all-inclusive soiree invites participation in a number of fun activities surrounding the height of summer: international folk dancing, some powerful drumming by the West African Music Society, Kirtan chanting, specialized "intuitive" dancing, and heck, maybe a poem or two. The celebration has been yearly and gets better every year with a great turnout.
- On Saturday at 7pm, the Acoustic Cafe will host guitarist Jeffery Jaworski. Following him will be the band Brothers Burn Mountain, whose earthy music seems appropriate for the solstice.
- Don't forget the Stone's Throw at 10pm for the Carnivale of Debauchery and Deviance with its circus-sideshow-inspired managerie of mischief and mayhem. A unique experience for the innocent soul...
- Orestus fans! Your local favorite heavy metal band will be playing at the House of Rock at 10pm on Saturday. For those of you not familiar with Orestus, get a sampling of their experience here.
- And finally, we come to Sunday, June 21st, Father's Day. I know some of you will be grilling out, or maybe boating with dear old Dad, but maybe you should do both and take him to Chippewa's famous FATFAR! What the heck is that, you ask? FATFAR is the acronym for Frenchtown Annual Tube Float And Regalia - a fancy-ism for perhaps the world's largest floating and tubing event. Every year brings thousands of floaters - some bring meager inner tubes or inflatable rafts and such, and then there's those who bring the big guns - huge rafts made for 30 people, grills, lounge chairs and creative decor. Some make it the entire way, some break up along the way, but each year brings plenty of tales about who fared how on the river. FATFAR begins at the launch site just downriver beneath the Canal Street side of the Main St. bridge and flows smoothly down the scenic Chippewa River for several miles. Though many tubers stop off at Loopy's Bar and Grill for its annual FatFest, many continue on to Two Waters Bar in Lake Hallie. Bring your tube, your raft, or your homemade floating party barge and plenty of sunscreen, for the FATFAR is a day to remember!
PS!! The word has just reached my ears that the Stone's Throw, known for its high-quality music acts and awesome food, will be closing on June 23rd!! Apparently, the owners are in negotiations with new owners but it is unknown yet who will take over ownership and when it will reopen. In appreciation for their customers, there will be a 3-day party from Sunday, June 21st through June 23rd. How sad! The Stone's Throw was one of Eau Claire's premier music venues. RIP Stone's Throw...
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thursday and Friday, June 18th and 19th events
The summer event season gets to be pretty packed, so you'll see plenty of these kinds of entries where I attempt to sandwich dozens of things into a small area at once. Case in point:
- Thursday, June 18th at 6:30pm the next round of the Sounds Like Summer concert series brings the Tony Baisley Band and South Farwell to the labyrinth at Phoenix Park. Tony Baisley brings a taste of that enigmatic genre "country-rock" while South Farwell brings a bluesy flavor. Check them out!
- Local blues shaman Howard Luedtke plays at the Sheeley House in Chippewa on Thursday at 8pm, while local jazzman Jeff Walk cuts a few tunes at the Haymarket Grill on Graham Ave. from 9 to 11:30pm. If you don't like Jazz and don't want to go all the way to Chippewa, the Mousetrap hosts Little Willie at 10pm. You may remember that Little Willie recently played at the Tuesday Blues in the Park series a couple weeks back.
- Friday, June 19th brings us the Juneteenth Celebration honoring the Emancipation Proclamation and celebrating African American culture. This will be at Phoenix Park at 4pm with food, live music, speakers, and cultural activities.
- It seems to me that the Chippewa Valley has been flooded with so much Bluegrass music lately that I might need a lawn mower. Either that, or I'll just dance. Friday, from 7 to 10pm at the Acoustic Cafe downtown, the East Hill Bluegrass Band (who recently played at the Sounds Like Summer concert series) will be playing their brand of traditional true-blue bluegrass. Its always a pleasure to hear them.
- Two groups you probably don't want to miss will play back to back on Friday night. Beginning at 7:30pm at the Grand Little Theater, indie rock band Wide Plans for a Palindrome welds together the sounds of banjo with synthesizers, guitars and voice. After hearing them, walk over to the Mousetrap to see the powerful reggae/rock fusion band Shoeless Revolution at 10pm. Their energy is infective and will leave you breathless. Do not miss these folks!
