http://www.newwest.net/index.php/city/main/C24/L/ New West Network: The Voice of the Rocky Mountains en info@newwest.net Copyright 2008 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:46:27 MDT Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:46:27 MDT http://www.newwest.net/city/article/the_wailers_hit_the_wilma/C24/C24/ Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:00:00 MDT Everybody knows who Bob Marley is no matter what age you are. Bob's backup, the Wailers, are going to be in Missoula on January 11th at the Wilma. Most people don't know that Aston "Familyman" Barrett of the Wailers helped Bob Marley become the international superstar that he became. Aston "Familyman" Barrett made his first bass guitar out of ply wood and an ashtray. Today he is recognized as one of the best bass players in the world. Aston and his brother Carlton joined the Wailers in the late 1960's. Aston quickly became the leader of the Wailers. He is the only living musician who played with Bob Marley from his beginning to his tragic death of cancer in 1981. This might be one of the last times you will be able to see this lineup on stage together. They will be playing all of your Marley favorites plus other reggae staples that they made famous. Tickets are $22.50 Adv and $25 at the door. http://www.newwest.net/city/article/holiday_party_hangover_missoula/C24/C24/ Tue, 02 Jan 2007 14:48:00 MDT I have a hangover from holiday cheer. I'm exhausted mentally and physically, not just from too much egg nog, but from chatting, traveling, eating, and smiling--usually done all at once. Between invitations from neighbors, friends, co-workers, family, extended family, and the extended family of all of my neighbors and friends, I estimate that I attended at least 25 parties in the past month. And I bet you all attended plenty, too. In fact, we were probably at many of the same luncheons, happy hours, or non-profit fundriasers in Missoula--but I wouldn't remember, due to the plethora of holiday wine. All of December feels a bit like a dream, and now that I've woken up, I can't quite grasp all the details. My brain feels like a fruitcake, full of alcohol-induced holes, and my body feels like a sponge cake, full of canape-induced lethargy. Note: Read on for the details of the "Making It" contest the sisters are running! http://www.newwest.net/city/article/rocky_mountain_ballet_theatre_headed_to_08_olympics/C24/C24/ Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:39:00 MDT With dance being vital to Chinese culture, the pomp surrounding the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be quite the spectacle, and dancers from Missoula's Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre will help make sure of it. The Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre will travel to Beijing in the summer of 2008 for nearly three weeks and perform at several cultural events as well as diplomatic conferences. Charlene Campbell, the artistic director of the Theatre, will escort 12 to 16 young dancers along with technical and production assistants to various provinces. "I think China has a very romantic perception of Montana, and we want to contribute to that," said Campbell. Sen. Max Baucus made the invitation possible, working with the China Arts and Entertainment Group and its director Wang Hongbo. The group is a government-funded cultural exchange program, which will help fund the Ballet Theatre's stay. Campbell estimates they will still need to raise nearly $150,000 for airfare, production costs, and costume repair and design. Fundraising will include the upcoming fifth annual "Christmas Spectacular" on Nov. 25-26 at the Wilma Theater and Dec. 2 in Anaconda. The group will also perform at The Missoula Symphony's production of "Holiday Pops" at the University Theater on Dec. 9-10. For additional event information visit The Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre's site at www.rmbt.org. http://www.newwest.net/city/article/first_friday_new_west_hosts_chrome_prints_by_eric_warren/C24/C24/ Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:28:00 MDT Put New West back on your First Friday gallery night circuit. This month, we're hosting photographer Eric Warren and his show, "Water, Moss, Stone & Wood." Join us for the opening reception, complete with good beer and good chit chat, Friday, Nov. 3 from 5-9 p.m. Warren says his prints showcase the organic and the inorganic, a blending of entropy and timelessness. His artist statement reads: "Through the lens I see into a world where entropy stops or time flows freely, condensed into a single image of movement. A photograph can show water cutting through solid stone or moss breaking down the structure of a tree. It can also preserve a clear dawn moment where a fishing boat waits to be taken out on the ocean. Each print lets me share the world I see through the viewfinder in its vivid colors, textures and time. " When: First Friday, November 3, 5-9 p.m. Where: New West offices, 415 N. Higgins (in the alley behind the Old Post). Who: Eric Warren's "Water, Moss, Stone & Wood" What: Good company, good photography, good beer. http://www.newwest.net/city/article/big_sky_film_series_features_burn_to_shine_with_the_decemberists/C24/C24/ Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:04:00 MDT A band. A building. Band rocks building. Building is burned down. This is the strange formula of the Burn to Shine film series produced by