Portland Mercury

Whitney Houston Dead at 48

Marjorie Skinner — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:11:47 -0800

Incredibly sad news today: Legendary singer, actress, and pioneering model Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 pm in Los Angeles—as of now the cause of death is unknown. She'll be remembered as one of the greatest voices, stars, and beauties of her time, even if her latter days were more troubled. R.I.P., Whitney. This is how I'll remember you:

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Whitney Houston Dead at 48

Marjorie Skinner — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:10:46 -0800

Incredibly sad news today: Legendary singer, actress, and pioneering model Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 pm—as of now the cause of death is unknown. She'll be remembered as one of the greatest voices, stars, and beauties of her time, even if her latter days were more troubled. R.I.P., Whitney. This is how I'll remember you:

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Whitney Houston Dead at 48

Marjorie Skinner — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:06:31 -0800

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Tonight in Music: Erotic City, Langhorne Slim, Black Pussy & More

Ned Lannamann — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:54:12 -0800

VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY: EROTIC CITY
(The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd) Hey, all you sexy mofos: The Spare Room is the place to drive your Little Red Corvette for a Valentine's dance fest by Erotic City, Portland's wonderful cover band of the Diminutive Purple One. It's Prince tunes all night, with more sexy dance moves than you can shake a crying dove at. COURTNEY FERGUSON

LANGHORNE SLIM
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Langhorne Slim just finished work on his next album, The Way We Move, which he laid down with his band the Law at Old Soul Studios in the Catskills, and won't come out until May 22. But you don't need to wait nearly so long to hear some tunes from it, as he's playing a special solo show tonight at Bunk Bar. The wandering troubadour calls Portland home now, but he's never in one place for too long, so it's worth taking advantage of his brief spell in town to catch this special performance—Slim's shows are always filled with his special, no-fucking-around, cutthroat brand of spreading joy that never fails to galvanize an audience. NED LANNAMANN

BLACK PUSSY, JR. WORSHIP, KNOX HARRINGTON
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Black Pussy—which is a Portland band, not a Too $hort song—is a well-oiled stoner rawk machine. The rhythm section alone can level a city block. The band's debut EP, On Blonde, is gorged with rock sludge and songs that are about as subtle as the band's name (it opens with a number called "Marijuana"). It's one thing to play heavy and get labeled as stoner rock; it's another to make playing stoner rock your mission statement. Live, the members of Black Pussy are a cross between Band of Gypsys and the biker chic of Judas Priest, which is to say these guys (and gal) are trying really hard. All of the elements of a great band are there—give them a few years and Black Pussy could be more than just a silly name. MARK LORE

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Recaps For the Mildly Interested: Watching Grimm on Location

Joe Streckert — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:45:07 -0800

I watched last night’s episode of Grimm surrounded by people who were going “woo!” A few early scenes of the episode were filmed in and outside of Old Town’s Graeter Art Gallery, which hosted a viewing party to show off their brush with televisionary fame. The gallery was recognizable in the shot, and, to my surprise, NBC put Graeter's real-life name and logo in several frames. The assorted viewers whooped with enthusiasm upon seeing it, and it was pretty hard not to root for the show while sitting inside a local business that directly benefited from a NBC throwing cash dollars and TV time in their general direction. The air of happiness probably colored what I thought of the episode, which I mostly enjoyed.

After the jump: AMY ACKER! Also, find out what gallery owner John Graeter thought of the episode that was filmed in his place.

Um, you've got something in your teeth. No. Still there.

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Good Morning, News!

Denis C. Theriault — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:57:46 -0800

Willard Romney repeated the word "conservative," or some variant of it, at least 24 times as he tried to convince skeptical (and maybe Mormon-hating) right-wingers that he's the least terrible choice to represent the Republican Party against the Soviet-style tyranny of Barack Obama. “A little bit like the guy on the playground who gives himself a nickname” because no one else will do it, said Eric Kohn, 30, a public relations professional from Chicago who wore a lapel pin that said “Capitalism.”

Anyone down for a "brokered convention" that rejects the four current duds... in favor of Jeb Bush? (No, not me, either.)

