ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Culture keepers
share ‘Stories &
Songs’
MISSION — Fred Hill,
Thomas Morning Owl and
Toby Patrick will explore the
traditions of Ncíwana, the big
river, including Celilo Falls
through songs and stories.
Culture keepers closely
associated with the
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation,
the trio are master singers on
both hand and big drum. Each
man participates in leadership
of the Umatilla Longhouse.
“Stories & Songs,” a Pepsi
Primetime @ the Museum
program, is Wednesday, May
31 at 5:30 p.m. at Tamástslikt
Cultural Institute, located near
Wildhorse Resort & Casino.
There is no admission charge.
In addition, complimentary
refreshments will be served.
Hill, Morning Owl
and Patrick each possess
knowledge passed down
from their families about
ceremonies — including
“first fish,” self-regulation of
fishing practices under the
system of reciprocity, tribal
songs and prayers about
water and salmon and life,
and the traditional tools and
containers that river people
created.
Their stories and songs
have the power to bring to life
what is often referred to as
a “dead” river, now a series
of reservoirs behind dams.
The ferocious, yet benevolent
force once sustained the
Plateau people. The program
also will make Celilo real
again, for at least an hour or
so.
The special program is
held in conjunction with
the museum’s current
exhibit, “Celilo: Progress
Versus Protest.” For
more information, call
541-429-7700 or visit www.
tamastslikt.org.
Wildflower show
blooms near Bend
SUNRIVER — Hundreds
of native wildflower species
bursting with color are
featured during the Central
Oregon Wildflower Show.
Central Oregon’s unique
habitats and climate enable
a great variety of native
wildflowers, which are
showcased during the 29th
annual event. The show is
Saturday, July 1 from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July
2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at
the Sunriver Nature Center
& Observatory, near Bend.
Admission is $6 for adults
and $4 for ages 2-12 for
the entire weekend. The fee
includes admission to the
nature center.
The show also provides
examples of Central
Oregon’s native grasses,
shrubs, sages, fungi, mosses
and lichen. The event
includes lectures, presented
by local experts in the field,
information booths on
invasive species, disease
and fire resistant pines,
medicinal plants, and rare
and endangered plants. The
family-friendly event offers
kids’ activity booths, family
botanical hikes and more.
For more information,
call 541-593-4394 or visit
www.sunrivernaturecenter.
org.
Page 3C
Music from the saddle
BRIEFLY
Hamley’s kicks off
Music on the Lawn
PENDLETON — With
summer just around the
corner, Hamley Steakhouse
& Saloon is gearing up for its
annual Music on the Lawn
concert series.
This year’s event kicks off
the first weekend in June with
Elwood performing Friday,
June 2 and The Rocker Fellas
taking the stage Saturday,
June 3. The free performances
run from 6-9 p.m. on the lawn
at the eatery, 8 S.E. Court
Ave., Pendleton. All ages are
welcome.
Hailing from La Grande,
Elwood is no stranger to
Pendleton. An outdoor
venue is a perfect match for
Elwood’s music, which gains
inspiration from Mother
Nature.
A Seattle-based band, The
Rocker Fellas love to rock —
playing crowd favorites from
the ’60s to the present. They
will play an acoustic show on
the lawn.
For more information,
contact bookkeeper@
hamleysteakhouse.com,
541-278-1100 or visit www.
hamleysteakhouse.com.
East Oregonian
An American Forest
turns Western
landscapes into song
Go see it
An American Forest performs
at The Gathering Place at
Bellinger’s, 1823 S Highway
395, Hermiston, on June 1 at
5:30 p.m.
S
inger-songwriter Forest
VanTuyl, aka An American
Forest, hesitates to be referred
to as a cowboy songwriter. Aspiring
cowboy singer is more his speed,
since he doesn’t feel he’s earned the
right or the experience to be referred
to as a genuine
cowboy.
In spite of
that, VanTuyl of
Enterprise has
a résumé of day
jobs that make
any cattleman-
hat-fashioning,
Nashville-country-
J.D.
music-machine-
Kindle
produced artist
Comment
look about as
authentic as an
American flag manufactured in
China.
