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Summer or fall, Eugene’s live music scene stays lit

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For a city the size of Eugene, we sure seem to enjoy a generous helping of live music every year!

A host of great bands and artists have already graced our local stages in 2023.

Among them:

In May, superb roots artist Sunny War played The Hult Center. Her unique acoustic finger style technique draws from Delta Blues, and she’s highly praised by music critics.

Rising star Sunny War, above, kept The Hult Center crowd enthralled

Her musicianship kept The Hult Center crowd enthralled. Following the show, happy fans purchased vinyl copies of her new “Anarchist Gospel” release.

In early July, an abundance of top notch musicians performed at the Oregon Country Fair.  Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters played Blue Moon Stage. The Shook Twins performed an ace setlist at Main Stage; an atmospheric summer sunset made it all the more glorious.

Also in July, acoustic guitarist and two-time Grammy Award nominee Leo Kottke played Eugene’s Shedd Institute. The Shedd is known for hosting some excellent concert series with a focus on American music.

Kottke’s ace fingerpicking style draws from blues, jazz and folk. His talent, easygoing personality and dry humor make his shows a delight.

The Cuthbert: Nonstop summer fun

The Cuthbert Ampitheatre was the place to be this summer. Photo by Cynthia Orlando

For nonstop summer fun, Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater has been the place to be.

Tex-Mex greats Los Lobos and blues virtuoso Taj Mahal rocked the venue in late June. It was a beautiful evening, the place was packed, and fans hung on every note.

Popular pop-rock band Train performed there in July. The 2-time Grammy winners delighted fans, including hit singles like “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia” in their setlist.

Cake also played The Cuthbert on a picture perfect summer evening in July. They charmed the crowd, both with their setlist and lead singer John McCrea’s humor.

Upcoming

What shows are coming up?

Reggae-rockers Rebelution are bringing their Good Vibes Summer tour to The Cuthbert August 25, and genre-hopping Pink Martini perform there the next night.

Highly acclaimed American rockers The GooGoo Dolls are playing The Cuthbert Sept 12. It’s sure to be a great show!

At the McDonald Theater this fall, watch for the Celebrating David Bowie show October 12.

But wait, there’s more! Extraordinary singer, songwriter and guitarist Keller Williams graces the stage at The Wow Hall that very same night.

🎵Outside Eugene

A little further out of town, The Revivalists and Band of Horses are set to take the stage Sept 2 at the Edgefield in Troutdale. Modest Mouse performs there Sept 13.

These local music highlights are definitely not all-inclusive, so be sure and check the website(s) of your local venues for more local live music prospects.

That’s a wrap!

KRVM is a listener-supported public radio station licensed to Eugene School District 4J. From our very beginnings, KRVM has worked to enrich the quality of life – and enhance the variety of music – in our community.

Please make a donation here!

Thanks for listening to KRVM and supporting listener-powered radio!

Music Scene: Don’t miss these artists

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For a city the size of Eugene, we’re extremely fortunate to have a great assortment of top-quality music venues. There’s always more entertainment on tap than one can possibly fit on the calendar.

That’s why it’s a good idea to save yourself from disappointment and be prepared before shows sell out.

Here’s a few top-notch artists coming soon!

BoDeans are coming to The Hult Center

American rock band BoDeans play Eugene’s Hult Center on Sunday, February 5th.

They’ve played with U2, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Tom Petty. Top-tier tracks that became some of their greatest hits include “Good Things” “Idaho” and “Fadeaway.”

Their guitar-driven midwestern rock-pop sound has earned them Rock and Roll Hall of Fame status.

Be there!

Tennis is playing The McDonald

Superb indie-folk duo Tennis are set to take the stage at The McDonald Theater April 24.

Not familiar with them? They boast a lovely soft-rock sound that’s retro and romantic. Tennis are known for their spot-on musicianship and an uplifting vibe that doesn’t quit.

Their last album “Swimmer” was the musical bright spot amidst apocalyptic 2020.

Their new release “Pollen” drops in February!

Tennis is sheer pop genius you won’t want to miss.

Mat Kearney playing at The Shedd

To the delight of his fans, top-notch vocalist and musician Mat Kearney plays at The Shedd February 4th and 7th.

Pop, soul, and anthemic soft-rock are his forte’ as he consistently pumps out quality albums.

Kearney has at least five hit singles, including “Nothing Left to Lose” (2006),  “Learning to Love Again” (2011) and “Anywhere with You” (2021).