The president will be back on the campaign trail Monday, when he releases a rehashed federal budget plan that reads like a red-meat liberal's wish list at Communist Christmas, which most certainly is NOT an oxymoron. Moron.

And, ladies and gentlemen, over on the far stage, Syria remains a horrible place with no easy solution in sight for the paternalistic Western powers squabbling over how to stave off full-on civil war.

Iran is about ready to announce "nuclear progress," but probably not in the way I like to announce such things, after a night of sucking down cheap American lager and shoveling in loose, fatty ground beef. It's an election year over there, too, it seems.

Five of Rupert Murdoch's "top journalists" at the Sun have been arrested on suspicion of bribing cops and other public officials as part of News Corp.'s sleazy phone-hacking scandal.

Bahrain is gassing protesters. Again. Which is better than outright killing them, except that protesters say all the gassing actually has been killing people.

Pointing out ignorance and racism at a lily-white university? Pretty funny. Dressing up in blackface to do it? Um, yeah... no...

Like, Libya really wants to kill one of Moammar Qaddafi's surviving children, but Niger totally won't let them.

The Vatican has been a hive of intrigue, about a bunch of things, amazingly, that have nothing to do with child rape: money-laundering, assassination plots, and corruption.

THE FOLLOWING REMAINS A VERY GOOD IDEA.

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Madonna Throws M.I.A. Under the Bus

Wm.™ Steven Humphrey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:14:49 -0800

Remember this year's Super Bowl halftime show? (God, it already feels like years ago.) And remember when M.I.A. kind of flipped you the bird? And remember how everyone lost their shit about it? UPDATE TIME! So it may come to pass that if any fines are levied by the FCC, it very well could be M.I.A. paying them, thanks to an iron-clad contract she signed with the NFL, in which she swore up and down she wouldn't do anything morally untoward. (In this political environment, I suppose flipping the bird counts as morally untoward.)

And if you're expecting your highness Madonna to stick up for M.I.A.'s right to "freedom of speech" or whatever... well, you can forget it. Here's what she had to say on Ryan Seacrest's radio show about the bird flip.

I wasn’t happy about it. I understand it’s punk rock and everything, but to me there was such a feeling of love and good energy, and positivity it seemed negative. It’s such a teenager…irrelevant thing to do…there was such a feeling of love and unity there what was the point? It was just out of place.

UGH! I thought it was stupid, too—until Madge said this. Go back to your candy bowl full of melted Werther's Originals, grandma!!

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Police Officers Also Want You to Know "It Gets Better"

Denis C. Theriault — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:59:50 -0800

It feels like, what, almost a year or so since the wave of It Gets Better videos crested? (Not that LGBT bullying is any less of a problem.) Bravo to the San Francisco Police Department for not letting a little thing like the public's lapsed attention get in the way of producing maybe one of the best IGB videos I've ever seen. It's worth the nearly nine minutes it'll take to watch—to see a bunch of police officers very candidly and very bravely share their personal stories. And even get a little misty-eyed themselves.

Portland police officials ought to see about following suit. I sent a copy to Sergeant Pete Simpson, a bureau spokesman, who promised to check it out. "We have talked about this in the past," he says. Maybe this guy, his boss, can offer some pointers.

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The Other Breakfast Club Archetype: The Class Clown

Courtney Ferguson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:44:28 -0800

If you've ever been to Cort and Fatboy's midnight movies, you know how busy they can get. There's a long line to get in and a long line to buy beer, but I think I've cracked the code to this prob. Tonight they're showing The Breakfast Club—doors open at 10 pm—but if you go to the comedy show at the Bagdad right before, you won't have to wait outside in the drippy dark cold. The ubiquitous and ever-funny Ian Karmel is headlining which makes for some guaranteed laughs. Christian Ricketts is a wild and funny guy. I'm not too familiar with the rest of the lineup, but you really can't go wrong with Mr. Whimsical British Candy Man Karmel. Plus, it's only five bucks. There are many wins to be had with this plan.

Comedy Night at the Bagdad, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 8 pm, $5
w/Ian Karmel, Christian Ricketts, Scoot Herring, Aaron Hays, Jordan Casner, and Tristan Spillman

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Required Viewing: Alternate Version of Clint Eastwood's Halftime-in-America Commercial

Christopher Frizzelle — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:29:28 -0800

It's required because hahahahahahahahahahaha.

