Big Ambitions, Tiny Venue

New bands play lots of strange places: bedrooms, basements and bars (empty or, preferably, full). On June 12, Seattle’s fledgling post-punk quartet Gibraltar plays Eugene’s Tiny Tavern, a venue that is, well … pretty tiny.

But it’s immediately apparent from their latest record, The New Century, that Gibraltar (featuring current and former members of Afghan Whigs, Visqueen, Exohxo and Spanish for 100) have arena-sized ambitions.

The big keyboard intro on album-opener “Satisfied” evokes, of all bands, Journey. And the album’s de-facto single “Ideas” recalls Hot Fuss-era Killers, a band known for new-wave revivalism and a healthy dose of Anglophilia. Gibraltar singer Aaron Starkey frequently sounds like the Killers’ Brandon Flowers (subtract the glitz and glamor of Vegas, add a Northwest rainstorm) and his guitar work is explosive, noisy and exhilarating.

Elsewhere, the Anglophilia continues — is that a British accent I hear? — with “Ostinato,” a song sounding more than a little like The Cure. The album even wraps up with a cover of The Cure’s “Never Enough.” Overall, The New Century is a dark and tuneful collection of quality pop songs that will turn any concert they play — despite the size of the venue — into a rock show of epic proportions.

Gibraltar plays with John Bellows, Hex Horizontal and Eugene’s Chest Cavity 9:30 pm Thursday, June 12, at Tiny Tavern; FREE.

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!