My Rock n Roll Fantasy Fundraiser and screening at Clinton St. Theater! Screening of BUTTERFLY WITCH, a documentary about KEMBRA PFAHLER - Singer of the band The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, feminist icon and creator of The Anti-Naturalism movement, known for extreme transgressional performance art involving her most private parts: http://cstpdx.com/show/fundraiser-my-rock-n-roll-fantasy Event is a fundraiser for Local Portland filmmaker Amber Dawn's portrait of Molly16, My Rock n Roll Fantasy, a "filmed zine" documentary hybrid using animation, interviews and b-roll from early 90's Portland music era, to tell Molly's story -- Watch the trailer! : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/30958590/my-rock-n-roll-fantasy
Jon Fine spent nearly 30 years performing and recording with bands that played various forms of aggressive and challenging underground rock music, and, as he writes in his memoir, Your Band Sucks (Viking), at no point were any of those bands "ever threatened, even distantly, by actual fame." With backstage access to many key characters in the scene, Fine's memoir affectionately yet critically portrays an important, heady moment in music history. Fine will be joined in conversation by Douglas Wolk, author of Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean.
"It’s hard to remember the times when if you wanted to hear your favorite song, you had two choices: you could get yourself to a record store and buy an overpriced album or you could sit by the radio and wait for it to come on. Later you could also try to find it on MTV, if you were one of the fortunate even to have MTV.
But what if you didn’t like the kind of popular music they played on the radio? What if you yearned for music that was a little more edgy?
Jon Fine’s upcoming memoir YOUR BAND SUCKS: What I Saw at Indie Rock’s Failed Revolution (But Can No Longer Hear) is a loving chronicle of his time in the indie rock scene from an insider who played the circuit, helped build a unique sub‐culture, and witnessed its downfall. Early reviewers have already proclaimed that the book deserves a spot among the best books about indie rock. Publisher’s Weekly has placed the book on its list of Best Summer Books of 2015. The Atlantic champions YOUR BAND SUCKS as the most evocative portrait of the underground music scene any wistful, graying post-punk could wish for.
Jon Fine, a young, aspiring rocker in suburban New Jersey was one of those teens who hated pop music. He hated MTV almost as much as he hated the hair metal cover bands that his high school friends played in. It wasn’t until he made it to college at Oberlin, a haven for progressive attitudes and the arts, where he began to meet other people like him; people who aspired far higher than the brain dead and desperately mediocre music that dominated the pop scene. It was there where he met and formed a band with two other musicians, Sooyoung Park and Orestes Morfin. They called themselves Bitch Magnet.
They were loud, aggressive and anything but formulaic. In the beginning, touring was a challenge but they persevered along with a whole network of like‐minded bands and their fans who were building an indie rock network for themselves. Bands like Mission of Burma and Jesus Lizard as well as Sonic Youth and Nirvana, all traveled through the same towns and played the same clubs. They booked their own shows and hauled their own gear. And their fans learned about gigs through a network of samizdat: photocopied zines, record store Paul Reveres, and handmade flyers pasted around town. Most of these indie bands were outsiders – with no threat of actual fame – but they created their own subculture where they were kings.
The success of Nirvana and the handful of other bands that broke through and secured recording deals with major labels also, ironically, hailed the end of the era. While Nirvana sold millions of records, most of these bands were not money makers. They broke up, grew up, or moved on. The internet gave many of them, including Bitch Magnet, a brief and sweet revival, when they geared up for one last tour or some festivals. But, for the most part, the scene – the record stores, bookstores, and dive bars they frequented – was gone. YOUR BAND SUCKS is a love letter to the birth of the indie rock scene and the misfits that found their home in it by an award‐winning journalist who was there when it happened." Press Release
XRAY FM is proud to sponsor Velvet Mood featuring Reva DeVito and Solestruck, and fundraiser for Girls Inc. Come to the night where style meets sound, a free event, June 6th at White Owl Social Club. Artists performing are Reva DeVito, Savings featuring Heartspace plus Cool Trips, Blossom, DJ Deena Bee, and DJ Roane. Fashion will be brought to you by Solestruck. And a top notch raffle to benefit Girls Inc. Find more info athttps://www.facebook.com/events/1426719084297676/
The Gritty Birds Podcast goes behind the music of the Portland community with the grittiest of the industry, profiling the personalities and the unsung heroes running the game.