Heartfelt disclosure and superior vocals are his trademark. Both shows are sure to sell out.

A Eugene native, Kearney now resides in Nashville.

And…don’t forget Portland

The Eagles as well as Bruce Springsteen both play Portland’s Moda Center in February.

English rock band Muse plays The Moda April 16!

That’s a Wrap

Be sure to check out your favorite music venue to see who’s coming next…and stay safe out there.

Thanks for listening to KRVM, and supporting listener-powered radio!

 

KRVM celebrates 75 years at the McDonald

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KRVM's 75th anniversary concert

KRVM celebrated its 75th Anniversary Saturday night with a bash at Eugene’s McDonald Theatre.

The celebration included two bands – The Sugar Beets and The Strange Tones – performing before a packed house.

The Strange Tones blend a fiery concoction of original blues, rockabilly, surf and vintage R&B. They played a short setlist to kick things off.

Cake, coffee, a KRVM banner for signing, scrapbooks showing the station’s history and milestones, and fun promotional swag were all part of the festivities.

The Sugar Beets, above, had KRVM listeners dancing in the aisles Saturday night!

About The Sugar Beets

The Sugar Beets are an eight-piece band based in Eugene, and are well-known to music lovers in the Pacific Northwest.

Whether playing bluegrass, old-time fiddle music, Motown, swing or pop, the band excels at bringing the house down.

The Sugar Beets originally formed as students in 1990 while attending the University of Oregon. They play mostly all their own music and their setlists are typically quite eclectic.

At Saturday night’s show The Sugar Beets played many fan favorites, including “East Colorado Blues,” “Higher” and “Strangest Little Thing.”

Underwriting Representative Lynn Wiles, L, and KRVM’s Program Director Debi Starr, R, tearing up raffle tickets at the 75th gala!

Station History

The first words ever spoken on FM radio here in the Pacific Northwest were spoken on KRVM. The date: December 6, 1947.

Over the years, KRVM FM’s format has evolved, and the station continues to offer students the opportunity to be involved with the day-to-day operation of a radio station. 

KRVM FM serves a loyal audience throughout western Oregon with a wide variety of musical programs. The station is supported by listener members and area businesses who understand the importance of public radio.

Click here for more about the station’s community service work!

That’s a wrap!

Thanks for listening to KRVM and supporting listener-powered radio!

The Muddy Souls release new “Medicine” EP

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Looking for new, upbeat tunes to lift you out of the pandemic doldrums?

You’re in luck! “Medicine,” the new EP from Eugene’s The Muddy Souls, just dropped.

Their music – an acoustic blend of folk, bluegrass, and country – is sure to get you smiling and stomping your feet.

Check out “Ramblin Blues”!

We had a chance to visit with The Muddy Souls about “Medicine,” their new release. Here’s what they had to say about the inspiration behind some of the tracks.

KRVM: “How did the band come up with “Medicine,” the title track?

Jacob Camara: “Medicine was a song that was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, although its theme is certainly relevant to our current global health crisis.”

“Originally written as a blues song for my solo project, I changed the chords and timing to fit The Muddy Souls bluegrass style and instrumentation. It became one of the first songs that I really felt comfortable playing the 5-string banjo on,” adds Camara.

KRVM: “Calm Before the Storm” is a really fun track with some ace mandolin work! Tell us a little bit about that.”

Austen Slone: “‘Calm Before the Storm’ is a collaboration between my brother and I. I originally wrote the melody to the song on guitar, and my brother wrote the lyrics sometime before 2001.”

Continues Slone, “He died in June 2001, and I have spent some time since moving to Eugene 5 years ago, processing his death as an adult. I visited the lyrics last year for the first time in a while, with the idea to put some music to it. ‘Calm Before the Storm’s’ mandolin work and the overall melody was written to reflect my brother’s dynamics when composing original songs. The mandolin came after the song had been written and composed.”

About The Muddy Souls

The Muddy Souls are: Peter Romanelli, guitar and vocals, Grace Honeywell, fiddle and vocals, Mila Butler-Bass, vocals, Jacob Camara, banjo, guitar, vocals, and Austen Slone, mandolin, vocals.

The band’s acoustic, American roots music is carefree and solidly performed. Band members tell us they took their time traveling a long and winding road to Eugene.

But on that windy road, they’ve covered music by everyone from Django Reinhardt, David Grisman, and Willie Nelson to Radiohead.

The new album confirms the band’s gift for delivering an upbeat and original sound. “Medicine” is sure to please fans spinning tunes, listening to KRVM, or coming to their shows.

