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Looking for a lively way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this Wednesday? Let Toad in the Hole be your ace. Luckey's tavern will host the Eugene band beginning at 8:30 pm, with an open Irish jam kicking off the festivities from 4 to 6 pm, with everyone welcome to bring instruments and join in or just listen and enjoy. Wednesday's show will also be a CD release for the six-piece band's Alleyway Rover, which follows 2003's sold-out Piss Away Your Charms. I recently spoke with vocalist Matty Hayward-McDonald to find out more. An upbringing in the Pennsylvania Appalachians led to Hayward-McDonald's early love affair with Celtic music, fueled by an active folk, bluegrass and Celtic scene and parents who would take him to shows. In Eugene, Hayward-McDonald spent time at the weekly Irish jams at Sam Bond's Garage. "I used to go down there and listen to music, and I was inspired one time to actually stand up and do some singing," he says. "From there, I wanted to put something together." Toad came to life three years ago. Toad's focus is on very traditional aspects of Celtic music, such as traditional instrumentation and grouping a series of jigs and reels together into a theme, with a lyrical jolt thrown in, motivated by The Pogues' high-energy musical mayhem. "Primarily, with most of the writing lyrically, I've tried to infuse a more modern interpretation of Celtic music," explains Hayward-McDonald. Liz Meyers (currently a member of Eugene Highlanders Pipe Band) contributes flute, pennywhistle, shuttle and highland pipes. Jason Hartman Kelly (who formerly played in Eugene's ska band Varicoasters) plays a raucous guitar. Joel Kenney studied the bodhran, a Celtic drum, and fell into Toad following an Irish jam. Kathryn Claire delights vocally and on the violin (having a lot of experience as a solo performer), while John Dresdner (formerly of Eugene bands Bicker and Soda Jerk) plays the stand up bass. Alleyway Rover is the band's first studio recording, and it's a crowd-pleasing mix of post-Pogues' style original songs, with traditional jigs, reels and ballads. Quick music lesson: jigs and reels are differentiated by their time signatures. Jigs are in 6/8 time, similar to a waltz, (the beer-spilling tunes — they make you want to pogo!) while reels are a more straight-forward 4/4 or 2/4 time. Toad in the Hole will get the crowd on their feet, and the madness won't end until band and audience are exhausted, sweaty and crying in their beers from sheer joy. Erin Go Bragh! Adelaide, Australia pop phenoms Fruit will make two appearances Saturday night at Café Paradiso; an all ages show starting at 7 pm and a 21+ show at 10 pm. Fruit wowed audiences in past years at the Willamette Valley Folk Festival as a unique, women-fronted, harmony-driven pop powerhouse. Formed in 1995, the five multi-instrumentalists (three women and two men) craft energetic pop that cannot be pigeonholed, and draws from folky blues, soulful jazz, and harmonious grooves. Acoustic and electric guitar, drums and horns combine playfully into uplifting ballads that span the emotional gamut from rootsy and homespun to soaring and passionate. Fruit began when the three lead women learned they'd been booked to play a show at the same venue on the same night. That twist of fate catapulted them together and locked them into a lifestyle of ceaselessly touring the world, playing festivals and winning admirers everywhere. The five recently wrapped up recording on their fourth studio album, during which time they moved from Adelaide to a house outside Philadelphia, where they worked with Grammy-winning producer David Ivory (Erykah Badu, Patti LaBelle, The Roots). In 2002, Fruit released an award-winning live CD, Live at the Basement, recorded at a Sydney nightclub. The group has recently released its first acoustic album, Fruit the Trio Album — Live At the Church.
Jonatha Brooke, Back in the Circus, BAD DOG RECORDS 2004, By Cameron J. Yee Those finding themselves newly single after an extended relationship will understand the metaphor behind Jonatha Brooke's new album, Back in the Circus. While finding love, losing it and struggling through grief are not new subjects, Brooke, like other good songwriters, finds a way to make the well-worn topics resonant and relevant. Who hasn't begrudgingly entered the dating scene ("Back in the Circus"), been fearful of taking risks ("Better After All") or gotten caught up in the past ("It Matters Now")? Mind you, these are not songs to wallow to, but ones to elicit reflection and self-examination, and ultimately, a bit of strength. In this latest effort, Brooke also draws on notable artists James Taylor ("Fire and Rain"), Brian Wilson ("God Only Knows") and Alan Parsons ("Eye in the Sky") to round out her song cycle. Brave decisions, especially with Taylor's quintessential piece, but bravery is just one of many great things to expect from Brooke. Pick up your copy of Back in the Circus today, and give your support to this talented (and wholly independent!) singer-songwriter.
