Ben Meyercords Live Music Picks Feb. 4th to Feb. 10th

Hey everyone, guess what. I made it to some shows last week. It actually felt pretty good. You know what else? There are some shows that I will definitely attend this week as well. I think I'm back. Check it out:

Monday, Feb. 4th

There are a couple of freebies for this Monday. You what they say, "if the price is right...". Anyway, I think that the price is right.

• Valentine's is having MBilly, William Holley, and The Moon in Light play on Monday. All I can say is listen to the links. It would appear Valentine's has put together a nice little folk show. Show is FREE. Music starts at 9PM.

• Doug Fir is also having a free show on Monday. The headliner is a boy/girl rock duo from Cambridge who have brilliantly named themselves Drug Rug. The local openers are a some what collective based around Ryne Warner called Ohioan and Native Kin. In fact the myspace page states that "Native Kin is the community of musicans that exists autonomously and symbiotically" . I guess that makes Ryne "Ohioan". The show is FREE. The music starts at 9PM.

Tuesday, Feb. 5th

Pay Day! Here is what is happening.

• Valentine's is having a show consisting of Blue Cranes, Strangers Die Every Day, and Sam Cooper. I have missed Strangers Die Everyday every single time they play. Tonight will probably be no w exception. But it does look to be a good show. The show cost a mere $5, pretty good deal considering the caliber of music. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Your other option, and an option to hear me(yercord) play music, is to go to Zilla Sake. They have a pretty good open mic hosted by friend and amazing songwriter Y La Bamba. The sign up is at 7:30. Music starts at 8PM.

Wednesday, Feb. 6th

Normally Wednesday is chock full of shows that I want to attend. That is not the case this week.

• Holocene is having this thing called Beat Off beat battle. It is described as a live sample-based beat battle. It sounds like it coul be cool. It costs $5. Doors are at 9PM.

Thursday, Feb. 7th

Is Thursday the new Wednesday? From the list of shows below, it definitely could be a contender.

• Kelly's Olympian is having a Portland Radio Authority presents show. It will feature Junkface and Team Evil (Skyler from Point Juncture, WA)as well as some Pirate Radio. I have heard nothing but complimentary things about Junkface and Team Evil have a pretty good name. There might be something there. It only costs $3. Show begins at 9 PM.
• Ground Kontrol, the awesome video arcade/sometimes music venue, will be having the out-of-towner's, Glass Elevator (Olmpia, WA), along with locals Root Beer and French Fry, and Delightful Young Man. I will be honest with you, the only reason I am mentioning this show is because of the name Root Beer and French Fry. Show costs $4. Music starts at 9 PM.
• The other day I went to an awesome store called Tender Loving Empire. It is a store I have been meaning to visit for quite some time and as I expected, it was quite cool. They also run a small music label and do custom silk screening. One of the bands that had silk screening by Tender Loving Empire is Newspapers. I noticed that they are playing on Thursday at The Ash Street Saloon along with Sea Weasels and Cereal. It might be worth checking out. The cost is $5. The show starts at 9:30 PM.
• It is also 1st Thursday. Portland Center Stage is having LA -based songwriter Wisely perform. He did a video starring Jenna Fisher of The Office. But more importantly, Local gal Per Se will be playing as well. It is all ages and FREE. The event takes place between 5:30 and 7 PM.

Friday, Feb. 8th

There are a few shows that are good tonight but I am going to:

• Talkdemonic is playing the Doug Fir. I love this band. They have finished recording a new record so I am guessing they will play some of it on Friday. Plus the opening acts, Tu Fawing (Corrina Repp and Joe Haige of 31 Knots plus two) and Starfucker are both local and very good. The show is $12 and is worth every cent. The music starts at 9 PM.
• But there are other good shows. There is even an all ages show at The Modern Age, KPSU's all ages venue. Per Se will be playing, in case you didn't see her the previous night, with Swimming, The Janglies and Dhani The Champion of the World. It is a sliding scale of $3 to $5. The show starts at 8 PM.
• The Someday Lounge is also hosting a mostly local show. Except this one is for free. Chores (featuring Lou of A Weather), Klicitat, H is For Hellgate (Seattle, WA), and Ferocious Eagle are all playing. A good time will be had by all who attend. That is four bands for FREE. Show begins at 9 PM.

Saturday, Feb. 9th

Just like Wednesday where there are usually too many shows, this Saturday has been parred down to only a small handful of shows. This is what they are:

• Local group, The Helio Sequence, just released their new album KeepYour Eyes Ahead on Sub Pop Records. To celebrate they are playing and instore at Music Millennium. Like most instore performances it will be FREE. The music starts at 7 PM.
• The Artistery will be having a pretty kick ass indie pop show on Saturday. We got the orchestrated arrangements of The Online Romance, the very good but not local Lake (they have a split 7 inch with locals Typhoon), and other locals World's Greatest Ghosts. I have seen two of the three and highly recommend this show. The ALL AGES show costs $6. The music starts promptly at 8 PM.
• David Evan is a guy who writes songs and then sings them. The thing that sets him apart is that the songs he writes are quite good. I sure that he gets it all the time but his voice is reminiscent of Colin Meloy of the Decemberists except better. Anyway you can go to The Daily Planet (superman reference?) this Saturday to catch him play a FREE set. The music starts at 8 PM.
  

