
Much like an eclectic group of gypsies, the Vagabond Opera sounds like a mixture of the circus, Duke Ellington, Balkan wedding music and a cello armada all rolled up into one group - one that looks like it's having as much fun as they possibly can. This Portland, Oregon based sextet will bring their highly theatrical mix of eclectic music to Richmond for the very first time as they sing in 15 languages, with top hats, burlesque and much flair. Vagabond Opera will be playing on Wednesday, July 28 with the Hot Seats [...]
The November 16th show of Mountain Stage featured Vagabond Opera , Brett Dennen , Eric Bibb , Madison Violet , and Sister Hazel. I was most excited about seeing Vagabond Opera, and they were fantastic! As expected, the kooky cabaret band put on a fun and dazzling set of songs from their new album, The Zeitgeist Beckons . Their colorful costumes and theatrics were fit for Vaudeville, and lead singer Eric Stern's voice was astounding live. Their set was as entertaining for the eyes as it was the ears. [...]

Six-piece Portland ensemble Vagabond Opera is a new addition to my demented circus genre . But despite some similarities to twisted bands like The Dresden Dolls and Tiger Lillies , Vagabond Opera's new album The Zeitgeist Beckons centers on a more traditional cabaret sound (akin to Camille O'Sullivan ) with elements of opera, Eastern European folk, jazz, swing, and klezmer. Led by operatic tenor and accordion player Eric Stern, the band features a wide selection of instruments and styles with a revolving cast of female vocalists. [...]
Sometimes, klezmer/gypsy-influenced cabaret jazz is just the thing. Thanks, Vagabond Opera! From the 2009 release The Zeitgeist Beckons. Vagabond Opera - Chimaeras Be Met Vagabond Opera - Tango 'Til They're Sore Recently on Comfort Radio: Spool - Xos Scissor Sisters...
Vagabond Opera - " Chimaeras Be Met " (mp3) XOXO - " The Dissociative Fugue " (mp3) Dreamdate - " Have I Told You? " (mp3)
It's nice out, there's lot to read on the site, and festival season is now in full swing. In other words, there's too much going for me to waste your time with an introduction for this week's Friday Mixtape. So, let me just get on with it and present you with this week's mix of the best new singles, remixes, and covers, along with mp3s from some up-and-comers you just might want to check out. NEW Singles: "Stardust" by Alexipharmic "Smoke Bros" by [...]
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: The Decks : "What You Said" [mp3] from Breath and Bone (out May 26th) other Decks posts at Largehearted Boy Donnie Hue and the Colors : "Steps" [mp3] other Donnie Hue posts at Largehearted Boy James Apollo : "Morphine and Wine" [mp3] from Angels We Have [...]

European cabaret, Balkan belly-dance, neo-Classical opera... it's all in a day's work for the Portland, Oregon-based six-piece, Vagabond Opera . Mixing Eastern European folk with creative, theatrical performances, Vagabond Opera is one of the few bands that can put on a thrilling show while still delivering the musical goods. And they're not kidding around about the "Opera" part, either - the group's lineup includes classically trained tenor and soprano vocals (singing in over a dozen languages), not to mention accordion, cello, stand-up bass, musical saw, and more. This track comes from their just-released third album, [...]

photo: Alicia Rose The Zeitgeist Beckons is concept album of sorts - an opera buffa for the cabaret age consisting of four acts (or maybe five) by Vagabond Opera a sextet from Portland, who use 13 different languages in their lyrics, cover Edith Piaf, Tom Waits and Jacques Brel, and generally let rip like they did when Weill and Brecht were the kings of the roaring Twenties. This is an album that can serve as a treasure hunt for music geeks trying to [...]

Vagabond Opera Genre: Indie / Jazz / Experimental From: Portland, Oregon, United States [...]

If I were going to project what two instruments would make the biggest splash in 2009, I would say the ukulele and the accordion . (As a side, both instruments can be heard on Coconut and The Duke's " In The Bamboo Forests Of Pennsylvania ".) The Vagabond Opera hail from Portland. You'll hear plenty of the latter instrument on their album "The Zeitgeist Beckons". I usually don't quote other people on this blog, but the Washington Posts sums up Vagabond Opera better than I can, " A Vagabond Opera [...]
by m bea (jv pic by autumn de wilde) This week's More Music brings together all sorts of different genres, so you can pretty much find anything to suit your aural pleasure. This week's installment is packed with homestyle Brooklyn goodness from right around the corner. Variety is the spice of life, so I thought I'd cook you up something nice for the week ahead. Pick a favorite and get yourself to the beach with it. Already a champion of the blog ranks, [...]
Cocktail Slippers - " In The City " (mp3) Greycoats - " Goodbye Sweet Youth, Goodbye " (mp3) The Low Anthem - " Charlie Darwin " (mp3) The Sounds - " Dorchester Hotel " (mp3) Deaf Judges - " Deaf Sentence " (mp3) Vagabond Opera - " Kabarista Farewell " (mp3)
1. Das Rascist - "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" (Wallpaper. remix)2. Michael Zapruder - "Ads For Feelings"3. Kermit Ruffins - "Holy Cow"4. Charlamagne - "New Train"5. Major Lazor - "Lazor Boom 1" (zshare download)6. Zee Avi - "Darling" (audio stream)7. The Sounds - "Dorchester Hotel"8. Deastro - "Spritle"9. Andrew Ripp - "Dresden Wine" (sendspace file)10. The Enemy UK - "No Time for Tears"
It's Friday and it's spring...you know what that means: time for a spring-approved Friday Mixtape! Ok, so maybe there isn't anything really springy about the collection of singles, remixes, covers, along with the mp3s from some up-and-comers you just might want to check out, but it sure as hell is worth the listen, and should help make your spring Friday a bit more musically awesome. NEW Singles: "Fake IDs" by Deleted Scenes "Counterpoint" by Delphic "Future [...]

Portland, Oregon's Vagabond Opera will transport you to another time and place, perhaps not purely of our world. The sextet concoct a marked by gypsy thrusts, cabaret, and more.., faced off against lyrics in 13 languages, operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor saxophone, cello, violin, musical saw, banjo-lele, stand-up bass and drums. Vagabond Opera has performed all over the USA and in Europe. They have shared stages and players with Pink Martini, Devotchka, The Decemberists, and the Oregon Symphony. Vagabond opera has two full-length albums and will be releasing their third album, The Zeitgeist Beckons , on May [...]
New Prince video released, Motion City Soundtrack to record new album & Chairlift hit the Current.

I'm getting ready to do some live radio this morning with members of Vagabond Opera and the March Fourth Marching Band , but I wanted to post a quick update of some worldly things (and you may expect more on those bands and a report of tonight's show here in Olympia soon...). Is the epitome of "world music" an album that was recorded on three continents and incorporates musical elements from all three? In my book, that's a subcategory called "world fusion," but not so for Paste Magazine in [...]
I managed to narrow it down to only twelve tracks. Which is a small number, by my standards. It was difficult, as I realized that much of my favorite music is stuff that I put on late at night, when I have the blues so hard I can't sleep. Murder City Devils - Every Shitty Thing . This song goes hand-in-hand with that. It is done in typical Murder City Devils style: sludgy guitars, growling vocals. You can feel his pain. I'm the only one who knows every shitty [...]