“Joining other musical guests including Langhorn Slim (videos here), Bobby Bare Jr., and The Lonely Forest, at the funeral home turned music venue in Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood, JV played a few newer songs, and one slightly older song, for the thrifty fans in attendance seeking a free and most excellent show. Enjoy the full set here and check back on the Blog for more “Acoustic at The Woods” videos!” -text from the kexp blog…

Tavern Law, a proud customer of Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co., mentioned in Seattle Times Music and Nightlife section.

The hotly anticipated Tavern Law — mentioned in The New York Times and on cocktail-geek blogs — debuted in late August on Capitol Hill, opened by the owners of the nationally acclaimed Spur Gastropub in Belltown. At Tavern Law, a vault door leads to a den adorned with Prohibition-era motifs: a flask believed to be owned by Houdini, vintage glassware and custom furniture recalling designs from the 1930s. Above, antique chandeliers. Below, a floor constructed from reclaimed barn wood in Montana.

“We wanted to celebrate the classic cocktail and the art of bartending,” said Brian McCracken, who co-owns Tavern Law with chef Dana Tough. Instead of a cocktail menu, the speak-easy bartenders craft drinks based on the customers’ flavor profiles (a cocktail with smokey notes, for instance). The true speak-easies — illegal ones — have always lurked around Seattle, as recently as in the last two decades, in the Chinatown International District and even one near the Seattle Police substation in Capitol Hill. Sometimes, they drew shady characters. Often, their cocktail offerings were limited. The new wave pays homage to the pre- and Prohibition-era cocktails, with bartenders donning vests and fedoras, serving the Martinez, the precursor to the martini, and the old fashioned, the rye libation of choice for the suave Don Draper on the hit show “Mad Men.”

Customers also like to dress the part. Dec. 5 is considered Seattle’s biggest cocktail party, when cocktail geeks every year don Bonnie and Clyde get-ups to celebrate the end of Prohibition in 1933. Those costume parties are more frequent with the faux speak-easies.

Recently, Tavern Law was rented out for a private party at which folks dressed in gangster suits and flapper dresses arrived in a stretched Rolls-Royce.
In an e-mail, cocktail historian Robert Hess of Lake Forest Park explained: “The Speakeasy concept itself is one that is gaining in popularity quite a bit, with bars jumping on that bandwagon in almost every city with even a mild cocktail focus. In general, it is a fun and entertaining idea. Everybody likes a mystery, and it is enticing to have a ‘secret handshake’ necessary to get into the ‘club.’ “

2am in the morning. Last night of Music Fest NW. At The Woods, an old funeral parlor reduxed as a Venue. Midnight Supper with One Pot, Nedd Ludd, Vita, KEXP, Throw Me The Statue, Nick Jaina Band, Fences… and Tahoe Jackson steps up for an impromptu performance – she has never played with these boys before – she calls out a 6/8 beat and they kill it…!!!!!

On Saturday, during Musicfest NW, KEXP and Caffe Vita presented a series of mostly acoustic performances at The Woods, an old funeral home turned new music venue in Portland. Musical guests included John Vanderslice, Bobby Bare Jr., The Lonely Forest, Black Whales, Fences, Throw Me The Statue, Tahoe Jackson, Nick Jaina and Port O’Brien. Opening the day was Langhorne Slim… Stay Tuned for more remarkable videos!

Michael Hebb of One Pot has begun preparing for the Midnight Supper here at The Woods in Portland for Musicfest Northwest. VITA // KEXP Soundstage Live @ The Woods for Musicfest Northwest! Langhorne Slim, The Lonely Forest, Fences and John Vanderslice just finished up amazing sets. The acoustics were built around the organ of yesteryears but the high ceilings are still resonating of this converted funeral parlor.

Date: Saturday September 19th. 3pm – 10:30pm
Location: The Woods. 6637 Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202
Price: Free – all ages welcome.

Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co. and KEXP 90.3 team up once again to host a series of Unplugged performances. Our previous Sound Stage events have ranged along the musical spectrum, from up and coming bands such as Battle Hymn to established statesmen like Thurston Moore. On Saturday September 19th the two organizations will set up shop in the brand new Portland venue The Woods to host several renowned bands.

Preliminary Schedule:

3PM Langhorne Slim

4PM The Lonely Forest

5PM Special Guest – i.e. we can’t say – but you should be there…

6PM John Vanderslice

7PM The Black Whales

8PM Port O’Brien