8.14.10
Wavves
Berbati's, Portland, OR
I could have done without the opening dj (Revered Shines) but luckily we got there late enough to miss most of him. Wavves came on about 20 minutes late but no worries as they were playing before The Cool Kids (not sure why but I wasn’t gonna argue). Leader Nathan Williams (aka- Wavves) came out with his requisite baseball cap (that fell off every song as he would put it on again only to shake it off with his head wagging) and apparently he has Jay Reatard’s (rip) old rhythm section and those guys are smokin’. The bassist has a mop of hair like a young(er) Buzz Osbourne while the drummer looked like a bespectacled , bleached-out Jack Black and Williams? Oh he occasionally came off like tool and managed to say some pretty goofy stuff (including “I’ve dealt with triflin’ bitches before!” to the gal who told them to get off the stage) but he gets a pass for being young. I haven’t heard anything other than the latest record and they played all of it or at least most of it. They happily bashed out songs like “King of the Beach”, “Green Eyes”, “Post Acid”, “Super Soaker” and plenty of others and it sounded really good. The record has some subtleties but live that was all put aside of some reckless punk energy (now I see where those Green Day comparisons come in ) and this show upped my feeling of the new record which I was only lukewarm on before this gig.

8.07.10
The Scorpions and Dokken
Clark County Ampitheatre in Ridgefield, WA
Nice night for a concert, the venue is an partly outdoor one (an opened dome) and the weather cooperated (ie: no rain) on this fairly cool evening (low-70’s) though traffic getting out of this place was horrid. These two bands toured together in the mid-80’s and probably have since then as well. Dokken went on a 8 PM sharp and got the hirsute crowd into it immediately by playing many of their hits. Not that I can tell you what any of them were since I wasn’t a huge Dokken fan but hey, they sounded good and vocalist Don Dokken’s pipes still sound fine.

Hard to believe that Germany’s Scorpions have been around since the mid-60’s but there you have it. This was basically a greatest hits set and out came “Girl”, “Winds of Change”, “No One Like You” and plenty of others. Vocalist Klaus Meine can still wail while guitarist Matthias Jabs and Rudolph Schenker wielded their axes quite handidly (Schenker is the only original member since 1965 while Meine has been around since 1970) and the band sounded in perfect form. Of course the one encore was, you guessed it, “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” What fun night! TAMMIE HINELY

7.30.10
Phosphorescent and J. Tillman
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
J. Tillman is one of the guys in Fleet Foxes and I could tell what he was gonna look like before I even saw him. Flannel shirt, long hair, beard, sitting down on a chair strumming an acoustic guitar with a mellow demeanor, etc. He was friendly and chatted up the crowd in between songs, even said he got a tasty sandwich at Bunk Sandwiches (still have not gone there but have heard it’s overrated). He played quite a few new tunes (the only reasons I knew is because he said “Here’s another new one.”). The songs get by mostly on the strength of his voice and his lyrics (his guitar playing was nothing special) and while not blown away or anything it was certainly a pleasant set.

Hard to believe Phosphorescent even made it what with their gear (heck the whole van) being stolen like 2 weeks before but they got it all back and came to Portland to entertain us (me specifically) . They started the set with several songs off of their latest HERE’S TO TAKING IT EASY and I liked it best when leader Mathew Houck would stop strumming his guitar to point at different points in the room. The lead guitarist looked stoned sideways but he and the rest of the band laid down a real, real righteous groove (pedal steel always gets me). My favorite being the opener “It’s Hard to be Humble (When you’re from Alabama)” and “We’ll Be Here Soon.” A real good time, yup, real good.

7.23.10
Beach Fossils and The Whitsundays
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
There was no opening band listed in the ad so it was a pleasant surprise to see Canada’s Whitsundays on the bill as openers. Not enough folks were there to check them out but that was ok, they played lit it was a crowd of 5000. They have a nice nimble pop sound that occasionally gets darker (and on some occasions, into slightly cheesy lounge music). The harmonies sounded nice and the Carl Newman lookalike was a talent, playing many different instruments (all at the same time).

Brooklyn’s Beach Fossils is basically one guy on record (Dustin Payseur) but he got a live band together and took it on the road. I guess the guitarist on this part of the tour was a fill-in as their regular guitarist quit mid-tour (re: the new guitarist, Dustin said “We taught him the guitar parts in the van. He’s a quick learner”) but you couldn’t tell as his guitar tone was perfect and the band whipped through a terrific 30 minute set. The stand-up drummer had a snare and a floor tom (no cymbals) while Dustin himself looks like he woulda been lead actors in PRETTY IN PINK with his foppy, new wave hairstyle and dress. The band danced around on stage and pumped some seriously good energy into the songs that were really good to begin with (guitar parts were very Felt-like) while the packed-house crowd enjoyed every minute of it (me too). Seriously, I was not expecting to be this blown away but I was (SIDE NOTE: 2 of the band members were wearing lady Gaga t-shirts).

7.20.10
The Soft Tags and The Secret History
The Woods, Portland, OR
It had been years since I’d seen My Favorite so it was nice that their new band (The Secret History is basically My Favorite minus Andrea and with 2 female vocalists, one, Lisa Ronson, who is Mick’s daughter) hit the left coast and they did not disappoint. They played a nice array of tunes off their latest record (THE WORLD THAT NEVER WAS on Le Grand Magistery) and keyboardist/vocalist Michael Grace was quit theatrical (with a painted teardrop on) and funny too (he said he wore his flowered shirt to “Bring life to the funeral home” as venue The Woods is a former funeral parlor). They all had good energy on stage and the harmonies sounded sweet. I dig the record and tunes like “Johnny Anorak” and “God Save the Runaways” sounded as good as expected on stage,.

Had never heard Portland’s Soft Tags before and I wasn’t even going to stick around for them but I’m glad I did as they were excellent. Three guitarists (one who sang) , a bassist playing with a bow and a shirtless drummer and they displayed some serious musical prowess, reminding me and Ed a bit of British Sea Power (with hint of The House of Love). Need to look for some records and put ‘em on the calendar to check out again.

7.01.10
Old 97's
Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Does this band ever put on a bad show? I think not. I’ve been catching them live since the late 90’s and they never fail to impress. I thought it odd that they were touring now with no new record out but front man Rhett Miller said they’d have a new one in a matter of months and they did play one song from said upcoming record (one called “Champaign, Illinois” , sung to the tune of Dylan’s “Desolation Row” in which, according to Miller, they had to get permission from Dylan, which they did!). Otherwise, this was a greatest hits set , the kind of sloppy yet inspired fun that their fans (like me) love and could hear every week for the rest of my life. Basically it was the kind of set that these 4 guys (same lineup since the beginning in 1993) could do in their sleep. We heard “Melt Show” , “Rollerskate Skinny”, “Won’t Be Home”, “Barrier Reef”, “Dance with Me”, “Lonely Holiday”, and plenty more. Wanted to hang ‘til the bitter end but it was late and my bed was calling me so I split after about an hour plus. Would have loved to hear my two favorite Murry Hammond (bassist) tunes, “Valentine” and “Up the Devil’s Pay” but still, I was plenty satisfied. These guys are one of America’s true treasures, appreciate ‘em while we still have ‘em

06.25.10
Josh Ritter and Dawes
Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
First off, a big thank you to Dawes tour manager Jake. There was a guest list mix up on this sold out show and we were nearly ass out until Jake came through. THANK YOU! Dawes went on stage by 8:15 PM and they once again put on another inspired set. It had only been a month since I caught them in Bend (with She & Him and Band of Horses) but you can never catch too many sets by this fine, fine band. On this night they played 3 new songs, two of the ones they did in Bend (opening with the one where the drummer sings) and then launching into another fine new one (something with “Los Angeles” in the lyrics/title). The band, especially vocalist/guitarist Taylor Goldsmith, seemed in especially good spirits and the harmonies sounded exquisite. “That Western Skyline”, “Bedside Manner’ and the set ending “When My Time Comes’ all sounded terrific. If I could pick out anything that was on the downside it was maybe the bass being a bit too loud in the mix but otherwise, another fine Dawes set.

I have one of Josh Ritter’s early records that I thought was ok (GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO) but man, live this guy is a just a cheeseball. From the cheesy vested-suit to the non-stop smiling throughout the set to the spin moves to the, well, ….boring material. What a snoozer. We hung for 4 songs (the final one being “Right Moves” my favorite song by him, an even that sounded lame) and then ran out the door. Never again.

06.23.10
Lou Barlow & The Missing Men
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Always good to see indie rocker lifer Lou B. and his gang in town. It had been a few years since I’d seen him solo (though I never miss Dino Jr. when they come to town). He started off with some solo, acoustic songs launching into great versions of “The Freed Pig” and “Skull” and then brining out the Missingmen (Tom Watson on guitar (ex-Slovenly) and Raul Morales on drums) and play some more wigged-out stuff The band sounds good, Tom is a great guitarist and Raul is no slouch either (and Lou, of course). They played some cuts off his latest solo records, EMOH and GOODNIGHT UNKNOWN (mostly the latter) and someone described it as “shambly” and hey, that fits. Didn’t hang ‘til the very end (it had been a looooong day) but I heard he played more solo acoustic (Sebadoh) material at the end. Always the friendliest guy in the room and willing to banter with the crowd, a Lou Barlow gig is a sure bet in today’s shakey economy (and I wonder if he DID play The Frantix “My Dad’s a Fuckin’ Alcoholic” like he said he would???).

06.09.10
The Mantles, Art Museums & Eat Skull
Holocene, Portland, OR
Woods , who I like a lot, headlined this bill but 4 bands on a Wednesday night are too much for this geezer so I had to split after the Mantles (about 11:45 PM). I had not seen openers Eat Skull for at least a year and their sound has changed considerably. Bassist Scott Simmon is no longer in the band and it looks like they added some members and had a more freaky acoustic sound (think Strapping Fieldhands) than the noisy mess the last time I saw them, I like the new, uh, “direction” but I hear they’re moving to San Francisco soon so who knows what’s next for the band. Had not heard of heard of Art Museums but I liked what I heard (shirt set too, always a plus). I think their stand-up drummer was also the drummer for The Mantles too. They had a unique sound with electronic drums (one of those drum pad things) and were a bit Television Personalities-ish mixed with some cock-eyed new wave. I liked it a lot. This was my first time seeing The Mantles and they did not disappoint. The rhythm section of Matt and Virginia held down the fort tightly (Matt is a damn good bassist) while the Dazed and Confused brothers on guitars mangled their instruments into a beautiful, loving mess. They mix lots of styles but I mostly hear 60’s garage in their sound. They do some truly interesting things with it and write great songs too.

05.30.10
She & Him and Dawes
Holocene, Portland, OR
My first time at the Les Schwab Amphitheatre and while it is a nice venue, no outdoor venue is nice in the rain. Yup, Oregon in late May is …..still dicey and no overhead covering anywhere to be found. It was a solid drizzle while the mighty Dawes were on stage. They only had a half hour to play but tore through a set of tunes on their fabulous NORTH HILLS record and even a few new ones (one that the young drummer sang). Good stuff…catch them if they come to your town. They do NOT disappoint.

Before She & Him came on it was pouring for a good 15 minutes (and we were soaked) or so but by the time they came out it had slowed to a trickle. Zooey Deschanel greeted the wet crowd warmly and M. Ward didn’t say a whole lot but pulled out his guitar licks with style. Also, I do believe on acoustic guitar and backing vocals that was Portlander Mike Coykendall doing his thing (a good addition to any band…they also had 2 younger blonde gals on backing vocals and some percussion as well). We heard lots of choice material off the two She & Him records and they were a lot more loose and fun than I thought they’d be (by about mid-set though it began raining harder , again). At about 8 PM, while She & Him were nearing the end of their set, it was another 45 minutes or so before Band of Horses were to go on and we had a 90 minute drive back to the hotel so we opted to split and catch B.O.H. another time (I had already seen them 2x before). I heard their set was great and even included some fireworks off in the distance. That’s ok, by the time they were shooting off we were back at Kahneeta playing the nickel slots. A good time had by all (bring the umbrella next time).

05.11.10
Fucked Up
Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
True, it was a Tuesday night but come on, how can you miss Fucked Up when they come to town,. The answer is, you can’t. They all came out at 9:50 PM sharp (just as Kip and I walked in the door) and played a lovely acoustic set while sitting down on chairs and sipping tea. It was sooooo mellow. Ok, I can’t keep a straight face while typing that, F.U. did their usual 3-guitar antics and tore the place apart (bassist and drummer aren’t bad , either). Singer Pink Eyes took off his shirt but despite constant requests from the crowd to “Show some dick!”, he spared us all that. He did hop into the crowd and ran around, gave one kid an airplane spin, same to another kid, then did the bull running back toward the stage thing . Oh yeah, they played some songs too: “Son the Father”, “Crusades”, “Black Albino Bones” and plenty of others. Come back soon.

