Eugene’s January concert lineup features a good mix of local, regional and national shows at both the WOW Hall and McDonald Theatre throughout the month.
This month features a much stronger second half. The first two weeks of January don’t feature any big names, but there are more than a handful of great acts headlining the middle and end of the month.
Playing at WOW Hall on Jan. 14, the second Friday of the term, is Portland-based indie-punk band The Thermals. The band, founded in 2002, has released five albums during the last eight years while making a strong name touring around the Northwest. Its third album, “The Body, the Blood, the Machine,” was featured on multiple top albums list, including Pitchfork’s top albums of 2006. The band members still live in Portland and have teamed up with members from Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse and Sleater-Kinney during their career.
“They’re a Northwest band that’s gained a lot of popularity; it’s nice to see a band like that still play in the Northwest and also see students from the University support them,” said Devon Singrey, a senior journalism student.
Following the Thermals less than a week later is Rebelution, which plays McDonald Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 19. The band, known for their Californian reggae style, formed in 2004 and most recently had the opportunity to play with R&B legend Lauryn Hill at the Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, Calif.
On the following Saturday, Jan. 22, Amos Lee is at the McDonald Theatre. Lee, 32, is a musician best known for his songwriting and acoustic guitar abilities. During his career, Lee has played on tours with Bob Dylan, The Dave Matthews Band and with singer-songwriter Norah Jones, where he met Lee Alexander, the bassist for Jones’ band, who later produced Amos Lee’s debut album. Lee’s albums have respectively hit No. 113 and No. 76, while his most recent album “Last Days at the Lodge,” hit No. 29 on the Billboard 200.
Lee is also known for being featured on the “Live from Abbey Road” (Summer 2006) album where he recorded songs in the Abbey Road studio in London where both the Beatles and Pink Floyd recorded ground-breaking albums in the 1960s.
The next day, Anthony B, a prominent reggae artist, plays McDonald Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 23, with local band Medium Troy opening. Anthony B, whose real name is Keith Blair, was born in Clark’s Town, Jamaica. Anthony B started musically in 1988 when he was featured with various reggae artists, but he did not reach high acclaim until he released his debut album, “So Many Things”. Since then, Anthony B has collaborated with Snoop Dogg and Wyclef Jean.
The indie band Ra Ra Riot comes to WOW Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 25. The band, formed on the campus of Syracuse University in 2006, once played house parties and local venues. The band’s high energy and enthusiasm have helped them achieve recognition for their live performances. Due to this, Ra Ra Riot has played at notable festivals over the past four years including South by Southwest and has embarked on multiple North American tours.
“Ra Ra Riot is one of the more interesting groups I’ve heard in the last few years,” senior political science major Devin Driver said. “Their songs really stand out on my playlists, so I’m excited to see them live in Eugene.”
The group’s latest album, “The Orchard,” was mixed by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla and Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij.
January’s last big concert is the annual Bandest of the Bands competition, presented by campus magazine Ethos. The event is sponsored by Ninkasi Brewing Co., as well as the University Cultural Forum, which has helped bring groups like the Blue Scholars to play on campus. Bandest of the Bands takes place at WOW Hall on Jan. 28 and features six live bands. The top three bands receive prizes. Last year’s winner, Sea Bell, has gained a lot of popularity since last year’s competition.
“The competition is fun,” senior Jon Jacobson said. “It lets people see a lot of good local music all in one place.”
For other concert info, visit www.wowhall.org or www.mcdonaldtheatre.com