ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, June 10, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3C
Classic soul artist bringing The Pain to Pendleton
Portland’s Ural Thomas
revives 1960s act with
drummer Scott Magee
O
ver the past decade or so, there has
been a revival of 1960s-era funk
and soul music that has resulted in
a cavalcade of soul singers experiencing a
commercial breakthrough
in their later years. Sharon
Jones & The Dap-Kings
and Charles Bradley are the
two names that most readily
come to mind.
At the age of 77,
Portland’s Ural Thomas and
his backing band The Pain
J.D.
are situated to be the Pacific
Kindle
Northwest’s contribution to
Comment
this trend.
Originally from Portland,
Thomas grew up performing
music in church. One of Thomas’ first bands
during the 1950s, The Invaders, regularly
performed throughout the Pacific Northwest,
even stopping in Pendleton once. Throughout
the early ’60s Thomas’ vocal group The
Montereys regularly performed backup
vocals with popular Pacific Northwest garage
rock bands like The Kingsmen and Paul
Revere and The Raiders. He landed gigs
opening for the likes of Little Stevie Wonder,
Otis Redding and Irma Thomas.
Thomas eventually moved to Los Angeles
in hopes of furthering his music career. He
recorded a few singles for the UNI label,
including the searing number “Pain (Is The
Name of Your Game),” which all ultimately
BRIEFLY
Musician performs
with awe factor
PENDLETON — With a
voice described as uninhibited,
Brenda Carsey plays with
soulful low notes, a raspy, rock
belt, and playful, even childish
high notes, sometimes all in the
same song.
Audience members will get
an opportunity to hear the Los
Angeles-based vocalist when
she performs locally. Brenda
Carsey & the Awe will play
an all-ages show Thursday,
June 15 from 7-9 p.m. at Great
Pacific Wine & Coffee Co., 403
S. Main St., Pendleton. There is
no cover charge.
Carsey, who’s also
a songwriter, multi-
instrumentalist and producer,
has been performing since
the age of 5. From choirs,
orchestras, and marching
bands to national anthem
performances to rock, pop, folk,
hip hop and electronic groups,
she confidently tackles different
genres.
For more information,
call 541-276-1350. The
musician’s website is www.
brendacarseyart.com.
Chamber Winds
blows into Hamley’s
PENDLETON — A
chamber ensemble comprised
entirely of wind instruments
will perform the works by
Gaetano Donizetti, Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart and Charles
Gounod.
Conductor and artistic
director Beau Benson and the
Oregon East Symphony present
Chamber Winds Friday, June
16 at 7:30 p.m. at Hamley
Steakhouse & Saloon, 8 S.E.
Court Ave., Pendleton. Tickets
are $20 for adults, $15 for
students and seniors or $45 for
a family.
The concert will begin
with Donizetti’s “Sinfonia for
Winds,” followed by Mozart’s
“Serenade No. 11 in E-flat
Major,” which was composed
for the purpose of currying
the favor of a court musician
of Emperor Joseph II and
written at a time when wind
instruments were beginning
to be manufactured with a
higher degree of accuracy. The
evening will conclude with
a performance of Gounod’s
“Petite Symphonie,” a work
composed for French flute
virtuoso Paul Taffanel in 1885.
Pendleton-based principal
flutist Cathy Muller will be
filling the role of Taffanel.
The show is a rescheduling
of a performance canceled
this past January due to
inclement weather. Tickets
from the January date will be
honored. In addition, tickets
are still available at www.
OregonEastSymphony.org,
Pendleton Art + Frame, 28 S.W.
Court Ave., and the symphony
office, 345 S.W. Fourth St. A
limited amount of tickets will
be available at the door.
For more information,
call the symphony office at
541-276-0320.
Photo contributed by Brud Giles
Ural Thomas & The Pain perform at Revolution Hall in Portland.
fell flat due to lack of promotion.
Frustrated with the music business, Ural
hung up his microphone and took on a string
of blue collar jobs around Portland and
raising a family. It wouldn’t be correct to say
he ever went away as he was steadily writing
songs and producing homemade demo
recordings.
Fast forward to 2012, the year that
Thomas was “rediscovered” by Portland
rock drummer (and past Pendleton Center
for the Arts Rock Camp counselor) Scott
Magee. Magee is perhaps most well known
around Portland as “Cooky Parker,” a DJ
specializing in spinning vintage soul and
R&B 45s. One of Magee’s regular sources
for those 45s is Mississippi Records, the
Portland-based record store and label that
tends to specialize in re-releasing obscure
and rare recordings (southern gospel church
field recordings, ’90s Portland punk, early
theremin recording experiments, Hindustani
classical music, etc).
A discussion with Mississippi Records
proprietor Eric Isaacson five years ago set
into motion the reemergence of Ural Thomas.