Come down to TLE for a free, all-ages day party celebrating the release of the first season of The Gritty Birds Podcast with music from:
3:30pm Krist Krueger (Southerly)
4:15pm MIkey Fountaine
5pm Alameda
Hosted beer from Montucky Cold Snacks. Presented by Vortex Music Magazine.
Stream the first episode here: https://soundcloud.com/grittybirds
Doors at 6:30 show at 8!
On Friday June 5th -- XRAY is proud to sponsor the BACK FENCE PDX Mainstage show at Alberta Rose Theatre! True, never-been-told 7 Deadly Sins stories from returning crowd favorite LAUREN WEEDMAN -- Doris from HBOs Looking and creator and star of two sold out runs of People's Republic of Portland. JASON ROUSE -- Announcer for Live Wire Radio! Former nun MAURA DOUGHERTY, Moth GrandSLAM winner DAVID ALEXANDER and more! Advance tickets and more info at Back Fence PDX dot-com.
Featuring live performances from Modern Funk powerhouses: K-MAXX (Sweater Funk), TURQUOISE SUMMERS (Omega Supreme Records), BRIAN ELLIS (Voltaire Records)
ALL VINYL DJ SETS BY
GWIZSKI
REV. SHINES
MAXX BASS
BOBBY D
KING TIM 33
SEOUL BROTHER #1
DJs IN TWO ROOMS ALL NIGHT
Sat, MAY 30th 2015
The Liquor Store
3341 SE Belmont
DOORS AT 9PM
$7.50 PRE-SALE $10 DOOR
Thursday, May 28 – Monday, June 1 | Festival Pass: $80, available here
Lie back, close your eyes and enter a world of half-sleeping/half-dreaming—a world of uncanny valleys and video streams, a world of Harmontowns and states of anarchy, all surrounded by mountains of VHS. That’s right, Everything Is Festival–if not the world’s greatest, then at least the world’s most completely indefinable festival of fun—is coming to Portland. We’ve embarked on a mission to find the greatest gonzo found footage, the most accidental movie masterpieces, the weirdest alternative comedy experiments and awesome art/video installations that exist in any dimension.
Here’s this year’s amazing lineup:
Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, May 31, 24/7:
Ace Hotel Arcade
Thursday, May 28:
7:00pm – Everything Is Terrible! Legends
9:30pm – Salute Your Shorts Cast & Crew Reunion
11:30pm – Opening Night Party with DJ Douggpound and Brent Weinbach at Nemo Design
Friday, May 29:
7:00pm – Lil Bub & Friends LIVE!
9:30pm – B-Movie Bingo presents OMEGA COP with Ron Marchini in person!
11:00pm – PowerPoint Karaoke hosted by Andrew Michaan featuring Brent Weinbach and Friends at Bunk Bar
Saturday, May 30:
12:00pm – Lil Bub Meet & Greet
12:00pm – She Shreds presents: What is a Woman: Feminism, Punk, and the In-Between with Kate Nash
5:00pm – Found Crap with Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab
7:00pm – HOUSE PARTY with Kid N’ Play in person
9:30pm – House Party Pajama Jammy Jam with performances by Kid N’ Play and Mix Master Mike at Star Theater
Sunday, May 31:
12:00pm – Hip Hop & Comics: Cultures Combine
2:00pm – Just Between Us with Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin
5:00pm – Wham City!
7:00pm – Harmontown LIVE!
