After selling out the Domino Room in October for a show that featured the Bay Area band's front-to-back Americana recreation of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Poor Man’s Whiskey is returning to Bend on Saturday (3/13) for another show at the same venue.
This time around, PMW is playing a show featuring its own bluegrass-meets-classic-arena-rock (yes, this is possible) numbers and will almost certainly draw a sizable crowd of their hardcore Bend fans. This is a good chaRead More...
One of our Picks of the Week in the last print edition was sending you in the direction of the Domino Room tonight where Bend's community radio station, KPOV (106.7FM), is screening the documentary Playing For Change.
The film is an uplifting look into the global unifying powers of music and follows a crew that travels the world recording music with players from different cultures by way of a traveling recording studio. The result are numbers that include musicians from various contineRead More...
In January, Source staffer Anne Pick wrote a feature story about the CSPAN StudentCam contest, which put cameras in the hands of local students and asked them to put together a video that dealt with pressing national issues.
Several area students submitted videos and now the winners have been announced. One of the third place winners in the middle school category was Aleczander Reese, an eighth grader at High Desert Middle School. His short film, "What You See and What You Don't:Read More...
It's been in the works for more than a month now, but the lineup has been finalized for the Bend For Haiti concert to take place at the Tower Theatre on March 19. The show is the culminating effort led by Reed Thomas Lawrence, the local pop rocker who will come out of relative live show dormancy to perform at the gig.
The rest of the lineup includes the poppy Oregon funk and reggae act Rootdown as well as Eugene's David Jacobs-Strain, the blues guitarist and songwriter who has a solid Read More...
Here it is, the next installment of Guess Who's Coming to the Les Schwab Amphitheater?
And in this edition, we're announcing a familiar name to the LSA stage, Mr. Willie Nelson. The Red Headed Stranger last played the LSA in 2007 and is touring this summer in support of his upcoming album, Country Music. This year's show is slated for Friday, September 17.
This is the second country artist to make the LSA schedule thus far, joining legend Merle Haggard, who will play on June 20Read More...
I’ve been hearing quite a bit about a band called the Mother Hips lately and how their roots rock attack is blowing up on the West Coast right now. Well, wouldn’t you know it if an e-mail came across my electronic desk this morning announcing that the Mother Hips would be playing in Bend.
The show is slated for April 15 for Mountain’s Edge Bar (what isn’t going on there lately?) and is part of a tour supporting the Mother Hips’ record Pacific Dust, which wRead More...
One remaining local newscast remains in Central Oregon as of today, that being the folks over at KTVZ now that KOHD, the local ABC affiliate, has announced today that it will no longer produce a news program.
In a statement this morning on the KOHD website, KOHD General Manager Jerry Upham announced that tonight’s 11 p.m. broadcast will be the last for the station, which took to the air in September of 2007. Upham cited the station’s low Nielson ratinRead More...
Eric Tollefson and the World's Greatest Lovers played the free Wednesday night show last night at McMenamins here in Bend, serving up a feast of blues rock jems before heading down to Hollywood for a show at the Whiskey A Go Go on Saturday.
I've got some video here, but sadly it is not of the show's defining moment, which was when a youngish man in the crowd challenged Feverishly Dancing Bespectacled Woman (if you've been to a McMenamins show, you know who she is) to a dance off. It waRead More...
Yes, that is the real name that local blues rocking singer songwriter Eric Tollefson has chosen for his band. I profiled the red head in this week's issue of the Source in advance of the band's triumphant journey to Hollywood to play the Whiskey A Go Go.
But before they head out of town, Tollefson and his band, which includes Pat Pearsall, Lindsey Elias and Keith O'Dell from Empty Space Orchestra and Tim Schroeder, formerly of the Bond Brothers on lead guitar, will play a free show toRead More...
On Friday I wrote about the fact that Band of Horses are coming to the Les Schwab Amphitheater on May 30, prompting at least one reader to complain about that band's lack of guitar solos. I also stated that info on an opening act would be coming soon.
Well, soon is now, because it's been confirmed that She & Him, the power duo of actress/vocalist/pianist Zooey Deschanel and producer/songwriter extraordinaire M. Ward will open the show.
The band debuted with Volume One in 200Read More...
Yeah, I had to read that headline a couple times myself before believing it myself, but yes, indeed, Band of Horses, the massive-sounding rock band now located in South Carolina, are coming to Bend on May 30.
The announcement came by way of a Twitter post from the Old Mill District yesterday. Isn't it fun receiving excitement in 140-character bursts?
This, for the most part, erases the allegedly snot-nosed attitude pervasive in my last posting about the respectable, but you knRead More...
Given that it's become one of Bend's most visited live music venues, it's fitting that the Silver Moon now has upped it's in-house sound system.
I'm hardly an audio guru, and for the most part don't complain about a venue's sound during a show -- unless it's unavoidable -- but from what the venue had to say in a press release yesterRead More...
In case you're not the sort of person who hounds the In Touch website, you may not have heard about part-time Central Oregon resident Matthew Fox allegedly having a two-time affair with one of the professional, err, dancers at Stars Cabaret here in Bend.
The In Touch story tells about how Fox (who is married) met the danRead More...
It’s almost spring here in the glorious highlands of Central Oregon, which means that if you’re a lover of live music, it’s time to start praying for some big news to come out of the folks at the Les Schwab Amphitheater.
We already knew that Merle Haggard would be diverting his tour away from the steady string of casinos it’s scheduled for to arrive on the LSA stage come June 20, but now it’s been confirmed that another classic name is on the summer concerRead More...
If you were in Bend on Saturday night there were plenty of options for entertainment. Roller derby, people beating the crap out of each other, ska music, rock music; you name it, it was going on in town on Saturday.
We made it down to Silver Moon to catch the soulful (and dreamy) Eric Tollefson debut his new band The World's Greatest Lovers. The show was great and Eric announced they'd be playing a free, all ages show at McMenamins on March 3 at 7pm. If you missed this show at the MoonRead More...
In the event that you’re habitually are slow on the uptake when it comes to facial-hair-related news, the Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships are taking place in Bend this year.
In advance of the Championships, which are slated for June 5 at the Les Schwab Amphitheater during the Balloons over Bend festival, the founder (and “self-appointed captain”) of Beard Team USA, Phil Olsen and two-time defending Natural Full Beard World Champion Jack PassiRead More...
The Source Weekly's calendar editor/video magician Anne Pick took all the largely cattywompus video I shot during the three days of Bend WinterFest last weekend and quilted it into a nice little documentary.
Take a look and relive the joy that was WinterFest. By the way, we just got word from the WinterFest organizers who estimated that some 32,000 people visited the festival during the three days.
I arrived at McMenamins Old St. Francis School last night and quickly discovered that there were a couple hundred other people who also thought it clever to take in a free show from Blue Turtle Seduction.
The bubbly Lake Tahoe jam band had the place packed (even more jammed than the typical free Wednesday show) and bobbing along to their bright, sunshine-filled songs and improvisations. People were dancing wholeheartedly, sweating the place up and giving me a slight case of claustrophoRead More...
Blue Turtle Seduction won’t leave Bend alone. By our count, tonight’s free show at McMenamins Old St. Francis School is the Lake Tahoe jam band’s 11th (at least) concert in Bend since 2006, when they played at the now-defunct Grove.
The poppy, world-music band was a staple of both years at the 4 Peaks Music Festival and played a pair of shows at the Annex in between. Recently, they’ve moved across the street for gigs at the Silver Moon Brewing Co., but now Blue Read More...
Summer festival season is still a ways off, but it feels much closer now that the Sasquatch! Music Festival has unveiled its downright impressive lineup.
Taking place over Memorial Day Weekend (May 29 through 31) up at the Gorge Amphitheater, the festival boasts arguably the strongest lineup of its eight-year history with headliners like My Morning Jacket, Pavement, Vampire Weekend, MGMT and plenty others, like The Hold Steady, for one.
Once again, the lineup is intentionally elRead More...
If you were one of the several thousand folks who descended on the Old Mill District for last weekend's Bend WinterFest, you probably saw some of action below.
Friday night featured a headlining set from Bend favorites, The Gourds, making for a packed stage as the skiers jammed the rail behind the crowd. The Austin alt-country powerhouse proved raucous as ever, despite the fiercely blowing cold winds that whipped up against the stage.
It looks like that nasty little wet burst of stormy weather has passed and things are looking food for tonight's kick off of WinterFest.
While many out there are heading down to the Old Mill District to watch the always insanely popular Rail Jam, others (maybe you) will be there to take in some first-class music.
Tonight there's an appearance by The Gourds, the Austin, Texas alternative country act with a nice and hefty following in Bend. But that show also features sets from loRead More...
I just got back from Summit High School where Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time, was speaking to a sizable congregation of elementary school-aged kids.
At the event, the organizers also announced the total sum raised during the Pennies for Peace fundraiser in town, which came to $52,729.04.
I also had a chance to sit down with Mortenson, who has dedicated his life to help build schools in Pakistan in the hoRead More...
Although we're only in mid February and we haven't even enjoyed the musical fruits of WinterFest yet, it's time to look to spring and see what's in store on the local live music front.
There's been a few announcements for March and April in the past two weeks, including word of return appearances from reggae legend Pato Banton at the Domino Room on March 12 and yet another gangsta rap throw down from Andre Nickatina set for April 17, also at the Domino.
After a few months of build up, tonight's (Wednesday) Slightly Stoopid show has finally arrived and it seems there's plenty of buzz about it.
This is the band's third appearance in town in the last two years -- a testament to the fan base they've secured in these parts. And it makes sense, seeing as how the outdoor sports community has embraced the San Diego-based punk rock, reggae, roots and sometimes acoustic act.
If you're heading to this show, show up on time because, as I mRead More...
With Bend WinterFest only three short days away, things are already starting to look like festival time down in the Old Mill where the crew is hard at work erecting the massive apparatus for the Rail Jam competition.
Take a look at this brief video and see where they're at. Somehow, this thing looks even bigger than last year. Crazy. **Thanks to Source intern Tony Levison for shooting the video.
One of Portland's most solid rock bands, The Thermals, have released a new, timely titled single called "Canada." 'Cause, ya know, the Olympics and all.
The band's next album, Personal Life, is nearing completion and expected top hit the streets in September of this year. While that's still a ways off, there's some excitement in knowing that Death Cab For Cutie's Chris Walla is producing the disc. But hey, in the meantime you should relish in the band's incredible 2009 release Now We CRead More...
With the fate of 2nd Street Theater still up in the air (although there's rumors of a potential buyer for the location) there's some good news to be had in the local theater world today with the announcement just minutes ago that Innovation Theatre Works will be opening a theater facility.
Most know Innovation for their productions of Driving Miss Daisy and the Frank Sinatra tribute My Way, both of which were performed at the Tower Theatre.
Located on the south end of town near Read More...
