Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for April 21st - 27th

Dear Readers,

Last Week I think that my favorite show was the Why?/Starfucker/Fall of Snow/Joe Von Appen thing last Friday at Holocene. All the bands played really well but honestly I think it was the inclusion of spoken word artist Joe Von Appen that pushed it over into a great show into an awesome show. It was a nice change from just music. Plus the guy was hilarious.

Any ways, there are incredible amounts of shows this week. Check out as many as you can. Y'know...if you want.

Monday, April 21st

Truth be known there is a non-Portland/'Couve show that I am tempted today. The Caribou and Fuck Buttons show at Doug Fir appeals to me. However if you want to keep it real (local). Peep these:

• Valentine's is having a experimental music show featuring Inca Ore, Grouper, and Grandfather Claws. The darned thing is FREE. The Show Starts at 9 PM.
• Tube is having a show featuring ultra-fun-to -watch Here Comes a Big Black Cloud. Though I have only seen them once at PDX Pop Now! 2007, it made a big enough impact to want to see them again. It will be interesting to see the band, who list eight members, in such a small space. They are playing with like minded New Thrill Parade (SF, CA). The show cost $3. The music starts at 9:30 PM
  
• Or you could stay at home and let the show come to you via your radio or computer. Arya Imig's Sound Judgment show on KPSU is having Southern Belle play Live on the airwaves. You can listen on 1450 AM or online right here. The show is form 10 PM to 11 PM.

Tuesday, April 22nd

There are quite a few good ones on Tuesday. Choose wisely:

• Mississippi Studios is having a show featuring David Karsten Daniels and Bennie Morrison. Why should you care? Because Justin Ringle (of Horse Feathers) is playing a solo set at the Show too. Plus I hear that Bennie Morrison plays sax in March Fourth, so it should be interesting to see what that will be like. The show costs $7-$8. The music starts at 8 PM.
• Valentine's is having a good show on Tuesday. Graves, The Blank Tapes (Oakland), and Aidan Coughlan are all playing. I can vouch for Graves being good. I can also vouch for Valentine's shows also being consistently good. The show is FREE. The music starts sometime after 9 PM.
• City Council candidate, Charles Lewis, is having throwing a show at Someday Lounge. It is called The Charles Lewis Concert. If features Alan Singley and Pants Machine, Mishka, Trio Subtronic, andQuivah. In addition to the music, he will be speaking and taking questions from the audience. Plus its FREE. The event starts at 8 PM.
• Backspace is having a noise/experimental show on Tuesday. Excepter and Yellow Swans are both playing the show. Again, if you like Yellow Swans, this is one of their last shows as they are breaking up (later this summer). The show costs$8. The show is ALL AGES and starts at 7 PM.

Wednesday, April 23rd

One big show and a couple smaller shows:

• The big show is Mirah and Spectratone International playing with Danbert Nobacon at The Mission Theater. Let me first say that I love me some Mirah music. Let me say secondly say that I have been a bit of a bad fan and have not listened to the album she is supporting for this. Apparently the songs are about the lives of bugs. There will be a multimedia show including stop motion films accompanying the performance. Sounds cool. The tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. The show starts at 7 PM (music to start at 8 PM).
• Mississippi Pizza is having a pretty good show too. This one features Audie Darling, Leonard Mynx and Tom Thumb (Cape Cod). I have written about Both Audie and Leonard before and they both make lovely music (sometimes together). The interesting thing is that I randomly bought a Tom Thumb cd two weeks ago having never heard of him. Now he is playing in my town. He also writes good tunes, by the way. There is no listed cover (FREE?). The show starts at 9 PM.
• The other smaller but good show is taking place at Tonic Lounge. Novels a French band will share the stage with Childlike Empress, and Air War. Novels have grunge as one of their listed genres. So does Childlike Empress. Match. Air War has Shoegaze as one of their listed genres. So does Childlike Empress. Match. If any of this sounds like you would enjoy it, then I would suggest you rally up some $5. The show starts at 9 PM.

