pdx noise

what the #@$% is vortex music magazine?!

2014-03-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Glad you asked because we've got just the person to tell you all about it: Let Music Millennium's Terry Currier bring you and the rest of the city of Portland up to speed on Vortex Music Magazine.

Starting on March 24, Vortex Music Magazine will launch a Kickstarter to raise $10,000 to design, print and distribute more than 10,000 copies of our debut issue, which will feature serious, long-form journalism paired with dynamic photography and useful resources for Portland’s musicians and music community.

In all that we do, it is our mission to make the Portland music scene more successful by making it more accessible. We are Music, Portland-Style.

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Find out more about Vortex Music Magazine and see a mockup of the magazine at vrtxmag.com/support

vortex beta™ is now live!

2014-03-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

And has been for approximately two weeks now. VRTXmag.com is the digital companion to our print publication, which will hit the streets of Portland this May!

We are currently continuing to tighten up and refine the site while adding daily content and rolling out new features in preparation for a Kickstarter campaign we will launch on March 24—more on that later.

Much thanks goes to our very own Rickenbacker-slingin' web developer Arthur Parker for nailing Natalie McGuire's stellar design as well as all of the complex functionality that I asked of him. This site was built from the ground up to meet the daily challenges of a constantly changing world of print, digital media and journalism.

Arthur Parker performing with The Nowhere Band on the final night of the White Album Christmas at the Alberta Rose Theatre this past December. Photo by Autumn Andel.

Vortex Music Magazine is not a legacy media institution, and the ideas, organizational structure and strategies we've employed were constructed for the modern digital world rather than retrofitted to meet a changing media environment. We are hopeful that we can build a sustainable business that revitalizes local music journalism and supports content creators, and we aspire to revolutionize the way content is created.

Thank you to the amazing staff, contributors and photographers we've amassed so far and for all the helping hands that have lent support as we get this project off the ground.

We're extremely excited about what's next for Vortex Music Magazine, and until we reveal what this is, enjoy this little clip that Eric Skelton put together using our small library of media assets.

Don't forget to check out the website, vrtxmag.com, and please follow us on our various social media accounts to stay in the loop and subscribe to our newsletter for further updates.

Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Follow on Instagram

finding the right path on ages and ages' 'divisionary'

2014-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Ages and Ages' Tim Perry and Rob Oberdorfer. Photo by Alicia J. Rose.

"We all have our own vision of what the right path is and which key fits," says Tim Perry sitting in the living room of his NE Portland house.

He's just grabbed a copy of his new record, Divisionary, from the vinyl-filled shelf adjacent to his front door. Flipping it over, he shows me the pile of keys.

"In my mind, it's kind of overwhelming—if you're looking for the right one you might have to search for a while," the Ages and Ages' band leader and songwriter explains. "That said, there's also a lot of different locks in the world and locks represent different doors that open different paths to go down."

This new record is Ages and Ages' second but it's not just simply the next Ages' album—it's a meditated step forward in the band's story. It furthers their individual narrative and experiences as well as the ideologies that Ages' want to share with the world. It also represents the challenges that the group faced to create this record.

Musically, Divisionary once again balances Ages' ability to instill a joyful folk sound amongst underlying complexity. Dividing the sonic space between upbeat singalongs and seriousness, the lyrical half represents the latter. Acknowledging his pop sensibilities, Perry says he writes the songs he does "because they get stuck in my head," but an intimately meaningful message is an integral part of the process.

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Read the rest on Vortex Music Magazine.

get physically fit while keeping portland fiscally fit at local, indie gyms + studios

2014-01-31T10:30:00.000-08:00

The "world's first electricity generating gyms," The Green Microgyms' equipment captures the energy from a workout and repurposes it to power the building.

I helped compile and update a few fitness lists for 2014 because sometimes the only motivation you need is knowing where to go.

In an effort to help you fulfill your New Year's resolutions, Neighborhood Notes recently published several roundups of local, independent gyms, cycle studios, personal trainers and small group fitness classes, plus a few options to condition both your mind and body including yoga.

Find one in your neighborhood and make good on your best intentions.

get out! : volcano choir

2014-01-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

The Midwest invades the Wonder Ballroom on Thursday, and if the name Volcano Choir doesn't ring a bell and you're stuck wondering why this show had already sold out before the end of last year, it's because the Wisconsin-based band's most famous member is Grammy winner Justin Vernon—better known as Bon Iver. That said, this back-and-forth side project features Vernon and his longtime friends (notably members of Collections of Colonies of Bees) together for the second time. The collaborative Repave should more than satisfy the devoted Bon Iver fan—feeling intense and sparse and grandiose individually, and then all of those things at once, the fleshed out rock effort follows in the same vein as his Grammy-winning album. Besides, for all the fanboys and girls, how can you not be assuaged by Vernon's distinctive vocals, whether pitched high or Auto-Tuned? Joining Volcano Choir on tour are Minneapolis neighbors The Cloak Ox with a debut record that feels straightforward in comparison to Repave, yet still retains some surprises—such as Vernon contributing harmonies on frontman "Andy Broder’s Dream" while vocals also come from TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe and Dark Dark Dark’s Nona Marie Invie. At times, Shoot The Dog is a little funky ("Shoot The Dog"), sometimes very frank ("Don't Listen"), and during others Broder reminds of Elvis Costello ("Josephine").

Thursday, January 23, Wonder Ballroom, 8:30pm, sold out, all ages

Watch Volcano Choir perform "Comrade" live in an old tannery in Milwaukee, WI:

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for January 23 to 29.

there is no mountain thanks you by premiering a new song

2014-01-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

CONCERT POSTPONED: Due to heavy snowstorms and flight cancellations, There Is No Mountain’s performance will now take place on Thursday, February 6 at 7:30pm.

Formerly the whiskey-stomping five-piece The Ascetic Junkies, the husband-and-wife team of Matt Harmon and Kali Giaritta decided to simplify their musical endeavor just under a year ago. Rechristening themselves There Is No Mountain, the pair has been in a state of movement ever since.

"We played 122 shows in 40 states in 2013 and probably put 40-50,000 miles on our car," Matt recounts. "We got back from the last (and longest) tour in November, and we've just been catching up with friends and writing new songs."

Along the way, they released their self-titled debut, received tons of support from new fans around the nation, and had a noteworthy opportunity cross their path: While touring back east, they were scouted to perform at New York City's Lincoln Center as part of the American Songbook series. It was a little to good to be true because instead of booking the gig outright, TINM were selected to compete against two other artists for the opening date of the series—let the online voting begin!

