folk

For over 20 years Mumbo Gumbo has been one of Northern California's top groups, releasing 9 original CDs and collecting numerous "Sammie" and "Best of Sacramento awards. The 7-piece band tours the Western United States, bringing their "genre-bending Americana" music to their many fans. Their big musical stew contains elements of soul, zydeco, folk, blues, rock, cajun, Caribbean, and country all mixed into their uniquely festive roots-music sound.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Nevada State Parks invites the public to a weekend of free historic events at Mormon Station State Historic Park. 
For more information, please contact the park at (775) 782-2590.

June 18: Pioneer Living History Day
Bring the family and enjoy a living history day with the Sierra Nevada and Truckee Meadows Mormon Pioneers. 

The film "Water for Elephants" opened Friday night at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in a gala showing as a benefit for the V&T railroad group at $15 per head. Reason is that old No. 18 of the V&T more or less stars in the movie. More on the benefit later.

The film "Atlas Shrugged Part 1," opened Friday night at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City. The opening was overshadowed by the first-night celebration the V&T's No. 18 steam locomotive in "Water for Elephants," an average romance-plus-disaster film.

I did not have the luck to see the first three versions of the "Scream" franchise, so I can't compare "Scream 4" currently  playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City. But I suspect this version is just as bloody as the earlier three. Where's the Red Cross when  you really need it?

Plenty of good snow up there, but if you're in the mood for a fine crime thriller you could certainly enjoy "The Lincoln Lawyer," currently playing at the Casino Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City.

The cast is solid, with craggy Matthew McConaughey as criminal lawyer Mickey Heller, who runs his law practice from the back seat of a Lincoln Town Car driven by a former client who is working off his legal fees.

The movie "Drive Angry," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is practically one long car-chase movie, starring Nicholas Cage and Amber Heart.

To fully enjoy this film you have to believe totally that there is an actual physical Heaven and Hell, not that the two are metaphors of consciousness. But don't fret about it; religious ideas don't count here.

The twisted and weathered woods of the Great Basin environment become imaginative and sometimes whimsical works of art in a new exhibit at the Western Nevada College Main Gallery.
Sculptor Larry Williamson exhibits his "Great Basin Work," Monday, Feb. 14-Friday, March 25, with a free, public reception on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 5-6:30 p.m.

Williamson's carved creations are fabrications of his mind and his materials - aged pieces of wood found on the floor of the Great Basin. What transpires is an imaginative recount of the landscape that has surrounded him most of his life.

"Season of the Witch," currently playing at the Casino Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is a movie that can't decide if it's a thriller fantasy or a buddy picture or a tour through muddled 14th century history. Maybe it's none of the above but instead just a mess.

It starts out with three alleged witches hanged and drowned (talk about overkill!), one of which comes back to do in the priest who condemned the three.

Strings in the Schools, Carson City Symphony's after school program, presents "This is Not A Christmas Concert" at the Plaza Conference Center, 211 E. 9th St. in Carson City at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9.
About 80 string players, including Carson City public, private and home schooled students and students from surrounding areas will perform several pieces from classics to folk and fiddle tunes. Admission is free. Call Sue Jesch at (775) 450-5584.

Rarely has a Nevada senatorial race received the nationwide attention this year’s has. Of course, there’s the old pro versus the new pro — Harry Reid and Sharron Angle. Both have been around the barn a number of times, she in the Nevada Legislature and Harry in all kinds of jobs, most currently, of course, Senate majority leader.

Seems a lot of Nevadans are unhappy with Harry, mostly because he is now an insider, carrying out President Obama’s programs as any majority leader would be forced to do if it’s his party in the White House.

By now, you have probably heard about the fiasco in Bell, Calif., where city officials were being paid outrageous salaries while cutting services and raising taxes.

When the manager of a city of 36,000 residents takes home almost $800,000 a year, that's going to raise some eyebrows. And how did he and other city executives get these salaries? The elected officials in Bell gave it to them, along with $100,000 annual salaries for themselves, for their part-time jobs.

