SIFF
The full schedule for SIFF 2011 is finally here! Attendees will notice the introduction of 10 new “film pathways” to make film browsing based on mood easier. Looking for a romance? Check out the films in the “Love Me, Do!” category. Jonesing for some excitement? Take a gander at the “Thrill Me” films. As usual, viewers can also browse through the catalog of films on SIFF’s website by country, genre, director, venue and film program. This year, SIFF continues to branch out to neighboring suburbs outside of Seattle (as they’ve done in previous years with shows at the Everett Performing Arts Center and Kirkland Performance Center)and will host several screenings at Renton’s IKEA Performing Arts Center. The opening night gala will take place May 19 at McCaw Hall with a screening of the feel-good documentary The First Grader, which tells the story of an 84-year-old Kenyan villager who finally gets the education he wasn’t able to afford. SIFF will pay tribute this year to actor Ewan McGregor, honoring him with a Golden Space Needle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Acting and a special screening of his latest film, Beginners, along with other notable picks from his lengthy filmography. Also being honored this year is sports documentary filmmaker Warren Miller, who will receive the Golden Space Needle for Lifetime Achievement. The festival will run from May 19 until June 12. Visit the link above to read about other special events at SIFF 2011 and to check out all the great films screening soon at a theater near you!
MINUS THE BEAR ADDED TO BUMBERSHOOT LINEUP
Bumbershoot on Facebook
Each day at noon, Bumbershoot has been announcing one artist a day via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. This will continue throughout May until the full schedule is announced on June 1. Today the music and arts festival revealed Seattle indie rockers Minus the Bear will join this year’s lineup, joining confirmed acts Wiz Khalifa and Hall & Oates. The band was recently signed to Dangerbird Records and released its fourth studio album in May 2010 titled OMNI. Check out the video below for the song “Hold Me Down,” which has great live footage of Minus the Bear.
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BUMBERSHOOT ANNOUNCE ONE ACT A DAY IN MAY
Bumbershoot
It may only be spring (even if the weather refuses to acknowledge the change in season), but Bumbershoot is already reaching out to fans anticipating the fall music and arts extraveganza taking place over Labor Day Weekend. The festival unveiled a campaign to reveal once artist a day in May, culminating in the announcement of the entire Bumbershoot lineup on June 1. The first act to be confirmed is Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa, best known for his infectious #1 single “Black and Yellow”. Follow the Bumbershoot blog or Facebook page to get your daily dose of Bumbershoot artist news.
NEED MORE BUMBERSHOOT COVERAGE?
Check out extensive coverage of the three-day festival from The Strangerand the Seattle Weekly
BUILD-YOUR-OWN BUMBERSHOOT: THE FESTIVAL’S BEST BETS FOR LOVERS OF MUSIC, ARTS, COMEDY AND KIDS’ STUFF
Seattle Times
Bumbershoot is too big for any one person. The city’s annual music and arts festival, produced by One Reel every Labor Day weekend, sprawls over Seattle Center grounds. This year it will feature about 300 stage performances — and that’s not event counting the art shows, site-specific works, circus acts on the lawn, buskers and kids’ programming. Where to go? What to see and do? The Seattle Times offers four itineraries, based on various interests: arts, comedy, music and family fun.
AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL TO RUN APRIL 18-26
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center:
The African American Film Festival runs nine consecutive nights from April 18th – 26th and all screenings will take place at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center. The festival includes a number of thoughtful, inspiring and irreverent entries from emerging and established filmmakers from across the U.S. and around the globe. A wide array of talkbacks, panels and workshops are peppered throughout the festival and provide a much needed bridge for artists and community patrons to engage in meaningful dialogue. The festival features the lauded film, American Violet
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JAZZ ARTISTS FROM EUROPE, U.S. GET TOGETHER IN SPRING SERIES
Seattle Times:
Jazz as high art can sometimes be intimidating to audiences and difficult to sell as a commercial venture, but it has become something of a calling for Earshot Jazz. The Earshot Jazz Spring Series 2009, which puts together prominent, avant-garde, European and American musicians, began Friday April 3rd with a performance at the Seattle Asian Art Museum by the Dutch saxophonist Ab Baars and his trio. German saxophonist Peter Brotzmann and his trio will play April 28 with Americans Eric Revis (Branford Marsalis’ longtime bass player) and drummer Nasheet Waits. Then Norwegian saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and his trio The Thing will perform at Cornish College of the Arts on April 30.
