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INTO THE DARK UNKNOWN: THE HOPE CHEST SEPTEMBER 13, 14, 15 PORTLAND INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART'S TIME-BASED ARTS FESTIVAL 2007 Reviews, Press. From the Portland Mercury review, Larry Krone and Holcombe Waller: What Comes After Americana:" "Waller's voice is like soft white felt, and last night it filled the Someday Lounge with swelling waves. Accompanied by French horn, cello, viola, xylophone, banjo, and acoustic guitar, it was clear that we were seeing something special - more specifically, Waller maturing as an artist, and fully realizing his aesthetic vision in front of one of the most important crowds of his career. In songs like "Little Wrecking Ball," about the infant Jesus, and "Eyes Like Knives," about a soldier who abuses prisoners, it's impossible not to get caught up in Waller's sweeping vision. The show contains plenty of theatrics, too, but they're subtle and kept to a minimum, like dashes of spice used to enhance a meal. In one song, he holds his guitar sitar-style, legs crossed, while a flood of light casts a hard shadow on the back wall that clearly recalls Picasso's "Man with a Blue Guitar." In another, English subtitles flash across the wall while Waller paces the floor, singing a sharp, fast song is French. "Simply put, I can't imagine when Portlanders will have an opportunity to see Waller like this again. The professional lighting design, the onstage atmospherics, the three-night run, the obvious amount of preparation the Waller put into the show: Last night it all came together into something pretty magnificent." CHAS BOWIE Read more... From the Willamette Week preview pick: "[MULTIMEDIA SINGER-SONGWRITER] With this TBA entry, the restlessly inventive and ridiculously talented Holcombe Waller takes lessons learned from last year's experimental work, Patty Heart Townes - which presented songs of Patty Griffin and Townes Van Zandt, sung by Waller in costume and character, accompanied by a small string ensemble and video projection - and applies them to his own literate, incisive, beautiful songs. His forthcoming album, titled Into the Dark Unknown, is his first since 2005's stunning Troubled Times. Having found new fans such as Antony (of the Johnsons), Waller's well on his way to a wider audience. JEFF ROSENBERG From The Oregonian A&E review: "When a music critic nearly wipes away a tear - nearly, let me repeat - a musician has cause for pride. But Holcombe Waller so fully inhabited his songs of introspection, sadness, hope and transformation Saturday night at the Someday Lounge that their power to pierce so acutely was no surprise. "His show was billed as "Into the Dark Unknown: The Hope Chest," with a lengthy description about movement, video, costume, etc etc. Really, though, the show was about Holcombe's ability to strip himself emotionally bare before an audience without losing himself in his vulnerability. One minute he told a story that begins on a nude beach (one not repeatable here without the textual equivalent of bleeping); the next minute he broke a heart with another song about loss. Waller blended the hushed quality of folk, the easy flow of pop, a dash of theatricality (especially in a piece performed in French) and a particular vision all his own. Credit goes, as well, to his guest musicians, who complemented and supported Waller with restraint and taste." LUCIANA LOPEZ Read more... From TJ Norris' blog world: "I was stunned by his absolutely sweet vocal ability and keen lyrics that cross James Taylor with say, a simplified Sigur Ros. Slight in frame, his melodious stylings wriggle into a near shamanistic territory, channeling a centered tonality, with a sense of humor. This was mostly evident on a number he did in French with English subtitles. Even Hoback's films ebb'd and flow'd right around the sweet sweet song. Lovely and spare, the performance was delivered warmly even as he sat balanced atop two cardboard boxes stacked atop a table. You bet I won't wait around thinking about seeing him again, I'll just be there. It was one of the highlights of the festival thusfar." TJ NORRIS Read more... All photos this page Copyright Ericka Heidrick (.com) Reproduced by permission. High resolution press photos available upon request. For more information, contact us through the contact page. Visit pica.org's event page for Holcombe. Read more about Patty Heart Townes here. Lyrics by Holcombe Waller Music by Holcombe Waller and Ben Landsverk Video, costume and general mise-en-scene by Holcombe Waller MUSICIANS Ben Landsverk (keyboards, viola, banjo, guitar, glockenspiel, vocals) Tony Rogers (cello, vocals) Kelly Meyer (viola, french horn, vocals) Steve Kennon (french horn, melodica, glockenspiel) TECHNICAL CREW Cullen Hoback, Cinematography Chris Herring, Technical Director Mark Zebra Thomas, Production Coordinator Devon McGraph, Production Assistant Luke Norby, Our Video Girl Friday VIDEO ACTORS Jon Lawrence Erin Leddy Jason Spees |