Due to a scheduling error, The Flavr Blue's appearance at Volume has been moved to Friday, May 31 at 11:45 pm, at Red Room Lounge. That just means Dead Serious Lovers will take the stage beforehand, at 10:55 pm, slightly earlier than originally scheduled. See the full schedule here.
The Flavr Blue features the talent of Hollis Wong-Wear, who you might remember from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ hit song “White Walls.” She'll take a break from hanging out with Macklemore and being on the Tonight Show for a sec to play Spokane with her electronic dance pop band. Prepare to have your mind blown.
Tags: Volume , The Flavr Blue , Music , Image , Video
With our Volume festival just days away now and the summer music season already underway, we thought we'd recognize one of the most familiar faces in all of Spokane's nightlife scene.
Yes, it's the Spokane Tambourine Man, whose real name is Michael Ransford, and if you've been to a local show you've likely seen him dancing his heart out and shaking his tambourine like his flowing mane of hair depended on it.
Local actress and filmmaker Rachel Cox made a documentary about Ransford, and take a look at it below. But first, we'd like to recognize Ransford with a lifetime achievement award for all the dancing he's given us over the years. That award is worth a free pass to Volume and we're happy to have him there!
Since you're not a famous tambourine player, you should go buy your passes here.
Are you looking at the Volume schedule and feeling your eyes start to cross? Yeah, us too. For a little help, we asked some of Spokane’s favorite musicians to send us their dream schedules — some of which are only possible if you have two bodies. Or if you sprint between venues. We suggest sprinting over dismemberment. — Leah Sottile
AARON BOCOOK
2013 Band to Watch, 66beat; 2014 Band to Watch, Bloody Gloves
FRIDAY
Even if I didn’t have to be at Club 412 to play bass in Bloody Gloves, I would have to be there to watch Hard Time, who I consider the best new band in Spokane. They just don’t stop. It’s brutal. I may go early to see Nailbastard. Maybe I can find a couple of VHS copies of Speed for Ryan.
The only other venue that would hold my attention for longer than it would take me to leave is the Big Dipper. What a lineup! 7 pm: Heavy F—-in’ Seventeen. Nobody plays guitar like Matt Lakin. They are the return of college rock.
I will also be sad to miss Normal Babies. They are the right kind of ugly.
Topping it off is Tweak Bird, which has one of the most professional-sounding drummers I have ever seen. Special place in my heart for the two-piece. They rock.
SATURDAY
I’m glad my band 66beat is playing an all-ages crowd at the Big Dipper. Not even because I want the all-agers to see us — which I do. However, who would want to compete with Flee the Century? I still don’t get it after seeing them countless times over the past decade, and I don’t want to get it. I just want to dance. And I don’t dance.
I’m glad Flee is playing late too, so other bands I enjoy, like H(eavyasf—-)ooves, and Ouija Bored don’t have to compete with the Synth Lords.
See the full Volume schedule here. See all the band profiles here. See other lineup picks as we roll 'em out here.
Tags: Musicians' Picks 2014 , Music , Volume Picks 2014 , Image
Just before our nation’s holiday to honor the departed, a twisted shooting spree brought an end to seven lives in California. People say acts of horror and crime leave us wondering why? Social media outlets spark with the latest ideas on our quest to unearth the reasons for the tragedy and possible solutions to prevent similar incidents in the future. But is it really so hard to decode what’s going on?
In a country with enough guns to arm every man, woman and child, gun violence hits the news hard and often. The recent slaughter in Santa Barbara is just one more incident in a long list of homicides. And, thank our lucky stars, the shooter isn’t a black guy.
As black families, we brace ourselves watching news like this, waiting to see the killer’s picture on the screen. In America, you can be sure if there is no picture of the killer, the suspect is white. If the shooter is black or even if there is an unconfirmed “suspect” who is black, the photo will jet to the screen like lightning. And then the race talk ensues with words like “thug,” “criminal,” “ghetto” and “black man” loaded side-by-side like a round of hollow points, aimed to dehumanize and vilify black people. Conversations get tense at work and school, where colleagues let racist statements slip before filtering and kids repeat the commentary they heard at home. Or, some places like our own lily-white Spokane, a black nonprofit received hate mail after a young suspect’s picture hit TV; the letter demanded that black women should be sterilized because it’s in their children’s nature to be violent.
