Video from Last Night’s Show: Damien Jurado and Viva Voce
The PDXchange Program continues to bring an incredible string of Portland bands over to the Tower Theatre, as evidenced by last night’s show featuring Viva Voce, Damien Jurado and Loch Lomond. Sadly, I missed Loch Lomond’s set due to, well, a college basketball obligation, but got there for all of Damien Jurado’s depressing yet brilliant…
Mud Be Gone: The Maston is ready for your mountain bike
Following what seemed like an endless mud season, the trails at the Maston Allotment are again in great shape mountain for bike riding. Yes, there are some short muddy sections but they comprise no more than 10 percent of the long loop.
Bachelor To Extend Season (Again)
Faced with a robust later winter snowfall, Mt Bachelor officials announced that they will extend the ski season to May 29, adding roughly two weeks to the end of the ski season. It's the second straight year that Bachelor has opted to push back its closing date, allowing locals and visitors to take advantage of…
Charlie Sheen is Hiring an Intern. Seriously.
You’ve watched him lose his show and his mind as he spirals deeper and deeper into douche-dom, but NOW you could be his intern! That’s right, Charlie Sheen posted this today on his now-famous Twitter feed:
Click here to apply.
Viva Voce, Loch Lomond, Damien Jurado Tonight in Bend
The more I look at the lineup for tonight’s show at the Tower Theatre, the more I’m thinking that this is probably one of the coolest triple bills I’ve seen in Bend for a long, long while. This PDXchange Program show still has some tickets available at at only $20 for all three bands –…
The Decemberists Coming to Bend on May 29, Ween in July
I just got word from the Old Mill District that the Memorial Day Weekend music schedule got a big boost today with the announcement that The Decemberists are playing the Les Schwab Amphitheater on May 29, along with openers Rodrigo y Gabriella. As you probably already know, the Portland-based Decemberists have been getting a ton…
Bill Warburton chosen to coach US Team at Winter Tri World Champs
Local skiing and biking coach, Bill Warburton was just chosen to go to Finland to support the US Team at the Winter Triathlon World Champs in Jamijarvi. Bill is known in Bend as the Cycling Program Director and Nordic Coach for the Bend Endurance Academy. A Winter Triathlon combines running with skate skiing and mountain…
Sasquatch Plan B
What’s that you’re lamenting? You didn’t get a ticket to Sasquatch before the festival sold out? Well, if you can stop sobbing long enough to read this, I’ve got a “band”-aid that you can apply to your wounds. (Pun intended).
Excellent Americana Tonight With Truth and Salvage Co.
Sunday night stuff tends to slip through the cracks of the Picks page, and I have to admit I missed this show in this week’s paper, but you should take a look at Truth and Salvage’s show at the Silver Moon tonight. The Los Angeles-based band hits Bend in the middle of a West Coast…
Free WiFi: A good idea gone wrong?
Back in that bygone era of less than a decade ago, many who lived in major metro areas would drive around with their laptops on and when they encountered a hot spot, park and get online. It was great sport. Today, we get free WiFi everywhere, big city or small. It's been a boon to…
Lose the Wheat: Gluten-free baking is on the rise in Bend
A few weeks ago, a new bakery opened on the corner of Hill and Florida streets in the former Pure Skate Shop location that serves only gluten-free products. Called Gotta B Gluten Free, it's the latest bakery in Central Oregon to service the gluten-free sector.
Merkley Proposes Tapping Oil Reserves
Oregon’s freshman democratic senator, Jeff Merkley, joined five of his colleagues, including California Senator Barbara Boxer, in a call to President Obama to release a small portion of the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves to combat near-record high oil prices that climbed to nearly $100 per barrel this week in the face of the Libyan crisis.…
Nirvana: Tonight in Bend
OK, so did anyone else spend most of the 1990s listening to, obsessing over, and eventually learning to play the entirety of the Nirvana catalog? I did. There were a few years in the mid 1990s when it was rare for me to be listening to music that wasn’t in some way connected to Nirvana.
For Richer or Poorer: The Daily Show on Teachers and Wall Street
If you’re having trouble understanding the sometimes-weird rhetoric coming out of Wisconsin and/or FOX News that is blaming teachers for local and national budget woes, take a look at The Daily Show’s take on the subject.
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Crisis in Dairyland – For Richer…
Crowd Protests Rep. Walden’s Vote to Defund Planned Parenthood
Yesterday afternoon, about 80 or so Central Oregonians gathered in downtown Bend for a rally to protest Rep. Greg Walden’s recent vote in the U.
