360 January 19, 2017

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Grand Funk Railroad comes to The Skagit Page 3

Skagit Valley Herald Thursday January 19, 2017

TUNING UP PAGE 9 Dusty 45s to perform Friday at The Old Edison ON STAGE PAGE 8

Littlefield Celtic Center to host Cillian & Kevin Irish concert on Friday

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK “The Girl on the “The Whole Truth”: Upcoming Train”: Emily Blunt Defense attorney Richard Ramsey (Keanu turns in a strong permovie releases Reeves) takes on a formance as a woman Following is a partial personal case. who watches what schedule of coming DVD “LEGO Nexo looks like an ideal famireleases. Release dates Knights — Season 2: ly during her commute. are subject to change: Book of Monsters”: The film begins to lose Knights continue their its strength as her charJAN. 24 fight against Jestro. acter gets pulled into a n Inferno “Zero Days”: Docmurder investigation. n The Light Between umentary on the world This is the big-screen Oceans of cyberwar. version of the book by n I’m Not Ashamed “Surf’s Up 2: WavePaula Hawkins. It’s an n Sherlock: Series Four mania”: World famous example of how events n The Monster surf crew visits Cody and actions told in n The Vessel Maverick’s island. printed material don’t n: USS Indianapolis: “Rizzoli & Isles: The always transfer to the Men of Courage Complete Seventh & big screen. There’s Final Season”: Angie some suspense but JAN. 31 Harmon and Sasha mostly the plot is slow n Boo! A Madea HalAlexander star in this and plodding. loween crime-solving series.

Don’t blame Blunt n Jack Reacher 2: Nev“Huntwatch”: Ryan as she turns in another er Go Back Reynolds narrates this memorable perforn Masterminds look at efforts to save mance. n Queen of Katwe the seals.

“Ouija: Origin of n Ballers: Season 2 “The BabymoonEvil”: The title should ers”: Woman creates be changed to the more FEB. 7 video for her child two appropriate “Ouija: n Trolls weeks before the baby Bored.” This lackluster n Almost Christmas is born. follow-up to the incredn Loving “Train to Busan”: ibly bad “Ouija” of two n The Eagle Huntress Passengers must get years ago is more likely n Desierto past hordes of zombies to put you to sleep than n American Pastoral to get to safety. keep you awake. n The Take “Love Boat: Season The scariest thing n Blackway Three Vol. 1 & 2”: The about the original “Ouin Frank & Lola Pacific Princess cruises ja” was that the viewer n From Dusk Till Dawn: into more love and might get crushed unSeason 3 laughter. der its pile of cliches or n Graves: Season 1 “Roger Corman’s fall out of her seat from n Justice League: Dark Death Race 2050”: boredom. It’s nice to see n Life on the Line Violent drivers compete that tradition continues in cross-country road through the sloppy race. script by director Mike “Come and Find Me”: Aaron Paul Flanagan and Jeff Howard. plays a man who gets caught in the You don’t have to ask a Ouija board about the quality of this failed attempt dangerous criminal underworld while at horror. If you did, it would spell out looking for his missing girlfriend.

“The Free World”: Man adjusts to S-T-I-N-K-E-R. life after prison.

“Keeping Up with the Joneses”: “Ali”: Michael Mann’s look at the Couple discover their new neighbors boxer who was “The Greatest.” are hiding huge secrets.

“Dancer”: A look at the life of talented dancer Sergei Polunin.

NEW ON DIGITAL HD ON JAN. 17 “Long Way North”: Animated tale “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”: of a young woman’s search for her Jack Reacher is accused of murder. missing grandfather.

“Masterminds”: Man who steals $17 million must track down crimi“I Love Lucy: Superstar Special. nals who double-crossed him.

No. 2”: John Wayne makes a guest — Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee appearance.

YOUR ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SKAGIT COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

TUNING UP / Page 9

Fantasy to play Max Dale’s on Saturday night

INSIDE

SUBMISSIONS Email features@skagitpublishing.com Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition Phone 360-416-2135 Hand-deliver 1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Mailing address P.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Out & About............................................ 4-5 Get Involved............................................ 6-7 On Stage.......................................................8 Tuning Up....................................................9 Travel..........................................................10 Hot Tickets................................................11 Music..........................................................12 At the Lincoln...........................................13 Movies..................................................14-15

Online events calendar To list your event on our website, visit goskagit.com and look for the Events Calendar on the home page HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact Features Editor Craig Parrish at 360-416-2135 or features@skagitpublishing.com TO ADVERTISE 360-424-3251

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Grand Funk Railroad to rock The Skagit

By AARON WEINBERG @Aaron_SVH

For Grand Funk Railroad drummer and vocalist Don Brewer, inspiration for one of the band’s greatest hits came from an unlikely source.

“We were being sued by a former manager and we needed to come up with a hit,” Brewer said before laughing, from his home in Florida. “That was my motivation.”

Thus was born “We’re an American Band,” the band’s first track to top the Billboard charts, helping cement Grand Funk Railroad as an iconic ’70s rock band.

Grand Funk Railroad will play two sold-out shows at The Skagit Valley Casino and Resort on Friday and Saturday nights. The rock group has 19 charted singles, 13 gold and 10 platinum records, and sold more than 25 million copies of records worldwide, according to a news release.

The band, which has split multiple times over the decades, reformed for good in 1996.

The current iteration, which came together in 2000, includes original founding members Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher.

Max Carl, formerly of .38 Special, is now the lead vocalist. Bruce Kulick, who spent 12 years with KISS, is the lead guitarist, and Tim Cashion, who has played with Bob Seger and Robert Palmer, is the keyboardist.

Brewer said the

Grand Funk Railroad

band’s success with the chart-topping single “We’re an American Band” and album of same name in the early 1970s helped turn the tide as the group faced financial uncertainty.

“It turned the course for us,” he said. “Here we are now, 48 years later and we are still touring.”

The group plays about 40 shows a year and they aren’t slowing down. If anything, they’re going harder than ever, Brewer said.

“We just finished 2016 and had our best

year in the past 20 years,” he said. “We played more shows, played for more people and had our best attendance for the past 20 years. We aren’t scaling back.”

He said they like to keep their touring to about 40 shows a year because they don’t enjoy the grind of cross-country bus rides. Instead, they’ll fly to wherever they are playing for the weekend then fly back home.

“I don’t like being on the road, but I love being on stage,” Brewer

said. “I love watching an keyboardist Cashion. audience light up. I love He said they didn’t to watch grandparents hold tryouts, but and parents bring their instead used their conkids and nections that their within “We played more kids know the music shows, played the words industry to the to recruit for more people songs.” the three. and had our best Brewer Brewer attendance for the said he and said ticket original holders past 20 years. We member can expect aren’t scaling back.” the usual Schlacher lucked out Grand Don Brewer filling out Funk the band Railroad with three talented muhits such as “I’m Your Captain,” “The Losicians in vocalist Carl, lead guitarist Kulick and co-Motion” and “Some

Kind of Wonderful,” along with some newer stuff sprinkled in.

“We love to try the new stuff out live,” Brewer said.

And, of course, concert-goers can expect the band’s classic, “We’re an American Band.”

“We are coming to your town and helping you party it down,” Brewer said.

— Reporter Aaron Weinberg: 360-4162145, aweinberg@ skagitpublishing.com, Facebook.com/byaaronweinberg

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT & ABOUT ART ART — THE ART LIFE: The new exhibit “Art Life” continues through Feb. 19 at i.e., 5800 Cains Court, Edison, featuring Lana Sundberg, Tim Fowler and Patty Detzer. i.e.edisonwa@gmail.com or 360-488-3458.

‘INTERSCAPES’ ART EXHIBIT: “Interscapes” is a collection of bold, colorful abstract expressionist paintings by Gregory S. Walsh, who discovered painting after a long career in the music and film industries. The exhibit continues through January at Fourth Corner Frames, 311 W. Holly St., Bellingham. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. fourthcornerframes. com.

ART AT MoNA: Three new exhibitions continue through March 26 at the Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Conner.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m.

Sunday and Monday.

Free admission. 360466-4446 or monamuseum.org. n Paul Havas: A Life of Painting: The exhibit honors the 40-year career of an artist known for his large-scale landscapes and cityscapes.

