Guitar love comes to Bend, courtesy of Breedlove. It's no longer our little secret that Bend is making some of the
best guitars in the world (that's truth, not hyperbole) now that Breedlove
Guitars has pretty much exploded in the past few years, placing their axes in
the hands of some incredible players. Now, the guitar maker is bringing some of
those players to town for a three-day festival.
The Breedlove Festival takes place between stages at the Breedlove factory-tucked in behind Summit High School and Skyliners Road-and the Tower Theater. Some of the names on the bill aren't necessarily the stuff of Billboard charts, but are certainly well known to guitar hounds, and Bend has plenty of those. Although a solid event for music fans, the festival is a guitar geek's dream, complete with a full slate of workshops, clinics and discussions-and that's on top of shows from some big musical names. In short, it's going to be a busy weekend for six-string lovers.
Here's a few highlights from the packed schedule.
This might not sound exciting, but trust us, it is. The
Source staff took a tour this spring (you can see video from the tour at
tsweekly.com/blender) and realized we really had no idea how a guitar was made.
The massive factory includes a delicious-smelling wood storage room, some
high-tech machinery as well as some good ol' fashioned hardworking folks
handcrafting these instruments.
This Boulder, Colo.-based player is one of those people who can
make a guitar sound like a band, which he did on his latest record, Missile
Bell. Bundy plays occasional covers, which can range from Guns N' Roses
to classical music, but always instrumental. If you need further proof of his
prowess, just check out his song, "Dueling Ninjas" on his MySpace page.
A master of guitar tones, Ed Gerhard is shipping in all the way
from New Hampshire to play the festival, as well as lead what should be a
packed workshop (12:30pm, Saturday at the Tower). Gerhard has been releasing
records for more than 20 years now, many of them marked with his delicate
manipulation of the instrument.
Probably best known for his work with the early Dire Straits, the
band he founded with his legendary brother Mark before leaving for a solo
career after the band's second record, David is a world-class player in his own
right. The songwriter is joined at the Breedlove festival by fellow Brit Harry
Bogdanovs for a set that's sure to be one of the more popular of the weekend.
Most probably know Hillman for his work as a founding member of
the Byrds, and for playing in the Flying Burrito Brothers, but he has also had
a successful solo career. He was at the forefront of the creation of the
country rock genre and continues to inspire with his musicianship at shows like
this one, where he'll be joined by Herb Pedersen, a mainstay in the Americana
and bluegrass worlds.
Festival Wrap Party-9pm Saturday, Deschutes Brewery
Warehouse
Go to this festival-ending shindig if only too step inside
Deschutes' massive warehouse. While you're there, we suggest you stick around
for music from local up-and-comer Eric Tollefson, as well as Todd Habby and
Sola Via. Here's where you'll also get to see the winners of the competitions
before heading home and amping up for next year's Breedlove fest.
Breedlove Festival
Thursday-Saturday, July 30-August 1. Weekend passes are $89 if bought in advance, individual day tickets are $49. Visit breedlovemusic.com or visit the Deschutes Brewery to buy tickets.
