Featured Shows
Abraham Alexander - The Old Church, PDX
Abraham Alexander on his first headlining tour plays The Old Church in Portland, OR. The debut album Sea/Sons is out now.
photos by Julia Varga
As I crossed paths with Abraham Alexander in the hallowed halls of The Old Church in Portland, his excitement for the upcoming show was palpable, conveyed in the warmth of our brief embrace. It wasn't my first encounter with this remarkable artist; I've had the privilege of witnessing his talent unfurl on stage three times now, each occasion leaving an indelible mark on my soul.
Set against the backdrop of The Old Church's intimate ambiance, Alexander's resounding gospel-esque voice reverberated through the wooden pews, finding its home among the rafters adorned with a majestic pipe organ. It felt fitting that he should grace such sacred ground for his first headlining tour, offering a deeply personal narrative woven into the fabric of his latest album, "Sea/Sons."
The evening unfolded as a poignant odyssey, with Alexander sharing intimate glimpses into his life's tapestry – from his origins in Greece to the tender moments spent with his family by the ocean, immortalized on the album's cover. The audience, hushed and reverent, hung on his every word, the shutter of my camera echoing like a punctuation mark in the solemn silence.
Family, a recurring motif in Alexander's music, served as the thematic bedrock of the evening. Emotions ran high as he delved into the depths of loss and longing, each note a cathartic release of pent-up sorrow. Yet, amidst the heartache, there were also songs of celebration – of enduring love and timeless bonds that defy the passage of time.
As the night unfolded, I found myself swept up in a whirlwind of emotions, grappling with the complexities of my own relationships in the wake of Alexander's soul-stirring performance. And through it all, he exuded a palpable sense of love – for his craft, for his audience, and for the human experience itself.
By the show's end, the once-reserved crowd was transformed, their spirits uplifted and arms outstretched to the heavens as Alexander declared, "I'm taking you to church!" And indeed, we were swept away on a tidal wave of emotion, buoyed by his infectious energy and unwavering authenticity.
The evening culminated in not one, but two encores, with Alexander's impassioned rendition of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Games" serving as a fitting finale to a night of musical transcendence. And true to form, he lingered long after the final notes had faded, graciously greeting each fan with a genuine warmth that spoke volumes of his character.
In Abraham Alexander, I found not just a talented musician, but a beacon of hope and humanity in a world often shrouded in darkness. And as I left The Old Church that night, heart full and spirits soaring, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the privilege of bearing witness to his extraordinary journey.
Stand out songs:
(all of them, seriously, all of them)
”Xavier”
”Stay”
”Bella Dawn”
”Deja Vu”
”Blood Under the Bridge”
”Knee Deep”
”Eye Can See”
”Lovers Game”
photos by Julia Varga
Goodnight, Texas - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, Oregon
Goodnight, Texas plays the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon in September 2023.
photos by Julia Varga
Goodnight, Texas. Yep, that is a real place in Texas and when asked how/why they named their band after a city/state that none of the band members are from, I got an even better answer, “Its half the way point between us” says Avi Vinocur, referring to him being on the West Coast and bandmate Patrick Dyer Wolf being on the East Coast. Well, that makes perfect sense, and it’s a super cool name to boot.
I initially discovered them in Denver last year while they were touring as support for Larkin Poe, and their set absolutely rocked then and there was no way I was missing them on their tour this year with Devon and Donavon.
Avi (lead vocals, guitar, mondolin, banjo, awesome dance moves), Patrick (lead vocals, guitar, banjo), Chris Sugiura (bass) , and touring drummer Cody Rhodes have such a fun stage presence while making their way through their folk rock set list. Their energy during their set was filled with good harmonies, rock n roll guitar riffs, blues ruled banjos and a bassist with some really great rock hair one can ask for.
A genre mixing can't-quite-pin-it kind of folk roots rock, the band recently released “Runaways” which features Kirk Hammett of Metallica, so let’s add a bit of metal to the mix.
photos by Julia Varga
Andy Frasco & The UN - The Aladdin Theater PDX
Andy Frasco & The UN play Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR
photos by Julia Varga
I knew Andy Frasco from his podcast Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast, listening to him interview some of my favorite artists, stand up comedians and actors has always been enlightening, fun and every now and then runs off the rails, and I’ve loved it! I was so thrilled to see him on the bill in PDX, and I had no idea what to expect. Luckily, I met some cool people who had seen his most recent five shows and gave me a bit of a heads up for the calamity that may ensue; I am thrilled I got the inside info, because I was prepared!
A barefooted Frasco perched behind a custom piano, greets the fans as one tosses him a mushroomy souvenir, which he happily and unquestionably gobbles up, thanks Portland for their kindness and goes right into his set.
