She’s demonstrated her Siren’s call on two forays into Europe in recent years, but Portland chanteuse Sara Jackson-Holman has never toured the USA. Until now, that is. A six week jaunt of the west and midwest begins Nov. 28 in Bellingham, Wash. She’s supporting both Portland’-based band Horse Feathers and her summer-released River Queen EP …
How can you not feel optimistic? In a world where unicycle-riding kilt-wearing Darth Vaders can belch flames from their bagpipes, there’s just no room for cynicism. – Randy Rendfeld
Portland is OK now, but it used to be way cooler. Here’s a list of 26 Things You’ll Never See In Portland Again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdengrxzMIc
Both Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas pride themselves on being weird places to live. In fact, each city has adopted the slogan ‘Keep [city] Weird” begging the question, who is actually weirder? Each city will claim they take the crown, and no doubt there are some unusual things going on in both cities, but only …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUj3hVWdpv0
“Exuberant and rhythmic, somehow both wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness,” says the Boston Globe about Hanneke Cassel’s playing. Such charismatic fiddling has brought the native Oregonian many honors and awards. She is the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, she holds a Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance …
JONNY TWO BAGS, heretofore better known as Jonny Wickersham, guitarist for Social Distortion, will be appearing in PORTLAND, OR at WONDER BALLROOM on TUESDAY, APRIL 8th – opening for Chuck Ragan and the Camaraderie. Doors: 7:30pm, Show: 8:30pm. Tickets: $20.00 – $23.00. In January 2014, Rolling Stone premiered the lead track from Two Bags’ new, …
JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO will perform in a solo acoustic show, Saturday, June 14 in our beloved PORTLAND, Oregon at the mighty Doug Fir Lounge. Doors/Show/Onstage: 8:00pm/9:00pm/10:00pm – Tickets: $20.00-$22.00 www.dougfirlounge.com/ Johnette did a one-off solo show in New York a couple of months ago, then one in LA, and another packed one in Denver. Now, one …
On the first of the year a 75-year-old man cried in my cab when we pulled up to his favorite liquor store and he discovered it closed for the New Year’s holiday. I had picked him up from a house, but the urine stank of the homeless clung to him like ragged fatigues. His leather …
A bright beam swept the night skies of Britain’s East Anglia for decades, looming large in genius-musician Thomas Dolby’s memories of childhood. It was doomed to darken, it’s supporting tower about to literally crumble into a sea that will eventually claim Dolby’s ancestral land, as well. This poignant aspect of Dolby’s homecoming — after spending …
In the beginning, this video of an alleged Bigfoot sighting in Oregon’s Christmas Valley looks like outtakes from the old Bonanza program. Little Joe rode through terrain like this every week on his way to getting beaten up in Virginia City. Then Hoss would ride through the same terrain on his way to save Little …
Classically trained pianist. Introspective singer-songwriter. Soul-pop tour de force. And now, mermaid. Portland’s Sara Jackson-Holman keeps revealing more facets as she introduces her latest album, Cardiology, to the world. Playing a fin-footed Siren in the new video for her single, “For Albert,” wasn’t an exercise in revelation, however; the supremely photogenic singer says the shoot …
BIG ASS BOOMBOX is a loud pop festival consisting of at least forty bands and fifteen writers performing in four venues over two days. This event is free and will take place in PORTLAND, OREGON on Jan 11 and 12, 2013. (This is after the end of the Mayan calendar, so no guarantees.) more info: …
Here’s another band that I met while driving around Portland, Glassbones. Or at least I met the singer-guitarist, Colin, who is truly a nice fellow. He mentioned he’s a cook by trade. (He’s hot, he plays in a band AND he cooks, ladies. For what more could you possibly ask…) They released an excellent album …
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour released their sophomore album in January to praise from NPR and the New Yorker to Rolling Stone and SPIN. Known for their contagious energy and catchy pop hooks, they’ve had songs featured in an iPod commercial, a global Heineken campaign, and on a handful of hit TV shows. Go here for …
