Jason SimpsonGrouper is a dark star of the Portland experimental scene. She hardly needs any introduction, but her records have hypnotized international audiences for years, yet she remains somewhat aloof from the local music scene. She DOES pop up, from...
XUAThe bathroom is cramped at the Star Theater, and it’s very hard to find a decent space to snort ketamine properly. I have to put my foot in front of the door because you can’t lock it. Managing to get a pinky or two up there, my...
Peter WoodburnMany people in the United States will say that post-rock has played itself out — but to just go ahead and label things as straight up post-rock is really the more played out aspect of the criticism, for what exactly makes post-rock? Generally...
To be old and punk rock is to be old and potentially irrelevant, and that is, to a certain degree, why most punk bands have such a limited life cycle. How can anyone maintain the anger, aggression and emotional commitment to hold onto the values and...
Vee Hua 華婷婷Barn Owl’s 2011 release, Lost In The Glare, was an instant love for me and earned a deep place in my heart with hardly any effort at all. I had been longing to see the Northern California duo since, and during the wait, my expectations had...
Devorah KleinA generally daunting experience, CMJ Music Marathon hosts an extremely wide range of bands over the course of 5 days in NYC. To those who attempt to tackle this festival, the lineup can seem overwhelming. One advantage to being a 10-year CMJ veteran...
2012 marked the 16th anniversary of United States of Consciousness (USC)’s annual Halloween party, Freak Night. One of Seattle’s premiere electronic music massives, Freak Night has seen multiple venue changes through the years, beginning...
Karla HernandezAttending Culture Collide is the easiest and cheapest way to feel like you have been around the world in just four days. When you watch two US bands open a show where groups from Singapore, Argentina and the Netherlands are also on the bill, you...