Remember that new all-local, commercial free, radio station that everyone is chatting about? Well, they just got a name (KZME) to go along with their home on the FM dial (91.1).

Granted, it’s not “The Buzz” or “Charlie,” but since it’s just a call name there is plenty of time for them to work on a snappy name. Also, maybe get a logo too. I’m getting tired of using the same damn radio tower clip art. And what about some promotional windbreakers from the street team, or a wacky and offensive online game for your listeners to silently judge people? Amateurs.

Full release after the jump…

The Shaky Hands have released some information and artwork (If you can decipher that rorschach-esque cover art—you win a prize!) on their upcoming full-length Lunglight, which will be released on Holocene Music and Kill Rock Stars. A band so big that they need two labels.

Supposedly “slightly darker” than the stoner summertime pop of their self-titled debut, Lunglight will hit the streets on September 9th. Full press release (my favorite line: “Mayhaw Hoons’ wildly swinging curly red hair”) and track listing are below. Can’t wait…

After last night’s excellent Au performance at Holocene, the band left various percussion instruments at the front of the stage (they were originally used by their in-crowd choir) which led to an impromptu drum circle of sorts.

It was nice.

I know, I know, a change of heart when it comes to drum circles is an unforgivable sin and a slippery slope to greater atrocities (Hey Broseph, know what this music needs? Some sweet digeriedo action!), but last night’s, um, “jam session” seemed a bit more innocent, and less Burning Man, than you might think. In fact, it sort of added to the open-ended community aspect of Au’s performance.

At least, that’s what I am telling myself. If you catch me on Hawthorne this afternoon strumming my berimbau, you’ll know what lead me down that path. Peace.

Attention all indie rockers with lots of paid vacation days:
Why go to Hawaii on vacation? Their local bands suck.
Instead, why not come to Portland?

That’s more or less the concept behind the Travel Portland (a non-profit tourism board paid for by hotel taxes that encourages Portland travel) “Portland Rocks” offer. This tourism package has hotel discounts (at the Ace or Jupiter, definitely not at the Unicorn Inn on 82nd) and includes an “exclusive Stumptown Rock compilation CD and MP3 album download.”

The CD (titled Stumptown Rock, Vol. 1) was curated by Dave Allen and features the likes of Blitzen Trapper, Another Cynthia, Au, Loch Lomond, Boy Eats Drum Machine, Panther, and more. Since we live here, and don’t stay in hotels, we don’t have a copy of it. Damn tourists.

This idea—that our indie music culture is now a viable selling point for tourism—is pretty appealing, just so long no indie rockers from Germany come here. If they do, it’s on. Jets versus Sharks style, right in the middle of East Burnside.

I will so stab a Kraut outside Bombshell Vintage.

A lot has been made of the recent AP piece on how the gas price increase is effecting the wallets of touring musicians. The article points out that a west coast trip will cost a band about $2500, which is just downright insane. Portland’s very own Ken Cheppaikode (of Dirtnap Records and the Green Noise shop on Clinton) is quoted as well:

“We do have two bands, The Revisions and The Estranged, out on tour together right now who have decided to share a van to save on gas costs,” said Ken Cheppaikode, who operates Dirtnap Records, a Portland, Oregon, independent label and record shop.

The O ran a similar piece last week, and theirs touches on local band Blind Pilot who toured via bicycle. Not a bad idea, but this coming from the guy who gets winded just watching Rad. I know Nick Jaina once toured via Greyhound, I wonder if any other band has used other methods? Hot air balloon? Segway?

From McMenamins Edgefield Concerts’ website:

An Evening with YES
Sunday, August 17, 2008
CANCELLED, due to illness

An official press release from the band states:

Legendary rock band Yes announced that the group will unfortunately be canceling their 2008 40th Anniversary Tour. Said Jon Anderson, “In the wake of my recent respiratory attack, doctors have advised me to spend the coming months resting and recovering. Unfortunately, this means I won’t be able to tour with Yes this summer as originally planned.”

