Warming Up

Posted inMusic

Warming Up

The Source Staff

Sound Check would like to announce that the winter music lull has
finally come to an end. We can say this with confidence thanks to the
massive pile-up of music that hit town last weekend.

It began with a
Thursday night jaunt to a packed and delightfully sweaty Silver Moon
Brewing Co. where That 1 Guy was using his patented Magic Pipe (which
is probably not actually patented) to stir the assembled masses into a
funked-out fury. He did the same for the under-21 crowd that packed the
sidewalk to get a look at That 1 Guy (real name: Mike Silverman) and
his magic tricks, metal breakdowns and constant smiles. Oh yeah, and he
turned his homemade instrument into a fog machine on two separate but
equally impressive moments.

Posted inMusic

Sounds from the Squeezebox

The Source Staff

Who knew Weird Al had kin in Oregon?Jason Webley plays the accordion and that's probably the first thing
you'll notice about him. The next thing that you'll realize is that the
Jason Webley Trio, in the spirit of so many other bands that play on
the McMenamins' Great Northwest Tour, doesn't fit all that easily into
any sort of prepackaged genre.

The Seattle-based Webley leads his
band through largely up-tempo numbers full of accordion, of course, and
laden with a gypsy influence that runs through much of Webley's music.
At times the tunes touch on the sort of gypsy fervor made famous by
bands like Gogol Bordello, but other tracks like "Almost Time to Go"
show Webley's indie-folk tinged songwriting talents. And the full
extent of his band is showcased on more rocking cuts like "Ways to
Love" that bring to mind the soaring storytelling stylings of bands
like The Decemberists or maybe the Mountain Goats. And the accordion
isn't a novelty in Webley's act - he knows exactly how to fit it into
his songs and also knows when it's time to shift to guitar.

Posted inMusic

Four Kentuckians in Oregon: Cicada Omega is out of place, but hardly out of tune

The Source Staff

Perhaps we should have got instruments before blowing the budget on these suits.Cicada Omega is a band of Kentuckians living in Portland. The four
Southerners are musical expatriates of sorts. They're playing a
complicated blend of styles that's anchored in blues but touches on
gospel and roots rock in a city where people sometimes might merely
stare and wonder what the hell the quartet is doing.

Dave Rue is one
of Cicada Omega's two percussionists and says that he often finds his
band, which is arguably one of the city's most original acts,
nonetheless buried within Portland's music scene.
"I wouldn't say
that it's been really easy for us here. It kind of seems like a lot of
the music going on here in Portland isn't like what we're doing," says
Rue, an admitted "music junky" whose day job has him working in a world
music store.

Posted inCulture

Our Picks for the Week of 2/18-2/26

The Source Staff

Mass Transit, Mindscape,
Gainon the Illyrical
friday 20
Start
off the weekend with a free night of local hip-hop headlined by the
eclectic beats of Mass Transit. The show is hosted by Mindscape, who
many of you probably know as Fish from Person People, but he's got a
sweet game of his own. Oh yeah, and it's free, did we mention that.
9pm. Players Bar & Grill, 25 NW Century Dr.
Cicada Omega, Larry and His Flask
friday 20
This
Portland band brings a special brand of Kentucky fire and brimstone
coupled with rock, soul and blues…and plenty more. Read more about them
in the Sound section. 8pm doors, 9:30pm show. Silver Moon Brewing Co.,
24 NW Greenwood Ave. $5.
 

Posted inOpinion

Stimulate This!The people’s bailout, trials of the Taliban, and Bristol Palin

Eric Flowers

Finally proving that they can do the nation's business without bipartisanship or any semblance of full disclosure - having learned well from the Bush Admin and GOP - Democrats passed the $787 billion stimulus bill with a House vote of 246-183, and a Senate vote of 60-38 (with only three Republican Senators saying "Yeah, sure…"). Republicans, obviously exhausted from blowing our nation's future over the past eight years, will soon be replaced by a third-party known as "2012 Mayans and Other Loonies Enshrined Symbiotically" (acronym: MOLES). Despite a firestorm of criticism, President Obama can now claim victory, and is only eclipsed by Abraham Lincoln as the greatest president ever: Seriously, name one president who has dealt with more bullshit than Obama in his first few weeks. "Shovel-ready" projects will promptly receive funding, including $15 million to lowly Bend to widen U.S. 97. Unemployed carpenters should start digging ditches to refill, service workers should learn to gut and cook panhandlers (young bums can be rather sinewy, and older should be served well-done, to avoid ring-worm and to fully baste the Thunderbird). Meanwhile, monkey butlers approved in the stimulus bill will be arriving at Broken Top in the next few weeks.

Posted inOpinion

Impufficient: Or, Hijacked by Harvard in Central Oregon

Eric Flowers

During my lifetime, there have been more than a few occasions where I've felt the impulse to act to fix something. Typically, my wife recognizes this devious, uniquely intense, gleam in my eye as she observes me moving about rather deliberately, locating the tools I'll require to address the task at hand. (She usually rolls her eyes and makes a barely audible, primal grunting sound indicating, oh boy… Here we go again). My family has learned over the years that when I act on these impulses, the consequences of my efforts are rarely sufficient to produce the desired results (especially if it involves electricity or plumbing). My family characterizes these episodes in my life as impufficient. Let me explain.

Posted inNews

Keeping the Light On: As unemployment soars so does demand for energy assistance

The Source Staff

Krieg Brooks doesn't look like he's hit bottom. A muscular Iraq vet with a firm handshake and a Red Wings cap cinched down over a full head of hair, he appears younger than his 47 years. But keeping up appearances is part of the game when you're out of work and struggling just to keep the lights on.

A jack-of-all-trades who has worked in everything from construction to gourmet kitchens, Brooks got laid off from his last full-time job as a cook at Cascade Lakes Lodge in December. He's currently working two nights a week at a small resort café. But he's not bringing in nearly enough to make ends meet - $300 last month by his own account - just enough to make him ineligible for unemployment.
Social service providers say Brooks is representative of the kind of people they are increasingly finding on their doorsteps and in their lobbies - hardworking folks who have never, or rarely, been in the position of asking for assistance in their lives.

Posted inOpinion

Ben Cannon’s Brutal Beer Tax Increase

Eric Flowers

Don’t mess with successTimes are tough in Oregon, and all of us - including beer lovers - have to swallow hard and bear our share of the pain. But a proposal to raise the state tax on a barrel of beer by almost 1,700% is asking beer drinkers and the state's craft brewing industry to swallow way too much.

Oregon's state tax on beer currently is a mere $2.60 a barrel, one of the lowest in the country. Raising it by a moderate amount - even to about $8 a barrel, the national mean - would be completely justifiable in this fiscal emergency.

Posted inFood & Drink

Let’s Do Lunch: Great lunchtime deals let you loosen the belt

Alice Finer

All you can possibly, ever eat at Taj Palace.In lean times, we all find ourselves cutting corners. Dining
out-particularly for lunch-is usually among the first casualties of a
slashed budget. It's true, it's easy enough to save and grab a slice or
a taco at midday or (gasp!) pack a sandwich from home. But sometimes
there's business to take care of that's best done over food, or maybe
you just want to sit down for a civilized meal at midday. Well, don't
sweat the bill. Bend has some excellent options in a variety of flavors
for inexpensive lunch, and it's a great way to get your eat-out fix for
a fraction of the dinner price. The maximum cost for two at the
restaurants below was $16 (without drinks). So treat that potential
client, indulge in a hot meal that doesn't come out of a can. As the
saying goes, there's no free lunch. But it's pretty impressive what you
can get in this town if you're willing to shell out a few bucks.

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