Born, raised and educated on the East Coast, Paul Havas (1940-2012) came to the Northwest for graduate school at the University of Washington and ultimately became one of the major painters of the region.

n Indigenous Influences: Curated by Regan Shrumm, through the Dana and Toni Ann Rust Curatorial Fellowship at MoNA, the exhibit looks at works from MoNA’s permanent collection that are influenced by Pacific Northwest indigenous communities. n Continuum: Glass from the Permanent Collection: Featured in the Benaroya Glass Gallery are selections of glass from the permanent collection with an emphasis on continuum — of the medium of glass, of the continuity of forms, and of tradition through to innovation.

THE GOOD STUFF ARTS GALLERY: The Good Stuff Arts Gallery, 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, is featuring the work of Randy Emmons, Peggy Woods, Suzanne Powers, Terry MacDonald, Carla Seaton, Ruth Owen, Ron Moore and Maria Wickwire through January.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday to Saturday. thegoodstuff.com or 360 755-3152.

TEXTILE ARTS: The exhibit “The Nature of Place: Pictorial quilts by Charlotte Bird and Ree Nancarrow,” continues through Jan. 29 at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., La Conner.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday through Sunday. Admission: $7, $5 students and military, free for members and ages 11 and younger. 360-466-4288 or laconnerquilts.org.

“GROWTH PATTERNS”: The exhibit

JESSE COOK ONE WORLD TOUR

Flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $20.50 to $49.50. tickets@mountbakertheatre. com or 360-734-6080.

“Growth Patterns” featuring oil painter Patty Haller and ceramic sculptor Brian O’Neill continues through Jan. 30 at Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison. info@ smithandvallee.com or 360-766-6230.

MANY MEDIUMS AT MILO: Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, continues a show featuring pastels by Amanda Houston, acrylics by Jennifer Bowman, color photographs by Randy Dana and Lewis Jones, photo encaustics by Kathy Hastings, flame-painted wire mesh by Lanny Bergner and new jewelry by Melanie Brauner. The show runs through Jan. 31. The gallery is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday,

and by appointment.

Closed Sundays. Online gallery: scottmilo. com. More info: gallery@scottmilo.com.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBIT: The La Conner Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is on display through March 1 at public locations.

The annual juried exhibition features work by some of the Northwest’s most accomplished artists. For information, including a map of the sculptures and works available for sale: 360466-3125 or townoflaconner.org.

RACHEL DENNY SHOW: Rachel Denny will develop an exhibit focusing on the beauty of the natural world to be held at ACME Creative, 705 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. A reception is scheduled

for 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3.

PLAYS COMEDY IN ALGER: ALTA Theatre (Alger Lookout Thespian Association) presents the madcap comedy “You Can’t Take It with You.” Dessert theatre at 7 p.m., Jan. 27-28, Feb. 3-4 and 10-11, matinees at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 and Feb. 12. $10 (matinee) and $12-14 (dessert theatre). altatheatre.com or 360-424-5144.

“INTO THE WOODS”: Feb. 10 to March 5, Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Boulevard, Oak Harbor. $20. whidbeyplayhouse.com or 360-679-2237.

LECTURES AND TALKS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SPEAKER SERIES:

The Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville, hosts an outdoor adventure speaker from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. $3. 360363-8400 or marysvillewa.gov.

Next up: n Tuesday, Jan. 24: Ryan Morrison: “The Pacific Crest Trail: A Long Walk Home.”

BALD EAGLE INTERPRETIVE CENTER: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport, continues a series of weekend talks and lectures in January. Donations appreciated. All lectures begin at 1 p.m. srbeatic@frontier.com or 360-853-7626. n Saturday, Jan. 21: “Forage Fish Around Skagit County,” Pete Haase, Skagit Citizen Forage Fish Survey Team coordinator. n Sunday, Jan. 22: “Glaciers of the North Cascades,” science technician Make Larrabee. n Saturday, Jan. 28: “Salmon and Trout of the Skagit River: Distribution, Abundance Trends, and Habitat Recovery,” Skagit Watershed Council Executive Director Richard Brocksmith. n Sunday, Jan. 29: “Grizzly Bear Recovery in the North Cascades,” Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear.

CITIZEN AND NONPROFIT ADVOCACY: Community Action of Skagit County will host the presentation from noon to 1:30 p.m. today, Jan. 19, at 320 Pacific Place, Mount Vernon.

Free. Register at skagitvolunteercenter.org.

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OUT & ABOUT

CLASSIC COMEDY

WHALES TALK: Research biologist John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia will speak about research and insights on Northwest coast humpback, blue and gray whales at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Northwest Educational Service District Building, 1601 R St., Anacortes. Free.

“MY NAME IS TWIRP”: Former Upper Skagit Library volunteer Karen Smith will read from her new children’s book, “My Name is Twirp,” at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21, at the library, 45770 Main St., Concrete. The collaborative book, which includes illustrations by local artist Don Smith and coloring pages, was created to benefit a new library project. Free. cthomas@upperskagit. lib.wa.us, upperskagit. lib.wa.us or 360-8537939.

MAKING IT ON YOUR OWN: Learn how to set goals and use strategies to become self-sufficient from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, Mount Vernon Goodwill Job Training and Education Center, 242 E. College Way. Free.

360-848-6468, ext.

1703, or seattlegoodwill. org.

AUTISM SUPPORT: Animal scientist and autism self-advocate Temple Grandin will speak on “How Families and School can Support Individuals with Autism” at 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Western Washington University Performing Arts Center in Bellingham. Free. Grandin’s

dren. info@skagitsymphony.com.

JAZZ AT THE CENTER: Cory Weeds and Harold Mabern will play from 7 to 9:15 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. $20, students free. 360-3870222.

“Some Like it Hot,” starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, will be shown at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at the Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville, as part of Classic Movie Mondays. $3. marysvillewa.gov or 360363-8400.

story was featured in the HBO film “Temple Grandin,” starring Claire Danes.

BOATING WITH BUDDY: La Conner Retirement Inn will host the talk “Boating with Buddy: A Dog’s View on His Human’s Hobby,” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 204 N. First St., La Conner. Buddy, a rescue dog, has joined a new family who loves boating. Buddy’s human, Sue, will share her adventures with Buddy boating around the Washington area. Free.

360-466-5700.

MUSIC “IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE”: Soprano Janice Johnson and pianist Jill Timmons will perform a concert that explores the love between Clara Schumann, Robert

Schumann and Johannes Brahms at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 415 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon. Freewill offering.

BLUES AND BREWS: Blues Dues will play from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, Jan. 19, at the Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $5 at the door. marysvillewa.gov or 360-363-8400.

IN CONCERT: Cillian Vallely and Kevin Crawford will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. $20 to $25. celticarts.org or 360416-4934.

“EVENING AT THE WELL”: The event,

featuring music from singer/songwriter JJ Heller and encouragement from Mandy Arioto, CEO of Mothers of Preschoolers International, will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at Gold Creek Community Church, 4326 148th St SE, Mill Creek. $18 to $30. comments@ praise1065.com or 360922-6222.

“MUSIC AND MEMORIES”: The fifth annual event will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Swinomish Casino and Lodge, 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes. Blackstone and Burnett Band will be the featured entertainment for the evening.

The event will feature dinner, music, raffles and silent and live auctions. Proceeds benefit The Bradford House

and Gentry House. $60. skagitadultdayprogram. org.

LIAM FITZGERALD AND THE RAINIEROS: Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marsyville, will host a country showcase featuring Liam Fitzgerald and the Rainieros at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. Tickets are $10: apm.activecommunities.com/marysvillewa/ Activity_Search/2128 or 360-363-8400. Some tickets may be available at the door. marysvillewa.gov.

FAMILY CONCERT: Skagit Symphony will present “Peter and the Wolf ” at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $10 general admission, $1 students and chil-

OPEN MIC NIGHT: Mount Vernon City Library will host Open Mic Night for local musicians from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon.

Teens and tweens welcome if accompanied by parent or guardian. Free. Preregister: mikeb@mountvernonwa.gov or 360-3366209.

UN-WINE’D WEDNESDAY: Swing Nuts Jazz will perform at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $5 at the door. marysvillewa.gov or 360-3638400.

NIGHT OF QUEEN: Freddie Mercury imitator Gary Mullen will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 17, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 North Commercial St., Bellingham. $20.50 to $39.50. tickets@ mountbakertheatre.com or 360-734-6080.

BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS: Blood, Sweat & Tears with Bo Rice will perform at 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, at the Pacific Showroom at the Skagit Casino Resort, 5984 N. Darrk Lane, Bow. theskagit.com.

