Think of this year’s Sasquatch lineup as a large sampling, a buffet if you will, of the current state of the national music scene. In addition to the many big names this year — OutKast, Tyler the Creator, The National, M.I.A., Haim and The Queens of the Stone Age, just to name a few — here are our must-see picks for the three days of Squatch.

The Stepkids (Bigfoot Stage, Friday 2:00 – 2:45 p.m.)

“Any comparison to Steely Dan we’re always really happy about,” says Daniel Edinberg of his vintage 70s-recalling band The Stepkids. “We’re extremely pro Dan.” The trio out of Connecticut sound as if they’ve been hiding away in a bunker full of synthesizers and percussion for the last four decades only to emerge with a full appreciation of sleek funk.  Try listening to “Memoirs of Grey” without popping a shoulder along with the beat. “I feel like we’re a festival band. I feel like we bring a pretty unique, original sound to the concert table,” continues Edinberg. “We really like that we get to hang out and see a lot of other groups. It makes you play better when you see all these other people doing their thing and putting in a lot of hard work. We feel like we play the best at a festival.”

Hozier (Yeti Stage, Friday 4:10 – 4:55 p.m.)

If your heart doesn’t soar during the opening “Baaaabe” of Hozier’s track “From Eden,” you should probably check to see if you have a pulse. Although Irish-born musician Andrew Hozier-Byrne got his start singing in college with the Trinity Orchestra in Dublin, he has successfully channeled his Delta blues and soul inspirations with the recently released EPs Take Me to Church and From Eden. Dripping with heavy (often religious) imagery, Hozier’s music explores the themes of sexuality, humanity and love making for a refreshing dichotomy in many of his lyrics. But regardless if you’re paying attention to the lyrics or not, Hozier is a must-see if only to hear his soulful vocals accompanied by a gorgeous head of hair.

Bright Light Social Hour (Bigfoot Stage, Saturday 1:00 – 1:45 p.m.)

Even if you have yet to witness it with your own eyes, you’ve heard about the gorgeous Gorge. “I know it’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful spots you can play anywhere on the planet,” says Bright Lights Social Hour’s bassist Jack O’Brien. Hailing from Austin, Texas and caught between the grooves of psychedelic and rock, Bright Lights Social Hour is a band that thrives in a festival setting. “Just being outdoors on a big stage with big lights — I feel like the outdoor festival is where our music works very well,” explains O’Brien. The band has just wrapped up recording the follow up to their 2010 self-titled debut and is stoked to play Sasquatch for their first time where their music will ring through the canyon. “There’s something amazing about making sounds and then being amplified so big that it goes on forever and there’s no end point, you know?” says O’Brien. “Shooting these sounds out into space — it’s pretty cool.”

Hobosexual (Narwhal Stage, Saturday 2:00 – 2:45 p.m.)

Last year, Seattle hard rock duo Hobosexual played the Timber Music Festival and had to learn not to party too hard before their set. “The only thing I think we’ll have to be careful of is not to drink too much and get heat stroke like we did in Timber,” laughs drummer Jeff Silva. “Luckily there was a river nearby so we basically just jumped into the river, but Sasquatch is out in the middle of a canyon. So I think the goal is to stay well hydrated and rock at a 120%.” If the band name isn’t enough to rouse a listen, give their website a gander — it’s one of the greatest band websites around and showcases Hobosexual’s admiration for the 1980s. Full of heavy guitar riffs and cymbal crashes, these two beardo weirdos also have a knack for song titles. “A Motherfucking Song about Aliens” and “Bums of 2071” are just two tracks off their 2013 release, Hobosexual II.

The Growlers (Yeti Stage, Saturday 5:15 – 6:15 p.m.)

These self-proclaimed “beach goths” hail from Dana Point, California and harness a scrappy DIY approach to their lo-fi surf rock. True to their name, lead singer Brooks Nielsen’s gritty, grizzly vocals carry the band’s playful lyrics like “Someday, when tall boys turn into champagne, when bologna turns into steak.” Sure to be one of the more low-key and enjoyable sets of the weekend, The Growlers are like those surfers-turned-musicians still using Dad’s garage as a practice space and will effortlessly contribute to the pure ease of this Northwest festival.

TOKiMONSTA (El Chupacabra Stage, Saturday 10:00 – 11:00 p.m.)

Whether it’s music to groove to or sensual beats for the sheets, Jennifer Lee, better known as electronic producer TOKiMONSTA, has got you covered. Signed to fellow Los Angelean Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder lable, TOKi is one of the more innovative (not to mention one of the only) female beat makers in the scene right now. Her sultry, sometimes cosmic-sounding down-tempo style is best heard on the tracks “Smoke & Mirrors” and “Little Pleasures.” A perfect way to sway into the starry Saturday evening.

Big Freedia (El Chupacabra Stage, Sunday 8:30 – 9:30 p.m.)

Along with the rise of twerking (unfortunately made mainstream by the bony likes of Miley Cyrus) is the New Orleans “bounce” music scene where it all originated. Big Freedia, the reigning “Queen diva, you besta believa” of this movement has been asking listeners to “bend and make your booty whop” since the early 90s. For a preview of Sunday’s larger than life set, I recommend listening to “Booty-Whop” and “Excuse.” Freedia will most certainly bring the bounce, and put the sass in Sasquatch.

