Siren Nation Festival and Some Saturday Show Fun!

Each year as we move closer to the holiday season, the local concern calendar usually begins to diminish. Like many of us, bands tend this time of year to take a break from touring and playing shows. Lucky for us in Portland, this Saturday is full of awesome local shows despite the upcoming holidays. Starting on november 5th and going until the 8th is the annual <a href="http://www.sirennation.org">Siren Nation Festival</a> which showcases and creates performance and exhibition opportunities for women. Along with arts and crafts exhibits, Siren Nation will be hosting a week of music kicking off tonight with performances by <a href="http://greyanne.com/">Grey Anne</a>, <a href="http://www.staranna.com/ ">Star Anna</a>, <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Emily+Wells">Emily Wells</a>, and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/loverstheband">Lovers</a> at the <a href="http://www.somedaylounge.com">Someday Lounge</a>.  Judging from our past in-studio visits with <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/117-Grey-Anne">Grey Anne </a>and <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/113-Lovers">Lovers</a>, the kick off show should be an excellent start to a week of women empowerment through artistic endeavours. Be sure to check out the Saturday show, also at the Someday Lounge, featuring female-fronted Portland outfits <a href="http:// www.myspace.com/tenderforever ">Tender Forever</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ylabamba">Y la Bamba</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sallieford ">Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside</a>. <img alt="" style="width: 483px; height: 295px;" title="Grey Anne performs at the Siren Nation Festival on Friday." src="http://www.pcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/greydot-landscape-closeup.jpg" /> If you're looking for rowdier show action on Saturday then you're forced to make a tough choice between <a href="http://www.dinosaurjr.com/">Dinosaur Jr.</a> at the <a href="http://wonderballroom.com/">Wonder Ballroom</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theraveonettes">The Raveonettes</a> at the <a href="http:// www.dougfirlounge.com/">Doug Fir Lounge</a>. Dinosaur Jr. is touring behind the second of their reunion records to feature the original lineup, Farm, and continues to showcase their return to the original sound of J. Mascis' croons and his wankerific, but oh-so lovely, guitar solos. Hearing the new material live next to songs off of such record-collection staples as You're Living All Over Me will make you want to grow your hair out and start wearing flannel all over again. If you can't make the Dinosaur Jr. show then you can also check out a free, 3pm in-store with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/loubarlow">Lou Barlow</a> at <a href="http://www.musicmillennium.com/">Music Millenium</a>. Barlow will surely being playing songs off his recent release Goodnight Unknown--his first solo record in 4 years. As mentioned, a quick jaunt south on the east side will find Danish-duo The Raveonettes bringing their own brand of fuzzed-out garage pop that same night. Their new album, In and Out of Control is steeped in the same unpolished, stripped-down sound that we have come to know and love them for. Be sure to wear black to this one. <object width="485" height="340"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TgTJtdn6VjM&hl=en&fs=1&" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed width="485" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TgTJtdn6VjM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>  For those who prefer swaying to sweaty fist-pumping, then throw over your wool sweater and check out the tranquil serenades of the always lovely <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lauragibson">Laura Gibson</a> at <a href="http://www.mississippistudios.com/">Mississippi Studios</a>. This will be Laura's last Portland show for the rest of the year as she will be spending time across the pond on tour in Europe. Get a sample of what you'll be seeing and hearing (or missing out on) by checking out her <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/39-Laura-Gibson ">in-studio session</a> with us last year.  <img alt="" title="Laura Gibson plays Mississippi Studios this Saturday." src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/ashcanrantings/laura.jpg" /> true

2009-11-20T16:24:19-08:00

2009-11-06T14:11:48-08:00

true 626 true

2009-11-06T16:24:19-08:00

Despite the pending holidays concert lull, Portland is full of great shows this weekend that include Grey Anne, Lovers, Dinosaur Jr., The Raveonettes and much more.

Siren Nation Festival and Some Saturday Show Fun!

