Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 11th to August 14th

Hello Dear Readers,

I ended up going to one show last week. It was amazing. I went to go see Eskimo & Sons on the rooftop of the Hotel Deluxe parking lot on Thursday. Let me tell you this. What I have heard of their recording does not come close to what they are doing live these days. I think they only have two more shows before hiatus time begins, so be sure to catch a live set while you can. They're music perfectly arranged in a manner that makes my heart fill up and start to float out of my chest (I realize how stupid I sound, but it's true). Then they screened the classic film Flight of the Navigator. While many people left right afterwards to go try and catch what they could of the White Fang, World's Greatest Ghost, and Finn Riggins show at the Artistery, I had to stay. a) because I paid $7 and I was going to get my moneys worth and b)I loved the movie growing up. I had to see if it was totally dumb or not. To my surprise, it held up alright. Anyway there are some really good shows this week. Check it.


Monday, August 11th

I was worried that I would not have anything to list for tonight, but then I saw a little bulletin on myspace.

• The bulletin was from Laura Gibson and stated this: "hey folks. We just set up a last minute show at the funky church...tomorrow (Monday, August 11th): Ritchie Young of Loch Lomond, David Dondero (awesome, very influential singer songwriter) and myself. The Funky Church is one of the most amazing places to play or hear songs. it starts at 8 pm...feel free to bring a bottle of wine or some snacks to share (I'll try and make some cookies)$5 suggested donation (no worries if you are broke). The Funky Church 2456 Tamarck Ave (off division near the New Seasons August 11th, 8 pm Laura Gibson, David Dondero and Ritchie Young. spread the word thanks!" Consider the word spread.
  

Tuesday, August 12th

We got some cool stuff for you on Tuesday too.

• The Portland Cello Project is playing a FREE in store at
  

• Valentine's is having a show with Sad Horse, Harsh Sunshine,and Problems?. Itshould be a night of weird-ish to not as weird-ish rock music. I know that Sad Horse play lound and hard and complex. So if you like that combination, check it out. Its FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.
  
  
• The Crown Room is having Meyercord(me) playa set of songs. Meyercord has been described by the Willamette Week as "somber folk". This is also a last minute show. I will have my friend David Kyle playing guitar with me as a sort of preview of what Meyercord is going to sound like on the upcoming tour. It will most likely be an intimate set (I mean you won't have to bring a condom or anything, but you never know). I am not sure if there is a cover or not (there shouldn't be). The show will probably start at 9 PM.
  
  Wednesday, August 13th
  

• Holocene is having a show with Ohioan, Modernstate, The Steven Lasobras, and Bird Costumes. Both Ohion and Moderstate are know n for having very diverse catalogs of music ranging from solo acts to full on rock bands. It will be interesting to see what they each doing because you never know what it will be like. I hear that Bird Costumes does some sort of drone thing and that the Steven Lasobras does some sort of "Gothic-looping" thing. The show is $5 and starts at 9 PM
  
  Thursday, 14th

There are a couple of really good ones for Thursday.

• For instance there is the Y La Bamaba / Meyercord Tour Kick off show at The Coop. There
  will also be sets by Songs for Mom(San Francisco) and Popitilopitus. I am really excited about playing this place. I have never been. It seems like it is the epitome of all that is fun in Portland. Come find out if it can live up to the impossible expectations I have built up. I mean its ALL AGES and only $4.
  
  
• The Chaos Cafe is having a cery good show too. Theirs features John Vecchiarelli, Galveston, and Justin Power. This is some very good folk-ish music I suggest that you check it out. If that is indeed "your thing". I beleive this ALL AGES show is FREE. But bring some cash as these musician types often have things to sell. The show starts at 8 PM.
  
  
• Towne Lounge is having a show with electronic group, Jatun, and two Brooklyn bands Fulton Lights and Jeff London. It is a diverse show. The cool thing is that Jeff London used to live here in Portland (he's even on Hush). I guess its a sort of nice visit. The show is $5 and the music starts at 9:30 PM.
  
  So if you see me at any of these, please come up to me and say "Hi". I promise to return the greeting as best I see fit.
  
  Have a good week.
  
  -Ben
  
  
  What are you looking at? Y La Bamba has their tour kick off show at The Coop on Thursday.
  Picture by At Dusk Greg

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Double Cha

Just heard about some crazy new technology accessible via your cell phone courtesy of Dave Depper who originally caught it on End Hits.

Basically you text any question you can think of to the number 242-242 and you get an almost instant response.

