Entertainment report: Celebrate Saint Patty’s weekend with magic and music

By BEN OLSON/for The Herald  —  This Friday and Saturday evening, March 17 and 18, get ready to be amazed. Friends of the Theater and Arts will be presenting “A Night of Magic”, featuring sleight of hand wizards Jeff Martin and Loren Christopher Michaels. The shows will be held at the Zero Clearance Theater at the Lion Mountain Bakery on Highway 58 in Oakridge. Showtime will be 7 PM each evening, with doors opening at 6 PM on Friday.

Zero Clearance brings magic to the Lion Mountain bakery

On Saturday evening, the doors open at 5:30 and the Lion Mountain will have “Pizza and all the fixin’s” on the menu. Advanced tickets for adults are $10, and can be purchased at the Lion Mountain Bakery and Mane Street Coffee. Tickets at the door will be $12 per adult. Children are half priced. You can get a preview of some of Jeff’s work on his website, www.jmartinmagic.com. I found some great videos of Loren’s work by googling Loren Christopher Michaels and going to his YouTube “Stage Routines.” The whole family will love an evening of world class illusion. Please support live theater and arts!

Also at the Lion Mountain, Broken Horn will be playing guitar and singing from 11 AM until 1 PM this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 17, 18 and 19. Relax and enjoy breakfast or lunch while listening to tunes from the golden age of American music. There’ll be a bit of British invasion songs thrown into the mix, as well. There’s no cover charge for the music.

Music, beer and corned beef at the Crane

On the other end of Oakridge, on 1st Street, is the 3 Legged Crane. They will be pulling out all the stops this Friday, March 17. We’re all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve been told. I’m quite sure St. Pat would have wanted us all to drink copious amounts of stout brewed locally and have some corned beef, too. (FYI, the 17th was not his birthday, but his death day) Richie G. and Ma Beat will be back on the main stage playing cover tunes that, conceivably, you could dance an Irish jig to. They start playing at 6 PM John will be running food specials all day on St. Pat’s, as well as serving the regular fare on the menu.

I’ll be hosting the open mic on Thursday, March 16. That begins at 6:30. The 3 Legged Crane brews their own beers and ales and features select drinkables from other Oregon microbreweries. There are appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu, as well. Of course, no cover charge for the live entertainment.

Cramer Boys back at the Corner Bar

A block down 1st Street stands the Corner Bar. The Cramer Boys will be back on the main stage this Friday, St Patrick’s Day. This 3 piece family band plays a non-stop barrage of great outlaw country music. The band will be playing from 9 PM until 1 PM Rob will be serving corned beef and cabbage, as well as traditional green jello shots. The Corner has a full bar and there is no cover charge for the live music.

I’ll be back at Willamette Pass Resort this Saturday, March 18, singing my favorites, accompanying myself on a variety of instruments. The music runs from noon until 3 PM Most of the customers are there for skiing or snowboarding, but you don’t have to buy a lift ticket to come in and watch the show. I’ll be playing in the bar area, which has a great view of the slope just west of the main chairlift. In addition to having a full bar, the resort has a number of food options. There is no cover charge for the live music. Willamette Pass Resort is located by milepost 62 on Highway 58.

Irish Olson at the DLC

At the western end of our coverage area is the Dexter Lake Club, where the bar scene in the movie “Animal House” was filmed. The club is located just off Highway 58 by milepost 12. I’ll be playing my entire repertoire of Irish tunes this Friday night, St. Patty’s Day. That list consists of “Oh Danny Boy” and “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.” The rest of the evening I’ll be playing songs that were made famous by American, Canadian and British songwriters. Hey, it’s what I know.

The music happens from 6 until 8 PM. On Sunday evening, Brian Chevalier and friends will be hosting the regular open mic and jam session. It’s always fun to sit in with a real band, having them back you up for a few songs. That show starts at 6 PM. The Dexter Lake Club has a full bar and the adjoining Rattlesnake BBQ has appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu. There’s no cover charge for the live music. For more information, call 541 581 3000.

 

That’s all that I’ve got this week. May the road rise up to meet you. Support live music and the musicians who make it!