Last Minute Show Picks 9/7/12

Just a couple of shows to mention, and one is tonight!

Tim from Boneworm is a cool guy and his new stoner metal project is joining some like-minded others tonight at Plan B.  Highly recommended.  Tonight, so get down there!

Composer Scott Frieman "deconstructs" The Beatles in his presentation "Looking Through The Glass Onion," September 12 at the Hollywood Theater.  Very interesting...

If that last one is a little too pomo or meta (is that what the kids these days are calling it?) for you, then check out j.wong with DAWNS, also September 12, but at the Hawthorne Theater.  Wong plays self-described "sad bastard music at its finest."  Sounds like a nice fit for winding down summer with.

EDIT:  Eagle-eyed Ryan Feigh brings us mention of NW Hip Hop Fest @ Kelly's Olympian tonight

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Pocketknife/Adventures With Might Split 7" - Release at Holocene, February 29th

I was excited to discover that Pocketknife has a new release coming out - a split 7" with fellow Portland synth pop makers Adventures With Might on Vinyl Richie. The concept of the record is simple but clever - each band's side contains one original song and one cover of the other band. All songs contain sexy, danceable, synth-heavy pop. Pocketknife's original track, "Bats in the Belfry," skillfully combines creepy, ominous lyrics with frantic, catchy pop hooks. Adventures With Might's "Teen Machine" sounds like what would happen if 70's funk and 80's goth had the most awesome music baby possible. The bands are having a release show at Holocene on February 29th. Dancing will not be optional.

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Magical Christmas Sparkles Tonight: The Woods & Friends First Annual Holiday Special

Christmas music can be a terrible experience. I can clearly recall being horrified and permanently scarred by the repeated playing of the 'N Sync Christmas album at Tower Records. Eventually my mind snapped and I came to associate Christmas with mindless hordes of consumption hungry Holiday Zombies and prancing ninnies in tight pants butchering classic tunes. So join me for an evening of reclaiming holiday music as something other than replaying whatever fucked up memories you may have of Christmas' past. There is nothing better than well played music and beer. Especially at The Woods. Which is Very Fancy.

You'll spot me there, drinking beer with a smile on my face.

:: A night of holiday standards and favorites ::

*** DOORS 7pm, SHOW 8pm ***

A night of holiday standards and favorites from Laura Gibson, Musee Mecanique, Alela Diane, Michael Hurley, Lewi Longmire, Denver, Duover, Johanna Kunin, Dave Depper, Mike Midlo (of Pancake Breakfast), Quiet Life, Great Wilderness, Ezza Rose, Greylag, and, of course, other special, not-to-be-named guests! Only $5!

$5 in advance, $5 day of show

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Ben Meyercord's live music picks for Dec. 31st to Jan.6th

So I am back in Portland. Man if feels good to be back. I have am no longer stuck at home waiting for something to do. Let me assure all of you people of Portland, you live in city where things happen. And speaking of things happening, this is how the show situation is looking for this week.

Monday, December 31st

Holy crap! It is the last day of the year and I am sure there will be a ton of parties or get-togethers that you have already committed to, but there are a couple of good shows happening too.

• The Wu Tang Clan is playing! Crazy. I know this is a Portland-centric blog, so let me tie our city in. All of the openers are Portland people. Cool Nutz besides having a bad ass name is reported to be the ambassador of NW hip hop so it is only fitting that he should warm up the stage for the WU. There are the Sandpeople. I checked them out this summer at PDX Pop Now! It was good times if you like hip hop. Then there is the Grant High School graduate Lilla D Mone (D Mone is supposedly a nod to D'Angelo and Nina Simone) who will grace the stage with her mix of modern R&B and Hip Hop. But for real, the Wu Tang Clan a'n't nuttin to fuck with. This may or may not be sold out at the Roseland. I think tickets were going for $40. Doors at 8pm.
• In Old Town there will be 4 venues having simultaneous entertainment. The event is called Old Town Get Down. You may choose to go to each venue individual for $10 like a chump, or you can buy a pass to get you into all the venues for $20 -$25. I personally would only go to the Someday Lounge. Panther, and Copy are playing there and they always put on a fun live show. Satyricon, as per usual, will have a ton of bands that I have never heard (such as Massive Meat Split and Embrace the Kill); Backspace is hosting the music of, among others, Gepetto whose myspace headline colorfully suggests that you, "eat shit and die"; and Ground Control has The Beauty playing a set and several DJs. I believe that all doors are at 8pm with music starting at approximately whenever.
  

