The Decemberists and The Head And The Heart Tours Unify in Oregon

Two Pacific Northwest-born bands, The Decemberists and The Head And The Heart are meeting amid their separate tours to play a show together in Bend July 12 at Hayden Homes Amphitheater at 6 pm. The Decemberists, formed in Portland during the early 2000s, will tour 21 U.S. cities through the summer, accompanied at most shows, including this one, by indie-alternative musicians Ratboys. The Decembrists have been described as “hyperliterate folk-rock” and are known for their narratively dense and genre-bending songs. Indie-rockers The Head and the Heart, originally from Seattle, join the Decemberists solely for the Bend show. They are going on their own tour this summer, playing solo shows and performing at music festivals. The Decemberists are partnered with Plus1, a nonprofit that uses events to fundraise for social causes. Plus1 receives $1 from each ticket purchased for the tour and uses it to aid social and environmental justice initiatives. If you are driving to Bend, then note that the venue is mostly grass and has no permanent seating. Seat cushions, beach towels and yoga mats are permitted on the lawn, but chairs are not. If you really want to nerd out on The Decembrists, check out lead singer Colin Meloy’s Substack at ColinMeloy.substack.com. In his May 23 post he writes, “the area in front of the stage in a standing room show is a sacred space,” and decries that the audience had to pay more to be there. Umm, head’s up, Hayden Homes Amphitheater!

The Decemberists and The Head And The Heart play 6 pm at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 South West Shevlin Hixon Drive, Bend. Tickets start at $67 for viewing from the lawn. Closest to the stage, the “pit” is a standing only area and tickets start at $111. Reserved seating is available for $89 minimum between the other two sections.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!