What happens when you combine Shin and Jick? You get a Shick. Or is it a Jin? Hmm. Both of those sound vaguely derogatory, like outdated ethnic slurs from the 1700s.

But moving right along, James Mercer (Shin) and Stephen Malkmus (Jick) are joining forces to play the Buckman Bash on April 11th. It’s a benefit for the Buckman Elementary Arts School, and it’s taking place at the Jupiter Hotel. They’ll both be doing solo sets, and there’ll also be a silent auction, video installations, and a student art gallery.

Pretty cool stuff. Tix go on sale March 21st. They’re a spendy $50, but you can’t put a price on a good education. (Well—you can, it’s just going to be remarkably high.)

If you like reading press releases, there’s one for you after the jump!

PORTLAND'S FAMED INDIE ROCKERS
JAMES MERCER AND STEPHEN MALKMUS
TO ROCK FOR ART EDUCATION
AT "BUCKMAN BASH,"
APRIL 11, 2008

PORTLAND, OREGON (21 February 2008) — Indie music superstars will be shining for Buckman Elementary School this spring when James Mercer, frontman for The Shins, and Stephen Malkmus, of Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, rock the stylish Jupiter Hotel stage on Friday, April 11, 2008. The BUCKMAN BASH, with local rock and art luminaries in attendance, will benefit the award-winning arts-integrated academic education program of Buckman Elementary School Arts Focus. Tickets ($50) for this not-to-be-missed musical experience will go on sale March 21, 2008 at 3:00pm through www.brownpapertickets.com and Jackpot Records. Information about the event will be available at www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale.

The BUCKMAN BASH, to be held at the Jupiter Hotel in Portland's hip inner eastside (800 East Burnside, Portland, Oregon), will feature rare solo performances by James Mercer and Stephen Malkmus, and an opening musical act to be announced. Performance artist, writer, and filmmaker Andrew Dickson (whose performance piece Sell Out was a hit at T:BA 2007) will add a dash of hilarious irreverence as MC for the evening's festivities. A silent art auction featuring work by acclaimed artist Storm Tharp and others, video shorts, and a Buckman student art gallery will complete the evening's festivities.

James Mercer rose to fame following the release of The Shins' first album, Oh, Inverted World, and his music has been embraced by adoring fans and critics alike. The Shins' most recent recording, Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop), entered the Billboard 200 at number 2. Their previous album, Chutes Too Narrow, was called "one of the deftest, subtlest and just plain loveliest guitar-rock albums of the decade" by Rolling Stone.

Stephen Malkmus has been lauded for his musical artistry and influential role in the indie-rock movement, with his work in the bands Pavement and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. Malkmus contributed the singing voice for Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Bob Dylan in the film I'm Not There, and he and the Jicks recently announced the early March 2008 release of their newest recording, Real Emotional Trash (Matador).

The BUCKMAN BASH at the Jupiter Hotel is a part of the 2008 Buckman Art Show & Sell, an annual celebration of art, craft, and arts education, returning for its 18th year to Buckman Elementary School. Featuring the work of more than 120 Pacific Northwest artists and craftspersons, food, music, and kids' activities, this bustling, vibrant community event and juried art festival benefits Portland's Buckman Arts Elementary School. The 18th annual Buckman Art Show & Sell art festival takes place Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, 2008, at Buckman Arts Elementary School, 320 SE 16th Avenue, Portland.

The Buckman Art Show & Sell, which began in 1991 as an innovative way to simultaneously support Buckman and provide exposure to artists in the community, has grown into a major event that draws both established and emerging artists and art buyers from Oregon and Washington. Buckman Elementary School Arts Focus, a Portland Public School, offers an innovative arts-integrated academic curriculum, in addition to high-frequency arts classes in dance, drama and music, and visual art. At Buckman, Portland's premier arts elementary school, students internalize their learning through these varied forms of creative self-expression, resulting in increased self-esteem, absorption of academic material, creative thinking, and understanding and acceptance of the self. Combining a love of the arts with high academic achievement, Buckman is both a neighborhood school and focus option that is open for admission to all elementary students in Portland.

More information about the Buckman Art Show & Sell at Buckman Elementary School and the BUCKMAN BASH at the Jupiter Hotel will be available at www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale.

WHAT: The BUCKMAN BASH features solo performances by James Mercer of The Shins and Stephen Malkmus of The Jicks (plus musical opener to be announced) in a benefit concert for Buckman Elementary School, award-winning arts-focus option school in Portland Public Schools. Acclaimed performance artist and local personality Andrew Dickson will lead the revels as MC. A silent art auction featuring work by acclaimed artist Storm Tharp and others, video shorts, and a Buckman student art gallery, will complete the evening's festivities.

WHERE: Jupiter Hotel
800 East Burnside
Portland, OR 97214

WHEN: Friday, April 11, 2008
Doors open 7:00pm

TICKETS: $50 per person; 21 and over only.
On sale March 21, 2008, 3:00pm
www.brownpapertickets.com
and
Jackpot Records
3736 SE Hawthorne
and
203 SW Ninth Avenue
Portland, Oregon

NOTE: BUCKMAN BASH ticket holders will be granted free admission to Buckman Art Show & Sell art festival events on Friday, April 11, 5:00pm to 9:00pm, and Saturday, April 12, 10:00am to 5pm, at Buckman Elementary School, 320 SE 16th Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

INFO: 503/916-3506
www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale [Info about the Buckman Bash to be posted soon.]