Fewer than two years after Seattle bands Car Seat Headrest and Naked Giants were in town, they return this week, beginning a tour in support of Car Seat Headrest’s redo of its early Bandcamp release, “Twin Fantasy.” Car Seat Headrest, which comprises Will Toledo, Ethan Ives, University of Oregon alum Andrew Katz and Seth Dalby, will be joined on stage by Naked Giants, who are acting as auxiliary members after opening the show. They will be playing at WOW Hall on Friday, April 6.
The pairing of the two bands on stage is a match made in heaven. With Naked Giants’ freewheeling stage presence and Car Seat Headrest’s fuzzy, nihilistic indie-rock, the two bands’ return to Eugene will be nothing short of spectacular.
But don’t miss Naked Giants’ opening set just because its members are playing with Car Seat Headrest later that night. The rambunctious and ever-energetic trio, comprising vocalist and guitarist Grant Mullen, drummer Henry LaVallee and bassist Gianni Aiello, released its debut album, “Sluff,” on New West Records on March 31.
KEXP said the band’s first release after 2016’s “R.I.P EP” feels rushed in a good way — hectic and unstable, but not overtly so. The band experiments with quieter, poppier sounds in “Sluff.” Tracks “Shredded Again” and “Everybody Thinks They Know (But No One Really Knows)” feel less hectic than the band’s previous work, but still, there’s a sense of rambunctiousness and unease.
“TV,” the album’s six minute and 30 second-long single, goes from guitar-pedal laden riff to riff. The song feels like somewhat of a culmination of the band’s previous sounds. The album is like other firsts — it’s something new and not entirely stable on its feet, but still fantastic in its own right.
When the two bands played at WOW Hall in October 2016, Toledo wore a suit and bolo tie and crowd surfed at the end of the set. Naked Giants hadn’t made much of an impact outside of Seattle yet but returned to Eugene later in the year to play the now-defunct DIY venue, the Boreal. Meanwhile, Toledo and his band worked on “Twin Fantasy.”
Toledo released the original album in 2011 on Bandcamp. Both versions of the album chronicle a young man discovering his homosexuality and the tracklist remains relatively the same. But the remake of “Twin Fantasy” features a more robust sound thanks to a full band instead of Toledo playing all instruments himself. Toledo’s increasingly confident vocals add another layer of emotion to the lyrics. “Cute Thing” features a new verse, adding references to R&B artist Frank Ocean.
“God / Give me Frank Ocean’s voice / And James Brown’s stage presence / I will be your rock, God, when you’re rolling the dice,” Toledo sings with increasing force. “I got so fucking romantic / I apologize.”
Accompanied by Andrew Katz’s pounding drums, Seth Dalby’s bass lines and Ethan Ives’ varied guitar work, the re-imagined album feels fuller and more thought-out compared to its original. These songs are some of Toledo’s best work, both lyrically and musically, and with the addition of Naked Giants, hopefully, something to behold live.
The WOW Hall visit is the tour’s first stop (Naked Giants played Portland earlier this week) — and it’s somewhat of a homecoming for CSH’s Andrew Katz, who went to UO. Doors open at 8 p.m., and tickets are $15 online and at the door. For more information, visit http://www.wowhall.org/events/car-seat-headrest-naked-giants.
Jeremy Messersmith compared himself to Father John Misty in an interview with the Emerald last spring, but the Minnesotan artist is proving that despite the similar worldview to FJM, he’s an artist with his own voice — somehow overly sweet and dark at the same time.
Messersmith’s new album “Late Stage Capitalism” shows the songwriter moving in a direction all his own, coating dark lyrics in poppy, sometimes schmaltzy instrumentals. This contrast frames the album. It may be named “Late Stage Capitalism,” but even the most political songs focus on something as basic as human interaction.
The Minneapolis musician has been making music for over 10 years, and “Late Stage Capitalism” is his fifth full-length record, not including two separate musical projects: the “Paper Moon” EP and a ukulele record titled “11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs for Ukulele: A Micro-Folk Record for the 21st Century and Beyond.” His sound has grown from Elliott Smith-esque guitar-driven indie rock to songs that include bossa nova and ’60s pop influences
“Late Stage Capitalism” shows Messersmith creating some of the best characters in his songs since his 2010 album, “The Reluctant Graveyard.” It has always been hard to divorce Messersmith from his characters because the characterizations are so specific. In “Purple Hearts,” the album’s single, he sings: “I have a knack for awkward silences / late night drunk text messages / I’m great at playing dumb.” Messersmith — who writes songs about “Star Wars” and used to call himself the “Pied Piper of Wuss Rock” — might be the character in “Purple Hearts,” but he might not, too.
Some of the albums most poignant moments don’t necessarily come from songs like “Purple Hearts,” though. Instead, playful romps like “Monday, You’re Not So Bad” and the acoustic “No Superheroes in Cleveland” make mundane moments — like realizing Monday is around the corner — shine. He even refers to Monday in the third person: “She cleans up after the weekend,” he croons.
Unlike 2014’s “Heart Murmurs,” which served as a strong movement toward a more radio-friendly, poppy sound, “Late Stage Capitalism” pulls influences from across Messersmith’s discography. Bits of his earlier folkier songs come to surface in tracks such as “Fireflower” and “No Superheroes in Cleveland” while “Jim Bakker,” a rocking dramatic monologue, is reminiscent of “Dillinger Eyes” with its rollicking guitars and look into an eccentric personality.
But this album sees Messersmith also exploring new instrumentation, including an organ solo in Fast Times in Minnesota.” The song builds with folky guitar picking. Messersmith sings over it, slowly building his light voice’s intensity: “Phyllis go home / you’re probably drunk / what she called your knack for genius / is probably only luck.”
For a native of the Pacific Northwest who moved to Minneapolis for college, Messersmith has managed to capture the cadences of Minnesotan life throughout his career. “Fast Times in Minnesota” feels like what all his songs about the Midwest have been leading to. And “Late Stage Capitalism” feels like something Messersmith has been trying to reach his whole career. If it takes him another five years to create an album like this, it will all be worth it.
Four years ago, New Zealand pop poet Lorde played Portland’s Crystal Ballroom a few hours before indie-pop band Vampire Weekend took the stage. Now in 2018, hot off the release of her sophomore album “Melodrama,” she’s headlining arenas and stadiums across the world.