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GET INVOLVED AUDITIONS POSEIDON PLAYERS: The Poseidon Players will have auditions for the next Black Box Theater presentation at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, in the Star Studio, behind Whidbey Playhouse, 730 S.E. Midway Boulevard, Oak Harbor. The Poseidon Players and Black Box Theater is for anyone interested in honing their acting, directing, playwright or technical skills.

The one-act plays last no longer than 20 minutes and are set up to need little in the way of props or costuming.

360-679-2237 or www. whidbeyplayhouse. com.

Family Concert SKAGIT SYMPHONY SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

Los Cenzontles February 10

Rhythm Party

FREE - February 11

Sundae Drumdae Sunday, February 12

The James Hunter Six February 24

Kinobe & the Wamu Spirit March 3

360.416.7727

mcintyrehall.org

”GODSPELL”: 7 p.m.

Monday through Wednesday, Feb. 27-28 and March 1, Claire vg Thomas Theatre, 655 Front St., Lynden. The production will run Thursdays-Sundays, May 4-21. 360-3544425 or clairevgtheatre. com.

“37 POSTCARDS”: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Feb. 5-6, Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. Parts are available for one man age 28-35, one man age 60-75 and four women ages 20-75. The show runs April 14-30. 360679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

BOOKS

BOOK GROUP: The Center for Spiritual Living book group meets at 6 p.m. first, second and fourth Thursdays, and at 5:30 p.m. on third Thursdays at 1508 18th St. Mount Vernon.

Participants read and discuss books in many areas of spirituality and personal growth.

Free. Contact Gabrielle Conatore at 360-92019995 or mtvernoncsl@ outlook.com.

AT THE STANWOOD LIBRARY: The following events will be held at the Stanwood Library, 9701 271st St NW, Stanwood. 360-629-3132: n Preschool story time, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25. Playtime or craft may follow.

Ages 3 to 5 years with caregiver. n Preschoolers explore STEAM, 10:30 a.m. Thursdays, Jan. 19 and 26. Ages 3 to 5 with caregiver. n Baby and me story time, 11 a.m. Fridays,

Jan. 20 and 27. For newborns through 18 months with caregiver. n STEM workshop.

Build a robotic face in this four-part STEM (Science, technology, engineering and math) workshop, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Grades 3-5. Registration required. n Read a story to Mason and Gus, pet partner dogs, to build reading skills and confidence, 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. School-age children.

DANCE FOLK DANCING: Skagit-Anacortes Folk Dancers meet Tuesdays at the Bay View Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Mount Vernon.

Learn to folk dance to a variety of international music. Instruction begins at 7 p.m. followed by review and request dances until 9:30 p.m.

The first session is free, $3 thereafter. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 360766-6866.

SCOTTISH DANCING: Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers meet from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Wednesdays at the Fairhaven Library auditorium (upstairs), 1117 12th St., Bellingham. Wear comfortable clothes and soft-soled shoes without heels. $8 per class. For information, call Mary Anderson at 360-933-1779 or visit bellinghamscd. org.

JOLLY TIME CLUB: Dance to live music from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursdays at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th

St., Mount Vernon.

Contact Gisela at 360424-5696.

CROATIAN FOLK DANCE LESSONS FOR FAMILY: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, Croatian Cultural Center, 801 Fifth St. Anacortes.

Conducted by the Vela Luka Croatian folk dance troupe and orchestra. Free, but donations accepted.

360-299-2525 and 360220-9454.

MODERN JIVE DANCE CLASS: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, Anacortes Center for Happiness, 619 Commercial Ave. Modern jive is a fun fusion of jive and salsa with no complicated footwork and danced to modern music. $5. 360-4642229 and anacortescenterforhappiness.org.

MUSIC BARBERSHOP HARMONY: Attend a free, no-commitment rehearsal of the An-OChords, a four-part Barbershop harmony. No experience necessary, no auditions required.

Learn by rote, you don’t have to read music.

Ages 12 and up. Drop in any Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Northwest Educational Service Building, 1601 R Ave., Anacortes.

Rides available. Bob Lundquist, 360-9415733 or svenbob@ cheerful.com.

TIME FOR FIDDLERS: The Washington Old Time Fiddlers play at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Fridays of each month at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland.

St. Free; donations ac-

cepted. 360-630-1156.

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: Practices are held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays at the Shelter Bay Clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. New members welcome. No need to be a Shelter Bay resident.

360-223-3230.

LOVE TO SING? Join the women of Harmony Northwest Chorus from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Monday at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. Seeking women who like to sing a cappella music. All skill levels welcome.

ANACORTES OPEN MIC: 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

360-293-2544.

OPEN MIC: Jam night, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Thursdays, Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360445-4733.

CANTABILE CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS: For experienced choral singers, 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon.

Rehearsals are 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays from September through May. For more information or to schedule an audition contact Jennie: cantabilechamberchoir@gmail.com or 425-312-4565.

HARMONY NORTHWEST CHORUS OPEN HOUSE: Free vocal lessons during January with the award-winning Harmony North-

west Chorus, members of Sweet Adelines International, will be given from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays at the Mount Vernon Community Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. 360201-5861, contact@ harmonynorthwest.org or harmonynorthwest. org.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY: Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., will host an open mic night for local musicians from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30. Free, open to the public. Preregister at mikeb@mountvernonwa.gov or 360-3366209. Teens and tweens are welcome if accompanied by parents or guardians.

CALLING ‘80S COVER BANDS: The Mount Vernon Downtown Association invites cover bands with an ‘80s set list to play for the third annual Harvest Moon Festival: Retro on the River on Aug. 26. If interested in performing, send a link or recording to info@mountvernondowntown.org or call 360-336-3801.

RECREATION FRIENDS OF THE FOREST HIKES: Join the Friends of the Forest for scenic hikes in the forest lands around Anacortes. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. No pets.

Free. 360-293-3725 or friendsoftheacfl.org.

Next up: A senior/ adult hike to Heart Lake with Friends of the Forest is 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Feb. 10.

Meet at the Heart Lake parking lot.

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GET INVOLVED BALD EAGLE CENTER: Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, through January, at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport. Learn about bald eagles during the peak of eagle migration and salmon spawning on the Skagit River.

Guided hikes are offered at 11 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday, with special presentations at 1 p.m. most Saturdays. Free. Donations accepted. 360-853-7626 or skagiteagle.org.

Next up: n 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21: Pete Haase, coordinator of Skagit Citizen Forage Fish Survey Team, presents “Forage Fish Around Skagit County.” n 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22: Mike Larrabee, North Cascades National Park physical science technician, presents “Glaciers of the North Cascades.” n 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28: Richard Brocksmith, executive director of the Skagit Watershed Council, presents “Salmon and Trout of the Skagit River: Distribution, Abundance Trends, and Habitat Recovery.” n 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29: Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear presents “Grizzly Bear Recovery in the North Cascades.”

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SPEAKER SERIES: The Marysville Opera House hosts an outdoor adventure speaker from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the opera house, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $3.

360-363-8400 or marys-

villewa.gov. Next up: n Tuesday, Jan. 24: Ryan Morrision: “The Pacific Crest Trail: A Long Walk Home.” n Tuesday, Feb. 28: Craig Romano: “Classic Hikes of Washington.”

KIDS CLUB: Nat Geo Kids teams with Cascade Mall Kids Club for fun educational games and activities for kids from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Cascade Mall Center Court, 201 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington. Free. 360558-3270 or shopcascademall.com.

TRAIL GUIDES, BIKE MAPS & MORE: Learn about opportunities to be physically active in Skagit County, including trail guides, an activity tracker and local resources at beactiveskagit.org.

ANACORTES KIDS NIGHT OUT @ WESTERN: Grades K-6, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, Shannon Point Marine Center, 1900 Shannon Point Road, Anacortes. $20. 360-650-3308 or wwu.edu/ee/youth/ know/index.shtml.

HAVE A HEART RUN: The family-friendly Have a Heart Run will be held on Saturday, April 29, at Edgewater Park, just west of the Skagit River in Mount Vernon. The event features a 5K run/walk, a 2.5k walk and a kid’s run. Register at haveaheartrun.org.

RUN FOR YOUR MUM: 5K run and 2K walk, 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, Bakerview Park, 3101 Fir St. Mount Vernon. Participants can

either pay a $20 registration fee or gather pledges from friends and family to benefit Pregnancy Choices. Prizes for first place male and female runners overall; prizes for first place male and female runners for each age group. 360-428-4777 and runforyourmum. com.

DISCOVERY CENTER VOLUNTEER: Rockport State Park seeks volunteers to help operate its Discovery Center.

