Did I Like that Movie?

The Skin I Live In is weird as hell

THE SKIN I LIVE IN: Directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Written by Almodóvar and Thierry Jonquet. Cinematography, José Luis Alcaine. Editor, José Salcedo. Music, Alberto Iglesias. Starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Roberto Álamo, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet. Sony Pictures Classics, 2011. R. 117 minutes. Three and a half stars.

It’s tough to recall a time when reading the word “vaginoplasty” on a screen legitimately made me shudder. Unfortunately, that was probably the desired reaction for Pedro Almodóvar — the acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer of a grip of Spanish films including 2006’s Volver and 2009’s Los Abrazos Rotos — whose most recent work, La Piel que Habito (The Skin I Live In) opens Friday at the Bijou.



The thriller centers on Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), a tenured plastic surgeon in Toledo whose wife has died in a fiery car accident. Playing a sort of latter-day Frankenstein, Ledgard attempts to manufacture and apply a fire-resistant synthetic skin to cover a patient’s body. Elena Anaya plays Ledgard’s intriguing patient and new love, Vera Cruz, who seems entirely out of place from the beginning.

Locked in a well-furnished room under constant television surveillance, Vera is the alpha and omega of La Piel que Habito’s twisted, meandering plot. I was forced to ask why she was present — and the fact that the doctor has given her surgery to look just like his wife definitely seemed strange — but it entirely comes down to the way in which Almodóvar tells his stories.

The slow pace of it all makes the suspense build at an undetectable rate. I wish I could say that it leads to some sort of cataclysm, but it really doesn’t. Instead, the story keeps wandering further and further away from what the audience expects of it. Of course, that’s not to say it’s bad; it’s just kind of like being thrown sideways into a river and watching as the shore recedes into the distance. The point is, you’re left with a mystery: “Where the fuck am I being washed away to?”

Visually, the film is striking from beginning to end: It’s violent, beautiful and contains enough sexual imagery to make Sigmund Freud shit a brick. But at the same time there’s an odd lack of depth or dimension to the characters that makes the movie’s midway point a little draggy. It sorts itself out by the end, sort of, but not before a whole lot of long-winded build-up that, quite frankly, could have been omitted.

The acting is perfectly campy at times — a trait of melodrama that should never be forgotten — and there are plenty of dark, comedic moments to keep the anticipation on the rise (case in point: Roberto Álamo’s hulking figure sporting a codpiece with a tiger’s face on it bounding about the house in search of Vera), but again, there’s something empty about it all. In this sense, La Piel que Habito is as stark and flat as it is vibrant and engaging — a strange cocktail of good, bad, ugly and breasts.

There’s no doubt in my mind that every movie buff from here to Barcelona is going to say La Piel que Habito evokes beautiful themes of desire and obsession — themes that juxtapose the creepily tender love story that sits at the film’s heart. And they’d be right, I suppose, but that doesn’t mean we actually need to focus on that kind of twaddle.

At its core, this film is as intriguingly good as any Ernest Hemingway novel, the kind where you can’t put it down but you don’t know why, and that’s what makes it art. I don’t know why, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I liked it.

In any case, I can at least take pleasure in noting that La Piel que Habito is a fairly large step up from Puss in Boots for Antonio Banderas.

La Piel que Habito opens Friday, Nov. 18, at the Bijou Art Cinema.

EW 11/17

Acoustica!

That inherently colorless Northwest winter is coming. There’s no vitamin D to be had, and likely you’ll feel like sitting inside drinking tea until your body gets used to the cold. What an interesting turn of events it is, though, that Greensky Bluegrass (pictured) should come through town just as the chills and rain begin to set in. This band’s music sounds like looking out a window at the rain beating everything around it into soggy oblivion; but there’s a plucky twang in the background to remind you that this is just a seasonal thing.

The smoothness of bluegrass is often hard to wrap the mind around — especially considering the fact that much of the genre’s subject matter is as coarse and croaky as a night of cigarettes and bourbon. Greensky Bluegrass manages to keep alive all the charms of traditional bluegrass in the very act of destroying it — in a good way. Seriously, when was the last time you heard a bunch of orchestral horns backing a traditional bluegrass song?



Greesky Bluegrass continues the contemporary, cascading waterfall sound that groups like the Flecktones and Dave Matthews Band made popular, while still penning lyrics like “I’d probably kill you if I wasn’t already wasted.” And even when the smoothness gets a little heady and you’re starting to feel like you might be getting cold again, the band manages to get the crowd out of their seats and stomping around, so no worries, yo.

On a note more pertinent where stomping is concerned, The Devil Makes Three also make an appearance in Eugene this week, and if any of you are outside braving the rain and want to stay warm, this band knows how to throw down a rabble-rouser.

So what do the cold and the damp mean for your winter listening? It shouldn’t change a thing. Get off your couch and go jig to some smooth-ass bluegrass. The rain will still be waiting for you when the shows are over.

Greensky Bluegrass and Hot Buttered Rum play 8 pm, Thursday, Nov. 17, at McDonald Theatre; $17 adv., $20 door. The Devil Makes Three plays 8:30 pm, Friday, Nov. 18, at McDonald Theatre; $17.50 adv., $20 door.

EW 11/17

Will the Real Pop Culture Please Stand Up?

Retromania and the search for originality

We live in a culture dominated by high speeds, convenience and ever-expanding eclecticism. Where significant cultural movements once gripped the world, fads and trends now cut shallow ripples in the fabric of local society.

Today’s popular culture is, in a fundamental sense, built entirely around instant gratification and nostalgia as these phenomena masquerade in place of originality. This statement may seem bold — brash, even — but it is this same notion that becomes a startlingly blunt hypothesis in Simon Reynolds’ Retromania: Pop Culture’s Addiction to Its Own Past (Faber & Faber; paperback, $18).

Reynolds, a human encyclopedia of music culture, pulls the reader through his book like a hot knife through butter. He’s clearly a talented writer and has killer form and voice when he puts pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) — from a stylistic standpoint these are excellent traits to possess.



Reynolds possesses a wicked sense of humor, too: It’s lines like “to venerate artworks from the past was like wasting one’s elan vital on something inert and decayed; like fucking a corpse” that make Retromania gripping. If you go into this book expecting cleanliness and godliness from start to finish, you’re going to be disappointed.

Beneath the rugged exterior that these instances convey, however, Reynolds triumphs through the sheer scope of his knowledge — from the music, films and television shows he cites to the people, places and things that made them significant, he’s incredibly well informed.

It takes finesse to explain the origins of the word “nostalgia” alongside anecdotes from great experiences with music and make it interesting; it takes real skill to use all of this in order to inspire a genuine craving for the past in an unwitting reader. So, yeah, this book is pretty much like a musically erudite Inception.

With this in mind, there are definite points at which Reynolds verges on information overload — a complication, perhaps, that goes with vast knowledge — and he has to reign himself in.

This aside, there are very few moments that force the mind away from the subject at hand. I found myself drifting from the book every now and then (only to discover, as is the norm, that I had some pages to re-read), but during these blips I found that I was focused on a deep re-hashing of everything Reynolds had just told me.

At its core, Retromania not only argues that the past will always be a more desirable entity than the present; it also stands as a didactic analysis of the human condition through decades of what some would denounce as pure, cycling unoriginality. Pop culture is one hell of a remixed ride through time, and Simon Reynolds is fearless in his exploration of it.

EW 10/20

No Car? No Problem

Living in Eugene sans automobile

Most folks that are new to Eugene — this mainly meaning new students — probably assume right off the bat that a car is the best mode of transportation in this city. That’s totally what I thought when I first got here, but I was seriously effin’ wrong, and so are they. And you’ll probably think the same, by the way, if you’re a newcomer: You’ll be standing sadly on the sidewalk, staring longingly at the cars while rain pounds your face, wishing more than anything that you had your car. Sure, it may look “glamorous” and “dry” inside those things, but once school starts and students, professors and commuters are all headed to their different ports of call, Eugene becomes something of a hectic, gas emission-shrouded clusterfuck. Seriously, you’re not missing out on much if you can’t join in. There are many reasons why Eugene is actually easier to navigate without a car (including the fact that this city seems like it was designed by drunks; the layout of our road system is truly abysmal in places), but why take those reasons to heart? What are your alternatives? Well, here ya go:

Photo by Todd Cooper

1. LTD

Lane County has an incredible public transit system known as LTD (Lane Transit District). The buses all leave from one hub in the center of downtown, and they’ll take you from just about any “a” to any “b” in a short amount of time. The EmX — which primarily runs along Franklin Boulevard on the north side of campus — and all inner-city buses are 100 percent free for UO and LCC students. Cherish this fact if you’re a student; it’s without a doubt the greatest piece of information anybody ever told me when I first got here, especially when it was pissing down rain. All you need is a valid student ID to flash at the bus driver, and you’re set to go. The best part about this, though, is that you can just sit and let the driver fight his way through traffic, pedestrians, bicycles, roadwork and all other obstacles while you relax. Seriously, use the bus system here; it rocks.