But somehow Lorde — born Ella Yelich-O’Connor — manages to make even the largest venues feel intimate. Maybe she even gave Portland a little extra love. In a long speech during the middle of her performance at the Moda Center Saturday night, she mentioned that both her assistant and tour photographer are from the city. “Rip City! I don’t know what that means, but I like it,” she said to the audience.
Part of this intimacy was her choice of openers for the tour: Swedish pop artist Tove Styrke and hip-hop duo Run the Jewels. While Styrke provided a bubbly and synth-pop filled performance, including a cover of Lorde’s “Liability,” Run The Jewels ran through a profane and energetic performance.
Younger fans and their parents may have considered the rambunctious hip-hop group an odd opener for this tour, but the duo proved its fit, even apologizing to the parents in the crowd for its profanity-filled set.
Its members — Killer Mike and EL-P — sent positive messages into the audience with every bit of stage banter they had in them, mentioning Women’s History Month at points and even ending the set on a note about suicide prevention. Run the Jewels probably garnered some new fans among the salt-and-pepper part of the audience: most seemed to be ‘90s babies who knew the words already. They continued to sing along for every song when it was finally time for Lorde to come onstage.
After a pulsating version of “Sober” at the beginning of her set, Lorde emerged clad in a sheer black jumpsuit. The dancers around her moved in beautiful jolts, all dressed in white. The crowd screamed, and she began her set with songs from “Pure Heroine,” her 2013 debut album.
Known for mixing an emotional vocal delivery and poetic songwriting with intricate and heavy pop, Lorde, it seems, has been destined to play arena tours. Her emotional and nuanced delivery poses her in a different light than contemporaries like Taylor Swift, though. David Bowie called her the future of music.
Lorde performs at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. on March 10, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)
Rather than focus on visual gimmicks and a variety of costume changes, the tour delivers a stark stage setting for the artist. Her dancers often spent time suspended in a glass box in the air. Her first costume change was on stage where she shed the transparent jumpsuit and wrapped a pink skirt around her waist. Four panels at the back of the stage occasionally showed videos of clandestine teen activities — drinking from the same flask in dusty rooms, driving in cars with heads out the window and jumping into dark pools.
These visuals fit well with the sense of vulnerability Lorde carries as an artist, especially with an album as intense as “Melodrama”. She gave long speeches before songs such as “Writer in the Dark” and “Liability.”
“Some of my favorite songs are about being lonely,” she said before launching into a nuanced and pristine cover of Frank Ocean’s “Solo.”
After this part of the set, Lorde riled the audience into dancing again, singing “Melodrama’s” larger, more resonant songs like “Supercut” and “Perfect Places.” The audience sang along to her breakout hit, “Royals.” And soon, Lorde was asking everyone in the crowd to give it their all for “Green Light,” “Melodrama’s” single. Confetti stars inscribed with phrases like “Melodrama forever” and “Green Light” rained down on the floor seats as the song climaxed.
Lorde exited and stagehands placed a drum pad in the center of the stage. She played a pared-down encore — just her and the drum pad — ending the show with the surging “Team.” She ventured into the audience at the end of the song. But after, the lights turned on and Moda Center employees began to sweep the confetti stars from the floor as audience members grabbed handfuls of them to take home.
And just as many intimate dance-filled nights do, the show ended in a tidying of the aftermath. Early in her set, Lorde explained that she likes to address an audience as if she were having dinner with its members. “Thanks for having dinner with me, Portland,” she crooned.
University of Oregon alum James Ivory won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his adaptation of Andre Aciman’s novella “Call Me By Your Name” at the 90th Academy Awards. At 89, Ivory is also the oldest person to win an Oscar.
Ivory, an acclaimed filmmaker, graduated from UO in 1951 with a degree in architecture and fine arts. He attended graduate school at USC, where he received his masters in film. He founded Merchant Ivory productions with his partner Ismail Merchant, who passed away in 2005.
Ivory visited UO in February as part of the 25th Queer Film Festival, which featured a screening of “Call Me By Your Name” and a Q&A with Ivory after where students had the chance to ask Ivory questions about his Oscar nomination and his view on queer films. Emerald A&C reporter Mia Vicino covered the event.
Ivory recently donated documents from Merchant Ivory productions to UO Libraries Special Collections.
View the trailer for “Call Me By Your Name” below:
During his classes, journalism professor Tom Wheeler would often joke about lacking a traditional newspaper background before he arrived as an instructor at the University of Oregon’s journalism school.
But to his students and colleagues, Wheeler was a master storyteller. He would regale his students with stories about interviewing music greats including BB King, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. He loved reading features and students’ work out loud in class as if to savor every word.
The UO community is mourning the loss of Professor Wheeler, who died Saturday night while visiting family and friends in the Bay Area.
Wheeler, who was a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication for about 25 years, was beloved among the community for his dedication to his students, his knowledge and passion for the craft and its future practitioners.
University of Oregon professor Tom Wheeler died on Saturday. (Courtesy of the University of Oregon)
The Emerald reached out to community members via email and social media and received many responses about Wheeler’s impact. Many students echoed that he went above and beyond for them.
Wheeler taught a variety of classes in the SOJC about feature writing, editing, and grammar, but he started his career in journalism as a music journalist in magazines. He freelanced for Rolling Stone and served as editor-in-chief of Guitar Player Magazine before founding Bass Player Magazine in 1988. He was an expert on guitars and wrote many books about their history and significance. When he came to Eugene to teach at the SOJC, he also started playing guitar in bands around town.
Jim Roberts, who worked closely with Wheeler when starting Bass Player, said that Wheeler provided valuable support to him as a journalist. Roberts had no previous editorial experience — only writing and interviewing — but Wheeler hired him as the founding editor at Bass Player.
“I learned so much from Tom it’s hard to know where to start — not only did he teach me how to write and edit better, how to plan issues, how to distribute work among staff and freelancers, and so on, he showed me how to be the kind of person who is a successful editor. He was a true mentor,” Roberts wrote in an email. He added via phone that Wheeler instilled in him the idea that to be successful as a journalist, he had to understand and work well with people.
Wheeler’s students — both current UO students and alumni — agree.
Allison Del Fuim, an SOJC senior who founded the student Music Industry Collective, remembers cold-calling Wheeler to talk to him about music journalism during her freshman year at UO. She said she wasn’t sure she would ever get a response from him, but he responded right away.