Parquet Courts (Yeti Stage, Sunday 9:15 – 10:30 p.m.)

There’s a lot more to punk music than what initially meets the ear. Parquet Courts are a Brooklyn punk band that matches their guitar aggression with melody — something that has been missing since Pavement’s gold sounds — as well as hitting you with a little thought provocation. (“Socrates died in the fucking gutter,” as heard in the track “Master of my Craft”) They have a new record, Sunbathing Animal, due out on June 3 meaning that their set on Sunday night will be full of new tunes. End your Tour de Squatch with a highlight.

There was a moment last night at the Bohemian Dub Ball where art and expression appeared to be bursting through the basket-woven ceiling of the Hult Center.

The stage was shared between an aerial silk dancer scaling up and down, a sole B-boy break dancing, Medium Troy’s dub hip-hop beats, the Bohemian Dub Orchestra modern spin on classical music and on the far right side of the platform, artists alternating contributions to a single painting — and this was just what was going on up in the front. The whole auditorium was buzzing and swirling with vibrant lights and dynamic dancers. Even if you were en route to a bathroom break, you were participating in this artistic eruption.

2014 marks the first year for the Bohemian Dub Ball but organizers are striving to make it an annual event. Due to its smashing debut, there’s no reason why a yearly celebration that strings together music, dance and visual art wouldn’t solidify itself as a Eugene standard.

There were over ten unique performers scheduled during the 4-hour event with multiple dancing acts serving as interludes between sets. Broadway Revue Burlesque, which will soon celebrate its 11th year anniversary making it one of the oldest burlesque troupes on the west coast, provided an arousing display and the Red Mood Rising belly dance troupe shimmied the stage.

Hip-hop artist Devin the Dude came on around 9:30 p.m. with a helicopter camera drone that soared around the Hult. With a hit like “Doobie Ashtray,” Devin the Dude is no stranger to the righteous bush and twice during his set he took up a fan’s offer for a mid-song toke. One admirer sporting a camouflaged hat hectically tried to get his t-shirt signed by the Houston rapper only to be kindly declined because he only had a ballpoint pen. On the last song of his set, Devin the Dude was joined by the Bohemian Dub Orchestra and brought this old Simpsons scene into a reality.

Medium Troy, one of the top organizers for the event, took the stage dressed in solid-colored Sgt. Pepper-esq uniforms and commanded the groove. Part of their set was backed with the Bohemian Dub Orchestra and the juxtaposition of electronic hip-hop and symphony was delightful. Joining them for a few songs was Bettreena Jaeger of the local folk group Betty and the Boy and her sweet vocals functioned swimmingly with Medium Troy. Towards the end of their set, Medium Troy’s bassist J Say Say looked out to the heavily spirited crowd where few seats were being occupied and said, “Some people said motherfuckers couldn’t get down in the Hult Center!”

Slightly after 11 pm, a mysterious man appeared dressed in a dark sparkling jumpsuit and donned a stark black wielder’s mask. Attached to his lower abdomen was an electronic mixer and it only took a few seconds of his skillful playing of the machine for us to realize who just took the stage. RJD2, a master of mixing and scratching, brought an electrifying set with a heavy beat and moved around his consoles like a nuclear physicist frantically trying to prevent a meltdown. RJD2’s craft is unmatched and his performance was a marvel.

As the show came to an end and attendees gradually exited the Hult Center, it became apparent that due to the vivacious atmosphere you couldn’t feel out of place or unwelcomed at the Bohemian Dub Ball.

Donald Glover, known more commonly by his stage name Childish Gambino, has come a long way since rapping over Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks.” His show at the Cuthbert Amphitheater last night came with a 7-piece band, an interactive messaging board projected behind the stage and a healthy dose of symbolism.

On tour in support of his recent record Because the Internet, Gambino has proven himself to be an artist, using his music and performance as a commentary on the Internet’s strength and capability. Beginning in 2006 with Derrick Comedy (his college sketch comedy group) Gambino used YouTube to release videos, which caught the attention of Community’s Dan Harmon and Tina Fey, thus skyrocketing his career. The Internet has great power, and Gambino knows how to harness it.

Behind the stage was a large screen showing projections of concert attendee’s drawings and Tweet-sized messages. On his Deep Web Tour, Gambino includes the Deep Web App where fans can download at the show and then interact in real time. It was quite the novel and exciting addition to live music but leave it to crowd of anonymous Millennials to treat it like a YouTube comment section. Crude drawings of penises and bongs were accompanied with tweets like “@johnray I masturbate to pictures of dogs.” The Internet is the most powerful tool mankind has created, and so far, we’re still finding ways of abusing it.

Following opening act Danny Brown was Gambino’s touring DJ Stefan Ponce who hit a few buttons and played a prerecorded mix of contemporary hits and past favorites. The crowd reacted strongly for DMX’s “Party Up (Up in Here)” and the Fresh Prince of Philadelphia theme song, but it was strange that the mix included two Gambino tracks, considering we were already present at his show.

Nothing summed up the vibe of the audience better than Ponce’s remark towards the end of his set. “Shout out to Eugene,” he said to a cheering college and high school-aged crowd. “Y’all said ‘nigga’ and y’all are white as hell!”

