Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen and BBQ, a popular and beloved restaurant in the Whiteaker neighborhood, announced today that it will be closing after 15 years in business. The restaurant, at 400 Blair Blvd., made the announcement via Facebook.

In the post, current restaurant owner Deb Lee thanked the community and the restaurant’s staff for their support.

“As I take this next step in my life, I want to thank you all for the years of support and kindness you’ve shown to me. I will forever be grateful for the Soul Kitchen and for you,” Lee wrote in the post.

The Facebook post flooded with comments from patrons, sad to hear of the business’ closing.

Cathleen Cope writes: “Oh no….I love your place. I wish you could pass it to your kids to keep it going. I think I better run up there soon to get my chicken and waffles. Seriously the tastiest waffle, so savory. Yum!”

Ryne Schill writes: “Thank you for being the best food spot in town for all of my known memory. You guys are the one place I tell out of towners to go check out, and are one of the special businesses in Eugene.”

A local musician and entrepreneur, Theodore “Ted” Lee, also nicknamed “Papa,” opened the restaurant 15 years ago. He passed away at 43 in 2009, but his wife Deb has continued to keep the restaurant going.

Papa’s Soul Food, known for its Southern comfort food and unique charm, received much acclaim and has become a beloved Eugene restaurant over the years. Food Network personality Guy Fieri visited with his show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” in 2014.

The Emerald called Papa’s Soul Food for further information, but staff members declined to comment. Read the original announcement below:

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Sustaining a friendship between Australia and the United States isn’t easy, but somehow Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile make it look easy.

Intercontinental friendship and the platonic admiration between two people are at the center of Barnett and Vile’s new project and supergroup, the Sea Lice. After years of admiring each other’s work from different continents, the duo is releasing an album, “Lotta Sea Lice,” on Oct. 13. The duo will be touring, with a stop in Portland later this month, following the album’s release. Touring members of the Sea Lice include Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss, as well as Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint.

Barnett, the Australian, holds the indie-rock world in the palm of her hands. Her albums feature clever songwriting, a Lou Reed-esque delivery and gritty guitar. Vile, the American, is well into his solo career after leaving the psychedelic indie-rock group, The War on Drugs, in 2008. Vile’s main group, Kurt Vile and the Violators, produces hazy indie-folk that sometimes takes a more serious tone than Barnett’s.

“I woke up this morning / didn’t recognize the man in the mirror / then I laughed and I said, ‘Oh silly me, that’s just me,’” Vile sings in the 2015 track “Pretty Pimpin.”

Barnett and Vile released two singles for their album in the last few months, and these songs see the two artists’ styles melding into one. The songs sound like the musical equivalent of best friends finishing each other’s sentences, and even when they are sad, they have a warm tone.

“Continental Breakfast” celebrates the duo’s friendship. The two musicians have distinct musical styles, but together, their voices intertwine as they mumble lyrics about having no sense of place in the world except for friendship. Barnett’s voice careens to reach Vile’s, and sometimes he’ll meet her speak-singing in the middle.

“I cherish my intercontinental friendships / not much very big on enemies / so I kick a can way up into the sun, man / but it falls down into a ravine / I don’t mean to even think about it that way, but I do,” they sing with ease.

On the album’s other single, “Over Everything,” Barnett and Vile take on the feeling of boredom, or rather stagnation, and turn it into a song. “I wanna dig into my guitar and bend a blues riff that hangs / over everything,” Vile croons.

All in all, these singles make the project seems promising. Like old friends falling into step again, Vile and Barnett have found their groove.

Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile (and the Sea Lice) play Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland on Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. Jen Cloher opens. Tickets cost $30 to $45, and one dollar from every ticket purchase goes to the ACLU.  For tickets and more event info visit: www.portland5.com/arlene-schnitzer-concert-hall. For more information on the duo’s collaboration, visit www.courtneybarnettandkurtvile.com/home.

Follow Sararosa on Twitter @srosiedosie.

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October — or “Rocktober — is just around the corner. This fall various acts, ranging from the Foo Fighters to Tyler, the Creator, are visiting Eugene and Portland. Grab some tickets to see Emerald staffers most anticipated fall shows.

Morrissey at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017 at 8:30 p.m.

In the ‘80s, Morrissey became famous as a lead vocalist for the now-legendary alternative rock group The Smiths. Over the course of four albums, the English singer — born Steven Patrick Morrissey — set the blueprint for almost every moody and melancholic vocalist working in pop music. The Smiths disbanded in ‘87, but Morrissey has since remained relevant. He continues to sell out shows, playing for huge crowds of adoring fans.

