Eleven PDX 3.8 by Eleven PDX

contents

ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 8

THE USUAL 3 Letter from the Editor 3 Staff Credits Columns

VOLUME 3

FEATURES Local Feature 12 Thanks

Cover Feature 15 Washed Out

5 Aural Fix Drenge Darkside Yuck

FILM Watch Me Now 19 new music 7 Short List

January Film Events Eleven Films For 2014 Interview with Judah Friedlander

7 Album Reviews Damien Jurado Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Mogwai Dum Dum Girls

COMMUNITY Neighborhood of the Month 22 SE Clinton

LIVE MUSIC 9 Musicalendar An encompassing overview of concerts in PDX for the upcoming month. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all - the Musicalendar is complete with a venue map to help get you around town.

11 Previews

Visual Arts 23 Portland artist April Coppini

more online at elevenpdx.com

HELLO PORTLAND! Welcome to 2014! I must admit it's pretty cool to be living in the sci-non-fi future, as we are. Organs for transplanting, increasingly efficient electric cars, intelligent mobile devices that never-ever-ever leave our presence and revolutionary 3D printers are just a few of the newish toys to which we have access. This burst of technology permeates our creative outlets, too, including music. The electric guitar was invented in 1931 and the modular synthesizer around 1960, and in the past ten years, mainstream and lonebrook music both have seen an integration of all sorts of wild sounds. Home studios, digital workstations and platforms for sharing have changed the global yield dramatically. New ideas (along with old, reused and recycled ones) spring up and out. The music and art of 2013-14 is not always grandiose or complex or unique, (though it can be) but no matter what it is, it is undeniably ours. This is our generation, we're all a part of it, honestly and excitingly. Fight it or float it, this is our only channel, may as well enjoy! Âť

- Ryan Dornfeld, Editor in Chief

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EXECUTIVE STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Dornfeld CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dustin Mills SENIOR STAFF SENIOR WRITER Wendy Worzalla FILM SECTION Bex Silver VISUAL ARTS Mercy McNab graphic DESIGN Dustin Mills COPY EDITING Megan Freshley Charles Trowbridge COVER PHOTO Shae DeTar CONTRIBUTORS Sean Bailey, Brandy Crowe, Billy Dye, Elizabeth Elder, Eric Evans, Gabriel Granach, Ashley Jocz, Kelly Kovl, Scott McHale, Rachel Milbauer, Aaron Mills, Kela Parker, Rob de la Teja, Charles Trowbridge photographers Justin Cate, Michael Herman, Amy Kettenburg, Mercy McNab, Aa Mills research assistant Katherine Benedict DISTRIBUTION / PROMO The Redcoats

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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 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.)

1800 E BURNSIDE 503-236-2876

MUSIC CALENDAR 1/4: 10pm – The Keplers 1/8: 7pm – Bodacious 1/11: 10pm – Flor de Cana 1/15: 7pm – Live Jazz 1/17: 10pm – Saucytown 1/18: 10pm – Down Home Music 1/22: 7pm – Jim Prescott Trio 1/24: 10pm – Jake Nannery 1/25: 10pm – Kings on Fire 1/29: 7pm – Amorus 1/31: 10pm – Cedar Teeth

DJs in the Tap Room 9pm

1/3: DJ Evan 1/4: DJ Jesse Espinoza 1/10: DJ ProblemSolver 1/11: DJ Easter Egg 1/17: DJ Gregarious 1/18: DJ Kenny 1/24: DJ ProblemSolver 1/25: Impact Sound! Reggae 1/31: DJ Ilko Major

ALL SHOWS ARE FREE

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED FOR BOOKING PLEASE CONTACT PLAY@THEEASTBURN.COM Hours: Mon-Fri 4p-2a, Sat-Sun 10a-2a Happy Hr: Mon-Fri 4p-6p, Sat-Sun 3p-6p

www.THEEASTBURN.com

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DRENGE

Some people have been complaining lately that nothing good comes out of Britain any more. Brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless are the sharpened spoon that shanks those people in the kidneys. Abrasive, grimy, British. I wouldn't say that Drenge plays at a "ludicrous" speed, but they are definitely reckless and make zero apologies. It's nice to know that there are still some savages out there in the world willing to tear things up. They do great at showing the world that you don't need a whole lot of bells and whistles to make good music. Drums, guitar, total disregard for decency, punk rock. They released their first album just this year, and after a lucky bit of kismet, have already been turning heads. Some have compared them to the White Stripes but their harsh bluesy sound is the only real similarity. Even with their outlandish and explosive vibe they are somewhat reluctant recipients of notoriety and strive more to do their own thing than to entertain the masses. This may seem a bit selfish but should translate into being more entertaining, in the long run, anyway. Drenge has a tour scheduled for early in 2014 in the U.S., Australia and the U.K. so keep your ears pealed. I don't see these guys going away any time soon. » - Aaron Mills

DARKSIDE

Even if the lo-fi Krautrock ambience of Darkside's 2011 Darkside EP wasn't quite your cup of tea, the electronic music duo's latest Matador release, Psychic, is worth a close listen. In addition to the spacey meanderings that recall Tangerine Dream's seminal Zeit, Psychic adds an element of space-blues guitar driving the melodies. Not a snippet of sampled guitar, but solid playing. There are still strong electronic elements but you won't confuse this with standard EDM; this is a set of tracks well under 100 BPM, recalling the British blues guitar of the late '60s played through a Portishead filter. "Metatron" and "Paper Trails" would almost sound at home on a rock station while longer jams like "The Only Shrine I've Seen" wouldn't be out of place on one of Julian Cope's Krautrockinspired Rite albums. The biggest difference from their 2011 debut might be the band's newfound expansive sound. The elements are essentially the same but everything feels larger, wider, and more relaxed. "Freak, Go Home" contains a bit of angst but the Darkside of 2013 feels confident. If you've ever wondered what a mellow John Mayall would sound like jamming along with Massive Attack, Psychic might be the closest you'll get. » - Eric Evans

columns

Photo by Jon Bergman

YUCK

Bursting on the scene in 2011, Yuck’s self-titled album likely triggered flashbacks for some mid-'90s college slackers. With obvious influences like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, they made new music in that genre. Simple, guitardriven indie rock had been seriously lacking for well over a decade, and Yuck made it fresh again. The fact that the band was started by two twenty year olds from London only added to its charm. Nothing against the bands from that era still touring (Dinosaur Jr. kicks ass live), but hearing a new band nail that sound was really encouraging. Fast forward two years, and lead singer Daniel Blumberg has left the band to pursue another project, just when they were getting warmed up. Many bands would not be able to bounce back from this, but Yuck has released a new album without bringing in someone new. Virtuoso lead guitarist Max Bloom stepped up to the mic (he was featured on one song on the debut) and the result,

Glow And Behold, is noticeably warmer vocally with just the right amount of verve on the guitar to retain their sound. Gone is some of the heavy distortion and sneering vocals, but Yuck still stays true to its indie rock roots. If anything, the distortion is fuzzier and backs a more positive vibe than the previous songs. Yuck will be playing this month at Mississippi Studios and it will be interesting to see how they deliver their collection of songs. Everyone will want to hear the tracks that put them on the map, and they would be remiss not to deliver the cathartic “Get Away.” Losing a lead singer and co-founder of a band is never easy, but many bands have thrived from a change in course, even if it’s in the same general direction. So go ahead and call it a ‘90s rock revival if you want, but Max Bloom and company are really on to something here. All art is derivative–the execution is what makes it stand out from the rest of the noise. » - Scott McHale

QUICK TRACKS

A “MIDDLE SEA” The distortion-heavy, hard-driving intro will immediately hook you and transport you back to the late ‘90s. This alt-rock anthem is the strongest track on the new record.

