Wednesday, May. 07, 2008

321 gets back in the groove

By Jeremy Dutton

There's nary a spot in the Tri-Cities with enough foot traffic to prompt a musician to plop down and play for passers-by. Although, I did hear a guy slaughtering American Pie in front of a Tri-City liquor store around Christmas.

Luckily there are a few indoor spots that bring the people to them -- like 321 Art Space in downtown Kennewick.

The hole-in-the-wall venue on Kennewick Avenue has proved itself with an eclectic mix of indie shows including Joe Lally (formerly of Fugazi) late last year. Their lineup over the next couple of months gets off to a great start tonight with Portland indie folker Nick Jaina.

The 30-year-old singer-songwriter will hit the Tri-Cities on the second night of his two-month tour, and while he's happy to play for a roomful of concert-goers, he actually prefers a sidewalk.

When in San Francisco, Jaina and his band have “a really magical spot” they've played more than once. It's Jack Kerouac Alley right across from City Lights bookstore. He loves doing it because it opens up the band to an entirely different audience - not to mention helps them pick up a little extra cash to feed their gas-guzzling Pontiac Montana SUV on the road.

“It's probably our favorite place - including venues - to play in the world,” he said this week by phone.

Jaina admits this tour is going to be an experiment as his songs have shifted gears.

“We're not sure how it's going to go. We're going to try to strike a balance between lullabies (his new stuff) and our other gypsy/hobo type music.”

The new album sways toward more quiet piano-based tunes, but he's excited to see how it will transcend onstage with a seven-piece band.

“When we play live it's more exuberant. It's a celebration.” He paused, then added that it's “more like a funeral parade than a funeral.”

Jaina has five tracks up on his MySpace page (www. myspace.com/nickjaina), two of which come from his forthcoming album Wool. He said he'll also have copies of the CD at the show.

Opening bands are Lions and Eagles and The Very Most. Showtime is 8 p.m. Cover: $5.

It must be a dream

I'm still waiting to wake up after being conked over the head with the announcement of the Sasquatch Festival's lineup. A few of the major acts include R.E.M., The Cure, The Flaming Lips U.F.O. Show, Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, The Hives, Tegan & Sara, Ozomatli, The New Pornographers, The National ... and this doesn't even include dozens of other acts on tap.

It will be three days of absolute ridiculousness. So it is with a stern voice that I say to you: Do not wait on this one. West-siders will eat these tickets up quick, not even mentioning the national appeal the festival is building. Tickets for the festival (May 24-26) go on sale March 8 at noon for $56.50 per day and $154.50 for a three-day pass. The price goes up to $66.50 the following Monday. Tickets are available at www.ticket master.com.

- On the Net: www.sasquatch festival.com

- Jeremy Dutton: 582-1525; jdutton@tricityherald.com