2009-11-07T17:55:16-08:00

1873

Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's the golden age of music video all over again. Once left to the likes of big budgets, Top 40 and MTV, indie musicians are teaming with burgeoning auteurs to create a new wave of DIY audio/visual splendor. This week's edition: Ramona Falls, Grand Archives, Bishop Allen and Spiral Stairs. The second installment of our new A/V series-- extra emphasis on the V-- includes new videos featuring both the animated (one intricately, one generally) and the non-animated, the narrative-based and the less linear. All tend to work well, as we'll see, in their varying ways, adding memorable-- sometimes humorous, sometimes moving-- twists where least expected. Let's watch.... We'll start local with what is easily the most visually stunning of this group. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ramonafalls">Ramona Falls</a> is the side project from <a href="http://www.menomena.com">Menomena</a>'s Brent Knopf, the debut Intuit having dropped in October. Given those facts, it comes as no surprise that Stefan Nadelman-- the same man behind the stunning video for Menomena's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BXr_4g0o9M">"Evil Bee"</a>-- also fills that role for Ramona Falls' "I Say Fever." Nadelman employs old west and animal imagery to impart a morality tale of sorts, not necessarily suggested by the song, but not not suggested either. It's the vibe that's important. <object width="485" height="315"> <param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6eqZHvpAbss&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" name="movie" /> <param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess" /><embed width="485" height="315" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6eqZHvpAbss&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></embed></object>   On the other side of the animation spectrum-- that perhaps being the barely animated-- sits this video for <a href="http://www.myspace.com/grandarchives">Grand Archives</a>' "Oslo Novelist." Far from being a failure, this was the clear intention of director Marcy Stone-Francois and she succeeds with little, coming down squarely in the territory of "spaced out South Park." This seems far more entertaining than what may have been: a day in the life of an onery, gray-suited Norwegian-- tortoise-shell-rim-bespectacled, pale-lipped and with a stifling case of writer's block. Oh by the way, Grand Archives' second album, Keep In Mind Frankenstein, came out recently on <a href="http://www.subpop.com">Sub Pop</a>. <object width="485" height="405"> <param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zRu_5MOU_6k&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" name="movie" /> <param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess" /><embed width="485" height="405" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zRu_5MOU_6k&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></embed></object>   If you're old enough, you might remember the last gasps of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bandstand">American Bandstand</a>, itself the last gasp (and most famous example) of that odd sub-genre of television show that featured young people dancing to popular music of the day and pop stars lip-syncing their songs (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7MiG2fe8lE">Soul Train</a> comes to mind, too). Not sure why those went away. In any case, <a href="http://www.bishopallen.com">Bishop Allen</a>'s Randy Bell-directed video for their "True or False" plays out as a kind of homage to those types of programs, particularly the early variety (hence the black and white). It even includes a lip-synced performance from the band's Darbie Nowatka Rice, who takes a rare lead vocal turn on the song, found on this year's Grr.... Bishop Allen returns to Portland this weekend: Sunday at the Doug Fir. <object width="485" height="405"> <param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/duwf8wGfZps&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" name="movie" /> <param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess" /><embed width="485" height="405" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/duwf8wGfZps&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></embed></object>   Finally, we close with the most linear and narrative of these selections, a video arguably cut from the same mold as notables like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJRCE6e2xIg">"Hungry Like the Wolf,"</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AXNBR2smPY">"Take On Me,"</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv5MbvVwQdk">"Papa Don't Preach,"</a> (hey look, Danny Aiello!) among many others. How proud would Scott Kannberg (aka <a href="http://www.myspace.com/prestonschool">Spiral Stairs</a>) be to see his video for "Cold Change"-- directed by Jess Carfield-- mentioned in such heady company? Before you watch, however, please note that the protagonist, if you want to call him that, is fictional and any similarities to Portlanders living or dead is entirely coincidental. Ultimately, this is about finding release, any release, and it arrives through the kind of unexpected denouement that can make this type of video so satisfying. The circumstances haven't changed for our rock n' roll waiter friend-- and if you don't begin somewhere in the midst of this to start pulling for the guy, you're probably not a nice person-- but maybe his perception of those circumstances has. The former and soon to be once again <a href="http://www.matadorrecords.com/pavement/">Pavement</a> member Kannberg/Spiral Stairs' new album is called The Real Feel. <object width="485" height="315"> <param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BA4NufE4FK4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" name="movie" /> <param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess" /><embed width="485" height="315" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BA4NufE4FK4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></embed></object> true

2009-11-20T10:53:09-08:00

2009-11-06T10:53:09-08:00

false 625 true

2009-11-06T10:53:09-08:00

Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's the golden age of music video all over again. Once left to the likes of big budgets, Top 40 and MTV, indie musicians are teaming with burgeoning auteurs to create a new wave of DIY audio/visual splendor. This week's edition: Ramona Falls, Grand Archives, Bishop Allen and Spiral Stairs.

