Members of the University of Oregon’s Jewish community gathered at the Oregon Hillel house on Monday for a vigil honoring the 11 victims who were killed at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday morning. The shooting is believed to the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history, according to the New York Times.

More than 50 people attended the vigil, including UO President Michael Schill, Jewish student-leaders, rabbis and local members of the Jewish community.

Erica Kopf, the student board president of Oregon Hillel, said that she decided the Jewish campus organization would host the vigil after a friend broke the news of the shooting to her on Saturday. Kopf, a senior sociology and psychology major at UO, said that the vigil was an opportunity for community members to show support.

“I have a close Jewish-friend community,” Kopf said, “so it was really comforting to have them and to have a comforting to have a space like this to come to today because it was just so hard to process at first and this helped to process the tragedy.”

Rabbi Berel Gurevitch, who co-directs the Chabad Jewish Center of Eugene, said he also received a tremendous amount of support from community members.

“The community came together beautifully,” Gurevitch said. “The fact that everyone came together today to say a prayer was very, very special.”

He emphasized that it wasn’t only the Jewish community he received support from, saying that strangers in Eugene asked him how he was. As he drove to Roseburg over the weekend to give a class and hold a ceremony, Gurevitch said a stranger offered him kind words.

Gurevitch, who used to spend summers with family who lived in Pittsburgh throughout his childhood, said he still has a close connection to the city: His grandparents live in Pittsburgh today along with some of his uncles and cousins.

Although Gurevitch now lives thousands of miles away from his grandparents and extended family, he said he feels like he is part of the community directly affected by the shooting.

“I feel like on some level we’re all part of the Pittsburgh Jewish community,” Gurevitch said “It’s not like there’s a Eugene community and a Pittsburgh community — we’re one community and it felt like it happened right outside our house.”

Despite the events, Gurevitch said that the event will not change anything about how he practices his faith.

“Although this person came into the synagogue with a mind wanting us to hide, the main message is that we fight hate with love and evil with goodness. We’re not going to go and hide, we’re going to stand together as a Jewish community and continue to be proud of who we are,” he said. “We should never hide our Jewishness because of a few crazy people who have these views. We’re here and we’re here to stay.”

Some people wrote messages of support directed towards those affected by the Pittsburgh shooting. (Shawn Medow/Emerald)

Gurevitch started a campaign to distribute mezuzahs, a small decorative display case that holds transcription of verses from the Torah. Members of the Jewish community consider the item a blessing when placed above their door frames.

He said that he already handed out 11 mezuzahs so far, but he plans to continue to provide them to community members who want one.

“The mezuzah brings protection to homes and is a sign of Jewish pride,” Gurevitch said. “Anyone who wants one should reach out.”

On Monday morning, President Schill sent an email to UO students and faculty addressing the Pittsburgh shooting, along with the shooting of two shoppers at a grocery store in Kentucky and a series of pipe bombs sent to current and former public officials last week.

“I want to express my solidarity with all of the groups on our campus who have been the victims of hate and all who share in my outrage at the horrible events of the last week and the current state of affairs in our country,” Schill wrote.

The email also encouraged students to come together at this time and to seek out campus resources if needed. In the email, Schill promoted an openness to new ideas and engaging with new people on campus.

“It is here, at the University of Oregon, where each and every one of us has the opportunity to explore our differences, gain understanding of each other’s perspectives, and, with that understanding, hopefully banish demonization and replace hate with empathy and respect,” Schill wrote. “Please expand your usual group of friends and engage in those conversations in the classroom, over dinner, and in the residence halls.”

Hillel’s Kopf echoed the president’s call for the UO and Eugene community to come together during the aftermath of the Pittsburgh shooting.

“I think that this event shows that our community is vibrant and strong and that things like this happen and they’re real,” Kopf said. “It shows the greater community at the UO, Eugene and the U.S. that anti-Semitism is real and that it hasn’t gone away. But the outpouring of support has been awesome.”

Correction on Nov. 1, 2018: Berel’s grandparents live in Pittsburgh, not his mother. 

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On most fall Saturdays in Eugene, Alton Baker Park is filled with masses of Ducks football fans flocking to Autzen Stadium. Many fans attend just to see Heisman hopeful quarterback Justin Herbert.

But with Herbert’s Ducks resting on Saturday, Oct. 6, the park was void of football fanatics — the perfect opportunity for a different kind of fandom to takeover.

That night, electronic music duo Zeds Dead brought its second-ever Deadbeats tour to the Cuthbert amphitheater. 12th Planet, Ganja White Night and other acts from Zeds Dead’s Deadbeats label also performed.

Los Angeles-based dubstep DJ 12th Planet took the stage around 6:30 p.m., just as the sun began to make its descent. His set incorporated a good mix of both traditional dubstep along with drum and bass breakdowns. The blend was best heard on his most popular track, “Send It,” and his remix of Riot Ten’s “Rail Breaker.”

