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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2022)
Thursday, January 13, 2022 • ThE BuLLETIn ALL THINGS MUSIC GO! MaGaZInE • PAGE 5 album review Bend will welcome Austin Meade, Kody West Texas has had no trouble turning out top-shelf songwriters over the years: Willie, of course. Guy Clark. Beyoncé. Townes Van Zandt. Flaco Jiménez. Waylon Jennings. rhett Miller. and that’s just the tip of the song-berg. It’s too early to add Kody West and austin Me- ade to that list, but the two Texans are touring together behind a combined collection of solid tunes. West is from denton, Texas, Meade is from austin (yes, austin from austin), and both guys make music that’s best described as heavy, catchy pop-rock ‘n’ roll. now, rock ‘n’ roll is an increasingly rare thing these days. The generation from which West and Meade come is mostly interested in pop, hip-hop, r&B and electronic beats, which means these two dudes — with their crunchy guitars and their are- na-ready melodies — sound like throwbacks to the classic rock era. If you’re going to throw back, might as well do it with gusto. To hear them at their swaggering best, check out West’s 2020 album, “Overgrown,” submitted photo Kody West performs Friday in Bend. and Meade’s addicting latest single, “Loser Men- tality.” Kody West and Austin Meade: $18; 7 p.m. Friday; domino room, 51 nW Greenwood ave., Bend; 1988entertainment.com. Spunj to warm up downtown Bend The Motet return to Domino Room remember that band sponge? They had a few big MTV hits during the post-nirvana alt-rock era: “Molly (16 Candles)” in 1995 and “Wax Ecstatic (To sell angelina)” in 1996. They must’ve loved paren- theses! sponge isn’t playing Central Oregon anytime soon — though it’d be no surprise if they head- line Oregon WinterFest someday — but spunj is. heads up: spunj isn’t sponge. spunj is a four-piece band from Eugene that mixes written songs and improvisation into a sound that a fair number of Bendites will find eminently danceable. Think cos- mic grooves, organ choogle, squiddly-diddly-did- dly guitars, reggae skank and meandering jams and you’re in the right sweet-smelling universe. spunj has opened for big names like dubtronic Kru and Twiddle, and on Friday night, they’ll play the second installment of this year’s apres ski Bash concert series at The Commons, right where downtown Bend meets drake Park and Mirror Pond. dress warm, and be ready to boogie! Spunj: Free; 6:30 p.m. Friday; The Commons, 875 nW Brooks street, Bend; parallel44presents. com. This story was going to be about how The Mo- tet is one of the funkiest bands in the West, and how the long-running denver group’s funk is par- ticularly distinctive because it’s tighter than span- dex and has a lot of electronic elements to it, and yet it also feels like a living, breathing being — a testament to superhuman skill of the players in- volved. Basically, The Motet makes high-powered, ultra-precise robot funk with heart. But then I found out that Motet drummer dave Watts and his family lost their home, their vehicles, their pets and everything else when high winds whipped a wildland fire through their neighbor- hood in superior, Colorado, on dec. 30. so, since you know The Motet is funky (either through expe- rience or because I just told you), I’m going to use this space to encourage you to go online, find the GoFundMe fundraiser for Watts’ family and donate. Then go see ‘em Wednesday night at the domino room and be a part of the healing power of music. The Motet, with Collin Miller + Magic Beans: $25; 7 p.m. Wednesday; domino room, 51 nW Greenwood ave., Bend; 1988entertainment.com. —Ben Salmon, The Bulletin CENTRAL OREGON YOUTH ORCHESTRA WITH THE SISTER’S HIGH JAZZ CHOIR January 28 at 7:30 pm This assembly of 35 music students is led by COCC music professor Travis Allen and conducted by Redmond Profi ciency Academy’s Jonathon Moore. The Sisters Jazz Choir, 18 elite high school vocalists specializing in jazz and pop standards, is directed by teacher and performer Rick Johnson. JANUARY 20 22 23 29 “To What Remains” Project Recover Jesse Cook Keola Beamer & Henry Kapono The Fab Four - Ultimate Beatles Tribute FEBRUARY 4 - 6 16 22 25 & 26 Wizard Of Oz Mandy Harvey Brian Regan Bend A Capella Fest feat. Filharmonic Info and Tickets at TowerTheatre.org • 541-317-0700