Thursday, April 24th

Good shows for you Portland area people:

• David Dondero is a singer and a songwriter. You can make judgments from that statement or from the following one. He also is on Conor "Bright Eyes" Obert's imprint Team Love and is playing Holocene. He is also playing with a band backing him. Some very good Portland bands, A Weather (also on Team Love) and Aan are playing as well. The show will run you $7. The show starts at 9 PM.
• The Towne Lounge is having a good show. This one consists of The Friendly Skies, Pacific UV and Joust. I have seen and really enjoyed The Friendly Skies. I have heard good things regarding Pacific UV. And I liked the one song Joust has on their my space page. I predict an enjoyable evening for any one who attends. The show cost $5. The doors are at 9 PM.
• However, if you wanted to grab a slice of pizza while you watched good music, I would suggest heading out to Mississippi Pizza. They have Gatos, The Bicycats (NY), and Love Menu (the only non-cat related band who is also the only band I had heard of). It should be good and is probably free (minus the pizza you order). The show starts at 9 PM.
• The Know is a bar on Alberta St. They sometimes have bands play there. Thursday is one of those times. Check out the pop stylings of the caps! I am pretty sure that there is no cover at the Know. The show is listed as starting at 8 PM.

Friday, April 25th

Many shows to choose from:

• KPSU is having a live performance by Nick Carceres as part of their show called The Hour Long. My guess is that is is an hour long. It is on you radio at 1450 AM or here. The show starts at 6PM.
  
• If you like what you hear from that radio performance, or if you missed that radio performance, then you can see Nick Carceres perform at Clinton St. Pub with Will Carpenter and Mr. Free and The Satellite Freakout! (Tuscon). This apropriately enough is FREE. The show starts at 8 PM.
  
• The Artistery is having a benefit for Rock'n'Roll Camp for Girls. They have lined up LKN, Xpodntocolrs, and Sick Sick Sister. Admittedly, I have only heard LKN. But it is for a very good cause, so you should check it out. The ALL AGES show is has a sliding scale price of $5-$10. The music starts at 8 PM.
• Ground Kontrol is the location in the latest KPSU related awesome show. This one celebrates issue #3 of the KPSU magazine/program guide. The show offers the music of Strangers Die Every Day, New Century School Book, Dance Terror, and The Buttfrenchers. Interesting fact: AristeiA bought a guitar amp and cabinet from The Buttfuckers just months ago. The cover is $5. The music starts at 8:30 PM.
• Backspace has been getting some pretty hot shows lately (see Tuesday). Friday they have BARR (LA), Pwrfl Power (Seattle), Alexis Gideon, and Over the Atlantic (Brooklyn). We have some major cities represented at the show. I guess you can sort of think of it as a sampler of what is going on in popular music on a nation wide scale. I have seen Alexis play in Carcrashlander but this apparently is very different (rumors of stop motion films abound). All for just $8. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.
  
• Kelly's Olympian is having a show with Tractor Operator, Excellence, and Yeltsin. I like me some Tractor Operator. Maybe you will also. I just listened to the other bands. They sound good too (Indie-Rock!). This is the Portland cd release show for their album A Closer Walk with Yeltsin. The show is $5 . The show starts at 10 PM.
• East End is having a pop night on Friday. Their show includes the pop numbers of Soft Tags, The Vulturines, and The Fall Colors. Also there is supposedly a super famous guest appearing. Might be worth checking out. The show is $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

Saturday, April 26th

Too many shows to choose from:

• The show I am going to for sure is the early Loch Lomond show at Mississippi Studios. Y La Bamba will be opening up and debuting her new band which includes drums, glockenspiel, accordion, two guitars, bass, and three part harmonies. It will be awesome. There is also a late show for Loch Lomond where Holcombe Waller will open. If you have not seen Loch Lomond live, you are missing out. It is truly incredible to see their music recreated in a live setting. Both shows are $10-$12. The early show is at 7 PM. The late show is at 10 PM.
• Also in North Portland, The Waypost is having a really cool show. Sweeping Exits, Museum, and Church are all playing as part of a series of shows that Arya Imig puts on at The Waypost on the last Friday of every month (at least I think thats the deal). Also I want to express again that I really like Church. The show is ALL AGES and FREE. The show starts at 8 PM.
• Boy Gorilla, the very talented and young musician label/collective(?) is having a showcase at the Towne Lounge on Friday. Ghosties, Southern Belle, and The Black Black Black are all playing. It is as they used to say, "all good". The show will only set you back $5. The music starts at 9:30 PM.
• Kelly's Olympian has a show worth checking out too. It involves Michael the Blind, Thanks Kipp, and Ladies & Gentlemen. I have saw Michael the Blind at one of the WWeek's Lounge series and was rather impressed. The show costs $5. It begins at 10 PM.
• Someday Lounge is having a pretty quality show on Friday with Jackie-O Motherfucker, Indian Jewelry (they claim Afgahnistan but I don't believe them), Ill Ease (Brooklyn), and Cexfucx. Check out this quote from Liz Armstrong of the Chicago Reader, "Indian Jewelry plays the kind of music I want to hear in my head during sex". Sold. The show is $8. The music starts at 9 :30 PM.
• The Doug Fir is having Point Juncture, WA play with The Lymbyc System (Austin/Phoenix) and Head Like a Kite. Point Juncture is real good like. I have no idea about the other bands, but the Doug Fir claims all to be Dream-core. The cover is $8. The start time is 9 PM.
• The Artistery is hosting a diverse show with Late Night Curly, D Numbers, and Gejius. All of the acts are of the "doing their own thing" variety of music. It should be pretty enjoyable. The ALL AGES show is $6. The music starts at 8 PM.
• East End is hosting Pre (UK), The Mae Shi (LA), Panther, and Fist Fite. I could find nothing on Pre . But I really enjoyed the sound of Mae Shi. Most shows at East End are $5. The show starts at 9 PM.

Sunday, April 27th

I found three shows. But they are all really good shows. I do not know which I should go to. They are both so appealing. If you are under 21, the choice is easy. Go to the ALL AGES on. But I'm 26. I could go to either of the other two. I keep swinging from one show to the other and then to the other in my mind. I guess I will leave it up to fate.

• The Doug Fir is having Nick Jaina and his band play with Throw Me The Statue (Seattle), and The Brothers Young (Richie Young from Loch Lomond and his brothers). All are excellent. This show is $8. The music starts at 9 PM.
• Exit Only is hosting The Ocean Floor, Alan Singley and Pants Machine, Per Se, and Hanner. This ALL AGES show is probably very cheap. The show starts at 8 PM.
• David Kyle and The Invisibles are playing with Panther Attack (Seattle) at Rontoms. I have yet to make it to Rontoms, though I have heard the name a few times now. They have like the most mysterious website ever (clue highlight and you find the address and phone number of Rontoms, but that is all) Both band are kinda mathy and kinda kick-ass. The show is FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

So there you have your good shows list. I hope you make it to some. I already know that I am going to miss several great shows this week, so help a guy and see the ones I don't. As always, if you see me at any of these shows come up and say hi. Have a great week.

-Ben


Y La Bamba plays the early Loch Lomond Show at Mississippi Studios on Saturday. Nice.
photo from Y La Bamba's Myspace.

Read More >>

Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for April 14th -20th

Hello dear readers,

Last week was great wasn't it. I went to three of the 30 something shows I listed. They were all fantastic. Especially the 31 Knots, Joggers, and Experimental Dental School show. They were all fantastic. But guess what. There are even more cool shows this week. Some of them will be, dare I say, fantastic. Check it:

Monday, April 14th

You want local music? You got it:

• Yellow Swans have announced that they are breaking up. Luckily they have a lot of shows booked, so you can still catch their brand of oddly gorgeous Noise music. Tonight they are playing Branx with Sissy Spacek (LA), Knelt Rote, Verlatin, and Superbad. I guessing these are noise bands too. I can't seem to find any info. on them so, whatev's. It will be LOUD. Like, LOL, ridiculous, LOUD. The shows is $6 and starts at 9 PM.
  
• Valentine's is consistently having good shows. It seems like I am consistently missing them. Do not make my mistakes. Tonight they are having Ohioan play. I think. If not then I am sure somebody is. Probably Free. Probably after 9 PM.
• Chaos Cafe is having a show tonight featuring Mr. Fredrick (featuring a member of Starfucker). This should be pretty cool. It is also pretty FREE and pretty ALL AGES. The show is listed as starting at 8 PM.
• Or if you just want to stay in and get your local music, you can tune into Arya Imig's Sound Judgment on KPSU either on the Internet here or on 1450 AM on your radio. There will be an on-air performance by Hutch and Kathy (of The Thermals). The show starts at 10 PM and will last one hour.

