A few years ago, Jason Beard found himself in his garage late at night as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon played in the background. This really isn't unique – 30 percent of American males have probably been privy to a late-night Dark Side garage session. But what happened next is where things get interesting. Surrounded by recording equipment and instruments, Beard picked up his mandolin and started playing along. It's an odd marriage – the congress off a bluegrassy instrument and rock's seminal piece of psychedlia – but it worked for Beard, a founding member of Bay Area genre-smashers Poor Man's Whiskey, and by morning he'd outlined a bluegrass adaptation of the album.
Pickin' on Floyd: Poor Man's Whiskey brings their take on Dark Side to town…with lasers, of course
Posted inMusic
From the UK to the Moon, Here's The Heavy
From time to time, a show gets booked in town that causes us to first drop a “WTF?” bomb aloud, and then hit the webernet to make sure this is really, truly, actually happening – for real. That's essentially the reaction that surged through our office when the Silver Moon's talent buyer, Cassie Moore, dropped us an e-mail announcing the UK soul rockers The Heavy would be playing a Wednesday night show at the venue.
The Heavy made a big splash at 2008's South by Southwest festival and have since gained a following in the states that will likely grow in the coming weeks and months given that the band just released its second full-length record, The House that Dirt Built, which dropped just last week on Counter Records. The band combines a dance-o-licious soulful energy with a gritty rock and roll foundation. It's like the Black Keys go back in time to the heyday of Motown and bring Beck along in the DeLorean for inspiration.
Posted inFood & Drink
A Taste of the Old Country: Café Sintra brings the essence of Portugal to Bond Street
Before happening upon Café Sintra, I can't say I had ever experienced true Portuguese cuisine. I've had many meals with related Mediterranean and pan-European accents, sure. But never the distinct flavors that come from a Portuguese kitchen. Now a frequent Sintra visitor, I can now see that the Portuguese and me are cut from the same culinary cloth.
Heavy on cured and marinated meats, fragrant fresh herbs like cilantro, basil and parsley, as well as a truckload of onions and garlic, Sintra's savory side is right up my alley. And while I don't have much of a sweet tooth, my most frequent co-diner often goes in that direction at Sintra, ordering from an attractive selection of fresh pastries, pancakes, Belgian waffles and a striking sourdough French toast dipped in vanilla custard. Even the oatmeal and house-made granola stand out, making Sintra the kind of place where you can easily become a regular for their everyday, reasonably priced breakfast and lunch options downtown (most everything is under $10). There is also a Sunriver location that I have not visited but which serves the same menu.
Posted inFood & Drink
A Taste of the Old Country: Café Sintra brings the essence of Portugal to Bond Street
Before happening upon Café Sintra, I can't say I had ever experienced true Portuguese cuisine. I've had many meals with related Mediterranean and pan-European accents, sure. But never the distinct flavors that come from a Portuguese kitchen. Now a frequent Sintra visitor, I can now see that the Portuguese and me are cut from the same culinary cloth.
Heavy on cured and marinated meats, fragrant fresh herbs like cilantro, basil and parsley, as well as a truckload of onions and garlic, Sintra's savory side is right up my alley. And while I don't have much of a sweet tooth, my most frequent co-diner often goes in that direction at Sintra, ordering from an attractive selection of fresh pastries, pancakes, Belgian waffles and a striking sourdough French toast dipped in vanilla custard. Even the oatmeal and house-made granola stand out, making Sintra the kind of place where you can easily become a regular for their everyday, reasonably priced breakfast and lunch options downtown (most everything is under $10). There is also a Sunriver location that I have not visited but which serves the same menu.
Posted inFood & Drink
Angeline's: Urban Hip with Baked Treats
Whenever I step inside the funky brick-walled bakery and café at Angeline's, I feel like I'm in Seattle, not Sisters, but in a good way. The booths are tucked into cozy corners with cushions and art hanging from every angle. And the service is some of the friendliest I've ever experienced.
It's a great place for a quick grab-and-go espresso and baked treat, but the warm atmosphere and good vibe invites one to stick around and sample their comfort foods.
Posted inFood & Drink
Angeline's: Urban Hip with Baked Treats
Whenever I step inside the funky brick-walled bakery and café at Angeline's, I feel like I'm in Seattle, not Sisters, but in a good way. The booths are tucked into cozy corners with cushions and art hanging from every angle. And the service is some of the friendliest I've ever experienced.
It's a great place for a quick grab-and-go espresso and baked treat, but the warm atmosphere and good vibe invites one to stick around and sample their comfort foods.
Posted inCulture
Citizen Cane and Abel: Gerard Butler gets biblical in Law Abiding Citizen
There are bad movies and then there are bad movies. Some movies are merely not entertaining and some movies are morally reprehensible. Law Abiding Citizen manages to pull off both kinds of bad so well that it will undoubtedly become a classic of its kind.
Films often reflect social trends and political shifts. Michael Douglas, for example, has built his career on roles that chart the post-1960s crisis points of the white American male. The men he played in the films Basic Instinct, Falling Down, Disclosure, Fatal Attraction, War Of The Roses and The Game are victims of women's liberation, affirmative action and liberalism. Between this film, 300 and the Gamer, Gerard Butler looks set to take his mantle.
Posted inCulture
Soul Serenade: Cold Souls brings out the Giamatti in Giamatti
Cold Souls is a quirky dark comedy, a thought-provoking mystery, as well as a metaphor-ridden quiz. It's edgy enough to pass as weird but formulaic enough for the audience to follow. With interwoven doses of art-house film stamped throughout, it's guaranteed to keep your attention.
The notion behind Cold Souls' story is funnier than it's actually depicted on screen. Paul Giamatti plays an actor named (oddly enough) Paul Giamatti, although he's not the guy from Sideways or Duets; he's a stage actor rehearsing Chekov's Uncle Vanya and struggling to get into the character.
Posted inCulture
Beat Down: Beaterator brings your long-awaited collaboration with Timbaland to life
So Timbaland – now that we're working together, do you mind if I just call you Timba? – anyway, look, we need to take your career in a new direction. I'm not talking about the tweeny music you're producing with Miley Cyrus or those oldster collaborations with Madonna. The record industry is dead. Forget the cellphone album – that was an idiotic idea. The future is in videogames.
Don't laugh. Music videogames go way back. Haven't you heard of that old electronic game Simon? And a few years ago there was MTV Music Generator 2 for the PS2. It was pretty good. Had players moving blocks of sound around – you know, beats, melodies, snippets of bassline – the same kinds of sounds that you juggle around every day. Real music producer stuff made easy.
Posted inOutside
No Whiners: It's all about the patch
The 2009 version of Bend's Big Fat Tour this past weekend was epic as usual. I don't really know that because I was a wimp and only did the two-day recreational ride rather than the three-day “Epic” (I had to work Friday – that's my excuse). But I did see what riders looked like after completing all 148 miles of dirt and lava rock and I think the name was appropriate.
Now in its 15th year, the BBFT is the brainchild of Paul Thomasberg, who constructs new routes each year designed to test the mettle of the toughest mountain bikers. This year, the weather forecast was downright horrendous, which would have added to the “epicness” for sure, but instead riders were blessed with three days of perfect trail and riding conditions.