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by Ted Holteen
W elcome to "The Society Page," formerly
"The Goods," where the beautiful people go to see and be seen.
Quality nightlife has thrived in the weeks since the departure of
my predecessor, and I trust that readers of "The Goods" have
carried  on in a way that would make Mike proud. Any barfly worth
his or her salted glass can navigate the entertainment scene
without a map, but we like to think of this space is a handy
reference nonetheless. Perhaps an introduction is in order. I'm an
egotistical, opinionated Pisces who always wanted to be in show
biz. I ended up in radio and newspapers. No photo enclosed. Let's
get to it.
Now that the madness
that is Telluride Bluegrass has ended, enlightened festivarians
will make their way to Silverton this weekend for the 17th annual Silverton
Jubilee. Rosie Ledet
and the Zydeco Playboys, Donna the Buffalo, Alvin Youngblood Hart
and the Badly Bent are some of the acts who will perform beginning
Friday and continuing until Sunday night. It's mellow, but it ain't
sleepy. At this point I should be telling you that if you've never
been to the Jubilee, this is the year to go, or something to that
effect. But on second thought, get out and enjoy the summer weather
and leave Silverton to the professionals. Oh, and please leave your
pets at home. They will not be issued wristbands.
 Donna the Buffalo will be one busy band. In addition to
its Silverton performance, the band will join the likes of Robert
Earl Keen, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Cockburn and others at the Taos
Solar Music Festival. That's in Taos. This one's a bit out there
for my tastes, what with all the alternative-energy displays and
earth-friendly products. You probably don't even have to pay for
drinking water! The nerve of some people.
Closer to home (mine,
anyway), Storyville welcomes Drag the River on Sunday night. Despite its place on
the page, this is my headliner. The Fort Collins band has a sort of
alt-country Americanatwang sound. But unlike most bands, they're
good. Very good, in fact. I will actually attend this event, the
highest praise of which I'm capable.
On Friday, the Abbey
Theatre offers one of those rare opportunities to see something
truly different. Veterans of the Durango music scene may remember
the New Mexico based Marimba ensemble Jaka, which used to frequent
the ol' San Juan Room. Four members of Jaka are now in a group
called Mukwa
, and if they're anything
like their previous incarnation, it's something to see and hear.
The stage will be filled with marimbas xylophone-like instruments
made of wood in various shapes and sizes. I'm sure that each
instrument probably has its own name, but I'm a simple man. IF YOU
GO: Bring adequate eye protection. A flying dreadlock from an
errant spinner can feel like a halyard to an exposed cornea. The
show starts at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday night, the Abbey hosts a night
of local music. At about 10 o'clock, Freewill Recovery
frontman Steve Morris
and Coconut Pete will play an acoustic set, then
Sol Vista , the hardest working band in Durango,
takes the stage around 11:30 p.m. Pay the nominal cover charge, go
in and have a good time.
Six nights a week during
the summer, a Durango tradition continues unbeknownst to many
locals, and that really needs to change. The Diamond Circle Melodrama is corny, hokey and dangerously
family-oriented, but it's cool. Those in the theater world use a
term called "suspension of disbelief," the ability to remove
oneself from reality so as to accept an otherwise absurd premise
taking place on stage. Nowhere before or since is such a suspension
necessary than on the Melodrama stage at the Strater Hotel.
Audiences see a multi-act play followed by an authentic turn of the
century vaudeville show. In between there are sing-alongs with
ragtime piano accompaniment, booing and cheering on cue by the
audience, and beer. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but it
works. While audience participation is encouraged, obnoxious
behavior is frowned upon. A good date night, but better with a
large group. And if you love tourists like I love tourists, go on a
weeknight.
The Society Page will
continue to feature the live music scene each week, but the true
bon vivant knows that genuine pomposity can only be achieved
through a well-balanced cultural diet. If you've got an event
planned, I want to know about it. E-mail me at ted@ksut.org.
I do not, however, accept criticism of any kind.
Drive safely and buckle up.
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