Duties include greeting visitors, restocking refreshments, and providing park and area information Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Contact Amos Almy, interpretive specialist, at 360-853-8461 or rockport@parks.wa.gov.

tickets on sa le now!

Friday, March 31 | Saturday, April 1 Shows start at 9 pm | WA Walton Event Center

NATIVE TREES PRESENTATION AND HIKE: Join Washington State University Extension forestry professor Kevin Zobrist, author of the book “Native Trees of Western Washington,” for a presentation and hike on the diversity of native trees in Western Washington, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Rockport State Park 51905 Highway 20. 360-853-8461 and rockport@parks. wa.gov.

THEATER ACTING CLASSES: The iDiOM Theater offers acting classes for all ages at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, 205 Prospect St., Bellingham.

Choose from various ongoing movement and method acting classes.

Prices vary. sylviacenterforthearts@gmail.com or sylviacenterforthearts.org.

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E8 - Thursday, January 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area January 19-29 Thursday.19

8855 or theupfront.com.

DANCE “Winter Dances”: 7:30 p.m. Western Washington University Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham. $8 students, $16 general admission. 360650-6146 or cfpa.wwu.edu/event/winter-dances-2017.

DANCE “Winter Dances”: 7:30 p.m. Western Washington University Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham. $8 students, $16 general admission. 360650-6146 or cfpa.wwu.edu/event/winter-dances-2017.

Friday.20

Sunday.22

MUSIC Grand Funk Railroad: 8 p.m., Skagit Valley Casino, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. $60-$65. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

DANCE “Winter Dances”: 2 p.m. Western Washington University Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham. $8 students, $16 general admission. 360-650-6146 or cfpa.wwu.edu/event/winter-dances-2017.

Cillian & Kevin Irish Concert: 7:30 p.m., Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. $20-$25. 360-416-4934 or celticarts. org.

Wednesday.25 THEATER ”Airings ... Voices of Our Youth”: 6 p.m., Western Washington University Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham.

Free, reservations required. www. kuntzandco.org/airings.

IMPROV Space Trek — An Improvised Space Adventure: 8 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-733-8855 or theupfront.com.

Doubles — Improv Comedy: 10 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-7338855 or theupfront.com.

DANCE “Winter Dances”: 7:30 p.m. Western Washington University Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham. $8 students, $16 general admission. 360-650-6146 or cfpa.wwu.edu/event/winter-dances-2017.

Saturday.21 OPERA The MET: “Romeo Et Juliette” (Gounod): 9:55 a.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $17-23.

360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

MUSIC Grand Funk Railroad: 8 p.m., Skagit Valley Casino, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. $60-$65. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

STORKK

FRIDAY.20

CILLIAN & KEVIN IRISH CONCERT 7:30 p.m., Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. $20-$25.

360-416-4934 or celticarts.org.

MUSIC Liam Fitzgerald and the Rainieros: 7:30 p.m., Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $10. 360-363-8400 or marysvillewa. gov/762/Opera-House.

Thursday.26 PERFORMING ARTS BE in the Show: 6:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $5. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

MUSIC Jesse Cook One World Tour: 7 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $20.50$49.50. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

IMPROV Space Trek — An Improvised Space Adventure: 8 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-733-8855 or theupfront.com.

Friday.27

Doubles — Improv Comedy: 10 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-733-

IMPROV Space Trek — An Improvised Space Adventure: 8 p.m., The

THEATER ”Of Mice and Men”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20.

360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-733-8855 or theupfront.com.

Doubles — Improv Comedy: 10 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-7338855 or theupfront.com.

Saturday.28 MUSIC The Fisher Brothers: 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $20-$30. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

THEATER ”Of Mice and Men”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20.

360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

IMPROV Space Trek — An Improvised Space Adventure: 8 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-733-8855 or theupfront.com.

Doubles — Improv Comedy: 10 p.m., The Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St., Bellingham. $10-$12. 360-7338855 or theupfront.com.

Sunday.29 OPERA The MET: “Romeo Et Juliette” (Gounod): 1 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $17-23.

360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

MUSIC Skagit Symphony Family Concert: 1:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $10, children and students with I.D. $1. 360-4167727, ext. 2, or mcintyrehall.org.

Whatcom Symphony Orchestra: 3 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $35-54, take a teen for free. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

Thursday, January 19, 2017 - E9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TUNING UP Playing at area venues January 19-26 Thursday.19

9, Mount Vernon. 360422-6411.

Jam/Open Mic: 8 p.m., Loco Billy’s, 27021 102nd Ave NW, Stanwood. locobillys. com or 425-737-5144.

The Lowdown Drifters: 9 p.m., Loco Billy’s, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. $10. locobillys.com or 425-737-5144.

Summit of Two Plus: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com .

Steven Padilla: 6 p.m., La Conner Sips, 608 S. First St. 360-6109773 or laconnersips. com.

Blues and Brews: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville. $5. 360-3638400 or marysvillewa. gov.

Fantasy: 8 p.m., Max Dale’s, 2030 Riverside Drive, Mount Vernon. 360-424-7171 or facebook.com/events/ 471473756576138.

Friday.20

Rumor 6: 9 p.m., The Skagit Casino Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

Scott Concinnity: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-5881720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

Deception Connection: 6 to 9 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks Lodge, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Members and signed-in guests only.

360-848-8882.

The Winterlings: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $6. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Petunia & The Vipers: 8 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $12$15. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Thunder Creek: 7:30 p.m., American Legion Post 43, 701 Mur-

Sunday.22

SATURDAY.21

FANTASY 8 p.m., Max Dale’s, 2030 Riverside Drive, Mount Vernon. 360-424-7171 or facebook.com/ events/471473756576138.

Ron W. Bailey & The Tangents with Al Kaatz: 5:30 p.m., The Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360-7666266 or theoldedison. com.

Wednesday.25 Fidalgo Swing:

dock St., Sedro-Woolley. 360-855-0520.

The J.P. Falcon Band: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411.

Saturday.21

Rumor 6: 9 p.m., The Skagit Casino Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

Dusty 45s: 8:30 p.m., The Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360766-6266 or theoldedison.com.

MuseBird Cafe with Val D’Alessio, Jean Mann and Allison Preisinger: 7:30 p.m.,

6 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-5881720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

Thursday.26

Marcia Kester: 10:30 a.m., Burlington Senior Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington.

Double Duo MuseBird Cafe with Raveis Kole: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Jam/Open Mic: 8 p.m., Loco Billy’s, 27021 102nd Ave NW, Stanwood. locobillys. com or 425-737-5144.

Open mic night: 6 to 9 p.m., The Skagit Casino Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Megs McClean: 7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.

Whiskey Fever: 8 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $6. 360-4453000 or conwaymuse. com.

Thunder Creek: 7:30 p.m., American Legion Post 43, 701 Murdock St., Sedro-Woolley. 360-855-0520.

J.P. Falcon Band: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway

SATURDAY.21

DUSTY 45s 8:30 p.m., The Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360-766-6266 or theoldedison.com.

E10 - Thursday, January 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TRAVEL

FA M I LY T R AV E L FI V E

Local travel briefs

5 winter resorts that lure families to the mountains

By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYES The Dallas Morning News

Expanded terrain, winter festivals and family-friendly programs combine to lure families to the mountains. Here are five resorts to consider.

Mount Bachelor, Bend, Ore.: With an average annual snowfall of 462 inches, the largest ski resort in the Cascade Range promises snow-filled family fun. Expect seven high-speed lifts, two tubing lifts and two beginner carpets. The detachable, quad Cloudchaser, this season’s new addition, adds 635 acres of new terrain. Improve your skills by enrolling in the Gravity School, which has award-winning instruction for skiers and boarders beginning at age 3 1/2.

The winter fun continues inside five terrain parks, a super pipe and groomed and tracked cross-country trails. Up for more? Consider snowshoeing and sled dog rides. mtbachelor.com Big Sky, Montana: If you appreciate room to roam, head to Big Sky Resort. Two new lifts debuted this season as part of a multiyear expansion program. Board a new triple chair or the Powder Seeker, for stateof-the-art transport with six heated seats and a bubble cover for extra comfort. At neighboring Moonlight Basin, choose from powder-rich terrain as well as a new lift-served sledding hill.

