Concert Series starts Friday in Yreka

The 2009 Scott Valley Bank Concerts in the Parks Series:

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Housecats  Rock n Roll
Lalo’s Mexican Restaurant • Law Office of Darrin W. Mercier • Medical Center Pharmacy & Compounding/MC Medical Equipment
 
Friday, June 19 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Cheeseburgers  Shrimpboat Rock
McDonald’s of Yreka & Weed • Black’s Home Furnishings • Simas’ Green Thumb Landscapes/Ernie Rizzardo Landscaping

Friday, June 26 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
Tempest  Celtic Rock
Etna Brewing Company • Edward Jones • West Coast Paving and Chip Sealing

Friday, July 3 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
5 a.m.  Original Rock
Shasta Forest Products, Inc. • Sears, Yreka • Hanon’s Floors

Friday, July 10 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Essentials  Funk, R&B
Weed Building Supply, Inc. • Bruce Riger, MD • ABY Petro, Inc./Yreka Valero

Friday, July 24 • 6:30 P.M.• Miner Street Park, Yreka
One Horse Shy  Americana/Country Rock
Les Schwab Tire • Alpine Business Equipment • Gold Nugget Printing

Friday, July 31 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
Gimme Shelter Classic Rock
SPECIAL for Children - this concert only – all aboard the Siskiyou Arts Council Mobile Art Studio
John Durney, DDS, Inc.- A Family Dentist • Girdner Funeral Chapel • Yreka Paint & Decorating

Saturday, Aug.1 • Ft. Jones Ball Park • 7:30 to 9:30 PM
Boyz Nite Out Contemporary A Capella
Siskiyou Telephone • Scott Valley Auto Parts • Fort Jones Lumber Yard

Sunday, Sept. 6 • Mt. Shasta City Park• Noon til 6 pm
Blackberry Music Festival
Live Music, Fun, Food & Games • An Annual Project of Mt. Shasta Rotary Club

Lots of live music in Dunsmuir June 5th & 6th

This coming Friday and Saturday, June 5th and 6th, Dunsmuir will be hosting a number of acts for your entertainment. Samba Da is coming to the Dunsmuir Grill & Creamery at 8:30pm on June 6th. Following up on their wildly successful area debut at last year’s Mt. Shasta Music Festival Summer Concert Series, Samba Da returns to Siskiyou County for a Brazilian Carnavale dance party at the Creamery (5740 Dunsmuir Ave.).
Samba Da’s irresistible dance music and spectacular stage presence have quickly established them as one of the hottest groups on the West Coast. With one foot rooted in California and another in Brazil, Samba Da musically unites the Americas, drawing from percussion styles of South and Central America and blending them with funk and reggae familiar to North America. Samba Da headlined 3 of the largest carnival parties in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego; were featured at Harmony Festival and Sierra Nevada World Music Festival.

Advance ticket purchases and dinner reservations are recommended for those planning to attend, as this intimate
event could sell out in advance. Phone 530.235.4585 to reserve a table for dinner. Tickets may be purchased at
Berryvale Grocery in Mt.Shasta, Bog Bean Books & Music in  Redding, Music Coop in Ashland, by phone at 530.918.4804 and online at www.positiveproductions.net. The show starts at 8:30 PM. Ages 21+.

On Friday, Dunsmuir’s long-time hot spot for music, Sengthong’s BlueSky Room, will host The New Up and The Slants at 9pm. The New Up has a sound that’s described as “smoldering, post-punk-brushed dance-rock” (Isthmus),  and “hip modern pop with a strong psychedelic streak” (Good Times). The New Up is celebrating the release of their new EP Better Off (August 2009) with a weekend run of shows in NorCal and the Pacific NW,
before launching their third national tour this fall.