Tuesday, January 1st

You will be tired. I know. Luckily there is not that much going on tonight so you can either take it easy or check out these shows:

• The Incubator at the Someday Lounge will be in full effect hosted by Gabriel Darling. You can do whatever for twenty minutes. The possibilities abound. The music is free and starts at 9PM lasting until midnight.
  
• Or you can play two to three songs among other very talented people at Zilla Sake hosted by the lovely Y La Bamba.
• Or you can just observe as the Ash Street Saloon offers up a "mixed social". The website says it will happen every Tuesday and it looks to be free. The The Righteous and Harmonious Fists will be playing along with Orem(the sink) and Critical. It is free so you might as well check it out. Music at 9:15PM.

Wednesday, January 2nd

Believe it or not, I don't know of anything going on for Wednesday. If I am wrong, feel free to comment on the blog and I will add your suggestion. If not get some well earned rest.

Thursday, January 3rd

Here are a couple of shows that are taking place that I wouldn't mind seeing:

• The Ash Street Saloon offer a line up of Lasers All the Time, Ferocious Eagle, Newspapers , and Old Money. I have heard of Ferocious Eagle and Newspapers before, both in a positive light as I recall. At a $5 admission, I think it is worth checking out. Music at 9:30PM.
• Or you could heard over to the Someday Lounge see Green Pajamas, The Soft Tags, and The Brother Egg do their indie-pop thing. $5 admission. Music at 9PM.
• At The Doug Fir Lounge, Day of Lions is playing a show with local favorite (though not my favorite) Boy Eats Drum Machine, and Seattle band Siberian. $8 day of the show. Music starts at 9PM.
  

Friday, January 4th

There are three really good show today. Your decision will be tough. So here are you options:

• Okay. I will be completely honest with you . I am playing a show as Meyercord on this day. It would be awesome if you came. I will be opening for the somewhat jazzy The Murder Trio and the wonderful music of Y La Bamba. The show is to take place at The Chaos Cafe (donations are aprrecitated). Music at 7:30PM
• The Doug Fir Lounge will be having Weinland play along with James Low, and Mike Coykendall. These are all fine musicians/bands in the local roots rock vein. Admission is $7. Music at 9PM.
• Over at The Mississippi Studios, Richie Young (of Loch Lommond) will be playing a set in between Leviethan and IOA (drummer of Point Juncture, WA). The show is part of Mississippi Studios' Free First Friday series. As indicated it will be free. Music starts at 10PM.

Saturday, January 5th

Again some hard decisions to make

• The Someday Lounge will be hosting a benefit show for "Vida para todos" (life for all), a community Music and Arts center in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. I only know of one of the bands playing, Please Step Out Of The Vehicle. Drew slum,Toiletooth, and Plank Scale will also be playing. There is a sliding scale cover of $5-10. Music at 9PM.
• Some how, a Portland music festival almost slipped under my radar and will be taking place this weekend. It is called Children of The Revolution 3. I am assuming that this is the third one of these festivals. It is happening at AudioCinema over the course of two days. Saturday features: Fleshtone, Panther, Tara Jane O'Neal, LKN, Starfucker, Chrome Wings, Dragging an Ox Through Water, Worms, Matress, and Death Songs. I believe the price is somewhere between $10 and $15. The music starts at 2PM.
  
• Plus Horse Feathers will be performing twice at The Mississippi Studios. The first show will have MBilly opening and the second show will have The Botticellis open. The first show is $10 at 7PM. The second show is $12 at 10PM.
  

Sunday, January 6th

There is no day of rest for a music fan (except this Wednesday). So here are the shows that I think might be worth checking out. I make no guarantees, but I think they will fun.

• The Ash Street Saloon is having a show of three bands that ride the line between quirky and just plain zany, and one folksy guy. The bands are as follows Late Night Curly, iji, and Math The Band. Iji and Math The Band are touring together (warning these bands are not local), so if you like what you hear there is more incentive in the way of a tour split entitled "Tour de Friends". Also the folksy guy I made allusion to is William Holley. What he has on his myspace page sounds real nice. It will cost you $5. Music starts at 9:30PM.
• Day two of the Children of The Revolution 3 looks to be the noisier of the two day festivities at AudioCinema. If only the fact that Yellow Swans are playing. i saw them at PDX Pop Now! and they were loud. I mean they brought they brought their own sound system in order to be at the very least twice as loud as any other band that played. I stood at the very back of AudioCinema (which is pretty large) and still had to plug my ears (even though they already had ear plugs). The other bands playing are Thrones, SubArachnoid Space, Magick Daggers, Rollerball, Fist Fite, Dagger of the Mind(self proclaimed "bardcore" as in they sing Shakespeare over heavy metal), Rabbits, and Silentist. Again I think that it costs between $10 and $15. Show starts at 2PM.

