Eugene Weekly : Calendar : 05.05.05

Last year, Grammy winner Mary Chapin Carpenter released her 10th album, Between Here and Gone. The events of 9/11, Alice Sebold's darkly beautiful novel The Lovely Bones and Carpenter's marriage all provide subject matter for the singer-songwriter's collection of introspective songs, her first release in three years. "Exquisite," "graceful," "intimate," "thoughtful" and "glorious" are just a few of the glowing words of praise the press lavished on the album. Carpenter is on tour with young upstart Mindy Smith as support; Smith's haunting version of "Jolene," on the Dolly Parton tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman, was enough to make even a non-country fan sit up and take note. See Friday Calendar.

The words "park ranger" tend to call up an image of a friendly person in a brown uniform, a tour guide, maybe, or someone taking your money as you drive into Crater Lake. But there's another side to the job, and that side — the "noir" side — is where Jordan Fisher Smith spent 21 years patrolling the Sierra parklands along the American river. Smith reads from Nature Noir, his chronicle of the amazing encounters he experienced in his park ranger days, this week at the UO. See story, page 38, and Tuesday Calendar.

By the time he was 21, Ricky Skaggs was considered a bluegrass master. His career took a turn into country, where he spent time in Emmylou Harris' Hot Band before setting out on his own with 1981's country chart-topping Waitin' for the Sun to Shine. Through the '80s, Skaggs won award after award for his neo-traditionalist sound, leading Chet Atkins to credit him with single-handedly saving country music. But in 1997, Skaggs established his own record label and went back to his bluegrass roots. Since then, he's earned a Grammy nomination (and a good handful of wins) for each album he's released, including a win for last year's Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder — Live at the Charleston Music Hall. If that's not a darn good reason to head down to The Shedd to catch Skaggs and his all-star band, we don't know what is. See Thursday, May 12 Calendar.

The Science Factory kicks off summer this Saturday with their 1st Annual Bike Day, a series of fun bicycle events mixed with information about bike safety and the science of bikes. Join the Solar System Bike Ride along the Ruth Bascom Trail at noon, or give the bike obstacle course a try. BMX racing and unicyclists will entertain kids of all ages, while "The Mysteries of the Flat Tire Revealed" is sure to amaze. Last but hardly least, bike valet parking will be provided. See Saturday Calendar.

Lane Arts Council's First Friday ArtWalk returns with Riley Grannan of the Eugene Ballet Company leading. Many media and art forms are highlighted this month, including art quilts at Jacobs Gallery, fine press and artists' books (left) at White Lotus Gallery and Tibetan rugs and crafts at Tibet's Fine Design. Among the other galleries open late but not part of the walking tour, you'll find photographs of the West Eugene Wetlands at Café Paradiso and work by the Guild of Eugene Metalsmiths at DIVA. The Downtown Library is in the game as well, with a performance by UO troupe Dance Africa. See Friday Calendar.

The Eugene Concert Choir's 30th anniversary season comes to an epic close this weekend with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. The Oregon Mozart Players and four soloists join the Choir for the performance of what Beethoven himself called his greatest work. See Saturday Calendar.