Cafteria‘s Saved By the Bell edition – It’s time to bust out the cuffed acid wash jeans and use that aerosol to make those bangs into a wave. I’ll even lend you my scrunchie if you meet me at the Peach Pit. Ok, so it’s a special moment of fun nostalgia made right for my exact generation. So let’s all recreate the junior high experience we never had k?
Soccer stars Abby Wambach (L) and Hope Solo of Team Lez (I mean USA)
Thursday
Momma’s Boyz |Kaylah Marin– The wide base of Bay area drag king competition leaves room for some breadth. So expect a nice dip into some old school hip hop and an urban vibe. And forget the usual lip syncing role. These Momma‘s Boyz belt it out of their own mouths. Add in guest San Francisco House Music Phenom, DJ Gstar and you’ve got yourselves a party.
US Womens National Soccer Team vs Canada– Did you see that Women’s World Cup Final that we so narrowly lost to Japan? It was the best game we could have lost. No one could begrudge the earthquake/tsunami ravaged country their victory but the USA played a truly incredible game. I am by no means a jock but I was glued to my live ESPN 3 stream (me and the Obamas) for every amazing second of Abby Wambach head-butting it in or Hope Solo diving for the save. So when these ladies, some lesbians some not, come to town you better believe the ladies, football fans and anyone than cares about international sports is going to be at this game. It’s practically inconsequential who the US team is playing against. This is basically a victory lap, a chance to see our stars in action, and ample opportunity for Team USA to get laid.
Big Freedia plays Friday at Buck & Bounce 5 and his DJ and backup dancer join fellow DJ Beyonda at Mrs. Seattle '94 on Saturday
Thursday
DirtBag! – Thursday night fav with a penchant for late night Smiths jams. A promise and a warning. Special guest DJ Freddie Fagulathis week is sure to make it a class act.
Feelin’ Alright pre-tour jam sesh – Miss classic rock and folk but not the douchey-ness that can sometimes go along with it? Instead listen to the greats, including Dylan, Marley, Seger, Janis, Grace, Joni in this all night goodbye fest featuring Kaia Wilson (Team Dresch, The Butchies), Jenny Hoyston (Erase Eratta) and Katy Davidson (Dear Nora).
Bent! – One of my all time favs (really, I named it number #1 of 2010). How could I forget ye?
The Cafeteria with guest DJ Mr Charming – Lunch trays and crunk gays is the perfect neighborhood dance spot for the almost weekend. In case you’ve missed Mr Charming at any of her other super successful parties and appearances lately you get another chance. She and DJ Lunch Lady made it rain downstairs at Blow Pony last weekend and this will be the same, except smaller and more elite.
To see some truly great bands you’ve got to be willing to party mid-week. And for the likes of electro-politico-indie-dance-rockers MEN it’s work any Thursday morning hangover. Headed by frontqueer JD Samson (Le Tigre), the trio are touring with their triumphant freshman album release Talk About Body, bringing it to Rotture (315 SE 3rd) tomorrow night.
As the DJ and the MC spice up the beginning, Lovers will begin the show’s upward surge to climax but eerily tugging on your heartstrings, though you may not even know why. Intertwining in a way that makes you feel both ecstatic and sad, I compared their newest album to doing drugs with your lover when I named it album of the year.
Happy St Patty’s Day y’all. I know many of you will protest that the “snakes” Patrick was driving out were peace-loving pagans, and yet others of you may be flashing the Protestant orange. Either way I’m not a huge St Pat celebrator but I’m down to drink a green beer and and get pinched with the best of ’em. It is not political for me (easy to say from my comfortable west coast seat eh?). So that’s the spirit of this Irish tinged weekend picks. But feel free to discuss more important matters below.
No cover St Paddy’s at Flipside – Salem’s hottest q party is offering to let you get down sans door cash. More to spend on Irish whiskey. But sure if I’d trust the dollar wells though…who am I kidding, of course I would.
From left: Rebecca Cole, Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony and Janet Weiss from Wild Flag
Lots of excitement has been accompanying new Portland supergroup Wild Flagsince their formation last Summer. The quartet featuring Janet Weiss and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Helium’s Mary Timony and The Minders Rebecca Cole been playing sold out shows locally and outside of the area sporadically in the precious few months of their existence. They are also slated to play at SXSW on March 18th.
Now, they’ve made their first single, “Glass Tambourine” available for online listening. A combination of 70s jam rock and 90s indie pop with a healthy dose of grownup 2011 revamping, “Tambourine” is a full and nuanced aural pleasure which you experience for yourself right here below.
Portlandia‘s not the only place the 90s seem to be making a comeback. Compared to Sleater-Kinney and The Breedersriot grrl/punk outfit Sick of Sarahis wooing ladies and winning hearts across the music industry with their genuine sound that calls upon their riot grrl roots while still remaining current.
The Minneapolis based band is currently on tour promoting their new album 2205, and will be playing tonight in Portland at Backspace (115 NW Fifth Ave).
Rabbit Rabbit with Lisa Schonberg & Heather Treadway– Remember when you used to get excited about new bands? Well be prepared to feel that way again with 2 new projects taking the intimate stage at Mississippi Pizza (across the street from Mississippi Studios). Two of the ladies from Explode into Colors are exploding into another musical venture so new it doesn’t even have a name. Be prepared to swoon over Lisa’s skills on the drum set. Yeow!
Friday
Indie–Cent– Local Lounge is trying to make main drag MLK Blvd the place to be for queers and I think it might be working. I haven’t seen the busy strip so fun as lively as I have this year. As part of this effort the Local is adding regular dance nights that are small enough to feel neighborhoody and big enough to be a party. One of the first was JunKtionbut they’re expanding a a twice a month (1st & 3rd Fridays) soiree which might have a slightly more masculine flavor with organizers Nathaniel Knows and Danny Merkury. But don’t worry, boys and girls alike rule this school!
From left: Mary Timony, Janet Weiss, Rebecca Cole, Carrie Brownstein
Amidst all the hype surrounding former Sleater-Kinney band member Carrie Brownstein‘s comedic project Portlandia, I hope you all haven’t forgotten that the funny lady still makes music. And her new band, Wild Flag, plays tonight at Bunk Bar (1028 SE Water St). With a tour in March, recording in April, and an album out in fall in the Flag is already flying.
To learn more about the super group, which also includes Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Quasi) and Mary Timony (Helium) and Rebecca Cole (Minders) check out an introduction to Wild Flag penned back in September. And to check out some of their angsty anthems check out videos from Portland live shows below.
