ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, August 4, 2018
HEPPNER
East Oregonian
Page 3C
PENDLETON
Summertime pop with a sullen tinge
P
Contributed photo
The Wasteland Kings of La Grande will perform a
free concert Aug. 12 at Heppner City Park.
Wasteland Kings to rock Heppner
HEPPNER — With
Americana roots, The
Wasteland Kings will per-
form Heppner’s Music in
the Park.
Playing
rock
and
alt-country,
the
La
Grande-based group has
performed throughout the
region and beyond for the
past decade. They will take
the stage Sunday, Aug. 12
from 5-7 p.m. at Heppner
City Park, 444 N. Main
St. There is no admission
charge due to support from
the Morrow County Uni-
fied Recreation District.
Whether strapping on
a Fender Telecaster and
cranking the sound or fin-
ger picking an acoustic gui-
tar, the Kings are known to
rock venues. Their influ-
ences include The Roll-
ing Stones,Tom Petty, Bob
Dylan and The Beatles.
People are encour-
aged to bring a blanket
or lawn chair and enjoy a
relaxing evening listen-
ing to music. Pulled pork
sandwiches, coleslaw, a
cookie and drink will be
available by donation by
the Hopeful Saints Min-
istry, a combined effort
of Hope Lutheran Church
and All Saints Episcopal
Church. The group is rais-
ing money for well-build-
ing efforts through Living
Water International. The
menu includes pulled pork
sandwiches,
coleslaw,
cookie and drink.
BOARDMAN
Guitar duo strums Latin sound
An acoustic guitar duo
featuring Jesse Campos
and Lance Smith will per-
form during the upcoming
Music in the Parks.
Blue Mountain Spanish
Sound, who have released
two albums, play origi-
nal classical guitar music
with Latin influences.
According to Jason Val-
entine of “Good Morning
Northwest,” the duo have
the “Fastest fingers in the
Northwest.”
The free performance
is Monday, Aug. 6 at 7
p.m. at Boardman Marina
Park. In case of inclement
weather, the performance
will be held at the SAGE
Center.
People are encouraged
to bring a blanket or lawn
chair. In addition, those
attending are welcome to
bring a picnic and bever-
ages to enjoy while listen-
ing to the music. Also, food
and beverages are avail-
able for purchase from the
Boardman Little League.
ortland’s Arthur C.
foray into being the primary
Lee (not be confused
performer and not the
with Arthur Lee of the music presenter or sideman.
late 60s psychedelic rock
He’s made a career out of
band Love) has your dose
working in the broadcast
of sad-but-good time rock
sector of the pop music
and roll.
industry, first as a
Released last
web-video producer
summer, Lee’s
for legendary
“History Of” is a
west coast public
tight 35 minutes
radio station
of melancholy
KCRW’s “Morning
summertime power
Becomes Eclectic”
pop. When I say
program and
melancholy I don’t
currently as a DJ
JD
mean lyrics about
for Oregon Public
Kindle
depression or some
Broadcasting’s
Comment
dour mess of minor
music programing.
chords — just a
Being exposed to
tinge of sadness that lies
a barrage of new music
beneath the surface of those both live and recorded
bright, sunny songs like
has fine tuned his ear for
you’d hear on those Astrud
crafting artful songs that are
Gilberto bossa nova records attention grabbing.
your folks used to play
Says Arthur, “As a DJ
at their summer cocktail
I try to spend as much
parties. After a sip of your
time as possible with each
martini you could catch
song but there’s so much
yourself staring off into
out there that if we’re not
space, forgetting the sweat
feeling it within 30 seconds
beading on your brow, and
— ‘I don’t know if this
meditating on the ennui that is something we want to
always accompanies the
spend time with or put on
dog days of summer before the air’ — then we move
suddenly come to your
onto the next one. It’s really
senses as one side of the
gotta hit you immediately.
record ends. Time to rejoin
I’ve tried to approach
the party.
