Go see Michael Hurley and The Castanets play this Wednesday, April 29th at Holocene for only 7 bucks.
Michael Hurley
Chances are you have never heard of Michael Hurley. However, amongst avid-fans of American folk music, Mr. Hurley is practically a legend. Starting his career in Greenwich Village in the early 60’s like so many other folk artists (Bob Dylan, anyone?) Hurley immediately gained popularity. However, after releasing his first album on the infamous folk label Folkways, Hurley has been somewhat of an eccentric rolling stone who has released records sporadically and inconsistent touring. Nevertheless, Hurley’s influence has been far-reaching and at the age of 67, he is still playing and recording music. Currently, Hurley resides in Astoria, Oregon and is signed to San Francisco based, Gnomonsong Recordings. Seeing him live will surely be a fun experience for fans of the folk.
Here’s a few songs in Hurley’s catalog to get you acquainted:
The Castanets
The show also features the always captivating Ray Raposa aka The Castanets. In many ways, Raposa could be considered a contemporary version of Hurley. However, Raposa’s music deconstructs American folk composition in an attempt more fully extract the tonal emotionality rooted deep within the music. The results effectively walk a thin-line between the highly experimental and familiar conventionality. This makes for Raposa’s live shows to always result in the unexpected. Previous Portland shows featuring The Castanets have all been highly different from one another and yet equally intriguing.
Here is “You Are the Blood” from the album “Cathedral” released on Asthmatic Kitty.
Post by Saxon | Team Marmoset
