For those of you who have the holiday off that means that Sunday Fun Day just got even sweeter.  It means you can drink and party and play without any regret as there’s no Case of the Mondays waiting for you tomorrow. So if you’re lucky enough to have the day to yourself tomorrow, make sure you make tonight worth it.  Here’s what’s shaking this Sunday.

Sunday is definitely a big brunch day, so why not enjoy some delicious food while enjoying some musical stylings from three of Portland’s finest performers? Beginning at 11 o’clock you can join Sean Mencher, Kris Day, and Matthew Robbins as they play everything from rockabilly, old school country, and even a bit of jazz for your brunch time enjoyment over at Local Sprouts on Congress Street in Portland.  It’s free, the food is good, the coffee’s strong, and you can always expect a special guest or two to join the trio as they play until 2 this afternoon.

Another edition of The Couch with host John Nels is taking place downstairs atEmpire Dine and Dance this evening.  The Couch is definitely one of Portland’s most assorted open mic nights that not only provides a place for local musicians to play in front of an audience, but also features a showcase set from different artists each and every week.  It’s always free and begins at 9 o’clock.

If busting a move and getting a little weird to some funky rock and roll jams is what you’re looking for this lovely Sunday evening, then head down to Amigo’s in Portland where you can check out Velourosaurus.  Starting at 9:30 these fellas will be tearing it up with selections from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Daniels, Cee Lo Green, and many, many more. Grab a margarita and get ready to cut loose out on the patio tonight.

North of Portland, P.U.N.K Fest 4 takes place at the Keith Anderson Community Center in Orono with a crap-ton of bands playing to help raise money for laid off workers in Maine.  Not only will there be a plethora of bands playing, but there’ll also be an art sale, bake sale, and video game competition.  Things get underway at 2pm and roll right on thru until 10 o’clock with performances from USA Waste, The Ear Bleeds, Paige Turner, I Barbarian, Jonee Earthquake Band and many, many more.

Monsters is a themed Free-For-All art show with the only theme being the word…well, Monsters, obviously. Brought to you by Kris Johnsen & Pinecone+Chickadee, this show will include works by local artists and is on display at Pinecone+Chickadee in Portland through June 3rd.

If you want some monster-themed artwork, you’re in luck; these babies are for sale. What a great way to support the local arts and be a huge weirdo with monsters hanging on your wall.

So if you need your fix of monsters (Aaahh!!! Real Monsters is on Netflix so you shouldn’t need a fix, but you should still check out this cool artwork), get down to Pinecone+Chickadee anytime before June 3rd.

Pinecoke+Chickadee
6 Free Street
Portland, ME 04101
Mon-Sat: 10:00 am-6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am-5:00 pm
1 (207) 772-9280

Ben Dennison

Dark Hollow Bottling Company’s second full-length album sees the five-piece string band play to their strengths with songs that are simple, brief and catchy. Their combination of folk and bluegrass comes straight from the backwoods but the lyrics are surprisingly more sensible and thankfully less twangy than what a casual listener might expect from those particular genres.

American Ghosts is built around carefully plucked guitar and banjo melodies that are beautiful without being too complex. Admittedly this part feels very familiar because the band has taken a traditional approach to the musicianship. The inclusion of mandolin, fiddle and squeezebox helps round out the somber and light atmospheres of each song quite well. Vocalist Corey Ramsey matches the rustic tones of the music in his performance but the most fun is had when the band harmonizes, like during “High On a Mountain.” The group vocals are sometimes rough around the edges yet retain a warm and relatable charm.

Mood-wise American Ghosts is very gray, favoring a darker attitude over the upbeat. “Marrow” is the trump card, an emotionally confused and distant narrative that starts with haunting bare-bones strumming before building to its tense climax. There’s a fistful of gems on the less serious side, too, especially “My Own” and its rapid delivery and playing that go unmatched elsewhere on the album.

The only disappointment, as slight as it is, is just how by the numbers the music seems. You feel like you know the songs as soon as you start listening, and given their sing-along nature I do consider this a good thing, but I’m hard pressed to find anything here that I could say is breaking new ground. There’s still a great deal of fun to be had here but I hope that DHBC will allow themselves to experiment more in the future. They’ve certainly got the talent to warrant taking such a risk.