So in lieu of watching SNL tonight, due to Olympics coverage I decided to give it a try.

Despite my initial desire to really test the boundaries of the system (What's a good drug dealer that delivers in Portland? Under what conditions will a genie grant "More wishes" as a wish request? How successful, in tangible terms, was Justin Timberlake in his quest to bring sexy back? etc.) I decided to start out a bit more basic. The results are as follows:

Text 1: What's a good show to go to @ musicfest nw that will be dance friendly?

Response: Mogwai looks great!!!

Verdict: Mad props on the quick response, but I really don't see Mogwai as a very dance-oriented band. Famous and very well-known internationally? Check. Mogwai as dance party starting band? Personally I don't see it. I thought that the Dan Deacon show would be a more appropriate response. You be the judge.

Text 2: What's a good venue to play in vancouver, wa?

Response: Adrianna Hill Grand Ballroom 918 SW Yamhill, 2nd Floor

Verdict: WTF?!. Fail.

Text 3: What's a good venue to play in vancouver, wa. Not portland, or.

Response: A major venue is The Ampitheater at Clark County, in Ridgefield, WA

Verdict: Gave them a 2nd chance, but still, Fail.

Text 4: What would be a funny youtube video that i could post on my blog?

Response: Check out the 'grape lady falls' video.

Verdict: I know that humor is subjective so I won't judge them too harshly on this one, Particularly since they responded almost immediately. That said I didn't think it was nearly funny enough to actually post.

Text 5: What's a good new summer hip-hop mixtape?

Response: The Preview by DJ Drama is supposed to be heat rocks.

Verdict: Finally. Some real info I can actually use! Extra credit for using the term "heat rocks". A+

So, all in all, it's hit or miss. Better than a magic 8-ball but not as informative as a simple google search through a laptop/iphone/et cet. That said, I can see it coming in handy if you're trying to settle a bet at the bar or some obscure bit of minutiae escapes you at the bus stop.

If you do end up trying it, feel free to leave examples of your exchanges in the comments.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 8th to August 10th

Hello Dear Readers,

This week I did no see any of the shows I listed. Lets see if I can make up for it this weekend.

Friday, August 8th

There is a lot of good shows happening, but as it turns out I am working until 1:30, exactly when most shows end. Shows like these, for instance.

• The Doug Fir is having a show with up and coming locals Weinland and A Weather who have put out two of my favorite local records this year (La Lamentor and Cove respectively). I can't believe I am going to miss this show. Plus to put salt on the wound, one of my guilty pleasures Son, Ambulance is playing too. Sigh, I guess I can view this as me just saving my $10. The show starts at 9 PM.

• Weinland collaborators, Portland Cello Project are having their official CD release show for their debut self titled album at Aladdin Theater. I have seen them a couple times and it is really something to be hold to have classical music rub shoulders with local contemporary music as well as covering top 40 stuff. If you did not see them at PDX Pop, then you missed out of=n a rousing rendition of Britney Spear's "Toxic" played by the project, and sung by local electro popster Gingerbread Patriots' John Brophy. There is nobody specifically mentioned to make appearances, but you never know who will show up. The show is $13 in advance and $15 at the door. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.

• The Edward Scissor House ( 4937 NE 6th, Portland , OR) is having a great show with Southern Belle and The Worthless Children. There will probably other bands too. But even if there isn't these two will do the job if you want to have a good time. There is no cover listed, and the show starts at 9 PM.

• Satyricon is having a rock show or rather a RAWK show with Wolves in the Thrown Room (Olympia), Danava, and The Better To See Me With. This show will be more rock than most can handle. It will cost $10. The ALL AGES show starts at 9 PM.

Saturday, August 9th

I have three shows to list and they are soooo good. Go to any of these and thank me later.

• The Coop is having a CD release party for the new Stumpclub Compilation featuring Experimental Dental School, Reporter, and Teeath (all of which are on the CD). It looks like an incredible line up , right? And even better, all of the proceeds of the compilation go towards the new ALL AGES venue that Stumpclub is planning. This is the second Stumpclub compilation and it looks ridiculously good. It features All Girl Summer Fun Band, Hockey, Teeath, Reporter, Experimental Dental School, Westfold, Copy, Magic Johnson, 31 Knots, The Hand That Bleeds, Purple Rhinestone Eagle, Childhood Friends, David Evan, Ghost to Falco, Dirty Mittens, Panther, Golden Bears, Reverse Dotty and the Candy Cane Shivs (possibly more?). If that is not the best local comp that has ever existed, I will gladly give you the $8 it takes to enter this show and get the CD. If you just want to see the show (you are crazy), then you just need to part with $5. The show starts at 8 PM.

