Hare jamming through COVID, Names TD "Little Music City"

Al Hare is gigging through the virus, but he has had to flex his style. He now focuses on solo and duo performances to accommodate changes at music venues. He has also christened The Dalles “Little Music City” based on the high ratio of music venues per capita in his hometown.

By Jim Drake

 In the midst of a global pandemic and the economic hardship it has created for local musicians and the venues they play, guitarist Al Hare considers himself lucky and blessed to be still working here in The Dalles.

Drake: What is it like for a local musician to be working during an era of COVID-19 restrictions?

Hare: “Firstly, I am so honored and lucky to be working at this time. A lot of my friends around the country, the region and all over the world - they are out of work and they are basically done. And I played seven gigs last week,” Hare said.

Hare has been playing every day and sometimes, twice a day. 

The steady work is the result of his network of associates and friends and people knowing he makes music for a living. That has made it possible for him to stay active.

“I used to travel around and play, and now with the restrictions, I can’t do that anymore. But these club owners here in town have had an open door for me. I’ve been ultra-blessed, and I can’t believe how well I’m doing right now,” Hare said.

But as he looks around, he sees the struggle of other musicians, and of the struggle to keep a venue operating. 

“I think we have a very unique situation here. We have club and restaurant owners that really believe in music. They feel like it really enhances their opportunity for people to come to the restaurant. They think it’s a courtesy to their customers that they provide entertainment, and they all think that way,” Hare said.

He mentioned that the Last Stop Saloon is doing music seven nights a week.

“Even in this time, all of the venue owners believe in music and live entertainment,” Hare said.

Drake: But are patrons respecting all the guidelines for social distancing at the venues he plays at?

Hare: “Yes, overall, but one thing that’s sad is the people who I don’t see anymore- the people who enjoy dancing. Dancing is still prohibited, and they are heartbroken over this situation.” 

The social distancing requirements for venues has made it impossible for full bands to perform, so Hare has reformatted his music for more intimate acoustic solo and duo performances.

“It’s really all been focused toward more entertainment-background music rather than the danceable material that a full band can provide,” Hare said.

Hare’s country-rock band Brewer’s Grade is currently on hiatus due to the pandemic. The band won an International Music and Entertainment Association’s award for Best Country Band in 2018.

“Most of my personal friends are in the restaurant industry - owners, cooks, service staff, and they have had to change everything that they do about their job to make it feasible for people to come in. And they are really doing an outstanding job.”

He’s witnessed customers being rude to the restaurant staff when it comes to wearing masks and getting seated. There are a lot of guidelines that restaurants have to walk the line on, and he sees employees really making the effort in that regard.

“I had a guy walk right past the “Please Wait To Be Seated Sign,” without a mask on, and he sat right near me. I said “Sir, this is the kind of thing that can get this restaurant in trouble. Please put your mask on,” Hare said.

He wishes people would just do what’s required to ensure venues stay open.

“Make no mistake, the restaurants are struggling, and the last thing we need is for people to not follow the rules and have the venues shut down again. They are already being asked to function at 50% capacity as it is,” Hare said.

Little Music City

Before everything shut down, Hare was entertaining the idea of branding The Dalles as “Little Music City,” a moniker that reflects, in his opinion, the high ratio of music venues per capita in his hometown. He noted that the mainstay venues like Zim’s and Rivertap complement venues like Bargeway and Last Stop Saloon, who have been consistently hosting live music five and seven nights a week.

Hare’s pre-pandemic music venue list for The Dalles clocked in at twenty-one in total.

“When things change, I want to have momentum for my goal of seriously branding this town “Little Music City” and have it be a tourist attraction. We’re moving toward that, and a destination town for entertainment is something that works everywhere. We’re on a small scale, but if people like to travel to Austin for music, or Missouri or Nashville, they’ve probably done it a few times and they’re looking for something else to do. And if they’re lured here by the “Little Music City” name, then they can enjoy the rest of what we have to offer out here,” Hare said. 

 This week, Al Hare plays Last Stop Saloon (Thursday), Zim’s (Friday), Bargeway (Saturday - lunch) and Rivertap (Saturday - dinner).