Suffice to say, they won! And now Kali and Matt are saying thank you to all their fans and voters for giving them to opportunity to open the 2014 American Songbook series, performing in the David Rubenstein Atrium at the Lincoln Center complex on Wednesday, January 22nd. Naturally, that thank you comes in the form of a new song—free for you to download.

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Listen to and download "Hiking" on OMN.

outdoor project : golden gate bridge + alcatraz island

2014-01-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

Some 600,000 steel rivets hold each 746-foot tower together.

I may have gone down to San Francisco for this, but I spent some time being a tourist and took the opportunity to do document a few things for the Outdoor Project, which has expanded its regional coverage south to California.

I walked the Golden Gate Bridge twice and experienced both of its climatic sides as well as its Art Deco intricacies.

Approaching one of the two towers that suspend the 15,300 feet of main cable (left), but on another day, the same tower disappears into the fog—as often happens (right).

On my final day in the city, I also spent a crisp, gloomy morning fogged in on Alcatraz. I'd been once as a kid, and the one thing I distinctly remember from that first trip was the cellhouse audio tour. Narrated by Alcatraz correctional officers and inmates, the 45-minute tour really transports you back in time. Although the crowds and cost can be a deterrent, I definitely thought Alcatraz was worth revisiting.

Peering down a darkened Broadway, which runs between cell blocks B and C, towards the West Gun Gallery, Times Square and the dining hall.

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Find the other trips I've contributed to the Outdoor Project to inspire your next adventure.

vortex music magazine : coming to pdx in 2014

2014-01-01T22:46:00.000-08:00

I've been quietly working on a new project set to launch in 2014.

Vortex Music Magazine will be a print and online publication. It's our goal to provide a high-quality magazine and online information source that'll cover the wealth of local talent and the distinctive music community in Portland.

We plan to publish serious, long-form journalism paired with phenomenal photography while offering useful resources for Portland’s musicians and music community with a digital focus on providing quick hits of instantly accessible information.

Until we have more to show you, please follow us on our various social media accounts to stay in the loop and subscribe to our newsletter for further updates.

Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Follow on Instagram

Vortex has a lot planned in 2014, so stay tuned.

portland neighborhood + event + business blurbs

2013-12-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

Ringlers Annex and the Crystal Hotel on West Burnside with the Zoobomb Pyle in the foreground

I finished 2013 contributing some neighborhood, event and business blurbs to Neighborhood Notes, helping supplement our updated neighborhood and business district guides for West End, Mississippi, Alberta, Sellwood-Moreland, and the Pearl District. I wrote the main 'hood descriptions for all of the aforementioned (except the Pearl) and highlighted shops like Tender Loving Empire (West End) and Powell's (Pearl), Mississippi Ave. events like the summer street fair, 2nd Thursdays and Cirque du Cycling, music venues like the Crystal Ballroom and Al's Den in the Crystal Hotel (West End), and Pearl places and happenings like First Thursday, the Museum of Contemporary Craft, and Portland Center Stage and The Armory.

get out! : white album christmas featuring the nowhere band + wanderlust circus

2013-12-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

In what's become a holiday tradition at the Alberta Rose, the White Album Christmas returns for its sixth year of doing what Portland does best. Prepare for a Liverpudlian Christmas carnival spectacular featuring a menagerie of amazing PDX players (aka The Nowhere Band, which includes members of MarchFourth Marching Band, The Stolen Sweets, The Saloon Ensemble, Solovox, Trashcan Joe and more) performing the classic Beatles masterpiece from front to back with eye candy (like juggling, acrobatics, aerialism and dancing) provided by Wanderlust Circus, all backed by horns and strings and surprises! Get your tickets now because they're going fast—several evenings have already sold out but a Saturday family matinee (2pm show) has been added.

Thursday, December 5 to Sunday, December 8, Alberta Rose Theatre, 8pm, $25 advance / $30 door / $40 premium seating, minors permitted with adult

Watch a montage featuring behind the scenes footage from the 2011 performance:

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for December 5 to 11.

donate to oregon music news

2013-11-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

OMN recently announced that we are becoming a nonprofit organization with a mission to grow and sustain Oregon’s music community by providing a platform for comprehensive music journalism and digital education opportunities.

We also set an initial fundraising goal of $20,000 by January 31st, 2014. We need all of our readers to help in order to reach this goal. Please make a tax-deductible contribution today and help us improve, grow and sustain the most comprehensive music journalism website in Oregon.

the aging of nine inch nails and its audience

2013-11-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

Nine Inch Nails’ Tension 2013 Tour // Photo by Rob Sheridan

In 2000, Nine Inch Nails were touring in support of Trent Reznor's epic double-disc concept album The Fragile—the release that earned the band its first No. 1 charting. The Fragility 2.0 tour hit the Rose Garden that June, and as some friends were leaving for the show, they realized they had an extra floor ticket.

I took that ticket.

A puny, buzz cutted, buck twenty-something high schooler in crisp Gap jeans and unblemished Adidas trainers, we turned our backs on the warmth of the summer sunshine and made our way through the dim recesses of the Rose Garden with our neon wristbands securely attached, wristbands that warned: "The Rose Quarter does not condone MOSHING OR BODYSURFING" and threatened those participating with (self-inflicted) "injuries and/or eviction."

Although this was my first-ever arena show—my first real mosh pit—I knew there was no way the combat boot-donning, black eye shadow-painted, pierced and pale contingent around me, with spiked accessories around wrists and necks and more barbs skewering shoulders and lapels, would heed this advisory.

Thirteen years and five studio albums later, and after a period of indefinite hiatus for NIN, it all seemed so much tamer when Reznor and Co. took the freshly christened Moda Center stage on Monday, November 18, 2013, supporting Hesitation Marks, the band's eighth studio album and first one back after the aforementioned self-imposed break.

That's not to say the show wasn't a quality one.

Photo by Rob Sheridan

Trent Reznor would never half ass a performance and he brought the visual firepower in the form of a blinding, hypnotizing and schizophrenia-inducing light show, all rhythmically timed to his oft-abrasive anthems. The luminous apparatuses were multi-dimensional with swiveling robotic flashes hanging just above the performers' heads, as well as a metal grating that descended to divide the band and the crowd, effectively creating an illuminated cage where laser beams formed glowing bars and digital flames danced before the band. Wavelengths shook and shivered with interference while the precisely electrified silhouettes during "The Hand That Feeds" were impressive.

