Downtown Urban Market, bands, music, activites, dance, film, spoken-word

Amy Calvert, reno.com, Reno@Play
July 22, 2008

The Holland Project, Reno’s all-ages arts and music initiative explodes in July with events showcasing the amazing talents, passion and creativity of Reno-area youth.

July 25
Stop by the Downtown Urban Market on West Street and take in the truckload of fine goods and events served up Holland-style with another installment of the Art+Music Friday Night. This week features the “Word Up and Vertigo” pre-party. Come dressed as your favorite Hitchcock character, join the trivia game, see local musicians perform and visit the arts and crafts vendors’ booths.

The party starts about 5 p.m. at the Downtown Urban Market on West Street between First and Second Streets – it’s open to all-ages and includes totally free performances by: My Flag Is On Fire, The Droogs Trio, and on-stage trivia with Brad Bynum.


July 27
The Holland Project presents The Art of Noise – a four-part event featuring dance performance, spoken word, local bands rock the high school orchestra, and a locally produced music documentary screening, 6 – 10 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at Wingfield Park.

The event features: Mowed a dance presentation inspired by our favorite grass-cutting machines, by Cari Cunningham Dance Troupe. Cunningham, an accomplished dancer, choreographer, dance critic and writer, is an assistant professor of dance at University of Nevada, Reno.

Yes-Yes-Y’all – A Hip Hop in the Park presentation by Spoken Views crew and students at Rainshadow Charter High. Sample their spoken-word and poetry on their MySpace page. See minds at work that “shoot from the lip.”

Harmonious Discord, A live performance of an original punk-inspired score with members of the local music community (My Flag is on Fire, Panic Opera, Short Hair) and the McQueen High Orchestra. Created to honor film Sleeping Nights Awake and its topic, the band Sonic Youth, the score brings together rock and orchestral musicians.

Sleeping Nights Awake – The Reno premiere of a Project Moonshine documentary on the New York noise band Sonic Youth, produced by seven Reno High students. Their 2006 film has been screened at festivals world-wide in more than 15 countries, and has come home to debut in Reno. For details on Project Moonshine, call (775) 560 – 3326.

Sonic Youth
Songs you may have heard by Sonic Youth include their break-out hit Cool Thing with rapper Chuck D, of Public Enemy. The song was on the 1990 album Goo and it brought Sonic Youth out of the shadows and put them on heavy rotation on shows like MTV’s Post Modern and 120 Minutes.

Other hits included 100% featuring skateboarder-turned-actor Jason Lee (Yes, that Jason Lee of My Name is Earl and Kevin Smith movies fame) and Bull in the Heather, from the album Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star.

Or, Sonic Youth may have appeared on your radar when they toured on Lollapalooza or even earlier when they hit the road with a little-known band called Nirvana.

Don’t miss the home-grown documentary on one of the most influential bands of the ’80s and ’90s, fronted by powerhouse innovators Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore.

For more information about The Holland Project, contact (775) 742-1858.