contents
ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 11
THE USUAL 3 Letter from the Editor 3 Staff Credits Columns
VOLUME 2
FEATURES Mini Feature 13 Animal Collective
Cover Feature 15 Sally Ford & the Sound Outside
5 Aural Fix Young Man Palma Violets Poliça
new music 7 Short List 7 Album Reviews White Fence Guided By Voices Cold War Kids Dawes
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
FILM Watch Me Now 19 Review: Eastern Oregon Film Festival Room 237 Raw, Raucous and Sublime Beer And Movies Festival Instant Queue Review
Local Visual Arts 21 Portland artist Matthew Eliot Carlson
PDX Paragons 23 Purse Candy The Lower 48 Yours
Neighborhood of the Month 24 SE Grand Avenue
The Local Biz 25 ELEVEN’s favorite local business directory
more online at elevenpdx.com
HELLO PORTLAND! We’re going to win, and I’m not foolin’. While I understand that this past March was a retrogradation for a lot of people (and the planet Mercury), we’re in April now, and it’s time to bounce back (or spring forward?). You know, despite being an abnormally self-destructive species a lot of the time, we’re also very resilient and innovative. Example One: When they said that HIV was an incurable disease and always would be, most people accepted that estimation. Then, some clever scientists started meddlin’ with ‘melittin,’ the toxin from African Killer Bee venom. Those lab dudes burst that double membrane like... well, I’ll leave you to your own creative analogies... point is: HIV just got a little less threatening. Example Two: The sleeved blanket. These breakthroughs, scientific, emotional, and spiritual are recognized to the keen observer as a daily occurrence: Mother Nature lending a hand to those in the fold of the master plan. Mind blowing. Truly, is there any obstacle that cannot be overcome by a cooperative front with unwavering determination? Let’s say no; not when we unite, brainstorm, and persevere. As I said before, we’re all in this together, and we’re going to win. Now for the April Fools stuff: Did you know that in Switzerland there’s a tree that can grow spaghetti noodles?! »
- 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 PHOTOGRAPHY Liz Devine
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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
CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Colter, Brandy Crowe, Billy Dye Gabriel Granach, Dane J, Kelly Kovl eleven west Nelda Kerr, Rachel Milbauer, Aaron Mills media group, llc Rob de la Teja, Morgan Troper Ryan Dornfeld Dustin Mills photographers Justin Cate, Michael Herman, SPECIAL THANKS Amy Kettenburg, Aa Mills Kev, Jim, Steph, Matt, Tali, Vargas fam, EastBurn fam, M.W., research assistant Tixie fam, Meeses, PLA, Vince, Katherine Benedict Skot and Karla, Phil and Corrie, PH+BG, Will+Opie, Treefort, our DISTRIBUTION / PROMO partners, families and friends! The Redcoats
VISUAL ARTIST OF THE MONTH: MATTHEW ELIOT CARLSON
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
YOUNG MAN
How does one portray angst without whining about it? I don’t know, but Colin Caufield, brain parent of Young Man, sure does. Colin’s unlikely, yet deserved Cinderella story began with him posting YouTube videos of himself covering some of his favorite songs. After honing his skills, his own original material followed and proceeded to garner the attentions of important ears. Now with three albums on the Frenchkiss label and a full band at his back, Young Man is still far from his peak. Young Man’s persona is one of understated understanding. He seems old enough to make music for a mature and storied audience while at the same time being close enough to the source of his youth to maintain a sense of whimsy about those trying times that we all know too well. His spooky folk-style guitar playing and soft vocals merge to form some chilling waves of emotion. The rhythmic and driving style of his music (the result of his roots as a drummer) instills a strong sense of motion. That feeling that we are always moving forward even when it doesn’t seem that way. The dates are set for six headlining shows for the Midwest and a show in New York this April just before embarking on a cross country tour with Maps & Atlases, including a stop here in Portland on April 23. » - Aaron Mills
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PALMA VIOLETS
London-based quartet Palma Violets have carved a name for themselves across the pond and if they keep up their current pace, it is only a matter of time before they do the same here in the States. Their sound evokes the similar feeling of urgency you get from a cocktail of Kings of Leon and The Arcade Fire— driving, pulsating, and contagiously raucous. Overwhelming evidence of this can be found in last year’s lead single “Best of Friends” (voted NME’s Song of the Year for 2012). With their youthful rock’n’roll spirit (too young to even toss back a cold one), London’s Palma Violets stormed the U.S. border earlier this year with six packed-out sweaty shows in the span of one week resulting in exhilarating response from fans and music lovers alike. The band lives and breathes for performing, and their energy rapidly spreads over you—sending chills down your back and hair standing on your neck. The band got picked up by Rough Trade Records who released their debut, 180, earlier this year. If you forget about all the hype attached to the band (they’ve been compared to The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, and The Strokes), sit down and listen to the record, you will experience swirling goth-psych garage rock that proves the rebirth of the guitar band is on the rise. » - Wendy Worzalla
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columns
3
Photo by Cameron Wittig
POLIÇA
I believe things happen for a reason, the reason usually making itself apparent at some point down the road. Unfortunately (or fortunately,) Channy Leanagh had to experience the breakup of her Minneapolis band Roma di Luna and divorce her husband and bandmate so that Poliça could form and make the grade-A album Give You The Ghost. In 2011, as Roma di Luna was on the way out, Ryan Olson (Gayngs founder and production master) was on the way in. The two artists embarked on a soft electronic rhythm and blues adventure that landed Channy with a bunch of reflective lyrics, two dueling drummers, Ben Ivascu and Drew Christopherson and a bass guitarist, Chris Bierden. The three instrumentalists create a heavy spacescape for Leanagh’s ghostly vocals to land on. Using delay, harmony and auto-tune pedals, her vocals may sound familiar at first. But by the third track, “Violent Games,” you realize they are by no means ordinary. They float inside your ears, down into and all around your body like the peripheral nervous system until you start craving her voice.
Frequently asked about her auto tuning, Channy has compared its use to that of drugs: doing it because it feels good. Also, because the processed, trill vocals seem totally appropriate for the electronic haze that falls over the music. The album gets started with opener “Amongster” and catches your attention with the imagery of “Apologies like the birds in the sky/and even they are falling like the tears in my eyes.” I could keep naming lyrics that pulled on the last few remaining heart strings I have. Their sound is futuristic chill, think Warpaint crossed with the xx crossed with SBTRKT. Bon Iver fans will notice Mike Noyce is featured on two of my favorite tracks, “Wandering Star” and “Lay Your Cards Out.” The latter song helped get the band a lot of unexpected and humbly received attention after Jay-Z featured it on his blog. Despite the upsets Leanagh has endured, she is living well, which is, of course, the best revenge. It’s been eight months since Poliça’s last Portland visit; this show will be a treat as new music is on the horizon. » - Kelly Kovl
QUICK TRACKS A “THE MAKER” An addicting track where the first minute and a half is just the pulsating, in and out type beat that showcases Ryan Olson’s skills and demonstrates how Channy plays with her pedals to draw out her voice.
B “HAPPY BE FINE” Perfectly embodies the core feeling of this album with lyrics like, “I need some time to think about my life without you,” Channy slowly finds her way through the pain in this song.
