The marriage of music and film in Portland Long before people were talking in films, music set the tone and mood for the visual experience on screen.  In this article, Oregon Music News Publisher, and Siren Nation Board Member Ana Ammann discusses the impact music has on film with POWFest‘s Tara Johnson-Medinger, local filmmakers, Eliza Greenwood and Kimberly Warner,and Portland-based musicians Jen Agosta and Chris Funk of The Decemberists. Be sure to

Come join us for a clothing SWAP of HUGE proportions! This is possibly the BIGGEST, most abundant clothes swap you will ever attend!!! Sections for MEN, WOMEN, AND PLUS SIZE! $5 and a small bag of clothes gets you a WHOLE NEW WARDROBE! –this is an ALL AGES event– Plus, grab a glass of wine while you’re grabbing up your new duds! Invite ALL your friends! The more attending, the

Get your tickets now to one of Siren Nation’s biggest fundraisers. This show usually sells out! Siren Nation Presents “Lady Sings the Blues” – A Tribute to Billie Holiday Saturday, April 21st at The Secret Society Doors at 8pm. Show at 8:30pm. Tickets $12 Advance. $15 at the Door. Featuring: Megan Spear, Sara Jackson-Holman, Led To Sea, Wendy Pate, Felecia and the Dinosaur, Tin Silver, Mary Flower, Michele Van Kleef,

I first saw Jenny Siegel‘s work at the Siren Nation Visual Arts Show at the Albina Press in 2010.  She had small encaustic work by the front window and I can remember looking closely at the wax and the collaged images and wondering about her process.  I was happy for the opportunity to interview her and ask her all of the questions I’ve been holding onto since I first saw

Seltzer Works, a film by Jessica Edwards Jessica Edwards, producer extraordinaire, new mom and friend to Siren Nation, has a short film in competition at the PBS POV Online Film Festival. Seltzer Works is a beautiful, poignant and funny story about the last seltzer bottling factory in Brooklyn. You can vote by watching the film on YouTube then vote by pressing Thumbs Up/Like. Good luck, Jess!

I loved Whitney Houston. When my friends were all transitioning to Nirvana and the Pixies, I was still going home to listen to my Whitney and Mariah cassettes (creak). I’ve always been drawn to divas with big hair, powerful talent and an undercurrent of personal turmoil. Jezebel has a great piece up today about our relationship to celebrity tragedy. I’m sure far more articulate and fitting tributes to Houston will

POWFest, our sister from another mister, is next month! Tara Johnson-Medinger and her team just announced the 2012 line-up and have once again put together a spectacular event. Highlights include: +The Silent Truth (pictured) – An extremely powerful documentary about a family’s search for justice after their daughter, U. S. Army Private LaVena Johnson, is assaulted and murdered by fellow Army personnel. +Five Shorts programs! +A tribute to our national treasure: Barbara

So the heiress turned YouTube sensation turned SNL disaster turned internet meme, Lana Del Rey’s, record finally came out last week to much hand-wringing and whatever the music blogger dude-equivalent of pearl-clutching is. Jody Rosen and the Slate CultureFest team nailed it in their breakdown of the backlash, if pop music is about polished perfection — people will lose their ever-loving minds if they are confronted with what is essentially

What an unbelievable festival! So much music, art, film and talent packed into 5 days! If you missed anything or have photos you’d like to share, check out the Siren Nation Flickr Pool and Youtube videos on the media page!

Be sure to check out this video for the song  “Milk-heavy, pollen-eyed” from Laura’s upcoming (january 2012) album La Grande. With her voice as hauntingly beautiful as ever, keep your eyes peeled for about the 1:18 mark where the video’s cinematography takes a subtle and cleverly planned turn. If you want to see Laura Gibson perform live be sure to check her out along with a fantastic line-up of other