MFNW/Project Pabst hits stages around town Aug. 25-28
Andrew W.K. may be the most self-deprecating performer in rock n roll history.
In a world where singing celebrities sometimes slam one another publicly when theyre not singing their own praises, W.K. stands out for his willingness to say others have more talent than he does. He also exudes an overall fun-guy ethic, best expressed by his I-just-finished-working-on-your-car, its-time-to-rock! T-shirt-centric stage clothes.
Because I dont have a lot of skills in other areas ... physicality is something I could bring to the table, says the gregarious singer-guitarist-pianist famed for jumping around stage as he revs up his audience and wears out his T-shirts, of which he claims to own only two right now.
One Ive been wearing nonstop without being washed, he says, noting the uric acid in his sweat eventually destroys his favorite clothing items. It almost melts and comes apart like a spider web in my hand.
He sweats like a guilty suspect under interrogation because he needs to express his joie de vivre with such songs as Its Time to Party, Party Til You Puke, Party Hard, Long Live the Party, Big Party, and the romantic anthem Lets Go On a Date. Essentially, W.K. is a cross between Slade, a less complex Queen or more subtle Quiet Riot, and every motivational speaker to ever light an inspirational fire beneath the collective buns of an advice-seeking audience.
All areas of life can count as a party if you have that attitude, he says, using party the way a monk might use the term mindfulness or the way a layperson might use the word focus. Being alive to things as simple as brushing your teeth every day can make life more joyful, W.K. says.
For me, going to the bathroom is very boring, but maybe there are ways to spice that up, he says.
W.K. will bring his party-friendly rock n roll to Portland when it hosts MusicFest NW Presents Project Pabst, Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 25-28.
The festival features club shows at Revolution Hall, Mississippi Studios, Doug Fir Lounge, Kellys Olympian, Ash Street Saloon, Dantes, Holocene and Crystal Ballroom, with such artists as Digable Planets (Aug. 25, Crystal), Y La Bamba (Aug. 26, Revolution), Real Estate (Aug. 26, Crystal), Candace (Aug. 26, Kellys), Guided by Voices (Aug. 27, Crystal), Hillstomp (Aug. 27, Doug Fir), Peter Bjorn and John (Aug 28, Revolution) and Shy Girls (Aug. 28, Holocene).
The festivals anchor shows run noon to 10 p.m. at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland and are headlined by Duran Duran and Ice Cube Aug. 27 and Tame Impala and Ween Aug. 28.
Andrew W.K. will play a set from 3:05-3:55 p.m. at Waterfront on Aug. 27, and says he will likely play songs off his first three albums, I Get Wet, The Wolf and Close Calls with Brick Walls. Hes also put out other albums, like the instrumental piano record 55 Cadillac, but says he will stick to singing and fronting for this show.
The singer brings to stage a widely varied background, including playing piano on NPR, offering humorous commentary on the Fox News network, writing an advice column for The Village Voice and being booed offstage by the discriminating fans of Insane Clown Posse.
Hes also hosted Destroy Build Destroy on the Cartoon Network and has appeared on several TV shows, as well as in movies.
Through it all, W.K. seems to have maintained a sense of gratitude for his life in the spotlight.
Any chance at all to play blows my mind, he says. I have never been more motivated to make the most of these chances.
INFO
What: MusicFest NW Presents Project Pabst
When: Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27-28
Where: Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, downtown Portland
Cost: $90 weekend, $55 daily
More: Club shows, Aug. 25-27, are ticketed separately
Info: www.projectpabst.com
Big shows: Aug. 27 Andrew W.K., Duran Duran, Ice Cube, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, strfkr, A$AP Ferg, Lizzo, The Coathangers, and Kyle Craft; Aug. 28 Tame Impala, Ween, Drive Like Jehu, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Parquet Courts, Sheer Mag, Hop Along, Diarrhea Planet and Tenement