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Win Valentine's Dinner for Two at Central

Alison Hallett — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:19:12 -0800

THESE COULD BE IN YOU

This one's for the broke, the bummed, and or/the chronically underprepared: Charming Old Town cocktail bar Central has teamed up with House Spirits to provide some last-minute Valentine's Day salvation to one lucky Blogtown reader. Central is offering dinner for two at their Loveless Valentine's Day Dinner—wine/cocktail pairings included!—plus a bonus bottle of House Spirits' soon-to-be-released Volstead Vodka.

VALENTINE'S DAY IS SAVED! Maybe. All you have to do to win: Leave a suitably heart-warming (or devastatingly bitter, I don't really care) explanation for why you and your partner/lover/friend of choice could really use a fancy Valentine's Day night on the town*. 21+ only need apply; make sure there's a functional email address attached to your Blogtown account, so I can reach you if you win; I'll pick one lucky winner at winner at 5 pm on Monday.

I'm posting the menu after the jump. You can also buy your way into this amazing-sounding dinner—it's $55 per person for the prix fixe dinner, plus $35 for cocktail or wine pairings. (And if you can afford to do so, please don't enter this contest, ya jerk. Let's let somebody broke have something nice for a change.)

*I will ban the first person who uses the words "capitalist holiday" in the comments, I swear to god I will.

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Do you get that?

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:56:18 -0800

"Um.... I get that."

"Yeah. I GET that."

"uh huh. I GeT that."

FUCKING HELL.
Listen, brain-dead female coworker, I have no way of knowing what you know, nor do you ask very thoughtful clarifying questions and therefore I explain things to you and ensure that you are GETTING the facts. I'm a nice guy. I know how i come across to people, and in no fucking way is it deserving of your nasty little phrase that you cling to like a FUCKING LIFE JACKET IN A GODDAMN SHIPWRECK.

"Yeah. I GET that." Do you even realize how fucking condescending you sound? Why? Why do you feel the need to spit that phrase out each goddamn time we speak? Are you intimidated because I'm smarter? Younger? Have seniority at our company?

Whatever the HELL it is, deal with it. I'm sick of fucking hearing your "yeah. I GET that." and smelling your NASTY food at lunch and seeing your stupid fucking car backed into your space unnecessarily.

Do you GET that?

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And Now, Your Daily Picture of Bruce Campbell Wearing a Kilt and Carrying a Sword

Erik Henriksen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:44:55 -0800

Via.

That is all.

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Local Label Sweating Tapes to Document North American Synth Scene

Chris Cantino — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:44:14 -0800

If you're not yet hot for Remy Marc's local DIY record/distro outlet Sweating Tapes, there's no better time than now to take notice. The label is releasing a series of compilations documenting the North American synth scene, and they're starting at home in Portland. Taking a curatorial bent like this makes sense for an imprint praised for the adventurous imports they distribute from avant Euro labels such as Phantasma Disques, Desire, and Mannequin, so you can bet that we're getting rather stoked for them to now tackle things stateside, city by city. There's definitely no one out there taking on a project of this breadth, and the promise of a definitive chronicle of this country's immediately thriving synth scene is monumental indeed, so take note and make sure you begin following these folks immediately—you can start by signing up for their mailing list.

Volume 1 is a steamy analog set of decidedly dark futurist synth workouts and pop songs, featuring some of the absolute finest acts our city has to offer. Good luck following this one, NYC. The physical release won't be available until March 6, but you can pre-order at Bandcamp and stream the entire volume after the jump below.

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Crafty Underdog

Jessie Drake — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:44:00 -0800

It's a busy weekend for The Crafty Underdog. Remember to Dance Off the Apocalypse this Friday for LGA's birthday bash. And this Sunday is the monthly artists fair at McMenamins Mission Theatre.

