Woods won a really warm reception from a near-capacity audience Wednesday night at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR. The band went on promptly at 11 PM and crisply executed what has become a pretty standard and professional 65-minute set that contained two notable twists during this performance. There was another new tune (in addition to the recently unveiled gem “Shining”) and then at the end of the main set, there was an intentionally abrasive quality to the extended closing jam on Gone. As the number drifted into ten-minute territory, it turned into a jackhammer on the sidewalk outside your apartment window. It challenged those who had found a sweet zone to sway to up until that juncture. It was jarring. I can’t say it went over in a big way but it was something unexpected.
Also interesting is the band’s expanded effort to weave tunes together through deployment of the interlude. The Babies have tinkered with this and it’s really exciting to get these dramatic and creative segues that take the fan in and out of songs they usually listen to at home with blank space in between.
The night’s biggest surprise came in the form of a last-minute change to the triple bill The Woolen Men filled the vacancy created by Jessica Pratt’s decision to pull out of the first couple dates of the current Woods tour. The Woolen Men are based in Portland and delivered an excellent 40-minute opening set. My favorite tune of their performance was one dedicated to the memory of Spalding Gray.
Admission to the gig was fifteen bucks. Tecate tall boys were $3. The venue was solid. It’s located on a dark but busy stretch of street that is lined with bars and restaurants. As often seems to be the case in Portland, there was a food truck selling falafel in a back lot adjacent to the venue. Permanently planted food trucks are all over in Portland.
Woods will drive about two-thirds of the 650 mile trip to San Francisco on Thursday and then play a show in the Mission District Friday night. Pratt is on that bill. In case you didn’t hear, Foxygen cancelled its spot at 2013 Woodsist Fest because of the continuing recovery of Sam France who suffered a broken leg in a stage incident earlier this summer. France’s bandmate Jonathan Rado (pronounced Ray-dough) will play instead which ought to be really interesting given the awesomeness of his solo debut out on Woodsist a few weeks ago. I’d classify that release as my favorite of the year to date.
Earlier on Wednesday, I took the light rail northbound to Portland Meadows race track. In business since 1946, the existing facility was rebuilt in the early 70’s after it burned to the ground. There’s no turf racing.
The track appears to be a sinking ship. Aside from the horses, there wasn’t much beauty to speak of and I witnessed little joy from patrons and staff. Large piles of crushed rock serve as the backdrop on the first turn of the one-mile oval. A large chunk of acreage is being cleared by earth-movers near where horses leave the backstretch for the turn for home. The saddling stalls and walking ring are located in a cramped and stuffy indoor space. A chain-link fence separates racing fans from the animals. The guy manning the grill on the plant’s north end was in a foul mood when a customer asked him about the lunch specials. “No more specials,” he said. “The track was losing money on them.” Meantime, a women rolled a cart through the outdoor apron selling one-dollar cans of Coors Light and Miller High Life. She complained loudly about the track’s state of affairs and said that a few of her co-workers had recently quit over the low pay.
The facility is fully enclosed and sealed off from the outside. When I asked the man working the second floor clubhouse bar if the massive picture windows were ever opened on a nice day like it was Wednesday, he said no. Never. “That would let the bees in,” he said.
Like so many tracks built when racing was popular, the main plant at Portland Meadows has an oversized capacity of 4450. Its emptiness echoes the sounds of a scattered few who show up. Admission is free. I get mixed feelings when I see these barely-surviving venues built when the sport was in good health. Part of me drifts into daydream mode and the sight of these seats being filled. But then you get pragmatic and realize that the land this place sits on would generate more cash from a shopping mall – or a golf course.
When the overwhelming favorite Decisive Face spotted the field a big head start in the sixth race Wednesday, groans could be heard from the few dozen people sitting at picnic tables in front of the grandstand. Fact was eventually eased finished dead last, 90 lengths behind the winner. But hold all tickets. Track announcer Jason Beem said players would get full refunds on bets made on Decisive Fact because a starting gate worker had held the horse’s head at the race’s start. That ruling was my best betting outcome of the day. A straight refund.
I caught an early afternoon flight from Portland to San Francisco on Thursday.
More as I go along.