Kyle Gervais

This new wave of Americana, it has become one of my many enemies. I don’t care if it’s The Avett Brothers or a dozen other bands with Brothers in their name, it does nothing for me. I hate banjos. I prefer the future to the past. While Mumford and Sons are playing the Eastern Prom this summer, I hope to be out of town so as to not hear their British shanty take on this already overdone sound. Basically, if you’re not The Band, it’s going to take a bit to win me over.

But without trying very hard, Dark Hollow Bottling Company does just that with American Ghosts. The songs are simple, effortlessly catchy, well-played, dirty, roughly produced and most importantly, feel real. This isn’t some bullshit, I’m-just-going-to-throw-on-suspenders-and-play-an-acoustic-guitar act. There’s pain and regret and danger. While there are enough elements to connect DHBC to all of the groups I bashed in my intro, the band is closer in tone to acts like the Drive-By Truckers or Steve Earle. “Why We Dream,” which sounds more than a bit like the Jayhawks, starts things strong and while the bridge of “Sold” would usually bug me big time, the chorus and message is too good to write off. But “Marrow” is the peak, utilizing all of its seven minutes brilliantly and displaying true emotion. It’s the type of song that is so good it could make the rest of the album useless, but luckily does not.

“Black Tears” follows and with the change-up in lead vocals and energy, is the second high point of Ghosts. While there is some fluff scattered throughout (“My Own”, “High On the Mountain”, “Watch Your Back”), the record as a whole works extremely well and, between the alternating voices and the variety of hooks, flies by which is quite a feat considering how serious most of it is. Greg Klein, Corey Ramsey, Riley Shryock, Nick Scala and Jim White have created not just a solid album from a genre I would never listen to by choice, but have also put out one of the best records I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing in 2012.

Not only is it Saturday, but it’s also the first of three days off in a row and it’s ridiculously beautiful out.  It’s definitely a win-win situation all around if you ask me. Everyone and their mother are going to be out rockin’ it tonight, so here’s where you should be too.

The 3^rd Annual Morrissey’s Very Unhappy Birthday Party is happening over at Empire Dine and Dance in Portland.  Beginning at 9, you can check out some local musicians as they come together to celebrate The Smiths’ singer’s 53^rd birthday by playing a night chock full of his tunes.  There’ll be performances all evening long from Corey Gagne, members of Grand Hotel, Shawn Saindon, Scott Girouard, Welterweight and many more.

 An evening of ambient, avant-folk comes to One Longfellow Square in Portland as Maine duo, Arborea headline a show alongside Christopher Paul Stelling and the ever-lovely dilly dilly.  Be sure to get there right at 8 o’clock so you can check out both openers before the main attraction this evening.

Geno’s keeps it rocking this evening with a full-throttle rock and roll show starting at 9 o’clock.  Tonight Portland’s own Clubber Lang and Bora will take the stage alongside Vermont’s Atlatl. 

If you’re hoping to shake what your momma gave you this evening, then you can check out a free electronic dance party downstairs at The Asylum tonight as another edition of Bang It! begins at 9 o’clock.  Tonight you can check out sets from DJ Silverchild, DJ Kohaku, ATOMIK and Carl Fisher.

Station 85 knows that summer is pretty much here and that means it’s time to rock it out at one of their favorite pubs in Portland.  Beginning at 9 o’clock the fellas will be throwing a free rock n’ roll party at RiRa on Commercial Street, so if you’re hanging in the Old Port, check ‘em out.

Thee Icepicks and NYC’s Baxx Sisi’s celebrate another sign of summer tonight: the opening of the Saco Drive-In! Over at Bayside Bowl you can join them as they get ready to rock your socks off with a good old-fashioned rock and roll party. Shake your groove thing to some satisfying surf sounds and awesome 60s garage freak-beat noise beginning at 9pm.

If you’re ready to truly satisfy your earholes with some straight up funk and soul from a band that promises to melt your face off then be sure to get your can over to The Big Easy for tonight’s show with A Murder of Crows.  A Murder of Crow’s Portland’s own 13-piece funk band who will be boasting the likes of Kenya Hall and Lyle Divinsky holding it down on vocals tonight starting at 8.

Feature Image of The Nunz courtesy of Justin Levesque.

I hate people who genuinely enjoy exercise. They piss me off. I haven’t been to the gym since my freshmen year of college. I hate working out. I hate using all the sweaty machines. I hate looking at all the sweaty, better looking people. I hate getting judged by said sweaty, better looking people. And I hate going home to plop myself down on the couch and then eat two times the amount of calories I just burned at the gym. My sister is always saying crap like “exercise can be fun” which has made me want to punch her right in that fit little stomach of hers–but it would probably hurt my hand, so I don’t. However, I recently just stumbled across a workshop that sounds like maybe, just maybe, I won’t hate it.