KRVM: “Ain’t No Tellin’” has a great, take-it-easy summertime vibe. Is that an original?”

Pete Romanelli: ”Ain’t No Tellin’” is an original. It was a message to a past love about surrendering to the uncertainty of life and trusting in the fact that we are on the right path.”

“I wrote it on a warm summer night sitting on my porch, so that could be where the summertime vibe comes from,” adds Romanelli.

KRVM: “Need to compliment you on the great album artwork! We’d love to know more about it.”

Austen Slone: “Our amazing album artwork was done by local Eugene artist Miriam Valentine. We gave her some basic ideas and themes to work with, and she somehow intuited exactly what we had in mind…we hope to have her design future album covers.”

Support The Muddy Souls and local musicians

Yeah… we’re in a holding pattern with live music and the pandemic, most likely until early next year.

Meanwhile, you can find music by The Muddy Souls on iTunes or on their website.

Now is a great time to support your favorite music venue

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So many music venues, so little time. But with so many clubs struggling to stay afloat right now, what can KRVM’s live music fans do to help?

We couldn’t call each and every music venue in the area, but those we reached have easy requests – apply liberally to any of your favorite watering holes!

How you can help

These days, many places are asking for support via online purchasing of their merchandise and gift cards. That’s a great place to start.

Mac’s Restaurant & Night Club

Popular for great blues acts and fabulous food, Eugene’s iconic Mac’s club is being hit hard. During a normal month of June, Mac’s would be hopping with blues acts and even an occasional outdoor concert on weekends.

Superb blues musician Ty Curtis plays Mac’s. Photo: Cynthia Orlando

The venue hopes to reopen in late summer or early fall, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, be sure to check out their online store for cool ball caps and T-shirts.

The Hult Center

In a normal year more than 700 events and performances take place at Eugene’s Hult Center for the Performing Arts. This year changed all of that.

Like everyone else, The Hult has been forced to cancel and reschedule many artists and shows.

Currently The Hult website shows several events scheduled for October. Among them: percussion artists DRUM TAO and comedian Paula Poundstone. New dates for a number of events – including “RAIN: A tribute to the Beatles,” have yet to be announced.

If you’d like to support The Hult during this economic downturn, please purchase gift certificates from their Home page.

Cuthbert Amphitheater

The Cuthbert Amphitheater is loved for it’s beautiful outdoor site and great acoustics. Situated along the Willamette River at Alton Baker Park, it’s a lovely location for creating music memories.

What do Modest Mouse, Rebelution, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson all have in common? All have performed at the Cuthbert. photo: Cynthia Orlando

Quite a number of shows are still listed on their website, but the venue has posted a “stay tuned” message since things keep changing.

Bands and artists still listed: Currently, the fabulous Rebelution are still listed as performing at the Cuthbert on August 28. With them: Steel Pulse, The Green, Keznamdi and DJ Mackle.

You can subscribe to the Cuthbert’s newsletter for updates and concert announcements.

McDonald Theatre

The McDonald is well-loved for continually pulling up and coming artists into Eugene – sometimes even at the same time these bands and artists are up for Grammys.

Who’s played The McDonald? Just about everyone, including The Shins, Barr Brothers, Fleet Foxes, Blind Pilot, Joywave and Amos Lee!

Beloved American singer-songwriter Amos Lee performing at The McDonald Theatre. photo: Cynthia Orlando

There are still tickets available for several shows in October and November, including singer-songwriter-rapper NLE Choppa and rock band Whiskey Meyers, recently written up in Rolling Stone magazine.

Opening as a movie house in the 1920s, the McDonald Theatre later converted to a concert venue. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The WOW Hall

Eugene’s WOW Hall is owned and operated by the Community Center for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Committed to providing arts for all ages, the WOW is a popular spot to experience excellent local bands as well as well-renowned artists passing through. The WOW Hall is also used for classes, workshops, lectures, meetings, rehearsals and recording sessions.

Superb Indie Rock band Augustana at The Wow Hall. photo: Cynthia Orlando

A WOW hall representative was kind enough to drop us an email. We’re informed that since no concerts can take place for now, the best way to help is by donating online.

The red donation button on the top of their website runs through PayPal. Please give them a hand if you can!

The WOW hall is planning fundraising events including virtual concerts. And, they are unloading their beverage stock online (next Saturday only).

In short, there are plenty of ways you can help The WOW Hall.