At 9 pm the old, obnoxious sound of dial-up Internet started blaring through the speakers, reminding the crowd of how much they all hated that noise. After a few minutes, the band took the stage followed by Gambino who was casually dressed in knee-length white shorts and a long-sleeved black shirt. He sat at the piano and began playing the soft interlude track “Playing Around Before the Party Starts” but then blasted into “Worldstar.”

“Yeah, mothafucka, take your phone out to record this, ain’t nobody can ignore this,” raps Gambino in “Worldstar.” Against a sea of illuminated screens, these lyrics felt comic and rather tongue-in-cheek.

About midway through the show, another screen was lowered down on the stage disconnecting Gambino from his audience. The vibe took a turn to the serious and sincere while Gambino sang in a falsetto backed by light flamenco guitar and thrusting bass. This addition of another screen provided more substance to the technological symbolism that wraps around Because the Internet. We’ve become the most connected generation of people in history but it’s through glowing, hollow screens.

Since this is the most interactive show currently on tour, a mid-show survey was cast where the audience could respond feeling either lost, some type of way, (wide eyed Emoji) or Roscoe’s Wetsuit. Consensus was “some type of way.”

Much of his performance was dedicated and orchestrated to material off of his new album but towards the end, the backdrop scenery changed to a campfire, a nod to his first album Camp, where Gambino dusted off a few of his early hits. A colorful rendition of “Heartbeat” began with an alternate intro and included a gripping slap bass rhythm. But the best change up was the very end when Gambino switched the final lyrics to, “But not really because I got some head in Eugene and it was –” inaudible, due to the loud cheers. The show came to a close with “Bonfire” and as the song began, so did the rain.

Childish Gambino has found success, because of the Internet.

Donald Glover, known more commonly by his stage name Childish Gambino, has come a long way since rapping over Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks.” His show at the Cuthbert Amphitheater last night came with a 7-piece band, an interactive messaging board projected behind the stage and a healthy dose of symbolism.

On tour in support of his recent record Because the Internet, Gambino has proven himself to be an artist, using his music and performance as a commentary on the Internet’s strength and capability. Beginning in 2006 with Derrick Comedy (his college sketch comedy group) Gambino used YouTube to release videos, which caught the attention of Community’s Dan Harmon and Tina Fey, thus skyrocketing his career. The Internet has great power, and Gambino knows how to harness it.

Behind the stage was a large screen showing projections of concert attendee’s drawings and Tweet-sized messages. On his Deep Web Tour, Gambino includes the Deep Web App where fans can download at the show and then interact in real time. It was quite the novel and exciting addition to live music but leave it to crowd of anonymous Millennials to treat it like a YouTube comment section. Crude drawings of penises and bongs were accompanied with tweets like “@johnray I masturbate to pictures of dogs.” The Internet is the most powerful tool mankind has created, and so far, we’re still finding ways of abusing it.

Following opening act Danny Brown was Gambino’s touring DJ Stefan Ponce who hit a few buttons and played a prerecorded mix of contemporary hits and past favorites. The crowd reacted strongly for DMX’s “Party Up (Up in Here)” and the Fresh Prince of Philadelphia theme song, but it was strange that the mix included two Gambino tracks, considering we were already present at his show.

Nothing summed up the vibe of the audience better than Ponce’s remark towards the end of his set. “Shout out to Eugene,” he said to a cheering college and high school-aged crowd. “Y’all said ‘nigga’ and y’all are white as hell!”

At 9 pm the old, obnoxious sound of dial-up Internet started blaring through the speakers, reminding the crowd of how much they all hated that noise. After a few minutes, the band took the stage followed by Gambino who was casually dressed in knee-length white shorts and a long-sleeved black shirt. He sat at the piano and began playing the soft interlude track “Playing Around Before the Party Starts” but then blasted into “Worldstar.”

“Yeah, mothafucka, take your phone out to record this, ain’t nobody can ignore this,” raps Gambino in “Worldstar.” Against a sea of illuminated screens, these lyrics felt comic and rather tongue-in-cheek.

About midway through the show, another screen was lowered down on the stage disconnecting Gambino from his audience. The vibe took a turn to the serious and sincere while Gambino sang in a falsetto backed by light flamenco guitar and thrusting bass. This addition of another screen provided more substance to the technological symbolism that wraps around Because the Internet. We’ve become the most connected generation of people in history but it’s through glowing, hollow screens.

Since this is the most interactive show currently on tour, a mid-show survey was cast where the audience could respond feeling either lost, some type of way, (wide eyed Emoji) or Roscoe’s Wetsuit. Consensus was “some type of way.”

Much of his performance was dedicated and orchestrated to material off of his new album but towards the end, the backdrop scenery changed to a campfire, a nod to his first album Camp, where Gambino dusted off a few of his early hits. A colorful rendition of “Heartbeat” began with an alternate intro and included a gripping slap bass rhythm. But the best change up was the very end when Gambino switched the final lyrics to, “But not really because I got some head in Eugene and it was –” inaudible, due to the loud cheers. The show came to a close with “Bonfire” and as the song began, so did the rain.

Childish Gambino has found success, because of the Internet.