Morrissey will begin his North American tour in Portland on Halloween at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. This tour is in support of his new album, “Low In High School,” set to be released on Nov. 17. Fans can expect to hear a set of songs ranging from all over his solo career, hopefully with a few Smiths tracks thrown in. But make sure to have a backup plan. The singer has cancelled or postponed over 100 shows within the last five years.

Foo Fighters at Matthew Knight Arena, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

Just a year after the suicide of Nirvana lead singer and cultural icon Kurt Cobain shocked the music world, the band’s drummer Dave Grohl released a self-recorded 12-song album with no promotion. Grohl, now playing guitar and singing lead vocals, called the project the Foo Fighters. The record quickly made its way to the top of the charts as Grohl recruited bandmates to join him on a nationwide tour. Without knowing it, the drummer-turned-frontman had created what would prove to be one of the most commercially dominant rock bands of all time.

Over two decades later, the Foo Fighters have released 7 platinum albums, completed countless world tours, won 11 Grammys and carried the rock genre through its darkest years to date. As the band’s popularity grew, so did their audiences. For the last 15 years, the Foo’s have almost exclusively played at stadiums, making Matthew Knight Arena the perfect venue to see the band perform.

Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile (and the Sea Lice) at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 at 8 p.m.

On Oct. 20, Australian indie-rock songwriter Courtney Barnett joins forces with The War on Drugs’ Kurt Vile at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. The two musicians came together months ago to write an album called “Lotta Sea Lice” and are touring in support of the album.  

With an all-star band featuring Sleater-Kinney’s Janet Weiss and a slew of other great musicians, the show’s bound to be special. The set list will cover the two’s recent collaboration as well as their own work. “Lotta Sea Lices” singles “Over Everything” and “Continental Breakfast” ramble in a poetic way — commenting on everything from the songwriting process to “intercontinental friendships” like Vile’s and Barnett’s. Feeling “Over Everything”? This show might just cheer you up. For more information on the dynamic duo’s visit to Portland, see: www.portland5.com/arlene-schnitzer-concert-hall.

Tyler, The Creator at McDonald Theater, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 at 9 p.m.

Six years ago, eccentric L.A.-based hip-hop artist Tyler, the Creator sold-out shows using his shockingly far-out persona and his group of radical groupmates. Absurdly exuberant personalities and violent mosh pits were commonplace at his concerts; no other actions fit with his fuck-it-all music style of half a decade ago.

But that was then. In July, Tyler released one of the strongest albums of 2017 in “Flower Boy.” The album— his most melodic work as of yet — features great hip-hop grooves, beautiful, Neptunes-esque synth lines and personal lyrics that go against the persona he built in earlier work. More calm and level-headed, Tyler, the Creator has re-emerged as a mature artist that now allows himself to be absorbed by the eloquent sound that he produces himself.

The album’s tour should feature a less intense atmosphere and instead focus more on the album’s inherent joy. But the classic Tyler mosh pit set to the tune of “Radicals” isn’t entirely out of question. Because of the success of “Flower Boy,” now may be the best time since 2011 to see the cultural icon.

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox at the Hult Center, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

Ever wonder what Lorde’s “Royals” might sound like if it was performed as a ballad by a sad clown? Or how you could envision yourself in a ‘20s-era speakeasy while listening to “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore? After seeing Postmodern Jukebox at the end of fall term, these possibilities won’t seem so strange. Bandleader and pianist Scott Bradlee and his revolving cast of musicians take hit pop songs and reimagine them into jazzy, bluesy, sometimes completely unrecognizable numbers. Over the last decade, the New York-based group has been prolifically posting their videos on Youtube, and creatively bringing pop music lovers and haters alike under a single umbrella of appreciation. Tickets range from $33 to $43 depending on the section you choose, but you will certainly get your money’s worth.

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Caspian Mediterranean Cafe owner Elhaam Yazdi didn’t predict the success of her restaurant’s now famous American double cheeseburger. It’s become a popular item, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when students are looking for food after bars close.

Yazdi decided to expand the establishment’s hours on weekend nights shortly after inheriting the cozy, white-walled restaurant from her parents 11 years ago. She added burgers to the menu to provide more options for patrons and the post-bar crowd.

Caspian has been a campus mainstay since 1995, but only recently became a late-night dining spot for students heading home from Taylor’s Bar and Grill or Max’s Tavern. From an upstairs renovation to the addition of American food to its menu, Caspian’s staff and its patrons have witnessed the restaurant change over the years.

Caspian’s menu includes American fare like this Philly cheesesteak. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Today, Caspian is known for its late hours and comfort food — both American and otherwise.

Yazdi, 32, grew up in Eugene and went to UO. Her parents, originally from Iran, moved the family from Davis, California, to Eugene to be closer to family in the area.

“We just settled down here and stayed,” Yazdi said. “[My mom] loves the rain. She loves the atmosphere here.” The restaurant is named Caspian after the Caspian Sea, located in northern Iran, where Yazdi says the area is lush and green like Oregon.