B “REBIRTH” Synthy dissonance gives way to bright vocals and a dreamlike atmosphere full of fuzzy reverb. Up for some shoegazing, anyone?

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reviews

NEW MUSIC This Month’s best R Reissue

L Local release

Short List Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Wig Out At Jagbags Broken Bells After The Disco Lanterns On The Lake Until The Colours Run Augustines Augustines Warpaint Warpaint

Damien Jurado Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son Secretly Canadian Damien Jurado is a force to be reckoned with. He's been dropping hot indie hits since before hipsters were cool. His roots have been traditionally settled in the rich soil of folk, but the branches of his modern mind definitely reach much wider. Over the years he has made a name for himself by ignoring critics and general formulas and

Young The Giant Mind Over Matter

of loneliness, betrayal and whitecollar racketeering.

Of Mice And Men Restoring Force

Contrary to many modern acts disguising themselves as soul and/or

The Autumn Defence Fifth

funk, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings are the real thing. It’s real music sans

Pontiak Innocence

the digital bells and whistles that can only be conjured by real musicians’

Against Me! Transgender Dysphoria Blues Steal it

instincts to raise the Spirit that mends broken hearts and corrupts

Toss it

every goddam cell in your body to get

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Give The People What They Want Daptone Records Damn right. The modern soul/funk queen and her dappin’ and dippin’ royal bachelors are back with their sixth full-length studio album. For those who’ve followed Ms. Jones, the new album aptly lives up to its title of giving the people what they want. The unfortunate fiends of joy who’ve never

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The songs are beautifully diverse, and at times you forget you are listening to the same album. The only negative I could say about this album is that it is a little out of reach and into itself, at least for this listener. That being said, it's a great sounding album. I'd call it a get. » - Aaron Mills

shaking and a bit of wisdom from tales

Switchfoot Fading West

Buy it

making music that he finds interesting. Following his independent nature, he began experimenting with several different genres before eventually returning to his roots. That journey, coupled with his obvious love of music, and sounds in general, seems to have come to an elaborate culmination on his newest album Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son. His indie folk inspirations are visible but delightfully distorted and borderline psychedelic at times. The album as a whole has a definite nostalgic feel and almost sounds like it belongs in your parents’ record collection. From the Pink Floyd sounding "Jericho Road" to "Suns In Our Mind," which is reminiscent of the early Beatles, this album is incredibly varied.

been exposed before will get exactly what they deserve–a soulful booty

down and boogey. The authenticity of their 1960s/1970s sound even reaches to the studio; the band refuses to record with digital instruments, aiming to protect the genuine nature of their sound. In fact, my only real negative experience with the album was the sound seemed to be too large for headphones or an iHome. Often, I felt my speakers were muffling the grandiosity of the experience and felt an inclination to smash my technology in hopes to liberate it from inside. » - Billy Dye

reviews way to a more complete, driving and

does both, respectively. Rave Tapes

rich sound born of the original part

introduces these elements but only

but initial skin shed. See: The Allegory

within the structure of a single song.

Of The Cave. Rave Tapes is more

“Deesh” is guided by the post-dub,

art-rock than post-rock, and while

pre-trap, pulsating bassline, which

the album is rich with subtlety, it is

eventually gives way to traditional

without direction. Individual moments

Mogwai homophonic repetition that

make the album exciting rather than a

we all know and love, but where the

fluid journey throughout.

fuck is the guitar?

The record fulfills the fateful

Mogwai Rave Tapes Sub Pop

Do you like Mogwai? Tough shit: you might not like their latest album

when listening to Rave Tapes. The

great rock bands must trade in

moment of elation never comes. If

their guitar-driven masterpiece

this album could be enjoyed with no

for synthesizers and programming.

previous knowledge of the Mogwai

Mogwai have always used synthesizers

catalog there might be more to say

in their music, but it’s taken a back

for it. However, Mogwai have put out

seat to the distortion-stacked-on-

too much great music in the past,

distortion that the five-piece have

which makes Rave Tapes irrelevant

canonized for nearly twenty years.

in comparison to the rest of the

Rave Tapes lacks any sort of true

Rave Tapes. The album begins in the

brute force, or real climax throughout

same fashion as the majority of the

the scope of the album. See: “San

Mogwai collection. Slowly, with a

Pedro” and “How To Be A Werewolf” off

melodic minor movement designed for

2011’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But

sense of place that eventually gives

You Will for examples of how Mogwai

Dum Dum Girls Too True Sub Pop Last time we checked in with the Dum Dum Girls, they were hot on the heels of their second full-length release, 2011’s Only In Dreams, and doing some serious ass-kicking on the tour circuits. This time around, they’ve got an equally compelling third album under their collective belts, and the veteran dream poppers are showing no signs of slowing down.

Waiting is the name of the game

prophecy of music after 2010: All

Too True is a silky departure from their previous work. They’ve toned down the surf rock aspects and feature the Dee Dee’s vocals a little more prominently. Part of their early appeal was their ability to meld styles in refreshing ways, but, somehow, this more restrained approach still completely works. “Cult of Love,” the album’s opening track, is a dreamy chase, complete with some Western guitars reminiscent of Danger Mouse’s Rome cowboy soundscape. It’s a detached song that creates a little more space between the high energy typically delivered by the Girls and the listening experience. As the album progresses, that space opens up into instrumental nuance and, in the case of “Trouble Is My Name,” some real beauty. One of the strengths of Too True is its change of pace. “Are You Okay” is an acoustic guitar-driven track that reigns in the driving drums and pushes that verve into the floating

anthology. » - Gabriel Granach

More reviews online at www.elevenpdx.com

vocal line. It drifts away to the end, but it’s immediately followed by “Too True To Be Good,” with a pulsing rhythm and edgier vocals, lending a noticeable and enjoyable contrast to the two tracks. That Yin and Yang is a theme throughout. As a whole, Too True is elusive. It darts and fades. It keeps the listener off balance, never giving away enough of itself to really grab onto: there are the noise pop tenets, and right when those feel familiar, it pushes back to arm’s length with atmospheric sounds. It knows exactly where it’s been, where it is, and where it’s going. The Dum Dum Girls know that you can’t make the same album twice, and with Too True, they’ve grasped their collective strengths and leveraged those into a diverse and ultimately successful album. » - Charles Trowbridge

