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For Jans Ingber, vocalist for The Motet, Eugene is where it all started. “Eugene was an awesome place to grow up and be a high schooler,” Ingber says. “I was in this band called The Boogie Patrol Express, and we were an original disco band. We sold out the WOW Hall a few times and did that for a few years, so that started my love of music and was my foot into the music biz.” Continue reading
When interviewing a band called Levon’s Helmet, the lead question writes itself: What’s up with your most excellent band name? “Me and Gordon were in this band called Water Tower [formerly Water Tower Bucket Boys],” says Jason Oppat, drummer and vocalist for Portland-based power pop trio Levon’s Helmet. “When we decided to make our own music we just went with it. At the time it was kind of a joke. It’s a little bit of a jab at folk and country music.” Continue reading
With 2014 knocking on the door, it’s time to reflect on the past year, which means (in today’s psyche) lots of “Best of” lists. EW is proud to announce that two photos taken by longtime art director Todd Cooper made Rolling Stone’s “40 Best Live Photos of 2013.” The photos in question? Continue reading
Baroque music and candlelight make a fine combination. On Thursday (12/20) and Friday (12/21), the Oregon Mozart Players’ annual Candlelight Baroque concert returns to the ideally intimate setting of First Christian Church. This year’s program features some of the finest music of the Baroque era: J.S. Bach’s ever-popular Cantata No. Continue reading
“Keep an eye out,” warns Johnny Kraft, drummer for local skate-punk trio Bad Luck Blackouts. “It’s been a slow time for us but it’s been a very productive time.” Since February 2013, Bad Luck Blackouts have been recording their full-length debut locally at Roadrunner Studios. The album, simply called 13 (in keeping with the band’s bad luck theme), is out now. Continue reading
Eugene-Springfield experienced a brutal domestic abuse tragedy last month with the loss of 26-year old Casey Lynn Wright, a devoted equestrian, at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Robert Cromwell. Domestic abuse remains a grave but silent problem; Womenspace reports that one in four women in the U.S. will be a victim of intimate partner violence. In honor of Wright, Womenspace is hosting a benefit, “Sing Through The Blues,” featuring Savanna Coen, Bajuana Blues, Deb Cleveland as well as a silent auction 6 to 9 pm Thursday, Dec. Continue reading
Paul Basile, singer and primary songwriter of New York-based indie rockers Great Elk, is spending the winter playing solo shows. Great Elk’s 2012 release Autogeography is a sweeping, tuneful and epic work of American indie music. There’s a little Death Cab For Cutie-style romantic sadness in the soaring chorus of “The Weight Of The Sea,” and in the refrain from the song “Give Up,” Basile sings, “Let’s give up trying to be magnificent.” Continue reading
If you’re looking for the life of the party, look no further than Celtic folk-punk outfit Toad in the Hole. And since EW last caught up with them in January, they’ve brought some new partiers to the scene. New Toaders are Tiffany Holliday on fiddle and Chris Leland on guitar (both formerly of electric Irish punk-rock band ManOverBoard), as well as Graeme Pletscher on tin whistle (of Sol Seed sax fame). Meanwhile, veteran Toader and bodhran player Joel Kenney is on indefinite hiatus because of a study abroad stint in St. Petersburg, Russia. Continue reading
Jason Isbell Southeastern $10.19. Continue reading
If not for Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice, Andy Frasco might have never found his muse. As a kid in Southern California, Frasco dreamed of being a music business behind-the-scenes guy — managing bands or running a label. Dropping out of school at the tender age of 14, Frasco started a booking agency and lied about his age to work at Capitol Records. At 18, he saw Damien Rice perform live and it all changed. “I moved to New York, locked myself in a room for a year with albums like Dr. Continue reading