Holy Buckets!

Rubblebucket is a bucket load of fun. Do you like fun? Do you like dancing? Do you like a woman leading six men into the head-bopping, toe-tapping, hip-swiveling, horn-happy fray, fighting off mediocre mainstream pop with trumpets, trombones and saxophones?

If the answer is yes, queue up “Came Out of a Lady,” off 2011’s Omega La La, stat. Then rock out to 2013’s “Save Charlie” off Save Charlie; the seven-track EP throws some seriously sunny punches, enough to keep your vitamin C levels up through the winter until the indie pop band releases its third full-length album come 2014.

I’m pretty sure two disco balls smashed Mates of State, Reel Big Fish and Ladysmith Black Mambazo together, and out of the sparkling splinters sprung lead singer and (tenor and bari) sax player Kalmia Traver with her six-piece, electro-brass army — a super-duper upbeat band, but not in a white-robed, Polyphonic Spree kind of way. Paste Magazine describes the Vermont-born, Brooklyn-based band best: “joyous jungles of worldly pop-funk, instrumentally rich but catchy enough to ass-kick Katy Perry off the pop charts (in a just world) — mega-melodic without sacrificing an ounce of atmosphere or creativity.”

To top it all off, Traver announced on the band’s Facebook page Oct. 15 that she is “done with chemo!” This summer, Traver was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She continues, “Touring this month has brought me back so much strength already. I can’t wait to keep seeing (and painting on) all your smiling faces as we go on through the fall. Come say hi and let’s DANCE!”

Now that’s something to celebrate; head out on Halloween and hear Rubblebucket roar.

Rubblebucket plays 9 pm Thursday, Oct. 31, at Cozmic; $10 adv., $12 door.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!