Eleven PDX Magazine October 2017 by Eleven PDX

MUSIC, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURE IN PORTLAND

ISSUE 77 | OCT 2017

ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE - VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5

COMPLIMENTARY

contents

ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE VOLUME 7

THE USUAL 4 Letter from the Editor 4 Staff Credits

ISSUE NO. 5

FEATURES Local Feature 14 Deathlist

Cover Feature 18 NEW MUSIC

Broken Social Scene

5 Aural Fix Allah-Las Walter TV P.O.S. Tera Melos

8 Short List 8 Album Reviews Ducktails Nurses Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile Reptaliens

COMMUNITY Literary Arts 26 Wordstock/Lit Crawl 2017

Visual Arts 28 Portland artist Kimi Kaplowitz

LIVE MUSIC 10 Know Your Venue Lovecraft Bar

12 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.

more online at elevenpdx.com

HELLO PORTLAND! Dear Readers, Not much has changed since I wrote you last—the battle, still uphill, and the terrain precipitous. Continue to see past the smoke and mirrors as the little orange one attempts to stoke furor over patriotism, amidst a dangerous escalation in the war of worlds; the threat on healthcare rages on; the most sweeping tax overhaul in decades is proposed; and the DOJ postures against gay rights [yeesh]. However, this month, the triumphant return of indiegreats Broken Social Scene is embodied in Portland with a performance at the Crystal Ballroom—read about their sixyear hiatus and comeback in our cover feature. Also making a welcome return after six years is Portland’s experimental-pop outfit, Nurses. Two of modern songwriting’s greatest, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile team up for an excellent collaboration album and a national tour that brings them to the Schnitz, and Reptilians release their debut LP on Captured Tracks, celebrated by a performance at the Doug Fir supporting Walter TV. Keep swinging those axes in the good fight and never stop rockin’ and rollin’. Dutifully yours,

- Travis Leipzig, Managing Editor

CH A I N — MA I LLE . com 4 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

EXECUTIVE STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Dornfeld (ryan@elevenpdx.com) CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dustin Mills (dustin@elevenpdx.com) MANAGING EDITOR Travis Leipzig (travis@elevenpdx.com) SECTION EDITORS LITERARY ARTS: Scott Mchale, Morgan Nicholson VISUAL ARTS: Mercy McNab GRAPHIC DESIGN Dustin Mills

ONLINE Mark Dilson, Kim Lawson, Michael Reiersgaard

GET INVOLVED getinvolved@elevenpdx.com www.elevenpdx.com twitter.com/elevenpdx facebook.com/elevenmagpdx

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@elevenpdx.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rosie Blanton, Laurel Bonfiglio, Tyler Burdwood, Matt Carter, Crystal Contreras-Grossman, Brandy Crowe, Sarah Eaton, Eric Evans, Lou Flesh, Jameson Ketchum, Christopher Klarer, Kelly Kovl, Samantha Lopez, Scott McHale, Lucia Ondruskova, Gina Pieracci, Kelsey Rzepecki, Ellis Samsara, Tyler Sanford, Stephanie Scelza, Matthew Sweeney, Charles Trowbridge, Rick White, Henry Whittier-Ferguson, Wendy Worzalla

PHOTOGRAPHERS Patrick Chapman, Eric Evans, Alexander Fattal, Eirinn Gragson, Greg LeMieux, Mercy McNab, Andrew Roles, Todd Walberg, Caitlin Webb COVER PHOTO Norman Wong

ADVERTISING sales@elevenpdx.com ELEVEN WEST MEDIA GROUP, LLC Ryan Dornfeld Dustin Mills

SPECIAL THANKS Our local business partners who make this project possible. Our friends, families, associates, lovers, creators and haters. And of course, our city!

AURAL FIX

new music aural fix

up and coming music from the national scene

ALLAH-LAS OCTOBER 4 | REVOLUTION HALL

Allah-Las’ sound consists of echoes reverberating from the ‘60s and ‘70s, resembling a kinship to early psychedelic bands like The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane and The Animals, or a mellowed-out version of The Stooges. This however doesn’t leave them painted into a dayglo corner, trapped by a paisley-pop-throwback reputation. They roll shamelessly with the purity of their music that is naturally ingrained with the ‘60s vibe, but still manages to produce an original spirit, sound and feeling with their honest and creative approach. Their 2012 self-titled debut LP hit hard with delicate and wispy riffs, accompanied by soulful vocals and lyrics soaked in sexuality and longing. 2014 brought their second full-length, Worship the Sun, which continued this timeless sentiment in flowing succession. The charm that their first two albums carry is accentuated by a few instrumental gems, such as “Sacred Sands” from the self-titled and “Ferus Gallery” from Worship the Sun. Their third album, Calico Review, features vocals throughout and solidifies the band’s evolution into a new, slightly even slower sound with a deeper groove, highlighted by tracks like “Could Be You” and “Warm Kippers.”

Photo by Brandon Harnish

WALTER TV OCTOBER 5 | DOUG FIR

“What was it? Those dreams, those failures,” lead vocalist Pierce McGarry wails in opening single “Begotten” from Walter TV’s third album, Carpe Diem. (McGarry is also a cunning visual artist for the band and otherwise). This is paranoid art presented as hallucinogenic-merengue pop, playfully constructed by McGarry with the other two musicians (who also back Mac DeMarco) Simon Ankenman (a British Columbian canoe guide) and Joe McMurray (a solo electronic ambient artist otherwise). All of them have various projects,

Gentrification has been a rising issue across the west coast, only becoming glaringly obvious in Portland over the past decade, but this baffling and frustrating situation is nothing new and no less abrasive to the Los Angeles quartet. Drummer Matt Correia was quoted in a 2016 interview explaining, “I think LA has a bad name because it’s always attracted a lot of douchebags.” Wealthy business folk sweeping the scene with dreams of capitalizing on thriving culture and the local art of the region, only to squeeze out that very creativity by an ensuing spike in the cost of living. We can certainly relate to this point of view here in Portland, and welcome that artistic resistance, especially when it’s embodied by a band with the know-how to authentically navigate the rising tide of the music scene with such hip, swaying style and sun soaked charm. » - Ellis Samsara

but Carpe Diem is a special release based on the pressing-in of turbulent times, with mind, body and soul squeezed by an intimate Armageddon. Deceptively taking things easy and strange from bucolicslash-manic urban Vancouver, Canada, Carpe Diem is made up of ten delightful little collages evoking the sound of anxiety eased from a place where anything can happen. It also sounds a bit like a dub remix of a Bizarro-world DeMarco release, or a basement tape from Os Mutantes. “Last Day” has its low moans of gentle horns tumble into florid acoustic territory; “Laura Palmer” is a perfect bass-driven basement punk song that weaves a dream upon softly rolling tribal drums. Burbles of melodic murmuring and fractured lo-fi riffs float into songspace throughout. The first 300 copies of the LP were pressed on opaque yellow vinyl, which they’ll hopefully have with them on the road this fall. Walter TV’s live show is a sight to behold, as most of the music seems to come out of nowhere. As apocalyptic as this all seems, it’s still simple fun, and there’s an uplifting vibe to an anthem such as “Graceland,” having the listener questioning modern life but without getting all depressed about it. Instead it’s a ceremony of surf and waves at night offered as a solution to the weary day job world (“U+Y”). Even whilst contemplating the end of the world, Walter TV remain as friendly as a Ramones single, even as they avoid rock clichés at break-neck speeds. » - Lou Flesh

