ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, August 6, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3C
Dave Day ‘sounds the bell’ on new album
T
he phrase “sound the bell”
often means whatever
everyone has collectively
gathered for is about to begin —
anticipation indeed.
Guitarist Dave Day’s (Mercy
featuring Lynda Morrison) third
solo album, “Sound the Bell,”
announces that
his guitar has
some jamming
to do. The title
track literally
commences the
whole thing off.
And does so
brilliantly. It’s an
Johnny
up-tempo rocker
Vinyl
that informs the
Comment
listener that this is
serious business.
It effectively lives up to its name.
“Sound the Bell” is a blues
album that touches various blues
sub-genres. Chicago, delta, country,
swamp, rhythm & blues and blues-
rock variations are all combined
to make a collective blues-gumbo
that marinates more with repeated
spins. Regardless of the style,
Day’s guitar comes out distinctly in
control.
The songs are mostly covers,
with three original pieces that
showcase what Dave Day does so
well. Regardless of the sub-genre,
every track adds something to the
whole, while throughout Day’s
guitar gets the blues out.
Johnson’s original with Eric
Clapton’s serious mid-1970s
update — providing a totally
refreshing take on the 80-year-old
track.
Amazingly, Day irmly puts his
stamp on the oft-covered standard.
What’s even more
amazing, Day said
it was the last song
to make the cut for
inclusion. A great
way to close an
eclectic collection
of blues tunes
almost didn’t make
it!
Day gets ample
vocal assistance
from Mercy
bandmate Lynda
Morrison on the
Tom Jones/Jools
Holland track “Life’s Too Short.”
The original is a barrelhouse piano
boogie about a dysfunctional
relationship. Here, Day transforms
it into a rhythm and blues scorcher
that screams for attention.
A third notable cover is Lynyrd
Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.” For
many, this track reminds people of
the pre-crash Skynyrd. It’s also a
song that everyone on the planet
can relate to — heeding your
mama’s words.
“Simple Man” is often
performed and recorded by other
artists. However, most who cover
the song don’t stray far from the
original. Dave Day’s homage to
Ronnie Van Zant and gang starts
out that way, a slow-burn blues
groove. That’s up to the 5:44 mark
— from there, the solo that ensues
it simply magical. Some Skynyrd
fans believe it’s
sacrilegious to mess
with the pre-crash
catalogue. After
hearing the incen-
diary solo that ends
the track, there will
be far more converts
than complainants.
Blues, unlike
many other genres
of popular music, is
more than merely
a sound or a style.
Blues is real. Blues
is life. Blues is
universal. Dave Day’s “Sound the
Bell” is a very eclectic collection
that proves all three.
“Sound The Bell” is available
on iTunes, CD Baby and Day’s
website. Also, a guitar instructor,
Day gives lessons in person, via
Skype and FaceTime. For more
information, visit www.daveday-
guitar.com.
■
Johnny Vinyl is a music
connoisseur. His column, Ride the
vibe, focuses on entertainment.
Contact him via tmalgesini@
eastoregonian.com
The songs are
mostly covers,
with three
original pieces
that showcase
what Dave Day
does so well.
Photo courtesy D. Wilson
Dave Day recently released his third album, “Sound the Bell.”
When you’re covering
musical legends the likes of
Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters
and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the task is
two-fold. You have to honor the
original while simultaneously
injecting enough originality to
justify manipulating the past.
Three of the covers are not only
standout tracks on the album, but
seminal arrangements of songs
that exist in multiple cultural
vernaculars.
One of those is “Crossroads,” an
acoustic-based reading of Robert
Johnson’s signature song about
a dialogue with the devil. Day
focuses on the space intersecting
WHAT TO DO
BRIEFLY
Dakota Brown Band plays in
the Irrigon Marina Park
IRRIGON — Alternative soul, pop and
rock is featured in the upcoming Music in the
Parks concert.
The Dakota Brown Band, featuring
Dakota Brown,
Luke Basile,
Frazer Wambeke,
Tim Coronado
and Chris
Newbury, will
take the stage
Monday at 7 p.m.
at Irrigon Marina
Park. The event is
free. Concessions
are available for
Contributed photo
purchase from
Judy’s Chuck Wagon.
