Just a quick post here on a huge Saturday night of live action, touring and otherwise. First, the big show of the night is probably The Hold Steady and The Drive-By Truckers teaming up at the Crystal Ballroom for the Rock & Roll Means Well Tour. Needless to say, the duo, while disparate geographically (less so in style) both "bring it," as they say, and it seems a night tailor-made for an on-stage collaboration straight from the place these acts meet up: vintage Springsteen (more on him later).

On the local front, no less than a trio of CD release shows happening tonight in James Low at the Laurel Thirst (for The Blackguard's Waltz EP), Little Sue at the Mission Theater (for Baby Knows Better) and Kate Mann at the White Eagle (for Things Look Different When the Sun Goes Down). We'll hear from all three on the Saturday edition of In House. They're the latest in an epidemic of local release shows as of late, including efforts from Grey Anne, Point Juncture WA, and (tomorrow night) Super XX Man.
Stream: James Low's opbmusic in-studio session
What else around Portland tonight? Only an embarrasment of riches-- seriously, pick one and go!: The Rosebuds with No Kids at the Doug Fir, Deerhunter and Times New Viking at the Hawthorne Theater (late), Love Is All and Vivian Girls at Backspace, Melissa Ferrick and Jill Sobule at the Wonder Ballroom, Ben Sollee also at the Hawthorne (early), and the Rachel Taylor Brown Trio at The Press Club, among others. Knock yourself out.
MP3: The Rosebuds, from Life Like- "Life Like"
MP3: No Kids, from Come Into My House- "The Beaches All Closed"
MP3: Vivian Girls, from the I Can't Stay single- "Blind Spot (Daisy Chain cover)"
MP3: Jill Sobule- "The Loneliest Guy in the World"
As for Saturday night's In House program, we'll hear from The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle as he waxes philosophical on Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy on the eve of the much storied, much ridiculed album's release. Also: New Bruce! The first we've heard from Bruce Sprinsteen's early '09 release, Working On a Dream.
MP3: Mountain Goats, from Heretic Pride- "Sax Rohmer #1"
The thread's all yours-- what's on your minds?

November 22, 2008 at 11:20pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
I'm a fan of the Mountain Goats, do not care a fig for Guns N' Roses and despite John's words don't get the hype.
Hey have you heard the band Red Shift (local to Portland I think)?
November 22, 2008 at 11:24pm by Jeremy Petersen
Well, that's exactly it...it's a story in and of itself, but of course the music's lacking (in my opinion). Highly doubt it will be played here.
I haven't heard Red Shift-- is that an endorsement?
November 22, 2008 at 11:43pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Red shift - I have only one track - from a SoleilMoon Sampler c. 2002 called Mailorder catalogue Number 61. Red Shift's track, Lost Symmetry is one of the very few advances I have ever heard on Art Of Noise type stuff.
Very amusing and appealing. Can we track them down?
November 22, 2008 at 11:44pm by Jeremy Petersen
We shall see: consider this a public call out to Red Shift and anyone who may know their whereabouts! We'll look for 'em.
November 22, 2008 at 11:51pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
PS: Have been thinking of link material between my taste and your neo-soul phase - old hat, but Adidas World by Edwyn Collins has a local PDX connection...
November 22, 2008 at 11:52pm by Jeremy Petersen
Nice, I really like Edwyn Collins and Orange Juice-- underrated from where I stand. And the PDX connection is?
November 22, 2008 at 11:56pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
The Adidas thing - headquaters in Beaverton and N Interstate Portland. (yes one of those tangential JP type links...!)
November 22, 2008 at 11:58pm by Jeremy Petersen
Ha! Well that was completely lost on me.
Comments are now closed.