Matt Andersen’s musical household in rural, blue-collar in New Brunswick got him interested in playing early on and by junior high he was in the school band, first on tuba and later on trumpet. He took up guitar at 14, and before long was playing classic rock and Top 40 covers in pub bands while he studied studio engineering. Things changed dramatically, however, when he discovered the blues. “Through Eric Clapton I got into B.B. King, which led me to the Chicago electric stuff and eventually back to the Mississippi Delta guys,” says the 30-year-old singer. “What really hit me most about the blues was its total honesty.” Matt began to build his name on the Canadian circuit, his imposing voice and slashing slide guitar making a monolithic impression on audiences. In 2010 he became the first Canadian to win Memphis’s famed International Blues Challenge, which led to festival dates in France, Italy, and the US, where he toured with Old Crow Medicine Show.
Don’t miss out on the community’s largest fundraising event, the Sun Valley Center Wine Auction. This 32 year old event takes place over four days, letting you experience incredible wines from around the world, unique vintner dinners prepared by top chefs, one-of-a-kind auction lots and an entertainment wine picnic and concert featuring gourment food from local restauruants and wine from you favorite vintners – all in support of The Center’s art and humanities programs!
Welcome in 2013 with fellow supporters of the arts at the New Year’s Eve Bubbly Bash, a benefit for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts hosted by Sun Valley Resort and The Center’s Junior Patrons Circle.
Revelers at River Run Lodge will enjoy a midnight toast and free champagne from 9 to 10 pm, compliments of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly. Hollywood favorite DJ Shark and his unstoppable percussionists will provide the soundtrack for the party everyone will be talking about. Last year’s Bubbly Bash sold out quickly, so don’t delay – get your tickets now.
Tickets are $50 per person in advance and $75 at the door (if available). SOLD OUTAll attendees must be 21 and over. For more information call 208.726.9491 or 208.622.2135.
Bonnie Raitt with special guest Mavis Staples at Sun Valley Pavilion
Thursday, August 30
7pm
Series tickets available to purchase for members April 13th @ 10am
Individual tickets available to purchase for members April 20th @ 10am
All tickets available to purchase by nonmembers April 27th @ 10am Click here for series pricing chart
Pavilion Seating Map There is no early entry for this show. All ticket holders will be admitted at 6pm.
Lawn seats: $30/40 nonmember (picnics will be allowed on the lawn at the Pavilion and the big screen will be in operation that night!)
Bonnie Raitt is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock, and pop. After 20 years as a cult favorite, she broke through to the top in the early 90s with her Grammy award winning albums, ‘Nick of Time’ and ‘Luck of the Draw,’ which featured hits such as, “Something To Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” With nine GRAMMYs under her belt and a long history of social activism, she tours regularly incorporating many benefit concerts into her schedule. After a brief hiatus, Raitt is back and recharged with a batch of great new songs to play in her live set along with the tried and true favorites that have treated her very loyal following to countless memorable shows through the years. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s nineteenth album, ‘Slipstream,’ is daring, bluesy, and steeped with the inimitable slide guitar and soulful vocals that could only be hers. Out April 10, 2012, ‘Slipstream’ marks Raitt’s first new album in seven years, and the debut for her newly-minted label, Redwing Records.
Opening for Raitt is legendary gospel and rhythm and blues singer, Mavis Staples, who began her career over sixty years ago singing with her ground-breaking family group, the Staple Singers (“I’ll Take You There”, “Respect Yourself”). Staples has been nominated for Grammy awards in blues, gospel, folk, and pop categories and is the winner of the 2011 Best Americana Album award and a 2005 Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. With both The Staple Singers and on her own, Mavis is responsible for blazing a rhythm & blues trail while never relinquishing her gospel roots. Rolling Stone named Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself” among Top 500 Songs of All Time.
Pink Martini at River Run presented by Sun Valley Center For The Arts
Monday, August 13
7pm
Series tickets available to purchase for members April 13th @ 10am
Individual tickets available to purchase for members April 20th @ 10am
All tickets available to purchase by nonmembers April 27th @ 10am Click here for series pricing chart
GA member $35 / GA nonmember $45 EE member $75 / EE nonmember $85 EE = Early Entry Admission to venue at 6pm
GA = General Admission to venue at 6:15pm
“At one moment, you feel like you’re in the middle of a samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, and the next moment, you’re in a French music hall of the 1930s or a palazzo in Napoli. It’s a bit like an urban musical travelogue.” Comprised of twelve musicians, and drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – Pink Martini is like a rollicking around-the-world adventure.
