The Laramie Project opening
Friday, October 5
Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave. NW
7:30 p.m., $18, all-ages
Pentacle Theatre will show The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project. The play concerns the famous torture and murder of Matthew Shepard and subsequent media frenzy around the hate crime in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998, It’s an artfully constructed collection of statements of the friends of the victim, friends of the killers, town leaders and community members after The play was made into an HBO film in 2002, and has been a staple of the LGBT rights movement for the past decade. The Laramie Project runs through October 27, and tickets can be purchased at the Pentacle Theatre Ticket Office (145 Liberty St. NE, 503-485-4300) or at PentacleTheatre.org.
Gallon House
Friday, October 5
Seven Brides, 990 N. First St. Silverton
7 p.m., free, all-ages
If you’ve been scouring the concert listings looking for a Matthew Price show the last few months, you’ve been out of luck. Fear not, Matt-o-holic, the 2008 Bite of Oregon Best Songwriter award winner has teamed up with Christiana Zollner to form Gallon House, which is actively playing. The duo, which is named after a bridge between Mt. Angel (Zollner’s hometown) and Silverton (Price’s hometown), features Zollner on fiddle and Price on acoustic guitar and kick drum (a la Mumford & Sons). The concert also features Swedish singer-songwriter Sofia Talvik, who recently headlined the CCTV songwriter showcase at the Grand Theatre, and, um, pretty great beer courtesy of Seven Brides Brewing.
Rock The Mountain
Saturday, October 6
Spirit Mountain Casino, 27100 Salmon River Hwy.
8 p.m., $10, 16-and-older w/adult or 21+
One has to admit that the current versions of Journey, Guns N’ Roses and several other classic rock bands and arena rock acts of yesteryear are little more than big-production tributes of their former selves. So, 80’s rock n’ roll fans shouldn’t feel bad indulging in the self-proclaimed tribute acts Appetite For Deception (Guns N’ Roses), Stone In Love (Journey) and Steelhorse (Bon Jovi) at Spirit Mountain Casino’s “Rock The Mountain.” Hey, they’re fun – play some of your favorite anthems and experience youth that no amount of plastic surgery can replicate. The price ain’t too bad either. If interested, go to SpiritMountain.com for tickets… they’re selling fast.
Whisky Nick & The Dusty Bottles
Friday, October 12
Gilgamesh Lounge, 210 Liberty St. SE
9 p.m., free, 21+
If you’re feeling down, what better place to buy a pint than Gilgamesh’s The Lounge and what better band to rouse your spirits than the Hank Williams- and Johnny Cash-influenced Whisky Nick & The Dusty Bottles. Though the band tips its hat to the western greats, they have a bit of of an Americana-punk bite, which makes them that much more perfect to give your sorrowful, sulking self a metaphorical kick in the pants. Whisky Nick will be joined by local alternative hip hop project Yellow Lights and singer-songwriter Allegra Jogeward to round out an eclectic night of great tunes.
Sons of Huns, Monoplane
Saturday, October 13
Brown’s Town Lounge, 189 Liberty St. NE
9 p.m., free, 21+
Outside of the Hundred Dollar Jayhawks and other Mick Bare-fronted projects, the two bands that were most closely tied to Pete’s Place were without a doubt Monoplane and Sons of Huns. So naturally, when the iconic bar closed its doors at the end of August, the garage metal lords of Sons of Huns and hard-rockin’ mainstays Monoplane had to find a new de facto venue in downtown Salem for their seasonally spaced reunions. With its taller ceilings and Reed Opera House setting, Brown’s can’t replicate the ambiance of Pete’s Place’s beer-and sweat-drenched carpet and yellowed ceiling tiles, but it does have pinball, and a free price tag. That’s pretty cool.
Foxtrot, The Minute
Hand Ballet
Saturday, October 13
Christo’s, 1108 Broadway St. NE
10 p.m., $5, 21+
Inventive indie math-rock band Foxtrot will join the stage with its Blueberry Hill Records’ compadres in The Minute Hand Ballet for a late show at Broadway Street’s Christo’s Italian Restaurant and Lounge. The Ronan Baker-fronted The Minute Hand Ballet utilizes a trio of Baker’s Western Oregon University chums to create thoughtfully arranged operatic pop worthy of a Broadway musical. There are starts, stops, tempo changes, gang choruses, falsettos, emotive choirboy vocals and a whole lotta piano. Take a listen, and you’ll realize it would hardly be a stretch to see Baker and Company’s creations jump to the dramatic stage.
Patton Oswalt
Sunday, October 14
Historic Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St. SE
7 p.m., $35, all-ages
It’s the big one. We all know Patton Oswalt, whether as the lovable runt from King Of Queens or Rat in Pixar’s Ratatouille, or the countless guest roles on popular television programs (Flight of The Conchords, Seinfeld, Bob’s Burgers, Community, Bored To Death) or supporting actor parts on a handful of movies (Young Adult, The Informant!). Or, you know, from stand-up (the Werewolves and Lollipops album was spectacular). The angry elf comes to Salem’s Historic Elsinore Theatre courtesy of Ravens Flight Creative and Hennepin Studio’s comedy series after months of hype and a barrage of LED billboard advertising. It’s the big one, folks. Enjoy.
