Furniture, funktioning and fundraising

by Chris Aaland

Durango Massive went big – and I’m talking huge – for CeleFunktion this year. From tonight (Thurs., March 17) through Sunday, events will be held at the Animas City Theatre, Balcony Backstage, El Rancho and Moe’s. The Motet highlights the fiesta with shows tonight and Friday at the ACT. During their lengthy run, The Motet has morphed from jam band to world drumming outfit to nu-jazz ensemble to their current incarnation, which is heavy on ’70s-based disco and funk. Their most recent album, a self-titled number that came out in 2014, is among my favorite records of the decade for the simple reason that it’s fun. And this from an old codger of a critic who prefers his music rootsy and lyrics broody! Others on the funk fiesta include the Fort Knox Five, DJ Dan, Zach Deputy, Greener Grounds, acoustic guitar virtuoso Andreas Kapsalis (one of the best six-string players in the world, in my humble opinion), Elder Grown, Tnerdle, Liver Down the River, Diabolical Sound Platoon, Durango Funk Allstars, Pants Party, Soul Atomic, Posh Josh and more. Single-night, weekend and VIP packages are available.

And that’s not all for Durango Massive. Tuesday brings serious underground hip-hop with all of the original Hieroglyphics crew to the ACT. Hiero Imperium Records was founded in Oakland, Calif., in 1997, featuring Del the Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, Domino and the Souls of Mischief. The Hiero crew has since branched out for collaborations with the likes of George Clinton, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Q-Tip, Gorillaz and others.

The Motet highlights CeleFunktion with two shows at the ACT this weekend.

And on Wednesday, Sol’s “The Headspace Tour” lands on the ACT’s stage, featuring Brothers From Another, Otieno Terry and special guests. Sol has always been the one to take the road less traveled, whether that’s declining to adopt an alter ego through a rapper alias or hitting pause on a burgeoning music career to travel the globe for 10 months. On “The Headspace Traveler,” released earlier this month, he mined his experiences for an album that is both personal and universal.

Fundraisers for local radio stations take center stage this week as well. KDUR’s annual Furniture as Art auction takes place tonight at the Durango Arts Center. Doors open at 5:30, with bidding to begin at 6:30. The $25 ticket includes food, beer, wine and music from Ace Revel. Wear green! It’s St. Patty’s Day.

And KSUT’s spring membership drive forges on through 6 p.m. Saturday. For the 18th year in a row, the grand prize is a trip for two to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, complete with lodging in the French Quarter, airfare and a pair of three-day passes for the festival’s first weekend. Friday’s day prize includes a Ska party, including use of the outdoor patio, beer, a taco bar from Zia Taqueria and music from Running out of Road. The winner will coordinate the day of their Ska party with Ska, Zia and ROOR. Plus, daily morning prizes including Durango Meltdown passes, tickets to the sold-out Judy Collins show at the Henry Strater Theatre, local dining packages and more. Pledge online at www.ksut.org or call the station between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. today through Saturday.

The State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara, best known in Durango for their annual production of “Nutcracker,” returns with a full-length production of the ballet “Carmen” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Inspired by George Bizet’s popular score, State Street Ballet’s “Carmen” is a riveting drama of love, jealousy and the hands of fate.

The Henry Strater Theatre welcomes the fourth annual Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival on Friday through Sunday. Featured performers include Adam Swanson (the festival music director), Tom Brier, Danny Coots, Andrew Greene, Frederick Hodges, Brian Holland, Frank LiVolsi, Will Perkins, Bob Seeley, Carly Sonny Leyland and Virginia Tichenor. In addition to the main stage performances, the weekend also includes symposiums, silent movies and after-hour parties in the Diamond Belle Saloon.

If you missed out on Leftover Salmon at the ACT earlier this week, you could catch them tonight and Friday at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride. But act quickly, as sell-outs are expected. On Saturday, the Sheridan closes its winter season with a performance by the ever-popular SHEL, a group of four sisters now based in Nashville. Originally from Fort Collins, SHEL recently packed Buckley Park.

Live music and live art get paired together at Crash Music in the Aztec Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Afrobeatniks, a regional act that fuses Nigerian Afropop in the style of Fela Kuti with traditional folkloric rhythms structures of Guinea, will play originals and spirited covers. They round out their sound with a bit of funk, reggae and rock. Artists who will display their work include Meredith Rose, Beth McClure, Dan Groth, Tirzah Camacho, Michael Gautier and Crystal Hazen.

If you missed the Irish Car Bomb firkin at Steamworks earlier this month, you can head up to Purgatory Friday for a pint after your spring skiing. The Bomb is a real home-wrecker. I downed a pint of the tasty suds at the March 4 tapping. It’s based in Steamworks’ award-winning Backside Stout and has a second fermentation with Irish Cream and Jameson flavors.

Moe’s gets festive at 8 p.m. tonight for St. Patty’s Day with green beer, a DBC keg giveaway, bingo and more. Funked Up Fridays brings dancing to DJ Icite at 9 p.m., while Saturday’s slate includes DJ Noonz at 9.

Elsewhere: Kirk James plays solo blues from 5:30-7 p.m. tonight at Durango Craft Spirits; and the Black Velvet Trio works the Derailed Pour House at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Then there’s that little ol’ March Madness thing happening. It completely slipped my mind when scheduling the KSUT membership drive … unforgiveable. I miss most of the first two rounds, but will be primed for the Sweet 16. This week’s Top Shelf list includes my official Final Four predictions. I do believe the basketball gods will wear Carolina blue in the mother of all title bouts against Kansas:

1. Kansas in the South

2. Oklahoma in the West

3. North Carolina in the East

4. Michigan State in the Midwest

Rock, chalk, jayhawk? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.