contents
ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 10
THE USUAL 3 Letter from the Editor 3 Staff Credits Columns
VOLUME 2
FEATURES National Scene 15 ELEVEN talks with Portland favorites STRFKR about walking the Miracle Mile, Paul McCartney, and a little philosophy.
5 Aural Fix Lemolo Django Django
FILM new music 7 Short List
Watch Me Now 19 Editorial: Game Of Thrones, Yeah! Instant Queue Review
7 Album Reviews Youth lagoon Wavves The Cave Singers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
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 Previews 14 Reviews
Soundgarden
Local Visual Arts 21 Portland artist EATCHO
PDX Paragons 23 WL Old Age
Neighborhood of the Month 24 SE Clinton
The Local Biz 25 ELEVEN’s favorite local business directory
more online at elevenpdx.com
HELLO PORTLAND! It’s never easy. Publishing a community music magazine, running an independent business while working other jobs, maintaining some degree of a social life and still finding time for relaxation and entertainment can be a truly daunting task. For most, life isn’t easy, and you know what? That’s probably for the best. It’s how we deal with life and it’s curveballs that make us, us. For me, growing up in the footsteps of four intelligent and successful older siblings only pushed the bar higher. I was teased relentlessly. Also, I was tiny. My fifth grade baseball card stats read, “4’7”, 60 lbs.” and that was probably generous. I liked video games and puppies and bright colors and soft things. I worked hard in school... sometimes, when I was interested in the subject matter. However, when I had something to prove, watch out! I was going to overcome the obstacle, no matter what. I thrived on competition. I’m from a generation that worshipped the greatest basketball player ever, Michael Jordan, a man who last month turned fifty. He was a ruthless combatant who willed himself to win, against any odds. What it took me about thirty years to figure it out is that the sense of satisfaction, of appreciating and loving yourself, comes most when you’ve gone through trial and tribulation. The more imposing and dreadful the challenge, the sweeter the taste of success. That baseball card from my youth also read, “.533” batting average. The best in the league, but still a very minor example of the breadth of life’s tests. If it’s not a challenge, it’s not worth doing. »
- Ryan Dornfeld, Editor in Chief
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EXECUTIVE STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Dornfeld CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dustin Mills SENIOR STAFF COPY EDITOR Charles Trowbridge SENIOR WRITER Wendy Worzalla FILM SECTION Bex Silver VISUAL ARTS Mercy McNab graphic DESIGN Dustin Mills cover PHOTO Tyler Kohlhoff CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Colter, Brandy Crowe, Billy Dye, Gabriel Granach, Kelly Kovl, Rachel Milbauer, Aaron Mills, Morgan Troper, Dane Johnson photographers Justin Cate, Michael Herman, Amy Kettenburg, Aa Mills research assistant Katherine Benedict DISTRIBUTION / PROMO The Redcoats
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GENERAL INQUIRIES info@elevenpdx.com ADVERTISING sales@elevenpdx.com online www.elevenpdx.com twitter.com/elevenpdx facebook.com/elevenmagpdx online editor Kim Lawson kim@elevenpdx.com eleven west media group, llc Ryan Dornfeld Dustin Mills SPECIAL THANKS Kev, Jim, Steph, Matt, Tali, Vargas fam, EastBurn fam, M.W., Tixie fam, Meeses, PLA, Vince, Skot and Karla, Phil and Corrie, PH+BG, Will+Opie, Treefort, our partners, families and friends!
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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.)
1
LEMOLO
Lemolo feels like floating, spinning slowly in a kayak being pushed by a warm wind above a deep stream with virtually no current. This could be due to the duo–Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox–meeting each other as kayak instructors on the waters near Lemolo Shore Drive. Not sure if they’ve ever explicitly said, but a good guess would be the name of the band shares similar origins. Since being named by Google Play as a “Best Unsigned Artist of 2012,” their most recent album, The Kaleidoscope, has frequented the best-sellers section of record stores. The album has the dream-pop pacing emulating Beach House, the layering of piano and guitar similar to The XX and possesses the vocals of Sharon Van Etten. Together, it is music that pulls one inside the spaces between gently firing neurons. This sounds mellow, but their live performances have been rumored to be anything but boring. They’ve been described as highenergy and extremely captivating. Their chemistry is extremely seductive and a rare thing to witness. Something the reader will have the opportunity to experience very soon at Mississippi Studios: two beautiful ladies with a beautiful connection making beautiful music. » - Billy Dye
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columns
2
Photo by Pavla Kopecna
DJANGO DJANGO
London-based band Django Django has an immediate curb appeal. Their music is catchy in a harmonic, Beach Boys sort of way, while simultaneously referencing the ‘80s with synthy beats and edgy guitar riffs. Throw in some tribal chanting and you’ve got yourself an unswerving pop band that has a distinct and addictive sound. Each of the tracks on their debut album demands their own attention and are worth the time it will take to digest their layers of influences and intricacies. Immediately opening the record is “Hail Bop,” a triumphant, electronic track that veers into the psychedelic with whirling sound effects and echoed vocals. The hypnotic, mantra-of-a chorus gives you a taste of how the album is going to unfold, but is not even close to an allencompassing flavor. David Maclean’s vocals strongly reference the harmony-happy Brian Wilson and the country whine of Curt Kirkwood, combined with a personal folky style. Vincent Neff (singer/guitarist), Jimmy Dixon (bassist), and Tommy Grace
(synth) draw parallels to Kraftwerk in their music, writing similar innovative elements into their compositions. The result is a collection of songs that are exciting to become familiar with. Django Django’s sound appropriates their specialized style from a vast history of pop and electronic musicians. One of the shorter and most compelling songs on the album is “Hand of Man,” which is a slower groove. The stripped down sound resonates like a trippy lullaby sung between friends around a campfire. At just two-and-ahalf minutes long, you’ll probably find yourself repeating that track. Maybe their secret was taking two years to put out the album, releasing a few singles along the way until the record dropped in early 2012. If so, not rushing production completely strengthened their creative process and open-mindedness in songwriting. The self-titled LP delivers a refreshing taste of electronic-pop, and brings breathing room to a heavily saturated genre. » - Rachel Milbauer
QUICK TRACKS A “HAIL BOP” This opening track starts off with spaceship-meets-spaghetti-western sound effects before sliding effortlessly into a surf-rock guitar riff. It’s a great introduction to a pleasantly surprising album.
B “LIFE’S A BEACH” This surf-chant rock anthem is a great example of how Django Django spans and melds genres within one song. If the catchy guitar riff doesn’t get you, the sunny, swift verse will.