• The Chaos Cafe is having a very diverse and very awesome show featuring AristeiA, David Evan, My Paper Camera (Boise), and The Box and the Bucket. Seriously, I think we got a good sampling of diferent kinds of music here: instrumental post-rock, indie-rock, power pop, and weird acoustic based music. The best part is that the show is FREE. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.
  

• The Know is having a really cool night of math rock with the likes of David Kyle, The Americas (Santa Rosa), and Rooftops (Bellingham). I have to say that I enjoy David Kyle's mix of traditional guitar mathy numbers and his use of various Eastern instruments that I forget the names of single time I ask him (seriously, I don't know why I ask). I had the chance to see America's play last Sunday and was blown away by their music. Really cool stuff. I have heard good things about Rooftops. This is also a FREE show. It starts at 9 PM.

Sunday, August 10th

Here are some good ones.

• The Coop is having a good show on Sunday (do they have any other kind?) with Da Bears (San Diego), Patterns, Deer or the Doe, and James Rabbit (Santa Cruz). All of these peoples make exceptionally good and varied indie pop. I really mean it I know that I have written about patterns before. I still haven't seen them, but here might be the perfect chance. The ALL AGES show is $4 and starts at 8 PM.

• The other one I am interested in is being held at Dunes. I am not going to lie, the two local bands that are opening are unfamiliar to me. But there is a kick ass band from Seattle playing which is why I am listing the show. I saw X-Ray Press (Seattlea) last Sunday and was stunned by their very well executed math rock stylings. Harsh Sunshine, the first local act, seem to play energetic but some what sloppy and fun pop rock (with an emphasis on the rock part). The Winebirds, the other local act, play pop rock that leans more towards the pop side of things. It should be an interesting juxtaposition between traditional pop music and the deliberate mutation of pop music that is math rock. The show is FREE. The doors are at 9 PM.

So I hope to see you t some of these shows. If you see me, then feel free to come up to me and say "Hi". If not then, maybe next week?

-Ben


David Kyle doing what David Kyle does. He will be playing the Know on Saturday.

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 4th to August 7th

Hello Dear Readers,

Last week was super fun. I went to and or played shows/music everynight of the week. I am soooo tired. So week I might take it easy. But then again, I might not.

Monday, August 4th

I few shows that I would totally be down to see.

• The Towne Lounge is having a show with Dash!, Orem The Sink, and Tom Blood. All of these bands/people seem to be related to each other or friends of one another. That usually makes for a really fun show. I first heard of Dash! in the Tender Loving Empire store where I learned that the guy behind Dash!, Jordan Dylstra, also plays viola in Jared Mees and the Grown Children. Jordan is also the VP of Marriage Records who put out Tom Blood's book of poetry, The Sky Position. Jordan is also a part of The Prescott Family which appears to be a collective of artists who live around Prescott (I guessing here). Orem The Sink is also part of this group. So, it all ties together. The show is $5. The music starts at 9:30 PM.

• Valentine's is having a show with AAN, and Galveston and Friends. I have wanted to see AAN's experimental pop music for some time. I have not heard of Galveston before, but I am glad I have now. I tend to really enjoy hushed folky stuff. Who knows who the Friends are? Between the two of them they have some pretty talented friends, so I think that this show is definitely worth checking out. The FREE show is at 9 PM.

Tuesday, August 5th

I will admit there is nothing that I am dying to see on Tuesday, but...

• Berbati's is having a show with Grown Up Noise (Boston), Eliza Jayne, and Sean Wagner. I am only familiar with Eliza Jayne. Those guys are some good people. They don't play out very often either. Perhaps they have new material? The show is $6 and starts at 9 PM.

• Also there is the open mic at Zilla's Sake. This event is hosted by Y La Bamba and often has very talented people performing. Plus I hear that the sake is good and I know that the sushi is good. Come on out if you think you can handle it. This is FREE and starts at 8 PM.

Wednesday, August 6th

There are some good shows happening on Wednesday.

• Roadside Attraction is having a show with Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Auto Pilot is for Lovers, and St. Frankie Lee. Every band I just listed would be worth seeing even if everybody else was terrible. But since they are all at that status, this should be a great show. I really enjoyed Wooden Indian Burial Ground's set at PDX Pop. I bought their CD and have been enjoying it. I suggest that you do the same. I have not actually seen Auto Pilot, but I like what I have heard. And I really enjoy the energy that comes from anytime St. Frankie Lee plays their country tinged songs. I think that this ALL AGES show is FREE.

