Ben Meyercord's Live Picks for June 2nd to June 4th

Hello Dear Readers,

I have been back for about two weeks now and I still feel like I have yet to catch up with my life. And any thoughts of taking a night off from shows has gone out the window while researching this weeks shows. There are seriously A LOT of good shows this week. My heart is breaking because of some of the decisions I will have to make. No one told me there would be days like this when I signed up to be a crazy-ass-music-fanatic. Oh well, here is want I am interested in seeing this first part of the week.

Monday, June 2nd

I already made a post about one of the shows going on tonight, but I will copy and paste it here anyways. Plus theres another one I want to mention as well. I want very badly to both. Sigh.

• Cars and Trains, Otem Rellik (Fort Collins, CO), Alexis Gideon, and Colin Jones are all playing at East End. If you know any of these names then you are probably freaking out. Cars and Trains makes some awesome electronic and acoustic based music. Sounding equally influenced by glitchy electronic stuff and lo-fi indie-folk, Tom Filepp creates some very very fresh tunes. Alexis Gideon has a very unique and entertaining take on hip hop which now includes a full blown video show that he made himself (claymation for life!). Colin Jones has a very progressive lyrical take on electro-hip-hop. In a very anticon vein of hip-hop is the very impressive Otem Rellik. Seriously check his myspace. You will not regret it. After all this is a FREE. The doors are at 8 PM.
  

• The other show that I want to mention is happening at Doug Fir. It isLos Campesinos! (Wales, UK) and Parenthetical Girls. I will admit that I am not to familiar with Los Campesinos! (I've read that they are twee) and that the real reason I am writing about it is my love of the Parenthetical Girls music. But I want to preface this with the fact that the first time I saw the Parenthetical Girls I hated it. Zach Pennington puts on a very pretentious show that can rub people the wrong way (when I saw them that first time he wore a dress and fluttered his eyelashes more than I have ever seen a person do in my whole life). However I find that the music is so good that I forgave him and eventually came to embrace his stage presence. Others have too apparently , because they just signed to Tomlab records (a super cool label based out of Germany). There is a $12 cover. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

Tuesday, June 3rd

You will notice a lot of bands are playing more than once this week. This might help your decision making process. For me it is hopeless though, Tuesday is yet another day that I need to sacrifice seeing one show to see the other. I swear it is like someone is telling me that I have to either severe my right leg or my left leg. Either way it is going to be uncomfortable.

• The show that I will probably go see is the Joan of Arc, 31 Knots, and Fist Fite Show at Holocene. Joan if Arc has been one of my favorite bands for about eight years now. I have only seen them play once. I need to go to this show. Also 31 Knots have been one of my favorite local bands ever since I saw them play at PDX Pop Now! back in 2005. It is pretty cool because these two favorite bands of mine will be palying a few shows together. Congrats 31 Knots. I have not seen Fist Fite, but with the other two bands even if they completely blow (I am not saying they blow) it will totally worth it. The show costs $8. The doors are at 9 PM.
  

• The show that it kills to miss is going down at The Artistery where Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Foot Foot, and Concern are all playing. And while technically only Concern (brother to Owen Ashworth of CFTPA)is a local act, my love for CFTPA's music and the fact that he used to reside here have lead me to list this show. I have seen him play several times and it is always entertaining. And he always has some sort of rare 7" to peddle. You should go to this show. It is only $6 and is ALL AGES. The music starts at 8 PM.
  

• There are some other good shows on Tuesday as well. For instance there is a show at Westview Highschool featuring YACHT, All Girl Summer Fun Band, and Reporter. This is open to the public and is ALL AGES and is only $5. A great deal. Plus it benefits Stump Club. Awesome. The show starts at 7 PM.
  

• Speaking of benefit shows, Pink Martini kicks off a four night residency at The Crystal Ballroom. Each night's show benifits a different cause. They are also playing with a different opening band every night. Tuesday they are having The Portland Cello Project. The show benefits Friends of Trees. I have not seen Pink Martini but I have heard good things. I have had the pleasure of seeing The Portland Cello Project and it was a great experience. So if you have and extra $25, you might consider checking this show out. The music for this ALL AGES shows starts at 8 PM.
  

• Satyricon is having a show tonight featuring To Get Her Together, St. Frankie Lee, The Shivas, and Soft Sunflower. I know none of these bands save St. Frankie Lee who do a very good take on the country murder ballad. The other bands appear to be of a pyschedelic nature. Maybe worth seeing. This ALL AGES show is only $6. The show starts at 8 PM.
  

• Or you could go to the open mic at Zilla Sake. It usually has some good performers and it is hosted by Y La Bamba. This event usually lasts from 8 PM to 11-ish PM. I don't partake in sake, but I hear it is very good. I do know that the curry is delicious. Its FREE.
  

Wednesday, June 4th

There was a show that was happening at Someday that featured Michael Hurley, Tara Jane O'Neal and Whip. Sadly it has been cancelled becasue Michael Hurley is still on the East coast. Valentine's will be having a show with TJO and Whip very soon though. So I'm not too bummed. Check out these shows.

• Tonight at The Crystal Ballroom, Pink Martini is playing with 3 Leg Torso. The show benefits KBOO. A pretty worthy cause. So again if you have $25 burning a hole in your pocket head on down at 7 PM for the ALL AGES show.

• Holocene is having For Tet play along with electronic locals Strategy and DJ Tan't. I have heard that Four Tet is not the most interesting performer (ie he thinks pressing buttons = show). I have heard good things about Tan't. I have seen Strategy play it was pretty cool. I danced. If you go I suggest you try to do the same if you go. The show costs $10. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

• Over at The Artistery, St. Frankie Lee is playing with Brother Mitya (Arcata, CA), The Beat Nun (Arcata, CA), and Arron Shepard of the band Metal. This will be a most excellent show. All of the bands are super good if not super well known, they should be. If I get out of band practice early enough, this is probably where I will head. The ALL AGES show is $6. The show starts at * PM (doors are at 7 PM).
  

So thats what I got lined up for the first part of the week. Wait till I post my picks for the second half of the week. It

gonna be good. Say hi to me if you see me at any of these shows.

-Ben


Colin Jones plays tonight at East End for FREE
photo from his myspace