They got coffee together, and Wheeler became a mentor of hers for the next three years. He helped her start MIC and was always around to help with essays and preparing for interviews, despite his busy schedule. Del Fuim says that one of the best takeaways she has from his mentorship was to always be prepared, noting that Wheeler did his research — no matter what story he was working on.
The SOJC community held an informal gathering to remember Wheeler on Sunday evening. Students, alumni and faculty gathered in Allen Hall’s atrium to share memories and reflect on the situation. SOJC Dean Juan-Carlos Molleda said that Wheeler was one of the first faculty members to introduce himself when Molleda arrived in 2016.
“He was always present,” Molleda said of Wheeler. Advertising instructor Deb Morrison added that Wheeler always appeared happy.
“His kindness was real,” she said.
Students and faculty also commented on his vibrant style and homey office. His over six foot frame was easily recognizable on campus because of his detailed scarves and leather shoulder bag. He was frequently found sporting a black cap — one that often provoked comparisons to fellow SOJC professor Peter Laufer.
Chris Jisi, the current editor in chief of Bass Player, only met Wheeler in person once, but said that despite this Wheeler helped kick-start his career like he did for many UO students.
He wrote in an email that Wheeler was a source of support and mentorship when the two worked together at Guitar Player and Bass Player Magazine. Jisi started writing about bass for Guitar Player, and when Wheeler was helping to start Bass Player, he asked Jisi to apply for a job there.
“But it all starts with Tom and I’ll forever be grateful for him giving me my start in music journalism,” Jisi said.
Read SOJC community members’ reflections on social media below:
During my senior year at the @UOsojc, I finally got into a feature writing class with the renowned Tom Wheeler. I had heard of him but never laid eyes on him until the first day of class. I quickly noted his bright green converse and even brighter eyes.
Tom Wheeler was a special human + inspirational professor for me while I was at Oregon. The news of his passing is especially devastating for future @UOsojc students who won’t have the opportunity to learn from his hands-on approach + unique experience. https://t.co/0fofmCHOHEpic.twitter.com/jAk0K1g1co
Australian indie-rocker Jen Cloher may have just been in the United States, opening for her partner Courtney Barnett and friend Kurt Vile’s tour this fall — but she’s back in the States and raring to go. Three months after playing the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, the musical storyteller and her backing band return with a sold-out show at the Doug Fir on Friday, Jan. 26.
The Emerald spoke to Cloher via email about her sense of lyricism, preparing for tours and running her label Milk! Records while also making music.
Emerald: You toured with your partner Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile just a couple months ago and are now entering a solo tour with a backing band. How do you prepare yourself mentally for a tour like this one?
Jen Cloher: To be honest, it’s more prepare yourself physically! Touring is fairly brutal on the body, lots of sitting in planes and cars, late nights, early mornings, a tendency to eat crap food late at night. You have to accept that you’re going to have days where you feel a bit dead. It’s kind of like parenting, if you didn’t love what you created so much you probably wouldn’t make it. Mentally I am super excited, it’s my first headline run of shows in the States and they’ve pretty much all sold out. You couldn’t get a better welcome than that.
E: When you opened for Courtney and Kurt, you played a lot of tracks from your 2017 self-titled album. Going into the new year, how do you think the album was received? How would you rate your own performance on the album?
JC: I was very happy with how the album was received all around the world. People have come to shows and bought the album, that’s the best sign of connection you can get. I feel like the album was a band performance. We recorded it live to tape in rural Victoria, [Australia], about two hours from Melbourne. I’m really happy with how the album sounds and I’m even more excited to be bringing our live show to the States.
E: I heard you tend to focus on lyrics when it comes to your own music. What is the songwriting process like for you? Has it changed based on your albums or where you are at in your life?
JC: I love lyrics. I find them hard to write, I think most people do. Especially if you want to use lyrics to convey something meaningful. I think of lyrics as a conversation with the listener and my approach has always been to mine my own personal experience because that’s the only place I really have any authority to speak from. All four of my albums are a reflection of what was happening in my life at the time.
When I was writing my second album I was losing my mother Dorothy to Alzheimer’s disease. One of the songs from that album “Fear is Like a Forest” was covered by Courtney and Kurt on their Lotta Sea Lice album. Whenever I hear it I think about that time in my life.
E: How does it compare to other forms of storytelling? I heard you studied theatre before becoming a musician. What’s the same, different?
JC: I love live performance, and both acting and music are forms of that discipline. I suppose the biggest difference is that as a songwriter you get to write your own lines and tell your own story.
E: You’ve talked a lot in interviews about being at home while Courtney tours and the nature of your relationship because of her fame. Do you guys keep your creation processes separate or do you help each other out?
JC: It’s definitely been a challenge, like any long distance relationship you have to work hard at keeping the connection. For the best part of three or four years, Courtney was away at least half of the time. It can get lonely, especially in winter when everyone hibernates! We keep our writing process separate, I think most songwriters do unless they are collaborators or co-writers. Courtney plays in my band so she has a lot of input when it comes to recording and playing live. And we’re always bouncing ideas off each other.
E: You are a working musician but you also help run the Australian indie label Milk! Records and teach bands how to manage themselves. How did you learn how to work in the ‘business’ side of all this?
JC: I think both sides feed each other. The more I have learned about the business side of releasing music the more meaningful the process of writing, recording and touring become. You realize you don’t have time to waste, half of my day is committed to writing and making my own music and the other half to running the label and helping other people release their music. It’s a great job and I get a lot of satisfaction and joy seeing the artists on Milk! Records thrive.
E: Who are some Australian artists unaware Americans should check out?
E: Who are some of your favorite musicians working right now? Other artists? Why do you think their art speaks to you?
JC: I am always excited when PJ Harvey, Bill Callahan or Gillian Welch release a new album, I think they’re all masters of their craft. People often talk about someone having an authentic voice and I think that’s what we are all looking for in art. Something that feels very much like it could only have come from that person. Someone daring to be themselves.
E: What do you plan to do after this tour?
JC: After the States, we head to Europe and the U.K for follow up shows and then home to Australia for a couple of weeks of touring, which will take us through to early April. We have six albums out through Milk in the next couple of months so I’m going to be busy!
This interview has been edited for grammar and clarity.
Australian indie-rocker Jen Cloher may have just been in the United States, opening for her partner Courtney Barnett and friend Kurt Vile’s tour this fall — but she’s back in the States and raring to go. Three months after playing the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, the musical storyteller and her backing band return with a sold-out show at the Doug Fir on Friday, Jan. 26.
