Event Preview: Phil’s Fire Fund-The Great Northwest Bookstore Demolition Benefit

As you’ll no doubt recall, The Great Northwest Bookstore and it’s wonderful collection of rare and out of print books, went up in flames this past May.  In an effort to help owner Phil Wikelund raise money to finish the demolition of the First Presbyterian Church that housed the store, McMenamin’s will host a benefit extravaganza of poetry, music, and comedy tomorrow (8-17) evening at The Crystal Ballroom.

The event will also feature a silent auction with a variety of terrific items, including:

• A watercolor by Bue Kee and a print by Marina Gayle, both local WPA artists, a painting by one of the Runquist brothers, an original work in Ink by Joel Heidel, and a painting by Portland mural artist Angelina Marino.
• Several William Stafford broadsides (including one illustrated by Hank Pander), and signed editions by several northwest authors.
• A Bill Plympton Documentary about Walt Curtis, rare musical recordings of Gus Van Sant, and a signed Dr Demento vinyl record.

The literary entertainment for the evening includes readings from local poets: Walt Curtis, Dan Rafael, Tim Barnes, The Spangles, Bush & Sorgie, and David Loftus. Tickets are $15 in advance (Ticketmaster), or $18 at the door, attendees must be 21 & over.  For more information check out the Phil’s Fire Fund Facebook page.

Here is a full schedule of the night’s events:
5:00 Doors / auction open
5:20 John Silliman Dodge
6:00 Casey Bush (acc. by a Didgeridoo Master and Percussionist Charles Sorgie)
6:10 Stuck Runnin’
6:55 Walt Curtis the Un-Official Poet Laureate Invocation
7:05 Michael Manning sans The Carolina Pump Station
7:50 The Spangles – Doug and Christine perform spoken word and songs accompanied by guitar

— Break —

8:20 Tim Barnes – Spoken word including both his work and the work of William Stafford
8:30 colorfield
9:20 Dan Rafael – The “Barefoot Poet” takes off his shoes and word slings
9:30 Dave Frishberg and Rebecca Kilgore – jazz
10:30 David Loftus
10:40 Comic Dwight Slade
11:05 Julianne Johnson

Image credit Great Northwest Bookstore.