The Source Staff
Posted inNews

Barackstar Status: Neither spring break nor a basketball loss can stop Obama in Eugene

Spring break has officially begun at the University of Oregon on this Friday afternoon, but there’s no shortage of young faces remaining on the Eugene
The Source Staff

Spring break has officially begun at the University of Oregon on this Friday afternoon, but there’s no shortage of young faces remaining on the Eugene campus. A line, five people thick in some places, starts at the doors of McArthur Court, extending in both directions for more than a thousand feet, nearly enclosing the university’s massive athletic complex. There isn’t a basketball game at Mac Court today — the team is in Little Rock, Ark. and slowly losing its lead in a first-round NCAA tournament game. And there isn’t a concert either — live music doesn’t stop at Mac Court too often these days. These people are here to see Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential hopeful who is in the midst of a less than two-day sweep of Oregon in preparation for the state’s May 20 primary. 

Posted inOutside

Better than Christmas

The Source Staff

After four-plus months of college basketball, it's finally here. The
NCAA tournament: the last pure thing remaining in the world of sports;
the reason we would rather have every day of our lives be the first day
of the tourney and not Christmas.
But before the games get rolling,
there is the obligatory bitchfest following Selection Sunday, with
sports writers, commentators, coaches, and conference officials putting
in their two cents as to who made the field of 65 (don't forget the
Tuesday night play-in game) and who will stay home. This year's
Selection Sunday was tamer than years past, but there were some teams
like Arizona State (19-12 overall, tied for fourth place in the Pac-10)
that didn't make the dance.The West Coast is touting its best tourney
roster in recent memory with six Pac-10 teams and another three from
the West Coast Conference. Does this mean the East Coast basketball
bias, fueled by the likes of Dick Vitale (who should hang up the mic
before he either goes mute or gets punched in the face) is over? No.
It's not. But we'll take what we can get.

Posted inMusic

In Search of Buckethead: Dispelling myths (and creating some new ones)

A rare shot of the Buckethead species (kentuckyfriedus bucketenius) in its natural environment.There are really only a few things we know for sure about Buckethead.
The Source Staff

A rare shot of the Buckethead species (kentuckyfriedus bucketenius) in its natural environment.

There are really only a few things we know for sure about Buckethead. One: he wears a bucket on his head. Two: he doesn’t do interviews and if he does he provides largely nonsensical answers by way of a demented hand puppet. Three: He can play the shit out of a guitar. Buckethead is also the man behind the song “Jordan” which is largely considered one of the most difficult tracks to play on “Guitar Hero.” In addition to his new fame within the ever-expanding “Guitar Hero” stratosphere, Buckethead has long been respected by fans of metal as well as funk, and many styles in between. He’s a true student of the axe and also wields a pretty mean pair of nun chucks – but more on that later.

Posted inMusic

Funky Puppets: The Greyboy Allstars have returned, and they’ve brought the Muppets with them

The band’s video for their James Brown-flavored track “Still Waiting” features the Greyboys onstage in a juke joint, each member somewhat accurately depicted in Muppet form.
The Source Staff

The real life men of the Greyboy allstars.The Muppets have always creeped me out. But if you turn the Greyboy
Allstars, the rejuvenated San Diego funky, jazzy boogaloo band, into
fuzzy puppets, then I can cope, as long as they bring the funk.

The
band's video for their James Brown-flavored track "Still Waiting"
features the Greyboys onstage in a juke joint, each member somewhat
accurately depicted in Muppet form. Without a live actor in sight, the
Muppeted men of GBA rip through the funk-laden track with the
representation of saxophonist/vocalist Karl Denson leading the way as a
dancefloor of fellow fuzzy figures dance their fake little asses off.

Posted inNews

Metal Memories, Real and Fake

Motorbreath in the shred zone.If you were lucky, you were in the crowd that caught Portland-based Metallica tribute band Motorbreath’s show at the Reed Pub
The Source Staff

Motorbreath in the shred zone.If you were lucky, you were in the crowd that caught Portland-based Metallica tribute band Motorbreath’s show at the Reed Pub the other night. (Sound Check was.) Your lucky streak ain’t run out yet, either, because you find yourself here — where you can check out bonus photos of Motorbreath, Tentareign, and a video clip of the last song from Vengeance Creek’s set. Horns up and read on.

