 |
  |
|
 |
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
|
Dread
Not While I'm appreciative of Jamaican culture, reggae music can sometimes be a tough THC pill to swallow. Lazy rhythms overdubbed with repeated chanting about the Almighty One, unwavering worship for an Ethiopian king and the whitest of dreadlocked suburbanites have made me a hardened reggae cynic. The Jamaican trio Culture manages to break my own white suburban head wide open.
Formed in 1976, Culture immediately found success in both Jamaica and England. Lead man Joseph Hill has since carried on the Culture name through various incarnations. Today Culture consists of Hill, original member Albert Walker and Telford Nelson. On the road they're backed by the "Forces of Justice" band. But make no mistake about it, this is Hill's outfit. It is his powerful singing and songwriting that have propelled Culture to the top of the crowded reggae heap. Songs like "Two Sevens Clash," "Tell Me Where You Get It," and "Wings of a Dove" are far heavier and more genuine than most reggae music. With more than 30 albums to his credit, Hill's fertile mind (along with artists such as Burning Spear and Israel Vibrations) has been one of the cornerstones of reggae's post-Bob Marley era. The energy on stage at a Culture show is, in a word, blazing. Hill's stage presence has lost none of its power over the years. Rivaling Marley himself, Hill knows how to combine message with music, chanting down Babylon while his band produces the yummiest of reggae grooves. Where other reggae artists appear trite, Culture seems fresh. Where others wilt, Culture flourishes. The typical reggae subject matter is certainly at hand — Mount Zion, Babylon, Marcus Garvey and the ever-present Jah Rastafari. Yet an integrity virtually unmatched in today's reggae shines through. What makes Culture different than the rest? Maybe it is the nearly 30-year history of the band. Maybe it is staying true to their roots while always expanding the sound. Maybe it is the success both in the studio and on stage. More than likely, it is simply the will and the power of Joseph Hill. It is his dynamic self that raises Culture above a mere reggae band and into the realm of all things bright and beautiful. This is the real deal, folks.
Bohemian
Rhapsody Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. The brilliant colors, the crisp, clear air, the accordion music and short leather pants. That's right, it's Oktoberfest time again, that magnificent bastion of brew signaling the start of Fall. But it hasn't always just been about getting drunk and watching people clog dance in silly costumes. OK, yes it has. Picture Munich, Oct. 12, 1810. A crowd of about 40,000 Bavarian citizens, probably all sporting lederhosen and milking-girl skirts, has gathered in a large field outside the city gates to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Theresia. This marks an unprecedented mingling of peasants and royalty that surely encourages some spontaneous clog dancing from both sides. In addition to copious amounts of beer (or bier, if you like), the highlight of the day's festivities is, naturally, a horserace. The next year it's a horserace and an agricultural show. Then no more horserace. Then, well, it just becomes an excuse to get trashed in public. And that's where America gets on board. LaCrosse Wisc., holds the first "Oktoberfest" on U.S. soil in 1961. Pretty soon, falling leaves start turning everyone German, at least for a couple of weeks. Here we are almost 200 years from the beginning, and nearly every city in America now hosts its own version of this boisterous celebration of life … and beer. The St. Mark Catholic Church in Eugene has offered a family-friendly Oktoberfest for more than 20 years, but this is the first time the festival will be produced by an outside company. Big Green Productions, the capable handlers of such beloved events as Art and the Vineyard and the Eugene Celebration, will take the reins on Sept. 9, for what is sure to be a typically quirky foray into the finer points of Bavarian culture. Brendan Relaford of Big Green is quick to clarify the company's commitment to tradition. "There will be a few changes, but very minor ones," he said. "The church has always used the event as a fund-raiser, and they will have some booths set up for that. But there will still be the clog dancers and the beer tents." The St. Mark Oktoberfest will last three days, short of the traditional two-week Munich marathon, but just inside the alcohol-poisoning tolerance of an American college town. Expect performances from Minnesingers such as The Little Bohemian Band, The Misty Valley Cloggers, The Valley Boys, The Hillbilly Band and many more. Prost! Oktoberfest will be held on Sept. 9, 10 and 11 at St. Mark Church, 1760 Echo Hollow Rd., Eugene. Friday and Saturday, 11 am-11 pm, Sunday 11 am-6 pm. Admission is $5 after 4 pm on Friday and Saturday, Sunday is free all day. No charge for kids 12 and under. For more information check out www.eugeneoktoberfest.com
A Bluesy Kind of Benefit As if the U.S. government isn't doing enough in support and aid for the Louisiana hurricane victims (are you picking up the sarcasm?), a group of local musicians in Eugene are putting together a night of revelry to benefit the American Red Cross. Jerry Zybach & the StageHogs, co-founders of the Rainy Day Blues Society in Eugene, will hold a StageHog Challenge 4-8pm, on Sept. 11 at Cozmic Pizza. Zybach's production company, Whole Hog Productions, held a similar and very successful benefit for the tsunami victims in January of this year. They challenged bands and other venues from around the Northwest to do the same, and this time around they are expanding that challenge to include blues societies across the United States. Admission is free, donations appreciated, and Cozmic Pizza as well as the musicians are giving their time and talent free of charge so 100% of the proceeds go to the American Red Cross Hurricane Disaster Fund. A second show will be held in October, but why wait until then? Get out to Cozmic Pizza and hear some great musicians while aiding our government in its (ahem) efforts to help the hurricane victims. — Emily Freeman
Pistols & Mood Luckey's tavern hosts two popular local bands on Saturday, Los Mex Pistols del Norte and Mood Area 52. MA 52 just released a new CD, Guevara's Ghost, a zesty, groove-infused, hip shaking wonder. But you definitely don't have to tango to enjoy the show. Their music will enhance any conversation or pool game, and it's passionate enough that you just may drop that pool cue, grab a partner and release your inner dancer. There's no better way to have an out-of-body experience than by listening to MA 52; it's so easy to imagine the pavement of Eugene slipping away and yourself sipping café au lait in a rustic Parisian bistro.
