Free concerts wrap up with bluegrass jam

Driving home from the newsroom the other day along Saliman, I saw a magnificent sight: a glory hole of light breaking through the clouds shining right on summit of C Hill. With the C Hill climb fund-raiser coming up, it seemed like some kind of sign, so I used my new Nikon digital camera to snap a few shots.

I hope you'll all come out and climb the hill Saturday. The Carson Feetwarmers will play old-time jazz at the base, and there will be free cold water and Clif bars and T-shirts for sale. Warren Engine Company medics will be standing by to rehydrate overheated climbers. Once you make your way up the ridge, you'll be treated to a commanding view of town from the summit.

All funds raised will go toward the new C Hill Flag. Look for your $5 registration form in the Appeal's half-page ad. Call 881-1219.

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After a day of exercise in the foothills, take in a performance by Jerry Jeff Walker and Keith Sykes at the Brewery Arts Center's Performance Hall on King Street Saturday. I spoke to Walker, who plays at both 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., on the phone from San Francisco on Wednesday.

"He's gonna play 30 or 40 minutes of his stuff then I'll play an hour and half of mine," Walker said of Sykes, his old friend from Greenwich Village.

Walker is excited to drive over from Modesto and play in Carson for the first time.

"I thought it'd be fun to come out here while it's hotter than Mary's breath in Texas," he said.

Walker said he'd play little bit of old and a little bit of new -- including the ones everybody expects him to play: "Mr. Bo Bojangles," "L.A. Freeway," "Navajo Rug," "London Homesick Blues" and "Redneck Mother." Tickets are $30; call (800) 216-0891.

The shows are part of the Capital City Music Series, which brought Chris LeDoux, David Benoit and Dr. Ralph Stanley to town. For the final show in the series, the Neville Brothers and guest Bob Malone will perform at the Mills Park Pavilion on Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

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Another "last in the series" concert is the free Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association performance Sunday evening on the Legislative lawn. It's the sixth in a series of free concerts sponsored by the Carson Redevelopment Authority.

"They were a huge hit last year. They're always one of the crowd's favorites," said the authority's Kevin Ray. "A lot of people will get there at 4 just to stake out a good spot."

The group is an association of bluegrass players with a roster that changes with each performance. They play will with several other bands at the 18th Annual Bowers Mansion Bluegrass Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 16. Tickets for that show will be $18 at the gate -- check the group out for free Sunday in the capital. Bring a picnic basket, low lawn chairs, blankets and the kids.

Reach Karl at 881-1219.