In June of 2011, the Dakota Brown Band
recorded and released an EP titled “Find Your
Way.” A full-length studio release is in the
works with three-time Grammy nominated
producer Brook Floyd. Also, the band ilmed
a music video in Hawaii for its single “How
Far We Can Go.”
People are invited to bring a blanket or
chair and enjoy the music. The concert series,
which runs through Aug. 22, alternates each
Monday between Boardman and Irrigon
marina parks.
For more information, call Tami Sherer
at 541-571-0844 or Renee Couchman at
922-1560. For more about the band, visit
www.dakotabrownband.com.
Planes On Paper ly into town
for Wednesdays in the Park
PENDLETON — Described as Central
Washington’s hauntingly beautiful
songcrafters, Planes On Paper will perform
during the upcoming Wednesdays in the Park.
The free event
is Wednesday,
Aug. 10 from
6-8 p.m. at Roy
Raley Park,
1205 S.W. Court
Ave., Pendleton.
Available for
purchase from
Great Paciic
Wine & Coffee
Co. will be pizza,
Photo by Melissa Fenno
beer and wine, and Delicious
Dogs will offer hot dogs.
Planes On Paper describes themselves
as an acoustic songwriting and harmony
duo, joined on happy occasion by some of
their musical friends. For the Pendleton
performance, Navid Eliot and Jen Borst
will be joined by Sam Watts (lead singer/
songwriter for Ghosts I’ve Met) on drums and
Kent Ueland (frontman of The Holy Broke
and Terrible Buttons) on bass.
Wednesdays in the Park is in its second
season. Presented by Pendleton Parks &
Recreation and Sounds Like Entertainment,
the all-ages concert series is each Wednesday
though Aug. 24. People are invited to bring a
chair or blanket and enjoy the evening.
For more information, visit www.
pendletonparksandrec.com or search
Facebook for “Wednesdays in the Park.”
For more about the group, visit www.
planesonpaper.com.
Library hosts ‘Lord of the
Rings’ marathon
PENDLETON — All things Tolkien
are planned during a teen gathering at the
Pendleton Public Library.
The “Lord of the Rings” Marathon is
Monday beginning at 11 a.m. at the library,
502 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. There is no
admission charge.
Teenagers are invited to bring blankets,
pillows and kick back for a long, yet awesome
day. Pizza is provided.
For more information, call 541-966-0380
or visit www.pendletonlibrary.weebly.com.
Festivals
Umatilla County Fair
•Aug. 6; 6:30 p.m.; parade
•Aug. 9-13; 9 a.m.-
•525 W. Orchard Ave., Hermiston
www.co.umatilla.or.us/fair
www.farmcityprorodeo.com
$10/adults, $8/seniors, $6/ages
6-12, free/under 6. Season passes
available. Also, Farm-City Pro Rodeo
performances are Wednesday-Satur-
day at 7:45 p.m. $17/general admis-
sion (includes fair entry); Wednesday
only, children 12 and under are $5.
$25/Davis Amusement carnival wrist-
bands (if purchased by Aug. 8) or $30
— does not include fair admission.
Bronze, Blues & Brews
•Friday, Aug. 12; 6-10 p.m.
•Saturday, Aug. 13; noon-10 p.m.
•Joseph
www.bronzebluesbrews.com
$30/advance, $35/gate, free/10
and under. Features headliner Suga-
ray Rayford, as well as Brandon
Santini, Franco Paletta and more.
Free barbecue for Friday night ticket
holders. Beer and wine available for
purchase.
Morrow County Fair
•Aug. 17-20; 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
•74473 Highway 74, Heppner
www.morrowcountyoregon.com/
county-fair
$4/adults, $2/ages 6-12. Sea-
son passes available. Tillamook
Ice Cream Social, Murray’s Wine &
Micro-Brew Tasting and Dr. Solar’s
Medicine Show. Oregon Trail Pro Ro-
deo is Aug. 19-20 at 7 p.m.; Morrow
County Rodeo is Sunday, Aug. 21 at
1:15 p.m. (rodeo tickets separate).
Milton-Freewater Rocks!
•Aug. 19-20; 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Aug.
21; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
•Yantis Park, Milton-Freewater
www.facebook.com/miltonfree-
waterrocks
Free admission. Craft/vendor
booths, food court, kid zone, beer/
wine garden, live entertainment, quilt
show, pretty baby contest, sip & paint,
parade, Izzy the Camel, Rotary bar-
becue, salmon bake & corn roast,
iremen’s water ight and Harvest Art
Show (Central Middle School).
•Pendleton Center for the Arts,
214 N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Exhibit features a collabora-
tive effort between author Peter Rock
(www.peterrockproject.com) and ive
photographers. Runs through Aug.
27.
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/fam-
ily of four. The exhibit takes a look at
relationships and commonalities in
Palestinian, American Indian and Irish
experiences of invasion, occupation,
and colonization. Runs through Aug.
10.
•Saturday & Sundays; noon-5
p.m.
•Arts Portal Gallery, 508 N. Main
St., Milton-Freewater
www.facebook.com/ArtsPortal-
Gallery
Free. Exhibit features artwork of
Carley Rae Hippauf (including land-
scapes in oils and pastels) and oth-
ers.
•Friday, Aug. 12; 7-9 p.m.
•Historic Balch Hotel, 40 S. Heim-
rich St., Dufur
No cover. Outdoor sumer concert
series features McDougall, whose
music carries on the tradition of oral
history and folklore.
First Draft Writers’ Series
•Thursday, Aug. 18; 7 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the Arts,
214 N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Features Oregon’s Poet
Laureate, Elizabeth Woody, who has
published three books of poetry. She
received an American Book Award in
1990, and the discretionary William
Stafford Memorial Award for Poet-
ry and was a inalist for the Oregon
Book Awards in 1995. Also, short
open mic readings from the audience.
“Circuit Chautauquas: Educat-
ing Dayton and America”
Art & Museums
Music
•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 Center.
Her work combines digital and analog
processes. Runs through Sept. 16.
Peter Rock: Spells
•Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
•Thursday, Aug.11; 5:30-7 p.m.
•Wallowa County Courthouse ga-
zebo, 101 S. River St., Enterprise
Boogie at the Balch
The Little Big Show
Charlene Liu
Brass Fire
“All American Barbecue”
•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 century. Runs
through early November.
•Aug. 5-31; business hours
•Downtown Baker City
www.visitbaker.com
Free. More than 160 regional
artists present works for $40 each in
eight galleries. Show runs through
August.
•Tuesday, Aug. 9; 9 p.m.
The Bellamy Brothers
•Wednesday, Aug. 10; 9 p.m.
Brothers Osborne
•Thursday, Aug. 11; 9 p.m.
Montez De Durango, Tormenta
De Durango, Domador De La Sier-
ra
•Friday, Aug. 12; 8 p.m.
Creedence Clearwater Revisit-
ed
•Saturday, Aug. 13; 9 p.m.
•Umatilla County Fairgrounds,
Hermiston
www.co.umatilla.or.us/fair
Free/general admission with fair
tickets, $12/reserved seats, must buy
fair tickets also. (541-567-6121).
Oldies Night in Milton-Freewa-
ter
•Saturday, Aug. 6; 7 p.m.
•Wesley Methodist Church, 816
S. Main St., Milton-Freewater.
Free. BJ the DJ spins tunes of the
Carpenters.
Brass Fire
•Saturday, Aug. 6; 7-10 p.m. No
cover
•Red Lion, 304 S.E. Nye Ave.,
Pendleton
Full Zoo
Hanna Jane Kile
•Friday, Aug. 12; Saturday, Aug.
13; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216,
Mission.
Jezebel’s Mother
•Sunday, Aug. 14; 5-7 p.m.
•Heppner City Park, 444 N. Main
St.
Free. The popular Tri-Cities
steel drum band kicks off Heppner’s
monthly Music in the Park series.
Food available for purchase.
Jamie Nasario
•Monday, Aug. 15; 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.
Imperial Twang
•Wednesday, Aug. 17; 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
Farm-City Parade Kickoff
•Saturday, Aug. 6; 4 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. Live
music with Shanks Pony and The
Wasteland Kings.
