First Night Planners

by Michael Bowen


Kids' Night Out


Kids' activities run 3-6 pm, centering mostly on Main Avenue around River Park Square and what old-timers hereabouts refer to as the former Burlington Coat Factory but which, for the purposes of First Night this year, has been christened the "Main Street Arts Center." (Last year, kids' central was at the Convention Center.)


3-4 pm Check out the interactive storytelling of Judy Tullener, and then the Spokane Youth Symphony will let you caress their violins and tubas at their "Instrument Petting Zoo." (Crescent Court, 2nd floor, 707 W. Main Ave.)


4-5:30 pm The Northwest Hula Company shimmies on the first floor at 4 pm, with the Rainbow Fiddle Kids following in the next half-hour -- then head upstairs for the KuUmba African Drummers at 5. (Main Street Arts Center, 811 W. Main Ave.)


5:30-6 pm In the final half-hour of "Kids' Night Out," either head to the River Park Square atrium for a game of human checkers or else stroll over to the Downtown Library (906 W. Main Ave.) for selected scenes performed by the Spokane Children's Theater. At 5:45, gather outside at Main and Post to join in the parade that will wind around downtown. Don't forget to wear a funny hat. (Kids can create their own inside the Main Street Arts Center.)





Teens


The rules here are simple: Go underground -- specifically, to the parking garage underneath the STA Plaza. Hang. (Despite the silly "11th Hour" title, it'll go on for five hours.) Compete to see who can put on the best face expressing adolescent rage, apathy, contempt and -- here's the SAT word -- insouciance.


Jams will be properly kicked commencing at 7 o'clock in the evening, with Level 8 playing "acoustic groove and '80s crunch." Mylestone (last year's BOBfest winner) and the "straight-up rock" of Unduhn follow. The Tri-Cities' Footshod performs for a full hour at 8:30 pm, with the funk, reggae, blues and rock of Melefluent following. Ten o'clock brings those local "horn-rock hooligans," 10 Minutes Down, and then you can celebrate the final hour before Y2K5 with the "melodic hard rock" of Riverside.


Teens might also go for the rock, funk and hip-hop of Jupiter Effect downstairs in the River Park Square "Hideout" at 7 pm and 8 pm, or the acoustic rock of Sittser at Central United Methodist Church, Third Ave. and Howard St., with sets at 9, 10 and 11 pm.





Young Adults


7 pm Blue Door Theater: irreverent improv comedy (Spokane City Hall, Council Chambers)


8 pm Gay Waldman's collaged, hand-colored and digital photographs, along with Latin jazz and folk by violinist Mo Oliver (Post Street Gallery, formerly Hamer's, Post and Riverside)


9 pm Tag a gigantic rubber tire with paint, check out Louise Kodis' colorful banners, listen to the "satirical Spokane rock" of the Trailer Park Girls (Main Street Arts Center, Room A)


10 pm Maya Soleil: electric Afro-world beat fusion with saxophones, keyboards, flutes, drums, dancers and more (Fox Theater)


11 pm Free ice skating (Riverfront Park Ice Palace; rentals available)





Baby Boomers


7 pm Big Daddy Crabb: '70s music (Masonic Temple, Commandery Room)


8 pm Vaudeville: five-piece "soul and power-folk" (Central United Methodist Church)


9 pm Cirque de Flambe: pyrotechnic circus (Riverfront Park)


9:30 pm 4-Way Street barbershop singers and the Slide Apostles trombone music (outdoors on Post Street and Main Avenue)


10 pm ComedySportz: clean, competitive improv comedy for the whole family (Interplayers)


11 pm Looff Carousel free rides





Senior discounters


7 pm The Singing Nuns


(STA Plaza, second floor)


8 pm Bethel B.A.S.I.C. Gospel


Choir and Highest Praise Dancers


(Fox Theater)


9 pm Tuxedo Junction Big Band (Masonic Temple auditorium)


10 pm Contra dance music by Out of the Wood: reels and jigs from Ireland, Quebec and New England (Crescent Court Food Court)


11 pm Prairie Flyer: bluegrass and roots music (River Park Square atrium)





EVERYBODY


11:45 pm The entertained masses gather around the park to watch the firework display that hits at midnight to mark the beginning of 2005. (Riverfront Park)





Publication date: 12/30/04