Massive Moth debuts premiere CD

When Britain's Art Brut played at The Space last December, Massive Moth opened the show. As it turns out, the prime opportunity introduced the band to local music fans well before they had any music recorded.

With a newly minted CD in hand, Massive Moth plays its release show in Salem at the Ike Box on September 12.

Vocalist/guitarist Kevin Rafn, drummer Doug Hoffman, and bassist/vocalist Jason Stringer round out the three piece band. Their new album, entitled "Heavy Hand of Whimsy" features eight tracks: "Prophylactics," "Buoyant Bachelor," "Bottomless Pit," "Unigon," "White Whig Days," "Mind Smile," "Twenty Three," and "Incommunicado."

The band, who describes their sound as whimsical and quirky pop/rock, often writes their original music during practice.

"Usually Kevin or I just bring a riff to practice and we go from there. Other times the songs are written solely by Kevin, and on a few occasions I wrote a song on my own," Stringer said.

This personal artistic venture is about having fun and being creative more than anything, Massive Moth insists.

"It's the best album I've ever been a part of," Stringer said. "On my end, I just want people to enjoy it, have dance parties to it, use it for their homemade films, re-mix it, and show it to their friends. That's the most I could ever hope for the album."

"Heavy Hand of Whimsy" is available for purchase at the band's shows and Ranch Records. Digitally, the music is available on MySpace.

"Technology has made the music industry more artistically fruitful and diverse, but has taken away the financial incentive," Stringer said.

The band has a selection of shows scheduled for September and October throughout the Northwest, and has hopes to one day play in California and perhaps stage a "pseudo-tour in another country."

For now, Massive Moth's Salem CD release shows is set to feature a lineup of local bands, including The Mint Chicks, Jared Mees, The Grown Children and Phatom!.

The all-ages shows starts at 7 p.m. and costs $5.

Classical concert to start the season

Salem Community Concert Association has brought world-acclaimed musicians to the capital since 1937, and kicks off its latest season with a show on September 14 at the Historic Elsinore Theatre.

Piano prodigy Rudolf Budginas is set to perform a classical set at 7 p.m. The professor and performer who now lives in California debuted with the Lithuanian National Symphony at age nine. Trained at the Moscow Conservatory, he rose to international fame performing solo concerts such as this. Calling his concerts, "Classic For the Rest of Us," he aims for wider audience appeal than classical music usually receives.

For those interested, Budginas also hosts an educational matinee at 12:30 p.m. that is free to students and their parents or teachers.

Concert tickets range from $21 to $35, and students pay $10 if accompanied by an adult chaperone.

Rock the night away to the sound of live, local bands

Summer isn't over at least until all students are back in school, right? Complete with an outdoor barbecue, the Keizer Rotary Amphitheater plays host to the Keizer Labor Day Music Festival on September 5, from 2-8 p.m.

The event's lineup includes three local bands and two regional acts who play hour long sets. Starting off the festivities is Salem-based rock band Sandvig who plays from 2-3 p.m. Following Sandvig is garage/rock band Kyle, Thomas, and the Ryans who play from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Crossing 13th, Salem pop/rockers, are scheduled to play the third set from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The next performers hail from Boulder, Colorado. The Digger Trends perform a mix of classic rock and blues from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Headliners, Portland's Amadan, close out the show playing from 7-8 p.m. They bring a unique fusion of celtic funk music to the festival.

An open-pit barbecue with hot dogs, burgers, and chicken plus McMenamin's beer and wine as well as other snacks and non-alcoholic beverages round out the outdoor festival.

Individual tickets $15 each and can be purchased in advance through the events web site, www.rockwithktr.com/Keizer_Fest.html or at Boon's Treasury, Thompson's Brewery, Keizertimes, Keizer Chamber of Commerce, Slab Soap and Steam Heat Coffee or at the gate.

For more information, visit www.kraorg.com.