The Emerald spoke to Cloher via email about her sense of lyricism, preparing for tours and running her label Milk! Records while also making music.
Emerald: You toured with your partner Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile just a couple months ago and are now entering a solo tour with a backing band. How do you prepare yourself mentally for a tour like this one?
Jen Cloher: To be honest, it’s more prepare yourself physically! Touring is fairly brutal on the body, lots of sitting in planes and cars, late nights, early mornings, a tendency to eat crap food late at night. You have to accept that you’re going to have days where you feel a bit dead. It’s kind of like parenting, if you didn’t love what you created so much you probably wouldn’t make it. Mentally I am super excited, it’s my first headline run of shows in the States and they’ve pretty much all sold out. You couldn’t get a better welcome than that.
E: When you opened for Courtney and Kurt, you played a lot of tracks from your 2017 self-titled album. Going into the new year, how do you think the album was received? How would you rate your own performance on the album?
JC: I was very happy with how the album was received all around the world. People have come to shows and bought the album, that’s the best sign of connection you can get. I feel like the album was a band performance. We recorded it live to tape in rural Victoria, [Australia], about two hours from Melbourne. I’m really happy with how the album sounds and I’m even more excited to be bringing our live show to the States.
E: I heard you tend to focus on lyrics when it comes to your own music. What is the songwriting process like for you? Has it changed based on your albums or where you are at in your life?
JC: I love lyrics. I find them hard to write, I think most people do. Especially if you want to use lyrics to convey something meaningful. I think of lyrics as a conversation with the listener and my approach has always been to mine my own personal experience because that’s the only place I really have any authority to speak from. All four of my albums are a reflection of what was happening in my life at the time.
When I was writing my second album I was losing my mother Dorothy to Alzheimer’s disease. One of the songs from that album “Fear is Like a Forest” was covered by Courtney and Kurt on their Lotta Sea Lice album. Whenever I hear it I think about that time in my life.
E: How does it compare to other forms of storytelling? I heard you studied theatre before becoming a musician. What’s the same, different?
JC: I love live performance, and both acting and music are forms of that discipline. I suppose the biggest difference is that as a songwriter you get to write your own lines and tell your own story.
E: You’ve talked a lot in interviews about being at home while Courtney tours and the nature of your relationship because of her fame. Do you guys keep your creation processes separate or do you help each other out?
JC: It’s definitely been a challenge, like any long distance relationship you have to work hard at keeping the connection. For the best part of three or four years, Courtney was away at least half of the time. It can get lonely, especially in winter when everyone hibernates! We keep our writing process separate, I think most songwriters do unless they are collaborators or co-writers. Courtney plays in my band so she has a lot of input when it comes to recording and playing live. And we’re always bouncing ideas off each other.
E: You are a working musician but you also help run the Australian indie label Milk! Records and teach bands how to manage themselves. How did you learn how to work in the ‘business’ side of all this?
JC: I think both sides feed each other. The more I have learned about the business side of releasing music the more meaningful the process of writing, recording and touring become. You realize you don’t have time to waste, half of my day is committed to writing and making my own music and the other half to running the label and helping other people release their music. It’s a great job and I get a lot of satisfaction and joy seeing the artists on Milk! Records thrive.
E: Who are some Australian artists unaware Americans should check out?
E: Who are some of your favorite musicians working right now? Other artists? Why do you think their art speaks to you?
JC: I am always excited when PJ Harvey, Bill Callahan or Gillian Welch release a new album, I think they’re all masters of their craft. People often talk about someone having an authentic voice and I think that’s what we are all looking for in art. Something that feels very much like it could only have come from that person. Someone daring to be themselves.
E: What do you plan to do after this tour?
JC: After the States, we head to Europe and the U.K for follow up shows and then home to Australia for a couple of weeks of touring, which will take us through to early April. We have six albums out through Milk in the next couple of months so I’m going to be busy!
This interview has been edited for grammar and clarity.
Picture this. Tyler, the Creator; Brockhampton; Foo Fighters; Elton John; The Shins. No, this isn’t the lineup for an quirky music festival in LA or Seattle. If you opened up the Emerald’s calendar in the last year, you might have found these in our in listings. Each of these artists played Eugene in 2017.
Let’s face it. Eugene isn’t LA or Seattle or Portland when it comes to a robust music scene. But in the last year, this smaller scene thrived in a way it hasn’t before, according to those involved with the town’s wide-range of venues.
Eugene’s music scene is growing because it offers intimate performance venues and a chance for artists to interact with audiences in a way they might not be able to in nearby West Coast cities. Those who book shows here also are collaborating to improve the market.
Sam Beam sings and plays classical guitar. Iron & Wine performs at McDonald Theatre on Oct. 19, 2017. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)
“I think we are at maximum capacity,” said Kesey Enterprises press manager Doug Fuchs, referring to the scene. Senior Associate Athletic Director in Facilities, Events and Operations at Matthew Knight Arena Mike Duncan agrees.
Duncan booked shows and managed events at Matthew Knight Arena since it was built in 2009. A University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications graduate, Duncan worked in sports information in Sacramento and eventually found himself drawn to booking arena shows through connections from his first job. Now, he brings audiences to the venue — but not just for sports. He books concerts including large household names, both new and old.
In 2017, audiences at Matthew Knight Arena witnessed star talents ranging from Elton John to the Foo Fighters, as well as an aging Jimmy Buffett and what’s left of Journey. But Eugene’s year in concerts wasn’t just comprised of arena rock shows. Venues throughout town, including the 1,100 capacity McDonald Theatre and metal band favorite, the Cuthbert Amphitheater, also brought acts such as hip-hop flower boy Tyler, the Creator, and Slayer to eager audiences.
Matthew Knight is the largest indoor venue in Eugene, seating 12,000 people at maximum capacity. But even then, Portland’s Moda Center is much bigger at a 19,980 capacity — often drawing artists to play there for more financial gain. Duncan says that even when artists play both markets, Matthew Knight tends to offer a more intimate experience for audiences and bands alike.
This intimate experience may be Eugene’s bread and butter, according to both Duncan and Fuchs. Audiences are able to see artists grow from playing smaller venues such as Sam Bond’s Garage in the Whitaker to WOW Hall or the McDonald, eventually landing at big venues like Matt Knight or the Hult Center if they can muster the following.
