Eleven PDX Issue 3.12 by Eleven PDX

contents

ELEVEN PDX MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 12

THE USUAL 3 Letter from the Editor 3 Staff Credits Columns

VOLUME 3

FEATURES Local Feature 14 Summer Cannibals

Cover Feature 17 Neko Case

5 Aural Fix Temples Warm Soda Tweens

FILM new music 7 Short List

Watch Me Now 22 Film Editorial: An Archive of the Spirit Instant Queue Review May Film Events

7 Album Reviews Thee Oh Sees Young Magic Little Dragon Atmosphere

10 Record Store Day Re-Cap LIVE MUSIC 11 Musicalendar

COMMUNITY Neighborhood of the Month 25 NE Killingsworth Street

Visual Arts 26 Portland artist Leslie Dorcus

An encompassing overview of concerts in PDX for the upcoming month. But that’s not all–the Musicalendar is complete with a venue map to help get you around town.

13 Previews

more online at elevenpdx.com

HELLO PORTLAND! Weclome to the Willamette Valley: a natural garden from Hood to coast and our roots are strong. As we close out Volume Three of ELEVEN, elated as we are by the great memories and phenomenal events and partnerships thus far, we believe there is still room for growth. You'll notice a few of these evolutions starting within the sheets of this, our thirty-sixth issue. Firstly, we've added four more pages for additional stories, editorials, and beginning next month, an all-new Literary Arts section where we will feature content regarding the local literature community. Also, because we have a long-standing fondness for shiny things, we've made the upgrade to glossy pages throughout the book, to help bring our stories and images to life. We are excited about these additions, but not fully satisfied. Each day is a new opportunity to make it more awesome. As always, we love to hear your feedback, suggestions, complaints and compliments alike. As ever, thank you so much for your support, friendship, contributions and brilliant energy that serves as the lifeblood for this community of ELEVEN and PDX! Âť

- Ryan Dornfeld, Editor in Chief

3 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

EXECUTIVE STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Dornfeld CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dustin Mills SENIOR STAFF SENIOR WRITER Wendy Worzalla FILM SECTION Bex Silver VISUAL ARTS Mercy McNab graphic DESIGN Dustin Mills Alex Combs COPY EDITING Megan Freshley COVER PHOTO Neko Case (self-portrait) CONTRIBUTORS Brandy Crowe, Billy Dye, Elizabeth Elder, Eric Evans, Gabriel Granach, Kelly Kovl, Scott McHale, Aaron Mills, Kela Parker, Rachael Haigh, Rob de la Teja, Morgan Troper, Charles Trowbridge photographers Justin Cate, Michael Herman, Mercy McNab, Aa Mills, Todd Walberg DISTRIBUTION / PROMO The Redcoats

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P.O. Box 16488 Portland, OR. 97292 get involved getinvolved@elevenpdx.com

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@elevenpdx.com ADVERTISING sales@elevenpdx.com online www.elevenpdx.com twitter.com/elevenpdx facebook.com/elevenmagpdx online editor Kim Lawson kim@elevenpdx.com eleven west media group, llc Ryan Dornfeld Dustin Mills SPECIAL THANKS Our local business partners who make this project possible. Our friends, families, associates, lovers, creators and haters. And of course, our city!

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 4

columns

AURAL FIX

MAY

Each month, our expert team seeks out the newest and most exciting musicians in the world. After searching high and low, we’re proud to bring you the result of our concentrated efforts.

1st

WE ARE SCIENTISTS

PAWS

2nd AUGUSTANA TWIN FORKS

3rd

PARADISE RECORD RELEASE CELEBRATION! THE UPSIDEDOWN THE SUICIDE NOTES

4th 5th

TODD SNIDER MONO

18th WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS BEN SOLLEE

19th PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS 21st RADIATION CITY SAMA DAMS WISHYUNU

22nd CHET FAKER 23rd WAKE OWL (EARLY SHOW)

HELEN MONEY

6th

23rd PARQUET COURTS NAOMI PUNK (LATE SHOW) PANTHA DU PRINCE PRESENTS THE TRIAD 24th WAXAHATCHEE QUEENS AKA SCOTT MOU

7th

LO FANG

PERFECT PUSSY POTTY MOUTH

(EARLY SHOW - ALL AGES)

KATE BERLANT

8th

2014 BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL 9th 2014 BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL 10th 2014 BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL 11th 2014 BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL 12th DAMIEN JURADO JEROME HOLLOWAY

13th CONNAN MOCKASIN KIRIN J CALLINAN

14th MAXIMO PARK

ETERNAL SUMMERS

15th GARDENS & VILLA

PURE BATHING CULTURE

24th STU LARSEN (LATE SHOW)

25th 26th 27th 28th

WILD ONES BANKS PETE YORN CAS HALEY MIKE LOVE KIMIE TUBBY LOVE 29th BIKE THIEF

30th SCOTT PEMBERTON TRIO 31st METALACHI

16th LOOP KINSKI

17th STEELHORSE: BON JOVI TRIBUTE ONE FROM MANY

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A new wave of the British Invasion has come and Temples is the vanguard. After releasing only one single, “Shelter Song,” in 2012, the band immediately garnered critical acclaim and caught the attention of some of the most prominent figures in British music. Flash forward to 2014, Temples have released their debut album, Sun Structures, and have launched their initial touring attack in support. Throughout Sun Structures, Temples revisits the best of ‘70s psychedelic rock and remains delightfully earnest in their approach. Their hooks are fierce and the song structure is unfading. “Mesmerize” provides the catchiest chorus in three part harmony this year and beautifully smells of Rubber Soul. However, psych-rock allows for complete deviation from the pop formula, and Temples take the scenic route via gorgeous, washed keys and guitars and to the inner most part of our paisley hearts. The band's revivalist tendencies are a much needed breath of fresh air in a scene laden with digital mutilation in the name of progress. Sun Structures works wonders and reminds the listener of a time of free love, acid tests and urban nomads. Temples serves as a reminder that the best times in Rock ‘n’ Roll are behind us and gives hope that rock is not dead after all. » - Gabriel Granach

ROOK & THE RAVENS WEATHER MACHINE

TEMPLES

WARM SODA

What’s to say of Warm Soda? They are punky, power pop thrashers and seem poised to unleash a fury of destruction the likes of which have only been seen maybe two or three times before. Coming out of Oakland, California, and headed by front man Matthew Melton, Soda released their first album last year and have since been hard at work. They have most recently released a new album and completed a U.S. tour before taking a (hopefully) brief hiatus. Their newest album, Young Restless Hearts, is out now and is chock full of head banging awesomeness. With a relentless throng of gritty, hard driving anthems, Melton sounds like a complete scumbag, but in a good way. Like the kind of scumbag you can take home to meet your mom and he’ll only flirt with her a little. All joking aside, Warm Soda has a really solid sound. Many a band of this genre can have a tendency to try and do too much and the sound can get a little mucked up. These guys try and do just enough too little and all the parts blend really nicely. If you’re into fast,smashing and sweet then this band is for you. Get your grubby little paws on their new hotness then wait patiently for them to come to town. » - Aaron Mills