As expected, he also brought the aural bombast with a corrosive intensity intermittently complimented by poignant moments of delicate beauty—what we've all come to expect from the industrial composer and producer known to mix harshness and grace in the same breath, spouting fire and ice, distortion and clarity.

The vibe wasn't exactly docile, but then again, it didn't feel nearly as hostile as it did 13 years ago. There was definitely audible aggression in the chants of "Now you know, this is what it feels like" during "The Wretched," and a compact mosh pit seemed to be alive and well during the appropriate moments ("Terrible Lie," "Survivalism," "Head Like A Hole" and "The Wretched").

Admittedly, I was observing all this from my comfy press perch rather than in the thick of it where, all those years ago, I was literally lifted off the ground due to the crush of chunky, fleshy masses collapsing on all sizes while sweating profusely, fighting off lightheadedness, and gasping for air with an intensity I've only experienced since in the sweltering confines of a claustrophobic Bikram yoga studio—all in an attempt to score a glimpse of the equally impactful triptych stage setup designed by Bill Viola.

This time, there was no salvo of crowd surfers incessantly launching themselves over the barriers, nor a massive push and shove of clammy bodies stumbling to and fro in a tightly packed pit. It wasn't very intimidating, and maybe that's because everyone was too busy holding up their cell phones.

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Read the rest on OMN.

get out! : poliça

2013-11-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

Poliça has only turned up the emotional intensity on their second effort as demonstrated by the graphic album art of Shulamith (pixelated to a blur on outlets like iTunes and Amazon) and the disturbingly violent video for "Tiff" featuring vocals from Justin Vernon, the first single from the record. Released one month ago—to the day—on Mom + Pop, the sultry noir of their electronic R&B again hoists the Auto-Tune-drenched vocals of Channy Leaneagh to the forefront with hypnotizing effect, but what really makes this showing of Poliça special is the fact that they're being supported by the producer who helped start it all. Ryan Olson (of Minneapolis' GAYNGS) was the one who conceived Poliça's debut album with Leaneagh but chose to forgo touring with the burgeoning band. With a complete band now intact (still featuring two drummers providing those layered beats), Shulamith may have been more of a collaborative process this time around, but Olson was also there to contribute beats programming, production and synths. Meanwhile, he was working on his own vocally affected, percussion-heavy project called Marijuana Deathsquads alongside Isaac Gale and Stefon Alexander (aka P.O.S), an experiment in evolution and improvisation—like many of Olson's offerings—that's punk, rap and sharp on the edges.

Friday, November 22, Wonder Ballroom, 9pm, $16 advance / $18 doors, all ages

Listen to the aforementioned "Tiff":

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for November 21 to 28.

get out! : cut copy

2013-10-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

Hippie—that's the direction Cut Copy has gone with their fourth studio album Free Your Mind. Well, hippie "in terms of uniting traditional guitars and dance music," frontman Dan Whitford told T Magazine. Inspired by the music of the two Summers of Love ('60s psychedelic rock and acid house of the late '80s, respectively), Whitford believes "those eras were about opening minds, stylistically and culturally—it wasn’t just black and white, but all things coming together"—and they’ve been experimenting with this themselves while ensuring that you dance your ass off. Openers include LA's Kauf (aka Ronald Kaufman), whose debut EP, As Much Again, is out now on Cut Copy's own Cutters label, and the US-based (via Milan via Greece) producer Larry Gus showing off material from his recently released, and also psychedelically tinged, DFA record Years Not Living.

Friday, November 1, Roseland Theater, 8pm, $25 advance, all ages

Listen to the third single, "We Are Explorers," from Cut Copy's Free Your Mind (which is currently streaming in full on NPR, plus watch the vid for the title track) out on November 5th:

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for October 31 to November 6.

'making it up' : the blow's first new record in 7 years

2013-10-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

If you caught one of The Blow's back-to-back PICA performances at TBA:13 last month, you may have wandered out of the Winningstad Theatre feeling a little bewildered. In a word, the performance was odd—and not in the intriguing, thought-provoking way that the Time-Based Art Festival often strives for.

Although the excitement was palpable as Portlanders gathered on a Sunday night to catch The Blow's first performance in their former hometown in more than two and a half years, the extensive and sometimes awkward monologues—for which The Blow's Khaela Maricich is known—were too long and too out there. It was soon clear that there was no distinguishable storyline, and the cohesive thread that somehow manages to tie everything together in a Blow performance was lacking. In short, the performance was punctuated by long pauses rather than catchy electro-pop.

And, it was that electro-pop that the audience so craved, seeing as The Blow was set to release their first album in seven years on October 1st. Although these initial Portland performances left the audience feeling a bit unsatisfied, the truth is that The Blow is much loved in this town. So, an empty appetite also leaves Portlanders desirous for more, craving a decidedly different, and hopefully more musical, show at the Doug Fir Lounge on Sunday, October 20th.

Now, in The Blow's defense, Maricich did tell OMN prior to their PICA performance:

Performing at the Winningstad is the chance to do something unique because it’s like a lovely little nest of a theater. It’s sort of the opportunity to make an “unplugged” performance, since there is a sense of space and reflectiveness there, which is distinct from the amped up vibe of a sweaty music club. We are looking forward to revealing ourselves in the delicate environment there.

But post-PICA, Portland's expectant of the “sweaty music club” experience. That said, the handful of tracks The Blow did reveal at the Winningstad sounded spectacular—we, maybe selfishly, just wanted more.

And of those revealed, Maricich, alongside partner and collaborator Melissa Dyne, blasted a taste of their self-titled effort in the form of the record's first single, "Make It Up"—a love song that talks about breaking the rules, which seems to be a bit of a mantra for The Blow in general. Whether making lo-fi, electro-pop songs or presenting the band's narrative style of performance, does The Blow sometimes feel like they're making it all up as they go along?

"Yep," is the succinct response from Maricich.

Going "hand in hand into the blackness... making this album was an odyssey of experimentation," Maricich says. (The first part is also a lyric from the album closer "You're My Light.") In their official press release on the album, she continues:

We divided the tasks of making the album between us pretty much according the the differences in how we dream at night. Khaela dreams about people and conversations and juxtaposed feelings: She wrote the lyrics and melodies and many of the compositions. Melissa dreams of being a beam of light bouncing off a Ferrari: Anything that gave the songs dimension (arrangement, engineering, synth programming, sample perfecting, half of the composing) was done by her.

