Nico Vega - LIVE - March 22, 2010 - Portland, OR

When you’re the first act of a 3 band show (with Codeine Velvet Club and Metric) you’ve got a very short amount of time to grab the audience’s attention. Nico Vega is one of those rare bands that can make a career out of being an opening act. Not that they can’t headline (and should at some point), but they have the intensity and passion to immediately make an impact. Let’s just say they come out with an explosion.

Touring behind their self-titled debut, Nico Vega played only 5 songs but they surely left an impression on an audience that was primarily there to see Metric. The three piece band (Aja Volkman –vocals, Rich Koehler –guitarist, Dan Epand -drums) kicked off their set with “Living Underground.” This launched the band into about 45 minutes of nonstop energy. Maybe playing in Portland felt like a sort of homecoming for Volkman (she is originally from Eugene, Oregon). Maybe it was the addition of family members at the show that contributed to her performance. Whatever it was, she exuded a sensual fierceness throughout the band’s set. This was most notable during “So So Fresh” with her soft, breathy intro before careening into the chorus. The interplay between Volkman and Koehler on stage simply added to the spectacle.

Nico Vega ended the night with “Beast,” with Volkman’s yelp and her exhortation of “come on people” whipping up the crowd. Not only did they do their job as an opening act of warming up the audience, they certainly grabbed some Metric fans by the throats and made them Nico Vega fans.

SET LIST
“Living Underground”
“So So Fresh”
“Gravity”
“Maggot Brain”
“Beast”

Photos by Alicia Epperly

Temper Trap - LIVE - March 14, 2010 - Portland, OR

Early last week Temper Trap’s first US headlining tour began showing indications this trek may be successful. Their first show at The Music Box in Los Angeles sold out. Then the third stop in Portland was moved from the smaller venue, Peter’s Room (capacity 400), to the 1,410 capacity Roseland Theater upstairs “due to demand.” Not a bad way to start their tour at all.

While the Roseland Theater was not sold out, there were nearly 1,000 fans anxiously waiting to see them. The band (Dougie Mandagi – lead vocals, guitar, Toby Dundas – drums, Jonathon Aherne – bass, and Lorenzo Sillitto – lead guitar) came out to thunderous applause and quickly broke into an extended intro to "Rest," from their full-length debut Conditions. Mandagi stood center stage with his back to the crowd, arms upraised. This was an audience who definitely knew the band’s songs. People were singing along and when the band stopped playing for the break in “Soldier On,” the crowd began yelling “do it do it do it” until the band resumed the remainder of the song.

As Sillitto broke into the opening chords of “Sweet Disposition” the audience erupted. Some fans had even hung an Australian flag from the balcony to honor the Melbourne band. Before heading for a quick break, the band took about ten minutes to storm through "Resurrection" and "Drum Song." Mandagi set a drum near the edge of the stage, poured water on it and began pounding along to the beat spraying water up into the lights. When they came back for their encore, Mandagi yelled “Portland, where you been all my life?!” The band never got caught up in all the adulation and seemed genuinely thankful for the cheers. They closed the night with "Science of Fear" and if this night is any indication of the rest of their tour, they should own the US by the end of it.

SET LIST
"Rest"
"Fader"
"Fools"

"Down River"
"Love Lost"
"Soldier On"
"Sweet Disposition"
"Resurrection"/"Drum Song"

ENCORE

"Rabbit Hole" (New Song)
"Science of Fear"

Photos by Alicia Epperly

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