360 may 22 2014

Skagit Valley Herald

Thursday

May 22, 2014

Tuning UpRivertalk plays Saturday night at the Conway Muse

PAGE 9

In ConcertThe Nylons bring their a capella magic to the Skagit Valley Casino

PAGE 4

ReviewsMusic: Coldplay, Hunter Hayes Video Games: ‘Disney Magical World’

PAGE 6

HONORING OUR FALLENMemorial Day events in the areaPAGE 3

E2 - Thursday, May 22, 2014 Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

YOUR ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SKAGIT COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

[email protected], [email protected] (recreation items)Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition

Phone360-416-2135

Hand-deliver1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274

Mailing addressP.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Online events calendarTo list your event on our website, visit goskagit.com and look for the Events Calendar on the home page

HAVE A STORY IDEA?w For arts and entertainment, contact Features Editor Craig Parrish at 360-416-2135 or [email protected] For recreation, contact staff writer Vince Richardson at 360-416-2181 or [email protected]

TO ADVERTISE360-424-3251

Inside

Get Involved ....................................... 5

Music, Video Game Reviews ............. 6

Hot Tickets ......................................... 7

On Stage, Tuning Up .......................8-9

Movie Listings, Reviews .............10-11

Out & About ................................12-13

Travel ................................................ 14

At the Lincoln ................................... 15

Rivertalk performs Saturday night at the Conway Muse

“The Monuments Men”: George Clooney’s latest directing effort takes a look at the handful of out-of-shape arti-sans tasked with saving the great art of Europe stolen by the Nazis during World War II. The film isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a fitting tribute to the men who put their lives on the line in the name of sav-ing culture. The film is based on a true story, but it takes some artistic license.

“In Secret”: The message about the often treacherous path taken because of lust plays out in grand moralistic fashion. Unlike a modern screenplay about infidelity, where the consequences are often blunted, Emile Zola’s work embraces the cold and fatalistic view of such improprieties. It’s just the delivery of the elements that fails.

“About Last Night”: This is not so much a remake of the 1986 “About Last Night …” starring Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, but a return to the source mate-rial, David Mamet’s “Sexual Perversity in Chicago.” The film is already strides ahead of most comedies because of the witty and brilliant writing of Mamet.

Kevin Hart can be a little manic, but in this case that energy works because Regina Hall matches him beat for beat. This movie would have been just as entertaining had it focused on them. Having two solid story lines that work in such harmony is a rare find.

“3 Days to Kill”: Dying hired assassin agrees to one more job. Kevin Costner stars.

“Pompeii”: Slave turned invincible gladiator who finds himself in a race against time to save his true love.

“Call the Midwife: Season Three”: The midwives search for a new location.

“Way of the Wicked”: Thriller star-ring Christian Slater.

“Mountain Men: Season 2”: Tom Oar, Rich Lewis, Eustace Conway, Marty Meierotto and Charlie Tucker confront menacing elements.

“Nosferatu the Vampyre”: Werner Herzog’s 1979 film is now on Blu-ray.

“Martial Arts Movie Marathon”: The two-disc collection features “Manchu Boxer” (1974) and “The Association” (1975).

“L.A. Law: The Complete Second Season”: Features 20 episodes in a five-DVD set.

“Garage Sale Mystery”: A woman who goes to garage sales finds a link to a friend’s murder.

“Chased by Dinosaurs”: Triple fea-ture from creators of “Walking with Dinosaurs.”

“The Right Kind of Wrong”: A failed writer becomes famous through a blog called “Why You Suck.”

“Grand Piano”: Pianist must play a concert perfectly or die.

“Duck Dynasty: The Duck Days of Summer”: Includes a trip by the Rob-ertson family to Hawaii.

“Terry Fator: Live In Concert”: Per-formance by the “America’s Got Talent” winner in Las Vegas.

“McCanick”: Narcotics detective hunts for a young criminal who knows a damaging truth about the cop’s past.

“Waking the Dead”: Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd (Trevor Eve) and his team tackle more cold cases.

“Sophia Grace & Rosie’s Royal Adventure”: The girls are sent to Swit-zelvania by “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” as special correspondents to cover the coronation of a new queen.

“Amish Mafia: Season One”: Intro-duces viewers to the Amish Mafia.

“The Moneychangers”: TV movie based on the book by Arthur Hailey. Christopher Plummer stars.

“The Revengers”: William Holden plays a Civil War veteran who seeks revenge for the death of his family.

“The First World War: The Complete Series”: Ten-part series based on the book by Hew Strachan.

“Happy Days: The Fifth Season”: Includes the episode that created the phrase “jumped the shark.”

n Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK

MAY 27w Endless Lovew Gambitw Run & Jumpw Trials of Cate McCallw 24 Exposures

JUNE 3w Goodbye Worldw In the Bloodw Lone Survivorw The Motel Lifew The Pretty Onew RoboCopw Small Timew Son of God

JUNE 10w Adult Worldw Devil’s Knotw Hauntw Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruitw Non-Stop

JUNE 17w Against the Wildw Almost Humanw The Grand Budapest Hotelw Joew The Lego Moview 13 Sinsw Walk of Shame

Upcoming movie releases Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change:

n McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Tuning Up / Page 9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com Thursday, May 22, 2014 - E3

Saturday, May 24COUPEVILLE

The annual Memorial Day parade will begin at 11 a.m. Satur-day, May 24, in downtown Coupe-ville, ending at Town Park, where a musical salute, remembrance cer-emony and town picnic will be held. Enjoy marching bands, vintage cars, tractors, floats, military, animals and more. 360-678-5434 or coupeville chamber.com.

Monday, May 26ANACORTES/GUEMES ISLAND

American Legion Post 13, Vet-erans of Foreign Wars and others will host Memorial Day services on Guemes Island and at two cemeter-ies on Fidalgo Island. Participants will meet at 8:30 a.m. to take the ferry to Guemes Island, making a brief stop midchannel to play taps and drop flowers into the water. A ceremony will be held around 9 a.m. at Edens Cemetery on Guemes Island, followed by an 11:30 a.m. memorial service at Grandview Municipal Cemetery, 411 Hillcrest Drive, and a 12:30 p.m. ceremony at Fern Hill Cemetery, 7427 Highway 20.

BAY VIEWBurlington American Legion

Memorial Post 91 members will conduct a memorial service at 9 a.m. at Bayview Cemetery, on Cemetery Road.

BOWBurlington American Legion

Memorial Post 91 members will conduct a memorial service at 10 a.m. at Bow Cemetery, 15778 Bow Cemetery Road.

BURLINGTONBurlington American Legion

Memorial Post 91 members will con-duct a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Burlington Green Hills Cemetery, 11157 N. Gardner Road. Private ceremonies for the fallen will take place at noon at Legion Hall, 721 E. Fairhaven Ave. Ceremonies will conclude with a 21-gun salute. 360-755-1202.

CONCRETEHeskett-Arnold American

Legion Post 132 will host a Memo-

rial Day service at 1 p.m. at Forest Park Cemetery, Compton Lane and Cemetery Road. A potluck lunch will follow the ceremony at Legion Hall, 45952 Main St. 360-853-8940.

CONWAYMason-McConkey American

Legion Post 147 of Conway will con-duct a Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. at Fir-Conway Lutheran Cem-etery, 19084 Milltown Road, south of Conway.

FRIDAY HARBORHacket Larson American Legion

Post 163 will present a Memorial Day parade at 10 a.m. on the first block of Spring Street, followed by a ceremony at the waterfront Memo-rial Park. visitsanjuans.com.

LA CONNERPleasant Ridge Cemetery, 17616

Valentine Road, will host a Memo-rial Day service at 9 a.m. The brief remembrance service will include a presentation by the Rev. Don Rob-inson and a musical performance by the La Conner High School choir. Janna Gage and LCHS student

Nolan Duckworth will also partici-pate. The Marine Corps League will conduct a flag ceremony with assis-tance from La Conner Cub Scouts. Limited seating is available. 360-466-3141 or pleasantridge cemetery.com.

MOUNT VERNONHawthorne Memorial Park,

1825 E. College Way, will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. The ceremony will include words of remembrance, music, an honor guard and refreshments. Members of Burlington American Legion Memorial Post 91 will conduct a flag retirement ceremony. 360-424-1154 or hawthornefh.com.

Mount Vernon Cemetery, 1200 E. Fir St., will host a Memorial Day service at 1 p.m. Pastor Ron Deegan will lead the service, which will include vocals by the La Conner High School concert choir directed by Scott McDade. Additional music will be provided by Hugo’s Accordion Band. The Marine Corps League will present military honors, and light refresh-

ments will be served. 360-336-6845.

SEDRO-WOOLLEYAmerican Legion George Bal-

dridge Post 43 will host a Memo-rial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at Union Cemetery, 2261 Wicker Road. Speakers will include Sedro-Woolley Mayor Mike Anderson. Members of the ladies’ auxiliary will place wreaths, accompanied by an honor guard. 360-855-0520.

