Arts & Culture

Boise's Treefort Music Fest kicked off Wednesday night, as thousands of music fans descended onto downtown. On Thursday, we headed out into the field to get some sound from the second day of the festival. 

Comedian Tom Papa hosts podcast, satellite radio programs, a Food Network show, he pops up regularly on TV and film and has authored an Amazon top-selling book in 2018. In his spare time, he is the head writer and featured commentator on NPR's Live From Here. Papa will perform at The Egyptian Theatre on March 29 and he joins Idaho Matters to talk about what always draws him back to doing live stand-up.

The Treefort Music Festival just kicked off its eighth opening day and more than 400 bands will come through Boise this week. Those in the local music scene say the festival has given a boost to bands and venues alike.

It can be daunting trying to figure out which of the 400+ bands playing Treefort to see and on Wednesday's Idaho Matters, we makes it easy for you. Boise State Public Radio's Frankie Barnhill joins guest host George Prentice to help you focus on which bands you should see play and which ones might get a pass.

Hundreds of bands are descending on downtown Boise for the eighth Treefort Music Festival. Spanning four days, the 2019 edition of the festival is bringing over 400 music acts to the City of Trees. Among the panoply of artists spanning genres is Liz Cooper and the Stampede.

Cooper's style of Americana and roots music has been described by critics as a "gorgeously arranged and performed bouquet of psychedelia-tinged folk rock." Cooper is performing Wednesday evening at an intimate show co-sponsored by Boise State Public Radio and The Record Exchange.

Bike share company Boise GreenBike has been a partner of Treefort Music Fest for the last few years. This year, the organization is offering free rides up to four hours during the entire event, which runs March 20-24.

We Live In Boise by Elisabeth McKetta and James Stead looks at the City of Trees through the wide-eyed perspective of a child. From Freak Alley to the Smurf Turf, this book is as much a travelogue for children as record of today's Boise. McKetta will be signing copies at Rediscovered Books on Saturday and she stops in studio to talk about developing this vibrant book co-written by her husband, James Stead, and illustrated by April VanDeGrift.

When a friend showed Elizabeth Rodgers pictures of young women at Borah High School preparing for their first swim lessons, the filmmaker was immediately inspired to capture their story on film. The Swimming Lesson tells the story of young Muslim girls who came to Boise as refugees and captures images of contemporary Muslim culture as they enter the pool in their burkinis. The short will show at Filmfort and Elizabeth Rodgers joins Idaho Matters with Samara Alsalim, one of the stars of the film.

The Fort of Drag joins the plethora of "forts" this year at Treefort and events include performances, panel discussions and a drag queen story hour. We talk with Fort of Drag creator and director Cole Calvin and community liaison Gabrielle Davis about using Treefort to connect with the area's transgender community.

The Off Center Dance company rolls out their 2019 spring program this week with 'Blur' - featuring new choreography from OCD dancers and a high-tech collaboration from founder Kelli Brown and The Idaho Virtual Reality Council. Idaho Matters talks with OCD's Lisa Whitwell and Katie Ponozzo and Idaho Virtual Reality Council board member (and OCD performer) Jim Bradbury.

Idaho’s most famous artist, James Castle, was born profoundly deaf in Garden Valley at the end of the nineteenth century. The self-taught artist spent his life around Boise drawing and creating. His talents garnered a few local exhibits in his twilight years, but the wider art world has only taken serious notice the so-called “outsider artist” in the last two decades. This new consideration has led to a fresh understanding of his work and revealed new depth in it.

The Sun Valley Film Festival begins on Wednesday with industry luminaries like David Crosby, Meg Ryan, Fisher Stevens and Idaho native Aaron Paul in attendance. Boise Weekly film critic George Prentice will also attend the festival and he joins Idaho Matters for a preview.

Ask someone to start listing their favorite movies and it won't be too long before you begin naming films starring Meg Ryan: Courage Under Fire, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless In Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, When a Man Loves a Woman, You've Got Mail—the list goes on.

Surel's Place artist-in-residence Matthew Gray Palmer is committed to creating 100 drawings and 30 paintings during his 3+ week stay in Boise. Palmer joins Idaho Matters to explain why he is doing this and the message behind his exhibition, Alluviam: Sifting in the Sandbox of Self.