columns

Photo by Jesse Fox

TWEENS

Since forming roughly two years ago, this Cincinnati trio has been on one hell of a rock’n’roll rollercoaster ride. It all started when 21-year-old lead singer Bridget Battle approached her roommates Peyton Copes and Jerri Queen (members of Cincinnati noise-pop band Vacation) with a song from 1960s girl group The Dixie Cups. The rest, as they say, was history. Tweens got right down to business and recorded demos with a killer doo-wop/ girl group vibe, which quickly amassed the three-piece an insanely loyal hometown following. Then something really crazy happened: Kim Deal (yeah, that Kim Deal) booked the band for a show on the recommendation of local hero Jim Blaze (owner of the renowned Shake It Records in Cincinnati), and her socks were obviously knocked right the heck off as she then invited the band to play a few east coast dates and a full west coast tour with her band, The Breeders. Before Tweens could even let that sink in, next on the list was joining Atlanta’s party animals The Black Lips

for yet another full tour. As if this wasn’t enough excitement for a band who almost literally blew up overnight, Tweens went on to become the hit of New York’s CMJ Music Conference. After recording their self-titled debut album for Frenchkiss Records (home to the likes of Crocodiles, The Dodos, Passion Pit, and RACES), CMJ magazine dubbed it as one of the most anticipated albums of 2014. The album, which mainly features re-recorded versions of early songs, does have a handful of new ones. It kicks off with a song that pretty much anyone— especially in the midwest—can relate to: “Bored in this City.” As an added bonus on the deluxe package release, Tweens added fan favorite “I’m Gonna Steal Your Boyfriend”—a cover of Cincinnati’s own 1960s girl group The Teardrops. The eleven-track album is full of earworm hooks, grit, and doo-wop choruses that will have you singing along in no time. You’ll want to nab yourself at least two copies for sure—one for your car and one for your record player. » - Wendy Worzalla

QUICK TRACKS A “be mean” Even though it had been released as a lo-fi demo, this track was destined to be a single, and boy does it sound good all shiny and new! It’s a great introduction to the band’s trashpop style. It’s punchy, it’s sexy, and it is the epitome of catchy-as-hell.

B “forever” Bridget Battle sings, “Forever is a long, long time,” and you can be sure that’s just about how long this song will be stuck in your head. Battle sings the song with a pinch of sincerity and a punch of attitude over those gritty guitars and crashing cymbals.

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 6

new music

ALBUM REVIEWS This Month’s best R Reissue

L Local release

Short List Foxes Glorious The Black Keys Turn Blue Swans To Be Kind Tori Amos Unrepentant Geraldines DZ Deathrays Black Rat Chromeo White Women

Thee Oh Sees Drop Castle Face Records We can all thank our lucky stars that San Francisco’s prolific psychgarage institution is no longer on hiatus! Boy, was that a rough couple of months—but now here we are welcoming them back with open arms. Oh, what a warm, fuzzy feeling it is to say that Thee Oh Sees are back with their eighth studio album! Drop is out

on John Dwyer’s Castle Face label (pro tip: every single band on the label is worth checking out), and it’s quite refreshing to hear that Dwyer has a few more tricks up his tattooed sleeves. The album starts off as if you are descending deep into the ocean on a mission to see the mythical Jaguar Shark—until a thunderous eruption of synths and crazy pedal effects scares it away. “Penetrating Eye” sends shivers down your spine as the anticipation grows to hear the next song, “Encrypted Bounce,” which features Dwyer’s penchant for hypnotic bass lines and fuzzy-scuzzy guitars. Unlike previous releases, Drop emphasizes Dwyer’s ability to play nearly every instrument himself with a few guest spots from a couple of friends. Greer McGettrick (The Mallard) lends her set of pipes and Mikal Cronin contributes his lungs with some crazy saxophone skills. So what could possibly be missing from this record? Absolutely nothing. » - Wendy Worzalla

Ice Cube Everythang's Corrupt Kishi Bashi Lighght Trans Am Volume X Sharon Van Etten Are We There Guided By Voices Cool Planet Coldplay Ghost Stories Buy it

Steal it

Toss it

Young Magic Breathing Statues Carpark Records

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7 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

There’s no question that Young Magic are a talented pair of musicians, layering textures upon textures of sounds to produce a dreamlike soundscape. Their debut, Melt was an inspired mix of African beats and trippy experimentation. The follow up is noticeably void of the magical energy present in the debut. It starts

off promising, however, with an intro full of reverse reverb and back-masked vocals. This actually would have made for an amazing first track if it were longer than thirty seconds. The strongest songs on the album, “Fall In” and “Foxglove,” while well executed, sound like they could be used for the soundtrack in a tastefully done porn. Melati Malay’s delicate voice, flooded with synth and soft drums, is alluring in “Something in the Water”–a well-mixed track with an infectious beat and more of that reverse reverb, a beautifully complex track. "Ageless" follows, with tinnier tones and sultry spoken word lyrics over dark chords and makes for an interesting aural experience. The remainder of the album is a little too light and dreamy, but hardcore Young Magic fans may still dig it. Where the last album was jarring and unique, Breathing Statues is the musical equivalent of Tylenol PM. It eases your pain, and then very gently puts you to sleep. » - Scott McHale

new music

Little Dragon Nabuma Rubberband Loma Vista

After a long, three-year period since their 2011 album, Ritual Union, Little Dragon are set to release their fourth studio LP, Nabuma Rubberband, on May 13. Positive reception of the album’s lead single “Klapp Klapp” has already landed the band on the

Atmosphere Southsiders Rhymesayers It’s hard to believe Slug and Ant have been at it for a good 17plus years, but there it is. It’s not because everything they do sounds so fresh, but more because of their remarkable consistency. Atmosphere is Atmosphere. Yes, they may experiment with the beats a little, or bring in a couple of friends to bolster

lineup of Coachella 2014 as well as on-air performances on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Queen Latifah Show. While still maintaining much of the dancey, hypnotic dream-pop sound found on Ritual Union that made Little Dragon a household name in electronic music, Nabuma Rubberband is layered with a heavier dose of R&B and slowjams, making it a bit more reminiscent of the band’s 2007 self-titled debut album. To that end, front-woman Yukimi Nagano claims that the new album caries influence from time she spent listening to Janet Jackson slowjams during an unremitting winter in their hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. The most stand out track of the album, and most similar to the upbeat styling of Ritual Union is “Klapp Klapp.” Frenetic scaling of an upright bass and a simple, clapping rhythm of a snare and bass drum are washed over by a storm of synthesized bass. Then, Nagano’s soothing voice steps for two

gentle verses and the song unfolds into a fully fledged dance party. “Paris” is another somewhat straightforward dance song. While mellow verses ride somber waves of synthesizer, a pumping beat and upbeat choruses with doubled harmonizing vocals make this track an easy favorite. On the more slow-jam end of the spectrum, had the songs been produced in the 1990s, “Pretty Girls” and “Pink Cloud” could easily have been top hits on the MTV countdowns that were spun at every one of your school dances. And there is no denying the catchiness of the stringed accompaniment to Nagano’s already angelic voice throughout the choruses

a track or two, but by and large these guys keep doing their thing. And that “thing?" They’re pretty damned good at it. Southsiders is a tribute. At some point in every musician’s life, they make the album that digs back to seeds before the roots even existed. Southsiders is about growing up and facing the duality of hard times and unflagging hope. Southsiders is about what happens after you grow up to be the thing you always wanted to be. The world keeps on spinning, and now what are you going to do about it? As a whole, the album hits its mark. Title track “Southsiders” is reminiscent of the God Loves Ugly/ Seven’s Travels years when Slug channeled his anger and aggression into every track. The straight beat rides on distorted guitars and quickly rips its way from beginning to end– no chorus–pausing only in between verses. “Star Shaped Heart” rolls on a juicy bass line punctuated by rimshots and staccato high-hat.