But what happens when the killer is white? Where is the race talk and hate mail? Well, that’s absurd to expect any race talk, right? Part of white privilege is immunity from race critique; isn’t that essentially at the core of white supremacy anyways? No, instead of deploring the horrid condition of “white men,” these stories unfold in one of three ways: 1. He is mentally ill; 2. He was feeling isolated or having a hard time; or 3. He was abused as a child and therefore is just repeating the violence perpetrated on him. Scenario 1 is how Elliot Rodger is already being described and treated in the media and in the psyche of the American people.
But in the case of this Santa Barbara shooter, why are we not looking at the role of assumed white innocence in the death of his six victims? The police officer who interviewed Rodger prior to the slaughter said he was “polite and kind” and didn’t search his residence because there didn’t appear to be any weapons or cause for concern. Recall when one of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims escaped and, running bleeding and naked to police, sought protection. Against the pleas of two black women standing by who were convinced the victim was in distress, the police turned the youth over to blonde-haired blue-eyed Dahmer who proceeded to rape and kill him. He looked innocent (read white), so that’s all they needed to know. And if a third story is the charm for understanding this concept, in Atlanta a white man pulled up to an elementary school and breezed through an elaborate security system while packing multiple guns, including an AK-47 and 500 rounds of ammunition. America still operates on the basis of assumed white innocence, and it is quite literally an issue of life and death.
Equally alarming is the persistence of assumed black guilt. Researchers at Stanford University conducted studies where police and others, cued with an image of a black person, quickly deciphered very blurred images often associated with crime such as a gun and determined a threat almost instantly. We see this play out in the courtroom and forensic lab, not just for perpetrators but for victims as well. In 2013, 600 percent more white-on-black homicides were deemed justifiable than white-on-white homicides. Even when black youth are shot, their corpses are often examined in search of “evidence” that may implicate them for sharing responsibility for the crime. Will the bodies of the white sorority girls be tested for substances in the Santa Barbara slaughter, and if they had alcohol in their system, will they be assumed partially responsible for their own murder? In the case of black victims, we are responsible — not the killers, not the laws, not the gun culture, not the racism, not our schools, not our community, not you.
So, when do we initiate discussion about the lack of moral fiber in white men? When does it become politically correct to address the connections between racism, sexism and violence in the white community? Maybe we could start with George Zimmerman, Michael Dunn, Theodore Wafer, Randall Kerrick … or Elliot Roger. ♦
Rachel Dolezal, formerly of the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene, is an award-winning artist and activist who teaches courses in art, Africana history and culture at area universities.
Tags: commentators , race , gun violence , Comment , Image
UPDATE:
Reached by phone Tuesday, Councilman Steve Salvatori was waiting while a local shoe-repair business repaired his favorite leather travel bag.
“Things happen fast,” he says.
In less than two months, Salvatori will have emptied his City Hall cubicle and packed his bags for Dallas. He says he’s moving there with hopes of righting the course of the company he founded nearly 30 years ago. The company, which connects over-the-counter medication providers with drug stores they sell to, recently moved its headquarters to Texas, but its president has delayed his own move to the new headquarters. Now, Salvatori says, that delay is starting to affect business and, as its CEO, he needs to be there in person to help.
“When you’re the founder and CEO, ultimately you can’t ask people to do stuff you wouldn’t do yourself,” he says.
To appoint Salvatori's replacement, the remaining six members of the city council will announce the vacancy within a week of his last day and determine how long the window will be open for people to apply for the job. The council will then interview the candidates and vote for a replacement. The interviews and vote will be open public meetings, but the council is allowed to enter closed-door executive session to “evaluate the qualifications of each candidate,” according to the council’s rules of procedure.