The DJ paid tribute to Oregon’s own Matt Groening, the creator of “The Simpsons,” with visuals of Bart Simpson displayed on the Cuthbert’s tall LED screens. It’s unclear if the reference was an intentional nod to the nearby city of Springfield, which shares the same name as the fictional cartoon town where the Simpson’s live.

Once 12th Planet’s hour-long set was finished, Belgian bass duo Ganja White Night took the stage. Throughout the set, the duo mixed in a variety of genres, including hip-hop, reggae and heavy bass.

Ganja White Night’s visuals complemented the duo’s array of sounds, too. The Cuthbert’s expansive bag of stage tricks and toys, such as a host of rotating lights and CO2 cannons, allows flexibility for artists to be creative when it comes to visuals. From comic book-esque graphics to video game animations in a similar style to 1980s film Tron, there was a variety of stage productions.  

Crowd members sport a variety of style and attire as they fill in the amphitheater pit. The Deadbeats Tour Eugene brings big bass to the Cuthbert Amphitheater on Oct. 6, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

After the duo put on a solid opening set, it was time for the main act to take the stage.

Toronto-natives DC and Hooks, who together are Zeds Dead, began their set just after 8:45 p.m. with the song “Lights Out,” which received an energetic applause from the crowd.

“Eugene, what the fuck is up?” said Hooks, who was sporting a black Herbert jersey with green numbers.

The DJs would go on to perform a solid 25-minute, bass-heavy portion of their set, hitting “Kill Em” and their famous “Eleanor Rigby” remix along the way. This portion of the set was accompanied by sharp visuals of contrasting colors and multi-dimensional lines.

After the bass section, Zeds Dead moved into more fan favorites such as “Lost You,” “Frontlines” and “Collapse.” Diehard fans held their hands in a “Z” shape as they heard the duo’s greatest hits blast over the PA speakers.

In the buildup to the performance’s final stretch of songs, the duo performed remixes of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”

Hooks then announced that they only had time for a few more songs. Zeds Dead went on to perform “We Could Be Kings” and “Where The Wild Things Are” in front of the packed Cuthbert audience.

“I say this every fucking night, but I mean this shit: You guys brought the energy tonight,” Hooks said. “You guys are always so great to us. Thank you. Goodnight.”

Crowd members form a circle in order to head-bang together as the bass drops. The Deadbeats Tour Eugene brings big bass to the Cuthbert Amphitheater on Oct. 6, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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Few artists, if any, represent Irish-American culture better than the Quincy, Massachusetts-native punk rockers Dropkick Murphys.

In the last 22 years, the band has created the most iconic Celtic-punk anthems ever made. “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” and “The State Of Massachusetts” can be heard everywhere from kickoff at Notre Dame Fighting Irish football games to the soundtrack of Academy Award-winning film “The Departed.”  

More than anything else, though, the Dropkick Murphys have become synonymous with the celebration of Irish heritage — in particular, St. Patrick’s Day.

“I love the history and the traditions associated with St. Paddy’s Day, but a lot of people just use it as an excuse to get drunk,” Dropkick Murphys drummer Matt Kelly wrote in an email to the Emerald. “The band is Irish-American, so the association is welcomed.”

Vocalist Al Barr yells into the mic. Celtic punk rockers Dropkick Murphys perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 21, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t until March, but on Friday, Sept. 21, the Dropkick Murphys hosted its own Irish-American heritage celebration in the form of a punk concert at Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater.

The concert was the first time the Celtic rockers performed in Eugene in over five years. Even though the band took a long break from performing in Eugene, Kelly has fond memories of the city.

“The venue was awesome, the crowd was great, and we went to Voodoo Donuts,” Kelly said of the band’s last Eugene performance. “All-in-all, Eugene has a funky vibe and lots of great eateries and package stores.”

He also mentioned that he picked up copies of a couple of Alice Cooper and Slade vinyls at Eugene’s House of Records.

With that said, touring isn’t always shopping for records and trying new food, especially for a band that’s been together for 22 years. Kelly said that one of the biggest drawbacks of being in the band for him personally is missing a lot of family events due to touring.

The Dropkick Murphys were joined by fellow Irish-American punk-rock band Flogging Molly at the Cuthbert. The two bands have toured together many times in the past, including on a European tour last winter.

“It’s a blast touring with those guys,” Kelly said. “We’ve been friends for almost 20 years and they’re a pleasure to be around and to play with every night. The crowds seem to like the combination, too!

Kelly joined the Dropkick Murphys in the spring of 1997, a year after the band formed. He has since completed multiple worldwide tours and contributed to all seven of the band’s studio records.

Despite growing in popularity, the Dropkick Murphys haven’t forgotten where they came from or what they represent, Kelly said.

“Twenty years into playing in a band, we’re not really ‘working class’ by tax bracket or because we don’t swing a hammer nine to five these days,” Kelly said. “But when you’re born into the working class, raised by working-class parents, it’s just part of you.”

