Gay Old Oprey: Three Bands and fun for all this Sunday, April 24

After five years of trailblazing queer country music, New York City’s Gay Ole Opry is hitting the road for the first time. Opry regulars The Paisley Fields and Karen & the Sorrows are heading South for a week-long tour, and can’t wait to come to Durham to join The Blue Tailed Skinks for a Sunday afternoon hoedown. The show starts at 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 24th at the Monkey Bottom Collaborative at 609 Trent Dr and tickets are sliding scale from $5-$20. 

With The Paisley Fields’ harmony-driven, piano-based alt-country, Karen & the Sorrows “haunting pedal steel work and unvarnished heartbreak” (Bust Magazine), and The Blue Tailed Skinks upbeat traditional string tunes, the show will be a first-of-its-kind good time.

Why queer country? Because we love country music even when it doesn’t love us back. Because everybody needs a honky tonk angel to hold them tight. Because we believe in country music for all cowpeople.

More about the bands:

Karen & the Sorrows
www.karenandthesorrows.com
Brooklyn alt-country band Karen & the Sorrows “write loss and heartbreak, and goddamn are they good at it.” (F*** Yeah, Queer Music) Their debut album The Names of Things is full of “haunting pedal steel work and unvarnished heartbreak” (Bust Magazine) and was voted one of the Freeform American Roots Chart’s best debut albums of 2014. New York Music Daily writes, “Country keeps evolving and Karen & the Sorrows are taking it to a place it’s never been before, a good and creepy one.” Queer country pioneers, The Sorrows co-founded the Gay Ole Opry, the first ever queer country music festival, and host the popular Queer Country Quarterly.

The Paisley Fields
www.thepaisleyfields.com
The Paisley Fields are a Brooklyn based alt-country band, unapologetic about pushing boundaries and seeking inspiration in the unexpected. Though lead singer James Wilson is inspired by country musicians like Dolly Parton and Gram Parsons, he wanted The Paisley Fields lyrics to reflect a modern world. Pittsburgh City Paper writes, "While The Paisley Fields have a good bit in common with contemporary country — rich production, songs with pop bones and twangy accents — the band probably won't be touring with Toby Keith anytime soon. They're a refreshing change from country radio." The Paisley Fields tour frequently, and their latest album, Oh These Urban Fences, is described by No Depression as "a labor of love that demands your attention.” Officially a five piece band, James Wilson and Anna Volpe will be representing The Paisley Fields on the Gay Ole Opry tour, performing stripped down versions of their original songs as well as some of their favorite covers.

Blue Tailed Skinks
www.bluetailedskinks.com
“Skinky” might best word to describe us Blue Tailed Skinks. We've been together for almost 15 years and pretty much relate to each other like a family of reptiles. We really love Durm and love doing our part to keep it dirty. We play old time, rock-a-billy, blue grassy blues, and some “where did they get that” (like, for instance, Cajun). And in terms of instrumentation, we're wild with it: electric bass ukulele, fiddle, kazoo, banjo, mandolin, accordion, acoustic geetar, electric guitar, blues harp, etc. We are Christine Westfall, David Hamill, Ninian Beale, Tony Matthews, Martha Dyer and Sandee Washington.

Mo MoJo Saturday April 9 at MoBo

WORLD-TRAVELING MO’ MOJO BRINGS ITS SPICY FLAVOR OF ZYDECO TO MoBo

International traveling band Mo' Mojo is bringing Louisiana-spiced Zydeco, Cajun, Blues, Roots, Rock, & Reggae to MoBo on Saturday, April 9, 2016. Doors open at 7 p.m. The Haw River Rounders will open with a set of swing tunes and other goodness and Mo MoJo will start up around 8:30.

The female-fronted group is a hard-driving, high-energy, “Pardi-Gras” band that “hopes to whip listeners into a joyous, dancing frenzy. Or at least to elicit a waltz.” They travel with three-part harmonies, accordion, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, rubboard, trumpet, bass, percussion, and drums.

Their Durham performance is part of a spring tour that takes them to Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and New York. Over the last 2 years the band has worked with the U.S. State Department and the American Music Abroad Program to perform and teach in Haiti and the Dominican Republic (2014); Belize, Panama, Mexico, Barbados, Colombia, and Tajikistan (2015).

Their latest release, “We All Got The Same,” has 12 songs: 9 originals; 2 Zydeco standards meant to pay homage to the musical tradition; and 1 two-parts cover/one-part original medley based on Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up.” It features the unique stylings that Mo’ Mojo is known for, with a Zydeco base that blends in Cajun, Blues, Americana, Indie Rock, & Reggae.

Suggested Donation 15 dollars, or as able.
BYOB, snack to share if you wish
MoBo is located at 609 Trent Drive, Durham.


More information on Mo’ Mojo can be found at www.momojomusic.com

Cajun Dance Party with Cajammers and MSA

Friday, sept 25,7 pm until 11:30 pm

Time for more fun at MoBo!  

doors six thirty pm
FREE DANCE LESSON seven to seven thirty (all levels: please join us for this) 
cajammers seven thirty to eight thirty
MSA eight thirty until

suggested donation ten bucks for bands and space.

