The sounds of summer Basin Summer Sounds comes to Ephrata July 21, 22
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 6 months AGO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | July 6, 2017 3:00 AM
EPHRATA — Some country – some original country, too – some rock, some new wave, some folk-western swing-jazz the band calls “gypsy jazz,” and even more are on the bill at the annual Basin Summer Sounds concert July 21 and 22 in Ephrata.
Admission to either night (or both) is free. The stage is set up in front of the Grant County Courthouse, 35 Northwest C St.
The Seattle rock band Spike and the Impalers is the finale act Friday night, and rock veterans XEB will close the show Saturday.
A band of local country-rock music veterans will open the concert at 5 p.m. July 21. Led by Gordy Grenier, Coulee City, the Stoney River Band is well known at clubs and festivals all over Grant County. Its sound mixes classic and new rock-flavored country.
The five-man country band Jones & Fischer takes the stage at 7 p.m. July 21. Darin Jones and Caleb Fischer have been playing together for about two years. They feature original music, “songs they wrote,” according to their website, a straight-up country sound tinged with a little rock.
Friday night’s finale is Spike and the Impalers, taking the stage at 9 p.m. They will be appearing for the second straight year. The veteran band plays old-school, straight-ahead rock ‘n roll, featuring their takes on the rock classics.
Performer Alec Shaw will be joined by eight of his friends at 1 p.m. July 22 as Saturday’s opening act. Shaw, a singer and producer based in Seattle, and his friends mix guitar, drums, horns and keyboards and focus on original rock compositions.
Ranger and the Re-Arrangers take the stage at 2:30 p.m. July 22. The band is making its second straight appearance. The band’s self-described “gypsy jazz” sound, mostly instrumentals, is influenced by eastern and central European folk music, mixed with American swing and European jazz. The veteran musicians feature both original music and their take on traditional music, along with classic jazz and swing.
Country artist Breana Renea also makes her second straight appearance at Basin Summer Sounds at 4 p.m. Saturday. Renea’s website said her style mixes “’80s rock and ’90s country," the sounds she heard growing up. She released her second album “Chasin’ Trouble” last year.
Nite Wave follows at 5 p.m. The five-man band’s website said they are “passionate about ’80s New Wave,” the sound that included groups like The Police and Duran Duran. They recently opened for veteran ’80s rocker Billy Idol.
The country band Brewer’s Grade follows at 7 p.m.; this is their second straight appearance. The six-member band has been playing, in one form or another, for about 16 years. They describe their sound as “Northwest Country.”
XEB play the concert finale at 9 p.m. The group is made up, in part, of original members of 1990s band Third Eye Blind. The band performs original rock, including some of the music from Third Eye Blind.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.
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