The first thing I ask someone I’m interviewing is how the tour is going. I typically call a performer while they’re on the road somewhere, asking how it’s going so far, as it’s usually a good way to gauge how long the interview will be. If they talk about how tired they are, that means […]
Central Oregon Concerts
Posted inMusic
Music With A Mission
Nahko and Medicine for the People are set to inspire and empower
“As an indigenous mutt, I have the unique gift to create bridges between many communities through music, activism and social work,” says Nahko Bear, the singer, songwriter and band leader of the worldly collective that carries his name. His project, Nahko and Medicine for the People, is one that nurtures a mission and delivers a […]
Posted inMusic
Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Ready for Battle
Midwest mayhem is sure to ensue between The Yawpers and The 4onthefloor
Denver and Minneapolis are set to collide in a clash of who can bring Bend the best blues-fueled, rip-roaring rock-out the Midwest has to offer. Starting in Seattle, the Central Oregon stop will mark the third show of a co-headlining tour featuring Colorado’s The Yawpers and Minnesota’s The 4onthefloor–and each party is talking a big […]
Posted inMusic
Distinguished Delinquents
The Reverend Josh Peyton promises to raise more than a little bit of hell
The Reverend Josh Peyton learned a long time ago that there’s more to music than playing an instrument and writing songs. “When I was a kid, I’d go to see shows and I started to figure some things out,” he said in a recent phone interview. “I realized early on to be good, you’ve got […]
Posted inMusic
Creating Something From Nothing
The Helio Sequence show caps off a weekend of painting and community engagement in the arts
It’s been more than a year since the release of The Helio Sequence’s last record, and once again the buoyant pop duo are finding inspiration in the endless possibilities of a blank canvas. With the last record, the shimmering Portland-based rockers found themselves embracing a new creative process. Rather than meticulously laboring over every little […]
Posted inCulture
Picks 9/28-10/5
Thursday 29 "Tight Loose" SKI FILM—Sports media company Teton Gravity Research is turning 21 – so you know what that means… (Too many shots bought by well-meaning friends?) To celebrate the occasion, they’re featuring a one-night only premiere of their new ski film, “Tight Loose.” In the film, TGR explores unridden spine walls and massive […]
Posted inMusic
An Acoustic Life
Brett Dennen gets some pop on his folk
I know that this is a gross oversimplification, but I’m going with it anyway: Brett Dennen is a hit with the ladies. That’s not to say that his music is aimed at women specifically, but over the last few years, I have had at least two dozen women try to introduce me to Brett Dennen’s […]
Posted inMusic
Transmission: Punk
Strung Out is back on tour
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 […]
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 […]
Posted inMusic
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 […]