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Jamming to Beat MS Lettuce headlines the Newberry Event Music & Arts Festival fundraiser By Anne Pick
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Boston-based funk band Lettuce headlines the Newberry Event Music & Arts Festival in La Pine this weekend.
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f you would have told me in high “We like to feed off of the energy of school that a rad music festival would the audience, and festivals are perfect be held annually at the Diamond Stone for that,” Smirnoff says. “It inspires us Guest Lodges in the Lazy River South to go in different directions.” neighborhood of La Pine, I would have Lettuce has become known for its been stoked, but may not have believed high-energy festival sets, with ample you. I grew up minutes from the festival experience that creating a setlist can grounds and would have been over the be effected by the time of day they permoon to have had such an eclectic array form. They prefer to play their dreamof music within earshot of my bedroom. ier material after dark, during a night The Newberry Event Music & Arts Festi- set. During the day, they perform more val started in 2013 of their up-tempo “We like to feed off of the as a fundraiser to songs in order to help defeat MS, get people excited energy of the audience, bringing together and moving. They and festivals are perfect musicians from a can also vary the for that. It inspires us to go setlist depending variety of genres, while concertgoon the vibe. in different directions.” ers enjoy camping, The band’s — ADAM “SHMEEANS” food, craft bevermost recent SMIRNOFF, LETTUCE ages and local artialbum, “Witchsans in a beautiful natural environment. es Stew,” plays off of the Miles Davis This year, the festival lineup can’t be album, “Bitches Brew,” which they have beat. Funk band Lettuce headlines on dedicated to all of the later material by Saturday night. The entire lineup ranges the jazz great. in genre from reggae to bluegrass, funk to “I really believe Miles Davis is the blues and good ol’ rock and roll. Nation- godfather of jam bands,” Smirnoff says. ally touring Bend favorites Pimps of Joy- “He’s influenced everyone.” time headline the festival Friday night. For their next album, Lettuce already They’re preceded by The Shook Twins, has 26 songs recorded and are currentJohn Craigie and more. Saturday includes ly in the process of figuring out how to performances from Natty Red (locals release that material. Smirnoff discusses who I caught at Bend Summer Festival the possibility of multiple releases, but and would highly recommend—a Pick’s sounds confident this will be the band’s Pick, if you will), The Talbot Brothers best work to date. and The Stone Foxes. Sunday wraps with “Sound wise, it’s going to be the best Five Alarm Funk and many others. sounding album we’ve ever done,” SmirnI spoke to guitarist Adam “Shmee- off says without doubt. “ I think this is ans” Smirnoff from Saturday’s head- going to be our best piece of work.” liner, Lettuce, hailing from Boston and Join Lettuce on Saturday night for bringing the funk a funky headto the nation since lining set, along Newberry Event Music 1992. The band with a variety & Arts Festival blends classic of other great Fri. July 27- Sun. July 29 funk with hip-hop bands getting Diamond Stone Guest Lodges urgency, which people moving 16693 Sprague Lp., La Pine culminates in the and dancing for newberryevent.com Multiple day and single day passes available perfect band for a great cause in the festival scene. South County. SW