Rumors, yard dogs and Indiefest

by Lindsay Nelson

Did you hear?” “Guess what your roommate did last night!”  “Well, everybody’s talking about it, I mean, it’s pretty obvious that he did.” “My friend’s cousin told me…”  “I was at the Bean yesterday morning and guess what they were saying over by the bathrooms?”  “I ran into Jill at City Market and she said…”

Rumors. We’ve all been the victim and the perpetrator of this vicious scourge of the small town, haven’t we? Somehow everybody found out about that one night back in college when you got wasted at the Summit and ended up with that gross guy – how embarrassing! Or you’ve stood in the produce section at the grocery store, relaying the latest gossip about prominent figures in your social and/or professional circle. Who’s retiring, you heard somebody got fired, the intern might be pregnant – and guess who’s the father? Everybody likes to be in the know, and like elementary school girls, we cannot bear to keep a secret. Prefacing a nice little nugget with the phrase “Don’t tell anyone” or “I’m not supposed to say, but…” or even “Promise you won’t pass this on” is clearly the most obvious invitation to blab, short of sending it via e-mail from the Justice Department. It gives one a special, socially validating zap to be the first to know, so that when it shows up in the newspaper or in a Christmas letter months later, you can say, “I’ve known that for months! Who does she think she’s fooling?” Well, just be careful what you say and to whom, for what goes around comes around, and sometimes, the walls really do have ears.

Rumor has it there’s a circus coming to town, but it’s not your average cowardly lion and bearded elephant type of show. For two nights at the Abbey Theatre, the traveling vaudevillian Yard Dogs Road Show will overtake the evening stage, promising the unexpected, the absurd and the titillating. The Yard Dogs Road Show is described as cabaret, vaudeville and rock and roll, featuring sword swallowers, dancing dolls, fire eaters and sunset hobo poetry – all animated by the live sounds of the Yard Dogs’ “cartoon heavy” band (whatever that means). “Yard Dogs Road Show is pure visual and sonic voodoo … that creates a timeless and surreal union of ancient theatrical alchemy and modern pop culture,” sayeth the band’s PR material. For some entertaining reading and further insights into the fantasy land they’ve created, check out their website, www.yarddogsroadshow.com. They perform two all-ages shows at the Abbey: 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday; save money by buying advance tickets.

This weekend is another outdoor music festival (thank you, Silverton Jamboree for a great first-of-the-season festival); this time it’s the Indiefest at Pagosa Springs’ Reservoir Hill Park. Among a long list of performers is the biggest draw, Sunday night’s headliner Todd Snider. Other performers include Tracy Grammer, Jimmy LaFave, Public Property, Will Kimbrough and Lindsay Mac. These early summer festivals are my favorite sort – mellow vibe, mellow weather (usually), and reasonable prices. Consider them a warm-up to the Telluride-caliber festivals or just keep

it simple all summer long. Learn more at www.folkwest.com/indiefest.

There’s plenty to occupy your evenings in town this week, as well. Thursday is another Ska-B-Q, a beer and free-food fest out in Bodo Park; this week’s musical guest is Angst for Nothing. And Friday evening, take off that necktie, slap on a tank top and head up to El Patio by around 6 p.m. to catch the Lawn Chair Kings, playing all your favorite soft rock hits from the ’80s and ’90s. Didn’t you hear? The former Western garage band has changed its tune ever since Steve watched that Jimmy Buffet marathon on VH1.

Dig up some fresh veg with the Mojo Farmers on Saturday night at the Summit. This Tempe, Ariz., band belongs to the tribe of stylistic hybrids that defy a single term – they incorporate blues, funk, rock both psychedelic and modern with a little acid thrown in. It’s groove music, designed to get your mojo rising. Just don’t do anything that’ll add grist to the bar-scene rumor mill.

On Wednesday, Eufórquestra, a seven-piece Afrobeat, funk, reggae, bluegrass and samba ensemble from Iowa City, Iowa, brings its world-beat fusion to the Summit. The band has made it its mission to learn about and preserve different traditions, always performing something new. As for the name, think “euphoria” and “orchestra” entwined in a lovers’ embrace, accent over the “O.” Sort of sounds like “you-fork-estra.” Check out one of the most diverse musical acts to come out of Iowa since the Burlington Iowa Municipal Band was formed in 1911.

As proof that some people are still actually buying recorded music from bricks-and-mortar record stores, we bring you the 10 best-selling CDs in Durango. For an interesting comparison of Durango’s interests versus those of the national record-buying public, let’s go to the Billboard charts. You’ll find Ozzy and Linkin Park and The Used there as well; Maroon 5 is #1. The rest is country and hip-hop – Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Carrie Underwood and Daughtry. Plus, of course, Michael Buble and the chameleonic Avril Lavigne. We can be proud that our musical taste is a bit more diverse and, dare we say, esoteric. Just don’t forget that the rumor mill is always working, so don’t let anyone see you buying “Best of Babs: Barbra Streisand Unzipped” on cassette. If that happens, you will lose your girlfriend and your turns.

Lindsay_damico@yahoo.com. •