Redmond High School Mascot Finalists Here!
Hot of the presses: The Redmond Student Selection Committee has announced the three finalist for the mascot at the new Ridgeview High School in Redmond. We like all three of the names that they’ve come up with, Rattlers, Coyotes and Ravens, and a few of the ways that they could be tied into Ridgeview’s homecourt…
Redistricting Debate Returns to Bend
New Census numbers in hand, Oregon legislators are setting forth on a mission to redraw the state’s legislative districts, a journey that will take them from Bend to Burns on the east side of the Cascades. The bi-partisan House and Senate Committees on Redistricting will be in Bend on Saturday March 19 to hear constituents…
Win Tickets to See Viva Voce on Monday Night
In this week’s paper, I have a story about Viva Voce, the powerhouse Portland duo that consists of Anita and Kevin Robinson.
After chatting with Anita for the article, I’ve decided that you need to see this show.
The Oregonian Features Bend’s Columbine Quillen
Our cocktail columnist, Columbine Quillen, who is also the bar manager at 10 Below, was recently featured in The Oregonian’s food and drink magazine, Mix. Columbine has long been known as one of our region’s most creative and resourceful bartenders for a long while, but this cover story shows her at her most crafty, heading…
Taste of the Town Tonight and Tomorrow
One of Central Oregon's biggest gatherings of local restaurants happens this weekend at COCC's Mazama Gym with the Taste of the Town. The event which features food from Thyme, Anthony's 10 Below, Tate and Tate and Deschutes Brewery among others is a fundraiser for the COCC foundation that provides scholarships to students in Central Oregon.
The Traveling Camera: Antigua
Christian Heeb is a travelling photographer based in Bend. We’ll have one of his photos posted each week hereon Bent.
D.A. Patrick Flaherty Wants Documents Back From the Bulletin
When the District Attorney calls a morning press conference but the announcement says nothing about the purpose of the gathering, we tend to think there’s something big to be announced. Could it be an arrest in the fatal hit and run on Third Street? Or maybe something about the Redmond police lieutenant that allegedly sold…
Thrive, Don't Just Survive, in the Snow: What you need to know for an overnight stay in the Oregon winter wild
Standing in a clearing at the dead-end of what are clearly the wrong Nordic ski tracks that I'd been following, I quietly curse the guy in the Maxwell Sno-Park parking lot who said, “The trails are really well marked.” I can't help but chuckle at the irony of getting lost (though I prefer off course)…
Optical Delusions: I still can't see the trees on the court at Matthew Knight Arena
Everything is OK. Just fine. Sit still, smile and, when appropriate, cheer when Oregon scores. Then repeat. We're going to get through this, brain. We've weathered far worse storms. Remember when we sat through that Two and a Half Men marathon with my parents? I promise we'll come out just fine, unlike Charlie Sheen. When…
Nicky Paycheck: Once again Cage is the odd man out in Drive Angry
Wild at Heart, Raising Arizona, Birdy… these are films that come to mind when I think back to when Nicolas Cage was good. Maybe it all started with Captain Corelli's Mandolin. That's when I realized that maybe Cage wasn't cut out for “mood pieces.” Now all he does are somber monotone performances in flicks that…
The Story of Barney's Life: Paul Giamatti brings an inappropriate, yet charming character to life in Barney's Version
When telling a person's life story, there are several different versions, depending on who tells the story. In our own versions, we may gloss over certain events and leave others out completely, which is just what Barney Panofsky did in the film Barney's Version. Barney's Version tells the story of Barney's life over three decades…
Ten MORE Reasons to Dislike Miley Cyrus
Reason #11: Miley Cyrus is SO unlikable that her mere existence is forcing me to write yet another column about how much I dislike her. (The first column, entitled “Ten Reasons to Dislike Miley Cyrus,” was written last year, and it actually contained only eight reasons – because I was so infuriated by dislike for…
In the Zone: Killzone 3 hits the mark with detailed destruction
During one of my early battles on the planet Helghan – at least I think we were fighting on Helghan. I mean I know that Killzone 3 is the third game in the series and I should understand the storyline by now. But honestly I don’t care. And I care even less when the game’s…
Falling Under Opera's Spell with The Elixir of Love
Here in Bend, the opportunity to catch a live opera isn't exactly plentiful. Aside from The Met: Live in HD opera performance at Old Mill Stadium 16, fans must drive to Portland to take in the sights and sounds of opera. On the other side of the spectrum, many of us probably wouldn't know an…
Running the Table: Inaugural high school billiards league takes hold in the High Desert