songwriting that way — not
The songs on “History
to get total radio airplay,
Of” drip with trembling
but to see what can be
vocals backed by sugary
catchy and what can raise
harmonies, jangling guitars someone’s ears and say,
and tinkling pianos. Lee
‘Oh! That sound or beat is
played all instruments
kinda cool.’”
on the record — save
In addition to his work
for the drums — which
as a DJ, Lee also spends
he recorded in both Los
his time as a private piano
Angeles and Portland.
and guitar instructor. Just as
Standout numbers include
with his DJ work his private
the airy opener “I Do”;
instruction also informs his
“Holiday Cheer,” a quaint
songwriting process.
recollection of childhood
“Being at OPB and
memories of family
teaching I feel it’s taken
togetherness during the
me 10 steps forward
holidays; and “I Know
with music writing. My
What I Need” which
approach to instruction
features a prominent lead
is not only teaching the
synthesizer and crunchy
pieces but learning the
rhythm guitar pairing
pieces myself so in the
reminiscent of early records course of that I talk to my
by The Rentals.
students a lot about theory
Lee’s album is notable in — not playing the notes
part because this is his first
but understanding what’s
Photo contributed by Maureen Benedict Lee
Portland musician Arthur C. Lee will play Wednesday,
August 8 at the Pendleton Music in the Parks.
happening harmonically
with the chord changes
or why there is a certain
dynamic present.”
Consequently each song
of “History Of” is laden
with melodious hooks and
unexpected chord changes.
Accompanying Lee
on his outing of Eastern
Oregon (Pendleton,
Enterprise, and La Grande)
will be bassist Peter
Rodocker, in-demand
Portland session drummer
Anders Bergstrom, and
Matt Casebeer (also a
current OPB DJ and KCRW
alumni) on keyboards. The
quartet plan on performing
“History Of” in its entirety
as well as a few unrecorded
pieces. Time to rejoin the
party.
———
J.D. Kindle is the enter-
tainment columnist for the
East Oregonian and the
executive director of the
Oregon East Symphony.
Contact him at jamesdean-
kindle@gmail.com
Music in the park
Arthur C. Lee will per-
form Wednesday, Aug. 8
from 6-8 p.m. at Roy Raley
Park, 1205 S.W. Court
Ave., Pendleton. The free,
family-friendly event is
part of the Wednesdays in
the Park summer concert
series.
Lee is a multi-instru-
mentalist — guitar, key-
boards, accordion, banjo,
bass and more — with a
degree in musicology and
philosophy from the Uni-
versity of California Los
Angeles.
This is Lee’s first time
playing in Pendleton.
While in Eastern Ore-
gon, he’s also perform-
ing at Terminal Gravity
Brewery & Pub (Aug. 9,
7 p.m.) in Enterprise and
Side A Brewing (Aug. 10,
7 p.m.) in La Grande. Peo-
ple are invited to bring a
chair or blanket and enjoy
the tunes. Food, beer and
wine will be available
for purchase from Deli-
cious Dogs, Mobile Food
Adventures and Great
Pacific Wine & Coffee Co.
For more information
about Wednesdays in the
Park, visit www.pendleton-
parksandrec.com or search
Facebook for “Sounds
Like Entertainment.” For
more about Lee, visit
www.arthurclee.com.
WHAT TO DO
Festivals
Umatilla County Fair & Farm-City
Pro Rodeo
•Aug. 7-11
•EOTEC, 1705 E. Airport Road,
Hermiston
www.umatillacountyfair.net & www.
farmcityprorodeo.com
$10/13 and up, $8/seniors, $6/ages
6-12, free/kids under 6. Season passes
available. Kick-off parade is Aug. 4 at
6:30 p.m. Carnival rides open 2-11 p.m.
($30/bracelets or $5 discount through
Aug. 6; individual ride tickets are avail-
able at fair. Rodeo Aug. 8-11 at 7:45 p.m.
(arrive early to catch mutton bustin’).