9:30pm – Lance Bangs Presents (Keynote Speaker)
Monday, June 1:
8:00pm – Greg Barris’ “Mind Warriors” with special live interview guest Andrew W.K. at Star Theater
- See more at: Hollywood Theater's Website
Don't Miss Kevin Berry's Memorial Day Weekend Old School Party Sunday May 24TH At The TAO Event Center. With Midnight Star Live In Concert. And Featuring DJ Michael Morris & DJ George Playing All Old School Cuts. Get Your Tickets Online At Tickettomato.com Or At A Step Above Men's Clothing Store On MLK.
HUTCH AND KATHY
XRAY.FM PRESENTS HUTCH AND KATHY OF BELOVED PDX BAND THE THERMALS
SATURDAY, MAY 23RD
DOORS: 8:00 PM / SHOW: 9:00 PM
It's Body Parys with XRAY DJs Nathan Detroit and Freaky Outy!
The mega-fun dance party for those of you looking to start your weekend early! Spearheaded by Holla 'n' Oates, aka residents of two of the most popular dance nights (Nathan Detroit of Booty Bassment and Freaky Outy of Snap!), they bring you the finest in hip-hop, r&b, dancehall, and club jams with plenty of edits/remixes.
$3
10pm
21+
Sunday May 10, 2015 8:00 PM
Hawthorne Theatre
21 & Over Only
1. The record was partially recorded in a barn in a beautiful pastoral setting in rural Oregon
(true, but hasn't everybody done this now?)
2. The band lives in Portland, OR
(also true, and they are consciously and unconsciously living breathing stereotypes just like the
ones portrayed in Portlandia)
3. Horse Feathers last album charted on Billboard by selling fewer records than they had in the past
(true, but maybe more a comment on the music industry as a whole?)
4. For this album, the band was influenced by the following: Pentangle, Talk Talk, Paul Simon, The Band, Van Morrison, John Wesley Harding era Bob Dylan, Desire era Bob Dylan, and Abner Jay (not what you would have guessed, right?)
Justin Ringle, the man behind all ten years of Horse Feathers, has the following to say about the making of this album, and the current state of his band:
"I wanted to stop. I did all the touring for my fourth record – "Cynic's New Year" – and ended the year 2012 disillusioned and defeated. I didn't touch my guitar for months, which was the longest I had gone in about 15 years. I thought that my career in music was over and wondered if I even wanted to do it anymore. After an arduous period of self-doubt and discovery, I finally arrived at the enlightened idea that maybe it should just be a little more fun. I had grown weary of talking to people after shows who said that my last record "helped them through their divorce". I have always been flattered by that sort of thing, but I realized what I wanted to hear was how my last record helped them "have a great weekend". If you have heard any of my previous records you will realize that this transformation from "divorce" band to "weekend" band would be a tall order. And it was! I wouldn't say we've become a "party band" overnight, but I certainly tried to change things a bit.
I enlisted friends to play with me that I trusted and had known for years. Along with longtime bandmates Nathan Crockett (strings/mandolin) and Dustin Dybvig (percusion/drums/keys), I threw Justin Power (bass/vocals) into the mix to have an honest to god rhythm section for the first time. With Lauren Vidal on cello and Brad Parsons singing harmonies, we played an impromptu show at Sasquatch and people liked it. We liked it, and the unusual feeling that I had after that show – which I think is referred to as "joy" – became something I wanted to experience again. I shared more. I stopped editing myself as much. The joy of playing live became its own reward, and I dared myself to allow that joy to shape the songwriting. In the end, I was able to let it go, and I don't own it anymore. Which also feels like joy. That's the way it was, and so it is with us."
Now home, Thanks has immediately set to work on new material. They are currently recording two new singles and a music video for each. Last week's video shoot for "Bad Tattoos" brought the band to iconic Chinatown dive Magic Gardens. Stay tuned for its release in early 2015.