A few weeks ago, I was driving around Portland and met a very nice fellow, Andy Strange, bass player for Portland’s crime-a-billy band, The Strange Tones. They play a fun mix of Americana, blues and surf. Last year they put out a fine Christmas album which never got the publicity push it needed because Andy …
PORTLAND, Ore. – Mash-up the Mad Max upcycling aesthetic with the gruelingly hilarious face-off of “Iron Chef,” add some of that quirky “Portlandia” flair, and you’ve got SCRAP’s annual Rebel Craft Rumble. Contestants will compete in front of a live audience to earn the title of Portland’s Craft Master at Rebel Craft Rumble on October …
Here’s an excellent graphic with Midday Veil’s West Coast Tour Schedule. Below are the three official videos and an improvisational session from Soundcloud. Enjoy. More information is available at www.MiddayVeil.com Here’s their brand new video, “Choreia”: Here, from Soundcloud.com, are some improvised recordings made inside the INTEGRATRON, an acoustically perfect wooden dome situated on a …
The latest from Jesse Sykes: “We are so excited to be playing (as a FULL band!) in Seattle at our old stomping grounds, The Tractor Tavern, on Thursday, Nov. 8th!! Joining us are the amazing Rose Windows – only 10 bucks! Also, we will be in “Big Sur” on Sat. Oct 27th (duo show) and …
Portland’s own Shook Twins will perform live at Pdx’s Mission Theater on Friday, September 21, at 8 pm w/special guest Luz Mendoza of Y La Bamba before heading off on a tour of California and Arizona. These hot, quirky, mirrored, folk divas are getting much positive press here in Portland, perhaps even such that they …
Steve Forbert Comes to Portland’s Alberta Rose Theatre November 2, Releases New Album, Over With You
STEVE FORBERT Friday, November 2 • PORTLAND, OR • Alberta Rose Theatre Showtime: 8 p.m.; Tickets: $20 www.albertarosetheatre.com • • • GRAMMY NOMINEE STEVE FORBERT RETURNS, STAKES HIS CLAIM AS A GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITER New studio album Over With You, just out September 11, focuses on matters of the heart LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Over With You, Steve Forbert’s first studio album in three years, …
Keystone Revisited will perform at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland Oregon, Fri. Sept. 14th. Keystone Revisited features the music of Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia. The band features drummer Bill Vitt, Merl Saunder’s son Tony Saunders on bass, Michael Hinton on guitar, and Steven Abramson on keyboards/vocals. (See graphic below for dates, times and …
[Howlin’ Hounddog & the Infamous Loosers will perform Saturday, August 11, at the East Burn (1800 E. Burnside, Portland) from 10PM to 1AM. A good time will be had by all who attend, so make certain to be there.] I met Howlin’ Hounddog at the recent Rocket party where he told me that he and …
Hello, dear readers. August 5 proved to be another hectic day for Mr. Renton. Sunday began by covering the Seafair Cup races at Lake Washington, including another mindblowing aerial display by the Blue Angels. Nighttime found yours truly catching, simultaneously, JESSE SYKES at Gainesbourg and KASEY CHAMBERS at The Triple Door. In between, Mr. Renton …
I had no idea that “The Wave Speech” from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas had been given a name and taken on a life of it’s own amongst Thompson mavens and literary academics. I had wrongly assumed that I was the only one to find beauty in these six paragraphs and to return to …
Daisy the pit bull who captured hearts across Portland as she remained trapped all day on an unstable ledge 50 feet below the lip of the quarry and 200 feet above the floor, has been saved by firefighters. The full story is HERE.
Greetings Portlanders! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr. Lumberjack. I am the creator of Palikka – the game where people throw some wood. If you’ve never heard of it, Palikka is described by some as “the long-awaited sequel to the internet, except better, because it’s made of wood.” Others have noted the …
A few years ago, lightning struck when a classically trained, competition-level pianist turned her full attention to pop and electronica — resulting in the critically acclaimed 2010 album, When You Dream. Music history is full of such unlikely stories, odd segues and their accompanying bursts of brilliance. But when lightning strikes twice, and when the …