With Los Mex Pistols del Norte, the only thing required for a good time is a desire to hear high-energy music that will get your ass shaking. LMP consistently deliver the drama of an Ennio Morricone soundtrack married to traditional south-of-the-border sounds. You're just as likely to hear Herb Alpert's "A Taste of Honey" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" as you are traditional Torero music (played at bullfights), Tejano, Conjunta, Banda, Norteño and good ol' rock and roll. Band frontman Bruce Hartnell recently filled me in on the current doings of LMP. They played the Oregon State Fair, which was "a huge high-profile gig for us," said Hartnell. He's counting on those bigger gigs to net the band cash to release new songs. A new CD of Norteño-Morricone hybrid tunes is tentatively titled Las Pesapillas de la Frontera, which translates to "Nightmares of the Borderland." "The ranchers [near the border] have all formed vigilante groups so on the one hand you've got those guys and you've got the drug lords taking over border towns on the Mexican side," explains Hartnell "There's some pretty heavy stuff happening." While they have an eye toward playing a week of California shows, the price of gas might keep the boys at home. Hartnell is also working with a European label to release tunes and get a tour lined up. Says Hartnell, "If gas is $3 or $4 a gallon here, I'd rather go to Europe where gas is $3 or $4 a gallon and screw around there!" The band, which ranges up to a nine-piece, is playing Rocco's Birthday Party at Diablo's Sept. 16, the Eugene Celebration at the end of the month, and at McDonald Theater on Oct. 15 as part of the Eugene Weekly's Best of Eugene Celebration. Los Mex Pistols del Norte play with Mood Area 52, 10 pm, Saturday, Sept. 10 at Luckey's. $3-$5. — Vanessa Salvia
Bring on the Noise As the Northwest's noise scene grows and takes shape, old noisesters are awakening to the new demand, rising from their slumber to jar and challenge virgin eardrums. High art types beware as old timey noise collective Caroliner take over the EMU amphitheater for a free show Monday. Conceived in the Bay Area in 1983, Caroliner combines garish Day-Glo colored costumes and props with tumultuous banjo strumming, grinding bass lines, keyboard drones and electronically altered vocals with a nonsensical percussion section. Rooted in rustic 19th century folk, the band often described their music as "industrial bluegrass." Their lyrics tell tales of cowboys and pioneers, with a particular interest in the various diseases and disasters that befell the Old West. Their surreal stage show includes blacklight-driven fluorescent costumes and shiny classical dress. The band has also gone by Caroliner Rainbow, Caroliner Rainbow Hernia Milkqueen and a slew of other modified versions of the CR name. Caroliner's cast of performers switched aliases as often as the band did, with a singer known commonly as Grux anchoring the group through the years. The group also shared members with various other noise punk outfits such as the Thinking Fellers Union Local #282 and Deerhoof. The band is performing in support of their 2002 double LP Wine Can't Do It, Wife Won't Do. Also performing with Caroliner is fellow Bay Area noise artist Ryan Jencks (aka +SIXES+). Jencks performed his trademark earpiercing wall of sound at Karla La Vey's (Anton La Vey's daughter) "Black X-Mass." Gerritt Wittmer (aka Gerritt) will also be present. Gerritt is best known for an improvised Northwest performance he did with doom/ambient metal group Sunn0))) and subsequent live collaborations with Sunn0))) mastermind Steven O'Malley. Caroliner, +SIXES+, Hans Grusel's Krankenkabinet, Gerritt and local all-star noise group The Sounds Only Dogs Can Hear Orchestra will perform 7pm at the EMU Amphitheater, Monday, Sept. 12. Free.
BADA BING'S BLACK FOREST BLUE LUNA CLUB CLUB ROCK CLUB TSUNAMI CORNUCOPIA • COUNTRY SIDE BAR & GRILL COUNTRYSIDE PiZZA & GRILL COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND• THE CROW'S NEST • DIABLO'S DOWNTOWN LOUNGE EMBERS SUPPER CLUB GOOD TIMES INDIGO DISTRICT JAXX JO FEDERIGO'S JOE'S BAR & GRILLE JOGGER'S BAR & GRILL
JOHN HENRY'S LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO
LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR LUNA MAC'S AT THE VET'S MCSHANE'S BAR & GRILL MULLIGAN'S PUB O'DONNELL'S IRISH PUB OVERTIME GRILL PEABODY'S PERUGINO QUACKER'S RICK'S PUB ROCK 'N' RODEO
SAM BOND'S GARAGE SAM'S PLACE SAMURAI DUCK SHER'S ELDORADO CLUB SPARKY'S PLACE STACY'S COVERED BRIDGE TAP 'N' KEG TAYLOR'S BAR AND GRILL TINY TAVERN WETLANDS
WOW HALL • YUKON JACK'S CORVALLIS AJ'S BOMBS AWAY CAFE IOVINO'S RISTORANTE PLATINUM
karaoke TH: The Cooler, Countryside Pizza (River Rd.), Da Houze,
Duck Inn, Sam's Place, Village Inn Lounge
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
