Aug. 23, Meiko played an intimate acoustic show at the Doug Fir Lounge in East Portland.

Starting promptly at 9:30 p.m., Meiko took the stage in a black acid-wash babydoll dress and black leggings with just her guitar, a microphone and a rum and coke – her signature pre-show drink, she told the audience (it used to be two beers, she explained, but she found herself not playing good shows after those.)

Meiko played a mix of songs off her five albums for an hour, prefacing each song with a personal story. I saw upwards of fifteen bands this weekend at MusicFestNW, but none of them competed with Meiko’s stage presence. Like her songs, she is honest, unapologetic and charmingly quirky. The audience got to learn that Meiko shops at Trader Joe’s, loves the posters the Doug Fir makes for her and that she was told by a photographer that she should stop closing her eyes while performing — to which she thought, “Fuck you!”

Instead of grasping for bits of conversation, the audience received what was almost a standup comedy routine, all told in Meiko’s soft Southern drawl. There was as much laughter as there was applause, something you don’t necessarily expect from a singer-songwriter.

Despite a Sunday night slot during which indie rock gods Modest Mouse were playing a mere two miles away, the Doug Fir was three-quarters filled for Meiko. Her cult status became even more apparent after the show, when she walked offstage and told the audience she’d be at the merch stand. Before she could even walk across the room, she was swarmed by people grasping her CDs, shirts and posters. Conversations in the line to meet Meiko ranged from, “She was in the audience before the show. I can’t believe nobody saw her,” to “Last time I saw her we got a photo together and she liked it on Instagram!” to girls buying her rum and cokes. Even shoving in the line was not out of the question.

Suddenly the show felt less like an intimate evening of collective experience and understanding with a beautiful songbird, and more like Taylor Swift had just stepped off the stage. A show where a singer-songwriter can be equated to that level of celebrity is a show where I want to be.

Sorry Modest Mouse, but I think Meiko won the weekend.

Most Georgia musicians have their roots in Athens, the hip home of several alt-rock bands, such as R.E.M., The B-52s and Of Montreal. The latter shares a producer with Meiko.

But Meiko Sheppard comes from Roberta, a 1000-person town whose motto claims it to be “A small town with a big heart.” Despite leaving the small town, the indie singer-songwriter undoubtedly still uses her big heart.

With lyrics that pluck the smallest and deepest strings of your emotions, Meiko explores the challenges and intricacies of relationships, but not in a predictable way. On “Raincoat Song,” she sings: “We were gonna have a family/ go to soccer games and all that shit.” She doesn’t back down or make apologies, but rather explores the inner monologues in our heads in a very real way. “I know that it’s a secret/ And that I’ve got to keep it/ But I want the lights on,” she sings in “Leave The Lights On,” a track about an affair.

The singer has toured with Mat Kearny, Eric Hutchinson, Bret Dennen and Jewel and recently released her fifth album Lovers & Fighters. You also probably heard her song “Stuck On You” in a Fancy Feast commercial. But to reduce Meiko to simply an acoustic opener or provider of a poppy commercial track for hungry cats is leaving out the sheer vulnerability of her music — she lets you into her big heart while providing catharsis for the troubles in our own.

Meiko plays with Slater Smith of the Weather Machine at 9pm (doors open at 8pm), Sunday, August 23 at the Doug Fir Lounge; $12. 21 and over.

Listen to “Raincoat Song” by Meiko from her EP Lovers & Fighters below.

By Hannah Steinkopf-Frank

As band origin stories go, Chastity Belt’s is one of the best. The now Seattle-based group met at Whitman College. With not much to do in Walla Walla, the members would go to frat parties, tip over tables and yell “chastity belt.” With little experience, Chastity Belt began writing songs and five years later, the group has released its first major label album, Time to Go Home on the label Hardly Art.