Salvatori, who moved to Spokane with his wife after shifting to half-time at his company in 2007, also founded the Spokane Entrepreneurial Center, a startup incubator housed in historic downtown buildings. For now, a business partner will take over managing the buildings, though Salvatori says he plans to eventually sell them.
Looking back on his two and a half years on council, Salvatori says he’s proud of his work on animal control, the city’s waste-to-energy plant and reforms to the Office of Police Ombudsman as well as his leadership of the Fire Task Team, which made recommendations for improving city fire service, including testing one-person Alternative Response Units to respond to non-life-threatening medical calls.
Despite their disagreement on many issues, Council President Ben Stuckart says he and Salvatori have become close friends.
“Having him leave town sucks,” Stuckart says. “It makes me sad.”
And even with the recent tussle between the two over whether the council should be considered a full-time or part-time job, Stuckart says he respects Salvatori’s commitment to his other job.
“Everyone has different priorities at different times in their lives,” Stuckart says. “I’m always OK with people making decisions based on their priorities.”
In a statement about the resignation, Mayor David Condon called Salvatori “a big part of making needed change in Spokane.”
“The people of Spokane are losing a great advocate,” the statement continued, “but I fully support Councilmember Salvatori’s decision, and wish him and his family continued success.
ORIGINAL POST:Spokane City Councilman Steve Salvatori will resign, effective July 8.
Salvatori says growth at the company he founded — Salvatori-Scott, which represents product manufacturing companies and stores they sell to, like Walgreens — demands he move to Dallas.
Salvatori was elected in 2011 and sworn in in 2012 for a four-year term, meaning the resignation will cut his term a year and a half short. During his time on council, he has advocated for business interests and helped lead the latest push for increased independence for the city's Office of Police Ombudsman.
Here's the announcement he sent the rest of the council. Look for more details here later today.
Dear Fellow Council Members,
It is with deep regret that I inform you of my intention to resign from Spokane City Council effective July 8, 2014. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Spokane for the past two and a half years. It has been a wonderful experience to have shared the chamber with all of you.
As I look back at my time on council, I think one of the things I am most proud of is the way our entire council has conducted itself, even when we find ourselves in disagreement. It only makes sense that if our body is supposed to represent the 210,000 citizens of Spokane, we will occasionally have different points of view which I believe we have all handled respectfully and gracefully.
I know many folks will want to know why I would leave a position I worked so hard to attain, and have enjoyed so much, and I will tell you this was not an easy decision for my wife and I. But the company I started 28 years ago, and which I still serve as CEO, is undergoing significant growth, challenges and opportunities. It has resulted in the relocation of our corporate headquarters from San Francisco to Dallas, and has caused a cascade of personnel impacts and strategic decisions. Quite simply, our SSI boat is rocking, and I need to move to Dallas.
There are so many exciting things happening in Spokane, and I am saddened I will not be on council as the Convention Center Expansion Project is completed, the new Walt Worthy Hotel opens, the Riverfront Park Master Plan implemented, and we see the continued rejuvenation of our core downtown and our wonderful neighborhoods.
Thanks for exuberantly joining me in the Old 621 ceremonies, and I will say again that it has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve, because it truly has.
Sincerely,
Steve Salvatori
Tags: Spokane City Council , Steve Salvatori , News , Image
There wasn't a moment people weren't partying at Sasquatch! 2014. Many started everything Thursday afternoon when the campgrounds opened. I, however, rolled in Friday with the other “late” folks. It was my first time experiencing the three-day music festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre and there was nothing that could have prepared me for the event that brings together college kids, Canadians and people who wear PBR cases as hats together in one gorgeous spot.
It only rained once. And for Memorial Day weekend in the state of Washington, that is a miracle. Otherwise, the weather for the Sasquatch! music festival ranged from skin-scorching heat to oppressive winds and icy nighttimes. Still, concertgoers powered through, never letting anything stop the party.
