Friday,
May 2,
9 p.m.

HOOKAH STEW

John Michael Young can play them all -- and does: funk, blues and rock

Some performers of the electric guitar stay outside the instrument; others, like the leader of Hookah Stew, go inside. John Michael Young formed this band 10 years ago and gave it a crash course of Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Aquarium Release and the Five Fingers of Funk. Some Stevie Wonder and a lot of Hendrix has rounded the sound in the past few years. The strength of this band grows the more it plays. And it has been playing more lately -- on its own after breaking out of the casino rut.

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VIBE NATION

Evolutionary reggae with danceable originals and much-loved covers

Led by the musical and spiritual energy of veteran Rastafari players Jahfree-I and Sister Susannah here is another of Oregon's growing community of reggae bands. This is a large group, also featuring April Scott on vocals, Scott Valpey on drums, Trey Logstrethe on bass, Ras T on keys and Roger McConnell on guitar. Vibe Nation has played at Sam Bond's, John Henry's and other Eugene clubs and has opened for the Mighty Diamonds, Isreal Vibration and the Mediations. Welcome to the ocean!

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Landmark debut
BOOZE HOUNDS

Trailer rock from Montana, trashy Americana

Front man Rob Lethert says, "We just like to play well written songs." The Booze Hounds cover Steve Earle, The Bottle Rockets, Lucero, Slobberbone, Slaid Cleves, Cracker, and Townes Van Zant. They also do some of their own material, the content of which ranges through the lives of the downtrodden. Rob's rhythm guitar, soulful harmonica, and vocals blend with "Texas Ted" Culp's hard edged lead guitar and slide work. Throw in Garrett Robinson on the bass and Kenny Stancil on the drums. The Hounds are on the road direct from Idaho for this gig and are ready to energize the Thursday crowd.

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Special National Attraction!
$5 cover
THE TERRY EVANS BAND

The golden sounds of soul and blues from a life-long practitioner

One of the true greats, as soulful a voice as you'll ever hear. The Evans touch has twice tingled the Landmark before and he's the guy the most people ask about. He's on a roll from his last two releases, "Fire in the Feeling," which brought the feeling of the Iraq war right to the dinner table and "Mississippi Magic," nominated for Best Soul Blues Album of the Year at the WC Handy Blues Music Awards 2002. The new release captures the soulful and gospel influenced vocal work that Terry is best known for. Evans and Bobby King released two recordings for Rounder Records in 1988 and 1990. He also has performed and recorded with Ry Cooder, including a lead vocal role in the movie soundtrack for Crossroads. "Fire in the Feeling" marks the seventh solo record release for Terry since 1993.

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THE THAD BECKMAN BAND

Americana-infused blues from an Oregon original

The songwriter circle has taken a lot of years, but Beckman has made it all the way around. Starting in Portland, where he played in the high school band, then all aboard for Vietnam to fight for his country, then back to Humboldt County and on to Austin, he's now back in Portland, playing with his own blues band. Along the way he shared stages with such as B.B. King, Albert Collins, James Cotton, The Band, Emmylou Harris, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks.

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THE SUMMIT UNDERGROUND

Mike Riley brings in the blues from up the mountains

Riley is a consistent and generous blues player who has lived the life all his life. This band is 15 years old, a testament to the mellow style and the depth of appreciation its members have for the music. The blues lives because musicians live the blues. Mike is backed by Vegas and LA session harp player Kooch Kucera, with Young Pappy Boynton on bass and Bongo Bob Pettit on drums.

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KEVIN SELFE & THE TORNADOES

High-energy blues from Muddy award nominee

Selfe, who last year moved to Portland from his base in Roanoke, Va., has played over 1,500 gigs in 15 states over the past 10 years, conquering a wide circle of East Coast venues. But his new start in the Northwest has given him a fresh outlook. He is starting to get some recognition in Portland, with two Muddy nominations from the Cascade Blues Association. He’s become something of a mainstay at the Landmark, giving a variety of performances, suitable to the crowd, the weather, the whatnot. Glad to have you, Kevin.

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Alt rock from Eugene veterans, featuring Dana Vion originals

Dana has been writing songs for 20 years and while we here at the Landmark are all knowing about the import of classics and standards, it’s also nice to hear originals. This band has been playing quite a bit and is arriving at the coast during a busy run. Dana Vion’s songs are funky, well-arranged music that rocks. The reviews from Cosmic Pizza and Diablo’s in Eugene have been good.

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Blues, jump blues and swing from jazzy Portland outfit

This band plays music by such artists as Louis Prima, Mose Allison, Ray Charles, and other traditional blues and R&B artists. A somewhat different approach to the blues, led by guitarist Michael Anderson. He's originally from the coast and has played all over, solo, in jazz groups and behind the sound boards recording and producing. He's joined by Gus Russell on keys, a player steeped in the R&B tradition who has performed with Bo Diddly, Elvin Bishop, Chris Cain, Paul Delay, Curtis Salgado and many top bands throughout the Northwest. On drums is Rick Markstrom, keeping the beat since the late 60s, and on bass is New York City native Mike Hatgis, who has performed Top 40, Middle-Eastern dance, R&B, Blues, Jazz, and Latin.

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Indie pop and rock from Eugene

Here comes one of those Eugene bands known for its high energy, tight harmony, ripping rock riffs and fast change lyrics. Led by drummer Micky Fuchs and lead vocalist Sassy Fuchs, this is power punk from start to finish. Every once in a while things calm down but that just allows Shawn Notdruft, he of a snazzy lead guitar, and bassman Joe Pettit, Jr., AKA The Wave Generator, to get in a string of rugged riffs.

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Grooves from Olympia, Wash., jam rock, grass and the Dead

Josh Biggs, drums; Joel Black, bass; Trail Black, guitar; Gabe Olson, percussion; Bob Wake, keys. This is a high-energy funkadelic groove-laced band, founded by the above members in 2004. From out in the trees of Shelton via Olympia, Wash., the band continuously travels the Northwest, embraced by a growing community of music lovers who enjoy their danceable tunes.

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Northwest Harmonica Champion 2007

Here’s a comeback story. After 10 years of musical inactivity, Mike started playing again in May of 2006, entering the west Eugene Overtime Tavern blues jam with “a sack of rusty old marine bands.” By the next year Mike was blowing his harp in the Northwest championships at the Secret Garden, then, winning the contest. He’s now hosting the Thursday jam at the Overtime and is also house band at the Wednesday jam at Diablos.

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Jam rock, roots and fusion, healing the planet

This band pulled a reverse Kesey and drove a hippie bus across the Rockies to Eugene. Originally from Missouri and known as Sojourn, the band had built a following in the midwest playing original music by Randy Probst. But around the turn of the century, the core of the band -- Randy, Heather Lamb and Jake Killingsworth -- decided to move west. They had a book full of adventures along the way, cruising in a hippie bus named "Mom." As things would have it the bus broke down in Eugene, the band met Kesey, Babbs and the rest, and decided to stay. They also met Sean Jackson and Ricky Cobain to form Jupiter Hollow. The style is musically Keseyesque -- jamming rock fusion with a grin. It's music that you want to lean on.

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