CoMo Weekend: 4/20-22

April 20, 2012 By 1 Comment

I bet you thought we forgot about you, didn’t you? We could never quit you, CoMo. Let’s do something this weekend, just the two of us. What do you say?

Friday the 20th

House of Vansickle Spring Show at The Catacombs in the North Village Arts District; 7:00 PM (Free) – This imaginative fashion show featuring the designs of Suzanne VanSickle will include performance art and fiber installations. Come out and see Vansickles’ spring line. You can check out her work at the House of VanSickle website or her Etsy page. The aforementioned fiber installation is by Easily Distracted. Modeling and performance art by Moon Belly. For more information call us at 573-442-1859 or email at houseofvansickle@gmail.com.

Artrageous Friday; 6pm-9pm (Free) – Wander downtown and through the North Village Arts District for this quarterly event. This edition features something a little different: “In an effort to liven and beautify the space between our Artrageous Members/Venues, Artrageous Fridays will coordinate and promote the budding concept of ‘guerrilla art’.  These spontaneous, organic, creative & temporary art installations will enhance the excitement and appeal of Artragoeus Fridays allowing community members to display their works in parking lots & alleyways, on buildings & sidewalks, and even places in between.” Be on the lookout for these installations and performances as you enjoy the nice weather. More information can be found at Artrageous Friday’s website.

Saturday the 21st

Cursive at Mojo’s; doors 8PM, show 9PM ($14) – Cursive has been around so long, that they were pre-emo and post-emo before Conor Oberst had a driver’s license. Still, they sound as fresh and as energetic as they did rapping on the 2001 EP Burst and Bloom. Plus, Tim Kasher has never sounded more tortured than he did on 2000′s Domestica. The Omaha natives make yet another pit stop in CoMo this weekend to present new material from yet another concept album, I Am Gemini. The excellent Cymbals Eat Guitar and fellow Omahaians Conduits open. Check Mojo’s for more details.

80′s New Wave Dance Party at the Blue Note… Check Susan’s write-up.

Adventures in Graduate Education in Jesse Hall;  10AM-2PM (Free) The popular Mizzou event for families is back! Explore roughly 30 different activities in science, art, music, engineering, computers, and animals. There’s something for everyone, especially elementary-age kids. http://gradschool.missouri.edu/adventures

CoMO Derby Dames vs. Mid-Iowa Rollers at Sk8 Zone in Jefferson City; doors 4:30, bout 5:00 (children <10 free, $10 at the door; advance tickets are available for $8 at Maude Vintage) – Drive on down to Jeff City to see our CoMo Derby Dames take down the Mid-Iowa (Isn’t all of Iowa Mid-Iowa?) Rollers this Saturday. It’s violent lady fun for the whole family. Check the Dames’ website for further details.

Sunday the 22nd

Columbia Earth Day is held throughout downtown; noon-7PM (Free) – Music, food, booths, and generally Earthly goodness happens all afternoon in beautiful downtown Columbia. Celebrate our global home by meandering through the many exhibits, enjoying the good weather. More details are available here, including a rain date just in case.

Mid-MO Pridefest is downtown; noon-??? (Free) - Pridefest will be selling one inch wide silicone wristbands, courtesy of 360Bandz.com. All proceeds will help support the costs that go into putting together Pridefest and help keep the event free. Additionally, Pridefest hopes to raise money for their August celebration. See Mid-Missouri Pridefest for more details.

Dubb Nubb at Sparky’s;  8PM (Free) – Actually, Nicholas Naioti, Henry Daggs, Seth Moore (“Three sweet ass dudes from TN”) and Soul Mama (Justin Hickersquashed) are also playing Sparky’s, but it’s CoMo’s own Dubb Nubb you’re coming to see. Check it.

Lunafest at the Blue Note;  4PM ($20, $15 w/student ID) – If it rains or you need a break from all the patchouli downtown, head over to the Note for a fundraiser featuring an assortment of short films made by women. There’s plenty more to know about Lunafest at their website.

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMo Events, CoMo Family, CoMo Fashion, CoMo Weekend, CoMusic, Kids Activities, What's Going On in CoMo Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wordless Wednesday : CoMo Derby Dames

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

CoMo Derby Dames Columbia Missouri
CoMo Derby Dames Columbia Missouri
CoMo Derby Dames Columbia Missouri
CoMo Derby Dames Columbia Missouri

Taken at the CoMo Derby Dames inter-league bout at Boone County Fairgrounds Saturday November 12th.

Filed Under: What's Going On in CoMo Tagged With: , , ,

CoMo Fun for all: Roller Derby in Columbia? Who Knew?!