2. BICYCLE

By now I’d guess that you’ve probably noticed the bicycles. Yeah, Eugene is pretty much the Amsterdam of North America when it comes to bikes, and for good reason — the city pretty much revolves around bicycles: Nearly every road has a bike lane, nearly every business and building has a place to park bikes, every bus is equipped to strap bikes to the front, and nearly every thief in town is after that one bike without a U-lock. With this in mind, bike theft is huge here so it’s recommended that you buy a sturdy lock that can’t be cut off really easily. See? Even the crime rate helps motivate you to keep your bike safe and secure. Get out there and cycle.

3. YOUR FEET

Sometimes people forget that they literally have a mode of transportation attached to them. Walking is really easy in Eugene; there are plenty of crosswalks, and cars tend to give right of way without a fuss. If you think about the amount of places you really need to get to in this city, too, they are incredibly localized — be it downtown or campus area — so it’s never too far to walk. Of course, this one’s completely dependent upon you being badass enough to brave the winter rain; I suggest that you buy a waterproof jacket, some bad weather shoes and a bunch of cold medicine before you have at it.

Okay, so maybe the list of alternatives isn’t a mile long, but Eugene isn’t really that many miles long, so three options should be more than enough. These are really the best ways to get around, and as much as it looks like the people in their fancy cars are loving every second of it, the multiple instances of outrageous roadwork and confusion that they have to face every time they drive really add up to negativity. So don’t mope around just because you don’t have a car; get outside and use what’s given to you — Eugene’s pretty much done all of the work for you. All you have to do is commute.

EW 10/6

Coming In For A Landing

Originally hailing from Astoria, Blind Pilot is a duo of indie-folkers that took a quick launch into the spotlight. It was all of three years before the band began garnering serious attention, touring successfully and playing to larger crowds like the one at 2009’s Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, Washington. Since forming in 2005, Blind Pilot worked hard to formulate a sound that uniquely fit, yet still maintained the familiar characteristics of an escalating Northwest indie-folk scene. There’s clear influence from pioneers of the genre here, too — the Shins, the Shaky Hands, etc. — but Blind Pilot safeguards originality with inimitable songwriting, so the lines of comparison blur.



In the past, Blind Pilot tours have found form on bicycles, with band members pedaling their hipster legs down the West Coast from Washington to California. Now Blind Pilot is touring again to back the release of its second full-length album, We Are the Tide. Although it’s kind of nice to imagine a group of plaid-ridden Portlanders biking all the way down the coast, it’s a safe bet that the band won’t be repeating the experience. Blind Pilot has grown since the early days and now contains six members. The band has embraced the bright sound that comes out of a big group, so it’s a fair assumption when it comes to playing live, everything is primed and ready for action.

As local music expert Cody Dean puts it, “Blind Pilot aren’t just a band, they’re an idea, an idea that you should not be tied down with the limits of sound. They prove that when you put your emotions through the music, it comes out perfectly.”

Blind Pilot plays 8 pm Monday, Sept. 26, at WOW Hall; $8 adv., $13 door.

EW 9/22

That's Just How They Roll

Ever know one of those dudes who can play just about any instrument you throw at him? Meet Aaron Keim: multi-instrumentalist, scholar, teacher, craftsman and talented everything-man. He’s been playing with the indie-Americana group Boulder Acoustic Society for some time now, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find time to play solo on the side — be it ukelele, French horn or otherwise — and that’s all just part of doing what he loves. His style faces backward to traditions of old — dating back to the Great Depression and beyond — but he still pioneers new ways of playing, thinking and adoring old-time music: Clawhammer-style ukelele, for example, is not a common occurrence (Clawhammer is generally reserved as a banjo technique), but Keim said fuck it and did it anyway, because that’s just how he rolls.



James Hill, who’s been known to join Keim and the Boulder Acoustic Society, is of the same breed. His focus is hard bent away from ukelele, though, and he’s worked tirelessly to cultivate a following for the instrument that doesn’t see it typecast as a Hawaiian traditional. The versatility of Hill’s playing is fairly remarkable considering he’s pushed through since the early 2000s — a time when ukelele held next to no weight in popular or indie music culture. Hill is well respected in Hawaii, too, despite attempting to drag the uke away ever so slightly from its roots, and he’s been praised for his ability to blend in with ukelele culture even though he’s really just a talented-as-hell kid from Canada — not unlike Keim, that’s just how he rolls.

Aaron Keim & James Hill play 7:30 pm, Thursday, Sept. 15, at Agate Alley’s Laboratory; $13.50 adv., $15 door.

EW 9/15

Battle of the Breweries - Corvallis

Photos by Jackson Voelkel


Oregon Trail Brewing Company
Oregon Trail, founded in 1987, is the oldest brewery in the Willamette Valley and the fourth oldest in Oregon. The copper kettle that houses pounds upon pounds of ingredients each year attests to this fact — it used to belong to Pyramid Breweries, which is now a corporately run giant out of Seattle. Beyond being long established, though, Oregon Trail has an antiquity to it that serves more to intrigue than to impress. With a limited number of beers on tap at the brewery itself, the true excitement in a tour here starts with the gravity-based system they use.

Each story has a hole in the floor and a hole in the ceiling (with the exception of the third and highest story) through which the ingredients for every beer must pass before reaching their final destination in the miniscule, packed-like-sardines fermentation room.

“Brewing is, not even on purpose, a very green industry,” says Sean Martin, self-proclaimed “everything man” and brewmaster of Oregon Trail. His explanation of the green gravity system makes it appear exceptionally fertile, and it’s clear that he enjoys it. Martin gets a workout each day from climbing the steps, and for a low-personnel project such as this, the small amount of beer they have ready to go is really quite awesome.

“My favorite beer depends on my mood and the weather,” Martin says, giving a nod to the Oregon heat of late. “I’ve been drinking a ton of Wit, but in the winter nothing beats our Ginseng Porter.” With summer in the air, the temperature has been rising in Oregon, and the Oregon Trail Wit is perfect for shaking off the swelter — light in texture and taste but surprisingly dark in color, it could have you back on your feet (or sitting on your ass) in no time.

At this point, I feel it’s only right to mention the Bourbon Barrel Porter. When you crack the wax-sealed cap on a bottle of this beer, you better be ready to smell whiskey and taste barbeque — in short, it’s fucking dank. At 10-percent ABV (alcohol by volume) it’ll play with your head pretty hard. I’d recommend eating before trying this.

Speaking of ABV, the Corvallis beer scene must be full of wasted people. Seriously, the beers up there average 8 to 10-percent a lot of the time, and most of them are deceptively light. This is a fact easily discovered at Corvallis’ youngest brewery, Flat Tail.



Flat Tail Brewing Company
The vibe at Flat Tail Brewing is chilled out. With five-year brewer Dave Marliave manning their seven-barrel system at all times, there’s rarely a complaint to be heard — that is, unless you don’t like beer. Marliave got his degree at OSU’s School of Fermentation Sciences — a trend that would appear to grip the entire Corvallis beer scene by the balls — and since graduating at the beginning of last summer, he’s set to work finely tuning his art.

“Brewing is like any art form,” says Marliave. “It has layers.” And sure, most of his beers have a bunch of separate layers — each of them as delicious as the last — but what happens when they’re mixed together? This, it would seem, is a process of trial and error, because it’s all too easy to end up with solid separate layers that don’t mesh well, “It’s like a peanut butter, jelly and bacon smoothie,” Marliave explains. “The ingredients are great on their own, but not always together.”

Overall, the beer at Flat Tail is incredible. Dare I say it? They’ve stumbled upon a double IPA recipe that blows Ninkasi’s “Tricerahops” out of the water — at 10-percent ABV, “Some Like it Hop” is one of the strongest and most enjoyable beers around, and when placed hand-in-hand with the wine-like delicacy of Flat Tail’s English ESB, it creates a beautiful contrast that you can’t help but enjoy.



Block 15 Brew Pub


Unfortunately, Block 15’s owner and founding brewmaster, Nick Arzner, was unavailable for comment due to a case of Widespread Panic, but that meant Matt Williams was given a chance to spit some game. Though still young, Matt has been on the scene for a good six years, and he’s gained barrels of experience along the way.

“Every day I end up learning something new,” says Williams, remarking that Arzner has shown him techniques he never could have learned in school.

The Block 15 Brew Pub is small and lively; they have an insane assortment of beers — including a house brew designed as a stand in for the domestic bullshit they got tired of serving — and the food is awesome. They plan to expand next door with a “European-style beer café,” and that’s probably for the best, considering that they need the space.

Literally every single barrel, bag of grain and piece of equipment in Block 15’s labyrinthine cellar was carried down by hand. This includes, of course, the custom-designed fermentation tanks that weigh in at something to the tune of 800 pounds each.

“(Some of) our fermenters were designed specially so that they would fit down the stairs,” Williams says. Honestly, it’s miraculous how much stuff they’ve got down there — and it’s probably a safe bet that none of it’s ever coming back up.

