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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2017)
ENTERTAINMENT Saturday, February 18, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3C Homegrown tunes of Eastern Oregon t’s difficult to watch national entertainment industry award shows without feeling a sense of detachment. What do these celebrities, that we’ll only experience through the filter of mass media, have to do with our day-to-day existence in the Eastern Oregon? The Grammy Awards, a self-congratula- tory promotion event for the corporate music industry, aside from providing a nationally shared experience that we can all discuss (“Oh my God! Did you see CeeLo Green’s outfit!”) is largely irrelevant to what is happening on J.D. the ground in Eastern Kindle Oregon, where a steady raft Comment of musicians are pumping out recorded documents of their original music, which will largely go unnoticed outside these quarters. I wouldn’t advocate that there be an “Eastern Oregon Music Awards” in order to correct this — that would transform something authentic and local into a gross mimicry of corporate entertainment — but there are local recordings that are identifiably “Eastern Oregon” in flavor that are worth listening to in addition to (or even in lieu of) the new Beyonce or Adele album; records that contribute to a cohesive cultural identity of our area. Here are a few local records of note from the first few months of 2017: Bart Budwig – “Paint By Numbers Jesus” Country singer-songwriter Bart Budwig of Enterprise will offer up an exclusively online release of his new album, “Paint by Numbers Jesus,” on April 1 (no fooling). Budwig has subtitled the album “A Concept Record” as it revolves around the theme of losing faith in the religion one is born into and contem- plating how to fill that spiritual void. I Paint By Numbers Jesus by Bart Budwig The Channel Cats - self titled Alphabeautiful by The Moon on Drugs One would think that such a weighty concept would produce a dour, melancholic recording, but “Paint by Numbers Jesus” is a largely up-tempo and joyous affair. The danceable number “Goliath Got Stoned” features a peppy horn section and R’n’B guitars while the athematic “Age of Reason” is reminiscent of church camp singalongs. In the tradition of country concept albums, “Paint by Numbers Jesus” includes covers of many other songwriters’ work that fits within the theme. Jeff Tweedy’s song “You Are Not Alone,” written for Mavis Staples, produces one of the rare somber moments on the album while Tom Waits’ “Chocolate Jesus” and Bobby Bare’s “Drop Kick Me Jesus” provide some comic relief. “Paint by Numbers Jesus” is undoubtedly Budwig’s most mature and developed album so far and it will be exciting to hear where he goes to next. Find it at: soundcloud.com/ bart-budwig The Channel Cats – self titled The Channel Cats, who recorded, mixed and mastered their self-titled debut effort in Baker City, claim that the album was a year in the making. Listening to the amalgamation of influences, it sounds like it took much longer than that. Extracting elements from the vocabulary of rockabilly, western swing, country and surf, the power trio belongs to the lineage of Ameripolitan retro acts like Chris Isaak and Wayne “The Train” Hancock, who deliberately draw from decades of American music. Guitarist and singer Andy Zikmund’s tasteful guitar licks dominate much the album’s mix while bassist Loran Joseph and drummer Tom Barger provide a solid rhythm section. With an album finally under their belts, hopefully The Channel Cats will start performing outside of Baker County where they are mainstays. Find them at: thechannelcats.com The Moon on Drugs – “Alphabeautiful” The album cover image for “Alphabeau- tiful” — a grainy and pixelated digital photo of a grey, foggy Eastern Oregon morning in the winter — conveys the music within: bleak, hazy and digitally distorted. It only fails to highlight humorous undertones that are present on each track. Comprised of nine dreamy sonic vignettes (it’s hard to classify the tracks as songs as they don’t adhere to traditional strophic song structures), “Alphabeautiful” explores a weird synthesis of electronic drum beats mixed with crudely recorded live drums, heavy processed vocal samples, crunchy guitars, and squealing synthesizers. The Moon on Drugs’ debut recording is just the latest release by