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After all the sinnin' do something good

Note: I put this up a few days ago, but took it down to do some reworking of my site. There was no agenda or censorship, in case that was on your mind.

As many of you know, Mardi Gras is the last day of celebration before the season of Lent begins. This period leading up to Easter is a time of inner reflection and sacrifice. For many, Lent is a time to give up on the excesses and indulgences, like chocolate and beer. Therefor, making sure you have plenty of these things before that season begins is important, leading to the tradition of Mardi Gras begins, a celebration I can get into.

But this year, I feel weird about Mardi Gras, seeing people wrassling for beads and Bourbon Street swelled with people. I know that the South has to move on and that the community needs to come together again, for nothing else except forgetting about last August for a little while. That's fine. That's their home town and they deserve it. But when I see the local Mardi Gras events mentioned in the Spotlight well, I feel like we're crashing the party.

I also really hate that none of the local Mardi Gras events I found are giving money to hurricane relief. I know that's old news, but people still need help, not in the I'm-going-to-die-soon sense, but in the how-the-heck-do-I-get-my-medicine or where-are-my-kids-going-to-school way.

So, in the spirit of Mardi Gras, the impending season of Lent and those who suffered through the many Gulf Coast Hurricanes, I ask you please take a visit to the Network for Good Web site.

From there, you can not only find a number of charities aimed at helping vicitims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, but you can look at their financials to see which ones are legit and which are scams.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Posted by blamontagne at 04:25 PM | Comments (0)

It's Mardi Gras and 20 degrees out

In college, one of my best friends was from Baton Rouge. Every February, when local bars would advertise for Mardi Gras festivities in hopes of luring in college kids, Catholics and year-round lushes. (anyone ever been to the Fat Tuesday's in Coconut Grove?)

My friend took extreme exception to this, saying unless you're in Louisiana, you have no right to throw gold and purple beads around.

I always thought this was snobby, but then I remembered she was from a state that Texans look down their noses at.

This year, looking around at all the Mardi Gras events being advertised in the local paper, I think, was she right? Maybe it's because I actually went to Mardi Gras one year and it totally smashed my romantic disillusions of the event. Or maybe I just cringe at the thought of bouncing from the Dover Brick House to Kelley's Row to Dover Soul with a bunch of drunk dudes getting beads, free schwag and extremely drunk. I can see it now, spending the entire night saying, "Uh, yeah, I'd rather not show you my tits, but thanks for the beads."

That being said, I thought I'd offer a few alternatives to Fat Tuesday. Be assured, no freaky masks, flashing breasts or beads involved. But yes, there will be alcohol. All events mentioned are on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Fund raiser for Jazzmouth, Portsmouth's Poetry and Jazz Festival
Flatbread Pizza, 139 Congress Street, Portsmouth
A percentage of all pizza ordered between 5-9:30 p.m. will be donated to festival

For those of you who have never been to a Flatbread, it's more than just pizza. The vibe is very 1969, with slogans of how to eat well and be well reminding you that stress is really self-inflicted. There's great beer on tap and a huge clay oven in house to make the cold February night seem less offending.

For those who don't know Jazzmouth, it's a weekend long event at the end of April, organized by local jazz favorite Larry Simon. This year's poets include David Amram, Ed Sanders, Eric Mingus and Marie Harris.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
The Portsmouth Music Hall
28 Chestnut Street
7:30 p.m. call 436-2400 for box office

I've always had a thing for Robert Downey Jr. and it always depresses me when his movies do really poorly, like this one did. One might blame his reoccurring heroin addiction for the fact that critics raved but no one went to see this cops and robbers dark comedy. I thought it looked great from the get-go. The movie also stars Val Kilmer and Shane Black of Lethal Weapon. You can see the reviews for yourself but this is the only one you really need to hear:

"...there may not be a better time in theaters this year. If Satan is indeed involved in Black's career, then Satan deserves a raise." -- THE STRANGER (SEATTLE, WA)

Jumpin' Jays Fish Cafe Shucks for a Buck
150 Congress Street, Portsmouth
from 5:30-9 p.m. all oysters are $1

This may seem a little steep for a raw, salty treat, but if you consider that a half-dozen typically runs $13 at Jays, this is a bargain. Get a dozen or two and a bottle of wine and it's an instant swank date for less than swank prices.

Tuesday Night Scissor Test with Beat Pervert
The Red Door, State Street, Portsmouth
free, but drinks run between $2 for a PBR and $8 for a fancy martini

Each Tuesday, Beat Pervert spins an array of tunes. I could spew a bunch of DJ jargon, like mash-up, grime, etc., but I would sound foolish. Trust me, if you like DJs that are creative and will play great stuff you've yet to here, check it out.