My friends and I had been pretty pumped since finding out Cash'd Out, a Johnny Cash tribute band, was coming to Bend and finally last night we got to enjoy the Man in Black's tunes, live. Cash'd Out has been called the next best thing to Cash himself, and I imagine that's pretty on par, being too young to have ever seen him live myself.
Douglas Benson and his crew played all of Cash's hits, a few lesser known songs, and went on for a solid two hours. Benson alternated between Pabst BluRead More...
The Sisters Folk Festival Winter Concert Series kicks off tonight with a show from Anchorage bluegrass/Americana quintet, Bearfoot.
The band, which fuses traditional roots music influences with modern country flavors, is quickly on the rise over the past couple years. Part of this is due to the fact that the band won the Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition -- one of the highest honors a burgeoning acoustic act can receive.
The show kicks off at 7pm tonight (Saturday 2/Read More...
Devotees to the late, great Man in Black can shimmy to the sounds of the legendary country singer tonight at the Domino Room tonight when Cash'd Out, a San Diego-based Johnny Cash tribute act hits the stage.
While I'm always weary of tribute bands, this one does, in fact, do justice the Cash's music. The band is so dead on in its recreations of mostly early Cash songs that they were asked to play the opening of the Johnny Cash exhibit at the Fender Museum.
Another Wednesday, another crowded show at McMenamin's Old St. Francis School. This week's crowd, however, separated itself from previous ones by its intense desire to dance its collective ass off as the tribal sounds of the mostly local Ruins of Ooah bounced off the walls of the Father Luke's Room.
As far as McMenamins shows, this was the most dancey I've ever seen it. There's something about Tyler Spencer's didjeridu and Justus Williams' harmonica that gets people moving. At the end Read More...
Ruins of Ooah, as those hip to the local music community know, is, well, weird. When I wrote about the band this fall, I outline how the band consists solely of drums, harmonica and the didjeridu work of Tyler Spencer. This doesn't sound like much, but the trio is able to create an enormous wall of sound with this seemingly scant instrumentation.
Spencer splits his time between Bend and Eugene when he's not on the road with the band, so this isn't fully a local act, but local enough toRead More...
String Cheese Incident, the venerable jam band which during its time in the touring circuit went from a bluegrassy, roots rock band to an almost-electronic act (while maintaining some Americana elements) just announced seven shows for this summer, four of which will be in Oregon.
From July 29 - August 1, SCI will set up residency at Read More...
Last spring we were treated to guitarist Steve Kimock's latest project, Steve Kimock Crazy Train. It was a high energy show and now the talented ax man is back, but this time with the Chris Berry Trio, who are out on a mini-tour featuring the African based sounds of Zimbabwe. Kimock brings his guitar skills in addition to the rhythm section of the Brazilian Girls. Expect cutting edge improvisational guitar, a touch of electronica and get ready to dance.
There was a steady curtain of wet snow falling outside the Silver Moon Brewing Co. on Friday night, but inside things were pleasantly sweaty, with a packed house getting down to the sounds of Portland's Quick & Easy Boys.
Given the overwhelming turnout, chances are we'll see this power trio and their honky tonk collides with funk sound again. And when I say collision of funk and honky tonk, that's exactly what happened at the show. There were some country folks replete in camouflagRead More...
If you slogged your way through the Grammys Sunday evening, you saw several things, one of which was a performance in which the Black Eyed Peas revealed themselves to be robots. Or at least half robot.
The award ceremony stuck to formula, handing out awards seemingly based on record sales and radio airplay rather than artistic merit. And that's fine -- it's what to be expected.
But how about Steven Colbert, who hosted the show, by the way, winning a Best Comedy Album Grammy foRead More...
Capture the Flag, the young up-and-coming pop punk band from Bend, are shooting their first music video on Saturday (Jan. 30) and want you to be part of it.
The band's guitarist, John Davis, who many know from the concerts he promotes in town, is asking any and all folks who want to be in the video to be at the Rise Up warehouRead More...
We at the Blender believe in good ol' American justice -- and every other kind of justice. That's why we're asking you, the Internet reading folks in Bend, to help us find the low-life couple that distracted local filmmaker Chris Kas, then proceeded to jack his leather jacket which contained his wallet, keys and a borrowed HD video camera.
The alleged heist took place on Tuesday night at Velvet in downtown Bend and security cameras caught the suspected scoundrels in the act. See the phRead More...
As was to be expected, the Father Luke's room at McMenamins Old St. Francis School was packed last night with a couple hundred Bendites who Tetrised themselves in to see Head for the Hills, the young Fort Collins, Colo.-based acoustic band.
The first set was solid, but somewhat sedated with a few ballads tossed into the fiery picking HFTH is known to purvey. Then the crowd thickened for the second set, presumably because people were home watching the surprisingly entertaining State ofRead More...
Every time I hear Fort Collins, Colorado-based bluegrass band Head for the Hills, who are playing tonight for free at McMenamin's Old St. Francis School, is coming to town I kinda get creeped out. No, not because of them at all, I'm not afraid of beards and bluegrass (I actually have a thing for guys with beards as it may be.) The silly reason is because their name sounds strikingly similar to that scary movie The Hills Have Eyes. The two have nothing in common except the words "hills", I am Read More...
I just got word that Poor Man’s Whiskey, the Bay Area band that’s secured Bend as its home away from home over the past three years, is coming back to the Domino Room on March 13.
The last time the PMW came through town was in October when the band played its “Dark Side of the Moonshine” – an Americana version of the Pink Floyd classic – and sold out the Domino Room, packing it full of lasers and stage lights, and of course a few hundred dancing BendRead More...
John Cruz, the Grammy winning guitarist and songwriter from Honolulu, is making a stop in Bend this week, playing the Silver Moon Brewing Co. on Wednesday night.
Cruz, known for his upbeat, island-inspired songs, raked in a Grammy in 2005, but was enormously popular in Hawaii and beyond long before that. This show is his first appearance in Oregon in some time and following the show, Cruz will head down to LA where he'll play a pre-Grammy show featuring other Hawaiian artists.
There won’t be much closure to be found tonight when Conan O’Brien tugs on the imaginary strings affixed to each of his hips for the last time on The Tonight Show. Conan will be gone, at least from NBC, and likely won’t resurface on any network for some time and there’s really nothing you or I can do about it.
And this probably pisses you off. At least a little. Or maybe it really pisses you off – if you’re one of the many youngish Americans who’ve come out in drovesRead More...
There won’t be much closure to be found tonight when Conan O’Brien tugs on the imaginary strings affixed to his hips for the last time on The Tonight Show. Conan will be gone, at least from NBC, and likely won’t resurface on any network for some time.
And this probably pisses you off. At least a little. Or maybe it really pisses yRead More...
Once again, the Sisters Folk Festival has rolled out an impressive lineup for its annual Winter Concert Series. This year's slate is arguably the most diverse offering the ever-expanding festival has offered up, working elements of funk, jazz, bluegrass and, of course, folk into it's the series.
The series kicks off on Saturday, February 6 with Bearfoot, a mostly female bluegrass and Americana outfit from Anchorage.
For the past few weeks, there was a date on the McMenamins Old St. Francis School website that was equally engaging and mysterious. The name of the band was Jukebot and the date was tonight, but other than a painfully vague description reading "21st century rock and roll," that was all I knew.
But the band rolled out a press release this morning revealing themselves as a funky, hard-rocking collection of well-known local musicians best known for their appearances in other Bend-area banRead More...
As if all the whippersnapping, sideways-hat-wearin' Slightly Stoopid fans in town (of which I suppose I am one, minus the sideways hat) weren't stoked enough about the band's upcoming February 10 show at the Midtown Ballroom, there's now extra reason for stokedness. And that's the fact that LA-based reggae band The Aggrolites has been added as the show's opener.
The Aggrolites have enjoyed success on the West Coast and beyond since releasing their debut record, Dirty Reggae, back in 20Read More...
Once again, the rural Indiana country blues rockers of Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band are stopping off at the Domino Room tonight (Monday), making that -- by my count -- the band's third appearance in just over a year.
Local acoustic hooligans Larry and His Flask open the show, which starts tonight at 9pm. Tickets are $12 at the door -- not a band bargain for a band like this, which will almost certainly, in the words of one Mr. Wooderson, "Blow your doors off."
I’ve been working on a profile of local ska-punk-funk band Necktie Killer this week and in the process, I learned that the band is in the process of helping to build their very own ska scene here in Bend by bringing in some huge names from the genre to Mountain’s Edge Bar (formerly Timber’s South): The Toasters and The Slackers.
This is all in addition to next weekend’s show featuring Florida ska punks The Supervillains. Of course, Necktie Killer is set to open Read More...
Tonight, Seattle's deliciously danceable Redwood Plan plays at Players Bar and Grill and in doing so, introduces our town to a style that as far I as know, has never been heard here: Dance Punk.
Here's my profile of the Redwood Plan from this week's Source. Among other things, you'll learn that the band is lead by the thunderous vocals of Lesli Wood, who is actually an attorney when she's not rocking out. Also, you might recognize the name of her previous band, Ms. Led.
We're all aware of punk rock and surf rock and indie rock and alternative rock, but there's plenty of other rock genres out there, one of which has recently come to my attention: pirate rock. And yes, the music sounds exactly like the name suggests -- lots of angry growls and talks of planks and such.
And you can see this genre in action tonight when Deadly Gallows, a self-described pirate rock band from Reno, plays the Silver Moon. Opening the show is local acoustic hooligans Larry anRead More...
The kind and always hip folks at PoetHouse Art are hosting a screening of the acclaimed documentary Beautiful Losers, which tells the story of the evolution of street art in the US.
The film covers graffiti art and other mediums influenced by the punk, hip-hop and anti-establishment movements found in many American cities beginning in the 1980s and continuing today. Naturally, Shephard Fairey - best known for his "Hope" portrait of President Obama - is featured in the doc, as are a coRead More...
Boise's Finn Riggins played McMenamins Old St. Francis School last night here in Bend to a mostly subdued and seated, yet still numerous and attentive crowd. But it was good to see the a strong indie rock play a free show to our often-deprived underage crowd, many of which were in attendance.
If you missed the show, you can keep your fingers crossed that the band will return soon, which they very well may. Or, you can check out these videos from last night.
If there's one band that I've been pleased to see make return appearances in Bend over the past year, it's Finn Riggins (read our profile of the band from this summer), the sometimes goofy but always tight Boise indie rock trio.
The band is playing tonight at McMenamin's Old St. Francis School at 7pm -- and it's free! As in you don't have to pay any money. And better yet, unlike the band's other shows thus far, this one is all ages.
Finn Riggins released Vs. Wilderness, a set ofRead More...
As you may have heard, Conan O'Brien, the host of The Tonight Show released a somewhat funny, but mostly serious statement today announcing that he will not accept NBC's offer to move to 12:05pm to accommodate the terribly nice but less-than-hilarious Jay Leno and his self-titled show.
In the wake of the announcement it seemed every Conan fan descended on the InternRead More...
Empty Space Orchestra is heading out on tour this week, hitting up locations that up till now had been untrodden territory for the local instrumental space rockers.
