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Swingin’ with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Chuck Pyle plays the D.A.C.
REEL Environmental Experience What: The 5th annual environmental film festival

Submit items for On the Town to: 534 Main Ave., Durango, CO, 81301; fax: ( 970) 259-0448; e-mail: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com ; or fill out this form

La Plata County and the City of Durango host “Role and Responsibility of the Local Government Planning Commission,” an introductory class on the basic principles of planning, from 3-5 p.m. This training session is free and open to the public. 382-6261 for details.

A “Resist the Green Scare” benefit takes place from 7-9:30 p.m. in 130 Noble Hall at Fort Lewis College. All proceeds will go to the non-cooperating Green Scare defendants and Grand Jury resisters and the event includes screenings of “Pickaxe,” a documentary about a direct action forest defense campaign and two shorts. 247-8252 for details.

Lacey Black, singer-songwriter/pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 7 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

The Lost Dog, 1150 Main Ave., hosts a poetry slam from 8-11 p.m. 259-0430 for details.

Lady Falconburgh’s Barley Exchange, 640 Main Ave., offers Sing-Along Karaoke at 8 p.m. 382-9664.

Mark Berenson plays an 8 p.m. show at the Columbine Bar, located on Grand Ave. in Mancos. 533-9906 for details.

Durango Joe’s, 732 E. College, presents Open Mic Night from 8: 30-11 p.m. Sign-ups for music and poetry begin at 8:30 p.m. 375-2121 for details.

Steamworks, 801 E. Second Ave., hosts Shawn Patrick’s Powder Party, with giveaways from Bubba’s Boards and others, at 10 p.m. 259-9200 for details.

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The Southwest Colorado Peace and Justice Coalition holds a peace vigil from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Main Ave. and 11th St. Signs available or bring your own. 259-4185 for details.

The Festival of Trees kicks off from 5-9 p.m. at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and includes decorated trees and wreaths, handmade crafts and a silent auction. 385-3444 for details. 

Steamworks, 801 E. Second Ave., hosts Blu Friday with a Poetry Slam, a keg giveaway and music from

DJ Link beginning at 6 p.m. The Badly Bent plays its high-energy bluegrass beginning at 9 p.m. 259-9200 for details.

Gary B. Walker, jazz pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 6 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

The Fort Lewis College Independent’s “PALOOZA with the Paper” takes place from 8-11 p.m. at the Durango Arts Center, 802 E. Second Ave. The benefit for the college paper includes dancing, a raffle of items donated by local businesses and a cash bar. 247-7405 for details.

DJ Mowgli spins a club mix at The Lost Dog, 1150 Main Ave., at 9 p.m. 259-0430 for details.

The Jeff Strahan Band brings its “Red Dirt Blues” to the Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. Second Ave., at 9 p.m. 375-2568 for details.

Midnight Backhand plays country-rock at the Billy Goat Saloon, located off Hwy. 160 in Gem Village, at 9 p.m. 884-9155 for details.

WhiteWater Ramble, high-octane, Rocky Mountain dance-grass from Fort Collins, returns to the Summit, 600 Main Ave., at 9:30 p.m. 247-2324 for details.

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Carver Brewing Co, 1022 Main Ave., hosts its 20^th Birthday Celebration from 6:30 a.m. until last call. The day includes dishes from the 1986 menu, door prizes and live music from the Badly Bent beginning at 9 p.m. 259=2545 for details.

Mesa Verde hosts its Centennial Finale and annual open house all day and includes live musical entertainment, Native American storytellers, and local choirs and bands. The day concludes with the illumination of Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House. Visit www.mesaverde2006.org for details.

The Festival of Trees continues from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and includes decorated trees and wreaths, handmade crafts and a silent auction. 385-3444 for details. 

Certified True Life Coach Victoria FittsMilgrim gives a free introductory talk, “Retreats: The Journey 4

to Joyful Living,” from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Sanctuary, a new event space just outside Durango. Space is limited. 259-9040 to register.

Kirk James plays solo blues at Steamworks in Bayfield from 4-7 p.m. 884-7837 for details.  

