Slightly Stoopid to headline show at Riverfront Park
Slightly Stoopid, the San Diego punk-reggae band, will ring in summer with a big outdoor show at Riverfront Park, June 20 at 6 p.m.
They’ll be joined by Steel Pulse and the Expendables, who just played the Knitting Factory.
Riverfront Park has been relatively quiet the last summer or two, but previously hosted plenty of big open-air concerts, including Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.
Tickets for the Slightly Stoopid show are available through TicketFly at www.ticketfly.com or (877) 435-9849.
Spokane Accordion Ensemble
If your taste runs more to accordion music than to punk-reggae, here’s an unusual event coming up this week: The Spokane Accordion Ensemble, in a concert titled “Movie Themes,” Tuesday, 7 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave.
No, I wasn’t aware Spokane had an accordion ensemble. Yet it’s been around in some form or another for more than 50 years. It’s a group of a dozen or so people bound by their love of the accordion.
The director is Patricia Bartell, a Whitworth University music grad who is well-known in accordion circles as a teacher, adjudicator and professional performer.
The show will include movie music from “West Side Story,” “Star Wars” and “The Pink Panther” – all done accordion style.
No tickets are required, but a $10 donation is requested at the door.
A Bing and a birthday
Speaking of the Bing Crosby Theater, you might want to celebrate Bing Crosby’s 107th birthday by attending “High Society” there on Monday at 7 p.m.
“High Society” is one of Bing’s most memorable movies, partly because of the amazing talent that surrounded him in this 1956 classic. The movie also starred Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly and Louis Armstrong. The songs were written by Cole Porter.
Try to top that for a gathering of American legends.
Show up at 6 p.m. for the Bing birthday cake and punch. A letter will be on display (on loan from Gonzaga University’s Crosby Collection) that discusses the making of “High Society.” Bing dictated it from a fishing camp.
A donation of $5 will be requested. This is the final movie in this season’s “Classic Movies at the Bing” series.
A new Nickelback start
The promoters of the Nickelback concert have announced a new start time, 6:15 p.m., for the Spokane Arena show on Wednesday.
The old time was 6:30 p.m.
Why the change? Here’s a clue: The list of supporting acts includes Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown and Sick Puppies.
They needed an earlier start just to have time for all of these opening acts.
Doors will now open at 5:15 p.m., so you might as well arrive early.
Cinco de Opera
Once again, Spokane Opera is holding a big Cinco de Mayo party with music and dancing, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at The Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln St.
The music will be a far cry from opera. Ian Dobson’s Pan Leggo will play steel drum music for dancing. There will be a taco bar and a no-host bar.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $10 for students with college ID. Call (509) 533-1150 for tickets and reservations.
Back at the MAC
The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) is bringing the BeGin! event back by popular demand, May 14, 6-8 p.m. in the museum lobby, 2316 W. First Ave.
Admission is free, but bring some money to buy a drink or two. This event is like a museum happy-hour, with music this month by The Booze Fighters.
• Watch for a new art exhibit at the MAC beginning Saturday: “Tradition is My Life, Education is My Future: The 2009 Native American Student Art Competition.”
It will feature the winners of a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, which receives 1,400 entries nationwide. The exhibit will later be displayed in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Oklahoma City.
It runs at the MAC through July 3.
The newest Cat
Melissa Bunting, a radio veteran who has worked in San Diego, Tampa Bay and, most recently, Denver, has joined current co-host Bob Castle on the KDRK-FM (The Cat, 93.7) morning team.
The “Melissa and Bob” show debuted on Thursday and will run live every weekday from 6 to 9 a.m.
Shakespeare at Whitworth
The Seattle Shakespeare Company brings its production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to Whitworth University’s Cowles Auditorium on Saturday at 7 p.m.
This is a cut-down, 90-minute version of the Bard’s most popular romantic comedy. The Seattle Shakespeare Company is a professional troupe based at the Center House Theatre at Seattle Center.
Tickets are only $5 at the door, and students and senior citizens are admitted free. The troupe will also be performing for students at area high schools.
Remember Allied Arts?
MusicFest Northwest, Spokane’s big classical music competition for young performers scheduled May 9-14, needs volunteers.
And they’re looking for help from some veterans of the old Allied Arts Festival.
“We thought a bunch of us old pianists would have a great time getting together for this project,” said one former Allied Arts participant who is helping to find volunteers.
Interested? E-mail MusicFest Northwest at musicfest@juno.com or call (509) 327-3455.