Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for October 31st to November 2nd

Hello Dear Readers,

Lets just jump right into this.

Friday, October 31st

Happy Halloween! In case you aren't going to some crazy party, here is a short list of shows that are happening tonight.

• Audiocinema is having a Trick or Vote show that is being put on in association with Bus Project. There are several Trick or Vote concerts being held across the nation, but being in the Portland area we just might have the best one. We have Blind Pilot, Blue Giant, and DJ Beyonda. I really love Blind Pilot's music. They were one of the highlights of this year's PDX Pop Now! where I first saw them. Blue Giant is the kinda super group of members of Viva Voce, Swords Project, The Quails, and The Decemberists (that Chris Funk sure gets around). The show is $10 and starts at 8 PM. Please feel free to dress up in your costume for this one.

• Also, if I am not mistaken, tonight is the last show ever at Rererato. The show features Flaspar, Yellow Crystal Star, Death Worth Living, and Gay Deceivers. This is another experimental music show, which is what Rererato has built its reputation on and a perfect way to close out this venue. This ALL AGES show starts at 7 PM with $4 donation cover. And of course, you should feel free to dress up in a costume in this one too.

• Reynold's House (933 SE Reynold St.)is having a pretty cool house show with Trifina Trifosa, Wampire, Aeries Palisade, Such an Offering from the Eels, and Infinante Bodies. Check out these bands and if you like them, then head out. I think its FREE, and I know its ALL AGES.

Saturday, November 1st

Happy Dia de Los Mortes! There are a bunch of shows going on Saturday as well. Good ones too.

• Backspace is having a Dia de Los Mortes with Copy, Atole, Guidance Counselor, Explosivo, and DJ Linoleum. This should be a very fun show, a costume dance party if you will (at least thats what the poster says). The show is ALL AGES and $5. It starts at 8 PM.

• There is also a show with Y La Bamba at the Purple Church House (824 NE Church) in celebration of the dead. The music will be sometime after 9 PM

• There are other kinds of shows too. The Coop is hosting a Los Moustachios presentation. This one is a an election themed one with music provided by Autopilot is for Lovers and Chores. It should be amusing. If you are not familiar with Los Moustachios, they make amusing things. The show is ALL AGES is will cost a mere two bucks. It starts at 8 PM.

• Then of course, there the good shows that are just good shows. The Artistery is having a CD release show for Ryan Bouchard's (formerly The Robot Ate Me) new album "SEEDS". Gabe Hascall (ex-Slowreader) and Emperor X will be playing. This should be an awesome show. This ALLAGES show is $6 and starts at 8 PM.

• The Banana Stand (Arrested Development reference?) is something that I am not too familiar with, but they are having a show that is worth going to on Saturday. Basically they have these shows and then they put them on the internet for free later. If you want to actually attend one of these shows, you need only to email them at bananastandmedia@gmail.com and they will send you details. Explode into Colors, Dat'r, Meth Teeth, and Mannequin Head are are playing sets for this "Halloween Hangover" show. Thats a lot of bands. The ones I have heard of are good. It is a FREE ALL AGES show at 4 PM.

Sunday, November 2nd

There are actually quite a few shows going on for a Sunday.

• Lewis and Clark College (0615 SW Palatine Hill Rd., Portland, Oregon 97219) are having a bit of a repeat of the show that happened the previous night at Artistery. That is to say that both Ryan Bouchard and Emperor X will be playing this show. But there are more bands this time around: Black Ships (Montreal), Snake Plissken, Ghost and Mysteries. The show is put on by KLC the Lewis and Clark radio station and will be FREE to Lewis and Clark Students ($3 to anyone else). It all starts at 5 PM.

• The Doug Fir is having a show with Day of Lions, Double Dutch, and Henry Clay People (Glendale and Irvine, CA). I have enjoyed Day of Lions shows in the past and like that her latest album has a touch of country to it. I saw Double Dutch and was not really all that impressed with the live show, but the recordings are so good that I would gladly give them another chance. And The Henry Clay People sound real good. This show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.
  