And though most concert booking relies on networking and personal relationships, Duncan says he thinks artists notice places they’d play again, especially when it comes to venues like the ones in Eugene. Elton John, who played Matthew Knight in 2011 and returned in March 2017, could be one of those acts.
According to Duncan, Elton John’s concert was Eugene’s largest show of 2017 with just over 12,000 in attendance. Gulf-Western singer Jimmy Buffet (10,038) and prolific rock band the Foo Fighters (8,875), rounded out the top three largest attended concerts hosted by the arena in 2017. Duncan also noted that 1980s rock group Journey, comedian Daniel Tosh and the Trans Siberian Orchestra were among its most popular shows last year.
But more often than not, artists will play both Portland and Eugene, especially when it comes to medium or large-sized venues such as McDonald and WOW Hall. While these venues may have different functions — WOW Hall is also a community center — they tend to draw artists who play similar caliber venues two-hours to the north.
An audience in Eugene was regaled by Tyler, the Creator at the comparatively small McDonald Theatre before Portland gets to hear him later this month at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The McDonald Theatre is about 1 percent the size of the near 12,000 capacity Memorial Coliseum.
Fuchs said hip-hop and EDM are two burgeoning touring genres in Eugene, especially at the McDonald Theatre. The Macklemore concert in October sold out in six minutes. Tickets for Snoop Dog’s show at the Cuthbert sold out in around the same time, according to Fuchs.
Joshua Finch, the programming manager at WOW Hall, said one of the most exciting shows of the year was up-and-coming hip-hop group Brockhampton. Finch, who started his position at WOW Hall in August, worked the day of the show, and talked to Kevin Abstract, a member of the group while setting the stage. Abstract said that the group had been playing shows to three people at the beginning of their tour.
“We have a tendency to get folks who are on their way up, when they really blow up, or on the tour when they blow up,” Finch said. “Or they have plateaued a bit and are on their way down.”
Brockhampton sells out the WOW Hall in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 29, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/DailyEmerald)
The Brockhampton show at WOW Hall sold out. The venue’s standing capacity is 600 people. Emerald A&C associate editor Zach Price reviewed the show, writing: “An emotional moment came towards the end of the night with the band’s playing of “BUMP.” As the song went on, people pulled their significant others close, friends could be seen throwing arms around each other’s shoulders and the entire crowd joined the band in celebration.”
“These days, music is more than music,” Fuchs said, referring to visual spectacles including lights and pyrotechnics that often accompany shows at the McDonald Theater. Fuchs said touring artists are surprised by the size of the venue’s stage and its ability to fit everything from stage backdrops to lights.
In 2017, the McDonald Theatre had one of its best years yet, selling out more shows than it had in years, including indie-rock group The Shins and indie-folk troubadour Iron and Wine. Fuchs says he attributes this to a good economy — it was harder to book shows during the recession — and that allows smaller bands to take more risks.
“We’re starting to get a lot more new music and a lot more promoters interested in putting their own programming at our venue — both because of the vibrant economy in Oregon and how well music is doing in Eugene,” he said.
Fuchs also noted that venues backed by larger promoters consistently sell-out — meaning it’s not a marker for success for the venue as much as it is for the artist. But the McDonald is in a unique place where bands of a certain caliber can play to a more intimate audience — with clear acoustics and production values to match, according to Fuchs.
Still, because the population is smaller, the market and concert turnouts are, too.
“We have to be really careful in how we craft these proposals, knowing that odds are we aren’t going to sell out every show, but that we may come close,” Fuchs said. ‘You can’t book to sell out.”
While this may mean some struggles for venues trying to book shows — Finch aims to be more mindful when booking artists for WOW Hall in the next year — audiences benefit from smaller, more intimate shows with their favorite artists.
“Really the only genuine shortcomings I’m seeing are based on the size of the town itself,” he said. More and more artists are coming through Eugene, sometimes too many for the population size.
But as the draw for major touring artists continues to grow, those who put on concerts are working together and expanding their reach. Finch is in communication with bookers at Hi-Fi Music Hall to avoid scheduling conflicts.
At Matthew Knight, Duncan will look to bring in high concert attendance with performances from more big-name acts in 2018. Concerts from legendary rock guitarist Carlos Santana and country superstars Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are expected to garner large crowds and high ticket sales for the venue in the coming year.
“I guess what I’m looking forward to more than anything is to further those relationships and work better as a booking community, rather than just a bunch of isolated venues,” Finch said. “The more stuff that comes through town as a whole, the better it is for everybody.”
James Mercer of The Shins sings to the crowd at McDonald Theatre in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 25, 2017. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)
Let’s face it. Twenty-seventeen wasn’t a year of loss in the music world like 2016 was. Though Tomy Petty and other important artists passed away, 2017 was a different year for the music world. In some ways, artists began to pick up the pieces of 2016’s shattering losses and build something new. LCD Soundsystem reunited and released a new album, “American Dream.” Taylor Swift began her “Reputation” era. Hip-hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar turned towards trap beats. Here are the Emerald’s top albums of 2017.
Nic Castillon’s picks:
5. “Big Fish Theory” by Vince Staples
Vince Staples’ sophomore release, “Big Fish Theory,” is dark, futuristic, and forward-thinking. With a noticeable influence taken from UK dance music, this is by far the grimiest record in the artist’s discography. The gritty production on songs like “Big Fish” and “Crabs in a Bucket” burst through the speakers, while Staples delivers his clever and introspective verses. “Put me in the MoMa when it’s over with,” he says — justifiably.
4. “American Dream” by LCD Soundsystem
A new album from LCD Soundsystem in 2017 could have gone horribly wrong. A cheap comeback — after an intense “final” performance in 2011 — could have easily tarnished the band’s much-deserved legacy. Frontman James Murphy, however, justified the band’s unlikely return with a mature album that is just as strong as his others. On “American Dream,” LCD Soundsystem, once again, makes it feel normal to cry on the dancefloor.
3. “Flower Boy” by Tyler, the Creator
Tyler, the Creator’s latest release is vibrant and soulful, a sound that perfectly matches the album’s bright, sunflower-filled artwork. The production on this record, which Tyler handled himself, is masterful. Warm keys and glistening strings fill the world of “Flower Boy,” and perfectly compliment the record’s carefully-selected vocal features. As always, Tyler’s rich persona shines through on tracks such as “911 / Mr. Lonely” — arguably the best single released in 2017.
