OK, so he's not the mayor, but when singer-songwriter Sam Adams moved to Portland a year ago from Indiana he quickly got used to the confusion. This 26-year-old Adams is certainly well-educated (with a degree in classical and jazz piano performance), and while he admits he doesn't know a lot about the candidates running for local office in 2012, he does have some political music (including the fatalistic "We Are Being Used"). Seeing as how the sitting mayor of Portland hasn't gone public with an endorsement for his replacement—it's debatable whether his thumbs-up would help or hinder a candidate—the musical Adams provided us with an endorsement of his own.
WW: How do you feel about these last 3½ years? Is Portland a better place?
Sam Adams: Um, well, I've only lived here
for a year. But what I have experienced has gone pretty well. I've only
seen a couple of issues that are longstanding problems.
What would those issues be?
Well, the gentrification. I've run into that a couple of
times walking my dog. People yelling out their car windows,
âGENTRIFICATION!â and stuff like that.
What do you think of Jefferson Smith?
Heâs one of the guys running for mayor. How do you feel about his âeconomic gardening strategiesâ?
Yeah, I donât know them.
OK, so what do you think about Eileen Brady?
I don't know her. But I really like the name Eileen. It reminds me of the old country.
Charlie Hales?
Who is it?
Charlie Hales.
So, is there any in the pack of candidates you'd endorse?
I'd say, go for a Democrat, that's for sure. Eileen is
good. Her name sounds nice. Eileen is the name of a sweet old lady, and
she'll bake everyone cookies and, soon, things will be just wonderful.
SEE IT: Sam Adams performs songs from his EP Draw This Bitter Blood at Alberta Street Public House, 1036 NE Alberta St., on Saturday, Jan. 7. 9:30 pm. Cover. 21+.
Headout Picks
THURSDAY, JAN. 5
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WWeek 2015