Crappy Indie Music -- The Blog!: Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for September 8th to 11th

Hello Dear Readers,

As I write this I am exhausted. Music Fest NW definitely hit me. HARD. And I even missed the best day (Saturday which had like a billion awesome shows at the same time). Anyway, you would think that Potland would kinda calm down after a festival like MFNW, but instead they started TBA, which often incorporates local music into the art world, directly on its heels. But I will try not to complain about too much good music.

Monday, September 8th

There are some good things going on tonight. What'll it be?

Just to get it out of the way, Meyercord (which is essential me and a guitar) is playing a show at Ash Street Saloon. There are two bands on tour who asked me to play. Fatigo from Phoenix and Jump Back Heart Attack! from the "The Desert". Come check it out as I don't know when I will play as Meyercord again (though I do know it will probably be months). Plus the thing will only set you back a fiver. The music starts at 9:30 PM.

Au and Ethan Rose will both be performing as part of the tba festival. They both make artful music that has experimental tendencies that I am not going to try to put into words. This show will be taking place at The Leftbank. It will cost you $8-$10 if you don't have a wrist band for the festival. The performance will commence at 10:30 PM. .

There is also a show going down at Valentine's that features some experimental leaning music. That being the music of US Girls, Tunnels and Brian & Dana. The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

Also a while back I saw a show at at the Green House that had a guy named Nathan that played music under the name Purrbot. The instrumentation was mostly Nathan switching between Piano and banjo. I thought it was quite good. I even bought a CD. Anyway give it a listen, and if you are so inclined you may go see him play at The Mantle (4004 SE Grant Court, Portland, OR, 97214) with Razz m'tazz (Olympia) and Travis Sehorn (Missoula). This show is for donations and starts at 8 PM.

Tuesday, September 9th

There are a few things of note. Here they are:

Mississippi Records (4007 N Mississippi Ave Portland, OR 97227) is having an in-store performance by local two piece Sad Horse. Sad Horse play carefully constructed loud rock pieces, that will impress you with their noisey-ness and tightness at the same time. It should be ALL AGES and FREE at 4 PM.

At 8 PM Love Menu will be performing at Grass Hut with I Copy Your Copy (who if I am not mistaken have not played in a long time) and Jenstar and her Aura. This show is FREE and probably ALL AGES since it is not an actual venue. The show starts at 8 PM.

Or you could go the tba festival route and see Reggie Watts, Joe Von Appan and Goldie approved Rush-N-Disco over at The Leftbank. Now I know that these lean a lot more towards performance art as oppsosed to music. But they have strong ties to the music community so I figures I would list it anyway. The show starts at 10:30 PM. It costs $8-$10 if you don;t have a wristband.

Zilla Sake is also having its open mic that occurs every Tuesday at From 8 PM to 11 PM. It is hosted by Y La Bamba. There is great sushi and sometimes great performances. It is ALL AGES and FREE.

Wednesday, September 10th

Only a couple things I saw of note.

Rotture is having a FREE show featuring Rabbits, Black Elk, and Chrome Wings. This is a pretty awesome line up of kind a heavier bands. Did I mention it was FREE? Cause it is. The show starts at 9 PM.

The tba festival event for Wendsday night is Norlifur (Boise) and Root Beer and French Fry at The Leftbank. I remember a long time ago writing up a show of Root Beer and French Fry based on their name alone. I have since heard that they are actually pretty good. They will officially release a new ep on Wednesday night so bring some extra cash to pick it up if you are so inclined. The show is $8-$10 if you don't have a wristband. The show starts at 10:30 PM.

Thursday, September 11th

There are a lot of shows to choose from tonight.

The Doug Fir is having The Juan MacLean of DFA fame play a show. DFA actually just signed YACHT. YACHT once did a remix of other local electronic musician Copy who is also playing at Doug Fir this Thursday. Nice. DJ Joeeirwin opens. The show is $13 and starts at 9 PM.

Rererato is also having a show with some electronic based musicians. They have Adventure (Baltimore), Future Islands, Flaspar, and Alexis Gideon playing sets. I have only seen Alexis Gideon and it was awesome. Really great and quirky hip-hop influenced music set to a series This is an ALL AGES show that will accept $4 donations for the touring bands. The doors open at 7 PM.

Holocene is also having a show featuring some (but not all) electronic based music. Their show consists of sBach which is Sebastian of Hella and The Advantage (Nevada City), Breakfast Mountain, T.K.Y.K., and Guidance Counselor. I saw Guidance Counselor at PDX Pop and enjoyed it. I would like to see it again. I have a Breakfast Mountain cd-r that I got from Tender Loving Empire that I quite enjoy. A friend of mine told me that it is different live, but in a good way. I would like to see what he is talking about. The show is $6 and starts at 9 PM. There is a show at a place I have not heard of until now called Airplay Cafe. It is apparently a new (opened in June) coffee house that is aimed at "music lovers of all ages". The show consists of Sam Cooper (being billed as Sam Cooper and the Providence Plantations, so I guess iut might be a band?) and Benjamin Ballinger. Basically I am curious about Sam Cooper because I have seen his name a lot. The ALL AGES show will cost $3 and starts at 8 PM.

Ash Street Saloon is having a full show with The Trucks (Bellingham), Von Iva (SanFran), Boy Eats Drum Machine, and Matress. A lot of these bands incorporate a good amount of electronic elements. I predict that BEDM will be big. Look for his new album to be out soon via Tender Loving Empire. The show will be at 9:30 PM. Towne Lounge is having as show with no electronic elements at all. They have two Portland indierock-pop bands instead as Pasquelle play with The Morals. I believe they are friends. I like to see shows where the bands are friends. They seem more fun that way. It is also fun to watch the Morals as they get silly drunk and perform their songs passionately as they stumble and stomp through their songs (big ups to CIMTB contributor Ben Moral). The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

So I hope to see you at some of these shows. If it is the other way around and you see me (lets face facts, it will be the

other way around), pleasse come up and say "Hi". Have a good week.

-Ben