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live JANUARY crystal ballroom

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Zappa Plays Zappa | Dweezil Zappa Guitar Masterclass

Doug fir

830 e burnside

The Builders & The Butchers | Tiburones | Old Age

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Roseland Theater

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1332 w burnside

Floater | Smoochknob Dead Moon | Poison Idea | P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. History of Rock: The 60's

mississippi studios 3939 n mississippi

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live JANUARY wonder ballroom 128 ne russell

holocene

1001 se morrison

rontoms

600 e burnside

eastburn

722 E Burnside

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Bodacious Flor de Cana Live Jazz Saucytown Down Home Music Jim Prescott Trio Jake Nannery Kings On Fire Amorus Cedar Teeth

bossanova ballroom

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Charts DoublePlusGood | Pocketknife Old Age | The Century Modern Kin | Young Vienna

1800 e burnside

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Swing DJ (every Wed) Afton Showcase 4 Tuesday Blues 7 Emery 25

kelly’s olympian 426 sw washington

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live JANUARY bunk bar

11 1028 se water 15 Souvenir Driver | Miracle Falls 20 Crooks On Tape 23 Mutual Benefit

SHOW PREVIEWS 1. CALIFONE

2. WOODEN SHJIPS

JANUARY 9 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS

JANUARY 16 | DOUG FIR

WITH

THE LUYAS

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Originally a solo project of frontman and film score composer Tim Rutili, Hot Victory | Smoke Rings | Night Wave Califone is a reincarnation from the Lunch | Mane | White Warm UFOFBI | The Woolen Men remaining members of the Windy City's Sama Dams | Sun Blood Stories late Red Red Meat. With each album, Hungry Tiger | Pageripper | The Settlement Stoneburner | Cold Blue Mountain | Bastard Feast Califone has retained the broken and bluesy sentiment of the former rock outfit, The Abigails | The Lonesome Billies The Shivas | Boom! with a raw edge of acoustic twang and The Ax | Deadkill | Cougar slide-guitar grit. But they are rearranged The Caldonias | Daniel Francis Doyle | Landlines into the experimental, written and Fault Lines | Tennis Pro | Shores of Oblivion executed deeply with atmospheric synths, sketchy samplings, and electronic effects the knock back 2315 ne alberta to accent desolate musings. They hold Club Tropicana: IBQT | Natural Magic | Krycek comparison with Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse (members were also part of Issac bLUE MONK Brock's Ugly Cassanova project), and Brian 3341 SE BELMONT Eno's The Big Ship. » - Brandy Crowe

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Jazz (Sundays) Open Mic (Mondays) Pagan Jug Band (Tuesdays) Arabesque Belly Dance (Wednesdays) 3 Bubble Cats | Bevelers | Moon Debris 14 Adam Brock 4 | Dear Commonwealth

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KINSKI, PLANKTON WAT

By way of San Francisco, Wooden Shjips prepares to unload its propulsive psych/space rock all over your ears. The four musicians (Ripley Johnson, Dusty Jermier, Nash Whalen and Omar Ahsanuddin) will showcase November’s Portland recorded Back to Land, a collection of songs that harmonize like a warm day at summer camp in the late '60s/ early '70s. It doesn’t matter what Johnson is singing about; his indecipherable lyrics melt over pulsating organ, bass, guitar riffs and catchy keys. Check out their experimental music live this month if you appreciate the sounds of Pink Floyd or The Doors. » - Kelly Kovl

3. SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS

4. CROOKS ON TAPE

JANUARY 18 | CRYSTAL BALLROOM

JANUARY 20 | BUNK BAR

What started out as an innocent way to meet some girls, score some free beer, and have a good ol’ time turned into 30 years of Southern Culture On The Skids rockin’ their unique brand of psychobilly-meets-surf. The Chapel Hill trio is known for their raucous live SE PORTLAND performances, so you might just leave hovercraftamps.com info@hovercraftamps.com with a piece of fried chicken stuck to your leg or clumps of pudding in your white eagle hair—not that you’ll notice since you’ll be 836 n russell too busy dancing around to their upbeat 1 Edewaard | Cedar Teeth 2 Mondgreens | Cambrian Explosion | Grand Lake Islands jams. » - Wendy Worzalla 3 The Weather Machine | There Is No Mountain 4 Nails Hide Metal | Tim Karplus Band | Sour Alley 5. LORD HURON 5 Doug Stepina WITH NIGHT BEDS 6 Rocket 3 | Slope 7 Jenny Don't & The Spurs | Kat Jones | Jane Kramer JANUARY 22 | WONDER BALLROOM 9 Ojos Feos 10 Garcia Birthday Band Every once in a while a band comes 11 The Local Strangers | Strangled Darlings along with beautiful soundscapes that 12 You Knew Me When | Short Fiction immediately evoke a picture in the 13 Rocket 3 14 Psychomagic | Blanco | Fever listener’s mind. Lord Huron’s music 15 Brad Parsons feels like traveling through the great 16 Fret Drifters expanse of the northern wilderness, 18 Bingo 19 NineDice with a sense of well-being and harmony. 20 Rocket 3 | Moniker | Shannon Tower Ben Schneider’s haunting, peaceful 21 White Eagle Blues Jam w/Travers Kiley 22 Anna & The Underbelly | Jeffrey Martin | Ryan Ball voice accompanied by strings and 24 Chris Miller & James Sasser | Jake Ray soft percussion plays out like the 25 Kinked soundtrack to an epic dream. Last year’s 26 Science! debut, Lonesome Dreams, showcases 27 Blind Violet | Rocket 3 28 Hunter Paye | Paleo | Will West | The Druthers Schneider’s lyrical abilities. “Time to 29 Jess Klein | Mike June Run” and “She Lit a Fire” are warm, well30 The Defendants written songs that will sound just right 31 Lewi Longmire Band | Mexican Gunfight in the Oregon winter. » - Scott McHale 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!

