Join us for an intimate evening of
music, stories & song
Columbia Gorge Center for the Arts invites you to an intimate evening with three local-to-the-Gorge singer-songwriters—Matt Mesa, Scott Sparks, and Rick Hulett.
This trio will trade stories and songs in a quiet, listening atmosphere.
You’ve heard them playing around the Gorge in bands, now experience some fine, local songwriting in an “unplugged” show.
This is the first of what we hope will be an ongoing series focused on songwriting talent in the Columbia River Gorge and elsewhere.
The show takes place on Friday, April 8, starting at 7:30pm.
Biographies
Scott Sparks is a caring nurturer who's impeccable taste and sense of smell make him one of the most sought-after singer/songwriters on the road today. Through his constant search of perfection he has managed to create a shameful compilation of self-adoring and lifeless ballads that are sure to bring dismay to audiences and decrease bar sales. He has recently left Austin with a suitcase of tunes he stole from those far greater.
Matt Mesa has fronted the alt-bluegrass bands No Depression and All Night Station, the Americana-leaning Mile Marker 6, and currently leads a quintet of the finest musicians in the Gorge playing original roots-rock as Barlow Road. Mesa writes songs about the dark side of the Gorge, places he’s never been to, and all the dirt and grime we tend to get on ourselves in the daily grind. .
Rick Hulett Rick Hulett came to the Gorge over 20 years ago from Texas (via Colorado) for a windsurfing vacation and never went home. He plays with lots of bands. Lots and lots of bands. For instance, the Hapa Hillbillies, Django's Cadillac, Ben Bonham Trio, the Bohemian Social Club, Barlow Road, Onehum, Moe Dixon and lots of others. Most Thursdays he plays at the jam at The Pines in Hood River. Rick and Rod Kreibel have a fledgling recording studio in the Rustic Splendor of the Old Bingen Theater called Big River Recording. It's cool. You'll like it. As Rick likes to say:
“I was born and raised up right in Lubbock, Texas, where I still have family. I'm a graduate of the Earl Swinford School of Guitar. OK, well there wasn't really graduation, but I got my picture on the wall (you had to be there to understand). Later, I played with other West Texan musicians Joe Ely, Lloyd Maines, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, and Tommy X Hancock and the Supernatural Family Band. The most logical thing to do next seemed to be to become a rocket scientist at NASA so I did that for a while. Eventually I went crazy and left on a sailboat. After lots of miles I recovered temporary sanity long enough to move to Hood River in 1986. Had kids, settled down, got a job, played music, got a mortgage, played music, got cancer, almost died, etc., you know, the normal stuff. But really, I'm not normal at all.”
Ticket Price
Thanks in advance for your agreeing to pay a $5 fee at the door, or in advance at Columbia Center for the Arts, to help us cover our costs.
For More Information
Contact Catherine Butler, Columbia Center for the Arts at performance@columbiaarts.org