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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1987)
The Emperor's new clothes The Chorus stands at the crossroads of its musical career. In discarding the mantle of cult heroes to search for a wider artistic acceptance, the PGMC must now live up to the demands that such a role requires. However, the Chorus then beat a musical retreat with a lukewarm version of "Steam Heat.” complete w ith an uninspired arrange he appearance o f the Portland Gay Men’s ment and dancing that seemed obligatory at Chorus as a permanent tenant in the new best. Nothing about the dance routine indicated Intermediate Theater at the Portland Center for why it was connected to this song rather than the Performing Arts marked a milestone for some other: was it just time to wake the au both the Chorus and the gay and lesbian com dience up? It takes more than a hammer clang munity. That achievement is the result of years ing on a pipe to snatch victory from the jaws of o f hard work by the Chorus, its conductor. defeat. David York, and by the community’s continu- Later in "Broadw ay. My Street." the danc ing returned, with Mr. York, himself, taking a tw irl around the stage for inexplicable reasons, having crossed the line between conductor and performer. Again the hats and canes could not hide a song that was in other respects simply ordinary. With Fred Astaire turning over in his ing support The PGMC concert was the only grave, the first half came to a conclusion. single event performance to sell out the Theater At this point more than a few members of the during its opening celebration and congratu lations are due all around. audience rose to give a standing ovation, As usual, the Chorus provided an entertain although half a performance lay ahead We ing evening and conveyed its obvious enthusiasm hope the Chorus understands that the standing ovation, once reserved for unique and stellar for performance to its audience. However, this performances, has become as commonplace as was not the perfect concert reported in the fol lowing day’s Oregonian by critic. David Stabler. popcorn at the movies. Perhaps in the future we can agree to give it prior to the start of the show, The first half o f the concert, comprised and thus dispense with this usually unwarranted mostly of Broadway show tunes, was inconsis nonsense. tent and musically uneven. “ A Jubilant Song" After intermission the Chorus proceeded to provided evidence o f the Chorus’ improving artistry while " I t ’s Hot Up Here.” from Sunday go flat in the first sixteen bars of “ Sail Away.” in the Park with George, was the evening's until the piano entered and everyone adjusted by humorous highlight. half a step. Lack o f performance time in the T beginnings to find itself now cloaked within the confines o f the city’s newest showcase for the arts. In discarding the mantle of cult heroes to search for a wider artistic acceptance, the PGMC must now live up to the demands that such a role requires. The acoustics of the Intermediate Theater will not mask imprecision; choral performances will be won or lost on their own merits. And for their $ 12 tickets, the audience has a right to expect more than endless repetitions o f our favorite songs. The Chorus must lead and not simply follow what it assumes is the taste of its audience. Otherwise stagnation will be the in evitable result. Was the evening enjoyable? Yes. Was it perfect? No, not even close. And patronizing reviews do more of a disservice to the Chorus at this juncture in its career than at any other time. They have the raw talent. Now let’s see them use it. • Intermediate Theater may have contributed to this problem. However, the new hall has a re markable clarity of sound and will not easily forgive errors o f pitch or lack o f precision. The performance continued to improve and the second half was far more musically coherent and satisfying. O f particular note was the amus ing falsetto chorus in "O ld Cape Cod." For an encore that old warhorse, "The R ose" com peted with yet another tepid version of "Steam H eat." Running out of material, guys? While "T h e R ose" has become the Chorus’ signature song, it now deserves a long overdue rest. Surely these talented boys are not so de void o f musical inspiration that they cannot find other worthy songs to conclude their evenings. Never underestimate the power of surprise, nor the audience's ability to appreciate new directions. In short, the Chorus stands at the crossroads o f its musical career. It has risen from humble A HEALTHY TASTE OF PORTLAND FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS THERE £ A G RE A T P L AC E TO E A T A F T E R - H O U R S A T N O R T H W E S T PORTLAND' S NEW ALL-NIGHT LANDMARK ResawS W BM W P c . r f AT a t e FOOD nnn GRE ALL NI GHT LONG 2 3 0 1 N. W. SA VIER ( a t 2 3 r d . ) 2 2 8 - 3 7 6 4 * * f e » <• » Ju\i Out • 22 • October. IW? I . On a recent visit to Portland I sampled the fare at Cascades, a popular new purveyor of healthy meals located in the heart of the city’s Northwest business district at 323 N.W. 23rd. It offers diners a sophisticated, eclectic menu that is undoubtedly new culinary territory for many. Dinner entrees are primarily fish and fowl, with a few vegetarian and red meat offerings. Because Cascades' servings are large, many diners order from the “ small plates" category. I chose a beautifully presented small plate of grilled Anaheim chiles stuffed with jack cheese, accompanied by co riander-heavy fresh salsa and slightly spicy guacamole. Other appealing choices for light appetites include goat cheese with fire-roasted red peppers and basil, pepper and onion shortcake, and chicken brochettes marinated with orange, fennel and pemod. Salad choices are imaginative, too. The Produce Market salad, a meal in itself, is a beautifully-arranged plate of mixed greens (no iceberg lettuce here, but limestone lettuce, radicchio and other seasonal greens): steamed potatoes, broccoli and carrot chunks; marinated green beans, red and yellow pepper slices; fresh tomatoes; regular and enoki mushrooms; grilled zucchini wedges and halved ears of fresh com . The breakfast menu caters of all per suasions. Traditionalists can order ome lets and nitrite-free sausage or bacon. Morning adventurers can choose such dishes as blue com waffles with lingon- berry salsa, salmon hash, or sauteed tofu with fire-roasted tomatoes and onions. Oganic produce, hormone-free meats, free-range poultry, non-stick pans, min imal use of oil and salt, and no canned ingredients are part of the Cascades philosophy. The philosophy is not rigid, however. Dessert lovers need not fear deprivation. Dessert tray choices range from a burgundy poached pear to a chocolate hazelnut torte in fresh raspberry sauce. Decor is simple but attractive, the atmosphere casual. There’s a no smok ing policy. The price range is $5 to $8 for a light lunch or dinner; dinner en trees are $7.50 to $13.95. Martha Wagner, July 1987 WHAT'S HAPPENING. Eugene Cascades 333 Daily NW 23rd breakfast Portland • 274-2305 • lunch • dinner