Catch Poliça live this month April 6 at Wonder Ballroom
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reviews
NEW MUSIC
nearly a quarter into the year and he’s at it again with another album under his solo act, White Fence. The contrast between his albums goes from a mellow neo-psych to a scuzzy garage-psych. Half of it sounds like an album my dad would have had (lucky for me, my dad has extraordinary taste in music—thanks dad!), I would have borrowed, and
This Month’s best
ended up listening to so many times I’d have to buy him a new copy. The other
R Reissue
half sounds like an album I’d share
L Local release
Short List
L
Alkaline Trio My Shame is True Rilo Kiley Rkives The Flaming Lips The Terror James Blake Overgrown The Knife Shaking The Habitual Iron & Wine Ghost on Ghost Face To Face Three Chords and a Half Truth The Thermals Desperate Ground Yeah Yeah Yeahs Mosquito Phoenix Bankrupt! New Kids On The Block 10
Buy it
Steal it
White Fence Cyclops Reap Castleface Records
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something that slipped under his radar Cyclops Reap is a blend of both,
Tim Presley (The Strange Boys, Darker My Love, The Fall) had quite a 2012: releasing the albums Family Perfume Vol.1 and Vol. 2, Hair (collaborative awesomeness with Ty Segall), toured in support of said releases, married his longtime sweetheart, and Birth Records. It’s
Guided By Voices English Little League GBV, Inc.
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as he wonders if this is new music or in the past.
Toss it
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with my dad and his eyes would widen
It’s tempting to look back to the origins of a band that’s been around forever and compare their old records to the stuff they’re still pumping out. Especially a band like Guided By Voices. Since the late ‘80s, GBV have managed to keep a steady flow of new tunes coming, but unlike other groups that seem to release new records simply for those nice paychecks, GBV still execute
but mostly mellow with the perfect mix of guitar sounds—scuzzy, driving, electric, sliding, and acoustic. Live and recorded, Tim Presley is a master of guitar pedals and it shines on this album. Check out the first single, “Pink Gorilla,” if you don’t believe me. » - Wendy Worzalla
just as well as ever. English Little League opens with “Xeno Pariah”: a guitar line and some wailing vocals briefly make you wonder if you accidentally put in an old Guns ‘n Roses album. Fear not: they’re just getting started. Robert Pollards raw vocals push songs that might be considered filler on other albums – like “Sir Garlic Breath” and “Biographer Seahorse” – into strangely beautiful meanderings that bolster rather than sink this 17-song saga. Other tunes, like “Birds,” wander back toward the traditional rock side, and the layered guitars with the phaser set to “interstellar” harkens back to some of GBV’s earlier albums of yore. In sum, English Little League is a journey. It weaves back and forth between soaring standouts and odd b-side-sounding singles, but at this point, these guys know what they’re doing and you can be sure each quivering vocal line and stray pluck is accounted for. This is Guided By Voices, and they kick serious ass. » - Charles Trowbridge
reviews
Cold War Kids Dear Miss Lonelyhearts Downtown Records
I wonder if the members of Cold War Kids realize there’s an absolutely smoldering Thin Lizzy song named “Dear Miss Lonely Hearts” -- it seems like a title that’s way too esoteric for the similarity to be coincidental. On the other hand, Cold War Kids don’t seem like the sort of band who would
Dawes Stories Don’t End Red General Catalog/Hub Records This month Dawes releases Stories Don’t End, the first album recorded on the band’s own label, HUB Records. Under the tutelage of producer Jacquire King (who has worked with Norah Jones and Tom Waits), with their third release the folk-rockers hope to update their analog Laurel Canyon sound to the 21st century without compromising
willfully pay homage to a classic rock group, even ironically (like when the Replacements titled their album Let It Be). Speaking of the Replacements, Cold War Kids remind me just how dramatically the term “indie rock” has veered from its etymology, and it makes me uncomfortable. Cold War Kids are not a “guitar-centric” band. Presumably, the group’s musical cultivation did not include anything authentically indie. As a matter of fact, guitar isn’t even really a patent element of the ensemble’s sound lead single (and standout track), the compressed-to-oppress “Miracle Mile”, sounds like Ben Folds Five’s “Army” on Dexedrine, with its steady banana-finger piano line, and equally bouncy, intractable vocal melody -but unlike the Folds-penned classic, it lacks spirit and the lyrics are by and large expendable, meaningless witticisms (“I wasn’t raised to shoot for fame / I had the safety on”). The industrial, synth-driven second track “Lost That Easy” rocks even
less, and the sullen countenance persists all the way through “Fear & Trembling” (Kierkegaardian allusions should really be outlawed by now). Things pick up by the Lennonesque “Tuxedos” which marvelously showcases lead singer Nathan Willett’s dynamic vocals, and “Jailbirds” bears some resemblance to 80s Squeeze - but subsequent tracks “Water & Power” and the title cut skirt dangerously close to muzak, while closer “Bitter Poem” is reminiscent of something even worse –Phil Collins. Ultimately, Dear Miss Lonelyhearts suffers because it’s soulless. While they may flirt with a variety of eclectic influences–some great, some abhorrent–Cold War Kids generally adhere to a tedious and shopworn formula that prevent any of the cuts off this record, even the exceptional ones, from remaining memorable even after sufficient listens. » - Morgan Troper
who they are. More or less, they have succeeded. This is a very easy record to listen to; it won’t necessarily challenge your ear, but will keep you hooked in, good material for dreamily humming along some highway on a trip to the river, meditating without worry or conclusion (“All my best kept secrets are the ones I never knew I had”). King has wielded his modernizing powers tastefully here, allowing the band to ramble into their signature electric guitar solos and soothing rhythmic pastures at their leisure. On “Side Effects,” the guitar and vocal melody hold hands perfectly, punctuating the well-trodden topic of disappointment in love in that soothing way that is a trademark of vintage folk rock. For despite all the band’s efforts to sound “modern,” much of the record still feels like time travel directly back to 1976. On “From A Window Seat,” I kept having to remind myself I wasn’t listening to
the Eagles, what with all the talk of rivers and freeways and lonely travelers making trouble. Also, whenever I hear lead singer Taylor Goldsmith’s vocals I have to remind myself I am not, in fact, listening to singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, with whom the band has shared the stage, a home city (Los Angeles), and many a musical stripe. “Most People” could in fact be from Looking East, Browne’s own modern rock selfreincarnation from the 90s. Touring this year and into 2014, and paired with Bob Dylan for several dates, Dawes will inevitably continue to draw comparisons to their 70s LA rock antecedents, but that’s not actually a bad thing. There is no shame in responding to the genres that inspire you rather than reinventing the wheel; if only Dawes themselves were okay with that. » - Kela Parker
Dawes plays live in Portland this month with Dr. Dog April 28 at Crystal Ballroom
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live Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com
APRIL crystal ballroom
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live april the know (continued)
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PREVIEWS The Airborne Toxic Event - Photo by Autumn DeWilde
APRIL 7 | CRYSTAL BALLROOM
