Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Tuesday, October 20th

Hello Dear Readers,

Today AristeiA returns to the studio. This might mean no show for Benny tonight. But if I were to go a show, I can guarantee you it would be one of these.


Tuesday, October 20th

Crystal Ballroom is having Yo La Tengo play, and Jackie-o Motherfucker is opening. Sweet. Do I really have to write about Yo La Tengo? Probably not. Do I need to write about JOMF? Maybe. They make experimental music that is often folk and drone. It has a revolving cast of members who often have other experimental projects. Honestly not who you'd think of immediately to open for Yo La Tengo (Point Juncture, WA) but probably a really good mix. The ALL AGES show is $18 and starts at 8 PM.

Holocene is having a show with White Rainbow, Nice Nice, Bobby Birdman, and Juice Team DJs. This is the album release show for White Rainbow's "New Clouds" which came out today. White Rainbow performances are really cool. He weaves layers in an out creating an ambient yet totally interesting and sometimes banging and not ambient music. Does that make sense? Nice Nice makes loop based music as well, except theirs is always banging. And I love Bobby Birdman and his ex-Portland croon. He is like if electo-pop had a rat pack of one. The show is $5 and starts at 8:30 PM.

Ellas Street Social Club is having Prairie, A Leaf (Tacoma, Seattle), and Jacob Ruth (London) play a show. Awe shucks. What can I say, Prairie is originally from where I am from (North Texas). They have my same musical history so of course I like them. Americana! Actually, I suppose there is a log of that here too. Whatevs! The show is $2 and starts at 9 PM.

Valentine's is having a show with Hammer of Hathor, Sade Sade (ex-Yellow Swans), Plankton Wat, and DJ Jello Prism. Experimental! I think that from now on, instead of racking my brain to find ways describe music I well just shout out very very broad genres. But seriously, Hammer of Hathor make really cool sax (or other brass) and drum based music, which is why I am listing the show. I don't know much about the others playing and I would feel like a phony pretending otherwise. So check out links I provided, or that video at the bottom of the post to decide if this is something you might be into. The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

If you see me at this show please say "Hi". I will then be like, "Hi. What's your name? Wanna high five?". And then we will high five. If you're into it.


-Ben


Hammer of Hathor will tear it up at Valentine's tonight.

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Ben Meyeroord's Live Music Picks for Monday, October 19th

Hello Dear Readers,


Did anyone go to any of the shows I mentioned last night. I did not. I was too "pooped". But know that I am not "pooped", I want to hear about what I missed. Anyway, I could only find one show I am interested in tonight.


Monday, October 19th


Valentine's is having a show with Lovers and The Cartographers (Los Angeles). I first heard Lovers right before summer with a song called "Igloos for Ojos". It was instantaneously one of my top summer jamz. I have been meaning to catch them live ever since but for several stupid reasons I have yet to make it out to a show of theirs. I need to buy their album it is something that I found lying around the Internet. But now that I I realize I really like it, I want to buy it. Their music on their latest release "I Am The West" is apparently a change from their previous albums. Carolyn Berk, the songwriter for the group, has put out three albums before this one usually of acoustic songwriter-y stuff. Her lyrics still never really stray from love, which makes sense given the band name. I really like it when songwriters decide to make dance music. Look at The Blow. Really interesting lyrics mixed with a beat. Brilliant. That is not to say that the album is a straight up dance party. There are numbers that have no synth or beats at all. They are still of a higher fidelity than previous albums. Whoa. Did I just start writing a record review? Whoops. The Cartographers also are making synth-pop based music, but they have a male/female vocals. Not too shabby. The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.


If you see me at this show please say "Hi". I will give you a nickle and then say, "If I had a nickle for everytime some one said 'hi' to me at a show, I wouldn't be losing money".


-Ben


I think I love Lovers. You can see them at Valentines tonight.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Sunday, October 18th

Hello Dear Readers,

So I normally get off of work at 6 on Sundays, giving me ample time to get to where ever I need to be to catch a sweet show. Today is not normal. Today I will get off at 11 giving me ample time for me to get to a show that is almost over. But you know what they say. "The show must go on". I just wish it would wait a few hours for me. Here are the shows that look good to me.

