Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 1st

Hello Dear Readers,

S A T U R DAY NIGHT! Party! Ahem... I meant to say there are some shows. This is what they are.

Saturday, August 1st

Backspace is having a show with Atole, Jeffrey Jerusalem, Pan de Sal (Las Vegas), Kid Meets Cougar and E*Rock. I like dance music sometimes. Especially when it is fun and not totally dumb. I think that most of the bands playing this thing could fall into the "fun and not totally dumb" category, if that were a category of dance music (which it should be). I danced my ass off when Jeffrey Jerusalem played at PDX pop this year. It was so fun. The ALL AGES show is $6 and starts at 8 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Bowerbirds (Raleigh, NC), Megafaun(Durham, NC), and Run On Sentence. This is a high quality "folk" show. I guess North Carolina has a lot of that going on. I guess we do to. Whatevs. I was talking to Aaron of Nurses and he said I would probably like his label mates Bowerbirds. I just might. And apparently the people in Megafaun used to be in a band with that Bon Iver guy. They split and he got really famous, while they are still on the up and up. Ron On Sentence is pretty rad. I have only seen him play once but it was pretty rad. The dud lives out in the country with not much to do but get good at his music (or something like that. is that waht I heard? I don't know). Regardless, I like his stuff. The show is $10 to $12 and starts at 9 PM.

Berbati's is having the final day of First Fest: Purple Rhinestone Eagle, The Morals, Hawkeye, Yeah Great Fine, No Kind of Rider and Skip Roxy. I love The Morals. I also love all Portland billed festivals. Check it out. The show is $5 and starts at 8 PM.

The Woods is having a show with Nick Jaina and Graves. Both of these bands kill it. Especially Nick Jaina's band. No offense to Graves but they are all smooth and easy going, whereas Nick can rock it up a bit at times. The show is $8 and starts at 8 PM.

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with Ribbons, Chrome Wings and Slaves. I writeabout this show because I still haven't seen Chrome Wings. Plus I have heard a lot of good things about Slaves (the band, I am not into slavery otherwise). The show is $5 and starts at 9 PM.

Blue Cranes will be playing a secret (whoops!) show at the Hawthorne food carts (SE 12th and Hawthorne). Their collaborative set was my favorite performance of PDX Pop. Just saying. The carts are always so much fun. I did karaoke there las Wednesday. It seem like there is always something happening at that spot. It is ALL AGES FREE and starts at 9 PM.

If you see Ben Meyercord at any of these say "Hi".

-Ben


Run On Sentence will do this at Mississippi Studios tonight.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for July 31st

Hello Dear Readers,

I had to work all day at work again. So dumb. Anyway there is a lot of good stuff happening tonight. Last night I get real lazy and didn't go to any shows but went to last Thursday instead. And guess what I saw. Some music. In particular I want to say that Nicoluminous was awesome. He is beat boxer/really good freestyler. He had a wireless mic hooked up to a utility belt of delay pedals and a looping pedal strapped to his stomach and he was doing some really amazing stuff. Anyways, here is what is happening today.

Friday, July 31st


Berbati's is having night two of the First Fest: Tango Alpha Tango, The Black Whales, The Winebirds, The Deer or The Doe, Phantom and Pill Thief. It is true that I think the first night had way better bands. but that might be because I am not too familiar with these bands. I know that I have written about The most of them but I haven't really gotten to know them that well. I know that Potlatch Presents usually deals with good bands, so I am going to trus them with this show. The show is $5 or $10 for the rest of the nights (I guess there being only two nights including tonight, the bargin aspect of the bracelet has now passed). The show starts at 8 PM.

The Artistery is having a Hush benefit with Explode into Colors, White Fang and Wampire. The Hush was a short lived ALL AGES venue that was right above the tube. It was in part fun by Rocky from Wampire. I t was awesome they always had really good shows. The fact that they are having a benefit gives me hope that they might start it up again. That would be cool. Plus Wampire wrote my current favorite summer jam, "Orchids". The ALL AGES show is $6 and starts at 8 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Matt Sheehy & The Menders, Justin Power and Classical Revolution PDX. These guys are both so good. I have heard a rumour that The classica revolution will be backing both of these gentlemen. Kinda like PCP. I guess you have to go to know. The show is $10 and starts at 9 PM.

