"Finish the Album"
The Slow Drags
The Low Road
and special guests
- White Eagle Saloon |
- Friday, March 5
- 9:30 p.m. |
- $10 |
- 21 and over
Join us as friends of Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags take the stage at The White Eagle Saloon to benefit the band's "Finish The Album" fund, set up to support surviving members of the band as they finish the album they began together before Barr succumbed to
pancreatic cancer last September.
The Slow Drags will be playing just their second public show since Barr's death.
The Low Road, led by guitarists Nick Foltz and Fred Stephenson, graciously offered to host the evening and will close the night with a full set of their powerful, bluesy bar rock.
Opening the evening, members of The Lonesomes along with Rachel Taylor Brown, Steve Wilkinson (Mission 5), Kris Stuart (Moonshine Hangover, Root Jack) and Matt Brown (The Lotus Isle, Baseboard Heaters) will perform songs before ceding the stage for a performance by the Slow Drags.
"It's an honor to be able to assist the Slow Drags in their fundraising efforts and also bring awareness to their album-making project," said Eric Kotila, drummer for The Low Road and longtime friend of Scotland Barr.
Before losing his yearlong battle with cancer, Barr established himself as one of Portland's premier alt-country and pop songwriters, deftly guiding his band as they built a growing, loyal following with rousing live shows and two critically acclaimed albums, 2006's Legionnaires Disease and 2008's All The Great Aviators Agree. The latter earned a spot on numerous local and national top ten lists, including a nod from alt-country bible No Depression.
While on tour in support of the record, in late 2008, Barr was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, a particularly aggressive illness that offers no remission. While in treatment, he continued to play and perform with his band while beginning work on a new record, planned as an expansive, double album with leanings toward psychedelic pop, a direction the band pointed in its final year.
Four of the songs were finished in the last months of Barr's life and are posted for listening and download at www.scotlandbarr.com, where a PayPal account has been set up for fans to contribute to the "Finish The Album" fund.
"Scot's vision for this record was a sprawling work that showed the many facets of his songwriting and the wide-ranging ability of our band," said Slow Drags guitarist Zach Hinkelman.
Map & Directions
