Eugene Weekly : What's Happening Corvallis : 04.07.05

What's Happening Corvallis

A Foreign Balance

Corvallis woman travels to India to help with tsunami relief.

BY KIM SMITH

Judi Kloper arrived in India Jan. 8, just three weeks after the tsunami destroyed the southeastern coastline. Once-familiar sights were washed away. The disheveled land was littered with makeshift tents of eclectic colors, creating a new village where concrete homes and humble huts had once stood. Other huts made of wood and straw were now piles of debris layering the dusty ground.

Kloper regularly visits India for her work in international adoption, and the January trip was already planned. But once the tsunami hit, her plans changed. This time she was part of something much bigger — the international effort to help out. "I knew I couldn't go empty-handed," she said. So she sent out an e-mail to hundreds of people, threw together a last minute fund-raiser at Evergreen Indian Restaurant and raised $5,674.

She partnered with Care and Share, a non-religious organization that runs orphanages and schools for more than 300 children in India. Together they used the money to help people in small villages along the southeast coastline in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. "I was apprehensive about what I might see," she said. "I was scared because I knew that I would be sad if I saw things that I was used to seeing that were no longer there."

The first few days were shocking, even though she'd read the stories. The coastline had been cut and chiseled, as if something had violently torn away the beautiful flat shoreline. People wore empty expressions tinged with fear and desperation, not knowing what to do next. "I saw a lot of people just sitting around," Kloper said. "What can they do?"

Some combed the shoreline, pulling bloated bodies from the wet sand. Others wandered in search of food, left only with the remaining roots from below the surface of the stripped soil. Many of their wells were destroyed and the rest were contaminated with salt water.

Kloper arrived with clothing and medicine. The money she raised in Corvallis helped feed 1,000 people for three days, build 10 new boats, buy 14 new fishing nets, repair 1,000 huts, desalinate and clean 25 wells and provide 25 kg of rice, utensils and household articles for 1,000 families.

The people of Peddapatnam, the first village that Kloper visited, are fishing people. The men venture out to the ocean every day in their dilapidated boats and patched nets to bring in their food, their income and their livelihood.

The sea had betrayed them. Their boats were tossed miles in from the coastline, smashed to pieces and hanging in trees. The fishing nets were tangled masses that carried bits of their village. Women hovered anxiously over nets, their aged hands picking and mending in hopes of restoring their lives. They needed a way to pick up the pieces; they needed the resources to repair their once-lively village.

When Kloper and the other volunteers arrived, the people ran to them, greeting them by touching their palms and showering them with bright garlands of jasmine. "When you give, it's an altruistic thing," Kloper said. "It makes you feel good inside."

Kloper remembers her trip in other people's words — everyone had a tsunami story. There was the young woman, orphaned for 15 years, who was about to be married. The tsunami washed away her dowry. Her brother had saved for five years for the dowry because before he could marry, tradition dictated she had to be married.

Care and Share replaced the dowry and the arranged marriage took place the next day. "I kept thinking that life is going on in the midst of all these things," Kloper said. "With all that these people were going through, there was still the joy of a wedding."

The story of a young boy with cerebral palsy touched Kloper more than the rest — she has a personal connection to kids with disabilities. Kloper's adopted son Dana, from India, is quadriplegic with severe cerebral palsy and bilateral hearing loss. But because Kloper adopted him, Dana got the medical care he needed, attended public school and is now an OSU student.

JUDI KLOPER HELPS DISTRIBUTE RICE TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS IN INDIA.

Kloper arranged for the young boy with cerebral palsy in India to get treatment. Doctors agreed to construct braces for his legs and build new furniture that would make his life less difficult and more comfortable. Kloper worked with his parents and taught them how to care for their child. "I felt like my son would be happy to know that we were able to touch someone's life in that way," she said.

Though India is thousands of miles away, part of Kloper is still soaking in the pungent smells of its streets and the heat of the Indian sun. But she is here too, with a blinking computer screen, a ringing phone and piles of paperwork for her recent adoptions. Kloper and her husband have five children, three of whom are adopted from India. She'll soon be back to help out again.

"I must have lived there at some point," she said, referring to the concept of reincarnation. "There is a connection for me and I am very comfortable when I am there. I am always at home there, even in the strangest places."

To donate to the tsunami relief fund, please contact Judi Kloper at judiKO@aol.com

 

 

 

Inspiration for Murder

Author Ron Lovell takes clues from his surroundings.

BY CHRISTINE MATHIAS

Sitting in a popular Corvallis pub, Ron Lovell leaned forward trying to talk over the clamor of a shattering dish. "It's a good site for a murder because its ominous nature is spooky at night," he said referring to the Oregon Coast lighthouse that set the scene for his first published murder mystery, Murder at Yaquina Head.

Before writing murder mysteries, Lovell worked in almost every field of journalism and traveled all over the country. He figures a murder mystery novel is the best way to combine all the sleuthing skills he learned as a reporter with the fun of imaginative fiction writing. He's spent his whole life engaged in serious business writing, but now the wrinkles on his face surround a devious grin when he says, "I'd just rather get to the thrills and chills part."

Lovell got his first taste of journalism as editor of his high school newspaper in Santa Monica, Calif. He eventually graduated with a BS in political science and a MA in journalism from UCLA. His first job was at the Los Angeles bureau of McGraw Hill, one of the largest publishers of trade magazines. Working there he traveled coast to coast and covered beats from electronics to medicine. By his 30s, Lovell had accomplished his dream of working in New York City and eventually his love of the West Coast brought him home to Oregon. His days in the big city as a serious business writer were over.

Back in the West, Lovell taught technical journalism at OSU for 24 years. Now he writes his murder mysteries in Glen Eden, a small town on the Oregon Coast. His experience in journalism gives him plenty of inspiration for his novels. He says he bases his books on types of situations that happen in everyday life — except in this "everyday life," scandals are taking place, morals are being threatened and people are dying.

Tom Martindale, the protagonist of Lovell's novels, bears a strong resemblance to Lovell himself. "Some people say when he is talking they can hear me," he said. "In a lot of ways, it is me." But in many ways it isn't. In the most recent book, Martindale drives a hot yellow sports car, but Lovell says his silver Volkswagen is "hot enough for me." His button-down shirt and loose khaki pants are clean and casual, but certainly not as loud as the funky ties worn by his character, which have little icons showing each ironic situation in Tom Martindale's life.

Lovell named the character after his great-grandfather. Martindale is a professor at a school similar to OSU and has a history of doing some investigative reporting. That gets him caught up in all sorts of mysterious situations: from the death of a cheerleader on campus (Lights! Camera! Action!), to a lighthouse mystery dating back to World War II (Murder at Yaquina Head), to stumbling across a murdered scientist in the mouth of a beach whale (Dead Whales Tell No Tales).