Belly Dance classes with Rosa Noreen in Portland. Belly dancing is about “power, grace, and beauty.” I know what you’re thinking: the belly of a girl who hasn’t stepped foot in a gym in over 5 years can hardly be described as any of those things. And you’re right. But, I’m still intrigued. These worshops are apparently for building confidence. And while I’ve got confidence, my belly might need a boost.

Rosa Noreen’s class times are super convenient. They’re all “after work” hours or during break times. There’s one class named “Lunchtime Shimmy” and it’s just $10 to drop in.

So if you’re tired of the gym, too immature for yoga (I giggle during the ohms), and not self-loathing enough for boot camp, maybe check out Bright Star World Dance on Forest Ave and give belly dancing a whirl. It could be cool.

Classes are listed here.

Rosa Noreen
Belly Dance Portland
96 Congress Street #402
Portland, ME
(207) 409-9540

It’s here! I’m going to let Mr. George Jones do the talkin’: It’s finally Friday, I’m free again I got my motor runnin’ for a wild weekend! It’s finally Friday I’m outta control, forget the workin’ blues and let the good times roll! Yeehaw, mothahuggas, it’s a long mothaflippin’ weekend and I’m ready to do it to it, so here we go!

I’m going to kick things off over at Empire Dine and Dance in Portland where the wildly talented, local songstress Amy Allen will be celebrating the release of her sophomore album, Neptune alongside a pretty kickin’ band consisting of such musical chaps as Charlie Gaylord, Spencer Albee and Zach Jones to name a few.  This is an early show, so make sure you don’t miss out when things start rolling along at 7 o’clock.

Then at 9 o’clock, the upstairs of The Empire transforms into a giant funk and soul party as the incomparable Lady Zen teams up with the party people in Stereocom for a night that is sure to make you shake your money maker.

Personally I’ve got a whole lot on my plate tonight as there’s a crap-ton (actual scientific unit of measurement) of awesome shows going on all around town tonight that I really need to check out.  Next up on the agenda is the Listen Up! Creative Trails Benefit happening over at The Big Easy.  Tonight a plethora of Portland performers come together to support this music program aimed at giving the opportunity to unique individuals to learn and perform music with others.  Beginning at 8 o’clock such talents as Dominic and The Lucid, Jeff Beam, Amanda Gervasi, Sara Hallie Richardson, John Nels, Eric Bettencourt, Anna Lombardand many, many more will take the stage to perform ‘unplugged’ in support of this cause.  It’s a five-dollar cover and house band The Furry Ambers will be hand to keep things rockin’ all night long.

Next up, I have to shimmy on into SPACE Gallery where Post Provost will be releasing their debut album Ancient Open Allegory Otario.  I’ve been hearing nothing but amazing things about Post Provost, which features members of East Wave Radio, but with a sound completely different than what fans of that band might be used to.  Try it out, you might like it; I’m very excited to check it out starting at 8 o’clock tonight.

And how could I ever miss a celebration that marks the birth of The Fuge and also incorporates Star Wars and a Confusatron reunion? I couldn’t, so I won’t. Instead I’m going to head over to Geno’s Rock Club for this crazy party, which will feature a showing of Return of the Jedi as Confusatron plays the soundtrack live.  Craziness ensues at 9 o’clock.

The Flasktown Getdown series continues tonight over at The Flask in Portland where A Zoo of 3 takes over bringing you a completely free dance party all night long.  Starting at 9 get ready to bust some sweet moves all over the place like the animal you are!  Since these three DJs call themselves A Zoo of 3, they encourage you to don your best animal costume and enter to win a cool prize.  Sounds pretty wild, so if you’re looking to shake what your momma gave you, then get on down to The Flask this evening.

Velourosaurus will be rockin’ the party out on the patio at Amigo’s this evening.  Starting at 9:30 you can check out the fellas as they cover everything from Led Zeppelin to The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and many, many more.  It’s free and fun, so check it out if you’re stumbling around the Old Port this evening.

Phil Divinsky shows us all where offspring, Lyle, got all his soul from the evening as he and his Americana rhythm & blues outfit The ToneKings return to The Frog & Turtle in Westbrook tonight.  You can enjoy the smooth, delightful sounds of The ToneKings starting right around 8:30 at this fabulous gastro pub located right in downtown Westbrook.

