6
Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Arts Entertainment
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Wobblers win at Trail’s End
Liz Travers
77ie Clackamas Print
Every Wednesday at the
Trail’s End Saloon is an open
mic night, like many bars have
- but this bar features the blues
band Francine West and the
High Speed Wobblers, who are
definitely not worth missing.
The band is comprised of
five music veterans who only
recently came together last June
17 as a surprise for lead singer
Francine West’s birthday.
Although West hasn’t been
in a band for a while, she wasn’t
worried during the group’s per­
formance on April 4.
“I like the energy. A couple
[members] came out of retire­
ment like I did,” West said.
Though West normally sings
lead, guitarist Russ Finley
stepped up on the first song
of their set. Finley, who 'has
been playing guitar since he
was about seven, paired his
smooth, yet slightly gravelly,
voice to his guitar solo, which
was like a bluesy version of
Carlos Santana.
Next up came Jeff Ommert
on bass guitar. His solo had a
surprising, lilting sound and a
tempo that complemented the
other band members as opposed
to overpowering them.
Ommert, who played with
his former band, Liquid Blues,
for 20 years, enjoys being
on stage again with this new
band.
“They are way different
and great to be around,” said
Ommert.
During their second song,
keyboardist Lou Solomon
played his part with a sense
of enthusiasm that is normally
reserved for winning the lot­
tery. That kind of talent is to be
expected from a man who has
played his instrument for over
50 years.
“[The band] is easy to work
with. They call out the keys, and
away we go,” said Solomon.
The sound that came out of
West’s mouth during the third
song didn’t seem like it could
fit in her small frame. It had a
sultry allure that might make
one think of a lounge singer
back in the ‘30s.
While she sang, drummer
Phillip Tucker tore it up on his
kit. His playing seemed intimi­
dating to the people who came
to perform.
Tucker gets plenty of prac­
tice though being a full-time
musician in several bands.
Drums have always been his
passion.
“Listening to music was the
thing that stood out to me and
got me really excited,” he said.
Though some audience mem­
bers came to perform, many
were there just to see this stel­
lar band. Anyone who loves to
listen to, or play, music can find
a place there on Wednesdays.
So, remember to give
Portland bands some love, or a
sandwich; they are musicians.
‘Revenge ’ was neven
so delicious.
Photo by Liz Travers Clackamas Print
Francine West and Russ Finley performing at the Trails End
Saloon on its open mic night.
'Year of the Dog’ bites, licks itself for PETA
EiizatoBtn mu
The Clackamas Print
The Year of the Dog was
brought to you in part by: the
Bill, Dog By Dog Foundation,
Best Friends Animal Society,
New Leash on Life Association
and, of course, everyone’s
favorite animal rights organi­
zation ... PETA.
At the start of the film,
happy-go-lucky
secretary
Peggy Spade (Molly Shannon)
lives her life alongside her
canine companion, Pencil.
Cute, if overused.
But by the end of the
movie, when Spade declares
that there are other kinds of
love than for people, includ­
ing one for animals, the view­
er may begin to feel like he or
she has been dragged through
the doggy park one too many
times.
Frankly^ it’s one long,
drawn-out ad for animal rights
activism.
However, the film has a
few redeeming qualities.
Anyone previously oblivious
to animal cruelty may become
more interested in becoming
a vegan.
It also gives a decent por­
trayal of why extremes in life,
like apathy or. radicalism, are 4
dangerous, and ’’ Kow^ much ’’
faith it takes to give up every­
thing for a belief.
However, Regina King’s
performance as Spade’s ring­
hunting best friend, Leyla,
and John Pais as the boss,
in full The Office tradition,
almost single-handedly carry
a plot otherwise full of shal­
low characters, bad acting
and long, blank, melancholy
stares.
Within a dead main
plot, subplots pop up with
a vengeance. Controversy
abounds: everything from
misplaced blame, cheating
boyfriends and unhealthy
obsessions to ethical ques­
tions left for the audience to
ponder.
At one point, Spade takes
her seven-year-old niece to
see farm animals, and then
to a poultry farm to “see
what happens after Babe.”
Neither can bear to go in,
and they end up sobbing in
each other’s arms.
Laterj Spade’s overpro-
tective sister-in-law calls
Spade, screaming that her
child is traumatized and
refuses to even eat a ham
sandwich. Spade bellows
back that her niece should
be allowed to make her own
decisions.
And then there are the
loose ends that shout, “We
tried to invoke thought ...
but failed”: a pending mar­
riage built on a lie, unre­
solved conflicts between
characters and Spade, who
seems likely to have another
emotional breakdown.
This movie is not worth
the price of a ticket, unless
that ticket belongs to a
vegan, a PETA member,
or the generally fuzzy and
feather-Joving.
And for Pete’s sake,
“SAVE THE CHICKENS!”
With the upcoming arrival of
Spider-Man 3, 1 started combing?
through my collection, look in®
for some Spider-Man comics
to refresh me. After about 15
minutes, I came across one of
my favorite Spidey trade pape®
backs, Spider-Man: Revenge ®
the Sinister Six.
Revenge of the Sinister Six is
the oldest trade paperback in mf'
admittedly-rather-large colie®
tion. Being from the early 1990®
it has a distinctly dated feel to it
The art is standard from the tin®
it came out, and the fashio®
within make me chuckle. Th®
story is average, nothing yo®
haven’t seen before.
So, why do I like this comi| J
so much?
It’s simple. Revenge of th
Sinister Six is the quintessenti
bad-guys-team-up-against-
hero story.
Our very own friendly neiglfl I
borhood Spider-Man hears abot®
a get-together of his foes, fin
them and then gets pounde
The story progresses with th
grandiose plans of the villaii
continuing. Spidey manages t
'evdrrtfen, Wid no’avdtl;’
By the end of the story, o
hero is facing the combine
might of the many enemies wh
have amassed against him, an
when all seems lost, a veritabj
army of super heroes arrives i
the span of only a few pages t
save the world.
Revenge of the Sinister S
had everything a nine-year-olJ
who loved comics could wan!
There was action, a bunch
heroes (so I didn’t have to spenB
my allowance on different co®
ics), and it was remarkabfl
engrossing.
Reading it today, I not®
all the little things that I miss®
back then. The relationship trot®
bles that Peter and Mary-Jat^B
were having make sense to me
now. The little homages nd
Easter eggs are readily appa®
ent since I’ve been around a iH
I
more.
One of my favorite bits about
Revenge of the Sinister Six ire
the Sinister Six themselves.! ed
by the brilliant, yet sociopath®■
Doctor Octopus, the team was
somewhat updated after losiA
a few members to death and,
in one case, morality, but are
nonetheless one of lhe dead>-|
est incarnations of the group. ?
What amused me greatly w as
the fact that each of the villains 4
found Spider-Man to be their
constant nemesis, but together
they couldn’t be bothered by 1
him.
And Spider-Man himself was T
pretty much par for the course. c
He went through his life mu®
as he always did, just getting
by with his job and managii|^ ★
affairs at home with his wil
Mary-Jane.
So, while Revenge of i
Sinister Six may not be an
standing comic book, it is
kind of story that you keep c
ing back to time and time ag