Entries Tagged 'Shows' ↓

We went to see Trail of Dead at Dantes last night at it was really cool to see them at such a small club. The opening band was so awful in there mix of one chord blue cheer and Jesus Lizard but it made even more thankful when Trail of Dead came on. I always like rock shows that are just on the edge of falling apart and this was perfect for me.

They a nice mix of new and old songs and the dueling drummers is a sight to see.

Two drummers, three guitars at times and at 1 hour 45 minutes,  it was great rock n roll to be had. If you get the chance, and want to see a rock show where your head might actually come off your shoulders, go and see them

http://www.myspace.com/dantesportland |  http://www.trailofdead.com/

Summer Ono, world’s greatest band, is having a record release party this Saturday. My dear friend Jon Chick and my husband Tom Risse are in the band. The record is beautiful inside and out, multiple colors of vinyl to choose from and a lovely cover to boot. It’s going to be quite a party, there will be 7 band mates involving a trumpet and an organ or two. You can have yourself a listen on Bandcamp. While you’re at it, download the whole album free of charge.

Someday Lounge
125 NW 5th Avenue Portland, OR 97209
SATURDAY, OCT 3
BARK 10TH ANNIVERSARY, BLUE CRANES, PHYSICAL HEARTS, SUMMER ONO
9pm, $5.00 at the door

Summer Ono plans to go on sometime around 11pm.

This event is a fundraiser for Bark.

Bark’s mission is to transform Mt. Hood National Forest into a place where natural processes prevail, where wildlife thrives and where local communities have a social, cultural, and economic investment in its restoration and preservation.

Please join us this Saturday for a fun filled holiday show extravaganza! Come enjoy some olde thymey musica del rock and rollismo .

I love Long Winters shows, and this show was no exception. John Roderick comes on stage sporting long hair a few pounds heavier and sporting some excellent 70s cocaine smuggler shades. They kick into “Give me a moment” the lead track from “The Worst you can do is harm” and the place lights up. For the ride out solo John gets carried away and crashes into the drums, taking out the mics and falling backwards over the guitar amps. The band doesn’t skip a beat. Everyone hoots and hollers and waits for him to get back up. The band waits. We all wait. He kicks right back in. Damn this is a rock show.

They go through lots of past album material and Roderick explains that his Gibson Thunderbird, his “white hippie space guitar” is changing his ideas about music. This interaction with an audience is what most bands lack at shows. Alberta Cross who opens doesn’t say a word and Say Hi, barely says anything as well except to say thanks. The Winters are tight, they are funny and they are right with the crowd. Its a great show, even if they wont do any encores.

Alberta Cross opens the show and they make believers out of a lot of the crowd. They have a wonderful short set full of crunchy Fender Jaguar blues gospel. We went out and got their record the next day. If you have some money left in your pocket go and pick up their EP “The Thief and the Heartbreaker”. It does not disappoint. Better yet. See them if they are in your neck of the woods. Imagine Jim James from My Morning Jacket fronting the Black Crowes or maybe a gospel version of the The Shins and that might get you half way there. I can’t wait to hear more from them.

Swervedriver. Remeber them? If you do.. 10 indie bonus points for you. The last time I saw this band they opened up for Soundgarden and Monster Magnet at a show in 1992. Holy crap is that really 16 years ago?

I originally wanted to go to this show because I like “Film School” a lot. Film Schools self titled 2006 release is a great ride and they can weave some magic with two guitars and shit load of effects pedals. Live they seemed a little ethereal, I think the guitars were a little washed out. I would still see them again though.

My only reservations about seeing Swervedriver was the whole, not a show in ten years and even when they did it was a revolving door lineup thing. There just seems to be a whole lot of bands getting back together for “Reunion” tours, and for the most part, most reunion tours suck.

So here is the kicker. Swervedriver was great. I mean not just, good like “wow those old guys can still play” kinda thing either. They rocked.. From note one. Super upfront bad ass guitars and it just kept coming. I would have liked to hear them mix it up for a song here or there, if only to give my poor ears a break but other than that, a great time. I was blown away by Adam Franklins guitar playing. I suddenly realized that he must have a surf guitar player hidden away under all that Marshall stack. Two encores and the crowd still wanted more.

Alanna’s prayers were answered after she yelled out “Play ‘Last Train to Satansville’ or I’ll fucking kill you” and they did. Do not screw with Alanna at the show. She will eat you for lunch.

Side note. They had great gear. I’m kind of a gear nut and they had nice matching Marshall half stacks, each guitar player also had a matchless combo to switch between. Adam Franklin alternated between 2 Fender Jaguars and Jimmy Hartridge alternated between a nice 80’s Les Paul custom and what looked like a Fender Tele Deluxe. The bass player had some nice 70’s Fender P basses player through a huge Ampeg head an cab.

This is kinda of a weird situation because Liam Finn is actually in the opening slot on a bill with Laura Veirs. So if you go to see him on this tour, make sure you get there early.

We are only 5 months into 2008, but crap, I will go out on a limb and say that Liam Finn’s self produced, recorded and mixed debut album “I’ll be Lighting” is probable one of the best of the year. I think a lot of people heard his new record and came to this show expecting to hear that record or at least a close one man band version of it, but what they got was so much more. What they got was a full frontal Liam Finn assault, that made me feel kinda bad for the Laura Veirs, who had to go on after him.