The chorus for the late-arriving “Kanye West” is emblematic of the album: “Put your hands in the air like you really do care.” This is not a call to action or a stereotypical “in the club” line. It’s a resignation. It’s Slug asking himself–and the listener– what actually matters? Are we going through the motions? Have we been chasing something only to realize it’s nothing but a façade? That push and pull, the internal struggle, is a theme Atmosphere has visited more than once, but this time around it feels more visceral, almost by accident. It’s as if they realized they’ve asked these questions before, but as they’ve gotten older, the answers are let-downs, or, even worse, there are no answers at all, and that pisses them off. This is gritty Atmosphere–at least as gritty as they can be these days–and, once again, they’ve nailed it. »

of title track “Nabuma Rubberbands.” Overall there is a more melancholic feel on Nabuma Rubberbands than Little Dragon has shown in past recordings, but through the strong, dancey beats and stellar production, the album is powerful enough to help the listener float above their own solemnity. » - Travis Leipzig

- Charles Trowbridge

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 8

new music

RECORD STORE DAY RE-CAP s a lover of music and a proponent of the resurrection of vinyl, Record Store Day has been my favorite day of the year since its conception seven years ago. The brainchild of a group of independent records store owners and employees, RSD celebrates independent music stores of all shapes and sizes. It’s a chance for fans, artists, and communities to come together to revel in a multitude of releases. My partner-in-crime and I woke up just before 8 a.m. to head out, list in hand, with a plan of attack. First stop: Music Millennium. Portland’s oldest independent record store had a long and winding line down Burnside. Defeated, we decided to try Everyday Music on Sandy. We thought we won the RSD lottery when we didn’t see a line, but as we walked up to the store we caught a glimpse of the mob inside. We took a deep breath and put our game faces on. While most releases were alphabetized, I found the bulk of my haul disregarded to the side. Ahhh! Last copy of Joy Division! Oh what’s this right next to it? July! My impulse to grab the

making waves at Portland State since 1994

Black Lips’ 7” just lying there was strong, but I somehow managed to muster up enough manners to ask the guy next to me if it was his. It wasn’t?! Score! Oh shit, is that The Ramones 10”? Yes, please! We successfully managed to cross off most titles from our list in just one stop. We were elated, but our burning desire to complete our list propelled us downtown. At this point it’s barely 9 a.m. We drove past Jackpot and were surprised to see a mere baker’s dozen happily waiting for the store’s doors to open at 10 a.m. We were impatient and headed to the next stop. It was a little bit more tooth and nail inside the downtown EM location. While an employee restocked the vinyl bins, swarms of people hovered over. He warned if anyone started grabbing before he finished, he would slap their hands away. I wasn’t close enough to reach anything, but as one shopper flipped through the releases I asked him to grab me the Link Wray 7’’ if he saw it. To my utter delight, he obliged! Another random act of kindness happened moments later when the Black Angel’s 10” was dismissed. I offered to take it; she flipped back to the record and handed it to me. A warm and fuzzy feeling came over me—this is exactly what Record Store Day is all about. The only part that was more thrilling than the journey was the destination: home. From shuffling through all the new albums and using my fingernail to cut through the plastic wrap, to checking out the inner sleeve artwork and finally dropping the needle—Record Store Day is everyday. » - Wendy Worzalla

KPSU

Portland’s College Radio broadcasting 24/7 at kpsu.org

www.elevenpdx.com | ELEVEN PORTLAND | 10 PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER

live MAY

crystal ballroom 1332 w burnside

1-2 Modest Mouse | Survival Knife

4 11 13 16 19 22 23

29-30

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Roseland Theater 8 nw 6th

Doug fir

830 e burnside 5 Mono | Helen Money 6 The Triad | Queens aka Scott Mou 7 Lo Fang | Kate Berlant

8-11 Bridgetown Comedy Festival

12 13 14 15 16 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 31

4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 31

mississippi studios 3939 n mississippi

The Growlers | Guantanamo Baywatch | Summer Cannibals

11 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

live wonder ballroom 128 ne russell

MAY

holocene

1001 se morrison

7 8 9 13 19 22 24 25 27 31

Booty Bassment 3 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart | Able Body 4 Orquestra Pacifico Tropical | Minden | Edna Vasquez 5

rontoms

600 e burnside

6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 29 30

Ancient Heat | Top Hat 4

eastburn

1800 e burnside

Dinner & Live Bluegrass (Thursdays) DJ Jesse Espinoza Wednesday Night Jazz w/The Byliners DJ Rhienna White Bear Polar Tundra Kingston Club | DJ Green Mango DJ Kenny | Cary Miga Trio Eric John Kaiser DJ Gregarious DJ Wobli Feast For Beasts! Impact Sound Reggae DJs

bossanova ballroom 722 E Burnside

3 7 9 10 16 17 21 23 24 28 31

Bridgetown Comedy Festival 8-11 80s VS 90s (tribute bands) 24

kelly’s olympian 426 sw washington

2 3 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 16 17

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live

SHOW PREVIEWS

MAY

kelly's olympian 10 1028 se water 18 21 22 23 24 25 29

(continued)

Dirty Looks

bunk bar 11 1028 se water 6 9 15 16 17 18 19 26 27 29 31

the know 12 2026 NE Alberta 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 16 17 19 21 27 31

knock back 13 the 2315 ne alberta THE SECRET SOCIETY 14 116 NE RUSSELL 9 10 11 15 16 17 24 29 30

6 8 13 15 16 17 20

Whether you find the music of Acid Mothers Temple to be a fascinating descendant of Krautrock experimental spaceouts in the manner of The Cosmic Jokers or a batshit noise onslaught suited to LSD burnouts, you’ve got to admit: they walk the walk. Going on 20 years of touring and recording their galactic guitar/ Moog explorations, the group—a rotating collective alongside founder Kawabata Makoto—creates sonicscapes that would make Klaus Schulze proud. Probably you know if you are or aren't interested fromthe tour's name: “Astrorgasm From The Inner Temple.” See you there. » - Eric Evans

I know most of you already know this but, good hip-hop is good. It’s a damn cryin’ shame that bad hip-hop has to give hip-hop such a bad rap. What kind of a world is it that we live in when you don’t have to be clever or talented to be successful? Don’t answer that. There are still people out there doing their best to hold it down for goodness. Danny Brown seems to be one of those unlikely heroes, doin’ it upright for all the people who still believe something should be good in order for us to like it. Thanks bro. » - Aaron Mills

3. FRANCIS CONE

4. PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS

MAY 16 | CRYSTAL BALLROOM

MAY 19 | DOUG FIR

Brooklyn-based trio Frances Cone hits the sweet spot between Americana and college radio-friendly alt-pop on their assured debut album Come Back. Tracks like “Miles,” "Mission," and clear standout “Rattles Your Heart” exude sincerity without being po-faced, and the instrumentation, while rooted in a live band sound, doesn’t overly rely on a onesize-fits-all sonic palette. Singer Christina Cone’s distinctive voice—warm, breathy, vulnerable, welcoming, delicate, rich— provides a point of entry for fans of smart, well-crafted pop. » - Eric Evans

Los Angeles based hip-hop duo People Under The Stairs are Thes One and Double K, and they have been humbly navigating just outside of the limelight for some time. They get parties started with influences of Public Enemy, 1980s disco-rap, and themes centered on having fun. New album 12 Step Program experiments with filters, drumbreaks, and looping NES; sampling vintage Mario Bros. and Zelda for YOLO-anthem single "1 Up Till Sun Up." Their performance is old-school with head nodding and yo' mama jokes. But really, what's better than an extra life? » - Brandy Crowe

