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This fairly low key evening started out with a beautiful performance by Micah Blue Smaldone, accompanied by Colleen Kinsella. Guitarist (and filmmaker) David Camlin followed with some solo fingerpicking action, before An Evening With took the stage. Jeremy Alexander’s project has had a rotating cast of characters over the years, in an effort to give the heavily Bruce Springsteen/Leonard Cohen-inspired songs life. The combo sounded great at this show, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the group continues to develop. Read on for more photos! Read on…
It’s hard to believe that it had been two years since local sensations Hiss & Chambers played live. We knew they were working on something (keep an eye out for a possible release…) but were excited to hear that they’d be making a return to the Empire stage this summer with one of our favorite bands from NY. Project Jenny, Project Jan were up here a few months ago, and they wasted little time getting back up north to win over more fans with their fun dance jams. Both bands put on excellent performances, and the Atomik crew kept it going between and after the bands for the crowd of heatwave-avoiding (thanks, AC!) dancers. Read on for photos. Read on… Congratulations to Rachel Lyn, winner of our ticket giveaway for the Project Jenny, Project Jan / Hiss & Chambers show tonight at Empire Dine & Dance! Thanks to everybody who entered and spread the word about the contest. Tickets are still available for the show here for just $6, or you can get them at the door. See you tonight! Check out the recap from last time PJPJ came through for a refresher.
Project Jenny Project Jan are a bit of a party band. Much more than the electronic duo they started out as, this full on force of a live music experience – part LCD Soundsystem, part Frank Sinatra – is determined to make Portland a regular destination. They return to Empire Dine & Dance this Friday, July 22, opening for infrequently seen local giants, Hiss & Chambers – the friendly neighborhood Atomik DJs close out the night with a full on dance party. Tickets are just $6 (available here) but we’re giving away one pair of tickets. All you have to do is send an email to hello@hillytown.com with your name and email address, with the subject line “PJPJ!” We’ll pick one winner at random and contact them first thing Friday morning! Submissions close 8:00am the day of the show, Friday, July 22, 2011. Contest participants must be 21 or older to attend the show. Good luck!
It’s that time again when we play catch up on photo posts! Last week Vanityites played a show at Empire with Phoenix Best Music champs Mallet Brothers Band and photographer Andrew Foster was there to check it out and sent these photos. This band puts on an unforgettable, exciting show and has just Port City with A Severe Joy (who played a HillyTown Presents show recently) on July 19. Read on…
Here are some photos from the show last night! Thanks so much to Empire Dine And Dance for hosting the show and Sunset Hearts for opening up. Project Jenny, Project Jan were incredible – we hope to have them back to Portland very soon. Read on…
This show has been a long time in the making. I’d actually had them penciled in to play in Portland two years ago, but they got snatched up by Fujiya & Miyagi (who they collaborated with for “Pins And Needles“) for a world tour. Their latest album, Home Sweet Home, is a bit smoother than their freaked-out spaz dance-inducing debut, Xoxoxoxoxo and the collab-happy EP, The Colors, but still keeps things moving – this time with more live instruments and even some female vocals in the mix. As the PPH’s Aimsel Ponti pointed out – you might even recognize the band from their hilarious appearance in the movie “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” or their recent props on NPR. Things have finally worked out so the Brooklyn electro rap synth dance party duo (yeah, that’s right) will be hitting town tonight to headline a HillyTown Presents show full of fun, synthy goodness at Empire.
Along for the ride is Murder Mystery, another Brooklyn band dealing in the realm of synths, pop, and indie rock (quite frankly, they come off at times as a more awesome They Might Be Giants if you ask me). Apparently their song “Love Astronaut” has inspired legions of fans to create their own videos to the tune. Check out the band’s favorites here and get working on your own moves for the show tonight!
If you pay attention to the local music scene, chances are you’ve encountered the local band on this bill. Sunset Hearts have fast become a favorite among many Portlanders with a taste for original local music. They provided the lead track on the recent Free Range Fest compilation we compiled. The Portland Daily Sun’s Matt Dodge did a Q&A with the band’s mastermind, Casey McCurry, talking Heads, drippy jungle sounds, and Mexican gangsters. Read the full article here. We hope to see you out at the show tonight. Things get started at 9pm. Cover is $7, 21 plus to get in. Read on for some videos (PJPJ make the absolute best music videos ever). Read on… I just missed Foam Castles‘ set at Empire last night, but luckily another fan caught this song, “My Merona,” on video. While the band works on their new album, get a preview of outtakes, demos, and other tracks at Soundcloud. In case you need a refresher, check out the profile we did on Foam Castles last May.
While Mister Wakefield was enjoying some comedy down the street, I was at Empire for Sunset Hearts‘ second ever show. I’d missed the first one but heard great things about it, so I made sure to be there this time around. The group formed after coming together to perform as the Talking Heads for a Clash Of The Titans show (also at Empire) earlier this year and is comprised of members of other current and recent Portland bands, including Satellite Lot, Huak/Rattlesnakes, Marie Stella (all three of my bandmates from that group are in this one, actually), An Evening With, and Elf Princess Gets A Harley. It’s a pretty eclectic group of talented musicians, but the interesting thing is that even with 8 people on stage, the music is so focused and well-orchestrated, that the focus remains on frontman (and songwriter) Casey McCurry. It was my first time really seeing him onstage in any type of commanding role, but I was impressed by the performance. Download their tunes, catch the next show, and check out the photos below. Read on… |
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