Tuesday night, Portland’s Typhoon, Laura Gibson and Lost Lander took over the WOW Hall for a night of celebrating Oregon’s vibrant indie scene.
As Lost Lander commanded the stage during the opening set, the audience was still scarce but—in typical Eugene fashion—immersed in the band’s thoughtful performance. Lost Lander alternated between slow rock and heavy jam space rock with ease and care.
As Lost Lander neared the end of their allotted time slot, the hall began to fill. Soon enough, the bar cleared and attendance had tripled, just in time for Laura Gibson. Gibson, the solo singer/songwriter, invited members of both Lost Lander and Typhoon to accompany her on stage for a few songs, still leaving time for some solo guitar and vocal performances. This included a rendition of the first song she ever wrote.
Gibson’s performance was relaxed and slow; subsequently, the hall was mostly quiet, except for a few bouts of laughter and shouts of excitement. As the crowd built, the hall filled with hipsters, middle-agers and potential high school students, clad in plaid and leather clothing.
It was a communal atmosphere; the musicians were highly appreciative of the crowd’s support and excitement. As the crowd swayed to Laura Gibson’s final song, audience members slowly trickled down to the basement to grab that final pint or two before Typhoon began their set.
When Typhoon took to the stage, the crowd roared as if it was alive with intense anticipation. The 10-piece “rock and roll orchestra” slammed through their first three tracks before taking requests from the audience, keeping the crowd immersed with each and every song. Overall, Typhoon played a highly energetic and exciting set that got the crowd’s feet going. Typhoon is a band that is not to be missed next time around.