Base camp for Yellowstone National Park and 45 miles from Bozeman, the resort provides access to more than 5,500 acres of powder possibilities, magnificent views and very few lift lines. Both resorts have affordable family packages, ski and board schools for all ages and a range of activities. bigskyresort.com; moonlightbasin. com Steamboat, Colorado: Consistently ranked a top choice for families, this Rocky Mountain cowboy town is known for its champagne

WEB BUZZ

Name: Outbound — The Best Local Outdoor Adventures What it does: The app directs you to places and tour providers that cater to outdoor interests such as backpacking, camping, hiking, kayaking, fishing, kite boarding, mountain biking, running, skiing, stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, yoga, photography and more.

Available: In the App Store, requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Cost: Free What’s hot: I tested the app while on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, and although I’ve been to this city more than 10 times in as many years, I was impressed that it turned me on to activities and destinations I never knew about, such as a day trip to Congaree National Park. There are a lot of ways to use the app; for far-reaching inspiration go to the home page and “Search by Activity” — click on your interest such as swimming, but instead of a specific location click on “Anywhere” and see where the app takes you. The results took me to La Laguna, Nicaragua; Slide Lake in Wyoming; and a blue hole in Grahamsville, New York — places I might never have known about or considered when researching a summer adventure. Yes, you can sort by season too.

What’s not: The app sometimes crashed when I clicked into deeper pages. It didn’t bother me too much because the quality of the content was so high. I was testing it on an iPhone 6 Plus Version 10.0.2.

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times

powder and casual, down-home atmosphere. In addition to a full complement of free programs for children, Steamboat has kids-only lifts and instruction areas with easyto-access Magic Carpet lifts.

Graduates move onto the Rough Rider Basin, where tepees, a fort and a kid’s-style terrain park keep young rippers happily engaged. Check out February’s festive Winter Carnival, now in its 104th year. Look for adults on shovels and kids on skis being pulled down the main street by horses, skiers jumping through fiery hoops and the always popular, high-flying Donkey Jump. Wyndham Vacation Rentals offers special Winter Carnival lodging deals. steamboat.com; steamboatchamber.com; wyndhamvacationrentals. com Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont: This resort, tucked in Vermont’s Green Mountains, boasts 78 trails over 300 acres of marked and patrolled acres, with an additional 700 acres of unpatrolled terrain. With a slew of special programs for children from 6 weeks to late teens, Smuggs, as its known among regulars, lures families with terrain parks, fun

zones, game nights and fireworks.

Youngsters can expand their winter sporting skills at the resort’s on-snow playground area where minipipes, rollers and learning tools accelerate skill development. The Riglet Park Treehouse anchors the outdoor fun area where Snow Sport University coaches offer guidance. smuggs.com Keystone, Colorado: The ground game can be among the most challenging aspects of skiing with kids.

From the friendly reception center and parking reserved for families, to the hundreds of red wagons spread throughout the property to ease the transport of little ones plus gear, Keystone, a Vail Resort, is committed to making mountain time memorable.

The Kidtopia program offers a range of activities for children including giant snow forts, arts and crafts, ice skating, scavenger hunts and musical events. Stay two nights in resort lodging and kids 12 and under ski and ride free. Ask about private ski and boarding lessons for family groups. keystoneresort.com — Lynn O’Rourke Hayes is the editor of FamilyTravel.com

SHORT TRIPS: Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation offers travel opportunities for ages 8 and older (adult supervision required for ages 17 and younger). Trips depart from and return to Hillcrest Park, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-6215.

“FROM HEADHUNTERS TO SKYSCRAPERS”: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes. World traveler Rudy Gahler will share his recent travel adventure to the Philippines. bsmart@juno.com.

ESCORTED TOURS: The Whatcom County Tour Program offers a variety of day trips and longer tours, with most trips departing from and returning to the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, 315 Halleck St., Bellingham. For information or to register: 360-733-4030, ext.

1015, or wccoa.org/index.php/Tours. Next up: n Water View Luncheon and Peking Acrobats: Wednesday, Jan. 25. Enjoy lunch at Arnie’s on the waterfront; traditional performances by the Chinese Peking Acrobats follow the meal. $59. Trip includes transportation, waterfront lunch, aerialist show and tour escort. n Blissful Bali Tour: March 5-13. Deluxe coach tours include cultural and geographic treasures in Mas, Celuk, Batubulan and the Ubub rainforest district. $2,590 per double occupancy or $2,965 single occupancy. n Mississippi River Cruise: March 5-13.

Stay in the New Orleans Hilton Riverside Hotel one night before embarking aboard a paddle wheeler down the longest river in North America. $3,999 per double occupancy for inside cabins, or $4,999-5,999 per double occupancy for outside staterooms. n Italy’s Tuscan Sun: April 18-26. Experience the unique culture of Italy on a Florence city tour, view Michelangelo’s Statue of David, see the Leaning Tower or Pisa, learn how to cook Italian dishes and more. $3,495 double occupancy, $3,895 single occupancy. n Alaska Inside Passage Cruise: May 13-20.

Cruise southeast Alaska’s waterways with Whatcom Senior Tours and Princess Cruises.

View Alaskan wildlife and sail into frontier ports including Juneau, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. $1,319 for inside cabin, $1,769 for outside cabin and $2,025 for cabin with balcony. Passport or enhanced driver’s license is required. n Best of New York City: June 16-20. $2,699 double occupancy; $2,999 single occupancy.

CRUISE EVENTS: Holland America Line (6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1.) and Viking River Cruises (6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8), Mount Vernon AAA, 1600 E College Way, Suite A, Mount Vernon. RSVP: 360-848-2090.

Thursday, January 19, 2017 - E11

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

HOT TICKETS THE BAD PLUS: Jan. 19, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

WILL DOWNING: Jan. 19-22, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

COMPANY WAYNE MCGREGOR “ATOMOS”: Jan. 20, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

THE FIGHTER AND THE KID: Jan 20, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD: Jan. 20-21, Skagit Valley Casino, Pacific Showroom, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

‘THE KING AND I’: Jan. 24-Feb. 3, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-7453000 or stgpresents.org.

HENRY KAPONO, JOHNNY VALENTINE: Jan. 17-18, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS: Jan. 25, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

JARROD LAWSON: Jan. 25, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

BASSEM YOUSSEF: Jan. 26, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

MARK HUMMEL’S ULTIMATE BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT: Jan. 26-29, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-4419729 or jazzalley.com.

MARTIN SEXTON: Jan. 27, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

BI-2: Jan. 29, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

JUICY J: Jan. 30, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: Jan. 31,

Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

ADAM ANT: Feb. 3, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

CHERRY GLAZERR: Feb. 8, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle. 206-441-4618 or thecrocodile.com. ”ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE”: Feb. 10- April 1, Conway Muse, Conway.

360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

LOS CENZONTLES: Feb. 10, McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon. 360-4167622 or mcintyrehall.org.

ACE FREHLEY: Feb. 11, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

AIR SUPPLY: Feb. 14, Emerald Queen Casino, Tacoma. 253-594-7777 or livenation.com.

J BOOG: Feb. 16, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS: Feb. 17-18, Skagit Valley Casino, Pacific Showroom, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

ANGEL OLSEN: Feb. 18, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

LOS CAMPESINOS!: Feb. 20, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

‘RENT’: Feb. 21-26, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or stgpresents.org.

HIPPO CAMPUS: Feb. 24, Neumos, Seattle. 206709-9442 or neumos.com.

TENNIS: Feb. 28, Neumos, Seattle. 206-7099442 or neumos.com.

TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS: Feb. 28, Conway Muse, Conway. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

THE RADIO DEPT.: March 1, Neumos, Seattle.

206-709-9442 or neumos.

CRAIG PARRISH / SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD

TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS Feb. 28, Conway Muse, Conway. 360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com. com.

JENS LEKMAN: March 5, Neumos, Seattle. 206709-9442 or neumos.com.

BLUE OYSTER CULT: March 11, Emerald Queen Casino, Tacoma. 253-594-

7777 or livenation.com.

LAKE STREET DIVE: March 15, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

DON MCLEAN: March 17-18, Skagit Casino Re-

sort, Bow. 877-275-2448 or www.theskagit.com.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: March 17, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

ALI WONG: March 17, Moore Theatre, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

DAYA: March 18, Neumos, Seattle. 206-7099442 or neumos.com.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO: March 21, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

RICKIE LEE JONES & MADELEINE PEYROUX: March 22, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 206-6821414 or ticketmaster.com.

ARIANA GRANDE: March 23, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

CHRIS STAPLETON: March 28, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

LOCASH: March 29, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

206-682-1414 or ticketmaster.com.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: LUZIA: March 30-April 30, Marymoor Park, Redmond. cirquedusoleil. com/luzia.

