Future Islands
The years since the release of Singles have been transformative for Future Islands, catapulting the Baltimore-based band from cult favorites to synthpop icons. As addictive songs like breakout "Seasons (Waiting on You)" turned the world on to sublime pleasures a loyal fan base already knew, this hard-touring band plowed forward, playing their 1,000th show in July 2015 and celebrating their 10th anniversary in February 2016. Now Future Islands returns at the top of their game with new album The Far Field, delivering twelve chestpounding love songs and odes to the road as only they can.
The Far Field refines and builds on the breakthroughs of Singles, bursting with undeniable hooks and disarmingly honest lyrics written by Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), and Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming). The band began writing new material in January 2016 on the coast of North Carolina, and continued throughout the year in Baltimore before road-testing these songs with a series of secret shows under fake names. In November 2016, they settled in with Grammy Award-winning producer John Congleton at Los Angeles' legendary Sunset Sound, where everyone from The Beach Boys to Prince have laid down masterpieces.
The result is Future Islands' best set of songs yet, both an emotional summation of the themes they've explored over the past decade and a further distillation of their signature art-pop sound. It's the first Future Islands record featuring live drums by Michael Lowry, who joined the band prior to their viral performance of "Seasons" on Letterman, and whose energy propels the band's sound to new heights. With Congleton's production and string and horn arrangements by Patrick McMinn, The Far Field finds Future Islands crafting soundscapes larger and more opulent than ever before, as sonically lush and expansive as they are lyrically raw and direct.
With each spin of The Far Field, Future Islands' fifth album and second for 4AD, another of its dozen impassioned and impeccably crafted tracks will jump out as a favorite. "Shadows," a stunner of a duet between Herring and Blondie's Debbie Harry, offers a naked look at heartache, finding hope and power in facing pain and personal flaws head-on. Both "Time on Her Side" and "Day Glow Fire" attest to the beauty lurking in even our most painful memories, and assert that even lost love can give life deeper meaning. "North Star," first single "Ran," and "Beauty of the Road" all mark this as an album about taking to the road, chasing after love and self-knowledge-and coming to terms with what you find there. As Herring sings on the heartfelt "Through the Roses,"
It's not easy, just being human
And the lights and the smoke and the screens
Don't make it better
I'm no stronger than you and I'm scared
But we can pull through-together
Together
We can pull through
Drawing inspiration from their community of friends and their growing numbers of fans, The Far Field brilliantly expresses the band's central themes: that there's power in emotional vulnerability, that one can find a way to laugh and cry in the same breath-and be stronger for it. The Far Field speaks directly to the bruised but brave romantic each of us carries within. It's forty-five minutes of brilliant pop mini- symphonies made for dancing, loving, and self-reflection; twelve beautiful reminders that one can grow and evolve while still staying true to oneself-just as this band has done for a decade now and counting.
Gracie and Rachel are a study in duality: light and dark, classical training with a pop sensibility, Californians in New York. Their music pits anxiety and tension against an almost serene self-assurance. The result is a compelling juxtaposition of Gracies piano and lead vocals and Rachels violin and voice, augmented with stark percussion.
Like their stylized color palette of black and white, their instrumentation appears simple and spare at first glance, but theres a powerful prism effect at work that brings us back to the concept of duality: their songs are intimate and expansive, questioning and confident. The nine orchestral-pop songs on Gracie and Rachel' (released June 23) tell a story thats rooted in the truth their truth but retain an enigmatic air that makes them relatable to anyone who has ever found their heart racing with doubt and pushed forward regardless.
NOMINATED: 5 Tony Awards 2015
DARK COMEDY
THE STORY: After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas.
Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own.
Hand To God explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.