• Someday Lounge is having a show featuring Tu Fawning, Pink Widower, and Evolutionary Jass band. Tu Fawning, which has Corrina Repp and Joe Haege of 31 Knots joined by Liza Rietz and Toussaint Perrault, played a frustrationg set at PDX Pop. It was most likely not anything to do with the band, but the sound was just terrible (I suppose thats what happens when you are the first outside band). I want to hear what they sound like with good sound. And of course, Evlolutionary Jass Band is just really really good. The show is $6. The show starts at 9 PM.

• Rererato is having an interesting show with the likes of Millions of Brazillians, and Rainbow and the Kittens. I am listing this because I like Raindow and the Kittens. I have twice seen them play surprise sets at PDX Pop. It will be interesting to see how they translate into an actual venue of sorts. My guess is that it will be awesome. I really like how popy and crazy things get during their perfomances. And beleive you me, they put on a performance. They have as;; kinds of costumes and singers and... well you just have to see it. This show is probably $4. It is ALL AGES and starts at 7 PM.

Thursday, August 7th

There are many great shows on Thursday. Which will you choose?

• Hotel Deluxe is having its movie night where a local band plays on the rooftop of their parking lot and then they screen a movie. It is a brilliant idea and I give them props for it. I also want to give them props for the line up they currated for this Thursday. Eskimo & Sons will be playing one of their last shows (the last show?) before they go on Hiatus. If they consistently play as well as they did at PDX Pop, then you will defenitly want to check out this perfomrance. And get this, they are showing Flight of the Navigator (one of my favorite childhood movies). This ALL AGES event is $7. The music starts at 8 PM.

• The Artistery is having a ridiculously good show on Thursday as well. Finn Riggins (Hailey,ID), White Fang, and World's Greatest Ghosts will all be playing sets. I am not all that familiar with Finn Riggins, but I do know that Tender Loving Empire puts out her records. I also know that they don't mess around with people who aren't not great. I saw both White Fang and World's Greatest Ghosts at PDX Pop and was really blown away by both. I know that I had written about them before, but it was my first time to see them. I was particularly fond of WGG and their kinda Wolf Parade-ish combination of guitars and Keyboards. The ALL AGES show costs $5 and starts at 8 PM (doors at 7:30).

• Holocene is having Gepetto, Guidance Counselor, Hello Demascus, Uncle Dude, and Chantarelles play a Stumptown Coffee Roasters Showcase. My guess is that all the performers involved sling Stumptown Coffee. Gepetto seems to be holding sown the hip-hop, Guidance Counselor (who played an awesome set at PDX Pop) has got the dancey stuff covered, and Hello Damasus is playing the folk rock set (their song on the 2006 PDX Pop Now comp, "Randy" is superb). Of course, they had to also throw in a couple bands or performers that I can find no information about to add some mystery. The best thing about this show is that it is FREE. So you better come early before it gets too crowded. The show starts at 9 PM.

• The Tonic Lounge is having a show with Root Beer and French Fry, Glass Elevator (Olympia), and Pink Snowflakes. I like what I have heard of Root Beer & French Fry. Plus the other day my friend said he saw them play at Valentine's and said that they were really good. Don't know anything about Glass Evelator, but I know that Pink Snowflake is an awesome experience for pyschedelic rock outs (if I remember 2007's PDX Pop correctly). This show costs $7. The music starts at 9:30 PM.

• Thursday is the first night of Micropalooza, a two day chiptune festival being held at Ground Kontrol. This will featuring chip music, music created using simple micro chips like the kind that old video games used to use. I think that a lot of this kind of music is cool. I am unsure if I could take tow days of it, but whatevs. Today will feature DJ Moonchild (starting and spinning in between sets), Kids Get Hit By Buses (Everett, WA), Fighter X (Everett, WA) , Wyatt Gurp (San Francisco, CA), Harbour (San Francisco, CA), Trash80 (San Diego, CA), Starpause (San Francisco, CA), Two Playa Game (Sacramento, CA), Square Wail (Seattle, WA), and Covox (Stockholm, Sweden). The wrist band that will get you into both days of the festival are $15 and can be puchased at Ground Kontrol. Todays events start at 5 PM and last until 2 AM.
  

So that is the weekday edition of my Music Picks. I hope you make out to some of these. And if you see me, please come and say "Hi".

