Surveying the summer lineup at Bend's Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Local music lover and journalist for "Go!," Ben Salmon, shares his "awards" for each category of show coming to Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon this summer.

(Does any of this mean anything? Nope, but it sure is a fun way to process what would otherwise be an exhaustive list of dates.)

The HayHo, as we’re fond of calling it, has once again scheduled 50 concerts between now and early October, and the lineup has a little something for … OK, not everyone, but most folks: Country singers, jam bands, electronic artists, rock ‘n’ rollers, Americana acts, blues legends, indie faves, pop groups and a handful of comedians, too. You can find the full lineup and all the details at bendconcerts.com.

The Don’t Be Late Award

June 24: Metric, with Broken Social Scene and Stars
July 31: Koe Wetzel, with Ole 60
Aug. 14: Ty Myers, with Brent Cobb and Benny G
Sept. 20: Bleachers, with The Linda Lindas

One of my favorite things about the HayHo’s summer lineup is finding the hidden gems who are opening a show. You might as well get as much bang for your buck as possible by showing up on time and enjoying an extra set or two, right? This year’s got a gang of good openers, including Kentucky country-rockers Ole 60 opening for Koe Wetzel, soulful Americana singer-songwriter Brent Cobb opening for Ty Myers, plus two Canadian indie greats — Broken Social Scene and Stars — warming up the crowd for Metric. But the choice here is The Linda Lindas, four SoCal women who formed a punky power-pop band that absolutely rips. Don’t sleep, Bleachers fans!

The Overnight Stay Award

July 10-11: Widespread Panic
Aug. 21-22: Goose w/ Greensky Bluegrass Aug. 21 + Buffalo Traffic Jam Aug. 22

Each year, there are a handful of acts that book two shows on two consecutive nights at Hayden Homes. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the biggest acts to hit the amphitheater this summer, but it does mean that someone in their camp thinks one show is not enough to meet demand. Pacific Northwest hero Brandi Carlile’s a longtime fave ‘round these parts and fast-rising jam band Goose may have to play three nights in a few years, but for now, I think it’s safe to say excitement is highest for the return of Athens, Georgia jam giants Widespread Panic, almost exactly 10 years from their last two-night stand in Bend.

The Where’s Your Cowboy Hat? Award

June 6: Bailey Zimmerman, with Hudson Westbrook and Blake Whiten
June 26: Parker McCollum, with Vincent Mason and Aubrie Sellers
July 24: Jordan Davis
Aug. 6: Luke Bryan, with Drew Baldrige, Shane Profitt, Karley Scott Collins and DJ Rock

Country music clearly does well at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, and the venue devotes a significant chunk of its summer calendar to twangy acts of all stripes. One of those stripes is “very popular mainstream country guy who sings a lot of arena-ready songs about having fun that involves cold beverages, a female love interest and a muddy pick-up truck.” (Yes, that’s a generalization, but it’s also true.) If you detect a bit of derision in my words, don’t feel bad for these guys: They’re drawing huge, adoring crowds and doing just fine, with or without my support. Winner: Jordan Davis — best beard of the whole summer.

The “Good Country” Award

July 16: Charley Crockett, with Margo Price

Love country music? Don’t miss this show featuring both an opener and a headliner who understand the history of the genre and bring it to life in their music. Price is a spitfire with outlaw spirit, Crockett’s cool as a cucumber and a throwback to the country of the ‘50s and ‘60s. They’re both mesmerizing entertainers in their own way. The winner here? Everyone in the venue for one of the best bills of the summer.

The Ladies Night Award

June 8: Bonnie Raitt, with Maia Sharp
June 27: Rhiannon Giddens, with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mavis Staples, and Hurray for the Riff Raff
July 23: Wynonna Judd and Melissa Etheridge, with Maggie Rose
Aug. 7: Sarah McLachlan, with Allison Russell

Just like in real life, we’ll hear plenty from dudes this summer at the amphitheater. The gender balance of the lineup is better than a lot of venues, but it still tilts pretty heavily toward the male perspective. If you, like me, have heard enough from the dudes, there are a handful of opportunities on the calendar to attend a show and hear from exactly zero dudes. Bonnie Raitt’s a giant, Wynonna Judd and Melissa Etheridge are a terrific double bill and Sarah McLachlan opener Allison Russell belongs in the Don’t Be Late category above. The choice here, though, is the stacked bill coming alongside the brilliant folk musician Rhinnaon Giddens, including country songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, soul legend Mavis Staples and ultra-cool folk-rocker Hurray for the Riff Raff. That’s an evening of terrific non-dudes, from top to bottom.