Jeff Sweet, jazz pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 6 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

DJ Mowgli spins a club mix at The Lost Dog, 1150 Main Ave., at 9 p.m. 259-0430 for details.

The Jeff Strahan Band plays an encore show at the Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. Second Ave., at 9 p.m. 375-2568 for details.

Steamworks, 801 E. Second Ave., hosts Boogie Nights with retro DJs accepting reguests beginning at 9:30 p.m. 259-9200 for details.

EOTO, Jason and Travis from the String Cheese Incident’s live looping project, plays the Summit, 600 Main Ave., at 9:30 p.m. 247-2324 for details.

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A local Artisans Christmas Sale takes place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Ayama Yoga Studio in Gem Village. The sale includes candles, beaded designs, soaps, jewelry, refreshments and more.

Ultimate Frisbee takes place at the Miller Middle School football field at 2 p.m. 375-7313 for details.

“Christmas with the Arioso Duo,” a holiday recital featuring Rochelle Mann on flute and C. Scott Hagler on piano and organ, takes pace at 3 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. Third Ave. The recital will feature both familiar and lesser known Christmas music. 247-1129 for details.

Singer-songwriter Joe Racheff performs at the Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., from 7-10 p.m.

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The Durango Latino Education Coalition holds its first Cinco de Mayo planning committee meeting at 5:15 p.m. in suite #2 of the Smiley Building, 1309 E. Third Ave. Community volunteers are needed to prepare for the annual event that attracts more than 4,000 people. 382-9693 for details.

A free doing your own divorce/custody seminar takes place at 6 p.m. at the Durango offices of Colorado Legal Services, 1474 Main Ave. 247-0266 for details.

Lacey Black, singer-songwriter/pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 7 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

An open-level Latin/Salsa Dance Party takes place at 8:30 p.m. at the Durango Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave. No partner necessary. 903-9402 for details.

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P is for Peanut, 473 E. College, offers free kids’ storytime at 11 a.m. 385-4525 for details.

Durango FiberWorks, 1309 E. Third Ave. in the Smiley Building, hosts Community Night from 5-8 p.m. Local and aspiring fiber artists are encouraged to attend. www.durangofiberworks.com for details.

The Pine River Valley Bank, 1701 Main Ave., hosts this month’s Business Women’s Network from 5:30-7 p.m. The meeting is open to any woman interested in meeting other women in the business community. 247-1242 for details.

The Summit, 600 Main Ave., presents open mic night from 7 p.m.-midnight. 247-2324 for details.

Lacey Black, singer-songwriter/pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 7 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

Brant Leeper performs jazz at Scoot ‘n Blues, 900 Main Ave., at 8 p.m. 259-1400.

The Columbine Bar in Mancos hosts its Tuesday Night Jam at 8 p.m. 533-7397 for details.

Fort Lewis College’s Video Production Class offers a public screening of students’ film projects, both fiction and documentaries, at the Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College Ave., at 9 p.m. 385-1711 for details.

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The Green Business Roundtable returns to the Diamond Circle Theater, 699 Main Ave., at noon. 4

Dr. Robert (Tino) Sonora, of Fort Lewis College, will discuss the Economics of Sustainability. 259-3583 to RSVP.

The Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College, screens “Joyeux Noel,” the Durango Independent Film Festival’s Monthly Movie, at 1:30 & 6:30 p.m. Based on a true story, this Oscar-nominated film tells the story of a temporary truce on a World War I battlefield on Christmas Eve, 1914. Visit www.durangofilm.org for details.

The Women’s Resource Center Reading Circle meets at 5: 30 p.m., at the Rochester Hotel, 723 E. Second Ave. Anyone interested in discussing Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, by Roddy Doyle, is encouraged to attend. 247-1242 for details.

Lacey Black, singer-songwriter/pianist, performs at the Mahogany Grille, 699 Main Ave., at 7 p.m. 247-4433 for details.

The Colorado Playboys, a bluegrass band combining talents from Hit and Run, the Biscuit Burners, the Stringdusters and others, plays a 7:30 p.m. show at the Diamond Circle Theatre, 699 Main Ave. Local band, Rock and Rye, opens the show. 375-7914 for details.

