Huckleberries: Downtown Coeur d’Alene will have dueling concerts this summer

Coeur d’Alene is known for its music during the summer – free or inexpensive. At least four evenings per week during the summer, you can listen to tunes provided by Handshake Productions, Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture Alliance and Live After 5. This summer, there may be more music than ever in downtown Coeur d’Alene, with dueling concerts on Wednesday evenings. Only blocks apart. No one is saying why so much music in so little space. For the record. But music lovers won’t complain. Event promoter Tyler Davis is transporting his popular Live After 5 entertainment from Sixth Street and Sherman Avenue to McEuen Park. Tyler has booked his series with the Coeur d’Alene Parks Department from June 14 until Sept. 6. Meanwhile, Darrell Dlouhy of the hopping Daft Badger pub, 1710 N. Second St., is moving into the former Live After 5 spot on the Parkside condo lawn. Darrell is planning six concerts beginning July 12, with Peter Rivera (formerly of Rare Earth) and the Step Brothers. Is downtown Coeur d’Alene big enough for two concerts on warm Wednesday evenings this summer? Inquiring minds … will find out.

Chris returns

Wednesday won’t be the only summer evening with competing concerts in the Coeur d’Alene area. Thursdays will offer two, too. Chris Guggemos of Handshake Productions is fundraising again. Which is a big deal. Last fall, Coeur d’Alene’s “Music Man” survived a tough bout with cancer. Chris told Huckleberries he was strong enough to shovel snow recently. And he’s ready for another year of providing free concerts at Coeur d’Alene City Park (Sundays), Sherman Square Park (Tuesdays) and McIntire Park behind Hayden City Hall (Thursdays). The Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture Alliance also provides free Thursday concerts – at Riverstone Pond. We Coeur d’Loonians are spoiled when it comes to summer listening fare. Then, we need some relief from the annual invasion of tourists and visitors who overrun our slice of paradise from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Huckleberries

At least one precinct committeeman considered it odd that the America Firsters at the Kootenai County GOP had booked a Kiwi for their Lincoln Day Dinner speaker. Trevor Loudon, a New Zealand author and political activist who maintains a blog (TrevorLoudon.com) will do the honors. So much for buy America first … Worth Repeating: “I fully support sanctuary cities. My ancestors supported immigrants – I see no reason to change. I believe in humanity first.” – Rep. Paulette Jordan, a Native American from Plummer who opposes the Idaho bill targeting sanctuary cities … Huckleberries warns you ahead of time that you’re going to groan when you read this item from Coeur d’Alene High instructor Bruce Twitchell: “People without toes really grind my gears. You could say I am Lack Toes Intolerant.” Told you.

Parting Shot

Here’s an update for all you fans of the late Tom Wobker, whom we knew and loved here as The Bard of Sherman Avenue. Washington Poet Laureate Tod Marshall of Gonzaga is putting the finishing touches on a book of poetry by Tom, complete with 200 poems. The book will make its debut at the annual blogfest associated with the Huckleberries Online blog (1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Fort Ground Grill in Coeur d’Alene). It’ll be available for sale then. Maybe for $10. Stay tuned.