Before the family moved to Eugene, her parents owned a similar restaurant in Davis that served Persian and Mediterranean food to college students in the area. Her parents always liked the idea of owning a family business, and they opened their first restaurant on Yazdi’s first birthday. She has been around the food business since. “It’s kind of part of my culture, part of my life,” she said.

Many of Caspian’s recipes are family recipes. Yazdi has a hard time eating other restaurants’ hummus, a dish made from ground chickpeas mixed with sesame paste and olive oil, because she prefers Caspian’s take. Despite the addition of American food to Caspian’s menu, Yazdi’s favorite dishes remain traditional Mediterranean fare.

“I don’t want [the restaurant] to lose its overall feel,” Yazdi said.

Gyros are a popular Mediterranean lunch item at the cafe. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

The cafe serves an expansive menu — including Mediterranean and Middle Eastern classics like gyros and shawarma to breakfast burritos and Philly cheesesteaks — a result of Yazdi’s changes when she took over the restaurant. Popular items include the Meat Lovers burrito, shawarma and double cheeseburgers.

Yazdi worked at Caspian through high school and college. Many of her goals for the restaurant come from experiences she had as a young adult. Yazdi thinks her background as a student helps give her insight into the community’s needs, especially concerning late night food around UO’s campus.

“My parents are a bit older. My father is in his 80s and my mom is in her 70s,” she said. “[The restaurant] kind of needed a new, fresh start after all those years.”

She thought studying business would help prepare her to run the restaurant, but after taking an introductory business class and disliking it, she switched to majoring in sociology. According to her, sociology fostered the social and people skills she needed to run a business.

(Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Yazdi’s social life in college also influenced her success at Caspian. During her senior year, after a night out at Taylor’s, Yazdi and her friends were hungry. She realized that many campus area restaurants weren’t open late, and was inspired to change that.

Caspian is open until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and midnight during weekdays, serving cheeseburgers and other fare to partiers and late-night studiers alike. The bustling restaurant has an upstairs seating area to accommodate more customers. Yazdi says hundreds of people can go through its doors in a given day.

“I would say the best part is [that] you get to meet really different, amazing people,” she said. “Being in Eugene, it’s not necessarily culturally wide, but being on campus you get to be in this little spot where you get to see people as a freshman and on. At this point, I’ve seen people start as a freshman and now they are teaching.”

Caspian employs both students and community members. Some employees have worked there for 10 years. Yazdi, who spends most days at a corner table in the restaurant hunched over paperwork, says the staff is “kind of like a family.” Prep cook and employee Luke Zimmerman says that Yazdi is “honestly the best boss [he’s] ever had.”

Caspian serves some dessert items, including  the flaky, sweet and nutty dish Baklava. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Northwest Christian University senior Fern Delgadillo has worked at Caspian for about two years. She frequently works shifts in the mornings and at night on the weekends, and says that Yazdi is great at scheduling these around a student’s needs.

On Sunday, Delgadillo worked the morning shift, delivering plates full of bright yellow eggs and steamy homefries to the tables. She took orders and talked to patrons about the new school year as Alanis Morissette played on the radio. Delgadillo likes interacting with customers, especially fellow college students, as she works.

“I’m a college student myself, so I like to ask them about their days — you know, things your parents usually ask you,” she said.

She says she’s seen students come through the business both sober and relatively drunk, and she has broken up some alcohol-fueled fights during the night shift. But she understands her fellow students’ experiences. “I’ve been there, done that,” Delgadillo said. She doesn’t plan on working there after graduation.

Ultimately, Yazdi says she would like Caspian to stay the same. She feels that she has created a successful business and expanded on her parents’ goals for the restaurant. Whether they are stopping in for a cup of coffee or a full meal, Yazdi enjoys seeing regulars come through the restaurant.

“Little things…made me feel like if I gave it a shot here, then maybe I could prove it and bring something different to the campus,” Yazdi said.

Caspian Mediterranean Cafe is open seven days a week at 863 E 13th Ave. Sunday through Tuesday, it’s open from 8:30 to 12:00 a.m., and Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 to 2:30 a.m. The cafe’s phone number is 541-683-7800.

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With a wealth of dorm experiences — both good, bad and everywhere in between — Emerald staffers are here to pass on some wisdom. Check out the Emerald’s dorm by dorm breakdown of the university’s residence halls below.

Global Scholars Hall

College dorms are usually pretty barren. Not GSH. It has billiards and a sushi bar.

That’s right: in addition to housing the university’s lion’s share of Honors College and language immersion students, this academic Ritz Carlton offers dining worthy of a college-level Michelin star. Organic food is abundant and expensive enough to make Whole Foods regulars swoon.

