Entertainment report for week ending 1/29

By BEN OLSON/for The Herald  —  It’s been a mixed week for me. On the minus side, I was bitten by two ticks and one dog. I didn’t see the tick bites coming, so it didn’t get my heart racing quite like the dog bite. I’m OK, no need to send cards. On the plus side, I got to hear Bradly Shepherd’s Perfect Flavor Band at the Dexter Lake Club for a bit on Friday night. Also, I heard Sidney Joseph at the 3 Legged Crane on Saturday evening. 

Both did some spirited covers of songs that you don’t hear live very often, and each threw in a few originals. It’s always a treat for me to see how other guitarist/singers ply their trade. Next time I’ve got a night off when they’re playing in the area, I’ll go out and see them again.

Ben at the DLC

Speaking of the Dexter Lake Club, I’ll be there playing guitar and upright bass this Friday, January 27, from 6 until 8 p.m. I’m not bringing a setlist because I like the way the evening flows from song to song better without having the night all planned out. 

On Sunday evening Brian Chevalier and friends will be hosting the open mic and jam session. It’s your chance to get up on stage and sing a song or two, or play those ZZ Top guitar licks you’ve been practicing at home. The band starts playing at 6 p.m. The Dexter Lake Club has a full bar and the adjoining Rattlesnake BBQ serves appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. There is no cover charge for the live music. The Club is located just south of Highway 58 in Dexter near milepost 12.

Up the road a piece in Oakridge, Broken Horn will be singing some pop, rock and country classics at the Lion Mountain Bakery this weekend. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 27, 28 and 29 he will be accompanying himself on his Epiphone 335. Perhaps playing the earliest secular music in all of Lane County, he gets started at 11 a.m., and plays until 1 p.m. 

The Lion Mountain serves both breakfast and lunch in a relaxed, spacious atmosphere. The acoustics are very good there, I might add. The Lion Mountain is located on Highway 58. There is no cover charge for the live music.

You may be shocked at Wilde’s performance

Peter Wilde will be briefly coming out of hibernation to perform at the 3 Legged Crane this Saturday, January 28. Joining him will be Pavlok and Tuchini, who, according to my sources, shared the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2014. As always, it will be entertaining. 

That show begins at 7 p.m. Gary Battles will be joining me to host the open mic this Thursday, January 26. We’ll be playing our first tune at 6:30. Last Thursday Patch provided us all with some CSN songs as a tribute to David Crosby, including a great rendition of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, played in some sort of mystical open tuning. 

The Crane has a nice selection of hand crafted beers and ales, and a menu with appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. There is no cover charge for live music. They are located on 1st Street in old-town Oakridge.

Skiing and music at the Willamette Pass

The Willamette Pass Resort is open and the ski conditions have been great. Skiers and boarders taking a little break from the slopes can catch me playing my guitar and upright bass from noon until 3 p.m. this Saturday, January 28. The Resort has a full bar and a number of food options. You don’t have to be a skier to stop by and hang out, either. Willamette Pass Resort is located right at milepost 62 on Highway 58.

I’m a little giddy about the forecast showing sun for the next 4 days. It may be time to get the kayak into the water somewhere nearby. That’s all I’ve got for postings on live music this week. If you know of a live music event happening in our readership area, the Highway 58 corridor, please drop me a line here at the paper. I’d be happy to include it in my column.