STANWOODFrank H. Hancock American

Legion Post 92 will host a Memorial Day observance with a color guard at 11 a.m. at Anderson Cemetery, 7370-7816 Pioneer Highway, south of Highway 532. Retired Air Force Col. Tracey Meck, the Post’s service officer, will speak, and the Stan-wood High School band will provide martial music. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute by the Post 92 Honor Squad in honor of all servicemen and women who gave their lives in military service. A potluck open house will follow at American Legion Post 92, 26921 88th Ave. NW. 360-629-2851.

COMMUNITY

MEMORIAL DAYIN THE AREAMemorial Day is Monday, May 26. There are numerous events planned in honor of veterans who died while serving our country.


ON STAGE

By KERA WANIELISTA@Kera_SVH

From performing songs by Billy Joel to Carole King, KT Tunstall to Queen, the Toronto-based a capella group The Nylons does it all. And they have fun doing it.

“The way I look at it is if we’re having a good time that translates over to the audience and they’ll have a good time,” Claude Mor-rison said.

The Nylons will perform Sat-urday night at the Skagit Valley Casino Resort in Bow. The show is sold out.

Since it formed in Toronto in 1978, the group has gathered quite a following.

“We do have a very dedicated following in the area, bless their hearts,” Morrison said. “I think they appreciate the fact that we don’t just phone it in.”

Morrison, the only original member of the group, said the rea-son the band keeps touring after all these years is simple: They’re having fun.

“I’ve sung all my life, since I was a little kid, you just can’t really shut me up,” Morrison said. “The a capella police aren’t going

to come and say ‘Oh, your 35 years are up.’ ”

The original four members were all aspiring actors when the band formed. For Morrison, sing-ing and performing is something he’s always wanted to do.

Morrison said the group recent-ly celebrated the 35th anniver-sary of its professional debut. At the end of May, they will have a reunion tour in Toronto featuring present and past members.

“I like it and when I’m not doing it, I miss it,” Morrison said. “I tell people it beats working for a living.”

Morrison said Saturday’s show will be a “cross-section” of the entire Nylons catalogue, but there will probably be an emphasis on some of the tracks from their 2011 album “Skin Tight” and some crowd favorites.

For every show, he said, they intend to make sure the audience has a great time.

“We look great, and we sound even better,” Morrison said. “And who can’t use a few laughs?”

n Reporter Kera Wanielista: 360-416-2141, kwanielista@skagitpub lishing.com, Twitter: @Kera_SVH, facebook.com/KeraReports

Submitted photo

The Nylons (from left): Tyrone Gabriel, Gavin Hope, Claude Morrison, Garth Mosbaugh.

THE NYLONS BRING TOP-SHELF A CAPELLA TO THE SKAGIT


GET INVOLVED

AUDITIONS“WHITE CHRISTMAS”:

Theater Arts Guild will hold auditions from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 13-14, at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, 1511 E. Broadway, Mount Vernon. Call-backs (if needed) will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 16. A variety of parts are available for actors, singers and dancers, from youths to mature adults. The show will run Nov. 26-Dec. 13 at the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon. For information or to reserve an audition time, call Cally at 360-770-5444 or email [email protected].

“THE ODD COUPLE” (female version): Audi-tions will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 23-24, at the Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. Call-backs, if needed, will be held Wednesday, June 25. Parts are available for six women and two men, able to play ages from late 20s to early 40s. The audition will involve cold readings from the script. Scripts can be checked out at the theater. 360-679-2237 or whidbey playhouse.com.

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: Practices are held from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. every Thursday at the Shelter Bay Club-house in La Conner. New members welcome. No need to be a Shelter Bay resident. 360-466-3805.

WOMEN SING FOUR-PART HARMONY: Join the women of Harmony Northwest Chorus from 7 to 9:30 p.m. every Monday at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. All a cappella skill levels welcome.

BRASS CHOIR: The Basi-

cally Brass Choir seeks a French horn player to join a group of about 12 musi-cians, playing a variety of styles. Rehearsals are the first and third Mondays in Burlington, with regular per-formances. Contact: David Soiseth, 360-757-0351 or [email protected].

CALL FOR YOUNG MUSI-CIANS: The Mount Vernon-based Fidalgo Youth Sym-phony offers opportunities for ages 5 to 21 to study and perform orchestral music. For information, including tuition costs and rehearsal schedules, contact Sara Fish-er, 360-682-6949 or Anita Tatum, 360-969-1681, or visit fysmusic.org.

DANCEFOLK DANCING: Skagit-

Anacortes Folkdancers meet at 7 p.m. most Tuesdays at Bayview Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Mount Vernon. Learn to folk-dance to a variety of international music. Instruc-tion begins at 7 p.m. fol-lowed by review and request dances until 9:30. The first session is free, $3 thereafter. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 360-766-6866.

SCOTTISH DANCING: Bellingham Scottish Coun-try Dancers meet from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Fairhaven Library auditori-um (upstairs), 1117 12th St., Bellingham. Wear comfort-able clothes and soft-soled shoes without heels. $8 per class. For information, call Mary Anderson at 360-933-1779 or visit bellinghamscd.org.

THURSDAY DANCE: Enjoy dancing to the Skip-pers from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. For informa-tion, contact Doris at 360-588-8239.

ON STAGEANACORTES OPEN MIC:

9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. 360-293-2544.

OPEN MIC: Jam Night, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Thurs-days, Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733.

RECREATIONBOYS & GIRLS CLUB

SUMMER PROGRAMS: Registration is open for summer programs at Skagit Valley Boys & Girls clubs. Children can participate in educational programs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-days through Fridays, June 23-Aug. 15.

Programs that encour-age academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles are designed around different themes each week. The cost for Day Camp and regular Club hours is $100 per week plus the monthly member-ship fee, which starts at $25. A reduced rate is available if your family qualifies for the free or reduced school lunch program. Registration is limited and closes May 30. To learn more or sign up your child, stop by your local club, visit SkagitRaises GreatKids.org/summer or call the club director listed below:

Anacortes: Cory Oppel, 360-588-9045.

La Conner: Kendrick Davis-Pittmon, 360-466-3672.

Mount Vernon: Vesta Anderson, 360-428-6995.

Sedro-Woolley: John Gar-man, 360-856-1830.

SUMMER DAY CAMP: Kids in grades K-6 can enjoy a variety of activities cen-tered on each week’s theme from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at Hillcrest Park, 1717 S.

13th St., Mount Vernon. Two days: $75. Four days: $115. Preregistration required: 360-336-6215 or mountver-nonwa.gov/parks. Here is a listing of the first few weeks:

July 7-10: Adventures Abound: Hike Little Moun-tain’s trails, climb on the Eagle Rock Challenge Course, go on a treasure hunt at Hillcrest Park and learn the basics of geo-caching.

July 14-17: Art Esca-pades: Learn how to use a variety of mediums to create works of art to display at the Children’s Art Festival on July 19. Includes a tour and art lesson at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner.

July 21-24: Sports Extravaganza: Spend time outdoors playing group games, including basketball, soccer, Frisbee, capture the flag and more. Finish the week with roller skating at Skagit Skate.

July 28-31: Barnyard Palooza: Enjoy animal-themed crafts and games, line dancing and a visit to Sky Harvest Produce at Youngquist Farms to take a tour, help with a chore or two, pick berries and stop for ice cream on the way back.

“TREK FOR TREASURE”: Registration is open; hikes start June 13. Enjoy the great outdoors, get fit and have an adventure of a lifetime. For information or to register, call the United General fitness facility at 360-856-7524 or visit trek-fortreasure.org.

AMAZING RACE: Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club is accepting team registrations for Skagit’s Amazing Race to Raise Great Kids, set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 28. The event includes a combination of challenges based on the Priority Out-comes of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County’s

Formula for Impact: Aca-demic Success, Good Char-acter & Citizenship and Healthy Lifestyles.

Loosely following the format of the CBS reality television game show “The Amazing Race,” participants can expect to encounter physical skill elements, such as running and climbing, combined with creative and/or mental skills, such as sing-ing, dancing, puzzle-solving, fact-finding or eating strange foods. Registration is limited to 50 two-person teams. You can participate by competing, sponsoring a challenge or volunteering. Contact Mount Vernon Club director Vesta Anderson at 360-428-6995, email [email protected] or visit SkagitRaisesGreatKids.org/Amazing-Race.

SUMMER SOCCER CAMPS: British Challenger Soccer Camps for ages 3 to 16 will be held July 7-11 and Aug. 4-8 at Skagit River Park, 1100 S. Skagit St., Burlington. Participants will learn the latest foot-skills, feints, moves, juggling, core techniques and game tactics, as well as the history, cus-toms and traditions of other countries. $91-$188, includes T-shirt and soccer ball, soc-cer poster and personalized skills evaluation. For infor-mation or to register, call 800-878-2167 or visit chal-lengersports.com.

FRIENDS OF THE FOR-EST HIKES: Join the Friends of the Forest for scenic hikes in the forest lands around Anacortes. Free. For infor-mation, call 360-293-3725 or visit friendsoftheacfl.org.

Next up:Whistle Morning Hike:

All ages, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31. Meet at the Whistle Lake parking lot. Hike all the way around the lake — the coldest, deepest jewel of the forest.

