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HELLO! On behalf of the Board of Directors of Downtown Events Management, Inc. (DEMI), I welcome you, your family and friends to join us for the 2005 Eugene Celebration – Live on Broadway!
This year the Eugene Celebration will include a number of exciting new venues intended to draw in people from every sector of our community. We offer a new "footprint" that will run along Broadway from Charnelton in the west to High Street in the east. We've added the Custom Car Shine and Cruise-in at High and Broadway, The Best of the Best Film Festival at the McDonald Theatre and several new outdoor stages. You'll also enjoy the traditional favorites, including the Eugene Celebration Parade, the Pet Parade and KidZone. The Sand Castle Competition is back too! There will be lots of food, music and fun for all ages. You'll have over 80 musical acts to choose from, comedy at Cozmic Pizza, and many amazing street performers. Come enjoy the work of local artists and artisans demonstrating and displaying their work throughout the weekend along the Gallery District Art Walk. Saturday Market will be open on both Saturday and Sunday. So will Mercado Latino and the Community Causeway featuring the good work done by the various non-profits in our community. Check out the complete listing of bands, local and national, on p. 11. The price is right, too! We've reduced it down to just $10 for a 3-day wristband, an amazing entertainment value. A single day pass will cost just $6, and young people 12 and under get in free. We've also planned a few big surprises that you'll have to come see for yourself. If you haven't attended the Eugene Celebration before, we invite you to come down and enjoy yourself. Be sure to bring your sense of adventure and your sense of humor! Barry Blanton, Board Chair
Let's
Go to the (indie) Movies! The visual spectacle has always been an important part of giving the Eugene Celebration its unique flavor. But aside from the costumes and flair this year, the EC will feature a new film festival. In its first year, the film festival is a "best of the best" compilation of the top independent films that have won critical praise at other film festivals around Oregon. The brainchild of Celebration planners Katina Paxino and Bob Jensen, Paxino says rather than collecting and screening hundreds of films from around the country, she and Jensen decided to put together a festival that would showcase the best films from the best festivals in the state. The films playing come from several Oregon-based festivals, including the Ashland Independent Film Festival, the Northwest Film and Video Festival and the Forest Film Festival. The Forest Festival selections come from around the world, and one features Sideways co-star Sandra Oh. But the biggest buzz surrounding the festival is over the film Cross Bronx, which Paxino describes as "extraordinary." Cross Bronx, a feature-length film directed by Larry Golin, is a coming-of-age story set in the Bronx. "The really neat thing about this film," Paxino says, "isn't just that it's won tons of awards, but it has also just been picked up for major distribution. It's scheduled to open in New York and Los Angeles in October, but we get it first." Paxino says that Golin is making plans to be in Eugene for the showing of the film, which will be followed by an open discussion with the director, who describes his film as "truly independent from soup to nuts." The film festival runs noon to 7:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday at the McDonald Theatre. "This is an amazing opportunity for both filmmakers and movie-goers," Paxino says. "I hope that in the future, and with more planning, it will get much deserved attention."
Getting
Slugged Outside of Eugene the title of Slug Queen probably doesn't sound very glamorous — disturbing, disgusting, possibly offensive, but definitely not glamorous. In Eugene the Slug Queen reigns supreme and at the Eugene Celebration, the city's pinnacle of self-adoration, the Society for the Legitimization of the Ubiquitous Gastropod (SLUG) will parade the freshly crowned 2005-2006 Slug Queen. This year's queen is Frank Slug-snotra, crowned by outgoing Queen Scarlett O'Slimera.