5. NOTHING

6. BLOOD RED SHOES

MAY 24 | HOLOCENE

MAY 31 | BUNK BAR

WITH

NTNT

WHIRR, YOUTH CODE

The story behind this Philadelphiabased band is an interesting one. Lead man Domenic Palermo spent two years in prison after a stabbing incident. "We were going to shows and kind of, like, fucking shit up for the whole [hardcore] scene," he says. After spending much of his time locked up reading white eagle existential and metaphysical writers, 836 n russell Palermo apparently reinvented himself and Singer Songwriter Showcase (Mondays) his sound. Guilty Of Everything is a shoegazy Blues League Mission Spotlight | Medallion | Sarah Gwen Band head trip of a listen–the soft, muddled vocals Sneaker Bones | Nature Thief | Less Cash contrasted by explosive guitars, particularly Rose Windows | Jeffertitti Nile | Moon By You on “Hymn to the Pillory” is outstanding. Radio Giants Tyler Senson | Naomi LaViolette Nothing is a unique new band worthy of a Calico The Band listen. » - Scott McHale

13 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

2. DANNY BROWN

MAY 11 | ROSELAND THEATER

WITH

GWIZSKI, DJ SPENCER DORAN

RADKEY

Making their way across the great Atlantic pond from Brighton, England, Blood Red Shoes will spend the month of May touring North America in support of their new self-titled March release. BRS’ Portland show at Bunk Bar on May 31 will be their last stop in the U.S. of A. before heading to a festival in Germany and continuing their tour through Europe. Come out for this night of hard hitting drums and driving guitar, and let’s show these Brits that Portland still knows how to party. » - Travis Leipzig

features

Photo by Mercy McNab

(continued)

WHITE EAGLE 836 N russell

MAY

SLABTOWN

41033 NW 16TH

alhambra theatre 4118 se hawthorne

21 22 24 25 28 29

7 8 9 10 13 16 17 21 24 25

Dead Gurus | Million Brazillians | Hollow Sidewalks

The Sweet Life Society | The Brund | DJ GlobalRuckus

Device Grips 15 Grand Horse | Violent Psalms | Western Haunts 16 Kyle Gass Band 17 Death In June 19 Ramblin Jack Elliot | Nell Robinson 24 MOLOKO

LOCAL FEATURE

t was around 4 p.m. on Easter Sunday—the day after Summer Cannibals’ killer show at Doug Fir with And And And and TeenSpot. We met at a Brooklyn neighborhood bar in the attempts to cure a hangover, nurse a cold, and conduct an interview with one of the top contenders for "Best New Band." After leaving my ID at home and pleading with the bartender that I am well above the legal age, he concedes and says “It’s cool—I know Jessica and Marc. I trust they can vouch for you.” We went on the patio and sat down to a table that would soon be scattered with gooey grilled cheese, perfectly crisp tots, hot coffee, club soda, and whiskey. ELEVEN: Let’s start with the past and work our way up to the present. You’ve all been in different bands before (Pocketknife, Your Canvas). How is Summer Cannibals different? Is the approach to the music the same?

Taste the nightlife of Mississippi. Over 40 house infused liquors. Specialty absinth cocktails. Open until 2am every day.

Jessica Boudreaux: With this project, it started because I make these full demos with all the different parts. So it started off like, “This is my project, and I’m just going to have people come in and do things.” With this line-up, it’s been about a year with Lynnae, Valerie, and Marc and pretty quickly everyone started contributing more. We’re slowly working our way toward a place where people have even more of an input. I think it’s different because we jive together really well and we have a lot of fun. I haven’t been in a rock band before so that’s very different—loud guitars, lots of distortion. Marc Swart: There was nothing wrong with the music we were making with Your Canvas, but this is just so much more fun. I’m glad Jessica started writing music like this and asked me to be a part of it. It’s been…fun! 11: In what ways is it more fun? MS: I’m really proud of everyone and the shows are really fun. I get to be wild, and I like being wild. Lynnae Gryffin: I think all of us are thinkers. I know most of us would qualify ourselves as worriers, or overthinkers. I think playing a show is usually ten times more fun than attending a show, for instance. So having a kind of music that really supports that—where you get to really let go—you have a lot of fun.

N PORTLAND 3967 N Mississippi (97227) 503.288.6272 molokopdx.com

hawthorne theatre 1507 se 39th

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19 ALADDIN THEATER 3017 SE MILWAUKIE 20 VALENTINES

232 SW ANKENY

Michael Nesmith Wishbone Ash Sarah Jarosz Stephen Stills Karla Bonoff & Jimmy Webb The Manhattan Transfer | Cascade Cloud Cult Suzanne Vega | Ari Hest Neko Case | The Dodos Johnnyswim Throwing Muses | Tanya Donelly

EAST END

203 SE GRAND

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22-23

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features MAY

GOODFOOT 22 THE 2845 SE STARK

8 14 17 22 29 31

Mimi Naja Trois | Jay Cobb Anderson | Asher Fulero Yak Attack | Dark Matter Transfer The Quick & Easy Boys | Jelly Bread The Lil' Smokies Dirty Revival World's Finest

owl social club 23 white 1305 se 8th theater 24 star 13 nw 6th 10 15 16 23 24 28

Break Of Reality Tab Benoit | Cody Beebe & The Crooks | Woodbrain Agalloch | Lasher keen | Sedan Bl'ast | Tragedy | 13 Scars Liars | Massacooramaan Pigeon John | Grayskul | The Chicharones THE FIRKIN TAVERN Located on the west side of Ladd’s, the Firkin Tavern features an astounding selection of craft beers to enjoy inside or on our patio. Art enthusiasts will enjoy a variety of local artwork on display and sold comission-free! SE LADD'S 1937 SE 11th Ave (97214) 503.206.7552 | thefirkintavern.com

11: How have your influences changed from one band to the next?

high school kids in the front and I was like, “This is it. I’m going to die or puke on them.”

JB: They haven’t for me. I started listening to a lot of garage rock: Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, etc. I knew I wanted to play rock music, but it was after we saw Ty Segall at Bumbershoot. I saw the show and the way the crowd was reacting and the way he was interacting with the crowd. It was really exciting and really exhilarating. After I got really into that kind of music, I started looking further back—what are his influences? What are these bands that I like that are playing right now, what are their influences? MS: We’ve kind of been slipping in tiny little bits of metal into the songs. LG: Kind of like a vaccine. MS: Which is cool—I like that. When I started playing guitar, my guitar teacher was super into Metallica and got me into Joe Satriani.

11: How does your DIY ethic work for you? What are the biggest challenges and what are the biggest rewards?

11: What was the first Summer Cannibals show like?

JB: With this line-up, it was at Rontoms and it was outside. It was not a bad show— The Vandies | Kings & Vagabonds | The Numbers there were a lot of people there. It wasn’t our best… TheGoodSons | The Hoons | Bear Planet Dark Country | Dinner For Wolves | Old Kingdom MS: We were still hashing things out, Virtual Zero | Satan Spelled Backwards but we played pretty good. Ian & The Crushers LG: It was all the songs from the old Machine | Leonhardt | Deadhorse HWY record. Val and I didn’t write those parts so Red Cloud Sit Kitty Sit | Rabid Wombat | Poe & Monroe we just kind of learned it and went from Ghost Frog | Snow Roller | Coloring Electric Like there. It’s changed a lot in the last year. The Exacerbators Especially for me and Val, having co-written World Of Lies | Spawn | Warkrank the new stuff. The Hood Rats | Leaving Home JB: We weren’t very confident—I mean I Davis & Reiter | Not Druids City | Dogs Of War wasn’t when we were playing then. Temple Hotel LG: I think we had less fun then. JB: Fun enough to keep trying, though! ROTTURE/BRANX 315 SE 3rd MS: It was weird too because a few days Chiodos | Emarosa | Our Last Night | 68 before that first show, our first single came Alive Like Me | Nightmares | Pvris | Divides out and it was on Spin. It was really weird Trapdoor Social | Alan Park & The 19th Floor and kind of surreal. Purity Ring (DJ set) | PRSN

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11: So far, what has been Summer Cannibals favorite show to play?

