ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, August 12, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
New Transit brings twangy Americana to Roy Raley
T
he band name New Transit evokes an
image of a semi-futuristic bus cruising
down a desert highway, gleaming in the
sun, and occasionally stopping to exchange
riders before bolting off to its next destination.
The Boise-based Americana band New Transit
is much like that bus. Over the duration of
its eight-year history the
ridership of New Transit has
shifted from album to album
but the course that it initially
charted as an outlet for roots
music-based songwriting has
remained constant.
New Transit was
originally founded as
J.D.
a vehicle for singer-
Kindle
songwriters Sean Hatton
Comment
and Adam Gates in 2009, on
guitar and bass respectively.
The group’s first album
“One” was an even mixture of songs by the
two. Although he contributed to the songs and
recording of their second album “Country
Music Dead,” Gates left the band following
its release to focus on his family. Gates’
replacement, bassist Jeremy Coverdale, was
a brief fixture in the group and founding lead
guitarist Dave Manion left not long after for
other musical pursuits.
Undeterred by these departures, Hatton
responded by adding two in-demand sidemen
from the Boise scene: Bernie Reilly and
Thomas Paul. It should be added that founding
drummer Louis McFarland, the smoothly
purring motor of this metaphorical bus, has
remained a steady presence throughout. As a
foursome the crew recorded their eponymous
third album, which was self-released in June.
Hatton has never felt fully at ease being the
focal point of the group, preferring to work
in a more collaborative project. In Gates’
Photo contributed by New Transit
The band New Transit will perform at Music in the Park at Roy Raley Park on Aug. 16.
absence he was rather reluctant to solely take
on the creative leadership duties.
“I was always looking for a band that was
a ‘band,’” says Sean. “I may be the one that
pushes things forward to some extent. Bernie
likes to tell me that in every democracy you
still have to have somebody who makes the
final decision and unfortunately I have to be
that guy and I stress ‘unfortunately.’ I still
prefer their input on everything we do to my
own inclinations.”
Although he wrote all the material on
“New Transit,” Hatton opted to give his
bandmates more creative input on the album
by relegating his presence to only singing
and allowing McFarland, Reilly, and Paul full
control of the production.
Handing over the arrangement duties to
the band members perhaps explains why the
textures are more varied on “New Transit”
than on previous efforts. Occasionally
the record takes a turn towards the quasi-
experimental with vignettes like vocal
harmony-heavy introductory track “Where
Do We Go From Here” or the sparse piano
and manipulated vocal duet “In Our Nature.”
The ballad “I’ll Do My Part” becomes a
warm, soul song with the addition of a horn
section and Hammond organ. Elsewhere on
the album “In a Cold Dark Spiral” is driven
by a bossa nova rhythm and electric piano
that hearkens back to the yacht-rock sound of
Michael McDonald-era Doobie Brothers or
Christopher Cross.
That’s not to say there isn’t a fair amount
of twang on the album. The highway rock
anthem “So We Run” embraces a mellow
alt-country feel that, dare it be said, sounds
reminiscent of the Eagles. The album closer
“She Moves Me A Little” is an up-tempo
barroom waltz and arguably the most hardcore
country the band has ever sounded.
Guitarist-singer-songwriter Thomas Paul
reflects positively on the interpersonal vibe
present in New Transit. “It’s a good batch of
guys. It’s a good mix of personalities. You get
us in the van and you have two motor mouths
with two quieter, thoughtful people — who
aren’t wilting flowers or anything. We just
seem to have a good dynamic. It a good
balance of that ‘let’s get things done’ energy
versus that ‘let’s be patient’ energy.”
New Transit is carrying forward with the
former as they’ve already prepared a new
batch of songs for a fourth record. This time
around, though, the songwriting duties are
spread out amongst Hatton, Reilly, and Paul,
the latter two being accomplished authors in
their own right prior to joining. Paul expects
that their set will be peppered with those
new compositions so audience members will
have a notion of where New Transit will be
stopping next.
WHAT TO DO
Oregon Grange
Festivals
•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. Exhibit features photos
and memorabilia highlighting the
history and accomplishments of
the Oregon Grange. The Nation-
al Grange is celebrating its 150th
anniversary.
Rock & Roll Camp
HBO via AP
A scene from the episode of
“Game of Thrones,” which
aired Sunday.
Say no to
spoilers
‘Game of Thrones’
fans shun HBO hack
NEW YORK (AP) — For
many “Game of Thrones” fans, the
routine spoilers are bad enough:
You miss an episode, then stumble
on an unsought plot twist before
you’ve had a chance to catch up.