Video/age

2009-11-06T10:53:09-08:00

Hillstomp <img width="500" height="375" align="left" src="/uploads/Image/Hillstomp.JPG" alt="Hillstomp" />Last weekend saw Halloween on a Saturday, and at The Ash Street Saloon’s 15th year Anniversary Party were one of Portland’s finest bands, <a href="http://www.hillstomp.com/ ">Hillstomp</a>, just back from a hugely successful European Tour. Hillstomp (who did <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/35-Hillstomp">this opbmusic in studio session</a> in ’08) just keep getting better - remarkable energy, reminiscent of early Pogues madness held tightly together so that it always seems as if the lid’s about to blow off, as it sometimes does. There has been much talk lately on whether “the blues” will survive in decades to come, here’s the answer - the blues ratcheted up to date; expert & electrifying -  some of the most vital music to be heard anywhere. Hillstomp are now back in the studio preparing a “unrushed” album for 2010, now there’s hope for a good new year. <img width="250" height="333" border="1" align="left" src="/uploads/Image/FrankFurter.JPG" alt="FrankFurter" />Also a quick mention for their truly unique opener “Frank Furter” - who plays a whole one man set dressed as a hot dog in which every song is about the food type. I’ve heard about him before and purposefully avoided it, but it turns out that Nathan Fasold delivers a manic energetic set with some ham conviction and a whiff of liberated punk ethic that’s damned good fun.   The day after Halloween, on a cold Sunday is a tough night to perform, but the bill at Holocene was irresistible; Princeton, who may have this year’s pop hit song, and the UK’s almost unique punk-pop act Art Brut. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/princetonmusic">Princeton</a> are a four piece with the twin Kivel brothers both delivering droll, clever lyrics with almost monotone nasal vocals. It would be a dirge but for the pop sensibility in the writing, think of The Only Ones, or if that’s too obscure, The Kinks. Princeton’s fine new storytelling album Cocoon Of Love also feature female vocalist Meredith Metcalf and various strings and horns. Take a listen to Metcalf’s delicious interchange with Kivel on the album opener "Sadie & Andy," it has that perennial charm of classic pop duets. <img width="500" height="375" align="left" src="/uploads/Image/ArtBrut.JPG" alt="Art Brut" />Art Brut’s Eddie Argos gave a storming performance, spending 50% of the night imposing his 6’3” bounce among the audience so he could hear the band (Holocene is definitely one PDX’s best venues but the acoustics can be a challenge). Art Brut get compared to Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, but are much better. True, there’s a similarity of style (driving post-punk rock with ‘talking’ vocals) and Argos laces his songs with references to other’s lyrics (it’s fun to spot them), but Carter USM were dependent upon pun & reference; Art Brut are telling very revealing personal stories with plenty of humour: Ian Drury or Pulp at their brief best would be more akin. “We’re taking our clothes off in the wrong order/your leaving your shoes on to make you seem taller”. It’s sex and booze and rock ‘n’ roll but also observations on the quality of life: about the value of the lyrics in the CD jacket “am I fooling myself? Does anyone read them?” “Wet trousers in the washing machine, but I rather be damned than seen in jeans...” Watch the video of <a href="http://www.artbrut.org.uk/index.php">Alcoholics Unanimous</a>, buy the album (Art Brut vs. Satan produced by Frank Black) and one day in your life make sure you see Art Brut live, it’ll be a night to remember. PS: I bought the mug - Bring me tea... bring me coffee!!!!<img width="250" height="333" border="1" align="left" alt="Halloween" src="/uploads/Image/Amora.JPG" /> Copyright: Zaph Mann 2009.  Reproduction with attribution is fine. Original publisher: opbmusic.org 2009   true

2009-11-19T16:49:30-08:00

2009-11-05T16:49:30-08:00

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2009-11-05T16:49:30-08:00

Memorable performances from Halloween weekend (we've just recovered).

Live In Portland - Review: Hillstomp, Art Brut, Princeton

2009-11-06T00:49:49-08:00

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<img width="235" height="230" align="right" title="Kipp Crawford, 1978-2009" class="right-img" longdesc="http://opbmusic.org/javascripts/fckeditor/editor/Kipp%20Crawford,%201978-2009" src="/uploads/Image/kippcrawford.jpg" alt="" />Kipp Crawford, well known drummer for <a href="http://www.myspace.com/celilo">Celilo</a> and the <a href="http://www.fractalquintet.com/">Fractal Quintet</a>, was killed early this morning in North Portland after being struck by two vehicles while riding his bicycle. The Ashland native was 31. We had the pleasure of meeting Kipp when he was in for <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/100-Celilo">Celilo's session</a> this past April, and our sincere condolences go out to his friends and family. More via <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/bicyclist_struck_and_killed_ea.html">The Oregonian</a> true

2009-11-18T15:55:57-08:00

2009-11-04T15:52:43-08:00

false 623 true

2009-11-04T15:55:57-08:00

The 31-year-old was, among other things, the drummer for Celilo and the Fractal Quintet. Read on...

Kipp Crawford, RIP

2009-11-06T16:24:44-08:00

Familiar names abound on stages this week, including Dirty Projectors, Dinosaur Jr., Langhorne Slim, The Mother Hips, David Bazan, Horse Feathers, and more. Plus, new releases on the way from Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, Pinback side project Systems Officer, a collaboration from Magnolia Electric Co.'s Jason Molina and Centro-Matic's Will Johnson, and the 20th anniversary deluxe reissue of Nirvana's Bleach. Whew! Questions? Comments? Requests? We're here all night, on Twitter (opbmusic) and at opbmusic@opb.org. true

2009-11-15T20:22:35-08:00

2009-11-01T20:22:35-08:00

true 621 true

2009-11-01T20:22:35-08:00

Familiar names abound on stages this week, including Dirty Projectors, Dinosaur Jr., Langhorne Slim, The Mother Hips, David Bazan, Horse Feathers, and more. Plus, new releases on the way from Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, Pinback side project Systems Officer, a collaboration from Magnolia Electric Co.'s Jason Molina and Centro-Matic's Will Johnson, and the 20th anniversary deluxe reissue of Nirvana's Bleach. Whew! Join the conversation...

Sunday Night Open Thread: The Week Ahead

2009-11-01T20:22:35-08:00