5 things to do in Boise this weekend: Go to concerts, judge comedians, ‘fish’ indoors
Wiped out from the holidays? You’ll find no mercy here.
Despite “dry January” and school vacations, there’s plenty of weekend action on the Boise entertainment calendar.
1. Do concerts
Country Music Roundup: Featuring (in this order) Casey Shelden and the Homewreckers, Lonesome Jetboat Ramblers, Country Club, Buddy DeVore and the Faded Cowboys, and Tylor and the Train Robbers. Music starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Visual Arts Collective, 3638 Osage St., Garden City. The price? $25 at eventbrite.com, or $30 at the door.
Local Nights at the Knit: Bang your head with Mortal Ashes, Barn, Suturist, Sorry No Sympathy and Hatespell. 7 p.m. Friday, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. Cost: $10-$15, TicketWeb.
The Mighty Red Melons — Tribute to the Highwaymen: 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Sapphire Room at the Riverside Hotel. Tickets are $32 general, $40 preferred, at eventbrite.com.
Brett Reid and Zach Forsman: The duo will play classic unplugged renditions of hits from Johnny Cash, The Eagles, CCR, The Beatles, Bob Seger, Don McLean, Gordon Lightfoot, Willie Nelson, America and more. It’s at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sapphire Room at the Riverside. General-admission tickets are sold out, but $30 preferred seats remained available at press time at eventbrite.com.
Casio Dreams: Celebrate the 1980s with this local cover band at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Sapphire Room at the Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise. The show costs $20 general, $25 preferred, at eventbrite.com.
2. Watch hoops
The Boise State men’s basketball team (11-4, 1-1 Mountain West) will take on Utah State (13-2, 2-0) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at ExtraMile Arena, 1401 Bronco Lane. Tickets are $20-$30 at broncosports.com. Can’t attend? The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1, or listen on KBOI 670 AM.
3. Root for comedians
Fifteen local stand-up comics will hit the stage each night on Friday and Saturday for the first two rounds of the Comic of the Year competition. Presented by Idaho-based Blue City Comedy, it is the culmination of Blue City’s Comic of the Month competition during 2022, also held at Mad Swede Brew Hall, 816 W Bannock St., in downtown Boise. Shows start at 7 p.m., and sets are critiqued by judges and audience votes. Cost: $30 at the door, or $25 in advance at eventbrite.com.
4. Go to a slumber party?
A team of local DJs — Spyre, Drty, Ruebin, Darqness, Bubl Wrap, Flowstate and Ramz — will drop the bass all night at the THUMP Slumber Party. Wear your favorite onesie or PJs for a contest, then prepare for “trippy visuals, lights and lasers ... blacklight face painting, live flow artists and, as always, the best vibes.” The party starts at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St., Boise. Cost: $10 at TicketWeb or $15 at the door. You must be 18 or older.
5. Dream about fly fishing
Tired of cold-weather ice fishing? Toss a line into the indoor spey-casting pond at the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo. The annual event happens from noon to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. You’ll also find fly-tying demonstrations, presentations, and displays of all the coolest new rods, reels and fly-tying gear. Entry costs $10 at the door. It’s free for ages 13 and younger.