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It wasn’t long ago that Dark Dark Dark visited Portland in support of their previous album, Bright Bright Bright, back in March. They’re back already with a new album – Wild Go – and a show tonight at SPACE Gallery. Brooklyn’s Milagres (who have played a HillyTown show before and will be on the FREE Brooklyn vs. Portland CMJ Day Party this Friday at The Rock Shop!) and local Meghan Yates open.
Interview by Robert Ker The members of chamber-folk sextet Dark Dark Dark often refer to themselves as a nomadic band. Musically, they can be all over the map: their latest album, Wild Go, is their typical blend of classic pop, indie rock, New Orleans dirges, lounge singing, chamber folk, and whatever else they can pull together from their eclectic instrumentation and exploratory songwriting. Their road atlas is no doubt well-worn as well. The band is based in Minneapolis but boasts players from throughout the country. They write on the road and tour constantly — after performing in Maine just seven months ago, they return for a show at Space Gallery at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12. Tickets are $7. I spoke with co-singer (along with Nona Marie) and multi-instrumentalist Marshall LaCount by telephone in advance of this gig. Read on…
Normally I’d just post this elsewhere (like on my personal Tumblr) but since it’s in the middle of the Arts District and nearby so many Portland venues, it seems relevent. Today they removed the sign and fully shut down the L.L. Bean Outlet Portland. It’s quite a bit retail space – any guesses or insight as to what might take it next?
Jakob Battick‘s 4-song album, Heavy The Mountains, Heavy Are The Seas is now available for purchase/download (with bonus demo/alt/preview tracks included) on Bandcamp. It is also the new featured album right here on HillyTown for the next week. This is not an easy album: the songs are long, dark, and often meandering at times, but ultimately rewarding. It’s a good introduction to just one side of Jakob Battick (& Friends), who has shown himself to be a strong rising talent in the Portland music scene. See for yourself tonight at SPACE Gallery, as JB&F opens for Brooklyn’s (excellent, and previously sadly overlooked in town) La Strada.
Nosh, the new “Kitchen Bar” opening in the space at 551 Congress Street formerly occupied by The White Heart, looks like it’s just about ready to open (
Last year I caught a bit of the Downtown Showdown Rail Jam in Monument Square (photo above), and this year it’s happening again this Saturday, January 30th. The event is sponsored by Sunday River and Sugarloaf and starts at 5pm.
I tried to get photos and interviews for all 9 acts performing at tomorrow’s Tower Of Song Festival (Saturday, May 23) and definitely came close, though a couple didn’t quite get finished. Below is a photo of the band that will close out the festival, Spencer And The School Spirit Mafia, taken at the incredible Temptations Vs. Supremes Clash Of The Titans the other night.
Additionally, Chriss Sutherland was totally cooperative but our schedules just didn’t work out to do a photo shoot. The photo below is from an outdoor concert last summer. Chriss has a new album called Worried Love, available now from Peapod Recordings. He plays the Tower Of Song Festival second, at 12:35.
Since I’m skipping the usual HillyTown Roundup this week in lieu of the Tower Of Song Fest coverage, here are just a few other shows of note happening this weekend:
As a final treat, since Dilly Dilly, Sontiago, and Lady Lamb The Beekeeper are all going to be performing at the Tower Of Song Fest, here’s a shot of their collaborative alter-ego, Hairy Brass Knuckles. You may remember them from this.
To review, here are all of the Tower Of Song Festival performer HillyTown portraits & interviews: Jesse Pilgrim, Chriss Sutherland, Anna’s Ghost, Samuel James, Over A Cardboard Sea, Dilly Dilly & Sontiago, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Johnny Fountain & The Manes, Spencer & The School Spirit Mafia. Happy Summer! Local bluesman Samuel James is a busy guy. Not only does he hold down a Thursday night residency at Blue but he is regularly tapped for opening gigs for the likes of Johnny Winter and the like when he’s not touring the country. Between official gigs you can often find him playing somewhere around town, wowing crowds with his slide guitar work and knack for storytelling. Photos by Bryan Bruchman, interviews by Will Ethridge.
What was the most unusual place you’ve ever played music in? What is the most mysterious album you own? (i.e. you don’t know anything about the musicians’ identities) Describe your favorite sound not made by a musical instrument. For more info on the Tower Of Song Festival on Saturday, May 23 in Congress Square, visit their info page. Dilly Dilly has been through so many music scenes over the years, from touring the world with Cerberus Shoal (her former bandmate from that group, Chriss Sutherland, is also on this festival) to backing Sage Francis to teaming up with Sontiago (who she shares the 3:40pm slot with at this Saturday’s Tower Of Song Fest), she’s now ready for her own spotlight, with a killer album just waiting for the right audience. Get a preview this weekend, and then don’t miss her opening slot for Pink Mountaintops at SPACE Gallery on June 3. For extra fun, check her out in the Kim Gordon role at the Sonic Youth vs. Pixies Clash Of The Titans the night before at Empire. Photos by Bryan Bruchman, interviews by Will Ethridge.
What was the most unusual place you’ve ever played music in? Cerberus Shoal had just finished setting up for a show at KSET in Slovenia. Chriss, Tim and I were still on the stage messing around on our instruments when all of a sudden the stage started shifting back and forth. Tim had just jumped off the stage so I thought it was his heavy feet… but seconds later we were told to leave bacause we’d just experienced an earth quake! My first ever… a 3.1! What is the most mysterious album you own? (i.e. you don’t know anything about the musicians’ identities) Describe your favorite sound not made by a musical instrument. What do you think happens when you get too far from your house? For more info on the Tower Of Song Festival on Saturday, May 23 in Congress Square, visit their info page. |
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