GOBLE TAVERN
by M. Sebenoler
There is no greater time than summer in the northwest. Numerous festivals
and parties abound, the great music and talent that is our legacy here
in the northwest. Many of these events have become annual, and you
can just about plan your calendar of events accordingly.
One smaller festival in its fourth rendition this year is Goble Warming
IV Music Festival and Tractor Show. It’s located at the Goble
Tavern in Goble, Oregon, about 40 miles north of Portland on Highway
30 (between St. Helens and Ranier). It’s easy to find, since
the tavern is the only one of three businesses in Goble. (There is
a tiny grocery store down at the boat landing and Wave Recording Studio
is located there.) The Columbia River is only yards from the tavern
that houses a replica Viking ship (that was in the Rose Festival decades
ago) in its parking lot.
Bar owner and musician Jerry Modin has decorated the small building
(capacity about 50) with all sorts of music paraphernalia and Americana,
which creates a great ambiance in the century-old building. Although
on a tight, small budget, music acts from all over the northwest book
dates at the tavern. The club has the only live music (with no cover
charge) for about a 50-mile stretch along the Columbia River Highway
and the local patrons are a real appreciative audience of the great
music that comes through Goble.
Goble Warming is slated Saturday, Aug. 16, this year, and has moved
into the beer garden behind the bar. A large covered stage has been
constructed and is a permanent fixture. Several bands have elected
to take the music outside this summer, depending on the weather. Approximately
eight-nine bands will perform this year and the event will kick off
about 2 p.m. and go to midnight.
Heavy Petting Zoo will be back this year, along with a great new band,
the Pennsyltucky Takeover, a bluegrass-rock styled unit that relocated
to Portland from Pennsylvania. Guy Live! and the Rockin’ River
Batz are also back this year and several new acts will be featured.
As of this writing, there are a couple of slots open.
The Tractor Show is basically old, unique large and small tractors
that win various prizes, including a grand prize for driving the farthest.
There is also outrageous, delicious cuisine featuring hickory smoked
ribs and BBQ chicken. A great sound system by Ray Ryder of Wave Studios
really makes all the music sound better and the bottom line is that
the show is free! There’s plenty of parking in the large parking
lot and several campsites are available adjacent to it all, first come,
first served.
A false rumor that former Goble resident Willie Nelson will make an
appearance this year (his mom was a bartender at the bar in the ‘50s)
is just that – a rumor.
If you’ve never been out this way, the drive is easy and scenic,
the festival is free and it’s always a lot of fun. See you Aug.
16!
(Any music acts interested in appearing at Goble Warming should contact
the tavern A.S.A.P. at 503-556-4090.)
HOME
|
