Eugene Weekly : Calendar : 07.28.05

Seattle seems to be in love with 23-year-old singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile: The Stranger called her singing "transcendental," while Seattle Weekly described her self-titled major-label debut as "extremely promising." The small-town girl from Ravensdale, Wash., says in her bio that she's never had a real job; instead, she's spent time as a backup singer for an Elvis impersonator, busked at Pike Place Market and played just about anywhere that would have her, from Western Washington University lounges to sports bars and weddings. All that practice seems to be paying off: Carlile recently opened for Chris Isaak, toured with Jonny Lang (and Hanson, but we'll leave that alone) and had a song featured on the soundtrack to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Her melancholy-yet-poppy songs come with a hint of country (the good, old-fashioned kind; this girl loves Patsy Cline) and seem perfectly designed to showcase Carlile's voice, which really does sound older than her years. See Saturday Calendar.

The 2005 Oregon Festival of American Music, "Cole Porter: Night and Day," begins Monday, Aug. 1 with "It's De-Lovely," a talk by OFAM Executive Director Jim Ralph, who discusses the art deco travel posters of the '20s and '30s. But it's Thursday, Aug. 4 when the real Porter celebration begins, with a gala concert featuring award-winning singer Ann Hampton Calloway, New York song and dance man Ty Stephens and many more. The festival, which runs through Aug. 13, includes a concert of music from Kiss Me, Kate, performances of the restored Anything Goes, film screenings and discussions on aspects of Porter's work — and that's just for starters. See story, page 24, and Calendar.

Does anybody know where July went? We know it must be almost over, 'cause it's time once again for the still-growing Last Friday ArtWalk, now up to 27 stops. The self-guided, free-form tour takes walkers all over town, with new stops at the Owl and Moon Gallery and the Whiteaker Puzzle Project, among others. Kiki Metzler's 462 Polk Studio Gallery and the Fire House Studio have receptions from 6-9 pm, while the Jawbreaker Gallery features "A Garden of Women Artists," a Last Friday women's art forum during which all the featured artists will discuss their work. Mother-daughter team Emily Chaison and Dhira Lawrence, whose Venus in Cancer is pictured above, will speak on the inspirational process of co-painting. Put on your comfy shoes and take a trek across town! See Friday Calendar.