I’m willing to bet you think you don’t like this band even though you’ve never given them a serious try. ATE is one those rare bands that is actually amazing in spite of their commercial success. Not liking something just because it’s “cool” is the same thing as liking something just because it’s “cool.” This dynamic and multi-talented five piece offers a plethora of inspired sounds and an onstage presence to be reckoned with. With a third album just released and more YouTube videos than you can could shake two sticks at, ATE is an obvious example of how to do things right. Go view the spectacle and enjoy. » - Aaron Mills
MUSIC HALL 13 SHINY 714 sw 20th place backspace 14 115 nw 5th 6 12 19 20 26
The Atom Age | My New Vice | 3 Round Burst Chin Up Rocky | Toxic Kid | Stark Heros Tom Curren Jason Chen | Tiffany Alvord Transit | Seahaven | Young Statues
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The Weather Machine (Mondays in April) Bottlecap Boys Ribbons | Kyle Polensky | Better Days McCoy Tyler Band | Jack Dwyer & The Bad Liars Garcia Birthday Band James McCartney Quiet American | Ruby Rae | Dethlefs Brown Shoe | Balto | Purrbot World’s Finest Stan McMahon Band | Counterfeit Cash Tango Alpha Tango | Ben Union | Eternal Faire The Sale Matthew Heller & The Clever Jameson & The Sordid Seeds | Slow Children Wayward Vessel | Rainbow Sign Brad Parsons Band | Thornton Creek | Indianhead Manzanita Falls | James London | Port August Benyaro | Screen Door Porch Welfare | Mark Sexton Band Pheasant Jackstraw Will West | The Druthers | The Sale
1. THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT
2. GHOSTFACE KILLAH WITH
ADRIAN YOUNGE’S VENICE DAWN
APRIL 10 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
4 5 6 10
“What do you say about Ghostface Killah coming to town?” a friend asked another friend. “You don’t say a thing,” they said, “because it’s fucking Ghostface Killah,” she sat down her can of PBR. “It is going to be awesome; you don’t need to say anything because Wu-Tang said everything already. They literally say every possible thing that can be said. Haven’t you listened to one of their albums? Not to mention they revolutionized hip-hip. Large in part slabtown of Ghostface’s contribution.” “Okay I get 1033 nw 16th it, but do you think the readers will?” DJ Cry Baby | The Slow Death | Faster Housecat “Did you tell them Ghostface is coming to The Lovesores | Hot LZs | Rat Party town?” “Not yet.” Ghostface Killah will be in Nagas | Doomsower | Mane Of The Cur Sadie & The Blue-Eyed Devils | Lexingtons Portland. » - Billy Dye
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Captured! By Robots | Bloodtypes 4. BENDER MUSIC FESTIVAL Very Little Daylight | Cement Season Cower | Whales | Goddamned Animals APRIL 12-14 | STAR THEATER Annie Dang | Whim Grace | Kai Jarvis The Carrions Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children | MacNuggits Since 2008, the powerpop/punk/ Yevtushenko | Roselit Bone garage-centric Slabtown Bender–which Slutty Hearts | Sabrina Chap | The Happening is curated by the eponymous bar sortaBad Machine | Darkest Moons | Governess
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3. TYLER, THE CREATOR
APRIL 11 | HAWTHORNE THEATRE Clocking in at a whopping 22 years of age, the LA-based rapper Tyler, The Creator gives the world his third solo album this month, Wolf. Often criticized for lyrics of rape, homophobic slurs and murder, there’s no easy way to sugarcoat this. Oh wait, Michelle Obama did recently give a shout out to a member of Tyler’s rap collective, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. And he took home MTV’s Best New Artist in 2011, and his Portland show has been sold out. If you have a ticket, be ready for long night with a very young, excitable crowd. » - Kelly Kovl
11-14 The Slabtown GRRRL Front
annually–is arguably the best and most consistent “niche” mini-festival that 4118 se hawthorne occurs in this city. Luminaries that have 4 Eddie Spaghetti graced previous festivals include Ty Segall, 5 Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited 6 Spring Scoot 19 feat: Erotic City (Prince Tribute Mudhoney, Kid Congo, the Pink Money 12 Poor Man’s Whiskey Birds and Wreckless Eric. This year’s bill, 13 PolyRhythmics & Moksha (Soul’d Out Music Fest) which reportedly will include Big Eyes, 18-21 The Bridgetown Comedy Festival Therapist, Youthbitch and The Suicide 27 2nd Annual Dark Faerie & Fantasy Ball Notes, among many others, will surely be Want to have your show listed? no exception. Dress lightly, this is bound to E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com be a hot one. » - Morgan Troper
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5. JAYMAY WITH
GREGORY AND THE HAWK, KAYOKO
APRIL 14 | HOLOCENE Jamie Seerman, a lithe figure better known as Jaymay, is a NYC songbird that entwines acoustic guitar pings and writing into cathartic poetry. The Never Be Daunted Tour will display her latest compilation 10Under2, which is twitterpated with songs that range from energetic tracks like “What about the Bob?” to lamby lullabies that could be at home on an indie children’s album, such as “Hyenas Go Ha, Owls Go Who?” Influences of Dylan are notable, as her lovely voice sweeps into “anti-folk” and sunny jaunts about trials with significant others. » - Brandy Crowe
live
PREVIEWS 6. BAD RELIGION WITH
POLAR BEAR CLUB
APRIL 14 | ROSELAND THEATER Let’s pretend like everyone doesn’t already know about Bad Religion. On that premise, why should you care? Answer: you should care because you want your face rocked off. You want your musical ass kicked, and you want that ass kicking to come from the gurus. Bad Religion has been around the block more than a few times–in fact, now that proverbial block is named after them. But somehow, despite the years and despite the fickle nature of the music culture, these guys have managed to stick around and do right. As an aficionado, this show is not an indulgence: it’s your duty. » - Charles Trowbridge
8. BAT FOR LASHES
APRIL 17 | WONDER BALLROOM For everyone who wistfully watches YouTube videos of British multiinstrumentalist Bat For Lashes (Natasha Khan), wishing you could see her live, April is your month. Touring for the 2012 release of The Haunted Man, Khan will be sure to dazzle the Portland crowd with her rumored-to-be-fantastic live show, in which her ambitious blend of synth-pop and art rock is outshone only by the brilliance of her stunning voice. This is a special act to see in Stumptown, so don’t let the chance pass you by. » - Kela Parker
10. THE MEN WITH
CCR HEADCLEANER, THE PROTONS
APRIL 21 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS The Men have always had a ton of potential–but new leaked tracks from their upcoming full-length New Moon suggest that they might finally be blossoming into something bigger and more significant than anybody really expected. Like their peers in Titus Andronicus, this is rock and roll in its most honest, concentrated form. It’s the sort of thoughtless brilliance that would make Paul Westerberg proud. The Men might not be much in terms of trailblazers, but I’d take heart over originality-for-the-sake-of-it any day. » - Morgan Troper
7. SAVAGES
APRIL 15 | BUNK BAR
april hawthorne theatre 1507 se 39th
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Talib Kweli | Cory Mo | The Chicarones | DJ Biggz Rockstar Karaoke (lounge) Soilwork | Jeff Loomis | Blackguard | Bonded By Blood Ensiferum | TYR | Heidevolk | Trollfest | Helsott | Anonymia The Portland Battle of the Bands Finals Soul Asylum | Throwback Suburbia | Cellar Door Lucero | Langhorne Slim The Rocket Summer | The Classic Crime | Joe Brooks Tyler, The Creator Problem | Iamsu American Roulette | Kill On Site | The Suppression | Ion Storm Suffocation | Exhumed | Jungle Rot | Rings Of Saturn | Admiron Millionaires | Ashland High | Beneath The Sun | Lancifer Local H Lydia | From Indian Lakes | Sweet Talker | Altadore Sensed Fail | Such Gold | Real Friends | Major League NoMeansNo | Ford Pier | Dirtclodfight | Bison Bision The Portland Battle of the Bands He Is We | Dylan Jakobsen Kottonmouth Kings | Deuce | Dizzy Wright | Eskimo Callboy
