.
Larsen
Evolution
Olympia-based
band brings velvet rock to Sam Bond's.
BY
VANESSA SALVIA
 |
| Al
Larsen of Some Velvet Sidewalk. |
Some Velvet Sidewalk, an Olympia-based outfit on the
K Records roster, has Eugene ties going way back. The guitar/drum duo
of Al Larsen and Robert Christie (now deceased) rocked the indie world
with their primitive playing style and influenced a stripped-down sound
that survives and thrives today. The pair debuted with a self-released
taped recording in 1998, then swiftly switched to K Records. Larson
and company made a deep impression on the music scene. Then what happened?
I caught up with Larsen in his Olympia home to find out.
Larsen stopped writing songs and music for about two
years, during 1998 and 1999. He explains, "It was really odd. I was
at a point where I didn't know what to write about anymore and it didn't
make sense to me anymore." With more years upon his head, the teen rebellion
he had felt in the past evaporated. "For me it was like, whatever I'm
railing against is basically my fault, or my own responsibility. It
didn't feel right to me to be blaming the world."
Larsen began writing again when he was at a different
place mentally. For the past year Larsen has been performing solo, at
local gigs and two short tours down the coast. For this tour, Larsen
will be performing with SVS drummer Don Blair, who debuted on the group's
1992 recording Avalanche. "We had a pretty good wavelength in
Some Velvet Sidewalk, with the whole group really, in terms of everyone
staying in the same rhythm," he says.
Blair's drums are noteworthy: Larsen reveals that they
lived a past life on a 1930s cruise ship. "They're Chinese, I think.
They look like barrels and they have an animal skin tacked on. They
have this ancient sort of sound." Larsen promises that rather than playing
a standard rock kit, these drums bring an aura to the performance that's
almost magical.
Larsen's take on his music is one of invention. He says,
"It's a process of feeling like you're inventing rock and roll on your
own terms."
Larsen is currently nearing completion on an album he's
recording with producer Steve Fisk, with whom he's worked before. Fisk
contributes electric piano on the recording, which should be available
by February. This performance will take place Sunday at Sam Bond's,
along with local favorites The Visible Men.
Local band Mine 37 (www.minethirtyseven.com)
began one and a half years ago as an almost entirely different band.
Benjamin Max (bass) formed the band with his sister and a different
drummer and guitarist. Mat Foster joined up in February. Guitarist Ben
Hubbird and drummer Jim Ewell complete the new ensemble. The change
in lineup was brought about because everyone quit for some reason or
another, like graduating from college and moving away.
Says Max, "It just wasn't going to work anymore. The
changes are more than skin deep; all have a shared vision of less pop
and more rock. The people in the other band were more into pop and being
more weird. I always wanted to play more straight ahead rock and these
people are all about that." The group is nearing completion on a five-song
EP which they will finish before September, when they embark on a short
tour of several Western states. (The band books their own tour and releases
their CDs themselves.)
This self-titled release represents the band members'
first real recording, a studio effort they're all extremely happy with.
Gearing up for tour has cut into their time to work on new material,
but the band has several new songs they're itching to record, as well.
Future plans for this talented band include more recording, more shows
and hopefully more fans. Max does not relish the thought of more band
structure changes. "I hope we all stick together for a while and try
to make this thing work," he reflects. Mine 37 will perform Friday at
WOW Hall with The Appleseed Cast, Mercury Project and Chin Up Chin Up.
