Vancouver man's band mixes up set for summer

Jerry Hatcher

Malia Cortez

Brendan Fraser

Keri Russell

River City Band front man and Vancouver singer, guitarist and bassist Jerry Hatcher knows that it can be difficult to appeal to a variety of audiences.

The rock-and-soul band has made a name for itself with energetic covers of rock and dance hits at restaurants and clubs in the Portland and Vancouver area.

But Hatcher, 57, says his band has a few surprises for its slate of concerts at the Portland Movies in the Park series this summer. Whereas most of the band's club gigs are for adults, the Movies in the Park series will attract mostly families.

River City Band, made up entirely of members between 55 and 61, will mix disco, rock 'n' roll, country, funk and the blues for up to 1½ hours before the film each night.

One fan favorite that Hatcher looks forward to playing is Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music." "Everybody loves that song. It's a fun song," he said.

Hatcher, who has been active in the Clark County music scene since moving to the area in 1982, says the band will invite fans to help them through a number of songs by giving audience members cowbells, maracas and tambourines.

During blues numbers, Hatcher plans on calling on a child in the audience to get on stage, put on a pair of "Blues Brothers"-esque sun glasses and sing along.

"We do all this fun stuff, and we love it," Hatcher said. "It's a nice change from playing pretty much dance music in the clubs."



Vancouver actress steps in front of the camera

The life of a film extra isn't always glamorous, but being part of the movie-making process has its perks. Vancouver actress and musician Malia Cortez experienced this first-hand recently as an extra on the set of the yet-to-be-named drama known as "The Untitled Crowley Project," which has filmed in Vancouver at The Columbian's building on Sixth Street and at Big Al's bowling alley.

Cortez, a member of the casting agency Extras Only, responded to an open call in late May for a day of filming in Pioneer Square in downtown Portland. She spent about seven hours on set and filmed several scenes. Cortez isn't sure whether any of the footage she's in will make it into the movie, but just being on set was exciting.

"The first scene I was standing in line to get muffins while Brendan Fraser was running down the stairs with balloons," said Cortez, 29. In other shots she walked from Starbucks to a hamburger stand and circled the perimeter of the square.

Cortez's extras work continued in June with a paying gig as a hospital visitor. She was on set one day at Oregon Health & Science University, but there were so many extras that she didn't end up in front of the camera. Still, it was a worthwhile experience.

"I love the environment, the creative energy (of movie sets)," she said. "I love seeing how it all works behind the scenes."

Extras work is also a chance for star sightings. During lunch at OHSU, Cortez sat one table away from Fraser and co-star Keri Russell.

"Keri Russell is very teeny. Brendan Fraser is super tall, taller than you'd think," she said. "They just seemed very relaxed, like everyone else."

Cortez may have the chance to spot more celebrities if she's able to work as an extra on the set of the TNT show "Leverage," which is filming its second season in Portland. She said she's been offered three extras assignments for "Leverage," as a pedestrian, a restaurant patron and a fashion designer, but had to turn them down due to scheduling conflicts.

"I really want to be in it," she said.

Bits 'n' Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you'd like to share, call Features Editor Elisa Williams, 360-735-4561, or e-mail elisa.williams@columbian.com.