Vocalist Ken Casey faces off with the crowd. Celtic punk rockers Dropkick Murphys perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 21, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

The music the Dropkick Murphys produces represents that commitment to the community in which they were raised. The band’s latest record, “11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory,” explores themes that aren’t usually associated with rockstars.

The record, still anchored in up-tempo Celtic punk, discusses opioid addiction and the U.S. drug overdose epidemic. The band’s members have been personally affected by those topics, and Kelly said they wanted to share those painful experiences, hoping that it would resonate with fans.

“We have spoken to a lot of [fans] who have told us they’ve used our songs as a source of strength and support,” Kelly said. “That means a lot.”

Along with raising awareness for those causes through music, the band also runs a charity called the Claddagh Fund. According to its website, the charity aims to raise money and awareness for nonprofits the Dropkick Murphys considers to have a significant impact on local communities.

Jeff DaRosa plays banjo. Celtic punk rockers Dropkick Murphys perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 21, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

The Dropkick Murphys are “throwing ideas around” for material on the next album, but Kelly said the band won’t dive into an intense writing process until early next year. He expects the band to have new music for fans by late 2019, pending any unexpected delays.  

Not everyone who attends a Dropkick Murphys concert is excited to hear the band’s new material, though. As with any band that experiences a certain level of popularity, there are new fans who only want to hear the hits.

“Yeah, that’s a bum-out,” Kelly said. “My dream would be for the barricade-huggers to get the hell to the back and let the die-hards to the front. I hope that these newbies get into the rest of the stuff — but of course, it takes time. But man, get in the back!”

Between constant touring, individual interactions with fans and the demand to produce new material, there are many ups and downs to being in a successful band. But Kelly views those challenges as minor hiccups that come with the job.

“I’m honored to have not been kicked out!” Kelly said jokingly. “But seriously, it’s been the fulfilment of a childhood dream to be in a touring band. I’m travelling around the world with a bunch of great people, doing what we love to do every night.”

Follow Zach on Twitter: @zach_price24

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The city of Portland was quiet on Monday night. Parents had to work in the morning and kids had to go to school. But for thousands of die-hard rockers gathered at the Moda Center, the next morning’s responsibilities were out of sight and out of mind.

As Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl put it, those in attendance were in for “a good ol’ fashion night of rock N roll.”

Before Grohl and his Foo Fighters took the stage, though, Welsh alt-rockers The Joy Formidable kicked the night off at 7:30 p.m. The three piece’s performance was highlighted by long instrumental jams as well as powerful, intricate vocal layering.

The trio’s performance was quick hitting and filled with the exact type of energy an opening act should provide for rock legends such as the Foos.

The band ended their 40-minute set with its radio hit-single, “Whirring,” receiving an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the filling-in Moda Center crowd.

The band jotted off stage and the Foo Fighters’ elaborate production setup commenced.

By the time the stage crew finished, the stage was equipped with a mobile, diamond-shaped LED screen. Throughout the night, the screen would rotate from behind the band to hovering over its members.   

The Joy Formidable opens the night for the Foo Fighters on their Concrete and Gold Tour in Portland, Ore. on Sept. 10, 2018. (Henry Ward/Emerald)

Just after 8:45, the house lights dimmed and the audience’s anticipation reached its climax. Then, in an honest exuberance, Grohl ran on stage and continued to rally the crowd up. Portland Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson, defender Zarek Valentin and retired defender Nat Borchers were among those in attendance.

The other band members joined their frontman on stage and stage techs provided each musician’s weapon of choice. For Grohl, it was his famous Pelham Blue Gibson DG-335, which glistened in the shining Moda Center lights.

After breezing through their first three songs of the night with great energy, Grohl reminded the audience that the Foo’s were “just getting warmed up.”

During the band’s performance of “Rope,” Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins took off—quite literally—into the sky on a hydraulic lift that carried his drums 15 feet above the stage.

While elevated, Hawkins performed a  five-minute drum solo that Grohl watched in admiration from stage right. Hawkins then sang lead vocals on “Sunday Rain” from the band’s latest album “Concrete and Gold.”

Following Hawkin’s stellar showing, Grohl took some time to address the older crowd members.

Taylor Hawkins jamming out on the drums. Every member of the group eventually got their own solo as the set went on. Foo Fighters rock the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. on Sept. 10, 2018. (Henry Ward/Emerald)

“I don’t know how many of you know this, but the Foo Fighters played their first show [in Portland],” Grohl said. “It was at a place called The Satyricon.”

Then Grohl shifted his attention to the younger audience, focused on educating them on rock history.

“Who’s never seen us before?” Grohl said, greeted by a minority of cheers from the Moda Center. “That’s cool. Well, check this fucking shit out.”

The Foo Fighters went on to perform its classic hits “Hero” and “These Days,” before going into individual band introductions. Each member gave a brief lead performance when Grohl introduced them to the crowd.

