TRMW Archives

* FYI, this stuff is old. The current TRMW is here.

June 29, 2006

Go See Dru Donovan’s Photos at Holocene

I know, pretty lame for my first post in forever to be a “hey, go see this” type deal, but seriously, Dru Donovan, my friend, is talented as hell. I didn’t realize just how hell-talented she was till I saw this website. Seeing her photos side by side like that, I realized this woman has a very clearly defined vision, and the technical expertise to realize it. Her photos are beautiful to look at, and moving. Each color and expression seems to communicate a kind of transcendent ambiguity, like in-between emotions trapped in glass. They are really, really good.

I’m bringing this up because Dru’s going to be displaying her photography at Holocene throught out July. The show opens tomorrow, and there will be a reception, free, between 7pm and 9pm, Friday, June 30th. AND YOU SHOULD COME.

Here’s the flyer:

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October 14, 2005

Indian Jewelry (mp3)

indian jewelry

I saw this band open for The Planet The last night at Holocene. I’d read some good things about them on listservs and stuff (mostly from the E*man), and was stoked to check them out. Their sound is kind of a mix of bassy electro stuff like Alter Ego, tribal drumming a la Tussle, and weird psych rock like… um, I can’t think of an example right now. They filled the whole room up with fog, then went ballistic with the strobe light. It was pretty fucking trippy, maybe too trippy, depending on your personal trippitude. I was pretty into it, bought the above 7″ and am pretty into that too. The first track captures what I like about them – that unique mix of electronic and psych styles – and the other two don’t really grab me. I wanted to post that first track but I can’t find it online, so here’s one that’s kind of similar:

Indian Jewelry - Going South

Also, The Planet The are awesome. They are on tour now, and very much worth seeing.

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September 12, 2005

TONIGHT: PDX Katrina Benefit Auction

For the past couple weeks some good friends of mine have been working on a benefit auction and show, proceeds from which will go to the Red Cross Katrina Relief effort. They’ve been hand-decorating custom auction paddles, baking things, rounding up donations from our beautiful, creative community. It’s been an inspiring thing to watch, even if I have been a little too distracted to contribute in any meaningful way. It’s going down TONIGHT at Holocene, so please COME OUT! It’s pay-what-you-can, so bring $5, or drop $500 on some awesome art or a really tasty cookie. And did I mention dancing? DANCING. See you there!

UPDATE: Looks like I’m gonna be playing some records at this tonight! I start aroung 9:30. Fun!

***

A smorgasbord of performances by Portland favorites, with intermittent, heated, and impromptu auctioning of goods and services from local Portland artists and businesses.

All proceeds from the door, auction, and bar will go to benefit the American Red Cross. Bring clothes to donate to Portland’s refugee population (yes, we have one).

These plus 15 other auction prizes of equal intrigue!

***Homemade art-filled pinata
***4 Passes to TBA Main Stage (PICA)
***One Room of Your House Professionally Painted
***Serenades by local bands (you name the time and place!)
***a DJ slot on KPSU
***a mural painted in your home by Johnne Eschelman
***Carte Blanche evening at Holocene (entry, drinks, food…)
***Custom Cupcake Telegram
***Bike Tune-Ups
***Massage Therapy
***CD Cover Art and Design (multifresh)

***

Holocene Katrina flyer

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June 28, 2005

Dirty Projectors, E*rock, World, The Wind Up Bird, DJ Totally Cutie, Holocene, 6/14

[This post originally appeared on Team Tinnitus]

world

world by daniel

erock

e*rock by daniel

dirtyprojectors

dirty projectors by daniel

I’m super late on this so let me just say this: sometimes you go to a show and you don’t really know what you’re gonna see, and sometimes you end up with your mouth open going “holy sheezus, what IS this?” and proceed to be totally enthralled for (almost) the entire set (my attention span is flimsy). Dirty Projectors did that for me. I’d been prepared for greatness, but like any jaded person-who-goes-to-hella-shows I wasn’t totally buying it.

So I was floored. The music was alien and fascinating; the video gave me chills. The sound is totally unique: a mix of vintage crooner vibes, afropop sunny funk, and Bjork-ian epic weirdness. The band was huge and pumped: upright bass, drums, female backround singers (!!!), synth, other things I forget. It was ambitious and successful.

At one point the singers were holding out a tone and all of sudden they snapped their heads back like rag dolls and slid the notes UP. That was the coolest thing I’ve seen at a show in a long time. That ruled!

