2009 Blind Pilot Interview

Going back over the archives I found an interview with Blind Pilot's Ryan Dobrowski that I did back in 2009 for the now defunct Popwreckoning website. I conducted shortly after their new album was taking off nationally. They had just played their first late night show, gone on a tour by bike, and were headed down to Austin for SXSW. It's kind of fun to look back on a band on the rise. I love Ryan's shoutout to STRFKR and Mississippi Studios just as it was reopening.

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When I moved to Portland last fall, my friend kept telling me that I had to check out this great local band, Blind Pilot. After picking up their album and catching a show at the Aladdin, I was sold. It seems like other people are too. They're getting high profile recognition on iTunes, NPR, and Carson Daly. Recently, I was able to ask Blind Pilot drummer and cycler, Ryan Dobrowski, a couple questions via email about their recent succes and upcoming plans.

QuickCrit: So, how was your experience on Carson Daly?

Ryan Dorowski:  Carson Daly was great. We got there pretty early in the day and didn't record until later in the evening, but it seemed like we always had something to do. Everyone was really nice and I'd say overall it was a really pleasant experience. We didn't get to hang out with Carson Daly or T.I. who was also there, but it was still a lot of fun.

QC: What do you think about all the national attention you're getting?

RD:It's great and exciting, but honestly a little weird. It doesn't seem like it was too long ago at all that it was just me and Israel biking down the coast and busking wherever we could.

QC: Have you noticed the difference at shows?

RD: The show keep getting better all the time. It is always the best thing in the world to go to another city and have a crowd of people singing along to your songs. We have some great musicians playing with us now and we're all really enjoying playing with eachother.

QC: I heard "White Apple" at the Aladdin in Portland. Are you working on more new material?

RD: Yes. Although it will probably be a little while before we have time to go back into the studio. We have a lot of tours coming up that will keep us busy until fall at least.

QC: At the Aladdin you had a full stage of musicians. Now that you are becoming more popular do you think you'll bring more of them on tour with you?

RD: It isn't really a matter of becoming more popular, but yes, more people will be coming on this upcoming tour. Not all 10 that were at the Aladdin show, but 6 of us.

QC: I really liked what Kati Claborn added to your songs. Will you be recording new material with that group?

RD: I think we will definitely continue to use Kati as she is really great to have in the group. What we will end up doing on the next album is still being worked out, but I'm sure she'll be in there as well.

QC: What are your upcoming plans?

RD: The plan is to just keep things going at this point. There is a lot going  on and a lot to keep up with, but  I think it is all happening in a really great way. We definitely want to do more bike tours and  definitely want to do a bike tour in Europe. It might not be able to happen really soon, but it will definitely happen.

QC: Have you looked into getting a sponsorship from any of the local cargo bike makers so you can bring along more instruments?

RD: I love the cargo bikes for around town, but I think for touring the trailer works best. I'd like to work on getting a better bike tour drum set, but other than that, I think we had everything we needed. I actually really enjoyed my little drum set just fine, but it is fun to think of ways to improve.

QC: What city has been your favorite tour stop? Which was the most bike friendly?

RD: L.A, was the biggest surprise. It was a great show and actually quite easy to bike around. We were also so used to cars going by us by the time we got there that it didn't seem to really matter. Portland is still the best though as far being bike friendly. Eugene is good to, but a lot smaller. I think you see everything in a little bit better light on a bike. Even though we're going to have to do some tours by more standard means, I'd love to bring bikes along so once we get to the city we can go ride around.

QC: Do you feel like you're part of a scene here in Portland?

RD: We definitely have a lot of friends in other bands, but I don't really feel like we're part of a scene. In fact a lot of the Portland scenes I find a little intimidating. I really was surprised that we were as well received here. It has been great meeting all of these bands and musicians in town that I had really only seen from the audience perspective. I used play in Sexton Blake with Josh Hodges and Ryan Byornstad who are now playing as Starfucker. I still love to see those guys and am glad to see them doing so well.