Guitarist Chris Shiflett’s shredding solo on Alice Cooper’s “Under My Wheels” and Hawkins’ vocals on Queen’s “Under Pressure,” which Grohl performed on drums, stole that portion of the show.

After quickly exiting the stage following a passionate rendition of “Best Of You,” Grohl and Hawkins appeared on the stage screens. The two acted as if to argue about how many more songs they should play.

With help from the audience, they finally settled on performing three more tracks.

The crowd erupted as the Foo Fighters took the stage again, continuing its rock history lesson by covering The Who, Tom Petty and AC/DC.

“I’d like to thank you for tonight, and thank you for being the first city we ever played in,” Grohl said before ending the performance. “I don’t like to say goodbye, so I like to say this…”

“If everything could ever feel this real forever/If anything could ever be this good again,” Grohl sang. “The only thing I’ll ever ask of you/You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when.”

Photos: Foo Fighters Rock the Moda Center

SETLIST:

1. All My Life
2. Learn To Fly
3. The Pretender
4. The Sky Is A Neighborhood
5. Rope
6. Sunday Rain
7. My Hero
8. These Days
9. Walk
10. Under My Wheels  (Alice Cooper cover)
11. Another One Bites The Dust (Queen Cover)
12. Imagine piano riff with Jump lyrics (Van Halen and The Beatles cover)
13. Blitzkrieg Bop (Ramones cover)
14. Under Pressure (Queen cover sung by Taylor Hawkins)
15. Monkey Wrench
16. Run
17. Breakout
18. Dirty Water
19. Best Of You

ENCORE:

1. Young Man Blues (The Who cover)
2. Breakdown (Tom Petty cover)
3. Let There Be Rock (AC/DC cover)
4. Everlong

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Taylor’s Bar and Grill, one of the University of Oregon’s most popular off-campus bars, may lose its liquor license.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) issued a notice to Taylor’s on Wednesday to cancel the bar’s liquor license due to 29 incidents of “serious and persistent problems” such as excessive intoxication, theft, flighting, druggings and sexual assault over the last year. The Register-Guard was the first to report on this story.

“The number, frequency and nature of the ongoing incidents that comprise the history of serious and persistent problems demonstrate that licensee does not have the willingness or ability to adequately control the licensed premises and its patrons’ behavior in the immediate vicinity of the premises,” the notice states.

The OLCC notice stated that some of the reported incidents led to patrons suffering serious injuries, including a fractured skull, a broken orbital bone and partial blindness.

The bar’s liquor license expired in June, but it received a temporary license until the OLCC’s review is complete, the Register-Guard reports.

Owner Ramzy Hattar, who purchased Taylor’s last year, has until 5 p.m. on Sept. 21 to request a hearing before the OLCC makes a final decision regarding the bar’s liquor license, the notice states. Hattar told the Register-Guard that he doesn’t anticipate Taylor’s losing its license.

The notice also stated that bar does not have a “good record of compliance.”

In 2016, the Emerald reported that Taylor’s was repeatedly accused of overcharging credit cards and accused of multiple drug-related incidents, including a bartender being accused of drugging patrons.

The Emerald reached out to OLCC public affairs officials Matthew Van Sickle and Mark Pettinger, but both were unavailable. The Emerald also reached to Taylor’s staff, who was also unavailable.

This story will be updated when more information becomes available.

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Perched far above the claustrophobic PLC offices, looming over the infamous steps of Johnson Hall, sits a 172 EC-B Liebherr tower crane. Standing at more than 200 feet in the air, the view from the crane’s cab might be one of the best in town. On a clear day, one can see everything from Eugene’s east hills and Hendricks Park to the city’s tallest building, the Ya-Po-Ah Terrace.

Sitting atop the swaying beast is Ray McArthur, who is tasked with operating the crane for Nesscampbell, a Northwest-based crane and rigging company. McArthur, 63, has worked as a crane operator for more than 30 years and operated cranes for numerous construction projects on both the University of Oregon and Oregon State University’s campuses. 

In Eugene, Ray McArthur operated cranes for the construction of Matthew Knight Arena, the EMU’s renovation, student housing, Autzen Stadium’s renovation, the Casanova extension, The Rec and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

In Eugene, McArthur operated cranes for the construction of Matthew Knight Arena, the EMU’s renovation, student housing, Autzen Stadium’s renovation, the Casanova extension, The Rec and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. He also worked on multiples projects at OSU including Reser Stadium and a science building. He is currently working on the Tykeson Hall construction project, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019.

McArthur, who lives in Pleasant Hill, Oregon, is a seasoned tower crane operator who portrays a surprising amount of calmness despite using such heavy machinery. But that wasn’t always the case.

“I used to seriously have to sit with two rags on my legs,” McArthur said. “I’d rub my hands on them just ‘cause I’d sweat that much.”