Heart Lake Old Growth

Loop Hike: For adults, 10 a.m. to noon Friday, June 20. Meet at the base of Mount Erie on Ray Auld Drive. Orange trumpet honey-suckle and ocean spray will be blooming as you explore the old growth forest on the south shore of Heart Lake.

ALL-COMERS TRACK MEETS: Athletes of all ages can compete at 5 p.m. Wednesdays, June 4-July 2, at the Burlington-Edison High School track, 301 N. Burlington Blvd., Burling-ton. Registration opens at 5 p.m., followed by field events at 5:30 p.m. and run-ning events at 6 p.m. $5 per meet or get a season pass and T-shirt for $25. For information, contact Burl-ington Parks and Recreation at 360-755-9649 or visit burl-ingtonwa.gov/recreation.

THEATERAUDITION WORKSHOP:

Theater Arts Guild will present a “White Christmas” audition workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 31, at Mount Vernon Pres-byterian Church, 1511 E. Broadway, Mount Vernon. Actors, singers and dancers will get instruction and tips for TAG’s upcoming audi-tions for the Nov. 26-Dec. 13 production of “White Christ-mas” at the Lincoln Theatre. $20. For information, call Cally at 360-770-5444, email [email protected] or visit theaterartsguild.org.

FREE ADULT ACTING CLASSES: Anacortes Com-munity Theatre offers free acting classes for adults from 10 a.m. to noon the third Saturday each month at 918 M Ave., Anacortes. Classes include scripted scenes and a variety of acting games, with a different topic each month. Each class is independent, so you don’t have to commit to every session. 360-840-0089 or acttheatre.com.


REVIEWS: MUSIC

Coldplay“Ghost Stories”

Chris Martin’s breakup album deals with love and loss in generalities rather than specifics. But then, not many words rhyme with “Gwyneth.”

“I’m ready for the pain,” Coldplay’s frontman sings on “Oceans.” ”I’m ready for a change.”

Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow announced in March they were uncoupling after more than a decade of marriage, which intensified anticipation Coldplay might stray from its familiar formula on the band’s sixth album, “Ghost Stories.” The lyrics do suggest Mar-tin’s trying to escape ghosts in his past, but he surrounds his singing with the digital drone of synthesizers and never digs too deep to describe his heartache. “Blood on the Tracks” this is not.

Instead, the band’s music remains appealing mostly for its surface sheen. Sev-eral arrangements on the nine-track set are intimate by arena-band standards, and the best sound like Martin singing in his bed-room. “Another’s Arms” offers a dreamy chorus for Bic wavers, and the band cranks it up on “A Sky Full of Stars,” which was co-produced by Avicii and has a thump and hook to please the club crowd.

Most of the album was created with producer Paul Epworth, best known for his Grammy- and Oscar-winning work with Adele, as well as Florence + the Machine and Foster the People.

But Epworth doesn’t bring out the best version of Coldplay.

n Steven Wine, Associated Press

Ben and Ellen Harper“Childhood Home”

A mother-and-son album that waxes nos-talgic for the good old days: What could possibly be more senti-mental, right?

Well, not exactly. This teaming of folk-soul string wizard and ace collaborator Ben Harper (who won a Grammy this year for “Get Up!,” his album with blues harp-ist Charlie Musselwhite) and his musician mother Ellen does in fact feature sweet har-mony singing and odes to the pleasures of the hearth. But this set of acoustic originals — six by the younger Harper, four by the elder — is not merely pretty.

“Farmer’s Daughter” gives factory farm-

ing an effective punch to the gut. “Break Your Heart” reveals nasty nonromantic intentions. And “Heavy Hearted World” is a holiday song that’s anything but warm and fuzzy. The Harpers make particularly pleasant music together, but it’s satisfyingly prickly beneath the placid surface.

n Dan DeLuca, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Hunter Hayes“Storyline”

Hunter Hayes in a live setting is an awe-some thing. Luckily, a new album from the Louisiana-born multi-instrumentalist, sing-er and composer (for both himself and Ras-cal Flatts) is now here, and it’s a thought-provoking humdinger.

While Hunter’s anti-bullying anthem “Invisible” is heavy-handed, the rest of “Storyline” is a study in vocal subtlety (his expressive voice has the tone of a mature but still youthful Luke Bryan), lyrical shad-ing, and feathery melody.

Hayes may traffic in recognizable totems on songs like the title track, with its “fast car,” “James Dean spirit,” and “Norma Jean heart.” Still, the wealth of emotions this 23-year-old conjures feels somehow fresh. The same goes for the unpredictable mys-teries Hayes finds in a kiss during the brac-ing slap of “Wild Card”: “It’s funny when you tell me you don’t think you’re all that interesting / I beg to differ / With you I’m out here on the edge of my seat.”

n A.D. Amorosi, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Brantley Gilbert“Just As I Am”

Everybody in Nash-ville has been predicting Brantley Gilbert will be the next big thing in country music for a couple of years now. His new album, the long-awaited “Just as I Am,” is engineered to make that little bit of soothsaying a reality.

The tracks follow the blueprint for mod-ern country success. There’s the drinking song — first single “Bottoms Up” is already a No. 1 hit. There’s a song about his home-town called “Lights of My Hometown.”

He makes sure he defines himself for his female fans on the opener, “If You Want a Bad Boy,” pays tribute to friends and fam-ily members who died too young (“One Hell of an Amen”) and doesn’t forget the all-star team-up (“Small Town Throw-down” with labelmates Justin Moore and

Thomas Rhett).Gilbert had a lot to do with this for-

mula’s popularity as the writer of some of Jason Aldean’s biggest hits, including “My Kinda Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem,” the songs that put Aldean over the top. Since then, there’s been a debate about the direc-tion of country, and Gilbert’s third album is certainly fodder for the discussion.

There’s a difference between following a formula and becoming cliche, however, and Gilbert easily skirts that line with his songwriting, his sonic choices and a more varied vocal approach on the Dann Huff-produced album. Gilbert co-wrote all 11 tracks with the help of some of Nashville’s more distinctive songwriters, and feels more invested than some of his song-min-ing peers.

“Bottoms Up” is more melancholy love song than a sloppy drunk anthem, and Gil-bert’s vocal is subtle. The laid-back guitar line on that leads off opener “Bad Boy” is an invitation to listen for interesting instru-mentation throughout. “Hometown” builds powerfully with a gospel choir wrapped around a towering guitar solo.

And a melancholy line throughout the album finds a home in album-closing “My Faith in You,” a song that reaffirms Gil-bert’s faith after a difficult period that’s included the end of his engagement and struggles with alcohol.

Sturgill Simpson“Metamodern Sounds in Country Music”

The album title is an intriguing one, and the first number, “Turtles (All the Way Down),” is certainly a trippy affair, with its mentions of “reptile aliens” and mind-altering substances, as well as Jesus, Buddha and the Devil. But don’t be fooled: On his second album, Sturgill Simp-son remains hard-core country at heart — more Waylon than way out.

Simpson might have more on his mind than the average honky-tonker or new-country hunk — “Gonna transmigrate to my destination/ Far beyond time in an eternal dream,” he sings on “Just Let Go.” But his musings are tethered mostly to chip-kicking barroom twang, and he’s not above delivering such age-old sentiments as this from the swaggering “Life of Sin”: “Gonna drink myself silly/ Only way for this hillbilly.”

Like any good country boy, Simpson can also deliver a dose of straight-up gospel, as he does with “A Little Light Within.”

n Nick Cristiano, The Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Disney Magical World’Platform: Nintendo 3DSRated: ECost: $29.99Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

In “Disney Magical World,” you get to travel to various Disney movie lands, dress up in Disney costumes and cook Disney-themed meals in hopes of attracting a Disney celebrity to your cafe. It’s a simple, kid-friendly package that hides a surpris-ing amount of gameplay.

The game begins when you either import your Nintendo Mii or make your own character. Your happy little persona is then dumped into a teeth-grindingly long tutorial. Now, this section is long because the game has a ton of basics to explain to you. Fishing. Ghostbusting. Managing a restaurant. This is your first clue that the game is bigger than you might think.

Naturally, “Disney Magical World” kicks off with Mickey Mouse, but it does not take long before the cast extends to include side actors like Uncle Scrooge McDuck and a few deep cuts like Yen Sid (the sorcerer from “Fantasia”). You’re invited to hang out in Castleton, which is arranged like a tiny virtual Disneyland with a castle in the middle and themed adventure zones on all sides. Castleton is home not only to Disney characters but also to a selection of Mii look-alikes who are also, no surprise, big Disney fans.

“Disney Magical World,” like the similar “Animal Crossing,” runs on a real-world clock — fireworks at night! — and offers specialized events based on whatever holiday is coming up. Unlike “Animal Crossing,” however, “World” gives you a directed path toward what fun thing you could do next. As you achieve certain milestones, you are awarded stickers that, in turn, unlock more things to do.

Much of the game’s hook centers on collecting items from all over Castleton and crafting them into furniture, cloth-ing or food. Item drops are random, but they’re easy to find. The crafting recipes also tell you where to locate the more obscure ingredients, so you know if you should go gathering in Aladdin’s city or Winnie-the-Pooh’s forest.

