The Portland *Point*, as worded by one of you the people

This was just posted as a response to the Honey Clouds review.

We thought it was deserving of its own post because it was a well-worded, could-be-description of this site.

“Hi, Graeme…

My name is Erik Howell and I agree w/ the bulk of your post. I did not see the HC headlining show that  PP’s review of has been such a point of contention. I’ll also qualify this by saying that I interact w/ Trey (the HC’s auteur) at Buckdancer’s regularly, and he’s a hell of a nice guy, and a hugely talented musician.

However, I don’t think that this town’s scene is so weak that it can’t stand some *eloquently phrased,* yes, *anonymous* snark from some bloggers. If you want to keep a local music scene honest, you have to submit yourself to acknowledging the shrill of the malcontents. If their ideas seem are so poorly worded, or even eloquent bullshit, no one who matters will heed them and they’ll fade away.

I think we have to admit, however, that if one doesn’t attach their name to an otherwise cogent criticism, it’s not out of cowardice, it’s out of wanting to continue to render such opinions w/out being ostracized by…let’s admit it…a fairly *insular* music scene.

To deem their opinions irrelevant because they don’t readily name themselves is to insist that  only those who dare speak up are those who can be assured that their acceptance w/in the music community will ensure against any backlash against them if they criticize it. That leads to a kind of imbreeding that squanders any growth…a bunch of “yes” people telling each other how killer each other’s set was.

Let’s believe enough in our scene to tolerate…no, *welcome* the fringe opinions…and not invalidate them because they don’t have a name attached that we can heckle on the street. I believe in the secret ballot, and as long as the Web is kept free and anyone w/ a differing opinion can make his/her opinion known, tagging their name onto it or not,  anonymous shouldn’t be bullied into revealing themselves or keeping their, yes, *relevant* opinions to themselves.”

Ed note: we like the use of **’s.  We will be sure to consider them for future posts if we deem anything worthy of being posted about.

We are not flavorlessly insane!

Wednesday night was one of those amoeba-envy nights, where you want to split in two and wonder how mitochondria works or what it even is, and what’s the use of teaching Life Science to 7th graders who are no doubt going to drink away all memory of its intricacies when they get to college.  Go blue! Where were we?

Both the Asylum and Space had shows we wanted to go to, but being non-amoebas, we opted for Buckethead (tickets bought first) and had to enlist a rogue reporter to give accounts of Secret Chiefs.  From first and second hand accounts, let’s just say we can be proud today of having brought this type of music to Portland, and also for our having supported it so well, and on a rainy mid-week eve to boot.

Buckethead packed Asylum and did not let his nerdy (meant endearingly) fandom down, with endless hours of guitar shredding mastery, hidden behind a no-less-than-terrifying white mask. Never have we cared less that the back up band was invisible (though we still care slightly).  That said, the reason to go see him is not for music that will move you to tears, but just to be impressed by the fastest fingers this side of Gob Bluth.  Of course, it’s easy to impress us, with our campfire appropriate guitar chops, but we got what we wanted.

According to our reporter on the scene, Space was equally electric.  Quote from the morning email: “I don’t care how awesome Buckethead was, you made the wrong choice.  Secret Chiefs played 3 distinct sets, each one with its own personality, but all sharing the common thread of rhythmic, melodic, genre-ignoring, rock’n'non-rock’n'roll, deep fried in other worldly non rhythms and non melodies dipped in straight up rock’n'roll.  Yes, it awesomely made that little sense.”

Also heard it was packed.  On a rainy Wednesday night.  Who knew?  Had we been asked earlier in the day “can Portland support both of these shows on the same night with bad weather and a ripe line up of must see TV concurrently airing?” we’d have said “please pass the hot sauce, brother, surely you must be flavorlessly insane!”  But we’d have been wrong, which would have marked our first time.  Thankfully we were not asked and our reputation remains pure.

Thumbs up, Asylum and Space, or if this were on facebook: “i like this”.