The Portland Cello Project’s epic video for “Denmark”

The Portland Cello Project, which just stopped in Chicago for a headlining set in Millennium Park, is currently touring in support of its latest album, an instrumental odyssey entitled Denmark. The title song received music-video treatment by director Daniel Fickle from Two Penguins Productions. Depicting a shrimp attempting to escape from its polluted environment, the video offers timely social commentary while commemorating a friend of the band who struggled with cancer.

In other PCP news, the band is planning a fall tour of the USA and will begin work on a follow-up to The Thao and Justin Power Session. Read on for upcoming Portland Cello Project performances.

Buzzov-en is back on tour after 12 years

Stoner-core veterans Buzzov-en have reunited and will hit the road after a 12-year drought to tour the USA this fall.

For a handful of East Coast and Midwest dates, founding member Kirk Fisher has gathered the band’s original lineup, including bassist “Dixie” Dave Collins (also of Weedeater) and drummer Ramzi.

After the release of the band’s compilation album, Violence from the Vault (Relapse), this year, Buzzov-en is working on a new album called Revelation: Sick Again that will be out in 2011 on Hydra Head Records.

Ryan Duggan -- Mi Ami

Poster Art: Ryan Duggan’s punchy minimalism

Screen-printing poster artist Ryan Duggan grew up in Northern Illinois in a small town that Tom Waits wrote a song about.  “There I spent all my time drawing and forming shitty bands with my friends,” he says.  For reasons still unbeknownst to him, Duggan then relocated to Chicago to study advertising.  Maps & Atlases was formed by friends shortly after, and Duggan has been screen-printing since.

“Many posters these days are meaningless collages made in Photoshop and distressed to look ‘rock and roll,’” he says. “It comes off looking very fake to me.  I feel that music is a dirty, stupid ordeal and that this should come across in the imagery — it’s how you know everyone’s still having fun.”