WITH

Crooks On Tape isn't a rehearsed act. The trio plays improvisational electronic music for hours on end and compiles the scattered recordings into functioning music. Their latest record, Fingerprints, can sound piecey at times; however, their slower, chill-wave sounds melt the record together. This digital art project has both a psychedelic dance aesthetic and mellow hum to its sound, which is often a rarity in electronic music. Crooks On Tape is a glimpse into the beautiful, twisted minds of artists John Schmersel, Rick Lee (former members of Enon) and Joey Galvan, so don't miss the computer geniuses at work this winter! » - Ashley Jocz

6. NOSAJ THING WITH

PREFUSE 73, FALTY DL

JANUARY 31 | BOSSANOVA BALLROOM You might not know about Nosaj Thing, but you’ve probably heard his work. The electronic musician has produced tracks for hip hop luminaries like Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi and Chance The Rapper. It’s a little misleading to call him simply an “electronic” musician because the dude knows his way around the turntables, but his sound manipulation dances on the edge of genres. His newest album, Home, has some of those spacey loops we’ve become accustomed to in the up-and-coming hip hop wave. His shows aren’t raves, but his nuanced beats will leave you feeling similarly cathartic. » - Charles Trowbridge

features

LOCAL FEATURE Thanks

JANUARY SLABTOWN

41033 NW 16TH

alhambra theatre 4118 se hawthorne

hawthorne theatre 1507 se 39th

Photo by Mercy McNab

Serendipity surrounds Thanks. Certain members had never met until their first practice in 2011. Their producer wanted to take the band to Europe after the first time he heard them. Roughly two years after their inception, Thanks are about to independently release their first full-length album, Blood Sounds, and embark on a European tour before ever touring the United States. If Thanks continue in their current trajectory, the next stop is world domination. Thanks have crafted their own infectious brand of dark soul that calls upon dirty blues and soul revival but utilizes sultry synthesizers, blistering guitar licks, and sweeping cello arrangements which will make you swoon, dance your ass off, and probably make out with whoever is next to you. ELEVEN: Who are you and how did you get started? Jimi Hendrix: We’re Thanks. Drew and I, one day were having drinks, and he said, “ I want to have a band called Thanks or Cold One City some day.” I said, “I can deal with Thanks; let’s start a band.” Drew Spouse: I asked around and a few of our mutual friends knew [Jimi] had

been in a band before, and so I asked can she actually sing? They said, “absolutely.” So I said OK, let’s check this out. I knew Noah had been playing music for a long time before, and I had been asked previously by a guitarist from one of his different projects to play drums on one of his tours, but the stars didn’t align. I was recently heartbroken and needed some distraction. The name comes from a country song called “Thanks A Lot” by Earnest Tubb which is a very sarcastic song. It’s like, “Thanks for breaking my heart” or “Fuck you.” The name is also about being thankful for our abilities and only playing what we know. JH: We met on Halloween. Drew said, “I come with a bassist.” Noah said, “I come with a guitar player.” We went to a Halloween party and Andrew was dressed as a grandma. I was dressed as Prince. It’s always a weird time to meet somebody and we said, “All right, we’re doing this.” I think we had practice the next day. Andrew Hanna: We were all really hung over. Garrett Brown: Some of us had never met before. 11: Everybody with a head full of booze must have been a nice way to level the playing field.

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

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

19 ALADDIN THEATER 3017 SE MILWAUKIE 20 VALENTINES

232 SW ANKENY

Ramble On | Ants in the Kitchen | Red Light Romeos 4 Charlie Murphy's Acid Trip 10 The Tubes 11 Andy McKee | Cris Lucas 12 David Koechner 17 David Garrett | Martynas 18 Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout 19 Cheryl Wheeler 23 Josh Ritter (Acoustic Show) 24-25 Classic Albums Live: Abbey Road 31

EAST END

203 SE GRAND

Minka 4

THE GOODFOOT 2845 SE STARK

Sonic Forum Open Mic (Mondays) Shafty (Wednesdays) Soulstew w/DJ Aquaman (Fridays) DJ Magneto & Friends 3 Sugarcane | The Student Loan 4 Asher Fulero Band 7

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features JANUARY THE GOODFOOT

22 2845 SE STARK

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(CONTINUED)

bar 23 tiger 317 nw broadway

Karaoke From Hell (Wednesdays)

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School of Rock & Red Fang (3:00PM) Fruition | Twisted Whistle (9:00PM) Hovercraft Records Showcase (8 bands) School of Rock plays Radiohead (3:00PM) Chervona Old Russian New Year (9:00PM) Trance To The Sun School of Rock plays ACDC & Red Hot Chilli Peppers Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad | The Expanders Robert DeLong | Mystery Skulls Ill Lucid Onset | Gordon Avenue | Violet Isle 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

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The Stein Project | Solid Gold Balls | The Mirrors Mohawk Yard | Stoning Giants | Dakota Max

Black Snake | Black Wizard | Black Witch Pudding

Airing On Ghost Radio | Trailer Home Companion

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Photo by Mikola Accuardi and Randall Garcia

AH: Sunday is just the worst day to practice in general. GB: When we got in the room with each other we didn’t have much of a preconceived idea of what we wanted to sound like. Noah Jay-Bonn: We could have gone soul revival; we could have gone country western. DS: There were a lot of different influences in all of our canons that we would still love to use, but we found our voice with this one. 11: I can still hear those different sounds when I listen to your music. Can you tell me about your influences and how you bring those sounds to the project? Lily Maher: We also play in a country cover band but we only play birthday parties of the members. So we get our country kicks out through that. JH: All standards, no standards is the motto of the country cover band. So there’s that, which doesn’t come out as much. Every one of us also has mutual flavor that we all like but we also have very different tastes in music. I definitely love old dirty blues situations. GB: Our differences in taste come out in the ways we approach our instruments. Our influences really become apparent in our individual approach. Drew and I, especially with this project, we do a lot of throwback soul and R&B.

11: How is the writing process in the band? Is it collaborative or are most songs written by one or two members? GB: Usually everything is just unfinished parts. Jimi will base her vocal melody around that and then we arrange parts. There is basically a shell and within that idea we all add on to it. We make sure to start minimal and then add as we go and as needed. We try not to get excessive. NJB: In our writing process, there are no bad ideas. If someone says we should change it, we try it out and see how it sounds. If you don’t try it how do you know? You’re just being an asshole at that point. DS: It ends up being really collaborative because we evolve the song collectively. What the songs become later are so different than where we started. AH: It also helps that we all have really strong, assertive personalities. JH: On a consistent basis, people ask us, “How don’t you rip apart at the seams in every moment because you have a lot of strong fucking personalities?” DS: We established at the beginning that it is all about the music. NJB: If I tell you I don’t like your drum part, it doesn’t mean I don’t like you. JH: Cause we know he doesn’t like you. 11: Let’s talk about the new album a bit. What changed going in to it? Can you tell me about your process in the studio?

features LM: We camped at the studio for a week. AH: It was really awesome; we were there for a week in the summer. The studio is called Destination Universe. Everyone Else: Not Universal Studios. AH: It was really cool; it’s off 82nd Ave. and on half an acre of property, which really feels like you could be out in the middle of nowhere. Then you walk two blocks and there is a really shitty bar. Everyone Else: Tired Feet Tavern. AH: I always love that feeling of getting away from everything while you’re recording and being solely focused on what you’re doing. NJB: It was hectic. We didn’t write the songs there but we wrote them knowing we would only have a week in the studio. DS: It was under the gun; some of the song structures we were finishing while we were recording them. JH: It was super fun, but it was super stressful at the same time. DS: Working with Victor Nash at Destination Universe is a joy. He’s so positive and genuinely interested in the music and helping you get the product you’re looking for. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to record with. I would love to record with him constantly. GB: We were also working with Dominic Schmidt. We call him The Kaiser. JH: Dominic is our producer. He’s the reason we’re going to Europe. He camped out, too, and got drunk around the campfire.