GAME OF THRONES LIVE: March 31, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

REGINA SPEKTOR: April 3, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 800-7453000 or livenation.com.

SLEAFORD MODS: April 5, Neumos, Seattle.

206-709-9442 or neumos. com.

GROUPLOVE: April 6, The Showbox SODO, Seattle. 888-929-7849 or axs.com.

THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS: April 8, Neumos, Seattle. 206-7099442 or neumos.com.

‘AMPLIFY!: RAISING WOMEN’S VOICES’: April 13-Aug. 27, Sound Theatre Company, Seattle.

soundtheatrecompany. org.

THE WEEKND: April 26, KeyArena, Seattle. 800745-3000 or livenation. com.

LIONEL RICHIE, MARIAH CAREY: April 28, KeyArena, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

PJ HARVEY: May 5, WaMu Theater, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

U2: May 14, CenturyLink Field, Seattle. 206682-1414 or livenation. com.

SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL: May 26-28, The Gorge, George. sasquatchfestival.com.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul: June 7, KeyArena, Seattle. 800745-3000 or livenation. com.

DEF LEPPARD: with Poison and Tesla Set, June 9, White River Ampitheatre, Auburn. 360-8256200 or livenation.com.

BRIT FLOYD: July 1, Paramount Theater, Seattle. 206-682-1414 or livenation.com.

2CELLOS: July 23, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 206-6821414 or livenation.com.

BRUNO MARS: July 24, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

NEIL DIAMOND: July 26, KeyArena, Seattle.

800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

GREEN DAY: Aug. 1, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn. 360-8256200 or livenation.com.

GUNS N’ ROSES: Sept.

3, The Gorge, George. livenation.com.

FOREIGNER, CHEAP TRICK: Sept. 9, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn. 360-825-6200 or livenation.com.

E12 - Thursday, January 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MUSIC

Res has never fit into any musical box

By TIFFANY WALDEN Chicago Tribune

The industry wanted to lump Res into the neosoul genre with other great singers such as Jill Scott and India.Arie.

But her music doesn’t quite fit in that box. Though she’s a black woman with a powerful voice, which makes her marketable as a neo-soul artist, Res defines her sound as soulful rock — influenced by the classic rock ‘n’ roll of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks from the 1970s.

“I think because I’m a black girl from Philly that looked a certain way, (record labels) threw me in the category of neo-soul, which was like a new category of artists doing soul music,” Res says. She’s referring to the early 2000s when new artists like Musiq Soulchild gave new breath to the genre defined in the 1990s by heavy hitters sucn as Erykah Badu, Macy Gray, D’Angelo, Maxwell and Lauryn Hill, to name a few.

Res’ debut album, “How I Do,” dropped during this influential era. Her single, “They Say Vision,” was a hit.

Signed to MCA Records at the time, Res valued being marketed with neo-soul artists but, at her core, that wasn’t who she was as an artist.

“I’m only good at being me, to be honest,” Res says.

“I felt the pressure to OD on making everything appear so rock ‘n’ roll just so people could understand that it was just not neo-soul. I never do anything that doesn’t feel authentic to me but I definitely have exaggerated things so people can digest it easier.”

Now she’s an independent artist and her forthcoming project is titled “Reset.” Through crowdfunding on IndieGogo, Res raised more than $39,000 to make her third studio album.

The IndieGogo campaign provided a breath of fresh air to Res, born Shareese Renee Ballard. Before the campaign, she was feeling discouraged about her career because it wasn’t going the way she planned.

“I felt like … I’m never going to have another record out. What is my life going to be?” Res says.

“For people to really come through and pull through like that, it gave me another wind to keep going and believe that people still want to hear what I have.”

“Reset” is on par to be either “straight-up Stevie Nicks,” referring to classic soul rock, or a combination of reggae, urban, R&B and

rock songs.

“Classic rock meets Res meets soul (stuff),” Res says, playfully. She’s spent the last year listening to a few artists including Childish Gambino, Frank Ocean, The Internet and Gary Clark Jr. “I define my music as a mix between all the things that I like in music,” Res says. “I like the guitar in soul music. I like the guitar in rock ‘n’ roll. I like hip-hop drums. I like reggae bass lines. I like weird noises. I like ‘80s music. That’s what my music is — all the stuff that I like.”

Res suggests people check out her records to get a feel for the show she’s bringing to town, including “How I Do,” “Habits of the Heart” (with Talib Kweli) and her “ReFried Mac” EP. “I’m going to probably do some more house records, too. I forgot how Chicago is into it,” Res says. “It should be a fun show.”

REVIEWS THE XX, “I See You” — The xx’s tricks are two. Singers Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim talk to each other in song, carrying on a musical conversation like a post-modern Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner or anxiety-ridden Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.

And ever since their self-titled debut album in 2009, they’ve made the most of minimalism, getting maximum emotional impact out of restrained arrangements that communicate unease while almost always opting to hold back rather than cut loose.

However, it’s the third wheel — keyboard player and producer Jamie xx (real last name: Smith) — who’s the difference-maker on the British band’s third album.

Smith stepped out as a solo artist with 2015’s “In Colour,” and on “I See You,” he fills out the band’s sound in inventive ways throughout, starting with the pitch-shifted sample of Hall & Oates’ “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” that takes the album’s superb lead single “On Hold” by surprise.

Madley-Craft and Sim have always been skilled at conveying unresolved sexual tension that’s best suited to the dark corners of the chill-out room. Here, they brighten up and get moving to the dance floor.

— Dan DeLuca, The Philadelphia Inquirer THE FLAMING LIPS, “Oczy Mlody” — Recent albums from The Flaming Lips have been confrontational in their psychedelic wildness, whether 2013’s abrasive “The Terror,” 2014’s bizarro cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Fwends,” or their surprising collaboration with Miley Cyrus on 2015’s “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz.” Coming after that string, the melodic and relatively sedate “Oczy Mlody” is a relief that recalls the more placid moments of high watermarks “The Soft Bulletin” or “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.”

It still offers heavy doses of psychedelia, but the songs are less likely to invoke nightmares

than to be reveries about frogs and unicorns and sunrises. It’s a keyboard- and electronics-based album, so when a guitar takes the lead for a moment, for instance on the closer, “We Are Family” (with a Cyrus cameo), it evokes nostalgia. Wayne Coyne’s melodies drift like dreams — or trips — but “Oczy Mlody” is the most grounded and accessible Lips album in a long time.

— Steve Klinge, The Philadelphia Inquirer YASIIN BEY, “December 99th” — If hip-hop had an equivalent of Miles Davis — incendiary, caustic, poetic, uncompromising — it’s Mos Def, the rapper/actor/ activist who, in 2011, changed his name to Yasiin Bey and, in 2016, announced a retirement from music and film. With that, the soonto-be-retired Def/Bey claimed his last records – “Negus in Natural Person,” “As Promised,” and the first of that finale, “December 99th” with producer Ferrari Sheppard. Def/Bey has changed plans before, so who knows that “December 99th” won’t be the end?

From its slimed sound and dulled fury, it should be. For a close-out sale, this dated outing is a dismal mess and a true cheat to fans of his once-towering artistry.

Like Davis at his worst, Def/Bey can be lazy and distracted. That’s the rapper we get on everything from “NAW” on down: mumbling, lethargic, disconnected, not as an elliptical art form, but as a toss-off, sans wit or energy. He even whistles as though he has forgotten he was in the middle of a recording session. “We experience tests today / Above all, we are blessed today,” he sleepily sing-songs on “Local Time,” one of “99th’s” better tunes. What works here is Sheppard’s moody production — an experimental soundscape of No Wave punk and avant-garde jazz. If Def/Bey had matched that sound, this album would be brilliant. Instead, it’s slop unworthy of him by either name.

— A.D. Amorosi, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Thursday, January 19, 2017 - E13

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

AT THE LINCOLN Richards, Travis Nelson and Chase Mayers. $20.

‘Is There a Doctor in the House?’

6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 Lucy Canary, the mayor’s daughter, loves Lester Goodbe, but her oppressive father insists that she marry Otis Lackginger, a rich, old coot with one foot in the grave. Lucy refuses, but when her father insists, she fakes losing her voice so she can’t say “I do.”