McArthur worked as a laborer in the construction industry for 10 years before he became involved in operating heavy machinery. He first started out operating boom trucks, then hydro cranes and continued to move into working with larger equipment as time went on. The first time he operated a crane was when a construction site superintendent asked if he would cover for the site’s tower operator, who had gone on vacation for the week.

“[The superintendent’s] operator in Portland was going to go deer hunting or something, so he wanted to know if I would cover for him,” McArthur said. “I had never been in a tower crane before so I said ‘Hell yeah, let’s do it.’”

There was no required training or necessary qualifications for operating tower cranes when McArthur first began operating in the 1980s. Now there is a five-year apprenticeship required to break into the profession.

On his first job, the site superintendent promised McArthur a week-long training session from the regular operator. After not finding time to go up in the crane on either Monday or Tuesday, the two finally made it up on Wednesday for a two-hour training session. The operator then told McArthur they would pick up where they left off the next morning, but that isn’t how it happened.

“Thursday morning, I’m waiting for the operator to show up to give me some more instruction,” McArthur said. “So I’m looking around, looking around and the son of a gun never came back in. Two hours of training and then the thing was in my lap. Talk about being scared.”

McArthur was thrown into the fire on his first crane operating job, but even after two decades of experience, he still considers his profession stressful.

“It gets pretty intense sometimes,” McArthur said. “I didn’t have grey hair before I started this job.”

The level of stress McArthur regularly experiences depends on factors such as the weather conditions, how much work there is and what type of work needs to be completed.

McArthur says the best way to avoid those stressful situations is good communication. Groundworkers communicate with the crane operator by using a combination of radio messages and hand signals. On large construction sites, operators work with a bellman who serves as eyes on the ground, but for smaller sites such as Tykeson Hall, McArthur is on his own.

The crane casts a shadow on the construction site. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

In order to work safely and effectively, operators must build a trust with the workers on the ground, McArthur said. This is especially true when the crane is operating in a blind spot that McArthur can’t see.

“If I can see it, I don’t sweat it,” McArthur said, “but if I can’t see it, if I’m picking stuff out of the basement or way over there where I can’t see, then those guys are running the crane, basically. I’m just doing what they tell me to do.”

Luckily, McArthur knows most of the other workers on the Tykeson Hall site, which gives him insight on who to trust and who to keep a closer eye on.

McArthur thought that Tykeson Hall would be his last job before retirement, but he’s a motorhead and couldn’t resist making an investment in a classic Chevy Nova last fall. Instead of retiring, he will operate the tower crane for the Knight Science Campus construction project, which broke ground in March 2018.

But for McArthur, delaying his retirement plans isn’t such a bad thing. Despite the stress that can come with being a crane operator, he truly loves the work he has made a career out of.

“I like the guys I work with. I like the challenge because every day is a challenge,” McArthur said. “Every day is something different. It’s not the same thing every day.”

MORE: View the Emerald’s full photo gallery from our climb up the crane.

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In June of 1978, thousands of Dead Heads made their way to Eugene for The Grateful Dead’s first performance at Autzen Stadium. Many were in search of a spiritually transformative musical experience — others just came for a good time.

Santana, Eddie Money, and The Outlaws joined The Grateful Dead for the first concert ever hosted at the Ducks’ home field. Music reporter Jock Hatfield wrote on the Emerald’s cover in ’78 that the concert was a “merger of California and Oregon culture, rain and weird.”

According to Hatfield, the event’s coordinators expected a crowd of 40,000; 45,000 showed. Not to mention the thousands standing outside the stadium listening from afar, looking for a “miracle” — a term Dead Heads use when in search of a free ticket.  

On June 30, 2018, The Grateful Dead found its way back to Autzen Stadium for the 40th anniversary of its first show at the venue. The performance also marked the first concert held at Autzen since U2’s performance in May of  ‘97.

“Long Live The Grateful Dead !!! We, of the Oregon Dead, are most grateful,” former Portland Trail Blazers star center wrote on his Instagram after Dead and Company’s Autzen performance. (Via Bill Walton’s Instagram)

This time, the group appeared in the form of Dead and Company, which is an offshoot that consists of Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.

The Grateful Dead’s return is more significant than just the anniversary of a concert and the reopening of Autzen’s musical gates, though.

“We thought it would be a good show for Autzen Stadium due to the Grateful Dead’s long connection to Eugene,” Associate Athletic Director Mike Duncan, who played a significant role in coordinating the concert, said in an email to the Emerald. “Their connections to Eugene, going back to the early years of the band, were an important factor in Dead and Company wanting to play Eugene.”

The Emerald’s cover in 1978 featured a concert review of The Grateful Dead’s Autzen Stadium performance. The show was the first to ever be hosted at the Ducks’ home field and attracted a crowd of 45,000. (Emerald Archives)

The history of The Grateful Dead in Eugene goes further back than ’78, and the impact the group has had on the region’s music scene and the Eugene-Springfield community as a whole is more significant than many may know.

