Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Friday, January 8th

Hello Dear Readers,

Last night I had a pretty long AristeiA practice which caused it to be kinda late when I got out. Then I had an Y La Bamba band meeting (we're going to SXSW!). But then When that was done, it was officially late and I had missed most of most of the shows. It was also hecka cold. So I went home. Such is the exciting life of Ben Meyercord. Anyways there are a lot of good shows tonight. See:

Thursday, January 7th

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with John Heart Jackie and Steve Hefter. I believe that I hear of both of these projects through THWBRO. I saw Jack Heart Jackie at Berbati's restaurant side. I want to hear them in a better setting. Ella Street should be perfect for the boy/girl folk duo. I have recently received Steve Hefter's album "Selena". It is really good. There are a lot of what I think could be considered "hits". If you like Indie folk of folk pop or whatever, this is the show for you. The show is $5 and starts at 9 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Lymbyc System (Brooklyn), Helios. and Cars & Trains. I have heard of Lymbic Systym because they put out a split release with This Will Destroy You. They also make instrumental post-rock that incorporates some electronics (namely some beats). The music is big and pretty. Helios I have heard of because he went a tour with Peter Broderick. His music is also instrumental and has elements of post-rock with beats. Think of Explosions in the Sky's pretty moments and then take out the marching drums and replace with some programmed beats. Very pretty. I know that I have used that word a lot in this post but whatever, it is appropriate. Cars & Trains is the one here that sometimes sings. I love his music. He uses folk elements in puts them into the context of kinda glitchy hip-hop and makes it work. Live he does a lot of looping which is pretty impressive and very fun to watch. The show is $10 and starts at 9 PM.

Holocene is having a thing called Nightclubbing with Reporter, Miracles, Linger & Quiet, and Breakfast Sandwich. I am writing about this because I think Reporters dance rock music is not to be ignored. They are so fun. Anyway, Holocene wrote about it better than I could, "For the first NIGHTCLUBBING of the new decade, Holocene brings you a barrage of local talent that is going to BLOW YOUR MIND. Reporter is Portland's new genre bending dance party of 3. A rare club appearance, you're more likely to see them half naked in the basement of a teenage house party. We've heard their new album and yes it's already THAT GOOD. Reporter will own 2010. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!!! Miracles Club are in line to also pack the dance floor with an explosive set of LIVE ACID HOUSE. These guys really snuck up on us in 2009, and we're just such big fans they could easily be live NIGHTCLUBBING residents (is that a thing? we should make it one.) They have a new 12" in the works that will have all the Scandinavian bloggers crawling all over themselves to first ring in this NEW PORTLAND PSYCHEDELIC HOUSE MUSIC PHENOMENON!!! AND THEN... Breakfast Sandwich is going to start the night off with deep, deep crates (literally) of weird psych rock/disco/world music blended smoothly and setting the mood right. RIGHT!? Of course Linger & Quiet will be hosting and DJing until the HOUSE lights come on. They're so cute and good at DJing it's like DANCING AND GETTING HUGGED AT THE SAME TIME! Bright white clubbing 4-ever." The show $3 and starts at 9 PM.

Doug Fir is having a show with The Moondoggies (Seattle), Sera Cahoone (Seattle), and Celilo. The Moondoggies is a folk rock band that actually has some rock to back itself up in regards to the genre tag. It is the kinda rock that has a honky-tonk piano and 70's-esque guitars. Sera Cahoone is an excellent artist who makes country music in the way that Neko Case does. Which is to say not really, but it is hard to not mention country music when describing her music. I really like her alum a lot. I highly recommend her. Celilo is one of Portland's most solid Americana outfits, they had a real rough year last year with the death of their drummer Kipp Crawford. But they are soldiering on and have started playing shows again. The show is $10 and starts 9 PM.

The Woods is having a show with Autopilot Is For Lovers, Porches, and Mr. Frederick. Autopilot for lovers is a cool band. It is a large band with a large sound. There are strings and usually a choir of sorts in addition to drums, bass, accordion and sometimes piano. Porches features members of Autopilot but it is different. It is very breezy folk music that one might make on a umm...porch. But Porches also has it moments where it becomes very big and uses group vocals. I have not seen them but I want to. The show with $5 and starts 9 PM.

The Waypost is having a show with Barry Brusseau, John Vecchiarelli, and Mike Midlo. I am writing about this show because I like the music of John Vecchiarelli. It is I bit on the more melancholoy side of things. But I like sad songs, especially when they fall in the indie folk camp. Mike Midlo is best known for his band Pancake Breakfast which features a whole mess of people. It will be cool to see his songs stand on their own without the really cool arrangements that usually house them. The show is FREE and starts at 7:30 PM.


If you see me at these shows please say, "Hi". I am the bearded dude trying to get down.

-Ben

Porches - Sleep from Matthew Seely on Vimeo.

Porches at The Woods tonight!