I ran into guitarist Shane Thomas last night at Parrilla Grill, where Thomas, a faithful employee of the wrap and burrito purveyor, constructed my Red Headed Stepchild (chicken, Frank's hot sauce, GorgonzRead More...
It appears the long and winding road that is the Bend OLCC saga may have come to an end with the agency now naming a new regional manager. Also, embattled former regional manager, Jason Evers, will not be returning, but rather heading all the way to the Idaho border.
We've learned that Katy Boyce, who has been with the Bend OLCC since 2005 and served as interim manager since August, will officially take over the Bend region immediately. Boyce graduated from Oregon State and also holds Read More...
News came out yesterday that the 2010 Beard Team USA Nationals will be held here in Bend, Oregon and it’s more or less the only thing people have been talking to me about since.
Why?
Well, probably because beards are the most important thing to touch the human face since the death mask of Agamemnon, that’s why. And for mustaches, you ask? Well the mustache used the last few years of the past decade to transform its reputation from the calling card look for cops, Spaniards and Read More...
I've written spent some valuable cyber ink and real ink doing some written hand wringing about the future of live music here in Bend. For a while, things looked BTQB (Bleak To Quite Bleak), but now I have some hope.
It's not like the sort of rush we see in the summer, but there are some shows to look forward to in January.
Next week, there's something for the young and angry (at least musically angry) set with the hardcore sounds of Liferuiner, Never Heard the Shot and others atRead More...
Due to restrictions in the recent Top Ten edition of The Source, we had to hold a two lists from the print edition. Here is the first of those, two which was penned by Hayley Wright of Between the Covers Books.
1. Surf Is Where You Find It by Gerry Lopez
Written by surf legend Gerry Lopez, it is a collection of 38 stories about those who have been influential in the sport -- surfing anytime, anywhere, and in any way.
With every publication this side of Highlights rolling out their Best of 2009 lists, I figured I should toss out a list of my own.
Here is my list of top albums from 2009, in top-to-bottom order, for the most part. Please comment below telling me how I missed your favorite record of the year or provide some other suggestions. Knowledge is power!
1: Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
What do you get when you put Jim James, Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and M.Ward in a rRead More...
Last night, Wildwood Ave. played their first show to a full Silver Moon Brewing Co., but it very well may have also been their farewell.
The band has been practicing incessantly over the course of the past year and a half, but had never played a show. Perhaps they're perfectionists, because from what they displayed last night, they were more than ready to play out. They dished out a handful of dead-on Phish covers like "AC/DC Bag," "Funky Bitch" and "Free" while also playing originals Read More...
I just heard from the kind people at Lay It Out Events (who share a building and an owner with the Source Weekly) that the Little Woody Barrel-Aged Beer Festival is coming back for a second go around over Labor Day weekend of 2010.
Last year's inaugural event featured wood-conditioned beers from all of the county's breweries. The featured brews were the sort of high-alcohol, full-bodied concoctions that one could expect to emerge from a an actual beer barrel. Once again, the event willRead More...
This will be it -- our last piece of Cyclocross National Championship coverage. But we got this video from local Beau Killett who made it, he says, for a brother in-law who didn't make the trip over for the races.
I’d been looking forward to seeing The Sprockettes, the all-girl mini bike dance troupe from Portland, since I found out they were booked for this show back in October. Sadly they bailed, afraid that freezing rain on the overpass would keep them stuck in Bend. I almost bailed on the Blow Out Bash after hearing that, but decided to stick around anyway. It was totally worth it.
Quite a few cyclocross riders and Bendites came out for the show at Midtown, the temps finally rising aboRead More...
We just got back from the Old Mill District, which has been taken over by the USA Cyclocross National Championships. The course is still largely covered with snow, but it's warming up just enough to get a bit muddy -- which is actually good for a cross race.
The action goes through Sunday and there's plenty to check out down there for spectators, including beer and food to keep you warm. And if you're not familiar with the sport, check out Bob Woodward's explanatory article in this weeRead More...
Music videos aren’t dead, even if the cable channel that essentially created the format no longer airs them (or at least not when anyone is awake or home).
Case in point: Bend’s own Dirty Words are in the midst of creating their first music video for their song, “Damn Jacket.” And they want you to help. TRead More...
Source editor Eric Flowers braved the sub-zero temperatures last night to make it to the Domino Room for a set by alt-country rock legends Son Volt. Here's some a couple videos from the show.
Yes, it's cold out there. Really, incredibly, astonishingly cold.
But fear not, for you can easily and quickly warm yourself by gathering in the Domino Room with a few hundred other music fans (body heat!) and take in a show by alt-country rockers Son Volt. While it's not a punk show where you can work up a sweat, but swaying along to the sounds of Jay Farrar and company should heat you up.
The show is at 8pm and tickets are still available at the door.
Our own Anne Pick was one of the few freezing spectator's at last night's Oregon Civil War. In the event that you inexplicably use this website for all your college sports news and haven't heard yet, the Ducks won a hard-fought game 37-33. That's why in the photo aRead More...
The Tree Dwellers, a Bend-based band comprised of Mountain View and Bend High students, is one of the eight remaining bands for the Garage Band Playoff, a USAA sponsored contest to find the next great "road song."
The current round of voting starts today and extends through next week. To vote for The Tree Dweller’s song &ldquoRead More...
As I mentioned yesterday, one of our writers, Anne Pick, is on her way to the Civil War game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and will be Twittering as she goes.
Check out her tweets here at the Source Weekly Twitter page. Look for the "swcivilwar" tag for all her game-related tweets.
Those who've attended either University of Oregon or Oregon State University games know that for some folks, the activity outside the stadium is more important than the game itself. Of course, we're talking about the age-old activity known as tailgating, during which fans grill up some food, get pumped for the game, but mainly see how much booze they can swill before kickoff.
But hey, you can't mess with tradition.
Here's some footage from the SI Tour Guy at last year's Civil WaRead More...
Not to be outdone by the "I Love My Ducks (I Smell Roses)" video created by University of Oregon undergrads that call themselves Supwitchugirl, Oregon State University, on the eve of the big Civil War game, has now fired back with a video that shows that the Beavers have some talents of their own.
Tomorrow, the Source's intrepid calendar editor and writer Anne Pick is boarding a bus here in Bend full of Duck fans that will take her to the Civil War game at Autzen Stadium.
Since this is arguably the biggest Civil War in it's 113-year history, we figured we'd give you live updates via our Twitter page: [twitter.com] Keep an eye on that feed for Anne's updates not only from the game, but what we expect to be a rather festive, if not completely ridiculous, atmosphRead More...
Last week I had a chance to chat it up with Mr. Dweezil Zappa, who is bringing his mini-orchestra to the Tower Theatre tonight to play some well-known hits from Frank's enormous catalog. The show promises to be a dream set for hardcore Zappa fans, as well as those who just love extremely complicated music.
When I checked a few minutes ago, there were still a few tickets available on the Tower Theatre website. Also, check out the options for the VIP package...if you're a VIP sort of perRead More...
Last week I had a chance to chat it up with Mr. Dweezil Zappa, who is bringing his mini-orchestra to the Tower Theatre tonight to play some well-known hits from Frank's enormous catalog. The show promises to be a dream set for hardcore Zappa fans, as well as those who just love extremely complicated music.
When I checked a few minutes ago, there were still a few tickets available on the Tower Theatre website. Also, check out the options for the VIP package...if you're a VIP sort of peRead More...
Mustaches have been growing everywhere as of late, with some going as far as to rename the entire month, Movember.
We all know mustaches are either ridiculous or awesome: Awesome if you’re holding a pistol, riding a horse while smoking a hand-rolled cigarette, driving a 1975 Dodge Charger, or happen to be a middle relief pitcheRead More...
In keeping with what I hope to be an annual tradition, Hillstomp, the venerable Portland junkyard blues rock band, is returning to the Domino Room for another post-Thanksgiving show.
Those who made it out to the show last year will remember that Hillstomp has the ability (using only a guitar and a collection of junkyard percussion instruments) to turn Bendites into complete boot stomping, hands-waving freakazoids. And when we decide we like something here in Bend, we bring it back agaiRead More...
If you're a GWAR fan, or are perhaps merely interested in the idea of seeing the most intentionally offensive and confusingly costumed band in the history of rock and roll, then you’re probably digging through the bottom of your closet, looking for some ratty threads to wear to the show Wednesday night at the Midtown.
Why ratty attire? Well, because you’re going to be blasted for more than an hour with a litany of fake (hopefully) bodily fluids. It’s more fun than R. Read More...
Well, the Tower Theatre is tackling that question tonight with the Homegrown Music Showcase.
The show, which we featured in this week’s issue, brings together a roster that includes Sisters folkie Dennis McGregor, blues rocker Eric Tollefson, the pop and soul singer Reed Thomas Lawrence and ethnomusicologist Shireen Amini. Seeing as how their name is synonymous with Bend music, Empty Space Orchestra is also on the bill, so the Read More...
I just got word that, after nine years as a main player in Central Oregon’s theatrical world, 2nd Street Theater will be closing for good following the upcoming run of Harvey.
From our angle, things seemed to be going well with the 2nd Street, with the theater recently wrapping up a month-long run of Evil Dead: The Musical, Read More...
Two things to know about Eek-a-Mouse. He’s the reggae legend playing in Bend on Wednesday night at the Domino Room and he is super buff.
There’s plenty of other things to know about the 51-year-old native Jamaican and his 15-plus albums, but check out this photo of him in a mesh stretch-fit shirt. Holy body by Jake!
This spring, I wrote about a little-known Seattle-area band that was expressly, explicitly, not a classic rock band. The band is called The Lonely H, they rock quite classically (but again, are not classic rock band) and wear all the great denim and leather ensembles that you probably thought were left behind in 1974. And bonus: They’re playing tonight at the BlRead More...
Monster trucks are coming to Redmond. And I’m not talking about the lift-kitted “Monster Trucks” that typically growl through the mean streets of Redmond – I mean real, honest-to-horsepower monster trucks.
The Friday-Saturday engagement at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center is going by the delightfully alliterative name Monster Madness and looks like it should provide two wholesome nights of high-octane, high-suspension, high-powered car-crushing fun.
In honor of Veterans Day, as well as veterans themselves, the Oregon Film Alliance is presenting a free screening of Everyman’s War, an Oregon-made World War II film Wednesday night at the Tower Theatre.
The film was directed by Thad Smith and also stars a Bend native in Cole Carson. Telling the true story of a group of soldiers from the 94th Infantry Division (of which Smith’s own father was a member), Everyman’s War takes place in a small German town in 1945 where the outnumbered AmRead More...
I’m admittedly not a huge fan of gangster rap. It doesn’t often find its way onto my iTunes rotation, and there aren’t many situations where I find I need hardcore hip-hop as my background music. Hip-hop live shows are also touch and go for meRead More...
