Friday, August 13, 2010

Ben Meyercord's Live Music picks for Friday August 13th

Hello Dear Readers,

I totally jacked my roommate's laptop and going to get you my picks today. I played a Deschutes Brewery Event for the Morrison Kids benefit event. It was pretty rad. Some of my favorite Portland bands like Ages and Ages, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, and Loch Lomond played it. Y La Bamba was scaled back essentially to a three voices and one guitar (Sean Flinn joined us on the last two songs) we sang to a the crowd from the middle. We had a few people watch but, it was tough to get anyone's attention when there is essentially free food and beverages around (there was a $5 cover which essentially saying the thing was free). Ages and Ages and Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside both played great sets. I even ended up dancing for Sallie Ford inspired by an awkward old man who would not stop dancing and creeping out young ladies and children. He actually had some cool moves that I plan on incorporating in to my dance routines. Anyway, here are some shows that look good tonight:

Berbati's Pan is having a show with Nice Nice, Miracles Club, and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt. I have I have seen Nice Nice a few times and I must say they are pretty great. It is totally mathy. But not really all that pop oriented. They are more groove oriented. Once you get in the zone, it is a great time. That being said I think you also must be in the mood for this music. Miracles Club remind me of 90's dance music. That is a type of music that I have not seen many people mine. The show is $8 and starts at 8 PM

The Know is having a show with XDS, Archers, and Astrology. XDS used to be called Experimental Dental School. Quite a mouth full. They shortened it to XDS. Good Call. They also changed from a duo to... actually I am not sure what the line is tonight. But according to the website there has been experiments in various line ups. Archers are a band that I have not seen before. I really like the recordings I have heard. Some one called psych power-pop. I think that it is a fairly accurate description. Astrology is the band that has Charlie Salas Humara (Panther, Ylang Ylang) and Marius Libman (Copy, Atole). It actually reminds me of what I remember Explode into Colors sounding like. The show is probably FREE and starts at 8 PM.

Holocene is having a show with Reporter, Wampire, and Soft Metals. Reporter played PDX Pop Now just recently. I heard it was awesome. I was taking a break from the music during that time and I missed their set. Tonight they are celebrating the release of their latest album, Time Incredible. They are more electro than ever before. It suits them well. They are very good at it and it is infectious. You will want to dance to this music. Wampire also played the PDX Pop festival. They debuted some new material that sounded very promising. There was new song that had something to do with a train. It was kinda 50's sounding. I really liked it. Soft Metals is a live electronics band that blend a wide array of electronic influences in to one. Also very danceable. The show is amazingly cheap $3 and starts at 8:30 PM.

The Woods is having a show with No Kind Of Rider, Manouk (San Diego), By Sunlight (Seattle), and El May (California) aka Lara May. No Kind Of Rider is a band that formed in Tulsa, OK but quickly relocated to Portland. They very vaguely remind me of Oh Captain My Captain. Manouk is the project of Scott Mercado who is a hired guitar player for many bands like Album Leaf, Black Heart Procession and many others. By Sunlight is a very poppy very mathy band. There are harmonies on the recordings that remind me of the Dodos and guitars that remind me of American Football. They have a split 7" out with one of my favorite Instrumental bands from the bay, Silian Rail. The show is $6 and starts at 9 PM.

If you see me at any of these shows please say "Hi". That would be nice,

Ben


Nice Nice will groove you tonight, assuming you go to Berbati's and let them.

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