Living for live music in 2019

Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 3, 2019

GO! Magazine has done a “look ahead to the new year” package every year for the past three years. And every year, this music reporter thinks the same thing: What am I going to write about? Most of the heavy-hitting shows for the prime concert season (summer) haven’t been announced — i.e. Les Schwab Amphitheater, Oregon Spirit Distillers/Century Center events, Athletic Club of Bend and the myriad street festivals that take over downtown on an almost weekly basis.

Except this is Central Oregon, and there really isn’t a slow season when it comes to concerts around here. Don’t believe me? Keep reading.

Les Schwab Amphitheater

No early announcements for Central Oregon’s biggest outdoor venue this year (last year’s season, the venue’s biggest ever, kick-started early with a November 2017 announcement of Jethro Tull).

Amphitheater Director Marney Smith teased some interest from new artists this year, and said the venue’s Portland-based booking agency Monqui Presents will continue to try to book a variety of different genres, including the ever-elusive country acts.

“We’ve always known that country is successful, but it is pretty darn tough for us to compete with the festivals in Oregon who have exclusives for the acts who fit our stage,” Smith said.

Changes introduced in 2018 will continue this year, including a ban on blankets (the venue will continue to hand out free towels as supplies allow, Smith said). “It certainly did, from our perspective, speed things up and allowed us to have security folks (focus) on what we think is more important,” Smith said of the ban.

Perhaps more disheartening to some, the long-running Free Summer Sunday Concert Series that disappeared in 2018 won’t make a comeback in 2019.

“It’s unlikely to come back at this point,” Smith said. “It was a really awesome thing to have for the community, but (it took) an enormous amount of time and resources on our end.”

Keep an eye out at bendconcerts.com or these pages for show announcements.

Bend Radio Group, Oregon Spirit Distillers and the Century Center

Bend Radio Group’s annual concert series took center-stage in the ongoing battle over Bend’s noise ordinance, which reared its head again in late 2017. After temporary change of occupancy permits were limited to three per venue per year, and also due to ongoing construction work, Bend Radio Group moved its shows over to Oregon Spirit Distillers in 2018 and increased its offerings by adding a country-focused series with acts such as High Valley, Whiskey Myers and Dwight Yoakam.

But this year, fans can expect live music to return to the Century Center as well as Oregon Spirit Distillers. Bend Radio Group owner Jim Gross said Oregon Spirit Distillers seemed to work well for country acts, while the Century Center could be home to more rock- and indie-oriented shows.

“My anticipation is we’re going to be able to do some shows (at the Century Center),” Gross said. “Personally, (I) love the venue — I love both of them, actually; I think they both work really well. We didn’t have any problems at Oregon Spirit Distillers, and we never had a safety issue at Century Center. We’re hoping that the city will be able to articulate the number of shows (we can hold) and those conditions over at Century Center.”

Though fans can expect more country, as well as alternative or indie rock, sometimes, the delineation between genres isn’t as clear-cut as all that, Gross said.

“It’s really funny: Between 92.9 and KSJJ, there’s actually an overlap where you’ll find a Shakey Graves or somebody like that that has some sort of crossover,” Gross said. “And that’s really cool. It’s been a surprise to see that, and we look for that when we can. That’s really exciting when we can find something where everybody goes, ‘Wow, that person’s substantial.’”

Tower Theatre

Bend’s historic, downtown theater is gearing up for what Executive Director Ray Solley called its “busiest spring ever.” That holds true in the pop music department, with returning favorites, new names and some big local musicians.

Highlights include deaf jazz singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey (March 6), who finished fourth in the 12th season of “America’s Got Talent” in 2017; former Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder on March 19; and Wynonna & The Big Noise, aka country belter Wynonna Judd and her new band, on March 18.

Another “America’s Got Talent” veteran, New Hampshire “junk rock” band Recycled Percussion, will perform March 21. Since 1995, the group led by Justin Spencer has used found objects and recycled materials to build its own instruments to create a unique, often interactive live music experience.

That “local musician” tease up top was primarily directed toward John Batdorf, the singer-songwriter and (since 2015) Eagle Crest resident known for his work with Batdorf & Rodney and Silver (the latter band’s ’70s hit “Wham Bam” enjoyed a second life in 2017 when it was featured in the comic book film “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”). He’ll debut at the Tower on May 4.

There’s plenty more, too; visit towertheatre.org for more information.

Midtown complex

With help from local promoters Parallel 44 Presents and Red Light Productions, plus out-of-towners such as JMax Productions, the Midtown Ballroom and Domino Room remain musical forces to be reckoned with. Country loomed large in 2018, and the venue also continued its string of strong hip-hop offerings including Tech N9ne’s return to the city.

