The fourth annual Guitars Under the Stars music festival, scheduled for July 26 and July 27, will be bittersweet for area Bobaflex fans.
After more than two decades as a band, Bobaflex is hanging up its guitars and disbanding in September, according to its Facebook page.
That’s the bad news, said Guitars Under the Stars owner Jason Cripe. “The good news is they’re still coming.”
The group headlines the second night of the festival, Cripe said, and he intends to commemorate the band by emblazoning a tagline from the song “Bobaflex Warriors” on the festival’s all access passes: “Bobaflex Warriors throw up your blasters.”
GUTS will be one of the last chances to see the group, Cripe said. The group takes the stage at 10 p.m. on July 27.
Headlining at 10 p.m. on Friday, July 26, at Cheadle Park is Liliac, which will film video footage at GUTs, Cripe said. The front of the stage will be reserved for fans 18 and younger.
“That band is very inspiring, made up of a bunch of folks 11-18,” Cripe said. “If anything epitomizes what this festival is about, it’s this band.”
It’s not a novelty act, he said, pointing to a “12-year-old throwing down licks that make adult players who performed earlier in the day want to go practice.”
YouTube stars famous for covering a variety of classic tracks, from Ozzy’s “Crazy Train” and Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” to Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” Liliac recently released its first album of original material, “Chain of Thrones.”
The festival kicks off at 1 p.m. July 26 with VIP entry. General admission entry is at 2 p.m.
The craft beer and spirit tasting event runs from 2 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Cripe said. Hosted by Deluxe Brewing and Sinister Distilling Company of Albany, it works like a standard brewfest, with five drink tickets for $5 for samples of microbrews, ciders, wines and spirits.
Hollywood Dance Studio kicks off performances with a children’s routine at 4 p.m. Friday.
Beginning at 5 p.m., Undercard of Spokane, Wash., will be the first band to hit the stage.
During the show, First Robotics Team 1359 Scalawags will have a demonstration, Cripe said. The team’s robot has a t-shirt cannon and will distribute vendor, GUTS and band shirts to the audience prior to the headliners.
Two charitable groups will give presentations, Cripe said, the Lebanon Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk, which will host its annual walk on Sept. 28, and the Albany Juggernaut Initiative, which provides assistance to families with at-risk youths.
Fund-raising efforts include a 50-50 raffle for the First Robotics team, Cripe said. Tickets purchased through the Swim Club or at Think Brain Candy support the Swim Club and the Lebanon High School Explosion Dance Team respectively.
Tickets also are available at guitarsunderthestars.net or at four restaurants, Cheesy Stuffed Burgers in Corvallis, Merlin’s Bar and Grill in Lebanon, Ciddici’s Pizza in Albany and Cedar Shack in Sweet Home. Persons purchasing tickets at those locations will receive $10 to $40 in coupons for food.
Two-day tickets are $55 for adults and $20 for children 13 through 17. Admission is free for children 12 and younger. Single-day tickets are $40 for adults and $15 for children.
Camping is $25 per adult per night and includes RV or tent camping, Cripe said. Camping is free for children.
For more information, visit guitarsunderthestars.net.
Guitars Under the Stars Stage Schedule
Friday, July 26
4 p.m. – Hollywood Dance children’s routine
5 p.m. – Undercard, rock, Spokane, Wash.
5:45 p.m. – Glenn Cannon, blues and rock,
Seattle, Wash.
6:30 p.m. – Robotics First Team 1359 t-shirt
cannon
6:45 p.m. – Unchained, Van Halen tribute band
7:30 p.m. – Juggernaut Initiative
7:45 p.m. – Alamance, rock, Eugene
8:30 p.m. – Out of the Darkness
8:40 p.m. – Raymond DiGiorgio Group,
instrumental rock, Los Angeles
9:15 p.m. – Ed to Shred, instrumental rock,
Portland
9:45 p.m. – Robotics First Team 1359
T-shirt cannon
10 p.m. – Liliac, rock, Los Angeles
11 p.m. – 21 and over after hours event begins
11:15 p.m. – Larry Mitchell, acoustic
Saturday, July 27
2:45 p.m. – Sweater for an Astronaut, rock,
Eugene
3:20 p.m. – Lidless Eye, hard rock, Roseburg
3:55 p.m. – Vial Experiment, hard rock, Eugene
4:30 p.m. – Hypersloth, rock, Eugene
5 p.m. – Robotics First Team 1359 t-shirt cannon
5:50 p.m. – Juggernaut Initiative
5:55 p.m. – Minor Anomaly, rock, Tangent
6:30 p.m. – Motorbreath, Metallica tribute band
7:10 p.m. – Out of the Darkness
7:20 p.m. – Henry’s Child, rock, Eugene
8:10 p.m. – The Nixon Rodeo, hard rock,
Spokane, Wash.
8:45 p.m. – 30 Pound Test, a special all-star
performance in honor of Jason Rowe
9:45 p.m. – Robotics First Team 1359
T-shirt cannon
10 p.m. – Bobaflex, hard rock, Columbus, Ohio
11:15 p.m. – 21 and over after hours event begins
11:15 p.m. – Brandon Cook, acoustic