QC: What local band or venue do I need to check out that I might have missed?

RD: Definitely go to Mississippi Studios. I'm not just saying that because we play there soon. I think everyone was a little sad when it shut down and it is going to be one of the nicest mid size venues in town for sure.

PDX Pop Now! 2011 Schedule

Scrap whatever plans you had, there are too many good shows this weekend to do anything but watch live music. On Saturday alone, Portugal. The Man is playing a free show at Music Millenium, Scotland Barr's Slow Drags are celebrating his life and music with one last show at Dante's, and the Cults and Guards are playing Mississippi Studios.

On top of everything else, today kicks off PDX Pop Now!at Refuge PDX and the lineup loaded with some of my favorite local bands: Jared Mees, Weinland, the Minders, and And And And. Saturday features Archers, Lost Lander, Monarques, and Nurses, while Guidance Counselor close out the festival on Sunday night. But just as with their stellar compilation, I'm looking forward to hearing some of the bands I know almost nothing about.

Full lineup after jump.

Guards - "Hear You Call"

Last summer, when I first heard the Guards excellent debut EP (free), I knew them as ex-singer/guitarist of Willowz's new band (You might remember the catchy squall of "Ulcer Soul"). Now a year later, his sister's band, Cults, has blown up and they are touring together. They'll be tearing up Mississippi Studios on Saturday, July 23rd.

"Hear You Call"is off their new Resolution Of One single and is just as catchy as the title track. Propelled by upbeat drums, it features cheering chorus, distant backing vocals, all wrapped in a lo-fi buzz. It sounds like summer and should be enough to convince people to show up early for their set. I have a feeling that show is going to be packed.

U.S. Royalty @ Mississippi Studios

Last night at the U.S. Royalty show, it quickly became clear that as good as their album, Mirrors, was, the band was even better live. Songs like the opening "Monte Carlo" (mp3) rocked harder and the overall set sounded more cohesive, with their varied influences blending together into some fantastic rock 'n roll. It's as if they took their album and just cranked the dials. The songs seemed to pop and sparkle. Heavy rockers like "Hollywood Hollows" and "The Desert Won't Save You" were particularly exciting, as the giant riffs exploded over a pounding back end. It was a pleasure to watch a true lead guitarist step into a blistering yet retained solo and see a singer own the stage, his soaring howl hitting the high notes like a young Roger Daltrey. To top it off, they nailed a cover of Stevie Nicks' "Wild Heart," providing proof that the Fleetwood Mac comparisons were justified.


Sofar DC: U.S. Royalty - Wild Heart from Nick Fitzhugh on Vimeo.

Film School & Depreciation Guild Videos

Check out these videos for "Sunny Day" and "My Chariot" and tell me that Film School and Depreciation Guild aren't perfectly paired for their concert at Mississippi Studios on Saturday night. It should be a great show for lush beautiful pop, somewhere on the sweet and melodic side of shoegaze.

Film School - "Sunny Day"


Depreciation Guild - "My Chariot"

Moneybrother - "Born Under A Bad Sign" Video

Moneybrother brings his punky brand of pub soul to Mississippi Studios tonight on his tour with Jesse Malin. It's a great pairing, as Malin sings Springsteen's gutter anthems while Moneybrother is more influence by Joe Strummer. I am a big fan of Moneybrother's album Real Control, so I can't wait to see those songs live, especially "Born Under A Bad Sign" (mp3) and "Feel Like Hurting Somebody".

Jukebox The Ghost - "Schizophrenia" Video

I just heard Jukebox The Ghost for the first time today and I am really digging their boisterous indie pop, which reminds me a bit of the Spinto Band or Apollo Sunshine. Right now I'm bouncing along to "Schizophrenia", which appears to be an adequate replacement for my afternoon coffee. Just on my first listen it seems like the rest of their new album, Everything Under The Sun, is just as good. Check out "Empire" (mp3).