So I hope everyone has a great new year and I look forward to seeing a whole lot of shows and missing even more of them.

-Ben

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Ben Meyercord live music picks for Dec. 17th -23rd

Another week another group of shows that we all should attempt to attend. Maybe we should call this weekly list of shows, "Ben Meyercord's Attempt to Attend show list" or "Attempt 2 Attend: Portland shows".

I am going back to Texas on Wednesday, so I will only be able to make it to two shows this week. But I will list all the shows I would consider seeing were I in town.

It goes like this:

Monday, December 17th

This is so hard for me. There are two shows. Both really good. Both near my home. Both featuring personal friends. Unfortunately, both at the same time.

• Y La Bamba is playing Mississippi Pizza along with other Zilla Open Mic vets Elliot King and Down South Sallie. Y La Bamba writes some of the most evocative and emotive music I have heard in quite some time. Elliot King is the composer of many songs in many styles which when mixed together give a pleasing experience. Down South Sallie has a voice on her. Be sure to listen to her talk, then listen to her sing. You will be blown away first by the contrast and then again by how well she sings. I have had the pleasure of playing with two of the three acts tonight. I highly recommend the show. I believe it is free. Plus if you get there early, say at like 7pm you can watch the Portland spelling bee. Show at 9pm Free.
  
• Annie Bethancourt writes some pretty darn good tunes as well. I have had the pleasure of performing shows with her as well (she will appear on the forth-coming Meyercord ep). She is performing at the White Eagle. This is a place I have been meaning to check out for a while. She plays with the Hide & Go Hustle and American Nobody. The Hide & Go Hustle are a cello and guitar duo who supplement their sound with preprogrammed beats. American Nobody apparently is where "The Solo Loop Show- organic folk meets technology" . Sounds interesting. Show at 8pm. Free.
  

Tuesday, December 18th

Tuesdays, I generally reserve for Open Mics unless there is something really cool happening.

• Holcombe Waller might be that really cool thing happening. Check out what the Willamette Week said about his TBA entry. " With this TBA entry, the restlessly inventive and ridiculously talented Holcombe Waller takes lessons learned from last year's experimental work, Patty Heart Townes - which presented songs of Patty Griffin and Townes Van Zandt, sung by Waller in costume and character, accompanied by a small string ensemble and video projection - and applies them to his own literate, incisive, beautiful songs. His forthcoming album, titled Into the Dark Unknown, is his first since 2005's stunning Troubled Times. Having found new fans such as Antony (of the Johnsons), Waller's well on his way to a wider audience. JEFF ROSENBERG." It is nice to know that we have people like him living in Portkand. Chris Garneau will be opening the show. I believe he was part of the Xiu Xiu touring band at one point. Doug Fir Lounge. show at 9pm $10
• Incubator at the Someday Lounge. Open stage for up to 20 minutes. Gabriel Darling. 9pm. Free.
• Open Mic at Zilla's Sake. Two songs per person. Good sake, if you like that sort of thing. Plus Y La Bamba usually plays twice. 8:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, December 19th

I leave for Dallas on this day. I will not be able to see any of the shows below this point.

• Local legends The Dandy Warhols will be teaming up with two other "The" bands, The Upsidedown and The Nice Boys at the Roseland Theater. So if you want to get your pyschedelic PDX-Mas groove on, then I suggest you attend. All Portland. All Rock. 8pm. $15 plus whatever outrageous service charges they tack on.
  
• Jon Garcia is playing over at Berbati's Pan. You may recognize his name cause he played with AristeiA last week. This week he is playing with Ali Wesley, Leigh Marble, Zach Boyle (guitarist of A Weather), and Whit Walker all part of a Singer/songwriter in the round performance. Show at 9pm. $3
  
• Or if you just want to dance your ass off. Head over to the Doug Fir Lounge where Dat'r will be thowing it down. Dahlia (not my sort of thing) will follow. Show at 9PM. $6

Thursday, December 20th

There are two good shows this night. I am glad I will not have to choose.