“The Grateful Dead’s connection has a much more broad base impact on Eugene than them just playing music here,” Kit Kesey, the owner, founder and president of Kesey Enterprises, said. He also sat in on planning meetings for Dead and Company’s performance as a consultant.

Kit is the son of Chuck and Sue Kesey, who founded the Springfield Creamery in ’60. Chuck is also the brother of University of Oregon alum and author Ken Kesey, famous for his novels “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Sometimes A Great Notion.” Downtown Eugene’s Kesey Square is named after him.  

Ken, who passed away in ’01, was also well-known for his involvement in The Grateful Dead. Often regarded as a founding member of the group, Ken held the infamous Electric  Kool-Aid Acid Tests throughout the ’60s and ’70s at his home in La Honda, California. The Grateful Dead subsequently became the house band for those gatherings. Ken also brought the band to play shows at the Springfield Creamery.

So, when the creamery fell under hard financial times in the early ’70s, Chuck decided to visit the band in the Bay Area to ask if they would be interested in playing a benefit concert.

“The Grateful Dead came to the benefit for Springfield Creamery, which basically saved the creamery and allowed us to continue on,” Kit said. “And that was the beginning of my involvement in the music industry.”

More than 20,000 people were in attendance at the benefit, which took place on the Oregon Country fairgrounds in ’72. Chuck and Sue printed tickets for the benefit on the back of Nancy’s Yogurt labels, a product the couple had launched out of their creamery just two years before.

Today, Nancy’s Yogurt sells in all 50 states and select locations in Canada. The couple still own the creamery.

The Keseys helped coordinate more Grateful Dead shows in Eugene, including the Autzen performance in ’78 and the 10-year anniversary of the creamery benefit show in ’82.

The ’82 Field Trip performance was another benefit show that took place on the fairgrounds. This time, the concert was a fundraiser for the Country Fair itself. In prior years, the fair had leased the fairgrounds, but continuing to do so was no longer a viable option.

The Grateful Dead’s performance drew a crowd of 20,000, according to The Register-Guard. The large turnout helped raise enough money for the fair to purchase the land on which it still operates. The 49th annual Oregon Country Fair will take place July 13-15.

The Grateful Dead performed at the Oregon Country Fairgrounds in 1972. The concert was a benefit to save the Kesey’s family owned Springfield Creamery, which is where Nancy’s Yogurt is produced. (Via Kesey Enterprises)

The Grateful Dead returned to Eugene again in ’83 and ’84 at the Hult Center, becoming the first rock group to ever perform at the event center.

The Grateful Dead would go on to play at Autzen in ’87 with Bob Dylan for the Alone and Together Tour, in ’88 as the sole main act and again in ’90 with rock group Little Feet. Little Feet frontman Lowell George produced The Grateful Dead’s ’78 record “Shakedown Street.”

Vicky Gelatt, the owner of the Lane County Music History Project, described the atmosphere at Eugene Grateful Dead shows as “one big happy family,” and “A journey. Always left feeling like I was on a journey.”

In June of ’93, The Grateful Dead played Autzen again. Along with Bill Graham, a San Francisco-based concert promoter, and Double T, a Portland-based concert promotion company, Kit organized for the band to perform back-to-back nights at the stadium.

Following the ’93 performance, there was community outcry that the university was condoning the use of illegal drugs by hosting The Grateful Dead at Autzen. In response, the university banned the group from returning to the stadium, according to the Register-Guard and Willamette Week.

But the ban didn’t last long. Dead Heads quickly organized a protest and the ban was lifted. The Grateful Dead returned to Autzen in ’94 for what would be its last performance at the stadium. Kit and the other promoters were able to arrange for the band to play three consecutive nights.

“There was nothing like it. No other band had that,” Kit said of those live performances. “Grateful Dead was truly a unique concert experience because it was much more than a concert. At that point, they had 25,000 people follow them out to door wherever they went. I always said you could’ve put Grateful Dead in Burns, Oregon, and you could’ve got 34,000 people, and you can’t say that about any other band.”

The Emerald’s cover in 1994 featured a concert review of The Grateful Dead’s final performance at Autzen Stadium. During the show, The Dead hinted at the idea of it being the band’s last performance at the stadium by performing a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time.” (Emerald Archives)

But in August of ’95, tragedy struck The Grateful Dead community. Lead singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia passed away from a heart attack. Garcia previously suffered a drug relapse that sent him to a rehabilitation center in central California, where he died in his room.

The Grateful Dead was never the same following the loss. Throughout the late ’90s and ’00s, the remaining members tried organizing several offshoot groups, such as the Other Ones and the Dead. The group’s first return to Eugene following Garcia’s death was the Further Festival in ’96.  

In ’97, U2 and Rage Against the Machine hosted the first concert at Autzen following Garcia’s death. It was also the last performance at the venue prior to Dead and Company’s recent show.

“In my opinion, it was just a financial reason,” Kit said of the university’s decision to stop holding shows at Autzen. “There were no other bands that really had the traveling fan base that could support a show of that size.”