04.28.10
The Pony's w/ Disappears & Meth Teeth
Doug Fir, Portland, OR
I saw Disappears open for The Jesus Lizard on New Year's Eve in Chicago and was very pleasantly surprised. Having never heard them before, I was able to see and hear them for the first time without the band needing to live up to some preconceived idea of what they should look and sound like. I did not have that luxury this time around seeing them open for The Pony's. Fortunately, they were just as great in Portland as in Chicago. I regularly compare them to the Obits and while I have never heard anyone else use that correlation, no one has argued either. The Pony's are fronted by singer/guitarist Jered Gummere who, by the way, also fronts Disappears. You may remember The Pony's from their 2007 album Turn The Lights Out (Matador). They are back and they would love for you to buy their new EP Deathbed + 4(also Matador). After hearing the song "Check The Door" and the title track, you would be a fool not to purchase this when it is released on 12" vinyl May 25th. If you can't wait that long, a digital download is available now at the Matador site. The world needs The Pony's and it is good to have them back. With a little luck they will stay a while. KIP KELGARD

04.30.10
Javelin
Rotture, Portland, OR
The Brooklyn-based dance duo Javelin put on an amazing, fun-filled show at Rotture on April 30. Their music is incredibly catchy, and their live show did not disappoint. The danger of electronic music is that songs can tend to go on and on with no changes. What I loved about Javelin's set is that their songs were short and the set moved along at a good pace. There was some of the best electronic kit drumming I've ever seen, and while the vocals were somewhat washed out due to effects and the venue sound system, it didn't really matter because the songs are just that good. If you have a soft spot for electro-funk samples and can't wait any longer for a new album from The Go-Team, be sure to check out Javelin's album, No Mas, if only for the awesomely infectious "Oh Centra." LAURA WATLING

04.25.10
Camera Obscura & Princeton
Berbati's Pan, Portland, OR
5th trip here for Scottish posters Camera Obscura and I’ve seen all of the shows. First time for them at Berbati’s after once at Dante’s , once at Doug Fir and twice at the Wonder Ballroom. I really wanted to catch openers Princeton from L.A. I have enjoyed their latest record, COCOON OF LOVE (Kanine Records) and live, while not the most exciting band in the world, the songs from the record sounded good and the guitarist was pretty great (drummer too).

C.O. came out and jumped right into “French Navy”, “The Sweetest Thing” and “Honey in the Sun”, the three best off their latest record, MY MAUDLIN CAREER (4AD). Leader Traceyanne Campbell seems comfortable with the Portland crowd , joking and laughing a bit, while the rest of the band is low-key but that multi-instrumentalist (percussion, trumpet, etc) is a key to the band’s live sound. Good on ya’! As for older stuff we got to hear “Teenager”, “Keep it Clean” and, of course, I waited around to hear “Lloyd , I’m Ready to be Heartbroken” which of course sounded terrific. Didn’t make it ‘til the bitter end so I’m wondering what they played for encores. Anyone know?

04.22.10
The Wedding Present & Girl In A Coma
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Lots of excitement as David Gedge and company were touring for their 2nd record, BIZARRO (wonder if the band will ever tour for GEORGE BEST?). Got there in time to see the openers, San Antonio’s Girl in a Coma. Three gals, two of whom (singer/guitarist and drummer) are sisters and they are on Joan Jett’s label. Had not heard them before but they cranked out a nice mix of hard rock with some tasty hooks. They mixed the styles up nicely and I was glad I got there early enough to see them.

Gedge and company hit the stage at 10:30 pm and he mentioned how he has been sick for quite a while and apologized if his voice sounded crappy (sounded fine to me). Not sure who the (youngsters) on guitar and drums were but staple Terry DeCastro was on bass (she has been in the WP and even Cinerama , for at least a decade) and the band sounded terrific. Prior to ripping into BIZARRO they played about a half hour of both old and new material and we got to hear gems like “Everyone Thinks He Looks So Daft” and “Corduroy.” At 11:00 PM sharp BIZARRO began and it was great to hear old classics like “Brassneck”, “Kennedy’ (who Gedge mentioned as “This is a song about one of your presidents”), “No” and “Granadaland.” A solid 90 minutes and no enores. Mr Gedge, you and your band are welcome back to Portland anytime.

04.17.10
Record Store Day 2010
After the runaway success of RSD 2009, I was compelled to participate in the'10 version. In the weeks and months leading up to April 17th, I had my eye on several releases, namely Pavement, Sick Of It All, The Ramones, Sonic Youth, The Dum Dum Girls/Male Bonding Split, Let's Wrestle/Love Language split, Fucked Up, Rodriguez and others. These releases are very limited and most have what would be described as "deluxe" packaging(the Rodriguez 7" and the John Lennon 3x7" set come to mind). I was not able to get my hands on
the Pavement 2xLP or the Sick Of It All 7", but other than that my wish list was filled. Started out the morning with my dear friend Lance waiting outside the Everyday Music on NE Sandy Blvd. with a crowd of 12-15 people. The hipster jackasses employed by Everyday Music will never cease to amaze me. After inviting people to wait outside until 8 AM to peddle their wares, the employees feigned shock and disbelief when the crowd actually came inside once the doors were unlocked. Here's a novel idea: Have your shelves stocked before you open at your advertised time. Staying up all night doing blow and listening to the new Pheonix record is no excuse. On to a store that actually gives a shit abut it's customers, Music Millenium. MM opened at 9am and we were able to make the quick walk up to 32nd and Burnside with time to spare. MM had their items clearly marked and placed strategically around the store. Well done. The only lowlight of the MM trip was the guy in sandals and a Phish shirt(I swear to God that this is the first and last time I type the word "Phish") who was obviously waiting for the Dave Matthews 7" or the Black Moth Super Rainbow record. A few more complaints:#1: Who is pricing this shit? The Joy Division box set was a staggering $250! $100 for the Magnetic Fields box was also absurd. I was under the impression that this day was meant for the people to embrace independent record stores, not to scowl and walk away in disgust. #2: If you will allow your employees to set aside their RSD releases, it should be done without smirking at the crowd waiting to get in the door 5 minutes before opening. As a collector I understand setting these items aside to keep for yourself, but as a professional, I balk at the slap across the face of your dedicated customers. This offense also occured at Everyday Music. RSD was and is a wonderful idea, not to mention a knockout success, I just wish our dear merchants were a bit more responsible. See you next year.
KIP KELGARD

04.14.10
The Soft Pack
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Have been digging the new self-titled Soft Pack cd for a few weeks now and wondered if they could deliver on stage and they did. I was pretty sick (bad sore throat and general head cold) and wasn’t even going to head out but went anyway (along with my trusty accomplice, Kip Kelgard) and caught about a half hour of their set and these San Diego lads came to rock and rock they did. They opened the set with 3 of my favorite songs (“C’mon”, “Down on Loving” and “More or Less”) and played everything off the record. I know the singer and guitarist had played in The Muslims together but I want to give them some advice, do not piss off the rhythm section and make ‘em leave the band. They’re too damn good! Stand up drummer killed it and the nimble bassist brought a nice low-end rumble to the tunes. Singer/guitarist was good as was the lead guitarist but did he really have to grimace during every guitar lead? That aside these guys were more than worthy and if they come to your town , be there.

04.10.10
Beach House
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
According to BH’s Alex Scally this was their 6th time in Portland (he asked who was at the Towne Lounge gig, which I assumed to be their first ever Pdx gig) but it was my first time seeing the Baltimore, MD duo (trio tonight as they had a percussionist) and the show was sold out and packed to the gills. I didn’t like their last record and never heard the debut but really like the new one (TEEN DREAM on Sub Pop) so I was excited to see them on stage. Live they were a lot more chatty than I thought they’d be and they had all these glittery things hanging from the ceiling (sorta like oversized diamond-shaped disco balls) which added to the effect. Vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand chatted up the crowd a bit and when not was hunched over her keyboard, rocking up and down while spewing forth her haunting lyrics with her Nico-esque howl and Scally picked out spidery guitar riffs. I only recognized tunes from the new record so I was glad I got hear favorites like “Silver Soul”, Zebra” and “Walk in the Park” and I will make it a point to catch them next time they come to town.

04.09.10
Miles Kurosky
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
I tried not to miss seeing Beulah , one of my favorites from back in the day, but they have been long gone so Beulah vocalist/guitarist/leader Kurosky made a triumphant return this year with a terrific new solo record and hey, a tour. Plus he lives here in Portland now so maybe some live gigs will be more frequent. I wanted to get there in time for openers Eux Autres but was not able to do it. Miles and company hit the stage at 11:30 pm and he has a talented new band, I didn’t recognize any of the old Beulah cats (not even sure if these guys are Portland musicians) but this band sounded as good, a nice mix of tightness and looseness (if that makes any sense). They played some cuts off the new record (THE DESERT OF SHALLOW EFFECTS) and by song four he launched into Beulah’s “Emma Blowgun’s Last Stand” which sounded a bit different (no horns but keyboards kinda took the place) but still enjoyable and I was hoping he’d do “Score from Augusta” (being Masters’ time and all) but no such luck. He did do one more Beulah song with the band (“Popular Mechanics for Lovers”). The band left the stage and Miles came back out just he and his electric guitar and played more Beulah tunes, a medley if you will (“Gene Autry”, “Silver Lining”, etc.) and left the stage, thanking the appreciative crowd. Miles was his usual jokey self, saying he was proud to call Portland “My new home”, introducing his wife in the crowd and , at one point, taking a kids phone and videotaping the band from the stage and saying how “There’s no more mystery in music anymore thanks to these things. Back in the day we could say how great we were the night before and no one would know, now it’s all over YouTube”). Welcome back Miles!

04.09.10
Surfer Blood & Turbo Fruits
Bar Pink, San Diego, CA
Re: Turbo Fruits, who like to portray bad-ass, rifle-totin’ Southern boys, the proof wasn’t really in the puddin’ -- one of the best things was a cover of Creedence’s “Bad Moon.” The worst? An overwrought mess of Manfred Mann’s “Shakin’ All Over,” which certainly showed some cahongas – in this case, mis-directed ones, as I’ve heard this delivered with more heat and precision by others, especially Washington, D.C.’s seminal rock/punk band, (the) Razz.

When it came to Surfer Blood, everybody was nodding their heads to the bounce and gazing at the ridiculously boyish bassist who could be a Cowsills grand-kid and the keyboardist/maraca-shaker who could impersonate Weird Al Yankovic – the band’s certainly visually arresting. A couple of drunken gals who’d wandered in for kicks kept peering around and smiling to make sure they weren’t obscuring my view (we were standing on the seats of our booths to see over the jam-up). Whether or not the band’s sick of these comparisons, the more roaring stuff (“Catholic Pagans,” the power-chord-ecstatic “Swim”) is clearly influenced by Pavement and Weezer, and—I’m not kidding—there were good vibes and gently pumping bodies that would segue nicely after the “Buddy Holly” video. With the blood that spilled during the more volatile Turbo Fruits set, and the disappointment of those who didn’t know original draw Best Coast had opted for a party in Upland, SB’s catharsis was welcome, especially to those who’d waited to catch another buzz after the band’s earlier M-Theory record store appearance.

A radio promoter climbed up next to me; concurring, “They’re going to break even bigger!” After another fine-tuning (the mix was one of the meatiest, most well-colored I’ve ever heard from a Pop/Rock band in a bar), when the band dove into the warmly irresistible “Harmonix,” it would have been foolish to avoid its aural opiates. Hey, these guys will only combine youth with ever-so-clever once – or maybe not: I’ll be curious to see if John Paul Pitts & Co. can come up with the Pinkerton follow-up most of us have despaired of ever getting, at least from Rivers. MARY LEARY

03.27.10
Slumberland 20th Anniversary Gig
The Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
Major hats off to Mike “Slumberland” Schulman for not only holding a label together for two decades (not the easiest thing to begin with) but releasing quality music for that whole time too. When my pals Ed, Laura and Janice said they were driving down to San Francisco for this gig I thought about it for , I dunno, maybe 15 seconds before giving a definite yes! Four of us crammed in Ed’s mini Cooper wasn’t perfect but it wasn’t bad either and what the car lacked in comfort the folks in it made up in great company.

Arrived at the Rickshaw Stop at 6 pm just as BRILLIANT COLORS were taking the stage,. I like their Slumberland debut and live they did not disappoint. Grinding out winning fuzzy pop to what might been the biggest crowd they have ever played for. The bassist had a painful wrist so they had to cut their set a bit short but it was ace. We needed dinner so we missed NEVEREVER (who I heard were just ok) and BROWN RECLUSE (who I’m truly bummed about missing but hey, we hadda eat). Next up was Boston’s PANTS YELL! Who were a lot more exciting in the live setting than I thought they’d be. Leader Andrew Churchman slings a mean axe while the rhythm section (w/ fill-in bassist) held down the fort quite nicely. Towards the end they did a Rocketship medley which included “Your New Boyfriend”. Nice! THE HOW was Stewart Boyracer on drums, Chuck Norris on bass and Matt Hartman (Henry’s Dress) on guitar and they are an ode to The Who (and did a Kink’s cover) and drilled it home for a good 25 minutes (ok, so all the bands played 25 minute sets). Matt looked sharp in his green button up while Stewie had a suit on. L.A. guy DEVON WILLIAMS came on next and while I had heard none of his music prior to this he and the band cranked out some nice jangly pop tunes and seemed to have a real relaxed, loose feel on stage. Will need to pick up his stuff (7” on Slumberland and I think a full-length on Ba Da Bing!).

