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Everyone
for Pangea An all-star cast of musicians seeking to inspire activism and giving will join forces for a benefit concert Thursday at McDonald Theatre. Eugene resident Matt Butler, formerly of Jambay, founded the Everyone Orchestra in 2001, consisting of a core group of musicians — the "Core-tet." Bassist Damian Erskine, keyboardist and electronics guru Asher Fulero (Surrounded By Ninjas) and electric guitarist Scott Law (Hanuman), along with drummer Butler create a foundation for improvisations, while former Leftover Salmon-er Tye North "conducts" various parts of the performance via cue cards and hand signals. A revolving cast of guest musicians enhances the Everyone Orchestra at each sporadic performance. This time the ensemble welcomes some incredible talents: Phish drummer Jon Fishman, banjoist/slide guitarist Tony Furtado, Garaj Mahal bassist Kai Eckhardt, former vocalist/percussionist for The Motet Jans Ingber, vocalist/guitarist Libby Kirkpatrick and vocalist/guitarist/poetess Maya Dorn. The pleased beneficiaries of The Everyone Orchestra's kindness is Pangaea Project, a Portland-based leadership development group "engaging youth from low-income families in creating solutions to social and environmental issues that confront their communities through local and international service-projects that share a common theme." The name Pangaea inspires an image of a reunited world, an image the Project's founders hope will instill youth with a sense of positive impact. An Everyone Orchestra performance is not just a run-of-the-mill show. Butler reveals "in every show there are highlighted mini-sets with members of various collectives playing their songs, and a number of jams with a mix of the players from small to medium-sized collectives." These mini-sets culminate in an extended jam, with everyone together on stage following the conducting of North, which might include suggestions for time changes, musical style, emotion, or even actions. Improvisational grooves and playful interaction between band, conductor and audience is key in this unique concept group of musicians bringing about positive change. The evening will also feature a guest speaker, environmentalist Julia "Butterfly" Hill. The McDonald hosts an exciting night of music on Friday as well, as The Derek Trucks Band takes the stage. The perennially touring band released a brand new CD, the primarily instrumental Soul Serenade. The album opens with a contemplative reading of the King Curtis classic of the same name, then merges effortlessly with a cover of Bob Marley's "Rasta Man Chant." Other favorite melodies are given new interpretations by the Derek Trucks Band, namely Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," Wayne Shorter's "Oriental Folk Song" and Henry Glover's "Drown in My Own Tears" with a vocal performance by Gregg Allman. The band, led by 24-year-old Trucks, features Kofi Burbridge on keyboards, flute and vocals, Todd Smallie on bass and vocals, Yonrico Scott on drums, percussion and vocals and Mike Mattison on lead vocals. Trucks has earned a reputation as one of the great slide guitarists of all time, and he's equally at home breezing through Southern rock, reggae, gospel, jazz and traditional back-porch American music as well as Latin, East Indian or other world music. Soul Serenade was actually recorded in between 1998's Out of the Madness and 2002's Joyful Noise. Musically and spiritually, the CD blazes a new trail for the band, evoking a "subconscious rhythm," a meditative state. It's most assuredly not a wanking, show-offy guitar-player's recording. Trucks plays a sarod, a fretless lute-like Indian instrument, and, with the exception of Allman's guest vocal, the CD is free of any other overdubbing. The band set up in a studio (with legendary producer John Snyder) and played two or three songs in a row, as if at a show, then went back and listened to them. As a result, the album has a refreshingly unhurried feel, relaxed, yet solid and steady. Local four-piece band Stacked is making waves both on the air and at shows. Vocalist Erin Flood, drummer David Kirk, bassist Charlie Carr and guitarist Ben James have been friends since their high school days in Bethesda, Md., six years ago. Flood and James played in a band together in high school, and Kirk is the first drummer James ever played with. These intimate and time-tested connections give Stacked a thoroughly cohesive sound that's quite impressive given that Stacked has only been an entity for two years. Bassist Carr was the first friend to migrate west. The others followed in September 2002, as they found themselves in a good position to "stop what we were doing," says Flood. "We all just picked up and moved here. We decided several years after school that we wanted to get some sort of band going." It didn't take long, only six months, before the friends clicked as a group and began performing. With a full-length release planned for later this year, their first release, a five-song EP, falls on the better side of alternative rock and roll. It's sophisticated and technically interesting, with good time changes and strong vocals by Flood. The music surges in a heavy, yet melodic way that doesn't seem forced or overpowering, and rewards the listener with consistent energy and excellent musicianship. While their music veers toward the metal end of rock, the strength of Flood's lyrical and vocal delivery prevent it from being trapped by that label. "It's definitely singing and not screaming," assures Flood. "As a band, we're influenced collectively by Tool and Radiohead, but then we all come from different musical backgrounds," she says. Flood counts among her songwriting influences the venerable Ryan Adams, Tom Waites and Lyle Lovett. Polished and professional, Stacked's radio-ready efforts seem poised to propel the band to the next level, and it wouldn't surprise me if Stacked went national. The band's "loud, beautiful rock and roll" can be heard locally on KFLY. Stacked will appear May 1 at Wetlands, along with 5South, Another Reason, and The Empty. On Sunday, May 2, Cafe Paradiso will welcome back Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman. The pair met onstage and have since combined their love of "modern folk influenced by pop, blues and everything in between." Savoca's moving voice and emotionally charged songs emerge on stage as she coaxes the melodies from her conga drum and other hand percussion. Heitzman's acoustic guitar creates delicious soundscapes and a comfortable groove. The pair has a new studio recording, "All My Excuses." Don't forget, (almost) every Monday at the Café Chris and Jen host Retro Night, featuring the best of '70s and '80s music.
