David Harris

1 week ago | spectrumculture.com | David Harris

Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR4/12/2025Though landlocked Niger isn’t as well-known as Nigeria, its coastal neighbor to the south, Nigerien musicians such as Mdou Moctar and Bombino have raised the profile of desert blues music for American audiences in recent years. Now, Etran De L’ Aïr, another group from Niger, is also experiencing much-deserved adoration on this side of the Atlantic.

1 week ago | spectrumculture.com | David Harris

When do women become invisible? Is it when they have children? Go through menopause? Or is it much earlier? “Christmas cake” is a Japanese expression: women need to marry young because they expire after the 25th. In The Uninvited, director-writer Nadia Conners faces the injustices that exist in Hollywood. Why can middle-aged men still be viable sex symbols when women are simply replaced with younger ones? A party in the Hollywood Hills is starting as the film begins.

1 week ago | spectrumculture.com | David Harris

Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR4/8/2025The ghost of Kirby Puckett could have smiled on Portland’s Wonder Ballroom. Bob Mould and Craig Finn, two of the Twin Cities’ favorite sons of rock ‘n’ roll, played two no-nonsense sets to a room of adoring fans, many decked out in Twins caps and other Minnesota paraphernalia. First up was Finn, who played a 40-minute acoustic set accompanied by Nelson Devereaux on woodwinds.

2 weeks ago | spectrumculture.com | David Harris

Keller Auditorium, Portland, OR4/6/2025Kraftwerk hasn’t released any new music since 2003. The current group features only one original member. But that doesn’t stop its influential electronic music from soundtracking an immersive concert experience, one well worth your time and money. Four men took their places at the podiums that lined the stage as the show started. Founding member Ralf Hütter is still dutifully handling lead vocals and synths all these decades later.

2 weeks ago | spectrumculture.com | David Harris

Knoxville, TN3/27-3/30/2025In Alan Moore’s Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan has the ability to see the past, present and future simultaneously, allowing him to observe everything, everywhere all at once. For attendees at Big Ears, this ability would allow them to indulge in the festival’s bounty of pleasures. Otherwise, you gotta choose.