Several degrees of revolution

by Lindsay Nelson

It’s nice to know that, no matter how bizarre and disturbing the political and cultural landscape becomes, we are still allowed to make fun of the powerful and ridiculous. Satire lives on, and most of the time you can’t get arrested for lampooning your leaders. Equal-opportunity political skewering is the stock in trade of a troupe of former Capitol Hill underlings (and those who wish they were) called the Capitol Steps. Since the days of Ronnie Reagan, the Steps have been interpreting the news from Washington with the king of incisive analysis we can only dream of seeing on CNN and Fox. On the subject of Bush’s State of the Union, Hilary’s candidacy or the skeezy indictment proceedings on the Hill, these brilliant comic personalities say what we are thinking the way we would if only we were so cleverly funny. See democracy in action on Tuesday at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. If only Durango had such a troupe; it’d be like the Follies without all the dick jokes. If it weren’t for my blatant conflict of interest (you know, that whole disagreeing with Renee Parsons thing), I’d volunteer to lead the charge.

Durango does have a surprisingly healthy cadre of local talent in other areas of entertainment, evidenced by performances this week by local singer-songwriter-pianist Lacey Black and her band Red Rhapsody, playing at the Concert Hall on Friday night, and two solid nights of thrashing, strumming and jamming on the Summit stage as local bands compete in the KDUR Battle of the Bands. Ms. Black and her original songs, full of heart-searching explorations of human emotions, accompanied by the piano-style folk pop sound of Red Rhapsody, celebrate the release of the group’s second album with this hometown show.

There’s no telling just what kinds and calibers of music you’ll hear at the two-night Battle of the Bands down the Summit, but it’s sure to do some damage to your eardrums. For months, KDUR and co-sponsors Ska Brewing and the Summit, have been looking for regional acts that are good enough, smart enough and likeable enough for selection to the six available slots in the competition that’s also a money-raising benefit for your favorite college and community radio station. Acts will be judged by representatives from KDUR (Liggett), The Summit and Ska. There are some pretty sweet prizes for the winners, and attendees are treated to a half-dozen of the best (again, according to Liggett) bands around town. Look out, American Idol!

Another kind of visceral, personal, political music takes the stage of the Abbey on Tuesday. Dead Prez, the collective name for emcees and activists M-1 and stic.man, perform in support of their newest release, “RGB: Revolutionary but Gangsta.” Since their breakthrough release, “Let’s Get Free” in 2000, the duo has been true to the revolutionary aesthetic, with songs that deal with politics, injustice and racial issues. “RGB” steps it back to the ’hood and deals head-on with the poverty, drugs, alcohol and death that haunt their past and the present of poor urban kids throughout America. This is gangsta hip-hop without the diamond grills and $200 champagne; this is the real. Advance tickets to Dead Prez on Tuesday are available now for $20; get it before it’s gone.

The Capitol Steps

Another kind of visceral, personal, political music takes the stage of the Abbey on Tuesday. Dead Prez, the collective name for emcees and activists M-1 and stic.man, perform in support of their newest release, “RBG: Revolutionary but Gangsta.” Since their breakthrough release, “Let’s Get Free” in 2000, the duo has been true to the revolutionary aesthetic, with songs that deal with politics, injustice and racial issues. “RGB” steps it back to the ’hood and deals head-on with the poverty, drugs, alcohol and death that haunt their past and the present of poor urban kids throughout America. This is gangsta hip-hop without the diamond grills and $200 champagne; this is the real. Advance tickets to Dead Prez on Tuesday are available now for $20; get it before it’s gone.

For the next week or so, the art of film will dominate the arts’n’culture scene in Durango. The second annual Durango Independent Film Festival begins Wednesday. Can’t wait to see all those lanyards of laminated passes slung around the necks of hipsters, film nerds and glitterati with lattes in hand? Maybe someday Durango will be the new Park City; has anyone invited Robert Redford yet? I will not rest until the Sienna Millers and Zach Braffs of the industry are trolling the streets of Durango in search of impressionable star-struck groupies and some fresh outdoor-chic threads. Are you listening, DIFF?

Before the movie madness truly begins, there’s a rare opportunity to get down with your favorite bad ’80s underdog sport competition movie. No, not “Bad News Bears.” Feeling “Rad?” Strap on your All-Stars and book it down to the Abbey tonight, Feb. 22, with $5 and dig the story of Cru Jones, a down-and-out kid who has to overcome all sorts of obstacles to participate in the biggest BMX race ever. With the help of his tomboy love interest, can he defeat his gnarly nemesis Bart Taylor? Tune in tonight and find out! It’s gonna be RAD!

Things to be afraid of this week: Peter Pan, helicopters, house fires, smoking drivers and campaign speeches. When our peanut butter can kill us and it’s against the law to suck down a little nicotine behind the wheel, haven’t the terrorists already won? No wonder Britney chose to shave her head, in solidarity with the deprivation and suffering of the huddled masses. Durango women have been doing it for years, so I guess we really are trendsetters here. Soon Carharts will be the next Uggs. Ugh.

How did that salmonella get into Peter’s pants?

Lindsay_damico@yahoo.com •