OMN already explored a bit of what it's like to go "into the blackness" before The Blow's PICA performance, and now Khaela Maricich continues the conversation about her collaboration with Dyne on The Blow's new record.

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Read the rest on OMN.

from pdx to sfo : on a voyage to treasure island 2013

2013-10-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

Treasure Island 2011

The West Coast festival season throws a last hurrah each year squirreled away in plain sight in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. Accessed via one of those rare left-hand exits off the Bay Bridge, follow the passageway through the forested hillside of the petite Yerba Buena Island and across the isthmus to a man-made mass dubbed Treasure Island.

Organized by legendary tastemakers Noise Pop, the 2013 lineup for this year's "Festival in the Bay" is stellar, to say the least—kudos. With just 13 acts per day sharing two stages over the course of a weekend, the Treasure Island Music Festival consistently features artistically diverse, in-demand artists, making it the epitome of a well-curated festival.

If you're feeling extra ambitious in the nights leading up to fest, TIMF also hosts night shows including a Friday gig featuring a double dose of PDX talent when the 11-piece orchestral indie rock of Typhoon and Wild Ones' lilting, breezy, electro dream pop share The Independent's stage on October 18th (doors at 8:30pm, show 9pm, 21+, $15 advance, $17 day of show).

Listen to Typhoon's "Young Fathers" from their sophomore full-length White Lighter:

As for the 26 acts playing the island on Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th, there's something favorable to be said of just about every single act at this year's fest (including the bevy of DJs playing Silent Frisco sets), but in the interest of time, here's the choice performers that OMN is most excited to see and highly recommends that you catch as well.

Saturday, October 19th

The definition of supergroup in the music lexicon is Atoms For Peace. Composed of the iconic, bass-slapping demigod Flea, producer/engineer extraordinaire Nigel Godrich (credits include arguably several of the best albums by Beck, Radiohead and Travis as well as Atoms For Peace's AMOK), south paw drummer Joey Waronker (frequent collaborator of Godrich's as well as Beck, Elliott Smith and R.E.M.), Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco (of Forro in the Dark and a touring member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), and the inimitable Thom Yorke (uh, Radiohead anyone?), the incestuous band headlined Coachella two years before they ever released a record together. Destined for success, that debut did not disappoint. Enjoy the characteristically odd video for "Ingenue":

With the departure of Switch (he never showed up for the live gigs anyway), Diplo's continued his dancehall project with a second full length, 2013's Free The Universe, but this time Major Lazer—the Jamaican commando with a bazooka for an arm—has a female assassin sidekick: Knife Fight. While you can catch an actress playing her in "Scare Me," you best believe booties will be frothin' to "Bubble Butt" in the same fashion as witnessed in this Eric Wareheim-directed cut:

It's been a short while since Little Dragon's released any new tunes but these Swedes will no doubt be in form and put on an intricately emotive set buoyed by the distinctive vox of the Japanese-Swedish-American Yukimi Nagano. Check out their most recent track "Sunshine" (basically an advertisement for homegrown vodka brand Absolut) from June 2012:

Chillwave, "daytime disco"—feel free to spew out whatever buzzy genre names you've got. The fact remains that Poolside's music is best thought about in poolside terms: Sunglasses on, imagine your ideal day lounging on the edge of a cool, azure, aquatic experience as evening descends. That's what the duo of LA-based producers sounds like. And, expect them to be more than welcomed to the TIMF stage as Jeff Paradise is a native for all intents and purposes. Enjoy "Do You Believe" now and download a starter kit of Poolside tracks from their SoundCloud:

Sunday, October 20th

Beck's last musical work came in 2012 but not in the established format—Song Reader was published as a book of sheet music. And although some talented musicians took a stab at interpreting his inaudible release, fans are even more excited about three new tracks in three months, each typically unique. Listen to "I Won't Be Long," which also has an almost quarter-hour long extended mix:

By the time James Blake takes the festival stage he'll have already warmed up Frisco with a late-night DJ set under his 1-800 Dinosaur moniker at the Mezzanine on Saturday. For Sunday's set, expect layered minimalism and the serious (but gracious) side of the downtempo, emotive crooner, like in his video to the title track from Blake's second record, Overgrown:

With a festival-friendly billing of STRFKR, Starfucker will do Portland proud playing a desirable late afternoon slot that'll no doubt highlight tracks from their third full-length, Miracle Mile—a collaborative effort that features new guitarist Patrick Morris (formerly of Strength)—like the lead single "While I'm Alive":

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Get the rest of OMN's picks for Treasure Island 2013 in San Francisco.

outdoor project : crater lake + umpqua national forest

2013-10-04T11:37:00.001-07:00

The pure, pristine waters of Crater Lake

This past summer I started contributing to the Outdoor Project, an online resource that's actively building the best outdoor adventure library on the web. Starting in the Pacific Northwest, the amount of high-quality content on the site is continually growing, and I chipped in just a little bit with some photos and descriptions from an iconic Oregon location that I visited during my summer travels.

Inside the caldera: A view from the summit of Wizard Island

I documented several adventures in the Southern Oregon Cascades including a handful activities at Crater Lake (like the Cleetwood Cove Trail that heads down to the water's edge as well as a trip around the caldera on the Crater Lake Boat Tour with a stop to trek to the top of Wizard Island, plus the roadside jaunt Sun Notch) and the surrounding Umpqua National Forest (with nearby trips to Toketee Falls and Campground and the North Umpqua Hot Springs).

The 113-foot Toketee Falls on the North Umpqua River

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Visit the Outdoor Project to inspire your next outdoor adventure.

melville : bio

2013-10-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Melville's Thomas Yates, Ryan T. Jacobs, Tim Skerpon and Jim Meyer. Photo by Hanmi Hubbard Meyer.

I recently wrote a bio for the Portland-based band Melville in anticipation of the release of their new EP, Maquette. Here's the long version of the several blurbs I produced.

Melville's Maquette is just that: a small, preliminary model. The six-song EP is a starting point—potentially an outline that'll be expanded upon, possibly a preview of what's to come, but also maybe just an exercise that will enable the four-piece, Portland-based band to chart completely new sonic territory.