September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Not one, but two whistles start the Jammers speeding along the elliptical track, pushing, shoving and maneuvering their way through the Pack. Suddenly, the Lead Jammer emerges, leaving everyone in her wake, lapping, stacking up points and pleasing dedicated fans who scream encouragement from the metal bleachers.

For those of us who remember nightly TV ending with the playing of  the Star-Spangled Banner, this might sound familiar. For the younger set, it’s called Roller Derby. And  it’s making a comeback here in Mid-Missouri through our hometown league, the Como Derby Dames.

If you check out the Dame’s website you’ll see some pretty tough cookies, with roster names like Deth Block and Slamrock. But attend an event and you’ll find their philosophy of positive conduct (aside from the necessary crowd-pleasing rough and tumble competition) holds true. Additionally, their mission “…to support female empowerment through the structure of this alternative sport” is just as apparent in the strength and agility of the team players.

The September intra-league bout, featuring  the Con Vixens versus the Violent Phlegmmes, certainly proved this sport can fire up both teams and fans. About 200 spectators were in attendance.

Along with the bout, refreshments like $3 mozzarella sticks, were readily available (along with wings, corn dogs and a variety of soft drinks).

A table full of Roller Derby gear and gifts, everything from t-shirts to guide books were for sale.

 

And for a buck (or more) you could enter the halftime raffle for cash and prizes!

 

 

Of course, for those who want to experience Roller Derby first hand, the league is always on the lookout for fresh meat (new recruits). You have to be female and at least 18 years old. Additional requirements include: comfortable workout clothing,  a small fee, an insatiable need for speed, a boilable mouth-guard (good idea), a sense of humor and a unique derby name (essential).

If you want to be a part of this fast-paced sport, but are not crazy about bruising, men and women can help ref, set up, cheer-lead and take stats.

Mid-Missouri Roller Derby is held at the Boone County Fairgrounds, but they will be changing their venue in the future. Consult their website for more information.

The  next bout will be Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, followed by another on Saturday, Dec. 3. 7pm start times.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and kids under 12 get in free. Advance tickets can be picked up from Maude Vintage (The District), from a Derby girl or online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Come for the speed, the costumes (extremely creative) and the fierce competition. Overall, great fun for all ages.

 

 

Filed Under: CoMo Family, CoMo Sports, What's Going On in CoMo Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

CoMo Derby Dames: Hello!

September 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Recently, the CoMo Derby Dames were approached by folks from this fantabulous project about possibly writing about “the derby” in Columbia from time to time. As a league, we were thrilled at the opportunity, I agreed to take on the task, and local derby blogging, here I come. Yikes.

I’d like this to be a space where I can talk about this sport I so love, but first things first… A little about the league: Our mission statement reads “The CoMo Derby Dames is a women’s flat track roller derby, skater owned and operated, recreational athletic league based in Columbia, Missouri. Our mission is to promote the evolution of roller derby as one of the few women’s contact sports with a grassroots strategy, and support female empowerment through the structure of this alternative sport. We strongly encourage positive conduct in the sports setting, diversity in membership, and community involvement. The structure of our organization is democratic and equalized through the required and appreciated participation of all members in every facet of the league.”

In other words, we are a skater organized, skater run local league in one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Pretty durned awesome. We are athletes from widely diverse socio-economic, educational, religious, cultural, and political backgrounds. We are women of all ages (over 18) and walks of life, and we likes it that way. We have amazing nonskaters and skating referees, men and women alike, who are also vital and instrumental members of our league. We have amazing sponsors and fans who support us, and we love them for it. We organize, manage, and participate in a full contact, team sport that requires as much strategy as it does athleticism.  We collectively train, practice and skate while running this league, this 501(c)(3) (nonprofit) organization while working (some of us 2-3 jobs), studying, childrearing, running businesses, conducting research in all branches of science, volunteering in the community in our own time, yada yada yada. We are real, we are hard-working, and trust me folks, we’re not your parents’ scripted derby.

In future posts, I’ll write more about the rules, strategies, and gameplay of the sport, derby culture, events, etc  For now, though, please feel free to ask any questions through here, or you can contact us via our website- http://www.comoderbydames.org, look us up on facebook- www.facebook.com/CoMoDerbyDames, or hey, even better-

Come check out the sweet sweet derby action at our upcoming bout (game) this Saturday! (info can be found on facebook/website, tickets can be purchased at Maude Vintage, online, or from your favorite derby girl)!!!  While you’re waiting for Saturday to get here, you can check out this to learn a bit more about the basics of gameplay.  I’ll be working the merchandise booth, hope to meet you there!  SurReal McCoy

Filed Under: CoMo Events, CoMo Sports Tagged With: , , , , ,