It’s only natural, once temperatures dip below freezing and the sidewalks all ice over for three months, that a person’s mind turns toward darker, maltier, more robust beer. (For those people of drinking age, that is.) McMenamins Old St. Francis School, just outside downtown, is ready to oblige. The third annual High Gravity Extravaganza, a […]
Mcmenamins
Posted inCulture
Iran, and Then I Biked
Part travelogue, part diplomacy, biking documentary showcases mountain biking in Iran
Sports often are the best diplomacy, from ping pong in 1971 opening a long-closed door between the United States and China, to more recently, the invitation to North Korea to join the World Cup soccer games. Add to that list: mountain biking in Iran. Iran is one of the most isolated countries in the world. […]
Posted inCulture
Not Where, But How You Get There
For Thousands of Miles documents a bike journey
It’s become popular to focus on the “journey” rather than the “destination.” And yet, most journeys do reach a conclusion. Less discussed is what happens when you arrive. For Thousands of Miles (FTOM) explores the emotional impact of an arduous and solitary cross-country bike ride, and one man’s struggle to reckon with the after-journey. Inspired […]
Posted inMusic
Riding in on a Bear
Portlander Laura Ivancie says music runs in her family
Laura Ivancie had a vision. A vision of a woman riding on a bear, weapon in hand. Strangely enough, this obscure image coincided exactly with one that her friend, Mike Friolo, a graphic designer for Adidas and Nike, had. So, naturally, he put it on a T-shirt for Ivancie’s fans. (Check it out at store.lauraivancie.com.) […]
Posted inMusic
A Second Baby
Wilderness is incubating its second album
Some bands try too hard to create synergy, to harmonize their vocals and find a groove. Not Wilderness. Like the name suggests, the band’s sound is a bit chaotic. Jared Nelson Smith’s guitar occasionally races off toward Lynyrd Skynyrd Americana, while drummer Bradley David Parsons holds down a slamming beat, creating a musical diversity that […]
Posted inMusic
A Voice Reborn
Portland’s Fernando Viciconte returns with a psychedelic new sound
There’s something special about Fernando Viciconte’s voice. Whether delivering words of longing and heartbreak over sorrowful strums of an acoustic guitar, or painting dreamlike narratives over meaty psychedelic guitars, there’s a raw quality about his voice that cuts through style and cultural context to connect on an unmistakably human level. As he alternates between English […]
Posted inMusic
Taking Center Stage
At 75 years old, Ural Thomas and The Pain is Portland’s best new band!
Ural Thomas has always been there. Since starting to sing and play music at age three, he has been in the vicinity of soul music history. The “middle” of 14 children (and named for the Ural Mountains in Russia), Thomas grew up in North Portland, in what had primarily been an African-American neighborhood until recent […]
Posted inMusic
Source Suggests 2/18-2/25
Blue Lotus Calling all Phish Phans and Grateful Deadheads! If you’re someone who considers yourself a fan of jam bands, Blue Lotus fills your need for rockin’ blues, jazz and funk-inspired sets. With one listen to the band’s melodic, yet high energy, danceable sound, it’ll come as no surprise that this group of Eugene-based musicians […]
Posted inNews
World Muse and BendFilm Host ‘Girl Rising’ Screening
As a lead up to the third annual Muse Conference (March 6-8 in Bend), World Muse and BendFilm host a screening of Girl Rising, tonight at 5:30 pm at McMenamins. The film, from Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins, tells the stories of nine girls in the developing world who must overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges, just […]
Posted inMusic
First It Was Love, Then Came The Band
Blackberry Bushes are a bramble of tradition and local flavor
Nearly a decade ago, in 2006, Jakob Breitbach was playing fiddle in a band in Olympia, Washington. He often bumped into Jes Raymond, who sang in another band. “We fell in love in 2006,” remembers Raymond. Yet it wasn’t until three years later until Breitbach joined her band. “We’ve been touring together since,” she says. […]
