Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for January 9th to 11th

Hello Dear Readers,

I am so tired. I have not seen any shows. But I am going to try to catch some this weekend. It would appear that I have quite a few amazing ones to choose from. So I will write this blog, get rested and see what I can do to see some local Portland music.

Friday, January 9th

Some tough decisions tonight. Here is what is happening:

• The Artistery is having a show with Alan Singley and pants machine, Chores, and Travis Wiggins . I have heard that Alan will be performing as a seven peice with viola and sax and female vocals and new drummer , Scott Hayden. I think that this would sourely be worth your while. Chores and Travis Wiggins should put on fun performances as well covering your pop-rock and weird samplin' and etc.. needs respectively. The ALL AGESshow is $6 and starts at 8 PM.

• Crystal Ballroom is having a Bitch Magazine Benefit: Kimya Dawson (Olympia), Mirah and Anomie Belle (Seattle). In these crazy financial times certain things that we may take for granted (say a certain feminist quarterly magazine) are in financial dire straights. Often Benefit concerts with very entertaining people are held to raise money to save the certain neglected things. This is one of those things. You probably know who these entertainers are but if you don't know who they check them out right now. They are very good. The ALL AGES show is $18-22 and starts 9 PM.

• If perhaps you fancy yourself an artful person who lives an artful life you might want to check out the Launch Pad Gallery which is having a art opening with a bunch of artists collaborations. The artists participating are: Ennah Snyder and Nikki Jones, Ben Carey and Nathan & Noah Rice, Veranda Haddon and Michelle Purvis, Brent Wear and Jamie Watson, Rick Warren and Charles Daniels. There will also be a film collaboration by Film by: Michelle Tuffias, Sara Robbin and Charles Daniels. The reason I list this event though, is because there will also be music provided by Kaitlyn ni Donovan and Point Juncture, WA. These are both good performers and at the price of FREE, it is hard to say no to this show. The ALL AGES opening opens at 6 PM. The music starts at 9 PM.

• The Know will be host to the Live from Portland DVD Release this weekend. I am going to go out on a limb and assume that there will be a DVD for sale featuring some really good Portland bands performing live on it. The event will actually last two days and feature many our city's great bands performing from 7 PM to 11 PM. The first night has Leviethan, Weinland, and Sean Flinn and The Squealers. There is a $5 cover both nights. and again starts at 7 PM.

Saturday, January 10th

Another night of tough Choices. I don't think it gets any easier.

• Doug Fir is having a show with a band that was one of my favorite Portland bands before I even moved here, Quasi. They play rock music in some of its purest forms. While there songs used to be filled with very cynical and amusing lyrics they have lightened up over the years and now occasionally have positive things to sing about too. Eat Skull and The Golden Bears will also be performing sets to round out this all local show. From what I can tell Eat skull make loud lo-fi recordings that seem to beg to be seen live. The Golden Bears make folky music but the two members have been in a lot of bands that you may have heard of that sound quite a bit different Like Electrolettes, Circus Lupus, and Crime in Choir.

• It is day two of the Live from Portland DVD Release event at The Know. Saturday night will feature: His Name Shall Breathe, Graves, Run On Sentence and Pancake Breakfast (White Salmon, WA). All bands are worth checking out. I am going to try to go to at least one of the nights to pick up the DVD. Again, like the previous night, the show is $5 and starts at 7 PM.

• Backspace qill be having an awesome show too though. They are having Reporter, Typhoon, Doubledutch and Maggie Morris (San Francisco) play on Saturday night. These are all great bands and performers (a lot of Boy Gorilla related bands), but seriously Typhoon is not to be missed. They really put on some of the most moving and amazing live shows. 9 p.m. $5
  

• Berbati's Pan is hosting the Chicharones (Josh Martinez and Sleep) CD release show. I hear that the DJ for Chicharones wears a pig mask. Thats pretty crazy. But the reason I list this show is because it will feature some of the best NW hip-hop currently happening. Performers like Braille, Night Crawlers, Jon the Baptist and Erd are all pretty great. But there is also Raise the Bridges (who rep Hillboro), a rock rap outfit. I don't maybe that's your thing. The show is $8 in advance and $10 at the door. The music starts at 10 PM.

Sunday, January 11th

Here are some more shows that you might enjoy.

• There is another good benefit show happening this weekend. This one is happening at Doug Fir and will help put MusiCares & OHSU Uninsured Patients. This was orignially scheduled as a benefit concert for local musician Kele Goodwin who injured himself and had mad medical bills which were eventually very graciously covered by MusiCares. THis is a way of saying thank you and perhaps raising money to help other musicians who might not have medical insurance. The all-star lineup consists of Musee Mecanique, Sabertooth, Heather Broderick and Ritchie Young of Loch Lomond. If you know anything about these musicians you have probably already made arrangements to get to this show. If you don't know anything about these people, now would be a charitable time to "discover" them. The cover is a sliding scale of $10-15. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

• Valentine's is having a The Flight & The Fall show with Root Beer & French Fry and The Wedding Singers also performing. So what the heck is The Flight and The Fall? Well, its a variety show? This is what I found from the Mercury's site. It looks pretty interesting, plus Root Beer and French Fry are really good. This show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

• Someday Lounge is having a musical/performance art filled evening. Rush-N-Disco, Janet Pants Dance Troupe, Diana Joy (Seattle) and Joe Bryan will all be performing. If you don't know about Rush-N-Disco, you need to. Also, it should be noted that Janet Pants Dance Troupe features Brian Mumford of Dragging an Ox Through Water and will have guest appearances by Heather Treadway of Explode Into Colors and some guitar by Tara Jane O'Neil. There is a $5 cover. The event starts at 8 PM.
  

• 220 House is having a show with The Hugs , Meth Teeth, Best Supporting Actress, Chrome Wings . These are some good bands. And everyone knows nothing can beat a good house show. So if it is good music in a loud and intimate setting that you crave, I suggest you attend this show. I am unsure of a cover, but the show is set to begin at 8 PM.

So that is what is happening this weekend, show-wise. If you see me at any of these please say "Hi".

-Ben


Mirah to perform for all you bitches (and Bitch magazine) tonight at Crystal Ballroom.