TONIC LOUNGE

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LG: It’s easier than we thought. It’s a really huge asset to be able to record ourselves and to release whenever we want to. I think for this record, the kind of plan that we have all talked about, is that it’s not about having a producer who makes the sound for us, it’s about having somebody to take care of stuff and enhance what’s there and to have a really well-executed recording. I’m really excited about that. I’m excited for new ears. MS: It’s easier than most bands think— to just do it yourself. JB: It’s just money that seems to be the only obstacle when it comes to releasing everything yourself. MS: I think people appreciate it more when they are holding something that they know the actual band put out. It’s nice to be totally involved in all aspects. You can have your say on everything and have it come across the way you want to. JB: Nobody knows what we want from our music more than we do. LG: Creative control. JB: Yeah, it’s totally up to us. If we want to make some dumb t-shirts and sell them, we don’t have to go through anybody. MS: Our t-shirts are not dumb! JB: Yeah, it’s true. For the EP we released in January, I made cutouts on every individual one, printed them, and wrote the stuff on them. I don’t know, I get stoked whenever I get something from a band that they have put a lot of time and energy into making a full experience—opening something up and having all the different parts. I like doing that kind of stuff. VB: Jessica is really crafty and I think there is a lot of love that goes into creating all this stuff so that also makes owning the EP, or the tapes in this case, really special for whoever ends up with them. LG: It’s fun to do a limited run—especially in a world where music is really easy to come by and really easy to forget. 11: Where and when will you be recording your next album? JB: Well we are going to work with a producer the next album. We’re recording in July. MS: We’re going to record at Jackpot. We’ll be working with producer Larry Crane. He did Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, etc. He did a Stephen Malkmus record that I really like.

features MAY dantes

350 w burnside

Appetite For Deception Fu Manchu | Electric Citizen | Satyress Night Beats | Black Pistol Fire Who's Bad The Chop Tops

Zepparella | Adrian & The Sickness | Rhinofalcon

Brody Dalle Third Seven Wayne "The Train" Hancock | KD & The Hurt Organik Time Machine | The Best Dancers

FIRKIN TAVERN 1937 SE 11TH

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Steph Infection & The Heebie Jeebies | Sam Densmore 1

Parallaxx | Acheron Flow | Rose City Trio 2 Wingnut Commander | Joe Little 15

the waypost Photo by Todd Walberg

11: When you first started New Moss Records, it wasn’t necessarily the plan to release your own music on the label. What’s the plan this time around? JB: I don’t think we’ve really talked about it, but I’d like to shop around a little. LG: I think it makes sense. JB: If I were going to hand over some control to somebody, it would have to be something legit. I wouldn’t just sign to some little dinky label because I already have a small dinky label. I would only sign with someone if it was someone who had been around for a long time, had a lot of experience, and had a good name. 11: Tell us more about New Moss Records. JB: I’m not interested in adding bands for the sake of adding bands. There are some smaller labels that like to put out as much as possible. Which is good because the more you put out the more of a chance that one of them might work. But we do a lot with Summer Cannibals so it’s kind of one thing at a time. MS: Definitely doing the Sun Angle album was a big learning experience for everyone. We kind of had an idea of how to do a proper release, but didn’t really know what we were doing. Luckily, Charlie had been on Kill Rock Stars with previous bands and he kind of… JB: He was coaching us. The band was telling us what to do next. MS: So by the time we were ready to do the Summer Cannibals, we had an even better idea of how to do it. It was really cool that they let us put out their record even though they knew we didn’t really know what we were doing.

JB: They just knew we were stoked. MS: It’s been cool. I’m excited to see what happens with the label and how it grows. JB: Yeah, it’ll be a year since our first release this month. We’re celebrating it with a comp. Wooden Indian Burial Ground, The We Shared Milk, Grandparents, a band from Seattle called WIMPS who are really awesome. Some friends of mine from New Orleans, a band called Natural Blonde, who are really great. LG: Old Light MS: Sad Horse 11: Any Record Store Day shopping? LG: Yeah, we actually all went together. JB: We went to Jackpot, but we only got one Record Store Day release. MS: Yeah I got that Nirvana 7”. VB: It was Marc’s birthday so we picked him up in the morning and surprised him. We had this big day planned, and part of it was to go steal his bike and get it fixed up for him. Then, in the process of trying to figure out where his bike was so we could steal it, we revealed to him that it had be stolen by somebody else! LG: He thought it was us for a long time. JB: He was convinced it was really awful birthday surprise. MS: At one point last week I was having a shitty day at work, and I said, “Alright, if you did steal my bike, just tell me because I can’t deal with this right now.” LG: Instead we made him wait in line for Record Store Day. » - Wendy Worzalla

Get a taste of Summer Cannibals live this month May 23 at Mississippi Studios

2120 n williams

Housewife 18 HOLLYWOOD THEATRE A not-for-profit organization whose mission is to entertain, inspire, educate and connect the community through the art of film while preserving an historic Portland landmark. NE HOLLYWOOD 4122 NE Sandy Blvd (97212) 503.493.1128 | hollywoodtheatre.org

Laurelthirst pub 2958 ne glisan

analog cafe & Theater 720 se hawthorne

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Want to have your show listed? E-mail listings@elevenpdx.com

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17 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

Photo by Neko Case (self-portrait)

features national scene

eko Case is a peach. There is a fire that burns from the speakers every time her voice graces the stereo, and yet over the phone, in person, or on stage you can see that the fire comes from a warm heart. A long list of accolades and collaboration liner notes could tell you that Neko has scads of talent and a voice that is practically perfect in every way, but her connection to the communities that she is connected to is really what proves that behind the voice, the enigmatic lyrics, and that perfect Patsy Cline-meets-Rosie-The-Riveter persona is a true Northwesterner. Though she has traveled the world, and now

but basically Portland, I feel, is the example of what a city can do right in the Northwest, and Seattle was the example of what a city can do wrong. ‘Cause I remember both, before they were super, super, super, super developed and populated. Seattle could’ve done it too, but you guys did it right.

“Being a musician and going to a place, you’re never really a tourist, but you’re never really from there either”

resides on a picturesque Vermont farm, Neko has quintessential Portland memories that natives and transplants share. Spending time as an adolescent across the river in Vancouver, Washington, and later recording several of her albums here made Neko a Portland fixture. From farmers markets around town, the Apple Store, and even the random street corner, so many of us Portlanders have seen Neko in the wild and have been impressed by her candor and sweetness. Ever since our Editor-In-Chief Ryan shared a peach and a friendly chat with her after a farmers market, we’ve been calling Neko a peach. When ELEVEN had the opportunity to chat with her again we wanted to see just how many Portland memories we could conjure up in one of our favorite Northwest gals.