Sessions Music Hall

Located on 7th Avenue in downtown Eugene, you can always count on Sessions Music Hall for a fun night of good food plus music by exciting new bands.

Session’s calendar still shows tickets available for Lost Ox performing with Left on Wilson July 9, and Anders Osborne and Hayes Carll playing July 31.

Whirled Pies

Located on West 8th Avenue, Whirled Pies – Eugene’s happy place – is usually packed with diners and music lovers.

Probably one of the best ways to support Whirled Pies right now is simply to call and order one of their delicious pizzas.

That’s a wrap! Stay tuned to KRVM for the best in music, and we’ll do our best to keep you in-the-know about Eugene’s music scene!

Ashleigh Flynn celebrates the winter solstice with a show in Eugene

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Ashleigh FlynnTalented singer-songwriter Ashleigh Flynn played at Sam Bond’s Garage in late December – something her fans surely appreciated to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

The last time she performed in Eugene, a packed, enthusiastic crowd was a testimony to her musical chops and upbeat, engaging style.

Flynn’s genre might best be described as folk-roots-rock-Americana.

Her newest “Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters” boasts an ace backup band – so naturally, her “One Moment” track from that album is on KRVMs playlist.

Here’s “This Love” from the new release:

 

Raised in Kentucky, Flynn now resides in Portland. Flynn – a prolific songwriter – recorded her “Low Arc of the Sun” EP in front of a small curated audience at Portland’s Secret Society Ballroom.

When not in the recording studio Flynn is playing shows on the road. She’s played SXSW, Bumbershoot, Bonnaroo and many more.

Here’s “Dirty Hands, Dirty Feet” from a few years back:

At the show at Sam Bond’s, Flynn delivered a top-notch setlist. She performs along with ace band members Carmen Paradise (bass), Liz Chibucos (guitar) and Zanny Geffel (drums).

🎶 See you there!

Moody Little Sister visits the KRVM studios

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Moody Little Sister

Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico-based duo Naomi Sparrow and Rob Stroup, together known as Moody Little Sister – played in Eugene and visited the KRVM studios for a live interview prior to their show.

The two musicians, who formerly resided in Portland, have relocated to New Mexico. The move seems to be working out well.

Their upcoming “Great Big Mama Sunshine” release (due out the end of this month) is thirteen tracks of melodic, roots-influenced pop filled to the brim with warm desert vibes.

“Great Big Mama Sunshine” also features more guitar sound than their last. The band self-recorded and produced it at their new studio, Desert Enchantment Recording. We think songs like stellar “711 Lucky Street” are sure to garner more fans for the band.

“The benefit of self-producing allowed us to be more selective and keep at it until we felt like we got the right take,” explains Sparrow. “The results to me are an album that is going to match the experience someone has live with us, and I will probably go about all my vocal performances this way in the future.”

She adds: “From a musical stance, I think we are overdue for a strong female representation in Americana music…I think the Southwestern / soul sound of the album is a refreshing take on some of our musical roots.”

Check out the band playing “Evelina” in Portland last year:

Evelina

Rebelution plays Eugene’s Cuthbert this month

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In need of some good vibes? You’re in luck.

As part of their “Good Vibes Summer Tour,” Reggae-rock band Rebelution plays Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater this month.

With seven albums to their credit, the ever popular four-member band from Isla Vista, California, are adored by fans for their positive lyrics, smooth Jamaican sound and artful arrangements.

“Falling into Place” – their fifth release – was a beautifully produced Reggae-rock album that helped some fans recover from their 2016 election blues.

“Free Rein” – released last year – “really came from the heart,” according to Eric Rachmany, the band’s lead singer. Rebelution’s popularity is largely credited to Rachmany’s vocals and musical finesse. According to the band’s website, songs from “Falling into Place” were partly influenced by Rachmany’s “inspirational trip to Jamaica,” where he did some of the writing.

From that album, standout tracks included the colossal “Know It All” and the gently powerful “Breakdown.”

Here’s the band performing live at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles:

Know It All

More about Rebelution

The band’s “Courage to Grow” debut was named iTunes Editors Choice for Best Reggae album and is one of the most downloaded reggae albums on iTunes.

Rebelution received a Grammy nomination in the “Best Reggae Album” category for “Falling Into Place.” And they’ve headlined and sold out both Red Rocks and the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Their new “Free Rein ” album features Jamaican producers Phillip “Winta” James and Don Corleon, and first-rate tracks like roots-reggae “Celebrate.”

Celebrate

They’ll be performing at the Cuthbert on Friday, June 28th.

