
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 16, 1995                   TAG: 9506160029
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STACY JONES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

MUSIC EVOLUTION: What makes a band progressive? And what does that mean, anyway? The 2nd Annual Progressive Music Spectacular may or may not answer those questions, but it will provide a lot of decent music for a low, low price. Virginia's mini-Lollapalooza comes replete with a stageful of bands with decidedly un-mainstream monikers. The line-up includes LOAD, Agents of Good Roots, Yams from Outer Space and a special surprise band. The concert takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. at Victory Stadium. Admission is $2 in advance and $4 at the gate. The gates open at 5 p.m. Call 981-2889.

CULTURAL JOURNEY: Disney's ``Pocahontas'' has yet to be released nationally and already it is getting a lot of flak for historical distortion. A Radford production titled ``The Long Way Home'' tells another story of relationships between Native-Americans and settlers. While I can't attest to the play's accuracy, I can vouch for its longevity. This is the 25th season of ``The Long Way Home,'' which depicts the true story of the capture of Mary Draper Ingles and her two sons by Shawnee Indians in 1775. The raid took place at Draper's Meadow, which is now a part of the Virginia Tech campus. The outdoor show opens for the season on Thursday at the Ingles Homestead Amphitheatre, Radford. Show dates are Thursday-Sunday at 8:30 p.m. through September 2. Call 639-0679.

WELL, THAT'S DIFFERENT: Here is something you won't readily find in New York - a draft-horse pull and farm festival on the same weekend. Who says there is nothing to do hereabouts? The event will feature local bluegrass and old-time musicians on Saturday and the group ``Six String Swing,'' backed by the Ferrum College Jazz Ensemble, on Sunday. The horse pulls begin at 2 p.m. each day. Food, crafts and demonstrations are part of the package. The festival runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. each day at Wintergreen Farm in Floyd County. Admission is $2 for those 12 and older. Children under 12 are admitted free. Call (800) 493-6968.

KING OF THE LA-Z-BOY: Sunday is Father's Day. After the tube of brown socks is presented, give Dad an even bigger treat. Get him out of the house and take him to Mill Mountain Zoo. The Zoo is celebrating Father's Day with Orvis, the outdoor merchandise store. A special program on fly-fishing will be presented from 2-5 p.m. Casting instructor Robert Bryant and fly-fishing expert Dallas Cassell will lead the program. There will also be a drawing for an Orvis fly-fishing rod. Admission is $3.50 for adults, $2 for children under 12 and free for children under 2. Call 343-3241.

BACK IN THE SADDLE: A horse show in Virginia is hardly a rare occurence, but usually entertaining. The 24th Annual Roanoke Valley Horse Show begins Monday at the Salem Civic Center with over 1,000 horses. The show is Virginia's largest multibreed, Class A show and features world-class riders from across the U.S., Canada and Europe. Includes hackney, hunter, jumper, racking, roadster, saddlebred and Western classes. The show runs until June 25. Admission is $5, $10 and $15 for adults and $3 and $6 for children, depending on the day. Show times vary. Call 375-3004.

THE BEST MEDICINE: ``I laughed so much it hurt.'' Supposedly that is the type of response produced by ``The Nerd,'' a 1981 comedy that originated at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Showtimers will give their interpretation of ``The Nerd'' this Thursday, beginning an 11-day run. The story centers around an architect who is visited by a man he believes he has never met but who evidently saved his life in Vietnam. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8. Call 774-2660.

by CNB