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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2018)
MAY 24, 2018 // 7 Take a trip to the Low country COURTESY PENINSULA ARTS CENTER James Low LONG BEACH, WASH. — James Low, one of the best on the Northwest’s alt-country scene, performs at the Peninsula Arts Center 7 p.m. Saturday, May 26. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Low started out in a one-stop- light town in Eastern Oregon with a single AM radio station that went off the air every night at 6 p.m. Coming from a family steeped in music he toyed with a couple of instruments, but mostly sang. Following his father’s lead, he starting writing songs, and after finishing school he escaped to New York. Eventually he settled in the East Village and spent a few years playing bass in the country punk band Marlboro Country before returning to Oregon in 1995. In 2000 he released his first album, a sparse country-folk affair titled “Mexiquita.” On a tiny boutique label, the release received a four-star review in the All Music Guide and positive reactions from the local press, but went largely unnoticed. A series of self-financed albums, including “Blackheart” (2002) and “The Blackguard’s Waltz” (2008), es- tablished for him a solid pedigree as a writer, and Low’s career flourished as a well-kept secret. In 2012, the self-released and promoted “Whiskey Farmer” appeared on several independent radio charts and the Euro Ameri- cana chart, and received four-star reviews in magazines like Mojo and The Telegraph UK’s top roots records list for 2012, becoming the most successful release of his career. The Peninsula Arts Center is located at 504 Pacific Ave. N., Long Beach, Wash. Tickets are $15 through Brown Paper Tickets, at the door by calling 360-901- 0962, or emailing events@penin- sulaartscenter.org. Wine, beer and other refresh- ments are available for purchase. Concerts benefit the Long Beach Peninsula Acoustic Music Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization. Country, folk duos perform in Nehalem NEHALEM — The North County Rec- reation District in Nehalem welcomes two musical singing duos for a night of original songs at 7 p.m. Friday, May 25, at the Performing Arts Center, 36155 9th St. The cover is $10 at the door. Trevor & Sylvie, a husband and wife duo from Nashville, are the musical descendants of luminary songwriters like Patty Griffin and James Taylor, combined with the vocal harmonies of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. The songs they write and perform are a perfect mar- riage of story and melody. Loving, silly, honest and authentic, the band invites listeners in as friends and offers all the love and laughter of home. Listen to them perform songs from their debut release, “Time Is Free.” The Matty Charles & Katie Rose sound is deeply rooted in the dirt and haunted places of the American coun- try-folk tradition. Something magical culminates in the ether of their combined voices, in the melancholy moodiness of a waltz for a lost dream, in the pealing wail of a drunken Saturday night dance stomp. Their debut album, “Catching Ar- rows,” has been called, “a sublime listening experience” and a “must-have album” (bealestreet.be) as well as “the kind of album that can break out and sur- prise even the most jaded music critics” (kithfolk.com). Catch them live and hear how Charles and Rose “prove that they may be among the best duos in the genre” (Lambert Smits, keysandchords.com). Don’t miss this opportunity to catch both acts performing their songs at the North County Recreation District! COURTESY NORTH COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT PHOTOS COURTESY TREVOR & SYLVIE The B Side: Phil Lynch, right, and Kate Morrison (of Kate & The Crocodiles) Matty Charles & Katie Rose The B Side benefit for Riverbend Players NEHALEM — The B Side is return- ing to Nehalem’s NCRD Perform- ing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 26, for a benefit concert in support of Riverbend Players. The B-side of a record is the space reserved for rare, exclusive, remixed tracks. It’s the bonus mate- rial not limited to a single musical genre. It’s the stripped-down, naked kind of music you secretly hope to hear when you turn over an LP. On the B-Side you might hear a folk song, then a blues number, a pop ballad, followed by rock, jazz or gypsy jazz, then maybe a goofy Trevor & Sylvie show tune or silly French love song. The B Side is Phil Lynch and Kate Morrison (Kate & The Croc- odiles), who have been friends and musical co-creators since 2011. They formed The B Side in Walla Walla, Wash., and released their “Prince Charming” CD in 2012. Join us in Nehalem when we bring our duo to NCRD Performing Arts Center for a fun, surprising and sorta quirky night of music. Tickets are $10 and available at the door; no advance sales. Only cash or check will be accepted.