According to Billboard local pop-stars the Shins are bailing on the good ship Sub Pop and will be releasing album number four on singer James Mercer’s Aural Apothecary label. Hey, let’s hear what their manager has to say about this:

“The deal will be more of a [pressing and distribution] deal than a traditional record deal,” Shins manager Ian Montone tells Billboard. “That partner could very well remain Sub Pop, who have done a remarkable job with the band and have a great staff of people who really love music. It could be a digital partner with respect to other rights. All of this is being determined. The first goal is to make the record and see where that takes us.”

Oh, so it could still be Sub Pop. I see. I wonder if their manager has more to say about such a deal?

“it allows them to have the best of all possible worlds — control and ownership, as well as the ability to still partner with a label and be able to take advantage of that traditional infrastructure,” according to Montone.

Now that sounds like major label talk to me. Whatever. As long as this keeps the band’s drummer, Jesse Sandoval, in the studio and off the softball field for Team Disjecta, the Mercury (and their respective softball team that just so happens to always lose to Sandoval’s team) supports this decision.

Mercury favorite—and not-so-favorite—Girl Talk has just unleashed his new album Feed the Animals under the pay-whatever-you-want system made popular by Radiohead.

You can download it for free (320 kbps MP3s), pay $5 for the fancy FLAC files, and if your pockets are deep you can drop $13 (this includes shipping) for the bigger files and a copy of the disc that will be shipped to you when its “properly” released in September.

I spent $13. Even if I am not totally sold on his live show, Night Ripper has given me years of quality entertainment and I’m anxious to hear if he can capture that magic once again. If you downloaded it, let us know how much you paid (if anything), and why.

The latest issue of Paste (which you can read online via this handy magazine-style web format thingy) has named Portland’s Music Millennium as one of “America’s Finest” record stores. Hot damn!

Well, that’s not news to us. It’s also not news that they call MM owner Terry Currier a “Weird Al doppleganger,” which I assume they meant as a compliment. Anyway, MM joins the ranks of Amoeba, the unfortunately-named Electric Fetus, and a few more select stores, as the best-of-the-best record shops around. Congrats.

When The Organ released Grab That Gun in 2004, I disliked them. Not to say that I thought they were bad, necessarily. I just didn’t enjoy that record, and thought it was incredibly over-hyped.

I was an idiot in 2004.

Grab That Gun is a brilliant record, one that I find myself putting on again and again, and enjoying more and more with each listen. Of all the retro new-wave that flooded the indie scene in the early part of this decade, The Organ stand heads above most everyone. Sadly, they called it quits in 2006, and, like all tragic love stories, I didn’t know what I had till it was gone.

Well, the band is back! Sort of. I guess. They are releasing a six song EP via Mint Records, entitled Thieves, that is comprised of tracks that were supposed to be on their follow-up record that eventually got scrapped. However, not content to release the songs as demo-versions or whatever they were, the band got back together in the studio last year to rerecord the tracks just for this EP.

So that means they kind of reunited, right? That means a tour can’t be that far away, right? RIGHT?!

(HT: Brooklyn Vegan)

Last week I posted about the 3900’ Festival’s plea for advance ticket purchases (or else they were going to cancel the event), well, guess they weren’t bluffing:

DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST, THE 3900’ FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELED. REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED STARTING JUNE 20, 2008.

That was posted on the Union Records site, the promoters behind the 3900’ Festival.

Sad to see the festival fold like that, but judging by the comments on the original post more than a few people out there had opinions on the event—from the venue to the bands—which just goes to prove how difficult planning a festival like that must be. Bummer.

The PCPA has just unveiled year number three of their Music on Main Street series—where they block off Main Street, between SW Broadway and Park, for an evening of free local music—and the lineup looks pretty promising.

Highlights include Fernando, All Girl Summer Fun Band (although the press release referred to the band as the “All Girl Summer Fund Band,” which makes them seem wealthier, yet less fun), Dirty Mittens, Lions of Batucada, and tons more. Also, this all-age concert series is at a friendly time (5-7pm), so you breeders can bring your ‘lil ones. Full lineup after the jump.

Holyfuckingshit.

Ok, man, be cool. Calmly just tell everyone that the Jesus and Mary Chain are coming to the Wonder Ballroom on July 17th, then once you are finished, you can scream like a little girl and….. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Oh well, I tried.