Tim Berne has been described as “a saxophonist and composer of granite conviction” by The New York Times. Incidentals is the fourth album from his spirited Snakeoil band and the second (following on from 2015’s You’ve Been Watching Me) to feature the quintet line-up in which his core group with clarinetist Oscar Noriega, pianist Matt Mitchell and drummer/vibraphonist Ches Smith is augmented by guitarist Ryan Ferreira. The music is characteristically action-packed in the Berne tradition: powerful, dynamic, often fast-moving – yet also very clear in all its teeming detail. “We somehow achieved more sonic space by adding another player,” the bandleader notes wonderingly. It’s an impression maintained even when producer David Torn takes up his own guitar in a cameo at the climax of the modestly-titled “Sideshow”(in reality a 26-minute epic journey), soloing amid thunderous timpani and over serpentine melody outlined by sax and clarinet.
To find more info and the different venues go to: https://www.bizjournals.com/portland
"Portland is the undisputed epicenter of sneaker culture," Smith said in a release. "Sneaker week was designed to capture the 'SOLE of the CULTURE.'"
The event will feature everything from a three-day independent sneaker film festival to a sneaker-themed trivia night to design classes hosted by Pensole.
The event, Smith said, is meant to celebrate the city's homegrown love of fresh footwear that's become a multibillion dollar industry, and to inspire youth interest in the industry.
“Sneaker Week serves as an outlet in which members of the sneaker community can curate cultural experiences within art, music, sports, and design, representing their interpretation of the boundless influence of the sneaker,” Smith said in the release. “We want to educate and connect like-minded sneakerheads and enthusiasts through the core creative roots of the culture.”
Almost all of the week's events are free, but VIP tickets are on sale for $50 that will allow ticket holders to bypass lines and have access to giveaways.
Brian Ellis // Zackey Force Funk // Dan Dan // On One Posse DJ's
BRIAN ELLIS:
http://omegasupremerecords.com/album/brian-ellis-in-the-dark
ZACKEY FORCE FUNK:
https://zackeyforcefunk.bandcamp.com/
DAN DAN:
https://dandanband.bandcamp.com/
ON ONE POSSE DJ's SEOUL BRO. #1, KING TIM 33.3, and OZROC
Tickets at the door.
21+
The Ape presents CAT PATROL, an hour of character-driven sketch comedy that explores bad spoken word, the creepy lives of twins, one-woman shows and the musical stylings of Darth Vader. Directed by Chris Caniglia, CAT PATROL marks the first major debut of a sketch comedy production at The Ape theater. It is also the first full length production produced, written, directed and starring the founders of The Ape - Brooke Totman (MADtv, The Benefits of Gusbandry), Alissa Jessup (The Mindy Project, True Blood) and Chris Caniglia (30 Rock, The People’s Improv Theater of N.Y.).
After years of performing and writing sketch shows in Portland, Brooke Totman was hired to cast and direct a new sketch company at a comedy club in town. Alissa Jessup came in to audition (Alissa and Chris Caniglia had just moved to Portland from Los Angeles) and immediately caught Brooke’s attention. “Alissa got on stage and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her comedic timing was spot-on and she was the only person on stage creating characters!” says Brooke. “I scanned her resume and saw that like me, she trained at The Groundlings. - I knew I had found a comedy soulmate.” (The Groundlings is known as the foremost sketch comedy training ground in Los Angeles and has been the launch pad for countless careers including: Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow, Paul Reubens, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, and Kathy Griffin.)
The two women became fast friends and collaborators, creating sketches for the show Identity Crisis at Portland Center Stage. “After Identity Crisis, we knew we had something special and we had to make our own show,” says Alissa. “We sat down with Chris (a veteran of New York and Los Angeles comedy) and the three of us started to dream up all the things we could do if we joined forces on CAT PATROL and beyond. What if we started our own comedy-based theater? A theater where as artists, we can create the kind of acting based, character-driven comedy that we love? And while we’re at it, why don’t we kick off our debut season with CAT PATROL?” “The collaboration chemistry was immediate.” says Brooke. “Alissa and I both grew up watching funny women like, Carol Burnett, Laverne & Shirley, Gilda Radner, Lily Tomlin, and Lucille Ball.” “And then you add our Groundlings sensibilities to the mix, it’s magic.” adds Alissa, “When we write it’s so easeful. It’s like we share the same twisted comedy brain, it just works.” Chris adds, “We all offer something very different and distinct to the process. Brooke is a master of both subtle and bold, physical comedy. She can transform into a character so completely, that you literally forget she’s on stage. Alissa is an amazing actor with the comedy chops to match. Nothing is too big, too broad or off-limits. If a seemingly impossible idea is pitched, Alissa is the one to figure out how to make it work on stage” “Chris brings a very calm, intentional focus to the process.” says Alissa. “He has this knack for listening, processing and with one or two suggestions, making the entire piece stronger. He’s the CAT PATROL whisperer.”
