Last week in this very column we discussed the geographical idiosyncrasies of the hip-hop world, specifically the influx of dope-ass rhymes emanating from the Bay Area. But this week, we're spinning the globe a bit to the right to take a look at the Midwest, which has long had a bustling indie hip-hop scene going down.
Liner Notes: Mac Lethal’s Midwest Attack
Posted inMusic
Feelin’ the Best Feeling
Keller telling us Why we need to wake up early. Sound Check wasn't quite sure what to expect from Keller Williams with Moseley, Droll and Sipe when the all-star quartet took the stage at the Domino Room last Wednesday (11/12). We'd put a few solo Keller shows under our belt over the years, but had never seen him in full band mode…other than a brief appearance with the String Cheese Incident a few years back. Needless to say…we were more than pleased.
Posted inMusic
For Britt and Lia, From Bend: Local bands and community members throw benefit show.
If you need a reason to hit up this benefit, just look above.The news of the gruesome attack on Bendites Britt Leis and Lia Koehn as they traveled through Ecuador didn't take long to spread through town. The details of the assault were outlined in national news reports and now, weeks later, talk of Leis' miraculous survival has since been a steady topic around town, even though most residents had never met the two.
While Leis survived the more than 20 stab wounds he incurred during the attack, his path to recovery will likely be a long one, and the medical costs for his care (which included being airlifted back to California, where he continues to receive care) are nothing less than staggering. What happened to Leis and Koehn is a tragedy, but the response from the community has been refreshing, especially the reaction from Bend's music community.
Posted inMusic
You Stay Classy, Rockers: Tentareign brings rock to the Tower. In other news, hell freezes over.
You ready for These folks, Tower?It's just after 11am on a recent Saturday morning when Hannah Jacobs, Jason Costa and Andy Hoard of local prog-metal band Tentareign walk into Thump Coffee to talk about their upcoming CD release party on November 22. They've been up until 3am doing a full-blown dress rehearsal for the show and are exhausted and definitely in need of some caffeine. The band, known for their great live performances, stage sets and overall sound, are turning heads in Bend lately with their announcement that they will be debuting their first album - The Power Between - at the Tower Theatre. That's right, metal at Tower. The same place that you can also check out plays like Driving Miss Daisy and A Tuna Christmas or see musicals like In the Mood. Music acts that have played there this year include Taj Mahal and Béla Fleck … not exactly mosh-worthy bands.
Posted inNews
At What Cost? Record-breaking contributions raise questions about the role of campaign cash
If money, as the Supreme Court tells us, is the equivalent of free speech in politics, then some of the local special interests were doing a lot of talking this past election.
According to the Secretary of State's Office, the Central Oregon Builder's Association (COBA) and the Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR) poured more than $100,000 into local elections in Deschutes and Crook County.
Posted inNews
Obama Looking at Kitzhaber for Cabinet Post?
Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says he'd be interested in a Cabinet post in the Obama administration, but so far the Obama transition team hasn't contacted him about one, at least publicly.
The Associated Press reported last week that Kitzhaber "has been mentioned as a possible secretary for either of two departments: Health and Human Services or Interior."
Kitzhaber, an avid fisherman and a former emergency room physician, has an intense interest in both the environment and health care reform. Putting together an Oregon salmon recovery plan and expanding the Oregon Health Plan were two of his biggest achievements in the Legislature and as governor, and he has continued to push for national health care reform through his Archimedes Project.
Kitzhaber told The AP he hasn't been contacted by Obama's transition team but would be open to taking either job if it was offered.
Posted inOpinion
Reopening a Can of Land Use Worms
Oregon voters unwittingly opened a squirmy can of worms in 2004 when they passed Measure 37. They thought they had at least partially closed the can three years later when they passed Measure 49. But now a federal district court judge has pried the can wide open again.
Back story: Under Measure 37, Oregonians who claimed the value of their property had been diminished by state land use laws could demand that local governments either give them a waiver from the restrictions or compensate them for the (theoretical) loss of value.
Posted inOpinion
The City Council Shuffle: Parsing the Bulletin’s endorsement, and a sad farewell
Don't you know, I am the man?Upfront was less than surprised to see that the local daily endorsed former planning commissioner Don Leonard to fill the seat opened when Councilor and former Mayor Bill Friedman died Nov. 9 after undergoing back surgery. Leonard, who ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Jim Clinton in the Nov. 4 election, failed to gain the newspaper's endorsement in that race. But the paper suggested at the time that the Leonard would make a suitable councilor and that the city council ought to consider appointing him should a vacancy arise. No doubt the paper's editorial board was looking forward to the prospect that current councilor Chris Telfer would be leaving the city for the legislature, which in fact she is after defeating Democrat Maren Lundgren in the race for Senate District 27. Friedman's death, however, added another wrinkle, which allows the current "lame duck" council to appoint for Friedman's seat before Telfer vacates for the statehouse. That's important because three of the current council's members, Bruce Abernethy, Linda Johnson and Peter Gramlich, all part of the so-called progressive bloc, will be leaving office Jan. 1. Taking their places are Jeff Eager, Peter Greene and Kathie Eckman. All three of whom ran on a small government, pro-growth model and received significant contributions from the building and real estate industry. We can guess what kind of appointment they will make when they have control of the council in January.
Posted inOpinion
Calling All Backcountry Skiers and Snowshoers
This week's letter of the week comes from Chris Moehl who reminds backcountry users that they need to get involved with the ongoing recreation planning efforts undertaken by the Forest Service along Century Drive if they want to preserve and protect their favorite backcountry spots. Thanks for the letter Chris. We hope that folks will make their voices heard on this important issue. In the meantime, you can make tracks to the Source to grab your prize for this week's letter, two smoothies at Maui Wowi.
Posted inOpinion
Everything Has Its Price
Well it looks like the public relations department of Bend's pro-growth, pro-sprawl, pro-development community is at it again. What's that? You didn't know Bend's good 'ol boy network had a PR team? Sure ya did. You probably just know them by their other name: The Bend Bulletin.
So I was not surprised this morning to see the Bulletin carrying on… and on… and on about who should (and shouldn't) be appointed to the open seat on the Bend City Council. You see, in this past election Bend's developers, realtors and builders poured thousands and thousands of dollars into the campaigns of four council candidates.