And here's the lineup of Underdogs for this month's show, it promises to be a good one:

Ohsweetpetunia * Artifex PDX * MairWear * Entangled Roots * Leave It To Laure * Bow & Sparrow Designs * Deborah Ruth Smith * Jackson Creative * GreenZOneDezines * Sian Alexander Ceramic * Carrie Goolsby * Addie Mannan Photography * Little Blissful Bites * Bella Terra * Durian and the Lyon * Burning Bush * Julie Jetton Photoraphy * Axon Jewelry * Modern Madini * RavenMea Enchantments * carolina anne * lulumoon * M. Designs * Chariee * Palindrome Circus * Everything Nicki * Cassassalicious Creations * Keith Johnson Photography * Fancy Fancy Handmade * Pootie Pads * Phoebe’s Fibers * Art by Katie Pippel *Hana Nanea Designs * Kiva Studio * Didi Ma *

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Announcing: Communion

Marjorie Skinner — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:14:00 -0800

Just got a message from Mary Luczycki, the longtime manager at the recently closed Hawthorne shop Local35, and more recently its spinoff/replacement Machus. Spying an opportunity to fill the more mid-range price point void that Local left in its wake, Luczycki is taking matters into her own hands to open Communion, which will even go so far as to reside in the very spot that Local35 left vacant. Details as to what specifically will be carried are still in the works, and she is projecting an opening somewhere between March 15 and April 1. All in all, nice catch. There couldn't possibly be anyone more qualified to serve the Local35 customer, refill that role in the Hawthorne economy, and inherit all the good vibes that Local35 built up over the years.

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Announcing: Communion

Marjorie Skinner — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:14:00 -0800

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Did You Get a Call from Sam Adams Yesterday?

Sarah Mirk — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:44:35 -0800

Yesterday at 5:27 pm, my cell phone rang. The caller: PUBLIC ALERTS. The message: A soothing Mayor Sam Adams telling me the city was testing its emergency system and thanking me for signing up my phone number in the city's database.

I was just one of 328,000 people to get the call yesterday. This is a slight miracle, because just two weeks ago, a similar test of the emergency alert system utterly failed, reaching only one percent of the people who signed up for alerts. If there had been, say, an e-coli breakout in our water system, a massive fire tearing across town, or a noxious gas leak, 99 percent of people who try to keep informed wouldn't have known about it.

But as Nathan Gilles' story in our paper this week notes: Even when the alerts work, Portlanders might be screwed in a disaster. The city relies on trained neighborhood leaders to be responders during a real disaster—the leaders in the city's NET program are supposed to be responsible for helping get their neighbors to safety, administer basic first aid, and reach people trapped in rubble. But just three of Portland's 95 neighborhoods actually have active teams with about 15-20 people each. Ouch. Read about it all here.

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Dana Buoy Shares New Single from Upcoming Solo Album

Charlie Swanson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:29:13 -0800

Akron/Family percussionist Dana Buoy recently released the first track from his upcoming debut solo LP, Summer Bodies. Buoy, whose real name is Dana Janssen, left New York back in 2009 for our neck of the woods, and this marks the drummer's first solo recorded foray in electronic indie pop. Made of warm and tropical tones, the track "Call to Be" is a minimally produced, yet exuberantly spirited taste of an album that was reportedly crafted in a jungle bungalow. It's also hopefully a hazy retreat from the distinctly nontropical rains we've got coming this weekend.

Currently, Buoy is prepping for a tour of the Midwest and East Coast with bedroom programmer Youth Lagoon, but a little birdie (ok, it was Ned Lannamann) told me that Buoy will be opening for Lost Lander Sunday, March 4 at Rontoms. Catch his set if you can and keep Summer Bodies on your radar, the album comes out May 8 on Lefse Records.

LISTEN:

Dana Buoy - "Call to Be"

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New Paris Laws Give Bikes Okay to Run Red Lights; Ooh-La-La!

Wm.™ Steven Humphrey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:28:28 -0800

Hot tipper Cienna fed us this story... Apparently several European cities are revising their laws to actually allow bicyclists to run red lights (yielding to oncoming traffic of course), and here's their reasoning:

In Paris, where bike share began and cycling is rampant, the municipal government decreed it legal for cyclists to flat out run red lights, according to The Telegraph. Several reasons were cited. According to officials and public documents about the law, the goal is to reduce bike backups clogging intersections. Cyclists are slower with less control as they accelerate from a stop, making them more likely to swerve or fall into a car lane.