DS: He spent more time in the studio than anyone. Dominic was there the entire time. LM: I wrote a lot of my parts in the studio. I hadn’t been singing backup vocals in the band before that and then Dominic decided he wanted backing vocals so most of the parts were written right there. 11: Tell me about this Euro tour. AH: We met Dominic last year after playing the Big Ass Boombox festival here. He really liked our band. He told us he wanted to take us to Europe that night. JM: At first we just thought he was pulling our leg and then we got all drunk and were like, “We’re going to Europe! Fuck this shit!” GB: He listened to our EP and really liked our sound, but he said we weren’t ready and we needed a full-length. He also wanted to produce the full-length. DS: He and his girlfriend have put in a lot of time helping us. It’s been great to have those people in our corner. AH: We’re going in May, and we have no idea what it’ll be like. JH: We’ve never toured here. So our first tour is in Europe? It’s crazy. » - Gabriel Granach

JANUARY tonic lounge 3100 ne sandy

dantes

350 w burnside

Hawks Do Not Share Whitey Morgan & The 78's Randy Rogers Band | Wade Bowen The Romanes | Apollo 4 | Broken Bodies Big Ass Boombox Music Festival N. Mississippi Allstars | Lightnin Malcolm The Delta Halos Whiskey Meyers Black Sabbitch

FIRKIN TAVERN 1937 SE 11TH

6 10 16 18 24 25 27 30 31

Tiger House | Fanno Creek | Talkative 11 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

30 Laurelthirst pub 2958 ne glisan 31 the waypost 2120 n williams

Freak Mountain Ramblers (Sundays)

Thanks play live this month January 4 @ Mississippi Studios for their record release party

PortlandCountryUnderground|KungPowChickens(Mondays)

Jackstraw (Tuesdays) The Low Bones | Steelhead Chelsea Motel | Shoeshine Blue Tree Top Tribe | The Colin Trio Old Flames | The Ridgerunners

Denim Wedding | Carrie Clark & The Lomesome Lovers

analog cafe & Theater 720 se hawthorne

4 5 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30 31

Muevete Jueves Cuban Dance Party (Thursdays)

Rustlah & Raspy Meow | Andrews Ave. | The Sorry Devils 4

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Photo by Shae DeTar

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outhern-spoken Earnest Greene, as Washed Out, creates music of electronic expanse. He stretches songs into relaxed tracks with unexpected rhythms, turning his vocals into echoing, distorted harmonies with himself. Some call it no-fi, some call it chill; either way, the use of use of heavy effects and sound experimentation can cause his music to act either as a perfect lullaby or make the listener want to take a journey. Washed Out’s second album, Paracosm, is a daydream. The meaning of paracosm is a creation of an imaginary sanctuary, to escape or find adventure; the kinds of worlds created for stories like Narnia, The Hobbit, and Alice In Wonderland. As a musician, Greene has revived the eccentric sampling and soul of his first High Times EP from 2009, and has grown to create a more constructed, imaginative album that is colorful but still soothing, and in true Washed Out style, is simply meant to feel good. In all of Greene’s work, there are simple pleasures and also hidden complexities. There is an added vibrancy now: he has brightened the familiar twilight haze of Within And Without and Life Of Leisure by moving beyond electronics and layering arrangements with lush organic sounds and instruments. “Entrance” opens the album with chirping and chiming, and a choral hymn angelically announces “It All Feels Right.” It’s a go-with-it, good-time song with an almost reggae bounce, and a few of the same drum pops found in Portlandia’s theme song, “Feel It All Around.” The album art is bright and the album's first two videos are of beautiful, simple nature shots. Many songs offer an island feel: celebratory and at ease. But they often go awry; tracks warble with guitar and spaced out noise, and Greene has a penchant for cinematic “fade outs.” Among the sunshine, some of his tones are eerie and somewhat emo. Instrumentation is juxtaposed to lyrical themes of loss, seeking, safety, “floating” outside of your consciousness, and, as the bonus track entails, being pulled down. Yet, it’s completely uplifting. Greene picked up more than 50 acoustic instruments while recording his latest, as well as a backing band with live drums and a padding of bass and added vocals. This has allowed Washed Out to grow as an artist by pushing for new sounds in studio and stage, creating "paracosms" to slip into and new experiences during live performances. He has played packed venues for MusicFest NW and a North American tour, soon to be the world. Not bad for a guy from Georgia that couldn’t find work as a librarian.

features national scene

ELEVEN: What are you up to today? Earnest Greene: Today I actually get to rest a little. I just got back from Mexico, and the weather change between Denver and Mexico is kind of messing with me. 11: Where are you now? EG: I’m home! Kind of far out, pretty rural, just outside of Athens now. 11: There are a lot of artists settling around the Athens music scene, but you are a Georgia native, right? EG: I grew up near Macon, Georgia and I lived in Atlanta for the first couple of years of putting Washed Out together. Here in Athens is where I put together the most recent album. 11: So, how did you come to be Washed Out? EG: I've been making music since I was 18 or 19 years old–around the time I got my first laptop computer. It came with some software for recording and I started learning how to record and sequence. I started sharing my tracks on MySpace, and really it was just out there for me and my close friends, and then some of my stuff was "discovered." 11: You didn’t really have to do any self-promoting, did you? EG: No, after obsessively doing it for 5 or 6 years, my tracks started getting attention through music blogs and word of mouth. It led to me starting to tour and getting a record deal. 11: Who are some of your musical influences? EG: I was really into sampling when I first started–so guys like DJ Shadow and RJD2 were really important. I also experimented with hip hop. As I started to grow as a songwriter and producer my stuff started moving away from hip hop and more into uncharted territories like indie rock and dance music. 11: Does anyone ever call you Earnie? EG: Ha, yes. My family, especially during holiday gatherings. I’m a Jr. so me and my dad were always like “Big Earnie” and “Little Earnie." Except now I’m bigger than my dad. 11: Your musical title definitely seems to cover your style. How did you come to call yourself Washed Out? EG: It is a photography term. When I was still going to school I was also involved in photography, and this kind of hazy, faded, over-exposure was becoming a popular effect to use in artistic photographs. I really liked it because it seemed to match what I was doing audibly.