THE APE FOUNDERS
About Brooke Totman
Brooke is an actor, writer and sketch comedy performer. After receiving a degree in Theater performance, Totman headed to the bright lights and smoggy hills of L.A. to train at acclaimed sketch and improv company, The Groundlings.
Brooke became a member of The Groundlings Sunday company, performing alongside Melissa McCarthy, Mitch Silpa and Michael McDonald. It is here that her skills for writing sketches and creating unique comedy characters were developed. Auditioning with characters created at The Groundlings, Totman was cast on MADtv as a featured cast member during its 5th season. Other selected TV credits include: The King of Queens (CBS), Less Than Perfect (ABC),Judging Amy (CBS) and Life After First Failure (The CW). She is currently starring in the critically acclaimed series, The Benefits of Gusbandry, available on Amazon Prime. Brooke is co-founder of The Ape Theater, a comedy based theater and training ground committed to creating new work that ignites, engages and entertains. She also heads The Ape’s Sketch Comedy division, teaching, coaching, producing and directing.
About Alissa Jessup
Alissa is a writer, director, and actor with over 20 years’ experience creating and working in theater, film, and television. She likes that clowns are kind of creepy. As an actor, she has performed and developed new plays with Sundance Theatre Lab, The Flea Theater, ACT Theatre, 13P, Soho Rep, P.S. 122, and Playwrights Horizons. Selected T.V. credits include The Mindy Project (Hulu), True Blood (HBO), Grimm (NBC), and The Mentalist (CBS). She has written and performed comedy at The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade NYC and U.C.B. Los Angeles. In 2015, Alissa founded Growly Pictures to produce content that is made by women for women. Alissa wrote, directed, and stars in the comedic short film, ‘chickadee’, which she produced with an all-female cast and crew. Alissa is co-founder of The Ape and serves as the Artistic Director, where she also directs, teaches acting, directing, writing and collaboration classes.
About Chris Caniglia
Chris Caniglia started his improv career in 1986 with a group called Mental Floss in Miami. He performed over a crappy little garage that worked on foreign cars. After a little more seasoning and a move to the Big Apple he founded Big Black Car, New York City’s longest running long form improv team, and winner of Emerging Comics of New York’s award for best improv group. That group was Tom Ridgeley, Justin Akin, Ellie Kemper, Chris Caniglia, Megan Martin, Kristin Schaal, Scott Eckert and Matt Oberg. This was at the Peoples Improv Theater, where he was also a member of the teaching faculty. Chris has performed at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Magnet Theater in New York, where he was a member of House team Sweet Crude, directed by Armando Diaz, U.C.B. L.A., I/O West, the Chicago Improv Festival, and the D.C. Improv Festival. Chris is co-founder of The Ape and also serves as the head of its Improv division, where he coaches, teaches, produces and directs.
About The Ape Theater
With a mission of making serious sketch comedy (for people who aren’t that serious), The Ape is a comedy-based theater & training ground committed to creating new improv, sketch and theater work that ignites, engages, and entertains. Classes and workshops are offered in long-form improv, sketch comedy, writing, performance, and collaboration. The Ape’s training is deeply rooted in the belief that solid acting is the key to great comedic performances.
The Ape is an underground theater. Literally. It is located in the basement of The Alberta Abbey. The Ape is founded by working professionals with over 20 years experience working in New York City and Los Angeles in TV, Film,Theater and Comedy.
Alumni: Upright Citizens Brigade NYC & LA, The Magnet, The P.I.T., The Groundlings. www.theapetheater.com
- Berahmand play rock & roll, new wave, & soul.