Johnny Clegg & Ladysmith Black Mambazo at River Run
Monday, August 6
7pm
Series tickets available to purchase for members April 13th @ 10am
Individual tickets available to purchase for members April 20th @ 10am
All tickets available to purchase by nonmembers April 27th @ 10am Click here for series pricing chart
GA Member $30 / GA nonmember $40 EE member $75 / EE nonmember $85 EE = Early Entry Admission to venue at 6pm
GA = General Admission to venue at 6:15pm
United in their South African Zulu heritage, this summer event marks a first time ever collaboration in North America of South African superstar Johnny Clegg with his 7 piece band and township vocalists, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ladysmith is best known for their work on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” (released 25 years ago this year) and over the last three decades, Clegg – a singer, songwriter, dancer and anthropologist – has sold over five million albums worldwide.
H’Sao draws inspiration from gospel and traditional African music, especially that of its Chadian roots, and adds dashes of pop, soul, jazz and R&B. The voices are magnificent, true and powerful; their original compositions, their unmistakable style and the energy on stage are contagious.
TICKETS
$20 / $30 nonmembers / $10 student
Purchase online www.sunvalleycenter.org, at The Center (corner of 5th & Washington) or by phone 208.726.9491.
2012 is upon us! And what better place to ring in the New Year and get a fresh start than in Sun Valley! Sure New York knows how to throw a street party, beach parties in Thailand are hard to beat and I heard that the fireworks in Sydney over the Opera House can be pretty spectacular.
But really, there is nothing better than celebrating a fresh start, the New Year and new beginnings here in the mountains of Idaho. And with a fresh blanketing of snow and plenty of options to celebrate in style, I’m pretty sure once that clock strikes midnight, you’ll be glad you’re here.
We have broken down the events by location in Sun Valley and Ketchum, as well as a listing just for kids and families. So read on to check out our roundup of New Year’s options around the Sun Valley area, then grab your loved ones and go celebrate Sun Valley style. We will see you in the New Year!
>> Events in Sun Valley
1. New Year’s Bubbly Bash at River Run Lodge: NOW SOLD OUT
Hopefully you got your ticket early because this event, put on by Sun Valley Resort and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts Junior Patrons Circle, will be hopping! Eighties cover band, Notorious, will be providing tunes and with a free champagne toast and photo booth, revelers will be partying the night away!
>>Where: River Run Lodge
>>When: New Year’s Eve, 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
>>Info: Tickets are now SOLD OUT!
2. Joe Fos Trio at the Sun Valley Duchin Room
Ring in the New Year in the classic Sun Valley Lodge bar–the Duchin Room. The Joe Fos Trio will be providing music and it is sure to be a special Sun Valley New Year’s Eve.
>>Where: Sun Valley Lodge, Duchin Room.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.
>>Info:sunvalley.com, Call 208.622.4111 for more info.
3. Trail Creek Sleigh Ride: Celebrate Idaho-style!
Try an old, Idaho tradition to celebrate the start of 2012 with a classic horse-drawn sleigh. Starting and ending at the Sun Valley Inn, this ride takes you and your family out to the Trail Creek Cabin for dinner and brings you back under a canopy of stars. Dress warmly and get ready to celebrate!
>>Where: Sun Valley Inn and Trail Creek Cabin
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.
>>Info: Call for reservations 208-622-2135.
4. New Year’s Even Dinner at the Roundhouse
With one of the best views in town and some of the best dinner in the Valley, the only on-mountain lodge that offers dinner service is the Roundhouse–and it offers a picturesque and romantic setting for your New Year’s Eve dinner. The ride up and down the gondola also provides a little more romance for the evening.
>>Where: The Roundhouse, Bald Mountain. Park at River Run and ride the River Run Gondola.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31st.
>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 for details! Dinner reservations are currently booked but they are taking names for the wait list.
5. The Ram: New Year’s Dinner in the Sun Valley Village
Head to the cute and quaint Sun Valley Village for a New Year’s Eve dinner you won’t soon forget. The Ram is offering a five-course gourmet meal for $79 per person. Head to the nearby Inn Lobby Lounge to ring in the New Year after dinner!
>>Where: Sun Valley Village, the Ram Restaurant.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.
>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 to inquire about availability.
>> Events in Ketchum
1. Reckless Kelly at Whiskey Jacques: The wildest party in town!
Nationally successful country-rock band, and native Idahoans, Reckless Kelly, headlines the main event in downtown Ketchum. Get ready for a wild night of dancing and fun at Ketchum’s favorite bar, Whiskey Jacques!
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Doors open at 9:00 PM.
>>Info: Advance ticket sales are now over. Tickets will be available at the door for $75/person. Contact Whiskey Jacques for more info, 208.726.5297.
