Calling time and temperature

Friday, April 12, 2024

Hey There,

By the time this newsletter hits your inbox, it's possible you are already on the loose, enjoying some sunshine by the river, grabbing some food or drink on a patio, walking your dog through neighborhoods where tiny green buds are beginning to pop from tree branches and crocuses poke through fresh soil.

Or maybe you're already headed out of town for a springtime adventure. Good for you. But if you are still trying to figure out what to do this weekend and early next week, I'm psyched to say that there is plenty of fun to get in on. I, on the other hand, have a few more things to take care of before the fun begins, but that doesn't mean I'm not getting in the mood.

Cheers,

Erika Fredrickson

The long unwinding road

The exasperating story of how a Missoulian who’s been on Medicaid for more than 30 years made it through Montana’s redetermination process. And she’s among the lucky ones.

By Nick Davis

The wetness of the nose

Paying tribute to Missoula’s pet pals through portraiture.

By Jeremy Smith

The costs of homelessness

A new study on the economic impacts of homelessness in Missoula aims to foster a shared understanding of a complex problem.

By Katie Fairbanks

Chicken curry, island style

Dispatch from Granny’s Creole Cooking School.

By Ari LeVaux

MUSIC

Old 97's at the Wilma

Old 97's is one of those bands I got into in the mid-1990s, consumed three of their albums on repeat, and then never really listened to anything else they put out since then. This was around the time of discovering No Depression magazine and the whole Bloodshot Records catalog. The Meat Purveyors. The Handsome Family. The Hollisters. The Jayhawks. The rise of bands in this "alt-country" genre was an easy obsession for anyone like me, who loved punk music and hadn't quite given outlaw country a chance yet. But I fell hard for the Old 97's, in particular. They have this barroom country rock aesthetic with splashes of guitar and rockabilly, and a distinctive jangly guitar sound that makes you feel like you're barreling down a highway full speed through a landscape of someone's sharply rendered life full of thrills, joys, regrets and heartbreak. The lyrics are often silly (in a fun way), but also charming like in "Big Brown Eyes," where frontman Rhett Miller sings, "I'm calling time and temperature just for some company," and later admits, "I've got issues ... yeah
Like I miss you ... yeah," in which the timing is funny, but the sentiment is genuine. Other lyrics are sorrowful, self-effacing, hopeful, and all pretty lushly written, with lots of little winks and nudges and twists and turns. The characters are usually lovesick, rock-bottom, self-deluded. In "Time Bomb," Miller sings, "I got a landmine in my bloodline / I'm not immune to getting blown apart." And, like in some classic country tunes, some characters are lawless and murderous, but never really repulsive. Most of the time, they're pretty relatable, because there's not a lot of pretentiousness or trying-to-be-edgy-ness going on in these songs. The stories can be dark at times, but the music itself is upbeat (even in minor key) and fun to listen to. From what I can tell, the Old 97's keep writing great songs and playing lively shows, finding new characters and themes that have grown with them into midlife, but are still relatable to anyone with a heartbeat.

Tue., April 16, with doors at 7 PM and show at 8 PM @ the Wilma. $25-$30 advance with fees.

Tickets and more info

#ThePulpPicks

HISTORY TALK

'The Day the Red Light Went Out'

You might know a little bit about Missoula's historic Red Light District on West Front Street, which was regarded as a place of vice and iniquity from the late 19th century to January 1917, when it was abruptly shut down. The streets lined with "houses of ill repute" also shared space with Missoula's mysterious, now-disappeared Chinatown, and the area was known for drug dens and brawls and "mysterious deaths by poison and other means." In 2020, more information about the area came to light after a University of Montana archeology team unearthed artifacts beneath what is now Cranky Sam Public House. (Cranky Sam is one of the wild, lawless characters of the time.) Something I didn't know: There was also a Cold Springs red light district that "serviced" Fort Missoula between 1895 and 1906, and was also notorious for its wild debauchery. My word! This Saturday afternoon, you can join public historian Sophia Etier to hear about the fascinating tale of life on the outskirts of Fort Missoula, as well as get a broader view on Missoula's Red Light community from 1888 to 1915. After you check out this history talk, you might want to book yourself on an Unseen Missoula walking tour. There are several good ones (I love Basements and Back Alleys where you get to snoop around the basements of some of Missoula's historic buildings). But if you are intrigued by the Red Light theme, check out Carnal Enterprises, where you can hear more about the Front Street red light district through the lens of sex, class, race, and occupation, and which features the tale of Mary Gleim, an outrageous, not-to-be-tangled-with madam and businesswoman.