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 5

new music aural fix

P.O.S. OCTOBER 12 | MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS

Stefon Alexander, aka P.O.S, was an early member of Doomtree, a co-founder of the seven-member hip-hop collective and record label’s cofounder. Based in Minneapolis, Alexander calls to mind other renowned midwestern hip-hop acts like Atmosphere and Brother Ali, both of whom are signed to Rhymesayers, a label that has also released a number of P.O.S. albums. Acting as his own producer, Alexander draws from a vast library of sounds to craft the music for his latest release Chill, dummy. There’s even an instrumental cut of the album for those who’d like to fully appreciate the wizardry. Some beats come from ostensibly acoustic drums, while at other times he uses trappy drum-rolling machines. Before starting his rap career P.O.S. fronted punk bands, roots that come through on a few songs spread throughout Chill, dummy, including the opener, “Born a Snake.” Here it veers toward Nine Inch Nails territory and loses me, although the lyrics are still very good. The second song, “Wearing a Bear” sold me on his musicianship, and then, midway through the ebullient “Bully,” I was enjoying myself. He’s a serious singer. His verses jump in and out of melody, which keeps the album from settling into a formula, as does the impressive roster of guest MCs. Guest spots on the album include a knockout verse by Manchita on “Infinite Scroll,” her words coming out in

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Photo by Chad Kamenshine

alternating short bursts and long, sung lines. Open Mike Eagle makes an appearance on this track as well. Justin Vernon appears on “Faded,” and Kathleen Hanna gets in the mix on the 8:48 closer, “Sleepdrone/Superposition.” All in all, a pretty cool party. The lyrics and vocal performance amount to a persona that is at times think-y, then raw, braggy, but vulnerable. This is P.O.S’s first LP since his 2014 kidney transplant, a brush with death. He opens “Pieces/Ruins” saying, “Same dude new guts, / literal and figurative. / Lost a couple fucks–– / shit. Alright fine, alright I gave ‘em.” » - Tyler Burdwood

new music aural fix

TERA MELOS OCTOBER 16 | HOLOCENE

The name of Sacramento spazz-rock band Tera Melos may or may not be in reference to The Simpsons, but it loosely translates into land and melody. Their sound, however, can be filed under math rock for its atypical structure. And if i’m comparing the band’s sounds to the analytical and algorithmic elements of math, it can be hard to follow and at times doesn’t make much sense. It does what it wants, sometimes contradicting itself, and yet it all comes together to make everything work. Tera Melos’ live shows are known for being highenergy and rhythmically dizzying, as they dance 7/4 riffs over 12/8 backbeats and so forth. Through all of the rhythmic patterns and creative metering, their sound is delightfully unpredictable. Made up of guitarist/keyboardist/ vocalist Nick Reinhart, bassist Nathan Latona, and drummer John Clardy, the trio play a rhythmicallysmart, melodically-fierce and improvisationally-jazzy blend of post-punk/hardcore. Their earlier albums highlighted riff-forward songs, pieced together part-by-part to

form fun, rampaging, garag-y tracks. That’s still happening on their latest release, Trash Generator, released in August on Sargent House, however in some ways they’ve developed more of a flow. Each song is allowed more room to stretch into the next, as if it’s one long song that mazes through a fever dream of garage rock, punk, clanging noises, jazzy horns and piano, smoothedover by Reinhardt’s soothing vocals. » - Brandy Crowe

QUICK TRACKS A “WARPLESS RUN” Batting clean-up on Trash Generator, this song opens with frenzied guitar riffage, laser noises and driving bass, before calming down into a melodically funkier loop topped-off with smooth vocal contributions from Pinback’s Rob Crow.

B “WEIRD CIRCLES” Anthemic album opener off of 2013’s X’ed Out, and arguably the band’s strongest song, “Weird Circles” is known for driving crowds into a circle pit every time they crash into the track’s crescendoing chorus.

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 7

new music album reviews

ALBUM REVIEWS THIS MONTH’S BEST R REISSUE

L LOCAL RELEASE

Short List Cults Offering

Ducktails Jersey Devil New Images

Marilyn Manson Heaven Upside Down Mister Heavenly Boxing The Moonlight Tokimonsta Lune Rouge Wolf Parade Cry Cry Cry Beck Colors St. Vincent MASSEDUCTION

Ducktails release their sixth album, Jersey Devil, this month on founder Matt Mondanile’s (formerly the lead guitarist of Real Estate) own New Images label. Over two years in the making, the album features ten downtempo yet danceable, sexy new cuts. Compared to 2015’s St. Catherine,

Tegan & Sara The Con X: Covers

experiencing flashes of lucidity, snippets of headlines and overheard

The Pack A.D. Dollhouse

dialogue amidst the fever dreams. Naughtland is something of a

Weaves Wide Open

departure from their last album, Dracula, particularly in terms of the

Bully Losing

production, which is done here with a heavier hand. This is particularly

Weezer Pacific Daydream

noticeable when it comes to Aaron

Sisters Wait Don’t Wait Buy it

Stream it

Jersey Devil seems more mature with a consistent sound weaved throughout. My ex-boyfriend ruined Washed Out for me, so I’ve been on the lookout for something similar, yet different. This hypnagogic album fills that need with its super easy listening. The dream of the ‘80s is definitely alive on Jersey Devil, evident not only with the project’s name, but also the album art and video for the lead single, “Map to the Stars.” Having grown up in the ‘80s, I tend to gravitate toward this synthesized, yacht-rock-leaning genre and love that Ducktails sounds like a glamour shot from the mall. The beauty of Jersey Devil is in its robustness. It can be listened to from front-to-back, without the need to highlight standout tracks. Though I have probably listened to “Keeper of the Garden” and “The Rising Sun” the most. With Mondanile no longer a part of Real Estate, his time and attention can be focused more prominently on Ducktails, and the results have already been worth it. » - Kelly Kovl

Chapman’s vocals, which are effected almost to the point of unintelligibility, often blending into the heavily

Toss it

L Nurses

Naughtland Self-released

synthesized backdrop and mechanized drums. It becomes less of an issue towards the end of the album, the high point being the unsettlingly beautiful vocoder solo/title-track “Naughtland”

Nurses are back after a six-year hiatus, and their latest project, Naughtland, seems as though those years might have been spent in some strange kind of time dilation–druginduced or digitally modulated–or some combination of both. Listening

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is kind of like being a heavily sedated patient hooked up to machines,

into the minimalist meditation “Heavy Money,” where the production seems to serve the songs thematically, rather than the other way around. The album certainly breaths a new depth into the project, and to the experimental art-pop aesthetic that Nurses have developed. » - Henry Whittier-Ferguson

new music album reviews

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile Lotta Sea Lice Matador Records As two artists who have built careers on making music that often runs perpendicular to trends, Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett are, theoretically, a good musical match. Fortunately, they’re also a good match in reality as well. Lotta Sea Lice, their collaborative debut, manages to consistently nail the respective qualities that make them intriguing musicians, while still creating a unique, fully formed sound.

