Posted inNews

Conor Oberst Video from the Domino Room

Conor Oberst brought his newly formed Mystic Valley band to the Domino Room last night and played a set that showcased material from his soon to be released self-titled record, which he’s releasing under his actual name, rather than his Bright Eyes alias. Last night’s show may have disappointed those looking to hear a Bright Eyes hit list, but surely impressed everyone who can appreciate an artist like Oberst, who very well might be his generation’s greatest singer songwriter.

Posted inOpinion

Phone Book Harassment

Letter of the Week

If you own or rent a house in Central Oregon you know what this week's letter writer is talking about. We put the phone book bombardment right up there with the Bulletin's Marketplace free classified in the pantheon of unwanted commercial litter.

Posted inCulture

From the Eye of a Dog: The Art of Racing In The Rain, By Garth Stein

The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein puts a canine in the narrator's seat and gives readers a chance to experience life through the eyes of a dog. From the clumsiness of birth to the agony of old age, the character of man's best friend, Enzo, guides readers through love, loss and victory as he discovers his passion for car racing.

His owner, Denny Swift, happens to be a race car driver as well as Enzo's hero and some of their best times together consist of watching car racing videos. But as many pets often realize, humans desire to share their lives with other humans and Enzo finds he is literally the odd dog out. Much of his life is spent at home watching the Speed Channel on cable. But it is Enzo's quick ability to compare the sport of car racing with the lessons of life that captures the reader's attention. Throughout the book, Enzo often expresses his desire to spend his next life with opposable thumbs as a human being. But before he can think about reincarnation, he must help Denny get back the one thing they both hold dear.

While Enzo's opinions on evolution and his knowledge of television shows such as Law & Order seem a little far-fetched, readers will enjoy insightful statements from Enzo such as "your car goes where your eyes go," that are developed throughout the book. Stein's attention to detail when describing the bitter personality of crows, observations of Denny's in-laws and rides around a race track are what captures the reader. Most of all, Stein is successful at making us believe we're on hands and knees with a keen sense of smell. As with any good dog story, emotions run high as Stein tackles some of life's most painful experiences. But his playful illusions through Enzo's eyes otherwise keep the book light-hearted and humorous.
Garth Stein Central Oregon Appearances
12pm Friday, August 1. Paulina Springs Books in Sisters. 252 W. Hood Ave. (Signing only). 5pm Friday, August 1. North Soles Footwear. 800 NW Wall St, Bend.
5pm Saturday, August 2. Sunriver Books & Music, Sunriver Mall Building.  

Posted inCulture

Get Elevated: Bend’s underground art festival, part deux

Underground and off the wall. Last October, Bend got its first taste of the local underground art scene when Oxygen Tattoo decided to put together a showcase of local alternative talents. This year, the festival is back, with a name - Elevate Art Festival - a bigger and better line-up of music, art, vendors and several partner organizations including The Rise Up, Grove Presents and B Positiv.
"Last year the turnout was really good, I was really surprised by the amount of people who came out to support us," says Oxygen's Derek Youngberg, "Especially with the minimal amount of preparation that went into [the event] - everything came together in four weeks basically."
Youngberg says that at least six months of planning have already gone into the upcoming festival. The event will include a public art wall, beer garden, raffles, food and vendors selling unique artwork, clothing and jewelry. This year's featured live paint artists include Mark Rada, Chris Wu, Ashley Montague, Chris Callister, Amanda Cancilla, Hawk Chait and Mosley Wotta. Music acts include Grove stalwarts such as DJs Smoke, Moksha, Rada, Swett and Barisone along with Person People and Cloaked Characters.

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