DINING GUIDE

‌

The Lincoln will show “Seasons” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

‘Seasons’ 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22 After traveling the world alongside migrating birds and diving the oceans in acclaimed nature documentaries, “Winged Migrations and Oceans,” Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud return to the lush green forests that emerged across Europe following the last Ice Age. Winter had gone on for

‘Romeo et Juliette’ (Gounod) 9:55 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 When Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starred opposite each other in “Manon” at the Met in 2015, the New York Times said, “the temperature rises nearly to boiling every time Damrau and Grigolo are on stage together.”

Now they’re back as opera’s classic lovers, in Gounod’s lush Shakespeare adaptation.

Adults $23, seniors $21, student (with I.D.) $19, ages 12 and under, $19.

FRIDAY ~ PRIME RIB SATURDAY ~ SEAFOOD

THURSDAY NIGHTS:

A menu of Polish family recipes and eclectic fare made in-house from fresh, local ingredients

ALL YOU CAN EAT PRAWNS RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Craft Beer • PNW Wines House-Infused Vodkas

Fri 1/20 & Sat 1/21

J.P. Falcon Band

Weekend Brunch & Bloody Mary Bar Sat-Sun 11am to 2pm

LOCAL LIVE MUSIC CHECK LISTINGS

aneliaskitchenandstage.com OPEN 11AM WED-MON Kitchen open until last call 513 1st Street, La Conner 360-399-1805

1561516

7 p.m. today, Jan. 19 The second annual Spotlight Film Festival returns, in a series of six separate documentaries that shine a light on issues important to Skagit County.

This year’s films include “Screenagers,” “Caregivers,” “Becoming Bulletproof,” “The Mask You Live In,” “In Utero” and “Someone You Love.”

“Screenagers” probes the vulnerable corners of family life, including the director’s own, and depicts messy struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through surprising insights from authors and brain scientists, solutions emerge on how we can empower kids to best navigate the digital world, according to a news release. $5 suggested donation.

$7.99 BURGER SPECIAL Mon-Fri, 11:30am-4pm

422-6411

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Spotlight Film Festival: ‘Screenagers’

80,000 years when, in a short period of time the ice retreated, the landscape metamorphosed, the cycle of seasons was established and the beasts occupied their new kingdom.

“Seasons,” with footage of animals in the wild, is an awe-inspiring and thought-provoking tale of the long shared history that binds humankind with the natural world.

Rated PG. Rated PG-13. $10 general; $9 seniors, students and active military; $8 members; $7 children 12 and under.

Sunday bargain prices: $8 general, $6 members, $5 children 12 and under.

Everyone asks, “Is there a doctor in the house?” Yes — too many, in fact. Dr. Pillpurge, the town quack, has pills for every ailment. Medicine show con artists Dr. Abracadabra and his assistant, Princess Falling Star, make Lucy drink the foulest tasting tonics imaginable.

Dr. Snag is a cowpoke who becomes a self proclaimed doctor, pharmacist, surgeon, or whatever you may need him for... even a dentist. What has Lucy gotten herself into? Maybe her friends can convince Gypsy Hagg to pretend to be a doctor and prescribe “true love” as the only cure.

Free.

1561488

This Week at The Rockfish Grill and H2O:

50% off

FRI. 1/20 8PM SCOTT CONCINNITY

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WEDS. 1/25 6PM FIDALGO SWING FRI. 1/27 8PM EL COLONEL FRI. 1/20 9PM DJ CLINT WESTWOOD SAT. 1/21 7:30PM MEGS MCLEAN and BAND SAT. 1/28 8PM KARL BLAU

The Original Kiwanis Comedy Night 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 Featured performers include Derek

18247 State Route 9 Mount Vernon

onLy at goskagit.com/deaLs

anacortesrockfish.com / anacortesH2O.com 1474688

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E14 - Thursday, January 19, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

MINI-REVIEWS

Compelling ‘Patriots Day’ brings tragedy to life

By RICHARD ROEPER Chicago Sun-Times

We go from breaking news alerts to “based on a true story” movies in fairly rapid fashion these days.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the coast of New Orleans happened in April 2010. “Deepwater Horizon” the movie was released in September 2016.

In January 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 made a water landing on the Hudson River, thanks to Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. In September 2016, “Sully” was released nationwide.

The story of the September 2012 attack on Benghazi was adapted for “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,” released in January 2016.

Now comes “Patriots Day,” a fictionalized retelling of the Boston Marathon bombing of April 15, 2013.

It can be a tricky thing, making mass entertainment out of a recent tragedy, especially when there are but a few years between a horrific event — one that took lives and maimed people and struck at the heart of America — and the release of a commercial motion picture.

Few filmmakers are as respectful of the gravity of these seminal moments, and as reverent toward the real-life heroes and victims and survivors of these events, as Peter Berg. With “Lone Survivor” and “Deepwater Horizon” and now

CBS FILMS, LIONSGATE FILMS VIA AP

Kevin Bacon (from left), Mark Wahlberg and John Goodman star in “Patriots Day.”

“Patriots Day,” Berg has become something of a specialist in telling these stories through the lens of a big-budget action film while never coming across as anything approaching exploitative.

All three of the aforementioned films star Mark Wahlberg. In “Patriots Day,” Wahlberg plays one of the few main characters not based on a real-life figure. His Sgt. Tommy Saunders is a well-respected but hotheaded Boston police veteran who’s working his way back into the good graces of the department after a recent suspension.

Director Berg and the team of writers (adapting the nonfiction book “Boston Strong”) do a fine job of introducing Tommy and a half-dozen other major characters in the

hours before the Boston Marathon. The casting is just about perfect, from John Goodman as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to J.K. Simmons as Watertown, Massachusetts, Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese to Michelle Monaghan as Tommy’s tough and supportive wife, Carol. (Later, after the bombings, Kevin Bacon arrives as the FBI agent in charge of the investigation.)

We also meet some of the victims and key civilian figures in the case, who are going about their lives, immersed in their daily routines, with, of course, absolutely no inkling about the mayhem that will soon envelope them.

Wahlberg is in his comfort zone playing a Boston copper. Goodman, Simmons, Monaghan, Bacon,

et al., are as superb as they’ve always been.

No slight to those great talents and their stellar work here, but arguably the most challenging roles in this film aren’t the heroes, but the killers.

Themo Melikidze plays Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Alex Wolff plays his younger brother Dzhokhar, the not-so-masterminds who carried out the terrorist bombings and later murdered an MIT police officer. These two young actors are playing cowardly, warped sociopaths. Their work is excellent.

Great acting is great acting, which is why the likes of Goodman and Bacon have played numerous likable sorts and some truly evil souls with equal effectiveness over the years.

Still. Melikidze and Wolff are in a movie of their own for most of this story, having almost no interaction with the characters we’re rooting for until the very end, and they do a superb job of carrying that end of things.

The camerawork and the editing on “Patriots Day” aren’t nearly as frantic as on “Deepwater Horizon,” making for a more dramatically effective and emotionally involving film. We spend just about the right amount of time with every storyline, whether it’s the unfolding investigation, or human interest subplots about the brave carjacking victim Dun Meng (Jimmy O. Yang), the young couple (Rachel Brosnahan and Christopher O’Shea) who were both maimed in the attacks, or the MIT officer (Jake Picking).

Berg can’t resist a few applause-seeking moments that most likely don’t exactly mirror real-life events, but serve as release moments for the viewer. And with a running time of 2 hours, 13 minutes, “Patriots Day” feels a little bit stretched in the final act.

Small issues. Overall, this is a Boston Strong film about one of the worst terrorist attacks ever on American soil, and a community’s resounding response.

— 133 minutes. Rated: R (for violence, realistically graphic injury images, language throughout and some drug use). HHH½ (out of four stars)

Compiled from news services. Ratings are 1 to 4 stars.

“Paterson” — The latest film by writer-director Jim Jarmusch is about one week in the life of a bus driver named Paterson (Adam Driver, in maybe his most interesting screen performance to date) who lives in Paterson, New Jersey, and wants to be a poet. It’s a fable, brimming with symbolism and inside literary references, but also authentic and plausible, in its own weird way. Comedy drama, R, 115 minutes.

HHH½ “Live by Night” — Ben Affleck directs and stars in a curiously unfocused Prohibition-era gangster epic with some well-choreographed action scenes, a few provocative plot threads, but an increasingly meandering main story line that goes from intriguing to confounding to preachy to what exactly are we even watching here?

Crime drama, R, 129 minutes. HH½ “20th Century Women” — There’s not a single false, “actor-y” note in Annette Bening’s nuanced work as a middle-aged single mom who recruits her boarder (Greta Gerwig) and young neighbor (Elle Fanning) to help raise her teenage son.