"It's so wacky and so fun," said Old Queen Marigold Gastropodia (Emily Semple, 1991 winner and current graphic designer). "Eugene is a pretty alternative place so we should have an alternative beauty pageant." The process that crowns each year's winner is a little like the formal pageants that decide other cities' unofficial ambassador. But the title of Portland's Rose Queen alone sounds snobbish and snooty compared to her lighthearted Eugenean counterpart. To reign supreme, Slug Queen contestants go through a three-part competition that involves the judging of one's costume (based mostly on its gaudiness), a three-minute on-stage talent performance and a single question designed to test the quick thinking ability and wit of each contestant. "It's kind of an odd way to get into a club," said Queen Gastropodia, who did freestyle vacuum cleaner tricks for her talent. "To get up on stage and make a fool of yourself." Back in 1988 Pete Theophanes, who lives with cerebral palsy and normally has to use a whiteboard to communicate, got on stage and lip synched Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." He won, was crowned "Queen Peterella" with a sizable entourage, and attributes his victory to being "witty, pretty and smart." The Slug Queen is chosen by a collection of past queens officially referred to as "old," not "former" queens as is usually the custom. One never loses the prestigious title — she (or he) just grows older with it. "Everything is just so delightful in that world," Queen Bananita Sluginsky, 1993's champion, says in a heavy Russian accent, her stage voice. "Once you step into it, you put your tiara on, get in your dress, get your duct tape handbag and you get up on stage, heaven knows what could happen." There's one more very important aspect that sets the Slug Queen apart from other beauty queens: Bribing of the judges is accepted and encouraged. Yes, the moment a new queen is crowned, the doors of the old queens are open for bribery. Sluginsky bribed the judges on the day of her pageant with pizzas topped with fake slugs, donated and delivered by Track Town Pizza. She remembers one queen bribing her and other old queens at a hospitality room at the Hilton and disbursing bottles of wine with Slug Queen labels. "What the bribe actually indicates is that the contestant can organize something and go the extra mile," said Sluginsky. "It's not really the fact that we need stuff or that we're greedy. It indicates a real desire to be queen." "I'd say that a creative bribe will get you further than an expensive bribe," says Queen Gastropodia. "You don't have to be rich to be queen. But we do like chocolate." The judges are looking for originality. They're looking for someone worthy of being one of them — creative, flamboyant and outgoing. After all, the competition is about diversity. "One of the things we do really well is that we really are sincere about diversity," said Sluginsky. "I'd like to have a bilingual coronation in the not too distant future." The freshly crowned Frank Slug-snotra and various Old Slug Queens will be on hand at the Eugene Celebration.
Local
Focus This year the Eugene Celebration offers patrons a sample of some of the city's most distinguished local businesses in "Exclusively Oregon," a collection of local food merchants and Oregon wineries that will offer free samples Saturday and Sunday.
The businesses, which include the Springfield Creamery (aka Nancy's), Golden Temple, Wild Times Foods, Coconut Bliss and Toby's Family Foods, are all progressive, natural food-based companies indicative of Eugeneans' interest in such healthy goods. "These companies are really key elements to what makes Eugene Eugene," said event spokeswoman Andrea Nickel. The businesses will offer free samples, but won't be selling their products. The wineries, Amity Vineyards, Henry Estate Winery, Saginaw Vineyards, Lavelle Vineyards and Chateau Lorane, will both sample and sell. "I think it's a really great thing that (the Eugene Celebration) is doing," said Toby Alves, owner of Toby's Family Foods. "It's a way to get in touch with our customers and give them support and give them a chance to give us feedback." Alves believes that this venue helps draw attention to Eugene's natural food industry. "Eugene is kind of a hotbed for natural food innovators and people kind of take it for granted," she said. "This is really a haven for innovation in natural foods." Toby's Family Foods also owns Tofu Palace, a regular Saturday Market vendor, and will unveil some new flavors of its own. Two new tofu pâtés — roasted garlic red pepper and martini olive — will be offered at Exclusively Oregon. "We've just had them for about the past four months," Alves said. "Now that we're in other markets we decided it would be good to develop new flavors that are kind of interesting." Events like the Eugene Celebration are perfect for capturing customers from outside the Eugene area. Alves believes that attention like Exclusively Oregon is crucial for a growing local business. "We've been in business for 21 years and until this year we haven't been able to get out of the Northwest," she said. You can find Exclusively Oregon along Broadway between Willamette and Olive.
Through
the Looking Glass Behind each and every non-profit is a group of dedicated individuals. Many work day in and day out without a paycheck, volunteering their services for the reward of knowing their deeds are serving the public good. Meet them this year at the EC's Community Causeway.