Sunday, Feb. 10th

There is only one show I see that I want to go to:

• Cars and Trains is a guy who I found out about by making this weekly blog listing. I still haven't seen him but I really want to. I will try my darnedest to see this show. He plays with Demune at Mississippi Pizza this Sunday. There is no listed cost. The show starts at 9 PM.

So there you go dear reader. I want to remind everyone that this is by no means a comprehensive list of every show that is happening in Portland. I want to extend an invitation to comment on this post of other shows you think I left out. Or, by all means, start your own blog (and link it to this blog). Say hi to me if you see me at a show.

-Ben


Talkdemonic plays Doug Fir on Friday the 8th. Sweet!

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music picks for Dec. 10th-16th

It just doesn't get easier does it. Another week full of great shows, and therefore another blog post detailing them.

Hello Portland and areas surrounding Portland this is what is going down, show wise, this week:

Monday, December 10th

There isn't too much going on at the start of the week but there is this...

• Strangers Die Everyday will be performing at Valentine's (232 SW Ankeny St) with Blue Cranes. Show starts at 9pm ($5).
  

Tuesday, December 11th

like I said not too much going down at the beginning of the week, but check out either of these open-mics as there have been glimpses of brilliance at both. I have also been known to perform as Meyercord at both (not that there is a correlation between this sentence and the previous sentence).

• The Incubator is hosted by my good friend and apparent fellow Crappy Indie Music blogger Gabriel Darling. This goes down at the Someday Lounge. The cool thing about these besides the great sound and stage and people, is that every performance is recorded so and archived on the Someday Lounge website for later viewing. Starts at 9pm (free).
  
• There is also the Open-mic Night over at Zilla's Sake on Alberta. This is usually hosted by my friend Elena Mendoza aka Y La Bamba (in my opinion one of the most talented people making music in Portland right now). The room is small but the sound is very warm thanks in large to a gentleman who calls himself E (not to be confused with the lead singer of Eels). He records this musical gathering every Tuesday and makes them available via the Open Mic Scout Podcast. Starts at 8pm (free).

Wednesday, December 12th

Today I am playing a show in the band AristeiA along with Jon Garcia and The Charmparticles at the Doug Fir so you know where I will be (and where you should be as well). But in the interest of being fair, the following shows are going on too.

• Some local band called The Shins are playing at The Crystal Ballroom. But its sold out so I guess it doesn't matter.
• Over at Valentine's ( 232 SW Ankeny St) Aan, Ah Holly Fam'ly, and Saw Whet are all playing the Cloudrag Magazine release party. I have heard that all of these are bands worth checking out.

Thursday, December 13th

This is where it gets tough. There are three shows. I wish to be at all of them.

• Tu Fawning (featuring Joe Haege of 31 Knots and Corrina Repp) is playing with The Golden Bears, and some band called Baby Dollars are all playing the Holocene. The show starts at 9pm ($7). I have regrettably missed Tu Fawning play every single time they have played. This might be another time because...
• Peter Broderick is playing with Ethan Rose at The Mississippi Studios. This is a rare treat as Peter has until further notice relocated from Portland to Copenhagen, Denmark. Don't miss you chance to see him and get his new cd without all of those oversea shipping charges. Show starts at 8pm ($8/$10).
• And over by PGE Park, Nate Ashley and The Liminal Sea are playing with The Graves and "a very special, secret guest" at the Towne Lounge. It sounds interesting. Doors at 9pm ($5?).

Friday, December 14th

I will be out of town playing a show with Nire in Hood River as Meyercord (if you have friends in Hood River, send them to The Horse and the Hound on Friday) so I won't be able to see these but...

• David Bazan (ex-Pedro The Lion) with J. Tillman in tow. They are playing at The Mississippi Studios. You may recall that AristeiA opened the last time David came through (it was pretty cool). If you don't have a ticket, whoops. It sold out.
• Over at Kelly's Olympian, Tractor Operator will be playing with both Oh Darling and The Dimes. I like Tractor Operator. Show at 10pm (no price listed).

Saturday, December 15th

There are a couple of good ones. You would do right by me by attending any of these

• Spoon is playing The Crystal Ballroom with The Skaky Hands. Sold Out (this makes the third sold out show I have listed. "Why do I list the sold out shows?" you may ask. "Because I wish I were there" is what I would answer.)
• The Bitter End will be featuring one of my favorite local bands, Westfold. Mirumir and Trick Sensei will also play. Show at 9pm ($5)
  
• The Doug Fir will hosting a double bill feature Portland's own The Blow and Swan Island. Show is at 9pm ($12).
• The one I am truly excited about is Y La Bamba playing with a full band. This will go down at the Chaos Cafe. Show at 8pm ($5).
  

Sunday, December 16th

I will most likely go to this show

• Modernstate is playing over at the Holocene with Autopilot is for Lovers and Sarah Winchester (of A Weather fame). If I remember correctly he/they put on a pretty fun live show. And besides it being a good line-up, it is a benefit for local musician, Lou Thomas (also of A Weather). See the holocene page for all the details. Show starts at 9pm ($8).
  

You may recall that in my last post I readily admitted that I would not get to all of the shows I listed. I had no idea how right I was. I only made it to two of the listed ten. Let's see how I do this week.


Ben Meyercord--photo by Ben

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