By BEN OLSON/for The Herald — It’s Saturday night, Christmas Eve. The kids will be here soon for what my wife has described as a feast. I can hardly wait. It occurs to me that I need some crucial information to put my last entertainment column of 2022 together. I would be surprised if any of the venues having a New Year’s Eve celebration next weekend will be answering their phone tonight or tomorrow.
DJ Kameron will keep you dancing at the Corner
Rob at the Corner Bar on 1st Street in Oakridge did provide me enough to get this column started when I stopped in for a nightcap a few days ago. On New Year’s Eve, DJ Kameron will be setting the mood with everyone’s dance favorites and taking you to the dropping of the ball at midnight, and then some. The Corner Bar has a full bar and a selection of victuals, in case you get hungry. Of course there is no cover charge for partying there on New Year’s Eve.
Thursday and Friday music at the Crane
A block further east on 1st Street sits the 3 Legged Crane. It’s not that John doesn’t believe in ringing in the new year, it just won’t be happening there- it’ll be business hours as usual. There will, however, be the open mic on Thursday, December 29. I’ll be there with my guitar and upright bass, doing whatever I have to do to keep everyone entertained and assist others who would like to get up and do a few songs. That all gets started at 6:30 p.m.
On Friday, December 30, Eric Ledbetter will be returning to the stage at the Crane, bringing his “echoes from the golden age of rock and roll”. Always enjoyable to listen to, Eric will be playing one of his last gigs in Oregon before emplaning to Hawaii for a tour there. Nice work if you can get it. The show starts at 7 p.m. The 3 Legged Crane has hand-crafted beers and ales, made right there, and at other select microbreweries in Oregon, as well as appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. There is no cover charge for live music events.
Moose party open to nonmembers as well
The Moose Lodge, right on Highway 58 in Oakridge will be ringing in the New Year with the Stewart Roadhouse Band. The band starts at 9 p.m. and will take you to the midnight hour, and then some. The Moose Lodge has a full bar. You don’t need to be a member to enjoy the New Year’s festivities. There may be a nominal cover charge.
The Lion Mountain Bakery on Highway 58 in Oakridge will be featuring Broken Horn, playing his eclectic mix of pop, rock and classic country tunes. He plays from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 30, 31 and January 1. Enjoy breakfast or lunch in the spacious, relaxed atmosphere of the Lion Mountain. There is no cover charge for the live music.
Funk rock at the DLC
Dexter Lake Club, just off Highway 58 by milepost 12 will be welcoming The Legends of Amethyst Rock to the mainstage for the New Year’s Eve celebration. The LOAR are a funk rock band from Eugene. The Dexter Lake Club has a full bar and the adjoining Rattlesnake BBQ offers appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. I don’t have info as to whether there will be a cover charge. For information, please call 541 581 3000.
Willamette Pass Resort, at milepost 62 on Highway 58, will be celebrating the last day of 2022 just like they’ll be welcoming 2023- making sure skiers and snowboarders have the best possible experience out there on the slopes. I’ll be playing my guitar and bass fiddle in the bar from noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 31. It is the earliest New Year’s Eve gig that I have ever lined up, and I’m OK with that. Willamette Pass has a full bar and a wide variety of food options. Although many of the customers in the bar will have those big clunky boots on their feet, you don’t have to be a skier to stop in and watch the goings-on.
A personal point of irritation
To all of you who totally disregard the stop sign on High Prairie Road, and I know that there are at least 5 of you, I’d like your contact info so that we can do a point/counterpoint column in an upcoming edition. I’ll be taking the pro side- people should stop at stop signs. I would love to hear your rationale as to why you believe it’s OK to endanger the safety of yourself, your passengers and other drivers by blowing through that stop sign, or any other stop sign, for that matter. On a somewhat related matter, if you’re going out drinking this New Years Eve, please have someone else do the driving for you. Happy New Year and have a great 2023!
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
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