Looking Glass Youth and Family Services helps more than 7,000 at-risk youth every year with programs that span the diverse fields of mental health, juvenile justice, education, youth development and workforce readiness. One of these specialized programs is Street Outreach. It's based within the Looking Glass New Roads facility on 7th and Blair in Eugene. "Connecting with youth on the street is essential," says Eric Van Houten, New Roads Director. "Outreach staff assist youth in finding their way out of street life towards stability." Street Outreach is funded in part by the Safe & Sound Project, a coalition effort among private, non-profit and public partners providing a coordinated response to homeless, runaway and at-risk youth. What is Street Outreach? Simple. It's hitting the streets to find youth, and helping them get the support they need. It could be a little food, a referral to the Station 7 youth shelter or just someone to talk to. Sometimes the help comes by way of Caitlin Joyce and Jessica Claypool. As Caitlin and Jessica ready themselves for their outreach downtown, they check the supplies in their matching backpacks. "Oh no, I forgot the freshies!" Jessica explained that a big part of outreach training is getting to know the lingo used by the youth. "Freshies" you see, are fresh new socks, while "raincoats" are condoms, and "bleach kits" are used to clean contaminated IV needles." This time Caitlin had the shower bag that contains much needed donated supplies such as razors, shampoo, soap and lip balm. "We walk up to the youth and say hey, do you need anything from New Roads?" Caitlin says with a smile, "They know who we are and they're glad to see us."
What's
on the Stage? Accordions Anonymous: Taking the self-depreciating concept of accordion playing as a fringe activity and extending it into an ongoing identity marker, "AA" attempts to validate their own self-worth with upbeat dance-polka for anyone who wants to listen. 12 pm Sunday at Saturday Market Stage. Albino!: Not just your average 14-piece Afro Cuban band hailing from San Francisco, Albino! is movin' on up. Mixed in with international rhythm makers is a five-piece horn section that virtually guarantees the shaking of the booty. Ain't that what the EC is all about? Formed in honor of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, Albino! describe the music as "heavy, heavy Afrobeat band." With their appearance at the EC, their assault on the West Coast nears its completion, and yet is just beginning. 4:45 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Benevento/Russo Duo: Of all the bands playing at the EC, if you catch just one show, make it the Benevento/Russo Duo. Together these two goofballs, who bear a slight resemblance to Muppets, mix out-there acid jazz with noise with rock and create a mindblowing, fresh sound. Utilizing loops and lots of technological help, their songs are at once resonant and soul searching. 4:15 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Bigfoot John: A blues trio featuring John McCulloch. 6:45 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage Blue Moon Society: Jason Anderson leads this Texas-style blues/rock, power trio on guitar and lead vocals, Brian Beck holds down bass and Dan Pacheco is on drums. They've been together about a year and a half, are all from the Eugene area and have played up and down the Willamette Valley. 10:30 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage Lyn Burg: Lyn is an accomplished choreographer, dancer, actor and singer with more than 20 years experience. She's appeared in numerous local stage productions and has released a CD of jazz vocals called Good Morning Heartache. 1:30 pm Sunday at Luckey's Stage. Noah Brenner: Celtic harpist, need we say more? 11 am Sunday at Saturday Market Stage. The Cheeseburgers: Now what real celebration would be complete without the carefree lyrics of Jimmy Buffett? The Cheeseburgers will make sure this festival doesn't leave our parrot-headed fans out as it concludes the live performances with a set straight out of Buffett's greatest hits. John Powell, Cheeseburger keyboard and guitar player, claims to own 57 Hawaiian shirts. And some of them don't even fit anymore! 7 pm Saturday at Custom Corner. Cherry Poppin' Daddies: You probably already know what to expect from this wildly successful band with more than 15 years of experience. These masters of the national tour will grace Eugene with a hometown special for the Celebration. 9:30 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Cigarbox Jerry: The guy plays cigar box guitars! Unique and very cool. A must see. 11:30 am Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Dahman Beck Band: A Eugene-based regular at Joe Federigo's, Dahman Beck has been growling blues tunes for more than a decade. Look forward to seeing him flex some big blue muscle at the Eugene Celebration for longtime local fans. 1:15 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Deb Cleveland Band: Deb Cleveland has been singing gospel since she was a small child. Her metamorphosis into a soulful blues singer was pretty much inevitable as her parents played the hits of the '50s and '60s constantly. The result of Cleveland's lifelong and ongoing performing success will be available at the Celebration. 