Ari Hoenig: A Thrill on the Drums

By Ariel Rose

At first listen, Ari Hoenig’s most popular song on Spotify gives me snowy Sunday morning coffee by the fire vibes. The next song that pops up on shuffle transports me out of my pajamas into a dark New York cocktail lounge where I might brush elbows with a mysterious stranger dressed in black from Europe while I sip on a dirty martini. Being someone who appreciates spontaneity and versatility, I’m thrilled, which isn’t surprising considering “thrilling” is used by writers to describe Hoenig’s drumming style again and again and again. Hoenig’s subtly is just as dynamic as his versatility, and hitting shuffle on his Spotify discography is a journey in and of itself. He’s celebrated for not relegating his drumming to simply keeping tempo, but instead making it the central focus of the music he’s a part of. He’s renowned world-wide, not only for his unique and unconventional approach to drumming, but as a composer and educator as well.

Ari Hoenig was born in 1973 in Philadelphia and was exposed to a wide variety of music from an early age. His father is a conductor and classical singer, and his mother is a violinist and pianist. At only four years old, Hoenig began studying violin and piano. He started playing drums at age 12 and, by age 14, he was already honing his skills with other young jazz musicians playing clubs around Philly. After a brief three year stint at the University of North Texas, he decided he wanted to be closer to New York and transferred to William Paterson College in Northern New Jersey. True to his unconventional form, he dropped out after just one semester and moved to Brooklyn where he continued to explore and hone his craft.

Hoenig’s musical resume is extensive both as a soloist and working with other musicians. He’s currently leading a quintet, a nonet, a trio, co-leads a variety of other projects, teaches, and somehow still finds time to compose. When he isn’t on tour or traveling to teach, he resides in Brooklyn with his wife & two kids.

Ari Hoenig’s show is a part of a new series called Midtown Sessions, where Open Space in collaboration with Rimshot Productions bring world class musicians to beautiful Bend, Oregon. Join New York-based jazz drummer Ari Hoenig at Open Space on Thursday, November 18th, at 7:30 pm for an intimate night of music. Tickets are $48 and include a drink ticket as well as catered appetizers. This event isn’t one to be missed! Click here for tickets.

First Friday in the Central District

By Ariel Rose

As Bend's art and music scenes continue to grow, the businesses in the budding Central District have teamed up to give new flavor to a well-worn Bend tradition: First Friday. The Central District has remained true to its roots and continues to be a hot spot in town for local businesses, makers, artisans, and otherwise off the beaten path demographics. The energy was high on Friday night, and, after talking to many of the people that showed up, they were excited to escape the busy, bustling summer sidewalks of downtown for a space that encouraged you to pull up a chair, pour a pint, and stay for a while.

Solo artist, Ryan Nelson, and The Bucklys, played music under the lights on Open Space's patio while pedestrians perused local artisan booths sipping a curated selection of Pacific Northwest beers, wines, ciders, and kombucha. Miranda Kelton, a local photographer who showcased her work, said she was excited to hear about the call to artists at Open Space and to join the event. "When I first came to town, there wasn't anything like it," she said. "I'm excited to see how the BCD First Friday grows." June L. Park Art & In Stitches by Sara, both local artists, also had booths set up and enjoyed the change of pace. As the event grows, Open Space hopes to offer a monthly haven for all flavors of creators to showcase their talents.

The Central District First Friday's goal is simple: to become an extension of the already well-loved local tradition. The hope is to breathe new life into this forgotten block of Bend's history, re-purpose it's buildings, and bring a new creative and economic era to its concrete. This event is open to everyone, and we especially want to offer a platform to support new and upcoming creators in Bend that haven't been given a space to voice themselves yet. Open Space will continue to host music and artisans every First Friday, so if you or someone you know, is interested in setting up shop with us on First Friday (or any other day, for that matter!), reach out to info@openspace.studio. For a complete list of the businesses participating in the Central District First Friday event & to stay up to date on all of its happenings, follow @bendcentraldistrictfirstfriday on Instagram.

A Pledge to Cliché Optimism in 2021

Opening an event venue in the middle of a pandemic isn't exactly what we had in mind, so we have no choice but to keep a look out for the rainbows after the rain.

It's time for some positivity...

We have all heard them. We have all seen them on mantles of vacation rental homes. I am talking about cliché quotes about optimism.

For Example:

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery and today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

or the classic.....

"If life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

Why can motivational quotes be so loathsome for us skeptics out there? The really corny ones are over used. They saturate social media as currency for cheap inspiration and a like. They offer an overly simplistic way of relating to the complexities of living a chaotic and ever changing life that inevitably forces us to face challenges, hard emotions, and redirections.

And in our current point in history, each one of us has had to do just that. We have been challenged by an extra dose of turmoil due to a global pandemic that seems never ending, the upheaval of the economy, media, societal norms, family life and a wrenching political crisis. All of those things create a lot of hard emotions and it often feels like we are readjusting our shared versions of reality on the daily. Cliché optimism feels like a slap in the face when we are out here in our dhingy, riding out the storm.

However, these cliches are shared for a reason. At some point in our human journeys, unfettered optimism is the only choice to make for the sake of our sanity.

That is why we here at Open Space Event Studios are making a pledge to clichéd optimism in 2021. We are going to throw up our hands and embrace all the dorky pun 'presents', the lemons and lemonade, and we are going to gear up for the moon.

Why? Well, we are attempting a spectacularly amusing feat by opening an event venue in the middle of a seemingly never-ending pandemic. In the beginning of 2021, when there are still so many challenges in front of us —it looks as there is no end in sight.

It is easy for the mind to go dark places, it is much harder to choose the positive path. But that is what we are going to do. We are going to sally forth beyond our doubt and believe that the world will be a better place in 2021. Where we get to see our friends, and watch plays and films, listen to live music, send our kids to school and be with our colleagues. We must believe that we will be able to gather and connect and create together because that is what Open Space is all about. It is an event and collaborative work space.

After a long renovation process, we will be officially open by the end of January. In this first quarter of the year, we are seeking to provide a Covid compliant space for small workshops, creative production teams, and we are reaching out to those other dreamers who are ready to start envisioning what could be when the world opens up to us again. Please feel free to reach out to us atopenspaceeventstudio@gmail.com if you would like to see the space.

Just remember, "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

; ) Be well.

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