Joy Wilson

Just when you were about to complain again about The Grove hosting too much dance music, hip-hop, and cosmic groovy rock-n-roll (how dare you?), they bust in with an Earth Day party performance to knock your snooty Birken-socks off.

Thoughtful folk-rock a' go-go is Bend's special treat, when Yu Go Girl Records recording artist Joy Wilson and her band appear as a highlight of the city's Earth Day Fair festivities. In point of fact, The Grove hijacks Wilson's talents after a 5pm fair performance in Riverfront Plaza, facilitating her acclaimed strummings and hummings for a glorious two hours, as opposed to the fair's one.

A Portland transplant via Durango, CO, Wilson is a well-traveled performer with three self-released albums behind her. The latest, … In the Meantime, displays the singer-songwriter's sweetly delicate voice on a silk cushion of her own acoustic guitar and her band's subtle violin, drums, percussion, bass, electric guitar, whistle, various keyed implements, and occasional backing vocals.

With the exception of a single instrumental sketch by bass player Jim Belcher, Wilson's pen claims all of the albums tracks. "Lights on Broadway" takes one by surprise, seemingly stepping out of character with lyrics that wryly bemoan post-9/11 mob-victim mentality.

At first, it's a little tough to swallow that bitter pill with the cup of honey that is Wilson's soft-touch style. Soon, though, you're devouring every morsel of the emotional variety pack offered up in her cashmere palm, from a more-or-less standard issue lost-love song ("Undecided as of Yet") to a poignant hometown ode ("Durango Mine").

In a personal email to The Source Weekly (I'm never washing my keyboard again!) Wilson expressed her eagerness to visit Bend - Which she's heard described as Durango's parallel universe - for the first time: "People often compare the two landscapes, the community, and the playfulness of the locals. I loved Durango, so I'm sure I'll love Bend."

Hey! Let's all make sure she does, kids.