Thanks is no stranger to their local Portland music scene. The band is made up of members from myriad former musical endeavors, which ranged from folk-twinged ballads, to dance electronic, to girl group garage punk. While keeping these eclectic influences close to heart, Thanks has carved out its niche as a distinct new voice within Portland indie music. Elements of soul, R&B and early rock'n'roll blend seamlessly with catchy indie-pop hooks and modern dark synth tones.
Portland Mercury music editor Ned Lannamann raves, "I'm not the first to point out how six-piece Portland band Thanks incorporates soul into their decidedly black-hearted indie rock. Thanks' music is vital, gripping, and different. Indeed, Blood Sounds is an apt name for this terrific, fiery collection, as the music is bloody and bruised, forming tightly controlled tantrums of melody and rhythm, marshaled by Jimi's commanding voice. Consider Thanks' Blood Sounds the first great Portland album of 2014."
The success of their earlier 2014 tour, which included a performance on Balcony TV Vienna, airplay on Austria's hit-making radio station FM4, and glowing reviews from various European music magazines, prompted the band's return overseas. Schwarzataler-Online asserts, "The band Thanks is THE HOT newcomer from the US." Austrian magazine Subtext calls the album, "a work that goes immediately into the bloodstream while listening. Blood Sounds is a multi-faceted release with the best voice I've heard in recent months. I can't recommend this album enough!" Kronen Zeitung predicts, "The future belongs to the soulful indie rock sextet, Thanks. With their debut album, Blood Sounds, they did a great job creating an interesting mixture of traditional American rock'n'roll, southern soul, and modern electro references. [Blood Sounds] will keep your ears asking for more."
More information at Revolution Hall
A full list of performers can be found here!
The Mercury says: "This year's Bridgetown Comedy Festival lineup was announced today, and it looks GOOD. Initial thoughts: This year's bill is absurdly crowded, and includes the wonderful Beth Stelling, Maggie Maye, and Kate Berlant, who were all so, so funny at 2014's All Jane No Dick. Plus Kurt Braunohler, Janeane Garafalo (!), Kyle Kinane, Baron Vaughn, JESSICA WILLIAMS, and Phoebe Robinson, and a whole slew of local (and once local) stand-ups you know and love, including Ian Karmel, Bri Pruett, Shane Torres, Nathan Brannon, and Amy Miller. And Caitlin Weierhauser, Curtis Cook, and Steve Wilber. And Sean Jordan and Veronica Heath and Anthony Lopez.
So I sure hope you didn't make plans yet for May 7-10, or if you did, that you can go ahead and cancel them. More info on the festival here.
And you can see the full list (yes, there are so many more people on it!), in one untidy, thrilling paragraph, after the jump:
Jonathan Katz, Andy Kindler, Janeane Garofalo, Dana Gould, Neil Hamburger, Jessica Williams, Kurt Braunohler, Karen Kilgariff, Matt Braunger, Brendon Small, Jackie Kashian, Tone Bell, Michelle Buteau, Kyle Kinane, Moshe Kasher, Michael Kosta, Kate Berlant, Ian Karmel, Beth Stelling, Baron Vaughn, Kira Soltanovich, Guy Branum, Dave Hill, Chris Fairbanks, Phoebe Robinson, Ron Lynch, Steve Agee, Jay Larson, Ryan Sickler, Jacqueline Novak, Joe Zimmerman, Matt McCarthy, Matt Peters, David Angelo, Gary Vider, Chad Daniels, Mike Vecchione, Curtis Cook, Drennon Davis, Allen Strickland Williams, Laura House, Arden Myrin, Matt Kirshen, Adam Cayton-Holland, Chris Garcia, Ben Roy, Lizzy Cooperman, Maggie Maye, Patrick Keane, DJ REAL (Nick Stargu), Andy Wood, Ben Bizuneh, Ian Abramson, Andrew Orvedahl, Jesse Case, Amber Preston, Greg Barris, Bri Pruett, Amy Miller, Andrew