The future unknown, the model currently on display is the combined effort of a band in the making since 2011 when songwriter and vocalist Ryan T. Jacobs first debuted Melville at the LaurelThirst Pub. Since then, he's found not just a steadfast lineup but also a family in band members Tim Skerpon (drums), Thomas Yates (bass) and Jim Meyer (keys).

While today Melville might peg themselves as melodic indie rock, somewhat nebulously in an aural area "between Radiohead and Americana," as described by Jacobs, Melville knows this is just the beginning.

Melville's introductory offering, Maquette, was recorded at Type Foundry Studios with Adam Selzer (M. Ward, Sallie Ford, Blind Pilot, The Decemberists, Peter Buck of R.E.M., She & Him) and mastered by Gus Elg at Sky Onion (Typhoon, Nurses, Horse Feathers, Blue Cranes), and its music has garnered radio play on Portland stations like KINK, KNRK and KZME.

Much as life evolves depending on the whims of the world, so does the music of Melville as the band grows to know one another's talents and idiosyncrasies, becoming comfortable in their own skin. All multi-instrumentalists and experienced songwriters, good intuition is perfected by critical ears and a mentality that this band's sonic palette is limitless.

With deep roots in American rock 'n' roll, the band members feel strongly that they're still discovering their collective selves. Continually looking forward, Melville is most excited about the future because of how well the past has gone.

And while this exploratory attitude is unflinching, what's sure not to change is Melville's delivery: expertly crafted, emotive songs. Drenched in earnestness, Jacobs' visceral vibrato personalizes each lyric for every listener, whether listening to a Melville record or seeing the band perform live. It's music that moves you, which is exactly why Yates was adamant about joining the band as a permanent member following a one-off Mississippi Studios performance in 2012.

As the band grows together interpersonally, so will the music transform sonically. Founded on openness and a collaborative spirit, there's a tangible longevity to Melville that begs the group to explore and discover new layers to its sound. For now, Maquette is the base layer—but Melville will be charting a fresh course from here.

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For more on Melville, read my article and interview with band leader Ryan T. Jacobs on OMN and check them out at their upcoming album release gig on Thursday, October 24th at Mississippi Studios with Oh Darling and Spirit Lake.

which blogging platform is right for your business? (series)

2013-09-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

I recently wrapped up a five-part series on blogging platforms for Neighborhood Notes that focused on categories like ease of setup and integration, theme options, ease of use and updating, plugins, SEO tools, security, mobile capabilities, and price as well as other considerations for a variety of popular platforms.

I spoke to multiple web developers and designers about platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, open-source options (like concrete5, Drupal and Joomla), and custom-built sites to find out the kinds of tools each offers for small businesses.

To read this series you must be a subscriber of Local U, Neighborhood Notes' small business education center, but for a preview, read an intro to the series as well as an excerpt of the first article on WordPress.

get out! : gold panda

2013-09-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

The last time Ghostly International's Gold Panda was scheduled to play Portland, he got snowed in. Since then, the English producer has released his second full-length record, Half of Where You Live, a record that was made while he bounced around the world supporting his first. Derwin Panda describes it as a "city record" because as he moved "from location to location… I felt like I was stealing a piece of each place I went to." From his native London to Brazil and a new home in Berlin, Derwin may say the album's distillation process focused on as few elements as possible, but the layered output is just as rich and textured as ever. Headed to a set at Seattle's acclaimed Decibel Festival following Portland, the trio of acts—including the glo-fi warmth of Slow Magic and Jersey's (USA, that is) urban electronic duo Voices of Black—will take on Eugene's WOW Hall on Wednesday night as well (9pm, $12 advance, $14 door, all ages). VOB will be absent in PDX but fellow Briton Luke Abbott will take their place.

Thursday, September 26, Branx, 9pm, $15 advance, all ages

Get a preview of the live setup you can expect from Gold Panda in his video for "Community"—a track that was inspired by London's house scene and reflects on the cultural divides in the city where he was raised:

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for September 26 to October 2.

get out! : blouse

2013-09-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

My contribution to this week's edition of Get Out!

Portland threesome Blouse are back with a sophomore effort, Imperium, that retains the noir dream pop air of their synthesized 2011 debut although with a noticeably different edge—the trio definitively decided to discard their keyboards and drum machines in favor of writing and recording with "instruments that don't plug into the wall," which was a self-imposed mandate handed down by band member and producer Jacob Portrait. While the record feels more in your face, the new sound is still concealed by a wall of fuzz above which hovers the ethereal, Nico-like vocals of lead singer Charlie Hilton. Released this Tuesday, September 17th on Brooklyn's Captured Tracks, Blouse heads home to the Star Theater to celebrate. The feminine, Austin-based electropop of Feathers alongside dramatic electronics from Portland's Litanic Mask open the release party.

Friday, September 20, Star Theater, 9pm, $8, 21+

In the proud tradition of Portland indie rock, "No Shelter" threads a Dandy Warhols-esque energy into Imperium's first single:

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Check out the rest of OMN's Get Out! picks for September 19-25.

radioactive talk : branding + design

2013-09-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

I recently completed an extensive branding project for RadioActive Talk, Portland's only radio show on branding and innovation broadcast on the city's highest rated station, KXL 101.1 FM.

I designed a logo and website, developed and printed swag (including mugs, burlap tote bags, plastic placards and t-shirts), produced a comprehensive media kit, created social media profiles, and oversaw a photo and video shoot.

RadioActive is Kevin Carroll and Jamie Mustard's defiant perspective on innovation and storytelling. With celebrity, artist, innovator and pop culture interviews across a range of human endeavors, Kevin and Jamie converse their way through the show, examining concepts and people from every angle in an attempt to artfully give their audience a new perspective.

Tune into RadioActive on Saturday mornings from 7-8am on KXL 101.1 FM.

arts in portland: music, film, theater, dance, literature + more in 2013-14

2013-09-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

The Oregon Symphony

As summer fades into fall, it’s only natural that Portlanders head indoors for a little intellectual stimulation as well as some sensory entertainment. A lot of arts and entertainment programs kick off their yearly schedule in September and October as the calendar starts to fill up with festivals, performances, lectures, screenings and more. From theater and music to lectures and film, Neighborhood Notes has highlighted a few arts and cultural events that we think you should look for in the remainder of 2013 as well as look forward to in the new year.