The promotional poster for the upcoming Bohemian Dub Ball looks like a Norman Rockwell picture that went through the wash with a Ziploc bag full of hallucinogens. Featuring a scrawny white boy with a backpack full of paint cans, a na-na-na-na boo-boo tongue sticking out of his mouth and a pair of untied orange shoes, this poster acts as an appropriate sign signaling what lies ahead at the ball: boundless artistic expression with a hefty side of whimsy and fun.

On Saturday, May 10, the Hult Center will trade in its usual crowd of conserved white-haired socialites for a colorful flock of dancers, ravers and shakers. Musicians RJD2, Medium Troy, Devin the Dude and Eskmo will perform with the Bohemian Dub Orchestra while visual artists Lights at Play and Ants on a Mellon provide the optical flare.

Born in Eugene but raised in Ohio, RJD2 is no stranger to subtle success. His 2002 single “Ghostwriter” is so instantly catchy you can feel confident playing it in a car full of strangers. And the instrumental version of his 2006 track “A Beautiful Mine” is the theme to Don Draper’s opening credits.

If you were in attendance at the Kaleidoscope Music Festival last summer, you might have noticed the giant, colorful jellyfish waving around the crowd. This visual delight is courtesy of the Springfield fiber optics company Ants on a Melon who have begun to expand throughout this past year. Along with fellow visual artists Lights at Play, Ants on a Melon will catch eyes and commandeer gazes all night.

The theme for the event is “Future Classic” meaning dress to impress either the past or the future. Tickets are $15 for UO students, $20 for the first 500 public tickets and $25 for the remainder. Doors open at 7 p.m. and showtime is at 7:30 p.m.

Getting stoned and listening to Pink Floyd’s 1973 opus Dark Side of the Moon is one of those classic rock clichés that is completely acceptable. It’s basically a musical rite of passage. In high school, my friends and I did the ritual a handful of times and with each listen came a stronger appreciation and fascination. If you have yet to spend the 43 minutes needed to experience the enlightenment, do so now. I’ll be here as a listening companion, gawking and praising along the way.

Side 1

“Breathe”

Some versions of Dark Side have this track split into two: the first being “Speak to Me” and the second being “Breathe,” but I’m more accustomed to them bleeding into one. This method of seamless song transitions will repeat for the remainder of the record, fore many landmark albums are to be heard as a whole rather than chopped into pieces.

Since Dark Side is a life achievement, it’s only fitting that the record begins with the simple sound of a heart beating. Interrupting the calm is a cacophony of cash registers and barely audible sound bites of people talking, but around the 1:12 minute mark a woman’s scream intensifies until…

If you’re high while listening to this record (which this is something that I don’t condone for obvious legal reasons), this moment when the band comes in at 1:16 minute is an orgasm of musical delight. Swaying and content, “Breathe” begins our musical odyssey.

“On the Run”

Supposedly Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright is afraid of flying and that feeling of stress and anxiety is represented by the organ which wraps around the listener in a sonic grip. Pink Floyd have said that this record deals with grasping mental health and “On the Run” adds instrumental flair to that theme.

“Time”

A symphony of old alarm clocks ring and banter in the beginning of “Time,” evoking an almost Twilight Zone atmosphere. “Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown” is a line of lyrics that has always resonated with me and I can vividly remember sitting in my 7th grade choir class lost in thought about what it meant. “Time” is one of Dark Side’s most accessible tracks. David Gilmour’s guitar scratching juxtaposed with Wright’s keyboarding sounds like two masters of pong in a match of a lifetime. This is one of the few tracks on the album that has the capability to standalone but it doesn’t need to. “Time” is a pivotal piece in the Dark Side Janga.

“The Great Gig in the Sky”

A fairly unknown session singer from Abby Road Studios was asked to come in and provide vocals for the final track of side one and the result made music history. Clare Torry’s voice is mesmerizing as it’s thrown around in “The Great Gig in the Sky.” I’ve been told that she was able to record her part in one take but that’s just a false urban legend. Gilmour confirmed the band compiled the best parts from Torry’s session to create the powerful vocal solo. A possible metaphor regarding death, “The Great Gig in the Sky” dazzles as we enter the second half of Dark Side.

Side 2

“Money”

One of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits that made them rich (ironic in that it’s a song that mocks the lavish lifestyle) “Money” is one of the only Dark Side songs to ever make heavy radio play. There’s a funkier persona attached to this track, due to its 7/4 song structure, and both the saxophone and guitar solos rip and roar.

“Us and Them”

A song that’s able to sway between beautiful and sad at the same time, “Us and Them” is the centerpiece for side two. Keep an ear out for the two sax solos, another oddball speaking section, courtesy of one of the band’s roadies and Gilmour, Wright and Roger Waters ability to harmonize into one mystic voice.

“Any Colour You Like”

Isn’t it funny how the English spell color with a u?

“Brain Damage”

Syd Barrett was Pink Floyd’s original leader who wrote most of their early songs but had to leave the band in 1968 after he began showing signs of mental incapability due to excess drug abuse, mainly LSD. “Brain Damage” is a direct response to Barret (“And if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes…”) and I see it as an homage to the late mad genius. Musically, the guitar’s arpeggio structure recalls the Beatles “Dear Prudence” and the last 45 seconds of the track is a bridge that leads us into…

“Eclipse”

The cymbals crash and instantly we’re smacked with an electric keyboard right hook. Dark Side’s final track is an explosion of insight, “And everything under the sun is in tune/ But the sun is eclipsed by the moon.” After the music sizzles down to just a heartbeat, listen closely as an Abby Road Studios doorman leaves you with some parting wisdom.

