A Note from the Instigator....
Six more weeks of winter?! I am not going to let that stop me from enjoying all the things to do in Salem this week — heck, month — and neither should you. Plus, it will make us appreciate when Spring arrives that much more...especially since with Spring arrives a fresh new edition of Press Play Salem! With some additional highlights on the foodie side of our city, it's going to be a delicious edition. I thought a focus on food would be easy, but oh boy, has it ever been tough narrowing down the scope. There are so many great restaurants in Salem. Maybe you can help? I'd love to hear from you — what's your favorite Salem (gotta be in Salem, please — that's what we cover) restaurant? Is there one place on your list that you go to over and over? Or maybe it's a certain food at a certain place? Let me know!
And...enjoy what's happening in Salem this weekend. There truly is "something for everyone."
— Carlee, The Instigator
PS: Our full Valentine's roundup will be dropping this weekend so watch for it!
Empowerment
Experience VorteXs: A Sensual Collision of Pole, Aerial, and Rock on Saturday Night. Scroll for details. Photo by Ben Mah.
Thursday Highlights
"Evening Songs from a Neighboring Village" is a brand-new program from Zingaresca Ensemble that taps into the classical Eastern European guitar heritage along with Romani ("Gypsy") and Jewish traditions. This concert is sure to leave you speechless, as the members of Zingaresca include the renowned Romani virtuoso Vadim Kolpakov, the innovator in the revival of the seven-string guitar Oleg Timofeyev, the Juilliard-trained baritone Anton Belov, and Alina Nazarevich, a Romani singer and dancer from Kyiv, Ukraine. 7 p.m. February 6, at Temple Beth Sholom, 1274 Cunningham Lane S. Click here for tickets.
Salem Poetry Project features Mortality Poems Anthology, 7 to 9 p.m. Feb 6 at Bush Barn Art Center + Annex, 600 Mission St SE. Mortality Poems is the newest anthology edited by Veronica Esagui. The Salem launch of this book features the following critically acclaimed poets from the Pacific Northwest: Amalie R. Hill, Billie Shultz, David Rutiezer, Genie Gabriel, Kc Gloer, Marc Janssen, Shirley Marc, and Veronica Esagui. Following the featured reader is the Infamous Open Mic: 3 poems or five minutes whichever is first. For more information contact Marc Janssen at mrcjanssen@msn.com.
Music & Poetry Open Mic — All ages welcome at this community event, 7 p.m. Feb 6 at Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St. SE Ste. #150. Sign up in-person beginning at 6:30. Please message us ahead at info@irsalem.com if you will need any special equipment or accommodations. Sets are 10 minutes or 3 songs. No cover, but two item minimum for audience members and performers. Food and drinks available all night.
Briarwood Acres
Pop in to Briarwood Acres for an Open House Feb 8-9. Scroll down for details.
Salem Reads
Salem Reads, the community-wide reading project that invites everyone in Salem to read the same book, take part in discussions, and enjoy related programs, hosts a Writing Contest: Exploring Identity and the first, second, and third-place stories will be published through Press Play Salem. Entries are being accepted through February 17 at cityofsalem.net/library. Click here for more info.
As part of Salem Reads…
Join Why Didn’t You Tell Me? author Carmen Rita Wong for a virtual discussion. 11 a.m. Feb 7 in Anderson Rooms A&B at Salem Public Library and on Zoom. Sign up to receive Zoom link by email.
Preserving Our Culture and Traditions: An Oregon Humanities Conversation explores the importance of cultural heritage and its preservation. 11 a.m. Feb 8 (Spanish); 2 p.m. Feb 8 (English) in Anderson Rooms A&B at Salem Public Library. Learn more about Salem Reads here.
Art Walk
Head to Downtown Salem for the First Friday Art Walk and enjoy local art, pop-up events, live music, and more as you stroll downtown Salem from 5 to 8 p.m.
February's participating businesses & artists are —
- Art Department, 254 Commercial St NE, featuring Tiny Art Show
- Artists in Action Gallery, 444 Ferry St SE, featuring For the Love of the Pacific Northwest group show
- CreativiTee & Rofe Designs, 110 Commercial St NE, featuring Joining Yarns - Sharayah Bodnar
- Elsinore Framing, 444 Ferry St SE, featuring CTEC Students
- Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St, featuring Brenda Mallory: The North Star Changes
- Hattawear at The Reed, 189 Liberty St NE #103, featuring Kelsey Golden
- Quantum Light Annex at The Reed, 189 Liberty St NE #10, featuring Tori Corner
- Salem on the Edge,156 Liberty St NE, featuring the Erotica Show plus Shibari performance, Truffle Shuffle, and Divine Distillers
- Sewell Sweets,155 Liberty St NE #160, featuring Found in the Ground - Dara Shafer
- The Arbor, 367 State St, featuring Jim Schomaker
- Slick Licks, 440 State St, featuring Nixin
Escape on The Moon
Catch up and hang out at the Moon Mixer/Listener/DJ42 Birthday Party, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb 7 at Taproot Lounge & Cafe, 356 State St. The Astronauts will be there and it will also celebrate the birthday of The Moon’s very own DJ42. (He will be the DJ, too)
An Aerial+ Experience
VorteXs: A Sensual Collision of Pole, Aerial, and Rock! — Get ready for VorteXs, a seductive, high-energy performance from eXs, a unique collaboration between Empowerment Pole & Fitness and Salem Aerial Dance Company. This show fuses pole, Lyra, silks, heels, and more with the raw power of late ‘90s and early 2000s rock, while the lights pulse and flash with every beat, pulling you deeper into the experience. 8 p.m. February 8, at Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. $50 for VIP; $30 general admission for this 21 and older show. Click here for tickets.
