The Bellingham Herald

Whatcom All-Ages Arts and Music is hosting a benefit show this Saturday, April 28, at Jinx Art Space to raise money for this summer’s first Bellingham Girls Rock Camp, with music by Dog Jaw (Olympia), The Webs (Seattle), Rat Riot (Bellingham), and Animal Inside, a new Bellingham band. Cost is $5.

The summer camp is aimed at empowering young girls through music and education. The founders hope to raise enough money to offer the camp for a small fee, or for free. From the group’s website: “Our day camp will be held at Jinx Art Space from July 9th to the 13th and requires no previous musical experience of the campers. We will provide group lessons and various feminist and DIY inspired workshops, some examples may be: a history of women in music, songwriting, media literacy, and how to make a zine.” The girls will get to learn an instrument, form a band and perform at a culminating showcase at the Old Foundry.

With only four days to go, the group’s Kickstarter fundraising campaign has already reached its $1,000 goal, but donations and volunteers are still welcome.

Kickstarter page: kickstarter.com/projects/bgrc/bellingham-girls-rock-camp
Facebook event: facebook.com/events/280689095341249
WhAAM: whaam.org
Bellingham Girls Rock Camp: bhamgirlsrock.org

Tickets to a concert with Lyle Lovett and his band, performing at 8 p.m. July 14 at Mount Baker Theatre, go on sale Friday, April 27 at 10 a.m.
For nearly three decades, Lyle Lovett has defined the modern Texas singer-songwriter. Fusing elements of the blues, country, folk, gospel and jazz, four-time Grammy winner Lovett – in a career that spans 14 albums and more than four million records sold – has created his own style of Americana, defying convention and breaking down barriers along the way. MBT is thrilled to host this renowned artist for the first time since his stellar performance at 2007’s sold-out Songwriters Tour gala event.Call 360-734-6080 for tickets or information. See video previews at www.mountbakertheatre.com.

Tickets to Lyle Lovett and his band can be purchased for $89, $79, $59 & $49 plus applicable fees.

Western Washington University art professor Garth Amundson and students in his Art 390: Intermediate Black and White Photography class will be holding an exhibition, “Architecture vs. Nature: The 4X5 View Camera,” which will feature twenty 40-by-50-inch photographs the students created with a 4-by-5-view camera.
The exhibition opened April 16 in the foyer of the Science Mathematics and Technology Education (SMATE) building and will run until May 7.
The class project is based on the notion that urban encroachment, over-development, and all forms of architecture sometimes complement the landscape in which they are hosted and other times create a jarring and brutal juxtaposition and interruption.
Students worked in groups of three to four to create these striking large-format images, utilizing light, composition, and the movements of the 4-by-5-view camera. Having read Deborah Bright’s article about concepts surrounding nature and landscape photography, “Of Mother Nature and Marlboro Men,” the students set out to interpret architecture vs. nature.
Students participating in the project are Corinn Holberg of Stanwood; Ashley Garrels of Renton; Chloe Malmquest of Whitefish, Mont.; Jenaya Christafir of Spokane; Wilson Chan of Issaquah; Erick Rufon of Bremerton; Rachel Wooldridge of Vancouver, Wash.; Jeana Moody of Pullman; Katie Hudak of Bozeman, Mont.; Tim Seguin of Wenatchee; Van Vu of Olympia; Sarah Thompson of Burien; Samantha O’Brochta of Freeland; Kaitlin Stevens of Seattle; April Hayden of Issaquah; Jasmine Wilhelm of Boise, Idaho; Hannah Warren of Astoria, Ore.; Frankie Krupa-Vahdani of Seattle; Robin Jones of Everett; and Jenna Knell of Bainbridge Island.
The WWU Photography concentration website can be found at http://www.wwu.edu/artphotography.
For more information about the exhibition, contact Garth Amundson at (360) 650-3436 or garth.amundson@wwu.edu.

