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There’s something deeply satisfying about a summer evening in Bend, especially when it serves as the backdrop for a triple-threat concert featuring Ratboys, The Head and the Heart, and The Decemberists.
I found myself feeling particularly nostalgic throughout the night, as I was saying goodbye to the venue and the city, with a uHaul ready to be loaded up for my move the next day. Side note: loading up a Uhaul in 100-degree weather sucks. It was my last night in Bend, so I had to make it count.
Started the night right with a chugging some caffeine from Sisters Coffee at Old Mill before walking across the Deschutes, full of floating tourists and locals alike. Some were staking out a corner of the river to set anchor and get a free soundtrack, others were just as content to catch an earful as the current carried them past the venue.
The venue also has a solid assortment of food carts, including those representing their brick-and-morter home locations like Dump City Dumplings and El Sancho Tacos. The latter of which was dinner. After downing a couple tacos down my gullet, it was time for the show.
Ratboys kicked off the night with a damned solid set, Admittedly, I hadn’t heard them much before, but they were solid live. Lead singer Julia Steiner’s voice captured the attention of the sold-out crowd. Apparently, Bend loves songs about a dead cat and getting your ass outside. Also, apparently, so do I. Put them on for my three-hour drive out of town the next day.
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The Head and the Heart took the stage with their signature blend of folk-pop warmth and rich, harmonious melodies. The band’s repertoire might as well be the soundtrack for the city, with nature-drenched lyrics and plenty of sing-along choruses. Their set was a mix of old favorites and new tracks from their latest album, with standout moments like “Rivers and Roads” and “Every Shade of Blue” showcasing their ability to craft anthems that resonate deeply. The energy seemed to peak when multi-instrumentalists (and husband and wife) Matt Gervais and Charity Rose Thielen brought their kid on stage during “Honeybee,” which admittedly made me happy as it is one of my four-year-old’s favorite songs.
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Of course, The Decemberists came out in what could have been a Portlandia skit. Colin Meloy put his glass of wine down, bassist Nate Query came out weathering the Bend heat in a vest and fedora and Chris Funk (and his many instruments) reminded me of a mandolin-wielding Duke Silver. I loved it all.
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Meloy and the band kicked off with “Don’t Carry It All,” with the frontman ending the song on a rough note, saying he “blew out his pipes.” After roughly getting through the new track “Burial Ground,” he told the crowd that he wasn’t above excuses and recently had a bout of laryngitis. By the third song, we were back in business, though. Lockstep in time, the band wove their tales of whimsy and melancholy, each song a chapter in a grand narrative.
Each track had the crowd singing along with unabashed enthusiasm, even those new jams off their latest record, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again. Their performance was evidence of the years of playing together—each note and lyric delivered with the kind of precision and passion you would expect from them.
In the end, this concert was more than just a series of performances—it was a fitting farewell to a place and time that had become a significant part of my life. The combination of great music, good food, and the shared experience with fellow fans created a memorable send-off. Thank you, Ratboys, The Head and the Heart, and The Decemberists, for making my final night in Bend so special.
OK, now that this review is written, time to start breaking down the dozens of empty boxes staring me down in the new place. Anyone need any moving boxes in PDX?