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THIS WEEK AT THE
CLUBS:
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Papa's Soul
Kitchen
Ugh! Ow! The kitchen is bad! The kitchen is clean! Wash yo' dishes! Know what
I mean! Get up'a, get on up! Fatty Fat Tuesday is here, and this evening promises
to be sinful, boys and girls, positively sinful. As the booking agent said when I asked
about the party photos to represent this event,"It's Mardi Gras, man, you can't
print these." Tuesday, Wetlands. |
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Asylum Street
Spankers
These folks are really good. They're musician's musicians. First this one sings,
then that one strums and their voices, surrounded by overwhelming bandy orchestral
sounds, echo sultry and laughable. It's like a musical voyage into a unique underworld,
their own brand of performance music. Not rock, not ska, not punk. But they're worth
every penny. Spanky spanky. Friday,
Sam Bond's Garage. |
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Dick Dale
He ain't the jester, he ain't the duke (though that'd be cool), he ain't the
count, he ain't the baron, he ain't the prince, he ain't the princess, he ain't the
queen, he's the KING of Surf Guitar, jamming with Boss Martians and Throw Rag. Wednesday, WOW Hall. |
CLICK
HERE FOR CLUBS LISTINGS
Slick
Licks
Strokin' Joe Bonamassa,
Josh Ritter and more..
By Dave
Gingold
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Joe Bonamassa plays Taylor's Feb.
9th...
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Didn't anybody learn a damn thing when HAL the Computer locked those
dudes out of the spacecraft like 30 years ago? You should've. And that's why, when
all the vital e-mail sent to me about stuff this week wound up trapped by my crap
provider, and I didn't get it, and your thing didn't get mentioned here, you shouldn't
have been surprised. Send it to me on a piece of what we used to call "paper,"
and it's a little less likely to be lost forever floating in techno-limbo next time.
Sorry, gang. I don't want to single out my provider as being especially
sucky, and embarrass them by using their name here, Microsoft, but I've been through
the go-round with two different unhelpful tech support geeks, and no one's gotten
me any nearer to the few gems of worthwhile mail that may lie beneath the hundreds
of porn and mortgage spams clogging my mailbox. Direct your angry letters to MSN,
not me.
The title track to Joe Bonamassa's A New Day Yesterday
is big guitar with crunch for days, and that's the way we like it, thank you. The
guy's an appealing rock singer, but it's all about the guitar, here. Bonamassa, who'll
be at Taylor's the 9th, started playing guitar at 4, when his guitar-shop-owner dad
handed him one. And Joe was out gigging around his upstate New York home by 12, opening
for B.B. King, and being invited on stage to jam with him. This record was produced
by Tom Dowd, who's worked with Aretha and Cream, and engineered the first Zeppelin
album. Guests on the record are Greg Allman, Rick Derringer and Leslie West. I was
only sent two songs off the CD, but he's definitely got some fluid chops. The video
they sent me shows a clip of a pubescent Bonamassa shredding away. He had an endorsement
deal with Fender guitars at age 14, the youngest in Fender's history. He has a big
write-up in the current Guitar World, and had one last year in Guitar Player.
Along the way to the now-24-year-old's current power trio, Bonamassa spent time in
Bloodline, the band featuring the sons of Miles Davis, The Doors' Robby Krieger,
the Allman Bros. Berry Oakley, etc.
THIS WEEK: Tonight, the 7th, talented, breathy singer-songwriter Josh Ritter
is at Sam Bond's Garage, along with Voices on the Verge. Ritter writes well
and performs with a haunting edge on his CD Golden Age of Radio. This one
will reside in my changer for a while. Locals Tympanic play some good-natured
pop, with backing vocals, even, on "Trouble," which has kind of a "Tupelo
Honey" feel, minus the Van vox. Also enjoyed the instrumental "Nagasena"
(hope I got that title right, the writing on the CD's a hair ambiguous). Look for
them at John Henry's the 8th, sandwiched between Kawaida and Basic Assumption.
Ellen Whyte and Reflex Blue bring their straight-ahead blues down from Portland
to the Wild Duck the 9th. White is known as "The Neon Blonde of the Blues,"
I'm not sure exactly by whom. This is a CD release for the band's latest CD Standing
at the Sunrise, their third. Surf king Dick Dale is at the WOW the 13th,
along with The Boss Martians, and Throw Rag. Slayer, dude, F-ing
Slayer! is at the McDonald the 14th. Hatebreed opens. Also on the 14th, comes
a punk barrage, with TSOL headlining a WOW Hall show that also features Agnostic
Front, Casualties, and Blasphemous Abnormality. On the 10th, The Kirby
Grips are at John Henry's, along with The Jolenes and more.
