ALL THINGS MUSIC
THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 • THE BULLETIN
GO! MAGAZINE • PAGE 7
VTP to remain closed for now
BY DAVID JASPER • The Bulletin
V
olcanic Theatre Pub in Bend has canceled live shows that had been scheduled for this week and next, including a two-night CD release stint by Rogue
Valley reggae act Indubious, which had been planned for Tuesday and Wednesday . Volcanic has been closed since October amid the high COVID-19 risk
in Deschutes County.
Throughout the pandemic Volcanic
owner and operator Derek Sitter has been
patient, erring on the side of caution rather
than risk, and making upgrades for the
pub’s reopening, which was to start with the
Rogue Valley reggae trio.
The venue suffered another setback on
April 8 when Sitter attempted to apply for a
Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, a federal
program providing emergency assistance to
venues such as his 8-year old music and the-
ater venue, located in the Century Center.
Sitter describes the process as nerve-wrack-
ing, as it requires much in the way of doc-
umentation and attachments in order to
avoid fraudulent claims, he said.
“You have to dig up all your old receipts
for your soundboard, and you have to show
your floorplan and you have to show your
audience space,” he said.
“It’s like 70 questions in,
you’ve already got 45
documents attached.”
Even more anxi-
ety-inducing: If you
make a mistake and
click the wrong box, a
venue can be declined
immediately.
As it turns out, the
mistake was not his, but
rather the site’s inability to
accommodate the deluge of appli-
cants. Sitter was a good ways into the pro-
cess when it crashed. A longtime actor and
emerging filmmaker, Sitter is now prepping
for when the portal reopens.
“It’s kind of like doing a play: learn your
listen live
THURSDAY 4/15
4-6 p.m.; Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave.,
Bend; go.evvnt.com/766374-0 or 541-388-8331.
Thursday in the Yard with Bobby Lindstrom: The
local singer-songwriter will perform on the outdoor
stage; 6-8 p.m.; Bunk+Brew Historic Lucas House, 42
NW Hawthorne Ave., Bend; go.evvnt.com/766549-0 or
458-202-1090.
Kristy Kinsey and the Whiskey Bandits: The country
band will perform; 5-8 p.m.; Renegades BBQ, 1255 NE
Third St., Prineville; go.evvnt.com/766547-0 or 541-
640-1004.
The Junebugs Live to Your Home: The Portland
folk band will perform via livestream; 6-8 p.m.; Bend;
go.evvnt.com/766392-0 or 541-317-0700.
Eric Leadbetter & Aaron Moore: The local rock
artists will perform on the outdoor stage; 6-9 p.m.;
River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend; go.evvnt.
com/763559-0
FRIDAY 4/16
High Desert Nights feat. Michalis Patterson and
Travis Walker: The local artist will perform an acoustic
show on the outdoor stage; 6-8 p.m.; Bunk+Brew
Historic Lucas House, 42 NW Hawthorne Ave., Bend;
go.evvnt.com/766569-0 or 458-202-1090.
Sleepless Truckers: The outlaw country band will
perform on the outdoor stage; 6:30-9:30 p.m.; $10;
General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest Ave.,
Redmond; eventbrite.com
SATURDAY 4/17
HWY 97: The classic rock band will perform; 1-4 p.m.;
The Horseshoe Tavern, 410 N. Main St., Prineville;
go.evvnt.com/755277-0
Loose Platoon: The Delta blues band will perform;
Four Bands for Trey: Four local bands including
the High Street Band and members from Precious
Byrd will perform the benefit concert; 5:30-9:30 p.m.;
$20; General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest Ave.,
Redmond; go.evvnt.com/765715-1 or 541-527-4345.
Saturdays in the Yard with Mystic Jake: The
country blues, electronic fusion band will perform on
the outdoor stage; 6-8:30 p.m.; Bunk+Brew Historic
Lucas House, 42 NW Hawthorne Ave., Bend; go.evvnt.
com/766566-0 or 458-202-1090.
Bob Baker & Brian Odell: The rock, funk and blues
fusion duo performs on the patio, reservations
recommended for groups of six or more; 6-8:30 p.m.;
Sisters Depot, 250 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters; go.evvnt.
com/763815-0
Spring Sessions — Crystal & Joe of Never Come
Down: The bluegrass duo will perform live on the
outdoor stage and will be live streamed on the Worthy
Facebook page; 6-8 p.m.; Worthy Brewing Company,
495 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend; go.evvnt.com/758326-0
SUNDAY 4/18
Dave & Melody Hill: The duo will play originals and
covers of Americana, blues, country and Southern
rock music; 6-8 p.m.; River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd.,
Bend; go.evvnt.com/763561-0
Derek Sitter, left, owner of Vol-
canic Theatre Pub in Bend, and
sound engineer Phil McIntire
pictured in the west Bend
venue.
Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin
lines, do your homework
for the character, know all
your objectives,” he said. “If
you’re prepared, you’re pre-
pared.”
Sitter also said the grant program is
critical for the survival of small venues such
as his after more than a year of lost revenue.
In the meantime, he’s booking shows in
the hope that VTP will again be able to host
live performances.
“I’m booked every weekend of May and
June, and I’ve already got tons of holds that I
haven’t announced for July,” he said. “These
include touring artists.”
Among them, So Cal punk greats Agent
Orange in August. Reverend Horton Heat,
Electric Six and others are also scheduled
for later in the year — that is, if things open
up again.
Sitter did not seem hopeful as of Tuesday.
“It’s not going to happen,” he said with
a resigned chuckle. “The contingencies in
these contracts that we’ve been booking was
that we’re going to be operating at full ca-
pacity. Well, come August, you know damn
well we’re not going to be full capacity. … I
don’t see that happening until 2022, actually
— we won’t see that elbow-to-elbow people
in Volcanic.”
David Jasper: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com