JOHN NELSON’S LIVE MUSIC COLUMN: Dance your heart out with Valentine’s muse

THIS IS THE time of year when a young man turns to thoughts of . . . wait, baseball isn’t for a few more weeks yet.

Oh, yeah. Thoughts of love.

You can bet that woman in your life, at any age, is thinking the same thing.

After all, it’s Valentine’s Day on Friday (go big-time and make it the whole weekend), and she’ll want flowers, chocolates, dining and dancing.

With the cost of flowers and a box of really good chocolates, it’ll be cheaper to dine and dance.

Outside of home, dancing is the most intimate way to show your true feelings, so c’mon, guys, don’t waste any time making plans to show her you really love her.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Go Mariners!

Port Angeles

■ Today at Castaways Restaurant and Night Club, 1213 Marine Drive, join in Jerry Robison’s musical jam with special guest Jim Lind singing country classics from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

■ On Friday at the Junction Roadhouse, 242701 U.S. Highway 101, Keith Scott of Chicago regales from 8 p.m. to midnight. $5 cover.

On Saturday, Joy in Mudville celebrates Paul Stehr-Green’s birthday. Jason Mogi and Colin Leahy help him grow older starting at 8 p.m.

Too far to drive? All Points Charter & Tours will provide free transportation both evenings. To get picked up, phone 360-775-9128.

■ On Friday at Barhop Brewing, 124 W. Railroad Ave., find out what happens when you mix a little of the blues of the Soulshakers with a little of the country of Haywire. The Hayshakers will show you the best of both from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. No cover.

■ On Friday at the Fairmount Restaurant, 1127 W. U.S. Highway 101, Dave and Rosalie Secord and the Luck of the Draw are joined by guest Denny Secord Jr. of Haywire for a good ol’ time from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

On Sunday, join the country jam from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

■ On Saturday at Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., Valentine’s Day meets the 2nd Friday Art Rock (2FAR) with songs of love by Howly Slim and Sandy Summers. Jon Parry on fiddle and the Raindance Kid on bass fill out the band for this lovely performance at 8 p.m.

Trey Hensley will photograph “lovers old and new, permanent and temporary, fancy and free,” and the $3 cover supports the musicians and artists.

■ On Tuesday at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St., the Port Angeles Senior Swingers present Wally’s Boys playing ballroom dance favorites from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. $5 cover; first-timers free.

Sequim and Blyn

■ Today at Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., Cort Armstrong entertains from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

On Friday, Gil Yslas plays the blues from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Stringology keeps you on the string with gypsy jazz from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

■ On Friday at The Oasis Bar and Grill, 301 E. Washington St., the Whisky Minstrels (Bruce Coughlan and Nolan Murray of Tiller’s Folly) play a special Valentine’s show from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday, dance to the tunes of Nostalgia, a swinging combo, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

■ On Friday in Club Seven lounge at 7 Cedars Casino, Blyn, dance to the burlesque and rock ‘n’ roll of Pretty Twisted, a new band for Valentine’s Day, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

On Saturday, Pretty Twisted returns to the lounge from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

On Friday in the Rainforest Bar, The Mogis (Kim and Jason) are on from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m.

On Saturday, Chris Switzer performs newer folk/rock acoustically from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

■ On Saturday at the Sequim VFW, 169 E. Washington St., dance to classic live country with Silver and Gold from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No cover.

■ On Sunday, the Peninsula’s dixieland band of renown, the Dukes of Danob, play at the Sequim Elks Lodge, 143 Port Williams Road, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. $5 cover.

■ On Wednesday at Nourish, 1345 S. Sequim Ave., Victor Reventlow hosts the open mic from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with sign-ups at 6 p.m.

Port Hadlock

■ On Friday, enjoy Valentine’s Day at the Ajax Cafe, 21 N. Water St., with Trevor Hanson on classical guitar from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

■ On Saturday, Zoog’s Caveman Cookin’, 141 Chimacum Road, hosts a benefit for Voices for Veterans with Andy Koch & the Badd Dog Blues Society with Jeff Dale and Mark Paris of Port Authority Shakedown plus Emily on drums and Hammerin’ Hank on sax.

Benefit starts at 6 p.m. and music at 9 p.m. $5 cover.

Port Ludlow

■ Today in the Fireside Room at the Resort at Port Ludlow, 1 Heron Road, Trevor Hanson plays classical guitar from 4 p.m. to closing.

Port Townsend

■ On Friday at the Uptown Pub, 1016 Lawrence St., Barnswallow, a junkyard folk duo, plays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. No cover.

It will be followed by a Valentine’s Day show with Dave Sheehan performing Americana, blues and alternative country for all the lovers from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. No cover.

■ On Friday at Sirens, 823 Water St., local group Blue Holiday plays blues/roots with Frank Anderson, vocals; George Radebaugh, piano; Randy Cole, bass; Mahiko Fujita, guitar; and Tim Sheffel, drums, at 9 p.m. $5 cover.

On Saturday, John Sutherland entertains with indie-folk at 9 p.m. $5 cover.

■ On Saturday at the Pourhouse, 2231 Washington St., Lowire (a bass and drum duo) plays from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No cover.

■ Every Monday, Trevor Hanson plays guitar at Alchemy, 842 Washington St., from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

■ On Tuesday at the Cellar Door, 940 Water St., Robin Bessier offers jazz and Latin vocals from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. No cover.

High notes

■ On Saturday, the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association meets and performs at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road.

There will be open jamming and old-time jamming from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., with on-stage performances starting after that. The Old Sidekicks will be on stage to back up various groups.

The performances are free and open to the public. Any donations will support fiddler scholarships.

WOTFA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and perpetuating the art of traditional old-time fiddling and associated arts and skills.

■ On Saturday, the Port Townsend Quimper Grange, 1219 Corona St., hosts a zydeco dance with Zydeco Rex, a new band from Seattle.

There’s a dance lesson at 7 p.m., with dancing until 10:30 p.m. $12 cover.

Bringing snacks is suggested.

________

John Nelson is a self-styled music lover and compulsive night owl who believes in “KLMA — Keep Live Music Alive” on the North Olympic Peninsula. His column, Live Music, appears every Thursday.

Are you performing in or promoting a live music gig? Contact John by phoning 360-565-1139 or emailing news@peninsuladailynews.com, with John Nelson in the subject line. And note: Nelson’s deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. preceding Thursday’s column.

Also, check out “Nightlife,” a listing of entertainment at nightspots across the Peninsula, in Friday’s Peninsula Spotlight magazine.

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