Sting kicked off a two-night stop in Bend with an SOS from “Message in a Bottle.” With no opening act, the legend stepped onto the stage at 7:14pm Sunday, May 25. For nearly two and a half hours, he sang 18 of his greatest hits plus an encore. Sting 3.0 is a trio. The 17-time Grammy […]
Music
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Laid-Back Legend
James Taylor kicks off a long summer lineup of music
James Taylor eased us into the summer concert series at Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend Monday, May 19. Just before 8pm, he casually strolled onto stage, picked up his guitar, sat on a stool and began singing “Wandering,” a folk song he wrote in 1975. The audience was bundled in coats, hats and gloves as […]
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Van Cliburn Winning Pianist Coming to Sunriver
Medalist from prestigious piano competition to play two concerts this summer
During this year’s Sunriver Music Festival, listeners will be treated to amazing performers, diverse compositions and a dynamic, creative driving force behind it all. One of the most thrilling aspects of this year’s festival is that a newly awarded medalist from the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will be announced on June 7, and this […]
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Sonic Journeys, Evolving Sounds
Khruangbin is coming to Bend May 28
Khruangbin (pronounced KRUNG-BIN) in Thai means airplane. It’s also the name of the mostly instrumental trio that has been making major waves ever since releasing its 2015 debut, “The Universe Smiles Upon You.” Made up of bassist Laura Lee, drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson and guitarist Mark Speer, the threesome’s ethereal sound has wide-reaching influences ranging […]
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The War and Treaty
Country Music with Soul
To many, country music conjures up the image of rednecks in pickup trucks, drinking whiskey and singing about heartbreak. Yet, country music actually represents a blend of folk, Western and blues music from the Southern United States. Stylistically, these forms were deeply influenced by Black spirituals and work songs, while the lyrics reflected the trials […]
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All-Time Great Bassist Coming to Bend
Five-Time Grammy winner Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers Will Play at the Volcanic
One of the world’s all-time great bass players is coming to Bend. Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers will play at the Volcanic Theatre Pub on May 10. I spoke with five-time Grammy award winner Victor Wooten and Wooten brothers Regi, Roy, and Joseph about six decades of making music together, how George Clinton and […]
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Tiny Beautiful Things
An intimate theater experience is traveling throughout Central Oregon
A new play, touring Central Oregon, will immerse the audience in an emotional journey. Ellipse Theatre Community (ETC) is presenting “Tiny Beautiful Things” starting May 9. Actress Nia Vardalos from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” adapted the play from Cheryl Strayed’s advice column and memoir “Wild.” It’s based on Strayed’s experiences as an advice columnist. The […]
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Biker Band Rolls onto Tower Stage
Jenner Fox and mates to play album release show for “Anything”
It will be a homecoming of sorts when the Jenner Fox Band plays its album release show at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, May 10, for its full album, “Anything,” which drops the day before. Jenner Fox and the other band members are excited to preview the new album in front of their adopted hometown […]
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Young Musicians Strike Up a Spring Concert
The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra to play at the Tower
The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra is presenting its spring concert at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend in May. The music will feature the full orchestra, wind ensemble and concert orchestra directed by Dr. Travis Allen, Debbie Harrington, Jonathan Moore and Ryan Zwahlen. Allen is COYO’s executive director and an accomplished cellist performing with the […]
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Bringing Cello to the People
The Portland Cello Project returns to Bend April 23
Countless classical music organizations around the world struggle to answer the question of how they will bring what’s seen as an aging artform to younger audiences. Big-city symphonies frequently collaborate with pop, rock and hip-hop stars for one-off gigs where string sections accompany 808s and electric guitars. As special as these symphonic showcases may be, […]
