Category Archives: Arts

Arts, Local Events

Save the Whale today at Beacon Rocks!

Just a reminder that this month’s Beacon Rocks! event is today from 1-5 p.m. on the Roberto Maestas Festival Street just north of Beacon Hill Station. The theme “Save the Whale”, with an afternoon full of performers, “mini-beach” wading pools, a volleyball contest, a “Save the Whale” haiku contest, visits by local whale biologists showing real whale bones, and more.

We hear that there will be a new food vendor at the site this time as well: Honest Biscuits will be there with plain, sweet, and savory biscuits. See their typical menu here.

Here’s the performance schedule today:

  • 1:00 Ian McFeron Band (original folk/rock)
  • 1:35 The Colour Project (electronic rock)
  • 2:15 Zumba (interactive Latin dance)
  • 2:45 Stefanie and The Straight Shooters (acoustic contemporary folk)
  • 3:00 Rat City Brass (instrumental 60’s pop)
  • 3:45 Zumba
  • 4:00 Poetry and Haiku Contest winner reading by Suzanne Edison
  • 4:15 More Of Anything (rock and roll)

As always, neighbors of all ages are welcome. Beacon Rocks! is a free event.

Beacon Rocks! doesn’t just have performers and games — there are also some vendors. At last month’s event, neighbor Sandra sold beads and jewelry. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.
Arts, Education

Pottery classes underway at Jefferson Community Center

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These cute pottery critters were made by students in a previous class at Jefferson Community Center. Photo courtesy of Molly Hueffed.
It’s summer, which means that Jefferson Community Center is again offering pottery classes to teach the skills of potter’s wheel throwing and handbuilding. Classes will include basic understanding and techniques of centering and throwing, as well as advanced 1-on-1 instruction.

Enrollment is open now for classes that start next week. Call 206-684-7481 for more information and to register, or register online by going to this website, clicking “Arts: Visual/Crafts,” and then “Pottery – Adult/Teen.” Classes are listed there for all community centers, not just Jefferson.

Thanks to Molly Hueffed for the info, and I apologize for the delay.

Arts, Local Events

Musicians, poets, and a giant chicken: 2012’s first Beacon Rocks!

Ichi Bichi performing at last year’s Beacon Rocks! Photo by Wendi Dunlap.

The schedule has been announced for the first Beacon Rocks! event of 2012 on next Sunday, June 24 from 1-5 p.m. at the Roberto Maestas Festival Street next to Beacon Hill Station. The event’s theme is “Transportation Exploration,” so along with four local bands and four poets, the afternoon will include a “slow bike race,” pedestrian info and walking maps, a visit from Sound Transit with information about the Link light rail system, and a transportation-themed haiku-writing contest with prizes in multiple age categories. We hear there will also be a visit from a giant chicken, to tell us why he crossed the road.

Food vendors will be at the site including a taco truck, a crepe truck, and Full Tilt Ice Cream. There will also be info tables on site for several local groups.

Here’s the entertainment schedule:

  • 1:00: Random Axe (folk/jazz duo Jack LeNoir and Betty Jean Williamson)
  • 1:35: Kelli Russell Agodon (poetry)
  • 1:50: Allen Braden (poetry)
  • 2:00: Blue 55 (old-school blues)
  • 2:45: Kathleen Flenniken, Washington State Poet Laureate
  • 3:00: Audio Couture (improvisational jazz/hip hop duo)
  • 3:45: David Horowitz (poetry, then Haiku Contest winner selection by applause)
  • 4:00: Nigel Mustafa (reggae/rock band)

For more information about this edition of Beacon Rocks!, see the event’s website. For general information about the entire event series, see the main Beacon Rocks! website.

Arts, Local Events

Sweet Peas to perform at Family Free-For-All June 19

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Rockit Community Arts invites all families to the next third Tuesday Family Free-For-All at the Garden House, this upcoming Tuesday, June 19 from 4-6:30 p.m. Scheduled to perform are The Sweet Peas, a duo performing “original and classic children’s music with a contemporary folk sound.”

