QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’m never satisfied with a painting until, you know, it looks like the painting painted itself. I want the viewer to feel like the painting came easily — but it didn’t.”

— CHARLES A. SMITH, talking about “Rooster Rock and Other Places,” an exhibition of new works that opens with a reception from 5:30-8 p.m. Jan. 11 at Oak Hollow Gallery, 5631 Summitview Ave. in Chalet Place. The show runs through Feb. 6.

WEEKEND REWIND

• After a lively weekend that included a strange, but very fun, theme party on Friday night, and another fun get-together Saturday night, I spent the day on Sunday recuperating and watching movies over at my favorite couple’s house.

We watched “ONCE,” and “YEAR OF THE DOG.”

“Once,” which landed on a number of Best of 2007 lists — both as a film and as a soundtrack — features nonactors Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as a “boy” and “girl” who meet on a Dublin street corner and develop a friendship through the music they make together.
It took a while for the slow-moving story to hook me, but by the end, I was moved by the boy and girl’s deep, but awkwardly fragile, relationship.

And “Year of the Dog,” stars SNL alum Molly Shannon as Peggy, the socially-awkward secretary (sense a theme here?) whose life slowly spins out-of-control after the death of her beloved beagle, Pencil.
Written and directed by Mike White (“School of Rock,” “The Good Girl”) this movie is not a comedy, it’s dark at some points and melancholy throughout, and sometimes it’s hard to watch Peggy make — although with good intentions — one poor decision after another.

SPOTTED: For some reason, the prior mentioned couple and I have a strange love/fascination/obsession with Peter Sarsgaard, who also stars in “Year of the Dog.”

* Kim Nowacki *

THE BEST OF … EVERYTHING

Agggghhhh, so many year-end “Best Of” lists. It makes our heads hurt here at ON, but of course, WE’VE GOT SOME TOO! And a QUIZ.

We also asked you to send us your favorite local happenings of the year. Only three people wrote in and from their answers, I’m sensing a conspiracy …

The Yakima Valley Museum’s DAVID LYNX sent in his top five:
Fortissimo
David Sedaris
“Bye Bye Birdie” (YVCC)
Fresh Hop Ale Fest
The Big Read

The museum’s ANDY GRANITTO agrees with his colleague:
#1: David Sedaris at the Capital
#2: Fortissimo! at Mighty Tieton
Well, I can only think of these 2 events! (…and I didn’t even go to Fortissimo!) I don’t get out much.

* In case any of your are wondering Fortissimo was a fundraiser for the museum and the Yakima Symphony Orchestra.

And YVCC political science professor TIM JESKE sent these in:
Fortissimo
Bye Bye Birdie (YVCC)
Fresh Hop Ale Fest
The Big Read
My reasoning was that these were arts programs put together by community members rather than exclusively featuring professional talent from elsewhere.

*** *** ***
As for LOCAL LIVE MUSIC, Yakima Sports Center booking agent DAN CRAIG compiled a list (some time ago) of his favorite shows of the year at the downtown rock venue.

I decided to throw my two cents in too:

Best World /Jam Band — Baby Gramps (He may not quite fall into this category, but really, what category does he fall into?)

Best Hard Rock/Metal Band — The Ruby Doe

Best Roots/Americana Band — The Tripwires

Best Indie Band — The Blakes

Best New Artist — Star Anna

Best Local Artist/Band — With A Bullet

Best Female Vocals — Star Anna

Best Male Vocals — John Roderick from The Long Winters

Best Overall Musician — Head Like A Kite’s Dave Einmo for his funky fusion of indie-pop soundscapes and super-8 film

Best Album— “Putting the Days to Bed,” The Long Winters. (OK, it came out in 2006, but they played here this year, hence the nomination below.)

Best Show — Tie: The Long Winters and the With A Bullet/Ruby Doe show

Best Colin Spring show — The Guilty Pleasures party, of course.

Best Colin Spring Impersonator — Guilty Pleasures

And for more Best Of music lists, check out all these from PITCHFORK and NPR.

