ElevenPDX 2.4 by Scotty Scott Media

contents

ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 4

THE USUAL 3 Letter from the Editor 3 Staff Credits Columns 4 Essentials 5 Aural Fix GRMLN DZ Deathrays Kishi Bashi

new music 7 Short List

VOLUME 2

FEATURES Mini Feature 13 Musicfest NW Preview

National Scene 15 Things can get nippy for the adventureous trio Nurses. In anticipation of their upcoming Portland show, ELEVEN milks the band for information.

FILM Watch Me Now 19 Film Editorial: NC-17 The Allure of the Lurid Sleepwalk with Me Dangerous Desires: Film Noir Classics Instant Queue Review

7 Album Reviews Menomena Deerhoof Animal Collective David Byrne & St. Vincent

Local Visual Arts 21 Portland painter Ali Schlicting

LIVE MUSIC 9 Musicalendar An encompassing overview of concerts in PDX for the upcoming month. But that’s not all - the Musicalendar is complete with a venue map to help get you around town.

11 Upcoming Shows

PDX Paragons 23 Palmas Grandparents Lost Lander

Neighborhood of the Month 24 SE Hawthorne

The Local Biz 25 ELEVEN’s favorite local business directory

more online at elevenpdx.com

HELLO PORTLAND! How are we doing today? I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a very concise piece of history. It involves a speech delivered by the greatest prizefighter of all time, Muhammad Ali. In 1975, less than five months before he would win the “Thrilla in Manila,” and only after Bill Cosby and Mel Brooks declined invitations to speak, Ali delivered a magnificent poem to the graduating class at Harvard that year. I will now share with you the poem in its entirety. “Me, We.” Taking a moment to consider the words of the poem, it speaks volumes in its simplicity. Me? It may start there, within the selfactualization of ‘Me.’ True greatness, however, comes in unity; ‘We.’ Everyone who has found happiness, success, love or accomplishment in any way has done so with a little help from their friends. I like to think that the upcoming addition to Musicfest NW, the Portland Digital eXperience, on some level embodies that ideal. Communicating and sharing ideas for the greater good. While I commend PDeX for being a proponent of innovation, it is just one, fairly specific example of the more important piece of ‘We,’ and that is community. I encourage our readers to please turn it up to ELEVEN, and to get involved in the community, whichever way fits you best. Engage within and strive for greatness. Only through kindness and understanding will we achieve great peace. And oh, yes, ‘We’ can. »

- Ryan Dornfeld, Editor in Chief

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SENIOR STAFF Ryan Dornfeld EDITOR IN CHIEF Dustin Mills CREATIVE DIRECTOR EDITORS Charles Trowbridge Dane Johnson senior writer Wendy Worzalla GRAPHIC DESIGN Dustin Mills Megan Gex (assistant) Cover design DjM cover AND FEATURE PHOTOS Mercy McNab CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aaron Colter, Billy Dye, Gabriel Granach, Kelly Kovl, Richard Lime, Jonathan Magdaleno, Bex Silver, Rob de la Teja, Charles Trowbridge, Jeff VanVickle, Nikki Volpicelli. photographers Gabriel Granach, Michael Herman Mercy McNab, Aaron Mills research assistant Katherine Benedict DISTRIBUTION / PROMO Moonbase Kingdom

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P.O. Box 16488 Portland, OR. 97292 get involved getinvolved@elevenpdx.com

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@elevenpdx.com ADVERTISING sales@elevenpdx.com SOCIAL MEDIA GURU Kim Lawson kim@elevenpdx.com online www.elevenpdx.com twitter.com/elevenpdx facebook.com/elevenmagpdx eleven west media group, llc Ryan Dornfeld Dustin Mills SPECIAL THANKS MStudios Crew (u kno!), Wines, C&C Vargas, EastBurn Crew, M.W., Tixie team, J/B/July Mees, Vinny & Vincente’s softball team, Nalin Silva, Dan W and Megan T, our partners, fams and friends!

columns

ESSENTIALS Only all of the stuff you need

PENDLETON MOTOR ROBE w/ LEATHER CARRIER pendleton-usa.com $88.00

VOODOO DOLL DOUGHNUT voodoodoughnut.com $1.75

SHWOOD “GOVY” SUNGLASSES shwoodshop.com $145.00

Photo by Ryan Dornfeld

Randy Bemrose of Radiation City Photo by Mercy McNab

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columns

AURAL FIX

(Every month, our expert team seeks out the newest and most exciting musicians in the world. After searching high and low, we’re proud to bring you the result of our concentrated efforts.)

GRMLN

If you have ever been nineteen and in college full time, you know you barely have time to write essays and study. Yoodoo Park, out of California, is doing all that plus recording and promoting a new EP out this fall, Explore (Carpark Records.) The kid goes by GRMLN professionally and has given us a taste of his interpretation of California living with “Summer Nights” and “Coral.” If you dug the thumping bass guitar, cottonmouth vocals and the very essence of what it means to live a carefree life in those singles, then you will for sure dig Explore. Soothing opener “Relax Yourself” sets your mind up for what’s to come: romantic ballads intermixed between dreamy optimistic surf tunes, like “Depressions.” The rest of the seven track list is full of lullaby-like melodies and innocent pop rock complemented by tantalizing guitar. Considering Yoodoo’s youth and that he only began recording just this year, Explore does not fail to impress. Is this genre overdone? Yes. But is he able to switch it up enough within those seven songs to prevent eventual boredom? Yes. His advantage is that his sound is so open-ended that he has the freedom to explore on a full-length. One of two things will follow Park’s Explore: he will continue to reinvigorate his music or he will fail to match the high bar he has set for himself. » - Kelly Kovl

DZ DEATHRAYS “We started at a house party – we will most likely end at one.”

Australian thrash pop- punk duo DZ Deathrays had every good intention of exclusively playing house shows, but singer/guitarist Shane Parson and partner in crime drummer Simon Ridley soon found themselves touring with bands like Ratatat and Crystal Castles. After several buzz-building EP releases, the boys finally had some time—a rumored 14 songs in 14 days—to record their longawaited debut, Bloodstreams. Previously, the pair recorded 2009’s Ruined My Life EP live during one of the infamous aforementioned house parties and their ‘anything goes’ attitude is still maintained throughout the full-length. Although more polished, the enthusiastic nature and punk grittiness shine through loud and clear. If you missed them this summer when they toured with Bass Drum of Death – you missed an assault on all six of your senses. If you managed to catch the show, you’re probably still scraping your jaw off the floor. It may be difficult to comprehend how just the two of them can create such an epic wall of sound, but with hard-hitting beats and an avalanche of buzzsaw guitar riffs, Parson and Ridley make it look easy. With their relentless touring and album releasing it’s no wonder these Brisbane boys have conjured up a high demand from the masses. » - Wendy Worzalla

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columns

Photo by Jennifer Leigh

KISHI BASHI

Riding music’s ongoing decade of infatuation between symphony and indie pop, Kishi Bashi generates swarms of thick, textured emotion and indelible hooks to form a sound that is unlike any one band while being exactly like a handful of others. It’s the musical incarnate of globalization, much like what we’ve seen in groups like Crystal Fighters or Animal Collective. In that same vein, pop is the main goal but the result is a glitchy composite that shimmers like a tinny, electronic orchestra. Even with the lack of a succinct voice, the result is still stimulating. What separates songwriter K. Ishibashi from the aforementioned groups is that he seems to aim for twice as many genres. On “I Am The Antichrist To You” from his most recent full-length 151a, morose strings and angelic background vocals ebb along verse and chorus, while the subsequent “Beat The Bright Out Of Me” begins with a stomping dark-wood folk progression that drags the listener into a completely different forest of sound. He’s going big. He’s writing some sort of schizophrenic musical that also suffers

from multiple-personality disorder. As a previous collaborator with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and Of Montreal, he’s learned the syncopated bond between stadium pop and grand symphonic narrative. But he still emphasizes the new chamber aesthetic that comes with 21st century solo acts - one man on stage, with enough loops and electronics to build and catapult waves of layers in multiple directions. It’s a style that will continually become familiar due to how often it re-invents itself - audacious as Phil Spektor’s wall-ofsound technique that incorporated layered presence with melody to create an entirely new listening experience. Still, there’s a question to be answered. Does his music appear unique because of its lack of voice or because it distractedly overwhelms with its patched, stylistically quilted mix of genres? Music is often seen as moving when it is enjoyable but life-changing when it is timeless, and while Kishi Bashi plays with the esteem of someone who dreams of headlining Ohio’s Severance Hall, it seems like he could benefit from a retreat to an artistic place less in-tune with the current indie world around him. » - Jonathan Magdaleno

QUICK TRACKS A “BRIGHT ONES” One of the more rhythmic songs on the album. In fact, it’s one of the few songs on the album that puts drums at the forefront. Andrew Bird-esque vocals, dry acoustic guitars, hand claps, tambourine, et cetera et cetera all the way to the indie festival dossier. This one hops the globe a bit.

