Holy “Sister Christian!” Night Ranger is Still a Band. And They’re Coming to Bend!
If you’re wondering what a Night Ranger is, I won’t blame you. There’s a good chance you’re under 35 years old and/or don’t hang out in a lot of karaoke bars.
Ray Lamontagne, Ben Harper, Garrison Keillor added to Summer Lineup
We’ve had an embargoed announcement in the can for a bit now, but given that it’s up on the Les Schwab Amphitheater’s website, we figure we can let the cat out of the bag: Ray LaMontagne is coming to Bend on September 6. LaMontagne most recently released the excellent God Willing and the Creek Don’t…
The Columbia River Gorge: Reveling in greenery
One sure way to beat the Central Oregon weather blahs and the typical bland high-desert spring landscape is to head to the Columbia River Gorge where spring, although over a month late this year, is arriving. And with its arrival comes brilliant, almost iridescent green foliage, wildflowers and waterfalls crashing with runoff. A recent ride…
Bend’s own Allie Brosh of Hyperbole and a Half Lands a Book Deal
One of the funniest people in all of the Internet, Allie Brosh — who I profiled this fall — announced yesterday that she has landed a book deal. Why should you care? Because she lives in Bend, Oregon, that’s why! Brosh, whose comic blog, Hyperbole and a Half, has quickly gained millions of views since…
The Bend Bike Film Fest Is Tonight
Two-wheeled fanatics rejoice. The Bend Bicycle Film Festival returns to the Tower Theatre tonight.
Cinco de Mayo Video from Last Night: Ozomatli, Rubblebucket, Haaby
How’s everyone feeling today? Judging from the explosion of revelry downtown last night for the Amalia’s street party featuring Ozomatli, Rubblebucket and Todd Haaby, I’m guessing there’s a few people moving a little slow. But it was worth it, right? The party, which culminated with an insanely packed crowd freaking out to Ozomatli, was one…
Win Tickets to see Anastacia at Three Creeks Brewing on Saturday
This week in our continuing Three Creeks Brewing Co. giveaways we’ve got tickets for Anastacia show up for grabs.
Jim Anderson Takes You to the Galapagos Islands
Our longtime columnist Jim Anderson recently took a 10-day vacation in the Galapagos Islands of South America — a region well known for its wealth of endemic species. When he returned to the States, he penned this excellent account of his adventure.
Get off of Work Early: Don’t Miss Rubblebucket
As you should know by now, Ozomatli is playing for free in the streets of downtown Bend tonight. They go on around 8:30.
The Traveling Camera: Capturing Nightlife
Last Saturday, I wanted to try out my new remote flash triggers. So we hopped over to Stuart’s of Bend/Bright Place Gallery for their last Saturday art hop.
Tasting the Forbidden Fruit: This weekend's Chainbreaker race offers a great way to see Skyline Forest
The annual Cascade Chainbreaker mountain bike race is perhaps best known for providing a passport to forbidden fruit: private land, almost 33,000 acres of it, riddled with single track. Like Willy Wonka opening the factory gates, the Chainbreaker has effectively served as the single track equivalent of the Golden Ticket, providing participants with access to…
Ten Days in the Galapagos: Following Darwin's trail for a once-in-a-lifetime experience
Did you know it is possible to travel from your home to the Redmond Airport, plunk one’s self in the innards of a Continental airliner at 6 a.m., and – with only three connecting flights – find yourself in Quito, Ecuador, at 9 p.m. that same day? It is. I did just that a couple…
Pretending to Like Soccer: How to fit in at a bar full of Portland Timbers fans
Here's something you should know, especially if you plan on visiting Portland any time soon. They have a soccer team. And a real soccer team, at that. Not the jive-ass minor league, playing-on-Astroturf-with-baseball-dugouts-in-the-background sort of team, but an actual MLS squad with a big-name corporate sponsor emblazoned across the chests of its players and a…
Ocean's Five: Mixing heist and muscle cars, Fast Five delivers its intended punches
My first and most pressing question going into Fast Five was how bad would it be? Well seriously, it's God-awful, but it does exactly what it set out to do, succeed in action movie formula. It stays out of the annoying range for the most part and just gives us requisite testosterone-fueled smash-ups, shoot-outs, car…
Where's Your Helmet, Thor?!?
