October 2011

 

Anders Osborne must like performing in Telluride big time. The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist was in town in mid-September for his third appearance at Telluride Blues & Brews, where, according to KOTO's Janice Zink, he  – once again – "Killed it."

Anders returns for his encore at KOTOfm's 36th annual Halloween Bash, where he joins another Telluride regular, Karl Denson (of Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, KDTU). At this very special concert, Karl and Anders on lead vocals and their guests perform the Rolling Stones' landmark album, "Sticky Fingers," from start to finish, including chestnuts such as "Wild Horses" and "Brown Sugar." The must-see event takes place in the Hanley Pavilion in Town Park, Saturday, October 29. Doors are at 8 p.m. Showtime is  9 p.m.
 

NYCMountainfilm in Telluride began as a homespun gathering of outdoor enthusiasts 33+ years ago has evolved into a colorful tapestry of talks, exhibits, music and films. And Mountainfim has grown legs. Good news for Telluride, because there could be no better ambassador for the "brand."

The road show that travels the world as Mountainfilm on Tour spreads the gospel according to the Festival, which is all about supporting endangered cultures, species, and ideas. In September, Mountainfilm's World Tour landed in Sao Paolo, Brazil. In October, the Tour is back in North America, scheduled for an encore in The Big Apple. Friday – Sunday, October 21 – October 23, Mountainfilm returns to Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater for a weekend of outstanding adventure programming, cutting-edge environmental films and incisive explorations of cultures far and near, with filmmakers and documentary subjects in attendance at almost every screening.

Thumbs upOn our recent visit to New York, Telluride Inside… and Out was privileged to attend a performance by Bill Bowers. Poignant self-observation, biting social satire and screwball comedy meet in his latest one-man show, "Beyond Words." The sound of silence is symphonic when this uniquely gifted mime is charged with playing all the instruments. The big small production continues through October 31 at Frances Hill Barlow's Urban Stages, 259 West 30 (between 7th and 8th Avenues).

Bowers is not your typical mime in the tradition of Marcel Marceau, Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton to whom he is often favorably and justifiably compared. For one thing, he talks. Like a chatter box on uppers. However, as was the case with his illustrious antecedents, Bowers is capable of delivering universal themes like candy, not cod's liver oil. "Beyond Words", a collection of mime, music and monologues, may be one of the funniest plays you've ever seen and a pleasure to watch for its spare elegance. (Here I am talking about Bowers' performance as well as the production values – sets, lighting,costumes, sound – orchestrated by the talented young director Scott Illingworth, a faculty member at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program.)

by Peter Kenworthy, Executive Director

Editor's note: Mountainfilm in Telluride is the festival that keeps on giving. Earlier this month, on October 5, Mountainfilm in Telluride awarded $25,000 in grants. This coming weekend, Mountainfilm on Tour hits the Big Apple with a weekend program, October 21 – October 23, at New York's prestigious Lincoln Center. Look for Telluride Inside… and Out's coverage of that event in a series of posts this week. Below is the skinny on the grants.

Representing a highly diverse scope of projects – from a biographical film about a living legend of Himalayan mountaineering to a photographic exploration of art and activism in the aftermath of Japan’s recent tsunami, Mountainfilm Commitment grantees will receive $5,000, each, as well as a new MacBook Pro. The winning applicants were chosen from a field of over 100 contenders. Mountainfilm introduced its granting initiative last year as a means to help ensure that important stories are told – and heard.

by Jane Shivers

Shivers photoSometimes you have to get out of town to appreciate what you have at home.

Telluride and towns in Switzerland have a lot in common; gorgeous scenery, challenging skiing, clean air, great food, and a reputation for being a bit pricey. We are in Zurich often on business.  It is a beautiful city with eye candy galore on its cobblestone streets; boutiques, parks, churches, trams, sidewalk cafes. Women and men here dress well. Clothes come from Italy, Germany, and England and even women pushing babies about in fancy strollers look as though they just stepped out of a photo fashion shoot. I am almost certain I saw a Prada handbag on a tiny baby wrist yesterday.

By Jesse James McTigue

Moab, Utah is full of some of the most mind-boggling spectacles and seeming impossibilities.   Flowers bloom among the arid, desert landscape; rock-towers spiral skyward; and delicate arches perforate smooth rock formations.

Every October, in the middle of all of this natural wonderment, an even more mind-boggling spectacle occurs – the 24 Hours of Moab mountain bike race.

24 hours 1The race occurs at the end of the mountain biking season and has contenders racing from noon Saturday to noon Sunday, for 24 hours straight. Most competitors race on a four or five person team, requiring each individual rider to complete the 15-mile course three or four times. There are also competitors who compete as solo and duo riders and some of these folks do it on a single-speed—a mountain bike with one fixed gear.

Every year, I am amazed at how many people are willing to subject themselves to this race (including myself). Competitors range from professional cyclists to groups of friends looking for a good time and a personal challenge. Some teams are raising money for a cause; others are just hoping to survive.

  Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel is always sending us some great videos of dogs training, dogs playing, dogs just being dogs. This video is just fun: Ted has gotten down in the grass to get a puppy's eye view of Jesse, a...

 

 

I guess I recognized I was different at my first Halloween party in college. There I stood, white-chalked face and spiked black hair, with eight pairs of scissors taped to my fingers, a ghoulish version of Edward Scissorhands; I was surrounded by a bunch of sexy kittens, lingerie-clad angels and Playboy bunnies. Needless to say, I didn’t reel in any dates that night.

It was then that I realized there are two types of people in the world: People who like horror movies and people who don’t. Not everyone likes to be scared, so if you find yourself in the latter camp, you might want to skip to the next article or go shop online for a cute Halloween costume, something with ears or a thong. If you belong to the cloister of us who revere ghost stories, scary movies and spooky urban myths, read on. We’ve got a festival for you: the second annual Telluride Horror Show, October 14-16.

October 13 to 20, 2011  Visible Planets: Morning: Mars and Jupiter  Evening: Mercury and Venus

The Crimson Ivy and Crackling Fires of Libra/Scorpio

Red leavesIt’s off-season in the San Juans and that translates as a time to slow down and take a look around. Magnificent Indian Summer weather gifts us with the blue, blue skies of autumn, stunning snow-white peaks, still-green fields washed with yellow, crimson ivy and forests paved in gold. October is a month of magic, mystery and metamorphosis. The tantalizing tales of witches, sorcerers and spirits make their way into living rooms and schoolrooms, travel the ethers and fly from bed to breakfast as we enter the darkest, most mystical time of the year.

Fire1Last week’s full Hunter’s Moon illuminated the multi-faceted jewel of relationship. Sharing and pairing, how we show up for others and how they show up for us were themes that resonated throughout the cosmos, filling our hearts and heads with thoughts, emotions and experience. This week, the focus on relationships continues. As we move into the last week of light and lovely Libra and approach the magnetic, seductive power of Scorpio, we instinctively shape-shift with the changing light and shortening days. Our bodies crave comfort, food and shelter. We find ourselves attracted to crackling fires, cozy couches, hot meals and warm bodies. From harvest to table, we gather the fruits of our labors and prepare for winter.