Dark
Back Roads
Balint
is back, along with Heinl.
BY
VANESSA SALVIA
Hungarian-born actress and musician Eszter Balint
will return to Eugene's Cafe Paradiso on July 9 appearing along with
Dayna Kurtz. Balint is touring in support of her new Bar/None
release Mud. Though she lived in Hungary until the age of 10
and has lived in New York, Los Angeles and France since, Balint's music
is infused with a rural American coolness, an artsy twist on traditional
American forms of folk. Mud, Balint's second release following
2000's Flicker, features Balint's enchanting, gothic-tinged voice,
violins, vibes, piano, pedal steel and French horn, along with a feeling
of "dark back roads of country and blues, as well as rock." I spoke
with Balint by phone from her New York home recently, to find out more
about what motivates this accomplished actress to make such sparse,
dark music.
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"I don't ever sit down and try to come up with a conceptual
approach to the music I'll be making. I just write what I hear in my
head, and for some reason I've listened to all kinds of music in my
life and I think that maybe some of those roots-based folk, blues, country-ish
things have penetrated a part of my brain and feel familiar to me at
this point. I think there's something universal about that sort of music."
She goes on to describe the folk tradition as feeling
more like a foundation on which to make other types of music rather
than a particular type of music all its own and says, "It has a basic,
fundamental feeling, which appeals to me."
Balint had an early, successful film career, and it
wasn't unexpected that she would gravitate toward writing her own songs.
She had studied classical violin as a young girl and voice as a young
woman. "I've always been a writer, keeping notebooks or whatever, and
after a while it just made sense to put the two pursuits together,"
she explains. Her Hungarian parents were part of a popular theater group
known as Squat Theater. At the age of 10, Balint, her parents and the
theater company moved from Hungary to Paris for a year and a half. The
company then relocated to New York City, next door to the legendary
Chelsea Hotel, and a young Balint continued stage performances. At age
15 she clicked on screen in Jim Jarmusch's cult classic film Stranger
Than Paradise. That role garnered her other work in The Linguini
Incident, Shadows and Fog, and Trees Lounge, for which
Balint co-wrote and performed "Color of Your Eyes." She's had music
used in other films including 2002's Lovely and Amazing. The
seven years Balint spent in Los Angeles "extinguished whatever small
flames of passion" she felt for the film industry, and now she is not
seeking film work, though having her music used in cool films would
be great. Balint is currently touring to support Mud and "gestating
ideas" for an upcoming record.
What do a karaoke machine, The Decemberists and a fifth
grade journal have in common? The answer is one of Eugene's favorite
musicians, Tom Heinl. Heinl recently embarked upon a very successful
March through April, 30-day national tour with Portland act The Decemberists,
a band that features former longtime Eugene residents and that has been
gaining fame across the nation with their two full-length releases.
That serendipitous tour came about when Decemberists member and former
Eugene resident Chris Funk approached Heinl about touring with them.
At the end of that tour, Heinl played a couple shows with Bloodshot
recording artist Bobby Bare Jr., a happy confluence that quickly
led to a second national tour. With the Decemberists, Heinl played nightly
to sold-out crowds, a feat that awed him, but left him uncomfortable.
"Isn't it ridiculous? I just have to not think about
it and try to have fun. I just block it all out. Just try to have fun
and meet people," says the down-to-earth Heinl speaking by phone from
the road. "When I left, my website had 800 hits on it in a three-year
period then when I got back after 30 days it was 8,000." While that
experience marked the first time Heinl had toured the states, he's now
back on the road supporting Bobby Bare Jr., son of the legendary country
singer Bobby Bare Sr. and the two will be performing at Sam Bond's on
July 10. With Bobby Bare Jr., Heinl has been gone since June 20 and
won't return until July 18, a long stretch that will culminate in Little
Rock, Ark.