Back to Top
Surfin'
Jack Johnson
The de-birthing of a
star.
By Ben
Fogelson
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Jack Johnson, Feb. 8, Crystal
Ballroom, Portland...
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The other day I spoke with Jack Johnson.
I don't like to brag about it.
I don't like to brag about having his personal phone number on
a yellow Post-it next to my office computer, or about having a nearly 20-minute phone
interview while he washed his breakfast dishes, or about being in contact with his
perky public relations office in Venice, Calif., near the weightlifters.
I don't like to brag about it because Jack Johnson is no star.
He influences the buying power of many thousands with his always heartfelt and sometimes
extremely joyful Ben Harper-esque rhythms*. But he's no star. Let me explain. No,
there is no time. Let me sum up.
Ever since I was Mini-Ben, the concepts of stardom, the wild parties,
the glamorous cars and debaucheries have called out to me. A voice from within sounding
like Obi-Wan Kenobi has said wake up, get up, zip up and discover what stardom is,
that revelry, that passionate and sometimes inescapable suction. Get to the bottom
of it. Vader is your father.
Well, I've gotten to the bottom of it, and the bottom looks like
Jack Johnson. Ergo, the bottom isn't Jack Johnson. And here's why:
First of all, he's a pro surfer, so he's already got half the world
wet between the legs. And the other half that's into that kind of thing probably
gets a little wet too. I don't care if you look like a troll, and maybe Jack does**,
but if you surf on film, your marketability goes through the roof, and that turns
the star around. In addition, if you've ever met a real surfer or musician, you know
that they're that ahead of anything else. Jack floats fiberglass in the briny sea,
and weaves sound waves on the aural tree, he doesn't "star."
Second selling-point, Jack's a filmmaker. At the Wild Duck a few
months back, the show opened with one of his own surf films. Filmmaking's another
"hyper-cool" activity. Wise public relations offices tell up-and-coming
bands to get out and film something, anything, to also be filmmakers. Better
yet, they say don't film a thing, we'll just give you the title, save some money.
Stardom is the cash collected once selling points have been sold, not the fun one
has, swimming through the waves with a camera, or writing a song that night.
Third, he's down to earth. People respect Jack for being so damn
nice, as if he doesn't want to sell anything, as if he just wants to have
a party and make music. True, true. What with being a surfing filmmaker on top of
that, we're talking rarity. When people talk they conjure an image, a reputation.
Stardom lies not in the marrow and sinew of steel strumming fingers, but in the verbs
and jabbering of mortal speech.
Finally, this speech lingers on Jack's musical product. He toured
with Ben Harper, who played on Jack's CD, and Jack's music is "said" to
be like Harper's, because, I think, it's got a guitar in the foreground, doesn't
grate upon the ear and it can be sung to. A common phrase goes like this, "Do
you like Ben Harper? Well then you should check out Jack Johnson." Star-makers
around the world would sell their first-borns for such a comparison.
No, Jack is no star. Jack Johnson is a guy who plays great music
and films and surfs. He's a guy whose music you could enjoy at the Crystal Ballroom
in Portland, Feb. 8, if it weren't sold out. Stardom surrounds Jack, and he surfs
in it like Tom Bombadil*** dances through Fangorn, an ultimate and friendly master
of the elements about him, yet in a world too large and quick for his deep power
to fully control, even if he wanted to.
So while I don't like to brag about having spoken with Jack Johnson,
I do so, not because he's a star, but because he isn't.
*He's a surfer, but it's not surf-music. It's mellow and unique.
Some of the songs on Jack's album were written to entertain only 30 or so of his
friends, and one even included one of his wife's now sometimes-embarrassing nicknames.
His music is soulful and cool, and rocks back and forth, at first slowly, then quickly.
** Yet it would be fair to add that maybe he doesn't.
*** One of the best characters from Lord of the Rings. You won't
find him at the coconut-oil multiplex. You'll have to read the books.