Art Spark is a monthly event courtesy of Sam Adams’ office and the Regional Arts & Culture Council… wait, why am I damaging my new jewel-encrusted manicure on this rough keyboard when I could just copy-n-paste their press release?

Every third Thursday, we gather at Living Room Theaters’ Lounge to meet, discuss, blather, applaud & plot the growth of the arts in Portland. Join us this Thursday, June 19th for the next Art Spark with host Musician’s Union Local 99!

Here’s what we promise:
Food & drink specials
Fantastic, rotating, monthly hosts from the arts community
Six@Six where our hosts have six minutes at six p.m. for a performance, a question, or a talk of their choosing
Freewheeling conversation for the rest of the 114 minutes
Our host for June is Bruce Fife the President of the Musician’s Union Local 99 and Jeff Simmons from Portland Radio Authority to talk about the newly-formed local, commercial free radio station.

Man, that was easy. And to think, I get paid for this shit.

Anyway, this event looks exciting (and not just for the food and drinks specials) since it will be the first open forum to hear more about the Portland Radio Authority’s role in the new commercial free radio station, albeit for only 6 minutes. But hey, food and drink specials, you just can’t compete with something like that.

My apologies for the Everclear reference in the title, it will never happen again. Promise.

This is awesome: Some British asshole named Guy Hands (I know!) led a group of investors and bought the legendary EMI records last year. They paid $6.4 billion. As you may know, I’ve enjoyed watching the majors crumble. The last news I passed along contained a phrase that went something like: “I want to watch them starve then kick in their emaciated ribs.” Well, it’s happening. And it couldn’t be happening to a bigger asshole.

Get a load of this:

From the beginning, Mr. Hands did little to ingratiate himself either to EMI’s own employees or executives within the industry, a famously clubby business wary of outsiders. He acknowledged that he is not a music person, and has turned down invitations to visit the recording studio to watch artists’ recording sessions.

Hah! Eat it, sucker. We have no use for trash-eaters like you! Choke on a dirty $100 dollar bill, why don’t you!

More fun tidbits from the article:

Rupert Murdoch had privately scoffed at (Hands’) acquisition of EMI by saying, “MySpace is going to be the future of music, not record labels.”

Hate for it to be Murdoch, but in a way, he’s right. It’s pretty amazing that someone could come along and, in 2000-motherfucking-7, believe that the music industry’s problem is bad management, not a changing landscape (IE: cheap recording costs, illegal downloading, cheap online marketing). Corporate raiders WILL NOT save this sinking ship.

Again:

“You have to understand the artist’s psyche to make it work,” said Jazz Summers, who manages The Verve, a band signed to EMI…

A fun little tidbit:

The story has even turned comical at times. After Mr. Hands discovered that some employees were laundering costs for things that were illegal (drugs and prostitutes, he said), by itemizing them on expense reports as “fruit and flowers,” he set a strict travel and entertainment policy that required receipts for every expense.

Who were these artists with a hooker stipend?! That’s what I want to know. And finally, the death knoll:

To keep costs down, Mr. Hands has clamped down on expenses while he has waited — the company is still waiting — for widespread layoffs. But despite those measures, the company will not meet a cash-flow target as part of its covenants with its lender Citigroup. So he negotiated a three-month extension.

And if you like, just read the whole damn thing. Oh, and a funny aside regarding Rupert Mudoch’s prediction: the story below this one on the page reported that Myspace was not hitting their financial goals. But at this point, I sure wouldn’t bet against them.

This just in: Dandy Warhols Postpone Portland date.
From Monqui:

Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, The Dandy Warhols have announced that they are postponing the Portland show, initially planned for this Saturday, June 21 at the Roseland Theater.

The rescheduled date is October 5th at the Roseland. All previously
sold tickets for the June 21st date will be honored for the October 5th
date.

Monqui and The Dandy Warhols sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience
the postponement may cause patrons.

I wonder what the “unforeseen scheduling conflict” could be? Hair appointment? Season finale of Groomer Has It? Perhaps it has something to do with the rigors of running a weekly newspaper?

Yesterday the kind folks in Blue Giant (whose lineup is 100% of Viva Voice, along with one Golden Bear, Seth Lorinczi, and a former Swords Project drummer, Evan Railton) invited a few of us media types to visit their secret lair deep in NE Portland.