the Pendle- ton-based recording artist Austin Burt (his previous aliases include Post Goth Death Shoegaze and Mosey Oakes) whose discography is scattered about the internet. It’s yet to be seen whether The Moon on Drugs is a one-off project or will blossom into something more sustained. Whatever the case, “Alphabeautiful” is a good album to rub the sleep out of your eyes to this season. Find it at: themoonondrugs. bandcamp.com ■ James Dean Kindle is a Pendleton musician and executive director of the Oregon East Symphony. Contact him at jamesdeankindle@gmail.com. BOOK REVIEW WHAT TO DO Festivals Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering Cover photo courtesy Collins Hemingway Austen’s ‘lost years’ explored in second installment Readers who enjoyed Collins Hemingway’s “The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen” now have a second installment of his fictional account of her life. Volume II of Heming- way’s series, exploring what Austen’s life might have been if she had married, continues with Jane and Ashton’s deepening involvement in the fight over slavery, Jane’s struggle to win the respect of her mother-in-law and the staff at the Dennis family home, and anticipation of their first child’s birth. Along the way, a clash of values threatens to derail business ventures and destroy long-held friendships. Jane and Ashton, intelligent, passionate about their views and devoted to each other, struggle to find their place in an early 19th century English society in the throes of war with France and coming to terms with the repercussions of the Industrial Revolution. Where Jane’s world view expanded in the first volume of the series, Volume II finds her turning inward again as class distinctions and gender roles threaten to upend her tranquil life. Hemingway weaves his fictional account of Jane’s lost years into the historical facts so skillfully it’s almost like he was there to document it first-hand. “The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen: Volume II,” by Collins Hemingway. © 2016. ■ Renee Struthers is the records editor and book reviewer for the East Oregonian. Contact her at rstruthers@eastoregonian. com Want to get your event listed in our calendar? Send information to com- munity@eastoregonian. com, or c/o Tammy Malge- sini, 333 E. Main Street, Hermiston, OR, 97838. •Feb. 17-19 •Ellensburg, Washington, var- ious venues www.ellensburgcowboygath- ering.com $90/weekend pass, $35-$55/ individual days, free/downtown venues & open mics. A whole host of cowboy fun — poets, Dutch oven cooking, vendors, fiddle contests, demonstrations and free kids’ activities. Musicians include Barbara Nelson of Pend- leton, 2012 Academy of West- ern Artists’ Will Rogers Cowboy Award winner, and main stage performers Waddie Mitchell, Juni Fisher, Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band and the Cowboy Celtic Band. Echo Red 2 Red XC •March 3-4 •Intersection Main/Dupont streets, Echo www.echored2red.com $45/adults, $20/youths. In its ninth year, riders start and finish in downtown Echo. Includes all ages and skill levels with awards and a raffle after the race. Art, Museums Photography Club Exhibit •Monday-Thursdays; 11 a.m- 7 p.m., •Friday-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. •Hermiston Public Library, 235 E. Gladys Ave. www.hermistonlibrary.us Free. Best photos from past year by club members on display. Laura Ahola-Young exhibit •Monday-Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. •Betty Feves Memorial Gal- lery, BMCC, 2411 N.W. Carden Ave., Pendleton. Free. Opens Thursday, Feb. 16. Features paintings by Idaho State University art professor. Ahola-Young will attend a closing reception March 16 from 4:30- 6:30 p.m. Gallery also open by appointment by calling 541-278- 5952. Runs through March 16. Eastern Oregon Regional High School Exhibit •Friday, Feb. 24; 6 p.m., opens •Monday-Fridays; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. •Nightingale Gallery, Loso Hall •Eastern Oregon University, La Grande www.eou.edu/art Free. Features talented high school artists from across the re- gion. The open reception is free and open to the public. It will in- clude award presentations. Runs through March 21. “The Path of Totality” •Monday, April 3; 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., art accepted •Friday, April 7; 5:30-8 p.m., opening reception •Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020 Auburn St., Baker City www.crossroads-arts.org $15/members, $20/non-mem- bers. Up to three pieces accepted by amateur and professional art- ists depicting the theme inspired by the upcoming Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. Show and sale runs April 7-29. •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission Live Music Thursday •Thursdays 7-9 p.m. No cov- er •40 Taps, 337 S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton Coyote Kings •Friday, Feb. 24; 6-8 p.m. No cover •Nookie’s/Hermiston Brewing Co., 125 N. First St., Hermiston Rock n’ Roll Cowboys •Friday, Feb. 24; Saturday, Feb. 25; 8 p.m. No cover •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission Justin Shandor-Elvis tribute artist •Thursday, March 9, Friday, March 10; 7:30 p.m. •Rivers Event Center, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission www.wildhorseresort.com $39.99/platinum, $29.99/pre- mium, $24.99/general. Features top Elvis impersonator during the 22nd anniversary celebration at the casino. 21 and older. Whiskey Wednesday Game Night •Wednesdays; 3-7 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston No cover. Xbox 360, Ninten- do Wii, PlayStation 3 and Ninten- do 64. LOL Comedy Jam •Thursdays; 8 p.m. •Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild- horse Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mission. No cover. Feb. 23: Gary Jones, Huck Flyn Mac’s Trivia Night •First Thursday of month, 8 p.m. No cover •Mac’s Bar & Grill, 1400 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton 21 and older. East. Drink. Think. Teams of 2-8 compete in trivia contest with other teams. Live host and prizes. Wine tasting •Fridays, 4-8 p.m. •Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St., Echo. is by purchases of drinks. Food available for purchase. Theater & film “Til Death Do We Part ... And We Part Tonight” •Sunday, Feb. 19; 2 p.m. •Agape House, 500 Harper Road, Hermiston $15/person. Murder mystery dessert fundraiser for Agape House. Call 541-567-8774 for tickets. “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” •Feb. 23-25 & March 2-4; 7:30 p.m. •Feb. 26 & March 5; 2 p.m. •BMCC Bob Clapp Theatre, 2411 N.W. Carden Ave., Pend- leton Feb. 23 is pay-what-you-can preview night; other performanc- es, $20/adults, $10/students. The musical is presented by College Community Theatre. “RENT” 20th Anniversary Tour Wasteland Kings Open Mic •Friday, March 10; 6-9 p.m. No cover. •Nookie’s/Hermiston Brewing Co., 125 N. First St., Hermiston •First/third Friday each month, 8 p.m.-midnight •The Packard Tavern, 118 S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton www.facebook.com/groups/ pendletonopenmic •Monday, Feb. 27; 7 p.m. •Toyota Center, Kennewick www.yourtoyotacenter.com $37-$82 (tickets via www. ticketmaster.com). The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning rock musical follows an unforget- table year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. Battle of the Bars “Fiddler on the Roof” Jamie & Luke •Friday, March 31; 6:30 p.m. No cover •Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St., Echo Music Night life Rock Bot Mardi Gras Party •Saturday, Feb. 18; 8 p.m. No cover St., Hermiston No cover. Beads, masks and dancing to DJ Dang. Drink spe- cials and prize for best costume. •Saturday, Feb. 18; 9 p.m. •The Pheasant, 149 E. Main •Friday, March 3; 6-11 p.m. •Let ’er Buck Room, Pendle- ton Round-Up Grounds No cover. Features bartend- ers from nine local watering holes who are vying for Best of West title with signature drinks con- taining Pendleton Whisky. Voting •March 3-4, 10-11; 7 p.m. •Hermiston High School, 600 S. First St., Hermiston. $10/adults, $6/youths & se- niors citizens. Hermiston High school drama and music stu- dents present the popular musi- cal. Making ‘Portlandia’: Brainstorming, basketball and improv By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES — The “Portlandia” brain trust is gathered to hash out another round of endearingly goofy tales set in a mythical (sort of) Portland. Laptops dot the confer- ence table where stars Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen sit with fellow writers of the IFC comedy. Their modest office is in a gentrifying industrial section of Los Angeles with the whimsical nickname Frog- town — so perfectly “Port- landia,” now in its seventh and next-to-last season. The story currently under discussion: What the mayor’s wish to secede from the United States could mean for the Oregon city (see the result at 10 p.m. EST Thursday, with Kyle MacLachlan back as the mayor and Kumail Nanjiani as an unyielding bureaucrat). “I just want more Saturday and Sunday. Two each,” one writer suggests as the mayor’s vague intent. “He keeps saying, ‘I just want the weekend.’ And Fred and Carrie are like, ‘What does that mean?’” another scribe chimes in. “Shorts. Flip-flops. Eating a banana on the front lawn,” is helpfully offered. This group stream of consciousness meanders delightfully on. The mayor AP Photo/Don Ryan This 2015 photo shows Fred Armisen, right, with co- star Carrie Brownstein, left, during the filming of their series, “Portlandia,” in Portland. wants to set up a tax shelter to attract billionaires. Or maybe he went to Iceland and realized countries outside America are OK, too. But what about the down- side of secession? Portland’s split from the U.S. would be treated like a cable customer trying to end a contract, and it wouldn’t be pretty. There are the penalty fees, of course, and demands for return of federal equipment including flagpoles and court gavels. And how would a Portlander cross the border to see, say, a Beyonce concert? Would a passport be required? Most TV writers’ rooms feel like creative conspira- cies, but this one even more so. Brownstein and Armisen conceived the series with fellow executive producer Jonathan Krisel, and the two of them play various and sundry characters. Ideas and notions are thrown out casually, to be either built on or supplanted by the next creative burst of thought. Only Brownstein’s determined effort to work pianist-composer Dave Grusin into an episode provokes gentle teasing, until she finally surrenders. “I’m willing to let Grusin go. I’ll just hang out with him in LA,” says Brownstein, whose fame pre-”Portlandia” was musical, including as a founding member of the rock band Sleater-Kinney. She and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Armisen, himself a musician, are long- time friends. Also on hand this day for idea-swapping and a lunchtime game of basket- ball — an outside hoop is the big perk — are writers Alice Mathias, Graham Wagner and Karen Kilgariff. But the script that emerges is only the beginning of what viewers ultimately see, a “loose blueprint” for filming in Portland, as Krisel puts it. “The shooting becomes our rewriting ... because it’s so heavily improvised,” he said in an interview. “And that’s kind of the secret of the show, that once you’ve got this simple premise and you’ve brainstormed it and written it, then on the day (of taping) you can just have fun with it.” He compares the show to an art project, such as a painting or sculpture, which ultimately finds its own final shape. “You don’t try to micromanage it,” Krisel said. Except, it seems, in the editing room, where the goal is to cobble together the very best, “laugh-out- loud funny moments” out of the many takes done for each segment. That can even require a “Portlandia” version of computer-gener- ated special effects, such as moving coffee cups around to preserve continuity. “The end goal is to make a piece that everybody has ownership over and every- body’s proud of because everybody contributed to it. I think there’s a communist, socialist vibe to ‘Portlandia’ to make it work,” Krisel said, with a laugh. The comedy does revel in its own brand of leftiness. Brownstein once compared Portland itself to “more a mind-set than a place,” telling The Associated Press in a 2014 interview that it’s “an exemplary city in how befuddled it can sometimes be by its own attempts at progressiveness and kind- ness.” For Krisel, the flaws- and-all depiction in “Portlandia,” although affectionate, led to a brief crisis of confidence after the presidential election. “We were making fun of ourselves and we thought it was funny, and the world was, ‘Actually, we hate those people,’” he recalled thinking. He felt an urge to protect “Portlandia” by halting it, but decided instead to stick with what he calls “just a funny show.” “It’s like candy to watch. People have said they’re going through something difficult and they put on ‘Portlandia’ and it’s a breath of fresh air,” he said. “Some- times the world is so scary, as it is now, and you just need something to make you laugh.”