Tuesday, April 15th

There are a ridiculously good shows happening simultaneously on Tuesday:

• Backspace is hosting one of the two Dirty Projectors shows happening in town this week. The openers are Blankket (Toronto), and local White Rainbow. I hear that Dirty Projectors are phenomenal. The show is $5. It is ALL AGES so it starts at 8 PM.
• Someday Lounge is having Thao and The Get Down Stay Down play with locals Horse Feathers and Plants. I still haven't gotten over how good Horse Feathers is. When they release their sophmore effort on Kill Rock Stars (same label as Thao), I am sure many others will feel the same way. The show is $8. The doors are at 9 PM.
  
• Holocene is helping Auto Pilot is For Lovers celebrate the release of their new album by having a show. An album release show! Stangers Die Everyday, and Porches are also playing. I want so badly to see this show (I have listed Strangers Die Everyday many times and have yet to see them). The show is a mere $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Chaos Cafe is having another cool show. I am started to think of this as the vegan ALL AGES sibling of Valentine's. Anyway, they are having Chris Koza (Minneapolis), Love Menu, and The Rainy States play on Tuesday. It is all good. The show is FREE and starts at 8 PM.
• Plus I have heard rumors of a Norfolk & Western and Weinland practice show at Slabtown too. This is supposedly FREE. Stop by at 9 PM.
  

Wednesday, April 16th

This is the haps:

• Legenday (in some circles) songwriter Daniel Johnston is coming to town. He is going to play two shows in Portland this week both with local Gregory Miles Harris. Your first chance to see them is a Berbati's. Tickets cost $17.50 in advance and $20 at the door. The music starts at 8 PM (doors at 7 PM).
• Mississippi Pizza is having a show of note too. Shake Speake , Andy Combs and the Moth, and Church are playing. Church is really awesome. So is Andy Combs and co. I am unsure if there is a cover. The show starts at 9 PM.
• The White Eagle is a place I have been meaning to check out. On Wednesday there are some bands I have been Meaning to Check out, A Cautionary Tale, and Jared Mees. Also there is a band I have never heard of, Test Audiences. Should be good. Maybe. Its FREE. Why not check it out? The show starts at 8:30.

Thursday, April 17th

David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) and Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters and Sun Kill Moon) are playing the Aladdin Theater. It is not a local show but I thought some people might be interested. There are only a couple local shows I am interested in on Thursday:

• Doug Fir is having pretty one of the more popular rock surf garage bands, Southern Culture on the Skids (Chapel Hill) play here in town. I am not a huge fan. But I am interested in the openers Bark Hide and Horn. They have a new album that just came out and will be selling at this show. The show costs $15.
• Speaking of Southern things (check out this sweet segue), Southern Belle will be performing at Dunes on Thursday. I am unsure if anyone else will be playing. Actually, Dunes doesn't even have them listed. But shows at Dunes are always FREE, so whats the harm? The show will or will not be happening at 11 PM.

Friday, April 18th

Lots of great shows are happening on Friday:

• The one I am going to and have been anticipating for many months is the Why? show at Holocene. All of the opening acts are from Porltand: Starfucker, Fall of Snow, and Jon Von Appen (performance artist). All acts are really diverse which will make for a really entertaining show. The cost is $8. The show starts at 9 PM.
• There is also an amazing gathering of Portland musicians at The Modern Age (PSU's ALL AGES venue). Hutch and Kathy (of The Thermals), Strength, Reporter, Typhoon, and The Vonneguts are all playing. This is a lot of talent for one show. It only costs $3-$6 to enter. The show starts at 8 PM.
• Some of you all may have heard of the Wordless Music Series (NY). Well, it looks like they are having some West Coast shows here in Portland. Friday night has Eluvium and chamber music ensemble Third Angle performing at The Old Church in cordination with the series. I have only seen Eluvium once and it was the almost the loudest thing I have ever witnessed (second only to Yellow Swans at PDX Pop last year). It really turned me off. But he makes such beautiful music that I am more than willing to give him another chance.
• Exit Only is also having a show on Friday. I want to check out this venue. All I know about it so far is that it is ALL AGES and is in a wherehouse. It sounds awesome. Alexis Gideon will be playing with Travis Wiggins (of Please Step Out of The Vehicle) and Bombs Into You. This should be a fun show. There is no mention of a cover. The show starts at 8 PM.
• There is a show at Artistery too. They have Team Evil (members of Point Juncture, WA), Swim Swam Swum, and target=_blankPatterns. I have seen Swim Swam Swum before and I dug it. Which is why I am suggesting it. The show costs $6 and is ALL AGES. The music begins at 8 PM.
• Friday is also your second chance to see Daniel Johnston and Gregory Miles Harris. This show is ALL AGES at the Wonder Ballroom. I think it is SOLD OUT. So unless you are savvy enough to deal with ticket scalpers (I am not), I suggest going to one of the shows that I listed above.