“There is a stool in front of the counter,
like in ‘High Fidelity,’ where people can
sit and geek out about records,” recounts
Magee. “In one conversation with Eric I
offhandedly mentioned my frustration with
music in general. Playing soul music was
a dream of mine but I was always doing
indie rock. I said to Eric, ‘Wouldn’t it be the
coolest thing to be in the ’60s and making
these records?’”
Isaacson suggested, “You should play
with Ural Thomas. Nobody has ever heard
of him.”
At the time Ural was hosting Saturday
evening jam sessions at his home in north
Portland. When Magee stepped in behind
the drum kit there was an instant connection,
and the two conspired to start a band. Magee
dipped into his extensive musician contact
list that he had built from playing music for
over a decade in Portland. Hence “The Pain,”
named after the aforementioned single from
Thomas’ stint on UNI, was born.
Last year Ural Thomas and The Pain
released their self-titled debut album through
Mississippi Records. The album is half
compilation of Thomas’ “hits” from the first
act of his life and half new recordings with
The Pain, many rearrangements of old songs
some covers of 1960s-era soul songs.
The group is ready to move forward
with the recording a new album by mining
the trove of demo recordings dating from
Thomas’s desert years. According to Magee
the new recordings will be The Pain’s “first
true album, representative of what we are as
a band and our connection together.”
Ural Thomas & The Pain play for free on
Main Street Pendleton on Friday, June 16.
■
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
Park series rolls out season with marimba band
Summer Music Block
Party
The Boardman/Irrigon Music in the
Parks outdoor concert series kicks off
its season with a Zimbabwean marimba
band.
The free summer concerts alternate
between Boardman and Irrigon marina
parks each Monday at 7 p.m. through
Aug. 14.
The first concert is Monday, June 12
in Boardman. It features the 15-member
Bahuru Marimba Band. The group
includes middle and high school students
under the direction of Walt Hampton.
Those planning to attend are encouraged
to bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
Concessions will be available for purchase
from Judy’s Chuck Wagon.
The rest of the season includes Brady
Goss (June 19, Irrigon); Zac Grooms
(June 26, Boardman); 98% Angels (July
3, Irrigon); Jamie Nasario and Luke Basile
(July 10, Boardman); Melissa Cunnington
(July 17, Irrigon); Dallin Puzey (July 24,
Boardman); The Buttercreek Boys (July
31, Irrigon); Blue Mt. Spanish Sound
(Aug. 7, Boardman); and Cruise Control
(Aug. 14, Irrigon).
•Friday, June 16; 6:30 p.m.
•400 block South Main St.,
Pendleton
No cover. All-ages event
features Ural Thomas and the
Pain. Beer garden available for
21-and-over.
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.
Summer at Frazier
Farmstead Museum
•Saturday, June 24; 6-19
p.m.
•Frazier Farmstead Mu-
seum, 1403 Chestnut St., Mil-
ton-Freewater
www.frazierfarmsteadmuse-
um.org
$40. The outdoor event,
taking place on the museum’s
picturesque grounds in front of
a 1918 barn, features a farm-
fresh dinner by Simply Catering,
dancing and live music.
Art, Museums &
Authors
Steve Nilson
•Saturday, June 10, 2-4
p.m., opening reception
•Saturday/Sundays; noon-5
p.m.
•Arts Portal Gallery, 508 N.
Main St., Milton-Freewater
Free. Artist’s reception In-
cludes refreshments and en-
tertainment. With a variety of
mediums and styles, the Mil-
ton-Freewater artist said, “Inspi-
ration for me can pop up at any
time and in any place.”
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
•Saturday, June 17; 4 p.m.
•Condon City Park
•Sunday, June 18; 4 p.m.
• Geiser Pollman Park, Bak-
er City
Free. The Inland Northwest
Musicians, under the direction of
R. Lee Friese, present their out-
door Summer Pops concerts.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Dan Faller
•Saturday, June 17; 6-9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages event as
part of the Music on the Lawn
concert series.
Pendleton Men’s Chorus
Contributed photo
Bahuru Marimba Band will kick off the
Music in the Parks summer concert
series Monday, June 12 at 7 p.m. at
Boardman Marina Park.
For more information, call Tami Sherer
at 541-571-0844.
depicting the summer season in
Eastern Oregon. Runs through
June 30.
available for purchase. In case
of inclement weather, will be
held at Heppner Elementary
School, 235 E. Stansbury St.
Music
Brenda Carsey & The Awe
“Celilo: Progress Versus
Protest”
•Saturday, June 10; 6-9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages event as
part of the Music on the Lawn
concert series.
“Starting Summer”
•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
•Friday, June 16; Saturday,
June 17; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Summer Pops
S.W. Court Ave.
www.pendletonartandframe.
com
Free. Landscape oil paint-
ings of the changing seasons
and colored pen and ink images
by Paulette Carter are on dis-
play through June 30.
•Monday - Saturdays, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m.
