SXSW was a total blast, new comics event added!

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Portland Independent Publishing Resource Center March 24 2 to 4pm. All ages, there will be a zine workshop simultaneously conducted by someone else.

Redmond Library, March 26 at 6:30. For ages 10 up.
Downtown Bend Library, March 27 at 2 pm. For ages 10 up.

I am also playing a show for 21+ at the Horned Hand in Bend Oregon on March 28. Isaac Pierce and Silvero are playing with me! EXCITING!

I am looking for shows in portland, if you know of somewhere I could play, send me a message.
I had a great time at SXSW. I will post more after the experience has settled a bit and I can scan my drawings.

I drew these and 30+ other bands at SXSW. I will post more in time, I am too busy in Portland.

Marit Larsen
maritLarsen

A sweet voice and a talented backing band. It was a delight to hear her play live. I especially liked the minimalist sound of her percussion player. She didn’t need a full kit, but provided a beat that complemented the music while singing and playing the occasional glockenspiel melody.

http://www.maritlarsen.com/
her song “If a song could get me you” was her first big radio hit and its available on spotify. She said a secret tip she got from Joni Mitchell was to put the word “radio” in your song. It was a cuter story when she told it.

This might be going off on a tangent, but I do believe that there is some truth to the idea of lyrics that musicians repeat over and over again finding a way into the collective consciousnes, and influencing people. A song I have thought carries much weight is that one by Hank Williams (family tradition) in which he sings “why do you drink? why do you roll smoke? Why must you live out the songs that you wrote?”
It’s part of what makes “I wanna be a billionare so ***ing bad” obnoxious to me, and why I get sick to my stomach when that awful song about domestic abuse comes on the radio. Millions of teen girls sing along as Eminem angrily barks, “If she ever tries to ****in’ leave again, I’ma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.”
Uh, thats not cool Eminem. Its called murder, please don’t lead young women to think thats romance and young men to think that’s acceptable. I get sick of hearing lyrics I can understand, so thats why i listen to portuguese and french music so much!


Nubes en mi Casa

Nubes enmicasa

Ok, lets do a 180 and discuss this charming band from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their album is free on Spotify and its a joy from beginning to end. I would call it shoe gaze in Spanish. Josephina, the songwriter told me she is influenced by PJ Harvey, The Beatles and Beach House. I have always loved pop music from other countries, sung in languages I do not understand. This album reminds me a bit of Pato Fu. Gentle guitars, shimmering synths and Josephina’s dreamy voice dripping with reverb are at their best on “Cuerpo.”
nubesenmicasa2013
We had a brief conversation about what it is like to be an “indie band in Argentina” and their experience coming to Austin, TX. They said they would be willing to do an email interview with me. I havent done that for awhile, but I really enjoyed my interviews with Yakuza Heart Attack and Roz Raskin and the Rice Cakes (both available here on this blog, of course).

nubesenmicasa.bandcamp.com/

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Off to SXSW

My album is in my hand and I’m off to SXSW. I will draw many bands and dance and I hope to give my album to promoters and smile and make a good impression. Ideally they will take the album home, listen to it and be impressed.

Don’t worry Alaska fans. I will be coming home and performing two shows that will be “cd release parties” for me- and the album will be freshly mastered and ready for your ear drums. The pub april 18 and the marlin april 19.
I want to thank JAMES for his patience and professionalism. I will recommend his studios to anyone else in town who wants to record. I hope my album will serve as a portfolio piece for him.
also thanks to all the musicians who played on the album listed below:

Drums: Travis Burrows
Cello: Sabe Flores
Vocals: Tai Trujillo
Trumpet: Luke Soren Neilsen
Electric Bass: Luke Ponchione
Standup Bass: Chazz Gist
Fiddle: Susie Hallinan, Heidi Brook
Electric Guitar: Craig Brookes
Backing Vocals, Foley: Amelia Cooper,
Eli Barry Garland, Kalee Mockridge,
Sarah Furman, Nick Meurlott,
Daniel Firmin

Tentative Track List

Ballad of the BloodyBenders
Bosso Rosa
Depths of Doobie (working title)
Do the dishes in love
You don’t need Money to have fun
Open Door Policy
Other Peoples Dreams
Snow Faling

Damn you Damn you damn you?

cheated on a game?

