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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2003)
30 jM«t «Hit * January 3.2003 MUSIC .............▼.............. Blood-rich warbler Portland’s n ew est songbird is a h u m an collaboration by M arie F leischm ann PH O TO BY DEVIN r 7 - ' \/ L ê % \ ■ t t p T ' ’’ \ V • i: " \ ■ In its fierce dissection of contem porary marriage, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? cuts very close to the bone of emotional truth. One of the most powerful works in 20th century dramatic literature and generally regarded as Albee’s finest play. A rare theatrical experience, gut-wrenching and cathartic. PORTLAND CENTER STAGE IN THE NEWMARK THEATRE AT 1111 SW BROADWAY AND MAIN JANUARY 14 - FEBRUARY 9, 2002 503.274.65881 WWW.PCS.ORG JOIN US JAN 2 F FOR GALA NIGHT It’s GALA night at the Backstage Cafe - hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar with hostess Poison Waters immediately after the show. Thanks to Gay and Lesbian Audience Night sponsor... justrm PORTLAND CENTER STAGE THANKS SPONSORS... Hoffman Construction Co. ^ n*. I n a u m n s * i m n p a r t\ n f O r v ftm AND THANKS TO... OREGONIAN A&E OPENING NIGHT SERIES • WILLAMETTE WEEK M yshkin’s Ruby Warblers play Jan. 4 at Alberta Street Pub he r(x»m quiets. A woman walks on stage with a shiny guitar, dusty hrxrts and a gor geous, wise smile. The initial excitement of finger-picking and steady strumming swells into the rush of vrxrals that makes you rethink your master plan. The recipe makes perfect sense. Her dad had a passion for classical music, mom played piano and sang, and the sihs loaned her every thing from nx:k ’n ’ roll records to instruments. She started writing stings as soon as she got a guitar in her hands. How long ago was that? Myshkin replies with a smirk: “Well, how old are you? Add a few years.” The Indiana native, who plays Jan. 4 at Alber ta Street Pub, ran away to New Mexico, spent some time traveling and was sucked downriver to New Orleans in 1993, when she debuted with Slate on Wreck It Records. She continued to blaze through albums with the hands Myshkin Impossi ble, Mike and Myshkin and the ez hake organs. Nine varieties of hands and records, dozens of songs and a hoard of friendships later, the queer singer came to the Northwest “for m oun tains, friends, gixxl fcxxl, and [I] felt that it seemed to he kind of hopping culturally— for a small city— and have a populace that likes words, too, not just grixivcs.” Southeast Port land is a gixxl fit for the musician and her dog, Spider. “In these freaky times it is better to he surrounded by like-mindeJ folks. T he amount of political action going on in this town is strengthening and inspiring to me.” A new city, a new band. Myshkins Ruby War blers formed in New Orleans in 2001, so Myshkin decided to bring the name along with her and give it a new home in Portland with guitarist Nick Jaina and bassist Brent Marteas. l>ummer Scott Magee s<xin will move from New Orleans to Port land, continuing a six-year working relatioaship. Back from a recent tour of the U.K., the band plaas to take their “gypsy torch punk" anxind the American West over the next few months. T he Warblers’ first release, 2002’s rosebud * bullets, is Myshkins favorite album of hers, reflecting more time spent in the studio and her total artistic and production control. All previous works, she explains, “had some element of rush or muddle (or) a hastily pulled- together b an d ...I’ve listened to [rosebud • bul lets] hundreds of times in the making of it, and I can still listen to it and like it. A nd I’m damn T critical.” T he album has been picked up for national distribution. O ne project at a time, however, is not on the singer/songwriter’s CV; hence, she’s also one of The Road Dog Divas. The trio’s 2002 self-titled release parcels their combined creative, fun anti funky touring package, which includes stops in the Midwest and Eastern Canada next mopth. Northwest dyke duo Kid Quiz is also taking up some of Myshkin’s clearly endless musical energy at their Philomath home studio. She’s “having a blast” playing around with drum machines, ltxips and samples for the first time. “I have this bunch of stings that I have never recorded and don’t play out much—a lot of war songs,” she explains, “so it’s great to have some material to try some weird things with. 1 think it’s going to turn into a really nice record, very slow and quiet." Myshkin’s current musical ear turns to every thing from Flamenco singers to gypsy hands to West African rhythms. She describes New Orleans as a “schtxil for music” and is grateful she wound up there for as long as she did. “1 got to play the New Orleans Jazz Fest a few years hack. T hat was great— the biggest show in the hom etow n.... The atmosphere is so gtxxl there— everyone stuffed with music and happy.” She also enjoyed “the longest and most meaningful collaboration” of her life there with “urban hillbilly” banjo phenom enon Mike West. “I describe my songs as gypsy torch punk, so our shows together always had a pretty vast dichotomy. We learned a lot from each other and grew so much while working together." But don’t worry, Myshkin’s not hightailing hack anytime soon. Portland has made its impression. “I’m really glad to be in a place where there is a big queer community and a big alternative community of all stripes. It comes as a huge relief... there’s a lot of connection between different groups. T h a t’s one of the most exciting aspects of living here for me. People giving voice to what’s really going on is indicative that they know how to work togeth er to make things happen.” J H M ysh k in ’ s R uby W arblers play 9 p.m. Jan. 4 at Alberta Street Pub, 1036 N.E. Alberta St. Cover is $ 6.. Visit the singer at wsvuj . myshkinsrubywarblers. com. M arie FLEISCHMANN is a musician, poet and Editorial Assistant at Just O ut.