The Waypost is having a show with Gregory Miles Harris & Friends. This is the last of his Summer long Residency. I think that he is totally worth checking out. For reals (even though, I have yet to. trust me I make myself sick with the amount of bands I feel I should have seen by now). The ALL AGES show is FREE and starts at 8 PM.

Laurelthirst is having a show with The Ascetic Junkies, St. Frankie Lee and Nick Caceres. Folk Rock 4evah! I have run out of time at the library. They are kicking me out. The show is at 9:30 PM.




Justin Power plays sans the PCP tonight, though perhaps Classical Revolution PDX might contribute a similar bed of strings for his songs.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for July 30th

Hello Dear Readers,

I actually had to work today. Suck. I wanted to post this stuff earlier. Whoops.

Thursday, July 30th

Berbati's is having First Fest: Swim Swam Swum, Carcrashlander, Thee Headliners, Petracovich, Ocean Age and Wishyunu. That's a lot of cool bands for not a whole lot of moneys. Some of these bands I have been meaning to check out. Ocean Age in particular. Carcrashlander is also always so good live. This is a good show if you are into PDX Indie Rock. Oh, and its put on by Potlatlatch Presents. The show is $5 for tonight, but for a mere $10 you can go to all three nights of the Fest. It starts at 8 PM.

Hotel Deluxe is having The Woodlands play. Then they are going to The Secret of Nimh, one my favorite movies when I was growing up. You may recognize The Woodlands from their track that was featured on last years PDX Pop Now! CD compilation? The ALL AGES show is $8.

Ash Street Saloon is having Vs. the Sea are playing with play with a bunch of other bands that I don't have time to link to. I like Jared's songs. Maybe youwill too? The show is $5 and starts at 9:30.

Say "Hi" if you see me and you know what's up.

-Ben


Swim Swam Swum will play the First Fest tonight. Cool.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for July 29th

Hello Dear Readers,

It is soooo hot. Here are the shows for today.

Wednesday, July 29th

Berbati's is having the last Wednesday Restaurant Residency with Nucular Aminals. I missed their set at PDX Pop Now!, but I heard that it was pretty good. This is kind of like the festival. I mean except that it is not all ages. And there is only one other band, in this case Forever. And it is uhh...well, I guess it isn't as much like it as I initially thought. The show is FREE and starts at 10 PM.

Chaos Cafe is having a show with Pardee Shorts, Glass Teeth, Fire in a Crowded Theatre (Yakima, WA), and Tyler Freeman. The recordings on Pardee Shorts myspace sound live and truthfully kinda awful. But the actual songs sound kinda awesome. I would love to hear them live with out the crushing distortion of a mic that is too hot. I have been told that I need to see Glass Teeth for a while. I think I finally might, I mean I do like what I have heard. The ALL AGES show is $3 and starts at 8 PM.

Doug Fir is having a show Soft Tags , Massive Moth, and Hello Electric. Soft Tags is a band that I have been meaning to check out. I like their latest album. It is a good balance of pop and cool guitar stuff. Also Hello Electric makes rock music with programmed drums. You should really check out the videos they have posted on their myspace page. They are hilarious. The show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with Gregory Miles Harris, The Happy Prescriptions, Hypnogogue and Rian O'Hara. Gregory is one of Portland's best kept Portland pop secrects. His songs are really good. It seems that only Daniel Johnston knows what's up (Daniel has him open when ever he play Portland). His friend Rian writes pretty cute songs check it out. The other bands seem very reverby especially Hypnogogue. The show is $2-$5 and starts at 8:30 PM.

The Aladdin is having a show with The Ditty Bops (LA) and Firs of Prey. The Ditty Bops are are two gals singing in beautiful harmony backed a by a variety of acoustic instruments. I am pretty sure they did one of the tours by bicycle tours like Portland's own Blind Pilot. But I am listening thsi show because of Andrew Miller aka Firs of Prey who's music is so good. His recorded music reminds me of classic mid period Beatles ala the Elephant six, but I have seen some videos of him play and it is much more. He uses his looping pedal to make gorgeous harmonies and it is so cool. The ALL AGES show is a pricey $20 and starts at 8 PM.