Lovell's ideas for two more books in the Martindale series are already in action. Murder Below Zero (May 2005) will take place in the Arctic. It will be the first of Lovell's books set away from the Oregon Coast. But don't worry, Martindale will be back to the Oregon campus to solve scandals in the election of a university president when Searching for Murder hits the shelves.

Lovell says he didn't mean for all of his books to be based on the coast, but his characters and personal background keep leading him there. "Besides," Lovell said, "it's therapeutic to walk along the ocean. There are people from a lot of places. It's beautiful — and of course there is the matter of the lighthouses."

 

 

 

Art Far & Wide

ARTrageous takes participants around the world.

BY KIM SMITH

Since 1994, participants of ARTrageous Adventures have traveled around the world including trips to Spain, Mexico and Washington state exploring the role of art in various communities. As an educational outreach program through OSU's Craft Center and ArtCentric, ARTrageous Adventures' participants get up close and personal with art in ways even art aficionados rarely experience.

ARTrageous participant and Portland-based artist Lillian Pitt stands by "The Dancing Ground of the Sun" at the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Sante Fe, NM.

Barbara Sobo Gast, a lively artist with a passionate desire to experience new things, heads up the program and plans trips where participants are exposed to a myriad of art forms that vary from painting to performance, architecture to public art, music to dance. Trips include personal talks with the curators, knowledgeable tour guides and even tours of local artists' studios.

"We spend the time with the artists talking about [their art] and seeing this beautiful relationship between the artist and the real beat of the community," Gast said.

ARTrageous Adventurers have visited the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, observed glass-blowing in Washington, made pots from local clay in Mexico and visited artists' homes in Phoenix. ARTrageous has also traveled to places throughout the immediate area including Portland, Ashland, Newport, and Tacoma, with an upcoming trip to Eugene.

For Gast, the trips close the gap between the artist and the viewer, a process that completes the artistic experience. "The more we can put pieces together, the richer and more understandable is our place within the world and our relationship to each other," she said.

Anyone can join an ARTrageous trip, and participants are diverse in both their interests and backgrounds. ARTrageous trips usually consist of roughly 30 travelers, and it is the people, Gast claims, who are the heart of the program. "The trip itself is a piece of art," she said. "It is a living, breathing, performance art piece. I don't create the trip. I may design an itinerary of activities but the actual trip is a collective process."

Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art is one stop on the next ARTrageous Adventures trip.

In June, ARTrageous Adventures will travel to Chicago to stand in front of the paintings of the old masters at the Art Institute of Chicago, talk with the curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art, take a cruise down the river to view significant architecture and ride a train to the outdoor symphony. With plans for a New York City trip next spring and aspirations for London and Paris in the future, Gast and her ARTrageous Adventures continue to broaden the awareness of art's place in our lives. "Life is art," she said. "And art is life."

For more information about ARTrageous Adventures, please contact Barbara Sobo Gast at bgast@peak.org or (541) 752-3528.   

 

 

 

GIRLS GET WILD

Ladies' night at the Cantina

BY ALANA YANKUS

When it comes to late-night debauchery in Corvallis, there's only one place to go: La Cantina on Ladies' Night.

It all started years ago when current manager "Big Todd" was a DJ for OSU's radio station, KBVR. His show, "The Vault," was a throw-back to the glory days of the '80s, when Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Queen ruled the airwaves. The Vault was a hit, and though he eventually stopped DJing on KBVR, those DJ skills came in handy when he later started managing La Cantina.

Once upon a time, La Cantina was just a humble banquet room behind a downtown eatery known as Señor Sam's Mexican Grill. But the setup wasn't working out too well — it turned out people in Corvallis didn't need a banquet room. So the place was partitioned with a wall to shield the innocent eyes of the underaged (per OLCC regulations) and converted into a bar.

Even in a college town, booze doesn't equal success. But along came Todd with his '80s music, a new staff and one big night to get the ball rolling. His recipe transformed La Cantina from just a door in the alley behind the bus station to the place for a good time on Saturday. The combination of music, two-for-one cocktails for the women, a place for college students to get drunk, sweat a lot, and rub up against strangers all night worked.

Todd said the music is a key element because it's less about bump-and-grind and more about having a good time. And, as much as it might be denied by the light of day, in the dimly lit environs of La Cantina everyone knows the words to every song and any passers-by receive an earful of voices shouting along to ACDC's "You Shook Me All Night Long."

La Cantina recently went through more renovations. With looser OLCC regulations allowing a line of sight between the underage and the of-age, the walled-off area is now open space. The dance floor is bigger, the platforms are taller (watch your step on the stairs), and the DJ booth has been relocated. All of these changes opened up a huge amount of space. But no matter how big the place is, Cantina still packs in the drunken masses.

Bartenders mix up a mean cocktail (try the Stevie Special). The music can turn even the stiffest Joe into a dancing fool. And crowds of people flock there every weekend.

 

 

 

A WALK ON THE DARKSIDE

A new cinema in Corvallis continues historic tradition.

Story by John Ginn - Photos by Todd Cooper

A movie of Paul Turner's life could take many slants on the story: campy — The Movie Man, the tale of a hustling film-flam man who brings the gift of world cinema to a small town audience; frothy — Movielat a take-off of Chocolat — an independent-minded impresario who brings a delightfully delicious menu of cinematic confections to a hungry town; or it could be built around one of those overly serious "in a world" trailers — "In a world of corporate mass entertainment, only one man had the courage to take a stand against the forces of movie darkness..."

Turner himself would probably prefer that the movie be scrapped in favor of a re-release of Cinema Paradiso, one of his favorite films. In any case, the public can only be grateful that Turner, who masquerades as just an average Joe, uses his superpowers for good instead of evil.

Downtown Corvallis, historically a haven for moviegoers, with several theaters in operation throughout the decades, had fallen on cinematic hard times in the past few years. The State Theater was demolished and the flagship movie palace the Whiteside closed. But movie viewing in downtown is set for a revival.

Nearly 100 years after the Whiteside brothers, Samuel and George, opened their first theater in 1908, independent theater owner Paul Turner is flexing his entrepreneurial muscle by opening a new theater, the Darkside Cinema, directly across from the Whiteside on the second floor of the Book Bin building. The name is both a loving homage to the Whiteside and a good example of Turner's droll sense of humor.

Turner also owns the one-screen, 110-seat Avalon Cinema, located a few blocks away. The Darkside Cinema will add four 49-seat auditoriums to the Corvallis movie scene and bring the number of screens in downtown to the saner and more reasonable number of five.