Back to Top
Adam's Place
30 E. Broadway * 344-6948
Ambrosia
174 E. Broadway. * 342-4141
Bacari Restaurant
1210 Willamette * 343-8404
Beanery
152 W. 5th * 342-3378
Beanery
2465 Hilyard * 344-0221
Black Forest
50 E. 11th * 344-0816
Thu: Virtuous Pagans--9:30; Rock
Fri: Jet Harris and his Hotrod Hellcats--9:30; Psycho rockabilly
Sat: T-Bone Weldon & the Prime Cut Band--9:30; Blues
Su: Open Mic--9:30
Mo: Emerald City Sessions--9:30
Tu: Christie & McCallum--9:30 We: Forest Jam--9:30
Bliss Steak Ranch
2891 W. 11th * 484-6657
Tu: John Powell--7; Variety
We: John Powell--7; Variety
Borders
5 Oakway Center * 345-6072
The Brickhouse
4136 4th St. Spfd. * 988-1612
Buzz Coffeehouse
EMU, UO * 346-3725
Thu: Sam Hahn--9; Folk jazz
Fri: Patrick Dodd Open Mike--9
Sat: Pauly Paul--9; Hip hop
Mo: Nathan Langston Poetry Open mic--9
We: Kyle Leland--9; Alternative folk rock
Cafe Paradiso AA NS
115 W. Broadway * 484-9933
Thu: Cyrus Grape--8:30
Fri: TR Kelley--9
Sat: SpiritFarm--9
Su: Big Mouth Open mic-8:30
Mo: Songwriter's Showcase--8:30
Tu: Open Mic--8
We: Justin King--8:30; Acoustic
Chantrelle's
5th & Pearl * 484-4065
Thu: Nicolette Helms and Friends--9:30; Blues, jazz
Fri: Stone Cold Jazz--9:30
Sat: Cynthia Beal, John Crider--9:30; Jazz
Tu: Byron Case, James Bradshaw and Friends--9; Blues jam
Cheerful Tortoise
730 E. Broadway * 517-9291
Fri: Vibe Nation--9; Reggae
Sat: Neptune Creation Sirkus, Sifter--9; Hippy rock
Chez Ray
44 W. 10th * 344-1530
Cozmic Pizza
1432 Willamette * 338-9333
Crossroads
737 Main St. * 741-3366
Thu: Charlie Parker--7; Guitar
Su: Charlie Parker--noon; Guitar
Cypress Restaurant
99 W. Broadway * 683-3800
Diablo's
959 Pearl * 683-3855
Thu: Ladies Night w/KokBlok, D MO--9
Fri: Yummy Booty Night w/Tremor, Drok--9; Hip hop
Sat: Big Pimpin' w/RNA, Won--9
Su: Tremorsville--9
Tu: 2 Year Aniversary Mardi Gras w/Mood Area 52, DJs--8
Doc's Pad
165 W. 11th * 683-8101
Double Tree Hotel
I-5 & Beltline * 726-8181
Downtown Lounge
959 Pearl * 683-3855
Thu: Cosmo's Raging Family--10; Turntable Fu
Fri: The Brothas of Beat--10; Hip hop
Sat: Electrolounge--10; Sexy disco
Su: Texas Chainsaw Party--3
Mo: Barley Weinberger--10; Blues
Tu: Super 8 Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday--9
Duck Inn
1795 W. 6th * 342-5729
Embers Supper Club
1811 Hwy. 99 N. * 688-6564
Fathoms
790 East 14th * 344-4471
Fifth St. Public Mkt.
5th & High * no phone
Fool's Paradise
460 Willamette * 338-9733
Foolscap
780 Blair Blvd. * 681-9212
Foxfire
4740 Main, Spfd * 747-7900
Thu: Forrest T. Black--9:15; Rock
Fri: Johnny Wilde--9:15; Rock
Sat: Mixed Blood--9:15; Rock
Su: Karaoke--7:30
Mo: DJ Law; House, top 40
Tu: Emerald City Jam--9:15
We: Johnny Wilde Band--9; Rock
Gilligan's
990 Oak St. * 342-2659
Hagen's
50 E. 11th * 343-8108
Hilton Ballroom
66 E. 6th * 342-2000
Hollywood Taxi
535 Main, Spfd. * 747-0307
Thu: Ampt--9:30; Alternative rock
Fri: Ozone Baby--9:30
Sat: Ozone Baby--9:30
Su: SpunHoney--7:30; Acoustic jam
Johnny Wilde's Jamorama--10
Mo: Krazy Dave's Karaoke--10
Tu: Johnny Wilde and Friends--9
We: P.E.L.T.--9:30
Hungry Duck
30 Country Club Rd * 484-6963
Jakes Restaurant
605 W. 19th * 431-0513
Jim's Landing
303 Main St. Spfd * 726-7570
Jimmy Mac's
770 S. Bertelsen * 342-5028
