Bass player Evan Nicholson, left, and drummer Mark Henne will join The Dalles native Ben Ballinger, front, on stage tonight at The Mint at 8 p.m. Ballinger is on a west coast tour promoting his latest album “The State I’m In.” Contributed photo
Bass player Evan Nicholson, left, and drummer Mark Henne will join The Dalles native Ben Ballinger, front, on stage tonight at The Mint at 8 p.m. Ballinger is on a west coast tour promoting his latest album “The State I’m In.” Contributed photo
Ben Ballinger has lived in two of the best music cities in the country.
But he hasn’t forgot where he grew up.
When Ballinger moved from New York City to Austin, Texas four years ago to play with Blue Mongeon, the duo named their band The Dalles. “Lines,” one of the songs from their 2012 album, “My Own Private White House,” was featured on the FX series “Sons of Anarchy.”
In between stays in New York City, Ballinger recorded his 2004 solo album “A Minor Study,” while renting a room in a warehouse on Second Street in The Dalles.
Ballinger, who is promoting his latest solo album “The State I’m In,” will return to The Dalles tonight for an 8 p.m. show at The Mint, located on 710 E. 2nd Street.
The Dalles is just one stop in Ballinger’s “The Yes Sir Big Sur Tour,” which began April 30 in Fort Worth, Texas and will wrap up in Marfa, Texas on Saturday, May 16. In between, Ballinger will play The River City Saloon in Hood River Thursday and the Super Special House Show in Portland Friday. He’s also making stops in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and Tucson.
Joining Ballinger on stage will be bass player Evan Nicholson and drummer Mark Henne, who he began playing with about a year and half ago.
“They are the finest rhythm section out of Austin, Texas,” Ballinger said. “They add a whole another element to the show.”
Playing songs mostly from “My Own Private White House,” “The State I’m In” as well as his 2011 album “Fabrication,” Ballinger will open tonight’s show with a solo set. Ballinger said his father Mike will also join him to sing a song or two as well as his brother Galen on lead guitar.
Although his music falls under the Americana genre, Ballinger said his style is more complex than that one word.
“I think we’re quite a bit more varied than that,” he said. “There’s a lot more rock ‘n’ roll and soul influence and they’re not just songs about whisky and wagon wheels either.”
One of Ballinger’s
influences is Bob Dylan, particularly the 1975 album “Blood on the Tracks,” which the band listened to as they traveled through Colorado for stops in Denver and Fort Collins.
Doors at The Mint open tonight at 7 p.m.. The show starts at 8.
There’s a $5 cover. T-shirts and vinyl will also be on sale.
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