A little bit “Animal Crossing,” a little bit “FarmVille,” “Disney Magical World” turns a Disney character mash-up into an unexpectedly deep exploration game. It is good to see so much Disney love packed into a quality title instead of a cheap chil-dren’s cash-in.

n Joe Fourhman, Chicago Tribune

REVIEWS: VIDEO GAMES


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Renan Barao v. TJ Dillashaw in the World Bantamweight Championship. Live on

pay-per-view in the 10 Sports Bar. Must show Player’s Club Card.

JUNE 1–2Don’t miss your second

chance to qualify for the TournEvent of Champions.

Round II begins June 1.

MAY24 7PM

LIVE MUSIC

MAY 23–24 9PM–1AMMagic Bus: Classic Rock’n’Roll

hits from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

ASIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL: May 23, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

TECH N9NE: May 23-24, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

THE NYLONS: May 24, Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Bow. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

LANA DEL REY: May 27, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

BLACK FLAG: May 27, The Showbox, Seat-tle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

HOODIE ALLEN: May 27, The Crocodile, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

LADY GAGA’S artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball: May 28, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

LIONEL RITCHIE: with CeeLo Green: May 30, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

WILD REEDS: May 30, Showbox SoDo Lounge, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

“IN MY LIFE”: A Musical Tribute to the Beatles: June 5, Mount Baker Theatre, Belling-ham. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

MICHAEL IAN BLACK: June 6, The Show-box, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

KUBE 93 SUMMER JAM: June 6-7, Gorge Amphitheatre, George. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

GRIEVES: June 7, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

BRIT FLOYD: June 9, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS: June 10, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

ONEREPUBLIC: June 12, Comcast Arena at Everett. 866-332-8499 or comcastarena everett.com.

ALLEN STONE: June 13, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

THE FRAY: with Barcelona and Oh Honey: June 17, Marymoor Park, Redmond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

DIGITOUR: June 20, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES: June 20-21, Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Bow. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

SARAH McLACHLAN: June 20-21, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

RODRIGO AMARANTE: June 21, The Bar-boza, Seattle. 206-709-9442 or thebarboza.com.

MERLE HAGGARD, EMMYLOU HARRIS: June 22, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

GAVIN DEGRAW AND MATT NATHANSON: with Mary Lambert: June 24, Marymoor Park, Redmond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: June 26, The Show-box, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

ROBYN + RÖYKSOPP: Do It Again Tour: June 26, Marymoor Park, Redmond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

EARSHOT JAZZ CONCERTS: June 26-28, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle. 800-838-3006 or brownpapertickets.com.

FITZ & THE TANTRUMS: June 27, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showbox online.com.

MINUS THE BEAR: June 27, Columbia City Theater, Seattle. 800-838-3006 or columbia citytheater.com.

THE SOULSHINE TOUR: featuring Michael Franti & Spearhead, with SOJA, Brett Dennen and Trevor Hall: June 27, Marymoor Park, Red-mond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

AN EVENING WITH JOHN LEGEND: June 27, Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

PARADISO FESTIVAL: with Bassnectar, Above & Beyond, Zedd, Krewella and more: June 27-28, Gorge Amphitheatre, George. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

CHER: June 28, KeyArena, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

JOHN LEGEND: June 28, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

PETER MURPHY: June 28, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

STEVE WINWOOD: June 29, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

KISS, DEF LEPPARD: June 29, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

HEART: July 1, Marymoor Park, Redmond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

KRAFTWERK 3-D: July 1, Paramount The-atre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or tickets.com.

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: July 2, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or tickets.com.

MARK LANEGAN: July 3, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

CHEVELLE: July 5, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

STEELY DAN: July 5-6, Marymoor Park, Red-mond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

NEW ORDER: July 6, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 877-784-4849 or livenation.com.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL: with Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Asking Alexandria, Trivium, Cannibal Corpse, Body Count featuring Ice T, Suicide Silence, Emmure, Miss May I, Mushroomhead and more: July 8, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

JURASSIC 5: July 9, The Showbox, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com.

SLIGHTLY STOOPID: with Stephen “Ragga” Marley: July 10, Marymoor Park, Redmond. 888-929-7849 or AXS.com.

HOT TICKETS

FITZ & THE TANTRUMSJune 27, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or showboxonline.com

E8 Thursday, May 22, 2014 Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com Thursday, May 22, 2014 E9

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area May 22-29 TUNING UP Playing at area venues May 22-29

Thursday.22THEATER

“Good People” (drama): Outcast Produc-tions, 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theater, 819 Camano Ave., Langley. $14-$18. brownpapertickets.com or outcastproductions.net.

“Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western Washington University Performing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s campus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu.

Friday.23MUSIC

The Swing Gang (swing, jazz): 7 p.m., Jansen Art Center, 321 Front St., Lynden. $10. 360-354-3600 or jansenartcenter.org.

THEATER“Good People” (drama): Outcast Produc-

tions, 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theater, 819 Camano Ave., Langley. $14-$18. brownpapertickets.com or outcastproductions.net.


Saturday.24CABARET

“A Coincidence of Desires Cabaret”: sopra-nos Tracy Satterfield and Julia Bonnett, pianist Wade Dingman and accordionist Terhi Miikki-Broersma; 7:30 p.m., Jansen Art Center, 321 Front St., Lynden. $20. 360-354-3600 or jansen artcenter.org.

MUSICOSO Benefit: Geoffrey Castle performs with

Chronilus, 7 to 10 p.m., Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center, 7400 272nd St., Stan-wood. 5 p.m. potluck dinner and silent auction. $20; proceeds benefit SCAF/First Responders. 425-268-7283, [email protected], brown papertickets.com/event/667854.

THEATER“Good People” (drama): Outcast Produc-

tions, 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theater, 819 Camano Ave., Langley. $14-$18. brownpapertickets.com or outcastproductions.net.


Sunday.25MUSIC

Basically Brass: 3 p.m., Community of Christ Church, 11507 Scott Road, Bow. Free. 360-766-6320.

THEATER“Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western

Washington University Performing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s campus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu.

THURSDAY.22

SATURDAY.24

SUNDAY.25

Major Sturm: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jansen Art Center Piano Lounge, 321 Front St., Lynden. No cover. 360-354-3600.

Goodson: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411.

Muse Bird Cafe: Jesse Brewster, Lindee Hoshika-wa, Amanda Winterhalter; 7:30 p.m., Con-way Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000.

Expertease (’80s rock & dance): 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Skagit Valley Casi-no Resort, Win-ners Lounge, 5984 N. Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448.

Randy Norris and Jeff Nicely: 8 to 11 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Com-mercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.

Deadly D, Tons of Fun, Dinofour: 9:30 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $3. 360-778-1067.

Midnight Son: 7 to 10 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Benefit for Oso mudslide victims. 360-848-8882.

$cratch Daddy: 9 p.m., Dogghouse, 100 S. Barker St., Mount Vernon. thedogghousebar.com, 360-336-3644.

Ann ‘n’ Dean: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Open to the pub-lic. 360-848-8882.

Goodson: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411.

The Dogtones (classic rock, pop): 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Winners Lounge, 5984 N. Darrk Lane, Bow. No cover. 877-275-2448.

Rivertalk (reggae, rock, world beat): 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000.

Jean Mann: 7 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. 360-445-3000.

Little Bill and the Blue-notes: 7:30 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-755-3956.

Shirley Gnome, Two for the Road: 10 p.m., The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St., Bell-ingham. $5. 360-778-1067.

Ann ‘n’ Dean: 7 to 10 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks, 2120 Mar-ket St., Mount Vernon. Open to the public. 360-848-8882.

Ben and Mia Starner: 6 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $7. 360-445-3000.

Gary B’s Church of Blues: Jam Night, 6 to 10 p.m., Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733.

Desperate Measures (classic rock): 6 to 10 p.m., Castle Tav-ern, 708 Metcalf St., Sedro-Woolley. No cover. 360-855-2263.

New Iberians: 5:30 p.m., Edison Inn, 5829 Cains Court, Edison. 360-766-6266.

Kevin Seconds, Shine Goggles: 9 p.m., The Shake-down, 1212 N. State St., Bellingham. $6. 360-778-1067.

Blues/rock jam with CC Adams and Friends: 4 to 9 p.m., La Conner Pantry & Pub, 315 Morris St., La Conner. 360-466-4488.

Fidalgo Swing: 6 to 9 p.m., Rockfish Grill, 320 Commer-cial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720.

Anissa Caprina and guest (jazz): 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jansen Art Center Piano Lounge, 321 Front St., Lynden. No cover. 360-354-3600.

LOOKING AHEADMONDAY.26 “Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western Washington University Perform-ing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s cam-pus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu.

TUESDAY.27 “Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western Washington University Perform-ing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s cam-pus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu.

WEDNESDAY.28 “Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western Washington University Perform-ing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s cam-pus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu. Lincoln Elemen-tary Talent Show: 7 p.m., Lincoln The-atre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. Free; donations welcome. 360-336-8955 or lincoln theatre.org.

