About Last Night: Summer Cannibals @ Doug Fir Lounge 01/09

Last night in the cozy confines of the Doug Fir Lounge, those of us willing to shrug off the weight of our work week and dreg through another miserably wet Portland night, were rewarded with an ass shaking, jaw dropping and mind blowing rock show.

By Mark Lawrence IV

Opening the night was the catchy garage pop of the Spookies. This was my first time seeing the band, and now I’m hooked. At times vibrating with a certain kind of eccentric pop madness, the bounding performance of lead singer, Mayhaw Hoons was a true pleasure to behold. Matching the wildness of his ginger locks, Hoons seemed barely able to contain himself at times, stepping from the mic to scream his lyrics with out audio enhancement so as not to overload the system. Energetic and fun, the infectious rhythm of their opening set leapt from the stage causing the audience to break out into random feats of joyous dancing. The uncomplicated dynamic of the bands single vocal set up has allowed Hoons voice to find compliment in the instrumental support of a band of awesome musicians whose focus is absolute in the music they are playing. The end result is a seamless tapestry of sound built with the tightly woven guitar play of Alex Arrowsmith and Jeff Lehman and the rhythm and sway of Nightmaren Couch and Colin Anderson’s Bass and drums that holds to a near perfect groove. The Spookies’ opening set was truly memorable and proved my long standing additive that opening slots are where you can find great bands.

By Mark Lawrence IV

Quick to follow was the bold punk sound of Hurry Up! True to their name the band came on fast and furious. Aggressively raw, this band is awesome and rightly so compiled of Thermals’ Kathy Foster and Westin Glass on drums and guitar and scene staple and The Bangs member Maggie Vail on bass. Every time I see this band I love them that much more and they’re quickly becoming one of my new home town favorites. As though connected on a harmonically psychic level this band’s music is built of a near perfect sonic architecture. Adding to the uniqueness of their music is Glass and Vail's trading vocals. The energy of the band continued the acceleration of the night as the house filled and the crowd grew more excited for the main event.

By Mark Lawrence IV

Finally the time came for the Summers Cannibals to take the stage and they took it with no quarter, launching right into their darkly rich rock ‘n’ roll. Celebrating the release of their new Make You Better EP, this night was all about them and the band was in top form. As always Jessica Bourdreaux commanded the stage with her vibrantly potent demeanor. Tearing through their set with pure abandon the Summer Cannibals were like a storm of sound and fury. Marc Swart and Bourdreaux both dug away at their guitars with an animal like aggression while Valerie and Lynnae's  grooves and rhythmic beats were hypnotically sensual in nature. Yet again this band proved why they are quickly becoming one of my new favorite live Portland acts. Even though they played every song in their catalog, leaving nothing for an encore. When the lights were brought up many of us wished they could have kept playing, the echo of such an awesome rock show so fresh in our ears.    

By Mark Lawrence IV

About Last Night: Kate Nash @ Mississippi Studios 05/13

Photo By Mark Lawrence IV

Last night was the most fun I’ve ever had at Mississippi Studios, which is saying a lot for a Monday night show. It helped that it was sold out and the crowd was brimming with excitement at their chance to see Kate Nash, but it’s still a note worthy fact.

Opening the night was the feel good cotton candy guitar pop of Peach Kelli Pop. Their lighthearted garage romp was energetically upbeat and infectiously danceable. There was nothing weighty about this band; they were just having fun up there on stage, and all of us in the audience could tell. Like the sun baked surf rock of the sixties this optimistic set seemed to mimic the beautiful weather outside. Allie Hanlon and her band must dine on sun rays and rainbows because their playing lacked any form of pretention. I admit this music might not save the world but it sure makes you feel good while you’re in it. Peach Kelli Pop was a perfect compliment to the performance awaiting us in Kate Nash. So as an opening act, they did their job stunningly.

Photo By Mark Lawrence IV

Now to say that Kate Nash was amazing would be a horrendous understatement, because she was so mush more than that. From the moment she took the stage Nash was an unstoppable ball of energy. Bounding across the stage with all the wonderful joy of a child in a bouncy house; at times you had to wonder if she might not be affected by gravity in the same manner as the rest of us. Projecting a powerful confidence that switched between a sensual punk rock mystic and the lovingly approachable girl next door, Nash filled the night with aggressively preformed songs and laughter inspiring stage banter.

Visually the show was uniquely compelling with the incorporation of a multimedia element that made it feel like a U2 concert, but without the pomp and high ticket prices. Not to be overlooked, Nash’s band was equally energetic throwing themselves into each song with a joyful abandonment. It was clear that they were having the time of their lives and they grew more and more excitable, feeding off the energy of the audience. 

Photo By Mark Lawrence IV


At the end of it all this show was overwhelming to the senses. Visually exciting, energetically tactile, and filled with some unforgettable musical performances, this concert will certainly rank high with all those lucky enough to have caught it. Having had little previous exposure to Kate Nash before the show I can tell you that without a doubt that next time she swings through town, I will certainly be one of the many tucked into the crowd anxious to see her again.