-Ben


Guidance Counselor plays Holocene on Thursday. For FREE!
photo by Seth Kaufman

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 3rd

Hello Dear Readers,

There have been so many shows this week. Last Night I saw Eliot Rose and Gatos (to be fair I only caught some of Gatos). Both were pretty cool. Eliot Rose devised a couple monologues for the aspiring musician. One about how to start the show (at the start of the show). One about how to deal with needing to tune (when he needed to tune). And a final one about how to get the audience to dance (when he wanted us to dance). They were all written on pieces of paper and various members of the band would trade off who read them. They were all clever and filled with humor. It took the performance to the next level.

Any way, I want to just let you know there are even more shows today that you should know about. So with out Further ado:

Sunday, August 3rd

Here are the shows:

• Exit Only is having a kick ass show involving AristeiA (featuring yours truly on bass), Carcrashlander, Experimental Dental School, Pegasus, and The Americas. This is what I like to call a second chance show as all three bands played in the last few days. So if you missed them, her is your second chance. Plus this one is ALL AGES. So if you could not see these bands because you are under 21, here is your second chance. AristeiA play majestic quasi-heavy instrumental post-rock music. Carcrashlander plays music that sometimes is "sad bastard music" and is sometimes full on rock music, usually within the same song. If you missed Experimental Dental School's set at PDX Pop lat week end you missed out. The duo play quirky jagged yet very catchy songs that played in air tight manor. Pegasus' myspace says they play surf. They are liars. Luckily they also are a good band. Regarding The Americas, The Mercury said (I have not seen or heard them) they play "a witchy brew of odd-timed punk rock and experimental noise". It sounds like a show that should not be missed. The show costs very little money ($5) and starts at 8 PM.

• Rontoms is having a show with Blind Pilot. This is also a second chance show as This band played on Friday, and last weekend were one of the highlights of PDX Pop. Hopefully they have their excellent backing band with them. The band is sometimes only two principal members Israel on guitar/vocal duties and Ryan on drums. I don't know anything about this show, but it is listed on Blind Pilot's myspace. Previous Rontoms shows have been FREE and start sometime after 9 PM.
  

• Valentine's is having a show with Valet, Barn Owl (SanFrancisco), Scott Goodwin, Pete Swanson (of the band Yellow Swans), and DJ Spencer D. I have really good things about Valet but have never seen her play. From what I understand it is ambient, sometimes psychedelic, music. I don't know much about the other bands but I assume they are ambient-ish as well. The show is FREE and starts after 9 PM.

• Someday Lounge is having a show with Cock and Swan (Bothell, WA), The Ocean Floor, and Naming Names. I mostly list this because I have heard good things about The Ocean Floor. This show is $5 at the door. The doors open at 9 PM.

So if you see me at the Exit only show, say "Hi." If you go to any of the others, have a good time.

-Ben


Experimental Dental School to play Exit Only. Look at the pretty amps!
photo by Koalcanth

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My favorite song is "Smell Yo Dick". Thank you Rush-N-Disco!

Why didn't anyone tell me about this song? Thank god Rush-N-Disco came through!


inspired by Riskay's song Smell Yo Dick

I had a blast last night at the Rush-N-Disco/Fleshtones show at the unmarked building at 1200 SW Morrison. I ran in to a couple of friends, whom I had not seen since last years Sean Gothman's going away party, Martha and Crazy Sarah!

The show was sponsored by Camel Cigarettes. They did not allow outside photography or video because of some legal issues involving taking pictures of Camel logos (huh?) so I didn't get my own footage!

While I was standing in line to get cigarettes I asked Martha 'Soooo, have you listened to The Widespread Reign of?' and she was all 'didn't we hear it 2 years ago?'. And then the guy who was checking our ID's turns out to be a part of The Great Northwest! He was all 'Who the hell are you?'. And then we laughed...

There was free food and drinks (including Rockstar Ben, you could have stopped by for a quick second...) and they had FREE FOOD. The food was really good. DJ Solomon played great uptempo songs like a remix of that Supreme's song that goes "Baby, baby, baby, where did our love go...". The remix went a little something like: Baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby... Loved it!!!!

Is it gross that I truly enjoyed myself at the expense of Camel? Did I sell my soul for a good time? -- Ste. Goldie

PS -- I didn't smoke. I've been smoke free for 4 months!!!

Here's a picture of Sarah from last years PDX Pop Now!

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[What the hell?] "Battle of the Band Vans"

Did this really happen?



Subscribe to Portland, Oregon's native son Bobby Hacker's genius.