THURSDAY.29 “Corktown”: 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Western Washington University Perform-ing Arts Center, Bellingham. The audience will move with the performers from space to space on Western’s cam-pus. $4-$12. 360-650-6146 or tickets.wwu.edu.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY.22-24“GOOD PEOPLE”Outcast Productions, 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theater, 819 Camano Ave., Langley. $14-$18. brown papertickets.com or outcast productions.net.

Jim Carroll photo

SATURDAY.24OSO BENEFITGeoffrey Castle (pictured) performs with Chronilus, 7 to 10 p.m., Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center, 7400 272nd St., Stanwood. 5 p.m. potluck dinner and silent auction. $20; proceeds benefit SCAF/First Responders. 425-268-7283, [email protected], brownpapertickets.com/event/667854.

WEDNESDAY.28 THURSDAY.29

FRIDAY.23

SATURDAY.24RIVERTALK7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway. $10. 360-445-3000.

FRIDAY.23ANN ‘N’ DEAN6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Open to the public.


MOVIES

L eave it to the X-Men to put the fun back in summer block-busters.

Hugh Jackman, in the role he was coiffed to play, and the rest of the crew from pretty much every film in this past, present and future franchise, deliver the action and the laughs in “Days of Future Past,” an all-star/all-X-Men outing designed to transition from the aging first generation cast into their younger selves. It’s too long and so cluttered with characters and exposition that if you aren’t a fan of the comics, you may feel you’re being punished. But it delivers the 3-D thrills and the Wolverine (and Quicksilver) giggles, and how.

In a “Terminator” future, the robotic Sentinels have all but wiped out humanity and the mutants who love them. But with the aid of time-bending Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), the X-Men may be able to stop the mad — or at least greedy and irritable — scientist (Peter Dinklage) who invented these machines back during the Nixon administration. Future mutants send the greying Wolverine (Jackman), or at least his consciousness, back to 1973.

And from the minute the guy wakes up in a world of lava lamps, Little Feat and Lectric Shave, things are popping. Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his nemesis-turned-ally Magneto (Ian McKellen) need Wolverine to con-vince their feuding young selves (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender) to prevent a vendetta by Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Law-rence) that dooms the future. So Wolverine, Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and the two mutant leaders con-tend with the Vietnam War peace talks, Richard Nixon, as well as the young soldier (Josh Helman) who will age into the evil Stryker as they chase Mystique hither and yon.

Because she’s seen the experi-ments this scientist has been doing on mutants. She’s been to Vietnam, where a selection of them were used in combat. And she’s got blood in her blue-green eyes.

History is twisted and sent up, from the Kennedy assassination to “Star Trek.” They need to bust into

the Pentagon, so they track down a punk teen, the future Quicksilver (Evan Peters, who just kills in this part). That break-in scene, in 3-D slow motion “bullet time,” may be

the coolest action beat ever filmed in 3-D and packs the biggest giggles in any X-Men film. Quick-silver hurtles through a sea of mili-tary police, misdirecting their guns,

playing the “stop hitting yourself” game, giving wedgies.

Meanwhile, in the future, Bishop (Omar Sy), Storm (Halle Berry) and Blink (Bingbing Fan) try to hold off the Sentinels using some of the most spectacular effects (instant wormholes) you’ve ever seen in a fight scene.

Jackman has most of the one-liners. He drops in on the past ver-sion of Xavier’s school for gifted (mutant) kids, which has closed as the professor has lost his way and crawled into a bottle.

“Are you a parent?” Hank/Beast asks at the door.

“I sure as hell HOPE not!”The acting is all you could hope

for from this cast, with Page bring-ing the empathy and Jackman delivering the cool. Dinklage could have added a bit more villainous glee, but McAvoy re-interprets Xavier nicely and Lawrence doesn’t let down the side.

There’s no Stan Lee cameo, the onslaught of characters is a bit much and the third act drags and drags before delivering a heartfelt payoff. But “Days of Future Past” is most everything we’d hoped the summer’s earlier popcorn pictures would be — fun.

X-Men find the ’70s as

funny as ever in ‘Days of

Future Past’By ROGER MOORE / McClatchy-Tribune News Service

‘X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST’

HHH

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Ellen Page, James McAvoy, Peter Dinklage, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Omar Sy Running time: 2:15 MPAA rating: PG- 13 for sequences of intense sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language

Michael Fassbender (above) and

Jennifer Lawrence (right) star in

“X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

20th Century Fox via AP


MOVIES

MINI-REVIEWSCompiled from news services.Ratings are one to four stars.

“Blended” — The third comedy pairing Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore is so much worse than the others, it’s difficult to put into words beyond some-thing along the lines of: This is a cliched, cynical, occa-sionally offensive, pandering, idiotic film that redefines shameless. Comedy, PG-13, 117 minutes. H “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” — The more screen time Chris Evans accrues as Captain America, the more engaging the per-formance. He’s terrific in this adventure, more complex and more compelling than in his 2011 debut. Amid well-choreographed action sequences and a couple of nifty twists and turns, we get another rock-solid chapter in the big-screen story of Marvel. Scarlett Johans-son, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Redford co-star. Sci-fi action, PG-13, 136 minutes. HHH1⁄2 “Chef” — Jon Favreau wrote “Chef,” directed it and stars as a gifted L.A. chef who gets fired and reinvents himself, traveling the country with his kid in a food truck. This is a return to the Favreau of “Swingers” and “Made” -- funny, quirky and insightful, with a bounty of interesting supporting characters. Comedy, R, 115 minutes. HHH “Devil’s Knot” — Atom Egoyan’s “Devil’s Knot” is a respectful and well-inten-tioned fictionalization of the West Memphis Three case of three teenagers convicted of killing little boys but even-tually let free. Lacking in any real new insight, it recounts twists and turns already bet-ter explained in a number of documentaries. Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon star. Crime drama, not rated, 115 minutes. HH “Draft Day” — The general manager of the hapless Cleveland Browns (Kevin Costner) tries to coax some star power during the NFL draft in this sentimental, predictable and thoroughly entertaining movie. I would have liked to see less soap-opera subplot (a pregnant

girlfriend, an egotistical team owner) and more inside football machina-tions. Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary, Frank Langella and Chadwick Boseman co-star. Sports drama, PG-13, 110 minutes). HHH “Frozen” — When a queen with icy powers (voice of Idina Menzel) accidentally freezes her kingdom, she runs away and her intrepid sister (Kristen Bell) goes

to find her. Sure to delight kids and captivate adults, Disney’s musical “Frozen” is the instant favorite for the animated feature Oscar. Animated musical, PG, 102 minutes. HHH1⁄2 “God’s Pocket” — Direct-ed by John Slattery (“Mad Men”), this is a film about third-rate criminal Mickey (Philip Seymour Hoffman), hard-drinking construction workers, casually corrupt

business owners and gun-toting florists. In the wrong hands it might have come across as condescend-ing, but “God’s Pocket” is unblinking without pander-ing. Drama, R, 88 minutes. HHH1⁄2 “Godzilla” — While this reboot has its baffling plot developments and the human characters aren’t exactly Shakespearean in depth, there’s some pretty impressive CGI monster destruction here. It’s leaps and bounds ahead of the two main “Godzilla” movies that Americans have seen in the past. Sci-fi action, PG-13, 123 minutes. HHH “Hateship Loveship” — Kristen Wiig’s performance as a caretaker duped into believ-ing she’s being courted is so beautifully muted it takes a while to appreciate the loveli-ness of the notes she’s hit-ting. She’s playing someone a bit, well, crazy, but her quiet resolve is kind of heroic. She’s pretty awesome. With Guy Pearce, Hailee Steinfeld, Nick Nolte. Drama, R, 101 minutes. HHH1⁄2 “Locke” — In writer-direc-tor Steven Knight’s mesmer-izing jewel of a film, Tom Hardy is so brilliant we read-ily watch him drive a car and talk on the hands-free phone for virtually the entirety of the movie. It’s a beautiful film to watch, as the head-lights seem animated in the rain-filtered colors of the night while a man drives and drives and makes life-chang-ing phone calls. Drama, R, 85 minutes. HHHH “Million Dollar Arm” — Nearly everything in “Million Dollar Arm” feels borrowed from other sports movies and ever so slightly reshaped, and almost never for the better. It’s more interested in the redemption of a broken-down sports agent (Jon Hamm) than the amazing adventure of two Indian cricket players he brings to America to pitch baseball. Sports, PG, 124 minutes. HH “Neighbors” — New par-ents (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) go to war against the party-all-night fraternity next door. About 40 percent of “Neighbors” falls flat. About 60 percent made me laugh hard, even when I knew I should have known better. Comedy, R, 97 minutes. HHH

