Primer: E-40

Music Stories Born: In Vallejo, Calif., in 1967. Sounds like: A sugar-tongued gangster with a flair for the dramatic. For fans of: Too Short, Rappin’ 4-Tay, Spice 1, 3x Krazy. Latest release: History: Function   More

 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 REED JACKSON

Red Wanting Blue: Thursday and Sunday, Jan. 24, 27

After 15 years on the Midwestern college circuit, Ohio’s consummate bar-rock band arrives in Oregon.

Music Stories [COLLEGE ROCK] If you attended college anywhere between Buffalo and Chicago in the last decade, you need no introduction to Red Wanting Blue. Founded when Tupac was still alive and Bob Dole wa   More

 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 MARTIN CIZMAR

The Many Bands of Papi Fimbres

How culture shock created Portland’s busiest musician.

Music Stories When David “Papi” Fimbres’ mother was pregnant with him, she knew her child was special. A shaman told her so. She already had two children, but this one, she was told, would be born with pr   More

 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 MATTHEW SINGER

Parquet Courts: Friday, Jan. 18

The buzzing New York garage band doesn’t mince words, or chords.

Music Stories [GARAGE POP] Speaking with Andrew Savage is similar to listening to Parquet Courts, the New York-based band he fronts. Just as he does throughout the group’s debut album, Light Up Gold, the si   More

 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 ROBERT HAM

Primer: Quicksand

Reunion

Music Stories Years active: 1990-95, 1997-99, 2012-present Sounds like: Hardcore at the dawn of the alternative era, when the production got bigger, the riffs beefier and the melodies hookier. Original members: A   More

 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 MATTHEW SINGER

Cadence Fest: Sunday-Tuesday, Jan. 20-22

A legendary jazz magazine is reborn in Portland.

Music Stories In 2011, Cadence—one of the premier magazines in the country covering jazz and other improvised music—found itself at a deadly confluence of two rapidly drying streams: print journalism and    More

 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 BRETT CAMPBELL

Diamond Minds

Dropping Gems gives electronic music a human pulse.

Music Stories When Aaron Meola moved to Portland in 2009, electronic music in America was still the province of chin-scratching Anglophiles and molly-whopped rave kids. Dubstep’s infernal wub had not yet in   More

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 MATTHEW SINGER

Sir Richard Bishop: Friday, Jan. 11

A former Sun City Girl gets in touch with his inner demons.

Music Stories [GENRELESS GUITARIST] Any list of the best guitarists of the last three decades will probably not include Sir Richard Bishop. Long-haired teens do not headbang in front of a poster depicting his   More

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 MITCH LILLIE

Primer: RJD2

Music Stories Born: In 1976 in Eugene.  Sounds like: An extremely gifted beatmaker who has a love/hate relationship with his drum machine. For fans of: Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Elliott Smith. Latest release:   More

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 REED JACKSON

Chelsea Wolfe: Sunday, Jan. 13

Ain’t no sunshine in this songwriter’s doom-y folk.

Music Stories [GOTHIC FOLK] It’s raining in Los Angeles, but Chelsea Wolfe doesn’t mind. “I kind of hate how it’s always sunny here,” says the lanky, darkly eyelined singer-songwriter, sitting in a co   More

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 JONATHAN FROCHTZWAJG