It’s fixing to be a big weekend in music down at the Midtown Music Hall, where Swollen Members, along with a host of other hip-hoppers are playing the Domino Room tonight and Dropkick Murphys bring their Celtic punk rock circus to the Midtown Ballroom come Sunday.
We ran a feature about Swollen Members this week in which we gave some praise for the Canadian group’s latest record, the imposingly titled Armed to the Teeth, and also chatted up Prevail about his act.
I wrote a piece in last week’s issue (the one with the skier on the cover, not the garden of pot leaves) about National Book Award Winner Sherman Alexie and how I would love nothing more than for the Native American author to give up fiction and poetry and write solely about basketball.
Well, that’s probably not going to happen.
But here are a few other things you should know about Alexie. 1) He’s appearing tonight at the Tower Theatre to read as part of The NaRead More...
There are some acts that descend on Bend and suddenly become instant favorites, continuing to come back time and time again.
We might be able to add Brandi Carlile to that list. After opening a show for Sheryl Crow at the Les Schwab Amphitheater (and performing a duet with the mega-star, see the video at the end of the post) Crow returned in June of this year for a sold-out acoustic show at the Tower Theatre.
Now, Carlile is returning again, thanks to Random Presents, this time Read More...
I like Weezer and I like Snuggies. Well, to be more accurate, I love Weezer and I like the idea of Snuggies.
That’s just a little background as to why the following information is so breathtakingly awesome: Today, the day on which Weezer is releasing it’s new record, Raditude, the band is offering a deal in which you can get a Weezer Snuggie with your copy of the new record.
Hell yes. Talk about a marriage made in heaven – the champions and originators of geek Read More...
Things were relatively quiet out on the town on Halloween night, as it seems many a ghost, goblin and Michael Jacksons were still at home, fixated by the severe throttling the Ducks were giving USC.
But then things picked up by 9 or so and it seemed that the McMenamins Old St. Francis School campus was the epicenter of the Halloween tomfoolery. This seems to be the case with most major party holidays. They should change their name to McMenamins Old St. Francis School and Hall of SeasoRead More...
Person People will surely get you in the Halloween spirit tonight with their headlining show at the Domino Room tonight, but the second half of the bill also deserves your attention. I’m talking about the Staxx Brothers, an eight-member funk, hip-hop and soul collective from Seattle that, contrary to its name, also includes some Staxx Sisters.
There was a moment late last night as I scrubbed fake blood off my fleece jacket when I wondered if my decision to attend the evening’s performance of Evil Dead: The Musical was worth it. And I decided that yes, indeed, it was well worth it. If I were a punny guy, I would say it was a bloody good time. But I’m not.
While charging through the chaotic weekly nightmare that is the production cycle here at the Source, there was something looming in my mind: “Just think, by Wednesday you’ll be jamming out to The Heavy at the Silver Moon.”
Yeah, about that… I just got off the phone with Cassie Moore, the Booking Manager atRead More...
A good 40 hours removed from Poor Man’s Whiskey’s performance of “Dark Side of the Moon Shine” at the Domino Room Saturday night, an Americana-laced version of “Breathe” is still bouncing around in my skull.
The show, which if it wasn’t sold out was pretty damn near, judging from the mass of costumed but mostly un-costumed fans that packed themselves into the club, was much more than the bluegrass take on Dark Side of the Moon it was billed as.Read More...
Bay-area Americana rockers Poor Man’s Whiskey are bringing their “Dark Side of the Moonshine” project, which I wrote about in this week’s paper, to the Domino Room Saturday night. The show – a psychedelically bluegrass interpretation of the seminal Pink Floyd record – has a strong focus on Wizard of Oz themes and costumes, playing on the well-known, widely experienced urban legend that Dark Side and Oz, if properly synchronized, create one fantastic piece oRead More...
Winter, traditionally, has been the time for Central Oregon music junkies to hunker down in the basement with a stack of beloved albums rather than hit the bars and clubs for live shows. This year, however is looking pretty promising, especially knowing a band like Son Volt is coming to Bend before the year is out.
With a fall featuring a strong lineup including Saturday’s Poor Man’s Whiskey show (where they’ll perform Dark Side of the Moonshine), and Wednesday night’s appearance by TRead More...
News outlets have been going bonkers with all the fallout from the Balloon Boy and his wacky dad (strangely, Balloon Life magazine has been mum on the subject) who looks like he, along with his wife, might get the book thrown at at him by pissed-off law enforcement officials for the alleged hoax he pulled off last week.
Balloon Dad Richard Heene may get the bill for the extensive air and ground search for his ironically named son, Falcon, who is now known as “Balloon Boy” bRead More...
Sorry for the delay on this, but we at the Source got some pretty solid video from Ignite Bend 3 last week at the Tower Theatre. If you don't know what Ignite is, here's a crash course: Presenters choose any topic they'd like to share and then give five-minute slide show presentation. The slides move automatically and when the time is up, it's up...so there's a hot seat element to the whole thing.
Here's two videos from Ignite Bend. Take a look and maybe you'll be inspired to try out fRead More...
There’s been plenty of good news for KPOV 106.7FM, Central Oregon’s community radio station coming down the pipe today.
I just got word from KPOV that the station has received a $112,000 federal matching grant to help the station in its quest to become a full-power FM station. Given that the grant from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program is a matching grant, listeners will still need to raise $112,000 in order to receive the grant. The station is currently condRead More...
It’s been four days since BendFilm wrapped up, but there’s been one film that’s been sticking with me since. The film is called Blue Bus, and well, I can’t stop thinking about it. I figured maybe writing about it would shake it free.
The story is that of two men traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans in Read More...
Sitting at the computer last night, my e-mail blinked at me with a message entitled “UK Rock/Soul Band The Heavy Plays Silver Moon.” I stared at the e-mail subject line, figuring that it must be referring to some other Silver Moon in some other town.
But no, the much-hyped UK act is actually coming to little ol’ Bend for a show on Wednesday, October 28 (9pm, $10 with Mosley Wotta opening) sandwiched between tour dates at Slim’s in San Francisco the night prior aRead More...
First off, this should be a post with some video from last night's Ruins of Ooah/Basin and Range show at the Summit, but I'll be damned if the dang battery on my video camera was dead when I got there. Lame.
But the show was STQS (Strong To Quite Strong - pronounced "Sticks") on all fronts with Eugene's Basin and Range funkifying the second level of the Summit before locally rooted didjeridu-led band Ruins of Ooah took to the stage. At one point, didj player Tyler Spencer donned Read More...
Today I entered the Liberty Theater for the first time ever (the largely empty space has been closed for a few years now thanks to some legal troubles from prior owners), to pick up some info on the BendFilm Festival, which kicks off tonight with an opening reception and screening at the Tower Theatre.
To open the festival, BendFilm is screening A Film With Me In It, a feature-length narrative that focuses on a pair of down-on-their-luck slackers who watch as everyone else living in tRead More...
One of the best parts about BendFilm, which kicks off tomorrow night, is the chance to check out some of the films made right here in Central Oregon. I got a chance to take a look at “Big,” which incidentally is not about a suburban 12 year old who, thanks to a carnival game, suddenly transforms into a full-grown man and inexplicably becomes a toy company executivRead More...
Sometimes, when I hear a band is coming to town, I like to slow roast the music on my rotation for, I don’t know, about a month. That’s what I’ve been doing with the tunes of Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers, the rootsy indie rock act from Oklahoma that’s playing a free show at McMenamins Old St. Francis School Wednesday night (7pm).
The band, obviously, is led by Samantha Crain, a young, small-statured lady who strums and sings much louder than her size.Read More...
Hey trees, I’m really sorry that you got so loaded with wet snow yesterday morning that you had no other choice but to drop all your branches on my lawn and break my fence and God knows what else. I love having my entire backyard full of your branches.
Last night’s temps may have been near-freezing, but that didn’t keep the young people of Bend from breaking a hardcore sweat and moshing like it was 1995 last night at the Domino Room’s sold-out Pepper show.
Packed to the point of possible injury, Bend rocked as hard as ever to the reggae-spank rock styles of Pepper and opening bands Iration and Ill Scarlett.Read More...
Music fans in Bend don’t easily forget. That’s why when Vancouver, BC’s bluegrassish party band Clumsy Lovers played the Silver Moon last night—despite not having played in town for at least three years—fans remembered that this band used to rip it up here in town. And rip it up the Lovers did once again, stemming a massively sweaty dance party.
Although not terribly exciting to watch for the most part, with the exception of front man Trevor Rogers, the baRead More...
The Yard Dogs Road Show filled the Domino Room last night with plenty of fog, zany music, trombones, lasers and at least one fan wearing stilts for a show that melted the barriers between theater and rock music.
For the first time in my tenure here in Bend, there were chairs on the floor of the Domino Room, which makes sense, considering the theatrical, circus-show atmosphere. The crowd (many of whom seemed to have not yet changed out of their Burning Man gear) was surprisingly silent Read More...
There’s hasn’t been much noise out of the Person People camp, at least locally, for a bit now, but that doesn’t mean the hip-hop project hasn’t been hard at work. Tomorrow, the band—or at least seven members of it—are heading out for a tour that takes them through the Rocky Mountains.
They start off with a show tomorrow night in McCall, Idaho and hit up Bozeman, Montana and Jackson, Wyoming before stopping off in Boise on their way home. ThRead More...
I’m still wrapping my head around exactly what happened up at the corner of 14th Street and Galveston Avenue this weekend. If anything, the 2009 edition of the Bend Roots Revival proved that whatever negative labels the dismal economy has placed on our town do not apply to our music scene.
All four days of Bend Roots went not only smoothly, but also produced one quality act after another—from bluegrass to roots rock to instrumental chaos to straight up rock and roll, festivRead More...
The Bend Roots Revival, taking place between the Victorian Café and Parrilla Grill (14th St and Galveston Ave.) all weekend got under last night with a show by Grateful Dead tribute act Rising Tide and bluegrass from Back from the Dead.
The bulk of the festival starts tonight and here’s a complete schedule for your entire weekend from the Bend Roots website. Hit the print icon at the top of the page and take this with you to the fest...or pull it up on your Blackberry or wRead More...
If you happened to be wondering how many people will willingly cram themselves into a relatively small room to see a free show by one of the most buzzed-about bands in all of indie rock, last night's Deer Tick show at McMenamins gave you the answer—a hell of a lot.
By the time the Rhode Island Americana-influenced rock band hit the stage at about 7:15pm, the Father Luke’s Room at McMenamins Old St. Francis School was elbow-to-rib jam packed, which didn’t stop the deliRead More...
I’ll admit that I’m not a Frank Zappa enthusiast, but I’m aware of a bucketful of folks here in Bend that worship at the alter of perhaps the only man to have earned the title of “rock and roll composer.” And they’re in luck because there’s some Zappa music coming to town.
As we’ve written about a couple times in the Outta Town column of the print edition, Frank’s son, Dweezil, has spent the last few years touring with members of hiRead More...
