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Jam Magazine ( May 2001 )
Thursday, March 29thI've been thinking lately that I really need to get out to some of the smaller venues, to the bars and clubs that are a little off the beaten path. Oftentimes the performers you find in these little hideaways are well worth the time taken to find them.
This evening, for example, my destination was the White Eagle, another proud member of the McMenamins family. The first group to play was called Spigot. Holy Hoedown Batman! This band was teriffic, with a very eclectic style. Vocalist Nann Alleman really gets into her music and has an interesting sound, very similar to Victoria Williams.
David Lipkind supplied wonderful harmonica leads which complimented Nann's guitar and banjo like whipped cream on a double mocha. Seriously folks, Spigot is quite simply an amazing band, with so much heart that they almost overwhelm you. You're only cheating yourself if you don't go see them soon!
By Steve Kinchen
Scrapheap Soiree (Summer 2001)
McMenamins White EagleNann Alleman and SPIGOT, her four-piece ensemble, host a ³ScrapHeap Soiree² every Wednesday night through the summer. This American roots series is appropriately staged at the venerable White Eagle Saloon, the cityıs oldest operating watering hole. SPIGOT will play their rollicking ³urban junkyard gritz² and feature a different guest act each week.
Alleman has populated her series with a mish-mash of "rootsy and real" acts that play gritty, honest, dirt-under-the-nail music with Americana tendencies.
"These folks arenıt afraid to be themselves, theyıre not trying to follow certain hip guidelines," says Alleman. "Theyıre all great songcrafters, taking bits and pieces of things that others overlook and turning them into jalopolied works of art." SPIGOT has been riding a surge of interest following the release of their 3-song demo. The raves range from new fans to industry deals to a feature on OPB's "Oregon Artbeat." The demo is currently #6 on KBOOıs Baker's Dozen and netted them a deal with Burnside Distribution.
Their 13-song debut CD is being produced by Mike Coykendall of the nationally lauded group The Old Joe Clarks and will be released this fall.
Joining them everyweek to play between sets is Bad Boy Blue, giving the series an authentic anchor. Blue hails from Kansas, playing music that is heartfelt and real, with audiences responding with rapt attention and superlatives.
Runaway Boys
August 1
The members of this rollicking four-piece will blow a dead man outta his coffin. The mature presentation of these young fellows barely out of high school has been described as killer rockabilly meets Dead Milkmen meets Motorhead. Or maybe Johnny Cash on speed? Wild, crazy music with integrity too good to miss.Alan Charing
August 8
Alan Charing first gained notoriety for his gutsy, riveting solo performances and is now stomping across the country with his hard-hitting, roots-rock band, AC Cotton. Solo, Charingıs percussive wizardry, beat-inspired lyrics and charismatic stage presence earns him comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. CitySearch.com writes: ³Charing is about as musically real as they come.²Foghorn Leghorn
August 15
A stellar lineup of acoustic musicians: Bassist Jesse Withers (of Pig Iron and Jack Straw), Fiddler Sammy Lind, Brian Bagdonis, PT Grover Jr. and Caleb Clauder (founding member of Colobo, the Northwest's most successful jam band). These boys have revived the old tunes of the Southern Appalachians. You can witness this old-time string band every Sunday at the Ringlers happy hour.Casey Neil
August 22
Casey Neill is a contemporary singer/songwriter inspired and informed by the energy and feeling of Celtic and bluegrass musical traditions. Signed to Appleseed/Red House Records, twenty-seven-year-old Neill has earned a large multi-generational following and reputation for sharp songwriting and emotive performances. With such disparate fans as Pete Seeger, Jello Biafra and Steve Earle, he earns praise from all corners for his haunting melodies and evocative voice that recall old-time bluegrass and Americana. Earle writes: "Casey Neill is at once musician, writer, and musicologist, and he does his homework. These are songs with stories well told. This is what it's all about.²Sam Hill
August 29
Original bluegrass act Sam Hill has just released a new CD, ³Haunted by a Memory.² Distinguished by outstanding vocal harmonies, the stellar writing of mandolin player Jeff Smith, and saucy, energetic instrumental mastery, this quintet has been lauded as one of the best original bluegrass bands playing today. Bluegrass legend and Grammy-winner Laurie Lewis writes: ³These five youngish folks have embraced classic 50s bluegrass band sensibilities and turned out a recording of all-original songs that would not have been out of place if played by Monroe, The Stanleys, or a young Del McCoury. This is not to say that the music of Sam Hill is dated. It feels fresh, clean and sparkley as the air after a good rain.²