Worse than that is the threat
of leaked details, or even a
whole episode, by hackers
currently targeting HBO and its
most doted-on series.
“It’s the worst news since the
Red Wedding,” says Camden
Wicker, a self-professed “GOT”
superfan in San Diego.
But the news isn’t all bad.
Despite recent script leaks
and an episode prematurely
put online by Indian pay-TV,
Sunday’s “GOT” airing was the
series’ most-watched ever, seen
by 10.2 million viewers.
Wicker was one of them. When
“GOT”-time arrives each Sunday,
“the phones are off,” he says, as
he and his flatmates huddle in the
front of the screen. Afterward,
they talk about the episode. Maybe
watch it all over again.
“It’s a camaraderie,” says
Wicker.
Hacks and leaks can under-
mine that camaraderie.
“Just when I thought White
Walkers were the biggest threat,”
he says, “this goes and happens.”
The phone isn’t off for Adiya
Taylor of New York.
For her, a big part of watching
“GOT” is the collective expe-
rience, which for her includes
live-tweeting during the hour,
then checking Twitter afterward
for a group post-mortem.
“Between
tweets,
the
messages in my work Slack
group and the articles online the
next day, watching at 9 p.m. on
Sunday is a lot more fun than
watching early for the sake of
getting it first,” she says.
•Aug. 14-18; 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
•Friday, Aug. 18; 7 p.m.; con-
cert
•400 block Main Street,
Pendleton
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Teen day camp fea-
tures playing, write and record-
ing music. Also, sessions on rock
journalism, creating T-shirts, pro-
moting bands and more.
Collected Works: Black &
White
Morrow County Fair &
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
•Aug. 16-20
•Morrow
County
Fair-
grounds, Heppner
www.co.morrow.or.us/fair/
page/county-fair
$4/ages 8-and-older, free/
ages 7-and-under. Rodeo tick-
ets are $10-$15 and $6/ages
7-12. Activities include daily 4-H/
FFA contests, live entertain-
ment, wine/beer tasting and ice
cream social. Saturday features
a parade (10 a.m.), buyers lunch
(noon) and youth livestock auc-
tion (2 p.m.).
Milton-Freewater Rocks!
•Aug. 18-20
•Yantis Park, 200 Dehaven
St., Milton-Freewater
Free admission. Festival fea-
tures live entertainment, food/
craft vendors, beer/wine garden,
fundraising meals and the Fire-
fighters Water Fight.
Path of Almost Totality
Tailgate Party
•Sunday, Aug. 20; 11 a.m.-
11:30 p.m.
•Umatilla Marina Park
www.facebook.com/umatil-
laoregonchamber
Free admission. Features
Blue Tattoo and The Outsiders.
RV/tent sites available by calling
541-922-3939. Beer garden and
food available for purchase.
Eclipse Across America
•Monday, Aug. 21; 9 a.m.-
noon
•SAGE Center, 101 Olson
Road, Boardman
www.visitsage.com
Free. A NASA livestream of
the total solar eclipse. Viewing of
the eclipse from the SAGE Cen-
ter is estimated at 97.7 percent
totality.
Contributed photo
Cruise Control of the Tri-Cities will perform Aug. 14
at Music in the Parks at Irrigon Marina Park.
Cruise Control revs up park series
IRRIGON — The Music in the Parks series
crescendos with its final performance of the season
featuring Cruise Control.
The free show is Monday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. at Irrigon
Marina Park. Those planning to attend are encouraged to
bring lawn chairs or blankets. Also, food and beverages
will be available for purchase from Judy’s Chuck
Wagon. In case of inclement weather, the performance
will be held at the Irrigon Senior Center.
An oldies rock and roll band from the Tri-Cities, the
group also plays some country hits from the ’50s to the
’70s — as well as a few tunes from the 1980s.
Sponsored by the North Morrow Community
Foundation, the Music in the Parks series is funded by
the Morrow County Unified Recreation District and
Portland General Electric. For more information, call
Tami Sherer at 541-571-0844.
opening reception
•Saturday/Sundays; noon-5
p.m.
•Arts Portal Gallery, 508 N.
Main St., Milton-Freewater
Free. Artist’s reception with
exhibit featuring student artwork.
Also includes local fruits and
vegetables celebrating the sea-
son’s bounty.