Tuesday nights typically aren’t the most fun times of the week, but tonight is an exception. These United States, the much-talked-about folkie indie rock band from a combination of Washington, DC and Kentucky, is landing at the Silver Moon Brewing Co. tonight.
Here’s what we wrote on the Our Picks page of last week’s print edition of the Source.
Far and away one of the coolest bookings thus far this fall (other than the Deer Tick show you’ll read about below), the raucous indiRead More...
After years of providing the backbeat to some of Bend’s best parties, DJ Barisone told me this morning that he’s leaving Bend for Portland, where he will continue to pursue his DJ career.
Just last month, Source readers voted Bryan Barisone “Best DJ” in our annual Best of Central Oregon issue, a distinction he’s definitely earned. Some mayRead More...
The entire Source staff headed to the Tower Theatre last night for the opening night performance of Cat Call Productions' performance of Cabaret. All I can say, is go see this musical. Even if you don't particularly enjoy the theater and have a fundamental problem with anyone, anywhere spontaneously breaking into song, go see this. The production very well might be one of theRead More...
Sometimes, when my iTunes shuffle stops upon a Larry and His Flask tune, I start thinking: "I wonder where the hell those dudes are right now." The Redmond-based punk-turned-roots rock band has been touring insanely hard for the past few years, only coming back home for short periods of time during which they play a full slate of local shows.
I've chatted with the guys about their street performances in the past, including instances in places like Newport Beach where Read More...
I heard yesterday that Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is coming to Bend on October 4 at the Domino Room. This adds another solid booking to a surprisingly strong fall music lineup here in town - given that we have Deer Tick, These United States next week, then Yard Dogs Road Show and Pepper coming soon after.
The saxophonist last played Bend in March of 2008 when he was touring with the Greyboy All-Stars, his supremely funky Southern-California-based outfit. With the Tiny UniverseRead More...
Poor Man's Whiskey-easily one of Bend's favorite bands, is returning to Bend this fall, to finally unleash the much rumored, but little seen "Dark Side of the Moonshine," which is the Bay Area band's bluegrass interpretation of the Pink Floyd classic. The show is slated for October 24 at the Midtown complex - either the Domino Room or the Midtown Ballroom.
We reviewed the Poor Man's Whiskey disc, Dark Side of the Moonshine, in the paper a few months back, giving it the thumbs up it soRead More...
We've got some late breaking news in the live music sector that very well might change your Friday night schedule.
First off, Roger Fisher, the founding guitarist in the band Heart, seen to the right with an incredibly sweet double guitar in 1978, has been added to the bill of the Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles show at the Silver Moon Brewing CRead More...
Last week in Out of Town I suggested Source readers check out the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. In the writeup I promised video of the New York-based trio and I am following through on that promise bringing you not one but three full songs! They sounded amazing, check it out below!
Summer is pretty much over, but the sizable crowd at the Athletic Club of Bend last night where Brett Dennen played a set of fan favorites, shook his ass and spoke for about 15 total minutes about love and love-related topics didn't seem to care much as they danced to the singer-songwriter's warm-and-cozy numbers.
As always, Dennen was equipped with a talented backing band, allowing the red-haired giant to put down his guitar a few times and grab the mic for some R&B-style crooning asRead More...
The Domino Room was as packed as I've ever seen it last night for the much-anticipated G. Love and Special Sauce show.
Even when local opener Eric Tollefson and his band were playing their downright impressive (and surprisingly rocking) set to kick off the night, the house was getting full. By the time G. Love sauntered onto the stage (with his cute hat and harmonica, of course), it was tough to even move through the joint.
But I suppose this is a good thing - it's great to seRead More...
I'm not all that hot on the fact that we've now in September. In fact, I feel like I've had my summer stolen by some invisible fun-and-sun-tan-hating bandit. Jeesh.
But my September blues were lightened (to like a, well, baby blue, maybe?) when Rage Films' Dan Norkunas stopped by the office today and handed off a screener of the Bend-based production company's new ski film, Pretty Good. I haven't had a chance to check it out quite yet, but from the still photos they sent over, it lookRead More...
After several months of preparation, Empty Space Orchestra finally has a new website up and running. It's got some nice bells and whistles, but far and away the sweetest thing about the new site is a free download of the band's show at McMenamins on July 22. The recording is high-quality and gives a taste of the band's ear-bending new sound, something you can't get on their studio record.
In other Empty Space news, the band is taking its show on the road with a show in Eugene with fellRead More...
As many in the local music community may have heard, Creig and Rhoda Jones, along with their business partners, have returned to oversee the Midtown Music Hall, the complex they've maintained ownership of while a group of locals managed the venue over the past two years.
I just got back from a brief tour of what the new management is doing with the three-part venue and while they are still busy at work ripping up carpet, cleaning and repainting, there have been some majRead More...
I was wandering downtown on Saturday night and heard an indistinguishably rocking sound flowing out of the open door of the Silver Moon Brewing Co. The band? We Are Brontosaurus, the high school power trio who impressed the hell out of me with a set (opening for one-man band Ghostwriter) that far exceeds the parameters of what one might expect from a high school band. Since I last saw them, they've tightened up and gained some confidence and seem perfectly comfortable playing inRead More...
I'll have a full review of the Ween show in the Sound Check section of the paper this week, but here is a video of the quirky band playing "Roses are Free" on Friday night to a large and clearly dedicated throng of fans.
Ween: Tonight at the Les Schwab Amphitheater, 6:30pm show.
You may have seen my feature in this week's paper previewing the Ween show tonight at the Les Schwab Amphitheater, but I thought the diehard fans out there might want to read the entire transcript of my interview with Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween) while gearing up for tonight's show. So hRead More...
I just got word from the people over at Random Presents that Hill Country Revue, a Mississippi-style blues act comprised of some familiar faces is booked for the Domino Room for September 17.
The band is a spin-off of North Mississippi All-Stars, including two thirds of that duo in Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew. With Luther Dickinson out on the road and recording with the Black Crowes, Hill Country Revue was formed to keep the NMA spirit rolling.
Hello, friends. I just got back into town from a pleasant vacation and am digging through e-mails, returning phone calls and other "welcome back to reality" tasks and just noticed a link from filmmaker and friend Tim Cash who shot and edited this footage from Sunday's Matt Lewis Band show at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. Enjoy.
Tuesday night is about to roll around and with the Elks having finished for the season, that leaves few options to fill your evening. Yeah, you could go see Inglorious Basterds (which you should because it was great!) or another end-of-summer flick, but for only $5 you could rock out to some sweet and soulful indie rock at Rise Up International.
Check Out Northern California indie folk rock bands Wesley Jensen & the Wildcats and The Honey Trees. Jensen has a nice, folky voice, and Read More...
I've been keeping an ear out as information about the second installment of the Moon Mountain Rambler’s very own music festival, the Moon Mountain Festival rolls out, and tonight finally got confirmation that the two-day event at Elk Lake over Labor Day Weekend is not only a go, but will be free this year.
Hey laaadies! That was of course meant to be sung in the voice and obnoxious tone of the Beastie Boys, in case that didn't make sense. But anyway, let's get to the point. Tonight is Ladies Night in downtown Bend . Not just Ladies Night at a particular bar, but all of downtown.
The event is the first of what the Downtown Bend Business Association says will be a monthly event, taking place on the third Thursday of each month. Ladies Night keeps a number of downtown shops open later, offRead More...
The first time I saw Evil Dead, it was on a gritty VHS tape rented from a wire rack somewhere near the back of my neighborhood grocery store's video section (which doubled as the tobacco counter). I remember one thing about that virginal viewing experience - I thought, probably at age 11 or so, that the movie was hilarious.
The next time I saw it, I realized it wasn't exactly supposed to be that funny. But that didn't stop me from enjoying Sam Raimi's other films in the series.
If you're looking for something to do out on the town tonight, the Silver Moon is probably your best bet with the crazily weird jazz stylings of Teddy Presberg. The St. Louis-based musician is here in Bend once again and you might want to bring the dancing shoes to this one...here's a look at Presberg and his band in action.
This just landed in our in-box and we had to share...it's video of Lefty the One-Armed Guitarist, a Portland street performer who hasn't quit playing music, despite losing one of his arms.
The next time we're over in Portland we're totally going to seek this guy out. Check out this performance and interview.
The Tower Theatre's executive director, Ray Solley, just sent over a list of some of the shows that the downtown theater will be hosting in the remainder of 2009-2010.
The Tower released both the Foundation Series and the CenterStage Series schedules as well as a confirmation that the Bend Experimental Art Theatre's "A Christmas Carol" will again return to the stage December 18-22.
You may have heard the news by now, but Les Paul, the guitar wizard who did wonders for both guitar players and guitars themselves, passed away today at the glorious age of 94.
Most know his name because it is also the moniker for one of rock and roll's most popular instruments, the Les Paul guitar by Gibson. But Paul was also a true virtuoso of the instrument as well as a technological innovator who pioneered the solid-body electric guitar.
It's Wednesday, or "hump day" as some of you might call it (I don't, I call it Wednesday) which, for whatever reason means there's probably some quality music to be found in Bend. Tonight is no exception.
At McMenamins Old St. Francis School, you can saddle up for a couple sets of alt-country and electrified Americana from Mickey & the Motorcars. This quintet from Austin, Texas is currently touring the McMenamins circuit throughout Oregon just like many other quality aRead More...
OK, here's another video from Phish at the Gorge. But check back tomorrow afternoon on the front page of tsweekly.com for the Blender's mini-documentary about the weekend of music and all-around craziness. Below you'll find a quick taste of "Stash" complete with handclaps, bearded strangers and other things like that.
The Blender, along with several other Bendites, have safely returned from the Gorge Amphitheater where we took in not one but two glorious days of music from Phish.
We may not be Phish experts, per say, but we think this pair of weekend shows were right up there with the best the band has played -- especially Saturday night's show. Hit that link for the full set list and some photos.
We have a full feature running in Wednesday's issue as well as short documentary we made that Read More...
As you probably know by now, legendary comedy writer and director John Hughes passed away today in New York City.
If you’re not sure if you’ve ever seen a Hughes film before, well, stop thinking because you almost certainly have. How about Planes Trains & Automobiles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Home Alone? Or what about The Breakfast Club? Yeah you’ve seen a John Hughes flick.
What a bummer. The only possible upside is forRead More...
By now, you’ve realized that this ain’t your older brother’s website. Yes, you are looking at, right now, the brand new Source Weekly website and no we didn’t trade in the old version in some sort of cash-for-clunkers deal. We simply upgraded, friends.
In a move that some bar owners will almost certainly see as long overdue, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has moved Jason Evers, the Bend-based regional manager of the organization who has been accused by licensees as using unfair and allegedly retaliatory enforcement tactics, out of his current position to one in Medford. Also, it appears that an outside investigation into the OLCCs enforcement practices will soon be underway.
Bend City Councilor Jodie Barram, who has been involved in the ongoing dialogue between liquor licensees, local government officials, tourism representatives and the OLCC, confirmed Evers relocation to Medford this morning during a conversation with the governors office, but said it wasnt determined what position Evers would hold there. In that conversation, Barram also learned that the Department of Justice will soon begin investigating the enforcement practices of the OLCC.
