#EOFF2026: Official Music Lineup
Independent film deserves independent music.
Each evening of the Eastern Oregon Film Festival concludes with live performances that celebrate the same creativity, originality, and community spirit found on screen. Festival after-parties at HQ bring filmmakers, audiences, musicians, and local residents together to continue the conversation long after the credits roll.
Featuring acclaimed artists from across the Pacific Northwest, the #EOFF2026 music lineup blends Americana, folk, indie rock, and psychedelic pop into three unforgettable nights of music, celebration, and community.
Ian George & The Knee Pockets
Thursday, October 15, 2026
HQ After Party • 9:00 PM
Minnesota-born, Southern Oregon-based songwriter Ian George leads The Knee Pockets, a high-energy ensemble celebrated for its joyful, theatrical approach to contemporary folk-rock. Combining expressive songwriting with playful arrangements and fearless improvisation, the band has earned a reputation as one of the Northwest’s most entertaining live acts.
George’s music draws inspiration from the changing landscapes of his Midwestern upbringing while embracing influences that stretch across indie folk, Americana, and experimental rock. His songs are heartfelt, adventurous, and filled with an infectious optimism that makes every performance feel like a shared celebration.
His career has taken him throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, including appearances at the Cambridge Folk Festival in England. His acclaimed releases—including Kingdom of My Youth, Post-Corona, and A FAIR—have received national recognition from outlets including PopMatters, WXPN, and the NACC Folk Charts.
Now preparing the release of his forthcoming album Milk of the Moonlit Sun, Ian George continues to build a devoted audience through performances that invite listeners to dance, laugh, reflect, and fully embrace the moment.
“Effulgent eclecticism…a subtle explosion of vibrant colors that delight.” — PopMatters
“There’s a gauzy float to George’s voice that calls up John Martyn.” — RNR Magazine
Website:
https://www.rowboatmusic.com/iangeorge
Tylor & The Train Robbers
Friday, October 16, 2026
HQ After Party • 9:30 PM
Regional favorites Tylor & The Train Robbers have become one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier Americana acts through years of relentless touring and authentic songwriting. Rooted in country, rock, and western storytelling traditions, the band delivers powerful performances that are equally suited for intimate listening and late-night celebrations.
Led by brothers Tylor Ketchum, Jason Bushman, and Tommy Bushman, the group’s chemistry is strengthened by expressive harmonies, dynamic musicianship, and songs inspired by life throughout the American West. Guitarist Antonio Vazquez completes the lineup with melodic lead work that gives the band’s sound both warmth and intensity.
Their acclaimed recordings—including Best of the Worst Kind and Non-Typical Find—have earned praise from Americana Highways, Saving Country Music, and music journalist Josh Crutchmer, who recognized the band for honoring western roots while pushing the genre forward.
Whether performing in a small listening room or on a festival stage, Tylor & The Train Robbers combine heartfelt songwriting with the energy of a seasoned touring band.
“Perhaps no band combines what Western roots music has always been and what it will become quite like the Train Robbers.” — Josh Crutchmer
“An expressive voice enhanced with sibling harmonies…their most adventurous record yet.” — Alan Cackett
Website:
https://www.tylorandthetrainrobbers.com
PHOTO CRED: LEXY BYRD
AKA Belle
Saturday, October 17, 2026
HQ After Party • 9:30 PM
Boise’s AKA Belle brings the 17th Annual Eastern Oregon Film Festival to a vibrant close with a performance that is as imaginative as the films celebrated throughout the weekend.
Fronted by married songwriting duo Catherine and Sam Merrick, the five-piece ensemble has built a devoted Northwest following by creating concerts that blur the boundaries between indie rock, psychedelic folk, dreamy pop, theatrical performance, and joyful community gathering. Equal parts dance party, art installation, and shared celebration, AKA Belle’s live shows are unforgettable experiences that invite audiences to participate as much as they observe.
Known for colorful handmade costumes, whimsical stage design, and infectious optimism, the band often jokes that people can’t decide whether they’re a family band or a cult—and they happily answer “yes” to both. Behind the playful presentation lies thoughtful songwriting centered on hope, imagination, resilience, and human connection.
Their ambitious double album All Time Is Now / Now Is All You Have / The Time for Love Is Always Now captures the band’s philosophy that creativity, kindness, and community begin in the present moment. That spirit makes AKA Belle a fitting finale to a festival devoted to independent artists and meaningful storytelling.
Expect soaring harmonies, adventurous arrangements, dancing, laughter, and one final celebration before the curtain falls on #EOFF2026.
Website:
The Eastern Oregon Film Festival celebrates bold independent cinema while building meaningful connections between filmmakers, audiences, musicians, and artists from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Festival screenings, conversations, workshops, and nightly after-parties transform downtown La Grande into a vibrant gathering place where creativity thrives both on and off the screen.
Music is an essential part of the EOFF experience, extending the festival beyond the theater and creating opportunities for artists working in different disciplines to meet, collaborate, and celebrate together.
17th Annual Eastern Oregon Film Festival
October 15–17, 2026 | La Grande, Oregon