The first time she toured through Portland, Lizzy Plapinger saw a “Japanese work-of-art jacket” at a local vintage shop — but passed it up. The lead vocalist for MS MR, a duo known for its lovely secondhand threads, went back … Continue reading MS MR brings macabre, ‘jewel-tone’ pop to Crystal
This story includes photos I took published by the Oregonian / Oregonlive.com. Clad in a white jumpsuit and red hightops, a gold armband and turquoise nerd glasses, Esperanza Spalding returned to her native Portland Tuesday with a challenging new show. … Continue reading Esperanza Spalding’s Emily’s D+Evolution delivers brash, ferocious show at the Crystal
Two remote-controlled mechanical spiders, carefully hidden in the shadows of a tour bus. Frequent Nerf gun wars. One well-loved fedora. Many pairs of sunglasses. A planned trip to Lardo. And a quintet playing bluesy, sensitive-but-fearless rock and roll, anchored by … Continue reading James Bay Can’t Wait to Eat at Lardo; UK Hitmaker Plays Portland August 5
Knowledge may be power, but it’s hardly a sure path to creativity. In music, the more one tries to analyze something, the more it may slip through one’s fingers like a tough chord progression or elusive bebop riff. Instead of trying … Continue reading Esperanza Spalding Finds New Creative Outlet With Emily’s D+ Evolution
He is the hip-hop golden boy of the moment, surfing the frothy waves of social and mainstream media. He shares selfies of first daughter Malia Obama wearing his Pro Era collective’s T-shirt. He leads anti-police-brutality marches in New York. He gets … Continue reading Joey Bada$$ about to earn his hip-hop Ph.D.
Technical problems can frustrate any live musical act, but for electronic artists it’s much worse than a broken string or blown amplifier. Sonically speaking, the zeros and ones are beautiful — and cruel. Computer crash = show over. Justin Boreta … Continue reading The Glitch Mob promises ‘most insane show ever’ at Portland’s Roseland Theater
Writing in the Flat Keys: Thacher Schmid's Portfolio 