L Reptaliens

FM-2030 Captured Tracks

Reptaliens are subtle in their approach. With a name like that, one wouldn’t be surprised upon first listen to be assaulted with the brash stylings of a low-fi punk outfit, or perhaps the blood-soaked screams of a prog metal band. Instead, the loosely assembled group helmed by the husband-andwife duo of Bambi and Cole Browning (hailing from right here in Portland), lulls you in with it’s debut album, FM-

Vile’s instrumental intricacy and lilting voice are at full force, particularly on “Over Everything,” the first single released, and “Continental Breakfast,” a track that highlights the duo’s budding musical relationship. Barnett’s sleepy vocals and cutting imagery create a suitably lush backdrop and counterpoint, casting an entirely new light on Vile’s “Peepin’ Tom” (originally recorded for his 2011 solo record, Smoke Ring for my Halo) and drawing out an earnest delicacy on “Let It Go” that suits the pair well. The album was recorded over the course of eight days across 15 months, with the pair trading songs intercontinentally until their touring schedules aligned. Along with similar musical dispositions, Vile and Barnett share a sly dryness that can transform instantly into sincerity. They are capable of digging into relatively simple tunes and pulling out the kernels that add depth, as on “Outta the Woodwork,” which could stand as a fine indie rock song, but is elevated by the country western tinge that the duo unearths. “Fear is Like a Forest,” originally recorded by Barnett’s partner, Jen

Cloher, dips into vintage Neil Young territory with a grimy guitar solo over the straight-ahead vocals. Barnett drops her typical up-and-down vocal stylings to slice through the dirt and remake the track in her own image. Another cover, “Untogether” is the duo’s take on Belly’s 1993 song and comes the closest to a duet in the purest sense on the album. The pairing of these two singersongwriters bathes in simplicity, proving again that the best can always find beauty in the smallest of places. Vile and Barnett will be touring together throughout the fall of 2017, accompanied by their back-up band, “The Sea Lice,” which features a revolving all-star line-up that includes Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag), Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint), Rob Laakso (The Violators, The Swirlies, Mice Parade) and Katie Harkin (Harkin, Sky Larkin and touring member of Sleater-Kinney and Wild Beasts). Lotta Sea Lice is the ideal culmination of two artists we can’t seem to get enough of, and it’s just as good as you thought it would be. » - Charles Trowbridge

2030, a release that might be termed something like indie-psych-postpop, though a genre classification is less important than the way their sound snakes its way into your head, settling in there, somewhere deep and unexplored. Bambi’s haunting vocals shine in the midst of descending synth and guitar lines that seem alternately floral, cavernous and at times astral–everything dripping in reverb, shimmering on its own plane of existence. Familiar, yet somehow distant. The group’s concept-heavy aesthetic plays on sci-fi tropes and illuminati lizard-person conspiracy theories, but don’t let that scare you away–FM-2030 is more a collection of strange and melancholy love songs than a diatribe from 9/11 truthers or people who believe in chemtrails and think the government faked the moon landing. The album does explore ideas of identity and falsehood, but more so in the context of the individual mind. These are songs about the conspiracies of the heart and soul.

It seems important to mention that in my time with the album I only ever listened to it cover-to-cover, and none of the songs stood out in a way that broke or re-directed the flow of the project–nothing seemed to be the clear single, the slow song, the dancey one, etc… This isn’t so much a criticism as an observation about the way FM-2030 is constructed, with every song blending into the next in a way that keeps the 11-track project moving along at a briskly psychedelic pace. At just under thirty five minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome either–long enough to create and sustain an atmosphere but not so long that it becomes repetitive or stale. Out on the renowned Brooklynbased label, Captured Tracks, FM2030 is a strong debut–one that may just have you welcoming your new rulers with open arms as they step down from their ships, smiling, though something darker flickers behind the slits of their eyes. » - Henry Whittier-Ferguson

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 9

live music Photo by Alexander Fattal

KNOW YOUR VENUE Lovecraft Bar | 421 SE Grand Avenue

lectures and book readings. DJ Patrick Buckmaster (Have you seen that Skull Diver video?) hosts gay goth dance party Necro Nancy, and drag queen dance party Club KaiKai. Random events like a recent Kawaii night makes for colorful energy. One of the true “goth” nights though, is during Thursday night’s Shadowplay, which DJ Derek Moore–AKA DJ Carrion–moved permanently to The Lovecraft after The Fez Ballroom closed. He and other selected DJs curate a variety of

n any given night, there might be a line leading up

industrial, darkwave and goth rock, electronic and post punk

to the The Lovecraft Bar’s red door on SE Grand

tracks for all to move to. He also books a variety of DJs and

Avenue. Portland probably doesn’t have enough

musicians to share the stage with a giant Cthulhu sculpture. In

themed bars, and this is a

dark, horror themed bar inspired by the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. But the crowd that forms isn’t just because it’s a bar for goths or Portland’s darker sect, nor is it because the Lovecraft serves as a spooky novelty for curious tourists. The Lovecraft is incredibly relaxed, incredibly friendly and simply a good time. There is an array of different events that cater to anyone and everyone that wants to check them out and come dance. This is not a place where people can complain that there isn’t anyone dancing. Events include Monday’s Black Mass Dance Party, Burlynomicon (Burlesque with a dark twist) and a variety of

10 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

Photo by Alexander Fattal

live music

Charlatan playing Lovecraft. Photo by Brian Young (losingtoday)

October The Lovecraft will host Skeleton Hands, Of The Dark I Dare, and Teach Me Equals, among others. Moore tells me one of his favorite things about the Lovecraft is the dedication that owner Jon Horrid (yes that’s his name), puts into the place. He travels to horror conventions in order to pick up wares that pack The Lovecraft with mysterious eye-candy. Strange hieroglyphics and skulls glow among black lights and darting lasers. It’s dark in style, but also just dark. The bar recently had the opportunity to expand, meaning there is now a whole back-half to the venue. There’s a room with a coffin, and a second bar and dance floors with mirrored walls to watch yourself sway in the fog. The bartenders are fast and their shelves are stocked with jarred creatures and fine spirits, including absinthe. But it’s important to note that The Lovecraft is also a tea bar, with an immense selection. They also serve up yummy sandwiches from Snackriledge, like the “Hail Chic’n Seitan.” So yes, it’s October. And this is Portland’s horror themed bar. There will be a Halloween dance party to rival all Halloween Parties. Expect a variety of punks, goths, normies and drag queens to all be enjoying it together. » - Brandy Crowe

Pinscape playing Lovecraft. Photo by Brian Young (losingtoday)

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 11

live music OCTOBER CRYSTAL BALLROOM

SKIDMORE ST.

WILLIAMS AVE. MLK BLVD.

RUSSELL ST.

DOUG FIR

TA VE

830 E BURNSIDE

NORTH WEST BROADWAY ST.

PEARL OLD TOWN

23RD AVE.

BURNSIDE ST.

405

DOW NTO WN

25 18

MLK BLVD.

MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS 3939 N MISSISSIPPI

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GRAND AVE.

VANCOUVER AVE.

8 NW 6TH

ROSELAND THEATER

1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

1 2 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15

MISSISSIPPI AVE.

2 6-7 8 13 20 21 28 30

1332 W BURNSIDE

INTERSTATE AVE.

1 3 5 6 7 8 12 13 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 30 31

live music OCTOBER MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS (CONTINUED)

ALBERTA ST.

ALBERTA ARTS

42ND AVE.

15TH AVE.

11TH AVE.

PRESCOTT ST.