Catch Django Django live this month March 20 @ Doug Fir
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reviews
NEW MUSIC This Month’s best R Reissue
L Local release
Short List They Might Be Giants Nanobots David Bowie The Next Day Low The Invisible Way Pheasant Gravel Beach Fol Chen The False Alarms Josh Rouse The Happiness Waltz Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience The Black Crows Wishes For Time Depeche Mode Delta Machine Smoke Fairies Blood Speaks The Strokes Comedown Machine
L
Buy it
Steal it
Toss it
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Youth Lagoon Wondrous Bughouse Fat Possum When Youth Lagoon’s Trevor Powers came out of the woodwork in late 2011 with The Year Of Hibernation the world was widely receptive to his seriously cerebral, noise pop sound. The record was intense and personal, almost like reading an ancient journal or going through old photos. His sophomore album, Wondrous
Wavves Afraid of Heights Mom + Pop Nathan Williams underwent a pretty significant metamorphosis in between Wavves’ second self-titled record and the group’s 2010 breakout King of the Beach. Or, at the very least, Williams went from being just another over-privileged, SoCal stoner with a 4-track to an overprivileged SoCal stoner with a 4-track whose scrappy pop songs singularly embody contemporary hipster culture and its accompanying ethos. There was something inexplicably profound (and perhaps even generation-defining) about the way Williams sang “My own friends
Bughouse, is due out March 5 on Fat Possum Records. This title alone suggests some of the quiet, psychedelic sounds and echoey vocals that defined his first release, but Powers succeeds in bringing a new energy to his work. One of the premiered tracks, “Dropla,” exemplifies his evolution in creative tastes and tendencies. While the track is still airy and light at the start, it jumps in with declarative vocals and stronger drum tracks. I was worried that Wondrous Bughouse wouldn’t take any risks and instead would live in its bedroom-project aesthetic, but the album successfully moves forward with intention and style. The identifiable, whispery sound of Powers’ principle record is still undeniably present, but it confidently developed. Thematically, his songs revolve around issues of mortality and spirituality, and carry out a strong, life-like follow-up. Wondrous Bughouse is less a snapshot of an introverted teen, and more a skillfully crafted story of maturation. » - Rachel Milbauer hate my guts / So what, who gives a fuck?” in “Green Eyes” off King. Technically, this isn’t nihilism–Williams was probably just too high to care. The differences between King of the Beach and Wavves’ new LP, Afraid of Heights, aren’t nearly as dramatic or noteworthy, but that doesn’t mean this new record is merely a retread of previous efforts. Sonically and musically, there’s noticeable improvement here –the couldasworn-it-was-a-Blue Album-outtake “Demon to Lean On” is technically the best song Williams has written to date, and it’s certainly better than anything Rivers Cuomo is capable of penning now. Even songs like kick-off “Sail to the Sun” and “Lunge Forward,” which fundamentally sound near-identical to “King of the Beach” and “Super Soaker,” respectively, are more subtle and sophisticated than their counterparts. “Everything Is My Fault” is endearing only because its author has no idea how lush his life really is, and the similarly faux-introspective closer “I Can’t Dream” mirrors the listlessness that defines the hipster lifestyle. All in all, Wavves’ pop sensibilities have never been stronger. And sure, the lyrics are still pretty stupid, but who’s complaining? Nobody’s paying Williams to think. » - Morgan Troper
reviews
The Cave Singers Naomi Jagjaguwar Up in Seattle, The Cave Singers are excited to be embarking on tour for their new album, Naomi, their fourth (and second with label Jagjaguwar.) For the first time since their formation in 2007, the trio recorded as a quartet with fellow friend and bass/flute player,
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Specter at the Feast Abstract Dragon/Vagrant
The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club made a name for themselves pumping out the kind of gritty, quality garage rock that seems to define the transition between the alt-rock of the ‘90s and the indie stylings of the mid ‘00s. Combining elements of classic rock, fuzzy blues and underlying, subtle hat-tips to groups like the Velvet Underground, the BRMC has managed to continue
Morgan Henderson (Fleet Foxes). The noticeable extra “oomf” his instruments provide makes this decision a natural choice for The Cave Singers tunage, and I hope to hear him on the next album, too. In contrast to 2011’s No Witch, this album is definitely a little bit more “pro” according to leader Pete Quirk. This has much to do with the producing skills of Phil Ek (Built to Spill, The Dodos). His professional touch upgrades the 12 songs to a new level for the group, setting their bar the highest it’s been thus far. It also has to do with Quirk et al. taking extra care on the extraneous details like finding the perfect cover art (found in Clayton Merrell’s collection) and choosing an album title that personifies the essence of their hard work. The first song on Naomi, “Canopy,” is perfectly positioned to reel you in for the next forty-five
minutes. Its sing-along, get-stuckin-your-head chorus perfectly embodies the bucolic folk rock made unique by Quirk’s voice. After that intro song, though, my attention waned slightly as I became less enamored with the lyrics, but the unmistakable northwest, outdoorsy ambience took me right back to Girl Scout camp: walking around in coniferous forests with the sun occasionally hitting my face in between the tall trees, feeling connected to the nature around me. Listen closely and you might be able to catch Derek Fudesco’s guitar and Marty Lund’s drums adding some punk elements. Altogether, the band does a commendable job of showing off what they are capable of. Pull this album back out when you’re cruising around this summer. » - Kelly Kovl
to put out unique tracks and albums on a semi-consistent basis. Specter at the Feast, slotted for release in mid-March, is a slight departure from some of the previous albums, but not by much. It’s still pretty clear who you’re listening to. If anything, Specter comes out as “polished,” which may not be an adjective often used when talking about BRMC. In fact, one of their strengths has been the ability to walk that fine line between sounding “raw, yet tight” and “produced.” The album opens and closes with muted individual tones on “Fire Walker” and “Lose Yourself,” signaling some sort of full-circle concept, and it is this very element of completion – finality – that leaves a slightly different taste in the mouth compared to other BRMC albums. Interestingly, one of the standout tracks from the album is a cover. The Call’s “Let the Day Begin” is done justice by BRMC: a fuzzy guitar riff intro and rumbling floor toms give BRMC’s version more of an edge
than The Call’s original song, and it’s all the better for it. A primal element surfaces early this version – a barely-controlled drive that threatens to erupt at any moment. It’s amazing how menacing that opening riff sounds coming from the BRMC than the call. “Lullaby” is a return to those excellent ballads the Club manages to produce each time around. For a band that built its reputation around driving rock joints, their ballads are always a lesson in push-andpull restraint, and “Lullaby” is no different. Subdued may not be the most accurate term, but the song certainly emphasizes a nice build in the guitar parts and enough liquid in the vocals to contrast nicely with the instrumental filling around it. The BRMC are aging nicely. Specter at the Feast isn’t their best work, but it’s definitely not their worst, and as long as this polish can maintain a balance with the grit, they’re going to be fine. » - Charles Trowbridge
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march crystal ballroom
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1332 w burnside 2 Alabama Shakes | Michael Kiwanuka
3-4 March Fourth Marching Band
Big Head Todd and the Monsters Fun. Family of the Year Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Rebelution | J Boog | Hot Rain Cult Records Tour w/ The Virgins
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Caspian | Native | This Patch of Sky The Maldives | Richard Buckner Leaves Russell | No Kind of Rider | Josh & Mer Efterklang | Nightlands Halo Refuser | Sixis | Linda Brown 15-16 Hillstomp 20 Django Django | Night Moves 22 Chelsea Light Moving 23 Veronica Falls | Brilliant Colors | Golden Grrls 25 Lianne La Havas | Jamie N Commons 26 The Last Bison | Kris Orlowski 28 Pheasant | Summer Cannibals | Fanno Creek 30 Jamie Lidell | Empress Of | Ludwig Persik
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Na Rosai Irish Jam (Wednesdays)
Eat Off Your Banjo: Dinner & Bluegrass (Thursdays)
Conjugal Visitors | DJ Zimmie Closely Watched Trains The Keplers Sawtell Dodgy Mountain Men The Oh My Mys Andrews Ave Jack Dwyer Trio
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live march the know
12 2026 NE Alberta 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 16 20 21 22 28 29 30 31
1. KMFDM
Birthday Suits | Youthbitch | Rat Party OBN IIIs | Guantanamo Baywatch | Boom! DJ Just Dave Batillus | Towers | Megaton Leviathan Koban | Lie | Vice Device | Hole in my Head DirtBag Dance Night w/DJ Bruce LaBruiser Sons of Huns | Ape Machine | Bison Bison
MARCH 8 | STAR THEATER
As far as industrial rock goes, KMFDM should be mentioned as the group responsible for accessibility. The genre has enough diehards and detractors on either side, but there’s no denying that KMFDM are one of the more successful groups out there. They’ve got some heavy-ass beats and some seriously catchy riffs that set them apart from many of the other industrial rock groups. The vocals are never overwhelming, for those who don’t appreciate yell-singing, and for those who do, they’re intense enough to get the job done. Better bring your moshing sneakers.