• Rontoms is having one of their Sunday shows. This one will feature the excellent indie-rock of The Blue Horns. This group is very fun to see play. High energy and fun. As with all of these shows, it will be FREE and start at 9:30 PM.

So I hope you make it out to some of these shows. I hope I make it out to some of these shows.

-Ben


Blind Pilot, not actually blind, play Trick or Vote tonight at Audiocinema

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Who invited Mike Thrasher Presents?

Happy Halloween!!! -- Ste. Goldie

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One more reason why I love Dolly Parton!

Dolly Parton cares about WHITE SPACES! She really does! You didn't think anyone but stupid Goldie knew about this right?:

Dolly Parton Joins Turf Fight Over White Space

Dear Readers and Bloggers of CIMTB,

You know that I am into civil rights, freedom of speech and media reform. Over the past year of being an avid blogger and volunteer for a start-up online community (remember pulsewire.com?) I have immersed myself in cyberspace culture. I have learned how important it is to keep the internet free.

Listen, I know you are busy. I know some of you think I am trying to hard to get your attention about the issues I care about. I don't like to preach to the choir that is why I am preaching to you.

"The Choir" is a bunch of people who see the current positive aspects of free internet -- they don't just play WOW, download porn. The Choir believes that The Internet is an essential tool for technical, medical and social innovations, global collaborative efforts to fund raise and educate mass amounts of people.
Remember meetup.com, people having political house parties and teleconference all because they organized online (i'm not gonna go on a tirade)...

"The Choir" cares about Net Neutrality and the potential of having UNIVERSAL WI-FI through what is called WHITE SPACES and have already called their elected officials. They know that if corporations are trying to buy (STEAL) the "white spaces" I've talked over the past few days about from the people they will have purchased the LARGEST Wireless network imaginable.

They know something you don't know. That is why they take action. Spend a couple minutes educating yourself about the issues I talk about and YOU WILL GET IT. I swear. It's not complicated. Once your eyes are open to this YOU WILL GET IT. You will be glad you spent the small amount of time learning. Hopefully you will educate others... Better than me.

Here's the deal:

You use the internet. If you are in a band, you defiantly know how important Myspace, Facebook, blogs are to getting you music out.

This is an issue everyone I know can get behind.

If you are voting this year for Barrack Obama -- why don't you make a change and call your Senator and Representative and do something for future generations.

I really love you. And I really love freedom of information! That is why I am telling you about this. Freedom of Speech and a Free Internet has the potential to save everyone, including the blacks, gays, farmers, people with cancer, born agains, basically every PERSON. Freedom of speech and free internet will not save Comcast, At&t and the National Association of Broadcasters, you know corporations, the entities this shitty government cares more about than human beings.

Here are the phone numbers again. Please call by November 4th.
That is when the FCC will have their vote on the issue of White Spaces:

Senator (R-Oregon) Gordon Smith
Phone: (202) 224-3753 / (503) 326-3386

Senator (D-Oregon) Ron Wyden
Phone: (202) 224-5244 / (503) 326-3386

Representative (D-Oregon) Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811 / (503) 231-2300

Senator: (D-Washington) Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621 / (206) 553-5545

Senator: (D-Washington) Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441 / (206) 220-6400

Representative (D-Brian Baird)
Phone: (202) 225-3536 / (360) 695-6292

Here is what you can say:

"I am calling to urge you to make sure the Federal Communications Commission does not further delay a set of new rules that would open up the empty television channels -- often referred to as "white spaces" -- for innovative broadband services. The FCC must act now to give back our airwaves for much needed broadband services that would help bridge the digital divide, lower broadband costs for consumers, and jump-start our economy through new investment in technology. The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you."

learn about Net Neutrality
http://www. savetheinternet. com/=101
learn about White Spaces:
http://www.freepress.net/whitespaces

Because I love you:



Sincerely,
Ste. Goldie

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for October 29th and 30th

Hello Dear Readers,

You go to any those shows I suggested? I did. I just wanted to say that I thought Jacob White was really good. he plays on a nylon string that has a warm sound that goes very well with his vocals. Check it out if you like the americana genre.