With its close proximity to the Whiteside movie palace, the location of the Darkside might seem like a stroke of mad inspiration. Actually it's a stroke of luck. "I was at a gathering one evening and Bob [Baird, owner of the Book Bin] was there and he was talking about how he had this very large space that nobody wanted because there were no windows. We looked at each other and the lightbulbs blinked on," Turner said. "Let's see... 15,000 square feet, no windows... Hmmm. What kind of business could fit there I wonder?"

Fast forward to the Darkside lobby, March 31, 2005, the day after the party Turner threw for "all the people who gave me money." Popcorn littered the floor along with chips, a few straws and a stray carrot. Turner was sitting, sprawling really, on a vinyl chair in the lobby of the Darkside, dark hair matching the shadows beneath his eyes. He dragged himself out of the chair and flashed a grin that lit up his pale face explaining that with his ripped jeans and rumpled T-shirt, he'd made sure to dress up for the photos.

"Someone said to me at the party that the presence of the theater was like I'd given birth," he said. "I thanked him for that, but told him that it's closer to say that we're only beginning labor pains." The day before the April 1 opening, Turner still had a long to-do list.

"Fortunately, I've got some very good people working for me, and fortunately for them, I'm a hell of a boss," Turner said, smiling. For more of his slyly sharp humor, log on to the Avalon's website. It's full of Turner witticisms and irreverence. And at the Darkside, one of the first things you'll see when you enter is a sign with an arrow for "Tickets, Concessions, Sarcasm."

Mixed with the humor is the mind of a hard-nosed businessman, an independent theater owner, a very rare breed who must scrabble for survival against huge corporations. Often seen around town on his purple Harley, Turner is a bike-riding, cinema-slinging, celluloid-junky rebel who draws parallels between himself and the Harley-riding heroes of Easy Rider. "They traffic in drugs, and I traffic in fantasy," he said.

He's obviously not concerned that his decentralized, downtown five-screen exhibition plan flies in the face of all conventional wisdom about modern film distribution — the indie Avalon has survived for eight years.

Turner has competed with chain distributors Regal Cinemas, and more recently Carmike Cinemas, by providing a diverse lineup of films in a fun, eclectic atmosphere. What he offers in his movie picks is an experienced blend of taste and judgment, balanced with a willingness to take chances on films whose drawing potential is iffy at best. He shows mainstream Hollywood fare one week, followed by some obscure film from Outer Where's-It-At-istan the next, reminding us that film is a universal language. A steady core of filmgoers has rewarded him by showing up week after week, often not even knowing or caring what's on the bill.

But to call his lineup "art" films is just plain wrong. And to call them independent is pushing the envelope of irony. With an industry focused on fast-tracking the latest blockbuster through the system, it's a strange world indeed that would cast recent Avalon films like Kinsey or House of Flying Daggers in the role of alternative cinema. The truth is that over the years, come Oscar time, if you can say that you saw most of the nominated films, it means you were a regular at the Avalon.

But like so many things in life, and especially true in business, the Avalon's greatest strength has also been its biggest weakness. The Avalon's single-screen format is the same that has helped kill many a small-town movie house: the feast or famine syndrome, all eggs in one basket. With the opening of the 12-screen Carmike Cinemas and its ensuing film-booking skirmishes with Regal's Ninth Street Cinemas, Turner realized that he had to find a way to increase his presence in order to stay viable.

"My seniority over Carmike does have some benefits with distributors, but with only one screen, my ability to leverage that has often been limited," Turner said. "I've missed chances at films that went to Carmike or Regal because I didn't have a screen to show it."

Those problems should disappear with the Darkside. When Turner says, "The Darkside will give me lots of room to play around in," he's not just talking about the movies he plans to show. Step into the Avalon, with its strings of multi-colored lights, retro vinyl chairs, toys and dolls, for a taste of Turner's penchant for kitsch and eclectic anarchy. A statue of Mary inside the theater is a popular decoration, and when Turner removed it for a few days, customers demanded that it be returned right quick.

"People walk into the Avalon for the first time and say 'Is this really a theater?'" he said with a smirk. "Yeah, they're probably thinking it's a whorehouse or something."

"How about a secondhand store," quipped Lainie, Turner's wife and business partner.

"OK, fine," Turner said. "A whorehouse slash secondhand store."

The Darkside is no "whorehouse slash secondhand store." It's a mini-movieplex with style to spare. "We plan to keep the Darkside a little classier," Turner said.

Entering at street level off Fourth Street, you're greeted by a large theater marquee Turner rescued from some theater demolition. He decided that Mary just had to be part of the Darkside mélange as well and as you exit the staircase, a row of Virgin Mary nightlights (look up, above the moonscape panorama) escort you into the theater proper.

The lobby is lit by an unholy collection of horridly wonderful chandeliers donated to the cause by Avalon regulars who answered Turner's call for their worst and dimmest. While the Darkside is still too young to match the Avalon's hard-earned entropy and its gradual settling of cultural and cinematic debris, many cool touches already abound. Check out the retro pop dispensers, the Elvis wall clock, the benches rescued from some '50s diner.

On the way to the restrooms, be sure and look up and to your right: What's that you see? That's right, it's some kind of mysterious, unexplained doorway to nowhere — what the hell is that all about?

The auditoriums have been carefully designed for proper ratios between screen height, projection height, angles of view and other projection nerdspeak. To the average cinephile, the small-capacity theaters should provide a snug, cozy fit for those who relish the prospect of sequestering with a movie for a couple of hours.

Now in his 40s, Turner has held a number of jobs over the years: therapy aide, roofer, construction worker (he built much of the Avalon's interior himself) and photographer. Throughout his career, each of these jobs has somehow led him back to running a movie house.

But even with all his experience, his ordeal with opening the Avalon taught him many hard-earned lessons about zoning and code compliance. The Avalon Theater's opening day was Turner's personal three-ring circus of flubs and bloopers.

As he began construction on the Darkside last June, he expressed his belief that the Darkside's opening would much smoother. Since that day was almost here, was his prediction coming true?

"It's funny you should mention that," he said. Troubles? Oh, yeah. He rattled off a few: an amp burned out in one of the auditoriums, and a replacement amp was waylaid on its way from Portland by a gas leak that forced the driver to abandon his car; the cooling unit on a pop machine just "blew up"; a printer for credit card receipts disappeared in transit; and the fun never stops.

April 1 was a "soft opening" for an anticipated month-long shakedown test drive. Two of the four theaters are now in operation, with a third well under way, and the fourth acting for now as a catch-all room for construction supplies. The first hardy souls to visit the theater, he said, will have the extreme honor of "paying us to use them as test subjects while we work the bugs out."

