Thursday, April 13
Know Your Rights – Advocate Roundish Table. Imagine Coffee, 5460 SW Philomath Blvd., Corvallis. 7 p.m. Free. Word on the street is that these Advocate Roundish Tables are pretty good. Well, no… there’s no word on the street. But there will be soon! Preparation for protesters and activists with speaker and attorney Lorena Reynolds. For info, visit www.facebook.com/events/765255270322788/.
Wild Hog in the Woods. Calapooia Brewing Company, 140 Hill St. NE, Albany. 8 p.m. Free.
A staple of the Linn/Benton music scene, Wild Hog in the Woods is a real treat, especially at their venue of choice, Calapooia Brewing. If you love beer and authentic bluegrass (no hipsters with twisty moustaches here), you’ll find your way to this event. I actually find myself unable to overstate what a great band this is. Here they are rocking out on KBVR last year: https://youtu.be/ssgaWqaVGnQ. Impossible to have a bad unless you trip on the sidewalk and biff it. Do people say “biff it?” Probably not. For info, visit calapooiabrewing.com/blog/live-music-and-events/.
Friday, April 14
In Search of the Causes of Evolution. LaSells Stewart Center, Oregon State University Campus, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Free.
Keynote speakers Dr. B. Rosemary Grant and Dr. Peter Grant, both emeritus professors of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University, will be rocking the house this fine Friday afternoon. Their lab “uses a variety of methods and approaches to study the interaction between genetics, ecology, and behavior.” They’ve been at it for over 40 years, studying this sort of interaction via Darwin’s finches on the Galápagos Islands. If you like to know this, this is where you should plant yourself for an hour. For more info, visit this super long URL: http://fw.oregonstate.edu/content/research-advances-fisheries-wildlife-and-ecology-symposium-rafwe-0… or just call 541-737-4531.
The Crescendo Show + Kory Quinn. Cloud & Kelly’s Public House, 126 SW First St., Corvallis. 9:30 p.m. $5. Folk and rocking, or rocking and folk – no matter how you see it, just be sure you hear it. See what I did there? For more info, visit cloudandkellys.com/music_and_nightlife/ or facebook.com/CloudAndKellys/.
Stockhausen Syndrome + Chemotroph. Bombs Away Café, 2527 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 9:30 p.m. $5.
Two great acts that deserve way more space than I can currently give them. The good news is that it’s a Bombs show, so it’ll be good no matter what. For info, visit bombsawaycafe.com/music-art/.
Saturday, April 15
Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets. In Corvallis at First & Jackson. In Albany at Fourth & Ellsworth. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Free.
THEYYYYYYY’RE HEEEEEE-ERRR. The farmers’ markets are back outdoors! Okay, so there are no poltergeists involved (as far as I know), but there’s a ton of other great stuff I know you’ve been waiting for. For more info, visit locallygrown.org/home/.
Dr. Neon + Neon Culpa. Cloud & Kelly’s Public House, 126 SW First St., Corvallis. 9:30 p.m. $3. The press release said, “Hose off your Vans and skate down here,” and with such a specific command, I figure you should just probably do what you’re told. For info, visit cloudandkellys.com/music_and_nightlife/ or facebook.com/CloudAndKellys/.
Yak Attack! Bombs Away Café, 2527 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 9:30 p.m. $5.
Yak Attack! is a stupid good band that will do something profound to your innards if you’re lucky enough to catch them live. Big sound, mammoth grooves, tremendous funk. For info, visit bombsawaycafe.com/music-art/.
Sunday, April 16
Auditions for OSU’s One-Act Festival. Withycombe Hall Lab Theatre, 2921 SW Campus Way, Corvallis. 6 – 8 p.m. Free.
