If you call a tail a leg, how many legs does a dog have?
Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it one.
--A. Lincoln
Bandwidth
Introduction
Demo tracks
History
Bandwidth brings together three of Portland's contra dance music veterans, Gordy Euler
(fiddle, whistle, piano), Keith Moe (fiddle), and Carl Thor (piano, mandolin) in a new
configuration. Their list of band affiliations reads like a “Who's Who” of the Portland
folk music scene, including: Hands4, Full Moon, The Steeltones, Shanghaied on the
Willamette, Stepwise, Cascade Crossing, Celtinalia, Tunestruck, and, of course,
the bodacious Portland Megaband. Be ready for an exciting, full spectrum of contra dance
music when these gents take to the stage. They're having fun up there, and it shows!
Who we are
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Gordy Euler (fiddle, whistle, piano) is known for his work with Tunestruck, Full Moon, and Shanghaied on the Willamette, and as co-director of the Portland Megaband. As an active caller, tunesmith, and choreographer, Gordy calls for contra dances throughout the Northwest, and has long been active as a dance organizer in Portland. Gordy has also been a folk music DJ on community radio station KBOO for many years. Gordy contributes a strong fiddle lead, lilting whistle, and solid piano backup, though rarely all at the same time. |
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Keith Moe (fiddles) is a 20+ year veteran of the Portland Megaband. He also plays in Hands4, and was a third of The Steeltones contra dance band over its 5-year run. He played classical violin, tenor guitar, and uke in his younger days before discovering Scottish fiddle in Maine in the early '90s, which led him eventually to the joys of contra dance and its music. Keith lays down a steady lead and groove on fiddles. |
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Carl Thor (piano, mandolin) plays in Celtinalia, Hands4, the Portland Megaband, and in the regular rotation of musicians for Portland English country dances. Past bands include Austen City Limits, Cascade Crossing, Talisman, and numerous pickup bands and duos. His varied, driving piano style propels the music and the dancers ever forward, and his mandolin lends a bright color to the music. |
Demo Tracks
Demo #1 — Three marchy contra dance tunes:
Demo #2 — Three jigs:
Performance History
Here is a listing of the places Bandwidth has played.
| Date | Event | Location | Caller |
|---|---|---|---|
| -- 2024 -- | -- 2024 -- | -- 2024 -- | -- 2024 -- |
| -- 2023 -- | -- 2023 -- | -- 2023 -- | -- 2023 -- |
| Sat. 12/23/23 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | Noah Grunzweig |
| Sat. 5/13/23 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | William Watson |
| Sat. 1/28/23 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | Isaac Banner |
| -- 2022 -- | -- 2022 -- | -- 2022 -- | -- 2022 -- |
| Sat. 11/19/22 | Corvallis contra dance | UCC Gatton Hall, Corvallis, OR | Noah Grunzweig |
| Sat. 11/5/22 | Portland 1st Sat. contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | Rich Goss & Elizabeth Bretschneider |
| Thu. 11/3/22 | Lake City contra dance | Latvian Center, Seattle, WA | Rich Goss & Elizabeth Bretschneider |
| Sat. 7/9/22 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | Lindsey Dono |
| Sun. 5/29/22 | NW Folklife Festival | Seattle, WA | Laurel Thomas |
| -- 2020 -- | -- 2020 -- | -- 2020 -- | -- 2020 -- |
| Sat. 1/25/20 | Eugene contra dance | Village School, Eugene, OR | Laurel Thomas |
| -- 2019 -- | -- 2019 -- | -- 2019 -- | -- 2019 -- |
| Sat. 12/21/19 | Corvallis contra dance | UCC Gatton Hall, Corvallis, OR | Rich Goss |
| Sat. 11/23/19 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | William Watson |
| Fri. 10/18/19 | Hillsboro contra dance | Odd Fellows Hall, Hillsboro, OR | Tarka Ayres |
| Fri. 4/12/19 | Contra in the Couve! | Hazel Dell Grange, Vancouver, WA | William Watson |
| -- 2018 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2018 -- | -- 2018 -- |
| Sat. 12/22/18 | PCDC contra dance | Fulton CC, Portland, OR | Rich Goss |
