MAKING IT POP

Colin Meloy was at The Ace Hotel in Portland for the Make It Pop fundraiser.

The Decemberist....Colin Meloy

Monday night called for an amazingly brilliant evening at The Henry Fonda Theater or the Music Box or the 'Henry Fonda Music Box Theater', as Colin put it. The lead of the lyrical genius of a band, The Decemberists, has dropped a solo album Colin Meloy Sings Live, along with an EP of covers of Sam Cooke, which he performed Cooke's Cupid. He graced us, not only with his solo sounds, but also a few Decemberist tunes as well including Oh Valencia, which happens to be a favorite of mine.

In between his masterful, and power stricken songs, he talked about his travels, made jokes, and at one point called me an elfy gnome. He had an array of souvenirs that he has collected and introduced them to us as if they were human. It was quite cute.

Colin definitely proved to us his magic with his voice and his guitar, either with the whole band, or solo.

www.myspace.com/colinmeloy

PHOTOS: CORY RADKE