Although Barram said this is a step in the right direction for the OLCC, she insisted that its hardly the end of the road in the process to rebuild the communitys sense of trust in the OLCC.
I think it was a good step to rebuild the trust between the local licensees and the OLCC and I think now that trust is being rebuilt. Time will tell if the goal of equal enforcement comes to fruition. So, thats going to take time to assess, said Barram.
In a move that some bar owners will almost certainly see as long overdue, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has moved Jason Evers, the Bend-based regional manager of the organization who has been accused by licensees as using unfair and allegedly retaliatory enforcement tactics, out of his current position to one in Medford. Also, it appears that an outside investigation into the OLCC's enforcement practices will soon be underway.
Last night The Blender strolled down to Silver Moon to check out Holy Rolling Empire from Tucson, Arizona (See our On Stage preview). HRE took the stage around 10pm and rocked the house for roughly 45 minutes. They put on a great show; leaving us wanting more. Check out these two songs in case you missed it!
Last night The Blender strolled down to Silver Moon to check out Holy Rolling Empire from Tucson, Arizona (See our On Stage preview). HRE took the stage around 10pm and rocked the house for roughly 45 minutes. They put on a great show; leaving us wanting more. Check out these two songs in case you missed it!
We just noticed an error on the Our Picks page of the paper this week, which stated that the Cascade Cycling Classics Downtown Criterium as taking place Friday night, which is incorrect. Although the criterium has been on Fridays for the past few years, this years event is on SATURDAY.
We apologize for the confusion.
We just noticed an error on the Our Picks page of the paper this week, which stated that the Cascade Cycling Classic's Downtown Criterium as taking place Friday night, which is incorrect. Although the criterium has been on Fridays for the past few years, this year's event is on SATURDAY.
You probably know by now that the Bend Brew Fest [www.bendbrewfest.com] has been canceled, but fear not, there will be a beer festival in Bend this year. Just minutes ago, the details of the Little Woody Barrel-Aged Brew Festival, slated for September 12, were laid out and the Blender is pumped, because, well, the Blender likes beer a lot.
The fest, which is produced by the Sources sister company, Lay it Out Events [www.layitoutevents.com),] will take place in a rather unique location: the expansive lawn in front of the Des Chutes Historical Society (which will receive a portion of the proceeds) in downtown Bend. On tap will be exclusively barrel-aged brews from all of Central Oregons breweries: Deschutes, Silver Moon, Ten Barrel, Bend Brewing, Three Creeks, Cascade Lakes, McMenamins.
In case youre not a beer snob (although if you live in Oregon, you probably are) barrel-aged beer is made in wooden barrels that might have been used or designed for wine or whiskey, often featuring a stronger flavor than other beers. Local brewers have produced these beers before, but were thinking this is a pretty sweet chance to taste them all at once and outdoors. Also, each brewery will create one specialty brew just for the event.
Will get you more details in next weeks MicroCosmos column, so keep an eye out for that.
You probably know by now that the Bend Brew Fest has been canceled, but fear not, there will be a beer festival in Bend this year. Just minutes ago, the details of the Little Woody Barrel-Aged Brew Festival, slated for September 12, were laid out and the Blender is pumped, because, well, the Blender likes beer...a lot.
The fest, which is produced by the Source's sister company, Lay it Out Events, will take place in a rather unique location: the expansive lawn in front of the DeRead More...
The Blender was at the Domino Room on Tuesday night, sweating buckets on a really hot night as The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band powered through a set that had an equally sweaty crowd rampaging along. Here's a couple videos from the show, in case you missed it. First, you'll see Reverend Peyton showing off just how insanely talented he is with his fingerstyle guitar, then you'll see the band in full swing (as well as the crowd.)
The Rev showing off...
DTs or the Devil
The Blender was at the Domino Room on Tuesday night, sweating buckets on a really hot night as The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band powered through a set that had an equally sweaty crowd rampaging along. Here's a couple videos from the show, in case you missed it. First, you'll see Reverend Peyton showing off just how insanely talented he is with his fingerstyle guitar, then you'll see the band in full swing (as well as the crowd.)
For those of you whove been bitching about as perceived lack of solid summer shows (because clearly, Sugarland isnt good enough for you jeez elitist), please stop your bitching because this week has seen a host of solid concert announcements.
First off, G. Love and Special Sauce are finally making it to town, thanks to the dutiful folks at Random Presents, with a show at the Midtown Ballroom on September 3. Known for his soulfully funky take on poppy blues, G. Love is a living legend on the live music scene and this show is a break from his stint opening for the Dave Matthews Band.
On August 23, Jackie Greene, who we featured the last time he played in Bend at the Tower, is coming back to town to play at the Athletic Club of Bend. Greene, known for his work with Phil Lesh and friends, put out a record last year entitled Giving Up the Ghost, which in the opinion of The Blender, was one of the best singer-songwriter discs of 2008. With a freight trains worth of power behind him and a lyrical wisdom that far exceeds his 28 years of age, Greene provides an incredible show thats both get-up-and-dance moments, along with slow, nod and smile cuts.
Also announced this week is a show from the Nershi and Law Duo, which roots music fans know means another amalgamation of String Cheese Incident frontman Bill Nershi and Portland-based guitar master Scott Law. The show is slated for August 14 at the Silver Moon Brewing Co. and given that the last time Nershi came to town with Law and the Piano Throwers the Domino Room was mostly full, this should be a packed dance party.
For those of you who've been bitching about as perceived lack of solid summer shows (because clearly, Sugarland isn't good enough for you...jeez...elitist), please stop your bitching because this week has seen a host of solid concert announcements.
First off, G. Love and Special Sauce are finally making it to town, thanks to the dutiful folks at Random Presents, with a show at the Midtown Ballroom on September 3. Known for his soulfully funky take on poppy blues, G. LRead More...
First off, if you havent noticed yet, there is finally some action on the north end of Third Street in the long vacant and almost-forgotten Club 97 location. Once the nucleus of Bends nightlife scene, the expansive club has been sitting empty for several years now until this week, when The Underground opens in that location.
The Blender caught up with Diana Larson, one of the owners of The Underground this week, and learned a thing or two about the large-scale venue, which can hold almost 1,000 people. Larson, who most recently lived in Texas after a long stint residing in Detroit, Oregon where she owned a marina, is in business with her husband, Todd, and her son Kyle Ostwald who will soon be booking entertainment for the venue.
We want to be a live music venue as much as possible, said Larson, adding that they will also do a ladies night, a country night and dance club music nights, along with booking national touring acts and local bands. Judging from the sheer size of the space, this spot has a chance to become one of the city's most prominent indoor music venues.
When Larson and company moved in to the venue, the remnants of Club 97 were quite visible. Some of the alcohol bottles were still there as was the original décor.
But the venue is now The Underground and celebrates its opening on Friday night with a bash including live music from El Dante. The doors open at 6pm and the music kicks off at 8pm with a $5 cover.
First off, if you haven't noticed yet, there is finally some action on the north end of Third Street in the long vacant and almost-forgotten Club 97 location. Once the nucleus of Bend's nightlife scene, the expansive club has been sitting empty for several years now - until this week, when The Underground opens in that location.
The Blender caught up with Diana Larson, one of the owners of The Underground this week, and learned a thing or two about the large-scalRead More...
Some of you may have caught this on The Late Show with David Letterman on Friday night, but if you didnt, heres Rainn Wilson (you might know him as Dwight Shrute from The Office) talking about Deschutes County, among other things.
We interviewed Wilson [www.tsweekly.com] task=view id=4417 Itemid=140) a few weeks ago before he gave a presentation at the Old Stone Church and asked him about his second home here in Central Oregon, but we didnt hear anything about this snake incident. We also like how he ran into a Deschutes County sheriffs deputy named Jeremiah Johnson. Awesome.
Check out the video
Some of you may have caught this on The Late Show with David Letterman on Friday night, but if you didn't, here's Rainn Wilson (you might know him as Dwight Shrute from The Office) talking about Deschutes County, among other things.
We interviewed Wilson a few weeks ago before he gave a presentation at the Old Stone Church and asked him about his second home here in Central Oregon, but we didn't hear anything about this snake incident. We also like how he ran into a Deschutes CouRead More...
If you were getting pumped up for Wednesdays show from The Itals [www.myspace.com] at the Domino room, bad news for you its cancelled.
The Jamaican roots reggae band pulled the plug on the show after a number of other northwest shows fell through. Without other spots to fill out the tour, the Bend show was no longer feasible.
Yeah, bummer.
But if youre looking to get down, do it tonight at the Summit Saloon and Stage where The Pimps of Joytime [www.myspace.com] are serving up their funky, worldly, jazzy brand of cutting edge groove rock. Think Prince meets Sly Stone meets Ozomatli or something like that. Show is tonight at 8pm.
If you were getting pumped up for Wednesday's show from The Itals at the Domino room, bad news for you...it's cancelled.
The Jamaican roots reggae band pulled the plug on the show after a number of other northwest shows fell through. Without other spots to fill out the tour, the Bend show was no longer feasible.
You need closure on the loss of Michael Jackson. Admit it. The non-stop coverage and tributes on the 24-hour news networks have been nice, as was that fancy arena-sized memorial that you stayed home to watch after calling in sick, but you, like us, need closure and by closure, we mean that you need to dance your ass off.
So, come dance your ass off with us at the Silver Moon tonight for an event called Moonwalk during which MC Mystic is going to spin all sorts of MJ, all of which will be accompanied by some big-screen projections of Thriller and other videos.
Speaking of Thriller, heres a video of a bunch of Filipino inmates performing the well-known dance sequence.
So please dance, enjoy some MJ, and please, please dont stop til you get enough.
Moonwalk
9pm, TONIGHT. Silver Moon Brewing Co. 24 NW Greenwood Ave. $3
You need closure on the loss of Michael Jackson. Admit it. The non-stop coverage and tributes on the 24-hour news networks have been nice, as was that fancy arena-sized memorial that you stayed home to watch after calling in sick, but you, like us, need closure and by closure, we mean that you need to dance your ass off.
So, come dance your ass off with us at the Silver Moon tonight for an event called "Moonwalk" during which MC Mystic is going to spin all sorts of MJ, all of whichRead More...
Don't know how we haven't seen this until recently (it was posted more than a month ago), but check out this video of Mosley Wotta's Boom For Real directed by the kind folks over at Umami Media. Check out all the familiar Bend scenery in the background!
Don't know how we haven't seen this until recently (it was posted more than a month ago), but check out this video of Mosley Wotta's "Boom For Real" directed by the kind folks over at Umami Media. Check out all the familiar Bend scenery in the background!
Do you ever wonder how a guitar is made? We think about stuff like that...pretty much all the time. And that's why we toured the Breedlove Guitars factory here in Bend to check out how exactly a world-class instrument is constructed. Follow us along on a video tour...