Heinl's recent release, With
Or Without Me on Eugene-based label Leisure King features two parts
which Heinl calls "Stereoke." The first "With Me" section has vocals
to humorous and witty songs like "Peein' In An Empty," "Christmas Tree
On Fire" and "IHOP" while the second "Without Me" section contains only
music, so that listeners can sing along with the help of an included
lyric booklet. On stage, "I'm just doing the Stereoke thing, so it's
pretty funny. People like to have a good laugh while they're waiting
for their band to come on. I bring my stereo, and I bring my chair,
my lamp, and I just start singing to four track tapes of myself," explains
Heinl, whose show is rife with self-deprecating comic lines guarantees
to bring a smile to even the hardest of hearts. "It's really fun to
do. It's like doing karaoke."
Now that The Decemberists' New York-based booking agent
is booking him, a three-week August tour with Sebadoh looks extremely
likely, and "a new glorified home tape or maybe a kid's record" for
Leisure King is on the agenda. Heinl's new-found popularity has changed
his everyday life quite a bit. He quit his job, which he held for 13
years, at popular downtown restaurant Anatolia and put all of his belongings
in storage. Now, with his cell phone, his trusty karaoke machine and
his fifth grade journal (which you can read online at www.tomheinl.com),he's
spreading the Heinl gospel to appreciative, if admittedly a little confused,
congregations across the country.
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| JASON
WEBLEY PLAYS MONDAY AT THE ART OF EVERYTHING IN COTTAGE GROVE. |
THE ART OF EVERYTHING
513 MAIN ST, COTTAGE GR. 942-6174
MO: Jason Webley--7; Accordion bard
BLACK FOREST
50 E. 11TH ST. 686-6619
TH: The Crash Engines, Moscow Inn--9:30; Rock
FR: Johhson Unit--9:30; Rock
SA: Whore, Garbitch, Ruination--9:30; Rock
SU: Storytold, Underground Railroad Project--9:30;
Rock
MO: Karaoke--9:30
TU: Comedy Workshop--9:30
WE: Indigents, The Pillz, Bang Sugar Bang, Dolly
Rots--9:30; Rock
CAFE PARADISO
115 W. BROADWAY 484-9933
FR: Ezster Balint, Dayna Kurtz--8; Singer/songwriters
TU: Lissa Schneckenburger--8; Folk
TU: Acoustic Open Mic--7:30
WE: The Earl Brothers--8; '40s & '50s
CLUB TSUNAMI
2222 CENTENIAL BLVD.
FR: DJ Rolo--10; Hip hop, R & B
SA: DJ Rolo, DJ Tekneek--10:30; Hip
hop, R & B
COFFEE GROVE COOPERATIVE
510 E. MAIN ST., COTTAGE GR. 942-8847
FR: Fortune Cookie--8; Folk
SA: White Mountain--8; Jazzy ballads
WE: Poetry and Open Mic Night--7
COUNTRY SIDE RESTAURANT
4740 MAIN ST. 744-1594
TH: Jeff Richey--8; DJ country
FR & SA Bump in the Road--9; Country
SU: Ralph & Pam--8; Karaoke
MO: Pam--8; Karaoke
TU: Larry Sievers--8; Karaoke
WE: Jeff Richey--8; DJ country
COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND All
Ages
8TH AVE. AND CHARNELTON ST. 338-9333
TH: Willamette Jazz Society; Jazz jam--7:30
FR: Alpha Charlie, Engreyved--8
SA: Craig Wright, Horsefeathers, Grasshopper--8
SU: Freedom Band--9
MO: Upright Dub Orchestra, General Rudie, Monkey,
The Soul Captives--8:30; Dub, reggae, ska
TU: Wisdom--9
WE: Wendy de Rosa--7; Acoustic, Delta Nove--9;