On the other hand, the same patrons will be able to say that they "were there when." Imagine being able to say now that you were there in 1922 for the opening of the Whiteside. Except now you've crossed over to the Darkside.

For showtimes and information call (541) 752-4161. The Darkside Cinema. Corner of 4th and Madison. www.darksidecinema.com The Avalon Cinema. 160 N.W. Jackson St. www.avaloncinema.com

 

 

 

A to Z

A guide to the underground bands of Corvallis

By Rob Gándara

Not so very long ago, keeping up with the Corvallis music scene meant following the same handful of bands in their weekly circuit of the same two venues. Set lists packed with pop covers ensured everyone went home happy but not any better for it, artistically speaking.

Slowly and steadily things have changed. Today the sounds are much louder, stronger and punctuated with personal messages. Corvallis bands have found their uncompromising and resolute voices. The sounds audiences are likely to hear today have a real presence, adding a welcome shock to the system in an otherwise fairly conservative college town.

At first glance, Corvallis seems like an unlikely place for the kind of activity we're now seeing. But this quiet town, best known for its quaint atmosphere, has cultivated a group of experimental musicians with mutual respect for each other and their art. The foundation for a more vibrant music culture has been around for decades, but only in the last four or five years have local venue managers recognized the opportunity to draw a late-night crowd with raunchy, loud, impressive music.

Nights in Corvallis have become interesting and adventurous. The would-be nightcrawler is well-advised to hit the streets with extra brain cells in tow and wearing a pair of shoes that can be stepped on. Local Corvallis bands have been touring all over the West Coast and are bringing back sounds and experiences that add definite spice to local lineups.

 

Corvallis venues:

AJs: The heart of the scene. Talk to Mario for booking and magic potions.

Bombs Away Café: Uptown, burritos and beer.

Circle of Hope: All ages drop in center. HIV testing on Tuesday is confidential and always free.

Corvallis Parks: Summer punk series, big hit last year. Started in June and ran through Sept 11.

Elks Lodge: Look for music on prospective membership nights

Fox 'n' Firkin: Lots of beers. One of the best sound systems in town.

Headline Café: Side room shows. Bring a broom to adjust the stage lights.

House parties: Best place to see many of these bands.

Odd Fellow's Hall: All ages, all the time, because there is no bar.

Platinum: Biggest stage and floor in town.

Squirrels: Performing on the mezzanine, staging local music for 30 years.

 

Following is a list of some of the best and brightest acts to emerge from the Corvallis scene. It's not an exhaustive list, but these are the groups that are changing our world.

Corvallis band scene:

3.38 and an Eye – This is how your get your band name on the top of an A-Z list and the best comic rock in town

FIELD TRIP

THE RICHARD HEDDERS

THE WOBBLIES

*5-n-out: Retooled, now the Dicks.

Acer: Don't bring your mom to this show. Hardcore.

Adequits: Hot power trio (makes every other band inadequate).

Amadan: Exciting Irish pirate band complete with didgeridoo; a punk rock tirade.

Arcweld: Satanic Fantastic, Corvallis' only punk rock band featuring Mary-Rock McNamara, G Feist, Berto Zhaputnikov and the Krusher AKA Turbo. Invent no retro.

Blood on the Banjo: Girl on banjo, girl on drums, girl on girl. Screaming and bleeding.

Browdy Lowe Band: Emo till you cry.

*Civilian: Retooled, now Desdemona.

Desdemona: Out of the burning fields of Smyrna, aboard a boat and sonically recuperating. The momentum is reaching its apex, rejoicing in pleasant company. (formerly *Civilian)

Daddy Naggins: Funkadelic rock.

*Richard Hedders: Dicks all of them, reflected in their attitude, lyrics and costumes. Equally adept at covering the Misfits and REO Speedwagon.

*Dot Dot Dot: Retooled, see Field Trip.

Dr. Incurable: Although they may never play again, everyone keeps covering their songs. Thoughtful punk.

Eleven Eyes: Fusion. Jazz. Scratchy scratch.

Field Trip: Best trip you will ever take. Keep your eye on the drummer. This is art. This is rock.

Flailing Inhalers: You only wish you said it first. Hardcore.

Fusion Ball: Hardcore outfits and big amps.

Jahbong: Bring your dad and get high. Hawaiian reggae. (see story this issue)

JP West: Dance like they tell you. Rock, funk, hippity hop to Latin sounds.

Lo-Cals: Get in shape with Mr. Carbs. Eat a powerbar and run a mile. Fast exercise music.

Melodius Funk: Bring your date; you'll get lucky.

Rock N Roll Hearts: Motor, motor, motor, just don't drive home.

The Southtown Hounds: Jams and patchouli.

The Stack: The OLCC let these guys back into the bars. It's where they belong. Young hippie rock.

Sumbitch: Yee haw, the pigs are eatin'. Sloppy country.

Sweater Club: Ska.

Tourist: These guys rip it. They are the foundation of the new Corvallis sound. Straight up, head up rock.

Wheelchair Renegades: Fresh back from their California tour. Catch these emo rockers before their first recording takes them out of town for good.

Wobblies: Corvallis' own commie boy band. More booty shaking for these labor activists than at any SEIU rally.

(*) indicates past winners of the ACW5BB (Annual Corvallis Ward 5 Battle of the Bands).

 

 

 

Five by Five

Corvallis bands battle for the birdbath.

By Melissa Bearns

Cronyism can have some positive results. Take the Ward 5 Battle of the Bands, one of the cooler, more underground music events to happen in Corvallis. It all started back in 2001 when City Councilor Rob Gándara was trying to help his buddies, the members of the ska band Five-N-Out, get some ink.

THE RICHARD HEDDERS

He made an official city resolution declaring Five-N-Out the house band of Ward 5. It drew some publicity, but maybe not the kind Gándara wanted. Turns out only the mayor is allowed to make resolutions, a rule Gándara, then new to the City Council, didn't know about.

Petty city politics aside, the incident spawned the 2002 event, rife with more favoritism — Gándara picked the three bands that played. But this battle actually had some voting involved. In fact, the slogan was "Vote early, vote often."

"There were two basic problems with that method," Gándara said. "We couldn't announce the winner until the votes were counted, and someone pissed in the ballot box." Eventually all the piss-stained votes dried out and were counted. It was a landslide, with The Richard Hedders winning by more than 200 votes even though the head count in AJ's that night was closer to 120.

