MUSIC
BY WILL KENNEDY
HOLLER HOUSE
THURSDAY 12/28
AXE & FIDDLE Micah McCaw,
TWO STEPS FORWARD
Sometimes you just need to stop and hear the music
“N
o big bands ever play Eugene.”
I frequently hear variations on this sentiment repeated by local music
fans — and it drives me nuts.
This year alone saw SZA, Brockhampton, Travis Scott, Tori Amos,
Kehlani, Tyler the Creator, Ty Segall, Protomartyr, Shins, Bedou-
ine, Foo Fighters and A Perfect Circle come through town. That’s just off the top of my
head — a deeper dive would produce even more, but as it stands that’s a list of some of the
year’s biggest names in music.
Did all these shows sell as well as they should? Many did, some didn’t, but that’s an-
other issue. The issue is closely connected, however, to the persistent notion “no big bands
play Eugene.” It’s hard to sell tickets to audiences that refuse to see the bounty that’s of-
fered to them.
So grow up, Eugene. You’re more than the college freshman that never goes west of
Hilyard and yet complains there’s nothing to do here. We aren’t Seattle, San Francisco or
Portland, but we’re a damn fine music town, and it’s time we started acting like it.
My list of best 2017 shows from touring acts includes DC’s Priests and Tennessee’s
Nots at now-defunct all-ages Whiteaker music venue, The Boreal (RIP). The Priests show
also featured an opening slot from fantastic Portland post-punkers Lithics. Other great
shows included indie rockers Ty Segall and Protomartyr at Hi-Fi Music Hall. What were
some of your favorites?
The local scene also saw growth in 2017. Eugene post-rockers This Patch of Sky
toured nationally behind These Small Spaces, their debut on mid-major label Equal Vision
Records. The year also saw new releases from Endr Won, VCR, Gazelle(s), Paleons and
the always prolific Sammy Warm Hands to name only a few.
My pick for best local show would be the July 4 Mini-Merica music fest at Hi-Fi, which
showcased a dizzying array of local talent. If you have yet to see Stones-y local rock-
ers Holler House, Portland/Eugene post-rockers Childspeak, Thom Simon, Surfsdrugs,
Egotones or the circus-y punk rock Pancho + The Factory, do yourself a favor and catch
them in 2018.
Speaking of Pancho + The Factory, intel says they’ve been hard at work somewhere
deep in the Whiteaker on a debut recording due sometime next year. Eugene’s local scene
is really great right now. Catch it while you can. 2018 also promises an album of original
music from Eugene’s Halie Loren.
2017 wasn’t all good news: the end of The Boreal, the displacement of Black Forest
(gotta love their free show policy), the dissolution of fantastic local hardcore act Nove-
las, an on-balance underachieving WOW Hall and a depressing lack of music venues in
Eugene’s campus area. College kids, while still interested in music, seem increasingly dif-
ficult to sell tickets to.
All this being said, Eugene’s house scene is strong, and live music at Wandering Goat in
the Whiteaker is resurgent. Looking forward to New Year’s Eve Psychedelic Ball at Hi-Fi,
featuring Portland’s Psychomagic and The Shivas.
Also looking forward to Queens of the Stone Age Jan. 27 at the Hult Center, as well
as the two-night Burger-a-Go-Go, featuring Death Valley Girls, The Coathangers, Den-
gue Fever and Summer Twins, coming up in February at Hi-Fi.
It all makes Eugene’s music scene in 2017 seem a bit like its dating scene: tons of eli-
gible singles and not enough ways to connect them. Let’s keep working.