Jo Federigo's
259 E 5th * 343-8488
Thu: Jo Fed's All Star Jazz Jam Session--9:30
Fri: Gus Russell Quartet w/Mike Anderson--9:30
Sat: Paulati & Abbott Quartet--9:30
Su: Mark Allan--9
Mo: Olem Alves Open Mic--8:30
Tu: Barbara Dzuro--9; Jazz
We: Paul Paydos Trio--9:30; Latin
John Henry's
136 E. 11th * 342-3358
Thu: 80's Vinyl--10
Fri: Kawaida, Tympanic, Basic Assumption--10
Sat: Grease Ball, Al Foul & the Shakes, the Danged, Switchblade Hearts, Sawyer
Family--10
Su: The Kirby Grips, The Jolenes--9
Mo: 80's Night II, Hot for Vinyl, Decompressing the 80's--10
Tu: Comm. Soundsystem--10; Reggae
We: Hump Bump, Hammer--10; DJ
Kokomo's
44 E. 7th * 683-5160
The Keg Tavern
4711 W. 11th * 345-5563
Lavelle Wine Bar
5th St. Mkt * 338-9875
Fri: Gus Russell--5:30; Classic jazz piano
Sat: John Crider--5:30; Jazz
Lone Star Bar & Grill
33140 Van Duyn Rd. * 686-8686
Fri: John Michaels--9; Country DJ
We: Coyote Ugly Night w/John Michaels--9; Country
The Love Cafe
145 Pioneer Pkwy Spfd * 763-5710
Lucky's Pool Hall
10th & Olive * no phone
Fri: DJ Carl--7; Blues, classic rock
Luna
28 E. Broadway * 344-1266
Thu: Jazz Collective--9:30; Eclectic quintet
Fri: Carl Woideck--9:30; Jazz
Sat: Olem Alves--9:30; Guitar jazz
Tu: Etoufee Mardi Gras Party--9
We: Barbara Dzuro--5:30; Jazz
Chestnut Quartet--9:30; Jazz
Max's Tavern
550 E. 13th * 349-8986
McDonald Theatre
1010 Willamette
Meridian Building
18th & Willamette * no phone
Moretti's
730 E. Broadway * 344-6673
Mulligan's Pub
2841 Willamette * no phone
Neighbors
1417 Villard * 338-0334
Thu: DJ Jason--10; Dance
Fri: She-Bangs & Company Mardi Gras Kick-off--10
Sat: Mardi Gras Weekend Bash--10
Su: Mardi Gras Weekend Bash--10 Mo: Karaoke--9
Tu: Mardi Gras Party
We: DJ Jason--9; Dance
Nite Owl (Ramada Inn)
225 Coburg * 342-5181
The Old Pad
3355 E. Amazon * 686-5022
Olympus
23 W 6th * 683-2746
Oregon Electric Station
27 E. 5th * 485-4444
Fri: Don Latarski Trio--8; Jazz
Sat: Don Latarski Trio--8; Jazz
Our Place Tavern
796 Hwy 99 N.
Out of the Fog
450 Willamette * 687-0709
Overtime Tavern
770 S. Bertelsen * 342-5028
Piccolo
999 Willamette * 484-4011
Sat: Mike Denny--8; Jazz
Quacker's
2105 W. 7th * 345-2617
Sat: Revelators--9; Boogie blues
We: Blues Jam--8
Ramada Inn
225 Coburg Rd. * 342-5181
Fri: Rock-It--9:15
Sat: Rock-It--9:15
The New Rascals
211 Washington * 345-2617
Thu: Bliss' Karaoke--7
Fri: Broken Homestead-9:30
Sat: Bump Skool--9:30; Funk
Su: Air Force Open Mic--2
Mo: Baraka--9; Reggae
We: Westide Blues Jam--9:30
Rick's Pub
20 Hwy 99 N. * 344-3074
Fri: Murtin Smurl--9; Party jam
Sat: Karaoke--8
Su: Karaoke--7
River Rd. Grill & Bar
645 River Rd. * 463-8375
Rock 'n' Rodeo
44 E. 7th * 683-5160
Rumba Room
100 E. Broadway * 484-1747
Thu: DJ Senor Mix--10; Salsa, Merengue
Fri: DJ Senor Mix--10; Salsa, Merengue
Sat: Barrio Latino--10
Safari Room
3280 Gateway * 726-8181
Sakura
844 E. 13th * 343-6817
Sam Bond's Garage
407 Blair Blvd * 343-2635
Thu: Josh Ritter, Voices on the Verge w/Beth Amsel, Jess Klein, Erin McKeown, Rose
Polenzani--9
Fri: The Asylum Street Spankers--9:30; Acoustic
Sat: Alice di Micele--9:30
Su: Frank Wakefield--9; Bluegrass
Mo: John Shipe, Jessica Plotkin, Justin King--9; Songwriters in the Round
Tu: Bluegrass Jam--9
