Serenade Someone Special in a Private Room

There are many great Karaoke options in Portland and some of my most enjoyable evenings out have been spent with friends at places like The Alibi,  The Ambassador Restaurant and The Galaxy.

In Portland karaoke is a pretty big deal. That’s why it’s so exciting to have a new option on the Portland karaoke menu: Voicebox.

Officially opening this Friday, Voicebox takes karaoke to an entirely different scale. Instead of getting up in front of a huge (smokey) bar of strangers, you can get a group of people together and rent a private room.

Voicebox is designed around the traditional Asian karaoke clubs but with a decidedly Portland twist (meaning it’s clean, smoke free and has great food, beer, wine and sake options).  Prices average around $7 per person, per hour in groups of four or more.

It’s an ideal place for meetups and an excellent ice breaker for small groups. Given the fact that the rooms are private Voicebox is sure to open the door to karaoke in Portland for people who could never get up in front of a room full of people to sing, but would love to sing karaoke.

Voicebox is at 2112 NW Hoyt St. (503) 303-8220.

Noted author, columnist and film director Tristan Taormino is coming to Portland for a number of sex positive educational events.

Taormino was recently named one of the Top 10 Women Directors in Adult Entertainment and just released her book Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships.

Here’s the run down of Taormino’s Portland Events:

November 13, 7:00 pm
Portland, OR
OPENING UP READING & DISCUSSION
Hosted by Theresa “Darklady” Reed
Bestselling author and relationship expert Tristan Taormino will read from her new book, Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships and share what she learned from all the people she interviewed in open relationships around the country. Plus, she’ll take questions and facilitate a discussion on the benefits and challenges of venturing beyond monogamy. This event is sponsored by Astroglide.
Location: In Other Words Women’s Books and Resources, 8 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR
Admission: Free
Info: 503-232-6003
Email: colten (at) puckerup.com
URL: http://www.inotherwords.org/

November 14, 7:00 pm
Portland, OR
KINKY POSSIBILITIES: OPEN RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SCENE
People who practice BDSM and those who are in Dominant/submissive relationships face unique challenges in both designing their open relationships and making them work. Relationship expert and bestselling author Tristan Taormino offers practical advice and strategies for dealing with specific issues related to being open and kinky. We’ll cover: common open relationship styles within BDSM communities and how they can work best; creative ways for giving everyone a voice in the negotiation process; dealing with jealousy and other intense feelings; and practical conflict resolution skills. In the interactive facilitated portion of this workshop, participants will be encouraged to share their stories, issues, and solutions.
Location: Spartacus, 300 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR
Admission: Free
Info: (503) 224-2604

November 15, 6:00 pm
Portland, OR
ANAL PLEASURE 101
In her most popular workshop, one she has taught around the world for over 9 years, Tristan introduces you to the world of anal pleasure. In this funny, education class, she covers a wide variety of topics, including: myths about anal sex; anal anatomy, the G-spot, and the prostate; basic preparation and hygiene; lubes, anal toys, and safer sex; anal penetration for beginners, and much more!
Location: Fascinations, 9515 SE. 82nd. Ave, Portland, OR
Admission: Free, pre-registrer to reserve your spot!
Register: call 503-774-4345 or in store

Riding the bus home today, I was surprised to see a row of people waving Nader/Gonzalez signs right in front of the Obama and Merkley campaign office.

A group of Nader supporters in front of the Obama/Merkley campaign office

Many Nader supporters held signs criticizing Nader’s exclusion from the debates, saying “Open the debates,” and “Nader Debates, America Wins.”

One sign read Nader Debates, America Wins. Step Up, Barack

The recent economic news was also a concern. One protester held a sign reading “$700 billion out of my cold, bare hands.”

Their chances aren’t good: polls by the American Research Group show Obama ahead in Oregon 52% to 41%. 6% were unsure, and the Nader supporters were included in “other”, with just 1%.

Belmont Station (4500 SE Stark St) is one of my very favorite spots for beer in Portland. It’s a great store and pub where the focus is on great tasting and unique beers.  In a move that shows the absolute difference between being a beer connoisseur and beer snob Belmont Station is having a Michelob Brewing Tasting on Wednesday September 17th from 6-8pm.

Here’s their blurb which speaks volumes:

We try real hard not to have an attitude. Sometimes it still creeps in, like when they told us the new line of Michelob beers are vastly improved and truly delicious. So we said bring it on. Let the people taste them. Here’s your chance to taste Michelob Porter, Pale Ale, Dunkelweisse, Amber Bock, Pumpkin Spice & maybe more. And take home 6 packs on sale.

Tastings are Free and open to all over 21.