Some of the floors are organized by the language of their inhabitants, so speakers can mingle. Study rooms are plentiful, and the dorms themselves are the most spacious on campus. Need to print a paper? The in-house library’s got you covered. It’s enough to make every non-GSH-er stare daggers if they find out where you live. Too bad the entire complex may or may not be sinking into the ground. “The hallways tilt to one side!” Bro, humble yourself. Enjoy your shrimp scampi.

Hamilton Hall

Hamilton is not just the name of a Tony Award-winning musical — it’s the most underrated dorm on campus. With rooms that are slightly bigger than Bean Hall and an off-brand Chipotle called Big Mouth Burrito, what more could you want besides indigestion? Wellness? Well, look no further.

Hamilton West is home to the Wellness Floor for students who want to live in a (relatively) quiet hall. The complex also has a basement you could easily get lost in and never return home from. There’s a residence hall called Tingle. How could you not have a shiver run down your spine knowing that?

Walton Hall

Walton is like Hamilton’s ugly cousin. It has the same small rooms and dated communal bathrooms, but without any food options in-house. On the bright side, you have the opportunity to get very close with your roommate while sharing a 130 square foot living space and walking through the rain to Hamilton or Carson for food.

A handful of rooms on the third floor of Walton can see into Hayward field during track meets, which is probably the building’s most redeeming quality. Walton is slated to be remodeled soon, but for now, residents should bring their earplugs. The university housing website warns residents that there will be construction noise and increased traffic near Walton in 2017-18 due to the Hayward field renovations.

Bean Hall

We’ve heard it all before. The biggest and nicest rooms belong to the Learning Living Center. The smart kids get a smoothie bar and a sushi chef at the Global Scholars Hall. And despite the old, cramped rooms, Hamilton still features the best variety of food options of all the dorms at the university. While other dorm halls receive glory and praise, one is consistently left out: Bean. With no dining halls and the smallest living corridors, the infamous Bean Hall has earned a bad reputation among the UO community. Luckily for the incoming freshman class, the hall is closed for the 2017-18 school year due to renovations.

While this year’s freshmen will avoid living in a dorm that is rumored to be based on the blueprints from a state prison, they’re also going to miss out on a lot. The often bleak prospects of living in Bean helped rally its community together. Like soldiers bonding while at war, the university’s lowest-rated dorm hall forged a connection between its residents that only they can understand.

Living Learning Center

Living in the Living Learning Center is living in the lap of luxury.  The hallways are as wide and as polished as the halls of Buckingham Palace. Mostly comprised of enhanced-double sized rooms, LLC has no shortage of space. It’s the perfect dorm to host friends for watch parties, game nights or other sketchy activities. Plus, if your roommate smells, just stay on your side of the room and there is a likely chance that you won’t even catch the drift. The bonus study rooms on each floor contain couches and chairs that are liftable if you want to borrow them for additional seating in your five-star shoebox.

LLC food is also top notch. At Dux Bistro, you can find a plethora of healthy options including soup, sandwiches and salad. The outdoor seating is conveniently located in front of the lawn, making it a perfect mid-day study spot if you need some fresh air. The only downside to living in LLC is the occasional lack of community. Students staying in LLC enjoy pleasant views out of large and functional windows, and sometimes — if the wind is blowing in just the right direction and the hum of the deluxe heating system lulls — they can hear the shrill cries of anguish from Bean residents down the street.

This post has been updated at 8:43 a.m. on Sept. 21 to convey the correct dining hall in LLC. 

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Seattle’s Fleet Foxes second visit to the Portland area in four months was cloaked in nearby smoke from the Eagle Creek wildfire — the type that makes everyone cough and everything else seem hazy and eerily stunning. The band, known for its vibrant, natural indie folk, played McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale on Sept. 16. Months after the release of 2017’s “Crack-Up,” and amid a forested backdrop, Fleet Foxes returned not with a bang, but a sizzle.

The band sounds delicate and precise live. Songs like “Mykonos” and “Blue Ridge Mountains” took on a choral, angelic quality, but it was easy to tell that the smoke and air quality was affecting singer Robin Pecknold’s voice. He took long sips from a water bottle and a pot of Throat Coat tea as the show went on. “You can get it wherever fine teas are sold,” he told a curious audience member who shimmied up to the barricade to ask what he was drinking.

Occasionally, Pecknold’s voice would crack. Maybe because of this, the band played a vulnerable, intimate and wide-ranging set.

Everything, except for the bouncy Bee Gees-style pop from opener Natalie Prass, seemed a bit languid, even for indie-folk champions like Fleet Foxes. The band transitioned between songs in a slow, deliberate manner, almost like one long medley; often it was hard to tell when one song ended and the next started.