It's a little after four on a recent weekday afternoon and Carly Fristoe stands over what must look like a sea of green felt, surveying her next shot – what could be the winning stroke to close out her match against classmate Devon Holler, who hovers nearby hoping the match will be extended. Just a…
Lose the Wheat: Gluten-free baking is on the rise in Bend
A few weeks ago, a new bakery called Gotta B Gluten Free that serves only gluten-free products opened on the corner of Hill and Florida streets in the former Pure Skate Shop location. Gotta B is the latest bakery in Central Oregon to service the gluten-free sector. Call it a fad or trend, but one…
Put a Coke in It: In search of the perfect elixir
As the all-knowing tiny voice spouts out, “Side effects may include irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid disorders, and severe headaches,” you cannot help but ask yourself, “What kind of junk are the pharmaceutical companies trying to jam down my throat this week?” The sad thing is, we've fallen for it before, and we actually feel good…
The Sound of Two: Viva Voce shows just how much sound can come out of a duo
There's nothing really Portland about Anita Robinson's voice, at least the one she uses over the phone. She speaks in a soothing drawl that's far more country rock than indie rock and reflects her younger days growing up in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. But if you put on a Viva Voce record, there's not much Southern…
Radiohead: The King of Limbs
The point of this review is this: Radiohead's new album is not a waste of your money. The King of Limbs is fine. Yes, fine – because that's all it is. When you think about the grand scheme of modern music, purchasing a Radiohead record will never, ever be a bad thing. What you get…
Our Picks for 3/2 – 3/10: The Staxx Brothers, Queens of the Mic CD Release, First Friday, Water & Bodies and more
The Staxx Brothers wednesday 2 Seattle's funky, funky rockers, The Staxx Brothers are returning to Bend, and this time the show is totally free. The Staxx Bros mix funk and hip-hop with a thriving funk sound to keep the party rocking and chances are we'll hear a few songs off the band's forthcoming album, Jungle…
Forests For Sale: As more campgrounds come under private management, what does this mean for campers?
If you've camped in any of our nearby national forests in the past few years, you probably paid for the right to do so. And when you wrote a check for your campsite, you almost certainly didn't make it out to the National Forest Service. You probably made it out to Hoodoo, Chuck Shepard's recreation…
Will Books Survive? The battle for America's literary soul is coming to a shopping center near you
Borders Books and Music, which once employed 30,000 workers at more than 600 stores, is bankrupt. Those numbers have been halved. And even after these massive cuts, analysts say, Borders is probably doomed. The next time you walk past the empty ghost store where your local Borders used to be, you may ask yourself: Are…
Whisnant's Cyrus Family Protection Bill
Everybody thinks the Cyrus family is good people. We think they're good people. Government officials in Central Oregon think they're very good people. They think the Cyruses are such wonderful people, in fact, that they keep trying to rewrite the laws for them. The Cyruses, whose ancestors came to Central Oregon in pioneer days, have…
If You Can Find Straighter Poop Anywhere, Buy It
Monday, Feb. 21 Qaddafi on the brink: Regime of dictator Muammar Qaddafi looking shaky as he and aides hunker in presidential palace; foreign oil companies bail out of Libya; deadly attacks against protesters continue … Take that, birthers: Former Arkansas governor and sometime presidential aspirant Mike Huckabee, appearing on ABC's “Good Morning America,” says claims…
Four Percent
That's the projected decrease in the city of Bend's share of property tax revenues next year, according to the Deschutes County Assessor's Office. Property tax dollars represent the single biggest revenue stream for the city, accounting for about 60 percent of the total budget.
Planned Parenthood Vote Disregards Population Crisis
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Other Teachers Deserve Recognition, Too
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Forbes Names Seattle the Most Miserable Sports City in the Country
Earlier this week, Forbes magazine told Northwesterners what most of us already know: Seattle is the most miserable sports city in the entire country. For those of us that grew up in Seattle — or those Oregonians who consider Seattle their home teams — it’s hard to argue with this declaration.
Expansion in Hand, Cascade Lakes Looks to Boise Market
Fresh off an upgrade to its Redmond brew house that will allow Cascade Lakes to expand its production capacity by 25 percent, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. announced that it plans to expand into the Boise market while increasing its presence in the valley where the company has hired a regional sales manager.
