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"Does your local scene suck?" This was the question posed to me and four others participating in a panel discussion during North by Northwest last month. Though we failed to come up with a definitive answer about Portland, the success of the festival suggests that this city's "scene" is at best burgeoning and at worst, well, it doesn't suck. The coming week's slate of musical events may be an even better litmus test of popular music's role in the cityscape. Even without the fanfare of NXNW, the presence of such high-profile acts as Echo and the Bunnymen, Longpigs, Helium, Cornershop, Spiritualized and the Grifters should entice hordes of music fans out of their living rooms and into the rock clubs. Thursday night, Portland will eclipse even New York's avant-garde scene, as the Boston experimental rock act Cul de Sac and Salem guitarist John Fahey (pictured, right) play together at EJ's in one of only two shows planned to support their collaborative album, The Epiphany of Glenn Jones. Meanwhile, esteemed English musician Neil Campbell, who has recorded for Siltbreeze and participated in the British collective A Band, joins Portland's Hochenkeit and Chromatic Persuaders at Satyricon. The real bellwether of Portland's scene comes Saturday, when most rock clubs host formidable lineups, including some of the hottest bands in a number of genres. At the Crystal Ballroom, the re-formed Echo and the Bunnymen headlines an all-British bill that also features the Longpigs, whose single "On and On" has been moving steadily up the charts, and Subcircus. Another noteworthy English act, Cornershop, appears between the Dandy Warhols and sitarist Allon Beausoleil at LaLuna. Bands representing three of the most respected indie labels visit the Oak Street Art Center: Matador's Helium, Up's Quasi and Flydaddy's Syrup USA. Among local bands, few have as much momentum right now as Richmond Fontaine and Sunset Valley, which share a bill at EJ's with two of Portland's finest country-influenced singer-songwriters, Little Sue and Jim Boyer. Some of the rising stars within the peculiarly popular realm of Christian rock--Third Day, Allstar United and Switchfoot--come to spread a message of faith with power chords at the Roseland. And for those who like their pop with a softer edge, Berbati's brings Seattle's Amateur Lovers to open for Portland's 44 Long and the Maroons. Without the advantage of a wristband that allows entry to all the venues for one cover charge, the average clubgoer won't be able to see several shows on this unusually active Saturday. It's therefore one of the most competitive nights in the Portland rock scene's history, as the 1,000-plus capacity Crystal, LaLuna and Roseland will vie to attract sell-out crowds while mid-size venues such as Berbati's, EJ's and Oak Street offer alluring alternatives. If all these places are filled with enthusiastic fans, this city will be established as one of the healthiest environments for live rock in the country. If the musicians onstage are peering out at empty dance floors, however, it may provide an easy answer to my panel's question. Welcome Back: Two ex-Portlanders who found success after leaving the city return this week with New York-based projects. Raised in Portland, Rick Lee is the percussionist in Skeleton Key, which recently released its Capitol debut, Fantastic Spikes through Balloon. The quartet appears Friday at EJ's. Anders Parker recorded his first Varnaline album on a four-track while living in Portland in the mid-'90s, then moved back to his native New York, joined Space Needle and landed his own recording contract with Zero Hour. His latest release is the EP A Shot and a Beer, and he's currently touring as an opener for the Grifters, who play Satyricon on Monday. Big in Britain: The Oct. 18 issue of the British weekly Melody Maker raves about "Everyday Should Be a Holiday" from the Dandy Warhols' new album, Come Down, which won't be released in England until January. "Great wiry guitar and chuggy keyboard plus a sweeping, understated hookline," writes columnist Steve Lamacq. The same issue of the tabloid features a tour diary of Scottish media sensation Belle & Sebastian. The story details the band's trip to Manhattan, where Belle & Sebastian hung out with Janet Weiss of Quasi and Sleater-Kinney, mistakenly referred to as "Janis." Nice try, blokes. |
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