3leggedtorso

On the drizzely evening of Friday the 13th of April at 8:30 p.m. in the basement of the Blue Monk on 34th and Belmont in South East Portland I managed to arrive simultaneously with my friend and twice roomate of times past, Eric Barker, his friend, Wes Stevens, his partner, and Tama my former co-worker/ downstairs neighbor. We all showed up to the Blue Monk that evening to watch not only 3 Leg Torso (whom, it just so happens that inPortland, Oregon ,Saturday, May 12, 2007 ,3Leg Torso will be performing with Gypsy Caravan which consists of bellydancing with live music by Mizna, and Krebsic Orkestar, an 11-piece Balkan/gypsy brass band at the Doug Fir Lounge on 830 E. Burnside. Doors will open at 8:00pm and 3 Leg Torso plan to perform at 9:00pm the charge will be $10/advance, $12/door for only those of the age of 21 and over
http://www.dougfirlounge.com )...but I digress!!!
We all showed up that evening to watch in addition to and along with and beside of and also sharing the stage with in syncopation thereof and forthwith, and fifthwith, even, none other than, the one and only an American original, and a former co-worker and now again a current colleague who is a team member of all things central which are referenced in a general manner, Larry "Larold" Will, on theremin, one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. It was invented by Russian inventor Léon Theremin in 1919, and it is unique in that it was the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. It consists of two radio frequency oscillators and two metal antennae. The electric signals from the theremin are amplified and sent to a loudspeaker.
To play the theremin, the player moves his or her hands around the two metal antennae, which control the instrument's frequency (pitch) and amplitude (volume). The theremin is widely associated with "alien", surreal, and eerie-sounding portamento, glissando, tremolo, and vibrato sounds, due to its use in film soundtracks such as Spellbound, The Lost Weekend, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. The theremin is also used in art music (especially avant-garde and 20th-century "new music") and in popular music genres such as rock and pop or modern chamber music setting such as 3 Leg torso, as one example.
Similar electronic instruments, such as the Ondes-Martenot also use the principle of two heterodyning oscillators, but the Ondes-Martenot is touched while it is played, and we all know what happens when 2 heteros who are dining who have principles are touched....pretty soon one says to the other ahhh see ya later, and the food goes spoiled!
So let that be a warning to you all!!!
However, I never thought that one could, with a theremin, do the rock posturing of say, a Townshend or a Hendrix, or that one could mimic a voice of say, Cortney Von Drehle's mother on the phone; In all honesty, I can only assume that Cortney calls his mother, I had heard rumours to the contrary! I think Larold will find that he has inspired many to trade in their guitars for a theremin, and in the near future those who manipulate an instrument by touching it will be sent to a treatment facility over in Coos Bay, where you can overhear "it works if you work it and I am worth it."
The other musicians were stellar as well, and we all drank from the well or from the bottom of the barrell while passing through revolving doors of perception as per the cover charge given and we gave at the office earlier that week, but the drinks were strong. There was standing room only when we arrived, so we sat; Larry had seen that we had made it, so he offered up the bands reserved seating, and since Larry only played every once in awhile, I kept guard of the restrooms, asking for tips until I had enough to bribe someone for a stool, and I am not talking about a sample, but the whole 3 legged apparatus!!!! So the band played on their vibes and violin and double bass and drums and percussion all accordion to their set list which I could now read after putting my glass on, but only after drinking the beer out of it. I kept waiting for their rendition of EKU Neu 11.2 fl oz, but I guess they were breaking in a new band member that evening and he hadn't learned that tune yet! A real shame too, because it would have went with that buzz I was feeling!
All in all a good time was had and we all had a good time the time was good all was had good was all and the time had gone without saying goodbye.
the end???