- Self-described as a folk singer that accidentally began to write pop music, Laryssa Birdseye uses humor and honesty to entrance her audience. Having struggled with addiction and an eating disorder, Laryssa’s songs reflect the turmoil of heartbreak, dependency, regret, and the persistent strive towards healing, making her originals relatable and her hooks infectious. Her soaring vocals are filled with flawless riffs and soulful melodies. Best known for her biting wit and clever lyricism, Laryssa stands out best as a songwriter, offering tremendously relatable content—often serving to inspire, often breaking your heart open as she spills hers.
- Camp Crush is an exploration of new wave rock and melodic pop writing, fronted by forever sweethearts, Chris Spicer & Jen Deale. Weaving together a blend of current topics and whimsical and danceable pop melodies, Camp Crush makes you feel like you’re at the High School prom you wish you had.
A cat will scratch it’s way into our September stories.
Storytellers! Cultural Competency Consultant/Educator, Recovering Academic, Intersectional Shero, Mistaken for a Roll of Toilet Paper in 4th-grade Marshmallow Halloween Costume, No, You Can’t Call Her a Nickname BEALLEKA, Winner Portland’s Funniest Person 2017/Winner Stand Up Best of WW 2017, Member of Lez Standup, Voted Most Opinionated in High School CAITLIN WEIERHAUSER, FBI Agent Andy Genelli in the New Discovery Series Manhunt: Unabomber, Co-Writer of the Web-Series ‘I F’ed Up Royal’ BEN WEBER, Sketch Comedy King, Actor, Past Performer for Live Wire! Radio ANDREW HARRIS and Author of Death Confetti, Duct-Taped Fifty Hall and Oates Tapes to a Teacher’s Door, Sells Thigh-Boots to Online Fetishists JENNIFER ROBIN
Hosted by B. Frayn Masters with Announcer Jason Rouse
Music by Bobby D from XRAY
A portion of our ticket proceeds for this show will support Animal Aid, a Portland non-profit serving animals and the people they love since 1969.
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Ballet presents a series of FREE PRE-ballet classes for ages 6-9. The series are each four classes held once a week at TPB’s studio, 6250 SW Capitol Highway.
The FREE PRE classes introduce young dancers to the fundamentals of ballet and help them decide if ballet is right for them. TPB welcomes all new dancers in these commitment-free series with the goal of giving students the basic foundations and an appreciation of dance. TPB is devoted to nurturing, student-centered ballet training.
The final class acts as a placement assessment for the Curriculum Ballet program. Students must attend the full series (all four classes) but are not required to pay an audition fee. Parents who wish to enroll their children must complete a Registration Form. Class sizes are limited, and they may be cancelled if they do not meet minimum enrollment.
Dress code: Female dancers should wear pink tights, pink ballet shoes and a leotard of any color. They should not wear skirts or tutus. Male dancers should wear black tights, a white t-shirt and black ballet shoes.
Dates and times:
- July 10, 17, 24, 31 – Mondays 4:30-5:30 p.m.
- July 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5 – Saturdays 10-11 a.m.
- September 9, 16, 23, 30 – Saturdays 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- January 6, 13, 20, 27, 2018 – Saturdays 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
To register: theportlandballet.org or 503.452.8448
The Portland Ballet, led by artistic directors Nancy Davis and Anne Mueller, nurtures young dancers from age three to 22. TPB students are trained with professional intent by a faculty that includes some of the nation’s finest dancers and choreographers, with experience at companies such as the National Ballet, the original Los Angeles Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Trey McIntyre Project, and BodyVox. Professionally produced performance experience is at the core of TPB training. TPB graduates have gone on to professional dance careers with companies such as Grand Rapids Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Houston Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Batsheva, LEV, Ballet Memphis, and Ballet West
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Ballet presents a series of FREE PRE-ballet classes for ages 6-9. The series are each four classes held once a week at TPB’s studio, 6250 SW Capitol Highway.
The FREE PRE classes introduce young dancers to the fundamentals of ballet and help them decide if ballet is right for them. TPB welcomes all new dancers in these commitment-free series with the goal of giving students the basic foundations and an appreciation of dance. TPB is devoted to nurturing, student-centered ballet training.