They are playing at Mississippi Studios October 4th with the similarly pop loving A B & The Sea. Should be a good show.

Awmercy's Summer Short List

5. Summers in Portland feel like a celebration, whether I am running past the blues festival along the riverfront, cranking up summer jams on the stereo, or riding my bike home with a buzz from the show. With PDX Pop Now! and SMMR BMMR coming up, it’s only getting better.
   
   
4. Slabtown’s Bender – 3 nights of loud sloppy rock n’ roll fueled by massive amounts of cheap High Life.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Black Keys - Brothers rekindled my waning interest and sent me back to revisit their early albums that I apparently still love.
   

2. Free Energy @ Mississippi Studios – There’s nothing better than seeing the band you're digging the hardest when they got something to prove. I doubt I’ll ever see them at venue that small again.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
1. R.L. Burnside – When I was in a serious musical funk earlier this spring his Fat Possum albums, Mr. Wizard in particular, helped me creep out.

Local Natives & Suckers @ Mississippi Studios

I have no idea what the future holds for indie music labels, but last week's sold out concert at Mississippi Studios demonstrated the value of the label as a trusted music curator. The lineup featured two new Frenchkiss Records bands: Local Natives, who released their debut (in the U.S.) in February and Suckers, who release their debut this month. These two indie rock bands paired perfectly, taking their use of world beats and poly-rhythms in too different directions: Suckers a step towards the dance floor and Local Natives a step towards the campfire.

While I've liked Local Natives since I first heard "Sun Hands" last year, I don't think Gorilla Manor really clicked for me until I saw the songs performed live. During songs like "World News", the Local Native reminded me of the Fleet Foxes with power choruses. While always central to their songs, the vocals harmonies were more impressive in person and tribal beats became palpable in a small club like Mississippi Studios. The combination of rhythms and vocals moved from being aurally to physically pleasurable. It is exactly that transformative experience that continually draws me out to concerts even when I have to be at work at 6 AM the next morning.

Suckers were similarly great. Their herky-jerky dance music, full of sing-alongs, yelps and falsettos, got the crowd moving and cheering. It was a performance guaranteed to generate excitement for the upcoming release of Wild Smile. The songs constantly shifted from pop to dance to psychedelic. The electric "Black Sheep" and woozy "It Gets Your Body Movin'" were particularly fantastic that night.

Hillstomp @ Mississippi Studios

Hillstomp were pretty bad ass, but the place was already dancing before they even took the stage. The horribly named Yogoman Burning Band were a party band in the best sense, both boisterous and fun. With only two horns, a drummer and a bassist they sounding like a cross between a ska and a New Orleans brass band. The drummer called out to the crowd, keeping everyone bobbing and singing along.

Although I've been enjoying their rugged delta blues since I moved to Portland, this was the first time I've seen Hillstomp. I first heard them playing on the stereo at New Old Lompoc. They had played the night before and the waitress was still riding the concert high. I can see why. Although they had just played a couple weeks before, they packed the house. John Johnson plays a junk contraption that resembles drums, but is mostly made out of 5 gallon buckets and duct tape. Henry Kammerer plays a fantastic slide guitar and banjo. Both of them play all out and the crowd feeds off their intensity. Great show.

Free Energy & Foreign Born @ Mississippi Studios

It was a rainy February night, but Free Energy's fist pumping anthems, "Free Energy" and "Hope Child", made it feel like summer. I want them to play at all my barbecues. Looking back to 70's for inspiration, Free Energy captures a hedonistic innocence that makes me want to head to the water tower with Randall Floyd and Mitch Kramer. All the songs they played sounded great. If they ever release their album, the band seems destined for bigger venues than Mississippi Studios' tiny stage.

Every time I hear the songs off the Foreign Born's Person To Person I like them more. While I usually am skeptical of bands with a bongo drummer, the Foreign Born have me rethinking that likely faulty logic. Their stellar percussion is even more pronounced live, making it hard to move to the rhythm of "Winter Games" or "Vacationing People". The restrained and ringing guitar on both songs sounded particular good that night.

