The Bellingham Herald

Bellingham’s The Productionists, in conjunction with Darkheart Visions, just released a music video for the track “Owe It To All The Things.” The group performs next on Saturday, March 31, with the Prime Time Band and Eclecticity at the Old Foundry.

The Productionists “Owe It To All The Things” from Darkheart Visions on Vimeo.

Earlier this week, Bellingham/Seattle based DJ IG88 released his debut album, “A Loom & Not Me,” which will be followed by an album release party this Thursday, Feb. 23, at Glow Nightclub in Bellingham. To RSVP and for more information, go to the event’s Facebook page. The album features tracks with Bellingham’s Jenni Potts (facebook.com/pages/Jenni-Potts) and Vancouver, B.C.’s Bed of Stars (facebook.com/bedofstars).

IG88 is currently ranked #10 on KEXP’s electronic music chart. You can listen to his album below, or go to nuevaforma.bandcamp.com/album/a-loom-not-me to preorder a hard copy, which will be released March 19.

Here’s the great album description from the Bandcamp website: “Sometimes, we want sound — bleeps, burps, squawks, zips, static, clicks –- and sometimes we want the kind of auditory sensation that swells our brain and dead-weds us to the measure. Sometimes we want a damn guitar.

“Most of the time, we want it all.

“With A Loom and Not Me, IG88′s first release with Nueva Forma, our ears give praise. Collaborator Jenni Potts grabs your hand from the start and grounds the album throughout in a way that only a balletic, weightless voice can. Intentions of a Dart Frog is a projectile, kinetic jam that won’t let you go. Bed of Stars enter just in time with the titular track to tie you up into a ball and bounce you on into the second half of things.

“Then there are the brilliant clusters of abounding space in between until Coughing on Syrup Shores clangs around in your jellied head like the guts of an arcade game and spits you back out like a contraband nickel that’s just had the ride of its life. Listen for flux, for soul, for willful racket. Listen for it all.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now listen!

Western Washington University’s Center for Canadian-American Studies and Western’s department of English presents a special free event as part of Canada Week: Living Words: Memory & Poetry, with award-winning Victoria, B.C. poets Patrick Lane and Lorna Crozier, from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in Communications Facility 110. Lane’s career spans 50 years and 25 volumes of poetry as well as award-winning fiction and nonfiction works. Crozier, his wife, is known also for her recent memoir, “Small Beneath the Sky,” and for editing a number of anthologies. The two writers will share their works and reflect on relationships formed by language, memory, and writing genres.

The Bellingham Winter Commission, taking place next Saturday, Feb. 25, at SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention, just released this neat little event promo on their Facebook page. This year’s multimedia event showcases local artists, musicians and more, all around the theme of “disaster.”

For more on the event, stay tuned to next week’s Take Five in The Bellingham Herald or go to the Winter Commission’s Facebook page.

One of several films showing as part of this year’s Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival, “Dirty Business” is sure to strike a chord with Bellingham and Whatcom County residents amid the Cherry Point cargo terminal controversy.

“Dirty Business” (dirtybusinessthefilm.com) is showing the following dates (all screenings are free):
–Saturday, Feb. 18 at 12:45 p.m. at the Pickford Film Center
–Wednesday, Feb. 22, at noon at Northwest Indian College
–Friday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. at Fairhaven College at Western Washington University.

Other films that examine human rights issues particularly relevant to the Pacific Northwest:
– “Monster Salmon,” which addresses the possible effects of genetically modified salmon.
– “Sun Come Up,” (suncomeup.com) which portrays a group of Pacific Islanders in a search to find a new home as theirs are threatened by rising seas.
– “The Harvest,” (theharvestfilm.com) takes a look at the daily life of migrant children and families in the United States.

See a complete schedule for the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival, which runs Thursday, Feb. 16, through Saturday, Feb. 25, at several locations in Bellingham at bhrff.webs.com/apps/blog.

Here’s the trailer for “Dirty Business”:

This just in from The Bellingham Circus Guild: We need your help! For our upcoming shows this week, we need volunteers! On Tuesday, Feb. 14, we have our annual Valentine’s day show, in which we still need volunteers for setting up and food vending. If you are available during the day on February 14, or if you are available that evening and have your food handlers permit, please contact Stephanie- itsstef@gmail.com, or call 360) 483-8164. We also can always use extra hands setting up and tearing down for Vaudvillingham on Feb. 15, as well as regular volunteers for specific tasks. To sign up to volunteer for Vaudvillingham, please contact Ariel, typewriterkeys@gmail.com, or call 360) 914-1224.

The Bellingham Roller Betties kick off their 5th season of competition with two bouts on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Orca Pavilion Gym on the Whatcom Community College campus. The bouts are Bellingham Roller Betties “Flash” versus Public Frenemy from Terminal City and Bellingham Roller Betties “COG Blockers” versus Bellingham Roller Betties “Tough Love.” Doors open at 4 p.m. and the fun starts at 5 p.m.

Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis and it seems from the chatter on the group’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/Bellingham-Roller-Betties/202790026861) that the event will likely sell out. Sales are closed online but physical tickets are available at Casa Que Pasa, both locations of the Community Food Co-op, Merchbot, Mod Socks and Tubb’s Tavern. General admission tickets are $14, children ages 6-12 are $6, and children 5 and under are free. Rink-side seating is for 18+ only. There are concessions available and a beer garden with brews from Boundary Bay Brewery.

For more information, visit www.bellinghamrollerbetties.com.

Bellingham’s bike advocacy organization EverybodyBIKE is hosting a Valentine-themed “Love Your Ride” party to celebrate winter biking on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Old Foundry. The fun include a winter cycling fashion show, bike film shorts, raffle prizes, refreshments and a lighted bike parade. Participants are encouraged to bring friends to “warm them up” to the idea of winter biking. The bicycle parade departs from the Old Foundry, 100 E. Maple St., and circles downtown Bellingham. After the event, participants are encouraged to keep the party going by attending the Wild Buffalo’s square dancing event (21+), which starts at 8 p.m. No experience is necessary.

For more information, call EverybodyBIKE at 360-671-BIKE or email info@everybodybike.com. RSVP to the event at www.facebook.com/events/358386080855477.

Here’s the schedule:
4:00: all ages bike ride
5:00: Reception and Bike Film Shorts
6:00: Fashion Show
7:00: Lighted Bike Parade
8:00: After-party square dance hosted by Wild Buffalo

Here’s what Pat DiNizio, frontman for ’80s band The Smithereens, had to say about the band. They’re playing at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10-11, at The Skagit Valley Casino Resort in Bow.
1. Pat, after 20-plus years of playing all sorts of venues as well as for movie soundtracks and tv shows, what have been some of your most memorable gigs?
Pat: Our most memorable gig was March 2, 2009 when we played Carnegie Hall for the Who tribute concert. The Smithereens grew up listening to the Who and released a tribute album to them several years ago. The artists brought together for that concert were incredibly diverse and shared a certain authenticity that has also defined music of The Who. To be honoring our heroes on the Carnegie stage, which in itself has historic musical significance, was a moment the Smithereens won’t forget.
2. How true are you still to your New Jersey roots? How has the band– both the musicians and the music –evolved over the years?
Pat: I don’t believe that we’re any different than the people who are coming to see us. They work very hard, they work 40-hour weeks, more probably. It’s tough times right now. I was a garbage man ’til I was 31 years old. I’m exactly the same as anyone else who comes to the shows. When I’d go see David Bowie … [people like that] are real stars, and with them there’s always going to be that distance — and a lot of the fans want that. But that’s not the case with us. We’re a real working class band and our audience has grown up with us … inside they still feel like they’re 15 years old. So I think we provide that sort of outlet for them. Well, we all still live in New Jersey, not far from where we all grew up. If you listen to our latest release 2011, it is a very upbeat pop album. The lyrics are positive. It’s a very lively record. It’s a labor of love. It’s very much a group collaboration; the guys were involved a lot more on this project in the arranging of the material and the writing of the songs.
3. Has your fan base changed? Who attends your concerts?
Pat: Over the past 10 years we have seen a lot of familiar faces at our shows. The difference is, this time their bringing their kids, so we are seeing two generations of families enjoy the music. When we hit the stage, there’s really nothing like it. You have a packed house and people who are there already know and enjoy your music. It’s a gift to be able to do this and get up there and communicate your own music to people you don’t necessarily know and get nice feedback. And we get word from a lot of folks that we’ve touched their lives in positive ways. We always try and keep it fresh, try and do a little better every time. All the songs are really fun to play and I can’t say I get sick of playing any of them. We try and approach it a little differently every night, even if it’s not in the way you play it, but maybe in your attitude about it. It’s also interesting so many people having been telling us that they’re seeing us for the first time.
4. When you are on the road, how do keep from going nuts?
Pat: I sit and I watch Turner Classic Movies. I was always a bit of a Luddite, I never liked change, I’m not a fan of technology. I’ll sum it up for you: I have a cell phone but no one has the number. And they’re not going to call me in my car, I won’t allow it because it’s when I do my best reflective and creative thinking and songwriting and problem-solving — and there has to be some sanctuary where you’re unreachable.
5. What’s new about the band, and what will fans remember?
Pat: No two Smithereens shows are ever the same. This year we’re playing songs we have never played on stage before. For us it keeps the show from being predictable. You know what it boils down to? We’ve been doing this a long time, we know each other very well. We know what to do and what not to do. We like playing together. I’ve known Jimmy since freshman year in high-school, known Dennis since ’77, ’78 — there’s some real deep roots here. It’s family. And families generally stick together. And we’re still making vital music.

The 2012 nominees for the Juno Awards — Canada’s Music Awards — were announced today, and it’s a wide range of musicians up for the hono(u)rs. Among them: Adele, Hey Rosetta, Tegan and Sara, Ron Sexsmith and Hedley. Here’s the list: http://junoawards.ca/nominees-winners.