Robert Ham

1 week ago | wweek.com | Robert Ham

Buying a ticket to see a concert by a musical artist who got their start in the ’60s and ’70s means entering a state of suspended disbelief. No, they aren’t going to sound as good as they did back in their heyday, and, in some cases, the group on stage might only feature one member from the original or classic lineup. Even with that unspoken understanding, what then to make of the band that played at the White Eagle Saloon this past Sunday calling itself Gong.

2 weeks ago | wweek.com | Robert Ham

The seasoned outdoor enthusiasts among us are all set. Since most campgrounds in the state start taking reservations at least six months in advance, those savvy folk likely had their laptops and smartphones out early in the new year, locking down the spot for their summer outing. According to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, 75% of the campsites in the state are booked through the end of August.

3 weeks ago | wweek.com | Robert Ham

There’s no doubting the sincerity of the Oregon Symphony’s tribute to composer Angelo Badalamenti and filmmaker David Lynch, collaborators since 1986 who died in January 2022 and 2025, respectively.

1 month ago | l8r.it | Robert Ham

Few bands in the heavy-music world can match the ambition and vision of Mastodon. Since 2000, the Atlanta-born quartet have amassed a discography that fuses slow-churning sludge with interstellar prog, adding a good touch of blues boogie and hard-rock swagger into the mix for good measure. The sound that they’ve developed and honed over the course of eight full-lengths (and a raft of EPs) has given them ample room to explore lyrical topics both fantastical and devastatingly personal.

1 month ago | wweek.com | Robert Ham

Gresham often feels almost like an afterthought to Portlanders—a way station to gas up or grab snacks and supplies on the way to Mount Hood and points beyond. Living as I do right on the border between the cities, I can attest that there’s much more to the fifth-largest city in the state than you might catch on first glance. Taco trucks and Mexican restaurants abound, as do markets and bakeries catering to the Eastern European diaspora.