By Molly Albrecht, Online Editorial Assistant

I’ve been wanting to road trip to Manchester, Tenn., for years to see Bonnaroo, the south’s hippest four-day music festival. The festival is currently underway in Manchester, and I wish I were there. This year’s drool-worthy acts include the Raconteurs (which includes Jack White of the White Stripes), Broken Social Scene, Ladytron, Death Cab for Cutie, Iron and Wine, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Cat Power, Ben Folds, My Morning Jacket, and Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (the Acadamey Award-winning musicians from the brilliant indie flick “Once.”) There are a host of other musicians I’d absolutely love to see. Coachella, a spring festival in Indio, Calif., is another dose of music nirvana I’d love to soak in someday. It’s hard to come up with the money and the time, but I plan to experience both festivals in the next couple years.

What are your favorite music festivals? Being new to the Black Hills, I’d enjoy learning about some of the local events.

“There’s nothing to do in this stupid town…”

I hear this lament all the time and I have to tell you it is an outright lie! There is plenty to do in this town and as the future Entertainment Editor of the Rapid City Journal it will be my personal mission to change such ideas in the minds of naysayers. (I guess we’ll all see if that makes me slowly go insane.)

This weekend in fact there are tons of things to do. Aside from the all movies available, the outdoor activities that should be dried out soon, the tons of fantastic restaurants in town and the random bar fun to be had, there are also some live performances available for those who are interested.

I’ve picked out a few that I feel are noteworthy and listed the rest for all the naysayers out there.

Crystal’s Friday Night Pick: Red Water Music Festival
Besides the fact that my best friend Dee will be singing there, I gotta tell you I love a festival, whether it’s Christian or not – even if it is a fundraiser. Of course the nice thing about a fundraiser is the tickets are technically free and you can decide how much the performances were worth when they “pass the hat.”
So the Red Water Music Festival will be from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Countryside Community Church, 625 Woodland Drive in Spearfish. It’s north of the holiday inn and convention center. Just use exit 14 and look for signs to find the place.
The festival is indoors and headliners Ayiesha Woods and Jason Grey are set to begin shortly after 7:30 p.m.
Prior to that, local and regional groups including the Countryside Community Church worship band and vocalists from the Faith Temple Church Choir (like Dee Davis) are set to perform.
There will be chuck wagon foodservice, booths, an auction and silent auction. Benefits area Christian organizations including: Vocation for Orphans, the Black Hills Christian Academy and Young Life
This has been a yearly event that featured local talent but this year it has been expanded to include nationally know Christian artists. Besides the silent auction there will also be a live auction for a trip to Cabo San Lucas. And, slthough childcare will not be provided there will be an activity corner for the children.
If you have questions you can call Rick Furnish at (605) 641-2979

Crystal’s Saturday Night Pick: Barefoot Dance Studio’s premiere dance recital
The director of Barefoot Dance Studios, Andrea Muehl, is a brilliant performer herself and I am very excited to see the progress her students are making. It is the first recital for the Barefoot Dance Studio and it’s going to be at a great venue.
I know this is a music blog, not a dance blog, but musicality is a super-important element of dance. Plus there will be one solo dance piece by Terran Elliott featuring live music by Ben LeMay.
Muehl also said that the music for the majority of the pieces in the recital has a “warm guitar theme.” It is also of musical note that modern dance — such as the dance at Barefoot’s recital –approaches the music in very different way than classical dance and ballet.
“We don’t nessecarily stick to the same phrasing as the music does,” Muehl said. “We break the rules of rythem and more juxtapose the movement with the music.”
So get a good dance fix and support the artistic students in Rapid City by going to the Barefoot Dance Studio’s premiere dance recital at 6 p.m. in the Central High School theater. Cost is $10.

Sunday Night Pick: Christian Hip Hop artist Michael Fugitt
Christian Hip hop – now that’s what I call provocative! Michael Fugitt, a hip-hop artist from Sioux Falls will play at 6:30 p.m. the Destiny Foursquare Church at 1001 E. Philadelphia Street in Rapid City. Just a hint – the church is behind the K-Mart.
(If you don’t want to leave town tonight for the Redwater Music Festival, Fugitt is also playing tonight from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Alternative Fuel Coffee House on 620 Main St.)

See, I told you there was something to do in this town! Below is a list of more things to do. Also, the Rapid City Journal posts lists of such events weekly on www.blackhillslive.com. If you know of something to add t the list please e-mail the information to bhj@rapidcityjournal.com. I hope everyone has a fun weekend and finds tons of stuff to do!