WONDER BALLROOM 128 NE RUSSELL

FREMONT ST. 24TH AVE.

HOLLYWOOD

KNOTT ST.

33RD AVE.

28TH AVE.

D. BLV Y D AN

BROADWAY ST. 21

HOLOCENE

RONTOMS

LAURELHURST 28

GLISAN ST.

426 SW WASHINGTON

8 11

STARK ST.

MORRISON ST. 11TH AVE.

8TH AVE.

BELMONT ST.

HAWTHORNE BLVD.

HAWTHORNE

LADD’S ADDITION

DIVISION ST.

CLINTON ST.

POWEL

L BLVD.

CESAR CHAVEZ BLVD.

1 15

DJs in The Taproom (weekends)

KELLY’S OLYMPIAN

BURNSIDE ST. 3

EASTBURN

1800 E BURNSIDE

5 9 10 11 15 16 19 26

Genders | Helvetia Skull Diver | Sweeping Exits | Darkswoon

6 10 13 20 25 30

600 E BURNSIDE

1001 SE MORRISON

17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

BUNK BAR

1028 SE WATER

1 4 5 6 13 14 19 20 21 22 25 27 28

2 7 8 10 11 16 20 21 26 27 28

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features OCTOBER REVOLUTION HALL

11 1300 SE STARK

4 7-8 12 19 23

Allah-Las | Entrance | Mapache Feist The Mavericks Ariel Pink | Telecaves Tegan and Sara

TOFFEE CLUB 12 1006 SE HAWTHORNE 6 13 20 27

Sticky Toffee (upbeat house & disco) Waves (trap, UK grime, hip-hop and R&B Parklife (all-vinyl Britpop) Old School (classic hip-hop, funk and soul)

ALBERTA STREET PUB 13 1036 NE ALBERTA 5 7 18 19 21

THE SECRET SOCIETY 14 116 NE RUSSELL 6 13 14 18 20 21 27 28

WHITE EAGLE 15 836 N RUSSELL 6 7 10 15 18 24 26 28

Lavoy | The Angry Lisas | Caargo Sneaky Bones | Gavin Wahl-Stephens Pretty Drunk Matthew Szlachetka Frederick the Younger Mosley Wotta | Third Seven Mic Check Hip Hop Showcase Soul Deception

Photo by Alexander Fattal

LOCAL FEATURE Deathlist

enny Logan is easily an

is to make music–I’m not trying to

impressive human being, even

make a ton of money off it. For it to be

if you don’t count her prolific

worthwhile for a label to even put it

band presence (Summer

out, they would want some promise of a

Cannibals, Sunbathe, Deathlist,

return on it. I’m just putting out tapes.

just to name a few). She has taught in

Summer Cannibals put out a record

the Bronx, acquired her law degree,

with Kill Rock Stars and I don’t even

and founded XRAY.fm radio station

know if they’ve recouped it yet. We’re

here in Portland. I was able to sit down

not planning a big tour; it’s like only

with her recently and discuss her latest

7 or 8 songs. I wrote it in the winter,

album, Weaks. The record grapples with

and for me music is a form of therapy. I

the mother of all issues and emotions:

recorded them and I was like “Well now

death. Around two years ago Logan was

you have to put them out.” So I just did a

delivered with the harsh news that her

16 8 NE KILLINGSWORTH

TURN! TURN! TURN!

8 11 12 13 16 19 20 21 22 26 27 28

17 1507 SE 39TH

estranged father would soon be passing away from a rare blood disorder. While most people would shut down, Logan was able to internalize this situation and gift us with Weaks. Jenny Logan is a wonderful reminder of the strength and creativity of human beings. ELEVEN: So you’re putting out Weaks on your own. Why not through a label?

HAWTHORNE THEATRE

7 Max | Rozes 12 The Cribs | Paws 13 JR JR | Hembree

14 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

Jenny Logan: Well, I’ve worked with bands before that have been on labels. Really my only point of this project

short run of tapes and I’m going to play a few local shows. 11: So what was the recording process like? Where did you end up recording this album? JL: My friend Victor Nash has a home studio called Destination Universe. He has a science fiction library in the studio and this big beautiful recording studio. 11: That’s so rad, I love Philip K. Dick.

JL: Yeah there’s like times if you

JL: Yeah. It’s easier to go into

can’t pick a name for a song you can

that when there’s not a bunch of

just get the title from one of the books.

friends around. Like it wasn’t a party

I met Victor like four years ago when

atmosphere. I think I was able to be

I went to pick up my friend Nick Jaina

more in my head. Also being in pain all

and they gave me a little tour of the

the time everyday puts you in a weird

studio. I’ve made all the Deathlist

place too. It puts a lot of things into

records there. Sunbathe made a record there. 11: What do you think took the most time with creating this album? JL: Well the most difficult part was that I sprained my shoulder two weeks before I was supposed to go into the studio. It was back when Portland was covered in ice and I slipped down this slope, it was so painful. Summer Cannibals had all these shows that I

perspective.

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18 ALADDIN THEATER 3017 SE MILWAUKIE 19 VALENTINES

11: Has your relationship with your father changed at all? After making this album? JL: I did an interview in the spring about how I was telling this whole story about reconnecting with my dad because I thought he was going to die; I thought he only had two months to live. Then he just kept hanging on. I went to

wasn’t able to play in. So I had these

see him with the intentions of saying

studio dates coming up and I was just

goodbye. But now it’s been almost two

like “I don’t know how I’m going to do

years.

this but I’ll try to figure it out.” After a couple weeks I could lift my arm

features

232 SW ANKENY

THE GOODFOOT 2845 SE STARK

4 6 11 13 19 20 28

Object Heavy | Klozd Sirkut Brothers Gow Human Ottoman | Stig Grateful Bluegrass Boys Sneaky Pete & The Secret Weapons Amendola vs. Blades vs. Skerik Takimba

7 11 18 19 25 26 28

11: I think difficult, tumultuous

but I couldn’t play standing up. The

times can help us to be creative. I’m

hardest part was playing the songs. The

not saying you have to be sad to make

album is super stripped down. I had a

art but sometimes art can be the silver

different vision for it before but then

lining in these awful situations.

I had to deal with this crazy physical constraint. So it’s pretty minimal. 11: Did you want a bigger sound for the album before hand? JL: Yeah I kind of did. Devon Shirley (of Summer Cannibals) was going to come play drums and my roommate Harrison Rapp (of Divers) was maybe going to come play guitar and it was going to have a live band sound but by the time I went in I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to play so I didn’t want to drag all these people in, just in case. I ended up playing the drums with one arm and looping them together. The mixing didn’t take much

JL: Yeah I try to look at it that way. 11: So you are incredibly involved in the music scene–you’re in quite a few bands, you founded XRAY, you also do work for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for girls, what’s it like juggling all of that? JL: So far it’s been fun. Sometimes it feels a little crazy but for the most part they are all different enough that I’m getting different energy out of each project. I really like playing with different people. I learn something new from every person I play with. I

time because there wasn’t a lot of live

get to get inside the head of different

instrumentation.

songwriters. There are so many great, interesting musicians in Portland.

11: Do you think that due to the sensitive nature of the album, it

11: Yes! I was worried when I first

was better than you got to go in by

moved here that the music scene

yourself? Like you got to be more

wouldn’t live up to Chicago but I

introspective?

almost feel like it’s richer here.