Whew…the bands (and hits) just kept coming. It had been years since I’d seen GO SAILOR but out they came, Rose on guitar/vocals, Paul Curran on bass and Amy Linton (who now just goes by her last name) on drums and if you’ve heard their singles then you know you needed to be here. Rose mentioned “when I wrote these songs I only knew 3 chords so to relearn them now, 15 years later, was a lot easier.” Australia’s SUMMER CATS were on next an always put on a fun set while vocalist Scott looked pretty tanked and I do believe they played “Wild Rice” one of my faves from an earlier ep. BOYRACER stormed the stage next and this time it was Stew on guitar and vocals, Jen on bass, Chuck on “noise” guitar (as Stew told the soundman) and Mario Hernandez (Ciao Bella/ From Bubblegum to Sky) on drums and these guys whipped the crowd into a major frenzy and , as always, Stew was sweaty, dazed and beet red by the set’s end (and Mario was an absolute powerhouse on drums!). Finally, at 12:45 AM or so HENRY’S DRESS took the stage and the trio of Matt, Hayim and Linton didn’t look too different than the band I booked 16 years earlier in Santa Rosa. Matt and Linton traded off on guitar/vocals and drums (each on sang the songs they wrote) . They opened with ”The Way She Goes” and played all the hits from then and Matt even took off the green shirt only to reveal a vintage Ramones t-shirt (no surprise there as I have always considered him the 5th Ramone). The show ended with the crowd going absolutely bananas and Mike Slumberland himself on stage singing along to all of the tunes while pounding his fist in the air. The night belonged to him and the bands and the fans. I could bitch about not having other bands on the bill (Rocketship, Black Tambourine, Aislers Set, The Ropers, etc.) that’s ok, those bands will be at the 40 year reunion! Here’s to 20 more, Mike!

03.31.10
Titus Andronicus & Let's Wrestle
Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
Still had yet to hear a note of music from Let’s Wrestle but they have a new record out on Merge so I had a feeling they’d be good. Walked in a minute before they began playing (perfect timing). They are a trio from the UK who churn out high energy gunk with bits reminiscent of the Wedding Present, Buzzcocks and some early Pavement too. Tall bassist was amazing and the taller drummer, who did not look British at all but more like someone form the middle of nowhere in Kentucky (he was wearing a black tank top, yes, I did just say tank top) , hammered it home on his small drumkit. If they come to your town be front and center.

Titus Andrionicus, from my native NJ, came on as the clock struck eleven and opened with “ A More Perfect Union” and honestly , that song was worth the price of admission alone (even though I didn’t pay for the show) and proceeded to hammer that point home for the next hour or so. Stuff off the new record, THE MONITOR, sounded great as did stuff form their debut last year. Main vocalist/guitarist was a hilarious, bearded beanpole who told some funny stories, female 2nd guitarist looked like she was having a blast and could not stop smiling and I don’t wanna say the drummer looked like an ex-con but let’s just say he probably knows what the phrase “3 hots and a cot” means. Catch them near you…or else. Good times.

03.25.10
Serena-Maneesh & The Depreciation Guild
Berbati's Pan, Portland, OR
March was a busy month for shows in Portland, but the Serena-Maneesh one was my most anticipated. It was a rather sparse crowd which is unfortunate, given the beauty of their quality of their music and the fact that they have travelled all the way from Norway to be here.
The Depreciation Guild warmed up the stage. They were missing their trademark projection screen, but it didn't matter because their set was amazing. The New York trio, headed by Kurt Feldman (also the drummer for Pains of Being Pure at Heart), offered 40 minutes of dreamy, dancey, guitar-layered tunes, mostly from their new album Spirit Youth. They would be a hard act to follow.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Serena-Maneesh, as their albums are a mix of psychedelic drone and brilliantly gazey pop, all with a rock edge. Their set began with guitarist/singer Emil Nikolaisen dancing about, donned in a bizarre ripped up poncho. It became clear after a couple songs that this act was going to be more drone than pop. I usually don't mind this, except that they had so many great songs (Drain Cosmetic, Sapphire Eyes, I Just Want to See your Face) that were left out of the set list. Also, there were no female vocals, which was hugely disappointing and sorely missed especially when they played the lovely "Melody for Jaana." The theatrics were a bit much and at times Nikolaisen seemed strangely possessed. However, between songs he spoke in the kindest, sweetest voice and thanked people for their support. At the end of the last song, he writhed about, poncho over his head, and fell of the stage with his guitar and mic before exiting. The audience clapped for a minute, then stood in silence. A little more clapping, more silence. People looked confused then left-- no encore.
I spoke with a friend who had talked to Nikolaisen the day after the show and he said the band's intention was to really put on a mind-blowing show for Portland. It may not have been mind-blowing, but it was certainly different. LAURA WATLING

03.20.10
Black Lips
Johnny Brenda's, Philthadelphia, PA
I don't even feel old at their shows. One minute I want to take them out for pancakes and the next I want to have their babies.
Watching the crowd is almost as much fun as watching the band. I noticed a lone sneaker on the stage and not long after, a guy, in one rather fluid motion, crowdsurfed up to the stage, reached down, retrieved the shoe, put it on and crowdsurfed away from the stage. Of course I had a good view in the balcony but it was too dark to get a photo of anything other than the shoe on the stage. Then there was the girl in the last photo who got on stage at the end and just stood there in a daze, and the band guys just stepped around her, over the monitors, like she was a piece of equipment blocking their way or something, and she seemed oblivious of them too. ah good times, sober among the fucked up! Jared only has the grill on the bottom now. I was a little sad about that, especially since this was the first time I brought the camera.
They had an after party at the Marbar on 40th & Walnut (haha our old HS stomping grounds) where they were DJing. Some guy gave me a little flyer for it outside JB's after the show. If I was 10 or 15 years younger I would have been all over it but I need my sleep.
Also I had a beer called Fleur de Lehigh with ginger and rhubarb that was not overly fruity but pretty good. RUTH K

03.22.10
Codeine Velvet Club & Nico Vega
Roseland, Portland, OR
These two bands opened up for Metric, who I like but I was not able to stay late enough to see (school night). I went to see the Codeine Velvet Club but (unfortunately) got there in time to see the horrible opener, Nico Vega. A female led trio who were, how can I say, godawful. Shoot yourself first if you find out have to see them.

C.V.C were fun. It is one of the guys form The Fratellis doing 60’s pop ala The Walker Brothers (a bit) with horns (2 trumpets) and a sultry lass up front. All 7 of them were dressed to the nines and kicked out some high energy tunes off their debut record. Didn’t stay for the whole thing but saw enough to bring me back next time they play.

03.21.10
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Nothing quite like an early gig as Leo and Co. were on stage by 6 pm, perfect for a geezer like me. I have always liked Leo and his Pharmacists ok but have never found his stuff to be mind-blowing (like a lot of people I talk to). Still, it had been a few years since I had seen him live and I prefer his live show to his records and he did not disappoint. He and the band hammered away at cuts off his new THE BRUTALIST BRICKS (on Matador) as well as some older cuts like "Where have all the rude boys gone," "The High Party," "Me and Mia," "Counting down the hours," and plenty more . Who cares if his drummer looks like a Grateful Dead reject the guy kicks ass on the skins and these guys can put on a show!

03.10.10
A Sunny Day In Glasgow & Beaches
Holocene, Portland, OR
I missed the openers Orca Team but heard they were good but got there in time to catch all-female 5-piece Beaches , from Melbourne, Australia. Not sure if they just got off a long flight or what but they seemed a bit dazed. They loosened up midway through the set though and simply ripped. Not much in the way of vocals , a few songs were instrumentals and the songs that did have vocals were mostly mumbled but I didn’t mind. Their 3 guitar approach was bulldozing and I mentioned to a pal afterwards that they reminded me of mid-80’s NYC noise ala Sonic Youth, Live Skull or even the Dustdevils and he agreed. Really glad I got there in time to catch them and if they come to your town you should plan to be there too.

The last time ASDIG came to town I was at the gig but split before they came on to catch the New Year (ex-Bedhead) so I did to wanna miss ‘em this time. Apparently the 2 female vocalists are both new as the twin sisters are off to grad school or something but leader Ben Daniels stills mans the ship which includes the 7 foot tall bassist (he should be a power forward for the Sixers) and the drummer who simply didn’t quit. Had just heard their recent ASHES GRAMMER a few days before so didn’t know the songs (‘cept “Failure’ which they did play). The two gals dancing was half charming and half annoying but I guess it is better than standing there, looking glum and gazing at their shoes, right? This is dreamy, complex dream pop and I enjoyed myself and didn’t even mind only getting 4 and a half hours of sleep for work the next day (not too much, anyway).

02.18.10
Thee Oh Sees, Past Lives & Asss
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
I truly believe that you can measure the value of a band by the amount of money you spend on merchandise at the given bands show. That said, I spent more money at Thee Oh Sees than I can honestly remember spending at any show, ever. Walking in to the darkened basement that is the Doug Fir, Past Lives were making awful sounds come out of their equipment. The vocalist did what I call a poor Ian Curtis impression and the guitar player looked like Frederick Douglass in an engineer hat. Enough of that. Thee Oh Sees came on about 10:30 or so and immediately went in to scorching psych/garage/rock/revival/whateverthekidsarecallingitthesedays. At first glance, John Dwyer seems to be channeling Gene Vincent and while it is derivative(guitar pointing, deep throating the mic, etc.), the guy is quite captivating and makes it his own. On songs like "Crack In Your Eye" and "Spider Cider", you see the band performing at a very high level. These are not kids making tunes for their friends, these guys mean business and it shows. Unfortunately, since I quit drinking, I have turned into quite the pussy when it comes to Thursday night shows and was only able to stay for the first 45 minutes or so and I am not joking when I say they were just getting warmed up. Standing in a room full of Portland's hipster elite, Thee Oh Sees were charming and gracious and obviously had more than a few friends in the crowd. My bet is that the hype will only continue to grow with the band. They have earned it. KIP KELGARD

02.28.10
El Perro Del Mar & Taken By Trees
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
5 Swedes on stage for Taken by Trees and not one blonde. I’m just sayin’…still , ex-Concrete Victoria Bergsman and her crack musical cast mesmerized the fairly packed house at Doug. Fir. I expected a shy, chanteuse in the Hope Sandoval vein and while she did appear a bit shy, she did interact with the crowd and made some jokes (“Did you guys win the hockey game tonight? Oh…sorry…”). I have both of the TBT records but I can’t tell you song title (not one of my strong points) but trust me when I say they were well-worth seeing (and the wiry, bearded , funky drummer put on a little show with his bongos).

El Perro del Mar, aka Ms. Sarah Assbring , brought herself to the Doug Fir about 3 years ago and sat quietly in a chair while her tuxedo’d band members sat behind her and plucked out her gentle songs. This time the band (most of TBT band) cranked it up and Sarah came out dancing and it was all…..I dunno, a bit too much. I’m glad she’s happier these days but it was all a bit, dare I say, obnoxious. Of course most of the crowd loved it so what do I know? I still like the records and her latest one , LOVE IS NOT POP, is no exception but this was all a bit strange.

02.22.10
Magnetic Fields & Mark Eitzel
The Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
Wow, both of these bands were blasts from my 90’s past. I loved them both but it had been at least a decade since I’d seen either band perform. American Music Club frontman Eitzel came out tin his usual rumpled suit and fedora armed with a microphone and a pal of his who was playing a keyboard. Chatting up the crowd a always with stories, they proceeded to play some of the more obscure A.M.C. songs and some of his solo stuff too. I told my pal Brian I would have killed for him to do something off ENGINE like “Mom’s TV” or “Electric Light” but ‘twas not to be. Still, he did a terrific Eitzel-ized version of Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” as well as “There is not Easy Way Down” and a few others in his short set. That voice….he’s STILL got it!

The Magnetic Fields were the same 4 from the 90’s: Stephin on uke, Claudia on keyboards, John on guitar and Sam on cello as well as (newcomer?) Shirley on….not sure what it was. A zither? Stephin and the ladies split the vocal chores and we heard some songs from Magnetic Fields past like “Summer Lies” (off their debut, THE WAYWARD BUS), “Fear of Trains” (off of 1994’s THE CHARM OF THE HIGHWAY STRIP), “All the Umbrellas in London” (off GET LOST) as well as a few songs off of the 6th debut record WASPS’ NEST “”Movies in my Head” and “Falling out of Love (with you)”). All sounded great and Mr. Merritt was his usual droll self, telling the crowd to “Stop cheering and please talk quietly amongst yourselves’ while they were trying to tune as well as mentioning his band mates, “Claudia is well-adjusted and Shirley is a psychotic fuck up” Like Mr. Eitzel, nice to see after nearly 2 decades this marvelous band can still charm the pants off a sold out crowd with ease.