Fugazi's Brendan Canty. For its third installment, the series tried its recipe in Portland, Oregon. The result was twelve bands coming together for one day to rock under the evanescent roof. The Big Sky Film series will be screening Burn to Shine, Portland, this Friday at the Wilma. The 55-minute documentary will show at 7 and 9pm in Wilma 3. Canty along with director Christoph Green capture the bands playing in the living room of the condemned building and the subsequent demolition. The doomed structures provide a unique backdrop for showcasing a particular region's music scene. The Decemberists, including front man and Missoula icon Colin Meloy are featured in the documentary. The film also features performances by, The Thermals, Quasi, The Planet, The Wet Confetti, Lifesavas, Tom Heinl, Mirah, The Shins, The Gossip, The Ready, and Sleater-Kinney. http://www.newwest.net/city/article/taking_back_take_back_the_night/C24/C24/ Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:26:00 MDT “I’m marching for violence. Excuse me, ma’am, are you marching for violence?” one of the “Country’s Most Wanted Men”(according to his fraternity T-shirt) asks with a snicker. I am marching to promote respectful relationships, free of violence, during Take Back the Night, a part of the YWCA’s Week Without Violence. Normally, I wouldn’t be here. My political activity is usually reserved for events with good music or an open bar. But, I decided maybe the world was in need of a good old-fashioned issue awareness when a comment that sounded like it came from a caveman escaped the lips of a friend. http://www.newwest.net/city/article/day_of_the_dead/C24/C24/ Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:52:00 MDT Día de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead, is a national holiday in Mexico that finds itself a centerpiece of Missoula’s Festival of the Dead. How did it come to be here, and where are we taking it? http://www.newwest.net/city/article/authors_of_the_flathead_has_the_write_stuff/C24/C24/ Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:37:00 MDT As an aspiring novelist, I know the difference between the protagonist and the antagonist, but the difference between a characteristic and a characterization? Or thruline and plotline? Well, these seem like things I should know, so I attended the annual conference of the Authors of the Flathead, one of the best and most resilient writer groups in the New West. If you have the same problem I do, a passion to write novels, here's one way to start making the requisite leap from good to very good, fast. After five fiction-filled days, I not only feel more equipped to give Peter Benchley and Tony Hillerman a little competition, but I know about exciting incidents, profluence, and fictive ribbons--even where to sign up for a new class called 'Writing Sex Scenes for the Nervous." (Yes, I need that.) http://www.newwest.net/city/article/missoula_art_museum_unwrapped/C24/C24/ Sat, 16 Sep 2006 15:08:00 MDT With the new Missoula Art Museum wrapped up like a giant present Friday – a pink ribbon stretched from the sidewalk to its roof – it was like Christmas morning for many Missoula art enthusiasts who gathered to witness MAM’s grand opening. Among the attendees was former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams. His speech paid homage to artists who challenge the status quo. He said that artists are essential members of a thriving democracy, often being the decisive voice of dissent. “Art can flourish without politicians,” said Williams, “the reverse is not true.” http://www.newwest.net/city/article/missoula_art_museum_opens_new_graceful_digs/C24/C24/ Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:41:00 MDT The alchemy of architect Warren Hampton has transformed the sepia corridors of the old Missoula Art Museum into a sweeping silver edifice. The galleries of the newly remodeled museum are filled with natural light and graceful passages that envelop the former structure. On the ground floor is an exhibit showcasing Hampton, a Missoula native. Don’t miss his childhood reading club cards from the library that originally called the building home. The North Gallery on the first floor is dedicated to the modern artists that helped found the museum, with the work of Rudy Autio taking a central presence. Across the terrace in the South Gallery is a collection of works by next generation Montana artists. The South Gallery on the second floor is permanently dedicated to contemporary Native American artists. Though the museums primary focus is on regional artists, they are not blind to the global art scene and in the Center Gallery on the second floor a video installation by a New Zealand artist is on display. The new museum is fully accessible with an elevator connecting all three floors. Twice the floor space of the old museum means twice the collection as well: More than 200 new pieces have been gifted or promised to the collection. The dungeonous art library has experienced its own transformation, with the art reference collection now residing in a light filled study with ample seating. The grand opening begins at 4:00 on Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony will include American Indian drumming and a blessing by the Salish Kootenai artist Corwin Clairmont. Tours of the museum and a reception will follow as well as many more activities planned throughout the week. Click here for more information.