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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2012)
music Wickedly Lynchian, Exclusively Adult It’s kind of odd to imagine that a dude like Chris Isaak, who sounds like he cut his teeth alongside Joy Division and Barry White, would throughout his career find his music in a grip of movies. Hailing from Stockton, Calif., Isaak’s strange brand of post-eighties-balladic-ghost pop has found its way into the backgrounds of silver screen flicks from all over the map: David Lynch (who used an instrumental version of Isaak’s most famous song, “Wicked Game,” in his 1990 film Wild at Heart), Stanley Kubrick and Quentin Tarantino each saw fit to throw Isaak’s unique singer-songwriter prowess into their films, and they probably weren’t disappointed. To top it off, Isaak has also starred in a few films. Perhaps not big roles, but it’s always cool to see somebody occasionally multi-tasking with his career — opening up all sorts of avenues and still being liked while doing so (for unexample: Justin Bieber). A disclaimer here: Just because this was your favorite music when you were a teenager does not mean that kids today are going to like it. I’m absolutely certain that just about every 14-year old you play this for would rather be shot in the face. At its heart, Chris Isaak’s sound is adult contemporary pop with an eerie new- wave twist, and that’s why it’s awesome once you stop liking bullshit like Linkin Park and Korn. For this tour Isaak is breaking out some super oldies. Presley, Orbison, Cash, Perkins and a whole load of other genius artists that were signed to Sun Records at the dawning of rock ‘n’ roll adorn Isaak’s set list for his “Beyond the Sun” tour. Chris Isaak plays 7 pm Thursday, March 22, at McDonald Theatre; $55-$100 rsvd. seating. — Andy Valentine Drinking is for the Dogs Jesse Meade will play the 8th Annual Libation Foundation Celebration for the Pet Population (say that three times as fast as you can), along with The Girin Guha Experience and Lonesome Crows. If you love music and want to get drunk to help stop puppy reproduction, this is the place to be. The event will also include a silent art auction with all proceeds going to the Lane County Animal Services Spay/Neuter Clinic’s voucher program, and dancing to the beats of B. Stee and Harlequin. The Libation Foundation Celebration kicks off 8 pm Saturday, March 24, at Oak Street Speakeasy; donations accepted. — Dante Zuñiga-West Alternative Orchestral, At Large Petoskey, a nine-piece chamber folk band out of Portland, is on the up and up, fresh off performances at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. “It’s been a hilarious and cantankerous tour so far, full of mishaps and good things,” says Angie Kuzma, a founding member who plays guitar, violin and sings in the group. Among other hap-hazardous adventures, the band recently survived a sand storm on the way from Austin to Tucson, which lead to a night of drinking and an impromptu performance at a hole-in-the-wall bar somewhere in New Mexico. They are still at large, and heading north. Top-notch musicians with an addiction to composing thickly layered multi-instrumental soundscapes, Petoskey is Kuzma’s attempt to create an alternative symphony. “All nine of us have a strong appreciation for meticulous (musical) arrangement,” she says. “I grew up playing in big orchestras and that’s the sound we’re trying to recreate.” Ghostly, trance-like and at times a little twangy, the band’s 2011 debut Bombs Away is a standout freshman album. You can hear influences from all over, which is to be expected from such a large and diverse collection of musicians — everything from Merle Haggard, to Bill Callahan, to Beach House — and Kuzma’s vocals possess a haunting resonance. Petoskey’s live show is homegrown and warm, perfect for a cold night in cozy bar. If you love neo folk, chamber orchestra pop or simply appreciate full-sounding bands with classically trained players, you don’t want to pass up this show. Petoskey plays 9 pm Thursday, March 29, at Sam Bond’s; $1-$5. — Dante Zuñiga-West WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENE WEEKLY MARCH 22, 2012 23