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JL: It’s very nurturing. I think bands

Erotic City Dylan May & The Message Tevis Hodge The Hustle Norman Sylvester Band Harvey Brindell & The Tablerockers Country Night w/Zach Bryson The Get Down WESKE

16 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

when I’m no longer heart broken about

help each other out here a lot. I went

one thing. My songs are more about

to a show the other night, Devon’s in

painting an emotional landscape vs.

another band called Dan Dan. They

telling a very specific story.

played at The Know and the band after them was a funk group. It was such an eclectic combination.

HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

9 13 16 23

Photo by Todd Walberg

11: So I don’t know if this was

11: How is Weaks different from the others? JL: This one is more stripped down

a joke or not, but I read in another

and the lyrics are the most direct I’ve

article that you and Maggie want to

ever written. The most personal. I

start a country band? Is that true?

did also work with my friend Hutch Harris on producing it. It had outside

JL: Oh yeah, that’s totally serious.

input, which is nice. It’s good to have

Maggie has actually written a couple

an outside pair of ears. He has a really

of country songs. We’re going to call

good ear for drums. He also helped with

ourselves Sunburn.

little overdubs and stuff like that.

11: Who did the cover art for the album?

11: With losing Joe and your dad’s sickness, have you found yourself thinking about death a great deal or

JL: My best friend passed away

exploring spirituality at all?

in May, and that was one of the last drawings he made, his name was Joe.

JL: Yeah, I think about death all

The next album is actually about him.

the time. I’d been pretty open minded about an afterlife or spirituality. I’ve

11: If someone doesn’t know your

never lost anyone that close to me; he

backstory, they could listen to Weaks

was like a brother to me. When he died

and interpret it as being about a

I didn’t feel his presence anywhere, it

significant other, are you ok with

was just like he was gone. It made it

that?

seem pretty bleak. It didn’t seem to me like there was anything after. It’s not

JL: Totally! Pretty much all my songs

a bad thing but it’s my impression now.

are about relationships. I try to write

It’s made me become really clingy and

lyrics that are a little bit vague so that

nostalgic about my friends. I might tell

I can continue to perform a song even

my friends I love them too much.

11: What made you want to start XRAY? How did that all come about?

the station, but Todd’s health got really bad and he wasn’t able to come up. So it ended up being me and three or four

JL: I grew up in Davis and my older

other people. I was the interim director

brother had a show on the college

and then it kind of snowballed into

station. The guy who ran it–Todd

what it is now. It’s been a total group

Urick–and I became friends. So when

effort though to make it what is it now.

I moved to Portland he was like this

It used to be just me and some people

lifetime radio dude who had lobbied

meeting in my living room.

to the FCC to create low power FM licences for community groups. He was

11: What’s next for you?

doing policy and helping out low power stations get started. My second year

JL: I actually have an interview with

of law school he wrote to me and said

Teach for America coming up so maybe

“I’ve got this license in Portland but I

that. » - Rosie Blanton

live in California do you want to help me file some paperwork?” So I did. It was mostly helping them get non-profit status and convening a board because a non-profit has to have a board. The idea was that I would set everything up and then Todd would come up here and run

L Deathlist

Weaks Self-released

Jenny Logan is a main staple of the Portland rock scene, often playing bass in two sets a night with her various bands. In Logan’s solo project, Deathlist, she goes even further in demonstrating her ability to peel off songs, and displays a writing voice that was never destined to remain as the low-end backing for her long list of musical credits. If you ever caught Logan playing live in the band Comm, you know the best

DEATHLIST CELEBRATE THEIR TAPE RELEASE THIS MONTH OCTOBER 6 AT THE FIXIN’ TO placement for her bass-playing is often at the forefront, turned way up in the mix. On Deathlist’s second LP, Weaks, her songwriting is stripped down post-punk that shows vulnerability as much as it reveals melancholic experiences. Logan’s baneful rhythm on bass details an intrapersonal conversation about a past love on “Body Actor,” with only tambourine and a guitar chorus to console. On “Sleeper,” polished guitars and gothy vocals point to Robert Smith as a mentor. But rarely can one achieve the depth of a Cure song without stealing all their cues, which Logan doesn’t need to do. Weaks is sans the fully-electrified punk attitude of her self-titled LP, which was recorded with a full band. Yet, being entirely self-recorded, it offers a more up-close take on Logan as a songwriter–and it’s well worth your time. If you’re not fully convinced, let it be known that Logan has more inspiration for dark rock songs in her pinky fingernail than some bands have in their entire roster. » - Matt Carter

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www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVENPhoto PORTLAND | 19Wong by Norman

Photo by Nick Tiringer, courtesy of Indie88 Toronto

hile they might not be a household

fifth studio album, Hug of Thunder was released. In a

name in every home, Broken Social

year that has been fraught with tension and tragedy,

Scene has quietly become a band

Hug of Thunder seems to simultaneously recognize the

that most everyone and their parents

times we’re in and transcend them with crisp, bright

know, if not intimately, then at least

guitar melodies and comfortable, danceable rhythms. The

in passing. That’s what nearly twenty

album itself is a refinement of everything we’ve seen of

years, five albums and a smattering of

Broken Social Scene before–softer upfront and sharper

alt-radio singles can do for you. But twenty years is also

in purpose. This record doesn’t rush to its resolution: each

ample time for things to go wrong.

sound fills its own space more confidently than any of

Between the disparate schedules of fifteen members

Broken Social Scene’s prior work. And it does all of this

and finding time to stay inspired amid the pressing

without relying on the orchestral gimmicks many other

reality of life, kids and family, collaborating can become

groups turn to as their popularity swells.

tiresome. Sometimes stepping back is the best answer.

Broken Social Scene has always been the supergroup

So, it was a logical conclusion in 2011 when Broken

that never felt invincible or out of touch. Their music

Social Scene announced their hiatus. With other projects

and personas are grounded in reality, and that was

like Feist, Metric and Stars taking many members’ time

never more apparent than when we had the chance to

and an expansive eighteen-month tour for their fourth

chat with co-founder of Broken Social Scene, Brendan

album Forgiveness Rock Record just behind them, a break

Canning a few weeks ago. Between discussing the mutual

seemed like a natural next step for the group. But after

struggles of pet parenting and side projects (we seriously

six years, it seemed as if that pause might become an

recommend looking into Canning’s solo work), we spoke

indefinite silence.

about the upcoming Broken Social Scene tour, what it’s

That is, until six months ago when “Halfway Home”

like to work with so many other people, and Lil Yachty.

was released, suddenly and without much warning. Anthemic to its core “Halfway Home” was a beautiful

ELEVEN: How has working in such a collaborative

re-introduction to a band whose effervescent, joyous

setting for so many years shaped your voice as an artist

music had been sorely missed. Then in July, the band’s

or the perspective of the band?

