Despite the fierce competition around town to see live music, today’s PDX Unplugged Summerfest kick-off at the Hawthorne Theatre drew a respectable crowd. 30 bands took turns overlapping 30 minute acoustic sets and alternating between stages in the Lounge and Theatre, creating a consistent ebb and flow of traffic between performances.
Audience members embraced the laid back vibe, sank into the Lounge’s red comfy couches, warmed by the red lights and summer heat, and lulled by the singers and their guitars. It was a perfect Portland summer night, lightning storms and all.
Here is a sampling of the bands that performed tonight and a preview of the rest of the bands to come in the next two days:
MERMAID PROBLEM
Evidently, the Mermaid Problem is a joking reference to the unusual sexual interest many non-human characters seem to have with humans in fantasy or science fiction, and potential physical issues therein. However, there is nothing about singer Krista Roth that suggested she might be non-human. In fact, when she sang about naming her guitar after her grandmother (Sylvia) and wishing an old love fortune finding a girl who his parents will accept and adore, she sounded very human.
A new CD is on the way, hear them again at the Alberta St. Pub House on August 14th.
NORTH HEAD
North Head is Joe Randolph, Russ London, Christian Petersen and Steve Szigethy. Formed in August 2008 with the mission of “playing original, groove-oriented, alternative rock with a strong message that brings people together, North Head seeks to use their music to build a community of musicians, friends, fans, and industry folks that want to help each other develop, grow, and prosper. Listening to North Head is like sitting down at the table and drinking deep with them… instead of alone.”
Watch: “Beautiful Heartbreak Fall” by North Head
See them next on August 20th at the Doug Fir.
AMANDA RICHARDS
Portland’s “Bohemian Country Songstress” Amanda Richards is a self-taught guitar player who spent her early years busking for cash while crafting songs that blend her country/folk heritage and bohemian spirit. She is getting ready to kick off a fall tour on the East Coast in support of her latest single, “Perfect Cup of Coffee,” but you have at least two opportunities to see her again in Portland before she heads out.
“As far as songwriting goes, I think that my influences started with commercial Country music of the 1980s. Those people really knew how to write a hook and put a commercial song together. Later on, my writing was influenced by the descriptive verses of Leonard Cohen. He can paint an amazing picture while at the same time being so vague that you have almost no idea what the song is about. I love that.” – Amanda Richards
Watch: “Perfect Cup of Coffee” by Amanda Richards
See Amanda Saturday, August 7th at Macadam’s Bar & Grill and Friday, September 10th at the Rose Quarter Theater of the Clouds.
HUGE SALLY’S CHRIS BARON
With a big sound and bare feet, Chris Baron of the band Huge Sally peered at the audience through his long, brown, curly locks and filled the room with his vocals and guitar. Fresh off a one month tour across the Western U.S., Baron performed original songs as well as a host of covers.
Watch: “None Calling My Name” by Huge Sally
MARIE BLACK
Portland singer/songwriter Marie Black looked refreshed in her flowing, floor length summer dress, pearls and up do as the temperature crept higher in the Lounge. Black brought her noir vibe to this acoustic set singing songs from her latest CD, Water Me. “Stray Animals” is a playful look at the way Black seems to attract off-the-beaten-path people who have good hearts underneath their somewhat counterculture leanings, and her song “Rain of Fire” was glorious.
Black hosts a songwriter’s night the third Thursday of each month at Slim’s.
TIGRESS
Currently in the studio preparing their first full length CD, two of the four members of Tigress took turns performing solo songs in the Hawthorne Theatre Lounge. Transplants from Alaska, singers Jeremiah Brunnhoelzl and Wes Phillips already looked right at home with a local following in the audience.
Listen: “Spanish Steel” by Tigress
Two more days to go and lots of music to see and hear, check out OMN’s preview article with the daily schedules for PDX Unplugged.
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Hi Ana!
It was really nice chatting last night. Thank you for the nice plug. Much appreciated. One note, Ring of Fire is actually “Rain of Fire.” It’s a common error and since I didn’t give the name of the song last night, very easy to hear it that way. I hope to see you around again!
Best-
Marie Black
Thank you for correcting that Marie, I had Johnny Cash on my brain last night. Hope to catch you at one of your songwriter nights soon!