We are truly spoiled out here in Portland when it comes to the local scene, especially the local Garage Rock Scene. The Egg Dimension puts on some of the most fun and lively shows with the most killer bands around. Last Friday night’s show at Alberta Street Pub was the perfect storm of Garage Rock and Roll fury with the primal wailin’, flailin’ arbiters of rockin’ rockabilly soul, The Shriekers, the sweet candy fuzz rock of The Mean Reds, and Seattle Medway Maniacs, The Knights Of Trash. I gotta say, when the Knights Of Trash come to town, you just know you’re gonna have the best time and Friday night’s show was no exception.
The Mean Reds from left to right: June (Guitar, Vocals), Julie (Bass, Vocals), and Melissa (Keyboard, Vocals) Not Pictured: Phaedra (Drums) Photo by: Mari Tamara
Don’t let those sweet faces fool you, The Mean Reds are low key badasses with who know how to rock and roll with their sweet and fiery garage girl fuzz attack a la The Belles Band, The Luv’d Ones, The Pandoras, and The Puppets. Behold!
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These lovely ladies are gonna be The Go-Go’s for Halloween at The Egg Dimension’s Trick Or Treat Benefit for Not Ok PDX on October 26th at Turn! Turn! Turn! In the meantime, you can get your Mean Reds fix at Bandcamp with their “Cassingle Galore”. [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=609058621 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]
The Knights of Trash from left to right: Jamie (Bass, Vocals) Rob (Vocals, Guitar) Zack (Guitar, Vocals) Dwayne (Drums). Some of you cool cats may know Zack from The Statics! Photo by: Mari Tamura
The first time I caught the Knights Of Trash was at Twilight, last year, and I had actually been having a really lousy day and was kinda dreading going out since I was pretty bummed and didn’t wanna bring any rainclouds with me, especially not to The Sellwoods’ Garage Punk Hootenanny. But by the end of their set, I was having so much fun rockin’ out and dancing that I laugh at myself for even having considered staying home.
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Initially conceived as a Milkshakes cover band, the Knights Of Trash put their own manic stamp on their Medway mischief in their originals, as well, and you should definitely pick up their EP and nab their demos, too, ($3.25 right now for their digital discography!) at Bandcamp. And if you’re headed to Seattle the week of December 2nd, you should grab a ticket to see Knights Of Trash play with Garage legends The Chocolate Watchband and legendary Amy Grant enthusiasts, The Young Fresh Fellows at the Tractor Tavern. And take me with you! In the meantime, you can catch The Knights Of Trash Oct. 26th with NYC’s Twin Guns (ex-Cramps, Makers) and Machine Animal at Slim’s Last Chance Saloon and on November 16th at Darrell’s Tavern with The Night Times and Thee Perfect Gentlemen. I hope they come back to Portland really soon!
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The Shriekers (from left) James Dunko, Ryan Hatt, Kyle Williams photo by: Mari Tamura
Sweet shit, The Shriekers, man, these guys blew me away! I hadn’t caught The Shriekers, before, (They play out a fair bit, too, I know!) but as soon as they came on, I was like Arsenio Hall at a fancy cheese party! Damn, this is some good ass garage music! How come nobody told me how good The Shriekers was?! The Shriekers are all your favorite things about 60’s garage rock and soul and old rockabilly. Like imagine some Thane Russal with some Roky Erickson and a little Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (Minus the coffin!) all swirled together.
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The Shriekers will also be playing as The Oberlin Spires at The Egg Dimension’s Trick Or Treat Benefit for Not Ok PDX on October 26th at Turn! Turn! Turn! Not Ok PDX is a “women-run non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon striving to empower service industry staff to recognize and interrupt sexual violence through” its “SAFERBARS workshop.”
The Shriekers also have shows coming up on November 1st with Fire Nuns, Haley And The Crushers at Twilight Cafe and Bar. In the meantime, go check out their “Live From KBOO” and self-titled albums out on Bandcamp.
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Special thanks to Mari Tamura for letting me use all her killer show pics! Check out more of her amazing scene photography, here.