Want more weed? Here are other Emerald stories about the green.

Why a weed issue?

Let’s clear the smoke an introduction to the Emerald’s weed issue

What do you people actually think about pot?

Weed Diaries

Getting high:

The effects of marijuana on your brain

Eugene baker Sharon Cohen makes strides in hemp food market

More than smoke, edibles offer a different marijuana experience

What is your preferred method of flight?

Dank or Schwag: Do G13, Matanuska Thunder Fuck or Peter Danklage disappoint?

Anatomy of a bong

High activities:

Altered states transform ordinary games into memorable highs

Tichenor: You think ‘Harold and Kumar’ is about weed? Think again.

Playlist: Songs to get high to

This is what happens when you listen to Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ while stoned

The legal stuff:

Is it time for Oregon to legalize marijuana?

Getting caught with marijuana on campus can have consequences

Medicinal use:

Eugene’s newest medical marijuana dispensary Oregon Medigreen brings patients relief

Eugene’s Elvy Musikka is one of only four recipients of federal medical marijuana for Glaucoma

Strict medical marijuana restrictions may hinder those in need

Steve Miller Band — “Space Intro/Fly Like an Eagle”

I think this is the closest I’ll ever come to getting high with my dad. He saw the Steve Miller Band in concert way back when and has admitted to passing out before Miller even hit the stage. Listening to the 1:14 minute short “Space Intro” is a necessity in order to achieve the ultimate zing. The rising synthesizer buzz and blend into a spiraling staircase that acts as the captain speaking, informing you of your current high altitude ascent. “Time keeps on slippin’ into the future” offers enough lyrical fodder to inspire a ridiculous high guy meme and I personally always hear “shoot the children” instead of “shoe the children” during the second verse.

Com Truise — “Cyanide Sisters”

Pairing a doobie with poppy electronic music is a safe bet for blissful harmony. This track is marked by its rhythmically pounding drumbeat that drives the song’s pulse and notifies your head to begin casually bobbing up and down. There’s a visual tone to this song — which looks like that sepia setting on Instagram. “Cyanide Sisters” is a blank canvas. Put it on and color it in. Com Truise was a minor player in that chill wave musical trend that washed over the indie scene this past decade and he’s worth the casual resurgence.

The Kinks — “Waterloo Sunset”

My roommate Oliver donated a dinky boom box for our bathroom and the right speaker is blown out. This means whenever a song comes on that was recorded in stereo not mono, I can only hear one side. Instead of being a nuisance, this effect has opened up songs and shown them in a new fashion. Take the Kink’s cheery ode to happiness, for example. Listen to this track with the main vocals muted and you’ll hear how the backing “oohs” and “la la las” deserve the main attention.

Tame Impala — “Be Above It”

The best thing to come out of the land down under since “Bart vs. Australia,“ Tame Impala is an excellent suggestion for highlighting rock’s current state. I don’t know which makes this song more of a trip — the “gotta be above it” repetitive lyrical loop or the rattling drums that sound as if they were recorded on Garageband without using a mic. At the 1:15 minute mark when the wall of sound single chord blast occurs, feel your eyes widen to a kaleidoscope of swirling psychedelic rock.

Pure X — “You’re in it Now”

As a music journalist, I’m frequently coming across bands that I try to plug with any chance I can get. Pure X is one example, but their debut album Pleasure and companion EP You’re In it Now are two masterpieces of chilled out, let’s-rip-a-joint music and are completely worthy of this nod. Start with the EP’s title track and immerse yourself in all of its good vibrations. Drenched in reverb while cleverly toying with a wah-wah pedal, the sounds created by Pure X are the epitome of stoned while wearing headphones jams.

Gonjasufi — “Sheep”

A Sufi And A Killer, the miraculous 2010 debut from San Diego vocalist Gonjasufi, is one of the best stoner albums of all time.  The album’s mind-melt vibe is as much the product of Gonjasufi’s scraggly but gentle coo as the dense production from noted names like Flying Lotus and the Gaslamp Killer. This cut is some of the most impressive, artfully crafted and mentally engaging stoner music since the heyday of the Dead.

Balam Acab — “Motion”

Balam Acab rose to fame with a certain strain of Tumblr-oriented drug music that’s grown annoying to anyone not on molly, lean or any other drug Miley Cyrus has ever sung about.  Yet he remains the best to ever do it, using haunting vocal samples that could come from R&B or 18th century opera with equal probability but evoke voices far less earthly and tangible.

The Grateful Dead — “Help On The Way/Slipknot”

Anyone familiar with the faintly sad, happy-go-lucky folk of American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead might wonder why the Dead are considered such a great stoner band.  The answer lies in their freest-form experiments, usually manifested in their live shows but best captured on record with their excellent 1975 album Blues For Allah.  The album’s opening track takes as long to blaze through as an average doobie, and by the time it transitions into the next track, you’ll be too high to notice.

The Beach Boys — “Windchimes (Smile Sessions version)”

A prime cut from Brian Wilson’s drug-addled opus Smile, this song starts out unassuming enough, with the protagonist absent-mindedly gazing at his windchimes.  Then, as I like to think of it, the edibles kick in and the protagonist’s mind splits wide open like a banana.

