|
MUSIC COLUMN BY RICHARD MARTIN
Playing Through A Tragedy: When Portland band The Planet The took the stage at EJ's Thursday night, it was missing one of its members. He hadn't quit unexpectedly. He wasn't across the street at Club 21 drinking whiskey and flaking on the gig. And his absence might not have mattered much because the three-guitar-and-drums ensemble had two perfectly competent six-string players to cover for him. But Michael Molina wasn't on stage with a guitar slung over his shoulder because he was in a Portland hospital's critical-care unit, recovering from brain surgery and awaiting further operations on his heart and broken bones. At about 1:30 am on Aug. 23, while on his way home from a post-North by Northwest party at the Benson Hotel, Molina was cruising up Southeast Powell Boulevard on his motorcycle when an alleged drunk driver struck him and sent him crashing to the ground. Molina's been in and out of consciousness since then, enduring a series of medical procedures along the way. The accident occurred at an inopportune time (as if any such tragedy could be timely). The Planet The had recently released its debut CD, Part I. Introduction, a promising debut filled with guitar-generated maelstroms, vintage SST-styled punk-rock songcraft and a touch of playfulness that set this band apart from so many others. Its live performances were beginning to attract a small but devoted legion of fans. Transplanted from its original home in the Chicago area, The Planet The looked and sounded like one of the more talented prospects on the Portland scene. Without mentioning Molina, the three bandmates began an inspired set at EJ's on Thursday, interpreting songs from the CD and adding a few extras such as the jaunty "Red Beer," which like much of The Planet The's other material boasted nimble-fingered guitar calisthenics and scatological, somehow articulate vocals. The two guitarists and the drummer played their songs--as one might expect given the situation--as if on a mission, appearing diligent, passionate, extreme. After completing what they'd announced as their final song for the night, the three musicians maintained a sparse groove that threatened to fall apart. With an indignant expression on his face, guitarist-vocalist Charlie Salas-Humara poised himself near the microphone in what seemed a frozen moment. Then, as 50 or so spectators peered on, silent with anticipation, the three musicians launched a reprise that darted and ricocheted, with sparks of sound flying everywhere. At the coda, the guitarist-singer stepped to the mike and said, "Thanks, I appreciate it." He pulled back, then returned. "Mike appreciates it." Donations to assist in Michael Molina's recuperation can be made at any Bank of America branch. The Planet The will play two benefit shows for him as well. The band will accept contributions while performing on KPSU (1450 AM) on Sept. 12 at 9 pm and will donate proceeds from its Sept. 29 performance at Satyricon to the fund. All You Need Is Sun: Sean Lennon's debut appearance in Portland coincided with the kickoff of the annual Labor Day Rose Garden Amphitheater concert series in Washington Park, on what happened to be one of the nicest days of the year. The lanky 22-year-old made pronouncements such as "We're going to keep it beautiful for you," but he and his band left many in the sun-soaked crowd wondering what the hell they were watching. Lennon's album Into the Sun has sparked debate amongst alt-rock connoisseurs, with some decrying the lightweight sound and lack of focus and some praising the daring attempt to incorporate pop into other stylistic settings such as lounge and samba. I count myself among the latter, but Lennon's Rose Garden show was a jumbled mess. In fairness, kinks in the sound system marred the first half of his performance, when he attempted some of the wispier material. But Lennon didn't help his cause when he concluded the set--as an opener for Morcheeba and Pink Martini--by leapfrogging from anemic country music to poorly executed hip-hop to anthemic rock. He's certainly got potential. Hopefully, he'll figure out what he's doing before he visits Portland again. One Night Only: Next Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 pm at the Hollywood Theater, the Beastie Boys' Milarepa Fund will present a single screening of the 1997 benefit concert held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park for the people of Tibet. Free Tibet featured performances by Björk, the Foo Fighters, the Fugees, Pavement, Sonic Youth and Smashing Pumpkins, among others. Various Artists Various Artists
originally published September 9, 1998 |