Posted inNews

Getting Off the Bottle: Where does your bottled water come from? You may be surprised

The logo for Sierra Springs bottled water shows a range of beautiful, gleaming white peaks. The image and the name conjure up visions of icy-cold,
The Source Staff

The logo for Sierra Springs bottled water shows a range of beautiful, gleaming white peaks. The image and the name conjure up visions of icy-cold, crystal-clear water gushing from pristine springs fed by pure mountain snows.

Posted inMusic

Time’s Up: Greg Bryce of blackflowersblacksun isn’t singing the blues about heading back to work

That’s the sort of excitement that gets you through a summer in the wild.Just as he’s done every spring for nearly two decades Greg Bryce
The Source Staff

That’s the sort of excitement that gets you through a summer in the wild.Just as he's done every spring for nearly two decades Greg Bryce will
soon pack up and leave Bend for the remote wilderness of Alaska. With
him will go blackflowersblacksun, the blues project that he's
cultivated into a local favorite during his past couple of winters
gigging around town. It will be November by the time Bryce brings his
National guitar back to Bend, but it's likely his reputation for
down-home blues (as well as his drummer, C.J. Davis) will still be
waiting for him.

Bryce, who looks and speaks somewhat like a slightly
weather-worn Luke Wilson, spends his summers working as a wilderness
firefighter in the remote village of Galena, Alaska. And by remote, he
means honest-to-God in the middle of BFE. Bryce tells me that Galena
isn't accessible by road and that the only way to reach the town is a
200-mile trip by air, or a 400-plus mile boat ride along the Yukon
River. While he does bring his guitar in tow, there aren't any
opportunities for Bryce to bring blackflowersblacksun onstage. He does,
however, find some inspiration out in the wild.

Posted inNews

Blockbusted: What happened to the neighborhood video store?

Damian SchmittThere’s no blue collars or khakis. No life-size posters of Morgan Freeman. And if it wasn’t clear from the rows of indie and foreign
The Source Staff

Damian SchmittThere's no blue collars or khakis. No life-size posters of Morgan Freeman. And if it wasn't clear from the rows of indie and foreign films and the vintage VHS tapes for rent, then owner Damian Schmitt's tattoos and lamb chops could surely leave no doubt - you're not at Blockbuster.

The owner of Westside Video is talking about the store's history, which spans three decades, two locations, and several owners. It's a rich past, but the future is a little murky. Schmitt is soberly realistic about the nature of independent businesses and is hardly looking to host his own pity party as he outlines the pitfalls of big outfits like Blockbuster. He is, however, honest in admitting that he's not sure if Bend can, or will, support a locally owned, independent video store - meaning that when his lease is up in October, there's a chance that independent video becomes a thing of the past in Bend. He looks out the window out at Newport Avenue, and puts his position bluntly.

Posted inNews

City Beat: Candidates, Jobs, and Flags

The Source Staff

Return of Eckman
Kathie Eckman, the longtime Bend city councilor and
former mayor announced late last week that she will be coming out of
retirement from city politics and again seek a spot on the city council.
Eckman,
who served on the council in spurts from 1980 until 2000, including a
stint as mayor from 1991-92, is seeking position three, which is
currently held by Councilor Linda Johnson. After retiring from the
Bend-La Pine School District's human resources department in 2001,
Eckman spent some time working for Sen. Ron Wyden.

Posted inNews

Sound Check Link-o-rama: Laromlab and NIN

The future is now with the music of Laromlab.Here in The Blender, we’re all about technology. If the toothbrush isn’t electric and/or made of carbon
The Source Staff

The future is now with the music of Laromlab.Here in The Blender, we’re all about technology. If the toothbrush isn’t electric and/or made of carbon fiber, keep it. If the shoes don’t have pressurized air in the soles, we can’t walk in ’em. So, of course, we’re mighty glad to help spread the gospel of this week’s Sound Check with the following links to extra-digital music and related this n’ thats from Laromlab and other chiptune artists, not to mention the fabulous electronic music makers from way back, Nine Inch Nails. Read on.

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