Ice Berg Social club

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Comics Class!

I am currently teaching a 6 week comics class an elementary school in Fairbanks Alaska!

I have these photographs of busy hands working:Image

I am planning a residency in a high school for April, and I have these dates confirmed for my march tour:

Redmond Library, March 26 at 6:30.  For ages 10 up. 
Downtown Bend Library, March 27 at 2 pm.  For ages 10 up.

I will be adding a date at a Portland library as well… (around march 22-24)

If you want me to come to your school or library and do my comics workshop let me know! You might have to get in touch with a PTA or something but we could make it happen. Here are some things kids have said about my workshop”Your comics class is awesome!” -10 year old.

“I’m so glad you are back, last time I looked forward to it all week!” -9 year old

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Recording at Sunnyside

Recording at Sunnyside

Recording in the studio with Travis Burrows!

Isaac On the Marquee

Isaac On the Marquee

Potentially some album art for my upcoming album.

I am recording an album with my friend James Bartlett. I hope that many friends will contribute vocals, cello, trumpet, bass, drums and other creative effluvia.
I am planning a tour in Austin, Texas and then Portland and Bend Oregon. I hope to play shows with friends in both locations, more on that as it develops.
I will be hosting comic drawing workshops at libraries in Portland and Bend, more on that as it develops too.

Pink Martini

pink martini

Pink Martini played in Hering Auditorium! Am I a total music dweeb for admitting that tears streamed down my cheeks as this retro lounge/swing/salsa act played “Brazil” and “What’ll I Do?” (the Irving Berlin song made famous by Frank Sinatra).

It was literally a dream come true for such a fantastic band to come to my hometown. Thank you Fairbanks Concert Association! They also played popular originals “Sympathatique” and “Hey Eugene.” They were performing with China Forbes, their original vocalist. She and band leader Thomas Lauderdale exchanged some humorous banter and told us a bit about the history and story of some of the songs. I brought my nine year old son and even he enjoyed it. I saw a few middle aged ladies get up and dance in the aisle.
It was fun that they gave each member of the band a chance to shine with solos, the trombone player Robert Taylor had an especially sweet tone and fantastic articulation. Their Violin player could really smoke and he played a piece alone with Lauderdale supplying some accompaniment. Their performance was pitch perfect, I only wish we could have had a dance floor, and that they could have played another set just as long after a few drinks.

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New Comedy video, Includes the tribute to Pussy Riot.

Thanks to Rosemary Paz for taking the video. And Tyson Hansen for helping me edit.

Drew 35+ kids at Halloween Carnival,

This past weekend I drew kids in their Halloween costumes at Watershed School. Kids kept lining up and insisting I draw their friends. I was still there long after the other booths had closed.
Many parents thanked me and asked if they could tip me. I just said, if you can find me a job drawing like this, thats how you can pay me back.

Later that night I did a comedy show at the Hub, with special guests Erik Hernandez and Brian. Then the band “Pocket Change” closed out the night. It was a fun time, and not the last of the year, I hope.

I often draw people and give them the drawings, casually asking, “If you have time, you could photograph it and email it back to me.” Heather, one of the many friendly employees at my local Comic Shop actually did it, here is her portrait and a comic I drew for her on her last day at work. This requires a little explanation.


Alice is a 4(?) year old girl who is often at the shop on Friday night as her father is playing Magic: The Gathering. She is hilarious and I have tried drawing comics with her being the creative lead, inspired by “Axe Cop.” I asked another employee Liz, is there anything Heather is known for? and Liz replied, “She’s clumsy and falls down a lot.”