Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

    Hey there, Music Lovers! The Ozark celebration of that snake-eradicating Irish Saint, Patrick, really brings the Spring back to Eureka. Chelsea’s crew toot their kazoos annually on the actual March 17 feast of St. Patrick. Coincidentally, the wacky parade/pub crawl happens along Spring Street, bouncing into each pub along the way. The official Eureka Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13th at 2 pm symbolizes the start of Eureka Springs’ season. The boost in tourism translates as more music for you and me. The music shows open, stores and restaurants return to normal hours, and soon we’ll have songs floating down from balconies and drifting from the patios again. Hooray for Spring Break!
Springy music offerings...
     Chelsea’s Corner Cafe & Bar, as mentioned before, hosts the Kazoo Parade, and afterward throws a wing dang doozle of a party. This year’s music is by the Josh Bramhall Band who packed the place out last month and had everyone begging for another show.
    Chelsea’s welcomes more great music in March by the incredible Watermelon Slim, the makers of your favorite future songs-SpeakEasy, and Jason Ricci. I was tickled to find out that songwriter Stevie Tombstone is now a Eureka Springs Citizen and saw him playing solo for the first time ever just recently down at Chelsea’s. Stevie T’s great voice and guitar-playing from the heart combined with masterful songwriting made for a captivating performance.
    April brings back Spring Diversity Weekend with Iris, The Diversity Band, and the legendary Iris Jam. Then, mark your calendars to come celebrate Chelsea’s bartender extraordinaire and all around great guy, Nate Huff’s Birthday on April 16th with music by Earl & Them!
    Jack’s Place brings back that crowd-stirrer, Ashley McBryde for Spring Diversity Weekend April 9 & 10. Ashley has a talent for getting everyone into the act! It wouldn’t be Spring Diversity without her sing-a-long’s. Fatz 59 gets the place rockin’ with live music March 26 & 27th.
    The Squid & Whale makes my head spin with their nonstop list of talent. They get the live thing started on Thursday’s with Bloody Buddy & Friends Open Mic Musical Smack-Down. Then each Friday and Saturday the Dock-like stage comes alive with awesome bands like Black Water, Trash Angels, Timothy O’Brian’s Celtic Cheer (for St. Patrick’s Day), Ollie’s Trashcan, The Crumb’s, Jason and the New Wine, Dayton Waters, Pope County Bootleggers, Silver Service, Grace Askew & The Black Market Goods.
    The New Delhi is the place to be downtown on Main Street for music.        Look for a steady stream of lively entertainment in the weeks ahead. BrickFields (aka Rachel & Larry) are a tasty side dish of soul for the weekly Sunday Gospel Brunch. Their recent gorgeous CD was recorded by David Singleton, who will be singing and playing his guitar at the Delhi on March 20th. David also plays with Mike Blackwell who will be making his first Spring appearance at the Delhi on March 27th. Catch Miles Ralston on the 26th of March. Shows start a bit earlier down there, usually around 7.
    The Pied Piper’s Cathouse Lounge celebrates the Luck of the Irish with Wink & Beau March 12 & 13, then with Mountain Sprout after the Kazoo Krawl on the 17th. Cletus Got Shot will be at the Cathouse on the 19th with promises to play some songs from their new CD. They also have a live CD called “Live, in Asheville, Carolina at the Orange Peel” they are selling for $5 to raise money for their Fall European Tour. The folks in Belgium & Holland won’t know what to do with all that hillbilly, punked out bluegrass!
    The Lumberyard Saloon has become quite a hot spot for card players with its Free Texas Holdem Poker every Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. People are having a lot of fun with it and winning prizes. Robbie Blender holds Karaoke court each Thursday and Friday, and Saturday’s are the night for live entertainment. Comedian Jordan Zuckerman takes the stage on March 27th. Look for some great bands too like Az Iz, Furious George, Martin Simms (this is a special Eureka Springs CD Release Party), and Black Water.
       Eureka House Concert Series just keeps on bringing amazingly talented songwriters to town. These house concerts create a remarkable opportunity for music lovers to experience a really personal connection with some richly gifted performers. Seating is limited in the Elk Street Church since the faithful season ticket holders rarely miss a show, but tickets can be purchased for $12 when the doors open at 7pm. Next month’s performer is John Fulbright on Wednesday, April 7. Eliza Gilkyson will make up a date that got cancelled due to snowy weather. That show is scheduled for Wednesday, May 12.
Blues on the Horizon
    Eureka Springs Blues Weekend 2010 is scheduled for June 4-6 with shows happening all over town. Some of the featured performers include John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite with The Tablerockers, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, Super Chikan & The Fighting Cocks, Bob Margolin, Otis Taylor, Albert Castiglia, Fast Johnny RIcker, the IBC Winner Grady Champion, OBS Solo/Duo Winner- Buddy Shute, and OBS Band Winner- Isayah’s All Stars. A special free Gospel show on Sunday in the Basin Spring Park for all ages of Blues Fans rounds out the weekend. More about the weekend and tickets in next issue.

View From Behind The Bar
by Reillot Weston
“I go to parties/ sometimes until four/ it’s hard to leave/ when you can’t find the door.”- Joe Walsh, Life’s Been Good to Me (So Far)
    True that, Mr. Walsh. Sometimes the party ends at four in the afternoon, which leaves one asking, “Which way is up?”
    Listening to Muddy Waters aka McKinley Morganfield doing a slow-burn blues “Country Boy” live that is just the kinda thing I need on a breezy Monday late afternoon. Sorry I missed out last issue, I was struggling amongst the wintry mix and the storm in my head. Appropriately, sometimes I just relent to the sway, in other words, go with the flow, whether I want it to flow like that or not is the hard part to accept.
    Yeah, spring is in sight! I love March: daylight savings, St. Patrick’s Day, and then the first day of spring! That’s just a week in the middle of the month. We’ll probably get one more big snow just to slow us down a minute before we blast off into April. I want the climate to suit my clothes, shorts and sandals and days at the lake with good friends and boats.
     Our good friends of Mountain Sprout fame have returned from lands afar to play in our modest land again, with some other friends, Split Lip Rayfield, appearing at Squid and Whale Pub this weekend, March 7. If you’re feeling depressed, sullen, cold and dry, bring yourself downtown Eureka Springs for some entertainment and a jolt to your senses. We’re almost there, the time of sun and fun, we’ve just got to stay afloat a while longer, and I can smell the flowers already! Put on your sunglasses, unfold those short pants, and be ready to put that kayak in the creek!
    For your pleasure, the Bartender Profile has returned to honor yours truly:
Bar: Grand Taverne at Grand Central Hotel, North Main Street, Eureka Springs
Favorite ID excuse: “Dude, you know me. I’m Clarence’s friend.”
Drink of Choice: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Draught
Best Show. Ever: World of Slide Guitar, Savannah Music Festival, spring 2008. 10 guitarists on stage, WOW!
Words of Wisdom: You may not know who we are, but we know exactly who you are.

    Before I sign off for this issue, I would like to thank all of the sponsors of this page called, “Eureka!” Besides their faithful support with these neat little squares at the bottom of the page, these splendid businesses provide music for our listening pleasure and jobs for entertainers. Thank you, sincerely, for your love of music and generosity! The world is a better place because of you. Smiles to you from Eureka Springs, AR!
Karen FitzPatrick

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