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Guitarist Gemma Thompson takes creating the band’s set lists seriously: “It haunts my dreams. I try to have a live story, in a way, for the sound to grow and become something else. The whole order of it is really important.” A primal post-punk act from London, Savages first show was an impromptu performance supporting British Sea Power last year. The quartet evoked a Birthday Party-era Nick Cave and their thrashing live shows became the talk of the town. Following an impressive debut album, the foursome announced their first VALENTINES North American tour. Yes, please. » 232 SW ANKENY - Wendy Worzalla La Pump | Heloise and the Savior | DJ Cavalier 3 Sex Life DJ’s 4 Protomartyr | Turn To Crime 7 9. THE THERMALS Secret Colors 9 APRIL 20 | BRANX Trust The DJ w/MR. Mumu 12 New Ocean 14 Morning Ritual | Mojave Bird 16 As lo-fi goes, Portland’s got a pretty Dynasty Handbag | Alicia Mcdaid | DJ Jen O 18 solid grip on the concept. It comes as no Ill Camino Presents 21 Virals 22 surprise, then, that The Thermals are as Golden Retriever | Woolen Men | CE Searle 28 adept as any in that vein. Formed back in
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2002, the Portland group has shown some aladdin theater serious staying power, improving and 3017 se milwaukie Billy Bragg | Kim Churchill growing with each new album. They rely on Unknown Mortal Orchestra | Wampire Cake-style vocals, heavy riffs and blistering Steep Canyon Rangers | Blackberry Bushes guitar solos at exactly the right moment. Jeff Bridges & The Abiders Jesse Cook When you throw all those elements Colin Hay together up on a stage, and turn on the Keller Williams aural blender, the end result is one helluva Eddie Jobson “4 Decades | Tour & Master Class Johnny Marr | Alamar a good time. » - Charles Trowbridge
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Mary Chapin Carpenter | Shawn Colvin
11. NEW BUILD APRIL 30 | DOUG FIR New Build is a marriage of members from London’s Hot Chip, Tom Hopkins and Felix Martin, as well as LCD Soundsystem’s Al Doyle. The resulting love-child of an album, Yesterday Was Lived and Lost, spans thumping house music and new-age disco that induces “too-much-Red Bull” style jumping, then smolders into groovy bass, an array of beats and synths and seductive advisories in the vocals. The most recent Your Love EP, played with by DJ’s Donnacha Costello and Tornado Wallace, is full of electric drops splashing into sexy, murmuring dubs. » - Brandy Crowe
Chuck Ragan | Jenny O | Dave Hause | Tim Mcllrath
Sparks Joan Osborne Crystal Bowersox Drumlandia: A Benefit for MetroArts Inc.
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21 The Goodfoot 2845 se stark 22 east end
203 se grand
Sonic Forum Open Mic (Mondays)
Shafty: A Phish Tribute (Wednesdays) Scott Pemberton Trio (Thursdays) DJ Magneto & Friends Paa Kow’s By All Means Band Soul Stew featuring DJ Aquaman McTuff | Bucket Of Honey | Funky To Death Soul Stew featuring DJ Aquaman
TIGER BAR
317 NW BROADWAY
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Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com
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features APRIL star theater
24 13 nw 6th
10 DaM-FunK | Starship Connection
Bender Festival Nahko & Medicine For The People Lee Fields & The Expressions Los Amigos Invisibles Dr. Lonnie Smith 22-23 Ciudades NW Flamenco Tour 27 Will Kinky | Tony Smiley | Jordan Harris 12-14
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MINI FEATURE
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
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Mortal Plague | Facinorous | Sacrament Of Impurity Solid Gold Balls | The Cool Whips | Lights Sounds Phalgeron | Sarcalogos | Last Bastion | Gorgon Stare Chronicles Of Bad Butch | Man X | Town & The Writ 89 Dynasty | Sad Face | Pink Slip | Volt Per Octaves Druden | Wild Hunt | Burials Absu | Ritual Necromancy | L’Acephale | Pleasure Cross
26 rotture/branx 315 se 3rd 6 8 13 18 19 20 21
Papadosio | Acorn Project Vice Device | Void Vision | Pressures | Futility Mochipet | Zoogma Disclosure Fallstar | Capture The Flag | Subtle City The Thermals Watsky | Dumbfoundead
27 3100 ne sandy
tonic lounge
5 A Volcano | Butt 2 Butt | Gloomsday | Dark Country 18 Ex-Girlfriends Club | Hopeless Jack & Handsome Devils 19 Bike Thief | Rare Monk | Those Willows
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Bob Wayne | Outlaw Carnies | T. Junior Snarky Puppy | Afromassive Booker T & Charlie Hunter | Carlton Jackson The Telescopes | LSD & The Search For God | Night Beats
ROOM 29 RED 2350 SE 82ND WAYPOST 30 THE 2120 N WILLIAMS 7 Classical Revolution 12 Music Students Of Teri Untalan 26 A People’s Choir
PUB 31 LAURELTHIRST 2958 NE GLISAN
Freak Mountain Family (Sundays) Portland Country Underground | Kung Pao Chickens (Mons)
Jackstraw (Tuesdays) Cooper & Coal | John Brown Project (Weds) Left Coast Roasters | Kory Quinn Ducky Pig | John Amadon | Kelly Blair Baumann Tree Frogs | Renegade Stringband | 3 Times Bad The Old Flames | Jon Koonce Trio Joe McMurrian & Woodbrain | Emma Hill James Low Western Front | Renegade Stringband The Resolectrics | Jamie Leopold & Short Stories Lewi Longmire | John Henry Bourke Bday Show James Low Western Front | Garcia Bday Band Left Coast Roasters | Coldwater | National Flower
4 5 6 11 12 13 18 19 20 25 26 Alice Stuart | Renegade Stringband | Melody Walker 27 James Low Western Front | Adam East & Kris Deelane Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com
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Photo by Antiba Photo
Since the crowning glory that was 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, the members of Animal Collective—David Portner, Noah Lennox, Josh Dibb and Brian Weitz—have been wanting for nothing, which means they are free to play for the love of the game. And their game is the creation of a very particular psychedelic domain of sounds and visuals. ODDSAC, their 2010 “visual album” created with director Danny Perez, served as a pan-sensual broadcast of the inner world they’ve been mapping together ever since they started working together more than a decade ago. With last year’s Centipede Hz, the collective takes us on an expanded guided tour of that world, one that contains oceans, alien civilizations, endless flowers, and, of course, plenty of girls. The four musicians met and started working together very early on—Lennox and Dibb went to grade school together in Baltimore County, and Dibb met Portner and Weitz when they were students at the progressive, art-friendly Park School of Baltimore high school. Free to explore
Finally, in the summer of 2000, their musical obsessions and personae all collided in a New York apartment. The result was Animal Collective, a kind of confederacy uniting their various efforts. Meanwhile, they’d each gained new names: Dave Portner as Avey Tare, Noah Lennox as Panda Bear, Josh Dibb as Deakin, and Brian Weitz as Geologist. In a recent phone interview with Geologist, I asked him how he felt those learning environments fostered their ambitious artistic drives. “It was amazing to go to a high school that had tons of music classes,” he says. “I mean, there was a course on MIDI music that you could take, and there was an hour of free time every day, and so many arts electives. It became a place where you learn how to play.” The opportunity was fully seized. “Our senior year they give you six weeks off to go and do an internship somewhere,” he says. “And a lot of people get jobs or whatever. And Josh did this too but, you know, he was older than us. When Josh did it he worked at a recording
creative interests at a young age, they made music in a variety of arrangements together, recording as they learned. They each went off to different East Coast colleges, making music separately but regrouping at every possible chance.