Monotonix at MusicFest NW

It’s taken me a few days to process what happened at Satyricon on Friday night as part of MusicFest NW. It was one of those situations that was so outrageously amazing that after it’s over you begin to doubt if it actually happened.

Growing up in Northern California I was blessed by a phenomenal music scene. Concert promoter Bill Graham helped make San Francisco mecca for rock shows. With my varied interests in music I’ve seen a lot of very different shows in a wide variety of venues. Few shows have left me as mouth-open-awe-struck as the Monotonix show at Satyricon.

I had heard tales from friends who had seen Monotonix live: drummers body surfing, instruments set ablaze and all around insanity. It was my friend Ian Jane who most emphatically insisted I see them perform… I don’t know how I’ll ever thank him.

Many bands are known for their onstage antics. It’s the very showmanship which earns bands a following when they play live. You go to a U2 concert, not because the music is great (although it is), but for the amazing show that they put on. Some bands are all about show. Kiss rocks, but would you really go see them if they played without the grease paint and pyrotechnics? Would Hannah Montana be the same without the four story video screens? What Monotonix did in their Friday night show went far beyond antics or showmanship, it was a complete musical revolution.

From the first note of the show Monotonix declared their musical independence. Rather than setting up their instruments on stage they put them right in the middle of the show floor. Everyone encircled them as they assembled their drum kit and plugged in to their amps. Then it happened, like an explosion Monotonix filled every corner of the room with their music, the entire (and I do mean entire) club erupted in dance.

I’ve been in my fair share of mosh pits in my time (the most memorable was Pantera when they played in Watts/Los Angeles), but I’ve never been in a pit that included every single person in a club. Also the ‘pit’ at the Monotonix show was unlike any pit I’ve been in before. Rather than people pushing and shoving eachother, elbowing and flailing, the entire room bounced and danced together.

As Monotonix played you could see the sheer glee on the faces of everyone in the club. Monotonix somehow was re-capturing something that we all thought was lost - a real, honest to goodness punk rock show. True punk has become extremely rare, there are many bands out there trying to be punk rockers, emulating the bands which came before them, but so few simply ARE Punk. Monotonix is punk.

It’s impossible to capture what happened that night…This is the best I can do:

Flying through the air lead singer Ami Shalev crowd surfs as he sings, pausing only to climb up to a high ledge on the ceiling of the club. A trash can is bounced around, water is flying through the air. The high hat is kicked over and promptly reset. The guitarist leaps up onto the stage and then jumps back off. Nothing in the room is still. After a few songs the band picks up their instruments and moves them further to the back of the club and the circle of people follow.

“Sit Down”, “Everybody Sit Down!” yells Ami, and miraculously everyone listens. I am drenched in sweat, I am thirty seven years old and haven’t been in a pit in years. I am half leaning and half supporting the people around me as we sit on the floor of Satyricon. Ami thanks everyone for being at the show and then instructs everyone to wait till he counts to four till they jump up and dance. “One… Two… Seven…. Nine…. Five…. What comes after Three?!?!”, everyone yells “FOUR” He says, Wait for it!”… and then “FOUR”. Again Monotonix is an explosion of sound.

A few songs later they’re heading towards the door. Stretched way past the end of their amp cables, so they unplug, carry their instruments outside where Ami climbs a tree, moons everyone and makes a speech. The drum is lifted with the drummer on top and he bangs on it. The concert ends in a street side celebration of music.

Everyone stood, mouth agape looking at eachother… “Did this just really happen?” “Oh my fucking God!”

The Monotonix show was one that people will talk about for years, it’s the kind of show that you thank your lucky stars you were at or curse the sky that you missed. Monotonix returns to Portland at the end of the month with The Silver Jews at the Wonder Ballroom. They are not to be missed

The Battles at MusicFest NW

Tonight two major arts and entertainment festivals had their kick-off events. Both showed that Portland is big enough to support two huge festivals, even when they run at the same time.

I started the evening at MusicFest NW, their kick off party was an outdoor cocktail party in the lot next to the Wonder Ballroom. Less of a scene than a gathering, the party was most notable for the extremely long line for the open bar. The bar line was almost as long as the line of people waiting to get in to see the bands. Did I really wait fifteen minutes for a shot of Soco?!?

I caught the Battles whose set was well received. As I listened to their mostly instrumental music, I couldn’t help but think “Music Geeks”. The Battles play with passion and energy but their music often is over-thought and muddled. I enjoyed some of their songs but wasn’t ever pulled out of my ‘hey I’m watching a music show’ space and so my aside from some toe tapping and light head bobbing the set left me a little cold. I was surprised at how many people brought kids to the show. Maybe mathrock is something that appeals to kids.