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ANNEX All Ages
23 W. 6TH ST. 431-1111
TU: Clinton Fearon and The Boogie Brown Band,
Ras Gabriel and 4-Word--9; Reggae
WE: Clinton Fearon and The Boogie Brown Band,
Ras Gabriel and 4-Word--9; Reggae
ART OF EVERYTHING
513 MAIN ST., COTTAGE GROVE
FR: DJ Dance--8
BLACK FOREST
50 E. 11TH ST. 686-6619
TH: Stage Hogs--9; Rock, blues
FR: U-Gene Band--9; Rock
SA: Grynch--9; Rock
SU: Open Mic w/Pete Christie--9
MO: Karaoke w/Jared--9
WE: Gothabily w/Olen Kent--8:30; Gothic
BORDERS BOOKS
5 OAKWAY CNTR. 345-6072
FR: Flying Crooked--7; Acoustic
BRICK HOUSE
136 4TH ST., SPFD. 988-1612
FR: Mistbeets, Stacked--9
CAFE LUCKY NOODLE
207 E. 5TH AVE. 484-4777
TH: Raging Family--9:30; Trip-hop
SA: Brothers of Beat--10; R&B, hip hop, reggae
 |
| OTIS
TAYLOR PLAYS FRIDAY AT CAFE PARADISO. |
CAFE PARADISO
115 W. BROADWAY 484-9933
TH: Kevin Montgomery, Al Perkins, Robert Reynolds--8
FR: Otis Taylor Band--8; Blues
SA: David Helfand & Friends--8:30; Traditional
and acoustic
CHAPALA RESTAURANT
68 W. 29TH AVE. 683-5458
SA: Lo Nuestro—6; Latin
WE: Lo Nuestro—6; Latin
CLUB RIO BAR & GRILL
444 E. 3RD 484-2927
TH: Must See TV--8
FR: DJ Mike--9; Hip hop
SA: DJ Alberto--9; Salsa
TU: Family Karaoke--6
WE: DJ Mike Wet 'n' Wild Wed.--9
CORNUCOPIA
295 W. 17TH ST. 485-2300
SA: J.D. Dawson & Friends--6; Variety
 |
| THISTLE
PLAYS SUNDAY AT COZMIC PIZZA AT THE STRAND. |
COZMIC PIZZA @ THE STRAND
199 W. 8TH AVE. 302-6013
TH: T.J. Champagne--8; Jazz
FR: Ashbury Park--8; Country rock
SA: Billy Dee and the Andy Gregersen Experience--8;
Rock, humor
SU: Thistle, Abandon Ship, Carsie Bean Blue--8;
Rock, classical acoustic
DIABLO'S
959 PEARL ST. 683-3855
TH: Rumba--10; Salsa, Merengue, Pop Latino
FR: DJs Tremor, Supa J--9; Hip hop, request
SA: DJs Howie, Anmar, Supa J--9; House, dance
WE: Pimp-N-Ho Party--9; Funk, soul, disco
DOWNTOWN LOUNGE
959 PEARL ST. 343-2346
TH: DJ Supa J--9; Requests
FR: Upright Dub Orchestra--10; Reggae
SA: D-Moe vs. Dinari--10; Scratch, hip hop
MO: DJs Von Rocket, Diablo--9; '80s punk, butt
rock
TU: Stone Cold Jazz--9; Jazz
WE: Bamiki--10; Roots reggae
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
EUGENE WINE CELLARS
255 MADISON ST. 342-2600
WE: Tom Cats--5; Rock 'n' roll
GOOD TIMES
375 E. 7TH AVE. 484-7181
TU: Rooster's Blues Jam--8
HORSEHEAD
BROADWAY AVE. & OLIVE ST. 228-0747
SA: DJs Greencell, Dan Craig, Nemo and Dcndr--10;
Dance
JO FEDERIGO'S
259 E. 5TH AVE. 343-8488
TH: Jo Fed's All Star Jazz Jam-9
FR: Side Project--9:30; Jazz
SA: Chris Higgins Quartet--9:30; Jazz
SU: Mark Allan--9; Acoustic guitar
MO: Open Mic w/Skip Jones the Boogie Woogie Man—10
TU: Barbara Dzuro—8:30; Jazz piano
WE: Latin Flavor w/Paul Paydos Trio—9; Latin
jazz
JOHN HENRY'S
77 W. BROADWAY 342-3358
TH: '80s Night w/Chris, Jen and Jon--10
FR: DJ and Dance Night--9
SA: Nimbus and guests--10
SU: Dan Jones and the Squids, The Sham, Ed Cole
and the College Girls of Tora Bora--10
MO: The Dynasty, Strange Folks, Hard Times Record
Artists, Shrapnal and others--10; Hip hop
LAVELLE'S TASTING ROOM
5TH ST. PUBLIC MARKET 338-9875
FR: Jenny Payne--5:30; Jazz
SA: Jenny Payne--5:30; Jazz
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
TU: Open mic--9
WE: Coyote Ugly--8
LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR
933 OLIVE ST. 687-4643
TH: Last Chapter--9:30; Rock