Carson City theater lovers have one more chance tonight to enjoy one of the better summer musicals playing in our town.

LAKE TAHOE — Get ready for jazz, Celtic, mystery, comedy, bluegrass, percussion and a whole lot more at the Lake Tahoe Valhalla Arts, Music and Theatre Festival. The Festival takes place at the historic Tahoe Tallac site, a 74-acre setting currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a 1800’s favorite getaway for Northern California’s elite members of society.  But you don’t have to be an elite member of society to enjoy the variety of affordable and sometimes even free events at the Valhalla Festival.

Celebrating Nevada's rich American Indian culture is a new exhibit at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City called "What Continues the Dream: Contemporary Arts and Crafts from the Powwow Tradition."
This colorful exhibit, featured now through Aug. 7, was developed by the Folklife Program of the Nevada Arts Council and presents art and crafts that capture the vibrant spirit of the contemporary powwow, Nevada-style.

JMark Cash presents the Chihuahua Desert Duet, an acoustic duet playing rock, folk, country and traditional Mexican music. The musicians will perform at Sierra Place, 1111 West College Parkway in Carson City. The duo invite anyone stop in, shake a hand or two, kick up a little sawdust and let out a hoot. This will be a fun-filled, outdoor musical evening. The event begins at 7 p.m. Call (775) 841-4111.

LAKE TAHOE — Visitors and locals alike can head to the shoreline of the Tallac Historic Site for some of the area’s most unique and diverse entertainment. The Valhalla Arts, Music, and Theatre Festival is bringing down the house with its July line-up and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Susan Botich will be playing live acoustic folk, jazz and popular music at 88 Cups Cafe in Minden, NV (775-783-0688) May 29 from 7:00 PM until about 9:30 PM.

Susan Botich’s vocal range and versatile singing and playing style keeps audiences entranced all evening. Ms. Botich’s eclectic choice of folk, jazz and popular songs compliment her lyrically-driven original music, as well. To hear samples of Susan Botich’s songs, visit www.susanbotich.com/music.

A couple of fine shows on tap this weekend for Carson City folk. One is a children's production, Aladdin, Jr." at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada. The other is the venerable "Sound of Music," staged by the Western Nevada Musical Theater Company, affiliated with our local college.

There are at least a dozen reasons Carson folk should see the play "The Laramie Project" next weekend at the Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall. But two should be enough to get you moving.

First, the play itself is intense, absorbing, dramatic, engaging. Maybe play isn’t the right word since this is a collection of comments made by Laramie residents before and after the murder of gay college student Matthew by beating and leaving to freeze on a Wyoming back road.

On Tax Day it was my day off so I thought I'd go to the Tea Party in front of the Legislature to check out the scene. As a Progressive in my first Tea Party, I found it both exhiliarating and stomach turning. Despite my patchouli scented locks and my tie dyed hat, no one seemed to recognize me as "the enemy" so I browsed and schmoozed freely all over the area. Met 2 ex-coworkers there who were protesting with signs and I even got my picture taken with Govenor Gibbons! (I'll attach it here if I can.) He was real nice.

Enjoy FREE live music at 88 Cups of Coffee & Tea Cafe in Minden, located at 1663 Lucerne Street(775-783-0688).

Susan Botich will play original, traditional and popular songs in folk, jazz and popular genres.

88 Cups serves delicious treats and drinks and is a great place to relax and unwind. All ages are welcome.

Good Lovelies – From Riches to Rags to Life on the Road

Coming April 22 at 7:30 pm!

Pre-sale discount for advanced ticket sales.

March 27, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Colin Ross with Mig O'Hara in Concert

You're invited to the "cast party" as singer Celia Slattery present music from her latest CD, Cast of Characters.

Feb. 28, 2010 (Sun)
Chinese Folk Dance at Sierra Place