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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2007)
WHAT’S A quick scroll through their tour schedule for the past three years reveals F lo at er likes to play these cities: Portland, Seattle, Bend, Chico, Boise, Mesa, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and, of course, Eugene. Sprinkled in there are shows in Corvallis, Veneta, Ashland and Grants Pass, meaning these guys reward their Oregon constituents with ample opportunities to see them live. We last saw Floater at the McDonald in late October, debuting their latest album Stone by Stone. Since then, the guys have been — big surprise — working on new tracks! True to the band’s self-sufficient nature, lead singer Rob Wynia (pic- tured) is offering new solo tracks for sale on his MySpace page. Though it’s fitting for the reigning de facto Oregon rock band to be in the state’s largest city, maybe it’s time Floater moved back to Eugene, replanted their roots and nurtured their fer- vent followers. We can’t get enough of them. See Saturday Calendar. Back in 2005 we traveled to Mongolia to volunteer at the national radio and TV station. We attended a few traditional concerts, many of which featured an exalted perform- ance by a rotund man with a deep voice. But we were somehow always more amazed by his backing band, usually consisting of at least one woman who could play Beethoven on a horsehead fiddle with as much pas- sion as Jimi Hendrix on a Stratocaster. Add to this mix female throat singers, simply unheard of in the male-dominated Mongolian and Tuvan cultures, and you have the prime ingredients for kick-ass cross- cultural punk rock: traditional cul- tures, unique vocals and feminine empowerment. All this and more takes place at Saturday’s T y v a Ky z y show at Tsunami Books. Described as “throat singing at its stupefying best,” this quintet of world touring Central Asian women (Damyrang Ailanmaa, on the fiddle, pictured) will raise the hairs on the back of your neck. The show promises to be a treat … and a nice balance to those less Floater-inclined. See Saturday Calendar. PHOTO BY DEAN YARNELL happening Last week we recommended the Last Friday Artwalk, and now here we are touting this week’s F i r st Fr id a y A RT W a lk . We’re either walking hypocrites or just really like those events that get us on our feet and in the streets. Besides, art walks are great entertain- ment; they’re like bar hopping for the genteel crowd. This week’s tour starts at Opus6ix and is led by Opus6ix curator Robert Canaga, who will discuss the opening of the 6ix’s exhibition of contemporary Mayan paintings. Stop #2 highlights the “Tokaido to Oregon” exhibit of prints and watercolors by Walt Padgett at White Lotus Gallery. Stop #3 pauses at DNA Photographic for a look at Rick Maday’s recent photographs of the “feminine form” (a two day exhib- it, so see it on the walk or on Saturday). The final stop has Holly Werner’s floral paintings (pictured below) on exhibit at La Follette Gallery. So get out and do some walking, be it for art, civic engagement, free wine or whatever. See Friday Calendar. FEBRUARY 1, 2007 1 3