TBA at The Left Bank Project

Just a hop skip and jump away at the new Left Bank Building PICA launched their Time Based Art festival with a warm and welcoming party. The party was open to anyone and everyone and the scene was a nice mix of people. The Left Bank Project (which is dubbed ‘The Works’ for the TBA Festival) is a very cool venue with so much space that there were tons of nook’s and crannies to explore. One area’s tenant was a version of Backspace Cafe just for the fest. Also a nice patio area featured a work in progress by Justin Gorman whose large format graphic painting was fantastic to see in progress.

Some of the other art, including Big Skin by Lizzie Fitch, Anna Halprin’s Blank Placard Happening and the Flash Choir were solid misses. (Perhaps the Flash Choir would have done better performing in the outdoor space).

A solid start though to two landmark Portland festivals

There’s way too much going on this week. The activity gods have aligned MusicFest NW, TBA and First Thursday into a head spinning, no-way-you-can-do-it-all night. If you want to get your First Thursday fix while dashing between bands or performances I highly recommend you make your way to 20 NW 5th. Right upstairs from Floating World Comics (which if you are remotely a fan of comics mandates a stop) is a group of gallery lofts that are often overlooked on many peoples First Thursday Crawl.

On the 4th Floor, (#412) is Morgan Cole Pasinski. Morgan is an extremely talented local artist who combines pattern, texture and objects into stunningly simple yet intricate paintings. She works in a wide range of sizes and so she often has some extremely well priced pieces. Also any fans of Trish Grantham and Amy Ruppel should absolutely check out Morgan.

This Thursday Morgan is joined by Misty Ray as well as Bill Dash who will have some metal work on display. The gallery/loft is open 6pm-9pm.

Both my husband and I both work downtown, so we carpool. Every afternoon I pick him up from his office over in the Pearl, a block or two down from the 24-Hour Fitness on Irving & 12th. And everyday there is at least one car - sometimes three or four - sitting in traffic on Irving, waiting to get into the tiny little parking garage owned by 24-Hour Fitness.

They aren’t waiting because of log-jam at the gate like you occasionally get at a SmartPark - they’re waiting because there aren’t any open spots. So they wait for someone to leave. Sitting in traffic. Blocking traffic. While they wait - no one can go eastbound on Irving. And everyday they sit and wait. Eventually you can get a gap in westbound traffic and go around them - but really? I’ve pulled up behind them and honked. Usually they don’t pay any attention, to full of themselves to notice anything around them - or if they do - they motion that they’re waiting to get in the garage.

I’m sorry, but when the garage is full - go somewhere else and park. And if you’re headed to the gym, shouldn’t having to walk an extra block or two not be that big of a deal anyhow?

It’s too bad, ’cause that’s just one more reason why the Pearl gets a bad rap.

You may know Jason Simms as a Willamette Week music writer. You may know him as a member of Portland punk group Shock Troops. Or maybe you know him as part of the team from Englishbaby.com who’s headed to Beijing during the Olympics to further their mission of teaching English to the world.

Portlanders John Hayden and Miguel McKelvey founded Englishbaby.com to help people learn English by relating the culture - music, movies, TV, etc. - not just vocabulary and grammar.

But it’s not just about American culture - so they’re going to China for a week, will be staying with members of Englishbaby.com and filming Chinese culture for the site as well.

I love this take on the Olympics! Sure, the athletes are competing for their countries, but they’re also there to meet people they might never otherwise meet, to share their lives and experiences, and connect with one another. And we may not agree with the politics of another place - but heck - we often don’t agree with the politics we have here at home!

Opening ceremonies are Friday - so when you’re sick of the cheesy NBC athlete profiles - flip open your computer, log onto Englishbaby.com and see what’s going on with a few Portlanders and their Chinese friends in the midst of all the craziness in Beijing.

Last year we had Illume - this year the Flutag is BACK!

Teams from the all over the Northwest made up of Starbucks employees, dragon-boaters, Kells staff, computer geeks, and students built flying machines shaped like underwear, Chinese takeout boxes, a Winnebago, Godzilla…. and will launch themselves off a ramp into the Willamette tomorrow afternoon. And it appears that several of the teams also have “special moves” choreographed by members of the Blazers Dancers…hmmm…..

The first flight takes place at 1pm in Waterfront Park just south of the Hawthorne Bridge - but the gates open at 11am. The last time it was here in 2004 they say more than 50,000 people showed up - so go early if you want a good spot!

And after everyone has gotten wet - I’d recommend popping into Three Degrees - the bar in the Riverplace Hotel - for a drink and a snack - they have good stuff and a nice outdoor seating area - then you don’t have to fight traffic out of the area.

Whhheeeeeee!!