Photo:
John Chandler
What a show! Elvis is a marquee attraction.
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Photo:
John Chandler
What a show! Elvis is a marquee attraction.
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Photo:
John Chandler
Ed Forman hits the stage, played on by rock duo the Dynamite Brothers. Professional that he is, Forman kept his back to the audience while buttoning his trousers.
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John Chandler
Ed Forman and city councilwoman Amanda Fritz agree that Portland’s official nickname should be “Awesomeville.”
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John Chandler
Elvis (John Schroder) regales Ed Forman and his producer, Jerd, with tales of his wrestling prowess.
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John Chandler
Elvis does dead-on impressions of Darth Vader, Jabba the Hut, and Yoda.
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John Chandler
Captain Booty Beard, the pirate troubadour, played a lengthy set of ribald sea chanteys. Yes, that’s a hook peeking out of his pants.
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John Chandler
Power trio Search Party played a vigorous set before backing Elvis on “Jailhouse Rock.” Several people remarked on the bass player’s uncanny resemblance to Ryan Seacrest.
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John Chandler
Metropolitan Farms fired off a brilliant set of shiny power pop.
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John Chandler
The joint version of “Don’t Be Cruel” by Elvis and Metropolitan Farms was nothing less than stunning.
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Photo:
Jessica Tippens
Mr. Howl covers the Chocolate Watchband classic "Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love-in)?
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Photo:
Jessica Tippens
Elvis returns for “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Burning Love” with Mr. Howl. At some point I looked over at drummer Jane Cowan Sullivan with a dopey grin. It really felt cool and exhilarating to play those songs! For a moment, it seemed we were part of something bigger than ourselves.
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Photo:
Jessica Tippens
And with a few personnel changes, Mr. Howl morphs into Giant Bug Village, Portland’s premier Guided By Voices tribute band. The lovely Jen Lane of BarFly fame shouts encouragement from the floor. Thank you. Thank you very much.
You know the bird: local color doesn’t get more colorful than Elvis. Schroder himself is a bearded, hulking street singer, who puts his heart and soul into interpreting the works of one Elvis Presley, usually at Saturday Market or some other warm-weather, open-air location. Physically there is no resemblance, but the dauntless Schroder has been belting out the King for more than a decade, occasionally getting a group together called Elvis’s Last Band to play at clubs.
Last Tuesday was the ersatz Elvis’s birthday, and Schroder’s dear friend (and mine, too) Jen Lane of BarFly magazine threw him a hopping little soiree at Dante’s, showering him with a battery of bands, a big plate of cupcakes, and party favors (the whoopie cushion will definitely come in handy). The festivities began with Schroder as a special guest on the Ed Forman Show, a live talk show hosted by local smart-ass Ed Forman, who commands the stage every Tuesday at Dante’s. Elvis appeared right after city councilwoman Amanda Fritz (who was rocking some glamorous shoes) and proceeded to slay the crowd with his amazing repertoire of Star Wars impressions. Note to Elvis: don’t ever do Jar Jar Binks again. Please.
Your humble narrator happened to be in two of the five bands on the bill so I got some commemorative snaps from this totally off-the-hook happening. Have a look—it’s almost like being there.
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