Portland Mercury-(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) It's entirely possible that you missed
System and Station's last album,
A Nation of Actors, upon its release earlier in the year. It's also possible that you're unfamiliar with the band even though they've been part of the NW scene (originally Boise, now Portland) for close to a decade. What's not possible, however, is you being able to resist the hook-laden guitar rock that
System and Station lays down; they're not afraid to be catchy while they rock, and their expertly honed songs frequently achieve an unpretentious but inspiring grandeur. In no uncertain terms,
System and Station deserves to catch the ear of the same mainstream audience that listens to
Modest Mouse, or Death Cab, or Built to Spill; in many ways, the band's skyscape anthems—with their fuzzy guitars and arching melodies—are perfectly engineered to be heard from the sloping field of the annual
Sasquatch Festival. Music comes in so many different flavors that it's sometimes easy to forget how good the basics are, so listen to
A Nation of Actors and stop worrying about the flavor of the month. Better yet, check out the show tonight.
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System and Station is from Portland, OR. The band first started in 1998 in Idaho as Dave Wall, RFK Heise and Mike Rundle and then moved to Wisconsin until 2001. After that System and Station came to Portland and became RFK Heise, Palmer Cloud, Josh Vasby and Bryan Fairfield, and later Levi Cecil until 2005. At that point System and Station became RFK Heise, Palmer Cloud, Adam Draper, Mark Matterey and later Ed Cugguda until 2007. Now System and Station is once again RFK Heise, Palmer Cloud, Adam Schultz and Bryan Fairfield; get all of that? The band has been on over 18 national tours; released 8 recordings (4 eps, 4 lps); have owned 2 very loyal Ford Club Wagons, have had approximately 12 breakdowns (some in -20 degree weather, some strictly mental); have torched 4 computer monitors in San Antonio; have seen 1 man dressed as a nun defile someone in New York; have been jumped by 1 crack head and 2 hookers in Knoxville, TN; have stayed at the producer of the Oprah Winfrey shows home without him knowing it; have had 1 fight with a gang of DJ's in Las Vegas Nevada; have been in 1 Texas Jail cell; have seen 2 dead bodies: 1 in Savannah, GA and 1 in New Orleans, LO; have been mugged by 1 gypsy in New Orleans; way too many stories to list...
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System and Station has played with everyone from Marky Ramone to Shiner, from Alex Chilton to Built to Spill, from Jeremy Enigk to Canyon, from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to The Meat Puppets - oh yeah, and also Sloppy Seconds. We've met some of the most inspiring and amazing people on this planet earth who have taken us in without a second thought - they are my favorite part...
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PLEASE CHECK BELOW FOR UPCOMING EVENTS:
11/18/09:We are back from the road as of now and although happy to be home we miss all our people out there. I have been trying to make any excuse I can to jump back in the van as they say. It is always kinda strange when you get back as your body is used to going 75 miles an hour everyday for a month. When you are stalled in one place to long it can make you feel a little crazy!
We would like to say thank you so much for making this last tour such a great one. We appreciate all of the kindness we received on our journeys from state to state. You all our bad asses. Special thanks to our boys- Crane, Nelson, Fanelli, Julie and Family, Zakk, Lindy and the SF crew, Engine Orchestra, The Fairfields and The Heise’s. We had a monster good time-
Now is the part I hate. We are on the lamb for the next few months but we will be playing again in February at some point. Gotta book the shows to play and we have a lot of work to do for the next full length. In the meantime however the new ep is officially released and available online and on Vinyl at your local ma and pa vinyl outlet or at amazon. “I’m Here to Kill” has been getting great reviews thus far and we were 2 on Pamplemoose top 20 of the week. We actually beat out Thom Yorke- had to happen eventually buddy, ha! Anyhow we can always use your help so please do spread the word! Cheers-
System and Station
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