Pinkies, winos and the Big Spank

by Chris Aaland

Spring finds me clutching bottles of allergy pills. The little pink capsules have taken over my life. When paired with martinis, whiskey and Cokes, and that certain barley and hops elixir I tend to favor, these “pinkies” can produce riotous drunken episodes and the mothers of all hangovers. I guess the Top Shelf stuff will have to stay there until my two-month-long bout of sneezing, eye-itching and nose-rubbing goes away. Or I’ll just have to brave the needle and visit my doctor.

There’s simply too much going on lately to stay indoors. Watching the Nuggets was a losing proposition, and the Avs-Wings matchup has left me bitter at best. And don’t even start with the Rockies. It’s not a good time for a Colorado sports fan to be glued to the tube.

My gut tells me I need exercise. The inner trout bum in me seeks low, fishable water. The green thumb in me knows that soil needs to be tilled in my garden and compost bins need to be constructed. My lumberjack side says to cut, split and stack firewood for next winter. I need to turn no further than the next barstool to find inspiration, as my drinking buddy Michael McCardell installed a speed bag and heavy bag in his garage.

If I choose to rise from the ashes, this might be a perfect week to do it. All sorts of events, from wine tastings to fiestas to Ska-B-Qs, beckon my butt from the sofa.

The second annual Durango Wine Experience will be held from Thursday through Saturday at a variety of locations in downtown Durango. More than 100 wineries are participating, with proceeds to benefit the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado. Signature events include the “Walk-About Durango” from 4-6:30 p.m. Friday at a variety of downtown merchants and galleries, a grand tasting from 4-6 p.m. Saturday under the festival tents at First National Bank of Durango, plus seminars, luncheons and dinners. Visit www.durangowine.com for more information.

Cinco de Mayo events take place all day long at Santa Rita Park on Saturday. Activities include a dance and family fiesta.

Legendary Celtic vocalist Karan Casey, formerly of Solas, performs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Farmington as part of San Juan College’s Silhouette Series. Casey has been called “the Irish equivalent of Emmylou Harris” by the Washington Post for her soulful renderings of songs of love, war and murder. She’s joined on the bill by Buille, a three-piece Irish outfit that features concertina, guitar and piano.

The 15^th annual Animas Music Festival gets under way with “Peace Pieces” at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Centering on the musical theme of peace, the event features composer/guitarist/vocalist Cyprian Consiglio and percussionist John Pennington, the latter a music professor at Fort Lewis College. The duo has recorded a pair of albums, “Compassionate and Wise” and “Awakening.” Other musicians include pianist Rick Modlin, violoncellist Dana Winograd, keyboardist Scott Hagler and the St. Mark’s Choir.

The Summit’s offerings this week include disco DJs on Thursday, all-out rock ’n’ roll with Strange New Shoes, Soda Jerks and Freeman Social on Friday; Latin, salsa, calypso and rock from Juana La Capilla on Saturday; and local rock featuring the Good Neighbors on Wednesday.

Steamworks’ musical entertainment this week includes the Latin, ska and rock of Big Spank and Oatie Paste on Thursday; a progressive hard house mix by Optimus Prime on Friday; and hip-hop and house music by Spark Maddden and DJ Mowgli on Saturday.

Tierra Madre Herbs, Montezuma Climate Action Network and Southwest Colorado Organic Growers Club host “King Corn” at 7 p.m. Saturday at Empire Electric’s Calvin Denton Room, located at 491 N. Broadway in Cortez. The Boston Globe calls the film “enormously entertaining” and “a moral, socio-economic odyssey through the American food system.” Donations are encouraged.

A Durango tradition is rekindled tonight (Thursday) as the legendary Ska-B-Q returns. Enjoy free food, cheap pints and groove to the Western garage sounds of the Lawn Chair Kings. LCK frontman Erik Nordstrom tells me that music will start shortly after 5 p.m. at Ska’s Bodo Park brewery.

One sure sign that spring is here is the release of Ska’s Mexican Logger. Nothing beats an evening on the deck with a frosty mug filled with the Mexican-style lager infused with Saaz hops. I prefer mine with a twist of lime.

