Listen now 
Friday, August 31 A Crowded Weekend
This is getting to be a habit. There's another diverse bunch of choices ahead for your musical/holiday weekend, though if you think this is busy just wait until next week. This includes something for nearly everyone tonight with neo-gypsy (Gogol Bordello at the Crystal Ballroom), neo-honky tonk (Jesse Dayton at Dante's), and neo-flamenco guitar duo with a rock & roll heart (Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Oregon Zoo) all on display, not to mention the return of the Avett Brothers (who themselves are several varieties of neo) to the area with a performance at Eugene's WOW Hall.
Tonight also sees the beginning of the 2nd Annual Halleluwah Festival at Holocene in Portland. Billed as a "festival of enthused arts," Halleluwah features a full schedule of film screenings and other visual arts, readings, and music (oh, the music!) through Sunday. There are plenty of musical highlights to be had, and you should check the full line-up for more, but highest on my list is an appearance from the North Carolina-based trio Bowerbirds. The band released their debut full-length, Hymns For a Dark Horse, a while back and have been getting a lot of attention for it. The album's an unabashedly romantic collection of songs, all choral vocals and accordion, described by their promo as "about being hopeful and in love and in a world that's kind of crazy." RAWK! The night's bill also includes Califone, Plants, and Whip, among others.
Sunday night Jason Molina brings his (sort of) country- (kind of) rock Magnolia Electric Co. to town for a performance at the Someday Lounge. The band recently issued the mammoth Sojourner box set, a 4-disc, 34-song collection featuring contributions from Andrew Bird, David Lowery and others. Despite its size, Sojourner is the prolific Molina's fourth release since forming the band from the guts of songs:ohia in 2005. The new act tends to rock a bit more than its predecessor, but it still keeps to careful to rock lonely when it does.
Finally, the crowded weekend comes fittingly to a close that same night with the return of Crowded House. The band reconvened following the death of drummer Paul Hester in 2005 and ended up recording their first album
in fourteen years. Time On Earth finds them, not surprisingly, in mostly introspective mode as the celebration of their return is tempered by the circumstances that surround it, both personal and political. Neil Finn still knows his way around a pop song and sounds great in the process on serious, measured efforts like "Nobody Wants To," and "Don't Stop Now." The New Zealanders' first U.S. tour in over a decade hits Portland's Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Sunday night with opener Pete Yorn.
This weekend's In House is no less busy with in-studio sessions featuring singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato (Saturday) and Portland band John Weinland (Sunday).
Tonight also sees the beginning of the 2nd Annual Halleluwah Festival at Holocene in Portland. Billed as a "festival of enthused arts," Halleluwah features a full schedule of film screenings and other visual arts, readings, and music (oh, the music!) through Sunday. There are plenty of musical highlights to be had, and you should check the full line-up for more, but highest on my list is an appearance from the North Carolina-based trio Bowerbirds. The band released their debut full-length, Hymns For a Dark Horse, a while back and have been getting a lot of attention for it. The album's an unabashedly romantic collection of songs, all choral vocals and accordion, described by their promo as "about being hopeful and in love and in a world that's kind of crazy." RAWK! The night's bill also includes Califone, Plants, and Whip, among others.
Sunday night Jason Molina brings his (sort of) country- (kind of) rock Magnolia Electric Co. to town for a performance at the Someday Lounge. The band recently issued the mammoth Sojourner box set, a 4-disc, 34-song collection featuring contributions from Andrew Bird, David Lowery and others. Despite its size, Sojourner is the prolific Molina's fourth release since forming the band from the guts of songs:ohia in 2005. The new act tends to rock a bit more than its predecessor, but it still keeps to careful to rock lonely when it does.
Finally, the crowded weekend comes fittingly to a close that same night with the return of Crowded House. The band reconvened following the death of drummer Paul Hester in 2005 and ended up recording their first album in fourteen years. Time On Earth finds them, not surprisingly, in mostly introspective mode as the celebration of their return is tempered by the circumstances that surround it, both personal and political. Neil Finn still knows his way around a pop song and sounds great in the process on serious, measured efforts like "Nobody Wants To," and "Don't Stop Now." The New Zealanders' first U.S. tour in over a decade hits Portland's Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Sunday night with opener Pete Yorn.
This weekend's In House is no less busy with in-studio sessions featuring singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato (Saturday) and Portland band John Weinland (Sunday).
Comments are closed for this entry
This generally happens 2 weeks after first publication.
At our discretion, some discussions end sooner or continue longer.