The authentic, bittersweet, sometimes lyrical screenplay feels like a slim but engrossing novel. Drama, R, 118 minutes. HHH “Arsenal” — In his latest curiosity act of a performance, Nicolas Cage goes full-throttle maniacal as a seedy crime boss prone to fits of sadistic violence.

Adrian Grenier and John Cusack join him in this trashy, blood-spattered, sadistic thriller with a goes-nowhere plot. Crime thriller, R, 92 minutes. H

Thursday, January 19, 2017 - E15

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

At area theaters

OAK HARBOR CINEMAS Jan. 20-26

ANACORTES CINEMAS Jan. 20-26

Patriots Day (R): Friday-Saturday: 12:55, 4:00, 6:35, 9:30; Sunday-Thursday: 12:55, 4:00, 6:35 Hidden Figures (PG): Friday: 12:50, 3:40, 6:30, 9:20; Saturday: 10:15, 3:40, 6:30, 9:20; SundayThursday: 12:50, 3:40, 6:30 Manchester by the Sea (R): Friday-Saturday: 1:15, 3:50, 6:55, 9:25; Sunday-Thursday: 1:15, 3:50, 6:55 The Metropolitan Opera: Roméo et Juliette (NR): Saturday: 9:55 a.m.

360-293-7000

CONCRETE THEATRE Jan. 20-22 Sing! (PG): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 p.m.

360-941-0403 BLUE FOX DRIVE-IN Oak Harbor 360-675-5667 CASCADE MALL THEATERS Burlington For showings: 888-AMC-4FUN (888-262-4386)

“A Monster Calls” — A lonely boy with a dying mother is visited in the dead of night by a giant, sprawling tree with a humanlike face and a booming voice that sounds very much like Liam Neeson. This adaption of a children’s book is mostly well-filmed and well-intentioned, but only occasionally involving. Fantasy drama, PG13, 108 minutes. HH½ “Fences” — In the movie adaptation of August Wilson’s great play about a tragically dysfunctional family in the 1950s, Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their Tony-winning Broadway roles, and there are times when the film feels stagey and over the top. What works: the brilliant dialogue and the raw intensity of the performances. Drama, PG-13, 139 minutes. HHH “Hidden Figures” — You might just find yourself applauding during certain moments of dramatic triumph in the unabashedly sentimental and wonderfully inspirational story of three black female mathematicians (Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae) who worked for NASA in the 1960s. Historical drama, PG, 127 minutes. HHH½

Monster Trucks (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:40, 3:45, 6:25, 8:55; Sunday-Thursday: 1:40, 3:45, 6:25 Patriots Day (R): Friday-Saturday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45; Sunday-Thursday: 12:45, 3:45, 6:45 Hidden Figures (PG): Friday-Saturday: 12:55, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30; Sunday-Thursday: 12:55, 3:30, 6:30 The Metropolitan Opera: Roméo et Juliette (NR): Saturday: 9:55 a.m.

360-279-2226

Keaton fascinating as Kroc in ‘The Founder’

By KATIE WALSH

STANWOOD CINEMAS Jan. 20-26

xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 3:25, 8:55; Sunday-Thursday: 3:25 xXx: The Return of Xander Cage 3D (PG-13): 12:55, 6:25 Monster Trucks (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:25, 4:10, 6:50, 9:15; Sunday-Thursday: 1:25, 4:10, 6:50 Patriots Day (R): Friday-Saturday: 1:15, 3:50, 6:35, 9:30; Sunday-Thursday: 1:15, 3:50, 6:35 Hidden Figures (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:05, 3:55, 6:45, 9:35; Sunday-Thutsday: 1:05, 3:55, 6:45 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (PG-13): FridaySaturday: 12:45, 3:40, 6:40, 9:35; Sunday-Thursday: 12:45, 3:40, 6:40

360-629-0514

“Lion” — Half of “Lion” is about a boy in India separated from his family, and half is about his quest to find them as an adult (Dev Patel), and each is remarkable in its own way. It’s a magical tale grounded in reality, sure to reduce most moviegoers to tears that are honestly and legitimately earned. Drama, PG-13, 120 minutes. HHH½ “Passengers” — Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt play travelers who wake up prematurely from hibernation during a 120-year spaceship journey.

The visual effects, while arresting at times, are just diverting eye candy, momentarily distracting us from the realities of the off-putting, ridiculous storyline. Sci-fi romance, PG13, 116 minutes. H½ “Why Him?” — The premise of this multivehicle car wreck — man (Bryan Cranston) thinks his daughter’s boyfriend (James Franco) isn’t worthy of her — is SO tired. This stinker is in the bottom 1 percent of movies I’ve ever seen. Comedy, R, 111 minutes. Zero stars.

“La La Land” — Under the innovative and captivating direction of Damien Chazelle (“Whiplash”), Ryan Gosling and

REVIEW

Emma Stone deliver genuine movie-star turns as two struggling, aspiring artists who fall in love, break into song and engage in delightfully choreographed dance numbers. The “real world” fades into the background and we are welcomed into a dreamlike fantasy. Musical, PG-13, 128 minutes. HHHH “Barry” — In a fictionalized telling of Barack Obama’s experiences as a transfer student at Columbia University in the New York City of the early 1980s, the future POTUS is dabbling in the party scene and just beginning to figure out his place in American society. Devon Terrell does a fine job of mimicking the vocal cadences of the 20-year-old Obama. Biography, not rated, 104 minutes. HHH “Office Christmas Party” — Despite the eminently likable cast, featuring such reliable talents as Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston and T.J. Miller, this is one of those loud, forced, party-hard movies where everyone onscreen is trying their best to convince us we’re watching a zany, edgy romp — but the antics come across as juvenile and tired.

Comedy, R, 105 minutes. HH

Tribune News Service

The title “The Founder” is in some ways a perplexing descriptor for a biopic of Ray Kroc, the man who took the McDonald’s burger restaurant from a local favorite to a global behemoth. Truth be told, he’s not the founder of McDonald’s. But the title fits Kroc’s specific approach to success, a version of the American Dream that states, if you want something, go out and take it — even if it belongs to someone else.

Michael Keaton stars as Kroc, a salesman peddling multispindle milkshake mixers out of the trunk of his car. After hitting almost every drive-in burger joint in the land, he knows a good idea when he sees one, and he appreciates the efficiency he discovers at the McDonald’s hamburger bar in San Bernadino, where the brothers Mac and Dick McDonald (John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman) have devised a cleverly “speedee” system for delivering burgers from grill to customer, mapping and choreographing and modifying as they’ve gone along.

They’re all too proud to share their tricks with Ray, though they have no idea what they’re in for, his cheery demeanor masking the fact that there is no ethical limit to his ambition. Their trust is Ray’s ascension to the top and their downfall. It’s the age-old story of corporate capitalism: One man’s success is another’s exploitation.

Director John Lee Hancock is known for his more saccharine, uplifting fare, but writer Robert D. Siegel brings an undercurrent of satirical acid to the story of the brothers who started a burger stand and the man who wrestled their restaurant, system and name away from them and turned it into an institution. While he may

not have thought up their burger assembly line system, Ray has a talent for branding, and “McDonald’s” is the perfect American brand. He recognizes that the sturdy, Anglo name offers a sense of small-town comfort, and the golden arches designed by Dick serve as an architectural beacon of family gathering and food. Thus, the church of fast food is born.

The brothers McDonald are morally principled and committed to quality, and too weak to stand up to the insatiable Kroc. Their rejection of “crass commercialism” is their downfall, because if there’s one thing that defines American culture, for better or for worse, it’s crass commercialism. Offerman is fantastic as the stick-in-the-mud Dick, the stronger of the pair who senses Ray’s predatory nature but gives him the benefit of the doubt, to his own detriment.

Ray is an anti-hero, but “The Founder” at times seems to waffle on whether that’s a bad thing.

In the film he just is who he is, a dreamer and a striver. Keaton gives a twitchy, oddball performance, but he’s still charmingly Keaton-esque, and for all the greed, lying and screwing over of his fellow man, his behavior is presented as simply the way things are: how to succeed in business, for better or for worse.

Hancock and Siegel don’t take Kroc to task.

There are moments where “The Founder” is uneven, with wonky staged archival footage and over-reliance on montage to speed the story along, but Keaton is fascinating as Kroc, a bad guy who embodies the American Dream — a man who isn’t necessarily the best or most talented, but who’s willing to step on anyone to get ahead.

— 1:55. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. HHH (out of four stars)

E16 - Thursday, January 19, 2017

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