Mike Ness is an icon. Regardless of the era of Social Distortion you’re into, whether it is the raw early three-cord punk of their late ’70s-early ’80s output, or their more modern country-tinged, bluesy bar rock, the legend of Mike Ness cannot be denied. Ness was raised in Orange County and kicked out at 15, […]
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Source Suggests
Sip Summer Wine-Down Sip Wine Bar brings together Scribbled Rhymes, Hobbs the Band, and MOsley WOtta for live music all night long to give summer the proper Bend farewell. Scribbled Rhymes is a rock/hip-hop duo that specializes in remixed cover tunes, Hobbs the Band plays bluesy rock, and everyone knows MOsley WOtta as Bend’s resident […]
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Punching Through The Screen
Making acoustic bluegrass music in a digital age with the Punch Brothers
Gone are the days of dark concert halls dimly lit by the occasional sparks of lighters and flashbulbs. Things have changed. When musicians gaze out at crowds in 2015, they’re greeted by seas of glowing faces illuminated by LED screens. As New York bluegrass quintet Punch Brothers returned from a year and a half on […]
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Source Suggests 8/26-9/2
Hillstomp Portland-based junkbox blues duo Hillstomp regularly stops by this side of the mountain for raucous, boot scootin’ good times. Their distinctive brand of do-it-yourself hill country and blues always makes for an entertaining evening, incorporating buckets, washboards, and other found items into their arsenal of musical instruments. For lovers of deep, raspy vocals and […]
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Rebel With a Cause
Country star Frankie Ballard lives his tune “Young and Crazy”
Pegged as a James Dean look-alike, country singer/songwriter/guitarist Frankie Ballard has had an eventful year. From a stage-jumping shoulder injury in February (in Humble, Texas, no less—something about pride goeth before…) to his singles “Helluva Life” and “Sunshine & Whiskey” both hitting number one to co-writing Big & Rich’s song “I Came to Git Down” […]
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Is That a Weissenborn?
Ben Harper still rocks while sitting down
Ben Harper is one of those one-man-bands you have to see in person to believe. From the regular guitar to the Weissenborn slide guitar, he can carry a tune on just about any guitar that can carry a tune, among other instruments. But he doesn’t just fly solo, the singer/songwriter recently reunited with his former […]
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Michael Franti Rises Up, Again
Drawing inspiration and positivity from a family crisis
For over 20 years, Michael Franti & Spearhead have used an infectious blend of reggae, hip-hop, and rock as a platform for spreading uplifting messages of community and social justice. Of course, it’s easy to radiate positivity and maintain an optimistic worldview when you’re a wildly successful international rock star. But Franti’s resilience to adversity […]
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Watkins Family Hour
Ex-Nickel Creek siblings hit the road with Fiona Apple and friends
Siblings Sara and Sean Watkins didn’t mean to start a new band, record an album, or go on tour. Sometimes, these things just happen. Over the past decade, when the two weren’t on tour with the Grammy award-winning bluegrass group Nickel Creek, they’ve held residency in a club called the Largo, hosting a show called […]
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Source Suggests 8/19-8/26
Black Pussy Black Pussy lands completely on the opposite side of the spectrum of the other Suggests this week. Their name is a probably not something you should Google at work and has evoked petitions calling for boycotts for venues that book them. Name aside, Black Pussy plays psychedelic rock often blended with classic-rock tones […]
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From Heptathlete to Prince
Liv Warfield a powerhouse on the track, and now on stage
It has been three years since the Olympics in Bejing, so to refresh—the heptathlon is primarily a female event comprised of seven competitions in track and field including: 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin throw, and 800 meters. Needless to say, the contenders for this event are the baddest-ass divas […]