Andrew R Tonry [Read Part 1 of our coverage of Calgary’s Sled Island Festival here.] Before embarking to Sled Island, I asked friends what they knew of Calgary. “It’s called the Texas of Canada,” one said. “It’s in the middle of nowhere and it’s flush with oil money.” While they’re certainly familiar with the comparison, […]
Live Review
Posted inLive Review
Welcome to Canada: Calgary’s Sled Island Music Festival
Andrew R Tonry It started as a joke. Sure, I responded to a seemingly run-of-the-mill press email, I’d be happy to cover a music festival in Canada—just take care of hotels and airfare and I’m there. “Haaaaaah,” I added. The response: “We can do that.” And suddenly, a week-and-a-half later I found myself in Calgary, […]
Posted inLive Review
Purity Ring at Crystal Ballroom, Wed June 17
Minh Tran Minh Tran Minh Tran Are there any live music venues left in Portland with a retractable stage curtain? The impact of an elaborate stage setup risks being dulled when the audience gets to scrutinize its details before the performance has even begun. Thankfully, once Purity Ring‘s light/visual show did kick in at their […]
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Best Coast and Bully at Alhambra Theatre, Fri June 5
Minh Tran How do you stay motivated or improve if you’re already Best Coast? What’s better than best? That was the question lingering in my mind as I braced myself for the oppressive heat and humidity that is requisite with any sold-out show inside Alhambra Theatre (which announced yesterday that it is closing its doors […]
Posted inPhotography/Film/Production
Shy Girls at Wonder Ballroom, Fri May 29
Minh Tran Fresh off a successful national tour, Portland’s prince (and king, for that matter) of R&B, Shy Girls, returned to a hero’s welcome from his hometown crowd this past Friday night at Wonder Ballroom. As I entered the nearly sold-out venue and navigated through said crowd, I noted that it was also an exceptionally […]
Posted inPhotography/Film/Production
Tame Impala at Roseland, Wed May 27, 2015
Minh Tran Minh Tran All photos by Minh Tran. The traveling Tame Impala show came to Portland this past Wednesday. Sounding not unlike a band that could have emerged from Portland’s own music scene, Kevin Parker’s songs tighten certain elements of the psych-rock formula to pop preciseness, while stretching out and expanding the others in […]
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Shakey Graves and the Barr Brothers at the Crystal Ballroom, Wed May 27, 2015
Katie Summer The Barr Brothers at the Crystal Ballroom I first saw Montreal’s the Barr Brothers in a totally unexpected moment of pure magic—underneath the stars at my first Pickathon. I was in love. As anyone who has attended Portland’s Best Summer Fest knows, it’s hard to re-create the special something of those three days. […]
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Sleater-Kinney at the Crystal Ballroom, Tues May 5, 2015
Katie Summer Sleater-Kinney sell out the Crystal Ballroom Katie Summer Sleater-Kinney Tuesday night’s sold-out Sleater-Kinney show at the Crystal Ballroom had an interesting energy. The build-up for the reunion of a much-loved band, after a little fame and time, created a palpable feeling of expectation in the crowd. Expectant of magic, maybe, but for most […]
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The Diplomats at Peter’s Room, Sun May 3, 2015
Minh Tran Minh Tran Minh Tran Harlem’s native sons, the Diplomats—AKA Dipset, AKA Cam’ron, Jim Jones, Freekey Rekey, and Juelz Santana—performed before an enthusiastic, if relatively small, crowd of Pacific Northwest Diplomatic devotees on Sunday. Perhaps due to my advanced age and East Coast upbringing, I am continually surprised at how little draw many of […]
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José González at the Roseland, Fri April 24, 2015
Katie Summer José González at the Roseland Katie Summer José González at the Roseland Putting on a José González record always feels like therapy: plunging, honest, soothing, and beautiful in an aching kind of way—yet always upholding a forward moving motion. You’re going to be okay. And seeing him play live is all the more […]
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Mac DeMarco at the Crystal Ballroom, April 22, 2015
Minh Tran Minh Tran When Mac DeMarco last visited the Crystal Ballroom, he was opening for Phoenix, and having not yet heard of him, I foolishly skipped that set in favor of something that I have no recollection of now. Fast forward just over a year later and when Mac came back—following his 2014 Pickathon […]
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Faith No More at Keller Auditorium, Fri April 17
Mac Pogue “No way are we staying in there. Have you heard what’s playing in there?” As I enter the Keller Auditorium, an older woman tows her teen charge out through the main doors out into the spring air of Southwest Clay Street. The ushers smile and remind her they won’t be allowed reentry, a […]