For anyone who’s grown up in Sonoma County, the Redwood Empire Ice Arena has been a huge part of fond childhood memories. In the next four months, the ice arena now known as Snoopy’s Home Ice celebrates 40 years of ice skating with specialty-themed skate nights by decade. This weekend, it’s the 1960s, where admission and rental prices will be rolled back to $1.25 and $0.25; the Warm Puppy café will serve uncovered dishes for rolled-back rates; music from the ’60s will play on the rink and contests for best costume and hairstyle will reward the diehards. Apart from the absence of Charles Schulz, little has changed at the ice arena since it opened in 1969—the Scandinavian décor is timeless, and even hometown hero Skippy Baxter still skates rings around the Zamboni (his famous backflip is now on YouTube). In subsequent months, the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s will be feted, but for now, spray up that beehive hairdo and come for the party on Saturday, April 25, at Snoopy’s Home Ice, 1667 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. 12:30pm-4:30pm. $1.50. 707.546.7147.
Gabe Meline
The anxiety. The years of preparation, only for this one moment. The harrowing fear of stepping from the wings, onto a stage in front of the footlights, and motioning for the pianist to begin. The brain starts talking to itself: Poise! Poise! Cripes, look longingly! This is a longing aria! Okay, breathe. First line. Il tenero momento, premio di tanto amore . . . Such is the life of the aspirant opera star at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, chronicled with gripping tension in the excellent documentary The Audition. As part of the coast-to-coast live simulcast opera phenomenon, the film is being presented with a live introduction by Renée Fleming—no stranger herself to debutante stress, having burst on the scene in the National Council Auditions in 1988—and a live panel discussion afterward with former winners. It screens Sunday, April 19, at the Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur (415.924.9111); and at Rialto Cinemas, 551 Summerfield Rd., Santa Rosa (707.525.4840). 12pm. $15.
Not too many women alive can say that they’ve dated Elvis Presley but then gone on to marry an IBM programmer, but then again, not too many women are Wanda Jackson. Without a doubt the greatest female pioneer in rockabilly music, she delivered a strong string of country hits as well; her unapologetic “The Box it Came In” is as simple and direct a song about killing your husband for running off with another woman can be. Earlier this month, Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an “Early Influence,” and her recent album Heart Trouble—the title a joke on her advancing age—shows that the Fujiyama mama still has spunk and verve. She performs her big hits “Let’s Have a Party,” “Riot in Cell Block #9” and who knows? Maybe she’ll even talk about what it was like to kiss Elvis Presley on Saturday, April 18, at the Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 8p;m. $18-$20. 707.765.2121.
Grab yer hot dog, grab yer beer, but don’cha stand too close to the wall! The girls of the Sonoma County Roller Derby could very well come crashing off the rink, tumbling booty shorts-over-helmet, at any given time when the racing gets rough. That’s right, it’s roller derby time again, and the very first home game of the season gets underway this weekend with the Wine Country Homewreckers vs. the Santa Cruz Roller Girls. For just the price of a few containers of Tiger Balm muscle rub, the thrill of witnessing Injury Anna Jones clobber Foxee Firestorm or cheering on Rosie Road Rash as she outskates Cleopatra Catastrophe can be yours ringside at the unforgiving hard oval floor of the rink. It’s thrills, chills and spills galore—with a full bar!—on Saturday, April 18, at Cal Skate, 6100 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park. 8:30pm. $10-$15. 707.584.2890.
There’s never any telling which show from the Grateful Dead’s history you’re likely to hear when you go see the Dark Star Orchestra—it could be the Matrix from 1968; it could be Winterland from 1974; it could be RFK Stadium from 1991. As a fun way to tease hardcore fans who own every Dick’s Picks and have garages full of Memorex cassettes, they won’t tell you which show they’ve just performed until after it’s all over. But mimicry is not the DSO’s stock in trade; the band aims more to capture the feel of the Grateful Dead instead of the exact note-for-note replication of certain historic shows. Expect an especially vibrant four-hour performance this weekend, when, if the planets are aligned, we may go, you and I, while we can through the transitive nightfall of diamonds on Friday, April 17, at the Wells Fargo Center, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. 8pm. $20-$35. 707.546.3600.