This email came from Matt Christman from the Firehouse Performing Arts Center in Fairhaven: We are inviting you to a garden party on Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. (It coincidently falls on International Earth Day!)
If we can get a crew to come support the Firehouse, we can get the building in ship-shape for a beautiful spring. We will be planting in the garden, doing maintenance in the backyard, washing windows, and having an awesome time together! We will be out there rain or shine, so we’ll hope for sunny skies. Matt is asking if folks could bring some gardening tools like rakes, weeding tools, etc. We could really use your help! More info by calling (360) 734-2776.

Around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14, “Rattlesnake” Ron Hardesty plays at his son James’ nightspot, the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern on State Street, with Johnn Waco (aka Ira Uhrig), Bert Edkins and Brad “Cubby” Miller. Ron says the band presents “the only honest-to-goodness old-time outlaw honky-tonk county dance music show in the county, or maybe this side of Amarillo.” What’s more; he says they play one long set, about three hours.

From musician Misty Flowers, here are the featured performers for April and May:
4/15/12 Chuck Dingee
4/22/12 The Librarians
4/29/12 Chad Peterson
5/6/12 Ryan Heffner
5/13/12 Mom’s Night Out (Mother’s Day)
5/20/12 Peter Horne
5/27/12 JP Falcon

It’s always difficult to write about a local musician’s death, but many in Bellingham will remember funky blues band Swamp Mama Johnson, who played numerous times in Whatcom County, including gigs at the Wild Buffalo, the Ferndale Street Festival, the Sudden Valley Dance Barn and at Western Washington University. The band broke up with a huge farewell gig in June 2001 at the Wild Buffalo.
Lead singer and original member Lisa Mills died in a motorcycle accident on Sunday night, April 1, on Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct. She was alone, and failed to negotiate a curve, according to Seattle Police. Her former bandmate Leah Hinchcliff, who now lives in Portland, OR, says memorials will be held in Bellingham and in Seattle. Information will be updated when the memorial is finalized.

At 7 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Ave., in Fairhaven: At long last, Bent Arts is sending some of its finest writers up I-5 to share some stories and poetry with Bellingham. Maybe you’ve heard of Bent, maybe you’ve been to Bent Mentor Showcases, maybe you’re obsessed with all of the poets/storytellers ever to cross a Bent stage, or maybe this will be your first date with Bent. Whatever your relationship history with us, we are happy to be in your fine town. “But wait, I’m not good at blind dates. Who is Bent?” Bent is a queer writing institute, but we’re more than just a school. We’re a community of poets, storytellers, teachers, and performers. Our learning model redefines the study of writing based on the radical notion that queer stories and voices must be heard. We write to have fun. We write to come out. We write to remember. Some of us make writing our career path, but more importantly, many of us use writing as a lifeline. Our mission is to promote and encourage written and spoken word among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people, and in our communities. For more about Bent, please visit www.bentwriting.com. Graciously hosted by Karen Hansey and Bob Butler, Bent presents a performance that will make you laugh, feel things, reflect on your own life, see the world in new ways, and perhaps love a little bigger and brighter. For $5 tickets in advance or more info on the event, please contact Karen at 360.739.5625 or karenhansey@gmail.com.

The Murder Mistresses Dinner Theatre in Conway is seeking actors for upcoming interactive dinner theater shows. The company is looking for actors who can play many different characters, can be playful and spontaneous and enjoys working with a group of creative people as a team player and are able to travel with a show and stay overnight
Auditions by appointment only.
Please respond by March 30 to Elfa Gisla at 360-420-4569, email her at www.elfa@conwaymuse.com or pick up an application at the Conway Muse during opening hours.

The studio potters at Whatcom Community College are having a pottery fundraiser at Roe Studio on Saturday, March 24th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. They will be raising money to attend a ceramic art workshop. The potters will be accepting donations, and in appreciation of your generosity you may select a piece of pottery or sculpture to bring home from a wide range of beautiful ceramic artwork made by students, faculty, and community members! Any contribution helps. The fundraiser coincides with the Native Plant Sale which is also at Roe Studio on Saturday.