Nevada County weekend calendar: Live music, live theatre, costumes balls, Mardi Gras parade

Blues artist Roy Rogers will be performing on Saturday night at a Mardi Gras Costume Ball in Smartsville.

There's absolutely no excuse for not celebrating Valentine's Day or Mardi Gras this weekend. The area is bustling with live entertainment and it's a three-day weekend.

 There’s live music, live theatre, dances, dinners, balls and a parade on this Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras weekend in western Nevada County. What follows is listing of events in the area. It starts with Mardi Gras activities and ends with club, café and bar listings and brief descriptions of the bands playing.

Mardi Gras

Saturday

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball

The Holcomb Brothers Band will play from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball at Miners Foundry in downtown Nevada City. Cajun’ food will be served as well. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information, contact the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce at 132 Main Street, call 530-265-2692 or (800) 655-NJOY or see www.nevadacitychamber.com.

Sunday

Mardi Gras parade

Annual Mardi Gras parade starts at 2 p.m. in downtown Nevada City. The Mardi Gras Street Faire goes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features food and clothing vendors.

Live Theatre

Friday, Saturday

‘Cyrano’

“Cyrano De Bergerac” opens tonight at the Nevada Theatre at 401 Broad Street. The play is being produced by Paul Emery Presents and directed by John Deaderick and Theo Black. Friday and Saturday night shows start at 8 p.m. and the Saturday matinees starts at 2 p.m.  The Miners Foundry will host an open night gala after tonight’s play. Live music, food and a no-host bar included. For more information, visit cyranonevadacity.com.

Friday

Emerald Ball

A Valentine’s Weekend in Oz is presented by PAG and the Center for the Arts at 314 W. Main St. in Grass Valley. It features dancing to a professional DJ, a costume contest with prizes, live entertainment, silent auction and bingo. It goes from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under ($2 discount with costume). They are available at the Center for the Arts box office (530-274-8384), BriarPatch Co-op, or online at www.thecenterforthearts.com.

Live Music

Friday

SambaDA in Concert

The doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Miners Foundry at 325 Spring Street in Nevada City. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information call 265-5040 or visit www.minersfoundry.org

Saturday

Mardi Gras Costume Ball

Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings and special guest Carlos Reyes will perform after a Valentine’s dinner is served at 7 p.m. at the River Ranch & Vineyard in Smartsville. The music starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person and $125 for a VIP Guest package. Tickets available are www.sierramountainproductions.com or call 530-478-1523.

Sgt. Funky, Psychedelica Romantica

Sgt. Funky will play classic rock ‘n’ roll at a BYOB Valentines dance and party that goes from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Lodge at 212 Spring Street in Nevada City. Tickets are $15 in advance and available at www.sgtfunky.com.  For more information, call 530-265-4159.

Fred Eaglesmith

Strings Concerts presents Canadian singer/songwriter/storyteller Fred Eaglesmith at 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts in downtown Grass Valley. Tickets are $20 in advance, $23 at the door and $30 for preferred seating. Tickets are available at www.thecenterforthearts or call 530-274-8384.

Sunday

Mads Tolling Quartet

Jazz virtuosic violinists will perform at 7 p.m. at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley. The Twin Cities Concert Association event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a pre-concert forum with Dr. Aileen James. Tickets are $22 for general seating and $35 for Valentine’s Day VIP seating that includes a glass of champagne and chocolate. Tickets are available at www.thecenterforthearts.org or the BriarPatch Co-op. For more information, call 530-273-3990 or visit www.tcca.net.

Bar and Club Scene

Chief Crazy Horse Saloon at 230 Commercial Street

By Matt Osy

Friday

5 p.m.: Past Due and Playable, www.myspace.com/pastdueandplayable
9 p.m.: Casual Fog, Kings and Queens, $5, www.myspace.com/casualfog, www.kingsandqueensmusic.com
Big night... my first time seeing Kings and Queens live, actually, after years of wanting to. And Casual Fog is always solid, always crowded, always fun. And Past Due and Playable is a great kickoff for the weekend... bluegrassy sometimes, rocky sometimes, mellow but lively.

Saturday 

 4:30 p.m.: The Timeless String Band

9 p.m.: Mardi Gras party with The Green Machine, $5, www.myspace.com/earthjuicerecords

The String Band overlaps heavily with Ragged but Right, for those who know one and not the other... Al's other project. Good old-fashioned country bluegrass.   

Then it's the Machine coming back... a reggae band, one of our favorites, a recruit of Festival John's from... well, a festival. This will be a crazy night... I remember thinking last year that the Mardi Gras Saturday felt busier than New Year's.

Sunday

2:30 p.m.: Post-parade bash with Grease, Grit, and Grime, no cover, www.myspace.com/greasegritandgrime

7 p.m. The parade starts at 2:00. Weather should be nice for a change. Grease, Grit, and Grime will be starting up a 4-hour gig at 2:30 with no cover. Then we'll be doing a later-than-usual Blues Jam starting up at 7:00 for everyone with any energy left. Those of you with partners and normal sleep schedules and normal lives... the crazies should be mostly cleared out by now and you can have a sweet Valentine's dinner and listen to some blues.

Nevada City Classic Café at 216 Broad Street

Storm Session Café Band playing from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday

By Maggie McKaig

You have three chances to catch the amazing and hardworking Storm Session Café Band this weekend. On Friday and Saturday night you’ll find them at the Nevada City Classic Café.

  The Café, usually open for dinner only on Friday nights, will be open both weekend nights to celebrate the opening and run of the classic play, “Cyrano De Bergerac”, at the Nevada Theatre--which brings us to the third opportunity to hear Storm Session, which will be at the Opening Night Gala Reception at the Miners Foundry immediately after the play on Friday night.

  The Storm Session Café Band, with Maggie McKaig on accordion, Luke Wilson on tenor guitar, Murray Campbell on violin, and Randy McKean on clarinet and bass clarinet, have been charming audiences for the past year at the Café, playing a fantastic blend of tunes from Europe, South America, and more. So come on down to what has become the destination spot for many, have a glass of wine with a bowl of the best bouillabaisse or any of the other tempting tapas, while listening or dancing to this hot band at the coolest little café in Nevada City!

Art Show

Sunday

Several paintings by artist Chris Duccini of Grass Valley will be on display for public viewing at Sierra Commons, a business incubator on the top floor of the Stone House at 107 Sacramento Street in Nevada City. Duccini will be at the free event, which goes from 3:30 to 6 p.m. and includes refreshments. For more information about this event or Sierra Commons, send an e-mail to Robert@sierracommons.org or call Executive Director Robert Trent at 530-559-5982.

If you would like to be included in our weekend entertainment calendar, send your information to pat@nevadacityadvocate.com.