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