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“You’re all a bunch of phonies” has long been one of punk rock’s favorite accusations. Providing a fresh and funny take on that old gripe are the firebrands from London, Ontario — Single Mothers. While first-gen punkers railed against flower power, Single Mothers take aim at the hipster, DIY and Etsy-crafter crowd, as well as any scene’s inevitable decline into self-parody. Continue reading
“I want to say that no artist has mentioned Eugene, Oregon, more in songs,” Eugene-born folk-rock artist Mat Kearney tells EW. For example, the lyrics to “One Black Sheep,” from his latest release, begin with a reference that only Eugene fans could appreciate: “I was born a love child of the seventies/ Touched down at Sacred Heart … In the city of hippies and angel dust.” Continue reading
What does one do after breaking up a successful and influential band? If you’re Christopher Hall of The Dreaming, you start again, but this time as a supergroup. In the late ’90s, Hall’s previous project, Stabbing Westward, took modern-rock radio by storm with singles “Shame” and “Save Yourself” before calling it quits in 2002. Unwilling to remain idle, Hall and drummer Johnny Haro formed The Dreaming later that year. Continue reading
New York musician Marco Benevento recorded his 2014 release Swift about as far away from the big city as possible: Cottage Grove. Renowned producer and musician Richard Swift (The Shins, Foxygen) lives in Cottage Grove. Swift consistently supported Benevento’s shows at local venue the Axe & Fiddle. When Benevento heard Swift’s production work on Foxygen’s We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic (also recorded in Cottage Grove), he knew he wanted to work with him. Continue reading
When it comes to accessing the arts, sometimes money isn’t the only obstacle. Institutions like museums, theaters and concert halls may inadvertently express an air of exclusivity, creating an invisible barricade to community members who don’t fit the profile of “arts patron.” Locally, the Eugene Opera is addressing this issue through its innovative Community Tix program, which provides free and reduced tickets to its performance season, along with something less tangible: a sense of belonging. Continue reading
Creative disruption: As PIELC (the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference) wraps Eugene in a big green hug March 5-8, one of the conference panelists, writer Mary DeMocker, is “condemning” her neighborhood with an interactive public art installation. DeMocker has run a 300-foot faux liquified natural gas pipeline through the yards along the 21st avenue block between Agate and Emerald, which will be up through Sunday, March 8. “I started out just thinking it would be on my front lawn,” DeMocker says, but then neighbors warmed to the idea. Continue reading
Words by Bryan Kalbrosky • Photos by Todd Cooper Continue reading
“I’m an activist,” says Angelita Chavez in her pico, a traditional handmade slip with red lining that shows when you pull the skirt up to dance the zapateado. “Here, I’m a dancer.” Continue reading
There’s nothing boring about ARCO-PDX, the Northwest classical music veterans who bring classical music into the 21st century by performing in venues where you can order a beer and not worry about clapping or chatting at the “wrong” moment. The group employs rock-show amplification and lighting effects, and the players memorize their repertoire — the better to connect with audiences instead of hiding behind music stands. Continue reading