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As a massive fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Alejandro Rose-Garcia has some requests for the crowd attending his upcoming Halloween show at the Schnitz.
"If someone pulls the deep-cut shit out, oh man!" says the ebullient 28-year-old singer-guitarist (and former Friday Night Lights actor) from Austin, who performs rollicking, foot-stomping blues under the name Shakey Graves. "I'd love to see a Borg. That would really impress me. I'd be blown away by someone being a Borg."
You probably wouldn't peg Rose-Garcia as a Trekkie purely based on his music. Shakey Graves moves between Americana and noisy rock in songs that range from acoustic duets with Esmé Patterson ("Dearly Departed") to snarky ramblings ("Word of Mouth"). Between multiple independently released recordings, as well as last year's Dualtone Records debut, And the War Came, Shakey Graves has established himself as a proficient studio musician and a fierce performer. What began as a carnivalesque one-man band, with Rose-Garcia playing rootsy guitar riffs and adding percussion via a suitcase drum, has evolved drastically over the past few years.
"It's a lot louder than it was last time," says Rose-Garcia, who now performs with a full-band lineup, "which probably pleases some people and also probably dejects a couple. But that's how it goes."
Though Saturday's show will be Shakey Graves' first with a Starfleet Academy theme—which, truth be told, is a bit of an odd pairing given his rootsy, decidedly non-sci-fi sound—this is Rose-Garcia's second appearance in town in six months. His standout performances at Pickathon in 2013 established a local following, but Rose-Garcia has had a close relationship with the city for years. He's actually been visiting family friends here since he was a little kid. And when he began his career as a musician, with only a few videos online, "Portland was a place where people would actually show up," he says.
So maybe that explains why we're getting this special Shakey Graves show. In keeping with the Star Trek theme, he also hints that some sound effects and related stage banter may be in order. But mostly, Shakey Graves is plotting a mayhem-filled evening of Americana, blues, noise and all-around rock 'n' roll. And if Portland audience members are dressed up for the show, it'll be even better—though Rose-Garcia is still figuring out his own costume.
"Essentially, we're not going as characters from the show. We're just Starfleet versions of ourselves," he says. "So like, if I was a Starfleet officer, I'd have to figure out what rank I'm at. I guess I wouldn't be that far in yet. I'd probably be Ensign Rose-Garcia.
"I've always thought that Halloween is a great excuse to wear an outfit that you want to wear every day," he continues. "It's basically just a big vessel for me to wear the outfit. That's all I want." HILARY SAUNDERS.
SEE IT: Shakey Graves plays Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, with Tennis, on Saturday, Oct. 31. 8 pm. $30. All ages.
Willamette Week