Entertainment report: LMB to close by end of month but the music goes on along Hwy58

By BEN OLSON/for The Herald  —  It’s hard to keep a secret in a small town. I’ve heard the rumblings but couldn’t take them too seriously. Today it was confirmed to me that the Lion Mountain Bakery will be closing down for good and new things will be happening at that location.

Speaking with Jacqui Lomont, owner of the Lion Mountain Bakery on Monday, it was confirmed that she will be giving up the lease at the end of February and retiring from the bakery and restaurant business. 

LMB to be replaced with a new business

Negotiations with the owner of the building and the new tenants included allowing the Zero Clearance Theater to continue to operate in the west end of the building. All of the hoops have been jumped through and the new tenants hope to have their enterprise up and running sometime this spring. If it sounds like I’m being vague about what’s going to be there next, it’s because I’m still waiting on details. You’ll get the story in due time here in The Herald.

Jacqui, and the Lion Mountain Bakery have been an important part of the community since she moved to that location 8 years ago. It was always available for meetings with a variety of organizations and clubs. As an avid ukuleleist, Jacqui enjoyed hosting the weekly practices of the ukulele club, now known as the Ukuleleans. She expressed to me that she enjoyed her time at the bakery and thanked everyone in the community for their support. She’ll continue to be involved in the Zero Clearance Theater, as well as Mane Street Coffee in Uptown Oakridge.

I certainly appreciated the opportunity to play my ukulele there for the breakfast crowd on weekends. Broken Horn, who played and sang most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am until 1 pm, will also miss having that venue to play in. His eclectic mix of tunes from the 50s and 60s seemed to fit that room so well and created a nice ambience for enjoying brunch there. 

And now for the entertainment news for the Highway 58 corridor:

Starting at the west end of our coverage area, the Dexter Lake Club will be featuring Angelic Noise this Saturday, February 10. I’ve seen them perform several times, and the terms quirky and fun describe the original music that they do. She sings and he plays guitar, and they both do quite well at it. You can get a better idea of what you’re in for if you go to their website theangelicnoise.com. They travel the west coast from San Diego to Seattle playing gigs and we’re fortunate that they stop by once in a while to play in our area. Showtime is at 6pm. The Dexter Lake Club is located just off Highway 58 near milepost 12. They have a full bar and the adjacent Rattlesnake BBQ has appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu.

 The 3 Legged Crane in uptown Oakridge will be having an open mic this Thursday, February 8. At the last open mic, we had 3 different pianists leading the singing at various times. You just never know who will walk through the door with a song that they have to perform. The music begins at 6:30. Unlike the Paint and Pint, which happens on the opposite Thursdays, you won’t be heading home with a self-rendered depiction of your pet. 

 Hanna Barakat at the Pub on Saturday

On Saturday, February 10, Hanna Barakat will be taking the stage. Hanna’s music is described on her website as “blending active rock, metal and her considerable world music influences, Hanna has a voice and style that commands your attention”. Cuts available for listening at hannabarakat.com sound intriguing. I don’t know quite what to expect as to the instrumentation that will be accompanying her the night of the show. I’m looking forward to it, though. Her show begins at 7 pm. The 3 Legged Crane is a traditional brew pub, making many of the delicious beers and ales right on the premises. They have appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu.

 Ben and others perform at the Pass this weekend

Willamette Pass Resort is open for skiing and snowboarding 7 days a week this winter. On weekends, those taking a break from the action can catch some live music in the bar from noon until 3 pm. On Saturday, February 10, I’ll be playing guitar and singing, dusting off some tunes that have been sitting idle for a while. Sidney Joseph will be doing the afternoon shift on Sunday. He describes his music as “rock and soul, infused with the blues”. I’ll attest that he does a lot of fun covers, tunes that you can sing along with. Willamette Pass Resort has a full bar and many food options. For those who like to get first tracks, you can get breakfast there until 10:30 am.

 

That’s all I’ve got this week. If you know of a live music event scheduled in the Highway 58 corridor that you’d like to see posted, please drop me a line at the Highway 58 Herald. Please support live music and the musicians who make it.