Coffeehouse Folk Fairytale

If you’re a sensitive artsy type who swoons over emotional prowess in music, then Laura Marling, a musical folk fairy, is right up your alley.

Marling began her career at 16 after gaining a large following on MySpace (ah, the good ’ole days) and her popularity continued when she joined hipster heartthrob band Noah and the Whale in 2006. She took her music in a different direction after splitting with both Noah and the whale by 2008. Five albums later, Marling is kicking folk ass with her solo career.

She threads themes of sex, shitty relationships and independence into her songs with her ability to write poetic lyrics with a dash of quirk and sass. Imagine a more pixie-esque English version of Regina Spektor, but with added edge. Marling has created a sound that’s mostly alt-folk rock, but her lyrics push her music into the realm of spoken word.

Her latest album Short Movie has a bit more electric guitar and percussion than her earlier music, but she keeps the same quirky punch and lyrical zest of her past tunes.

Grab some coffee, dress in your best distressed artist’s attire and go see Marling perform 8 pm Wednesday, Sept. 28, at WOW Hall; $16.

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!