Let me lay this out for you: three original plays, both written and directed by OSU theater students. This includes The Two Minds of Mr. Coffan by Hannah Fretz, Skinner by Mike Stephens, and Love Games by Heaven Carreon. Available roles are for just 12 performers (so show up early and with your game face on, whatever that is…). Auditionees, who may be any member of the Corvallis community, should expect cold readings and short games. Scripts will be available for checkout in Withycombe Hall, Room 145, during regular business hours. For more info, visit this other really long URL: oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2017/apr/auditions-osu%E2%80%99s-one-act-festival-be-held-april-16-17.
Monday, April 17
Get Ready for the Solar Eclipse. Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 6:30 – 8 p.m. Free.
As you may know, a total solar eclipse is coming on Aug. 21. You are invited to “join the Heart of the Valley Astronomers to learn about the eclipse, including how to best enjoy it while staying safe.” There will be solar eclipse glasses on hand. Now, my idea of preparation is to make sure I’m nowhere near the colossal traffic jam… seriously. With the hundreds of thousands we’re supposed to expect in the area, I’ll be filling the bathtub with water and buying canned food in preparation. But for you less belligerent folks, I highly recommend checking this event out. For info, visit cbcpubliclibrary.net.
Tuesday, April 18
Art & Coffee. Philomath Community Library, 1050 Applegate St., Philomath. 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Third Tuesdays. Free.
Being a graduating art student, sometimes I could go for just the coffee, however if you don’t think of pulling your hair out when you hear the word “art,” this is the event for you! Humans aged 16 and up are invited to “join in for a relaxing morning of art, coloring, conversation, music, and treats.” Boatloads of supplies are available, and you’re welcome to bring projects to share. For info, visit cbcpubliclibrary.net.
Provost’s Lecture: Maya Lin. LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. 7:30 p.m. Free.
MAYA…. LIN. The titanic artist visits Corvallis, artist and designer. At this point the event is sold out, but if you’re a student and want to go, show up early and maybe hold out to see if someone doesn’t show. She’s worth it! From the press release: “Maya Lin interprets the natural world through history, politics, and culture, creating a body of work that balances art and architecture. Lin’s installations, studio artworks, architecture, and memorials, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, become a part of the land, merging physical and psychological environments and presenting a new way of seeing the world around us. In 2009 she was awarded the National Medal of Arts—the nation’s highest honor for artistic excellence.” For more information, visit communications.oregonstate.edu/events/maya-lin.
Wednesday, April 19
Death Café Corvallis. Interzone, 1563 NW Monroe Ave. 6 p.m. Free.
One of the things we all have in common are experiences with death. If you have thoughts about mortality and want to share, or just would like to listen and discuss, this is an excellent, ongoing event in a friendly atmosphere. No agenda, no debate, and no ideological hamstringing. “Death Café Corvallis guiding principles are respect, openness, and confidentiality. Come drink tea, eat cake, and ponder death with interesting people.” For more info, visit www.facebook.com/groups/deathcafecorvallis or email [email protected].
Divided We Fall. Construction & Engineering Hall, LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. Free. 6:30 p.m.
Hank Willis Thomas is a photo-conceptual artist that “works primarily with themes related to identity, history, and popular culture.” Absolutely worth your evening. If you’re not familiar, take a look at hankwillisthomas.com. A reception with the artist will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Myrtle Tree Alcove. For info, visit yet another obnoxiously long URL: oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2017/mar/artist-hank-willis-thomas-speak-osu-april-19.
Thursday, April 20
Reception: Microbiomes: Imagining the Unseen. The Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis. 4 – 8 p.m. Free.
Microbial systems through the eyes of artists, looking at questions of “how to see the unseen.” Not the first entry this week that deserves a lot more text than I have space for, but this will be an epic exhibition that’ll be interesting for scientists, artists, and pretty much everyone else. For more info, visit theartscenter.net.
Curtis Monette. Bombs Away Café, 2527 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 8:30 p.m. Free.
The legendary Curtis Monette, for free. The only way to get it better than that is if Bombs started paying you to show up and eat their food. For info, visit bombsawaycafe.com/music-art/.