Another local ale that I’ve been chugging lately is Steamworks’ Conductor Imperial India Pale Ale. This IPA blends three hop varieties – Warrior, Tomahawk and Simcoe – and comes in 22-oz. bombers.

The fact that spring’s halfway through means we’re already one-third of the way through 2008. Here are my Top 10 albums thus far into the current calendar year. Play them loud enough and you won’t hear me sneezing:

1. Drive-By Truckers, “Brighter than Creation’s Dark.” The departure of Jason Isbell means twice as many Mike Cooley songs as before, which is fine by me. Much more of a country-sounding album than their past four efforts.

2. Chatham County Line, “IV.” The fourth release from the North Carolina bluegrass band exposes its country, rock and folk roots.

3. Raconteurs, “Consolers of the Lonely.” Jack White owns rock’s soul.

4. Black Keys, “Attack and Release.” The other duo from the Midwest teams with Danger Mouse to unleash unholy blues-rock.

5. R.E.M., “Accelerate.” The Athens band finally returns to its twang guitar roots for its best album in more than a decade.

6. Dave Insley, “West Texas Wine.” Insley delves into classic, hard, honky tonk with numbers like “Exit 93” and “Drinkin’ for Two.”

7. Waco Brothers, “Waco Express: Live & Kickin’ at Shuba’s Tavern.” As expected, the Clash meets Cash in Langford and company’s live set.

8. Rev. OrganDrum, “Hi-Fi Stereo.” Jim Heath, better known as his alter-ego “Rev. Horton Heat,” plays in a guitar-organ-drum trio that sounds like Booker T. & the MG’s on steroids.

9. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, “Cipher.” An album of dark, loud, angry and weird songs featuring strange banjo tunings from Denver’s goth-country kings.

10. Infamous Stringdusters, self-titled. KDUR received an advance copy of this a few weeks ago. A cover of a Bad Livers song never hurts. New guitarist Andy Falco proved during the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown that the ‘Dusters didn’t lose any steam when Chris Eldridge left to join Chris Thile’s new band.

Your hands are sore and there’s lumps upside your head? E-mail me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.

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y Chris Aaland

pring finds me clutching bottles of allergy pills. The little pink capsules have taken over my life. When paired with martinis, whiskey and Cokes, and that certain barley and hops elixir I tend to favor, these “pinkies” can produce riotous drunken episodes and the mothers of all hangovers. I guess the Top Shelf stuff will have to stay there until my two-month-long bout of sneezing, eye-itching and nose-rubbing goes away. Or I’ll just have to brave the needle and visit my doctor.

There’s simply too much going on lately to stay indoors. Watching the Nuggets was a losing proposition, and the Avs-Wings matchup has left me bitter at best. And don’t even start with the Rockies. It’s not a good time for a Colorado sports fan to be glued to the tube.

My gut tells me I need exercise. The inner trout bum in me seeks low, fishable water. The green thumb in me knows that soil needs to be tilled in my garden and compost bins need to be constructed. My lumberjack side says to cut, split and stack firewood for next winter. I need to turn no further than the next barstool to find inspiration, as my drinking buddy Michael McCardell installed a speed bag and heavy bag in his garage.

If I choose to rise from the ashes, this might be a perfect week to do it. All sorts of events, from wine tastings to fiestas to Ska-B-Qs, beckon my butt from the sofa.

The second annual Durango Wine Experience will be held from Thursday through Saturday at a variety of locations in downtown Durango. More than 100 wineries are participating, with proceeds to benefit the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado. Signature events include the “Walk-About Durango” from 4-6:30 p.m. Friday at a variety of downtown merchants and galleries, a grand tasting from 4-6 p.m. Saturday under the festival tents at First National Bank of Durango, plus seminars, luncheons and dinners. Visit www.durangowine.com for more information.

Cinco de Mayo events take place all day long at Santa Rita Park on Saturday. Activities include a dance and family fiesta.

Legendary Celtic vocalist Karan Casey, formerly of Solas, performs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Farmington as part of San Juan College’s Silhouette Series. Casey has been called “the Irish equivalent of Emmylou Harris” by the Washington Post for her soulful renderings of songs of love, war and murder. She’s joined on the bill by Buille, a three-piece Irish outfit that features concertina, guitar and piano.

