The weather in the Flathead Valley is still unseasonably cool. The new house overlooking Dry Bridge Slough needs a little yard work, but is ready for occupancy. All of our wild friends are waiting for our three cats and us.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: The reception for Abbrescia's Passion -- Plein Aire Paintings of Glacier National Park went well. Mark Ogle was brief and to the point in his praises of Joe -- much like a plein aire painting should be! The Artist/Wilderness Connection show at Big Mountain Resort was delayed until Monday, so I'm video-editing today.


(R to L) Photographer Lyle Olson and visitor Hy during the opening of Olson'sViews of India at the Hockaday Museum of Art

The weather in the Flathead Valley is now as cool as it is, say -- in early April. Not too long ago it was almost 100 degrees (F). I've bought a house overlooking a slough -- kind of a lake in an oxbow left behind by the Flathead River. The northern tip of the water is surrounded by Dry Bridge Park. All of our wild friends swim and play along our back yard again -- Ducks, Muskrat, Red Wing Blackbirds etc.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: Abbrescia's Passion -- Plein Aire Paintings of Glacier National Park: Opening Reception TONIGHT! Celebrating the life and work of my late friend Joe Abbrescia. Fellow artist, and former competitor, Mark Ogle will speak at 4:00 p.m. on Joe's life and work. Lyle Olson will also be on hand to co-host the formal opening of his photographic exhibit: Views of India.
Tomorrow morning I'm putting up the annual Artist/Wilderness Connection show at Big Mountain Resort, along with the US Forest Service.
I'm also editing my college's Current Events video for Cable TV today.

Media Watch: NPR had a discussion about Otis Redding at the seminal Monterey Pop Festival, presented almost 40 years ago at the beginning of the famous (some say infamous) Summer of Love in nearby San Francisco. One point escaped the somewhat flippant interviewer -- Redding already had a significant audience among "white" music fans -- his incredible album Live In Europe, with an almost identical set, stands as proof. Wikipedia makes more accurate observations HERE.


Art imitates life, or is it the other way around?
(R to L) Wes Wilson, the prototypical San Francisco poster artist, was one of about a dozen brilliant commercial graphic designers whose work has defined Psychedelic Art. This is a copy of his poster for the Monterey Pop Festival, alongside a digital re-interpretation of a news photo from that same era.

The ultra-hot weather is staying away until later this Summer. Crews are trying to open the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park, but that means snow and rock removal, plus they need to completely lay in some new roadbed in some VERY steep places which were wiped out by flooding last Autumn.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: I am setting up an art show later this week up at Big Mountain Resort along with the US Forest Service. The Hockaday Museum of Art co-sponsors a program called The Artist/Wilderness Connection where various people create music, writings, and other artworks in select getaways scattered in the woods. Every year we do a show with old and new pieces for the summer months in a public location.
There is a new Hilton Hotel opening in Kalispell, Montana near the end of this month. I will be part of TWO events there during the first week of its operation -- displaying more artwork, in conjunction with local artists and the Hockaday Museum, plus a gigantic seminar sponsored by Flathead Valley Community College where I'm going to oversee the equipment in almost half a dozen different rooms.

Media Watch: Speaking of Hilton -- heard that name over TV, Radio, and the Internet recently? (Thought so) I've said it before, but the "business of celebrity" seems to benefit the hangers-on, publicists, papparazzi etc. much more than the "objects" of the business. Some cases seem like a vortex destroying the person at the center, especially if they are young and vulnerable to the temptations of life.
And now for something COMPLETELY different -- P-Funk had a crazy weekend in their original home town of Plainfield, New Jersey and Long Island. The US Aviation system had a massive computer failure along the East Coast, and several members of the group couldn't travel to the gigs. It's a big band, and they covered their bases alright, but life on the road is still uncertain every day.
George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars Summer Scedule:
Jun. 22 - Summer Alive, Des Moines, Ia.
Jun. 23 - Country Club Hills, Chicago, Il.
Jun. 29 - San Javier, Spain
Jun. 30 - Athens, Greece
Jul. 1 - Hilversum, Netherlands
(About an hour south of Amsterdam.)
Jul. 3 - Istanbul
Jul. 4 & 5 - Dublin, Ireland
(Gotta tell Eavan, Roseanne, and Rachelle about THIS gig!)
Jul 6 - Copenhagen, Denmark
Jul. 10 - Ottawa Festival, Ottawa, Canada
(Footsbarn relative Tawa is living in Toronto now!)
Jul 22 - WDKX Birthday Bash, Rochester, NY
Jul. 26 - Oregon Gardens, Silverton, Or.
Aug. 4 - Dutchess Stadium, Fishkill, NY
Aug. 10 - Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport, Ct.
Aug. 11 - Santa Fe Muzik Festival, Santa Fe, NM
(Ex-FVCC student Morgan lives there!)
Aug. 16 - San Manuel Casino, Highland, Ca.
Aug. 17 - Orleans Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Aug. 18 - Greek Theatre, L.A., Ca.
(Let's hope for more Left Coast gigs after this.)
Aug. 31 - Ramshead, Baltimore, Md.