Anyway there are a lot of good shows going on this week. Here are some more for you to see.

Wednesday, October 29th

There is some cool stuff is happening today. Seriously.

• Every Wednesday in October, the Laurelthirst Public House is having Two Beer Veirs in which Laura Veirs (with Chris Funk and Annalis Tornfelt) play old timey country songs. As you may have noticed, this is the last Wednesday of the month. If you miss this Two Beer Veirs, you miss it...FOREVER. It is FREE and starts at 6 PM.

• The White Eagle is having a good show tonight as well. Check it out, Super XX Man, John Vecchiarelli, and Justin Power will all be playing sets. All of these dudes make really good music that leans towards more "soft" music (or rather not "Hard"). I mean to say that even this music may seem kind of like wuss music, it often very good wuss music. I have heard the name Justin Powers from many people since moving here, I think lately I have him run sound for some of the better local bands. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the man can also write a good tune. This show is FREE and starts at 8 :30 PM.

• Over at Holocene the Brooklyn band, Asobi Seksu will be playing in all of their spacey pop glory. And to make things even better, local acts Double Dutch and Chrome Wings will be opening the show. Double Dutch has members of Eskimo and Sons (RIP) and Typhoon both of which are under the Boy Gorilla umbrella. And if you don't yet know, anything under that umbrella is pretty much golden. This group is no exception. Chrome Wings makes spacey instrumental rock (Check out their song "Sea Realms" on their myspace page, its so pretty). This show is $8 and starts at 9 PM.

• Rererato is having a show with Modernstate, The Heliogoats (Chicago), and Travis Wiggins (of PSOTV but does something totally different under his own name). This is a pretty solid line up that will not treat you wrong. Plus remember this is one of the last shows Rererato will do. Ever. The ALL AGES show starts at 7 PM and will accept donations for a cover (suggested $4).

Thursday, October 30th

Lots of shows are going down on All Hallow's Eve Eve (night before Halloween). It is also last Thursday so I am sure there is bunch of stuff going on on Alberta, but these are the shows I am interested in.

• For those of you who are not in the know, I play bass in the Instrumental post-rock band AristeiA. I just wanted to let any one who is interested, that we are palying tomorrow night at Hawthorne Theater. Come see me rock the bass (I have heard that my bass face is something fierce, or at least I would like to hear that). There are also some other really top notch bands sharing the bill. Cyrus Fell Down is a band who we discovered while on tour. We convinced them to come down from Washington to play this show. I hope you come because their live show is not to be missed. The very friendly The Friendly Skies are also playing. You should come out and check and get their very pretty 7" record. The ALL AGES show is $8 and starts at 8 PM.

• The Wonder Ballroom has started to put on more local shows lately. I believe that KPSU has started presenting a $5 for 5 dollars show monthly series. Thursday is the first one of these and it is a good one. Southerly, Tango Alpha Tango, Swim Swam Sum, Deer or the Doe, and Colt Vista. It is a large and largely diverse show. All of these bands are good. This show is, as was indicated, only $5 and starts at 8 PM (it should be noted that while Wonder Ballroom is usually ALL AGES, this show is 21+).

• Over at Alberta Street Public House, Chervona and Down South Sallie will be performing a show. I am not familiar with Chernova, but good lord is Down South Sallie good. There is no cover listed, so it might be FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.

• The Know is having a show on Thursday just down the street from Alberta Street Pub. This show will feature the very psychedelic The Pink Snowflakes and instrumental-rawk band Doctor Moss will be playing sets. This show is FREE and supposedly starts at 8 PM.
  

So if you like good ass music (not to be confused with good "ass" music), you might attend some of these shows. If you happen to see me at one, please come up and say, "Hi".

-Ben


AristeiA will be doing their Epic thing on Thursday at Hawthorne Theater
photo by Patrick Swinnea

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Portland Indie Musicians: Do hobo's deserve The Internet?

Chances are if you are a musician living in Portland, Oregon you are on the brink of becoming a hobo. You might not think you will need The Internet when you are living on the streets. You are wrong, dead wrong. How do you think you will promote your next show?

