Eugene Weekly : Calendar : 07.21.05

It's a night of award-winning singer-songwriters as Suzanne Vega and Marc Cohn co-headline a show at the McDonald Theatre Saturday. Cohn won a Best New Artist Grammy in 1991 in the wake of his single "Walking in Memphis"; Vega had three Grammy nominations in 1987, when "Luka" was at its most inescapable. Since 1998's Burning the Daze, Cohn's only released one limited edition EP, but a new album is set to arrive this year. Vega released The Passionate Eye, a collection of lyrics, essays, journalistic pieces and more in 1999, and a 2003 best-of album. But it was that remix of "Tom's Diner" that really stuck in our heads … See Saturday Calendar.

As Brett Campbell points out on page 26, there are a lot of good musical reasons to head out to Secret House for the 2005 Faerieworlds Festival, including Karan Casey, Trillian Green and Woodland. But we kind of grew up a little nerdy-like, and thus feel a need to point out the other draw of the festival: the work of Brian Froud. Froud's influential fairies (shown to their best and funniest in Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book) and other creatures are probably more familiar than his name: He and his wife, Wendy, worked with Jim Henson's Creature Shop on projects including Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, and their touch shows in Gelflings and goblins alike. The elder Frouds won't be at Faerieworlds, but the family is represented by the next generation: Toby Froud, whom you might remember as the baby David Bowie kidnapped in Labyrinth. That's right — the baby with the power. Power of voodoo? Yeah, yeah, we know all the words. See Saturday Calendar.

The Northwest Playwrights Festival returns to the Lord Leebrick Theater Company this weekend with performances of two original scripts (from more than 40 submitted): Mandrake and the Marsh People, a surrealist comedy by Christopher Bailey, and The Final Leg, a dramatic comedy by Eugene playwright Paul Calandrino (pictured right). Two other scripts, The Keeping Room and Dazzle Your Eyes, will appear in staged readings. The festival runs through Aug. 6 — plenty of time to check out the work of these up-and-coming Northwesterners. See Calendar.

One of Eugene's best venues hits double digits this weekend as Sam Bond's Garage celebrates its 10th anniversary. And what a weekend they've got planned: Friday night finds The Minus 5 (featuring former Young Fresh Fellow and current REM player Scott McCaughey) taking over the wee stage, with local boys Cabinessence opening. Saturday is simply a party waiting to happen: Los Mex Pistols del Norte, Yeltsin, Saltlick, Deke Falcon and Tom Heinl are all slated to play. Get there early if you're harboring any hopes of snagging a table, and don't forget to tip your friendly bartender well. Did we mention the Saturday night show is free? See Calendar.

The 14th annual Eugene/Springfield PRIDE event moves to a Saturday this year, giving attendees an extra day to recoup before work on Monday. Expect Alton Baker Park to be a riot of color; this year's theme is "Life's a Beach," and the park will be decorated appropriately. (There's a joke in here somewhere about leis, but we can't quite get it right.) New York-based singer-songwriter Josh Zuckerman (pictured right) headlines an entertainment lineup that includes local all-women group Complicated and DK PDX, a drag king troupe from Portland. With 40 mostly local businesses taking part in the annual expo, Ambrosia and Oriental Village supplying taste treats, a beer garden and a Bachelor & Bachelorette Auction, PRIDE sounds like it's more than worth your five bucks. See Saturday Calendar.