ELEVEN: There are so many people in Portland with Neko Case stories; what’s your history with the City Of Roses? Neko Case: Well, I lived in the incredibly glamorous suburb of Vancouver, Washington as a kid, and so Portland was a big part of my childhood. Basically grew up outside of it, partially. So I’ve always had a serious love for Portland. I don’t want to sound like a huge dick,

11: Yes! That’s what we like to hear. So, what do you love about Portland today, since it is different than when you were growing up? NC: Well, I think I really like the people. I mean, if you grow up in the Northwest, you realize there’s a bit of a coldness that kind of West Coasters have. It’s kind of this weird shy, kind of insulated… It’s not mean or anything, but it’s definitely off-putting if you’re from a different region; it’s a very regional-specific thing, and I noticed how completely different we were when I moved to pretty much every other region in North America, but I really like the sort of people who move to Portland, and who are interested in that kind of a city, and really play up its strengths, and really appreciate them. Like the local foods... I think Portland has been made friendlier by the people who’ve moved there, and Portland has really embraced it in a really nice way. It’s a very “us” kind of a city. Seattle, to me, I remember, a lot of it was a very big real estate boom, and it was “Buy, buy, buy! Get it now! Get it now! Make it expensive! Get what you can and leave!” I mean, I was left feeling that way; it was like there was no more live-work spaces there. It’s that kind of thing, what Seattle would use to get people to the area, but then if you were an artist or a musician they wouldn’t hesitate to make sure that there was nowhere for you to live. People who would try to make

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features national scene neighborhoods good were the first people to go, along with the homeless of course. And it was really depressing, and it was really sad, and it’s like, people who move to Portland don’t bitch about the fact that it’s raining. That’s like, the number one difference, which is like a whole philosophy to me. Don’t move to Seattle and bitch about the fact that it’s raining. That’s why this place is great, nature is working correctly, and we have water. Don’t bitch about the greatest thing about this place. And in Portland? People just deal with it. We used to be like,” Yeah, you did it right! Thank you!” Believe it or not, I love Seattle. In a lot of ways, it’s my home, too. But I’m a little heartbroken about it. 11: Do you walk around a lot without an umbrella here? When you’re out and about and it’s raining? NC: Yeah. Oh yeah, and that’s one of the things about playing outdoors in Portland. We had a really hilarious experience at the gorge where it was hailing. And it’s like, Northwesterners don’t care.

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11: Yeah, they just kind of rock out and enjoy their music whether or not it’s torrential downpour or anything. NC: Exactly! It’s like, for a second I’m worried, and then I’m like “Oh! It’s you! You guys don’t care! Right on!” 11: That’s great! So when you’re up on stage and something like that is happening, how do you connect with people who are kind of becoming a little bit disengaged by the fact that it’s hailing? NC: Well, that situation was so bizarre that everyone was pretty amazed, and we were all finding it pretty hilarious. So, that’s one of those things where it’s like, well we only get to play four songs, but nobody was mad at us because it was so completely bizarre. It was really great, our sound engineer who was with us on that trip, he was at the soundboard and he was watching us on stage. And he’s from Brooklyn and he goes (in a mock Brooklyn accent) “There was ice everywhere! It looked like a fish store up there!” That’s what we always say about it, “it looked like a fish store up there."

features national scene 11: Do people get surprised by how engaging and nice you are? NC: Well, I mean, I’m a regular guy, so if people are just wanting to say hey or relate about something, I’m kind of that way with strangers too. I like to talk to people, and that’s one of the things that I really like about living in New England, is people are very ready to talk to you about something. 11: Kind of the same way we are in the Northwest. NC: Yeah, I like talking to people. There are times when it’s impossible, and you know you seem like a jerk when you’re like, “look, I can’t talk to you right now.” If people want to talk to you right before you go on stage, you’re like “I gotta make sure that the guitar… I can’t talk right now.” It’s like if you went into an accountant’s office the day before taxes are due and you’re like, “I want to talk to you about this thing!” And they’re like, “I am having a panic attack right now!” It’s kind of like that. It’s like if somebody were to walk into your job at the most stressful moment and just want to hang out, you’d be like, (whispers) “I can’t talk to you right now.” If you’re about to go on stage it seems really rude, but you have to do it, if you have to do it. I still feel bad about it anyway.

“I remember when Portland used to be really skanky. And I still really love that era too.” 11: Does touring make you feel like you’re in a bubble or do you get to have a sense of connection to the people and places you visit? NC: I do, not around showtime; showtime is very regimented and very military with timing. And we all take it very seriously. But, you know, when you wake up and you’re like, “Let’s go find some local place to eat! Not fancy, but where local people eat.” We meet a lot of people who have their own businesses, and waitresses, all kinds of people, and it’s just really, really nice. Being a musician and going to a place, you’re never really a tourist, but you’re never really from there either, so it’s really special, and we’ve been kind of spoiled by it, because people are genuinely excited that their town rates for bands to come to, and so people generally really want to show you around, they really want you

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features national scene

Photo by Emily Shur

to know why their town is great. So, as visitors, I don’t know why we make them feel this way, but they kind of turn into ambassadors and they want to show us what’s great about their city, and I always find that really moving, because I’m very connected to the places that I live, and I have lived, and feel very proud of them, and want to tell people why they’re great. 11: Do you have a favorite Portland story? NC: I remember when Portland used to be really skanky. And I still really love that era too. There’s a little bit of Portland skankiness that I miss, but I don’t miss at the same time. I don’t know, I kind of love it in all of its forms. And OMSI. There’s no particular story, but like, I could not wait to get my hands on those chicks; the chickens, when you get to touch the baby chickens at OMSI. That was pretty much what I lived for as a kid. “Are we going to go to OMSI? Are we going to see the chicks! Are we going to go see the chicks!” The space stuff was cool and all, but I wanted to touch the chicks. »

Neko Case plays live in Portland this month May 22 and 23 at Aladdin Theater 21 | ELEVEN PORTLAND | www.elevenpdx.com

film

WATCH ME NOW FILM AND TELEVISION

FILM EDITORIAL: AN ARCHIVE OF THE SPIRIT THE EXPERIMENTAL FILMS OF MAYA DEREN & STAN BRACKHAGE COME TO PORTLAND

ifth Avenue Cinema, the student run film center at Portland State, is an unsung treasure of the Portland film community. As Oregon’s only student-run film center, Fifth Avenue Cinema has always played an eclectic line-up—foreign, camp and cult, contemporary and independent films—you name it, Fifth Ave has it. On April 18, Fifth Avenue celebrated the wildly visionary experimental filmmakers Maya Deren and Stan Brackhage. For those of you familiar with experimental film, you’ll recognize these names as two of the most ingenious, influential figures of the movement. For those of you unfamiliar with these two, let me give you a quick overview. Born Eleanora Derenkowsky in 1917, Maya Deren was the high priestess of experimental film who dabbled in dance, poetry, ethnography, choreography, critical writing, and photography–a luminary in the avant-garde art scene in the 1940s. Perhaps one of the most influential experimental films in American cinema was her collaboration with her then husband Alexander Hammid on Meshes of the Afternoon (1943). The film is shot as a silent film, there is no dialogue or any sounds whose source is visible on screen (in film lingo, this is called “diegetic sound”). Japanese composer Teiji Ito wrote a minimalist score, with the intent to use sound to facilitate Deren’s movements. When Deren takes one of her many short journeys along a path or up stairs, the sound of her steps is overlaid by Ito’s drumbeat, amplifying the anxiety of her movements. Inspired by early Soviet films, the editing and gestures are accentuated by the rhythm of the soundtrack. Rhythm is a crucial component in all of Deren’s films. Stirred by her deep interest in dance, rhythm swells from the intermingling of repetition and variation integral to her narrative experiments. Meshes displays an innovative style of cutting on the action where the protagonist travels over diverse terrain: beach, soil, grass and concrete. The combination of percussion and repeated movement accentuate her progress across these disconnected spaces. She continued to make several more films: At Land (1944), A Study in Choreography for Camera (1945), and The Very of Eye Night from 1958, which was her last film. Deren died in October 1961, with many of her films unfinished. For Deren, adding to an extant genre of filmmaking was not sufficient: she wanted to galvanize a wholly new art form beyond the confines of the screen. The function of film, Deren