NPR’s All Things Considered says, “It’s tempting to peg The Slants in some existing Asian genre: Canto-pop, J-Metal, Viet Core… but they’re not quite that simple.” In case you haven’t heard, The Slants are an Asian synth-pop band that have been melting faces off all over the country. Since their creation, The Slants have toured the country five times, received press for turning down a million dollar recording contract, and are the first (and, so far, only) Asian band to be a Fender Music featured artist. The band’s self-recorded,
self-produced and self-released Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts has everything that a perfect record should have: shattering hooks and anthemic choruses, powerful guitar and keyboard lines, and just the right mix of rock with
darker, dance themes – with an Asian twist. Cover is $8  & $5 with dinner purchase (18+)

Then, on June 6th, Ron Hoopes & Freshfire Jazz Trio return to Sengthong’s for a performance that is likely to sell out, so get your tickets quick. With tasty original compositions, great group synergy and artful skill, Fresh Fire is both fresh and full of fire. Along with Ron, bassist Nathan Sivananda and drummer John Aviani are co-creators of Fresh Fire’s distinctive approach to music-making — something they’ve been doing together for many years in their town of Mount Shasta, Calif. It’s always a pleasure to hear them be sure to catch Freshfire this time. 

$10 cover / $7 with dinner purchase – show starts @ 8:45pm. Call for reservations . . .this show will sell out! 530-235-1046

Mother’s Day destinations and activities

It looks like the weather is going to be nice for Mother’s Day here in Siskiyou County. You’ve got plenty of brunch spots to choose from for a family outing, as well as spring flowers to admire while you’re out on a post-brunch stroll. Enjoy the company of your loved ones and the beautiful blue skies.

In Dunsmuir –

The Brown Trout Cafe is offering Mother’s Day brunch Sunday from 10am-2pm, with discounts in the Brown Trout Gallery. A Wild Thyme Cafe and Cornerstone Cafe are wonderful choices for brunch, and the Cornerstone always offers delicious specials. If you’re gathering later in the day, consider an early dinner at Cafe Maddelena, where the cuisine is always top notch. After you’ve eaten you can ease off your meal by walking around downtown Dunsmuir (keeping an eye out for the dogwoods mentioned in Joanne’s recent post). Or you can head to the river: both the Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens and Taulindauli Park have trails that take you close to the water. They also have spring flowers in bloom, which makes a Mother’s Day stroll especially nice.

In Mt. Shasta –

The Mount Shasta Resort and Wayside Inn are offering Mother’s Day brunches, and there are a number of restaurants in town to choose from. Not far from the Mount Shasta Resort, the Lake Siskiyou trail provides a beautiful site for a walk. The North Shore trail is quite sunny with a good view of the lake, and the trail across from the Castle Lake road it full of blooming dogwoods right now. If you’re in town, cut up Castle Street to the Sisson Meadow boardwalk for fabulous views and benches where you can chat and enjoy the spring weather. If you’ve got little ones with you, go to the Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery (on the west side of I-5) where the kids can feed the fish and a short connector trail will take you to the Elsa Rupp Nature Trail across Old Stage Road.

In Yreka –

For Mother’s Day, Yreka’s got two great events: the Red Scaft Society’s “Music in the Air” performance and the 16th Annual Wildflower Show at the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds. In conjunction with the Wildflower show, there is a tour of the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area (outside of Montague) on May 9th. “Music in the Air” begins at 3pm at the Yreka Community Theater, and the Wildflower Show is from 1oam-4pm at the Fairgrounds. If you’re in Yreka and looking to get outside for a post-brunch walk, head to Greenhorn Park, where a trail will take you around the pond to explore the Upper and Lower Parks. Be sure to bring some bread crumbs with you, as the geese and ducks at the pond expect more goodies on Mother’s Day (they’re moms too, don’t ya know). For a Mother’s Day meal, check out Nature’s Kitchen, Grandma’s House or get festival at Casa Ramos or Lalo’s.

In Montague –

Ms. Lynn’s Tea has two events planned for the weekend: “Wonder fo the Mother”, Saturday at 1pm accompanied by a dessert tea, and all day Sunday you can stop in for a Queen’s Tea with musical accompaniment. Ms. Lynn’s is lots of fun – you can dress up for tea with props provided at the tea house, or come in your own fine garb.

Bellydancers coming to Fort Jones May 9th – get your tickets quick

The 2nd Annual Big Bellydance Show: A World of Dance is set for May 9th at the Fort Jones Community Center, with professional West Coast bellydancers bringing a whirlwind of color, movement and grace. Dancers from Ayesha’s Oasis Dance Company of Medford and Ashland’s Circus Tribal will entertain the crowd, with special performances by Saqra of Portland, Or., and Verbatim from Sacramento (back by popular demand). The show is so exciting that last year it sold out, and as of May 2nd only 35 tickets remain for this year’s show.