B “IT ALL BEGAN WITH A BURST” Catchy but incredibly, incredibly similar to the likes of Passion Pit and Animal Collective. The vocals and watered textures all nod towards the era of Noah Lennox. But like I suggested earlier, you don’t really care that much because of how stunningly active the production is. The bass line eventually brings it into a new rhythmic light.

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reviews

NEW MUSIC This Month’s best R Reissue

L Local release

L Menomena

Short List The Fresh & Onlys Long Slow Dance Grizzly Bear Shields Calexico Algiers Pet Shop Boys Elysium The Helio Sequence Negotiations The XX Coexist Band of Horses Mirage Rock Corin Tucker Band Kill My Blues Cat Power Sun The Killers Battle Born The Sea and Cake Runner

Buy it

Steal it

Moms Barsuk Records

Menomena are back. In 2011, Brent Knopf announced he was leaving the band in order to work on his project, Ramona Falls. It seemed that the Portland trio had to be over but, Justin Harris announced the band would continue to make music. While there was no replacing Knopf in the eyes of the two remaining members, the rebuilt Menomena wasted no time getting back to the studio to release their

Toss it

Deerhoof Breakup Song Polyvinyl Records

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Big beats have never been a problem for Deerhoof. Big, spasming, eclectic beats are found on just about every song of every album they’ve put out – they are not searching for their own distinct sound. Breakup Song is the latest in a long line of absolutely unique albums. The opening track, “Breakup Songs,” is loosely about it being “all

fifth album, Moms. In a word, Moms is different. It still has the intrinsic Menomema flare, the waves of guitar, whose influx gives way to arpeggiated piano and over again it goes. However, you can sense the lack of Knopf in the record. What makes Menomena is the collaboration and trade of instruments, and one less member is one less mirror for the music to reflect in. “Pique” calls upon the best of the duo, starting slow with poignant lyrics painting the picture of a love split in half by time and the dark side of the healing process. Is it about a girl or Knopf’s departure? What follows is “Baton,” the uplifting calm after the storm whose background vocal samples and a swirling sound that I just can’t place to any instrument are nothing short of captivating. The show must go on. The two remaining members continue to explore new territory. Who needs a third comrade when you have as many loop pedals as our local favorites? » - Gabriel Granach over,” but it goes so many different directions – altered beats, a slightlyrobotic sounding vocal hook that comes in and out – that it also serves as the album’s hint at the flavor of things to come. I’ve always thought Deerhoof is at its best when it makes those fat, rolling beats the focal point of the song; that is, allowing the repetitive and always-catchy rhythms to keep the song moving. And when Deerhoof finally hits that groove with “Flower,” the funky middle song of the album, it feels like the addition of another flavor, rather than a departure from the previous all-over-the-place tracks. Don’t get me wrong; this is Deerhoof. You know what you’re going to get, in a good way. The nature of the electronic noise-band beast is always the potential for an uneven album, and although Breakup Song is indeed a bit uneven, it’s safe to say it’s another successful addition to the eclectic Deerhoof canon. » - Charles Trowbridge

reviews

Animal Collective Centipede HZ Domino Records Is Animal Collective too smart for our own good? After judging Centipede Hz, the first album since 2009’s revolutionary Merriweather Post Pavilion, they definitely prove to be. The dedication to avoiding repetition is a struggle, but it’s also the blessing. Their gloriously high level of self-awareness and

David Byrne & St. Vincent Love This Giant 4AD/Todo Mundo A panoply of horns and up-tempo drum beats dominantly define Love This Giant, the new album from Talking Head’s David Byrne and Annie Erin Clark, better known as St. Vincent. An enjoyable listen, yet ultimately uninspiring, the tracks alternate between Byrne

tenacity brings you something truly distinctive on each album and should be appreciated, even if you don’t like it. An objective attitude is key to deciphering this audible artwork. If you listen to the new album expecting anything like Merriweather, you’re going to have a bad time. Written to be played live and with Deakin back on guitar and Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) back on drums, the album is like a wonky eye-never looking in the same direction for too long. The creative process for Centipede Hz began with a seventeen track mix made by Brian Weitz (Geologist) at the request of producer Ben Allen (who worked on MPP). Pulling aspects they liked from these songs helped guide the almost hourlong album into a frenetic, obscure and at times, seemingly impossible piece of work. Like the rolling hills that surround us, the album is up and down: progressive but hindered by

and Clark taking lead vocals over the dozen songs, similar, but less impressive, than the wonderful Thao & Mirah collaboration of 2011. The St. Vincent numbers on Love This Giant are a bit lusher than Byrne’s, whose songs are solid, but sound relatively the same. Byrne’s influence seems to encapsulate the entire work, unfortunately for the worse; making the case that a St. Vincent solo album merely produced by Byrne, instead of being an equal collaborator, could have had more originality. Highlights on the album appear back-to-back and include the most ethereal of the songs, “The Forest Awakes,” which still features punctuating trumpets, and “I Should Watch TV,” which finds Byrne doing what he does best — turning personal slice-of-life moments where he’s reflecting on culture into crafty pop tunes.

scars of reality. Add David Portner’s (Avey Tare) vocals into the mess of noise and out comes songs like “Applesauce” and “Mercury Man.” If you don’t say something along the lines of “What just happened?” after your first listen, you’re doing it wrong. » - Kelly Kovl

Catch Animal Collective live in Portland this month Sept. 20 @ Crystal Ballroom The biggest downfall of the release isn’t that any one song is overtly bad, but that none are standout examples of what two fantastic musicians should be able to accomplish. There’s no Bowie/Queen “Under Pressure” movement that justifies the amount of work that no doubt went into a very polished sounding effort. Overall, Love This Giant is a fine record that should be seen exactly for what it is: a legendary musician giving nod to a younger artist, who readily agrees, despite the project being a monetary diversion on the road to further critical acclaim. Nonetheless, any live show with two such exceptional creators is bound to be a treat. So, if you’ve got the money, catching them in-person is likely a better value than listening at home. » - Aaron Colter

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live Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com

SEPTEMBER crystal ballroom

5-6 7 8 12 13 20 22 25 28 30

2 5 6 7 8 16 22 25 30

Doug fir

830 e burnside

mississippi studios 3939 n mississippi

The We Shared Milk | Charts | Talkative | Old Age

Mindy Smith Colleen Green | Plateaus | Still Caves The Pynnacles | Paradise

Finn Riggins | Body Parts | The Shivas | Hustle&Drone

The Lighthouse & the Whaler | The Lower 48

5 6 7 8 20 27 28

8 nw 6th

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 25 27 28 29 30

Roseland Theater

3 5 6 7 8 11 13 15 16 19 20 21 26 30

1332 w burnside

Passion Pit The Helio Sequence | Unknown Mortal Orch. The Tallest Man on Earth Dwight Yoakam Hot Chip | YACHT Animal Collective Matisyahu | Dirty Heads | Pacific Dub Chevelle Joss Stone Citizen Cope

wonder ballroom 128 ne russell

Flying Lotus | Nosaj Thing A-TRAK | The Hood Internet | BAAUER The Hives | Fidlar Father John Misty Kimbra Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra

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live

SEPTEMBER holocene

1001 se morrison

rontoms

600 e burnside

12 19 20 21 22 28

Marmoset Showcase (14 Bands) 9

bunk bar

1028 se water

dantes

330 w burnside

6 7 8 11 14 15 17 18 27

6 7 8 Steel Horse 14 Zepparella 21 Local H | Ambassadors 28

kelly’s olympian 426 sw washington

Eye Candy VJ’s (every Monday)

AAN | Kithkin | Tartufi | Exploring the Depths

The Embalming Process U Sco | Stupid Man Suit | Electro Kraken The Bird Day NW Hip Hop Festival

eastburn

1800 e burnside

1 2 4 6 7 8 13 14 16 21 22 23 27 28 29

Cascadia Soul Alliance | Andrews Ave 7 Beer Belly Dinner w/Firestone Walker | Stefan Andrews

Closely Watched Trains 14 Boy and Bean 20 De La Warr 29

THE KNOW

2026 NE ALBERTA

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live SEPTEMBER the know

12 2026 ne alberta

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

(continued from page 10)

Divers | Something Fierce | Chemicals

PREVIEWS COOL NUTZ - Photo by Upheaval Design

A Happy Death | Sunfighter | Magnetic Health Factory

Be forewarned: you’re getting inundated with music festivities this month. As if MFNW wasn’t enough, we encourage you to check out the Northwest Hip Hop Music Fest, too. The three-day rapalong will feature artists including the legendary Cool Nutz, Mike Ehart, the steady-spoken emcee behind Kimosabe, and Serge Severe, an energetic emcee who should perform in front of jumpy underground hip hop heads at all times. So, in between your drunken cab rides from Doug Fir to the Roseland, stop by Ash Street or Kelly’s and give an ear to the other festival going down this week. (nice.) » - Nikki Volpicelli

street social club 13 ella 714 sw 20th place 5 8 9 12 14 20 21 26 28 29

Anna & The Underbelly | Jackalope Saints

backspace 14 115 nw 5th 4 6 7 8 11 13 14 15 18 22 24 26

De La Warr | Ruby Pines | Geoff Baker | Sam Cooper

15 836 n russell

Father Figure (every Monday in Sept.)

slabtown 16 1033 nw 16th 3 4 8 9 14 15 16 20 27 28

Steelhymen Highway Poets | Tater and Craig Akabane Vulgars DvOd | Finn Doxie Nude Beach | Divers Felecia and the Dinosaur

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2. XDS

3. BISON BISON

SEPTEMBER 11 | WHITE EAGLE

SEPTEMBER 14 | THE KNOW

WITH

THE STONE FOXES

On their official website, Portlandbased duo XDS (formerly known as Experimental Dental School) throw down the following adjectives to describe their

Ash Borer | Menace Ruine | L’Acephale | Druden sound: “casio-acid,” “psych-pop” and “no-

white eagle

1. NW HIP HOP FEST 2

SEPTEMBER 6,8 | ASH STREET SEPTEMBER 7 | KELLY’S OLYMPIAN

mind.” Vocalist and DIY hero Jesse Hall

added a bass string and a separate pickup to his guitar, maximizing the amount of noise capable of a two-piece. Catching these fun-loving and quirky noisemakers live is the opposite of a bad time, and the band has toured with the likes of Deerhoof, Spoon and The Shins. » - Jeff VanVickle

WITH

CRAG DWELLER, FELLWOODS

Little can be said about this trio’s online presence, nor will you hear them on the folk-pop heavy indie stations. Certainly for some, the majority of modern acts have left many souls aligned to rock ‘n’ roll feeling docile and foolish like a bunny lost in a magician’s hat. Tricked by gimmicks. Fuck that. Bunnies belong in petting zoos and on the side of Nevada highways, not in music venues. At this venue with this band, jam rock lives. No bunnies should be provided entry. » - Billy Dye

5. SONDRE LERCHE WITH

4. FLOBOTS WITH

ASTRANAUTALIS, FORREST DAY

FANCY COLORS

SEPTEMBER 19 | DOUG FIR

SEPTEMBER 16 | HAWTHORNE THEATRE You remember that “Handlebars” song that took over in 2008? That was Flobots. The Denver group’s following is hooked on its angst-ridden prog-hop style. The group (there’s seven of them) speaks to youngsters with catchy, anti-estab stabs. Rage meets Sage Francis comes to mind, through each album Flobots releases, from 2005’s Platypus EP to this year’s The Circle In The Square. It says something for a group to maintain consistency for almost a decade; (comma splice) it says if you loved them in the beginning you will love them 4eva, and if didn’t you won’t. » - Nikki Volpicelli

Nothing short of a sensation in his native Norway, singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche has transformed over the past 10 years from a 20-year-old indie prodigy singing hummable pop ditties into an inventive lyricist and genre-bender. His inspirations range from the obvious (The Beatles) to the eccentric (‘80s pop legends A-ha), and Lerche’s smooth, jazzy voice ties it all together. Pushing himself to explore new styles with each record, the singer’s self-titled 2011 release stands as his most intricate collection to date. » - Jeff VanVickle

live

PREVIEWS 6. M WARD

7. THE RAVEONETTES

WITH

MIKE COYKENDALL

SEPTEMBER 20 | ALADDIN THEATER Residents of Portland, Ore., should

MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER

SEPTEMBER 21 | HAWTHORNE THEATRE I wish I had been alive in the 1950s, a

know of M. Ward by now. Typically I hate

decade where belts loosened, skirts got

statements like that, but he’s as Portland as

shorter, and rock really started kicking

he is prolific. A soft-voiced, folk-oriented

ass. Fortunately for all, The Raveonettes

troubadour who writes as if unable to do

feel the same way. The Danish duo create

SEPTEMBER mt. tabor theater 4811 se hawthorne

Sean Gaskell | Njuzu Mbira Rewind Brothers Gow White Water Ramble | Twisted Whistle 80s Prom Melvin Seals | Cats Under the Stars Elton Jah Dark Alice Ball

hawthorne theatre 1507 SE 39th

6 8 13 14 15 21 28 29

Against Me | Andrew Jackson Jihad | Joyce Manor 5 Lightning Bolt | QUASI | White Fang 6

anything else, Ward’s candidness is as

an aesthetic that calls upon the melodies

charming as the black and white video for

of Dick Dale and The Velvet Underground

“Hold Time” that solely features the OHSU

dressed up with modern drive and terribly

aerial tram in Southwest Portland. Long-

dark yet somehow deeply romantic lyrical

time collaborator Mike Coykendall extends

this line-up into the organic, backwood terrains of folk that the Pacific Northwest perennially adores. » - Jonathan Magdaleno

8. HE’S MY BROTHER, SHE’S MY SISTER WITH

SHAKY GRAVES

SEPTEMBER 27 | BUNK BAR The quality of sound resonating from L.A.’s ‘flamboyant folk’ group He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister is off the chain for this five person act. Adorable brother and sister, Rob and Rachel Kolar, have vocals like warm milk and honey. Lauren Brown is their own personal tap dancer and likes to stand on things whilst playing her drums. Aaron Robinson’s lap slide playing and Oliver Newell’s upright bass complete this vaudeville circus. Their energy flows off the stage, envelopes you and eventually coerces you into dancing. They’re high on life, and their show will bring you right up there with them. » - Kelly Kovl

10. TENDER LOVING EMPIRE’S 5TH BIRTHDAY PARTY FINN RIGGINS, BODY PARTS, THE SHIVAS, HUSTLE & DRONE WITH

SEPTEMBER 29 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS Happy birthday! For these jolly good fellows and ladies deserve to celebrate with you. Yes, you! As a reader of our magazine, you would have undoubtedly reaped the benefits of living in such a wonderfully unique city as ours, i.e. you’ve experienced great music, you’ve experienced great art, you’ve experienced great people successful in working towards their dreams and ideas, etc. Coming from the humble beginnings of a shoebox, TLE has grown into a multifaceted staple of Portland as a music label (music), retail consignment (vintage), and screen printing studio (art). In five years they have acted as a conduit to evolve our city into something to be truly proud. So, let us eat cake, too. » - Billy Dye

9. AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA

SEPTEMBER 28 | WONDER BALLROOM If you’re familiar with the Dresden Dolls, chances are, you’re familiar with Amanda Fucking Palmer. From everyone’s favorite “dark cabaret” band, Palmer has moved on to her own solo projects. The Dolls’ influence is apparent, but Palmer now has the leeway to take things in her own direction. She’s always had her own style -intentionally odd, but never trying too hard -- and now that her songwriting skills are on full display she tends to rely more on lyrics and crafted construction than before. » - Charles Trowbridge

11. BEACH HOUSE

SEPTEMBER 30 | ROSELAND THEATER In the midst of a seemingly never-

ending tour, the Baltimore dream-pop duo swings back to the States for a month of shows in support of their fourth studio album, Bloom, before heading back across the pond. Featuring the ethereal melodic vocals of Victoria Legrand along with the perfectly complementary guitar and keys by Alex Scally, it’s a match made in dreampop heaven. Enchanting melancholic lyrics paired with hazy keys and slide guitar, Beach House falls on your ears just as easy live as they do on their recordings. » - Wendy Worzalla

Melvins Lite | Big Business | Federation X | Old Man Gloom

plan b

1305 se 8th

aladdin theater 3017 se milwaukie

1 2 3 10 19 26

Trampled by Turtles | These United States 6-7 Typhoon | Holcombe Waller | And And And 8 Al Stewart | Dave Nachmanoff 9 Pat Metheny Unity Band 11 The Be Good Tanyas 14-15 M Ward | Mike Coykendall 20 Portland Cello Project 22 Willy Porter 28 George Thorogood & the Destroyers 29 Patrick Wolf | Woodpigeon 30

east end

203 se grand

Chemicals | The Hookers | Country Trash 1

The Goodfoot 2845 se stark

1 2 5 6 7 8 2 13 14 15 19 20 21 22 28 29

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live SEPTEMBER jimmy mak’s

23 205 nw 4th

4 7 8 10 11 15 20 21 22 28 29

The Joey DeFrancesco Trio Intervision | Damian Erskine Trio Soul Vaccination The Dan Balmer Band The Mel Brown Quartet Michael Allen Harrison Jacqui Naylor The Mike Phillips Project Soulmates Martin Zarzar | Toque Libre The Bobby Torres Ensemble

MINI FEATURE Musicfest NW Preview

As the summer festival circuit draws to a close, Portlandians (and tourists too!) celebrate the oncoming rain with the ever-popular Musicfest NW. This time around, the festivities take the best of the old standard and loop in some new concepts — speaking not only in regards to the choices of bands and venues, but also to the breadth of the event itself. New this year is the Portland Digital eXperience, a tech-conference featuring an array of ingenious speakers from organizations and startups, large (Spotify, Tumblr) and small. star theater According to Rick Turoczy, the mastermind behind “PDX” [for short — which we are told 13 nw 6th 6 The Men | Mean Jeans | The Peoples Temple won’t ever confuse anyone], the event stands to turn the first week of September into a “true 7 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart creative festival atmosphere,” that blurs the lines of the tech world and the music world. It’s 8 Hazel | DirtClodFight | Sno bud | Pete Krebs not that we’re trying to mimic SXSW, it’s just that tech conferences are really cool. No, really. 14 Worth In seriousness, there will be a ton of interesting panels for all of you creatives. 20 Orgone | Manimalhouse 27-28 Patterson Hood & the Downtown Ramblers Ok, ok, so now that you’re going to have a few more things to cram into your already insane schedule, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind some friendly advice on how to navigate ash street saloon Portland like a baw$e [read: professional] during MFNW. Firstly, don’t plan on making it to 225 sw ash all 150 official bands at 16 official venues. The best way that ELEVEN has found to enjoy the Open Mic Night (every Monday) 1 Faithless Saints | Second Best | Stuck on Nothing festival is to shed your expectations, pick one or two “Must-see shows” each night, and sort-of 2 The Small Arms | Horse Bodies | Bumpin Nasties duck in’n’out of the other venues nearby. Of course, it’s much easier to do this downtown, 4 The Orchestrion | Animal R&R where the venues are a little more centrally located. 5 Random Axe | Stepper | Fred Ped 6,8 NW Hip Hop Festival In case you don’t have your own mandatory show-listing, check the opposite page for 7 Pierced Arrows | Paradise | The Lovesores a few of our favorite NON-local and NON-headling bands — we’re assuming that you are 11 Lighter Than Dark | Leafeater already planning to see all of those ones! » 12 Sleepy Creek | Country Trash 14 The Vibrators | Boats! | Blue Skies for Black Hearts - Ryan Dornfeld 15 Rum Rebellion | Pirate Radio | Manoverboard 16 Kongos 17 Faitheless Saints | News from the Front Photo by Ryan Dornfeld 18 Right Hand of Doom | Owl Howl 21 Riverpool | The Hunt | December in Red 22 Chloraform | Tinzen | Supervisor 23 Communist Fire Drill | Invivo 26 Better Beings | CC Swim | Fang Moon 27 Gnosis | Better Days 29 Rex Sole | Stone the Murder | Simple Tricks & Nonsense 30 LeMay

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Omar Souleyman | Sun Angle | Stay Calm | Copy

Future Islands | Fort Lean | Battleme

Big Freedia | Serious Business | Don’t Talk to the Cops

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features

ELEVEN’s Top Eleven Shows of MFNW 1. DINOSAUR JR. / SEBADOH / J MASCIS

9/8 @ ROSELAND THEATER

J Mascis is a shoo-in for the rock’n’roll hall-of-fame. This is the uber-rare opportunity to see all three Dino Jr. low-fi shred projects at one time.

2. THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART 9/7 @ STAR THEATER Indiepop sensebilities give way to incredibly catchy tunes from the NY group. One of the most buzzworthy, yet still under-the-radar acts around. ELEVEN will be sponsoring this showcase.

3. A-TRAK

Producer, label-maker, DJ. Dude has mad talent. He used to be Kanye’s touring DJ — come on! 9/6 @ DANTE’S

There is no way to describe the sheer madness that is a KK performance. Minds will be blown.

5. THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH

9/8 @ CRYSTAL BALLROOM

Swedish songbird Kristian Matsson magically channels the best years of Bob Dylan.

6. FLYING LOTUS

9/6 @ WONDER BALLROOM

From jazz, hip-hop and experimental electronic roots comes a delightful musical smorgasbord.

7. POKEY LaFARGE & THE SOUTH CITY THREE

9/6 @ MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS

Pokey could be equated as the Sallie Ford of St. Louis; an incredibly talented revivalist of early jazz, string rag and blues bred from the Mississippi River.

8. PURITY RING

9/6 @ TED’S BERBATIS

DIY electronic pop duo from Canada eminating ethereal dream jams.

9. KISHI BASHI

9/8 @ DOUG FIR LOUNGE

Beautiful folk-pop orchestrations somewhere between classical eastern music and Bon Iver.

10. THE HIVES 9/8 @ WONDER BALLROOM Super high-energy, maximum overdrive rock with refined showmanship.

11. SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS

317 nw broadway

The Choices | Mosby | Ben Union 7 Alabama Black Snake 8 Nemesis | Bloodoath | On Enemy Soil 15

The Glory Stompers | Experience Jimi Hendrix 21 Royal Bliss 28 Unchained | Sweet Emotion 29

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jam on hawthorne 2239 se hawthorne

9/7 @ WONDER BALLROOM

4. KING KHAN & THE SHRINES

SEPTEMBER tiger bar

9/9 @ PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE

Post-rock influenced duo that loves to layer that ambient, synthesized groove beat.

the waypost 2120 n williams

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Classical Revolution 2 Felix Hatfield | Jacob Arnold | Mikah Sykes 8

berbatis

221 sw ankeny

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Photo by Mercy McNab

WRITTEN BY GABRIEL GRANACH

NURSES never expected to be a band, make a record, or ever

have their music heard. When John Bowers and Aaron Chapman met in the ninth grade, it was their love of music and necessity for recreation that brought them together. After high school the pair spent much time as nomads, moving to Chicago and Southern California before eventually moving to Portland and connecting with observant and soft-spoken drummer James Mitchell. Now Nurses sit on the other side of two full-length albums, countless tours and if you ask the band how it’s all unfolded, they are likely to shrug their shoulders and smile. Nurses are devoid of preconceived notions about their music and what they create and have found a way to tap into spontaneity that allows for creative overflow and keeps their music fresh. Inspiration, to them, is not about an aesthetic but an overarching feeling and meaning. It’s undeniable that music sounds better when you feel it and Nurses compose from this essence. On a beautiful summer night we sat outside of Jam on Hawthorne, watching the sunset behind the cityscape and west hills and one of the most inspiring tales of passion and love for music unfolded in front of me.