A self-taught guitarist originally
from Chehalis, Washington, Forest
developed an appreciation for
Bob Dylan as a teenager, which
led to him exploring other giants
of modern folk such as Woody
Guthrie, Ian Tyson and Ramblin’
Jack Elliott. In 2013, while living
in Seattle and working on tugboats,
VanTuyl read “All The Pretty
Horses” by Cormac McCarthy. The
book lit a fire under him to work
with horses, which led him to the
inland Northwest.
A brief stint in New Mexico
inspired the songs behind his most
recent album “Rosas y Mesteños.”
To record that album Forest moved
to Enterprise to work with his friend
Bart Budwig at the OK Theater.
After four months of sleeping on
Budwig’s couch and hammering
away at the record, VanTuyl found
his dream job as an apprentice for
a packing outfit. VanTuyl starting
taking trips up into the mountains
and Hells Canyon servicing hunting
trips.
“I have so little experience
I keep trying to write from my
own experiences,” says VanTuyl.
“I’m not trying to write the new
‘Goodbye Old Paint’ or ‘Strawberry
Roan’ or anything like that really.
It’s more about having that sense of
nature and the natural world. The
world is better for me when I’m
in the wilderness and on a horse.
There’s a lot of love songs and
heartbreak songs but I want it all to
be through the lens of learning about
horses or being on a horse or mule
in the mountain.”
Indeed, spending long days
in the wilderness on horseback
Photo contributed by Ben Herndon
Forest VanTuyl, a western musician who works for a trail packing
company in the Wallowas, will perform June 1 at Bellinger’s in
Hermiston.
Photo contributed by Cassandra Mohr
Forest VanTuyl, a western musician who works for a trail packing
company in the Wallowas, will perform June 1 at Bellinger’s in
Hermiston.
has provided Forest a wealth of
experiences to draw from.
“There’s this one day I was
riding down in Hells Canyon,”
Forest recalls. “The sun was going
down and we were riding from
Freezeout Trailhead up to Freezeout
Saddle and it’s switchback after
switchback going right up the side
of the canyon. It was right while
the sun was setting in such a way
that we could watch it set from one
switchback and then move up two or
three more switchbacks where we’d
be higher in elevation so the sun
would be back up and we’d watch
it set again. We’d keep doing that
all the way up. That’s the kind of
stuff that’s hard to not write a song
about.”
VanTuyl’s lyrics are less in line
with cowboy storytellers and more
with Zen hermit philosophers like
Stonehouse and contemporary
Pacific Northwest poets like Gary
Snyder. For example, the song
behind his recently released music
video “Burnin’ Starlight” is rich
in imagery revolving around a
midnight horseback ride. It provides
the perfect backdrop to revel in the
ecstasy of nature and the longing to
be home.
This past winter VanTuyl spent
a month in Sonora, Mexico, doing
a work trade that involved, “riding
Mexican ponies, leading dude rides,
and eating beans.” The experience
became a writer’s retreat of sorts
that broke him out of a yearlong
writer’s block.
“It was a super isolated ranch.
I was the only person who played
music. Oddly enough while I was
down there I wrote more about
Oregon than I did about Mexico.
I write about stuff that’s not
immediately in front of me.”
The draw of his adopted home
of the Wallowas proved strong for
VanTuyl.
“I knew that this country
was supposed to be my home;
the Wallowa County area, these
mountains, these canyons. Being
down there really reinforced that and
made me miss it enough that I was
trying to write myself back here.
A lot of songs I wrote down there
are about getting a winter job in the
canyons and spending the summer
out on the Minam.”
■
James Dean Kindle is the
East Oregonian’s entertainment
columnist, the executive director of
the Oregon East Symphony and a
Pendleton musician. Contact him at
jamesdeankindle@gmail.com.
WHAT TO DO
Festivals
ACE Car Show
•Saturday, May 27; noon-4
p.m.
•Downtown Echo
Free admission. $20/vehicle
entry, $5/student car entry. Cus-
tom-made trophies created with
car parts by students and com-
munity members. Also features
food booths.
Spray Rodeo & Eastern
Oregon Half Marathon
•May 26-28
•Spray
www.sprayrodeo.com
$10/adults, $5/kids 6-12,
free/5-and-under. Rodeo action
at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Buckaroo Breakfast, parade
(Saturday, 11 a.m.) and Cowboy
Church (Sunday, 9 a.m.). Half
marathon is Saturday at 8 a.m.
