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Eureka!
Hot Summer Nights 2010 Eureka!
Raise your frosty glasses in a toast to all the
performers, their roadies, and sound techs to deliver musical
entertainment to soothe our savage souls on these hot Summer
nights! (SIP) Now, refill your glass and salute the
bartenders and wait-staff who run around delivering those frosty
glasses with extra limes! (SIP) Now, refill that glass and
say, “Cheers!” to the owners of the bar who pays for all of this
entertainment and the personnel so we could have this moment
together! (SIP) Now, salute yourself for supporting this
lovely circle! (SIP) Now, call Eureka Taxi to drive you
home!
Eureka Springs is alive and well, looking gorgeous,
and full of wonderful entertainment. Read on and see for yourself
what our town has in store!
Gordon Lightfoot in Concert
Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian songwriter famous for
his troubadour singing style and responsible for timeless hits like
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “If You Could Read My Mind,”
“Sundown,” “Carefree Highway,” and “Rainy Day People” will appear in
Eureka Springs’ Historic Auditorium on Sunday, August 22 at 8pm.
Gordon Lightfoot started his singing career in
barbershop quartets and duos. In 1962 his solo career exploded
when he entered the Country and Folk scene of the time. He is one
of THE best selling Canadian recording artists and his songs have
influenced and been recorded by loads of artists including Peter, Paul,
& Mary, John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Olivia
Newton-John, and many more. Personally, I love his voice and the
moods of his songs and am overwhelmed at the thought that he will be in
my town. My friend clasped both my hands in the air and bowed her
head in silent thanksgiving reverence when the concert was mentioned
and I believe that sums up the welcoming vibe Gordon Lightfoot will
receive when he arrives.
Tickets are $65 and $55 and can be obtained by calling the Aud office at (479) 253-7788.
Eureka Springs Bluegrass Weekend August 19-22
Bring your fiddle, banjo, bass, guitar, and a
hankering for watermelon to the Basin Spring Park for the Eureka
Springs Bluegrass Weekend on Thursday, August 19th! The
Watermelon Social is the traditional kick-off for the Weekend and lots
of free fun for the whole family. Enjoy loads of toe
tappin’ and rollickin’ in the park throughout the weekend with music by
favorites like the Hobnobbers, The Cobb Family, The Roving Gamblers,
Josh Love Band, Common Thyme, The Williams Family, The Hillbenders,
Mountain View Friends, and The Dragon Masters. Plus the amazing
Spoonman, Bill Nesbitt, Pam Kirby, and more will be joining in the fun.
Saturday night, August 21 there will be a special
performance by Melvin Goins at the City Auditorium. Opening the
show are Mr. Big, Arkansas Red, and Tim Crouch.
It just wouldn’t be Eureka Bluegrass Weekend without
The Williams Family Gospel Show on Sunday. This inspiring group
moves the crowd with unbelievable harmonies and superb
musicianship. They are the perfect high note for the
weekend. All shows in the Basin Spring Park are free.
Around town catch a Friday night performance by The
Hogscalders on the Basin Park Hotel Balcony with Catfish on the
side. Chelsea’s has Mountain Sprout and their friends The Whistle
Pigs both Friday and Saturday. The New Delhi Cafe has the
Sideshow Tramps who sort of vamp around the bluegrass genre and are so
fun to see. The Squid & Whale has Free State Revival and the
Mockingbird Hillbilly Band. Throughout the weekend there
will be musicians around town playing tunes on the street. Also,
they’ll be pickin’ poolside at local lodgings after the shows Friday
and Saturday nights.
Jack’s Big News
There is big excitement in downtown Eureka Springs due to the come back of the legendary Center Stage. Jack’s Place
at 37 Spring Street is about to break on through to the other side by
reopening the space next door creating one large venue. Center
Stage sports one of the most impressive stages in Eureka Springs and
Jack has big plans for it.
Both bars will be open on the weekends, and
Jack’s Center Stage will be rocking with live music. During
the rest of the week, the room will be open with two pool tables and a
large screen TV and Jack’s Place will be serving drinks.
I got to take a sneak peek at the room last weekend
and despite the renovation dust and stacks of future furniture I got a
chill of anticipation of things to come. Fatz 59, a power trio
from the Branson/Blue Eye neighborhood, will have the honor of the
first dance on that Center Stage. This tight party band features
Bruce Leighton on lead guitar, Danny Brown on drums and lead vocals,
and Jimmy Dowling on bass and vocals. Jack’s Center Stage will
open very soon and officially celebrate their Grand Opening on August
20 and 21st.