22
December 28, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com
Flies w/Honey —8:30pm; folk,
indie, n/c
B&B LOUNGE Karaoke—
9:30pm; n/c
THE BARNLIGHT Karaoke w/
Breezy Bee—9pm; n/c
BEERGARDEN Matt Edewaard—
7:30pm; singer-songwriter, n/c
COWFISH 90s Night!—9pm; n/c
DEXTER LAKE CLUB Karaoke w/
Jared—9pm; n/c
THE DRAKE 80's Night—10pm;
live DJ, n/c
HAPPY HOURS Crystal Harmony
Karaoke—8pm; n/c
HI-FI LOUNGE Jerry Joseph &
the Jackmormons—9pm; rock,
$12-$15
JIMMY'S ON 11TH Lloyd Tolbert
Band—6pm; n/c
LUCKEY'S Grateful Dead Family
Jam—10pm; dead covers, open
jam, $3
MAC'S Dueling Pianos w/Skip
Jones & Hank Shreve—6pm;
n/c
MAX’S DJ Victor—10pm; hits,
old standards, requests, n/c
MCSHANE'S Acoustic
Underground Open Mic—
7:30pm; n/c
MULLIGAN'S PUB Karaoke—
9pm; n/c
OLD NICK'S Symptoms, Fabled
Automatic—9pm; punk, $5
OVERTIME BAR & GRILL Blues
Jam w/Dave Roberts Annual
Party—7pm; n/c
SAM BOND'S BREWERY Temple
Under the Stars & Loose
Change—7:30pm; proceeds
benefit Covenant Youth Home
shelter in Uganda, n/c
SAM BOND'S GARAGE Joshua
Charles McCaslin of Roselit
Bone, Beast of Eden—9pm;
western, occult rock & roll, $6
SHADOWFOX Open Mic—8pm; n/c
TERRITORIAL VINEYARDS TAST-
ING ROOM Heavy Chevy Lite—
7pm; rock, n/c
FRIDAY 12/29
5TH ST CORNUCOPIA Humble
George—9:30pm; n/c
AXE & FIDDLE Sequel—8:30pm;
n/c
BLAIRALLY Church of the 80s
Night w/Chris, Jen & John—
9pm; DJ, $3
BRONCO SALOON Karaoke w/
Lindsey—9pm; n/c
COWFISH Freek-Nite w/SPOC-
3PO—9pm; underground, pop,
remix, $3
DOC'S PAD Karaoke w/KJ
Power—9pm; n/c
THE DRAKE Dancing—10pm;
live DJ, n/c
DRIFTWOOD BAR Karaoke w/
Slick Nick—9pm; n/c
EL TAPATIO CANTINA Karaoke w/
KJ Rick—9pm; n/c
FIRST NATIONAL TAPHOUSE
Amblin—8pm; acoustic, n/c
HI-FI LOUNGE Jerry Joseph &
the Jackmormons—9pm; rock,
$12-$15
JERSEY'S Karaoke w/Sassy
Patty—9pm; n/c
KEG TAVERN Karaoke w/Caught
in the Act—9pm; n/c
LUCKEY'S Steel Kitty, Nudie
Mags, Holler House—10pm;
rock, $5
MAC'S My Band ft. Darlene
Jackson—8pm; soul, funk,
R&B, variety, $6
MOE'S JAZZ Comedown ft.
Barbara Dzuro w/poetry—6pm;
n/c
MOHAWK TAVERN Rock n Roll
Cowboys—9pm; country, n/c
NOBLE ESTATE URBAN Noble
Friday Nights—6pm; n/c
O BAR Karaoke w/Jared—9pm;
n/c
OLD NICK'S Purist Events
Presents - The Pre-Pregame w/
DJs Dan Craig, Wes Light, Blake
Rudolph & Few Chains—9pm;
Don.
SAGINAW VINEYARD Jackie &
Jason Cowsill—6pm; acoustic
folk, rock, n/c
SAM BOND'S GARAGE Cap'n
Trips—9pm; psychedelic, Jerry
Garcia Tribute, $5
SPFD ELKS BTM Karaoke—8pm;
everyone welcome, n/c
TERRITORIAL VINEYARDS TAST-
ING ROOM Atmoa Jazz—7pm;
cool jazz, n/c
VALHALLA WINERY Heavy
Chevy—7pm; blues, soul &
zydeco, n/c
WAYWARD LAMB Glamazons
Drag Cabaret—10pm; burlesque,
cabaret, $5
WHITE HORSE SALOON Karaoke
w/KJ Mike—9pm; n/c
SATURDAY 12/30
5TH ST CORNUCOPIA Dark
Buffalo—9:30pm; n/c
AXE & FIDDLE Appalachia,
Osprey Flies the Nest—8:30pm;
$5
BEERGARDEN Firestarters—
7:30pm; rock, n/c
BREW & CUE Sassy Patty, BTM
Karaoke—9pm; n/c
COWFISH Sup! w/Michael
Human—9pm; hip-hop, electro,
top 40, $5
CUSH CAFE Open Mic—2pm; n/c
DOC'S PAD Karaoke w/KJ
Power—9pm; n/c
THE DRAKE DJ Crown—10pm;
n/c
DRIFTWOOD BAR Karaoke w/
Slick Nick—9pm; n/c
HAPPY HOURS Crystal Harmony
Karaoke—7pm; n/c
HI-FI LOUNGE Hillstomp—
10pm; country blues, $10-$13