The album is a follow-up to 2013’s No Regrets, and has many of the traits of a second album: The production is smoother, the songs are more complete and there is a certain confidence that can only come from having a successful first release. But unlike many second albums, Time to Go Home doesn’t feel like the leftovers of No Regrets, nor does Chastity Belt lose its signature lo-fi sound.

The album opens with “Drone,” a surfer rock track perfect for listening to while driving at night. Lead singer Julia Shapiro laments about “just another man trying to teach me something.” It’s a downer start, but it sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Shapiro and other guitarist Lydia Lund’s vintage surfer guitar riffs pair with Gretchen Grimm’s simple drumming to forge a retro sound.

In many ways, Time to Go Home is a party album. It builds from the excitement of getting ready to go out, the inevitable let down of a party — “On the Floor” is one of the most self-reflective party songs I’ve heard — and ends with the realization that it’s “time to go home.” But to assume the album is purely about going out ignores its political messages.

On “Cool Slut,” Shapiro sings, “To all the girls in the world trying to take off their shirts/ Ladies it’s ok to be slutty.” It’s not a far cry from other modern feminist anthems: Chastity Belt would totally party with Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” But there’s a certain ambivalence on “Cool Slut,” and most of the album, that gives the impression that the band is holding back. This uncertainty is apparent in songs like “Why Try” and “IDC.” On “IDC,” Shapiro sings about being drunk out of boredom and repeats, “Is it cool not to care?” The otherwise shoegazey track ends with a droning fade-out, and like Shapiro, “I don’t really care.”

Inevitably, “Time to Go Home” ends with the title track. Annie Truscott’s opening bass line quickly builds to one of the album’s few optimistic tracks, both musically and lyrically. Shapiro sings with more emotion than on any other track that she finally “figured it out.”

While this might be the album’s simplest message, it rings the truest. As Chastity Belt grew out of its college dorm room, the group has kept the sound that propelled it to stay together for five years. While Time to Go Home might not literally be a return to frat parties and beer pong, it’s a reassurance that the band never left the party.

The post “Time to Go Home” proves that Chastity Belt’s party never ended appeared first on Emerald Media.

By Hannah Golden

Disclaimer: Hannah Golden is a former Emerald reporter. She was recently quoted in the March 12 story “Interested in creative writing? Here’s how to get involved at the University of Oregon”.

I’ve seen a bunch of the interviews that you’ve done, and there’s been brief mention of the various influences. And I know people have said that you don’t necessarily listen to electronic music in your free time. But I was wondering, what you would describe as your influences?

I mean, I do listen to electronic music in some sort, like the DJ sets and stuff… I actually, sadly, don’t really listen to much music anymore at all. I don’t really know when or where that happened, but I just think it’s something about all day everyday working on music and being at shows and stuff that, when I do have spare time, I just like silence, you know?

But I mean, that being said, there’s things here and there that have definitely been big over the last few years. … Boards of Canada and Ulrich Schnauss are definitely two primary influences on the sound I’d say.

And you can definitely hear that all the way up to Dive. I think there’s elements of that in Awake, but I think Awake definitely takes more into account the fact that most of my life growing up and even now I pretty much listen to rock and that kind of music and I think that’s slowly finding its way into the music. 

I know there are these recurring themes that appear, in the visuals anyways—kind of water themes and light themes, and there’s also a lot of basic shapes going on. Is there any sort of like larger picture there? Is it simplicity that you’re aiming for with the visuals, or? What’s your overall inspiration for those?

The intent was to be an extension of my poster art and just kind of put movement into my posters. So you’re going to find some of those themes recurring. And for me, all those things just come from, kind of, the things that I see when I hear the music or when I’m creating music. I’m just trying to find a way to make those real.

After a year of having Awake out, is there anything you’d change about it?

There’s always going to be something that you feel like, “Ah, I wish I had done that differently.” But really, something about Awake for me just kind of hit the sweet spot…there are no glaring issues with it. And it’s really the first time in my career with any of my work that I’ve been really just truly satisfied with the thing as a whole.

