In the summer of 1983 McMenamins Barley Mill Pub opened its doors, poured the first beer and turned up the Grateful Dead. This is the place that launched it all, the place where Captain Neon was born and traditions began - like the annual Barley Mill Brew Day and subsequent beer. Come celebrate McMenamins history with food & drink specials, cake and a Passport stamp.

Cheers to where we've been and to where we're headed next!

Live Music

4-6pm * The Old Yellers
7-9pm * Always a Hoot

Three decades in the making, Always A Hoot!, began as a friendship between two U of O students. In 1988, Eric Shirazi began a cross country trip to Eugene, where he met Rob Cork. The two musicians discovered their common love of harmony and appreciation of the Grateful Dead, bluegrass, and Americana. Years later, Eric, and Steve Dearborn, both members of another band, wanted to take their music in a different direction and decided to form a new group. Bringing Rob into the mix gave the trio an opportunity to create the bluegrass style harmonies and the improvisational jams that have been thrilling audiences since October, 2021. As they worked out their distinctive vocals and musical parts, the guys realized that there was a piece missing. In the fall of 2022, that missing piece was filled by percussionist, Bryan Finke, who shares the same musical interests.

While the band members have a deep appreciation for the Grateful Dead, and that music was the seed that has blossomed into this group of musicians, it would be a mistake to consider them a Grateful Dead cover band. With four strong singers, any song with the potential for harmonies has a chance of being added to their set list. From bouncy pop hits, country and blues classics, to 70s easy listening, the tunes are a delicious playlist on shuffle. You never know what you're going to get, but it's going to be tasty.

Always A Hoot! is Eric Shirazi, bass and vocals, Steve Dearborn, guitar, mandolin, mandola, harmonica, and vocals, Brian Finke, percussion, and vocals, Rob Cork, guitar, and vocals.

Website:

https://alwaysahootband.com/

The Old Yellers began in early 2001 when founding members Michael Berly and Matty V Hartless came together with the goal to write great songs built around vocal harmonies and well crafted stories. The idea was to write songs with a message that could be felt and understood by nearly anyone. They were soon joined by friends Diego Joyeux and Tim Connell and this core group has been playing together in one form or another ever since.

In the years that followed, albums were made, tours were undertaken, fun was had and many great musicians would take their turn coming in and adding to the overall magic. It is difficult to label them any one thing, because at times they have seemed more Rock and Roll, or Alt-Country, or Americana, or Folk Rock, but there is and always has been, a consistency, a uniqueness, something special, that has woven itself throughout the path they have traveled. Whether you call them The Old Yellers or The Yellers, they are are at heart, an American band, writing and performing their own original music, that above all, strives to evolve the consciousness of the global community and generate a real revolution of spirit.

The Bands powerhouse core has been blessed to surround themselves with a cast of stellar musicians who have, for nearly 15 years, formed the family band that is The Old Yellers. The band defies the limits of categorization into a single genre and can take a crowd on a seamless journey from raucous country honky tonk, to tender heartfelt ballads, past a potential Irish jig and back to the cornerstone of rock and roll all in the span of just a few songs. Yeller music is an eclectic blend of rollicking good time songs that win crowds over again and again.

Website:

http://www.theoldyellers.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-YELLERS/89536394443