believed, was to create an experience; each one of her films was to be constantly dynamic and ever-evolving. The early American avant-garde filmmakers borrowed generously from German Expressionism and The Surrealists: stilted acting, symbolism and non sequitur, a-naturalistic lighting and psychosexual themes were commonplace. Still, these films were inexorably story-oriented, using loose, non-linear narrative to entrench metaphorical relationships between images. Deren was a dedicated scholar of cinematography, writing many articles on the subject. Her expertise led her to utilize vanguard editing methods, multiple exposures, superimposition, slow-motion and other camera techniques to her fullest advantage. Deren created motion through discontinued space, dispatching the established notions of physical space, time and gender with compelling, relentless innovation. A long-time admirer of Deren, Stan Brakhage, realized the potential, and established a standard, of independent and experimental cinema that continues today. Working consistently until his death in May 2003, Brakhage almost single-handedly transformed the chasm which separated experimental from classical filmmaking. His films appear nearly as radical now as the day they were created. While Brakhage’s early films stress psychological themes–the conflict between dream and reality, for example–they retain a strongly dramatic element. Later, Brakhage began to transcend the physical boundaries of the medium, making images directly

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film on the film through painting, scratching, and drawing directly on the celluloid. The most famous example of this practice is including the legendary Mothlight (1968), which was made without the use of a camera. For Deren’s cerebral loftiness, Brakhage supplants a fibrous, visceral version of reality. At this time, American and European filmmakers were still heavily dependent on a reservoir of commercial effects for their films. When Brakhage physically altered the film strip, he revolutionized the nature of visual effects. Brakhage intended to film not the world itself, but the act of seeing the world. The vast majority of Brakhage’s films are entirely silent. When you watch his films, you are asked to look, and look closely. Where his predecessors used sound and metaphor as a means of relating images to one another, Brakhage’s films were themselves expressions of a single, goal: exploration of visual perception. One of Brakhage’s most ambitious projects was Dog Star Man filmed in four parts–including a prelude–from 196164. Dog Star Man definitively marks the transition from a lyrical style, centered on individual experiences and psychic excavations, to a more grandiose style, focused on broader themes. Roughly speaking, the film expresses a mythic conception of Man’s struggle for order in a rugged, disordered universe. Dog Star Man incorporates opaque layers of superimposition and a dense, rapid editing pattern. Both Deren and Brakhage sought to create new answers to the questions filmmakers have always asked: What is the nature of the relationship between the moving image and the world, and how might it be represented? The legacies of both Deren and Brakhage are still being disseminated and their enduring quest for new, bolder incarnations of cinema are tangible and lingering. » - Rachel Haigh

Instant Queue Review

2014

Given that most of my time has been spent mulling over the landscape of experimental film, I uncovered a few gems that Netflix has to offer. » - Rachel Haigh

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 9 (ROBERT PERSONS, 2009) Comes off as elegiac and high on concept–the director’s message: people are bad nature is good–is not particularly revolutionary, but nice to see an experimental doc available so readily.

RON MATT KUMAIL APARNA Funches Braunger Nanjiani Nancherla

MAY 8TH – MAY 11TH To buy tickets and ﬁnd out more, go to

www.bridgetowncomedy.com

A HOLLIS FRAMPTON ODYSSEY

(HOLLIS FRAMPTON, 1966-1979)

An icon of American avant-garde cinema, making thrilling, inventive films, Frampton’s work is truly beyond my capabilities of description. Just give it a look.

THE LAST BOLSHEVIK

(CHRIS MARKER, 1993)

Mainly known for his science fiction featurette La Jetée, Marker uses his mastery of montage technique to tell the tale of artist and filmmaker Alexander Medvedkin. Sidenote: he invented a camera which could be attached to a modified rifle, so that soldiers could film battle scenes.

BLUE

(DEREK JARMAN, 1993)

Created as he was dying of AIDS, Jarman narrates a profound tale of his life and his battle as the disease slowly leaves him blind. Jarman immerses the audience in a wholly sensory experience, using no imagery and speaking over a pure blue screen.

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film

LOCAL FILM EVENTS written by Bex Silver

CASABLANCA

MAY 2 - 8 | LAURELHURST THEATER

If you haven’t seen Casablanca before, it really is about time. Set in WWII, the epic love story of Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is fraught with dry wit, Nazis, betrayal, brawls, tears, and foiled plans. Seeing it on a big screen, for the first time or the hundredth, will make it as lovely and heartbreaking as it was in 1942. »

EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL

MAY 28 - JUNE 1 | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Year three is an accomplishment. The kinks are worked out, the program is solid, and there are more opportunities than ever to get involved with EFF PDX. The third annual festival will be a celebration of the vibrant experimental film community the world over. We here at ELEVEN talk about experimental film so much because 1.) It’s super cool 2.) There is great local talent in Portland and 3.) Because expanding your film horizons and helping you discover new genres and mediums is our passion. This is your opportunity to feast on a smorgasbord of well curated new work by local and international artists. In addition to the fabulous EFF programing, live performances and workshops, there are also special screenings curated by Cinema Project, and half a dozen other local filmmakers. For full screening details keep an eye out on effportland.com. »

MAD ROMANCE: THE FILMS OF LEOS CARAX

MAY 23 - JUNE 1 | NW FILM CENTER

No one can do justice to the insanity of love (especially the absurdity of French love) quite like Leos Carax. A writer for the famous film journal Cahiers du Cinéma, Carax began his directing career at age 23. His 1984’s Nouvelle Vague inspired Boy Meets Girl, a surreal walk through the dark side of Paris for the two loneliest lovers you are likely to meet, launched him to land among names like Godard and Truffaut. His stories of love are heartbreaking, vivid, passionate, and above all interpretive. The impact of his films often comes from the questions you are left with as you leave the theater. There is no better example of this than his latest film, Holy Motors (2012). The human chameleon, M.Oscar (Denis Levant), traverses Paris in a white stretch limo and inserts himself in the lives of others and situations that context does not explain. This enigmatic journey takes him into a different flesh with each new scenario. The NW Film Center series will show all five of Carax’s films in chronological order, truly showing the breadth and evolution of the visionary. »

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community

NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE MONTH NE KILLINGSWORTH STREET