Fleet Foxes perform at the McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater in Troutdale, Ore., on Sept. 16, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Most often these segues worked well. Near the end of the concert, a moving cover of Jackson C. Frank’s “Blues Runs the Game” streamed into “Helplessness Blues.” The audience was rapt as the songs became one and then parted ways. Fleet Foxes newest songs are well-suited for medley, but some of the band’s older (and lighter) material peppered throughout made the setlist feel less cohesive than the music actually was.  

Pecknold relied very little on interacting with the audience between songs because of these transitions. This significant lack of interaction mixed with constant talking from the audience made the band seem a little flat personality-wise, even though its music spoke volumes. Pecknold left the audience wanting more with every quiet “Thank you.”

As the sun set and string lights between the trees turned on, the band found more of a groove. An older, graying woman started to do yoga on her blanket, mustachioed Portlanders put their arms around their girlfriends and everyone swayed a little bit more.

Guitarist and vocalist Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes serenades the crowd. Fleet Foxes perform at the McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater in Troutdale, Ore., on Sept. 16, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The wind blew through the trees during “White Winter Hymnal,” signifying fall’s imminent arrival. Fleet Foxes’s instrumentals, delicate and fraying around the edges, reverberated throughout the venue. In the end, the band was able to cut through the late summer haze, even if they were a little hazy themselves.

Follow Sararosa on Twitter @srosiedosie.

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Joywave being interviewed for the Daily Emerald. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Sure, Daniel Armbruster of Rochester, New York’s Joywave graduated college. But according to him, the time he did was the “worst time possible in history” to do it.

He graduated from the University of Rochester with a history degree in 2007, when the economy collapsed and the notion of a job became a baby boomer fantasy. And from the ensuing struggle emerged his band’s first album, 2015’s “How Do You Feel Now?” It’s one of angst and conflict — with layered vocals and gritty, electronic instrumentation. On the track “Somebody New,” Armbruster sings “With my eyes on the prize / not a thing to my name / with my head in the clouds / and my body don’t waste.”

When The Emerald spoke with Armbruster and Joywave’s drummer, Paul Brenner, about their new album, music consuming habits and the Rochester music scene, the two band members joked lightly about some pretty dark things. Joywave is currently on tour with Young the Giant and Cold War Kids. At the time of the interview, they had just finished the casino circuit. “I lost four dollars,” Armbruster said.

On the band’s latest release, July’s “Content” (pronounced as in the feeling of being content), Armbruster and his bandmates continue to explore our fast-paced world. But this time, they dig a little deeper. This isn’t a post-college, what-do-I-do-with-the-world album. Instead, “Content” explores the duality of its title: the fact that content can mean the feeling of happiness or when pronounced differently, a substance or material. “‘I’m searching / for the difference between / what content and content can bring,” Armbruster sings on the titular track.

“The title lies in the discrepancy,” he said.

Joywave has always had a knack for exploring a pessimistic worldview with a dark and playful sense of humor— whether collaborating with Big Data to produce the paranoid alternative chart topper “Dangerous” or producing an extended play EP called “Swish.” The latter title is a reference to Kanye West’s original name for “The Life of Pablo,” released in 2016. That album’s cover art seemed eerily similar to Joywave’s promotional material, so they made a joke out of it.

“I thought the image was loading wrong, so I checked on three different websites, because I thought it was a glitch thing. And it wasn’t, it was pretty much exactly our artwork,” Armbruster said. “I mean, I certainly wasn’t offended by it, and I don’t think Kanye West woke up one morning and was like, ‘How can I copy Joywave today?’ I’m sure someone on his team, somewhere along the way saw a subway ad for [our tour], or a bench ad, or a bus ad, and I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose.”

Brenner didn’t seem too angry. “Realistically, it’s black Helvetica on orange,” he said.

“Swish” came out in 2016 — in between “How Do You Feel Now?” and “Content” — so the band has released full-length musical content three years in a row. But even in Joywave’s busy touring schedule, its members found time to make “Content” a deliberate and thoughtful release. For four months, they rented a cabin 40 miles outside of Rochester, New York and recorded. “We lived there, [made] campfires, we melted some glass,” Armbruster said. “Yeah, it was fun.”

The product of this four-month recording session is a blistering yet joyful album — catchy on the surface but with something sinister boiling underneath. Tracks like “It’s a Trip” and “Doubt” reel listeners in with concise and danceable sounds, but the paranoid lyrics are enough to make a party uneasy.

Thank U. Will let @jackantonoff accept bc we R at @Disneyland https://t.co/5SpqQk7yuY

— Joywave (@joywavemusic) August 28, 2017

Armbruster and Brenner say the album is a response to the ways we consume as a culture. “It’s also a reaction to just the way that everyone consumes music now, which is like, ‘Well, this album came out a week ago. Now it’s old. Now there’s a new album!’ And things just get buried down the chain,” Armbruster said.

