BHS Bear Facts » Arts and Entertainment

Not Just A Monday Night…

khakkila — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:11:57 +0000

For those of you who would like a breath of fresh air in your music life, stop holding your breath! I might have the band for you. Son Volt was a part of the semi popular alternative country group Uncle Tupelo. In 1993 when Jay Farrar, Mike Heidorn, and brothers Jim and Dave Boquist (Farrar on vocals, Jim playing the bass and Dave strumming the guitar, steel guitar, banjo, and fiddle) completed the group and signed with Warner Bros. It was 1995 when their debut album, Trace, got released; many critiques were exceptionally positive, stating that it was “offering a stark, subtle, mostly downbeat sings that grew from country, folk, and roots rock”.

With new members Dave Bryson (drummer), bassist Andrew Duplantis, and seven albums released (their most recent, American Central Dust) out, Son Volt has been traveling the northwest from Washington to California…their next stop? The Domino Room in Bend. Although it will be hosted on a Monday evening, this will be a unique show for those music lovers looking for something new and different. Tickets can be purchased at the local record store Ranch Records for $18 in advance or $20 at the door, which opens at 7PM. Also, don’t forget to catch the opening artists Sera Cahoone at 8:00! And now you can exhale with diverse musical satisfaction.

Eek-A-Mouse!

khakkila — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:40:41 +0000

Growing up in the “first-class ghetto” of Kingston, Jamaica, Ripton Joseph Hilton brought a new and creative name to Trench Town in 1919 when he gave up on horse betting and made music his full time career. Though under the genre of Reggae, Eek-A-Mouse does not exactly fit just Reggae. Bringing his own style to reggae, rock and hip-hop, Hilton burst out in 1979 with his first hit single “Once a Virgin” and then made 10+ more albums throughout the years of 1981-2006. For those Reggae heads of you out there, or maybe you even like the idea of world music, Eek-A-Mouse brings a breath of fresh air to the music industry with his own scat-reggae style. (To hear his music, follow this link: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7614848)

Coming to Bend on the night of November 18^th, the musician will bring a different spice to locals’ diverse musical offerings at the Domino Room.

Now that you’re surely interested…. tickets can be purchased at Ranch Records downtown for $18 in advance or $20 if you pay at the door. Check out the show, maybe broaden your music taste, and come prepared for some of the worlds’ most creative reggae.

Get a (Second) Life?

jsternberger — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:17:20 +0000

Second Life is an MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) created by Linden Lab, (a privately held American Internet company). In Second Life, you can buy your own land, make a completely customized avatar, which is an alternate persona you can customize and play the game through, talk to people all over the world, make your own items, and even start a business! With its intense level of social interaction, it can be a great way to meet people.
There are dangers, however. Some people have been stalked or harassed. This however can happen on any MMORPG. On Second Life, it’s hard for the moderators to know what age the players are. Because of this, underage kids can log on to Second Life and be exposed to extremely adult situations.
Linden Lab has made a Teen Second Life to help teens enjoy the virtual world without the adult content, but making a profile is based almost completely on the honor system. This means that teens can pose as adults and go on Second Life undiscovered. Another side of this is that adult predators can get on Teen Second Life.
Predators aside, some people have become so addicted to virtual worlds like Second Life that they’ve wholly abandoned their real-life friends. They devote themselves completely to their online world, going so far as to spend real money on the game.
Second Life can be a very addictive game. While playing Second Life it is important not to neglect real life. Play for about an hour or two, and then go outside for a bit.

MIRF THE BING!

khakkila — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:55:14 +0000

In August 2008, Bend and Summit high schoolers Aidan Contreras, Alek Louke, Justice Bender, and Dave Hansmann formed a band. Their band Mirf the Bing added Spencer Wirtz as their trumpet player over a year later in November, 2009. Mirf The Bing, which is basically “like Acuna Matata,” states Louke, is a mellow, reggae/dub/ska style of music. In a recent interview with the group, all the band members agreed that some of their most important influences are Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, The Expendables, Tribal Seeds, Sublime, and the Marley’s. When you listen to MTB’s music, you can hear a little bit of each, with Slightly Stoopid’s guitar and trumpet styles, and Pepper and The Expendables vocal styles. The young, but talented, artists write their own music. They take whatever is going on in their lives at the moment and turn it into a musical masterpiece. Though they are still a young band, they have played eight shows. Their biggest performance was opening for the B-Foundation, another reggae band from Arcadia, California. Practicing and working in the studio whenever they have free time, MTB just finished their first EP, which featured their song, “G Whiner”.

After studying MTB’s style thoroughly, it seemed to me they have branched off into a genre all their own. I asked them what they thought about this, and this was their response: “Our style is a little unique, so the possibility is there. We hope to influence as many upcoming artists as we can,” states Contreras, the keyboard player and vocalist. With several of the members graduating from high school this year, Mirf the Bing’s future is uncertain. For now, they hope to keep making music and enjoy the ride.

You can hear a song by following the link below:

G Whiner