10:30 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Catie Curtis and Mark Erelli: Curtis' soulful acoustic sets have earned her a following from San Francisco to Paris. Quickly deemed a "folk-rock goddess" by The New Yorker, her start came during college at Brown University when, during breaks from the basketball team, she played sets at a local coffeehouse. Mark Erelli may call himself the "Hillbilly Pilgrim," but this Southern-influenced Northerner has no shame about the liberties he takes with his music. His base is country and he dabbles in rock and folk while adding glimpses of his own personality in his recordings. "Let's Make a Family" is a documentation of his plans to have children just so they'll play in his band for free. 6 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Dengue Fever: A tropical disease, Dengue Fever is something you don't want to catch … but the band is something else! Imagine a Cambodian singing star (Chhom Nimol comes from a famous singing family and has performed for royalty) singing in her native Khmer tongue while a backing band plays East-meets-West retro pop. Playing a mix of classic covers and offbeat originals, you won't regret catching this Fever! 1:45 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Eagle Park Slim: A true blues man whose 30-plus-year career has brought him in contact with some of the greatest, including Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Willie John and more. 10:30 am Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Eleven Eyes: Eugene's own Eleven Eyes proves that jazz is far from dead here in Eugene. Their mixing of more traditional jazz with turntables and hip hop take these guys from the streets of N'awlins all the way to Cloud City. Trumpeteer Tim McLaughlin leads the sextet into some pretty bizarre places, and they often employ a live DJ during their gigs. Welcome to the future. 6:30 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Tony Furtado: Tony Furtado should simply move to Eugene. There is something about his rootsy rock that just works here. His slide work on both guitar and banjo is pretty amazing stuff. Furtado seems to bring a different band with him every time he visits, so expect the unexpected. His latest album is a mix of old rearranged standards, originals, and curious covers (Tom Petty's "Running Down a Dream", and The Beatles "I Will"). 8:30 pm Friday at City Hall Stage. Gypsy Moon: Tribal music. 1:30 pm Sunday at Saturday Market Stage Hackensaw Boys: Arlo Guthrie meets Bill Monroe is the best way to describe the music of the Hackensaw Boys. Their meticulous mix of old-timey music, bluegrass and folk harkens back to a time when work was hard and honest, and the nights oozed by through the lens of many a mason jar full of moonshine. Fiddle, upright bass, banjo, mandolin and harmonica blend spiritedly with twangy, old timey vocal harmonizing. 3 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Barbara Healy: For those in the know, Barbara Healy is back. For those who don't, Healy is a highly respected blues musician, having played with the likes of James Cotton, Robert Cray, and Joan Baez. She has fronted two different bands, recently released her second album, and is an accomplished songwriter. Her most recent lineup promises not just the blues, but also funk, soul and gospel. Barbara Healy is back. 1:45 pm Sunday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Heavyweight Dub Champion: Step into the bizarre universe of the Heavyweight Dub Champion and witness these self-proclaimed "interdimensional warriors" evoke the spirit of their sonic savior, the Last Champion. HDC channels their weird philosophies through an immense wall of sound blend of hip hop and dub-reggae. Effects processors, delay units and vintage synths clash with turntables, saxophones and live MCs. Their latest album features guest appearances by KRS One as well as Killah Priest (Wu Tang Clan). 8 pm Saturday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Nicolette Helm: Nicolette Helm plays some funky guitar riffs and backs them up with a rough, drawn-out voice that sounds like it's straight out of a smoky lounge. It's original. It's believable. 4:30 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Linda Hornbuckle: Linda Hornbuckle has a serious voice. She began singing at the age of six in her Portland church where Papa was the pastor. Many years later, she retains that soulful gospel bluesy sound. Ms. Hornbuckle comes to the EC backed by a movin' and groovin' five-piece band that chugs like a train. The combination of their grooves and her voice is certain to move you, and your feet. 3:15 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Jaki Su and The 12th Avenue Band: Jaki Su hails from New York where she was involved in plenty of rhythm and blues, jazz and even did some backup work for Tina Turner back in the day. Her current unconventional blues/jazz arrangements are rounded out by Ben Powell, Matt Singleton and Jerry Zybach, previously of Jerry and the Stage Hogs, as well as Greg Rundo, a longtime blues musician and KRVM DJ. 7:50 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Comedy Workout Presents, Leigh-Anne Jasheway-Bryant A humor writer for The Comic News, Funny Times, Inspiredathome.com, as well as having authored a host of comedy books, she is also the director of The Comedy Workout troupe. 