The new year will bring more solid shows from California soul group Orgone, backed by locals Maxwell Friedman Group, on Jan. 24 at the Domino Room; Southern soul stompers JJ Grey & Mofro on Jan. 31 at the Midtown Ballroom; Parallel 44 Presents favorites Turkuaz and Object Heavy on Feb. 6 at Midtown; and rockin’ jam band Umphrey’s McGee with Ghost-Note on March 7.

Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere will return to Midtown on March 6 in support of their new album “Mi Vida Local”; the stacked bill also will feature deM atlaS, The Lioness and DJ Keezy. And a return visit from reggae producer and singer Stephen Marley was recently announced for March 22.

Visit midtownbend.com for more information.

Volcanic Theatre Pub

Despite listing Volcanic Theatre Pub for sale in early 2018, owner Derk Sitter remains in charge. The venue is still listed for sale, and Sitter is looking at offers, he said via email.

“I am being very selective in the process,” he said. “I want VTP to remain very similar to the model we have created. I want to keep the standards, integrity and energy of the theatre intact.”

Sitter has booked a typically packed schedule at Volcanic Theatre Pub for the first part of the year (with help from local promoters Parallel 44 Presents, Red Light Productions and Action Deniro Production), including new heavy-hitters, returning favorites and at least one field trip to the Domino Room.

Let’s start with the last item on that list: The Reverend Horton Heat. The venerable psychobilly group, led by guitarist/vocalist Jim Heath, will return to Bend on Feb. 1, just a little more than a year since its last show here (also at the Domino Room, and also promoted by Volcanic).

In November, the long-running band, which expanded to a quartet in 2018 with the official addition of pianist Matt Jordan, dropped its first studio album in four years, “Whole New Life.” Swingin’ rockabilly singer Big Sandy, who joined Heath and company onstage last year, will also return with his band The Fly-Rite Boys, along with Voodoo Glow Skulls and The Delta Bombers.

More returnees to Volcanic Theatre Pub include Denver rockers The Yawpers with Blackfoot Gypsies on Jan. 20; livetronica group SunSquabi on Feb. 5; JGB’s Melvin Seals, who will again join Grateful Dead tribute band Terrapin Flyer on Feb. 7; and Atlanta sleaze-rockers Nashville Pussy with Prima Donna on Feb. 22. On the heavier (and sillier) side, 2018 will also see the return of Ned Flanders-inspired metal band Okilly Dokilly (Feb. 14), Los Angeles mariachi/metal mashup Metalachi (March 21) and Finnish bluegrass-metal group Steve ’N’ Seagulls (March 27).

Newcomers to the venue include Canadian indie/new wave group Mother Mother with Winnetka Bowling League on Jan. 21; California rapper Lyrics Born (last seen in Bend at Worthy Brewing Company’s Dance of the Dead Halloween party in October) on Jan. 31; New Orleans’ Rebirth Brass Band playing a St. Patrick’s Day show March 17; and Seattle psych-rockers Night Beats on March 22. Visit volcanictheatre.com or call 541-323-1881 for more information.

More, please

The Sisters Folk Festival made its triumphant return in 2018. While you wait for this year’s lineup to be announced (the festival returns Sept. 6 through 8), check out the festival organization’s Winter Concert Series at Sisters High School.

First up, festival favorites The Shook Twins and Portland troubadour John Craigie return to Sisters on Feb. 2 for some acoustic collaboration. Then, another returnee, Darlingside, will share a bill with North Carolina folk-rockers River Whyless on March 6. Finally, Glasgow, Scotland, five-piece Ímar brings its modern take on Scottish tradition to the festival series for the first time March 18. Visit sistersfolkfestival.org for more information.

Jazz goes fast in Bend, and there’s barely any time to write about the killer offerings from Jazz at Joe’s and Jazz at the Oxford before the shows sell out (case in point: Jazz at Joe’s 72nd show, featuring vocalist Kenny Washington leading a quartet at Cascades Theater on Jan. 26, has been sold out for some time now). The next two Jazz at the Oxford artists, singer-songwriter Kat Edmonson and smooth saxophonist Paul Taylor, also sold out their shows (Jan. 11 and 12 for Edmonson, Feb. 8 and 9 for Taylor).

All the more reason to jump on the remaining tickets for Frank McComb. The pianist and vocalist, known for his session work and solo material blending jazz, blues, soul and pop, will perform one show March 15 and two shows March 16 at the Oxford Hotel. Visit jazzattheoxford.com for more information.

And of course, keep an ear to the ground (and an eye on these pages) for festival and outdoor show announcements, which will start trickling in soon.