Dance the Night away
Dance holes in your shoes during Lindy Swing Night. The night begins with a Lindy Swing dance with Mz Jitterbug Debra Seeck, followed by live music featuring Ginger & The Tonics at 8 p.m. No partner? No problem! They will still get you moving your feet. Don’t feel like dancing? Go and enjoy the live music. Ginger & The Tonics are an eclectic, vocal jazz/swing ensemble from Portland lead by vocalist Heather Lynn and guitarist Twayn Williams playing a wide-ranging modern swing style — from straight renderings of classic swing dance tunes, punk jazz, surprising swing renditions of classic pop, original jazz compositions and beyond. 7 p.m. Friday, February 7, at The Bad Space. $12 in advance; $15 at the door. Click here for tickets.
Practice Self Care
Lifesource Natural Foods presents Self Care Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. February 8 where there will be giveaways, free samples, and flash sales, plus wine, chocolate, coffee, skincare and more.
Laugh
Prepare for a laughter-filled root canal with Oral Fixation: Dental Comedy without a Pre-Auth! Join Dr. Brady Smith and Dr. Bert Walpack, two dentists turned comics, as they extract humor from the depths of the dental world. With their infectious humor and razor-sharp wit, Dr. Walpack and Dr. Smith promise an evening of side-splitting laughter that will leave you smiling brighter than a freshly polished set of teeth. Two shows: 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb 8, at Infinity Room. $20 in advance; $25 day of show. All ages welcome to the early show but material may not be clean. Late show is 21 and older. Click here for tickets.
Date’s On
Pitch Your Friend: Dating Event — Got amazing single friends? Pitch them at this event that aims to provide laughter, entertainment and maybe even a match! Plus there will be prizes. 6 to 9 p.m. February 8 at Xicha Brewing North, 2221 Hyacinth St NE
Meet an Alpaca, or Four
Pop in to Briarwood Acres for an Open House where you can feed the animal, see spinning demonstrations, tour the farm and shop local goods, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. February 8 and 12 to 4 p.m. February 9 at Briarwood Acres, 4150 Briarwood St NE. Click here for info.
On the Big Screen
In anticipation of the theatrical release of Paddington in Peru, Salem Cinema presents Paddington, 7 p.m. February 7 and 4:30 p.m. February 8. Click here for tickets.
Salem Cinema presents MACBETH — David Tennant (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) and Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife, Criminal Record) lead a stellar cast in an ‘enthralling’ (★★★★★ Daily Telegraph) new production of Shakespeare’s MACBETH, filmed live at the Donmar Warehouse in London, especially for the big screen. Unsettling intimacy and brutal action combine at breakneck speed as Max Webster (Life of Pi, Henry V) directs this tragic tale of love, murder, and nature’s power of renewal. With staging ‘full of wolfish imagination and alarming surprise’ (★★★★★ The Guardian), the immersive 5.1 cinema surround sound places the audience inside the minds of the Macbeths, asking are we ever really responsible for our actions? On the big screen 12:30 p.m. Feb 9. Click here for tickets.
This weekly newsletter is free...because we want you to get out and play!
Coffee helps keep us going... ☕ and every sip is appreciated! ❤️
Valentine Preview
Enjoy an early Valentine's Day Celebration with a tasting flight and chocolate pairing, themed-charcuterie board buffet style, chocolate fondue, and flowers, plus raffle, of which you can increase your odds of winning by wearing red to earn a bonus ticket, 6:30 p.m. Friday, February 7, at Kuenzi Family Vineyard, 7975 Spring Valley Rd NW. $30/person at the door. Reserve your spot here.
Make a Tee for Your Partner, 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 08 at Creativitee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. Bring your partner in crime, and make each other t-shirts. Help your partner figure out what size you need, but the rest is up to them. They pick the color and create the design, which is a surprise until the END! There will also be a selfie photo booth for fun, silly pictures, plus non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails available for purchase throughout the event. Click here to register.
Join Yoga Escape for Galentine's Yoga, a one-hour heart-opening flow class taught by Catherine Albertini, that also includes a Galentine’s yoga tank or t-shirt (you may also upgrade to sweatshirt) created by Roanna specifically for this class only plus a private shopping experience after class that includes drinks and treats, 10 a.m. Feb. 09, at Creativitee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. Space is limited. Register here.
