Win Tickets ($120): Johnny Marr, James @ Crystal Ballroom | Rock, Indie Pop

We are giving away a pair of tickets to Johnny Marr, James @ Crystal Ballroom on September 22. To win, comment below on this post why you’d like to attend. Winner will be drawn and emailed September 16.



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From our sponsors:
Johnny Marr
James

September 22, 2024
Doors 6PM, Show 730PM | ADV $55 -$65 | $60-$70 Doors | All Ages
More info: crystalballroompdx.com

Crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209

At the beginning of 2023, Johnny Marr had all sorts of plans, but marking anniversaries hadn’t figured among them. Fresh from a succession of rapturously received shows with The Killers, Johnny had already started to gather songs for his fifth album – a successor to 2022’s acclaimed double LP Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. It was his manager who pointed out that he had now been a solo artist for ten years, a stretch of time comfortably in excess of his tenures in The Smiths, Electronic, The The, The Pretenders, Modest Mouse or The Cribs. And although, Marr’s storied life in music isn’t short of milestones – 2010 Inspiration Award at the Ivor Novellos, an Oscar nomination for his work with Hans Zimmer on Inception; and, lest we forget, an NME Godlike Genius Award in 2013 – he hadn’t stopped to consider that the passing of an entire decade might be significant.

The full measure of this extraordinarily fertile period is captured on Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a major new collection curated by Marr encompassing songs from his four top ten solo albums, a scattering of stand-alone singles and two incendiary new cuts, Somewhere and The Answer. Spirit Power presents a composite portrait of an artist with no less a complete ideology than the celebrated co-travellers who inspired him along the way. It’s a body of work that mirrors Marr’s unquenchable life force, his love of melody and the urge to resist what he calls the “strummy, age-appropriate transition into mid-tempo middle age.” He elaborates: “It’s a conversation I have from time to time with [Pet Shop Boys’] Chris Lowe, about how much harder it is to write songs that you want to listen to in the daytime. It’s easier to do something that’s perceived as cool if it’s a bit moody. But, for me, the mission with these records was to make songs that you could listen to on the way to school, on the way to the gym, on the way back from work – you know, in the way that you had with, say, Blondie.”

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38 Comments

  1. Joseph on May 21, 2024 at 2:55 am

    Frankly, you should select me to win these tix!

  2. Jason on May 21, 2024 at 1:05 pm

    I would love to see this incredible pairing!

  3. Doug on May 21, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    Weird combo… but we’d love to see it!

  4. paul on May 21, 2024 at 1:29 pm

    love them both

    • Michael Pendlebury on May 21, 2024 at 5:56 pm

      Last time Johnny Marr played Portland I was all revived up to go when I received a job offer at the last minute. My orientation was the night of the show! I’m originally from the UK and been as I was new to the States I didn’t want to miss out on the job. I’d love to finally see him over here! I have had the opportunity to see James before and I know they put in a great show. It’ll be such a great night!

  5. Seth on May 21, 2024 at 1:31 pm

    Would love to see this legend

  6. Sherry on May 21, 2024 at 1:51 pm

    Omg, this would be a dream for me!

  7. Rocko on May 21, 2024 at 2:53 pm

    One more time, plz

  8. Thomas on May 21, 2024 at 3:08 pm

    Johnny is daddy.

  9. Robin Washburn on May 21, 2024 at 6:23 pm

    I can think of no greater wedding present to share with my fiance than tickets to see BOTH James and The Great Johnny Marr. Would be so grateful. <3

  10. John on May 21, 2024 at 8:59 pm

    I’m totally free that night.

  11. Dave G. on May 21, 2024 at 10:38 pm

    This guys gold! I love all the stuff he’s done in each band as well as solo stuff.

  12. Hunter M on May 21, 2024 at 11:40 pm

    Gotta see this charming man!

  13. Michael on May 22, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    I would love to see the legendary Johnny Marr in concert. I had tickets to see him before but unfortunately I got sick and missed the show. Winning these tickets would make up for missing that show plus The Crystal Ballroom would be an awesome venue to see him in.

  14. Shaun. on May 23, 2024 at 3:10 pm

    What a team up! I’m in. Long time fan of both.

  15. Saundra on May 23, 2024 at 5:24 pm

    I have been a fan of James since 1992 and never had the chance to see them perform live. And Johnny Marr is extremely talented! The perfect pairing at an excellent venue. I would be over the moon if I won tickets!

  16. Susan D on May 27, 2024 at 10:54 am

    I’m clearing my schedule for this show! I’d love to win tickets!

  17. Tim on May 27, 2024 at 11:03 am

    The curated cuts celebrated melody/conversation. Listen, records know!

  18. Trina on May 28, 2024 at 7:18 pm

    Please pick me for the free tickets because I want to marry Johnny Marr and this will be a chance to ask for his hand in marriage!

  19. Miss Heather on May 30, 2024 at 7:11 pm

    Love it!

  20. Dawn c on May 31, 2024 at 1:39 pm

    I haven’t seems James in years. I would love to see this lineup at the crystal.Ballroom. Thanks!

  21. Gene Brunak on June 4, 2024 at 1:10 pm

    I LOVE both Johnny Marr (seen him w/The Smiths, The The, The Pretenders…and when he lived in PDX w/Modest Mouse…but not in years…AND, I love James – think singer Tim Booth might be the ideal “replacement” for Morrissey IF these folks pair up for that purpose. This is going to be an epic show 🙂

  22. Wayne Foraker on June 4, 2024 at 3:13 pm

    Johnny F-ing Marr!

  23. Jen on June 5, 2024 at 2:37 pm

    Legend!

  24. Ed on June 11, 2024 at 1:13 pm

    Johnny Marr…so incredibly underrated for the impact his guitar has had, would love to catch him live!

  25. Jp on June 11, 2024 at 1:52 pm

    He keeps calling me back again.

  26. Deborah K. on June 11, 2024 at 2:59 pm

    Yes, please! Thanks

  27. RMH on June 12, 2024 at 8:56 am

    PICK ME!

  28. Robert Gronotte on June 19, 2024 at 1:48 am

    I’ve been wanting to see James for 30 years now.

  29. David on June 19, 2024 at 9:08 pm

    I’m too poor to buy tickets but I already gave James all my 💰 so least they can do is let me see this show for freez!

  30. Margaret H on June 20, 2024 at 8:01 pm

    How amazing would this be?!?

  31. Kerry M on June 25, 2024 at 2:52 pm

    Um, Johnny Marr? Yes, please. Right from my era/taste. Whoever wins will be one lucky couple. Hope it’s me!

  32. Josie on June 25, 2024 at 3:19 pm

    Oh, how much would I love to be able to hear Johnny play my favorite ” How soon is now “!!!!!

  33. Charles Roddy on June 25, 2024 at 5:01 pm

    One of my favorite guitarists, Johnny! Dream to see and hear him and James!

  34. Gayle Plantz on June 27, 2024 at 2:09 pm

    Johnny Marr has played on everything I listen to ( almost). I’d love to see this incredible talent. I’ve never had the opportunity before.

  35. Deborah K. on June 27, 2024 at 4:39 pm

    I would love to go to the show! Thank you for considering me.

  36. Bob MacKay on July 2, 2024 at 2:01 pm

    Johnny far outshined Morrissey post Smiths and James is a totally underrated brit pop band

  37. Marychris Mass on July 3, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    Love Johnny Marr!! And love the support he has given to Jesse Malin in his time of need!!

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