Timothy Schoessler will perform a piano concert at St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral.

Who: Timothy Schoessler

What: Piano concert

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral, 215 N. 31st

Why you should go: To see if metal-heads can also be good pianists, of course!
– Cathy

 

Who: Scrap Arts Music

What: A quintet of musicians performing a musical reuse of materials, including instruments fashioned from industrial scrap.

When: Sunday, 3 p.m.

Where: Alberta Bair Theater

Why should you go?: A theatrical performance paired with recycling should excite even the dullest reuser.
– Anna

 

What: All-ages benefit show for Tumbleweed

Who: The Budgets, Cranial Drill, I’ve Had Better, The Deadnecks, and Shangri-La.

When: 6 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Yellowstone Perk on the Roundup Road

Why you should go: Hear rock music, help homeless and troubled teens. You have no reason not to go.
– Jaci

 

I smell another sold-out show on Feb. 12 when Merle comes back to the Alberta Bair Theater. Tickets are $46 and they go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the ABT box office. In 2007, his show sold out in under three hours, so start considering it now.

When Merle played here on Valentine’s Day in 2007, the place went nuts when he sang “Big City” with the line, “turn me loose, set me free somewhere in the middle of Montana.” I sat in a folding chair in the aisle because every seat was filled and folks were standing in the back of the theater.

At 69, he looked frail, a stooped cowboy dressed all in black, but when he picked up his guitar and edged up to the mic to sing, he took 10 years off. And his band, The Strangers, was terrific.

Gary Oldman: not the villain this time.

I just watched the trailer for The Unborn. I really, really, really wish I hadn’t done that. I was going to make fun of the movie, saying, “Hey, isn’t this just an episode of the X-Files?” Or “Is every unborn twin eeeeeeevil?”

But then I watched the trailer. And I can’t write any of that. All I can do is shiver in fear and pray The Thing reject doesn’t come for me. Did you see that thing? With the upside-down old-man head? I mean, how would you like to put that on your resume?

“So, Bob, what was your last role?”

“Well, Jim, I played the creepy upside-down old-man head on one of the random monsters in The Unborn.”

“Good for you, Bob. At least you’re getting work.”

If only Gary Oldman would save me from my night terrors.

For they have an awesome new Watchmen trailer.

And God bless YouTube, so that it can be shared with the world. This trailer features loads of Nixon-related awesomeness (”I say when doomsday is approaching!” the president shouts) and other doomsday gloom. Sweeeeet!

I did notice the date on the trailer is 3-28, so Japan will be getting Watchmen after the U.S. gets it, unless evil, evil Fox has its way.

"Abbas Abad Road," by Sharareh Malek Mohammadi

Local writers Russell Rowland and Tami Haaland are heading up a new online literary magazine, Stone’s Throw Magazine. Like most literary magazines, it is filled with the work of talented writers (like former MSU Billings professor Jim Peterson) and other goodies. But the best news is: you don’t have to pay a huge subscription rate or even open a book. It’s all right there on your computer.

You can even submit your own work to the magazine. Rowland is the fiction editor and Haaland is the poetry editor, so now you even know who to address in your submission. Artists can also submit pieces. The first edition features the photography of Sharareh Malek Mohammadi, who lives in Tehran. Featured writers are from everywhere, from Sydney to Billings to Rio de Janeiro.

My personal favorite poem is Billings writer Shirley Steele’s “Molt, Montana,” but there’s something here for every discerning reader.

I’m a fan of 2007. Besides the resurrection of trendy beards on men in flannel shirts, Brittney wasn’t in danger of having a semi-successful comeback and Amy Winehouse wasn’t as near to self-destruction as she is now.

My print article outlined plenty of other reasons to love 2007 more than 2008, but since nothing stays good for long, here is some music from 2008 to celebrate:

Best all-around: The Helio Sequence, “Keep Your Eyes Ahead”

Best debut: Vampire Weekend, “Vampire Weekend”

Best EP: The National, “The Virginia EP”

Best album title: Frightened Rabbit, “The Midnight Organ Fight”

Guilty pleasure: MGMT, “Oracular Spectacular”

Best sneak preview: Ben Nichols, “The Last Pale Light in the West”

Here are a few more items I didn’t get to gripe about in today’s Enjoy:

Album I overplayed: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band’s “Conor Oberst”

New release I should like, but just can’t: My Morning Jacket’s “Evil Urges”

Biggest loss to the entertainment community: George Carlin

Best online site for discovering new music: Daytrotter.com

For more bests and worsts of 2008, grab today’s paper or visit the Enjoy online:

Great moments create great ‘08 — By JACI WEBB

Rock loves the camera - and vice versa — By CASEY RIFFE

2008 allowed us to channel inner geek — By CATHY ULRICH

Live music kicks up a notch in Montana — By ANNA PAIGE

What: “Pineapple Express”

Where: Your home if you buy the DVD when it hits stores on Tuesday.

