IT DOESN’T GET much more Halloween than this. Fist of Dishonor dress up as ninjas, fight audience members, and play rock songs about bad senseis and kicking ass. Sunken Chest dress up as pirates and play sea shanty punk songs. Tonight they share a stage and promise to battle each other with the song—and the […]
Adam Gnade
Posted inMusic
Hallelujah!
The Hold Steady Delivers
I HAD SOME WORRIES. Tantamount among those that the Hold Steady would grow up or evolve or get “creative” and ditch the great sound they got huge for. Besides Craig Finn’s recurring characters and unmistakable vocals, the band’s update of Born to Run Springsteen was fiery on 2004’s Almost Killed Me and downright magic on […]
Posted inMovies & TV
I’m Staying Home
100 PERCENT PURE ADRENALINE
Point Break: Pure Adrenaline Edition dir. Bigelow Now Available on DVD Indubitably the finest motion picture ever created, 1991’s Point Break follows FBI Agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) as he goes undercover to bust “the Ex-Presidents,” surfing bank robbers who’re led by the lethally charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). In honor of the recent special-edition DVD […]
Posted inMusic
The Scene Report
Local Music News
It gets ridiculous sometimes. Too many good shows in one week—too many, for damn sure, to fit in our music section. So, anticipating a big week, I pulled five of my favorite shows and saved them for this column. Hold Steady, Sean Na Na, Thurs Oct 19, Lola’s Room, 1332 W Burnside Before Sean Tillman […]
Posted inMusic
The Scene Report
Local Music News
One thing I’ve come to know about Mercury freelancers is they are some multi-tasking motherfuckers. The same names you see in these pages also play in bands, edit books and zines, run record labels, make films, you name it. Garett Strickland is a name you may remember as a regular music section contributor. But besides […]
Posted inFeature
God Complex
The Mercury Music Issue’s salute to guitar gods
Pullout: “Gods of Guitar” Music Issue
Posted inMusic
This One Was Just Right
Ilyas Ahmed and Science of Psyche
YOU KNOW HOW SOMETIMES you come across music (or books or art or whatever) that seems dead-on perfect for what you need at that very specific moment? Sometimes your needs are so narrow—and so needy—that nothing else will suffice and everything you take in seems like pinpricks to the eyes and landmines blowing your balls […]
Posted inMusic
Forest Doom
Black Wolves Hunt Souls in the Throne Room
IN A PHOTOGRAPH, a serene-looking, fire-lit girl stands naked in a dark forest clearing. Candles are lit around her, and crooked spears of deer antlers protrude from the ground. Playing acoustic guitars and wooden flutes, Wolves in the Throne Room sit off to the side, around a campfire, which blazes up into the night. They […]
Posted inMusic
The Scene Report
Local Music News
A couple days ago the Mercury‘s Chas Bowie broke the news (via a Blog Town, PDX post) that former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss had joined Steve Malkmus’ band, the Jicks. Says Weiss, “I’ve been intrigued with the possibility of playing with the Jicks ever since John Moen left to be a Decemberist fulltime. My schedule […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Lazy-Eyed Killer
The Last King of Scotland‘s Brutal Charisma
I NOTICED HER LEGS FIRST. They were cut off and sewn back on where her arms should’ve been. As the camera panned down a metal hospital gurney, it was obvious her upper extremities suffered the same fate—hacked off and sewn onto her lower torso. Welcome to Uganda. The Last King of Scotland tells the story […]
Posted inMusic
It’s Our Birthday Too
Five Years of the Artistery
IF YOU HAVEN’T been to the Artistery, I strongly advise you to hightail it to 4315 SE Division, stride in through the front door, and proclaim, “I’m here for FUN!” Artistery shows have the feeling of house shows, but without the cops being called at 10:30 pm or worrying about fucking somebody’s mom’s kitchen up. […]