PAGE 6 • GO! MAGAZINE
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 • THE BULLETIN
talent
The Bulletin and Scalehouse, a collaborative for the arts, have joined together to raise
donations to help Central Oregon’s creative artists — musicians, visual artists, performers
and creative workers — by offering grants and a platform to bring attention to local
amazing talent. This is a crowdfunding effort with a first-round fundraising goal of
$40,000. To make a tax-deductible donation or apply for a grant, go to
bendbulletin.com/talent.
Stephanie Slade and Patrick Pearsall
BY BRIAN MCELHINEY
For The Bulletin
A
s musicians and music
teachers, Stephanie Slade
and Patrick Pearsall saw
their jobs shut down along with
the rest of Central Oregon last
year.
The couple, this week’s featured
artists in the Central Oregon Cre-
ative Artists Relief Effort, found
ways to keep afloat. Slade received
unemployment benefits from a
previous job and created and sold
art and jewelry ; she also learned to
play piano. She taught a few voice
lessons virtually early in the pan-
demic but found it to be a chal-
lenge.
“It’s hard when you can’t play
and accompany your student at
the same time and hear them sing
because of the delay and all that
stuff,” she said.
Pearsall, who plays bass with
numerous groups including The
Mostest, Fair Trade Boogie Band
and The Leadbetter Band, lost
most of his gigs. He continued to
teach music in a limited capacity
in Bend schools.
“I certainly played at best a
quarter of the shows I play in a
normal year,” Pearsall said. “But it’s
hard to tell because for so much
of the year, we didn’t do anything.
We were going to; we all were go-
ing to do concerts. We had plans
and nothing happened. We didn’t
make money, but we didn’t spend
money either.”
The couple make up one-half
of Bend rock band Slade and the
Hatchet, which lay mostly dor-
mant last year except for an ap-
pearance with the virtual edition
of the Bend Roots Revival in late
October.
But with the vaccine out and
Deschutes County reopening,
music is slowly returning. Slade
and Pearsall played a set with Eric
Leadbetter for the Worthy Star
Bar Sessions early in the year, and
Pearsall has played recent shows
with Leadbetter and The Mostest.
They’re both looking forward to
trying again with a slate of shows
later this year.
“This summer so far seems to
be shaping up to be a modified
version of last summer,” Pears-
all said. “... I’m in The Leadbetter
Band, and we just did a stream-
ing show for the Midtown (Ball-
room). And the guys who run
that place are just now starting,
‘OK, how could we maybe do a
show in here? And who could
we book? And if we can only
have 100 people, how much do
we have to charge for it to make
sense?’ So those conversations
are starting to happen. But who
knows?”
Slade, who lost about 90% of her
income last year, said CO CAREs
can provide a needed boost.
“I think it just brings to light
that this whole area is very art-
ist- and music- and every-
thing-driven,” she said. “And with-
out everyone supporting that, it’s
going to go away. So we need to
remember that these people that
are full-time musicians and artists,
they don’t have income coming in,
and they’re trying to figure it out.
We just can’t forget the arts in this
town.”
listen live
WEDNESDAY 4/21
FRIDAY 4/23
An Evening with Jake Soto: The bluegrass artist will
perform; 6-8 p.m.; The Brown Owl, 550 SW Industrial
Way, Bend; go.evvnt.com/769746-0 or 541-797-6581.
High Desert Nights feat. Katie Pinto and Jake
Soto: The local musicians will perform on the
outdoor stage; 6-9 p.m.; Bunk+Brew Historic Lucas
House, 42 NW Hawthorne Ave., Bend; go.evvnt.
com/770423-0 or 458-202-1090.
Spring Sessions — Strong Alibi Unplugged: The
rock band will perform on the outdoor stage and
be streamed live on the Worthy Facebook page;
6-8 p.m.; Worthy Brewing Company, 495 NE Bellevue
Drive, Bend; go.evvnt.com/758329-0
SATURDAY 4/24
Coyote Willow: The roots duo will perform; 6-8 p.m.;
The Brown Owl, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend;
go.evvnt.com/769753-0 or 541-797-6581.
Spring Sessions — Earth Day celebration with
One Mad Man & Pete K Groove Grass: The local
musicians will perform on the outdoor stage and
be live streamed on the Worthy Facebook page;
4-8 p.m.; Worthy Brewing Company, 495 NE Bellevue
Drive, Bend; go.evvnt.com/758330-0
Blackstrap Bluegrass: The bluegrass band performs
on the outdoor stage; 6-8 p.m.; River’s Place, 787 NE
Purcell Blvd., Bend; go.evvnt.com/763565-0
Music on the Lawn — Shireen Amini: The world
soul-pop artist will perform; 5-7 p.m.; On Tap, 1424
NE Cushing Drive, Bend; go.evvnt.com/770394-0
THURSDAY 4/22
The Bulletin file
Elviss Simmons and the Memphis Strutters backup singers, from left, Betsy Fe-
line (Janelle Travis-Musson), Perstephanie (Stephanie Slade) and Ditzy Cline
(Lisa Jones), harmonize while singing a song together at rehearsal.
MUSIC & MORE AT LOCAL NIGHTSPOTS THIS WEEK
Juju Eyeball: The Beatles tribute band will perform;
6-9 p.m.; Pump House Bar & Grill, 8320 U.S. 97,
Terrebonne; go.evvnt.com/770421-0 or 541-548-
4990.
Live at the Vineyard — Magical Mystery Four:
The Beatles tribute band will perform outside at the
winery. Advance tickets required; 6-9 p.m.; $20; Faith
Hope and Charity Vineyards, 70450 NW Lower Bridge
Way, Terrebonne; go.evvnt.com/757542-0
Redwood Son: The Americana musician will
perform on the restaurant’s patio. Reservations
accepted; 6-8:30 p.m.; Sisters Depot, 250 W. Cascade
Ave., Sisters; go.evvnt.com/763817-0
Saturdays in The Yard with Blackstrap Bluegrass:
The bluegrass band performs on the outdoor stage;
6-8:30 p.m.; Bunk+Brew Historic Lucas House, 42 NW
Hawthorne Ave., Bend; go.evvnt.com/763785-0
The HWY 97 Band: The classic rock band performs
on the outdoor stage; 6:30-9 p.m.; General Duffy’s
Waterhole, 404 SW Forest Ave., Redmond; go.evvnt.
com/755282-0
SUNDAY 4/25
Alicia Viani Band: An intimate house concert
with the local band; 4-7 p.m.; $20; Highland House
Concerts, 65061 Highland Road., Tumalo; eventbrite.
com
Appaloosa: The Americana band performs; 6-8 p.m.;
River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend; go.evvnt.
com/763567-0
WEDNESDAY 4/28
Spring Sessions — Jenner Fox & Natalie Akers:
The folk singer-songwriters will perform on the
outdoor stage and be live streamed on the Worthy
Facebook page; 6-8 p.m.; Worthy Brewing Company,
495 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend; go.evvnt.com/758333-0