studio; and then when it was Dave’s and my turn, we asked if we could kinda make our own recording studio in our basement and write a record—and we did it! We wrote a record that was an hour long and learned how to record it ourselves.”
features That record remains unnamed on a single cassette tape labeled “Brian and Dave’s senior project,” which belongs to his wife and might be the single most valuable artifact of Animal Collective memorabilia. And though their limited-edition and out-of-print LPs sell for top dollar, when I ask if Weitz planned to eventually send his two-year-old son to a similarly creative school, he sighs. “I mean, I don’t think I could afford it,“ he admits frankly. I ask Geologist about their private musical environment. “We’re still pretty guarded,” he says. “We don’t want to lose the fact that Animal Collective is the four of us or some combination of the four of us, and it’s really just about our friendship and what happens when we’re by ourselves and have that sort of hive mentality. We don’t like a lot of people observing or being part of the creative process that aren’t part of the band. We like to keep the rest of the production away until we’re actually playing shows, you know. And at that point the four of us have found something that we’re locked into.” The world they create in that interior space is then shared worldwide. A kaleidoscope for the ears, Centipede Hz sounds like they returned to their hometown playground to jump around and bang on every well-remembered surface more fervently than ever. The album has a childlike spirit, but the music’s technical aspects are anything but juvenile. With Panda Bear raging behind a drum kit, the return of Deakin’s live guitar, and Avey Tare focusing more on keys than in the past, the arrangements are more organic and interactive because they are less sample-based. The density
and amount of primal screaming harkens back to 2005’s Feels, or 2007’s Strawberry Jam, their first on Domino Records. On Centipede Hz, the relentless optimism of Merriweather Post Pavilion and the Fall Be Kind EP darkens into twilit themes of selfdoubt, in the song “Wide Eyed,” and antiutopian misgivings in “Monkey Riches.” When asked about the development of Animal Collective’s sound on this new record, Geologist is adamant that they “don’t see it as a linear evolution beyond where Merriweather was. To me, this one sounds more like something that could’ve come closer to Feels or Strawberry Jam.” Still, he says of the Centipede Hz, “it has more poly- rhythms, and the parts everyone is playing are a bit more complex or a bit harder than things on past Animal Collective records. “Dave and I know piano, so we can talk sometimes about, like, ‘Yeah, that bass note there should be an E,’ or whatever,” he says. “And Josh had a strip of tape on the back of the guitar neck that actually showed him what all the notes were, so you could ask him, ‘What are you playing there?,’ and he’d look at the back of his guitar and be like, ‘It’s a B.’ That was never how Animal Collective worked before, but for this record, because everyone was doing more traditional musicianship-y kind of things, it sort of pushed it that way. I don’t know if it sounds like that on the record, because the record ended up, as always when the four of us get together, just a noisy, chaotic, full on, dense collage of sound, but it is the most technically challenging of all the music we’ve ever done.” The visual component of the live show also continues to get more technical.
Though they employ a large crew on tour these days, the ideas still start with the band members and their go-to visual artist: Avey Tare’s sister, Abby Portner. “On previous tours we’ve built the stuff ourselves or she’ll build it out of wood,” says Geologist. “But we’re just not set carpenters, so we don’t do it ourselves anymore, because stuff would just break after five shows. So now we’ll take it to a design firm and show them a photo and say, ‘Can you build this for us?’” Though they travel more comfortably now, when the band first started touring in the early ’00s, Weitz says they threw themselves “to the wolves.” “[Touring] can drive you insane because you’re losing money left and right. You know, your van breaks down, and you have to call your parents and beg them to send you like $200 so you can get the fuel injection system fixed. It can be demoralizing. Your back hurts [because] you’re always sleeping on floors.” Even when the real world was hard on the spine and bad for the posture, from the beginning, Animal Collective’s live shows always sought to grant the band and the audience passage into a self-made world, full of giant flora and intelligent fauna, mysteri-cal sounds and alien lights. “I’ve seen sort of mind-bending shows, and you do feel altered in some way,” Geologist says. “And they just make me feel alive. We definitely want people to have a sort of simulated psychedelic experience when they come to our shows—or we hope that they do. We hope that they feel ecstasy and emotion when they come. » - Nelda Kerr
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Photo by Gabriel Granach
F
ew bands in Portland have risen to the heights Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside have in such little time. With the release of Dirty Radio in 2011, the group set out on tours across the nation, and then the wider world, even landing a spot on the Late Show with David Letterman only months after the debut album was released. Earlier this year, the group released their second album, Untamed Beast, that further supported the rock and roll throwback vibes fans know and love. Such speedy success shows the hunger audiences of all backgrounds have for honest music from a female-fronted band. Something fellow local songstress Y La Bamba’s Luz Elena Mendoza knows as well. And goddamn if they don’t deserve every drop of respect. Raw, both in terms of Ford’s lyrical content and The Sound Outside’s immensely talented live ability, the group follows in the footsteps of legends like Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, and Big Brother and The Holding Company, but with a self described “two-step, big beat gospel” sound that everyone from Hole to Missy Elliot can approve. Imagine seeing Yeah Yeah Yeahs in a Harlem speakeasy. Comparisons and gender-roles aside, bands like Y La Bamba and Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside are stellar examples of musicians creating original, wonderful music in our rainy city, and they’d be artistic treasures no matter their sex. Still, it’s impossible to deny the swagger Sallie brings to the stage as a woman, and let’s hope such sensibilities continue to inspire the next generation of girls because we’ll be all the more blessed if more ladies like her create music for the world to enjoy. Relentlessly touring, ELEVEN got the chance to speak with Sallie Ford just after the band’s back-to-back nights at the Wonder Ballroom, and again down in Austin, TX as the group readied for a busy SXSW schedule.