BYOB, and a dish to share if you wish.

* dancers: floor is terrazzo, please bring comfy footwear

The MSA Cajun Band is Matt Haney, Sara Ploense, Allin Cottrell, and Amy Davis. They've been playing together for 12 years, mostly for their own enjoyment, having played with a wide variety of musicians both inside and outside Louisiana over the last 30 years. Their repertoire of tunes and songs from musicians such as Joe Falcon, Dewey Balfa, Amade Breaux, and Bois Sec Ardoin features French vocals, Cajun Accordion, Rhythm guitar and fiddle. 

Cajammers are an energetic, fun group of friends who adore playing for dancers. Please join us! We are
Joe Galas, Piano Accordion
Catherine Pratt Davis, Cajun Accordion
Tony Matthews, Guitar, mandolin
Elvis Latiolais, guitar
Mel Dejesus, bass
Heather Henry, Fiddle
Dianne Freund, Fiddle
Charlie Bartee, washboard

Cajammers Host Cajun / Zydeco Evening Sunday, Aug 2, six pm to ten pm

Join us at MoBo for an evening of cajun/ zydeco music and dancing. This is the perfect jump start for your MoJo !

Cajammers will play from about six thirty until about eight thirty.
A free dance lesson will be offered from six to six thirty for all levels.

BYOB, and a dish to share if you wish.
Suggested donation for band and space: ten bucks.

Open Call For Artists: Scrap Exchange Fundraiser June 18 at MoBo

Dear Artist,

I'm writing to invite you to participate in Durham’s second Pop Up Art Show andfundraiser in honor of The Scrap Exchange, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18TH 7PM-10/11 PM

(ARTISTS ARRIVE AT 4-5PM with work)

GENESIS OF THE PROJECT: The Scrap Exchange was forced to move out of their space on Foster St.after city inspectors condemned the Liberty Warehouse building. We want to help with the costs of relocating, and their ongoing capital campaign.Many local artists value The Scrap Exchange; this is an opportunity to give back by exhibiting a piece of art in the show and donating a portion of the sale.

RVSP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148036041934126&ref=ts

 

Ukulele by Bike Tour: concert sat April 30 6 PM

Monkey Bottom Collaborative will be hosting a concert April 30 as a part of the spring/summer 2011 continuation of Aaron Lee's "Ukulele by Bicycle Tour".

The concert will start at 6 p.m. Bring food to share for a potluck, and bring your ukuleles/ other acoustic instruments for an open jam afterwards. And/or bring your hands for clapping, your feet for stomping, your body for dancing, your hoop for hooping!

Read on for more details (and links) about Aaron Lee and the show. We hope to see you; help us show what a great community we have and welcome this cycling musician to our hood.

Lisa Marie Albert's provocative documentary photo exhibit , Streetkids Have a Voice, is currently showing at MoBo also: if you missed the discussion event this is your chance to see the show before it goes to wilmington.

This event is free; donations are much appreciated.
******
Aaron is a solo ukulele performer who recently released an album titled "The Ukulele Project" in which each song creatively contains the word ukulele. Last fall he toured between concerts by bicycle, and performed 40 concerts while riding over 2000 miles between Maine andGeorgia. In April and May he'll be riding north through North Carolina and Virginia, then heading towards Michigan and Wisconsin in June, July and August.

For each concert, Aaron partners with a group or organization that has a community, local action or sustainability focus. For more information about his tour, and to hear some of his music, please visit his website at http://ukulelebybicycle.blogspot.com

Monkey Bottom's facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monkey-Bottom-Collaborative/68896765038#!/event.php?eid=210873578923630

60 WPM critic reviews dianne's pots

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/ImageArchives?feature=Slideshows&page=3&oid=1434086

Help Us Host Ukulele by Bike Music Tour April 30

Monkey Bottom Collaborative will be hosting Aaron Lee, a cross-country cyclist and ukulele player, Saturday, April 30 at 7 pm for a concert. We'd like to have our community involved to create a spirited welcome for him: if you wish to offer your time and skills toward this effort please let me know ASAP! A community potluck perhaps?; a pre-concert/post concert family music/jamming hour perhaps?; a bike clinic/ something fun and bike-related...????

whatever gets your wheels turning and your strings humming!

please get back to me with not just your idea but your willingness to actively participate and get friends/family to show up!

"eighty percent of success is showing up."

