Mike Bookey

Saturday, July 23, 6:30pm – $63/reserved $33/general admission
With 14 (and sometimes more) members and a penchant for singing in as many as 12 languages during any given show, Portland's Pink Martini isn't shy on ambition.
The “little-orchestra,” as the band sometimes dubs itself, is led by a pair of Harvard-educated musical aficionados – pianist and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale and vocalist China Forbes – both of whom have made a life's work of studying the history of all the world's music.

Wednesday, August 10, 6:30pm – $59/reserved, $37/general admission
At least once each summer, the Les Schwab Amphitheater plays host to a big name in the country music world. In past years it's been Brooks & Dunn or Willie Nelson, but this time around, the venue is bringing to town one of the genre's most celebrated young artists in Dierks Bentley, an energetic singer-songwriter who brings a modern rock-and-roll edge to his country tunes.
A native of Phoenix, Bentley eventually moved to Nashville, like so many other artists before him, to pursue a music career. But it wasn't until 2003 that he got his big break when his self-titled debut record launched his popularity, landing him plenty of festival appearances and award nominations. Most of that acclaim came from the hook-laden single, “What Was I Thinkin'.” In fact, that debut album helped him win prizes at the CMT Music Awards, Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association Awards. He followed that album up with an even stronger effort, Modern Day Drifter, in 2005. That record, featuring some throwback country influences – including a track with the Del McCoury Band providing the backing – coupled with Bentley's crooning voice, won him further acclaim and cemented the artist near the top of the country music hierarchy.

Tuesday, September 6, 6:00pm – $62/reserved, $39/general admission
Over the past seven years, Ray LaMontagne has – in addition to growing and subsequently maintaining one of the music industry's finest beards – become one of the country's most revered songwriters. With a style that ranges from whispery ballads to dance-friendly rock songs that showcase the talented crew of musicians he's known to gather as his band.
We first had the pleasure of meeting LaMontagne back in 2004 when he released Trouble, a collection of awesomely beautiful songs that made us wonder why we'd never heard from this jewel of the Northeast. Well, as it turned out, that was because LaMontagne had spent most of his 20s working in a shoe factory, tutoring and working other odd jobs before he fully devoted his life to music. But his appeal soon grew as his folk-inspired Americana tunes attracted a loyal following of fans, leading to festival appearances and larger-scale tours. He followed that up with Till the Sun Turns Black, another disc that showcased LaMontagne's excellent crooning.
But in 2008, LaMontagne reached his widest audience yet with Gossip in the Grain, which featured the hit single, “You Are the Best Thing,” a horn-filled track that showed the artist – known for his reclusive nature and residency at a remote farm in Maine – at his most outgoing. This year, under the name Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs, he released another more upbeat record that includes a collaboration with a number of great musicians, many of whom will appear with LaMontagne in Bend. Again, LaMontagne is often reserved and known for his privacy, so don't expect a ton of stage banter. But with a voice like his, LaMontagne doesn't need to rely on banter.