The following year you might say the Ward 5 Battle of the Bands actually achieved official status. It's still held at AJ's, which is technically a bit south of the Ward 5 boundary, but who's checking? Gándara opened the event up to all bands who get their registration in on time, and a panel of judges now decides the winners each night. Local publications including the Barometer and The Gazette-Times publish public notice of the event for a few weeks prior to the entry deadline: the ominous Ides of March, or March 15. The battle is held the Thursday, Friday and Saturday closest to or including tax day, so this year it's April 14-16.

But the best part is the grand prize — the bowl from an old bird bath that had been sitting in Gándara's yard for years. Each year he writes the name of the winning band on the edge of the birdbath in marker and presents it with pomp, circumstance and the aid of a few strong men. The following year, it's passed on to the winning band.

"Part of the reason I started the battle was to help promote local music," Gándara said. "Corvallis has an amazing number of talented musicians and great bands. It's been more successful than I ever hoped, and that just proves to me that there's a hunger for local sounds."

AJ's, with its wood paneling, dim lighting and long layout that allows the bands to play at one end of the bar and drinkers to hang out at the other, is an ideal location for the battle. "I love hosting it and I think it's good for local bands to get their name out there," said Manager Josh Heman. "It's a popular event and it brings out people that don't normally come out, who don't normally frequent this place. People want to see different music, new music."

Gándara credits the Ward 5 Battle of the Bands with helping bring some of Corvallis' more underground bands into the mainstream. "Five years ago no bar in Corvallis would touch punk music," he said. "Now it's out and all over town. It's not that it didn't exist, it just wasn't a part of acknowledged culture. Many of the bands that play in the battle are punk, and I think giving them some initial exposure helped change that."

 

THE WARD 5 BATTLE OF THE BANDS

April 14-16, 9 pm, AJ's. $3 (each night)

THURSDAY, 4/14 Psych Ward Junkies, The Hounds, Microcosm, The Stack, Sumbitch

FRIDAY, 4/15 The Wobblies, Elephante, The Tourists, Field Trip, Arcweld

SATURDAY, 4/16 Desdemona, The Pipe Welders Union, The Richard Hedders, The Adequits, The Flailing Inhalers

 

 

 

A Delicious Agenda

Intaba's whips up tasty blend of fabulous food and worldly awareness.

STORY BY MELISSA BEARNS - PHOTOS BY TODD COOPER

Intaba Liff-Anderson

Stroll past the wood-fired earthen oven that made it into the pages of The New York Times. Pass beneath the lush plants cascading down around tables on the outside patio. Pause by the bubbling fountain and listen to the crinkle of bamboo as it moves in the wind. Then wander on into Intaba's. Take a seat and relax.

It will be three years this April since Intaba and Ocean Liff-Anderson opened the 95 percent organic restaurant with the mission to empower local agriculture and serve as a model of sustainability, with green building and business practices.

Originally, they served all-vegan food but Intaba, the restaurant's namesake, said that in response to customer demand, they slowly added more meat to the menu, incorporating organic beef, lamb, chicken and seafood.

Warm wood floors, a crackling fire and cozy little nooks create a comfortable, intimate feel, perfect for a semi-private meal or a romantic dinner. Bright batiks in royal purple, whites and splashes of teal green and indigo grace the tables. Prints by artist Bonnie Hall of deep blue delphiniums, purple violets with vibrant green stems and leaves and butterflies decorate the walls that are painted with a wash of pink, yellow and orange. Healthy plants add a living energy to the multi-roomed space and a spiraling decorative column made of a wood-textured cement-like material complements the earthy feel of the main room.

Service is a priority. Cheery waitstaff make pleasant small talk, surreptitiously keep water glasses full and deliver the delicious meals while they're still piping hot. The menu includes a wide range of lunch and dinner options, from wraps with succulent lamb to dinner entrées such as ginger-infused wild Chinook salmon served with a balsamic pomegranate reduction and homemade vegi tamales with a plum molé sauce.

Crab cakes and roasted vegetable barley soup

Thai curry wrap

Northwest wines that perfectly pair with each entrée are listed, but vino enthusiasts can choose from an excellent selection of some of the regions finest. A few classic Italian and German options are thrown in as well. If beer is more your style, you can't go wrong with the Hawks and Eel River organic ales, including seasonals and delicious staples such as oatmeal stout and IPAs.

We sampled the soup of the day, roasted vegetable barley, a thick, hearty stew with a rich broth and a hint of garlic. The sticky brown rice came drizzled with a pungent sauce of puréed roasted red peppers and almonds, and the crab cakes were as good as any I've eaten while living in Baltimore — light and flavorful, served with a mango, tomato, kiwi salsa that accented the subtle flavor of the crab.

The Thai curry wrap, served in a whole wheat tortilla, was sweet with a delicate balance between the mellow spice of the curry and a somewhat sweet marinade. More sticky rice, crunchy carrots, onions and cucumber added texture, crunch and flavor. The pickled beets served on the side were excellent as well, not too sweet, not too tart; and the high-quality of the fresh, local produce came through in every bite.

In addition to a varied and flavorful menu, the Liff-Andersons use the space to bring multicultural events to Corvallis, including a recent show in October by La Vida Nueva, a women's weaving cooperative based in Oaxaca, Mexico.

"Having the restaurant has given us a forum to reach more people," Intaba said. "It's a place to show people different ways to live a good life, a life with beauty and culture. And really good food."

 

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Listings in the Eugene Weekly calendar are free. We don't list workshops, classes or events that cost more than $25. Submit listings to cal@eugeneweekly.com by noon on Thursday the week prior to publication.

Note: Continuation dates for events are listed under the first day of the event.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7 OSU Percussion Ensemble, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

Treehouses, 7:30pm tonight, tomorrow and April 9 and 14-16; 2pm April 17, Withycombe Theatre, OSU. $7, $5 sr., $4 stu.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 8pm tonight, tomorrow and April 9, 14-16, 21 and 23; 2:30pm April 10 and 17; midnight April 22, Albany Civic Theater. $11.

Waiting Room, Rooms Waiting, multi-media installation by Carol Ann Carter, through April 22. 8am-5pm M-F, Fairbanks Gallery, OSU. FREE.

Art About Agriculture, through April 27. 8am-5pm M-F, Giustina Gallery, OSU. FREE.

The Gathering: Dolls and Beyond, work by mutiple artists, through April 30. 10:30am-5:30pm Tu-F; 10:30am-4pm Sa, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

Landscape photography by James Schupp and Loretta Robinson, through Apil 30. 7am-11pm M-Th; 7am-12am F; 7:30am-12am Sa; 10:30am-11pm Su, MU Concourse, OSU. FREE.

