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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2016)
ENTERTAINMENT Saturday, July 23, 2016 East Oregonian Page 3C HEPPNER Sarah Gayle Meech ready for the Ruckus H eppner feels like the last place one would catch a multi-day music festival. It’s far from any main thoroughfare, which isn’t necessarily a mark against it — plenty of festivals are held out in the sticks — but it’s extremely hot and dry this time of year and hardly considered a summer destination. Also consider the fact that there is one motel in town, which makes it dificult to accommodate large groups of concert- J.D. goers. Kindle Yet Ruckus in the Comment Boonies, the little outlaw country festival that could, is in its third year and expanding from two to three days and moving from Heppner’s sole remaining bar, Bucknum’s Tavern, into the Morrow County Fairgrounds. When attending Ruckus it becomes apparent that this is not a typical country music festival. Combat boots, black attire, dreadlocks and gauged piercings, though not a common sight in Heppner, are par for the course. Indeed, a good portion of the crowd looks as though they stepped out of a Napalm Beach concert at Portland’s Satyricon circa 1999. In spite of an audience that looks as though they took a wrong turn at Boardman, the town of Heppner wholly embraces the event. Last year, by the time sun started to set and the 100-degree temperature subsided, Bucknum’s and its back parking lot were crowded with what appeared to be the whole town (and could’ve been, considering Heppner’s population is less than 2,000). Locals in tank tops and baseball caps, ranchers with dust still covering their boots, cowboys and cowgirls in blue jeans and Contributed photo Musician Sarah Gayle Meech will bring her blend of outlaw country to Ruckus in the Boonies Friday, July 29 in Heppner. cattleman hats, grandparents in walkers, and grandchildren all turned out for the event. The music is as diverse as the crowd itself: crust punk bands sporting banjos and washboards, rockabilly combos twirling their stand-up basses while their slicked back hair shimmers in the sun, cow punk bands wailing Appalachian murder ballads, one-man country blues acts thumping on homemade instruments, thrash metal dudes playing acoustic folk ballads with voices that ring clear as bells, etc. The whole scene is a mutation of Americana music borne out of connecting the dots between underground punk and outlaw country through both sub-genres’ do-it-yourself ethos and anti-authority stances. Hank III (grandson of the Hank Williams) is their patron saint and indeed many of the musicians have tangential ties to him. One of this year’s headlining acts is the Nashville based, but Longview, Washington- bred, Sarah Gayle Meech. Her latest record, “Tennessee Love Song,” was co-produced by Andy Gibson, pedal steel guitar and dobro player with Hank III’s band. Her music echoes Wanda Jackson’s fusion of rockabilly and country, albeit with a little more attitude. “I grew up listening to lots of country music and singer songwriter type of stuff. In my teenage years I got into the music coming out of the Northwest — Mudhoney, Nirvana, L7,” Meech says. “Longview is WHAT TO DO BRIEFLY Tri-Cities group jazzes up Music in the Park series IRRIGON — A mixture of jazz and rhythm and blues will be performed by 7-Wheel Drive during the upcoming Music in the Parks. Based out of the Tri-Cities, the band features singer Lori Tyler with Steve Haberman, piano; Gary Danielson, baritone sax; Wayne Land, alto sax; Stan Pitman, trumpet; Dave Campbell, bass; and Jerry Larson, drums. The free concert is Monday at 7 p.m. at Irrigon Marina Park. Concessions are available for purchase from Judy’s Chuck Wagon. People are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair and enjoy the music. The concert series alternates each Monday between Boardman and Irrigon marina parks. It runs through Aug. 22. For more information, call Tami Sherer at 541-571-0844 or Renee Couchman at 922-1560. Former Iron Butterly musician to play at Sno Road Winery ECHO — A former keyboardist and vocalist for Iron Butterly will perform in Echo. Martin Gerschwitz, a multi-instrumentalist, plays across multiple genres, from classical to psychedelic rock. Catch him in a cozy venue Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. at Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St., Echo. There is no Contributed photo cover charge. For more information, call 541-376-0421. For more about Gerschwitz, visit www.martingerschwitz.com. Scottish group features multiple