KEG TAVERN Dance Music
w/J'Lynn—9pm; n/c
MAC'S Mac's End of The Year
Tribute Show ft. Steve Arriola,
Skip Jones, Byron Case & Theo
Halpert—8pm; $5
MOHAWK TAVERN Impulse—
9pm; Caught in the Act—9pm;
DJ, n/c
NOBLE ESTATE TASTING ROOM
Scott Austin—6pm; R&B, pop, n/c
OLD NICK'S New Year's Eve-Eve
Purple Party w/DJs Refugium,
NoN & Perfidia—10pm; 80s clas-
sic, futurepop, electro, $5
QUACKER'S Ladies Night &
DeeJay—9pm; n/c
SAM BOND'S GARAGE Electric
Funeral, Oregon Dirt—9:30pm;
acoustic classic metal, $5
WAYWARD LAMB Death of Glitter
drag cabaret - genderqueer cab-
aret from PDX—8pm; $5-$10
WHITE HORSE SALOON Karaoke
w/Sarah—9pm; n/
SUNDAY 12/31
5TH ST CORNUCOPIA Scott
Austin—7pm; n/c
AGATE ALLEY BISTRO Karaoke
w/Breezy Bee—9pm; n/c
ALONG CAME TRUDY All That
Glitters, black tie optional bene-
fit for the Junior League of
Eugene w/Ben Rice Band w/Paul
Biondi—8pm; $60
AXE & FIDDLE New Year's Eve
Party w/DJ Tardigrade—9pm;
n/c
BREW & CUE Sassy Patty NYE
Karaoke—9pm; n/c
COWFISH Sun Daze w/Aaron
Jackson—9pm; bass, house,
club, n/c
CUSH CAFE Open Mic—2pm;
n/c
DEXTER LAKE CLUB New Years
Eve Party w/Heavy Chevy—
8:30pm; n/c
THE DRAKE Karaoke—9pm; n/c
THE EMBERS Karaoke w/Sassy
Patty—7pm; n/c
HI-FI MAIN HALL & LOUNGE
New Year's Eve Psych Ball ft.
The Shivas, Pancho + The
Factory, Psycho Magic, Snow
White & more—9pm; $18-$20
LAVELLE WINE BAR & GRILLE
New Year's Eve Dinner Party &
Dance w/RIFFLE—7:30pm; res-
ervations required, n/c
LUCKEY'S The Broadway Revue
Burlesque Show!—10pm; vari-
ety, $5
MAC'S 15th Annual New Years
Eve Bash w/Soul Vibrator & Soul
Restoration Project, Michael
Tracey & The Hi-Tones—8pm;
$10-$30
MCDONALD THEATRE Medium
Troy & The Bohemian Dub
Orchestra w/High Step Society,
SugarBeats, Smokestacks &
Evergreen—8pm; $15-$25
MOHAWK TAVERN NYE 2018
Party w/Code Red—9pm; rock,
country, n/c
MULLIGAN'S PUB Open mic—
8:30pm; variety, n/c
OLD NICK'S 2nd Annual New
Year's Eve Speakeasy Party—
9pm; 1920s costume party, n/c
w/costume, $5 plain clothes
SAM BOND'S GARAGE Dick
Dagger, Jargon, DJ Smuve—
9:30pm; rock, dance, $3-$5
SEASONS BAR & GRILL Karaoke
w/Tobey—7pm; n/c
VALLEY RIVER INN Boogie
Wonderland Ball w/Satin Love
Orchestra—8pm; $60
WAYWARD LAMB Studio 541
NYE Party - Inspired by the
world famous Studio 54, a night
of champagne, dancing & revel-
ry—9pm; $8
WEBFOOT Karaoke w/KJ
Power—9pm; n/c. DJ Crown
NYE Bash—10pm; dance &
party classics, n/c
WETLANDS Tour Heads
Caravan—9pm; $7
WILDCRAFT CIDER WORKS
Wildcraft Cider Works NYE
Celebration w/Sol Seed &
Fortune's Folly—8pm; $18-$20
MONDAY 1/1
BLACK FOREST Karaoke w/KJ
Power—9pm; n/c
BUGSY'S MondayBug—7pm;
acoustic, n/c
CENTENNIAL STEAK HOUSE
Karaoke w/Crystal Harmony &
Makada—9pm; n/c
COWFISH Motown Monday w/DJ
Kingsley Strangelove—9pm;
soul, n/c
THE EMBERS Sassy Patty
Karaoke w/Marcus—8pm; n/c
FIRST NATIONAL TAPHOUSE
Open Mic—8pm; n/c
OLD NICK'S Irish Jam—6pm;
n/c
TUESDAY 1/2
5TH ST CORNUCOPIA Jesse
Meade w/Jana Meszaros—
9:30pm; n/c
COWFISH Trap-House Tuesday
w/Wes Light—9pm; n/c
CUSH Poetry Open Mic—
7:30pm; n/c
DEXTER LAKE CLUB Acoustic
Night w/Brian Chevalier—6pm;
n/c
THE EMBERS DJ Victor—8pm;
current hits, standards,
requests, n/c
HI-FI LOUNGE Reggae Night—
9pm; reggae jam, n/c
LEVEL UP Karaoke w/Kade—
9pm; n/c