One of these nights I’ll recap Coachella’s final day, namely the At the Drive-In reunion, the Tupac hologram and everything else under the scorching Indio, Calif., sun. Alas, tonight is not that night.
In the meantime, I have the next best thing (sort of): A review of Atlanta-based “chillwave” act Washed Out’s sold-out show Monday night inside Portland’s Doug Fir Lounge. I put chillwave in quotes because I think the label is a misnomer in Washed Out’s case.
Several factors threatened to sabotage this show for me: 1) the presence of the most obnoxious hipster haircut I have laid eyes on; 2) the derivative opening act Memoryhouse and their abortion of a My Bloody Valentine cover; and 3) Washed Out frontman Ernest Greene’s “inside” singing voice.
Yet, I exited Doug Fir impressed with Washed Out’s ability to wash over, for lack of a better term, all those obstacles and churn out a pleasant, if not great, set.
