Portable Shrines

Davilamania is sweeping the nation. The sounds of riotous Puerto Rican RocknRoll have been spreading like a brush fire. Don’t miss out! On tour with the Mannequin Men, they’ll be in Seattle sep. 5 at the Funhouse and at the Morgue (5901 airport way s) in Georgetown sep. 6th for an all-ages show!!

VERY LIMITED SUPER SPECIAL ADVANCE TICKET OFFER! Get em while you can people- only 50 2-day VIP(Vastly Illuminated Person) passes available, good for both Lo-Fi and Vera nights at a one low low price. These will only be available until sep. 15th. (must be 21+ for the 2-night passes, sorry…)

The Brotherhood of the Spirit commune, later renamed the Renaissance Community was a Northeastern commume active 1968-1988.  Check out a thorough history of the commune at the U Mass Amherst site and also puruse the photo gallery.

Restore Maximum Freedom Fest IV in Davis was a fabulous time. Wooden Shjips, Eternal Tapestry, Thee Oh Sees, Pregnant, Meth Teeth, the Mayyors, Lucky Dragons and DMPT rocked and everyone danced, ate and drank through the heat. Photos are located here and here…

dance dance dance

eternal tapestry at restore maximum freedom fest IV 5.16.09

lucky dragons at restore maximum freedom fest IV 5.16.09

thee oh sees at restore maximum freedom fest IV 5.16.09

wooden shjips at restore maximum freedom fest IV 5.16.09

meth teeth at restore maximum freedom fest IV 5.16.09

Way back in May Portable Shrines took a little trip down to San Fransisco, Oakland, Davis and Arcata to check out some bands and do some camping…here are photos from the Wooden Shjips, Eternal Tapestry and New Rock Syndicate show at Thee Parkside. Light show by Sanae!

wooden shjips at thee parkside 5.15.09

new rock syndicate at thee parkside 5.15.09

eternal tapestry at thee parkside 5.15.09

Summer Solstice happening June 21st at the josephine-Midday Veil, Prince Rama of Ayodhya, and White Hinterland.
For those unfamiliar, Midday Veil chanteuse and portableshrines cohort Emily Pothast also writes a blog
Translinguistic Other which we are unashamed to say we fucking love.

awaken your kundalini.

Prince Rama of Ayodhya performing dawn of astronomy @ the cake shop…

The Wooden Shjips recent excursion to the Northwest coincided with the release of their new album “Dos” on the always awesome Holy Mountain label and after an amazing show they laid one on us (a copy of the new album that is). Dos keeps the motorikal grooves grooving with perhaps a tad more emphasis on the tight rhythms and low-end throb. It’s the kind of repetition that gets better and better the more times it swirls around the skull, spiraling down into a whirlpool of squarewaves and vibrato at the center of which Terry Riley collides headlong with the Ramones (or is it Suicide meets the Dead?).  The Shjips ride that riff til the sky opens up and that speck way off in the distance has suddenly grown into a mountain.

Those that didn’t get it the first time around (Garsh, these guys are just playing the same durn thing over and over!) may or may not experience that moment of satori wherein the secret is revealed but while this album probably won’t launch the Shjips into the mainstream the chosen few have a new summer anthem.

(The vinyl is in stores now…)

This weekend they will be playing two epic shows, (both w/ Eternal Tapestry) Friday 5/15 at Thee Parkside in SF and Saturday at Maximum Freedom Fest in Woodland, CA.

May 1st Ghost from Japan graced the Crocodile with their gasp inducing sounds and beauty.

more photos…

Apologies to the equally awe inspiring Six Organs of Admittance, due to some sort of sporting event and the resulting detours we got to the show right as their set ended.

Check out Dave Segal’s review in the Stranger for a excellent blow by blow of the evening…

Last night I was lucky enough to be able to go see brightblack morning light, kurt heasley of the lilys, and my bloody valentine at an unfortunate venue (the WaMu theater, shiver). My ears are still recovering from the 19 mins sonic assault at the end of mbv’s last number…check out Dave Segal’s review of the show in the stranger for an excellent account. I agree with most everything he says, except I am such a huge Brightblack Morning Light fan that I loved their set even though the venue was incompatible with their laid back energy. I bee-lined it straight to the front of the stage which helped me avoid the cavernous vibe that the WaMu emits. Give me a bar over a giant venue any day.

brightblack morning light

check out dave segal’s review of the wooden shjips show and here are a few photos from the portable shrines weekend happenings…

more 4.10.09 photos
more 4.11.09 photos
Jesse Milden’s photos of Wooden Shjips
(not pictured: bryan john appleby and black nite crash, if you have some photos please share).

golden animals

wooden shjips

afgct

hallways

idle times

backward masks-photo by david golightly

3.28.09

midday veil