Entertainment report for week ending 11/12: It’s a Wonderful Life at the ZCT and a tribute to John Prine at the Crane

By BEN OLSON/for The Herald  —  I’ve got this theory. Bands toil away at the local and regional level, playing for a loyal following. They write some songs that become part of their repertoire. After a number of years, playing night after night, they’re ‘discovered’. They’re awarded a record contract and the first album contains the 12 best songs that they’ve taken 10 years to perfect. It’s a hit and their fans want more. Sadly, the well is dry. There won’t be any more hit songs on their 2nd and final album.   

A primer on Prine

John Prine’s eponymous first album, released in 1971, contained the best that he had written to that point. I would venture to say that if he had never written or recorded another song and stayed with his day job, delivering the mail, that album would still be on people’s turntables, 50 years later. It contained classic Prine, filled with songs that have become standards in every sense of the word. We knowingly laughed at “Illegal Smile”, “Spanish Pipedream”, and “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”.

For two totally different reasons, we got a little teary listening to the tragedy of “Sam Stone” and the poke to reach out to the elderly in “Hello In There”. “Paradise” was nostalgia for a place we could never go back to. “Angel From Montgomery” lamented an unfulfilled life, with no change for the better on the horizon.

Make Prine proud, show at the Pub and sing

John Prine had plenty of ideas for songs beyond those 13 that appeared on his debut album. He kept us laughing and thinking, in a most entertaining way, for the next 50 years. This Thursday, November 9, the 3 Legged Crane will be presenting a John Prine open mic. I’ll be running the show, but I hope that we’ll all have a chance to hear renditions of Prine tunes by a variety of attendees. Couples are encouraged to do their most sincere adaptation of that classic love duet, “In Spite of Ourselves”. Don’t worry, I’ll find a key that works for you. We’ll be kicking off the show with “Illegal Smile” at 7 pm.

On Saturday evening, November 11, Angelic Noise will be returning to the Crane. It can best be described as heartfelt original folk music, with a charming, talented singer and a competent, creative guitarist providing accompaniment. Check them out at theangelicnoise.com. That show begins at 7 pm. The 3 Legged Crane is a traditional English style brew pub, with a food menu that features appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. They are to be found on 1st Street in Uptown district of Oakridge.

Don’t miss It’s a Wonderful Life at the ZCT

The Zero Clearance Theater will be presenting the classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” the next 2 weeks. Although we all remember the movie classic, this will be an adaptation  of the radio show  that was aired by the Lux Radio Theater a year after the movie was released. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed reprised their roles in the radio broadcast. Performances will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 10, 11 and 12, and the following weekend, November 17, 18 and 19. The shows on Friday and Saturday will have a 7 pm curtain time, with doors opening at 6 pm. The Sunday matinees will have a 3 pm curtain, with doors opening at 2. Advanced tickets are $8 for adults, and can be purchased at the Lion Mountain Bakery and Mane Street Coffee. Tickets at the door will be $10. Children 10 and under and seniors are half price! The Zero Clearance Theater is located on Highway 58 in Oakridge, in the same building as the Lion Mountain Bakery.

Speaking of the Lion Mountain Bakery, that’s where singer-songwriter Broken Horn plays on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, including this coming weekend. The music begins at 11 am each day, and concludes at 1 pm. Broken Horn, accompanying himself with a vintage hollow-body electric Epiphone guitar, plays tunes from the classic age of rock, pop and country music. The Lion Mountain serves both breakfast and lunch in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. 

Pierzina on tap at the DLC

Eli Pierzina will be returning to the mainstage at the Dexter Lake Club this Friday, November 10. Showtime is 6 pm. Eli plays originals and covers that lean towards country but are influenced by other musical styles. He’s got a powerful, pleasant voice that’s easy to listen to, song after song. The Dexter Lake Club has a full bar, and the adjoining Rattlesnake BBQ has appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu. They’re located just off Highway 58, by milepost 12 in the east end of Dexter.

What you might have missed

Just a note about Drive to Space, the jam band that played at the Crane last Saturday. They simply blew everyone away with their musicianship and extended jams. I’ve seen a lot of the most famous bands in concert over the last 50-odd years. This ranked with the best. I could liken it to seeing Phish putting on a 3 hour show for 40 enthusiastic listeners in a small town pub. It was really that good. I hope they will be back again soon.