Oregon Music News

Explode Into Colors at the Doug Fir. Photo by Kevin Tomanka.

Rumbling bass, baritone and beats trio Explode Into Colors are calling it quits but will headline one last gig this Saturday, June 5th at Rotture.  And it’s free!

Singer and baritone guitar player Claudia Meza says, “I left the band in late April to pursue other projects,” which include “paying more attention to sound art/installation projects. Most recently I worked with Ethan Rose on a piece at the 28 Days in May house.”  She’s also finishing up a sound installation, remixing a Blue Cranes track, and for this year’s TBA fest, composing a piece for Portland Taiko “working with the experimental drum duo ASSS to process all the Taiko drums through effects and help to lend them more varied textures.”

Drummer Lisa Schonberg will continue as a half of the drumcore duo STLS with The Haggard’s sts and as a contributor to the female drumming-focused Tom Tom Magazine.

Auxiliary percussionist, keyboardist and vocalist Heather Treadway is also a fashion designer and dancer.

Explode Into Colors thanks Portland.  “This town has been so incredibly supportive and receptive of our efforts,” says Meza.

The evening begins at 7 PM with the Portland Mercury’s 10th Anniversary Party and will feature all-ages entertainment outside in the Branx parking lot until 10 PM.  The bands play inside, which is 21+, starting at 9 PM.  Explode Into Colors will be joined by Mean Jeans, Astronautalis, DJ Linoleum, DJ Copy, DJ Dundiggy, and beatboxing host Fogatron.

It’s free so there’s not reason to not say goodbye to some fine Portland talent before they explode into new colors.

UPDATE: Some fresh info from drummer Lisa Schonberg on the break up and her future plans.

“It’s a big loss to the three of us that we are breaking up,” says Lisa Schonberg, “but I am looking forward to pursuing other exciting projects and am currently keeping super busy. I am sooo grateful for all the support we’ve gotten from the Portland arts community–it’s been so much fun and so rewarding to be in this band.”

Schonberg’s is keeping busy teaching lots of private drum lessons, working at Rock Camp, studying Hawaiian Hylaeus bee entomology, and playing with two other bands.  Her double drum project STLS is putting out a 7-inch on Kill Rock Stars and touring the West Coast in September, and she’s in an experimental duo dubbed Sielaff/Schonberg with Jonathan Sielaff (also of Golden Retriever and ex-AU) on bass clarinet.

Like usual, “I am drumming, a lot, and look forward to starting additional bands in the future.”

She adds that “Heather is focusing hardcore on her fashion line, Heather Treadway. She has a store called Tolivar that she co-runs with Marian Slakie on Burnside near Grass Hut, and she was recently in the Mercury fashion show. She’s also continuing to play music, and we might even play together this summer in various contexts here and there.”

Lastly, keep on the lookout for DJ Tropical Depression (aka Claudia Meza) working the dance floors around town.