Friday, November 30, 2012

December? How did we get here already?

Holiday season will be picking up steam ... including a multitude of yuletide music events ... KINK-FM has an excellent listing you should check out ... and maybe do something to move you a bit past humbug ...  oh, and beer lovers have the annual Holiday Ale Festival this weekend!  Also, there are shows that didn't make KINK's list, including a whole set of eclectic shows between now and the new year at the Alberta Rose ... check their schedule - you might find a cool show to help make the season merry and bright ...

Friday
Pick show for tonight is the double bill of Loch Lomond and Black Prairie at the Aladdin. Two excellent local bands that have reached well beyond our Northwest music community  ... great chance to hear why (and this is Loch Lomond's last Portland gig for a while until they return from an extended European tour this winter) ... 9 pm, $15


The Stolen Sweets sweetly swing the Secret Society ... and it's a Sagittarian birthday party for Sweets member Erin Sutherland ...  9 pm, $12

More swing? Check out Everything's Jake at Vie de Boheme .... 8 pm, no cover

Feel like funkin' it up? ... check out The Motet at the Wonder Ballroom. According to their press release .... their last show in P-town was so successful that they are going to make this an extra special occasion and play their Funk is Dead material for the second set of the evening. Yep, Grateful Dead tunes, highly funkified ... and it works, really. Also, opening the show will be Portland's own Excellent Gentlemen ... 9 pm, $20



Saturday
Something I'm welcoming is having the opportunity every week to see The James Low Western Front - now back for a long string of Saturday happy hours at the Laurelthirst. James and the band have recently returned from a successful first tour of England and Ireland ... and sounding great ... 6 pm, no cover
Joe McMurrian follows at the Laurelthirst with the 9:30 pm show ... $5 ... And the busy Mr. Low heads right over to the Secret Society for a show with the Wild Bells ... 9 pm, $8

Two nights at the Aladdin for the long-awaited return of The Be Good Tanyas ... Huck Notari opens ... 8 pm, $20 (Sat is sold out, but tickets available for Sunday)

The Alberta Rose has the penultimate 2012 LiveWire! Radio show ... 7:30 pm, $20

Guitarist and author Steve Cheseborough is at the Muddy Rudder ... 8 pm, no cover

Jamie Leopold & The Short Stories are at Artichoke Music ... 8 pm, $10

Feel like dancin'? .... it's Cajun, Zydeco, and a pot full of New Orleans and Louisiana tunes with Atomic Gumbo and the Too Loose Cajun Band at Duff's .... 9 pm, $10

Get out to some live music! It will make your month a merry one!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Weekend Music Picks - 11/16

Here's a few for the weekend that look quite promising ...

Tonight you might want to catch the show at Jimmy Mak's with Lloyd Jones featuring the Atlas Horns and LaRhonda Steele. It has a benefit twist too ... this is directly from Lloyd:
Don’t forget the big show at Jimmy Mak’s this Friday! LaRhonda Steele & I are “Singing For Linda”. $5 donation for Linda Hornbuckle is included in the $15 cover charge. Her husband Mark will be there for those who want to give a larger contribution. LaRhonda & I will sing tunes from our new CD and feature LaRhonda on some songs from Linda’s songlist too. So many of us have been touched by Linda’s “world class” talent over the years, let’s show her the joy and support she desperately needs now!
Music begins at 8 pm! Should be a most excellent show!

At the Alberta Rose it's the California Honeydrops, who've gone from busking four years ago in Bay Area BART stations to world touring. They dare you not to get up and dance ... 8 pm, $12


For some honky-tonk and zydeco, catch the Steady Boys and New Iberians at Duff's ... 9 pm, $10

The sublime vocals of Rebecca Kilgore can be heard at Ivories ... with Tom Wakeling and Randy Porter ... 8 pm, $10

... and at the White Eagle, you can catch Jackstraw ... 9:30 pm, $8

Saturday
Looking for early music ... check out Wendy & the Lost Boys CD release show at Mississippi Pizza. Possum music! ... 6 pm, no cover

 ... or catch the Jamie Leopold Band at the Secret Society ... 6 pm, no cover

At the Alberta Rose, it's LiveWire! Radio ... with Carrie Brownstein and musical guests Sara Jackson-Holman and Federale ... 7:30 pm, $25

Three of my fave local world-weary songwriting pros, Ron Rogers, Joe New, and Buzz Holland play off each other at Eugenios on SE Division St ... swapping songs and stories for our listening pleasure ... 8 pm, no cover

Looking to dance? Catch Bill Rhoades and the Party Kings at Duff's ... 9 pm, $8

... and this looks like a very cool show at The Press Club ...  9 pm, no cover

Formed by Béla R. Balogh and Courtney Von Drehle of 3 Leg Torso, The Discover Music Series is a the fusion of musical expressions. Meester & Meester (Béla & Courtney) is a passionate transport to old world cafe music with violin and accordion, and together with a rotating cast of world-class guest musicians they fuse genre, style and dynamics to explore new and eclectic avenues of musical expression. Guest:  Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists), Bernardo Gomez

Ok ... get out to some live music!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Spotlighting Three for Thursday

A trio of shows to consider for Thursday night ...