Friday, May 30
Redwater Music Festival, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Countryside Community Church, Spearfish. Headliners are Ayiesha Woods and Jason Grey, joined by local and regional groups. Food, booths, auction and silent auction. Benefits area Christian organizations.
Dakota Country Band, 8:30 p.m., Elk Creek Steak House, Piedmont.
Phatt Daddy, 8:30 p.m., Robbinsdale Lounge & Casino, 801 E. St. Patrick St.
Deja Voodoo, Firehouse Brewing Co.
Bill Miller, 8 p.m., Reunion Lounge, 1902 LaCrosse St.
Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m., Saloon No. 10, Deadwood.
Groove Daddy, 7 p.m., Canyon Lake Resort, 2720 Chapel Lane.
Rausis and Royer Jazz Guitar Duo, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Club Room of Seven Grill, Spearfish.
Boom Shine, 8 p.m. to midnight, Oasis-Fireside, 1145 Main St., Sturgis.
Brandon Sterling, 7:30 p.m., CD release concert, The Journey Museum theater. $5.
Walt Keys & Unfinished Business, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Deadwood Tobacco Co., 628 Main St., Deadwood.
Abbey Road Band “Beatles Tribute Show,” 8 p.m., Thirsty’s, 819 Main St.
Renner/Larsen Jazz Duo, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Roma’s Ristorante, Spearfish.
Michael Fugitt, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Alternative Fuel Coffee House, 620 Main St.
Deja Voodoo, Firehouse Brewing Co. patio.
Crash Wagon, 8:30 p.m., Sawtooth Saloon, Piedmont.

Saturday, May 31
Dakota Country Band, 8:30 p.m., Elk Creek Steak House, Piedmont.
Phatt Daddy, 8:30 p.m., Robbinsdale Lounge & Casino, 801 E. St. Patrick St.
Deja Voodoo, Firehouse Brewing Co.
Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m., Saloon No. 10, Deadwood.
Alternative Jones, 9 p.m., Loud American Roadhouse, Sturgis.
Walt Keys & Unfinished Business, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Deadwood Tobacco Co., 628 Main St., Deadwood.
Deja Voodoo, Firehouse Brewing Co. patio.
Crash Wagon, 8:30 p.m., Sawtooth Saloon, Piedmont.
The Easy Sounds Band with Sid Phelps, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. dance, Viking Hall, 2900 Canyon Lake Drive.
Barefoot Dance Studio dance recital, 6 p.m., Central High School theater. Cost is $10.

Sunday, June 1
Dakota Country Band, 6 p.m., Elk Creek Steak House, Piedmont.
Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m., Saloon No. 10, Deadwood.
Brandon Sprague Blues Band, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Deadwood Tobacco Co., 628 Main St., Deadwood.
Dakota Country, 6 p.m., Elk Creek Steakhouse & Lounge, Piedmont.

By Crystal Hohenthaner
Rapid City Journal staff

Last week I got a press release about a green festival that is set to include music as well – the Hemp Hoe Down. I have a few good friends who are involved in the festivities. Personally, it’s hard to get me to commit to doing anything outdoors during the month of May in a state with weather as volatile as SD. But this year I’m considering peeking in.

Here are a few bits from the press release and the schedule of events:

The Eighth Annual Black Hills Hemp Hoe Down (HHD8) will celebrate nature’s greenest plant – hemp –on May 8-10 at the Elk View Campground.

This year’s event will feature all things hemp including: a hemp paper gallery, hemp fashion show, hemp milk, hemp beer, hemp t-shirts, hemp body care, hemp paper, hemp plastics and complete lines of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories.

Holy hemp, Batman!

The Organibis Kitchen will be serving meals. A 9-hole disc golf course will be set up and a tournament will take place on Saturday afternoon. Kids activities will be available, including making and using hemp paint on hemp paper.

High Plains Wind and Solar will be available to help people get wind and solar energy into their lives as well as to help offset the energy needed for the event. The HHD8 Magazine will also be given to all attendees.

A $35 pre-pass is for sale online for all three days. Otherwise, a Thursday pass is $10, a Friday pass is $15 and Saturday pass is $15. Camping is free. Kids 12 and under are free. No glass. No outside alcohol. No drugs. Dogs on leash only. No underage drinking.

The Elk View Campground is located off I-90 at exit 37 on Pleasant Valley Road, just 5 miles south of Sturgis, South Dakota.

Thursday, May 8
4 p.m. DJ4Norml, Plur & Okizoo DJs
8 p.m. Violent Hippie (Soul Punk – Spearfish, SD)
10 p.m. Pert Near Sandstone (Blue Grass – Minneapolis, MN)
12 a.m. Mad Hats (Rock Blend – Spearfish, SD)

Friday, May 9
4 p.m. Dog War (Reggae Folk – Rapid City, SD)
5 p.m. Ryan (Folk – Nebraska)
6 p.m. Tone Grown (Rock – Rapid City, SD)
7:30 p.m. Eco Nation Fashion Show
8 p.m. Lunar Funk Theory (Funk – Sioux Falls, SD)
10 p.m. Snakebeard Jackson (Blue Grass – Sioux Falls, SD)
12 a.m. Gypsy Foot (Progressive Jam – Bismarck, ND)

Saturday, May 10
3 p.m. Entheophonics (Psychedelic Fusion – Sioux Falls, SD)
5 p.m. Sugar & Grain Mash Band (Swamp Grass – Rapid City, SD)
7 p.m. Eco Nation Fashion Show
7:30 p.m. Tommy the Silent (Folk – Spearfish, SD)
8 p.m. Sequoia & The Modern Day Warriors (Hip Hop Blues – Rapid City, SD)
10 p.m. Down Lo (Reggae Funk – St Paul, MN)
12 a.m. Solution (Jam Jazz – Sioux Falls, SD)

So, has anyone been to the Hemp Hoe Down before? What was it like? Is anyone planning on going this year?