Rock Camps, Jazz Camps and Art Camps, Oh My! 4/17 @ JR’s 4-7pm
Sunday, April 17th promises to be a big day at Junior’s Restaurant of the Riverview Inn & Suites…as it includes a visit from the Shell Lake Arts Center Faculty – heavy hitters from the Jazz community in the Twin Cities, and the Rock community of Western Wisconsin! Pepper that with performances by Junior High and High School students who attended the Shell Lake Arts Center Rock Band Camp last summer, and you’ve got the recipe for a lovely Sunday afternoon. For dessert, there’s no cover, and it’s all-ages! The folks from SLAC are inviting all of us to enjoy their music from 4 – 7pm, and will be very happy to explain the amazing summer band camps which offer 24 hour art & music immersion to their students. The camps are eclectic, have opened up on weekends for some adult programs, and offer concert band, jazz band, rock band, musical theatre, painting…the list goes on. Please join the SLAC faculty and students, right here in River Falls, for an eye-opening, and thought-expanding Sunday afternoon.
Click on this link for more information about the Shell Lake Arts Center Summer Camps.Shell lake meet n greet poster
http://www.shelllakeartscenter.org/?q=node/117
Bluegrass & Roots Festival, Where? Oh yeah, River Falls!
Yes sir, River Falls is hosting the First Annual Bluegrass & Roots Festival this weekend (I love it when they title it that – basically saying, this is the first year that we’re doing it – if it works out well, we’ll do it again next year), and there are SO many events that it’s best to have you check the official site at the Chamber’s website…
http://tourism.rfchamber.com/events/details/river-falls-bluegrass-and-roots-festival
But before you click and run, pay attention – there are some great clinics being offered for FREE on Saturday that you do NOT need to bring your instrument along with you for – simply enjoy the instruction and ask any questions you desire – starting at 10am on Saturday.
Brian Wicklund on Fiddle at Riverview Inn & Suites @10am
Peter Rivard on Banjo at Brickhouse Music @ 11am
Chris Silver on Guitar at Riverview @ 12pm
Mandolin Clinic (still searching for a clinician to replace the one that canceled) at Brickhouse @ 1pm
The clinics are a really SWEET offering for a Festival – the Free bit is even better!
If you have a young musician that you are concerned about bringing out to hear music over the weekend, think again – there are plenty of family friendly options each day, including Saturday afternoon offerings, and a Sunday brunch at Southfork Cafe.
It’s going to be great – rediscover downtown River Falls this weekend and join the folks from out of town that are experiencing River Falls for the first time…let’s give them an RF welcome, and celebrate Spring the right way…musically!
Enjoy.
Winter in River Falls ROCKS…or does it?
Hello Music Lovers…
Obviously, the title of this blog indicates that I will be asking or answering the question of whether Winter in RF ROCKS or not…well, in 2011, it does…and it doesn’t. As we are finally in mid-February, ready to see the end of the zero degree temperature, we are looking to the end of winter – however, before it goes, let’s take advantage of staying indoors for just a bit longer…
On February 25th, the Tommy Bentz Band will be having a Birthday Celebration…a celebration of Tommy’s birthday as well as a musical celebration of George Harrison’s birthday (yes, the two share a birthdate of 2/25). Shooters Pub will sponsor the event, which is being described as an evening shared of music written by George Harrison and music written by Tommy Bentz – what could be more titillating? Perhaps adding a stop at Jr’s Bar & Grille beforehand to catch the first set of the Chris Silver Band! A bit of bluegrass/rock…transition to rock ‘n roll (Harrison)…transition to rock with a Southern Rock mentality (Bentz)…a rewarding evening indeed.
But! Winter continues…we all know that March is the supposed snowiest month of winter (is that possible this year?), so perhaps the most important month of the year to be infused seriously with musical entertainment. Check the 1st Annual Bluegrass & Roots Festival in River Falls March 18-20… http://tourism.rfchamber.com/events/details/river-falls-bluegrass-and-roots-festival for more info. The talent being brought to RF that weekend is amazing – from Pieta Brown to Brian Wicklund, the weekend will be fraught with Bluegrass tension…or at least TONS of violins, banjos and everything in between! The event is starts on Friday night and boasts bluegrass instrument clinics on Saturday…culminating in a Saturday of great Roots & Bluegrass around town, and IF you’re strong hearted…brunch on Sunday morning. NOT to be missed.
Recount:
Winter=Cold
River Falls Rock/Bluegrass Rock Festival=HOT
Enjoy!
Priorities.
Have you ever thought about priorities? Really thought about them, I mean. Not just your priorities, but why you have them – why YOUR priorities have beat out all of the other priorities that are floating around out there…do you make sure to clean your dishes before you go to bed at night? If so, why? Have you made it a habit to drive your car through the car wash weekly, and why? Did your grandmother or grandfather preach the necessity of cleanliness, were you motivated by an uncle or an aunt to reduce clutter…the list could go on and on, but I choose to prioritize brevity in my very first post instead. Why ask this question about priorities, Jen? What brings this subject to the forefront today? Well, while operating a retail establishment, I meet many people. I chat with many people, every day. Some folks prioritize their child’s schedule over their own, some folks prioritize church every Wednesday evening, some folks prioritize their cell phones over whatever else it is that they are doing at the time of the call…the list could, once again, go on. Regardless of the person, the priority, the action that confirms the priority, there remains the underlying reason for that choice. The meaningful conversation, observation or sometimes, just personal choice that ingrained these priorities into our lives. Today, I thank my parents for instilling in me the priority of family over “fun”, the priority to be on time (which I still work on, but push many, many other things to the side to accomplish), and the priority to pay my bills to the companies that I owe…not just when I want to, but whenever I owe money. These things have become important to me – I don’t expect them to be important to everyone, because we are all unique, each of us holding history in our bones which no one else can replicate – and I wonder often, what was it that made that gentleman or lady so kind, or so coarse, to me? Perhaps priorities. Different from mine, but just as important.
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