($30 for individuals or $50 relay
teams; shirts $5).
Heart of the Country
Rodeo
•Saturday, May 27; 12:30
p.m.
•Quantum 9 Arena, Helix
www.helixrodeo.org
$10/adults, $5/ages 5-12,
free/4-and-under. Features bull
riding, saddle bronc, stock saddle
bronc riding, calf roping, barrel
racing (ages 12-and-under), stick
horse racing (ages 6-and-under)
and mutton bustin’ (ages 4-8).
Bid on rough stock riders during
Calcutta Friday, May 26 at 7 p.m.
at the Helix Pub. Music until 10
p.m. after the rodeo by the Cory
Peterson Band.
Prestige Championship
Wrestling 2
•Friday, June 23; 7-11 p.m.
www.pcprowrestling.com
•Eastern Oregon Trade and
Event Center, 1705 Airport Road,
Hermiston
$15-$50. Features the best
independent talent in the Pacif-
ic Northwest as well as former
WWE superstars Val Venis and
Shannon Moore, current UFC
star Tom Lawlor, current Impact!
Wrestling star Davey Richards.
Art, museums
& authors
“Western Shadows”
•Saturday, May 27; 10 a.m.-5
p.m. Last day
•Crossroads Carnegie Art
Center, 2020 Auburn St., Baker
City
www.crossroads-arts.org
Free. Features acrylic paint-
ings on Plexiglas by Brian Sos-
trom of Carnation, Washington.
Runs through May 27.
Pepsi Primetime@the
Museum
•Wednesday, May 31; 5:30
p.m.
•Tamástslikt Cultural Institute,
near Wildhorse Resort & Casino.
www.tamastslikt.org
Free. Features three culture
keepers, who will explore the
traditions of Ncíwana, the big riv-
er, including Celilo Falls through
songs and stories. Held in con-
junction with current exhibit, “Ce-
lilo: Progress Versus Protest.”
Complimentary refreshments.
“Starting Summer”
•Friday, June 2; 5-10 p.m.,
opening
•Tuesday-Sundays, 10 a.m.-
6 p.m.
•Peterson’s Gallery and
Chocolatier, 1925 Main St., Bak-
er City
www.petersonsgallery.net
Free. Features a collection
of artwork by regional artists
depicting the summer season in
Eastern Oregon. In addition, the
summer menu of chocolates,
flavors and drinks, including the
chocolate granita, will be avail-
able. Opening held in conjunc-
tion with the First Friday Artwalk
in downtown Baker City. Runs
through June 30.
Open Regional Exhibit
•Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4
p.m.; Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. View work of 100+
artists from across the region,
who will be vying for more than
$1,200 in prize money. Runs
through June 23.
“Spirit of Place”
•Monday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5
p.m.; Saturdays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
•Pendleton Art + Frame, 36
S.W. Court Ave.
www.pendletonartandframe.
com
Free. Landscape oil paintings
of the changing seasons and
colored pen and ink images by
Paulette Carter are on display
through June 30.
“Celilo: Progress Versus
Protest”
•Monday - Saturdays, 10
a.m. to 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 building of
The Dalles Dam on the Columbia
River in 1957 and the resulting
submersion of Celilo Falls was
done under the flag of progress.
Biologists, sport and commercial
fishermen, congressmen, and
citizens opposed and protested
the dam. Almost 60 years later,
American Indians are protesting
yet another “progressive” proj-
ect, the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Is history repeating itself? Runs
through July 14.
Music
Valley Stream
•Saturday, May 27; 2-5:30
p.m.
•Sno Road Winery, 111 W.
Main St., Echo
No cover. Kid-friendly musi-
cal performance.
Lincoln Barr
•Saturday, May 27; 7 p.m.
•Echo Ridge Cellars, 551 N.
Thielsen St., Echo
No cover. All ages. The Se-
attle transplant presents tunes
from his recent solo debut album,
“Trembling Frames,” select num-
bers from his band Red Jacket
Mine’s catalog, and some choice
covers.
