"The hippest trip in America!"

Such was Don Cornelius' tag line on the hit musical showcase, Soul Train, a program he created, hosted and produced.

In 1970, Cornelius figured that there needed to be a black answer to "American Bandstand." That answer was Soul Train and it was awesome. If you wanted to hear hip music or learn how to dance, this was your source (see video below).

Sadly, Mr. Cornelius was found dead in his home on Tuesday morning, not long after he had placed a "distraught" phone call to his son.

from the L.A. Times:

"Cornelius, 75, was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Wednesday after a family member found him in his home in Encino with a gunshot wound to his head, according to law enforcement sources. The wound appeared to be self-inflicted, but the death was being investigated by police. Friends say he had been in poor health."

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkleiqrWji0 420x315]

(photo: Daniel X. O'Neil.)

"The hippest trip in America!"

Such was Don Cornelius' tag line on the hit musical showcase, Soul Train, a program he created, hosted and produced.

In 1970, Cornelius figured that there needed to be a black answer to "American Bandstand." That answer was Soul Train and it was awesome. If you wanted to hear hip music or learn how to dance, this was your source (see video below).

Sadly, Mr. Cornelius was found dead in his home on Tuesday morning, not long after he had placed a "distraught" phone call to his son.

from the L.A. Times:

"Cornelius, 75, was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Wednesday after a family member found him in his home in Encino with a gunshot wound to his head, according to law enforcement sources. The wound appeared to be self-inflicted, but the death was being investigated by police. Friends say he had been in poor health."

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkleiqrWji0 420x315]

Winterfest is fast approaching and this year the five day event includes a one-man show on Wednesday entitled, "Shakespeare on the Rocks: Good Will."

Grant Turner, the star of the show, is the artistic director of the Northwest Classical Theatre Company and will present an intimate look at the bard's life from his birth in 1564 to his death in 1616—a pretty cool way to learn from an expert what we all should have learned in eighth grade. The Oregonian gave Turner's show a very favorable review back in September.

And if experiencing the works of great playwrights is your thing, note that tickets for Bend's  Shakespeare in the Park went on sale today. Running from Aug. 23-Aug. 25 these tickets will go quickly ($20-$75 at bendticket.com). This year's performance is Romeo and Juliet.

It's finally here! The 11th edition of the famous Sasquatch Music Festival has arrived! In my opinion the lineup is a damn good one... It features Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Feist, The Roots, Electric Guest (who I featured on Bent a little while back), and tons of other artists who were responsible for some of the best music from 2011 as well as some of the releases we have yet to see in 2012. Tickets go on sale next week (if you didn't get in on the early bird pricing) and the lineup is below (since the Sasquatch website keeps crashing). So get planning... this one will sell out FAST!

SASQUATCH 2012 Lineup:



Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Tenacious D, The Shins, Silversun Pickups, Feist, Portlandia The Tour, Girl Talk, Mogwai, St. Vincent, Beirut, Metric, Nero, Wild Flag, Spiritualized, Kurt Vile, Zola Jesus, Purity Ring, Electric Guest, Poor Moon, Explosions In The Sky, Allen Stone, Childish Gambino, Yellow Ostrich, tUnE-yArDs, Shabazz Palaces, Thee Satisfaction, Pretty Lights, The Head & The Heart, The Roots, M. Ward, John C. Reily & Friends, The Civil Wars, The Joy Formidable, Little Dragon, Blind Pilot, Wolfgang Gartner, Apparat, The Walkmen, Mark Lanegan Band, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Beats Antique, Blitzen Trapper, The Cave Singers, Jamey Johnson, fun., Grouplove, Tycho, SBTRKT, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Deer Tick, Imelda May, Dum Dum Girls, The Helio Sequence, Cloud Cult, Ben Howard, Here We Go Magic, The War On Drugs, Shearwater, Cass McCombs, Active Child, Trampled By Turtles, AraabMuzik, Star Slinger, LA Riots, Com Truise, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, I Break Horses, Walk The Moon, Dry The River, Hey Marseilles, Gary Clark Jr., Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Nobody Beats The Drum, Coeur de Pirate, Lord Huron, Pickwick, Starf**ker, We Are Augustines, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Beat Connection, THEESatisfaction, The Sheepdogs, Hey Rosetta!, Said The Whale, Howlin Rain, Gardens & Villa, Felix Cartal, Craft Spells, Vintage Trouble, Black Whales, Gold Leaves, Greylag, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, The Physics, Sol, Metal Chocolates

It's finally here! The 11th edition of the famous Sasquatch Music Festival has arrived! In my opinion the lineup is a damn good one... It features Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Feist, The Roots, Electric Guest (who I featured on Bent a little while back), and tons of other artists who were responsible for some of the best music from 2011 as well as some of the releases we have yet to see in 2012. Tickets go on sale next week (if you didn't get in on the early bird pricing) and the lineup is below (since the Sasquatch website keeps crashing). So get planning... this one will sell out FAST!

SASQUATCH 2012 Lineup:

Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Tenacious D, The Shins, Silversun Pickups, Feist, Portlandia The Tour, Girl Talk, Mogwai, St. Vincent, Beirut, Metric, Nero, Wild Flag, Spiritualized, Kurt Vile, Zola Jesus, Purity Ring, Electric Guest, Poor Moon, Explosions In The Sky, Allen Stone, Childish Gambino, Yellow Ostrich, tUnE-yArDs, Shabazz Palaces, Thee Satisfaction, Pretty Lights, The Head & The Heart, The Roots, M. Ward, John C. Reily & Friends, The Civil Wars, The Joy Formidable, Little Dragon, Blind Pilot, Wolfgang Gartner, Apparat, The Walkmen, Mark Lanegan Band, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Beats Antique, Blitzen Trapper, The Cave Singers, Jamey Johnson, fun., Grouplove, Tycho, SBTRKT, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Deer Tick, Imelda May, Dum Dum Girls, The Helio Sequence, Cloud Cult, Ben Howard, Here We Go Magic, The War On Drugs, Shearwater, Cass McCombs, Active Child, Trampled By Turtles, AraabMuzik, Star Slinger, LA Riots, Com Truise, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, I Break Horses, Walk The Moon, Dry The River, Hey Marseilles, Gary Clark Jr., Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Nobody Beats The Drum, Coeur de Pirate, Lord Huron, Pickwick, Starf**ker, We Are Augustines, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Beat Connection, THEESatisfaction, The Sheepdogs, Hey Rosetta!, Said The Whale, Howlin Rain, Gardens & Villa, Felix Cartal, Craft Spells, Vintage Trouble, Black Whales, Gold Leaves, Greylag, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, The Physics, Sol, Metal Chocolates

Winterfest is fast approaching and this year the five day event includes a one-man show on Wednesday entitled, "Shakespeare on the Rocks: Good Will."

Grant Turner, the star of the show, is the artistic director of the Northwest Classical Theatre Company and will present an intimate look at the bard's life from his birth in 1564 to his death in 1616—a pretty cool way to learn from an expert what we all should have learned in eighth grade. The Oregonian gave Turner's show a very favorable review back in September.

And if experiencing the works of great playwrights is your thing, note that tickets for Bend's  Shakespeare in the Park went on sale today. Running from Aug. 16-Aug. 18 these tickets will go quickly ($20-$75 at bendticket.com). This year's performance is Romeo and Juliet.