Does everything an artist says have to be true? Musicians surely take us on journeys with their songs, weaving together tales based on experiences and imagination. Steve Poltz is one of those singer/songwriters, a troubadour who spins stories in his songs and from stages. He can pull your leg while also baring his soul. It’s […]
Chris Young
A journalist and editor, Chris graduated from the University of Oregon and has worked in local, community-focused media and publications for 15 years. He founded Vortex Music Magazine, a quarterly print publication that covered Portland's vibrant music scene, in 2014. He's since moved to Bend where you can find him going to concerts, hiking, biking and trying to keep up with his kids.
Posted inMusic
Spreading Love: A Q/A with The Motet
New year, new vocalist, new songs
For 26 years, The Motet has been bringing funk and soul music to stages, shaking booties and spreading good vibes. Based out of Denver, today’s lineup features bandleader and drummer Dave Watts, Joey Porter on keys, Garrett Sayers on bass, Drew Sayers on keys and saxophone and Ryan Jalbert on guitar. With the release 2024’s […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Feeling Snacky for Some Seafood?
The Hook & Plow’s locally sourced, seasonal happy hour’s got you covered
Dissect the name of The Hook & Plow and it’s clear that this restaurant specializes in dishes that fall into two categories: surf and turf. A bright, airy space full of blonde wood located in The Hixon off Century Drive, the Hooked on Happy Hour menu dives into the former, offering an array of seafood […]
Posted inMusic
Local Love: A Q/A with Steve Arnold of Blackstrap Bluegrass
The Bend acoustic quartet has been making bluegrass, Americana and rock 'n' roll music for more than 25 years
“We’re not truly a bluegrass band,” says Steve Arnold, reflecting on his quarter century in Bend’s Blackstrap Bluegrass. It’s easy to understand how a band that’s been making music and playing shows for more than 25 years might not stick to just one lane. “I’m the only original” band member, he continues. “We’ve had three […]
Posted inMusic
5 Questions for Yonder Mountain String Band
The jamgrass staples headline two nights at the Volcanic this weekend
More than a few Oregonians hold a special place in their hearts for the Colorado-based, progressive jamgrass group Yonder Mountain String Band. With nearly three decades of musical output and 20 years of throwing Northwest String Summit at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, Ore., the five-piece returned in November with its 11th studio album, “Nowhere […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Tin Pig on the Move
The local fave for fried chicken sets up shop at Ponch’s Place and plans to introduce breakfast
From 2021’s Food Cart of the Year in our Restaurant Guide to a repeat offender as Best Fried Chicken in Central Oregon, as voted on by Source readers from 2021 through 2024, The Tin Pig has been making mouths water with its down-home Southern cooking and comfort food — hush puppies, fried pickles, pork rinds, […]
Posted inMusic
Shook Twins: Separate but Connected
After 36 years of close partnership, the sisters harmoniously navigate the intentional space between them
Sisters Katelyn and Laurie Shook have spent more time together than most siblings. While the identical twins from Sandpoint, Idaho, are best known for weaving vocal harmonies and plucked banjo strings into their own idiosyncratic brand of danceable folk-pop as the eponymous Shook Twins, they are not as inseparable today as they’ve been for the […]
Posted inOutside
Snowshoe with a Ranger this Winter at Mt. Bachelor
From January to March, join a 90-minute snowshoe tour along Egan Cone
Those outdoor enthusiasts in Central Oregon who were dreaming of a white Christmas definitely got their wish. On Dec. 26, it was widely reported that Mt. Bachelor had the deepest snowpack in the country. If downhill runs and chilly chairlift rides are not your style, the mountain does offer something at a different speed that’ll […]
Posted inMusic
Who’s Teaching Who?
Sisters Folk Fest’s video sessions document impactful experiences for instructors and students at last year’s Americana Song Academy
Raise your hand if you’ve ever written a song about peanut butter and boogers. Singer/songwriter Jenner Fox has, alongside a gaggle of 7-year-olds. These are the stories told in the classroom that is the Sisters Folk Festival’s continuing education program the Americana Song Academy. Last year’s classes took place in late September at the picturesque […]
Posted inMusic
Rafe Pearlman Brings Light on the Darkest Day
On this year’s winter solstice, the Pacific Northwest artist will share a new song inspired by his time in Bend
Originally from the wilds of Alaska, singer/songwriter Rafe Pearlman now resides on Washington’s Orcas Island. With these locales as his backdrop, it’s not hard to understand why Mother Nature is so instrumental in Pearlman’s work. As he’s traveled the globe playing shows in India, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong and Mexico, he’s also traversed these United […]