Take part in a Valentine’s Day-themed cake decorating class, 12 to 2 p.m. Sunday, February 9 at Sweetly Baked, 680 Hawthorne Ave SE #140. Light bites and beverages served plus you’re taking home dessert! $70 per person. Call 503-508-2444 or swing by the shop to reserve your seat.
Celebrate Cupid's Day Out, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 09, at Salem's Riverfront Carousel, 101 Front St with free activities from card making to a photo booth. For $10, upgrade your visit to include carousel rides, cookie decorating, a goodie bag and more. Tickets sold in person on the day of event.
Valentine Paint Party! — Explore your creative side and enjoy learning to paint with watercolors with your kiddo(s). Great for artists age 6 and up. Parents are encouraged to paint with their child, and tickets are available for non-participating parents as well. 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 09, at Salem's Riverfront Carousel, 101 Front St. Click here for tickets.
Make Up or Break Up - DJ Zo brings a night of tunes from R&B 90s to today, starting at 8 p.m. Feb 7 to Mykie’s Bar & Lounge.
This weekend at Salem Cinema...
Salem Cinema Feb 7
MUSIC
Hell’s Belles
Hell's Belles: An All-Female Tribute To AC/DC will play an electrifying, high-voltage night of rock ‘n’ roll. Endorsed by none other than Angus Young himself, these fierce and talented musicians deliver an authentic AC/DC experience with unmatched passion, precision, and power. 8 p.m. February 7, at Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. $30 in advance; $35 day of show. Click here for tickets.
Brahms & Bruch
Oregon Symphony in Salem presents Brahms & Bruch: Romantic Reimaginings — Inspired by a simple chorale attributed to Haydn, Brahms breaks the bounds of his musical imagination with variations that span an ocean of undulating moods. Plus, Oregon Symphony Concertmaster Sarah Kwak captures the high spirits of Highland fiddling in Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, and music meets psychology in Nielsen's Second Symphony, the Danish composer's exploration of human emotions and personalities. 7:30 p.m. February 7 in Smith Auditorium, Willamette University, 270 Winter St SE. Tickets starting at $37. Click here for tickets.
Beethoven Reimagined
Delgani Quartet presents Beethoven Reimagined featuring one of the most ambitious works ever conceived for the string quartet: Beethoven’s Op. 130. The heartbreaking Cavatina moved Beethoven to tears as he was composing it, and the 15 minute Grosse Fuge finale was so challenging to audiences that Beethoven published his quartet with an alternative ending. The first half of this program features short new works inspired by Beethoven’s remarkable quartet, from a collaborative call-for-scores with Cascadia Composers, 3 p.m. Feb 9 at Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Click here for tickets.
Plus...
- Devils Lake Club — 9 to 11 p.m. February 8 at Taproot Lounge & Cafe
- Roundhouse Duo — 5 to 7 p.m. February 8 at West Hills Vineyards
- Saturday Música: Carson Poncé — 3 to 5 p.m. Feb 8 at Cória Estates
On Stage
Pentacle Theatre is kicking off its 2025 with Arsenic and Old Lace. Don’t miss your chance to see this classic comedy, which is filled with hilarious mayhem, sinister twists and unforgettable characters, on stage through February 22 at Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave NW. Tickets are $20–$41. Discounts available for students & Oregon Trail Card holders. Click here for tickets. Click here for our Press Play story.
Tune In for Theater
Tune in to KMUZ Theatre Talk and learn all about what’s on stage in the mid-Willamette Valley at 9 a.m. the first and third Friday of the month on KMUZ Community Radio at 100.7 and 88.5 FM, also on KMWV-FM-Dallas at 98.3 HD2, and streaming worldwide at KMUZ.org and on the KMUZ mobile app. Plus catch KMUZ Theatre Talk episodes anytime — wherever you get your podcasts.
Plus Explore Art
Salem Reads Artwork
Salem Reads art exhibit on display through March 1 in the Art Hall @ Salem Public Library.
Such as...
- Nationally recognized mixed-media artist Brenda Mallory: The North Star Changes at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St | 503-370-6855, willamette.edu/arts/hfma
- Nancy Floyd: For the Love of Trees at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St | 503-370-6855, willamette.edu/arts/hfma
- New Energy: New Work by M. Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek at Level 2 Gallery on the Second Floor at Salem Convention Center | 503-589-1700, oregonartistsseries.com
- Salem Reads Art Exhibit in the Art Hall at Salem Public Library
- Erotica: An Exhibition to Arouse at Salem on the Edge, 156 Liberty St NE | salemontheedge.com
- For the Love of the Pacific Northwest featuring work by 20 plus artists at the AiA Gallery, 444 Ferry St SE | AiAArtGallery.org
Click here for a full list of what's on exhibit this February.