Erykah Badu — “Get Munny”

This lush cut from Erykah Badu’s stunning Return Of The Ankh features Thundercat on bass, who’s made some pretty good stoner music on his own.  The bassy, aquatic production and Badu’s friendly yet powerful presence make this song a guaranteed mind-blower.

Want more weed? Here are other Emerald stories about the green.

Why a weed issue?

Let’s clear the smoke an introduction to the Emerald’s weed issue

What do you people actually think about pot?

Weed Diaries

Getting high:

The effects of marijuana on your brain

Eugene baker Sharon Cohen makes strides in hemp food market

More than smoke, edibles offer a different marijuana experience

What is your preferred method of flight?

Dank or Schwag: Do G13, Matanuska Thunder Fuck or Peter Danklage disappoint?

Anatomy of a bong

High activities:

Altered states transform ordinary games into memorable highs

Tichenor: You think ‘Harold and Kumar’ is about weed? Think again.

Playlist: Songs to get high to

This is what happens when you listen to Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ while stoned

The legal stuff:

Is it time for Oregon to legalize marijuana?

Getting caught with marijuana on campus can have consequences

Medicinal use:

Eugene’s newest medical marijuana dispensary Oregon Medigreen brings patients relief

Eugene’s Elvy Musikka is one of only four recipients of federal medical marijuana for Glaucoma

Strict medical marijuana restrictions may hinder those in need

Let’s be blunt – Oregon might just be the next state where you can toke without fear of getting busted. In 2012, Washington and Colorado legalized cannabis while our own legalization effort, Measure 80, failed with 46.75 percent of Oregon voters saying yes and 53.25 percent claiming nay — a measly 6.5 percent point difference.

Believe it or not, weed is widely used all over the state whether it’s by folks holding medical marijuana cards or teenagers lighting up in their parents’ basements. Regardless of whether you’re for or against legalization, there seems to be a common theme on the University of Oregon campus — it’s high time the Beaver State greets the green stuff.

Senior computer science major Will Cleary thinks that weed lacks any sort of taboo status among UO students and the city they inhabit.

“As students, I think we’re pretty open to it,” Cleary said. “As a whole community, marijuana is pretty accepted throughout Eugene. I don’t think too much would change (if it was legalized), maybe people being a little more open to smoking.”

Senior Asian studies major Leah Long agrees. She thinks that weed should be legalized.

“Incriminating people for smoking weed is a waste of money and resources. Charging them and ruining their whole life? For what?” Long said. ‘To use the propaganda ‘(marijuana) will ruin your entire life…’ That’s ridiculous. I really don’t see any major changes happening if it does get legalized, because so many do it anyway.”

Either way, 2014 could be Oregon’s year. Here’s what’s on the agenda:

There are two pro-legalization groups that have been working tirelessly toward legalizing and submitted three separate initiatives. Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2014 and New Approach Oregon are the two groups fighting to legalize the green.

Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2014 — that’s the name of the group, not the initiative to legalize — is led by Paul Stanford. The group is advocating initiatives 21 and 22. Initiative 21 is a constitutional amendment to end prohibition and criminal penalties for marijuana.

“It’s just those two sentences saying that they can regulate it for public safety and people can’t be arrested and put in jail for cannabis anymore,” Stanford said. “Right now we’re up to about 40,000 signatures on Initiative 21 and we need 172,200 valid registered Oregon signatures to qualify.”

Initiative 22, a revised version of 2012’s failed Measure 80, plans to achieve success through a few changes to the law. First, it sets a limit on the amount an individual can grow (a maximum of 24 plants and 24 ounces). Secondly, Gov. Kitzhaber will appoint the four individuals to the state’s cannabis commission rather than relying on officials elected by new licensed holders.

With nearly 28,000 signatures already, Initiative 22 needs a total of 87,200 voter signatures to make November’s ballot.

Fighting alongside the Cannabis Tax Act for legalization is New Approach Oregon, led by Anthony Johnson. New Approach is presenting legalization to Oregon voters with Initiative 53.

“We just started and we have a few volunteer signatures at this time,” Johnson said. “We are working with both local and national partners to decide exactly how we’re going to move forward and we still need nearly 88,000 valid signatures necessary to make the ballot.”

New Approach Oregon aims to regulate, tax and legalize use of marijuana for adults over 21. Industrial hemp would also remain regulated by the Department of Agriculture.

Johnson believes that this approach will establish the strict regulation necessary to control cannabis commerce.

“I support any measure that improves upon the status quo,” Johnson said. “Though I believe the New Approach measure is best capable remaining at the ballot box.“

Sam Chapman — a 2012 UO alumnus and co-author of the successful House Bill 3460, which allowed for medical marijuana to be regulated for dispensaries — agrees.

“(New Approach) is, in my opinion, the far more professional, well-run, well-funded initiative that has the best shot at making it on the Oregon ballot this year,” Chapman said.

In order for either proposal to be considered, each group needs to collect the required signatures by July 3 for consideration on the November ballot.

Not only is cannabis legalization hot in Oregon right now, but pro-legalization efforts and the weed conversation have sparked across the nation. Earl Blumenauer, U.S. representative from Oregon’s 3rd District, strongly believes that Oregon could be next to legalize.