Likewise, a crowded gaggle of them waiting for a green light means they will pack closer up against cars in more dangerous proximity once everyone starts moving at different speeds. Plus, drivers of cars densely packed together waiting for a light may have lower visibility of a cyclist up ahead in a lane over. In all, when there are too many cyclists waiting at a red it becomes a danger.

The rules are set to take effect on 1,700 Paris intersections, and this is an important note in this story:

Cyclists who grill red lights, as the previously-ticketable act is known in French, will have to yield to any oncoming traffic and, of course, pedestrians. They also must make room for entering traffic turning. Any accidents occurring while they are crossing will be deemed their fault.

I realize this is like dangling fresh meat over a lion's cage, but....

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It's Happening Tonight

Alison Hallett — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:14:25 -0800

A PRINCESS—Once again, Cort and (Merc staffer) Fatboy have lovingly lofted an old favorite onto the big screen for your pleasure. In this month of romantic introspection, The Breakfast Club could hardly be a more appropriate midnight movie to aid in analysis of how your adolescence led to your current bliss/predicament. MS
Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 10 pm, $3, 21+

THE ONE—A two-day display of over 100 rare custom motorcycles, this edition of the One Motorcycle Show (helmed by See See Motorcycles) also features custom-painted helmets, a surprise musical guest, and an opening party teeming with Portland's hottest riders, builders, and passengers. MS
Sandbox Studio, 420 NE 9th, Fri 5 pm-midnight, Sat noon-10 pm, FREE

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Win Tickets to Cate Le Bon!

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:58:49 -0800

Over on End Hits, we're giving away a pair of tickets to see the incredible Cate Le Bon at Mississippi Studios on Thursday, February 23. Le Bon's new album CYRK is flat-out terrific, and you'll be able to read lots more about her in the Mercury in a couple weeks. In the meantime, be a winner!

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In Which Bobby Roberts Attempts to Ruin the One Thing That Made Me Happy Today

Erik Henriksen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:36:37 -0800

Since this week's news about the comic book industry has been even more depressing than usual (Marvel demands $17,000 from Ghost Rider creator! Comic Book Men vs. Comic Book Woman! Only five percent of the readers of the "New 52" were new readers! Walking Dead co-creator sues other Walking Dead co-creator!), about the only bright spot I've been able to focus on is this, from Bleeding Cool:

In May, IDW are to publish a Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover series. Featuring the Doctor, Rory, Amy, Captain Picard, Worf, Data, Geordi LaForge, Deanna Troi, Will Riker and the rest....

Yes! And the cover art? Make it so!

Via
Why yes, ladies, this IS my new iPhone wallpaper.

But then Bobby Roberts had to go and RUIN IT.

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Win Tickets to Cate Le Bon!

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:23:36 -0800

That right there is the very incredible Cate Le Bon, who, whenever she isn't playing around with horseys, makes excellent music. Le Bon's new album CYRK is flat-out terrific, a lightly LSD-dipped gambol through Velvets-y noir rock, cool Gallic pop, and pastoral British-Empire psychedelia. The Welsh musician comes to Mississippi Studios on Thursday, February 23, and you'll be able to read lots more about her in the Mercury in a couple weeks.

In the meantime, though, we're giving away a pair of tickets to the show! All you have to do is email this address and include "Cate Le Bon" in your subject line. Please include your first and last name in the email. The winner will be selected at random and his or her name will be added to the guest list. This is going to be a phenomenal show, so don't miss out! This contest will remain open until Wednesday, February 15 at noon, so get those entries in. Good luck! Here's a taste of Cate Le Bon below.

LISTEN:

Cate Le Bon - "Puts Me to Work"

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Weekend Shopper

Marjorie Skinner — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:14:00 -0800

Thanks to good old Cupid/Hallmark and the fact that spring is around the corner (maybe that should be "spring" in the Portland context), this weekend is especially brimming with sale events on the local retail front, so if you're thinking of re-upping on some staples, especially cold-weather items like coats and sweaters, but you're tired of getting all your clothing from naked lady parties and thrift stores, this is a good time to stretch your dollars on quality, often locally produced items. Pop over to MOD for the full calendar.

Holly Stalder

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