6 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Dan Jones & The Squids: Power pop, folky rock and a great sense of humor, that's Dan Jones. With a band of friends behind him — a local supergroup of sorts— he delivers a spontaneous, energetic show, letting his playfulness shine through. You'll laugh instead of cry, skip instead of walk and cheer for Jones' geeky honesty. Influenced by ageless music like Hüsker Dü, Lou Reed, Steve Earle and The Who, Jones doesn't sound like any of those, but trust me, you'll like it. 4:30 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons: Portland's Jerry Joseph has a head on approach to music that can be pretty dark. Yet the hippies love him. Not just the hippies, too. He boasts a very fierce, diverse following. His three-piece band tackles the EC stage with many years of touring under their collective belts. Women swoon over this guy, men relate to him. While Joseph may have a dark past, he's got a bright future. Awwwww…. 6:45 pm Friday at City Hall Stage. Jerry and the Stagehogs: You'll be glad Jerry Zybach shares the stage with these Hogs! The local outfit is a favorite on the Northwest blues circuit, Zybach and crew deliver blues of all colors and stripes: rootsy, rockin', progressive, ballads and classics you love. Mixed in with versatile originals, this band will get the party started and keep it going through the night. 7:30 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Liesel Kelly Band: Missoula-born and Northwest-raised, Liesel Kelly grew up singing in church choirs and considers music to be an integral, God-given gift to her life. After years of playing local jazz clubs with Side Project, Kelly formed her own band and plays favorite covers plus her own songs. Her music covers all that's good: blues, soul, folk, jazz and more. 5 pm Friday at City Hall Stage. Laura Kemp Band: Local folkal Laura Kemp brings her down home relaxed approach to the Eugene Celebration. Five albums and countless gigs have made Kemp a serious staple of the local folk scene. Think Nanci Griffith if she lived off Lorane Highway. Her latest album strays into bluegrass territory, with the addition of mandolin, dobro and fiddle. She has garnered several EW "Best Female Musician" honors, and won the hearts of many. She is Miss Laura Kemp.3 pm Sunday at City Hall Stage. Josh Kreklow: Comedy. 2 pm Sunday at Cozmic Pizza Stage Sonny Landreth: When it comes to the blues and the slide guitar, it doesn't get much better than Sonny Landreth. Louisiana's finest will be on hand to tap into his lengthy repertoire which dates all the way back to 1981. Landreth is like a time portal back to the glory days of southern blues. 3:30 pm Sunday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Don Latarski & Rue D'Acoustic: A native Oregonian since 1973, Latarski's band Rue de Blues debuted at the 1995 EC and has been embraced by blues lovers ever since. Latarski teaches the faithful as an instructor and head of guitar studies at UO. His unique guitar style moves effortlessly from blues to jazz to rockabilly to swing. He's a favorite on the Northwest Festival circuit. 12:15 pm Friday (Free) & Sunday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Live Matinee: With their trademark blend of offbeat, tongue-in-cheek comedic skits and music, the five-member group of Nancy Cave, Richard Cave, Tamsin Morgan, Barbara Embree and Bob Marquis, along with Music Director Cheyney Ryan, promises yet another wacky, fun-filled show. 5:30 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Los Mex Pistols del Norte: They will ignite and electrify as they always have. The now internationally recognized band (rumors have it they're slated to play somewhere in Asia for Oktoberfest) has brought their rollicking mix of tejana, norteño and paso dobles (celebratory bullfighting music) to the Eugene masses for nearly a decade. The reason for this longevity: Nothing says celebration better than crashing symbols, horns, organs and surf rock guitar. It's always a party when the Pistols are playing. 1:30 pm Saturday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Macaco Velho: Wistful melodies and irrepressible rhythms will transport you to the verdant hills and vibrant streets of Brazil. 2 pm Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Natty O: Blues Trio that includes Jerry Leff, a longtime local blues musician. 