Funk, samba, Afro-beat, rock
DIABLO'S
959 PEARL ST. 683-3855
TH: DJ Jon Smith--10; '80s through today
FR: Big Beats with Dinari & Supa J--10; Hip
hop
SA: House Nights with Anmar--10
DOWNTOWN LOUNGE
959 PEARL ST. 343-2346
TH: Devil Brothers--10; R & B, funk
FR: Concerning Iscariot, Mallamar--10; Rock
SA: Under the Stairs--10; Metal
SU: Kung Foo Karaoke w/DJ Jeremy--9
MO: Swing summer kick-off party--7
TU: Kenny Reed and Stone Cold Jazz--10
WE: Gen.eric and guests--10; Hip hop
DUCK INN
1795 W. 6TH AVE.
TH: Ben Coleman's Karaoke--8
SA: Ben Coleman's Karaoke--8
EARLY RISE CAFE
485 COBURG RD. 868-1261
SA: Open mic--7
EMBERS SUPPER CLUB
1811 HWY. 99 N.
688-6564
TH: Billy McCoy--9; Country
FR: Michael Anderson Trio—9; Variety, country
SA: Michael Anderson Trio—9; Variety, country
WE: Billy McCoy—9; Country
GOOD TIMES
375 E. 7TH AVE. 484-7181
TU: Rooster's Blues Jam--8
JOE'S BAR & GRILLE
21 W. 6TH AVE. 338-9000
TH: Grateful Dead Night--9
MO: Brothers of Beat--8; Soul
TU: DJ Tekneek--9; Hip hop
WE: DJ Tai--9; '80s
JO FEDERIGO'S
259 E. 5TH AVE. 343-8488
TH: Jo Fed's Jazz Jam Session--9
FR: JC Rico--9
SA: Dahman Beck Group--9
SU: Mark Alan--9
MO: Funky Monday open mic--7
Skip Jones Hammond Organ Trio--8:30
TU: Barbara Dzuro Jazz Piano--8:30
WE: Halie Loren--9
JOGGER'S BAR & GRILL
710 WILLAMETTE ST. 343-0224
TU-FR: Karaoke w/DJ Bond--10
JOHN HENRY'S
77 W. BROADWAY 342-3358
TH: '80s Night w/Chris, Jenn and John--10
FR: Koffin Kats, Sawyer Family, Whopner County
Country All-Stars--10; Psychobilly, classic country
SU: Manda and the Marbles, The Anxieties--7, Broadway
review--10; Burlesque
MO: Cosmic Charlie, David Gans--8; Greatful Dead
tribute
TU: The School Yard Heroes, Outspent, Crimes of
Ambition--10
WE: DJ Kal El--10; Dance hall reggae
LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO
5TH ST. PUBLIC MARKET 338-9875
TH: Paul Biondi and Gus Russell--6
FR: Gus Russell--5, SA: Gus Russell--5
LONE STAR BAR AND GRILL
I-5 AT COBURG 686-8686
TH: Girls get wild--9; DJ dancing
FR: Guys get wild--9; DJ dancing
SA: Karaoke--9
WE: Coyote Ugly--8
LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR
933 OLIVE ST. 687-4643
TH: Concerning Iscariot, Sunken Grade--10
FR: Nimbus, Rhetoric Tuesday--10
TU: Toad in the Hole, The Kissers--9; Irish drinking
rock
WE: Dan Jones, Our Lady of the Highway--10; Rock
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| MICHAEL
MANRING PLAYS THURSDAY AT LUNA. |
LUNA
30 E. BROADWAY 434-5862
TH: Tony Kaltenberg, Michael Manring--8; Acoustic
guitar, electric bass
MAC'S AT THE VET'S
1626 WILLAMETTE ST. 344-8600
TH: Thursday Night Blues Jam--9
FR: West Coast Rhythm Kings--9:30; Jump, swing
SA: Paul Biondi, Peter Giri Project--9:30; Screaming
sax
MORNING GLORY CAFE
450 WILLAMETTE ST. 687-0709
WE: String Theory Band--7; Jazzy country
MULLIGAN'S PUB
2841 WILLAMETTE NO PHONE
FR: White Mountain--7
TU: Tommy's Tuesday Night--9; Rock, jam, blues
THE O BAR
155 COMMONS WAY 349-0707
TH: Thirsty Thursdays: DJ Johnny--9;
Hip hop, dance
OREGON ELECTRIC STATION
27 E. 5TH 485-4444
FR: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz
SA: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz
OUR PLACE TAVERN
HWY. 99 & ROYALE AVE.
