Lovers @ Rotture 1/19/12
In a city so vibrantly alight with music culture there is an overwhelming sentimental sense of the universal collective. A unique community, Portlanders stand by Portlanders, and this act was thoroughly demonstrated at Rotture on Thursday January 19 in performances by Lovers, Brittle Bones, and Anaturale as a benefit for Natalie Hunt.
Natalie Hunt isn’t a name widely recognized by the masses, but the girl has legions of friends and admirers. Since last April, Natalie has been the victim of undiagnosed neurological problems that are often debilitating to the point that she is bedridden. Her sensitivity to light and sound have prevented her from holding a job and medical bills have become insurmountable. Thursday’s show at Rotture was organized as a benefit for Natalie, with a portion of the ticket sales and the whole of raffle revenue going directly to fund her treatment.
Attendees had stories to share of their adoration for this absent figure (Natalie could not be in attendance) and still more came for the music. The Portland based trio, Lovers, drew the crowd in with their stripped down electronic anthems that are a most joyful melancholy, a fitting tone for the evening. The simple synth-lead, square kick-snare, and syncopated bass lie under the beautiful, soaring voice of Carolyn Berk, front woman of the group, who paints a bleak but enchanting tale of how love/lovers work their way into and out of our lives. The group has a Postal Service-esque simplicity, yet the dreamy 3 part harmonies give depth to the sound. Boxer, a favorite of the crowd, eventually turned the nodding heads in to grooving bodies; Berk herself lost the reserved clutch on the mic and really began to perform. The evening, a great success for both benefactress and bands alike, goes to show you the power of good friends and good music.
Words by Bex Silver
Photos by Gabriel Granach. More on Flickr.