If you’re south of P-town this Saturday evening go on and check out the mightyKenya Hall Band who take The Hive in Kennebunk by storm.  Funk, soul and all around goodness for your earholes provided by the lovely and gifted Ms. Kenya Hall and her enormously talented band.  It’s sure to put a little wear in your rage shoes as there’s no way you can watch a KHB gig and not dance.  Get on up and get on down at 8 o’clock.

Summer is slowly but surely starting to show us her beautiful face once again and that can only mean one thing. Well, actually more like hundreds of things but one of the first that comes to mind is mini golf. Yep, it’s time to go hit up the green carpet links in Maine. When was the last time you were maliciously rejected by that horrific, spinning windmill? If you cannot remember then face it head on this weekend! My inside sources are telling me that this is Memorial Day weekend, a perfect excuse for getting your putt on.

Beyond the obvious reasons of why your should go out and putt-putt, this weekend just so happens to be the sixth annual Putting for Patriots event. Nearly 30 miniature golf courses across the country will be raising money for our wounded, their families and the survivors of fallen military members. This event takes place each May, culminating on Memorial Day weekend. All they are asking for is an additional dollar for your round of golf. Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf in Bar Harbor will be helping in this fund raising effort. Since you are going to go out mini golfing anyways, you might as well help a worthy cause!

So whatever you thought you had planned this Memorial Day weekend; the beach, picnics, regular golf, whatever. Throw those ideas out the window because now you are going to find your inner Happy Gilmore and enjoy some mini golf (please don’t hurt the clowns). Below are some helpful links to find a mini golf course near you:

Maine Miniature Golf Courses

Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf in Old Orchard Beach

Memorial Day is quickly approaching. Many awesome things come to mind: barbecues, beach trips, shorts and tanktops, and especially the ice cream truck are all to be welcomed back this weekend. But one thing that I’ve been most excited about for the past few months is perhaps a well-kept secret to the southern Maine locals. Ogunquit’s tourist season opens officially on Memorial Day and lasts through Labor Day. Gays from all over the country are quickly filling up all vacancies at the beachside (and barside) motels and inns, almost like we’re a smaller version of Provincetown, MA. Here is what a typical vacationer’s day might look like in the OGT this weekend…

9:45am: Wake up to the sound of seagulls and waves crashing on the shore, the smell of salt water in the air. Hope out of bed and enjoy a continental breakfast provided by the nice gay couple that have owned the bed and breakfast for 15 years.

10:30am: Time to get in a good workout to keep your beach body tight. Compass Rose Yoga has classes that will whip you into shape. But damn it, if you’re not a ball of knots today! Screw it, you’re on vacation! Treat yourself to a nice massage or a mani/pedi at Genesis Day Spa, where your pampering is their command. After all, you earned it!

1:10pm: Okay. You’re loose, you’re fit, and the sun is peaking above the shore line. Time for some rays. The beach is packed with plenty of eye candy, so plop your towel down, open up a book and pretend you’re reading it while you catch a glimpse at everyone else around you. Trust me, you look great today so they’re doing the same.

4:26pm: You’ve showered off the rays, and have a nice glow. Throw on a cute shirt and your favorite white jeans (’cause you can again, as of this weekend!) and walk towards the center of town. It’s time for some delicious noms. Head over to The Front Porch, where martinis and music mix with their incredibly well-done menu. Sing your little heart out and have a few drinks after your yummy late-lunch/early-dinner.

8:22pm: After your meal, your pregame cocktails and a little bit of window shopping in the many different adorable boutiques, you’re ready to cut footloose. MaineStreet is right in the center of town, and they’ve got plenty on the docket for Memorial Day weekend. Everyone who is anyone is going to be enjoying drinks and dancing, as well as some very great billiards competition. They have cheap bar snacks and pizza all night to keep you from throwing up all over your loafers, and the DJs are world-class. Find a cute young thang to dance with. Who knows? This may be your lucky weekend!

1:06am: Exhausted, you try and remember where your coat is, and eventually find it. Time to grab a cab. It’s been a long damn day and goddamnit, it’s time for bed! Head back to the B&B in your chariot and crash out immediately, ready to do it all again the next day!