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11: First I’d like to hear about the forming of Nurses and the Idaho days. Aaron Chapman: Oh man, John and I have known each other since the ninth grade and we’ve been playing music since nineteen hundred and ninety nine, the year of our lord, nineteen hundred and ninety nine. We’re from Idaho Falls, and there is nothing resembling a scene in Idaho Falls. I didn’t know who Built to Spill was growing up because the internet was 4k, like spend all day downloading a song– there really wasn’t much internet, you know what I mean? 11: How did the lack of a scene or outside influence affect your music? AC: Yeah, it’s just like a bubble. You’re not trying to accomplish anything or be part of a scene, so you just make the music you want to make. Mostly playing in the basement. We would practice every day, but we didn’t play many shows, we just played music all the time. We would play at a laser tag place or at someone’s giant backyard on bales of hay. They would throw beer at us and tell us to play Pantera. Nobody liked what we were doing and I don’t even know what we were doing then.

McNab

features national scene John Bowers: We were just kids making music in the basement. 11: How did you (Aaron and John) meet? AC: I was playing music with a few friends and one of those friends brought John over and was like, “We really need a second guitarist.” It’s one of those things that’s so simple, you don’t know anybody and a friend comes over. JB: There are like fifteen people in town that like the same kind of stuff. Or that play guitar, I don’t know. 11: So you moved to Portland 2009? AC: 2008? I would say 2008. 11: So that’s nine years in Idaho Falls playing together? AC: No, we graduated in ’02 or whatever, and then we moved away. I went to college for a semester then moved to San Diego and John moved to San Diego. Not proper but rural north county. Which, funny enough, that’s where James lived. John and I lived less than a mile away from James maybe but we didn’t know each other. We didn’t really hang out with anybody. Then we went to Chicago and then we came here. James we knew through a friend of a friend, and we had met really briefly. James actually put us up. John and I crashed on his couch when we moved here. James played drums and we started playing together, started playing shows together, and it just kind of happened. 11: So it’s all been really spontaneous for you guys. Would you say the move to Portland was necessary for you to grow as a band? Was it something you planned as a band or something that just happened out of your personal lives? JB: We lived in Chicago for a summer in our van, actually. After that we were in the transient state of mind and randomly decided on Portland on a whim. We didn’t really know what we were doing. AC: We didn’t know where we were gonna live; we didn’t know anything about Portland. JB: It wasn’t like, “Let’s go to Portland and be a band.” AC: Yeah, it wasn’t like, “This is the path to success.” I liked Portland when we were there for a minute. It was just intuition, I guess. And then we got here and we’re like, “Who do we know?” Then we got a hold of James. We seriously had met James once. So Aaron and I were on holiday visiting our parents in Idaho, and we got snowed in, and we bought this piano. We had already decided to move to Portland but we got snowed in and we’re like, “Shit, this piano is arriving and we’re not going to be there.” So I emailed James and said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but can you pick up our piano?” And James was like, “Sure no problem.” So he had this electric piano in his basement for a month, and that’s kind of how we ended up hanging out. He offered us a place to stay, and we’d been writing songs and recording when a show came up, and we said, “James do you know anyone who plays drums?” and he said, “Oh, you know I play drums, right?” and then we started playing. It seems like all kind of an accident, but it makes sense in retrospect.

“we ended up creating kind of our own universe that we operated in all the time.” 11: How much did the writing process change with the introduction of James? JB: It’s one more person’s opinion. For a while Aaron and I continued to write songs and make a record. AC: We were half way through Apple’s Acre so we completed that, and during that time we were writing stuff with James. So, once we

were done with Apple’s Acre it was the three of us writing together. 11: Let’s talk about Apple’s Acre a little bit. It’s such a whimsical record, and that seems to be your M.O. What was the theme for the record, and what was the writing process? AC: Man, that’s a big question. There’s so much story that it’s kind of hard. It was like Idaho, California, Chicago, Portland. While John and I were in California we’d do what we call “Oil Jams” where we make these improv tapes. You know, hit record and play. We wrote a lot of folk songs which later became most of what Apple’s Acre was. I’m kind of losing my train of thought, I don’t know (laughs). JB: We didn’t have a lot of friends in California. Kind of by choice, kind of by accident. Making music was just something we did regularly, so it was just naturally what we did, and we ended up creating kind of our own universe that we operated in all the time. AC: Whenever people talk about Apple’s Acre it’s always the whimsy or it’s goofy or magical or whatever. But it was a lot of heavy times that influenced it. To us that was the underlying nature. I don’t know if it’s that you want to escape from the heaviness and make something that’s light or bright, or maybe that’s when you write songs, when you’re feeling groovy, not when you’re feeling bummed or heavy. We went through a lot of heavy stuff, and it was a pretty personal thing. We weren’t trying to shoot for a certain aesthetic or style of music; it was just what we felt. 11: Was it as much an experiment as anything? There was a lot of vocal experimentation that I didn’t quite find in Dracula. JB: The process of recording was different, I think. A lot of the vocal tracks on Apple’s Acre are first takes actually. AC: Just like singing the main song and then I’ll do a harmony. It was pretty spontaneous and improvisational, and then sing another thing that’s improvisational. It wasn’t over-thought, we just did, did, did. We didn’t censor ourselves or over-think any of it; we just went for it. JB: With Dracula I wouldn’t say that we over-thought anything, but we had more solid opinions about what we wanted, and so we were able to shoot for that. AC: I feel like Apple’s Acre was like if you had a bunch of wood and you’re screwing and bolting that wood together, and it becomes a sculpture, where Dracula was, “Let’s make a house. Something you can live in and function in.” I don’t want to say Apple’s Acre was an accident because I don’t want to say it just happened or anything. JB: We did record half of it without ever knowing it would be heard. We were snowed in, in Idaho and found out a Macbook had a microphone you could record with into garage band, and so it’s kind of just experimenting with the ideas we had came up with over the last year. 11: How did the connection with Dead Oceans come about? When did you realize [Apple’s Acre] was something to shop around? AC: They kind of found us, actually. We didn’t send it to anyone. To us, we were just recording songs we’d had around for a while, and they came to our show in Indiana, and it just felt really serendipitous. Our friend had said to us, “There’s this label called Dead Oceans, and I feel like you guys would work really well with them.” And I think it was the next day, they are at our show. We burned a CD-R and gave it to them, and a little bit later they signed us. 11: Let’s get into Dracula, then. For me it was a significant leap from Apple’s Acre. It’s definitely a tighter effort album. You touched a bit on there being more of a plan behind this record; can you tell me more about that?

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features national scene AC: Well we knew we were making a record. The idea was to make a record not just to mess around or whatever. It was more intentional. We rented a cabin on the coast for a month and all we did was record. The songs weren’t all finished -- it was a lot of experimentation -- but we knew we wanted to make a record. JB: I think cabin idea runs in the human race. There are hundreds of thousands of people who would like the opportunity to get out of daily life and have the chance to focus. AC: It’s tough to not get caught up in anything and everything here: friends, barbecues, parks. You’re either escaping the rain or it’s not raining so you’re celebrating. There’s always something going on. I feel like time can just pass you by. Before you know it, months have passed. We thought it would be cool to set aside a chunk of time and only do that. It’s not like it’s a huge crazy city, but there is always something going on. 11: How did the process unfold in the cabin? I heard you only allowed yourselves one album to listen to. Is that true? AC: We didn’t really have a strict rule. People always ask us what are your influences or what influences our music, and I think we just have a different idea of influence than some other people.