Throughout the process of organizing The Grateful Dead’s ’90s performances, Kit founded Kesey Enterprises, which is a concert and event production and promotion company. Kesey Enterprises now owns Eugene’s McDonald Theatre, which Kit began leasing in ’01 and later purchased in ’09.

The company also has a joint concessions agreement with Double T productions and the city of Eugene to produce concerts at Cuthbert Amphitheater. The venues are some of the most popular music performance facilities in the region and bring 100s of artists to Eugene every year.

Kit directly credits The Grateful Dead’s performance at the benefit for the Springfield Creamery as means of his current livelihood with Kesey Enterprises.

“They basically reboosted Springfield Creamery, they boosted me and then they allowed me to get back involved in the music industry,” Kit said. “That then started me up looking at venues and buying the McDonald Theatre. It goes full circle.”

In a way, one concert opened an avenue for music to thrive in Eugene for decades.

So when Dead and Company packed Autzen with thousands of fans on June 30, it was more than the 40-year anniversary of The Grateful Dead’s first show at the venue and first performance there in over 20 years.

For many members of the Eugene-Springfield community, the concert served as a reminding symbol of the unmatched, everlasting impact the band has had on the region’s music, economy, politics, culture and everything in between.

“[The Grateful Dead] put my life on a course that, without their participation, it wouldn’t have been on,” Kit said. “I actually can’t see anybody that was much more influenced by it. It changed what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. Individual band members, it’s way past that to more what the band itself did to influence my world.”

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Eugene police shot an armed man after he allegedly broke into a house and stabbed an occupant to death early Saturday morning, according to a press release from the Eugene Police department.

David Justo Duran, 32, is the suspect in the case, the Register-Guard reports. Duran was released from prison on June 22, after serving a three-year sentence for probation violations following a First Degree Burglary and Menacing conviction in 2015, according to Lane County Circuit Court and Oregon Department of Corrections records.

Police confirmed the victim’s name is 36-year-old Eugene resident Donald Bruce Rivers.

At approximately 4:29 a.m., Eugene Police reportedly received a call that a man was trying to break into Rivers’ house near W 13th Avenue and Washington Street. Rivers confronted the intruder and was subsequently stabbed in the neck and throat.

Police quickly responded to the scene and began looking for the suspect who had escaped on foot.

The police eventually located Duran in the backyard of 546 W 13 Ave. He was armed with a knife. After attempting to resolve the situation with tasers, police fired shots and hit Duran.

Following the incident, Duran was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for his wounds. The victim was also taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries that occurred during the stabbing.

“This was a dangerous, rapidly evolving situation with a violent suspect,” said Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner. “All indications are that officers gave the suspect every opportunity to comply, including the use of a taser, and then were faced with the difficult but necessary decision to use deadly force.”

Roads were temporally closed near the 1200 and 1300 blocks of Jefferson, Polk and Washington. Police had asked travelers to avoid those areas.

This story is developing and will be updated when new information becomes available.

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We’ve made it. Well, almost. To celebrate the end of the school year, Emerald Arts & Culture writers compiled their favorite releases from the last few months. Celebrate summer and look back at the last year with some of the Emerald’s favorite albums and tracks.

Arctic Monkeys, Kanye West and more: new music, old friends

The first half of 2018 has seen numerous artists release new music, which isn’t out of the norm. But there is an interesting trend emerging through the music released this year: Many popular artists who haven’t released music in years are suddenly back. And they’re owning the scene, too.

For the first time in a long time, Arctic Monkeys, A$AP Rocky, J. Cole, Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Pusha T have new records. Each one of those artists dominated popular music in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but have since been surprisingly quiet — excluding Kanye West, of course. What isn’t surprising, however, is that these music stars are back like they never left. While their music will never be like it once was, there is no significant dip in quality or creativity from each of these artists’ music. It’s always fun to discover new artists and music, but it’s always nice to hear from old friends again, too.

— Zach Price

“The Ooz” — King Krule

“The Ooz” — King Krule

Archy Marshall’s third album, “The Ooz,” occupied the darkest, most sensitive spaces between indie rock and acid jazz in the last year. Released in early October, “The Ooz” offered an immersive album that guided listeners through the sadness and melancholy of grey skies and wet asphalt.

“The Ooz,” regarded by Pitchfork as one of the best records of the year, also fixed King Krule as a world-class musician. Compounding off the success of his first two albums, Krule’s 2017 release was the climax of a visionary talent finding his truest sound. When Oregon’s gloominess inevitably comes back around, “The Ooz” will be waiting.

— Jordan Montero

“NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES” — N.E.R.D

This album is a hidden gem. “Lemon,” featuring Rihanna, is the most well-known single, but this album has much more to offer. If you enjoy the sounds of rap blended with upbeat tempos, this is the project you should listen to end the school year. In just 11 songs, it manages to give you a variety of choices: you might just find your next favorite head bopper.

