Upcoming Events: “The Wall” Folk Style

So you thought you might like to go to the show?

Pink Floyd’s rock-opera masterpiece “The Wall” was—and still is—considered the stuff of legends, and since its release in 1979, it has guaranteed those four English geniuses a place in the world’s memory. Sure, “Dark Side of the Moon” and “Wish You Were Here” have their respective places at the forefront of any classic rock timeline, but ask almost anybody older than age 14 if they’ve ever heard “Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2” and it’s a safe bet that the answer will be yes.



The double album blends beauty with intensity for a potent outcome that has scarcely been matched to date. In its inexplicable delicacy, “The Wall” seems a perfect candidate for intricate reinvention, and that’s just the way a gaggle of Portland folk artists saw it:

First on the list are Jenny Conlee and Chris Funk, long time members of The Decemberists that have recently been working hard on their side project Black Prairie—along with fellow Decemberist Nate Query. Together, these two are incredibly talented and tight-knit musicians that truly know how bone-chilling folk music is supposed to sound. After all, there’s nothing like an accordion and six string combo to get a musical connection flowing.

Next up is a trio of dudes that clearly value the classics. Sneakin’ Out can often be found doing live covers of the Stones, Floyd and the Beatles. They’ve got it down well, putting their own rockin’ spin on things but still keeping the strings tightly wound. Strong folk undertones certainly grace Sneakin’ Out’s style, and so a nice balance can be kept while walking the fine line between folk rock and classic rock.

Twisted Whistle exemplifies bluegrass in such a raw, rootsy way that it’s not all that hard to get lost in the entire ensemble. They’re not afraid to get dancy—drawing from all kinds of different influences to create a potpourri of flavors—and a raw, high-energy sound is the result. The genre is such that each instrument has to be tight with those surrounding it in order to make the sound complete, but Twisted Whistle seem to have figured out a way to take perfection and make it rugged. Being rough around the edges, after all, could very well be considered the essence of bluegrass, and these guys just about sum it up.

(Dave Gerow, to whom the "Wall" project can be credited is both a member of Twisted Whistle and Sneakin' Out)

Multi-instrumentalist Lewi Longmire has served up his talent with the likes of, well, pretty much everyone; playing with Casey Neill, the Minus 5, the Freak Mountain Ramblers and others has aided him in garnering attention while developing a style all of his own. Since then, he’s been working on his own music with his own band, a group with deep set roots and a great sense of what Americana is all about—having tight, high energy musical fun.

The Water Tower Bucket Boys are a group of upstanding young men to whom music has become a great passion. With music degrees among them, a lifetime of musical experience, and a whole lot of talent, these dudes work perfectly together to show off a masterful grasp of arrangement and lyricism. These are some of the best buskers you could hope to hear, and when moved to the stage their harmonies and instrumentation only tend to sound better.



All of these awesome musicians have recently set to work pulling (and plucking) strings for a summer project that aims to recreate Pink Floyd’s masterpiece with a folk twist. Sitting down with Kenny Feinstein of Water Tower Bucket Boys—the project's organizer—I was enlightened as to his hopes and aspirations for the venture, along with a few of its inner workings.

Producing a small business card for a temporary wall manufacturer out of Portland, Feinstein told me that he would like for the entire thing to be as Floyd-esque as possible, while still keeping things unique and fresh. Thus, the breaking down of a temporary wall during the concert’s finale would be a significant moment for the show. Along with this, full versions of “Dark Side of the Moon” and the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” can be expected as openers before the main event.

There is much work to be done before the summer dates—July 29 and (tentatively) August 13—and fundraising for the event is a must. Currently the total cost is forecast at $2800, including advertising, venue rental, rehearsal costs, and pay for the musicians involved. The eventual goal—as noted on the event’s Kickstarter—is $3800, though with few pledges to date the pace needs to be picked up in order for the project to continue.

This event, should it come to be, could quickly become one of the things for Portlanders to look forward to this summer. “The Wall,” “Dark Side of the Moon” and “Sgt. Peppers” are all incredible albums that have garnered mass followings respectively since their original releases, and so we’ll leave it in the hands of some great folkers to bring them back to the forefront of our minds once again.

Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” with a Folk Twist is set for July 29, 2011 at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, with a second show tentatively set for August 13 at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

More information regarding the event, or to pledge HERE

www.watertowerbucketboys.com
www.sneakinout.com
www.lewilongmire.com
www.blackprairie.com
www.twistedwhistle.com

Water Tower Bucket Boys

With soaring popularity in the last year, independent electronica and freak-folk artists have found themselves dragged to the forefront of local music scenes across the nation. Many listeners have whole-heartedly embraced the indie scene, allowing the trend to continue. While I personally have never had anything against even the most obscure of these artists, I found myself craving refreshment in late 2009. After several forays into more traditional genres, I discovered that my craving stemmed from a simple lack of conventional discipline. My thirst was finally quenched with the discovery of The Water Tower Bucket Boys.

Operating like a well-oiled machine, the four young virtuosos that make up the Bucket Boys take the bluegrass genre to a whole new level. With a unique (and at times eccentric) blend of punk, gospel and old time bluegrass, the originality of this band is undeniable. Whether they are playing on stage, or busking on the streets of Portland and Eugene, dynamic originals and unexpected covers always fill their set lists

(Photo: Jackson Voelkel)

“Playing together is like a group therapy session;” says guitarist Kenny Feinstein, “it brings good energy to us as well as our listeners.” The group formed when Feinstein joined forces with his neighbor Josh Rabie and together they “became addicted to playing.” The Bucket Boys have since added Banjo player Cory Goldman to the lineup as well as Leo Lober-Tracy, whose magnificent bass licks add further perfection to the group’s balanced sound.

Together, these four have played shows throughout the U.S and parts of Europe, and the group will soon celebrate the release of their fourth album entitled “Sole Kitchen.” Their three previous albums “The Squid and the Fiddle,” “Catfish on a Line” and “Eel-P” have earned the Bucket Boys a group of loyal fans that continues to grow larger with each new release. Each album contains devoted songs that deal with an array of topics ranging from love and loss to fun and games. When questioned about the group’s inspirations, Feinstein simply replied: “Relationships, trees, and things we do for fun.”

Beyond writing songs about trees, however, the boys all work tirelessly at advancing their musical proficiency to new levels. With an already freakish grasp of theoretical discipline, it may appear that they have no direction to go but down. Sure enough though, the next time you hear them they will have proved this theory wrong.

So if, like me, you fancy a break from the norms of local music in the Pacific Northwest, or if you are simply fed up with the rain, The Water Tower Bucket Boys may be a welcome change. With New York based label Hip-Folk honing in on their talents, it won’t be long until we see these guys cropping up all over the place.

Finely tuned harmony, magnificent solos, and an incredibly good time are the three things that are always guaranteed at a Bucket Boys show.