Of the 14 beers on tap at Block 15, the flight you’re looking at should probably include the following: Aboriginale, King Caspian, Wandelpad and Alpha IPA. The rest is up to you, but those four are freakin’ magical. Unfortunately, the “Millennium Falcon” IPA that Williams deems his personal favorite currently is not in production. As he says, though: “The Millennium Falcon will be back, I’m sure.”


EW "State of Suds" 7/14

Kickin’ Out the Jams

Warpaint, Marv Ellis bring it all back home

Come ye! Come all ye hippies, craftsmen, musicians, artists, faeries, potheads, salesmen and other such Eugeneans; this year’s Oregon Country Fair has a fabulous music lineup and you definitely want to be in the know before you find your buzz being harshed by something you’d sooner not hear. Of course, the chances of this happening are incredibly low — that is, unless you’ve managed to procure some of Hunter S. Thompson’s mythic, recreationally accessible Adrenochrome — but it might put your mind at ease to have advance warning of what you’re in for.

So here we go: Chill out, make a dandelion chain and let this be a guide of six to your awesome musical Country Fair experience.

As always, the Country Fair lineup packs a punch delivered mostly by blue-grass, jam and reggae groups — but what of Warpaint? This locally rooted, four-part female powerhouse out of L.A. is about as describable through language as a volatile and heart-pounding LSD trip in the middle of a ticking clock, yet there’s something hauntingly familiar about the band’s droning, pop-rock sound that makes you want to drop what you’re doing and follow them into the perfectly tuned dreamworld they create. Theorists around here speculate that only alien technology could be responsible for bringing such a foursome together back in ‘04, but chances are it was just a perfectly harmonized, well-executed conspiracy designed to throw the world into shock and awe.

Warpaint. Photo by Todd Cooper

All levity aside, though, the women in Warpaint have a chemistry that’s hard to top, their chops are intense, and the best part is they’ve found a sound that works. It’s their first year playing the Country Fair, but that shouldn’t stop them from feeling right at home, and it also shouldn’t stop you from feeling like you’ve found a place to call home when they step on stage. They’re sanitary, post-hippie masterminds, and every second of their dense compositional power warrants attention.

Speaking of dense, this year’s Country Fair welcomes a group that could be a contender for the most dreadlocks per capita award: Hailing originally from Jamaica, the members of Rootz Underground are staunch purveyors of synergistic, revolutionary reggae. They’ve combined the chilled-out vibe of a modernized Wailers, the soul and consistency of blues and the wild musical chops of modern funk to form the basis for their overlordic reggaelution, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg-devil’s-lettuce. When Stephen Newland starts pouring out his soul into the microphone, an air of passionate genius seems to float down from the sky like some kind of veiled, rebellious precipitation. Seriously, if these guys were louder they’d sound like Rage Against the Machine any day: “You are the ones who can hold your ground, / the more you listen the more you learn, / romp with fire and your skin gonna burn, / What you gonna do when the tables turn?” So yeah, by the time they’re done you’re pretty much gonna be on their side, like it or not.

If you’re at the Country Fair, scrupulously performed mathematics tell us that you have a 59 percent chance of being a dirty, stinking hippie. With this in mind, a cool majority of you are gonna love 7 Walkers. Ex-Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann has, in recent years, taken his chops down a path of isolation from the other Dead members, and while his new music stays in touch with the bluesy country jams of his hayday, the tunes still stand apart with wicked, beautiful intensity. Lovers of that dusty, tie-dyed, dancing bear, psychedelic-fueled jam band music will find solace in 7 Walkers, but don’t be surprised when the ratio of originals-to-Dead songs is weighted more toward the former. That said, you’ll probably be trippin’ balls, so it doesn’t much matter what you’re hearing as long as the Steal Your Face vibe stands strong.

Before you hit the peak of this long, three-day adventure, by the way, you might want a little pick-me-up to get things started. Enter Marv Ellis and The Platform, a locally founded, fully fledged hip hop jazz group with influence that can be credited to acts such as the Roots and Digable Planets. Not only does lead MC Marv Ellis have reasonable flow and cooled-off vocals to offer, he’s also been known to throw down a freestyle or two. By the time his first year on the scene had drawn to a close, he’d already gotten more than 100 shows buckled under his belt and been named the Northwest’s number one unsigned hip hop and fusion artist. Are we intrigued yet?

At this point, you might be freaking out, thinking there are no string bands to groove on. Have no fear, Elephant Revival is here. The members of this neo-acoustic quintet — which hails from Nederland, Colo. — have far more tricks up their flannel sleeves than you might first think. From the moment they began cutting their teeth, they’ve been pioneers of an emerging genre known as “transcendental folk,” and it seems the only way to sum this sound up is by listening to it. Take the eerie, folky string band sound of last year’s Country Fair bigwig Black Prairie, add some electrified energy and throw it into a beautiful, wide-echoing well of reverb. The skinny is this: Not only are they beautiful compositionally, they’re all fantastic at what they do — fun, poppy-come-mellow folk music. Oh yeah, and they have voices like poppy sirens, so that’s a bonus.

If you’re still in the mood to get your sweaty, sunny dance on after two full days of Country Fair, then Cabinessence is definitely worth checking out. They’re opening up for Warpaint and they should set the stage nicely. With a real funky rock ‘n’ roll feel going on, Cabinessence has a penchant for taking the rock genre and fucking with everything beneath the umbrella. You’ll hear funky ass wah-wah guitars side by side with rock ‘n’ roll twang piano, happy lyrics sidling their way mischievously into minor chord progressions, indie-folk pop vibes dancing for joy behind walls of ‘50s boogie woogie and whinging dobro falling neatly into place between modernized country emotives. This is where your Sunday night starts to get psychedelic, so don’t fret; just chill out and enjoy.

The Oregon Country Fair music scene is something to revel in, and if you don’t you’re gonna have a bad time. At first glance it’ll probably look like a bunch of dirty, stinking hippies jamming out, but trust me, they’re so much more than that.

More information on dates, times, and stages at oregoncountryfair.org

EW 7/7

Signs of Hope

Young artist Amy Bowers spent a great deal of time over the past four years gathering discarded cardboard signs once used as a means of survival for the numerous homeless citizens of Eugene.

“I came upon my first sign by chance and was immediately intrigued by the idea of collecting a large amount of them,” reads the self-authored description of Bowers’ installment. “At first I didn’t know whether or not I’d ever find enough signs to call it a ‘collection,’ but as soon as I started keeping an eye out for them, they started piling up in my room.”

Photo by Jackson Voelkel

For Bowers, the collecting of signs has become a discovered art form. But aside from this it has also given her the opportunity to get involved with rehabilitation and improvement of the Eugene community as a whole. Her installment on Friday, June 3, was not only an art show but a fundraiser for local organization ShelterCare, which serves members of the Lane County homeless community, giving them a voice.“ They [ShelterCare] specifically work to rehabilitate those who have families and/or mental illness,” Bowers explained.

Among ShelterCare’s services are emergency shelter, one-on-one group support and assistance with basic needs such as food, clothing and supplies. It is all too fitting that Bowers’ display would sit hand in hand with such an important organization.

Many of the signs featured are more than just a source of intrigue. Indeed, on these scraps of beer boxes and old “For Rent” notices are scribbled all breeds of truth, ranging from sharp and humorous wit to desperate and heartbreaking cries for help. The collection makes visible the community that many members of our public have deemed invisible. In this, a chance at optimism is cultivated both for the homeless community and for those who wish to make a difference.

Amy Bowers’ Homeless Sign Collection is part of the Eugene Storefront Art Project. For more information about ShelterCare, go to www.sheltercare.org

EW 6/9

Alive and Kickin’ (and Tastes like Chicken)

Hot Mama’s Wings Still Serves It Up Fat

Since opening up shop in February, Hot Mama’s Wings has continued to develop into a thriving and vivacious business. Sitting down to eat for my second time since Mama’s debut night was quite a different experience; the place was less crowded, the service was quicker and the food tasted like chicken. Of course, this isn’t to say that the chicken I ordered last time didn’t taste like chicken; it’s just a figure of speech.

It was a Monday night — granted not the busiest night to eat out — and the place was full of patrons getting their snack on and awaiting the beginning of Hot Mama’s Monday night open-mic. This proved to be a highlight, in fact, as the folks responsible for overseeing the open-mic had the amplification levels so perfect that it was possible to talk and listen in unison. Thus, a foolproof atmosphere was formed, and it was time to start ordering all kinds of crazy shit.

Here’s an important disclaimer: Don’t order the “insane” or “kamikaze” sauce unless you really like your wings hot. After eating a basket of six, my friend’s face was bright red, his eyes were watering and it looked like he’d smeared on lipstick; all he had to cure his pain was a basket of onion rings and an alcohol-soaked towellette (which seeped into his lips and made the sting worse). After washing the entrée down with an entire carafe of water and a deep-fried Twinkie, he had chirped up enough to remark on how delicious the chicken had been despite the fire. Lesson learned.

He was right, too; the food was freakin’ delicious.

