Back to business

Blues Festival receding from sight, finished supporting Kevin Gordon's multiple appearances (thanks to all who came out to see him! . . . think he made a good sized group of new fans), and now back to whatever it is I do . . .

I do seem to remember that I make a few recommendations here and there for live music, so here's a few for tonight and tomorrow . . .

Thursday
As usual, it's a great locals night for happy hour or later shows - Laurelthirst (Lewi Longmire @ 6, Lynn Conover @ 9:30), Biddy McGraw's (Jaycob Van Auken @ 6, Rollie Tussing @ 9), Duff's Garage (Pete Krebs @ 6), Jimmy Mak's (Mel Brown @ 8), or the Chapel Pub (Jenny Conlee @ 8).

And, if you didn't get enough blues at the festival, there's Shemekia Copeland at the Aladdin . . . 8 pm, $20

Friday
Torn between two of the bigger shows this evening - The Minus 5 at the Doug Fir and The Gourds and Patterson Hood & the Screwtopians at the Wonder Ballroom.

Scott McCaughey is celebrating the release of Killingsworth, a Minus 5 project that includes a who's who of local talent. Ryan White of the Oregonian has a great write up of Scott and the project here. He's become one of my favorite local artists since he moved to Portland a couple years back. . . . And what I find really cool about Scott is that when he's not touring or playing a gig, he's out at shows all over town - genuinely digging the music and supporting fellow artists. This show is going to be fun . . . 9 pm, $12

Then there's the strong double bill of The Gourds, a fine band out of Austin and Patterson Hood (of the Drive By Truckers), who will put on a high energy good time show at the Wonder . . . 9 pm, $15

A good early show choice (6:30 pm) is to take advantage of one of the free neighborhood park shows, with Tony Furtado at Fernhill Park (NE 37th, north of Ainsworth).

Oh yeah . . . and some band named Coldplay is at the Clark County Amphitheater. Hear they're popular.

A few Saturday and Sunday choices will be up tomorrow . . . .