- Thursday, June 18th at 6:30pm the next round of the Sounds Like Summer concert series brings the Tony Baisley Band and South Farwell to the labyrinth at Phoenix Park. Tony Baisley brings a taste of that enigmatic genre "country-rock" while South Farwell brings a bluesy flavor. Check them out!
- Local blues shaman Howard Luedtke plays at the Sheeley House in Chippewa on Thursday at 8pm, while local jazzman Jeff Walk cuts a few tunes at the Haymarket Grill on Graham Ave. from 9 to 11:30pm. If you don't like Jazz and don't want to go all the way to Chippewa, the Mousetrap hosts Little Willie at 10pm. You may remember that Little Willie recently played at the Tuesday Blues in the Park series a couple weeks back.
- Friday, June 19th brings us the Juneteenth Celebration honoring the Emancipation Proclamation and celebrating African American culture. This will be at Phoenix Park at 4pm with food, live music, speakers, and cultural activities.
- It seems to me that the Chippewa Valley has been flooded with so much Bluegrass music lately that I might need a lawn mower. Either that, or I'll just dance. Friday, from 7 to 10pm at the Acoustic Cafe downtown, the East Hill Bluegrass Band (who recently played at the Sounds Like Summer concert series) will be playing their brand of traditional true-blue bluegrass. Its always a pleasure to hear them.
- Two groups you probably don't want to miss will play back to back on Friday night. Beginning at 7:30pm at the Grand Little Theater, indie rock band Wide Plans for a Palindrome welds together the sounds of banjo with synthesizers, guitars and voice. After hearing them, walk over to the Mousetrap to see the powerful reggae/rock fusion band Shoeless Revolution at 10pm. Their energy is infective and will leave you breathless. Do not miss these folks!
Carnivale of Debauchery, June 20th at Stone's Throw
For all of you familiar with Eau Claire's Decadent Cabaret, the Carnivale of Debauchery and Deviance, presented at the Stone's Throw on Saturday, June 20th at 10pm, is NOT it. What it is is a collection of the strange, the burlesque, the comedic and acrobatic. Think gypsy fortunetellers, bellydancers, snakecharmers, human sideshows, whipcrackers via local whip superstar Adam Winrich, music, dancing, games, and loads of strange fun - probably not a place to bring your first date or your children, unless, well...
Have fun, kids.
Image by Stone's Throw
Friday, June 12, 2009
I Hope Your Saturday is Free!
How do you mix a Middle Eastern tradition with raw food? Find your way to Menomonie's Raw Deal eatery for a healthy dose of wheatgrass or a fruit smoothie and the hypnotic movements of local bellydancing troupe Peanut Butter and Gypsy. They'll be dancing there on Saturday, June 13th from 4-5:30pm. For more info, see the Raw Deal's website here.
Also on Saturday, from 7-10pm at the Acoustic Cafe in Eau Claire, St. Paul band Inukshuk Pass will be playing their folk rock. At My Place over on Galloway Street, a cover band called Left Hand Corner will be covering the likes of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and Phish. Now I don't normally give nods to cover bands, tending to emphasize local original music, but I'll give one to this group. Go see 'em!
At 7pm at the Mabel Tainter theater in Menomonie, the cosmic conjunction of blues and bluegrass can be found in the lineup of Pert Near Sandstone, Darkwood Flower and Rod and John Bellville.
And lastly, at 10pm, if you're still standing, go to the Stone's Throw for a visceral and naughty show given by Romi Mayes. I hear she plays guitar like a banshee. Don't miss her!
And PS... Don't forget about the Open Air Festival of the Arts all day Saturday from 9am-5pm at Phoenix Park!
Photo by Sahaja
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
A Slew of Stuff to Throw at You
Okay, after a few days unplugged, there's a lot to catch up on:
- Thursday, June 11th at 6:30pm - The next installment of the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series at the Phoenix Park labyrinth will showcase the East Hill Bluegrass Band and the New North String Band. Sounds like a pretty decent night of bluegrass under the stars. Don't forget your lawnchair or blanket!
- Also on Thursday at 7:30pm, the Eau Claire Children's Theater will be presenting 1776, the Tony Award winning musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence at the Masonic Auditorium.
- Friday, June 12th, John Nielson from the Cloud Hymn will be playing at the James Sheeley House in Chippewa. I've seen him play in his various projects with Wake Up Poland, Cranes and Crows, and with the Cloud Hymn and he is not to be missed!