Tickets are ($5-$25) via 541-564-8500
or www.ticketmaster.com
Rock & Roll Camp
•Aug. 13-17; 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
•Friday, Aug. 17; 7 p.m., show
•Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214
N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Day camp features all things
rock & roll for teens, including playing,
writing and recording. Event crescendos
with camp gig on Main Street.
Morrow County Fair & Oregon
Trail Pro Rodeo
•Aug. 15-19
•Morrow County Fairgrounds, Hep-
pner
www.co.morrow.or.us/fair
$4/day, $10/week. Highlights 4-H/
FFA and open class exhibits. Special
entrainment includes Paradise Rose
Chuckwagon Dinner and live music with
Trevor Tagle (Aug. 15, 7-10 p.m.), Mur-
ray’s Wine & Micro-Brew Tasting & live
music with Nate Botsford (Aug. 16, 6-10)
rodeo (Aug. 17-18, 7 p.m.) and Morrow
County Rodeo (Aug. 19, 1:15 p.m.) For
rodeo information, contact 541-571-
6959 or mocorodeo@hotmail.com
Art, Museums & Authors
Brian Sostrum: New Work
•Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.; opens Aug. 2
•Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214
N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Idaho-based painter grew up
in rural Pacific Northwest. Also, local
artist Roberta Jones’ monotypes and
mixed media works featured in Loren-
zen Board Room Gallery. Runs through
Aug. 31.
“Beautiful Games: American
Indian Sport & Art”
•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. Exhibit highlights sports, which
have played a pivotal role in American
Indian tribal communities. Runs through
Oct. 13.
Art 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. Features work of Dirk Hum-
mer, Candis Angel and Roxanne Cahill.
Runs through Aug. 31.
Joni Harms to help provide relief
ENTERPRISE — A benefit
concert will help replenish the
VFW Relief Fund, which pro-
vides assistance to active duty
service members and their
families in Wallowa County.
The performance features
Joni Harms and the Harms
Way Band. Harms has received
multiple Academy of West-
ern Artists Awards, including
top honor for entertainer of the
year in 2002. In 2003, she was
named female vocalist of the
year and accepted the award
for song of the year from the
Western Music Association.
The event is Thursday, Aug.
9 at 7 p.m. at the OK Theatre,
208 W. Main St., Enterprise.
Refreshments will be available
for purchase. Tickets are $15,
which are available at www.
eventbrite.com or the door.
While Harms has appeared
on the famed Grand Ole
Opry stage and in New York
City’s Carnegie Hall, she is
deeply rooted in rural living.
She lives on an Oregon ranch
that was homesteaded by her
great-great-grandfather
in
1872, which is an inspiration
for her music.
“The majority of my songs
include lyrics of the west,
because I love to write about
Judith Graham Exhibit
•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.weebly.com
Free. Features colorful paintings by
the Pendleton artist.
things I’ve experienced,” she
Bleeding Tree
•Friday, Aug.17; Saturday, Aug. 18; 8
p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mis-
sion.
Wheatstock Music Festival
•Saturday, Aug. 18; 1-10 p.m.
•Quantum Nine Arena, Helix
www.brownpapertickets.com
$25/general, $100/VIP, free/active
military personnel and kids 12-and-un-
der. Acts include Dirty River Boys, Jason
Eady, Courtney Patton, Tyler Brooks
and Wanderlost, The Shop Singers, The
Channel Cats and Frog Hollow Band.
Night life
Farm-City Pro Rodeo Kick Off
Party
Photo courtesy of Hoofprints
Joni Harms and the Harms Way Band will perform a ben-
efit concert for the VFW Relief Fund Aug. 9 at the OK The-
atre in Enterprise.
Free. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
Food available for purchase.
Umatilla County Fair Main Stage
•Saturday, Aug. 4; 4:15-6:15 p.m.
•Downtown Hermiston festival street
Free. Dallin Puzey tunes up prior to
the Umatilla County Fair parade.
Shanks Pony
Arthur C. Lee
Downtown District Fair Parade
Pre-Show
•Saturday, Aug. 4; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mis-
sion.
Blue Mt. Spanish Sound
•Monday, Aug. 6; 7 p.m.