Video edited by Anne Pick
Do you ever wonder how a guitar is made? We think about stuff like that...pretty much all the time. And that's why we toured the Breedlove Guitars factory here in Bend to check out how exactly a world-class instrument is constructed. Follow us along on a video tour...
Last night, The Nature of Words Bends annual literary celebration announced the authors for the 2009 event. At the top of the list is a Source favorite in Sherman Alexie [www.fallsapart.com] the author of Smoke Signals as well as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a hilarious tale of a boy on a Northwest Indian reservation that made waves in Central Oregon when Crook County schools decided to ban the book from their curriculum. Alexie, a Spokane/Couer dAlene Indian, has won number of literary honors, including a PEN/Hemingway Award as well as a National Book Award for True Diary in 2007.
The rest of the roster includes four Oregon authors, including historical novelist Jane Kirkpatrick, poet Matthew Dickman, Karen Karbo, who recently published her novel How to Hepburn: Lessons on Living from Kate the Great and poet/essayist Kim Stafford. Also on the docket is Seth Kantner, an Alaskan novelist.
The Nature of Words is slated for November 4-8. Check out www.thenatureofwords.org. [www.thenatureofwords.org)]
Last night, The Nature of Words Bends annual literary celebration announced the authors for the 2009 event. At the top of the list is a Source favorite in Sherman Alexie [www.fallsapart.com] the author of Smoke Signals as well as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a hilarious tale of a boy on a Northwest Indian reservation that made waves in Central Oregon when Crook County schools decided to ban the book from their curriculum. Alexie, a Spokane/Couer dAlene Indian, has won number of literary honors, including a PEN/Hemingway Award as well as a National Book Award for True Diary in 2007.
The rest of the roster includes four Oregon authors, including historical novelist Jane Kirkpatrick, poet Matthew Dickman, Karen Karbo, who recently published her novel How to Hepburn: Lessons on Living from Kate the Great and poet/essayist Kim Stafford. Also on the docket is Seth Kantner, an Alaskan novelist.
The Nature of Words is slated for November 4-8. Check out www.thenatureofwords.org. [www.thenatureofwords.org)]
Yeah, so what, it's a little blurry, but given that most of the town missed this band's headlining show at Bite of Bend on Saturday, we figured you need to see this.
THE WEIGHT
FINALE
The Blender has a thing for tribute bands, which is why we were at Boondocks last night to check out Appetite for Deception, a Portland-based band that is - somewhat surprisingly - pretty dead-on in their depiction of Guns N' Roses. Check out the voice and look of this dude - almost indistinguishable from the original Axl!
Well, no, not actually. But the space that previously housed the once-popular Club 97 is opening soon as The Underground.
The Blender hasnt gotten too much by way of insider information quite yet, but what we have heard is The Underground will be entering the nightlife circuit with both live music (ranging from jazz to metal and everything in between, we heard) and DJs. Word is it will be opening sometime next month.
Those more recent-arrivers to Bend probably dont know a damn thing about Club 97, other than seeing the sign that remained along 3rd Street long after the club closed. Back in the day, Club 97 was one of the hottest night spots in all of Bend with big name touring acts taking the stage. But for a while now (seven plus years?) the space has sat vacant.
OMG, RTL!
First it was seeing local singer songwriter Reed Thomas Lawrences name on the lineup for the Rothbury Festival up in Michigan alongside the likes of Bob Dylan, the Dead, String Cheese Incident, The Black Crowes, Broken Social Scene and more, now we click over to MySpace Music and see RTL listed next to Kanye West on the videos page.
The page has the video for Lawrences song Music which was shot here in Bend by Rage Productions and features some quintessentially Bend moments including but not limited to cruiser bikes and a backyard barbecue accompanied by a reggae-ish, summery groove. Check it out RTL on MySpace Music for yourself. [music.myspace.com]
TONIGHT, TONIGHT
The weather is downright reeeedonculous out there this evening, so that camping trip may very well have been scrapped. So what should you do?
Well, if you didnt catch them last time, Dirty Penny is back in town once again (eyeliner and all) to show off their glam rock antics at the Summit Saloon and Stage.
The twangy Conjugal Visitors, are at the Silver Moon and if youre looking to get down, Bendistillery has DJ Barisone on the ones and twos.
For the youthful set, theres a benefit show for the Kurea Fund to benefit kids in Rwanda with Mirf the Bing, Juga 3, Walter and the Chronkites and more at the Sons of Norway Hall.
After a few months trying to find a way to make the event happen, the folks at the 4 Peaks Music Festival announced today that there will be no third installment of the festival.
Organizers announced this spring that a full-scale outdoor camping festival was off, but hopes were alive for an in-town event in July -- but those plans, too, are now scrapped. 4 Peaks began in 2007 and almost doubled in size in 2008, but in light of the current economy and the fact that the festival was without a location, organizers were left with no option but to abandon 4 Peaks for the year.
But 4 Peakers, don't fret, organizers say they will return in 2010 with another full-scale outdoor event. Also, they are touting a 4 Peaks Presents show in October.
There is music a plenty throughout Bend tonight, including the First Friday Crescendo, a musical talk on the monthly art walk, capped with a show by Moon Mountain Ramblers. But as if that's not enough, there's also a youthful battle of the bands and a large-scale rap show. Somethin' for everybody...
Out at the Rise Up warehouse (1560 1st St. - Corner of 1st and Penn), a group of local bands are gathering to battle it out to raise some cash for the international organization. Bands set to play the show include some familiar names like Space Hoax, We Are Brontosaurus and the Autonomics as well as other acts that may be new to some including Hunters on the Horizon, The Snag and Adventure Gallery. The show is all ages and $5 at the door. Kicks off at 6pm.
Over at the Midtown, there's a big show (albeit somewhat under publicized) featuring Oakland rapper Mistah FAB -- known for his cut Hit me Twitter -- is playing alongside BV BZO Tremendous, Lock Jaw Records and Rezhog. This is one of the bigger rap shows of the last few months, so if you're suffering from hip-hop withdrawal, this could be a nice rememdy.
For those who haven't already heard, there is a pretty brutal parody ad circulating around local email boxes that is a dead ringer for the Thomas Sales and Service radio spots. The fake spot uses TSS's recognizable radio ad format to lambaste Dodge and Chrysler's decision to revoke TSS's franchise, which the manufacturer announced last weekend.
We're not sure who the voices are in the fake ad, but we're pretty sure they reflect how a lot of dealers across the country are feeling right now after getting a Dear John letter from manufacturers
.
Warning: This contains extremely vulgar language that is not suitable for children.
LISTEN HERE
Sorry for the delay on this, but as promised in the Source's Local Music Issue, here you have the music video for Anastacia's Grains of Sand directed, edited and produced by Tim Cash of Far From Earth Films [www.ffefilms.com]
Anastacia Grains of Sand directed by Tim Cash [vimeo.com] from FARfromEARTH Films [vimeo.com] on Vimeo [vimeo.com]
If you like what you see and would like to see Anastacia in person, check out our 7 for $7 show tonight at the Old Stone Church that features seven local bands for seven simple bucks. Doors are at 7pm and the show kicks off at 8pm. Other acts include Larry and His Flask, Tuck and Roll, Necktie Killer, Leif James and the Struggle, The Dirty Words and Goodbye Dyna.
The word has slowly spread through the local music scene over the past couple of days, but the Blender got official confirmation today that Tim Vester, front man of raucous punk rockers the Kronkmen, has left the band.
After a nine-year run with the Kronkmen and countless local and out-of-the-area shows, Vester decided over the weekend to step away from the band, citing personnel reasons. The Blender caught up with Vester this afternoon and he told us he has no ill will toward any other Kronkman and wouldnt close the door on the possibility of returning to the crew under certain circumstances. Still, without Vester, the future of a revamped Kronkmen is definitely up in the air.
In the Blenders opinion, the Kronkmen were a staple of the local music scene and well known for their insane stage antics and general hilarity in and out of music. Anyone who caught the band on 92.7FMs Highway 97 program in March heard Vester and company giving a hilarious interview in which they claimed, among other things, that Vester was once the bands dancer and had been living in a now defunct disco in Redmond. Classic Kronk, right there.
But it seems weve hardly heard the last of Vester. He is now devoting his attention to his industrial music project, Warm Gadget, which is a collaboration with former Vihara member Colton Williams. The two have been writing a recording for some time now and have a record slated for a September release on L.A.s Mechanizm Records. Warm Gadget is also working a live show, recruiting Eric Metzger to take up bass duties and bringing local music mainstay Jared Forqueran on for drumming duties.
The sound is similar to Nine Inch Nails, but as Vester puts it, it has less of the I hate my mom stuff.
The Blender was forwarded this pretty damn funny video of public service announcements from the late 1970s about the dangers of swine flu. Our favorite line: Dotty had a heart condition, so she died.
Obviously the real swine flu is no laughing matter -- but we dare you not to laugh at these videos.
Portland songstress Emma Hill stopped off at the Tower Theatre last weekend to celebrate the release of her new disc, Clumsy Seduction, along with her band, thus creating Emma Hill and Her Gentlemen Callers. Hill played both older material and cuts from the new disc showing how she's risen from simple girl-with-a-guitar to a Neko Case-style band leader. She also peppered in plenty of funny anecdotes and giddy laughter in between songs, getting cozy with the half-full theater -- which isn't a bad pull for a up-and-commer like Hill.
If you missed the show, here's a taste for ya...
If you weren't one of the folks who crammed themselves into the second level stage of the Summit last night, you missed a wacky comedy show straight from Los Angeles. Redmond native Randy Liedtke hosted and headlined a homecoming show that was opened by Kyle Kinane - a guy Liedtke refered to as his favorite comic right now.
The Blender agreed with Liedtke's assessment, as Kinane ripped through a set that showcased his loveable drunkass character while hitting on everything from suicide to bicycling...and it was hilarious.
Liedtke closed the show with his typical quirkiness and topped off the show with a slideshow and musical number that we could try to explain here...but it was one of those moments where, well, you had to be there. Anyway, here are some clips from the show.
Randy Liedtke
Kyle Kinane
Tomorrow is the third Saturday in April, which means, of course, that its Record Store Day [www.recordstoreday.com] This holiday, which began in 2007, is a national celebration of independent record stores a medium that has been slowly going the way of the buffalo in the past decade, as evidenced by the fact that we only have one independent store left in Bend.
That store, of course, is downtowns Ranch Records on Wall Street. Head down there and check out the festivities and celebrate the fact that theres at least one place left in Bend to buy CDs and LPs that isnt called Best Buy.
Ranch will be raffling off a few hundred bucks worth of vinyl and also providing live music from Mosley Wotta. And there will also be all sorts of special releases for sale. Store opens at 10 a.m. raffle is at 1 p.m.
Portland folk rockers Weinland dropped some sweet melodies and kicking rhythms on a much appreciative crowd at McMenamins on Wednesday night. Here's a clip of the band from last night.