• Nick Jaina will be playing the Doug Fir Lounge with The Butchers and The Builders and The Golden Bears. I saw Nick the last time he played the Doug Fir Lounge (also with the Butchers and Builders) was great. He and his band really know to arrange a song. A lot of people really dig the Butchers and Builders. I don't really get it. I don't know much of anything about The Golden Bears. Show is at 9PM. $8
• A Weather is playing a show with Super XX Man and Love Menu at the Holocene. A Weather is one of my current favorite local groups. I enjoy Super XX Man's charming and often endearing songs. I know nothing of Love menu, but based of the company she keeps it should be good. Show at 9PM. $6

Friday, December 21st

There are a couple things happening this night.

• Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks are playing the Doug Fir Lounge with Blitzen Trapper. This show will in all likelihood sell out. If you want to go to this show. Buy your ticket now.
  I mean two of the biggest Portland bands playing in Portland. This will sell out. Also with Malkmus coming out with a new record in the next few months, I would image there is going to be some new stuff. Show at 9PM. $15
  
• Or you could head over to the Someday Lounge and watch a ninja band. Fist of Dishonor proclaim themselves to be the "Premier Ninja Rock Band". They will share the stage with The Nodding Tree Remedies (who played the very first AristeiA show ever), Larry Yes (whom I have heard good thing about), and Rob Walmart (who play out a van or as they call it a vanue). Show at 9PM. $5

Saturday, December 22nd

Honestly nothing jumps out at me for this day.

• Though you might check out Bryan Free. He will play the Tonic Lounge with the Deepest Darkest. i know very little about either of these bands. Except that Bryan Free put out a split ep with Day of Lions a few years ago. Show at 9PM $7
  

Sunday, December 23rd

There are two good shows tonight.

• Over at Valentine's (232 SW Ankeny) The Evolutionary Jass Band will be performing with Venable. The Jass is always awesome. I read that Venable has toured with David Pajo (this means that he is also probably pretty awesome).
• The Murder Trio will be playing at a place called the Night Light Lounge. They play a cool jazz type thing (Also they will play with Meyercord next year). Show at 8pm. Free.

So enjoy the shows while I am away. I have looked and there appear to be absolutely no shows in Texas.

-Ben


A Weather Live. Check them out on Wednesday.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks For This Week

Damn my inability to be everywhere at once!

There are too many shows in Portland.

If I could I would be at two or three show every night. Unfortunately I have a lack of money and time. Plus my body tends to slow down and eventually fall asleep on me. But I guess the question is, "is that a bad thing?" It depends I suppose.

So I guess what I am getting at is this:

Wednesday December 5th, 2007

• The Portland Cello Project playing at the Holocene with the Horse Feathers (recent kill rock stars recruits) and others including my good friend Fall of Snow (aka Stephanie Casey).
• Also that night over at the Doug Fir Don Coballero is playing. I am not sure which I will go to. it all depends on if I am too exhausted from AristeiA practice.

Thursday December 6th, 2007

• Portland Cello Project playing again at the Holocene with the Horse Feathers and Fall of Snow. (No you are not crazy, it is the exactly the same line up as last night. Which can be a good thing. You have two chances to see it.)
• But at the same time there is The Graves and Boat playing over at the Doug Fir. Sigh.

Friday December 7th, 2007

• Here is where it gets really good. Friday night I want to see Shannon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Doug Fir.
• Over at the Holocene Prefuse 73 is playing.
• But deciding between these two show is a non issue as I am Playing a house show at my friend Annie's house. So that show will be Annie Bethancourt, Dave Lowensohn, Meyercord, and Westfold.
• But if you are not on the east side you should go and check out Ah Holy Fam'ly at the Towne Lounge.

Saturday December 8th, 2007:

• Saturday is easy. I want to go to the Doug Fir to see Laura Gibson who is playing a show with the Cave Singers. I have missed both of these peoples last shows and regretted it. Something that I plan to rectify this Saturday.

Sunday December 9th, 2007:

• Sunday an old acquaintance from Denton, TX, Fishboy is playing a show at Slabtown. So if I am in the mood for some indiepop opera I might go check that out.

But alas I do believe that I will be unable to attend the majority of these excellent shows because my wallet is just not fat enough. But you should try to. I figure that if we put our minds to it we can make sure that every good show is attended.


Brain Wright from The Graves -- photo by Ste. Goldie

PS -- Don't forget you can get your jam on at Someday Lounge Incubator TONIGHT!

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