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

Spotlight: Thin Air’s ‘Saranac surprise’

April Smith and the Great Picture Show, the popular indie-pop-swing band out of New Jersey, delivered a swinging concert in front of 500-plus fans at the Bing Crosby Theater on Oct. 7 – and then Smith delivered a tantalizing invitation from the stage.

She announced she would play another show, for free, on Oct. 8 at the Saranac Public House, to support the KYRS-FM (Thin Air Radio) Fall Pledge Drive.

Word spread and the next day, Smith and the band played to a packed house at this new pub. They raised hundreds of dollars and did “a killer version of ‘I Put a Spell On You,’ ” among other songs, said Wayne Larson of Performance Please, who booked the Bing show.

Larson called it the “Saranac surprise.”

KYRS update

Speaking of KYRS, the station raised about $19,000 during its fall pledge drive. That means this low-power community station will soon be able to switch on its 88.1 FM signal and become a full-power station.

Station manager Lupito Flores said they are tentatively looking at a full-power launch on Friday, assuming all of the engineering work goes as planned. The translator at 92.3 FM will continue to operate after the switch.

The switch will certainly happen before Nov. 5, when an 88.1 FM launch party will be held at 7 p.m. at the Masonic Temple’s Falls Room, 1108 W. Riverside Ave.

The Flying Spiders, Folkinception and Nordman will perform. Tickets are $20, available by calling (509) 747-3012.

Flicker Film Festival

The annual Flicker Film Festival, scheduled Saturday at the Magic Lantern, 25 W. Main Ave., is a bit of a glorious throwback: a festival strictly for genuine film, as in, celluloid.

Not video. Not digital.

And it gets more vibrant every year. The organizers say that “each year we wonder if this will be the year we don’t get any film submissions,” and each year the number grows.

The Flicker Film Festival is strictly for films under 15 minutes. This year, they’ll have dozens of films from France, Germany, Hungary and farther afield.

In fact, there were so many quality submissions that for the first time, the festival will have three different programs – at 2, 6 and 10 p.m. – with no films repeated except two local films.

Some of the subjects: Gypsy caravans in the U.K., ice fishing, the BP oil spill and fruit flies.

Tickets are $7 per program. For more info, check out www.flickerspokane.com.

‘The Human Trace’

Speaking of the Magic Lantern, a feature by Spokane-based filmmaker Jason Satterlund will play there next weekend.

“The Human Trace” is a murder mystery written and directed by Satterlund, who operates Big Puddle Films in Spokane.

Satterlund made this low-budget movie in Nashville. He has since moved to Spokane.

Check the movie listings beginning Friday for show times. The filmmakers are scheduled for a Q-and-A session on Saturday.

Warren Miller slaloms in

Warren Miller will be back with his annual ski-snowboard film, “… Like There’s No Tomorrow,” on Nov. 3 and 4 at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave.

Expect a lot of gorgeous snowy scenery, exotic locations and audacious action shots. It’s a good way to get psyched for the ski season.

This is Miller’s 62nd annual winter sports film. Tickets are available through TicketsWest outlets (800-325-SEAT or www.ticketswest.com).

Holiday-themed theater

We have several upcoming events at local theaters, tied to Halloween and other holidays:

“An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe,” Friday, 7:30 p.m. at the Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center, 405 N. William St., Post Falls – Lake City Playhouse is producing a version of Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart,” performed by George Green and narrated by Doug Dawson. There will also be readings of Poe’s poems, along with musical acts. Tickets are $10 in advance, available by calling (208) 667-1323, or $15 at the door.

“Murder at the Speakeasy,” Oct. 28-30, 6 p.m. at the Lion’s Share Theatre, 1627 N. Atlantic St. – This is a murder mystery dinner and show set in the roaring ’20s with a Halloween theme. Guests walk into the Lion’s Club, a fictional 1925 Spokane speakeasy. A mystery ensues. Dinner and show tickets are $40, available by calling (509) 327-1113.

“G.I. Holiday Jukebox,” Nov. 23-Dec. 25, Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second St., Coeur d’Alene – The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre is producing this show about four fictional Hollywood stars putting on a show for the boys at the front during World War II. Tickets range from $18 to $20, available by calling (208) 769-7780 or at www.cdasummer theatre.com.

The Horse Thieves

The popular Spokane band The Horse Thieves is releasing not just one, but two full-length records on Friday.

Yep, two albums on one night. The CD release show begins at 8 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. You’ll get both albums with your ticket.

Tickets are $15 at the door, or $12 in advance at the Baby Bar, Mark’s Guitar Shop, 4000 Holes or through www.thehorsethieves.com.