Thanks so much to all of you who came out to Berbati’s in Portland this weekend. “Cars and Trains” and I had a great time and it meant a LOT that you picked my show over Ben Gibbard’s. For those of you who missed it, Samuel Thomas (of The Portland FREE Music Project) got “Bottom Your Way To The Top” on video (which is posted below) and I uploaded tons of photos from the evening on Myspace and Facebook. All 3 of the opening bands were AMAZING. If you haven’t already heard of “Yeah Great Fine”, “Swallows”, and “Winnie Byrd”, click on their names and check them out. You won’t be sorry.
(…and I quote…) “This is one of my religious songs. It’s about God and stuff. Actually…It’s about getting FUCKED.” (Somebody should really turn my microphone off in-between songs. I also introduced “Bleed Him Out” with “This next song is about smoking crack and getting the shit kicked out of you.” ha ha ha)
I had such a nice time seeing all of you last night at the Doug Fir. It was a great turnout. Way to come show love on a Thursday night in the dead of winter, puddletown friends. I love you…SO MUCH.
Speaking of love, Portland Newsweekly “Just Out” posted a pretty amazing review of last night’s show on their website today. You can check it out HERE or you can read what they had to say below. There’s nothing like some good old-fashioned hometown sunshine to make me smile…
From “Just Out” Newsweekly (1/8/2010): ‘FEED US TO THE WOLVES, LOGAN’
“Portland features a plethora of musical geniuses; you can fill up any given week with a slew of stellar live shows boasting considerable talent (and, frankly, many do). That said, it never ceases to amaze me how excited my friends and I get when one of our beloved artists takes the stage — the endless parade of staggering talent never gets old.
Last night, Portland’s indie darling Logan Lynn delighted a rapt, wowed audience at the Doug Fir. He opened (and stayed) strong; his infamous anthem, “Feed Me to the Wolves,” set the tone for the night: alluring, assured, and more than a little bit amazing.
Not familiar with Lynn’s music? What rock have you been living under? Imagine Ladytron and Ben Gibbard having a secret, sexy love affair. Their entirely original, hybrid offspring: Logan Lynn. Shifting nimbly between energetic dance anthems and industrial alt-rock (and often combining both), he defies any easy niche or classification. Instrumentation is complex and multi-layered; lyrics are honest and exposed. Lynn, who doesn’t shy away from the “emo” moniker, doesn’t whine — he pleads, impassionedly. He pushes boundaries sonically and lyrically — and excels every time he does.
As he worked through his set, energy and momentum built — and the crowd danced. Man, did they dance. For his grand finale, Lynn brought fellow acts Cars and Trains and The Gentry on stage for a brilliant, raucous version of “Bottom Your Way to the Top.” Stunning everyone, even Lynn, Dahlia’s Jen Folker jumped on stage and joined in. One of the video’s stars, Devan McGrath, danced nearby. That moment of musical perfection sums up the entire evening: prodigious music, talent galore. Logan Lynn has a knack for turning a “concert” into a disco dance party. Isn’t that how every show should be? Well, a queer can dream.”
–Daniel Borgen
NOW, WATCH A LITTLE VIDEO CLIP THAT MY FRIEND JAMES BIRCH CAMPBELL PUT TOGETHER OF FOOTAGE AND STILLS HE SHOT DURING THE SHOW. IT’S SET TO THE “FROM PILLAR TO POST” VERSION OF “FEED ME TO THE WOLVES”.
More end of the year love. This time, from the “Audio Drums” Indie Music Blog from California. Guess who’s number 17 on their list of the “Top 25 of 2009″?
You can check the post out HERE but I’ve posted the full list below. Once again, in AMAZING company.
From “Audio Drums” (12/31/2009):
25. Pet Shop Boys
24. Tiga
23. David E. Sugar
22. Jessica Tonder
21. Dan Black
20. Groove Armada
19. Discovery
18. Passion Pit 17. Logan Lynn
16. Little Dragon
15. Annie
14. Royksopp
13. Hot Chip
12. GusGus
11. Annie
10. Depeche Mode
9. Discovery (Again)
8. Little Boots
7. Esser
6. Bat For Lashes
5. Mstrkrft
4. Basement Jaxx
3. Animal Collective
2. Bag Raiders
1. Miike Snow
I LOVE A GOOD NEW YEAR’S EVE COUNTDOWN, DON’T YOU???
OK, so…the title of this post is a bit dramatic and unfair. 2009 actually brought with it some really amazing things. My new record “From Pillar To Post” was released and was received better than my little brain could have imagined…First by the press, then by all of you guys. It’s been really great to finally get to share where I’ve been since 2007 with you after going into hiding shortly after I got signed with “Beat The World”. Thanks so much for listening, for helping to spread the word about my tunes, and for reminding me constantly why it is that I write songs in the first place.
On the flipside to all of this professional joy, the past year has been quite a journey for me personally. 2009 was the first year since 1994 where no Alcohol or Cocaine entered my body. Like…NONE. I got clean in the beginning of 2008, so it was tainted by a couple of months of freebasing and I didn’t quit drinking until December of ’08…but this year was clean, start to finish. I’m nearing the 2 year anniversary of my last journey to cracked-out partytown…I know for normal people that doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but for me and for anyone who has ever known or loved me, it’s noteworthy. I’m finally at a point with the getting well that it’s not such a constant struggle to function. All I really have to say about that is…FUCK YES!!! FINALLY!!!!!
At this point, I have torn down every part of my old life and am about to start over. After over 6 years of moving in one direction together, my partner and I split up in July and I’ve spent much of the past 6 months since just regrouping, catching my breath, mourning the loss of that companionship (and that of one of my dogs, Spike, who went to live with “other dad” when he left), and making a new plan. I made decisions this year that kicked me WAY out of my comfort zone and have left me feeling vulnerable and beyond frightened at times, but I’ve managed to navigate through and have finally hit the light at the end of the dark tunnel. I feel great sorrow for this loss in my life, and it is a neon example of how some things which I broke when I was high are just unfixable, no matter how hard anyone tries. I wish him nothing but the greatest happiness and hope the new year brings peace and healing for both of our sad, broken hearts.
That same week in July I went to stay with my Mom and Dad in the Oregon desert. We spent the first part of the week in a raw emotional state, talking out old festering wounds and repairing cracks in the foundation of our family unit that had been made long ago. We cried for the better part of the week, but managed to come back together at some point while I was there. That time with them is the most beautiful experience I’ve had in my life so far and things are forever changed as a result of those moments together.
I’ve made a lot of new friends this year and am really excited to be starting a new decade this week with all of you in tow. I feel light again, like things are clearing up. I am determined to bring my personal life up to speed with my professional life this year…gonna make some happy stuff happen!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!!! See you on the 7th at Doug Fir in Portland! It’s gonna be a really good show. “Cars & Trains” and “The Gentry” rule the skool.