So if you see me say "HI'. Just Sayin'.

-Ben

Nucular Animals @ PPN Day 2 from localcut on Vimeo.

They play tonight at Berbati's for FREE.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for July 29th

Hello Dear Readers,

It is soooo hot. Here are the shows for today.

Wednesday, July 29th

Berbati's is having the last Wednesday Restaurant Residency with Nucular Aminals. I missed their set at PDX Pop Now!, but I heard that it was pretty good. This is kind of like the festival. I mean except that it is not all ages. And there is only one other band, in this case Forever. And it is uhh...well, I guess it isn't as much like it as I initially thought. The show is FREE and starts at 10 PM.

Chaos Cafe is having a show with Pardee Shorts, Glass Teeth, Fire in a Crowded Theatre (Yakima, WA), and Tyler Freeman. The recordings on Pardee Shorts myspace sound live and truthfully kinda awful. But the actual songs sound kinda awesome. I would love to hear them live with out the crushing distortion of a mic that is too hot. I have been told that I need to see Glass Teeth for a while. I think I finally might, I mean I do like what I have heard. The ALL AGES show is $3 and starts at 8 PM.

Doug Fir is having a show Soft Tags , Massive Moth, and Hello Electric. Soft Tags is a band that I have been meaning to check out. I like their latest album. It is a good balance of pop and cool guitar stuff. Also Hello Electric makes rock music with programmed drums. You should really check out the videos they have posted on their myspace page. They are hilarious. The show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with Gregory Miles Harris, The Happy Prescriptions, Hypnogogue and Rian O'Hara. Gregory is one of Portland's best kept Portland pop secrects. His songs are really good. It seems that only Daniel Johnston knows what's up (Daniel has him open when ever he play Portland). His friend Rian writes pretty cute songs check it out. The other bands seem very reverby especially Hypnogogue. The show is $2-$5 and starts at 8:30 PM.

The Aladdin is having a show with The Ditty Bops (LA) and Firs of Prey. The Ditty Bops are are two gals singing in beautiful harmony backed a by a variety of acoustic instruments. I am pretty sure they did one of the tours by bicycle tours like Portland's own Blind Pilot. But I am listening thsi show because of Andrew Miller aka Firs of Prey who's music is so good. His recorded music reminds me of classic mid period Beatles ala the Elephant six, but I have seen some videos of him play and it is much more. He uses his looping pedal to make gorgeous harmonies and it is so cool. The ALL AGES show is a pricey $20 and starts at 8 PM.

So if you see me say "HI'. Just Sayin'.

-Ben

Nucular Animals @ PPN Day 2 from localcut on Vimeo.

They play tonight at Berbati's for FREE.

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

Hello Dear Readers,

Good lord did I see a lot of music last Weekend. PDX Pop Now! is always a good time to be Ben Meyercord. I get to see a bunch of music I love or have been meaning to check out and sometimes even some music that I have never heard of. But Over all my highlights are as follows: Chamber of Commerce (Blue Cranes and Paxselin Quartet's joint band) hands down my favorite of the first day (though Peter Broderick and his family were also very good), Church may have had the "break out set" that people are always looking for at Festivals, Being tossed about like a rag doll durning Strength's set was super fun, there was so much good music on Sunday but it was Thrones that blew my mind on the last day. Anyways, here are some shows happening very soon.

Monday, 27th

Backspace is having a show Two-Piece Fest: Panther, Casy & Brian (San Francisco), Total Bros, Magic Johnson and Nu Sensae (Vancouver, Canada). I think this is a pretty good premise for a "Fest" though it seems to me that if someone spent a little more time they could have gotten a lot more bands (Experimental Dental School seems an obvious oversight). I think it is intreresting to see what two people can do together when they put their instruments together. I have been meaning to see Panther recentlt because his newer material seems much different from what I remember him sounding like. The show is $6 and starts at 8:30 PM.

Tuesday, July 28th

Someday Lounge is having a show with Danava, Rabbits and Ripper. This is a Portland Rock show. All the bands here play actual rock music as oppesed to indie rock or folk rock or whatever. I am not familiar with two of the bands but have been assured that Danava is one of the best Rock bands that Portland has to offer. The show is $6 and starts at 9 PM.

