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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Banderas’ latest will be filmed in Spokane

Antonio Banderas is on his way to Spokane to star in a film-noir movie, “The Big Bang.”

The Spanish heartthrob plays a private eye who is hired to find a missing stripper. Complications ensue, in the form of a mean Russian boxer and a crazy old billionaire.

Other names attached to the movie include Clifton Collins Jr. (2009’s “Star Trek”) and Delroy Lindo (“Get Shorty”).

The director is Tony Krantz, a longtime Hollywood pro who has been a producer on a long list of TV shows including “Felicity” and “Sports Night.” He has directed two previous feature films, “Sublime” and “Otis,” both of which were seen mostly on DVD.

The writer is Erik Jendresen, who collaborated with Krantz on “Sublime” and “Otis” and who wrote several episodes of “Band of Brothers.”

This is another North by Northwest collaboration. Filming is scheduled to begin soon. As in, this week.

Banderas is famous for playing both Zorro and “Shrek’s” Puss in Boots. That’s what I call acting range.

Farris returns

Here’s a reminder of a notable classical event: The Spokane String Quartet, 3 p.m. today at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave.

It’s notable because it’s the quartet’s first concert of the season, and the first one featuring the new second violinist, Tracy Dunlop, a longtime Spokane Symphony player.

It’s also notable because it will feature guest artist Kelly Farris, the quartet’s founding first violinist and Spokane Symphony concertmaster for 37 years before his retirement in 2006.

Farris will return with a viola instead of a violin, in a program which features works by Mozart, Copland and Dvorak.

The rest of the quartet includes Mateusz Wolski, Jeannette Wee-Yang and Helen Byrne.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students, available at the door.

Get your Irish up

We have a series of Irish and/or Limerick Sister City events coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Here’s a rundown:

• The Halfway to St. Patrick’s Party will take place Thursday, 6 p.m. at O’Doherty’s Irish Bar and Grille, 525 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

This is the annual Spokane-Limerick Sister City Society’s Members Appreciation Event, and members get in free. If you want to become a member, you can show up and pay your membership and join the party, too.

It’s a hosted evening of food, drink and live Irish music.

• “The Rambling Irishman,” a multimedia film event featuring the Irish documentary “The Hard Road to Klondike,” based on the autobiography of Mickey MacGowan, who traveled from Donegal to Butte to the Klondike Gold Rush to make his fortune.

The screening will be at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W. First Ave., at 7 p.m. Friday and will be accompanied by songs by Ruby Devine and Steven Schneider and readings from the book. Episodes from an Irish TV music series will also be aired.

A reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and will feature a dancing demonstration by the Kelly Irish Dancers. The cost is $7 at the door, and includes one drink.

• The Limerick Literary Pub Crawl and Ploughman’s Dinner, Sept. 23, 5:15 to 9:30 p.m. The tour will go from C.I. Shenanigans, to the Blue Spark, to the Satellite Diner, to O’Doherty’s and back to Shenanigans and will include dinner, a raffle, a T-shirt, music and literary readings.

Tickets are $50, which benefits the Limerick 20th Anniversary Celebration Fund. Call Sheila Geraghty at (509) 570-4654 by Tuesday for info and tickets.

Slipknot at the Arena

The hard-rock act Slipknot has been booked into the Star Theatre at the Spokane Arena, accompanied by the Deftones, on Oct. 21, 8 p.m.

Tickets are $39 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

According to the press release, “your worst nightmares await you.” So be warned.