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features national scene 11: And you went to school to be a Librarian? EG: I got a job in a university library in South Carolina and ended up going to school there to get a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science. I was actually working there up until the point where I started doing Washed Out full time. 11: Do you think future libraries will (or maybe there already is) have a book that will reference you on The Chillwave Movement? EG: I hope so, that would be awesome. 11: What is your relationship with the term “chillwave?" EG: Well, it’s kind of a love/hate relationship. I definitely didn't set out to make chillwave music–so it's a little weird being put into a box of a certain aesthetic. But being associated with the sound has set me apart from a lot of other artists doing similar things–so its definitely helped my career. 11: How do you describe your sound? EG: It lies somewhere at the intersection of dance (electronic), indie rock, and hip hop. I feel like I'm often pulling from a lot of different genres simultaneously. But at the core, it's pop music because the songs are very

simple and layed out with a traditional "verse/chorus/ verse" structure. And the vocal sound is very effected–so maybe "dream pop"? 11: You have just released your sophomore full length. What is a Paracosm? EG: My interest in research led me to this term often referenced by child psychiatrists that describes creating a fantasy world. I like to think about it as a daydream–an imaginative space to sort of slip-off into… 11: Before you were using more "bedroom" and software-derived productions, but with this album you have picked up the use of many acoustic instruments, and some incredibly rare synthesizers? How is this album different? EG: The last album Within And Without was put together using only a few synthesizers and I wanted to try something different. I used instruments and played with the synths to seek out as many cool sounds as I could. I worked at layering and adding texture when creating new arrangements. I also have been playing with a band for a couple of years now–so I wanted the album to reflect that a bit more with more live performance. So I ended up using a lot more "real" instruments and recording full performances instead of just manipulating everything with a computer. This approach has definitely helped with the live performance–where I think the live versions of the songs really ring true to the original. 11: How are your live shows different from the recorded tracks? EG: The live shows feel a little bit more upbeat and "rock" than the records. I think it has a lot to do with the band that I have–which mirrors a pretty classic rock and roll setup with bass, guitar, drums and keyboards. I personally love live shows that embellish certain parts of songs and give you a different version than what's on record–so we have a lot of long intros and outros that stretch the music out and let the show really breathe. 11: In a sense it is a way to experience the tracks before they are “washed out”? EG: Yes, definitely. 11: Tell me a little about the style of your videos? EG: I've been lucky to work with some great directors this time around. Patrick Han created the very psychedelic, colorful plant life of the Paracosm album trailer. The first lyric video was put together by Ferry Gouw–and he did a really great job of animating the flowers by artist Sara Cynwar, the same art used for the album cover. The second video was done by Kate Moross. She was able to access the London zoo with a film crew and get

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features national scene some really amazing shots of the wildlife. Both of those videos have more organic characteristics. The 3rd video for “All I Know” was done by Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen and it tells the story of two young boys on a road trip. I feel like it's a great interpretation of the lyrics of the song and feels very real. 11: And sponsorship, such as Urban Outfitters? EG: Urban Outfitters gave us some money to do the video (“All I Know”) and it worked out great. They pretty much let Daniel do whatever he wanted without hardly any "branding" BS. 11: You played two shows at the most recent MusicFestNW, a charming set at Doug Fir Lounge, and a late night headliner at Mississippi Studios. The show at Mississippi was one of the hardest to get into. Several Eleven staffers made it in and cite that as one of their favorite shows of 2013. Does that night or festival stand out to you at all? EG: Yeah, it was a lot of fun! Both venues are very intimate, and especially with a sold-out crowd. At Mississippi we played really late so everyone was really loose, dancing and getting into it, which in turn makes us on stage really get into it. It was also some of the first times playing new songs from Paracosm, so a totally new approach. It was definitely one of my favorite shows of that tour. I always get the feeling that the folks who made the effort to make it into a small show like that are really true fans–so of course it’s going to be a great vibe when we come on. 11: What do you think about your song “Feel It All Around” being used as the opening theme for Portlandia? EG: That’s a funny story, actually. I got a direct email from Fred Armison. I was really surprised when it came up–because Washed Out was just starting to pick up some steam. Fred said that he was a fan and putting this show for IFC together, and he wanted to use my music. Without even seeing anything I agreed and we made it happen. I was obviously a big fan of his work on Saturday Night Live so it was a no-brainer. 11: Do you believe in making New Years resolutions? EG: Oh the usual, taking better care of myself, eating right, being fit. Especially on tour. I'm smart enough to know I won't keep up with them. 11: What do you foresee in the new year? EG: A ton more shows! We plan on doing a couple more tours in the spring, and then a bunch of summer festivals around the world. »

Catch Washed Out live this month January 30 @ Crystal Ballroom www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 18 PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER

film

WATCH ME NOW Written by Bex Silver

bikers. Of course the first thing bad boy Vanilla sets his eyes on is the virginal honor roll student, Kathy. Bizarre (and totally unnecessary) subplots unfold, muddled between epic montages of Ice looking cool. Between the acting, poor attempts at comedy, and a severe over use of montages, this film may have been intentionally made to be the worst movie ever. As such, this is the perfect fodder for a heckling.

HOLLYWOOD THEATRE RE-DO SERIES JANUARY 14 | HOLOCENE

The dynamic duo of Holocene and The Hollywood Theatre are teaming up to bring the magic of David Lynch's early cult TV classic Twin Peaks back to life, with a screening of the fan film, Twin Twin Peaks. Based on a 40 page fan fiction script, written by a group entitled "Third Season Project," Twin Twin Peaks picks up where the abrupt cancellation in 1991 left off. Produced by an all fan cast and crew, viewers will be transported back to the original filming locations in northern Washington. To really set the mood, a reprise performances of the songs of Twin Peaks will be performed by Rachael Jensen & Matt Carlson. May I recommend this be a costume event? If you see a Log Lady in the corner that's probably me.

GHOST WORLD

JANUARY 23 | HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

JANUARY FILM EVENTS PRETTY IN PINK

JANUARY 3-9 | LAURELHURST THEATER

Best date movie ever. Pretty In Pink has all of the elements of an '80s high school drama: boy angst, killer fashion, an underdog, and of course a fabulous pop soundtrack. The quintessential Molly Ringwald flick, Andie Walsh is a high school weirdo (weren't we all) who catches the eye of rich and popular Blane (Andrew McCarthy). Not wanting Blane to know that she comes from modest means, Andie tries to play it cool with the upper crust of her high school (including James Spader and Kate Vernon, who is a Cylon) and by doing so, alienates her one true friend Duckie (Jon Cryer). Iona (Annie Pots) is there to mop up her tears as Annie fights against all the odds to make it to prom. Get your John Huges fix this month with this Brat Pack classic.

HECKLEVISION: COOL AS ICE JANUARY 11 | HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

If you've been to Hecklevison before, you know how it works: Audience members text in their wittiest quips and jabs as a truly spectacular stinker of a film sends everyone into stitches. This is why you must attend this month: Cool As Ice, starring none other than the newly famous Robert Van Winkle, Vanilla Ice himself. Released in 1991, mere months after "Ice Ice Baby" climbed its way to pop infamy, Vanilla stars as a rapper-dancer-biker who rides into Average Town USA with a troupe of neon-nonsense

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Throw your new years resolution out the door, bust out the green hair dye and put on your dancing shoes for this quirky adaptation of Daniel Cowe's graphic novel Ghost World. Not even Enid (Thora Birch) or Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) could scoff at the prizes Broad Spectrum Film and Floating World Comics will be giving away. Never read the comic? No worries, Floating World Comics will be selling the series and much more right in the lobby. $8 tickets include screening and raffle tickets to win limited edition prizes.

