Flagstaff, AZ: August 31, 2008

Local phenoms, Whiskey Rodeo played yesterday at the Coconino County Fair, and the crowd was enthusiastic in spite of rainy weather. The set included many Whiskey favorites, many of which the crowd sang loudly with the band. Check the website for upcoming dates, and come out to watch one of the best bands in Flagstaff!

You may view photo’s of the day here.

One of Flagstaff’s best bands takes the stage prior to Movies on the Square this Friday. We haven’t seen them since their last notorious gig at Charly’s, and Flagstaff is ready to be rocked! If you haven’t seen Whiskey Rodeo yet:
1. You’re out of the Local Flagstaff loop.
2. You’re going to be blown away.
3. You’re going to become a die-hard fan.
4. You’re simply not as cool as you thought you were.

So - Heritage Square, Downtown Flagstaff just after 6pm….be there or be square.

Be sure to yell out for the “Shirt Box” (a slight adjustment to the traditional “Shot Box”, adjusted specifically for the Movie crowd). And don’t forget to eat some awesome Fratelli Pizza!!!

August 17, 2pm to 6pm at Hart Prairie Lodge at AZ Snowbowl.
One of the premier food & wine events in No. AZ. Spotlights a wide array of fine wines, gourmet food, specialty coffees & decadent desserts.

General event ticket prices are $75 per person. Must be 21. Contact Maria Bruggeman at NAU Athletics for more information - 928-523-2355.

On each full moon, May through August, Arboretum staff and bat expert Brian Keeley will guide you and your family in an exploration of bats. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. for an introductory slide presentation before venturing out into the garden where we will observe resident bats at dusk. Learn about echolocation, feeding habits and roosting preferences. A live bat, if available, will be on hand for viewing up close. Children’s activities include bat-themed crafts and stories. Pack a brown bag dinner and enjoy a twilight picnic in the Garden.

There is a $5 admission fee for members and $7 for non-members. No pre-registration is required; however, space is limited to first come, first served. For more information please call (928) 774-1442, ext. 110.

Summer Concert Series

2008 Summer Concert Series - Americana and the Great Beyond
Acoustic guitars take center stage this summer for an expanded Arboretum concert series. Folk, country and bluegrass-inspired singer/songwriters will fill most of the summer program, entitled “Americana and the Great Beyond”. This year we are adding a Sunday show as well on August 31. Greg Reiter and Puerta Del Sol will return to play Flamenco and classical guitar music with jazz influences. Rounding out the season, we are very proud to be able to bring in Julie Gribble, originally from Georgia, and Terri Hendrix from Texas, who will each perform their original alternative folk ballads.

All concerts take place from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Bring a picnic dinner and blanket or concert chairs for an evening outdoors under the cool pines with a magnificent view of the San Francisco Peaks.

Prices for season concert series (all six concerts): Members $55; non-members $60. Individual concerts: Members $10; non-members $12. To order your tickets in advance, or for more information, contact Stephen England at 774-1442, ext 124, or email Stephen.England@nau.edu

The Del McCoury Band will headline Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Festival this year, along with Nashville Bluegrass Band. We’re well into planning our third annual festival, which will take place September 12-14, 2008. Last year’s festival drew a crowd of about 1700 people from all over the Southwest and beyond to hear great traditional music in the open air setting of Pine Mountain Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill County Park.

Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music (FFOTM) produces the festival, which includes performances, contra dancing, a band contest, jamming, workshops, and children’s activities. Children 16 and under are free with accompanying adult ticketholder.

The lineup includes the two bands listed above, plus Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike, with Becky Buller (valeriesmithonline.com and beckybuller.com), Carolina Chocolate Drops (carolinachocolatedrops.com), Steve Smith and Hard Road (hardroadband.com), Burnett Family Bluegrass (burnettfamilybluegrass.com), Spring Creek Bluegrass (springcreekbluegrassband.com), The Billy Pilgrims (billypilgrims,com), and Sawmill Road (sawmillroad.net).

Also featured are Sandia Hots (www.sandiahotsband.com), Fire Ridge (www.myspace.com/fireridge), Muskellunge Bluegrass (www.nolanmckelvey.com), Knockabouts (www.knockabouts.org), Springfed Band (www.tonynorris.com),
Reno & Sheila McCormick and Traditional Blend.

Del McCoury’s website is delmccouryband.com, and information about Nashville Bluegrass Band is at cmt.com/artists/az/nashville_bluegrass_band/artist.jhtml

The Carolina Chocolate Drops includes Arizona native and former FFOTM member, Dom Flemons, who lived in Flagstaff for a number of years before heading east. Dom was a familiar figure at FFOTM campouts and the Folk Festival, so we’re honored to be able to bring him back for Pickin’ in the Pines.

Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival is sponsored by Arizona Music Pro, Northland Beverage, Blue Moon Brewing Company, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, the City of Flagstaff, and the Coconino County Board of Supervisors.

Early bird weekend tickets are on sale through June 30 for $50, a savings of $20 over the gate price of $70. From July 1 through August 31 weekend passes are $60. Buy tickets from Pickininthepines.org, or locally in Flagstaff at the Wine Loft, 17 N. San Francisco St., 928-779-9463 and at Arizona Music Pro, 122 E. Route 66, 928-556-9054. Tickets are also available from Rainbow’s End Imports, 12 E. Route 66, 928-774-5535 and pinemountainamphitheater.com for a small service charge.

Contact the festival through our website, pickininthepines.org, or by phone at 928-525-1695.