Oregon Music News

The Piano Fort's Sam Evans. Photos by Jason Kaplan.

As Portlanders were faced with the demise of one Sellwood clubhouse, another is destined to rise, nearby, from its ashes.  And again, much of the appeal of this new venue is the uniqueness of the establishment: Modcott Pianos by day and The Piano Fort by night.

Enter Modcott during business hours and you’ll be greeted by the full-bearded, easygoing, polite owner Sam Evans and his feisty, beige-and-white, miniature Italian greyhound Stella, who’ll not doubt excitedly paw at your calves and thighs.

Discarded piano parts line the walls, providing decoration for the spacious warehouse located a block from the intersection of Milwaukie and 17th on Spokane St., and the chalk, A-frame sign out front reads: ”Piano Repair, Transport, Tuning, Rebuilding, Art & Music.”

It’s that last bit we’d like to focus on.  While piano restoration is most definitely an art, and a craft Evans has been perfecting for 16 years, The Piano Fort is a fairly recent development in the history of the one-year-old shop.  Modcott, an abbreviated take on the name modern cottage, referring to the original upright, cottage-style piano, threw its first show on June 18th and has been averaging about one per month since then, with six or seven shows now in the books.

Friend and multi-instrumentalist for Blitzen Trapper, Marty Marquis, first suggested that Evans host a show.  The thought had crossed the piano tinker’s mind before and his consent resulted in a successful benefit concert featuring Lone Madrone, Seth Kenzie, and Marquis.

But the inaugural performance at The Piano Fort would not simply be performed in the corner or even on top of a makeshift stage.  No, the structural integrity of the stage would be founded upon the sturdy cases of grands themselves.

“Grands are actually supporting the music,” Evans grins as he steps from stair to piano bench to keys–producing a discordant mash of notes–before taking the stage built on top of pianos.  With five pianos (four grands and a spinet) bearing the load, Evans ensures that the strength of the cases leaves the solid instruments unharmed, except for the spinet used as a stair, which he assures is garbage anyways.  Proving his point, he demonstrates that two of the supporting pianos are perfectly functional, allowing audience members to include themselves in the action if so moved.  Another level above the stage sits a drum kit and bands have been known to employ the space for a horn section, keys or wicked guitar solos.

Enter The Piano Fort on the night of a show and you’ll encounter an atmosphere that embodies the Portland DIY, house scene.  The Fort’s policies include a small door charge (often $5 to simply cover expenses), all ages welcome, BYOB if you’re 21+, and respect the space–it is a functional workshop replete with tools hanging from pegboards and piano parts hiding in the recesses.

Lone Madrone at The Piano Fort. Photo by Miri Stebivka.

“The space felt like we were playing a Portland-style private party rather than a traditional music venue,” Lone Madrone’s Paxton Scott described after releasing their debut album there in November.

You’ll also observe the quintessential genre-mingling, or as Evans puts it, a “totally non-denominational” offering, present at so many Portland shows and venues.  To date, The Piano Fort has hosted roots rock, free jazz, ambient classical, Americana singer/songwriter types, and the self-christened “bionic synth-pop” of Seattle’s Operation ID.

“We’ve actually only had one piano show, but I do have pianos available for use, which I guess not a lot of venues have,” Evans points out.  His recently closed neighbor, The Woods, was one of the few that actually maintained a piano on stage.

Audiences have “teetered just under 100,” Evans recounts, and overall, the new venture has probably lost a couple hundred bucks, “if you’re counting.”

But restoring pianos is the business, hosting shows is a pleasure.  And Evans is proud that the proceeds from four of his concerts so far have gone to charity, and he’s been able to pay musicians at the others.  The charity aspect makes Evans think of turning the idea into a nonprofit, and as throwing concerts becomes more regular, Evans is “working on getting a full-time system,” including permanent lights and leasing PA equipment.

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“If 12 people [a year] find their way in there, that’s all I need” to support the piano business, which is currently 100% restorations, Evans says.  The ultimate goal is to someday manufacture his own modern cottage piano but for now, restorations are keeping him plenty busy. Evans’ specializations in structural repair, case finishing, and repairing pinblocks, soundboards and bridges keep him afloat with small projects as restoration work can span two months to a year, costing anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 for a full rebuild.

Blakely Dadson's "La Vieja Verde y Bumble Bear contra Los Peritos Bavarianos"

Exploring the space, a variety of art adorns the walls including a massive tree-like structure made of old piano pinblock boards with piano bass strings dangling like delicate branches and a stunning work by Blakely Dadson in the office area, plus several amusing pieces by The Brothers Davis–one featuring Madonna portrayed as Vishnu-like god clutching the decapitated heads of Britney, Gaga and Pink with Xtina sprawled dead at her feet.  The same brothers, apparently with a fascination of heads, also have amusing portraits of Gary Coleman and Ed Asner next to a cross made from old Steinway pedals and a rubber pig.  ”That’s an original piece by Marty Marquis,” Evans explains.  Observing it all from above, you can enjoy a “bird’s-eye view” from the rear balcony, listening to the music from the vantage of the sound guy.

“It’s pretty much weekends only, but it’s becoming more and more,” Evans says.  And the chalk calendar where The Piano Fort schedules its concerts confirms this.  The last weekend in January includes shows on both the 27th and 28th.

On Friday, January 27th, Ed & The Red Reds will release their debut CD with Meridian, W.C. Beck & The Valiant Swains, and Ezza Rose–according to Ed Thanhouser of E&TRR, “it all kinda falls under the folky-country umbrella”–followed by Portland locals The Mercury Tree (progressive rock/experimental), Holy Tentacles (catchy math rock) and This Fair City (alternative viola rock) on Saturday, January 28th.

Could the music business take over the piano businesses?  Evans smiles at the prospect: ”It could.”

The Piano Fort hosts Ed & The Red Reds CD release with Meridian, W. C. Beck and Ezza Rose on January 27th. Doors at 8pm, show 8:30pm, RSVP here. And see The Mercury Tree, Holy Tentacles and This Fair City on January 28th. Doors at 7pm, show 8pm, RSVP here.  Both shows are all ages, BYOB for 21+.