Bradley Wik & The Charlatans
Friday, June 29
Governor’s Cup, 471 Court St. NE
9 p.m., free, 21+
Once a haven for penniless loitering teens (myself included), the Governor’s Cup’s transformation into an adult hangout has now been cemented in my mind with the “21+” tag I just typed above. The establishment now operates as a coffee shop by day and a laid-back lounge by night. The Gov Cup also is scheduling concerts every now and then, with Portland Americana combo Bradley Wik & The Charlatans slated to play next. BWC released its debut album “Burn What You Can, Bury The Rest …” earlier this year with a heavy press blitz of local radio interviews and blog reviews, clearly showing the relentless ambition of the country-tinged band. They pull off the sound, and I fully expect to see them on regional Summer festival rosters sooner rather than later. Oft-collaborator Brianne Kathleen is scheduled to suppor.
Tristen
Monday, July 2
Christo’s Lounge,
1108 Broadway St. NE
7 p.m., $5, 21+
Bonnaroo veteran Tristen Gaspadarek’s debut album “Charlatans At The Golden Gate” was praised by Rolling Stone, Spin, NPR, The Onion AV Club, and Paste Magazine last year and she’s playing in Salem for $5 at a 50-capacity club on a Monday evening. To put it another way, the Nashville-based American Myth recording artist’s show at Christo’s Lounge is sandwiched between a gig at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall and Portland’s Aladdin Theatre. This is truly an “I saw her when” opportunity. Tristen’s music falls into the quickly growing category of folksy-tinged, reverb-drenched, female-fronted, cutesy indie pop, but check it out for yourself at tristen.com. Locals Pickpocket Eloquence are scheduled to open. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Christo’s Pizzeria next door.
The Builders and The Butchers
Friday, July 6
Gilgamesh Lounge, 210 Liberty St. SE
5 p.m. and 9 p.m., $10 each, all-ages and 21+
Popular PDX folk rock band The Builders and The Butchers are paying a visit to the Cherry City for two intimate shows at Gilgamesh’s Lounge. First they will play an all-ages matinee with local act Ghost Tapes, then the B&B will entertain the grownups after 9 p.m. The Builders and The Butchers began as an unplugged act comprised of spare parts of recently deceased local projects, busking the streets of Portland under the the moniker “The Funeral Band” (according to its trusty Wikipedia page). Within its first two years, the band gained regional popularity and acclaim, and has since been a fixture on the festival and mid-sized club circuit. If you’re unavailable on July 6, don’t fuss; the act is scheduled for the Great Idea festival, August 10 at Enchanted Forest in Turner.
The TK Project
Friday, July 6
The Triangle, 3215 Liberty Rd. S
9:30 p.m., $3, 21+
Tim Kindell and his band The TK Project are in the midst of a first-Friday residency at The Triangle. The series has quickly accumulated a loyal fan-base of rhythm and blues lovers, with some of the top players from around town performing Kindell originals along with Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and gospel numbers. Sounds like a nice change of pace from the par-for-the-course fare of Salem live music. The group also is currently at work on an album of original songs, which, with all of the excitement, investment and practice related to recording, often is the best time to check out a band.
Smokey Robinson
Saturday, July 7
Spirit Mountain Casino,
27100 SW Salmon River Hwy
8 p.m., $15-25, 16-and-older with adult or 21+
Former Miracles frontman and Motown Records executive Smokey Robinson has had a legendary career by any measure. The 1987 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has written countless hits as a member of The Miracles, as a solo musician and as a songwriter for other Motown recording artists. What would popular music be without The Miracles’ “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” The Temptations’ “Get Ready,” or Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar”? By their own admission, Robinson heavily influenced British invasion bands like The Zombies, The Rolling Stones, The Who and even The Beatles. Who else has that kind of resume?
KALiCO, Groove Thief, Jamalia
Saturday, July 7
The Roxxy Northwest, 1230 State St.
9 p.m., $5, 21+
The Roxxy Northwest has compiled a bill of three of the most popular original bands in the mid-Willamette Valley during the past few years, with headliner KALiCO winning Statesman Journal’s 2012 best band award, Groove Thief claiming third and past title-bearer Jamalia all in the mix. KALiCO is a blend of mid-to-late 90’s alternative pop rock with touches of umpteenth-wave ska, progressive and that distinctive alt-jam-band crooning characterized by a raspy tenor cracking into a falsetto. Expect a Jam(alia)-packed night! Get it? Are you sure? It was a pun. The dudes can jam however.
Zombie Ball
Saturday, July 7
The Triangle, 3215 Liberty Rd. S
9 p.m., free, 21+
With a “bath salt” junkie and a failed French Canadian porn actor allegedly transforming into cannibals in recent months, society’s tongue-in-cheek morbid interest in zombie apocalypse lore is transforming into a semi-serious concern among a growing sect of conspiracy theorists with over-active imaginations. Despite the U.S. Federal Government’s Center For Disease Control and Prevention’s creation of a zombie outbreak Web site, I believe the chances of a cannibalistic walking-dead apocalypse, is, well, nill. But if you’re still concerned and want to check out zombies in their natural habitat, throw on an undead disguise and head down to The Triangle’s seventh Zombie Ball. Local brewery Gilgamesh is mounting a mutiny of the tap (don’t tell the zombies the mamba brew is brains-free), and progressive metal band Wicked Haven is scheduled to shred. Don’t zombies dig slow-dance jams?
Faerabella with
Rich McCloud
Wednesday, July 11
Christo’s Lounge,
1108 Broadway St. NE
8 p.m., $5, 21+
Two reasons local music aficionados should check out dark cabaret jazz act Faerabella if they haven’t already: no one else around these parts is like ‘em, and the act’s sound is conducive to the performance rooms Salem has to offer. The combo of Dana McCarty’s smoky and soulful vocals, Mac McGowan’s dusty brass and Paul Marche’s woody contra bass and percussive accents fits perfectly in a back corner of a dark Cherry City lounge. The band is sparse, elegant and eerie, realizing that pause and silence are essential in the dynamics of music. Throw in soul fixture Rich McCloud, and you have yourself a night of first-class entertainment.
