Music Review: Vanity Theft

One of the things that I love about Portland, OR is the bevy of small venues that allow you access to the many bands touring through town. I'm not talking about photo op / autograph session for the masses, I'm talking about getting up close and life story time. The one element necessary for this to occur, is a willingness of the band members to avail themselves to their fans. I raved about the awesome girls from Hunter Valentine making themselves available for my daughter and I to spend time with them. Today I must praise the wonderful girls of Vanity Theft for doing the same. These girls are as real as they come. They truly understand what rock and roll is all about. It's about playing live for the fans!

Rebekah and I arrived plenty early so we could get a good seat. We entered the venue, and Bekah spotted the girls of Vanity Theft hanging out before the show. We approached the girls and introduced ourselves, and they were so gracious that they summoned their missing band mate for some photos. I was taken aback at the willingness of these ladies to just open up and really talk with us. We talked and had a few laughs, and then the show started.......

Listen to me carefully...These girls can REALLY ROCK!!! I had seen their videos and really liked them, but they ascended to a higher echelon of rock and roll in their live show! I have been to the likes of "Stix", "Motley Crue", "Ozzy Osbourne", "Billy Idol", "Nickleback", "Puddle of Mudd", "Shinedown", "Three Doors Down", "Sick Puppies", etc. live, and these girls rocked with the best of them! Mark my words. These girls will be very successful in the world of rock! Their latest LP is available on itunes now, so be one of the first on the Vanity Theft band wagon. You can see them live Feb. 23, 2011 in Portland at the Ash Street Saloon!

Music Review: Hunter Valentine

Music moves us in inexplicable ways. From the humming of a mother as she rocks her baby, to the soundtrack of a movie, to the the tunes that you bop or rock out to in your car to, music flows through our lives. Sometimes the persons who make the music add to the value and meaning of the music. Such is the case with the music of Hunter Valentine.

This trio of Canadian girl rockers not only make exceptional rock/alternative music, they also make memories and friends along the way.

I recently went to see Hunter Valentine at The Roseland Theater in Portland, OR with my 13 year old daughter Rebekah. It was one of those spur of the moment outings that are possible in a city like Portland. I had just been introduced to the band via Youtube the morning of the concert by my daughter. Later that day, she called me at the park, where I was watching her younger siblings play in the fountain, all excited. She had discovered that her new favorite band was playing in Portland in exactly 2 1/2 hours! I wasn't even sure if we could make the concert in time as I needed a shower, and then we had to catch the train into town, but we decided to give it a go. We made it to the Roseland with time to spare and waited for the show to start. I could see the excitement on Rebekah's face as the girls came out on stage and got ready to play. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but seeing my daughter's excitement was reward enough for me. We were about 12 inches from the stage when Hunter Valentine started playing their brand of rock...and rock they did! The drummer, Laura, started things off with her energetic percussion and wild hair flinging. Bassist Adrienne joined in with her rich, deep, driving rhythm as she thumped away on the bass. Next came the searing chords from lead singer/guitarist, Kiyomi, followed by her deep raspy vocals. The combination turned out to be a match made in heaven for the rock/alternative fans at the Roseland! I think what amazed me the most was the heart and energy of these ladies. They put heart and soul into every single beat of every single song. The show was amazing, and Rebekah was on cloud nine! After their set, the girls came out to meet and greet fans, and sign autographs and such. Thanks to the intimate venue that night, Rebekah and I not only got to meet the girls of Hunter Valentine, we got to hang out with them. I was truly impressed by the amount of time each of the girls spent with Rebekah. Their willingness to "hang out" with a young fan made the music mean much more to Rebekah and I.

If you want to see a great rock show put on by a group of very talented but down to earth girls who really care about their fans, Hunter Valentine is for you! I know they made me a fan for life. You can see them live on Feb. 23, 2011 at the Ash Street Saloon in Portland, OR. Don't miss a chance to see these rising stars!