C-Average | Nasalrod | Humours | Poison Apple DJs
Fools Rush | The Bogarts | The Savage Henry’s DJ Kelly Hallinburton Folkeiis | Mundo Muerto | Mauser | Generacion Suicida
Don’t | Summer Cannibals | Monoplane Bi-Marks | Chemicals | Cathedral Ghost Carrion Spring | Debrailler Raw Nerves | Burials P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. | Alarms | Vultures in the Sky Nux Vomica | Amarok | Dead by Dawn The Last 45s | Pelvis Wrestlies Dark Country | James Planewreck Hurry Up! | La Luz | Ghost Mom
MUSIC HALL 13 SHINY 714 sw 20th place backspace 14 115 nw 5th 2 4 5 6 8 9 12 13 20 22 23 27 30
PREVIEWS
Eight Bells | The Body | Helen Money | Usnea Said The Whale | Morning Ritual Antique Scream | Machine | Sharks from Mars Southerly Yung Rob | The Resistance | Kid Huss | Young Kirb Half Way There Ari Chersky | Nick Sweet Trio | Kozyol Thollem Electric Kitty Pryde
» - Charles Trowbridge
2. YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE WITH
THE MOWGLI’S
MARCH 10 | HAWTHORNE THEATRE
These guys are the biggest Portland band from Los Angeles. By that I mean, they aren’t from Portland at all but it seems they are here all the time which leads me to believe they love Portland Off With Their Heads | Roll The Tanks | Absent Minds and we love them. So I’ll claim them now Deathfix Lake of Blood | Barghest | Chasma | Druden on behalf of the city, and they’ll no longer Schematic | Asker | Altadore have the burden of saying they’re from white eagle L.A. You’re welcome. If you’ve missed 836 n russell their shows in the past or you’ve somehow Jolliff (Mondays in March) missed them on the radio, their sound is Bottlecap Boys described by the co-creator Sam Martin as Contigo having “elements of pop, rock, indie, dance, The Keaton Collective | In Public View Hanna Glavor | Dearborn | Before The Brave and even a little hip hop.” » - Billy Dye
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Weatherside Whiskey Band The Sale Jack Dwyer World’s Finest Steve Hale Trio Edmund Wayne | Holiday Friends Rule of the Bone | Mexican Gunfight Brave Julius | Luke Redfield Morning Ritual | Glorious Veins Executive Swede Sol Seed | Excellent Gentlemen Western Haunts | Rich West Blatt Walking Willows Welfare Old Light | Virgil Shaw
4. DON’T WITH
SUMMER CANNIBALS, MONOPLANE
MARCH 15 | THE KNOW
Two ex-Bellingham musicians—Dan Lowinger and Jenny Don’t—came together in 2009 to form a dark and soulful blend of blues, punk and surf. The pair combined their talents with Sam Henry (drummer Blue Skies for Black Hearts | Donovan Breakwater for The Wipers) and Dave Minick (bassist Miss Tess & The Talkbacks | The Beautiful Trainwrecks for Napalm Beach) and pulsate with raw slabtown energy that you come to expect from the 1033 nw 16th Portland scene. Jenny Don’t (think a young 3 Sad Horse | Voices and ambitious Siouxsie Sioux) has a speak6 Tomten | WL sing style that erupts for the catchy, but 7 DJ Cry Baby | Therapists | Pro Teens 9 Gemet-Gemet | The Decliners | Jagula not poppy, chorus. The song structures are 10 Mister Tang | Bahn Mi | Toim | Tyrants sonically solid—just like this band. » 17 Kevin Seconds | Sean Croghan | Sorta Ultra - Wendy Worzalla 20 Leafy Greens
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3. EFTERKLANG WITH
NIGHTLANDS
MARCH 13 | DOUG FIR Danish boys living in Berlin, the band’s name means “remembrance” or “reverberation,” which are totally separate things, but that sort of ambiguity adds to the band’s masturbatory tendency that’s so pervasive in European queer-pop, like luminaries Sigur Rós. With hooks like Coldplay that even the most skeptical music aficionado has to appreciate, a lead voice on par with Lens Lekman, and the subtle sensibility of the Beta Band, Efterklang radiates a sort of Arcade Fire vibe that manages to be more D.I.Y. than the Canadian superstars. Plus if their entirely-too-long short film “An Island” is any indication, Efterklang can pull off a dynamic performance live under a variety of scenarios. » - Aaron Colter
5. BOAT WITH
AQUEDUCT, SHELLEY SHORT
MARCH 16 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS The first single from BOAT’s latest, Pretend to be Brave, begins with “It rains so much, you feel like you live in an aquarium.” BOAT has steady, Simon Galluptinged bass and American alternative class. They rant about nothing, and everything –just dealing with everyday BS in an honest, disheveled manner. Between the humor, the super rock guitar, winding key melodies and unexpected change-ups with mysterious tracks like “Sharpshooters,” BOAT may help you to shrug your shoulders and keep effin’ smiling, no matter how much you get rained on. » - Brandy Crowe
live
PREVIEWS 6. CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING MARCH 22 | DOUG FIR
7. FANG MOON WITH
SPRINKLES, ETHEREAL AND THE QUEER SHOW
MARCH 23 | KELLY’S OLYMPIAN
(CONTINUED)
march SLABTOWN
1033 NW 16TH
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Young Turks | Clarity | Sloths Behead The Prophet | The Need | Disemballerina Secnd Best | Angry Lions | Faithless Saints The Good Sons | Hellokopter | Pink Slip
Thurston Moore is arguably rock’s first–and worst–elitist. His essays are particularly noxious, and it’s unfortunate that a snob this big has become the template for young, aspiring indie rockers. On the other hand, as a musician, he’s often brilliant. He manages to make things that musically make no sense sound normal or even “pretty.” Moore’s new vehicle, Chelsea Light Moving, is by no means groundbreaking, but it’s a more-than-welcome continuation of his previous efforts. The pre-release single, “Groovy & Linda,” is quintessential TM. » - Morgan Troper
Like a dark, tripped-out soundtrack to an mt. tabor theater 8-bit video game rated Mature, Fang Moon’s 4811 se hawthorne Harlem U.F.O. Sighting is a cooly detached Lost Weekend Chris Webby album of jams just catchy enough to bob your Stunt Poets | Blue Skillet head to as you try to decipher song titles like Thomas Mapfumo & Blacks Unlimited | Loveness Wesa “Lamb Slaughter.” Like a lot of electronic White Water Ramble | The Student Loan synth-based new wave groups, the band’s Sonic Temple | Iceland | Western Family Science! | The Junebugs | The Ruby Pines live shows are more like listening events Midnight Spin than dance parties. Bring your shoe-gazing The Stereo Fidelics glasses and sliest grin; because although you hawthorne theatre might not be able to grind up on the floor to 1507 se 39th these tunes, you’ll likely to catch someone The Ready Set | Outasight | Plug In Stereo | Goldhouse willing to fuck. But, don’t be surprised when The Hush Sound | The Last Royals | Sydney Wayser Marduk | Moonspell | Inquisition | The Foreshadowing they never call you back. » - Aaron Colter