FR & SA: Clyde Baxter--8; Karaoke
OVERTIME TAVERN
770 S. BERTELSEN 342-5028
TH: West Side Blues Jam—8:30
PEABODY'S
444 E. 3RD AVE. 484-2927
TH: Ali Losik, Straight No Chaser--8; Vocals
FR: Sounds & Fiori--9; Vocals, piano
SA: Ronny Turrell--9; Karaoke
MO: Jam Night w/Kenny Reed--8
TU: Acoustic Open Mic w/Tim Patrick--8
WE: John Crider Jazz Singers Showcase--8
PERUGINO
767 WILLAMETTE ST. 687-9102
WE: Irish Jam--7; Celtic
PLANET GOLOKA
679 LINCOLN ST. 465-4555
TH: Spiritual film--6:30
SA: Hare Krishna chanting--5
MO: Open mic--6:30
TU: Poetry night--6:30
WE: Kava circle--6:30
QUACKER'S
2105 W. 7TH 485-5925
MO: Karaoke--9; Variety
WE: Blues Jam--8:30
RAMADA INN
225 COBURG 342-5181
FR & SA: Mixed Blood--9:15; Rock
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| BOBBY
BARE JR. PLAYS SATURDAY AT SAM BOND'S GARAGE. WITH TOM HEINL. |
SAM BOND'S GARAGE
407 BLAIR 431-6603
TH: The Kitchen Syncopaters--9; Jug band
FR: Hot Club Sandwich--9:30; Swing jazz
SA: Bobby Bare Jr., Tom Heinl--9; Rock
SU: Granola Funk Express--9; Jam
MO: Flying Poetry Circus with Chris Chandler and
Anne Feeney--9; Spoken word
TU: Bluegrass Jam--9
WE: Cosmic Charlie--9; Dead tribute
SAMURAI DUCK
980 OAK ST. 345-6577
TH: Owen, Skamper--9; Rock
FR: Mynis, Cassidy--9
SA: Dum Dum, Only Flesh, others--9
SU: Hip hop open mic--9
MO: DJ Synchro--10; Noise, industrial
TU: Maximise, General Rudie, Monkey--9; Ska
WE: Slackjaw, Snowdrift--10; Indie
STACY'S COVERED BRIDGE
401 E. MAIN ST., COTTAGE GROVE 767-0320
WE: Open Mic Night w/Ron O'Keefe--8:30
SWEETWATER'S
VALLEY RIVER INN
687-0123
FR & SA: Big Bamboo--8:30; Rock, R & B
TAP 'N' KEG
1704 MAIN ST., COTTAGE GROVE 942-8713
WE & TH: DJ Rick--9
FR & SA: DJ Rick--9:30
TAYLOR'S BAR AND GRILL
894 E. 13TH AVE. 554-5320
FR: DJ Tekneek--10; Hip hop, R & B
WETLANDS
922 GARFIELD ST. 345-3606
SA: A Mind Like Yours, The Contingency Plan, Guff,
Outset--10; Emo, post-hardcore
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| JOULES
GRAVES PLAYS TUESDAY AT THE WOW HALL. |
WOW HALL All Ages
291 W. 8TH AVE. 687-2746
TU: Freedom Band, Joules Graves--8:30; Folk rock
WE: The Motet, Jyemo--8:30; Afro-Cuban jazz, funk
CORVALLIS
FOX 'N' FIRKIN
202 SW. 1ST ST. 753-8533
TH: The Blue Turtle Seduction--9
FR: Dimes--10
SA: J.P. West--9
WE: TenPas' Tricky Trivia--8:30
MURPHY'S
3740 SE 3RD ST. 758-9000
SU: Nairobi Bois--6; Jazz covers
PLATINUM NIGHT CLUB
126 SW 4TH ST.
FR: Salsa & Merengue Night--10; Free lessons
SA: The David Samuel Project--7:30; Rockin' blues
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