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NE 31ST AVE

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NE 31ST & 32ND AVE ALLEY

NE 30TH & 31ST AVE ALLEY

NE 30TH AVE

NE 29TH & 30TH AVE ALLEY

NE 29TH AVE

SE 21ST AVE

NE 28TH & 29TH AVE ALLEY

NE KILLINGSWORTH

Location photos by Mercy McNab

2. TOP SHELF 'TAILS

Expatraite - 5424 NE 30th Ave

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3. VINTAGE PRIZES INSIDE

Cracker Jacks - 2926 NE Killingsworth St

BEST OF NE KILLINGSWORTH

1. BUNCHES OF BRUNCHES

Cup & Saucer - 3000 NE Killingsworth St

4. INDULGENT FRENCH BISTRO

Cocotte - 2930 NE Killingsworth St

5. RE-DE-FINE DINING

Beast - 5425 NE 30th Ave

6. TURNING JAPANESE

Yakuza - 5411 NE 30th Ave

7. TEACH THEM WELL

Heart In Hand Preschool - 5405 NE 30th Ave

8. DAT ROAST

Extracto - 2921 NE Killingsworth St

9. HAIR REPAIR

Roots Salon - 5400 NE 30th Ave

10. LEATHER TREASURES

Half Pint - 5400 NE 30th Ave

11. YOGA FIRE, YOGA FLAME People's Yoga - 3016 NE Killingsworth St

community visual arts

Photo by Mercy McNab

VISUAL ARTS Portland artist Leslie Dorcus

hrough an open wrought iron door and down a puddlefilled alley with mossy walls, there is a bustling community non-profit printing studio called Flight 64. Located behind a whiskey bar and a pizza place, approaching feels like walking into a parallel universe. The vibe in this studio is busy, busy, busy. Discovering a place like this is the equivalent of finding a magical fairy cottage with floating furniture in the woods. The best part is that it's in your own back yard. This is where ELEVEN found an up-and-coming printmaker to explain the muted voices in her visual diary. ELEVEN: Woah this place is awesome! Leslie Dorcus:Yeah! I'm pretty sure there isn't another studio like this in town. It's a non-profit. It's cheap, and the people are nice. It's like half socializing and half working.

11: How long have you been working in this studio? LD: I've been at this printing studio since 2012. I finished art school at Rhode Island School of Design in 2011. I graduated and came here then, but I discovered this studio when I toured it in 2010. I went on this sort of cross country printing tour of sorts and I found out about this studio then. I moved here in 2011 when I got out of school. 11: Your work has a lot of body parts in it. Is this a recurring theme? LD: I have a thing for body parts, so definitely. [laughs] Body parts are huge in my work. When I was really young I used to have this, like, fear that my spine was going to come out of my back. That kind of always stuck with me. I had really bad posture when I was little. Always, like, hunched over. Sometimes I would go as far as to tape up my back, you know, just in case. I was super afraid of it. 11: Did these images come from a dream or a nightmare? LD: I don't know, yeah probably from a nightmare. I had a lot of dreams about, like, teeth falling out and things happening to my body, so, um, that has always kind of been a thing. It started (appearing in the artwork) with a series of embroideries in college. It started with the spine in the older stuff. That was where it all started, with that, sort of, um, tension. Like it was going to burst

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or break. It was kind of like a way to put my insides on the outside. A way to get my emotions more into a physical manner, you know, a little bit more relatable. I feel like there is something really intimate about dissection. Showing someone else your actual insides is kind of emotional so I really want to explore that more. I've been kind of focusing on more of these different actions and environments where the figures are engaged in (scenes) rather than I used to. I didn't always focus on the insides or sort of obsess over it as much as I do now so I know it's kind of a cycle, but it's always evolving and changing. When I first moved here my life fell apart in a lot of different aspects so it's been just like picking up the pieces and dealing with a lot of the loss that I've encountered since moving to Portland. Overcoming situations and myself. Overcoming self-inflicted situations that make it hard to progress or move forward.

11: Do you have a special process for the way you go about your printing? LD: Yeah, definitely. I usually start out with a phrase or idea. For example, I've been focusing on drowning a lot lately. That's kind of a big thing. I've been feeling so, um, muted for a while... I've been really interested about the kind of voice underwater that you get. When you try to speak underwater and you get the sense of how muted your voice is. That's been kind of my current obsession. Oh! And the last failed defense, too! That kind of “still fighting back” when there's pretty much no hope left. I feel like a lot of my stuff is really mournful. It's almost like an account of loss, and, um, kind of a driving force that's creating this. 11: What is your project Print 52 all about? LD: When I first moved here I was maybe printing like once a month, just trying to explore it again. A lot of my figures seemed really stiff. The work looked really solitary, like this is this and that is that. I kind of kept the theme with the insides and the guts. Yeah, I mean art school kind of kicks your butt. Then, you get out and it's kind of like this vast abyss where there isn't anybody telling you what to do. You kind of have this weird withdrawal from it and you kind of stop making work for a little while. I felt like my voice was starting to get really muted. I

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community visual arts wanted to find my voice again. I'm doing a print a week every week for a year, so it's called Print 52. I'm on week 26, phew, half done. It's kind of become this sort of odd visual diary. Especially since I'm doing it on such a scheduled basis, it kind of always reflects how I felt that week–even how I felt about myself a lot of the time. Print 52 is also the name of my Tumblr so you can see all the pieces there. 11: What led you to printmaking? LD: I originally thought I wanted to be a painter because I thought that's what art was all about. But then I became obsessed with line and multiples so I looked into printmaking. I actually ended up going to Italy for a summer and took a printmaking course there. I immediately fell in love with printmaking because it doesn't seem as precious as say a singular piece of art because of the multiples (produced by making multiple prints of the same image). It's easily distributable and it's also really community based because it's so marketable. I find myself hole-ing up a lot when I create art so it's nice to go into a community (like Flight 64)to make art. 11: How did Italian printmaking seem different than printmaking here? LD: Oh yeah, well it's very traditional there. I did still litho there and really traditional Intaglio. It was all stiff and everyone was all

like "Let's all go draw renaissance art!!" That's great... but I really love how people here are experimental. 11: What's it like being an artist in Portland? LD: Difficult. I mean I have a full time job so I can pay my bills. Since I've been here I've just been so focused on creating. Getting away from my previous work and moving on. I mean, at least I work at an art supply store so I'm constantly talking with artists. People are always letting me know about art shows and that's really important to me. With the amount of first Thursdays and last Thursdays going on here in Portland, you can pretty much walk into almost any gallery and people are excited about art. 11: So what's on the horizon? LD: I've been experimenting with a lot of geometric shapes lately. I think it has something to do with putting some kind of order to the chaos. Also just making more of a contrast, like a juxtaposition of that kind of intense sharpness to the soft skin and to what's creating the scenarios that are happening in the pieces. The kind of clash between the two forces of the organic vs. the manufactured. I've been doing a lot of exposed mouths lately. Kind of a ski mask thing with exposed mouth. It kind of travels from the spine and guts, now to the mouth. I feel like it has a lot to do with speech and consumption. It can be that literal, but it's

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community visual arts a kind of muted voice that comes with a price because it lost the outer protection. I almost feel like the ski mask is a way of trying to contain or protect when it's kind of futile. 11: Any gallery shows lined up?

SAtUrDAY girl tAlk + phANtogrAm rUN the jewelS + fUtUre iSlANDS mAN mAN + gArDeNS & villA thUNDercAt + ShY girlS lANDlADY SUNDAY SpooN + hAim + tUNe-YArDS fUckeD Up + the ANtlerS piNk moUNtAiNtopS + emA moDerN kiN + the DiStrictS

LD: It's daunting, but I would really like to have a big show of all the pieces and lay them out together. I tend to do shows that are miniature. I haven't really seen the whole. Seeing all the pieces displayed together would be a really tense experience because I kind of finish a piece and then quickly put it away in the drawer. I would like to see them together and see the progress and what has happened to me. I've never had the space to display them all before. It would be really cool to get a huge warehouse space and just do, like, salon style, which I don't really see happening here. I have tons of prints! I mean I already have 26 prints from print 52 and a bunch from before. » - Veronica Greene

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"He Spoke In Tapes, Hissing Sweetly (The First Year)" Screenprint, 2013

Please enjoy Ben's painting "Jem Brite" (acrylic on board) decorating our inside back cover this month. Find more from Ben at mentalben69.blogspot.com

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Find more from Leslie at www.lesliedorcus.squarespace.com