The Crank It Up Award

July 17: Jimmy Eat World, with Motion City Soundtrack and Illuminati Hotties
Sept. 22: Godsmack, with Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy
Oct. 2: Black Label Society, with Zakk Sabbath and Dark Chapel

Metal aficionados have been asking for a heavy show at Hayden Homes for years, and the closest they’ve come was Korn back in the early days and Mastodon opening for Primus in 2018. This summer, though, the amphitheater will crank up the volume a few times, including emo greats Jimmy Eat World and hard rock band Godsmack. But this award goes to a late-season show by Black Label Society, a bona fide heavy metal band from Los Angeles fronted by Zakk Wylde, best known as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne. It might be chilly on Oct. 2, but head banging keeps you warm!

The Time Marches On Award

July 18: Levity x Tape B, with Canabliss

When I first saw this show announced, I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. The poster looks like it’s for a live presentation of a podcast about road trips, perhaps, or one of those weirdly vibrant pharmaceutical ads. Turns out Tape B is a fast-rising bass music producer from Florida and Levity is an electronic trio from Chicago. This is their summer tour, and if the video I just watched of their set at last year’s Electric Forest festival is any indication, it’s going to be the bone-rattling, chest-rippling, good-times dance music event of the summer in Central Oregon. Winner: Earplugs.

The Big Night For Babysitters Award

June 4: Lord Huron, with Fightmaster
July 12: The Head and the Heart, with Michael Marcagi
Aug. 29: Mt. Joy
Sept. 12: Foster the People, with Goth Babe

Here’s a collection of four headliners who broke big during the indie-folk-rock surge of the 2000s. Now, the people who loved ‘em back then are deep into adulthood; they have families, and they love going out and hearing bands from their younger years play songs they know by heart, especially when it’s guaranteed they’ll be home by 10:15 p.m. Nostalgia is undefeated, folks! Anyway, each of these shows will soundtrack a lovely mellow evening with or without the kids, but since Lord Huron, The Head and the Heart and Mt. Joy are HayHo regulars, I’m awarding this one to “Pumped Up Kicks” hit-makers Foster the People upon their first visit to Bend.

The Familiar Faces Award …

July 26: Goo Goo Dolls, with Neon Trees
Aug. 1: Lindsey Stirling, with PVRIS
Aug. 28: Train, with Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson
Sept. 27: Jack Johnson, with G. Love

Some artists return to Hayden Homes Amphitheater over and over, presumably because they do well here and enjoy playing the venue. That’s a good thing! Train and Lindsey Stirling have become regulars, and Goo Goo Dolls must be closing in on the record for most shows here, which is presumably held by Michael Franti. Either way, let’s give this one to longtime Bend fave Jack Johnson, whose return to town this summer coincides with the release of his new documentary “SURFILMUSIC.”

… and The Welcome, Newcomer Award

July 8: AJR, with Izzy Escobar
Aug. 25: The Strokes, with The Garden and ÖLÜM
Sept. 3: Dominic Fike
Oct. 3: Empire of the Sun, with Polo & Pan and Midnight Generation

While it’s nice to see familiar faces on the amphitheater’s stage, it’s even more exciting when we get bands who have never been here before. Unless I missed a previous show, that’s the case with all these headliners. Most interesting here: The booking of Dominic Fike, a rapper, singer, songwriter and actor whose music seems to be really taking off right now. If you’re more of a TV person, you might recognize from his first main acting role as Elliot on “Euphoria.”

The Virtuosos Abound Award

May 22: Primus, with The Claypool Lennon Delirium and Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade
Aug. 8: Tedeschi Trucks Band, with Lukas Nelson
Aug. 19: Toto, with Christopher Cross and The Romantics
Aug. 23: Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, with Theo Lawrence

Do you love to watch an expert musician show off their eye-popping instrumental skill? There are several opportunities to do just that this summer at the amphitheater: First-class bassist Les Claypool brings three of his bands to the venue in May. Virtuoso guitarists Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi power the mighty blues-rock jams of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. And Steve Lukather’s dazzling guitar heroism is one of the hallmarks of Toto’s sound. All are worth seeing, of course, but let’s underline the return of Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, because Douglas is a wizard on the Dobro, Krauss is an expert fiddler in addition to possessing an angelic singing voice, and Union Station is full of world-class pickers. That’s a lot of skill on one stage!

Thanks for the write up, Ben!