*Kim Nowacki*

LOG HOG LOOKS BACK

Below is a wonderful video about Ellensburg indie hip-hop group LOG HOG, and their former recording space in the old Darigold building in Ellensburg which burned down in March, one of the saddest events in 2007.

When I lived in Ellensburg from Sept. 99-June 2001, I became friends with a number of musicians who recorded in the Darigold building. We spent MANY A DRUNK NIGHT in there jamming, drinking bad tequila and Pabst Blue Ribbon.
It was HEARTBREAKING to hear about the fire, and to, afterwards, talk with some of the musicians who made music there, and lost so much in the fire.

“That was like our sanctuary, our cultural center for Ellensburg. It brought a lot of people together,” Jason Clifton, AKA Soncere, said a few days after the fire. Clifton lost his entire vinyl collection in the fire.
“The whole thing is really hard to wrap my head around. I still want to go down there and listen to music.”

*Kim Nowacki*

(Pictured above, from left: Nervous, Blandow Charismium, Sloe-T and Seed Verb of Log Hog.)

Directed by Giles O’Dell, here is Log Hog’s Sloe-T and Seed Verb discussing what that space meant to them:

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ADVANCED SCREENING TOMORROW

There will be an advanced screening of “27 DRESSES” at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow (Dec. 27) at the Majestic Theatre.

“27 DRESSES” — Directed by Anne Fletcher. After serving as a bridesmaid 27 times, a young woman (Katherine Heigl) wrestles with the idea of standing by her sister’s side as her sibling marries the man she’s secretly in love with. (PG-13, for language, some innuendo and sexuality.)

A FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US

The scheduled launch party on Saturday at the Yakima Sports Center for the new THE AREA MAGAZINE has been postponed until late January.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be anything happening at the Sports Center that night.

Get ready to air your grievances and prepare to demonstrate feats of strength because the Sports Center is having a FESTIVUS eve party. (Don’t expect a Festivus Pole or anything like that, it’s really a celebration in name only, but you’re more than welcome to dress up as Frank Costanza.)

Playing there will be acoustic rocker Cody Beebe and the roots-rock-reggae group the Paul Hanover Band.

Cover is $5. The music begins at 9 p.m.

More info is HERE.

IF YOU’VE GOT THE MONEY, HONEY

As if I didn’t love country superstar WILLIE NELSON enough — his Fourth of July concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre and the 2004 Farm Aid festival at the White River Amphitheatre were both amazing — he recently DONATED $40,000 TO MY HOME TOWN, Vancouver, Wash.

Thanks Willie.

*Kim Nowacki*

(P.S. Yakima, sounds like now is the time to hit up Willie for a donation, since he’s feeling so charitable. After all, his mom did live in the Gleed area.)

LET THERE BE LIGHTED HOUSES

I’m a sucker for an OUTRAGEOUSLY DECORATED home this time of year. Light bills be damned. For a couple weeks out of the year, let there be lights — a lot of lights.

So in case you missed it, here is the Yakima Herald-Republic’s annual ROUND-UP OF DECORATED HOMES around the Valley.

*Kim Nowacki*

KRIS HOLLAND/Yakima Herald-Republic file photo
Ryan and Jessica McNett get wrapped up in Christmas at their Selah home on Dec. 7, 2006. Ryan McNett has enjoyed decorating with lights for more than 10 years and says he easily has more than 10,000 lights on his home this year.

GOV. GREGOIRE NAMES FIRST WASHINGTON STATE POET LAUREATE

SAMUEL GREEN of Waldron Island, Wash., has been named the first WASHINGTON STATE POET LAUREATE, a position created this year when Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law House Bill 1279, a bill sponsored by Rep. Mary Skinner, R-Yakima.

WEEKEND REWIND

• I attended a video workshop all weekend — Final Cut Pro rulz — so I was unavailable for funness this weekend.

SPOTTED: Sports Center co-owner DAVE EASTLICK — the one who lives in Sacramento, Calif. — in town to celebrate his birthday. (The workshop reception was at the Sports Center.)

