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Dad’s day, greencards and 'refuse' art by Lindsay Nelson What is this thing we call Father’s Day? A day to buy grill accessories, neckties and power tools, if you believe the advertising circulars. Even florists are getting in on the action now, because all the other holidays aren’t enough – buy Dad a bouquet! Today’s man is no sissy, but he’s not afraid to stop and smell the carnations. By placing the flowers (patriotic, primary colors only) in a jumbo root beer mug with a whimsical bendy straw, we can express our lighthearted, pat-on-the-back sort of affection for our dads. What does it say about the meaning of fatherhood in our culture, that you have to search high and low in the Hallmark aisle to find a Father’s Day card that openly expresses deep and complex emotions to the pater? If you thought we left the “strong, silent breadwinner” fatherhood model behind with the Summer of Love, you have another thing coming. Take note, dads, of the unique challenge you face raising children in today’s confusing world. On the one hand, you’ve got to be sensitive, caring and communicative; you must accept floral bouquets with manly fortitude; but, you also have to know how to fix the lawn mower, washing machine and broken GI Joe Jeep. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Thanks, Dad. We hope you already know the answer to this question, but the Children’s Museum and Durango Discovery Museum ask anyway: Who’s Your Daddy? This now-annual community fund-raising event on Saturday benefits the museums’ kid-friendly programs with lots of fun things like micro-golf, a trebuchet, Father’s Day gift-making booths, and all sorts of kids’ activities and crafts. For big people, there will be beer, food and a steady stream of happening live music, from local sensations Lawn Chair Kings, Boxcar and Rock & Rye. The whole thing is free, starts at 11 a.m. and goes until 5 p.m. on Saturday in the 1000 block of Main Ave. Later on Saturday night, it’s another opportunity to experience the thrilling atmosphere of the legendary Hollywood Bar in Dolores. The show from the Lawn Chair Kings and the Beautiful Losers starts at 8 p.m. and there’s a cover charge of $5. The Hollywood is hosting a band a month as part of its live music series, featuring great, original rock ‘n’ roll, genuine honky-tonk and everything in between. Upcoming shows will feature Australian psychobilly from Wild Turkey, glam-garage rock ‘n’ roll from The Dirty Novels, and Austin honky-tonk from Dave Insley and the Careless Smokers. The Hollywood is located at 417 Central Ave. in Dolores. Another up-and-coming, hardworking local band, Formula 151, plays two shows in town this week. The first is an all-ages performance at the Wildhorse Saloon, tonight, June 14, at 8 p.m. Friday night, Dave Mensch and Steve Dejka from the band play a duo show at El Patio, starting at 5 p.m. with no cover.
The Summit’s got what kids crave; not electrolytes but loud, dance-inspiring electrified music. Friday night it’s Midwestern white reggae band Public Property, a group that defends itself against skeptics by turning out a unique, original sound that incorporates roots reggae with ska, funk, hip-hop and a ukulele (frontman Dave Bess is Hawaiian). They also have a message, alluding to controversy and confrontational ideology, the nature of which eludes me. But most people likely won’t notice the words, too busy will they be grinding on the dance floor. Just don’t do anything that could leave you wondering who is the daddy. Saturday night, the Summit stage heads up again with the band Moving Matter, another variety-sampler of musical styles designed to make you move. Formed in 1999, the band has evolved into a variety of music styles, including rock, jazz, funk, Latin and techno; its songs are based around orchestrated movements and improvisational grooves and a blend of instrumental and vocal arrangements, they say. A big show at the Community Concert Hall happens Tuesday night, when Jake Shimabukuro and The Greencards take the stage on a double bill (and that’s not the ticket price). “Renowned for lightning-fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques, Jake Shimabukuro’s (she-ma-BOO-koo-row’s) virtuosity on the ukulele has been compared to guitar legends Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix. Playing jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock, his mission is to “showcase the ukulele as an instrument capable of so much more than traditional Hawaiian music.” And The Greencards? “The Greencards, an Austin-based trio, comes by way of the United Kingdom and Australia, but the sound is authentic Americana – or neo-traditional, alt-folk. Chemistry among the three existed from the outset, and their friendly bluegrass jams blossomed into one of Austin’s most popular bar bands. The Greencards create original music, writing and scouting for songs that break the rules of bluegrass and carve out a fresh hybrid of styles somewhere between classic folk balladry and jam band rock and roll.” So there you have it. Tickets are available now at the Concert Hall Box Office online or in person at 7th and Main. If you’ve been into Steamworks Brewing Co. lately and noticed some atypical decorations on the wall, you have witnessed Salon de Refusé, an exhibit of the dozens of “also-rans” entered in the Durango Arts Center’s 31st annual Juried Art Show, June 8-23. So if galleries scare you and you also like beer, check out the “refuse” art at Steamworks.
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The Independent Weekly Line on Durango and Beyond