It seems like there’s very little Eric Bettencourt can’t do musically. From writing his own material, to recording local artists at his home studio Shadow Shine, or playing in the rock and jam cover band Velourasaurus (with a catalog of over 100+ songs), the folk-rocker has been a mainstay in the Portland music scene for years, and isn’t showing any signs of letting up soon. Following his last album of original material Secret Songs for Secret People, released this past November, his latest EP, Weightless Embrace, is a limited edition covers record featuring five newly arranged songs from a broad range of artists, including Jimi Hendrix and David Mallett, and is the first album to a feature an all new band for the singer songwriter.

Never one to rest on his laurels, however, Bettencourt is also currently in the works recording his latest batch of songs for his next album of original material, some of which have already made their way into his current live set. I recently sat down with Bettencourt to discuss life as a musician in Portland, and his process for writing and arranging both cover songs and original material. Check out our interview below.

Dispatch Magazine: Your new EP ‘Weightless Embrace’ is a covers album; what made you decide to take that direction creatively?

Eric Bettencourt: Just working with a new band; before I started really digging into new original music with a group of people I wanted to kind of go through the whole process, so I picked a bunch of songs and we kind of rearranged them and played.

That’s why I called the album ‘Weightless Embrace,’ it was a very weightless process; it was fun. If it was my stuff there would have been a lot of pressure to get it perfect and I just wanted to put out something I could give away to my fan base, just a little something extra.

DM: What made you choose these songs in particular?

EB: They were songs I liked; there was a whole slew of them that we kind of worked on. Sometimes I’ll kind of jam on a riff, and I’ll just like it and if I can’t really find my own words to put in sometimes another song will kind of fit in, and I’ll kind of mess with it. I felt like it was a really well rounded album; I felt like I was able to give a shout out to a couple of local song-writers as well as some of my absolute favorites like Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. To me they were very interesting songs and songs that resonated with me; it just felt good, and we had fun making it.

DM: Was there a particular song you had in mind that made you want to pursue this project?

EB: Not really. With the other band, my original band, we were actually working on covers because every now and then a gig comes up that pays a lot and you can’t really turn it down so you have to have a few covers. So I do that; I don’t really advertise when I go out and play solo acoustic, but I have to play tons of covers, because that’s what people want to hear.

I think mainly every show I do I would like to do a different cover. I always love when I hear when my favorite artists cover a song I like, because it’s this sound I already like with a new interpretation.

My roommate and I love the band Lake Street Drive; they’re great, they’re real upbeat rhythm and blues. So, my roommate said “I guess they’re putting out a cover EP,” and that kind of rang a bell, like “cool, that’s awesome, why not?” I love working in the studio, so it was the perfect opportunity to work with the guys.

DM: Speaking of covers, you play in one of my favorite cover bands downtown, Velourasaurus. I’ve always thought you guys do a great job of choosing interesting songs to play outside of the normal cover band material.

EB: We’d probably make more money and get more wedding gigs if we played more popular stuff, but I mean I could never be in a cover band that plays ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ but recently I’ve had a lot of trouble because the guys are so busy we haven’t been able to learn anything new for a few months, so actually at this point I’m ready to play ‘Sweet Home Alabama’.

DM: I know you ran into some issues streaming the album due to digital licensing restrictions, can you talk about that?

EB: I went through a process to get a mechanical license, which is very limited, I’m allowed to give away/sell 250 CD’s.

I can’t really stream them and they can’t be played on the radio, so what I might do is try to get it up on iTunes, so maybe at the end of the summer I’ll put them up. I’m proud of what we did; I think they’re pretty cool arrangements so I’d like to get them to a wider audience.

DM: Was there any other difficulty you had acquiring permission to record certain artists?

EB: I found a website called easysonglicensing.com that a friend told me about, and I contacted David Mallet personally and the other one is by a friend of mine (John Clavette) so that was easy.

DM: What made you decide to cover those local artists in particular?

EB: I’ve known John for years, and I’ve just heard some amazing songs he’s done. You’ll only hear the songs he’s very comfortable with, but I remember 30, 40, 50 songs that are off the charts amazing that he’ll never do, or he just never went back to. That one (Mood Anthem) was one from 15 years ago that was one I remember being stuck in my head, and he didn’t even remember it. I had to go over and it took him a long time to remember it, he only remembered the first verse, so I did my own arrangement of it. It’s just an example of an amazing song that I knew would never see the light of day.

DM: What made you want to cover that song of his?

EB: It’s catchy; it’s one of the catchiest melodies I’ve ever heard. It’s just a haunting melody; it’s really something special.

