Dayton, Decades, Upstage and library all hot

There's big doin's at The Upstage Center. I endured a 2-minute, 14--second answering machine message to find out about Bob Malone, who is playing at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Josh Procaccini described him as a piano man in the style of greats like Professor Long Hair, Billy Joel, Dr. John and Randy Newman. Procaccini runs the on-site production company Events Source Productions. His father, John Procaccini, and John Pappenfort own the center. "We are excited to have Bob Malone out here," Josh said.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door. Call the Upstage at 882-8900 or get details online at www.theupstagecenter.net/index.asp.

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The Carson City Library is hosting its second Xpress-o Yourself poetry evening from 7-9 p.m. Friday. The first was a success, according to Youth Services Librarian Cory King, who organized it along with his teen advisory board.

"It was great," King said. There were about 35 people in the room reading poetry for 2 1/2 hours straight. I had to cut them off when we stopped because it was time to go home."

He said readers included many of the members of his advisory board, area teens and some parents. There was even a father-and-son team, with each read their own work. Coffee and snacks are provided. Call 887-2244, ext. 1004.

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On Saturday, a Youth Art Festival will be held at Mia's Swiss Restaurant, 65 Pike St. in Dayton.

"We're just asking everyone to join us in recognizing our high school students for their outstanding artistic talents," said Camille Meggerson, a spokeswoman for Do-Mor for Dayton, the nonprofit hosting the event. All Dayton students who are high school age, be they public, private or home-schooled, were invited to participate. "We've got over 100 pieces of art," Meggerson said.

Do-Mor for Dayton is working to purchase the Mia's building, also known as the historic Odeon Hall. They'll be going to the Legislature soon to push SB380, which would provide financial support to purchase the building. But they haven't made the purchase yet so the restaurant is open for business. "We're still here," Mia Kuerzi said.

The Youth Art Festival is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with live music by the Silver Sage Band from 2-4. There will be a live taping of "Variety Artists Tonight," which should run on public-access television around the end of the month. Call 246-3993.

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I talked to Rod and Jenny Fox at Decades about Fast Forward, the band on Friday and Saturday. "They're great," Jenny said. "They play a little bit of everything, from the current stuff to the '60s."

Decades has live music every Friday and Saturday -- and "We never charge a cover, except at New Year's," Jenny said. Decades is at 1475 Hot Springs Road. Give them a call at 883-8889.

Call Karl Horeis at 881-1219.