Gossip Should Have No Friends

[March 29th, 2006] BIRD FLU Local arts presenter White Bird Dance could have easily gone by the name White-Knuckle Dance this past weekend when the company they were hosting, the Australian-based Leigh Warren & Dancers , found not one but two of its dancers, Michael Carter and Lisa Griffiths, on the sidelines due to flu-like symptoms. Rather than cancel Saturday night's performance of Quick Brown Fox at Portland State University's Lincoln Hall, choreographer Warren reconfigured the evening's work for five dancers, instead of seven, with just an hour and a half to spare before showtime . What was left of the brave company was more than up to the challenge of not dancing with all its normal body parts. The show went off without a hitch—or sniff.

NOT QUITE SUNK After having been shipwrecked on March 1 by the Federal Communications Commission for snagging some airwaves without a license, local pirate broadcaster Portland Radio Authority is still afloat . Barely. According to station engineer Gus Elg, PRA resumed broadcasting via online streaming two and a half weeks ago, after losing roughly 70 percent of its DJs and 90 percent of its listenership. To get an earful of the remaining DJs who stuck with the ship and its cargo of some of Portland's best indie music, "dial" your browser to praradio.com . To hear what the FCC deems to be a suitable replacement, tune to 96.7 FM. Scoop can tell you what you'll hear: DEAD AIR . For the goods on the PRA benefit show Wednesday night at Sugar Gallery, turn to Music listings, page 29.

DEATH LIMO FOR CUTIE Last Wednesday found the Northwest's once-indie darlings Death Cab for Cutie playing to a sold-out crowd of 5,942 at Memorial Coliseum. While it was a bit strange to take in the band's elaborate, Plans-based stage set, the Cab kept its mix of songs eclectic, the sound a-rockin' and frontman Ben Gibbard's sense of humility evident: "This is as weird for us as it is for you," he said in between songs. Tourmates Franz Ferdinand slummed it with the locals later that night, showing up at the Ambassador Lounge with cohorts from Belle & Sebastian as well as Janet Weiss and Portland's Dantronix, among others. The all-star karaoke crew closed down the bar and confused regulars with a slew of old-school hits, including Franz singer Alex Kapranos and bassist Bob Hardy crooning the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love."