Sunday, October 18th

Rontoms is having Oh Captain My Captain, The Skinnyz, and Typhoon play there Sunday night showcase. Oh Captain My Captain is an awesome band. They used to be more of a rock band, They recently had a major lineup change and are now more of a pop rock band. And a really good one at that. Jesse Bettis' voice is a dead ringer for David Bazan. And while Mr. The Lions' songs have been getting more pop lately, Mr. My Captain is sometimes almost Beach Boys pop. He always has really good chord progressions and his band has developed some very fine arrangements (kudos to Mike Kitson the multi-instrumentalist who often employs his toy piano and bell set at the same time). I love it, apparently there is an ep on the way with this new line up. The Skinnyz myspace proclaims, "The Skinnyz play straight up, seventies power-pop rock and roll, taking an up all night, foot stomping, ever living, never stopping, booze fueled approach to making music. " With song titles like , "Hot Tuna" it is hard to argue the statement (something about the words hot and tuna combined seems so 70's to me). Typhoon is an incredible band. They just be the most dramatic/epic band in Portland. It has several members often singing in unison sometimes in rounds not unlike what A Silver Mt. Zion has been known to do. But even at their loudest there is a sense of the fragility of the music. It is like the music is a giant glass mountain. Is that a dumb thing to say? Maybe. Would you be dumb to not check out this band? Definitely. The show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Ryan Montbleau Band and Drew Grow and The Pastors' Wives. What happens when you fuse rock, soul, blues, jazz, Americana, folk and funk? You get Ryan Montbleau's music. A cup of tea that I don't particularly want. Drew Grow, on the other hand, brews up a cup of tea that has many flavors as well but over all just goes down a whole lot easier for me. Drew could probably do his stuff solo, but I am glad he doesn't. I have only been able to see his band once, but I remember how much I really enjoyed it. I knew that I had seen something special. There were three part harmonies with the other two members that were playing that night and arrangements that seemed perfect for the song. The show is $10-$12 and starts at 9 PM.

Ace Hotel is having a something called Content. It appears to be a independent fashion show It will feature Dirty Mittens, Nucular Aminals, and Ezra Carey. The show is FREE (?) at 5 PM. Over are the Ace Hotel's Cleaners section, Guidance Counselor, Blue Horns, and Dr. Adam will be playing this is event. I have seen most of these bands before and think they are great. The only ones I cannot vouch for, because I have not seen them, are Ezra Carey and Dr. Adam. But I think this is mostly about fashion and art. I don't anticipate that this will be like a normal show. It will probably be fun though. The ALL AGES event is from 5 PM to 10 PM. Tickets are available at their Brown Paper Tickets.

So if you see me at one of these shows, say "Hi". But honestly, chances are very slim that you will.

-Ben


Drew Grow and Pastors' Wives plays tonight at Mississippi Studios.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Saturday, October 17th

Hello Dear Readers,

I guess there is a huge garage rock festival happening today. I am not too hip to the garage rock scene but I recognize some of these names, so I assume that this might be a big deal. There are several venues involved and a lot of bands (some Portland, most not) and it is FREE if you RSVP. So here is the link for the Scion Garage Fest. Here are the local shows I think look good.

Saturday, October 17th

The Woods is having a show with Pancake Breakfast (White Salmon, WA), Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, and Old Time Music Jamboree. I have seen Pancake Breakfast just the once, but I really liked what I saw. I single vision of songwriting augmented by a large choir of singers making the music larger than life. Though he is officially located in White Salmon (about 70 miles away) I feel like he is an honorary Portland artist since we are the closest city he can play in. He is very similar to Run On Sentence in that way. He stays on a farm out in the country and writes songs. Then he comes into town gathering up some Portland talent to present them to us. It is no coincidence that the two farm-folkers will be going on tour together come November. Sallie Ford is someone who i have been championing for quite some time, while I used to always make allusions to old jazz singers, with her band The Sound Outside her music is more steeped in retro-Americana. It sounds to me like what a kid might think a twangy 50's band would sound like, complete with stand up bass, and slight delayed guitar leads all the while maintaining a contemporary feel (no easy feat). I would imagine that Old Time Jamboree is a self explanatory name. The show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