2. “A Crow Looked At Me” by Mount Eerie
“Death is real / Someone’s there and then they’re not / And it’s not for singing about / It’s not for making into art,” Phil Elverum sings on “Real Death,” the opening track of “A Crow Looked At Me.” The songs on this Mount Eerie album focus on the recent passing of Elverum’s wife to pancreatic cancer, and they are brutal. Elverum doesn’t attempt to make something beautiful out of his wife’s death. He simply tries to grapple with it, through a set of songs filled with stark honesty and realism. It’s hard to listen to, but it is incredibly moving.
1. “Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood” by Sun Kil Moon
“Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood” is essentially a middle-aged man rambling for over two hours, but it’s still the best album of 2017. Mark Kozelek’s eighth solo album as Sun Kil Moon seems to go on forever. The album’s tracks feature an incessant stream of digressive lyrics, many of them lasting about eight minutes or longer. Yet there is something entrancing about them as if they are all part of someone’s personal journal or travelogue. Throughout the album, Kozelek brilliantly navigates his way through absurd humor and touching moments, and manages to make everything, even the minutiae of everyday events, sound interesting. The long-winded vocals are also backed by pleasant instrumentals, featuring Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth-fame on percussion. It’s a lot to sit through, but Kozelek’s honest tributes to close friends and musings on Muhammad Ali make it well worth the time.
Honorable mentions: “Rocket” by Alex G, “DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar, “Utopia” by Björk, “Thawing Dawn” by A. Savage, “Powerplant” by Girlpool, “This Old Dog” by Mac Demarco, “Mouth Moods” by Neil Cicierega
Sararosa Davies’ picks:
5. “Swear I’m Good At This” by Diet Cig
New York-state pop-punk duo Diet Cig had a big year. Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman’s released their debut full-length album “Swear I’m Good At This,” and then subsequently toured the United States. Bowman’s thrashing drums and Luciano’s wailing vocals perfectly matched 2017. As Luciano sings on the track, “Link in Bio”: I’m not being dramatic / I’ve just fucking had it / With the things that you say you think that I should be.” “Swear I’m Good At This” is an album for every proud hot mess from this year.
4. “We All Want The Same Things” by Craig Finn
The Hold Steady frontman, Craig Finn, released his third solo album this year — but it’s not at all a throwaway release. “We All Want The Same Things” chronicles loss, change and hope in Finn’s own geographically-oriented way. Even if the neighborhoods he mentions (“Tangletown”) are unfamiliar to listeners, the characters seem like old friends. With shimmering instrumentals, lots of piano and an innate sense of how stories are told, Finn does something wonderful with this album. Sometimes all we want is a good story, and this album offers up 10 of those.
3. “Jen Cloher” by Jen Cloher
Australian indie-rocker Jen Cloher has an astute eye for songwriting, just like her partner Courtney Barnett. But on her self-titled album, Cloher’s music resonates perfectly on its own. She has a keen eye for lyrical content— winding poetry through everyday moments. On “Sensory Memory,” buttering the edges of toast becomes a metaphor for unspoken changes in a relationship. Cloher reflects on power dynamics, singing like Patti Smith, in “Shoegazers”: Indie rock is full of privileged white kids / I know because I’m one of them / Who else has the luxury to gaze backwards?” With simple instrumentals — Cloher opened for Barnett and Kurt Vile this fall on just an acoustic guitar — her lyrics shine
2. “Capacity” by Big Thief
The way Adrianne Lenker sings — her soft voice tumbling out of her mouth, unspooling like thread — you’d think she would have trouble breathing. But “Capacity,” her band Big Thief’s second album, feels anything but short of breath. Instead, it’s a cathartic and slow-burning release that explores trauma, family and close friendship. On “Mythological Beauty,” Lenker details her young mother’s trials and tribulations. “There is a child inside you who’s trying to raise a child in me,” Lenker breathes over quiet guitar and piano. The band wrote most of these heavily emotional and mythical songs while recording their debut, 2016’s “Masterpiece,” but “Capacity” is nothing short of a masterpiece itself. The album is both dark and refreshing, just like the January rain Lenker sings about on stand-out track, “Mary.”
1. “Pure Comedy” by Father John Misty
No album captured 2017— in both political and personal ways — as well as Father John Misty’s “Pure Comedy.” A sprawling take on pretentiousness, entertainment and humanity, “Pure Comedy” annoyed a lot of people when it came out. Misty (former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman) is a sometimes polarizing figure — he straddles the line between prophet and pretentious asshole. But ultimately, this polarization reflects today’s world well. And while he croons over Elton John-style piano, singing about how “our brains are way too big for our mother’s hips,” it’s hard not believe that he’s right. He’s right, even if we hate to admit it.
Honorable mentions: “Heartworms” by The Shins, “Sleep Well Beast” by The National, “11 Obscenely Optimistic songs for Ukulele: A Micro Folk Record for the 21st Century and Beyond” by Jeremy Messersmith
Dana Alston’s picks:
5. “What Now” by Sylvan Esso
Three years after their eponymous debut album, synth-pop duo Sylvan Esso delivered a sophomore effort full of sharp production and songwriting. Beyond evolving their sound — the idiosyncratic beats are enough to leave listeners’ heads spinning — vocalist Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn prove their worth as lyricists. Few albums are as beautifully contradictory, and “Die Young” remains one of the best and most mystifying songs of the year.
4. “Pure Comedy” by Father John Misty
Defending Josh Tillman is a pain at this point. The pretentious messiah of art-folk — he goes by his “Misty” moniker on stage — has made a career out of being “authentically bogus.” I can’t blame anyone for hating his disaffected persona with a passion. It’d be annoying to me if it weren’t so hilarious. Tillman walks the tightrope between obnoxious and honest with the grace of an Olympian. “Pure Comedy,” Tillman’s third album as Misty, is a sprawling, infuriating and a brilliant dive into humanity’s vices. It’s an ironic and scatterbrained piece of work. But while it loses the lush instrumentation from previous FJM albums, Tillman’s wit reaches new acidic heights.