8. TREEFORT AFTER-PARTY
9. MATT COSTA
WITH ANIMAL EYES, ASH REITER, PONY VILLAGE, COUCHES, TALKATIVE
17
MARCH 26 | WONDER BALLROOM
If you can’t make the seven hour trip to Boise, Idaho for the second annual indie Treefort Music Fest, and/or can’t afford the $100 price tag (or even if you can) join Animal Eyes, Ash Reiter, Pony Village, Couches and Talkative for a three dollar afterparty. Presented by 20 Sided Records on the Monday after the fest, this will keep the feeling going or provide an evening of grade A sound for your not nearly tired ears. Paired with Bunk’s good food and drink, it will be the next best thing to the real deal. » - Kelly Kovl
Matt Costa is a singer-songwriter whose music could fit nicely into any of the common descriptions for such musicians. The only difference is, Costa really isn’t a run-of-the-mill folky dude. His earnest voice always compliments his instrumentals no matter how stripped down they may be. He offers a nice mix between the solo guitar pieces and full band ensembles. The extra sounds are nice for a change up, but Costa is really at his best with a mic, a guitar, and roomful of rapt listeners. » - Charles Trowbridge
10. MAJOR LAZER
11. PHOENIX
ANGEL HAZE, LUNICE
MARCH 27 | ROSELAND THEATER DJ Diplo has collaborated with many artists since founding Major Lazer in 2009, including Santigold, Thom Yorke, Snoop Dogg (now Snoop Lion), and Amber Coffman (Dirty Projectors). His jacked up, dub step, “future Kingston,” electronic sound includes elaborate performances and light shows. Hype women (and men) are as much a part of the tour as he is. He makes some sexy, dirty music, and it’s one big breath of air from all the indie pop and folk rock that we’ve been filling our heads with lately. If you’re ready for a rowdy crowd and lots of people shaking their asses harder than you’ve ever really imagined, I suggest you find some drugs and head downtown. » - Rachel Milbauer
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MARCH 25 | BUNK BAR
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MARCH 30 | CRYSTAL BALLROOM
Black ‘N Blue | Sonicles | Sonic Temple | Labansky Frightened Rabbit | The Twilight Sad Headbang For The Highway Crazy Train | Mercury Rising | Highway Star Murs | Prof | Fashawn | Black Cloud Music | Saint Warhead Nile | Ceremonial Castings | World of Lies | Heathen Shrine Andrew McMahon | Barcelona | Erland Wandberg Enter Shikari | Achitects | Heartist | Crossfaith Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Nemesis | Proven | Separation of Sanity | Lidless Eye
VALENTINES
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Consequences Party: New Dadz DJ’s Low Hum | Gabe Mintz | Avians Alight Daniel Bachman | Marisa Anderson Haste Fallopian Tunes Showcase
1 3 5 11 17 Golden Retriever | Chuck Johnson | Plankton Wat | Danny Paul Grody 26 J. Colin | John Krausbauer | Brumes 27
aladdin theater 3017 se milwaukie
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Hey Marseilles | Deep Sea Diver Great Big Sea Ladysmith Black Mambazo The James Hunter Six | The Relatives Tommy Castro & The Painkillers Dervish The Paperboys | Renegade Stringband Wishbone Ash Iris Dement Mika Michael Nesmith
Phoenix’s 2009 breakout Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was a flight of French fancy that drifts high and low with east end rhythmic guitar gaits and the harmonics 203 se grand of Thomas Mar’s vocals. The latest tour, on The Goodfoot the way to headlining Coachella, will likely 2845 se stark be a brilliant display of dance valor and Foghorn String Band | Jackstraw may divulge tracks such as “Bourgeois” and Danny Barnes & Matt Sircely | The Giraffe Dodgers Freak Mountain Ramblers | Garcia Birthday Band “Oblique City” from the recently announced Scott Law Electric Band | Lewi Longmire | Left Coast Roasters 5th album Bankrupt! due out in April. The Brad Parsons Band | Jack Dwyer and the Bad Liars The Henhouse Prowlers | Renegade String Band art for the album is simple and peachy, Jujuba and rumored to be richer in synths and SOMEDAY LOUNGE glistening flashes from an experimental 125 NW 5TH angle. » - Brandy Crowe
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live march star theater
24 13 nw 6th
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Noah Gunderson | Joshua James TriptheDark Presents: Just Right KMFDM The Slants | Splintered In Her Head Drag The River Milk Music Fruition | Dead Winter Carpenters Ice Age Mykal Rose | Sister Carol Christopher Owens
street saloon 25 ash 225 sw ash 2 3 14 15 17 21 24 26
Solid Gold Balls | Sorta Ultra | The Small Arms Bloodoath | Ion Storm | Chronological Injustice The Goddamned Animals | Fail Safe Project The Lovely Lost | The Get Ahead (+5 More) Rum Rebellion | Dirty Kid Discount | Fensom
Erik Anarchy | Fluid Spill | Super Desu Federation X | Rabbits | Gaytheist | Fist Fite Graves at Sea | Ash Borer | Alderbaran
26 rotture/branx 315 se 3rd 2 3 7 8 15 16 19 21 24 26 28
Minnesota | Protohype | DCARLS Master | Sacrificial Slaughter (+5 more) Junius | Silver Snakes | Chasma
Lord Dying | Atriarch | Nether Regions | Gaythiest Idols | Prestige | The Diggers | Hail The Artilect
Bearracuda The Story So Far | Man Overboard (+3 more) Eskmo | Shigeto | Djao | Ghost Feet Menace Ruine | Thrones | Waldteaful
Today Is The Day | Black Tusk | Kenmode | Fight Amp Mutilation Rites | Inter Arma | El Cerdo | Usnea
lounge 27 tonic 3100 ne sandy 1 2 8 9 15 22 29 31
Beyond Veronica | Wilkinson Blades | Spiral Electric
David J | Adrian H | Darwin Elora | Acrid Intent | Perry Gerber
Frame By Frame | The Flurries | Assisted Living
The Vandies (EP Release)
She’s Not Dead | Dubious | Bajuana | Ramune Rocket 3
Fever | Fur Coats | Lydian Gray Natural Child | White Fang | Mean Jeans
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Electric Six | Gabriel The Marine | Bend Sinister
Shout Out Out Out Out Juno What?! Hell’s Belles Nu Sensae Pojama People | Ike Willis Pimps of Joytime | Vokab Kompany
ROOM 29 RED 2350 SE 82ND WAYPOST 30 THE 2120 N WILLIAMS 3 Classical Revolution 9 A People’s Choir 21 Dave Storrs and the Blikenvik Ensemble