Image from Netbum.org

Click here to help a hobo (indie musician) today!

Do it for yourself and your 26 friends who are in a band.

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White Spaces are awesome not COMCASTIC!

Hey Ebreebodie! I'm begging you please, please, please, please Ebreebodie make 3 phone calls today to keep the airwaves we are no longer going to be using for TV and open them up to be used by the people, not COMCASTIC CORPORATIONS.

Senator (R-Oregon) Gordon Smith
Phone: (202) 224-3753 / (503) 326-3386

Senator (D-Oregon) Ron Wyden
Phone: (202) 224-5244 / (503) 326-3386

Representative (D-Oregon) Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811 / (503) 231-2300

Senator: (D-Washington) Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621 / (206) 553-5545

Senator: (D-Washington) Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441 / (206) 220-6400

Representative (D-Brian Baird)
Phone: (202) 225-3536 / (360) 695-6292

When you call your Senator's and Representatives you can tell them:

Hello (probably gonna talk to a staffer),

My name is ___________. I am from _____________. I am calling to ask Ms/Mr___________ to write to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to open white spaces for the public good.

• I want to urge Ms/Mr_____________ to make sure the Federal Communications Commission does not further delay a set of new rules that would open up the empty television channels -- often referred to as "white spaces" -- for innovative broadband services.

• The FCC must act now to give back our airwaves for much needed broadband services that would help bridge the digital divide, lower broadband costs for consumers, and jump-start our economy through new investment in technology.

• The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you."

(very important -- VERIFY THAT THE STAFFER KNOWS WHAT 'white spaces' are and if they are clear about why you are calling. I just talked to Cantwell's office and they haven't received phone calls -- the guy didn't know what white spaces are. Patty Murray has received some calls but the staffer allowed me to briefly explain some terms. Please feel free to ask them if anyone else has called about this issue. It's important to know if no one is calling. Nov. 4th is next week!)

Are you familiar with the term white spaces?

If they answer yes:

1. I want to remind you and Ms/Mr.senator:
Powerful cell phone companies are pushing the government to auction off white spaces licenses to the highest bidder. This would give the richest companies the exclusive right to determine how they are used. Broadcasters might simply sit on a white space license to prevent others from accessing the public airwaves; a major cell phone company won't use the spectrum to compete with its existing businesses, keeping prices high and stifling innovation.

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

If they answer no:

1. "White spaces" are empty frequencies between television channels. You may have heard about how we are moving from analog television to all digital. These empty frequencies have the potential to connect millions to the information superhighway. The powerful broadcasting lobby would rather hoard this spectrum for themselves

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

Learn about unused spectrum between the TV channels "It's like Wi-Fi on Steroids":



If you do make calls leave a comment and let me know how it went. Please leave a comment if you have questions about this issue. -- Sincerely, Ste. Goldie

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for October 27th and 28th

Hello Dear Readers,

I need to get better at what I am doing. Despite my best efforts to keep you guys informed, I neglected to list a grip of good show that happened over the weekend. There were performances by Loch Lommond, Dat'r, Dirty Mittens, Hide and Go Hustle, David Kyle and the Invisibles, a third Church show, and Love Menu. I ended up seeing the Hide and Go Hustle and David Kyle show at Valentine's last night. It was pretty good. David has been recording some new songs he has been working on and has quietly been working on a full band. No word as to when the live band will make its debut, but I am looking forward to it. Also I was really impressed by Hide and Go Hustle. I have heard really good things about them and have almost gone and seen them before and am now kicking myself for not doing so. They play Cello and guitar based instrumental post-rock that makes use of a lot of drum samples and programing. Though the sound was less than perfect (the cello was a bit treble-y) I definitely got a sense of what was going on and I liked it a lot. Anyway here are some shows that are happening this week. Hopefully I got them all but if not please let me know.

Monday, October 27th

Here are a couple things going on tonight.

• Mississippi Pizza is the host of a show by Two Step Slumber a band that I came across while making last weeks picks. They have peaked my interest. So if gothic americana is your thing (its one of my many "things") then you might want to check this show out. It is FREE and starts at 9 PM (though if you are into spelling bees, you should come at 7 PM).

