Apart from the herd

Every year Artown comes around, some folks claim that the festival focuses on too many mainstream arts groups. Rather than sulk, local artists and art supporters who feel they’re underrepresented are putting together a festival of their own: The Black Sheep Dip. Organizers aim to give spectators a taste of the local non-mainstream arts scene. “We wanted to include a whole artistic side of Reno that gets overlooked by mainstream Artown,” says Marianne Psota, an organizer of the event. Artists include sculptor Nick Ramirez and painter Max Ezra, who will display his UriChrome Paintings (a collection of abstract images made with urine-mixed paint pigments) during the show. The show will feature 12 bands who will each have seven minutes to set up (and take down) their equipment and 12 minutes to perform. Astronot, The Atomiks, Kate Cotter, Dump Your Boyfriend, Sam Dehne, Steve Foht, Mama’s Trippin’, No Nothing Party, Redcel, Vitriolics, Johnny Wilusz and The Spark are slated to play. There also will be poetry, spoken word and performance art between sets. Cover is $5 and proceeds benefit Ezra’s Bleulion Art Gallery. The Black Sheep Dip begins at 8 p.m. July 12 at Reno Jazz Club, 302 E. Fourth St., 322-5011.