I know you said that the title track “Awake” was born over a single night of work, essentially. But do you set out to create a complete album that’s cohesive, or is there sort of one point of inspiration that all these other songs come from?

Yeah, definitely. Dive ended up that way and that’s how people hear it. It was kind of a fluke, because I created those songs over so many years, you know? Some of those songs were four years old by the time the album came out.

But at the end of the process, bringing it all together, you’ve got to pick songs that really work together, and that was part of the conscious process with Dive. And you know, there’s going to be this sound quality to it, just because they’re all from a similar era in my development. Even though it took many years, I wasn’t really spending as much time on music, so I wasn’t developing that quickly. So…it’s not like there’s these radically different songs.

But with Awake, that was absolutely the goal, to create an album album, to create a snapshot in a very short period of your career—this was the kind of sound I was going for, these were the songs I was writing. So, yeah, all the songs are from a distinct period and they’re all kind of created in the same vein.

Tycho plays 8pm Sunday, March 15 at the McDonald Theater; $25.

The post Q&A: Scott Hansen of Tycho appeared first on Emerald Media.

By Hannah Steinkopf-Frank

When Macklemore sang, “I wear your granddad’s clothes / I look incredible,” he was not just making a joke about used clothes, but commenting on the phenomenon of recycling older fashion styles.

While this “throwback” trend can be found throughout popular culture, it is arguably most prevalent in fashion.

Due to the cyclical nature of the fashion industry, trends come and go from the runways to knock-offs at discount stores within the same fashion season. To be “in vogue,” designers are constantly on the lookout for new inspiration, which is often found in the past. Designers can repurpose tried-and-true designs and know that because it has been done before, their work will be successful, both commercially and critically.

But this isn’t a new trend. In his infamous 1971 show, Hommage aux Années 40s, Yves Saint Laurent revived 1940s styles. This show was controversial for its supposed inspiration from Nazi-era Europe, but its influence on ‘70s fashion is undeniable.

In recent years, older styles have come back in new ways. Specific decades have been the targets of revitalization. Inspiration can be found from the royal courts of the Renaissance to ‘90s raves. This is due, in part, to the rising popularity of thrift stores as fashion meccas, no longer used just for cheap clothes.

Even in Eugene, we have a variety of thrift stores and higher-end retro shops catering to vintage clothing, from Nobody’s Baby to Redoux Parlour.

Sisters Brianna and Cailie Mitchell, who run the popular online vintage clothing store The Pulp Girls, believe that unlike new clothes, vintage clothes carry a history with each new owner because they have already been lived in.

The two started thrifting when they were in middle school. After amassing more garments than they would ever wear, they decided to turn their passion into a business.

Their online store is constantly updated with a variety of vintage clothes and accessories from the 1950s to the 1990s. This range is important to Brianna and Cailie because of their diverse clientele.

“We’re always impressed by the costumer who mixes genres and styles effortlessly, as if she’s a time-traveller who’s tapped into the diner-after-the-drive-in vibe from the ’50s with a dash of ’90s grungy denim and a large helping of ’70s disco queen,” said Brianna.

By not being confined to a certain style or era, the sisters believe you can put yourself into a variety of roles and characters. One of the biggest criticisms of fashion is that there is nothing new, but mixing styles can make fashion more nuanced.

Another critique of vintage clothing is that younger wearers do not fully appreciate the history of the garment or idolize certain aspects of that time period, a sort of secondhand nostalgia. Brianna and Cailie, who are both in their early 20s, believe this is a wider, generational trend.

“We’re one of the very first generations to have instant access to the pop culture of the past,” said Brianna Mitchell. “Having a physical piece of something you have so much love for has an undeniable appeal, which is why we got into vintage clothing ourselves in the first place.”

