Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
Space Gallery

A word to the reader:

Blood Warrior is based out of Brooklyn. That technically doesn't make them local, but I have three strong reasons for including them on this site:

1. They played an event put on by our friend over at HillyTown. HillyTown primarily focuses on what's going on here in Portland, and this birthday celebration (if you will) was meant to revel in the scene. Also, playing at Space means they played a local,vocal, prominent Portland venue.

2. There is a possibility that Blood Warrior - or at least elements of it - will soon be local to Portland (more on that below).

3. They are too good to pass up.

Blood Warrior was the meat of HillyTown Presents' final night sandwich. They played between White Light and Mark Summers. As with many of the other HillyTown Presents acts, I was unfamiliar with them going in and delighted coming out.

Blood Warrior plays energetic, simple songs that build and build. They echo back on each other. The songs are surprisingly short, too, which adds to the joy. Many of the songs sound like they're building up to be a six minute or longer ordeal, but end abruptly before two minutes. And then you're ready for the next driving, catchy number.

The overall effect is something like waiting for an echo.

The band itself is composed of Greg Jamie, Joey Weiss, Kristin Kellas and Matt Berger with the help - on this tour at least - of Phi Lee Lam. There is a nice web of interconnections here. Greg and Kristin are married. Greg met Joey at a sleepaway camp some 13 or 14 years ago and Joey and Matt met when they were five years old. Phi Lee Lam was responsible for the atmospheric 8 mm projections you may have noticed if you were at the show (or watching the video).

Further information on the projections: The projections add a sort of impermanence to the set, the images dancing across the musicians in a way that'll never be duplicated. As reels run out and are replaced, the light goes white for varying amounts of time. Sometimes the projectors are picked up and moved, or made handheld and toyed with like flashlights. It's a lovely addition to the music. Unfortunately, the projections too are impermanent. Phi Lee Lam - who Greg met at film school - is out of the country for who knows how long.

Greg writes, "we have shows in october and november and there will be no projection. The lights will be on, and people will see our faces and it will feel different than what we did on this last tour. im going to miss that strange energy of having two super 8 film projections being our only light as we play."

The music comes across as something of a communal effort. It is everyone's voice who is heard, even if they aren't singing. From changes in instruments to singular drumming to wild distortion over an acoustic guitar, every song is clearly a group effort. Greg writes about the group keeping their egos in check, but my thoughts are that won't be a problem. For a group with such a long history of knowing each other, I'm fairly certain they'll always be in tune and will avoid the traditional rock set-up.

Finally, I want to talk about the possible move to Portland. And by "I want to talk" I mean "I'll let Greg explain:"

"i know that joey and kristin and myself are all exhausted by new york city. its a trap. It's a lonely place filled with too much hussle and competition. and all my friends are here and family nearby and its hard to leave something like that behind but I think that's what I need to do to grow as a person. or to become the kind of adult I want to be. I have a great feeling from maine. and we all do actually. We swam in the ocean in biddeford. We really fell in love with portland the night you saw us. Kristin and I plan to move next year and portland maine is where we'd like to go, but i just don't know how its going to play out. Theres a lot i will end up leaving behind."

For all the chorus singing, the repetitive riffs, the punchy energy, and more, Portland would love to have you, Blood Warrior.