2. Ring in the New Year at the Roosevelt Grille!
DJ Lenny Joseph will be spinning tunes and there will be plenty of dancing to be had at Ketchum’s Roosevelt Grille. Come in for dinner before the party gets rocking at 10:00 PM! Tickets are available starting today and include a complimentary Champagne toast and party favors!
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Party starts at 10:00 PM.
>>Info: Call 208.720.0051 for dinner reservations or to get your wristbands for the party!
3. Romantic Italian New Year’s Dinner at Il Naso
Romance your loved ones with an intimate and delicious dinner at Ketchum’s Il Naso. Dine by candlelight with this five-course, prix fixe meal with a complimentary glass of prosecco.
>>Where: Il Naso, 480 North Washington Ave, Ketchum.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.
>>Info: Call 208.726.7776 for reservations.
4. Dance the night away at the Casino with Old Death Whisper
Ketchum’s famous dive bar, the Casino on Main Street in Ketchum, is hosting local folk/country/rock band, Old Death Whisper for their New Year’s Eve party. Come get into a little trouble and party down with the locals!
>>Where: The Casino, Main Street, Ketchum.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Party starts at 10:00 PM.
>>Info: $15/person at the door.
>> For the Young Ones – Families & Kids!
1. Sun Valley New Year’s Eve Party for the Kids!
The kids have their own party this year! Kids of all ages are welcome for food, beverages and fun in the Sun Valley Inn’s Continental Room. Come check it out!
>>Where: Sun Valley Inn, Continental Room.
>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31st. 7:30 PM to 1:00 AM.
>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 for reservations. $75/person.
Let’s face it, if you are a Mountain Diva, you are a busy girl! It’s a festive time of year and the Holidays only raise the bar, thus lowering the amount of R&R for yourself.
And it doesn’t matter what keeps you busy: whether it’s the constant social circuit (a glass of champagne here…a bikini martini or a hot toddy there) or the steady schedule of family fun and kids activities that you are working to coordinate during this busy time (ice skating, ski lessons, tubing at Dollar). But if you feel like an air traffic controller that has just landed 18 jumbo jets on conflicting flight patterns (at night and in a snow storm), it’s time for a course in pampering yourself 101.
Read on, darling diva, as the following 10 quick fixes are geared towards helping you find your inner goddess once again.
1. Pamper Your Body
Every diva knows that the quickest way to complete bliss is through a relaxing and rejuvenating body treatment. Lucky for us, the Sun Valley Salon and Day Spa offers a wide array of options: everything from acupuncture and herbal body wraps to "hot stone therapy" and traditional massage. Just remember that there are hundreds of different techniques, so be sure to be specific on your needs (and aches or injuries) so that your treatment can be tailored to your specific needs–whether it’s a more relaxing in-room massage treatment (you don’t even have to get up and look presentable) or an invigorating sports massage or shiatsu treatment to help those quads recover from multiple days on Baldy. Can’t decide, call 208.622.2160 to get a recommendation on the perfect spa package (they can build in facials or salon services as well) or view the full brochure of spa services here.
2. Drench Your Skin
No time for a full massage or spa package, book a Petite Facial and enjoy 30 minutes of quiet time that includes a thorough cleanse and exfoliation, along with a moisturizing mask to rehydrate and refresh the complexion. You’ll look as good as new in no time! Of course, feel free to splurge with the Spa Prestige Ogenage Facial (for 80 minutes of heaven and a totally renewed, revitalized, and dare we say reconstructed complexion that works days after the facial). You can also enhance any of the standard facials–like the Aqualift Anti-Wrinkle Facial or Ultra Moisturizing Facial or the Classic–with a marine eye-lift or specialty concentrate treatment. Call 208.622.2160 to book your facial.
Poolside cocktail service at the Lodge pool
3. A Soak in the Lodge Pool
What could possibly be better than a following up your massage or facial (or full spa package) with a relaxing soak in the Sun Valley Lodge pool …? We can answer with complete confidence: Nothing can compete. There is simply no better way to finish off your massage than with a glass of champagne or a bartender’s margarita delivered poolside while you lounge in an outdoor pool that is heated to a soothing 100-102° (make sure you drink your water first so that all that pampering from your massage doesn’t go to waste). Come to think of it, this is the perfect way to end any aprs ski day, no matter where you have been (on the slopes of Baldy, exploring the backcountry with Sun Valley Heli Ski or wandering the Nordic trail system).
The bench seat extends around the entire perimeter and watching your drinks arrive via poolside cocktail service through the steam is a rare luxury. And don’t forget the Inn Pool, which offers breathtaking views of Baldy.
4. Pamper Your Toes
Short on time, book a manicure / pedicure and treat your hands and feet. The Sun Valley Salon and Day Spa even offers a reflexology add-on (30 minutes) to help add to the experience. Looking for a little extra sparkle, zip down to Chic Nail Boutique in Hailey for the Glitter Toes, a treatment that melds real glitter to any color for that added holiday glam.