02.16.10
Brendan Benson
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Looking like a cross between Scott Miller (Game Theory/The Loud Family) and the dude from the Spin Doctors , the slender (ok, skinny) Brendan Benson came out with his band (which I think included the drummer from Ryan Adam’s Cardinals) charged out of the gate and treated the crowd at Doug Fir to a tasty set of power pop nuggets. He may have gotten some acclaim with his latest band The Raconeturs (with Jack White) he has been releasing fine solo records since the mid-90’s so he had a nice catalog to choose from. “Metarie” sounded awesome but we weren’t able to hang ‘til the very end so we missed “Tiny Spark” (damn!) but for pure pop songcraft Benson is among the best. Well done, gents

02.13.10
David Rawlings Machine
Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
Of the hundreds of live shows I’ve seen, no crowd has ever been as electrified as Saturday night’s concert featuring David Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and Ketch Secor, Willie Watson and Morgan Jahnig of the Old Crow Medicine Show. Over three hours and six encores later, the 1000 people at the Roseland Theater still stomped, cheered, and cried out for more … for good reason. All five took the stage with their acoustic guitars, bass, violin, and impeccable vocals to seamlessly blend bluegrass, country and rock, supporting David’s new CD “A Friend of a Friend”. After two perfectly “in the pocket” songs, David introduced his guest piano player to join the band … Benmont Tench, original founder and current long standing member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. From then on, the evening was epic in every way as the band played both originals, and covers from Dylan, The Band, even a Dylan tune made famous by Manfred Mann “Mighty Quinn”. Gillian wore a long blue dress with cowboy boots with her ‘60s Gibson flat top guitar – Ketch wearing cowboy hat and denim with his worn Larivee acoustic, and front man David with his 1930’s era Harmony acoustic. There was not one weak moment as this show nearly spun the crowd out of control, standing room only even in the very back of the balcony. This group, grinning from ear to ear the entire show, is a perfect example of the new folk/rock/country revival sweeping the nation revealed in so many young, beard rock & country bands. With so many years of momentum and tradition behind these musical styles, the David Rawlings Machine leads the way for the future of American music, and is a must-see if they come anywhere close to your town! GREG SOCOLOFSKY

02.08.10
Dawes & Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons
Mississippi, Portland, OR
Had high hopes for this show and was not disappointed. Middle band (missed opener Jason Boesel from Rilo Kiley) Cory Chisel & the Wandering Songs were not bad,. A bit jam band-ish at times but otherwise nice vocals and pretty good songs. Had not heard of them before but now I need to see if I have their cd out in the box of promos and if so give it a listen.
Dawes came out as a 5-piece adding a pedal steel player and which, according to singer Taylor Goldsmith, this was a special occasion as I guess they rarely play with him. Anywho, Dawes sounded marvelous! They played everything on the record as well as 2 new ones and a stomping cover of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns & Money” and it all sounded great. Taylor put some real passion and intensity into the vocals while the rhythm section pounded it home (especially Taylor’s 18 year old brother, Griffin, on drums….amazing!) and the keyboard player added nice backing vocals as well as cool keys. Among my faves were “That Western Skyline”, “Bedside Manner”, “Peace in the Valley” and especially, “When My Time Comes” (when Taylor let the crowd sing the final chorus). Not sure how many previous times they have played Portland but from now forward I will catch them every time they come to town. One of the best and most inspired performances I’ve seen in the past few years!

01.15.10
The Twang
The Woods, Portland, OR
I vaguely remember their record on the Arena Rock label from a few years back but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to catch this UK act for free (?!) at 7 pm on a Friday. Not sure what to expect but the place was packed (nice write up in The Mercury) and the band did indeed hit the stage at 7 pm sharp (after a brief intro by Arena Rock head honcho and Portland resident, Greg Glover). The only tune I really knew was “Barney Rubble” from their myspace page and they played it and it sounded excellent. In fact all of the tunes sounded great. The band has two vocalists (bald guy is the main singer while the Shawn Ryder looking guy with sunglasses on sang back up, danced and was the “get-the-crowd-pumped-up guy) while the guitarist was hot shit and the rhythm section was solid. In between songs main vocalist was hilarious too (“Why the fuck do you people tip in this country??!! Isn’t a drink expensive enough?!) , on this, their first ever U.S. gig. Laura called ‘em a mix between the Trash Can Sinatras and the Blue Aeroplanes and I’d say that sounds accurate (w/ some Happy Mondays tossed in) and the songwriting is strong. A pleasant surprise (early) on a Friday night to say the least .

12.07.09
Passion Pit
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
For a couple of guys that just made a few songs for a girl on Valentine’s Day, their popularity has skyrocketed. Michael Angelakos, for all of his glory, is a very lively figure. From the Mickey Mouse lyrics (Better Things’: Baby don't be unhappy / Baby don't be sad / Better things are coming / I swear there's truth in that) to his unruly hair and high-pitched vocals, definitely leads the post-college electropop from obscurity to mainstream (See the Palm Pixi commercial). Playing sets from both their debut EP Chunks of Change and their newest release Manners, some songs are made for a frat party and others for a calm Saturday afternoon. Overall, the live performance leaves little room for disappointment. PERCIVAL SWEETWATER

11.30.09
Morrissey
Roseland, Portland, OR
As an elder statesman I must admit I like these early shows in Portland. Heck, earlier would be even better but I can’t complain too much,. Missed the openers ( Doll and the Kicks , who apparently went on at 8 pm) . On the video screen before Mozzer’s start time they played some vintage video (was that Alain Delon’s mug I saw on there? ) and then Morrissey and his crew hopped on stage at 9 PM. From what I understand this was his first gig in Portland in 7 years as he and his band came out in matching outfits and immediately burst into the Smiths classic “This Charming Man.” It definitely lacked the nuance of the original, a bit more rawk (I missed that spindly guitar lead that opens the song) but I’m not going to complain too much as it sounded good. From the Smiths catalog they also played “Cemetery Gates”, “Ask”, “How Soon is Now”, the latter of which he ripped his shirt off at the end and ran off stage). The solo material, which I’m not as familiar with, sounded just as good as he launched into razor-sharp versions of “Ganglord”, “If You Don’t Like Me, Don’t Look at Me”, “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” and the classic, “The World is Full of Crashing Bores.” The band was tight (even the wanker bassist who felt it necessary to grimace after every note) and longtime Morrissey sideman Boz Boorer (guitar) engaged the crowd with killer riffs (and some funny faces). Mozzer himself interacted with the sold out crowd quite a bit, responding to one girl’s plea of I Love You with “Oh…it’ll pass. Trust me” and took a small gift bag from another female, listening to it of course, and smiling, before looking into the bag (is there a bomb in there?). The biggest surprises came when, after their encore of “First of the Gang to Die” they left the stage and didn’t return. At 75 minutes the set seemed short and even this early bird was hoping for a bit of a later night.

12.04.09
Green Pajamas & Boat Club
Kelly's Olympian, Portland, OR
It’s hard to believe that Seattle’s Green Pajamas have been around for over 2 decades but indeed they have. They have kept a real low profile so this rare live appearance was a must. Truth be told I’m not as big a fan of their records as most others but heard live that they bring something different to the table and this was true. Leader Jeff Kelly and crew cranked out one garage pop nugget after another (with no goofy “forced’ psychedelia) , including a few off their one record Poison in the Russian Room. The rest of the band held down the fort quite nicely too including longtime bassist Joe Ross who ambled up to the mic to sing a tune or two and nice backing vocals from other guitarist Laura Weller.

I didn’t know a darn thing about Oakland, CA’s Boat Club ‘cept that the lineup includes former Rain Parader Matt Piucci and that was enough for me to stay late to see them and they delivered a nice set of psych tinged pop as well. The lanky bassist (who also played some guitar) added some tentativeness to the proceedings as well (in a good way) . Towards the end Piucci and the gang (including his brother Stephen who played keys) dug deep and played two Rain Parade songs (“Blue” and “This Can’t Be Today”). The following day at the in-store at Music Millenium Boat Club played first (and due to having my two year old with me I was only able to stay for their set and had to miss the GP’s) and sounded even better with acoustic instruments. They again played “Blue” and this time treating us to a stellar version of another Rain Parade classic, “What’s She Done To Your Mind.” Still have yet to hear the Boat Club cd but hopefully that will change this week.

11.18.09
Girls & Dominant legs
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Opener Dominant Legs are a duo from S.F. which included the Girls’ lead guitarist Ryan Lynch on guitar and some cute gal on vocals and keyboards. My pal Kip decided they should change their name to Honey I Shrunk Jimmy Smits (Lynch has a resemblance to Mr. Smits). They place about a half hour of synth-pop which was merely ok.

Girls hit the stage about 10:45 pm as a 4 piece (to a packed house) and immediately jumped into “Laura” for about 10 seconds until J.R. White’s bass fizzled out. After clearing up that problem (5 minutes later) they kicked back into it and thing sounded great all the way until the closer of “Lust for Life” and they played everything in between including a few new ones (one new tune, “Heartbreaker” , was particularly awesome). For the encore singer/guitarist/leader Christopher Owens, he with the most classic case of bedhead, came out and played a few tunes solo with an acoustic guitar and then we left (the only song from the record we didn’t hear was “Big bad Mean Motherfucker”, which may have been played after the acoustic encores but we split as it was getting late). ALBUM is a classic piece of pop and one of the best records of the year and it was good to see the band was able to pull it all off live.

11.6.09
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Friday night at Portland’s Doug Fir was set ablaze by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit following and opening act, in a triple bill including the Mother Hips. Jason and the seasoned 400 Unit began their set with “Streetlights”, Jason’s finger picked G chord into, the band kicking in with harmony vocal, then unleashed their ultra tight, warm southern rock sound. Guitarist Browan Lollar and bassist Jimbo Hart flanking Isbell, confirmed that this is a band of seasoned young professionals committed to giving killer shows every night.

Highlights included most of the crowd mouthing all the words, their standard bottle of Jack Daniels (from Jason’s Drive-By Trucker days), fans from the previous night’s Seattle show who didn’t get enough, Isbell’s stomp box pedals “shit the bed”, as he put it forcing him to plug straight into his amp … Their dual guitar approach was the best two guitar band I’ve heard since their last Doug Fir performance in April 2008. They raised the crowd into a frenzy prompting shouts in unison “one more song, one more song …”
This band is as tight as any professional outfit I’ve seen – refreshing to see such excitement for a band rising to the top of the southern rock movement … GREG SOCOLOFSKY

11.7.09
Dinosaur Jr. & Lou Barlow and The Missingmen
Wonder ballroom, Portland, OR
Had no idea that Lou’s other guitarist in the Missingmen was ex-Slovenly dude Tom Watson (until now..the next day). No wonder he kicked ass. They played lots of tunes off Lou’s latest GOODNIGHT UNKNOWN (Merge Records) and my pal Brian and I both agreed that it all sounded real….tentative, which made it so great. Songs seemed to end just ……whenever. I have always liked Lou’s songs and I must say I dug this set.

Dino Jr. came on about 11:20 pm or so (wayyy past my bedtime) and once again, I’m glad I remembered the ear plugs. Lotsa amps on stage (right behind Mr. J. Mascis) and they burned through a greatest hits set as we were treated to Dino classics like “Tarpit”, “The Wagon”, “Freak Scene” , “Forget the Swan” , “Budge”, “Crumble” (from 2007’s BEYOND) and too many others. At one point, in between songs, Lou began singing the Bay City Roller’s classic “Saturday Night” into the mic. And how about drummer Murph? The guy is a friggin’ machine and has turned into an amazing drummer. I mean,…who knew?! I hung for over an hour and saw another marvelous set but unfortunately did not make it until the encore (assuming they played some) as it was nearing 1:00 am and my legs were ready to buckle.

11.5.09
Boat
The Woods, Portland, OR
First time to The Woods, which is located in Sellwood in Portland’s Southeast section) and was the former home of a funeral home. The place was real spacious and comfy too (lots of couches everywhere) and seemed to have a good sound system too. Boat played first and while I like their first two records fine enough, it’s the new one, SETTING THE PACES (Magic Marker Records) that I really fell in love with and they played a generous amount of songs from said record and it all sounded pretty great. The band seems to be generally having a great time on stage (and not in some lame, wacky “hey, look at us, aren’t we zany up here” kinda way). Vocalist/guitarist Dave is a low-key (but hilarious) front man and the rhythm section is super talented as well (drummer kicks ass). They even added former Galactic Heroes guy Ricky Cancro on extra guitar/keys once again. Don’t miss Boat next time they play YOUR local funeral parlor (or town).