“If the bill is a solid and tight proposal like Colorado or Washington had, I think the odds are very strong that it will pass,” Blumenauer said.

The two states have legalized for recreational adult use while 20 have approved for medical use. Blumenauer believes that cannabis should be re-classified from its standing as a “schedule one” drug. That means it’s considered equally as harmful as heroin and worse than cocaine and meth.

Nigel Wrangham, a UO substance abuse professor, thinks that legalization is inevitable despite some residual negative opinion.

“You have to think about all of the politics behind it, the older generation in this country and the republican party — there’s still a big demographic of people who think smoking is wrong,” Wrangham said. “The stigmas attached, stoners and dirty hippies… Don’t get me wrong I’m not against it. I do think Oregon could pass this year based on gut feeling and casual conversation with people. But remember, opposition is powerful too.”

From the Cannabis Tax Act to New Approach Oregon, Blumenauer says this widespread movement has been forcefully evolving, particularly over the last two years.

“There’s an amazing shift taking place with medical marijuana,” Blumenauer said. “Florida is going to be the first southern state to vote to legalize medical marijuana. Almost 700,000 signatures were turned in and the polls look very strong.”

Blumenauer also notes activity in states such as Rhode Island, Maine, Missouri, Ohio, Arizona, Nevada and California.

Oregon was the first state to decriminalize possessing small amounts of marijuana in 1973 and the second to authorize medical marijuana use. Although votes with Measure 80 in 2012 were close, perhaps this is the year that weed gets the green light.

“People will be watching very closely at what Oregon does. Oregon is going to help set the national tone, this national momentum of public opinion, national research and pressure to make the federal policy more rational,” Blumenauer said. “I’m trying to push for this national program and be a resource for people in Oregon trying to change it.”

Want more weed? Here are other Emerald stories about the green.

Why a weed issue?

Let’s clear the smoke an introduction to the Emerald’s weed issue

What do you people actually think about pot?

Weed Diaries

Getting high:

The effects of marijuana on your brain

Eugene baker Sharon Cohen makes strides in hemp food market

More than smoke, edibles offer a different marijuana experience

What is your preferred method of flight?

Dank or Schwag: Do G13, Matanuska Thunder Fuck or Peter Danklage disappoint?

Anatomy of a bong

High activities:

Altered states transform ordinary games into memorable highs

Tichenor: You think ‘Harold and Kumar’ is about weed? Think again.

Playlist: Songs to get high to

This is what happens when you listen to Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ while stoned

The legal stuff:

Is it time for Oregon to legalize marijuana?

Getting caught with marijuana on campus can have consequences

Medicinal use:

Eugene’s newest medical marijuana dispensary Oregon Medigreen brings patients relief

Eugene’s Elvy Musikka is one of only four recipients of federal medical marijuana for Glaucoma

Strict medical marijuana restrictions may hinder those in need

You may not recognize Linda Perhacs, but her name will for sure earn you some indie credibility if you casually drop it. Her fans include Devendra Banhart, Daft Punk and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth — meaning that even if you don’t know of her music, you’re familiar with the people she’s inspired. She’s currently on tour for her second album, “The Soul of All Natural Things,” and her stop at Cozmic Pizza on Tuesday night will serve as a delightful detour to your Spring Break.

It’s been 44 years since Linda Perhacs released her 1970 debut “Parallelograms.” The record came and went with little attention and was abandoned, only cherished by a small group. Her voice is soft like a soaring Joan Baez and the music accompanying can drift between acoustic melodies and crafty freak folk. Instead of continuing a career in music, Perhacs became a full-time dentist hygienist working in Los Angeles.

“The Soul of All Natural Things” was released earlier this month and the record has Perhacs expanding her already reaching sound. Songs are built around an acoustic guitar drive but are then washed and lathered in percussion and peculiar sounds. The track “Children” features a coffee house guitar structure matched with Perhac’s voice melodically flowing as if it was caught in a breeze.

Her upcoming appearance at Cozmic Pizza doesn’t necessarily cater to the average college crowd, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good excuse to rub elbows with Eugene’s grey-haired music scene. This is a relaxed show — meant to be enjoyed with a glass of wine or maybe a trip to the parking lot’s smoking section. The soothing calm of Linda Perhacs is a fine accompaniment to our changing weather’s groove.

Linda Perhacs plays with Jim Camacho at Cozmic Pizza 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door and $20 reserved seating.

New Sodom.

America’s Worst City.

America’s crud bucket.

The Simpsons’ Springfield has adopted many names over the years. And in the spring of 2012, the city of Springfield, Ore. cheered when news hit that they were America’s crud bucket.

“Springfield was named after Springfield, Ore.,” “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening said in an interview with the Smithsonian Magazine in 2012. “I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, ‘This will be cool. Everyone will think it’s their Springfield.’ And they do.”

After the article’s release, Groening’s comments made countless headlines that claimed the show’s beloved town existed in the state of Oregon, but the statements were distorted and taken out of context. “I never said Springfield was in Oregon,” he told TV Guide. “I said Springfield was the name of my sled.”