The Artistery is having a show with Point Juncture, WA, Blunt Mechanic (Ben Barnett) (Seattle), and The Globes (Seattle). I really like that Point Juncture band. Despite my dislike of bands that have commas in their name (which makes it confusing when listing several bands in a row). They make music that to me is some times reminiscent of Yo La Tango and Stereolab. At the same time. Which is to say that the music is really catchy and interesting and buildings and sometimes has male vocals and sometimes female vocals. There are a lot proverbial musical chairs in regards tot the instrumentation that includes one of my favorites, the vibraphone. Also on the bill is former Portlander Ben Barnett, who you probably know as Kind Of Like Spitting. KOLS is a band that I got into before I moved to Portland. I feel love with the lyrics that often seemed brutally honest, almost uncomfortably so, mixed with the sense of melody that is really quite incredible. He could do a number that sounds like Bad Religion on one song, then a folk number, then something kinda jazzy like Karate or something the next, all the while maintaing a sincerity that makes it seem like he is confiding in you personally. I don't know much about the Globes, but if Ben Barnett brings them with him, I bet they are pretty good. The ALL AGES show is $6 and starts at 8 PM.

Vino Vixens is having a show with St. Frankie Lee and Osage Orange (Vermont). St Frankie Lee are a very entertaining band to see. It is a sprawling group that is based around the country songs of engaged couple Derrick and Chelsea. They have the art of banter down. They often try to have a theme for shows. And of course they belt out their songs in a male female unison that mixes warble and sweet. I don't know much about the Vermont group Osage Orange, but I met them last night and they seemed like a nice enough bunch. This show is probably FREE and starts at 9 PM.

So if you see me at any of these shows, please say, "Hi". I would love it. You might love it too.

-Ben


Point Juncture, WA tonight at the Artistery.

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Vintage Videos - OMD

I realised recently that I haven't posted for a while. A combination of long distance relationship, early morning work hours, and graduate school have kept me away from the shows and new music. However, one thing I have been doing is sitting around at home and watching music videos. After significant research, I have come to the conclusion that music videos in the 1980's were way more awesome than almost anything else, ever. So please allow me to share some of my favourites. We'll start off today with OMD, (Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark) makers of some of the most delightfully pretentious synth-pop in the universe.

Tesla Girls

cause nobody's ever eaten toast so sexy...



Maid Of Orleans - The Waltz Joan Of Arc

Looking pretentious while reading and playing chess with a historical babe



Enola Gay : a pop song about the plane that dropped the first nuclear bomb. Does more need be said?



I really, really wanted to post the video for "If You Leave" 80's tastic awesomness involving OMD's lead singer mooning about and overacting in a tux by a brick wall. But apparently Embedding is Disabled By Request because youtube is lame. You can watch it here though.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Thursday October 15th

Hello Dear Readers,

Tonight is an amazing night for national music. By that, I mean there is the Why?/Mt. Eerie/No Age show, and the Grizzly Bear show. Those both sound mighty appealing, but this is a post regarding local music shows. There are some good ones tonight. Check it out.

Thursday, October 15th

Holocene is having a show with Ah Holly Fam'ly, A Weather, and AAN. First off I want to say that this is an amazing line up. For real, these are some of my favorite Portland bands. Also it is the record release for Ah Holly Fam'ly new album 'Reservoir'. I have heard it and it is really good. There are lush arrangements and gentle indie pop songs that are so good and make me jealous of all the bands with several instruments. A Weather is also have a new album coming out sometime eventually. I am sure they will songs off it. But if not, there are plenty of great songs from the first album. They feature hushed vocals and interesting time signature changes and good lyrics. ANN is going to be big. I have felt like the band is amazing for about a year now (maybe more?). But it seems like anyone who sees them just immediately falls in love with the music. The songs have really good lyrics, the music is really good, and Bud's vocals are very strong. I predict good things for them. The show is $6 and starts at 8:30 PM.

The Know is having a show with Westfold and My Dads. Westfold is a highly underrated band in my opinion. They play aggressive rock with lyrics that are often very socially conscious or aimed within. I guess what I am saying is that they don't really write love songs. My Dads appears to write instrumental music. It is not bad. There is some nice trumpet work and loads of other instruments. There are six members and many of them play more than one instrument. The show is probably FREE and starts at 7 PM.