Although there were more shows than it was possible to attend, here are the highlights:
FRIDAY
The biggest and most important show of Friday, and potentially the weekend, was Outkast. I screamed and jumped and danced on repeat with the surrounding crowd. They started with “B.O.B.” (Bombs Over Baghdad), appearing in the middle of the stage in a see-through cube with the Stankonia flag cover as the backdrop. Andre 3000 hopped around the stage with a bright white wig spewing his quick-tongued lyrics. Big Boi played off the energy of the crowd. It just kept going. Hit after hit like “Ms. Jackson” and “Roses.” With each song, junior high and high school memories flooded through our minds. The Atlanta duo has been on hiatus since after the release of its 2006 album Idlewild but thankfully decided to reunite for a 40-date tour this year. Their Coachella debut show was not so well received, but at Sasquatch!, Outkast was prepared, incredible and — even after 20 years as a group — so freaking fresh.
SATURDAY
Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, of First Aid Kit, took on the main Sasquatch! stage (one of the five stages) in the afternoon, offering a bright and breezy folk set that sat perfectly for many of the day drinkers splayed out through the amphitheater lawn. The Dodos, over at the Bigfoot stage, played much of their primal beat-driven songs from 2008’s Visiter. People danced in appreciation. Later, Violent Femmes started with “Blister in the Sun” just to get people less familiar with their work interested — that ploy was semi-successful, but those who cared were there. Best part of the set was whenever the marimba solos happened — many of their songs are peppered with them and that was awesome to see live. M.I.A. wowed the crowd coming out in a shiny gold jumpsuit — her set would eclipse the headliners that night, the National. The British-Sri Lankan artist held the crowd and never let them go. And then Tyler, the Creator, the Odd Future rapper, has to be mentioned. His set was super fun and the masses loved him, but it’s like no one noticed his terrible lyrics. Sample: “Smoke a blunt, f—- a bitch.” Such poetry.
SUNDAY
Sunday, man, Sunday was absolutely unbelievable. Haim was there, proving that females can successfully rock the pants off of a crowd. The trio of sisters made wild faces as their free-flowing locks swirled in the wind. Over in the comedy tent, Hannibal Buress told jokes about the “brilliance” of rappers' lyrics these days and Demetri Martin rattled off his signature one-liners.
Then the hour of genius happened. In order to see it all, I had to run from one stage to the next. There was Rodriguez playing “Sugar Man” and on to the booty-shaking weirdness of Big Freedia (my most exciting discovery of the whole event), and finally the holy experience hearing Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” live as the last rays of the day left the basin sky.
And then, finally, Queens of the Stone Age more than exceeded all expectations closing out the main stage, even playing “No One Knows” as their second song. The deep, bass-driven lines, fiery guitars, real piano and insane drumming and of course, the impeccable vocals of Josh Homme were on full display. There just aren't many American rock bands these days better than them. Period. Major Lazer ended the night with the biggest and wildest EDM bash of the festival. The various tribes of concertgoers with their flags and staffs and Indian headdresses listened to everything the Jamaican producer told them to do. Jump, clap, run. No one cared how cold it was, they threw their shirts high in the air when he demanded it. The bass beat on until nearly 2 am. Fireworks lighting up the sky signaled the night’s end.
MONDAY
The best way to leave Sasquatch! is to hit the road early before the masses arise from a hazy slumber. As I rolled out at 7:30 am, there was at least one party tent/van-top in the distance with strobe lights still turning, the faint whisper of LMFAO’s “Shots” still playing. Some people never want the party to end.
