What we've been up to...

Besides getting down as the Panda Bandits, we've been keeping busy through the summer here at Eternal Otter Records. A quick round-up:

Although fire code issues have temporarily shutdown the Tower of Song for the foreseeable future, the event lived on during August's Art Walk as the "Building of Song". Patric and Celeste of Arcadia Design Works were kind enough to host the event across the street in their 5th-floor studio. Tower of Song mainstays, Johnny Fountain and Aly Spaltro, both performed great sets, and the evening was topped off with guest Joshua Cristantiello improvising a song about the various pedestrians out on the street.

We all had a blast and the sound was great outside. Thanks again to Patric and Celeste for making this event possible!

We are still waiting to see if we can continue to host the Tower of Song in this new location. But regardless, we promise to keep bringing you interesting collisions of music and architecture.






Eternal Otter Records also recently concluded it's month of live programming at the York Harbor Reading Room. This series included a number of great, intimate performances by the likes of Johnny Fountain, Dominic Lavoie, Denise Dill, Granny Frost, Jesse Pilgrim, Over A Cardboard Sea, and Christian Cuff.

Last Sunday, Alicia and I also welcomed Dana Gross to perform live on our radio program, The Red Telephone. He played a great set and I hope to post a sample track as soon as I find a new music hosting website. In the meantime, I suggest you check him out during his regular Thursday gig at Blue- he is also often joined by Samuel James. The Red Telephone is on the air every other Sunday from 10 am to Noon. If you live in Portsmouth, just tune to 106.1 fm. If not, catch us online at www.wscafm.org

Panda Bandits, Ready?

After disappearing to the woods from the end of July to the beginning of August, Waisely "Scar" Lighthead and Marie "Minnie" Pistola returned as the Panda Bandits to Portland on Wednesday, August 12th.

The show was part of Bryan Bruchman's great series of free concerts taking place every Wednesday at SPACE Gallery in the month of August. You can find out more information at Bryan's always informative blog, Hilly Town.

The Panda Bandits first assembled in February to play a single song for the Johnny Cash Tribute Night (also at SPACE). Since then, we've been biding our time, waiting for the right moment to come back and play a full set. Therefore, we are very thankful to Bryan and SPACE for giving us this great opportunity to perform again.

The show kicked off with great sets from the always dependable Jesse Pilgrim and Boston-based Dan Wholey, who was accompanied by two women playing violin and slide guitar. He had a great voice and good songs and I hope he rolls through Portland again soon.

Then it was time for the Panda Bandits to come back. Besides Minnie and myself, the Panda Bandits include a roster of many of my favorite musicians, who I implore you to check out:

Johnny Fountain (of the Manes) played guitar for us and made sure I started singing at the right time.
Patrick Dennis (of Blaque Boose), in his enigmatic bear mask, kept the beat on bass.
Sontiago produced the beats for Alicia's "Mop Song", rapped on Johnny's song "Henry Ford Is Coming Back", and helped choreograph the mop dance.
Aly Spaltro (of Lady Lamb the Beekeeper) played banjo and, for the first time on stage, electric bass.
Roy Ghim (of Bird in the Rafters) not only played a variety of percussion put also whipped out his Afri-can- a gerry-rigged oilcan that plays like a guitar.
We were also joined by Ian Riley (Anna's Ghost), Don Dumont (Dead Man's Clothes), Lori Dennis, Erin Enberg, and Jesse Pilgrim who all played a variety of instruments (hammers, singing saws, tambourines, flutes, bicycles, etc).

We will likely be returning to SPACE in late September, so be on the lookout for the Bandits. The good fellows at [dog] and [pony] were also there filming, so some footage or audio tracks might come out eventually. Their site is also always worth checking out.

There are also a number of great shows coming up, including Big Blood at the Aphodian tonight. The next Hilly Town Presents Off Stage at SPACE features the killer line-up of Phantom Computers (Phantom Buffalo + Computer at Sea), out-of-towners Happy Machine, and Dead End Armory. It's this Wednesday and it is free.

