Motherlode: striking it rich_______
Benefitting from their past history as experienced entertainers ,
Motherlode gave every impression of performing for just a few
good friends who happened to drop by for a visit
B Y
DR.
T A N T A L U S
R
emember July? You know, the summer
monsoon season when you can’t afford
to leave the house without a pair of shorts and
an umbrella? Well, it was way back on July
21 that Motherlode took the stage at the
Northwest Service Center and charmed an
audience of 250 people with more than a
dozen songs about life, love and chocolate.
T ra v e l is in y o u r f u t u r e .
POWELL'S
TRAVEL
STORE
Maps, travel guides,
accessories, Replogle globes
arul great coffee.
P io n e e r C o u rth o u s e
S q u are
■
O p e n D aily
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(5 0 3 )2 2 8 -1 1 0 8
P h o n e O r d e r s W e lc o m e
T he R ight
to
P rivacy
P olitical A ction
C ommittee
announces the
8 th A nnual L ucille H art
D inner , O ctober 7 th , 1989
at
the
P ortland H ilton H otel . 921 s.w. 6 th
K eynote S peaker U.S. CONGRESSMAN
GERRY E. STUDDS, D emocrat . M assachusetts .
T ickets $75. C ocktails 6:00 p . m .,
D inner following . B lack tie optional .
This performance was presented by
Lesbians in Progress in conjunction with the
National Lesbian Conference Planning
Meeting held that weekend at Portland State
University. In addition to Motherlode (the
star attraction), the Portland Lesbian Choir
and Musica Fcmina also performed before the
enthusiastic crowd.
The delay in reviewing this performance
was partially due to Dr. Tantalus’ inability to
find any kind of program for the evening’s
presentation. Whether this was due to lack of
funds or Dr. T ’s careless ways is still a
mystery, but it made a precise determination
of songs and their titles somewhat difficult,
especially when all songs were not announced
from the stage. Therefore, apologies are
offered up front for any inaccuracies faithful
and knowledgeable readers may discover in
this review.
The evening opened with a short five-song
set from the Portland Lesbian Choir, who
gave evidence of continuing improvement.
Perhaps their two best songs were versions of
“Somewhere Out There,” the Academy
Award-winning song originally performed by
Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, and “Keep
Moving Forward,” one of a trio of songs
celebrating lesbian pride. However, all songs
displayed the Choir’s enthusiasm and energy,
trademarks that have carried the local men’s
chorus to success on more than one occasion.
The acoustics of the Northwest Service
Center were not as kind as one might have
hoped and some voices in the Choir carried
more than others in that semi-cavemous
environment. As a result, some songs lost the
blend necessary to present them as an
integrated whole. Only time will tell whether
this is a problem with the hall itself, or
whether the Choir needs to focus on perform
ing as a group.
Following the Choir’s enthusiastically
received performance was Motherlode’s first
set. Comprised of four talented women,
Motherlode took to the stage exuding
confidence and grace. Benefitting from their
past history as experienced entertainers, the
group engaged in casual and witty banter
throughout the evening, giving every impres
sion that they were performing for just a few
good friends who happened to drop by for a
visit. As a result, a peaceful and good natured
atmosphere pervaded the hall.
The first set provided the audience with
several musical gems to remember. “Shaven
Lady, ” for example, displayed the group’s
penchant for razor sharp humor while
“Mama’s Hands” touched upon more serious
matters aided by some fine cello work and
nicely crafted harmonies. The highlight was
“Everything Possible. ” which provided a
certain buoyancy and emotional uplift on a
theme reflected by its title.
Special guests Musica Femina then made a
brief appearance. This guitar-flute duo,
dedicated to exploring women’s music of both
the past and present, performed three pieces:
“April Toy,” described as “psuedo-
renaissance” in nature, “New Beginnings,”
and the three-part “Bay Bridge Suite.”
Musica Femina’s strong point is the crystal
line clarity of their performance and on this
night they did not disappoint. The first
movement of the “Bay Bridge Suite” was
particularly impressive. (Note to audience:
typically, one does not applaud after the
conclusion of the first movement of a piece
such as this. Ditto for applause between
movements of Beethoven symphonies.)
Motherlode returned for the evening’s
closing set with the energetic and fun
“Woman with a Chainsaw,” which
humorously explored desired characteristics in
a life mate. (It appears that a rototiller may
also be sufficient.) This was quickly followed
by the equally humorous “Chocolate,” the
drug of choice for many otherwise reasonable
people.
After such a fine beginning it was difficult
to imagine that such heights could be sustained
later in the set. Janis Ian’s “Every Love,”
however, proved to be a powerful and moving
performance. The evening concluded, as
might be expected, with all performers
coming to the stage for the grand finale.
Impressive for their musical talents
(cello, flute, mandolin, guitar and bass) as
well as their emotional content, Motherlode is
an act worth catching. Let’s hope they reach
the wider audience they so richly deserve. ▼
F or ticket reservations
write :
R ight to P rivacy ,
921 S.W. M orrison ,
o
*
0*2
Yi
OR CALL 228-5825.
▼ 24 ▼ September 1919
D.M.D.
A GENTLE APPROACH TO DENTISTRY
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P ortland , O regon 97205
jmH
STEPHEN D. YEW,
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Phone:
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