Tags: Queens of the Stone Age , M.I.A. , OutKast , Sasquatch! , Music , Image
AROUND HERE
The lingerie espresso stand controversy continues. This time, it's a new sign out on East Sprague that's got people upset. (KXLY)
Starting next week, Washington parolees will have the right to smoke pot, just like everyone else in the state. (KING/KREM)
STA will begin equipping a small number of buses with computers to allow riders to see when the next bus will arrive using their smart phone or tablet. (SR)
The controversial revamped McEuen Park in Coeur d'Alene finally opened over the weekend. (CdA Press)
ELSEWHERE
Students continue to hold vigils at UC campuses across Southern California to remember the six people killed in a shooting in Isla Vista on Friday night. (LAT)
General Motors has acknowledged that defective ignition switches in its vehicles have contributed to 47 accidents, including 13 deaths. Even as GM refuses to identify the victims, the New York Times found the families of those 13 victims, who ranged in age from 13 to 81. (NYT)
At least 30 people have been killed in fighting in Ukraine after the government deployed combat jets and helicopters to respond to rebels. (AlJazeera)
The Nigerian military says it knows the location of 200 girls who were kidnapped by militants there, but that using force to free them is too risky. (NPR)
The Malaysian government has released the satellite data it used to determine that the vanished Flight MH370 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. (BBC)
VOLUME!
Planning to attend our downtown music festival, Volume, this weekend? You'll want to get your tickets before they go up in price on Friday. Buy them here.
Tags: morning briefing , News , Image , Video
It went back and forth.
“Bow wow wow yippe yo yippie ye!”
Finally making it through the draped-in-pink gate a little later than first planned, it was such a relief to see De La Soul on the main Sasquatch! stage, just pumping the crowd up – exciting the furries, the bros with Macklemore haircuts and the hulahoopers alike, until nearly everyone in the mosh pit had their hands in the air.
The classic New York-based hip-hop act was the perfect group to start my three-day music festival experience. All they wanted to do was throw a party. I raised my hands too and let it all go.
It would be easy to find the process of getting into Sasquatch! and procuring a camping space a huge pain in the ass, but that would be a mistake. It’s all part of the experience. The putting up of a six-person tent in ghastly winds? That’s part of the experience. Same with discovering you may not have brought as much beer as you thought you did. As I hammered some stakes hard into the ground, I heard Kithkin far off in the distance — oh well that I wanted to see them, that’s what Volume is for.
The day is just beginning here, weed is already wafting on the breeze, people are letting loose. Onward to Eugene Mirman followed by Princess on the comedy stage and tonight, Outkast!
This weekend will be unforgettable.
Follow Laura’s weekend-long Sasquatch! coverage @lowesays.
Tags: Sasquatch! , De La Soul , Volume , Music , Image
A new haberdashery and leather-goods shop in Coeur d'Alene is inspired by owner and designer Tanden Launder's interest in vintage menswear and Americana. Here, we visit Thrux Lawrence to hear about the shop and see how signature products are made.
Look for our upcoming summer fashion issue, featuring other local designers, on June 5.
Tags: Culture , Arts & Culture , Image , Video
For a new, occasional Cat Friday series, we're highlighting the importance of fostering shelter animals. The series intends to show why fostering can be a joyful, fulfilling responsibility that not only saves lives, but also enriches the lives of foster volunteers. This series will feature Q&A-style interviews with (mostly) cat foster-parents, from first-time to very experienced fosters.
As we continue to feature local foster parents’ experiences for CF, the ultimate goal is to inspire others to take on the commitment too, but with a clear understanding of what it takes and what can be gained from the experience.
Our first guest featured in the debut of “Why I Foster” is Libby Forsyth, who lives in Nine Mile Falls and works at WSU Spokane. As a disclaimer, I personally know Libby and her family, and admire their deep commitment to fostering. Thus I asked her to be our first guest in the series to help it get off the ground. Future series installments will seek to profile foster volunteers with all of the Inland Northwest’s various animal welfare and rescue groups.
If you are or know of a local foster parent who’d be a good fit for the “Why I Foster” series, email your nomination to cheys@inlander.com.
What is your name, occupation and a brief description of your living situation?
I’m Libby Forsyth and I am the Program Assistant for the Health Policy and Administration Department at WSU Spokane. Go Cougs! I live in the Nine Mile Falls area with my husband Greg of 30+ years and our son, Ian, who is home from college for the summer. We have three “full-time” cats of our own: Harvey, Piper and Clipper, the last of which I bottle fed and raised from about a week old, and he just turned 17!
How many foster litters or individual animals have you fostered?
