WEEKEND REWIND: Billy Joel, Blitzen Trapper, buckets, baskets, beads and build-you-own trail mix

• Friday night I was reminded how much I absolutely love Billy Joel when I went to see “Movin’ Out,” the rock ballet/jukebox musical that combines Joel’s hits (not performed by Joel himself, just to clear that up) and the dynamic choreography of Twyla Tharp. You can read my review of Friday’s performance at the Capitol Theatre HERE.

SPOTTED: A theater-full of fellow Billy Joel fans.

••• ••• ••• •••

• Friday night I also went over to check out the Portland punkabilly blues duo Hillstomp (pictured). This band is a favorite of the Sports Center and I’ve missed them every other time they’ve played in town, but never again.
These two guys are amazing, playing with just a slide guitar, vintage mic, a couple of repurposed plastic buckets, metal washboard and some spoons.

SPOTTED: Blitzen Trapper multi-instrumentalist Marty Marquis (a 1993 Davis High School grad), hanging out with his family at the Sports Center.
Blitzen Trapper’s latest record “Furr” landed on a ton of Best of 2008 lists and the band recently released this awesome video for the title track.
(Unfortunately, Marty’s been in town to help with family stuff after his dad, former District Court judge Randall Marquis, died last month.)

••• ••• ••• •••

• Sunday, a couple friends and I made the rounds to check out all the exhibitions related to “Yakima Honors Peoples of the Plateau,” a citywide celebration of the region’s Native American legacy.
We got to the Larson Gallery around 2:45 p.m. and it was packed. The Yakama Warriors Association blessed the show and a group of native dancers performed, which made it very crowded and warm inside, so I’ll go back later to actually see the show which features the traveling exhibition “Peoples of the Plateau: The Indian Photographs of Lee Moorhouse, 1898-1915,” and current photographs by Native American Heritage University students.

We then headed over to the Yakima Valley Museum to see the stunning displays of baskets, beadwork, parfleches and horse gear made by Yakama, Klickitat and Nez Perce Native Americans. Admission on Sunday was free, but I highly recommend checking out this exhibit, even if you have to pay to get in. (Also check out the new permanent petrified wood display in the museum’s entrance.)

Our last stop was at the Allied ArtsCenter to see works by contemporary Native American artists. It’s a small show but well worth a visit.

SPOTTED: At the museum there was build-you-own trail mix, which my friends and I loved. (Can we thanks Lewis and Clark for introducing M&Ms?)

— Kim Nowacki

p.s. Since my Friday was full, I couldn’t make the Blue Note 7 concert over at The Seasons. How was it?