Portland Events, Music, Art, Entertainment, Sustainability | PDXPIPELINE.com

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Related on Pipeline: Our Portland Events Calendar & Ticket Giveaways

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From press release:

Michael The Blind & The Els
Thursday, May 26
9 p.m.-1.a.m | FREE | 21+
michaeltheblind.bandcamp.com

Slim’s
8635 N. Lombard Street

This is going to be an exciting show and one you’ll definitely want to attend! Having played gigs as a solo performer for nearly a decade now, Michael Levasseur (aka Michael the Blind) has finally put together a band! The backing band is called The Els and they have come together to add a wonderful array of textures and rhythms to a number of Levasseur’s most rocking songs.

Rachael Renee’ brings her electric autoharp to the mix, sometimes shimmering and sparkling cleanly, and roughing things up a bit at other times with a knockout distorted sound like you’ve never heard from what’s usually considered a folk instrument. Elwood Johncox, while known to many as the go-to guy around Pendarvis Farm come Pickathon time has stepped in on that standard bearer of the low end – the upright bass – which lends a thumping pulse heretofore hidden within the fingerpicked guitar sound that has come to define michael the blind’s sound. Last but far from least, is Nathaniel Leigh on his pearly white catalina trapkit. Leigh is an old friend of Levasseur’s going way back to the days when they were both growing up and playing music in different bands in the same tiny SouthEastern music scene that gave birth to acts like David Dondero, and eventually Bright Eyes. His tactful yet bombastic contribution on the drums is sure to cause you to hear the music of michael the blind in a completely new way.

If you’d like to hear a sampling from some recent rehearsals you can do so here for a few tunes with just autoharp, guitar/vox, and drums. The attached song is of the entire group in rehearsal live at Pendarvis Farm playing a song previously released in a stripped down version on the album “days & days”. Thanks for your consideration, and we’d love to see you on the 26th!

Also playing earlier in the night will be Towering Trees! Helmed by singer/songwriter William Carpenter, the Towering Trees will both move you and make you move! Check out their free five song EP at their bandcamp page.