By Chip Chandler — Producer
Here's a quick take on your 10 best entertainment bets in the next 10 days.
1. Rodney Branigan
The international guitar star will give a hometown show at 9 p.m. May 31 at Esquire Jazz Club, 626 S. Polk St. Other concerts of note between May 30 and June 8: Americana husband-and-wife duo Ordinary Elephant at 7:30 p.m. May 30 at Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast, 100 Brentwood Road, (for High Plains Public Radio's Living Room Concert series); touring guitarist Claude Bourbon at 6:30 pm. May 30 for Wildcat Bluff Nature Center's Sunset and Songwriters series; the Gruesome Twosome of tribute acts to Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson at 8 p.m. May 31, red-hot country act Eli Young Band at 8 p.m. June 1 and Texas country favorite Bart Crow at 8 p.m. June 8 at Starlight Ranch Event Center, 1415 Sunset Drive; Amarillo rockers Hangman at 10 p.m. May 31 at Whiskey River, 5001 S.W. 51st Ave.; Amarillo rock band Mind Plays at 9:30 p.m. June 1 at Rounders Club, 2801 Virginia Circle. and Canyon country band The RagTown Chiefs at 10 p.m. June 7 at Golden Light Cantina, 2908 S.W. Sixth Ave.
2. Funny Car Chaos
This two-day racing event brings on the flame-shooting dragsters, nostalgic racers and more on May 31 and June 1 at Amarillo Dragway, 12955 Burlington Road.
3. Amarillo Community Market
The urban marketplace returns for a fourth season at 10th Avenue and Polk Street in downtown Amarillo. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1, then every Saturday through Sept. 28. Shoppers looking for a day trip might also journey to Clarendon for the monthly Whistle Stop Trade Days on June 1 and 2.
4. Texas
A revamped version of the long-running outdoor musical returns June 1to the Pioneer Amphitheater in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Performances continue nightly (except Mondays) through Aug. 17. What's new? Charles and Molly Goodnight are the central characters, not their fictional alter-egos Henry and Anna McLean. "The show will still look, sound and feel like the show ... seen in years past," according to a news release.
5. Amarillo Sod Poodles
The Soddies kick off June with a three-day home stand against the Frisco Roughriders from June 3 to 5 at Hodgetown, 701 S. Buchanan St.
6. Sounds of Summer
Outdoor music season is in full swing. June Jams will feature Amarillo rock band Noah Jenda at 7:30 p.m. May 30 and party band Velvet Funk at 7:30 p.m. June 6, both on the lawn of the Randall County Courthouse in Canyon. The Starlight Theatre series will continue at 7 p.m. June 4 with Amarillo band Young Country at Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street. The Amarillo College June Jazz season will open with Polk Street Jazz at 7 p.m. June 4 on the AC Washington Street campus. Center City of Amarillo's High Noon on the Square will kick off its 25th anniversary with music from Ed Montana and hamburgers from the Coors Cowboy Club Cook Team at noon June 5 on the lawn of the Potter County Courthouse, 501 S. Fillmore St. And Amarillo Botanical Gardens' annual Music in the Gardens series will open at 8 p.m. June 6 with The A-Town Rockers at the gardens, 1400 Streit Drive.
7. Savor the Goods
Panhandle PBS's specialty dining series will kick off its second season with a 6 p.m. June 6 event at Embassy Suites Amarillo — Downtown, 550 S. Buchanan St., featuring an internationally diverse menu by chefs Joe Mendez and Steve Bautista.
8. Dark Phoenix
The current cinematic chronicles of Marvel's X-Men, opening June 7, likely comes to an end with this adaptation of one of the comics' most enduring storylines. (Look for Marvel Studios to take a crack at the mighty mutants in the next few years.) Also opening that weekend: animated sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2. Opening the weekend of May 31: Elton John musical biopic Rocketman, horror film Ma and creature feature Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Special engagements include Saving Private Ryan on June 2 and 5, theatrical production The Audience (starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II) on June 3, and a RiffTrax Live takedown of the sci-fi clunker Star Raiders on June 6 and 11.
9. Camp Iwanna
Adults can head to summer camp at this grownup fundraising party for Don Harrington Discovery Center at 7 p.m. June 7 at the center, 1200 Streit Drive. Also, families can get a late-night look at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at Night at PPHM from 8 to 11 p.m. June 7 at the museum, 2503 Fourth Ave. in Canyon.
10. Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo
Cowboys from a dozen regional ranches will compete for bragging rights in the annual Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo from June 7 to 8 in the Amarillo National Center on the Tri-State Fairgrounds, 3301 S.E. 10th Ave. Festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. June 6 with the annual cattle drive through downtown Amarillo.
Chip Chandler is a producer for Panhandle PBS and a member of GALECA. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and on Facebook.
