PRESENTING THE CITY OF ROSES FESTIVAL; FESTIVAL WILL SPOTLIGHT MORE THAN 30 MUSICAL ACTS AND DISTRIBUTE AWARDS TO MUSICIANS

One of the headliners of this weekend's first-ever City of Roses Festival provides the fun-filled answer to the question, What if "Dr. Zhivago" went Vegas?

The answer is Dr. Zhivegas, a highly popular St. Louis party band that will perform on the festival's Water Street Stage beginning at 7:40 p.m. Saturday.

The festival begins Friday night with a Downtown Walk Around of clubs, in which some 30 different acts will be featured at downtown night spots. (See schedule) The festival resumes at 3 p.m. Saturday with bands featured on two different outdoor stages.

Also playing Saturday will be the Boro City Rollers, Bruce Zimmerman and the Shysters, Big Larry Williams, The Acme Blues Band, R&B legend Rufus Thomas, harp player Blind Mississippi Morris, and Tora Tora. (See schedule)

Tora Tora is a Memphis-based blues-rock band whose single "Walkin' Shoes" broke into the Top 20 in the early 1990s.

Dr. Zhivegas was born one night when idle conversation turned to morphing classic movie titles. Imagine setting "Dr. Zhivago" in Las Vegas.

Thus "booze and broads and being belligerent" became a concept for a band, says drummer Paul Chickey.

Dr. Zhivegas is named for its frontman, a singer/keyboardist the other members refer to as "The Doctor." The Doctor specializes in big wigs. "Basically, he's an image to behold," laughs Chickey.

The rest of the band, which includes two guitars, bass, drums, trumpet, sax and another singer, are colorful dressers themselves.

The music is disco and soul, a dance-crazy mix of songs by K.C. and the Sunshine Band, James Brown, the Bee Gees and Parliament.

"We throw in some rock, Van Halen or the Stones, just to be ignorant," Chickey says.

The band, which formed two years ago and has had the current lineup only for a year, recently sold out two straight nights at Mississippi Nights on the St. Louis waterfront. They're also in demand in Columbia and Springfield.

"We're sort of becoming regional," says Chickey.

All the members have played in more traditional bands.

"This band is more of a fictional outer space kind of thing," Chickey says.

Until recently, the band's arrangements evolved from its live performances. "We do have rehearsals now," Chickey said.

The band will play from 7:40 p.m. until about 9 p.m. Saturday. "We generally roll all our songs together into one big set," Chickey said.

Tonight, area musicians will be honored at an awards banquet at Port Cape Girardeau.

Other bands to watch for during Friday nights' Downtown Walk Around are:

-- Month of Sundays, performing at The Edge, includes Papa Aborigine drummer Keller Ford.

-- Catiphasia, at Jeremiah's, plays ska.

The Leiner Brothers, a St. Louis band performing at the Bel Air Grill, is composed of former Scott City residents Randy and Sally Leiner and their sons Jordan and Noah. Chaffee native Gary Nunnelly plays drums.

-- Arsenic Orange, at Papa Bear's, is Jordan and Noah Leiner's offshoot band.

-- St. Stephens Blues Band, at Broussard's, has long been one of Carbondale's best.

-- Sonny Ford at the Bel Air Grill specializes in Neil Young songs.

-- Dark Horses at Sharky's includes a son of rock great Greg Allman.

-- The Rapco Band at the River City Yacht Club is composed of employees of the music cable manufacturer.

-- The Subteens at The Rude Dog play Memphis pop.

Friday

Downtown

Walk Around

The Edge, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Dilagence, Month of Sundays, McToad with Cheese, Brixx.

Jeremiah's, 8 p.m. -1 a.m.

-- Game Plan 66 with Recline, Orange Tree, Solid State, Catiphasia, Boro City Rollers.

River City Yacht Club, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Rapco Band, big Larry Williams with members of Rapco Band; Bruce Zimmerman and the Shysters; The Marilyns.

The Rude Dog, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Frontal Nudity, the Subteens, Kelly Keene Trio, Papa Aborigine.

Broussard's, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Biscuit Hounds, Outpatients; St. Stephens Blues Band

Sharky's, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Turner-Up, Daddy Cool, Damn-it Boys, Dark Horses

Papa Bear's, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Arsenic Orange, Group Therapy, Mudpuppy, Trademark, Human Zoo.

Bel Air Grill Patio, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

-- Charles Joseph, Sonny Ford, Shade Tree Folk Ensemble, The Leiner Brothers featuring Bongo Sally, Water Street Blues Band.

Street guide will be available in all clubs.

Saturday

Water Street Stage

3 p.m. -- Boro City Rollers

4:40 p.m. -- Bruce Zimmerman and the Shysters with special guest Big Larry Williams.

5 p.m. -- Rufus Thomas

6:20 p.m. -- Blind Mississippi Morris

7:40 p.m. -- Dr. Zhivegas

9:20 p.m. -- Tora Tora

Blues Stage

3:40 -4:40 p.m. -- Acme Blues Band

6 p.m. -- Big Larry Williams.