Joywave being interviewed for the Daily Emerald. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

“By Friday,” Brenner said, “you’ve got a list of fifty new albums.”

Armbruster says he sometimes feels overwhelmed by the constant flow of music. “I’m the kind of guy [who] wants to listen to his favorite records over and over again, ‘cause they’re the best,” he said. His go-to album is Radiohead’s “OK Computer,” a harrowing portrait of a world consumed by new media. Meanwhile, Brenner puts on the first 3 songs from “The Bends” — also Radiohead — every time he flies in a plane.

“It’s tradition,” Brenner said.

The band has a busy schedule in the next year with its own headlining tour and the end of the band’s run with Young the Giant and Cold War Kids. For now, Armbruster is still using his history degree to make it in the world.

“I think I treat my life like a historian,” Armbruster said, “I’m trying to document what it’s like to be my age right now on planet earth. And if people care, that’s cool, and if people don’t care, that’s cool too. I’m making it. “

For more information about the band, visit its website www.joywavemusic.com. Check out the Emerald’s photos from the band’s August show in Eugene here.

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Musicfest NW presents Project Pabst is taking over the Tom McCall Waterfront in Portland this weekend from Aug. 26 to 27. With a robust lineup, plenty of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a warm weather forecast, the festival is sure to be the a great late summer event. Check out the Emerald’s recommendations for acts to check out this weekend.

Aug. 26

The Last Artful, Dodgr — 1 to 1:30 p.m. (Captain Pabst Stage)

Before breaching Portland’s local hip-hop scene with her stylish sound, The Last Artful, Dodgr was simply Alana Chenevert from Los Angeles. That was before she graduated from Humboldt State University in 2011 and became a local fixture, radio DJ and in rap shows. She’s been rapping ever since — her first mixtape dropped in 2013 — and been challenging the genre’s norms. Her EP “Fractures”  certified her underground cred two years later.

A queer artist with an ear for socially conscious prose, her first LP “Bone Music” evokes the style of Vince Staples, Frank Ocean and A$AP Rocky with a deeply personal edge. Throbbing bass lines abound, especially on the highlight “Jazz Crimes.” She delivers a drive-by scene in short lyrical spurts, blurring the line between hallucination and cold reality. The “Artful” moniker is well-earned. Fans of trippy hip-hop will find plenty to love.

White Reaper — 1:35 to 2:15 p.m. (Unicorn Stage)

Kentucky-based band White Reaper began to gain an audience in 2014 with a self-titled EP featuring fast and fuzz-filled garage rock. Since then, the band has released two full-length studio albums – “White Reaper Does It Again” and “The World’s Best American Band” – both of which include energetic music that teeters between punk and power pop. The band’s earlier sound is similar to artists that came before them – such as Ty Segall or Jay Reatard – while its newer music leans more towards pop without sacrificing garage rock roots. White Reaper has toured with bands such as Twin Peaks and Deerhoof, and they are currently out on the road in support of the veteran indie rockers Spoon. Expect an energetic set filled with loud guitars and catchy vocals.

Lizzo — 4 to 4:50 p.m. (Captain Pabst Stage)

Minneapolis R&B and hip-hop star Lizzo will be bringing a sense of self love and nourishment to Portland this weekend. Hot off the release of her new single, “Water Me,” on Aug. 17, she is sure to bring an empowering and rambunctious live set to the festival. With the break-up anthem “Good as Hell,” and the sultry, self-assured “Humanize” from 2016’s “Coconut Oil” EP, Lizzo is sure to make even the downtrodden  a little more confident. Her Twitter campaign to play the 2018 Super Bowl is the perfect example of this. Check out Lizzo’s performance if you need someone saying “Yas, lord” in your life.

FIDLAR — 4:55 to 5:50 p.m. (Unicorn Stage)

Project Pabst seems like the perfect home for a punk band that sings about “Cheap Beer,” “Bad Habits” and spending neurotic days alone with an endless supply of 40 oz. beers as company. Since its unhinged 2013 self-titled debut, FIDLAR has learned that all parties have to end at some point, as singer Zac Carper has gone completely sober after several near-fatal overdoses and has documented his struggles on “Too.” The band’s October 2015 Portland performance was rowdy and the air was thick from sweating teenagers. Carper claims you “can’t buy liquor in Oregon” in the anthemic road trip song “West Coast,” but the festival’s discounted PBRs should suffice for the band’s adrenaline-fueled performance — regardless of your sobriety.