Work by Debbie Maggiulli, through April 30. 7am-9pm daily, First Alternative Co-op North Store. FREE.

Work by Ron Garnett, through April 30. 9am-9pm daily, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Latinoaméricano: Sight, Sound & Culture, filete & photos by Remedios Rapoport & Karen Dunlap, through May 1. An opening is 5:30pm tonight. Work by Dianne Lay, Sharon McKey & guild artists, through April 30. Noon-5pm Tu-Sa, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 India Night 2005, 4pm tonight and 5:30pm tomorrow, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. $6.

Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Connections: A Celebration of Fiber Arts, through May 28. 10am-4:30pm Tu-Sa, Benton County Historical Museum. FREE.

Paul Delay, The David Samuel Project, 9pm, Platinum. 21+ show. For information call 738-6996.

Prime Rib, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

The Wobblies, My Life in Black & White, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 Flea market, 8am-3pm; Final indoor winter farmers' market, 10am-2pm, Benton County Fairgrounds. FREE.

Oregon Scottish Heritage Festival, 9am-5pm, Linn County Fairgrounds, Albany. $6, $5 stu., sr.

Work party and writing workshop with Barbara Drake and Charles Goodrich, tidy the cabin and property and discuss writing, 9am-5pm, Cabin at Shotpouch Creek. For information and to RSVP call 737-6198. FREE.

Poetry Month reading with Pam Wilson, Linda Varsell Smith, Cindy Smith, Susan Shumway, Wyn Schoch, Carol Ann Lantz, Jesse Ford and Linda Gelbrich, 7pm, Grass Roots Bookstore. FREE.

Sharing Our Faith series: members of the Heart of the Valley Sufi Circle speak, 7pm, Westminster House. FREE.

Spring Stampede Rodeo, 7pm, Benton Arena. $8 adv., $10 dos.

Old Hat, 8:30pm, Murphy's. 21+ show. $3, $5 couples.

Don & the Generation Gap, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Flailing Inhalers, Microcosm, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

Pillow Talk: Latinoaméricano, 10pm, ArtCentric. For information call 754-1551.

SUNDAY, APRIL 10 National Library Week, through April 16, Corvallis Library. For information call 766-6926.

MONDAY, APRIL 11 Anthony Grafton lectures, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

The Valaam Ensemble, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. $3 adv., $5 dos.

"Electronic Voting: Voting Process is Technology," a lecture by Ted Selker, co-director of the CALTECH-MIT Voting Technology Project, 7pm, 109 Withycomb, OSU. For information call 737-1562.

TUESDAY, APRIL 12 Natural History Discovery Days, 9am-4pm today and tomorrow, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. For information call 737-6716. FREE.

READ dogs, children read to trained canines, 3:30pm today, tomorrow and April 14, Corvallis Library. Register at 766-6794. FREE.

Ann Hamilton, corpus, 2004, football-field sized installation. Hamilton discusses her work at the LaSells Stewart Center. See April 13.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 School tour, 8:45am, Corvallis Waldorf School. FREE.

Random Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, noon, Corvallis Library. FREE.

"Mathematics Through the Grades in Waldorf Schools," a lecture by Liz Hartman & Anais Alexander, 7pm, Corvallis Waldorf School. For information call 758-4674.

Installation artist Ann Hamilton discusses her work, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

"Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights," a lecture by William Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International, 7:30pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14 Bug Day, look at or handle impressive creepy-crawlies, 9am-4pm, MU Quad, OSU. FREE.

Village Green Celtic Quartet, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

An opening for The Gathering: Dolls and Beyond, 6:30pm, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

OSU Jazz Ensemble, 7:30pm, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

Athena Reich, 9pm, Intaba's. $5.

Ward 5 Battle of the Bands, 9pm tonight, tomorrow and April 16, AJ's. $3 each night.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15 "The Many 'Rolls' of Fat in Inflammation and Liver Disease," a lecture by Laura Nagy, 4001 ALS, OSU. FREE.

Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Murder! At 6th & Ferry!, 6:15pm dinner, 7pm show only, tonight, tomorrow and April 22, 23, 29 and 30, Flinn's Dinner Theater, Albany. For information go to www.flinns.com

Strawberry Stakes casino night, 7pm, Lebanon Elks Lodge. For information call 258-7164.

Cantus Choir, 7:30pm, First United Methodist Church. $12.

Oregon Dance and guest artists, 8pm, Majestic Theatre. $12, $8 stu., sr.

Priscilla Herdman, 8pm, Unitarian Fellowship Hall. $13 adv., $14 dos.

El KaBong Orchestra, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 La Fiesta De Su Biblioteca, English/Spanish program for children of all ages, performance by Woodburn High School's Mariachi Band, 11am-12pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

"A Taste of Waldorf," 3rd Annual Spring Auction with dinner and music, 5:30pm, Corvallis Waldorf School. Don.

Jan Michael Looking Wolf, 7pm, Corvallis Art Center. For information call 754-1551.

Contra Dance, 7:30pm, First Congregational Church. For information call 754-1839.

The David Samuel Project, 8:30pm, Murphy's. 21+ show. $3, $5 couples.

David Feinberg & Mark Bielman, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

The West Coast Rockers, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17 Intaba's Wood Fired Anniversary Party, buffet, demos, lecture, music and more, 11am-9pm, Intaba's. FREE.

Ellen O'Grady reads from Outside the Ark, 3pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

MONDAY, APRIL 18 "Pathways to Resilience — Self Regulation: The Key to Children's Adjustment and Resiliency," a lecture by Nancy Eisenberg, 2pm, MU, OSU. FREE.

Joan Roughgarden gives a talk based on her book Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender and Sexuality in Nature & People, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 A reception for Carol Ann Carter's Waiting Room, Rooms Waiting, 4:30pm, Fairbanks Gallery, OSU. FREE.

Songwriters in the Round, hosted by Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

6th Annual Conference on Gender & Culture, today through April 22, OSU. For information go to www.oregonstate.edu/womenscenter

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 OSU Classy Jazz Quartet, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

New Horizons Band adult beginner session, 6pm, Gracewinds Music. For information call 754-6098.

Multi-media installation artist Carol Ann Carter discusses her work, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

Local folk open mic anchored by MC Squared, 7pm, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

Author Andrea Barrett reads at OSU. See April 22.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22 First Alternative Co-op Earth Day Celebration, sales and demonstrations, children's events, 9am-9pm, Main and North Stores. For information call 753-3115. FREE.

Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Andrea Barrett, author of The Voyage of the Narwhal, speaks, 7:30pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. FREE.

Infinite Variety: A Showcase of Shakespeare's Women, Real and Imagined, 7:30pm tonight and 2pm April 24, Withycombe Lab Theatre, OSU. $4.