20 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

features national scene Brendan Canning: When I first started out, it always seemed like it would be more fun not to have this small band where you can’t go off and do other things. Music is not a confining thing. It’s meant to be shared. Traditionally, music would be, whatever, sitting on the front porch and having a little jam with the neighbors. I guess that’s the school I’m from, as opposed to Beethoven sitting around composing by his lonesome. But then again, he had a bunch of people playing his music. 11: What’s the biggest joy of collaborating in this capacity?

happening as fast as you would like. You really have to be so patient with this outfit because it really takes a long time for things to get done. As long as you have enough of your own creative outlet where you don’t have to rely on others so much, nurturing your other creative outlets is very important. 11: Would you consider that to be the other musical projects you’ve worked in personally? BC: I’ve DJ’d a lot over the years so that’s kind of fun. ‘90s R&B jams, feeling totally free of any sort of feeling

BC: It’s great when a song comes together and it’s a good one. And then fifteen years down the road you’re still playing that song and it still brings you a certain elation because there you are in front of a bunch of people and you’re still in the game.

like, Broken Social Scene would not write a song like

11: Do you think there are any pitfalls to being in such a large group of artists?

fabric–we’ve never had an outright smash hit. And I still

Faith Evans or Kendrick Lamar. On the Social Scene side, we’re not really a singles band even though we’ve kind of had some good success, they’re indie singles, I would call them. We’ve been the voice of a certain movement, or at least adding to the love big hits. It’s kind of funny being in this band. Trying to get everyone on the same page as far as what you’re

BC: Oh yeah. I think the obvious pitfalls at this stage of the game are scheduling and really wanting things to be a certain way sometimes. When you’re determined in your own feelings about how something should go, you get stymied along the way because certain things are not

trying to achieve is kind of a difficult thing, even though everyone kind of wants the same thing in a roundabout way with a few different roadmaps to get to the final destination. It’s a funny little band. We’re about to leave for our first North American tour in six years.

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www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 21

features national scene 11: Do you feel like within this group you have

BC: I am glad that it’s getting received well. I feel like

natural leaders and listeners or does it change

it was a strong effort to come back with and I am glad we

organically song-to-song?

were able to pull a record like this together even though it was a painstaking process on a lot of different turns for

BC: It’s definitely a song-to-song kind of thing. If someone has a vision for a song I’m not going to stand in their way. I’ve definitely learned at this point, to let some things go. But there are other songs where I’m like, “No, no, no, trust me, we have to redo that lead vocal,” and you have conversations like that or, “Trust me, that part has to come back in. This really helps finish the song. You’re

various reasons, because you’re in a band with a bunch of emotional characters and life has taken many turns for people as the years go on. You turn 40 and life gets weird. I’m just glad it’s reaching some ears and we’re selling tickets at venues and we’re able to go out and tour again. It would be a drag if we just put out a record and it got so-so reception and shows weren’t selling, but shows are selling so what do I have to complain about?

not the arrangement expert on this one.” Lots of things like that. And everyone fights for their different songs

11: Looking back almost twenty years, has Broken

and has different ideas, like, “I like that and that and that,

Social Scene fulfilled the expectations you had when

but I don’t like that,” and sometimes it’s like, “Fuck you

you started? Did you have expectations?

because I know this thing.” Or, sometimes it’s like, “Well what do you think it should be?” It can be a lot of chin scratching.

definitely say things like, “We’re going to be travelling

11: Has anything surprised you about the reception of your newest album, Hug of Thunder?

WEEKLY jazz

BC: You can never predict what it’s going to look like. You just have to do things. In the early days I would

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22 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

all around the world and doing this,” and whether I really believed it at the time…I certainly said it enough times to keep that thought going. You have to just keep doing it.

features national scene You look at a lot of bands growing up or when you’re in a band you think, “I could be playing these venues, what do I have to do?” and when we first started playing live it felt like something special. It’s never what you think it’s going to be. It will be a version of what you think it will be. 11: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned with Broken Social Scene? BC: It’s very humbling when I go off and play solo shows and I’m not in Broken Social Scene anymore. And it’s like, “Wait, we have something where we can sell a couple thousand tickets in Boston, but now I’m in Boston and there aren’t a couple thousand people here to hear my solo stuff.” Having a career in music in whatever juncture is a luxury. You’re making something that is connecting with people. And you can try all you want to say this should have been this, but when you have something you just should be thankful that it’s there. As the years go on it’s sort of about realizing that my role in the band is really this one thing so I’ve got to focus on it. The time away from this band helped everyone. It definitely gave me a greater chance to have that time away and introspection period that I think is necessary to continue on in a band like this, and to know what to expect and manage my expectations. That’s a good thing in life, to ask yourself, “What did you expect? What did you think it was going to be like? Did you really think

10/6 - Lili St Anne

about it? If you did, why didn’t you think of this, this and

Shae Altered • Rachel Brashear

this?” There are so many different examples throughout

10/13 - Jai Ho! Dance Party 10/14 - Debra Arlyn & e Goodness 10/18 - La Rivera

rock ‘n’ roll history. You just kind of have to be a thoughtful person as best you can. 11: Do you have a favorite track on Hug of Thunder, and is it your favorite to play live? BC: “Hug of Thunder,” the title track, I don’t know if it’s my favorite to play live though. If the crowd claps on the 2s and 4s in the chorus then it’s a fun song to play live because that really helps lock in the groove, and not just like, “Hey clap along!” It actually helps the song. People

Bird Concerns • Rachel Brashear

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clapping during a breakdown is one thing, but to continue clapping when the chorus kicks in… we still need the 2s and 4s. “Stay Happy,” I like that one. Maybe ask me once tour is over. “Protest Song” is always fun because it’s a rockin’ tune. 11: Are there any songs you don’t get an opportunity to play live that you wish you could play live? BC: Maybe like a Tears for Fears cover.

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 23

Photo by Nick Tiringer, courtesy of Indie88 Toronto

11: I think the audience would be very pro Tears for Fears cover. BC: I have an ‘80s cover band that plays once a year

this? It’s the Internet!” And I never really caught that bug when it came out. There’s a lot of great stuff. Kaytranda here in town, Alvvays is a good Canadian act. There’s that group on the West Coast… I think it’s West Coast–

and we play “Everybody wants to Rule the World,” and

Protomartyr. It really spans. Even that song “Broccoli” I

that is a very satisfying song. And it’s not a short song

like. Lil Yachty does that with someone.

either. 11: Do you play on an anniversary or just once a year anytime of year? BC: Whenever the phone call comes in. But it’s pretty

11: I saw something the other day about how parents were tweeting Lil Yachty because that song actually got their kids to eat vegetables. BC: Hey, if that gets kids eating vegetables, it’s done

much worked out to one gig a year. It’s a mixed bag of

a really good job. Like instead of fucking eating Doritos

some of my musical compadres here in Canada.

and palm oil deforestation, get kids to eat broccoli. Saving

11: What music has been inspiring you lately?

lives with broccoli. »

BC: New music is always inspiring. Or new old music. Whatever the day is. The other day I bought an Internet album and a Wardell Gray record. Wardell Gray was a saxophone player in the ‘40s and ‘50s, and the Internet is a band I never got around to listening to. It was on in the record shop when I went in and I was like “Oh shit, who is

24 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

CATCH BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE LIVE IN PORTLAND THIS MONTH OCTOBER 24 AT CRYSTAL BALLROOM

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 25

community literary arts Schomburg will be reading. Akbar is a brilliant contemporary poet of Iranian descent who will be reading from his book Calling a Wolf a Wolf. Several recent ELEVEN literary arts featured writers will be reading at the festival, including Jenny Forrester, reading from her breakout book Narrow River, Wide Sky, and Brian K Friesen, author of At the Waterline. We recently caught up with festival director Amanda Bullock, who along with the dedicated staff of Literary Arts put together this magnificent event. ELEVEN: How long does it take to prepare for such a large event? Amanda Bullock: A year. Actually more, as we’re already looking toward the 2018 festival and the 2017 festival hasn’t even happened yet. 11: There are so many writers and poets presenting this year. Is there any particular writer or poet that you are looking forward to seeing?