The final class acts as a placement assessment for the Curriculum Ballet program. Students must attend the full series (all four classes) but are not required to pay an audition fee. Parents who wish to enroll their children must complete a Registration Form. Class sizes are limited, and they may be cancelled if they do not meet minimum enrollment.
Dress code: Female dancers should wear pink tights, pink ballet shoes and a leotard of any color. They should not wear skirts or tutus. Male dancers should wear black tights, a white t-shirt and black ballet shoes.
Dates and times:
- July 10, 17, 24, 31 – Mondays 4:30-5:30 p.m.
- July 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5 – Saturdays 10-11 a.m.
- September 9, 16, 23, 30 – Saturdays 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- January 6, 13, 20, 27, 2018 – Saturdays 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
To register: theportlandballet.org or 503.452.8448
The Portland Ballet, led by artistic directors Nancy Davis and Anne Mueller, nurtures young dancers from age three to 22. TPB students are trained with professional intent by a faculty that includes some of the nation’s finest dancers and choreographers, with experience at companies such as the National Ballet, the original Los Angeles Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Trey McIntyre Project, and BodyVox. Professionally produced performance experience is at the core of TPB training. TPB graduates have gone on to professional dance careers with companies such as Grand Rapids Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Houston Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Batsheva, LEV, Ballet Memphis, and Ballet West
The Ape presents CAT PATROL, an hour of character-driven sketch comedy that explores bad spoken word, the creepy lives of twins, one-woman shows and the musical stylings of Darth Vader. Directed by Chris Caniglia, CAT PATROL marks the first major debut of a sketch comedy production at The Ape theater. It is also the first full length production produced, written, directed and starring the founders of The Ape - Brooke Totman (MADtv, The Benefits of Gusbandry), Alissa Jessup (The Mindy Project, True Blood) and Chris Caniglia (30 Rock, The People’s Improv Theater of N.Y.).
After years of performing and writing sketch shows in Portland, Brooke Totman was hired to cast and direct a new sketch company at a comedy club in town. Alissa Jessup came in to audition (Alissa and Chris Caniglia had just moved to Portland from Los Angeles) and immediately caught Brooke’s attention. “Alissa got on stage and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her comedic timing was spot-on and she was the only person on stage creating characters!” says Brooke. “I scanned her resume and saw that like me, she trained at The Groundlings. - I knew I had found a comedy soulmate.” (The Groundlings is known as the foremost sketch comedy training ground in Los Angeles and has been the launch pad for countless careers including: Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow, Paul Reubens, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, and Kathy Griffin.)
The two women became fast friends and collaborators, creating sketches for the show Identity Crisis at Portland Center Stage. “After Identity Crisis, we knew we had something special and we had to make our own show,” says Alissa. “We sat down with Chris (a veteran of New York and Los Angeles comedy) and the three of us started to dream up all the things we could do if we joined forces on CAT PATROL and beyond. What if we started our own comedy-based theater? A theater where as artists, we can create the kind of acting based, character-driven comedy that we love? And while we’re at it, why don’t we kick off our debut season with CAT PATROL?” “The collaboration chemistry was immediate.” says Brooke. “Alissa and I both grew up watching funny women like, Carol Burnett, Laverne & Shirley, Gilda Radner, Lily Tomlin, and Lucille Ball.” “And then you add our Groundlings sensibilities to the mix, it’s magic.” adds Alissa, “When we write it’s so easeful. It’s like we share the same twisted comedy brain, it just works.” Chris adds, “We all offer something very different and distinct to the process. Brooke is a master of both subtle and bold, physical comedy. She can transform into a character so completely, that you literally forget she’s on stage. Alissa is an amazing actor with the comedy chops to match. Nothing is too big, too broad or off-limits. If a seemingly impossible idea is pitched, Alissa is the one to figure out how to make it work on stage” “Chris brings a very calm, intentional focus to the process.” says Alissa. “He has this knack for listening, processing and with one or two suggestions, making the entire piece stronger. He’s the CAT PATROL whisperer.”