Sat., April 13, at 2 PM @ Fort Missoula T1 Building, 3400 Captain Rawn Way

More info

MUSIC

Indigenous Comedy Night for All Nations Health Center

Revival Comedy and the ZACC present a night of art and comedy to raise money for All Nations Health Center. Before the show, you can check out a popup art market organized by Indigenous Made Montana. Missoula's comedy scene has expanded over the past decade, and Indigenous comics are also much more prevalent. The lineup for the night (which is subject to change) is: Mitchell McCabe, Lenny Peppers, Aurora Staggs, Blake Powell, Morning Star Gopher, Charlie Mulluk, Sarah Sandoval, and Mars Sandoval. The evening is hosted by Thomas McClure and the headliner is Mylo Smith. With the exception of Lenny Peppers, who is hilarious, I don't know any of these comics. But I do know that Revival Comedy is great at supporting and promoting super funny people. Be forewarned that most standup comedy shows have some spicy elements to them, and may push your comfort level and challenge your ego. And that's a good thing, my friend. You'll also get to learn more about All Nations Health Center, which aims to support sustainable healthy lives for Native people and the surrounding community through culturally based, holistic care.

Fri., April 12, with doors at 7 PM, show at 7:30 PM @ the ZACC. $20 / $30 VIP Tickets (includes: seating in first two rows, one drink ticket, and pre-show meet-n-greet with performers). Show is 18+

More info and tickets

BOOKS + AUTHOR READING

'A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest' at Fact & Fiction

Emily Dickinson's poem "A Wounded Deer - leaps highest" has been interpreted in at least a couple ways, as far as I can tell. It's about how when someone or something is close to death, they might, paradoxically, exhibit heightened exuberance for life. That reminds me of the "surge" phenomenon people sometimes experience before their bodies shut down (Mark Sloane, anyone?), or which can come in the form of lucidity in people with dementia experiencing death. But it also might have to do with that sharpened appreciation of the world in our most melancholy moments, or clarity that happens in the depths of grief, or midlife unraveling that occurs when our mortality deadline bops onto our radar like an uninvited guest. Another way I've seen the poem interpreted, given the line "lest anybody spy the blood": Sometimes we put on a happier face when we want to disguise our pain the most. In Charlie J. Stephen's new novel that share's a name with this poem, a kid growing up in 1980s Oregon seeks refuge in a nearby forest, finding the kind of comfort in the natural world they're not able to experience at home. What is the connection to Dickinson's poem? Maybe you'll find out when Stephens visits Missoula this week to read from their book. Besides having their short fiction appear in Electric Literature, Best Small Fictions 2020, New World Writing, and Original Plumbing (Feminist Press), Stephens owns Sea Wolf Books & Community Writing Center in Port Orford, Oregon, which appears to be a dreamy independent book store and community resource and which brings to mind the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and creatures that live between land and sea.

Tue., April 16, from 7 PM to 9 PM @ Fact & Fiction

More info

THEATER + MUSIC

'Songs for a New World' presented by ZDK Arts

"Songs for a New World," which first opened off-Broadway in 1995, is described as a theatrical song cycle—something between a musical and a song cycle or revue, but more abstract. The series of songs, connected by the theme "the moment of decision," are delivered by four performers who play different characters throughout the show. The composer, Jason Robert Brown, has said that "Songs for a New World" is "about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back." Man, that sounds familiar... As someone who has never seen a production of this work, I'm intrigued by the concept. Also intriguing is the fact that this Missoula production is being put on by a local up-and-coming performing and visual arts nonprofit called ZDK Arts. "This show takes you from the ledge of an NYC skyscraper's balcony to the decks of a Spanish sailing ship and tackles love, loss, and everything in between," says ZDK Arts executive director Alex Kowalchik. Kowlachik directs the show, too. which has three performances over the course of two days, and takes place in Missoula's newly opened Loretta J. Berry Black Box Theatre, located at the Show Tyme Performing Arts Center. Music is directed by Greg Bolin and the show features Missoula-based actors Amy Ellis, Lucy Taylor, a Jaymes Mozingo, nationally touring actor Josiah Randolph, and a Missoula-based band of musicians.

Fri., April 12, at 7 PM and Sat., April 13, at 3 PM and 7 PM @ Loretta J. Berry Blackbox Theatre, 2500 Murphy Street. $25. Rated PG-13

More info and tickets

For more events happening this weekend, visit MissoulaEvents.net

What We're Reading

Opinion: Get tech out of the classroom before it's too late

Many parents asked district leaders how much time kids were spending on their screens, but they couldn’t get straight answers; no one seemed to know, no one seemed to be keeping track.