As I write this, there is a strange glow in the sky to the east. When I let the dog out for his morning constitutional, he didn’t come back all wet. Though I can see snow covered trees on the peaks around me, my yard is the proper color of green. I think we’ve turned a corner on this wintery weather.
I have visions of sitting in a beer garden with warm sun shining on me, a cold beer in my hand. I’m comfortable wearing nothing but my Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals, listening to a steel drum band or just a guy with an acoustic guitar playing Jack Johnson covers. A fantasy? No, it will happen, and soon!
Peter Wilde this Friday night
Ben Olson photo Ben Olson, musician and Oakridge Resident, with his standup bass
As close as we may come to that fantasy would be this Friday night, April 22, at the 3 Legged Crane in uptown Oakridge where you’ll be able to hear Peter Wilde do Peter Wilde covers from 7 until 9 p.m. No one, and I mean no one, can cover a Peter Wilde song quite the way he can.
There is, perhaps, no more of an appropriate way to celebrate Earth Day than to drink hand crafted beer and listen to Peter Wilde. He’ll be joined by Michael Roderick of Mood Area 52 fame and cellist Amy Danziger. Stop on in and enjoy the fun.
I’ll be there as a reveler that night because I will have played there the night before. I’m running the open mic on Thursday evening, April 21 and hope to see lots of people coming through the door with guitar cases in hand. If you want to sing, I’ll back you up. What key is that in?
The 3 Legged Crane features beers and ales that they, and other fine microbrews have made, as well as a sandwich and dinner menu. There is no cover charge for these musical events.
Go West for more music
A mile to the west, on Highway 58, the Lion Mountain Bakery will be presenting Broken Horn on the new mainstage this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 22, 23 and 24. Showtimes are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Broken Horn plays an eclectic mix of classic country and vintage pop and rock tunes. I’ll be in there on Sunday morning from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. trying to see what I still remember on the ukulele.
The Lion Mountain serves both a breakfast and lunch menu, and has some delectable baked goods. Of course there is no cover charge for these musical shows.
Further west in downtown Dexter, the Dexter Lake Club will be having their regular jam sessions and open mics on Tuesdays and Sundays. The multi-talented Brian Chevalier will be your host, and it’s quite possible that his old sidekick Craig Sorseth will be back as co-host. Showtime starts at 6 p.m. or so. Pickers and singers are encouraged to stop on in and hit everyone with their best shot.
The Dexter Lake Club has a full bar and a dinner and sandwich menu. Cover charge? None! For details call 541 581 3000.
Support live music
My summer weather fantasy may still be a few weeks off, but I know it will happen. If you know of any live music events, or even beat poetry shows in our readership area, please contact me so that we can get it posted in the Highway 58 Herald. Please support live music and the musicians who make it.
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.