Saqra, a powerful dance artist and internationally renowned master instructor, will be teaching a workshop from 2-4pm that day. If you’d like to try your hand (um, belly?) at dancing, call Deborah at 468.2424 for more info and tickets for the performace as well. Tickets for the show are $10 in advance and $15 at the door (if any remain).

While you’re out in the Valley, stop by Casa Ramos Mexican Resaurant or Dave’s Place (for pizza or a burger) in Fort Jones or head over to Etna for dinner. Etna options include Bob’s Ranch House, Corrigan’s, the Etna Brewery Pub and Etna Deli (drive around or ask around, these are small towns so you’ll find what you’re looking for). Have a great time out in this beautiful valley at this really fun event!

H2O Manifesto on the stage in Yreka on May 8th

H20 Manifesto takes to the stage for another season, with a show at the Yreka Community Theater set for May 8th. Director, choreographer and dancer, Krista Miller brings the story of water issues of the West to the theater, telling the story of a family faced with the option of selling the family farm’s water rights to a water bottling plant. The production incorporates dance, music, art and theater, and always includes a discussion period after the performance. The play is co-written by Jason Gigliotti, and is said to be based on the story of a local, Shasta Valley family. It includes a musical score by GRAMMY nominee Gentle Thunder with additional composition by David Schanaker.

The show starts a 7:30pm at the Yreka Community Theater, located at 810 N. Oregon Street (near the high school). Tickets are $15 for adults, and can be purchased by calling 530.859.1309 or visiting Nature’s Kitchen, the Yreka Chamber of Commerce or at Village Books in Mt. Shasta.

Live music at Sengthongs & The Stage Door in May

If you’re going to be in the south Siskiyou towns of Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir or McCloud in May, be sure to keep an eye out for the live entertainment opportunities offered by Sengthong’s Bluesky Room in Dunsmuir and The Stage Door in Mt. Shasta. Both are small, intimate venues that offer tasty dinners, and they are the night life in this area if you’re looking for live music. Plus, it’s great to support these little spots, where locals join you in dancing and grooving because we’ll really appreciate these resources.

On tap in May at Sengthongs:
May 2: Ron Hoopes & Freshfire Jazz Trio (a local band)
May 5: Yogoman Burning (Reggae,hip hop,classic soul and jazz)
May 9: Brothers of the Baladi (traditional Middle Eastern to international rock)
May 16: Five Eyed Hand & Blue Turtle Seduction (2 great dance bands)
May 22: Dave Amour Band (rock-n-blues)

At The Stage Door in May:
May 8 (8pm): Jason Connoly (acoustic singer/songwriter)
May 2 (8pm): Rock Creek Crossing (mighty bluegrass)
May 15 (8pm): Sacred Sound System with Germain.
May 22 (8pm): Dr. Sketchy’s burlesque life drawing party (wow, you’ve got to go check that out)
May 23 (8pm): Fat Sack o Bluegrass (do I need to say it?)
May 29 (8pm): Wild Blues Yonder (hot blues from Shasta County)
May 30 (8pm): Community open floor World Dance Night.

Jason Conley playing at the Stage Door May 8th, more music to come

We’re stoked that one of our favorite local musicians, Jason Conley, is coming back to the Stage Door in Mt. Shasta on May 8th. West Virginia born singer/songwriter Jason Conley will feature songs from his first solo album, The Postulant Thief, along with old favorites from his three albums as part of SlapShoeFly. Conley lives in Chico and tours the North State, coming back to the stronghold of support he’s formed in Mt. Shasta. Conley’s music is a blend of aching lyrics and booting slapping music – the source of the band SlapShoeFly’s name. His songs tell the tale of his life – sometimes hard and sometimes joyful – with the sounds of a long line of gospel musicians and back porch bluegrass players from his childhood echoing through his original works.

The show starts at 8pm, Friday, May 8th with a $5 cover. The Stage Door is located at 414 N. Mount Shasta Boulevard in Mt. Shasta. Call 926.1050 for info or to make dinner reservations.

We’ve got plenty of music lined up at local venues. To see what’s happening in the coming weeks, visit the Stage Door’s website and the big list of musical performances lined up for Sengthong’s in Dusnmuir.