While most fashion nostalgia amongst Millennials has been of a secondhand variety, the recent rise in ’90s nostalgia has provided an outlet for Millennials to be nostalgic for something they experienced themselves. This trend has not been contained to thrift store dresses and beat up Dr. Martens; it has influenced high fashion. ’90s minimalist styles have popped up on runways from new comers like Alexander Wang to well-known brands like Céline.

The Pulp Girls have also taken note of this trend, specifically the more mainstream aspects of ’90s culture.

“It’s fascinating to us, in a weird way, especially because that was our childhood,” said Brianna Mitchell. “We find comfort in the familiarity of it, but there’s also this kitschy, low-quality facet to it that resonates with our generation.”

This means selling pins and stickers of characters from ’90s TV classics like “Daria” and “The X-Files” and having models wearing ’90s inspired makeup and hair along with vintage garments.

While it is unclear whether vintage clothes will stay in vogue, due to the constantly changing world of fashion, the thrift store will always be a doorway into the past, for less than five dollars.

“…there’s something magical about wearing a piece of clothing that’s had a “life,” rather than having been churned out by exploited workers in another country,” said Brianna Mitchell. “It’s one-of-a-kind, which just makes it all the more special.”

By Hannah Steinkopf-Frank

The Facebook page Free & For Sale is a great resource for students looking to sell or give away textbooks, iClickers (seriously, so many iClickers) and the other random items that can only be acquired by college students who move every 9-12 months. While the page is half textbook shop and half virtual garage sale, there are also some more obscure items. Scrolling through the page’s archives is not unlike digging through a dusty antique store. Here are some of the more peculiar posts found on the page that just don’t fit in among the textbooks and coffee tables.

It is not very rare to see alcohol for sale on the Free & For Sale page, but it is irregular. Why any college would want to get rid of a six-pack is unclear, but I’m glad this seller wants to make sure the buyer is 21+. This also begs the question: In a state with strict liquor laws, is selling alcohol online even legal?

I would be lying if I said I didn’t judge this person for owning a rolling backpack. While it could be argued that taking the weight of a term’s worth of books off your back is a good idea, rolling backpacks constitute pretty much everything I hated about middle school. At the same time, the traction wheels and comfort grip handle are appealing.

Then there are the upperclassmen who attempt to expand the concept of a capitalist market with buyer sand sellers. What is this person asking for in exchange for meal points— their company? Maybe they believe they are providing a lowly freshman the opportunity to climb the social ladder by sharing a filling, if not awkward, meal of Big Mouth burritos. Or maybe this upperclassman is truly concerned with the epidemic of wasted meal points. Remember, once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Does your grandma have one of these bird clocks? Mine sure does. The best part about it? There is a different bird call for every hour. Is there a better way to bring a little nature into your home decor? I think not.

Also in the category of items only owned by grandmothers are tissue box covers. Seriously though, this combines two of my favorite things: the films of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and household items that truly serve no functional purpose.

Is it a one-dimensional briefcase? Are you supposed to hang it? Most importantly, what grade did the seller get on this for their 101 art class? I understand that everyone’s work should be respected, but when you post it on the Free & For Sale page, all polite comments go out the window.

While I skip over most posts about buying and selling textbooks, this post makes Evolution of Human Sexuality seem like the coolest class ever. I would just want to tote What’s Love Got to Do With It? and Why is Sex Fun? around with me at all times. But really, can’t I just watch reruns of Sex and the City?

The Emerald would like to clarify a preview that ran Wednesday online about University Theatre’s show love and information. The story that ran was intended to be a simple, objective summary of the play and its showtimes, but included the writer’s opinions about a dress rehearsal, creating a review of a production that was not yet finished. The Emerald sincerely apologizes for this error.

Spring graduation is six months away. If your holiday break, first day of class or conversation with your grandma is filled with the question: “Do you know what you’re going to do after graduation?” Consult this list.