Floater, 9pm, Platinum. 21+ show. For information call 738-6996.

Sumo, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

The Richard Hedders, The Overtones, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 509J Book Drive & Sale, 9am-5pm, Browsers Bookstore. For information go to www.waypointcorvallis.com

Procession of the Species and Earthfaire 2005, parade, music, dancing, children's activities and more, 12:30pm-5pm, Monroe Ave. between 1st and 2nd Streets. For information go to www.corvallisprocession.org

Ted Cox reads and signs The Toledo Incident of 1925: Three Days That Made History in Toledo, Oregon, 6:30pm, Old World Deli. FREE.

Cantus Choir Choral Festival: First Presbyterian Chancel Choir, HVCC Chamber Choir, Bella Voce & OSU Chamber Choir, LBCC Chamber Choir, Jubilate!, 7pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. $15.

Caught in the Act, 8:30pm, Murphy's. 21+ show. $3, $5 couples.

Wendy James & Dan Andrews, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Old Hat, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

The Dimes, Ahimsa Theory, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24 39th Annual Auto & Parts Swap Meet, 7am-4pm, Benton County Fairgrounds. $2.

Corvallis Youth Symphony, 2pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. $6 adv., $8 dos.

Cantus Choir, 4pm, Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan. FREE.

MONDAY, APRIL 25 Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Make a Mask! workshop for ages 6-12, 4pm today and April 29, Corvallis Library. Register at 766-6974. FREE.

"The Revolution in Genetics and its Meaning for Everyday Life," a lecture by Ruth Schwartz Cowan, 4pm, 206 MU, OSU. FREE.

Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Bilingual bedtime storytime, 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

TUESDAY, APRIL 26 Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Bilingual storytime for toddlers, 10am; El día de los jóvenos, teen comedy night with Angel Ocasio, 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Bilingual storytime for infants, 10am; Muticultural family movie night, 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

Thriving Improv Theatre show, 9pm, Iovino's. $5.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28 Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Bilingual storytime for preschool ages, 10am; International story & craft night: France, Russia & Mexico, 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

Cascade Reed Trio, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

"The Art of Fashion" show, 7pm tonight and 12pm, 2pm and 4pm April 30, MU Ballroom, OSU. $3 tonight, $10 April 30.

Latinoamérica! in the Valley: "Filete: Painting Buenos Aires Style," a talk by Remedios Rapoport, 7pm, Corvallis Arts Center. $4.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Sue Miles & Slow Burn, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

Arcweld, Tourist, Field Trip, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 Spring planting open house, lanscaping ideas, vegetable starts, petting zoo, 9am-6pm, David Family Farm. For information call 752-0697.

Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Grupo Fiesta Mexicana, folkloric 4H dancers, 2pm; Hay Caramba! bilingual puppet theater, 3:30pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

Jubilate! The Women's Choir of Corvallis 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, 7:30pm, First Congregational Church. For information contact jubliatechoir@comcast.net

Magpie, 8:30pm, Murphy's. 21+ show. $3, $5 couples.

DJ Krusty, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Fate 55, 9pm, Tommy's Peacock. $3.

John Shipe, 9:30pm, Squirrel's. 21+ show. $3.

Port Authority, Adequits, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SUNDAY, MAY 1 Spring Garden Festival, 12pm-5pm, Corvallis Arts Center Plaza. FREE.

Jane Kirkpatrick reads from A Land of Sheltered Promise, 2:30pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

Work by Aaron Spitzer, through May 31. 9am-9pm daily. First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

The Critique Group, recent work by local artists, through June 25. 7am-11pm M-Th; 7am-12am F; 7:30am-12am Sa; 10:30am-11pm Su, MU Concourse, OSU. FREE.

Come to the Table: Spring Art Harvest, work by various artists, through May 31. 10:30am-5:30pm Tu-F; 10:30am-4pm Sa, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

TUESDAY, MAY 3 Oregon Symphony, 8:15pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. For information call 754-7097.

Teen Open, showcasing the creativity of young adults, through May 21. Noon-5pm Tu-Sa, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 Jason DeShaw, 7pm, MU Quad, OSU. FREE.

Mozart's "Cosi fan Tutte," presented by Opera Theater Corvallis, 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow, First Congregational Chruch. For information call 758-2478.

Open mic night, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

THURSDAY, MAY 5 Outspoken, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

Red Cross Blood Drive, 11am-7pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. For information call 753-3115.

"Wanted! The Scientific Revolution, Dead or Alive," a lecture by John Heilbron, 4pm, MU, OSU. FREE.

Cinco de Mayo party, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

As We See It: Teen Photographic Interpretation of Community, through May 21. An opening is 5:30pm tonight. Noon-5pm Tu-Sa, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

FRIDAY, MAY 6 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Wine & Whiskers: Art From the Heartland silent auction of human and cat art, proceeds benefit Heartland Humane Society, 5pm, Magruder Hall, OSU. $10 don.

"Shh! Just Give!" Silent auction & silent movies, 6pm, Flinn's Dinner Theater, Albany. For information go to www.flinns.com

Annie Get Your Gun, 8pm tonight, tomorrow and May 12-14, 19-21 and 26-28; 2:30pm May 8, 15, 22 and 29, Majestic Theatre. $12, $10 stu., sr.

Travis Hanson, Silas, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, MAY 7 Flinn's Old-Time Vaudeville, 6:15pm dinner, 7pm show only, Flinn's Dinner Theater, Albany. For information go to www.flinns.com

Ramblin' Rex Trio, 8:30pm, Murphy's. 21+ show. $3, $5 couples.

Paul Chenard & Jim LaRocca, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

The Perverts, The Richard Hedders, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

12th Night, 9:30pm, Squirrel's. 21+ show. $3

MONDAY, MAY 9 Queer Pride week, through May 13, OSU. For information go to oregonstate.edu/groups/rcosu

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Random Review: Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It by Neal Bascomb, noon, Corvallis Library. FREE.

Natalia Rachel Singer, author of Scraping By in the Big Eighties, speaks, 7:30pm, Valley Library Rotunda, OSU. FREE.

Maria Guinard discusses "Singing in South America" at the Corvallis Arts Center. See May 12.

THURSDAY, MAY 12 Divine, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

Latinoamérica! in the Valley: "Singing in South America," a talk by Maria Guinard, Venezuelan choral director, 7pm, Corvallis Arts Center. $4.

A Doll's House, 7:30pm tonight, tomorrow and May 14 and 19-21, Withycombe Theatre, OSU. $8, $5 stu., $6 sr.