•Boardman Marina Park
•Saturday, Aug. 4; 6-11 p.m.
•Nookies/Hermiston Brewing Co.,
125 N. First St., Hermiston
www.facebook.com
No cover. Fair parade viewing (6:30
p.m.), food carts, release of Rindwrecker
and music afterwards with The Shades
from the Tri-Cities. (541-289-7415).
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Saturdays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501 Sixth
St., Umatilla
Wino Wednesdays
said. “Rodeo, cowboys and
the ranch way of living shows
through a lot in my music.”
Eagle Cap VFW Post 4307
provided nearly $7,000 in
assistance last year to military
families in need. For questions
about the VFW Relief Fund
•Aug. 7-11
•EOTEC, 1705 E. Airport Road,
Hermiston
www.umatillacountyfair.net
Free/general admission with fair
ticket; $12-$20/premium, VIP. Sawyer
Brown (Tuesday, Aug. 7, 9 p.m.), Ned
LeDoux (Wednesday, Aug. 8, 9 p.m.;
Brewers Grade Band opens at 7:30
p.m.); Skid Row (Thursday, Aug. 9, 9
p.m.) Latino Night with Tormenta De
Durango, Grupo Fatal, La Nobleza De
Aguililla, Los Canarios de Michoacan
(Friday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m.); Blues Traveler
(Saturday, Aug. 11, 9 p.m.).
Music
or to make an additional con-
•Wednesday, Aug. 15; 6-8 p.m.
•Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W. Court
Ave., Pendleton
www.pendletonparksandrec.com
Free. Wednesdays in the Park fea-
tures the LA-based band playing infec-
tious pop-rock. Food, beer and wine
available for purchase.
•Wednesday, Aug. 8; 6-8 p.m.
•Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W. Court
Ave., Pendleton
www.pendletonparksandrec.com
Free. See story this page.
An Evening with Elvis Monroe
•Friday, Aug. 10; Saturday, Aug. 11; 8
p.m. No cover
tribution, call Nick Porter at
503-539-2390.
For more information about
the concert, contact 541-426-
3390 or info@wvmusical-
liance.org For more about
Harms, visit www.joniharms.
com.
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mis-
sion.
Wasteland Kings
•Wednesdays, 2-6 p.m.
•Echo Ridge Cellars, 551 N. Thiel-
sen St., Echo
Karaoke at the Packard
•1st/3rd Wednesday, 9 p.m.-midnight
•The Packard Tavern, 118 S.E. Court
Ave., Pendleton
No cover.
Thirsty Thursdays
•Third Thursday; 6 p.m.
•Midway Bar & Grill, 1750 N. First
St., Hermiston
No cover. Hosts a local brewery of-
fering tastings and food pairings. Aug.
16:
LOL Comedy Jam
•Sunday, Aug. 12; 5-7 p.m.
•Heppner City Park, 444 N. Main St.
Free. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Food available for purchase. Held at
Heppner Elementary School in inclem-
ent weather.
•Thursdays; 8 p.m.
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wildhorse
Resort & Casino, off I-84 Exit 216, Mis-
sion.
No cover. Aug. 9: Keith Nelson, Josh
Firestine; Aug. 16: Harry Riley, Josh
Teaford
Pretty Gritty
Wine tasting
•Monday, Aug. 13; 7 p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co.,
403 S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. All ages. Sarah and Blaine
have cultivated a timeless and clas-
sic sound, yet still succeed in bringing
something fresh to the table via rootsy
Americana with an edgy, alternative
vibe.
Brass Fire
•Monday, Aug. 13; 7 p.m.
•Irrigon Marina Park
Free. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
Bring a picnic to enjoy.
Cardioid
•Fridays, 4-8 p.m.
•Sno Road Winery, 111 W. Main St.,
Echo.
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Fridays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501 Sixth
St., Umatilla
DJ and dancing
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St.,
Hermiston
Karaoke
•Fridays; 9 p.m.
•Midway Tavern, 1750 N. First St.,
Hermiston