10.17.09
Scion Garage Fest
4 DIFFERENT CLUBS: BERBATI’S , DANTE’S, SATYRICON & SOMEDAY LOUNGE,
Portland, OR
3:00 PM @ Berbati’s- Not nearly as footloose and fancy free as I used to be since we have a 20 month old (who, for the record, is the best kid in the whole world!). Alas, I missed The Dirtbombs (again).
6:00 PM- Eating dinner so I missed the Box Elders at Someday Lounge (again).
6:45 PM- Still eating dinner so was not able to catch Cheap Time at Someday.
8:00 PM- Pick up Senor’ John Chandler and we head down to Dante’s to catch Strange Boys from Austin, TX. Some pals on Facebook have been raving about them but I only dug about half of their song. Elements of garage, straight pop and some country too. That first song they played was amazing.
8:30 PM- We peek over at the line at Berbati’s ‘cos we both really wanna see the Black Lips later and line is a mile long.
8:35 PM- Just found out Jay Reatard cancelled. Damn!
8:37 PM- Caught part of Lover! at Satyricon. I liked them in a good, melodic garage sort of way (w/ some punk overtones). John thought they sounded too much like “by-the-numbers mall punk.”
9:00 PM- We headed back over to Dante’s and caught about 6 songs by all black wearing with sunglasses duo The Mojomatics. I like them, razor sharp hook with some meat behind it and a sense of humor too.
9:13 PM- Went back over to Satyricon to catch part of Wisconsin’s Goodnight Loving were excellent. Sort of a Buddy Holly (or Everly Brothers) gone garage rock. Terrific songwriting.
9:30 PM- Caught back up with John and we headed over to the Someday to catch Canadian 70’s pysch gods Simply Saucer. They went on about 20 minutes late and were, well…heavy. I thought way too jammy, John liked ‘em a lot and Ryder though they sounded like a (bad) boogie band. There you have it.
10:15 PM- The line for the Black Lips at Berbati’s is still a mile long and the thought of us getting in there to see them is not good. We head back to Dante’s and catch part of Jack O. & the Tearjerkers who were really good (it’s Jack Oblivion doncha know). Lotsa guitar grit and a whole lotta soul too.
10:30 PM- Made one last ditch effort to get into Berbati’s to see the Black Lips but to no avail (the 6’ 5” 300 lb bouncer threw us both out on our ears and into the street). I was able to peek through a side curtain and could see it a bit (and hear it almost perfectly) and it sounded ace. We’d both decided thus us old farts had had enough garage fest and decided to pass on Pierced Arrows, Roky Erickson, The Deadly Snakes, King Khan and BBQ, etc. and I got a Voodoo Donut while John opted for a burrito at the cart in the parking lot (and got bit on the chest by some drunk guy from Florida in the process). Oh, and the Scion Shwag bags were lame.

10.16.09
Bob Mould & Spiral Stairs
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Mr. Mould and company were supposed to headlining but bassist Jason Narducy’s wife was due any day (minute) so they played first and charged through a set of songs from Bob’s career, saving the Husker material until the end. We were treated to versions of “Makes No Sense at All”, “I Apologize”, “In a Free Land”, “Hardly Getting Over It” (paled in comparison to live version I saw the Huskers do) and a few others. The Husker’s stuff sounded good but the first half of the set was peppered with some pretty boring songs, one I’m not sure why he chose for this set and I can’t even tell you the names of the songs as I have not followed his career post-Husker that closely (I was not much of a Sugar fan). Still with Narducy on bass and Superchunk guy Jon Wurster on drums he had a potent rhythm section an most of the packed house was going nuts.

At 10:30 pm Spiral (Scott Kannberg) ambled on stage with his band (which included The Posies Jon Auer on keys and acoustic guitar) and proceeded to play all (or most, anyway) of the cuts from his brand new THE REAL FEEL (on Matador) which I have not been able to stop listening to. The band had a real loose feel and seemed to be having a lot of fun (I’m sure alcohol helped) even though much of the material on said record is pretty downcast and they even played a few of my faves from the record (“Subiaco Shuffle”, “Cold Change”, “True Love”, “Stolen Pills 1”, etc.) and what I think may have been a Fall cover (encore). Apparently Spiral is leaving the state for Australia so our loss is their gain but catch this our if you can.

10.08.09
Robyin Hitchcock & The Venus 3 and Golden Bloom
Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
This was my first time to the revamped Mississippi Studio and while I do miss the smaller living room-ish area where bands played previously I do like what they’ve done to the place and while bigger it still is a cozy space. Golden Bloom opened and I was jazzed as I really dug their recently released full-length, FAN THE FLAME.S They played as a trio and leader Shawn Fogel was a congenial sort on stage, smiling and talking to the crowd while the rhythm section (drummer from S.F. and bassist from NYC, I believe) held down the fort. I was happy I got to hear “E.H.M”, “Doomsday Devices” (complete with the weird sounds form the Korg) , “She Leaves Me Poetry”, and “Theme for an Adventure at Sea.” They even played a John Strom cover (form Velo Deluxe). Nice!

With Peter Buck on bass and Scott McCaughey on guitar (and I think Bill Rieflin on drums) you could say that Mr. Hitchcock had an all-star cast on stage with him. Couldn’t tell you a single song he played but it all sounded great and his between song banter was both cosmic and hilarious. I hung for about 45 minutes and while I would have liked to stay longer my bed was calling (and hey, it was a work night) but I’ll make sure to be there again next time Mr. Hitchcock and company play Portland.

MFNW 2009

While Musicfest NW has grown each year and gotten more and more touring bands and name acts this year seemed like an off year. A few friends and i agreed that it seemed to have less good bands and less bands in general and fewer clubs too. Having said that there was still a bunch of great shows so I don’t want you to get the impression it was a total dud because it certainly was not but just didn’t seem as lively as last year or 2007. Still, here is a rundown of what I did see.

Wednesday September 16th
Really wanted to catch Okkervil River’s Will Sheff who was playing last on a 4-band bill at Berbati’s but I was already wiped out to begin with and he was not going on until 11 pm. Damn (hey , some of us DO work early in the morning).

Thursday September 17th
I walked into the Doug Fir Lounge on Thursday night and had to sit through a set by Cymbals Eat Guitars, a band who wished it was 1996 all over again. These guys did the quiet/loud thing ala Built to Spill and had some Pavement-esque noisy guitars but no songs (and they seemed to play for HOURS). After that debacle The Depreciation Guild played and they were terrific. This band features Pains of Beings Pure at Heart’s drummer Kurt Feldman on guitar/vocals and definitely more dream pop than Pains. If you want to see their list of influences go to their myspace site (Cocteau Twins, The Wake, Aztec Camera, Field Mice, OMD, etc. etc.). Good stuff and I recommend catching them if they play your city. The Pains played next and it was a little after midnight when they went on so I only stayed for 4 or 5 songs (had already caught them two previous times this year) but they had great energy and really fed off the crowd (and I got to hear “Young Adult Friction”).

Other bands I would have liked to see on this Thursday night that I missed: Helio Sequence, Derby, Norfolk & Western, The Dimes, The Twilight Sad, Dirty Three.

Friday September 18th
My pal Corey wanted to catch the reunited Sunny day Real Estate gig at the Crystal but i knew that was going to be nuts so I opted to catch the Monotonix/Bad Brains gig at Roseland. The former had only their singer with some backing music. If you’ve seen these guys before you know he spends no time on stage and was out in the crowd the entire set. Picture Lemmy’s son with nothing on but gym shorts, tube socks and sneakers …oh, and his headband . First he parted the crowd and was doing sprints and then busted out the bass drum and had the crowd hold it up with him on top of it trying to balance himself. Later on he shimmied up a pole in the middle of the club, pulled his pants down and jammed the mic up his ass (ala GG) and shortly thereafter he grabbed a snare drum and had some members hold it up while others held him up while he was sitting on the drum stool wailing on the snare. Musically it sounded to me like rehashed Blue Cheer riffs, no big deal but live they (or he) has enough unhinged energy to make them a must-see live act. The Bad Brains were up next and I wonder why there even bothered touring? H.R. stood there, stock still with his hand in his pockets while the rest of the band robotically churned out their punk classics only…well, they didn’t sound like classics. Look, I know they’re not spring chickens anymore and that we are not going to see HR do backflips anymore, I understand that but come on, at least act like you want to be there. I split after 20 minutes and went over to Dante’s to catch Chula Vista, CA punk legends The Zero who did not disappoint. The “Mexican Ramones” sounded great and seemed like they were having a blast doing it too (an I was glad I got to hear “Don’t Push Me Around”). Really wanted to stay for Mudhoney but alas, I was ready to drop so I split.

Other Friday bands I missed that I wanted to see: Arctic Monkeys, Dirty Mittens, The Jealous Sound, Lake, Weinland, Michael Dean Damron, Nurses, Boat, The Long Winters.

Saturday September 19th
I finally got a chance to see Fucked Up (had missed them their last few times through town) and better yet is that they went on at 7 pm at the Wonder Ballroom. The thing is about this Canadian bunch is that with three guitars (plus bass, drums and vocals) they sound amazingly tight while vocalist Pink Eyes is both intense and hilarious. He came out pulled his shirt up over his face while still singing and then wrapped the mic cord around his face and still sang. He then lost his shirt and his shorts and was running around (usually in the crowd) in just his skivvies while talking time in between songs to crack some jokes (he told us that he had just turned 30 and just had a baby “which proves a woman out there had sex with me”). They opened with “Son the Father” and then ripped through a good hour of molten punk rock. Amazing. I then shot over to Berbati’s and caught New Zealand’s The Brunettes who had played a short set at MFNW 2007. They sounded marvelous and I love their off-kilter melodies and the sounds of the toy instruments gives them a certain something special (think The Vaselines but less noisy). Afterwards I told my wife I was going to be home by 9 pm and I stayed true to my word.

Wished I’d seen: Alan Singley & Pants Machine. Pretty & Nice, Riverboat Gamblers, Lovers, Titus Andronicus, Beach House, Erase Errata.

Sunday September 20th
I didn’t go to see Modest Mouse.

9.21.09
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
When I mentioned on my Facebook page that I was going to this gig it enticed many opinions on the Hope vs. Kendra battle (ie: one that doesn’t exist). Kendra being Kendra Smith, David Roback’s partner in Opal. When Smith left Opal mid-tour in the early 90’s Roback got an able replacement in unknown Hope Sandoval. Through 3 records Mazzy Star’s own brand of narcoleptic, hazy pop won them a legions of dedicated fans before eventually calling it a day after the release of 1996’s Among My Swan. Five years later Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions appeared with their debut record Bavarian Fruit Bread which they toured for in the summer of 2002. Having not toured in 7 years it was obvious the fans were hungry for more as this sold out show proved. Sauntering on stage 30 minutes late at 10:30 pm, the band was, as always, bathed in darkness with what appeared to be a single light illuminating them and no between song banter (though Hope did at one point ask for more guitar in a monitor). They opened with what I think was the first single off their new record, “Blanchard” (I haven’t heard the record yet) and then sifted comfortably through a mix of tunes from their 2 full-length records. One of the highlights was the hypnotic “Suzanne” from the debut record, which sounded lush and lovely while the songs I didn’t recognize (I’ll assume the new ones) marched to a very similar beat, of which a few were gems (like the aforementioned “Blanchard”). The band seemed tight and expansive at the same time and it was so dark on stage that I couldn’t even tell if the drummer was My Bloody Valentine’s Colm Ciosiog (who has been Hope’s creative partner in the Warm Inventions) but the respectful audience just seemed appreciative that Hope and Co. have hit the road again. Let’s hope the next tour isn’t another 7 years from now.

9.12.09
The Avengers, Pansy Division & Paul Collins Beat
Dantes, Portland, OR
After a stint in Spain in the 80’s and 90’s (where he continued to release records) power pop guy Paul Collins came back in 2007 with the terrific FLYIN’ HIGH record in the Get Hip label. He has a new one but I’ve not heard it yet but his set tonight , a mix of old and new tunes , was strong (let’s also not forget this guy was in The Nerves with Peter Case back in the 70’s) with lots of good rock and roll mojo. I noticed “Rock N’ Roll Girl” and “Walking Out on Love” (which The Exploding Hearts covered) and the band, Collins especially, showed the kind of frenetic energy usually reserved for guys half his age. It’s nice to see Collins doesn’t want to merely be a relic but writes new songs just as powerful as his old one.

I had not seen Pansy Division since I booked them 15 years ago and they are doing the same schtick (“Hey, look how gay we are!!”) and the pop punk songwriting is only pretty good. The Avengers however working these days with Pansy Division’s rhythm section in addition to vocalist Penelope Houston and guitarist Greg Ingraham, showed us how it’s done. Penelope still looks good at 50 and can still belt it out while Ingraham is still fierce on guitar. They opened with “We are the One” then treated us to a smokin’ version of “Teenage Rebel”, “Car Crash” as well as a cover of the Stones “Paint it Black.” Well done, I would have loved to hear “Friends of Mine” but hey, we can’t have it all, right? These guys are always welcome back to Portland.

