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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2004)
BY VANESSA SALVIA The Slip plays McDonald Theater Lounge Thursday, July 1. Soundscapes Boundary-breaking jazz slips into the lounge. S ome exciting events kick off the week’s entertainment here in Eugene. First, on July1, cram into the dark but inviting space of the McDonald Theater Lounge for The Slip. Having played in Eugene many times, the name is familiar to fans who crave this trio’s shifting sound- scapes of jazz and funk. Brothers Brad and Andrew Barr and friend Marc Friedman have been playfully concocting jazz cocktails together since their jazz band days in high school. After graduat- ing, the three moved to Boston and briefly at- tended Berklee before leaving to pursue their own goals. The Slip is one of those rare bands that is accepted by the jam band world for its prowess at letting the music flow without holding back, while the jazz world has sup- ported its rebellious approach to breaking tra- ditions. Touring consistently over the past six years, throughout the U.S., as well as Japan and Canada, the group has produced six al- bums and has mastered the ability to combine rhythms from many lands and shape them into grooves that merge and grow. Each element — vocal, percussion, a gui- tar riff or drum line — is allowed to fully ex- pand and assert its presence, yet always re- main part of a conscious whole. The Slip has recently released two live al- bums on its own label in addition to its studio recordings. With one being acoustic and the other electric, each disc offers insight into a different aspect of the band’s approach. Also on July 1, Roy Book Binder will visit Café Paradiso. This folklorist, come- dian, blues singer, storyteller and guitarist from Queens, N.Y., has been performing for more than 30 years and worked closely in the ‘60s with blues masters Rev. Gary Davis and Pink Anderson. A recognized and respected expert in the Piedmont style of blues playing (a traditional form involving intricate finger- picking and ragtime-based rhythms), Book Binder has the authentic air of a true traveling bluesman. He spins tales of life on the road, stories replete with the road-weary blues, the lonesome blues and the lost-love blues. Book Binder brings the music to life with the skill of the pupil having become a master, and he plays his own tunes as well as those of his musical progenitors, masters of the rural pre-World War II sound he has devoted his life to. He plays a beautiful vintage guitar and has a distinctive style, letting his guitar work and half-spoken vocal delivery intensify the emotional impact of a song. Book Binder performs not only in coffee- houses and blues rooms, but at prestigious storytelling festivals, including the 2001 Jonesborough, Tenn. National Storytelling Festival, where a concert video entitled Roy Book Binder In Concert: Roy, The Reverend and the Devil’s Music was filmed. The video shows Book Binder delivering an oral history of his favorite blues guitarists and anecdotes from his relationships with Davis and Anderson. His ragtime and country blues tunes sprinkled throughout the performance make it entertaining as well as educational. Additionally, for guitarists who like to emu- late, the video gives viewers a front-row seat where Book Binder’s fretting and fingerpick- ing are clearly visible. New York’s Suffrajett and Portland’s Man of The Year will perform July 1 at Indigo District. Suffrajett’s Jason Chasko on guitar and front-woman Simi on vocals and violin, drummer Danny Severson and bassist Kevin Roberts (formerly of Elysian Fields) make raw, unpretentious rock that, well, rocks. (Incidentally, Chasko co-wrote and co- produced Liz Phair’s whitechocolate- spaceegg.) Simi’s gritty vocals are delivered with attitude and power but with a catchy quality you can’t help but latch onto. The foursome creates music with a strong pop backbone, but thanks to the rough guitars and aggressive tendencies, it veers away from sweet and sentimental. Songs like the opener “Love Me More” show Simi tearing up the love letters with lines like “I want to let you know that you’re acting like an asshole.” Her vocals can be girlish or biting, and, along with the fully en- meshed rhythm section, are a big appeal. Should be a rockin’ show. Suffrajett is touring with MC5 and will be appearing with them at their Portland gig, but, alas, MC5 will not stop here in lil’ ol’ Eugene. The Black Forest is hosting Seattle’s The New Mexicans on July 7. With song titles like “I’m Going to Go Put On My Cape and Go Jackoff to Some Beat Happening CDs” and “Lesbian Llamas Are The Fruit Of Gnomes,” you know you’re in for some weird shit with the New Mexicans. They fully admit that taking anything too seriously sets the stage for mockery, and they mock themselves, just to make sure we don’t get all politically correct and blame them for society’s woes. Difficult to pin down musically, the band has a hard and fast approach that comes on strong and ends as quickly as it began. When the guitar, bass and drums play together nicely, the effect is brutally strong. The rest of the time, it’s stop-and-start that can be dizzying. Though technically proficient and musically syn- chronized at times, they are not a “techni- cal” band. If you’re into Fugazi and other Dischord bands or just like tight, forceful rock music that isn’t awfully self-aware, this will satisfy without leaving that icky neu-metal taste in your mouth. This band has a reputation for playing short, fast, shit- storm sets that end abruptly, so don’t be late to the gig. The WOW Hall is taking its summer break and will not be hosting any events from July 1 through July 12. Also, if you’re look- ing for a way to be entertained and support visual art at the same time, check out the 21st annual Art and the Vineyard, taking place July 2-4 in Alton Baker Park. The event features food, music and art and benefits Eugene’s Maude Kerns Art Center. ew With song titles like ‘I’m Going to Go Put On My Cape And Go Jackoff To Some Beat Happening CDs’ and ‘Lesbian Llamas Are The Fruit Of Gnomes,’ you know you’re in for some weird shit with the New Mexicans. Full Bar Organic Café Mam Coffee Organic Menu for Lunch & Dinner Wireless Internet Locally Owned & Operated MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMM MM MM MMMM MMMM MMMMMM 13th & M Oak (formerly Field’s) • 434-6553 JULY 1, 2004 27