The 15^th annual Animas Music Festival gets under way with “Peace Pieces” at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Centering on the musical theme of peace, the event features composer/guitarist/vocalist Cyprian Consiglio and percussionist John Pennington, the latter a music professor at Fort Lewis College. The duo has recorded a pair of albums, “Compassionate and Wise” and “Awakening.” Other musicians include pianist Rick Modlin, violoncellist Dana Winograd, keyboardist Scott Hagler and the St. Mark’s Choir.

The Summit’s offerings this week include disco DJs on Thursday, all-out rock ’n’ roll with Strange New Shoes, Soda Jerks and Freeman Social on Friday; Latin, salsa, calypso and rock from Juana La Capilla on Saturday; and local rock featuring the Good Neighbors on Wednesday.

Steamworks’ musical entertainment this week includes the Latin, ska and rock of Big Spank and Oatie Paste on Thursday; a progressive hard house mix by Optimus Prime on Friday; and hip-hop and house music by Spark Maddden and DJ Mowgli on Saturday.

Tierra Madre Herbs, Montezuma Climate Action Network and Southwest Colorado Organic Growers Club host “King Corn” at 7 p.m. Saturday at Empire Electric’s Calvin Denton Room, located at 491 N. Broadway in Cortez. The Boston Globe calls the film “enormously entertaining” and “a moral, socio-economic odyssey through the American food system.” Donations are encouraged.

A Durango tradition is rekindled tonight (Thursday) as the legendary Ska-B-Q returns. Enjoy free food, cheap pints and groove to the Western garage sounds of the Lawn Chair Kings. LCK frontman Erik Nordstrom tells me that music will start shortly after 5 p.m. at Ska’s Bodo Park brewery.

One sure sign that spring is here is the release of Ska’s Mexican Logger. Nothing beats an evening on the deck with a frosty mug filled with the Mexican-style lager infused with Saaz hops. I prefer mine with a twist of lime.

Another local ale that I’ve been chugging lately is Steamworks’ Conductor Imperial India Pale Ale. This IPA blends three hop varieties – Warrior, Tomahawk and Simcoe – and comes in 22-oz. bombers.

The fact that spring’s halfway through means we’re already one-third of the way through 2008. Here are my Top 10 albums thus far into the current calendar year. Play them loud enough and you won’t hear me sneezing:

1. Drive-By Truckers, “Brighter than Creation’s Dark.” The departure of Jason Isbell means twice as many Mike Cooley songs as before, which is fine by me. Much more of a country-sounding album than their past four efforts.

2. Chatham County Line, “IV.” The fourth release from the North Carolina bluegrass band exposes its country, rock and folk roots.

3. Raconteurs, “Consolers of the Lonely.” Jack White owns rock’s soul.

4. Black Keys, “Attack and Release.” The other duo from the Midwest teams with Danger Mouse to unleash unholy blues-rock.

5. R.E.M., “Accelerate.” The Athens band finally returns to its twang guitar roots for its best album in more than a decade.

6. Dave Insley, “West Texas Wine.” Insley delves into classic, hard, honky tonk with numbers like “Exit 93” and “Drinkin’ for Two.”

7. Waco Brothers, “Waco Express: Live & Kickin’ at Shuba’s Tavern.” As expected, the Clash meets Cash in Langford and company’s live set.

8. Rev. OrganDrum, “Hi-Fi Stereo.” Jim Heath, better known as his alter-ego “Rev. Horton Heat,” plays in a guitar-organ-drum trio that sounds like Booker T. & the MG’s on steroids.

9. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, “Cipher.” An album of dark, loud, angry and weird songs featuring strange banjo tunings from Denver’s goth-country kings.

10. Infamous Stringdusters, self-titled. KDUR received an advance copy of this a few weeks ago. A cover of a Bad Livers song never hurts. New guitarist Andy Falco proved during the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown that the ‘Dusters didn’t lose any steam when Chris Eldridge left to join Chris Thile’s new band.

Your hands are sore and there’s lumps upside your head? E-mail me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.