This show made me laugh with giddy glee. It wasn’t that he pulled off some sort of one man band (more like two person band) juggling act, because some of the best moments were when something failed and he kept on going and made it work.
After dropping a drum stick in the middle of one of the first songs

“I’m not really used to this kit. But I’m warming up to it. Mostly by beating it as hard as i can.”

What really worked for me was that it felt like you didn’t know what was going to happen. And I don’t know about you, but I like that. With EJ Barnes joining him on vocals, cowbell and loop layered weirdness this was a show performed on a tightrope. Everything seemed just on the edge of falling apart, and it sometimes it did. But you know what? The crowd loved it.

After taking a huge shot of Jamesons in between songs

“That shot was huge! After taking that shot I thought you were going to see me puke. i guess that would have been pretty memorable. (EJ plays weird loop that sounds like barfing) Yeah kinda like that.”

Although the played lots of the new record it was great to see them up their experimenting and just having fun. Switching between quiet melodies to all out avant garde chaos, it just seemed to work. Well worth it.

Ok, so Laura Veirs…. Ummm… Don’t think this was the crowd or place for her to be playing in. She stood on stage for a couple of minutes trying to get the sound man just to turn off the CD music just so she could start her show and while she was playing the people talking at the bar were frequently louder that her. Her quiet set would have been much better at Noe Valley Ministry, which would have sounded great. Sorry Laura, I like you, I just think that you should be opening up for Liam.

Got some great tickets to go and see the sold out show for “Swell Season” at the Paramount in Oakland. For those of you don’t know Swell Season is the band of Glen Hansard – vocals/guitar Marketa Irglova – vocals/piano. They won the oscar for music for their music and portrail in the movie “Once“.

Half the experience for this show is the place itself. The Paramount in Oakland is probable one of only a handfull of places in the whole country that gives you the kind of feel, acoustics and vibe that you get in an old theatre. This place rivals opera houses not crappy clubs.

The show was pretty amazing. The main thing about it is that there is just not that much amplification, so the musicians are amazing at being able to draw the crowd in with such an intimate show. They are super funny as well Glen Hansard is very quick witted and knows how to move a crowd and keep them entertained. There were points when I think you could have heard a single cough in a sold out packed house of thousands. This was not your normal crowd. Glen comes out by himself for the first song and with out a mic or a plugged in guitar from the foot of the stage proceeds to bring the house down with an amazing song. I thought his guitar would come apart and his throat would pop out from the strain. I haven’t seen performers leave it all on the stage like that in a long time.

Glen and Mar as they call each other are amazingly down to earth about their new found success. Glen puts it this way.

It’s kinda like wanting to kick a ball to the end of the garden and instead you kick it over the wall, over the river, out of town and clear into the next county. Half of you is clearly amazed at kicking your ball that far, and the other half wants your ball back.

If you get a change see these guys play. Thanks to Capt Randy for the tickets.

Check out another great review of their Portland show here »

Saturday was Nada Surf at the Fillmore. Always a great place to see bands. For those of you who don’t know Nada Surf you should really check them out. People who stopped listening after the first record have missed a great live band and record after record of great songs.

The album “Lucky” released this year is another great record for them. While not as cohesive and sad as 2005s “Weight is a Gift” the new one is another solid record.

Sea Wolf opened up the show and while I was not there to them specifically, I definately will be following them over the next couple of records. They were great and anytime a quiet band can get people to stop yakking or talking on their phones, you know people are into it. I went home and got their record and it is in heavy rotation. Imagine Echo and the Bunnymen meets Vetiver and Iron and Wine and maybe mix in some Jon Brion for good measure.

We had seen Matthew from Nada Surf walking around Japantown before the show but didn’t want to disturb. I wonder how his pictures came out from the photobooth Pika Pika in the mall.

Nada was as always super fun. Running through songs from all records and keeping the crowd super into it. Daniel was his animated self at one point gushing about how he loves SF. Comparing it to his own Barcelona. I love sing alongs. Someone should tell Ira that he looks cool in the gold satin jacket, in a 70s basketball short shorts kinda way. 2 encores and people still didn’t want to leave. The only bummer was that they didn’t play Alanna’s favorite song “Meow Meow Lullaby“

Last night we went to see 20 minute loop and James Combs at the Red Devil Lounge. I hate that place. Every time I’ve gone there, I’ve been forced to sit through some really terrible music to get to the good stuff and last night was no exception. Red Devil is always chock full of drunken knuckleheads too. There’s only so much a girl can take. We bought a pack of smokes, we were so angst ridden.

It was the first time I’d seen James Combs and he was great. Very talented songwriter. As Kelly put it, he’s like a more stable Elliot Smith. As always, 20 Minute Loop were great and I can’t believe you haven’t bought their latest CD, Yawn + House = Explosion yet. What’s wrong with you? Go buy it, damnit. Honestly, I feel like indiegeek (my music site) is a failure as long as 20 minute loop stays a relatively unknown band. They should be revered as one of the best indie bands of the 21st century.

This is a photo of James Combs accompanied by Nils and Kelly from 20 minute loop.

Listen to 20 Miute Loop on iTunes