Saturday, April 19th

It is kind of slim pickings as far as shows I am interested in (again if I am missing something please feel free to comment):

• Holocene is having Blitzen Trapper play with Fleet Foxes (WA), an Au. Pitchfork is basically in love with Blitzen Trapper. I think they also love Fleet Foxes. So this show will be chock full of these people. But I have heard both and think they have some actual good songs. Plus Au is opening. Checkout what Stereogum had to say about the band a couple weeks ago. The show costs $8. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Or at the Aladdin Theater you can catch Amelia. While Amelia is good in their own right, it is opener Richie Young (mastermind of Loch Lomond) that caught my eye. It should be cool to see him in a solo setting. Tickets are $12-$15 for this ALL AGES show. The music begins at 8 PM.

Sunday, April 20th

There is some shows going on to wind out weekend. Check them out maybe?:

• KPSU is having Pledge Drive stuff all this week (check here for details). As part that push, they are putting on some pretty good shows. Like at Someday, they are having Soriah, Metal, Eet, and Childhood Friends play. While I have only seen Metal (they were good and ambient with projection of films over them), I can say that it will probably be good. Plus KPSU is very supportive of local music. So, if you are supportive of them, you are supportive of local music. Are you following me? The show costs $5. the show starts at 9 PM.
  
• KPSU is also putting a show at Town Lounge featuring Souterly, Yoyodine, and William Carpenter's Towering Trees. Southerly is pretty good, and is a busy guy. This will be the last time you can see him perform before he goes on a European tour. This show is also $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Or you could not support them and see a show at Valentine's. This show features Oregon Painting Society, Pixie Storm and the Stand-up Shaman, and Plastic Pussy. All fantastic band names. All FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

So that is what looks good to me this week. If you can make it to even just a fraction of these shows, you will most likely be in a good place in your life. Right? Anyway, if you see me at any of these shows, please say hello. Have a great week.

-Ben


Fall of Snow plays with Why? and Starfucker on Friday. Kick Ass.
photo from the Fall of Snow myspace page

Read More >>

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

Read More >>

What's with your bathrooms, Rotture?

(Hi. I'm Amber)

By now, Portland friends, you might quite possibly be familiar with Rotture, a bar and venue in the place of the former Loveland former Meow Meow former B Complex where I had interesting times as a young one. I've only been there a few times, but have always been generally pleased with the experience - it's a nice venue (though shows upstairs are better set up than shows downstairs) spacious and pleasant, cover is usually cheap, shows frequently good, and the drinks are moderately priced and tasty.

I was at Rotture last night, downstairs, to celebrate my friend's birthday and see Yellow Swans and Shearing Pinx. It was on this fateful night that I realized the one thing I really don't like about Rotture... The bathrooms.

My displeasure was magnified by the fact that last night, somebody had stuffed all the womens' toilets to the brim with toilet paper and other things that tend to end up, and rightly so, in toilets. This is not Rotture's fault. However, there are two bathrooms, and they don't appear to be labeled, not even with the cute letters on the door that I usually miss. I can't figure out how people know which one to go in; I usually try to follow other people back and hope they know what they're doing. It leaves me feeling like there's some kind of secret bathroom identification club I wasn't invited to.

Upon entering the women's room, one immediately notices that the stall doors are set unusually high, so that when peeking under the door for legs, you pretty much see everything from the waist down. I don't know about you, but when I'm in the bathroom, that's the half I'd rather people not see. I can't imagine who came up with this design. Finally, the doors are equipped with little eyes, but no hooks; they don't lock. I can't imagine one of those little gadgets costing more than a dollar, and they're well worth that for the sense of privacy and security a locking bathroom door provides. I'll admit, I haven't seen the men's room - perhaps one of you can inform me - but I haven't got the highest hopes.

Read More >>