“It’s the intangible thing that art does to you.” 11: What is your idea of influence then? AC: I think everything influences you. I think this, right now, influences us. I think that your surroundings, your friends, TV, internet, Facebook, If you listen to hot cheetos and talkies its going to influence you. If you listen to the “Dougie” song it’s going to influence your beats. We don’t intentionally say there is this band, and I like their beat structure or song structure, so let’s try and do that. We don’t think of influence like that; we are influenced like anybody is. JB: I think something that influences us all more than the aesthetic or obvious sound is the spirit of a sound or situation, or the spirit of an athlete. It’s more contextual than anything. If we are excited about something it’s going to be a direct influence. If it’s a nice day and we are all excited about the day, that will reflect in what we are going to create that day. If we are sad or if somebody made us excited by something made. Style in general more than just music. 11: We haven’t heard much from James, what were you doing while these guys were off in Idaho playing together? How did you develop as a musician? James Mitchell: I skateboarded most of the time and played music with a couple of buddies growing up. That was pretty much it. Played shows, got weird, got high and recorded songs until four in the morning. We built a studio and went at it for years and years recording together. 11: Did you bring your studio here? Is that what Nurses use now? JM: No. AC: We have a non–studio. JM: We don’t have anything remotely close to a studio. AC: We use GarageBand and the internal mic, know what I mean? JM: Dracula was two or three mics. Apple’s Acre was the internal mic of our Macbook only. 11: That’s incredible. JB: We used the internal mic on Dracula, too, but others as well. JM: Here’s one thing I do have to say about your last question,

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though. I feel like people hear a sound and then they make music because of a sound. Then the songs become secondary. You can’t see the forest from the trees, but I feel like whenever we do anything it’s because a sound is cool or there is a thing that makes you feel good, a thing you want to turn into a song. But the song comes later, the aesthetic comes secondary. People usually hear music as an aesthetic rather than the spirit of the song. JB: You probably heard that we only listened to a Prince record. We were really into this one Prince record, Prince in general, but this one in particular, Around the World in a Day. It made us stoked, basically. A lot of what made us stoked was the spirit of it and not necessarily, “Oh cool I bet he’s using a Roland 909. We gotta use a Roland 909.” We weren’t trying to remake an 80’s pop record. It was more like we were hearing a tiger roar, and that roar made us go, “YES LETS MAKE A RECORD.” You hear the tiger roar and you get goosebumps and you go, “OK I’m filled with something, I don’t know what it is.” That’s what we channel. A good short story will do it; a really good pass in basketball will do it. When there are things that resonate with you, you don’t try and remake that. You try and create your own version of that feeling. It’s the intangible thing that art does to you. It communicates a spirit, whatever, you try and embody whatever you’re feeling. If something can give you a strong feeling, you can put that feeling into another work of art. JM: If you remember the aesthetic and not the feeling, you’re missing the point. JB: I’m sure there is a link somewhere, though. 11: Was music prevalent in your houses growing up? JB: The reason I play music is because my dad played music. So that and his record collection is what I was raised on. AC: My mom was a piano teacher, and so I had to play growing up. Every morning before school at 5 a.m., and it was such a chore at the time, but I’m obviously glad now. JB: It’s also funny cause I grew up hearing rock ‘n’ roll only. No hip hop, no funk. I had to sneak to listen to hip hop. I had Doggystyle on a tape, and I’d sneak out to listen to it. Or my friend would say, “Wu Tang Clan is cool,” and we’d listen to it in a basement. When I first started talking to James, he said, “I really didn’t hear rock ‘n’ roll until I was 14.” We had the opposite experiences growing up. 11: So your sauces mixed and you made some goulash? JB: Yeah, we have a really good dish we’ve been working on. 11: If Nurses were a food what food would Nurses be? JB: I don’t know, but I’ve been getting really in to making Thai dishes lately at home. This doesn’t really reflect on the band, but I’ve been getting really good at making noodle dishes. Some variation of Pad See Ew mostly, over and over again, and I’m spawning my own iterations. Mostly vegan versions. I’m not vegan but it works out that way. JM: I was gonna say that peanut butter and jam swirled mix thing you get. Smuckers squeeze. On toast. JB: That’s a solid answer. 11: How has the Portland scene treated you guys? AC: Pretty welcoming. JB: I’ve never been part of a scene before. The concept of a scene didn’t really exist until we moved here. We’ve made a ton of friends that are really great people and great musicians. 11: Do you feel like you’ve found home? JB: You know, sure. I don’t live here right now. I live in Astoria.

features national scene But we live in a great city for people who like to be creative and share their ideas with each other. It’s an exciting time. 11: There is really a “do whatever the fuck you want” about Portland that makes it pretty great. JB: When we moved here in 2008 it was very different. It has changed quite a bit. I haven’t lived here day to day in a year but, whenever I’m back it feels different. When we got here we were playing two or three house shows a week for a while and that kind of thing. I felt like maybe we finally got to let loose as a band. 11: Now that we’re talking about live performance, how does Nurses decide who plays what live when every member plays various instruments in recording? AC: We sort of have more roles live than when creating and recording, I guess. I sing the most, James plays drums the most. Everyone does whatever fits the song. We all play keys or bass or guitar on the record. Live, I play guitar and sing. What do you guys think? JB: So far, we all have a lot of ideas, and we all make up a lot of melodies and rhythms that we all play and feed off of and can add to. It’s a progression, and live we end up doing what makes sense. Aaron is the best singer in our band and James is the best drummer in our band. Hands down. The live thing for us is pulling off a different version of what we all thought of together. AC: John ends up picking up a lot of the slack live, like triggering samples on his feet and fingers while playing bass and singing harmonies. 11: That’s quite the chore. JB: It’s a challenge for sure but it’s fun. I used to play guitar and piano a lot at the same time, but right now it’s a lot of samples and bass at the same time. It’s weird. 11: Since you guys don’t put much restriction on anything I’d like to know, what do you know for sure? JM: I would say nothing is permanent. JB: I’d like to say all I know is that I don’t know nothing. AC: IVY?! OPERATION IVY? That’s awesome! I don’t think I have an answer now. I can’t follow that. 11: If you guys had a voodoo doughnut what would it be? AC: Like design a new one? JB: Like some pistachio ice cream. It would be a sweet, savory blend. It might have multiple wings, shaped like a snowflake. You eat it in courses. Maybe you have some soft boiled eggs with pepper and salt on one wing and the next wing is a kimchi taco wing, and then you have really thick fudge and pistachio ice cream wing. 11: Do you have any palette cleansing wings? AC: That’s a different doughnut. JB: You might be able to connect them, though. 11: What’s next for Nurses? AC: There are a couple of shows but we play it by ear, I guess. Nothing much scheduled. JM: It’s a real clean slate. We are chillin’ out for now. AC: We toured a lot, and it’s really important to get some sanity breaks. We toured for six months straight. It feels good to hang out. JM: It’s like when there is tons of shit on a chalkboard and then someone erases it and you have the grey cloud leftover. And then someone starts to draw the first letter of the first word. That’s where we’re at. AC: It’s exciting to not know. There is no intention or agenda. We just do what feels right. It could be anything next, I guess. »