THE APE FOUNDERS
About Brooke Totman
Brooke is an actor, writer and sketch comedy performer. After receiving a degree in Theater performance, Totman headed to the bright lights and smoggy hills of L.A. to train at acclaimed sketch and improv company, The Groundlings.
Brooke became a member of The Groundlings Sunday company, performing alongside Melissa McCarthy, Mitch Silpa and Michael McDonald. It is here that her skills for writing sketches and creating unique comedy characters were developed. Auditioning with characters created at The Groundlings, Totman was cast on MADtv as a featured cast member during its 5th season. Other selected TV credits include: The King of Queens (CBS), Less Than Perfect (ABC),Judging Amy (CBS) and Life After First Failure (The CW). She is currently starring in the critically acclaimed series, The Benefits of Gusbandry, available on Amazon Prime. Brooke is co-founder of The Ape Theater, a comedy based theater and training ground committed to creating new work that ignites, engages and entertains. She also heads The Ape’s Sketch Comedy division, teaching, coaching, producing and directing.
About Alissa Jessup
Alissa is a writer, director, and actor with over 20 years’ experience creating and working in theater, film, and television. She likes that clowns are kind of creepy. As an actor, she has performed and developed new plays with Sundance Theatre Lab, The Flea Theater, ACT Theatre, 13P, Soho Rep, P.S. 122, and Playwrights Horizons. Selected T.V. credits include The Mindy Project (Hulu), True Blood (HBO), Grimm (NBC), and The Mentalist (CBS). She has written and performed comedy at The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade NYC and U.C.B. Los Angeles. In 2015, Alissa founded Growly Pictures to produce content that is made by women for women. Alissa wrote, directed, and stars in the comedic short film, ‘chickadee’, which she produced with an all-female cast and crew. Alissa is co-founder of The Ape and serves as the Artistic Director, where she also directs, teaches acting, directing, writing and collaboration classes.
About Chris Caniglia
Chris Caniglia started his improv career in 1986 with a group called Mental Floss in Miami. He performed over a crappy little garage that worked on foreign cars. After a little more seasoning and a move to the Big Apple he founded Big Black Car, New York City’s longest running long form improv team, and winner of Emerging Comics of New York’s award for best improv group. That group was Tom Ridgeley, Justin Akin, Ellie Kemper, Chris Caniglia, Megan Martin, Kristin Schaal, Scott Eckert and Matt Oberg. This was at the Peoples Improv Theater, where he was also a member of the teaching faculty. Chris has performed at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Magnet Theater in New York, where he was a member of House team Sweet Crude, directed by Armando Diaz, U.C.B. L.A., I/O West, the Chicago Improv Festival, and the D.C. Improv Festival. Chris is co-founder of The Ape and also serves as the head of its Improv division, where he coaches, teaches, produces and directs.
About The Ape Theater
With a mission of making serious sketch comedy (for people who aren’t that serious), The Ape is a comedy-based theater & training ground committed to creating new improv, sketch and theater work that ignites, engages, and entertains. Classes and workshops are offered in long-form improv, sketch comedy, writing, performance, and collaboration. The Ape’s training is deeply rooted in the belief that solid acting is the key to great comedic performances.
The Ape is an underground theater. Literally. It is located in the basement of The Alberta Abbey. The Ape is founded by working professionals with over 20 years experience working in New York City and Los Angeles in TV, Film,Theater and Comedy.
Alumni: Upright Citizens Brigade NYC & LA, The Magnet, The P.I.T., The Groundlings. www.theapetheater.com
Klyph once again curates a night of hip-hop music for the TBA festival featuring artists representing Portland, Oregon. A night celebrating hip-hop and social consciousness with performances by Champagne Duane, Wynne & special guest DJs.
The dynamic melodies and high-speed percussion section help Bully cut through the noise quickly and repeatedly. Tracks like "Milkman" and "Brainfreeze" lay it all on the line with scrappy energy until the last crunchy bass note fades out.
KP also plays drums in a band called Genders and has played guitar in a post-rock-ish band called Forest Park.
NOMINATED: 5 Tony Awards 2015
DARK COMEDY
THE STORY: After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas.
Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own.
Hand To God explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.
Shannon and the Clams
The American West. America’s America. It was here in three very different worlds that Shannon and the Clams were spawned. From the dark redwood forests of Oregon emerged Cody Blanchard: singer and guitarist. The dusty walnut orchards and vineyards of northern California gave us Shannon Shaw: singer and bassist. Out of the lonely dunes of California’s central coast shambled Nate Mayhem: drummer and keys. These three talented visual artists were drawn separately to Oakland, California and it was there that the Clams began playing house parties and grimy clubs.
The band was forged in the anachronistic remote communities of the west, in some strange mixture of computer show and country fair; their music is some odd alloy of The Last Picture Show and The Decline of Western Civilization. The pioneer spirit of western life is all over this band: pushing into the unknown, blazing their own trail, creating their own destiny, with the accompanying canyon-esque loneliness and untamed joy only truly known by those with the courage to pull up stakes and head off into the big empty sunset.
Gone by the Dawn, the newest Shannon and the Clams album, is their best work to date. The music is complex, the lyrical content is emotionally raw and honest, and the production is the strangest it’s ever been. The album was written as one member was recovering from a serious breakup and another was deep in one. The lyrics reflect it, and the entire album is dripping with sadness, pain, and introspection. Shannon and Cody have not written generic songs about love or the lack of it. Instead they have written about their very own specific heartbreak, mistreatment, and mental trials. The emotion is palpable. On Gone by the Dawn the Clams have DARED TO BE REAL. They’ve exposed their true emotions, which is what’s most moving about the album. People are scared to be so real. Society does not encourage it. Folks remain guarded to protect themselves from being mocked, punished, and becoming outcast . The Clams have opted to forgo the potential tongue-clucking finger-waggers, and have instead had the artistic courage and audacity to splay their pain and struggles out for all to hear. We are lucky to hear them get so damn real.
For Gone by the Dawn, the Oakland trio hooked up with studio wizard and renaissance man Sonny Smith to record the album at Tiny Telephone Recording in San Francisco. Best known as the driving force behind San Francisco’s beloved Sonny and the Sunsets, Smith uses his refreshing production techniques to create an engaging sonic landscape without compromising the Clams’ signature Lou Christie-meets-The Circle Jerks sound. The Clams have evolved: their skills are sharper, their chops are tighter and weirder and they’ve added new instruments to to the mix. A whole new dimension of the Clams has emerged.
In the West everything is big. The mountains are towering, the rivers broad, the deserts vast, the canyons deep, and the emotions huge. The Clams have painted themselves into a massive landscape of sound and desolation. Gone by the Dawn is monumental; immense, magnificent, and unforgettable. Shannon and the Clams have pioneered their way into a lonesome land where the past still lives in the long shadows of a hot afternoon, where whispering spirits follow high along canyon walls, and if you sink your fingers into the dusty hard-packed earth you pull out hands smeared with blood.
– Dan Shaw
The Shivas:
Shivas are a rock and roll band from Portland, Oregon formed in 2006. In the 10 years since forming they have brought their raucous dance party to almost all 50 states, and over 25 countries worldwide, meanwhile releasing five full-length albums and three EPs on labels such as K Records and Burger Records. With the release of their latest - TURN ME ON (out May 12, 2017 on Burger Records/Annibale Records) they set out on spring/summer tours across North America and Europe, spending a few weeks at home in their time off to finish working on their 6th LP, set to come out in 2018. Keep an eye out for an upcoming Shivas show in your town.
For more info and the venues go to: http://pdxmakerweek.com/2017/
Portland Makers exist as a vibrantly diverse fusion of
organizations, people, places, and events that converges
during PDX Maker Week to inform, inspire, and ignite.