Fantasy
Reunion 1986 - Pixies form in Boston, cut swath through bushes of buttrock, trailblaze for alternative/grunge mastadons Nirvana, Radiohead and Pearl Jam. 1993 — Pixies split. Frank Black/vocals, guitar; Joey Santiago/guitar; Kim Deal/bass; and David Lovering/drums go separate ways. Anation mourns. Well, lots of people, anyway. 2004, 4/27 — Pixies back together. Two shows at the McDonald Theatre sell out in less than 15 minutes, a record. Tickets start at $25 and post on the Internet for $100. 8:30 pm — Arrive early to beat the crowd. Pixies publicity said 10 pm start. Scalpers slither Willamette Street in coats or cold, beckoning, tickets held out like bars of golden chocolate. Where are the droves of people? Heart skips a beat. Ask someone the time. Turns out he's just wearing a spiked bracelet, and the crowd's already inside. 8:35 — Center of the balcony, four rows back. Good vantage. Look around, concerned. Friend was barfed on at a Spearhead concert, but this is Pixies! So far, things seem barfless. Every space on the dance floor packs a sardine. Agents of the security-god at critical angles, playing with flashlights. The crowd's an animal, growling. Beer One consumed. Turn and ask a triplet of fans to figure the average age here. They say 26, 28 and 27, whaddya want? I guess 30. Have words about difference between median and mean. 8:50 — Yellow spotlights hit the balcony. Blinded. The Pixies come out and the crowd, naturally, goes apeshit. Santiago explodes into drumming. Photographers are given a thin slice of protection right in front of the stage to click the first three songs. Two dudes run back and forth, hunching and clicking, hunching and clicking. Black's the head and the crowd the body, though Black looms larger. Pushing 220 the boy makes slow love to his guitar from behind, alternating fingerings with good hard slaps from the hip. His favorite dance step is raising his left leg. He's incredible, comfortable 'till his guitar-strap comes loose. A stage-tech is on him quick as a ninja and gets a surprise backhand by Black, who spins as if his pocket's getting picked or he's being goosed. Lovering makes a phenomenal 30-ft. drumstick throw to Santiago, who reaches up to snatch it, then plays guitar feedback like a violin to crowd cacophony. 9:30 — They play "Here Comes Your Man." Is there anyone else who didn't know that was a Pixies song? Yikes. Look around, embarrassed. Enjoy the song, hearing the Beatles influence. The crowd sings. Dude yells, "You rule, boy!" to Black, who is far away. The crowd sings and sings. Climbing over seats, Beer Two. 10:12 — Blinded by white spotlights. Hands are up! Pixies take off instruments. People on their feet! An encore. The Pixies, at the edge of the stage, soaking it up or giving it out, hard to tell. Just standing, waving, smiling before of a outreaching garden of windy wrists. Black & Co. depart, but suspense ain't all that, 'cause someone immediately sets to re-tuning their axes. 10:15 — That was quick. Back out. Santiago blows smoke, sets down a beer. Is that Heineken? Definitely a green bottle. Deal steps up and remembers playing here before, mutters more than she's said all night, something about "capsules" and "mushrooms." 10:22 — Middle section of balcony stands, rocking. Outside it could be a plague. Inside is a world apart, people suspended in air. Heat like a greenhouse, you could grow cacti in here. Sweat flying, time measured by lengths of screams, still figures against walls, absorbed by the music, white knuckles under their chins. A single man stands, arm raised, cell in hand, phoning concert to absent friend. Blinded again by red spotlights. Advil or Aspirin? 10:29 — Black declares "last song," utters pre-emptive "good night." Deal integral to the music, but standing sarcophagus still. Drones repetitively like frustrated hypnotist until her stillness works. She takes the crowd up, mesmerized, fine angel of finality, while Black, Santiago and Lovering provide the jet fuel. This is what you get, folks. 10:40 pm — Deal really wants offstage. She's outta the starting gate when the music stops, capitalizing on the crowd's bewilderment. I never wonder if the lights aren't about to come on.
BEANERY BLACK FOREST
CAFE PARADISO COFFEE GROVE COOPERATIVE COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND DIABLO'S THE DIVE BAR & GRILL DOWNTOWN LOUNGE DUCK INN EL REY'S EMBERS SUPPER CLUB GOOD TIMES JIMMY MAC'S OVERTIME GRILL JOE'S BAR & GRILLE JO FEDERIGO'S JOGGER'S BAR & GRILL
JOHN HENRY'S JUANITA'S HIDEAWAY THE JUNGLE KELYNSKI'S SPORTS PUB LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO LONE STAR BAR AND GRILL LUNA MAC'S AT THE VET'S CLUB MCDONALD THEATRE THE O BAR OREGON ELECTRIC STATION PERUGINO PLANET GOLOKA QUACKER'S RAMADA INN
SAM BOND'S GARAGE SAMURAI DUCK STACY'S COVERED BRIDGE SWEETWATER'S VALLEY RIVER INN TAP 'N' KEG TINY TAVERN WOODSMAN GRILL WETLANDS
WOW HALL CORVALLIS BEANERY FOX 'N' FIRKIN MURPHY'S PLATINUM
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