3. “DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar
Across his first three albums, Kendrick Lamar’s perspective and lyricism gradually expanded beyond his Compton upbringing and into the metaphysical. “To Pimp A Butterfly” was an artful meditation on the black experience in America, and “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” tracked Lamar’s youth in a home surrounded by violence and addiction. On “DAMN,” he looks inward. Gone are the funk and jazz stylings of “Butterfly;” instead, Lamar’s latest work is steeped in the sounds of trap and modern rap. Rihanna joins him on “LOYALTY,” and “HUMBLE” rides a beat from “Black Beatles” producer Mike.Will.Made.It. But even as his sound grows more radio-friendly, Lamar’s storytelling remains his unwavering strength. If “DAMN’s” breakneck braggadocio makes longtime listeners uneasy (it really shouldn’t), tracks like “DUCKWORTH” cancel all doubt in Lamar’s pure artistry. No other rapper can tell a story quite like K-Dot.
2. “Big Fish Theory” by Vince Staples
Vince Staples deals in cold doses of reality. The Long Beach native rose to fame on the back of his unblinking look at the gangs, drugs and the violence that controlled his hometown. Staples’ lyrical sharpness is matched only by his rebuke of sentimentality; he displays the darkness of his upbringing without a lens.
“Summertime ‘06” dealt in the sounds and textures of West Coast trap. It makes Staples’ latest project’s hard shift toward industrial EDM especially jarring. Listening to “Big Fish Theory” (Staples’ second LP) is an abrasive and overwhelming experience. Swirling drums, heavy synths and production from Flume (yes, Flume) all make appearances. Under it all, Staples raps about fame and “human issues too strong for tissues.” “745” is a bass heavy techno-romance, and “BagBak” presents an afrofuturistic call to protest. But “Yeah Right” is the album’s dissonant center. A bass-heavy assault wielding a Kendrick Lamar feature, the track is Staples’ best case for being rap’s best provocateur. No other artist pushed the genre as far as he did this year.
1. “Melodrama’ by Lorde
Lorde never wastes a word. The 21-year-old New Zealander already made her case for “lyrical prodigy” status on “Pure Heroine,” her acclaimed debut. But after a flurry of award wins and a curated soundtrack for “The Hunger Games” franchise, she all but disappeared from public view. Four years later, she delivered “Melodrama,” her masterful sophomore effort that cemented her claim to pop royalty.
The album is an expansion of Lorde’s world, delivered via pulsing ballads and bangers. Jack Antonoff — the album’s producer and secondary creative force — does a remarkable job keeping things fresh over 11 tracks. Chopped up samples and swirling drums push songs like “Sober” and “Hard Feelings” into unexpected territory. “The Louvre” captures the blissful moments of an early romance. “Liability,” one of the many highlights, envisions Lorde alone, abandoned by her youthful confidence. Lorde’s search for permanent youth is mournful, heartbreaking and honest. It’s only in the final moments, punctuated by doubt when she finally moves past her childhood. The journey there produces 2017’s most fascinating listen.
Zach Price’s picks:
“SATURATION” Trilogy by BROCKHAMPTON Not very often is one of the biggest breakout artists of the year also one of the most prolific. But the rap collective, Brockhampton, delivered the “SATURATION” trilogy in 2017, providing their fans with 48 songs in the span of six months.This onslaught of releases could be seen as a means of achieving mainstream success through market pollution, but that wasn’t the case for the “SATURATION” trilogy. Logical and sensical, each of part of the trilogy is entertaining and coherent from beginning to end. And after establishing its style early and often, the group continued to get more creative and intricate as the records went on. The diversity of tracks is the group’s most impressive feat, though. From catchy radio-worthy, uptempo hits like “GUMMY” to raw, emotional ballads like “BUMP,” Brockhampton always covered its bases. But if one lesson is to be learned from 2017, nothing good can last forever. Frontman Kevin Abstract announced that the third and final piece of the trilogy would be Brockhampton’s last release. While there are plenty of internet theorists who suggest otherwise, we shouldn’t argue with the final act of the group’s well-received, short-lived career. As the old saying goes: if you truly love something, you must set it free.
This post has been updated to show the correct number of Craig Finn’s solo albums. The original post misstated the number as two.
The Pacific Northwest had a great year for touring music. Both Portland and Eugene saw their fair share of up-and-coming and established artists come through venue doors. Live shows for bands such as The Shins and Brockhampton brought avid fans together to see some of their favorites, while legendary acts such as Radiohead made rare stops in Portland. Music still reigns as one of the best ways to bring people together, and 2017 was no short of concerts that did exactly that.
Here are the Emerald’s top concerts of 2017.
Sararosa Davies’ picks:
5. Naked Giants at the Boreal, March 5
Naked Giants may have opened for Car Seat Headrest at WOW Hall in October 2016. But the band’s return to Eugene — this time as a deserving headliner — showed that this spunky Seattle garage rock group is well on its way to the top. Tearing through songs off of the “RIP EP,” Naked Giants filled the now-defunct DIY-music venue, the Boreal, with fuzzy, distorted guitars and crashing drums.
4. The Shins at McDonald Theatre, Sept. 25
James Mercer sings and strums his guitar. The Shins perform at McDonald Theatre in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 25, 2017. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)
James Mercer may be the only consistent member of The Shins, but that doesn’t matter when it comes to the group’s live presence. Mercer is a rambunctious and vibrant frontman, and his voice has more power behind it live. With harmonica, string instruments and Mercer’s trickling guitar, compositions from across the band’s discography took on a new warmth. For a band that is so deeply loved by its fans, Mercer and his band gave it their all in Eugene. What a way to spend the first night of the school year.
3. The National at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Nov. 28
The National, for a relatively quiet and brooding band, rocked a sold-out Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall as if they were arena-rockers, even after Thanksgiving. Touring in support of the dark 2017 album, “Sleep Well Beast,” the band filled the concert hall with rumbling guitars and vocalist Matt Berninger’s low, thrumming voice. Despite many side projects and other involvements, the group was as clear as ever. Ten years after The National’s seminal album, “Boxer,” its live show made it clear that its members aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
2. Radiohead at the Moda Center in Portland, April 9
Up until this April, Radiohead hadn’t visited Portland since 1996. Some UO students weren’t even born yet. The English band’s rare stop north of Eugene is enough to merit a number two spot. The seminal indie-rock band may have seemed like ants from high up at the Moda Center, but that didn’t matter. Thom Yorke’s warbling voice and material from the band’s trance-like newer music kept the audience in rapt attention (or maybe, it was the fact the actual Radiohead was playing). The band’s two-and-a-half hour set ended with “Pablo Honey’s” “Creep,” the first time Radiohead had played the song on this tour. The crowd screamed and sang along, hoping that the band won’t wait as long to return to Portland for its next visit.
