Last night was pretty fun. Though I don't mean to gripe or anything but, Berbati's is loud. When you walk in by the entrance is a gumball looking machine that dispenses ear plugs for 50 cents. I chuckled to myself as I passed it. Then when the first band started to play I reconsidered. I could not bring myself to get them but, I was tempted. The band was not like a heavy metal band or anything. I can only imagine what the Fall into Darkness festival must have been like over last weekend which does have a lot of metal bands. Then when the band, Lover Trucker, finished the house music was so loud that me and some friends went over to the restaurant side to talk as it just wasn't going to happen on the venue side. This caused me to miss a big chunk of touring band Hallelujah the Hills. They seemed pretty good, but I could not hear the trumpet (except for in my head, where it sounded great). When St. Frankie Lee came on though, I could hear everything including the trumpet. Apparently Derrick broke a few strings just before the show and ended up winging a lot of guitar in the set which was actually pretty cool. I got their CD, as it was their CD release show, but haven't gotten a chance to listen to it yet. I can't wait the packaging is great and includes several colorful loose threads. Let's get it on, indeed. Here are the shows that look good to me today.
Wednesday, November 4th
Mississippi Studios is having Uprising. i.e. Horse Feathers plays for The Dancers of Oregon Ballet Theatre. This looks like a very high class kinda show. Let's face facts. The Ballet is classy. But I was talking to Katherine O'Dell, cellist/vocalist for Horse Feathers and she told me that this is not the first time Horse Feathers has played while ballerinas danced. Apparently some blog did a very similar thing this Summer with Horse Feathers. She said that it worked out very nicely. I could not find the video though. Oh and if I have not mentioned, I think that their music is very very beautiful. I did not catch it last night, but I am planning on seeing it tonight. But if you cannot catch the performance tonight, they will be doing it one more night this week (Thursday). The show is $15 and starts at 8 PM.
Berbati's is having a show with Big Business (LA), Thrones, and Hot Victory. This is a ROCK show. All my band mates who I play in a ROCK band with are going to this show. Big Business is kinda of a big deal in most rock circles. This is probably because they are awesome. They have killer riffs and cool drum parts and a vocalist that is ummm...rock? All the while it also catchy as hell. Thrones is one of those bands that is a Portland band even though he does not technically live in Portland (Salem is pretty damn close). He is some times super heavy and slow and then sometimes throws in some weird vocoder stuff. He plays by himself usually with a drum machine going through several amps. I have on seen it once, but it was incredible. I have yet to see Hot Victory, but I am a sucker for bands with two drummers. I think it is jest the coolest thing ever. I like what I have heard. The show is $12 and starts at 9 PM.
Berbati's Restaurant is having Matress and Orca Team. This is the first of Mattress' restaurant residency at Berbati's this month. I will admit I didn't get his music at first. It was just him singing over pre-recorded music playing a tape boom box. Apparently Rex (main dude in Mattress) now is playing some guitar and has employed a live drummer to join him and his tape machine. He makes electro soul music. Most of the tapes have kind of simple dirty fat synths. Orca Team make reverb drenched surf pop music for the new millennium. I like it. The show is FREE and starts at 10 PM.
Holoceneis having a show with World's Greatest Ghost, Swim Swam Swum, and Wampire. This is the CD release show for World's Greatest Ghost. I have been waiting for their album for a while. I think they are one of the most fun bands to see. They have really catchy songs that consist of many layers of melody of guitar and keyboards and vocals that intertwine usually over a disco beat. But make no mistake, it is rock music. It is pop music. It is some of the best local music we have. I love it. The opening bands are pretty great two. Swim Swam Swum are a solid indie rock band. It has very whiny, not in a bad way, and tight catchy songs. It makes me mourn for the indie rock of the late 90's. Wampire is doing their own thing. It would be easy to say that they are a dance band. This is true. But the dance music they make is probably the most chill dance music I have ever seen performed live. And the guitar lines are so simple but irresistible. They should be seen. The show is $6 and starts at 8:30 PM.
If you see me at the show, please say "Hi".
-Ben
Horse Feathers will be playing at Mississippi Studios with these folks all dressed up.
3 comments:
I definitely feel you. I saw the oh so chirpy Gabe Dixon Band there, and it was extremely loud! Even when they did a bob marley cover with only a melodica, my ears were ringing. Guess we're just getting old.
TART - I don't wanna get old!
I know man. But it happens.
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