Ella Street Social Club is having a show with Ghosties, El Come Home and Support Force. This is a celebration of Ghosties new ep "CUFFS OFF". From what I understand the ep is free if you bring your ipod or a blank CD. The band is realated to Boy Gorrilla which has a tendency of putting out really good music. The show is $5 and starts at 8:30 PM.

Chaos Cafe is having a show with Tex Winters, Unreliable Narrator (Vancouver,Canada), Kidnap Kids! and Problems?. I got tow word for this show Quir Key. I mean it is only one word, but seriously you need that pause inbetween those letters. I do love me some Tex Winters, but his music is kinda weird. I have heard the same about Problems? So if you are looking for an alternative to the norm, come check it out. The ALL AGES show is $5 and starts at 8 PM.

If you see me out at a show, say "Hi". I had the luck of having this happen over the weekend. I very much enjoyed it.

-Ben


Tex Winters in all his glory. He might have even more glory at Chaos Cafe on Tuesday.

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Animal Farm @ PDX-POP NOW '09.

Gonna keep it short and sweet.

I had fun @ the Animal Farm set. Although I did not wave my hands in the air, because I just didn't care.
A lot of people made some snide comments about the only hip-hop act of the day. Whatever though, I'm used to that. Which led me to leave early despite Soul Plane (Unrated Mile High Edition) playing on the dance party screen upstairs @ Rotture.

And upon leaving, I swear I didn't make this up, some dude approached me by the korean taco truck.

Absolute Stranger: Hey bro! You got some weed?
Me: Nah man.
AS: OK. I got some.
Me: All right. You're set then.
AS: You wanna buy some?
Me: Nah. I'm good man.
AS: You got a piece at least?
Me: Nah. Sorry. (pretends to text on my phone)
AS: That's cool. I got one. If you wanna get lit in a bit just hit me up. My car's right over there.
Me: OK. *puts headphones on and walks away awkwardly*



Looking forward to Luck-One manyana.

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We claim this town's music scene for baby formula

So we've all heard about the child prodigy, and the crazy scheme where the parent has the kid smear some finger paint around then sells it as modern art- this is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about how awesome my daughter Amelia is going to grow up to be, living in Portland with its diversely wonderful music scene and growing up with our weird family.

Amelia's mom, my lovely wife Kayla, is a tattooed slinkster cool chick, and she's been encouraging baby to listen to everything from Modest Mouse to Mates of State to Lil' John. Sure, why not. I've been all over the map, dancing around with baby in my arms to Justice and Barry Adamson and M83. She gets a healthy dose of Neil Young and Leonard Cohen at grandma's house. I'm pretty sure her babysitter plays a bunch of weird slack-key guitar polynesian stuff and potentially some contemporary classical. There's your musical foundation, which anyone can tell you is very important to having a healthy and eclectic musical life.

This is the age of teh Intarweb, and you could get all that in the comfort of your own headphones, but I feel very happy that we are in such a wonderful town as PDX. Our blog is a great example of how we're interweaving our liking of music so that others can find it too. I'm glad to be a part of it. As Amelia grows up she will be exposed not just to the truly terrible but very earnest riot grrl band in the house next door, but the Cuban music concerts in the park, and PDXPop, and more shows that I play with my band, and shows at the zoo, and maybe things that I can't even anticipate. Will she want to go see some horrid teeniebopper it-girl-of-the-week? Maybe. She'd better have a damn good reason. Daddy is a critical philosophy douchebag, remember.

One last thing, and this ties in with what I was talking about at the very beginning. Since she was born, Amelia has been my constant companion as I have been teaching myself the basics of keyboard and electronic composition, and reinventing myself as a songwriter. Now that she is an 8-month-old wiggle worm, for a month or so she's enjoyed the privilege of sitting on my lap and banging on the MIDI controller like a big girl. She seems to really enjoy the fact that she's producing crazy prog rock noodling, and I had the great idea of recording her stuff and looping it. So, this music is all her playing, I just set up the virtual instruments and looped them together. Then I set it to some videos for awesomeness. Enjoy!

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