DM: What has been your experience playing in a regular cover band downtown?

EB: If anything, I would never have done any of this if I wasn’t in a cover band to begin with. When we started, it was real difficult, and I still don’t feel like a strong singer, but that’s what keeps me interested — it’s like a challenge — I like when I figure something out because I’ve got to try something different. It’s fun; it was a huge challenge in the beginning, but I had Ryan (Cyr) there who was one of the most amazing singers, and he always gave me confidence. I learned so much over and over and over playing these songs; you can’t help but get better — it’s like forced practice. After so many years, it’s been huge, it’s amazing.

DM: Your solo material is more folk-oriented whereas Velourasaurus is kind of straight ahead rock and roll; do you try to keep those two interests separate?

EB: At this point I am; you know I don’t want to sell tickets to a show if everyone knows they can see me at Grittys. If you’ve been to one of my shows it’s a listening thing; I like working on the energy of a crowd through songwriting. To me, songwriting is one of the most absolutely important things for an artist.

DM: Do you think being in a cover band has helped you to promote your own material?

EB: Not really, but I mean, after a show if someone likes my stuff, I can hand them a CD, but I don’t think it’s really helped me too much. If anything it’s hurt me because it is so different; I don’t even bring electric guitars to my solo show; I have another guitarist, and I may play one lead the entire night. It’s just a different thing.

DM: Do you think Portland as a community is more supportive of local musicians?

EB: Yeah sure, I mean, it’s a little over saturated, but yeah. It’s a double-edged sword, because you can go out and see amazing music any night of the week, but at the same time, you get these great bands that can’t really get their feet off the ground because they can’t get enough people into a venue. I mean my show on May 12, there was like 15 other shows going on but I was lucky to have two-thirds capacity. This community, because it is removed geologically from Boston, is supportive and it is what it is because there’s no money here. As soon as a record label moves here, and starts throwing money here, and says ‘I want this,’ it’s going to be cut throat and people won’t help each other; it’s just kind of the way it works. I think we have a melting pot of great musicians, who can play out every night of the week if they want and get the practice, but it’s just kind of a family thing, most of the people that make it leave, like Lady Lamb, they get out of here. It’s all connections and places where things are happening, like Boston or New York, that’s where people are going to get noticed.

DM: What are some ways you’ve gone about promoting yourself as a musician?

EB: Right now, the model of music changes every single day. Every month I feel like I get a new idea, I just read Spencer’s thing in the last Dispatch about using your CD as an audio business card, and that’s something I’ve been doing for a while — I give my music to everyone. Nobody is going to have a reason to go to my site and buy my CD and listen, because there’s so much free music everywhere and honestly, I have no idea what to do in between. I’m still going to play places and get in front of people and have them hear my songs, and hopefully get support.

DM: I know you run a small studio in town for artists, Shadow Shine, how has that process been, and where did you learn to record?

EB: I bought Pro Tools and a laptop, and started poking buttons for a long time. I knew the sounds I wanted, and it took me a long time, a few years, before I even put my first record out, so I learned a lot in that process.

DM: In your time recording other local musicians, what have been some of the more memorable artists you’ve recorded with?

EB: I loved doing the Grant Street Orchestra CD, Amanda Gervasi, Pete Miller, Elijah Ocean, Geoff Zimmerman, Jesse Pilgrim. I’m working with Monique Barrett right now, and Sara Hallie Richardson, Pete Miller is going to come in soon, Megan Jo Wilson. I’m being selective about what I’m doing now because I’ve found I have a finite amount of energy and I need my own time.

DM: Is there one song in particular that you remember recording that you were particularly proud to be a part of?

EB: One of my favorites is Amanda’s song called “Billie” which we were at kind of a loss for what to do and she really let me take the reins to arrange and produce it the way I wanted, so I was kind of able to do it with her gone and show it to her, so that was a cool one.

DM: How do you feel about the role social media has played in allowing artists to share their work? Do you think it’s helped or hurt the way we listen to music?

EB: Both. It’s cheaper and more efficient for anyone to record a record right now, but with that said, you have everyone recording records right now and there’s a lot out there — it’s a bit over saturated I think. There’s a lot of good records out there, and a lot of shitty ones, but it’s good, you know. It’s hard to even connect with music these days, because there’s so much of it all the time – I listen to science podcasts when I’m not working — I love that stuff. People are going to keep making music hell or high water, and to me, good music will always find its support, no matter how much is out there, it will always find its support.