LITERARY ARTS Wordstock/Lit Crawl 2017

AB: I could never pick just one! I am very proud of our lineup this year, I think there’s a great variety from superstars like Ta-Nehisi Coates, Claire Messud, Jeffrey Eugenides, alongside exciting new writers like Julie Buntin, Rachel Khong, Sandhya Menon, Jess Arndt. One of the most exciting things about the density of the festival lineup is the opportunity for discovery. 11: The New York Times is involved this year, how did this come about?

his year’s Wordstock will surely be one to

AB: We were connected to The New York Times’ subscriber

remember, featuring over a hundred writers.

services and events department, which saw the festival as an

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Lidia Yukanvitch, and Jeffrey

opportunity to connect with their West Coast subscribers. In

Eugenides are some of the more recognizable

turn, we are lucky enough to feature some Times’ writers and

names. Coates, a correspondent for The Atlantic has been

editors as festival interviewers, including Jenna Wortham and

one of the most powerful leading voices for civil rights

Parul Sehgal.

today, writing sharply relevant essays and books about the alarming state of current affairs. He will be reading from his

11: Can you tell me a little bit about the writing

newly released book, We were Eight Years in Power. Jeffrey

workshops? This seems like a great opportunity for kids who

Eugenides is the author of Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides,

are interested in creative writing to get an early start.

which was beautifully adapted for film by Sofia Coppola in 1999. If you’re more on the poetry spectrum, Kaveh Akbar, Tommy Pico, Morgan Parker and local poet Zachary

26 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

AB: Most of the writing classes are geared toward adults, but we do offer two specifically for youth: one on comics for middle schoolers and one on poetry for high schoolers. These

community literary arts are presented as part of our Youth Programs, and registration

HB: I am excited for the event as a whole! It’s good to be in the

is free. Youth 17 years of age and younger and/or with a valid

same place for a second round, and everyone’s getting the hang

high school ID enjoy free festival admission as well.

of how to submit really great proposals. I’m especially excited for events that are returning and establishing a Lit Crawl Portland

11: Can you speak about the importance of the literary

tradition. I hope to see events like Whiting Win, Lose, or Draw!

community and events like Wordstock in this ever changing

and Poetry Karaoke become perennial favorites. We also have

city?

some great female debut novelists that Jami Attenberg is going to introduce (Class of 2017), and Catapult, Sasquatch, and Coffee

AB: Reading and writing is so often a solitary pursuit, events like the festival are amazing moments to come

House Press are all using Lit Crawl in different ways as a launch pad for some of their new fall books.

together as a community. I truly believe in the importance of that IRL connection with other people who love what you love.

11: This is the second year downtown, and this year the

Portland is an amazing literary town, and the festival wouldn’t

crawl is concentrated to a smaller area–between Broadway

be what it is anywhere else. »

and 14th (East-West) and SW Yamhill and NW Everett (SouthNorth). How has condensing the crawl to a smaller area improved the experience? HB: I think the crowds will be more noticeable as they progress from place to place. I’m hoping the tightened radius will contribute to a stronger sense of community, excitement and visibility around the entire evening. 11: Thankfully, Portland still embraces the weird and abstract. For those not familiar with the event, can you describe some of the odder presentations at Lit Crawl? And what can we expect in that realm this year? HB: Son of Poetry Karaoke (new and improved Poetry Karaoke from last year) will feature a spinning wheel and a live band that plays a variety of musical genres for audience members to read (or sing) poetry by. We’ve got some strongthemed events that address our current political climate: “The Donald Trump Presidential Library” with cartoonists Shannon Wheeler and Mark Russell, and “Words as Victim and Weapon”

We also spoke with Heather Brown, who organizes Lit Crawl–a bar hopping adventure on Friday, November 10 that showcases local literary talent. ELEVEN: Can you tell me a little about yourself? How did you get involved in Lit Crawl? Heather Brown: I started organizing Lit Crawl in 2015 after a conversation with Amanda Bullock, Director of Public Programs at Literary Arts. It was her first year with Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival, and she wanted to bring Lit Crawl to town–it’s actually an offshoot of the Litquake Festival in San Francisco, which spawned the very first Lit Crawl ever. Now Lit Crawls happen in cities from Seattle to Helsinki, often in conjunction with book festivals. I freelance doing publicity and events for authors, bookstores and literary organizations. Lit Crawl has become one of my regular seasonal contracts, and I love having it as part of my fall work calendar. 11: While I’m sure you’re excited about the event as a

featuring poets exploring the powers and embattlements of language in these times. We’ve also got some racier programs: Therese O’Neill is going to present the most appropriate “Unmentionables” for a proper Victorian wedding night, and Lacy Knickers is bringing a teaser of her popular “Booklovers’ Burlesque” series. 11: Writers and those who appreciate them are often insular people. Would you say that this event can help to bring both the writer and the reader out of their respective shell? HB: Yes, we’re hoping so! It’s a chance to get weird, and all are welcome! Tin House is sponsoring the “Awkward After Party II” in recognition of that very quality–that writers and readers want to have fun and connect, but we spend so much time in worlds made of words that sometimes coming out of our shells can get awkward. Lit Crawl embraces the awkward and the weird–it’s where the madcap meets the cerebral. We also hope to attract new audiences by putting literature on display in a way that’s accessible outside of traditional realms. » - Scott McHale

whole, which performances/presentations are you looking forward to the most?

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 27

community visual arts metalsmithing classes to create puppet armatures, miniature props and mechanical insect puppets. After school I came to portland for an internship, where eventually, to my surprise and delight, I ended up working in the animation industry. My knowledge of various crafts made me well suited to puppet fabrication, and I was able to use my metalsmithing skills working in the armature department.

Photo by Mercy McNab

11: Being that your background is in animation, how has that training influenced your jewelry-making? Is that a medium you still produce?

VISUAL ARTS Portland artist Kimi Kaplowitz

ELEVEN: Reading the bio on your website, you state that much of your focus in life has been in stop motion animated puppetry. You go on to say that you have only recently taken jewelry-making as your trade. Your style and design is so seemingly advanced. What have you done to craft yourself into the artist you are today? Kimi Kaplowitz: I kind of toggled back and forth between my interest in animation and metalsmithing. I wanted to make movies when I grew up. I was fascinated by the intricacy and the charm of the practical effects in my favorite films and TV. But as I grew up, I saw the effects that used to be handmade in films leaning more towards computer-generated effects. I’ve always been most inclined towards working with my hands, so I decided I’d focus my craft on sculpting and perhaps get into toy design. I attended a small fine arts college (Moore College of Art and Design) and proceeded to get my hands dirty in as many of the studios as I could and very quickly fell in love with small metalsmithing, particularly casting. But I still had that little bug in my ear. At that time I was not interested in creating adornment in metal, rather I wanted to create a narrative, create objects and characters that moved through space. I experimented in school and took a number of internships working in film, sculpture, robotics and puppetry. I made a stop motion film for my thesis project, in which I utilized the casting and fabrication skills I had learned in my

