Eugene is in itself a small utopia: Beautiful landscapes, grass-roots politics and lush organics. However, the music scene, much like a lot of the city’s stagnant culture, is trapped somewhere between a mediocre and sustainable existence.
Although you won’t find a scene at the level of any major metropolis, or even Portland, there are places to get your fix when it comes rhythmic kicks and break-beat tricks.
Eugene’s most valuable offering is music performed by people who are there simply for the sake of performing music. Whether it’s at the Hult Center or at the Saturday Market, you will almost certainly find entertaining and occasionally enriching performances. Of course, that all depends on what you’re looking for.
I couldn’t write an article about the Eugene music scene without mention of the WOW Hall. The WOW Hall is a non-profit venue that hosts an eclectic variety of performances from several different genres of the arts. It is also pretty much the only all-ages concert venue in town that also hosts a bar. And of course there’s Magical Thursdays. It’s Eugene’s own smaller, weekly version of a rave. If you’re unable to experience one at a larger venue, then this is your best bet in town. I recommend calling for a schedule or picking up a copy of WOW Hall Notes. With the variety of shows, the inclusion of a bar at an all-ages venue plus a great amount of community involvement, the WOW Hall is my favorite place in town to catch live music.
John Henry’s, the Wild Duck and a long list of other venues also host musical acts year-round. Go to the EMU scheduling office to find out what bands are coming to Eugene in the near future.
If you’re on campus and looking for live music, you can always stop by the Buzz Coffeehouse to see what’s on tap. The Buzz features live acoustic music from a wide variety of performers. It regularly gives slots to student performers, which means you may find yourself listening to the next Woody Guthrie, or just another freshman with a head full of Nirvana riffs. The odds on this bet are 60-40 in favor of teen spirit.
When it comes to buying music, I recommend starting with the House of Records. It’s located on 13th Avenue, about a mile from campus. I’ve found that this store tends to have the most diverse catalog of underground and alternative music in town. And although it doesn’t always have what I’m looking for in-house, the staff is usually very good about ordering titles for you. House of Records also buys and sells used music, which tends to be the life-blood of any record store found in a college town.
For more commercial music, there’s always Face the Music, also located on 13th. Here you can find the latest offerings from MTV and top-40 radio. It also carries a decent selection of used titles and less commercial offerings.
The Record X-Change is my overall choice for your music needs. It offers new and used music, along with CD players, video game systems, DVDs and just about everything else related to playing music. The catalog changes rapidly here, so if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can always check back next week.
One record shop that doesn’t get nearly enough attention around Eugene is the Record Garden Annex. This place has hands-down the most incredible selection of posters in Eugene. All I’m saying is stop by this place — you won’t be disappointed. It also carries used music, vinyl and videos.
Lastly, for the electronic music people out there, there’s one place that directly caters to your craving. Stylus Grooves is a very small, highly independent offering from a local DJ entrepreneur. In terms of floor space, it can’t compete with other stores, or even with the average-size bedroom. But Stylus Grooves makes up for all that with the simple love of electronic music. You won’t find another place in town that is so dedicated to the sound from the underground. If you’re down with the electro beats or have a thirst for the brain dance, this should be your first stop.
There are countless other places to see live music in Eugene and people dedicated to their muse. However, these are a few good places to start if you’re looking to cover the basics on your record collection and live performances.