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film

WATCH ME NOW FILM EDITORIAL

NC-17: THE ALLURE OF THE LURID When Henry & June came out in 1990, a single shot was deemed too obscene for an R rating. The shot in question? A postcard featuring Hokusai’s iconic The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife: a woodcutting of a Japanese woman being orally serviced by an octopus. At the time, the only rating harder than an R was the self-applicable X, but after the 70’s the X went out of vogue in mainstream cinema, being reserved more frequently for pornography. With a film like Henry & June, which as erotic as it may be never crossed the boundaries of good taste, the MPAA had to figure out an alternative; thus, the NC-17 was born. Today, the decision to release Henry & June with an NC-17 seems almost like a joke, and in retrospect, many of the early titles to receive the rating would be deemed tame by 2012 standards. Few can question, however, that the rating certainly has its place, and in some cases can even add to a film’s allure. An NC-17 rating is a promise to the audience to expect something lurid—something so shocking that your kids aren’t even legally allowed to see it. In the past year, two films to be stamped with the rating pushed the boundaries of taste and decency: Killer Joe and A Serbian Film. The latter, a film of epically repugnant proportions, is the first film to ever have to censor itself to secure an NC-17—but what else would you expect from the only movie that will ever be fucked up enough to include “newborn porn” in the plot. Killer Joe, William Friedkin’s self-described “totally twisted deep-fried Texas redneck trailer park murder story” is one of the strongest films to bravely brandish the rating. Unlike the spiritually bankrupt A Serbian Film, Killer Joe is actually a lot of fun. The white trash antihero ensemble stumbles around making increasingly dim-witted decisions sealing their fates by the exploitation-heavy climax. Denied an R rating on appeal, Killer Joe distributor LD Entertainment opted to forge ahead with the NC-17, a rare move. In the past, few films have managed to appeal a rating down to an R without edits, some exceptions being Clerks, Saw II and Blue Valentine. Typically an NC-17 guarantees a limited theatrical release and compromises financial viability among other things. To date, the only film in the fraternity to receive an Oscar nomination was Henry & June. Steve McQueen’s 2011 sex addiction drama Shame was the most awarded NC-17 film of all time. The current record-holder for NC-17 titles is Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar, with five: Matador, Law of Desire, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Kika and Bad Education. Second place is a tie between trash god John Waters for Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble and A Dirty Shame and Italian master Bernardo Bertolucci for 1900, Last Tango in Paris and The Dreamers. These aren’t small names and it’s not uncommon for more influential directors to refuse to censor their work. Directors like Ang Lee, Todd Haynes, David Cronenberg and Gregg Araki have all released NC-17 work and as long as audiences never get too jaded, we can hope more will. » - Rob de la Teja

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film

UPCOMING FILM EVENTS

Instant Queue Review Back in the days when Blockbuster and Hollywood Video still existed, the chains

SLEEPWALK WITH ME

refused to stock NC-17 movies, leaving only two options for viewers: buy the movie or subscribe to Netflix. Today, plenty of NC-17 content can be streamed

BEGINS AUGUST 31 | CINEMA 21

Hatched from a true story told on NPR’s ‘This American Life,’ writer and director, Mike Birbiglia portrays himself during his angst ridden, twenty-somethings as a floundering comedian and sleepwalker. With the help of writer/ producer Ira Glass, and a supporting cast including indie darling Lauren Ambrose, and comics Wyatt Cenac and Chris Chantwell, the uncertain nature of love in your twenties is manifested through dry wit and humor in this film that is making its way across the independent circuit.

DANGEROUS DESIRES: FILM NOIR CLASSICS

SEPTEMBER 24-30 | WHITSELL AUDITORIUM

A delicious dozen of delicate, recherché 35mm gems preserved by restored by the Film Noir Foundation, the NWFC invites you to join them in an early autumn sortie into dark and sinister world of post-war Noir America. Come for quintessential Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake paramounts, The Blue Dahlia (1946), and The Glass Key (1942), and also enjoy rarer films representing the best of the seedy, the crooked, and the double-crossing. » - Bex Silver

that isn’t even available on DVD.

A DIRTY SHAME

(2004)

John Waters’ ode to fetishism follows Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman), a prude “neuter” whose concussion transforms her into a ruthless sex maniac. With the help of sexual messiah Ray Ray (Johnny Knoxville) will Sylvia be the one to discover a new sex act that’s never been performed before?

THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER

(1989)

Peter Greenaway’s visually sumptuous melodrama is undeniably operatic. When a restauranteur’s wife (Helen Mirren) begins a steamy affair with a patron, her brutish husband gets his twisted revenge. Just wait ‘til you see what gets served for dessert.

TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN!

(1990)

When Ricky (Antonio Banderas) gets released from the mental institution, the first thing he does is kidnap a junkie ex-porn star and tie her to her bed. Will he be able to get her to fall in love before someone finds out she’s missing?

MA MERE

(2005)

Christophe Honore’s uneven adaptation updates the Georges Bataille novel of the same name to modern-day France. After his father’s death, a young man (Louis Garrel) is introduced to a world of hedonism by his sexually tempestuous mother (Isabelle Huppert).

Delicious breakfast Locally roasted coffee Famous jam by the jar

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HOURS:

ja m

Get ready for an event unlike doors open at5pm anything Vancouver has seen since 1936!

Starts 9/14

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VISUAL ARTS Portland painter Ali Schlicting

Photo by Mercy McNab

Walking up the street, Ali Schlicting can be spotted in a lawn chair behind a garage

door elevated two feet above the ground. The Portland native’s studio resides in a framing warehouse in SE Portland. Inside, paintings are stacked like cairn stones, a life-size wooden mannequin asleep on its side in a shelf hanging from the ceiling, and walls decorated in the spirit of a Tim Burton flea market. She immediately offers me a beer and cigarette, and then we begin. 11: What was it like growing up surrounded by artists? AS: You know, it wasn’t as interesting as you might think. I thought of it just as my parents’ job. It was nice to always have art supplies around and play around with them. My dad has a gallery at the coast, so I kinda spent my summers there and my mom had her gallery downtown, so I grew up seeing the business end of things. And I wasn’t going to do art when I went to school, I was going to do fishery and wildlife -- trying to get away from the family business, but uhh, I went back [laughs]. They have been a lot of help. 11: Growing up being exposed to the business side of art isn’t something a lot of artists get heading into the field. Do you feel like it has given you an advantage? AS: Oh yes. It’s one things to be creative, make art and good paintings but it’s totally a different thing to be able to sell them and make a living as an artist. How to work with people. To treat art like your business. You really have to be able to do both if you want to make a living as an artist.

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11: How do you feel your work has evolved? AS: Well I’m definitely still working on it. I’m not sure which way I really want to go with it yet, but mostly it has been about getting comfortable and sitting down and just making a painting. That’s been the biggest change for me. 11: On your website I was noticing your more recent work uses characters a lot more; what’s going on there? AS: Yeah. I did a show at Goodfoot that was inspired by tarot cards. I used those cards’ symbols and images as archetypical launch pads for my characters. There are definitely more characters; I’m really interested in mythology. Primarily how symbolic and narrative art has come from mythology directly. It has a long tradition and is a good way to communicate visually, so I have been trying to play with that and use it in my own way. 11: Do you have a favorite painting of yours? AS: Right now it’s the “Hierophant.” Its one of those tarot paintings I was talking about. I think I sent it to you guys as one of the choices for your cover. I like that one because it has the character and mythological narrative to it but it also uses organic patterns – another thing I enjoy doing. For me, it’s best when I can combine those mythological narratives with organic patterns. This one is a good example of what I like to do. For me. 11: Is there a reason you only use board and acrylic for mediums? AS: Yes, actually. I am very messy and impatient. So, oil is a beautiful medium; it is very rich, very colorful, but it takes forever to dry. And also, the heavy metals in the oil soak into your skin and get into your blood stream, so that’s not good. You need ventilation to use it, and I’m just way too lazy for something like that. As for the board, I just got used to it. I like that it doesn’t give and creates some texture. Canvas drives me crazy. Board is wood! It’s grain! I feel like it adds so much more to the work. 11: What’s something you would want an observer to get out of your work? AS: Well I would always hope they find something in it that they connect with even if it’s something I completely didn’t intend them to get out of it. I think that’s the beauty of using more archetypical and symbolic images because they speak to everyone in a similar way, but also completely separate ways simultaneously. The connection is the main thing, especially if they were going to buy it. That’s very important, and I love talking to people when they like a piece because they always have way more profound things to say about it than I do [laughs], so I appreciate that a lot. Art is a lot about that communication between artist and viewer, back and forth. 11: Where do your origins in mythology come from? AS: Yay! I’ve always been interested in mythology and philosophy. But, I started reading Joseph Campbell, and that’s what started me on the looking past the immediate dogma of a religion or myth and really seeing the connection between all of them. It’s pretty amazing how similar they all are and how they really do serve a function in society even if it’s not literally to tell you what to do, but rather a metaphorical road map of what the world is like. That’s what I like about mythology. And the fact I grew up always loving art history; almost anything you know about any culture comes from their art. And it comes from art that comes from mythology. So, it all ties in, in a really interesting way to just what people are like and what they have been like for as long as there has been people. » - Billy Dye Ali has a gallery show on October 21 @ People’s Art of Portland along with Jason Brown and Chris Haberman. Please enjoy her piece titled “Empress” (acrylic on wood) on the following page. Find more from Ali at www.alexandraschlicting.com