• Tube is having a show featuring Here Comes a Big Black Cloud. I think that this time of year (Halloween) is the perfect time to see this band kick out their sci-fi-zombie-rockabilly-or-whatevs jams. There is no cover listed so it might be FREE. The show is most likely at 9 PM.

Tuesday, October 28th

A couple more shows for you to attend.

• Annie Bethancourt's fairwell to Portland show. Annie, a sometimes Portlander, is going away for many months and will be throwing a farewell show. This will feature many of her friends, myself (Meyercord) included (plus I know that Jacob White will be there as well). You may remember Annie as the gorgeous voice on "Taking it Slow" or our rendition of Silent Night last Christmas. The Show has a suggested donation of $5 and starts at 9 PM.

• Also Reretato is having a show on Tuesday. They are having two Parisian bands, Elmapi and Matterlink, play with three local bands, Ed Edwards Mukis, Ah Holly Fam'ly, and Sandwich to create an international showcase of music. Mostly I mention this show because I like what I have heard of Ah Holly Fam'ly and have been guaranteed that the live show is not to be missed. This is an ALL AGES affair with a $4 donation. The show stars at 7 PM.

So if your aren't doing anything and want to be, I don't know...doing something, I suggest checking out our florishing local music scene. And if you see me at any of these shows, be sure to say "Hi".

-Ben


Annie Bethancourt will play with her friends on Tuesday at Mississippi Pizza.

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Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA Lovers of The Internet and CIMTB: Action Alert! Please read!

Hello Friends of CIMTB!

I got an action alert in my inbox from Freepress.org. I sincerely hope the readers of CIMTB can join me in the fight for Net Neutrality and eraseing the digital divide by advocating a free Internet. A bunch of phone calls from concerned citizens does count for something:

Dear Goldie,

A huge decision is going to be made on Election Day that could change the lives of millions of Americans.

And it's not about Obama or McCain.

On Nov. 4, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to open unused television airwaves to provide affordable Internet services nationwide.

Tell Washington: Open the Airwaves for Everyone

Opening up these vacant airwaves -- called white spaces -- might be our best opportunity to close the digital divide.

They can transmit an Internet signal over mountains and through concrete walls. But that hasn't stopped the National Association of Broadcasters from deploying their lobbyists to try to keep us from delivering a better Internet for everyone.

FCC engineers just completed an exhaustive study that shows white spaces can be used to connect millions to the Internet without harming TV signals. But the NAB doesn't like the results, and they're trying to get Congress to intervene.

Right now, NAB lobbyists are lining up outside the doors of Congress. Sen. Maria Cantwell needs to hear your side of the story:

Tell Your Senator: White Spaces Belong to the Public

It's time we ended the NAB's decades-long effort to control our airwaves. We must move quickly to make sure we don't lose this tremendous opportunity to connect all of America to affordable Internet services.

In rural parts of the country, more than 75% of TV airwaves sit vacant. Even urban areas, where the spectrum is crowded, stand to gain from opening white spaces. Making these airwaves available for Internet access has bipartisan support at the FCC and in Congress. It just makes sense.

On Nov. 4, the FCC needs to simply follow good science with good policy -- shedding outdated standards that have placed our airwaves under the lock and key of the broadcasting lobby.

Time is running out. Make your call today:

(Washington State) Sen. Maria Cantwell, (202) 224-3441, (206) 220-6400

Unless we urge Congress and the FCC to push back against the NAB and open up white spaces, we could miss out on one of our last, best chances to build a better Internet for everyone.

Thank you for taking action,

Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
Free Press
http://www.freepress.net/
http://www.savetheinternet.com/

P.S. To learn more about the campaign to open white space, visit http://www.freepress.net/whitespaces.

HERE IS OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVES:

Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753
Web Form: gsmith.senate.gov/contact/
Wyden, Ron- (D - OR)
230 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5244
Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Please pass this message on to your loved ones.
Thank you. -- Ste. Goldie

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