PUB 31 LAURELTHIRST 2958 NE GLISAN
Freak Mountain Family (Sundays) Portland Country Underground | Kung Pao Chickens (Mon)
Jackstraw (Tuesdays)
1 Tree Frogs | Baby Gramps 2 James Low Western Front | Crow Quill Night Owls 6 Quick & Easy Boys | Rob Wynia | Rich Landar
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march laurelthirst pub
(continued)
2958 ne glisan
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The Left Coast Roasters Joe McMurrian & Woodbrain | Lewi & Friends James Low Western Front | Saloon Ensemble Quick & Easy Boys | Denim Wedding The Left Coast Roasters | Donkey the Lion The Resolectrics | Garcia Birthday Band James Low Western Front Quick & Easy Boys | Bird Flying South The Left Coast Roasters | The Ukeladies Alice Stuart | Ruby Feathers | Medicine Family Pagan Jug Band
Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com
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live
Photo by Rachel Milbauer
REVIEWS
SOUNDGARDEN
FEBRUARY 6 | ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
Grunge is Dad Rock, now. Just accept it. It’s not the end of music, and whether you’re annoyed by Skrillex or terrified of Odd Future, the fact that everyone born after 1990 can drive a car, vote, die in war, and legally drink in any bar in the country doesn’t mean the apathetic sludge pop created during the Gen-X heyday is any less great. Similarly, seeing Soundgarden in 2013 must be what it was like to see The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin in around 1981– cock rock turned daddy dick for an area crowd of fans willing to pay top dollar to pump their fist and brag to their friends that they were there, man. Before launching into the parody
song “Big Dumb Sex,” Chris Cornell told the crowd that the band had written the tune as a joke all those years ago as their brand of music started attracting more meatheads than skinny guys with dark circles under their eyes. It was funny then, but it didn’t play well to the crowd of mostly men over 40, many of whom wore baseball caps (because they’re fans of actual baseball), and couldn’t stand through the entire two-and-a-half hour set. And, all of whom paid over $50 a pop to see one of their favorite acts dangle on the mortal coil before drying into the fucking embarrassing husk of a band Black Sabbath trots out for outdoor music festivals. Always uncomfortably between the sensitive frat-boy undertones of Pearl Jam, who’s lead singer last
graced Portland with a ukelele in hand, and the drifter everyman’s poetry of Nirvana, who’s drummer rocks out with a former Beatle, it’s no surprise to see Soundgarden embark on an extended reunion tour as Cornell plays opener for Obama’s inauguration festivities. Though the band is less energetic than the powerhouse entertainment of Bruce Springstein, they are succinct musicians with a heavy tone and a professional skill set more bands of our era could stand to replicate. Because, while the youthful passion is diminished, along with Cornell’s ability to hit all the staggering notes in his repertoire, I’d rather see Soundgarden almost any day of the week over some bullshit like Mumford & Sons. » - Aaron Colter
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Photo by Tyler Kohlhoff
features national scene
THERE IS IRONY IN THE NAME. SINCE FORMING IN PORTLAND IN 2007, THE PORTLAND BASED BAND ISN’T ALL THAT OBSESSED WITH BEING FAMOUS. Starfucker, or printer friendly STRFKR, can be taken as play with glittering Hollywood excess or cosmic music for glamorous math club kids. During live performances, their new “lite-bright” stage is dressed up in pink and teal tribal patterns, where they provide twinkling indie-pop inside rippling, mystical arrangements. The members, all seemingly multi-instrumentalists, trade places. The attitude of the green-jeaned keyboardist delights with futuristic spires and whirls, while cymbals tap and lo-fi vocals stretch. There is innocence and fun in the beats, and themes that have a laugh on conspiracy theories and nod to the philosophy of subordinate wiggles. It is undeniably catchy, despite the bleep-worthy moniker. After re-releasing 2009’s Jupiter (which brought Starfucker to light with a popular pharmacy commercial) and extensive touring, the band united in the Spring of 2012 to create a third album, Miracle Mile, in an Astorian beach house. On the 15 short and sweet tracks of the double EP, bouncy dance hooks and funky bass are contrasted with shrouded lyrics, such as the flashing white light of “Last Words,” which may confront death and loneliness with hand claps...in a disco. The psychedelia of the lyrics can be hard to read by ear sometimes, but they come through on the ‘angel and astronaut’ track “Atlantis.” “Say to You” is reminiscent of vintage albums, it is something like an ascent into space, or when snowflakes look like stars at warp speed. On a rare snowy morning in Portland, ELEVEN caught up with the front-man of Starfucker, Josh Hodges, as he was preparing for tour. ELEVEN: So what is the controversy with the name? Is it like that Rolling Stones song kind of “Starfucker,” or perhaps how galaxies multiply? Josh Hodges: Well (laughs), yeah, there is all kinds of meaning to take from it, and that’s fine. 11: On some media outlets, such as XBOX Music, your music is inaccessible unless it is typed under the censored text STRFKR. Is this a happy duality that gives your band a little more space to be creative? JH: It did come from sort of wanting to have an intention of not trying to be a successful band. There was a time before where I got kind of fed up with this feeling that it’s a game, people just going for being successful, and that wasn’t what I was doing. Starfucker basically was what I was already doing in my basement for fun. The name actually came from this weird girl that was on tour when I was a hired guitarist in another band. These
people were actually bragging about fucking people, like “I am such a starfucker,” so at the time the whole thing was kind of a joke, like, “fuck the industry.” 11: You did go by a different name for a little while, Pyramidd. Were you guys asked to do that in order to be marketed better? JH: Yeah, I mean, we had a manager... for a minute. It was a strange time, people were trying to get us signed, and we gave in to trying the new name. 11: But you shook that off and went back to Starfucker? JH: Now we are more skeptical of people.