TAKE IT TO THE STAGE! One of the highlights of a P-Funk show is Atomic Dog, where the audience dances onstage with the band. This usually occurs three hours or so after their set begins. If there is an encore, they gear up after this extended party riff.
P-Funk in Las Vegas 2001, digitally re-interpreted from photos by LLLamar.

We got a cold front and rain after most of a week of unseasonably hot weather. There were two Bald Eagles buzzing the campus at Flathead Valley Community College, as well a a pair of Magpies chasing a Raven away from their territory.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: My friend, the late Joe Abbrescia's plein aire paintings of Glacier National Park are up at the Hockaday Museum of Art. The reception is next week, with a talk by ace local artist Mark Ogle. Son of a gun! Are we REALLY going to install all those pictures at the new Kalispell Hilton???

Media Watch: Here's a review from the road of George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars by DJ Bustin' Bob: Great gig last nite in Charlotte...what can I say, the crowd was off the chain and the band responded nicely. Alot of raw power out there. Everybody shone thru. GC, Belita, Boogie, the horns, both Frankie Kash & Rico pounded. That chit was loud and articulated.
Shauna got down on guitar and both Mike and Bryd really showed they arses.
Nary a dull spot, slow down or set back all nite. Show was just perfect. Even Sexy Side rocked and the crowd gave it up for it too. That band will flat wear a crowd out. Club was packed with unbeleivable energy.
No Poo Poo, and Trey did a bit during the usual Poo spot. Met Sidney Barnes* at the blackstage. Spot was right in the middle of the some white picket-fenced suburbia, an old movie theatre, it was a trip.
They funked 'em good.
*A collaborator with George Clinton in the old Motown days.
Further refinement: Here is the set list as far as I can recall. A couple of these could be out of order.
Funkentelechy
Bop Gun
Cosmic Slop
Alice in My Fantasies
Aqua Boogie
Give Up the Funk
Up For the Down Stroke
Sexy Side of You
Maggot Brain
Dog Star
One Nation
Flashlight
Knee Deep
Bounce To This
Atomic Dog
Thumpasaurus
Band got into some grooves interspersed throughout including this almost rocka billy guitar thang that featured Byrd. Show clocked out at just under 4 hrs. Man they jammed hard.


George the P-Funk All-Stars on tour -- digital reinterpretation of material found at www.georgeclinton.com

Hot child in the city, as Nick Gilder used to sing. It's too early in the year to start watering the damn lawn! (See wildlife photo below.)

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: It's going to be regular Sundays at the Hockaday Museum of Art for the time being -- it's nice to be needed though. The new buildings at the Community College are almost ready for equipment installation and cable-pulling.

Media Watch: Verdi's La Traviata was on our local PBS station -- that's the opera with the Anvil Chorus punctuating the conversations sung by the principals up front. Odd and rare Psychedelic Music was playing on College Radio to let modern listeners know what was competing with Sgt. Pepper four decades ago. Yeah, just like today, there was some real dreck on the airwaves, but Pink Floyd's Astronomy Domine and Interstellar Overdrive continue to be formidible pieces of music! May I mention they were both written by the late Syd Barrett? His life was very publically blighted by commerce, drugs, and hyper-expectations at a very vulnerable age. He lived to be sixty, but it was a hard struggle for him to maintain his physical and mental health.
I've also been reading the great German rocket pioneer Willy Ley, discussing people's fascination with Planet Mars in the days before Mariner IV and subsequent satellites. He mentioned Wells' War of the Worlds, and a couple of other novels, but somehow skipped Edgar Rice Burroughs completely.
There is still a lot of interest in Interplanetary Space today -- the new head of NASA made a bloody fool of himself (again) this week while replying to criticisms of some very expensive future manned exploration programs he's trying to push, to the detriment of practical here-and-now duties of the agency. I'm romantic enough to desire voyages to Mars and the Moon, but these projects need to be led by level-headed adults, not corrupt, thieving Bu$hCo cronies and hacks.


I am still visiting Middle Foy's Lake -- this Mama Mallard and her brood were there to greet me!

Still hot, but milder than yesterday. Ravens are haunting the grounds of the Hockaday Museum -- trying to scam some squirril food no doubt.

Footbarn's Celebration of Theatre: Theater X-Net

Starring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Ida's Places in Paris -- from my first jet-lagged day by the Seine.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!
NEW! Spitfires of the Spaceways
Watch Dale Arden rescue Flash Gordon for a change!

Charity Alert: Make a resolution as Summer approaches to click on The Hunger Site every day.

In The Community: Lyle Olsen's Views of India at the Hockaday Museum of Art. The late Joe Abbrescia's plein aire paintings of Glacier National Park are going up starting Monday.


View from lower Going To The Sun Road
by Joe Abbrescia (1936-2005)