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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2008)
WHAT’S happening Have you seen the fi lm Little Miss Sunshine? Do you remember those wordless scenes in the Volkwagen bus as the family contemplated the scenery (and their lives) fl ashing by, all set to a beautiful soundtrack of fi ddles, mandolins, Sousaphones, piano and accordion? Well, you were listening to the Denver-based gypsy-folk revivalist group DeVotchKa, who were asked by the directors (who had only worked in music videos previously and needed music to inspire their imagery) to score Little Miss Sunshine. DeVotchKa last played Eugene in December of ‘06 at the WOW Hall, so perhaps you’ve seen ‘em and could care very little. Well, here’s the kicker: Not only do they have a kick-ass new album out, A Mad and Faithful Telling, but Basia Bulat, the Canadian folk-fi recracker, opens their show at the McDonald Theatre. And if there’s anything we know about Canadians and gypsies, they’re damn fi ne with their musical instruments. Don’t curse yourself for missing this show. It’s going to be a magical evening. See Tuesday Calendar. Eugene’s fashions are usually the mocked variety: fl owy drapes, hemp-centric fabrics or hideous tie-dyed concoctions that wore out their welcome 20 years ago. Amidst this stereotype, Eugene’s fashion scene has been quietly churning out original, colorful wearables in local boutiques like Infi nity Mercantile, Better Yet, Deluxe and others. The owners of Deluxe decided to throw a fashion show last year (Deluxe’s District Mode) to a sell-out, standing-room-only crowd. This year the show, renamed Cirque De Luxe to honor its ever-expanding participants, will be staged at a larger venue (Wheeler Pavilion) with even more fashionistas displaying (and some even donning) their clothing, jewelry and accessories in the product fair and runway show. More than 25 designers and boutiques are on board this time around (including designs, pictured right, by Moria Wheeler) and, with the ECRG’s roller derby earlier in the evening, the opportunities for funky fashions are unlimited at the Lane County Fairgrounds. See Saturday Calendar. WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM MORIA WHEELER While we’re debating whether New Zone Gallery really wants to be a Last Friday Art Walk stop instead of a First Friday ARTWalk haunt, it’s important to understand how really beside the point it all is. Sure, New Zone holds its closing reception for its “Zone 4 All” nonjuried exhibit (it’s like the Salon des Refusés, only without the thrill of rejection by the Mayor’s Art Show) on Friday, but there’s a bevy of Last Friday artiness going on a bit more west of center, including didactic paintings (pictured) by James Herman at Gallery Obscura, photographs of urban decay by James Horn at Wandering Goat and a new bonus feature of the Art Walk: Find the artwork by the third artist with the name of James and win a prize! Well, it’s not really an offi cial prize or anything. In fact we made it all up, except for the art walk parts. What? We’re not stooping to Margaret B. Jones levels here. Sheesh. See www.lastfridayartwalk.org to print a walking map and see Friday Calendar. EUGENE WEEKLY APRIL 24, 2008 21
