It’s Happening at Chinook Winds in February ...
by Teresa Simmons
Four-Day St. Patrick’s Celebration
The Spirit of Ireland to Perform
Chinook Winds is set to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day from March 14-17! A St.
Patrick’s Day Festival will take place in the convention center on March 14-15
from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and March 16-17 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.
If you crave corned beef and cabbage, this is the place to go. It’ll be one of
the dishes available at the themed food court, along with green beer at the no-host
bar that will feature this and other specialty drinks.
Niall Stanley & The Rovers will provide live entertainment, and McNamara’s
and Paddy O’Leary will be there with the Little Leprechaun. Stop in for some
beads and party favors and a taste of Ireland. Daily drawings will take place on
the gaming floor.
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day early when The Spirit of Ireland brings the music
and dance of Ireland to Chinook Winds Casino on March 15, 2003.
Ceol Chiarri Traditional Group was formed in 1985 to promote Irish culture
abroad and has become one of Ireland’s most recent success stories. It has won
many national awards and performed for distinguished people all over the world,
including prime ministers, ambassadors, and several thousand people. At home
and abroad, the group has appeared on many TV programs and is acclaimed far
and wide for its professional, colorful presentation of The Spirit of Ireland.
The Spirit of Ireland was the country’s first international success story, long
before River Dance and Lord of the Dance and other imitators. It’ll probably be
around long after those other troupes because it’s completely live - in every
sense of the word.
There are no blaring tapes and it’s a treat to see the musicians interact with
the dancers as they have for centuries on ye olde Emerald Isle. Using traditional
Celtic instruments, the sound is authentically Irish and unpretentious. The
musicians are top caliber and the dancers are world champions.
The group has performed in the United Kingdom since 1985 and
internationally since 1989. Its performances have been well received through the
world and continue to wow audiences no matter where it performs.
Champion dancers, world-class musicians, and singers to melt the coldest
heart make up the group, which performs a high-standard show of music, song,
dance and, of course, storytelling. There’s many a laugh throughout a performance
that leaves you wishing for more.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see the beauty of Irish dancing and hear true
Irish music when The Spirit of Ireland performs at Chinook Winds Casino. Show
time is 8 p.m. Tickets range from $10-$20, depending on seat location.
The Four Tops Bring Doo-Wop
Sound to Chinook Winds
Travel back to the doo-wop days
of the ‘50s with the smooth vocal
blending of The Four Tops when the
group performs at Chinook Winds
Casino on March 21 and 22.
The Four Tops have been marveling
audiences with its infectious blend of
pure vocal power and sweet harmonies
since 1954. High school friends from
Detroit’s North End, Levi Stubbs,
Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Abdul “Duke”
Fakir, and Lawrence Payton started
playing parties as The Four Aims, as
they were aiming for the top. After
catching the ear and eye of singer Billy
Eckstine, they changed the name to The
Four Tops to not be confused with The
Ames Brothers.
The Four Tops, after working with
other record companies, signed with
Motown Records in the ‘60s. At Motown,
the group was teamed with the song
writing powerhouse of Holland, Dozier,
and Holland, and the rest is history.
Hit after hit followed, starting in
1964 with Baby, I Need Your Loving,
and continuing with songs like Reach
Out, Til Be There, Standing In The
Shadows Of Love, and Bernadette.
During the British invasion of the
U.S., The Four Tops became a sensation
in England.
The group signed with other record
companies during the ‘70s and ‘80s and
as the hits slowed down and record sales
slowed, it returned to its strength - the
live show. It played to audiences all over
the world, maintaining the vocal magic
that had placed it in the upper echelon
of the entertainment world.
In 1985, the group stopped the
show at the heavily rock-filled LIVE
AID. Critics around the world hailed
its set as a highlight of the marathon
22
U
Siletz News
benefit concert. But benefits weren’t
foreign to The Four Tops. To this day,
the group has raised money all over the
globe with its charity work, never
forgetting where it came from.
When the hits stopped coming
during the late ‘80s, the group
continued playing almost 200 dates a
year and ended the decade by being
inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of
Fame in 1989.
Although members have lent their
talents to others, solo work was never a
priority for the group. It stayed together
for 43 years, something that’s
unmatched by any other group ever.
Nothing could stop it, not even the
bad times and hardships of the
entertainment world.
In June 1997, Lawrence Payton
died of liver cancer. The group decided
to continue on and worked for almost
two years with just the three remaining
members, with no signs of slowing
down and dedicating every show to the
memory of Lawrence Payton.
In 1999, when the group marked its
45th anniversary, it also made the first
member change. In February, the group
added Theo Peoples, a golden-voiced,
multi-talented young man from St
Louis, and Ronnie McNeir joined Obie
and Duke onstage for the first time. The
result was magic and showed that The
Four Tops was ready to continue
playing concerts and corporate events,
even using 80 symphonies to spread its
special magic worldwide.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see
these legendary entertainers in person
when they perform at Chinook Winds
Casino. Show time for both nights is
8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$40, depending
on seat location.
February 2003
Gymnastics Meet Returns
More than 350 of the best young female gymnasts from the Northwest and
California will compete in a national gymnastics meet, The Pacific Edge Challenge,
scheduled at Chinook Winds Casino’s convention center on Feb. 8 and 9.
This is the second year of this annual event that’s hosted by The Athletic
Edge gymnastics center in Salem and Chinook Winds.
The gymnasts will compete in four events: floor, balance beam, uneven bars,
and vault. They will be scored
by official USA Gymnastics
judges in the four events and
all-around.
“This sport opens doors for
athletes - not only to have an
opportunity to someday reach
an Olympic dream, but also to
have a chance to work for an
NCAA
scholarship,”
Athletic Edge Executive^^^
S
Director Walt Wagner said.
“Events like these open the door^^
£ rfr for achieving those dreams.”
The meet is divided into! GYMNASTICS sessions,
starting
with
beginning-level competitors and
advancing to high-level
gymnasts. The meet schedule is as follows, with times approximate
depending on the length of the preceding session:
Feb. 8-8 a.m. - Level 4 and 6 Competition
12:45 p.m. - Level 7 Competition
6 p.m. - Levels 8-10 Competition (high level/college-bound gymnasts)
Feb. 9 - 8:30 a.m. - Level 5
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children under 12, and $10 for a family
package (two adults and one child) and are available at the door or by calling
Jackie or Walt Wagner at 503-361-2344. Proceeds from the Pacific Edge Challenge
will help build a scholarship fund for underprivileged young people who want to
compete in this sport. The Athletic Edge is a non-profit corporation.
“In training young athletes, it is our goal to help these talented young people
grow into strong, well-rounded, positive adults,” Wagner said.