Summer lovin' for summer's beautiful people.

[August 3rd, 2005] OUT OF THE LOOP: The idea? Dancers rappelling off the St. Johns Bridge. The troupe? Project Bandaloop , the Bay Area aerial company renowned for synchronized swings from the heights of Seattle's Space Needle and Portland's Hilton tower. For three years, White Birders Walter Jaffe and Paul King have been pushing the visionary project to celebrate the bicentennial of the trailblazin' Lewis and Clark expedition. Word under the bridge, though, is that the whole project's been grounded for lack of money.

fond farewell: The grieving process continues as the second anniversary of Elliott Smith 's apparent suicide approaches. Fourteen Portland bands-including the Decemberists , Lifesavas and Amelia -will be recording covers of their favorite Smith tunes for To Elliott, From Portland, a tribute album that will be released this fall on Expunged Records.

GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE: Think of an auctioneer. A stuffy old chap at Sotheby's? Maybe a weathered cowhand in the barn? Now picture Johnna Wells , a 27-year-old slight-framed miss with a big voice, who can be heard coaxing dollars out of hipsters at charity benefits all over town. Last week, the Portlander walked away with $10,000 at the 2005 Women's Division International Auctioneer Championship in Pittsburgh.

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: The lovely fashion accessory that no music fan should be without this fall is the MusicfestNW wristband, your pass into 20 rockin' clubs to hear some 300 bands for three loud nights, Sept. 8-10. Normally $30, the bands go for a mere $20 at 2 pm Saturday, Aug. 6, at the MFNW Kickoff Party at Music Millennium Northwest (801 NW 23rd Ave., 248-0163) with featured performances by Stars of Track and Field, Storm and the Balls, Jeremy Wilson and Eric Lovre, and Talkdemonic.

TANGO THIS: Last weekend's Chamber Music Northwest performances of Letters from Argentina, led by composer and pianst Lalo Schifrin, will be released by Aleph Records (www.dougpayne.com/aleph.htm) in early 2006. WW regrets misidentifying the label last week.