DM: Is there a method you have for discovering new artists?

EB: If someone says, “hey you’ve got to listen to these guys,” and I respect who they are, I’ll dig right into it. The other day, Charlie Gaylord said to me, “hey you’ve got to check out these guys: Old Souls,” and I loved it.

The same thing with Will Mallet; he told me, “you’ve got to check out my old man’s song ‘Ten Men’,” and I loved it. I was really struck by the lyrics — I loved it. I’m starting to learn how to read through everything that comes out; just because someone releases a record doesn’t mean it’s great. So many musicians are like, ‘did you hear this? ‘And then you listen to it, and it’s just alright.

DM: Getting back to your own original material, do you have a particular process for writing songs?

EB: I’m learning that I have to give myself the time, I don’t do that enough. I don’t sit down and clear my head and just play enough. And oftentimes nothing happens, but then all of a sudden you’ll just get a shitload of lyrics in your head or a melody, and it’s one of the most frustrating things in the world when I can’t get to a guitar and have a quiet place to start working — that’s the worst. It always happens at the worst time, when you’re too busy — it never happens when you have time to dig in. And then sometimes it just comes; I don’t understand, and it’s the biggest high that you can get, for me anyways, when a song kind of hits, because it’s not me trying to do anything.

One thing I do is I’ll keep singing something in my head for weeks, if not months — maybe a year, and then better lyrics will start filling in meaning the same thing. That’s how a lot of songs come together; I try not to judge the lyrics specifically right away, just let it capture the feeling. Sometimes the lyrics completely write themselves and you don’t have to touch them, and then sometimes they’re filler and you can tell they’re filler, until something comes along and it fits right in. Sometime I’ll have two or three parts in a song that will bug me and bug me, and then all of a sudden I’ll get an idea that fits, and I’ll write it in, and that’s how songs work for me, piece by piece.

DM: Was there a particular song you remember writing, where you had a really profound moment of clarity?

EB: I think I had just finished recording, but I sat down just to chill, and I opened a beer and grabbed a guitar — and it was just that perfect time when my head was completely clear — and ‘This Big House’ just completely wrote itself. My sister even called when I was writing it, and I was halfway through it, and I go, ‘I’m sorry I’ll call you back I promise,’ and the bridge hit just like that. They’re some of my favorite lyrics, because I didn’t try to write them, it’s like they’re trying to tell you something. It really was just out of nowhere, and I’d never really heard a song like that.

Another way things will happen is that if I’m listening to an artist, and there’s this catchy thing that keeps reverberating through my head I’ll shut off the music and start writing my own lyrics to their thing, and sometimes I’ll jump off of their song, and then sometimes that will just fit into another melody.

DM: Do you find it hard to keep track of everything when you’re crafting a song together from many parts?

EB: Yeah, it’s parts that stick with me; that part I find myself playing over and over again and again, that’s the stuff I keep developing. I try to write down any good lyrics that pop into my head, but it gets kind of messy. Just yesterday I was trying to reorganize; it’s not an analytical process, it’s hard to be completely organized. It’s so annoying when you get an idea and you’re looking for papers, because I’m not the most organized person. Cobbling together songs is cool, I’ve done that before.

DM: Can you think of a song that came together like that?

EB: ‘Two Wine Glasses’ was one. There was a whole ending that I had just enjoyed playing and singing and I just tied it into the song; it has an outro that has nothing to do with the song. I think it happened in most of these songs actually; there may be a chorus section you know and then you’re playing a verse and you’re playing this other thing and boom it fits.

DM: Is there a song that you wrote where you remembered something from years before?

EB: Yeah, actually one of the songs that’s going to be on the new one, ‘Under a Tree,’ was the very first song I ever wrote; it had completely mundane lyrics and I would never play it – it’s really cheesy, but you’ve got to go through that and get that stuff out. But I ended up liking the music to it and writing new lyrics, and then growing out of the music and then I still liked the lyrics so I took the lyrics and I always liked them, and I thought they were special.

DM: You mentioned that the new material you’re writing is a bit darker? What made you take that direction? Are there any new artists you’ve been listening to?

EB: There are not really any new influences; it’s just where my head is at. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the irrationality of people and how the government is run the way it is on big money interests and it’s all very, very, frustrating. I think a big outlet for me has been coming up with lyrics relating to stuff I feel are completely irrational that are still with us in this day and age.