9.07.09
Various Live Reviews
BILL CALLAHAN (6/28/09 at Aladdin Theatre) It had been years since I’d seen Bill Callahan (Smog) but things have changed a bit. He had a cello and violin player and his new songs an some of his moves on stage approached, umm….dancing. He sounded great. ..PATTERSON HOOD (7/10/09 at Wonder Ballroom) The main guy from the Drive by Truckers had an excellent backing band (including Sugar’s Dave Barbe) and the songs from his recent solo record, Murdering Oscar, lp sounded better live than the record does…THE TARTANS and SUMMERS CATS (7/16/09 at Backspace) Australia’s Summer Cats were fun and loose on stage (vocalist Scott cracking lots of jokes) and definitely solid but not great. I really enjoyed the swirling pop of L.A.’s The Tartans (ex-Summer in Between) as vocalist Brian did his best Morrissey for most of the night. …PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART (7/23/09 at Backspace) sounded great but I was stuck in the back and couldn’t see a damn thing. …SONIC YOUTH (7/28/09 at Roseland) First time I’d see S.Y. since their instore at Music Millenium in 2003 (and first time I’d seen them at a club since god knows when). They sounded really good but got stuck playing Portland on the hottest night of the year. I stuck around for about 40 minutes and that was all I could take (of the heat, that is). …TRASH CAN SINATRAS & BROOKVILLE (8/2/09 at Aladdin Theatre) Really enjoyed Brookville’s set (Andy Chase from Ivy’s side project) and they were definitely more “rock” in the live setting than on records. The Trash Cans played a lot of slow/dreary stuff but still sounded good. They have such a great back catalog, just wish they would have chosen some more upbeat songs for this set…THROWBACK SUBURBIA (8/15/09 at East End) “Portland’s Beatles’ sure have been getting a lot of favorable press and I must say after this solid set it certainly is warranted. The songwriting is there bit I really need to hear the record….PISSED JEANS ( on 9/20/09 at Satyricon) Best 20 minute set I’ve ever seen (or at least since the first time I saw the Dwarves). Not sure if my favorite part was when vocalist Matt Korvette was curling the mike stand or taking a jump shot from the stage. Either way it was great…MAYYORS, EAT SKULL and SIC ALPS (on 8/22/09) Caught a handful of bands at the BMMR SMMR festival. I dug about half of the Sic Alps set (2nd half had much better songs) while Portland’s Eat Skull did their “poppier Flipper” thing and very well I might add. Mayyors were a ball of spazzed out energy and while I’ve seen nuttier they still did a damn good job. I’ll bet on a great night these guys tear the roof off…..JOE PERNICE and JOHN CUNNINGHAM (8/26/09 at Doug Fir) I really enjoy the light, wispy folk of the 2 Cunningham records I have and live he seemed , well , like I thought he would. Shy and unassuming and his songs sounded fine (just he and his acoustic guitar). Joe Pernice has a new book out and this set consisted of him reading a few chapters and playing some songs in between. The real treats were covers by Dream Syndicate, Sebadoh and Sammy Johns (“Chevy Van”) among others. As always, just about perfect.

6.09.09
Love Is All and Still Flyin'
Holcene, Portland, OR
I’ve been listening to the Still Flyin’ cd a lot so I was hoping they would play Pdx then boom, they have a gig. They came on stage at 10:15 and there were 11 of them (I’ve heard some gigs in their native San Francisco can have twice that many folks) including Gary Olsen (Ladybug Transistor) on trumpet, Gabe Saucedo (Red Pony Clock) on trombone and vibes and Wyatt (bass) and Yoshi (drums) formerly of the Aislers Set. The leader is ex-Masters of the Hemisphere guy Sean Rawls and he runs the show like a tweaked cult leader who can’t stop smiling. Unfortunately I was treated to no version of “Fuck the Stress” but they did play gems like “Forever Dudes”, The Bird is Aware”, “Following the Itinerary” and plenty of others. I had a blast. Love is All headlined, they hail from Gothenburg, Sweden and were a good live band too. I believe the female vocalist used to be in Girlfrendo and they have a sax player who wails like Jak Airport and the bassist has great hair (think The Donald, as in Trump). Enjoyable set and while you’re at it pick up their latest record, A HUNDRED THINGS KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT.

6.09.09
The Mummies
Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
$15 for the Mummies?! What, do they have house payments now or something? what happened to Budget Rock?! Hell, the only 'artist' I've ever paid more for to see live was Yanni (but well worth it!) And don't get me started about having to drive on the fuckin' NJ Turnpike!
Anyway, yes, the Mummies. Haven't played these parts since 91', though they've been mopping it up in Europe for a few dates over the last year or two, don't ask me the specifics. Did play a surprise gig last year (sans the rags) according to Detailed Twang, and apparently hadn't missed a beat. Well, I hate to inform all you poseurs who wanted to be in the NYC area for this show (or at Southpaw in Crooklyn the following evening...heard they charged $16 at the show...what the fuck?!), they gave that quintessential performance you dreamed it would be, if only you were there! Guess you'll have to keep ordering PBR by the can to maintain your street cred for now..
I was at the second show of the 2 they had scheduled for that night, and slightly concerned i might not get my money's worth cuz they might be spent from the first gig earlier..well I was wrong! They went apeshit, the place went apeshit, and I went apeshit! Must of been enough time between the shows for the Advil and Red Bull to kick in, because the Mummies plowed through pretty much the USDA Prime slices of their shit-stained catalog, and if you want a run down of what they played, find it elsewhere on some blog (maybe that dingus i saw texting throughout show, and going for the set list after they finished might of posted it... Hmm, kinda looked like the Dagger editor himself, now that I think about it). What I can share with you is this incredible post of 'High Heeled Sneakers', complete with a little schtick courtesy of Russell (and in return, courtesy of Steve Martin) as an intro. Hoboken was Shitsville for a night once again, and though I'm not particularly too keen on 'reunion' shows, and since they still cover themselves in filthy rags (unfortunately inspiring more than a handful of shitbirds to do the same in the crowd) so you don't get that 'damn, look at 'em, they're getting old like me' reality check, this was best show I've ever seen where I've waited 15+ years to see. And no, I don't want Black Flag to reunite.
Opening band was The Back C.C.'s out of Brooklyn I think. Jap transplants, and they played like most Jap bands I've seen: kick-ass and tight. DIZZY DEAN

6.04.09
Camera Obscura
Wonderland Ballroom, Portland, OR
The last time C.O. was in Pdx was at this very venue 2 years ago on Valentines Day (I think they wrote a song about it). The band was the same 5 folks plus this time they added two other guys who play horns, keys, blocks and whatever else was needed. Leader Traceyanne Campbell looked quite fetching in her black and red checked dress and while they aren’t the most exciting band on stage it doesn’t matter ‘cos I love the songs and they always sound so good live. We were treated to sublime versions of (new single) “French Navy”, “Suspended from Class”, “Eighties Fan” and plenty of others. They came out for an encore and played “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken” and another tunes and I left the Wonder Ballroom feeling satisfied after a C.O. set once again (I’ve seen all four of their Portland shows).

5.31.09
Dreamdate
Rontom's, Portland, OR
Interesting venue a few blocks down from Doug Fir. I walk in and see no stage and a handful of people. I then twist by way to the back patio to see a million people (none, or very few, were there I think to see the band, this was a Rontom’s drinking crowd). Odd stage set up too as the outside stage was some potted plants on one side and a row of picnic tables on the other. No problem as we stood in the grassy (weeds) area behind the tables and it was great. Dreamdate is Anna (bass/vocals) and Yea-Ming (guitar/vocals) and some new drummer (Elbert who played on the new record was not there) and they sounded great. They treated us to superb versions of “Tour Song” and “How Low Are You?” and some songs from their first record that I didn’t recognize (I bought the cd after the set) and they took a bow after each song. All I have to say is please come back to Portland soon!

5.13.09
The Vaselines and The Dutchess & The Duke
Doug Fir, Portland, OR
I enjoyed most of the D & D record on Hardly Art and live they were quite fine too. They added a third player to sing harmony backup (he played some tambourine as well). He looked a lot like Dent May and I’m still not positive it wasn’t him. The Dutchess has a gorgeous voice, the songs were engaging and I’d say the next time they play your area get your butt off the couch and go see ‘em.
The Vaseline hit the stage at 10:30 and the Doug Fir was packed to the gills. This time Eugene and Frances were aided and abetted by Belle & Sebastian-ers Steve Jackson on lead guitar and Bobby Kildea on bass plus 65 year old Alan Horne on drums (he forgot all of his drum parts and fell asleep behind his drum kit). They opened with “Son of a Gun” (‘natch) and it was then a run off of their greatest hits: “”Dying for It”, “Molly’s Lips” (complete with bicycle horn), “Oliver Twisted”, “Monsterpussy”, “Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam”, plus “Rory Rides Me Raw” and “You Think You’re a Man” as encores (they also played two new songs). I liked this set more than the one at the Sub Pop fest last year as it was a much more intimate setting (and not 100 degrees in the venue like it was outside that day last summer). The banter between Frances and Eugene is hilarious, at one point Frances accused Eugene of having intercourse with a cat (said Eugene, “Come on, it was a kitten!”) and She also remarked how much Portland reminded her of Glasgow. Who knows how long they’ll be around so get while the getting’s good.

4.13.09
The Gaslight Anthem & Heartless Bastards
Berbati's, Portland, OR
Was majorly bummed that there were 4 bands on a Monday night (hey, some of us work for a living) but by the time I got down there a little before 10 pm the Heartless Bastards were already on stage so kudos to Berbatis for at least keeping the show moving. Had heard a lot about the H.B.'s and even heard a few tunes here and there but not enough of a taste to interest me and I had never seen them live but this trio from Austin, TX (via Ohio) had an extra guitar player. The main, show, however is main songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Errika Hennerstrom. She wails, she howls, she kicks, she rocks and the girl can write a darn good song. Not sure what songs where from what records (they have 3) but i'm guessing a large chunk of their set was from the new record, THE MOUNTAIN. What can I say, I'm now a fan.
Was anxious to see New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem. I dig the record and I must say, live they did not disappoint. They kicked things off with "Great Expectations", the first cut on their late record, THE '59 SOUND. Vocalist/guitarist Brian Fallon has a lot of charisma (even with the goofy hat) while the rest of the band hammered away on their instruments (lead guitarist and drummer were both fantastic but I gotta admit the bassist seemed like a bit of a tool, my pal even remarked, "You didn't tell me Mario Lopez played bass for this band"). Got to hear the title track from said record (one of my favorite songs of last year). I didn't stay long enough for the encore (remember, it was a Monday) but I had seen enough to definitely bring me back next time they come through town.

4.09.09
X & Steve Soto and The Twisted Hearts
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
Looking back I cannot remember if I have ever seen X before. I know, a sad statement on the state of my (crappy ) memory but I don’t believe I ever had (but I did catch The Knitters once in San Francisco about a decade ago) so this was a perfect opportunity to check these legends out who are touring with their original lineup. Their touring partners opening was Steve Soto & the Twisted Hearts. This is the same Steve Soto who is in The Adolescents (and was an original member of Agent Orange as well). In this bunch, as the band name implies, he is the leader , playing guitar and singing lead and he has assembled a bunch of LA musicians including a few members of the Royal Crown Revue (and the drummer from the Pixies). The songs were totally pleasant, hooky and rocked fairly hard and the accordian player added a nice touch.
X came on shortly thereafter and fired off a string of their hits, one right after the other. This tour was unique in that the band let fans send in what songs they wanted to hear into their website and the band took those requests and made a (long ) set list. Exene and John's voices don't sound much different than they did 30 years ago, DJ Bonebrake is still one of the best drummers in the biz and on guitar, Billy Zoom. What can you say about Mr. Zoom that has not already been said, the guy is a legend (and an amazing guitarist). Wide-legged stance, smiling, firing out classic riff after riff, still in his leather jacket and slicked back blond (with some gray now) hair. I was more than satisfied as I got to hear faves like "Johnny Hit & Run Pauline", "You Phones off the Hook but You're Not", "Nausea", "The New World" and plenty of others. It had been long overdue so I’m glad I can now finally say I saw them (maybe a few decades too late but again, they were really good).