Harvest of Art
•Aug. 18-20
•Central School, Milton-Free-
water
Free. The indoor exhibit of-
fers cash prizes awarded in four
categories. For entry forms, call
541-938-5126 or pick up at local
libraries (by Aug. 12).
OMSI portable planetarium
Art, Museums &
Authors
SAGE Saturday
•Saturday, Aug. 12; 10 a.m.-
1 p.m.
•SAGE Center, 101 Olson
Road, Boardman
www.visitsage.com
Free. Kids and their parents
design and make eclipse glass-
es. Museum’s regular hours are
Sunday-Thursdays from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and Friday/Saturdays
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Summer’s Bounty
Student Art
•Saturday, Aug. 12, 2-4 p.m.,
•Friday, Aug. 18; 1 p.m., 3
p.m. & 6 p.m.
•Memorial Hall, 214 E. Main
St., Weston
Free. Limited seating on
first-come basis. Special pro-
gram from the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry. For in-
formation, call 541-566-2378 or
541-566-2470.
Small Works Invitational
•Tuesday-Fridays; 10 a.m.-4
p.m.; Saturdays; noon-4 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
Free. Features small works
from regional artists. Runs
through Aug. 26.
Naamí Nisháycht, Our Living
Culture Village
•Monday-Saturdays;
10
a.m.-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.
Highlights American Indian life,
including displays, activities and
stories from tribal leaders. Runs
through Sept. 2.
A Kaleidoscope of Color:
American Indian Trade
Blankets
•Monday-Saturdays,
10
a.m.-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.
Showcases pre-1925 Indian
trade blankets from historic man-
ufacturers, including Pendleton
Woolen Mills. Runs through Oct.
14.
“A Love of
Western Color”
•Monday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5
p.m.; Saturdays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
•Pendleton Art + Frame, 36
S.W. Court Ave.
Free. Features watercolors
and fluid acrylic paintings by The
Dalles artist Mary Rollins. Runs
through Aug. 31.
Abandoned POWs focus of new post-war thriller
By RENEE STRUTHERS
W
hen grief and paranoia
collide, the result is
devastating.
R. Cyril West, whose first book
about missing servicemen, “The
Thin Line,” received the BRAG
Medallion Award for fiction, has
released the second novel in his
POW/MIA series, “Some Never
Forget,” about a man slowly being
crushed under the weight of his
belief that his son was forgotten and
abandoned in Vietnam at the end of
the war.
Walter Greene, a Korean War
veteran, was proud when his son
Tommy volunteered to serve in
Vietnam. When Tommy first was
listed as
missing,
then a
prisoner of
war, and
then killed
in action,
Walter
begins to
believe the
government
isn’t telling
them the
Cover photo courtesy
truth about
Molon Labe Books.
his son and
the other soldiers who never made
it home. In his determination to
uncover the truth, he becomes more
and more certain that someone is
trying to stop him. And his family
and friends grow concerned that the
obsession has become something
much worse as he becomes more
erratic and paranoid.
West’s protagonist spirals from
disgruntled veteran to psychotic
conspiracy theorist as his proof
piles up and shadowy strangers
stalk his home on Baranof Island,
Alaska. Does Walter really have
informants feeding him secret
documents about his son’s disap-
pearance? Was a secret government
cabal tasked with keeping him
quiet? Or was it all in his head? A
cliffhanger ending leaves the door
open for a sequel.
———
“Some Never Forget,” by R. Cyril
West. © 2017, Molon Labe Books.
•Monday-Thursdays; 10 a.m-
8 p.m.; Friday/Saturdays; 10
a.m.-5 p.m.
•Pendleton Public Library,
502 S.W. Dorion Ave.
www.pendletonlibrary.wee-
bly.com
Free. Features Walla Walla
artist Susan How. Runs through
Aug. 31.
Music
Evan Egerer
•Saturday, Aug. 12; 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.
Mandi Miller
•Saturday, Aug. 12; 6:30-
8:30 p.m.
•Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q,
233 S.E. Fourth St., Pendleton.
No cover. Reservations
suggested by contacting 541-
310-1304 or raphael_hoffman@
hotmail.com. Pendleton native,
who now lives in New Zealand,
will perform on the garden patio.
Shanks Pony
•Saturday, Aug. 12; 8 p.m.
No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Umatilla County Fair Main
Stage
•Saturday, Aug. 12; 9 p.m.
•EOTEC, 1705 E. Airport
Road, Hermiston
www.umatillacounty.net/fair
Free with fair admission
($10/13-and-older;
$6/ages
6-12; $8/60+). $12/reserved.