Frasco and his band are noted for their on stage “shtick” but from what I saw, there was no “shtick” per se, there was definitely a genuine feeling of “fuck it lets play music and have as much fun as possible”, but no shtick. Frasco jumped atop his piano singing to the crowd from a dizzying height (apparently just dizzying for me , stupid vertigo) then just as easily jumps back down and takes his place behind the keys.
I grooved along to their originals, and absolutely loved their covers of Talking Heads “Life during Wartime”, Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”. Guitarist Shawn Eckels brought metal guitar riffs to complement Frasco’s piano, and Ernie Chang’s saxophone, Andee Avila on drums and at one point Frasco had everyone switch instruments mid song without interruption. Eckels even had it in him to jump on top of Frasco’s piano, as it lifted him even further towards the top of the theater and absolutely shredded.
Opener Big Something jumped on stage, along with rapper Damn Skippy (Alex Veazy) and Frasco leaned into the role as the Orchestrator of Chaos demanding guitar duels, two drummers one kit and a music mayhem to create some insane energy and an energized crowd.
Fun show for sure, I definitely recommend seeing an Andy Frasco show, with or without “shtick”, it WILL be fun.
photos by Julia Varga
Kitchen Dwellers - The Aladdin Theater Portland, OR
Kitchen Dwellers perform their progressive “galaxy grass” at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR
photos by Julia Varga
Montana based Kitchen Dwellers brought their “galaxy grass” psychedelic light show laced high energy bluegrass to Portland in February. In doing some lite research before the show, I wasn’t quite sure what exactly “galaxy grass” meant. I expected the bluegrass aspect, banjo and all, but I had no idea what I was really about to experience until I was standing shoulder to shoulder with the latest incarnations of a tie dyed tribe woozy with specialty infused chocolates.
For a band who’s name refers to their start with after school jam sessions in Montana, they’re now playing in big venues (including Red Rocks!) with amazing dancing lights, and mesmerized fans bouncing along that would make even the most notorious jam bands envious.
So you can call it galaxy grass, progressive bluegrass, jam grass, whatever you want; you’ll be filled with big sky banjos, stand up bass, and guitars that will get you moving and bouncing reaching up for those big spirited skies.
The Beths at Wonder ballroom PDX
New Zealand indie rock band starts a 6 month world tour with two nights in Portland, Oregon
photos by Julia Varga
With the recent announcement of The Beths playing Newport Folk Festival this summer, we knew we’d have to check them out asap. Luckily, the New Zealand band started their six-month world tour right here in Portland with a sold out two-night stint at Wonder Ballroom. We got to catch them on night two with a giddy crowd which took no time filling the venue after doors opened.
As The Beths walked onstage, a giant fish head inflated from behind the amps and they immediately went into their first song, “Future Me”. Between songs, name suggestions for the fish were thrown out from the crowd for a few fun interactive moments. The Beths haven’t toured North America since 2019 and the crowd was clearly exhilarated for the indie rock band’s set and fish name suggestions continued throughout the show; which made for a clever means of connecting with the crowd.
Touring their new record Experts in a Dying Field, the band brought harmonizing melodies and energetic guitar riffs. They also brought open-hearted lyrics like those in “Silence is Golden” (featured on NPR ‘s #NowPlaying in June 2022), a song that starts with fast paced drum beats, gritty guitars and quick lyrics, and ends in punk like distorted electric guitar and repeated “Silence is golden, is golden is golden”. The crowd stayed quiet until the last syallable then erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, which continued throughout the entire show and through the encore. The band made quick work of their impressive 16-song set list and 2-song encore for a fantastic start to their tour.
The onstage fish however, left Portland still unnamed.
photos by Julia Varga
Madison Cunningham- Wonder Ballroom PDX
Madison Cunningham rocks the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, OR
photos by Julia Varga
Madison Cunningham rocked the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon while touring her new album Revealer. She’s been described as the new spin on west coast folk rock and we are here for it! Her jazzy electric guitar riffs paired with percussions create a sound that walks a fine line between folk, rock, pop, a little bit of alternative and a splash of classical jazz.
photos by Julia Varga
Rising Appalachia - the Crystal Ballroom
Multi-instrumentalist sisters Leah and Chloe Smith brought their unique blend of southern roots and globally influenced American Appalacian music to Portland. And what a transcendental experience!
With music comprised from American folk, world, and urban sounds, you not only listen to the music, you experience the music. From the deep percussive beats of the drums and bass, to the light picking of the banjo, their passion is felt throughout.
Championing social and racial justice, environmental issues, and Indigenous rights, Rising Appalachia’s music is just one way to deliver their message.
