Casey Neill & the Norway Rats
Event Information
About this Event
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our show with Casey Neill & the Norway Rats on 3/12/20 has been rescheduled to 1/9/21. All tickets for March 12th, 2020 will be honored on January 9th, 2021.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
MOSTLY STANDING / LIMITED BALCONY SEATING
DOORS 7PM / SHOW 8PM
$12 ADV / $14 DOS
THIS EVENT IS 21+
VALID U.S. ID OR PASSPORT REQUIRED FOR ENTRY
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Casey Neill & The Norway Rats
The music of Casey Neill & The Norway Rats combines haunting reveries and high energy rave-ups built around narrative songwriting. Neill tours with the band and solo throughout the USA, Japan, and Europe at venues such as Town Hall in New York, NPR’s Mountain Stage, and the Newport Folk Festival. The latest Casey Neill & The Norway Rats album Subterrene is a major leap forward that No Depression calls "a milestone in Neill and company’s trajectory thus far" while Rolling Stone says "(Neill's) songs mask their complexities beneath a simple, singalong-worthy surface... these swimming waters have serious depth."
A work of dystopian romance, Subterrene taps into new creative wells where electronic elements weave in and out underneath cutting guitars. While not a traditional concept album, Subterrene follows a distinct story arc. The ominous-yet-defiantly-optimistic portraits it paints were inspired in equal parts by vintage sci-fi novels, our current political climate, and the globetrotting manner in which Neill’s lived for the past few years. The Norway Rats are a murderer’s row of Northwest music vets - including Jenny Conlee-Drizos (The Decemberists), Anita Lee Elliott (Viva Voce), Jesse Emerson (Amelia), Ji Tanzer (Loch Lomond) while Casey is a frequent member of The Minus 5. While continuing to tour nationally with an upcoming appearance at SXSW in Austin, work has begun on new music later in 2020.
“Be it through raucous rockers, fragile acoustic ballads, passionate bursts of punk fury or soulful touches of Irish folk, Neill's narrative talent and concern for real people's struggles stand out. (Neill) evokes an epic feel that fits perfectly with the implicit grandiosity of this emotional material, delivered with a raspy, affectionate voice that recalls Life's Rich Pageant-era Michael Stipe. The results are so evocative, you'll be tempted to steep further in these memories, the better to share Casey Neill's particular blend of personal and historical experience.” - Marco Rivera, SPLENDID
"These are songs with stories well told. This is what it's all about" - STEVE EARLE
Redray Frazier
It’s been quite an evolution for this native New Yorker. From singing gospel music in his father’s Baptist church to recording contemporary R&B and house music for Epic/550 and A&M Records, valuable experience was gained. Redray then toured the country as frontman of the soulful rock-band “Mosaic” on the H.O.R.D.E. music festival. Through opening for Lenny Kravitz and Blues Traveler, to name a few, Redray gained notoriety. Soon thereafter, he joined former frontman of “The Talking Heads”, David Byrne’s in his touring band from 2008-2010.
While Redray uses all of his influences, his songwriting draws comparisons from Ben Harper, Maxwell to The Black Keys. However, his smooth and smoky vocal quality along with his gospel approach set him apart. “I’ve always listened to various styles of music, everything from Curtis Mayfield to The Alabama Shakes. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as the music has heart.”
Redray made the journey from New York City to Portland, Oregon late in 2002. Leaving family and band-mates behind, Redray knew he had an opportunity to create something new. Inspired by his change of scenery, he began strumming an acoustic guitar documenting his experiences and emotions. “I embrace playing solo because I hadn’t done it prior to moving to Portland, I consider it a challenge”. You can experience Redray’s rootsy blend of soul singing over sparse guitar strumming at various Portland venues. Whether it’s with a full band or solo, Redray has the innate ability to stir up deep emotion within his audience. You can’t help but nod your head and sway in your seat as you listen to Redray’s heartfelt lyrics and organic vibe.
Redray is currently performing in support of his solo debut cd release “Follow Me” while working on an album with staples in the Portland music scene(Ezra Holbrook, Matt Brown, Jeff Baxter, Tom Nunes, and DJ Radical Klavical) scheduled for a late summer 2015 release. Look out for Redray Frazier! You will be glad you did.
Alia Farah
Alia Farah is an Oregon-based singer/songwriter. For the past several years she has been playing keyboards and singing harmony in multiple projects, but she is excited to be releasing her new album in the spring of 2020. All of the songs on the album were written quickly - under one hour each and all within the span of a few weeks. What came from this writing process was a batch of songs that sound natural and immediate.
Alia has been the harmony singer and keyboard/guitar player in several projects, most recently with The Minus 5, The Alialujah Choir, and M. Ward. With these groups she has performed around the US, Canada, and Europe, as well as playing on several TV shows, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and a feature story on Oregon Artbeat.
Alia is also passionate about arts education. She is a frequent collaborator with the Portland Playhouse and leads sing-alongs in the community and at music festivals, including at Pickathon in 2018 and 2019. She also founded the Portland Music Room, a studio in NE Portland that provides private musical instruction in voice, piano, guitar, ukulele, and songwriting.