I will sadly miss the legendary cd release show of Samuel James' third full-length, but you should make a point of being there- Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Sontiago, Dana Gross, White Light, Micah Blue Smaldone, and many others will all be performing songs from the album. And, of course, the man himself will be playing, and he is one of this city's true entertainers.

Until next time.

-Waisely Lighthead

Heading down that dusty road

Eternal Otter Records is taking a little summer retreat starting tomorrow, but we will be making a triumphant return in August.

First, some important news. The Tower of Song is being temporarily shutdown, so that construction can begin on the building. We are currently negotiating to host the show in a studio across the street, but everything is up in the air at the moment. However, whatever ends up transpiring, you'll be hearing from us long after we're gone.

Second- People Take Warning! The Panda Bandits return to Portland on August 12th for their show at SPACE Gallery with Jesse Pilgrim. Your presence is required.

Until next time.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper on World Tour

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper has started her world tour (of Maine) with S-Bot (formerly of Feel It Robot). You can follow their progress on twitter. It looks like they will be playing in Mexico today. Seems like as good a chance as any to hear Aly play "Mexico, ME" from Handsome Animals. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper will return to Portland on Saturday, August 11th to play at the Empire. She will be joined by labelmate Johnny Fountain & The Manes.

All aboard!

Happy Independence Day!

If you are planning on heading down to the Eastern Promenade early to get a good spot for the fireworks, I suggest that you first make your way down the the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad and catch their 6:30 pm train. Rides are free (or by donation).

As an added bonus, Eternal Otter Records will be presenting a folk music show right on the train as it chugs on down to the promenade. This show will feature Jesse Pilgrim and Johnny Fountain trading old standards, children's songs, toe-tappers, and maybe cracking a few jokes.

This is also a little warm-up for a much larger train concert that we hope to put on sometime in September, and that will also include Over A Cardboard Sea & Samuel James.

The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum is an indoor-outdoor museum interpreting Maine’s industrial history and technology primarily through its working two-foot gauge railroad. The Museum is open from 10am to 4 pm every day. Trains run on the hour from 11am to 4 pm. This weekend, the MNGRR will be running steam Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Birds flyin' high in the sky, you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel

It's the Friday of July (and the first day with sun in a week) and that means TOWER OF SONG IS BACK!!!

We'll be kicking things off from the top of the Schwartz Building with Mr. Johnny Fountain at 5 pm. After that we'll be playing host to four beautiful sirens- Aly Spaltro (Lady Lamb the Beekeeper), Denise Dill, Meghan Yates, and Amanda Gervasi. Bring your sunglasses.

I also have to announce somewhat sad news. Effective July 31st, 602 Congress Street is being vacated in order to allow for construction that will bring the building up to fire code. This means Tower of Song will temporarily be going on hiatus, but we are confident that we will be able to bring it back once the construction is complete (it is projected to be done in 2 to 3 months). But this is the last Tower of Song fix you'll be able to get this summer, so I hope to see you here.

Also, Eternal Otter Records is working on bringing you some other great events while Tower of Song takes its summer vacation. I will keep you posted.

Chriss Sutherland & The Boy Who Spoke Clouds LIVE @ Buoy Gallery this Thursday 6/2

Completing the trilogy of Cerberus Shoal "Where Are They Now" blog posts- I'd like to point you to Chriss Sutherland's show at Buoy in Kittery tomorrow night. I've waxed poetic about Chriss Sutherland in this blog before- besides being the co-founder of Cerberus Shoal, he is also one of the driving forces behind Fire on Fire (just named by the Phoenix as the best band in Maine), and the creator of two amazing solo albums. Best of all, his shows are always full of surprises as he picks liberally from his solo career, FF tunes, and an assortment of great cover songs (I Shall Be Released, The Circle Will be Unbroken, Big Blood's Oh Country, Darlin' Cory). Alicia is convinced that he transports himself to some transcendental plane when he sings. I agree.

He will also be joined by his mate from Australia- The Boy Who Spoke Clouds. He's touring behind his debut solo release- apparently it was recorded on a camcorder microphone to a cheap sound card, but I would never have guessed it as he manages to create a dense, dreamlike atmosphere with his songs- filled with ominous hand clapping and restrained intensity that crashes forward like waves in the moonlight.

Check it out.