They wet our whistle with beer (I’m a big fan) and boiled peanuts (I’m so not a big fan), before playing a live set which previewed their loose-knit and hazy Americana sound. It was our first look at this exciting band, whose real debut comes on the 20th at their EP release at the Wonder Ballroom. Until then, you can preview songs on their MySpace page, and stay away from those boiled peanuts.

Friends, there is a record called Verbs from Portland’s Au (pronounced “ay you,” not “aooohhh,” thank you very much) and it is absolutely phenomenal. The local music bar has definitely been raised to new heights with a group of songs as texturally gorgeous, and intelligent, as these.

Problem is, the album doesn’t come out until June 26th (with a release party set for the 24th at Holocene), and if the internet has taught us anything, it’s that waiting for things is what suckers do. I want everything now now now now!

Thankfully the folks at Emusic are aware of our generation’s lack of patience, and have offered Verbs for your consuming pleasure weeks before its proper release. Plus with their free trial offer, it’s basically free. Hot damn!

Free and now, the two most important words ever.

Another week, another Mercury music section to read while you patiently hunt the ultimate game, man a unicorn that looks suspiciously like a Photoshopped deer.

So maybe their sophomore record (Arm’s Way) isn’t everything you wanted it to be, Islands are still a pretty damn amazing band. Too bad their Portland show isn’t going to be at Banana Joe’s Island Party, I sure miss that place. So many precious memories in that bar. Jello shots, too.
MP3:
Islands - Creeper

Take a gander at the strange little world of Dosh. I’m all for incorporating your baby in your band photos, but why just one? Screaming Jay Hawkins had 57 kids. Now that’s a photo I want to see.
MP3:
Dosh - If You Want To, You Have To

Even an angry curmudgeon like myself has a soft spot for the hyperactive pop music from the kiddies in Southern Belle. But if I have to ask you one more time to turn down that godforsaken racket and get off my lawn, there will be hell to pay. Now be quiet, grandpa is watching his stories.
MP3:
Southern Belle - Oh Tokyo

You named your band what? I Love Math? I don’t care how poppy your songs are, no one loves math. Just the sight of a Texas Instruments TI-80 calculator gives me a panic attack.
MP3:
I Love Math - Josephine Street

See that lovable fellow flopped out on the basketball court? That is Rasheed Wallace of the Detroit Pistons, and I was so damn sure that his team would defeat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs that I made a silly little wager with fellow End Hits‘er Andrew Tonry.

I lost the bet.

So now I must do the following:
1. Attend a show of Andrew’s choice. He will pick a band that he knows I despise.
2. Get there the second doors open and stay until the last note of the last band.
3. Do all of this alone and completely sober.
4. Write a 500 word show review for this blog.

I hate you Rasheed Wallace. Good thing this band isn’t coming here anytime soon. But no matter what terrible band Andrew picks, I know it’s going to hurt. Bad.

But since I am known for not learning anything from life’s experiences, and I am a glutton for punishment, we are betting once again—this time on the NBA finals. But instead of using the same painful “prize” as before, we need new stakes. This is where you come in, dearest reader, what should the loser have to do?

Some failed suggestions include:
- Streaking (as in naked) through the Crystal Ballroom during a sold out show. Since this would involve crossing into the 21+ section of the room, you’ll need to bring I.D., but nothing else. (Verdict: Too cruel. Plus the sight of my nude body has been known to cause severe nausea.)
- Karaoke Throwdown: The winner picks a song (most likely “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls) for the loser to sing at a crowded karoake night. (Verdict: Too easy. Plus I usually sing that song anyway.)
- Open Mic Awkwardness: The loser must sing a song written by the winner during an open mic night. (Verdict: This one might work. I don’t play an instrument, but I suppose that would make things all the more awkward.)

We are open to your suggestions. I know there are plenty of people that want to see Andrew suffer (and a few that wouldn’t mind witnessing me cry in public), so comment away…

If I know what our readers like, it’s to be alerted when important email lists turn ten years old.