New Delhi Cafe
attracts a steady flow of refreshing music throughout the week. A
new music menu item was recently added, the duo of Stevie T & Jerry
on Thursday’s. Stevie T’s songs could be forced into the Country
Blues section like Steve Earl could, but it is tinged with gospel,
grit, folk, and it really rocks! Check it out for yourself and
thank me later for the recommendation. The New Delhi continues to
enchant downtown with the music of BrickFields and Jerry Jones’
Wednesday Open Jam, plus weekly special performances by all sorts of
players: Miles Ralston, Sideshow Tramps, Mountain Sprout, David
Alan Coe’s daughter - Shelly Coe, and a return of our beloved Opal Fly
from her new home in Las Vegas on September 4th!
Chelsea’s Cafe & Bar
keeps their reputation for red hot music accurate through these hot
summer nights with a head-spinning line-up. In addition to the
ever popular Tuesday night open mic with Kevin, they have this to offer
on the weekends ahead: Ozakwaaba, Elisha Israel & AZ One,
Earl & Them, Stevie T & Jerry, Mountain Sprout, The Whistle
Pigs, Sam & The Stylees (ask Eric about his buoyancy), Randy
Crouch, Opal Fly (Via Las Vegas!), The Ariels, and Macaroni 5.
The Squid & Whale~
I introduced some of my out of town guests to the “Open Mic Musical
Smack-Down” experience featuring Bloody Buddy & Friends last
Thursday night at the Squid & Whale. The couple we saw on
stage had the crowd boppin’ and smiling and my guests witnessed this
and asked, “Is it always like this around here?” The weekends
bring in another wave of Squid & Whale live music fun with acts
like Dayton Waters, Jah Kings, Snake Fighter, 42, Black Water, The Will
Callers, Pearl Nation, The Crumbs, Free State Revival, Mockingbird
Hillbilly Band, Mighty Moonfrogs, Raina Rose, and Taken featuring
Darryl Brooks. Happy Birthday to DEE!
Eurekapalooza
People get ready for a new music festival happening this Fall called
Eurekapalooza! This all day event will be held on Saturday, September
25th at Lake Leatherwood in Eureka Springs and will benefit Clear
Spring School. Eurekapalooza will feature about a dozen fabulous
musical acts in a gorgeous outdoor setting. Lots of games and
activities for kids of all ages, concessions, camping, and great music
make this a must for your September plans. The line-up is still
growing, but the confirmed list includes: The Ariels, The Awesome
Possums, Cool Clear Water, David Singleton, The Hogscalders,
HonkySuckle, Jones Van Jones, Kory Montgomery Band, Nathaniel Rogers,
Pearl Brick, The Rooguards, and more! Tickets will be sold at the gate
for $15, children 12 and under get in free. Primitive camping is first
come first serve, and a limited number of reservable electric/RV sites,
and cabins are available by calling Lake Leatherwood Park office at
(479) 253-7921. For more information about Eurekapalooza or Clear
Spring School, please visit www.eurekapalooza.com or
www.clearspringschool.org.
Happy Trails to Catherine Reed
Eureka Springs songstress, Catherine Reed, is taking
her beautiful voice and easy-going nature to Colorado to start a new
and exciting chapter of her life and will be missed greatly by
audiences and friends. Catherine’s talent is invaluable to the
entertainment schedule on the Basin Park Hotel Balcony, and in fact she
is my “go to person” to get the information I need each month to report
for this paper. I love hearing her voice floating down from the
Balcony Bar, from the Basin Spring Park Band Shell, and at the Crescent
Hotel’s Sunday Brunch. She will be at KJ’s Caribe` Restaurante
August 27 & 28. Please check the Sound pages in this issue
for an opportunity to see her perform before she goes and pick up one
of her CD’s. It will help with her gas money and make a great
Catherine Reed souvenir!
Awesome Possums Bouncing Back Benefit
This is a note to alert friends of Lyle Pinkley of
the Awesome Possums that the musicians of Eureka Springs are rallying
in support of his awesomeness in the Basin Spring Park Band Shell on
Sunday, August 8th from 1 'til 5pm. His rehearsal/recording studio
burned to the ground on the 4th of July when a neighbor’s burn pile
embers spread out of control. The fire thief robbed Lyle of
expensive equipment including his beloved instruments and irreplaceable
photos and original lyric sheets and gig posters from over 30 years of
playing music. News like that just leaves all of us here in town
wishing there was something we could do, so we are doing what we know
how; throwing a benefit in the Basin Park.
Thanks again for supporting live music, this paper,
and this column. Now go out and have some fun! You deserve
it.
And if you see Peter Read, please wish him many
happy returns on his birthday and wedding anniversary! God Bless
Peter Read! Cheers to Peter! For he’s a jolly good fellow
which nobody can deny!
Karen FitzPatrick
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