Walking into the Doug Fir last Friday night, even before the music started one got a sense that it was going to be a good show. The crowd meandered downstairs early, and as soon as the opening set started, folks gravitated toward the stage. What I noticed right away was how many musicians were in the crowd, and that like-recognizes-like vibe is a classic tip-off that the musicians we’re about to see are musicians’ musicians.
Fronted by producer and industry-dubbed “mayor of Portland” Cameron Spies, Night Heron makes music to bone to (a band-generated phrase I'm paraphrasing and endorsing). With those juicy basslines and mm-mm-beats and licks, it’s hard not to lean into the vibes. Night Heron’s album Instructions for the Night arrived in 2021 to a solid applause (here, a shout out to the album’s mixing engineer Rob Shelton for adding that signature kiss of wizardry). It was delightful to see a fresh rendition of the band, who brought a charismatic energy in for their first show of 2023.
(Night Heron performing at Doug Fir. Photo by Roderick Allen)
Friday night’s version of Night Heron featured the jazzy-folksy-genre-whatevery Haley Johnsen, who truly slapped on those vocals and helped lead a crowd-pleasing final song, a soulful cover of the Spice Girls’ “Say You’ll Be There.” The song was a fun end to a set that showed the band in their element, playing with an effortlessness that just makes it look fun and energizing. They know what the people want.
(Haley Johnsen performing with Night Heron. Photo by Roderick Allen)
When it was time for headliner Isabeau Waia’u Walker to take stage, she asked – nicely – for folks to stop yapping in the corner and to come together to hang out with the tunes. Waia’u Walker, who just returned from her first solo tour in support of her album Body, played with her full band for the first time at the favorite local venue to folks with hearts in their eyes.
(Isabbeau Waia'u Walker performing with her band at the Doug Fir. Photo by Roderick Allen)
Always the storyteller, Waia’u Walker shared the making of the music video for “Breathe Easy,” which co-starred her dad, who sweetly forgot his lines and mouthed his closest approximation to the camera. Toward the end of the night Waia’u Walker tossed little Valentine poems into the crowd, which people jumped for and pocketed like true treasures. Folks were captivated and dreamy, a little tipsy and overall, the music of the night had notes of heartbreak and sadness, of energy and fun, and a touch of that oo-la-la.
(Isabeau tossing Valentine poems into the audience. Photo by Roderick Allen)