Jason Cruz of the punk band Strung Out is nothing if not driven. When he formed the original lineup of Strung Out with guitarist Rob Ramos in 1989 in Simi Valley, Calif., Cruz was all in. This wasn’t going to be some casual hobby. “I made a decision I’m either going to get a straight […]
Bend Oregon Concerts
Posted inCulture
A History of Music
Central Oregon Symphony celebrates its 50th season
Imagine convincing professional musicians to audition for an orchestra that offers three major concerts per season, plays them three times each, and does it all for free. Now imagine accomplishing such a feat 50 years in a row. The Central Oregon Symphony (COS) has been doing just that—and aims to continue doing it. Now heading […]
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Back to Our Roots
Bend’s best festival turns 10
Bend Roots Revival is back for its 10th annual show Sept. 23-25 and once again, the lineup is even larger and the bench is deeper. The variety of musical genres is also incredibly varied as the stages will sport the likes of blues, bluegrass, hip-hop, electronic, funk, jazz, country and back around to good, old-fashioned […]
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God Loves Ugly
Atmosphere is on the horizon
Sean Daley (AKA Slug) changed my life when I was 21 years old. I was a rock kid, mostly into Built to Spill, Nirvana and Radiohead, but when I heard Atmosphere’s “Lucy Ford” (2001) for the first time I knew that hip-hop music was the gospel and I wanted to spread the good word. Daley […]
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In All The Right Ways
The inimitable Sara Watkins comes to Bend
When Nickel Creek broke up in 2007, fans were devastated that Chris Thile, along with Sara and Sean Watkins, wouldn’t be dropping any more country-tinged progressive bluegrass earworms. While the individual members were always prolific in other super groups, it was Nickel Creek that brought the musicians most of their fanbase. I discovered the Watkins […]
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Needing to Try
Thana Alexa has jazz in her bones
Thana Alexa isn’t just a jazz musician. For one, she’s staggeringly beautiful—but that is easily the least interesting thing about her. Her debut record, “Ode to Heroes” is filled with some of the finest players of modern jazz and her voice dances between them like stardust. Her husband/producer/drummer Antonio Sanchez brings his unmatched skills to […]
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Not Folking Around
The 21st Annual Sisters Folk Festival arrives
The Sisters Folk Festival has come a long way since its inception in 1995. For one, the number of bands and popularity of the acts has grown considerably. Eleven venues from all over Sisters participate—and this year included—the festival sells out weeks before the event. Central Oregon might have several music festivals throughout the year, […]
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So Many Keyboards
Headwaves is coming for us all
You probably haven’t heard of Seattle’s Headwaves, but you will. The four-piece’s mix of dreamy fuzz pop and synth-heavy, vocal-driven soundscapes will nail the pleasure points of fans of acts like “Portugal. The Man,” and “Beach House.” Their debut record will be released in October after they tour the West Coast spreading their delightfully modern, […]
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Big Venues and Band Squabbles
Crossover Christian rockers Needtobreathe face the same issues that plague other popular bands
Success, obviously, has its perks—but it also brings a few challenges. Needtobreathe discovered that firsthand in touring for its 2014 album, “Rivers In the Wasteland.” As the venues got bigger, the group’s show and performing style had to change with it. “The struggle or the difficulty of the last tour was, as the venues got […]
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Gangster of Love
After five decades, Steve Miller keeps on rocking
Since a dozen of their songs have been floating around in my head for most of my days alive, I’ve always felt like I must know a lot about The Steve Miller Band. But when I sat down to write this piece, I realized I actually knew next to nothing about them except the weird […]