Third Weekend: You thought Film Fest was over
for the year, kaput? No way. Its Third Weekend starts today, with
free (my favorite four-letter word) repeats of the prize-winning
flicks. Tonight, Feb. 9, Man in the Chair, winner of the
American Spirit Award, screens at 7 p.m. at the Riviera. (All the
movies will be shown there.) Christopher Plummer
is something to see as the grizzled, ornery retired studio
electrician helping a high school kid make a movie. On Saturday,
the Film Fest’s audience choice for best feature, Darius Goes
West: The Roll of His Life, and the Charming Sister,
screen at 1 p.m. At 4 p.m. Darkbluealmostblack, Nueva
Vision Award winner for the best Spanish and Latin American film,
goes on. Then at 7 p.m., Beauty in Trouble, winner of the
award for best foreign film, screens.
Sunday: Welcome Home, a Spanish film about an aspiring
photographer leaving his village to head for Madrid, screens at 1
p.m., due to popular demand during the festival. At 4 p.m. there’s
Crazy Love, about a “chilling” relationship story not for
the faint of heart. The weekend winds up at 7 p.m. with
Spiral, hailed as a “most innovative and unique film with
an inspiring and ground-breaking vision.” Set on the rainy (natch)
streets of Portland, it’s billed as a psychological thriller
pairing a reclusive telemarketer (how’s that for a cine character)
paired with a vivacious co-worker.
Meet Red Meat: Your doctor 
attack on a plate, but I figure you probably like to cheat now and
then. I am not recommending barbecue, mind you, but if you have a
weak moment, there are three of the joints around. Cities
BBQ serves lip-smacking treats at 901 N. Milpas St.
Smokin’ Jacks Kansas City Barbecue whomps up the
meat on Santa Claus Lane. Then there’s good old Woody’s
Bodacious Barbecue at 5112 Hollister Ave. So on the very
day I vowed to give up barbecue for life, a new friend and neighbor
invited Sue and I over Sunday to talk about movies and dig into—you
guessed it—barbecue. (OK, I’m weak.) Cities BBQ has a new,
energetic owner, 20-year Santa Barbara resident Pedro
Quito, a former taxi driver. The cow remains up top of the
building.
Music: Hard on the heels of the Film Festival
comes the Santa Barbara International Guitar
Festival, starting Friday, Feb. 9, at Victoria Hall and
Sunday at 7 p.m. at El Montecito Presbyterian Church, with the
Westmont College Chamber Orchestra and soloists. Cost: $5. Students
free. Next weekend the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet will join the
Santa Barbara Symphony at the Arlington, Saturday night and Sunday
afternoon. [[[www.thesymphony.org]]] for more Festival info.
On Saturday at 11 a.m., LA Opera will be performing The
Prospector at Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall, sponsored by the
UCSB department of music. “Perfect for families,” they say. Info at
893-7001.
Out at the revamped and reopened Timbers, at the freeway and
Winchester Road, the musical Nunsense opens Friday night,
Feb. 9. For info about dinner shows and other performances, call
968-2222. It’s a bit beyond the weekend, but the Spanish
Harlem Orchestra is appearing at UCSB’s Campbell Hall
Tuesday at 8 p.m. And really stretching it,
BeauSoleil, trumpeted as “The greatest Cajun band
of the modern era,” will be at Campbell Hall Thursday and with luck
I’ll be there too. Sue and I are just back from Cajun Land in
southwestern Louisiana and we’re anxious to compare BeauSoleil with
what we heard down home. According to the sponsoring UCSB Arts
& Lectures, the Grammy Award-winning ensemble “will celebrate
30 years of traditional, sweet country waltzes and Cajun swing
tunes.” Los Cojoites, playing traditional Son
Jarocho music from Mexico’s Veracruz state, will perform at
Marjorie Luke Theater, 721 Cota St., Sunday at 7 p.m. Free, gratis,
no charge. Presented by Viva el Arte.
Be a Star (Or An Extra): About 35 children aged
4-10 are needed for a fashion shoot. Call 969-2222, Ext 2. or email
reeltalentreelkids@earthlink.com, with a recent photo plus age,
height, weight, etc. Also needed are men and women 48-55 for a wine
ad. Same phone.
B’nai Brith Bash: The congregation is
celebrating 80 years in Santa Barbara with a rock ‘n roll gala at
the Doubletree Saturday night. Since Rabbi Steve
Cohen arrived over two years ago, the synagogue has
increased its membership by 50 percent, Ellen
Raede tells me.
— Cities BBQ photo of Pedro Quito by Sue De Lapa
(Barney Brantingham can be reached at 805-965-5205 or at
barney@independent.com. He is an Independent staffer and
also writes a Tuesday online column for the paper and on Thursday
appears in the print edition.)