“Oculus” — Here is a hor-ror movie that will reach out and grab that spot on your spine that produces all the chills. Thanks to the wonder-fully twisted style of direc-tor Mike Flanagan and four terrific young actors playing brother and sister as chil-dren and adults, “Oculus” is one of the more elegant scary movies in recent mem-ory. Horror, R, 105 minutes. HHH1⁄2 “Palo Alto” — Based on a series of short stories by James Franco, who co-stars as a predatory soccer coach, “Palo Alto” is well-directed by Gia Coppola, but relatively slight and only occasionally provocative. It’s an unre-mittingly bleak slice of life focusing on a group of teen-agers partying and angsting their way through their high school years. Drama, R, 100 minutes. HH1⁄2 “RoboCop” — The 2014 version of “RoboCop” takes advantage of the superior technology available now, but doesn’t match up to the original when it comes to story and cast. As Alex Mur-phy, the wounded officer con-verted into RoboCop, Joel Kinnaman comes across as a wooden human being AND a wooden robot. Sci-fi action, PG-13, 118 minutes. HH “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” — It’s difficult to imagine how “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” could have been any worse. Long gone are the ele-ments that made the Tobey Maguire/Kirsten Dunst “Spi-der-Man” series so effective: genuine charm and humor, breathtaking action, and the correct amount of darkness and menace. In its place is a wildly connected cacophony, alternately chaotic and would-be serene, baffling in its lack of originality and its reliance on worn cliches. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dan DeHaan, Sally Field. Action-adventure, PG-13, 140 minutes. H “The Bag Man” — One can’t help but wonder what Robert De Niro and John Cusack saw in the script for “The Bag Man” that made two of our most interesting actors sign up for this irritat-ing mess of a movie. It’s warmed-over Tarantino mixed with a third-rate tribute to the Coen brothers with a dose of David Lynch-ian

madness. Thriller, R, 108 minutes. H “The Other Woman” — This would-be comedy is so tone-deaf, so excruciatingly awful, it’s a minor miracle the studio didn’t confiscate the original print and lock it up. None of the stars — Cameron Diaz, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau or especially the big and broad Leslie Mann — escapes this mess with a shred of dignity. Com-edy, PG-13, 109 minutes. H “The Railway Man” — Based on the true story of a British Army officer (Colin Firth) in World War II and the Japanese Imperial Army officer who tortured him. This is another prestige film that sometimes feels more like a history assignment than entertainment. Some-times it’s hard to watch. It’s also hard to imagine anyone watching it and not being deeply moved. Drama, R, 108 minutes. HHH “Transcendence” — In a bold, beautiful, sometimes confounding flight of futuris-tic speculation, Johnny Depp plays a scientific visionary whose thoughts and person-ality are uploaded before he dies. He uses his ever-increasing intelligence to cure the sick and heal the planet, but fears arise that he will accumulate so much power and intelligence he’ll become the greatest threat to freedom the world has ever known. What a stunning piece of work. Sci-fi thriller, PG-13, 119 minutes. HHHH “Under the Skin” — An alien on Earth (Scarlett Johannson) cruises Scotland in a van, hitting on young lads, in a stark mood piece that drills into your psyche and will stay there forever. It’s weird, polarizing work, but I found it the most memorable movie of the first few months of 2014. Sci-fi drama, R, 108 minutes. HHHH “Walking With the Enemy” — In a plodding and clunky drama based on an amazing true-life story, a Hungarian Jew wears a stolen Nazi uniform and assumes the identity of the enemy to save lives during World War II. As earnest and heartfelt as a movie can be, “Walking With the Enemy” never misses an opportunity to embrace a cli-che. War drama, PG-13, 123 minutes. HH

AT AREA THEATERS

ANACORTES CINEMASMay 23-29 Blended (PG-13): 1:05, 3:45, 6:20, 9:10 X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13): 12:45, 3:35, 6:30, 9:20 Million Dollar Arm (PG): Friday-Wednesday: 12:55, 3:35, 6:35, 9:20; Thursday: 12:55, 3:35, 9:20 Maleficent (PG): Thursday: 7:00 360-293-6620

BLUE FOX DRIVE-INOak HarborMay 23-25 X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13) and Blended (PG-13). First movie starts at approximately 8:30 p.m. 360-675-5667

CONCRETE THEATREMay 23-26 Heaven is for Real (PG): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 6:30 p.m. Rio 2 (G): Saturday: 5 p.m.; Sunday: 4 p.m.; Monday: 4 p.m. 360-941-0403

CASCADE MALL THEATRESBurlington For listings: 888-AMC-4FUN (888-262-4386).

OAK HARBOR CINEMASMay 23-29 Blended (PG-13): Friday: 1:10, 4:00, 6:50, 9:20; Sat-urday-Sunday: 10:30, 1:10, 4:00, 6:50, 9:20; Monday-Thursday: 1:10, 4:00, 6:50, 9:20 X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13): Friday: 12:50, 3:50, 6:40, 9:30; Saturday-Sunday: 10:20, 12:50, 3:50, 6:40, 9:30; Monday-Thursday: 12:50, 3:50, 6:40, 9:30 Godzilla (PG-13): Friday: 1:00, 3:40, 6:30, 9:10; Sat-urday-Sunday: 10:10, 1:00, 3:40, 6:30, 9:10; Monday-Thursday: 1:00, 3:40, 6:30, 9:10 360-279-2226

STANWOOD CINEMASMay 23-29 Blended (PG-13): 1:10, 3:45, 6:30, 9:00 X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13): 1:00, 3:50, 6:40, 9:25 Godzilla (PG-13): 1:20, 4:00, 6:50, 9:30 Million Dollar Arm (PG): 1:15, 3:55, 6:45, 9:20 Neighbors (R): Friday-Wednesday: 1:30, 3:40, 6:55, 9:05; Thursday: 1:30, 3:40, 9:05 Maleficent (PG): Thursday: 7:00 360-629-0514


OUT & ABOUT

ARTIN THE ART BAR: Art-

work by Cherie Donovan-Smith is on display through May 31 in the Lincoln Theatre’s Art Bar, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. Donovan-Smith, co-creator of the newly founded Artisan Craft Cooperative in Sedro-Woolley, paints vibrant, celebratory images of women and creates whimsical felted objects and “characters” for her own line of cards. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

“MEMOIRS OF A BIRD”: Check out Northwest artist Anne Schreivogl’s new exhibition, showing through May 30 at La Con-ner Seaside Gallery, 101 First St., La Conner. The show features Schreivogl’s upbeat, colorful paintings, delighting in the reader’s and writer’s world, with images of typewriters, books, and letter-writing. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 360-202-2956 or laconner seasidegallery.com.

PAINTINGS AND PAS-TELS: “Amanda Houston: Oils and Pastels” continues through June 3 at Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commer-cial Ave., Anacortes. The show includes Houston’s brilliantly colored oils as well as a selection of softer pastel landscapes. Also showing: oils by Seattle artist Brooke Borcherd-ing, black and white pho-tography by David Lucas, pastels by Pat Meras, oils by Donna Trent and mixed media by Renate Trapkowski. Gallery hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 360-293-6938 or scottmilo.com.

“LANDSCAPE/MIND-SCAPE”: A show featuring artists Mike Adams, Susan-

na Bluhm, Jennifer Camp-bell and Jennifer Zwick continues through June 1 at Anchor Art Space, 216 Commercial Ave., Ana-cortes. Using landscape as a metaphor for a place within the mind, regional artists use sculpture, installation, video and mixed media works to create landscapes that suggest memory, humor and fear. Curated by Ann Chadwick Reid. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sun-day. 360-755-3140 or anchor artspace.org.

FABRIC ART: A show of quilts by fabric artist Louise Harris continues through May 31 at McCool Gallery, 711 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. The show will also feature paintings by Anne Martin McCool, jewelry by Carole Cunning-ham and Debbie Aldrich, wood by George Way and Art Learmonth, sculptures by Tracy Powell, ceramics by Patsy Chamberlain and Barbara Hathaway, hand-woven scarves by Martha Tottenham and gourd art by Vicki Hampel. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. 360-293-3577 or mccoolart.com.

CHILDREN’S ART WALK: Allied Arts Gallery, 1418 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, is featuring professional work by Allied Arts Teach-ing Artists in Whatcom County through May 31 in honor of the statewide Arts Education Month and ArtsEd WA, a new program exploring issues in arts and education. For information, contact Allied Arts at 360-676-8548 or visit alliedarts.org.

PAINTINGS & CERAM-ICS: An exhibition of new paintings by Becky Fletch-er and ceramics by Jeffrey Hanks continues through

June 1 at Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison. Fletcher’s new body of work, “Reitera-tions,” explores the repeat-ed lines and shapes offered visually by nature. Hanks’ ceramics are fired in either a wood-burning kiln or in clay containers known as saggers, which infuses the surface with random flashes from the flame strike. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. 360-766-6230 or smithandvallee.com.

“AROUND THE CORNER AND UP THE STREET”: A show of artwork by local artists continues through June 1 at the Edison Eye Gallery, 5800 Cains Court, Edison. Artists include Charles Atkinson, David Blakesley, Jessica Bonin, Barry Christensen, F.L. Decker, David Hall, Sheila Klein, Margy Lavelle, Ries

Niemi, James Reisen, John Robbins, Toni Ann Rust, Doris Thomas, Mandy Turner and Christine War-denburg-Skinner. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday or by appointment. 360-766-6276.