Photo by Jackson Voelkel

“We want to appeal to everyone,” said owner Michael Marzano, who runs the place with the help of his wife, Angie, and longtime friend Joel Poston. “A group of folks can come in with some having food,” Marzano pointed out, “while others have a beer or cocktail at our full bar.” The drink selections at Hot Mama’s, by the way, are great, with six draught beers in constant rotation and a grand selection of mixers. Not too pricey either.

“We have specials almost every night of the week” Marzano said, and this isn’t an exaggeration: On Mondays, $7.50 will get you six wings and a brew; Tuesdays feature discounted drafts at $3 a pop; Wednesday is burger and brew night — which means the duo costs $11; drop by on Thursday and 11 bucks will score you a Reuben and a beer; and Sundays feature 12 wings and a pitcher for $20. See? Yep. Awesome.

The goal now seems to be pulling in a bigger lunch crowd, though this likely will solve itself; after all, it’s only a matter of time before word spreads on a joint like this, right?

After a good four months in business, it’s not hard to tell why Hot Mama’s is becoming a local commodity, and the dinnertime crowds affirm this fact. “Each week we are a little busier than the week prior,” Marzano explained. “Word of mouth has proven most effective.”

With the nights growing more packed, it’s probably a good idea to get your hot ass down to Hot Mama’s before all the seats are occupied. Or are you too chicken to try something new?

EW Chow! 6/9

South Eugene Farmers’ Market

I love summer time and, after all, who doesn’t? If for nothing else, you gotta love it for the fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, pears, cherries (and all the rest). Yes, it’s truly one of the best times to get your healthy snack on. Speaking of which, if you’re looking for delicious produce this summer, there’s a hidden gem to be discovered at the Southtowne Shoppes courtyard in Southeast Eugene. Located on the corner of 28th and Oak streets, the South Eugene Farmers’ Market boasts a cozy assortment of vendors from all over Lane County’s local farmland.

The main attraction is Sweetwater Farm’s produce stand, which acts as a centerpiece for the weekly event. The stand itself has produce ranging from organically grown vegetables to perfectly ripe fruit, and the people are always friendly. The entire market is set back from the main road and remains fairly quiet throughout the day, but this shouldn’t be taken as a sign of inferiority — it’s simply indicative of the fact that the most frequent customers come from the neighborhood surrounding the Southtowne Shoppes complex.



The location has other benefits, too: It’s slap-bang in the center of just about everything worth visiting in the area — Barry’s Espresso and Bakery, Long’s Meat Market, Mulligan’s Pub (okay, so that one’s a matter of opinion, especially before noon) and Sushi Domo are all a stone’s throw away from the market. And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, there’s always the produce stands to keep you occupied for as long as you please. Oh, and free samples — don’t miss the free samples.

It’s not often that a well-kept-by-accident secret such as this gets unearthed, so get out there and scope it while you can. The market starts early, and winds down a bit by the early afternoon, so it’s probably for the best if you’re an early riser on this one. After all, the best stock is to be had at the beginning of the day.

The South Eugene Farmers’ Market starts Sunday, June 12, and runs through September. Hours are 9 am-2 pm. More information at goodfoodeasy.com

EW Summer Guide 6/2

In Vino Veritas, So Why So Sniffy?

Wise words for the would-be wine fan

Everyone’s been there: It’s a special occasion, so you’re sitting in a fancier-than-normal restaurant, enjoying some freshly cooked cioppino (or any other expensive sounding seafood), when some loud-mouthed wine “connoisseur” is ushered to the table right next to yours.

Next thing you know, wine guy is perusing the wine list and discussing the fact that he enjoys “dry, full-bodied wines from the south of France,” or something he hopes sounds equally impressive to his date as well as every patron within earshot. This is the same guy who eventually will call the waiter back to the table and claim that his wine is “corked,” and that he would like a replacement bottle. Most likely, he is also the guy who has seen one too many wine-tasting shows on the Food Network and now believes he knows exactly what he’s talking about.

This guy is ill informed. Do not listen to this guy.



Words like “dry” and “full-bodied” are thrown around all the time in the wine community, and to those who are actually able to define them, they are just simple vocabulary. The truth is, though, a lot of people are only making educated stabs at what these words actually mean. And it’s these same phrases that strike fear into the hearts of newcomers who possess a genuine interest in wine, as the risk of sounding uninformed seems too high a price to pay for getting involved.

I’m here to tell you: Have no fear.

I, for one, had always thought that “dry” was indicative of that cheek-clenching dry mouth sensation that occurs quite often when drinking red wine — turns out it just means “the opposite of sweet.” In fact, that puckering sensation is caused by tannin — a low-weight, astringent plant compound known for its bitterness.

I was lucky enough to speak face-to-face with Boris Wiedenfeld of Sundance Wine Cellars (2441 Hilyard St.), and he informed me with great ease that, despite all the scientific crap, the world of wine is not nearly as complicated as it seems.

Breaking down the most enjoyable way to taste wine is simple; it all has to do with employing four of your five senses. First of all, the way a wine looks in a glass can give the drinker hints toward a number of things, including the quality, intensity and age of a wine. For example, if a red wine is bluish — that is, closer to purple — then it is younger. If the wine looks to be “cloudy,” then most likely it’s not of good quality. A good wine should be translucent.

Now that you’re done looking at your wine, you can smell it. There are a number of misconceptions surrounding the smelling of wine — most of them based on the idea that it is designed for something far more complicated than its actual purpose. In truth, people smell wine because it smells good.

“I’ll have people come in here for wine tastings on Fridays, and they’ll stand there for the entire night just smelling the same glass,” Wiedenfeld told me, further indicating that sensual enjoyment should be the wine taster’s primary concern. Smelling wine also can give the taster some indication as to the complexity of the wine — though that kind of thing can be reserved for the boring, critical tasters and thrown to the side whenever pleasure takes precedence.

Once you’re all done hawking whiffs of wine up your nostrils, the moment everyone’s been waiting for has arrived: It’s time to taste that shit.

Here’s the part of wine tasting where that guy from the restaurant thinks it’s his time to shine; here’s where words like “dry,” “full-bodied,” “finish,” “corked” and “fruity” start flying around like linguistic shrapnel in a wine-infested war zone. Don’t worry, the fun of wine is not knowing every single one of these words and using them as much as possible — it’s entirely sensual, and no wannabe wine snob should be able to take that from you.

The most enjoyable way to taste wine is to first take a sip and swish it like mouthwash. This helps to build up the level of acidity in your mouth so the wine will not be so out of balance when it’s finally sipped. After waiting a little while, a normal sip can be taken and enjoyed. Here, pay attention to the way the wine coats your mouth, and also to the subtle flavors. No matter how each wine tastes, much of the fun to be had is in spotting differences among the various wines — relish this.

In case you’re wondering (and, like I was, you probably are), a wine that’s “full-bodied” will simply coat your mouth and throat more intensely. This has to do with viscosity, and a wine’s “finish” is simply determined by how long the flavor stays in your mouth after tasting.

“No one’s going to put ‘has a short finish’ on their label,” Wiedenfeld told me before grabbing a bottle of corked wine and showing me exactly how it smells.

If you think your wine is corked, chances are it isn’t. If that asshole in the restaurant thinks his wine is corked, chances are it isn’t. Corked wine smells like wet cardboard wrapped around a log of Steven Seagal’s shit — and I’m gonna go ahead and guess that it doesn’t taste much better. Most people returning a bottle of wine because it’s “corked” just don’t like the wine. “It wasn’t what they were expecting,” said Wiedenfeld.

Wine tasting should be done entirely for personal enjoyment. Now is the time to block out those knowledgeable (or pretentious) winos and start fresh. Now is the time to get involved, no matter how scary the vocabulary is. Now is the time to become a wine fan.

EW "Uncorked, 2011" 5/19

"Salmon is Everything" Opens Friday

New lyric play brings local, ecological awareness

Friday will see the University of Oregon’s Robinson Theater hold its opening night of the community driven production “Salmon is Everything.” The play, set in Klamath Falls, Oregon depicts a struggle by the region’s native peoples with local farmers and their advocacy of dams and irrigation.

From the HSU performance of "Salmon is Everything"
Writer Theresa May, in collaboration with members of the Hupa, Karuk and Yurok communities, put the production together with hopes that it would bring awareness in a time of great need for those affected by the devastating outcome of low water levels in the Oregon river system. Much of the commentary that takes place on stage is aimed at proprietors and advocates of dams and irrigation systems that continue to drastically lower salmon populations in the Northwest, all while spinning a poignant yarn that weaves the importance of salmon preservation into a message that holds true in every walk of life.



Only just under a decade ago, the Klamath River was home to a gigantic and disastrous decrease in the Chinook salmon population. It was reported that something to the tune of 70,000 fish were killed as they made their way upstream to spawn. While “Salmon is Everything” hopes to make knowledge of this occurrence widespread, it also hopes to enlighten the public with an exploration of the complicated monetary and societal issues that surround the local watershed.

Each performance will be followed by a community question-and-answer discussion with local ecosystem experts, the director and the play’s cast, so any queries regarding statistics, similar issues or ways to get involved are sure to be answered if theater goers choose to stick around.