Why you should care: You don’t have to be high to laugh at these two potheads, played by James Franco and Seth Rogen, because this movie is so dang funny.

– Jaci

Who: Union Pulse

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2

Where: Bones Brewing Co.

Why you should go: Good music. Free music. Good, free music.

– Cathy

What: Twelfth Night Celebration

When: 5 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Billings Depot

Why should you go?: The annual celebration benefits the Billings Food Bank, so for $20 you can do some good. And because nothing goes with live music quite like crawfish.
– Anna

So it’s New Year’s Eve and, like me, maybe you didn’t get invited to a party. We can still celebrate with all the other people who didn’t get invited out because there are tons of shows tonight around Billings.

I’m headed over to the Yellowstone Valley’s Garage Pub to hear Funk in the Trunk and Farley Moore from 5 to 8 p.m., then I’m going to the Bulls hockey game at Rimrock Auto Arena because after the game, you get to ice skate with the Bulls. (Maybe that isn’t such a good thing)

At the Alberta Bair Theater, the iconic folk group Kingston Trio headlines a show tonight.

For non-drinkers, Off the Leaf coffee shop on Grand Avenue is presenting the Alex Nauman Trio from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Here are some other offerings tonight:

American Legion. 1540 Broadwater Ave., New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Smoke Creek, 7 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Bones Brewing Pub and Eatery. 1425 Broadwater Ave., New Year’s Eve Dance Party featuring DJ Exodus, 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31; no cover.

Bridge Creek. Red Lodge. Blazing Pianos featuring Ellen Rose, 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31.

Bugz’s Casino. 1341 Main. 7th Avenue Band.

Bull & Bear Saloon. Red Lodge. Norrine the Outlaw Queen Band. 6 p.m.

Carlin. 2501 Montana Ave., “Dressed to the Nines in 2009″ New Year’s Eve party featuring DJ Jimi Scott, 10 p.m.

Crystal Lounge & Card Club. 101 N. Broadway. Karaoke hosted by Michael May and Friends, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. nightly.

The Den. West Park Plaza. Heard of Turtles?, 9 p.m.

Elks Lodge Lounge. 934 Lewis Ave. New Year’s Eve Party featuring XLT Country, Just Us Two - Jim & Sue, and Cimarron, 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $10; formal and semi-formal attire. 252-8407.

Holiday Inn Grand Montana. 5500 Midland Road. New Year’s Eve Party featuring The Bucky Beaver Ground Grippers, 8 p.m. $12 per person; VIP and reserve tables available. Call 248-7827.

The Loft. 1123 First Ave. New Year’s Eve celebration featuring dancing with DJ Cody, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
Moose Breath Saloon. 4242 State Ave. Tracy Linden 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.

VFW Heights. 637 Anchor Ave. The Crowd Thinners, 7:30 p.m.-12:30

Nothing else is opening! Give Frank Miller a chance!

As everyone knows, I hate movies and the people who star in them, and so this weekend, I’ll be avoiding — wha-huh? What do you mean there’s no movies opening this weekend? Are you kidding me? Seriously? No movies opening at all? Do you people really think everyone’s going to go see The Spirit now?

Continue reading The movies I’m not seeing this weekend

I'll get you, my pretty. And your little film too!

The evil, evil, evil studio has won a ruling and they plan to block (or at least delay) Watchmen.

Come on, Fox! You’re acting like a toddler. You didn’t use it when you had it, but now you want it because someone else has it and, boy, does it look shiny and new.

This guy doesn’t think it’ll be a problem, and Fox says “Don’t blame us,” but seriously. If this movie doesn’t come out? Riots. Riots in the street, there will be.

Except for Watchmen creator Alan Moore, who is probably celebrating even as I type. (You can hardly fault him for that. Did you see what Hollywood did to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?)