As appetizing as an unpaid internship or moving in with your mom and dad sounds, there are options besides settling into a job at the early age of 22 (when you can’t even rent a car…) As J.R.R. Tolkien and overused Instagram captions remind us: “Not all who wander are lost.”

PeaceCorps

Perhaps the most well-known alternative post-grad plan, the PeaceCorps is a 48 month contract (plus a few months of training), that places volunteers in countries – 64 host countries total — to work with in-need communities in the fields of: agriculture, community economic development, the environment, health, education and youth in development. They recommend applying nine months before your desired departure. PeaceCorps will provide a stipend to cover living expenses and health and dental insurance. If the volunteer decides, they can also reallocate some of their allowance to assist with student loans – not a bad gig. Acceptance is competitive, but 90 percent of volunteers have a Bachelor’s Degree (at least). For some people, PeaceCorps may be a bit too noblesse oblige so make sure it’s right for you. And just a reminder: Only U.S. citizens can apply and in many cases, you may be the only volunteer in your area.

Visit peacecorps.gov for more information on what it’s like to be a volunteer.

Teach for America

Teach for America is a nationally run nonprofit that sends recent college graduates into low achieving school districts to teach grades K-12 for a two year contract. With a less than 15 percent acceptance rate, the program is considered to be highly impressive. However, applicants do not need to have any background in the study of education and are usually placed in areas where students need highly skilled teachers — which is why TFA doesn’t always have the best reputation. The next and final deadline to begin teaching in September 2015 is Jan. 30. You must be a U.S. citizen who’s graduating in 2015 with at least a 2.5 GPA. If accepted, you will start training in May or June. TFA decides placements based on several factors — the biggest being where teachers are most needed. Currently this is in Eastern North Carolina, Las Vegas Valley, Memphis, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Visit www.teachforamerica.org to learn more.

National Park Service

Think more Wild, less Leslie Knope. The United States has 59 national parks. Consider volunteering at one. Yellowstone National Park in California is currently taking applications for: camp hosts, visitor center assistants, maintenance workers, wildlife assistants, back-country patrols, desk officers, vegetation restoration and more. While most of the positions aren’t compensated, housing is available depending on position and duration of commitment. Volunteer.gov has a great site that lets you click on a state and view all the National Park volunteer opportunities. If you absolutely need to make money, check out jobs at resorts that are often located near national parks like the Crater Lake Lodge, Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite and Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort in Zion, Utah.

American Conservation Experience

The American Conservation Experience provides several volunteer opportunities for those wishing to spend time in the outdoors, particularly in the areas of California, Arizona and Utah.

– Conservation Corps: People ages 18-25. Consider applying for this program if you’re considering land management or a future career in the outdoors. Service terms last 3-12 months and volunteers are provided with living stipends. Volunteers will work with several organizations including the National Park Service, US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

– Conservation Volunteers: People ages 18-25. If you’re looking for a shorter commitment, the Conservation Volunteers may be a good program for you. The program lasts 8-12 weeks and volunteers will be provided with food and housing, but are responsible for their own travel expenses. Volunteers don’t need any prior conservation experience.

According to their website, ideal volunteers should not be looking for a free vacation and should “truly enjoy exerting yourself on meaningful projects in beautiful locations and like a challenge.” The site also mentions that volunteers should be physically fit and able to work 10 hours a day in extreme weather conditions. Typically, projects will be 4-8 days, with up to six days off every two weeks.

Find out more here.

Au pair

If you really like kids and don’t mind moving back in with a family after college (may be better than your own, right?) Consider becoming an au pair. It will give you the chance to live rent free in a foreign country, while earning money at the same time. Greataupair.com allows you to create a free profile and browse families all over the world looking for child care. Worried about a language barrier? Many families abroad actually prefer an English speaking au pair so their kids can practice English. There are also several au pair opportunities in the United States and Canada. Note for males: Most families prefer a female au pair, but many will accept any gender, so don’t get discouraged.

