Beau Eastlund shows some emotion during Greg Nestler’s performance.
Jimmy Sanders mans the keyboard for Nestler’s band.
Nestler plays a riff on his electric guitar.
Daddy Rabbit performs.
Lisa Varga of Eugene dances with her 8-year old niece Yvette Varga of Cottage Grove.
Cora Branstatter of the band 2106 sings Friday during the Bohemia MiningDays festival. All four members went to Cottage Grove High School together.
Photography by Bradley Cook for the Chronicle
COTTAGE GROVE – Just when you thought things were getting back to normal … Robert Jacobs, guitar player for Daddy Rabbit, reminded everyone that now is not the time to let your guard down. He woke up Friday before noon – two members of the surf band El Borko had Covid – and they were supposed to play that night at the Bohemian Mining Days festival. No worries. Jacobs and Daddy Rabbit were happy to step in. “This was our first chance to actually play BMD,” Jacobs said. “Ever since I’ve moved to this area I’ve wanted to play this festival – we all had plans for today, but a lot of those got canceled.” The overflow crowd at Coiner Park appreciated their mix of traditional rock ’n’ roll and rockabilly.
“It’s just really refreshing to be back, and being able to work on our own music and be able to advertise our own music, which is great,” said Cora Branstetter, lead singer for 2106, a Cottage Grove band. The four bandmates all went to Cottage Grove High School, where they were in the same band class. “Our music teacher David Larson made CDs for us every year, and that year they were all typed up to say 2106 instead of 2016,” Branstetter said. “So it’s a mockery of one of our favorite teachers ever.” The band is excited about its upcoming gig at the Riverfront festival on Friday, July 22 at 3 p.m. “That’s probably going to be packed,” guitar player Josh Ireland said. “Yeah, we’re nervous about that one.”
Gratitude. Bob Schlichting, bass player for Greg Nestler’s band, saw lots of it – and appreciated the attitude, too. “The medicine of it, the community, it gives you joy and tears, and what I like, too, is the appreciation of it, we all appreciate it more now,” said Schlichting, who has been with Nestler since 2019. “There’s gratitude for the good times. People embrace it. I love these guys, they are my chosen brothers in a way, and to be up there and share that space and see everyone dance and all of those smiles out there, I’m thankful I walk that path.”