Here is for the fans of Cars, Cars II, and the future Cars III:

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Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 1st and August 2nd

Hello Dear Readers,

There are some good shows, great shows even this weekend. I intend to at least make it to some of them.

Friday, August 1st

Today there are many shows. This is what I think looks good though.

• I am playing a show in AristeiA at Flowform with X-Ray Press (Seattle) and Jezebel Spirit, and witheyesabstract. This show is $5 and ALL AGES. The show starts at 9 PM.

• The Modern Age, KPSU's ALL AGES Venue, is having a good show with Tea for Julie, Blind Pilot, Boy Eats Drum Machine, and DoublePlusGood. I guarantee you that if I were not playing a show, this is the show I would be attending. Tea for Julie is one of those bands that just begs to be playing in a huge arena stage (their song "hello sounds a bit like U2). Blind Pilot was one of PDX Pop's highlight performances a) because they are great and b) they have assembled an amazing backing band of fiddle, pedal steel, drums and bass (with some gorgeous female harmonies thrown in for good measure). They have been getting a lot of press and I feel it is one of those rare instances where I am happy for it. I hope they make it. Boy Eats Drum Machine is awesome live.. Of course his music is very fun to around to (some call it dancing), but it os also very entertaining as he builds up his songs out of his looped layers. I saw DoublePlusGood a while back and was impressed by what I saw. The dude has a great voice and a strong hold on melody that translates into great performances. The show is $5. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.

• Or at the The Liberty Glass Saw Whet is playing a show with The Areyoumadatme?s. Becky of Saw Whet has an amazing voice and uses it to her advantage in these songs They are kind of dark folk songs. You might reckognize her from the other band she plays in Ah Holy Fam'ly. This FREE show starts at 8 PM.

• Holocene is having a show with Alexis Gideon, Future Islands (Baltimore), Atole, Flaspar, Eat Pwr (Asheville, NC), and DJ Linoleum. Alexis has a cool hip hop flow that he has synched up with animations that he projects onto himself during his shows. It is really awesome and sometimes hilarious. All the other bands appear to be dance related in various genres or styles. The show is $6. The music starts sometime after 9 PM.

• Over at the Twilight Cafe & Bar (1420 S.E. Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97202) Curious Hands, Blue Horns, and Honus Huffines are playing a show. I feel like I have heard of Curious Hands, but I'm not sure. They play "urgent" rock music. I have never heard of Honus Huffines, But I like Blue Horns. They put on an energetic set and play rock and roll that is easy to dance to. This show is FREE and starts at 9 PM.

Saturday, August 2nd

There are some pretty good ones here. Anyone of them could treat you well.

• Kelly's is having a really good show with We're From Japan, Sea Caves, and Carcrashlander. I know that We're From Japan is one of the best bands in Portland. If you are not familiar with, the you must go to this show. Man, I just listened to Sea Caves on their myspace page. It is awesome. It has kinda dreamy mathy guitars and a very pleasant lead singer, but man do I like what they are doing with their guitars. Carcrashlander is Cory Gray's baby. You may recognize him as the guy who plays piano or trumpet on just about every album in Portland that has piano and or trumpet. The show is $5 and starts at 10 PM.

• Shelby Sifers is back from her tour across the nation. You can welcome her back by going to a show she is having at the Castle Greyskull house (11 SE 19th, Portland, OR). Her songs are usually simple but very effecting. There will probably be others playing but I am not sure who they are. There might be cover. I would just go to the house around 8 PM and see what's going down.

• Mississippi Pizza Pub is having a dual CD release show for Gatos and Eliot Rose. I have been meaning to checkout both of these bands. Gatos features the songs of Stephen Kierniesky and other members of Love Menu. Like them, Gatos plays well arranged folk pop. Except it is a little more upbeat and sometimes breaks out in Spanish. Eliot Rose makes cool pop music based around his ability to rock a thumb piano. It sounds cool. There is no cover listed, but I would bring some cash for those CDs if I were you. The show starts at 9 PM.

• Backspace is having a tour Kick of show for Monster Sized Monsters and The Hand That Bleeds. The Old Murrays, The Royal Tees, Bridgetown Sydicate and The Closet Monsters are also set to play. This show will be full of rock and punk rock and even some ska (remember that stuff?). Should be fun and at $5, its under one dollar per band. he ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.

So this is Friday and Saturdays schedule. I hope to be at some of these shows. If you see me, please come up and say "Hi".

-Ben


Eliot Rose does his thing at Mississippi on Saturday. It looks crazy.

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