A band loved ’round-the-world, you won’t want to miss them!

Above: Rebelution playing the Cuthbert to an enthusiastic crowd in 2015.

American Indie Rockers Modest Mouse play Eugene

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Modest Mouse, the 8-member band currently based in Portland, made their way to Eugene on a tour through several western states. Check out photos from their concert at the Cuthbert Amphitheater. They are known for their rich musical textures and clever, catchy lyrics.

Band highlights

The band’s talented and somewhat eccentric lead singer Isaac Brock grew up in Issaquah, a suburb of Seattle. A flood forced his family to relocate to a trailer while repairing the family home; Brock chose to live in a backyard shed, where he taught himself bass and guitar.

Their fourth album – “Good News for People Who Love Bad News” – was certified platinum in 2004.

“Good News” received a grammy nomination and “Float On” was nominated for Best Rock Song.

They released “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank” in 2007; it reached number one on Billboard that year and spawned hit singles “Dashboard” and “Missed the Boat.”

Missed the Boat

The band has played numerous music festivals over the years, including the Good Vibes Festival, Hangout Music Festival and Coachella.

They have a recording studio in Portland (“The Ice Cream Party”) they use to rehearse and record music.

Modest Mouse released “Strangers to Ourselves” in 2015. It included several ace tracks, “Lampshades on Fire” and the brilliant “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box” among them.

“Strangers” also included “Coyote” (inspired by the true story of a coyote that rode Portland’s MAX light rail train in 2002) and an accompanying video.

You can find their music on iTunes and on their website.

The band played at The Cuthbert Amphitheater on May 24th. Following the Oregon show they head for Washington, California, Arizona and Utah.

Ships Have Sailed releases an all-acoustic EP

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Alt-Indie pop band Ships Have Sailed performed at Sam Bond’s Brewing (540 E 8th Avenue location) recently.

The band’s music walks a middle ground between alternative rock and upbeat pop tracks like their hit single “Summertime.”

Currently touring to promote their new all-acoustic “Whispers” EP, the band – based in southern California – released full-length “Moodswings” in March of last year.

Summertime

shs-moodswings-coverart-web-1200x1200

Here’s what they had to say in a recent interview about their music and the tour.

KRVM: “How did the band get its start?”

SHS (Will Carpenter): “Dan and I were in a band together before. . . I had a bunch of songs that weren’t really a fit for the band we were in, but I didn’t really want to let them go or pitch them to another artist, so I just started producing them myself in my home studio.”

“Once I had a good handle on developing them I had Dan over for a beer and played him what I’d been working on, and he was like: “Cool man, what are we going to call it?”. “Most of those songs can be heard on our debut EP ‘Someday.'”

KRVM: “How is the new acoustic EP being received?

SHS: “Really well actually…for those readers who aren’t familiar, the ‘Whispers’ EP is a completely stripped down, acoustic vibe, which has three ‘re-imagined’ tracks from previous releases and two brand new songs. I feel like it was a bit risky to diverge from the sound people were getting to know us for, but ultimately it was a risk worth taking.”

Out of Time

KRVM: “Musical influences?”

SHS: “We range from classical music…to jazz, to classic rock (Hendrix, The Beatles, Pink Floyd), to 90s Grunge (Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, etc.) to everything past, present and in between…it’s a really big range.”  “Some of my top playlist favorites in the past year have been CHVRCHES, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, the new Mumford and Sons, and The National.”

ShipsHaveSailed2_PressPhoto_2015_03_WEB

Will Carpenter — lead singer for Ships Have Sailed

KRVM: “How did the tour come about?”

SHS: “Well, funny enough, we weren’t going to go out on the road this year.  We had talked about really buckling down in the studio and making some new music, but then this small Pop festival called International Pop Overthrow approached us about doing a couple dates on the west coast, and here we are!”

KRVM: “Which songs are fan favorites?”

SHS: “I would say ‘If Only’ is the favorite, but ‘Drive’ and ‘Boomerang’ are close runners up.  ‘Summertime’ is a great anthemic song for the season…off of ‘Whispers’ I think the most popular is ‘Home,’ followed by ‘Criminal’ and ‘Lucky.'”

Band members are Dan Hange, bass, backup vocals; Will Carpenter, guitar, lead vocals, and drummer Art Andranikyan.

The new EP is their third, and the band also has full-length “Moodswings,” an album laden with appealing pop-infused tracks music lovers may wish to explore.

You can find their music on iTunes and on their website.

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