2:45 pm Sunday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. North Mississippi Allstars: Drawing from the rich legacy of gritty Southern blues, the three young men that compose the North Mississippi Allstars make music that would make their elders proud. These boys are the real deal: They were chomping away on BBQ goat and hot licks at Otha Turner's ranch while others were rocking the boat on Jam Cruise. If you dig Otha, Lee Baker, RL Burnside or the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, then don't miss the North Mississippi Allstars. 10:30 pm Friday at City Hall Stage. Party Booby Trap: Their name is a palindrome, but their unique rock and roll is best enjoyed start to finish. 3:30 pm Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Porch Dawgs: Albany-based blues, funk, and R&B band 6:45 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Pretty Girls Make Graves: We're graced with the second show this year from this Seattle band, whose anthemic, danceable, punk-tinged songs seem to come straight from singer Andrea Zollo's heart. The band's first album, Good Health, was rough and engrossing; their second, The New Romance, was like a manifesto, a fiery call to arms and kiss-off to jaded inactivity. Get out there and dance. 6:15 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Prezident Brown: This is not the set to show up to looking for a rowdy, party-time send-off into Saturday night. Prezident Brown promises to increase the consciousness of his audience as much as he entertains it. Look for this Jamaican-born, lifelong artist to cap off a long day of celebration with a positive vibe and a serious message. 9:45 pm Saturday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Quick & Easy Boys: All we know is that this band is one of the side projects of Luckey's booking sweetheart Sam Hahn. The guy's got some darn good taste in music, so we're sure that his own band rocks too. 9:15 pm Friday at Luckey's Stage. The Raventones: Bass and traps power duo TR Kelley and Randy Hamme have dubbed their sound "Interstellar Folkjazz." Their funky, bluesy, strangely complete sound sets a new standard for the capabilities of a solo rhythm section. 7:30 pm Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Reeble Jar: Eugene's Reeble Jar is a seven-piece outfit combining blues, funk, acid jazz and tribal beats into "a musical mission of groove and unity." These guys may look laid back, but they've been hard at work touring the great American west and settle into the EC confident in their Pacific Northwest sound. Jazzy one minute, rocking the next, these guys promise to keep you on your toes. They've even got a didgeridoo! BYOV(Bring Your Own Vegemite). 10:45 pm Friday at Luckey's Stage. Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers: This foursome of local guys just barely old enough to drink (legally) have had their way with Eugene and are now primed to take on the rest of the world from Hollywood. Through the influence of late '60s and '70s rock like MC5, Radio Birdman and the Stooges, Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers put on a high-energy show full of swagger and attitude. If you want fist-pumping but catchy rock, this is your band. 7:45 pm Saturday at City Hall Stage. Ruckus: Dance band. 3 pm Sunday at Saturday Market Stage Walker T. Ryan: Possibly the personification of old-school Eugene, older, bearded, and slightly gruffy, Walker T. takes the blues and simply plays the hell out of 'em. This is multi-generational stuff. The older folks enjoy Ryan's affinity for the Dylan's and the Leadbelly's from years past, while kids just seem to understand his passion and intensity. You can see him playing at libraries, at bookstores, or in the clubs. Experience Eugene through the sounds of Walker T. Ryan, 1:30 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Curtis Salgado: You know the story — John Belushi was so inspired by Curtis Salgado that he based his Blues Bothers character on him. He spent six years with Robert Cray, fronted Roomful of Blues, even Santana. Salgado has a distinguished career all his own and in the world of blues rock he's listed among the best, with a live show not to be missed! 8 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. Saltlick: You missed Saltlick's album release show earlier this month? You've got some catching up to do. The band's just-released first album, A Face Only a Mother Could Love, is a well-crafted but heartsick sort of album, ringing with pedal steel and bittersweet songs that call to mind late nights on a lonely highway. It was recorded during rehearsals, so we can say with confidence that yes, they do sound just as good live. 6 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Satin Love Orchestra: The Satin Love Orchestra had better get to the Eugene Celebration early if it wants to roll in a stretch limo, as is apparently the standard when you're a nine-person disco/funk band. This homegrown band is sure to please its late night crowd. 