“PHOTOGRAPHIC PRES-ENCE AND CONTEMPO-RARY INDIANS: MATIKA WILBUR’S PROJECT 562”: The exhibition contin-ues through Oct. 5 at the Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. Pho-tographer Matika Wilbur, a member of the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes, has taken on the task of photograph-ing every federally recog-nized indigenous nation in the United States — num-bering some 562 tribes when her project began in 2012. Project 562 is one of the few contemporary pho-tographic projects of this magnitude to be completed

exclusively by a Native photographer, and the only large-scale effort to capture the vibrancy of contempo-rary Native culture through interviews and the collec-tion of stories.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. $10 adults, $8 students, military and seniors, $25 family, free for members and ages 5 and younger. 253-272-4258 or tacomaartmuseum.org.

SAN JUAN ART TOUR: The 23rd anniversary San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 31-June 1, at 15 artists’ studios. Check out a variety of original artworks by more than 40 artists on display and offered for sale from the source, with a chance to enter a draw-ing for art at each location. Maps and brochures for the free self-guided tour are available at Friday Harbor businesses or at sanjuan islandartists.com.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBIT: The La Conner Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is on display through March 1, 2015, at public locations around La Con-ner. The annual juried exhibition features work by some of the Northwest’s most accomplished artists. For information, including a map of the sculptures and works available for sale, call 360-466-3125 or visit townoflaconner.org.

EXHIBITIONS AT MoNA: Three new exhibits contin-ue through June 15 at The Museum of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St., La Conner:

“Lucy Mae Martin: Hands On”: The artworks in the exhibition are wrapped and sandblasted stones representing a new side of the Skagit Valley artist’s heavy, creative

work life. Martin says, “I am inspired to engrave relief-style because there are millions of years tucked behind the surface of every beautiful, unique stone, and the sandblast-ing reveals these layers. I enjoy engraving Braille because it encourages total interaction with my work … I believe that everybody should be able to enjoy the arts in their own individual way.”

“Shapes of Abstraction from the Permanent Col-lection”: The exhibit offers a study of form and color of new acquisitions with an ekphrastic poem (descrip-tion of a visual work of art) by Kathleen Flenniken. Curated by exhibitions director Lisa Young.

“John Cole: A Historical Perspective”: Recognized as one of the Pacific North-west’s leading landscape artists, John Cole (1936-2007) painted in the region for almost four decades.

Favoring abstraction over literal description, Cole’s distinctive, muscular style sublimely expresses the quintessential features of the majestic Northwest landscape — water, moun-tains and trees.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues-day through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Free admission. 360-466-4446 or museum ofnwart.org.

CAR SHOWSALL AMERICAN CAR

SHOW: The Humane Soci-ety of Skagit Valley will host the All American Car Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at the HSSV Adoption Cen-ter, 18841 Kelleher Road, Burlington. Any American-make car from any year can be entered. Trophies will be awarded in 12 cat-egories. $10 entry fee. Free for spectators.

SPRING FILM SERIES“A Man for All Seasons,” starring Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller and Robert Shaw, will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday at Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes as part of the library’s Spring Film Series. Free. The movie tells the story of Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the king rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry. Won the Oscar for Best Picture. (unrated, 1966).


OUT & ABOUT

Proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of Skagit Valley. For information, contact Kandi at 360-853-3373 or skagithumane.com.

FESTIVALSNORTHWEST FOLKLIFE

FESTIVAL: The 43rd annual event will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, May 23-26, at the Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. Several thousand partici-pants will offer hundreds of performances. Enjoy music, dance, visual arts, folklore exhibits, symposia, work-shops, crafts, food, hands-on demonstrations and more. Suggested donation: $10 individual, $20 family. 206-684-7300 or nwfolklife.org.

LECTURES AND TALKS

WORLD ISSUES FORUM: Western Washing-ton University’s Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies holds its annual World Issues Forum from noon to 1:20 p.m. Wednes-days in the Fairhaven College auditorium on the WWU campus in Bell-ingham. Presentations are free and open to the public. 360-650-2309 or wwu.edu/fairhaven/news/world issuesforum. Next up:

May 28: “Adventures in Hospital Land: The Semiot-ics and Sadism of the U.S. Medical Industrial Com-plex”: with Wendy Susan Simonds, professor of sociology at Georgia State University.

This talk centers on the visual culture of medi-cal institutions — what Simonds calls “Hospital Land” — through a discus-sion of photographs she began taking during the chemotherapy treatment of her friend and former colleague in 2007, and

continued to take thereaf-ter. Simonds will describe how her perceptions of and strategies for coping with Hospital Land have changed as she has aged, and as she became increas-ingly (personally and pro-fessionally) attentive to the contradictions and com-plexities of medicalization.

“WONDERS OF BATS”: Friday Creek Habitat Stew-ards, Skagit Conservation District and Bats North-west will present “Wonders of Bats” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. today at Alger Community Hall, 18735 Parkview Lane, Alger.

Bats are vital to the sur-vival of many ecosystems, provide many benefits to the home garden and are essential to the survival of many flowering plants. Kathleen Bander of Bats Northwest will present facts on bats, including the many kinds, their lifestyles, myths and benefits, as well as information on what is being done to conserve bats worldwide. Free. Reg-ister by May 20: Contact Kristi Carpenter at 360-428-4313 or email [email protected].

“MORE ANACORTES HISTORY & MYSTERIES”: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes. Museum educator Bret Lunsford offers little-known, sometimes surpris-ing stories and photos from Anacortes history. Free. 360-293-1910, ext. 21, or library.cityofanacortes.org.

“TREE ARMY: THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS IN WASHINGTON STATE, 1933-1941”: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, Upper Skagit Library, 45770B Main St., Concrete. Author and historian Janet Oakley will discuss the history of the Civilian Conservation

Corps camps in Washing-ton and explore the impact they had on our state’s natural resources and on the men who worked to preserve them. Free. 360-853-7939 or upperskagit.lib.wa.us.

“WHAT’S YOUR AVO-CADO?”: Stacie Zinn Roberts, author of “How to Live Your Passion & Fulfill Your Dreams,” will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at Where The Heart Is Assisted Living, 410 Norris St., Burlington. Learn from Roberts about the “What’s Your Avo-cado?” personal empower-ment concept and how you can utilize it to help you to live your passion and fulfill your dreams. Free. 360-755-8007.

MORE FUNSTERNWHEELER

REOPENS: The sternwheel-er W.T. Preston and the Anacortes Maritime Heri-tage Center, 713 R Ave., Anacortes, have reopened for the summer.

The W.T. Preston is designated as a National Historic Landmark, and the Heritage Center cur-rently features “BMW Oracle: Building a World Champion in Anacortes.” The exhibit includes a large model of the craft and a rudder, and offers a look into the creation of the prize-winning vessel. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission to the Preston is $1-$3. Heritage Center admission is free. 360-293-1916 or museum.cityofanacotes.org.

“DEAR MOTHER”: A special exhibit celebrat-ing the mothers of Skagit County continues through June 1 at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S. Fourth St., La Con-ner. The exhibit features

photos, flowers and china. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. $5 adults, $4 seniors and ages 6 to 12, $10 families, free for members and ages 5 and younger. 360-466-3365 or skagitcounty.net/museum.

“RELOCATION: THE IMPACT OF WORLD WAR II ON SKAGIT COUNTY”: The exhibit continues through June 29 at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 Fourth St., La Conner. Learn how World War II affected the residents of Skagit County, including those who were relocated to internment camps. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admis-sion: $5 adults, $4 seniors and children ages 6 to 12, $10 families, free for members and children ages 5 and younger. 360-466-3365 or skagitcounty.net/museum.

WINE & RHODIES: Meerkerk Gardens will host the “Wine & Rhodies” fundraiser from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at 3531 Meerkerk Lane, Green-bank.

Enjoy wine and appe-tizers while strolling through acres of bloom-ing rhododendrons in a peaceful woodland setting. $15. Proceeds will benefit Meerkerk Gardens. Reser-vations requested: 360-678-1912, 360-222-0121 or email [email protected].

TANKFEST NORTH-WEST: Check out restored tanks, military vehicles, artillery weapons and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, May 26, at the Flying Heritage Collection, Paine Field, 3407 109th St. SW, Everett. See driving and firing demonstrations and a Puget Sound Military Vehicle Collectors Club

parade. The International Plastic Modelers Society will be on hand to show off their intricate military vehicle models and help you refine your own mod-eling techniques. Admis-sion: $10-$14, free for ages 5 and younger. 877-342-3404 or flyingheritage.com.

NEW MOON CELEBRA-TION: The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the Anacortes Center for Happiness, 619 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Join Rev. Elke Macartney to let go of thoughts and feelings and set your intentions for the coming month. Bring your own hand drums and rat-tles or borrow hers. $5-$10 suggested donation. 360-464-2229 or anacortes centerforhappiness.org.