That being said, today marks the tenth anniversary of the PDX-Pop email list, whose occasional music-related emails have been filling local inboxes for a decade now. Why, here’s the first post ever, from way back in 1998.

Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 14:33:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: PDX POP - boy crazy show
To: pdx-pop@geekhouse.org
Sender: pdx-staff@geekhouse.org
Precedence: bulk
boy crazy is playing with cherry ice cream smile, tra la la, and sarah douger this saturday at 17 nautical miles ( which is on woodstock and about 45th). it starts at 9:30pm.

hope to see y’all there!

rachel

Woah. I know Sarah Dougher, Boy Crazy (I first saw them randomly in Utah, ironically a few weeks after this email was sent) and 17 Nautical Miles, but Cherry Ice Cream Smile and Tra La La are new to me. Can anyone shed some light on those two? Judging by their adorable band names I assume they are death metal, right?

Anyway, happy birthday email list! Here’s to ten more.

While I didn’t attend last year’s 3900’ Festival (the “Two Day Overnight Music Festival Celebrating the West’s Best Indie Music”), I heard great things about the setting (Horning’s Hideout) which made for a lovely weekend of local music.

But the organizers of the festival need your help, according to this email from the folks at Tender Loving Empire:

The festival is at risk of not happening unless we all buy tickets by Wednesday so the fine folks at Union Records can pay for everything in advance. Festivals are expensive to throw…and soooo much fun!

Agreed. Festivals are fun, but they are also damn expensive to promote. Perhaps this is the reason why the 3900’ Festival’s tickets are a bit pricey—$53 (or $75 if you wait until the 15th of this month) for both days—especially with a lineup that features a great selection of local music, but no huge headlining acts. Granted, the ticket price does include camping/parking and a 15% donation to the PRA, but even an event like MusicFest NW (which surely benefits from deeper pockets and larger sponsors) costs less (I believe it’s $50) for larger bands and twice as many days of music. Of course, comparing festivals is irrelevant, but this does raise the point of what an uphill battle it must be to plan something so large, extensive, and, of course, so expensive.

Tickets to the 3900’ Festival are available online and at the Tender Loving Empire retail store (NW 18th & Lovejoy).

Full band lineup after the jump.

Yesterday the O ran a very interesting piece on the “comeback” of LPs. Turns out that everyone’s favorite mega-store, Fred Meyer, accidentally ordered R.E.M.’s Accelerate on LP instead of CD, and before they could catch the mistake the records were shipped to stores and then quickly sold.

Wait, you can buy vinyl at Freddies? Well, you can now.

Now Fred Meyer is “doing a test” in 60 stores, stocking 20 albums, ranging from a reissue of The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” to the new Raconteurs album on premium 180-gram vinyl.

With the wide range of quality indie record stores already in town I doubt this will really make a huge impact, but it’s nice to see a story where people are buying music again, even if it is within a few feet of a produce section.

Another Mercury music section to read while you crack open a sixer of Drank, the world’s greatest (“popular in Houston”) anti-energy drink. I prefer my sizzurp in a Dixie cup, thank you very much.

Another damn article about local singers and WWII battle tanks. What, no room to cram in a mention of the mighty M4 Sherman? I swear, when will this madness end? No, seriously, Matt Sheehy’s new album, Tigerphobia, is absolutely stunning and more powerful than a Panzer II rolling into Czechoslovakia. Damn, did it again.
MP3:
Matt Sheehy - About Piano

Despite what you might think about Eugene hiphop—put your didgeridoo in the air and wave it like you got dreaded hair—Animal Farm are here to take you to school. What school? I dunno, probably some sort of school that has to do with hiphop.
VIDEO:
Animal Farm - Ragtime Gal

Sure, Times New Viking’s sugary dose of rapid-fire garage punk is all the rage right now, but what about my font-themed band, Times New Roman? We wrote a record about kerning. Come on people, it’s kerning! You try designing without a well-kerned typeface. Amateurs.
MP3:
Times New Viking - Come Together

All hail the instrumental glory of Russian Circles, and never mind what Maynard James has to say about the band. I’ve had boxed wine better than the swill he makes. Oh, and his bands suck too.
MP3:
Russian Circles - Youngblood

Matt Sheehy photo: Alicia J. Rose

The details have been announced for everyones favorite grocery store sponsored salute to the blues that is presented by a bank, the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival presented by First Tech Credit Union!

