I like shows with an entirely local lineup. Especially when the bands all bring different elements of the scene. The bill at Kelly's Olympian this Thursday (7.17) is a perfect example of just how much talent Portland has to offer.
Fre$h Hair will kick off the evening with a certain mischief. This duo manages to glorify day to day heartache and experience with charming harmonic frivolity. Whilst their lyrics may seem typical of two young women trying to smoke their way through things, they bring authority in their writing and in doing so, a truly beautiful modern folk sound.
Up next is Ladywolf with their rhythmic jolt of lo fi psychedelic rock. Listening to Ladywolf is like being transported to a place I've never been. Mainly New York in the late seventies. I feel like I'm in a dirty nightclub and I'm 21 again. In a glorious way.
The Handles bring a heartache of lap steel country drawl with great, laid back capability. Their choruses play with melodies that will have you singing along even if you only pick up half of the words. "My love is a bottle, and you are the reason". It's that kind of sadness that makes you feel right at home.
Mufassa will close out the night before hitting the road the following morning to embark on a West Coast tour. If The Beatles, T Rex and Black Sabbath had a baby - spunky and confident, these boys definitely know how to pack a punch with songs like "Johnny," but can also draw you back in with the thoughtful storytelling in tracks like "Women." This evening will be quite the ride.
- Jennie Chapman