Posted by blamontagne at 11:33 PM | Comments (1)

What the F...?

What gives? Why do we have to watch the stinkin' Project Runway Reunion? I don't care about the people eliminated the first half of the show. I want Santino to create something freakish and gaudy and Daniel something classic and gorgeous and Chloe something I would love to wear if I had some glam industry job in LA.

But no. We have to watch pre-created drama. Fine. I suppose it's better than back-to-back episodes of Project Jay.

For the photo I opted not to show click here.

Might I suggest checking out the PR web site before the next season. It's really quite hilarious. Here's a sample from Tim's last blog entry:

Setting up the episode for the reader:
"Heidi announces that for this challenge they are to design an evening gown that represents the collection they will show at Olympus Fashion Week. Egads!"

Egads indeed. Reading on:

Referring to the dullness of Daniel V.'s winning dress:
"Iman to the rescue: 'I will help the dress be less boring.' Frankly, Iman could wear endpapers from the Yellow Pages and look great!"

Oh Tim.

Posted by blamontagne at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)

You know it's winter when ...

For all the time I spend giving my patronage to local drinking establishments, most of my nights are spent at home, on the couch, wrapped in the blanket I gave my boyfriend for Christmas. My New Year's resolution is to read more and slowly wean myself off of my heavy daily dose of television. I've done fairly well plowing through "In Cold Blood" (I must finish before seeing Capote) and Lisa Crystal Carver's latest memoir, "Drugs Are Nice" (I only have about 50 pages to go, Lisa. I swear I'll get to reviewing it one of these days). This resolution came about after I spent 10 minutes telling my boyfriend about the latest season of Celebrity Fit Club. What was most depressing was realizing it was the most engaging topic I could think of at the time.

As much as these great reads have kept me away from television and improved my general conversation skills, there are still some shows I can't get enough of.

What is my latest TV vice?

Curling.

Yes that's right. That weird sport where people brush the ice in front of a handled, UFO-looking disk. The one that no one except people from Minnesota and Canada know how to play. Yup that's the one and I'm hooked. CNBC's Olympic curling coverage, every weeknight at 5 p.m., baby. I'm there.

Not that curling is an incredibly fascinating sport. I have to admit, I do like the ironic value of cheering for such an abstract sport. Curling’s biggest appeal for me is that it's just something to keep an eye on at the bar, or while playing cards, what have you. On a scale of sport excitement, I rank it right below baseball and one above Celebrity Poker Show Down.

I first started watching the American men's team (which is doing quite well) at the gym. I was immediately smitten with the "third" Shawn Rojeski. (Check out whole team here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/curling/5087854/detail.html) I looked up his profile on-line and I found incredibly bad photos of northern folks and mustaches.

I found myself accidentally watching curling again in the Stockpot the night the power went out. Somehow my boyfriend knew the rules, but neither of us could get a grip on the scoring. I tried looking up the rules on the NBC site, but it looks like I have to e-mail Curling commentator Fred Roggin for answers. Bogus.

I guess what drew me to this psuedo-sport is that it's one of the few Olympic games in which America is near the top of the pack in a very tight race. (Their in a three-way tie for second, leaving the medal round a do-or-die competition.) Bode is a disappointment, ice skating -- I believe it's decided before the skaters hit the rink and hockey is boring. Plus I could never, ever do any of those sports. Curling? Just give me a warm coat, a broom, some funny shoes and a flask and I'll see you on the pond.

Team USA plays Canada in the semifinals tonight in the race for the gold. Here's hoping it's over before Project Runway ...

Posted by blamontagne at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)

MUB Show

alcoa w/ Rocky Votolato, The First Annual and Larry Bird
Feb. 18 2006 at 6:30 p.m. in the UNH MUB
all ages, $3: three dollars

Alcoa is one of those bands where each time you see them, they present a different line-up and a different feeling. They have varied in size from three to six members, but always headed by song writer and lead guitarist/singer Derek.

When I last saw him, Derek said the show would be great, and that the Seatle-based Rocky Votolato is "amazing."

Although I seldom trust men who are trying to sell their own stuff, I do trust Derek's taste in music, so I'm willing to assume the show being offered up this weekend will certainly not disappoint.

Posted by blamontagne at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

I know it was a while ago, but...

At the end of January, I felt like I hadn’t seen anyone in months. Where were people hanging out these days, because I certainly wasn’t seeing any cool people in the bars. Well, that all changed after the Stagecoach Dick show.