An open-level Swing Dance Party takes place at 8:30 p.m. at the Durango Recreation Center. No partner necessary. 903-9402 for details.

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Music Together brings Pajama Jams back by popular demand on Dec. 11, 13, 14, 19 & 21 from 4-5 p.m. in the Smiley Building’s Studio 5, 1309 E. Third Ave. The events are after-school fun for the whole family and include singing, dancing, instrumental jam sessions and seasonal songs. Slippers and pajamas are optional and all proceeds benefit Heifer International. 799-0960 for details.

The Open Shutter Gallery, 755 E. Second Ave., features its 5th anniversary Celebration “Retrospective,” a collection of fine art photography from the gallery’s past exhibits. The exhibit, which continues through Jan. 17, highlights the unique and varied work of both locally and nationally known photographers, and features both black-and-white and color photographs. 382-8355 for details.

Durango Acting Studio continues its newest offerings this weekend at the Smiley Building, 1309 E. Third Ave. The group performs “Quick Wit:  An Evening of One Act Plays” on Dec. 7-9 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. In addition, Durango Acting Studio presents a late night production of “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” on Dec. 8-9 at 10 p.m. 382-2695 for details.

Art Touché, an artist’s cooperative, exhibits a variety of media from emerging and established Southwest Colorado artists in the Durango Mall. Artists on display include: Adele Kurtz, Connie Mason Bennett, Howard Rachlin, Alice Crapo, Kathy Steventon, Niara Isley, Lisa Marie Jacobs, Maggie Remington, Heidi Schaiberger, Marge Barge and John White. The gallery will be open through the end of 2006. 884-7924 for details.

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs service to the “North Pole” onboard The Polar Express through Dec. 23. Once onboard the Polar Express, hot cocoa and nougats are served and passengers read along with The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. Santa and his helper greet the train at the “North Pole.” Visit www.durangotrain.com.

The Fort Lewis College Art Gallery hosts the Senior Art Major Exhibition, a special exhibit of works from graduating FLC students, through Dec. 14. The Exit Gallery hosts “Hiroshima Nuclear Legacy: Realities and Implication,” a poster exhibit created by Hiroshima Women’s University. 247-7167 for details.

“Cars,” an exhibit by Durango photographer John Sfondilias, is on display at the Lavenia McCoy Public Library in Bayfield through the end of December. To see the “virtual exhibit,” go to http://sfondilias.com/bayfield. For more information on the actual exhibit, call 779-0399.

The Children’s Museum, 802 E. Second Ave., hosts the new exhibit, “Pushing Your Limits.” The museum explores how people “push their limits” to survive, or just have more fun. Children can crawl into Puebloan dwelling and imagine how it was to live on the edge, wiggle in a full-sized raft, or grind it out on a mountain bike trail. 259-9234.

A new exhibit, “Railroad Boomtown – The San Juan Extension & the Founding of Durango,” is on display at the Animas Museum, 3065 W. Second Ave. The exhibit uses historic photos, maps, newspapers, art and artifacts to commemorate the 125^th anniversary of the founding of Durango and the coming of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway. 259-2402 for details.

The Center of Southwest Studies presents the Mesa Verde Centennial exhibit featuring 11 sections on a variety of themes, including archaeology, rock art (with Hopi interpretation), fire, park ranger life, Navajo stone masonry, pottery (both ancient and contemporary) and tourism bring the story to life. The exhibit will run through late October. 247-7456 for details

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Noel Night returns to downtown Durango on Dec. 14 and includes evening hours, store sales, refreshments and carolers.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats return to the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on Dec. 14.

A Mystical Tea with author Mother Clare Watts takes place on Dec. 14 at the Center of Light in Dolores.

John Peel will sign the latest edition of the classic guide, Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado, on Dec. 14 at Maria’s Bookshop.

A Holiday Durango Farmers Market takes place on Dec. 16 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Fort Lewis College’s Winter Commencement ceremonies take place on Dec. 16.

The Bar D Wranglers perform their Christmas Jubilee on Dec. 16 at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.

Local author Will Hobbs will sign his books on Dec. 16 at Waldenbooks.