-woody allen

windmill, legs, moose : writing exercise two

(please see "thanks for playing" posted feb 24 for info)

windmills hunkered in the field, bigger than i'd imagined. modern, utilitarian, obviously man-made: not wooden, creaky or romantic. there were many; i didn't count; one windmill won't make much energy so the whole field was planted with them. one could imagine a NIMBY situation, not one where folks were clamoring to have one in their fields. that's how that goes: the imagination is not close to the reality; it attaches meaning and dream and a story where there is a big noisy metallic hulking thing. now that is the past, and has once again entered the realm of fantasy. in truth, unless i'm referencing something that is now, right now, i'm verging on fantasy. i can tell you: the television is on mute; the american version of "the office" is playing; my husband reads "the new yorker" with his glasses on in low light, reflecting off the ceramic mug his forehead and arms. the cat, past middle age, clunks heavily down the stairs sounding like a child dragging a toy behind her.

legs only last so long: the joints are complicated, like the windmill parts they wear out, the tendons dry and strain, crack and tear and wither; the fluid gels, leaks, forms crystals; the space compresses and is not enough space to move bones through without grinding. those windmills will stop working smoothly after awhile: they will require repairs: oiling? resurfacing? screws will work loose, or the threads will rust together and disable adjustments. sitting in the field, uselessly spinning or not spinning, no energy being generated. waiting for dismemberment. a leg weighs about twenty pounds. a moose weighs about three hundred pounds full grown i'd guess, its legs comparatively smaller than ours, stalky almost spindly; again i speak about something i don't know. i doubt i've ever seen a moose: everything i read, everything i hear or do is all mixed together. i'm uncertain of it. it can't be trusted. in truth, the truth right here now: again the light, the magazine, the television, its images, the cup, the tea, the little swallowing noise.

Shawnna and Matt are hitched

and will be celebrating at MoBo tomorrow. Shawnna and Matt, may your life together be filled with joy and wondrous adventures. May all our lives be filled with joy and wondrous adventure.

art advocacy /streetkids have a voice / documentary photo exhibit & discussion

at MonkeyBottom Sat April 17, 7 pm to 10 pm

We would like to invite you to "advocacy & art :: street kids have a voice" , an exhibit of artwork & documentary photography, a discussion about how the work was used in an advocacy campaign for child rights in Lira, Uganda, and a multimedia slide-show.

While living in Uganda, Lisa Marie Albert worked with a group of street kids: she taught them to use a camera, and helped them tell their stories visually and through interviews. What grew from that is both harsh and beautiful. This show will present the children's and Lisa's stories: in words, photos and drawings.

This event is a fundraiser, and a portion of sales will go to Child Restoration Outreach Uganda, www.CROUG.org, the organization that hosted the workshops in Lira, Uganda where these street kids are able to find food, showers, skills training, and family reconciliation.

Lisa Marie Albert is a documentary photographer, videographer, and multimedia storyteller. Her passions include using images and multimedia for raising awareness about health, social, and environmental justice issues and for projects that bring support and education to communities experiencing disparities. Past projects have included: disaster relief, homelessness & addictions in the U.S., HIV/AIDS, and cultural vignettes. She also teaches photography and storytelling workshops for children and adults.

Lisa received her certificate in documentary studies from Duke Center for Documentary Studies and has taken multimedia journalism courses from UNC, while obtaining her Master’s in Public Health, which she completed in May 2010.

http://www.lisamariealbert.com/

thanks for playing

i'm revisiting a writing exercise for which i need your help. many things might be said or thought of this activity regarding discipline, work, play, stimuli, focus, creativity, interaction, etc.. ; i'd prefer to just do it (and invite you to join in as well! feel welcome to post your own writings if you desire.) i shall need three words a day: i'll choose among the words i've received the next time i check my account, and write extemporaneously for fifteen minutes, then quickly pare and post. it's fun. so: words, anyone? thanks for playing!

Iron Pour Workshops offered at Liberty Arts, Durham

this post's content courtesy liberty arts

Sign up for our Iron Pour Workshop now!!! There are two weekend workshops to prepare molds for the Iron Pour:

The first meets Friday February 25, from 6 to 8 PM, and Saturday February 26 and Sunday February 27 from 10 am to 1 pm.

The second one meets Friday March 11, from 6 to 8 PM, and Saturday March 12 and Sunday March 13 from 10 am to 1 pm.

March 25th is a prep day at the MMOA in Moncure, NC breaking up and bagging iron and coke. The casting is an all day event on March 26th. March 27th is a clean up day.

If you are interested in this workshop email wallerfoushee@embarqmail.com. Only 6 spaces per class.

Iron Pour Workshops Fees - Pattern Sand Molds are $150, Lost Wax Molds $175, payable to Liberty Arts. $25 MMoA membership fee to have work cast at Moncure, payable to MMoA.

Did someone say Wood and Soda Firing, Cone 6?

two sculptures (Joe Galas/Dianne Freund) excited to be going in the fire

Dianne Freund, Liz Paley, Rob DeKroon and Friends will be firing this weekend at Cedar Creek.

Wood and Soda, Cone six.

Some say this type of firing is better than sex, or chocolate. We haven't sworn off of any of that, but we sure do like it!

Wadding and loading Sat, 10 AM- we're done (five PM? we hope)

Firing Sunday, 8 am until we're done.

Unloading and Cleaning: TBA.

It's our first cone six (we've been firing at ten.) So we anticipate many surprises. You are invited to visit: most welcome to bring food and/or libation to share (though the kiln stokers must remain sober!)

bronze pour tonight at Liberty Arts 8 PM

A bronze pour is a thing of beauty. either wait for a description, or go to one.

http://www.libertyartscasting.org/

dianne's pots for february 2011 firing

MonkeyBottom Collaborative says hello to blogging.