Dunes is having a show with Typwrtyrs, The Woolen Men, and Matty Cries (Seattle), and Lee Corey Oswald. Typwrytrs is Justin Cory. He plays all the instruments and writes the songs. His picture on his myspace picture in front of that thing in LA just like Elliott Smith. He also mentions him as a major influence and if you listen to his song "Drain The Stairs" it is obvious, but not necessarily in a bad way. The Woolen Men play the slightly dirty indie rock. I really like it and have been meaning to catch them live for a while now. Matty Cries I think best described herself as Sesame Street for twenty-somethings. Which is to say that her songs are cute. Lee Corey Oswald is a folk duo that us relatively new to town. They work in the tradition of two guitars and two part harmonies. The show is at 9 PM.

So if you see me at one of these shows tonight, do no be alarmed. But please do say , "Hi". I am very approachable.

-Ben


Ah Holly Fam'ly is releasing their record to the masses tonight at Holocene.

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Dr. Something's Question of the Week

Hi Everybody!

I'm starting a weekly feature here based on an extremely simple premise: each week I will pose a music-related question to you, the lovely readers (fellow bloggers too), and open up the comments to answers and discussion.

This weeks question: Who's your all-time favorite singer who "can't sing"? Whose voice do you find stragely moving or soothing despite their failure to produce dulcet tones, or sing notes on key?

I'm personally quite partial to Nico.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Wednesday, October 14th

Hello Dear Readers,

I ain't gonna lie. My show going record of late has been lousy (no shows for Ben last night. again). I don't know what is going on. I have somewhat of an excuse for last night: AristeiA started recording yesterday and did not get out in time for show attending. We are recording again tonight but I am not sure when we will get out. But here are the shows that look good to me.

Wednesday, October 14th

Berbati's is having Leonard Mynx and Kelly Blair Bauman. The resident artist for Berbati's this month is Leonard Mynx. I have written about him several times. I really like his songs. I just want to clear and or cloud some things about this man. His real name is not Leonard (gasp!). But he renamed himself Leonard Mynx. With the wordiness of his songs, I cannot help but think that the name change is a nod to Mr. Cohen. But regardless, I live his tunes. He seems all over the place live but the single recording he has put out (he keeps telling me he is going to release like 4 albums very soon) is a mellow number with some very good production and very good arrangements. It is mellow Americana for those who are into genre tags. Kelly Bauman is a guy who I also written about. I like it by I have not familiarized myself enough his music to write confidently about it. The show is FREE and starts at 10 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with John Wesley Harding and Sean Flinn. I used to be obsessed with this one John Wesley Harding Song called "Still Photo". Essentially there was this one line "and you're still like your photo." It is a phrase that could be interpreted in two ways. I love it. Sean Flinn is a man about town. You may have seen him playing guitar in Nick Jaina's band. Or maybe in Jolie Holland's band. Perhaps you have seen him playing in Y La Bamba. But did you know that he has a solo thing too? His is really good. He has a very good understanding of the pop song. I have been kinda part of his band lately, but tonight he plays it solo. His songs are very catchy and the melodies are very interesting. Can't say enough. Check out his song "Patient Heart" it is so good. The show is $15 and starts at 8 PM.

Backspace is having a show with Lake (Olympia), Karl Blau (Anacortes), and Miss Massive Snowflake. I will be honest. Miss Massive Snowflake is not my favorite band ever. I do think they do some interesting things, but I am mostly listing this show because of the out of towners. Lake makes really good modern pop music. They recently put of a double split 7" with The Old Believers, Congratulations!, and The Red River. At the release show I was super bummed that all of the bands except Lake played that night. Karl Blau (who is also a member of Lake) makes music under his own name and is frequently seen on others records. I first heard of him through The Microphones. But I know he has been on many other peoples records most notably in my mind Laura Veirs. But his stuff is really good and diverse. Check out his song "That's how I got to Memphis". So good. The ALL AGES show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

So if I get out of the studio in time and you see me at one of these shows, please say, "Hi". Cause I am an okay person. I assume that if you are reading this, you are an alright person yourself. People that are not terrible should greet each other, no?

-Ben


Leonard Mynx has a residency at Berbati's every Wednesday this month.

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