PADDLESPORTS: Pad-dle4Ever and Washington Water Trails Association will present “Blazing Paddles,” a paddling film festival at 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at the Lincoln The-atre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. The featured films will cover a range of paddlesports including sea kayaking, whitewater kaya-king, surf skiing, canoeing, rafting, stand-up paddle boarding and more. $15 at the door. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

WINE & CHOCOLATES: Enjoy an evening of wine and artisan chocolates from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 30, in the schoolhouse at Christianson’s Nursery, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon. Jeff Hellam of Hellam’s Vineyard in La Conner and chocolatier Crystal Scheer of Charmed Chocolates in Bellingham will team up to present a pairing of six wines and six artisan chocolates. Proceeds will benefit the new La Conner Regional

Library building project. The nursery also will donate a portion of plant sales made from 5 to 9 p.m. to the project. Must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets: $25. Available from brown-papertickets.com or the La Conner Library Founda-tion, 614 Morris St., La Conner.

LOOK TO THE STARS: Explore the night sky and view distant galaxies, nebu-las and planets beginning at dark Friday, May 30, at Fort Nugent Park, 2075 SW Fort Nugent Road, Oak Harbor. Island County Astronomi-cal Society members will provide an assortment of telescopes for viewing. All ages are welcome. Free. The event will be canceled if cloudy. 360-679-7664 or icas-wa.webs.com.

CLEAR LAKE REUNION: The Clear Lake Historical Association will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at 12655 Highway 9, Clear Lake.

The group will honor the DeBay family of DeBay Island and will display photos and memorabilia of their early years in the area. The association also will display other historical photos and information. Free. 360-856-4324 or clear lakehistoricalassn.org.

TEA & FASHIONS: Enjoy an afternoon tea luncheon and a Downton Abbey fashion show from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at the Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. NW, Stanwood.

Enjoy a show of vin-tage fashions along with a lunch including a croissant sandwich, scones, mouth-watering sweets, fruit and assorted varieties of tea. $10. Information: stan-woodseniorcenter.org. Res-ervations: 360-629-7403.


Local travel VACATION GO SHOW: Enjoy a presentation about some of the most popular destinations in America at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at the AAA Travel Store, 1600 E. College Way, Suite A, Mount Vernon. Free. RSVP: 360-848-2090.

SHORT TRIPS: Mount Ver-non Parks and Recreation offers travel opportunities for ages 12 and older (adult supervision required for ages 18 and younger). Trips depart from and return to Hillcrest Park, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-6215. Next up: “Wallabies and Water-falls”: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Travel to the town of Snoqualmie to view the 286-foot Snoqualmie Falls and adjoining hydroelectric project, followed by time to enjoy a no-host lunch and exploration of the quaint downtown. Next, the group will head to the Fall City Wallaby Ranch for a private tour, including a chance to pet, feed and learn all about gray and albino Ben-nett’s wallabies and red kangaroos, with one final stop at Maltby for an after-noon treat at Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream. $62-$64. Register by June 6. “San Juan Island History, Hiking and Whales”: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28. Travel by van and ferry to Friday Harbor for hiking and great views at American Camp, then on to Lime Kiln Point State Park, considered one of the best locations to see migrating orca whales. After a picnic lunch, head back to Friday Harbor for time on your own to explore shops and cafes. Pack a lunch and wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable hiking shoes. $72-$80. Register by June 20.

EXTENDED TRIPS: The Oak Harbor Senior Center is organizing sev-eral extended trips: New England, Sept. 26-Oct. 3, “Southern Charm,” Dec. 14-19; Panama, February 2015; “Blue Danube,” April 14-28, 2015; and Portugal, fall 2015. For informa-tion, contact Pat Gardner 360-279-4582 or email at [email protected].

TRAVEL

By MATTHEW BARAKATAssociated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington National Cem-etery’s hallowed ground honors American soldiers from many wars. But as Arlington marks its 150th anniversary this year with tours and events, historians note that its roots are firmly planted in the Civil War.

It was June 15, 1864, as the war dragged into its fourth year, when War Secretary Edwin Stanton ordered the land turned into a military cemetery for the increasing numbers of dead soldiers.

The location for the cem-etery just happened to be the former estate of Robert E. Lee, who took command of the Confederate Army when Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861. The Union Army immedi-ately seized and fortified the estate, then known as Arlington Heights.

But Stephen Carney, the cemetery’s command histo-rian, said it’s misleading to suggest that the cemetery was established merely as a way to spite Lee.

The seizure of the estate was a military necessity, no matter who owned the property, Carney said. From the highest points of Arling-ton National Cemetery, it’s easy to see why the Union Army wanted it: To this day it offers a nearly unrivaled view of the capital in Wash-

ington, D.C., just a few miles away.

And in 1864, the need for a burial ground was press-ing. Wounded soldiers sent back to Washington were dying in unsanitary hospitals at an increasing rate. The high casualties were partly due to a change in strategy: Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had assumed control of the Union Army, and was more willing than his predecessors to fight in Confederate ter-ritory.

That said, animosity toward Lee played a role in the cemetery’s location, said Matt Penrod, park ranger at Arlington House, a National Park Service site within the cemetery that includes the Lee family mansion.

Initially gravediggers bur-ied the dead on the estate’s fringes. But Union quarter-master Gen. Montgomery Meigs, a native Georgian, did not respect Lee’s deci-sion to lead the Confederate

troops. Meigs ordered that graves surround the man-sion, ensuring that the Lees would never want to return.

“It’s the dead them-selves that get the ultimate revenge against Lee,” Pen-rod said, adding that the loss of the home “definitely bothered the Lee family a great deal.”

Today the cemetery draws nearly 4 million visi-tors a year. Most are tour-ists visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame at President John F. Kennedy’s tomb. But Arlington is also a working and busy cemetery, hosting roughly 30 burials a day.

Tourists and mourners share the cemetery in a

unique way. School children who are talking and laugh-ing as they tour the cem-etery typically go quiet and maintain a respectful dis-tance when they encounter a funeral procession.

The military funerals can be emotionally overwhelm-ing to behold. While some are for older veterans, they also include young service members recently killed in action.

“You’re seeing lives cut short. That grief is very raw,” said cemetery spokeswoman Jennifer Lynch.

The cemetery serves as a resting place for service members from every con-flict in U.S. history, includ-ing Iraq and Afghanistan.

Soldiers from the American Revolution were reinterred at Arlington after their gravesites were displaced by a development project in Georgetown.

In addition to U.S. presi-dents, others buried here include Supreme Court jus-tices, astronauts, war heroes, sports figures and celebri-ties, including baseball inventor Abner Doubleday, boxer Joe Louis and actor Lee Marvin. All three were veterans.

Arlington Cemetery’s 150 years rooted in Civil War

At a glance Arlington National Cemetery: arlingtoncem etery.mil, 877-907-8585. Where: Located across Memorial Bridge from Washington D.C. on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. By sub-way, take the Blue Line from Washington to Arlington National Cemetery. Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (until 5 p.m. October through March).

ABOVE: A U.S. Army honor guard stands at the grave site of Army Pvt. William Christman, the first military burial at the cemetery, marking the beginning of commemo-rations of the 150th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery on May 13 in Arlington, Va. Christman, 20, enlisted in the 67th Pennsylvania Infantry and was hospi-talized for measles five weeks later, dying on May 11, 1864, and buried at Arlington on May 13.LEFT: The eternal flame flickers in the early morning light at the grave of John F. Kennedy.AP file photos


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NT Live: ‘King Lear’7:30 p.m. today

Academy Award win-ner Sam Mendes (“Sky-fall, “American Beauty”) returns to the National Theatre to direct Simon Russell Beale (“Timon of Athens,” “Collaborators”) in the title role of Shake-speare’s tragedy.

An aged king decides to divide his kingdom between his three daugh-ters, according to which of them is most eloquent in praising him. His favurite, Cordelia, says nothing. Lear’s world descends into chaos.

$15 general; $13 seniors; $11 students with $2 off for Lincoln members.

‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 23-245:30 p.m. Sunday, May 257:30 p.m. Monday, May 26

“The Grand Buda-pest Hotel” recounts the adventures of M. Gustave, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby

boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous fam-ily fortune, all against the backdrop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent.

Starring Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, F. Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Léa Seydoux, Mathieu Amalric, Saoirse Ronan and Willem Dafoe.

Rated R. $10 general; $9 seniors, students and active military; $8 members; $7 children 12 and under. Bargain matinee prices (all shows before 6 p.m.): $8 general, $6 members, $5 children 12 and under.

Lincoln Elementary School Talent School7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28

Students in grades 1-6 from Lincoln Elementary will perform in the school’s annual talent show. Stu-dents had to audition to appear in the show. Free.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” will play May 23-26.


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EvEry 30 MinutEs! • 10 – 11 am & 12 – 6 pm

EntEr at thE rEwards Club CEntEr

• Redeem $5 Player-Bucks at the Rewards Club Center for your Tournament Entry • Tournament Rounds are First Come, First Served • $5 Player-Bucks per round, limit Three Tournament Rounds per person, per Friday

Final Day May 30!

*

Casino opens at 9 am daily. Must be 21 or older with valid ID to enter casino, buffet or attend shows. *Must be a Rewards Club Member – Membership is FREE! Must be present to win. Skagit Player-Bucks are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Management reserves all rights.On I-5 at Exit 236 • theskagit.com • 877-275-2448

SVH-AE

360 may 22 2014

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