I think our society is being completely driven to collapse, and that the people with the biggest interest in making money are the ones snow-balling everybody, with huge money going behind religious groups, and lobbyists that are changing laws to do anything they want to the earth, and the population. We’re just destroying everything and it’s just heavy on my mind; it’s just something I think about all the time and it’s frustrating just to see that people are getting airtime to even talk about their thoughts and brainwash other people. There’s a lot of frustration, so it’s coming out in the music, and its wicked dark, but I think I need to do this, and get it out of my system. It might be a little heavy; I’m not sure if people will like it, but I think it’s something I needed to do.

You can catch Eric Bettencourt next Saturday, June 2, at The Brickhouse in Scarborough starting at 7:30pm.

Purchase Weightless Embrace directly from his Bandcamp store.

Ahhhh, we are so close that I can almost taste the copious amounts of vodka I will be ingesting this weekend.  Granted I will probably start ingesting some amount of vodka this evening, but you get my point.  Anyway, without fail Thursday brings the thunder so throw on those Party Jorts and get ready to boogie.

Start the weekend early tonight at Bull Feeney’s in Portland with some live roots, reggae, and dub-step with the Gorilla Finger Dub Band.  Tonight you can swing by as these fellas come together to provide you with some extremely danceable party music for those of you who appreciate all things reggae and dub.  You can check out Gorilla Finger Dub Band featuring Jonah Bruce of The Running Gags on sax for free as they take the stage right around 9.

You can always enjoy some free tuneage courtesy local indie-folk outfit The Ghost of Paul Revere tonight as they haunt the stage over at Dogfish Bar & Grille in Portland beginning at 8 o’clock.

And I can’t forget the typical Thursday night happenings that are going down all around town tonight.  First up is the Jerks of Grass over at Bayside Bowl in Portland.  Every Thursday night the Jerks come together and make some traditional, good-time bluegrass music starting at 8:30.  There’s never a cover charge and the night always consists of the Three Bs: beers, bluegrass, and bowling, check it out.

Another freebie that is always happening on Thursday evenings over at Brian Boru is North of Nashville.  This duo of gents get together every Thursday and fuse pop songs with a healthy dose and country and bluegrass for sounds that you’re sure to tap your foot to.  Things get started right around 9:30.

If busting a move and getting a little weird to some funky rock and roll jams is what you’re looking for then head over to Gritty’s in Portland where you can check out Velourosaurus.  Starting at 9:30 these fellas will be tearing it up with selections from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Daniels, Cee Lo Green, and many, many more.  There’s never a cover charge and it’s always a terrific way to spend a Thirstday.

Another great night of music is happening over at The Big Easy with a double dose of jams beginning at 9 o’clock.  Kicking things off will be the unique tunes of The Trickle Down who cover everything from funk to jazz to a little bit of rock and roll.  Directly after that Band Beyond Description will take the stage to jam out until last call.

If Pete Witham & The Cozmik Zombies will be taking over Blue on Congress Street tonight with their own brand of twisted Americana/rockabilly.  Sitting in with the fellas will be Devon Colella on cell, things get crankin’ right around 8 o’clock.

If you’re looking to rock out this evening then head on over to Geno’s where four local bands will be slaying the stage beginning at 9.  For six bucks you’ll get to check out sets from Steiner Street, American Verse, Free Steak Dinner and 4 Player Co-Op.

Local Portland comedian Connor McGrath celebrates his birthday in style this evening over at Slainte Wine Bar & Lounge with a gigantic dance party.  Beginning at 9 DJ Kurt Baker will be hosting another Slainte Shakedown spinning only the best 80s New Wave, 60s retro, soul, pop, rock and roll and more.  It’s free and there’ll be drink specials, so buy Connor some fancy beers and see if he throws up on anyone.

I’m pretty damn excited to see an offspring of the one and only Mr. Willie Nelson this evening over at Empire Dine and Dance in Portland.  Willie’s son, Lukas Nelson will be doing his thing alongside his band Promise of the Real.  It’s some solid rock/country tuneage fronted by a dude with an oddly familiar voice and what better way to kick things off than to get Portland’s own six-headed, whiskey-drinking, guitar-slinging monster known as The Mallett Brothers Band on stage to open up the evening.  Guitars start twanging and boots meet asses starting at 9.

]]> http://dispatchmag.com/thursdays-bringing-the-thunder/feed/ 0 http://dispatchmag.com/thursdays-bringing-the-thunder/