Friday's Tough Decisions

I'm finally back in Portland for a couple days in a row and am itching to see some live music. While it would be great to be in San Francisco for Noise Pop, there are still a lot of great shows going on here tonight. My top three shows are:

3. Thee Headliners @ World Famous Kenton Club
   Dropped to #3 only because I just saw them at Slabtown and will definitely catch them next month.
   
   
2. Harlem @ Dantes
   I'm digging the garage pop of Harlem's new album, Hippies.
   
   
1. Free Energy & Foreign Born @ Mississippi Studios
   I've been amped to hear Free Energy's good-timing rock n' roll debut since I first heard their song of the same name. Plus, the Foreign Born's Person To Person seems like it will be great live.
   

The Builders & The Butchers @ Crystal Ballroom

I last saw the Builders and the Butchers perform at the intimate Mississippi Studios a month or so before Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well was released. While they put on a great show in front of a packed house that night, it's hard to believe that just a couple months later they played a sold out Crystal Ballroom. Granted Saturday's MFNW lineup was stacked, with Langhorne Slim before and Blind Pilot after, but there was no denying the crowd's love for these hometown heroes. And when Portland loves a band they love them hard and let them know. And the Builders and the Butchers responded by putting on an electric show. The new songs off of Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well sounded road tested and tight, filling the ballroom with thumping drums and frantic strumming. As good as ""Devil Town" and "Barcelona" sound on the album, they sound even better live, with the wringing mandolin and horn bursts accentuating the energy and drama of the dark lyrics. It's a show that shouldn't be missed.

Metric @ Wonder Ballroom

After good, but rather subdued acoustic set at Mississippi Studios in the afternoon, I wasn't sure what to expect. Emily Haines looked a bit ragged with giant glasses hiding her face (and what I assumed to be a hangover). However, she was a completely different person that night — a ball of energy consuming the stage and spotlight as she danced, posed, and bounced to just about every song. Haines performed for the sold-out Wonder Ballroom as though singing to a giant festival crowd, and the audience loved every minute. Anyone who was worried that Fantasies was too pop will be glad to know that the guitars never left the live show. Jimmy Shaw had a sweet solo on "Gold Guns Girls". Even without playing "Waves" — which I kind of knew they wouldn't — it was impossible to be disappointed when they played every other song I loved off the album, including a couple older cuts. I don't know how anyone stands still when they hear "Sick Muse" or "Satellite Mind", especially when Haines provides plenty of dance moves to borrow. It was a great performance, not to be missed.

Hockey @ Mississippi Studios

Surprise! Free show! Hockey made a relatively unannounced visit to Mississippi Studios. It's been a couple of months since I saw them last. Meanwhile they have been touring Europe and recording their first official release. Having practically memorized their self-released mini album, it was fun to listen for any new developments. The biggest change was on "Preacher", which was noisier and featured a rather harsh and repeating keyboard chord, but still had everyone dancing. They played a couple of new songs, including "Learn To Lose" and a folk song I hadn't heard before but might not be new. Over all, even though lead singer, Ben Grubin, was slightly less animated due to illness, they sounded road tested and tight. It was nice catching up.

Here's a video for their new single.

Mad Buffalo @ Mississippi Studios

At first, Mad Buffalo seemed like a pretty typical roots rock band as they locked into a groove and rumbled their way through a set of what would have been fairly average rock songs if it weren't for some seriously killer guitar licks. While watching them I kept thinking that the guitarist was way too good for this band. As it turned out, I was right. James Burton, the guitarist, was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2001 for his work with Dale Hawkins, Ricky Nelson and Elvis, among many others. Oddly, there was no mention of this in the night's promotional write-up, which is probably why the club was practically empty. I just happened to stop by looking for a show. Now, if I go see Booker T on the 14th, I can see two inductees in just over a week.