Ok. I don't know about you, but I have been to some over sold shows before, but nothing quite like this.

The White Eagle is not exactly what you would call a huge venue. Trying to squeeze through the crowd to get to the stage or the bathroom was like trying to thread a garbage can through the eye of a needle. I actually had a well-to-do-40-something throw an elbow in my face for trying to get back out of the crowd and to the bar...seriously people, where's the love?

None of this mattered though when Kate and the band took the stage. I had never seen a photo of her before heading out to the show, and once I saw her I have to say the sight of her matched up perfectly with the voice I had heard in her songs. When she looked out over the crowd I realized I was looking at the eyes of an artist that is very familiar with the road and cherishes it and caries that out in her music.

Her voice came streaming out over the speakers, bright, eager, bourbon soaked. The kind of voice that belongs with this Roots/Americana music. A voice that belongs to the wilder history of this country. A genuine voice that begs you to listen, move your ass to the music and dream of the open road.

In the course of the evening, Kate Mann and the Calamities played through her new album from beginning to end. Now that I am looking at my notes and thinking to myself, I think they even played them in order. Not something you normally get at a show like this. I have to say it was really great and has made the album just that much more amazing to listen to. Each song is like a photo in a scrapbook of one of the better shows I have seen in Portland in a great while.

Through out the show, the band showed us that they can take the mood from fun, playful, energetic to mild, slow, thoughtful and dark and keep the crowd thoroughly engaged from beginning to end. When you get the chance to go see them play, make sure to keep an eye to the crowd. Everyone's eyes will be glued on the stage, swaying and tapping their feet to the music in that way that only Portland crowds are capable. That night, at the White Eagle, Kate and her crew had everyone's full attention.

High points in the evening was their performances of Robert Johnson Knew and Bird In My House. The latter of the two in particular got the crowd going totally crazy. I suppose you have to expect a good reception to any song that includes a whistling solo or two. This song also gave me a whole new first at any show. The crowd was actually whistling along. It's quite something amazing to hear a crowd of people whistling in unison.

Towards the end of the evening, Kate brought a contributing artist from her album who played the saw for the song You Can Have My Heart. Again, if you haven't heard a saw played as a musical instrument, there is yet another amongst the absolutely many reasons to go see Kate Mann in concert.

Over all, this show was out of this world. It completely overshadowed it's surroundings for the evening and I can't recommend going and catching this act enough. Get out there. See them perform and let them know we sent you.

Jake Carlsen

Editor for LiveMusicPDX.com

Jake.Carlsen@LiveMusicPDX.com