An opening for Come to the Table, 6:30pm, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, 8pm tonight, tomorrow and May 19-21; 2:30pm May 15, Albany Civic Theater. $9.

The Groundhogs, Microcosm, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, MAY 14 May Faire & open house, noon-4pm, Corvallis Waldorf School. For information go to www.corvalliswaldorfschool.org

Sharing Our Faith series: Margaret Rogers speaks on Christian Science, 7pm, Westminster House. FREE.

Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Corvallis Repertory Singers & Jubilate!, 7:30pm, Corvallis High School. For information call 753-2106.

Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Dancecard, Blood on the Banjo, Elephante, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

The Hounds, 9:30pm, Squirrel's. 21+ show. $3

SUNDAY, MAY 15 Latinoamérica! in the Valley: Corvallis Repertory Singers, Jubilate!, Heart of the Valley Festival & Chamber Choirs, 3pm, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Albany. $15, $4 stu.

TUESDAY, MAY 17 James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me, speaks, 7:30pm, LaSells Stewart Center. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 School tour, 8:45am, Corvallis Waldorf School. FREE.

University of Miami Chamber Choir, 7:30pm, First Congregational Church. FREE.

Songwriters in the Round, hosted by Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

THURSDAY, MAY 19 OSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

"Testing Einstein in Space: A Revolution in Technology," a lecture by C.W.F. Everitt, 4pm, 153 Weniger, OSU. FREE.

Local folk open mic anchored by Stephan Bourque, 7pm, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

FRIDAY, MAY 20 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

SATURDAY, MAY 21 La Fiesta De Su Biblioteca, English/Spanish program for children of all ages, edible art workshop by First Alternative Co-op, 11am-12pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

23rd Annual Oregon Homebrew & Microbrew Festival, 3pm-9pm, music from The Carolines, 3pm; Jackstraw, 4:30pm; Jaycob Van Auken, 6pm; Cicada, 7:30pm, Benton County Fairgrounds. $8.

Cool Shoes & Friends, 8pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. For information call 737-3324.

Jazz First Trio, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

The Devil Makes Three, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

Sweet Spot, 9:30pm, Squirrel's. 21+ show. $3

SUNDAY, MARY 22 Fourth Sundays at Four: "Celebration of Our Gifts," 4pm, Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan. FREE.

Spring Sing! Bella Voce & Meistersingers, 7:30pm, First Presbyterian Church. $5.

TUESDAY, MAY 24 World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions, 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow, Benton County Fairgrounds. $19.50, $17.50 youth.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra: The Two McCabes, 8:15pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. For information call 754-7097.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 Thriving Improv Theatre Show, 9pm, Iovino's. $5.

THURSDAY, MAY 26 Oregon State Jazz Ensemble, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

Lynne Sharon Schwartz, author of The Writing on the Wall, speaks, 7:30pm, Valley Library, OSU. FREE.

FRIDAY, MAY 27 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Bill Lanham, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

SATURDAY, MAY 28 Amadan, My Life in Black and White, 9pm, Platinum. 21+ show. For information call 738-6996.

DJ Lunitin, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Side Star, 9:30pm, AJ's. For information call 758-4582.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Open mic night, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Work by the Handspinners & Weavers Guild, through July 1. Noon-5pm Tu-Sa, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

Organic Imagery, work by Rex Silvernail, Chang Ae-Song and Sidney Rowe, through June 30. 10:30am-5:30pm Tu-F; 10:30am-4pm Sa, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 University Chorales, noon, MU Lounge, OSU. FREE.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Battle of the Bands, 5pm, MU, OSU. FREE.

Westward the Children, 6:15pm dinner, 7pm show only, tonight, tomorrow and June 10, 11, 17 and 18, Flinn's Dinner Theater, Albany. For information go to www.flinns.com

OSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble & Concert band present "Songs and Dances: A Band Celebration," 7:30pm, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU. For information call 737-4061.

Around Oregon Annual, through July 28. An opening is 5:30 tonight. Noon-5pm Tu-Sa, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 World Music Festival, 2pm-10pm, MU Quad, OSU. FREE.

OSU Chamber Choir presents The President's Concert, "The Journey of Creation," 7:30pm, First Congregational Church. $5.

Neal Grandstaff & Ray Brassfield, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

Eleven Eyes, 9:30pm, Squirrel's. 21+ show. $3

Pillow Talk: Around Oregon Annual, 10pm, ArtCentric. For information call 754-1551.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 Heart of the Valley Children's Choir Elizabeth Powell Memorial Scholarship Concert, 3pm, LaSells Stewart Center. For information call 738-7888.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 Random Review: Coyote Warrior: One Man, Three Tribes & the Trial That Forged a Nation by Paul VanDevelder, noon, Corvallis Library. FREE.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9 BLM wild horse & burro adoption, daily through June 12, Benton County Fairgrounds. For information call 573-4439.

Spring Celebration of Dance, 7:30pm tonight, tomorrow and June 11, Majestic Theatre. For information call 766-6976.

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Hamlet, 8pm tonight, tomorrow and June 17, 18, 23-25 and 30 and July 1 and 2; 2:30pm June 19 and 26, Albany Civic Theater. $9.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11 Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

TUESDAY, JUNE 14 Chintimini Chamber Music Festival, 7:30pm tonight and June 16, 17 and 19, First Congregational Church. For information call 753-2106.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 Songwriters in the Round, hosted by Sam Holmes, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16 Local folk open mic, 7pm, Corvallis Arts Center. FREE.

An opening for Organic Imagery, 6:30pm, Pegasus Gallery. FREE.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

Annual Kids' Summer Reading Sleepover, performance from Dragon Theatre Puppets, 7pm-7am, Corvallis Library. For registration and information call 766-6794.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Wendy James & Dan Andrews, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Wonderkeeper's Storytelling Guild interactive stories & crafts, 3:30pm & 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24 Wine tasting, appetizers and live music, 4pm-6pm, First Alternative Co-op Main Store. FREE.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Buck in a Truck Goat Show & Moo Baa Oink Sheep Fun Show, 9am-5pm, Benton County Fairgrounds. For information call 619-3221.

DJ Caleb & Friends, 9pm, Iovino's. FREE.

TUESDAY, JUNE 28 Work by local children, through July 28. 7am-11pm M-Th; 7am-12am F; 7:30am-12am Sa; 10:30am-11pm Su, MU Concourse, OSU. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 Thriving Improv Theatre Show, 9pm, Iovino's. $5.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 10th Annual Teddy Bear Picnic, performance by Louise Sterry, 10am, Central Park. FREE.

Arthur Atsma Magic, 3:30pm & 7pm, Corvallis Library. FREE.