|
By Ted Holteen
T his was an easy week to pick a headline for the S.P. In a column purported
to cover culture and the arts, the next three weeks provide an opportunity
to discuss what may be the only cultural event we ever cover. Music in
the Mountains begins in earnest on Saturday night as the first concert
featuring the entire orchestra gets under way at 5 p.m. under the big
tent at Durango Mountain Resort. Saturday's program is titled "An American
Salute." That sounds like a post 9/11 halftime show  style pep rally,
but there will thankfully be only two corny patriotic songs. The Americans
in question are composers, perhaps the best: George Gershwin, Leonard
Bernstein (OK, so they're immigrants), and Aaron Copland. The latter's "Three
Latin American Sketches" is a work of which I was previously unaware,
and I expect it to be a contrast to Copland's more familiar sounds. Make
a day of it alpine slide, disc golf, miniature golf, dinner at the Cascade
Grill and a concert. Do, however, please change before the show. Casual
is OK, but try to look presentable. If you just can't or won't leave
town, you can see and hear (really hear) some music when "The Brass Comes
to Town." The Festival Brass Ensemble will play on Monday, July 26, at
St. Columba Church, probably very loudly, beginning at 7 p.m. The program
features some interesting pieces, but you can probably get a jump on
traffic as the finale is the all-too-predictable and Stripes Forever." The
full week's schedule is available in the Telegraph's "On the Town."
Wow. That was getting heavy. But, don't fear there's
plenty of bustin' loose to be had to the west, as Mancos
Days sets that town on its ear. How have you missed
this all these years? On Friday night, they have a
walk-in movie double feature in Cottonwood Park with "Wallace
and Gromit" and "Young Frankenstein." I know neither
Wallace nor Gromit, but "Young Frankenstein" alone
is worth the price of  free admission, and it's a walk-in
movie, for Christ's sake. In my mind, I see the outdoor
re-education camp in Red Dawn, with vacant-eyed people
wandering aimlessly in the Mancos night. How cool.
On Saturday, of course there's a parade, albeit at
10 a.m. And what a parade. The theme is "A Day at the
Beach, 1920s." Narrow, yes, but there should be plenty
of sweet ankle on display. And afterward, the gal with
the sweetest will be crowned Pioneer Queen in a whirlwind
break from the weekend's theme. But that's our wacky
Mancos. Oh, and there'll be a mechanical bull.
Gazing at the masthead of last week's paper, it occurred
to me that this being a Durango paper and all, I should
probably actually cover some events in Durango. Tonight's
pick is a piece of cake. The Gourds make their return
to Storyville this evening. Previous shows have been
a blast, with good crowds and good music, and why change
now? A Thursday appearance should guarantee more of
the same, seeing as no one ever seems to have to work
on Fridays in this town. Speaking of Friday, that's
when things get tricky. Choices abound in live music
venues; Storyville welcomes punk-types Amazing Larry
, the Abbey Theatre hosts The Last Bus for the hobnail
boot-stompin' crowd, and blues folks can catch Kirk
James at Scoot n' Blues. I'm told The Last Bus was
great at the Meltdown this year, and we should be lucky
to have them back.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome The
Summit to the Society Page. Good people, good management,
no rednecks a fine establishment all around. To add
to the Friday mayhem, The Summit welcomes unapologetic
hippie-jam band Kynda . I paraphrase: It started with
a project in Orlando called 4:20. Lots of Grateful
Dead, lots of Dylan the Dead tunes began to segue into
Phish tunes. The level of playing rose, more players
added, attendance rose Phish tunes into original tunes.
Now I quote: "If you've ever enjoyed a Dead or Phish
show or any band that refuses to play the same set
list twice then you'll love an evening with Kynda." But
they're only here one night we could get the same set
list as Breen and never know it! And if anyone does
find out, remember, there's no riot like a hippie riot.
Showtime is 9 pm. The over-under on the actual start
time is 10:10 p.m. I will stop taking bets at 9:30
p.m.
What goes on in your mind? ted@ksut.org.
Rain is good, but some of us play softball, you know. |