“The Simpsons” is considered one of the most influential and popular television shows to ever grace the small screen. After 25 seasons, “The Simpsons” can be found in Vietnamese gift shops, the streets of Montevideo and in countless living rooms on a Sunday night. Because of the show’s stardom and proximity to where Groening grew up (he was born and raised in Portland), myths and legends have sprouted up attempting to connect Eugene with the show. Max’s Tavern, the University of Oregon pioneer statue and our neighboring city of Springfield are three of the most famous examples of how the Eugene community relates to “The Simpsons” — but these rumors may in fact carry no validity.

Kim Fairbarin and her husband have owned Max’s Tavern for the past 21 years and the myth that Max’s is Moe’s Tavern has lingered since before they purchased the bar.

“Matt Groening will not confirm or deny that Max’s is Moe’s so we don’t have any credible proof that that’s us,” Fairbarin said. “It’s more folklore.”

Both taverns have a similar set up. The bar is located on the right side of the room and a jar of pickled eggs rests behind the counter. But Moe’s is much more spacious — if you’ve ever been to Max’s on a weekend night, you know just how tight it can be.

A few blocks east of Max’s on the UOcampus is the Pioneer statue, a gift from the artist Alexander Phimister Proctor dating back to 1919. The bronze statue is speculated to be the basis behind the Jebediah Springfield statue located in the town square of “The Simpsons.” The two statues depict settler men sporting traditional garments but they’re situated differently with the Pioneer statue carrying a whip and the Jebediah Springfield statue standing on top of a deceased bear, leaving their resemblance in question.

Cora Bennet, the director of student orientation programs, oversees the student tours and acknowledges the statue-to-statue connection as a campus legend that adds flare to the campus tours.

“There’s enough parallels that we think it’s safe to play around with that in terms of having a light-hearted, humorous tour and be able to say, we think that perhaps Matt Groening was referencing pieces of Eugene and Springfield in ‘The Simpsons,’” Bennet said.

Despite Groening clarifying that Springfield, Ore. isn’t home to the show, Executive Director of the Springfield Museum Jim Cupples entertains the idea to any admirer of the show who journeys to Springfield on a fan’s quest.

“I’ll usually point in the direction of Eugene and say what’s the big hill in the middle of Eugene? Well that’s Skinner’s Butte, right? And that’s Principal Skinner,” Cupples says. “And then if you go up to Portland you’re going to go down Lovejoy or Flanders (which are characters’ names in “The Simpsons”), so there are all these things that are directly local landmarks and tie-ins from Matt’s state of Oregon with “The Simpsons.”

Dr. André Sirois, an adjunct instructor for both the journalism school and the cinema studies program, teaches courses on media’s relations with society and notes the possibility that Groening was inspired locally.

“It makes total sense that Groening would base many of these things upon things that he had seen and experienced,” Sirois said. “I think with any cartoon, while they’re completely made up, they always reference something that exists. Whether it’s a specific person, experience, place, anything; it’s always referential. Both “The Simpsons” and “South Park” are highly intertextual, always drawing from cultural familiarities from other shows and films.”

Groening was born on Feb. 15, 1954 and raised by his parents Homer and Margaret on 742 S.W. Evergreen Terrace in the West Hills of Portland.

“Matt was one of a number of students at Lincoln who were socially and politically active,” David Bailey said. “Matt was a good student and was also one who liked to — I don’t want to say agitate because that’s not fair. Let’s just say that Matt liked to have fun as a student of Lincoln and if that meant tweaking the powers that be then let’s tweak the powers that be.”

Bailey has been teaching civics and running the journalism program at Lincoln High School for the past 46 years and it’s been said that he’s the inspiration behind the notoriously evil character Mr. Burns — a rumor that, according to Bailey, Groening laughed off and disagreed when a parent asked him a few years ago.

Groening attended Lincoln from 1968 to 1972 and in that time he ran a comics appreciation club, wrote for the school newspaper (both articles and cartoons), started his own underground publication called the Bilge Rat and even dabbled in politics.

“He ran for student body president and won. He was the anti-establishment establishment kid. He set up, I guess you call it a quasi-political party called Teens for Decency. So you can see Bart Simpson,” Bailey said.

Bailey remembers Groening as being very socially aware and conscious and viewing the world through a prism of humor. Groening’s first homework assignment in Bailey’s class in 1970 was to create a list of topics they’d discuss in the forthcoming year. A few of Groening’s choices were “Vietnam, Civil Rights and the miniskirt crisis.”

“Humor was his thing. Or what passed for humor in Matt’s adolescent mind,” Bailey said. “He would make light of people who were anti-drug. And of course this was at a time when marijuana and LSD was coming from the college campus on down to the high school campus. I doubt if Matt was involved in any of that. But I think he came down on the side of the old folks, the older generation — he just really didn’t understand the younger generation.”

Groening created a board game while in high school that comically paralleled life as an early 1970s teenager. “The Game of Lincoln High School” was set up like a tweaked version of Monopoly with the vice principal’s office substituting as jail and one space that acts as a prelude to a future “The Simpsons” episode. The space reads: “The head of the Lincoln statue is missing and a chisel is found in your locker. Go to the vice principle’s office,” which is the plot line of season one’s “The Telltale Head.”

The last space on the board game showcases Groening’s humor and critical perspective on American life. “Congratulations!” it begins. “You’ve graduated! You study at the college of your choice, get married and move to the suburbs. You raise some kids and one day, while working in the garden, you clutch you heart and fall over, dead. Lose one turn.”

Even in high school, Groening was writing “The Simpsons.”