Sleighter, Bryan Cook, Clare O'Kane, Derek Sheen, Ashley Barnhill, Paul Hooper, Dulce' Sloan, Barbara Gray, Steven Wilber, Jak Knight, Caitlin Gill, Doogie Horner, Josh Johnson, Billy Prinsell, Langston Kerman, Kristin Rand, Nathan Brannon, Jerron Horton, Noah Gardenswartz, Ever Mainard, Gabe Dinger, Troy Walker, Jen Seaman, Lisa Best, Jason Van Glass, Maggie Faris, Anthony Lopez, Elicia Sanchez, Lucas O'Neil, Jessica Sele, Jeff Scheen, Adrian McNair, Jeffrey Jay, Joel Kim Booster, Anthony Calderon, Kevin Iso, Leah Kayajanian, Kevin Saucier, Ismael Loutfi, Matt Donaher, Ryan Conner, Shane Torres, Sean Jordan, Ralph Hardesty, Scout Durwood, Samaria Sam Jay Johnson, Rhea Butcher, Zak Toscani, Ray Marshall, Parker Postyeni, Mark james heath (Mjh), Matteo Lane, Veronica Heath, Mac Blake, Sonia Denis, Raj Sivaraman, Nore Davis, Rana May, Sean White, Paige Bowman, Matt Pharr, Bryan Yang, Rob Schultz, Mitch Mitchell, Caitlin Weierhauser, David Mascorro"
Fog Father
fogfather.bandcamp.com
Small Skies
smallskies.bandcamp.com
Mothertapes
soundcloud.com/mothertapes
KATHLEEN HANNA is a New York City-based artist, best known for her groundbreaking performances as a member of the 90’s punk band, Bikini Kill, and her multimedia group, Le Tigre. The Punk Singer, a documentary about her life, premiered at festivals and saw a nationwide theatrical release. She is currently giving lectures and performing with her new band ‘‘The Julie Ruin’.
KATHRYN CALDER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE "SONG IN CM" VIAWALL STREET JOURNAL
TOURING NORTH AMERICA IN APRIL
NEW SELF-TITLED ALBUM AVAILABLE APRIL 14, 2015 THROUGH FILE UNDER: MUSIC IN NORTH AMERICA
"Today, beloved synth-pop songstress and New Pornographers member Kathryn Calderhas shared a new single, "Song In Cm" off her forthcoming self-titled solo LP, due out April 14, 2015 via File Under: Music in North America. The track premiered via Wall Street Journal who describe the song as, "Ethereal...Over the course of nearly four minutes, Calder builds the song around a spacey arrangement, where she sings about the pressures of unrequited love."
"[LOVE COP] The washed-out, blown-out love songs of Love Cop can be found on a handful of cassettes released on acclaimed underground record labels like Burger Records, Gnar Tapes and Lolipop Records. Using lo-fi recording equipment to capture its guitar, keyboard and electronic drumpad-centric creations, Love Cops' ballads sound as if they’re originating from a David Lynch movie or an exceptionally bizarre '80s public access show. Somber and sullen within its hopelessly romantic visions, even when the duo chooses major chords and uplifting tones, its eerie vision creeps through."
"[TOUGH FUZZ] Originally from San Francisco beat freak
Tough Fuzz. Part of the short lived experimental group "CASCADES" and "MAID VISIONS" has been producing music since 96' relocated to Portland in 2010 and started the "volume series" in 2012 with the help of EWE OF NOW RECORDINGS The 4th entry was recently released. "
21+ \\ Donations
More Info:
"Linework NW is an illustration and comics festival taking place in Portland, Oregon. Our inaugural event was held in April of 2014. Linework NW’s goal is to focus attention on the creators who continue to inject new energy and vitality into these venerable mediums that share so much in common, whether their work is to be found in comic books, original art, graphic novels, prints, or other forms. Drawing upon a wealth of talent from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, Linework NW seeks to cultivate a vibrant cultural experience for creators, readers, art lovers, and collectors alike."
Free and Open to the Public!
More info: http://lineworknw.com/about