First, at O'Connor's it will be a soulful evening with Gary Ogan ... he'll have Dave Captein on bass, and special guest, vocalist Kris Deelane. Gary has been making fine music for 40 years and this should be a fun, intimate, gig  ... 7 pm, $10 ... advance tix here.



Next, PDX Jazz presents some tasty jazz guitar with Dan Balmer and his tribute to Wes Montgomery at the Mission Theater. Read/hear more at Oregon Music News .... 7:30 pm, $15

And finally, the Caleb Klauder Country Band will have the Secret Society rockin' like a swanky honky tonk ... Huck Notari opens ... 9 pm, $10


Friday, November 9, 2012

Lots of great picks for the weekend, pt 2

First ... yesterday I left out a music-related presentation ... Peter Ames Carlin will read from his new book, Bruce, at Powell's on Burnside tonight at 7:30. Looks like a very good bio of Mr. Springsteen.

So here's a few more for Saturday and Sunday ...

Saturday
No cover shows? Try Everything's Jake at the Secret Society (6 pm), Alan Hagar at the Muddy Rudder (8 pm), or Kevin Selfe at Halibut's (8 pm) ...

Duff's has a mondo surf guitar night ... 9 pm, $??

The Mission Theater hosts the monthly Miz Kitty's Parlour ... 7 pm, $15

The Midnight Serenaders are at the Blue Monk ... 9 pm, $??

The Tezeta Band will be at the Secret Society ... 9 pm, $7

Energetic triple bill at the Wonder Ballroom with Water Tower, Fruition and Sassparilla ... 9 pm, $12

.... and it's time for another Sultan's of Slide show at Vie de Boheme ... 9 pm, $6

Sunday
It's not time to sit home on Sunday ... too much great music ...

Tonight at Jimmy Mak's, it's Love for Linda, a benefit for singer Linda Hornbuckle, who is undergoing treatment for kidney cancer. Join a host of Portland's best jazz, blues, gospel, and soul artists for a celebration of one of the most loved musicians in town. The early show (6 pm) is sold out, but there's still tickets for 9 pm .... $25 here

 Leonard Cohen returns to the Rose Garden ... last time here, the show was absolutely sublime ... if you've never seen Cohen, consider this an opportunity to see one of the best ... here's a review of his Wednesday show in San Jose ... 8 pm, $40 - $250 here


Brandi Carlile is at the Crystal Ballroom ... with Blitzen Trapper opening ... 8 pm, $46

 ... and Holcomb Waller will be at the Secret Society ... for the evening's bargain price of $12 (7:30 pm)

... and a heads up for an excellent band at the Alberta Rose on Tuesday ... Joy Kills Sorrow ... have caught this band a couple times and very impressed ... check them out! .... 8 pm, $10

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Lots of great picks for the weekend, pt 1

Another great weekend of live music in Portland ... this post will mostly cover tonight and tomorrow ...

First a thank you to MaryChris for her occasional and valuable posts to the blog!

Thurday
The annual Siren Nation Festival kicks off with shows at Mississippi Studios and the Secret Society. Music continues through the weekend at the Alberta Rose (Fri/Sat/Sun) and the Doug Fir (Sun) ... full schedule here and purchase festival wristbands here.

Looking for no cover music? Try happy hour at the Laurelthirst with Lewi Longmire (6 pm), Steve Kerin at the Chapel Pub (8 pm), the Sellwood Jazz Ensemble at Corkscrew Wine Bar (8 pm), or
Brooks Robinson at the Muddy Rudder (8 pm) ...

Excellent blues singer/guitarist out of southern Cal, Laurie Morvan, will be at Duff's ... 9 pm, $10

PDX Jazz  presents the Clayton Brothers tonight at Jimmy Mak's ... 2 shows @ 7 and 9:30 pm, $20/$25 reserved

 ... and the Rob Shepps Big Band will be at Vie de Boheme ... 8:30 pm, $10

Friday
Touring bands from multiple genres in town tonight ...
My favorite band, Los Lobos, will be at the Aladdin to perform their entire landmark Kiko album in honor of its 20th anniversary and it's re-release this year. This is going to be a very special show ... 8 pm, $45
Jam band favorites, Donna the Buffalo, are at the Doug Fir ... 9 pm, $17

The Devil Makes Three bring their energetic form of bluegrass/country/swing to the Crystal Ballroom ... 9 pm, $23

The Indigo Girls play a date with the Oregon Symphony ... 7:30 pm, $??