It was a busy Friday night for the Sound Check team. First we caught some of the Elephant Revival show at the Silver Moon then it was off to the Summit Saloon and Stage where Sound Check's partially bandana-adorned crew pumped fists to the sounds of Dirty Penny. See for yourself...
DIRTY PENNY
ELEPHANT REVIVAL
Some of you may have been fortunate enough to catch Steve Kimock Crazy Engine last night at the Domino Room -- and there were plenty of folks there -- saw one of the music industry's most skilled guitarists shred the place down along with an incredibly funky band. Here's a video of the band playing Something's Goin' Down.
While we all sit waiting for some big news about the summer live music schedule here in Bend, there was a shimmer of light this week as it was announced that Brandi Carlile was booked for the Tower Theatre on June 10.
Random Presents, the company behind many of the shows in the Midtown complex, is stepping up to the Tower for the first time to bring Carlile in for an encore of her downright impressive opening set for Sheryl Crow last August. At the show initially at the instance of a Crow-loving wife, the Blender got to the Les Schwab Amphitheater just in time to see Carlile take the stage for a set that included a raucous and, well, kind of angry, cover of Creedence Clearwater Revivals Fortunate Son. And yeah, it was pretty awesome. Maybe even more so than Sheryl Crow, maybe.
Theres sure to be some big announcements for whats to come this summer soon here, but hey, this is a good start. And, even though its at the Tower, ticket prices are posted at $24. Not too bad, either.
The organizers of the 4 Peaks Music Festival said that they were using the Spring Fling tour with Poor Man's Whiskey and Blue Turtle Seduction as a method of gauging the level of interest folks had in the festival before making plans for any sort of summer event. Well, The Blender hasn't heard how the Eugene and Portland editions of the tour went off, but the Old Stone Church here in Bend was packed full as two of Bend's favorite rootsy jam bands got people in festival mode - even if snow was falling outside.
In case you missed it or would like to relive your Saturday night, here are a couple video clips:
Poor Man's Whiskey covering the Dead's China Cat Sunflower
Blue Turtle Seduction: Antidote
Theres probably going to be a mass exodus of Bendites come Memorial Day weekend when the Sasquatch! Music Festival [sasquatchfestival.com] takes over the Gorge Amphitheater up in Central Washington. But come August 7th and 8th, there should be another line of vehicles heading north as legendary jam band Phish [phish.com] returns to the Gorge for the first time in six years.
The announcement came today along with news that the band which just reunited for shows in Hampton, Virg. at the beginning of the month after a five-year hiatuswill also be playing a string of four shows at Colorados Red Rocks Amphitheater.
Theres a lot of people running like antelopes right now remembering how great things were back in 99. Ah yes. Those were the days.
UPDATE: I betcha didn't know that Bend had it's own high-profile Phish blogger? Yup, and it's none other than occasional Source contributor Daniel Pearson. Check out his blog, The Wagger. [thewagger.blogspot.com]
Local filmmaker Chris Kas, who works at Rage Films, but is also the brains behind a project called Frame Wranglers a fake reality show about a documentary team that goes looking out looking for fabled creatures, often with little success -- other than making you laugh your face off. Tomorrow night (Friday) Kas is showing the third and fourth episodes of the series at Backporch Coffee Roasters (1075 Newport Ave) at 7pm.
If you need some help understanding what exactly the series is about, check out the first episode below:
Frame Wranglers [vimeo.com] from Chris Kas [vimeo.com] on Vimeo [vimeo.com).]
If you didn't make it down to the Domino Room on Saturday night for Person People's CD release show you missed out on a hell of a show. But thankfully the Blender was there to capture some video, so check it out.
Oregonize
Smoke
The weekend warrior is back and here again on Friday afternoon to give some helpful pointers for the weekend. Without further adieu:
FRIDAY NIGHT 2/20
Cicada Omega, Larry and His Flask at the Silver Moon Brewing Co. 8pm doors, 9:30pm show
Check out this weeks feature on Cicada Omega, a Portland-based band (via Kentucky) that uses a messy assembly of instruments to dish out Southern-flavored hellfire and some blues, soul and ol fashioned rock.
SATURDAY NIGHT 2/21
Renegade Roller Girls Heartbreakers Ball at the Midtown Music Hall 8pm
Rollerskates and some hate mix together as the girls take on each other in this super incredible night of roller derby.
SUNDAY NIGHT 2/22
Kool Keith: Dr. Dooom vs. Dr. Octagon at the Domino Room 8pm.
One of hip-hops weirdest weirdos hits the stage for a night of legendary rhymes and plenty of nonsensical fun for all. Enjoy his delightful alter egos while youre at it.
There were memorable moments by the handful at last weekend's WinterFest and one of those was Dirty Dozen Brass Band kicking out a steaming version of Stevie Wonder's Superstition as snowboarders cut through the crisp winter night air behind the crowd. Take a look for yourself:
Last night the Silver Moon was packed with awestruck folks dancing along to the sounds of That 1 Guy and his magic pipe. There were also a good number of people simply staring at the dudes homemade instrument. In case you missed it, here are some videos of what you may have missed.
That 1 Guy does Magic!
When instruments ignite!
Techno jams
WinterFest is kicking off tomorrow, and we thought wed give you a preview of the massive Rail Jam apparatus that has been erected across from the Les Schwab Amphitheater. Check out the video below for a look at the progress that has been made so far. The structure should be done soon and ready to go when things go live tomorrow.
Also, check out a video of last years WinterFest by Source calendar editor Anne Pick:
The Blender raved a bit about music festivals earlier this week, but we didnt touch on the state of our own outdoor music and camping fest: the 4 Peaks Music Festival [www.4peaksmusic.com] Word just came through today that 4 Peaks is planning a mini Oregon tour with two of the festivals stalwarts, Poor Mans Whiskey and Blue Turtle Seduction.
The 4 Peaks Spring Fling Tour, as the three-day jaunt has been billed, begins at the Doug Fir Lounge on March 19, then heads south to Eugenes WOW Hall on the 20th, before wrapping up in Bend at the Old Stone Church on the 21st.
While mention of the tour will definitely conjure images of the two sunny days out in Tumalo in the minds of past attendees, the purpose of the Spring Fling doesnt cast as bright of a light on the future of the festival. Festival organizers are hoping the tour will raise awareness and support for 4 Peaks, which they say, like many of us, is struggling in the current economy. The festival, which saw its attendance double between 2007 and 2008, is also still looking for a new site and is open to any suggestions from Central Oregonians who might have a space of land for the event.
The Blender is pumped to see these 4 Peaks bands come up our way and even more pumped at the prospect that the festival is bravely battling to survive in a time when festivals seem to be falling off left and right.
Central Oregon Athlete
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Given that it's become one of Bend's most visited live music venues, it's fitting that the Silver Moon now has upped it's in-house sound system.
In case you're not the sort of person who hounds the In Touch website, you may not have heard about part-time Central Oregon resident Matthew Fox allegedly having a two-time affair with one of the professional, err, dancers at Stars Cabaret here in Bend.
String Cheese Incident, the venerable jam band which during its time in the touring circuit went from a bluegrassy, roots rock band to an almost-electronic act (while maintaining some Americana elements) just announced seven shows for this summer, four of which will be in Oregon.
The band's guitarist, John Davis, who many know from the concerts he promotes in town, is asking any and all folks who want to be in the video to be at the Rise Up warehouRead More... 
There won’t be much closure to be found tonight when Conan O’Brien tugs on the imaginary strings affixed to his hips for the last time on The Tonight Show. Conan will be gone, at least from NBC, and likely won’t resurface on any network for some time.
As you may have heard, Conan O'Brien, the host of The Tonight Show released a somewhat funny, but mostly serious statement today announcing that he will not accept NBC's offer to move to 12:05pm to accommodate the terribly nice but less-than-hilarious Jay Leno and his self-titled show.
Empty Space Orchestra is heading out on tour this week, hitting up locations that up till now had been untrodden territory for the local instrumental space rockers.
Music videos aren’t dead, even if the cable channel that essentially created the format no longer airs them (or at least not when anyone is awake or home).
The Tree Dwellers, a Bend-based band comprised of Mountain View and Bend High students, is one of the eight remaining bands for the Garage Band Playoff, a USAA sponsored contest to find the next great "road song."
Mustaches have been growing everywhere as of late, with some going as far as to rename the entire month, Movember.
I just got word that, after nine years as a main player in Central Oregon’s theatrical world, 2nd Street Theater will be closing for good following the upcoming run of Harvey.
There’s plenty of other things to know about the 51-year-old native Jamaican and his 15-plus albums, but check out this photo of him in a mesh stretch-fit shirt. Holy body by Jake!
This spring, I wrote about a little-known Seattle-area band that was expressly, explicitly, not a classic rock band. The band is called The Lonely H, they rock quite classically (but again, are not classic rock band) and wear all the great denim and leather ensembles that you probably thought were left behind in 1974. And bonus: They’re playing tonight at the BlRead More... 
Person People will surely get you in the Halloween spirit tonight with their headlining show at the Domino Room tonight, but the second half of the bill also deserves your attention. I’m talking about the Staxx Brothers, an eight-member funk, hip-hop and soul collective from Seattle that, contrary to its name, also includes some Staxx Sisters.
There was a moment late last night as I scrubbed fake blood off my fleece jacket when I wondered if my decision to attend the evening’s performance of Evil Dead: The Musical was worth it. And I decided that yes, indeed, it was well worth it. If I were a punny guy, I would say it was a bloody good time. But I’m not.
While charging through the chaotic weekly nightmare that is the production cycle here at the Source, there was something looming in my mind: “Just think, by Wednesday you’ll be jamming out to The Heavy at the Silver Moon.”
It’s been four days since BendFilm wrapped up, but there’s been one film that’s been sticking with me since. The film is called Blue Bus, and well, I can’t stop thinking about it. I figured maybe writing about it would shake it free.
One of the best parts about BendFilm, which kicks off tomorrow night, is the chance to check out some of the films made right here in Central Oregon. I got a chance to take a look at “Big,” which incidentally is not about a suburban 12 year old who, thanks to a carnival game, suddenly transforms into a full-grown man and inexplicably becomes a toy company executivRead More... 
Hey trees, I’m really sorry that you got so loaded with wet snow yesterday morning that you had no other choice but to drop all your branches on my lawn and break my fence and God knows what else. I love having my entire backyard full of your branches.
Last night’s temps may have been near-freezing, but that didn’t keep the young people of Bend from breaking a hardcore sweat and moshing like it was 1995 last night at the Domino Room’s sold-out Pepper show.
Just last month, Source readers voted Bryan Barisone “Best DJ” in our annual Best of Central Oregon issue, a distinction he’s definitely earned. Some mayRead More... 
The entire Source staff headed to the Tower Theatre last night for the opening night performance of Cat Call Productions' performance of Cabaret. All I can say, is go see this musical. Even if you don't particularly enjoy the theater and have a fundamental problem with anyone, anywhere spontaneously breaking into song, go see this. The production very well might be one of theRead More... 
