This ain’t your uncle chester’s kinda barn.In addition to its “this-is-cowboy-country” architecture and street names, Sisters is also home to a deeper, more community-rooted attitude rarely seen these days. And it’s most visible within the town’s musical community. This is a town with less than 2,000 people and maybe another few thousand living in the surrounding areas, yet there’s a healthy and talented pool of musicians that often join forces on recording projects and live shows. And if that’s not throwback enough, consider this: The town’s most talked about indoor music venue is an old barn – now that’s throwback.
But before we get too carried away, we’ll admit that the Barn at Pine Meadow Ranch, which decades ago served as the Sisters Dairy, isn’t some decrepit shack with cows knocking over microphone stands during shows. Doug Sokol, the longtime Sisters resident who owns the Barn, spent months insulating the building and installing a state-of-the-art, 7,000-watt sound system. The Barn is a spot where Sokol has held musical performances for about 20 years – even before the Sisters Folk Festival emerged to highlight the town’s talents. But with the remodel, Sokol says that the Barn is becoming more popular than he could have expected.
“The response caught us off guard. We get calls practically every day from people who want to play in the barn. There is a need for this and we want to be here to help out,” says Sokol.
The 2,400-square-foot Barn can hold as many as 200 people (that’s more than most Bend nightlife spots) and on Friday night the venue will show off the Sisters music community’s potential when local songwriter Brent Alan takes the stage …along with a seven-piece funk band. The band includes local musicians like Shireen Amini, Dale Largent, Mitch Peay, J. Patrick Lombardi, Scott Hirsch, Mitch Peay, and Patrick Pearsall – all of whom are either Sisters residents (past or present) or have close ties to the town.
“You’d think that people might be isolated by living out there, but it’s not true. There’s more of a community vibe,” Alan says of Sisters.
Those who’ve heard Alan’s earlier, more folk and roots-based music might be surprised to hear that he’s playing in a large-scale funk project, but the style is just a fragment of his self-admitted schizophrenic musical tastes and abilities. The Barn seems the best place for Alan to debut this celebration of funk – even if it might not be what he’ll be playing on his solo tour of the West next fall. After all, Sokol says, the Barn’s design encourages dancing.
During the summer months, there are several opportunities for musicians like Alan to play in Sisters. But in the winter, the choices grow slim. And that’s where the Barn comes in. Sokol spent a good deal of time and resources insulating the Barn to keep things warm during a Central Oregon winter night. While the renovations and the fact that you can grab a beer or a glass of wine at a Barn show makes this seem like just another live music venue-the Barn still feels like … well, a barn. And Sokol believes that contributes to the venue’s appeal.
“It’s a great place to play, the acoustics are amazing. It has very high ceilings and it’s all wood, so it’s like being inside of a guitar,” he says.
Alan and other musicians don’t simply hold the Barn in high regard because it’s their friend’s space, but seem to genuinely consider it a certifiably first-rate live music venue.
“I think it’s one of the best venues in Central Oregon. It’s just alive with energy,” Alan says.
The Barn has been hosting shows for the past couple of months, and according to Sokol, is gaining popularity with each performance. In the coming weeks the Barn will be host to shows by local favorites the Mostest as well as Moon Mountain Ramblers and others going into the spring. Yet, Sokol isn’t quite sure what he’ll do with the Barn – the debate being whether to keep it a locals-oriented space for his friends to play on a donations-only basis (and for all his new and yet-to-be-met friends to enjoy music) or to make it a real-live business venture.
No matter what he decides to do with this distinctively Sistersy music venue, musicians like Alan hope he keeps providing a place for the down-home Sisters music community to gather and get down. Seriously though, is there a better place for an eight-piece funk band to get down than an old barn? If you’re talking about Central Oregon, then the answer is “no.”
Brent Alan and His Funky Friends
7pm Friday, Feb. 22. The Barn at Pine Meadow Ranch. 68467 Three Creeks Rd. $7 to $10 suggested donation. Directions from Bend: Hwy 20 West, left on Elm St. in downtown Sisters (turns into Three Creeks Rd), then look for signs to venue.
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2008.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
This is the best venue to see music. The man behind the barn, Wes Barclift, is a simple genius. He reminds me of my dad in a lot of ways, too cute. My life is complete because of this beautiful awesome amazing venue that seems like temple Moses built Jehovah.
Attn: Bendities & Newbies! Hi & great article! But listen up! Sister’s locals appreciate great music from near & far! We request that you bring your dancing shoes…& duct tape or a lip zipper! This means…we would appreciate your respect for the artist! Socialites & the Town & country type need not apply! If you must talk at any venue…keep it to a whisper or better yet take it outside to the forest! All artists enjoy the pubic…NOT competeing with them for presence on stage! As more & more articles pop up on this subject…for those who dont live in the clouds! Please respect your surroundings or go to a venue in Bend where disrespect is welcome! Peace & cheers & mucho thanks to the Sokols for providing us with such a special place to see live music!!! Central Or local since 1989!
This place is a really good place to eat some fish and watch a good band. Recently, I saw Water play here and after the show Joe Klein (the band’s frontman) said that this place was like out of a Disney movie!
For those who don’t know, Sokol passed away last week in a hiking accident. For anyone that knew him, they know what a wonderful generous man he was and what a loss to this community he is.
http://www.kohd.com/article.aspx?id=42650