Father John Misty — 5:55 to 7:00 p.m. (Captain Pabst Stage)

Josh Tillman – who took on the moniker Father John Misty back in 2012 – is often a polarizing figure. Some praise him for his bleak piano ballads, ironic delivery and nostalgic production, while others refuse to look past his often smug and cynical persona. Earlier this year, the singer-songwriter released his much anticipated third album “Pure Comedy,” on which he offered a fair amount of witty criticisms and sardonic lyrics, touching on everything from entertainment to religion. Fans can expect him to perform songs from this newer release, as well as some older favorites off of  “Fear Fun” and “I Love You, Honeybear.”

Die Antwoord — 7:05 to 8:10 p.m. (Unicorn Stage)

Hip-hop/rave duo Die Antwoord will certainly stand out from the rest of the acts set to perform at this weekend’s Project Pabst. The South African-duo, comprised of vocalists Ninja and Yolandi Visser, is known for their abrasive lyricism and performance, not to mention their wacky wardrobe. Most songs feature a dance-inspired beat with an overload of synths, while the pair rap and sing in three different languages.

The group is heavily influenced by Zef culture, which is a South African countercultural movement that has inspired, among many things, music, fashion and political ideologies. The duo’s often vulgar and borderline disgusting language is derived from the Zef movement’s emphasis on a “hold nothing back” attitude. The combination of that attitude and musical talent has made Die Antwoord one of the most polarizing international musical acts in the scene.

August 27

San Fermin — 3:05 to 3:55 p.m. (Unicorn Stage)

San Fermin, a Brooklyn born chamber-pop band, will also be performing at Project Pabst. The group released its third album, “Belong,” in April 2017. Bandleader Ellis Ludwig-Leone wrote it with a new perspective. His songwriting inspiration came from more personal and realistic scenarios, like his dedication to his band mates and the time he spends alone between tours. Although Ludwig-Leone composes the group’s sound, expect additional members Charlene Kaye and Allan Tate to provide vocals. With singers backed by live saxophone, violin and trumpet, San Fermin provides a mix of classical instruments and hip indie sounds.

After its show in Portland, San Fermin will continue touring North America throughout September and October.

Noname — 4 to 4:50 p.m. (Captain Pabst Stage)

Independent Chicago rapper Noname made her splash into the music scene after providing featured verses on Chance the Rapper’s “Acid Rap” and grammy-award-winning “Coloring Book” mixtapes. In 2016, Noname released her first solo record,“Telefone.” The album, which was released as a free download, was well-received by critics and fans alike. Both Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound ranked the album in their top 50 albums of 2016.

Much of the album is presented in the format of a poetic story, providing information on her tough upbringing in Chicago and the growth she has made since then. “Telefone’s” instrumentation features bright piano chords and soft, upbeat percussion that forms a pleasant blend of hip-hop and R&B. The uplifting beats help soften the blow of the record’s mostly grim themes.

Whitney — 4:55 to 5:50 p.m. (Unicorn Stage)

Indie pop duo Whitney is returning to Oregon after performances in Eugene and Portland last April. “Light Upon the Lake,” the group’s 2016 release, garnered critics’ attention for its smooth and soulful, but still poppy sound. Drummer/vocalist Julien Ehrlich croons from center stage during the band’s performances, while Max Kakacek’s guitar licks follow along behind. The band’s intimate and fun sound will provide a nice respite from some of the more intense acts playing the festival.

Beck  — 8:20 to 9:50 (Captain Pabst Stage)

With a string of radio hits in the mid-’90s – including the irreverent “Loser” and the sample-heavy “Where It’s At” – Beck solidified himself as one of the most recognizable names in alternative rock. He continued his career into the 2000s with just as much relevancy, releasing acclaimed albums such as the mellowed-out “Sea Change” and the the psychedelic “Modern Guilt.” He has created an ever-changing style that takes influence from almost every genre of popular music. Just a few year back, Beck won Album of the Year at the Grammy’s for his folk-influenced album “Morning Phase,” and he is currently gearing up to release a new album entitled “Colors” in October. Live performances often feature a career-spanning set, featuring both newer material as well as old favorites.

Stay tuned for more Project Pabst coverage this weekend.

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Greta Kline, also known by her stage name Frankie Cosmos, started releasing music online at the age of 15. In an eerily similar way to Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo, Kline went from posting bedroom recordings on Bandcamp.com to touring with an acclaimed band signed to a major indie label. Now, in some ways, she’s coming full circle.

Kline is playing at MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst in Portland on Sunday, Aug. 27, along with one of her idols, Beck. She cites his 1994 album “One Foot in the Grave” as one of the reasons she started playing music. Although she is excited to share a stage with him, she’s not as excited about drinking some Pabst Blue Ribbon as other festival-goers might be.

“I don’t drink, so it feels really funny to be playing a beer-themed thing,” Kline said. “I’m just going to drink some water there — drink lots of water.”

