This Space Vacant

I've been watching as "The Space", Salem's iconic music venue, has struggled to stay afloat since it's birth. Noise complaints were hitting The Space and hitting it hard. So it came as no suprise to me when I read that The Space had closed down.

For over two years, The Space and Salem's Music Scene were one in the same. Massive Moth, a band Doug Hoffman (owner of The Space) had established in Salem, was well know, well respected, and rightfully so. In my mind Doug, along with a small handful of others, is Salem's musical front-runner. So when The Space lost the battle with it's neighbors and had to shut down, there was a literal silence in Salem. There has been a Facebook page dedicated to the revival of The Space already built titled "Save The Space" as well as others waiting on the call from Doug himself who had sent a email stating that he has his eye on downtown Salem for a new potential location.

The outlook on music life in Salem is not bleek, however. New places like Clockworks and Wasteland are growing in popularity and bands are coming out and making a splash. The battle of The Space is viewed by many as a crippling blow, but we will most certainly press on.

Best of luck Doug,
Alva

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For more about Doug's band Massive Moth visit: Massive Moth's Profile

Is Violet Isle Local Now? (I think so)

I have been working hard to establish the name Violet Isle as a local band. Granted, I was living in Portland when we started VI. Now living in Salem, I have the strong desire to see my band as a part of Salem's growing music scene.

We first made our splash in Salem at the annual Oregon State Fair (which, technically, was our very first live show ever) in 2008. Our lead singer had been established as a solo act up until this point. There was a haze of confusion, due to miscommunication on both parts, which landed this full band with fresh music on the "acoustic stage" in the artisan village. Thus creating a lot of frustrated local artists desperately trying to talk, over our music, with onlookers about their creations. Before our set, we were warned to watch the volume of our performance and various times during our set we were reminded to do so with polite taps on the shoulder by vendors and verbal requests like, "Can you please turn down your drums?"

Our second time in Salem, we set up camp at The "Infamous" Space during the Cherry City Music Festival in 09' sharing the bill with Half Shark Half Jesus and two no shows. And again at CCMF in 2010, we were asked to play at a new metal venue called Wasteland. Seeing that we wouldn't have been a very good fit, I called Ike Box and asked if they had room to book us. We played a midnight show there to a dozen people; it was the good kind of intimate (I am grateful for you coming through on that one, Andrew). Our fourth attempt was when we released our first LP "i am ivy". We had a CD Release Party at Ike Box on July 10th 2010. It felt right and the crowd was lovely.

We have been through the up's and down's, in the place I now call home, and keep coming back for more. So I request this of you, Salem: go and have a listen, whether it's checking out the myspace.com profile, downloading the album at the Itunes store, watching a previously recorded show on youtube.com, stagedive.com, or even catching a show. Have a listen and see what one local artist is saying. I have a feeling you’ll like it!

Cheers,
Alva

Violet Isle's "i am ivy" is Available at Salem's Harvest Records and Ranch Records for $10 and you can also download it at the iTunes Store and will soon be available at Amazon.

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One Year Strong

Ever since moving down to Salem one year ago, I have been on the hunt. Searching for Salem's music/art community. I've prowled the streets looking for a tune, unique and alluring, that Salem claims as it's own. I have found that through the cracks of Salem's deep concrete walls and streets, oozes something vibrant and pulsing, asking kindly to be seen, heard, embraced. I have been scratching at the walls in a desperate attempt to uncover what it is. I have seen shades here and there in places like the Wednesday and Saturday market, it's hue a cold chilled breathe beating out of local music venues like the Ike Box, Clockworks, and The Space.

I have designed this Blog, really, just to trace my thoughts back to one place, but also to see if it will maybe blossom and take Salem's music/art scene with it into something thriving and alive, something we can gladly embrace and call our own.

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