Five Must-See Local Shows In 2020

Well guys, it’s officially 2020. A new year and a new decade is upon us—so we might as well enjoy ourselves, right?

Who loves concerts? Central Oregon loves concerts—we do, we do, we dooo! Credit: Anthony Delanoix/Unsplash

The year 2019 brought a lot of great shows to Central Oregon (The Roots, The Wood Brothers, Bone Thugs n Harmony and Langhorne Slim, just to name a few), but it’s never too early to start planning out your yearly concert schedule. Even with the new year just beginning, there are already a ton of great shows announced for the upcoming year. Let’s take a look at a few of the best that you should absolutely get tickets for.

Bart Budwig
January 26—The Suttle Lodge

This Idaho-born artist brings an awesome blend of country-folk to the table. To top it off, Bart Budwig’s forthcoming album, “Another Burn on the Astroturf,” releases just two days before this show—so for those attending, expect to hear a lot of new material. He’s a killer songwriter and this would be a great way to kick off the year.

Naughty By Nature
February 15—Oregon WinterFest

Chances like this don’t come around too often, so opting in to see this legendary hip-hop trio is a definite yes. Sure, it’ll be winter and yeah there might be snow—but the coldest thing at WinterFest that night will be the rhymes of Naughty By Nature.

Ani DiFranco
February 23—Tower Theatre

Ani DiFranco isn’t your typical artist. She’s unabashedly herself and sticks true to her beliefs in her music—which is an honesty that not every artist puts off. From her bold songwriting to captivating tone, this show is sure to be an experience.

Joseph
March 8—Tower Theatre

This folk trio has a blend of voices hard to find anywhere else. If you’re looking to add an all-female powerhouse group to your schedule, this is the time to do so because Joseph is incredible. The group’s latest album, “Good Luck, Kid,” is filled with passionate lyrics and chilling harmonies.

Vampire Weekend
August 9—Les Schwab Amphitheater

By the time the brainchild of Ezra Koenig makes it to Bend, Vampire Weekend might have added another Grammy Award to its belt. The alternative rock group has been playing in our headphones since 2008, and 2019’s “Father of the Bride” only helps reassert the talent Koenig and company possess.

While these are only a few of the best shows announced so far, we can only imagine that there will be plenty more to come. Which shows are you most looking forward to seeing?

Here’s to rocking out another year together, Central Oregonians!

This article appears in Dec 24-31, 2019.