Music

Oregon Symphony
September-May

Founded in 1896, the Oregon Symphony is one of the oldest in the nation. Featuring more than 70 full-time musicians, the ornate Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall—home to the symphony and called The Schnitz by locals—hosts almost a quarter of a million attendees each symphonic season. Performing a full schedule from September through May, yearly offerings include the requisite classical concertos, spirited holiday standards, and collaborations with modern recording artists as well as Portland indie rockers.

Siren Nation Women’s Music and Arts Festival
November

Siren Nation isn’t tied to a single medium. Rather, the arts organization strives to spotlight original works by women making music, art, film, fashion and more. Hoping “to inspire and empower women of all ages to create their own art” while highlighting the achievements of those already working in the arts, Siren Nation brings female-made works and female-fronted performances to venues across the city each November. The annual event includes a film fest, arts and crafts fair, fashion event, visual art exhibition, and free workshops alongside a weekend of musical performances by local, regional and national talent.

Film

Northwest Film Center (NWFC)

Events Ongoing

An arm of the Portland Art Museum, the educational and curatorial institution offers year-round classes, equipment rental and frequent exhibitions in the form of several notable film festivals. The NWFC’s fall offering each October is the musically themed Reel Music Festival. Celebrating the “interplay between sound and image” for more than 30 years, these films frequently explore music, culture and art through live concert footage, documentaries, music videos, and imaginative obscurities. Filmmakers are often in attendance to introduce films or answer questions after screenings. Other annual cinematic events organized by the NWFC include the regional film showcase at the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival each November, the Portland Jewish Film Festival, and the outdoor, summer series, Top Down: Rooftop Cinema, as well as ongoing programs and exhibits.

Performance Arts

PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival (TBA)
September (Happening Now!)

Each September for more than a decade, a creative cacophony descends upon various venues during the final days of summer as the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s annual TBA Festival brings truly eclectic, experimental and sometimes just odd performers (in dance, music, theater and more) and visual artists. These local and international talents make a canvas of the city for 10 or so days and present a vast chasm of works and sensory experiences at all hours of the day and night.

Get more highlights of the 2013-14 arts season in Portland, including more music, film, theater, comedy, literature, lectures, and other performance picks, on Neighborhood Notes.

about face : pioneers of pinot noir : dick + nancy ponzi

2013-09-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's impossible not to be inspired by the Ponzis.

Even those that work closely with the couple are often surprised and impressed by their respective resumes. And while it's easy to distill Dick and Nancy Ponzi's story down to their successes—one of world class pinot noirs that helped put Oregon's wine industry on the map—their prosperity is firmly grounded in two core principles: family and education.

As history will show, the Ponzis were definitely in the right place at the right time. Naturally, their drive for lifelong learning and a tireless work ethic contributed as well. But when the Ponzis settled outside of Portland in the late '60s, their intent—to grow pinot noir grapes—was assured, but other than that, there were no assurances. No one was making pinot noir wine. And in reality, there was no wine industry in Oregon.

With the family in mind first and foremost, the Ponzi's honest intention was simply to get back to the land and work in a way which would sustainably support their growing family. When the first batch of wine turned out well, the "aroma," as Dick puts it, may have sparked something inside of him, taking him back to a distinctive place in his childhood.

Thenceforth, the perfection of their craft—learning the pinot noir grapes—became a passion for the Ponzis as did promoting the burgeoning wine industry alongside a group of likeminded innovators and risk-takers like themselves.

Always looking to push the boundaries of their own experience and palate, Dick is constantly looking "to expand to see what else will grow." Today, "There's one varietal that no one else is growing [in Oregon]," he says of the Italian white Arneis (which is even quite unique across the entire U.S.), while Nancy adds: "We have learned everything from reading—if you can read, you can do anything."

Collina del Sogno

With 43 of hands-on wisdom as well, Dick personally engineered and oversaw the construction of Ponzi's new eco- and eno-friendly home: Collina del Sogno, a sustainable, 30,000-square-foot, four-tiered, gravity-flow winery built in 2008.

The tradition of award-winning wine continues at this new facility where daughter Luisa, who's held the winemaking reins for two decades, anchors the agricultural side of the winery while son Michel and daughter Maria work on the business side. Via the example set forth by their parents, the founders' established principles of family, education, craft and sustainability are now practiced by a second generation of Ponzis.

What was your experience with wine before moving to Oregon? Better yet, what's your family's history with wine?

Nancy: Dick is first-generation Italian so he has wine culture in his background.

In your blood?

Dick: In my blood, yeah.

Nancy: I, on the other hand, am from Southern California so I knew nothing. After we were married, we moved to Northern California and were living in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains where there are substantial wineries. Dick thought it would be a very nice idea to introduce these little children to the culture of wine—not just having it at the table but doing the whole thing.

Did you have any experience making wine prior to that?

Dick: My family made wines in the Midwest. They would get an annual supply of grapes from California and then the community would get together, make the wine and that would be their supply for the rest of the year—and vinegar, it turned out, later on. [Laughs]

Nancy: The end of that story is: The wine was terrible. [Laughs] We happened to have a vineyard practically in our backyard in Los Gatos so we got permission to go pick some grapes.

And this was in the '60s?

Nancy: Oh yeah, everything is permeated by this is the '60s [laughs]—we didn't have to make wine. At that time, Dick was designing rocket engines. With the Vietnam War, we wanted to disassociate from the government so he quit his job [in aerospace]. We dabbled in a few things, had another child, and, in the meantime, had been playing around with this idea of—not really making wine—but going back to the land—the idea of moving someplace, planting a vineyard. Then Dick got this job with Disneyland designing rides, but we still had the idea of the back-to-the-land thing. So we did. We packed up one day, quit the job, and moved up here.

Dick: I remember when I left home [in Michigan], I said: "I'm going to California, I'll have all the wines I need, and I'll never make any homemade wines." And here, I found myself with these little kids [wanting to] give them an experience—the experience was really was the fermentation of the wines that I remembered as a child. While we were making the wines as an experience for the kids, that aroma really caught hold of me again. And this time, the wines turned out fairly well—that was a surprise. [Laughs]

You two came to the Willamette Valley knowing that you wanted to make pinot noir wine, but honestly, what was going through your head at that time? The Pacific Northwest was not known as a wine producing region at that time? No one was growing pinot noir grapes. What made you think that you could do it?

Dick: We got wind that there was someone [Richard Sommer of HillCrest Vineyard] in Southern Oregon dabbling in wine grapes. We felt that maybe we could do the same thing. We came up here and realized that there were a couple other people doing something similar [to Sommer] but [no one] had gotten very far.

