K k ROCKTOBER 2017 K g VOL. 29 #9 H WOWHALL.ORGk artist, and newly graduated with (Sara Bareilles, Tori Amos) and a Bachelors of Music Composition Benny Cassette (Kanye West) in from Cornish College of the Arts, 2014. Her smash single “Secrets” she had begun to establish herself launched to No. 1 on the Billboard MARY around the Seattle area performing Dance charts, and was certified slam poetry and fusing a talk- RIAA Gold in 2015. The New singing style into her intimate York Times called her debut album performances. She received a “refreshing and severely personal.” LAMBERT phone call from a friend who was All though the success, Mary working with Macklemore and had her inner struggles. Ryan Lewis on their debut album Lambert was raised in an The Heist. Macklemore and Lewis abusive home, attempted suicide IS A were struggling to write a chorus at 17, turned to drugs and alcohol for their new song, a marriage- before being diagnosed with equality anthem called “Same bipolar disorder, and survived Love”. Lambert had three hours multiple sexual assaults throughout BABE to write the hook, and the result her childhood. With that list of was the transcendent and beautiful horrors, you wouldn’t expect Mary chorus to Macklemore & Ryan to be disarmingly joyful, but she (AND SO ARE YOU) Lewis’ triple-platinum hit “Same charms effortlessly, and the effect Love”, which Lambert wrote from on her audience is bewitching. her vantage point of being both a She describes her performances Christian and a lesbian. as, “safe spaces where crying is Writing and singing the hook encouraged.” Mary Lambert says, led to two Grammy nominations “My entire prerogative is about for “Song Of The Year” and connection, about being present, By Maya Vagner Mal Blum. Love part 1 & part 2” made me “Album Of The Year”, as well and facilitating true catharsis. On Saturday, October 28, Mere words cannot describe feel safe during the year I decided as her performance alongside Also, fart jokes.” the Community Center for the how talented, genuine and inspiring to come out as bisexual. pop legend Madonna at the 2014 The “Secrets”’ singer’s latest EP Performing Arts and Dead Nation this woman is. Not only did she Most people don’t know this Grammys. Yes, you heard it right is called Bold. Mary says, “Bold Presents proudly welcome to the help write the most iconic song for about Mary Lambert, but she was people -- Madonna! is a queer pop EP about being WOW Hall the “Same Love” the LGBTQA community, but she working three restaurant jobs back Mary then signed with Capitol unabashedly yourself.” singer herself -- Mary Lambert -- made a difference with her own in 2012 when her life dramatically Records, where she released Doors open at 7:00 pm and with her new “Everybody is a Babe personal story. Hearing her songs changed. An aspiring singer- her debut album Heart on My showtime is 8:00. Tickets are $18 Tour” along with special guest “She Keeps Me Warm” and “Body songwriter, cellist, spoken word Sleeve, produced by Eric Rosse in advance and $20 day of show. H k INSIDE THIS ISSUE SONGHOY BLUES P2 HALLOWEEN WITH SPACE JESUS P3 WELLRED COMEDY P3 H GRYFFIN P3 JOHN MARK MCMILLAN P4 CRYSTAL GARDEN FEAT. BOYD TINSLEY P4 P.O.S P4 H BUCKETHEAD P5 DIMOND SAINTS P5 WEST AFRICAN DRUM 5 WEEK COURSE P5 SAID THE WHALE P6 H LOUISIANA LOVE ACT 6 BORIS • SUMAC • ENDON P7 SARAH JAROSZ P7 WHISKEY STRINGS TOUR On Friday, October 27, the Community Center for the players from small towns around the country to Austin, TX, Performing Arts and KRVM proudly welcome the Whiskey where Whiskey Shivers formed. The full lineup now consists of Strings Tour to the WOW Hall featuring Whiskey Shivers and Bobby Fitzgerald (vocals, fiddle), Andrew VanVoorhees (bass, Billy Strings plus special guests Trout Steak Revival. vocals), Jeff “Horti” Hortillosa (vocals, guitar), James Bookert PAID U.S. Postage U.S. Barefoot, sleeveless and sweaty, Whiskey Shivers frontman and (banjo) and James Gwyn (percussion). Permit No. 303 No. Permit Eugene, OR 97401 Eugene, fiddle master Bobby Fitzgerald never stops smiling on stage. “All The reaction to Billy Strings tends to come in two varieties: Nonprofit Organization right! Let’s kick this thing in the face!” he barks, as the band tears “Who is this guy?” and “That kid can play!” into their stringed instruments at breakneck speed. His exuber- Raised in Michigan and based in Nashville, Strings — real ance is contagious, and it bleeds through into the music. name William Apostol — learned music from his father, who had “Whiskey Shivers isn’t just the five of us on stage, it’s every- learned it from his father, and his father before him. Maybe that’s body in the room,” Fitzgerald says. “We try why at 24, Strings’ songs, his articulation, his to bring everybody into the moment and get entire approach, sounds so authentic and them to realize there’s no wall between us steeped in tradition. And the industry has and the crowd. We’re all in this together, taken notice: He won IBMA 2016 Momentum and we’re all here to have a good time.” Awards Instrumentalist of the Year (for gui- Whiskey Shivers’ infuse their songs with tar, banjo and mandolin) and was voted #1 punk rock energy and a darkly comical light- in The Bluegrass Situation’s Top 16 of 16. heartedness, stretching the bluegrass genre to What’s next for Billy Strings? 