ELEVEN: When did you know you wanted to be in a band? Sallie Ford: In 2006, I wanted to start a band with my college friend (I went to UNCA for a semester). I was gonna play violin cause I grew up playing violin. It never ended up happening. I eventually started to sing by myself and knew it would be more fun to play with others. 11: When did you move to Portland? SF: I moved to Portland in October 2006 from Asheville, NC. 11: Why did you decide to move Portland over other cities? SF: People kept telling me about Portland and I knew it
features national scene
would be cheaper than NYC or San Francisco, but still not be a tiny hippy town. I was not disappointed! 11: How did the band come together? I read that guitarist Jeff Munger decided to join the group after seeing you, bassist Tyler Tornfelt, and drummer Ford Tennis busking on Hawthorne. Is that true? SF: It was the other way around actually. I met Jeff while he was busking on Hawthorne and invited him to a house show we were playing. He didn’t join the band till later, when he finally showed me his secret groovy guitar skills. 11: You were originally trained as a violinist, weren’t you? Do you ever think about adding that sound to the mix? SF: Yeah, I played violin for years, but I never really loved it. It’s a great instrument for certain bands, but I guess I hold strange memories about playing it. We did have Tyler’s sister, Annalisa Tornfelt, play violin on our first record, Dirty Radio. Maybe one day I’ll have a side project with violin.
“If I needed to write a whole album,
I could probably do it in about a week, but it might not all be great”
11: You recorded Untamed Beast right here in Portland, didn’t you? How was your recording process different this time around? SF: Yes. We record at Jackpot Recording Studios with two producers from Nashville, Justin Collins and Adam Landry. It was a different experience to work with producers, but we were sure to record on tape and record mostly live like the first record. 11: Are you already planning the next album? SF: I have been writing some, and we may put out an EP at some point. If I needed to write a whole album, I could probably do it in about a week, but it might not all be great! 11: What was it like getting to play the Wonder Ballroom back-to-back nights? SF: Awesome! It’s a great venue and they have great folks that work there. The crowds were cool too! It was also great to play with two awesome local bands, Sons of Huns and AgesandAges.
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features national scene
Photo by Aaron Colter
11: What bands besides AgesandAges and Sons of Huns in Portland do you like? SF: Old light, Lewi Longmire, Pancake Breakfast, Midlo, Wild Ones, Caleb Klauder and many more. 11: You’re on tour with Thao & The Get Down Stay Down at the moment, correct? How did you two get hooked-up? SF: Yes! We started the tour March 2nd. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while now. We played a few shows with her other project she was with Mirah and those shows were sweet! Thao has the same booking agent as us, and maybe that helped us get on the tour with her. Hopefully she is as excited as I am to be on tour with another band that has a girl in it! 11: How many days out of the year would you say you’re on tour? SF: Last year we probably toured about half the year. It will probably be the same this year, if not more.
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11: Have you played SXSW before? SF: Yes, we played in 2011. I’m totally looking forward to it. I know it’s gonna be hectic, but it will be sweet to be in the warm weather, and to check out other bands! I wanna try and see Allah-las, FIDLAR and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. 11: Is there a song off the new record that you love playing live? SF: “Party Kids,” ‘cause I don’t play guitar and I usually dance a lot. 11: Do you have a favorite food while on tour? SF: It’s been cool traveling internationally and trying food over in Europe. I love crepes in France! 11: Do you have a favorite city to play outside of Portland?
features national scene SF: My favorite city to play outside of Portland is Paris. I love it there and consider it my second home. 11: Are there moments when you think all the work is too much? SF: Touring is definitely my least favorite part just cause it’s tiring and boring at times. I love playing music though, and I know how lucky I am. At least it makes me appreciate the time I do have at home in Portland, and I’m glad not to be in school or working a crappy restaurant job! Writing and recording records are my favorite part for sure. 11: What’s in store for you and the band for the rest of 2013? SF: Touring the USA, Europe, and we will play Pickathon in August. 11: What’s your ultimate goal for the band? SF: I just wanna keep building our fan base in the USA so we can headline our own tour and tour with friends, maybe Old Light or Sons of Huns. I also wanna build our fan base in Europe and tour in Scandinavia. One day it would be amazing to tour in Japan as well! I’d also love to collaborate with artists that I look up to, maybe Sharon Van Etten or Kurt Vile. Mostly though, I just wanna keep it up and be as grateful as possible. »
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film
WATCH ME NOW Photo by Jeremiah Marshall
EASTERN OREGON FILM FESTIVAL
FEB 28 - MAR 2 | LA GRANDE, OREGON
Sundance, SXSW, Cannes, Toronto International Film Festival, and... Eastern Oregon Film Festival? For those of you who can’t locate La Grande on a map, the town of 13,000 is nestled in the world’s second largest enclosed mountain valley, southeast of Pendleton; a mere 4 hour drive from Portland. As city-dwellers, we have a predilection towards discrediting towns outside of our ethosphere, often not realizing the cultural merits they extol on a smaller scale. La Grande, though small in size, disabuses the theory that nothing happens in a small town. “La Grande Oregon is home to Eastern Oregon Film Festival, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a cinematic experience in Eastern Oregon that promotes discovery, entertainment, and education via artistic exhibition and viewership. Through the mediums of independent film and music we aim to expand the cultural experience within our community.” (eofilmfest.com) The three day festival showcased features and shorts from genres ranging from foreign drama to domestic documentary, and provided evenings filled with after-parties and music. Noticing a 30% jump in attendance from 2010-2011 (eofilmfest. com), the Granada Theater this year, was packed with bodies for almost every screening. War Witch, a Canadian film, sold out its Friday night show and had to be scheduled for a second screening. Following the narration of a pregnant, 14-year-old Sub-Saharan African girl, the film depicts the life of Komona telling her unborn child the story of her mother’s life since being abducted by a rebel army at age 12. Other highlights of the festival included a screening of experimental work by the San Francisco collective Ornana, as well as Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, a documentary offering solutions to our national healthcare crisis. After the screenings had concluded it appeared as if the entire town gathered to see performances by Hillfolk Noir and
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film Finn Riggins on Friday night, and also Saturday for Portlandbased And And And. Complete with EOFF-emblazoned burn barrels, the weekend’s festivities had a homegrown amicability, with all the trappings of a nationally renowned festival (sans annoying, drunk celebrities). While accomplishing their goal of promoting communal unity through cultural expression, the organizers of EOFF should be very proud. In a city like Portland there are festivals, screenings, and film clubs taking place right beneath our noses. The music scene may steal the lime light 90% of the time, but a happenin’ film culture is around every corner if you know where to look. Not only is it easy to see the run-of-the-mill films in one of the numerous megaplexes, but we’re graced with amazing theaters like The Hollywood, Cinema 21, Mission Theater and NW Film Center, and festivals like EFF Portland (May 21-26) which allows Portlanders to access the good, campy, and bizarre bests of cinema. With spring’s arrival there will certainly be plenty of occasions to broaden your film experience. » - Bex Silver
UPCOMING FILM EVENTS 1
ROOM 237
BEGINNING APRIL 19 | CINEMA 21
Kubrick fanatics and conspiracy theorists unite! Screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Room 237, a documentary by Robert Asher, delves into the Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining to unearth the hidden meanings of a film that may be over 30 years old, but is still relevant in film dialogue as a cornerstone to the modern physiological thriller genre. Five different theories lead the viewer through an endless maze of animation, dramatic reenactments, and original clips that will have you asking new questions of your own.