“IT’S A WAY TO SQUEEZE IN EXPOSURE TO SOMETHING MORE MEANINGFUL THAN JUST POP MUSIC, BUT THROUGH POP MUSIC.” 11: Well, I like Starfucker better. JH: It’s kind of like a joke too. 11: Who are some of your influences? JH: I have been listening to this certain Paul McCartney album a lot; it was some work he did just messing with this 8-track recorder. It doesn’t sound anything like Paul McCartney; every time I tell people about this they are like “Paul McCartney? Really?” It’s McCartney II, I just like bragging that I have The Lost Album, which is the same as II, but with all kinds of extra unreleased tracks. It sounds more along the lines of today’s Johnny Jewel, Chromatics. It is so playful and fun and just really inspiring to me. 11: There seem to be influences of philosophy as well, previously you had inserted excerpts from Alan Watts into your music, and on the Miracle Mile song titled “Khalil Gibran?” JH: Well we were just sitting there writing the song, and there was this pile of books sitting there, and it just felt like “Hey I will call it this!” It’s a way to squeeze in exposure to something more meaningful than just pop music, but through pop music. 11: And calling the last album Reptilians had to do with the conspiracy theory? JH: Totally. 11: As your other solo project, Sexton Blake, you knock out some amazing covers, doing renditions of ‘80s and ‘90s songs from artists such as The Dream Academy and Rod Stewart. You seem to have some fun with covers in Starfucker as well. Any ideas on songs to play with?
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features national scene
JH: So, there is this haunted house in Astoria, overlooking the river, very beautiful. It was a good place to get away, far enough away from the city. 11: Did you go there with the intent of making new music, or did it just come out? JH: I just wanted to get away for a while; I had been there before; it is my mom’s friend’s house and she let me use it for a month, which turned into two months. I knew I wanted to write some music. Then the guys in the band ended up coming to visit, and some other friends came up, friends from Radiation City.
“ON THIS ALBUM IT WAS WAY MORE COLLABORATIVE THAN IT’S EVER BEEN.” 11: Are you working with Radiation City? JH: I may be remixing some of their songs. 11: So what is different about the new album, Miracle Mile? JH: Aside from being more collaborative, it’s kind of more diverse, and its longer, with 15 tracks. JH: There are a bunch of songs I want to do, There is a Sparks song called “When I’m With You,” some Tom Petty, and a Prince song that blows my mind. Oftentimes, though, I end up working more on writing my own stuff, including a little work on the classical piano here lately.
11: With the apocalyptic titles of “While I’m Alive,” and “Leave it all Behind,” I almost wondered if the title had something to do with the 1988 movie Miracle Mile? JH: Well, it’s a reference to a line in one of the songs on the album. [“Fortune’s Fool”]
11: You have a history with playing classical piano? JH: I just like it. I mean, I never took lessons or anything [laughs] but, you know.
11: What was the recording process like? JH: It was written and recorded between tours over the period of maybe 6 months, but only a few weeks at a time because of shows and whatnot. First for a couple of weeks in Rockaway at Randy from Radiation City’s mom’s house, then more writing and recording at the house in Astoria, then we finally finished in San Luis Obispo at Patrick’s house. Also Keil, Patrick and I went to L.A. for a week to record the drums in a studio.
11: Despite the name, your song “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second” became nationally televised as a catchy theme for a Target commercial. How did things change after that? JH: Well all of that happened because of hard work, playing a lot, and word of mouth. Then we began touring all the time, like last year I didn’t have a house that I lived at because we toured so much. When it was just me, I didn’t expect it to last long. We didn’t expect it to be big; we expected to be goofy, to play a few house shows; I didn’t really expect to be touring, ever. It has just evolved since then, into our own definition of successful. 11: And last year, after all of the crazy touring, you decided to take a retreat to the Oregon coast?
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11: On previous albums you were pretty much the main force behind the creation of the songs, and then you would bring the other band members in to complete them? JH: Nah, I just did everything on the previous albums. Before, it was pretty much a solo project–with a band. Now, it’s–we, are a band. On this album it was way more collaborative than it’s ever been. There was more co-writing, with other band members like Patrick [Morris] and then we fleshed it out together in the end.
features national scene Photo by Rachel Hubbard
11: Speaking of Patrick, he is a new member who used to play for Strength. So you guys are a quartet now? JH: We have gone through a couple of people that aren’t playing with us anymore. Right now it feels really good. 11: Are you all from Portland? JH: No, I’m the only one from Portland, but we all met here and have lived here forever. 11: What do you guys have time for when you’re not touring or practicing? JH: We don’t have much crossover, we all do different things. Sometimes we all play poker together, but we are all bad at it. If someone comes in to play with us they always win. 11: How do think the music community in Portland is special? JH: I have realized Portland is just practical for music. This is an easy place to live, cheap. The houses have basements so you have a place to practice. Compared to when I lived in New York, you were in a shitty place where you can’t store anything, it is hard to move gear, no one has cars, and you have to rent practice space, so it’s more money. Portland is a really good starving artist town. 11: What are the plans for 2013 and beyond? JH: We have the Spring tour, I think maybe a European tour after May, not sure yet. Other than that, I plan on not doing anything. »
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film
WATCH ME NOW FILM EDITORIAL
GAME OF THRONES, YEAH!