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Swingin’ with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy What: Two shows from the acclaimed swing band Where: The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College When: Dec. 11 & 12 at 7 p.m.   Zoot-suit-clad, “neo-Swing” band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy returns to Durango for two shows this week. On Dec. 11 & 12, the group’s “Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party” plays the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. The shows promise to be “live” and updated versions of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s CD, “Everything You Want for Christmas.” After first gaining mainstream popularity with the breakthrough performance in the movie “Swingers,” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has gone on to become one of the most popular touring bands on the road today, carrying on the tradition of the legendary big bands and orchestras. Formed originally in Los Angeles in 1992, BBVD now tours the globe playing to sell-out audiences. The band’s name dates back to 1989 when bandleader Scotty Morris enjoyed an auspicious meeting with blues guitar legend Albert Collins. Morris, who had just launched a three-piece jazz, blues and swing combo, asked Collins to autograph a promotional concert poster, and he signed it “To Scotty, the big bad voodoo daddy.” The name stuck. “Scotty and his band love playing Durango. That’s why they continue to return to the Community Concert Hall,” said Gary Penington, Concert Hall managing director. “They’ve sold out every previous show, and we expect this to sell out as well. It’ll be a great show, that’s for certain.” Tickets are available on the web at www.durangoconcerts.com, by calling 247-7657 or by visiting the Ticketing Services Office in Downtown Durango at 7th and Main Ave. Showtime is 7 p.m., with doors and concessions opening at 6 p.m.

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Chuck Pyle plays the D.A.C. What: A Durango Acoustic Music concert from the renowned singer-songwriter Where: The Durango Arts Center, 801 E. Second Ave. When: Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7p.m.   The “Zen Cowboy” of Colorado is bringing his American roots music to Durango this Sunday. Chuck Pyle plays a Durango Acoustic Music show on Dec. 10 at the Durango Arts Center. An accomplished songwriter, Pyle’s songs have been recorded by John Denver, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Suzy Bogguss, among others. He attained local fame when he wrote the theme song for the PBS series “Spirit of Colorado,” and among country fans, he’s probably best known for writing “Cadillac Cowboy,” recorded by the late Chris LeDoux, and “Jaded Lover,” recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker. Pyle’s groundbreaking guitar-playing enhances his performances. The sheer invention of his finger-style has distinguished him as a true American original and earned him teaching invitations to the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop. Pyle also has nine albums to his credit, including a live album, “Romancing the Moment,” and a new studio album, “True Unity.” Tickets for the show are available at the Durango Arts Center, at Southwest Sound and Canyon Music. For more information call 259-2606.

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REEL Environmental Experience What: The 5th annual environmental film festival Where: The Durango Arts Center, 801 E. Second Ave. When: Thursday, Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. The Fort Lewis College Environmental Center is spotlighting the Four Corners’ most vital resource this week – water. The 5th annual REEL Environmental Experience, a benefit for the center, takes place this Thurs., Dec. 7, and water issues will dominate the silver screen. This year’s feature is the documentary “Thirst” by Deborah Kaufman and Alan Snitow, who traveled the world to answer the question, “Is water a human right or a commodity to be bought and sold?” The 2004 film examines the responses of communities in Bolivia, India and the United States to the purchase of water rights by private companies. The Portland Mercury reports, “’Thirst’ is like a message in a bottle sent from the future. It tells the beginning of what could be one of the major political and economic issues to shape the next century.” The film festival will also screen the soon-to-be classic “Grocery Store Wars,” in which Cuke Skywalker and other organic vegetables take on the dark side of the farm. Two Fort Lewis College student productions will also premiere at the festival – “Recycling Rangers,” a humorous look at recycling in Durango; and “Cloud Rustling Caper,” in which the Environmental Center’s super-hero friends try to save Durango from a devastating drought. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the event includes beer, wine from Carver Brewing Co., appetizers from local restaurants, and a silent auction prior to the screening. Seating is limited and guests are encouraged to wear a blue tie to go with the theme. A limited number of blue ties will be available at the door. For more information, call the Environmental Center at 247-7676.

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