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PDX PARAGONS Local bands on the radar

Photo by Sully Alataar

PALMAS

SEPTEMBER 6 | HOLOCENE

Joshua Fulfs has ethnowave on lock. It’s easy to tell after comparing his four main tracks posted out there in the universe and his springtime remix of Radiation City’s ”Find It Of Use.” His original content brings the Latin heat and African beats to a level as high as Q’s IQ. With an

GRANDPARENTS

SEPTEMBER 7 | DOUG FIR Grandparents are magical creatures - through their influences, dedication, and multi-instrumental talent they are memorable and not soon forgotten. Formed in 2009 while attending PSU, Grandparents have emerged as one of Portland’s bands to watch and keep watching. Figuratively speaking, they are the grandchildren of nuggets – The Velvet Underground, My Bloody

Valentine, and Brian Jonestown Massacre (to name a few), but have honed and crafted their experimental psychedelic and dreamy shoegaze sound through a sonic journey of countless nights under the Hawthorne Bridge. Named as one of 10 local acts music insiders think you should hear, this 5-piece unearths ancient melodies from the future. Each member contributes in a plethora of ways – Marc Christiansen, Allison Faris, Will Fenton, Ben Johnson, and Dylan White swap gear, vocal and songwriting duties. With several solid EPs filled with unique rhythms and vocals that will linger in your head for days on end, we eagerly await a full-length effort (cross your fingers for next year). Busy schedules and a summer full of shows make it challenging to squeeze in recording time, but we’ll soon be enjoying an EP by fall. » - Wendy Worzalla

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LOST LANDER

Ethnic Studies degree in hand and trips made to South America, Fulfs is now Palmas and tearing up your ears with his take on digital cumbia, which is straight out of Argentina. Luckily, the genre is new enough here that it’s not yet pretentious. Combining three types of music, which are all danceable on their own, creates a challenge to not overstimulate. His talent shines when you hear him slow things down at just the right time, bring you back down to Portland, make you ache for more and then start it back up again. Let’s say you’re a little tired of the EDM scene: Josh plays live with a few buddies and flits around Portland frequently enough to consider his show an option now. » - Kelly Kovl

Photo by Ben Moon

SEPTEMBER 18 | BUNK BAR

Lost Lander have come a long way (both musically and in the eye of the public) since I first saw them at 2011’s PDX Pop Now! Festival. It was strange they even got a slot that year considering how freshly existent they were. But first impressions never leave you, so it’s pointless to deny their sway. If I was ignorant of the songwriters when I first heard “Cold Feet” - the prominent single off of their debut album DRRT - I wouldn’t have guessed Lost Lander. I would have expected a band that had already done its time, circuited the nation for years, developed fluid connections with major music publications, and was building up to their first national

headlining tour. The song is damn good, and stands out distinctly from the rest of the album. But each time I listen to DRRT, I can’t get the PDX Pop Now! performance out of my head: a band member steps onto the vocal monitor and points his finger to the sky while a drum fill goes terribly wrong behind him. » - Jonathan Magdaleno

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NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE MONTH:

SE HAWTHORNE Location photos by Mercy McNab

43RD

35 TH PL

45 TH

SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. 1

44 TH

41ST

40 TH

39 TH

38 TH

37 TH

36TH

35TH AVE

34TH

33RD

32RD PL

32ND AVE

31ST

30TH

2. MOVIES, MCMENAMINS STYLE

1. FABULOUS RECORD STORE

Bagdad Theater - 3702 SE Hawthorne

3. OLD SCHOOL FRANKS

Nick’s Famous Coney Island - 3746 SE Hawthorne

BEST OF HAWTHORNE

Jackpot Records - 3574 SE Hawthorne

4. EL PATIO

Cha! Cha! Cha! - 3433 SE Hawthorne

5. MUSICIAN SURVIVAL SUPPLY

Showcase Music - 3401 SE Hawthorne

6. FOOD WITH A VIEW

Waffle Window - 3601 SE Hawthorne

7. NOT YOUR AVERAGE BIKE SHOP

Joe Bike - 3953 SE Hawthorne

8. VINTAGE FOR DAYS

House of Vintage -3315 SE Hawthorne

9. DIVINE DIVE BAR

Bar of the Gods - 4801 SE Hawthorne

10. BRUNCHY TIME

Bread & Ink Cafe - 3610 SE Hawthorne

11. GET THE PARTY HOPPIN

Hawthorne Hophouse - 4111 SE Hawthorne

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THE LOCAL BIZ EXTRACTO

At Extracto Coffeehouse & Roastery each coffee is carefully selected, craft-roasted in small batches, and brewed with love by friendly people who are crazy passionate about your cup of goodness. MAGIC CORNER | NE PORTLAND 2921 NE Killingsworth | 503.281.1764 1465 NE Prescott, Ste B | 503.284.1380 www.extractocoffeehouse.com

SOLID CABLES

The TLE shop houses handmade gifts from Portland’s thriving DIY scene. It is also the record label headquarters, a screen printing studio and art gallery—fostering TLE’s love of art and music through community exchange and good ol’ conversation.

DOWNTOWN 412 SW 10th Ave (97205) 503.243.5859 | tenderlovingempire.com

LOUNGE LIZARD

The new GT Cable from Solid Cables, available at Pro Guitar Shop & East Side Guitar Repair on Hawthorne. All Solid Cables are handmade in Portland to sound great and not break.

We buy and sell VINTAGE FURNITURE, LIGHTING as well as OTHER COOL CONTEMPORARY furniture and lighting. We strive to keep our prices affordable and realistic for our local market. We love what we do!

SE PORTLAND solidcables.com info@solidcables.com

SE PORTLAND 1310 SE Hawthorne Blvd 503.232.7575 | twitter.com/loungelizardpdx

BEACON SOUND

Carrying a broad spectrum of new and used vinyl including classical, folk, soul, jazz, indie rock, psych, as well as an excellent selection of contemporary electronic music. They pay well for your used vinyl (cash or trade), host in-stores, and generally rule. MAGIC CORNER 1465 NE Prescott (97211) 503.360.1268 | beconsound.net

MOLOKO

Taste the nightlife of Mississippi. Over 40 house infused liquors. Specialty absinthe cocktails. Open until 2am every day.

N PORTLAND 3967 N Mississippi (97227) 503.288.6272 | molokopdx.com

BEECH STREET PARLOR

Offers a cozy environment, tasty drinks, nightly DJs, an amazing selection of beers, delicious food, a lovely porch, The New York Times... and allows minors until 9pm. Open Monday-Saturday, 5-Late Happy Hour 5-7pm NE PORTLAND 412 NE Beech St (97212) 503.946.8184 | beechstreetparlor.com

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TENDER LOVING EMPIRE

THE FIRKIN TAVERN

Located on the west side of Ladd’s, the Firkin Tavern features an astounding selection of craft beers to enjoy inside or on our patio. Art enthusiasts will enjoy a variety of local artwork on display and sold comission-free! SE LADD’S 1937 SE 11th Ave (97214) 503.206.7552 | thefirkintavern.com

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Expertly grown Carefully Harvested Seasonal and fresh Skillfully roasted Cupped and scrutinized GREAT COFFEE IS PUBLIC DOMAIN SW PORTLAND 603 SW Broadway (97205) 503.243.6374 | publicdomaincoffee.com

HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

A not-for-profit organization whose mission is to entertain, inspire, educate and connect the community through the art of film while preserving an historic Portland landmark. NE HOLLYWOOD 4122 NE Sandy Blvd (97212) 503.493.1128 | hollywoodtheatre.org

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