Round up a country band and an early R&B group with three lead vocalists, weave in a hefty amount of vocal harmony and witty turns-of-phrase, and let ‘em rock out like The Band. Comprised of Seattle-based country musician Cahalen Morrison, jam band veteran Jim Miller (co-founder of Donna the Buffalo), R&B and bluegrass-by-way-of-punk rock songwriter Ethan Lawton, pedal steel player Rusty Blake, and bassist Dan Lowinger, Western Centuries are clearly a diverse bunch. The band is collaborative in nature, but they are – albeit subtly – helmed by Morrison. After years of performing in prominent roots duo Cahalen Morrison & Eli West (whose music made fans of Tim O’Brien, Jim Lauderdale, Dirk Powell, and BBC Radio’s Bob Harris along the way), Morrison formed and led the band Country Hammer, made up of members who have mostly crossed over into Western Centuries. Skillful musicianship, innovative writing with upbeat, barroom dance numbers, lilting, introspective tunes of heartbreak, and everything in between!
Against Me!
Four years is a measurement of time that America has used for centuries to indicate change. Presidential terms last four years; high school diplomas and college degrees typically take four years apiece, too. It’s not an arbitrary thing, either: It typically takes that much time from the declaration of something changing for it to actually change.
Meet Laura Jane Grace. Four years ago, the Against Me! frontwoman came out as transgender; 18 months later, she released the band’s sixth album, the fiery Transgender Dysphoria Blues, one which she began working on before her transition and helped document the struggles she was facing. It was an intensely personal record that took on a life of its own, connecting with thousands of new listeners drawn to Grace’s honesty and complexity while still pleasing Against Me!’s dedicated fanbase.
Now, four years after Grace’s public reintroduction, Against Me! is ready to release their new album, Shape Shift With Me, September 16 on Total Treble. While much has changed in the lives of Grace and her bandmates—guitarist James Bowman, bassist Inge Johansson and drummer Atom Willard—in that time period, it’s clear that those intervening years have done wonders for creativity.
“Everything with Shape Shift With Me has been really about keeping momentum going,” she says. “In between every tour we did for Transgender Dysphoria Blues, I would have a couple songs I had written and we would demo them. At the end of two years of touring, we had an album ready to record. Usually, you come off of touring for a record and you're back at square one. But this was so fully formed it felt like there was no choice but to go ahead and record the songs.”
Shape Shift With Me has the distinction of the first album Grace has written truly from the heart, with no metaphorical cloaks cast over the lyrics. It’s an album about love, that deceptively complex emotion we all struggle with yet has somehow eluded most of Grace’s songwriting for the past 20 years.
“Tons of people have written about love. But while love is cliché, it’s infinitely relevant. For me, having always been in a punk band that was expected to be political, I never felt like I had that option to write about feelings in that way. That’s what I ended up being drawn to this time. It’s writing in a way I thought I could never write before, and not giving a shit about expectations.”
Bleached
Back to basics. Take your time. Guitars and golden noise. Meet Bleached, two sisters from LA creating rough-hewed, high-collared, melodic Rock & Roll. Formerly part of Mika Miko, Jessica and Jennifer Clavin were best known for their freewheeling '77 punk and riot girl lawlessness. In Bleached, they share the same slant towards the hard-edged, but instead veer towards a more vintage ensemble of Ramones bubble-gum, Merle Haggard country, and 60s psychedelic rock. "Months after beloved L.A. art-punkers and Smell disciples Mika Miko called it a day in late 2009, sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin dove right back into writing and recording together as Bleached. While they've definitely taken their sound in another direction (splenetic guitar moves have been swapped out in favor of softer, strummier, far stickier fare), the energy's not so different at all." --Spin.com
The Dirty Nil
The Dirty Nil play rock and roll. Loud, distorted, and out of control, they play like it’s a fever they’re trying to sweat out. Reveling in the din of distorted guitars, pounding drums, and desperately howled vocals, the Hamilton Ontario three-piece makes music for turntables and hi-fi’s - music for dive bars and house parties - for beer drinking and joint smoking - for road trips and barbecues - for fighting and yelling and shouting and singing and screaming and howling - for sweating and bleeding - trying and failing and trying again anyways. Gravel-in-your guts, spit-in-your-eye, staggering, bloodthirsty rock and roll. They have two 7"s available that capture the snarl and destructive noise they create. The Dirty Nil play rock and roll - cause they couldn’t do a damn thing else if they tried.