Phew, that is one snappy name.

The festival will take place on July 3-6 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and feature sultry Scientologist Isaac Hayes in a tribute to Memphis Soul, plus performances by Canned Heat, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Charlie Musselwhite and tons more. The full press release, and lineup, is after the jump.

Courtney Taylor-Taylor and Brent DeBoer of the Dandy Warhols are giving a special performance today at SunnySide Environmental School. It’s part of the SunnyStock event, put on by eighth graders as part of their year-end project. (Hmm. When I was in eighth grade, I think our class project was making sure the gerbil didn’t eat her babies.) Taylor-Taylor and DeBoer are performing at the Dutch Masters, and they’ll be playing “cover versions of classic rock hits.” Also on the bill: Highway, which features the Dandys’ own Peter Holmstrom.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE:
12 pm: Various student band performances
3 pm: Dutch Masters (Taylor-Taylor and DeBoer)
3:45: Highway

SunnySide Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon. This event is open to the public!

Tonight, sadly, that will not be you in the back with the pink shirt and fists raised in the air. Nor, tonight, shall you be the girl in the jean miniskirt and oddly cavernous smile. Unfortunately, Richie Hawtin has fallen ill and wasn’t able to get on the plane to Portland for tonight’s show.

There is a bright side, though! The show is still on, with Hawtin’s M_nus labelmates Magda and Heartthrob, and now Bryan Zentz has been added to the bill, too. Even better? The show’s totally FREE.

Richie Hawtin’s appearance has been rescheduled for August 27. Thanks, Ava, for the tip.

Magda, Heartthrob, Bryan Zentz; Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9 pm, FREE

I’m still on vacation, but just thought I’d check in and give an update on my trip so far. We saw her buying Indian spices in NY, this guy buying rye bread in LA, we bought way too much at Amoeba Records (see above), and, oh yeah, there was that super secret free Elvis Costello show I went to last night.

Well, not that “super secret,” since the concert was announced by Elvis about an hour before it started (while he was opening for The Police at the Hollywood Bowl), and word quickly spread. Yet it was pretty easy for us to stroll into the small (900 capacity) venue (El Rey Theater) and catch the epic set from Elvis, the Imposters, and Elvis’ bolo tie. Performing most everything from his latest album, Momofuku, Elvis and Co. also unleashed a slew of hits—”Everyday I Write the Book,” “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” etc.—along the way, and were joined by Jonathan Rice, plus some guitar player who we just referred to as “The Tallest Hippie.”

I’d write more, but I’m on vacation.

Well Hot Damn! Guess what came out today? That’s right, Spiritualized’s Songs In A&E, their first new album in five years. After some delays I wasn’t sure if the thing would really make it out. I checked online and a simple search didn’t bring anything up, so I called Everyday Music and yes, indeed it’s in. “We’re listening to it right now, actually,” the clerk told me. This is a good sign. Gonna have to go get me one.

In the meantime, check out the video from this morning’s live performance on KCRW. Good stuff… acoustic with backing string section… and my God, the pain on Pierce’s face… But hey, these things are cathartic, no? Lord, let it rain on me. Let it all come down.

What are you doing the Sunday before Thanksgiving?

You’re doing THIS!!!!!!

That’s right! The New Kids on the Block are BACK, and they’re playing the Rose Garden November 23rd. They’ll have a new album, too, and you can hear the first single, “Summertime,” here. But who gives a shit about the new songs, when they’re going to be playing all the hits! So if you want a piece of The Right Stuff, you’ll need to go Step by Step and get your tickets when they go on sale THIS SATURDAY.

In related news: EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blue Skies for Black Hearts - Siouxsie Please Come Home

Here’s the new video from Blue Skies for Black Hearts, from their brand new album Serenades and Hand Grenades. The Skies play in a chilly, snowbound setting (somewhat reminiscent of this video, and thankfully not at all reminiscent of this one). Unlike the video, the song is a sunny, warmhearted jangly pop song straight out of the ’60s. Frontman Pat Kearns strums his Rickenbacker with gloved fingers (which doesn’t really work in real life; the notes get all muffled). Looks cold! But it looks like they were having fun, too, on one of the few snowy days of the year.