Need some early music? Try Woodbrain at the Laurelthirst, or Pete Krebs & His Portland Playboys at the Secret Society (both no cover at 6 pm)

Speaking of the Secret Society, Blue Cranes and the Jessica Lurie Ensemble do an eclectic jazz show at 9 pm, $10-15 sliding scale

Billy D & the Hoodoos are at O'Connor's ... 8 pm, $5

... more soon with picks for Saturday and Sunday!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Up and coming in the time of darkness....

A couple of things on my radar...Nov. 7 is Joni Mitchell's birthday and the return of The Woman of Heart and Mind tribute to Joni at Alberta Rose Theatre.  Paula Sinclair, Kris Deelane, Anne Weiss and others will bring to life "Blue"...arguably the best Joni record and the one that contains, as my friend John Doe says, the best love song ever written, "A Case of You."
Next Wednesday, the 7th, if we haven't all moved out of the country, will be Jon Koonce's and One More Mile's last regular Wednesday show at O'Connor's in Multnomah Village.  Jon just feels it's time to shake it up a little and is sharing the bill with Doug Fraser's band at Duff's on Friday, the 9th.
The 11th brings Blitzen Trapper home at the Crystal opening for Brandi Carlisle...can't wait to see my boys!
Now the most important, on Nov. 18th (the day before my birthday, so will be accepting free drinks and presents....) from 3-6 at O'Connor's, John Bunzow will play a fund raising gig to help with his hospital bills from recent cancer surgery.  If you can't make the gig, you can donate on line on John's website...and dream of single payer health care....
..and man if you weren't at Dante's on Halloween to see Lukas Nelson (Willie's kid) and the Promise of the Real, and the lovely Ty Curtis with Gary Fountaine on bass opening....you missed a life-changer!!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Here comes the weekend ... with some fine music around town

Time is short ... let's get to it ...

Friday
It's Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band doing an in-store performance at Music Millennium (6 pm) and then a show at Dante's ... 9 pm, $12

Other early music ... how about Ron Rogers & the Wailing Wind at the Landmark Saloon (4847 SE Division) ... or Bossa Nossa at the Secret Society ... both 6 pm, no cover

A couple of respected songwriting troubadours are both passing through PDX tonight ... David Wilcox at the Aladdin (8 pm, $28) ... and Steve Forbert at the Alberta Rose with Jim Brunberg opening ... 8 pm, $20

Last chance to catch Thad Beckman in town this year before he heads out on the road (to Europe!) with Tom Russell ... at O'Connor's with Kurtis Piltz ... 8 pm, $7

The Builders and the Butchers are doing an LP Release and 7th Anniversary show at the Laurelthirst ... 9:30 pm, $12 ... advance tickets here.
 
The Secret Society hosts The Saloon Ensemble's Nightmare Before Xmas (Saturday afternoon @ 3 too!) ... 9 pm, $13 tonight / $10 Saturday (& $5 for kids)

Saturday
It's LiveWire Radio recording at the Alberta Rose ... 7:30 pm, $20

Mary Flower and Howard Wade are at Artichoke Music ... it's a CD release show for Wade ... 8 pm, $15

Tony Starlight's has The Stolen Sweets ... 8 pm, $15

Intriguing show at The Piano Fort (SE Spokane & 17th) ... MidLo (Mike Midlo and friends) will be previewing a set of songs from an upcoming release ... with an opening set by Edna Vazquez ... 8 pm, $10 suggested donation ... this will be worth checking out!

Sea Wolf and Hey Marseilles are at the Doug Fir ... 9 pm, $14

... and it's time for Crime-a-billy with Guitar Julie and the rest of the Strangetones at Duff's ... 9 pm, $8

Get out to some live music!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Thursday ... Muddy Awards and more ...

Tonight is the CBA's annual Muddy Awards, celebrating the best in local blues music. It kicks off at 6:30 at the Melody Ballroom and there's lots of great live music as part of the evening. It's free for CBA members and just $5 for non-members. And check out the after-party at Duff's with the Suburban Slim Band and a bunch of guests ... 9:30 pm, $5

Also at 6:30 you can honor your ancestors and hear some great music at the Dia de los Muertos celebration at Holocene ...  $5

Going out for happy hour music ... good choices are Lewi Longmire at the Laurelthirst, or the Libertine Belles at the Secret Society ... both at 6 and no cover.
Another good no cover choice is Pat Kearns and Jeremy Wilson at Al's Den in the Crystal Hotel ... 7 pm

The Doug Fir has an excellent triple bill with Seattle's Sera Cahoone, along with the Parson Red Heads and Desert Noises ... 9 pm, $12

Check out a band that knocked me out at this year's Pickathon, Petunia & the Vipers, at Mississippi Studios ... 9 pm, $12

And one that looks very cool is Cuba's Orquesta Aragon, international ambassadors of all forms of Cuban dance music, at Lola's Room in the Crystal Ballroom ... caliente!...8pm, $35