4.05.09
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit and Justin Townes Earle
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Being the son of Steve Earles there's some pretty high (unfair) expectations set on Justin Townes Earle. I had never heard his debut record but I heard it was only ok. The new one, however, is a different story. Mixing straight up country tunes with some cool, bluegrassy moments, Earle came to town with only his acoustic guitar and his pal Charlie who at different times played banjo, mandolin and harmonica (along with cooing some backing vocals). Earle has the Hank Williams look down, slender, lanky with nice duds, slicked back hair and the demeanor of an auctioneer ("Thank you veeeery much ladies and gentleman!") while Charlie looked like a half-soused , backwoods Kevin Kline with bedhead underneath his crumpled baseball cap. They two of them together put on one hell of a show, playing plenty from the new MIDNIGHT AT THE MOVIES as well as some older stuff. They'll be back this summer for PICKATHON and I hope to be there.
After leaving the Drive by Truckers Jason Isbell landed back in Muscle Shoals, AL and assembled a new band, the 400 Unit. They came out and rocked hard from the beginning and settle into some long, warm grooves with plenty of hard-hitting guitar, extended solos and the heavy pound of the rhythm section (keyboardist added plenty of spunk too while taking swigs of his bottle of Jack in between tunes). They played a lot of songs off their new S/T record which is a good one (and even played a DBT’s song, “The Assassin”). I still think I like the poppier moments of the Truckers a bit more but Isbell and Co. are carving out a little place for themselves in the rock scene.

I had never been to SXSW before, hell, I had never been to Texas before so we decided to visit our friends Tanya and Ray in Round Rock, a suburb about 15 miles to the north of Austin to hang with them and give me a chance to see some of the festival. I had always heard this festival, like many others, began as a quaint little festival but has ballooned in size over the years so make it more of a burden than a good time. With our little one, Sophia (15 months old) in tow I knew I was not going to have a ton of time to get down to Austin to see everything I wanted to so I made the most of what time I had. Most of the festivities happened on 6th Street and as I walked down the street I forgot that this isn’t just an indie rock fest as I heard the strains of awful reggae, metal, rawk, etc. bands blaring out of the windows and yes, just plain bad indie rock too. It was suggested I check out the www.showslistaustin.com and check out all of the free bands, some part of the festival and some not. Honestly, with all of the bands playing free shows you don’t even really need to spend the money on a pass. Anyway, away I went to dive in, at least with one toe, into SXSW.

WEDNESDAY- 3/18/09
Started off at Beerland and caught a few bands on the CTSB gig (the homemade sign outside the club read ”This is Beerland, NOT SXSW!”). First up was Austin’s own, DIKES OF HOLLAND who ripped through a set of searing garage rock. I had not heard them before but I liked what I’d heard. Singer seemed good and psychotic and it seems like they’d be a good fit on Dirtnap Records. Up next was Portland band EAT SKULL which features all around good guy (and Exiled Records co-owner) Scott Simmons on bass. They had a real low-end, murky vibe and the vocalist occasionally reminded me of an early , theatrical Jack Grisham of TSOL. I’m gonna pick up their latest release on Siltbreeze and make sure I check them out in town more often. It was then over to Maggie Mae’s to catch the VIVIAN GIRLS who I had previously missed 2x in Portland. They played a short set (about 15 minutes long) and the guitarist broke a string which sorta let the air out of their set but they still sounded fine (I think they had about 10-12 gigs set up at SXSW). Afterwards at the Radio Room we tried to catch part of LONEY DEAR’S set but the line was a mile long plus we hadda get over to Red 7 to see the PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART but not without a stop at the Austin Art Garage to catch a few songs by ROXY EPOXY and her new band, the Rebounds. They sounded fine but the heat was really bearing down and the whole band was in black and with a smaller stage Roxy didn’t have a chance to dance all around like she usually does. I just got a copy of their new cd so I’m anxious to hear it. PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART sounded as good as I thought they would and they too, .like the Vivian Girls had a ton of gigs set up at the festival. They have been getting a ton of hype lately and the set was as good as I’d hoped. We ended the night at the famed punk club Emo’s to see THE KING KHAN AND BBQ SHOW, yet another band who I’d missed in Portland a bunch of times. They were good but i wasn’t blown away like I was expecting to be. I’d rather catch KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES any day.

THURSDAY- 3/19-09
Not as man gigs planned today but we showed up at the OK Mountain Gallery at 2 pm to catch MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES but found out they weren’t playing til 5:15 pm so we shot over to the Beauty Bar to catch recent Sub Pop signees VETIVER. They played a nice set of arresting country-ish folk including a Michael Hurley cover. We then popped over to Headhunters to see THE HANDSOME FAMILY. We got there about 15 minutes late which was ok as they went on late. Hadn’t seen them in about a decade and their gothic country tunes were both demented a hilarious. I love Brett’s vocals and Rennie made some funny comments during the set like “We just got out of prison” and, at the end of the set, “Thanks a lot, we have a killing spree to go on now.” Manhattan Love Suicides were playing a ways away town on 1st and Cesar Chavez but we decided to hoof it over rinsdteado going back, getting the car and then being stuck in traffic. We walked up at MLS were in their firs tune. The sound wasn’t so great but hey, this is MLS and not Celine Dion. They all looked cool with their shades on (especially drummer Rachel) and played a terrific set of fuzzed out pop (ala early Jesus and Mary Chain) and afterwards we vowed to meet up with them tomorrow.

FRIDAY 3/20/09
Was really hoping to catch both 18th DYE at 2:00 pm and then SALLY CREWE & THE SUDDEN MOVES at 3 pm but alas, the stars were not aligned properly and it didn’t not happen (also missed J. MASCIS, TELEKENESIS, CRYSTAL STILTS, CAMERA OBSCURA, etc). I was quite bummed to say the least but we did head over to the Mohawk and catch THE ROSEBUDS. On the way to the club right next door THE THERMALS were playing an outdoor set so we peeked over the fence and caught a few songs. It sounded like they were playing new stuff off their latest on Kill Rock Stars. The Rosebuds put on an awesome set and played a few of my faves off the BIRDS MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS record including “Boxcar’ and “Leave Do Fall” (plus the great “Cape Fear” from their latest record). After the set they came out into the middle of the room and played an acoustic version of “Shake Our Tree” getting the crowd to do a little jig to it). As we were heading back out THE HOLD STEADY were on the same stage that The Thermals were on and we caught a few tunes by them as well. I like the songs but vocalist Craig Finn is way to obnoxious as a live frontman. …….and that was it. We flew back to Portland the next day but I vowed to go back, hopefully next year, and dive in with both feet.

 

02.27.09
The Broken West
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
It had been a few years since I saw this LA bunch swing through this very club on what was, I believe ,their first trip to Portland (don’t quote me on that). This time they had a new drummer and the cute keyboard gal was gone but leader Ross Flournoy kept things loose and fun and the band (especially that drummer) sounded terrific. “Gwen, Now and Then” (leadoff track from their latest record) sounded amazing as did the special request of “Down in the Valley” (from their first record). From now on, whenever they play Portland I’ll be there front and center.

03.03.9
Lambchop
Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR
Had been nearly decade since I last saw these Nashville miscreants (lead by the elusive Kurt Wagner) when I saw 15 people crammed onto the Great American Music Hall stage. This new lineup only has 6 and the band sound way pro. Shame that the Aladdin was only half full (maybe three quarters) but those of us who went were treated to several songs off the latest record , which I still have yet to hear and old classics like “All Smiles and Mariachi’ and “Your Fucking Sunny Day.” Oh, and they did an excellent cover of the Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime.”

03.09.09
M. Ward
Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR
OK, I had previously blown every other chance I had to see Mr. Ward so when Mssr. Dubrowa called with a plus one I was not going to miss this (even if it was a Monday night). The guy (and his band) were flat out amazing. Ward is such an underrated guitar player and his bandmates (especially producer/ acoustic guitarist Mike Coykendall) are perfect foils for his mini masterpieces. They placed a few covers (namely a rousing rendition of “Roll Over Beethoven”) and Matt even played a third of the set with just he and his acoustic guitar.

02.24.09
Telekinesis
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Had a chance to catch new Merge Records signing Telekinesis at Doug Fir on an opening slot for Ra Ra Riot (Cut Off Your hands played in the middle…I would have liked to see Ra Ra Riot but alas, it was a work night and I was wiped out already). On the s/t Telekinesis record (coming out 4/7/09) it is all the work of one Michael Benjamin Lerner (from Seattle) but on this tour he assembled a cast of characters to create the sounds including the tall, thin bearded rhythm guitarist, the short, light haired lead guitarist and the cute female bassist (sorry, no names). For the first song Lerner came out and strummed on an acoustic guitar for part of the song and then hopped behind the drum kit (which was pushed up to the front of the stage) where he stayed for the rest of the night while he pounded the skins and sung lead. I was told that drums are his first instrument and it’s no surprise as he’s a kick ass drummer and has a great voice too (reminded me of a mix between Robert Schneider and Elliott Smith and the tunes were a bit Apples-y too with plenty of great melodies) and fine tunes like “Rust”, “Coast of Carolina”, and “Tokyo” all sounded nice on stage. They were very appreciative of the friendly crowd and I enjoyed it so much that I bought one of the tour-only 5 song “Coast of Carolina’ eps. The set last 30 minutes and I was home before 10 pm (one for the old farts!).

02.22.9
A.C. Newman w/ Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
I had never heard of Dent May before but he’s a skinny, bespectacled good ol boy from Mississippi (who does play the uke) and along with his band (guitarist, bassist, slap happy drummer) they made one helluva beautiful racket. The rest of the band sang back up too but it was Dent’s show and he hopped around playing the uke like some drunk musician from Mississippi ….which he is. Looks like he’d be a librarian or something (he resembled Chris MacFarlane) and he reminded me of a southern Jens Lekman (with some Jonathan Richman tossed in). Don’t miss ‘em folks.

New Porngraphers guy Carl came out with a 6-piece band (including he) and the only one I recognized was drummer Jon Wurster (hirsute Superchunk dude) but he had a few keyboardists (one who also played lots of trumpet), a bassist (who sang lots of backup) and a violinist (who danced when she wasn’t playing the violin) and a lead guitarist (Carl played his acoustic guitar for most of the night). He played all of the hits off of his 2 solo records (but I had to wait until the last song to hear “On the Table”) and told some hilarious stories (including being invited to Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday bash coming up here and about playing Portland’s old X-Ray Café , Carl couldn’t believe the same guy who ran the X-Ray and ran for mayor of Portland was the same guy who opened Voodoo Donuts). I missed the encores just because I was far too spent but I wondered what they played?

01.12.09
Glasvegas w/ Carl Barat
Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Ex-Libertine guy Carl Barat opened with a short set of (mostly) Libertines songs. It was just he and an electric guitar and it was ……ummmm, just ok. I loved The Libertines but without his foil Pete Doherty (probably either in prison or rehab) and the tight rhythm section the songs needed something more. He played "Last Post on the Bugle", "Music When the Lights Go Out" and even ended his set with "Can't Stand Me Now" which was my favorite part of the evening (that and Barat mumbling jokes in between songs of which the audience only caught about half of).
Glasvegas:; another hyped to the gills UK band or a band that actually has some talent? Well, a bit of both actually. They had their own light show, smoke machine and several picks taped to the mic stand which might have had you thinking they should be playing the Rose Garden but they packed (sold out) the small Doug Fir on a Monday night. Lead singer James Allan looks a lot like a young Joe Strummer and showed off a bit of punk attitude while the 8 foot tall bassist and wiry lead guitarist hopped all over the place (and female drummer Caroline McKay did her best Bobbie Gillespie (when he was in Jesus and Mary Chain) on the drums). They opened with the epic "Flowers and Football Tops" but we also got to hear the terrific "Geraldine", "It's My Own Cheating Heart", and I'm guessing most of the stuff from their s/t debut record. My pals and I thought they pulled it off and who knows, I might even catch them when they come back here in 3 months (playing the bigger Wonder Ballroom). Oh, and while I know these guy are influenced by doo wop grounds i really could have done with all the before/between set doo wops tunes we heard (one "Earth Angel" is fine). .

12.12.08
Vampire Weekend
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
Some friends give me so much crap for liking this band. I understand there has been a tremendous amount of hype surrounding them ever since they crawled out of their Columbia University dorm rooms and onto stages across America but hey, the record is good and on stage tonight there were terrific, full of energy and that energy brought the songs to life. This was their 3rd time to Portland this year and I was determined to catch them (the first time they played the tiny Doug Fir lounge which they sold out in 25 seconds, 2nd time was the Crystal but it was during MFNW and from what I understand the crowds were around the block). Lead vocalist Ezra Koenig was engaging with the crowd and talked about Portland's current cold snap and how "we're all going to sweat together." They played all the hits from their S/T debut record and even a few new ones. I was happy I got to hear "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", "M79" and the set-ending "Oxford Comma." They got off the stage after 40 minutes (my kinda set!) and came back out and played a few more ("Mansard Roof", "Walcott", etc.) and called it a night. We know how good the record is and tonight they proved that they can deliver the goods on stage too.