Au (that’s pronounced “ay you”) plays the first show of their tour tonight in Seattle, and they’ll be hitting the road, including a show tomorrow night at Backspace here in Portland. (We’ve got the complete list of tour dates after the jump.)

In the meantime, here’s a new track from their forthcoming, amazing album, Verbs, which will be released on June 26th. Au’s Luke Wyland says it’s “an ode to the community of people here,” which isn’t hard to believe as members from Yellow Swans, Parenthetical Girls, A Weather, Gulls, Evolutionary Jass Band, and Ah Holly Fam’ly chime in to take part in the 21-person chorus.

MP3:
Au - Are Animals

Complete tour dates after the jump.

UK pop stars the Kooks come to town on Monday May 26, to play a Wonder Ballroom show hot on the heels of their Sasquatch appearance. BUT… that’s not all! They’ll be sticking around town an extra day, to play a free, exclusive, acoustic show at Backspace on Tuesday, May 27. Backspace is tiny, so this should be memorable.

How do you get into the show? Well, it’s a MySpace Secret Show, so you’ll need to be friends with the MySpace Secret Shows Profile. Once you’ve befriended them through MySpace, you’ll get info a couple days before the show—you’ll probably need to print something out, like a bulletin, or something. So if you’re a Kooks fan, time to make a new friend!!

You may not know this, but our End Hits captain, Ezra, is currently on vacation. And while he “claimed” he was going to New York to visit family, I, dear readers, have the inside scoop on where he actually is.

You see, about two weeks ago in London, a young 13 year old emo girl hanged herself in her bedroom. In their coverage, the Telegraph went and called My Chemical Romance a “suicide cult” band. OH NO THEY DIDN’T.

Now, MCR fans in London are staging a protest, trying to prove they aren’t “dangerous”, as many papers over there are claiming in their sensationalist coverage. The march is scheduled for May 31st. More than 300 kids (and, you know, Ezra) have signed up for the protest, and they’re planning on marching to The Black Parade, otherwise known as Ezra’s favorite album of all time.

So if you hear Ezra mention anything about visiting his family, just know he’s not talking about his biological family, but his brothers and sisters in sadness.

Due to illness, IDM duo Car Clutch unfortunately has to cancel their Saturday performance at Exit Only. However, don’t change your plans! All the other bands are still scheduled to play, including Strategy, Ilyas Ahmed, and the great, wonderful Golden Bears, about whom you can read more here and here.

PLUS, in place of Car Clutch, there will be a secret surprise performance! (No word on what that is, exactly, but only Brendan Fowler of Car Clutch is ill. The other Car Clutcher, Ethan Swan, is in perfect health, so it’s safe to assume he will be involved.)

Strategy, Ilyas Ahmed, the Golden Bears, and special surprise performance!!! at Exit Only, 1121 N Loring, Saturday, May 17, 8 pm, $5, all ages

The Decemberists are playing a free show this Sunday at The Bowl at Waterfront Park.

They’ll be opening up for some guy I’ve never heard of who is from Chicago (I bet he knows Jim O’Rourke or Albini) and probably on a major label or something. The show is free, but you should RSVP in advance right here.

Well, hey, free Decemberists show and a chance to see the next leader of the free world. And by that I mean Colin Meloy, of course. Who else would it be?

Preset your car stereos—and your boombox bikes—to 91.1 FM, because come next year, Portland is getting a new radio station. And not just another typical radio station, we’re talking a local music friendly, and commercial-free, station.

Jeff Simmons, of the web-based Portland Radio Authority, looks forward to hearing local music on the FM dial. “Portland has one of the strongest independent music communities in the country. We have an international reputation for our music, but you wouldn’t know it listening to FM radio in Portland. 91.1 will give access to this vibrant cultural asset, and will open outsiders’ ears to the amazing things happening in Portland.”

A lot of details need to be sorted out, but you can read the full press release after the jump.

In the meantime, I am perfecting my wacky morning zoo routine. Watch your backs, Playhouse.

