Sound Stories & Interviews
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Finding Fellership

The wandering country singer Willy Tea Taylor’s latest effort is his most sonically robust offering yet without sacrificing any of his detail-rich storytelling
Avatar photo by Chris Young

Willy Tea Taylor’s flight from Nashville was delayed. It’s now 8pm and we’re talking on the phone as his dad drives him from the Sacramento airport to his home in Oakdale, California. He’s playing a wedding in Yosemite before spending the rest of the next month crisscrossing these United States, followed by an extensive UK […]

Posted inMusic

LCD Soundsystem Returns to Oregon for the First Time in 14 Years

Kicking off Hayden Homes Amphitheater’s concert season, the New York dance-punks make Bend one of just five stops in the country
Avatar photo by Chris Young

An abridged history lesson: Back in the early aughts, a vibrant NYC scene was birthing the likes of The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol. Contrary to the burgeoning class of incendiary rockers that would lead a global revolution (including an epic list of The bands… The White Stripes, The Hives, The Killers, The Black […]

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‘Your Own Sound and Things to Say’

Riley Green reflects on his move from Nashville to his home state of Alabama, his second album and more
by Alan Sculley

Riley Green says he didn’t buy into any concerns about having a sophomore slump when he made his recently released second full-length album, “Ain’t My Last Rodeo.” Far from feeling the weight of expectations, Green found himself able to simply appreciate his success and feel excited to be able to create the next musical chapter […]

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Solid Senders

California Honeydrops bring their swingin’ soul sound to Bend
by Aaron Irons

Solid senders, The California Honeydrops offer good times in the key of jammy soul and smooth R&B commitment derived from gleeful busking origins on the street corners of Oakland and the Bay Area. Formed at the tail end of 2007, the band has since become a hallmark of cool on the festival and club circuit, […]

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Winter Fun with the Cold War Kids

Exploring a sense of freedom with Nathan Willett
by Alan Sculley

These days, Nathan Willett values the autonomy he and his band, Cold War Kids, have gained over a career that now stretches 20 years and spans 10 albums. The band plays Saturday night at Deschutes Brewery as part of Subaru Winterfest. That sense of freedom has shown up in tangible ways, first on the band’s […]

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Count Me In, Scottie!

A conversation with Billy and the Box Kid’s percussionist Scottie McClelland on what brought the band together, its new EP and how the HomeGrown Music Festival is more than just a 4/20 celebration
Avatar photo by Armando Borrego

Billy and the Box Kid is a fresh string band from Bend that has found its footing in the ever-evolving local music scene, blending Anderson Koenig’s fast-paced acoustic country rock ‘n’ roll with Scottie McClelland’s cajon drumming. “We started as a duo but quickly started acquiring members,” McCelland said. According to the percussionist, the band […]

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We Are One: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Promoting world peace and honoring the cultural heritage of its South Africanhomeland, this acapella music group captivates audiences with soaring vocal solos and powerful group songs
Avatar photo by Armando Borrego

Founded in the early 1960s by visionary vocalist Dr. Joseph Shabalala in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo emerged from humble beginnings to become one of the most renowned musical groups in the world. Rooted in the traditions of South African music, the group draws inspiration from ancestral history and the rhythms […]

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Source Material: New Local EPs

Highlighting three brand new EPs from local music acts, and the inside scoop on the recording process from the artists themselves
Avatar photo by Armando Borrego

“Into the Stratosphere” – Fractal Local dance-groove and jam band, Fractal, recently released its first EP, “Into the Stratosphere,” on March 5. Percussionist Jarrod Donatelli offered some of his thoughts on the recording process. “We just hit it hard for six hours,” said Donatelli. “We did four tracks, two takes on each song and Matt, […]

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Musicians Inspired by Everyday Miracles

Two classically trained musicians, Sherry Finzer and Julie Hanney, muse on thehealing power of meditative music and look ahead to a showcase concert in Bend
Avatar photo by Armando Borrego

Heart Dance Records is an independent record label that specializes in ambient, electronic, and new age music with its main HQ in Phoenix, Arizona. Initially a label started by classically trained flutist, Sherry Finzer, Heart Dance Records has grown into a nationwide recording company with countless talented artists recording and distributing original music as part […]

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Grace Potter, Lady Vagabond

Grammy-nominated recording artist Grace Potter talks about her experience, her new album and the country star ghosts that helped her write it
Avatar photo by Armando Borrego

Grace Potter is an American singer, songwriter and musician known for her powerful vocals and versatile musical style. Potter rose to prominence as the frontwoman of the rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, which disbanded in 2015. Since then, Potter has pursued a successful solo career, releasing albums such as “Midnight” in 2015 and […]

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