Family Free-For-All is a free monthly social event for families, intended as “a kid-friendly alternative to Happy Hour.” There are cookies and juice to enjoy, and guests may also bring their own food or buy tacos at the site. Along with the music, the event also features art projects and games.

The Garden House is located at 2336 15th Ave. S. For more information, see the Family Free-for-All page at rockitspace.org or call 206-323-7733.

Arts, BH in the News, Neighborhood Pride

Prometheus Brown speaks about gun violence

The Seattle Times asked Prometheus Brown (Geo from Blue Scholars) to write a guest column about the recent gun violence in the city. Geo gave them a song, performed from what looks like Dr. Jose Rizal Park on Beacon Hill:

Tryin’a do the right thing. I don’t have the answers,
but neither does a person who practices double standards.
If every death’s a tragedy then join us when we’re chanting,
and not just when we’re singing and dancing. Too many

shots fired in the south end, nobody cares.
Shots fired in the north end, everybody scared.
Nothing they can do for us that we can’t do ourselves.
Point the finger at the mirror instead of somebody else.

Click on the image to see the video performance.

The post has generated 132 comments so far on the Times page; sadly, many of them were racist or misinformed. “Big shout to the ppl who got my back against the @seattletimes comment section crazies,” tweeted Geo this afternoon. “My favorite @seattletimes comment section response to my editorial: ‘don’t quit your day job.'”

The Montlaker blog had the best tweet in reply: “While @prometheusbrown points out Seattleites live in different cities, @seattletimes commenters live in completely different worlds.”

The Times is also hosting a live chat on the Seattle shootings Wednesday, June 13 at noon with Geo/Prometheus and Cafe Racer regular Andrew Swanson, who also wrote an op-ed for the newspaper this week.

Geo will appear alongside many other performers at today’s Beacon Boogie Block Party outside The Station coffee shop at 5 p.m.

Arts, Local Events

Beacon Boogie begins tonight

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This is the weekend! The 2012 Beacon Boogie and Block Party comes to North Beacon Hill from 5-9 tonight and again tomorrow.

Today, June 9, there will be a series of performances, all within a half-block of Beacon and Hanford: from 5-8 p.m., The Hugh Sutton Trio will be at Bar del Corso, and Dina Blade at Kusina Filipina. From 6-9 p.m., Audio Couture will perform at Victrola Coffee, and Supersones at El Quetzal.

On Sunday, the action moves north, closer to the junction of Beacon and 15th, with a musical extravaganza presented outside The Station coffee shop from 4-9 p.m., including Black Stax, Gabriel Teodros, Amos Miller, Otow Gang, and more. (See the poster included with this post.) From 6-9 p.m., the Greg Ruby Trio will play at Travelers Thali House, and from 7-9, Atasha Manila will be at Inay’s.

On Sunday there will also be a car show.

Admission will be a donation of $5, with no charge for kids 12 and under. The event is sponsored by the Beacon Hill Merchants Association in collaboration with Luis Rodriguez at The Station and other participating merchants.

Beacon Boogie schedule

Arts, Local Events, Volunteering and Giving

Volunteers needed for Beacon Rocks!

Volunteers are needed to help put on the Beacon Rocks! summer music series. Help is needed for these roles (at all three events unless noted):

  • “Set up” shift, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.: unloading tables and chairs, setting up canopies, creating an information booth, helping folks cross at the crosswalk, helping performers get set up, setting out garbage/recycling cans, putting up signage, supporting youth volunteers and vendor set up.
  • Sound system technician, June 24 and July 29, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Poetry facilitator, June 24
  • Event emcee, August 26, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • “Running the show” shift, 12 noon – 3 p.m.: vendor support, information booth, assisting performers’ set up, crosswalk assistance, support of youth volunteers
  • “Break down” shift, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.: rounding up and putting away tables, chairs, canopies, signage, garbage/recycling.

Volunteers will get a free t-shirt. To volunteer or for more info, call or email ROCKiT Community Arts Volunteer Coordinator Liz Walsh-Boyd at lizzie583@msn.com or 206-324-6351.