The other night, at the Towne Lounge, I couldn’t spot one person wearing earplugs. Not one. Granted, it wasn’t a Sunn O))) show or anything, but still it was amplified and earplugs were definitely justified.

But before I get on my high horse (it’s a glorious steed), it should be noted that most earplugs totally suck. They muffle the sound, look like a pair of colorful foam blocks crammed deep into your ear canal, and make it impossible to hold a conversation while keeping the plugs intact. Who is going to hear all my witty critiques of the band—from the back of the room, with my arms crossed—if they are stuck with those bulky foam earplugs?

While custom fitted earplugs sure are nice, and probably the most effective, they can be a bit pricey (about $150-200) for the shallow pockets of most show-goers, so after a lot of research—and a glowing recommendation from one of our End Hits bloggers—I discovered Earlove.

Despite the creepy sounding name (I wonder if there is such thing as an Ear Fetish? Let me Google it. Oh dear god.), Earlove caters to the music fan (not the sexual deviant) with low priced plugs ($16, and they come in a sturdy keychain-compatible pouch) that do an excellent job of reducing decibels without ruining sound quality. I can’t say enough good things about them.

The sound level at most concerts and clubs far exceeds safe exposure levels.

Earlove allows you to hear the music clearly but at a lower level, like turning down the volume.

Most concert venues sell foam plugs which lower the volume, but compromise sound quality.

Yeah, what they said. Thanks to Earlove I’ll be able to keep my hearing intact, thus ensuring that I keep this job forever. Get ready for a 60 year old, with pristine hearing, who loves emo bands.

The O is reporting on a Beaverton woman who was awarded $108,000 from the RIAA, after the music industry trade group falsely accused, and sued, her for illegal downloading.

Of course the payment is for her “attorney fees and costs in successfully fighting a lawsuit filed by the recording industry against her,” which means she probably won’t have any money left over to—oh I don’t know—buy music. But I guess it’s just nice to see someone not crushed by the wheels of RIAA litigation.

Is MTV interested in Portland?

Word on the street is that the fine quality network that has gifted our culture with A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila and The Hills has been filming local bands for something on Portland music.

What is it for? A sexy reality show? Probably not. Are they going to put them all in a house and roll cameras as the msucians stop being nice and start being real? I doubt it. Perhaps, it is for a brief MTV news feature of local bands? Yeah, that’s probably more like it.

The network that made Tabitha Soren the household name she is today, so far has filmed YACHT at Studio B in Brooklyn, and rumor has it, Au as well. Here is what YACHT’s Jona Bechtolt had to say about the whole thing, “They shot it while we were in New York and they didn’t seem 100% sure if they were even going to Portland. It was very weird. We lied A LOT.”

More news on this once we find out more.

**Update** The filming is for a Portland “scene report” (here is their Brooklyn one, with lots of coverage of former Portlander Todd P) set to air sometime soon.

Another week, another Mercury music section to ball up and throw at the giant beetles that will destroy us all.

A whole lotta love for my favorite Swede (sorry expressionist painter Isaac Hirsche Grünewald, you’re now number two, buddy) Lykke Li.
MP3:
Lykke Li - Little Bit

The Kills sing the white man’s blues. And for the last time, no, I am not talking about Crossroads here. Although remember when Ralph Macchio beat the Devil’s guitar player (Steve Vai!) in a shred-off? That ruled.
MP3:
The Kills - Tape Song

With a brand new EP on wax (their CD is coming later), Tu Fawning would like the comparisons to TuffAwning (Tucson’s Leader in Residential Awnings and Canopies) to stop right now.
MP3:
Tu Fawning - I’m Gone

The fertile procreators in the Golden Bears are ready to take over the kids music market with their next record. Watch yer back, Raffi.
MP3:
The Golden Bears - Tall Ships

El-P will rip off your skin and make it into a cape. Okay, just kidding, the dude doesn’t wear capes.
MP3:
El-P - Fuck the Law

I’m not saying that the music of the Black Hollies goes better with a handful of psychedelic drugs, but I am saying that the music of the Black Hollies goes better with a handful of psychedelic drugs. Wait, did that come out wrong?
MP3:
The Black Hollies- Paisley Pattern Ground

Photo: Andreas Öhlund