The night started out crowded and uncomfortable. The top floor of the Press Room was packed and the bar was always two people deep. Everyone were doing that “avoiding eye contact with people you kinda know because you haven’t had enough to drink yet to say hi to them,” thing, which I do all the time but still find annoying. Once my boyfriend and I settled in by the stairs and the music started, things seemed fine. Because I was drinking and chatting, I missed the names of half the acts, but they were all great in their own country-style. This woman, Elsa, brought the house down with her bluesy, one woman and her guitar act. Her songs were filled with passion and her voice ripped your heart out, in a good way. A number of guys at the bar were swooning by the time she took her seat.

At the end of the night, Stagecoach Dick came on and caused a ruckus. They sang songs of drunkenness and people with questionable morals. By the end, the ladies were dancing by at the front of the room, hooting and swinging their hair wildly. It was beautiful.

After the show, the bands gathered at the bar for a round of shots, and another and another. I felt like I was in an old west saloon, except there was a guy with a gingham dress on.

I bring this show up because I feel that although there isn't a wild, every weekend something great, music scene, this show coincided with Tiger Saw at the Mermaid, which says something positive about this town. Plus, I was reminded of how crazy the night was a few days ago when I ran into my friend Geoff, one of the night’s performers. I asked him if he remembered when we all left the bar and he said, “I don’t think anyone there that night remembers a damn thing.” I suppose that although it seems bad that everyone's memories are fuzzy, at least those out that night have a vague recollection of having a really great time.

Posted by blamontagne at 12:22 PM | Comments (2)

That time of year

I’m not going to do it. I’m not going down that pathetic and cliché columnist path that is so common this time of year. I’m not going to sing the praises of love or talk about how you really should appreciate your significant other more than you do. I’m certainly not going to caustically crap on all the people I know who are in love, accusing them of commercializing a human emotion and hence bringing forth the demise of our civilization. And I am definitely not pulling out the combo, saying I used to loathe February 14 but now that I’ve found THE ONE, I can safely survive the holiday and have even ventured to buy a box of chocolates. So, yes, I’m going where no columnist has ever dared to go before — I’m not going to talk about Valentine’s Day.

Well I suppose people out there are going to point out that I already have talked about Valentine’s Day just by mentioning I am not going to talk about it, and I suppose you’re right. But the reason I brought it up in the first place was my struggle to poetically segue into mentioning a promising event this Tuesday that could possibly rival the Big Kids Prom in style and music:

Valentine’s Day semi-formal with the Dents
Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 9 p.m.
Muddy River Smokehouse
dress accordingly
Call 430-9582

If there’s one thing I love, it’s putting on one of my many bridesmaid dresses, getting my hair all big, slapping on some make-up and going out to dance and have some cocktails. I also love seeing men in suits, but don’t we all?
Besides the stylish attire requirements, the headlining act, the Dents, are amazing — a breath of fresh air in a town where music has thrived but the rock scene has fizzled. The Dents are pure pop punk rock with a sexy female lead singer. The sound? Think the Donnas but less annoying and gimmicky, or think Green Day.

When the band isn’t on stage, the Muddy is providing a DJ so the dance will never stop. Think of this as a way to be subversive, give the finger to Valentine’s Day, but still look hot and potentially hook up while doing so. Seriously, you can’t beat that.

Posted by blamontagne at 12:30 PM | Comments (3)

This weekend

Remember how riled up everyone got about the 3rd Floor Club this summer, how people either loved it or hated it with the fiery passion of 1,000 suns? Well, in an attempt to promote the cooler acts there, in hopes that it will no longer be the cheese-ball locale that it is, I am advancing Lord bass and Kinetics' next show.

Thursday, Feb. 2
Portsmouth Gas Light
3rd Floor Club
DJs Lord Bass & Kinetic
Progressive house & techno
21+ | 9p | $5

I also have to give a shout out to one of my favorite non-profits in the area. On Friday, Feb. 3, the Kittery Youth Connection/Kittery Chemical Awareness and Prevention will be holding a silent and live auction at their head-quarters on Shapleigh Road -- across the street from Brooks and next to the Post Office.

This group is a great after school program that gives kids a place to do their homework, play games, work on art projects, have a snack and hang out with their friends. It's a wonderful service, especially to single parents who don't want to leave their 12-year-old home alone but can't afford to do anything else.

The organization's overall goal is to promote an anti-drug message, not only by telling kids that drugs are bad, but showing them there are other things to do after school besides raid mom and dad's liquor cabinet.

About 50 kids go there everyday and up until recently, functioned on small private donations and grants. Now the grant money has dried up and the community has stepped forward to help raise money.

The items up for auction include spa gift certificates, ski packages, antiques, free dinners at local restaurants and lobsters. If you feel like doing something nice for the community before heading out on Friday night, please, swing over to Kittery and buy something, or simply make a donation. Thanks!

Posted by blamontagne at 11:14 AM | Comments (2)