•Tamástslikt Cultural Insti-
tute, near Wildhorse Resort &
Casino.
www.tamastslikt.org
$10/adults, $9/senior cit-
izens, $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 Celi-
lo Falls was done under the flag
of progress. Biologists, sport
and commercial fishermen, con-
gressmen and citizens opposed
and protested the dam. Runs
through July 14.
The Run Up
Carter Freeman
Ian Thomas & the Band
of Drifters
•Saturday, June 10; 7-10
p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Coffee
Co., 403 S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. All-ages show.
Funk Factory
•Saturday, June 10; 8 p.m.
No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Frazer Wambeke & Luke
Basile
•Sunday, June 11; 5-7 p.m.
•Heppner City Park, 444 N.
Main St.
Free. Regional musicians
team up to kick off Heppner’s
Music in the Park series. Bring
a blanket or lawn chair. Food
•Thursday, June 15; 7-9 p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Coffee
Co., 403 S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. All-ages show.
Live Music Thursday
•Thursdays 7-9 p.m. No cov-
er
•40 Taps, 337 S.W. Emigrant
Ave., Pendleton
Mark Holt
•Friday, June 16; 6-9 p.m.
•Hamley Steakhouse & Sa-
loon, 8 S.E. Court Ave., Pend-
leton
No cover. All ages event as
part of the Music on the Lawn
concert series.
Chamber Winds
•Friday, June 16; 7:30 p.m.
•Hamley’s
Steakhouse
& Saloon, 8 S.E. Court Ave.,
Pendleton
$20/adults,
$15/students,
seniors, $45/family. Oregon
East Symphony conductor and
artistic director Beau Benson
leads a chamber ensemble of
wind instruments. They will per-
form works by Gaetano Doni-
zetti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mo-
zart and Charles Gounod.
•Saturday, June 17; 7 p.m.
•Bob Clapp Theatre, BMCC,
2411 N.W. Carden Ave., Pend-
leton
$10. Spring concert featur-
ing an eclectic program.
Brady Goss
•Monday, June 19; 7 p.m.
•Irrigon Marina Park
Free. As part of the Music
in the Parks series, which alter-
nates weekly between Board-
man and Irrigon marina parks.
Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
Food available for purchase.
Night life
Sherlock Holmes: The
Prom is Afoot!
•Saturday, June 10; 7-10
p.m.
•Vert Club Room, 345 S.W.
Fourth St., Pendleton
$20/single,
$38/couple.
Open to ages 18-and-older, the
Adult Prom serves as a fund-
raiser for the Pendleton Friends
of the Library. Enjoy DJ music by
Joe Pitt, photo booth, silent auc-
tion, raffle, costume contest and
a whole lot of dancing.
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.
State fair offers colorful line-up, coloring contest
East Oregonian
Reserved tickets are now on sale for the
concert lineup during the Oregon State Fair.
Free general admission seats are available
for each concert except the special Sunday
performances. Also, limited VIP tickets are
available for the shows. Unless otherwise
noted, the VIP seats are $35 each. The dates,
times and entertainers are:
Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m., Dwight Yoakam;
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m., Joan Jett & the
Blackhearts; Sunday, Aug. 27 at 8 p.m., Salem
Symphony/Windborne’s Music of Pink Floyd
($40); Monday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m., Josh Turner;
Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m., For King & Country;
Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m., Kenny Loggins;
Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., Third Eye Blind;
Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m., Vince Neil; Saturday,
Sept. 2 at 7 p.m., Trace Adkins; Sunday, Sept.
3 at 7:30 p.m., Salem Symphony/Pirates of
the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
(VIP/$39, general adult/$19, general child/$9);
All adults 18 and older are invited to
enter a coloring contest of musicians
from the Oregon State Fair season for a
chance to win prizes.
Contributed photo
and Monday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m., Eddie Money.
Regular gate admission to the Oregon State
Fair, which runs Aug. 25 through Sept. 4, is $8
for adults, $6 for kids 6-11 and $1 for seniors
65 and older. In addition, discounted daily
tickets are available if purchased in advance.
Fair and VIP tickets can be purchased at www.
oregonstatefair.org.
Touted as the most colorful concerts of the
summer, adults 18 and older are invited to enter
a coloring contest for a chance to win prizes.
The Big Concert Coloring Contest includes an
opportunity to win a Green Mountain Pellet
Grill, an outdoor dinette set or two nights at The
Landing Condominiums in Newport and four
admissions to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
The nine semi-finalist winners will receive
two free admissions to the Oregon State Fair,
two VIP concert tickets, an opportunity to meet
the concert artist backstage before the show and a
courtesy parking pass to the fair. In addition, they
will automatically be entered into the drawing to
win the grand prize, which is valued at $1,500.
To enter, visit the fair’s website and down-
load the coloring page of your favorite concert
artist, color the page and submit it by Monday,
June 19. The website includes complete
contest details and rules.