This production is certainly an important commentary on the state of Northwest wildlife as well as the spiritual, social and economic impact that goes hand in hand with such crises as the destruction of local fish habitats. As they say: “don’t get caught upstream without a ticket.”

“Salmon is Everything” opens at 8pm on Friday, May 20th at the Robinson Theater on University of Oregon campus. The play runs through June 4th and tickets are available with more information about show times online at http://tickets.uoregon.edu/ or by phone at 542-346-4363.

EDN 5/19

A Good Old Fashioned 'Wich-Hunt

The Search for Eugene’s Best Sandwich
(Photos by Jackson Voelkel)

What is it that makes sandwiches so awesome? Is it the texture, flavors, DIY mentality, or the propensity for customization? Is it the fact that you can make food less messy by holding it between two slices of bread? Does a sandwich even have to involve bread? The short answer is that a little of all these questions and characteristics go into designing and building a truly great sandwich, and there are a multitude of places in this great city of ours waiting to share their skills with you. Seriously, you’d be amazed at how many unexpected places are sitting on a mountain of sandwich gold.
So without further ado, here’s where to get your Sammie on:

Cornucopia Bar and Burgers
Recommended Sandwich: “Wade’s Smokey Club”

Although Cornucopia has been voted time and time again as the best restaurant in town to grab a burger or sing karaoke, the folks at both of their locations are also in the know about how to make a great sandwich. With multiple vegetarian and meat options, there’s a great assortment of choices for all types—whether you want a Tempeh Rueben or a B.L.T—and the portions won’t disappoint. The prices are a little higher than most, with a sandwich and fries costing anywhere between eight and eleven dollars, but it’s still worth the trip.
Cornucopia has two locations: 207 E. 5th Ave. & 295 W. 17th Ave.


"Wade's Smokey Club" at Cornucopia


The Kiva
Recommended Sandwich: “Build-Your-Own”

Almost everyone has been inside or noticed the Kiva, it’s hard not to when your store is located right next to the downtown bus station. Aside from being an awesome grocery story, wine merchant and bookseller, though, the Kiva is also home to some incredible sandwiches, made-to-order style. There are some interesting veggie options that make the Kiva’s sandwiches unlike any of the other places in town, these include hummus and tofu pate, and there are a multitude of vegetables to choose from also. At $5.75 for a whole and $3.75 for a half, the prices are undoubtedly Eugene’s best, so keep this in mind for a quick and inexpensive lunch when you’re downtown.
The Kiva is located at 125 W. 11th Ave.

Benedetti’s Market and Deli
Recommended Sandwich: “Meatball Grinder”

While Benedetti’s might be just across the border into Springfield, thus making it an “unofficial” candidate for my sandwich hunt, it is still one of the most interesting and authentic places around, so it’s worth mentioning. Vegetarians beware here—it is a meat market after all—but for those who love meaty, East Coast deli style sandwiches, this place is one of the best. It really doesn’t matter what you order, it’s gonna taste great. Okay, so there is one vegetarian option—it’s a walnut, dried cherry and Monterey jack salad. So there you have it; even amidst a haze of meat there’s still something for everyone.
Benedetti’s Market and Deli is located at 533 W. Centennial Boulevard, Springfield.

Jiffy Market
Recommended Sandwich: “Club”

Jiffy Market is one of those rare gems that you can’t help but love. It’s tucked neatly into a small space along Hilyard, just south of West Amazon, and despite it’s rugged exterior, the inside is a wonder to behold. So, what of the sandwiches? Well, there’s a multitude to choose from—whether you’re in the mood for a cold and simple cream cheese, cranberry and turkey, or something more complex like the mouthwatering curry chicken—and the portions are awesome. Everything is made fresh, so you can feel free to grab a beer out of the fridge (that’s right, it’s like a convenience store that lets you open your drinks inside), or get microbrew on tap and sit there watching intently while your Sammie is prepared. The prices are fair—a sandwich will run you around seven bucks—and the service is quick. Eat in, take out, do whatever; you’re gonna love these sandwiches.
Jiffy Market is located at 3443 Hilyard St.


Jiffy Market's enormous "Club"


Cheba Hut
Recommended Sandwich: “Five ‘O’’

Fans of Subway and Quiznos looking for something classier will find solace in Cheba Hut. While the entire chain is based on a marijuana themed gimmick, the sandwiches themselves are far more than just quirky stoner food. With around thirty different subs to choose from, there’s no way you’ll run into problems finding something you like, and the ingredients are all fresh and delicious. They’re open seven days a week and deliver until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. All this taken into account, there’s no doubt that Cheba Hut is Eugene’s best sub shop.
Cheba Hut is located at 339 East 11th Ave.

Barry’s Espresso and Bakery
Recommended Sandwich: “Breakfast Special”

This place has giant sandwiches, and when I say giant, I mean “equivalent-of-three-square-meals” giant. They can make just about anything you want on just about any bread—including Challah, a sweet, braided Jewish bread that’s a must try—with a half sandwich costing $5.25 and a whole at $6.95. The atmosphere is that of a New York style Jewish deli; the type of place you go to grab a quick and awesome lunch during your break. It’s the breakfast, though, that really takes the cake: The “Breakfast Special” contains egg, bacon, pesto, cheese and tomato, all stuffed neatly in a challah roll. Believe me, you’ll be happy you tried this one.
Barry’s has two locations: 2805 Oak St., & 804 East 12th Ave.


Barry's "Breakfast Special"


The ‘Wich House
Recommended Sandwich: “Turkey Dinner ‘Wich”

It seems as though the ‘Wich House has been missed by a lot of people. This may be due to the fact that it’s tucked into a small space between buildings along Wilamette street downtown, or it could just be that word of mouth has yet to catch on. Whatever the reason, the ‘Wich House is not to be missed. Their lunch menu has ten sandwiches to choose from along with soups and salads, and the options are all incredibly unique. Take, for instance, the Turkey Dinner ‘Wich—a sandwich that basically sports a Thanksgiving dinner between its two slices of bread—or other items like the Spicy Ahi ‘Wich and the Poached Pear ‘Wich (which is great for adventurous vegetarians). From top to bottom, the ‘Wich House has got it going on.
The ‘Wich House is located at 840 Willamette St.

Capella Market
Recommended Sandwich: Grilled “Build-Your-Own”

From the outside (and most of the inside) Capella is nothing more than a somewhat pricey health-food grocery store. But a ten second walk to the back sandwich counter will be one of the most worthwhile trips of your life. Here, you fill out a quick form (which is adorned with awesome ingredients) drop it with a Sammie maker, and wait for what is undoubtedly one of the best sandwiches you will ever have. The price for a half is $4.49, a whole costs $6.49, and the deal is topped with a free bag of chips and a pickle. While the wait can be longer than most other places, it’s more than worth it for the Best Sandwich in Eugene. Capella’s sandwich bar also sports great veggie options and is without a doubt one of the best value for money delis you’ll find in the city. Do not, under any circumstances, miss these sandwiches.
Capella Market is located at 2489 Willamette St.


A Capella "Build-Your-Own" with beef pastrami and the works

So there you have it; some of the best of the best sandwiches that our city has to offer. Enjoy.

[Eugene Daily News, 5/12]

¡Tiempo de Fiesta!

The Vet’s Club Ballroom will celebrate its annual Cinco de Mayo bash on Thursday, May 5, and it should be a night to remember. The headlining act this year is El Combo de la Salsa, an eight-piece salsa band that cut its teeth locally, both here in Eugene and up in Portland. The band contains elements that remain essential to the composition and flavor of authentic Latin music: guitar, trumpet, baby bass, trombone, congas, timbales, saxophone and, of course, high-energy vocalization. El Combo is renowned for its ability to get people swingin’, so for those who love to dance this is a part of the night well worth checking out.



Other attractions at the fiesta include free dance lessons, a silent auction, appearances from DJ Mario Mora between performance sets, Salsa performances by the Eugene Casineros — a locally based social dance and demonstrative group — and further dance displays by Javier and Adha of Gemini Salsa in Portland.

Aside from being a raging party, the night aims to be a boon for the community: All proceeds will go toward benefitting the work that the folks at Centro LatinoAmericano have strived to perform since 1972. Centro is a not-for-profit agency that works tirelessly with its advocacy of Latino empowerment across Lane County, as well as providing human services to benefit not only the Latino community but also the Lane County community as a whole.

So whether your goal is just to dance, or if it’s to help the community you live in, the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Vet’s Club Ballroom is a must visit. Olé!

The celebration kicks off 8 pm Thursday, May 5, at the Vet’s Club Ballroom; $10.

EW 5/5

Queen of the Ivory Keys

It is said that Gabriela Montero began playing piano at age 0. That is, she was just seven months old when she first laid her finger on a key and by eighteen months she’d already learned to play the National Anthem of Venezuela — her country of origin. Montero’s forte is, undoubtedly, improvisation — a talent that she supplements with an unbelievable ear for music. She can improvise around the structure of anything from piano masterpieces such as Rachmaninoff’s “Third Piano Concerto” and Chopin’s “Nocturne in C minor,” to standards like “Happy Birthday” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” It’s this skill that truly separates her as one of the greatest and most versatile classical pianists of our time.


