One night, two concerts, two towns

Published 3:30 am Monday, June 6, 2022

BAKER CITY, LA GRANDE — You’ll have your choice of concerts Friday, June 10, with Hillfolk Noir playing in Baker City and Jobe Woosley and Co. appearing in La Grande.

Hillfolk Noir

This trio, based in Boise, will play at Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St., Baker City. Doors open at 6 p.m. (enter through the 16th Street parking lot) and the music begins at 6:45 p.m.

Tickets are $10 in advance at churchillbaker.com or $15 at the door. Children age 15 and younger who are fully vaccinated can attend free with a ticket-holding adult. Proof of COVID vaccination or negative test is required.

Hillfolk Noir formed 16 years and has the same members today: Travis Ward, Alison Ward and Mike Waite.

“It’s been the same trio the whole time,” Travis Ward said.

After about a year of playing, they decided to go full acoustic. Their music is reminiscent of the 1920s and ‘30s — he describes their concerts as “old time sound with a raucous delivery.”

Travis is the singer/songwriter, and plays guitar and suitcase (he actually calls it a “suit-kick” and uses it as a bass drum).

Alison sings and plays musical saw, washboard and banjo. Waite plays double bass.

Their music, Travis, said, gets people moving.

“Especially little kids — kids can’t help themselves,” he said.

They’ve toured in Europe a few times and across the United States, but most years their route is to the Midwest and back through the Pacific Northwest. This is the first time they’ve played in Baker City.

Jobe Woosely & Co.

Oregon-born folk Americana artist Jobe Woosley has been writing since 2010, and this Friday his band will play for the Side A-lley concert series, on the back patio of Side A Brewing, 1219 Washington Ave., La Grande.

The music starts at 7:30 p.m.

Woosley has teamed up with musicians over the years to add the “& Co.” to the band’s name. He draws inspiration from folk singers of the 1960s.