2017 has fit whatever they feel is right. For them, him in the studio working on his first full being happy is a conscious choice, and mak- length LP, a slew of festival and tour dates ing fun of life’s struggles is part of their including support slots for Railroad Earth philosophy. and The Infamous Stringdusters, a handful of “We recognize that life’s tough,” Fitzgerald dates as part of David Grisman Bluegrass says. “We try to write songs that recognize Experience and much, much more. RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Community Center for the Arts Performing 291 West 8th 97401 OR. Eugene, the hard times that we all share.” Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of That sort of musical honesty is what show. Doors open at 8:00 pm and showtime brought together the ragtag group of string is 9:00. H K k The Community Center for the Hendrix. They found a kindred WOW HALL NOTES Performing Arts is located in the spirit and musical brother in gui- Historic Woodmen of the World Hall (W.O.W. Hall), 291 W 8th, Eugene, Or 97401, (541)687-2746, info@wowhall. org, www.wowhall.org, Box office hours Mon-Fri Noon-6:00 PM. Printed monthly by Western Oregon Webpress, tarist Garba Touré (son of Oumar Circulation 3,800, General Support made possible by a grant from Lane Arts Council with support from City of Eugene Touré, long term percussionist in Cultural Services Division, Copyright 2017 All rights reserved Notes Staff: Copy Editor & Advertising Representative Ali Farka Touré’s band). - Bob Fennessy, Layout & Design - James Bateman CCPA Staff: Membership Coordinator & Publicist - Bob Fennessy, Programming Manager - Joshua Finch, Stage Manager - Justin Showker, Asst Stage Manager - Davis Koier, Robert The growing unrest in the Chappel, Office Managers - Ross Shuber, Zac Townsend, Bookkeeper - Melissa Swan, Volunteer Coordinator - Laura north of Mali saw Oumar, Aliou, Farrelly, House Managers - Sam Harmon, Jaley Osuna Concessions Managers - Angela Lees, Shawn Lynch, Kambra Garba and many of their family Morris-Mitzner Custodian - Daniel Noall, Eric Herz, Lighting Director - Cody Owen, Volunteer Staff: Zac Townsend, Dan Wathen, Art Gallery Director - Sam Harmon, Poster Distribution - WOW Hall Poster Crew, CCPA Board of take refuge down south in Bamako Directors: Chair: Aaron Dietrich, Vice Chair: Mike Janes, Treasurer: Marjorie Bridges, Secretary: Jordan Cogburn, as hostilities worsened in early Members: Hannah Finley, Marlene Monette, Jim Showker, Jon Silvermoon, Daylon Sloan 2012. Songhoy Blues was born from this adversity. “We met up (in Bamako),” remembers Garba, “and told our- selves we couldn’t just stay ship- wrecked by a crisis like this. We had to form a band.” They roped in a young drum- mer called Nathanial ‘Nat’ Dembele from Bamako and bap- tised their band Songhoy Blues in celebration of their displaced peo- ple and culture. The band mem- bers’ deep attachment to the homegrown songs and dances of SONGHOY the Songhoy (both traditional and the modern guitar based sounds) helped to shape their music. Soon a fixture on the Bamako live music scene, in September BLUES 2013 Songhoy Blues reached out On Tuesday, October 24, of their game. Richer, more eclec- to producer/manager Marc- Monqui Presents welcomes inter- tic and musically adventurous, it Antoine Moreau (Amadou & national sensation Songhoy Blues captures a band that, for the past Mariam, K’Naan), in town to to the WOW Hall. three years, has toured the world scout new talent for the extraordi- Songhoy Blues is Aliou Touré and soaked up music far beyond nary Africa Express project. An (vocals / guitar), Garba Touré the borders of their native Mali. audition followed and Songhoy (guitar / vocals), Oumar Touré The album is the sound of Blues were invited to record a (bass / vocals) and Nathanael Songhoy Blues stretching them- track with Nick Zinner, acclaimed Dembele (drums / vocals). The selves, with hints of R&B, soul producer and guitarist in NYC’s band has always been about resis- and hip-hop all fusing seamlessly one and only Yeah Yeah Yeahs. tance, which is the title of their with the band’s trademark exu- The song, entitled “Soubour”, new album.