How's everyone feeling today? Judging from the explosion of revelry downtown last night for the Amalia's street party featuring Ozomatli, Rubblebucket and Todd Haaby, I'm guessing there's a few people moving a little slow.

But it was worth it, right? The party, which culminated with an insanely packed crowd freaking out to Ozomatli, was one of the craziest (and coolest) things I've seen during my time in Bend. The free-for-all atmosphere, massive crowd and incredible music made me think we were on Bourbon Street or something for a bit.

Here's some video from the party. Make sure you watch the kid in the lucha libre mask dancing at the front of the stage during Rubblebucket. Funny stuff.

We also got some Bent helpers to the sold out Brandi Carlile show, too. So keep an eye out for a rundown of that show soon.

This morning, Central Oregon's Last Band Standing, the local battle of the bands that kicks off next weekend, announced the lineups for each of the seven preliminary rounds. Here's a shot of all the bands from last night's kickoff party.

All shows are at the Century Center at 8pm on the following dates and you can click here for all the info on how to get your free tickets.

May 6th

Still Fear

When I left the house around noon on Saturday afternoon and looked up at the menacing gray clouds overhead, I said something like, "Ohhh boy, I hope it doesn't rain?"

Anyway, it didn't rain, which was good, because I saw outdoor live music featuring three of our region's best acts, in April, in Bend, all freaking day. First, was Empty Space Orchestra's Record Store Day performance down in the alley behind Ranch Records. About 150 people (maybe more, maybe less...I'm not a scientist) turned out for an excellently tight set featuring some cuts from the instrumental space rock band's forthcoming self-titled record. Here's some video evidence:

Next, it was up to Northwest Crossing for a back-to-back bill that included Larry and His Flask and Mosley Wotta at the Spring Festival. LAHF was as outrageous as ever, getting the eclectic crowd of festival goers moving in no time. BUT, at one point drummer Jamin Marshall said something along the lines of "A critic from the Source said that Central Oregon is sick of seeing Larry and His Flask and Mosley Wotta."

The crowd responded with a resounding boo, but I was like "WTF?"

Record Store Day 2011 is tomorrow (April 16) and there are some great exclusive RSD releases coming and some amazing events planned at roughly 700 independent record stores across the U.S.!

Locally, Ranch Records will be offering 25 percent off of all used CDs and Bend favorites, Empty Space Orchestra will be playing a special live set at 1pm.

For more information on RSD releases and other regional events, check out my 83Music breakdown, because even if you're traveling this weekend... you won't want to miss out on what Record Store Day has to offer.

During the 1940s and early ‘50s, rent parties were an integral part of the Harlem jazz scene. Musicians would show up to jam at someone’s apartment and then pass the hat to raise the next month’s rent money.

On the folk music side, traveling musicians have for years appeared at private house parties in smaller cities and towns while traveling between major city tour stops.

After years of enjoying folk artist house concerts in Northern California, Jeanine Pollak decided to offer some when she moved to Bend.

“In 2006, musician friends called me and said they were coming through town and would I be interested in putting on a house concert for them,” Pollak recalls. “I did and after that put on one concert per year for the next few years.”

Then in 2009, a booking agent got wind of her concerts and helped her up the number of them in her comfortable eastside home to four per year.

In what I'm saying is a big payoff for their incredibly hard work over the past couple of years, the skilled musicians in Empty Space Orchestra got some national press attention this week from ALARM Press.

The magazine's website featured the band and a download of "Exit Strategy," a track from its forthcoming full-length album, due out May 10.

The band is prepping a big release show in town around that date and say they'll keep us posted on all the details for that.

But for now, give ESO some love and check out their sweet mention from ALARM.

Here's a fun little local music fact: Franchot Tone, the singer songwriter who's recently started playing around town with his own band, is also a member of the popular SoCal reggae band Culver City Dub Collective.

The band recently shot this music video, directed by Rage Films' Sky Pinnick, showing the band enjoying the sunshine of Venice Beach and other hip L.A. locales. And here it is:

After staging 29 jazz concerts in his Jazz at Joe's series, first at his store south of town and for the past two years at the Cascade Theatrical Company, Joe Rohrbacher is stepping away. Away from what he calls, “the most rewarding project I have ever been involved in. The sense of community and good will has been nothing shy of touching.”

Rohrbacher never set out to be a full-time promoter.

“My aim was always for a self-sustaining cultural benefit to our community. I believe that together, we have properly set the stage and are realizing that goal,” he says.

It’s was a wonderful ride for local jazz fans and young music students who not only got a clinic from the performing musicians, but also free admission to the concerts.

And there were so many memorable performances from well-established international talents like singer Rebecca Kilgore and vibraphone master Chuck Redd to locals sitting in with top-of-the-line Northwest players.

On any stormy, gray faux spring Sunday, nothing beats the blahs like going to hear some live music. And live it is at The Northside Café on Boyd Acres Road with jazz from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m on most Sundays.

It’s mellow, easy swinging jazz under the guidance of local master guitarist Robert Lee Hoover with Lisa Dae on vocals, Aaron Moore on bass, and this past Sunday, Rod Norman, sitting in on drums.

The group plays mostly standards and passes on being flashy while delivering solid straight ahead playing. Nowhere is this more evident than in Dae’s vocals. She relies on a beautiful voice and avoids all the modern girl singer pyrotechnics from excessive vibrato to straining for high notes as if they’re necessary to make a song live.

Hoover is a wonder, a smooth player who when he’s not playing jazz of blues to perfection, he teaches guitar at the Cascade School of Music. If ever a player looked the part of the well-traveled session/club musician, Hoover is it.

Past 83Music Featured Friends have generally focused on people doing amazing and creative things who also happen to have a love of great music. This time, our friend Robin Fox (@radioladiorobin on TWITTER), is actually living and breathing her love of music every single day sitting behind a radio mic in Bend Oregon.

As the morning show DJ for KLTW 95.1, the midday DJ for KQAK 105.7, and the afternoon DJ for The Peak 104.1, Robin has herself, three different outlets to connect listeners not only to music, but to all the wonderful events that happen in the area.

And while she is able to use these positions to help out worthy charities and open doors for important causes… the true lure has always been the music.

"Music was a HUGE part of my childhood. My dad was really heavy into high-end home audio, so there was always classic rock, jazz, or blues playing at home," says Fox.

As a kid, an early love for Carly Simon’s version of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" led to a love of "Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers and then to the realization that radio was for her.

"When I was 15, A friend of mine was in a communications program in college and did some overnight on-air work for a local rock station. She asked if I wanted to tag along one night. Stepping into the studio for the first time, cemented the deal for me,” recalls Fox.