We: Alpha Charlie--9:30; jam
Sam's Place
825 Wilson * 484-4455
Fri: Etouffee--8; Swamp rock
Samurai Duck
990 Oak St. * 345-6577
Thu: Eagle Park Slim, Schwall St. Journal--9
Fri: Foggy Valley Boys, Carmizin--9; Bluegrass, acoustic fusion
Sat: Wapeka, Fall of the Bastard, YOB, Nyerlathslep--10; Doom metal
Mo: Canyon Creep, YOB--9; Doom Metal
Tu: Fat Tuesday Celebration w/Ashbury Park--9; Soulful rock
We: Virtuous Pagans--9; Rock
Senor Frog's
444 E. 3rd * 484-2927
Thu: DJ Karaoke--6:30
Fri: DJ Mario Mora--10; Salsa, merengue
Sat: DJ Jose Cruz--10; Salsa, merengue
Shakers
1195 Main, Spfd. * 736-5177
Spirits
1714 Main St. Spfd * 726-0113
Starbuck's
205 E.18th * 465-9813
Stepina's
1475 Mohawk, Spfd * 744-0811
Sweetwaters
Valley River Inn * 687-0123
Thu: Yacov Golian--8; International folk
Fri: Tom Grant, Dave Captein--8
Sat: Tom Grant, Dave Captein--8
Taco Loco
900 W. 7th
Taylor's
894 E. 13th * 344-6174
Su: Joe Bonamassa--9; Immortal guitar
Tino's Restaurant
15th and Willamette * 342-8111
Sat: Olem Alves, Mike Hanns--6; Jazz; Dent Project--9:30
We: Jazz Jam w/Olem Alves--9:30
Tiny Tavern
894 E. 13th * 344-6174
Thu: John Barley--9:30
Fri: U-Gene Band--9:30
Sat: Onomantopoeia--9:30
Mo: Jimmy Olsen Experience--9:30
We: John Prine Tribute w/Peter Wilde, Annie D.--9:30
TJ'S Lounge
365 E. Oregon * 895-3109
Toshi's Ramen
1520 Pearl * 683-7833
Tsunami Books
2585 Willamette * 345-8986
Fri: The Retired Cowboy--3; Folk
Sat: Elizabeth Cable--1; Gal From Down Under--3
Tuscany's
950 Kruse Way * 726-1726
23:6
23 West 6th * 484-9669
Valley River Inn
1000 Valley R. Way * 687-0123
Waterfront Bar & Grill
2210 Centennial * 465-4506
Wetlands
922 Garfield * 345-3606
Tu: Fat Tuesday Bash w/Papa's Soul Kitchen, DJ Jeff Ray-9
Wild Duck Hall NS
169 W. 6th * 485-3825
Sat: Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue--9:30; Blues
Mo: Fishbone--8:30; Funk, ska
WOW Hall AA NS
291 W. 8th * 687-2646
Thu: Charlotte the Baroness, Dan Craig, Joshua Lee and Dave D-luxx; DJ dance
Fri: Pipedream, On the Rocks--9:30; Blues rock, a cappella
Su: Susan McKeown & The Chanting House--8:30; Irish folk
We: Dick Dale, Boss Martians, Throw Rag--8:30; Surf guitar overlords
Yukon Jack's Saloon
4th & Broadway, Veneta
Fri: Steppin' Out--9
Sat: Steppin' Out--9
Corvallis Clubs
AJ's
137 SW. Second * 758-4582
The Beanery
500 SW Second * 753-7442
Fri: Acoustic Showcase Open Mic--7
Sat: Samusson & Tomassi--8; Folk
Bombs Away Cafe
2527 NW Monroe
Creekside Coffee
5210 SW. Philomath * 752-8098
Fri: Ten Talents--6
Fox & Firken
202 SW. First * 753-8533
Fri: Emotive--10; Alternative
Sat: Blue Star Creeper, Westview--9; Alternative
Gill Coliseum
Oregon State Univ. * 737-1000
La Sells Stewart Center
OSU * 752-5435
Majestic Theatre
115 SW. Second * 766-6977
New Morning Bakery
219 SW. Second * 754-0181
Odd Fellows Hall
223 SW. Second * 752-3023
Old World Deli
341 SW. Second * 752-8549
Thu: Corvallis's 1st Art Crawl
Peacock Tavern
125 SW. 2nd * 754-8522
Fri: Gary Buford--9
Sat: Gary Buford--9
Squirrels Tavern
100 SW Second * 753-8057
Thu: Joel Harrison--9:30
Sat: Plaehn & Hino--9:30
Sweets Barbecue
225 SW. Fourth * 754-3663
Fri: Vintage Blues Ensemble--7; Acoustic blues jam
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