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Bay Area act Ensemble Mik Nawooj fuses classical, jazz and hip-hop lyricism to create a sound with the explosive intensity of orchestral post-rock. Composer and pianist Joowan Kim takes his love for Western European classical composition and — with the help of a six-piece chamber orchestra, funk-rock percussion, a lyric soprano and rappers Do D.A.T. and Sandman — he crafts modern classical the likes of which have never been heard. Continue reading
Eugene’s The Sawyer Family has been crafting blistering tales of death, murder and suffering since 2001. The psychobilly-cum-swampy-stoner-metal act has seen lineup changes, growing pains and years of touring since its early rockabilly days, elevating themselves into a genre-defying monster. As tends to happen at home, though, this act often goes unnoticed. Continue reading
Five years ago Pantheon frontman Skyeler Williams saw an opportunity where others might have merely seen cause for complaint. He perceived what he calls “a consistent exclusion of heavy music at community events.” Luckily for Eugene’s metal scene, the hardcore vocalist is not the type to take things lying down. As the music booker and sound engineer at downtown bar The Black Forest, Williams decided to take advantage of the tools available to him and set out to change things. Continue reading
Los Angeles hard-rock act Stitched Up Heart has a unique approach to self-promotion: They make music and share it live. With a handful of festivals and a few hundred shows under their belts since their 2010 inception, the band members shirk online promotion and big-hype tours in lieu of a simple work ethic and nose-to-grindstone approach. Continue reading
It wasn’t many years ago that San Diego rapper Twisted Insane was homeless, struggling to get by, hustling CDs for food in mall parking lots and on busy sidewalks. Bouncing from one metropolitan area to another, the horror-core hip hopper would build a following and relocate, honing his craft while building a small but viciously loyal fan base. Continue reading
In 1995, three partners — Todd Davis, Bart Caridio and Mark Jaeger — set out to build a brewpub based on a mutual love of the craft and the brew itself. The trio found a spot, once a garage operated by the grandson of Eugene pioneers Allen and Rachel Bond. The location fell short of the ideal size for a brewery, but after careful consideration and falling in love with the building and its history, Sam Bond’s Garage was born, or rather reborn. Continue reading
A couple years ago, I helped film a documentary about Bad Luck Blackouts recording their debut album 13. The punk-rock trio had an enthusiastic local following, a surprisingly professional work ethic and ambitions to take the act on the road. In addition, they were incredible live. The band seemed poised to make some noise, and we wanted to capture that rise to inevitable greater success. However, as young bands often do, BLB hit a wall. Continue reading
Chicago art-rock and post-hardcore act Shellac is hitting the road for its second tour in support of 2014’s phenomenal Dude Incredible. A supergroup comprised of members of Big Black, Mission of Burma, Rapeman and more, the power trio is helmed by revered underground godfather and producer Steve Albini. You might be vaguely familiar with Albini’s body of work, having produced records for Slint, Nirvana, Mogwai, Jawbreaker, Page & Plant and Joanna Newsom, to name a few. Continue reading
Columbus, Ohio-based emcee Blueprint, aka Albert Shepard, doesn’t pull any punches. Never the type to pepper an album with radio-ready “bangers,” Shepard is an artist who creates for himself. His lyrics are incredibly personal and real-to-life, sometimes isolating the casual listener because, let’s face it, most of us go to great lengths to avoid truly knowing ourselves. Not Shepard. Soul-baring is an essential part of the package. Continue reading
Lauded purveyors of fierce and rebellious street punk, London’s U.K. Subs have released 24 albums and toured extensively over the past 40 years, showing no signs of slowing down, let alone stopping. Balancing just enough rough and tumble energy with choruses you want to shout along to and the occasional blistering solo, the Subs have crafted their own unique (but now thoroughly imitated) blend of punk, hardcore and “Oi!” — a subgenre of ’70s punk rock from the U.K. Continue reading