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RAW, RAUCOUS AND SUBLIME APRIL 25-26 | HOLLYWOOD THEATRE
A Portland institution, Renwick’s experimental films, installations, and poetic documentaries are imbued with her unique brand of self expression that blends body, environment, and spirit into an homage to the beauty and mystique of the pacific northwest. This retrospective encapsulates her vast repertoire and debuts her long-awaited North, South, East, West: Around the Map with Vanessa Renwick, a DVD compilation of her work. Make sure not to miss this auspicious occasion when the Hollywood Theater honors one of Portland’s most accomplished and kickass filmmakers.
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BAM: BEER AND MOVIES FEST MONTHLY | LAURELHURST THEATER
The Laurelhurst Theater is a favorite for second runs, but did you know they have a rotating theme every month besides the re-runs? Beer and Movie Fest films show for a week at a time and change genre monthly from Sci-Fi to 60s and beyond. April is Action Movie Month featuring Batman (1989, dir. Tim Burton), Where Eagles Dare (1968, dir. Brian G. Hutton ), Paths of Glory (1957, dir. Stanley, Kurbick), Kelly’s Heroes (1970, dir. Brian G. Hutton), and The Duellists (1977, dir. Ridley Scott). If classic action/war films aren’t your thing, you’re in luck because May is classics month! Check the Laurelhurst website for full schedules and the BAM genre of the month. » - Bex Silver
Instant Queue Review Without indie cinema, Netflix would be nothing but TV shows and a scant handful of Hollywood hits and misses. Recent indie offerings like these are what help keep the streaming service afloat. » - Rob de la Teja
JOLENE
(2008)
Inspired by the Dolly Parton song of the same name, ensemble drama Jolene is single-handedly responsible for getting Jessica Chastain cast in what seems like every movie to have come out in the past two years. As her character ages from 15 to 25 she experiences sex, abuse, prison and lesbianism. I’m sure that’s what Dolly was singing about.
COMPLIANCE
(2012)
While it makes sense to call Compliance a drama, it is really more of a horror movie. Highlighted by Ann Dowd’s superb performance, the film faithfully recreates the true events surrounding a prank caller who convinced fast food managers to perform strip searches on innocent employees.
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
(2012)
Aubrey Plaza taking the lead role in a romantic comedy could and should have been a recipe for disaster, but with mumblecore god Mark Duplass as her mentally unbalanced leading man, the chemistry is just right. This quirky, heartfelt comedy is so good at eschewing the norms of the rom-com genre that those who hate them might not even realized they just watched one.
JACK & DIANE
(2012)
There was a lot of buzz around this mess of a lesbian psychological werewolf drama when it first went into production because Juno’s Ellen Page and Olivia Thirlby were cast as the titular lovers. Then Page got nominated for an Oscar and dropped out, forcing the project into production hell. Her much more talented replacement four years later was the ironically-named Juno Temple.
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local
VISUAL ARTS Portland artist Matthew Eliot Carlson
11: Do you find that the generation creating art now is different than the one you grew up in? MC: I think the influences may be a bit different. I think that now with the advent of the internet we’re living in a very, very visual culture. We’re constantly inundated with images more so than my generation so I feel that kids growing up today have more access to a larger range of visual influences which is fantastic because it’s only going to help them appreciate and understand and create something powerful. 11: Where do you think art is headed in the next 10 to 20 years? MC: I think it’ll probably be more cross-cultural exchanges in art. I think that as we’re living in a more and more global society artists are going to be able to travel to other places and that’s going to create art and progress more rapidly as technology progresses we’ll see more forms of art using more technologically advanced instruments and I also think that the art world itself will open up a lot more. I think that there are also things that are never going to change and maybe that’s the reason I’m drawn to copper plate etching is because it has a long history and it’s basically the same process today that it was 500 years ago. There’s something very nice about things that don’t change completely. 11: Do you feel like there’s an absence of art at all in our current American culture? MC: I think it’s difficult to be a living artist and I think it’s hard to financially support yourself as a working artist and I think that the arts are important to a lot of people especially here in our city–in Portland–but I think that sometimes it can be difficult to access the money necessary to survive and I’d say that’s the one downfall. If there
Photo by Mercy McNab
11: How did Mattie get to where he is today? MC: It is kind of an interesting story actually. It’s been an interesting road. I grew up in san Francisco and then moved to the suburbs when I was younger and then ended up going to Cal State Long Beach and I had a really good experience there and fell in love with print making and then had a chance to travel around quite a bit through Asia and Africa. I moved to Portland and became a book binder and I was a book binder for about six years and then I kind of decided then I decided that I wanted to do something more and that I’d learned as much as I could about book binding. I started volunteering at Grant High School and I really liked working with the kids so I went and got my masters and started teaching there. I guess my own personal journey as far as art is concerned is that art has always been a part of my life and I really fell in love with the art making process and working at a place called Scenic Designs which did carnival rides and set designs and I was a carnival ride painter for a while and then a book binder. I’m pretty much exclusively a print maker and teacher and now I’m really starting to develop into ceramics. 11: What draws you to printmaking? MC: I think the process and the level of detail that you can get in. what I usually work in is copper plate etching where you’re basically drawing with something where the tip of the instrument is the size of a needle or a push pin so you can get an amazing amount of detail which I just really enjoy. I think prints are really intimate things. You need to get up very close to kind of notice all the wonderful details and I really like that kind of intimacy that you have in prints. 11: What draws you to art as a whole? MC: I don’t know. I guess I’ve always been a visual person and it’s the way that I relate to the world. I talk to my students sometimes about how whatever subject you’re naturally drawn to be it science or mathematics or history, it’s just a way at looking at the world and I felt like my way of looking at the world and my way of expressing myself is in a visual way. My own personal lens.
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was enough money to support arts education as well as to produce and become a working artist and if there was more focus in school on how to market yourself as an artist and get your work out there in a professional manner so people feel comfortable supporting you. 11: So if you had a student that came to you and said “Mr. Matty, I want to be an artist, what do I do?” What would you tell them? MC: Learn the fundamentals first, learn all the rules and the processes and the mediums and learn all that you possibly can. Try to develop a unique personal voice and take as many classes and learn from as many people as you possibly can. After you develop yourself, get your artwork out there in the world so that it can be seen. That’s the only way you can be successful is go get your work out there to a greater population of people. And be true to yourself. It’s like any great writer, any great artist, any great musician doesn’t try to replicate or copy somebody else’s idea. They create something that’s honest and true to their own life experience and that is what draws people to their artwork because they can relate to it in an intimate way. 11: As an art teacher, do you feel the effects of the government cutting art programs in public schools? MC: It’s new for me because I only graduated a few years ago so I’ve been a full time substitute teacher and I did my student teaching and this year I’ve been a full time and part time teacher at Grant High School filling in for one of my friends who has come back from maternity leave so I’m part time right now. So I haven’t seen the real cuts in the art budget since I’ve been around. We just passed some measures which will bring more money in to the arts education so I haven’t personally seen that yet. We’ll have to see what next year brings. Every year I think it’s challenging as a teacher because there are cuts and sometimes those cuts don’t happen because of back push from the community and I think it’s important that as a community we try to voice our opinions and write our legislators and let the people in power know that arts education and the arts are really important to us as a society and let there be some drastic change.