Stand-up comedy has been sneaking its way into Eugene college culture for awhile now. This year alone, Kevin Hart, David Sedaris and Chris D’Elia have performed, the Buzz hosts a weekly Open Mic comedy night, and the University of Oregon Quackin’ Me Up Comedy Competition hosts its final round this week. This Saturday, comedian Carly Aquilino will join the ranks – lighting up Eugene with her fiery red hair and even more fiery jokes: “If you’re hosting a party don’t bring out anything vegan cause I will punch you in the vagina.” We feel you, girl.

25-year-old New York native Aquilino had always wanted to do stand-up, but worked nights as a hairdresser and was never able to. She then switched to a desk job and started doing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club. Less than a year later, she was cast in Girl Code, MTV’s unscripted sketch comedy show about being a woman. That was in 2013. Now, Aquilino’s Twitter feed (470,000 followers) is full of retweeted photos, each with a different stoked-out-of-their-mind fan.

When did stand-up comedians become as popular as teen pop stars (pre-every breakdown ever)? Who cares?

Anquilino is a role model because she’s not afraid to embrace herself. “We change our hair when something traumatic happens to us, and obviously I’ve been through a lot of shit,” and, “I think I’ve had a crush on any guy that’s never said anything nice to me,” she jokes on Girl Code. Anquilino shows that it’s okay to dye your hair red, have tattoos and struggle with going vegan. She’s unapologetically honest and herself—which is a lesson that stand-up comedy can teach everyone.

Carly Anquilino performs at the McDonald Theater on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m; $25-$50 (VIP meet and greet and premium seating).

“Have you seen the Growlers before?”

“I wanted to at Sasquatch, but I was too fucked up.”

This is the conversation I witnessed at least twice last night before The Growlers show at WOW Hall, which was packed with Sasquatch attendees, college radio DJs, post-Bid day sorority girls and dozens of other 18-22 year-olds. I didn’t catch the opener, Canadian-based twin duo,The Garden- but they did periodically take stage dives during the second-half of The Growlers’ set. By 9 p.m., the venue and bar were packed with eagerly awaiting fans, many of whom were having the above conversation.

At 9:30p.m., a man in a dress, bouffant wig, smeared lipstick and eyeshadow strutted onto the stage. With the druggy disco stage name of DMTina, this entertainer described herself as “Half beauty and half beast.” DMTina is a hard-rocking train wreck on heels. Her Facebook fan page has 90 likes as of now, a number I do not think will increase soon. DMTina opened her mini-set with the iconic line of Nat King Cole’s “Nature Boy,” or more famously Moulin Rouge– “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” She continued to sing over several songs, play air guitar, do a slip-n-slide style stage jump and crowd surf.

After about 15 minutes, DMTina welcomed The Growlers to the stage, who excitedly greeted Eugene by telling us that the last time they were here, they played for 10 people. The lead singer Brooks Nielsen (who is apparently a “hottie”), took a good hour to seem anything past comfortable in front of an audience. He tended to stick to the tried-and-true palm on stomach, microphone in hand singing position and only spoke to the audience to occasionally announce the next song. Bass player and guitarists Anthony Braun Perry, Matt Taylor and Kyle Straka stuck to a neutral, “chill” facial expressions, drank Session beers and played their instruments with zero to little audience interaction. The lack of performance isn’t saying that the band wasn’t good- they delivered a chill, psychedelic garage rock show that had you slowly swaying at times and head-thrashing at others.

If you were “too fucked up at Sasquatch,”  I don’t think you missed out on a stellar performance. But it was undoubtedly one of the most fun ways to spend Tuesday night of Week 3 (except for Taco Tuesday, shoutout to Agate Alley). The downstairs bar was packed, at least seven people crowd-surfed, dozens of bodies touched in the mosh pit (including the girl with green hair who I saw outside of PLC on Monday), and a cloud of cigarette smoke and taxi exhaust took everyone home to finish homework.