TripleShot
•Saturday, May 27; Monday,
May 28; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Ugandan Kids Choir
•Sunday, May 28; 10:30 a.m.
•Hermiston Church of the
Nazarene, 1520 W. Orchard Ave.
www.facebook.com/ugan-
dankidschoir
Free. Features 10-child choir
presenting traditional rhythmic
dances and songs of Africa.
“Showstoppers”
•Wednesday, May 31; 7:30
p.m.
•McKenzie Theater, Eastern
Oregon University, La Grande
www.granderondesymphony.
org
$12/adults, $8/seniors, $2/
college students, $1/grades
8-12. Grande Ronde Symphony
Orchestra performs tunes from
movies and the world of rock.
Also features winners of the con-
certo-aria competition, including
Sidney Tovey, a junior violin play-
er from Hermiston High School.
Elwood
•Friday, June 2; 6-9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pendle-
ton
No cover. All ages event as
part of the Music on the Lawn
concert series. The La Grande
musician shares his love and in-
spiration from Mother Nature.
Exit 216, Mission
The Rocker Fellas
•Saturday, June 3; 6-9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pendle-
ton
No cover. All ages event
as part of the Music on the
Lawn concert series. The Seat-
tle-based band performs crowd
favorites from the ’60s to the
present.
Night life
DJ music
•Saturdays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Saturdays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
Yoga & Wine Tasting
•Saturday, June 17; 3:30 p.m.
•Echo Ridge Cellars, 551 N.
Thielsen St., Echo
$20. Includes yoga, wine
tasting, hors d’oeuvres and a
raffle ticket for a bottle of wine.
Bring a yoga mat and wear com-
fortable clothes.
Digital Karaoke
•Thursdays and Fridays, 8
p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
LOL Comedy Jam
•Thursdays; 8 p.m.
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission.
No cover. June 1: Gabriel
Rutledge; June 8: Harry Riley
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.
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 w/DJ David
•Fridays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
Jet City Players
DJ and dancing
•Friday, June 2; Saturday,
June 3; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Cimmi’s Late Night Marti-
ni Lounge
•Fridays; 9 p.m.-midnight
•Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s, 137
S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. Features martinis,
mixology and music.
Theater, stage
& film
“The Little Mermaid”
•Wednesday, May 31; 6 p.m.
•Echo School District, 600
Gerone St.
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Q3HpYtkVKYQ
Free. Echo Middle School
students present the Disney mu-
sical.
Hot tickets
•What the Festival: June
16-19, Wolf Run Ranch, near
Dufur. Three-day music, art, film
and interactive festival. Features
90 electronic music DJs on eight
stages and the largest splash
pool in North America. Camping
options available ($300-$2,500)
via www.whatthefestival.com
•People’s Pick Local Music
Showcase: (featuring 100+ acts)
June 30-July 1, Bohemia Park &
Amphitheater. All ages, free ad-
mission. Camping ($10-$60) via
http://peoplespick.cgmapresents.
org
•Pendleton Whisky Fest:
(featuring Maroon 5) July 15,
Pendleton Round-Up Grounds.
Box/grandstand seats still avail-
able ($70-$95) via www.pendle-
tonwhiskymusicfest.com
•Ramón Ayala. July 29 at
Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Tick-
ets ($39-$109) available via www.
wildhorseresort.com
•Umatilla County Fair Main
Stage: Reserved seats $12-$20.
LoCash (Aug. 8), Tracy Lawrence
(Aug. 9), Marshall Tucker Band
(Aug. 10), Latino Night (Aug. 11),
Great White (Aug. 12). Tickets via
www.umatillacounty.net/fair
•Maryhill Winery Summer
Concert Series: Michael Mc-
Donald & Boz Scaggs, Aug. 12
($46-$325), ZZ Top & The Doo-
bie Brothers Aug. 26 ($76-$400),
Steve Winwood, Sept. 9 ($46-
$86), Goo Goo Dolls & Phillip
Phillips, Sept. 17 ($50-$1,500)
near Goldendale, Washington.
Tickets via www.ticketfly.com
———
Want to get your event list-
ed in our calendar? Send in-
formation to community@eas-
toregonian.com, or c/o Tammy
Malgesini, 333 E. Main Street,
Hermiston, OR, 97838.