ELEVEN FILMS FOR 2014 With the new year comes a whole 12 months of new movies to look forward to. Mark your calendar by ELEVEN's list of potential gems.

BIG BAD WOLVES

Directed by Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado | Released January 17

KINGS OF BADASSDOM

Directed by Joe Lynch | Released January 21

THE MONUMENTS MEN

Directed by George Clooney | Released February 7

THE WIND RISES

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki | Released February 21

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL NOAH HITS

Directed by Wes Anderson | Released March 7

Directed by Darren Aronofsky | Released March 28

Directed by David Cross | Released May 12

MALEFICENT

Directed by Robert Stromberg | Released May 30

THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS T.S. SPIVIT Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet THEY CAME TOGETHER LOVE IS STRANGE

Directed by David Wain

Directed by Ira Sachs

film Photo by Mercy McNab

INTERVIEW: JUDAH FRIEDLANDER Written by Sean Bailey

JF: Yeah, that came later. It keeps changing. The first seeds were there about 15 years ago and there were different things. One was my life-long fascination with World Records. When I was a little kid, I was always trying to break some world record. When I was eight years old I tried to break the pogo stick world record for staying on a pogo stick the longest. I think the record was 8 hours or something. I did an hour straight. An hour is a long time for an eight year old. It got really boring so I stopped. Anyway, I started writing all these ridiculous athletic achievement jokes. My stuff was always audience participationheavy, you know, working the crowd. So, at some point I went the other direction. It seemed at the time that every comedian was trying to bond with the audience. I decided to take the opposite approach, where I just couldn’t relate to anyone. I was just ‘above it all’. Like, "I just can’t relate to you losers, at all." So, as I was writing all these ridiculous jokes–and I’ve been making my own hats for years, you know. First I made a hat that said “Record Breaker” and was doing all these "record breaking" jokes. Then I made a hat that said “World Champion." So, I’d be there bragging about being a World Champion, without giving any details and it would draw the audience in…make them want to ask me questions, you know? And I liked that, too, because I like working the crowd. So…[Fan interrupts for a photo op] Yeah, so it started out to be, like Idiot Bragging Guy. Also, “Is it real or not real with the athletic achievements” you know? And then, it sort of changed from a bragger guy to a completely humble guy. I became a kind of super hero. A super hero who was a dick. Like nothing I’m saying is a lie, there’s no fabrications or anything, it was just flat out superiority without even trying. And now, with social media, I try to get subliminal pieces in there about our narcissistic society. You know, everything is just, “Me Me Me. Look what I just

Behind his slouched demeanor, comically oversized glasses, and endless supply of personalized trucker hats, 30 Rock’s Judah Friedlander may look like a common laggard, but upon closer examination, the self-appointed “World Champion” may in fact be closer to a walking embodiment of the American Dream. Since the age of sixteen, this impossible to miss comedian has turned poking fun of himself into a career, but ultimately, staying true to who he really is has kept him motivated, and made him a star in the process. To talk about the past, the future, and life in The Rock, I sat down with Friedlander at Kelly’s Olympian in downtown Portland, hours before his first ever Portland show.

ELEVEN: You started comedy way before the internet, right? Do you find a weird juxtaposition between the two? Judah Friedlander: Yeah, it’s still weird. When I first started, there was no promotional side to the business. It was just standing in front of a comedy club handing out flyers trying to get folks to come in. 11: When did you figure out that you wanted to do comedy and acting? JF: I first knew I wanted to do stand-up when I was about 16. I did a lot of art when I was a little kid. Then I got into animation around 13. At 16 I pretty much knew I wanted to be a comedian. I started stand-up at 19. 11: And the World Champion thing?

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film

JANUARY 2014

1.6 • NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL GAME 1.7 • NERD NITE #11 1.11 • MIZ KITTY’S PARLOUR 1.13 • OREGON ENCYCLOPEDIA HISTORY NIGHT 1.15 • PROJECT WILD THING 1.16 • PDX JAZZ with PETER BERNSTEIN ORGAN TRIO 1.18 • INTERNATIONAL FLY FISHING FILM FEST 1.21 • OMSI SCIENCE PUB “BLOWS TO THE HEAD” 1.26 • GRAMMY AWARDS 1.27 • DISLECKSIA: THE MOVIE See mcmenamins.com for complete schedule of events

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ate, look what I just did, look at how cool my kids are, look how much fun I’m having.” You know, in sports it’s always the hot dog who gets all the glory. And there’s so many who do a really great job, but the media doesn’t give a shit about them. And now I’m getting much more political [and] doing a lot more social commentary. People want a hero. They don’t want bullshit. 11: So, you consider yourself a political person? JF:Sure, sure. But I try to do it in a way that’s not preachy and in a way that is not divisive. It’s tricky because I talk about gun control, abortion, minimum wage. I try to do it in such a way that no matter who is in the crowd–tea party, liberals–they are all going to laugh at the jokes. I try to get people to look at how absurd the divisiveness is. Ultimately everyone just wants to be safe, they are just divided on how to go about it. People agree they want safety, or freedom, but they will hate each other trying to get it. My goal is always to make people laugh but with a subliminal message. In my comedy, I tend to try to get the laugh out of the difficult, the dark situation. I like to tinker with both conservatives and liberals if they are both in the audience. 11: Now you have a book called, How To Beat Up Anybody. Where did you get the inspiration for the book and how does it fit into the big picture of your career? JF: The book was basically an extension of my act, but in written and photographic and art (drawing) form. Because I like to be an artist in all different mediums. Stand-up is the main one, but every medium brings its own perspective, its own angle on things. I wanted to take one particular angle of my act and put it in book form. A kind of visual with jokes form. I’ve had the idea for the book since around 2003 and then around 2008 some publishers approached me about doing a book. Mostly because they knew me from 30 Rock. I’d been working on the book sporadically, but once I got the offer I worked on it non-stop for about a year and a half. It was a ton of work. 11: Ever been in a fight? JF:Not in a long time. A fight’s not something you really want to be involved in. Especially if you are older than twelve. 11:Yeah. I got jumped in middle school once. I sat next to a cute girl and pissed a guy off. JF: The older you get, the longer it takes to heal. And you’re stronger, too, so you do more damage. It’s not a good thing. 11: So, last night I went on Facebook and told my friends that I was going to be interviewing you today. I asked them to give me some questions to ask you. JF: Oh, cool! 11: The only people that answered that late were my mother and my sister. JF: Hey, you’ve got a cool mom! 11: So, my sister would like to know, “How do you make money by being awesome, by being yourself without becoming a total prick or a moral sell out?” JF: It’s not easy. Sometimes there’s a lot of stress involved. Showbiz creates a lot of shit. I live in New York and there’s definitely some shit created there, but as far as movies and television, 80% of it is done in L.A. and 90% of that is crap. Whereas in New York, they might create 20% but most of it is either quality or at least financially successful. You know, in show business and in life it’s just hard to be yourself. Our society has such a fascist, consumerist, capitalistic dynamic. Even the reality shows are basically trying to influence how people act and behave and what they should value. It’s hard to be yourself. You’ve got to fight for it. 11: So, last question. What advice would you give someone going in for an interview on some new project? JF: Well, I guess, just don’t shit on people because then they get mad. »

community

NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE MONTH:

