Relief, Careless Smoking and a DAM good show

by Ted Holteen

I guess things are back to normal down south, as I haven?t been shipped out yet. No, of course that?s not true. But I have gotten a lot of questions about volunteering with the Red Cross since I got a dose of conscience and decided to offer my limited talents in the big cleanup. Here?s the deal as of Mon., Sept. 19, which is when I?m writing this: You can still volunteer at the Red Cross office at 1911 Main Ave., but shipping folks like us out is severely backlogged due to a lack of flights available to the Gulf Coast. I could mention the fact that the airlines have been gouging the Red Cross on flights out of Durango to the tune of about 1,900 bucks, but that?s another topic for another day. What you?ll do is spend a day in the abbreviated training program, which normally takes about four days but is being sped up because there are so many nice people who would like to help. Then you?ll wait, for quite a while, until a seat can be found on a plane to zip you down. That?s the holding pattern I?m in at the moment, which is why I?m writing again this week instead of arm wrestling National Guardsmen in an abandoned bar on Bourbon Street. So keep trying, and if you don?t want to or can?t make the time to go, they?d be happy to take your money instead. Find out more at 259-5383.

So now I might have to find something to do with myself this weekend, which is odd, because I rarely look to do anything on most other weekends. But if I?m here Friday, you?ll find me at the Wild Horse Saloon (did he say the Wild Horse Saloon?) Yes, the Wild Horse Saloon, for a triple-header of some of the best local acts, opening up for a first-class act. Leading off the bill are the fabulous Lawn Chair Kings, then it?s Hillbilly Honky-Tonk and Hayseed Rockabilly from Dolores? Beautiful Losers. Dave Insley & His Careless Smokers, which is a wonderful name for a band, will cap the evening. Insley?s been doing the Americana/cowpunk/newgrass thing for years now and has enough of the rock and roll thing in him to separate him from the sleepier folk sound. Which is good. This should be a fun night of music, so I would encourage anyone who enjoys fun to attend. It gets under way sometime around 9 p.m.

The Summit also will play host to two local favorites this weekend. For a $3 cover, you can get your hand stamped at the Wild Horse during changeovers and not miss a note, as Freewill Recovery will take the Summit stage at 10 p.m. That should keep you busy. Then on Saturday at the Summit, The Frank Trio returns to Durango after a triumphant and exhausting summer on the road. They say that they learned some things on tour ? find out for yourself. They must have learned something, because their cover is two bucks more than the Freewill boys are charging the night before. Maybe they?ll fight.

A few months ago, I swore never again to write ?The Durango Society for Cultural and Performing Arts? on these pages. But I?ve happily broken that promise one last time, as my whining seems to have finally reached the ears of the powers that be at the DSCPA. The problem was never with the group, which is responsible for bringing about half of the good music that comes to town each year. It was just the name, which I always believed took up to much space on paper and blurred the group?s mission with about four words too many. And so we now have Durango Acoustic Music, or DAM, and they haven?t missed a beat. The first act to perform under the new acronym will be Kay Moffatt and Rosie Flores, tonight, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Durango Arts Center, or DAC. These two chicks kick off a weekend of honky-tonk sounds, and they might be the best at it. Flores, the Rockabilly Filly, is the more high-energy of the two, but Moffatt?s got the golden voice, and it makes for a nice mix when they?re together. I think they?re going to do solo sets and then perform together, but I don?t always retain what I read. Just go see the DAM show.

A few months ago, I swore never again to write ?The Durango Society for Cultural and Performing Arts? on these pages. But I?ve happily broken that promise one last time, as my whining seems to have finally reached the ears of the powers that be at the DSCPA. The problem was never with the group, which is responsible for bringing about half of the good music that comes to town each year. It was just the name, which I always believed took up to much space on paper and blurred the group?s mission with about four words too many. And so we now have Durango Acoustic Music, or DAM, and they haven?t missed a beat. The first act to perform under the new acronym will be Kay Moffatt and Rosie Flores, tonight, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Durango Arts Center, or DAC. These two chicks kick off a weekend of honky-tonk sounds, and they might be the best at it. Flores, the Rockabilly Filly, is the more high-energy of the two, but Moffatt?s got the golden voice, and it makes for a nice mix when they?re together. I think they?re going to do solo sets and then perform together, but I don?t always retain what I read. Just go see the DAM show.

I did mention that it would be a honky-tonk kind of weekend, and that includes Sunday as well. Calling The Gourds honky-tonk is a stretch, but they?re enjoying quite a run in the alt-country world, and they?ll be making their third (or fourth?) visit to Durango. But after several visits to the now-defunct Storyville, the Abbey Theatre has opened its doors and seems to have the inside track to be the band?s new Durango home. The overdone ?Gin & Juice? cover notwithstanding, The Gourds are always crowd pleasers, and tickets are going fast. Get them early and save.

I may not be here, but your words will always be read. egholteen@hotmail.com. I told you the Eagles would be fine.