Dear Owner and Operators of my local 7-11: I'm writing to express my EXTREME disappointment in your current selection of “Thor Slurpee Cups.” As you may know, I'm wildly excited for this weekend's premiere of the feature film Thor – so much so, in fact, I intended on purchasing every Thor Slurpee cup you have…
The Age of Innocence: Disney's Prom is missing something, and it's called reality
“A girlfriend of mine didn’t go to hers [prom]. Once in a while she gets a terrible feeling, like something is missing. She checks her purse and her keys, she counts her kids, she goes crazy. And then she realizes that nothing is missing. She decided it was side effects from skipping the prom.” -…
Picking the Winning Lineup: BendFilm gathers together local cinephiles to narrow down the pack for this year's festival
Come mid-October, have you ever been sitting in one of our local theaters and wondered to yourself how BendFilm chooses the independent films we get the privilege of watching during the festival? Contrary to what you might think, it's not through Hollywood movie magic, or based on the recommendation of little green fairies with projectors…
Charles Finn On: Preparing for Guests
Good friends we don’t see often are arriving this evening for the weekend. There has been the usual flurry of activity: cooking and cleaning and the making of beds. A better quality of wine has been purchased than our budget normally allows, and a small grocery store of crackers and cheeses wait in the wings,…
The One about the Salty Samurai: TOMO gives us a lesson in imported beer and sushi on the south side
I’ve learned some lessons about eating sushi over the past several years. First and most important, don’t trust Texas-style sushi – the oversized, unbalanced and less-than-fresh rolls. I also avoid all-you-can-eat sushi unless I can see the coastline from my seat. Happy hours, on the other hand, are a great way to sample different types…
Little Bites: 2011 Dining Guide Redux
In our rush to finish the Dining Guide, we mistakenly omitted some of our favorite restaurants. And we wouldn't feel right unless we provided our readers with this important addendum to the Dining Guide. We encourage you to cut the following listings out of the paper and paste, staple, or tape them into the 2011…
The New Blues: How Box Car Stringband went from jug band to rock powerhouse
Joseph Balsamo is a multitasker. But not in the manner you'd expect from a musician like him. It's not that he can sing and play the guitar – which he can – but if you drop him a line on a Friday afternoon and he's painting the inside of a house to prepare for new…
Ravishers – Ravishers
The self-titled debut LP from Portland band Ravishers, is seriously… cool. Not cool without merit, like that guy in high school who was only popular because his parents had money, but cool like Arthur Fonzarelli. You know, naturally cool. Ravishers (formerly known as Dominic Castillo & The Rock Savants), have spent the last few years…
Out of Town 5/4 – 5/12: Pato Banton, KT Tunstall, Citizen Cope, The Kills
portland wednesday 4 Pato Banton Odds are if you're a reggae fan living in Bend, you've likely had the opportunity to see famed reggae musician Pato Banton at some point during your residency here. The Los Angeles-based (by way of Jamaica) singer has made several stops in Bend within the last couple years and even…
Our Picks for 5/4 – 5/12: Cinco de Mayo Party, Moon Mountain Ramblers, Last Band Standing, Bend Bicycle Film Festival, Chicken Coop Tour and more
Cinco de Mayo Party: Ozomatli, Rubblebucket, Todd Haaby & Sola Via
thursday 5 There is plenty going on for Cinco de Mayo: Brandi Carlile is playing the Tower Theatre for a show that's already sold out. Cash'd Out will be doing its best Man in Black impression at the Domino Room and there are plenty…
Win Tickets to see The Sweet Harlots at Three Creeks Brewing on Thursday
This week in our continuing Three Creeks Brewing Co. giveaways we’ve got tickets for The Sweet Harlots show up for grabs. The lucky winner will receive two tickets to see The Sweet Harlots, which is fronted by local musician Laurel Brauns, and a voucher for two free appetizers. The Sweet Harlots play acoustic alternative folk…
Doubling Down Central Oregon's breweries are betting that the craft brew market isn't yet tapped
A little-known fact: a year from now, barring any unforeseen setbacks, the capacity of the Central Oregon brewing industrywill increase by about 60 percent. All of a sudden, six of the region's ten breweries are expanding,twobig newbrewhousesare opening and Deschutes Brewery is upping capacity by 30 percent. After all the changes (see the What's Happening…
Vote For Bend as BeerCity USA 2011
OK, so we’re all aware that online polls really don’t mean much, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get fanatical about your hometown for Examiner.com’s “BeerCity USA 2011” poll.
Yes on 9-83 (Bend Street Bond)
It's a favorite shell game played by politicians all over the country and Central Oregon is no exception; it's called Hide the Tax Increase. And it works like this: A city or other taxing entity sees the sunset of a temporary tax coming over the horizon and, being government, it finds a way to reallocate…
For Bend-La Pine School Board Zone 6: Peggy Kinkade
The choice in this race is an easy one. Peggy Kinkade has dedicated countless hours of service to the local schools both as a board member and a volunteer for the Bend-La Pine Education Foundation. Before that, Ms. Kinkade worked diligently to pass the school construction bond that helped alleviate the serious overcrowding in the…
For Bend-La Pine School Board Zone 3: No Endorsement
Usually, when a newspaper offers no endorsement it means that there simply isn't a candidate worth supporting in a given race, but that's not the case here. Instead, we have to two very worthy candidates in incumbent Beth Bagley and challenger Susanne Flynn.
Some Fishy Dealings in Salem
In the retail business they call it “bait and switch”: You offer your customers something that looks like a great deal to entice them into the store, then switch them to another item that isn't such a bargain. Although this tawdry practice is highly unethical and quite illegal, it's still pretty common.
Grave Dancers Union
Were we the only ones left scratching our heads at the presence of hundreds of D.C.
Our Straight Poop Is Always Fresh, Wholesome and Tasty
Monday, April 25 Can't keep a real dick-tator down: Muammar Qaddafi reported “in high spirits” despite NATO air strike that kills three people in his compound … Put on the pads: NFL fans breathe (temporary) sigh of relief as judge rules in favor of players, ends owners' lockout, but season remains in jeopardy … Big-game…
House Republicans Vote to Repeal Death of bin Laden
In an unprecedented showing of Republican solidarity spearheaded by dynamic leadership, the House GOP has voted unanimously to repeal the recent killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. If the Senate fails to pass this measure by midnight on May 13th it will automatically become law. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia explains:
Show some real courage, Mr. President
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Street Bond Merits Scrutiny
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