Other notes:

  • Wind Up Bird was INTENSE. One guy sitting on the floor with his laptop playing beautiful ambient music that slowly morphed into primal scream/drone therapy. That should’ve been my first clue. He later appeared in the Dirty Ps.
  • I thought I’d seen World before but I think I was wrong. They were totally good too. At one point the video was projecting a disembodied head onto Honey’s sternum. It looked like she had a tiny, evil second head. TRIP.
  • E*rock‘s new jamz are awesome. Totally spazzy dance stuff that hits on this exciting emerging intersection between weird electro stuff and house. The first track had a barking MC sample that built the beat up until you were begging for more of that clipped funky beatness, and then you got it, and it was rad. I hope that gets pressed on vinyl, cuz I’d totally spin that shit.
  • DJ Hot Air Balloon aka DJ Totally Cutie played the entirety of R.Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” and it was suitably epic. He also played lotsa chopped ‘n’ screwed Houston rap. He was totally a cutie.

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June 27, 2005

Boomerang Bling

Yesterday I got an e-mail from Scott (i don’t normally refer to people you probably don’t know by first name like that actually it’s a major blog peeve of mine but my brain feels like mush so there it is) asking me to forward a press release to my press peeps. I open it up and it’s got pictures in it and one of them is this

front_grills

which is wierd because when I was down in San Francisco for Emily’s wedding a little while ago I stayed with Kristen’s friend Dru and that very same picture was hanging in the bathroom. I thought she took it, but I guess not. I don’t know what this means. What I do know is that the world feels like a closed loop sometimes. Things I see/say/hear reappear in strange places. It’s exciting and scary.

Anyway the photo is by this guy Gavin Stevens and there will be an art show at Holocene with more of them. Looks to be a very cool thing. This whole “art at holocene” thing is rad.

***

front_grills_back

***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOLOCENE ARTS FIRST FRIDAY
July 1, 2005

Holocene, in conjunction with Central Eastside Arts District (CEAD) and First Friday, will exhibit New York artist Gavin Stevens.

Gavin Stevens is a 25 year-old photographer living in Queens, New York. He received his BFA from the California College of the Arts in Oakland, CA and is currently the photo editor of Mass Appeal magazine. Gavin’s work has been exhibited at San Francisco’s Factory Gallery, Oakland’s Ego Trip Gallery, North Gallery and Swallow Tail Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI’s Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, and is often featured in Mass Appeal.

Prior to Gavin’s move to New York City he was the manager of San Francisco’s notorious gold front retail outlet, “Mr. Bling.” Over his three-year period of employment he took hundreds of promotional portraits of the store’s clientele. Word spread and front bearers throughout the Bay Area began to approach him to be included in Mr. Bling’s marketing campaign.

“Custom Fit,” 12 color prints, is a series of images of Mr. Bling’s clientele and environment. Unlike the general mass media depiction of gold front wearing people as criminals, Gavin has documented his subjects honestly, intimately, and ultimately, as individuals. Some he represents humorously, others stoically, but all, respectively. Other images integrated within the exhibit depict and pronounce Mr. Bling’s as a modern day, popular cultural center within the San Francisco Bay Area. Holocene is excited to bring “Custom Fit” to Portland and the Pacific Northwest for the first time ever July 1, 2005.

An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9pm on July 1st, 2005. Music will be provided by Portland / Florida’s favorite party dj, DJ Sew What.

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April 28, 2005

Two Percent Majesty (…Woah)

This reminds me of staying up late in junior high watching Beavis and Butthead and seeing Bjork for the first time ever, sharing their wtf? sentiments and being totally intrigued at the same time. What is this? Where do these people come from? Answers: Two Percent Majesty, Portland, Oregon. They’re playing at Holocene tomorrow with Mirah, Wet Confetti, and Horns & Claws (ex-Intima peeps, awesome website). I’m going.

bb2pm

In this picture we see Beavis and Butthead (the video game version) watching Two Percent Majesty on TV. I am a complete and total loser.

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April 8, 2005

Promo Addendum

Also, you should go to this rad show tonight:

Flyer for Blitzen Trapper, Doris Henson, and Crinkum Crankum show at Holocene in Portland, Oregon on April 8th, 2005

NOTES:
* It’s at Holocene.
* That really tiny text says 5 bucks for PICA people.
* The first band features Raymond Bettibon and Hans Weigand.
* I swear to god my DJ name is not DJ Matt Wright. I just don’t have a solo DJ name (CUM LAZER is me and my dog Steve) so Scott put that on there. I’m thinking DJ Deluxe Vinyl Poncho. Thoughts, anyone?

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April 3, 2005

Geek Chic

Top four most common Google Image Search results for “geek chic” = bill gates, clay aiken, napoleon dynamite, weezer. Just thought you should know.

PS: This also is work-related Googling. Geek Chic is the name of the awesome dance party show going down at Holocene on April 15th w/ Glass Candy, Panther, Dantronix, and Workout. I originally thought it was called Geek Shiek, which honestly I kind of like better.

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Blast from the present!