Kline developed her sound in New York City and Westchester County’s DIY scene. She recently signed to Seattle’s iconic Sub Pop Records for her next album after 2016’s “Next Thing.”

On Frankie Cosmos’s 2016 album, “Next Thing,” Kline sings in a quiet monotonous tone — her voice floating just above wry lyrics about being in love, being in your early 20s and the feelings that come with change. “Some day in bravery / I’ll embody all grace and lightness,” she sings on “Embody.” “Everybody understands me / but I wish nobody understood me.”

A former English and creative writing major at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Kline writes poetry in addition to her music. Though her lyrics are full of wordplay and simple imagery, the artist keeps her literary pursuits separate from her songwriting. Kline has a poet’s demeanor — both internally motivated, and interested in the way the world works at the same time.

Kline has tried to turn poems into songs and songs into poems, but said it feels weird to do so. She noted that her lyrics are influenced by certain chords and that she writes the words with music in mind. With poetry, she thinks about how the poem will sound when read aloud with nothing else behind it.

“Performing is such an outward thing, but for me, the writing part, which is the most vital part for me, is very introspective,” she said. “I think a lot about the fact that you can never really communicate fully anything that you write.”

One of Kline’s favorite poets is Elizabeth Bishop. The Massachusetts-born Pulitzer Prize winner is known for her descriptions of the natural world and exploration of grief in her work. Kline likes Bishop’s work because she can read Bishop’s poems many times and never lose interest. “That’s always a feat,” she said.

In concert, Kline finds herself feeling vulnerable while trying to connect with an audience. Recent festival gigs have provoked some stage fright in her. “I feel like I remember every show so well. It’s funny — it always carries a lot of weight with me,” Kline said.

Although her band is growing more popular by the day, Kline’s favorite performances are still the small, cramped house shows that kickstarted her career. Her audience’s rapid growth may make it hard for her to play house shows as much, but she still aims to play at least two per year.

“To just be on the floor, with no stage, feels good,” she said.

Though she’ll only be drinking water at the festival, Kline is excited to connect with an audience, even if it may be a larger one than she’s used to. “We just have fun and try to make everybody enjoy themselves,” Kline said. “If they don’t, they don’t. If they do, they do.”

Frankie Cosmos plays MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst on Aug. 27 from 2:20 to 3 p.m. at the Captain Pabst stage. The festival runs Aug. 26 and 27 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland. For more information and tickets, check out the festival’s website at portland.projectpabst.com.

Check out Frankie Cosmos’s “Outside With The Cuties” below:

Follow Sararosa on Twitter @srosiedosie.

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On Aug. 20, Young the Giant, Cold War Kids and Joywave joined forces at the Cuthbert Amphitheater for a show full of anthemic indie pop and mentions of the eclipse.

Joywave brought its indie and electronic sounds to Eugene, hot off the release of its latest album, “Content.” Daniel Armbruster’s vocals combined with the band’s sultry sounds to create a highly danceable set. The band is great at writing catchy songs that also leave the listener with a twinge of uneasiness — like nothing is final. “Somebody New,” with its distorted beginning was a great example of this. At the end of the set, Armbruster told the crowd about the band’s headline tour soon. He exclaimed that crowd had to prove itself for a place on the list of tour dates. With the band’s energy, the crowd was pumped.

Joywave’s Daniel Armbruster snaps his fingers at the band’s Cuthbert show on Aug. 20, 2017. (Sararosa Davies/Emerald)

Cold War Kids followed with a wide-ranging set. The band released its latest album “L.A Divine” at the end of spring. It played crowd-pleasers like “First” to songs like the “L.A. Divine” track “So Tied Up.” Vocalist Nathan Willet, wearing a Cold War Kids shirt, moved from playing the piano to shaking maracas to playing the guitar. He did this all while singing the band’s songs with full passion. As Cold War Kids ended its set, he mentioned the current political moment and called for audience members to think about the way they treat others.

Matt Maust of Cold War Kids locks eyes with the camera. Young the Giant headline the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, OR on Aug. 20, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Daily Emerald)

Headliner Young the Giant is touring in support of 2016’s “Home of the Strange,” an album about the immigrant experience in the United States. The band’s set was preceded by a mix of songs about America ranging from Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” to Green Day’s “American Idiot.” The crowd screamed as familiar songs played, singing along to Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA.”  Lead singer Sameer Gadhia wore an orange jumpsuit and flailed about on stage, bringing the night to a warm end.

Young the Giant headline the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, OR, on Aug. 20, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Daily Emerald)

Check out the Emerald’s photo gallery from the night below and stay tuned for a profile of Joywave in the coming week. 

The post Young the Giant, Cold War Kids and Joywave bring the heat to Eugene appeared first on Emerald Media.