Montero has charm, elegance and grace both in her playing and the way she carries herself. She can effectively pull an audience into the experience of classical piano while maintaining the poise of a truly great show-woman. Montero’s Jaqua Concert Hall performance will be a solo recital to back the release of her 2010 recording Solatino. The album itself is a collection of Latin American compositions taken in by Montero and made all her own. In a recent interview about the collection, Montero described the recording process as “a voyage of who we are and what we’re made of, and the way that we express ourselves.”

Gabriela Montero will play at 7:30 pm Friday, April 29, at the Jaqua Concert Hall; $12-$36.

EW 4/28

I'm Still High?

Wading through a sea of shitty comedians is a drag these days. Just flipping to the “Comedy Central Presents” marathon — which seems to fill at least one day’s worth of airtime per week — doesn’t cut it anymore, so it’s always exciting when someone actually worth listening to pops up.

Enter Doug Benson, star of the parody "Super High Me", sixth-place finalist on “Last Comic Standing” and all-around funny man. His style maintains elements of that generic stand-up presence and obvious joke-filler, while remaining in league with the irreverent greats of the past. His routines range from that “what’s up with airports?” type shit to witty and endless riffing on the possibility of a guy wanting to jack off to High Times magazine. It’s this versatility and ability to keep you guessing that makes him engaging.



Marijuana has become something of a calling card for Benson, so there’s little chance of escape for those of us with supple, virgin ears. But that’s what stand-up is all about: laughing at shit you never thought could be funny. When asked by EW last week if he wants to be known as anything besides the pot jokester, Benson said, “I’d settle for funny comic.” On the other hand, he currently hosts a podcast discussion of movies that usually breaks down into wacky hijinks by the time it’s run its course. So there’s something for everyone with Doug Benson — even the completely unrealistic dude who goes through life trying to avoid all mention and/or use of drugs could have a good time.

So whatever your tastes, there’s bound to be at least one joke worth chuckling at when Benson hits town. Who knows, maybe Doug will be so fried from 4/20 that he’ll just lie on stage and sleep? It’s all a mystery waiting to be solved.

Doug Benson performs at 7:30 pm Thursday, April 21, at WOW Hall; $20 adv., $23 door.

EW 4/21

Swing Your Razor Wide!

The origins of the character Sweeney Todd stretch back as far as the eye can see: a speculative history which frames the original character as an entity closer to some sort of cryptozoological mystery creature than a barber. Nevertheless, Sweeney Todd remains a long-enjoyed face of stage performance and as such his menace lives on through musicals, movies and plays alike.

The demon barber was brought to life before my eyes at the Cottage Theatre on April 9 during a rendition of the 1979 Sondheim-Wheeler musical adaptation. Cottage Grove’s bone-chilling performance of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street didn’t just linger in my mind for the next few days; it was all I could think about. With the words “attend the tale of Sweeney Todd” bouncing around in my brain, I was constantly reminded of the precision with which the musical had been directed and performed.



Don Kelley threw down a maniacal performance, offering multiple crowd members (included my bearded self) the most terrifying proposed shave of their lives, while supporting cast members Karen Snyder (Mrs. Lovett), Ken McClintock (the Beadle) and Paul von Rotz (Judge Turpin) saw that the hilarity, horror and heart of the tale never faded. Nick Forrest’s performance as Tobias Ragg took the cake for me, though; his singing was delightful, his accent blazed with Cockney enthusiasm, and his ability to create chemistry with each of his colleagues became a show stealer.

The Cottage Theatre’s foundation of community volunteerism stands at the core of shows such as this, and upon arriving with this in mind I turned to my fellow spectator and divulged that I was not expecting much from the evening.

I stand entirely corrected. Bravo, Cottage Theatre.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street runs from now until May 1 at the Cottage Theater in Cottage Grove; info and tickets at www.cottagetheatre.org

EW 4/14

In the Dog House

A wiener, a bun, and then some

Upon walking into Dog in a Box on the corner of 17th and Pearl, I was greeted with the smell of freshly cooked sausages, two smiling faces and a large sign reading “Legends,” beneath which hung framed portraits of history’s better known jazz musicians. From outside, the view had been of windowpanes packed from left to right with prices, drawings and signs — an intriguing hole-in-the-wall appearance that welcomed me inside.

When I sat down to try the “Oktoberfest” hot dog that the employee kindly recommended; I was pleased to find that it was hot, with a fresh bun and evenly distributed condiments. In short, it had the all the characteristics and qualities of a legit hot dog

“We wanted variety, we wanted originality, we wanted quality and we wanted to control the process from beginning to end, which we did,” says owner, founder and self-proclaimed delicatessen hound Steve Solomon. “All our hot dogs are custom made to our own recipe.”

Dog in a Box boasts two Eugene locations, each of which is partly solar powered and stacked with options including vegan and vegetarian alternatives. With almost 15 entirely Oregon-grown and Oregon-made hot dogs from which to chose, there’s sure to be something fitting everybody’s tastes.


[Photo by Trask Bedortha]

Since first opening in 1993, the restaurant over time has garnered influence from cuisines around the world, with especial focus on European sausages and the beloved, traditional all-American hot dog. There’s been demand for hot dogs in the U.S. dating back to 1870, when original hot dog badass Charles Feltman sold sausages in buns on Coney Island. And while they may not have Feltman’s added attractions of the beach, boardwalk and Cyclone, Dog in a Box wieners still know how to draw a crowd.

“We’ve been in business 17 years, and every year it gets greater and greater, demand is very strong,” Solomon says. Demand, the crucial counterpart to supply, is definitely an important thing to consider, and there should be no shortage of it with the prices listed on Dog in a Box’s menu: A fat, condiment-slathered wiener will run you about five bucks — a fair price considering the quality and rate of service. Throw in a drink and you might even be able to pay with a card, considering they have a $5 minimum on debit and credit (be wary of this fact before going in, cash is preferable). If a trip to the ATM is all that’s separating you from an awesome and reasonably priced hot dog, I’d say it’s worth it.

From the checkerboard floor to the glossed-leather stools, Dog in a Box has that homey, vintage appearance you hope to find in a traditional hotdog and European sausage joint. Oh, and there’s this — all aesthetics aside, the food rocks. Charles Feltman would be doggone proud.

Dog in a Box has locations at 195 E. 17th Ave. and at 210 W. Sixth Ave.; more information at www.doginaboxeugene.com

[EW Chow! Restaurant Guide 4/7]

Green Skies, Collective Walnuts

Over the next seven days, two of Eugene’s hotspots will help ring in CD releases from a pair of solid acts. The first is Greensky Bluegrass, a decade-old bluegrass five-piece out of Kalamazoo, Mich., known for their use of bluegrass traditions in conjunction with unexpected exploration. Word is they’ll jump old-time standards to rock ‘n’ roll fuck-arounds with seamless confidence and skill, all while keeping Sam Bond’s jumping.



In the studio, Greensky sounds just as you would imagine — a tightly harmonized, virtuosic string band — but they add tangible flavor with their use of dobro, a steel-string lap guitar that gives the sound its completeness. Sticking to the road most traveled is always fun, and produces results more than worthy of an audience, but it’s sharp left turns into the realms of eerie, rockin’ fun that make Greensky one of the most daring and unique bluegrass outfits around.

Oh yeah, and bring a sound recorder, they encourage all-access recording of their shows so that the word may be spread!

Two days later, Eugene’s own Walnut Collective will hit the Oak St. Speakeasy to throw down their latest garage-haze madness. When I sat down to take a listen, I said to myself: “So what does Walnut Collective have to offer?”

Well, the guitars were fuzzy, the vocals were outrageous and the only words I could find to describe it all were “non-stop-sloppy-pop-rock fun,” which rhymed too many times to be dignified.



At times their new CD, Sea Rose, sounds like Bends-era Radiohead, other times it’s “What’s The Frequency Kenneth?” REM, and even after that there’s the Sonic Youth noise jams, the sex-minded ‘80s lyrics and the fuzzy, modern alternative sound to look forward to.

So what does Walnut Collective have to offer? Fucking anything you want. Enough said.

Greensky Bluegrass celebrate their CD release at 9 pm, Thursday, March 10, at Sam Bond’s; $10. Walnut Collective’s CD release is at 10 pm, Saturday, March 12, at Oak St. Speakeasy; FREE.

EW 3/10

Remembering A Legend

When I think about George Harrison, it takes a few moments to remember why he was so awesome. Then I recall the first time I listened to “Within You Without You,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Love You Too.” That dude rocked, there’s no other way to put it. Not only was he an incredible songwriter — as seemed to be the trend if you were a Beatle — he was by far one of the most innovative musicians of the century. You have to ask yourself, would the Stones’ “Paint It Black” be nearly as cool if Brian Jones hadn’t heard Harrison’s sitar part on “Norwegian Wood?” Probably not.