9:45 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. John Shipe & the Blue Rebekahs: John Shipe likes to play music. A man with many bands (including The Renegade Saints) on his resumé, Shipe has been waxing creative here in Eugene for some time now. His band, The Blue Rebekahs, are fantastic. These guys are like the cool kids from the UO music school. The kind that got wasted on Tuesday night, but still scored straight A's….. and the ladies... 9 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. SILAS: Silas enjoys the groove. This five-piece outfit has been prowling the Eugene music scene for years now, smiling all the while. Their sound slips and shuffles in and around, utilizing the lap steel guitar to great effect. It is that lap steel that elevates Silas above other post-Jerry jammers. Their Southern rock alt-country style together with the prevailing Eugene culture mesh into a certain blue state kinda sound. Think Saturday Market, on Election Day. 3 pm Saturday at Luckey's Stage. Skip Jones and The Spirit of New Orleans: Skip Jones has been in Eugene since 1979, learning and playing blues on his Hammond B3 and paying homage to the blues greats, occasionally playing along side them. When Jones graces the Cozmic Pizza stage on Saturday, he brings the spirit of New Orleans with him, literally and hopefully figuratively as well. 8 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Comedy Workout Presents, Natalie Sonnenfeld. 5:30 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Something for Rockets: Singer Rami Perlman's (er, yes, son of Itzhak) throaty, theatrical voice anchors this electro-pop mishmash that wants to both get your party started and have an introspective moment. Drum machines and synths that are alternately burbling and ambient fill up most of the space on these songs; the overall impression is that of a pop band in a playground of other genres. 5:15 pm Friday at Broadway Plaza Stage. The Matt Sonnenfelt Band: A phenomenal harmonica player, Sonnenfelt won the harmonica blow-off contest at the recent Springfield Filbert Festival. Some may remember him from his previous blues band, Boogie Chillin. 9:10 pm Friday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Soromundi Lesbian Chorus of Eugene: 60 women offer an alternative voice through remarkably tight melodic arrangements representing the music of various countries. 12:30 pm Saturday at Saturday Market Stage. Sugar Beets: If you're familiar with music festivals in the area then you've probably already heard of The Sugar Beets and already know what happens when the eight-person group hits the stage. The Beets pride themselves on their exceptional performances of original acoustic stemming from Celtic to bluegrass to Motown. 4 pm Sunday at City Hall Stage. Sun Bossa: Led by native Brazilian and Eugene resident Edson Oliviera, Sun Bossa performs authentic Bossa Nova rhythms with lyrics sung in both English and Oliviera's first toungue, Portuguese. Expect to hear classics by Jobim, Gilberto, Barroso and others. If you yearn for an exotic journey to sunny and warm Ipanema Beach, let Oliviera's sensual voice and delightful band take you there. 1:30 pm Sunday at City Hall Stage. Swing Shift: Put on your dancing shoes for Swing Shift's set Sunday afternoon. The local big band is sure to get the dance floor moving with a catchy set straight out of the 1950s. 3 pm Sunday at Luckey's Stage. Visible Men: In the midst of a whopping seven-month west coast tour, The Visible Men will grace the Eugene Celebration with some piano-laden soft rock. TVM's music is original, poignant and funny. 7:30 pm Friday at Luckey's Stage. Valley Boys: With a sound like a really good wedding band, the Valley Boys have been dutifully performing uplifting blues/rock in the Northwest for more than 20 years. 6 pm Friday at Custom Corner Stage. Vega: Funky, light jazz with a strong sax presence in the foreground and occasional vocals. Vega has been playing regularly at Jo Fed's for the past several months. 5:30 pm Saturday at Saturday Market Stage The Vipers Featuring Themselves: A hard-driving, favorite local blues band lead by Jon Silvermoon, this time minus singer Deb Cleveland. 2:30 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Yeltsin: Can we call these three guys Eugene's favorite rock sons? Yeltsin recently released a solid first full-length album, We Will Be a Factory — the kind of record that grows on you when you're not paying attention, all sneaky hooks and thoughtful lyrics wrapped into distorted pop songs that call to mind a whole roster of admirable influences. All this and they rock, too. 6 pm Friday at Luckey's Stage. West Coast Rhythm Kings: This seven-piece "music and dance review" combines new and old material ranging from rhythm and blues to Latin, swing, and jazz. 10:05 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. Comedy Workout Presents, Marion Weissmann 6 pm Saturday at Cozmic Pizza Stage WYMPROV!: Four women blend hilarious improvisational comedy and song parodies into a dynamic stage show. 1 pm Sunday at Cozmic Pizza Stage. —Compiled by Melissa Bearns, Dave Constantin, Danny Cross, Vanessa Salvia, Steve Sawada, Molly Templeton and Jeff Winicour.
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