instruments MILTON-FREEWATER — Traditional and contemporary Scottish music performed with voice, lute, concertina, tin whistle and guitar is featured during a concert in Milton-Freewater. Wild Mountain Thyme will play Friday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 719 Pierce St., Milton-Freewater. A freewill donation will be accepted. In addition, refreshments will be served. For more information, call 541-938-2035. Seattle hip hop/breakdancing group breaks out at Wildhorse MISSION — A top hip hop/breakdancing group from Seattle will bring the specialized skill and art form to Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Massive Monkees will be roving through the casino, performing ive times an hour Saturday, July 30 between 4 p.m. and midnight. The casino is located off Interstate 84 at Exit 216, Mission. The group, formed in Contributed photo 1999, has appeared in two Macklemore videos, at the VANS Warp Tour, and in advertising campaigns for Xbox, Kenneth Cole, Nordstrom and Microsoft. They’ve won numerous titles, including irst in the B-Boy Summit (US), Raskilde Festival (Denmark) and the World B-Boy Championships and Prince’s Trust Urban Music Festival (UK). In addition, Massive Monkees are the irst American crew to win the “R16” World Championships in Seoul, Korea. For more information, contact Tiah DeGrofft, Wildhorse community relations, at 541-966- 1628, tiah.degrofft@wildhorseresort.com or visit r www.wildhorseresort.com.. For more about the group, visit www.massivemonkees.com. kind of a small town; things were pretty simple there when I was a kid. It’s a logging town, lots of beautiful trees and scenery. I spent a lot of time outdoors growing up, and I love the rain and moody weather up there. These things are still with me.” Meech’s afinity for music with twang and grit has garnered her an award for Best Female Outlaw Artist at the 2015 Ameripolitan Music Awards in Austin, Texas. Explaining the under-the-radar awards ceremony, Meech says, “Ameripolitan is a new genre of music that Texas troubadour Dale Watson is spearheading. The genre encompasses what ‘country music’ used to be. Western swing, honky tonk, outlaw, rockabilly — these styles are all embraced by Ameripolitan.” She listed Asleep At The Wheel, Whitey Morgan, Wayne Hancock and Elizabeth Cook as examples of the genre. Despite the accolades, Meech is a little hesitant to fully embrace being labeled an outlaw. “In my eyes,” says Meech on the deinition of outlaw country, “it’s doing things your own way. I don’t call what I do ‘outlaw’ but I suppose it’s my spirit, appearance and the sound of my music that people may associate me with an outlaw scene. And that’s ine. If it means being grouped with artists like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings ... yes, please!” As far as Ruckus in the Boonies is concerned, she might as well be grouped in with The Circle Jerks and Dead Moon. Sarah Gayle Meech performs Friday, July 29 at Ruckus in the Boonies in Heppner. ■ James Dean Kindle is a Pendleton musician and executive director of the Oregon East Symphony. Contact him at jamesdeankindle@gmail.com. Festivals Pendleton Bike Week •July 20-24 •Pendleton www.pendletonbikeweek.com $35-$125. Motorcycle show, West Coast Bikini Bike Wash Cham- pionships, poker run, tattoo contest, Blues Hillclimb, Three Dog Night concert and more. Chief Joseph Days •July 26-31 •Joseph www.chiefjosephdays.com Many activities free, rodeo tick- ets $14-$20. Event kicks off with Bucking Horse Stampede Tuesday, July 26 at 1:30 p.m. down Joseph’s Main Street. Rodeo action is nightly Wednesday through Saturday at 7 p.m. Parades on Friday and Satur- day; and vendors each day through- out the week. Ruckus in the Boonies •July 29-30; gates open at noon •Morrow County Fairgrounds, 74473 Highway 74, Heppner www.ruckusintheboonies.com $25-$60. Festival expands to two days and 30 bands, including Gary Lindsey, Pine Box Boys, Sar- ah Gayle Meech and JB Beverley. In addition, a Ruckus Goodbye Break- fast is Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. It features a handful of bands (free admission) and food for purchase. Irrigon Watermelon Festival •Saturday, July 30 •Irrigon Marina Park w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / I r- rigon-Chamber-of-Com- merce-152192878155455 Free. Parade kicks off in down- town at 10 a.m., the rest of the activ- ities are at the park, including vendor booths, crafts, live entertainment, kids games, rafles, a water slide, a car show and lots of watermelon. Art & Museums Charlene Liu •Monday-Fridays; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. •Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, 48004 St Andrews Road, Mis- sion www.crowsshadow.org Free. Liu’s exhibit is held in con- junction with the Portland 2016 Bien- nial of Contemporary Art presented by Disjecta Contemporary Art Cen- ter. Her work combines digital and analog processes. Runs through Sept. 16. Mike King: Smash Hits! •Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. •Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main St. www.pendletonarts.org Free. Exhibit features concert artwork of Mike King, who has de- signed more than 4,000 posters. To view samples, visit www.crashamer- ica.com. Runs through July 30. The Map is Not the Territory •Monday-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. •Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, near Wildhorse Resort & Casino. www.tamastslikt.org $10/adults, $9/senior citizens, $6/youths, free/5 and under or $25/ family of four. The exhibit takes a look at relationships and common- alities in Palestinian, American Indi- an and Irish experiences of invasion, occupation, and colonization. Runs through Aug. 10. “Real People” •Saturday & Sundays; noon-5 p.m. •Arts Portal Gallery, 508 N. Main St., Milton-Freewater www.facebook.com/ArtsPortal- Gallery Free. Exhibit features Central Middle School Art teacher Jenny Hegdal. “Circuit Chautauquas: Edu- cating Dayton and America” •Wednesday-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. •Dayton Historic Depot, 222 E. Commercial St., Dayton, WA www.daytonhistoricdepot.org Admission by donation. Exhib- it explores the history of traveling shows and assemblies popular in the late 19th and early 20th centu- ries. Runs through early November. Music Notorius 253 •Saturday, July 23; 8 p.m. No cover •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission. 7-Wheel Drive •Monday, July 25; 7 p.m. •Irrigon Marina Park Free. Music in the Parks series alternates weekly between Board- man and Irrigon marina parks. Food available for purchase. Big Bridges •Wednesday, July 27; 6-8 p.m. •Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton Free. As part of Wednesdays in the Park series. Features food ven- dors and a beer/wine garden. Martin Gerschwitz •Friday, July 29; 7 p.m. •Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St., Echo No cover. All ages welcome. Fea- tures music by a former keyboardist and vocalist with Iron Butterly. The Wild Mountain Thyme •Friday, July 29; 7:30 p.m. •St. James Episcopal Church, 719 Pierce St., Milton-Freewater Admission by freewill donation. Features Scottish music with voice, lute, concertina, tin whistle and gui- tar. 4More •Friday, July 29; Saturday, July 30; 8 p.m. No cover •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission. Local musicians •Friday, July 29, 8 p.m. No cover •Riverside Sports Bar, 1501 Sixth St., Umatilla Vanilla Ice/Morris Day & The Time Sixth St., Umatilla •Saturday, July 30; 8 p.m., gates open at 6 p.m. •Outdoor concert area, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission. www.wildhorseresort.com $29-$59. In addition to the con- cert, Vanilla Ice will help announce the winner of the $160,000 Toyota “Truck City, Baby!” Giveaway. Food vendors and a no-host bar will be available. DJ and dancing Brass Fire •Saturday, Aug. 6; 5-11 p.m. •Nookies/Hermiston Brewing Co., 125 N. First St., Hermiston www.facebook.com/ events/1087565817975181 No cover. Best seats in town for Umatilla County Fair parade. •Monday, Aug. 1; 7 p.m. •Boardman Marina Park Free. Music in the Parks series, which alternates weekly between Boardman and Irrigon marina parks. Food available for purchase. 1939 Ensemble •Wednesday, Aug. 3; 6-8 p.m. •Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton Free. As part of Wednesdays in the Park series. Features food ven- dors and a beer/wine garden. Night life Beach Party •Saturday, July 23; 9 p.m. •Sub Zero Restaurant & Lounge, 100 W. Highway 730, Irrigon $3 or free for those dressed in beach attire. Live DJ, games and prizes. The Lucky Coyotes will per- form Coyote Ugly dancing. •Fridays, 8 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston Watermelon Extravaganza •Saturday, July 30; 9 p.m. •Sub Zero Restaurant & Lounge, 100 W. Highway 730, Irrigon $3 cover. Watermelon wrestling with cash prizes for winners. Call 541-922-4374 to participate. Farm-City Parade Kickoff Theater & ilm Movies in the Park •Saturdays; dusk •Community Park, 1000 S.W. 37th St., Pendleton www.pendletonparksandrec. com Free. July 23: “Hook,” July 30: “Inside Out.” Concessions available for purchase. In case of inclement weather, cancellations will be posted at the park and Pendleton Parks & Recreation’s Facebook page. Movies in the Park er •Fridays; dusk •McKenzie Park, 320 S. First St., Hermiston www.facebook.com/hermiston- rec Free. July 29: “The Good Dino- saur” Aug. 5: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Bring a blanket, chairs and snacks. •Sub Zero Restaurant & Lounge, 100 W. Highway 730, Irrigon Hot tickets DJ music •Saturdays, 8 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston DJ music •Saturday, July 2; 9 p.m. No cov- Whiskey Wednesday Game Night •Wednesdays; 3-7 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston No cover. Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 64. Thursday Night Comedy •Thursdays, 8 p.m. No cover. •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission. July 28: DC Malone & Gary Jones Digital Karaoke •Thursdays and Fridays, 8 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston Wine tasting •Fridays, 4-8 p.m. •Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St., Echo. Open Mic •First/third Friday each month, 8 p.m.-midnight •The Packard Tavern, 118 S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton www.facebook.com/groups/ pendletonopenmic Karaoke •Fridays 8 p.m. (9 p.m. if game on) •Riverside Sports Bar, 1501 •Umatilla County Fair Main Stage entertainment: A Thousand Horses (Aug. 9), The Bellamy Broth- ers (Aug. 10), Brothers Osborne (Aug. 11) Montez De Durango, Tor- menta De Durango and Domador De La Sierra (Aug. 12), Creedence Clearwater Revisited (Aug. 13). Fes- tival seating free with fair admission; reserved seats are $12. (541-567- 6121). •Maryhill Winery concerts: Jeff Beck & Buddy Guy (Aug. 20) $55- $250; Chris Isaak (Sept. 3) $39.50- $91; Tears for Fears (Sept. 17) $45-$101. Goldendale, Washington. Tickets via www.maryhillwinery.tick- etly.com. •Benton-Franklin Fair con- certs. Salt N Pepa (Aug. 23), Switch- foot (Aug. 24), Foreigner (Aug. 25), Hunter Hayes (Aug. 26), Olivia Holt (Aug. 27), Swon Brothers (Aug. 27) Benton-Franklin Fair, Pasco. Festi- val seating free with fair admission; reserved seats are $15. Tickets via Kennewick Ranch & Home or www. bentonfranklinfair.com. ——— Want to get your event listed in our calendar? Send information to tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com, or c/o Tammy Malgesini, 333 E. Main Street, Hermiston, OR, 97838. A touch of humor invades ‘Star Trek Beyond’ By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer In the previous “Star Trek” installment, Spock cried. In the latest, “Star Trek Beyond,” he laughs. And not just a little snicker, either, but a belly-full one. What bold explorations into the farthest reaches of the galaxy hold for Spock no one knows. A sigh? A hiccup? “Star Trek Beyond,” like most of the rebooted properties lying around our movie theaters, delights in nostalgically resurrecting iconic characters and tweaking them anew. The balance is a delicate one. The ilm inds a bored “Star Trek Beyond” ★★★☆ PG-13, 122 minutes Enterprise inishing up a ive- year tour in deep space. The (albeit brief) change of pace is immediately appreciated. The last two beefed-up “Star Trek” movies, as if overcompen- sating for decades of Trekkie nerd-dome, threatened to make the once brainy “Star Trek” less distinct from other mega- sized sci-i adventures — just another clothesline of CGI set pieces strung together. Like its recent predecessors, “Star Trek Beyond” is mostly an assortment of effects-heavy scenes with bits of talking in between. But unlike the previous ilm, 2013’s bloated “Star Trek Into Darkness,” not everything is quite so much of a life-and-death issue (the exhausting de facto pitch of today’s summer blockbuster). The Starship Enterprise, led by Captain Kirk (Chris Pine, looking more natural in the role), is lured through a nebula where a would-be rescue mission turns into a trap set by the villain Krall, whose spectacular army of mechanical drones (“bees” he calls them) attack in an overwhelming swarm. In a galactic blitz, the Enterprise is torn to shreds and crashes down on a rocky planet where the ship’s scattered crew tries to gather, survive and under- stand Krall’s motives. A local becomes an essential guide for them: Jaylah (a nimble Soia Boutella), a pale loner with black streaks running down her face who helps the crew discover the Federation’s history on the planet. The heart of the ilm, like the previous two, is the bromance between Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s Spock. They’re Felix and Oscar in outer space, and still the highlight of this batch of “Star Trek” ilms.