SE CLINTON STREET 4 SE CLINTON ST

9 1 6

SE CLINTON ST

N W

27TH AVE

8 7 2

26TH AVE

25TH AVE

23RD AVE

11 10

22ND AVE

21ST AVE

S Location photos by Mercy McNab

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 - 2525 SE Clinton

7. VINYL SUPPLY

Clinton St. Record & Stereo - 2510 SE Clinton

8. HIGHBROW PUB GRUB

Savoy - 2500 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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community visual arts Photo by Mercy McNab

11: How did you make the shift into being a full-time artist? AC: I had my first child. Having her was the instigator. It was the “Oh my god, I have to show this person how to fulfill their dreams.” I have to show them it is possible. I can’t live this life of always selling myself short and waiting for something better. 11: So having a child caused your big leap into the art world? AC: Yeah, then I just started. Was working, started drawing, started painting again. Kind of sporadically at first, but then I realized I couldn’t work a 50 hour day job working in the produce section of some store. That wasn’t going to work for me anymore, so I got a night job working fewer hours for more money in a bar. That enabled me to have days to parent and have painting time during naps. Then one day, I just walked into a coffee shop and asked if I could hang my art there and that is how it all started for me. 11: So you walked in, they hung your art and your whole career began? AC: Yeah! People started finding me! It keeps feeding off itself. It’s awesome.

VISUAL ARTS Portland artist April Coppini

ELEVEN: Who are you? Where do you come from? April Coppini: I’m from Rochester, but I have been out here for about 17 years. So I’ve been out of school awhile. I feel pretty at home here, although, I grew up in a pretty wooded area and am missing it. I feel like that is a part of me. 11: Where did you go to school? AC: First year was at University of Arts in Philadelphia and got a good foundation there, I felt. It was pretty great there. They have a great printmaking program which is why I went there. Printmaking and drawing were my majors. 11: When did you start working as an artist? AC: Not until about 10 years out of school. The big instigator for that was–you know how you get out of school and you don’t know what the hell you’re doing? Well, in art school, they don’t tell you how to make it as an artist. That’s kind of a weird thing. In Portland it is not as hard as it is in a lot of other places. I still had no idea where to start. You don’t just walk into a gallery and say, “I’m good, you should have me here.” I also didn’t have a body of work then because I didn’t know how to balance making art and a full-time job.

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11: How did you get into working with charcoal? AC: That’s drawing to me. I have always used charcoal, even going back to college. I guess when I got out of working, I really started to get comfortable with it. I like the messiness. That’s where it is at for me because I can screw up and it doesn’t really show. I can go back in with the eraser and carve out what I want. What I want to be white again. 11: What draws you to charcoal over painting? AC: Right now it is the immediacy of it. That’s important as a mother. Painting can take a long time and require a lot of prep work. Plus the cleanup of charcoal is so easy. Basically, I just wash my hands and that is it. And, it is my favorite medium. You know, I feel like sometimes in this country drawing isn’t taken as seriously as painting or other forms of art, whereas in Europe drawing is revered and taken seriously, but that’s okay. I’ll paint more one day when it is easier for me to do so, and hopefully I will be able to express what I have been able to do in charcoal. 11: For those who have never seen your work, what kind of things do you try to capture? AC: I do a lot of birds. I really love birds. And mostly animals that I am familiar with. The most important thing I try to capture is the animal’s spirit and the way they are in the world, rather than just what they look like. For instance, I once got a commission for a rhino, but I’ve never met a rhino so I said no. It’s important in my work to have some personal connection with the animals. 11: Are you a lover of animals? AC: Oh yes, I grew up with a lot of animals, and I worked

community visual arts in a veterinary hospital all through high school and a little in college, too. I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian for a while, but the math kind of scared me away. It was daunting–a lot of math. 11: How do you determine which animal you are going to capture? AC: Oh, it can be from lots of different things. It could be from a childrens' book I am reading where some animal captures my imagination and I need to draw it. It could be from hearing about some endangered peacock or beaver and I find myself researching them and get inspired by them. A lot of time there is just a natural flow. 11: So you are inspired by the natural flow of your own life? AC: Yeah, I would say so. And the magic of childhood and stories. Childhood is so entrenched with animals, it is saturated with them. It’s great because animals and children are so like each other. 11: What’s it like being an artist and a mother? AC: It’s crazy. It’s not a lot of rest. Never. 11: They’re two things–being an artist and a mother–that require an extreme amount of energy. How do you juggle it?

AC: It’s tough. There’s sometimes when I wish I wasn’t doing both. Especially when I’m with my kids and my mind is on a piece just because someone called and ordered a commission of something. I guess it’d be nice to have a manager or something for times like that, but you know, I haven’t gotten to that point yet. It is kind of overwhelming. I don’t get a lot of sleep, but it’s worth it. They’re both worth it. I think a lot of people don’t think about a lot of the behind the scene stuff of being an artist. Like hanging for shows, prepping a canvas, returning emails, it all takes up about 40 percent of the time, and what’s left is time to create art. 11: So being a mother physically inspires your art? AC: Right. They can be very physically exhausting, but mostly they are very exhilarating because you have to be on all the time with kids. You have to be present. Then, when you get these times alone you almost have too much energy. That presence rolls over into making art and I will find myself working really fast. 11: That’s interesting. The attention you give to a little human being is the same attention you give to your canvas. AC: My midwife said it was the same energy. You’re creating and you’re creating. Same energy, you’re just diverting it. 11: Is there any correlation between using an earthly medium and capturing animals?

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community visual arts AC: It’s really interesting you said that. My partner was just telling me about a documentary about the oldest cave paintings and they were charcoal drawings. He said, “I saw this and you need to see it. I think it’s going to do something to you and give you new insight into your drawings.” I get it. I get why they were doing those drawings. They were trying to capture the spirit of the animal. 11: Is there a connection with charcoal as a medium and your own personal vision of creating art? AC: Yeah, you know as children we first begin to see in black and white. And as adults, it does something to us too. Also, I lived a very simplistic kind of life up to this point–there wasn’t a lot of money coming in–and I think there is that kind of survivalist kind of aspect to the black and white charcoal drawings. I think I connect to that, I can relate to it. There is something really hopeful about working to get something really dark and then pulling the light out of it by going back in with the eraser and finding what you were looking for. 11: What is that journey like for you–is it long or is it relatively immediate? AC: There are artists who make select, very intentional marks; I am quite the opposite. I take the pressure out of it and draw how I see it. Every mark is a thought. So I will get as much information down as possible trying to find the animal. It will get really, really black; then I will take an eraser and carve out the form I am trying to find. » - Billy Dye Please enjoy April's piece entitled "Bombus Californicus" decorating our back inside cover this month

"House Sparrows In Thicket"

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