After George’s tragic and untimely death in 2001 — at only 58 — the music world suffered a giant blow not unlike the one in the mid-nineties when Kurt Cobain (at the risk of sounding tactless) bit the bullet, and Jerry Garcia followed only a year later. It’s a depressing thing when a musician with such influence dies, like a part of your life is being swept away from you, but it does remind you that music, and therefore his memory, lives on forever. In honoring a fallen artist, nothing is more fitting than a living tribute, and that’s just what George is getting.

Cozmic Pizza will ring out Saturday with the legendary music of our pal George with the George Harrison Tribute Concert. The event was organized by Rob Tobias of Maya Love — a group that Tobias pulled together in 2005 for George’s inaugural local tribute — and the bill also includes Bindaas and the All Things George Choir. The festivities will cover pretty much every era of George Harrison’s music — from his years with the Beatles, through his solo career, and everything else he worked on during the years leading up to his death. Adorning these groups is an assortment of local talent, including but not limited to: Rob Tobias, Jerry Zybach, Jeremy Wegner, Larry Lynch, Tim Miller, Sean Brennan and Ankush Vimawalla.

Bindaas is perhaps the most exciting part of the night, as it will be this duo (Wegner, Vimawalla) covering George’s apprenticeship under sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, as well as the rest of Harrison’s stint studying the traditions of Indian music. Let’s not forget that his time spent soul searching in India eventually gave rise to some of the most innovative and unconventional music of the sixties and decades post.

The All Things George Choir is a choral group that focuses almost exclusively on George Harrison songs, and should prove an interesting highlight as well. It’s tough to imagine further innovations being added to George’s music, but as long as it’s got his style in mind it has to be good.

The most important thing to consider at a tribute show is whether the artist being honored would enjoy it. I’d say George would be down.

The George Harrison Tribute Concert starts at 7 pm Saturday, Feb. 26, at Cozmic Pizza; $10

EW 2/24

Wild & Scenic Films

On Tuesday, Feb. 22, conservation group Cascadia Wildlands will host Patagonia’s fourth annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival at the UO campus. The festival hopes to yield donations to support the preservation of species at risk in the Cascade region, and in doing so it will continue to fulfill the group’s mission to “educate, agitate, and inspire a movement to protect and restore Cascadia’s wild ecosystems.”

Co-sponsored by the UO Outdoor Program, Ninkasi, Tactics and Backcountry Gear, Cascadia Wildlands hopes to draw a large crowd of folks hungry to view the nine films that adorn the evening’s bill. Wild and Scenic intends to be a smorgasbord of projects, from displaying films that provide commentary on the state of global outdoors, to showing human-nature interactions with didactic stories and stunning footage. Among said stories is Skier’s Journey: Kashmir, which documents a pair of skiers and their experience in search of a spot to ski in the Himalayas.



Another attraction is The Greatest Migration, a 20-minute piece made by local filmmaker and outdoor adventurer Trip Jennings, which documents the daunting migratory habits of Snake River salmon as they struggle to survive an onslaught of dams and hazards along the path to their spawning grounds, some 7,000 feet above sea level. The film aids Oregonians — residents who need to be especially conscious of salmon — in thinking closely about human impact on local river systems.

“We want to pack the house, connect with the community and provide them with an affordable night of cutting edge-film that isn’t Hollywood,” said Cascadia Wildlands Campaign Director Josh Laughlin. “It’s not a large fundraiser for us, rather a community—builder where we can show off some powerful film and introduce community members to the conservation work of Cascadia Wildlands.”

“It’s a compelling mix of thrilling backcountry adventure and powerful campaigns working to safeguard the Earth,” said Laughlin.

The films will be shown from 7 to 10 pm in 180 PLC at the UO campus. Tickets are $7 for the general public. More information on the festival at www.cascwild.org

EW 2/17

Raw Stringband Goodness

Solid instrumentation is a facet of folk, country and bluegrass that should never be ignored, and The Brothers Comatose certainly don’t miss this aspect of the genre. The coolest part of their music, though, is the songwriting. It’s often fun and upbeat, but sometimes you feel slightly taken aback by the eeriness of it all.



The first four members of Bros. Comatose met in high school — with the exception of brothers Ben and Alex Morrison — and quickly took to jamming together, though a band was never truly formed until the five of them all found themselves in San Francisco eager to get a real project started.

The outcome is raw stringband goodness, full of inventive instrumentation and nice harmony. Their album Songs from the Stoop nicely exemplifies this unique style while still maintaining a comfort zone for newcomers to the country-bluegrass genre. It’s never experimental, but it’s always tight. What more could you ask for?

The Brothers Comatose play at 9:30 pm Saturday, Feb. 26, at Sam Bond’s; $5

EW 2/24

Peace Out, Brooksy

Long-time Lane County resident and fingerstyle guitarist extraordinaire Brooks Robertson says farewell to our beloved city on Feb. 12 when he makes a break for the stars up in Portland. LaVelle Wine Bar, a recurrent host of Robertson, plans to make the event as fitting as possible while we see off one of the area’s most talented and unique artists. Brooks has been named the Buster B. Jones of his generation, and this seems apt considering how smoothly and impressively he makes his guitar hum. Jones was also a mentor of Robertson from an early age, and so the legacy of virtuosic fingerpicking will live on for years to come.



There’s something about the power and raw energy of one dude sitting in a chair with just a six string and a bunch of intense chops that makes the heart sing. Brooks has made this feeling a reality for years in Eugene, and there’s no doubt he’ll do the same up in P-town. His reputation is already large, and it’s boosted magnificently by his memorable second-place overall finish at last years “Yamaha Six String Guitar Theory Competition,” an international event that draws guitarists from almost fifty countries worldwide.

The evening-long “Bon Voyage” event at LaVelle features a meet-and-greet with Robertson starting at 5 pm, a set by local country-pop band Apropos from 6 to 6:45, and a two-hour Brooks set worthy of this momentous sendoff beginning at 7. Food will be available for purchase all night, and everything else is free. Could you really ask for more?

So let’s doff our hats to Brooks for supplying us with one of the coolest guitar techniques around. Thanks for all the good times, dude.

The Brooks Robertson “Bon Voyage” concert starts at 5 pm, Saturday, Feb. 12, at LaVelle Wine Bar; FREE

EW 2/10

Airstream 4 Lyfe

Considering the fact that the entirety of Hymn for Her’s new album Lucy & Wayne and the Amairican Stream was recorded inside a 16-foot Airstream, it’s shockingly well engineered. Sure, the acoustics within such a small, metal place were probably useful, but it’s a testament to the talent shared between Maggie Jane and Pierce Ternay that the album turned out the way it did. The music is different from the Americana floating around these days, mostly due to the distortion that fuzzes the acoustic instruments on almost every song. Hymn for Her clearly had country traditions in mind, though they added a rock twist that makes everything more fun. This isn’t just a collection of weakening croons; it’s a solid record of unique music.



How about that Airstream thing, though, right? So cool. It makes perfect sense that Hymn for Her are touring right now because, well, they’re always touring. They literally live in an Airstream — no, that’s not just a gimmick — and travel from place to place across the nation recording their music and finding inspiration. It’s clear, too, that they drew from multiple sources while recording their newest: sounds of the Delta, sounds of the Northeast, sounds of Arizona and the Southwest, burlesque, country, classic rock, they’re all in there somewhere. It’s fun-loving hillbilly rock, and if this is what a mulch of different parts of the U.S. sounds like, maybe the whole country should collaborate some time.

Hymn for Her plays at 10 pm, Friday, Feb. 11, at Diablo’s Downtown Lounge

EW 2/10

Weird Banjos and Furrowed Brows

If you’re a fan of modern-banjo country rock, you’ll be pleased to hear that Danny Barnes is rolling through town this week. Fans of unexpected covers will probably be pleased, too, though for haters of the above, it might behoove you to just stay home and get drunk — Barnes’ banjo style is strange (to say the least) and his songwriting is even stranger. While it’s clear that he has a comfortable grasp of both country and bluegrass traditions, he tries to peel away the layers of each genre and create an entirely new sound which, to put it bluntly, is really fucking weird. Though a step up from the likes of Big & Rich and Jason Aldean, Barnes’ big saving grace is his experience. From a young age he began garnering knowledge and skill with country, bluegrass, jazz, rock and even punk, and so a mélange of styles is able to shine through the country harmonies and banjo chunk.



Despite an array of solid testimonials from the likes of Sam Beam, Dave Matthews and Keller Williams, among others, I found myself with furrowed brow as I listened to his most recent release, Pizza Box. The album is redeemed mostly by its use of guest musicians and some of the more rockin’ riffs — beyond that I found it hard to imagine myself ever wanting to pick up Danny Barnes again. As previously stated, fans of this genre will certainly get a kick out of this one; to each his own, that’s what makes music great. As for the aforementioned covers: check out his (almost weirder) version of Beck’s “Loser” from 2003’s Dirt on the Angel. Beyond all this, I’ll leave it up to you to decide.

