Josh Ritter is a first-time novelist with a well-known name. Ritter is the singer-songwriter, originally from Moscow, Idaho, who has a great national following for his well-crafted, literate songs. So now Ritter the wordsmith has turned his hand to a new craft with his debut…
John Travolta talks to all of the Munchkins in the cast of "Wizard of Oz" during intermission, in this photo sent in by Laura Little of the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre. Travolta was in town to attend "The Wizard of Oz" because two of his…
The B-52s, of "Love Shack" fame, have been booked into the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Sept. 12, 8 p.m. Tickets are $75, $49.50 and $39.50, on sale July 8, 10 a.m., through TicketsWest outlets. The '80s would not have been the same…
I'd love to hear from anyone who attended the KISS concert at the Arena or the Judds at the Northern Quest outdoor venue. What did you think about the shows? I'd also like to hear opinions about the new Northern Quest venue. I hear there…
The Spokane Civic Theatre brought home two awards from last weekend's AACT/FEST 2011 national community theater awards in Rochester, NY: Lacey Bohnet won Best Supporting Actress. Nancy Vancil won Best Musical Accompaniment The Civic's entry, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," also earned three…
Just got back from Auntie's Bookstore where I purchased my summer reading project: The unabridged "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. Since the musical adaptation is my favorite musical of all time, I figured it's about time for me to immerse myself in the genuine source…
Eilen Jewell has been booked into Arbor Crest Wine Cellars for an outdoor show on Aug. 4. A few of my more music-savvy friends are pumped about this announcement. This singer-songwriter (the first name is pronounced EE-len) has a great voice and has some haunting,…
Spokane's Sophia Caruso, 9, pictured here in rehearsals for "The Miracle Worker" at Interplayers Professional Theatre, was in the pages of the NY Times on Monday. She was one of thousands of little girls auditioning for a new production of "Annie" in New York. Here's…
The Spokane Arena has just announced a special deal for tomorrow: $30 KISS tickets, Thursday only. Here's the full announcement: WHAT: $30 Tickets To See KISS In Concert! WHERE: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena WHEN: Thursday, June 23 – 12:01AM-11:59PM EVENT: KISS with Bad City Friday,…
I wrote an update for Wednesday's paper about the MAC's layoffs, which you can read here. I would like to expand on Ben Mitchell's legacy as art curator at the MAC. I do not consider myself an authority on visual art, but I am nevertheless…
Let me start this off by stipulating that I would rather be in Dante's 14th circle of Hell than be a contestant on "Survivor" (and Dante only had nine). But here's an opportunity for the rest of you: A "Survivor" audition call, July 8 at…
They Might Be Giants, the band beloved of alt-rock fans with a sense of humor, have just been booked into the Knitting Factory Concert House in Spokane for a Nov. 6 show. Tickets will be $22, on sale June 24, 10 a.m. through www.ticketfly.com.
Ben Mitchell, the senior curator of art at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC), was laid off this week. The museum had to make a five percent budget cut, after it barely escaped closure when the state budget was finalized. One other position,…
Comedian and celebrity gadfly Kathy Griffin has been booked into the INB Performing Arts Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., on Aug. 20. Tickets in advance will be $75, $50 and $35, on sale June 24, 10 a.m., through TicketsWest outlets.
Thursday is the real Bloomsday (of the James Joyce variety), which means it's also the day of Spokane's annual Limerick Literary Pub Crawl and Traditional Irish Dinner. For $50, you can accompany a bagpiper, a bard or two and a band of like-minded revelers through…
Judy Collins, owner of one of my all-time favorite voices, has just been booked into the Bing Crosby Theater on Nov. 10. Tickets are $37, available through TicketsWest outlets on Friday.
Retro-pop swinger April Smith & The Great Picture Show are making a return trip to Spokane for a show Oct. 7 at the Bing Crosby Theater. Smith and the band attracted a big crowd when they were here in November. The music is jazzy, old-timey…
A bunch of bands that rocked Gatsby's nightclub in the 1970s and 1980s are reuniting for two benefit shows this weekend. The bands will be ValHalla, RumbleBoy, Innersanctum, Flash, Wiser Sin, Lorpan, The Edge and Black Rose. If those names sound familiar, you probably frequented…
Jerad Finck of Spokane scored in the NBA finals. His song "Runaway" was the song played as the musical theme in ESPN's video about Dirk Nowitzki's journey to the NBA title. Here's a link to the video: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6653799. It aired during the sixth game of…
I took this photo Saturday night at the Northern Quest Resort and Casino's tuneup concert for its new outdoor venue, this one featuring local acts Soul Proprietor and the Ryan Larsen Band. As you can see, it's a flat expanse of lawn between the parking…
It's hard to convey how much respect Guy Clark has in the world of folk, country, alt-country and Americana. He has been a major influence on artists like Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris and Nanci Griffith. This Texas singer-songwriter is held in the same esteem as…
Michael Bublé has been booked into the Spokane Arena on Aug. 10, at 8 p.m. This popular crooner will be appearing with guest artist Naturally7. Tickets will be $49.50, $65 and $85, on sale June 17 at 10 a.m. through all TicketsWest outlets.
Can’t afford the trip to London to see Shakespeare performed in the best of all possible venues, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre? Catch it right here on the big screen, at the Northtown 12 Cinemas, 4750 N. Division St. The same company that has been bringing the…
The Spokane Interstate Fair concert lineup has just been announced: Neal McCoy, country, Sept. 12 The Osmond Brothers, pop, Sept. 13 Weird Al Yankovic, rock parody, Sept. 14 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, rock, Sept. 15 Switchfoot!, rock, Sept. 16 In addition, the Fair will…
George Duke, the funky keyboard master associated with Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson and Miles Davis, has been booked into the Bing Crosby Theater for a show on Aug. 11. Duke toured with the Mothers of Invention in the 1960s, played on Jackson's "Off the Wall"…