Ben Meyercord's Live Muisc Picks for July 18th and 19th

Hello Dear Readers,

I want to remind people that I sometimes (often?) miss shows in my listings. For Example, I meant to mention that Y La Bamba played on KPSU yesterday. Whoops. Right after we played a girl who plays under the name Dusty Highway played. She had our friend James (the drummer from Nurses) with her so both Luz Elena and I stayed to watch a couple songs. It was cool the girl rocked out in a somewhat bluesy experimental way. Sometimes I even attend shows that I have not listed. Last night I went to a show at Melody Ballroom and saw Audie Darling play at the CD release party for relatively newcomer Ezza Rose. It was kinda a bummer because I missed Shoeshine Blue. It was a cool show. There was cake and pretzels and chips and salsa and sour cream. Pretty sweet especially considering I skipped dinner. I left after one song of Ezza Rose's, which included a typewriter as a percussion instrument and a cello backing her, to go see Westfold. Sadly, I forgot that it was Friday night in downtown. I could not find parking and missed the show. Can't win them all, but you can try. Here are some shows that I am interested in for the next few days.

Saturday, July 18th

The Big Busk is a festival celebrating the art of busking. It will feature many artists in many parts of town performing for whatever donations you want to give them. I think this is a cool idea. I guess the following people do too cause they are participating: Amy Bleu, Andy Frost, Bobbilynn, Cuntagious, Dave Lautaret, Disfiction, Flöte Gumar and H!ss Mag!cal M!d! Band, Hollywood Africans, Jen Youngs, Joe Destroy and The Mincing Prissies, Lee Corey Oswald, Lumberjack, Rainstick Cowbell, Sound Semantics, Tex Winters, The Krebsic Orkestar, The Martyrs and more. The only person I am familiar with is Tex Winters, whom I think makes really interesting and cool music. Check the website for the locations and times of the various artists It will last from 2 PM to 8 PM.

The Waypost is having a show with John Vecchiarelli and Nick Jaina. I have still yet to see John Vecchiarelli play. I hear he is really good and a nice guy to boot. I saw Nick Jaina play the other week after not having him seen him play in a while. His current lineup is great. Worth seeing for sure. The show is FREE and starts at 8 PM.

Ash Street Saloon is having a show with Metal Shakespeare Co., The Valkyries (Seattle), Hairspray Blues, Junkface and Miss Meghan. This is a split 7" release between Metal Shakespeare Co. and The Valkyries. But I mostly write about this show because it seems like it has been forever since Junkface has played a show. The show is $6 and starts at 9:30 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with The Blakes (Seattle), The Mint Chicks and Greenladies. This is a show put on by Pamplelmoose and WOXY.com and it will be a series called "The Rumble". All of these bands are form the North West and are probably all in the indie ballpark of genres. Though it should be noted that the indie pop rock of The Mint Chicks is Portland by way of Australia. I saw the Greenladies play a while back at Valentine's. They were pretty good. Anyway, the show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

Slabtown is having a show with Wax Fingers, Elba and Swim Swam Swum. This is a night of guitar centric indie pop rock bands. All of these bands seem to spend a lot of time coming up with cool guitar parts which I think is awesome. The show is $6 and starts at 9 PM.

Ella Street Social Club is having s how with The Minor Canon (LA), Deer or the Doe and ioa. I don't know nothing much about the headliner but they sound good and soul-y at parts and super pop at others. Deer and the Dow is a band that I have been meaning to check out what I have heard has been better than average. Ioa is the girl from Point Juncture, WA new project. It sounds very promising and I bet show will have some of her other band's band mates help her out tonight. The show is $5 and the show starts at 8 PM.

Backspace is having a show with We're from Japan!, Gifts from Enola (VA) and Nanda Devi. All of these bands have post-rock tendencies. Some are heavier than others, namely Nanda. Butall of them are pretty rad. The ALL AGES show is $6 and starts at 9 PM.


Sunday, July 19

Rontoms is having a show with Ages, The Angry Orts and Justin Power. I will probably be at this show. I have wanted to see Justin Power forever but keep missing the opportunity. I have also been meaning to see Ages for a while. I can't seem to ever find any info on them, but I know some of the members and they assure me that it is pretty good. I saw The Angry Orts a looooong time ago when I first moved here. It will be interesting to see them after the four or five years since I first saw them play. The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

Doug Fir is Jon Garcia and Celilo. All I am going to say is that Celilo is one of the best Americana bands Portland has to offer. I think people are starting to recognize. I know I am. The show is FREE and starts at 3 PM.

Valentine's is having a show with Steve Gunn (of magik markers and NY), Heidi Deil (of wooden wand), Ilyas Ahmed. I honestly don't listen to Magik Markers or Wooden Wands, though I have heard the names a lot. I think that this will be a good show though since Ilyas Ahmed is pretty good and I hear about the other guys bands names in circles of people whose music tastes tend to be on the good side. The show is by donations and starts at 9 PM.

So if you see me at one of these shows, give a boy some love. And by that I mean please say "Hi" of course.

-Ben


Justin Power will be perform sans the PCP on Sunday. I am stoked.