The events’ themes have been decided. They are:

  • Sunday, June 24: “Transportation” theme. Light rail representatives and possibly Metro transit will be there
  • Sunday, July 2 “Save the (Weather-vane) Whale” theme. Water fun and a project to restore the “fallen” whale to the top of the Garden House
  • Sunday, August 26 “Barter Your Way” theme. An assortment of services/products and people who “trade” in these items.

Each event will also have a poetry activity.

These folks volunteered their time and labor to make the first Beacon Rocks! series happen in 2010. Photo by Julia Cheng in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool.
Arts, Local Events

Hillbettys headline June Folk Club concert

The Hillbettys.

Next Sunday, June 3, “all girl bluegrass band” the Hillbettys are headlining the monthly Garden House Folk Club concert. The Hillbettys — Paisley (upright bass), Alyse (banjo), Milly “Racoon” (fiddle), and Kate (guitar) — will play “mountain music for the masses” at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave. S. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, free for kids.

John Shaw will open the show. Shaw is a songwriter who has written 60 songs on commission over the last three years, many of them as a fundraiser for Beacon Hill International School’s PTA. He is also writing a book on the the visionary tradition in America’s national anthems, due out in late 2013.

Dinner, or “Beacon Bento,” is now available at Garden House concerts. Local restaurants Baja Bistro, Inay’s Kitchen, Taqueria Luisa, and Travelers’ Thali House will provide a variety of ethnic dishes, including mole enchiladas, pork Adobo, Tunga burritos, and Janti thali as take out meals to enjoy outside in the fresh air before the show or cabaret-style during the show. All meals are $10 or less. See the menu here.

Arts, Local Events

Schedule announced for Beacon Hill Festival

A performer at last year's Beacon Hill Festival. Photo by Furchin in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool.

This year’s Beacon Hill Festival (Saturday, June 2 at the Jefferson Community Center, Jefferson Park) will feature two stages full of entertainment to go along with the food, games, vendors, and other activities at the festival.

Here is the current schedule (subject to change):

Park Stage

  • 11:00 Lion Dance — Jeffrey
  • 11:15 Ala Carte (a capella group)
  • 11:45 Jiffy (rock band)
  • 12:30 Kimball Elementary
  • 1:00 Washington Middle School Jr Band
  • 1:30 Washington Middle School Jr Strings
  • 2:00 Maple Elementary
  • 2:30 Skin Deep Belly Dance
  • 3:00 Tumbuka (marimba band)

Court Stage

  • 11:45 Hank Davis (singer-songwriter)
  • 12:15 Zumba — Carol
  • 1:15 Kung Fu Demo
  • 2:30 Dearborn Elementary S.C.A.T.S. (Seattle Cirque & Acrobat Team)
  • 3:30 Splinter Dance

Thanks to ROCKiT Community Arts for putting this schedule together and sending it out to us!

Arts, Local Events

Beacon Boogie and Block Party coming June 9-10

Mark your calendar for a weekend of music and food on June 9 and 10, when the 2012 Beacon Boogie and Block Party comes to North Beacon Hill.

On Saturday, June 9, there will be a series of performances, all within a half-block of Beacon and Hanford: from 5-8 p.m., The Hugh Sutton Trio will be at Bar del Corso, and Dina Blade at Kusina Filipina. From 6-9 p.m., Audio Couture will perform at Victrola Coffee, and Supersones at El Quetzal.

On Sunday, the action moves north, closer to the junction of Beacon and 15th, with a hip hop extravaganza presented outside The Station coffee shop from 4-9 p.m. (Stay tuned for the lineup as it is finalized.) From 6-9 p.m., the Greg Ruby Trio will play at Travelers Thali House, and from 7-9, Atasha Manila will be at Inay’s.

There will be other activities as well. Watch this space for more details.

Admission will be a donation of $5, with no charge for kids 12 and under. The event is sponsored by the Beacon Hill Merchants Association in collaboration with Luis Rodriguez at The Station and other participating merchants.