- Also on Friday and also in Chippewa, the Heyde Center for the Arts will be hosting LYRA, an interesting Russian Orthodox folksinging group that hails from St. Petersburg. Russian folk songs and chants - something you don't hear everyday. Go experience it!
- And for some heartpumping American rock, don't miss Gingerjake on Friday at 10pm at the Stone's Throw. This is one hot local band. For a taste of what to expect, see a video of them here.
- And who can wait for the Open Air Festival of the Arts on Saturday? Not me! The festival will be running from 9am-5pm at Phoenix Park. See my other posts for more details.
- There is a benefit show happening at 10pm on Saturday at the EC House of Rock. Proceeds go toward funding the production of the local film Fenris Unchained, based on Nordic mythology. Go to their site for more details.
- And lastly, on Saturday at 10pm, the Mousetrap will host The Yokanizu Project, a mysterious welding of several musicians who say they started jamming together and the rest was history. Isn't that how most bands get together? Oh well, go see them and find out what their scoop is.
- Thursday, June 11th at 6:30pm - The next installment of the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series at the Phoenix Park labyrinth will showcase the East Hill Bluegrass Band and the New North String Band. Sounds like a pretty decent night of bluegrass under the stars. Don't forget your lawnchair or blanket!
- Also on Thursday at 7:30pm, the Eau Claire Children's Theater will be presenting 1776, the Tony Award winning musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence at the Masonic Auditorium.
- Friday, June 12th, John Nielson from the Cloud Hymn will be playing at the James Sheeley House in Chippewa. I've seen him play in his various projects with Wake Up Poland, Cranes and Crows, and with the Cloud Hymn and he is not to be missed!
- Also on Friday and also in Chippewa, the Heyde Center for the Arts will be hosting LYRA, an interesting Russian Orthodox folksinging group that hails from St. Petersburg. Russian folk songs and chants - something you don't hear everyday. Go experience it!
- And for some heartpumping American rock, don't miss Gingerjake on Friday at 10pm at the Stone's Throw. This is one hot local band. For a taste of what to expect, see a video of them here.
- And who can wait for the Open Air Festival of the Arts on Saturday? Not me! The festival will be running from 9am-5pm at Phoenix Park. See my other posts for more details.
- There is a benefit show happening at 10pm on Saturday at the EC House of Rock. Proceeds go toward funding the production of the local film Fenris Unchained, based on Nordic mythology. Go to their site for more details.
- And lastly, on Saturday at 10pm, the Mousetrap will host The Yokanizu Project, a mysterious welding of several musicians who say they started jamming together and the rest was history. Isn't that how most bands get together? Oh well, go see them and find out what their scoop is.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Open Air Festival of the Arts – June 13th 9am-5pm
YES! Finally, the year-wheel has turned round again to bring us my particularly favorite Eau Claire event: the OAFA (rhymes with ‘sofa’)! This is probably the coolest and most earth-friendly event that the Chippewa Valley offers. If you make it to no other festival, do make it to this one. The Open Air Festival of the Arts celebrates its third year and has grown exponentially. On the banks of beautiful Phoenix Park along the Chippewa River, you will be treated to live music all day, poetry, bellydancing, arts and crafts and over 60 artist-vendors selling their wares. There’s family fun, food, kid’s art tent and a people-powered art procession. The OAFA is a ‘waste-free’ event:many food vendors offer organic fare, all plates and eating utensils are 100% compost-ready and if you bring your own mug, you can get a discount on drinks. Recycling will be provided. Because of the popularity of this brilliant festival, rumor has it that it may become a 2-day event in the future! Hint:if you see a Green Man walking around, go up to him and say HI.That will be me.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Taste of Eau Claire – June 7th Phoenix Park 11am-6pm
Wisconsin may be known for its beer and cheese, but Eau Claire is known for the diversity of its restaurants and eateries; and there’s no place better to sample what many of these have to offer than by going to The Taste of Eau Claire, a day of fun, food, sunshine and music! On tap will be 24+ local vendors vying for your pallet with their best entrées, desserts, chocolates and appetizers. It’s a popular event. But is it kid-friendly? You bet! The Kid Zone offers an inflatable park and a variety of entertainments. Hang out, stuff your face and listen to some great music by local and regional bands. Eating runs from 11am to 6pm. For more information, visit the website.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)