Friday, September 17, 2010

Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Friday, September 17th

Hello Dear Readers,

Last night I didn't see any music. I was getting ready for tonight and tomorrow and I guess for almost two weeks. I guess what I am saying is that I am going on tour and I will be unable to blog for a couple weeks. Anyway, here are the Portland centric shows happening tonight :
Mississippi Studios is having The Y La Bamba CD Release Show. Y La Bamba will be playing a set along with Ah Holly Fam'ly and Brothers Young. As a member of Y La Bamba it is pretty surreal to have the album finally come out. It was recorded about a year and a half ago. But it will be nice to have a CD to sell that we don't have to burn before the show. Plus the other bands playing this are great. Brothers Young are a group of mostly brothers that make pretty sweet music. They make use of unison vocals a lot. It reminds me of The Beta Band a little bit (they also use unison vocals a lot). Ah Holly Fam'ly makes delicately arranged folk music. It is really good. Also I don't want to spoil anything, but there will be a lot of surprises. The show is $12 and starts at 9 PM.

Backspace is having Music in the Schools Showcase show. White Fang, Starparty, Attention Deficit Destroyer, and Grandfather. "Music in the Schools is a student run and lead non-profit that raises money for the severely underfunded music programs of Portland Public Schools. Not only do these great kids raise money, but also organize monthly high school band showcases, in which three high school bands are lined up with one established adult band. The purpose of these showcases is to increase exposure for these high school musicians, and also to raise money." Sounds like a pretty good thing to support , eh? White Fang is also is a really fun band to watch. They are kind punk kinda not. Rather they are a party in a band. The ALL AGES show is $4 and starts at 8:30 PM.

Branx is having a show with Thee Headliners, Palo Verde, Kusikia, Hey Lover, Sallows, and Magic Johnson. Perhaps you saw the post about this show earlier this week. The show is all about duo's. I have to say there are some good duo's as part of the show. I am partial to Palo Verde and Kusikia. Palo Verde make an impressive sludge rock that is mostly improvised. Then Kusikia is a duo that relocated about a year ago from Tacoma. It is hard to describe them, but if I had to use one word it would be dynamic. I really think you should check out both of these bands. For real. The show is $7-$10 and starts at 8 PM

Ellas Street is having a show with David Dyas, Themes, You Are Plural, and Great Ocean. David Dyas has been a part of many many cool bands. He is a great guitar player. I actually first heard him of the defunct group Black Heart Moon in which he played slide guitar. Anyway he is a pretty crafter of tunes too. Plus he is playing with my buddies in Themes. They are a duo of baritone guitar and piano and male and female vocals. It is not like most stuff. I don't know much about the other bands. The show is $5 and starts at 9 PM.

The Woods is having a show with Dragging an Ox Through Water and Hammer of Hathor. The Woods doesn't normally have a lot of experimental shows. Actually I have never have heard of any experimental shows. I think that Dragging an Ox Through Water makes some of the most interesting in town. He has a lot of influences and just mashes them all together. I don't know of many people who build their own instruments or oscillators or whatever. I have written about Hammer of Hathor before. I remember them being kind jazzy and kinda something else. The show is totally cheap and worth checking out. The show is $3 and starts at 9 PM.

Rotture is having a Supernature show with Copy, Truckasausrus, and DJ's E*Rock and DJ BJ. Check out this from Copy's blog, "i throw a monthly party/showcase at Rotture every month called SUPERNATURE with Audiodregs’ E*ROCK and Atole’s DJ BJ – the september edition (our 33rd!) is acting as the dual CD release party for myself and TRUCKASAURAS, who release their new album ‘QUARTERS’ on September 7th!". I have heard the new Copy album and it is good. I have been a fan of his music for like forever. He makes you want to dance. The way he builds his 8-bit harmonies is great. The show is $5 and starts at 9 PM.

If you see me at the Y La Bamba show please say, "Hi". I am the dude with the dark beard and the bass.


-Ben


Brothers Young will be playing at Mississippi Studios tonight as part of the Y La Bamba CD release show.

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