Friday September 9th
BOAT – Star Theater
Sometimes MusicFest’s set up contains blessings in disguise. On the one hand, you can be denied access to a show because it filled up, on the other, there are great and under appreciated bands like BOAT playing right next door. So as I was turned away from one door, it opened the next, and Seattle’s collective of fun loving pop rockers were there to start my night. The sometimes parody (see: Dress Like Your Idols art), but always spot on band performed a lengthy and spirited set at the Star Theater Friday night. There were fans with confetti and beach balls, supplies that matched the stories BOAT told on stage with their music, tales of summer and friends, happiness and more happiness. Their charming mix of keyboard interludes and guitar play filled the room with a bouncy sound of modern rock. It definitely wasn’t your a-typical Portland scene, as 26-year old males on the up and up, with their backwards Celtics hats and university t-shirts sang along in the front row, Friday’s BOAT performance was a ton of fun, and it seems like their steady stream of releases and shows are beginning to pay off.
Blitzen Trapper – Crystal Ballroom
We all have that list in the back of our minds of bands we go to see every single time they roll through town. For myself, Blitzen Trapper is one of those bands, so this hometown show for the twang rockers was not to be missed. With plenty of new material in tow, American Goldwing releases this week, Blitzen Trapper gave the huge crowd at the Crystal Ballroom something to cheer about late Friday night. Playing a lengthy set including new tunes like “Fletecher,” along with their undeniable hits “Furr” and “Black River Killer,” lead singer and guitarist Erik Earley seemed at the top of his craft, confidently bouncing riffs off of guitarist and keyboardist Marty Marquis. There were moments where the band sounded like a full-on classic rock outfit, in the best sense possible, with the audience starring at the guitarists and cheering along, and at other points a country and folk band. Blitzen Trapper have always had this identity crisis, but on stage is didn’t make a difference, as they tackled each track note for note and had floor of the Crystal Ballroom going wild for the hometown stars.