You've been in business for 43 years, so that in itself is quite a success. But you've also been very instrumental at putting the Northwest on the map as a place to produce pinot noir. How did you do what you did?

Dick: First of all, it's the climate—and the climate lent itself well to pinot noir. It felt like Alsace and Burgundy [in France]. But to take on a project like this, it wasn't like imagining: "This is going to be a killer industry. But, it's a possibility that we can make wine and sell it in Portland."

You just wanted it to be sustainable for yourself and your family.

Dick: That's right, and it was just that. That's why we're located very close to Portland—we didn't want to get too far away. It was safe to find ourselves here, and then when we landed, we found other acquaintances who made us think that this may be a possibility—it's just not that crazy. We really worked together and supported ourselves in terms of exchanging ideas and information.

Who all was around at that time?

Dick: Dick Erath [Erath Winery], David Lett [The Eyrie Vineyards], Charles Coury [Charles Coury Winery], Richard Sommer, David Adelsheim [Adelsheim Vineyard], and some others too.

Did you share resources?

Dick: Absolutely. There was complete sharing of materials and experiences. The fact that we came to the area that we thought was right and made acquaintances with some other people who were involved with the same crazy notion—that was very supportive and encouraging.

Ponzi has been family-owned and run since the beginning, and currently, all three of your children work for the winery.

Nancy: We did this as a family adventure to start out with, plus we thought it would be good for our children to grow up in a more rural environment where they knew where things came from. There was never any intention to make a family dynasty out of it.

Dick: No masterplan.

Nancy: People assume that's what we did because it sort of happened.

Right, your three kids have stuck with it, or rather, come back to it.

Nancy: Came back [laughs]. That's it.

Dick: It was just a natural thing. There was no coercion or force. It was pretty marvelous that they found their niches and they do it well.

The family was really the genesis for the vineyard—it's what brought you here...

Nancy: "Papa made the wine for 20 years and I took the next 20"—that's what Luisa says.

How involved are you in today's company?

Dick: We're always involved. We enjoy doing the tastings and we enjoy reminding people of the history—giving people a perspective of where it all came from.

Nancy: [The industry today] is so much further along. [Lots of] people are coming into it and they feel like they can make and sell wine. And they don't want to support many of the trade [organizations] or promotional things, not realizing that the reason they can sell wine is because somebody did that for them originally.

You set up a market for them.

Nancy: Yes. Otherwise, you're out there making your wine and nobody cares.

Dick: We were pretty foolish back in the '70s—knocking on the doors in New York City to buy our wines. We had to educate them where Oregon was.

You literally did that?

Dick: Oh yes [laughs]. That was the first 10 years of effort to be accepted. First of all, you'd try to find a distributor—that was very difficult. We did it collectively and that was important.

Nancy: That was the key.

Dick: If you were a lone person knocking on the door saying, "Look how great my wines are." They would just think that it as an accident. But if you had half a dozen people…

Nancy: You had to have enough participants and wine to really create a market.

Dick: It was important for people to understand that there was more than just one winery here, that there was a dedicated group of people.

Dick, you've been heralded countless times over the years, receiving numerous awards and accolades for your pinot noirs. It's been said that you set the standard for new world pinot noirs and there's always talk of balancing tradition and innovation. What does that mean to you?

Dick: Pinot noir was kind of a strange grape to deal with and that was one of the things that brought us to growing it. Learning the grape was a big portion of the winemaking. [We did things] in different ways than may have been accepted as the standard. That was part of the innovation—how to make true pinot noir wine. Today, it's pretty much accepted; it's just taken for granted that this is how you raise the grape and make the wine. The process is probably very similar in every winery in Oregon now, and in other places. They've adopted the vineyard style, they've adopted process, and the better wines that are made, are made in small containers and on a very personal level.

It's evolved.

Nancy: Yes. I think most people don't appreciate what Oregon has contributed to pinot noir. There's a fraternity of pinot noir producers around the world—we know each other and come together and talk about wines. There's a lot more [pinot noirs] now in the world, but the whole thing has risen up, I feel, largely because what's been done in Oregon. We've been the ones that have reached out and made so much of this collaboration happen. It's really been wonderful—we're in the third generation of people making [pinot noir] wines here.

Dick: A lot of it is taken for granted, partly because those who are making good pinot noirs are the descendants of wineries that have supported new winemakers. That's what's really, to my way of thinking, pretty exciting because those who come up here to grow pinot noir do it because they really love and understand pinot noir. And they do, generally, a good job. The yields are very low, but that's what makes these wines so unique.

Since 2008, you've been in a new facility in Sherwood that Dick, by the way, designed from the ground up. How long did it take you to design this winery?

Dick: We had a lot of history of winemaking before we moved into that building. That gave us advantage—we knew what kind of a winery building we wanted.

You basically had the opportunity to build your dream winery.

Dick: Exactly. Pinot noir was very difficult to master as a wine because I had to relearn the making of wine from pinot noir [grapes]. It's different in how we establish the vineyards and make the wines—that was a whole learning process. The first 15 years or so was a lot of experimentation and learning so that was the help we got from other participants in the industry—we were teaching each other. That was very significant.

The new facility has been noted for being eco-friendly and highly sustainable. Is there a particular feature of the building that you're particularly proud of?

Dick: The highlight is that we have a lot of space [laughs].

Nancy: Our daughter Luisa is the winemaker and her first comment after her first vintage there was: "I didn't know it was so easy to make wine." [Laughs]

Nancy, you're also involved in improving the working environment, founding ¡Salud!, which provides healthcare services to seasonal vineyard workers through a benefit auction. Apparently it's the only program of its kind in the nation.

Nancy: World. There's nothing like this—it's totally unique.

What's so revolutionary about ¡Salud!?

Nancy: It's a collaboration, started 25 years ago, between the major hospital here in western Washington County, winemakers and local businesses. Initially, the purpose of was is to celebrate the wine industry, but then we came up this idea of providing healthcare for our workers. The approach has been not as a charity but as something we need to do—we depend on our field workers, unquestionably. This industry would die without field workers. We can't provide health insurance for them but we can provide healthcare for them this way. We actually take the healthcare out to the workers. We use mobile vans to go out into the vineyards and they get amazing preventative healthcare [which] includes dental. And it's not only the workers but their families. So far this year, they have over 3,000 people signed up.

How does a worker qualify?

