Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for July 20th and 21st

Hello Dear Readers,

How's it hanging? Is that an inapproprate question? Perhaps. Anyway, last night I finally got to see Justin Power play. He was really good. He plays on an interesting stringed instrument. Is it a bass? Is it a guitar? It is actually somewhere in between. It is a bass with some guitar strings and some bass strings mostly capoed. It sounded really full. His current band is himself and Matt Berger from Musee Mecanique on a very minmal drum set up. I think he had a floor tom with a wrapped cymbal on top, a cymbal on a stand, mallets and a shaker. It was awesome. Then a totally different kind of band took the stage in the form of The Angry Orts. They are a female led kind of dancey kind of rock group. I saw them play with Alan Singley and Day of Lions almost five years ago at a place called Davey Jones Locker. They had gotten a lot better (not to say that they were bad). Ages finished the night out. They are a seven membered group that at times reminded me of CCR and ohter times reminded me of the kind of hippy group vocals of "The Age of Aquarius". They did some cool vocal stuff that other bands that don't have seven people sing couldn't do. Afterwards I was talked into going to Karaoke at Dunes for Baby Ketten Karoake run by Musee Mecanique's Brian Perez (who sang almost exactly like Roy Orbison). Good times. Here are some more good times.

Monday, July 20th

The Together Gallery is having a benefit show or celebration of its latest project called Free Life Project. Basically it is a mobile art gallery that will be touring this great nation of ours. They will be launching tonight, so to celbrate (and maybe get some donation money?) they will be having a BBQ starting at around 6 PM. Around 7 PM there will be start to be musical performances by Black Heart Moon and Ivy Ross. This looks to be a good time. They galleries website has pictures of the current, past, and future instalations of the gallery, so you should check it out. The event is set to last from 6 PM to 10 PM.

Valentine's is having a show with Pirate Radio, Quiet Countries and Team Evil. Though I am not familiar with Private Radio, I know that both Quiet Countires and Team Evil are rad. Team Evil features several members of Point Juncture, WA including front man Skyler Norwood. I have yet to catch Tema Evil, but I hear that I need to. Quiet Countries is the one man band of Leb Borgerson (who also plays guitar in Alan Singley's band PAnts Machine) which largely produces cool looped guitar and beat driven music. Though I have read that he sometimes ofther musicians play with him. I would not be surprised if that were the case tonight as a lot of said musicians play in Team Evil. This show is by donations and starts at 9 PM.


Tuesday, July 21st

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with Vs. the Sea and The Charts. I know not of The Charts but they seem to be friends of Vs. The Sea. I am friends with Vs.The Sea, so by associaton. Shows with friends are by and large fun to attend. Plus Jarred for Vs. The Sea is one fine songwriter. The show is a mere $2 and starts at 9 PM.

Valentine's is having a show with Greenladies, The Woolen Men, and Hello Loneliness!. It blows my mind how many bands I have not seen that there is absolutely no excuse for missing. Hello Loneliness! is near the top of that list. I really loved Justin Folwer's music in Wooden Indian Burial Ground and really like what I have heard of his latest project. I might have to see this show. The cover is by donation and starts at 9 PM.

So if you see me at any of these shows, please say "Hi" and I will do my best not to punch you in the arm as that is and sometimes isn't an acceptable greeting.

-Ben


Team Evil will make noise in the form of songs tonight at Valentine's