It’s March already, a whole year since HBO graced us with the whimsical world of Westeros. Have you missed hating the Lanisters or had fleeting moments at work fantasizing about Jon Snow, dragons, or kicking Joffrey’s ass? Having answered ‘yes,’ you are most likely marking your calendars for March 31 and making arrangements as to where you will ring in the Song of Ice and Fire New Year, and who will be bringing the lemon cakes, ale, bacon pie and mead. Wait, you don’t own A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook, are not completely obsessed with the medieval world created by George R.R. Martin and the show produced by HBO? Get thee to thy computer and torrent immediately, thou shalt be addicted! Better yet, run down to Powell’s and pick up the five books that started it all. Called by some ‘The American Tolkien’ Martin has been writing his epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, since 1991, finally publishing the first in the series, A Game of Thrones, in 1996, to lukewarm reviews that would heat up as independent booksellers and fans pimped its successors. Written in a style much easier to digest than the high fantasy cadence of other prolific writers of the genre, Martin’s five published novels can’t be called trashy, but they are definitely more salacious, graphic, and pulpy than the refined Elven ways. Set in the medieval land of Westeros, the Iron Throne rules the Seven Kingdoms that were united by an ancient conqueror. Since the fall of the House Targaryen, the seven families that once ruled their own lands brew plots and schemes for usurping the Throne. Drama, drama, drama, sex, betrayal, lies, more sex... that’s the gist and with a page count (through book five) that tops 5,000, you’ll just have to delve for more detail. HBO optioned the rights to Martin’s novels in 2007,
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film upon mounting popularity for the series and public outcry for Martin to publish the books faster (a five year gap between the publishing dates can cause a lot of hate mail). The pilot for the series was produced in 2007, with George himself signed on to serve as consultant, closely monitoring the adaptation of story, shooting locale, and production design. Shortly after, the show was green-lit and made into a ten episode season. Game of Thrones was a good fit for the cable channel which was known for the popular Sopranos (1999-2007) and the indulgent Rome (2005-2007), but had been steadily losing ground to competitor Showtime, which boasted Dexter, Homeland, and Weeds and had lessened the premium cable high horse that HBO claimed. Writer and Producer David Benioff was known to joke that an early working tagline for Game of Thrones was “The Sopranos in Middle Earth,” noting that the series’ intrigue-filled plot and macabre tone juxtaposed with the fanciful setting. After the first season aired in 2011, the series was nominated for 13 Emmy’s, including Best Drama Series, and came away with two. Not since the early 2000’s Lord of the Rings mania has a work of high fantasy so intensely pervaded pop culture, inspiring more than just costumes at Comic Con: cookbooks, hundreds of speculation blogs hypothesizing what will happen in Martin’s volumes to come, and Youtube covers of the theme song to name a few. In part Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was a precursor, assuring HBO execs that a series of this genre would reach beyond fans of the book. Yet, what is perhaps most telling of the show’s popularity was the crown of ‘Most Pirated Show of 2012’ by Forbes Magazine, and
Instant Queue Review
an SNL skit highlighting the more, ahem, sexually gratuitous nature of the
Put your nerd hat on and make yourself comfortable, you’re going to be glued
series.
to the tube watching these throughly addicting series of the most fanciful sort. Warning: you may be temped to buy a ticket to Faerie Worlds or a Star Trek Convention. » - Bex Silver
COSMOS Geeking out over the costumes, sets, and processes that go into creating such a vivid alternate reality are all that seems to be discussed over the water cooler these days, and there will be ever more to discuss as we are treated to another 10 episodes of our favorite fantasy. Look forward to May 12 for the airing of the seventh episode, which was written by George R.R. Martin himself (it will be interesting to see if that episode has as much dirty sex as the others). Let’s cheers to Martin’s health and hope that he sticks it out to finish the two books he has promised. In the meantime, we’ll fly our nerd banners high as we wait with bated breath for winter to come. » - Bex Silver
(1980)
Ready for some real life psychedelic fantasy? Author, astronomer, and philosopher Carl Sagan leads you on a intergalactic journey in this thirteen episode TV series originally aired in 1980. Taking you on the Starship Imagination, Carl guides you through his controversial insights into human life, religion, and evolution through gazing through galaxies.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
(1978-1979, 2004-2009)
Portlandia jokes aside, the cult of Battlestar Galactica runs deep. Both the original 24 episode 1978 series, and the 2004, 4 season reboot are a guilty pleasure that has held pop culture relevance for decades. Persecuted by hyper intelligent machines, the survivors of a human holocaust are forced to search the universe for a new planet to call home. It’s never to late to hop on this bandwagon. So say we all.
XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS
(1995-2000)
A campy, classic 90’s staple, Lucy Lawless roams the realm dispensing justice with a whip, righting wrongs to help her overcome her outlaw past. Xena and gal pal Garielle inhabit a world of bizarre magic, legend and ore where there is ever a lesson to be learned and a beast to be tamed.
STAR TREK, THE ORIGINAL SERIES
(1966-1969)
The interweb is currently on Star Trek overload. Both Netflix and Hulu are pimping the franchise, may as well bone up on the penultimate nerd conversation piece with the original 1966 series playing on Hulu. Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner will be quick to convince you of the necessity of spending some time aboard the Enterprise.
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local
VISUAL ARTS Portland artist EATCHO
11: Some of the environments, or at least the one I am thinking of with the billboard displaying “Manifest That,” seems to have a lot of toxicity going on around, and in, everyone. E: That was a breakup piece. That’s an obvious breakup piece. Everyone does one every now and again. I like how you said, “toxic” because that’s totally how we deemed the end of the relationship. So I am glad I conveyed what needed to be conveyed there. 11: Your work includes many different characters in one piece; what determines their relationships? E: Hmm. That’s good. A lot of the times there will be a conversation going on in the piece, so the piece will be a raw thing. I really like Where’s Waldo. Didn’t really get into it when I was a kid, but the works of Richard Scarry, when you’d come across a book with a lot of imagery and you’d have to go there. You have to see it. You have to get up to see a lot of stuff in it. I am seeing that as something that is becoming very common now in our art. I think, and I have said it a bunch of times now, I think it is because we are a TV generation. A generation really, that has been raised around a lot of buttons. A lot of little things. We are one of those first generations that kind of came out like that, and now you see as we are getting older a lot of the art is along the same vein. Where it’s a lot more hyper, a lot more to see, a lot more going on in the works. There’s more
Photo by Mercy McNab
depth. It’s not just graphic elements anymore. Now we are painting with graphic elements. Instead of having just one key Campbell soup can, now there is a million of them, and they are all doing a bunch of different
ELEVEN: Who are you?
stuff. People aren’t just tripping on one graphic image anymore, now it’s
EATCHO: I’m pretty happy to say now, more and more, that I come
all over the place. That’s kind of how we were raised, and the work I see
from Fresno. I keep seeing stuff from my home town that is going viral.
is no different than waking up and going outside is how I see it. I do like
Recently, there was that one hitchhiker, the hatchet hitchhiker. I was
when there is an overall theme. And you’ll see it when it bleeds through.
raised in a side part of Fresno, a more conservative area. Been here seven
You know like when I said, “that was a break up piece,” so you’re not going
or I am going on my eighth year here. Portland is great. Recently caught
to see a bunch of flowers or happy stuff. No people bouncing around.
on to the baby boom thing going on here. Still seems like it’s expanding:
You’re going to kind of see a bunch of toxic stuff; you’ll see what the
the cultural balloon. All the stuff that’s been going in Portland for the last
person is feeling. So on and so forth. You’ll see a lot of characters getting
three years, it’s pretty awesome. Portland has open arms for anyone who
pulled along by that same feeling.
is willing to work for it. 11: You seem to be pretty diverse with your mediums. How do you determine which projects you are going to do next?