Nancy: They have to work in an Oregon vineyard—that's it.

Do specific vineyards participate?

Nancy: No, we provide the service to any vineyard worker.

Dick: It's funded by a group of wineries through an auction. The auction is fed with some of the best wines that are available, and they're not to be sold other than at the auction. Generally, these wines are fantastic because, theoretically, it's a quarter barrel of the best [wines] you have.

Nancy: And it's not the best wine in your cellar. Everybody makes a special couvée for ¡Salud! so the wine you buy at ¡Salud! cannot be bought any place else. Through the years, ¡Salud! is the one organization I really stay with because I just love it—you see something happening. And it's all done with complete dignity. There's nothing like: "Here's a little something for you." It's: "We owe this to you, so please accept it."

How has the Oregon winemaking industry evolved in your time here?

Dick: We have 450 voices now—that many wineries. In the beginning, we only had half a dozen. And we had pretty much the same mindset: We always had a vision and an understanding that the industry would grow if we could preserve the land so that it wasn't built on. That struggle goes on today. The reason we have so many vineyards now is because that land was saved.

You've also been active on a legislative level to grow the wine industry, and with 450 voices now, there's a verifiable industry and a much stronger voice of advocacy. But I'm sure there are always different voices.

Dick: Yes. In the '70s, there were different voices as well. There were conflicts but they were easy to resolve. The big conflict today is: What kind of privileges should wineries have? Should they have tasting rooms? Well, we went to the legislature in the '70s and asked to have tasting rooms. As we found out, this has become an agricultural tourism now—people want to visit tasting rooms.

And you were very involved in that?

Dick: Yes, and that's what helped the industry. If you follow that thinking, liberalize the laws so that these wineries can function and broaden what they can do, you can create this wine industry. This didn't just happen out of nowhere—we had the freedom to have tasting rooms. We did the same thing—we had a brewery [BridgePort Brewing Company] at one time. Breweries could only manufacture beer; they couldn't do anything else. We went down [to the legislature] and changed the laws there and said: "Why can't' breweries have tasting rooms? Or pubs?" We call them pubs now [laughs]. So they liberalized the laws—well, look what happened.

What's next for you?

Nancy: Dick is creating machines for bar-to-bean chocolate.

Dick: I'm working with some people who are making chocolate through the bean-to-bar process, but I'm working on the machine, the equipment.

So, chocolatiers are sourcing beans from specific growers around the world and then making their own sustainable chocolate bars?

Dick: It's kind of a new wave that's happening and the taste of the chocolate from one region is so different than from another region.

Nancy: There's some people in Portland working on this but this is taking it back to the beginning step.

Which could become like Portland's current coffee industry?

Dick: Yes, exactly. It's a lot like coffee, no question.

Sunset from the terrace at Collina del Sogno

What excites you about today's wine industry in Oregon?

Dick: I've always been excited about the growth and the people who are coming in because this is a grape that doesn't draw a lot of people—the yields are low, making it is difficult. There are a lot of negative things about making a fortune with pinot noir. Those who come are pretty serious and try to learn from those who are here. Those are the people that are going to be successful [because] they truly believe in it.

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Read this interview in the summer 2013 issue of About Face Magazine.

the blow : 'putting together and taking apart' a new record and performance at tba:13

2013-09-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Blow’s Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne. Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.

"We go hand in hand into the blackness" is how Khaela Maricich describes The Blow's new self-titled record.

The hand she's holding is that of collaborator Melissa Dyne, who, for the first time, has expanded her role in her partner's project, taking their relationship to a new musical level. But even with this trusted collaborator by her side, Maricich still feels like the pair are leaping into an abyss—or at least completing the trajectory of their fall.

That leap started with The Blow's first album in seven years, which will be released on October 1st, and the performances that'll support this record will follow a yet-to-be-charted arc.

If making the album was an "abstract and complicated process"—"an odyssey of experimentation" and exploration "where we went out on a massive journey and went through a lot of other worldly adventures"—then we should be excited for the result because, as Maricich says, "we have returned with a crystallized object from the other dimension."

Returning with new ideas, sounds and sights to share and stories to tell, the pair will start mapping the rest of their expedition in a familiar place: PICA's annual Time-Based Art Festival. The former Portland residents, who now call NYC home, actually met at the festival in 2004 and feel privileged to be performing a piece entitled "We Put It Together So We Could Take It Apart," which, in appellation alone, suitably illustrates the evolving nature of their work, during a two-night stand at the Winningstad Theatre on September 15th and 16th.

The uncertainty of The Blow going "hand in hand into the blackness" certainly bodes well for us—the audience, listener, and concertgoer—as we bask in their inventive, narrative-based performance-electro-pop.

And even though there's the uncertainty of a new collaboration and material, The Blow will demonstrate that they thrive in this exploratory environment, starting at TBA:13 before kicking off a nationwide club tour in October that will revisit Portland at the Doug Fir on Sunday, October 20th.

For now, Khaela Maricich took some time to answer a few questions about The Blow's return to Portland and their TBA performance, her collaboration with Dyne, and the new record—which OMN will explore in more depth after it's October release.

Listen to The Blow's second single from the upcoming self-titled album:

The last time you played Portland was in early 2011. It'd been a while—like two and half years—since the last time you'd played Portland prior to that, in 2008. Now, another two and half years down the line, you're back! So, welcome home, I guess… does it still feel like a homecoming?

Yeah, our last show in Portland was in early 2011, and strangely, it seems to us like it wasn't very long ago. But I guess two years is enough time to create two entire human beings (in succession, by the same reproductive system), so that's actually a pretty long time. Yes, coming back to Portland totally feels like a homecoming. The air is so fresh and you can get beer and pizza in a movie theater, and we've really missed that.

This return to Portland must be special for The Blow, especially considering that you and your partner and collaborator, Melissa Dyne, first met at TBA in 2004. Tell us what you have planned for your back-to-back TBA 2013 performances.

The TBA performance is definitely special for us. PICA have kind of been like extended family. Melissa's sister worked there for a long time back in its early days, and they've been supportive to both of us for a long time. Performing at the Winningstad is the chance to do something unique because it's like a lovely little nest of a theater. It's sort of the opportunity to make an "unplugged" performance, since there is a sense of space and reflectiveness there, which is distinct from the amped up vibe of a sweaty music club. We are looking forward to revealing ourselves in the delicate environment there.

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Read the rest on OMN.