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“Bon Voyage” - copper plate etching, 2012 (additional artwork on page 4)
11: How is art important?
exposure to lots of different avenues for art. Before, I think you see
MC: Art is important on a personal level because it gives people an
a lot of different kids going into either a junior college or a four year
opportunity to express themselves and it’s instrumental in empowering
university and it gives them a lot of exposure to formal art making. I had
people. I also think that art’s important because it’s a reflection of our
never taken a formal drawing class or a ceramics course before because
values as a society and it can also influence us as a society. I think art is
of the limited resources at my high school.
something that goes back to the very beginnings of us as human beings
All people coming out of high school are looking into going into
and I think that if you look at art as a continuum from the very beginning
something whether they do it or not. Whether it is a trade school or
to where we are today we’ve progressed so much as a society and there
college or a four year university, but I think people pursuing the arts it is
are so many visual images that represent us and not only the amazing
a valuable opportunity to have secondary education because it teaches
tribes, but also the downfalls and the destruction of humanity and it’s
you about a lot of things you wouldn’t necessarily have had exposure to
like a mirror and it’s a way of expressing our culture and also standing
and whenever you are trying to learn something–trying to understand
as a testament to what civilization before us has been. I think that if we
it fully–you need things like art history classes along with the studio
continue making art and the process continues we’ll be able to look back
classes. It gives you a more broad and profound understanding of art.
100, 200, and 300 years and people will be able to see what those societies were like. So not only is it a mirror of present day society but also goes back to the very beginnings. 11: Switching gears a little bit, academia seems to be changing
11: Do you have a personal goal for your own art? MC: I have a good friend, Andrew Butterfield, who every day spends an hour in the studio and I think it’s the daily practice of being an artist that‘s the most important thing to me. To be constantly making work
more into a trade school for more and more white collar jobs. Do you
and not getting stuck or burnt out and to really make it a part of my
think academia is a sound option for an aspiring artist?
daily practice. It’s a part of who you are and I think to me I aspire to and
MC: Absolutely. I would definitely say that secondary education
when I think of some great artists it’s the people that consistently have a
is really important. Everyone is completely different. There are a lot
strong body of work through their entire lifetime because they’ve really
of people coming straight out of high school who already have a really
dedicated themselves to doing it on a constant basis. It’s just like I tell
strong voice to be working artists. For me personally, though, a secondary
the kids “practice, practice, practice as much as you can” and if you love it
education in the arts was a way to teach me discipline and to give me
eventually it comes to a place where it just comes naturally. » - Billy Dye
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PDX PARAGONS Local bands on the radar
Photo by Chris Duarte
mind. Three albums and two added band mates later and Purse Candy is poised on the verge of an epic tsunami. Even people who may not be the biggest synth-pop fans will not be able to deny the energetic and creative brilliance that Purse Candy provides. Dance friendly, ethereal, disco jams presented with distant and eerie vocals evoke dreamlike emotions to the listener. Purse Candy
PURSE CANDY Sometimes the stars align just right and a man makes a decision at just the right time. In 2008, Portland’s Matthew Ellis decided to try his hand at producing electronic music as a side project and magic happened. The words “spontaneous genius” come to
Photo by Marshall Schieder
THE LOWER 48
APRIL 12 | DOUG FIR Inspired by 60s folk and pop, this Portland (by way of Minneapolis) trio features harmonies and lyricism of an era fondly remembered. With a killer male-female vocal combination (singersongwriting duo of Ben Braden and Sarah Parson) and Nick Sadler behind the kit, the band aims for expanding their sound with new instrumental elements. After a few minor
tweaks to the line-up and nearly a complete overhaul of their sound, these twentysomethings are pop rock’n’roll all the way. Their latest single, “Setting Sun” was just released last month, and I highly recommend you check it out via their Bandcamp. Don’t be a bit surprised if you hit repeat a couple of times—the Beatlesque track is just a taste of what’s to come later this year when the band plans to release a full-length album. In the meantime, the outfit has scheduled a short Midwestern tour to spread the love and the tunes. Lucky for us, The Lower 48 has not one, but two shows in town before they take off to visit the land of cold and ice. » - Wendy Worzalla
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YOURS
possesses a rhythm that is impossible to keep out of your heart. Some may say electronic music is making a comeback. Some may say it never went away. Purse Candy seems to say that good music is just good music so, hey, let’s just make that then. » - Morgan Troper
Photo by Jeffrey Dillon
APRIL 28 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS Although the members of Yours hail from various parts of the U.S., they are now very truly Portland’s. It began as a project of two friends, Matthan Minster and Adam Trachsel, remnants of short-lived indie band Ley Lines. They have continued to collaborate down the progressive indie-rock road. A luminescent mood is brought on by the slight tear in Minster’s strong voice, and songs are powered with guitar ballads and crashing piano. Songs like “Fast Friends in Slow Motion” may begin innocent enough, but soon pheromones are out of control and psychedelic sitar resides among hurried breaths and exotic percussion.
After releasing their selftitled, Yours took a break and began working on new material, and soon they head into the studio to record their first full length. So expect some new songs at live shows, as well as a solidified stage presence with two new members: guitarist Michael Slavin , and new drummer Jeremy Scherrer, who is also a well-known producer, triggering up new ideas for more electronic components, while the band still maintains a core originality. » - Brandy Crowe
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NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE MONTH:
SE GRAND AVENUE Location photos by Mercy McNab
3
6
9
10 E N
S W
Nicholas Restaurant - 318 SE Grand Ave
BEST OF SE GRAND
Andy and Bax - 324 SE Grand Ave
East End - 203 SE Grand Ave
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3. MIDDLE EASTERN MUNCHIES
1. APOCALYPSE SUPPLY
2. SUBTERRANEAN MUSIC VENUE
WASHINGTON ST.
7
STARK ST.
4
SE GRAND AVE OAK ST.
PINE ST.
ASH ST.
2
8
5
1
4. TATTOO SHOP
Sea Tramp Tattoo - 207 SE Grand Ave
5. BIKE SHOP
Bike N’ Hike - 400 SE Grand Ave
6. COMMUNITY WORKSPACE
Shop People - 416 SE Oak St
7. GET YOUR GOTH ON
The Lovecraft - 421 SE Grand Ave
8. ADVENTURE TIME!
Next Adventure - 426 SE Grand Ave
9. PATERNAL DIVE
My Father’s Place - 523 SE Grand Ave
10. CHILL OUT AND DRINK
Slow Bar - 533 SE Grand Ave
11. COFFEE CORNER
Side Door - 425 SE Washington St
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THE LOCAL BIZ EXTRACTO
At Extracto Coffeehouse & Roastery each coffee is carefully selected, craft-roasted in small batches, and brewed with love by friendly people who are crazy passionate about your cup of goodness. MAGIC CORNER | NE PORTLAND 2921 NE Killingsworth | 503.281.1764 1465 NE Prescott, Ste B | 503.284.1380 www.extractocoffeehouse.com
I HEART RETRO
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 are a vintage furniture and home decor store located in the Hollywood District of Portland, Oregon. We have 3000 square feet of vintage furniture, home decor, LP’s, jewelry, art and lighting. There is something for everyone!
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!
NE HOLLYWOOD 1914 NE 42nd Ave (97232) 503.287.3764
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