Danny Barnes plays with Betty & the Boy at 8:30 pm Friday, Feb. 11, at the Axe & Fiddle; $10.

EW 2/10

The Week in WOW

Marcy Playground, Jackie Greene hit town

The ’90s was a time of sifting for a lot of people — that is, sifting through some utterly rancid shit in order to dig up a good record. Looking back at the decade, it’s sometimes fun to polish off the gems that almost drowned in the sea of boy bands, girl groups and Limp Bizkits. Marcy Playground is one of those gems — although their single “Sex and Candy” was nearly dragged into the underworld of quintessential ‘90s pop — and so it was something of a shock to hear that the band is dropping in this week to play WOW Hall.

The average response to this news is probably: “Wait, what? They’re still around?” And this is more than justified. But what really needs to be asked is: “What the fuck happened to Marcy Playground?” The answer is more intriguing than you might think.



Marcy Playground’s eponymous LP was released in 1997, and garnered significant attention and mainstream success. The album is post-grunge meets ’90s pop, folk and rock to create a solid — and remarkably original — effect. Acoustic guitars, often layered, push to the foreground of many tracks, while John Wozniak’s vocals ring out beneath it all in a calm, dull drone. Other tracks, such as “Sherry Fraser” and “One More Suicide,” find Wozniak up front, singing his heart out. With the album now past the platinum mark, and “Sex and Candy” remembered for its 15-week streak at number one, it’s hard to imagine that every other album the band recorded skipped the charts, and the minds, of everyone. But alas, this is exactly what happened; in fact, the band hasn’t had a song chart since 1999’s “It’s Saturday,” which only reached 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.

Since then, the band has released two albums, MP3 and Leaving Wonderland… In a Fit of Rage — which most people shrug at, seeing as they haven’t even thought about Marcy Playground in almost a decade. It’s easy to see why 2004’s MP3 didn’t really make it: granted, the album is solid, but it’s just so… ’90s. By 2004, most mainstream music had moved away from that cutesy ditty pop rock, but for some reason John Wozniak decided it was time to start writing just that. As for the ’09 release Leaving Wonderland, it’s more of the same. The production is better, and the songwriting remains solid, but it’s far removed from the target sound of the new millennium.

Here’s to hoping the wondrous sounds of Marcy Playground’s first LP will grace their setlist Tuesday.

But before that, on Feb. 3, Jackie Greene arrives at the WOW. Rootsy, wholesome and eclectic — Greene’s music easily earns these adjectives. The California singer-songwriter decided to get serious in 2004 when he made a makeshift studio in his garage, where he recorded and burned his music. And over time, he gathered enough money to release his debut, Rusty Nails, entirely by his lonesome. If that’s not thrifty, I don’t know what is.



Since then, Greene has shot into the limelight, touring with all kinds of crazy people — B.B. King, Phil Lesh, Taj Mahal, among others — and playing major festivals like Bonaroo and Outside Lands. His most recent release, Till The Light Comes, shows just how far he’s come as a songwriter and composer. It’s a collection of fun, soulful anthems crafted mindfully in the traditions of folk, Americana and the blues. Watching Greene live is proof enough that he truly feels what he sings. On stage, eyes closed, he pulls you into his world — a world of pure fun and relaxation.

Jackie Greene & Lauren Shera play 8 pm, Thursday, Feb. 3 at WOW Hall; $15 adv. $18 door; Marcy Playground, Acidic & Dirty Wink play 8 pm, Tuesday, Feb. 8, at WOW Hall; $12 adv. $14 door.

EW 2/3

Flapping Delicious

Hot Mama’s is so much more than a wing joint

Wings. Hear that word and birds, angels, Paul McCartney and food is pretty much what comes to everyone’s mind, right?

It seems chicken wings have been a staple of barbeques, Super Bowls and southern restaurants since time began, so it’s only fitting that a new joint in Eugene called Hot Mama’s Wings garnered hype before its doors even opened.

The place is all casual attire and low prices, and it boasts a family friendly environment as well as a bar area. You can get pick-up, delivery, eat in, whatever the hell you want — it doesn’t matter — as long as you’ve got a hankering for good, homemade food.



Michael Marzano — who co-owns the establishment with his wife, Angie — grew up in Eugene and met head chef and general manager Joel Poston at the Oregon Country Fair some years back. After life took Michael elsewhere for a while (namely Portland), he decided it was time to pay tribute to the town that raised him.

“[Eugene] is a great town,” Marzano said. “This is the best way I could think to give back for all it gave us.”

Not only was this refreshing to hear, it also gave insight into the deep commitment to community spirit that Hot Mama’s Wings hopes to foster. It’s not hard to pick up on the vibe that locality and togetherness are valued highly by the folks at Hot Mama’s, which is clearly evident in everything from their decoration to their ingredients.

“We’re trying to be as local as possible, staying inside Oregon for a good portion of our food, from the chicken to the produce,” said Poston, who is also responsible for creating the menu. But the food isn’t all that’s coming from a local source; the tabletops, seats, bar, appliances and, well, pretty much everything else, is either used or restored. The bar is made of a bowling alley wood, the seats are made of reclaimed timber from the Nike store, and the ceiling insulation is post-consumer recycled. Really, it’s about being as green as possible, a trait that’s hard to come by in restaurants. The Hot Mama's crew built the space sustainably and they plan to run it as such.

“What we do in the space is important,” co-owner Angie Marzano said, “so recycling, composting, energy efficient lights and heating, blow driers in the bathrooms to cut down on paper use… We all have an environmental ethic in how we live and how we want to do business, and we’re going to operate in that way.”

So now you know: Hot Mama’s Wings is more sustainable than a solar panel. Take note when you go in there. As for the food, well, it shouldn’t be all that difficult to notice. They’re going for a “casual neighborhood café” feel, with burgers, soups, sandwiches, salads, brunch, breakfast, beer on tap and, of course, chicken wings. Then there’s the kids menu, a piece of the restaurant industry that has always lacked style... until now.

“Peanut butter is salt, sugar, peanuts and oil, and that’s all it should be,” said Poston, who churns his own peanut butter for the organic PB&Js that the restaurant will offer.

“We want there to be healthy options for children so that families can come in and feed their kids right” Angie Marzano explained. “[Michael and I] have a young family, and there aren’t that many places like this where we can feed our kids, and so we want to encourage young families also to come in for that reason.”

The target price range for a two courser and some drinks for two people is under $30, with the kids menu holding strong at “five bucks or under,” so affordability is yet another value that the Hot Mama’s crew wears on its sleeve. It’s all about “leaving with a full belly for not a whole lot of money.”

On top of all this, they’re creating an atmosphere of togetherness that wings can only hope to provide standing alone: They have big screens to watch games, a bar and giant communal table (which is also made of a bowling alley scrap) as well as booths that allow folks to create their own atmosphere. All this, from a simple wing joint? I know: it rocks.

Hot Mama’s Wings opens Friday, Feb. 4 — just in time for Super Bowl Sunday — and is located at 420 W. 13th Ave.

Headed Down to that Mission Bell

Amos Lee takes his new songs on the road

Knowing the perfect soundtrack to play while out on the road is important, but it’s just as important to find something calming while you rest your bones after a long drive. There are tunes that just sound like road trips, and intentional or otherwise, Amos Lee’s songs are the epitome. His voice is soft, his arrangements soothing; it all fits together like Tetris.



Lee hits the road Jan. 20, expecting to stop and calm the McKenzie for a night early on in the tour. He’ll be backing his fourth album, a poppy collection of his best country-folk anthems. Whether guest appearances on the tour will be a factor is unconfirmed, though Lee’s new full length, Mission Bell, does contain collaborations with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson and Sam Beam. By virtue of this fact, it’s probably a safe bet that the show won’t be the mosh pit of the century, but rather the perfect escape from the cold stress of this New Year.

Mission Bell is a far more personal work than Lee’s prior releases; it is a poignant, 12-track record that examines the re-evaluation of life, and where to go next.

“It’s pretty personal,” Lee says. “There’s always gonna be an outside perspective inspired by other sources, but certainly ‘Windows Rolled Down’ is autobiographical.” He goes on to say that “El Camino” and “Flower” also hold weight at a personal level. As for the rest of the tracks on Mission Bell: “It’s about half and half,” he says. “I just sort of wait for the tunes to come, and when they come I finish them up pretty quick. If they aren’t going anywhere, I put them aside, and if they don’t come back, it wasn’t meant to be.”

Lee has been up to more than just recording Mission Bell. CMT’s “Artists of the Year” special saw him crooning delicately alongside the Zac Brown Band, he’s got a Daytrotter session to his name and he made waves at Austin City Limits last year. Things seem to be looking up, and this tour should be the icing on the cool cake.

So whether it’s the rain and cold that’s got you down, or your legs are just tired from a hard day’s work, it shouldn’t be all that difficult to stand up in the face of Amos Lee.

Amos Lee, Vusi Mahlasela 8 pm Saturday, Jan. 22. McDonald Theatre. $22.50 adv., $25 door.