I’ve fostered about three litters a year for the past three years during “kitten season.” Typically, I get the litters when the kittens are a week or two old and they have ranged from three to six per litter. I did have one litter of six without a mother. Thankfully, our son was home from college for the summer and was a huge help — I could not have done it on my own. These kittens are really needy and require a lot of time and extra love. With a resident mom, it’s really not a lot of work. On busy days, I just check on them morning and night to make sure they are healthy and have food and water.
For which local shelters/rescue organization do you foster?
Spokane Humane Society, (find out how to become a foster for SHS) although I think all the local shelters cooperate with each other and get the animals the best placement possible.
When and why did you decide to become a foster parent?
It was something that I’d thought about for years, but then our daughter, Ali, graduated from college, got a job (and a cat) and moved out. Her room was a typical teenager’s room with mascara, marker and glitter stains on the carpet so it was a perfect environment for fostering without worrying about pet-related damage. It was a place where the mama cat and kittens could feel safe but segregated from our own cats so none of them would feel that their territory had been encroached upon.
What are the most rewarding or fulfilling moments of being a foster parent? What are the most challenging or emotional parts of the responsibility?
The most rewarding part is knowing I’m helping to raise someone’s beloved pet! At the same time, I worry about them going to responsible and loving pet owners. Another challenge is seeing these sweet mama cats that have been surrendered. My current foster mom was only about 8 months old when she delivered six kittens, two of which were stillborn. The people that turned her in claimed she could open doors and let herself out, and that’s how she became pregnant. (This cat has never even jumped at a doorknob in my house.) Oh, and they surrendered her mother at the same time and she was also pregnant. Neuter your pets, people.
Do you try and find your fosters homes before they’re ready to be adopted out?
For the most part, I entrust the adoption process to SHS. They are awesome at outreach and finding homes for these cats. I think they do a wonderful job getting the word out to the community about available animals. However, my circle of friends and acquaintances are very aware of my fostering, so they know to send potential adopters my way.
Do you try and keep in touch with any of your fosters' adopters?
I can think of a few in particular. Our daughter’s best friend, Hayley Graham, adopted a beautiful sweet girl named Blair. My elderly mother’s life has been very enriched with the addition of one of my mama kitties to her home. A man who had a tough year after a divorce adopted a kitten and later told me the kitten made him laugh more than he had in a long time.
Have you had any “foster fails?” (In foster lingo, this is when a foster parent can’t part with one of their charges and decides to adopt them.)
I adopted a kitten from my first foster litter, Harvey. When I walked in the room, he was the first kitten to greet me and purr enthusiastically. Believe me, he wasn’t the cutest kitten, but has grown into a beautiful cat. I’ve learned over the years that personality and a common bond is much more important than cuteness, gender or color when you are choosing a pet.
How has fostering impacted the other people (and pets) in your life?
I’ve been the most surprised by how many of my 21-year-old son’s friends enjoy playing with the kittens. You see these big guys cradling a tiny kitten and it just makes you smile. My husband “tolerates” it because he knows how much I enjoy it, but I have also caught him sneaking in to visit the kittens when he thinks I’m not around.
How much of your own resources have you invested in fostering?
I generally get a large bag of food and litter from the Spokane Humane Society when I pick the kittens up, and then provide the rest on my own when the initial supply runs out. The biggest expense is cat litter!
What have you personally gained from volunteering as a foster parent? It’s very rewarding! Plus I think it’s a lot like being a grandparent, from what I have heard. You get to cuddle and nurture these little babies and then hand them off to a good home at the end of the day.
Looking back, what is one thing you wish you had known about fostering when you brought in your first litter?
Their room can get pretty stinky, and they go through a ton of cat litter when the kittens start using the litter box!
Any last thoughts on the fostering process you want to emphasize?
Kittens that are fostered are usually much more socialized, and the foster parents are a great resource to get an idea of a kitten’s personality and how it will fit into your home.
Tags: Cat Friday , Spokane Humane Society , fostering , For Fun! , Culture , Arts & Culture , Image