5. Indulge in Sunday Brunch
Plan a decadent Sunday brunch at the elegant Lodge Dining Room on the second floor of the Sun Valley Lodge and indulge in what many consider to be the Northwest’s finest Sunday Brunch. A lavish display of breakfast specialties including omelet and crepe stations, seafood, an array of gourmet salads and a symphony of desserts await, along with the accompaniment of pianist Leana Leach. Open every Sunday for Brunch from 10 am to 2 pm. Sorry, no reservations for the Sunday Brunch.
6. Lunchat Your Leisure
Lunch at the Roundhouse
Enjoy a leisurely lunch at the Sun Valley Club, surrounded by huge glass walls overlooking the Nordic trails meandering along Trail Creek Golf Course. The sliders are to-die for and the lunch menu has something for everybody. Looking for something a little more quaint, then don’t miss a European breakfast or indulgent lunch at Cristina’s Restaurant (of Cristina’s Cookbook series fame). This quaint little cottage in Ketchum beckons with old-world charm and offers a menu of delicious treats that changes daily.
And for that WOW factor, a gondola ride up the mountain for a full table lunch service at the Roundhouse can not be beat–just don’t miss drinks or fondue at Averell’s before you sit down (and enjoy the incredible views of town and the surrounding Pioneer Mountains)! Plan ahead (and get there early) as parties are seated on a first-come, first served basis; although large parties of 8 or more may make reservations by calling 208.622.2800.
7. A Little Retail Therapy
Grab coffee at the Konditorei Coffee (don’t worry, nobody can spell it correctly, but it’s pronounced khan-di-tor-i) and then head out to the Sun Valley Village shops for some retail therapy.
More than 15 shops beckon in the Sun Valley Village
Over 15 unique shops offer everything from technical sportswear and footwear to the latest in designer styles, fine gifts, jewelry and home dcor. Designer lines include the latest from TSE, Juicy, Diane von Furstenberge, Velvet, Juicy, Kjus, Bogner, Toni Sailer, Ralph Lauren, Moncler, Arc’teryx, Lole, Nils, Patagonia, Burton and more. There is even a toy store for unique toys and gifts and Silver Creek Outfitters….so you can get something for everybody on your list.
For a more cultural experience, visit one of the amazing art galleries in town (the Sun Valley Gallery Association sponsors monthly gallery walk nights), featuring nationally and internationally recognized artists showing as part of a sophisticated and thriving arts scene–there is even the U.S. premiere of the Papunya Tula aboriginal artists from Australia this February at Harvey Art Projects in Ketchum.
8. Escape into the Solitude of Nature
Nordic and snowshoe trails offer beauty and solitude
Want to just get away from it all and enjoy the peace and quiet of a high alpine landscape beneath a blanket of freshly fallen snow? Head north out Trail Creek to the Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center, which is located in the glass-walled and river rock Sun Valley Club, nestled along the sprawling Trail Creek Golf Course. With over 40 km of trails groomed daily for skate and classic skiing, the trail system offers gently sloping terrain with challenging hills that offer incredible vistas without leaving you gasping for air. For a round up of other local snowshoe trails, from easy to insane, check out Sun Valley Magazine’s "Walking in a Winter Wonderland." Cap your afternoon adventure off with a hot toddy in the Sun Valley Club.
9. Dinner and a Movie
Treat yourself to a movie at the historic Opera House. Built in 1937 and located in the heart of Sun Valley Village, the Opera House is a charming 340-seat theatre that features the newest releases, along with regular showings of the classic "Sun Valley Serenade" (every afternoon at 4:30 and admittance is always free).Sun Valley restaurant guests can also enjoy a FREE movie after dining at the following Sun Valley restaurants: Bald Mountain Pizza, Trail Creek Cabin, The Ram and Gretchen’s. Movie passes will be available to each diner for a movie on the same evening. Please ask your server for more information. Ketchum’s Magic Lantern Cinema also offers current films nightly and matinees most days.
Comedy and live music are all part of the winter calendar
10. Ladies Night Out
Looking for a little more excitement. Start with some aprs ski fun by checking out Sun Valley’s Calendar of Events to see who is playing at the base lodges–both River Run and Warm Springs. There is often entertainment in the Sun Valley Village as well, with details on times and performers online–the Duchin Lounge has the best live jazz in town and the Boiler Room offers a comedy series and special appearances, along with the farewell season of Forever Plaid this year! There is also live music most nights somewhere in town and Whiskey Jacques has a full calendar with a great lineup and most shows with only a $5 to $12 cover.
Just remember that if you stay out too late…you may have to begin at the top of the list with #1 and start all over again.
