The ART in FIRE

Destination Downtown

by Kelly Hauert

Fresh organic fruit bowl, assorted cheeses including raw milk goat cheese, brie and feta, 1 bag of Lays Classic potato chips, 1 bag of Guiltless Gourmet lime corn chips, a bag of salted air popper popcorn and homemade salsa and guacamole. No this not the grocery list for a Stanford University tailgate party. Let’s add Ak-Mak crackers, a small tray of organic crudities, tomatoes, arugula and a small Mesculen salad mix.  Do you know what the groceries are for now? How about if we add 1 six pack of Bud Light, a bottle of Cakebread  Chardonnay (iced) and a bottle of Saintsbury Pinot Noir. These are a few of the items from the 5 pages of requirements for food and beverages for the band members of the B-52s www.theb52s.com who will be performing in Visalia this month. It is a side of the music business the public rarely sees.

The list of food goes from being very exact about type, quantity and preparation with an item like organic green tea, Japanese style, served from an electric tea kettle, loose leaves with a tea strainer; to a request for just a small container of olives. The choices may seem rather “high brow” with Greens Maya Gold Dark Chocolate and organic almond peanut butter, but remember that these people spend a good portion of their lives on the road. It must be a very tiresome and lonely life at times spending so much time away from friends and family. In that respect, perhaps they deserve a few indulgences.

Choices presents the B-52s in concert on September 22, a fundraiser for the Downtown Visalia Foundation being held at the Historic Visalia Fox Theatre. Prior to going on stage, Kate (the red head) and Cindy will have their hair styled by Oscar Pena and Paul Morgan of Salon 5th Avenue (110 W. Main Street). The two hair designers are excited and a little nervous at the same time. “It is pretty intense when you read the list of requirements”, says Paul Morgan. The contract states there will be no “bee hives” which used to be the groups signature look. Oscar Pena said, “For the modern look we ‘bump it’ to get the bigger effect (the term refers to using a combination of teasing and curls). We went online, got their photographs and have been practicing ever since.”

The two will travel to an unknown destination to style Kate and Cindy. They are not allowed to take a camera or ask for autographs. “I really want to tell my grandchildren that I styled the     B-52s but I don’t think they will believe me without a photograph”, said Paul.

Tickets are available at www.vallitix.com or at the Fox Theatre ticket office at 308 W. Main Street. The group is best known for their hit song ‘Love Shack’. Their latest album is entitled ‘FunPlex’ www.myspace.com/theb52s .