11: Who are some of your reoccurring characters? E: It changes from year to year. This year you’ll see a lot of characters with some part of the face being absent. I noticed a lot of things related
E: Can’t make up my mind. It looks like sometimes, I have no projects.
to how I stick my foot in my mouth a lot. I’m hyper. I get hard on myself
Some projects are attempts to get my stuff out there and some are just to
when I feel like I’ve done something wrong. So a lot of characters with
pick up some paying projects. Did a lot of commercial work this last year.
things like having a tongue way too big for his mouth, then it has evolved
11: Oh yeah? For who?
into this character with no mouth at all. He is, “I’m not going to even say
E: Doing a lot of story boarding. Here and there, I always try to work
anything.” The mouth gets in the way. There was also a series where all
in that part of the commercial field where it involves a lot of imagination.
there was was a mouth with no other senses really to express anything.
Whether it’s storyboards or design.
Just talking. Which I do [laugh].
11: How do you get into storyboarding? E: You gotta know people, and you gotta ask. You gotta want to do it.
11: That’s good for an interview. E: Yeah. Yeah. There’s a skull – an image of death – that always
Storyboarding is a weird one, but it’s also very crucial to film. If you have
reminds me I am alive. A lot of dead stuff going on. I love that death
any background in comics or zines, storyboarding is the simplest job
presence in things. You’ll see it in a lot of different things, in a lot of
doing exactly what you have been doing. And they are asking you to do
different stories; the presence of death always kind of being there.
that! What storyboarding is is making an idea visually cohesive. And you wouldn’t think it, but it is really hard. Recently I had to do a piece where
11: How do your pieces develop? E: Real sketchy at first. So many parts of me haven’t grown up since
it was just someone sneaking around the house to surprise someone
I started. I’ve been drawing since I was like six. A lot of sketching and
from behind. And ah. It seems like it would be really simple, but when you
It’s still that way. Pencil and then all the other things, the alchemy of it.
really think about how you are going to draw. Without words.
The chemistry of it all changes over time with the more I learn, different
11: Did they give you a particular number of frames you could use?
mediums and so forth. But it all starts with the bare bones: just a sketch.
E: In that one they didn’t, but I bet you they were counting. The more
The themes and characters develop with all the different things going on
frames, the more money. 11: What are some primary themes in your artwork? E:A lot of themes from my stuff would be emo and also a lot of things I deal with being very hyper and anxious. It’s conveyed in the work.
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in my life. Whatever ideas I have, whatever is on my mind, and the like, and it develops. Obviously I don’t do things like battle zombies. 11: You don’t? E: No I don’t. But it’s all things from life . » - Billy Dye
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local
PDX PARAGONS Local bands on the radar
Photo by Josh Tillinghast
WL
MARCH 12 | BUNK BAR Mysteriously, “loud-guitar bands” are mostly eschewed by this city’s tastemakers nowadays. I’ve literally lost sleep theorizing about why this is the case, and all I can determine is that Portland, having been such a prime player in the early ‘90s alt boom, is tired of the racket. Sure, music connoisseurs here
OLD AGE
are eager to claim bands like Pond and Dead Moon but the scene really has no interest in fostering new groups that play a similar type of music. WL is a glorious exception. They’re a balls-to-the-wall guitar band that the incrowd (as of now) gives a shit about. It’s sort of easy to see why: first of all, they have a female singer which, as much as I hate admitting it, is incontestably a huge selling point to people who don’t really care about music. Secondly, they embrace an ultra-hip aesthetic which similarly appeals to shallow people. But their 7” Impermanent is stellar from start to finish and evokes comparisons with seminal shoegaze groups like Slowdive and The Telescopes, in addition to Portland luminaries Heatmiser. All they need to do now is stay together. » - Morgan Troper Photo by Jonny Flannery
MARCH 15 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
Built from the fiery ashes of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, longtime buds Dustin Daniels and Matthew Ulm barely took a breather before picking up the pieces. They say three’s a charm and this holds truth twofold: (1) Old Age is Daniels and Ulm’s third band together and (2) adding multiinstrumentalist Michael Finn behind the kit makes three. According to Ulm, the band’s name revealed itself in his sleep, even though the trio is far from moving to Florida and playing two rounds of golf a day. Daniels and Ulm’s friendship spans over a decade, and with time came musical growth and a change in influences. While in previous incarnations the pair
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were boisterous and sang songs about specific topics, these days the songs are more editorial. Their indie folk-pop sound features near-perfect melodies and breezy tracks. You know you’ve seen the band’s name around town alongside Portland faves like The We Shared Milk, Fanno Creek, and Talkative, so get out there and catch a show, and don’t forget buy the boys a round of the band’s official drink: Tom Collins. » - Wendy Worzalla
local
NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE MONTH:
SE CLINTON STREET Location photos by Mercy McNab
4 SE CLINTON ST
9 1 6
SE CLINTON ST
N W
E
27TH AVE
8 7 2
26TH AVE
25TH AVE
23RD AVE
11 10
22ND AVE
21ST AVE
3
5
S
3. SWEET INK
1. SUPER DIVE
Oddball Tattoo - 2716 SE 21st Ave
2. MOVIE THEATER
Clinton Street Theater - 2522 SE Clinton Street
BEST OF SE CLINTON
Dots - 2521 SE Clinton Street
4. WINE + ZINES
The Press Club - 2621 SE Clinton Street
5. COFFEE ZONE
K & F Coffee - 2706 SE 26th Ave
6. ISLAND GRINDS
Noho’s Hawaiian Cafe - 2706 SE 26th Ave
7. VINYL SUPPLY
Clinton St. Record & Stereo - 2510 SE Clinton
8. EATIN’ FROM SWEDEN
Broder Cafe - 2508 SE Clinton Street
9. LOCAL VIDEO RENTAL
Clinton St. Video - 2501 SE Clinton Street
10. MEGA-RAD PIES
Hammy’s Pizza - 2114 SE Clinton Street
11. LATE DATE
Night Light - 2100 SE Clinton Street
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local
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
PIP’S ORIGINAL
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
We strive to provide an excellent product combined with a friendly and welcoming attitude and delivered in a warm and cozy space. Free high-speed WiFi, local artist’s displays and local live music are all part of our charm.
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!
N PORTLAND 4759 NE Fremont (97213) 503.206-8692
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
HOVERCRAFT AMPS
Unused, unloved music gear with great potential, rebuilt into ICONS OF TONE. Available at Old Town Music for a lot less than you’d think! Each amp is uniquely tailored with components and cosmetics to make them very special. No two are alike! SE PORTLAND hovercraftamps.com info@hovercraftamps.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 Paid Advertising