About Last Night: Birds of Chicago @ Mississippi Studios 01/16

Last night was like a locomotive ride, the slow scenic beginning has it's charm, but once you get moving is when things really get interesting.

Starting off the night was the gravel road serenade of the Huck Notari Trio. Ripe with a back porch mystique the mournfully eloquent songs of their set held the wonderful ache of honesty. Introspectively moody, their set lead perfectly into the earthy duet of Jenn Rawling and Basho Parks.  


Once the Birds of Chicago took the stage, they awakened a new presence in the room. Like the first break of sun on a rainy day, the energy of their live show is undeniably infectious. Paired downed to the bare minimum of JT Nero, Allison Russell and and their hired gun Joe Faulhaber on electric guitar . The fun near-danceable set this trio brought to the Mississippi Studio Stage was a great boost of life after the beautiful melancholy of the opening bands.


JT's white mans blues was richly indicative of his home town while Allison's soulful singing was a sweet mixture of Carol King's power and the lite island energy of Phyllis Dillon. Combined they livened up the trudging weight of a Wednesday night until you could almost forget that you had to work the next day. Their set list was mainly populated by songs from their self-titled album with the occasional gem from one of their individual projects. In particular was the phenomenal rendition of the JT & The Cloud's song "I Have Heard Words." The way that JT and Allison dug so deep and played off each other made this song amazing. I hope that someday they'll take the time to put it down on tape.


As the night wrapped up,you couldn't help but feel like the band had reached out on a personal level. The fun and liveliness of the band seemed to lighten the wait of the week. While the live treatment of their album tracks made me excited to listen to the CD on the ride home. In all, the night was wonderful and Birds of Chicago used their gracious charm to win over a few new fans on a cold Wednesday night. 

About Last Night: Katie Herzig @ The Aladdin Theater 05/06

Last night I was reminded that part of the joy of live music is the total experience of it; the who's, the what and  the hows of it all. A lot of times I review shows alone, tucked into the crowd just a guy with a camera and a little black book jotting down notes. If  I'm lucky though, sometimes I get to share the experience. In the case of Katie Herzig at the Aladdin Theater my wife and, even more special, my 11 year old daughter. It was neat to experience the show through her eyes. I thought she'd explode when after finding out that we weren't stuck in the balcony, were able to find three seats in the second row. I have to say that a certain joy washed over me at her entranced expression as the house lights dimmed and Andrew Bell took the stage for his opening set.    


 Cheerfully playful with the audience, Andrew Bell had a wonderful performance demeanor. Like a mainland Jack Johnson; but instead of a tropical paradise, Bell's sound was clearly cultivated in a more realistic setting  Filled with songs that  though lyrically sad still express a very comfortable feel. His set started off the night perfectly. Bell's voice washing over the audience in soft waves, his lyrics mingling with our thoughts as all good stories do. Both solo and backed by members of Kaite Herzig's band,(Jordan Hamlin; guitar, Billy Brimblecom; drums, and Greg Lafollette; bass) .  Andrew Bell's opening performance was awesomely executed  leaving those of us unfamiliar with him pleasantly impressed.


In perfect Portland fashion the theater filled in significantly during the intermission, providing a fairly good showing for a Sunday night. A testament to the ground work Katie Herzig has laid in her fairly frequent visits to our city. More accustomed to the Doug Fir Lounge, the acoustics of the Aladdin Theater wonderfully embraced her music like an old friend. Aladdin is an odd venue at times so, it's a wonderful treat when an artists sound fits it perfectly.

Coming out of the gates with a untypical flurry, Herzig pushed through her first three songs with a focused conviction that amped up the energy of the room. It was almost as if she had a monkey to get off her back.

Once the initial burst subsided Herzig settled into a consistently relaxed pace that mixed a showing of her songs from the better part of her last two albums. From the soft ache of "I Hurt Too" to the playful energy of the crowd Favorite "Hey Na Na." the set list highlighted the multiple layers of Herzig's music and the amazing skills of the musicians she surrounds herself with. Jordan Hamlin in particular, who during the stent of their set played the better half of a music store. Not to be over looked, each of the band members displayed multiple instrumental skills which allowed for a uniquely flexible and polished performance. In addition to their remarkable skill, it was apparent that this group of people truly enjoyed each others company. Their genuine comradery was apparent in their on stage comfort and playfulness. From the Erythmics/White Stripes cover smash up, an impromptu rap from bassist Greg Lafollette, to Hamlin's NAMM worthy demonstration of her newest effects petal the play of the band showed that in addition to amazing musician these indiviules were wonderfully human as well.  

A truly awesome show that even my daughter ranks as her all time favorite concert; a big deal since Kaite Herzig rates higher than the Jonas Brothers.