Mars Volta, De-Loused In The Comatorium, UNIVERSAL RECORDS 2003, By Aaron Maltz De-Loused In The Comatorium, the first full-length album from bellwethers Mars Volta, sparks a growing debate concerning the future of mainstream rock. Lyrically, it is a conceptual album following the struggle between life and death fought by one man within the confines of a hospital bed. Musically, it swerves like a drunk driver through a nimiety of musical genres, presenting chaotic and technical prog-rock spliced with hauntingly ambient passages battling a veritable blend of Santana-like rhythms and acoustic interludes. Historically, this combination propels a band solely into "cult" status. Instead, Mars Volta has nicked the windshield of the music industry with a video for "Televators" and substantial media coverage. The ostensible question then becomes this: Why now does an unconventional prog-rock band in 2004 capture the attention of the music world? From the moving passages of "Son Et Lumiere/Inertiatic Esp," the sonic insanity of "Drunkship of Lanterns" and the epic conclusion, "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt," De-Loused In The Comatorium reveals an authenticity that cannot be refuted. It is highly unconventional, exceptionally jarring and undeniably catchy, achieving a desperately needed honesty that music fans have responded to positively in an industry desiccated of creativity.
The Pixies, Doolittle, ELECTRA RECORDS 1989, By Kris Bluth 8:58 Saturday morning — You're standing in line at the McDonald Theatre with your fellow hipsters. Granted, you're the only hipster wearing an Old Navy shirt, but that's OK. Just keep your coat zipped up. 9 am — The line briefly lurches forward, then comes back to a halt. 9:02 am — Maybe you should've gone online or gone to Safeway. No, stay independent; Keep it local. 9:08 am — The call goes out: No more tickets to be sold at the box office. The scalpers are getting ready to post on eBay and, apparently, the McDonald doesn't want to hurt their feelings. The crowd dissipates, but you begin walking home at a brisk speed. 9:20 am — You burst through the door, drop your coat on the floor, log on to Ticketswest.com, and there it is: One Pixies ticket, plus convenience and handling fees. You fumble for your debit card, but then you think about your wife, who spent yesterday trudging from one temp agency to another. You look up to see Doolittle on the CD rack and weigh your options: drink overpriced beer with a crowd of sweaty strangers or lie on the couch eating Kettle Chips in your underwear? Either way you'll still get to hear Wave of Mutilation on April 27. Click the mouse. Are you sure you want to shut down this computer? Yes. Yes, you are.
The Perverts, Porn on the Cobb, SELF-RELEASED OCTOBER 2003, By Ed Cole The Perverts from Eugene are kickin' into gear with this solid release: Songs about wanting to stay home, girls gone wild and getting back to that wasted state of mind. Clean-yet-chunky guitars and a quick, solid rhythm section lend this CD an older-school punk sound — think Wire, Buzzcocks, Samoans. A very fun disc to listen to while you crack open that first beer on Friday night.
Kanye West, The College Dropout, ROCAFELLA RECORDS 2004, By Todd Cooper This year's most anticipated hip hop album comes from 26-year-old producer Kanye West. West's first solo joint, The College Dropout, showcasing his lyrical skills, dropped early February. West's sample-heavy, soulful beats have been blowing up the charts for the past year. The mastermind behind hits like "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (Jay Z), "Stand Up" (Ludacris), "You Don't Know My Name" (Alicia Keys), and "Get By" (Talib Kweli), Kanye no doubt has it as a producer. Dropout vouches for his instinctive gift as an emcee. He easily keeps his audience interested and entertained. Songs like "The New Workout Plan" will have you bobbing your head and cracking up at the same time. West spits witty word-play in an honest, down-home style. You can even forgive the "bullshit ice rap" on "Breathe In, Breathe Out." He does come serious on tracks like "All Falls Down" (with Syleena Johnson) and "Jesus Walks." His strong passion for music is evident in his first single, "Through the Wire," which was written and recorded while his mouth was wired shut after a nearly fatal car accident in 2002. Other stand-out tracks include "2 Words" (with Mos Def, Freeway and the Harlem Boys Choir), "Family Business" and "Slow Jam" (with Twista and Jamie Foxx). Although most of the album was leaked through the Internet months ago, The College Dropout surprises with some reworked versions.
BEANERY All Ages BLACK FOREST BREW N CUE THE BUZZ COFFEEHOUSE CAFE PARADISO COFFEE GROVE COOPERATIVE THE COOLER COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND All
Ages DIABLO'S THE DIVE BAR & GRILL DOWNTOWN LOUNGE DUCK INN EL REY EMBERS SUPPER CLUB EUGENE WINE CELLARS FOOL'S PARADISE GOOD TIMES THE HIDEAWAY INDIGO DISTRICT JAKE'S PLACE JIMMY MAC'S OVERTIME GRILL JO FEDERIGO'S JOGGER'S BAR & GRILL JOHN HENRY'S THE JUNGLE KELYNSKI'S SPORTS PUB LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO LONE STAR BAR AND GRILL LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR
LUNA MAC'S AT THE VET'S CLUB MORNING GLORY CAFE THE O BAR OREGON ELECTRIC STATION
PEABODY'S PERUGINO PLANET GOLOKA PRIME TIME SPORTS BAR QUACKER'S RAMADA INN SAM BOND'S GARAGE SAMURAI DUCK SAM'S PLACE STACY'S SWEETWATER'S TAP 'N' KEG TINY TAVERN TSUNAMI BOOKS All Ages WETLANDS WOODSMAN GRILL
WOW HALL All Ages YUKON JACK'S
CORVALLIS BEANERY FOX 'N' FIRKIN MURPHEY'S PLATINUM NIGHT CLUB SQUIRREL'S
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