Features Great White.
Elwood
•Sunday, Aug. 13; 5-7 p.m.
•Heppner City Park, 444 N.
Main St.
Free. Bring a blanket or lawn
chair for Heppner’s Music in the
Park. Food available for pur-
chase. In case of weather, event
at Heppner Elementary School,
235 E. Stansbury St.
Cruise Control
•Monday, Aug. 14; 7 p.m.
•Irrigon Marina Park
Free. Final Music in the
Parks of the season. In case of
inclement weather, at Irrigon Se-
nior Center. Bring a blanket or
lawn chairs. Food available for
purchase.
New Transit
•Wednesday, Aug. 16; 6-8
p.m.
•Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W.
Court Ave., Pendleton
www.facebook.com/sounds-
likeentertainmentbooking
Free. Wednesdays in the
Park finale features Boise-based
band playing original alternative
country rock. Bring a lawn chair
or blanket. Food, beer and wine
available for purchase.
Stompin’ Ground
•Friday, Aug. 18; Saturday,
Aug. 19; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Badd Influence
•Saturday, Aug. 19; 8
p.m.-midnight
•Archie’s Restaurant, 194
Main St., Pilot Rock
$3/single, $5/couple. Live
music in the beer garden. Guest
appearance by Medium.
Wheatstock Music Fes-
tival
•Saturday, Aug. 19; noon-10
p.m.
•Quantum 9 Arena, Helix
www.wheatstock.org
$20/advance, $28/gate, free/
military personnel and youths
12-and-under. Free camping
with tickets. See article this page.
Theater, stage, film
& lectures
Ione Movies in the Park
•Saturdays; dusk
•Ione City Park
Free. Bring lawn chairs or
blankets and a cooler. Aug. 12:
“Moana.”
Hermiston Movies
in the Park
•Fridays; dusk
•McKenzie Park, 320 S. First
St., Hermiston
Free. Aug. 18: “Free Wil-
ly.” Bring a blanket, chairs and
snacks.
Hot tickets
•Dokken: Aug. 31, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino. Tickets for the
21-and-older show ($29) avail-
able via www.wildhorseresort.
com
•Round-Up Happy Canyon
Kick-off Concert: (Gary Allan)
Sept. 9, Happy Canyon Arena.
Tickets ($40 to $130) via www.
pendletonroundup.com
•Maryhill Winery Summer
Concert Series: Michael Mc-
Donald & Boz Scaggs, Aug. 12
($46-$325), Steve Winwood,
Sept. 9 ($46-$86), Goo Goo
Dolls & Phillip Phillips, Sept. 17
($50-$1,500) near Goldendale,
Washington. Tickets via www.
ticketfly.com
•Benton-Franklin Fair en-
tertainment: (Pasco): Boyz II
Men* (Aug. 22); Joan Jett & the
Blackhearts (Aug. 23); Trace
Adkins* (Aug. 24); Eli Young
Band (Aug. 25); WAR (Aug. 26).
Reserved tickets ($15) available
via Kennewick Ranch & Home
or www.bentonfranklinfair.com
*Reserved sold-out, festival
seating available with fair admis-
sion
Beer festival brews up suds and fun
LA GRANDE — Breweries
from across Eastern Oregon, the
Pacific Northwest and beyond
are featured during the fourth
annual Eastern Oregon Beer
Festival.
The 21-and-older event also
features live music, local crafts,
food vendors and Q&A’s with
brewers.
The event is Saturday, Aug.
19 from noon to 8 p.m. at the
Union County Fairgrounds in
La Grande.
Tickets are $25 if purchased
in advance or $35 at the gate.
In addition, VIP passes, which
are $40, are available at the
event website. The festival
entry fee for non-drinkers or
after-party (8-10 p.m.) attendees
is $5. Everyone who purchases
general admission or VIP passes
receives a commemorative
tasting mug and entry to the
after-party, which feature
entertainment by Bag of
Hammers.
Live entertainment during
the festival includes The Jack
Maybe Project (1-2:30 p.m.),
a Q&A Panel with Brewers
(2:30-3:30 p.m. & 5-6 p.m.),
Trebuchet (3:30-5 p.m.),
Survival Guide (6-7 p.m.) and
the Tasters’ Choice Award and
Auction Winners (7:30-8 p.m.).
For more information or to
purchase tickets, visit www.
eobeerfest.org.