11.22.08
The Hold Steady w/ Drive-By Truckers
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
A much anticipated gig for me as these bands are two of my favorites and I had never seen either before (not for a lack of trying). I had heard some previous Drive-By Truckers records that I liked (my pal Mike Damron has been touting these guys for years) but tunes didn't really begin to stick until this years' fantastic BRIGHTER THAN CREATION'S DARK. The band hit the stage at 9 pm and proceeded to play for an hours and 15 minutes (a bit too long for my attention span of lack thereof…what happened to bands coming out and hammering it out for 40 minutes and then being done??!!). Anyway, the band rocked and they played a healthy dose of said new record including "3 Dimes Down", "Self Destructive Zones", "The Man I Shot' and plenty of others but of course I was treated to no version of the amazing "The Righteous Path." Aw well, I won't miss them again.
The Hold Steady are another band that I had been wanting to see for ages and for one reason or another I just kept missing them. I have to say that the first thing I noticed when they kicked into their first song was how friggin' annoying that lead singer, Craig Finn is. Jesus H. Chrysler! He would mouth the words to songs , dance around, point out people in the crowd, dance around some more, make goofy faces and , worst of all, change the vocal phrasing of lyrics to some of my favorite songs. Now, I have been going to gigs for years and I know that the live show is not going to sound exactly like the record but this was too much. He came close to wrecking some of my favorite Hold Steady songs like "Chips Ahoy", "Hot Soft Light", and the title track to the new record, "Stay Positive." Thankfully the band sounded great so the night wasn't a total disaster (and I DID get to hear some of my favorite H.S. songs, even if the vocals weren't exactly what I wanted) . I'm not sure what Finn is going for and maybe some of these folks found it all really endearing but not me. Finn has sung about having respect from being around back in the day but I was around back in the day too and singers like this got routinely lambasted in zines the world over.

11.17.08
Henry Owings Powell's Book, Portland, OR
Though I had been corresponding with the venerable editor of CHUNKLET for years (and certainly felt like I knew him) I had never met Mr. Henry Owings before. He was making a stop in Portland on his book tour for his recently published THE ROCK BIBLE: UNHOLY SCRIPTURE FOR FANS AND BANDS (Quirk Books). Since it was at the other Powell's on Hawthorne I was able to make it down pretty quickly and only show up 15 minutes late. There was a decent sized crowd there and when I got there he was reading some passages from the book. Example from The Book of Good Word: "A cd burned on your mom's computer is not a "release." Or from The Golden Rules of Promoting Shows: "Never ask a venue about booking another show while a member of your band is being escorted out by security." If you have ever read an issue of CHUNKLET (and if you haven't then you really should) then you know what to expect and needless to say, the book is a riot. Afterwards he took some questions from the crowd (including one gutter punk who was asking such odd questions that I thought he was a plant from Henry himself) and he told some hilarious stories. One was about the time the band Live (who are from Henry's hometown of York, PA) were coming to Athens, GA , where he lived at the time and how he begged the editor to write about it. The editor said yes and Henry gave them a complete verbal thrashing (one joker in the crowd actually brought a copy of the Athens weekly that the article was in, which was from like 15 years ago, which blew Henry's mind) and about how the next time he went home for the holiday to visit his family he went to the local watering hole and the guys in Live were there with their Andre the Giant-sized friend who tried to intimidate Henry to leave (he didn't leave). He told other stories about the comedy tours he has been booking and others about the ripe scene in Atlanta, GA (where he currently lives). The guy is hilarious and a great storyteller too so if he comes to your town try and make some time in your busy schedule to check him it and while you're at it, buy the book (he signed my copy as GG Allin just after giving me a big bear hug and shouting, "Dude, wow, it's nice to finally meet you!!"). It's well worth your hard earned money.

10.29.08
Roky Erickson w/ The Black Angels Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Austin's Black Angels seem like a perfect backing band for wigged-out Texan Roky Erickson (from 60's legends 13th Floor Elevators) and I wish I'd thought of it first. But hey, I'll take the credit and accolades if you want to toss them my way. The Angels went on at 8:00 sharp so my pal and I missed the first 15 minutes (and thus, missed my favorite song by them, "The First Vietnamese War"). Missing was the cute keyboard playing gal who I saw last time when they played the Doug Fir but the songs still sounded great (love their Moe Tucker-ish gal drummer) . I've heard vocalist Alex Maas has not taken that conductor cap off for 13 years straight and when I tried to sneak out the door a bit early during their hour plus set Maas' eyes fixated on me and I couldn't leave. Then, and I swear on a stack of CHUNKLETS, that he stared at me and mouthed the words, "Hinely, get your skinny ass back in here….I COMMAND YOU!" I did the only thing I could do and planted myself back in the club until the set was over.
Shortly thereafter our hero Roky sauntered out onstage wearing a cool b/w Hawaiian shirt and with the roar of the crowd broke into a song called something like "Hey Bo Diddley" , which they repeated those words over and over. Then came "Two Headed Dog (the song which Antiseen made famous by covering) and shortly after that, the 13th Floor Elevators all-time classic, "You're Gonna Miss Me." Roky's howl isn't quite what it used to be but I'm willing to give the guy a break as he's probably nearing 65 years old. In between songs he was friendly and amiable tossing out "How y'all doing?", "Good to be Here!" and "Can you believe Hinely tried to walk out on the Black Angels?!!" at which point the entire crowd turned around and began staring at me. I looked up, flashed a quick smile, pointed to my Bomp Records t-shirt (to prove credibility of some sort) motioned to my pal Greg and walked out the front door, knowing full well I had just caught yet another living legend who I'm amazed is not only alive in 2008, but still touring. Long live Roky!

10.22.08
The Kooks w/ The Whigs Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
I always thought the only bands that hailed from Athens, GA were either legends (REM, B-52's, Pylon, etc.) or Elephant 6 bands both past and present (Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, Olivia Tremor Control, etc.) but apparently The Whigs are from there. Before the gig I went to their myspace page and checked out a few tunes and they weren't bad. Live they are three youngsters who obviously love Nirvana. The songs rock and they all seem to have an overflow of hooks in them. The only questionable part was when the guitarist/singer and bassist had traded instruments and switched sides of the stage. Well, after the song was done they put their instruments down and umm…..danced their way back over to their respective sides of the stage which had to be the dorkiest move I've seen a band do all year.
Speaking of youngsters, The Kooks hail from, England and apparently named their debut record (KONK) after Ray Davies studio so at least they dig the good stuff. The hit the stage late as they were having some equipment problems (and this being Wednesday night and me being…well, old, this did not sit well with me) . Live (and on record too) they seem to be right in the middle of where The Libertines meet The Strokes. You know the sound and the Kooks do it well and tunes like "See the Sun", "Stormy Weather" and "Mr. Maker" all sounded a-ok on stage. The lead singer Luke Pritchard, seemed like he was gazing out into the crowd for most of the night and trying to meet Mrs. Right. They're not the second coming that the British press would have you believe but The Kooks are well worth seeing.

09.29.08
Mission of Burma Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
I never did see Mission of Burma back in the day (though some older friends of mine in my native New Jersey did see them when they played South Jersey's Ivory Club back in the early 80's) but had you told me 10-15 years ago that Boston's Mission of Burma would be back in the early 2000's and not only that but be as unique, aggressive and relentless as they were years ago I would have….well, I might have believed you but man, the few times I have seen these guys since they reformed they have just ripped live and tonight was no exception. Same lineup: Roger Miller on guitar/vocals, Clint Conley on bass/vocals and behind the drum kit Mr. Peter Prescott (now Peter, when is the Volcano Suns reunion gonna happen?!!) and in place of tape loop guy Martin Swope is Shellac's Bob Weston (who was behind the sound board). This tour was the one where they play their terrific EP SIGNALS, CALLS AND MARCHES from start to finish …and they did but for the first 20 minutes or so they warmed up with some early stuff (I recognized "Peking Spring" and a few others) and of course tossed in the brilliant single, "Academy Fight Song." Then, when you hear those opening chords to "That's When I Reach for my Revolver" you know it can only be one song and the (way younger than me) crowd went nuts. Then onto "Outlaw", "Fame and Fortune", "This is Not a Photograph", and on and on. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I didn't stick around until the end but I heard for the encore they played a few newer songs, then "Playland" and "1001 Pleasant Dreams." The passion and intensity in which these guys play at is simply unreal (especially for guys nearing, or at, 50 years old). Band reformations are usually a bad idea (not that I don't go to the gigs when they happen though) but a few recent ones, like Burma (and Dinosaur Jr.) have proved my theory wrong, at least part of the time. If Mission of Burma comes to your town then by all means go!

 

09.19.08
Okkervil River w/ Sea Wolf Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
This was a much anticipated gig for me as I've never seen Okkervil River before and while I have yet to hear their new record (it's on the way to me) their previous one THE STAGE NAMES, was my favorite record of last year. Missed the opening band but Sea Wolf were terrific. I have their first EP but never did get the full-length but the sad, country-inflected tunes were big on hooks and supreme melodies. I want to catch a full set next time they come to town.

Okkervil hit the stage next all of them (or most) dressed in shirt and tie (leader Will Sheff added a jacket, looking very sharp) and came out as a 6-piece complete with guitar/bass/drums, a keyboard player and a multi-instrumentalist (great horn parts!) and up front is Sheff who plays guitar and sings. They opened with the slow, beautiful burner, "A Girl in Port" and what a perfect opener! The band us pure energy , even on the slow tunes and we were treated to amazing versions of "John Allyn Smith Sails", "Black Sheep Boy" , "Lost Coastlines" a bunch of new songs that I don't know the names of yet as I don't have the new record yet but the piece de resistance was the set ending "Our Life is not a Movie or Maybe" which ripped right into "Unless It's Kick" and I think literally every person in the Crystal Ballroom was clapping their hands (in between pumping their fists). I have to say that Okkervil River are easily one of the best live bands I have seen this year and I cannot wait to hear THE STAND INS (the new record).

 

09.12.08
Bad Religion Roseland, Portland, OR
It had been five years since Bad Religion visited Portland when they played this very venue with Portland locals Handgun Bravado (my pal Colin's Sear then current band) so it was a much anticipated sold out show. We missed the two openings bands due to a guest list snafu that eventually got straightened out (ok, I missed the first band on purpose but I did want to see at least part of The Bronx). Bad Religion hit the stage at 11pm sharp minus Mr. Brett on the third guitar. I told my pal (who had never seen the band before)that these guys have a blistering 3 guitar attack but even without Guerwitz the band still hammered their point home. These guys have been doing their thing for so long (creating classic, melodic punk rock) that they almost literally have it down to a science but one of the things I find most appealing is that even with their usually serious subject matter the band always seems like they are having a blast when they are on stage, especially bassist Jay Bentley (who has been with Graffin and Guerwitz since the beginning) who looks like he's constantly on the verge of cracking up (at one point during the set he grabbed a pair of sunglasses and, after putting them on, looked straight at Brian Baker who couldn't hold it in a burst out laughing). On the rest of the stage you have their twin guitar attack of Brian Baker and Greg Hetson while young(er) drummer Brooks Wackerman is working double time to keep the beat and up front, Phd vocalist Greg Graffin spouting out lyrics as if he's reading a scientific encyclopedia that only he understands. The band opened with "21st Century Digital Boy" which got the crowd of mostly younger punk rock bulletheads whipped up into a frenzy. Later we heard classic nuggets like "Suffer", "No Control", "Germs of Perfection", "Requiem for Dissent", "Los Angeles is Burning", "Stranger than Fiction", "New Dark Ages", and too many others. When they came out for an encore it was Baker, Graffin and Bentley, all sitting down with acoustic guitars, paring down a few of their tunes while teaching the young 'uns that the amps don't need to be up to 11 to be "punk rock." I'm happy to report that 28 years after forming that Bad Religion still got it.

 

01.25.08
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Elsinore Theatre, Salem, OR
I hardly ever get a chance to go down to Salem (not a whole lot to go there for, to be honest) but when I had a chance to see Ryan and his Cardinals at the Elsinore Theatre I jumped at it. My pal Greg, who went with me, told me the Elsinore (opened in 1926) is a gorgeous theatre that had fallen into a state of disrepair in the 60’s and 70’s but had gotten a serious facelift in the 80’s (a “Save the Elsinore” campaign had begun) and the place now looks amazing. At 6th row center we had a chance to see these guys up close. We had seen them on their previous jaunt through town last summer where they played all acoustic. Tonight was electric and Ryan was in rare form. Cracking jokes, chain-smoking cigs and seemingly in all around good spirits (though he was begging a gal ,any gal, to take him to her home to play video games). The band, opening with an amazing rendition of “The Rescue Blues”, sounded well oiled and confident and this bunch seem to truly enjoy playing music together (imagine that). We heard a generous portion of tunes from Ryan’s career ( no Whiskeytown tunes though…drats !) , from HEARTBREAKERS “Oh My Sweet Carolina” to GOLD’S “Answering Bell”, plus “Cold Roses”, “A Kiss Before I Go” (yeah, more pedal steel!!) , and several off the latest EASY TIGER, including “Goodnight Rose”, “Everybody Knows” , “Pearls on a String’ and plenty more. This bunch are loose and fun on stage and I’m really glad to see Ryan more comfortable in his own skin these days. Looking forward to the next record to see what they have up their sleeves.