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KK: I think one of the most influential projects that got me into doing what I do now is a music video I worked on with Bent Image Lab for The Uncluded song “Organs.” (Check it out it’s way cool!) We created anthropomorphized insect puppets from real insect specimens: A cicada, a locust, a forest scorpion. It was clearly a dream project for me. I undertook the task of creating some pretty complicated molds in order to cast the insect legs and bodies in silicone and resin. My obsession with making highly detailed molds of tiny objects like insect bits became very clear to me during this project. After it was over I injected wax into one of the molds I made of a scorpion tail, got it cast and created a bracelet for myself. This prototype became one of the first pieces in my collection. I had no idea that little experiment would lead to my going into jewelry design full-time. 11: You state on your website the symbolism of the scorpion as it relates to your work. Can you reiterate here how the arachnid weaves itself into your jewelry? KK: One of the first specimens I incorporated into my jewelry work was a small life cast scorpion. As I worked with it I observed the tiny details; the delicate, aggressive looking pincers and mandibles, the elegant curve of the tail, a creature who influenced the creation of alien monsters and horror. It’s a beautiful and terrifying creature. An issue I’ve always struggled with when making art is how I could create something that could be observed fully by the viewer. I want the viewer to experience my work from all angles and ideally be able to pick pieces up, feel them, really get in

Scorpion Ring (life cast scorpion in sterling silver)

community visual arts KK: I feel so much freedom to travel living in the northwest. When I have a chunk of time off and the means to do so I love to get in my car and take long road trips to explore the epic landscapes of the western deserts. The flora and fauna and geography of the desert both in Oregon and in the southwest is incredible. When I first travelled around the west I felt like I was driving in and out of different dimensions on alien planets. I have grown very fond of the intensity and diversity of the deserts and their sharp, wild alien creatures that party in the night. It’s a beautiful contrast to the drip of the forest and its succulent mushrooms and lichens, and sleepy slime-trailing slugs. They are companions in my mind and can all be friends in my jewelry scapes. Ram Skull Ring (hand-sculpted sterling silver)

there. However most of the pieces I made in the past were too delicate to be handled. Making jewelry solved that issue for me. Furthermore, I am recreating natural objects that would normally require very delicate handling like a mushroom, or creatures most people would not dare touch like the scorpion and spider. I feel like the scorpion embodied this idea– when the scorpion is alive, it is not to be touched, but when immortalized in a metal talisman the scorpion can be safely embraced. I have met many people who have a fear of scorpions or have been stung by scorpions in the past, they consider the scorpion in their jewelry as a protective talisman, and a way to come face-to-face with their fear daily. A reminder to conquer their fears. 11: What portion of your jewelry is cast from specimens versus carved by hand? Looking at your work, the level of detail is incredible! How do you decide what to hand-carve and what to find specimens for? KK: My jewelry pieces are collages of natural objects and sculpted elements. The high detail is extremely important to me, especially when casting from life. often I attempt to represent the original insect or mushroom as close to the original as possible. Most of the specimens I use in my jewelry need to be of a certain size to be practical for my designs. I do try to challenge myself to make molds of the smallest specimens I can possibly cast without losing strength and integrity in the final piece. Occasionally this means sculpting onto certain parts of the specimen to add thickness and strength in the final piece. If there’s an image or character I want to incorporate into my work and I cannot procure a specimen from nature, that gives me a good reason to do some sculpting. I love modeling on a tiny scale, and would do it all day long, but it takes many hours of focused labor. I try to craft the sculpts with as much detail and texture as possible so they can integrate seamlessly with items cast from nature. I’m slowly adding more hand-sculpted elements into my work. 11: Your pieces have an interesting blend of both southwestern and northwestern influence (i.e. cattle skulls and scorpions vs. mushrooms). What are the aspects of each ecosystem that find their way into your work?

11: Both of your parents were artists–your mom a ceramicist and your dad a photographer. Was the life as an artist a natural progression for you? How did their art inspire or help shape you as an artist? KK: I grew up under two artistic parents–my mom was a sculptor and ceramicist with a background in biology, my dad, a photographer and multidisciplinary artist. My childhood was spent collecting bits and pieces of nature with my dad from the forest next to our property. He assembled the stems and dead plants he collected to create three-dimensional illustrations which he later photographed. I incorporated stones and skulls and twigs and feathers into my room decor and used them to outfit dioramas with characters within them, who had full handcrafted wardrobes in their closets. I spent hours in my mother’s clay studio sculpting creatures in clay, and would later help out in her growing teaching business. Later in high school, I crafted tiny insects from super glue and antique watch parts and learned the nuances of working in porcelain and oil paints. My parents always encouraged me to explore my love of creation and exploration. It’s funny looking back on my childhood, I am clearly building on what I learned growing up with my parents.

Cicada Wing Ring (life cast cicada wings with antique glass doll eye in sterling silver)

11: You’re from the East Coast originally, correct? What did that move symbolize for you as an artist and in your journey as an artist? KK: I spent a great deal of my childhood in New Jersey outdoors. New Jersey is not all Jersey Shore and Sopranos. I grew up in the middle of the state among ripe forest and

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community visual arts fertile farmland in Hopewell, a small town of 1000 people. I always found peace in the forest or on the water, observing wildlife, illustrating and collecting what I found. When I moved to Philadelphia for school, I somehow lost the connection with that important part of myself. I loved living in the city for the first time, it was exciting, the city became part of me. I thought that the city was where I wanted to be. I imagined myself moving to New York after school. An internship pulled me to Oregon. I had no intention of staying, but I quickly realized that this was the city I needed to live in to be content. A city from which one can be in the ocean, on the top of a mountain, on pristine rivers and lakes and the middle of nowhere in a relatively short amount of time. Whenever I feel trapped I try to get out and find peace in nature. Being close to the fruitful forest furthered my interest in foraging for wild foods and mushrooms. With all of my mold-making experience at my job, I was curious as to whether I could successfully make molds of the delicate ephemeral little mushrooms I found while moving through the woods. I did a bit of experimenting, and discovered a way to successfully preserve the tiny details, and then cast them in metal. I’m always in search of the perfect specimen to add to my mold collection. When I go out foraging or hiking I carry a small box with padding for harvesting select mushrooms to incorporate into my jewelry.

Orb Weaver Ear Weights (life cast orb weaver spiders, hand fabricated in sterling silver)

11: What are you currently working on in your studio? Do you have any special projects or showings coming up that we should know about? KK: They’re all a secret! I do have a long standing project that I’ve been chipping away at for years. Maybe putting it out here will light a fire under my butt to get it going. I want to create one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that are miniature versions of some of the sculptures I made before I started my jewelry business… explore themes that might be more complicated to express in jewelry form: humor, horror, curious characters, sex and weird science. I want to incorporate these images into my jewelry work in the future, pieces which demand a story. Somewhere between sculpture and jewelry and animation I guess! 11: Where can we find some of your pieces? KK: In Portland, my jewelry can be found at Altar, Paxton Gate, Wanderlust and Wildhearts and Workshop Vintage. Each one of these businesses have a beautifully curated selection of handmade jewelry. All four shops carry a selection of my pieces that we’ve hand picked to fit their individual style. It’s definitely worth checking out these stellar boutiques! » - Laurel Bonfiglio

FIND THIS ARTIST ONLINE WEB: WWW.THEETHJEWELRY.COM IG: @TEETHJEWELRY

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