Lake, Karl Blau join forces at Russian Recording

It may not have been the highly energized crowd dancing for Girl Talk in Dunn Meadow, but experimental pop band Lake and folk artist Karl Blau swooned independent music followers in an intimate performance Saturday night at Russian Recording on S. Walnut Street.

Local artist Justin Vollmar opened the show with an acoustic set of folk melodies and vulnerable lyrics similar to the sound of artist Mount Eerie. Vollmar’s musical influences include Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman.

Vollmar said Lake has always been one of his favorite bands.

“They take their art very seriously and I can relate to that,” he said.

Lake members shifted stage positions and swapped instruments with each other after every song.

“It keeps it interesting for a live show as something you cannot experience when listening to the record,” junior Taylor Swain said.

Members of the band played instruments including the drums, keyboards, tambourine, bass guitar, trumpet and Blau joined in on two songs with a saxophone.

“They are upbeat and really fun to listen to while having a lot of people on stage adding a good variety,” Swain said.

Local resident Chase Evans saw Blau for the first time in Portland and was impressed with his performance.

“It is exciting to hear him live because he improvises on stage depending on what hes playing or who he is playing with so it differs from the record,” Evans said.

Blau said local bands on the radio and world artists, especially African musicians, influenced his music for the album.

“I don’t know the language so I enjoy not listening to the lyrics, but just the music,” he said.

Blau writes a new song for each show on the seven-week tour.

“It is just to practice something I love to do. Music is a language and this is my way of studying the language,” he said.