Also, Matt Klaus and Kelly Cordle of the Committee for Downtown Yakima, out freezing their fingers off while spreading Christmas cheer as SANTA AND BUDDY THE ELF, respectively. (We did our video project on them. Thanks guys for being such good sports.)

* Kim Nowacki *

“HAIRSPRAY” COMES TO THE CAPITOL THEATRE

The bouffanted twist-and-shout queen TRACY TURNBLAD will be coming to the Capitol Theatre in February.

“HAIRSPRAY,” the musical based on film director John Waters’ campy 1988 classic, will hit the stage at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23.

Tickets cost $5-$57.50 through TicketsWest, 800-325-7328, or the Capitol Theatre box office, 853-2787.

Also coming to the Capitol is comedian BRIAN REGAN.

The winner of the 1996 American Comedy Award for best comedian and a regular on the “Late Show with David Letterman” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” Regan takes the mike at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

Tickets cost $39.75 and are also available through TicketsWest or the Capitol Theatre box office.

THE WEEKEND SESSION THIS WEEKEND

A trio of former Yakima rockers are making their way back to town Saturday (12/15) night in the form of Seattle’s THE WEEKEND SESSION.

The low-fi indie-rock band is made up of Ron Garcia (of the ’80s new wave band The Blaze Brigade), Cain Morehead (Hectic Decadence), and Ramie Esparza.

The show, which also includes local rock cover band SLiVER, begins at 9 p.m. at the Yakima Sports Center, 214 E. Yakima Ave. Cover is $5.

Also, check out MOREHEAD’S DRAWINGS for the Capitol Hill convenience store City Market. The funny pop culture advertisements have earned Morehead, a 1979 Davis High School graduate, a write-up in the Seattle P-I and loving praise on The Stranger’s blog.

BRUBECK BROTHERS CONCERTS SOLD OUT

If you didn’t get tickets to Friday or Saturday night’s concerts at The Seasons, you’re out of luck.

Both nights are SOLD OUT to hear jazz legend DAVE BRUBECK’S “FIESTA DE LA POSADA” or Festival of the Inn, played by the YSO Chamber Orchestra, the Yakima Symphony Chorus, Yakima Children’s Choir, guest soloists and a couple of guys intimately familiar with the piece: CHRIS AND DAN BRUBECK, sons of the jazz great who’ve performed it many times with their dad.

If you’re feeling lucky, you can show up and cross your fingers that someone doesn’t claim their ticket. If there are spaces available after 7:30 p.m., they will let more people in.

In the meantime, here is the Dave Brubeck Quartet playing “TAKE FIVE.”

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YAKIMA FOLKLFIE FESTIVAL SEEKS ARTISTS FOR 2008 FESTIVAL POSTER ART

The Yakima Folklife Association is accepting designs for the 2008 YAKIMA FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL POSTER, buttons and T-shirt.

Complete rules and entry information is available HERE or at the Yakima Valley Museum, 248-0747.

Work must be submitted by Feb. 1.

The Juror will be DUANE HEILMAN, a founding father of the festival whose paintings have become synonymous with Yakima Folklife.

CRASHING BOB’S KEG & CORK

A couple of good friends of mine are planning on celebrating the holidays with what they’re calling the “FIRST ANNUAL OPERATIC-DIXIELAND-CHRISTMAS CAROLS” night.

It’ll be from 6-8 ish Thursday night at Bob’s Keg & Cork on Historic North Front Street.

And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.

The fun group of local music instructors, dubbed CRASH AND THE INVADERS is made up of:
David Blink (trumpet) - YVCC music instructor
Jeff Chapman (trombone) - Franklin Middle School band director
Brett Smith (banjo) - CWU music professor
Curtis Peacock (tuba) - CWU music professor (pictured)

The group plays Dixieland jazz and enjoys crashing packed bars, parties and other get togethers, thus the name. Joining them at Bob’s will be David’s wife Nichola, an OPERA SINGER and Toppenish High School choir director.

It should be a toe-tapping good time … until Bob’s had enough and THROWS EVERYONE OUT.

*Kim Nowacki*

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