THE PAPER HATS and tiaras have been put away, noisemakers are silent, balloons have been popped, and the streamers and confetti have been swept away.
So 2010 is history, and it’s time to move on into 2011 with more of the best live music on the Olympic Peninsula.
Port Angeles
• Friday’s Second Friday Artwalk (so, the second Friday is the first Friday this month) at Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., features guitarist and banjo craftsman extraordinaire Jason Mogi painting an audio canvas of old-time Appalachia, American roots, jam band improvisations and good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll that’ll get you on the dance floor. Paul Stehr-Green also brings his palette of bass riffs to enhance Mogi’s plunking at 9 p.m. $3 cover.
On Saturday, jazz fusion and funk trio Impulse plays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Skip Morris, guitar, vocals; George Radebaugh, piano and keyboard bass; and Tom Svornich make up the talent laden trio. $2 cover.
• At the RBar on Friday, Gig Harbor-based rock band Knucklehead plays at 10 p.m. $3 cover.
• Charlie Ferris makes his final appearance at Wine on the Waterfront, 115 Railroad Ave., until April. Charlie brings his venerable time machine of tunes that’ll take you back decades, and he’ll tell you the tales behind the tunes on how they came to be. Charlie and his angels will be there at 7 p.m. $3 cover.
• Did I mention that Charlie is dyslexic? On Tuesday, he celebrates his 36th birthday with a bash at the Bushwhacker Restaurant, 1527 E. First St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is his last local appearance before April, so come on by and have a bite and sip or two and wish him a happy (63rd) birthday.
• Tonight at Castaways Restaurant and Night Club, 1213 Marine Drive, the Sundowners host a jam from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. These fellas really know how to have fun!
• Barry Burnett does his Sunday Jam from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Junction Roadhouse, junction of U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 112 five miles west of Port Angeles.
On Wednesday, Jason and Friends play roots music and more from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Chuck Grall and the Sound Dogs with guest Terry Roszaticks perform Monday evening at Smugglers Landing, 115 Railroad Ave., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• On Wednesday, Howly Slim performs vocals and guitar at Kokopelli’s Underground, 203 E. Front St., at 6 p.m.
• Tonight and every Thursday, Larry and Rene Bauer direct the goings-on at the open mic hosted by the Cracked Bean, 108 DelGuzzi Drive, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Every Tuesday evening at the Port Angeles Senior Center, Seventh and Peabody streets, the Port Angeles Senior Swingers present Wally and the Boys playing ballroom dance favorites for the dancing pleasure of all seniors 45 years and older from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. $5 cover, first-timers free!
• On Wednesday at Dupuis Restaurant, 256861 U.S. Highway 101, Bob and Dave play blues with a brew and barbecue from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Victor Reventlow hosts the acoustic jam at the Fairmount Restaurant on U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Tuesday. Don’t be left out!
Sequim and Blyn
• On Friday, stop by the Oasis Bar and Grill, 301 E. Washington St., for some rousing fun with the Discovery Bay Pirates playing and singing shanties, Irish and Scottish folk music and other fun songs where you can laugh and sing along from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., while enjoying some great prime rib!
On Saturday, enjoy the Southern rock and blues of Testify from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. $3 cover.
The Monday night ballroom dance is pre-empted by the Auburn-Oregon BCS championship game on the big screen. Go Ducks!
On Wednesday, boomer music prevails when Final Approach lands from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Kevin Magner and Scott Bradley provide the grooves at Damiana’s Best Cellars, 143 Washington St., for Sequim’s First Friday Art Walk from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• On Saturday, Howly Slim will be at Las Palomas Mexican Restaurant, 1085 E. Washington St., at 5:30 p.m.
• At The Buzz, 128 N. Sequim Ave., Kelly Thomas and Victor Reventlow host the very popular and rousing open mic Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Kelly and Barry perform Friday at Stymie’s Bar & Grill at Cedars at Dungeness, 1965 Woodcock Road, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• On Friday at 7 Cedars Casino, Blyn, a local rock band makes its debut with a new name. Since Rachel joined the Big Fine Daddies and can’t be one, they changed their name to Mister Sister, but not their high-energy, top 40 dance music. Catch ’em from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
On Saturday, Vegas and riverboat pianist Phil Westbrook plays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
On Sunday, all hell breaks out when Hell’s Belles does an AC-DC tribute show as well as other top 40 tunes from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Port Hadlock
• On Saturday Erma and Mike of Hawaiian group NakiSSSqi play easy listening tunes, original pop and more at Ferinos’s Pizza, 846 Ness’ Corner Road, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Port Townsend
• On Friday at The Upstage, 923 Washington St., Jim Nyby and the F Street Band play Big Easy musical gumbo, blues, classic rock, roots and country blues from 8 p.m. $6 cover.
On Saturday, from the streets of Harlem to stages around the world with blues greats, Sugar Blue honed his craft and now brings the Sugar Blue Blues Band to The Upstage for a living legend of blues performance from 8 p.m. $12 cover.
Phone 360-385-2216 for reservations.
• On Saturday, the Blue Crows play at the Undertown, Water and Taylor streets, from 7 p.m. for the Saturday Gallery Walk.
They are followed at 10 p.m. by Brother Townsend. $3 cover.
• On Friday at 6 p.m., you’ll find Howly Slim at the Banana Leaf Thai Restaurant, 609 Washington St.
• Go to the Uptown Pub for Sylvia Heins with jazz standards Friday at 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, Greg Vinson hosts an open mic at 8 p.m.
• On Friday, the Smoke Brothers light up the stage at Sirens with their blues, country and Americana at 9 p.m. $5 cover.
Music news
• On Saturday, the Washington Old Time Fiddlers play live music at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road, Sequim. All-players jam from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., performance from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Donations support fiddler scholarships. More information is at their website, http://d15.wotfa.org.
• Tuesday is the final day for musical entries into the 2011 Tidepools’ art, music and literary magazine contest. Phone Michael Mills at 360-417-6371 for more info.
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John Nelson is a self-styled music lover and compulsive night owl who believes in “KLMA — Keep Live Music Alive” on the North Olympic Peninsula. His column, Live Music, appears every Thursday.
Are you performing in or promoting a live music gig? Contact John by phoning 360-565-1139 or e-mailing news@peninsuladailynews.com (subject line: John Nelson).
Also, check out “Nightlife,” a listing of entertainment at nightspots across the Peninsula, in Friday’s Peninsula Spotlight magazine.