DJ music
•Saturdays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St.,
Hermiston
•Saturday, Aug. 6; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216,
Mission.
DJ music
Umatilla County Fair Main
Stage
Whiskey Wednesday Game
Night
A Thousand Horses
•Saturday, July 2; 9 p.m. No cover
•Sub Zero Restaurant & Lounge,
100 W. Highway 730, Irrigon
•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, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216,
Mission.
Aug. 11: Mike Wally Walter; Aug.
18: John Ager
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/pend-
letonopenmic
Karaoke
•Fridays 8 p.m. (9 p.m. if game on)
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501 Sixth
St., Umatilla
DJ and dancing
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St.,
Hermiston
Theater & ilm
Movies in the Park
•Saturdays; dusk
•Community Park, 1000 S.W.
37th St., Pendleton
www.pendletonparksandrec.com
Free. Aug. 6: “Star Wars: The
Force
Awakens.”
Concessions
available for purchase. In case of in-
clement weather, cancellations will
be posted at the park and Pendle-
ton Parks & Recreation’s Facebook
page.
Hot tickets
•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 concerts.
Salt N Pepa (Aug. 23), Switchfoot
(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.
•Lee Brice. Sept. 10 at the Hap-
py Canyon Arena. Tickets ($40-$130)
available via www.pendletonroundup.
com or 800-457-6336.
•Rodney Carrington. Oct. 22 at
Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Tickets
($29-$49) available via www.wild-
horse.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.
MOVIE REVIEW
Antiheros prove no antidote for ‘Suicide Squad’
By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer
The superhero movie is at a
strange crossroads. It generally
either takes itself too seriously
(“Man of Steel,” “Batman v
Superman”) or delights in not
caring a bit (“Deadpool”). The
choice, dear moviegoer, is yours.
Do you prefer your costumed
heroes to brood or to break bad?
Right now, good is out;
self-proclaimed “edginess” is in;
and a cape might get you turned
away from the nightclub.
Riding the trend is David
Ayer’s day-glo superhero circus
“Suicide Squad,” a gleefully
nihilistic, abysmally messy
romp that delights in upending
the genre’s conventions and tries
desperately to, like, totally blow
your mind with its outre freak
show.
It’s less of a movie than a
long trailer that doesn’t provoke
as much as it thinks it does. It’s
stitched together by an endless
jukebox of everything from
“House of the Rising Sun” to
K7’s “Come Baby Come,”
a soundtrack gimmick taken
straight from “Guardians of the
Galaxy” (which more success-
fully gave the superhero movie
new moves). It’s employed three
times before the opening credits
have even inished rolling, an
early cue to the ilmmaking
talent at work.
Despite the train wreck of
“Batman v Superman” (the
last DC Comics challenge
to Marvel’s dominance),
excitement is high for “Suicide
Squad” thanks to a marketing
campaign that rivals the presi-
dential ones and the promise of
some punk in the poppy, PG-13
“Suicide Squad”
★★☆☆
PG-13, 123 minutes
realm of the superhero movie.
But the nastiness of “Suicide
Squad” is supericial, merely
fetishized gestures of ultra-vi-
olence that will impress few
beyond 13-year-old boys. (Sorry,
that’s unkind to 13-year-old
boys.) Based on the comic
created by John Ostrander, the
ilm is a cartoonish yet grim
“Magniicent Seven” in which a
desperate government — for the
moment without the services of
Superman or Batman — turns
to a handful of villains, locked
away in prison cells, to combat a
yet greater supervillain running
amok.
The ilm, as a whole, is
missing the humor and spryness
that was promised. Its best
laughs are unintentional and
the charisma of Will Smith and
Margo Robbie are drowned out
in Ayer’s turgid tale.
In “Suicide Squad,” Ayer
questions whether a killer can
be a hero and vice versa, even
equating psychopaths with
elite soldiers. He would like
to vanquish the triumphant
superhero and reorder the comic
universe for more complicated
times. But the only thing he may
have killed is the comic-book
adaption.
Watching “Suicide Squad”
(which will nevertheless make
hundreds of millions) is to see
the superhero movie reaching
rock bottom, sunk by moral rot
and hollow bombast. Down,
down and away!