“Last Friday” art show opening in Happy Camp this Friday

If you’re looking for adventure this weekend, head out to Happy Camp for the Klamath Siskiyou Art Center’s opening of “Wood”. Friday, March 27th the show will open with Mid-Eastern dinner, followed by tasty deserts. The show is one of a series of medium-themed shows. Last month’s show was “Clay,” and coming in April, along with a ceramics sale, is “Paper”. The show openings are held the last Friday of the month at the Art Center, located on the corner of Highway 96 and Davis Road. For more info call (530) 493-5668 or email alan@ksartcenter.org.

For more of what’s coming up this weekend, visit our calendar.

Keep in mind that in a few months Happy Camp will the be hub of summer whitewater rafting. Three day trips out of Happy Camp provide a wonderful excursion for families as you play in the water, camp on sandy beaches and spend time together under the stars. A number of guide services offer trips on the Klamath, from Happy Camps three-day trips, to one day floats from Tree of Heaven to heart pounding adventures on the Upper Klamath. You can find contact info for guide services on our guides page.

The Tweaksters take the stage in Weed on March 29th

Here’s the description of a coming event: The Tweaksters –

Join “The Tweaksters,” two quirky performers with six-pack abs of steel, dancers’ grace, zaniness, and a penchant for juggling, black light and heavy lifting, as they bring the “ooh-ahh” factor in their acrobatic, balletic feats of strength and balance to the College of the Siskiyous theater in Weed on March 29th.
This juggling, balancing, object-manipulating, off-the-wall team is captivatingly fun.  Their innovative mix of acrobatic dance and artistic juggling blends pure athletic creativity with odd objects in a rhythmic, crazy cool performance designed to tweak and delight audiences of all ages.  With the Tweaksters, you can’t imagine what you’ll experience next.  From ping-pong air raids to glow-in-the-dark illusions to skillful feats of strength and balance, this pulse-quickening adventure keeps audiences oohing and aahing.  Sometimes regarded as “The Blue Man Group without the paint,” the Tweaksters use their athletic prowess and fertile imaginations to deftly manipulate flower pots, meteors, luminescent ropes, and galvanized pipes – not to mention each other – tweaking all the way.
The show is Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 2 p.m. in the College of the Siskiyous Kenneth W. Ford Theater.  General admission tickets are $20, senior citizen tickets (60 years and older) are $19 and children 12 and under are $12.  For groups purchasing 20 or more tickets, the cost is $15 per ticket.  For additional information, call the Weed Campus Foundation Office at (530) 938-5373 or toll-free (888) 397-4339.

MountainFilm Festival in Weed March 14th

Films from Telluride’s MountainFilm Festival in Colorado will be showing March 14th at the College of the Siskiyous in Weed at the 8th annual Shasta Mountain Film Festival. Award-winning international films with stunning cinematography educate and inspire audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth protecting, and conversations worth sustaining. A MountainFilm presenter will bring the films to life by setting each in its proper context, weaving a narrative thread for additional fun. The event, sponsored by the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, will feature films with themes of adventure, mountaineering, remarkable personalities, and important environmental and social messages.

The feature of the evening is “Asiemut”,a film by a French Canadian couple who biked 8,000 km from Mongolia, through the deserts of China, across the mountains of Tibet and Nepal, all the way to the mouth of the Ganges River in India. Their film tells the tale of the journey – adversity and joy, discoveries of cultures, and love shared by the two young adventurers. “Losing the Elephants”, “Shikashika”, “Global Focus: Mexico”, “Via Bearzi”, “Red Gold” and “Carpa Diem” are among some of the films to be shown. For a description of these films visit the  Telluride MountainFilm Festival website.

The Henry Ford Theater doors open at 5:30 p.m. for tasty refreshments, live music by harpist Anne Johnson, and an opportunity to view a variety of raffle items donated by local merchants. Films will begin at 6:30 p.m. and run through 10 p.m. with a bonus feature following for those who enjoy a late-night treat.

Tickets are $20 at the door; $16 in advance. Advance tickets can be purchased by cash or check at Village Books or Shasta Base Camp in Mount Shasta, The Brown Trout Gallery in Dunsmuir, COS Bookstore in Weed, and Nature’s Kitchen in Yreka. Advance tickets may also be purchased by credit card, by calling the Ecology Center at 926-5655.