FR: Ashbury Park, Sweet Island Thyme--9:30; blue
grass, Jam rock
SA: Mist Beets, Savitri--9:30
TU: Jazz 'n' Beer w/Ken Slackerman--9:30
WE: Ladies' Night w/Huckleberry--9:30
 |
| MARE
WAKEFIELD, LAURA KEMP AND TONY KALTENBERG PLAY WITH TR KELLEY AND
ROY BREWER, THURSDAY AT LUNA. |
LUNA
30 E. BROADWAY 434-5862
TH: Laura Kemp, Mare Wakefield, Tony Kaltenberg,
Roy Brewer, TR Kelley--8:30; Singer/songwriters
FR: Erik Muiderman—6:30; Guitar
SA: Erik Muiderman—6; Guitar, Lo
Nuestro--9; Latin salsa
SU: Buster B. Jones CD recording party--6; Guitar
MAC'S AT THE VET'S
1626 WILLAMETTE ST. 344-8600
TH: Christie & McCallum—7; Oldies, country
FR: Juke Joint Blue--9
SA: Jet Harris and the Hot Rod Hellcats--9; Rockabilly
WE: Bourbon Renewal--9; Blues
OREGON ELECTRIC STATION
27 E. 5TH 485-4444
FR: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz
SA: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz
OVERTIME TAVERN
770 S. BERTELSEN 342-5028
TH: West Side Blues Jam--8:30
FR: Cheeseburgers--8
PERUGINO
767 WILLAMETTE ST. 687-9102
WE: Irish Jam--7; Celtic
PLANET GOLOKA
679 LINCOLN ST. 465-4555
FR: Open music jam--7
SA: Kirtan chant and dinner--6:30
WE: Kava ceremony--6:30
QUACKER'S
2105 W. 7TH 485-5925
MO: Karaoke--9; Variety
WE: Quacker's Blues Bash—8:30; Blues jam
RAMADA INN
225 COBURG 342-5181
FR: Rock-it-9:15; Rock
SA: Rock-it-9:15; Rock
 |
| THE
CROOKED JADES PLAY FRIDAY AT SAM BOND'S GARAGE. |
SAM BOND'S GARAGE
407 BLAIR 431-6603
TH: Grasshopper, Brian Patrick--9; Americana
FR: The Crooked Jades, Fiddlin' Sue Band--9:30;
Old time music
SA: Honeybuckit, Myshkin, Laura Freeman--9:30
SU: Irish Jam--4, The Visible Men, Al Larsen--9;
Rock
MO: Arjun and The Guardians--9; Reggae
TU: Bluegrass Jam--9
WE: Jolie Holland--9; Country rock
SAMURAI DUCK
980 OAK ST.
345-6577
TH: Destiny, others--9:30; Hip hop
FR: YOB, Valis, Argonaut--9:30; Doom metal
SA: Blind Nil, The Wobblies, Crimes of Ambition--9:30;
Punk
SU: Hip hop dance party--9:30
MO: Further Down, B-18, Cardinal, Ape--9:30; Indie
rock
TU: El Hefe--9:30; Eclectic hip hop, reggae
WE: The Prisoner's Dilemna, Harlot's Web--9:30
SWEETWATER'S
VALLEY RIVER INN 687-0123
FR: The Jive Masters--8; Swing, dance blues
FR: The Jive Masters--8; Swing, dance blues
TACO LOCO
900 W. 7TH AVE. 683-9171
SA: Mood Area 52 Trio--7; Tango
WE: Fuzz--7; Funk, jazz
TARASCO'S
100 E. BROADWAY
FR: Salsa w/DJ Mario Mora-9
TINY TAVERN
394 BLAIR BLVD. 687-8383
TU: Los Pistoleros--10; Latin polka
THE VOLCANO
535 MAIN ST., SPFD. 741-6001
TH: Blues Jam--9:15
FR: Rock--9:15
SA: Rock--9:15
SU: Karaoke--9:15
MO: Karaoke--9:15
TU: Rock--9:15
WE: Ozone Baby--9:15; Rock
WETLANDS
922 GARFIELD ST. 345-3606
SA: Toad in the Hole, The Koozies, The Whopner
Co. All Stars--10; Irish drinking music, country
WILD DUCK MUSIC HALL
169 W. 6TH 485-3825
TH: New Monsoon--9:30; Rock
 |
| APPLESEED
CAST PLAYS FRIDAY AT THE WOW HALL. |
WOW HALL All Ages
291 W. 8TH AVE. 687-2746
TH: Volunteer orientation--6:30
FR: The Appleseed Cast, The Mercury Program, Chin
Up Chin Up, Minethirtyseven--8:30; Rock
SU: Dead Meadow, YOB, Eat Shit Fuckface--9:30;
Rock
MO: Bellydance Superstars and the Desert Roses--8:30;
dance
YUKON JACK'S
4TH AND W. BRDWY., VENETA
935-1921
FR: Steppin' Out--9; Rock
SA: Steppin' Out--9; Rock
SU: Karaoke--7
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