Radiohead perform at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. for the first time in 21 years on April 10, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)
1. Craig Finn in Seattle, July 3
Something about Craig Finn’s solo songwriting, especially on his most recent album, “We All Want The Same Things,” deserves an intimate performance. And that’s what audiences got from The Hold Steady frontman this summer – as he played people’s living rooms across the country. Accompanied by just his guitar, Finn performed at fan’s house in Seattle, accompanying almost every song with a story. Despite an annoying Floridian shouting things from the back of the audience — which was literally only a few feet away from Finn — Finn remained unfazed. For the emotional, spoken-word track, “God in Chicago,” Finn just thumped his guitar with his hand. His voice rang clearly throughout the room, proving that the best shows sometimes aren’t the fanciest or the loudest — but instead the ones with the most heart.
Nic Castillon’s picks:
5. Ty Segall at Hi-Fi Music Hall, March 5
The prolific singer-songwriter and garage rocker, Ty Segall, brought a huge amount of energy to his stop in Eugene at Hi-Fi Music Hall. Segall and his touring band — The Freedom Band — ripped through a set of fast and loud songs, which included newer tracks such as “Break A Guitar” and older favorites such as “Finger.” Many people left the venue that night soaked in sweat thanks to a very enthusiastic, if not slightly aggressive, crowd.
4. Daniel Johnston with Built To Spill at Revolution Hall in Portland, Nov. 8
Daniel Johnston’s performance at Revolution Hall was a very special occasion. The fact that it was part of his “final tour” made the artist’s set of emotional songs much more affecting. The indie-rock band Built To Spill served as Johnston’s backing band for the night, and the live arrangements perfectly complemented Johnston’s heartfelt songwriting. The sold-out show ended in a much-deserved standing ovation after a wholehearted performance of “True Love Will Find You In The End.”
Ween decided to open its nearly three-hour live set in Bend with a surprise: a performance of the band’s 1997 album, “The Mollusk,” in its entirety. The band’s cult-like fans sang along to every song, including “Waving My Dick in the Wind” and “Ocean Man.” The concert then continued with an impressive, career-spanning second set. The group could only play up until the venue’s enforced noise curfew of 10 p.m.— but surely Ween had it in them to go longer.
2. Sun Kil Moon at Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oct. 13
Mark Kozelek’s latest album under the Sun Kil Moon moniker — “Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood” — is incredibly long-winded. His performance at the Aladdin Theater brought a similar length and verbosity to the stage. The show lasted around two and a half hours; however, at no point did it become monotonous. Kozelek kept the crowd entertained throughout with his beautiful, extended musical compositions and vocals that bordered on spoken word poetry. In between songs, Kozelek took the time to share stories about Elliott Smith and greet a small child sitting in the front row with his parents.
1. Mount Eerie at WOW Hall, April 4
Songwriter Phil Elverum, who records under the name Mount Eerie, gave one of the most intimate performances possible at WOW Hall earlier this year; however, it was far from cheerful. The setlist consisted of songs from his most recent album “A Crow Looked At Me,” which centers around the tragic passing of his wife, Geneviève Castrée, to pancreatic cancer in 2016. Elverum performed alone on stage — with just an acoustic guitar — to a seated and silent crowd, and it was about as vulnerable as an artist could get. In no way did the lyrics convey that Elverum had come to terms with the death. Rather, the performance was rooted in Elverum’s own immediate and deeply personal grieving process. It was so personal, in fact, that it felt strange for an audience to even be there. It might have been difficult to watch, yet Elverum’s performance made for the most memorable and affecting concert of the year.
Zach Price’s picks:
3. Isaiah Rashad at WOW Hall, March 20
Though Isaiah Rashad may be known for making chill songs that are meant to be listened to while relaxing with friends, his concert in Eugene was anything but chill and relaxed. The Tennessee native was able to transform many of his mellow tunes into upbeat, energetic bangers. His DJ set the tone for the night with an opening set filled with hits from the likes of Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Desiigner. By the time Rashad came onstage, the crowd was anxious and sweaty. His performances of “Wat’s Wrong,” “4r Da Squaw” and “Shot You Down” sent the crowd into a bumping mosh pit. The energy Rashad performed with was surprising and unforgettable.
2. BROCKHAMPTON at WOW Hall, September 29
Those who attended Brockhampton’s sold-out show at WOW Hall — a venue with a max capacity of 600 people — witnessed a once in a lifetime performance. The self-proclaimed boy band/rap collective is currently reaching its peak in mainstream popularity, making their Eugene performance a rare event. Lead by frontman Kevin Abstract, Brockhampton took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster with performances of a variety of songs from the group’s first three albums.
Kevin Abstract of Brockhampton performs his verse in the song HEAT. Brockhampton sell out the WOW Hall in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 29, 2017. (Phillip Quinn / Emerald)
While the night was mostly filled with cheeky sarcasm and lighthearted humor, there were moments of genuine emotion. One of these moments came when Abstract discussed his sexuality on the track, “JUNKY.” Abstract sings: “Why you always rap about bein’ gay?’ Cause not enough niggas rap and be gay.” After the group had finished playing, they took a bow and promptly left the stage. Leaving many fans silent, shocked by the impressive performance.
1. Travis Scott with Khalid at Cuthbert Amphitheater, June 2
It’s hard to imagine a better way to end the 2016-17 school year than watching one of the most popular artists of the year perform his hits at the outdoor Cuthbert Amphitheater on a beautiful June night in Eugene. Not to mention that the 19-year-old breakout R&B singer Khalid opened the show as the sun set behind an array of purple and pink clouds. Scott appeared on stage shortly after sunset, performing “Way Back,” “Butterfly Effect” and “Uber Everyone” right off the bat. If the crowd was hyped enough after that, he teased his top hit, “Goosebumps,” before quickly going into another song.
While some concerts are best when an artist brings the audience on a journey of ups and downs, Scott is not one of those artists. From the moments he got on stage, Scott kept building the energy until it seemed as if the venue were going to explode. And then he kept going. The concert reached its climax when Scott rode his giant mechanical bird, Jack, and he finally gave the audience what they had been waiting for with a full performance of “Goosebumps.”