— Amira Borders

“KOD” — J Cole

If you are someone who is looking for a message in your playlists, then J Cole’s “KOD” is the right pick. J Cole shows his growth as a successful rapper dealing with fame, money and other temptations. He makes sure the music is digestible and not too overbearing, like a long lecture. Cole arguably released the most top-tier rap album of the year so far.

— Amira Borders

“Invasion of Privacy”  — Cardi B

Summer is coming soon, and with that students will need plenty of anthems to sing aloud in the car, on the beach or at home. Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy” is full of tracks for every mood a person could possibly have this summer. Whether dancing at a bar to “Bickenhead” or “I Like It,” everyone who listengs to the album will be hyped.

— Amira Borders

“Now Only” — Mount Eerie

On “Now Only,” songwriter Phil Elverum — who records these days under the moniker Mount Eerie — continued to reflect on the recent passing of his wife, Geneviève Castrée. The album pushed past the minimalism of its 2017 counterpart, “A Crow Looked At Me,” with both defeated pop songs and long, meditative narratives. It may be difficult to subject the record to any type of criticism given its intensely personal nature, but at the same time, it’s hard not to recognize “Now Only” as yet another Mount Eerie masterstroke. His honest lyricism, subtle guitar arrangements and expert self-production help to effectively translate his personal suffering into an emotional work of art.

— Nic Castillon

The post Emerald Recommends: the best releases of the year so far appeared first on Emerald Media.

The University of Oregon campus was surprisingly quiet for a beautiful Friday night on May 18. That is until the sun started to set behind the valley’s rolling hills and sounds of future bass began erupting from Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater. 

On Friday, Denver-based producer and DJ Illenium brought his world-renowned electronic bass music, as well as a host of other impressive musical acts, to Eugene. The show’s openers included Eugene-based producer Evergreen, North Carolina DJ Cry Wolf and festival favorite Big Wild.

EDM artist and producer Big Wild hits his hi-hat. the Illenium performs at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Friday, May 18, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Wild performed an hour-long set filled with his usual vibey tunes and a variety of live percussion, including drum pads and a Cajon box drum. The Massachusetts native performed everything from a remix of Kanye West’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” to his famous remix of Sylvan Esso’s “Hey Mami.”

After Big Wild thanked the crowd and left the stage, it was only a short 10-minute wait until the night’s main event began. The sun had just made its final descent and a quiet chill went through the amphitheater, but it would only last for a moment.

Epic sounds of clashing drums and blaring horns came from the loudspeakers, sending the crowd in a frenzy toward the stage. Illenium opened the show with “Crawl Outta Love” — a fitting choice for the moment; the song’s lyrics read, “And when the sky went dark.”

Illenium was accompanied on stage by eight high-resolution LED screens that painted quick, exaggerated scenes of rolling landscapes and later, more psychedelic animations. His DJ setup had two Mac laptops riding over his turntables, a series of drum pads to his left and a keyboard on the right.

Following his first track, Illenium introduced electronic producer Said The Sky, who played piano on the duo’s track “Where’d U Go.” Said The Sky would enter and exit the stage periodically throughout the night, adding a melodic touch of keys and synths at just the right moments.

Denver-based EDM artist Illenium takes the stage. Illenium performs at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Friday, May 18, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

While it was obvious that the show didn’t completely sell out, the venue still saw a good number of audience members in attendance. Cuthbert’s lower bowl was packed with rave-goers wearing neon colors, fishnet leggings and tribal designs painted on their faces. The upper bowl left room for listeners to dance freely without bumping into others.

Outside of his original work, one highlight from the night came when Illenium teased San Holo’s “Light” and then seamlessly mixed in Kanye’s “All Of The Lights” to create an incredible fusion of two genres.

Throughout the night, Illenium did a good job of transitioning in and out of genres, moving quickly from his emotional original work to trap hip-hop remixes to heavy bass and dubstep. A series of flashing strobes, CO2 cannons and colorful rotating lights complimented the rainbow of genres well.

Fans of Illenium dance to the music during the show. Illenium performs at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore. on Friday, May 18, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

As the night began to wind down, Illenium rounded out the show by performing his now-famous remixes of The Chainsmokers’ “Don’t Let Me Down” and Marshmello’s “Silence.” He then thanked the crowd for showing him a good time during his first visit to Eugene, promising to return. But his night was just getting started.

Following his Eugene performance, Illenium flew to Las Vegas where he performed at the annual Electric Daisy Festival, one of the world’s largest and longest standing electronic music festivals.

“After this, I’m going to EDC to premiere this song with Excision,” Illenium said. “I’m not really supposed to play it, but I wanna show you guys, so here it is.”

The premiere of “Gold,” which still hasn’t been officially released, went over well with the Cuthbert audience. After his final performance of the night, Illenium thanked the crowd and then headed to the Eugene airport. He had a flight to catch to Vegas, where he took the stage with Excision to premiere the song again at 3 a.m.

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